Chapter 256: The Vote
Leo
One day later,
I frowned slightly as I checked my wristwatch for what felt like the hundredth time while waiting patiently for the arrival of Miller, Rhys, and Kayden. Today was the day fixed for them to finally meet my uncle’s husband, yet they were running unbelievably late.
I could excuse Kayden because of his current condition, but I definitely could not say the same for Miller. I had literally woken up beside him earlier this morning and specifically told him to arrive on time after picking both of them up, yet somehow they still managed to keep everyone waiting.
"Any news yet?" Coach Reddick asked as she walked over to stand beside me. "When exactly are they getting here?"
I released a deep sigh and glanced down at my Rolex again before attempting to call Miller for what was probably the sixth time already.
Right before the call could connect, a sleek black luxury van finally pulled into the parking lot. The tinted vehicle slowed smoothly before stopping directly in front of the building, its polished exterior reflecting the morning sunlight sharply enough to almost hurt my eyes.
"Finally," I muttered under my breath.
The side door of the van slid open almost immediately.
Rhys stepped out first before turning around carefully to help Kayden out beside him. His movements were slower and gentler than usual, almost instinctively protective as he reached for Kayden’s hand the second his feet touched the ground.
The warmth in Rhys’s eyes was impossible to miss.
Then my attention shifted fully toward Kayden.
The first thing I noticed was his scent.
He smelled overwhelmingly like Rhys now.
The pine scent clung so heavily to him that it almost completely masked his natural omega scent beneath it, and immediately I understood what they were doing.
Camouflage.
A very smart decision.
Considering Kayden’s pregnancy and the fact that they were going to be appearing in public much more often now, masking the hormonal changes in his scent was honestly the safest thing they could do for the time being.
"Where the hell have you all been?" I asked the moment they finally approached us. "I have been standing here so long that I am pretty sure prolonged weight-bearing pressure is starting to affect circulation in my legs."
Miller moved closer to me and casually wrapped his arms around my neck, but I immediately pushed him away slightly the moment I remembered that Coach Reddick was standing right there beside us.
No one aside from my family, Rhys, and Kayden knew about our relationship, and honestly, I wanted to keep it that way for now, at least until Miller and I fully figured out the future.
The moment Miller noticed my reaction, he simply smiled knowingly instead of getting upset. He gave me a small nod of understanding before stepping a few feet away from me again.
Still, guilt settled heavily inside my chest afterward.
I hated moments like this.
I hated having to act like there was nothing between us when only a few hours earlier I had woken up beside him.
But right now, pretending was the only option we had.
"The former CEO and the new CEO are already waiting alongside the board of directors inside the meeting room," Coach Reddick announced beside me. "Please come with me, all of you. Not only is the board inside, but a representative from the NHL also came specifically for Kayden."
"Will there be questions asked?" Rhys immediately demanded, his expression turning serious as his eyes shifted toward Coach Reddick before briefly landing on me. "Like triggering questions?"
I instantly understood why he was asking.
Kayden’s emotional state needed to remain stable right now. Excessive stress, emotional trauma, or hormonal distress could seriously affect both him and the pregnancy, and the last thing any of us wanted was a complication this early.
Before Rhys could continue speaking, I quickly stepped in.
"I am sure Coach Reddick would not allow any triggering interviews," I said calmly. "We can trust him on that."
Rhys looked toward me carefully, and I gave him a reassuring nod.
Coach Reddick nodded immediately in agreement.
"We already reviewed and approved every single question beforehand," he assured us. "There will not be any hostile or emotionally triggering topics brought up during the meeting."
"Alright then," I muttered quietly. "Let’s go inside."
Just as we were about to head toward the building entrance, the sound of another vehicle pulling into the parking area made all of us stop at the same time.
A long black limousine slowly rolled to a halt a few feet away from us, its tinted windows reflecting sharply beneath the daylight.
The second the driver stepped out and opened the back door, my stomach tightened instantly.
Rami Calder.
And beside him—Richard Calder.
Rhys’s grandfather and father.
"What the hell are they doing here?" Rhys and I asked at the exact same time.
Coach Reddick awkwardly cleared his throat before forcing a tight smile onto his face.
"The former players of Northern Avalanche were invited today," he explained carefully. "They are part of the final decision regarding whether Kayden remains on the team... or gets voted out of Northern Avalanche completely."
"What the hell?" Rhys snapped immediately, his voice rising even as his grandfather and father slowly approached us. "No one told me about this."
His jaw tightened visibly as he looked directly at Coach Reddick.
"Why the hell does anyone get to decide whether Kayden stays in Northern Avalanche based on votes?" he demanded angrily.
I turned toward Coach Reddick as well because this was the first time I was hearing about any of it too.
"When exactly was this decision made?" I asked sharply.
"A few hours before you all arrived," Coach Reddick admitted carefully. "But I can assure you that everything will be fine."
The problem was that there was absolutely no reassurance in his voice.
And honestly, that worried me more than the actual announcement itself.
Because if Kayden’s future was truly being placed in the hands of people who already disliked him, then there was no telling how badly this could turn out.
Before I could question him any further, Rami and Richard Calder finally reached us.
"Hello there, Coach Reddick," Rami greeted calmly as he leaned heavily against his silver cane.
Then his eyes slowly shifted toward Rhys and Kayden.
He stared at both of them silently for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before eventually turning away again.
Without saying another word, he continued walking toward the building entrance with Richard beside him while two bodyguards followed closely behind them.
I watched them disappear inside before turning my attention back toward Rhys immediately.
"Are you going to be alright?" I asked quietly.
Rhys nodded once in response, although tension was still written clearly across his face.
"Of course," he muttered. "The only person I am worried about right now is Kayden."
His eyes immediately softened as he looked toward him.
"Kayden..."
"I will be fine," Kayden said quietly before offering a small smile that looked more exhausted than reassuring. "I just want all of this to be over quickly."
I stepped closer to him immediately, my medical instincts kicking in the moment I noticed how pale he still looked beneath all the pheromone camouflage.
"It will be over soon," I assured him calmly. "And for the record, elevated stress cortisol is not something I plan on allowing today, so everyone in that room better behave themselves before I start diagnosing people with acute stupidity."
That earned the smallest laugh from Kayden.
Good. At least he was still smiling.
Then my eyes shifted toward the building entrance where Rami Calder had disappeared moments ago.
My expression immediately darkened.
"Because if anyone in there tries to psychologically destabilize my patient today," I said coldly, adjusting my glasses slowly, "I will personally ensure their cardiovascular stress response becomes the least of their medical concerns."