Chapter 29: Trending for all the wrong Reasons
Kayden
"You foolish Omega!" Leo screamed so loudly in my ear that I had to rub my ear. "How good was that dick that made you open your wide ass and let him fuck you again?"
I winced, closing my eyes as the memory of the previous night flashed through my mind—the way he had claimed me so completely. "Leo, he is the first guy I have ever slept with, and you should see him in person. He is irresistible and, good lord, he does have a juicy dick!"
"Oh, you foolish idiot! I don’t know how good that dick is, but you are risking your life, and it’s not just a risk, but a death wish! The hormonal backlash alone could stop your heart. This is crazier than you think, boy," Leo hissed.
"Irresistible is going to get you killed, and soon, it wouldn’t be just falling alone. You will experience worse, and when the cooling suppressant wears off, the pain will return. And I told you, Kayden, your body wants to bond with Rhys, and the more suppressants you take, the more it becomes poison to your body."
I let out a shaky breath, looking down at my hand that was trembling again. "But I am okay now."
"You are not okay, bitch. You are dying to be bonded, to be submissive to a True Alpha, and the more you reject that submission—if you don’t bond and continue to let him dick you now and then—it will be over for you."
"Over as in my secret will be out?"
Leo snorted. "That’s the least of your problems, Kay. You could die."
The silence that followed that information was a little deafening, and it went on for a moment until Leo spoke up again.
"That aside, you are trending, Kayden. I am looking at the feeds right now, and half the sports world is talking about how Rhys Calder lost his edge after stopping to check on you. The other half? They are blaming you for the loss. They are calling you a liability."
"I..." I tried to speak but stopped myself as I put my phone on speaker and then checked the sports apps.
Leo sighed. "Are you looking at the news now? Don’t, Kayden. The comments would cause you digital harm."
I said nothing, but I couldn’t help it because I needed to see the damage I had caused.
The headlines were a barrage of insults.
AVALANCHE COLLAPSE: HAS THE SHIP SINKING STARTED?
NEWBIE RUPTURE: VALE’S MYSTERY INJURY COSTS CALDER THE WINNING STREAK.
Then came the memes. My stomach did a sick flip as I scrolled past a looped video of my fall. It was edited with circus music, and they slowed my scream, making it sound high-pitched and pathetic.
One popular post showed a photo of Rhys, frozen on the ice, looking at me, with the caption: "When you realize the rookie you hired is actually a glass doll."
I continued scrolling down, ignoring Leo’s warning until I reached the comments.
"Avalanche let the championship get to their heads."
"They think they are untouchable, and then they bring in this weak link? Failures."
"Rhys looked like he regretted every life choice. Send Vale back to where he comes from before he ruins the whole season."
"Is it just me, or did the Ice Prince look soft tonight? They let the fake ship get to their heads? Pathetic."
"Is this the downfall of Northern Avalanche?"
Amongst the nasty comments, only a few were good.
"Guys, they still have more games to play. I am sure they will win."
"No CalderVale slander is allowed."
"CalderValeforever, to hell with the haters."
I shut the screen off and let out a deep sigh. They were attacking Rhys and me, but mostly me because I had been stupid.
"Hey, Kayden," Leo muttered into the phone. "I am sure you must have seen those comments and headlines, but forget about them for now and instead focus on yourself. We need to talk about your vitals, Kayden. I am serious. You have to stop this—especially the contraceptives—and for the love of God, stay away from that Alpha’s knot," he jokingly said.
I said nothing.
"Your endocrine system is on the verge of a total shutdown, and you need to take care of yourself."
I finally responded, letting out a weak, shaky breath. "I just need to get through the series."
"I am serious, Kayden," Leo said, his voice dropping into that dark humor he always used whenever he was terrified. "Stop it, Kayden. I don’t have money for your funeral, and even though you have made much more, I don’t want to bury you. Do you have any idea how much a casket costs? I’ll have to bury you in a hockey equipment bag if you die."
A small, genuine laugh bubbled up in my throat. "A hockey bag? That’s cold, Leo."
"I am a pragmatist. Don’t die, it’s expensive," he retorted, then his voice softened. "I will be coming to see you soon because I got a new job in your city. At least I can make sure you don’t make bad decisions there."
My eyebrows shot up at this sudden information. "A new job? Where? What is it?"
"It’s a surprise," Leo said, sounding uncharacteristically smug. "Let’s just say I’ll be keeping a very close eye on my favorite patient."
I was about to press him for more details when the heavy clack of a keycard sounded at the door. I turned immediately towards the door, and the scent hit me first before I saw him walking in. I froze right on the spot and turned around to see him standing at the doorway.
"I... gotta go," I whispered into the phone, my heart hammering hard against my ribs.
"Kayden? What’s—"
I hung up before Leo could finish and placed my phone on the table before turning to face the door. "Rhys, you are back..." I said, my voice sounding far thinner than I wanted it to.
Rhys didn’t say anything at first. His blue eyes just lingered on me with a frown, and then he finally spoke in a low, dangerous voice that made my stomach drop.
"So... you were fine?"