Chapter 290: Shared Victories
Kayden
The roaring of the stadium crowd through the high-definition television speakers filled the entire living room, but it was absolutely nothing compared to the sound that tore from my own throat the exact second the final scores flashed across the screen.
"They won! Oh good god, they won!"
I practically launched myself off the plush cushions of the couch, my heart hammering against my ribs with a frantic, euphoric rhythm.
On the screen, the official graphics for the Winter Olympics figure skating pairs championship illuminated the arena in brilliant shades of gold, and right at the absolute top of the leaderboard, glowing in bold text, were the names everyone had been holding their breath for: Soren Papanikos and Rio Takahashi
"I knew they were going to do it! I knew it!" I screamed, throwing my hands up in the air, completely unable to contain the explosive, bubbling excitement rippling through my veins. I was bouncing on the balls of my feet, my eyes wide and stinging with the sudden rush of ecstatic tears as the camera zoomed in on Soren and Rio sobbing and clinging to each other on the ice. "Oh my god, Rhys, did you see that sequence? The technical score was absolutely flawless!"
"Kayden, please—calm down," Rhys’s voice cut through my celebration, laced with deep fondness and sudden, sharp panic. Before I could take another ecstatic leap, his strong hands were wrapping securely around my waist, pulling me back down gently toward the safety of the couch. ’’You’re jumping around like a madman. Remember the baby. You can’t be doing acrobatics in the living room right now."
I let out a breathless, bubbly chuckle, my shoulders shaking as I willingly let him pull me back against his solid chest. I placed a palm flat against my stomach, feeling the slight, warm curve beneath my shirt, a soft smile touching my lips. "Right, right. Sorry, little one," I whispered playfully into the quiet space between us, though the adrenaline was still making my fingers tingle.
But the joy was still too big, too heavy to keep bottled up.
I couldn’t get enough.
My eyes instantly darted down to the floor where Starlight was sitting, her massive, fluffy main coon tail swishing with curiosity as she watched my outburst. Without a second thought, I leaned down, scooped the kitten up into my arms, and hoisted her high into the air like a trophy.
"They are the Olympic champions, Starlight!" I screamed again, my voice echoing off the high ceilings of the penthouse.
Starlight’s emerald eyes widened in utter betrayal at the sudden elevation. She let out a sharp, highly offended meow, her tiny claws instinctively kneading the air before she violently wiggled out of my grip. She scrambled over my shoulder, dropped down onto the carpet with a soft thud, and sprinted down the hallway like a blur of silver-gray fur, desperate to escape her crazy owner.
Rhys let out a heavy, amused sigh, reaching over to firmly grab my shoulder and pull me completely flush against his side. "Sit down, watch the screen, and breathe. If you pass out from hyperventilating over a figure skating program, I am never letting you watch sports on TV again."
I finally yielded, melting backward into his protective embrace. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my chin comfortably on his chest as the broadcast transitioned to the ice-cleaning crew and the preparations for the podium ceremony. The steady, calm rhythm of Rhys’s heartbeat beneath my ear finally began to calm the wild fluttering in my chest, allowing me to just sink into the absolute warmth of the moment.
Then the door opened and drew my attention from the screen for a moment. Raymond stepped out of the guest hallway, having clearly been disrupted by my scream. He was holding a glass of water, his brow furrowed in utter bewilderation as he looked at my flushed face and Rhys’s exasperated expression.
"What the hell is going on out here?" Raymond asked, looking between the two of us. "I heard screaming and thought someone was getting murdered. Why are you so incredibly excited, Kayden?"
I lifted my head from Rhys’s chest, a proud, brilliant smile breaking across my face. "Soren won the gold medal, Raymond. He’s my friend. A truly amazing friend." My voice softened, a wave of deep, profound gratitude washing over me as I looked back at the television screen. "He was one of the few people who played an absolute, undeniable role in helping me find the courage to come out to the world. Seeing him up there... it means everything."
Raymond’s expression softened, a look of quiet realization crossing his features as he took a seat on the single armchair nearby, his eyes drifting over to the broadcast. "Oh. Wow. I didn’t realize you two were that close."
"We are," I murmured, my hand subconsciously squeezing Rhys’s arm.
On the screen, the arena’s announcer finally cleared their throat, the booming voice echoing through the stadium speakers as the medal ceremony officially commenced.
My heart swelled all over again as Soren and Rio stepped out onto the ice, completely clad in their official team jackets. Soren’s eyes were still red from crying, but the radiant pride on his face was obvious.
When the heavy, glittering gold medals were finally looped around their necks, I couldn’t stop myself from clapping loudly, my hands stinging from the force of my appreciation.
Rhys watched me with a quiet smile, his thumb gently tracing soothing circles against the bare skin of my wrist, sharing in my silent happiness.
But the true shift in the room occurred when the bouquets were handed out, the national anthem finished playing, and the sports reporters crowded around the podium with their microphones extended for the live, worldwide post-victory interview.
Rio stood slightly to the side, his arm wrapped tightly around Soren’s waist, providing a silent, unshakable pillar of support as Soren took the microphone. The young skater took a deep, shuddering breath, his fingers trembling slightly against the plastic casing. He didn’t start with the usual corporate thank-yous to sponsors or coaches. Instead, he looked directly into the lens of the main camera, his expression hardening into something incredibly vulnerable, and fiercely determined.
"This medal... it represents a lot of things to a lot of people," Soren began, his voice echoing with a surprising amount of strength that commanded the attention of the entire stadium. "But for me, personally, it represents a truth I have spent my entire life running away from. Standing here today, as an Olympic champion, I want to finally say it out loud to the world. I am an omega. In fact, I am the only omega born into a prominent, high-society family composed entirely of True Alphas."
The stadium went dead silent, and even the sports commentators on the broadcast seemed to catch their breath in collective shock.