Chapter 291: Kayden Vale’s Legacy
Kayden
I felt a sudden, heavy shift in my own chest at those words. The painful familiarity of Soren’s reality struck a chord deep within my soul. I shifted slightly in Rhys’s arms, turning my head to look up at him.
Rhys was already looking down at me, his dark eyes filled with unspoken understanding. He didn’t say a word, but he gave me a slow, firm nod like he was assuring me that he was right here and that we had survived our own battles and that soren was now fighting his.
Soren’s voice continued over the speakers, cutting through the heavy silence of the penthouse. "For years, I put myself through absolute living hell on the ice. I pushed my body past its limits, endured agonizing training, and forced myself to become the absolute best skater in the world, all because I foolishly believed that if I collected enough accolades, my family would finally acknowledge me. I thought they would love me."
Soren let out a bitter, watery chuckle, a tear slipping down his cheek on the high-definition display. "But the truth is, I was never acknowledged. Not once. Behind closed doors, my own flesh and blood looked at me with nothing but disgust. They treated me like a genetic mistake, an absolute abomination that needed to be hidden away from the world because my existence didn’t fit their perfect, elite Alpha lineage."
Raymond let out a sharp, quiet gasp from the armchair, his fingers tightening around his water glass. Having just escaped the toxic, elitist expectations of the Calder family, the brutal honesty of Soren’s words must have hit him hard.
"I was entirely ready to give up," Soren whispered into the microphone, his gaze piercing directly through the camera lens. "I was ready to accept that maybe they were right. Maybe an omega didn’t belong in the spotlight. But then... one day, a few months ago, I met someone. A man who looked at me, saw all my shattered pieces, and completely refused to let me break. He was the very first person to look me dead in the eye and tell me that I was worth more than my secondary gender. He told me that being an omega wasn’t a curse, and that I had the right to demand respect from the world. His words completely rebuilt my shattered pride. He boosted my ego when I had absolutely nothing left."
Soren paused, a brilliant, breathtaking smile suddenly breaking through his tears, illuminating his entire face.
"That person was Kayden Vale.’’
My breath hitched completely in my throat. My name echoing through the Olympic stadium speakers felt entirely surreal, like a dream I couldn’t quite wake up from.
"He mentioned you," Raymond whispered, his jaw practically dropping as he stared at the screen. "Kayden, he just said your name on international television."
Soren wasn’t done. He kept his eyes locked on the camera, his smile widening with genuine affection. "Thank you, Kayden. Thank you for standing tall, for facing the wolves, and for completely paving the way for me and so many other hidden omegas who were too terrified to claim their own lives. You showed us that we can exist in the light."
Soren then turned his body toward the man standing right beside him, his eyes softening into pure affection. "And finally, I have to thank Rio. The man who has been my truest friend for my entire life, my rock through every dark night, and now... my partner on and off the ice. This gold belongs to you just as much as it belongs to me."
Without a single care for the flashing cameras of the international press or the strict, conservative standards of the sports world, Soren reached out, grabbed the lapels of Rio’s jacket, and pulled him into a deep, passionate, and incredibly kiss right there on the Olympic podium.
The stadium erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and applause, the volume swelling so loudly it felt like the walls of the penthouse were vibrating with the force of it.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
The weight of Soren’s gratitude, the beauty of his public victory, and the memories of our shared struggles completely broke through my defenses. I burst into thick, heavy tears, burying my face deeply into the crook of Rhys’s neck as my shoulders shook with violent, emotional sobs.
Rhys didn’t hesitate for a second. His massive arms came around me, pulling me completely into his lap and holding me tight against his chest, shielding me from the world just like he always did. He buried his face in my hair, his voice dropping to a low, incredibly tender rumble that was meant for my ears alone.
"You did so well, Kayden," Rhys whispered slowly, his voice filled with pride that made my heart swell with happiness. "Do you hear him? You paved the way. Everyone is looking up to you now. You gave him the strength to stand up there and claim his gold. I am so incredibly proud of you, sweetheart."
"I’m really proud of you too, Kayden," Raymond’s voice chimed in from the side.
I pulled my face back from Rhys’s neck, wiping at my tear-stained cheeks with the back of my hand, and looked over at him.
"Seriously. To have someone stand on an Olympic podium and credit you for their survival? That is... you’re amazing and I am sure all the omegas agrees with me.’’
I let out a wet, watery laugh, a brilliant smile breaking through my tears as I looked back at the television screen, where Soren and Rio were now waving at the cheering crowds, holding their gold medals high in the air.
"I’m just so happy," I breathed out, my voice cracking slightly with emotion as I leaned back against Rhys’s solid chest, feeling completely safe, completely fulfilled. "They really did it. I’m going to call Soren and Rio later tonight once the press conferences are completely over. I am glad that omegas are finding their voices.’’