Page 36

Dean

“ Y ou’re shitting me?” I gave Coach Atkins the side-eye. He’d come after practice to the hospital to visit Grif and see how we were all doing. Also, he brought some cookies his kids made for us.

Jonas and I had skipped practice, like we did yesterday, and stayed with Grif. It had been a whirlwind of tests and meetings with an advocate, Center lawyers, our lawyer, Stu, and the publicist AJ had hired.

Not to mention fielding phone calls from worried friends and family. Reassuring fans on social media. Following the list from the Center regarding being outed so we didn’t miss anything.

As well as dealing with the fact that Mr. Longfellow and Mr. Daughtry were not relenting on firing Grif, despite public outcry. Not even Spencer Thanukos’ threat to hostilely acquire the team had worked.

Our lawyer seemed confident that we could fight this, but it would take time. I wanted to deal with this fast because I couldn’t play for a team that would disrespect my husband.

“If you and Jonas aren’t at the game tonight, the team will fine you.” Coach Atkins pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’ll be okay without you if you choose to stay here with him. Honestly, if it was my packmate, I would. JP’s solid in the net. I’ll call up Marlin from the Bantams. We’re playing the Gears, so we’ll be okay.”

The Gears were fucking assholes and played rough to make up for the fact that their starting line was brought to you by nepotism.

Marlin was a decent goalie. He’d been our EBUG before joining our farm team the Buffalo Bantams.

Grif shook his head and looked at me and Jonas. “I’ll be okay with Verity and AJ if you want to go play. It’s a home game.”

“I’m not leaving, especially to play the fucking Gears. I can’t believe they’d do this. He’s in the hospital . We should be allowed to miss without a fine.” Jonas squeezed Grif’s hand.

“I’m taking the fine. Management can suck it.” I scowled. That was a special sort of fucked up right there.

“Understood.” Coach turned to Grif. “I one hundred percent support you. A lot of staff and all the players do, too. What Cal and Bunty did was shitty. Anyhow, Dean, Jonas, do what you need to. Just be aware that if you miss too many games against their wishes, you can get in trouble for breach of contract, even with the pack contract.”

“We’re aware, thanks Coach,” Jonas said.

Coach Atkins nodded. “Are you three gone? I can understand wanting to leave the Knights after this. Though, please understand, most of us don’t believe in what Bunty and Cal did.”

“I know. The support from staff and other players has been amazing. I’m relieved that no one’s mad that I lied,” Grif told Coach.

“People understand hiding your designation for something you love. As long as you make that clear, most fans will, too. Also, the idea of an omega putting everything on the line for love and hockey? That’s the shit my omega reads on the airplane.” Coach laughed.

“I’m going to need those book titles, Coach.” Verity looked over at him and grinned.

“If Mr. Longfellow and Mr. Daughtry apologize and rehire me, I’d go back,” Grif replied. “We want to stay together. Management’s not going to let Jonas and Dean go, even if the Tigres have a hard-on for us because they want themselves some giant omegas.”

“The Tigres do love their giant players, so I can absolutely see how big omegas that play like you two would be especially attractive. I hope we can fix this so you all stay with us. I’m not saying this just because I’m hoping we go all the way this year,” Coach added.

“I just want to play hockey with Dean and Jonas,” Grif admitted.

“Take care.” Coach Atkins nodded and left.

Jonas stood and held up his phone. “Union rep is on it, too. I’m going to call Stu to see where everything’s at.”

He left, leaving me, Grif, and Verity alone in the hospital room. AJ had gone to get things from our place and handle some work shit.

Verity looked at her phone. “Dean, you might want to drop in the player group chat that the Brooklyn Blankets are organizing a protest of your game tonight. Omega and gamma athletes in many different sports are upset about this. Several have come out in support. Rusty’s paying for food trucks to give anyone with a protest sign free food and hot drinks since it’s going to snow tonight.”

“Molly’s spoken up for you,” I told Grif. She was the other public omega goalie in the PHL and played for the Belugas.

“Also…” Verity’s head ducked.

“Kitten?” Grif put an arm around her.

“I might have gone on social media last night, after that latest statement from the Knights. I may have said some strongly worded things, like that I was quite disappointed in Knights management and they owed you an apology and a fruit basket. It may have gone viral even before Mercy and Kaiko amplified it.” She chewed on her glossy lip.

“That’s how we beat them. A combination of the law and public opinion. You’re brilliant, Darling.” I leaned over and kissed her.

The fact that my social media shy little alpha did all that for Grif warmed me.

“I think our fans need to know that the team is demanding we leave our mate in the hospital to play. We should probably formally address everything. Because they don’t want to hear from Stu or a publicist. They want to hear from us,” I told Grif, giving his hand a squeeze.

Grif nodded, squeezing my hand back. “That’s a good idea. I thought a lot about that, too. After talking to the people from the Center, Dr. Arya, and my sister, I know what I need to do. Let’s make some videos.”

“Go live with me? Answer questions. Be honest.” I was fuming, and we needed to end this bullshit.

The dumb thing was that the Knights had so many ways to legally get rid of Grif, and they chose the illegal one, hoping their wealth and power would shield them from consequences.

So, I was choosing violence.

“Grif, when you’re feeling better, the omegas at Creative Collective want to do an interview and photo shoot with you. They want to know if you prefer puppies or alpacas?” Verity looked up from her phone.

Grif rubbed his beard. “Puppies. This is the bathtub of goldfish people? Let’s do it. Honestly, let’s get that SportsBeat reporter, too. If my career is over, let’s burn things down–as long as it doesn’t ruin things for Dean and Jonas. Going live sounds great.”

I snorted. “I’d rather end my career to make a point than play for a team that blatantly breaks the law and disrespects my mate.” My phone lit up from the group chat. “Let’s clean up and go live.”

“This is going to be comedy. I brought tacos.” Carlos came into the hospital room, a bag in his hand, and a Knights cap covering his brown hair.

“I brought beer.” Jean-Paul followed, and held up a twelve-pack.

Some of the Knights were here with snacks to watch the game. There were no visitor limits in the omega wing during visiting hours as long as we approved it and everyone signed in. Others were at Nia’s for a family-friendly watch party.

The entire team refused to play tonight.

Management had brought in all of the Buffalo Bantams to play the game instead.

Clark came in, pushing his black frame glasses as they slid down his nose. “I have artichoke dip and chips. Ladybug sent some lasagna. She’s refusing to EBUG tonight and is picking up a shift at Tito’s instead.”

Carlos spread the tacos out on the table. “We’ll hit Tito’s after the game.”

“Ooh, lasagna.” Grif’s face lit up. “Thank you everyone. This means everything to me.”

I sent Gwen a text thanking her. It was sweet that she kept making us lasagna, especially since she was a struggling student. After this, I should buy her some tacos or something.

“ None of the EBUGs are coming in. Game can’t start without an EBUG signing off.” JP looked at his phone.

Really, anyone not currently a professional goalie could be an EBUG. Even Coach Kirov could do it. Someone in the Ice Crew was probably a goalie and could do it, too.

My phone buzzed. Ellie, who I’d played with on the Aces before she was traded to the Sasquatches, texted.

Ellie

I got you and Grif Graf. The haters can suck my hairy balls.

I looked up. “Ellie from the Sasquatches sent me a link to a live feed.”

While I’d reached out to all the hidden omegas I knew of in the PHL to make sure they were okay, Ellie wasn’t one of them.

“Oh, fuck.” Jonas grabbed the remote. “Put it on the TV? Because if this is what I think it is…”

Yeah. Ellie said she was a kappa. I was pretty sure she was a gamma.

I put the live feed up on the TV. Ellie got behind a podium in her Sasquatches uniform.

“Hi, I’m Ellie Porter, enforcer for the Sasquatches. First off, I stand with Grif Graf. If you have a problem with that, you can fuck off. Anyone who thinks he isn’t a good person for hiding his designation can suck it.” Her eyes rolled. “He’s the fucking highest scorer in the league right now. Higher even than me. So that says a lot for the old only certain designations can play hockey bullshit. Also, people who think omegas and gammas can’t play hockey can suck my dick.”

Yeah, I knew what was coming. I hadn’t asked her to do this.

“Anyhow, I love you all, and I’m fucking tired of hiding. If you pity me, I’ll punch you. I don’t want your fucking pity. What I want is to play some fucking good hockey. I’m not a kappa, I’m a gamma. I hid my designation for the usual reasons. Apologies to all the little kappas out there. Please don’t be mad at me. Instead send your love to the other PHL kappas, like Carlos Rodriguez of the Knights. No apologies to any alpha egos that were hurt by me kicking your ass. I’m not my fucking designation and this changes fucking nada. Gamma power. Love you, Grif. Hey Spencer Thanukos, if I’m fired, put me on your team. Can you imagine the line Grif and I would make? Anyhow, not taking your fucking questions. BTW, asking people how they became a gamma is rude as fuck. Kids, kick names and take ass. Peace.” She flashed the peace sign and left the podium.

The signal went black. I turned the TV back to the pre-game broadcast we had on.

“Ellie just came out as a gamma. Fuck.” I texted her back, thanking her for the love.

“Ellie Porter gave me a shout out?” Carlos beamed and got on his phone. “I knew I loved her.”

A gamma hiding as a kappa was an interesting choice. But Ellie was chaotic as fuck–and had been a drama major at university and did community theatre during the off-season.

The TV commentators kept cutting to the protests outside the arena. There were a lot of people out there, especially considering it was snowing.

The Bantams, in Knights jerseys, came out for warmups. I knew some of them, like Marlin, one of their goalies. Sometimes players from the Bantams played with us, subbing for someone who was sick or injured, or got moved up to the Knights. Carlos had started off as a Bantam.

“This will be an interesting game. Never have we seen an entire minor league team being called up for a game like this. Not even when the workers of Deloitte Automotive struck during a wage dispute and picketed Gears games because the Deloitte’s own the Gears,” one commentator said.

They cut to a segment that must have been shot earlier with Coach Deloitte. “I don’t care who’s on the ice tonight. We won’t play any differently,” he told the reporter.

No, they’d play the same as always–average. The coach was the owner’s son and a good chunk of the starting line were his grandkids.

I sucked in a breath. “It’s going to be a bloodbath. The Gears are assholes.”

You didn’t lose to the Gears because they played better. You lost because they injured your players or got their tricks past the refs.

Clark looked thoughtful. “I know some Bantams and they’re beasts. It might not be that bad.”

“I agree.” Carlos took a swig of beer.

The cameras panned over the fans up against the glass for warmups. Many held signs supporting Grif. There was also lots of pink–the color used to support omegas during omega history month and for omega cancer awareness.

“Oh shit, let’s cut live from Venice, Italy,” one of the reports said.

They cut to Maria Barilla, outspoken queen of the goalies, first beta goalie in the PHL. There was gray in her dark wavy hair and fury on her face.

“If an omega is the best for the job, give them the fucking job. Other countries have omega forwards. My team had two. The Knights took a chance on me, they took a chance on Dean Donovan. Why the fuck are they not taking a chance on Grif Graf?” she said as she stood at a podium with the logo for the team she coached in Italy in the background.

“Burn!” Carlos toasted the TV with a taco.

“The queen has spoken.” JP raised his beer.

I raised mine and looked at my husband. “See, everyone is on your side. Nice to know we could always move to Italy.”

“This is incredible. I can’t believe people are rooting for me.” Tears pricked Grif’s eyes.

I snuggled into him. “I told you they would.”

Okay, there was one sports commentator that thought Grif should stay home and make pork chops like a good omega. She’d said the same about me.

I mean, my pork chops were delicious. But I was a better goalie.

On the screen, as both teams warmed up, there was a popping noise. Mounds of purple glitter rained down over the arena and the fans. The monitor filled with animated dancing gumdrops and said rehire Grif Graf, you ding-dongs.

Jonas laughed. “How the fuck did the Maimers do that?”

It had to be them.

“The Maimers have their ways,” Verity chuckled.

The dancing gumdrops were replaced with a gif of Verity wagging her finger going Knights Management, Team Mom is disappointed in you. You owe Grif a fruit basket.

The message was loud and clear. Hopefully, management heard it.