Page 31

Gwen

“G reat job, Ladybug,” Coach Kirov praised as she ran us through drills on the small rink.

I was having a shitty morning and happy to channel all my aggression onto the ice. Today everyone was in my business. My teammates. My classmates. The dads. My siblings.

All because Ty had to go be a fucking hero. He was the one who did it. Ty had the copies from when I had sent the police reports to the UNYC group chat, trying to shut them up.

Also, Austin’s omega had made a video badmouthing me. She accused me of making things up for attention, playing into the whole overdramatic beta stereotype. Me using him had also come up. The Gears said similar things.

Well, as much as they could, without it being slander.

Yeah, I totally made up the police reports and forged the footage.

We finished and Coach K dismissed us to head upstairs.

“Gwen, wait,” Ty said as I took off.

“Don’t you understand? All I want is to be left alone. Now I’m being called a whore online. The Gears issued a statement that essentially trashed my character. I’m probably being shadow-banned by the PHL as we speak.” My eyes pricked with tears, and I didn’t stop.

Ty looked stunned. “What are you talking about? They can’t ban you. You did nothing wrong. He needs to pay for what he did to you. Not to mention all three of them got off too easily for the hit-and-run.”

“Says the alpha.” I still didn’t stop. Mr. Longfellow had watched part of practice today and I had a bad feeling about it.

I took the stairs instead of the elevator to get away from Ty.

“Gwen, can I talk to you in my office?” Mr. Longfellow stood there waiting. He looked older and more worn out than before his heart-attack.

Coach Kirov, who’d come up the elevator with Ty and the others, frowned at him. “What about?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, Coach.” Mr. Longfellow dismissed her with a wave of his hand and walked away.

I shot Ty a look and followed Mr. Longfellow up to his office, which was in the executive area on the third floor. I was in my socks, holding my skates, still in my gear. Unlike Constantine’s office, there was no wreath on his door.

“Shut the door.” Mr. Longfellow was seated behind his big wooden desk.

“No thank you.” I took a seat in the large, uncomfortable chair, but I left the door open. The entire room looked set up to be intimidating, even though there was memorabilia on the walls and pictures on his desk.

“Gwen, you’re not in trouble. Relax,” he told me. “I’m so impressed by how hard you’ve been working. That opening game. Wow.”

I didn’t relax, and I wished I had my phone on me, so that I could record this. Or the bracelet. While the bracelet was cute, I didn’t usually wear any jewelry but my nose ring and Cooter’s necklace, when I played, maybe some tiny earrings. My phone was in the locker room with my stuff.

“I love being part of the goalie development program.” It literally gave me something to live for.

“I know. But this is your third year, and you got to play in a game this season. I think it’s time for you to step down and give another alpha a chance.” He kept a fake smile on his face.

“You mean another person a chance?” There it was. The bottom fell out of my stomach. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mr. Longfellow was friends with Mr. Deloitte.

“That’s what I said. Anyhow, I thank you for being part of our program. Please give me your credentials. You can have one of your friends bring you your things.” He held out his hand.

Really? He thought he could just tell me to give someone else a turn, and that was it? He wasn’t even going to let me get my stuff?

Stay calm. That was the most important thing–to not get angry or cry.

I took a deep breath, because I had low-key anticipated this, and knew my rights. Sure, I worked for free, but my employment wasn’t at-will. Apparently, Mr. Longfellow had forgotten that.

“That’s okay. They’re with my stuff. I’ll give them to HR when I sign the paperwork. What are my grounds for termination? Do I need my lawyer?” I looked around.

Both my lawyer and my agent would get a call after this.

“Don’t be dramatic, Gwen. We’re so glad that you’ve been part of the Knights family. But your time here is done.” His hand was still outstretched.

“You can’t fire Gwen.” Coach Kirov stood in the doorway, glaring at him. “Also, what do you mean, it doesn’t concern me? She’s one of mine.”

“It’s time for her to step down. Now, give me your credentials before I call security.” Authority leaked into his voice, though it wasn’t a bark.

“You can’t just fire her for no reason. She’s a good EBUG. She’s reliable, on time, and works hard,” Coach Kirov added, the room filling with alpha dominance.

“I’m the GM, and I think it’s time for her to step down.” Mr. Longfellow stood, glaring at Coach K.

“Mr. Longfellow, I’m not on an at-will contract. However, let’s go talk to HR and get it sorted.” It took everything to continue staying calm. Punching him for that stupid give another alpha a chance comment wouldn’t help me.

Mr. Longfellow made a face. “EBUGs aren’t paid.”

“True, but they’re on contracts, because it’s an education program and doing so teaches them things.” Marcell from HR joined us. “ Why are you firing Gwen? How is she in breach of contract?”

“I had a turn, and it’s time to give another alpha a chance,” I told Marcell.

Marcell rubbed his forehead. “Mr. Longfellow, that’s not a legal reason to fire her.”

“Why do I need a reason to fire someone who works for free?” He looked genuinely baffled. Really, he shouldn’t, though. This was the same contract we’d had the whole time I’d been an EBUG.

“You can’t fire Gwen just because the Deloitte’s hate her. It’s not her fault Austin hurt her,” Ty burst in.

Marcell sighed. “Ty, please leave.”

“You’re firing Gwen?” Dean came in, anger flaring, JP with him. “Are you kidding me? The only good reason to fire her as an EBUG is that you’re signing her.”

“Don’t make me fire you, too.” Mr. Longfellow’s eyes flashed, and he scowled at the goalies.

“This is ridiculous,” Coach Kirov growled. “You can’t punish Gwen, because her dick ex’s grandfather is your friend. It’s a bad look. Maybe you came back too soon, Bunty.”

“Don’t fire Gwen.” Clark came tumbling into the office, Dimitri, Carlos, Tenzin, and Jonas with him.

The office was getting crowded, but the support warmed me. Tenzin came up and wrapped his arms around me.

“That’s not allowed,” Mr. Longfellow snapped.

“They have all their paperwork in order and are breaking no rules,” Marcell said. “Look, if Gwen has violated any of the terms in her contract, then we’ll get legal and Maryellen in here. But otherwise you can’t just fire her, because you feel like it . Even as the GM, you have to follow certain rules and procedures.” His look softened. “We’ve been over this.”

Maybe more happened to Mr. Longfellow than a heart attack. Something about his behavior reminded me of Grandpa Gary when the dementia started to set in. Mr. Longfellow was on the older side.

Mr. Longfellow looked perplexed. “She’s a volunteer. It’s time to give another alpha a chance.”

Growls filled the room, as did the stench of angry alpha. Tenzin held me tighter, as the tension made me squirm.

A hand went over Marcell’s face. “Someone get Constantine and Maryellen. Gwen, go see Kylee. Everyone else, don’t you have places to be?”

“I’m calling security.” Mr. Longfellow picked up the phone.

“If you do, we walk,” Jonas said. “We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again. We’ll also tell the press that you tried to illegally fire Gwen as retaliation for everything coming out about how Bronson Deloitte treated her.”

“Are you threatening me, boy?” he growled. “I’ll fire all of you.”

“Bunty, put down the phone.” One of the head lawyers strode into the room. “This isn’t the old days. You can’t just fire people. We’ve been over this.”

“What is the point of being GM if I can’t do what I want?” That look of bafflement crossed his face again.

I almost felt bad for him. Almost.

“Everyone leave, but Marcell, Coach Kirov, and Constantine,” she ordered. “Do we need Coach Atkins?”

“You can’t fire Gwen.” Mercy and several of the Maimers came in, crowding the already small office.

Mr. Longfellow looked confused. “Who are all of you? Do you even work here?”

Marcell gestured at the door. “Everyone out.”

Tenzin’s arms stayed around me, Clark got my skates and stayed by my other side, as we left the office. I was supposed to see Kylee anyway today. I felt nauseous.

“Thanks everyone.” Tears pricked my eyes. Mr. Longfellow wanted to fire me. It was happening, just like Austin said it would.

“We won’t let him fire you. We’re a family and we take care of each other,” Dean assured, squeezing my shoulder.

Mercy faced me. “Let me at them online. I’ve got this.”

I sighed. I was going to have to face this, wasn’t I? “Go for it.”

“Gwen, honey, let’s go to my office?” Kylee’s voice was soft. “You can bring your boys.”

I followed Kylee into her office and started to cry into Tenzin’s shirt.

“He can’t just fire you, right?” Clark asked.

“Gwen, it’ll be okay. We’re going to figure this out. I do not want the Deloittes to win. Yes, I work for the team, but believe me, it’s not in the team’s best interest to fire you. Also, the Deloitte brothers are assholes.”

Her look was kind. But then she’d been supportive through this entire ordeal.

“They didn’t break up with you and ruin you, did they? If you put one of their dumb asses through university and then dumped you, I will break kneecaps next time I play them.” That would make sense. She was helping me by showing a little beta woman solidarity.

Kylee shook her head. “I’d love to see that. I’ve never been personally victimized by a Deloitte. But I know how awful that family is. I can’t wait to see you play those fuckers again.”

“Me, too. Thank you.” That warmed me to my toes.

“You know, you should give the press that clip of Austin saying being with an omega isn’t cheating. Or how he hurt you to protect you. Or how his family likes to ruin people,” Clark said.

Kylee’s eyebrows rose. “You have what?”

I nodded slowly. “New York is a one-party consent state when the other party is an alpha and you’re not. You know I like to keep records. Why don’t you let me get my phone and I’ll show you what I have.”