Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
KOEN
The practice center is quiet as I walk through the building for a team meeting. I had some errands to run earlier, so I’m arriving separately from Rhodes and Skylar.
It’s been three days since we visited the animal shelter, and things are settling in well. My pack and I are buying groceries, furniture, and sex toys together, and it feels surreal in a good way.
I’m not saying a heat is a good ice breaker, but they took good care of me. I was unraveling and shattering under the pain, and they refused to take no as an answer. I suppose sometimes, being that single minded helps.
Now, I don’t balk as easily at Skylar and Rhodes’ daddy-sub relationship the way I did before, and it’s less of a surprise when I wake up tied to the headboard for funsies. The blow job definitely makes up for it too.
I’m willing to see where things go, which makes me more relaxed. I’m focused, our last game went really well, and Princess Sunny fits perfectly in our home.
She’s the sweetest, and I think she’ll enjoy going for runs once the weather is a little warmer. Rhodes stands at the window with the puppy in his arms and shows her the ice outside while she barks at it.
I kind of want to see what she’d do if she watched it come down from the sky. I wonder if she’d try to demand that it stop.
Chuckling under my breath, I push myself into a light jog so I’m not late for this meeting. We just got the text for it an hour ago, and as far as I know, it’s routine. I don’t feel anything to the contrary through my bond with Rhodes, though he feels impatient.
I think he might be waiting for me.
Pushing open the door to the meeting room, I raise my brows to see I’m the last one in.
“Sorry Coach,” I murmur, finding a seat. “What’s this about?”
Edna stands beside Coach Weightman, appearing very pale. Now I’m concerned, because nothing rattles her. She’s a pitbull who fixes our shit.
“Edna wants to show you something before any of you see it,” he says. “I do this not to force anyone to come out of the closet in a very public way to the team, but because we rise and fall together, and this could cause some rockiness for the teammates in question.”
My heart plummets at his words. There are a few players on my team who aren’t public about their sexuality, and we protect that fiercely. I’m one of those players.
“What happened?” I rasp, my voice cracking in concern.
I have a very uncomfortable feeling this is about me.
“I did everything I could,” Edna says softly. “I delivered the written statement for the animal shelter piece to The Sentinel. It was printed, but before that, I made sure Fritz approved it. The animal shelter is getting really good press on it, but we hit a very big snag.”
“Edna,” Coach barks, making her flinch.
I would almost feel bad for her, except there’s less and less possibility this isn’t about me.
I can feel Rhodes’ concern, but he and Skylar are too far away from me. I’m on my own here.
Two chairs scrape back and footsteps hit the linoleum floor hard before hands squeeze my shoulders.
“You are very far from alone,” Rhodes grunts in the shell of my ear.
“Is that clear?” Skylar purrs on my other side.
Forcing myself to take a breath, I nod. I don’t think I’m capable of anything else at the moment.
“Rhodes saw a blue haired camera man who wasn’t with us at the animal shelter. I searched everywhere for him, but when I couldn’t find him, I decided he had left. This was a mistake,” Edna says, defeat in her eyes.
I wonder if the team owner will fire her for this. This is a major fuck up, and I haven’t even heard it all.
“What photos did he get?” Skylar growls. “Cut to the chase, Edna.”
“Of course,” she whispers, a magazine held tightly in her fist. Fuck. “The image is of you, Rhodes, and Koen in an intimate moment in the animal bathing room. You’re kissing Koen.”
Skylar holds out his hand, and Edna walks forward to hand him the magazine. Oxygen freezes in my lungs as I see a very intimate kiss with lots of tongue in the photo. Skylar’s body is stiff with anger at the invasion of privacy, and I’m breathing in soft pants.
Fuck, I can’t hyperventilate in front of my team. I’m the fucking captain, I need to be stronger than this.
Being gay won’t affect hockey, my brand deals, or even my position on the team. I’ve always been private for different reasons. I have a pack so my parents won’t try to introduce me to people, but now I have to have the very uncomfortable conversation of coming out to my family.
“How widely circulated is this?” I ask, my voice devoid of emotion.
“It’s all over the internet,” Edna sighs.
“We’re going to have to make a statement.
This won’t affect Human Resources or your job.
The fraternization clause is rarely enforced due to how impossible it is to keep people from packing up.
I hate that you don’t have the ability to keep your life private anymore. ”
“I should have broken the blue haired turd’s camera,” Rhodes growls, violence in his voice. “I want permission to bash his face in if I ever see him again.”
“Guys like this are cockroaches,” Skylar adds. “He sold this photo quickly. Now that he’s had a taste of the fast cash…”
“You can’t break a pap’s face without consequences, even though I’d be willing to hold him down for you,” Coach grumbles. “This is so fucked.”
“The best way to get ahead of this thing is to make a public statement,” Edna reminds me.
“I need a second,” I mutter, standing up. “I haven’t come out to my family, and now I need to do that.”
The locker room is silent as Coach nods sharply and throws me his keys.
“Use my office,” he grunts. “The three of you can take tonight off since I’m sure Edna will be dragging you around like a dog and pony show.”
“Roscoe,” Edna groans. “Could you fucking not?”
Looks like there’s trouble in professional paradise. Since it’s not my pig, not my farm, I’ll leave them to their own devices.
Rhodes and Skylar exit behind me, and I feel as if I’m seeing everything happen outside of my body. I can’t control how I tell my parents, especially if they saw the photo. My phone begins to vibrate, and I suck in a panicked breath.
I’m scared to fucking see who’s calling.
“Wait till you’re in his office,” Skylar mutters.
There are too many people who could overhear, and the last thing I need is for someone to possibly take another damn photo.
As soon as the door is shut, Skylar asks, “Are you pissed there’s a photo, or because you’re in the closet?”
“I’m pissed my parents might see a photo of me playing tonsil hockey with someone I haven’t fucking told them about,” I growl. “I don’t like my private shit out in public.”
“Believe it or not, neither do we,” Rhodes sighs. “My older brother is a homophobic dick, so I try not to speak to him, and my parents aren’t in the picture. I don’t even acknowledge him in public.”
“I need to put my emotions away for this,” Skylar breathes, stretching out his neck. “Rhodes and I are very out and together, which is our choice. It’s one we have the freedom to make, just as you should have the freedom to choose to tell your parents and sister you’re attracted to men.”
Rhodes nods grimly, and for some reason, this helps to take the wind out of my anger and anxiety. I’m still very unhappy about this, but having them empathize with me helps.
“Okay,” I whisper, pulling my phone out and collapsing into a chair.
The stupid thing hasn’t fucking stopped going off, and there’s missed texts and phone calls. My agent is one of those calls, but I need to call my parents first. Tapping on my dad’s name as he’s the one who called last, I lean back and wait.
“Koen,” Dad says. “Are you okay? Your mother and I have had several people send us a very, ah, provocative photo of you in the last few minutes.”
Ugh, at least my clothes were on? I wouldn’t say it was provocative. Reaching out for the magazine, I make a face as I see you can’t see anything from the zoomed in photo but my alphas and I.
“I’m not naked in the photo, Dad,” I drawl, adding levity to the conversation.
It’s not an emotion I can feel right now though because my heart is pounding in my ears. He’s on speaker while Rhodes and Skylar remain close to me and silent.
“No. However, the last time I saw you, I was told you were single and celibate,” Dad says. “It appears that something has changed.”
“I mean, I have to admit they’re gorgeous,” Mom says, interjecting into the conversation.
I’m not surprised I’m on speakerphone.
“Oh, your sister is visiting. Say hello,” Dad says, a smile in his tone.
Ugh, as mortifying as this is, at least they’re not angry.
“I thought you were ace,” Silvia says. “I guess making out with two men is better than one.”
“Ugh, please don’t give her ideas,” Mom groans, making me chuckle.
Skylar and Rhodes drop to their knees at the sound, and Rhodes rubs his cheek against mine.
He’s scent marking and marking his territory, something I can feel he needs.
If I had been approached about this in any other way than a random and invasive photo, I would be handling it better than I have been.
“A photographer hid in a shelter to take that photo,” I sigh. “A blue haired punk looking for a quick buck. I was bathing a dog at an animal shelter, volunteering there, when my alphas came looking for me.”
“Your alphas, huh?” Silvia asks. “Wow. How long has that been going on?”
“Not long,” I admit.
“Gentlemen don't typically kiss and tell,” Skylar says, announcing himself. “The pap is unfortunately making me out to be a liar.”
“You don’t appear to be aware the photo is being taken,” Dad says. “I think that still makes you a gentleman.”
Skylar and Rhodes introduce themselves to my family, while I wait for my body to catch up to the fact that I’m fine. I’m not in trouble for being an adult and private, and they’re not upset with me.