Chapter 13 Reina
REINA
Three days without them felt like dying.I sat alone in my apartment, curled up on the couch with my laptop, trying to focus on editing photos. But every few minutes I'd reach for my phone, checking the group text thread we'd started the day they left.
Luca was in Vancouver with the Frost Kings. Three-game road trip.
Jaxon was in Calgary with the Steel Wolves. Two games.
And I was here. Alone. Aching.
The bonds in my chest pulsed with every heartbeat, connecting me to them across hundreds of miles. I could feel Luca's focus as he prepared for tonight's game. Could feel Jaxon's restless energy, his impatience to get back to me.
But it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.
My phone buzzed.
Jaxon’s text read, Game in 2 hours. Wish you were here, Pretty Girl.
Luca’s shot one off, Focus on your game, Roarke. We'll be back Thursday.
Grinning like a fool, I texted them back. Both of you be safe. I'll be watching on TV.
Jaxon just couldn’t help himself and replied. Wearing my jersey this time?
Luca replied quickly, She's at home, not at a game.
Jaxon was even quicker. So? I want to know she's wearing my number.
I looked down at myself. I was wearing both their jerseys, actually. Luca's underneath, Jaxon's over it. Layered like some kind of ridiculous security blanket.
Slowly I typed back. I'm wearing both your jerseys. Layered. Happy?
Both of them replied, Very.
I smiled despite the ache in my chest. This was temporary. They'd be home Thursday. Two more days. I could handle two more days.
My phone buzzed again. Not the group text this time. A text from Shayla.
REINA. CHECK TWITTER. NOW.
My stomach dropped.
I opened Twitter and the first thing I saw was my own face staring back at me.
A photo of me at last week's game, wearing Luca's jersey. Another photo of me at a Steel Wolves game weeks ago, wearing Jaxon's. A third photo, candid, of me leaving the arena with Luca's hand on my lower back.
And the hashtags.
#TrinityBond
#HockeyKings
#OmegaGate
All trending.
"Oh god," I whispered.
I scrolled through my feed, my heart hammering.
"brEAKING: Frost Kings Captain Luca Vale and Steel Wolves Captain Jaxon Roarke both bonded to the same Omega"
"Trinity Bond Rocks NIHL – Rival Captains Share Mate"
"Conflict of Interest? NIHL Photographer in Trinity Bond with Two Team Captains"
Photos everywhere. Candid shots someone had taken at games, at restaurants, outside arenas. Me with Luca. Me with Jaxon. The claiming bites on both their necks clearly visible in close-up shots.
Someone had put it all together. Someone had exposed us.
My phone started ringing. Unknown number. I declined it.
It rang again. Another unknown number. Declined.
Text after text after text from numbers I didn't recognize. Media outlets. Reporters. Everyone wanting a statement.
I silenced my phone with shaking hands.
Sports shows were already discussing it. I found a clip on Twitter, watched with growing horror as commentators debated our bond.
"Look, I'm all for love," one of them was saying. "But this is a clear conflict of interest. She photographs both teams. How is that appropriate?"
"Trinity bonds are rare but they're real," another argued. "We can't discriminate against her for her biology."
"But two rival team captains? Both bonded to the same woman? This is unprecedented."
I closed the app. Couldn't watch anymore.
The group text exploded.
Jaxon was pissed as he fired off a text. I'm going to kill whoever leaked this.
We don't know who leaked it yet, Luca typed back.
There was a slight beat, before Jaxon sent, I have some ideas.
I sighed watching their text come through before adding in my own thoughts. It doesn't matter. It's out now.
Luca immediately responded, Are you okay?
I started to type a response but my work phone rang. The number on the screen made my blood run cold. Emma Burns. My boss. Head of NIHL Content Division.
I sighed my thumbs sliding over the screen, Work is calling. I have to answer.
Don't say anything until we're there with you, Luca’s text hit quickly.
I could tell Jaxon was on fire with rage through the bond even though he was miles away, and from his reply. Fuck your job. You're ours.
Luca’s text read, That's not helpful, Roarke.
With a sigh, I sent one last reply. I'll call you after. I love you both.
Instantly, they replied almost in unison. Love you too.
I answered Emma's call with a shaking hand.
"Reina. My office. One hour." Her voice was clipped, professional, cold.
“Mrs. Burns, I can explain..”.
"One hour. Don't be late."
She hung up.
I sat there staring at my phone, my heart racing. This was it. This was the fallout Luca had been afraid of. I drove to NIHL headquarters in a daze, my mind racing through a thousand possible scenarios. None of them good.
The building looked the same as always. Massive glass and steel structure, gleaming in the afternoon sun. I'd been so proud the first time I walked through these doors. So grateful for the opportunity.
Now it felt like walking into an execution.
I took the elevator to the top floor. Executive level. I'd only been up here once before, the day Emma hired me.
Her office door was open. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her back to me, looking out over the city.
"Reina. Come in. Close the door."
I did, my hands clenched into fists at my sides.
Emma turned around. Mid-fifties, elegant, powerful. She'd always been kind to me before. Professional but warm.
There was no warmth now.
"I'm sure you know why you're here," she said.
"The photos. The news."
"The conflict of interest." She moved to sit behind her desk. "You're bonded to not one but two of the players you're supposed to be photographing objectively."
"I've never let my personal life interfere with my work," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Haven't you? You've been photographing the Frost Kings and Steel Wolves almost exclusively for weeks."
"Those were my assigned games."
"Assignments you never questioned. Never requested to be changed."
Before I could respond, the office door opened behind me.
I turned, and my entire world tilted.
My mother walked in.
She was perfectly dressed as always, perfectly composed. Looking at me with those cold, judgmental eyes I knew so well.
"What are you doing here?" I managed to choke out.
Emma's expression shifted, uncomfortable. "Your mother came to me this morning with some concerning information."
I looked between them, understanding crashing over me like ice water.
"You," I said to my mother. "You exposed us. You told her."
"I did what I had to do to protect you," she said calmly.
"Protect me?" My voice rose. "You ruined everything!"
"I saved you from ruining yourself. Again."
"Mrs. Hale explained the situation," Emma said. "The bonding. The complications."
"She's Category Red, Emma," my mother said, like I wasn't even in the room. "She doesn't think clearly during her heats. These Alphas took advantage of her."
"That's not true!" I spun to face her. "I chose this! I chose them!"
"You don't know what you're choosing. Your biology is controlling you."
"Regardless of how the bonding occurred," Emma interrupted, her voice firm, "we have a problem, Reina. A conflict of interest problem."
"I can still do my job."
"Can you? Can you remain objective photographing games where your bonded mates are competing against each other?"
"I've been doing it for weeks."
"Before the bond became public knowledge, perhaps. But now?" She shook her head. "The league is concerned. The teams are concerned. This reflects poorly on the NIHL."
"Trinity bonds are scandalous," my mother added. "Especially between rival team captains. It's inappropriate."
"Mrs. Hale, please," Emma said, but she didn't disagree.
My mother leaned forward. "This is your chance to fix this, Reina. To walk away from those men before they destroy each other over you."
"They're not going to destroy each other. They're bonded to me. To each other through me. It's called a trinity bond."
"Trinity bonds don't last," my mother said dismissively.
"You don't know that."
Emma cleared her throat. "Reina. I need you to make a choice."
My heart stuttered. "What choice?"
"You can keep your position with the NIHL. We'll reassign you away from both the Frost Kings and the Steel Wolves. You'll photograph other teams, other sports entirely. No contact with either of your mates during working hours."
The words hit me like physical blows.
"Or?" I whispered.
"Or you resign. Pursue your bonding. Build your life with them." Emma's expression was almost sympathetic. "But you can't have both."
The room was silent except for the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
I could feel both Alphas through the bond even hundreds of miles away. Luca's guilt, his certainty that this was his fault. Jaxon's rage, his desire to burn everything down to protect me.
And underneath it all, their love. Fierce and unshakeable.
My mates.
My pack.
The choice wasn't even a choice.
"I resign," I said.
Emma blinked. "Reina, are you sure? This is your dream job."
"They're my mates. My fated mates." I looked her directly in the eyes. "There's no choice to make."
"Reina, don't be stupid," my mother started.
"I'm done listening to you." I turned on her, all the anger and hurt from years of her judgment finally breaking free. "You've spent my entire life telling me I'm dangerous. Broken. Wrong. But I'm not. I'm exactly what I'm supposed to be."
I looked back at Emma. "I'll clear out my desk today. You'll have my resignation in writing within the hour."
"Reina," Emma said quietly. "I'm sorry it came to this."
"So am I."
I walked out of her office, my head held high even though my hands were shaking.
My mother followed me to the elevator.
"You're making a mistake," she said.
"The only mistake I made was listening to you for so long."
"Those men will destroy each other over you. Just like they almost did twelve years ago."
The elevator doors opened. I stepped inside, turned to face her.
"No. We're bonded. All three of us. It's permanent."
"Trinity bonds are unstable. They don't last."
"Maybe they don't last for people like you," I said. "People too afraid to choose love."
The elevator doors closed between us. I made it to my car before the shaking really started. Sat in the driver's seat, hands gripping the wheel, breathing hard.
I'd just quit my fucking dream job.
Walked away from everything I'd worked for.
For them.
And I didn't regret it. Not for a second.
I conference called both Alphas with trembling fingers. They both answered on the first ring.
"Sweetheart?" Luca's voice was tight with concern.
"Pretty Girl, what happened?" Jaxon demanded.
I told them everything. The meeting. My mother. The ultimatum. My resignation.
Silence on the other end when I finished.
Then Jaxon: "You quit?"
"Yes."
"For us?"
"For me. For us. Because they're wrong if they think I'd ever choose anything over my mates."
Luca's voice was rough when he spoke. "Reina, that was your dream job."
"You're my dream. Both of you."
"Fuck, Pretty Girl," Jaxon's voice cracked. "I love you so goddamn much."
"We'll make this right," Luca promised. "I swear, we'll figure something out."
"I already have it figured out," I said, surprised by how steady my voice was. "I'm starting my own photography business. Freelance. On my terms. No conflicts of interest because I'll disclose everything upfront. Clients can take it or leave it."
Jaxon laughed, the sound warm and proud. "That's my girl."
"When do we get back?" Luca asked.
"I'm getting on a plane right now," Jaxon said. "Fuck the rest of the road trip."
"Roarke, you can't just..”.
"Watch me. My mate needs me. My Omega just gave up everything for us. Everything else can wait."
"Your coach is going to kill you," I said, but I was smiling through tears.
"Don't care. I'll be there in four hours."
"I'll be there by tonight," Luca said. "I promise, sweetheart."
"We're really doing this," I said softly. "All three of us. Public. No more hiding."
"Damn right we are," Jaxon growled.
"Together," Luca agreed.
I checked Twitter again after we hung up.
#TeamTrinity was trending now. Higher than all the others.
People were posting support. Defending us.
"Let her live her life"
"Trinity bonds are beautiful and valid"
"The NIHL should be ashamed for forcing this choice"
Not everyone was against us. Some people understood.
I drove away from NIHL headquarters without looking back.
I could feel both Alphas through the bond. Jaxon already at the airport, probably terrorizing ticket agents to get on the next flight. Luca making arrangements, calling his coach, trying to manage the fallout.
Both of them coming home to me. They were my fated mates, the pack I’d always wanted. I'd chosen them.
And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.