Chapter 5 #2
We were the youngest members on the team, and they loved to treat us like it even though we were the least enthusiastic about being there.
Nothing said ‘brotherhood’ quite like putting down whoever you could and laughing about it together, right?
Dicks. I wasn’t sad to see them go and a few of their closest friends on the team.
At least we tried to fit in. Players like Greer Abbott were more concerned about their own peace than being teammates. Attitudes like that certainly didn’t help boost our image. We looked like we were ready to be at each other’s throats half the time.
It might be why I always overcompensated with my personality, laying the charm on thick where I could, drawing attention to myself instead of the mess behind the scenes.
The team felt new now, the switch ups and trades weeded out the bad seeds and left us with something fresh, even if it was a bit disjointed at the moment.
Coach Hayes would have us uniting in our misery soon enough.
We were the last to walk in beside Coach. Everyone avoided eye contact as we took two of the front seats they’d avoided like the plague. Sometimes alphas were just stubborn, little babies.
It felt a bit strange being on this side of the PR table. Usually, we didn’t fill the reporters’ chairs, and I could already see right through the setup.
We had a million conference rooms in this fucking arena to have this conversation in, and yet Hayes put us here, a place where she would absolutely be on the spot with all of us staring at her.
It felt shitty and unnecessary. Another alpha power play.
That feeling only intensified when a stunning omega walked in.
She was petite like most omegas were, but sturdy, too, with flared hips and thick thighs. Black lipstick showcased her punk rock vibe, and her hair was twisted into two cute little buns on top of her head, the rest hanging wild around her shoulders.
I already liked her, which only pissed me off more that Hayes was being so shitty.
She glanced down at the watch around her wrist and then eyed us all. If nerves bothered her, she didn’t show it, but she did look frustrated.
I noticed Coach still wasn’t there with us. Imagine being late just to prove a point.
Finally he stormed in, not bothering with apologies as he sat at the front.
“The floor is yours, journalist.” He spit out the words like he was a king passing judgment. I had a feeling if Jeremiah Kingsford heard him, he’d be fired on the spot.
If this omega had torn into him, I wouldn’t have blamed her.
Instead, she simply stared at him for a few long seconds… just long enough to make it awkward.
Some of his anger seemed to falter into uncertainty. For the first time, he looked like he wasn’t sure how to feel about this whole situation.
I could’ve told him anyone the owners picked would be worthy. They weren’t exactly the type to waste money or time, and they already had enough damage control to deal with without inviting more.
“Well, it seems introductions are on me,” she said, giving us a smile that practically screamed, ‘can you believe this guy?’
Don’t worry, darling. We absolutely could.
“My name is Roxie Crane. I run The Gathering Place. We’ve recently expanded quite a lot, and during the scandal that I am not going to dance around, we were the ones that spoke to your former teammates’ omega and let her tell her truth to the world.”
She paused briefly, then her voice sharpened.
“And now I’m going to give you guys the same exact opportunity.”
I straightened a little in my seat as I waited for her to continue. This omega was a firecracker and I was here for it. We needed this.
“We all know what they did was shitty, and I’m going to assume most of you didn’t know the depth of the bullshit they put her through. Since I know there are some new faces, let’s go ahead and just lay it all out there.”
She leaned against the table slightly.
“They weren’t just accused of neglect. There was neglect.
There is factual evidence showing that they were responsible for nearly killing an omega, and I’m sure that puts a lot of you in an uncomfortable position because suddenly you were supposed to see every bit of abuse they likely hid very well from the world. ”
The tension in the room rose and I half-expected Hayes to say something to stop her and put his foot in his mouth. Instead, he was just as stunned as we were. Everyone had tiptoed around this topic.
Until her.
“And for the rest of you who were living under a rock, your former front line decided it would be a really good idea to leave an omega alone and unmedicated during a heat.”
Nobody really wanted to talk about what they’d done, but unfortunately, it was necessary.
She had hit the nail right on the head. We were almost being held just as responsible as they were.
“We have one hell of a reputation to fix,” she continued, “but if all of you are willing to put in the work, so am I.”
She crossed her arms. Fuck she was hot. That attitude had me adjusting in my seat I was so fucking hard.
“I’m not bragging when I say that The Gathering Place has quite the reach. It’s the exact reason your big boss chose me. There’s a lot riding on this partnership, and I’m going to trust that most of you are going to be mature enough to accept that. And if you’d rather fight the inevitability—”
Damn. She was really just going to call Hayes out like that, wasn’t she?
“Let’s not mince our power here, princess,” Hayes growled. Oh she’d definitely called out his biggest insecurity here.
The amount of raised eyebrows and shocked sounds in the room should’ve been enough to tell him he’d crossed a fucking line, but he seemed unfazed. His full focus and annoyance was right on the omega.
“Oh, are we going to do this right now?” Roxie asked, sounding amused like she’d been waiting for this opportunity.
I couldn’t keep the grin off my face.
“I’m here whether anyone likes it or not. It doesn’t have to be a painful experience, but it absolutely can be,” she said bluntly. “I’m not going to kiss anyone’s ass. I’m also not going to make up lies to help you. You have to help yourselves.”
Her gaze swept over all of us to drive home her point.
“I rely on my reputation as an unbiased reporter for a reason, and I won’t risk that reputation to stroke anyone’s fucking ego. I have already been hired. That check is going to clear my account and those articles are going to post. It’s up to you to decide what those articles tell the world.”
She gave a fierce look around the room as if daring a single one of us to disagree.
Fuck, I think I’m in love.