Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Hayes
Iwatched the two omegas walk away from me, my phone still in hand. The résumé I’d been studying was still on the screen. On paper, Rylan seemed like a good fit, but the fact that he was roommates with Roxie, complicated things beyond measure.
I wasn’t entirely sure I could trust him, especially when I didn’t trust her at all.
There were only two more players to greet, so I put my phone aside and opened up my laptop to continue my earlier work.
As much as I hated to admit it, I’d spent the better part of the past month and a half gathering everything I could find on Roxie. Scouring her socials and anything with her name to find ammo.
Kingsford was set on his plans for her. But, I wanted nothing to do with these interviews or articles. I didn’t care how much he paid this omega. There was no way she was unbiased.
She was the sole reason that the Narwhals were shown to be such assholes, and as much as I hated what they did and absolutely did not condone the way they treated their omega, that didn’t tell me she was capable of unbiased journalism when it came to this team.
I’ve been gathering ammo to put an end to this bullshit. But, unfortunately, there was nothing to find.
This omega was driving me insane and had from the first time I saw her. Hell, the first time Kingsford mentioned her name.
I bet she even had a sickly sweet scent. One I couldn’t stand.
Not that I’d know. She wore scent-dampening spray like I did. She likely wore it as a way to keep herself neutral among all of us. A protective technique, seeing as she was surrounded by nothing but deltas and an alpha out here.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. This was obsessive and I needed to get a fucking grip. Between finding nothing on her and my alpha constantly pushing back, I was losing it. We’d been unsettled since she arrived.
It went against every alpha to dislike an omega this much, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I needed her gone. Her and her bullshit articles.
My job was to make this team strong and cohesive. I expected my guys to act a certain way, and I had worked my team hard enough that I knew they respected me and would keep up standards.
Now Jeremiah Kingsford had stuck our entire team in a resort with her. No cameras, alcohol, and the team putting their guard down was a recipe for disaster.
I had to stay on top of this.
Fuck, I hated feeling out of control. This situation was a fucking trainwreck.
Deltas were unpredictable at best, and these players had been working hard for weeks. They needed this release, and yet I couldn’t safely give it to them.
I ran my hand through my hair for the millionth time, wishing there was anything I could do to stop this nonsense.
My focus shifted back to my laptop.
I had a folder full of screenshots of old blog posts, social media posts, pictures—anything I could use if the time came.
It wasn’t exactly like I was compiling blackmail. More of a failsafe. I needed to make sure that Roxie didn’t ruin my career and all of theirs.
A knock on the door had me looking up and carefully closing the laptop.
Greer Abbott was standing there with his dog and a staff member standing behind them.
“This is Brenda. She’s the dog walker they mentioned,” Greer said before sitting down and pulling Chorizo into his lap.
Honestly, even I had to admit that the duo was adorable.
The dog was wiggling, he was so excited.
“Hey, buddy,” I said, leaning over the table and giving his head a scratch.
“So, what are the requirements for this lovely little trip?” Abbott asked. His face was the picture of frustration.
“Lunch and dinner are required to be eaten together in the dining room. You can’t be a loner among the team,” I said firmly. “We need to show a united front, and that’s never going to happen if you hide yourself away.”
His jaw ticked, but he didn’t argue. Greer’s green eyes were locked on me, waiting for the rest of my speech that he would rather disregard.
“Most of the time you need to be out of your room and at least doing something within the resort. There are plenty of amenities. You can escape to walk your dog whenever it’s necessary, but don’t overuse it. I need to know that my team is making an effort.”
“Alright,” he said, starting to move, but I wasn’t done.
“I understand that this isn’t your favorite thing, but I need my team to trust you on the ice, and they’re not going to trust the guy that can’t keep a scowl off his face and looks like he’s ready to fight at the drop of a hat.”
He let out a breath, his fingers moving through the dog’s fur as if it were calming him.
“I understand, Coach,” he reassured me.
“I also may have secured you a physical therapist. He’ll be mostly dedicated to you, but may need to help the others from time to time. He is an omega, though. Is that a problem for you?”
“No, sir,” he said. “I don’t have anything against omegas.”
“I’ll introduce you two later today and then come get your opinion. Try to have an open mind.”
“Yes, Coach.” He stood and disappeared out of the office.
Thankfully, one of our defensive players, Adam Gold came in a few minutes later. He was my last, which meant I didn’t have to hide out in this conference room any longer.
If I wanted men like Greer to give this team a chance, then I needed to show them that I was human, too.
That meant talking to my team like they were people, getting to know them, showing them I wasn’t always yelling.
Off the ice, at least.
I ran upstairs and swapped my normal clothes for swim trunks. It was hot as hell outside and the pool felt like the easiest common ground I’d find here.
Although, it meant washing away the scent-dampening products I’d used. It wasn’t exactly a requirement of the job, but I felt more control around omegas when I wore them.
It seemed most of the team had the same idea as I did. When I reached the giant pool in the courtyard of the resort, most of the guys were hanging out along the edge or floating around inside, drinks in hand.
Kingsford hadn’t spared a single cent and they were taking advantage of that. Good. They’d earned it.
Staff members were hovering nearby, ready to take snack and drink orders, filling glasses, and offering anything anyone might need.
“Look at Coach out of his uniform.”
I looked up to see Kota Mori, one of my younger players, grinning back at me like it was some big joke.
“You know I am a person,” I countered, raising an eyebrow as I walked into the shallow water.
His grin only widened. I wasn’t sure if this was an attempt at working past the tension from the locker room. He was the only one who had put up a fight when I talked about the journalist.
It seemed he didn’t like me judging a book by its cover.
I didn’t like having a journalist interfering in my day-to-day.
Which meant, we were at an impasse there.
Lachlan Evans was at his side. They were usually together and Evans seemed unfazed by the delta’s teasing.
“How are you liking the resort so far?” I questioned, struggling to find common ground with players half my age.
“It’s great, Coach,” Evans said. “Thanks for getting this for us.”
“I can’t take the credit,” I admitted. “This was all Kingsford. He’s all about building the team up this year.”
“Well, it certainly isn’t hurting,” Kota said, holding his nose before going under the water. When he came back up, he shook his head, spraying us all in the process.
I was surprised to see tattoos on his chest. Outside of games, he was usually dressed impeccably. I’d noticed more than one name brand. He just didn’t seem the tattoo type.
“There she is!” Kota called out, waving someone over.
I turned around, my breath catching at the sight of Roxie in her bikini.
It was a sports-bra-style top and matching bottoms that were mainly shorts, but it didn’t matter. They showcased more creamy skin than I could handle.
Her hips were flared, her stomach soft but somehow toned at the same time. She was petite and curvy and had plenty of that omega softness.
The kind you wanted to sink your teeth into.
Fuck.
She’s half your age.
Roxie waved over to Kota, but the other omega stopped her, both of them hissing back and forth.
“You might be coming on a little strong, brother,” Evans said, smacking Kota lightly. At least one of them could read the room.
Kota just grinned, his eyes never leaving the two. “They’re my scent-matches. Of course, I am.”
The whole world seemed to come to a halt. My vision tunneled and my alpha roared in my chest. When I managed to speak, the words were strained.
“You’re scent-matched with the journalist?”
He turned around, his face going white as if he had just realized what he’d said.
“There’re no rules against that,” he tried weakly.
No. There wasn’t.
“You’re right. But this makes the article a conflict of interest for her.”
My mind clung happily to that, yet at the same time, my alpha argued, protesting with discomfort.
Kota narrowed his eyes.
“My relationship with her has nothing to do with this article.”
I’d been down here five fucking minutes, and I was already fighting with one of my players.
I bit back the reactions that I wanted to have. He was pushing back when he should be saying ‘yes, Coach’ instead.
Fuck, he was right, though. I couldn’t make a big deal out of this. Not right now at least.
“You’re right, it’s not against the rules.” The words tasted like ash in my mouth.
Evans gave me a strange look but didn’t argue on his best friend’s behalf.
My eyes were glued to the omega as she finally approached us. Whatever was wrong with her partner in crime seemed to have passed.
I could tell things were not quite settled between them and the delta, and honestly, that was reassuring.
“You guys have the big bad Coach down here hanging out with you?” Roxie teased, giving me a wink that had my cock hard immediately.
Thank god we were in the water. I should not be reacting like this.
Not only did she work with the team and was absolutely off-limits, but she was far too young for me.
Tell that to my fucking alpha, though. He was rock hard and growling in my chest, pushing me closer.
Roxie and Rylan both hopped up before dunking under the water. They were laughing as they resurfaced. Her hair was slicked back now, showing me an unblemished throat.
Fuck if that didn’t make it even worse.
“Watch out!” Some of the players were playing a game of pool volleyball, the ball heading straight for the omegas.
Nobody saw it except me and Evans. Both of us reacted at the same time, our alphas not willing to let anyone get hurt.
Evans reached it first, sending a wave of water over the omegas, both of them pitching backward.
I caught them, my arms banding around the two, but that only gave me a nose full of the best scent I’d ever inhaled.
My whole body tensed as coconut, orchid, and amber washed over me.
She spun around in the water, sending another wave of the scent straight up.
I breathed in deep on instinct, a low rumble amping up as she watched me.
“No,” she breathed, shaking her head. Startled laughter escaped her, but she was breathing just as deeply, her eyes wide, pupils dilating as her body reacted to her alpha’s scent.
Her alpha.
I was her fucking alpha.
“This guy?” Rylan questioned, tone incredulous. I should probably have been offended by his tone, but I managed to hide my surprise as I let go of the omega and stepped away.
Rylan had shot out of my embrace the moment he could. Clearly, I didn’t have many friends here.
But what I did have was an omega.
Fuck.
What was I going to do now?