Chapter 150: The Blow Up

As Reid’s eyes scanned the screen, the temperature in the bedroom plummeted. The frozen pine scent flared, instantly turning bitter and suffocatingly dark.

​"Those bastards," Reid hissed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the phone. "They’re turning this into a fucking joke."

​Before I could answer, a notification popped up at the top of the screen. An official post from Edward Stein’s verified personal account. It was a single line, posted just ten minutes prior:

​"Love is a strange thing, you know."

​The internet was already imploding. Within seconds, thousands of retweets were claiming it was an indirect confirmation of the love triangle rumors.

​"That son of a bitch!" Reid roared, throwing the sheets off his legs as he bolted out of bed, his massive chest heaving. "He did this! He’s pushing the narrative to force your hand!"

​"Reid, wait," I said, rubbing my temples as a massive headache slammed into my skull. "Edward is calculated, but he wouldn’t leak those photos himself—it damages the Avalanche’s image right after a loss."

"I know the fans took those pictures. But he is absolutely capitalizing on it. He’s fueling the fire to corner us." Reid barked and I sighed.

​I stood up, stepping directly into Reid’s space and forcing him to look at me. "Get dressed. I’m sending the text. We are meeting him today, and we are putting an end to this before the league steps in."

​The private conference room at the Serpents’ secondary practice facility was entirely sterile, smelling of cold metal and industrial cleaner. It was the only place Marcus could secure on short notice without drawing the eyes of the paparazzi.

​When the heavy door clicked open, Edward stepped inside. He had traded his charcoal overcoat for a tailored navy suit, looking every bit the pristine, untouchable league darling. But the second his eyes swept the room, his easy composure faltered for a fraction of a second.

​He had expected me to be alone, desperate and trembling.

​Instead, I was sitting calmly at the center of the mahogany table, my hands folded perfectly over the polished wood. And right behind my chair, looming like an immovable mountain of pure malice, stood Reid.

Reid’s arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes completely bloodshot, casting a shadow over me that left absolutely no room for interpretation.

​Edward recovered quickly, a faint, smooth smile returning to his lips as he closed the door behind him. "A bit crowded for a private negotiation, don’t you think, Evans?"

​"Sit down, Edward," I said, my voice cutting through the room like a razor blade.

​Edward took a seat across from me, casually leaning back. He didn’t even look at Reid, keeping his intense, analytical gaze fixed entirely on me. "I assume you saw the news this morning. And my post. The public likes the idea of us, Kain. It wouldn’t take much to make it a reality."

​"Did you initiate the leak?" Reid’s voice bled out from behind me, a low, terrifying growl that vibrated through the floorboards. "Did you tell those fans to post those pictures?"

​"I don’t control the fans, McCoy," Edward replied smoothly, his tone laced with a quiet, patronizing superiority. "But when an opportunity presents itself, a smart captain utilizes it. Kain, you cannot completely disregard what I offered. You’re risking your entire career, your legacy, for... what?"

​Edward leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, completely dismissing Reid as he focused entirely on my face.

​"I won’t back down, you know," Edward murmured, his voice dropping into that soft, reverent register that made my skin crawl. "So, I have a proposition. Spend time with me, Evans. Surely, an Omega of your caliber can see that I measure up to far more than an arrogant, aggressive Alpha who just began his career in hockey. I have the stability, the status, and the power to actually protect you. If you give me a chance, you will see that."

​The comment hung in the room like a toxic gas.

​Behind me, Reid’s pheromones exploded. The scent of frozen pine turned violently aggressive, his boots taking a heavy step forward as his fists clenched. But before he could leap across the table, my own chair screeched backward.

​I stood up, my hands slamming hard against the mahogany table as a fierce, lethal heat rushed into my face. Edward’s calm, patronizing arrogance had pushed me entirely past my limit.

​"Do you think love is so simple to come by, Edward?!" I yelled, my voice ringing off the sterile walls, sharp and furious. "Do you honestly think I would look at Reid differently just because you are much nicer to me and act like the perfect gentleman?!"

​Edward flinched, his eyes widening slightly at the sheer, unbridled fury in my tone.

​"It’s Reid’s imperfection and his hot-headedness that draws me to him!" I hissed, leaning across the table until I was inches from his face, my eyes drilling into his. "It’s his try-hard way of getting exactly what he wants despite always being on the losing end! He fights for me with everything he has!" There was absolutely no need to mention our ups and down and how we began so I left that part out. "And you... you can never become someone like Reid, Edward. Never."

​Silence slammed into the room.

​Edward sat entirely frozen, the smug, gentle mask completely stripped from his face. For the first time since I had known him, he looked genuinely taken aback, the raw rejection cutting straight through his refined exterior.

Behind me, Reid’s heavy breathing hitched, the wild, chaotic fury in his scent suddenly melting into a thick, overwhelmed wave of pure devotion. Hearing me defend his flaws in front of his rival had completely stunned him.

​Edward stared at me for a long, agonizing beat, his jaw tightening before he slowly let out a breath. He nodded once, his expression shifting into something intensely serious, stripped of all corporate polish.

​"I take it back then," Edward said softly, his voice remarkably steady despite the blow. "I might have been a little insensitive... but I am very sincere."

​Before I could pull away, Edward reached across the table, his long fingers sliding forward to grasp my hands. His grip was firm, unyielding, and desperate.

​He didn’t look at me this time. Instead, Edward tilted his head up, his eyes lifting past my shoulder to lock directly onto the towering, murderous frame of the rookie behind me.

​"I want us to be together," Edward said, his voice ringing with a terrifying, unyielding conviction as he stared Reid dead in the eyes. "And I am willing to compromise. I am willing to be in a triangle relationship if that’s what it takes to have him."