Chapter 56: ​The bastard had taken the seat directly opposite mine

​The moment the swinging door clicked shut behind him, leaving only the two of us in the thick, garlic-scented air of the kitchen, I let out a jagged breath I felt like I’d been holding for a century.

​Marina didn’t waste a second. She stepped forward, her hand reaching out to firmly grip my shoulder, her fingers digging into the thick fabric of my black sweater.

​"It seems like he doesn’t know," she whispered sharply, her dark eyes wide with a mixture of intense relief and lingering anger. "He thinks you’re a Beta. He really has no idea what you are, Kain."

​"I told you," I muttered, my voice rough as I looked away from her, staring blindly at the bubbling tray of lasagna. "It’s just a mess. A stupid, complicated mess with the team dynamics. I have it under control."

​"Under control?" Marina scoffed under her breath, her grip tightening before she finally let go. "Kain, that boy’s scent is literally marked into your skin. If he finds out what you’re hiding, he won’t just be sharing your bed. He’ll destroy everything we’ve spent ten years protecting. You need to get him away from you the second this weekend is over."

Ah, I already tried that. All of it. But it’s too late now, Marina.

​I wish I could tell her that. I wished I could confess that the arrogant rookie out there wasn’t just a pushy teammate, but a blackmailer who already held my entire life between his teeth.

I wished I could tell her that he had already overridden my suppressants, knotted me one too many times, and left a biological stamp on my body that no amount of synthetic blockers could completely erase.

​But I kept it all to myself, forcing the heavy truth deep down into the darkest corner of my mind.

​"Thank you for worrying, but I truly have things under control," I said quietly, fixing my expression into the most reassuring, steady Captain’s face I could manage.

​Marina studied me for a long, agonizing beat. She clearly didn’t believe me entirely—her protective Alpha instincts were still humming beneath the surface—but she also knew how stubborn I could be when it came to my career.

​"Fine," she muttered, letting out a sharp breath as she picked up the oven mitts again. "But if he steps over the line even a fraction of an inch, you tell me. I don’t care how rich his family is or how many pucks he nets for the Serpents. I will break him."

​"I know you will," I said, a genuine, faint smile finally breaking through my mask.

​"Now grab the salad and the garlic bread," she commanded, her tone sliding back into her usual authoritative kitchen manner. "Let’s get this over with before the twins actually start eating the furniture."

​I nodded, picking up the large wooden salad bowl and the basket of warmed bread. With a deep, centering breath, I nudged the swinging door open with my elbow and stepped back out into the chaotic warmth of the dining room.

Kelvin and Kalvin were already seated, loudly debating a referee’s call from last night’s game, while Chloe and Chleo were playfully trying to steal the best spots at the long table.

Cara was practically vibrating with excitement, entirely focused on the center of the table where Reid was currently sitting.

​The bastard had taken the seat directly opposite mine.

​As I set the salad bowl down, Reid looked up. The easy, polite smile he was giving Cara seamlessly melted away, replaced by that dark, private amusement in his smoky grey eyes.

He leaned his elbows on the table, tracking my movements with that usual lazy intensity, entirely unbothered by the fact that he had just narrowly escaped an Alpha interrogation.

​"Need some help with that, Cap?" Reid murmured, his voice smooth and entirely too loud, drawing the immediate attention of the twins. "You shouldn’t be lifting heavy bowls with those ribs."

​"I can handle a bowl, McCoy," I gritted out, sitting down and pulling the high collar of my sweater up just a fraction of an inch.

​"Oh, let him help, Kain," Chloe laughed, passing a plate down the line. "It’s nice to see a rookie who actually respects his captain for once."

​I caught Reid’s eye across the table. He raised his glass of water in a silent, mocking toast, his lips curling into a snobbish, victorious smirk that made my blood boil.

​Respect. If only they knew. Respect was the last thing this bastard had.

Marina walked out of the kitchen a moment later, carrying the steaming tray of lasagna. The heavy, aromatic scent of baked cheese and rich marinara immediately filled the dining room, but as she set it down at the head of the table, her sharp gaze swept over the seating arrangement.

She looked at Reid, then at me, her eyes lingering on the tight, combative space between our plates. She didn’t say a word, but the subtle, warning flare of her Alpha presence was enough to make the hairs on my arms stand up.

​"Alright, dig in before it gets cold," Marina announced, sitting down at the head of the table.

​Instantly, the table erupted into chaos. The twins practically lunged across the wood, their forks clattering as they scrambled to scoop massive square portions onto their plates.

Chloe and Chleo were laughing, swatting Kalvin’s hand away when he tried to take the biggest piece of garlic bread, while Cara neatly served herself, completely unbothered by the noise.

​It was loud. It was messy. It was the exact opposite of a wealthy family’s family dinner, and I assume this was what Reid wanted to experience for him to come here. Well, that and trying to see me sweat.

​I carefully scooped a smaller portion for myself, keeping my movements tight to protect my throbbing ribs.

Across the table, Reid was watching the madness unfold with a look I hadn’t seen on his face before. The snobbery was gone, replaced by a genuine, almost fascinated curiosity. He didn’t look disgusted by the noise; he looked entirely captivated by it.

​"Don’t be shy, McCoy," Kelvin yelled through a mouthful of pasta. "Take a big piece. You’re going to need the calories if you’re going to keep skating at the Captain’s pace tomorrow."