Chapter 178: First Place

Lorali

FIRST PLACE GOLD: OMEGA LORALI SPADE — 450 POINTS

SECOND PLACE SILVER: BETA SAM GAD — 380 POINTS

THIRD PLACE BRONZE: ALPHA MARCUS ALPHA — 372 POINTS

"Taking First Place and claiming the National Championship Gold... LORALI SPADE!"

The crowd erupted, a chaotic mix of wild cheering from the Omegas in the crowd and loud, angry shouts from Zetana’s dedicated fans.

I stood frozen, staring at the number 450.

Four hundred and fifty points... my mind echoed, a wave of shock washing over me. That’s my highest score in my entire life.

I am ashamed to admit it but I had fully prepared myself mentally to take second place today. Even with all my hope, Zetana’s track record was legendary, and I knew how hard the judges favored her. But here I was. On my very first attempt at a national championship... I had won gold. I was the champion. No freaking way that this was actually happening, I must be dreaming. I can’t be. I won gold? I am first place?

"Lorali, you won first place, you got gold!" Scarlett said, so I could smell her omega scent turning sweet, she shaked my hand over and over again, "Come on, go get your reward." She urged me to bring me back to the real world. A massive, brilliant smile broke across my face.

I walked toward the podium, stepping up onto the tall, gold "1" block while the silver and bronze medalists took their places beside me. The official draped the heavy gold medal around my neck, its polished surface reflecting the arena lights. Instantly, a swarm of reporters and press photographers shoved their way past the barrier, flashbulbs exploding in my face like fireworks.

"Lorali Spade! Over here!" a reporter shouted, thrusting a foam microphone into my space. "How does it feel to win a national championship on your very first try?!"

I lifted my chin, the heavy gold medal resting against my chest, and smiled proudly for the cameras. "It feels amazing. I put everything I had into that ice today." Before I could say another word, another reporter, a dumbass looking Beta man with a sneering expression, shoved his microphone forward, speaking twice as loud as the others.

"How do you feel about people online saying you only won this championship because Zetana got disqualified?!" he demanded loudly.

My smile vanished instantly. A hot, blinding spike of fury flared through my blood. I knew it, that people were going to say this nonsense.

I glared down at the reporter, my eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "I did not win because Zetana got disqualified. I won because I skated a 450-point routine, and I was always going to win!" The reporter scoffed loudly, waving his notepad. "Oh, well, that’s not what everyone in the stands is saying! People are calling it a fluke!"

"Screw what everyone is saying and screw you too!" I snarled.

Before Scarlett or security could react, I leaped right off the top of the podium, my shoes clattering against the rubber matting, and launched myself straight at the reporter. I grabbed the front of his coat with both hands, throwing my full weight into him and dragging him down onto the floor.

"Lorali! NO!" Scarlett shrieked.

"Say it again!" I screamed, pinning the guy to the floor by his collar while he shrieked in terror, dropping his microphone. "Say it to my face again, you little prick!"

Chaos erupted on the floor. Photographers were snapping photos frantically as three heavy security guards rushed forward, grabbing my arms and dragging me off the yelling reporter.

Scarlett sprinted over, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me back and as far as possible from the man and the chaos. "Relax! Lorali, CALM DOWN!" she begged, her voice high and frantic. "Don’t waste your energy on some trash reporter! You just won a national championship! Don’t taint it! Don’t let people remember this day as the day you attacked someone!"

I stood there in front of her breathing heavily, my hair wild, my fists clenched tight. I looked at Scarlett, then at the gold medal hanging around my neck. I took three long, deep breaths, forcing the wild, feral rage back down into its cage. "Fine," I growled out, smoothing down my crimson dress with trembling hands. "Fine. No one is ruining this day for me. No one."

Security moved in, clearing the aggressive press out of the area and locking the heavy security doors behind them. "Congratulations!" a smooth, familiar voice called out from behind me.

I whirled around to see Erin was walking toward me down the hallway, wearing a sharp dark suit, holding a massive, gorgeous bouquet of deep red roses in his hands. A warm, genuine smile lit up his face as he stopped in front of me.

"I had zero doubt you were going to win," Erin said smoothly, handing the flowers over to me. I took the roses, looking up at him through my eyelashes, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. "Oh, Erin, really? You had no doubt?"

"Not a single doubt whatsoever," Erin replied without a microsecond of hesitation. I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head. "So... you think I would have won even if Zetana didn’t get disqualified?"

"Yeah," Erin said casually, leaning his shoulder against the concrete pillar. "Your routine was flawless, Lorali. A 450 is unbeatable." I chuckled softly, looking down at the red petals. "Why do you think Zetana got disqualified anyway?"

Erin shrugged, his eyes flashing with an uninterested glint. "I don’t know. Maybe she did something against the rules... or maybe she just knew she couldn’t top your score. But who cares? You have a championship gold, and she does not." I threw my head back and let out a light, genuine laugh. "Actually... she has three national championships under her belt."

Erin offered me a smooth, playful grin. "Well... comparison is the devil, Lorali."

"Yeah," I smiled, clutching the gold medal in one hand and my roses in the other. "Yeah, it really