Leo

I ran a hand through my hair that had indeed grown fuller and thicker recently, then pointed down at my chosen outfit to shift the mood. I had gone with a luxurious silk shirt in pure white. The delicate fabric elegantly showed off the sharp line of my collarbone and the hollow of my throat, where a sleek white choker rested comfortably against my skin. My trousers were black, tailored sharply and high-waisted, giving me a polished and confident look.

"I decided to go with something warm but sophisticated for the night, and I am really glad that you liked it," I told him, feeling a small smile tug at my lips despite everything.

"You look beautiful," Miller said sincerely, his voice full of admiration, and then he stretched forth his hand toward me, which I took with a warm smile spreading across my face. "Shall we?"

"We shall," I responded softly as I held his hand tightly, intertwining our fingers, and then we started walking together toward the front door of his place.

Miller drove us to the grand hall where the event was being held in his sleek black Jaguar F-Type, the engine purring smoothly beneath us.

Throughout the entire ride, a comfortable silence settled between us, and I would have thought Miller was still mad about what had happened earlier if he didn’t keep sparing me quick, affectionate glances or occasionally lifting my hand to press soft kisses against my knuckles.

So I dropped my worries for the moment and didn’t ask him any questions about it.

As soon as we reached the venue and the valet took the keys from him with a respectful nod, my mind began racing again. I started thinking seriously about who I could confide in regarding what was happening to me with my powers and reactions.

My first option was Kayden, but the last I remembered, his phone was turned off and he was already fighting his own very heavy demons far away on the island.

Now wasn’t the right time to burden him.

Then I thought about my mothers. My mum would probably advise me calmly to speak openly to Miller about it, while Gabriella would tell me to come straight home and speak to his brother for guidance.

Everyone around me was dealing with their own complicated things, and I didn’t want to be an extra bother or burden on top of it all.

I had to find a way to fix this situation on my own, somehow.

As soon as we arrived inside the beautifully decorated hall, the party had already kicked into full swing. The Northern Avalanche teammates were screaming with joy, partying hard, with Jaxson leading the chaos as always, his energy infectious and loud.

With my hand still securely in Miller’s, we walked through the lively crowd, greeting a few important guests we recognized along the way — the commissioner of the NHL, the director of sports, some of the key board members, the CEO himself, and other influential figures scattered throughout the room.

Rami Calder was also in attendance, standing out among the guests.

I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what someone like him was doing there after everything terrible that he had caused in the past. I had not expected him to have the audacity to show his face at an event like this.

While Miller went over to greet him politely, I quietly excused myself and headed toward the bathroom to collect my thoughts.

As soon as I stepped into the elegant bathroom and locked the door behind me, the first thing I did was stare at my reflection in the large mirror. There were several visible hickeys scattered on my neck and jaw that the white choker simply couldn’t fully cover no matter how I adjusted it.

Miller loved to always prove and mark that I belonged to him, which was usually something I found possessive and hot, except that tonight it was far too visible and anyone with eyes could easily see the evidence.

But what my mind was truly focused on and spiraling over was how my body had instinctively rejected Miller’s attempt at dominance earlier.

That had been one of my deepest fears since the very beginning of our relationship. Since the first moment I had wanted Miller for myself. It wasn’t all about him being a talented athlete; it ran much deeper because of me being an enigma. We craved dominance and control in our very nature.

"What do I do?" I groaned aloud in frustration as I turned into one of the private stalls to pee. The moment the door shut firmly behind me, I heard two voices whispering in hushed, conspiratorial tones just outside, but I could hear them with perfect clarity because they had casually mentioned a name that instantly captured my full attention.

Kayden Vale.

"The board is seriously planning on dropping that omega! No matter how good he performed on the ice, we can’t allow a person like that to remain part of the team. Besides, this move would probably appeal to the commissioner and help change his mind about benching the Northern Avalanche for the entire next season."

I clenched my fists tightly at my sides as I listened to them speak so carelessly, but that was not what truly made my blood boil with rage. It was their next words that pushed me over the edge.

"Did he really think that because he scored a hat trick or helped win the Stanley Cup, the team was automatically going to pick him over tradition? He is an omega, and omegas always stay at the bottom where they belong." The man burst into cruel laughter. "Or maybe he would just become a bitch for Rhys Calder and have his babies. After all, that is what omegas are known for in the end."

That made me see pure red. I couldn’t hide my fury any longer as I finished quickly and turned around to push the stall door open wide with force.

They both spun around at the sudden noise, and my eyes widened in recognition when I realized one of them was a board member — the exact same one Miller and I had greeted politely earlier in the evening.

I didn’t hesitate for even a split second. I lunged forward at him and punched him hard across the face with everything I had.

"What the hell did you say about Kayden?" I demanded, my voice shaking with protective anger.