Rhys

"No," I said immediately.

The word left my mouth before anyone else could even breathe.

Kayden turned toward me with worry in his eyes, but I kept my gaze fixed on my grandfather.

Rami Calder stood in front of us with his cane resting beneath one hand, his expression calm and unreadable, as if he had not just asked to speak to my omega in private after spending weeks making it very clear that he did not want him anywhere near our family.

"Whatever you want to say to Kayden, you can say it right here," I continued, my voice cold with every word. "He is not going anywhere alone with you."

Rami’s eyes shifted to mine slowly. "I expected that response."

"Good. Then you should also expect me not to change my mind, Grandfather."

Richard released a quiet sigh beside him. "Rhys, your grandfather only asked for a conversation."

"And I said no."

Kayden’s fingers tightened around mine, and I forced myself to loosen my grip because the last thing I wanted was to hurt him by accident.

The meeting had already been stressful enough. The baby was still fragile. Kayden needed peace, not Calder family politics wrapped in expensive suits and fake concern.

Rami looked at Kayden again. "I do not intend to harm him."

"I do not care what you intend," I said sharply. "Intentions mean nothing coming from you. Not after everything you have done."

The air between us went still instantly, and for a moment, no one said anything.

Then Rami gave a small nod, as if he had already calculated how this conversation would go.

"Fine. You may come along."

I let out a bitter laugh. "You say that like I was waiting for permission."

Kayden glanced at me, silently asking me not to escalate this too quickly, but I couldn’t help it. Not with Rami. Not after everything he had done and tried to control.

Rami said nothing as he turned and began walking toward a quieter corner of the meeting room near the wide windows overlooking the training rink below.

My father followed him, and after a second, I guided Kayden along with me.

I did not let go of his hand.

Not once.

When we reached the corner, Rami stopped and turned to face us. The rest of the room continued moving behind us, but the noise felt distant now. Papers were being gathered. Men were shaking hands. People were laughing softly like Kayden’s entire future had not nearly been decided by votes a few minutes ago.

Rami’s eyes moved to our joined hands.

Then to Kayden’s face.

Then back to me.

"So," he said quietly. "You proposed to him."

My jaw tightened instantly. "Yes. I am sure you saw it online."

Rami hummed under his breath. "And you did not think to inform your family?"

I stared at him for a moment before giving him a humorless smile. "My family?"

Richard’s face tightened at that, but I did not look away from Rami.

"You mean the same family I already told you I wanted nothing to do with?" I asked. "The same family that made it clear Kayden was not welcome? The same family that only shows up when there is something to control? The same family that turned me into an emotionless boy while growing up?"

Rami’s expression did not change. "Marriage is not a small matter, Rhys. It concerns bloodline, public image, legal arrangements, inheritance, reputation—"

"It concerns me and Kayden," I cut in. "Nobody else."

"You are a Calder."

"I am Rhys before I am anything else."

"You may tell yourself that all you want," Rami replied calmly, "but the world will never separate your name from this family. The world will continue calling you by your last name because that is what made you who you are."

I stepped closer, placing myself slightly in front of Kayden without fully blocking him. "Then maybe the world should learn."

Rami’s gaze sharpened.

My father finally spoke. "Rhys, that is enough."

"No, it is not enough," I snapped, turning toward him. "It has never been enough. Every single time I try to build something outside of this family, one of you shows up acting like you are entitled to a seat at the table."

Richard’s lips pressed together. "We came here because this concerns the family."

"No," I said firmly. "You came here because Kayden is no longer someone you can ignore. He changed the league. He changed the rules. He survived the vote. Now suddenly, everyone wants to behave like accepting him was always part of the plan. It was never the plan, and you know that."

Kayden tugged gently on my hand. "Rhys..."

I looked at him immediately, and some of the anger in my chest softened when I saw the anxiety in his eyes. I exhaled slowly before rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand.

"I am fine," I whispered to him.

He did not look convinced.

Rami watched the exchange silently before finally speaking again.

"You love him."

I turned back toward him. "That should have been obvious. Grandfather, I am sure I made it very obvious from the beginning."

"It is," Rami said. "Painfully so."

The way he said it made my shoulders tense.

Kayden stiffened beside me too, but he remained quiet.

Rami leaned slightly against his cane. "That is why I voted for him."

I narrowed my eyes. "Do not insult me."

"I am not."

"You expect me to believe you voted for Kayden because I love him?"

"I voted for him because whether I approve of the circumstances or not, he is going to become part of this family."

My entire body went still while Kayden’s hand froze in mine.

Rami looked directly at him. "If Rhys has proposed to you, and if you have accepted, then it means you will carry the Calder name soon enough. I may dislike how this began, but I do not gain anything by publicly humiliating someone my grandson intends to marry."

A strange silence followed his words.

For a second, I almost could not process them.

Then suspicion crawled up my spine.

"No," I said quietly. "You do not get to do that."

Rami arched a brow. "Do what?"

"Stand there and pretend this is acceptance."

His expression cooled. "It is acceptance."

"No, it is control dressed as acceptance."

Richard sighed sharply. "Rhys."

I ignored him because my father’s words had not mattered in a very long time.

I looked Rami dead in the eyes. "You voted for him because you realized forcing him out would make me leave too. And that is not all. You know you already lost this battle, and this is your way of forcing yourself back into my life, which is never happening."

Rami said nothing. Instead, he adjusted his cane against the ground.

The silence was all the answer I needed to know I was right.

A cold smile touched my lips. "There it is."