A Deal I Never Wanted
1147 Words
Kaden's POV
"Play it again."
The head of Blackmore Academy's Public Relations Department hesitated.
"Kaden—"
"I said, play it."
The room fell silent. A second later, the large television mounted on the wall flickered to life.
There I was. Standing in the middle of the hockey arena. Surrounded by cameras.
Then came the moment that refused to disappear. An Omega girl accidentally bumped into me after the game. I was already frustrated by our loss, so I snapped. I shoved her hand away and humiliated her in front of everyone.
The video ended with her crying.
I remembered exactly what had happened that night.
We had lost by one goal.
The reporters wouldn’t stop asking stupid questions.
My teammates avoided looking at me.
Then the girl had walked straight into me.
She’d apologized immediately. I hadn’t listened.
I’d been angry at myself, but I’d taken it out on her instead.
One bad moment. That was all it took.
Now the entire country acted like they knew who I was.
None of them knew how many nights I’d replayed that scene in my head.
If I could erase it, I would, but life didn’t work that way.
Silence filled the conference room. I leaned back in my chair.
"I've seen it enough."
Across the table sat the academy principal, the PR director, my hockey coach, and the one person I didn't want to see this morning. My father. Alpha Adrian Norm. Future Alpha. Future Pack Leader. Future disappointment.
He folded his hands calmly.
"You've embarrassed this family."
I laughed without humor.
"So that's why I'm here."
"You embarrassed the academy too."
"I said I was sorry."
"No." His voice was cold. "You apologized because your sponsors started leaving."
I clenched my jaw. That wasn't completely true. I did regret what I'd done. The girl hadn't deserved it. I'd let my anger get the better of me.
But no matter how many apologies I gave, the internet refused to move on. Every day another video appeared. Every day another headline called me a monster.
The PR director cleared her throat.
"Three major sponsors have suspended negotiations."
Coach Mason sighed. Coach looked older than usual. Dark circles sat beneath his eyes.He’d defended me during every interview.
He’d told reporters I wasn’t the person they saw in that video.
I hadn’t thanked him. I wasn’t good at saying things like that.
“Kaden,” he said quietly, “you’re the best captain this team has ever had.”
I looked away.
“But the players are feeling the pressure. Parents have started calling the academy. Some even want their sons transferred.”
I hated hearing that, not because it made me look bad.
Because the team had done nothing wrong.
They were paying for my mistake.
"The National Hockey Championship is only a few months away. If this continues, the team's reputation will suffer."
I looked at my father.
"So suspend me."
Coach immediately shook his head.
"We can't afford that."
"I thought so."
Dad's eyes never left mine.
"You'll remain captain."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because your image will change."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The PR director opened a folder and slid it across the table. Inside were several printed articles.
BLACKMORE'S GOLDEN BOY BECOMES THE PACK'S BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT.
CAN AN ALPHA WHO BULLIES OMEGAS LEAD A TEAM?
I closed the folder.
"I've already seen enough headlines."
She nodded.
"Which is why we're creating new ones."
Something about the way she smiled made me uncomfortable.
"What new ones?"
She exchanged a quick glance with my father. Then she said it.
"A relationship."
I blinked.
"…What?"
"A girlfriend."
I actually laughed.
"You've lost your mind."
"The public responds well to positive stories."
"I'm not pretending to date someone."
"It isn't a request."
I looked at my father. He remained expressionless.
"You agreed to this?"
"I approved it."
I pushed my chair back.
"No."
"No?"
"I said no. I don't have time for fake smiles and staged photos. I have hockey. I have Alpha training. I don't need a girlfriend."
Dad finally spoke.
"You don't need one. You need the academy to believe you have one."
My patience snapped.
"So you want me to lie to everyone?"
"I want you to protect your future."
"My future isn't built on gossip websites."
"It's built on public trust."
His words hung in the air. For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Finally, I grabbed my jacket.
"I'm done."
I headed toward the door.
"You walk out now," Dad said calmly, "and you're no longer captain."
My hand froze on the doorknob.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
Coach looked just as shocked as I felt.
"Sir—"
Dad silenced him with one look.
"You represent this academy. You represent our pack. If the board loses confidence in you…" He paused. "…someone else will wear the captain's jersey."
Every muscle in my body tensed. Hockey wasn't just a game. It was everything. The championship this year meant everything. I wasn't losing it over a stupid publicity stunt.
I slowly turned back.
"What exactly do you want?"
The PR director smiled again.
"There'll be interviews. Photos. Public appearances. You'll be seen together around campus. Hold hands occasionally. Attend hockey events together."
I rubbed my forehead. Every part of this plan sounded ridiculous.
I could already imagine the headlines.
CAPTAIN KADEN FINDS LOVE.
THE BEAST HAS A HEART AFTER ALL.
People would believe whatever they wanted. One week they’d call me a bully.
The next week they’d call me the perfect boyfriend.
None of it would be real. I wasn’t interested in dating anyone.
Between hockey practice, Alpha training, classes, and my father’s impossible expectations, I barely had time to sleep.
Now they wanted me to add a fake relationship to the list.
It felt less like fixing my image and more like putting another leash around my neck.
"And who volunteered for this disaster?"
"No one."
She opened another file.
"The academy has already selected someone."
I sighed.
"Some rich Alpha's daughter?"
"No."
"A Beta?"
"No."
"Then who?"
She pushed a single file toward me. I stared at the photograph clipped to the front.
A girl with soft brown eyes looked back at me. She wasn't smiling. She looked ordinary. Nothing like the girls who usually surrounded me.
I flipped the page.
Name: Elyana Steve.
Transfer Student. Human.
I looked up.
"A human?"
Dad nodded.
"She has no connections to any pack. No political complications. No expectations. She'll be arriving today."
I frowned.
"And if she refuses?"
A slow smile appeared on my father's face.
"She won't."
Something about the certainty in his voice bothered me. For the first time, I had the feeling this plan had started long before I ever walked into this room.
And somehow, the girl in the photograph was already part of it.
- Writer
