Page 157 of Claimed By the Team


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"Don't say anything yet," Aidan says with a chuckle. "We still don't know if we have jobs yet."

"You're all insane," Darren mutters, but his eyes are bright. "Completely fucking insane."

"Yes," I agree. "But we are your kind of insane."

"Yeah," Darren says with a resigned sigh. "I guess you are."

I smile. Coming from our very unconventional omega, that's high praise, indeed.

Chapter

Forty-Two

LEXIE

The rhythmic click-clack of my knitting needles fills the studio space, each stitch feeling like another minuscule act of defiance. My fingers work the yarn in Grizzlies colors, of course, while my mind recaps everything that's happened in the past week. The league's gone radio silent. The team's on probation. And we're all just... waiting.

Fuck waiting.

I shift on my stool, surveying the banner spread across my cutting table. Twenty feet of hand-knitted protest that's taken me four days of barely sleeping to complete. The letters stand bold against the background.

PLAY LIKE AN OMEGA.

Each letter is perfectly formed, each stitch a middle finger to everyone who thinks Darren doesn't belong on the ice.

My phone buzzes with another news alert. I ignore it. They're all the same anyway, just speculation about whether the league will cave, whether Darren will ever play again, whether the pack's ultimatum was just posturing. As if my boys would bluff about something like this.

The studio door chimes and Jessica breezes in carrying two coffees and what smells like stress-baked goods from Aidan. He's been supplying our entire social circle with muffins since Vancouver. Pretty sure the first basket broke Luke's brain, but to be fair, I'm not sure how I would react if my idol was sending me home baked goods either.

"Holy shit," she breathes, setting everything down to get a better look at the banner. "Lex, this is incredible."

"It's almost done." I secure the final stitch, then stand to stretch my aching back. "Just need to reinforce the edges so it doesn't sag when we hold it up."

"We?" Jessica's eyebrows climb toward her hairline.

"At the next game." I take one of the coffees, grateful for the caffeine hit. "Whether it's the Grizzlies playing or whatever scab team they throw together, we're going to be there. Front row. Making sure everyone knows exactly where we stand."

Jessica's grin turns wicked. "Count me in. And I'll bring reinforcements."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." She pulls out her phone, scrolling through what looks like group chats. "You have no idea how many people are pissed about this. Half the wives and girlfriends in the league are ready to riot. That's what happens when you piss off a bunch of omegas. Dan's wife… you know, from the team chat? She's already organizing a protest outside league headquarters."

My throat tightens. I knew there was support online, but this...

"Look at this," Jessica continues, shoving her phone in my face. "The hashtag #LetDarrenPlay has been trending for three days. And check out the fan art."

I scroll through image after image. Darren depicted as a warrior. The whole pack drawn like superheroes protecting him. One particularly beautiful piece shows him mid-check on theice with the omega symbol on his jersey like a badge of honor instead of something to hide.

"And this." Jessica swipes to another screen. "A petition to officially allow omegas in the league. It's got over two hundred thousand signatures already."

"Fuck." I sink onto my stool, overwhelmed. "The guys need to see this."

"They haven't?"

"They've been avoiding social media. Jax's orders. Said it would just mess with their heads while they wait for the league's decision."

Jessica snorts. "Since when does Zayn follow orders about anything?"