Page 56 of Puck Your Bunny

I hit the button to end the broadcast. The screen goes dark. The recording saves to my profile. The raw footage is out in the world. There is zero room for the tabloids to twist our words. We laid our cards on the table for the entire world to see.

I let out a long breath. My lungs burn. The adrenaline spikes in my veins. My hands shake from the lingering need to fight. I slide the phone back into my pocket.

The three of us stand in the center of the room. The silence inside the house stretches out. The banging on the front door outside falters. A few voices yell in confusion. The paparazzi check their phones. They watch the broadcast.

Within minutes, the video is all over the internet. My phone buzzes in my pocket with notifications. Soon every sports platform, gossip blog, and fan account will share the clip. We are the top story everywhere. The situation shifted from a leak to a massive headache.

Outside the window, the chaotic chanting breaks apart.

Flashing red and blue lights cut through the night. The glare bleeds through the cracks in the blackout curtains. The strobe effect changes from camera flashes to police sirens. Local cruisers pull up to the curb. Car doors slam. Static crackles from a police radio over the noise of the crowd.

A police officer lifts a megaphone to his mouth. "Move back! Clear the property!"

The knocking stops. Footsteps trample the porch as the crowd of over a dozen people retreats. The news vans start their engines. The officers force the paparazzi off the grass and back onto the public sidewalk. The crowd clears out.

The adrenaline drains from my system in a rush. Weak knees send me dropping onto the sofa beside Vayda. Resting elbows on my thighs, I drag my hands down my face.

Kel peers through the peephole to confirm their departure. Wally moves toward the back of the house. He checks the lockson the sliding glass door and the kitchen windows. Checking the locks helps everyone relax.

Vayda stands up and heads for the kitchen. She returns a minute later with a glass of ice water.

Looking up at her catches me off guard. Her eyes are wide. The tears are gone. The awe in her expression is intense.

She holds the glass out to me.

Taking the water, my fingers brush against hers. Three long swallows empty the glass and soothe my dry throat before I put it on the coffee table.

Vayda places her warm hands on my cheeks. Her thumbs trace the line of my cheekbones.

"You claimed us." Her voice comes out as a rough whisper. "You told the whole world."

Turning my head, I kiss the center of her palm. "I told them the truth."

"The League is going to fine you." She slides her hands into my hair. Her nails scrape against my scalp. "They hate unauthorized statements."

"Let them." Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her forward to stand between my spread knees. My face buries into her stomach. "I have enough money to pay the fines. I care about this family."

Kel walks back into the living room. He rubs the back of his neck.

"I went out and talked to the cops. They moved everyone out." Kel stops beside Brendan's wheelchair. He rests a hand on Brendan's shoulder. "The lawn is clear. They parked a cruiser at the end of the block for the rest of the night."

Wally returns from the kitchen. He leans against the doorframe. He watches Vayda stroke my hair.

"Our agent called." Wally crosses his arms. "The PR team is screaming. The League commissioner saw the video. They aredemanding the compatibility blood tests be done tomorrow. They plan to send a person over here in the morning to collect blood samples. I hope that works. I assumed it would be easier than having to go to a clinic."

"That works for me." Vayda sighs. "I did not even know they could test for something like that, but it is never something I needed to prove before. Most people don’t care."

"They don’t care." I shake my head. "But since money is involved, they have to make sure all their bases are covered. If we request time off during the season for a Heat, it better be because we found the one, otherwise they put up a fight for a random Omega."

Vayda looks down at me. Her chest rises and falls with a deep breath. She traces the shell of my ear.

Kel leaves Brendan's side and steps closer. He runs his hand down her spine. Wally pushes off the doorframe to join us. He stands on her other side and rests his fingers on her hip. The stress of the night fades. We all just want to be close to her and know that she is safe. Knowing there were reporters here when we were at the facility nearly made me rage out. The air grows thick with our combined scents.

"You boys are crazy." Vayda smiles, the kind of smile that takes my breath away.

"We are yours." I grab her hips and pull her down onto my lap.

She lands across my thighs with a soft gasp. She wraps her arms around my shoulders. I bury my face in her neck, pulling in her scent. We made it through the night. The public now knows that she is ours and we refuse to back down. Tomorrow, we take the test and make it official.