Page 136 of Scrum Heat

Still, it’ssomething.

“This doesn’t mean we endorse it,” he says flatly.

“You don’t have to,” Evie replies, voice sharp enough to cut glass. “You just have to stop pretending it’s not working.”

“This meeting is concluded,” he says.

I stand slowly. My knees feel locked, my palms damp, my pulse loud in my ears—but my spine? That’s still straight.

Evie places a hand at the small of my back as we turn to leave, but before I step out, I turn and look them square in the eye.

“We’re not a scandal,” I say clearly. “We’re a team. You’ll see that on Saturday.”

Because the thing is: yes, I might be young, and I might be an omega, and I might be nothing but a bimbo in their eyes; but the fact is—I’m alsotheirs.

And I’mnotletting anyone take that away.

Not even the OSC.

Chapter Thirty-One

Finn

“Look alive, boys.”

Rory’s voice cuts through the locker room like it’s carved from steel—sharp, grounded, and impossible to ignore.

He’s already stood up. Jersey on, sleeves pushed up, and tape wrapped tight around his wrists. He looks ready to lead a charge or start a war, and his boot hits the bench as he turns to face us, eyes locked, jaw set.

“This isn’t just a game. This isthegame.”

Theo tosses a roll of tape into the air and catches it one-handed.

“Someone’sbeen practicing his monologues in the shower.”

Rory doesn’t flinch. “Marcus Vale wants to make us look weak. Denton Vale wants to send us home. And the OSC wants to reduce us to a compliance issue with a headline attached.”

Jax cracks his neck as his mouth curves just enough to be dangerous. “Let them watch.”

“Let themchoke on it,” Ben grins from across the room.

“Exactly,” Rory says, stepping forward now. “They want to test us?Good. We don’t back down from pressure. Wetrainin pressure. We’ve fought harder to get here than any team in this league.”

He looks around the room—at all of us. Theo, taping his fingers. Jax, silent and lethal. Me, breath in my chest like I’m already mid-sprint. Then he looks at the rest of the squad—the boys who’ve run drills with us every night for this.

“You’ve all bled for this shirt. You’ve taken hits for each other. Sacrificed for each other. And now we’re one game away from the final.”

He pauses, and I swear, the silencetightens.

“You win today? Then next time you play, you play forscouts. You play forcontracts. You play for yourfuture.”

No one moves. Fuck, no oneblinks.

“This isit.Eyes up, heads in, and hit every ruck like it’s the last one you’ll ever touch. Shut down Vale’s captain early, and keep their wings closed. Theo—”

“I’m already planning it.”

“Jax—”

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