Dean POV:
The Sunday night, the WWE is a fury of activity. The finals are tonight, and Vince has ordered everything should be perfect. Even the suite where the newly mated couple will be staying. He cares about his grandson. He's one of the older alphas, who's still believing the line that omegas are like children and, as such, need to be cared for.
Omegas should be mated as soon as they can be to ensure they stay with the family and are safe. He knows his grandson is brilliant and sweet, but also, Sethie is an omega and can bring a healthy person into their family. Also, in Vince's way, he's ensuring that Sethie is safe. Unmated omegas are at risk of being hurt or force mated to an alpha.
Sighing loudly, I look around and find myself being one of the first to arrive at the arena. I've skipped out on working out to make it before almost everyone else, needing the time to try to think of how I'm going to handle all this. What I can think of, that I haven't already tried to in my days off, is beyond me, but here I'm all the same. Maybe my ability to rise is when I'm under pressure can come back and help me out. Or maybe, I'm just an idiot who's fucked. That is also a pretty viable option.
I stash my stuff in my locker room and take a walk through the backstage area. I walk right past the agents and crew members, paying no attention to them. Instead, I head to where I know the match listings will be posted. I find myself staring at the list in shock. I reread the type of match several times, trying to figure out if I imagine things. I'm not, though. What I'm seeing is real. It's really happening. I'm going to fight Baron Corbin in a no disqualification match.
I keep staring, not even caring what the hell else is on the list. I'm not even going to question who has made the decision or why. I don't care. And I don't appreciate the situation that they put me in. If I need to face all these problems to claim Sethie, I will. I'll do anything to claim him as mine because my love is only with him!
Having so many thoughts in mind, I return to the locker room and notice that my friends have arrived here. I knew they would rush soon if I made it earlier without informing them. Waving a hand at them, I smile and go to sit beside Roman.
"You knew you should apologize to Seth for what you'd done last week." His words make me groan. I haven't come in the locker room expecting yet another lecture. I had thought that I had gotten his lecture for the entire week. Yet here we are, getting into it again.
"I didn't even do anything," I mutter. I unzip my bag and pull out some tape. I need to get my hands wrapped up for my match later.
"You scared him." He isn't about to drop the subject. "Winning a tournament will be easy, but winning an omega's heart is not what you think."
"But I-" I try to refuse, but he gives me a knowing look and stops the upcoming words in my throat. Indeed, I haven't meant anything that day. It was all happening in a rush.
"I knew you didn't mean it." He finishes the objection before I can. "I know you're not that big of an asshole. At least not most of the time."
"Oh, thanks, Ro." I give him an annoyed look as I start the process of taping my hands. "I appreciate that."
He reaches over and pats me on the shoulder. He's getting up and standing right next to the bench that I'm sitting on, his shirt and vest not currently on. Apparently, this conversation is so significant that he can't even finish getting dressed before having it. "I'm not trying to nag on you or anything. But you guys will not be on the same page during mating if you don't go and apologize. I knew he was making everything difficult, but you also had the responsibility for it."
I almost point out that we don't need to be on the same page for mating. I almost tell I haven't done anything intentionally to scare him. But I don't make it. I can't pin the blame on Sethie. It wasn't fair; it wasn't his fault. This shit happened.
"Talk to him? Please?" Roman places his hand on mine and tries to convince me.
"Fine. Just stop giving me that look." I shrug his hand away so I can continue taping myself up. As he's backing off and glaring at me, I stop the process of taping my hands immediately and throw the shit away. I can do it later once I meet Sethie and apologize to him.
I get out of the locker room and find him staying in his grandfather's office with several securities outside the door. They ensure Sethie is safe until he's mated to the winner. It's the first time that the securities are doing their work perfectly. It means I can't meet him until the tournament is over. I palm my face and look around, making sure no one catches me. I don't want to make the situation even worse.
I make my way back to the locker room to inform the situation to Roman who's tormenting me a few minutes ago. On the way, I hear he's going to fight with Bray Wyatt tonight. What? I get tensed immediately, but I try to shove it away.
Once I make it to him, I tape my hands up slowly, humming low under my breath. We're the only two in our locker room, getting changed for the night. He has to take on Bray, who has apparently injured Orton at the other house show that's taken place last night. The match was the main event and stopped when Bray had refused to stop beating on the prone and injured Orton.
I know Roman can handle himself, but it still doesn't stop me from feeling nervous about the match. It will be something that he should be careful with. Bray can get away with hurting Orton like that, but I'll be damned if Roman somehow comes close to meeting the same fate.
"Don't try to act over smart with Baron, all right?" While I'm striking myself more concerned over his match with Bray, he hasn't shut up about my scheduled match with Baron. "You're a better wrestler than he is. You should be careful. Don't give him any opportunities because you might not get them back."
"You act as I've never wrestled him before." I have finished taping up my hands and inspecting them. They look good. I clench and unclench my fists a few times. The tape is tight, but not too much so. "I know what I'm doing."
"I didn't say you didn't." He places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes it gently.
"Then why are you up to my ass right now?" I ask, shoving him away because I don't want him to worry about me much while he's in danger.
He shrugs as he adjusts his vest. "I figure you're going to be distracted. You know, considering everything that's been going on."
I roll my eyes at him. "I'm not distracted."
"I don't think you're gonna be focused. But if you're saying that you're not distracted, I'm happy." He stands up off the bench and ruffles my hair before exiting the locker room.
I clasp my hands and stare at the wall in nothing particular, feeling depressed all over. I hope there's nothing wrong will happen in Roman's match. If anything awful happens, I can't forgive myself. I know it's all because of me. It would be Triple H's plan to make him stay out of my match if anything injustice occurred. Whatever the authority wants to plan, they do. I'll never fall for their tricks. I'll never fail to win the tournament and claim Sethie to be mine.
