The Silent Carry

The training room felt like a pressure cooker. Usually, the sound of Team Onyx practicing was full of Jax’s shouting and the frantic clicking of keys. But today, the silence was heavy. It was the kind of silence that happens right before a massive storm hits.

​Jax stared at his monitor, his eyes narrowed. He had invited the "B-Team" the younger players from the academy to play a 5v5 practice match. He wanted to humiliate Kaelen in front of everyone. He wanted to show Mr. Han that this "underground legend" was just a fluke.

​"Everyone on voice chat," Jax ordered, his voice echoing in the headsets. "Leo, stay on me. Toby, play safe. And you..." He glanced sideways at Kaelen, who was calmly adjusting his mouse sensitivity. "Stay in the Mid-lane. Don’t feed the enemy, and don’t get in my way."

​Kaelen didn't even look up. He just clicked a button, and his character a dark, hooded mage appeared on the screen. "Just play your game, Jax. I'll handle mine."

​"That’s 'Captain' to you," Jax snapped.

​The game started with a loud Bong! The digital world materialized. Jax, playing his signature aggressive Jungler, immediately dove into the forest. He was fast, efficient, and angry. He cleared the monsters in record time, his fingers dancing across the keys. He was waiting for Kaelen to fail. He expected the newcomer to miss a last-hit or get caught by the enemy.

​But five minutes passed, and Kaelen was playing like a machine.

"Mid-lane is missing," Kaelen said calmly. His voice was steady, unlike Jax’s which was always full of adrenaline. "Jax, they are moving to your blue buff. Fall back."

​"I don't fall back!" Jax growled. He saw the enemy Mid-laner and Jungler approaching him. His Alpha pride told him he could take them both. "Leo, rotate now! We’re taking this fight!"

​"Jax, it’s too risky!" Leo squeaked, his character running as fast as possible to help.

​Jax leaped into the fight. He used his ultimate ability, a flurry of golden strikes. He almost had the kill he could see the enemy's health bar dropping. But then, the enemy Support arrived. Suddenly, Jax was trapped. He was stunned, his health dropping fast.

​"Damn it! Lag!" Jax shouted, though there was no lag. He was just outnumbered. "I’m going down! Get out, Leo!"

​Just as the final blow was about to hit Jax’s character, a shadow appeared on the screen.

​Kaelen had moved from the Mid-lane with perfect timing. He didn't just walk; he used a combination of skills to "blink" across the map. With a cold, calculated burst of magic, Kaelen froze the three enemy players in place.

TRIPLE KILL.

​The announcement boomed through the speakers. The room went dead quiet. Kaelen hadn't just saved Jax; he had deleted the entire enemy team in three seconds.

​"You're safe," Kaelen said, his voice flat. He didn't brag. He didn't cheer. He just turned his character around and walked back to his lane to keep farming.

​Jax sat frozen. His heart was hammering against his ribs, but not because of the game. It was the way Kaelen had done it. It was so... effortless.

​"Nice save, Kaelen!" Toby cheered, forgetting Jax was in a bad mood. "That was insane! I've never seen anyone move that fast."

​"Focus on the towers," Jax hissed, his face turning a deep shade of red. He felt embarrassed. The Captain had to be saved by the rookie. It felt like a slap to his Alpha ego.

​For the rest of the match, Kaelen was everywhere. Every time Jax was about to make a mistake, Kaelen was there to fix it. He didn't take the kills; he left them for Jax, but everyone in the room knew who was really winning the game. Kaelen was "carrying" the world’s best Alpha from the shadows.

​When the enemy base finally exploded, the screen flashed VICTORY.

Jax ripped off his headset and stood up. The chair screeched against the floor. He walked over to Kaelen, his shadow looming over the desk. "What was that? You left your lane three times. If they had pushed your tower, we would have lost."

​Kaelen leaned back in his chair, looking up at Jax. He didn't look tired at all. "But they didn't push. Because I knew they wouldn't. I read the map, Jax. You should try it sometime."

​"Are you calling me a bad Captain?" Jax’s scent flared burnt wood and hot spice. It was an aggressive smell, meant to make people back down.

​Kaelen stood up slowly. He was slightly taller than Jax, and as he stood, that rain-and-cedar Enigma scent surged forward. It was like a physical wall of cold air hitting Jax in the face.

​The other teammates Leo, Toby, and Sam all stared. They could feel the tension. It was like watching two lions fighting for the same throne.

​"I’m calling you a distracted Captain," Kaelen whispered. He leaned in closer, his lips near Jax’s ear. "You’re so busy trying to prove you’re the boss that you're missing the big picture."

Jax felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine. His breath caught in his throat. Up close, Kaelen’s presence was overwhelming. Jax wanted to punch him, but he also felt a weird, terrifying urge to just... lean in. His Alpha instincts were glitching again. He was supposed to be the predator, but right now, he felt like the prey.

​"Get out," Jax whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

​"The match is over," Kaelen said, pulling back with a mysterious look in his eyes. "I think I’ll go check out the gym. See you at the party tonight, Jax."

​Kaelen walked out of the room, his footsteps quiet.

​As soon as the door closed, Leo exhaled a huge breath. "Holy cow! Jax, are you okay? Your face is as red as a tomato!"

​"It’s just hot in here! The AC is broken!" Jax shouted, grabbing his water bottle and drinking the whole thing in one go.

​"I don't know, man," Toby said, scratching his head. "That Kaelen guy is... different. Did you smell him? It made my hair stand up. He’s not an Alpha, right? But he feels stronger than one."

​"He’s a nobody!" Jax yelled, though he knew it was a lie.

​Jax sat back down and stared at the replay of the match. He watched the moment Kaelen saved him over and over again. He noticed the way Kaelen’s character stayed close to his character the whole time, like a bodyguard.

​He thinks he can protect me? Jax thought, his teeth grinding. He think's he's better than me?

​But as he watched the screen, Jax’s hand went to his chest. His heart was still racing. It wasn't anger anymore. It was something else. Something he didn't have a name for.

​He didn't know that tonight, at the victory party, that "something" would turn into a mistake he could never take back. He didn't know that the Enigma wasn't just there to win the trophy he was there to win the Alpha.

​"Han!" Jax shouted toward the office. "Tell the club to bring the strongest drinks they have tonight. I’m going to need them."

​Jax didn't realize that the more he tried to drown his feelings in drinks, the easier it would be for the Enigma to claim him. The "Silent Carry" wasn't just happening in the game it was happening in real life.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***