A few days after Jack accepted the invitation to the training camp, they called him. It was Lexi. The moment he heard her voice, he went uncharacteristically quiet.

She got straight to the point—could they host the camp at his place? The house was perfect: plenty of space, already set up for gaming, and easy to equip for the filming crew. Riot was making a big deal out of it this year. In the past, they’d only aired practice matches. Now, they wanted behind-the-scenes footage, player interactions, everything. And Lexi would be hosting it.

Jack hesitated. Letting a bunch of people invade his space, setting up cameras in every corner? It didn’t sit right with him. But his heartbeat pounded so loudly he barely heard himself think. In the end, he agreed. Lexi’s squeal of happiness was the only reward he needed.

A week before the event, the production crew swarmed his house. They barely acknowledged him, hauling in equipment, installing cameras, transforming the smaller dining room into a full-blown control center with screens monitoring every inch of the place. The only rooms spared were the bedrooms and bathrooms—everything else was under surveillance.

Jack had never been more relieved when the first day of camp finally arrived. At least now, he had something to focus on instead of watching strangers touch his things.

Lexi arrived early, Sebastian right behind her. The two had played together for years as the legendary bot-lane duo of Destroy and Conquer—Lexi as ADC, Sebastian as Support. They had been one of the best duos to ever touch the game, their synergy so perfect they barely needed to speak to know what the other was doing. Now, Sebastian had transitioned to casting, most people still knowing him as Iniquitous, one of the voices of Worlds.

Jack watched him trail behind Lexi like a loyal shadow. He was handsome enough, in a gentle way. He has short dark brown hair and soft features that made him look harmless. He was incredibly tall, towering over Lexi, at least a head taller. 

She moved with sharp precision, ordering people around, adjusting camera angles, fine-tuning details. Sebastian didn’t interrupt, didn’t talk over her, didn’t meddle. He was just there, supporting her with his quiet presence. Jack needed a drink.

A familiar voice yanked him out of his trance. 

“Riddle!”

Jack turned just in time to see a petite girl in her twenties waving as she walked toward him. Short brown hair framed her heart-shaped face, and an oversized white T-shirt hung loosely off her shoulder, nearly swallowing the tiny denim shorts beneath it. He recognized her immediately.

“Riley!” Grinning, he pulled her into a hug, lifting her off her feet.

“It’s Jack to you,” he corrected playfully. “I didn’t know you were doing this!”

Riley laughed, wriggling free. “Lexi convinced me.”

They’d spent years playing League together before Jack signed with Team Xtreme. While he climbed the competitive ladder, Riley built an empire of her own—now the number-one streamer on the platform. Cute, energetic, and insanely skilled, she had charmed just about everyone.

“I think they just invited me for the views,” she admitted.

Jack smirked. “I did see that number-one ranking. Congrats.”

A pink blush crept up her cheeks. “Thanks. But I couldn’t have done it without you helping out when you had time off from Team Xtreme. I really appreciated that.” 

Her smile faltered. Her gaze locked onto something behind him, her body tensing. Jack turned before she could stop him.

At the far end of the room, leaning casually against the wall, Tommy stood watching them. When their eyes met, Tommy smirked. Jack’s blood boiled.

“Jack,” Riley tugged at his arm, trying to pull him back. “He won Worlds. Of course they invited him.”

Logically, Jack knew she was right. He should have expected this. But right now, logic didn’t matter. All he saw was that taunting smirk.

A sharp cough cut through the tension. Jack tore his gaze away as every head in the room turned toward the front. Lexi stood atop a table, clapping her hands to command attention. “Welcome, All-Stars, to two weeks of complete hell!” she announced with a grin—one that sent a chill through the room.

Nervous glances were exchanged. Lexi ignored them.

“For those who don’t know me, I’m Lexi, former AD Carry for Destroy and Conquer.” She gestured to her side. “And with me is my former Support, Sebastian—better known as Iniquitous.”

Sebastian, standing just off to the side, gave a small wave. It was almost funny how harmless he looked. Hard to believe he was once half of one of the most ruthless bot lanes in history.

“Riot asked us to run this camp,” Lexi continued, pacing the length of the table like a general preparing her troops. “We’re putting together two teams. You’ll scrim against each other and against other pro teams we’ve lined up. You won’t necessarily be playing your main role—you’ll be playing the role you need to improve. No switching. No excuses.”

Jack exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of her words settle over the room.

Lexi jumped down from the table, striding over to Sebastian, who had already started handing out room assignments.

Jack barely glanced at his key. He already knew he had his own room—his own sanctuary in this suddenly crowded house. The only room with a private bathroom. The only place he could shut the door and escape. And considering who was now in this house with him, he’d be needing it.

“Jack.” Ben approached after getting his key, his curious gaze landing on Riley. There was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but he waited patiently for Jack to introduce them officially.

“Ben, this is Riley. Riley, this is my teammate Ben,” Jack said, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched from behind. He knew exactly who it was and had no intention of acknowledging her. He hadn’t spoken to Jamie since their argument after Worlds, and he wasn’t about to start now.

“WinterBear, right?” Ben grinned, shaking Riley’s hand.

Riley nodded. “Please, just call me Riley!” WinterBear was her in-game name, the alias most of her stream audience knew her by.

“Nice to meet you! I hope we get to play together!” Ben said enthusiastically, exuding golden retriever energy.

The three of them sat down in the living room, discussing their expectations for the camp. It helped Jack focus on anything other than Tommy and Jamie, who had likely gone to put their things away.

An hour later, everyone gathered back in the living room as Lexi climbed onto the table once again.

“I have the list of teams here,” she announced. “You’re either on the blue team or the red team, and your roles have already been decided. No changes, no exceptions.” She let the words settle before stepping aside, revealing a projected screen on the white wall. The teams were listed, each player’s gamertag followed by their assigned role.

Jack barely had a second to scan the screen before he felt an arm clamp down across his shoulders, keeping him in his seat. Riley. She’d seen his name first and had anticipated his reaction. Sure enough, Jack would have flown out of his chair if it weren’t for her grip. The little girl was deceptively strong.

“What the hell!” Jack growled, his voice slicing through the murmurs in the room. Heads turned. Whispers started. His finger shot out, pointing directly at Tommy. “I know you’re messing with me. There’s no way I’m laning with that—that—THAT OLD MAN!”

“No role changes,” Lexi repeated, standing firm atop the table. She locked eyes with Jack, daring him to push further.

Jack exhaled sharply through his nose. “I don’t play AD carry. Ever.” His voice was low, simmering with restrained anger. But now, faced with her gaze, he also felt the sudden, ridiculous urge to not look like a complete idiot in front of her.

“You do now.” Lexi’s tone left no room for argument. Her eyes flickered to Tommy, who had remained silent. But his clenched jaw was telling.

“You two can learn a thing or two from each other. It’s about time you swallowed that pride of yours,” she added, her words aimed at both of them.

Tommy stood abruptly and walked out without a word.

“Dinner is served. Go eat,” Sophie quickly interjected, guiding everyone toward the dining area. She followed after Tommy while Sebastian took charge of organizing the rest of the group.

Jack, still fuming, muttered to Riley and Ben as they filed out of the room. “This is bullshit. I’m not accepting this. I’m going to talk to Lexi…”

Riley opened her mouth to protest, but Jack was already gone. She exchanged a knowing glance with Ben, both resigning themselves to the fact that trying to stop Jack was pointless.

Down the hall, Jack paused outside an empty room when he heard Tommy’s voice. “What are you doing?” Tommy asked, frustration laced in his tone.

“I’m serious. You two can learn a lot from each other,” Lexi responded.

Jack leaned against the wall, shamelessly eavesdropping.

“He’s an arrogant rich kid who doesn’t know the first thing about teamwork,” Tommy said. “Next thing you know, he’ll try to buy his way out of this.”

Jack’s fists clenched. The most infuriating part? Tommy was right. That had been his plan. He had been on his way to bribe Lexi to get a proper role. What was wrong with using every resource available to win?

Lexi sighed. “And you’re too hesitant. You keep doubting yourself when you should have confidence. As Support, you’ll have the time and perspective to be the strategist. And at the same time, you can show Jack the value of proper teamwork.”

A pause. Then Lexi softened. “I know you’ve been avoiding Support for years, but this might be the challenge you need to cement your legacy before retirement.”

Jack frowned at the familiarity between them. Were they… dating? He sneaked a peek around the corner. Lexi squeezed Tommy’s shoulder, looking at him with a soft smile Jack had never seen on her face before. His heartbeat stuttered.

They were dating.

Tommy pulled away. “Just keep your distance,” he muttered. “I don’t want people to find out.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. “I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone a long time ago. Don’t worry.”

Jack had heard enough. He turned on his heel and bolted back to the dining hall before they could catch him.

Dinner was already underway when Jack slid into a seat beside Riley. Ben and Alex, another player assigned to their team, sat across from them.

“We need to talk later. You’re not going to believe—” Jack hissed in Riley’s ear, but his words died when someone approached behind them.

Tommy.

He placed a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Riley,” he greeted, taking the seat across from her. “You’ll be our mid, then. Congrats.”

Riley blinked, glancing between Tommy and Jack, clearly confused. Then, to Jack’s annoyance, she blushed. “I’m counting on you and Jack to help me improve.”

Jack opened his mouth to retort, but Riley’s elbow dug into his ribs. He shut up.

Alex smirked. “I watched your last stream. You really know how to make the game entertaining. Your off-meta picks are insane. Why haven’t you joined a team yet?”

Riley laughed, embarrassed. Sitting between two of the best midlaners in the world, she wasn’t used to this kind of attention. “No one’s given me a good enough deal. I make too much from streaming to settle for a bad contract.” She shrugged. “Plus, I need to actually like my teammates. I don’t want to ruin the game for myself.”

Jack grinned, ruffling her hair. “If I ever start a team, you’re my first pick.”

With a swat at Jack with her hand Riley laughed.

Lexi clapped to get everyone’s attention. “Breakfast at 8 AM. Matches start at 9. Get some sleep—tomorrow’s going to be brutal.”

Jack didn’t doubt that for a second. He got up to head back to his room. Tommy followed, grabbing his arm lightly, making him fall behind the rest. Even the small touch irritated Jack, and he yanked his arm back.

“We have to work together,” Tommy said, ignoring Jack’s aggression. “I refuse to lose because we can’t agree. Let’s bury whatever hatchet we have for this camp and go back to hating each other later.”

“Just leave me alone and it won’t be a problem,” Jack muttered, wary of being tricked.

Tommy sighed. “You sure you can switch from AP to AD? It’s a big change.”

Jack gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry about me. Stay in your lane, Tommy.”

Jack stormed off. Tommy sighed. “You’re in the lane with me, Jack...”