Terror Reign

By Kellyanne Higgins

9/12/24 – 10/15/24

Disclaimer: This fic is for entertainment purposes only. It's a product of my talent that doesn't generate income. Don't believe a bloody word.

Summary: Only Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest truly know how dangerous it is to be a Terror Twin. But it's all just an act… right?

Rated: PG-13

Chapter 1: Summerslam 2024

"I'm here to remind everyone that a wounded monster is even more dangerous." ~ Braun Strowman

Summerslam 2024

August 3, 2024

Cleveland, OH

Rhea Ripley sat in a corner cubby in the Cleveland Brown's locker room, legs crossed and ear to her phone. "So what's the plan?" She asked her husband, Buddy Matthews.

"Christian's going to talk some smack," Buddy's voice came through the phone. "He's going to give Malakai and Brody shit for facing the Patriarchy just the two of them. House lights off. Lights on, and I'm back in the ring."

"Your triumphant return!" Rhea smiled. "That's glorious, babe! So bummed that I'm missing it."

"Well, I'm bummed that I can't be there to see you kicking ass at Summerslam. Such is the life."

"Yeah," Rhea sighed. "Hey, how's your mum?"

"She was planning to be here tonight, but that cold is just hanging on. I sent her those chocolates she likes, try to cheer her up."

"Always the sweetie!" Rhea grinned. "Well, I'd better go. I'm up next."

"Go get your Women's World Championship back!"

"That's the plan. I love you!"

"I love you too."

Rhea hung up and strapped on her wrestling boots. She was looking forward to this match with Liv Morgan. She hadn't really had a chance to talk with Liv in over a year. First Liv needed to recover from a shoulder injury, and then Rhea took time off to let her bung shoulder heal and then for her wedding and honeymoon. She mangled her shoulder badly to get that time off, but such was the way with the WWE. One does not simply put in a time off request.

Triple H knew that Rhea would be out closer to the time of the wedding when Liv needed to be off. They'd met in his office, and he'd rolled out his epic plan. Triple H had a dramatic flair, and Rhea loved it. She was game to play rivals with her good mate. Liv was an incredible wrestler and brought out the best in her; the more time toe-to-toe in the ring, the better. Rhea was psyched when Liv returned in January, loving the way Liv leaned into the whole Harley Quinn vibe. It was kind of cute.

Between then and April, Rhea meant to get in some time with Liv. Life just got in the way. Whenever Liv was free, Rhea wasn't. And wedding planning was a bitch. Buddy didn't know the first thing about fashion and flowers – she'd flirted with both domains and was a quick study – and they were both busy. They managed to pull it together, and it was glorious. She was so involved in the whirlwind of change in her personal life. Even when she wasn't there, her mind was back in Florida with Buddy.

Come to think of it, when was the last time she spent time with any of her fellow WWE wrestlers outside the ring? Even after her break, Rhea was dealing with odds and ends that had nothing to do with wrestling. Like she was still playing the whole legal name change game, getting everything switched over from Demi Bennett to Demi Adams. She swore nobody ever talks about that part, how bloody annoying it was to stumble across yet another place had her name wrong.

It was good to be back in the ring. She hadn't kept up with Raw while she was out, but she enjoyed the theatre of the Dom/Liv deal. Although it was weird to sign her updated contract as a "baby face" instead of a "heel". She wasn't sure how or why that changed, but whatever. She signed on the dotted line. So long she could wrestle. She got back to palling around with Finn, Carlito, and Damian ringside and ragging on Dom like no time had passed.

Rhea got her ass out there for her match. She rolled into the ring and was eye-to-eye on her belly with Liv looking right back at her. She smirked. Even as they got into the fight, Rhea couldn't stop smiling. This was going to be good.

The fight got going, but it felt too bloody easy. Liv was sandbagging. What the hell for? Rhea leaned into it, cozying up to Dom and playing her part. She and Dom exchanged a double high-five, and Rhea was back to it…

Until Liv grabbed her and charged for the corner of the ring, pivoting in time to ram Rhea's bung right shoulder into the post. Rhea heard and felt that sickening pop as she cried out. Eyes wide, she gritted her teeth. That was fucking dirty. She writhed as she curled into a fetal position.

"It's out!" Rhea cried, just as Liv grabbed her by the hair.

The ref held back Liv, looking as stunned as Rhea felt. He held one hand to her tricep, the other to her back. "Do you want to stop this?"

"Do not stop this!" She fucking hated pity.

Liv went for her again. Rhea kicked her away and rolled out of the ring.

Dom was there, looking like he was about to cry. She held onto Dom's shoulder, writhing where she stood.

"You need a doctor," Dom insisted.

She shook her head, panting and gathering her strength. And so unprepared.

Liv donkey-kicked her, slamming her into the steel steps. Rhea crawled up the steps, raising her body with her good arm. The ref counted down the seconds to her disqualification, and she gulped.

"Don't stop this match, Dom," she asserted.

Suddenly, Dom shoved her. Liv sailed over the ropes and toppled him to the ground. Rhea used the distraction to grab Liv's hair and to roll her back to the ring. Pain racked her right side. She just needed a minute. The ref counted down, and she sucked in a breath. Time to finish this.

Rhea unleashed a feral roar from deep within her and rammed her shoulder into the announcers' table. She felt her joint reconnect with a crack that echoed through her head, agony ripping through her entire right side. She forced herself to roll her shoulder, holding her breath. The crowd gasped. Liv's look of utter shock and mouthed "fuck!" fueled Rhea's return with a vengeance.

"Fuck yeah!" Rhea mouthed. She could move her fingers again. Now all her guns were ready for the fight. Well, almost. Each of her hits was an electric shock to her abused shoulder. Clasping hands to hit really didn't help. She took what time she could to regroup between blows, but Liv was coming in hot. Rhea's shoulder was throbbing, even more so when she saw Liv pull out a folding chair. She could not allow Liv to have this effect on her. Rhea slammed her shoulder into the corner of the ring to secure the battered joint once more. She pulled her signature Riptide on Liv's ass, and she snatched the chair. She knew using the chair on Liv in the ring was grounds for disqualification if witnessed; however, pure adrenaline powered her slamming the chair against the floor. Each slam wound her up to assert her dominance.

Rhea felt the chair pulled from her hands. Stunned, she turned and found Dom holding it. She didn't know why Dom was playing this way, but she was game to go along. She played on her shock.

"You can't win the title like this!" Dom pleaded.

Since when was Dirty Dom all for playing it clean? It felt out of character for him but made for some interesting improv. And she knew Liv well enough to know that Liv would be all over this distraction. She anticipated that kick to the tailbone. She rolled upon impact, then laid on the mat and caught her breath as Liv held her there. The ref counted. Rhea kicked out at two. Liv howled.

Rhea was barely up and back at it when Liv managed to throw the chair into the ring again and ram Rhea's head into it. She never heard the count, just the cheers when the match ended with her back on the mat. And just like that, her shot at reclaiming her Women's World Championship was gone.

Rhea used her good arm to get herself into a seated position. She tried to stand as her vision narrowed. If only she had passed out.

Instead, she saw Dom kissing Liv, their shit eating grins, and their arm-in-arm prance off stage.

What the fuck was that?

Rhea stormed off the stage, retreating to the clubhouse. She found herself alone in the quiet room with her thoughts. Where the hell was everyone? The replays rolled on repeat reel in her head – Dom distracting the ref to help Liv win, that look on her face that announcers and fans seemed to take for heartache. It was too soon for heartache, too soon to tell what she had witnessed. She was utterly confused. It's all just an act, right? But nobody had talked to her about it ahead of time.

Rhea had no idea what the implications were, what it meant for Judgment Day or for anything else going on. Her boys were all great mates, as was Liv. So many nights, they went out and stayed up when on the road, when she was far from Buddy. They talked about their personal lives and confided in one another. And now this?

She shook her head. The others would come back, and she would get her answers. She flicked on the monitor that showed the action in the ring, catching the end of the Intercontinental Championship title match. She saw Bron Breakker win against Sami Zahn.

Logan Paul and LA Knight were entering the ring when Finn walked into the clubhouse. "Hey, Rhea," he said with a smile and a high-five. The knot in her stomach that she didn't know was there began subsiding. "You kicked ass! Fucking Dom. What can you do with him?" He shrugged. "You'll get another shot at the belt. You'll get what you deserve soon enough."

Soon Carlito and JD trickled in. They gave her hugs and condolences for her match gone to shit. She soaked in their affections. She settled between Carlito and Finn on the couch, with JD sitting on the arm at Finn's side, and they watched the match.

Then Damian came around the corner. He looked tense and sweaty, probably gearing up for his upcoming match with Gunther to defend his Heavyweight World Championship. Casting his sights to the floor, he said, "Finn, look, man, I'm sorry about earlier."

Finn waved him off. "Don't mention it. Did you find Dom?"

Scowling, Damian shook his head.

"Fucking Dom." Finn shrugged.

"Why, what happened earlier?" Rhea asked Finn. "Why is he apologizing?"

Damian opened his mouth, but Finn cut him off.

"It's nothing. Tensions just ran high. It's all good."

Rhea furrowed her brow. As the others turned their attention back to the TV, so did she. Then she looked back to Damian, who was still brooding in the doorway. His eyes were on the screen, but he sure as hell wasn't watching.

Finn gestured to the chair beside the couch. "Take a load off before your match. You're going to kick ass."

Damian shook his head. "Listen, guys," he made his request in a low tone. "I'm going to ask you guys a favor. I love you all and really appreciate how you always have my back, but I want to go it alone. Just me for my intro, and nobody ringside. I want a fair fight – no interference. Si?"

Rhea looked at Finn, Carlito, and JD, who all nodded. She returned her sights to Damian. "Of course," she replied.

"Sure, bro!" Finn replied with a smile.

"All right, cool!" His smile appeared tentative. Then, he bowed out of the room.

As soon as the Damian vs. Gunther match was underway, Finn stood and declared, "I gotta go out there!"

JD smirked. "Man, sit your ass down and watch the show!"

Finn turned back to the monitor, bouncing on his toes. After a few minutes, he headed for the door. "Nah, I'm going out there."

"Finn," Rhea scolded. "What did Damian just get done telling us?"

"But he's our brother, Rhea!" he protested, then bounded out of the room.

Rhea shook her head and propped her elbows on her knees. On screen, Damian raised his hand in preparation for his signature South of Heaven closer. He delivered, the ref counted, and Rhea was hooting and hollering.

Her cheering crashed to a halt the second that Finn touched Gunther's foot and put it on the rope. Her stomach dropped. The ref disqualified the pin, and Damian grabbed Finn by the throat.

"Double what the fuck!" She exclaimed. Gesturing to the screen and looking to JD and Carlito, she asked, "What the hell is he playing at?" Both men lowered their heads.

Tears welled in her eyes as Gunther held Damian to the mat in an extended chokehold. Damian looked like he needed to tap out before passing out; instead, he thrashed his fist. Gunther flipped him and held him for the count. Gunther walked away with the Heavyweight Championship while Damian laid on his back.

Rhea, JD, and Carlito sat in silence. The tears she managed to hold back with the first betrayal emerged with the second, threatening to spill. No way in hell did she want to shed tears with an audience - even her boys.

Rhea slipped out of the clubhouse and darted for the women's loo. She closed herself in a stall and bawled.