Page 95 of Knot My Band: Part One
I slide into the buttery leather seat of the private jet, a hum of engines in the background. The air feels thick with tension, or maybe it’s just me projecting my anxieties onto the cabin’s plush interior. Oli is next to me, her thigh brushing mine occasionally as the aircraft settles onto the runway.
“Hey,” I murmur, leaning closer so she can hear me over the roar of the engines. “You good?”
She turns to me, those gorgeous eyes meeting mine, and nods. “Yeah, Aiden, I’m fine.” Her voice is steady, but there’s a tremor if you listen closely enough.
I reach out and squeeze her hand gently. “We’re here foryou, you know. All of us.”
Oli’s lips curl into a small smile, gratitude flickering in her gaze. It’s moments like these—simple, quiet—that remind me why we’re all so drawn to her.
Chase hovers nearby, his tall frame casting a shadow over us. His gaze is fixed on Oli, intense and wanting, like he’s trying to communicate through sheer willpower alone.
“Can I sit next to you?” Chase’s light voice does not mask the undercurrent of uncertainty that laces his words.
“Always,” Oli replies, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and my chest tightens. I can see the internal battle playing out behind Chase’s smoldering green eyes—the push and pull of wanting to be close but not knowing how to bridge the gap.
It’s almost comical, the way he sidles closer with the pretense of adjusting his seatbelt when, really, he’s aching for proximity to his mate. Or it would be if it wasn’t so depressing.
“The label has never offered us a private jet before,” I quip, hoping to cut through the awkwardness. I tap at the console, feigning interest in the various switches and dials, anything to lighten the mood.
“Well, now you’re bringing in big money, so they won’t let you miss a show,” Oli teases back, a spark of her usual fire igniting.
“Only if you’re performing with us.” I shoot her a grin, relieved to see a genuine smile on her face.
Chase chuckles, his tension unwinding by degrees as he joins in the banter. “Maybe we will get to do this again as long as we stick with you.”
“Exactly.” Oli nods, her laughter a melody that momentarily drowns out the roar of the engines.
As the plane ascends, I grab Oli’s hand and squeeze. Despitethe lingering unease, I’m determined to see her through everything with her alphas.
Because after the heat and chaos, we’re bound by more than just attraction—we’re pack. And nothing, not even Dax’s brooding silence or our own insecurities, can change that.
My gaze flickers between Oli and Dax. The silence from Dax is a thick fog in the cabin, cloying and heavy. It’s like he’s carved out his own space of brooding intensity, and it’s spilling over, making Oli shrink in her seat.
“Hey,” I murmur, nudging Dax with my elbow. He only grunts, that stormy expression etched deep into his features. His mood is a dark cloud over us. Oli fidgets with the hem of her shirt, a telltale sign that she’s less than comfortable.
I know Dax well enough to know that he’s punishing himself without realizing how much he’s hurting Oli.
Jack seems to be on the same page, leaning forward to distract Oli with bites of the chicken he ordered as soon as we got on the plane. He’s taking care of her just like he promised.
“Need anything else?” Chase asks, voice laced with concern. “Water? Blanket? My undying devotion?”
Oli chuckles, and the sound is a balm to all our frayed nerves. “I’ll take the water for now,” she says. Chase immediately busies himself with fetching a bottle, his movements eager yet tender.
When she settles into her seat, fed and hydrated, I know it’s my turn to take care of her.
I lean in close to her ear and whisper, “Want to check out the rest of the plane with me?”
“Lead the way.” Oli’s smile is back, albeit a little shaky, as she rises to follow me.
I guide Oli past the plush seats of the private jet, my handlightly resting on the small of her back. Chase’s gaze burns into me – protective, concerned, but I shoot him a look that silently says, “I’ve got this.” And just like that, his posture relaxes a fraction, though those smoldering green eyes still follow us until we turn the corner.
“Where are we going?” Oli’s voice is tinged with curiosity, her bright green eyes searching mine for some hint of mischief.
“Somewhere where you can breathe easy,” I say, keeping my tone light and reassuring. We reach the door at the end of the narrow corridor, and I open it to reveal a compact yet luxurious bathroom.
“Is this… the shower?” Oli’s eyebrows rise in surprise as she steps inside the gleaming space, her rose hair shimmering under the soft lighting.
“Yes. I thought I could help you shower since you didn’t get the chance to before we left the hotel.” For a second, I worry she’ll think I’m insulting her by insinuating she needs one.
