Page 53 of Knot My Band: Part One
As we disembark, the hot air hits my face.
I can almost taste the energy crackling in the air for the show tonight.
“Oli!” The voice cuts through the buzz, and I pivot on my heel to find Tommy, one of our crew guys, jogging toward us. He’s got this eager bounce to his step, the kind you see in golden retrievers or kids on Christmas morning. In his hand, a steaming cup wafts a familiar aroma that makes my heart do a little skip.
“Thought you could use a pick-me-up before the show,” he says, handing me the drink with a wink.
“That’s so sweet, Tommy. Thank you,” I reply, accepting the cup.
“I’ve seen you pre-show enough times to know your rituals,” he chuckles, leaning against the side of the bus with a casualness that’s too studied to be anything but intentional.
The laugh that bubbles up from my throat is cut short as something prickles at the back of my neck. It’s a sensation I’ve come to recognize—the weight of a possessive gaze. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch the unmistakable glint in Chase’seyes first, his jaw set in a way that tells me he’s not happy.
Jack moves closer, and I can almost feel the territorial aura radiating off him.
“So, you’re watching her?” Jack cuts in, asking with a cold voice.
Tommy looks back at the alphas behind me before pulling away from the bus. “Just doing my job. Have a great show tonight!”
The crew member’s exit is hasty and awkward, a clear retreat from the palpable dominance the alphas exude.
I smack Jack’s arm, trying to break up all the alpha energy around me. “Don’t be such an alpha. He’s just crew.”
“It was creepy,” Chase mutters, making me laugh.
Riley comes up with four bags of food that smell delicious, interrupting the moment. “Delivery!”
Jack and Aiden take the bags from her, and I pull her into a hug. “Thank you!”
“Of course, you have an hour before sound check, and then it’s a busy night from there, so enjoy your meal now.”
She’s always on top of my schedule. I don’t know what I would do without her.
“Why don’t you join us and eat?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I need to deal with the venue staff, and I already ate, but thank you.”
I step inside to eat, but a sharp pain in my stomach makes me pull up short. It’s a cramp.
Oh fuck.
It should be way too early for my preheat symptoms to start. I don’t want to be needy in front of the alphas, so I slip past them and head right for my nest.
“Where are you going, Oli?” Jack asks.
“I just need a minute!” I shout, shutting the door behind me.
I burrow under my nest blankets and curl in on myself. My body is flooded with hormones.
An hour must pass quickly as I wait for the symptoms to fade.
A knock sounds on my door.
Aiden’s hesitant voice comes through, “Oli? You need to eat before sound check.”
“I will. I just need a little longer!” I shout.
There’s a pause before Jack’s voice comes next. “We can delay them so you have time to eat. Chase will stay with you.”
