Claimed by the Band (Fameverse #1)

Chapter 44 – KNOX

44

KNOX

T he sun is setting over the city as I dig in my pocket for my keys with one hand while holding grocery bags with the other, the shades of pink reminding me of the way our omega blushes when we compliment her. Even after weeks of being marked and mated, she still gets flustered by our affection sometimes.

It's adorable.

The thought makes me smile as I finally get the door open. I can't believe she's really ours now. That we don't have to worry about her running anymore, or anyone trying to take her from us.

The Sons of Epsilon are finished. Most of them are in custody, the rest scattered and in hiding. The news made international headlines, exposing their crimes for the whole world to see. A very public warning to any other alphas who might consider similar tactics. And the police have been pressured into taking any similar threats a hell of a lot more seriously, considering Jordan didn't want any of the public credit. I think she's had enough trouble adjusting to the spotlight as our new mate as it is.

But our omega continues to watch and work from the shadows. The only difference is that now, she's not alone.

I barely get two steps inside before I'm swarmed by Asher and Dante, both of them making grabby hands at the bags of food in my arms.

"Finally!" Asher declares dramatically. "We're starving to death here."

"You're always starving," I point out, holding the bags out of reach as they try to peek inside. "And this needs to be cooked first, so don't get any ideas."

Dante's nose wrinkles as he catches the scent of raw meat and fresh vegetables. "What did you get?"

"Ingredients," I say firmly. "For actual food, not just more takeout. We need real nutrients if we're going to keep up with two omegas."

"But that requires waiting," Asher whines, though his eyes sparkle with mischief.

I lean down to kiss the pout off his lips, unable to resist when he gets like this. "Good things come to those who wait," I tell him.

Looking past them, I spot Jordan curled up on the couch with Silas and Damon. She's wearing one of my sweaters, the soft gray material drowning her smaller frame in a way that makes my inner alpha growl possessively. Our marks stand out beautifully against her pale throat as she tilts her head in greeting.

I cross to the couch to kiss her hello, breathing in her sweet roses and rain scent. "Hi beautiful," I murmur against her lips.

"Hi yourself," she says with a soft smile. "Need any help in the kitchen?"

"From you? Always," I tell her honestly. "From these disasters?" I gesture to the others. "Absolutely not. I would prefer this house not to burn down before we sell it."

"That was one time!" Dante protests.

"Three times," Damon corrects without looking up from his book. "In two different kitchens."

Jordan laughs as she extracts herself from the cuddle pile to follow me into the kitchen. The sound still makes my heart skip, even after all these months. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing it.

"How was your day?" I ask as I start unpacking groceries. She immediately moves to help, falling into our familiar rhythm.

Her face lights up. "Really good. Maria, Ace, and I had a breakthrough with the new project. We're calling it Safe Haven—a service where omegas being harassed can come for help. Not just legal aid, but also counseling, safe houses if needed, looking over work contracts to make sure they’re fair. That sort of thing."

Pride swells in my chest as I watch her enthusiasm. She's come so far from the flighty hacker we first met, always putting up walls. Even then, she devoted herself to helping people, but now, she gets to do it as herself.

"That's amazing," I tell her, pulling her close to press a kiss to her temple. "I'm so proud of you."

She melts into the touch, her scent blooming with happiness. "Thanks. It feels good to be doing something proactive instead of just reacting to threats, you know?"

I do know. We all do. The band is still on hiatus, but we needed this time. Time to solidify as a pack, as a family. Time to heal and grow stronger together before we hit the road again.

This time, though, it'll be as a complete pack.

"How did the meeting with the builder go?" she asks as she starts washing vegetables.

"Good," I say, pulling out pans and seasonings. "They think they can have everything ready by the time the new tour is over. I saw the finalized plans for the nesting room you and Asher designed."

"They can do it?" Her voice lilts with rare excitement, and it makes me smile.

"Yep. They said it'll be a challenge, but they're up for making your vision come to life."

She hums happily at that, but I catch the slight shift in her scent. It's subtle, but unmistakable to someone who knows her as well as I do now. A sweetening that suggests she'll be going into heat long before the house is finished. From the way Asher's honey scent has been changing too, they'll probably sync up soon.

The thought is perfect. Our omegas, safe and happy and thriving together. Just the way it was always meant to be.

The smell of cooking meat starts to fill the kitchen, drawing the others in like moths to a flame. Dante tries to steal a piece of pepper and gets his hand smacked with a wooden spoon for his trouble.

"Out," I order, pointing at the door. "All of you."

"But we're helping!" Asher protests from where he's perched on the counter, definitely not helping at all.

"Helping would be setting the table," I say, cocking an eyebrow. "Not eating all the cheese."

He looks down at the incriminating slice in his hand like he's actually thinking about denying it, and Jordan snickers.

Dante and Asher sulk but comply, though not without dramatic sighs and backward glances at the food that make Jordan laugh even harder. She's the only one I trust in my kitchen besides Damon, who actually knows how to cook but is currently too engrossed in his book to bother.

I watch her move around the space with easy familiarity, knowing exactly where everything is now. She fits here so perfectly, like she was always meant to be part of us. The way she balances out the pack dynamic, softening our rough edges while adding her own ferocity.

"What?" she asks, catching me staring.

"Nothing," I say, pulling her close for another kiss. "Just thinking about how much I love you."

Her cheeks flush that delightful shade of pink but she doesn't look away anymore when we say things like that. Progress. "I love you too," she murmurs against my lips.

The food is almost ready when Silas appears in the doorway—after everything's pretty much finished, of course—his green eyes dark with hunger that likely has little to do with actual food. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed the change in our omegas' scents. "Need any help?" he asks innocently.

"Nope," I say firmly. "Out. Food first, then whatever you're thinking about. I don't need the kitchen turning into an orgy."

He smirks but retreats, and I catch Jordan's scent blossom slightly at the promise in his eyes.

As we serve up plates of stir-fry and rice, I can't help but marvel at how natural this feels now. The way we all gravitate toward each other, the casual touches and shared looks. The bonds humming with contentment and love.

Jordan takes her usual spot between Asher and Dante, while I sit across from her with Silas and Damon flanking me. The conversation flows easily as we eat—Asher telling stories from rehearsal, Dante describing his latest rescue dog success, Silas discussing new song ideas. Damon is quiet, as usual, but I can tell from the softness in his eyes he's enjoying just drinking it all in.

Eventually, long after everyone has gone in for seconds—and in Dante's case, thirds—Silas clears his throat, setting down his empty plate. "So," he says casually, "we should probably talk about nesting supplies soon. Since you're both close."

Jordan's cheeks flush again, but Asher just grins. "Oh! There's this huge new store uptown I've been wanting to try," he says eagerly. "It's four entire floors."

"All for nesting?" Jordan asks in disbelief, her dessert fork frozen halfway to her mouth.

"Yep!" Asher grins. "They've got everything—blankets, pillows, scent diffusers, comfort items. We should all go."

"All of us?" Jordan glances around the table uncertainly.

"Of course all of us," Dante says firmly. "You can both pick out whatever you want, and we'll take care of everything else."

"Besides," Damon adds with a gentle smile, "we need to know what makes you both comfortable. What scents and textures you prefer now that we've got a chance to get you through a heat properly."

I catch the way Jordan's scent softens at their words, at the simple acceptance and support. Even after everything, I can tell she still sometimes expects rejection or judgment. But we're slowly teaching her that she never has to hide those parts of herself from us. And that being an omega doesn't make her weaker or a burden like the cult taught her. It makes her precious.

"Tomorrow?" Silas suggests. "We don't have any commitments, and it's better to be prepared early."

Jordan and Asher exchange looks, having one of those silent conversations they're so good at now. Finally, Jordan nods. "Tomorrow works."

"Perfect," I say, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. "We'll make a day of it."

As the others start discussing logistics and trading playful jabs about Asher's previous nesting habits, including the Great Corduroy Pillow Disaster that will live in infamy, I take a moment to just drink in the scene. My pack, whole and happy and safe. Our omegas happily preparing to nest together for the first time.

It's more perfect than I ever imagined possible.

Jordan catches my eye across the table and smiles that soft, real smile that's just for us. I smile back, my chest tight with love for this incredible woman who fought so hard to find her way to us. For both our omegas, who make our pack complete.

I can't imagine anything more perfect than this.