Pack Fever: Omegaverse Romance

Chapter 9

Nine

Staring at the bottle of bourbon sitting on the makeshift bar, the urge to grab it and escape this party, escape everything, presses heavily through me. My father’s presence, his constant disappointment, suffocates me. My hands ball up at my sides as I stand in the corner of the party, needing alone time before I fucking explode. Everyone else is chatting and laughing, enjoying food, listening to someone’s playlist hammering out songs. None that belong to Fever…

My entire life, it’s been the same bullshit with him. Nothing I did was good enough, not my choices, not my career… even being the frontman of a worldwide sensation of a band. It’s fucking maddening. I told myself I don’t give a rat’s ass, yet every time I see him, I feel like I’m a child again, seeking his approval.

I’m shaking with fury that he still gets to me. That I let him get to me.

Fuck that, and fuck him!

I never wanted to work for the family business, trading stocks and mingling with billionaires, so for that, he punished me.

As I get up from the chair, I eye the bottle of bourbon that’s going to chase away my anger, the hatred churning in my guts.

Movement nearby catches my attention, and I lift my gaze to my grandfather, who approaches. He’s wobbling closer to me on his cane, but he’s a proud man and refuses to use a wheelchair, even if it would make it easier for him.

He’s wearing his crooked smile, one that sees right through me. He’s always had this knack of understanding me when no one else did. I would have lost contact with my father if it wasn’t for my granddad, who kept bringing me back to reality.

Salt and pepper hair dances lightly in the breeze across his head, thinner at the top. His skin is slightly blotchy, and there’s darkness under his eyes, yet his gaze is as sharp as ever. He pauses in front of me, leaning on his cane, grinning that knowing look.

“Looks like you could use some company, son,” he says, his voice strong and deep.

I manage a half-smile, grateful for this presence, and give him a strong hug.

“Just trying to survive another family gathering,” I admit truthfully.

He chuckles. “Your father has never been easy to please. He grew up hard on himself, too, always needing to win, to succeed at everything he did. I’m not saying how he’s treated you is excusable, but I don’t think he knows any other way to be. And I swear for the life of me, I don’t know where he got that from because it ain’t from me.” He laughs deeper, bringing a smile to my lips.

I draw in a long breath. “I’m an adult. I would have hoped he’d accept my decision after all these years.”

My grandfather reaches over and pats my arm, taking me back to the times I used to argue with my father so ferociously, I ran out of the house and didn’t stop until I got to my grandfather’s. It took hours on foot, but I didn’t care when I was so angry and wanted to murder my father.

Exhaling deeply, my heart thumps with memories of all the times I got into a physical brawl. He also kicked the snot out of me back then. I brutally hated him.

My feelings haven’t changed.

“Seth, you’ve made something incredible of yourself, and I’m so proud of you. We all are. Don’t let your dad’s words take that away from you. Otherwise, he wins. Understand?”

Lips pinched tight, I nod. “I know.” We’ve had this conversation dozens of times, and I always nod because no words in the world can fix how fucking sick I am of my dad shoving me aside for my choices.

“Just remember, you’re not living your life for him, but for you, and your Omega now, and your pack.” My grandfather pats my arm again and moves toward my seat, and I take his arm, helping him. “From what I can see, you’re doing a damn fine job. Now, grab a seat and sit with me. Tell me more about how you met your Omega. I see the way she stares at you and how her face lights up.”

She does?

I sweep my gaze across the yard, searching for the cute blonde. She’s strolling back from the gardens with Jasper, both of them chatting closely. The guy can befriend a rock, and half the time, he has no clue that people around him are swooning. He’s somehow able to forget he’s famous when he chats with them.

She’s laughing, sounding cheerful. Part of me is envious that I can’t just ignore all the bullshit drama.

Seeing him with Danica makes me wonder if our meeting again is destiny. Never been a believer in such things, but this is an impossible coincidence to ignore.

I turn to my grandfather. “I want to do things right with her. Not a repeat of my past mistakes.” The half a dozen relationships I fucked up for not taking them seriously. Sure, they were with Betas, but I broke all their hearts.

Glancing back at Danica, my heart thumps louder. Something about her brings out a manic desire that leaves me completely ruined if I don’t claim her.

Does she have any idea of what she’s doing to us?

Danica

Ifeel like an imposter. Can everyone at the party tell I don’t belong?

Standing on my own at the edge of the yard, staring at the party, I sip my bubbly, attempting to appear casual. Yet I feel like a fish flapping wildly out of water, and everyone knows it.

After Jasper and I returned from our little adventure, Seth’s mom called him to help her with something. Reed and Seth are somewhere in the house, leaving me on my own at the party.

Great! Just what I enjoy.

“Hello, I’m Susan,” a voice comes from my left, her voice breaking through the music.

I swing around quickly to face a brunette in a red slinky dress that is over the top for a family gathering. But each to their own. She has two friends on either side of her, wearing similar dresses. They are all staring at me like they’re trying to read all my secrets.

“Hi,” I answer, partly happy to be talking to someone, and well, the other part suspicious, seeing earlier they were chatting up Jasper.

The second brunette with curls is gesturing with her hand for us to take a seat. Before I know it, she’s steering me by the elbow to one of the nearby small tables at the side of the party. Their introductions are a whirlwind, and before I can even process who’s who, Susan dives in with a question.

“So, you’re Fever’s Omega? I never thought they’d settle down.”

The girl with curls adds, “Oh, for sure. They’ve been listed as the most sought-after pack, and every Omega is dying to land them.” She leans in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I prefer them that way, to be honest. No offense to you, but then they were open to taking Betas like us home. I mean, we didn’t expect them to announce an Omega today, so you can imagine our surprise!”

I shudder from the shock of their words. What the hell?

Anger that they would dare speak to me in such a way has my insides boiling. Is this how Betas see us? As intrusions in their lives, so they can’t sleep with all the Alphas they want?

They prattle on among themselves, oblivious to my discomfort, and just as I straighten to get up and leave, Susan puts her hand on mine.

“Ah, don’t listen to Aria. She’s just sore that Jasper turned her down earlier.”

“Oh,” is all I say as glee rises through me, which is irrational, considering I just met the guy. He’s not mine to claim… we’re just making play-believe for the sake of the party, right? But then I kissed him…

“So, you’re cousins with Seth but came here to pick up his friends?” I ask, sipping from my fluted glass.

Susan chuckles. “No, that’s our friend.” She glances over at a tall girl talking to Seth’s grandfather. “She’s his cousin, and we beg her to bring us to all family functions. She agrees on the proviso we don’t go all groupie crazy over the band.”

“Anyway, tell us,” the red-haired girl starts, leaning on her elbows, staring at me with her full attention. “How did you get them when everyone else failed? When everyone knows they won’t use Nexus?”

Coldness runs through me as all three stare at me like I’m about to share the secret to winning the lottery. I shrug, trying not to look as spooked as I feel on the inside.

“It was really pure coincidence. We met at a concert, and I literally walked into Jasper. The rest is history.” As I sip my bubbly, their gazes somehow seem more intense.

“It has to be more than that,” Susan says. “What makes you special?”

“Sometimes, it’s just our energies clicking. You know when you meet someone, and instantly you feel a deep warmth in your soul like you know this is a moment you will never forget?”

They all look at me, dumbfounded. Okay, they’ve never experienced it, and something I definitely did with all three guys—even with Reed, who irritates me.

“Must be an Omega thing,” Susan finally says bitterly, her expression deflated.

“Nah,” the red-haired girl says. “I think it’s more. Maybe she gives mind-spinning blowjobs, and she let all three give it to her at the same time on their first night.”

I choke on my drink, close to spitting it out. Startled is a too-soft word. Clearing my throat, the girl with curls answers before I get a chance.

“She must be a goddess in bed to win them over just from that. Pretty sure any Beta would say yes to all three Alpha cocks at once if they asked.”

Anger simmers in my chest. “That’s not something I’d ever share.”

But they aren’t even responding to me but rather remembering the last Alpha the red-haired scored with, going down to the details of how he tied her to a bed and fucked her in all three holes all night long. It’s way more information than anyone should share, especially when she went into details about the tattoo he had on his cock of a girl’s name. And how he was more drawn to Betas if he left his Omega at home.

That breaks my heart to hear about that poor Omega.

Then Susan is holding my hand again, staring down at my ring—the ring that feels heavy from the burden of me telling a lie. Seth has no idea his mother gave it to me.

“Fuck! Is that an engagement ring?”

I swallow the thickness in my throat, my chest squeezing.

“It… Seth’s mom gave it to me. It’s nothing.” I slip my hand under the table, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

“Nothing? Are you kidding?” Susan blurts. “It confirms they’ve fallen for you really fast because last week, we saw Seth with that other chick at a bar. That you’re not going to be just a fling to them.”

I blink at them. “Well, this hasn’t been fun, and I’ve got to go.”

“No, don’t leave.” Susan holds my wrist, tightening her grip. “We need to live vicariously through you now. Please, just between us, we need to know… is Jasper’s cock as big as others have claimed?”

Outrage pummels me at the blatant disrespect they are showing. It’s one thing to be curious and another to cross the line. I rip my hand from hers, about to pull away, when a shadow falls over us.

“J-Jasper…” Susan stammers, her face paling.

I turn around to find him standing there, his expression dark with anger. He swiftly wraps an arm around me, pulling me protectively to his side. His eyes are fixed on the girls, a dangerous glint in them I’ve never seen before.

“Who the hell invited you three to this party?” he demands sharply, towering over them. “I know this family well, and you are not family friends.”

The girls’ faces flush with embarrassment as they frantically look around, probably searching for their friend, their ticket into this party, but she’s nowhere in sight.

Jasper’s lips pinch together. “Get out now, before I kick you out myself,” he growls, anger rippling off him, his voice leaving no space for argument.

They flinch in their seats, staring at him as if in shock.

I’m stunned. He’s the opposite of the flirty man I fell into the flower garden with.

The three of them scramble to their feet and hurry across the yard toward the side of the house for a fast getaway.

Jasper turns to me, his expression softening into something almost apologetic.

“You never should have experienced that,” he says, then sighs deeply. “I fucking hate how feral some Beta females can be when it comes to getting an Alpha’s attention.”

“It took me off guard,” I say with a smirk, not wanting him to think I’m a complete prude. “It’s just something I’ve never seen before with Betas.”

“Trust me, we’ve seen plenty.” His hand tightens around my lower back, guiding me toward the house. “The fights, the bickering… it’s fucking off-putting. Reed enjoys the girl fights, though. Think he gets off of it.”

I laugh, somehow not surprised.

Other people from the party are also heading indoors. Maybe it’s cake time.

As we stride closer to the house, his hand never leaving my back, he leans in and whispers in my ear, “Oh, and those Betas weren’t wrong about those rumors about me.”

I meet his grinning smirk and laugh, nudging him with my shoulder. “Sure, sure. Isn’t that what every guy says?”

He simply smiles wider. “You’ll see.”

Is it strange that I’m both intrigued and a tiny bit scared? I ask myself… is this a thing then? Me staying so they can satisfy my heat cravings?

My thoughts are stolen the moment he guides me upstairs. Suddenly, we’re all moving out through another set of French doors onto an oversized balcony. The location overlooks what appears to be a forest stretching out from the side of their house toward the mountains in the distance. The scene from up here is breathtaking.

The balcony extends as wide as it is long. Chairs are arranged in a semicircle, all facing toward the front, where Seth and Reed are standing with their guitars. Behind them, a drum set awaits, flanked by speakers. And beyond that is the railing and the forest.

Everyone’s murmuring excitedly. Fever is going to give us a private performance. The giddiness growing inside me makes my heart race. Jasper walks me to the front of the row to an empty seat next to Seth’s mom. His dad is nowhere to be seen.

With a smile at her, I take a seat, my knees already bouncing. I’ve never been this close to a performance, and there’s a part of me inside that wants to scream that I’m about to see Fever perform live.

Seth meets my gaze and grins. It completely melts my insides. Reed has his head down, string bending as he plays single notes, tuning his guitar.

Jasper’s up there now, settling in behind the drums. Around them, fairy lights are strung on the railing, giving a magical glow behind them. While others are buzzing with anticipation, I can’t remember the last time I was this thrilled. What I wouldn’t give for my phone to film this. My friends will never believe me.

Seth’s mom leans over, whispering, “They don’t do this often. I’m so proud of Seth.” Her eyes are bright with pride.

I smile back, almost feeling for a moment like I belong here.

Then the first chords ring out, clear and striking through the night air. I recognize it instantly. It’s Echoes of the Heart, one of their chart-topping songs.

I might have squealed a bit, edging closer to the edge of my chair.

The melody envelops me, and I’m fangirling hard internally. My heart slams into my rib cage as I take in Jasper at the drums, his head banging in sync with each beat, hair falling over his face, just like in all the music videos I’ve watched. The intensity with which he plays is mesmerizing.

Reed embodies every inch of a rock star, his fingers dancing over the strings, producing sounds that have the hair on my arms standing on end. His posture is relaxed, his legs parted, as he works the guitar. His gaze sweeps through the crowd and lands on me, making my heart sizzle. The man is a rock star god.

Then Seth steps forward, mic in hand, and steals the attention. The words stream past his lips like a breeze, his voice deep and so recognizable, I might have given a small scream of excitement. Might not be my finest moment, but I think I’m about to faint.

In the echoes of my heart lies a love torn apart.

I swoon, my toes curling in my shoes at just hearing that line that has always been my favorite. Hearing it live, I might have tears in my eyes at how overwhelming, how this is a moment forever etched on my brain as the best experience ever!

It’s funny since I always assumed, like most, that this song is about a romantic rejection. But having met his family, I can’t help but wonder if it’s something deeper and perhaps relating to Seth’s relationship with his father.

Completely submerged in the song, I softly sing along with Seth as it wraps around my heart, tugging at every string, every emotion inside me.

Seth’s voice is a blend of raw emotion and dark sharpness that screams his talent. Each word echoes in my ears, as if he’s singing just for me. He’s standing in the center with his guitar, completely immersed in his performance, playing the strings, while Reed deftly strums the guitar, carrying a lot of the tune with Jasper.

There’s a look of pure joy on their faces, clear this is their calling, where they find his happiness. The energy is infectious. Seth’s head tilts back as he rocks out the chorus, his voice powerful. Passion flows into every beat.

In the whisper of the wind, my dreams are lost.

Dancing on the edge of time, the world unwinds.

We’re lost… So lost that I’ll never come back from this… from you.

Shivering all over, I start to feel something else I never expected. Something tingling right between my thighs. It’s fiery and intense. My nerves are pulsing with each beat of Jasper’s drums. The intensity of the music washes over me, the force heating my skin and quickening my breath. I’m barely able to calm down, utterly consumed and floating on waves of their melody.

Hearing Fever live is more captivating than any recording could ever capture.

The song reaches its climax with a high crescendo that flatlines, leaving everyone completely breathless and in their clutches. Silence engulfs us. Then an explosion of applause and cheers. Genuine grins spread on their faces, and they are already setting up for the next one.

Seth holds the mic to his mouth, announcing, “We want to share a new song with you, something I just sent to our record manager. It’s rough, but we want you to hear it first.” He’s breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling quickly.

A ripple of excitement flares over me. When Seth glances in my direction with a captivating smile, my heart shudders, leaving me feeling like a puddle in my seat. Right now, I’m struggling to convince myself these three Alphas are not just rock stars but also ordinary men.

As the new song begins, everything else fades away.

It’s a slower number with a heavy base, the depth of Seth’s voice dominating the space. It raises effortlessly, hitting the high notes that resonate around the balcony, adding an enchanting vibe to the song. Jasper’s drumming intensifies, almost echoing the depth of emotion in the lyrics.

I’m drowning, sinking in a sea with no shore, where every breath is a memory, and the moment of coming back has gone.

I shudder in my seat as those words seize me, gripping my heart. I can’t help but be able to relate to the loss, the longing.

The tension grows, the melody wrapping around me. I’m left short of breath, deciding at that moment that I may have just heard my new favorite song of all time. I’m captivated, lost to Fever. As each song rolls, its intensity amplifies the inferno coursing through my body.

It’s uncomfortable how hot I feel. Beads of sweat are forming on my skin. I swear it’s as if the music is triggering something inside me, a reaction that’s terrifying because I think it’s bringing on another flare of my heat.

There’s no other way to explain the blaze licking between my thighs, which are already drenched. I shift in my seat, needing more of the breeze and trying to focus on the performance.

Except as the music escalates, so does my temperature.

Why does this have to happen here? Now! Terror spikes through me because I can’t have an episode in the middle of this party, surrounded by Seth’s family.

In a moment of desperation, mid-song, I rise from my seat, keeping low and darting back into the house. My heart’s pounding in my chest, and I need to find a bathroom, somewhere I can cool down and be alone to regain control.

I rush down the hall, my vision blurring with how turned on I feel, how I would do anything right now for relief. In my rush past the steps, I glance down to where I spot Seth’s father sitting on a couch in the living room, nursing a bottle of liquor. His behavior irritates me because he’s sulking instead of supporting his son.

But I don’t have time for him when my legs are wobbling, when I wish for nothing more than maybe for Jasper to be with me and ease the ache.

For a split second, my gaze locks with Seth’s dad’s, and my insides freeze.

I quickly divert my attention and rush along the hallway, convinced the bathroom has to be down this way. Summoning every ounce of willpower I have, I hold back the moan in my throat.

God, not here, please, not here.

Trying the last door, the only one not open, I rush into a bathroom, a room covered in white tiles with an enormous spa tub in one corner. Frosted windows are across two walls, along with a shelf of towels, a sink, and a door, which I soon find is a walk-in wardrobe. It’s filled with all kinds of clothes, but I can’t tell if it belongs to anyone in particular. No toilet, but that’s okay. That’s not what I need.

Rushing inside, I shove the door shut behind me. I desperately have my hands on my nipples that are so hard, they are slightly itchy. Squeezing them, as Jasper had done, has that trapped moan spilling past my lips.

It feels incredible.

I’m stumbling over to the tub, wondering if anyone will find it strange if I have an ice-cold bath. As another wave of heat pummels into me, I’m stumbling on my feet. Falling to my knees near the tub, I take a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm the storm within me.

I embrace the coolness of the bathroom floor, then lean over the bath and turn on the cold water. I splash it on my face and down my neck.

Get a hold of yourself. You are not going to lose control. Please, not here.

The more water I splash on my face, the more painfully clear it becomes that nothing is helping to cool me down. I have to admit that there’s only one solution I can do to help myself.

I get to my feet and hurriedly push my hands up my skirt, then tug down my panties. They are soaked, and I bundle them near the tub. Removing my shoes, I step into the tub. If I’m going to take care of this, I don’t need to leave a puddle on the floor. In the tub, I can easily clean it up before anyone notices.

Embarrassment and the need to do this fast pummels through me. To get it done before anyone notices me gone from the concert that I can’t believe I’m missing. But the music thumps its way into the bathroom, so at least there’s that.

Driving my skirt up to my waist, I settle down on the cold porcelain, which feels incredible against my bare ass. Lying in the tub, I bend my knees just as a shudder of excitement runs through me. My pussy clamps down, and my stomach twists into knots. I crave an Alpha to be all over my body.

Pain sharpens deep in my core, one I haven’t felt so severely before. A flash of heat simmers on my skin, and sweat breaks on my brow, reminding me I have a real problem on my hands.

Spreading my legs, I hang my bent legs over the sides of the tub to spread myself as much as I can. The pressure in my body drives me wild with the need to touch myself.

My hand skips down to where I’m drenched. My skin is on fire, and the moment my fingers slide between my folds, a small cry grazes my throat. The sensation is so sensitive, so starved. All I can think about is Jasper’s cock and him bragging he’s too big. What I wouldn’t give for it now, to feel him spreading me, giving me release.

I glide the tips of my fingers over the silkiness of my clit, like the other times I’ve done in my bedroom at home, but this is nothing like that. I’m breathless, my heart in my throat, and I feel as if I’m going to explode.

I cry for more as I rub myself, needing that crescendo orgasm that will send me over the edge, which will rip away the ache that’s growing inside me. There’s so much slick, and I’m rocking my hips, needing this, hungry for it. But it’s just not moving beyond the moment of absolute desperation, no matter how much I tease myself or push my fingers into me.

Writhing, I need so much more, like a vibrator… next best thing to a cock. Of course, this is the worst place to think about this. I’m crazily aroused while being absolutely embarrassed.

As I rub my clit faster, a moan slips past my lips.

The door suddenly bursts open.

I half-scream from shock, scrambling to sit up as someone strides into the bathroom.