18
Parker
I could see it in Phoenix’s eyes—the flicker of hope that our apology was genuine, that we would actually follow through on our promise to treat her better.
But beneath that hope, there was a flash of uncertainty, a shadow of doubt.
It was subtle, but it was there.
She wasn’t sure if she could trust us, not after everything we had put her through.
And honestly, I couldn’t blame her.
If the roles were reversed, I’d probably feel the same.
But over the past couple of weeks, something had shifted.
I hadn’t been blind to it, even if I was only acknowledging it now.
Our tour was running smoother, with no major PR screwups to clean up, and for the first time in a while, the vibe among us felt… different.
The late-night parties had slowed down, the booze and drugs didn’t seem to take over our lives the way they used to.
And most notably, Phoenix had a calming effect on us all—something I hadn’t fully realized until recently.
At first, I just chalked it up to coincidence, but now, I could see it.
I didn’t know how she was doing it, but there was no denying that her presence was helping us.
The constant negativity, the voices that used to flood my mind, had softened.
I couldn’t explain it, but she had somehow grounded us without even trying.
We’d been treating her like shit, but the truth was—we needed her.
More than I’d ever let myself admit before.
We owed her more than just an apology.
That’s why I was gathering intel, piecing together what I could for the team.
We needed to know more about her—all of her.
We had to dig beneath the surface and uncover everything she was hiding.
It wasn’t just about treating her better; it was about knowing her on a deeper level.
Her likes, her dislikes, what made her tick.
I didn’t want to wait for her to tell us.
Patience had never been my strong suit.
Some people might say I had obsessive tendencies, and they wouldn’t be wrong.
I’d been like that since middle school, ever since I was diagnosed with ADHD.
One of my quirks was that when I found something that intrigued me, I latched onto it.
I couldn’t let it go until I had devoured every detail, until I had mastered it.
I didn’t just get interested; I hyper-fixated.
It became all-consuming.
But this was different.
I’d never fixated on a person before.
Not like this.
The obsession was growing, taking root deep inside me.
I was teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something bordering on stalker behavior.
That’s how I found myself rifling through Phoenix’s belongings on the bus, my heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and guilt.
If she caught me, she’d be furious. Hell, she might even walk away from us for good. But in my mind, this was justified. The more we knew about her, the better we could treat her.
That’s what I told myself anyway.
I pushed aside her collection of lip glosses, the tubes clinking softly against one another as I reached further into the drawer.
The sight of them made my mind drift, a vivid image of Phoenix’s plump, strawberry-tinted lips flickering in my brain.
God, those lips… they were made for sin.
I could practically feel them wrapped around me, feel her soft, wet mouth taking me in.
The tightening in my jeans was a clear sign of how badly I wanted her, but I had to stay focused.
Not here. Not now.
With a grunt, I forced myself to push the fantasy aside and reached deeper into the drawer.
My fingers brushed something cold and small, something that didn’t quite fit with the rest of her belongings.
I grasped it and pulled it out, curiosity driving me as I examined the small bottle in my hand.
Well, well.
This wasn’t what I was expecting to find.
A slow smirk crept across my face as realization dawned.
Our little Phoenix had been keeping secrets.
Big ones.
And now, I knew exactly what she was hiding.
My brain was already buzzing with ideas, images flashing by in quick succession.
I could spoil her with this knowledge, show her we understood her better than she realized.
But she clearly didn’t want us to know, at least not yet. There was something vulnerable in her secrecy, something fragile that I didn’t want to break.
I stared down at the bottle, my mind running wild with possibilities.
She’d kept this hidden for a reason, and I wondered if she thought we’d judge her for it—or maybe she just wasn’t ready to share this part of herself with us.
Either way, it didn’t matter.
She could keep her secret for now.
But not forever.
The knowledge of what I’d found was enough to give me an edge, to make sure we were always one step ahead of her.
I wasn’t planning on using it against her, not exactly.
But I wanted her to know we saw her, truly saw her.
Not just the surface-level Phoenix she showed us, but the real one, the one she tried to keep hidden.
I wanted her to know that we’d be there for her, in whatever way she needed—even if she didn’t know she needed it yet.
And that desire, the need to know her, to understand every facet of her being, only made my fixation grow stronger.
I wasn’t just fascinated by Phoenix anymore.
I was consumed by her.
The more I uncovered, the more I wanted.
I gently placed the bottle back where I found it, careful not to disturb anything else in the drawer.
As I stood up, I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets she was hiding—and how long it would be before she shared them with us willingly.
But until then, I’d be watching.
Waiting.
And when the time was right, I’d make sure Phoenix knew exactly how deep our bond could go.
◆◆◆
The hum of the bus engine was a familiar sound, one I usually found comforting during long trips between cities.
The rhythmic vibrations beneath my feet and the gentle sway of the vehicle as we cruised down the highway always had a way of lulling me into a state of calm.
But tonight, calm was the last thing on my mind.
We were all gathered in the living area of the bus, the lights dimmed, and the volume of the movie up just high enough to drown out the noise of the road.
Phoenix had chosen the movie, and to my surprise, she had picked a horror flick—Zeph’s favorite horror flick, no less.
The gleam in Zephyr’s eyes had been unmistakable when she made her choice, though he’d been careful not to say a word about it.
Zeph wasn’t the type to advertise his preferences unless necessary, but I knew him well enough to recognize that flicker of delight behind his cool exterior.
I glanced over at him, sitting on the far end of the couch, his gaze fixed on the screen with an intensity only he could muster.
But his eyes weren’t entirely focused on the movie.
Every so often, they’d drift toward Phoenix, as if he couldn’t help himself.
I couldn’t blame him.
She was… captivating.
And ever since I’d found out she was an Omega, I hadn’t been able to think of much else.
My own attention was far from the movie as well.
I sat a few feet away from her, my body angled slightly toward the screen, but my eyes kept returning to my Doll.
She was sitting between Kage and Zephyr, her legs tucked up underneath her, arms wrapped around a throw pillow as she watched the movie with wide eyes.
Every time a jump scare or a creepy scene played out, she’d tense up just a little, her body drawing closer to Kage’s side.
There was something different about the way my packmate interacted with her lately.
He hadn’t said anything to me, but I wasn’t stupid.
I’d seen the subtle shifts in his behavior, the way his tone softened when he spoke to her, the way his gaze lingered on her just a bit too long.
He knew, too.
I was sure of it.
Or at least, he suspected.
I shifted in my seat, my knee bouncing involuntarily.
I tried to still it, but it lasted all of three seconds before the restlessness crept back in.
My fingers drummed against the couch cushion, then moved to tug at the sleeve of my hoodie, then back to my knee.
The movie was too slow.
Or maybe just too quiet.
My mind was moving too fast for it to keep up.
A thousand thoughts raced through me, none of them sticking for long.
Phoenix.
Her scent.
Her mouth.
That smile she gave Kage earlier. The meeting we had tomorrow. The schedule I’d probably already fucked up again. The popcorn was too salty. My leg was cramping. I hadn’t drunk enough water today.
She looked beautiful tonight.
Not that she ever looked less than gorgeous.
But there was something about the way she was dressed more comfortably than usual.
I wouldn’t say casual, but she had swapped her typical professional attire for something different.
A black dress, still professional enough to fit her role, but more flowy and relaxed.
The fabric skimmed her curves and made her look both elegant and approachable.
It was a far cry from the rigid, polished clothes she normally wore when she was all business, wrangling us through meetings or interviews.
It was still very her—still sharp and put together—but there was a softness to it tonight that matched her demeanor.
I found myself wondering if this was a glimpse of the real Phoenix beneath the professional exterior.
I ran a hand through my hair, then down the back of my neck.
Fuck, I needed to move.
I hated sitting still this long—it made my skin itch.
I glanced at the door, already thinking about going for a walk or grabbing some gum from my backpack.
Something to occupy my hands, my mouth, my brain—anything to quiet the buzz inside me.
But then Phoenix shifted, her arm brushing against Kage’s, and I stayed rooted where I was.
Because no matter how twitchy or antsy I got, there was no way in hell I was walking out of this room while she was still in it.
I leaned back against the arm of the couch, letting out a slow breath as I tried to focus on the movie.
The villain was chasing down the poor victims on screen, but all I could think about was Phoenix’s scent.
It was driving me crazy, not knowing.
What did she smell like? Sweet? Spicy? Maybe a mix of both? I could already imagine it in my head, something intoxicating that would latch onto my brain and refuse to let go.
It was a need, a craving I couldn’t shake.
My Alpha instincts were screaming at me to find out, to press closer to her, to breathe her in and—
“Everything alright, Park?”
Kage’s voice cut through my thoughts, his eyes flicking toward me, a knowing look passing between us.
He was casual, leaning into Phoenix as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but I could see it.
The way his arm brushed against hers, the way his body seemed to gravitate toward hers without him even realizing it.
“Yeah, all good,”
I muttered, forcing a smile as I nodded toward the screen. “Just trying to follow along.”
Kage chuckled softly, his hand reaching up to casually drape over the back of the couch, just behind Phoenix’s head.
She didn’t seem to notice, too engrossed in the movie, but I saw the way his fingers flexed, as if he was holding himself back from touching her.
He was on edge, just like me, but he was playing it cool. Damn him.
I turned my attention back to my new obsession, watching the way her brows furrowed in concentration, her lips parting slightly as she mouthed something under her breath.
She was the kind of woman who didn’t seem to fit the usual mold of an Omega.
Independent.
Fierce. Not afraid to speak her mind. But there were moments, like now, where that softness came through. Where you could see the vulnerability she tried to hide behind her sharp tongue.
My gaze flickered to Zeph again.
He was the most controlled out of all of us, but even he couldn’t mask the way he reacted to Phoenix’s presence.
His eyes had darted toward her a few too many times tonight, lingering longer than necessary.
Zeph wasn’t immune to her, either, no matter how hard he tried to pretend otherwise.
Phoenix shifted in her seat, stretching her arms over her head.
The movement caused the soft black fabric of her dress to cling to her body.
I glanced over at Zeph, who quickly masked his reaction, sitting up a little straighter as if he’d been paying attention to the movie the whole time.
“Does anyone want a water?”
she asked while moving to get up.
Kage stood up, offering a hand to help Phoenix to her feet, and she took it with a small smile, as we all responded.
She made her way over to the fridge and grabbed a drink for everyone.
Watching her walk back to the couch, my mind wandered back to the other night when Lars had mentioned plans for our upcoming weekend off.
He and the rest of the support act were thinking of heading to the Poconos after our two shows in Philly.
Most of it was stuff I could do without—hiking, camping, and other outdoor nonsense.
But when Lars mentioned white water rafting, I’d noticed the spark in Phoenix’s eyes.
Her look of curiosity, excitement even, was impossible to miss.
What had really bugged me, though, was the idea of her spending the weekend with Lars.
That guy had been eyeing her since day one, and even though she seemed oblivious to it, I sure as hell wasn’t.
The thought of her floating down a river with him and his band, laughing and enjoying herself while we sat on the sidelines… it didn’t sit right with me.
My Alpha bristled at the idea, a possessive streak flaring up inside me.
She was ours—even if she didn’t fully realize it yet—and the thought of her spending time with anyone outside of our pack had my blood boiling.
I had shut it down, of course.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe we didn’t have to sit on the sidelines at all.
I shifted in my seat, reaching for my phone.
The idea was already forming in my mind.
If Phoenix wanted to go white water rafting, there was no reason she couldn’t go with us.
We had the weekend off after the Philly shows, just like everyone else.
We could make a trip out of it.
Hell, it might even be a good way to bond with her outside of all the PR and professional bullshit we were usually wrapped up in. Maybe she’d relax around us more if she saw us outside of work.
Besides, if I didn’t do something, Lars and his band were going to take her, and I couldn’t let that happen.
Not when my Alpha was practically growling inside me at the thought of her being around other Alphas.
With that thought in mind, I opened my browser and started looking up white water rafting companies in the Poconos.
I wasn’t exactly an outdoorsy guy, but if this was something that would make Phoenix happy, I’d suck it up for a day.
Besides, it wasn’t like we had to go hardcore with it.
There had to be some easygoing options that wouldn’t put us in any real danger.
I scrolled through a couple of websites, skimming the descriptions of different rafting trips.
Some of them looked more intense than I was comfortable with—class-four rapids, timed courses, and high intensity drills.
That wasn’t exactly the vibe I was going for.
But then I found a company that offered beginner-friendly trips, with calm stretches of water and just enough excitement to make it fun without risking anyone’s life. Perfect.
I glanced up from my phone, watching Phoenix out of the corner of my eye.
She was still engrossed in the movie, her eyes wide as another jump scare played out on the screen.
The idea of surprising her with it made me smile.
I could already picture the look on her face when we told her.
Zeph would be on board, no question about it.
He might act all stoic and reserved, but he cared about Phoenix just as much as the rest of us.
Maybe more, if his constant glances in her direction were anything to go by.
We just needed him to fall a little harder before he found out she was an Omega and fucked up all my plans of keeping her in our lives.
Kage… well, he was always up for anything.
He’d probably love the idea of getting out in nature for a bit, and I had a feeling he’d enjoy showing off in front of Phoenix.
I wasn’t entirely sure how she’d react, though.
Would she be excited? Nervous? I couldn’t quite pin down how she felt about us yet.
There were moments—little things—that made me think she was warming up to us, that she saw us as more than just a PR nightmare.
But there were still walls up, and I knew it was going to take time to break them down.
That’s what this trip could be about.
Breaking down those walls, getting to know her on a more personal level.
Away from the stress of managing our image and handling our drama, maybe she’d relax and let us in a little more.
The bus hit a bump, jolting me slightly in my seat, and I quickly clicked on the “book now” option for a Saturday morning trip.
A confirmation email popped up a few seconds later, and I smirked to myself.
Done.
I’d handle the details later—make sure Zeph and Kage were cool with it—but for now, at least I knew Phoenix wouldn’t be spending her weekend off with Lars.
Satisfied, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and leaned back into the couch.
The movie continued to play in the background, but my mind was already on the rapids, imagining Phoenix laughing, maybe even reaching out to us as we floated down the river together. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. A chance to show her that we could be more than just the chaos she managed on a daily basis.
Now, all I had to do was make sure everything went according to plan.
Or, you know, as close to plan as possible when dealing with my unruly pack.