Chapter Eight
CHAPTER EIGHT
BEA POWELL IS a Fate-given gift I never saw coming. With sun-kissed skin, wide hips, and legs for days, there is no doubt she’s gorgeous. She caught my interest the second I walked into her apartment last weekend, but it is the glimpses of her personality that have won me over. She has fire in her soul and a sass that brings a smirk to my lips. Her self confidence is enough to make me harder than steel.
I follow behind her, mesmerized by her curvy ass swaying in those tight pink pants. She struts through the back hall of the venue, cataloging the location of each member of the band to make sure they are on task and ready to go. We’re weirdly in tune with each other, the pull between us strong enough I doubt I’d be able to stop myself from stumbling after her even if I wasn’t being paid to do so.
I’ve never listened to a lot of metal music. Some heavy rock here and there. The classics. I have to admit, I’m intrigued by Primordial Covenant. They’ve skyrocketed into a cult-like following over the past year, including the sold out tour our charges are currently working. A packed venue in Western Pennsylvania kicked off the string of shows, engulfing us in a level of chaos only found in the music world.
Caleb Michaels, the band’s lead singer, leans against the wall with a pair of earphones in. Curly bleach blonde hair falls across his face, obscuring his light green-gray eyes. Tattoos cover his arms and run up his throat, stopping just below his chin. The colorful, slightly macabre ink adds to his dark aesthetic, yet he gives her a boyish smile as she approaches him.
My instincts haven’t enjoyed this aspect of her work. Watching my unbonded omega approach a single alpha sparks a nearly undeniable urge to rip her away. Something I absolutely cannot do. Especially when Bea isn’t aware she’s mine yet.
Caleb answers her question about something related to their show and she spins on her heels to walk away. I smirk down at her when she bumps against my shoulder. Her pretty blue eyes roll as she slips by me, careful to not slide too much of her body against mine. A shame since I would love to have every curve flush against me.
A frown tilts her lips down as she studies the room. I was wondering how long it would take her to realize the band’s drummer was missing. He’s still here, but not in this room. Pointing to the back door, I silently direct her to where the younger alpha is currently pacing a line in the pavement.
His bright brown eyes fly up when he hears the door crack open, a shaky, apologetic smile stretching his lips. Sweat lines his brow beneath his black beanie.
“Lee, you good?” Bea asks, propping the door open with her hip. Standing in a vulnerable spot like this makes my fingers twitch. I’m ten seconds from dragging this kid back inside when he responds.
“It’s fucking packed in there,” he breathes, the words shaking from the weight of his nervousness. Based on the way Lee’s chest is heaving, he’s on the verge of a panic attack.
Bea’s face melts. The confident alpha persona she was wearing disappears as she lets him see her own bubbling anxiety, helping to ease him out of it.
Fates-damn, do I want to kiss the shit out of her.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” she tells him as she guides him back inside. The area right inside the door is empty, so no one will witness him freaking out. “First, we’re going to relax. Start at your shoulders and work your way down. Visualize the muscles relaxing, one at a time.”
The shaking alpha listens, eyes closing as he follows her command. When his breathing evens out, she moves to the next step. Movement at the corner of my vision lets me know Brady has arrived and is watching her work.
“You’re doing great. Now we’re going to find something for you to focus on when you walk on stage. Don’t look out at the crowd until you’re at your kit. The lights will block your view of most of the fans, and once you start playing, they’ll fade into the background. Think we can do that?”
Bea’s voice is gentle, but still firm enough to leave no room for Lee to second guess her. I have to smother a smile when I catch the pride in Brady’s eyes. Yeah, boss man, my omega was born to do this.
Lee nods rapidly, following her as she leads him into the wings. She is careful to only open the side curtain far enough for him to see the other side of the stage. Scanning the immediate area, she notices the brightly colored band poster a few feet from the front. “There,” she says, pointing it out, her head turning to make sure he is focusing. “That’s your guideline.”
“Okay, yeah. I can do that.”
Perfect timing for this save, since the stage manager is calling Orbital Somatic to the stage.
“Thanks Bea, you’re awesome at this,” Lee professes as he goes to grab his sticks and join his bandmates.
She waves him off, still fully in manager mode until they step onto the stage. Her best friend, Omen, steps beside her. Their pinkies link in the sweetest gesture as they watch the lights shift and Caleb greets the crowd. Omen whispers something to Bea I can’t hear, earning a bright grin in response.
Bea’s eyes dart to where Lex stands slightly off to the side, lingering for a moment before she averts her gaze. Wherever her mind goes, she shudders. I instinctively step closer, close enough to feel the full heat of her body pressed against mine. Her shoulders relax for the briefest of moments before she remembers herself and snaps her spine straight. She shoots me a glare as she takes an exaggerated step away from me.
Orbital Somatic’s set goes off with only minor hiccups caused by their nerves. They’ll settle into playing for larger crowds after a stop or two. If not, working for a label as large as Soulbound may not be the right path for them.
Corralling the sweaty men into a dressing room, Bea passes out water bottles and lets them take a few minutes to cool down before she addresses their performance. “Great job, guys. That wasn’t bad for the first stop. How are we feeling?”
Joey, their bassist, gives me her thumbs up from where he has face planted onto a couch. I stifle a laugh as they all give her the same sort of response. If they’re this exhausted after a half hour show, they’ll need to work on their stamina.
“Cool down, then get ready to head back to the bus. We’re heading out as soon as the show’s over.”
Stepping back out of the room, she bumps right into my back. “Sorry, sunshine, didn’t hear you leaving.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” she grumbles. “I’m going to find Brady and check in.”
I chuckle as I trail behind her. She can fight our connection all she wants. I love a good challenge.
My hair is still wet from my shower. Tiny droplets falling onto my bare shoulders and chest as I walk out of the bathroom. Bea leaves her tiny nest at the same time, those mesmerizing dark blue eyes tracking each drop with apparent interest.
“My eyes are up here, sunshine,” I tell her with a smirk, leaning one arm against my bunk.
My words have her head snapping up. Pink tints her cheeks as she plasters on a bland expression. “Obviously.”
“Someone’s grumpy this afternoon,” I comment, amused by her attitude.
“She needs coffee,” Omen mutters as she slips past us, her laptop in her hands and a determined look on her face. Bea’s lips purse as she follows her friend into the living area. Her mood brightens as she is settles on the couch with a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. The sight makes me chuckle.
I glance around the tour bus the Powells bought their daughters. White walls and light floors keep the space from feeling claustrophobic, even with all four of us piled inside. The light blue kitchenette adds a splash of color, giving the room a homey vibe.
Having this limited space for Omen and Bea to call their home for the next two months makes guarding them infinitely easier. There are a few cities where we will be in a hotel, which means there are less potential threats to mitigate after each show.
With Omen outside working, and Lex watching over her, Bea and I have the bus to ourselves. I grab the takeout containers one of the road crew had dropped off and pile two plates full. I don’t know what foods Bea does and doesn’t enjoy yet, so I give her a little of everything. Watching her devour the food I brought her brings an instinctual satisfaction to my soul. Providing for our mates is what alphas were born to do.
Silence surrounds us as she eats, her attention riveted to her phone. I’m content to bask in her presence, enjoying the ability to study her without her noticing my blatant staring.
Noise outside pulls our attention away from the food. Peeking out the tinted window, Bea grins. Following her gaze, I see the lead singer of Primordial Covenant, Nexus, standing outside, his eyes trained where Omen sits in a lawn chair working on their pictures from last night. The chemistry between them is almost tangible, even from within the bus. Bea watches their interaction with delight, dancing in her seat when Omen agrees to go to their bus for lunch.
Seeing how close these two omegas are brings a matching smile to my own lips. It’s clear my omega has an incredible support network in her friends and family.
Bea spins and plops back down on the couch, quickly finishing her lunch.
“Any plans for the day, sunshine?” I ask after sitting my empty plate aside.
“Paperwork,” she groans. “And a meeting with Brady before we head to the venue for soundcheck.”
I nod, having expected as much. We’re in Columbus today for the tour’s second stop. A city familiar to me since I grew up an hour away. If we were here longer than a day, I’d take Bea on a tour of all the best places to visit. We’ll have to save that adventure for the future when I bring her home to meet my family.
Bea’s mentor lets her tackle the show tonight on her own. He’s still in the venue and ready to step in if she needs his help, but my omega is thriving in her role. The road crew, venue staff, and band members alike all look to her with respect as she commands the room. It’s hot as fuck.
When she steps into Orbital Somatic’s dressing room to give them a pre-show pep talk, and to check in with their drummer to make sure he isn’t panicking over the crowd tonight, I stand with my back to the door.
Both shows have been implausibly smooth. No protests or complaints from the city. It’s making Lex nervous, but I know better. Ohio may be an anti-pack leaning state, but Columbus is a pro-pack city. Even if protesters decide to set up outside, local police would work tirelessly to ensure it remained peaceful.
Not all our stops will be as easygoing, especially once we head into the Southern states. The dated anti-pack values there run much deeper than they do here.
Regardless of how volatile things get, we’ll protect these omegas with our lives. I’ll never let Bea get hurt on my watch.
The venue’s flirty stage manager appears at the end of the hall, her eyes lighting up when she sees me. Being flirted with has never bothered me before. Men, women, non-binary, I’ve always flirted right back. It’s in my nature to laugh off a salacious comment, but now that I’ve met the center of my universe, the sunshine illuminating the darkest voids in my heart I don’t want my reactions to be misconstrued as interest.
My face remains placid as I knock on the open door beside me, pulling my omega’s attention away from the band. She notices the stage manager right away, stepping around me to check in with her. I intentionally let a soft smile slip onto my lips when I look at Bea, making sure this other woman knows I’m completely smitten by the curly haired beauty.
I place my hand on the small of Bea’s back, stepping into her side so Orbital Somatic can leave their dressing room to head to the stage. She instinctively steps closer, her shoulder brushing against my arm, and my smile grows into a grin. Soon she’ll realize why she reacts to me the way she does, and I can’t wait for the fireworks that will ignite between us when she does.
We watch from the wings as Caleb introduces their band. Everything seems fine through the first two songs, but halfway through their third the mic cuts out, dulling the singer’s voice behind the rest of the band’s performance. His eyes are wide as they dart to Bea. She’s already moving, heading to the sound tech to find out what the problem is and get it fixed.
Bea’s shoulders relax when Caleb laughs it off into a fresh mic, earning laughs from the crowd along with him. The rest of their performance is unhindered, but it’s clear the mishap has brought down their energy. As they trudge off the stage with waves to the crowd and smiles pasted on their faces, I feel for them. It has to suck to have something like that happen.
“You killed it out there,” Bea tells them enthusiastically. “Even with the mic issue, you enamored the crowd! And Caleb, you brought them right back into the vibe while your mic was swapped out. I know this feels like a disaster, but it wasn’t. Be proud of yourselves. I’m proud of you.”
They perk up a little, joy reappearing in their eyes with her praise. It isn’t a fix at all. They have to learn to overcome problems like this on their own, but it’s enough to prevent them from spiraling.
“I’m proud of you ,” I whisper against her ear as we step back into the hall. “You saved them from sitting on that shit all night.”
Bea’s cheeks flush, her head ducking for a second before she playfully rolls her eyes and shoves me away. “It’s only the truth.”
I let her lead me to whatever task she feels she needs to accomplish next, content to follow her to the end of time if she’ll allow me.