Knot My Band, Part Two (Knot My Band Duet #2)

Jack

ALPHA TEA GOSSIP COLUMN

POLICE SWARM THE VENUE IN DC AT THE END OF OLI HART AND THE EDGE’S SHOW. FANS ARE CONCERNED, AND SO ARE WE

June 2nd

D ax’s arms are a steel cradle around Oli as he strides toward the bus, and I’m hot on his heels. My heart thumps like a kick drum, loud in my ears, keeping time with our urgent pace. The terror that gripped me, turning my blood to ice when I saw the terror on Chase’s face before he said Oli’s name—it clings to me, a relentless beast.

“Careful with her,” I bark, though I know Dax doesn’t need the reminder. He’s as much of an alpha as I am, protective instincts hardwired into his DNA. But I can’t help it; the feral part of me is clawing at the surface, desperate to make sure our omega is safe.

“Of fucking course,” Dax growls back, not even breaking stride. His eyes are dark pools of concern. It doesn’t matter that Dax hasn’t liked Oli since she got here. His alpha is in complete control.

Aiden and Chase’s expressions mirror my own—tight jawlines, brows drawn down over stormy eyes. It’s like looking into a mirror; we’re all resonating with the same fierce need to protect.

When the police arrive, we are forced to give them our statements. However, they are smart enough to stay back and provide us with plenty of space, and our growls make that clear. Everyone knows to give space to alphas whose omega has been harmed.

The tour bus looms ahead, our sanctuary against the world. As soon as we’re inside, we swarm her.

The air is thick with our combined scents, marking her as ours. There’s no mistaking the unspoken warning; we’re in full alpha mode now.

Trevor tries to follow us back on the bus but is met by four fierce growls. I can see Riley behind him, worried, but I can’t muster enough empathy to feel bad for keeping her from Oli.

“Back up,” Chase commands, taking a step closer, his presence like a shield. Not even Trevor or Riley will get past us. Nobody touches Oli right now.

“Let me in,” Trevor snaps, his tone doing nothing to pierce the bubble we’ve formed around Oli.

“Stay back, Trevor,” I snap, more harshly than I intend. I can see the worry etched on his face, but it’s overshadowed by the primal urges surging within me.

Riley hovers near the door, eyes wide and anxious. “Oli?” she calls softly, concern lacing her voice.

“Give us space, Riley,” Chase says, his tone brooking no argument, even if it’s directed at Oli’s best friend. It’s evident in his stance, the set of his shoulders—he won’t let anyone close.

“They’re in full alpha mode right now,” Oli rasps, her voice sounding broken.

I growl again at the pain in her voice.

“Don’t talk, sunshine. You don’t want to make it worse,” Aiden tells her.

I move to the door and slam it in their faces.

I need my omega to myself right now. Me and my pack, that’s it.

My fingers twitch with the need to touch Oli, to feel her skin beneath mine and reassure myself that she’s okay. That need rips through me, demanding, insistent.

“Let’s get her comfortable,” I suggest, picturing Oli resting, surrounded by our vigilance. The rest of the world can wait.

Dax sits with Oli in his lap. I expect her to push away from him, but she lets him soothe her. I press into one side, trying to touch as much of her as possible, while Chase does the same on the other side. Aiden crouches between her legs, gripping her ankles so she can’t go anywhere.

Chase’s gaze flits over Oli’s form, protective and sharp as a knife’s edge. His movements are a barely restrained power. The bond pulsing between them is a living thing, electric and feral. His fingers skate across her arm, a touch that’s more claim than caress. “You’re safe,” he vows, voice a low growl that vibrates along my skin.

Her green depths are searching as she takes in the circle of her alphas. There’s a whisper of a smile on her lips, a testament to the strength that fuels her fire. Her hand reaches out, small but sure, finding a purchase on Chase’s wrist. “I know,” she says, voice hoarse but fierce.

Chase leans down, his forehead resting gently against hers, sharing a moment so intimate it almost feels like trespassing to witness it.

“Never scare us like that again,” he half-pleads, half-demands before moving to his mark on her neck. He licks and nuzzles it, comforting himself and her.

Her hand finds mine, squeezing tight, anchoring me in the storm that rages inside me—inside all of us. The need to be close to her, to be everything for her, is overwhelming.

Chase leans down again, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, and I do the same to her hand, my lips lingering on her knuckles. Dax stays still, his hand twitching as if fighting the urge to join in on our small acts of intimacy to claim his share of her attention.

Aiden is tracing patterns on her legs, feeling her warm skin under his hands.

The air is thick with our collective tension, and I can’t shake off the feral need that’s coursing through me. Oli’s lying here between us, looking so damn fragile, and all I want is to shield her from the world.

“We are going to have to let someone check her out,” Aiden grumbles, his voice low and strained as he looks at his phone. He’s practical as always, even when his alpha instincts are ripping at him to protect and claim.

He’s right, but hell if I can stand the thought of some stranger coming in here, laying hands on my omega.

“Nobody outside the pack,” I growl, my gaze fixed on Oli’s serene face. She’s everything soft and bright in this gritty life we’ve carved out on the road, and the mere idea of anyone else touching her… No, I can’t deal with that.

“There’s a doctor outside the bus. Riley vetted her, and Oli needs to be looked at. We can keep our eyes on her at all times,” Aiden suggests.

The beast within me is pacing, claws out, ready to tear into anyone who dares come close to Oli. But she needs to be looked at by a doctor, and I know I gotta check myself.

“Fine,” I force out.

Aiden nods and texts something.

I pivot on my heel, every muscle taut as the door swings open, and the female doctor steps in with a ponytail and sharp, assessing eyes that miss nothing. She’s all brisk efficiency, her medical bag clutched in one hand as she makes a beeline for Oli.

“Make way, gentlemen,” she says, her voice clear and authoritative. She brooks no arguments.

I can feel the struggle in our pack bond, but we all step back just enough to let her get close, except for Dax, who keeps holding her. I want to take his place more than I want to breathe, but by some miracle, I hold back.

“Let’s see how you’re doing, young lady,” she murmurs to Oli, her professional demeanor not slipping for a second even as she uses a term of endearment that sends an unexpected pang through my chest.

“Take care of her,” I find myself saying, the words rough-edged and more command than a request.

“Always do,” Dr. Shores replies without taking her eyes off Oli, the sense of urgency wrapped around her like a cloak. I can’t help but respect her for it, even as my alpha side growls at the proximity of another to our omega.

She’s a beta, which helps. I couldn’t handle another alpha.

I hover near Oli like a silent sentinel, close enough to catch her scent but far enough to give Dr. Shores space to work.

My stare is locked on Oli, and I track every flicker of discomfort that crosses her expressive green eyes. The tour bus feels cramped with tension, and I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching out.

“Alright, Oli, I need you to tilt your head back for me,” Dr. Shores instructs gently. She clicks on a small penlight and peers into Oli’s throat, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“Deep breaths through your nose, okay?” the doctor continues, her voice steady as a heartbeat, even as her fingers probe cautiously around Oli’s neck.

Oli complies, the rise and fall of her chest rhythmic and controlled, but I can see the way she swallows hard, the subtle grimace that tells me it hurts more than she lets on. It’s like a punch straight to my gut, this overwhelming urge to sweep her up and away from any pain. But I stay put, my feet rooted to the spot because she needs the doctor, not my caveman antics.

Chase grips the back of the couch with white knuckles, preventing him from going to Oli.

“Can you vocalize for me?” asks Dr. Shores. “A soft hum will do.”

Oli hums. Although her voice is a bit raspy, it still sounds like the sweetest melody. The doctor nods, satisfied, and jots notes on her clipboard.

“Looks like there’s some swelling, but I don’t see any serious damage. Your vocal cords have been through a lot, so they’ll need time to heal. The bruising is going to look worse than the injury is. She was released before any serious damage.” she explains, switching off her penlight.

“Keep an eye on her breathing, and make sure she rests her voice,” Dr. Shores adds, giving us a look that’s all business.

“We will,” I say as relief floods through me.

“My voice will heal, though?” Oli asks, voice raspy.

The doctor’s face softens. “It will, but you need to give it time. Do not sing until you’re checked over again. I can recommend some doctors for whatever city you’re in.”

Oli nods.

I can’t resist anymore. I brush a strand of hair from Oli’s face, letting my fingers linger against her skin. Her smile, small and brave, is everything to me.

The doctor pulls out some pills and hands them to Oli, who takes them dutifully with a small cup of water.

When Oli grimaces while swallowing, Chase growls low and fierce. He’s barely holding himself together, muscles taut as steel cables.

Aiden’s hand lands on his shoulder, a silent command for restraint that Chase seems to accept, even if his entire being screams protest.

“Make sure to call if there are any changes,” the doctor continues, undeterred by our raw intensity. She’s seen our kind before and knows how to navigate the stormy seas of alpha emotions.

“Thank you,” Aiden says, sincerity etched into his tone. We’re a fortress around Oli, bodies close enough to be a physical shield, manifesting our desperate need to protect her.

The doctor packs up her bags before looking around at the raging alphas in the room.

“You’re her mate,” she says firmly, looking at Chase, and I swear even the walls lean in to listen, “I need you to remain calm. As her bonded alpha, your distress will only heighten Oli’s anxiety. It might help if you both engage in some… soothing physical contact.”

The suggestion hits Chase like a lightning strike. He swallows hard, his jaw clenching. A soft growl rumbles in his chest—a sound that would send lesser beings scurrying. “I’m not hurting her just because my alpha wants to knot her.”

The doctor rolls her eyes. “It’s up to Oli, but I wouldn’t suggest it if her body couldn’t handle it. Being with her alphas could even help her heal faster. It sounds counterintuitive, but that’s how it is between alphas and omegas.”

I feel the unspoken words thrumming between us, the commitment to Oli’s well-being as palpable as the heat from our bodies. We hover around her like planets orbiting a sun, drawn in by her gravity.

The doctor leaves, and we all find a way to touch Oli again.

A deep, primal part of me is screaming for connection, for that indescribable bond that only comes from knotting my omega. It’s a raw, burning desire that has nothing to do with lust and everything to do with needing to feel like she’s okay.

“I know your alpha instincts are,” she coughs painfully, making my heart squeeze, “in control, but I am okay,” she says, and I lean closer, my forehead resting against hers. I can feel the pull, the need to connect, to claim her in the most intimate ways, but the fear that she might be hurt holds me back.

The metallic tang of fear still lingers in my mouth, and I’m grinding my teeth to keep from growling.

Someone tried to kill my omega tonight, and I wasn’t there.

That will never happen again.

Never.