Oli
ALPHA TEA GOSSIP COLUMN
MORE SECURITY ARRIVES WITH THE ALPHA AND OMEGA TOUR AS THEY ENTER ORLANDO
June 14th
T he bus hits a bump on its way to Orlando. This is our second-to-last stop on the U.S. leg of the tour before we have a short break. Then, we head to Europe.
My voice is healing. There’s no longer a rasp as I talk, but I still can’t sing. Another doctor checked me out in our last city and was happy with my progress.
Sprawled across the worn leather seats, Chase, Aiden, and Jack form a makeshift nest around me, their presence both comforting and invigorating. Chase taps a rhythm on his knee, sandy brown hair catching the dim light as his green eyes flicker up from his drumming.
Aiden’s lost in the soft glow of his tablet, those soft brown eyes scanning whatever he’s looking at.
And then there’s Jack, his piercing blue eyes alight with mischief as he strings together chords on his guitar. His playful plucks fill the small space with sound. His blond hair forms a wild halo around his head, framing a smile.
Dax is sleeping in his bunk or avoiding us. I’m not sure which.
I lean into Aiden’s side, snuggling into his warmth.
“We have the Eon festival in Miami soon. Are you worried about running into Daniel?” Chase asks.
I can feel his concern and a little bit of jealousy through our bond.
“No, it’s a huge festival. We won’t even cross paths,” I say.
Chase raises an eyebrow, and I force my shoulders to stay relaxed, my fingers to stop fidgeting with the frayed edge of the cushion. But there’s this tiny wrinkle in my forehead that I can’t smooth out, and I know he sees it.
I can’t hide the unease that I’m feeling from him.
“, we don’t know a lot about your relationship with him, but your songs paint him in a pretty bad light,” Aiden says.
I take a deep breath. “He wasn’t abusive or anything. Daniel promised me the world and then made everything about him. He’s self-absorbed and an alpha-hole but not dangerous.”
“Thank you for telling us, sunshine,” Aiden whispers.
I can feel jealousy from all of them, but that’s from my past.
“Let’s tell security to keep him away from us,” Jack suggests. “Just for comfort.”
I shake my hands out. “That’s silly. He’s performing. Don’t worry about it.”
Chase leans forward and grabs my hand. “, you forget I can feel you through our bond.”
“Well, I don’t want it to be a big deal. You’ll know if anything happens, Chase.”
Aiden and Jack shift uncomfortably.
I turn to look at them. “What’s wrong?”
Jack looks unsure before he starts, his tone threaded with an earnestness that’s as rare as it is captivating. “Have you thought about… well, bonding with us? During your next heat, I mean.”
My eyes snap to his, wide with surprise. Jack’s gaze holds mine, those piercing blue eyes shimmering with a hope that’s both thrilling and terrifying. His usual demeanor is shelved, replaced by something much more vulnerable.
Bonding. The word hangs between us, heavy with implications and possibilities. My heart kicks against my chest.
My mind races, skittering from one thought to another like a stone skipping across water. Me, bonded? To them—to Chase, Aiden, and Jack?
“Jack,” I breathe out, and there’s a tremor in my voice that I can’t quite control. “Do you want to?”
Excitement bubbles up inside me, unbidden and effervescent.
I crave the permanence and the depth of connection that bonding would bring. But it’s more than just a want; it’s a need, a primal urge that’s been quietly growing stronger with each passing day we spend together.
Aiden shifts in his seat, his spiky black hair catching the dim light as he leans forward. His brown eyes, usually so soft, now hold an intensity that commands my focus. “,” he starts, his voice a low thrum that seems to vibrate right through me, “I want you to know… I’m all in. You’re my omega, and I love you. I’ll wait as long as you want because you’re it for me.” He pauses, letting each word settle like a promise. “And I hope you’ll choose me too.”
My heart skips a beat, or maybe two. His quiet certainty wraps around me like a warm blanket. “You mean that?” I ask, needing to hear it just once more.
“Every word,” he confirms, and there’s steel behind his gentle demeanor, a resilience that makes me feel safe and understood in ways I can’t fully describe.
Before I can respond, Jack chimes in, “I’m dying to have this connection with you, baby girl. I want to be connected to your soul and always know how you’re doing. It’ll feed my obsession with you.”
Laughter bubbles up from my chest, dispelling the last of my nerves. “Your obsession with me?”
“Yes, ve Hart. I think about you constantly, care about you more than anything, and love you with my whole heart,” Jack declares without knowing his words’ effect on me.
I can’t keep the smile off my face. I look at Jack, his white-blond hair tousled, and then back at Aiden, whose gentle gaze hasn’t wavered.
“Thanks,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “For wanting this, for wanting me.”
“Always,” Aiden replies, simple and true, while Jack nods, his grin infectious.
I catch Chase’s wink. My connection with Chase has been incredible, and I want more of that.
“I’m ready to bond you both during my next heat,” I say, the words coming out in a rush that matches the beat of my heart. Excitement sends a shiver through me, laced with that sweet tang of vulnerability.
“…” Jack breathes, and there’s a reverence in his voice that wraps around me like a warm blanket.
“Are you sure?” Aiden asks, his voice steady as always, but I hear the undercurrent of emotion. I nod, my throat tight with the weight of what this means.
“Absolutely.” My green eyes lock onto theirs, one by one, silently conveying the trust I place in them. Joy bubbles up inside me at the thought of our bond solidifying into something even more potent and profound.
“When is your full heat supposed to hit?” Chase asks.
I laugh. “Why? Excited?”
“Fuck. Yes.” All three of them say at the same time.
“It’s supposed to hit right at the end of the U.S. tour, after Miami. That’s why it was scheduled that way,” I tell them.
“Perfect,” Jack says with a smirk.
A wave of warmth rushes over me as Chase’s hand finds mine, his grip reassuring.
“Little rose,” Chase murmurs, his voice low, “I can’t wait to have your full heat together.” His thumb brushes my knuckles, sending tiny sparks cascading up my arm.
Aiden leans in, close enough that I catch the mint on his breath, contrasting his chocolate chip cookie scent.
Jack’s arm loops around my shoulder, “Maybe we should go practice right now.”
The heat in this part of the bus amps up. Their eyes lock onto mine. The air between us crackles with the energy of what’s to come, charged with the electric buzz of anticipation.
Dax breaks the moment by coming out of the bunk area and yawning. It’s so unguarded and domesticated that I can’t help laughing. He gives me a strange look before glancing at the guys.
“What are you talking about?”
I freeze, unsure of what to say. I want Dax; I’ve always wanted him, but he wants to earn that back, and I’m not sure where that leaves us.
But he said he wants me, and he’s trying to prove himself, so why should I hold back?
I hop up and skip over to Dax before wrapping my arms around his neck with all the confidence I can muster. Chase’s shock ripples down our bond, but I ignore it. My lips crash against his for half a second before I pull back.
For a moment, I hesitate, but Dax reads my face and leans the rest of the way to meet my lips again. We kiss like it’s our first kiss, and I’m going to think of it that way.
He moves against my lips before gripping my hair and slipping his tongue into my mouth. Dax kisses me like it’s the first time he’s dying of thirst, and I’m the water.
When we pull back, I see a moment of doubt on his face, and I have to erase it.
“We were talking about my heat. It’ll be right at the end of Miami, and I want you to be there,” I say confidently.
Dax leans in so only I can hear him. “Are you sure?”
I nod. “Absolutely.”
He pulls back. “Then I’ll be there. We will arrange a flight back to our pack house in California. There’s a nest there, and it’s yours.”
My jaw drops open. “What?”
“Dax-” Chase starts, but Dax cuts him off.
“It’s ready for her. I took care of it.”
More shock from Chase, and I can sense it from Aiden and Jack, too.
“You got the nest finished?” Jack asks.
I turn around to look at the others, confused.
Aiden takes pity on me and looks guilty when he says, “The nest at our pack house was never finished. It was just an empty space we set aside.”
I turn back to Dax with a raised brow.
He smiles, and it’s gorgeous and devastating. “You deserve a perfect nest for your first real heat with the pack.”
I grab his hand and squeeze it. “That was really sweet, Dax. I won’t have time to set it up. My heat is going to come… fast.”
Dax’s expression gets sheepish and determined. “Then I’ll handle that too, and you can make it your own after that.”
It’s… it’s everything an omega could need from her alpha. He’s making sure I’m welcomed and comfortable with his pack. Dax is going out of his way to get me what I need, and even though we probably won’t make it back to California, it still means everything to me.
I lean up and kiss Dax again, a light brush of our lips this time. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You deserve it,” he says.
I don’t mention the bonding we discussed, but if Dax keeps this up, I might just want to bond with him, too.