Oli
OMEGA BUZZ GOSSIP COLUMN
THE HART’S EDGE HAS A NEW SOUND, AND WE ARE LOVING IT
July 7th
A s we strut into the spa, a chorus of soothing trickles from the ornate water features greets us, and I can’t help but let out a contented sigh. “This is perfect,” I say, winking at Cate, who’s already eyeing the cucumber water.
“Thanks for including me,” Riley chimes in, her pixie-cut hair bouncing as she laughs at my antics. Her blue eyes are dancing with the kind of mischief that promises a day full of giggles and gossip.
We weave through the smell of jasmine and lavender to the check-in desk, where a serene receptionist welcomes us with a smile that rivals the calm of the place.
“Welcome to Elysium Spa. You must be Hart and friends,” she says, her voice as smooth as the stones lining the bamboo-infused Zen garden beside us. “Your alphas rented out the spa for you.”
“They’re sweet,” I declare with a flourish, earning Cate’s eye roll and Riley’s snicker.
“Of course, Miss Hart. We have prepared our finest suites for you and your party,” the receptionist says, handing us plush robes that feel like they’re spun from clouds.
We sashay toward the changing rooms, hips swaying and hearts light, bantering about who will fall asleep first during their massage.
The security guard, who introduced herself as Alice, is trailing behind us. She’s been quiet and not as friendly as I expected, but she might just take her job seriously.
“I can’t believe we are at a private spa in Scotland!” Cate gushes.
“Your brother is a rich and famous rockstar. You should have been doing this all along!” Riley tells her.
Cate rolls her eyes and then confesses, “The whole pack has offered me money over the years and stuff like this, but since Chase and I didn’t reconnect until later in life, I never wanted him to think I was after his money.”
That pulls me up short. I grab Cate’s arm and make her look at me. “He would never think that. He worships you and says you saved his life.”
Cate’s eyes widen and she looks shocked. “Really?”
“Yes. He could never doubt you, so don’t feel guilty about today. Now, let’s relax!” I grab her and pull her along behind Riley.
They put us in separate rooms for our massages.
I strip but decide to leave on the bracelet from my pack. I’m too attached to take it off.
The moment I slip under the crisp, white sheets of the massage table, a sense of tranquility embraces me like the arms of a lover. The masseuse’s hands, firm yet gentle, work magic on my muscles, kneading the tension from my body like dough. With each stroke down my spine, the tightness from endless hours of rehearsals and performances ebbs away, melting into oblivion.
“You know, most alphas call and demand a woman masseuse for their omega, but yours only requested the best,” the woman tells me.
I picture Jack, Chase, Dax, and Aiden—the alphas who are my rock and my anchors in the tempestuous sea of fame. A blissful smile curls my lips as I imagine their faces, the warmth of their embrace, and the promise of their unwavering presence.
“They’re great like that,” I respond.
The harmony of soft instrumental music fills the air, mingling with the muted murmur of flowing water. It’s as if the world beyond these walls doesn’t exist—no demands, no pressures, just the pure, undiluted essence of peace.
The soothing cadence of the masseuse’s touch slows, and a whisper of silence creeps into the room before she tells me she will be back and I should relax.
I relax into the table, enjoying my moment alone before my skin prickles and my hair stands on end.
I inhale deeply, tasting the metallic, sharp change in the air. The same chemical descenter that was in my nest fills the room. My gut tightens, and an instinctual alarm bell rings softly at first, then louder in my head. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, alerting me to a shift in my haven.
“Something’s not right,” I murmur, a half-whisper lost in the stillness.
I attempt to push myself up, to escape the unnerving feeling enveloping me. But before I can rise, a sudden, forceful pressure pins me down, flat against the massage table. A shadow looms over me; the energy is all wrong, heavy with malice and madness. I freeze, my heart hammering within me.
“Stay down, ,” hisses a voice that curdles the serenity of moments ago into a thick dread that coats my throat. Her hands are ice despite the room’s warmth, and her grip is iron as she presses me into the unyielding surface.
“What the hell?” I snap before screaming at the top of my lungs, “Help!”
“Shut up. No one can hear you,” she snaps, and the unhinged edge in her voice sends a chill through me. “You think you’re so special, don’t you? With your pretty voice and those alphas fawning over you.”
The voice is so familiar, but I don’t place it at first. It takes a second before I realize who exactly is holding me down like this.
“Everyone’s special in their own way,” I reply, trying to crane my neck to look at her. “Even you, May. Come on, let’s talk this out like adults.”
“Talking’s over,” she growls, pressing harder until pain lances through my shoulders. Her breath is hot on my ear, and I can feel the rage pulsing off of her in waves. “You took everything from me, . And I’m here to take it back.”
I want to tell her she’s crazy, that she’s mistaken, but the words die in my throat. This isn’t the time for comebacks. This is survival, and I need to keep my wits sharp if I’m going to get out of this unscathed.
Years of using drugs have made May Thornton insane because no sane person would deal with their problems like this.
Panic flutters in my midsection like a trapped bird, but I can’t let May see it. My fingers fumble beneath me, searching for the cool metal of my bracelet. A tiny button on its underside is hidden among the decorative swirls—a lifeline I never thought I’d have to use. With a press that feels like it takes all my strength, I hope to every deity that the silent alarm does its job.
“Come on, May,” I say, injecting a teasing lilt into my voice, “you’re smarter than this. What do you really want? I’ll make it happen for you. We can be allies.”
“Silence!” she hisses, her breath erratic against the shell of my ear. “You stole The Edge from me, . They were my band first. You seduced them with your omega charm and that voice… That goddamn voice.”
“I didn’t steal them! You were out of the picture before we ever met,” I retort.
“Shut up! Just shut up with your fake innocence!” May’s voice climbs an octave, teetering on the edge of hysteria. “You’ll leave them, . Leave the band, or—or I swear I’ll…”
“Or what, May?” I challenge, though my heart hammers so hard I’m sure she can hear it. “We can sort this out. No one has to get hurt.”
“Like hell we can,” she spits out. Her hand shakes on my back, and I feel the sharp prick of something—her nails or worse—against my skin. It’s a tangible reminder of the danger I’m in, a whisper of threat that sends adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Why did this have to happen while I was naked on a massage table?
“Think about it. We could be amazing together,” I try a different tactic, aiming for camaraderie. “Two powerful women taking on the music world.”
“Stop it!” May’s scream echoes off the walls, and she pushes down on me even harder, her body a cage of desperation. “I don’t need you. I just need them gone from your life! They should be my pack!”
The room feels impossibly tiny, the air thick with tension and unsaid threats. I focus on breathing, on not giving in to the fear that wants to take over. All I can do now is stall and hope help arrives before May’s unraveling thread snaps completely.
The heavy door swings open with a groan, and my blood runs cold. I can pick my head up just enough to see Trevor’s there, his usually impassive face twisted into a grimace as he shoves Riley and Cate forward. Both of them stumble, their arms bound tightly behind their backs. “Found these two snooping around,” he announces, voice gruff, eyes avoiding mine.
“Riley! Cate!” I shout, the protective omega in me awakening with a fierce roar.
“, I’m so sorry,” Riley squeaks, her blue eyes wide with terror. She’s trembling, pixie-cut hair sticking to her forehead. Cate stands beside her, silent, but her eyes scream fear loud enough to echo through the spa room.
Chase is going to kill me. We never should have thought we were safe.
“Let them go, Trevor. They’ve got nothing to do with this,” I plead, my voice cracking as I struggle against the hands that keep me pinned to the table. But Trevor doesn’t budge, just watches, a silent sentinel to May’s madness. “We were friends, Trevor. Why are you doing this?”
I see regret flash through his eyes for a second, but it quickly burns up with rage. “You chose those worthless alphas over me, . It was supposed to be simple: you boost The Edge’s image, then return to your career, and May takes her rightful spot back in the band. But you had to spread those omega legs for them. I thought you were better than that.”
Disgust rolls through me. I don’t know how I ever worked with a man who saw the world this way. My only defense is how well he hid it from me until this tour.
I decide to try and get him on my side with lies I would never follow through on and hope he doesn’t realize it.
“You can be my manager again, Trevor. I’ll leave The Edge behind and May can have them back. The plan can still work.”
“Shut up, !” May’s voice is shrill, almost unrecognizable. She steps closer, and I spot the glint of steel in her hand—a knife. It’s pressed against Riley’s throat, a thin line of menace that makes my stomach drop. “This is your fault. You could have prevented this. You’re one band now, which means it just needs to end.”
She’s not making sense as she changes what she wants every second. I can only hope this manic episode ends when the drugs wear off and soon.
“May, please,” I beg, trying to inject some sense into the thick air of panic. “You don’t want to do this. Think about what you’re doing!”
“Think?” she screeches, the knife wavering dangerously close to slicing skin. “I’ve thought of nothing else since you ruined everything!”
“Hey, hey, easy now,” I coax, my flirtatious tone absent, replaced by raw desperation. “We can talk this out, just put the knife down.”
“Talk?” Her laugh is high, hysterical. “There’s nothing left to say.” The blade presses closer, and Riley whimpers, a small, helpless sound that tears right through me.
Where is the damn security guard? She’s supposed to be here to help!
Her hand shakes, but the knife stays at my friend’s neck, a deadly promise. “You think you can charm your way out of everything, don’t you, ? Always the star of the show…”
Trevor shifts uncomfortably, his eyes darting between May and me. For a moment, I see the old Trevor, the one who managed our chaos with a stern hand but a caring heart. There’s conflict there, I realize, a chink in the armor May has thrown up around us all.
“Make your choice, Trevor,” I snap, seizing the flicker of doubt. “Are you part of this madness or the manager who looked out for us?”
His jaw clenches, and in the tense silence, I hold my breath.
The distant sound of sirens pierces the standoff like a beacon of salvation, cutting through the tension. May snaps her head towards the window, her momentary distraction allowing Riley to wrench away from the knife’s edge. Trevor’s eyes widen as realization dawns.
“Police! Open up!” The authoritative bang on the door shatters the last vestiges of May’s resolve. With a guttural cry, she drops the knife, and it clatters harmlessly to the floor.
As officers burst in, their stern commands fill the room. The sight of handcuffs locking around May and Trevor’s wrists is an unspoken chorus of relief. The danger that looms over us dissipates like smoke after a snuffed-out flame, leaving me shaking and scared.
“Are you okay?” An officer approaches me, his eyes scanning for injuries. His Scottish accent reminds me where we are.
“Yeah, I think so,” I manage, my voice a little less steady than I’d like. Relief crashes over me in waves, leaving my legs shaky. It’s over. We’re safe. My heart still races, but now it’s starting to calm down.
“Let’s get you out of here,” he says gently, guiding me towards the exit after I wrap the blanket around me.
I glance back at May, and a tangle of regret and fury fills me.
Stepping back towards her, I snap, “Women are supposed to support and uplift women, not tear them down. There was enough room for both of us to have success. It didn’t need to be this way.”
The moment the police usher May and Trevor out, the spa door bursts open again, and my world becomes a blur of motion and color. Jack’s white-blond hair is the first thing I see as he charges in, his blue eyes wild with worry. He wraps his arms around me so tightly that I can barely breathe, but I welcome the suffocation.
“, baby, you’re okay?” His voice is a mix of relief and fear.
“Jack…” I whisper, leaning into his embrace. I can finally exhale, the tension seeping from my body as if his touch is the only thing holding me together.
Then I’m enveloped in more warmth, more love. Chase’s sandy brown locks brush against my cheek, his green eyes reflecting the fierce protectiveness I feel in my heart.
“Damn it, , don’t scare us like that,” he murmurs, his voice carrying the tremble of barely-contained emotions.
“Wasn’t… exactly my plan,” I manage to reply, my lips twitching upwards. Even in the midst of chaos, the flirty banter comes as easy as breathing.
Dax pushes in next, his strong arms encircling us both. I rest my head against his chest, the steady thump of his heart grounding me. “You’re safe now,” he rumbles, and the gruffness in his voice belies the gentle way he strokes my hair.
“Knew you’d get here,” I say, finding solace in the hazel depths of his eyes.
And lastly, Aiden slips through, his spiky black hair a stark contrast to the others. He doesn’t say much, but his soft brown eyes are filled with an intensity that speaks volumes. He reaches for my hand, squeezing it with a promise of unspoken support.
“We will always come for you,” he whispers, and I squeeze back, grateful for his quiet strength.
We stand there, tangled in each other as they purr for me, the chaos around us fading into the background. My alphas have me, and nothing else matters—not the flashing lights, not the distant murmur of police radios.
“Apparently, the spa tipped off the press because they wanted the publicity. That’s how they knew you were here. Then, they bribed Alice, and she folded,” a grim voice cuts through the haze of relief. The head of our security team stands before us, his expression a mixture of anger and apology. “We found her sneaking out the back of the spa.”
“I can’t believe you let that happen,” Jack snaps at Saint, his hold on me tightening.
“It’s my biggest shame. If you can still trust us, there will be a complete overhaul overseen by me,” the security head assures us, his jaw set. “You’ll only be watched by my pack. This will never happen again.”
“Better not,” Dax growls, his protective nature roaring to the forefront. “Or you’ll answer to me.”
“Us,” Chase corrects him, and Aiden nods, their solidarity unshakeable.
“Thank you,” I tell Saint, feeling the weight of the day settle over me. But it’s different now. There’s no room for fear, not when my pack surrounds me, not when their love is the shield that guards my soul.
Chase turns and goes to Cate, pulling her into a tight hug while I extricate myself and hold Riley.
“I’m so sorry you were both dragged into this,” I tell them, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I never wanted that.”
“This is not your fault,” Riley snarls. “Those psychos needed to be dealt with, and now they are.”
“And you’re both okay?” I ask.
Cate pushes away from Chase and comes to join my hug with Riley. “Everyone is okay. We are tougher than we look. We all survived this.”
I hold both of them and reassure myself that they’re safe, and I didn’t miss anything.
The police join us and take our statements. Riley, Cate, and I tell them everything that happened, and they leave with a promise to handle the situation.
“Let’s all go back to the hotel,” I say, facing my alphas, my eyes meeting each of theirs. “I need to be with you all—now more than ever.”
“Home it is,” they chorus, and it’s music to my ears.
The door to the spa closes behind us with a soft click, and I take a deep breath. The outside world, with its dangers and uncertainties, fades away as I lean back into the circle of my alphas. Their arms are my fortress; their scents—coffee, cinnamon, caramel, and cookies—meld together in an intoxicating blend that grounds me.
“Are you okay, baby girl?” Jack’s voice is a low rumble against my ear, teasing and tender all at once.
“Getting there,” I quip, mustering a smile that feels more genuine than it has since I first realized something was wrong at the spa. Chase’s hand strokes my back, a soothing rhythm that whispers promises of safety and comfort. “Now that they’ve been arrested, I feel safe again.”
As we move toward the parking lot, our steps synchronize naturally, as if we were a single entity moving with purpose. The night embraces us, cool and serene, an open canvas for the rest of our lives.