27. The Source Of Our Ruin
The Source Of Our Ruin
~ICARUS~
“ Y ou’re quitting?!”
We all look at James as he shrugs his shoulders. Truthfully, I’m not expecting him to show the slightest bit of remorse for his fellow band members, but to see the actual relief stemming in his eyes and his eased posture proves this decision was only a matter of time.
The time has arrived.
“I’ve been wanting to quit for a while now,” James admits with no shame. His eyes scan our circle and land on the person who has been causing the tension in the room throughout this “emergency” meeting. “Besides, didn’t you tell me if I wasn’t going to give this shit my all, I should get the fuck out?”
I can’t stop myself from groaning, my hand moving to pinch my nose, so I don’t fucking lose my shit.
Stay calm. Losing it on this fucker isn’t going to change the fact James wants to depart from the band.
My brain is already moving on overdrive, trying desperately to think of a replacement. The frustrating part is no one in the industry comes to my mind.
Which means none are a good fit.
The only name that pops up isn’t even in the industry anymore.
Thanks to the negative Nancy glaring back at James as we speak.
“What do you mean?” Nate Jr. snaps.
His words still sound congested since his nose is in the works of healing after he needed surgery to correct it. Having to endure the cast bandaged sight of him is the only amusement I’m getting from this scenario.
“I didn’t mean what I said. I was just fucking with you!” he snaps. “You can’t fucking quit when we’re so close to this debut! Heck, there’s a whole new album on its way. How are you going to just ditch when your whole guitar set is recorded? You can’t get credit for that.”
“I don’t want credit,” James reveals. “You can have everything. Don’t need to add me to anything. I don’t want my name mentioned in this album. Actually, I no longer want to be associated with Blooming Salvation.”
I glance at Kenji and Kai. They seem intrigued by what James is saying as they sit next to one another on one of the couches near the massive dashboard of controls.
Kai doesn’t seem disappointed or surprised. His expression is neutral, as usual. Kenji looks completely intrigued by how this shit is going to turn about with the way his eyes are darting back and forth between James and Nate Jr.
Glancing at Rex, I can see the conflict on his face. I don’t want to blatantly call it out, but all my instincts are ringing in the depths of my mind.
“Rex.” His name leaves my lips before I can stop myself. No going back now. “What’s your take on this?”
When all eyes are on him, he lets out a sigh and proceeds to shrug.
“Don’t blame him for wanting to leave,” Rex answers and looks at me specifically. “I want out as well.”
“WHAT?” Nate Jr. screams.
I ignore him like we all are, Rex’s and James’ attention both on me.
Waiting for my reaction.
“Can I at least know why?” I calmly ask as I gesture to James. “If James wants to leave, I can grant that because we can find a guitarist when push comes to shove. However, finding a backup singer for vocals who can occasionally lead is like picking a needle in a haystack.”
“I’m aware,” Rex confesses, bowing his head, looking as though he genuinely feels bad. “However, staying in the band is eating me alive.”
I know Nate Jr. wants to say something, which is why I lift my hand and give him a warning just with my gesture. He has known me long enough not to go against my gestured order.
Especially at such a crucial moment.
“I’ll be honest. It feels as if fame is ruining me,” Rex reveals as he lifts his head so he can stare back at me. So, I can see a glimpse of his agony. “At the beginning, I strived to be in the space. To be among the world. Singing. Creating. Making something from scratch and allowing it to blossom felt so fucking good. I felt alive… as if I could do anything and feel so fulfilled. The attention was amazing… at first.”
I can see that spark of joy begin to fade from his expression, sadness clouding his gaze.
“Until it wasn’t. When people started digging into my business… trying to find my love interest, it struck a different chord inside me. A dangerous one. Triggering emotions I didn’t think brewed inside me until I struggled to contain them all,” he reveals. “I tried to drown them with alcohol. With drugs. Even with activities that induced a pinch of pain. I didn’t care, honestly. As long as I didn’t have to think about what was discovered. What was constantly ‘trending’ around the next step of actions done to find my love interest.”
I can see the layers of anger coming to the surface as he clenches his fingers into fists.
“Then the truth came out. The speculation is that the person I care about is six feet under. How easy it was for fans and people of interest to access me. Gain visibility of my life and my emotions. All because I’m a part of a band. All thanks to being a celebrity.” He lifts his hands up as if he can’t grasp the weight all of this has put on him. “I realized quickly how fucked up that is. How does the public have more control over my life than I do? How does that even make sense?”
“We’re supposed to be grateful to our fans,” Nate Jr. spurts, leaving Rex to slowly glare his way.
“Grateful?” If words could carry venom, that single word that seethed out of Rex’s lips would be the fatal blow to get rid of Nate Jr.’s existence. “Grateful to have your life monitored every fucking day. Every breathing instant. Having the whole fucking world make a trending topic on the person you love who got fucking kidnapped and enslaved. The fuckers who care more about making the most heinous headlines for clicks and views than trying to DO something about the situation at hand!”
“What are you expecting them to do?” Nate Jr. snaps. “To find the?—”
“YES!” Rex yells, silencing any form of argument as he slams his hands on the table in front of him that holds the various papers of our contracts.
The noise doesn’t make me flinch, but I can see the surprise in Kenji, Kai, and even James.
It’s the first time any of us have seen Rex lose his cool.
“You want to use my life to make fucking money? FIND MY OMEGA THEN! You want to trend and enjoy the benefits of constantly scrutinizing my every move, DO SOMETHING RIGHT BY HELPING ME! All everyone ever did was ‘wish me well.’ Good luck, bro. I hope you find them, my man. Get more popular and maybe the police will get involved. What kind of fuckery is all that?!” he says as his body shakes with rage. “What the fuck would you know? You have an Omega walk straight into your life, and you’re playing checkers. You wouldn’t fucking know what it means to lose them. To want to scavenge the world just to find them again. In fact, why would you care? All you’ve ever cared about is yourself.”
“That’s not true!”
“Oh fuck off,” Rex tosses back. “You don’t give a shit about this band! You have no fucking talent in comparison to everyone else in this damn room!”
He tries to argue, but Rex points at James.
“James has declined twenty various offers from other bands around the world for his guitar skills and expertise in the music industry,” Rex reveals and then points to Kenji. “Do you know how many people have BEGGED Kenji to contact them for solo contracts and long-term commitments because of how fucking badass he is on the drums? Don’t fucking even get me started on his vocals. You know that fucker you like to bring down and label as some lunatic has more talent than you can ever learn, and you’re scared he’ll sweep you away with just one solo chance. That’s why you don’t want him doing any background vocals, let alone getting a single solo on one fucking song. Nobody can take your shine.”
He then points to Kai, determined to get his point across.
“Always calling Kai a mute when he doesn’t even need to be here! He’s not even in the band! Not because he can’t be, but because you keep telling everyone he’s just a follower who comes around like some groupie.”
I see the way those words make Kai frown. Kenji looks just emotionally affected by the revelation.
“Yet, when you’re drunk and fucking girls on the tour bus, Kai can play on the guitar for hours, creating chords and entire songs that some can’t even master on a piano, let alone a fucking guitar!”
James surprisingly points to me.
“And look right here. The Jack of all Spades.”
Shit…
“You have all the talent in the world. The vocals. Able to play any instrument. You take charge like a manager should, but you should be trying to lead this shit. You should be the backup singer or on the front lines pushing Blooming Salvation’s debut to the grandest it can be!” He states all the facts I haven’t heard in a long while. He then points to Nate Jr.
“But no…. you protect this douche. You protect this fucker who thinks he’s the shit against EVERYONE! You know what a bastard he is to his fellow bandmates, and you barely DO anything about it. What kind of pack shit is this? If you saw this fucker kill someone, you’d just brush it under the rug.”
“Just say you’re jealous of my friends being loyal to me,” Nate Jr. huffs, rewarding him with a side glare from me while James laughs.
“Jealous?” he barks. “Of what?” He gestures his hand up and down, acknowledging Nate Jr.’s stature. “Tell me, why should I be jealous of a fake, wannabe artist who’s so desperate for fame that he’s willing to sell out his friends so they can never get ahead?”
“Now you’re just talking smack,” Nate Jr. brushes it off and even rolls his eyes, but James’ words leave me feeling confused.
“What?” I don’t see how Nate would be selling us out to get ahead.
“Oh, so you never noticed, huh?” James declares, grabbing the rest of our attention as he chuckles far too hard. It’s as if he’s been waiting for this grand moment to do this reveal.
“Notice what?” Kenji chips in, his curiosity obvious in his voice.
“Here comes a bunch of bullshi—” Nate Jr. begins, but my warning growl silences him immediately.
“Speak, James,” I order because I’m tired of wasting time.
“ I guess you didn’t overhear our fine lead singer selling our entire back catalog for cash last week.”
The way my heart skips a few beats has me feeling uneasy about the sudden news.
“Huh?” Kenji looks confused as he slowly glances over at Kai. “Our catalog? You mean all the songs we’ve been making over the last two years?”
“Yes,” James reveals as he glares at the culprit of this apparent disaster. “The only one he couldn’t add was whatever Kenji was making last week. The day you were in the other studio that’s usually booked two years out. I’m sure he tried, but that studio has different engineering, and apparently, Blair Vesper was signed up to use that studio, so the organizers went over and beyond to ensure everything was encrypted and protected from potential thieves trying to steal the samples.”
Blair… meaning Astraea was there. She booked the studio, and Kenji got to access it. She had to have done that on purpose. Was she in on this? No… if she was, would she have even told us yet?
We’ve been so busy; would she really have the opportunity to let us know?
“This is fuckery! I didn’t do shit.”
“Oh, really? I’m just crazy, huh?” James counters and points my way. “Call Sterling. Ask what our current catalog for the album is.”
I frown at the command, hating taking orders from anyone, but the way the insides of my stomach are tossing and turning means something is wrong.
Pulling out my phone, I press the single button that has Sterling on speed dial. That’s how often I call the asshole who manages multiple bands across America. I’m thankful we’re friends and business partners because it gives me access to things no one else can manage to get, but if this shit is true, I’m gonna wonder why he didn’t tell me.
“Sterling speaking.”
“Hey. I don’t want to waste your time ‘cause I know you’re probably busy?—”
“Shut up, Icarus. I ain’t busy shit. What’s up?”
I have to try not to roll my eyes due to the seriousness of the matter.
“Been talking with Blooming Salvation members, and?—”
“I was going to call you about that,” Sterling interrupts. “Why the fuck did y’all sell your catalog? Didn’t some of those songs take months to create? Heck, probably a year.”
A chilled wave of dread runs through me.
“Fucking hell,” Rex whispers, clearly observing my expression that I’m not sure I’m hiding well at all.
“Icarus.” Kai’s voice is filled with urgency, which means I really don’t look well, but I need to process this correctly.
To acknowledge this isn’t some bullshit.
“Sterling. You’re not shitting me, right?”
“Why would I?” he questions in return. “Known your driven ass for years. I wasn’t in charge of the sale, or I would have called you immediately when it was happening. I was in Vegas that week for an emergency show. Only found out last night when the finalized contracts arrived. Are you boys disbanding because you can’t find an Omega or something?”
“No…” I mutter and slowly look at Nate Jr. to see the nervousness brewing in his eyes. “Not yet.”
“Not yet? What the fuck is happening? First, it was the tour being delayed, and now you sell your whole catalog? You realize if you go on tour and sing even one song from your backlist, the whole band will be struck with a lawsuit, right?”
“Icarus,” Kenji’s the one who speaks, but it’s not registering.
Nothing wants to register.
“It wasn’t my say,” I declare, realizing how cold my voice sounds.
Cold, and yet my insides are boiling.
“No shit. Sold to the highest bidder. Went for millions. Your bro honestly lowballed on such a massive catalog. Could have easily gone for billions with how you guys have been popular with these last few weeks and potential tour coming up. What was the name of the buyer…fuck. Sol…something. Ugh. I’ll get the name for you and call you back.”
I hear the door opening with a creak, but I’m trying to fight the prickling anger that’s coursing through me.
“Cool.” It’s the only word I can get out as Sterling hangs up. He doesn’t even have to say goodbye, or maybe I don’t hear it. My ears are ringing.
“What the…” Rex whispers while James chuckles.
“Oh, look. That was the next thing I was going to bring up,” James declares. “The only one who probably doesn’t know about Nathaníel 2.0 is Rex. Look at your real lead singer banished away because of our boy’s selfishness.”
“W-What the fuck are you doing here?” Nate Jr. demands before he growls. “And why the hell did you bring her?”
Even the sweet scent that hits my nostrils can’t calm this maddening rage inside me.
“Icarus?” There’s our little Omega’s concerned voice, but I can barely breathe. “What’s wrong with him? He’s pale.”
I’m so fucking angry.
“Hold on, Rebel,” I hear Nathaníel urge, and thank God he holds her back because I can’t think straight right now.
“Oh, he just found out that your copy over there sold our entire music catalog to the highest bidder,” James reveals, as if this is the grand scheme of everything. “So, guess what? There isn’t going to be a tour. How can there be a tour with no fucking music?”
“We… can’t perform,” Kenji whispers.
“We perform one fucking song, it’s a lawsuit,” James exclaims. “All thanks to this selfish bastard who sold it behind our backs!”
“Nathan,” Nathaníel growls in warning. “You didn’t.”
“I did, alright?!” he snaps. “My pals were in a jam because they don’t have an Omega and got rejected and shit. They needed help, and they’ve helped me plenty of times when I need rut blockers and other stuff to keep me going. I had to return the favor somehow but didn’t have enough funds to do so!”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“The tour was going to be canceled sooner or later. With the whole trending rumors of Kai and Kenji all over the place, I wasn’t going to let us go on that stage and be booed at!”
“Trending rumors?” I hear the firmness of our little Omega’s voice. It seems to be the only thing getting through to me. “What rumors. What have you been spreading?”
“Me?!” Nate Jr. snaps. “I didn’t do shit.”
“You defending yourself immediately says you did,” she huffs. “What did you say?”
“Rumors have it, Drummer Kenji is dating billionaire mute Kai Alastor,” Rex reads off a headline, and I can see the glow of his phone as he turns it around the room. “And a picture of them looking like they kissed.”
“They are kissing,” Astraea declares, as if it’s not a big deal. “That was taken in the studio. That wasn’t public. How did they get that picture, and even if they’re dating, who cares? Their relationship is no one’s business.”
“It’s a problem,” Rex mutters in dismay. “Because they don’t have an Omega. At least no one knows publicly. If you don’t have an Omega, it makes it look bad. Like you’re fucking around with one another because you don’t want to commit to an Omega. Also, most Omegas don’t allow gay shit in their packs. It looks like rebellious behavior in the eyes of everyone because the government perceives it that way.”
“That’s bullshit,” Astraea gasps. “So, if their Omega is fine with it, then the world is all fine and dandy with it? When did that start?”
“Since the movement,” James confesses. “And honestly, maybe it’s going to take a bold Omega standing on business and being fine with their Omegas having affection with one another to initiate that change, but until then, the rumors are circulating. This image is all over the place, and it’s only going to get worse now that our catalog was sold.”
“S-Sold?” Astraea gasps. “W-Who sold the catalog?!”
“Our fine leader over here,” James gestures to Nate Jr. “The same one who took the studio photo of Kenji and Kai and leaked it to the tabloids to make more money to give to his ‘pack of friends’ who were in a tight spot than the REAL loyal friends around you who would sacrifice an arm and leg for your success!”
“I didn’t fucking do it,” Nate huffs.
“Okay.” The stomps that follow have all eyes on the Omega, who’s in Nate’s face in a heartbeat. It’s so abrupt, even he flinches in surprise—or maybe in fear of getting punched, kicked, or another broken limb. “Give me your phone.”
“W-What?”
“Give me your phone,” Astraea repeats. “If you didn’t take the photo, then you can show me your photo gallery on your phone.”
When the realization registers on Nate’s Jr. face, he huffs and looks away.
“You ain’t getting shit.”
This son of a bit ? —
“Who did you sell the catalog to?” Astraea demands. “We can fix this. We can just buy it back with a better deal, and the tour will be fine.”
“You can’t buy it back,” Nate Jr. snaps. “It’s a final sale.”
“Nothing in this industry is a final sale,” she argues. “Unless it’s on the contract, it’s not, and there’s only one company I’ve heard of that does final sale on deals in the industry.”
“S. Music Clef Corp,” Nate Jr. boldly announces, forcing all eyes on him. “They work with Blair Vesper. That’s why I sold it to them.”
“Are you fucking mad?!” I snap, realizing we’re never going to be able to get those songs back. “You sold the work your fellow bandmates have been spending long twelve- to sixteen-hour days for the last three weeks to S. Music Clef Corp, who will now sell it for billions in revenue with the premise that Blair Vesper wrote it, creating a ripple of bidding wars to make quadruple the profit.”
“Quadruple is an understatement. Even ten times whatever cheap fuck price you listed for all our work isn’t even good enough to describe the profit they’ll make,” Rex whispers and looks defeated. “You really sold the work your true friends spent hours on to a set of fuckers who don’t give two shits about you. While we all worked hard in the hollows of various studios and on the tour bus, you just laid down and recovered from being punched by an Omega.”
“Shut the fuck up, Rex,” he snaps and points to Astraea. “She fucking cheated any?—”
Astraea simply lifts her clenched fist, and Nate Jr. flinches backward with his hands up in defense.
“Fuck! Don’t break my nose again! I can’t afford the medical bills for this shit.”
“After you sold your band’s hard work, I’m sure you can spend a few thousand to get another nose job!” Astraea growls, clearly angry with it all. “You really sold out your friends. THESE FRIENDS who ALWAYS have your back! Do you have no fucking morals? You didn’t learn NOTHING from your sister’s death, huh?”
I can see the flinch of hurt that washes over his face the moment Astraea brings up Suzy, the sudden spike of defensiveness that takes over his being.
“You don’t know fucking shit.”
“I know enough to conclude you’re a fucking jackass!” she snaps right back. “You don’t deserve a pack! You don’t even deserve friends because who would want to be friends with someone who will throw them under the bus with any opportunity that benefits them?”
“As if you’d know shit. You don’t have friends.”
“Oh, I do. I at least have a best friend who has my back when I need her. If push comes to shove, she knows I’ll protect her assets and reputation in any circumstance, but look at you. How must it feel?” she snarls and narrows her eyes with scrutiny. “To know you set up this tour for failure from the very beginning.”
“And how did I do that, Omega?!”
“You enlisted in the pack that your Omega was dead,” she reveals, drawing our attention to her.
“What?” Kenji questions, his voice void of emotion.
“If you list your Omega as dead in a pack, the government only gets to invite you to major Meet and Greets once a year. Any other opportunities are pushed to the side, and your pack is put on a different list, so you’re not informed of any events that can further open your chances of meeting an Omega.”
When everyone looks at Nate Jr., he can’t even lie to defend himself. His shock proves he’s guilty.
“You know why you guys were invited to that last Meet and Greet?” she begins, ready to reveal more truth. She turns to point the way, causing my anger to subside only slightly, so I don’t frighten her with my venomous expression.
“Knox.” She says my father’s name with confidence, leaving me to frown because I don’t understand. “Knox saw Icarus’ reaction in the gym and decided he wanted to try to set things up between us with an actual meeting. He requested Velvet to check the database and confirm whether a Meet and Greet was approaching. Who would have thought they would find that the pack leader had made very clear instructions that no Meet and Greets should be offered to their pack due to them still mourning their DEAD Omega?”
I’m not the only one whose jaw goes slack at the truth.
Sure, we went to Meet and Greets, but it wasn’t often. Not like how I saw other packs complaining about having to go to weekly ones and grand international events that partnered them with Omegas from across the world.
“Your fearsome leader over there never cared about the pack. He cared about himself,” she declares. “He fucked any Omega he wanted because he aimed to find an Omega that would suit his needs. Not the pack’s needs. Since he’s such a selfish nut case, the idea of sharing an Omega with his fellow packmates made him upset. So, why not just set your chances of finding an Omega down to five percent? That’s the calculated percentage the government gave the pack since you guys were excluded from any offered opportunity to meet an Omega?”
“You orchestrated it so we’d never find an Omega,” Kai whispers in disbelief. “I knew you were a bastard, but even for you, this is the lowest I thought you’d go.”
“None of you needed an Omega!” Nate Jr. argues. “Y’all were recovering from whatever shit you were dealing with.”
“No.” I boldly step in, taking the few steps needed to land me right in front of him. I see how his entire body grows tense in my presence. Maybe everyone is feeling it because my Alpha instincts are buzzing intensely. “YOU were recovering from losing Suzy. The loss YOU instigated.”
“I-I didn’t do shit! It was that copycat fucker!” He points past me, clearly aiming for Nathaníel. I can see the creeping smile at the corner of Nate Jr.’s lips as he’s ready to scrutinize his older brother, but a layer of surprise washes over his face, forcing me to follow my nagging instinct to move.
I make a sharp step to the right—just in time as Nathaníel’s fist goes flying into Nate Jr.’s face. The loud crunch makes everyone cringe as Nate Jr.’s screams fill the studio’s walls. It’s a good thing the room is soundproof, but I doubt that would stop Nathaníel from unleashing his punch of revenge.
“YOU KILLED SUZY!” he yells at the top of his lungs. It’s as if those three words have been begging to echo into the hollows of the world for years. “You set her up with a pack for money! Sold her to them so you could make enough to start your career to create a band that the world will go crazy for! By the time we knew what was going on, Suzy was clinging to life by a thread! All because you needed a few million dollars for YOUR start-up!”
Nathaníel is shaking, his fists clenched in fury.
“You used the sample audition I did to secure your deal with the industry and threatened to tell the world I was the one who instigated the deal that swept Suzy out of America and into the hands of those fuckers who did nothing but rape and abuse her!” he shouts and points at his little brother. “You ruined my relationship with my parent. Destroyed the friendship I had with the very people in this room. You made me an outcast after pouring my heart and soul into creating a safe space for myself and my dreams and continued to blackmail me to do your bidding, even when I was in Europe!”
“He’s a twin,” Rex whispers.
“Older twin,” James answers. “Nate’s been using his voice the entire time. I found out when I overheard him threatening to leak shit online about him killing Suzy if he didn’t get the audio files in time. I couldn’t say anything because I knew he’d used his tactics on me while acting like an innocent fucker. Today was the only chance I could think of to ‘tell it all’ and quit, knowing nothing can be used against me anymore.”
“I’ve put my life on hold for your success. For you to achieve this level of fame and prosperity you’re desperate to experience like some kind of grand prize!” Nathaníel screams. “And yet, you keep ruining my life. Keep interfering like some sort of disease that wishes to rot every ounce of happiness that sparks in the hollows. You disrespect everyone around you but want to be given respect as if it was earned. We’re all tired of it.”
“All? You’re talking for yourself. I’ve been doing this pack a favor. Without me, this band wouldn’t have reached this far. I’m the mastermind! You guys would have disbanded ages ago!”
“That’s what you think?” Kai speaks up. I see him and Kenji stand up before they walk over to where James and Rex are standing. I notice how they’re holding hands, proving a strong message back to Nate Jr. as he briefly pulls his gaze away to acknowledge the proud display of touch. “That without you, this pack wouldn’t thrive? That we wouldn’t grow closer to one another and walk a path that benefits us as a whole? You don’t acknowledge what an insignificant piece you are in this equation.”
“Insignificant piece?” Nate Jr. exclaims, clearly offended. “I could walk away right now. The pack that I’m helping financially would ADORE me. Take me in with open arms, and we could get whatever Omega I desire that will please every single command that leaves these lips!”
“Then do it.”
All eyes land on me as my cold demeanor proves I’m over this nonsense.
Tired of babysitting this fucker who’s willing to throw our happiness over the bus while preserving everything he desires in life.
The best friend I’ve yearned to protect for all these years no longer exists in the shell of this person standing before me. He’s changed—tainted by those who seek nothing but his own demise—but until he trips and falls into his own downfall, he’ll never see what a blessing our pack really was.
What a blessing having someone like Astraea as our Omega can do to change the course of our success in this world.
“ Walk away,” I encourage almost too calmly as I stare right into his eyes while taking the steps needed to land right in front of him. “You talk bullshit again and again, trying to prove that the world needs you like you’re the key piece in keeping us all together, so why not test the theory?”
“Y-You’re being serious?” Nate Jr. mockingly laughs when he looks at me as though I’ve lost my fucking mind. “You guys would be ruined without me!” He gestures to Astraea, who’s still behind Nathaníel. “What? You think because of that BITCH, you guys are going to be successful?!”
I tilt my head enough to make it crack before I enjoy the loud sound of my knuckles cracking, drawing Nate Jr.’s attention to my fingers. They hang loose as I spread them out and wiggle each, but my point has been made.
“That’s the only time I’ll let you insult our Omega in front of my face and let it slide,” I warn with a low voice of emotionless wonder. “Insult her again, though, and you’ll have more than a broken nose, which you should stop wasting time and get checked before it becomes permanently crooked.” He knows from my deadpan look that I’m not joking, which has him hacking before his eyes seem to remain on my neck for a long moment.
“Ah…” he whispers, as if he finally solved a puzzle. “I get it now.” He points a finger my way, taunting it up and down like I’ve been a bad boy, ready to be scolded by his mother. “She claimed you.”
I frown at his words, trying to figure out what he’s talking about, but he points my way before he’s pointing to Kai, then at Kenji. I can see the lightbulb going off in his head, and his manic laughs almost sound agonizing to listen to.
“And you and you. Now, I get it,” he says, more to himself before he’s pointing to Nathaníel. “Guess you’re next, right?!”
“What the fuck are you even talking ab?—”
“SHE CLAIMED Y’ALL!” Nate screams loud enough to make us all flinch.
I instinctively look to Astraea, making sure she’s at a safe distance just in case Nate Jr. is losing his fucking mind.
“You guys think I’m stupid? You guys always think I’m a complete idiot. A fool who can’t see through the lines.” He shakes his head and huffs before wiping away the blood dripping from his nose.
“But I ain’t blind,” he snarls as he glares around the room. “Those marks on your necks have been there for weeks. You think I didn’t notice?”
I feel more confused than ever, but when I glance over at Kai and Kenji, they’re looking at one another and the visible hickey marks on their necks.
The more I think about it, the more I realize we haven’t been too intimate with Astraea these last few days because of everything going on. Heck, aside from kissing, hugs, cuddles, and handholding, we haven’t gotten deep into lovemaking to have hickeys lingering on our flesh.
Which means…
“Wait,” Astraea speaks up. “They’re not going away?” Poor thing sounds confused and almost horrified, but the truth lingers in the air.
They won’t go away… meaning…
Laughter echoes from the side of the room, forcing us to look at Kai as he’s the culprit of the surprisingly happy chuckle.
“Fucking perfect,” he praises and looks to Kenji. “Guess I’m gonna have to ride home and share the news.”
“It’s legit,” Kenji questions more to himself. “Heck, I didn’t realize. I mean… I was worried about it when it wasn’t fading away, but it looked pretty nice. I was gonna get it tattooed.”
“Don’t need to do that,” Kai teases and pushes him lightly in a playful manner. “It’s fucking permanent. It never fades.”
“So, it’s a done deal,” Kenji whispers. “We’re marked by Astraea.”
“Holy shit,” she curses in horror and looks around. “B-B-But… aren’t you guys mad?! Why are you happy?”
“Who wouldn’t be head over heels for being claimed by an Omega they actually like?” Rex surprisingly mutters, drawing our eyes to him as he shrugs and looks directly at Astraea. “Could see from day one that you liked them. The commitment was like burning flames in your eyes. Guess you just needed your body to do the deed and lay down your claim before your mind caught up.” He almost seems proud of her as he smiles while his face softens a bit.
“An Omega knows when they’re in a pack that will protect and cherish them even before it catches up to their mind. You laid your mark instinctively without realizing you were marking territory. It’s something that rarely happens, so you should be proud. You’re stuck with these three fuckers.” He nudges his head over to Nathaníel. “I’m sure he’s next. Make sure you choose the right twin, though. That one,”—he moves his head nudge to Nate…“is the biggest douche on the block.”
“Isn’t that right,” James huffs. “And he’s no longer in your guys’ pack, anyway. He said he can thrive on his own, right? You guys don’t need him. All this talk is because he’s jealous he wasn’t intuitively marked like Icarus, Kai, and Kenji.”
James is stating facts because it riles Nate Jr. up.
“I don’t need to be marked by no Omega to be worth immense value,” Nate declares with pride. “I don’t need any of you. My career is secured. I got money. I can go solo. You’re the fuckers who are over. Blooming Salvation is through!” He points to James.
“He’s leaving your group.” His pointed finger moves over to Rex. “Just like him. You guys aren’t going to find a lead singer and guitarist in time for the tour. Your entire album catalog is sold, and you can’t go creating a new song list in time. So, you’re fucked!” He summarizes and dares to laugh. “You want to buy the catalog back, go ahead and try. S. Music Clef Corp won’t do it.”
“Why not?” Astraea questions.
“I told you,” he snaps back at her. “All sales are final.”
“Bet on it,” Astraea suggests and walks over to us. I can see the tension shift in the room, but I support whatever our little Omega is plotting by stepping back enough so her small frame can fit right between me and Nate Jr.
She may be taking a stance, but it doesn’t stop my nagging need to keep a hold on her, my arm snaking around her waist lightly. She doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest while her attention is focused on Nate Jr.
“Bet on it?” he repeats his words. “Fine. If you’re able to get your album back, I’ll not only leave the pack and band, but I’ll never interfere in your fucking existence again. I don’t need any of these fuckers as friends, anyway. Not with you tainting their minds and dicks.”
It’s sad to acknowledge the way his admission hurts. The pain is just a pinch, but it proves how sacrificial I was for a friendship that wasn’t strong enough to weather through a storm.
“Fine,” she agrees. “If I lose, I leave the pack, and they can find another Omega.”
“Rebel.” Nathaníel’s low, rumbling voice only makes her smile blossom while Nate Jr smirks defiantly.
“Deal!” he proudly declares and puts his hands in the air. “What magic trick are you going to do, huh?”
She doesn’t respond to his provoking methods. All she does is pull out her phone and dial a number. Putting it on speaker, we listen to it ring before it’s picked up on the third ding.
“S. Music Clef Corp. Emma speaking.”
“Hello, Emma. I’d like to make a quick request,” Astraea speaks confidently, her tone affirmative and strong. It’s so different from her usual harmonic and whimsical voice. “An album was sold to the Corp by Blooming Salvation. I’d like to request its return.”
Nate Jr. is snickering and shaking his head while the rest of us are completely confused as to how she can just “request” that.
“Ah. Yes, Ms. Soleil! I see here that the album and the catalog were sold to our Corp for five million. You’d want us to reverse the transaction?”
Our Corp? Us?
I’m not the only one whose eyes are wide with confusion, but it’s Nate Jr.’s baffled expression that’s winning this apparent contest in the shock department.
“Not necessarily,” Astraea comments. “I’d like the seller to keep the change. It was a lowball deal with such an exquisite list of creative masterpieces. I’m sure Blair Vesper will be interested in expanding their catalog, seeing as they got the chance to review the potential list of songs on the album. Guaranteed that at least five will hit the global number-one seller list if not take the entire top ten with the right promotion. We’ve been getting calls all afternoon with interest, but Blooming Salvation has informed me of their rebrand and evolution.”
“That’s amazing news, Miss Soleil. I can process the reverse of rights, so Blooming Salvation will own its catalog. That should also give them the approval to continue their tour despite previous agreements. I’ll write and confirm the new contract for them to sign. Would you like to contact them yourself with the news?” she wonders. “I’m sure speaking with the CEO of Soleil Music Clef Corp. would be an honor to them.”
Soleil… Music Clef Corp…
Every single eye is on our little Omega as the realization finally settles in.
I don’t need to see her face to imagine the sly grin forming on those smooth, taunting lips.
“You know what? That would be a brilliant idea. I’ll set up a meeting with them for an hour. I’m sure they’re in the studio we booked for their usage at their tour spot, so it won’t be difficult to reach them, seeing as I’m in the area. I’ll handle it, but getting those contracts sorted would be much appreciated.”
“Yes, Miss Soleil. I’ll do this straight away. Should I inform the seller of the change?”
“Not necessary,” she assures her assistant. “He’ll find out sooner or later.”
“Very well. I’ll get to it.”
“Excellent. We will stay in touch.”
When she hangs up, no one can utter a word. Echoed silence drills the realization that Astraea isn’t simply an Omega working as someone who aids artists to create.
“You…” Nate Jr. struggles to find words. “You lied to us!”
“In what way?”
“You never said you owned a fucking music company.”
“You never asked,” she acknowledged. “I told you my name was Astraea. That I worked with artists and helped specifically in connecting with the right people who can further create and excel in the music industry.”
She purposely pauses, as if to emphasize her statement.
“You never once asked to know about me. More about my career or regular daily tasks. I don’t remember you requesting my last name, assuming it doesn’t matter because I’m probably some nobody Omega who needs Alphas for financial benefit. You made that assumption very clear by emphasizing my stay at the Haven like some homeless waste of space.”
I realize none of us asked about her family background. Sure, she expressed what went down between her mom and her dad and his pack, but it never dawned on me to ask something as simple as her surname. Stalking and retrieving that information was a priority, and I did my initial research, but being this successful independently as an Omega—and even hiding her true identity as Blair Vesper — is a huge achievement.
“So, I’ll make it clear so this assumption of yours doesn’t nest in your head and convenience you otherwise,” she concludes. “My name is Astraea Soleil. Daughter of Mr. Soleil, one of the CEOs of the multi-billionaire Stock Market Institute. He’s a founding member with the rest of his pack, creating opportunities for various Alphas around the world in finance. He has plenty of other gigs, but you’re not worth explaining that to.”
“Meaning you’re rich…” James quietly acknowledges.
“I’m already a multi-billionaire by myself,” she declares. “I have multiple businesses and roles on my own. I started my first when I was eight because my mother said I could never make a successful lemonade stand.”
There’s something about the way she says it that has the corner of my lips lifting in amusement. A quick glance at the others proves they’re having similar thoughts.
A little girl with pouting lips, looking defiantly at her mom, vowing to prove her wrong.
“Besides, I didn’t think it was necessary to reveal when you wanted nothing to do with me,” she acknowledges. “You despising me didn’t hurt. I don’t know. Omega senses never really reacted to you, but now that I understand your pack’s dynamic and how you intentionally made it, so you’d have a way out of any situation, it confirms how weak your bond is with your fellow friends.”
“Weak?” Nate Jr. accentuates the word. “Their resilience in accepting me as a leader is the problem!”
“No.” She shakes her head. “No matter Omegas or Alphas, our instincts react first before our brains catch up. It’s in our genetic makeup to have those warning signals because that’s what protects us in a society that has a primitive side to its existence.” She speaks as if she knows all the details of how Alpha and Omegas work.
“I believe your pack knew long ago that you weren’t good for the pack. That the bond you’re supposed to share wasn’t strong enough, but they wanted to give you a chance. To allow time to be the best medicine and hope you’d grow into the leader you could be. However, I guess time proved you were never meant to lead this pack.”
“You don’t know shit,” he discards with an added flick of his hand. “Your input doesn’t even matter. None of this matters anymore. I don’t need any of you fuckers. Blooming Salvation is ruined with me leading the way. I’m the beacon of light in this music world, and no replacement is going to overshadow my talent and success.”
He has to be delusional to dare think so highly of his contribution to this band. It makes whatever layers of anger remain in me fade because I no longer see the point or value in wasting my effort on someone so lost in their own delusion of pride and success.
“Then feel free to leave and find out,” Astraea declares. “Like you said, you can find another pack so easily who acknowledges your talent and success. Heck, you can go to the pack you helped save from financial doom.” She shrugs. “But I do want to say one thing.”
“And what’s that?” Nate Jr. snaps back at her, getting far too close to her face for my comfort. It takes everything for me to stand my ground while my arm snakes around Astraea’s waist, reminding her that I’m present. Her body is still relaxed despite the closeness of Nate’s overpowering demeanor.
“When you walk out this door, that’s it,” she simply puts it. “There’s no going back. No fixing this. The relationship you have with the people in this room who’ve supported and loved you will become nonexistent. That damage will be irreversible.”
She lets her words shimmer in the air while she stares directly into Nate Jr.’s eyes.
“Nothing can be undone… and you’ll have to live with the regret and consequences that follow. Understood?”
He laughs before leaning back and looking down at our Omega as though her words mean nothing.
“This pack will regret choosing your weak, little cunt over me.”
He doesn’t wait for anyone to react to his words. He grabs his leather jacket from the chair while wiping his dripping broken nose, which I’m surprised is still functioning. I realize he must be on something to not be in severe pain.
On some sort of drug… which may explain his current reaction and behavior.
“You guys made your bed,” Nate declares boldly as he reaches the door. “Choosing an Omega over me is going to be your biggest mistake. Enjoy lying in your regret, all thanks to that bitch.”
He slams the door behind him.