Chapter 4
Beckham
My foot bounces on the linoleum tile, tapping out an unsteady rhythm that betrays the nerves I can’t seem to get rid of.
“How did you even figure out which hospital she was in?” I mumble, turning to Leo.
He glances up from his phone, probably monitoring all the headlines coming out after the chaos that was last night. Cool as a cucumber, like always.
“I have my ways,” he says confidently, his shoulders—broad for a beta and built from years of swimming—shrug. “Plus, this was obviously really important to you.”
“Thank you,” I sigh, deflating into the hard plastic chair.
My burnt caramel scent starts to sour with my growing anxiety. The sterile environment of the empty exam room, all harsh bright lights and cold hard floors don’t help.
I hate that omega side of me. I should be grateful the star-struck beta nurse took mercy on us and brought us here when people started to notice me in the general waiting room.
But instead, all I can think of is the omega from last night—Andromeda Sterling—being stuck in a room like this.
Is she as bothered by the harshness as I am? She is an omega, after all.
Her name is breathtaking—just like she is. It doesn’t matter that she was covered in blood and scared out of her mind. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frozen on my knees in front of Eli’s undone zipper because I was shocked at how stunning she was.
“This is a bad fucking idea,” Eli grumbles, his boot furiously tapping on the linoleum floor.
“Wow, I didn’t know you were that cold-hearted, Eli,” Leo says. “The girl looked like she was in bad shape, from the pictures.”
“She was,” I cut in. “There was so much blood, it was insane.”
I clutch the flowers we bought on the way, the cellophane wrapping crinkling under my fingers.
“But she saw us,” Eli growls, lowering his voice, even though we were given a private room to wait in.
“She also promised she wouldn’t tell,” I murmur, picking at my cuticles.
“Stop that,” Eli bites out, smacking my hands and nearly sending the flowers scattering to the floor.
“You’re a caveman!” I huff, clutching the flowers closer to my chest.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Eli grumbles, sitting back with his arms crossed over his chest.
He’s wearing a black button-up shirt today. One he’s nearly exploding out of.
Normally, it’s all old graphic T-shirts and ripped jeans, but he’s dressed up today. Because technically, he’s here in an official capacity as my manager.
This whole thing with Andromeda has blown up far bigger than I ever would’ve thought it would when I was helping her into the ambulance.
“We’ll go in and talk with her, if we can,” Leo says, ever the mediator between Eli and I’s drastically different ends of the emotional spectrum. “Figure out where her head is at after everything. I’m sure last night was traumatic for her. And we’ll also make sure that you’re protected, Beck.”
“Okay,” I nod, inhaling a shaky breath. “I can do that.”
There’s a knock at the door of our hospital exam room turned private waiting room.
“Hello!” Leena, the cheery young beta nurse, says, peeking her head in. “I just spoke with Miss Sterling. She’s awake now!”
“Is she—is she willing to see us?” I ask, perched on the edge of my seat.
“Yes, I’ll show you to her room,” Leena nods.
“Thank you for giving us a private room,” Leo says, offering her a nod of thanks.
“Of course! Anything for you guys. Congrats on your Grammy, by the way,” Leena says. “I’ve been listening to your music ever since I heard your cover of Breathe Me! Literally brought me to tears, your voice is angelic. You so deserve it, especially after you’ve started releasing your own music!”
Leena’s enthusiasm soothes my frayed nerves, and my burnt caramel perfume sweetens ever so slightly.
“Really?” I say, flashing her a bright smile. “I sang that cover forever ago, thanks for supporting my music!”
One thing I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of is meeting people who are genuine fans of my music.
There’ve been a lot of people who’ve shown interest in me and my career because of my designation and its allure, but there’s something special to me about the people who actually care about the part of this whole thing that means the world to me.
“Of course!” Leena smiles, guiding us down the hall.
There’s a part of me that thinks I was destined for this life. Destined to share my music and art with the world. Make people feel things. Give them a little window into my brain.
There’s an even bigger part of me that worries that no one would even give a damn if I weren’t an omega.
“You okay?” Eli murmurs, his voice a low vibration through the air.
“Hmm?”
“Your scent,” he says, his eyes scanning the hallway for any signs of danger.
Oh. I need to get better at that.
I take a deep, steadying breath, offering Eli a reassuring smile.
“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks.”
He notices everything, always has, and probably always will.
Which is why I avert my gaze as quickly as I can.
We still haven’t had a chance to talk about what happened between us last night.
Probably because I’m a wimpy piece of shit who hates confrontation of any kind.
What would be worse? Him telling me that it was a mistake, or him saying everything is okay when I know deep down that it’s not?
I’d rather just not know—ignorance is bliss and all that.
“This is her room. Please let me know if you need anything,” Leena says, gesturing to a closed door.
“Thanks, Leena,” I say, flashing her a smile that feels much tighter than the one I gave her earlier.
“You’re thinking an awful lot,” Leo murmurs, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “You good?”
“I’m fine.” I nod.
I have something else to focus on right now. Having Andromeda Sterling collapse in my arms last night, covered in blood from a head wound, showed me that there are people with much bigger problems than mine. I’m lucky. Even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time.
The moment I step foot into the hospital room, I can’t help but feel like something is... off.
For one, there are half a dozen people in the room just as sterile and harsh as the one we were waiting in, and none of them seem at all concerned about the person they’re here to see. None of them makes any move to greet us, either.
Andromeda is curled on the hospital bed, her knees tucked up to her chest. There’s tension in her shoulders and a tightness in her expression. Maybe it’s from the fact that she was just assaulted last night, but something tells me it’s not just that.
Maybe it’s an omega thing. But her chamomile scent carries bitter notes that are too fresh for comfort.
When I can’t take the terribly awkward silence a second longer, I take a step closer to Andromeda’s hospital bed.
“Hi, Andromeda,” I say, offering her a soft smile. “Sorry to intrude, I just really wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Call me Andi,” she says, her voice a little rough.
Behind the curtain of her tangled hair, I can see the hint of dark purple bruises around her neck. Fingerprints.
My caramel scent burns in the air, betraying the anger that flares low in my belly. Who would do that to her?
A monster, that’s who.
Eli shifts behind me, clearing his throat. The noise snaps me out of my daze, and I work on reeling my scent back in.
“Andi, got it,” I say, jerking my gaze back up to her eyes.
She has sharp, dark eyes and a gently sloping nose that leads to full lips. The bruising at her temple and the miserable expression she’s wearing don’t detract from her striking, enchanting beauty.
“Well, Andi, these are for you,” I say, awkwardly lifting the flowers I have in my arms to break the silence that’s sunken into the crevices of the room.
Her eyes flicker down to the flowers in genuine surprise.
“Those look like funeral flowers,” she murmurs, her lips quirking up into a small smile.
My gaze jerks down, and I wince.
Damn. They really do. They’re all white.
It was kind of intentional on my part. All the other bouquets the florists had looked too romantic. I didn’t want to make things awkward for her since I know she’s supposed to have a boyfriend.
I try to avoid reading about myself, but after last night, it was hard to Google Andi and not see my name floating around somewhere.
“I like them,” she adds, probably feeling mercy on me after seeing my panicked expression.
“You do?” I ask, my shoulders relaxing.
She nods before leaning her chin on her knees.
“This is perfect, absolutely perfect!” the tall beta man in a suit that feels far too pressed for a hospital says, clapping his hands together.
I don’t like the look in his eyes. It’s hungry. Like he looks at me and sees dollar signs.
That same hungry expression remains on his face when his gaze darts to Andi.
That weird feeling I had when I first stepped into the room returns.
“Mr. Knight, it’s so nice to make your acquaintance,” he says, stalking closer to me, his hand outstretched in greeting.
Eli steps forward, making the beta stop in his tracks, his eyes going wide.
“And who are you?”
“Elijah Castillo,” Eli grunts, his massive arms crossed over his chest. “Beckham’s manager. And you are?”
“Oh, well, I’m Stuart, the Sterling’s publicist.” The beta tugs awkwardly at the front of his suit.
The room fills with tension with the strange posturing going on in front of me. I don’t miss the way Andi’s eyes dart between Eli and I. She’s connecting the dots from last night. We’ll have to talk to her about that.
Preferably without half a dozen people in the room.
“And I’m Gina Sterling,” the other omega in the room says, stepping forward and extending her hand to Eli to shake.
I immediately know I don’t like her. I know Eli and I haven’t had a chance to talk about what we are, and that I technically don’t have any claim on him, but I hate the predatory gleam in this woman’s eye.
Everyone in Hollywood knows about Gina Sterling. If not by name, then they’ve heard the story of the reality TV star who unbonded her mate seventeen years ago. I guess being unbonded doesn’t stop you from being interested in a devastatingly handsome alpha like Eli.
Lucky for me, Eli doesn’t give her the time of day.
He shakes her hand, his gaze wandering the room like he’s bored.
“I’m Beckham Knight,” I say, extending my hand to shake hers. I was raised to be polite.
“Yes, I’m aware,” she sniffs, extending her hand before giving me the limpest handshake known to man.
I swear, she turns her nose up at me before turning and walking to her daughter’s bedside.
Yeah, I definitely don’t like her.
“How are you feeling… after everything?” I ask Andi, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares on me as I do. I’m getting more used to it at this point in my career, but this feels... weird. “You were in rough shape.”
“Like I got my head split open on a countertop,” Andi says, fidgeting with the empty styrofoam cup in her lap.
“That’s enough depressing talk,” Gina says, squeezing Andi’s shoulder. “We have more important things to discuss.”
More important? More important than her own daughter’s physical well-being?
“We have a proposal for you, Mr. Knight,” Stuart says, clearing his throat.
“We weren’t aware this would be a business meeting,” Leo says, stepping up.
“And you are?”
“Leo Park, Beck’s publicist.”
“You’re new to the industry, dear,” Gina says, her expression twisting into what I’m pretty sure is supposed to be placating or comforting, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll find everything is business, at the end of the day.”
Her words are sweet, but there’s something about the way she says them that makes my skin crawl.
Andi seems to shrink further and further into herself the more her mom and the slimy beta keep talking. I hate it. She’s named after a galaxy. She shouldn’t be trying to disappear.
She won’t even meet my eyes anymore.
“What exactly are you proposing?” The words leave my lips before I even know what I’m saying.
Eli grunts next to me, but I don’t look his way. I can’t. If I look at him, any semblance of a backbone I’m trying to use for whatever the hell this interaction is will disappear, and I’ll have to let him handle everything.
But he shouldn’t have to handle everything.
And I also know his priority would be me, not the poor, broken omega in the hospital bed. Despite the many people crowded into her hospital room, none of them seem to actually be there for her after what was probably a terribly traumatic night.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the headlines, Mr. Knight,” Stuart says, pulling out his tablet and turning it to face me. Headline after headline, picture after picture of Andromeda and I flash across the screen.
“I have,” I nod. “What about them?”
“I’m sure with your rising fame and growing popularity, there are many questions about your status as a male omega and what that means for your interpersonal relationships.”
Eli stiffens beside me.
“My what?” I ask, shooting a panicked look in Andi’s direction.
“Your fanbase is mostly female. Young women who can’t help but be drawn to something they’ve never had the opportunity to see before.
But you haven’t been linked to anyone, at least not in a romantic capacity.
No random drunken hookups. No teenage flings making their way out of the woodwork.
So there’s an element of untouchability to your brand. ”
“What are you getting at?” I snap. “Just spit it out. No need to sugarcoat your sales pitch.”
“We want you to pretend to date my daughter,” Gina interrupts, her voice practically a purr. She pats a silent Andi’s head, her lips twisted in a saccharine smile as she stares down her daughter.
What in the world is going on?
I knew this was going to be weird the moment I stepped foot into this room, but not this weird.
“Excuse my language, but what the fuck?” I ask, shaking my head.
“A beta woman is too plain. No one would believe that a man in your position would pursue one,” Stuart continues. “But another omega? Your fanbase could buy that, and it would mean you’re a little less untouchable. Imagine… it could revolutionize your image.”
“Beck’s image doesn’t need to be revolutionized,” Eli growls, his alpha dominance leaking out from him and swirling around in the air, filling my lungs with his blood orange scent.
“Can I talk to them?” Andi asks, her voice small and shaky. “Alone?”
She and Gina share a long look that leaves me feeling even more uneasy.
“Of course,” Gina says, squeezing her daughter’s shoulder. “We’ll give you all some privacy.”