27
Kage
I found Phoenix near the back of the club, standing by herself in the shadows, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Her eyes were fixed on something across the room, her gaze so intense I could almost feel the emotion rolling off her.
I followed her line of sight and immediately understood what had her so torn up. Zephyr. And the Beta who was all over him.
He wasn’t doing anything wrong, not really. Just letting her cling to his arm, with a cocky smile on his face that made him look like he didn’t have a care in the world. But I knew Zeph better than that. There was no way in hell he’d actually take the girl home. Not since Phoenix had come into the picture. He was obsessed with her, even if he wasn’t as invested as Parker or me yet.
Still, I couldn’t blame Phoenix for being hurt. I knew what she was going through—her Omega instincts were running wild, and now that I knew we were her matches, every little thing must’ve felt like a rejection, like she wasn’t wanted. Even if it wasn’t true.
I sighed and made my way over to her. She didn’t notice me at first, too caught up in her own head.
“Nix,”
I said softly, keeping my voice low enough not to startle her.
She turned her head sharply, her eyes wide for a moment before recognition flashed through them. But the hurt was still there, plain as day, and it twisted something in my chest.
“Hi,”
she whispered, her voice fragile, like she was barely holding it together.
I stepped closer, gently placing a hand on her arm. “What’s going on?”
She let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glancing toward Zephyr again. “Don’t you see? He doesn’t want me. None of you really do.”
Her words hit me hard, and I felt an instant surge of protectiveness. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I asked, my voice low but firm. “Of course we want you. Phoenix, you’re—”
She shook her head, cutting me off before I could finish. “No, you’re just being nice because of… because of what I am. You don’t actually want me. I mean, look at him.”
Her voice cracked, and she looked down at the floor, biting her lip as if to keep from crying.
I exhaled slowly, trying to stay calm even though it killed me to see her like this. I couldn’t blame her for feeling this way, but she was so wrong. If only she knew how obsessed Zeph really was.
“Doll,”
I murmured, stepping closer to her and wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her into me. “You’ve got it all wrong. Zephyr… he’s just… he doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings for you. He’s an idiot when it comes to that stuff, but trust me, he’s not interested in anyone else. Hasn’t been for a long time.”
She looked up at me, her eyes brimming with doubt. “Then why is he—”
“He’s just going through the motions,”
I said quickly. “He doesn’t take those Betas home anymore, Phoenix. Not since you.”
Her breath hitched, and I could see the war going on inside her. Part of her wanted to believe me, but the other part was still caught up in her Omega instincts, convinced that she was being pushed aside.
I ran a hand down her arm, trying to soothe her. “Come on, Sweetheart,”
I whispered softly, letting my voice drop to a comforting purr. “Let’s get out of here, yeah? You don’t need to be here right now.”
She looked up at me, confused and vulnerable. “What about the others? I’m supposed to be here with you guys.”
I shook my head, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Let me worry about that,”
I murmured. “Let’s just get you back to the bus, away from all this noise and drama.”
She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flicking back toward the crowd, where Zephyr was still standing with the girl hanging on his arm. The hurt in her eyes flared again, but she slowly nodded, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
I gave her a reassuring squeeze, my thumb gently rubbing small circles on her waist. “We’re not going to leave you, Phoenix. Not now, not ever. You’re fucking mine.”
She still didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue. She just let me lead her out of the club, the music fading into the background as we stepped into the cool night air.
The walk back to the bus was quiet, but I could feel the tension radiating off her in waves. Her Omega instincts were fighting against her, telling her she wasn’t enough, that she was being rejected by the Alphas that were supposed to be hers. But I’d make sure she knew the truth, that she knew how much she meant to us.
When we reached the bus, I guided her inside, leading her to the small couch in the corner. “Sit down,”
I told her softly, pulling her down beside me. She hesitated for a moment but finally sank into the cushions, looking exhausted.
I leaned back, turning slightly so I could face her. “You’re struggling, Phoenix. I get it. You’ve been off your suppressants, and everything’s coming to the surface now. Your Omega instincts are screaming at you, but you’ve got to trust us. We’re not going anywhere. Not Zephyr, not Parker, and definitely not me.”
She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just… I feel so stupid,”
she whispered. “Like I’m not good enough.”
“You are good enough,”
I said firmly, my voice rough with emotion. “You’re more than enough. And we’re going to make sure you know that.”
I leaned in closer, brushing my lips against her temple as I whispered, “You’re ours, Phoenix. And nothing’s going to change that.”
She didn’t say anything, just leaned into my touch, her breath coming in shaky exhales. I could feel the tension slowly leaving her body as she melted into me, her trust starting to surface again.
“We’ll talk to Zeph,”
I murmured, my voice low and soothing. “But for now, let me take care of you, alright?”
She nodded weakly, her head resting against my shoulder as her breathing evened out.
I held her close, vowing silently to make sure she never doubted her place with us again.
◆◆◆
The bus hummed quietly as it cruised down the highway, the soft thrum of the engine blending with the sound of the rain that had been steadily falling since we left Washington, D.C. Parker and I were lounging in the living area, Phoenix nestled comfortably between us, her head resting against my chest while her legs were draped over Parker’s lap. It felt good—natural—to have her with us like this.
Phoenix had been quiet since we left the city, her eyes half-closed as if the steady motion of the bus lulled her into some sort of calm. But I could feel the undercurrent of strain beneath her relaxed posture.
A news report flickered onto the small screen in front of us, and the volume automatically kicked in with an emergency weather update. The reporter’s voice filled the space, cutting through the quiet.
“Breaking news: a severe storm system is moving rapidly toward the Charlotte area. The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall, dangerous winds, and possible flooding. Authorities are urging residents to prepare for significant disruptions. Several events have already been postponed as the storm’s intensity is expected to increase overnight.”
I glanced down at Phoenix, who had lifted her head to watch the report, her brows furrowed with worry. Parker’s hand rubbed small circles on her knee, trying to soothe her.
“Looks like we’re going to get caught in this mess,”
Parker muttered under his breath, his eyes still on the TV.
I nodded in agreement, already pulling out my phone to check for updates. “Damn storm’s gonna throw everything off schedule.”
Zeph came stumbling out of the bunk area, his phone pressed to his ear. He looked pissed, which wasn’t all that unusual for him, but the way he was pacing back and forth told me it wasn’t just your average frustration.
“Yeah, Pete, I hear you,”
he said into the phone. “So what’s the plan?”
We all turned our attention to him, waiting to hear what Pete was saying on the other end of the call. Phoenix straightened up, her eyes darting between Zeph and Parker, her hand gripping mine tightly as if bracing herself for whatever news was coming.
My packmate finally stopped pacing, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Okay, I’ll tell them. We’re hunkering down, then.”
He ended the call and turned to face us, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall. “Storm’s wreaking havoc in Charlotte,”
he said. “It’s only supposed to get worse over the next couple of days, so the label’s pushing back the concert. We’re heading to a nearby town instead—Buchanan, Virginia. Some small-ass place.”
Phoenix looked up at him, concern etched into her features. “All of us?”
Zeph rubbed the back of his neck, clearly annoyed by the whole situation. “Pete managed to find some last-minute Airbnbs in the surrounding towns, but we’re going to have to split up. There wasn’t enough space to keep everyone together.”
He sighed again. “We’ll be staying in a house in Buchanan, just us. Pete’s bus and our driver are staying in a house nearby.”
I exchanged a glance with Parker, who shrugged. We’d dealt with worse on tour, but it wasn’t exactly ideal.
“So we’re staying in some random house in the middle of nowhere?”
Parker asked, his voice edged with amusement. “This’ll be interesting.”
Zeph shot him a look. “Yeah, that’s the deal. At least we’ll be off the bus for a few days.”
Phoenix seemed to relax a little at the news, though her grip on my hand still hadn’t loosened. I gave her a reassuring squeeze, trying to ease her nerves.
“It’s not the worst thing,”
I said, leaning back against the cushions. “Might actually be nice to get off the road for a bit, especially with this storm rolling in.”
Parker nodded. “Yeah, and at least we’ll be together.”
Phoenix sighed softly, her breath warm against my skin. “I know,”
she murmured. “It’s just… a lot.”
I pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
As the conversation continued, Phoenix’s grip on my hand tightened, and she leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “I won’t be able to get my suppressants from Wren with the storm,”
she said, her eyes darting nervously between the two of us. “What if I start having… issues again?”
I felt a pang of concern. Fuck, we really needed to tell Zeph.
Parker’s gaze met mine, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He leaned in closer to Phoenix, his voice soothing as he spoke. “We’ll figure something out,”
he said gently. “I promise. We’ll find a way to get your suppressants, or at least find something to help you get by until we can get them to you.”
Phoenix looked at him with gratitude and a hint of relief, but there was still a shadow of worry in her eyes. “What if we can’t? What if I go into heat?”
Parker’s expression softened as he placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll work something out,”
he repeated firmly. “We’ll find a way to get them from somewhere else. For now, let’s just get through the night. You’ll be okay.”
As Phoenix nodded, I could see Parker’s mind already strategizing how he might be able to procure her suppressants.
We all settled back into our seats, the news report on the screen continuing to buzz with updates about the storm. I wrapped my arm around Phoenix, and Parker did the same, holding her close.