140. Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Nine
Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Nine
Scarlett
Six Months Later
If anyone had asked me how I thought I might be celebrating the end of the year, I never would have guessed it would be with the beginning of a record career with a single exclusive tour date in Cressidan City, the closest city to where I just bought a big-ass mansion with a swimming pool and a private recording studio with my four fated mates.
Kendra was blown away when I told her my secret.
She was excited to get started when I told her my plans involved a future tour with Chaos Burning. She melted my eardrums shrieking her ass off when I told her I was mated to all four members of the hottest band on the planet.
My roommates were pleased for me, even though Karma and I ended up moving out in the same week, and Cleo and Erin had to find new roomies fast.
Karma told me I was a bitch for one-upping her with a pack, but she hugged me anyway.
Sapphire was so happy for me.
She didn’t even care about the article, which was perfect anyway.
She’d already decided to walk a different path on her own.
With Pack Bishop, who were completely besotted with her, because who the hell wouldn’t be?
She’s my gorgeous sister, and she’s all the things I’m not.
She’s the mate they’d been waiting for.
They got their wires crossed when they met me, but that’s all in the past.
They’re my brothers-in-law now. They’re still boring as ever, but they’re good to Saph and that’s all I care about.
I come off the stage as the curtain closes, rushing to see my sister and to find out what she thought of my set. The screaming crowd I just performed to is a good indicator, but I don’t care what most people think. My sister’s opinion is the one that matters.
She’s waiting near the stage, beaming as I rush over to her.
I hug her gently, careful not to squish my future nephews in her belly.
Her men are with her, as always, and her lead Alpha is eyeing the sound equipment with a look I don’t like. I ignore him. Firefighters are always assessing the risks in everything. They can’t turn that shit off.
“I’m so proud of you,” Sapphire tells me. “That was amazing.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” I admit. “You’re glowing so much, Saph. You look like an angel.”
“Well, these kids are definitely not gonna be angelic,” she admits. “I’m not sure if they’re trying to fight each other, or me, but the kicks are enough to drive me crazy.”
I smile. I can’t wait to meet my nephews.
They’re not gonna be boring like their dads, that’s for sure.
Not with an auntie like me around.
“Don’t rush off like that,” Kian says as he wraps an arm around me from behind. “Hey, Saph. How are the football squad?”
Sapphire laughs, touching her belly. “Calm for now, thankfully. You’re going to have to come over more and sing for them, Scarlett. I think your voice has a soothing effect.”
“I’ll come over any time you want.”
“I’ll be with her,” Kian adds.
Trick appears next, dressed all in black like usual.
“Can you hear the people out there?” he asks me. “They’re begging for a second encore.”
“Really?” I ask, not hearing it.
“There might be a riot if you don’t give them something,” Trick says.
“Let them riot,” Kian says. “We’re not turning Scar into a workaholic like Xane.”
“Speak of the Devil,” Trick murmurs.
Xane and Riley come off stage together, discussing something they wanna do differently at the next tour date which is the middle of next month.
Yeah, I’m taking the not turning into a workaholic thing seriously.
I think we’re on the way to having a good balance.
Xane has a little bit of control-freak inside him, but he’s been mellowing out, bit by bit.
It was actually a good thing that our planned European vacation had to be postponed until after the new year, because it meant he had to chill about not getting a list fully ticked off.
Riley’s been sober since that second day on the island. He hasn’t even had a shaky moment.
They come over and greet my sister and her mates.
Then, Kendra comes toward us, and we all let out a groan.
As awesome as my manager is, I know what she’s coming over to do, and this is the part I’m not super sure about.
When we organized how I would become a recording artist, we added in the Meet and Greet thing Chaos Burning were doing, because it would make the income steady and on a level that could mean less gigs for the same kinda income.
It sounded good at the time, but now that I’m about to do it, I don’t know.
“Oh, come on,” Kendra says, chipper as always. “The people we’ve got in for this are so nice. You’ll get through the autographs quickly and there’s only one guy who wants a photo op.”
“A random guy wants a photo with me?” I screw up my face.
It sounds weird, and it already felt weird.
She shrugs. “Look, he’s not allowed to touch you. If he tries to, he can be thrown out, and you get to keep his money. It’s a win-win.”
“We’re coming with you,” Xane reminds me, clearly already thinking about doing the guy a damage.
“Yeah. Don’t worry about some slimeball. He’ll take one look at us and run the other way.”
Riley’s got his drumsticks in his shorts, and his tank top hanging from them, too.
His body’s gotten even bulkier over the last few months, from all the extra gym sessions he’s been doing at Pack Bishop’s house since they have their own equipment over there.
Buying the mansion in Silver Valley was a smart move, for sure.
I get to see my sister as much as I want, and our mates have become friends.
I couldn’t really ask for a better life.
So, I can handle a little meet and greet.
“We’ll all come with you,” Sapphire says.
“Yeah,” Gus says. “Eight guys are better than four for security.”
“Get that cable checked, though,” Bishop complains. “It’s gonna fray, and that’s a violation.”
I nod, waiting until his back is turned to roll my eyes.
“We’ll get it checked, thanks,” Riley says.
Then we’re all walking to the meet and greet area, the guys around Saph and me in the middle.
The bright sectioned off area has an exit and an entrance.
We go in through the exit, because the paying fans are waiting outside the entrance for this thing to start. There are a few seats behind the table, so Saph and I sit down, leaving the third one empty for Kendra, between her letting people in duties.
It’s one at a time, and this first one, the guy who wanted the photo, seems oddly familiar.
He grins as he approaches, and that’s when I look at Saph and see the look of horror on her face.
Oh no. This is that guy.
Ben. The Alpha-leaning-Beta asshole.
The piece of trash who broke Sapphire’s heart six months ago.
I stand up. “No.”
Kendra raises an eyebrow at me.
He moves around my manager, his gaze fixed on me.
“So, you really weren’t lying,” he says, looking me over in a way that makes me feel gross. “You’re actually an Omega. What the fuck, Saffy? You don’t bother to tell me while we’re dating? Yet you go and announce it to the world months later like some kind of attention whore?”
I laugh, because who the fuck does this guy think he is?
My guys give me a look, because they’re ready and waiting to knock this dickhead out.
I shake my head and glare straight at him.
“For a start, my name is Scarlett, and we didn’t date.”
He frowns at me. “I know that’s you, Saffy. You look exactly the same.”
“Uh huh,” I mutter. “I look exactly the same as my twin sister who you messed around six months ago. Sapphire doesn’t want anything to do with you, so you can turn around and walk the fuck out, or you find out what my men, and what her men will do to you.”
He frowns harder, and glances at Pack Bishop as they start to walk toward him.
“This is that guy?” Scout asks, disgust apparent on his face.
“Oh, he is so dead,” Rueben mutters.
Ben jerks back, suddenly very white, and very wide-eyed.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asks, as if he doesn’t get it.
Then Sapphire stands up, scraping her chair back.
Ben’s gaze follows the noise, and he gasps when he sees her.
“Saffy?”
“That’s not my name,” Sapphire tells him. “It’s Sapphire Bishop, now. This is my pack. They’re real Alphas, so they don’t have pretend. Leave before they kill you.”
She sits back down.
He stares at her belly.
“Did you not hear her?” I ask.
“She’s … Is that mine?” he asks.
She laughs. “I would never have let that happen.”
“No one hurts our mate,” Gus growls.
“Get out of here before we break every bone in your body,” Bishop threatens.
Sapphire’s mates advance on Ben, and he turns tail and runs, only stopping to yell, “Bitch!”
Kendra blinks as she looks at us. “Okay. Are there any more stalkery ex-boyfriends you want to warn me about? I’ll make sure he’s banned from any future events, but a heads up would be nice.”
“I’m gonna make sure he leaves the building,” Bishop says, before he takes off.
“Yeah, I’m gonna back him up,” Gus says, as he rushes after his lead Alpha.
“You okay, Saph?” I ask, as her remaining mates come to her side.
“I’m fine,” she says. “I’m sorry that asshole showed up here. Don’t let it put you off doing these things. Please, Scar. You deserve to do all the things that make you happy.”
“Oh, I’m not gonna let that weirdo get to me. Don’t worry.”
Kendra nods. “Okay, so we still have a queue out there waiting for autographs. I can send them in one at a time, whenever you’re ready.”
“Just give us ten to recoup.”
She leaves and I let out a breath.
“That guy’s gonna be leaving with bruises,” Kian murmurs.
“Yeah. He’s never gonna do this again,” Trick adds.
“He shit his pants,” Riley says. “No way is he coming near either of you again.”
“That moron dumped your sister because he thought she was a Beta?” Xane asks, like he can’t wrap his mind around that.
I know he’d love me if I was a Beta.
He accepted me before I got my perfume back.
“If I’d been a Beta …” I start.
He shakes his head. “You’re mine, no matter what you are. I wouldn’t give you up for anything.”
“I guess that’s the difference. We were always fated. Nothing would have changed that.”
The right men found me, and I found them. It was always meant to be.
I hug Xane, and Riley strokes my arm.
Trick leans in and kisses my forehead.
Kian hugs me from behind.
I wouldn’t trade these men for anything, either.
They’re mine, no matter what.