Page 85 of Bonding the Band

There had to be a way to do both. Plenty of people in the spotlight had partners and families. We just hadn’t figured out how it would work for us yet.

“Can we not talk about this right now? Let’s just get through the show.”

Gary sighed, but he didn’t press the issue further. I made it through sound check, and once the venue started filling, my nerves began to get the best of me. Meadow was escorted into the green room about half an hour before we were due on stage, Ellie on her heels. I scooped Meadow straight into my arms, letting her sweet floral scent wrap around me and soothe my anxieties.

“You okay?” she asked quietly.

“Just a little stressed. I’m always like this before a show.”

Phin and Arlo sat down on either side of me when I gathered Meadow onto my lap on the couch and Beckett passed her a bottle of water.

“Could you scent mark my shirt for me?” I asked.

“You bet.” Meadow swiped her cheeks over the fabric, lacing her fingers together behind my head and sweeping her wrists along the neckline and my jaw. “Double dose. Is that going to help you onstage?”

“I guess we’ll find out. Hopefully it’ll be enough.”

It wasn’t, not really. At every opportunity, I got a fresh hit of Meadow to get me through the entirety of the show. I couldn’texactly go out there with her koala clinging to me, but maybe we could figure out something a little bit more potent than scent marking my clothes.

By the time we were ready for the meet and greet, I was dead on my feet. Even with Meadow’s scent, my anxiety had been unruly, draining my energy stores and depleting my mental battery. All I wanted to do was climb into the nest with her.

“You can go, if you want,” offered Phin. “We can handle the VIP.”

“That wouldn’t be fair,” I protested.

“Dude, that’s literally how you got with Meadow to begin with. Just take the out. I’m sure Meadow could use a break too.”

Our omega looked like she was ready to fall asleep standing up. Before I could get to her, Ellie was trotting up to me, a giant smile on her face as she squealed with excitement.

“That was incredible! I haven’t seen you live for years. You were so amazing!”

She was a fan? Gary should have asked that before hiring her. She hadn’t been too weird about it, though, so maybe it was fine.

“Thanks,” I said as I sidestepped her. I didn’t miss the flash of hurt in her eyes, but Meadow was my priority. “Hey there, beautiful. Let’s get you some rest.”

She smiled gratefully, letting me loop my arm around her shoulders and guide her back to the green room. The venue and everywhere around it would be crawling with fans and paparazzi, so it wasn’t safe to go straight to Meadow’s nest, but hopefully she would be comfortable enough in the green room for now.

I got her situated on my lap so I could support her back on the plush couch, my purr triggering with the proximity.

“Where are the others?”

“At the VIP meet and greet. They shouldn’t be more than an hour. You’re stuck with just me for now.”

Meadow let out a laugh and snuggled against me. “What a hardship.”

I cuddled her close, breathing in as much of her scent as I could. White rose and lilac unraveled my nerves, applying a cool balm to my anxiety. The show had gone well, and I had survived it without a drop of what Gary wanted me to take. I was twice as exhausted afterward, but I could cope with that if this was possible each time.

“You hungry, dream girl?”

“Starving. I need something super duper greasy.”

“Any particular preference?”

“Double cheese quesadillas? I’ll get veggies and chicken added in, so Ellie isn’t up my butt about not having appropriate nutrients.”

I kissed her hair and borrowed her phone to put in the order, adding a bunch of options for the others and sending one of the staff to collect the order from the back door.

By the time the food arrived, the rest of the pack was walking into the green room.

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