Page 98 of Bonding the Band

My head whipped around to see where he had run off to. Did he suddenly have the shits?

He was crouching at the side of the stage, next to Meadow…who was on the floor.

“Meadow!” I shouted, loud enough for my confused bandmates to hear, quickly removing my guitar and practically throwing it down on the stage in my haste to get to her. “What the hell happened?” I asked, kneeling next to Hendrix, who had pulled Meadow into his arms.

Peony reached my nose as Clover dashed over to us, dropping down next to her friend with impressive speed.

“The fuck happened? Meadow? Talk to me, girl,” she said, gently touching her friend’s cheek, subtly checking her breathing.

“I don’t know! One second, she was fine, and the next, she hit the ground like a sack of potatoes! Fuck, Meadow, can you hear me?” Hendrix shook her lightly. Her face was pale, her hand cold to the touch.

“Let’s get her out of here. The smoke machines can’t be good for her right now,” I said.

“I agree,” Clover said, looking between us and her friend with thinly veiled panic on her face.

“Call a fucking ambulance!” Hendrix growled, clutching Meadow to his chest.

“On it,” Beckett replied.

I reached out to feel her pulse through her wrist. “Her heart rate is absolutely insane. We definitely need to get her to a hospital.”

Ellie ran up to us, a frown on her face, settling on her knees. “Let me help.”

Gary was hot on her heels, and he didn’t look happy. “She probably just got dizzy.”

The crowds were shouting in displeasure, chantingHard Knot Lifeover and over again, demanding we come back and play. All they knew was that the entire band had left the stage, nothing else.

“You guys need to get back out thereimmediately,” Gary told us, looking back at the stage entrance.

“Are you fucking kidding?” I snarled. Meadow wasn’t even conscious, and he wanted us to fucking go back onstage and act like everything was normal?

“You guys are overreacting,” Ellie insisted. “I know what I’m doing. It’s just exhaustion. She probably needs more protein in her diet. Leave her with me and do your job.”

Needs more protein?

“I’ll feedyousomething full of protein in a minute,” Clover grumbled, her eyes never leaving Meadow.

I had never wanted to throttle a woman the way I wanted to throttle Ellie. What sort of professional simply suggested a change in diet when the person who they were meant to be taking care of was passed out on the floor?

“Listen to her,” Gary demanded.

“Shut the fuck up, you geriatric old asshole,” Clover snarled.

Gary spluttered in shock, astounded at Clover’s balls.

I really needed to buy her something shiny for fiercely protecting our omega.

Meadow stirred in Hendrix’s arms, and all our attention was on her, the whole pack hovering close by.

The venue medic jogged over, checking Meadow’s vitals while we waited for the ambulance. Her temperature was elevated, and her heart was still going a mile a minute.

“I don’t know why she’s taken such a bad turn,” said Phin. “She’s been feeling great the last few days, ever since she started drinking Hendrix’s shakes.”

Ellie’s face went white as a sheet. “Y-you’ve been swapping shakes?”

Her fearful tone put every nerve ending in my body on high alert.

Hendrix nodded. He was too absorbed with stroking Meadow’s hair out of her face to realize Ellie’s reactions. “My shakes tasted so much better. You told us they were the same, so I just let Meadow drink mine.”

---