Page 2 of Lion's Crossing

I had less of a routine than my parents, but producing anything with the limited recording equipment I’d brought with me to stay with them in Shifter Crossing wasn’t the same as creating and manipulating music in my studio. There was only so much I could do without building a whole new room in their house. “I just want to be sure—”

My father tapped me on the shoulder. “Your sister’s here. We’ll be fine.”

I said goodbye to my parents once again before lugging my belongings out the door and loading them into my sister’s car. The train station wasn’t far away, but I had a lot of luggage, so she’d agreed to drive me the few blocks over.

“Thank you again for helping out.” Kayla rested her hand on mine. “I couldn’t have supported our father and maintained my hours in the store when dad wasn’t there. It would have been too much for the three of us, but I know you left a lot behind to come here for so long.”

I nodded. “It wasn’t a problem. And let me know if you need me back or need anything else.”

She squeezed my cheek. “You’re just the best baby brother. Hopefully your ride home is uneventful. Shoot me a text when you get home.”

“I will.” After collecting all my luggage, I stopped to put on my hat and sunglasses and raised my collar before heading to the platform. I didn’t make my presence in Shifter Crossing public knowledge, as I didn’t want fans traveling to the super-small town to see me. So, I stayed out of the store and focused on my father’s recovery instead. The trip home would be tricky though. I didn’t know who would recognize me on the train.

Only one other person stood on the platform, waiting for the train. An omega based on his scent. I braced for him to race toward me and ask for a selfie with me, but when he glanced in my direction, he didn’t seem to recognize me at all. Strange, since he looked to be around my age, though I refused to complain about not having fans maul me. Maybe my popularity from being in the boy band FNL had finally worn off. I could only hope, as I much preferred to be producing music rather than performing songs on stage.

A chat request came in on my phone. The head of production at Adan Records. I accepted the request as I tucked myself into the tiny alcove at the station.

“Hey, Linc, I heard you’re coming back today. You think we can set up a meeting for later today to go over the music for ONE’s debut album?”

“Sure.” It would be easier for me to drop most of my recording stuff off at my studio than to lug it all the way home and back. “The trip is supposed to take about three hours, and then I’ll need another hour to decompress, so how about four?”

“Sounds good. See you then.” The production head hung up as I brought up my notes on the upcoming omega group I would be working with. Over the past month, I’d reviewed the memos sent to me about their style and what types of music they enjoyed. I’d made a couple demos for them to listen to, but I would be able to do even more once I returned to my studio.

The train arrived only minutes after I hung up. The much calmer life I’d lived in Shifter Crossing was about to end, as I readied to return to the metropolis, Saramto, where my life did not pass by based on a clock but by what needed to be done.

I let the omega on the platform board first. It was the polite thing to do—and my parents would slap me if I didn’t. Plus, I had a lot more baggage to bring on with me. Once I’d situated it in the luggage hold just inside the car, I glanced inside to search for a seat. I would have preferred business class over economy simply to have a seat to myself, but the line through my hometown didn’t offer the more expensive option. And the car was surprisingly full for a weekday. I looked up and down the aisle, hoping no one recognized me as I tried to find a place to sit. There was only one left. Right beside the omega who boarded with me. He had the window seat, which meant I was left with the aisle. Better than being boxed in by a fan who wouldn’t leave me alone. I’d been there before on an airplane. I put my bag in the hold above our seats then sat down. The seat was surprisingly roomy, and I didn’t accidentally bump the omega beside me. Though I wouldn’t have minded if he sat a little closer with his delicious scent of vanilla and raspberries. I expected omegas on their own to wear a scent blocker, as I did out in public, but he must have foregone the safeguard. Or maybe itwas something only city omegas used. The last thing I wanted was to upset someone from my hometown by getting too close or making them uncomfortable. Especially an omega. I might not have been in the spotlight as much, but I still had a career influenced by public opinion.

Once the attendant collected our tickets, I popped in my earbuds, leaned back in my seat, and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the omega’s scent. I listened to the covers released by some of the members of the group I would be working with, plus their own playlists to review their sound and tastes, focusing on my job. Just like when I was in FNL, I found artists preferred to sing, release, and perform songs they would listen to themselves. I wanted to help make them a huge success, so I planned to focus much of my time and attention on them over the next few months.

Chapter Three

Knox

Two hours had passed since I boarded the train. We’d picked up more passengers in Torago. They must have boarded another coach since ours was full. Our next major stop was Saramto, my destination. The alpha beside me still hadn’t said a word, only typing into his phone on occasion at the beginning of our trip, but he hadn’t for a while. It was as if he remained engrossed in whatever he listened to, or he didn’t want anyone to disturb him. Maybe he’d fallen asleep.

But I had to pee. My morning coffee was ready to come out, and I needed to leave my seat and use the facilities. Only I had to get past the alpha first. He didn’t seem mean from our brief interaction when boarding, yet I worried I may trigger that side of him if I bothered him in his focused state or worse, woke him up.

I raised my hand from the armrest, unsure if I should touch his arm or his leg to get his attention. As the train rocked on the track, I ended up leaning to the left and toward him, touching his arm before I had a chance to pull my hand back.

His body shook as if startled, and he removed his sunglasses and turned to me, the bridge of his nose wrinkled, and his eyes narrowed. “Everything okay?”

“Um…” I couldn’t tell if I’d upset him, but I really needed to go. “I need to get past you. I need to use the bathroom.”

“Oh.” He nodded then stood, allowing me to pass. “There you go.”

“Thank you.” He nodded again with a faint smile, and that’s when familiarity hit me. I knew him somehow, but I couldn’t remember where from. Was it from the high school? Was he one of the alphas that hung around, gawking at the almost-legal omegas who attended, ready to fill their heads with false promises of being their mate then dumping them when they got pregnant? There weren’t any alphas I knew from the area that I hadn’t seen at work, around town, or when out with my cousin. Maybe I’d gone to school with him, but he’d changed a lot in looks since then. On my way down the aisle, I wracked my brain trying to recall how I knew him. Nothing came to mind. Not on the way there, while using the washroom, or on my way back.

As I returned, still struggling with my memory, the train swayed back and forth, much more aggressively than before. I held onto the backs of the seats as I stumbled down the aisle to keep my balance. Then the train began to slow, the brakes screeching as they gripped the wheels. By the time I reached my seat, the train had stopped.

The alpha got up immediately, as if he’d watched for me to return.

“Do you know why we’ve stopped?” I asked as I passed by him.

He shook his head. “It just happened, so your guess is as good as mine.”

A saying I often heard from my parents. Yep, he definitely had grown up in or around Shifter Crossing.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious.” My vacation timeline depended on being on time or even early for everything.

---