Page 76 of Knot Just A Fan

The two brothers force Jack away but don’t apologize to Ronan, or to I. Ronan steps forward toward Jack, who’s looking over his shoulder at his youngest brother.

“None of you have once made an effort to answer any of my invitations, come to a single show. Come out here one single fucking time. Even if I’d thought you were just trying to get free drinks and a front-row seat, I’d have given it to you. LA, New York, Las Vegas. Not once. Maybe I don’t like to call, but every email goes ignored. So what more do you fuckin’ want from me?”

Jack’s snarling under his breath as the others drag him away. Aubrey hustles back to me, takes my hand, then takes Ronan’s, smiles shyly then frowns, her face full of worry lines. “I’m sorry, both of you. If we don’t see you again tonight, Ronan, safe travels. It was lovely to meet you at last.” She gives me one parting glance of sympathy, or empathy, or justThis family’s a fucking handful.

As I watch her go I realize Ronan’s left my side and is striding away from me and the hotel.

“Where are you going?” I call, following a few quick steps in his wake.

“To bed. Go home, Briella. This is what families do. I won’t do it to you.”

He storms off into the night and I stand there, in shock. I check my phone. Still nothing from Grayson or Enzo, but a half-dozen messages from Cami asking for updates.

Back in my hotel room, I force my mind onto the meeting with Alice and Myles tomorrow. There is nothing else.

The interview the next day turns out to be sharing my physical portfolio, a tour of their small but modern office space, introduction to their other available staff members, all of whom are lovely and warm and welcoming. We even have a sit-down discussion behind closed doors—Alice and I.

The white walls and warm, bright lighting, with several laptops dotted around an open workspace with two coffee makers, a snacks fridge, and wide windows looking out into Exeter city centre make me feel more at home than I ever did at the Guild. Grayson was the only thing that made that place at all inviting. He was the invitation. He was the magic.

I haven’t glanced at my phone once this morning, but I haven’t felt it vibrate.

“So, I have to ask—are you an Omega?” says Alice. Her bluntness straightens my spine in the backless seat, sitting beside her with a pile of croissants between us on the table.

“Er, uh, yes. Is that a problem?” I ask. But she’s smiling widely.

“Not at all. I am as well. Myles is Beta, of course, bless him. But I wanted to discuss the benefits package with you, just us two. It will cover all your needs as an Omega, including suppressants if you like. Are you part of a pack?”

I squirm in the seat, grateful my heat has taken a few days off. “No, I’m not. That’s why I was with the Guild, with ArcadiaEcho and a couple of other bands for the years since graduating the Academy.”

She nods as though she knew all this, but perhaps wanted to give me a chance to speak about it. She’s being very kind and patient, which I appreciate.

“Are you on suppressants now? I hate to ask such a personal question.”

I shake my head. “No, I—I was let go by the Guild so I lost my insurance. It was all a bit of a misunderstanding, mostly on my part. You can speak to Arcadia Echo is you like. They’ll vouch for me.”Maybe not Ronan, but…

Alice shakes her head, her short dark bob. She has the most gloriously-sculpted brows I’ve ever seen. Her dangly earrings dance and sparkle. They look handmade.

“You don’t owe me details. I’ve seen your work. It speaks for itself, and Myles and I—and the others—want you on board. We provide all you’ll need for benefits, and ask no questions. Of course, I’m always here to talk, if you need. We know that happy artists create the most astonishing work. If you’re happy and comfortable, you’ll do work you’re proud of. And that’s what we hope to foster with in our company.”

Tears fill my eyes and I don’t even bother to wipe. I just let them spill. “Thank you. So much. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to hear any of this.”

“Oh, Briella.” She pulls me into a hug, and I let her. “Life can deal us rough hands. But then it deals us the loveliest meetings, like this one.”

All the emotions about Ronan, about the pack, and about worries for what will happen between Cami and Ash—it all wants to burst my seams. But I have to rein it in for now. A little at a time. Because this feels like home. This company, who wants to see nature and landscapes through my eyes—and the South West. Devon, Cornwall. The coast, the sea, the gorgeoussub-tropical gardens. Certainly don’t get those in Reading or London.

This is where I want to be. So I know it’s way, way too much to ask the universe that I get to share it with the Alphas who have my heart.

I thank Alice and we eat pastries and I sign a 12-month contract with them. Then we celebrate with a bottle of white wine she and Myles and the marketing manager called Paul pull from the fridge and share with a toast.To Briella and her fresh vision of the wildest coastlines, the moodiest moorland, and the bluest skies above what’s to come.

I’m riding such a high that when I return to my hotel room to pack for my train back to Reading in an hour, that I even manage not to worry about what Gray and Enzo and Ash are doing.

Until Ash calls.

“Hi Briella, I’m sorry we’ve been caught up with stuff here and haven’t had a chance to get back to you.” His voice sounds concerned, strained, like he’s carrying the weight of an award-winning, chart-topping band about to break up on his shoulders. Because he is.

“Have you called Cami back?”

“Er, yes. Didn’t she tell you? No, I suppose she didn’t. Hmm.” He goes quiet. “She’s got kind of a big mouth usually.”

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