Page 127 of Claimed By the Band

I stare at their accepting smiles, my heart racing as I try to process their reactions. This isn't at all what I expected.

Ace steps forward, extending his hand with a warm smile. "I'm Adam, by the way. Since we're doing real introductions." His grip is firm but gentle when I take his hand. "It's an honor to finally meet you."

"Even though I'm not what you expected?" I can't help asking, a wry smile tugging at my lips.

He laughs, shaking his head. "Are you kidding? This doesn't change anything. If anything, it makes you even more of a badass. I mean, you managed to fool everyone for years while taking down some seriously dangerous people. That's impressive as hell."

Before I can respond, Maria launches herself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug that catches me completely off guard. I stiffen for a moment before relaxing into it, letting myself be held by someone who's been more of a friend than she even knew.

"I have about a million questions," she says as she pulls back, her eyes bright with excitement. "But they'll have to wait untilafter we deal with these assholes tonight. We've got a crazy cult to thwart first."

I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in years. "Yeah, we do. And I promise I'll answer everything once this is over. No more secrets."

"Deal," she says firmly. "Now, where's this pack of yours? I need to meet the people who finally got you to come out of hiding."

As if on cue, I hear familiar footsteps in the hallway. My pack's combined scents reach me moments before they appear in the doorway. My marks tingle pleasantly at their proximity, a constant reminder that I'm not alone anymore.

"Speaking of them,” I say with a smile, turning to make introductions as they appear in the doorway. "This is Silas, Knox, Dante, Damon, and Asher. My pack."

The words still send a thrill through me.

My pack.

Maria's eyes widen slightly as she takes them all in, and I can't blame her. They're an impressive sight, especially all dressed for the show in their stage clothes. "Damn," she whispers, leaning close to me. "Lucky girl."

I can't help but grin, watching as Adam shakes hands with each of them. "Yeah," I agree softly. "I really am."

"Everything's set," Adam says, all business now that the introductions are out of the way. "The stadium is completely secure. No alphas except your pack and a few carefully selected officers wearing the new blockers. I've got eyes on every entrance and exit."

"And I've got teams standing by," Maria adds. "The moment anyone tries anything suspicious, we'll be ready."

Asher slides an arm around my waist, pulling me close. "Then I guess it's showtime," he says with a fierce grin.

I lean into his warmth, drawing strength from his embrace. "Be careful out there," I tell him in a whisper. "All of you."

"Always," Knox rumbles, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Besides," Dante adds with a wicked smile, "we've got a life to get on with."

The others murmur agreement, each taking a moment to scent mark me and Asher before heading toward the stage. It's a pack thing, reaffirming bonds before going into potential danger. The intimacy of it still takes my breath away sometimes.

"Wow," Maria says once they're gone, fanning herself dramatically. "That was... intense."

I laugh, feeling my cheeks heat. "Yeah, they tend to have that effect on people."

"I can see why you finally decided to stop running," she says with a knowing smile. "They clearly adore you."

"They do," I agree softly, touching one of the marks on my throat. "And they make me feel safe enough to be myself. All of myself."

Adam clears his throat, looking slightly embarrassed by all the emotions flying around. "Right, well. We should probably get into position. The show's about to start."

He's right. I can hear the crowd growing restless, feel the excitement building in the air. Soon, Wild Honey will take thestage, and we'll find out if our trap worked. If we can finally put an end to the Sons of Epsilon's reign of terror.

"Ready?" Maria asks, squeezing my hand.

I take a deep breath, straightening my shoulders. "Ready."

Together, we head toward the security station where we'll be monitoring everything. I catch glimpses of the stage through the various screens, my pack getting into position, the crowd buzzing with excitement, the careful placement of officers throughout the venue.

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