Page 39 of Claimed By the Band

I stand awkwardly in the middle of the bus, trying not to fidget under the alphas' continued stares. This is exactly why I work alone. Being the center of attention is my worst nightmare.

But for tonight, I need to play my part. I need to be Alex, the mysterious beta who's somehow caught the eye of the most famous pack in rock music. I need to be confident, untouchable.

I just hope I can pull it off long enough to get what we need from PheroMaster. And that this ruse doesn't give away all my secrets before the night is over.

I follow the pack off the bus, trying to keep my movements confident despite feeling like an imposter in these clothes. A sleek black SUV waits in the parking lot, and Knox moves to get the door for Asher.

But Asher stops, turning to me with a dazzling smile. "After you," he says, gesturing for me to get in first.

I hesitate, caught off guard by the courtesy. I'm not sure what to make of the fact that I'm being shown chivalry by an omega, of all people. Even one as… unconventional as Asher is. Usually, I'm invisible to other omegas. And that's kind of the idea.

For a second, I find myself questioning whether my disguise is as solid as I hoped. But I tell myself I'm just being paranoid again.

Trying to ignore the way my heart flutters, I slide into the SUV. Asher follows, settling in next to me, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body. Dante takes the seat on my other side, and I find myself sandwiched between them in the middle of the middle row.

Silas climbs into the back row while Damon takes the wheel, Knox riding shotgun. As we pull out of the parking lot, Asher turns to me.

"So what's the plan once we get there?" he asks, his voice light with excitement. “Shall I flirt shamelessly with the CEO while you snoop around?"

I shake my head, even as the thought of him flirting with anyone else makes my stomach clench for some reason. "Actually, I think it's better if the alphas do most of the talking," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "As much as it pains me to say that."

Knox snorts from the front seat. "Yeah, we'll just have Silas get started on muscle cars. He can drone on for hours about engine specs and horsepower. Poor bastard won't know what he walked into.

"Fuck off," Silas growls from the back.

"Boys," Asher sighs, rolling his eyes. "Can we try to act like a civilized pack for one evening? Please?"

I can't help but smile at their banter. It's nothing like what I expected from a pack, especially one as high-profile as Wild Honey. There's genuine affection beneath the teasing, a comfortable familiarity that speaks of years of trust and mutual respect.

I always assumed most packs were just alphas thrown together because they happened to be attracted to the same omega. But watching them interact, it's clear there's so much more to it than that. They're family. Even Silas and Knox, who bicker like brothers.

The thought sends an unexpected pang through my chest. I push it away, focusing on the task at hand.

"Once we're inside," I say, "I'd like to browse around if possible. So the longer you can keep the CEO's attention, the better."

"Leave it to us," Dante says confidently. "We're pretty good at being distracting."

"That's an understatement," Asher mutters, but there's fondness in his voice.

The SUV falls into comfortable silence, broken only by the soft sound of music playing through the speakers. I try to focus on mentally reviewing our plan, but it's hard with Asher pressed against my side.

His scent—definitely sweet like honey, which I'm guessing is where the band name came from—is distracting even with all the suppressants running through my veins to keep other people's scents from affecting me. But it isn't the cloying kind of sweetness I remember other omegas' scents having before I went on the pills. It nonetheless keeps sneaking past my blockers, making my head spin.

I shift slightly, trying to put some space between us without being obvious about it. But the movement just draws his attention.

"You okay?" he asks softly, concern evident in his voice. "You seem tense."

"I'm fine," I say quickly. Maybe too quickly. "Just... not used to this kind of thing."

His expression softens. "Hey, you're doing us a huge favor. If you're uncomfortable at any point, just say the word and we'll get you out of there."

The protective note in his voice catches me off guard and makes something in my chest ache. It's been so long since anyone has shown concern for my wellbeing. Even if he is just being kind to the person helping his pack, it still feels... nice.

Dangerous, but nice.

"Thanks," I mumble, looking away before I can do something stupid like get lost in those violet eyes again.

The rest of the ride passes in a blur of nervous energy and casual conversation. The pack falls into easy banter about their upcoming shows, their latest songs, stories from the road. I find myself listening intently, fascinated by these glimpses into their world in spite of myself.

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