Page 13 of Claimed By the Band

I shoot him a glare, but Echo doesn't seem fazed.

"A necessary precaution in my line of work," he says smoothly. "Now, I believe introductions are in order?"

I step forward, slipping into the role of spokesperson as easily as breathing. "I'm Asher Wilde, lead singer of Wild Honey. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with us. This is my pack, from left to right," I say, gesturing behind me. "Silas Kane, our lead guitarist. Dante Saito, rhythm guitar. Damon Cole, drums. And Knox Hartley, bass."

There's a beat of silence before Echo speaks again. "I've heard of your band. What exactly do you think I can help you with?"

He's just…heardof the band?

If my ego were a stone wall, that would put a few cracks in it.

Right to the point, though. I can respect that.

"We were attacked at our last concert," I begin, but Echo cuts me off.

"I've seen the headlines. What do you wantmeto do about it?"

Knox bristles beside me. "Ace said you're some hotshot who takes on anti-omega groups. We want you to find the bastards who did this, obviously."

I lay a hand on Knox's arm, trying to keep things diplomatic. "What my alpha means is, we're hoping you can help us identify the group behind the attack. The police aren't making any progress, and we have reason to believe this wasn't an isolated incident. But all they want is for us to stop making waves."

There's a long pause, and for a moment I worry we've lost the connection. But then Echo sighs, the sound distorted through the voice changer.

"What you're asking isn't just difficult, it's dangerous. Mostly for you, Asher. The police's advice to lie low isn't entirely wrong."

Something inside me snaps. All the fear, all the anger I've been holding back since the attack comes rushing to the surface.

"That's not an option," I snarl, surprising even myself with the vehemence in my voice. "I've spent my entire life being told what I can and can't do because I'm an omega. I'm sick of it. I have more privilege than most, and I intend to use it to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. If I back down now, it will only encourage more attacks. Even worse, it'll send a message to every omega out there that we should hide, that we should be ashamed of who we are. I won't do that. I can't."

The words pour out of me, raw and honest. By the time I finish, I'm breathing hard, my body tense enough to snap. The room is dead silent, my packmates staring at me with a mixture of pride and concern.

Echo doesn't respond for what feels like an eternity. When he finally speaks, there's a new note in his voice. Respect, maybe?

"That's what I was hoping to hear."

I blink, caught off guard. "What?"

"I needed to know if you were serious about this," Echo explains. "If you were willing to face the risks head-on."

Silas mutters something that sounds suspiciously like "asshole," but I ignore him.

"Does that mean you'll help us?" I ask, not bothering to hide the hope in my voice.

"I'll take the case," Echo confirms, "but I have conditions. Most importantly, I won't be helping in person."

Damon frowns. "How the hell are you supposed to help if you're not with us?"

"I don't take in-person jobs," Echo says firmly. "Non-negotiable."

"What if we paid more?" Dante suggests. "Whatever your going rate is, we'll triple it. Quadruple it. Money's no object."

I nod eagerly. "Absolutely. Name your price."

"I don't give a shit about the money," Echo says, and I swear I can hear a hint of amusement in his distorted voice. "As a matter of fact, I only want you to cover my expenses for the case. Take it or leave it."

We exchange bewildered looks. This is... not what I was expecting.

"I guess we don't have a choice," I mutter. "Thank you, Echo. We appreciate your help."

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