Page 28 of Claimed By the Band

Echo is different. He fights smart. Carefully. And while it's probably my own projection to suspect he's also an omega, he's obviously someone who cares enough about us to do what he does. It's personal for him, for some reason. And I can't help but want to know what that is.

The door creaks open again, and this time, something makes me sit up straighter. The others are still bickering, not even paying the newcomer a glance, but I can't tear my eyes away from the figure that's just walked in.

He's nothing like what they're expecting. At all.

He's on the shorter side, with shaggy brown hair that falls just above his shoulders. His face is pretty, even if it is partially hidden in the shadow of a blue baseball cap. But I can see a straight nose and full lips balancing out a narrow jawline. He's drowning in an oversized hoodie and baggy jeans, hunched in on himself like he's trying to take up as little space as possible.

But it's his eyes that catch me. Sharp, intelligent, and unmistakably wary as they scan the room. When they land on me, I feel a jolt of recognition so strong it takes my breath away.

"That's him," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the din of the bar.

Silas follows my gaze, his brow furrowing in confusion as he looks past the newcomer and then sweeps back. "Who? The beta? No way."

I ignore him, unable to look away as Echo—because I know somehow with bone-deep certainty it's him—makes his way toward our booth. There's a hesitance in his step, a nervousness that seems at odds with the confident persona I've built up in my head.

But somehow, it only makes him more real. More human.

"Echois a fucking beta?" Silas mutters, disbelief coloring his tone.

Dante elbows him sharply. "Shut up, man."

I stand as Echo approaches, a smile spreading across my face of its own accord. "It's you," I say, and it comes out softer than I intended, almost reverent.

He stops a few feet away, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. This close, I can catch the faintest hint of his scent—something clean and crisp. It's subtle, but it leaves me wanting more.

Up close, I can see the gold flecks in his dark brown eyes. The faint bridge of freckles across his nose, and the dark circles under his eyes like he hasn't been sleeping.

Is it because he took on our case? The thought hits me with a pang of concern.

Echo gives a brief nod of acknowledgment, but he doesn't say a word.

I can't help staring, trying to reconcile the mysterious hacker with the person sitting across from me. It's strange—I knew he was human, obviously, but it was so easy to build him up as this larger-than-life figure behind a screen. The realization that he's a mortal who needs sleep like the rest of us is more jarring than it should be.

"These are my alphas," I say, gesturing around the table when I realize I'm going to have to be the one to break the silence. "Knox, Damon, Silas, and Dante. Though I guess you already know that from our video call."

Echo gives another nod, his movements precise and controlled. Everything about him screams careful—from the way he stands to how he keeps his eyes moving, scanning exits and entrances.

He slides in next to Dante and Silas, maintaining a careful distance from both of them. The contrast between his slight frame and my alphas' bulk is striking, but there's something about his presence that commands attention despite his size.

"So," Knox drawls, breaking the awkward silence. "You're a beta."

I shoot him a withering glare. "Knox!"

"What?" he protests, spreading his hands. "I'm just saying what we're all thinking."

I rake a hand through my hair as I sit back down, fighting the urge to crawl under the table from embarrassment. "I am so sorry about him," I tell Echo. "He has absolutely no filter between his brain and his mouth. None. Zero. We've had him tested."

To my surprise, Echo actually snorts—a small, almost involuntary sound that seems to surprise him as much as it does us. "It's fine," he says, his voice softer than I expected. "I'm used to people expecting something different. It's part of why I keep my identity hidden."

Knox has the shame to look guilty, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Yeah, well... sorry. That was pretty dickish of me."

"He's not actually as much of an asshole as he seems once you get to know him," I add quickly. "He's like a teddy bear with anger management issues."

Knox rolls his eyes, but the tension in his shoulders visibly eases slightly.

Echo's lips twitch, just barely, and I count it as a win. "Noted," he says dryly.

Now that the ice is broken, however slightly, I lean forward. "Thank you for meeting us," I say earnestly. "I know this isn't your usual way of doing things."

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