Page 47 of Claimed By the Band

But I know better. Years of running, of hiding, of carefully maintaining this facade... I can't throw it all away just because one pack of attractive musicians made me feel something I thought I'd buried long ago.

I push off the wall, forcing my legs to carry me forward. I need to get these samples to Maria. Need to focus on the mission, on bringing down whoever is behind these attacks.

That's what matters. Not the way Asher's eyes sparkle when he smiles. Not the solid warmth of Damon's chest against my back as he had his arm around me. Not the easy camaraderie of their pack that makes something deep inside me ache with longing.

None of that matters.

I just wish I could make myself believe it.

17

ASHER

Istare after Echo's retreating form until he disappears into the shadows, my chest tight with worry. Something's not right. I've never seen him so rattled, not even during our first meeting when he was clearly uncomfortable being around us.

"That was weird," Dante murmurs beside me, concern evident in his voice.

"Weird?" Knox scoffs, crossing his arms. "Weird is the guy's middle name. Literally, for all we fucking know about him."

I whirl on him, frustration bubbling up in my chest. "We know he's good at what he does," I counter, perhaps more heatedly than necessary. "And he stuck his neck out for us tonight, again. That's all that matters."

"Is it?" Knox challenges, stepping closer. His woodsmoke scent blooms with agitation. "Why is he so secretive, anyway? What's he hiding?"

Damon shifts uncomfortably beside me. "He does seem pretty locked down."

"Not you too," I groan, running a hand through my hair in exasperation. These alphas and their paranoia, I swear.

"I don't mean it in a bad way," Damon says quickly, holding up his hands. "It's just that while I was alone with him, I noticed some shit."

Knox snorts. "Yeah, I bet you did. You two were looking pretty cozy back there."

"Fuck off," Damon growls. "We were almost caught. I had to do something."

"I know," I say soothingly, laying a hand on his arm. And I do know. It was quick thinking on Damon's part, even if the sight of him pressed up against Echo did... something to me. And it certainly wasn't jealousy.

Silas steps forward, his expression serious. "What did you notice, Damon?"

Damon hesitates, his brow furrowed in thought. "We were all affected by the pheromones in there," he says slowly. "But Echo... he was affected too. Maybe more than anyone except Asher."

A heavy silence falls over us as we process this information. I think back to how Echo trembled under Damon's touch, how quickly he fled once we were outside. At the time, I'd attributed it to a general discomfort with physical contact, but now...

"That's impossible," Knox says, but there's a note of uncertainty in his voice. "He's a beta. Those pheromones shouldn't affect him like that."

A silence falls over the pack as we all process what we saw tonight. Knox is right. A beta shouldn't be affected that much by the pheromones. He'd find it unpleasant at worst, but I'm sure most of them are used to tuning it out.

Still, there's no denyingsomethingspooked Echo tonight. And it made him even more elusive and skittish than usual.

"Come on," Silas says, jingling the keys. "We shouldn't linger out here."

"He's right," Knox agrees, and that's how I know it really is time to get out of here.

We file into the SUV, taking our usual spots. I notice everyone seems subdued, the earlier excitement of our successful mission dampened by Echo's strange exit.

"So," Damon rumbles from beside me, his warm hand settling on my thigh. "Still want to celebrate?"

I hesitate, the thought of music and drinks and forced cheer suddenly exhausting. "Actually, I think I just want to go home. Take a bath with bleach or something. Try to get this artificial alpha stink off me."

"You and me both," Damon grunts, but his hand squeezes my thigh gently, comforting me.

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