Page 85 of Our Deceptive Heat

I shove him playfully. “You’re not old.”

“I’m ancient. My old bones play the drums better than Mako does when I get up in the morning.”

I snort a laugh, feeling the horror and fear fall away from me.

“So, you want to talk me through the plans one more time? And you’re still not telling them about the failsafe?”

I shake my head. “It's better no one knows that one. I shouldn’t have even told you.”

“I’m still going to be a getaway driver. Don’t you forget.”

I laugh but don’t take his words seriously.

Two hours later, the band comes into the dressing room, excited but happy. Digs pulls me into his arms and kisses me.

“Where’d you go?”

“We were catching up,” Tony says in a grumble. “I’ll leave you guys to talk.”

Tony leaves and the pack turns to me, watching intently. Suddenly I’m nervous, and I don’t know why.

“I need your help.”

“Anything, baby,” Mako says and perches on the arm of the lounge.

“Don’t say that. Just listen before you decide what you want to do.” I take a deep breath, preparing myself, and wishing I didn’t have to ask this. “I wrote you a song.”

“You did. It’s a beautiful song.”

“I want you to perform it in two weeks.”

“Okay. So, you want us to switch out Tara’s song for this one? I fucking love that idea. Count me on board.” Digs smirks and reaches for me, but I step back.

“But,” I look at Tyr, silently begging him to understand. “I need you to let me sing it with you.”

He stiffens slightly.

“Just hear me out before you think I’m some spotlight stealing bitch. If I sing that song on stage, that brilliant, beautiful song, with you, to your audience, I will become instantly famous, and there’s no way he can sell me off. He won’t be able to stop the tide.”

Tyr opens his mouth and closes it. “I’m not sure, Ryn. He controls us and owns us. It wouldn’t be hard for him to turn this against you.”

My eyes fill with tears, which is stupid because, of course, he should have reservations. This is their song, their light. “Please. I have two options: find a pack to mate with before he comes for me or become so famous he can’t touch me.”

Tyr groans. “No tears. They are my weakness. I can’t bear it, Ryn.”

“I don’t know what else to do. Fuck, if I could I would, but I can’t hide. I’m an omega forever. All I have in the world is you guys and my cousins.”

“You will always have us, and we will always be on your side,” Mako says as he glares at Tyr. “We should do it. We should let her sing.”

“And what happens if it’s not enough, and he takes her faster?”Tyr snaps.

“We could start a campaign and spread the information faster,” Envy says. “Hit all the socials, get the fans to share it. We can make her viral. How could Typhor, the Alpha Label CEO bury a talent like Ryn?”

Tyr hesitates for a moment longer, and then he nods, agreeing with a grimace. “Okay, but we need a plan if it doesn’t work because I am not losing you!”

I throw myself into his arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you.”

The words fall easily and land like a small bomb in the room. Tyr goes completely still.

---