Page 65 of Omega Rock

“Nothing that wasn’t on the preview screen,” I admit because I suppose there isn’t a point in not doing so. “But I called Jordan becausewhat the fuck?”

Mia laughs harshly. “Excuse me?”

Noah walks up to us. His brow is furrowed, his eyes drawn. “Mia, what’s going on?”

She shoots him a harsh glare. “Aiden’s taken to getting involved in my business, that’s what.”

Leo meets my gaze over their heads. A question lingers in the air between us.

I shake my head. “If you’re still such a fan of Designation Outsider that you’d rather join them than stay with us, just say it, Mia.” I’m not sure why I’ve gone from not believing Jordan to making my stand with what I just said, but I’ve done it. “Jordan’s got a way with words and promises he never keeps. Just a warning.”

Mia bites the inside of her cheek. Her eyes go wide as she nods at me a little bit, like someone gearing up for a tirade, but then she shakes her head. “I cannot fucking believe you. Have I ever given you any indication I want to beanywhereelse but here? With all of you?”

No one says anything because the venom in her voice is thick.

Mia swipes her hand through the air. “The answer’s no. I haven’t. And need I remind you all I was a solo act before that day at Carnation Studio. I was doing just fine. But I joined Exit Fate becausethisis everything. It’s magic. It’s our pack. So no, Aiden.”

She fixes me with a glare that melts me where I stand. I’m convinced I’m becoming one with the gravel beneath my boots.

“I’m not taking anything Jordan offered,” Mia says. “And I was going to tell you all that he showed up on our tour bus and fucking cornered me after you left earlier. But I didn’t want to ruin tonight’s set or the vibes after. I was going to tell you tomorrow. But thank you for breaching my privacy anyway.”

Leo closes his eyes A look of clear disappointment crosses his face. “Not cool, man.”

“More than not cool,” Noah cuts in. “What the fuck, man?”

Mia’s cheeks are flushed and her eyes are filling with tears. “I know they screwed you over, but I never would, Aiden.Never.But now I know you don’t trust me. So at least that’s out there.”

“Mia—”

“No,” she says. “I’ve got my parents all pissed I’m after this life because they think I don’t know what I’m doing. And now I know you don’t think so either, when I’ve never done anything but be committed to this band. I mean, fuck—for a while I’d even put this band above the pack.”

And there I’ve done it. Put a crack in the foundation of something so wonderful all because ofJordan.

No, not because of him. Because of my own bullshit I clearly didn’t get over. Stuff I still need to work through. Losing a band I put so much of my life into and a pack that felt like home throughout all those years really messed me up. But I don’t need to take that out on Mia or Leo or Noah.

Maybe Jordan was right about bands falling apart.

“Mia, I’m sorry,” I say as all the pieces of this fall around me. “I shouldn’t have gotten involved. I just… I saw his number and…”

Mia’s face softens, but not by much. “You should have trusted me. But I should have said something sooner.”

I shake my head. “No, you were right to not say anything before the set.” Even though we definitely all knew during it that something was wrong. “That fucker just has a way of weaseling his way intoeverything.”

“Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say about the man who made you famous,” someone says. Someone new. Someone not in my pack.

I turn my gaze to the three men who just appeared between tour buses. Three alphas I grew up with.

The three alphas who discarded me and everything we worked for in seconds.

Designation Outsider.

ChapterTwenty-One

NOAH

Darius,Ed, and Arnold of Designation Outsider stand there every bit the intruder to a private conversation burning a hole in our pack.

My body instantly tenses. I’ve never met them personally, but I’ve been a fan for years. Well, right up until they kicked Aiden out, anyway. Now I can barely listen to their music on principle.

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