Page 66 of Omega Rock

Leo turns as they come on through and steps into their path on their way to Aiden and Mia. A human shield in an already trying situation. “Guys, long time no see! Surprised it took you this long to come say hi. Not the best timing, though.”

Arnold steps up first. His buzzed black hair has a streak of neon blue dye in it. He completely ignores Leo despite him standing right in front of Arnold. “Didn’t expect you to show up to Knotty Tour for this long.”

“Or for your new band to be decent this soon,” Darius cuts in.

Leo straightens, which finally draws Arnold’s attention to him. “Listen guys, this really isn’t the best time. You need to leave.”

Mia turns to them. Given how she reacted to seeing Leo and Aiden that first day at Carnation Studio, I’m surprised to not see an ounce of starstruck awe in her face at all. That’s how fucked up our conversation was before this moment. “Tell Jordan to fuck off.”

I can’t help but smirk.Little firecracker.

Darius gives her a slightly patronizing look. “That’s not a nice way to react to such a kind offer.”

It’s so wild seeing Designation Outsider in person at all, let alone here like this. Being a former fan is a major part of the strangeness, but it’s also because they were Aiden’spack. Before Mia came into our lives, I never really expected to find a pack of my own. It had simply not happened yet and so I figured it never would.

Now that I know what it’s like, I can’t even begin to imagine what it must feel like to be kicked out of a pack. And to have the courage to start over with a new one.

My respect for Aiden Paltier grows. As does my hatred for Designation Outsider.

“Yeah, well,” Mia cuts in, surprising the shit out of me. She steps right up to Darius beside Leo. “Kind of idiotic of him to assume I’d even entertain it, especially after he cornered me in my own tour bus like a predator.”

Leo growls deep at her words, but it’s Aiden who speaks first.

“Mia,” Aiden says in warning. “Enough, guys. All of you.” He extends a hand to Darius, but their handshake is less than amiable.

It occurs to me that this must be the first time Aiden’s seen any of them since they kicked him out of their band. Everything about this screams set-up or actual lunacy. To show up here after what their band manager did is a wild act. And it’s not like Aiden and Mia were quiet in their arguments either. I’m sure anyone around the tour buses nearby heard them.

Aiden reaches for Ed and Arnold’s hands next, but they decline so Aiden pulls away. “Fine. Now that we’ve all said hi, you can go. There’s nothing for you here.”

A tension hangs in the air thick enough to punch. I’ll throw the first if it continues. This energy isn’t good, and my inner alpha feels ready to lash out in defense of the pack especially after the bombshells Aiden and Mia just dropped on us. Nothing feels right at the moment. And while Darius’s words don’t indicate he wants a fight, energy doesn’t lie.

My fists clench at my sides as I try to hold back.

Darius laughs and waves Aiden off. “Nah, let your little pet omega talk all she wants. It’s rather adorable, actually.”

“All right.” Leo shuffles closer to Darius. “Enough, man. If you came here to say hi, you’ve done it. No one’s interested in anything more. Go.”

Darius, who’s an inch or two taller than Leo, stares down his nose at him. “Or?” Then his gaze shifts to Mia. “Jordan’s waiting on your answer.”

“Fuck’s sake, Darius,” Aiden calls with a growl in his voice. “Why the hell come herenowand make a scene, and for what?” He looks over Darius’s shoulder to Arnold and Ed. “Are you two cool with this? We’re all just here on tour together. It doesn’t have to be deeper than that. Jordan’s actions don’t define your own.”

Ed waves a hand at us. “Except it is, and they do. That’s what band managers are paid for. And then there’s the matter of your omega.”

Ah, so it’s not really about Exit Fate so much as it is our pack. I crack my neck. “Last I checked, Aiden’s not one of your pack anymore.”

Aiden shoots a glare back at me—checking me in a way that makes my inner alpha stand downjust a little bit—but it won’t hold me for long. “Noah’s right. You kicked me out of the band and the pack. That’s not on me.”

“And Jordan can fuck right off,” Mia hisses.

Darius chuckles hollowly. “You leave, and find an omega immediately? Seems unfair when our pack could never find a scent match.” Then he makes a show of sniffing the air as if he’s scenting Mia. “I personally had to wonder if she might be a match for us, too.”

The hairs on the back of my neck rise. Before I really realize it’s happened, I’m standing in front of Mia. This is not the place for our omega to be. Every man involved in this confrontation is an alpha who’s got six inches to a foot in height on her. Mia might be a little firecracker, but if this goes south, the last place I want for her to be is right here no matter how involved she is because of Jordan’s offer.

Aiden steps up to his former band with darkened eyes. His entire body has gone rigid, as has Leo’s. “So you thought you’d, what? Come here and…?”

Darius shrugs. “Well, if she’s a scent matchandwants to accept Jordan’s offer, we were hoping to escort her away from your broken, pathetic pack.”

Arnold and Ed shift closer to Mia. I clock it. “Not today, boys,” I say. Not fucking today.

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