Page 55 of Knot Their Opening Act

It’s okay. It will be fine. Tomorrow at this time I’ll be at the doctor, getting a new suppressant prescription. I just need to get through until then.

“No way, man, is that Jez Jacobs? Hey, can we have you in the photo too?”

My stomach lurches. Caylee stands up and faces him. “Can we pass on that? She’s just arrived and needs to chill.”

And has no makeup on and feels like shit and has slick pouring out between her legs because she’s in her second-ever heat and is surrounded in close quarters by her scent-matched Alphas, one of whom she wants to kick in the fucking nuts.

“Aww, just one photo, innit? Won’t be a bother after that.”

Okay, they’re that type of fan. Just a bother now. Grand.

“Sure, not a problem,” I say tightly, standing and trying to block out Ash’s,You don’t have to do this, Jesamine.

He stands, though, letting me out. I walk around the table as Ash grabs my long-sleeved shirt from the back of my chair and stuffs it in my hand. I tie it around my waist, nod my thanks, and join the group of Fable waiting for me in the middle of the dining room. God bless Ash’s wife Cami, who has probably made him more aware over time how much Omegas have to contend with on the daily.

The Fable guys part in the middle like the Red Sea, making space for me to slide between Nico and Kai.

I couldn’t feel more like my tits are on display, wearing the babydoll shirt with my MMO character printed on the front and my nipples like rockets ready to take off. I would’ve rather put the shirt back on than around my ass, hiding the sopping wet spot back there becausethat’snot going to be in the photo.

As I step up to the line of Fable guys, both Nico and—surprisingly—Kai put their arms around me. Nico’s arm goes around my shoulder, and Kai’s slides around my waist.

The second his skin touches mine it’s like a firework goes off inside my belly. I jump without warning, my breast pressing into his side, and let out a little yelp—which Ihopeis just inside my mouth.

It’s similar to the reaction I had with both Holden and Thomas, but instead of slowly over minutes as they spoke to me in hushed tones, it’s all at once. Maybe the only time Kai’s skin has met mine. He was the one of the four of them who wouldn’t shake my hand when we met on theTen to Oneset, thus kickstarting my searing hatred.

And now, it’s as if time stops.

The heat of my skin surely steams in the air. I feel his arm pull tight on my waist and his own intake of air as the camera sound on the fan’s phone goes off once, twice, three times, and the photographer even moves around, switching angles and from landscape to portrait as if this is a full shoot.

Before I know it, between the beer lining my empty, nauseous, dehydrated stomach, the rush of heat, and the insanity of whatever Kai’s touch is doing to me, I start to slip from their grips.

Everything that happens next is a blur. I cry out, turning toward Kai as I begin to slip to my knees, then I bury my face in his thigh. Caylee is quickly at my side, whispering frantically in my ear, her arms under my armpits, lifting me to my feet. Ash is on his, hustling the fans out the door, some of whom are protesting loudly, with Ash commenting that they’d been told I wasn’t feeling well so this really wasn’t the time.

As Caylee, Shay, and Murray help me over to the bench to lie me down horizontally, my heat-soaked eyes just blink, trying to get a grip of the anxiety I’m pressing down and the need for my Alphas cocks. Right fucking now. And I can’t say a word. Not with all these ears. Not in public. And not with my band there.

Caylee or Ash might’ve clued them in beforehand because they don’t seem shocked but do look keen to help. Bless them.

Before I know it though I hear Murray and Holden arguing, and Thomas getting a word in, too.

“It’s not for you to worry about it, she’s our singer,” Murray’s saying.

“While I appreciate that mate, she’s not your scent match,” snarls Holden.

And the room stops. In seconds, Ry, Gareth, Murray, and Shay are led out of the back dining room with Caylee leading the way, speaking quickly and quietly. That leaves me with Fable standing around the table, all but Holden who is kneeling beside my head, one hand on the top of my messy bun, and Ash taking a seat opposite me. Everyone’s food sits and waits, growing cold.

This is all my fault.

I squeeze my eyes closed.

“I don’t want this,” I murmur. Then I wince. The pain of this heat is more than I expected. The pain of—is it having them near? And not having them in me?

Thisis what I was taught to fear. Feeling out of control of my body, a body that just wants to mate, that wants their teeth on my neck, their knots inside my anywhere they can fit, their tongues painting murals of their protection and adoration for me across every inch of my skin. I lift a hand to cover my nipples, and find my fingers rubbing over them through the t-shirt.

“We can’t stay here like this. Let’s get you into the minibus and to the venue. We’ll get you guys back onto the tour bus because you have to talk. She can’t stay like this, and she sure as hell can’t perform while this is going on.”

Ash’s voice is low and solemn as if someone just died. Then I hear him swear under his breath as he stands and walks a few feet away, mobile to his ear as he makes a call.

In minutes, Caylee is back, leading me by the hand to the minibus, and five minutes later we’re back at the tour bus. Ash files us all on, me last, with Caylee behind him. I slide into the booth in the common area immediately, pulling my legs up to the cushion and hugging my knees to my painful chest still begging for attention. I’m pretty sure my long-sleeved top is now soaked through. I just want to be in my bedroom so I can take care of this myself. I nearly came sitting in the back of the minibus as it bounced around Leeds’ fucking potholes.

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