Page 10 of Stream Heat
I started to sink to the floor again because if they saw me like this, I was done. No amount of killcams or sponsors could erase it, I knew it would live in their memories for a long ass time, just like it would in my own.
Reid must have heard something because an alpha growl followed, “Open the door. Now, Kara.”
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and the lock might as well have been a puzzle box, but I got it open. My body obeying before my pride could stop it. Instead of a delivery on the other side, there they were, five Alphas lined up like an intimidation campaign. Pack Wrecked, looking like an ad for protein powder, crowding my sad little hallway. Reid in front, then Malik, Theo, Jace, and Ash, every single one staring at me like they’d just found a dead rat in their morning oatmeal.
I tried to summon some venom, to say anything, but I was nothing except Omega scent and sweat and shame.
Reid looked me up and down, like he was running the numbers. "Fuck, Quinn."
Malik, arms crossed as though to stop himself from reaching out, just murmured, "It's worse than I thought."
Their reactions set me off and I tried to slam the door in their faces, but of course Reid caught the edge one-handed, like it was nothing. No way was I going to muscle past an Alpha, not like this. Not ever.
"Get out," I spat, retreating into my own apartment as they piled inside like it was nothing, "I don’t need you. Or your fake concern. Or whatever stunt this is. I should have never asked you to come.”
I hated that I’d had hope and now it was gone. I hated that despite everything I'd said about them on stream, despite months of antagonistic rivalry, despite the fact that being near me right now could trigger their own ruts, they were here.
Letting five Alphas into my space while I was in this state went against every survival instinct I'd developed. But the alternative was standing in my doorway having this conversation where any of my neighbors could see and potentially record it.
Reid just shut the door behind them, the sound weirdly final. Five Alphas in my tiny apartment, their scents slamming into me with no hesitation. Cedar, citrus, sharp power, thick in the air and pressing.
My knees nearly buckled, but I locked them. I wasn’t going down in front of them. All I could do was let them see me like this and hope it wouldn’t kill me.
They moved into my apartment with careful coordination, like they'd discussed strategy beforehand. Malik headed straight for my kitchen, pulling protein bars and electrolyte drinks from his bag. Ash disappeared toward my gaming setup, probably doing damage control I hadn't even thought of. Jace positioned himself near the windows, blocking any potential sight linesfrom outside. Theo started pacing, nervous energy radiating off him in waves.
"We’re not here to gloat," Reid said, using that calm, steady voice that always got under my skin. He’d ordered me off my own stream with it."We need to talk about what happened," he said. "And what happens next."
"What happens next is my career is over." I stumbled and fell onto my couch, pulling my knees up to my chest. "You saw the hashtag. Three sponsors already dropped me. The platform is reviewing my partnership. I'm done."
"You're not done." Reid sat on the opposite end of the couch, carefully maintaining space between us. "This is bad, yeah. But it's not unsalvageable."
Malik appeared with a protein bar and a bottle of sports drink. "Eat," he said, his therapist voice brooking no argument. "Your blood sugar is probably crashing on top of everything else."
"Our manager had an idea," Theo said, barely able to keep the words from tumbling over each other. "A way to fix things for both sides."
"Both?" I snorted, except it came out more like a dying animal than a laugh. "You didn’t lose your whole career on camera."
Ash, quietly from the back, said, "Your heat crash affected the whole team. The net’s obsessed with it. There’s a large portion of people saying that we triggered you somehow. Sponsors are worried."
The idea that Pack Wrecked was being blamed was ridiculous, of course, before I could respond my vision flickered, going gray at the edges. I gripped the desk so hard I thought it might shatter. The shakes were threatening to become a full-blown event.
"Quinn…Kara… " Reid stepped toward me, then stopped when I flinched. "Sit down before you pass out."
"I’m fine," I managed, which was a lie so obvious even I wanted to wince. "Just say what you want. Get it over with. Leave."
They traded looks, probably shocked I wasn’t rolling over for them. Finally, Reid said, "PR plan. From management. For all of us."
"What kind of plan?" Suspicion came out sharp; I didn’t have energy to sugarcoat.
"Fake pack bond," Reid answered. No hesitation.
I blinked. "A what?"
Theo jumped in. "You move in with us. We make it look real, go public with a fake pack relationship. Redemption, for everyone."
"You’re all out of your minds," I whispered, and I meant it. Or maybe I was the crazy one for thinking I’d heard right.
Jace, who’d barely said a word, actually had my attention. "People saw your heat hit on stream. They already believe the story, we just take control. Spin it."
