Page 10 of This Fate That Guides Us
A practice we hadn’t been using for several years until last summer when a fifth mate sent a message on their 21st birthday. Hearing we had another mate in this world was a profound discovery. Our mystery mate had not shared our joy. Whoever they are, they weren’t ready for us to find each other.
Something my inner alpha doesn’t understand. He can’t comprehend why we haven’t torn this world apart to find them, but I promised we would wait until they were ready, and I intend to keep our promise.
A small part of me wonders if this pull we are feeling to Omen is from a Fated connection. Maybe she could be the mystery mate we’ve been patiently waiting for…
No. It can’t be her.
Attraction doesn’t necessarily mean Fate has something more in store for us.
“I would like to amend the contract for the Boston, Nashville, Memphis, and Las Vegas locations to stage only shots. I’m not comfortable working from within the crowd at events so close to anti-designation territory.”
I refocus as Omen talks to our manager who studies her for a few seconds before writing her request on the contract so he can have it amended before she signs it later this week.
Brady glances my way after he finishes writing. The hard glint in his eyes warns me to get myself together. I give him a curt nod in acknowledgment. I need to get my shit together and stop letting my instincts control me.
Omen asks a few other security and venue-related questions before Brady wraps up their conversation. “Alright then, Miss Powell, as long as you’re sure you don’t have any other questions, we’re all done. I’ll have the finalized contract emailed to you after it has been amended, so you can make sure everything is written to your expectations before you meet with the higher-ups to finalize everything.”
Omen offers polite goodbyes before Brady shows her back to the elevator. My alpha huffs in displeasure as she walks away from us, but I ignore the instinct to chase after her.
Hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of her after the tour starts.
“Based on your reactions, I’m assuming you don’t have any issues with Omen working alongside you for the tour.” Brady meets each of our eyes, daring us to deny the tension still palpable in the room.
“Yeah, we’re good,” I scowl. “You need anything else from us? We’ve got the studio booked for the afternoon if you don’t.”
My mates, my bass, and our music are what I need to shake my lingering desire to chase after Omen.
“Nope, head on down. I’ll touch base in a few days and we’ll get everything finalized for when we head out to our first venue.”
Sweaty, hungry, and exhausted, I watch Callisto run his hands through his hair for the fifth time in three minutes. His shoulders are stiff and his jaw is tight, both signs it’s time for us to call it a day.
We’ve been in the studio for three hours now reworking songs for our album set to release at the end of the year. Even with a few scattered breaks to reset our minds and muscles, I can feel my mate’s frustration through our bond.
“Pack up. We’ve done enough for today.”
Cal turns to face me, frowning. “Not yet. I’ve almost got it. It’s right there, I just can’t see it yet.”
“You’re agitated and overthinking. Taking time to focus on other things will help more than trying to force yourself through this wall,” I point out. I can already feel his annoyance growing. Most of the feeling is directed at himself. His perfectionist tendencies always shine through the most when he is struggling to finish a project.
“Then you three go ahead, I’ll catch up later.” He immediately turns his back to me and starts shuffling through his papers again. Continuing to work right now won’t get him anywhere. He’ll only burn himself out, which would be fucking terrible right before we start our tour.
Crossing the small studio space, I wrap a hand around his throat from behind and force him to stand still. His hair tickles my cheek where it gets caught on my nose as I lean in to whisper in his ear.
“If you don’t pack up your things and walk out that door in the next five minutes, I’m going to take you over my knee when we get home. Good boys listen when their Alpha tells them they need a break. You’re my good boy, aren’t you Cal?” Flicking my tongue out, I run it along the outer shell of his ear, smirking against his skin when he goes pliant against me. “Five minutes, baby. You’d better get this pretty ass moving.”
“Do I get a timer too, daddy?” Nexus asks, wrapping around my back and grinding his semi against my ass.
My nose scrunches in distaste at the nickname he likes to goad me with. He’s intentionally being bratty. Unlike Cal wholoves being rewarded for good behavior, my alpha mate prefers being punished.
“I’m guessing his silence is a no,” Nexus says, pushing his bottom lip out into a pout.
Titan raises an eyebrow but doesn’t give in to our mate’s antics, he just grabs Callisto’s guitar case and heads for the elevator. Nexus shrugs and follows along, wrapping his arm around Cal’s shoulders and whispering into our beta’s ear.
A smile stretches across my lips watching them. My family.
I met most of my mates at the Alpha Academy several years ago. I was a mess when I started at the school. My parents had barely been present in my life after my older sister passed away. I was alone and angry, feeling abandoned by the world.
As a newly presented alpha with no control over his emotions, I was a danger to myself and everyone around me. Mandated therapy with the school’s counselor helped me process my grief, but meeting Nexus was what saved me. My vibrant alpha mate gave me a new purpose when I was lost in my grief. He gave me someone to protect, a task I faced with ferocity after losing the last person I was meant to protect.
