Page 15 of Waiting for Fate
Corralling the sweaty men into a dressing room, Bea passes out water bottles and lets them take a few minutes to cool down before she addresses their performance. “Great job, guys. That wasn’t bad for the first stop. How are we feeling?”
Joey, their bassist, gives me her thumbs up from where he has face planted onto a couch. I stifle a laugh as they all give her the same sort of response. If they’re this exhausted after a half hour show, they’ll need to work on their stamina.
“Cool down, then get ready to head back to the bus. We’re heading out as soon as the show’s over.”
Stepping back out of the room, she bumps right into my back. “Sorry, sunshine, didn’t hear you leaving.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” she grumbles. “I’m going to find Brady and check in.”
I chuckle as I trail behind her. She can fight our connection all she wants. I love a good challenge.
My hair is still wet from my shower. Tiny droplets falling onto my bare shoulders and chest as I walk out of the bathroom. Bea leaves her tiny nest at the same time, those mesmerizing dark blue eyes tracking each drop with apparent interest.
“My eyes are up here, sunshine,” I tell her with a smirk, leaning one arm against my bunk.
My words have her head snapping up. Pink tints her cheeks as she plasters on a bland expression. “Obviously.”
“Someone’s grumpy this afternoon,” I comment, amused by her attitude.
“She needs coffee,” Omen mutters as she slips past us, her laptop in her hands and a determined look on her face. Bea’s lips purse as she follows her friend into the living area. Her mood brightens as she is settles on the couch with a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. The sight makes me chuckle.
I glance around the tour bus the Powells bought their daughters. White walls and light floors keep the space from feeling claustrophobic, even with all four of us piled inside. The light blue kitchenette adds a splash of color, giving the room a homey vibe.
Having this limited space for Omen and Bea to call their home for the next two months makes guarding them infinitely easier. There are a few cities where we will be in a hotel, which means there are less potential threats to mitigate after each show.
With Omen outside working, and Lex watching over her, Bea and I have the bus to ourselves. I grab the takeout containers one of the road crew had dropped off and pile two plates full. I don’t know what foods Bea does and doesn’t enjoy yet, so I give her a little of everything. Watching her devour the food I brought her brings an instinctual satisfaction to my soul. Providing for our mates is what alphas were born to do.
Silence surrounds us as she eats, her attention riveted to her phone. I’m content to bask in her presence, enjoying the ability to study her without her noticing my blatant staring.
Noise outside pulls our attention away from the food. Peeking out the tinted window, Bea grins. Following her gaze, I see the lead singer of Primordial Covenant, Nexus, standing outside, his eyes trained where Omen sits in a lawn chair working on their pictures from last night. The chemistry between them is almost tangible, even from within the bus. Bea watches their interaction with delight, dancing in her seat when Omen agrees to go to their bus for lunch.
Seeing how close these two omegas are brings a matching smile to my own lips. It’s clear my omega has an incredible support network in her friends and family.
Bea spins and plops back down on the couch, quickly finishing her lunch.
“Any plans for the day, sunshine?” I ask after sitting my empty plate aside.
“Paperwork,” she groans. “And a meeting with Brady before we head to the venue for soundcheck.”
I nod, having expected as much. We’re in Columbus today for the tour’s second stop. A city familiar to me since I grew up an hour away. If we were here longer than a day, I’d take Bea on a tour of all the best places to visit. We’ll have to save that adventure for the future when I bring her home to meet my family.
Bea’s mentor lets her tackle the show tonight on her own. He’s still in the venue and ready to step in if she needs his help, but my omega is thriving in her role. The road crew, venue staff, and band members alike all look to her with respect as she commands the room. It’s hot as fuck.
When she steps into Orbital Somatic’s dressing room to give them a pre-show pep talk, and to check in with their drummer to make sure he isn’t panicking over the crowd tonight, I stand with my back to the door.
Both shows have been implausibly smooth. No protests or complaints from the city. It’s making Lex nervous, but I know better. Ohio may be an anti-pack leaning state, but Columbus is a pro-pack city. Even if protesters decide to set up outside, local police would work tirelessly to ensure it remained peaceful.
Not all our stops will be as easygoing, especially once we head into the Southern states. The dated anti-pack values there run much deeper than they do here.
Regardless of how volatile things get, we’ll protect these omegas with our lives. I’ll never let Bea get hurt on my watch.
The venue’s flirty stage manager appears at the end of the hall, her eyes lighting up when she sees me. Being flirted with has never bothered me before. Men, women, non-binary, I’ve always flirted right back. It’s in my nature to laugh off a salacious comment, but now that I’ve met the center of my universe, the sunshine illuminating the darkest voids in my heart I don’t want my reactions to be misconstrued as interest.
My face remains placid as I knock on the open door beside me, pulling my omega’s attention away from the band. She notices the stage manager right away, stepping around me to check in with her. I intentionally let a soft smile slip onto my lips when I look at Bea, making sure this other woman knows I’m completely smitten by the curly haired beauty.
I place my hand on the small of Bea’s back, stepping into her side so Orbital Somatic can leave their dressing room to head to the stage. She instinctively steps closer, her shoulder brushing against my arm, and my smile grows into a grin. Soon she’ll realize why she reacts to me the way she does, and I can’t wait for the fireworks that will ignite between us when she does.
We watch from the wings as Caleb introduces their band. Everything seems fine through the first two songs, but halfway through their third the mic cuts out, dulling the singer’s voice behind the rest of the band’s performance. His eyes are wide as they dart to Bea. She’s already moving, heading to the sound tech to find out what the problem is and get it fixed.
