Knot My Band, Part One (Knot My Band #1)

Oli

OMEGA BUZZ GOSSIP COLUMN

MAY THORNTON’S BITTER JEALOUSY DOESN’T SEEM TO BE AFFECTING OLI HART OR THE EDGE’S PERFORMANCES AS THEY PLAY TO A SOLD OUT CROWD IN SAN FRANCISCO

April 15th

I slump against the wall of our dressing room after a sold-out performance in San Francisco.

“Damn, we killed it!” I say, my voice barely above a whisper from belting out lyrics for the last two hours. My skin is slick with sweat.

I lean against the cool wall, trying to catch my breath.

“, you were on fire tonight,” Chase grins, his tattoos stretching with the movement. His drumsticks are still in his hand as if he can’t bear to let go of them yet.

“Thanks, Chase,” I reply, swiping at the beads of sweat on my forehead. The coolness of my palm is a brief respite. “You weren’t too shabby yourself,” I wink.

“Shabby? I was spectacular,” he retorts with mock indignation, flipping a stick in the air and catching it with ease. His laughter is a low rumble that fills the small space.

“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” I tease back, pushing off the wall to grab a towel. The fabric is rough against my skin, but it’s needed.

I might need to buy some softer towels to keep my omega happy.

Riley pops into the room. “Ten minutes until meet and greet with the fans.”

I pull her into a hug.

“Ew! You’re covered in sweat, ve!” she complains, but I know she doesn’t mean it.

A crew member knocks before entering the room with a bouquet of flowers. “These came for you, Ms. Hart.”

He sets them down before rushing out the door.

“They’re gorgeous. Who are they from?” Riley asks.

There’s got to be a card or something, right? My eyes dart around the base of the vase, between the stems, searching for any hint of who might have sent these.

“No clue.”

The four guys come to check them out and crowd me away from them.

“A fan?” Aiden guesses.

“Or an admirer,” Dax murmurs grumpily.

Chase folds his arms, his usual warmth gone in stark contrast to the cool tone he’s using now. “Someone’s got a crush on our , huh?”

“Let me see!” Riley reaches for the bouquet, eyes wide with wonder. “They’re gorgeous, but it’s weird, right? No message?”

“Definitely weird,” I agree. “But they’re beautiful, so, Riley, can you put them on the bus?”

The guys huddle closer, radiating protective energy.

“Maybe too weird,” adds Jack, his voice a low rumble that sends vibrations through the air. “You can’t be too careful, .”

“Let’s trash them,” Dax adds darkly, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest. The protective glint in his eyes is unmistakable.

“But they’re gorgeous,” I defend. I hate the idea of just wasting such a beautiful bouquet. “Can we give them to someone on the crew?”

“And risk them getting hurt if there’s something wrong with them?” Aiden asks.

“Leave them,” Chase insists, stepping closer.

“Okay,” I agree, trying not to let the disappointment seep into my voice. “No anonymous bouquets. Safety first.”

“Exactly,” Jack chimes in, offering me that lopsided smile that’s all charm and trouble. “Who needs mystery flowers when you’ve got us, huh? We will buy you something even better. In fact, I already did.”

Jack reaches behind the couch and pulls out a wrapped present.

I snatch it from his hands with a shriek, ripping it open. There’s an orange stuffed seal that’s soft and cuddly. It’s covered in Jack’s coffee scent, making me squeal.

This is the first time he’s wrapped one of them, but these stuffed toys from every city we go to are so perfect that I never mind.

“I love it! Thank you so much, Jack!”

Jack pulls me in for a kiss, but Chase doesn’t let it last long.

“Speaking of something better,” Chase pulls me over to the side of the room, distracting me while the others remove the flowers.

“Yes, Chase?” I ask .

“Our next stop is L.A. I was thinking maybe you and I could have a date. We have another day off, and I have to ask before someone else beats me to it.”

I laugh. “That would be great, Chase. What are we going to do?”

His smile is giddy. “It’s a surprise.”

I nod. “Okay. I can’t wait.”

Chase grabs my hand and pulls me behind him. “Let’s get to the meet and greet.”

When we get into the room, it’s swarming with fans.

I move into position as the line of fans starts to move, their eager faces a blur of excitement and awe.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” I tease a fan who’s decked out in one of my vintage tees, her eyes wide as saucers. “Ready for a picture?”

She giggles, nodding furiously, and I can’t help but feed off her energy—it’s contagious.

“Can’t believe I’m actually meeting you,” a fan breathes out as she steps up, her eyes shimmering with tears of joy. I can tell she’s an omega despite her lack of scent.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I say with a wink, wrapping an arm around her for the photo. “What’s your name?”

“Brittney. I have to tell you, you mean everything to me. My parents say I should focus on finding a pack, but I want to be like you.”

Tears prick at my eyes. This world wasn’t built for independent omegas, and I do everything I can to change that, but hearing it from an omega means so much to me.

I pull her into a tight hug. “You can do anything.” I point to Riley in the corner. “Go get my number from her and I’ll help you however I can. ”

The girl nods and runs over to Riley, who smiles at me before talking to the girl.

I have to move on to the next fan, but I hope that girl really reaches out if she needs me. The guys are taking pictures and talking to fans, too, after they move away from me.

Fans shuffle forward in a seemingly endless stream, and I’m all grins and giggles, doling out hugs like candy on Halloween. Sharpies squeak as they skate across glossy photos, my name looping into autographs that some swear they’ll tattoo later.

It’s crazy.

“Thank you for being here,” I tell each one, meaning it from the bottom of my heart.

“Hey, , mind if I sweep you off your feet?” A towering alpha with a cheeky grin steps up, gesturing for a pose.

I debate for a second before deciding, what’s the harm?

“Sure.”

He swings me up into his arms, and we grin for the picture.

From the corner of my eye, I catch a shift in the atmosphere.

Aiden, Jack, Chase, and Dax are glaring at the guy. The room is constantly pumped full of scent cancelers, so I can’t smell them, but it’s evident from their expressions they don’t like it.

I move him along, and the next alpha comes forward for a picture.

Their eyes follow each interaction, especially the ones with other alphas, and I can almost hear the low growl simmering in their chests.

I wave to Riley, who stops the flow of fans so I can go talk to the guys.

“Everything okay over there?” I ask.

“Fine,” they mutter, a combination of gruffness and forced smiles .

“Smile, you’re gonna scare away my fans,” I chide playfully.

“Your fans?” Chase teases back, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “Last time I checked, we were part of the package deal.”

“Exactly! So stop growling and make them like you!”

“Do the other alphas have to touch you?” Jack asks, grumbling.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t go crazy when omegas pose with you. It’s not comfortable, but it’s the job.”

“Fine,” Jack grunts.

“We will do better,” Aiden adds.

We go back to our positions, but their stares remain locked on every alpha who approaches me like they’re ready to pounce.

“, can you sign this?” Another eager face presents a vinyl album cover, and I’m back to business, scribbling my name with flair.

My attention is split now; half on the throng of adoring fans and half on the brooding alphas who look like they’re itching for a reason to turn this meet-and-greet into a standoff.

A hand snakes around my waist, a bit too firm, a bit too possessive for a casual fan photo. I flash my megawatt smile, but the alphas’ eyes are daggers aimed at the intrusive arm. They shift from foot to foot, their forced grins barely hiding the snarl that wants to escape.

“Great show tonight, ,” the alpha says, his voice a low rumble in my ear.

“Thanks,” I reply, untangling myself as gently as possible. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

The moment I step away, Jack slides in, a buffer between me and the next fan. His gaze is intense, telling me without words that he’s on high alert. The air crackles with tension, and I can almost taste the alpha pheromones battling for dominance.

He’s a statue beside me, all hard lines and simmering anger.

“,” he hisses once we’re out of earshot. “These alphas, they don’t know how to respect boundaries. You’re too open, too trusting.”

“Isn’t that the point of a meet-and-greet?” I tease, but there’s no laughter behind my words this time.

“Maybe,” he admits, a reluctant smirk tugging at his lips. “But you’re ours, . Don’t forget that.”

Jack stays closer to me but lets the next fan come up. I’m sure it helps that she’s a beta woman.

The next is an alpha, and I’m worried about how Jack is going to handle it, but he lets us take a picture.

We are going to have to talk about this going forward.

“Hey, maybe after this we can—” The alpha’s suggestion is cut off as Chase steps in, his body language screaming ‘back off’ even though his smile could light up the dingy backstage area.

“Time’s up, buddy,” he says, all charm, but I hear the steel underneath. “’s got a whole line of fans waiting.”

“Sure, sure, just thought I’d ask,” the alpha responds, but there’s a defiant tilt to his chin as he walks away. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. This is new territory for me, navigating between my fans’ affections and my bandmates’ protective instincts. It’s like walking a tightrope.

We are almost to the end of the line when Aiden joins us.

Now, Chase, Aiden, and Jack are standing around me while I do my meet-and-greets, combining our lines so the person just moves down slightly.

I’m shocked when Dax joins us .

I stare at him with wide eyes, and he shrugs.

“Can’t help it,” Dax confesses. “It’s instinctive.”

With each passing moment, the alphas’ presence becomes less like a looming storm and more like a steady pulse—reassuring, constant. They flank me, their body language relaxing incrementally, the sharp edges of jealousy dulled as they stand next to me.

I relax, knowing they won’t make me stop; they just want to be closer.

It’s easier for me, too, and I know my omega is happier.