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

Dax

PACK ‘EM UP GOSSIP COLUMN

IS THE EDGE GETTING PROTECTIVE AND POSSESSIVE OF OLI HART? SHOULD WE BE WORRIED?

April 17th

T he afternoon sun glares down on the concrete as I shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans, following Aiden, Jack, and Chase off the bus.

I’m thinking through the performance tonight when Oli’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

“Hey, , can you hang back for a second?”

I pause and eye her warily. The rest of my pack is nervous through the bond. They’re probably worried I’ll ruin their progress with her. It’s like a persistent hum in my blood. They’re worried about this little one-on-one, their unease prickling at me until it’s all I can do not to roll my eyes.

She’s all spunky charm and relentless optimism, and it grates just as much as it sucks me in.

“Sure,” I grunt, curiosity piquing despite my weariness.“I’m not going to make her cry,” I mutter under my breath, hoping they’ll pick up on it and back off.

My focus snaps back to Oli as the door to the bus closes. She stands there, green eyes bright with something I can’t quite pin down. Anticipation? Concern? Either way, she’s got my attention now. We’re alone, the others out of earshot, and I’m bracing myself for whatever comes next.

Oli sits down on the couch and gestures for me to do the same. Her eyes are soft yet determined.

“Look, ,” she starts, her voice firm but kind, “this is awkward, but I have to say it. I know you don’t want a bond or an omega. I hear you loud and clear, so if you want to be happier and not prickly all the time, I promise not to read into it. I won’t suddenly think you want an omega just because you’re happier.”

I blink, taken aback. This isn’t what I expected. I am shocked silent.

“Life is too short to be unhappy all the time. I don’t want to ruin being on a tour and time with your pack mates. So, I’m just letting you know that it would be okay with me if you were happier.”

“You want me to be happy?” My voice comes out rougher than intended.

She pauses, tilting her head. “I want you to enjoy life more without worrying about me thinking it means you like me.”

I’ve never been a happy guy. Yes, I’ve been tougher on Oli, but I’m usually grumpy. Something stops me from telling her that.

“Happiness is overrated,” I mumble, but her words are a pebble in my shoe, irritating and impossible to ignore.

She cares about me. My attitude has bothered her because she cares about me, not how it affects her.

Oli moves closer. Her proximity sends a wave of warmth across my skin, and I resist the urge to move back .

“I’ll keep this in mind, Hart.”

“Please do, Grey,” she says, her smile radiant enough to challenge the sun.

“Come on, grumpy pants,” she teases, poking at my arm with a slender finger. Her touch is electric, sparking a reaction deep within. “We should join the guys before they start sound check without us.”

“They won’t have gone far.”

I’m proved right when we open the door, and the three of them are standing there with concerned expressions, arms crossed, and brows raised.

“What was that about?” Jack asks.

“Mind your own business,” Oli calls out to them, her tone playful yet firm. She steps closer to me, a quiet solidarity that has me standing taller.

“So, everything is good?” Chase asks, the doubt in his voice clashing with the smirk he can’t quite hide.

“Better than good,” I answer before I can second-guess the truth of it. And weirdly enough, it feels right.

“Let’s roll, then,” Oli says, looping her arm through Aiden’s as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. As we stride toward the venue, I fall into step with the others behind them.

We get on stage surrounded by a mess of cables and amps.

We move into our first song, and I decide to follow Oli’s advice and let go.

When Oli comes over to run her fingers through my hair, I offer her a smile that feels foreign on my face.

She blinks at me, surprised, before grinning back at me.

I can feel the shock of my packmates, and it’s annoying.

We leave the stage, letting the opener get set up, and move into our dressing room to get ready. Oli needs her hair and makeup done, which takes an hour before every show.

While she’s sitting there as they curl her hair, she excitedly bounces in place and announces, “Aiden and I wrote a song.”

“That’s what you were up all night doing, right?” Chase asks.

Aiden nods. “It flowed easier than any song I’ve written.”

“When do we get to hear it?” Jack asks.

“As soon as it’s perfect,” Oli declares.

I take a breath and decide to be nice. “I’m sure it’s great.”

My packmates stare at me.

“That didn’t sound sarcastic,” Aiden mutters.

“Whoa, what’s gotten into you?” Jack eyes me with suspicion.

“Nothing,” I mutter. “Just thought I’d try something different.”

“By being polite? You?” Chase laughs. “Did Oli slip you some happy pills or something?”

“Shut it,” I snap, the old peeking through. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, reigning myself back in.

Oli stands there the whole time, grinning. “Leave him alone. He’s lightening up and enjoying life. I promised it wouldn’t mean anything to me if he wasn’t always grumpy.”

Chase opens his mouth, no doubt to point out I’ve never been happy in my whole life, but I cut him off with a growl.

Their laughter erupts, echoing off the walls, and I feel my cheeks heat up. This isn’t going to be easy.

“I’m giving it a shot.”

“, man, you wouldn’t know nice if it kicked you in the ass,” Jack chimes in, shaking his head with a grin.

Even if my pack is trying to ruin this for me, I’m taking this opportunity. Without the weight of keeping Oli at a distance or May’s negativity, I might be able to enjoy life for the first time.

Oli finishes getting ready, and as we approach the stage, everything seems possible.

The air’s electric with that pre-show buzz, and I can almost taste the excitement.

“I’m happy for you, . You seem lighter. A weight has been lifted from your shoulders,” Aiden tells me as we wait on the side for our cue.

“Thanks, man.”

“Whatever she said to you must have been a spell for it to work this well,” Chase adds.

Laughter bubbles up from my throat, a foreign sound that surprises even me.

We reach the stage, and the intensity hits me—the heat of the lights, the roar of the crowd beyond the curtains, the palpable energy that vibrates through every inch of the venue. It’s all-consuming, yet instead of being overwhelmed, I feel anchored.

I’m going to soak up every moment of this performance.