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

Oli

DIRTY BETA GOSSIP COLUMN

DID JACK HANSLEY CROSS THE LINE BY BARKING AT THE CROWD?

April 26th

T he slap of playing cards against the table fills the tour bus. I’m sandwiched between Aiden and Chase, with Jack lounging across from us and Dax next to him.

The tour has been flying by, and every moment with these alphas has been amazing.

“Your turn, ,” Aiden murmurs.

I glance at my hand, then up at him, catching the softness in those brown eyes of his.

“Thinking of folding already?” Chase teases, his sandy brown hair falling into his eyes as he leans back with a confident grin. His drumsticks are nowhere in sight, but his fingers tap an impatient rhythm on his knee.

“Never,” I retort, tossing down a card with a flourish. “I’m about to wipe the floor with you.”

“Sure you are,” Jack chimes in, winking at me. His playful energy is as infectious as ever, his blue eyes dancing with mischief under that white-blond hair. He reaches across the table to nudge my hand with a chuckle, sending a jolt of electricity up my arm. “Just make sure you don’t lose your shirt in the process—or do. We wouldn’t complain.”

“Speak for yourself,” Aiden counters with a smirk. His proximity suddenly becomes more noticeable as he leans in, ostensibly to glance at my cards. His breath ghosts over my ear, and I fight the urge to shiver.

“Keep dreaming, boys,” I quip, though my heart skips a beat at their combined attention.

I win that hand.

I check the time. “I think we are an hour out.”

“You need to eat something before the show,” Chase tells me, taking care of me.

“I will,” I say easily.

“Let’s place an order, and someone will pick it up,” Aiden says.

“With dessert!” I say, clapping.

Jack rolls his eyes. “And vegetables.”

Jack calls in an order. I’ve gotten used to the amount of food they order now.

Dax deals, and I have horrible cards.

“Your bluffing face could use some work, ,” Dax chimes in, leaning back against his seat with an ease that’s new.

He flashes me a rare grin that showcases an unexpected dimple, causing my heart to skip a beat.

“Ouch,” I say, placing a hand over my chest in mock pain.

His chuckle rumbles through the confined space, warm and surprisingly pleasant. He’s really been trying to enjoy life more and be happier, and true to my word I’m not reading into it but just enjoying his happiness.

The bus suddenly slows, the change in momentum pulling us all forward slightly. I glance out the window and see the sparkling lights of our destination drawing closer, turning the atmosphere inside the tour bus electric with anticipation.

“Looks like we’re almost there,” Jack announces, peering over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of the approaching venue.

“I can’t wait to get some fresh air,” I affirm, rising from my seat as the bus rolls to a stop.

“We can wait outside the bus for our food to get here,” Jack declares, stretching his arms above his head.

“Let’s go!” I say, grabbing my sunglasses as I head toward the bus door.

As we disembark, the hot air hits my face.

I can almost taste the energy crackling in the air for the show tonight.

“!” The voice cuts through the buzz, and I pivot on my heel to find Tommy, one of our crew guys, jogging toward us. He’s got this eager bounce to his step, the kind you see in golden retrievers or kids on Christmas morning. In his hand, a steaming cup wafts a familiar aroma that makes my heart do a little skip.

“Thought you could use a pick-me-up before the show,” he says, handing me the drink with a wink.

“That’s so sweet, Tommy. Thank you,” I reply, accepting the cup.

“I’ve seen you pre-show enough times to know your rituals,” he chuckles, leaning against the side of the bus with a casualness that’s too studied to be anything but intentional.

The laugh that bubbles up from my throat is cut short as something prickles at the back of my neck. It’s a sensation I’ve come to recognize—the weight of a possessive gaze. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch the unmistakable glint in Chase’s eyes first, his jaw set in a way that tells me he’s not happy.

Jack moves closer, and I can almost feel the territorial aura radiating off him.

“So, you’re watching her?” Jack cuts in, asking with a cold voice.

Tommy looks back at the alphas behind me before pulling away from the bus. “Just doing my job. Have a great show tonight!”

The crew member’s exit is hasty and awkward, a clear retreat from the palpable dominance the alphas exude.

I smack Jack’s arm, trying to break up all the alpha energy around me. “Don’t be such an alpha. He’s just crew.”

“It was creepy,” Chase mutters, making me laugh.

Riley comes up with four bags of food that smell delicious, interrupting the moment. “Delivery!”

Jack and Aiden take the bags from her, and I pull her into a hug. “Thank you!”

“Of course, you have an hour before sound check, and then it’s a busy night from there, so enjoy your meal now.”

She’s always on top of my schedule. I don’t know what I would do without her.

“Why don’t you join us and eat?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “I need to deal with the venue staff, and I already ate, but thank you.”

I step inside to eat, but a sharp pain in my stomach makes me pull up short. It’s a cramp.

Oh fuck.

It should be way too early for my preheat symptoms to start. I don’t want to be needy in front of the alphas, so I slip past them and head right for my nest.

“Where are you going, ?” Jack asks .

“I just need a minute!” I shout, shutting the door behind me.

I burrow under my nest blankets and curl in on myself. My body is flooded with hormones.

An hour must pass quickly as I wait for the symptoms to fade.

A knock sounds on my door.

Aiden’s hesitant voice comes through, “? You need to eat before sound check.”

“I will. I just need a little longer!” I shout.

There’s a pause before Jack’s voice comes next. “We can delay them so you have time to eat. Chase will stay with you.”

“Okay!” I have to contain the whine that wants to break free.

I have four alphas outside that door that can fix this neediness, and I’m sending them away. I must be going insane.