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

Oli

ALPHA TEA GOSSIP COLUMN

COULD OLI HART REPLACE MAY THORNTON PERMANENTLY IN THE EDGE?

June 2nd

Sweat drips down my back, but the heat from the crowd’s cheers fuels me.

The song reaches its crescendo, and with a final, flirtatious twirl, I leap into the air. As I land, there’s a mechanical hum beneath me, and the platform starts descending. The lights dim, casting long shadows.

“Thank you, DC!” I purr into the mic, blowing a kiss to the crowd.

As the darkness swallows me whole, the roar from above fades.

The platform comes to a halt, and I step off into the underbelly of the stage. I expect Riley to be there, lecturing me about the rest of the night, but tonight, it’s eerily quiet. My boots echo on the metal floor, a lonely sound that jangles my nerves.

“Hello?” My voice slices through the silence, too sharp, too alone.

There’s no response, just the hum of machinery and the distant throb of the crowd above, muffled like a dream. The usual faces, the ones who are always there with water bottles and fresh towels, are conspicuously absent. My instincts prick up.

I guess I’ll just get up to the main floor by myself.

I round a corner, my rose gold hair catching a stray beam of light, casting eerie shadows against the walls. That’s when I spot them—two security guards, unfamiliar and imposing, blocking my path.

“Miss Hart,” one of them says, voice devoid of the warmth I’m used to from our regular crew. “You need to go this way.” He gestures in the direction opposite to where I know my dressing room and sanctuary lie.

“Wait, what?” I frown, planting my hands on my hips. “That’s not the way to my dressing room. Where’s Riley?”

“Change of plans,” the other guard replies, his gaze steely. “Please, follow us.”

“Change of plans?” I echo, incredulous. I’m not some newbie to be herded around; I’m Hart, dammit. “Why wasn’t I informed?”

My heart races, but I shove down the rising panic. I need to find my alphas.

“Look, guys, I appreciate the escort, but I really need to see my band.” I try to keep my tone light and flirty, as always.

“Sorry, but orders are orders. This way, Miss Hart.”

“Orders?” I scoff at the absurdity, my brows knitting together. “Well, you can tell whoever gave those orders that Hart doesn’t take kindly to being kept from her alphas. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

I attempt to sidestep them, ready to bolt for the comforting chaos of my dressing room, but they move with me, a coordinated barrier. My mouth goes dry. This isn’t right. Where is everyone? Why are these goons blocking my path?

“Miss Hart, please don’t make this difficult.”

“Difficult?” I shoot back, a laugh bubbling up, tinged with hysteria. My mind races—should I scream? Would anyone hear me over the din of the concert? I need to get to my alphas.

They step up to either side of me, grip my upper arms, and start dragging me.

I shove against the beefy arm of one guard, my heart pounding a heavy bassline in my chest. “Back off,” I growl, trying to channel someone stronger than me. But they’re not budging, their grips firm and uncompromising as they steer me toward the emergency exit.

“Where are you taking me?” My voice echoes off the cold concrete walls, the sound a stark contrast to the muffled roar of the crowd above. Something prickles at the back of my neck—the sense of being watched, hunted even.

“New exit, for your safety,” grunts one of the guards, his eyes void of the warmth I usually find in my team. I don’t buy it for a second. Safety isn’t a word I’d use right now, not with the way my instincts scream danger.

“My alphas are going to kill you if something happens to me. You can’t possibly think you’ll get away with hurting me at my own show, right?” I try to twist away, but their hands are iron clamps on my arms.

We round a corner, and the stairs up out of the stage lead to an emergency exit, which is blocked by a group of men dressed as our security guards. I don’t recognize any of them. This is bad.

“Guys, seriously—” I start, but my words get cut short.

Pain explodes across my throat, a vice-like grip from behind that crushes my airway. I claw at the hands, nails scrabbling for purchase on leather gloves. A choked gasp escapes me, a pitiful sound.

“Help!” I wheeze, or at least I try to. The world tilts, shadows creeping into the edges of my vision. Fear tightens its noose around my neck, and my legs buckle.

A surge of panic that’s not mine zips through my veins, sharp and urgent. It’s Chase’s fear, a raging inferno in my mind that screams he’s close—so damn close. Above me, the sound of fists connecting with flesh, grunts of exertion, and yells create a violent symphony that vibrates through the metal under my feet. My alphas are fighting for me; they’re here.

“Chase,” I try to call out, but it’s useless. The grip on my throat is relentless, stealing my voice, my breath, everything. I kick back, desperate to connect with my attacker, to make them feel an ounce of the terror gripping my heart. But it’s like striking out at shadows.

My vision tunnels, the edges growing fuzzy as if someone’s smudging the world with their thumb. I’m drowning in open air, lungs screaming for oxygen while my head spins.

A cold numbness spreads through my limbs, a cruel contrast to the blaze of my bond with Chase that burns bright even as I fade.

The grip around my throat loosens abruptly, and a rush of oxygen fills my starving lungs. I gasp, my knees buckling as the assailant darts away, a shadow fleeing into the depths of chaos. My vision swims with spots of color, reality flickering like a faulty neon light in a dingy alley.

“!” The voice cuts through the haze, sharp and commanding—it’s Dax. His presence is like a thunderstorm on the horizon—dark, powerful, electrifying .

“Get her!” that’s Jack, all fire and energy, his words sparking with urgency. I can almost see his electric blue eyes ablaze, reflecting the trouble that’s found us tonight.

“Secure the area!” Even in this state, Jack’s calm authority isn’t lost on me, his orders slicing through the panic like a knife through butter.

“Where is she?” Chase growls, his tone desperate in a way that sends shivers down my spine despite the warmth returning to my body.

They’re close, so close, but everything’s slipping again, my consciousness retreating like the tide going out to sea.

“, look at me,” Chase pleads, his voice somehow reaching me through the thick fog wrapping around my mind. My eyelids flutter, heavy as lead, but I manage to find his face above me—a beacon in the gathering darkness.

“Stay with us, baby girl,” Jack’s nickname for me tickles a part of my mind, trying to coax a smile from lips too weak to respond.

Even as I fight to stay awake, to cling to their worried faces looming over me, the blackness encroaches, relentless and unforgiving.

“We’ve got you, . You’re safe now.” Dax promises.

“Never gonna let anyone hurt you again,” Jack adds, his voice laced with a determination that could move mountains.

“Conserve your strength,” Aiden murmurs, ever the gentle soul amidst the storm.

“But keep your eyes open, little rose.” Chase’s command is a velvet-wrapped steel, insistent and tender all at once.

But despite their pleas, my senses dull once more, and this time, the darkness doesn’t just creep—it rushes in, claiming me .

“? !” The last thing I register is Chase’s hand gripping mine, a silent pledge as my world fades to black.

* * *

My consciousness flickers, the edges of my mind fray like worn fabric as I drift back to reality. There’s a fortress of warmth surrounding me, a barricade against the creeping chill. My alphas’ scents—cinnamon, coffee, caramel and cookies—swirl together in a protective cocoon.

“Dammit, she should’ve been safe here,” Dax growls, his arms around me like iron bands.

“Whoever did this won’t get far. We’ll find them,” Chase vows, his fury a palpable force.

Jack’s hands skim over me with an efficiency that belies his simmering rage. “No visible injuries besides her neck, but we need to get her checked out. It’s darkening with a bruise.”

The chill of the concrete beneath me seeps through my stage clothes, but it’s their warmth that cocoons me, keeping the cold at bay. My alphas—Dax, Chase, Jack, and Aiden—hover over me like guardian angels with thunderous scowls and clenched jaws.

“She’s awake,” Aiden interrupts, “Easy, sunshine, you’re okay,” Aiden soothes, his touch light on my cheek, grounding me.

“Someone really tried to put out my spotlight,” I rasp, a weak attempt at levity because if I don’t joke, I might just break apart, but the words come out broken, making it worse.

The pain in my throat is unbearable.

“Over my dead body,” Dax snarls, a fierce promise in his eyes.

He still cares about me despite how awkward things have been since his rut.

“Nobody’s dying today, especially not any stubborn rockstars,” Chase counters, squeezing my hand as if he could transfer his strength through our intertwined fingers.

“, we’re tightening security,” Jack says, thumbing away a tear I didn’t realize had escaped. “We can’t… I can’t let anything happen to you.”

“None of us can,” Chase asserts, pulling me closer against his chest. The steady beat of his heart is a reminder that I’m still here, alive, and theirs.

“Let’s get her out of here.” Aiden’s practicality slices through the tension, even as he offers a smile that reaches deep into the wells of fear inside me.

“Let’s get her to the bus. We can get a doctor to come here. That will be safest,” Dax decides, scooping me up effortlessly. I lean into his embrace, surrounded by the scent of cinnamon and icing that’s uniquely him. “There won’t be a moment one of us isn’t with you after this.”

“Who would do this?” I whisper, more to myself than to them.

“Doesn’t matter,” Dax answers, his protective gaze meeting mine. “We’ll find them, . And until then, I swear on everything, you’re safe with us.”

I try to push out of their arms and stand on my own. If I let them baby me, I might break down completely.

“Tonight was really scary. It’s okay if you’re not okay, ve. You’re strong but you don’t need to be right now. We will take care of you, protect you and we won’t fail you like this again so please just take comfort from us right now. We need it as much as you do. Our alphas are going wild,” Aiden says as tears run down his cheek.

I lean over and wipe a tear away, then lay back in Dax’s arms, content to let my alphas care for me right now.

Tomorrow, everything will change, and I’ll need to be strong to handle it.

* * *

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the Knot My Band Duet Part One. This story has been on my mind forever, and I’m so glad I got to bring their story to life. I knew I needed to have an omega rockstar who was a big deal, had her alpha’s support, and wanted to empower other women! I hope you like her as much as I do!

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