The room fell silent.
Everyone knew what Jude didn’t finish saying. Their band had two months left before they were breaking up. Not just the band. Their pack, too.
Jude convinced them to make this deal almost a year ago, when everything fell apart, and they were about to split up right then and there. But he convinced them to try for one year. If they couldn’t fix their relationships with each other, they’d all agree to formally cut the bond, and that formality was getting closer. They had two months left, and Zayden’s hope to rebuild what he broke was almost gone.
Kai ripped his hand from Jude’s grip and pushed him away. He made a point to shove his shoulder into Zayden’s as he walked towards the exit. “Our last performance together can’t come quick enough,” he shot before slamming the door.
“I’ll get him.”
“Jude,” Zayden growled, but it was too late.
There it was, that feeling again that made him feel as if he was about to kill someone.
He needs to be put in his place.
Oh, shut up.
Zayden flopped down into a chair as the world continued to spin. Maddox was barking, his assistants coming and going, and Felix finally strummed his guitar into a perfect tune before handing Zayden a drink.
Felix was all finished up and ready to go; his dirty blond hair swept into a perfect style, silver earrings encompassing both ears, and his model-perfect grin.
Felix gripped Zayden’s shoulder and squeezed. “To one hell of a performance,” he cheered, raising his glass. He chugged it before he, like everyone else, trickled out of the room, leaving Zayden alone, but not for long.
Maddox strutted in, his perfectly ironed suit looking like an odd comparison to Zayden’s leather pants, a shredded black tank, and studded jewelry. His face was set like stone, but Zayden recognized that glint. Sadness, frustration, andexhaustion. Maddox said nothing. He handed Zayden his work iPad, and Zayden’s night went from bad to worse.
“They’re still writing about this shit?”, he asked, scrolling through the article. “This was all supposed to end months ago.”
You can’t expect a woman scorned to let shit go.
Maddox sighed. “Apparently, Juliana has more to say to whatever tabloid cares to listen to her. This time, she’s creating a narrative that she found your band life to be filled with drugs, alcohol, parties, and behavior that is borderline criminal. That she fled for her life and purity. And to add—”
“I can read what she has to say for myself,” Zayden snapped, but he didn’t. He shoved the iPad back into Maddox’s hands and paced the room. “What does this mean for us? For my boys? Kai wants to continue pursuing music after we split, and Felix has his modeling career. These rumors can’t ruin that for them. And Jude,” he pinched the bridge of his nose again. “Jude can’t read this.”
“He won’t. I already sent a cease and desist to the company that produced the article in an attempt to halt the rumors. I also had my assistants push out an article of our own about the nonprofits your band funds, and I’ve scheduled a reporter to come to your home for an interview. They’ll take pictures, and it’ll help prove your home is clean. We’ll have to do something about Kai’s attitude before then,” he mumbled before taking a few heavy steps closer to Zayden. His voice was low, concerning. “He’s hurting. He needs help.”
“I don’t know how to help him!” He shouted, slamming his glass onto the floor. “I don’t know how to help any of them, how to lead. How do you do it?” He asked, desperate. “How do you lead your pack of alphas?”
Maddox formed his pack five years ago, and Zayden never saw him come to work overwhelmed or broken-hearted. Zaydenhad been in his pack for three years and failed them in every way possible.
Maddox didn’t say anything for a while. That was his power. Silence.
From outside, the crowd cheered louder as the opening act was getting closer to finishing their set. It was their turn to go on, and for once, Zayden didn’t want to sing.
“Take this.”
He looked down at the little card Maddox gave him and raised an eyebrow. “A therapist?”
“She’s good. She specializes in strengthening pack bondswithoutthe omega. I forced the twins to go, figured we should get our shit together before finding our mate.” Zayden didn’t take the card, but Maddox made a point to tuck it in his clothes. “You have two months left, Zayden. The four of you still have time to get your shit together. Even Kai.”
“He hasn’t forgiven me in ten months. What could change in two?”
Maddox shrugged his shoulders and put his headset in place. “Go see Dr. Burdough and find out.”
Maybe talking to someone you’ll actually listen to will fix things,his alpha huffed.
Zayden rolled his eyes.The last time I listened to you, we brought Juliana home. Look at how that turned out.
She didn’t smell bad! he growled.
