Page 37 of Ashley & the A-Listers (Sweetverse)

37. THE TRUTH

CAMERON

Cam was in the makeup chair with a beta dabbing concealer under his eyes as Denise, the nice manager—also a beta—sat across from him and asked him prep questions for an interview. Dylan was buried in a book in the corner, brow furrowed as his eyes raced across the pages.

“How have you been spending your time preparing for the role?”

Cam looked toward the ceiling as requested, and hummed. “Mostly I’ve been in the gym. This is my first time doing all my own stunts, so I’ve been training in multiple types of offensive and defensive fighting, meeting with stunt professionals, and studying.”

“How do you get in the mindset of Axel Stevens?”

Cam parted his lips to answer, but was distracted by the familiar steps of his other manager, Christian. “Sorry I’m late, how’s it—woah,” Christian said, coming to a halt beside the chair. “Why do you smell like that?”

At his tone, the beta makeup artist took a step back.

Christian tended to have that effect. He was an alpha, and unfortunately he liked to throw his weight around. Asshole.

“What do you mean?” Cam said, playing innocent.

Christian leaned far too close, in Cam’s opinion, and sniffed. His nose wrinkled. “You smell like an alpha.”

Cam smelled like Ashley. And River. Where he’d normally be a ball of stress, he felt calm because of their familiar scents. This interview was going to be a breeze.

Especially because Cam was finally going to tell the truth. Fuck management. They could deal with the aftermath. It’s what they were paid to do, after all.

“An alpha that has scented me no differently than River has,” Cameron said.

“Leave us,” Christian told the makeup artist. Cam frowned at his snappy demand, and offered an apologetic smile to the beta before she skittered away. “You know why an alpha is different than River. What’s going on? Did you meet an alpha?”

“It doesn’t matter. River matters. And I’ve kept him in the dark long enough,” Cameron said. “I want to take our relationship public.”

“ Now? ” Christian snapped, face going red.

Cameron swallowed, but felt Dylan’s presence and put on a brave face. “It’s been too long. We want to settle down, and we can’t even go to fucking dinner together because of this stupid facade you’ve created! And I’m tired of living by it. And I’m going off suppressants,” Cam added. In the few days after he’d resumed his medication, it felt wrong. The fog was more noticeable than ever and he missed feeling like an omega.

He might as well go all in. He glanced at Denise. “Tell me you understand.”

Denise stared warily at Christian, and Cam frowned, his stomach going woozy and nervous.

He inhaled River’s scent, Ashley’s almost overpowering it, if not for the angry alpha at his side. His scent burned Cam’s nose and he rubbed at it, probably messing up the powder the artist had started to apply.

“What I understand is that you’re willing to throw away an entire career?—“

“I thought you said it didn’t matter if I had River. That no one would take it seriously. If that’s the case, then it’s no big deal to introduce us as a couple.”

“I’m starting to suspect River is just the beginning. It’s different now that there’s an alpha involved.”

“Axel has Cale. Why can’t I have River?” Cam bit out through gritted teeth. God, he was tired of this argument.

“The difference is Axel isn’t real. They can’t have him, but they could have you. At least in the little fantasies they build in their head.”

“Why is that my problem? Having a partner doesn’t make me less of an actor. The fans will get over it!”

“You’re going to throw all of this away?” Christian asked, waving a hand. “Listen to them!”

Cameron heard the buzz of the crowd on the other side of the studio, their excitement filling the air. It was infectious, their energy, maybe even addictive. He could memorize lines and act his ass off, but the payoff was the fans, the adoration. “They love you as you are. You’re going to disappoint them in this way? Without even a warning?”

Cam frowned at him, angry that this alpha was making him doubt himself. River deserved someone who was able to tell the world how he felt. Cameron wanted to be that person for him.

Can you risk everything?

“I’ll meet you in the middle,” Christian said, interrupting his thoughts. “You can go off suppressants. But the least you could do is let us plan a campaign for you and River.”

Cam studied Denise, who wouldn’t meet his gaze. “You’d do that? You’d plan a campaign for us?”

“If you’re so fucking serious about some fucking beta, then yes. We’ll work on debuting you as a couple.”

“I… I want this in writing,” Cam demanded. If he was going to disappoint River again, he wanted something to prove that it would happen. Just not now.

Christian threw up his arms. “Fine! I’ll have something for you by the end of the week. But by god—“ He pointed a finger at Cam. “I did not build a whole career out of you for you to tank it by sabotaging an interview. You are going to spray on some scent neutralizer, and you are going to complete this interview, with no curve balls, or it’s your ass on the line!” Christian barked. Spittle flew and Cam winced at the demand in his tone, a whine wanting to crawl up his throat in response. He swallowed it, refusing to give this fucking alpha the satisfaction. Denise outright walked away, and Cam made a note to fire her, too.

“Hey!” Dylan snapped, and his bark filled the space as well, but it wasn’t aimed at Cameron. “Don’t fucking bark at him,” he growled.

Christian glared at Dylan, a sneer on his lips, and Cameron’s hackles rose. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“I’m the fucking bodyguard. Do we have a problem?”

The pause was so tense, Cam felt it in every hair that stood on end.

Christian cleared his throat, straightening his collar. “Do we have an agreement?” he asked, ignoring Dylan to talk to Cameron.

“Fine,” Cam bit out.

He’d play nice for now. But as soon as Christian’s back was turned, Cam was finding new fucking management. How dare he bark. Fuck this guy.

Just another fucking alpha.

“Good,” Christian bit out, but some of the tension slipped from his shoulders. His tone softened, and it felt fake. “Do not go about this carelessly. River at least deserves that, right?”

Guilt filled Cam and he nodded. In a way, Christian was right.

“I’ll go retrieve your makeup artist,” he said with a sigh, and stalked off, shooting one last glare in Dylan’s direction.

“You okay?” Dylan asked.

As soon as he was gone, Cam melted into the chair.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I just need a minute.”

Dylan nodded and gave him space, stepping back to make room for Cam and all his emotions. Just having Dylan there… helped, actually. Cam felt safe with the alpha at his back.

Hah. Imagine that.

Christian’s lingering scent burned Cam’s nostrils and he reached over to the little table, finding the scent-canceling spray.

He aimed it at where Christian had stood and fired it, the neutralizer filling the air with its chemical sting.

Cam mourned as it covered River’s scent, then Ashley’s. Cam was a blank slate again, for his management to paint whatever picture they deemed appropriate.

Bitterness filled Cam. At the industry, this career, the people who ran his life.

“What should I do?” Cam groaned, and at his side he felt Dylan shift.

“Are you asking or commiserating?” he questioned.

“River and I talked about this, made plans. He’s going to be watching the interview, waiting for me to announce it. I’m letting him down. Again.”

Cameron almost shoved the heels of his palms into his eyes before remembering the half-applied makeup still there.

“What do you want to do?” Dylan asked.

Cameron frowned, staring down at the floor. He wanted to ignore Christian’s order, still feeling the itch of his bark. Then why didn’t he? What was Cam so afraid of?

His makeup artist returned, cheeks aflame, and Cam blinked.

“Sorry for whatever he said,” Cam offered quietly.

“It’s okay, it happens.” Her voice was soft, polite. She was a professional, not even addressing the situation. “We’ll have you glowing under those set lights.”

“Thanks,” Cam murmured, mind spinning.

The neutrality was almost making him nauseous.

A handful of moments later, Cam was standing offstage as the interviewer introduced him in a long-winded speech, his mind still whirling.

“And now, joining us once again, is Cameron Thomas. You might know him as Axel Stevens, the hottest action star of the much beloved franchise: Heated! Now, welcome everyone’s favorite omega bachelor!”

A stagehand signaled to him and Cam stepped out beneath the lights.

It was like being baptized. The lights bathed him in their warmth, and the crowd went wild, screaming and shouting his name. There were signs professing their love, as if their cries weren’t enough. Joyous grins and even some tears stuck out.

His mind quieted. Pride filled him. The fans loved him, and that felt good. It was the best part of this job, this fame—knowing that no matter what face he put on behind the screen for them, they’d love him just the same.

He wondered if that only applied to the face he wore for them now: the available, desirable omega. How would they feel when they learned he was in love, with a pack possibly waiting in his future?

Would they love him then, when he was just another omega?