Page 39 of Ashley & the A-Listers (Sweetverse)

39. PACKING UP

ASHLEY

I knew you guys would make a cute couple, is the text she received from Nic.

Ashley chuckled and responded. Now is not the time for “I told you so.”

When is the time? I’ll pencil it in.

Rolling her eyes, Ashley put her phone away, silencing the keyboard-smash texts from Kenzie and Jordan, and focused on the omega in her lap. Well, mostly in her lap.

The morning had passed in a blink. Ashley’s phone blew up, from clients and friends to strangers who found her on social media. She switched her profiles to private right away, per River’s suggestion. Then Cam had taken back-to-back phone calls while Dylan remained eerily calm, keeping himself busy while River hovered, and then forced himself to stop.

They were seated on the couch, Cameron leaning into her affectionately on her left, and River on the other side of him. Behind them, Dylan paced back and forth.

And now before them, a laptop was loading the pixels of an office setting, a severe-looking blond woman behind a grand desk. The head of Cam’s management, Sabrina.

This meeting was for all of them. The pack.

Riiiight. Because I’m now in a pack—with Cameron Thomas, a famous movie star.

“Okay, first thing: suppressants. That’s easy. No problem. If anyone has a problem with it on set, report it,” she said.

Ashley squeezed Cam’s thigh. He’d wanted to come off of them ever since his heat. At least one thing was going their way.

“Alright, so we’re on damage control. I can call Christian?—“

Cam tensed in her lap, and Ashley frowned as he sat up. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to speak to you about. I don’t want to work with Christian anymore.”

The blond woman looked up, a frown on her face. “Why not? I thought you two got on alright.”

“He… barked at me.”

“What.” Ashley growled and sat up, scent flaring between them all as if to ward off any other alphas. She turned to meet Dylan’s gaze to confirm. His lips were a thin line.

River’s brow knotted.

But the woman on the call interrupted them. “Well, he’s an alpha—are we surprised?”

Ashley’s glare fixed on her. “Yeah, I’m surprised you can’t hire decent alphas.”

Sabrina arched a single brow, lips pursing as she decided whether to accept the insult.

“Fine. Shall I promote Denise, then?”

“Preferably not. She turned tail and ditched me the moment Christian got aggressive.”

“I was there, and can confirm. Christian’s an asshole,” Dylan said. Ashley felt the headrest decompress as Dylan leaned his hands there.

“Well, lucky for you, I’m not short on beta staff. I’ll find someone new for you, but in the meantime, we need to figure out how to handle this.”

Cam cleared his throat. “We’ve been talking about that. As a pack,” he said.

The woman blinked, sighed, and deflated. “Dammit, Cameron. I had a feeling that’s where this meeting was headed. You’re my golden boy! My bachelor! Why’d you have to go and find a pack?”

Cam’s lips twitched, and his scent sweetened. Ashley stroked a pattern with her thumb on his thigh, trying not to smile. She still couldn’t believe it was real —that she was an alpha with a pack.

Made up of my childhood crush, a hot movie star, and a famous screenwriter.

“Guess I’m just lucky like that,” he said. “And I don’t wanna lie about it. I’m tired of lying. It wouldn’t be fair to myself or my pack to keep them a secret.”

Ashley glanced at River, who’d seemed rather dazed by the entire development. She wished she could read his mind. How did he feel about being able to admit it, finally, after so many years of secrecy?

Maybe it hadn’t sunk in for him yet. Ashley wasn’t sure it had for her.

“This is my pack, and I think we should run with this… exposure. Turn it in our favor.”

Affection filled her heart until it didn’t fit behind her ribs. Cameron was claiming her in this small way, in front of this important person.

A purr almost slipped out, but she caught it at the last second, hoping the microphone on the computer didn’t pick her up.

Cam heard it, though, and in the image of them on the screen, she watched his lips curl.

“Alright. Well. There’s no talking you out of it, I suppose?”

Cam shook his head, and the blond sighed.

“I can’t promise it’ll be smooth, but I’ll find a new manager, one who specializes in celebrity packs. In the meantime, adhere to the rules we set earlier. No responding to fan messages, and no talking to the press. I have a feeling the paps are going to be on your trail now. At this point, just try not to be scandalous in public.”

Cameron smirked. “No promises.”

Ashley pinched his thigh.

“Ugh, I forget how annoying new packs are. I have a few questions for each of you, and then I’ll let you get back to christening that apartment.”

Cameron grinned at her, and Ashley wondered if that was on the agenda as well.

Dylan cleared his throat. “Should I get a few extra security personnel? How much of a threat do we think the paparazzi are?”

“I think you’re safe… for now. As this story develops and the fans start deep-diving into each of your lives, it might be necessary. You can never be too careful.”

A nervous twinge settled in Ashley’s stomach, but she didn’t let it show. Dylan, however, could feel her nerves, and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly. It was close to but not on top of the bite mark he’d left her with. Comforting.

She didn’t like the idea of strangers digging up her life, or her pack’s life.

I have a pack .

The thought made her chest go light, champagne bubbles popping. Ashley had always wanted a pack. People to call her own. People who wouldn’t leave.

She laid a hand on Dylan’s over her shoulder.

He may have left once, but things were different now. They were different.

“I’d advise avoiding social media for the foreseeable future, until the fans get over the initial outrage. Then we can plan some sightings, really show everyone how cute you all are together, win them over that way. For now, focus on filming, and it should die down.”

Cameron pulled River into his side, and both of them leaned into Ashley. She arched a brow, staring down at the omega.

“We are sooo cute,” he said. “They’re gonna love us.”

Ashley sure hoped he was right.

Cameron was a movie star, an A-list celebrity.

She just didn’t realize how much that would affect… her.

Or the gym.

At first, life continued like… normal. Ish.

Ashley went to the gym, and Cameron started filming.

She stayed with him more often than not, so their paths would cross just a little on the busiest days.

But then the statement went out, Cameron officially claiming them all as pack. As one.

They went on a few public dates, posing when they saw the paparazzi, Cameron whispering in her ear about where to look. She took over after that, scenting him appropriately, keeping him tucked into her side.

She got to play… alpha. Which wasn’t a play at all. It was real life.

“Thank you for doing this,” Cameron said as they took a perfectly planned walk through the park one weekend. Distantly, Ashley heard the snap of a camera or two, and she was learning to tune them out.

“Where else would I be?” she asked, gaze drifting from Cameron to River, who was on the other side of him. Holding hands. In public.

One night over dinner, at another tasteful but overly decorated restaurant, he laid a hand over her thigh, clad in the velvet of a new dress. “I’m going to give you the whole fucking world,” Cameron said softly.

Cameron melted into her when she purred, his sweet perfume blooming anew. River’s sly smile was captivating as he stared at them, and Dylan was… amused by the whole situation. Or at least he was good at pretending to be.

She hardly clocked him checking the exits and crowds every few minutes, no matter where they were. He was a good alpha. To her, to Cameron, to River.

So life was good. Better than good. It was everything she wanted, realized.

But… it couldn’t stay that way. Cosmically.

It didn’t take the paparazzi long to find the gym, and about three weeks into their new public relationship, she had to avoid a crowd of cameras to scan her card as she arrived.

Their flashes were bright even through the reflective film on the glass, and her heart sank.

Nic was waiting behind the desk, and for once, the smile he offered her wasn’t genuine. It was worried.

“Hey,” she greeted, a ball of nerves knotting her stomach.

“Hey, kid,” Nic said. “How’s pack life?”

“…Busier than I thought it would be,” she admitted.

Nic chuckled. “Well, you’re dating an A-lister. Don’t know what you expected.”

Ashley didn’t either, honestly. She’d taken Cameron’s agent’s advice and kept her distance from social media, but Kenzie and Jordan were keyboard warriors ready to defend her from every anonymous post complaining about how Ashley must fuck all her celebrity clients.

She winced just thinking about it. Ugh.

She loved her career and had gotten here fair and square. Fuckers.

Ashley shook her head, laughing in disbelief. “Yeah, yeah.” She glanced over her shoulder at the windows, the crowd who couldn’t see in. Directing her attention to the rest of the gym, she noted a few high-profile clients eying the doors warily.

They’d left her alone for the most part. Until now. Ashley gulped. “They’re a problem, aren’t they? The paparazzi?”

“We should talk about this in the office,” Nic said softly.

Ashley’s stomach dropped, but she nodded, following Nic behind the standing desk and to his office.

“This is bad, isn’t it?” she asked.

Nic sighed, sitting beside her in front of the desk rather than circling it to sit in the leather chair on the other side.

It was bad.

“I’m going to leave the decision in your hands. You’ve been… a rock, Ashley. This gym wouldn’t be here without you. Literally. After the fires, I don’t know if I could’ve gotten this place up and running. However, we both know the paparazzi are a problem for the clients.”

Ashley nodded, her throat already tight at the thought of the solution.

“I’ve been around the block a few times. I know the paparazzi won’t be here forever. The news will lose steam and eventually they’ll fuck off,” Nic said.

But what about until then? Ashley tried to imagine Lyric showing up for training with that mess outside. She wouldn’t make it in the building.

Nic continued, “We can wait it out, set up an alternate entrance?—”

“I don’t want to jeopardize any of the clients,” Ashley said, resolved. “They come here for the anonymity. Because we treat them like people instead of celebrities.”

Nic nodded, leaning over to take her hand between both of his. “What do you want to do?”

“I think we both know,” she said, voice wobbling. She cleared her throat before she spoke again. “I’m the reason they’re here. So I think it’s time I cash in on some of my PTO.”

In the pocket of her leggings, her phone buzzed, and she just knew it was Dylan. He was probably worried about all the emotions flooding the bond, and Ashley tried her best to block him out, to keep from distracting him with her problems.

She sniffled, and Ashley had never seen Nic frown so severely. It didn’t look right on his face. “I hate this,” he said softly.

Tears welled and Ashley nodded. “I do, too.”

Her cloud nine began to rain. This wasn’t exactly how she’d imagined having a pack would turn out. It wasn’t supposed to come at the expense of the thing she’d dedicated her life to.

“Christ, come here, kid,” Nic said, and tugged her into a hug.

Ashley went, because Nic was probably the kindest person she knew, and she loved this job and him in the same way.

“You’re not fired,” Nic said. “I want you to come back.”

Ashley breathed out a slow, shaky breath as she nodded, trying with all her might to swallow back the tears in her throat. It wouldn’t be forever. Just until the news blew over, until they found another story to follow.

“With the way the press works, they’ll be onto something new next week,” Nic said, and pulled back.

“I know, I know,” she said, nodding, unsure if she actually believed it, or just needed to believe it so she wouldn’t fall apart. “Do I just get my stuff? What do I do about my clients?”

Nothing like this had ever happened to Ashley before. She’d been at the gym for… years.

It wasn’t long after her mother died that Ashley found the gym. Found catharsis in the way she could push her body and grow strong and work out her emotions, have something to look forward to. Nic’s old gym had been in a crumbly part of town, accessible to plebs like her, before it had burnt down.

Now here they were.

“I’ll put your PTO in. Do you want me to contact your clients, or do you want to?”

“I will,” Ashley said, though she didn’t know how she’d get through any of the conversations without breaking down. But she needed to contact them as soon as possible, especially because she had a few appointments this week.

“I’ll take over for you in the meantime,” Nic offered, and Ashley’s eyes widened. Nic didn’t really train clients anymore, not since he’d been all packed up.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “It’s been a while since I’ve been on the other side of the desk, but I’m sure it’ll come to me.”

Lyric was going to kick his ass.

The thought brought a smile to her lips, and while it didn’t heal the hole in her heart, it distracted her.

“Alright,” she said. “I guess I’ll start making calls.”

Nic stood. “Use this office. I’ll be out front if you need me. Love you, kid.”

“Thanks, Nic,” Ashley said, offering him a smile, trying not to let the tears win.

The door shut softly behind him, and Ashley slumped into the seat, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes.

There would be time for crying later.

So much time.

Her phone buzzed again, and she sat up, pulling it out of her pocket to find texts from Dylan.

What’s going on? You feel sad. Everything okay?

Ashley. Don’t shut me out.

Text me back. What’s up? Don’t make me come down there.

Her lips twitched at the obvious care in his words, and she texted back, keeping the bond shut down.

I’m taking PTO from the gym. I can tell you about it tonight.

Dots appeared immediately as Dylan began to respond.

What? Why? Open the bond back up.

Ashley shook her head. She could barely handle her own emotions; she didn’t want to burden someone else with them.

You have to focus on Cam, and it’ll just distract you. I’m heading home in a bit after a few calls—we can talk then.

Fine, but I’m not happy about it.

Me neither.

Ashley sighed and put her phone away before rounding the desk. She logged in, pulled up all her clients’ contact info, and stared at the desk phone.

It was quiet in the office, though she heard the clank of weights and grunts distantly, through the walls.

She had a pack, but she felt more alone than ever as she picked up the phone to call her first client.

Saying goodbye, even temporarily, was hard.

But it was the right thing to do for the gym, for her clients.

What choice did she have?

Ashley broke her own heart about ten times before leaving the gym, giving Nic one last sad wave before slipping out the front, the paparazzi chasing her down the street.

With her glasses on and a fake smile on her face, she made her way to her car while the cameramen shouted questions at her.

What’s it like being a pack mate to a movie star?

How long have you worked at the gym?

Is it true you sleep with all your clients?

Ashley winced, shoulders stiffening, but she didn’t rise to the bait, instead climbing inside her car.

What she feared was coming true. She knew what they’d think of her. Because of course, the only asset she had was her pussy, and not her drive or years of hard work or even her alpha bark.

She drove away, steaming.

She went to her own house, absent of any paparazzi, and cried in the shower.

Then she cried over a bowl of ramen, sniffling through the spice of the peppers.

At least her nose was clear.

She texted the pack—she was still getting used to that—to let them know where she was, and then she cleaned her entire house. Top to bottom.

Dust had accumulated from all the time she’d been spending away, so Ashley put on music and got to work.

How did it go wrong so fast?

Twenty-four hours ago, Ashley had everything she wanted: a pack. A mate. A job, a future.

What if she never got to go back to work at the gym?

What if today was her last time?

The thought was too depressing, so she shoved it down and finished vacuuming the outdated carpets, eying the immaculate dining room, still fresh and beautiful after she and River had painted it.

Around two in the afternoon, Dylan and Cam and River were all still on set, filming, and Ashley was knee-deep in the kitchen, scrubbing the linoleum with a hard-bristled brush.

It was satisfying watching the dirt flake away. She didn’t remember the floors being so white!

It was an adequate distraction from her life taking a nosedive so suddenly.

A knock at the door interrupted her, and from the force of the knock, she figured it wasn’t the first time they’d attempted it.

Ashley popped her head up over the counter and eyed the door. What were the chances of the press finding her fucking home address? Was that even legal?

Ashley growled at the thought, and tore off her cleaning gloves and stalked toward the door. Because she had a brain, she glanced through the peephole, and?—

Ripped open the door to River standing on her doorstep. He looked solemn, holding a bag of sweet treats and a container of matching caramel macchiatos and, yep, that was a bag from her favorite diner. The checkered bag matched the paper in the baskets.

Tears welled instantly, and as River said, “We all decided someone needed to keep you company,” they fell down her cheeks.

“Aw, babe,” River said, stepping inside and pulling her into a hug. His warmth and scent, light as it tended to be, was comforting in this moment, and she clung to him.

She tucked her face into his neck and sighed, trying to swallow the sobs that wanted to crawl up her throat. He walked them away from the door with her koala’d around him, and shut it softly.

“You’ve been stress cleaning,” River reported as he sat all the treats down on the dining room table to the right of the front door. She was sweaty and gross and crying and smelled like bleach, but he hugged her tightly.

Ashley nodded and finally released him, wiping at her eyes.

“I’m taking a leave from the gym,” she said, and after he led her to the couch to get comfy and ply her with treats, she told him the whole story

“Oh, Ashley,” River said, and leaned into her. “I’m so sorry.”

Ashley let her head fall onto the back of the couch. “I’m just sad about it.”

“You love the gym,” River said, and she heard the click of his throat as he swallowed.

“I know.” Every time Ashley thought about it, the vise around her chest squeezed tight, like she couldn’t take a breath. “Everyone says it’ll blow over. I just need to keep telling myself that.”

He plucked at the threads of a tear in his jeans, the frown on his face severe. “What are you going to do in the meantime?”

“Nic is still paying me—I’m using up my PTO. So I don’t… know. Clean? Continue remodeling?” she asked, and waved a hand at the brush abandoned on the kitchen floor.

His silence was loud.

“I know it’s depressing,” Ashley muttered. “I don’t have anything else to do. Might as well.”

“Anything to keep from thinking about it, right?” River guessed, a sad smile on his lips.

“Exactly,” Ashley agreed.

“You never said what you were remodeling for,” he murmured, and Ashley blinked.

“Oh. I—it’s embarrassing.” Wow, that was a long time ago, when she and River had begun the remodel, so many changes put into place after one little decision. Before she and Cameron had crossed the point of no return. Before she knew whether any of this was certain or just a daydream.

“Oh, tell me, come on,” he said. “Maybe we can laugh about it. Can’t be that bad.” He nudged her shoulder.

Ashley covered her face with a hand. “Okay, okay! At first I was thinking I’d just fix it up, update it to increase the value… because I was thinking about selling.”

“What? Really?” he asked, glancing over at the dining room, the paint still so nice and bright and fresh. “Why?”

“Well… I told you, it’s small. Too small for a pack. So, if I wanted a pack, I needed to be able to do my part and invest in a pack house, in case I did find one.” What she didn’t tell him is that she’d fallen in love with the place all over again as she began to turn it into something wholly… hers.

River’s mouth dropped open for a split second before he closed it, swallowing, as he gazed at her.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, touching his arm. “I’m the sad one, not you.”

“That’s… really lovely,” he said, smiling at her, but it was a melancholic smile, or maybe he was touched? “That you’d give up this piece of your past for your future—our future. I’m just really sorry this happened,” he said.

Ashley leaned into him, and breathed deeply to chase away the lump in her throat. She laid a hand on his thigh, and he hesitated for only a second before threading their fingers together. “Me, too.”

Earlier, when Kenzie and Jordan—those two were always together these days—had called to check on her, Kenzie asked Ashley, “Are you still sure this is the right thing for you, a pack?”

And she’d asked herself, If this pack did cost me the gym, would it be worth it?

What was her other option? Not court Cameron and be a part of the pack? Not have River here when she needed him?

Her stomach twisted dangerously at the thought of not seeing Cameron or River anymore. That wasn’t what she wanted.

She’d told Kenzie, “I think… with all that’s gone wrong, this pack is the only right thing,” she admitted.

“Hey,” she said, nudging River.

His jade gaze was wide and open as he met hers.

“Looks like we both got what we wanted,” she said, a genuine smile gracing her lips. “Remember?”

The last time they were here, when River was helping her paint the dining room, the secrets they’d shared.

But instead of relief, revelation, or excitement, she could have sworn a flash of guilt passed through his eyes before he hid it.

Before she could ask about it, he slapped his thighs and stood up. “Do you want me to help you finish scrubbing the floors? Cam and Dylan won’t be home for a while yet.”

Ashley nodded, reached for her caramel macchiato, and finished it off.

“Yes. I’d love to do anything but think about all the free time I just came into.”

She tugged him to a stop right before the kitchen, and he spun to face her.

Ashley hugged him again. “Thank you for being here for me.”

The way his arms folded around her reminded her of something gentle, something like… reverence.

“It’s the least I can do,” he said, voice equally gentle.

Maybe this whole thing was affecting them all more than they’d anticipated.