Page 15 of Bound By Song (Evie Quad Omegaverse #1)

Xar pulls the car up to the drive and cuts the engine. The silence is deafening as we all look out the windscreen at the house. There’s something about it that feels off now, something that makes the air thicker, more oppressive.

I can’t drag my eyes away from the damn door. Why is it open when it’s raining? Why is it open full stop? If she’s not standing right on the porch, the door should be shut. It isn’t safe.

A warning rumble of discontent starts low in my chest and I have to suppress it before the others catch wind of it. I shift in my seat, trying to shake off the nerves. “Well, let’s get this over with.”

Blaise grins, but it’s a half-hearted one. “Sure. Maybe she’ll finally throw that rolling pin. I’ll take bets on it.”

I snort, though it’s not really funny. “Shut up, Blaise.”

“Hey, I can’t help it, the feisty little thing wielding that rolling pin got me harder than I’ve been in months.”

Xar’s hand lingers on the gearstick, his fingers tightening for a second before he exhales, finally breaking the silence. “Right. I’ll do the talking. You two just follow my lead.”

“Not sure the ‘plumbing’ excuse is going to fly,” I mutter, already dreading the awkwardness of it. I know it was my idea but now that we’re here it seems…lame.

I crack my knuckles again. It’s a bad habit I really should break, but in the grand scheme of a rockstar’s vices, I could be addicted to far worse.

“It’ll work.” Xar sounds more sure than he looks, but there’s a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “It has to.”

We get out of the car, and the rain immediately soaks through my jacket.

To think, we could have been spending Christmas in the Bahamas or some other paradise if we could get our shit together.

Instead we’re in the middle of nowhere in the Devonshire countryside, just outside a tiny little village called Silver.

And it’s constantly pissing it down. There’s certainly no silver lining that I can see.

I had hoped we’d at least be able to enjoy a winter walk on the nearby Silver Sands beach, but it feels like it’s never going to stop raining.

I’d even take snow over this constant grey drizzle that soaks you to the bone.

I glance up at the house again, my gaze lingering on the faint glow of light filtering through the window. I swear the whole house was in darkness when we approached.

For some reason, the place doesn’t feel as welcoming this time. It feels more like a barrier, like something we should avoid.

But it’s too late to turn back now.

Xar walks up to the door, knocking sharply, the sound echoing through the quiet even as the door swings open on noisy hinges. I stay a few steps back, glancing at Blaise, who shrugs and shoves his hands in his pockets.

Then there she is. Looking exactly the same: the same wary expression, her arms folded tightly across her chest like she’s bracing for impact.

I can feel the tension radiating from her, but there’s something else, too.

I don’t know if it’s the rain or the way she looks at us, but it almost seems like she’s… waiting for something.

Xar takes a deep breath, a forced smile on his face. “Miss—,” he starts, his voice softer than I expected.

“Eviana,” she replies firmly. I swear I see her stomp her foot under another long, flowing, floral skirt, but I can’t be sure.

“Sorry?” I blink, my brows drawing together in confusion because I didn’t quite catch what she said.

“My name is Eviana. My friends call me Evie.”

A beautiful, perfect name, for a beautiful, perfect omega.

Whoa, where did that thought come from?

“Evie—” I begin, but she cuts me off again with a fierce scowl.

“We are not friends.”

Well. That told me then, didn’t it? I bite back a grin. How do I tell her that I’d like to be friends – maybe more than friends – when she won’t open up to us at all? Why are her walls built so high? Why is she so guarded? So alone?

I try again.

“Our apologies, Miss Eviana. We didn’t mean to disrupt you again, but we’re having a few issues with our house.”

Xar jumps in before I can continue. “The plumbing’s acting up, and there’s – well, we’re not sure what’s going on, but we thought maybe you’d had similar problems. Your place is…old, and we thought we could ask you for advice.”

Her eyes flick to each of us, sizing us up, and I know she’s not buying it. The hesitation is clear on her face. She crosses her arms tighter, and I can see her jaw clenching, fighting back something.

“Problems with the house?” she asks, her voice a little strained. “That’s…convenient.”

I’m already bracing for her to shut the door in our faces, but Xar doesn’t back down.

“Look, we just need a little guidance. We don’t want to cause you any more trouble, but we’re a bit lost out here.

We’re not from around here, and we thought maybe you’ve dealt with the same kind of stuff before or have a number for a local tradesperson perhaps. ”

She glances away for a moment, her eyes flicking to the side of the house like she’s contemplating it. There’s a faint line between her brows, the same worried look that was there yesterday.

“I’m not a plumber,” she says, the edge in her voice unmistakable.

“And I don’t know what kind of help you think I can offer.

You should probably just call a professional.

You can Google a number, I’m sure. Big, strong alphas like yourselves can usually manage simple tasks like that with some guidance. ”

It’s a firm rejection, but there’s a crack in her tone that tells me she’s not as cold as she’s pretending to be. She’s trying to push us away, but something’s lingering there. And she has a sense of humour. Dry, like mine, and I really really like that.

I look over at Xar, who’s still trying to keep the conversation going. “I get it,” he says quickly, his voice softening. “We don’t mean to bother you. We just…wanted to ask, you know?”

Her gaze softens just slightly as she stands there, looking at us, but it doesn’t last. She shakes her head, steps back, and closes the door just a fraction.

“I can’t help. You’re better off calling someone who knows what they’re doing.

Good luck. Especially this close to the holidays and with a storm on the way. ”

The door clicks shut before any of us can say anything more.

We stand there for a beat, the silence heavy, before Blaise sighs, shaking his head. “Well, that went well.”

“Great job, Xar,” I mutter, though there’s no real anger behind it.

Just frustration. We came all this way, and she’s not buying it.

I knew she wouldn’t and I’m taking my frustration out on him, which isn’t fair.

But what else can I do? For some reason this terrified little omega has decided she wants nothing to do with us, won’t even give us the time of day to get to know her, and yet the alpha inside me is demanding we don’t give up.

Xar turns back to the car, shoulders slumped slightly. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“Maybe stop going back,” Blaise mutters under his breath. Rich coming from him, no one forced him to join us.

We walk back to the car, the rain picking up again as we settle in, all of us silently stewing in the discomfort. I feel the tension between us, each of us trying to shake off the nagging feeling that we’re not done yet.

I glance over at Xar, who’s gripping the steering wheel tightly again. He’s not ready to let this go either, but I don’t know what more we can do.

The drive back to the cottage is quiet, the weight of our failed attempt hanging over us, and somehow that makes the journey feel even longer this time.

The rain’s turned heavier, the windshield wipers working overtime to clear the mist and drops.

There’s a weight in the car, the kind that’s too thick to ignore.

No one’s speaking, but the tension is palpable.

I can feel it pressing in from all sides – Xar’s frustration, Blaise’s irritation, and my own simmering dissatisfaction.

But even in the silence, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t the last time we’ll see her.

I refuse to let it be.

I glance out the window, trying to distract myself, but it doesn’t work. All I can think about is the way she’d shut the door on us. On me.

She was scared. That much is obvious. But I can’t stop thinking about the part of her I saw hidden behind those walls – the way she hesitated for just a second before she closed the door. We weren’t just a nuisance to her. Something about us – about the way we are – affects her. I know it does.

And that’s what’s making me lose my focus. Making me question everything.

The silence in the car is almost suffocating now, so I try to break it.

“Well, that was a waste of time,” I mutter, but it feels like I’m just stating the obvious. I know it won’t make anything better. “She’s not going to let us in. At least not like this.”

Blaise huffs, his fingers tapping against his knee in the quiet of the car. “Shocker. You didn’t actually think it’d be that easy, did you?”

I glance at him, meeting his eyes for just a second. “I thought we’d at least make some progress. But she’s completely shutting us out.”

Xar keeps his eyes on the road, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.

His jaw’s clenched so tight, I swear I can hear his teeth grinding.

“She’s a damn enigma, that’s what she is.

Every time we try, we just hit a wall.” His voice is low, rough, like it’s been dragged through gravel.

“And it’s not just her shutting us out – it’s everything about this place.

The house. The way she keeps pushing us away. ”

I can hear the frustration building in his words. “She’s not telling us anything. It’s like she’s hiding something.”

Blaise shrugs, but it’s clear he’s frustrated too. “Or maybe she just doesn’t want anyone in her life, mate. Maybe she’s been on her own for too long to let someone waltz in and act like they’ve got the answers.”

“Yeah, well, maybe she doesn’t need the answers,” I grumble. “But she sure as hell needs someone . She’s an omega. You know what that means.”

The words hang in the air, and we all feel it. She’s an omega. That should say it all. The mystery of why she’s so isolated, so alone, is driving me insane. I need to get to the bottom of it. Omegas are not meant to be alone. They need packs, alphas, to care for them.

We pull into the driveway of the cottage in silence, the heavy rain washing over us like a cold blanket. We’re all thinking the same thing – this isn’t over. We’re not going to let her push us away so easily.

As we get inside, Xar slams the door behind him, frustration evident in the sharp motion. He walks over to the couch and collapses onto it, running a hand through his hair. “I’m done. We can’t just keep doing this.”

Blaise sits down next to him, leaning back into the cushions. “Yeah, because you’ve been so subtle about it.”

Xar shoots him a glare, but Blaise doesn’t flinch.

I sit down across from them, leaning forward.

I can feel the agitation crawling under my skin.

“What’s the plan now? We’re not getting anywhere with these excuses.

” I gesture back toward the door as if she’s still standing there, dismissing us with that cold stare.

“I don’t know.” Xar’s voice is raw, like it’s been worn thin. “I don’t know what more we can do. I’m…I’m at the end of my rope here. I don’t even know why I care so much. But I do. I can’t explain it. My alpha is riding me hard, refusing to let me settle.”

Blaise lets out a tired sigh. “Well, the only way we’re getting through to her is if she lets us. And right now, it’s clear she doesn’t want to.”

“She doesn’t know what she wants,” Xar snaps, his frustration finally breaking through. “She’s pushing us away, and I can’t just sit here while she’s out there alone in that godforsaken house. We can help her.”

I feel my own temper start to rise, frustration bubbling up again. “But we can’t force her, Xar. If we keep doing this, we’re just going to make it worse. She’ll shut us out for good.”

The silence in the room is thick with unspoken thoughts. Xar’s face tightens, his hands balling into fists. “I don’t care if she shuts us out,” he mutters. “I can’t let it go. She’s not fine, Dane. I know she’s not fine.”

I don’t know how to respond to that. It’s like we’re trapped in this cycle, this endless loop of trying to push through the walls she’s put up. We keep coming up with new excuses, new ideas to win her over, but every time, we hit the same wall.

“Alright,” I say after a long pause, my voice quieter now, “what if we try something else? Something less direct, but still…maybe it’ll give us some ground. We’ve got to stop pushing her, but we can’t just back off completely.”

Xar looks up at me, clearly exhausted. “What do you suggest?”

I pause, my mind running over every interaction, every moment we’ve had with her.

I think about how she’s responded to the smallest things – how she’s stayed strong, but you can see the cracks when she’s not looking.

“Let’s just…show up to be cordial. No agenda, no ‘help’, no ‘fixing things’ – just a conversation.

Be casual. Ask her if she wants to join us for something, you know?

Coffee or whatever. Let her see we’re not trying to get anything out of it. ”

Blaise raises an eyebrow. “You think she’ll fall for that?”

“It’s not about ‘falling for it,’” I say, rubbing my temples and resisting the urge to squeeze my knuckles until they pop.

“It’s about making her see we’re not just here to disrupt her life.

We’re not pushing her into something she’s not ready for.

If she sees we’re just…trying to be normal, to be friendly, maybe she’ll warm up to the idea of us. ”

There’s a pause, then Blaise grins, but there’s still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. “I mean, it’s better than pretending we found her scarf.”

I can feel my frustration giving way to a reluctant hope. “Yeah. We’ll try it. But not today. Let’s give her a break and try again tomorrow or in a day or two. Maybe we could send her a gift before then.”

Xar stands up, his posture straightening with the resolve I’ve come to know so well. “Alright. But next time, we’re not leaving until she knows we’re not going anywhere. If she keeps shutting us down, fine, but I’m not walking away without her hearing us out first.”

We all exchange looks, the tension still thick between us. There’s a kind of unspoken understanding now. We’re not giving up on her.

Not yet.