Page 11 of Broken Harmony (Heartbreak Melody #2)

One year later

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“Let go of her!” Ryker roars, grabbing the hand of one of the fans who tries to tug me into the crowd.

“I got you,” Skyler shouts over the screaming fans chanting my name as he tucks me under his arm and guides me into the building where we’re having our first official concert tonight.

“Holy shit,” I breathe out, body shaking as the door closes behind me. “What the fuck was that!?” I ask, eyes wide, gaping at the door we just came through.

“Those were unruly fans,” Tyson mutters.

“I’ve never seen them like this before.” I blow out a breath, running a hand through my messy curls. “And that was just from the car to the building.”

Our album went platinum and has been number one on the charts for months now, with three of our hit songs taking over the charts.

Our lives have been nothing but writing music and recording our next album, all while doing photo shoots, travelling for press tours, and even gaining endorsement deals.

As much as I hate the woman, she’s really made this dream a reality. Even laying off on the guys when it came to our music, accepting that we are a band, not a solo act.

That hasn’t stopped Julia from signing me up for a ton of things I didn’t ask for or wanted, though.

Not that it’s been a bad thing, a few of them I’ve enjoyed.

On top of everything already going on, she’s enrolled me in dance and acting classes two times a week.

She says she’s going to make me the package deal. Singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and model. Oh joy.

The only good thing about being busy nonstop is that I hardly have the time to think about anything other than work.

Lulu is still on my mind when I close my eyes. But during the day, while I’m awake, I’m run too ragged to think of anything else.

The rare times I do have a moment to myself, I’m checking in on Lulu. I might not be able to talk to her or go see her, but I’ve made sure that I’m keeping her safe. That she has everything she needs in life.

She’s still at the Omega center. And from what they have been able to tell me, she’s happy, healthy, and thriving.

Every time I get an update on her, I can’t help but cry with happy tears that she’s overcoming all the trauma her parents put her through and sadness that she’s doing this all on her own.

Well, I guess she’s not really on her own. She has someone at the center working closely with her.

Normally, they wouldn’t be able to disclose any information to me, but seeing how I’m an anonymous donor, putting a hefty paycheck into their pockets, I may have let it slip exactly who I was, only asking for the occasional update.

What's the point of having all this money if I don’t spend it on the things I want the most in the world? And that's her.

There's only so much these Omega centers can do to help, and I want to make sure Lulu is able to stay there as long as she can until she feels comfortable venturing out on her own.

I have no idea what she wants to do with her life, or what her plans are. But whatever they are, I’ll do my best to make it happen from the sidelines.

“There you are,” Julia’s voice sounds, making my spine stiffen. The guys let out low rumbling growls as they take a step in front of me, protecting me from our mutual enemy. “Oh, stop it with that, would you?” she mutters. “You act as if I’m gonna hurt the girl.”

She might not have physically, but she has mentally more than I’d like to admit.

Over the past year, Julia has made sure to keep her hold on me firm and strong.

Whenever she manages to get me alone, she reinforces her Alpha command, making sure it’s still in place; reminding me that I’m to stay here, and not go back home to check on Lulu.

To stay far away from the girl who has never once left my mind since the day I met her all those years ago.

The guys have noticed something wrong between Julia and I, something more than just a dislike of the woman. But seeing how I can’t tell them anything or Julia will ruin them, they don’t know the details. They suspect she has some sort of hold over me, they just don’t know what, and how deep.

It’s enough for them to despise her, though.

They’ve gone to Becky more than once to see about us getting a new manager, but without proof she’s done anything wrong, Becky has told the guys to get over their dislike of her and push forward.

Besides what she’s doing to me aside, I’m kind of sad to admit, our careers are thriving.

“You might not, but those people–” Ryker points towards the door we just came in from. “Will. They might not do it maliciously, but they see someone they idolize and all they can think about is getting a piece of her.”

“The security you provided is shit,” Tyson huffs out, running a hand through his hair. “They were hardly able to keep the crowd back. If it wasn’t for us, she would have been mauled.”

“She needs her own private security. We can handle ourselves, but she needs more than just us. We can’t be with her all the time. And we want to make sure she’s safe when we’re not around.”

“What do you mean you're not going to be around her at all times?” Julia huffs, crossing her arms. “You're her Alphas. You should be the ones protecting her.”

“They're not my Alphas,” I state, brows furrowing.

“They're not?” Julia actually looks confused.

“No,” Skyler growls. “Despite what you love to tell the media, we’re not her pack. Not her Alphas. Yes, she’s part of our family. But like our little sister. Our best friend. We’re not romantically involved.”

“Yeah, that's not going to do.” Julia smiles sweetly. “It’s what the fans have been drooling over. Ally Cat and her bandmates. Pack. Lovers. It’s what sells. Therefore, that's what the world will know.”

“No.” I shake my head. “That’s too much. Too far. Sure, if they want to believe that, let them, but I’m not going to go into some fake PR relationship with them.”

“They will if you make them.” Julia glares at me, and for a moment, I’m afraid this is going to be yet another command she demands of me, something I’ll have to try to lie and convince the guys to do.

Thankfully, Skyler puts his foot down. He might be younger than Julia, but he’s bigger and has a stronger Alpha bark than she does.

“We will not lie and tell the world we’re a pack. That’s where I draw the line.” He stands firm.

There’s a sick satisfaction that runs down my spine at watching Julia go stiff at the command.

She grinds her jaw, nostrils flaring. “Watch yourself, boy,” she growls.

“But fine,” she huffs. “We don’t put out any official statement, but let the fans believe what they want.

” She waves him off. I can see the way his body tenses; he fucking hates it.

So do I. The way she blatantly dismisses us like it’s no big deal.

“And Ally gets a personal guard,” Ryker insists. “With the tour coming up, and her popularity rising, she needs it.”

“Fine, fine,” she huffs, rolling her eyes. “I was actually in the process of hiring one anyway,” she says, as if to take credit for the idea. I call bullshit. “I’ll make sure I have someone by the end of the concert.”

“Actually, I know someone who would be perfect. No offense, but Ally means a lot to us, and we want her safe with someone we trust,” Skyler says.

Julia glares at him, but thankfully doesn’t argue. “Fine,” she growls. “Now go. You have a sound check in thirty.” She turns around on her heel and storms away.

“I fucking hate that woman,” Tyson growls.

“Why the hell is she our manager again?” Ryker asks. “You sure you can’t go to your uncle and ask him to fire her? I’m sure if you tell him how much of a witch she is, he’ll do it.”

I shoot him a blank look, and he sighs, knowing I hate going to my uncle for any sort of special treatment. Plus, if I get her fired, god knows what she’s going to do in retaliation.

“We have two years left with her. Once her contract is up, we can go to the label and tell them as much as we appreciate how far she got us in this career, we’re looking for something new and fresh to see where else we can take our talents.

” I try to spin the subject in a more positive direction.

“Why not see how much we can get out of her while we’re stuck with her?

” It's not like she’s not using us to line her pockets with money.

“I like how you think, Spitfire.” Skyler grins. “Plus, by the time she’s done with her contract, you're going to be so damn big, you can fire and hire whoever you want. Because your contract is up with the label when hers is.” He smirks.

He’s right. Huh. I’ve never really thought about it like that.

“Fair point.” I smirk back.

I also never really thought about going with any other label. It’s not my uncle's fault that one of his employees is a dirty snake. And I know if he knew what she was doing, he would have fired her in a second.

I fucking hate that I can’t say anything.

While I put on a brave face, smile, and do my best to enjoy what life has given me, it doesn’t take away the fact that every time she uses her Alpha bark to control me, I feel like I lose a piece of myself.

It leaves me feeling dirty, used, and violated.

I have to shower in steaming hot water just to get the crawling sensation off my skin.

The guys don’t know this, but I’ve developed a bit of a fear of Alphas, more or less, and what my future with them might become.

I have two more years until my heat is supposed to set in, and just because no other Alpha has tried to take advantage of me in that way apart from Julia, doesn’t mean they won’t at that time.

I’ve heard the stories of feral Alphas, losing control at one whiff of an Omega’s perfume, their slick, and demanding that they do everything their instincts urge them to do and say.

I’d be at their mercy. And I’ve never been so terrified at the thought.

This is why I’ve decided I’ll be doing my heats alone until I find a pack I know and trust.