Page 5 of Rhythm Of Our Souls (Heartbreak Melody #3)

ONE YEAR AGO

Nate

“Do I have to go?” Ally whines, looking up at me with an adorable pout from where she lies on her hotel room couch.

A smile lifts at the corner of my lips. “No. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.

But seeing how you were so excited for this movie premiere the past week, looking for the perfect dress, making sure you got your hair done, and you had the right makeup for the perfect look. .. I’d like to know what’s changed?”

She sighs heavily. “I want a nap,” she says, closing her eyes.

I huff out a laugh. She’s so damn cute. “That's it? You don’t want to go because you want to sleep?”

One of her eyes cracks open. “Ah, yeah? You know I’d choose sleep over anything, anytime.”

She’s not wrong. This girl can sleep anywhere. She could be in a loud club, standing in line for something, and all she would need is me, Liam, or one of the guys to lean against, and she’s out.

Maybe that’s because of how overworked she’s been.

Since I’ve taken the job as her manager, I made it my goal not to pressure her to do anything she didn’t want to do and encourage her to do the things she did.

Her old manager, Julia, was a horrible person who abused her Alpha bark to control Ally for years. Looking down at this sweet, funny, kind woman, and knowing that someone took advantage of her, abused her fucking enrages me.

At first, when her uncle, Chase, called me up and offered me the job, I took it because it was a way for me to take my career to the next level; to get out from being an intern and show the company I worked for that I was good at my job.

Then, when Chase explained what happened with Ally, I knew I had to take this job for more than that reason. I wanted to make sure that no one was able to hurt her like that again.

Being a Beta was honestly the main reason I got this job. I could have been the best in the industry, but if I were an Omega or an Alpha, it wouldn’t have been offered to me.

With Ally’s past trauma, it’s completely understandable.

I’ve strived every day since to make sure she had the best career I could offer her.

“How about I make you a deal? Go take a nap, and I’ll have the makeup artist and wardrobe come here so we’re not having to rush.”

“You would do that for me?” she asks. Those big brown eyes that always know how to capture me and have me at her mercy, shining up at me. This girl has no idea just how much I’m willing to do for her.

“Yes,” I laugh. “Now close those pretty eyes and get some rest.”

“You're the best.” She smiles sleepily at me before closing her eyes and rolling over to her side.

She’s out in literal seconds.

Growing up, Ally was this little girl who would follow me around whenever I went over to her family's barbecues. She was cute, sweet, and a little awkward. I always felt this sort of protectiveness over her. Like one would have as a big brother.

We grew up and parted ways, but I’ve been cheering her on from the sidelines ever since I found out where her voice took her career.

So, being able to have this opportunity to see her again later on in life and work with her, and alongside her, was also another perk to the job.

It’s quickly become obvious that the feelings I have towards her are no longer brotherly. Nope. Ally has grown up from that awkward preteen into a gorgeous woman.

One that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since taking this job.

Grabbing one of her blankets from her bed, I cover her up and kiss the side of her head. “You have no idea how much it kills me to be so close to you and not have you the way I want you.”

The fact is... I’m head over heels for this woman. I have been for well over a year now. It’s easy to fall in love with Ally. Just be around her for five minutes, and you can’t help but be captivated by her light.

The way she fights hard for the people she cares about and overcomes everything life throws at her is inspiring. She makes me laugh more than I ever have in my life. She makes me feel things no other person has made me feel.

All except one.

“She sleeping?” Liam’s deep husky voice sends a shiver down my spine. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

“Yeah.” I walk over to where he’s standing next to the door. His eyes are on Ally’s sleeping form, longing desire clearly written on his face.

He’s not very good at hiding it. It’s clear to anyone who’s around the two of them long enough that they’re crazy about one another.

But with Liam’s past, he won’t allow himself to take what he wants. He deserves to be loved, wanted, needed.

He’s got himself convinced that if he chooses to be with any Omega that isn’t his scent match, he’s going to get hurt. Because that's how it worked out for him in his past.

She might not be his scent match, but there is something strong between them. The more I’m around them, the more I think my theory might be true.

Seeing how there’s not much research to prove it, and it’s even rarer than scent matches, I haven’t said anything because I don’t want to give him false hope.

Maybe with time, the tension between the two of them will build enough to the point that they’ll snap and give in. They’re in love with one another, but this tall, sexy asshole won’t budge.

I’m working on it. I have a plan.

“Maybe she should stay home tonight.” He looks to me.

“Why?”

“She’s been working hard lately. She needs rest. I don’t want her to overwork herself."

I raise a brow, lip twitching with a smile at the protectiveness he has for her. “Name a time in the two years I’ve been working for her when she’s been overworked?”

He lets out a heavy sigh. “Still. She’s tired. She needs rest.”

“And she’s getting a good nap. I’m just about to make some calls so people can come here and get everything set up.”

“Get what set up?” he asks, brows furrowing. He really does pull off the broody look so damn well. Fucking sexy. Even though everyone close to him knows deep down he’s a big old teddy bear.

“Bringing everything she needs here, to her. So she can sleep up until the very last possible second before she has to get ready and go to the event, all without having to leave the hotel room.”

“So... strangers in her private space?” he growls, nostrils flaring.

“Down, big guy,” I chuckle, putting my hands on his chest, his heart pounding hard against my palms. “Don’t worry. You're going to be there the whole time. Nothing's going to happen to her.”

“Her heat is supposed to be coming soon,” he protests. “I don’t want to put her in a vulnerable situation. Having people in her safe place might upset her.”

“No one’s going in her room. Everything will be out here, in the open.

If it really bothers you, we can move it to the guys’ suite.

Might be a little bit of a tight fit with their own teams getting them ready, but we can make it work.

Whatever makes it easier to do your job or makes you feel better. ”

“Stop that,” he growls, stepping forward.

My breathing hitches as I take a step back. Liam pins me against the wall, and my cock jumps to full attention.

“Stop what?” My voice is barely a whisper, pulse racing.

“Being you,” he grunts.

“Sorry?” I can’t help but laugh.

His eyes flick between mine, and I wonder if this is the time. There’s something happening between Liam and me, too. Sexual tension for sure, but I know there’s something more to it.

I’ve never pushed, not wanting to cross any lines. It’s the same with Ally.

I told myself I’d like them to come to me. If they wanted something more, they would have to be the ones to take that chance because I never wanted to come off as if I was abusing my position in any way.

This is my job, and I take it seriously. But I can’t deny the feelings I have for this tall, broody Alpha and that angel of an Omega.

“Never be sorry for being you, Nate,” he murmurs. “Never.”

Licking my lips, my chest heaves as I wait to see what he’ll do next.

Our eyes are locked together, neither of us wanting to look away.

I feel the electricity in the air between us.

Sadly, he breaks our connection first, taking a step back.

A cold chill rushes over me, and I immediately miss his warmth. “Go. Do what you need to do. I’ll stay here and watch her.” He clears his throat, shifting his body to the side, trying to hide the obvious, large bulge he’s sporting.

Letting out a shaky breath, I nod. “Yeah. I’ll be back soon.”

I’m out the door, down the hall, and in my room in seconds, needing a moment to myself to breathe.

It’s what the two of them do best: Take my fucking breath away, mess with my head, and make my heart beat wildly, but in all the best ways. They make me feel things I didn’t know I needed, bringing every cell inside my body to life.

Whatever happens between Liam and me doesn’t change the fact I have every intention of bringing Ally into the fold.

First, I need to get Liam out of his head, out of his past, and make him see the future he’s going to miss out on if he lets those thoughts win.

The fact is that Liam can’t continue living his life always wondering when his scent match is going to fall into his lap. Millions of people live a whole lifetime without ever finding theirs.

He’s hurting himself more by denying himself what his heart wants than he would be if they found their scent matches.

Ally isn’t like the Omegas from his past. And if I’m right about what I think they have going on between them, then I know for a fact that if either of them did find their scent matches, it wouldn’t change how they feel.

Packs join together all the time.

My parents did.

It can work. They can be happy in the end.

And I plan on working on getting Liam to see that.

We will be a pack, one way or another. And I will fight for that to happen, even if whoever the universe designed them to be with tries to come between them.

Liam and Ally are mine. Their hearts are one another’s.

Anyone else in the future... they’re just going to have to deal with that.

Scent matches can be powerful as hell, but so can soul bonds. They’re a force to be reckoned with.