Dylan moves silently behind my chair and starts massaging my lower back, his thumbs working the muscles on either side of my spine, and oh God, that feels amazing.
I’m definitely going to lose my composure if they keep this up.
“Latest update on Reed,” I manage to say, my voice slightly breathier than before. “The controversy has sent him into bankruptcy. His accounts are frozen, assets seized. He’s facing multiple criminal charges, including fraud, theft by deception, and assault on an Omega. And he’s being sued by hundreds of people. It’s kind of hilarious watching his entire empire crumble in real time. Let’s hope he gets everything he deserves and then some.”
Mason joins the massage effort, kneeling in front of my chair and working on my feet and ankles.
I mute my microphone for a second, saying to my men with a smile, “Are you three trying to sabotage my show?”
They just grin at me.
Then I unmute the microphone. “Okay, so there’s a lot to unpack tonight,” I say quickly, refocusing. “How about we take some calls before I reveal my final surprise? First caller, you’re onThe Heat Line.”
“Oh my God, I finally made it through!” a woman’s voice says, young and excited and talking fast. “Okay, first, I just want to say I’m so happy we finally got to see what you look like, Anita. You’re absolutely gorgeous. Like, stunning. I had this image in my head, and you’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”
I blush hard, feeling heat creep up my neck. “Thank you so much, that’s incredibly sweet of you to say.”
“But also? Your Alphas?” She makes a sound that’s almost a squeal. “Seriously, I may have watched that video, like, fifty times just to see them. When that one—Slater, right?—when hepicked Reed up by the throat? I swooned and had to sit down. My roommate thought I was having a medical emergency.”
I giggle and glance at my men, who are all grinning now with unmistakable pride. Slater winks at me, completely shameless.
“Now you see why I couldn’t walk away from them, right?” I say. “Even when I probably should have early on. They’re impossible to resist.”
“Completely understand,” the caller says enthusiastically. “I would have done the exact same thing. Thank you so much for taking my call!”
“Next caller,” I say, trying to ignore Jasper’s hands now joining the massage effort on my neck.
“Hi, Anita,” a man’s voice comes through, deeper and more serious than the previous caller. “I just wanted to say how incredibly brave you were. I was watching the livestream, as someone in the audience was streaming it to TikTok, and when Reed grabbed you by the hair, I was genuinely scared for you. Thought he might really hurt you before anyone could intervene. You’re like a hero to a lot of us. You inspire me to be braver.”
My chest gets tight with emotion, and I blink back sudden tears.
“Aww, thank you so much. That means the world to me, truly. But honestly, if you believe in something strongly enough, you can do whatever’s needed to protect it. Always remember that. Don’t let fear stop you from doing what’s right. The fear doesn’t go away—you just do it anyway.”
We take several more calls over the next thirty minutes. People wanting to know more about the Alphas, asking if there will be more photos of them posted online, begging for them to join the show regularly.
One caller makes me laugh out loud. “I’ve watched the video of Reed being punched and dragged offstage at least a hundred times. There are so many memes now circulating. My favoriteis the one where they added theBenny Hilltheme music to Dylan and Mason dragging him by his feet down the stairs. Pure comedy gold.”
“I’ve seen that one!” I say, laughing hard enough that my stomach hurts. “It’s incredible. There’s also the one where someone added the Thug Life glasses and music when Slater punched him. That one’s my personal favorite.”
“Yes! That one’s amazing too!”
Jasper’s hands are still working their magic, and I’m struggling to maintain my professional composure.
Another caller asks, “So will you continue the show going forward? And will your Alphas join you regularly? Please say yes because I need more of this in my life.”
“Yes, I’m absolutely not going anywhere,” I confirm. “This show is my passion and purpose. And I’ve opened up the option for my Alphas to join anytime they want. Actually?—”
Slater pulls his chair even closer to mine and slides on the extra headphones I keep on hand. He leans into the microphone, and when he speaks, his voice is that deep, commanding tone that makes thousands of people lose their minds simultaneously.
“Hello, everyone listening tonight. This is Slater. I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of Anita. She’s brilliant, brave, and the strongest Omega I’ve ever known. Watching her take down Reed was the proudest moment of my life, and I’m honored beyond measure to be part of her pack.”
The phone lines explode. Every single line instantly lights up like a Christmas tree.
I check the chat window, and it’s complete chaos.
OMG IT’S HIM
THE VOICE
