#Chapter 17 This is my song
Tyler POV
Camelot Records Auditorium
"No wonder you've kept her hidden all these years! I wouldn't want the world trying to steal my woman all the time either.”
Dylan Roberts had been my best friend since we were boys. He was the youngest son of House Roberts who were the Alpha House of New Moon Pack. My father had wanted me to have strong friends; all the boys put into my orbit growing up had been potential new Alpha leaders or betas at least.
The merit of a friendship was judged based on how useful the friendship could prove to be in the future as far as Alpha John Wright was concerned.
I doubted my father had ever had a conversation without first weighing whether or not he could benefit from the exchange of words.
"Thanks for letting me sign her. I gotta admit I was surprised you agreed to it with the travel involved in her tour package, but it's a very generous---"
"Travel?"
Dylan looked at me with a short bark of laughter, "Tyler, have you heard anything I've said? We signed your wife last week with one of the most ambitious tour schedules in years. People are hungry for exactly the intimate performance experience Rachel delivers and she does deliver every single time, man! She's a natural!”
“Silence!’
I closed my eyes in frustration as I ground my teeth together. My wolf was getting away from me again. Wynd had completely taken over to snap at Dylan.
"I apologize, Dylan. Wynd is not keen on the attention Rachel is getting. He'd also like it noted she is our mate, not our wife."
"Understandable," Dylan agreed cautiously, edging back toward the stage as he eyed me, "I'm going to go check in with the team. Make sure everything is ready to go.”
I let him run while he could. Wynd radiated a smug aura in my mind which I couldn't fault him for as he was a strong Alpha. Wynd had not been the one to lose our mate: I shouldered the blame alone for Rachel's absence.
Closing my eyes, I let myself feel the music. Her voice was a gentle breeze on a hot summer day. The piano was rain sprinkling down in spring.
My wolf preferred to sleep with his mate at his side; I had indulged my nature by playing the YouTube video of Rachel singing "Love at the First Sight" as I readied myself for sleep at night. With my eyes closed, I could remember the exact moment I had first laid eyes on her in LUST.
I knew this song was about her love for me.
"I can't believe it! You really like this one!" Dylan chortled in my ear.
"This is my song," I told him confidently, "Rachel is singing about the first time we met. I can tell.” Dylan was grinning from ear to ear as I opened my eyes at the end of the song. The audience went crazy. They loved Rachel! She was a star.
My father was going to have plenty to say to me about not handling her contract myself. Who knew what was included in the fine print?
Dylan wouldn't try to take advantage of my mate out of malice, but there were business standards in entertainment which were accepted practice to try to arrange for the good of the production company.
Dylan and I were the best of friends---yet friendship did have limits within the business realm
He was going to try to do right for Camelot Records the way I would always try to do my best for Moonrise Entertainment.
"We're going to start the interview now!"
"Shh," I heard, looking over to find Nathan Lewis patting my sister Charlotte on the arm to try to settle her down to better hear the reporters up front.
"Rachel Flores everyone! Rachel, I think the question on everyone's mind has to be: what was the inspiration for Love at the First Sight? Have you felt love at first sight yourself? Are you singing from experience?”
Rachel gave a throaty laugh I hadn't heard in far too long. She stood from the piano bench to share the standing mic with the famous announcer who represented Camelot Records in their press junkets, Carlton Joy.
"I have, actually, felt love at first sight. This song was inspired by my own life. I consider myself blessed to have the memories."
"So you're not with your first love?”
"I am currently single,” Rachel allowed with a toothy grin which earned her some wild applause. "You've gotta give us more,” Carlton urged, "At least give us a little more of a peek behind the scenes, Rachel! Please?"
Rachel laughed again, "You surely aren't interested in hearing this? Oh, okay! Okay! So, I was---" "Finishing high school,” I murmured confidently.
Dylan raised a brow at me as Rachel finished.
"---a freshman in high school---"
Dylan mimed being shot through the chest and I crossed my arms to avoid punching him. What did Rachel mean a freshman in high school? We hadn't even met!
"I had known his family all my life. I'd thought he was cute, but he had never noticed me. I got turned around in the halls, wound up in the wrong class, and he offered to walk me back to piano--- then he stayed for my lesson. Just to hear me play. I knew I would feel happy if I could just play for him for the rest of my life.”
I didn't pay attention to the rest of the interview, instead I was focused on the flush on Nathan Lewis's face and the fact he was paying far too much attention to my mate.
The minute the interview was over, I shot to my feet: I was going to have words with Rachel!