Page 1 of The Knot Before Christmas

Chapter 1

Nova

Merry frigging Christmas to you too!

Nothing screams holiday spirit like having your boss hit on you, and getting fired when you turn him down. To top it off, when you're on your way out, you see his stupid wife going at your car with a baseball bat.

I’m not sorry to be leaving this job, it sucked. The hours were horrible, and the pay was worse. Add in creepy Alphas and a jealous Beta, and it was downright shitty.

But now I’m out of a paycheck along with my car. With Christmas a few weeks away, I won’t be able to get anyone anything. Not that I have a lot of people to buy for. It’s just my mom and my Beta boyfriend, Trip.

And knowing Trip, he most likely spent all his money on the slots or beer.

Maybe I can just bake my mom cookies or something. A pre-mixed box is, like... what, four bucks? It’s going to have to do. It’s not like she’s going to get me anything either.

She’s been spending all her money trying to be someone she’s not and looking good for the older, richer men she’s been trying to hook up with, in hopes of finding herself a sugar daddy.

Mom of the year right there.

She never misses a chance to tell me how easy I’d have it if I just tried to get myself a pack, because I’m an Omega, and she’s a Beta. Only, I don’twanta pack. Alphas are dominating and controlling. We would never get along.

I’m not the submissive type, and I don’t plan on changing myself to fit the needs of someone else. Also, most Alphas don’t like it when an Omega speaks their mind or sasses back. And I’m all sass, with hardly a fuck to give.

I shiver as the cold winter air swirls around me as I snuggle deeper into my jacket. Of course, we get hit with a storm on the day I’m without a car. Thankfully, I don’t live too far. I could take a bus, but I’d have to go out of my way to the nearest bus stop, and by the time I do that, I could have just walked home.

“Trip!” I shout, tossing my now useless car keys on the little table by the front door. Taking my jacket off, I hang it up on the hook and slip off my boots. I wait for a response, but no one answers.

That's odd.I know Trip isn’t working today, and his shoes are on the rack. My eyes flick next to them. “Mom?” A pair of red boots sit next to the door.

After checking the living room and kitchen but finding no one, I head for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

“Oh, fuck! Yes, just like that,” Trip moans. I freeze, blinking at the bedroom door.Maybe he’s watching porn?“Oh, fuck, yes, Shelly. God, your mouth feels so damn good.”

My eyes widen. Shelly...as in my mom, Shelly.No, there's no way.

Only one way to find out.

I throw the door open, and... yup, there's good old mom on her knees with my boyfriend’s cock down her throat. “Well, at least someone's having a good day,” I huff out a laugh.

Oddly, I don’t feel any anger or sadness at the sight of this betrayal. I feel...relief?

“Nova, shit!” Trip pushes my mom off him, sending her tumbling back with a yelp.

“Oh, don’t mind me,” I snark, going over to the closet. I grab a book bag and start shoving clothes into it. “Keep doing what you were doing. I won’t be long.”

“Nova, baby, I’m so sorry. It’s not what it looks like,” the asshole has the nerve to say.

“No?” I don’t stop packing my bag. “So she just tripped, and her mouth fell on your cock? Damn, that's some crazy shit right there.”

“Where are you going?” Mom asks.

“Anywhere but here.” I zip up the bag and sling it over my shoulder. I don’t have much, and nothing that holds any sentimental value. I pawned anything that was worth money to pay for rent after this fucker here gambled it all away.

“You got paid today, right?” I ask as if this was just a regular old conversion. I don’t wait for him to answer, kneeling down by his feet and cringing when his semi-hard dick almost hits my face.

Gross, it’s covered in my mom’s spit.

Reaching into his back pocket, I pull out his wallet and open it.Bingo.Some fresh, crisp hundred dollar bills. I grab them all and leave the wallet. “You don’t mind going without beer for a while, right?” I ask, pocketing the cash. “I didn’t think so.”

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