Page 12 of Knot So Sweet

"Shut up and help me move these pallets. We can stack them to make a ladder."

Julia sighed dramatically as she helped. "Fine. But if I hurt myself and Zane gets mad, I’m holding you responsible."

"Deal," I said with a smirk as I managed to balance precariously on the makeshift ladder of pallets. With a final adjustment, I slid the window open, my heart racing with adrenaline. "Got it!" I whispered, barely able to contain my excitement and nerves.

Without the window blocking it, the conversation grew clearer. Linc’s voice cut through the murmur, low and dangerous. "—Why the fuck is he here, Shade?" Linc growled. "Are you trying to set us up, bro? We had a deal. You know whatwe do to those who cross us." His voice dripped with the thinly veiled threat.

I shivered. Linc was known for his ruthlessness.

Owen stepped between Lincoln and Shade. "Look, we all have the same goal here. Protect our city. Protect omegas."

"I would never fucking trust someone who works with snakes," Linc bit back.

I scoffed. "Viper would never want to work with you either," I murmured under my breath, barely containing my frustration.

Julia snickered, but I ignored her. I wasn't sure why I was defending Viper, but hearing Linc talk about him like that rubbed me the wrong way.

"But you trust me, right? We've been friends since grade school," Shade countered smoothly, stepping up into Linc's face. The two alphas were around the same height, though Linc was built more like a swimmer, while Shade was broad with thicker arms. "Hux is family, Linc. Kay’s alpha, mysister'salpha. So help us protect her, please. The only way to make things right and protect our city is to work together. Adam and his family can't continue to reign over Sterling."

For a moment, I thought Linc would back down and help him. Linc was all about family, and he put his pack, including Julia, above all else.

But I was wrong.

"Hell no. Never going to happen," Lincoln growled, shaking his head. He glanced over at Roman, who stood off to the side, a perfect picture of calm. Roman was the silent, deadly type—massive everywhere. He might even be bigger than Ghost. My core throbbed just thinking Ghost's name.

No, Candi, focus. Don’t think about dick right now.

God, these alphas kept swimming through my thoughts—Ghost and Viper. I hated how quickly they had consumed my every thought. I couldn’t let them get any closer. This deal withthe Cromwells had to pan out. I really didn't want to go see them tomorrow.

"I wouldn’t have to work with the Serpents if we worked together," Owen interjected, trying to reason with Linc.

I found myself nodding along as Lincoln shook his head again. "Not gonna happen," Linc repeated, more firmly.

"Lincoln." Sean spoke for the first time, his voice calm, but authoritative. Sean Cromwell, dressed in a flawlessly tailored suit that emphasized his commanding presence, crossed his arms with a stoic expression. Dark hair, dark gaze, and an even darker demeanor. He was a scary motherfucker in his own right, and was the leader of their little pack of alphas.

He flexed his leather gloves as he stepped into Owen’s face, making it clear he wasn’t to be trifled with. But my brother didn’t back down—he raised his chin and met Sean's gaze head-on. "Why should we help you, Huxley?"

"Because we fight on the same side, Sean," Owen said simply.

Sean didn’t move, didn’t blink as he stared Owen down. "We will hear you out, but at the end of the day, Hux, we don’t need you. You need us. You’d do well to remember that. Your little club is in Hound territory, and eventually will be under my jurisdiction."

Tension crackled in the air between them. I barely had a second to register what Sean just said. What did he mean by his jurisdiction? Was he planning to overthrow Titus?

FUCK.

A sudden blast of music shattered the moment.

"—Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo."

My hold on the window wobbled, fingers slipping as I whipped my head toward Julia, who was digging through her jacket. Her phone continued to blare out loudly.

"You’ve gotta be kidding me," I muttered, shooting daggers her way. "Who goes on a stakeout and doesn’t silence theirphone?" I whisper-shouted through clenched teeth, trying to regain my balance on this rickety as fuck palate.

Julia, unfazed by my death glare, finally fished out her phone. The song just got louder, making me want to both scream and laugh at the absurdity. Julia held the phone to her ear, utterly calm.

"Hello?" she said, as if she wasn’t blowing our cover.

"Seriously? You’re going to answer it?Now?" I hissed, barely containing my disbelief.

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