Page 18 of Knot So Sweet

"I said, let me the fuck go," I repeated, my voice cold, steady, dripping with a threat I knew he could feel. My gaze told him I meant it—every word.

The alpha’s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening even more. "You’ve got some nerve, walking in here like you own the place," he spat, his hot breath hitting my face. "The only thing a little omega slut like you is good for is a warm hole for a knot. Remember your place."

I gritted my teeth, biting back the retort that danced on my tongue. Pain radiated up my arm where his fingers squeezed, but I refused to let him intimidate me.

"I’m here to see Viper," I bit out, venom lacing each syllable. "And unless you want a fucking problem, you’ll let me go right now."

A smirk twisted his lips, amusement flickering in his eyes as if he found my defiance funny. "What are you gonna do about it? Viper's not here to save your pretty little ass from me." His meaty hand slid down my curves, fingers digging into my ass. His scent, heavy and thick with dominance, clung to my skin like tar, suffocating me.

"You come into my club, dressed like this? Wearing a little leather collar too?" he groaned, his breath hot and vile against my ear. "You want to be owned, don’t you, little omega? I bet you’ve never even been fucked properly before."

My stomach churned with disgust. First Benson had put his hands on me, and now this prick. Viper trusted him as his second? Disappointment gnawed at me, mingling with the injustice swirling inside.

Without giving it a second thought, I slammed the heel of my palm upward. A satisfying crunch rang out, and the sharp tang of blood hit the air. I inhaled it greedily, watching with a savagesense of satisfaction as blood gushed from his nose, dripping down his chin and soaking the front of his pristine white T-shirt.

A wicked grin tugged at my painted-black lips as the Steel Serpents’ VP staggered back, clutching his shattered nose with his free hand. His green eyes, once so full of cocky disdain, now blazed with shock and fury. Blood oozed between his fingers, dripping onto the floor in thick droplets. He tried to glare at me, but it was hard to look threatening when you were bleeding all over yourself.

"I’ll kill you for that," he snarled, his voice thick, and garbled with rage. His grip loosened, and I yanked my arm free, rubbing at the sore spot where his fingers had dug in.

"Try me," I hissed, wiping the back of my hand on my jeans, like his touch had somehow tainted me. "You’ll wish you hadn’t."

The room had gone eerily quiet, the hum of whispers rising from the crowd as they watched with sharp interest. Serpents thrived on this—violence, dominance, power plays. They lived to see who’d come out on top in moments like this. But I wasn’t here to play their games.

I was here for one reason.

To secure The Den.

I stepped back, bracing myself as the alpha stumbled toward me again, fury boiling in his eyes. His ego had clearly taken a hit, and his instinct was to fight back—to show me, an omega, my place. Too bad for him, I wasn’t the kind of omega to back down.

Before he could lunge at me again, a sharp voice sliced through the tense air like a blade. "Gears, back off. She's with me." I turned toward the sound, my heart still thudding in my chest. Pixie stood at the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed in warning. "You wouldn't want Viper to know you put your hands on his omega, would you?"

His? I bristled at that.

I was no one's goddamn anything.

I bit down on my inner cheek, copper filling my mouth and the pain grounding me. I forced my teeth to remain locked together. Anything to stop myself from telling Pixie just where to shove it.

Gears hesitated, his eyes darting between me and Pixie, before he finally let out a low growl of frustration. "You better watch yourself, little omega," he spat.

His threat settled deep in my gut, creating a coiling tension that wouldn't let go. I had a knack for getting into trouble, and smashing the VP's nose was no exception apparently. As much as I hated handsy alphas, I hated being threatened even more.

I lifted my chin, locking eyes with him. "Your nose looks broken, Gears," I spat his name the same way he called me omega—like he wasn’t worth shit. Because let’s be honest, he wasn’t.

His face reddened with fury, and I smirked in satisfaction. "Might want to get that checked out before it sets," I whispered, my voice low and devious.

I knew poking the bear wouldn’t help me, but I was beyond caring. I was sick of men telling memyplace. I decided my place—not Gears, not Adam or Benson. Not even Viper.

Gears loomed over me, his fist raised, contemplating striking me. My heart hammered in my chest, but I didn’t flinch, instead staring him down.

"I said, back. The fuck. Off, Gears."

Pixie’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. He stepped forward, his gaze hard as he stared down his VP. His demeanor was a stark contrast to the teasing alpha I’d met just a few weeks ago. The two alphas squared off, tension thick in the air. But eventually, Gears’ chest deflated, the fight seeping out of him.

Interesting. He was the VP of this little club, and yet the tech genius could get him to back down. Why?

"This isn’t over, bitch," Gears growled at me, but I just smiled, letting the darkness seep into my stance. He threw me one lastscathing look before stepping back, muttering under his breath as he stalked off, disappearing into the smoky haze of the bar.

Chapter 9

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