Page 21 of Knot So Sweet

"No," I muttered.

I tore my eyes away from him, forcing myself to look anywhere but at the smug alpha behind the desk. That’s when I spotted Ghost.

"Ghost," I breathed his name softly as I drank him in. He didn’t look away, didn’t even flinch. He just kept watching me with those intense, unreadable eyes, as he was leaning against the far wall, so still, so quiet, I hadn’t even noticed him.

What Pixie told me about his brother, Chaos resurfaced. I met his gaze, and my heart rate spiked as I caught him studying me just as intently. If I thought Viper was intense, Ghost was something else entirely.

He was dark, dangerous, and deadly.

"Hello,princess." I shivered at the way he dragged out the word, each syllable dripping with dark intent. His voice was a low, dangerous purr that sent a jolt of something primal through me.

It was as if he was savoring the taste of the word on his tongue, letting it wrap around me like a noose, tightening with every second.

Fuck, even across the room I was utterly captivated by this man. My knees even knocked together, threatening to give out on me.

"I didn't see you there," I said as a blush coated my cheeks. I was too on edge around these alphas. I didn't know what to do with myself. Ghost was the most intimidating man I’d ever met—more so than his president.

The aura of danger that clung to him was suffocating, and the intensity in his gaze made my skin prickle. I wiped my hands on my black jeans, trying to steady the tremble in my fingers, and met Viper’s gaze once more. His eyes were still locked on me.

He had just watched me eye fuck his enforcer.

Viper saw right through me. Saw just how much Ghost affected me. I expected to see jealousy like I did with Benson, but I didn't.

All I saw was heat.

"Have a seat, sweetheart," Viper rasped, his voice a deep, gravelly sound that sent a shiver down my spine and made the hairs on my arms stand on end. He gestured to the chair across from him. I hesitated, but after a moment, I forced myself to walk on shaky legs over to his desk and sat down. At least the desk was between us—a small barrier.

Being in such close proximity to these two alphas, in their own territory no less, with their potent scents thick in the air, had my instincts screaming at me to submit or flee.

The mix of pine, leather, and a hint of whiskey warmed my chest and clouded my thoughts. My fingers drummed nervously on the armrest as I tried to shake the unease gnawing at my insides.

This was my first time in the Steel Serpent clubhouse, and I had no idea what to expect. The room was bathed in silence, the tension growing with every passing second. It was driving me insane.

I was starting to lose my cool, questioning why I’d come here in the first place. Another wave of slick gathered between my thick thighs, a reminder of my heat. That was why I was here—to get security in place, so I could ride out my heat in safety.

Alone.I reminded, my greedy, desperate body.

I met Viper’s gaze, his eyes so dark they seemed to absorb the light around them. I could feel my nostrils flaring as I waited for him to speak. I was too nervous to utter a word, fearing he might see right through me. He had a way of reading me with unnerving ease.

He raised a thick, black brow, as if taunting me, suggesting he could read my thoughts through mere body language. My fingers snapped the band on my wrist repeatedly, and his gaze shifted to it briefly with a frown, before returning to my face. The rage in his eyes made me flinch.

No, I wasn’t going to speak first. I crossed my arms over my chest and his gaze dipped to the swell of my breasts, making him chuckle, a deep sexy rumble. Viper had made this deal, yet he hadn’t even tried to pursue me. The uncertainty, the not knowing what he was thinking, was driving me insane.

I just wanted to reopen The Omega Den and restore some sense of normalcy to my life. But was that still the only thing I wanted? The question lingered, unwelcome and unsettling as I sat under the weight of his intense gaze, my heart pounding in my chest.

I snapped the band around my wrist a couple more times, the sharp sound cutting through the tension in the room.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Viper asked gently. The endearment made the omega in me preen, despite the internal battle. Damn biology.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. His thick, corded arms were devoid of tattoos. A stark contrast to Ghost, who had inked sleeves along both arms and his neck. Viper's gaze again zeroed in on the band I was snapping. I immediately stopped, my heart racing so fast I feared he might hear it.

Fuck, please don’t ask.

"What did you need, Candice?" His gaze lifted to mine expectantly, making my mouth go dry. What I really wanted was for him to call me sweetheart again while he—

I shook my head, trying to clear the inappropriate thoughts. My eyes darted to Ghost, who remained in the corner. The scene felt like a tense good cop, bad cop routine, only heightening my unease. Every alpha I’d ever known had an agenda, except for my brother, Owen. I knew better than to trust Viper’s easy charm. His casual demeanor felt like a thinly veiled maneuver, and my remaining composure snapped.

"What is it you really want from me, Viper?" I blurted out, unable to contain the frustration and fear that had been simmering for weeks.

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