Page 31 of Knot So Sweet

My fists clenched at my sides, my gaze narrowing on him.

"What’s got your panties all in a bunch, Ghost?" Pixie asked, with a shit-eating grin. "Is it having to share your little omega with our prez? Being here in Hound territory? Or maybe you’re just sexually frustrated?"

A low growl rumbled from my chest, primal and raw. I knew he was poking to get me to see his side. It was the same thing Viper did last night, when he used Chaos's death against me.

I took in a deep breath and leveled him with a glare. "I’m fine. I get it. I'll keep my temper under control. Can we go in now?"

He shook his head, slinging his bag over his shoulder with an almost dismissive flick. His eyebrow arched in challenge. "Your scents all over the place. If you go in there like this, you’ll only make things worse with Huxley."

I scoffed. "Why should I care what that alpha thinks? I’m not here to be Hux's friend. I’m here to do a job. A stupid fucking job at that."

"Because,dumbass," Pixie said, thumping me lightly on the back of the head. "Candi is in there right now. And this place matters toher. Huxley matters toher. If you go in there likethis…"

He gestured to me, pointing out my rigid posture and barely contained fury. "You’re not gonna win any brownie points with her brother."

I turned my back on him, trying to force myself to calm the storm inside me. But it was no use. He was right.Fucking prick.He was always right. And that only pissed me off more.

I was on edge—so on edge I couldn’t see straight.

FUCK.

I hated being on this side of town. Hated how much the Hounds seemed to control everything, their influence seeping into every corner of the city. But it was more than that.

Chaos was dead, and we still hadn’t avenged him. Now, my omega, my princess, was living here, right in the heart of enemy territory, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. The only thing that kept me from going off the rails completely was Vaughn. I knew him better than most, knew he would do anything for his pack, his family.

And that included Candi.

Pixie sighed, his hand clapping down on my shoulder. "Do you want Candi or not, Ghost?" he asked directly, the weight of his words sinking like a stone in my gut.

"What kind of fucking question—" I began, but Pixie thumped me again, harder this time. I growled, a mixture of pain and irritation bubbling up. "Ow! The fuck is wrong with you? Stop fucking hitting me!"

I knew I sounded like a child with my outburst, but I'd had it up toherewith all the advice I'd been getting. Even as the words left my mouth, I knew what he was getting at though.

This wasn’t just about Huxley, or the club, or even the territory. It was about Candi—about proving I was worthy of her, about not letting my emotions fuck up what mattered most.

My pack.

Even if now that didn't include Chaos.

Pixie wasn’t just knocking sense into me, he was reminding me of the bigger picture. I needed to get my head straight. For her. For my brother. For the Serpents.

He watched me for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if he could see every thought running through my head. He was quiet, but I could feel the weight of his stare, like he was waiting for me to snap out of it.

I hated that he had this effect on me—that he could pull me back from the edge when I was ready to dive headfirst into the fire.

"Look, Ghost," Pixie started, his tone softer now, less confrontational. "I get it. This is eating you alive. You’re torn up about Chaos, about everything. Hell, we all miss your brother, and we all want revenge for that failed run. I know someone must have fed intel to the enemy."

I nodded in agreement.

"But you can’t let this shit destroy what you have with Candi. You can’t let it mess up the mission. We need to get in there, install the cameras, and make sure the Huxley pack stays safe. That includes Vaughn—remember him? Your childhood friend, your alpha’s nephew?"

Pixie’s words cut through the fog of rage clouding my mind. I clenched my fists tighter, feeling the leather of my gloves groan under the pressure. He wasn’t wrong.

My father, Gears, had taken my brother’s death harder than anyone. And me? I was barely keeping it together. If it weren’t for Pixie’s steady presence, I’d probably be holed up somewhere, lost in a bottle of malt liquor and drowning in my guilt.

And then there was Candi. The thought of her, of losing her, twisted the knife even deeper.

"We’ll get justice for your brother," Pixie continued, his tone firm but understanding. "I swear to you. But right now? Your omega, your girl, is in there unprotected. So alpha-the-fuck-up and take care of business."

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