Page 37 of Knot So Sweet

He didn’t back down, his gaze never wavering. "But Idoknow what it’s like to fight against your own instincts, to feel trapped." His voice cracked slightly, the vulnerability in it catching me off guard.

"When my brother went into that building, I wanted to stop him, Candi. Every part of me screamed to hold him back, but I couldn’t. I didn't. I dream about it every night—seeing him burn alive, hearing those omegas scream. The smell of it…" He choked on the words, the pain flashing across his face.

His brother. His best friend. His other half. Gone. I couldn't fathom losing Owen. I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest. I hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected him to reveal his scars.

The reminder of his loss, his guilt, hit me hard, and I could feel the walls I’d built start to tremble. He wasn’t just trying to break down my barriers—he was baring his soul, laying it all out in front of me. He was offering a piece of himself in a way no one else had.

And I didn’t know how to handle it.

"It haunts me," he continued, his voice rough, laced with guilt. "And now the Hounds haven’t retaliated, and I’m here—in their territory—protecting you. Making sure you’re safe. You’remyresponsibility, princess. Don’t you get that?" The sincerity in his words, the raw emotion, pulled at something deep inside of me.

His hands balled into fists at his sides, his pine scent thick and heavy around us. "Me and my brother… we were supposed to share a mate. That was the plan since we were cubs."

My heart twisted painfully. "Chaos… wasmymate?" I whispered, the name lingering in the space between us like a ghost. The realization dawned on me.

I would never know him.

Why did that hurt so much?

Ghost nodded, his green eyes glossy with unshed tears.

"I can’t fail him again, princess. I can’t failyou." He stepped even closer, his pine and leather scent enveloping me, grounding me despite the storm raging within.

"I’m not asking you to give up your freedom, Candi," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I’m asking you to let me in. To let me help carry the weight. You don’t have to do this alone."

My throat tightened, and for a brief moment, the fear—the overwhelming fear of losing myself—clashed with the desire to let someone in. To let Ghost in.

"But what if I can’t?" I whispered, my voice barely more than a fragile breath, each word weighed down with years of insecurity, of scars that hadn’t healed. "What if I let you in, and you don’t like what you find? What if I’m too broken for you, for Viper... for anyone?"

Ghost’s hand lifted, his fingers brushing against my cheek, wiping the tears I hadn't realized were falling. The touch sent a shiver rippling through me, pulling at the walls I had fortified for so long.

His thumb grazed my jaw, his rough skin against mine a cruel contrast to the softness in his eyes. "You’re not broken, princess. And even if you were... I’d still want you. Every. Damn. Piece."

There was no hesitation in his words, no room for doubt. It wasn’t a promise—it was a fact. The weight of it crashed over me, a suffocating mixture of relief and fear.

His words wrapped around me, a promise that threatened my resolve. There was something unshakably certain in hisvoice, something that made my heart flutter in a way I hated. Something that made me feel alive.

"Let me help you," he said again, his voice barely a whisper now, almost reverent, as though he feared pushing too hard would make me crumble. The rawness in his tone was unnerving, cracking through the layers of self-protection I had built up.

I wanted to close off again, to retreat into the safety of silence. But a dangerous part of me wanted to believe him, to trust that maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t as alone as I thought.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. A part of me wanted to lean into him, to let him carry the burden of everything I couldn’t. But the shadows inside me hissed their warning, reminding me of every time I’d trusted and been left to drown.

The space between us seemed to shrink, the air around us thickening with something electric, something that made my skin prickle and heart pound. His proximity was overwhelming, his warmth seeping into me, pulling me toward him even as I struggled to keep my distance. I was like a moth drawn to his flame.

I clenched my jaw, my eyes flicking everywhere but his—his leather cut, the floor, the door. Anywhere but those eyes that could unravel me with just a glance.

"You want to feel something real, princess," he murmured, stepping even closer, his breath fanning against my ear, igniting a spark of heat that shot through my body. "Let me show you."

His gaze dropped to my mouth.

My breath hitched, my body betraying me as I fought against the pull of him. The urge to run battled with the deep, aching desire to fall into his strength, to let him take away the weight of everything. But fear gripped me tight, its claws digging into my chest.

"Ghost..." My voice cracked, a trembling whisper as I held up a hand, weak and shaking. "I can’t."

His eyes flickered with something—hurt, maybe—and for a second, I wished I hadn’t spoken at all. The sadness in his mossy gaze cut deep, like a razor blade slicing through my defenses. He took a step back, giving me space, but his hand lingered near my hip, as though he was afraid to completely let go.

"I’m not going to force you, Candi," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "Viper already lectured me about you getting to choose us. And I get it—I do. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to bend you over this bartop and fuck you until you can’t say anything but my name... but I’ll wait."

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