Page 47 of Knot So Sweet

And now we had nothing.

My stomach coiled into knots as blue eyes rimmed in coal flickered across my mind.

Candice.

My omega, whether she wanted to admit it or not. I wanted to protect her at all costs. Protect her from ever experiencing the horrors of detoxing from Heat. Every instinct in me screamed to claim her, to ensure not a single strand of raven hair was harmed.

Fuck, we could have saved Sterling City from this nightmare. We failed. I fucking failed, and it was eating at my soul. I let a chance slip through my goddamn fingers because I trusted someone I shouldn’t have.

And I didn't know who had betrayed us all.

The knot of worry tightened in my chest, intensifying with each passing moment. Each spiraling thought.

A Serpent's oath meant everything–honor, protection, loyalty. For my city, for my club, but most importantly, for her. The knife in my gut twisted deeper.

Her scent lingered in my mind—floral, intoxicating. Her heat was coming soon, and I wanted desperately to be there for her, any way she wanted me. But right now, I couldn’t even do that. I couldn’t leave my club vulnerable in my absence, and there was no way in hell I could convince her to spend her heat here.

How had everything literally blown up in my face?

First, the shipment of Heat had killed Chaos and several omegas. Now, we’d lost the one thing that could undo the damage, the antidote that could help the four omegas we managed to rescue from that epic failure.

My blood boiled like molten lava, churning with frustration. I was torn between my responsibilities—to the club, to the omegas under my protection, to my girl.

Fuck.

Candice might be safe for now, tucked away at the Den, but that could change in an instant. Her scent was getting stronger, her heat closing in. And if someone targeted her during that time…

One of my many enemies?

I slammed the empty glass down, the sharp clatter echoing through the room, loud enough to draw attention. I didn’t give two fucks. Let them stare. Let them see the failure written across my face.

At least no lives were lost this time.

"Could’ve gone worse," I muttered, though the words tasted like shit in my mouth. I didn’t believe it. Gears didn’t believe it. Hell, at this point, what was going right?

Absolutely-fucking-nothing.

Gears stopped dead, green eyes locking onto me with a look that could’ve frozen flames. "Worse?" he hissed. "We lost the entire fucking shipment, Viper. We had a chance to develop an antidote, and we lost it. That ain’t just ‘worse.’ That’s a fucking travesty."

He wasn’t wrong, and I could feel the weight of it settle deeper in my chest, like a lead weight. Lenny, the beta bartender who’d been practically raised in the club, slid another drink my way.

The innocence in his eyes. The trust he had in me to protect him, pulled a frustrated growl past my lips. I grabbed the glass, draining it in one motion. But it wasn't enough. It never would be.

Not if a rat remained hidden in the shadows.

Every second I spent in this damn bar felt like I was wasting time I should have been spending with Candice. I wanted to be by her side. But I couldn’t. Not until I sorted out the mess in this club. Not until I made sure whoever was betraying us was handled. The last thing I needed was someone close to me putting her life in danger.

I was supposed to have all the answers, but right now, I felt like I was drowning.

"I know we fucked up, Gears." My voice came out low, a growl boiling beneath the surface. But I needed to remain level. It waswhy I was president. Why my father had never wanted to lead the Serpents and voted me in, when the club was created ten years ago.

"No, Viper,youfucked up.Youdidn’t prepare us for this," Gears snapped, throwing his hands up before resuming his frantic pacing. "The Hounds had us by the damn balls! We were set up from the start, and you know it. Hell, the whole club’s gonna know it by morning."

"Or now, with how fucking loud you’re yelling," I growled, my teeth gritted. His voice was loud enough to wake the dead, and I didn’t have the patience for his theatrics tonight.

Not when I knew my omega was this close to having a heat, and I wasn’t there to soothe her. That my enemies would soon be hers, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

"We got a mole, Viper. Someone in this fucking room sold us out. Again. The first time I lost my son. And now? We lost a way to protect our club, and until we figure out who the fuck is responsible, this is on you as president." Gears jabbed his finger in my direction, his words landing like a slap.

---