Page 59 of Knot So Sweet

I plucked one off the shelf, the soft, worn edges of the purple cover silky under my fingertips. It had been read countless times.

For a brief moment, I just stood there, holding the book in my hands, letting its presence calm me. I cracked it open and skimmed the words, trying to let the world outside of Doc’s office slip away. Viper, Ghost, the club—the constant push and pull of our scent match.

But that fleeting peace shattered the second a shrill voice cut through the silence. "Why are you in Drew's office?"

I jerked my head toward the doorway, my pulse quickening as I spotted a leggy blonde. Her lips, painted a sharp crimson, pressed into a thin, disapproving line. She was dressed in a skin-tight crop top and daisy duke shorts that clung to her like a second skin, showing off legs that seemed to go on forever.

"What's it to you?" I shot back, not even bothering to hide the edge in my voice. "I'm waiting for Viper."

Her eyes flared briefly at the mention of his name, but she didn’t back down. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest, pushing those ridiculous boobs higher.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"You must be Viper's shiny new toy."

The way she said it—so matter-of-fact, as if she was about to lift her leg and mark all over the room to stake her claim. I hated omegas like her. Women who thought they had a claim on every alpha, ready to piss all over their territory the moment they felt threatened.

"Look. I’m not in the mood for this territorial bullshit. I’m just waiting for Ghost and Viper. Now run along." Without waitingfor her response, I turned my back on her, grabbing a random book from the shelf, more to ignore her than anything else.

My eyes skimmed the pages, but what I found made me freeze.

A map of Sterling?

I frowned, looking closer at the intricate drawings. Tunnels. Under the city. What the hell? That couldn’t be right. Why would the Serpents have this? And what could they be planning to use those tunnels for?

My mind spun with a million questions, none of them painting the MC in a positive light.

The blonde’s huff behind me reminded me she was still there, her heels clacking against the floor as she moved closer. Her perfume hit me—a bitter citrus scent that burned my nostrils, and I had to resist the urge to gag.

But then, underneath that sharpness, there was something more subtle. A note I recognized.

Whiskey.

My mouth went dry, and my heart gave an uncomfortable lurch in my chest. I knew that smell. And my instincts didn’t like the fact that this leggy blonde smelled likehim. Like Viper.

Did he fuck this bitch?

I hated that I cared. Hated it even more as a pang of jealousy twisted in my gut.

My grip tightened on the book in my hand, the old pages crinkling slightly under the pressure. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, but I forced myself to remain calm, to not give this blonde the satisfaction of seeing the jealousy gnawing at me.

I had no claim on Viper.

He wasn’t mine, and I sure as hell wasn’t his, no matter how much our scents tangled together in a way that was hard to ignore.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t sting.

"You should be careful," she purred, circling me like a cat stalking its prey. "Viper’s got a thing for breaking his toys. Makes you feel special, then tosses you aside when he gets bored. Happened to the last girl. Won’t be long before it happens to you, too."

I bristled immediately.

Who the fuck is this bitch?

I felt a prickle of irritation rise, threatening to spill over, but I swallowed down my initial retort.

Please,Candi, don't lose your shit over this bitch.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to rise to her bait. I’d dealt with women like her before—possessive, manipulative, and desperate to hold onto whatever power they thought they had. But I wouldn’t let her get under my skin. Not when I had bigger problems to worry about.

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