Page 110 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

“A new binder of scents arrived a few days ago, and I found my scent matches. Our courting was approved yesterday.”

My sister-in-law practically vibrated with excitement. “Julia, that’s amazing—”

“Mm.” I swallowed. “Isn’t it?”

“You don’t look thrilled.”

I winced. “Is it that obvious?”

“Seriously, what’s wrong?” she asked, voice low now, serious. “You’re worrying me.”

Closing my eyes, I sat in the silence. Just for a minute. Just to give myself time to explain, but the best I could come up with was, “It’s not them. They’re... fine. I think.”

“Youthink?”

“I haven’t actually met them yet. I just…” I exhaled, shaking my head.

Kit frowned. “I know matching from the scent binders isn’t ideal, but that’s how it usually works, right? As soon as you meet them, you’ll justknow.”

“I’m counting on that,” I said quietly. “Because right now? It doesn’t feel like fate.”It felt like I’d just lost my best friend…

Kitania leaned in, eyes gleaming with that steady kind of empathy she did better than anyone else I’d ever met. “You don’t have to tell me what’s bothering you, and I won’t pry, but just know that I’m always here for you if you need me. That’s what sisters are for, right?”

A small smile tugged at my lips, and I pulled her into a rare hug. “You’re gonna make me soft, Kit. Knock that shit off.”

She snickered, and I held on a beat longer than I meant to.

“It’ll be worth it, Jules. Being scent-matched—it changes you in all the best ways.”

Before she could say more, my matching coordinator called my name from down the hall, summoning me for who-knows-what.

“I guess that’s my cue.” I stood, dusted off the crumbs, and tried to pretend like my stomach wasn’t in knots.

Kit rose with me. “Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“You’ll call me if you ever need me? Day or night.”

“Oh sister of mine, I have so much to teach you,” I teased. “You should’ve aimed higher. That wasn’t a promise, that was a foregone conclusion.”

She pulled me into one last hug, warm and tight, and I let myself linger in it. Gave her a real squeeze back, even though my throat felt too tight, and I was suddenly very aware that I had no idea when I’d see her again. Not with the way everything was shifting around me.

My heart clenched—but like always, I swallowed the vulnerability before it could crawl its way up my throat, then turned it into something easier to carry. Sass was my armor. Sharp edges, my comfort zone.

Stepping back, I forced a smirk. “My brothers are probably going through withdrawals without you. Besides, apparently I have some packing to do. Go make your happy ending count.”

She laughed warmly, and I pretended like that sound didn’t make something inside me ache.

Because the truth?

I didn’t know what came next.

My scent matches were waiting. Adeline wasn’t returning my calls. And every instinct I had was screaming that getting on the plane I was supposed to board tomorrow would change absolutely everything.

Hugging the box of baked goods, I turned away before Kit could read any more in my eyes.

Because she was right. Therewasmore to the story.

A lot more.

Kit had her fairytale, but I was in the middle of the world’s worst cliffhanger.

And if I was going to survive what came next—I’d need more than a bond.

I’d need to rewrite the damn rules.

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