Page 29 of Knot What She Seems
As if on cue, my ankle begins to throb, and I inwardly curse and attempt to rotate it. That’s one of the only things that helps alleviate the pain.
God, sometimes I wonder how different everything would be if we weren’t at war with Nóthos, a country that is, admittedly, more powerful than our own. Hypso has the numbers—our population is twice theirs, and our land is three times the size—but they have weapons we’ve never even heard of. And medicine.
Like the medicine that can cure Teddie.
A lump forms in my throat, one edged with razor blades, and swallowing proves to be impossible.
“This class will focus on creating strategies that will help us win not only a battle, but the war.” Jameson levels us with a piercing glare before his gaze flicks upward, toward something over my shoulder. A second later, I hear the sound of the heavy lecture doors slamming shut.
Did someone arrive late?
I desperately want to swivel my head to see who’s here, but I don’t.
Because I already know.
Their scents permeate the air, engulfing me in a heated embrace. And scents, as in multiple. More than one. Definitely more than one.
My heart pounds so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone could hear it.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“What are you four doing here?” Jameson asks, a hint of suspicion in his tone. “Thought you finished this class…hm…five years ago? Six? Seven? Do you just love hearing me talk that much?”
Someone chuckles, and the low, seductive sound tornadoes through me. “Thought we would drop in. Check out the new recruits.”
“We have bets going on which ones will piss their pants first when it’s our turn with them,” another voice interjects, punctuating the words with a laugh.
Sam swallows from beside me.
Their scents become stronger the closer they get.
Why the fuck are they coming closer?
Why? Why? Why?
Someone claps a heavy hand down on my shoulder and squeezes—squeezes so tight I swear the bones in my shoulder rub together. Pain flares, and I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from crying out.
Slowly, I turn my head, coming face-to-face with the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life. He looks like a literal angel, and he has a face I’ve only ever seen on omegas—delicate features, almost, with sooty lashes, firm lips, and chiseled cheekbones. Blond hair, the color more golden than my own, brushes his forehead.
I can feel my breath catch and heat climb up my cheeks. His scent is overwhelming. Consuming. I feel tingly all over…
And then he presses his fingers even deeper into my shoulder, and the pain eclipses the lust.
His blue eyes are hard in his face.
And…
Is thathatred?
Why is he staring at me like that?
Eyes dropping, I see the pin on his chest. The golden circle with a symbol stamped upon it to show his military designation—which unit he belongs to. My chest shreds into ribbons when I realize that his pin is stamped with a blackXright through the center.
Alpha Team X.
Oh, shit.
My mom wouldn’t have told them what I said, right? She’s not that cruel or dumb. She wouldn’t?—
