Page 40 of Knot Gonna Lie

Dr. Chen lingered beside the cases, studying each piece with scientific precision and maternal pride, evaluating the jewelry built around my revolutionary cores.

Elara approached the display with careful fascination, fingers skimming chains and settings, weighing craftsmanship against comfort.

“These are beautiful.” She selected an emerald, sapphire, and silver set—bracelet, ring, and necklace that would complement her natural coloring perfectly. “How exactly do they work?”

Pride swelled—not the hollow kind, but the warmth that came when someone genuinely wanted to understand what you’d made.

“They store pack pheromones.” I kept my voice clinical, steady. “Any fluid with chemical markers—sweat, saliva, blood. The matrix bonds with scent molecules.”

“Seth was my most gifted student.” Dr. Chen’s voice held notes I’d never heard directed at me before—measured pride, maybe even warmth. “Always seeking applications beyond the obvious, turning theory into comfort.”

My face burned. Elara absorbed this information with visible interest, gaze flickering between us.

I demonstrated the mechanism carefully, avoiding activation. “Press here to trigger absorption. Rub against your mate’s skin to gather their essence. Release to store. When you need comfort, hold it close and breathe.”

“The molecular bonding process he developed is being studied at three different medical academies,” Dr. Chen added, her smile carrying genuine warmth. “I’m proud of what he’s built—bringing tangible solace to those who need it most.”

Elara’s eyes held more than awe—they held understanding. “That’s incredible, Seth.”

Then she closed the distance between us.

Her embrace was soft, grateful, brief. But her scent—lavender and vanilla and starlight—wrapped around me like a blessing. The contact lasted heartbeats but left marks deeper than skin.

“Elara?”

Luca’s voice cut through the air like a psyblade, with surgical precision.

Our alpha stood in the doorway, ice-blue gaze sweeping the room, taking in everything—Elara stepping back, comfort jewelry scattered across the table, Dr. Chen’s knowing expression, and me, frozen in the middle of it all.

She moved to him with radiant joy, jewelry clutched like treasure. “Luca! Seth showed me what he created—comfortjewelry that holds pack scents. He explained to me how it works…”

She pressed the emerald orb to his claiming mark with tender reverence, activating the mechanism to capture his essence.

My throat constricted. Watching her use my creation to preserve his scent—a moment that would never include me—twisted something deep inside.

Pride and ache, tangled in equal measure.

“Your medic possesses rare gifts.” Dr. Chen’s voice carried weight meant for alpha ears. “Both in innovation and in character. You’re fortunate to have him in your clan.”

Luca’s expression softened as his gaze moved between Elara and me. “Seth’s work never disappoints.”

Never disappoints.I tucked the words away like precious data, saving them for darker moments when doubt crept close.

“Indeed.” Dr. Chen gathered her things with practiced efficiency. “I should continue rounds. But Seth—” Her gaze pinned me with familiar intensity. “Continue your research. The galaxy needs healers who understand that medicine serves hearts as much as bodies.”

As she departed, approval echoing in her wake, I caught Elara watching me—with something new in her gaze. Not the unguarded joy she gave Luca, but something quieter.

Recognition. Understanding.

Maybe even acknowledgment of what I offered—not passion or protection, but innovation born from compassion.

Maybe one day, she’d gift me a fraction of that radiance.

Until then, I’d devote myself to her happiness. To the work that eased omega suffering across the galaxy.

To becoming worthy of whatever small corner of her heart she might one day choose to spare.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN