Chapter 22
Dante
Celeste’s rejection cut sharper than any blade.
Her words still echoed in my head, and the vision of her face as she told me to leave - her disappointment, the slight tremble in her voice as she told me she couldn’t forgive me for believing lies over her, for letting my anger blind me.
I sat alone in the clubhouse, staring at my phone.
Elijah’s number glowed on the screen. My thumb hovered over it, tension building in my chest. For years, he had been my anchor - my brother in all but blood, the one who pulled me through the ash and ruin after Arkala fell.
The man who made sure I ate, who encouraged me to keep going, who told me vengeance was worth living for.
But now, Celeste’s face haunted me. I never wanted to hurt her. She had saved me too, in her own way, from my bitterness, my own ruin - even when I hadn’t wanted it. But Elijah couldn't possibly be involved in any conspiracy against me or my pack. She had to be wrong.
I was split in two, torn between the history Elijah and I shared, and the bond I couldn’t ignore with Celeste.
My mind went back, as always, to Arkala. The smell of salt water, the cries of gulls overhead. The sound of my cousin’s laughter still in my ears when we played together as children… and the scream from our final conversation. The gunshot. The silence.
That silence still lived in me. It kept me going, kept me focused on vengeance and retribution when I heard Celeste was responsible. When I felt that revenge was the only path forward. But now… I wasn’t sure.
I pressed the call button before I could second-guess myself. Elijah answered on the first ring, his voice familiar and reassuring.
“Dante,” he said smoothly, “I’ve been trying to call you. What’s going on?”
I swallowed, forcing my voice into something steady.
I needed to find out if there was any possible way he was being manipulated, if somehow he was a victim as well.
So I had to lie to him, something I hated doing.
“I want us to go over the documents again. We need to schedule a meeting. I need to know I have an airtight plan before we take the next step.”
There was a pause, long enough for doubt to chew at me. Then Elijah chuckled, low and knowing. “Still waiting to bring her down? I don’t know what’s holding you back. Alright.”
“See you soon,” I said, and hung up.
I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes.
Maybe he already suspected my loyalties were shifting.
I held onto the secret that Celeste was my scent match like a closely guarded treasure.
He still thought I hated her. He didn’t know anything about what we’d found out.
And I had to keep it that way - if there was the slightest chance that he really was planning against us.
I had to know. I had to see the truth with my own eyes.
Because if Celeste was right, it meant everything I’d believed, everything I’d burned for, had been built on lies.