Chapter 35
Dante
I recognized it the moment that Elijah had betrayed me, when he admitted that he was working with Gideon.
I also knew that if he was dumb enough to fall for whatever Gideon had told him, then he would also be stupid enough to believe that I would work with Gideon too.
I almost had him where I wanted him - until my momentary lapse.
Until Elijah figured out that I’d nearly said the word “mate.”
I didn’t think he’d make the connection so quickly, to be honest. He knew how much of my life I’d dedicated to ruining Celeste, hunting her down like prey.
He knew how much I hated having her in the house with me, albeit for different reasons.
But as soon as I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes, I was caught.
And Elijah acted normal, stepping out to make a quick call.
I heard him talking on the phone, his voice so low and muffled that I couldn't make out a word. But I knew there was only one person it could be. And though I’d promised him I would work with Gideon and follow Elijah’s plan to glory, deep down, I could never be corrupt to that level.
It would make me just as bad as the very people I wanted to destroy, the people at Harringday who stopped at nothing for profit and power.
Now, Elijah had me in his car, on our way to see Gideon and talk about the ‘future plans for Manticore and Harringday.’
During the drive, I thought about my life, and every action that led me to this exact moment.
How I’d spent years toiling to have as much power as I could to create something with my pack that would be like Harringday, but better.
We wouldn’t do the horrific things they did, and yet we believed we could still succeed.
We lived by that rule - until, of course, we broke it.
We started saying things to the press, little digs here and there.
We started using Celeste’s reputation against her, relying on media tricks and stereotypes to drag her down.
Then, we became even worse. We decided to interfere at the Darlington Ball, involving a kidnapping plot with a black ops pack.
Now, we’d used blackmail. Espionage. It was to the point where slowly, we’d become the very thing we despised.
And where did it get us? Dragged down into hell with Gideon and his ilk. Elijah had already been ruined, his mind muddled by the mirage of power and money. I’d almost denied the very bond that should be unbreakable. I’d betrayed my mate.
And Celeste - smart, driven, and courageous, she’d done everything the right way.
She’s been fighting the good fight, not even realizing the demons around her that have been blocking her every step.
And yet, despite all this, she succeeded.
She was making progress, turning things around, even if it was so slow that it took years.
She’d been fighting against corruption this whole time, and Harringday’s success was because of her actions, not Gideon’s machinations.
I’d seen the contracts he drew up, the deals he made under Celeste’s forged name.
They didn’t benefit the company, not in any great way.
They benefited him, and the family trust he wanted to control.
In reality, what Gideon was doing was hurting the company.
And deep down, I think that must have been what ate him from the inside.
An ethical person who really did do a better job at growing the company than he ever could.
Celeste was innocent this whole time, and I believed in her.
“You don’t have what it takes. You cannot succeed being ethical in the Eastern Province.”
Elijah’s words echoed back to me on the drive, which I realized almost instantly wasn’t headed toward Gideon’s place. We were headed in the direction of Pack Valence’s property. He still thought I didn’t notice, that I had chosen to betray my pack, and my mate, for power.
Elijah wanted to play dirty. So much so that he would betray me, and the whole pack. But we could still win. Good people can come out ahead, but they had to choose it. And I was ready to choose good. I was choosing Celeste.
So when Elijah was stopped at a light, hiding his nervousness, I’d been ready.
And when he pulled a gun on me, I’d been expecting it.
I’d found it in his jacket after a quick search when he’d stepped out to make the call to Gideon.
I knew he always had a weapon on him, but it wasn’t until today that I ever thought he’d use it on me.
Now, as he pointed it toward me, the hollow click resounding through the car as he realized I’d emptied the clip, he paled.
I could almost see the sympathy in his eyes as he did it - betray his best friend.
But that look quickly turned to fear as he realized he was unarmed.
He knew how dangerous it was to be in a confined space with an angry alpha. Especially an alpha whose pack, and mate, had been threatened.
“Oh, Elijah.” I sighed, before grabbing the gun and twisting his arm so hard I could hear the bone crack. Elijah cried out, begging for mercy as I ripped him from his seat, opened the car door and pulled him out with me, shoving him down onto his knees.
“Tell me what you were planning.” I ordered, my entire voice laced with alpha bark.
Elijah knew better than to try to resist. He whimpered, wincing in pain as I twisted both arms behind his back, the broken one now at a bent angle. “I was going to take you to Celeste.” He said, his body trembling as I applied more pressure. How dare he say her name.
“Why? What’s the plan, Elijah?” I yelled, my voice so loud that it boomed within the car.
“T-to end the pack.” He finally said. I felt the pain run through me, shattering my heart even more. Sterling was right. Elijah was planning to take away the people who mattered the most to me.
“A black market team?” I asked, and he just nodded. “When?”
“Before we started the drive.” He answered. I pulled my belt off, tying his arms behind him. I needed to get to my pack, and Celeste, before the unthinkable happened.