Chapter 40
Sterling
The adrenaline had finally bled out of us, leaving behind the kind of exhaustion that we needed several days to recover from. But we didn’t have several days. Gideon would soon find out that the mercenaries he’d hired were unsuccessful, and we'd have to confront him, and the world, with the truth.
For the moment, at least, we were safe. The safehouse wasn’t much.
But it was calm, and after the chaos we’d just managed to survive, it felt like a miracle.
Gideon had texted me about his upcoming need for various projects.
I pretended I was still nearby, just outside town.
He still had no idea I’d been so close to his plan that I was nearly taken out.
Dante was stable now, and Vigo and Liam were already talking through strategies, sketching out our next move. Time wasn’t on our side, but in this small pocket of peace, we could let our guards down just a little.
Celeste was curled on the couch beside me, a blanket around her shoulders and my arm around her waist. I could only focus on her beautiful, enticing scent - the one that sent a shock wave through me the first time I’d smelled her in that kitchen so long ago.
Her hair brushed against my jaw as she snuggled up to me, and the light touch was enough to have my pulse ticking faster.
I never thought having a scent match would make me flippantly disregard things so easily to just be near my mate.
Gideon could be burning down the city, and yet all I cared about was sitting here with Celeste, finally enjoying having the woman I’d been obsessed with at my side, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“My hero.” She murmured as she clung to me, and I smiled, despite the dangerous situation we were in. “You were amazing back there.”
“Don’t worry, Celeste. We’ll get this over with soon enough.
” I murmured, unable to stop marveling at how perfect she looked even after all the craziness we’d endured.
“And once we get that over with, I have some making up to do.” I said, trailing my fingers across her shoulder as I watched the goosebumps rise up on her skin.
She turned, and her lips parted as she took in my face. I loved it when she did that. She never looked at me too closely before, and I always thought she’d be disappointed if she ever learned I was her scent-match. But every time I was near her, it was like she couldn't look at me enough.
“Oh yeah? What kind of making up?” She asked, her voice breathy as she ran her hand along my thigh, the warm touch on my skin lighting me up. I suppressed a groan, instead leaning in to nip at her earlobe.
“Lots of dates, lots of pampering, and about a year and a half of courting to make up for.” I said, a smile forming on my face at the idea of being able to shower her with all the affection I’d been holding back all that time.
She curled into me, her hands now trailing up my thighs, pushing back the fabric of the gym shorts I was wearing.
She bit her lip, her eyes big as she moved in closer.
“Pampering?” she asked, so close now that I could feel her breath. “What kind of pampering?”
I could feel how much she needed attention right now, and it only magnified my own desire. It was crazy how the scent match messed with your hormones. I knew she was close to heat, so she would be craving touch even more than normal. And I had so much to give to her.
“Anything you need, Celeste. I’ll spoil you, claim you, I’ll touch you until you forget the world outside these walls.
” I whispered, my voice rough. She made the most beautiful sound as she squirmed closer, nearly sitting on my thigh as she turned to me.
I reached down, pulling her pajama shorts, as well as her panties, aside to reveal her already slick pussy.
She gasped, a faint pink dusting her cheeks as her eyelids fluttered. I slowly, gently pressed my fingers against her, barely using any pressure as she started rocking against my hand, seeking out the movement on her own.
“Spoil me like this?” She asked, and I nodded, pressing a little harder.
“Exactly like this. And so much more, sweetheart.” My fingers were already wet now, and I pushed one inside her, feeling her clench around me as she gave me a breathless smile. She draped her arms over my shoulders, moving her hips so I went deeper into her.
“Sterling…I want…” She sighed, and I cupped her ass, pulling her closer to me and savoring the way she felt on top of me.
“Yes? What do you want?” I asked, feeling the gentle pulse of her pussy as I pushed another finger inside.
“I want you. I can’t believe it was you, this whole time.
” She whispered, leaning in until her forehead pressed against mine.
Her breath came faster, and I used my thumb to push against her clit as I felt her walls squeeze around my fingers.
Something pulled in my chest. I’d dreamt of moments like this more times than I could count.
I never thought I’d actually have it. But here I was, and even in the most precarious and unpredictable moments, I could still find happiness with her.
“You have all of me, Celeste. All of me.” I said, my voice low as her body rocked faster.
I tilted my head, claiming her mouth. Kissing her was hands down one of the best experiences of my life.
Everything in my body sang out, the suffocating pressure of the scent match easing every time she touched me.
I pushed in faster, harder against her walls, and she breathed in quickly, letting out a small cry as she came.
“There you go, let it out.” I said, letting her ride my hand as the pleasure ran through her. It was so easy to make her come, and I knew it was a sign her heat was coming soon. It was something else I needed to plan for.
When the last shiver passed through her, Celeste sagged against me, soft and warm, her breath evening out as exhaustion pulled her under.
She rested on my chest for several quiet minutes before sleep finally claimed her.
I eased her down onto the couch, tucking the blanket around her body.
I was reluctant to leave her side, but I had to face the others. We had plans to make.
The low hum of voices carried from the dining room where Vigo and Liam were sitting at the table. I joined them, dragging a hand through my hair as I took a seat.
“Someone smells like omega.” Vigo teased, and I couldn’t hold back a proud smile. The guys were growing on me now that I knew them better. In fact, we made quite the team, fitting together like puzzle pieces around Celeste.
“Speaking of that,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Do we have a nesting room anywhere nearby? She’s close to heat, and she’s going to need it soon.”
Liam shook his head. “We have a room at home, yes. But until we deal with Gideon, going back there isn’t an option.”
I sighed. We were living on borrowed time, and Celeste needed more than we could give her here.
I thought about what it would be like, sharing her heat with them.
It was something I’d never thought I would experience.
I’d never connected with any alphas in the past, not enough to ever be a pack.
Now, we’d likely be working very closely to satisfy Celeste in the near future, sharing our scent match with each other.
And the strange thing was, I didn’t mind.
If anything, I was relieved that I wasn’t the only one carrying the weight of keeping her safe.
Although I may have started out hating this pack - and for very good reason - I was slowly learning to respect them.
They were victims in all of this too. Strangely enough, somewhere in all of this, we’d stopped looking at each other as enemies.
Vigo tossed me a fresh roll of bandages before I even thought to ask.
“Your arm looks like hell,” he said, not unkindly.
“Here, let me wrap it before it gets worse.” I should’ve brushed him off, but the truth was, it felt good.
Strange, but good. I usually never had anyone helping me, not like this.
Vigo’s thoughtful gesture was so natural to him, and he didn't balk at helping fix up the scrapes I’d picked up from the ambush back at the guest house.
It hit me then, how pack life was so much better than being alone.
I’d spent so many years keeping to myself, my head down and my trust locked up where no one could reach it.
And now, the pack was treating me like one of their own.
Granted, they were a flawed, infuriating pack who I’d only recently decided could be even slightly worthy of Celeste…
but who was I to judge. I was no saint. And now, they treated me like I belonged.
I could use some support. After spending years working for Gideon, I’d been working solo for so long that I’d started to feel like a robot.
And as if on cue, my phone buzzed with an alert. My heart raced as a news banner flashed across the screen -
CONFIDENTIAL FILES LEAKED: CELESTE HARRINGDAY AT CENTER OF CORPORATE SCANDAL
Liam and Vigo checked their phones, noting the breaking news. They looked at me, and I took a slow breath. Several texts from Gideon came through, and I figured out his plan quickly. We needed to prepare for what was coming next.
“So Gideon released the files, and as he wanted, he made it look like your pack was behind the release. The media is going to go nuts.” I said, and Liam and Vigo looked tense. Everything was going to move quickly.
“Don’t use your phones. Remember, Gideon thinks that Celeste and your pack were murdered earlier by the black ops pack. Don’t even get on social media. We need him thinking you’re out of the picture.” The others nodded as I read the rest of the texts from Gideon.
“The Harringday board has already called an emergency meeting for tomorrow to deal with the fallout. We can show up there, no one will be expecting it. Least of all Gideon.” I said, hoping the evidence we had was enough to sway the uncompromised members of the board.
“What if they don’t listen?” Vigo asked, sending a concerned glance toward the room where Celeste was still sleeping peacefully on the couch.
“Tomorrow,” I told them, “we will make them listen.”