7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Celeste
I numbly folded another dress into my suitcase, moving like a ghost. Ever since I’d left the North Wing, everything had felt like a blur. My uncle had said a few things, probably important, but I couldn’t recall a single word. All I could think about was that something I never even let myself hope for, a scent match, had just happened to me. And to a pack I was absolutely sure was not my match, and never could be.
All my life I’d dreamed of having someone love me, really love me, not just want me for my money, power or looks. When my parents died, I’d been left with just my uncle and the various staff that my parents employed to look out for my well-being. My uncle was old school. If he had his way, I’d be bonded to a pack the moment I came of age. I’d had to fight my way to be where I was. The associates who worked for my parents didn’t take me seriously. They only wanted me to make sure I was prepared to find a good pack. Even one of the only staff I truly loved and trusted, my nanny, ended up being exposed as a thief when she was caught stealing from the estate. No one expected me to want to step into my father’s place as the leader of Harringday. It had been a legal battle, and still was, to keep the company in my name.
I did it alone. Although my uncle was on my side in many ways, he wasn’t someone I could turn to for advice on relationships or the trauma I went through losing my parents so young.
When I was old enough to start courting packs, I had a small thread of hope that I would find someone who saw me, and wanted to support me through my darkest times. Instead, I found most of them were too busy trying to impress who they thought I was in order to get a high-status omega in their pack. I’d only ever dated a few packs that I thought might work, and even then, they weren’t in love with me. Pack Valence was my most recent relationship, and though we cared about each other deeply, we courted for different reasons. I gave up hope that a scent match was even real. At least, not real for me.
When the scent of Liam overwhelmed me in the North Wing office, I had to put on the best acting performance of my life not to show how it affected me. The other alphas were nearby, and since the air was so filtered, I didn’t get a good whiff of them. Still, my body knew. It responded with a sharp, undeniable pull that told me they would smell just as intoxicating.
Thankfully, the meeting ended before I lost control. I made it back to my room in a daze, every step heavy with the weight of what had just happened. Now I had to contend with the biggest wrench ever thrown into my plans.
How was I going to spend months living with this pack? We already hated each other. They’d tried to take my company down in every way possible. They even tried to kidnap me so I’d miss the vote and my ascension to CEO, I was sure of it. Who knew what else they were capable of?
As much as they might be my scent match, there was no way they would ever care about me, much less love me. And that broke my heart most of all. There would be no other pack I’d want as much as them, not now that my omega senses were flooded with the pheromones that told me they were it for me. And I’d have to be around them, knowing they were the best physical match I’d ever get, and knowing that we were absolutely awful for each other.
I knew that I’d have to hide my scent from them at all costs. Luckily, my clothes and belongings were always clean and scentless due to my uncle’s rules. The only thing I ever used on myself was my lab created perfume, devoid of the true omega pheromones that would send alphas into a frenzy. I didn’t even want to use that around Pack Lockwood. Quickly, I gathered all the scent-blocking spray I could find and packed my suppressants. I’d get through this, just like I got through everything else in my life.
Once my bags were packed, I trudged down the long staircase down to the foyer. My uncle was there, along with Sterling. My uncle stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. He was always awkward with sentimental things. “Don’t fear, Celeste. This will all be over before you know it.” I nodded, putting on the icy front that had become my shield. “And please try to keep your cool around them. I trust you’ll do your duty to the company.” His comments always managed to get under my skin. Despite my wit and my years of success, I felt he always thought of me as just another omega, emotional and in need of guidance. “Update me daily. There’s so much hanging on the next quarter. You will have a dedicated workspace while you stay with Pack Lockwood, so there’s no reason to fall behind with work.” At least I’d have a private office to use. I still needed to run my company, after all.
“I’ll be fine, uncle.” I said, then turned to Sterling. “Well, let’s get on with it.” He nodded, his eyes unreadable as he took my bags. We walked to the car and I got into the backseat, where I took a last look at the family estate as he started driving. I had to prepare myself for the next few months. I could do it. I just needed to be strong.
“Miss Harringday, are you alright?” Sterling asked from the front. I startled at his voice. He rarely spoke to me.
“I’m fine.” I replied, then went back to watching the land pass by. The Lockwood compound was not too far away. Almost all the wealthy residents lived in the same area of town. It was only thirty minutes before we pulled up to the Lockwood property, and I looked at it with sick curiosity. It was gated, and the guard at the front nodded us in, clearly expecting my arrival.
The house was large, though not nearly as large as my family’s. That was to be expected. The pack had only recently gained success, and didn’t have generational wealth like I did. Still, the place was impressive, with a long driveway, multiple garages, and a beautifully landscaped lawn.
We pulled up to the front, where Vigo stood waiting outside. I mentally braced myself to face him. I’d have to pass directly by him, and my body was already keening at the thought of being close to my scent match. Sterling looked back at me from the driver’s seat. “I’d like to carry your bags in, Miss Harringday.” His deep voice was laced with concern, and I tried not to let it bother me that my uncle’s assistant felt pity for me.
I nodded and he got out to open my door. I put my sunglasses on, not willing to have any of the pack look me in the eyes just yet. Sterling helped me out, his hand the only thing grounding me as I stepped onto enemy territory. He gathered my belongings as I approached the house. Vigo smiled, but there was nothing warm about it.
“Welcome, Celeste. I’ll be giving you the tour, after which we will get down to business. We have a lot to plan out for the next few months.” I walked toward him, ready to give him a biting response, when I caught a whiff of him. The comforting scent of leather and rich amber hit my nose, and I wished I could turn off my sense of smell altogether. I was prepared for it this time, though. I knew my body would be drawn to him, and that I’d want to get closer to him. But my mind was braced.
“Be a gentleman and carry a bag at least, won’t you?” I said through gritted teeth as I shoved my designer bag into his arms. I used the moment to give my aching omega side some relief by getting closer to him than I should have. It made my omega senses keen, and I got another breathful of his incredible, masculine scent. His blue eyes widened as he grabbed at the bag, but he quickly recovered and followed me as I stormed inside the house.
“Hey, you don’t even know where you’re going!” He shouted after me as I stepped into the home. It was a mistake to go inside.
My senses were assaulted by the combined fragrance of all three of them; my scent matches. I stopped in my tracks, and Vigo caught up, standing in front of me. “You can’t just walk around like you own this place! You may get whatever you want outside of here, but in our home, there are rules!” He growled, his body mere inches from mine. I was so glad I had my sunglasses on. I was sure I’d be giving him heart eyes at the way he looked right now, all riled up and ruffled. I wanted to jump him, as bad as that was. I tried to push my hormones aside.
“Well, get on with the tour then. I’m not used to being around someone so disorganized.” I spat back at him. Vigo looked like he was a few seconds away from snarling at me.
“Please show us to Miss Harringday’s room.” Sterling’s calm voice rang out behind us. For some reason, Vigo decided that a beta who worked for my uncle was worth more courtesy than me. He looked at him and nodded.
“Right this way.” Vigo turned and strode down the hallway, and I begrudgingly followed. This place was absolutely flooded with their scents, and it was going to be one hell of a prison.
We made our way through the house, and I looked around at the sleek, modern design. I hated that I liked it. I wished they had poor design taste, or were messy, or some other flaw I could hold onto. Finally, we made it to a guest wing that mercifully smelled neutral. I could tell they didn’t come here often, and it would at least be bearable for me to sleep here.
“Your room.” Vigo’s voice was cold as he waved his arm at the guest casita, which was attached to the main house with only a hallway. The place was actually kind of cute. It had a large bed, a desk, and a decent-sized closet, along with its own bathroom. “You’ll be able to work from here. Anything you need, you can order in.” Vigo’s voice seemed nonchalant as he waited for Sterling to set down my luggage.
“I need a moment with Miss Harringday.” Sterling said as he looked at Vigo. I frowned, wondering what the beta could want from me. Vigo paused, as if he didn’t want to leave us. I put my hands on my hips and faced him.
“What? Am I not allowed privacy here?” I said, and Vigo just curled his lip and walked out. I sighed, glad that his scent wasn’t filling the guest house any longer.
“What is it?” I asked, suddenly aware that this was the first time I had ever been alone with Sterling. He looked just as sterile as he smelled, which is just how my uncle wanted everyone around me. His grey eyes bored into mine.
“Just a few things. First, don’t trust a single person during your stay here.” I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. If this was the kind of advice my uncle thought to relay to me, they sorely underestimated me. “Stay in your room as much as possible. Don’t mingle with them. No matter what they say, these people are working against you and have reason to harm you. Remember that.” I nodded at his words, but I needed to leave the room if I was to find out more about this pack. I knew they were getting information from someone, and if it wasn’t Arnault, then it meant we had an internal leak in the company. “And lastly, if you need to leave, for any reason, call me directly and I’ll get you out, no questions asked.” Sterling slipped me a paper with his number on it. I usually never interacted with my uncle’s staff, as he frowned upon it. I set the paper aside and faced Sterling.
“Thank you, but if I leave early I’ll void the contract. I intend to see this through.” I replied, and he stared at me for a long moment before nodding once and heading out. Sterling almost seemed to want to stay here, and I wondered yet again what it was about me that made everyone think I couldn’t handle myself. Even if my uncle wanted to pay Sterling to stay here as a guard, there wasn’t much he could do against three alphas.
Once I was alone, I let out another sigh, knowing that this was just the start of my tribulations. At least the casita was decent. I could tell the pack, or whoever they hired to decorate this place did their job well. There were high quality linens for the bed, and the furniture was new. There was even a small fridge, which I planned on using for snacks and small meals. The more I could avoid this pack, the better.
I started unpacking my things, hanging my dresses in the closet and sorting my clothes for the next few months. According to the contract, there would be one planned public outing per week to keep up appearances.
Tonight, I was to make the announcement I was dreading the most - publicly admitting that I’d been wrong about the Pack Lockwood and their kidnapping conspiracy. Worse still, I had to claim that I’d come to admire them so deeply that we’d entered a relationship. The very thought made my stomach twist, torn between the urge to be sick and the humiliating ache of wanting them anyway. I had no idea how I was going to pull this off.
I trusted Bella, who had been kidnapped in my place. She told me in confidence that Pack Lockwood was behind it, and it made perfect sense. No one else stood to gain as much satisfaction as them if I had missed that vote. Also, I needed to find hard evidence that they had something to gain from the proposed merger. I knew they would benefit from it slightly, but none of what I had found would be enough evidence to build a strong case against them. Once I could tie the pieces together, I might get actual proof that they planned the kidnapping. Then I could take them down for good.
I was almost done unpacking when I heard a knock at the door. “Celeste? If you’re done settling in, then it’s time I show you a more complete tour. Also, your announcement needs to go out tonight.” Vigo’s voice rumbled through the door. I hated that I liked his deep, soothing voice, even when he was telling me what to do. I marched to the door and swung it open.
“Fine. Give me the grand tour.” I snapped as Vigo stepped back. I brushed past him, holding my breath.
“You already saw the foyer and the guest house. I’ll show you where the kitchen is, though I’m sure you won’t be using it much.” I rolled my eyes at his dig. Yes, an omega like me didn’t cook often. But it was because I was so busy managing a company. I had to hire a private chef to make most of my meals to save time. He led me to the kitchen, which was a gorgeous blend of white and emerald tile, with black cabinets and deep bronze accents. If I didn’t already have a massive home with my own kitchen, I’d model it after this one.
“Doesn’t look like it gets much use anyway.” I said smugly. I knew they’d had a horrible time getting any woman to even look their way after the Darlington Ball fiasco, so I was sure no omega had set foot in their kitchen. A part of me was happy that there would be no omega scent lingering in there. My body was already reacting so strongly to the scent match that I didn’t have the energy to fight feelings of jealousy as well.
Vigo rolled his eyes at my barb and led the way down the hall, gesturing as we passed room after room. He pointed out the living room, the gym, and their personal rooms, which he emphasized were off-limits unless there was an emergency.
I scoffed at his words. “How very optimistic of you to think you’d need to warn me. You don't have to worry about me going anywhere near your bedrooms.” I said,while trying hard to breathe through my mouth. This area was absolutely filled with their scents. I looked around, trying to get my mind off the biological urge to jump into Vigo’s arms. I spotted a room at the very end of the hall.
“What's that lead to?” I said, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“That’s off limits. You are never to set foot in there.” A sharp voice startled me. I turned around to see Dante glaring at me as he came down the hallway, his muscles taut. I nodded, too stunned to say anything back, and shelved the information in the back of my mind for later. The room might be something important, where I could find information on them.
“Don’t you have an announcement to post?” Dante’s voice was icy as he looked at me, his dark eyes stormy as he set his jaw. This man absolutely hated me, and I wasn’t sure why. Yes, we were rivals, but his attitude went far beyond that.
“The announcement needs a photo. A realistic one, where we all look happy. I’d take one for us, but I’m unsure if you will be able to wipe that sour look off of your face, Mr. miserable.” I said, and Vigo snorted behind me. He clapped his hand to his mouth under the guise of scratching his close cropped beard, trying not to laugh. Interesting. Seems at least one of them had a sense of humor. Dante just glared at me, and I kept breathing through my mouth, trying my hardest not to get a hit of his scent.
“Well? Let’s get it over with.” He said, and stalked away. I turned to Vigo.
“We still need Liam.” I noted, and he straightened his posture.
“I’ll go get him. What do you have in mind?” He asked as I told him my thoughts.
“It needs to look natural, a selfie, to be honest. All of us together, looking like we just had a date.” I said as I nearly gagged, hating the idea of what I would have to do.
“Alright. How about the patio? I’ll get us a few glasses of wine to make it look real.” Vigo said as he turned toward the kitchen. All of us would probably need to down a glass just to handle being near each other, them because of their hate, and me because I needed to numb the aching need to beg them to take me. I knew scent matches were strong, but I didn’t know just how hard it would be to fight this every second. My body didn’t understand why I wasn’t pleading for them to take me now, why I wasn’t nuzzling into them and whining for their attention.
I followed Vigo as he opened what I thought was a pantry door, but turned out to be a full on wine cellar. He grabbed a bottle and a few glasses, pouring out four total. “Oh, and feel free to have anything you want from here. We have plenty, and you’ll probably need it by the end of this whole ordeal.” I ignored his insult and frowned a bit at his generosity. The bottle he was pouring was vintage, and definitely not cheap. When he was done, he handed me two glasses and picked up the remaining two.
“Let’s go out back. It’s a good place for a picture.” He suggested as I followed him through the kitchen to the living room. What I thought were floor to ceiling glass windows were actually sliding doors, and they had been opened to the expansive backyard.
I walked out, taking in the incredible view. Behind the fire pit and chairs, the backyard looked out to a large forest and views of the spectacular mountains that separated the two provinces of our nation. The sun had mostly set, but the vast gradient of deep ombre purple and blue was still visible, outlining the peaks and creating a peaceful atmosphere. If it were any other situation, I’d feel in awe of how amazing this was.
“Where should we sit?” Liam asked as he walked out from the house, dressed more casually but still stunning. His eyes narrowed as he glanced over at me. I saw that Dante was already on the patio lounge drinking from a glass that Vigo handed him.
“Right there is good. We need to all be together, looking relaxed.” I said, walking over hesitantly. “If you want it to look real, I’ll need to sit in the middle.”
Liam sat next to Dante, and Vigo went to the other side, creating a space between them. I positioned myself in the middle of the lounge, and felt acutely aware that this was the closest we’d all been to each other, ever. I tried not to breathe through my nose as I held the phone up, clutching my glass in my other hand. “Alright, try to look like we like each other.” I said, trying to get an angle with all four of us. I snapped a few pictures, then looked at them and sighed.
“This isn’t going to work. If you want this to look as real as my other social media posts, you have to do as I say. Get closer. If we’ve supposedly been dating secretly for a month, we shouldn’t be so stiff.” I griped. Liam and Vigo looked at each other, then inched toward me, their bodies tense as they did their best to avoid touching me.
I tried not to let it bother me. They clearly despised me, and even though I should feel the same, the fact that my fated mates were so averse to being near me made my stomach hurt. And I was working hard not to let anyone see how aroused I was getting with them being so close to me. I’d never been so thankful for descenter.
“Alright, that’s a little better. Dante, hold your glass closer to you. Liam, smile a little. There.” I snapped another picture, but it wasn’t quite right.
“My arm’s not long enough.” I mumbled as I looked at the photo. “Vigo, your arm is longer. Try it from your side.” I said. He took the phone from me and lifted it up, using the screen as a guide as he tried to get all of us in the frame.
“You all need to scoot in more.” He said, his voice rumbling in irritation. I moved in closer to him, trying to subtly let more of my body touch him. It was a bad idea - I knew I couldn't be with them, but my omega instincts were screaming at me and the only thing that gave me any relief was touching them.
Liam and Dante moved closer, but their frames were so big that the small movement pushed me. I nearly toppled onto Vigo’s lap, and reached out to clasp onto his thigh to support myself. I felt a moment of panic. Quickly, I righted myself, holding my glass of wine to my chest while I looked up at the camera.
“Everyone try to look happy.” Vigo said through clenched teeth. He snapped a photo, and mercifully, it looked presentable. I snatched my phone away and stood up quickly, so shaky from being near them that I spilled a bit of wine onto the ground.
“I’m going to make the post now. I’ll be in my room the rest of the night.” I said, wanting to get out of here as quickly as possible. I spun on my heel, speed walking back to the guest wing so I could finish our fake dating announcement.
My heart was racing, and not just because of the impending post I’d have to make. I needed to make sure I was using my suppressants daily. When I touched Vigo’s thigh, I got a huge nose full of his scent. Under my hand, his leg was muscular and perfectly masculine - and I had also touched something else by accident.
The man had been erect. I felt the thick, hard rod in his pants, and nearly gushed myself.
I knew they hated me, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t alphas biologically wired to desire omegas. I needed to be very careful. If I wasn’t, things were going to go south so much faster than any of us realized.