50. Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Celeste
The work emergency had been handled, and I’d allowed myself the rare luxury of sleeping in. The only thing missing was Dante. He hadn’t been able to stay the whole night, but the brief time I’d spent wrapped in his arms had given me the deepest rest I could remember.
I stretched, yawned, and let my thoughts drift to the day ahead. Now that I had a plan for the future, the ache I’d been holding inside knowing our contract would end soon had disappeared.
Despite all the obstacles, Pack Lockwood actually wanted me - and I wanted them back. I trusted them, so much that I asked them to help me through my upcoming heat. That was something real. Something that was going to be between us, only us, no contract, no publicity, just growing the fresh relationship that was blooming between all of us.
We could start courting for real - only us, no contract, no publicity, just growing the relationship that was blooming between all of us. I felt happy. Truly happy - something I hadn’t felt since my parents were alive.
Sometimes I thought about what they would think of me, if I was making them proud. They always believed I’d find a pack, build a life I loved, and rise to any challenge I faced. They saw strength in me, even when I didn’t. The pain of losing them never went away. But now, knowing I’d managed to run the family business and found a pack that truly liked me for me , I think they would be proud that I was becoming who I was always meant to be.
At some point I would have to tell my uncle, and eventually the board, about what was going on. I knew that would go over like a lead balloon. Manticore Tech was Harringday’s biggest rival, and I was sure the board would think it was a massive issue. They’d cry conflict of interest, demand emergency meetings, probably try to vote me out again just to “protect our intellectual property.”
But that was a problem for another day. There was always a way through. And I hadn’t come this far just to be scared of suits in a boardroom.
I looked at my phone and saw several missed calls, from Sterling of all people. That was weird. I made a note of it, but didn’t think too much about it. He didn't leave a message. I remembered that he’d been acting strange the last time I was home.
I decided to call my uncle, and he picked up right away. “How are things progressing, Celeste? That pack driving you crazy yet?” Oh, if only he knew.
“Actually, I have some updates on that. We might have come to some type of truce, to be honest.” I said, hoping to find a way to break my uncle into the idea of me having a relationship with our corporate rivals.
“What? That’s absurd, Celeste. They are your enemies. Did something happen?” He sounded frantic. Great, this was just what I had been worried about.
“No, uncle. Nothing happened. You know me, I tend to smooth things over with most people. I’m just saying if we worked as collaborators rather than rivals, everything would get solved.” I said.
“No, it wouldn’t. Do not trust them, Celeste! You still don’t know how they got the documents to blackmail you!” My uncle sounded heated, but I was starting to get frustrated. Everyone always told me what to think, and I had my own thoughts. He had no idea what they were really like.
“I’ll tell you more later. For now, this conversation is over.” I ended the call, seething. I needed to figure out who had leaked the documents, anyway.
At this point, Iwas sure they would tell me. After all, they’d already fessed up to the kidnapping, although I didn’t have proof of it. Not that I’d make an issue of it now. But I did need to talk to Liam and get him to tell me the truth about who was the internal spy. I should have asked about that last night, but there was so much going on after they admitted the truth about the kidnapping, and their feelings for me, that it slipped my mind.
Either way, everything was finally starting to fall into place. The chaos had quieted, the pieces were aligning, and for once, it felt like I could breathe. I’d found my scent matches in an unlikely pack, and for the first time, happiness didn’t feel like a distant dream. It felt real. Tangible. Within reach.
Like maybe nothing could ruin it.