Dante stood there, chest heaving, eyes darker than a storm. His hair was wild, his shirt torn, and dark blood dripping down his side. For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
Behind him, Elijah was on his knees, arms wrenched behind his back, Dante’s hand fisted in his collar. Elijah’s face was pale but defiant. Dante shoved him forward into Sterling’s waiting grip.
“It’s over. We’re safe.” Dante said, taking another step toward us. “I had him call Gideon. He thinks we’re dead.” He waved the gun toward Elijah, who was looking defeated. Dante wiped his forehead, his eyes catching mine. His whole tone softened, his demeanor changed as he took another step toward me, then stumbled, falling to the floor.
It was only then that I saw the dark stain on his shirt. “Dante!” I bolted forward before I even thought about it. Liam shouted something, Sterling moved to block me, but I was already kneeling beside him on the floor.
“He’s hurt!” I cried out, the sight of my mate’s wound nearly causing me to black out. Blood spread fast through his shirt, hot against my fingers as I pressed down. His jaw tightened, but his dark eyes stayed on me.
“It’s fine,” he lied through gritted teeth, reaching up to brush his fingers across my jaw. “You’re safe now.”
“You’re bleeding, you idiot,” I snapped, voice shaking. “That’s not fine.”
His mouth curved in something like a smirk, even as his face paled. “Still so bossy. I missed that.”
“He needs help! He needs- ” My throat closed around the rest. My palms were wet now, and I couldn’t bear to look down. The room around us blurred. Vigo was beside me, pulling Dante’s shirt up.
“Let me treat him.” Vigo said in a calm voice, trying to stop my panic. “He was shot, but looks like it didn't hit anything major. He should be okay, if he doesn't lose too much blood.” Vigo said wryly.
“Celeste, forgive me.” Dante said, his voice husky as his breathing slowed. I gripped him, hugging him to me as tears came down, not even caring that I was getting both of us covered in blood.
“Dante, you stupid idiot!” I mumbled into his shoulder, and felt him chuckle before wincing in pain. “We need to get you to the hospital!”
“No.” His hand found my wrist, and my heart fluttered. “We can’t let them know we’re alive. We have the upper hand right now. We can save Harringday, save you.” He said in between gasps of breath.
“We need to get him stable.” Vigo muttered, quickly ripping fabric to stall the blood loss on Dante’s body. I covered my mouth, trying not to sob as I watched Dante’s pale face. Vigo turned to face Liam.
“Get her out of here before she panics. I’ll treat Dante.” I felt arms lifting me, but I fought against them. I wanted to stay with my mate. He needed me.
“Let me go!” I yelled, squirming against Liam as Sterling tried to calm me. Dante looked over and smiled.
“I’ll be alright, Celeste. Let him help. Once I’m stable, I’ll send for you.” He said, his voice already growing drowsy. I looked at him, tears flooding my vision. “And then, Celeste,” he added, looking me straight in my eyes. “You and I are long overdue for a talk.”
Chapter 39
Celeste
I didn’t remember much after the fight. The pack kept me from seeing as much of the carnage as they could. Sterling had swept me up, holding me tight to his chest and soothing me as the rest of the pack handled Elijah and tended to Dante.
Bella had told me earlier about a safehouse close to Roebri that I could use if things got too crazy. I never thought I’d need it, but then again, I never thought my uncle would send a black market pack to end me.
We were at the safehouse now, and Dante was patched up as much as he could be. My uncle thought he was successful, according to Dante, who had forced Elijah to make a call at gunpoint. They weren’t sure what they would do with Elijah,but for now he was still bound and kept in a room under tight security.
I contacted Pack Valence, letting them know to extend their vacation an extra few days and not tell anyone they heard from us. Owen could tell from the seriousness in my voice that something big happened. I knew that at the very least, we could trust them. I already ached at having to explain to them about what happened to their guest house - I would owe them big time. And I was so thankful they weren’t there when everything happened. I’d never forgive myself if any of them had been caught in the crossfire.
“He’s asking for you.” Vigo’s gentle voice lifted me from my thoughts, and I turned to see him coming toward me. He was scuffed from the fight, but overall unharmed. He reached for me, his deep blue eyes soft and concerned as he wrapped me in his arms. I sighed into his chest, so grateful to have him here with me. It’s not until you risk losing everything, that you realize how precious life is. No matter what happened in the past, I knew that I wanted them with me going forward.
Vigo nuzzled his scruffy cheek into me. “He’ll be alright.” He said, and I nodded. It was time to talk to Dante.
He’d been recovering in a quiet room in the back of the safehouse, and I opened the door, peeking in. He was stretched out on the bed, the sheets pulled low around his hips, his bare chest rising and falling as I got a better glimpse of those mesmerizing tattoos. Even patched up and bruised, he was devastatingly handsome. His skin was sun-warmed bronze, the bandages a stark white in contrast. His dark hair was mussedfrom the fight, strands damp with sweat falling into his face, and I caught myself wanting to smooth them back, to run my fingers through the thick, unruly waves. Even battered and bruised, he looked incredible. He looked like he wasmine.
I could still see flashes of him from earlier - the way he’d moved like a storm when the assassins came for us. The way his eyes had burned when he’d looked at me, as if nothing else in the world mattered but keeping me alive.
Even now, his gaze nearly knocked me over when he looked at me. He motioned for me to come closer, picking up on my hesitance as I waited.
“Come here, Celeste.” He patted on the bed, and I sat down gently, not wanting to disturb his healing. “You can’t hurt me anymore than I already am.” He said, with a small grin. How I missed seeing that smile. It was so rare, like I was seeing a secret. “I have a lot to tell you, and I’m sure you have questions.”
I nodded, pushing my hair back as I waited. After learning about Arkala, seeing the photos of the massacre that had been attributed to me without my knowledge, I’d nearly had a breakdown. The sheer callousness of it, the sociopathic way the people had been hurt, was more than I could bear. When I looked back on it now, I was surprised that Dante could even be in the same room with me, much less pretend to court me all those months. He’d believed that I was a monster, and I couldn’t blame him.
