In that moment, I swore I could see a glimpse of the future deep in her eyes. It promised love, hope, and a family yet to come. I saw storms and sunshine, quarrels and reconciliations, the endless dance of two souls bound by fate. And no matter the turn, the ending was always the same: us, our pack, together.
Soon, I felt the swelling of my knot. Celeste felt it too, her hands gripping my back as she gave her body and trust to me. When I felt her clamp down, I leaned into her neck, shouting out my pleasure and my devotion to her.
I was home.
Chapter 50
Liam
The moment I opened my eyes, I knew the heat had broken.
I sat up, not with the groggy exhaustion of a marathon sex session, but with the satisfied happiness of a man who had finally seen every impossible dream come true. Because they had. And all of them began and ended with her. Celeste.
She was still sleeping, her hair a tangled halo, her skin glowing in the soft morning light. Dante was wrapped around her like he’d never let her go again, while Vigo and Sterling touched her in their sleep, each tethered to her in their own way.
Celeste had accepted us. Despite everything we’d been through, we had all come out on top. And Sterling, the wild card that had been a match for Celeste this whole time, ended up beingsomeone who complemented us perfectly. I was sure that if we’d met him before all of this, he’d have been an incredible part of our pack. Which was why we couldn’t let him go another day without being included.
Celeste stirred, her eyes opening slightly as a beam of light landed on her from the window. I’d pulled the curtain aside slightly, waiting for everyone to wake up. She looked at me, smiling at me as she stretched. Dante was curled up next to her, his arms twined around her body, with Vigo and Sterling on the other side, all of them having fallen asleep touching her in some way.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, admiring the view of my pack curled around our omega.
“Best I’ve ever felt in my life.” She responded, and I felt a warm sense of anticipation at the idea of our future. We’d faced the worst, and now we could focus on moving forward - together.
Dante started waking, and Vigo was stirring as well. I got up to go check my phone, which I’d left in the other room. Now that several days had passed, I was wondering what had transpired since her heat had taken us all by storm. I had, of course, countless missed calls, voicemails, and text messages. I sighed and walked to the living room, turning on the TV.
I watched it for a moment, dumbfounded, then turned to call back. “Hey… um, guys?” My voice carried down the hall, sharper than I meant. “You need to get out here.”
Chapter 51
Celeste
As I walked out of the nesting room - hastily put together for my emergency heat - I found I didn't mind that it wasn’t exactly how I wanted it. In fact, nothing could possibly upset me at this point. I finally, for the first time since I lost my parents, felt like I was home.
These men, impossible, unlikely, and occasionally infuriating, had somehow been perfect for me. Each of them taught me something, helped solidify a piece of me. Liam was smart, ethical and a true leader. Vigo helped me take life less seriously, lifting my mood and keeping me on my toes. Dante was my true mirror, someone who had been through so much but sacrificed everything to come back to me. And Sterling, my secret hero, who waited and wanted nothing more than for me to be safe. And now, we were complete.
I hummed as I walked out to join Liam, hugging Sterling as we strolled down the hall. My cheerful hum came to a halt the instant I saw the screen. There was a live feed of Pack Lockwood’s house, with a helicopter circling and police cars lined outside like a silent army. A team of officers stood waiting, their faces grim with purpose.
I froze, my mouth dropping open as I watched the reporter. “We’re coming to you live from just outside the Lockwood estate, where for the fourth day, police have been on the lookout for the former Harringday employee at the center of a shocking scandal involving multiple crimes.” The police, and media, were waiting until my heat was done - waiting to arrest one of my men.
“Sterling,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
The headline at the bottom of the screen was merciless:Harringday Beta Implicated in Fraud and Forgery - Arrest Imminent.
My body went cold. My uncle’s schemes. My name on documents I never signed. Sterling - the one who’d stood by me, calmed me, guided me - was now branded a conspirator. My chest heaved, panic clawing up my throat, but Sterling’s hand found mine, steady and warm.
“Celeste,” he said softly, with that infuriating calm he always carried, “it’s all right.”
“All right?” I choked out, tears burning. “They’re here for you. They think -”
“They think the truth they were given.” His thumb brushed over my knuckles. “I did things for your uncle, things I’m not proud of. This was always going to catch up to me.” His eyes, steady as stone, met mine. “I’ll face it. And I’ll make it right. I did do the crimes, and I need to pay for it. And if I hadn’t met you, who knows how far gone I’d be.”
“No,” I whispered fiercely, shaking my head. “Not after everything we’ve been through. Not after- ”
He smiled, that quiet, devastating smile that had soothed me, despite everything. “You’ve already saved me, Celeste. The rest is on me.”
The others gathered close, the bond between us all thrumming with grief and pride. Dante clasped Sterling’s shoulder, jaw tight. “Stay strong, brother. We’ve got your back.” I teared up at his words. The only person I’d ever heard Dante call brother was Elijah, who was now somewhere in a jail cell. Dante would be in pain for a long time over the betrayal. But somehow, we’d gained something even better.
“Just… try to get out quick. Celeste looks better with all of us around her.” Vigo added, his grip firm, his eyes burning with a rare softness.
