Page 13 of Knot in Their Wildest Dreams: Part 1

We’d never had an omega live in the house before. That shouldn’t have been what I was focusing on, but it’s all that ran through my mind as I tried to calm myself from having Celeste so close to me. I was sure she felt what I was sporting underneath my clothes, and I refused to be embarrassed about it.

It had been over a year since the last time I was intimate with someone.

We hardly had time to court an omega in the years prior to the Darlington Ball, and once we had reached a level of success where we were ready for one, our romantic lives came to a screeching halt. None of our pack played with each other, so naturally, we were all more than a bit pent up. That was the only reason my body had such a strong response to Celeste being so near me. After a year with no physical touch or intimacy, having her so close just made my body overreact. That’s all.

Dante pulled out the expensive bourbon for tonight from ourrealliquor cabinet. Not the one we showed Celeste earlier in the kitchen. That one was for her to plunder when she needed to relieve stress. Partying was what she was known for, and I looked forward to seeing how messy she got while having to live under the thumb of her enemies. She was probably grabbing her own bottle right now, seething after posting the big announcement to all of her socials - the announcement that would vindicate us.

“Cheers, boys! Here’s to our new start!” Liam raised his glass, the firelight catching in the amber liquid. We clinked our glasses together, the sound sharp and satisfying in the quiet of the clubhouse. Tucked away from the main house, it was our retreat - a private space to strategize, work, and breathe without distractions. Even though Celeste’s wing gave her distance from us, it was better to be outside the home entirely. Having an omega around was already more of a distraction than I thought.

My pack laughed as we relaxed into the big leather chairs, enjoying the bottle we saved for exactly this moment. Elijah had been waiting here for us, eager to hear how Celeste had reacted to the news that she’d have to live in her enemies’ guest house in order to save her reputation. He’d met Dante when they were kids, and the two of them were so close that we all assumed Elijah might also be a potential pack member. But even if he wasn’t pack, he was still practically family.

We gathered around as Elijah pulled out his phone to show us the announcement, which had simultaneously been posted to all of Celeste’s social media accounts just a few minutes ago.

“I’ve held off on sharing this for a while, but the reasons will soon become clear. After the Darlington Ball, I received what turned out to be misleading information about who was behind my attempted kidnapping. For months, I sought justice for myself and everyone affected. However, I’ve now learned that the men of Pack Lockwood were not involved at all.

Not only that, in my efforts to find out more about them and what really happened, I found them to be men of upstanding character, loyal, and overall a wonderful pack. While the true kidnappers remain at large, I am happy to say that not only is Pack Lockwood not behind the kidnapping, but that they are also very, very special to me. And so, I am pleased to announce that I am now officially in a relationship with the men of Pack Lockwood. Our courtship might just be starting, but it already feels like the start of something extraordinary.

To all who supported me during this difficult time, I want to thank you for standing by me. And to Pack Lockwood, I look forward to the future we’re building together - one filled with trust, understanding, and hope. I’m grateful for the chance to set the record straight and to share this new chapter of my life with all of you."

Below the post was the picture we’d taken, all four of us together on the patio with the mountains behind us. I had to hand it to Celeste, the photo really did seal the deal. We looked like we belonged together. Even Dante, who wasn’t able to smile for the photo, still looked like he belonged with her, the dark balance to Celeste’s light facade. I hoped once this was all over, he could learn to be happy again.

There were already hundreds of comments under her post, and we hadn’t even checked the other social media platforms yet. “It’s only been ten minutes, and you already have media inquiries piling in.” Elijah said as he scrolled through his phone. On top of being one of our closest friends, he also managed our PR and Communications. “But they can wait until tomorrow. Tonight, we relax and celebrate!” Elijah said as he raised his glass again.

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. We would finally get our reputation fixed, and I was sure by the end of all of this we would find a way to end the reign of Celeste, and Harringday Industries, once and for all.

It was a long time coming. I remembered all the years we spent working with suppliers, ensuring our product was made ethically, which we were exceptionally proud of. We made it our mission to implement fair working practices, and because of that our products were far more expensive to produce than those at Harringday. But we made abetterproduct. We had to innovate to succeed, coming up with newer ideas, ways to improve upon our product line that was easier for a smaller startup than a behemoth like Harringday.

I’d made too many trips to count to the Western Province, marketing our line to them and using our ethics as a selling point. It seemed impossible, but we finally hit a tipping point where we grew enough to be a serious challenge to Harringday. Enough so that they took notice, and tried to stop us in any way possible. Of course, I couldn’t believe that Celeste on her own was behind every attempt to block us from competing, but she was aware of what her company was doing. And ultimately, as CEO, she was one who made the final decisions.

Regardless, it was the start of a new era. I was sure Celeste would slip up while she was here with us. We needed solid proof of the worst of her business practices, and once we had that, we would blow the lid off of Harringday and all the truly evil things they had done. If they went down, we’d be in the perfect position to take over the market. We would be proof that you could do business in the Eastern Province without resorting to the old school, barbaric ways of the past. And with the power and influence we were gaining, we could make sure other ethical businesses stood a chance and make this whole region into something new. A safer place, where everyone could have a chance for a good life.

“Damn. My phone’s blowing up.” Liam said as he checked his notifications.

My own family was sending me a barrage of texts since the news broke, and I knew I’d have to explain it to them soon. Well, leaving out some key information. We had to keep our plan as private as possible, at least until the contract was complete and Celeste could be exposed. For now, everyone probably thought we were lunatics for having anything to do with her after her accusations.

“Soon we’ll get the proof we need.” Liam asserted with confidence, and I looked over to Elijah.

“You really think you can get more information now that she’s here? Surely she’s not stupid enough to have any evidence accessible electronically.” I said, worried that we’d lose out on the real reason we needed her here.

“I told you, the files I received were digital, but they had been scanned and printed. So I’m sure there’s more they keep, just hidden away. She probably uses several layers of security, maybe biometrics as well. Trustin me.” Elijah answered, and I sat back and nodded. He was able to be under the radar in ways we weren’t. He was a beta, not a public figure like we were. We trusted him to do the snooping when we couldn't.

There was only one thing left that worried me, and it wasn’t the skill of the people surrounding me. It was having someone like Celeste so close, and having to fake the dates with her. If I reacted so strongly from just her touch, it was going to be a long and frustrating few months. But I was sure we wouldn’t have any issues with someone as vile as Celeste. We celebrated, and I kept thinking back to how I’d reacted. Surely we could get through this without any incidents. Surely.

Chapter 9

Celeste

I didn’t even want to look at my phone. The moment I’d posted the announcement about the new “relationship” between myself and Pack Lockwood, I knew I’d be flooded with notifications. I’d barely had time to let my PR team know about the development. They were going to be fielding media inquiries all week, and they didn’t even know how to respond. I’d simply told them to give no comment, and that all would be explained later.

It would be hard to talk to the media about how I had been mistaken about Pack Lockwood being behind the kidnapping of Bella, and even harder to explain how I became so close to them, much less that I agreed to let them officially court me. But I’d find a way.

For now, I just wanted to pretend it all wasn’t happening. I lay back on the pillows in the strange bed that didn’t belong to me, trying hard to ignore the fact that my scent matches were somewhere on the property with me. That was a whole other issue I needed to eventually contend with.

I was already feeling homesick, alone, needy, and frustrated. I took one long breath at a time, trying desperately not to overthink just how much my world had been upended in one day.

My phone buzzed and I exhaled, reaching for it and opening my eyes. I only had a few people on my contact list that could bypass the do not disturb mode, and one of them was Bella Carter, the omega who’d been in my room the night of the kidnapping. She’d been taken instead of me in a case of mistaken identity, and she’d been the one to tip me off that Pack Lockwood was behind everything. She and I had grown somewhat close after everything had gone down. I saw her name flash on the screen as she called, and answered it.

“Hi Bella.” I said, hoping I didn’t sound too defeated.

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