Page 9 of Knot in My Wildest Dreams: Part 2
“Myscent match?” I practically yelled in disbelief. Sterling looked at me, his silver eyes almost vulnerable before he looked down at the ground.
“Well, yes. It’s why I’ve been working so hard to keep you safe.” He said, running his hand over the back of his neck. I didn’t know what to say. It couldn't be true. He must have interpreted my silence as disapproval, because he suddenly started speaking quickly.
“I know it isn’t what you expected. I’m not the typical person you’d match with. But Celeste, I will do everything in my power to protect you. I’ve been doing everything I could, and someday, when all this is over, I’ll show you how great of a partner I canbe-” I started laughing to myself, a rueful smile playing on my face. Sterling looked at me, unable to interpret my thoughts.
“I’m sorry Sterling, how can you be my scent match?” I asked in disbelief, the irony not lost on me.
“Celeste, I knew from the moment you walked in that one morning. When the Western delegate was visiting.” He said, exasperated that I wasn't reacting.
“What morning?” I asked, trying to think back.
“It was when you came to the kitchen in the - never mind. All that matters is I got a hit of your scent, even though it was faint. I knew then.” He said, his face resolute in what he was saying.
“The Western Province visit? That had to be, what, a year and a half ago? You mean to tell me that you’ve been my scent match, and you didn’t react or tell me all this time?” I blurted out. “That’s impossible. A scent match drives you to near madness!” I said, looking at him like he was crazy. But when I saw his eyes, a part of me recognized the pain in them - the frustration and desperation, the longing that I’d felt when I first scented Pack Lockwood and knew. Then, a noise came from the door near the side of the house. Sterling grabbed my hand, quickly pulling me around the corner, holding me close to him. I found it odd that both times I’d been close to him, my body instinctually knew not to fear him.
He peered out, then motioned me to go to his car. If I didn’t leave now, with him, then my uncle and Elijah might see me.And now, I knew for a fact that they wanted to hurt me. Could I chance it, seeing the two of them together? My uncle would know he’d been caught with Elijah, who he wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with. I couldn’t risk it.
I looked at Sterling, who was gripping me and watching me with a desperate look, still trying to get me to leave with him. Either way I wasn’t safe, but he’d already helped me once with the vote, despite it being via… creative means. So, I made a quick decision. I tore off with him to the car, and once we were in, he peeled out the side exit. I texted Pack Valence to let them know I’d be near their place and to be ready if I needed help. I wasn’t going to take Sterling directly there yet. I had too many questions.
He let out a sigh of relief once we were on the road. “Alright, where are you staying?” He asked, his silver eyes looking in the rearview mirror to make sure we weren't followed. I turned to him, still suspicious. His car, clean and sterile, had no scent of him either.
“First, you tell me everything you know. And I do have people that are on standby to help me if you try anything.” I said, arms crossed over my chest. “And anyway, my car is down the road.” His eyes got wide.
“Well, we need to move it.” He said, and I could see him calculating in his head.
“We aren’t doing anything until you explain.” I said, resolute. Sterling must have known how stubborn I was, because he droveto the grassy area where I’d parked and stopped. “Well? Go on.” I reiterated. He looked out, eyes seemingly lost in the distance before he started talking.
“Celeste, your uncle was already planning your downfall back when I was first hired. I knew the horrible things he was doing, because I was doing them for him.” Sterling said, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. I felt my heart jump to my throat.
“What kinds of things?” I asked, my voice wavering. What was my uncle capable of? And how did I never know about any of it?
“Bad things. Things I’m not proud of. I need to tell you that.” Sterling said, swallowing before continuing. “Planted press releases to make you look bad, working under the table deals for him but using your name.” My stomach recoiled. I knew that was going on, but I had no idea my uncle was so discreet and so vicious. I always wondered why the press had tips about me acting crazy, when I was anything but. Sterling continued.
“But knowing how your uncle works, I couldn’t just tell you what he was doing. Someone tried that before. Do you remember his last assistant?” Sterling asked, turning to look at me.
“Arnault?” My mind raced back to the employee who had been found signing the deals in Tedena behind my back for cash.
“Exactly. Arnault was doing your uncle’s dirty work for him, long before I came along. From what I understand, he found out what your uncle was ultimately planning and threatened him to stop, or he’d tell you what was happening. Arnault, forhis foolish bravery, ended up being dismissed by your uncle. Permanently.” The way Sterling spoke sent shivers down my back. I remembered my uncle coming to me with the falsified paperwork from Tedena, saying that he already fired Arnault. Since then, I always thought Arnault ran off in cowardice, not that he’d been taken out.
“I couldn’t tell you Celeste, not then. Your uncle demands loyalty, and tests it frequently. He has every form of communication tracked inside the compound. He has everything done in a way that can’t be traced back to him. He never wanted me near you. He doesn’t want any staff getting too close to you. The only thing I could do was gather evidence, and plan to help you once things got out of hand. He’s a smart man, Celeste.”
“And when you…kidnappedme… the first time, was that because things were getting out of hand?” I asked, remembering that fateful night.
“Look, technically I wassavingyou from getting kidnapped.” Sterling said, and for the first time, I saw a tinge of pink on his cheeks. I crossed my arms and sat back in the seat.
“Uh huh. So, since you knew about it, who was behind that?” I asked, my eyes narrowed. If he was telling the truth, he’d know for sure who it was.
“You just saw one of them in the conference room.”
“Elijah?” I sputtered, not understanding.
“Technically, Elijah and your uncle worked together on that one. Now Elijah is a crafty bastard too. He set it up perfectly for Pack Lockwood. They took the fall.”
“What do you mean? It was them behind it!” I said, facing him.
“No, it was your uncle and Elijah who crafted the idea. Elijah only suggested it to the pack. They didn’t know the full details, but they approved it. That pack has no idea Elijah is working with your uncle.” I sat back, my mind in a freefall. Everything was happening so fast. All this new information was too much, and I needed to think through every angle. And, I needed to know if I could trust Sterling. Pack Lockwood, for all their faults, were somehow more involved than even they knew.
“Why would Elijah work with my uncle?” I asked, dread slowly forming in my stomach. Sterling closed his eyes and shook his head.
