Page 58 of Knot in Their Wildest Dreams: Part 1

“So, what are we going to do?” I finally asked, looking at my pack mates. Vigo sighed, putting his head in his hands for a moment. Dante looked disturbed, but I felt through our bond that his feelings toward her had thawed from the hate he held to the hidden longing that matched my own.

“She hasn’t tried to sabotage us since she’s been here.” Vigo murmured, rubbing his chin, which was sporting a five o'clock shadow.

“Right. She’s actually given me some helpful advice. Do you think it’s because she’s known about the scent match for longer?” I asked, trying to make sense of everything. At this point, we’d all been sexual with her, some more than others. Even Dante, despite doing his best to deny her, was breaking down in his resolve.

“She talked more on our date,” Dante admitted finally, voice strained. “Said the Tedena coverup wasn’t her fault. Blamed it on the assistant - Arnault. Said she was set up by him.”

He told us a little bit about that day, mainly that she’d discussed in more detail what happened in Tedena. She claimed that he had been behind it, and she had been set up to take the fall. Which, if true, opened up plenty more questions.

“That could explain some things,” I said cautiously. “But not everything.”

“Either way, she’s not as bad as we thought.” Vigo said before Dante shot him a questioning look. “Hey, I’m not saying she’s an angel, or that she didn’t do the things she did. I’m just saying it’s possible she changed.” He said quickly, putting his hands out.

Dante sat back, letting out a long sigh as he rubbed his palms into his face. “It’s just… how can she act this way after the things she did?” He asked, the pain palpable in his voice.

“So, if she supposedly wasn’t behind Tedena, then it might be that she’d been undermined by that ex-employee. But that doesn’t explain everything else.” I said, trying to work out the logistics. Sure, it was possible she’d had an employee go behind her back. But there was so much more.

“And it would make sense that he wants to get back at Celeste by leaking the papers.” Vigo added. “Maybe Arnault wants revenge. Maybe he’s still pulling strings, even if she cut him loose. But that doesn’t give us answers about Arkala.”

At that, the room quieted. Dante’s jaw clenched. His pain was palpable. We couldn’t ask Celeste about Arkala - no one in the Eastern Province was supposed to know about that. But it was the main reason we set out to destroy Harringday, the main reason we went after Celeste.

I spoke up, breaking the silence. “We’ve tried to find proof, but without direct access to their systems… we’re guessing. And if we’re wrong…”

“If we’re wrong,” Vigo interrupted, “then we let her walk away, and we lose our best shot at the truth.”

“And if sheisinnocent,” I added, voice low, “then we loseher.”

Dante looked torn. “Maybe she was under pressure. The board. Her family. It wouldn’t excuse what happened, but it might explain how.”

He leaned forward, his expression grim. “But if she’s really gone from ruthless to sweet just like that? That’s not growth, that’s manipulation. And if that’s the case… maybe she’s too far gone to trust. Unless…” He paused.

“Unless what?” Vigo asked.

Dante hesitated. “Unless we influence her. Guide her. Through a bond.”

The words hit us like a shockwave. Vigo blinked. “You’re talking about biting her.”

Bonded.

It was a lifelong commitment, and a bite would link us to Celeste in a way that would share our emotions and intentions. She’d know us intimately - and us her. Would that be enough to stop her from any damage she could inflict?

“It would link us to her. Let her feel what we feel. Our loyalty. Our intentions. Maybe it would help her… come back from whatever darkness she’s been in.” Dante looked pained even saying it. “Worst case, we’d have the ability to command her. To keep her from hurting anyone else.”

The thought made my stomach twist. Alpha coercion was legal in our province, yes - but it was against everything we stood for. After everything we were fighting for, having to alpha bark our potential partner to do something was against everything in our being. But if it were a way to save lives, would we be able to do it, or justify it? And we’d have to get her to agree to bond with us first, a huge manipulation if we were planning to use the bond to influence her.

It was a last resort, and one I wasn’t comfortable pursuing yet.

“I’d never want it to come to that,” I said quietly. “But if she’s truly ours - if the bond is real - it might never have to. She wants us too. That’s obvious.”

“We still don’t have the answers,” Dante added. “And if she walks next week, we may never get them. We need to know the truth. About Arkala. About her. About everything.”

“Then let’s give this a real shot,” Vigo said suddenly. “I’m just going to say it - what we’re all thinking.”

Dante looked hesitant. “You mean… court her?”

Vigo nodded. “For real. We stop holding back. We dig deeper. We give her a reason to stay. And maybe, in the process, we find the proof we need.”

Silence fell as we looked at one another, the bond between us tight with emotion. Slowly, I felt the ripple of agreement. We were going to try. For whatever this was becoming.

---