By the time we finish dinner, the two of them are like long lost besties.
That night, I fall asleep covered in Ramses, Kai, and Darius, with the kittens joining our pile of cuddles. It’s what dreams are made of. Not once do they suggest I move my bed off the floor. But, after the first night we all slept in there together, a large delivery arrived from Twiggy, with more of everything: blankets, pillows, throws, and even a bigger super supportive, over sized mattress.
In the morning, Douglas advises the authorities I’m available after my heat. The investigators swoop in like vultures.
In each interview/meeting, Allan and Douglas sit with me along with one of the triplets acting as Kai. And it’s always Kai’s persona because we use Pack Alastor as another smokescreen.
The investigators don’t bat an eye when I explain our rekindling relationship in my time of grief. The validity of explaining another pack is already with me even though the pack I was about to formalise formalise is unnecessary. Although I do to an extent, but it's simple to do because the pre-existing paper trail with Pack Alastor, with both Verdune and the Alpha Council because of the auction.
Through it all, Douglas drives the meetings. He answers on my behalf like you’d expect a lawyer to do. The investigators continually reiterate there is no suggestion of foul play, but it doesn’t stop our hard defensive line when speaking.
The wreck that claimed the Alphas of Pack Lowly is written off as a tragic accident. Douglas challenges the need for me to sit through the evidence the officers gathered including photos and diagrams of what they think happened, but his insistence I don’t need to see the wreck is an act of course. On our part. And we play our roles perfectly.
The detectives asked for clarification on the Deed, which was an easy thing to provide. The intricacies of the Deed were discussed but not argued over, because the officers had already spoken with Pack Lowly’s solicitors, and the Alpha Councils. Both reiterated it was a formal business agreement and nothing else.
Almost as easy to resolve was a couple of meetings with detectives looking into the mysterious demise of four founding Board members. And in that one, I shed a necessary tear or two. Allan was coolly accommodating when he answered as to why he believes he didn’t suffer the same fate. We definitely didn’t act when we advised the investigators, the widows of the dead Board members were already asking for Director remuneration. If anything, the money-grab by them only fuels the belief that neither Allan nor I are involved.
Though that was yesterday’s crisis.
Today we’re tackling a meeting with the staff at the Verdune Industry’s head office.
My nerves are a flutter, and my anxiety is not just because of the crowd I’m about to face, it’s also got to do with Darius posing as Kai, while Ramses, and Kai stand disguised as new members of my security team. It’s our first real test, our first real outing as a pack in public.
Although I’m not the only person anxious, all my team are. It’s made worse because of the ongoing mystery as to who was Pack Lowly’s insider. Plus, Ayden remains missing. The police confirmed they’d searched his house and something was amiss. What that is remains to be seen, but they’re both high risk issues until they’re resolved. Because of Ayden and the rat hiding in Verdune, my security has been beefed up to include the triplets along with the team Koz sent, led by my latest employee Ronnie.
Even Gracey has a strange edge to her, although hers manifests like she’s drunk too much coffee. “We elected to delay the start by another fifteen minutes. HR were fielding too many questions this morning, so I did a blast to all our employees advising them, in no uncertain terms, that everyone who wanted to attend were welcome to attend, but I’ve also had screens set up in all the break rooms, because we will not fit everyone in.” She talks quickly, leading me into the office attached to the auditorium.
“And we have a full house?” I ask, trying to slow her down.
She laughs, giving me a glimpse of her sass. “Don’t undersell yourself. Every person who works here is blitzing at the chance to see you, especially after the news of the Lowly’s accident broke.”
“So, they’re here for the day-time soapy drama aspect?”
She pulls a face and shrugs. “Yeah, look, for sure, that’s part of it. The story TMX did on a follow up of an anonymous tip of Pack Lowly’s shady past received a lot of traction last night. I sent you the link.”
“I watched it too. Standard TMX sensationalised drama.”
Gracey agrees immediately. TMX is a popular news and entertainment streaming channel, who err on the side of watered down facts, chasing views as opposed to telling the truth. But people devour their shitty reporting.
“Correct. Except, in our case we’ve got lots of people at Verdune who have worked with Graham and Joseph, so they know there’s a kernel or two of truth to the story too. You’ve got a lot of our staff here as a show of support, although mostly I’d say everyone wants to see the drama involved. The Verdune heir, mourning while showing the world who’s boss? They’re going to gobble up the chance,” she says.
“There is that,” I laugh. “Thanks, Gracey. You’ve set everything up perfectly.”
The door barely closes behind us, and Simona and Tristan rush in.
I knew they were coming, but them dropping everything to be here still hits me like a tonne of bricks. And it bleeds through my new bond with my mates.
My newly acquired security team, aka Ramses, responds without explanation and gets overly protective, clearing the room already knowing I need some Scorned Girls time as I regain my equilibrium.
“Ho,” Simona squeaks before squeezing the absolute life out of me. And I sink into her super sweet cookies and cream scent before surprising her by not letting go of her for a long time. “Are you okay, Heidi Ho?”
I laugh quietly, nodding before letting her go. But I hold on to her hand. Tristan already inserts herself under my arm so we have a three-way sister-hood cuddle.
“Fuck me dead, Ho, I seriously never doubted you, but I truly wondered if we’d get here.”
“Right?” I offer, bouncing straight off her happiness with my own.
And then we kind of pull away from each other, giving them a chance to look at me properly, giving me the space to see them too. They look good. Although Tristan’s abnormally pale, she leans in for another quick hug and whispers in my ear, “Now is not the time or place.”
