Like the snakes they are, they dropped an invisible grenade at the eleventh hour. They’re tabling a motion to have me packed. Have me fucking packed!
“Heidi,” Troy soothes in his role as Chairman. He also doesn’t wait for any kind of acknowledgement from me before he goes on. “It’s clearly the best outcome for everyone if you pack. The shareholders are nervous, and we’re coming up to the six-month anniversary of Margot’s death. We’re all very aware of her hope you’d be packed without intervention, and I suggest she’d be somewhat disappointed that you are not already settled in with a pack.”
Douglas makes a series of overly dramatic tsking as he reads through the document. He blatantly ignores Troy’s attempt at emotional exaction and ignores the entire room as he looks and speaks to me. “Clarification that this is the first time you’ve seen this, Heidi?”
“Yes, it is.”
His eyes go wide like he’s stunned, he’s not. He’s fuming angry. “Sorry, I missed that. Can you confirm you haven’t even had contact from the pack the Verdune board is endorsing, despite you probably speaking or working with those Alphas on a daily basis?”
“That is correct.” I’m angry, without a doubt I am angry. But once the initial shock burnt away, all I feel is disappointed in myself that I didn’t see this coming. I should have. The endorsed pack is Pack Lowly, two of the members of that pack are the children of the board members currently in the same meeting I am. Nepotism, anyone?
Douglas maintains his façade of calmness, talking over my internalising. “I find that odd, considering the entire Board has signed it, of which you are a part. When did Board endorsement on this motion occur, Troy?”
“I don’t see the relevance.” Troy waves dismissively and I can feel his attention locked on my face, but I will not bow to this Alpha.
“You wouldn’t. Which is why I am here as Heidi’s legal advisor. I’ll ask again, besides the obvious that this document was signed off apparently some time earlier today, when did preliminary discussions commence?” Douglas takes control of the situation in his usual brisque manner.
Troy interrupts him. “Irrespective of when earlier discussions happened, the shareholders…”
“Are the shareholders aware that Margot herself made a very small but significant change to Heidi’s guardianship years ago that the Board has constantly tried to ignore? And we all remember the exact date since it also marked the day Heidi was attacked. Now speaking of that event, my client has repeatedly asked for an update on what Verdune has done during the past six years to establish where the leak came from.”
The leak Douglas is referring to wasn’t so much of a leak, more accurately it was a huge split in a dam wall. The tidal wave sized breach was and remains, a glaringly obvious connection between someone in Verdune and the Alpha who attacked me. The mist he sprayed in my face was a drug our company had manufactured and was getting ready to trial. The spray had the ability to render any person irrespective of designation, submissive.
Duratious was designed as the last line of defence for any person facing an Alpha in the throes of the Alpha Deteriorating Virus. And some traitor within the halls of the company my family founded thought the Alpha who attacked me should use it on me. If that doesn’t scream premeditated, I don’t know what does.
Since the day I read the report in my medical file and saw the toxicology report indicating Duratious was used along with confirmation I was also drugged, I have known not to trust anyone who huddles under the large and expensive Verdune umbrella. Which is as crap as it sounds.
People would be shocked stupid if they realised the backstabbing bullshit that happens in the corporate world—the deadly games rich and educated people play are as dangerous and lethal as those that occur in the seedy underworld. In a lot of ways, I admire the underbelly of the city more, at least they live and die by some decree of loyalty.
Douglas’s mood simmers along, his frustration is as palpable as the board staring at me, searching for my agreement. I maintain my focus on my lawyer, letting him do his thing. “My client will not be subjected to a time bomb ticking over her head.”
Troy’s irritation makes him unable to stop the bark of his biting response. “Margot’s stipulation to Heidi’s bequest included a timeline.”
“It defined an end date, yes it did. For Heidi to have full and unfettered access to her trust and take her position, there was most certainly an end date. But those timings as you put it were based on maturity, to give Heidi the chance to obtain as much experience and education as possible so the mammoth task she would eventually undertake would be a pleasure, and not an arduous task. There was no suggesting any of this is tied to Heidi being packed.”
It’s true. The wording on timings relates to everything in my life but packing. Admittedly the words in certain places are ambiguous and somewhat contentious which is where the protracted legal jousting has always been.
“The nervousness of the shareholders should be of concern to Heidi.” Leigh’s words are an intentional low blow, said to hurt.
Douglas hisses. “You’re being overly presumptuous and offensive to both my client and the nature of the company her parents built up.”
“Nonsense,” Leigh counters.
And Douglas just leans back in his chair before he speaks again. “This whole surprise attack is nonsense.”
I guess I find my voice at that point. “I have no issue with the clause with finding a pack, and most of you know that. I have a lot of issues with not being allowed back into my actual office at Verdune or in the very least being able to attend these meetings in person. Travel allowance for each of our other members gets used often, and it is generous.”
William pipes up, as finance is his domain. “It is not about money, and you know it.”
“That is right, I do know it’s not about money. And each of you are aware, I add my approval to each budget including payroll, so I know exactly what this is about,” I reply, not one hint of emotion in my voice.
“And what is that?” Joseph, John’s son and our current VP in marketing snaps. His sarcasm used to be something I found entertaining, it matched his shocking good looks. Now, all the years that have passed since we first met have enabled his true snake-like self to come to light. And they want me to pack to him?
Troy starts talking louder, intentionally lending his support to Joseph. “Heidi is an Omega, and one that has been viciously attacked.”
“She is. She was attacked at a Verdune function too, after she spoke articulately and intelligently,” Douglas says, his tone still conciliatory.
“No Alpha can be around her.” William leans forward in his seat to make his point.
