Chapter 153

Grace

"What did you say?" I asked.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Why would the Inter-Pack Police send a unit here after the Blood Moon incident was over? Was it about the threats I was still getting or something else? A ripple of unease went through me at the news. I got off the phone and went down the hall to Amira's desk, finding her already engrossed in sorting through papers.

"So you heard?"

She nodded. Amira glanced up from her desk, her expression mirroring my own unease.

"I saw the notice from the border. It's unusual, especially with everything else going on. Any idea why they'd be showing up here?"

I shook my head, a frown creasing my forehead. "None."

"Blood Moon?" She shrugged and leaned back in her chair, tapping a pen against the desk. "It seemed the most likely, right? They might want statements or information. But why would they come here instead of the city hall?"

"Maybe the police just told them that I was here, and it made things easier to come to me."

Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that wasn't the whole truth. The questions hung in the air, unanswered. The uncertainty added to the tension already present in the aftermath of recent events. I glanced at the clock, noting that they'd be here within half an hour.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough. When they arrive, bring them to my office. I'd like you to be in on the meeting, too."

Amira nodded, and I headed back to my office. I tried to work, tried to focus on something else, but I couldn't. My mind was buzzing with speculation and apprehension. I considered texting or calling Charles for some guidance or reassurance, but I didn't.

I had to stand on my own. Charles had a whole country to run, and whatever he had to talk about with the President was important. I would be fine.

One war or another.

Amira knocked on the door and led a group of people. The look on her face was strained. The whole room seemed to go cold as they entered.

The Inter-Pack Police Unit entered my office with a presence that demanded attention and irritated me. There was the faintest sneer in their eyes as they looked at me. Their uniforms were crisp and well-fitted, displaying the insignia of the Inter-Pack Police with a sense of authority. Each member exuded a stern demeanor, but it fell flat as they almost scowled at me.

The leader, a tall and imposing figure, had a strong jawline and piercing eyes that seemed to dissect every detail of the room. He was going gray at the temples. He couldn't have been older than my father would have been if he was still alive, but there was nothing warm about his expression. He carried himself with a no-nonsense attitude, his gaze sharp and unwavering. It was evident that he was accustomed to command and used to having their orders followed without question. I bet he acted the same way at home with his wife.

The thought only made me feel more on edge.

The others in the unit maintained a disciplined stance, filing into a line near the door. Their expressions revealed a blend of stoicism, scorn, and suspicion. I could feel the weight of their scrutiny as they surveyed the office, evaluating everything from the furniture arrangement to the documents on my desk. It felt like an invasion. I felt exposed and defensive, but I tried to remain calm.

Charles told me that so much of business was like poker. I just had to fake them out until I could get a sense of what they wanted.

Don't panic, Grace. Don't panic. You've faced a terrorist threatening to blow up the city. You can deal with these jerks.

I frowned as a man entered and took the seat across from me. He was in a suit with a badge around his neck. The main seemed bored and detached, but his eyes were filled with malice.

He pursed his lips as he looked at me.

"I'm the Inter-Pack Auditor assigned to your audit. This unit has been dispatched to aid me and go over all of your records, and I assure you, not a single line or smudge of ink will be missed."

I blinked and frowned. I glanced at Amira, who seemed just as on edge.

"You came without warning."

"Do you think the Inter-Pack Police has time to send out missives?" He scoffed. "We're responsible for the entire States, not just tiny packs like yours."

I narrowed my eyes. "What am I being audited for in the first place?"

"You're being put on probation," he said, his voice clipped. "You'll be removed from office during the investigation. Your ability to make decisions will be suspended and--"

"Wait a second," I narrowed my eyes at him. "What right do you have to do any of that?"

The air seemed to hum with tension.

The leading officer stepped forward.

"Grace Wolfe, Alpha of Mooncrest, it's been determined, in light of recent events, questions regarding your stability, and several accusations of fraud and theft, that you are unable to meet the duties of an alpha. Consider it a temporary impeachment until the investigation is resolved."

The words hung heavily in the air, and I felt the weight of his words, pricking my pride and my instincts.

The officer continued, "You will be under heavy surveillance, and your movements will be restricted. You are to remain under house arrest at the pack house until this matter is resolved. Depending on the charges that are substantiated, you will be sentenced to jail time."

My eyes widened. Probation? House arrest? Jail?

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked, unable to help myself.

"I am not a man who--"

"You fuckers were nowhere to be found the entire week Blood Moon had us under bomb threat, you didn't show up to help diffuse a single bomb or put a single bandaid on anyone, and now you waltz in here and tell me I'm being put on probation?"

I titled my head. "If anyone should be removed from office, it's you."

"Alpha Wolfe," Amira said softly. "I don't think that's what you should say."

"Are you stating your intent not to comply?" He asked coldly.

I narrowed my eyes. "I'm asking for where you're getting all this from and what sort of investigation you plan on completing. Who accused me of theft? Theft of what? What sort of fraud?"

"We're not at liberty to disclose the source of the charges. Standard protocol."

Bullshit. I knew it. I felt it. I could see the lies in their eyes, but I didn't know how to get around it.

"Before you are taken to your pack home, you are required to turn over access to all records related to the pack," the auditor said, his tone unyielding. "This includes Wolfe Medical's records, spanning from accounting to research and development. We need to ensure the integrity of the pack's operations."

The demand for access to Wolfe Medical's inner workings struck a nerve. My mind raced, considering the implications of this unexpected intrusion. The lawyers began laying out the legalities of the situation, their words weaving a complex web around me, but in between it all, I could feel something off.

"Wolfe Medical is completely independent of pack operations," I narrowed my eyes. "You're from the federal government. You should know that based on our tax records." I clenched my jaw. "So no, you don't get Wolfe Medical records under this bullshit impeachment. Try again."

My heart was hammering. I felt like I was on shaky ground, but I knew I was right on that. The challenge from Alpha Shadow, the arrest of the Darrow family members, and now this — it seemed like I was never going to get to steady ground.

"The lines between your role as the pack's alpha and the leader of Wolfe Medical are not as clear-cut as you may think," the auditor remarked, their tone calculated. "Given that Wolfe Medical is Mooncrest's biggest company. It is implicated in any irregularities in accounting, tax payments, and the like. Maybe on paper, they are separate entites, but they are not in reality--"

"I--"

"Furthermore, as it is not just your pack but your personally who is under investigation, Wolfe Medical falls under scrutiny."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. What could I say to that? Didn't they have to tell me who was on the other side of a lawsuit? But I guess this wasn't a lawsuit but some sort of sanction.

The President was behind this. Since Blood Moon failed in what they were after, then they were pulling this bullshit. I was pissed, but I was being outmaneuvered. I didn't know enough about the law to fight this, or audit procedures, or anything really. Just as I teetered on the edge of acquiescing to their demands, a call from the front desk interrupted the tense atmosphere.

I picked up the line. "Yes?"

"Alpha Wolfe, your appointment has arrived."

I frowned. What appointment?