Chapter 154

Grace

I looked at my calendar. There was no one there. I glanced over at Amira, who seemed to be watching the unit as if she was gearing up for a physical fight.

I was a little wary. Who could it be? Especially now?

“Who is it?” I inquired, my voice betraying a hint of caution.

The front desk receptionist hesitated for a moment before responding, “Esme Brighthollow from Stormclaw has arrived. She’s here for the auditing procedures you requested?”

My mind, already overloaded with the unfolding crisis, momentarily stumbled. I hadn’t asked for an audit. I didn’t even recognize the name, but I knew that Stormclaw had ties to the Clans and, thus, ties to Charles. If there was anyone behind this, any good thing that could be coming my way when I needed it most, it was probably because Charles had sent it.

I cleared my throat.

“Ah,” I responded, trying to mask my momentary lapse. “That’s great. Thank you. I must have forgotten in the midst of everything going on. Please send her up. We’ll begin shortly.”

As I hung up, I took a deep breath and looked across the table at the men across from me.

My office felt like a battleground, tensions rising as I met the gaze of the auditor.

“You’re aware that I am... very new to my position, so you’re going to have to explain a few things to me,” I said. “Fine, you can’t tell me where the accusations came from, but you can’t tell me that you can’t tell me exactly what the accusations are.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And shouldn’t these cases, charges, or whatever, be separated out?”

I scrambled, trying to find something else. I lifted my chin.

“I want to know, in detail, what sort of fraud, what sort of threat, and so on, and you’ll have to give me a moment to call my lawyer.”

The auditor narrowed his eyes. “You seem to think you have a choice in how I conduct this audit. It’s been determined--”

“You’re not explaining how it’s been determined. By who, when, to what end? How am I being held responsible for a terrorist attack?” I lifted my head. “As far as I can see, you’re here to harass me, and I’ve already had to deal with one terrorist.”

“Excuse--”

“You’re welcome to leave whenever you like,” I said. “I have no use for you. I’ve already made arrangements to have Stormclaw audit Mooncrest. As you all have responsibilities to all of the States, it would be silly for you to waste your time with a small pack like Mooncrest, as you implied.”

The auditor, undeterred, set his jaw. “If you continue on this path, you will be arrested for fraud outright.”

“You must be talking about Wolfe Medical’s newest project. I was told that the investigation of Fenris’ claims was being handled by the patent office. What are you doing here? Are you going to bring out a patent auditor, too?”

The unit leader pulled out a pair of cuffs. “One last chance. I will consider further hesitation as refusal as non-compliance and arrest you for contempt of the law.”

Before I could say anything else, a familiar, uncanny scent drifted into the room. The door opened, and a woman entered the room.

“How amusing,” she said softly. “I was going to say the same of you...”

I turned and looked at the woman. This had to be Esme Brighthollow. She entered the room with a commanding presence that seemed to alter the very atmosphere. My eyes were drawn to her, and an instinctive magical vibe enveloped the space, tingling in the air like the resonance of a powerful spell. Her every movement exuded confidence as if she held mastery over everyone and everything. Goddess, I wanted to have that kind of confidence.

She glided into the room. Her heels clicked on the floor as the cape of her dress fluttered behind her. Stars shot across the dark fabric of her tights. She looked so sophisticated and magical. I was stunned. Esme carried herself with a regal grace that demanded attention. There was a circle of metal and gems on her brow. The jewels of it glinted with light, making her hair seem even darker. Her eyes, however, were the most striking feature. They held a peculiar glint reminiscent of starlight, casting a cosmic radiance that seemed to dance within their depths. The effect was enchanting and, for a moment, reminded me of Eason’s new eyes, although Esme’s held a unique allure of their own.

“Excuse me?” The auditor asked.

“As Alpha Wolfe said, you may leave whenever you’d like,” Esme said. "And I am well aware you heard me and understood my meaning. I make it a point to enunciate appropriately."

As she spoke, the gleam in her eyes intensified, mirroring the glimmering brilliance of distant constellations. I frowned, blinking and trying to clear the haze that seemed to be clouding my mind. Was it a spell? The room felt charged with otherworldly energy. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Esme was not just a visitor but a force to be reckoned with.

“Though if you choose not to leave now, then perhaps you will leave after we’ve cleared up this little misunderstanding,” she began, addressing the Inter-Pack Auditor. “Alpha Grace hasn’t submitted a formal application for senatorship, which means there’s no basis for an impromptu audit by the Inter-Pack Police. The audit will proceed as planned under the jurisdiction of Stormclaw. You have no place here.”

I blinked, looking between her and the auditor as he adjusted his tie.

“Miss Brighthollow,” he said. “Are you putting for that you can dictate the jurisdiction of the Inter-Pack Police?”

“Given my position in the Inter-Species hierarchy? Yes.”

They flinched as she approached my desk. The closer she drew, the more relieved I felt. The power dynamics in the room shifted completely just in a few words.

"Your presence here is a direct violation of the Inter-Species Ordinances regarding crimes affecting territories and inter-species and inter-territorial disputes." She leaned back on my desk and turned to look at me with a cocked eyebrow. She wiggled her eyebrows and turned back to face them. "You would think a man who seems to hold himself so highly, clinging to his little badge and his assigned minions, would at least know the laws he's meant to be enforcing, hm? I suppose I should add a formal complaint to the list, Alpha Wolfe."

I couldn’t follow what section of the law she was quoting, referring to, or otherwise arguing about as the auditor sputtered and tried to argue, but as I looked at her and soaked in her presence, I couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity with Esme. There was something about her that tugged at the edges of my memory, a connection I couldn’t quite place. I know I had never met her, but that didn’t feel entirely true. Maybe it was because of her eyes or her ease at handling the situation.

“Now, if you truly have something to discuss with Alpha Wolfe, you can be polite enough to wait your turn, hm?”

The door opened as she looked at them expectantly. The unit leader looked uncomfortable, and the auditor stood.

“Fine. No more than thirty minutes.”

“I don’t even let my husband dictate time to me,” Esme said with a falsely sweet tone. “Why would you ever think you have the privilege?”

He stomped out, leading the rest of the unit out. As the door closed, a wall of light went around the room.

“You handled that well,” she said. “A little rough around the edges, but we’ll get you polished in no time, I’m sure.” A mischievous grin played on her lips as she turned to face me. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and determination. “You've made a few enemies, but lucky for you, you’ve got better allies."

"Your eyes..."

She grinned, and the starlight started to fade, leaving just a near-glowing grey.

Esme chuckled. "Well, sometimes a bit of theatrics is necessary. Keeps them on their toes."

"My brother's eyes do that... but I've never felt mesmerized. Was it a spell?" I looked at her. "You're a witch, right?"

"How observant," she said. "Not a spell, but related. Let's call it my natural allure, and I'm sure given the time to recover and a little practice, young Eason will be charming whoever happens to be around."

My lips twitched at the thought. "I'm not sure he's not already..."

She chuckled again and offered her hand. "Esme Brighthollow, head auditor and licensed Inter-Species solicitor, at your service."

I shook her hand. "That's great, but... who are you actually, and why are you really here? I feel like I know you from somewhere. Have we met before?"

Esme's smile widened, and her eyes brightened.

"All in good time, Grace. Right now, my focus is on ensuring you uphold your word to the people. The Senate seat you promised them is crucial, and I'm here to make sure you deliver."