Chapter 9

Giselle's POV

My head spiraled in fear as I heard the news. I couldn't believe my father had been hiding all these things from me. I tried to calm down my fraying nerves so I can think of a solution clearly.

"As we both know no wedding has taken place as was previously decided by the two packs and now I want the money back," James continued.

I tried to process the situation while I gathered myself together. I looked over at my father and he was still silent trying to avoid eye contact with me. Taking a deep breath I squared my shoulders and gave James a pointed stare. "How much is my father owing you?."

James smirked and walked menacingly around the table before answering.

"Your father owes me a total of five million dollars," he said slowly.

"What?," I yelled in surprise. My father took that much money. It was way more than I expected.

"No, that's a lie. I didn't get the entire five million, I only got three million dollars and Jared took the rest," my father yelled, finally speaking up.

"I knew that. Jared played you. He assumed the wedding might fall through and he could be at risk of losing his position so he made sure to keep a portion of the money but you see none of that is any of my problem." He walked up to my father and said menacingly "I don't care that you split the money with Jared, all I care about is your name being as the receiver of the money and I'm here to collect it in full. I give you three days to give me my money back or else I'll see you in the royal court"

"Three days. How on earth am I supposed to raise that kind of money in three days?," My father panicked.

"That is not my problem. Either you get me the money in three days or you face the consequences and have your name dragged to mud"

"Please, I will pay you back. Don't let us settle our dispute in the royal court but I need more time. Three days is not nearly enough," my father pleaded.

James only smirked before turning away and exiting as impudently as he had walked in. I still stood transfixed to the spot as I watched my father wallow in grief. My father wasn't afraid of James, he was much more terrible than him, but the one thing I know my father hated was the thought of being ridiculed by his rival packs. He hated the thought of being shamed more than anything.

Anger stirred up inside of me as I walked over to confront him.

"Why did you take such a large sum of money from the blue moon pack?. What was it for anyway?. How could you let Jared fool you and let things get out of hand like this?," I yelled at him in anger. I couldn't take it anymore.

Just when I think my father couldn't ruin my life anymore something comes up and changes that notion. My mother and Toby didn't know but the pack had been going through some financial difficulties which my father had waved aside and said he would sort it out himself. I had never expected he would sort it out this way.

"How am I going to raise such a large sum of money in only three days?," he lamented, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

I racked my head and tried to think of a solution that could help us at such short notice but the ones I could think of couldn't be resolved in a short time. We could liquidate some of our assets but it couldn't be done in just three days. I know with just a call I could get some of the pack elders to loan me some money but the money would not be able to amount to five million in such a short time besides I didn't want the risk of a rumor spreading that we were going broke.

My father suddenly stood up and walked over to me.

"Giselle. The future of our pack is now in your hands. There is only one person that can help us at this point to get that large sum in such a short time," he said pleadingly, pausing to hold my hands as I was already dreading what he was going to suggest.

"Please call Alpha Cole. He's your fiance and you're carrying his child so he will definitely help us. He's the alpha king son so getting that amount will not be difficult for him. Help me please"

My father had never held my hands so tenderly before nor had he ever pleaded with me like this. I knew he was desperate to get rid of this problem but his suggestion was not going to be of much help either. I and Cole will soon be married but he had made it clear the relationship between us was contractual. I doubt he would go through troubles just to help us.

I shook my head at my father. "Didn't you hear what he said at the wedding? Do you really think he's going to help us?. I highly doubt it"

"If you don't persuade him to help us, we'll lose everything your grandfather has tried to work for years. Do you really want that?," my father said, trying to emotionally blackmail me using my grandfather.

I looked at him in contempt as anger surged inside of me. He was right though. I couldn't let everything my grandfather had tried hard to build just because my father was a selfish dictator. I sighed and walked out of my father's office. I went straight to my room and deliberated my next steps. No matter which way I looked at it, it didn't seem right to ask for help from Cole, especially when I knew he didn't like my father. What would he think of me?.

I continued to pace back and forth before deciding to call Sonia and ask for her advice. I dialed her number and she picked up on the first ring.

"Sonia. I need your help. I can't go into details but would you happen to have five million dollars lying around that you don't need right now?," I asked impatiently.

"Five million what?. Giselle what do you need such a large sum of money for?"

I sighed and proceeded to tell her what had happened with James and also what Cole had suggested about our relationship. Sonia listened quietly as I continued to rant without saying anything.

"I think your father is right. You need to ask Cole for help," she said after I had finished talking.

"Didn't you hear what I said?. Cole just wants to marry me because of our child. I can't ask him for money. He would think I'm taking advantage of him"

"You don't need to ask him for money then. Listen Giselle you're smart and you've worked hard to make this pack not go to ruins. I'm sure you can figure out a way to make him give you the money without hurting your pride"

I thought about what Sonia said for a minute. She was right. I was capable and intelligent and I had helped grow this pack tremendously. I couldn't let it be ruined. An idea began to take foot in my head and I instantly knew what to do then.

"Thanks Sonia. I think I know what to do now. I will update you on what's happening as soon as I get results. See you," I said before hanging up the phone.

I reached for my phone and after much hesitation I dialed Cole's number. I took a deep breath and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello," his gruff voice answered. I put on the most businesslike voice I had.

"I apologize for calling you this late but I need to discuss something with you. Can I see you tomorrow afternoon?"

"I'll be free tomorrow afternoon. Where can we meet?. Should I come over to your pack house?"

"No," I interjected quickly. The last thing I wanted was for my father and Cole to meet again and let the bad energy between them get in the way of their practical thinking. "Let's meet at the royal resort," I said finally.

He agreed and hung the phone almost immediately. I stood up to go to my office. Now that I had gotten a meeting with him, I had to make sure I came prepared. I had to give him no reason to say no to me.