258
Tony
"He put in an application, submitting a glowing letter of recommendation from you."
"I didn't realize he would use it to apply here. I never even told him I was working here."
"You said he was brilliant."
"He is," I said. "No nonsense, dedicated. He'd be an asset to any team."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Not yours?"
I blinked. "I wouldn't want to send the wrong message by having him in my department."
He scoffed and dropped the pages on the table. "Didn't you tell me you wanted to take over your family company eventually? Like a hard ass? Seems like you might as well start building your team for it. Take your old analyst back and put him to work. I expect to make back at least triple what I'm planning to pay him. And don't look so strange. I'm not worried about either of you being a corporate spy."
His lips twitched. "The little jerk told the interviewer that he's proactive about his livelihood, and we seemed to be the company most likely to take over his old company."
I snorted. "That sounds like Glen."
"Good. I'll let HR know." He pat my shoulder. "I'll let you know when he starts."
With that, he left, seemingly completely unbothered. His trust left me shaken as he exited. I settled at my desk, pulling in deep breaths. How was he so sure about me? How could anyone know who my father was and trust me implicitly?
I'd never understand him. I sank into my seat, logged on to check my email, and started sorting through all the reports that had been sent. I paused and pulled my cell phone out, placing it just outside my vision. Somehow, that made me relax enough to get to work.
It was hours later that I sighed, sat back, and set aside the paperwork I had been working on. The lack of sleep was weighing on me. I needed coffee. It almost made me laugh. I never felt this tired before.
Then, I heard voices not too far from where I was.
"Yeah, but I don't know what Mr. D'Amico is thinking. We all know who he is..."
Gossip. Great. I winced, not wanting to listen, but it was impossible not to, with the breakroom not far enough that I couldn't hear them. Mr. D'Amico trusted me, but there weren't many others in the company that did. The decision to focus on my work rather than confront the whispers felt like a strategic move. Besides, I wasn't sure if they were human or not, and how would I explain the fact that I heard them?
I glanced at the clock. It was almost lunchtime. I should check on Matt as soon as I was done with the report in my hand.
There was something in the numbers that wasn't adding up.
Then, my phone rang. I glanced at it. My stomach jumped. I had hoped it would be Matt, but that wasn't Matt's number. The phone's insistent ring was jarring. I almost didn't want to answer it, but that felt like a coward's move, and I wasn't running from anyone in Blue Moon.
"Tony, it's Martin," the voice on the other end crackles with a blend of worry and accusation.
I braced myself to hold my ground. I could already guess what he was calling about, but I held that back. I could still see him smeared in Ginevra's blood, hiding in the shadows of the trees as if I couldn't see him.
The nerve of him to call me.
"Martin," I said, a sharp intake of breath preceding a cascade of conflicting emotions. "Why are you calling me?"
"Why do you sound like that?" He asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Look, I'm not sure what your problem is, but this is serious, and I didn't call to dick around. It's Jake. His school called me telling me that the year hasn't been paid for, so he can't even move in. What's going on?"
I clenched my fist, imagining Jake alone in that city. I bit my lip. Jake hadn't done anything wrong, and Martin was a decent parent, if a bit ambitious. He'd had plans for Jake to take Cline's position as our beta. His going to college was part of that, but that was all down the drain.
"Hello?"
"I'm still waiting for you to get to the reason why you called me," I said. "This sounds like a problem for your beta or your alpha to handle."
"But Tony," Martin presses, the worry intensifying, "You promised that you would always look out for us. Aren't you our alpha? Think about my boy. He's in that city all alone with nothing and--"
"I was, and don't you work?"
"But--"
"Martin." A heavy sigh escaped me. "I can't manage a pack, nor pretend to be alpha, to a pack that does not want me. To a pack who does not show loyalty, to a pack who would betray me the way you all did."
That didn't deserve my loyalty or care, that chose the familiar hurt of cruelty even after years of being free.
"I haven't done--"
"I saw you, Martin," I said, barely hissing it through my teeth. "Blood-stained and barely healing."
He went silent for a moment. I wondered if he would have the sense to at least claim that it was my father's order.
"You don't understand what it is to be a part of a pack. You've only ever been an heir or the alpha," Martin said. "My boy... My boy is innocent. He deserves better than this, Tony. Are you really going to do this to him?"
I set my jaw. "Did you think about Jake when you attacked the mother of my child, Martin?"
"I--"
"Did you think about his future, his ambitions, his dreams and how they rested on me and what I'd done for the pack when you tore into her and nearly killed her?"
"Tony--"
"I don't need you to answer because I know you didn't. You followed your alpha's orders without rhyme or reason."
"You don't understand--"
"I don't," I paused. "And something tells me that you can't even tell me something that would make me understand. What were you even hoping to gain? You know what the finances were like before we took over, the state of things? Yet you did it anyway. So what did he promise you? Were you hoping he'd see your son as the asset you were trying to make out of him?"
Anger started to boil in me.
"Did you think it was a faster path to making him beta?" I chuckled as he said nothing. The silence lingered.
"I'm glad you're learning how little he values something like the ability to make money.... and that you've shown your true colors. Call your alpha, or leave the pack. This has nothing to do with me any longer."
He growled. "Don't get on your fucking high horse. You encouraged him to go. You know how much school has meant to him. What it could do--Didn't you always say--"
"When I was alpha," I said again. "And it's no longer anyone's fault, but the pack's that Matt and I aren't. Have fun explaining to Jake he'll have to find his own way home and don't lie. He has my number."
Actually, I was surprised that he hadn't called yet.
"You're the heir," he growled. "You should be here making--"
"You can't guilt me into giving a damn about a bunch of traitors," I snarled. The air went still with my irritation. "Oren is your alpha, just as you wanted. You don't get the benefits of my leadership without my leadership, Martin. Call your alpha, don't call me about Blue Moon business again, and good luck."
I hung up and felt my whole body start to relax from a tension I hadn't even realized was there. I was torn, still, even as it made no sense for me to be torn. I could have moved some money to pay for the rest of the kid's school, but I had Quillan, and I knew firsthand that raising a supernatural child was expensive. I hadn't even checked the price of the daycare Matt had chosen, but there was still Ginevra's hospital bill and a whole host of other things to worry about now and in the future.
I pushed my doubt and guilt away. Our father was alpha, just as they wanted, and after what he'd done to Ginevra, I couldn't see myself following him. As much as I knew that werewolves needed their pack, I couldn't see a way in which Quillan could grow up in any way that made sense, in a way that Ginevra would approve of.
I could still see her eyes glaring at me, her fist clenched in my shirt, telling me, ordering me to take care of him. Fear had been in her eyes even as her voice had been so certain of what she was saying.
My phone rang again, and I had half a mind to throw it across the room until I realized that it was the number of the daycare.
"Have I reached Mr. Chance? Quillan's father?"
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