Chapter 51 The Brandt Fortune

(Hope POV)

The Ulrich Group of Companies HQ is in Seattle so, when Alexander is here, it's all business for him. Unfortunately, the vultures come out and the buzz starts. Who will be the lucky lady on the arm of the most sought after eligible bachelor of Seattle? Well, he isn't a bachelor anymore.

Everyone was wondering who I was. When we attended an event last night, all the people started taking photos of me. Alexander didn't speak to anyone. We just made an appearance and went back to Alexander's penthouse because he had to talk to Mark who was left in charge of the territory. I found a picture of myself in a local newspaper captioned " Who is the latest model on Alexander Ulrich's arm?" Me? A model? The gossip column is so funny. I did look good in the photo though.

As we exited the Ulrich Towers building this morning to see the High Elder, there were paparazzi already waiting for us.

"Paparazzi waiting for you, Luna." Oliver said.

"Do they want my autograph?" I laugh.

"They'd keel over if you stopped to give them your autograph, Luna. I have never seen them like this." Oliver sounded surprised.

"Let's keep them guessing shall we," Alexander replied.

The High Elder, who owns a chain of banks, lives on the penthouse suite of his own building. Since he is good with money, many of the packs invest their money through him. My biological mother and father did the same.

We were to meet the High Elder at his home office, a privilege only a few have. While we were being checked by security, the High Elder's assistant walked up to me. "I saw your picture in the paper this morning, Alpha Hope. You're even prettier in person." I smiled at her warmly. What a nice thing to say.

She ushered us into the High Elder's huge office. It had a very modern design and smelled like peaches. There were picture frames on a bookshelf near the door. I walked over to see who were in the pictures.

I stopped at one picture. It was a picture of my mother, my father and Damian Lancaster with the High Elder. Well, packs need to keep alliances even with a slimeball like Damian Lancaster. I saw a picture of Alexander and a blonde haired woman. Alexander had his arm around her. This must be Leia! She really was pretty. Alexander really loved blondes.

"What are you looking at, Hope? Alexander was behind me.

"You and Leia? That's Leia, right?" I pointed to the picture. Alexander bends down to take a look.

"Yes, we were your age." Alexander smiled.

"You guys look good together," I said.

"You aren't jealous?" He teased.

"No. Why should I be? I'm Mrs. Ulrich." I show him my wedding ring.

"That's what I like about you. Your reasoning," he said, grinning at me. He grabs my waist and places a kiss on my cheek. I pull away and give him a dirty look.

"What I don't like about you, Alexander, is your fondness for blondes." My lips curve into a pout.

"Come on. It's in the past," he looks up at the ceiling, stunned I could be so petty.

"Ava didn't seem to think so." I punch him in the arm.

"Oh no," Alexander said, glancing down at me with fear in his eyes.

"Oh yes, Alexander." I nodded my head. The assistant comes in with coffee and croissants and places them on the coffee table. "Alpha Alexander, Alpha Hope, please have some coffee and pastries while you wait." She bows and leaves.

I sat down. My legs were killing me from wearing these heels. After I make my announcement later, I'm throwing these heels away. I was sipping on coffee when the High Elder finally came into his office.

"Alpha Ulrich, Alpha Alarie-Ulrich, thank you for waiting." We stood up and bowed at him.

"Please be seated so we can get down to business." He gestured to us to sit down. "Alpha Hope, your mate took the liberty to inform me of the details regarding your fortune. Here is an account for Jim and Mirasol Alarie as well as an account for Cecilia Lupa." He handed me their bank books and cards.

"You would like to keep most of your investments, very wise. You were also correct, you are already an investor of the Ulrich and Hemming group. My attorney is the one who attends to all the meetings. You have a trust fund, two actually. One from your father and one from your mother, yours to do as you see fit," he explained. He smiles warmly at me and pats my hand.

"I would like to thank you Alpha Hope for keeping the Stella Foundation. Alexander here told me you would like an additional percentage of your earnings to go to the foundation. Very generous of you," the High Elder said.

"Your excellency, is it possible to make my mother's trust fund a trust fund for my future children?" I asked him.

"Of course, you would like to continue the trust, but with a different beneficiary, your children. Wise of you." He motions to his assistant for a document.

"You just need to sign these, Alpha Hope." He hands all the papers to Alexander. "Have your lawyer go through all of this, have Hope sign the documents, make copies if you need it, and return the documents to me. Call my secretary for an appointment," he instructed.

"Your father's trust, Alpha Hope, would you like to liquidate it?" The High Elder asked.

"Yes. A portion I would like to give to my mother's pack in the north," I replied.

"Here, you go." He gave me a passbook, a bank card and a checkbook. "You can write a check to your mother's former pack. "

"Thank you, your Excellency."

"Now, your mother's items. Alpha Alexander, you did bring some of your men with you, yes?" Alexander nods. "Good, you'll need them for the gold if you would like to withdraw all of it."

The High Elder ushers us into an elevator to a floor in the middle of the building. "Thieves usually target the ground floor or the top floor. Never the floor at the middle of the building." He had a point.

We walked to a metal door. The High Elder placed his finger in the air and started to write numbers in the air. Each number came out a bright red. Then, suddenly the door opened. The High Elder went inside first and we followed. In it were safety deposit boxes. Some big, some small. My mother's safety deposit box was the biggest in the room. The High Elder turned around and faced me, a grave expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, Alpha Hope. The only way to open the safe is by a drop of your blood. The reason why I know the contents of your mother's safety deposit box is because your mother handed me a meticulous list of the contents of her box."

"Is there another way to open it?" Alexander asked him.

"None. If you are not the heir, I will just make all documents null and void and all the accounts, that is, your father and mother's, aunt's and yours, closed. If you are, then, have your lawyers check all the documents and you can start withdrawing money from the tellers downstairs or the cash machines. No harm, no foul," the High Elder said. "Alpha Hope, all you have to do is place your finger here." He pointed to a small hole.

I place my finger where the High Elder instructed and a sound comes from the box. Suddenly, I feel a metal bar clamp down on my finger against a really big needle. When the metal bar lifted, I quickly pulled out my finger. "Ow!" I start sucking my finger. "That actually hurt."

"Your mother said it would, but the pain will be forgotten when the door opens." The High Elder tells me with a twinkle in his eyes.

The safety deposit box started emitting a blue light which spread all over the box. The six combination lock starts moving on its own,  ending with the date of my birth day. "My birthday," I whispered.

"You are truly the daughter of Adella. Go child. Open the door." The High Elder nodded his head at me, gesturing for me to open it.

When I open the door, I was shocked to see rows and rows of gold bricks. There were two smaller shelves on top of the bricks. The first shelf had small little bags neatly stacked while the other row had jewelry...lots and lots of jewelry.

"The folder contains treasury bonds and titles of land and property your father accrued over the years as Alpha of Crescent Moon Pack. I also think a letter is there from your mother. All in all, the Lupa-Brandt fortune is an estimated $4B to $5B."

"Your Excellency, you have been very kind in overseeing my parent's finances. I would expect you require a fee," I said.

"Oh no, Hope. Your fortune has helped me all these years. What I do for you is free," he replied.

"Well, Sir, if you need anything, let me know." I grin at him. His eyes suddenly lit up like he had thought of something and raised his finger to ask for a favor.

"Ah, I would like to ask for a protection charm for my building. If that is not too much. I have already heard the news of your abilities." He had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

I smiled. That I can do without any problems.