6. Finley
Finley
After talking with Colt and Lane, I felt like I could breathe a little easier, even if the conversation didn’t start out the best. I knew telling them about Rath was going to cause some upset, but I hadn’t pictured it going down the way it did.
My guilt and Colt’s concern created the perfect storm that made my wolf become a puddle of anxiety and I couldn’t manage to say anything I wanted to.
When Rath took over the call, I stepped out of the vault separating myself from the conversation until I could come to terms with my choices.
Now that I had come into my elf nature, it was much easier to balance my emotions.
I could reason with my wolf instead of only having my omega nature ruling my life.
Yes, I still wanted to please my alphas and look after my newfound pack, but I was able to look at things more objectively and still feel like my true self—the Finley before getting bitten.
Obviously, there would be a learning curve.
My elf nature seemed to be fueled by my emotions, good or bad, and my omega side felt every emotion around me.
This was the area that was going to take the most work and no one knew exactly how to help me since it’s never happened before.
Tucking the phone into my back pocket, Rath and I headed out of the bookstore after letting Oscar know we were leaving. Apparently still uncomfortable with Rath being around, he just gave me a wave and disappeared into this maze of bookshelves.
“This question might sound beyond ignorant, but is there any special concern with what you can eat being an elf?” I asked Rath as we headed down the sidewalk.
His seafoam green eyes danced with laughter at my question, but he didn’t tease me about it. “While we prefer to eat a more clean diet of items we’ve grown ourselves, I can eat anything without complication.”
“Just wanted to check before we ended up someplace you couldn’t eat. My bank is right up here. After I get my money moved around, we can have breakfast unless there is something you need to do?” I questioned, stopping before walking into the building.
“No, there is nothing pressing that I must do. I really don’t even know if there is anyone left. I’ve been with the Dark Ring for so long I’m sure they’ve moved the commune,” Rath answered, his shoulders sagging slightly as he talked.
My brow scrunched up at the way he made it sound like he’s been held captive for years. I suppose it never crossed my mind that he might have people to get back to since I’d been so focused on staying alive.
“How long were you down there?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Twenty-five years,” he answered as he reached out a hand, cupping my cheek, allowing me to feel the sadness and loneliness he must have felt.
“I wasn’t in that location long, they were planning on moving us to the auction, and I would be sent to my new master.
Being bound with iron cuffs kept me from my magic and weak as a human so I could be controlled.
The Dark Ring knows that there are some of us left, not many, mind you, but that just makes those they catch all the more valuable. ”
Covering his hand with my own, I couldn’t help but imagine what it must have been like to be held captive for so long.
From his appearance and attitude, you’d never guess he had been a prisoner for a quarter of a century.
This proud, strong man had to bend to the will of others, never knowing how long he would remain somewhere or who he would be transferred to next.
I felt my wolf brush up against his magic, adding her support, trying to banish the emotions I was feeling at this moment coming off him.
Never again would this man be alone. He would always have me at his side, and I will keep that from ever happening to him again.
Rath chuckled as he looked down at me. “What a fierce mate I’ve found myself.
You look as if you will destroy anything that gets in your way right now.
” Bending down, he kissed me softly on the lips.
“It is an honor to see you so protective of me, nin mel. I feel very much the same about you. Now enough of this depressing talk. Let us get what you need sorted out so we can eat. Our cans of soup last night left much to be desired and I am rather famished.”
Shaking myself out of my emotions, I squared my shoulders and headed into the bank, walking right up to the counter.
“Good morning, how may I help you?” the woman behind the thick bulletproof glass asked through the speaker.
“Morning, I need to speak with someone about transferring some funds from offshore accounts and adjusting some preferences and access to my current accounts,” I shared, knowing this would have to be done with a specially qualified employee.
She flashed me a smile and nodded, picking up the phone and speaking quickly.
Pausing to listen, she nodded her head along with whatever was being said to her before she hung up and addressed me.
“One of our personal bankers will be up to escort you to their office momentarily. If you head over to that small seating area off to the left, they will meet you there.”
Offering her a smile, I headed to the seating she gestured to.
Before I could even sit, a man in a pressed black suit with a soft blue tie and shiny shoes approached.
He paused when he saw me probably not being what he expected or the people he was used to dealing with.
Most who would require offshore accounts didn’t dress in jeans and a t-shirt their mate created from a wetsuit.
The man quickly caught himself and reached out a hand to greet me. “Good morning, I’m Brian, and I’ll be helping you out today.”
When I gripped his hand, I discovered that he was attracted to me and not at all a fan of Rath, who was looming protectively over me.
This elf was as bad as the wolves when it came to defending what they claimed as theirs.
“Thank you. I appreciate the help,” I answered, trying to keep the two men from causing a scene.
“Right this way to my office. Can I get you any coffee? Hot tea?” Brian asked, leading the way into his cushy office.
“We’re fine, thank you,” Rath answered, his voice gruff.
It took everything in me not to roll my eyes and remain professional, but I’ve discovered some cracks in my cool, calm, and collected exterior with all the new emotions.
“Thank you for the offer,” I added, smoothing over Brian’s ruffled feathers as he glared at Rath.
“Now, I have a few different accounts, but I would like to pull from one of the offshore Swiss accounts and pull enough over to the stateside, main account. I would also like to add on names of people who can access it as well.”
“Certainly. Do you have account numbers, or will I need to look those up for you?” Brian asked, rolling his chair up to his computer.
“If you hand me a piece of paper, I will write them all down for you,” I said as I slipped my ID over to him as well. “I assume you are going to need that as well to verify along with my signature and pin code?”
Brian blinked at me a few times before he got moving on what I’d asked him for. I quickly wrote out the account numbers and all the other information he needed to find them as he slid over a number keypad for me to input my code. Now that I had proven who I was, things moved quickly.
“How much did you want to take from the Swiss account?” Brian asked.
“Two million, please. I believe that should leave another eight in the account?” I questioned, wanting to make sure I’d kept track right.
“Actually, you have almost twelve in the account before we move anything. Does that change your numbers?”
I shook my head. No need to have more where I could get taxed or have someone trace it when I didn’t need to. “Two should be fine, and is it possible to get three hundred pulled out in cash for me to use now?”
“Absolutely, we can do that, not a problem,” Brian assured me as he typed away on the keyboard. Then something made him pause. “I’m sorry, but you want me to add Zander Vaughan to your account, the superstar?”
“Is that a problem?” I pinched my eyebrows together, forming a crease.
Brian shook his head, looking extremely confused. “It’s none of my concern, just seems strange when I’m sure he has more than enough money he wouldn’t need yours. I just want to make sure he isn’t running some kind of scam on you.”
Hearing him bad mouth my mate made my hackles rise and my magic spark under my skin.
“You’re absolutely right. It is none of your concern.
The only reason I am giving you justification is because, the last thing he needs is some rumor going around saying he’s tricking women into giving him money.
He is my mate, and in the supernatural world, that is the same as being husband and wife.
I’m sure you have plenty of people who add their significant other to their account, do you not?
” My voice was hard as steel as I spoke, even as I kept my body relaxed and face blank, hiding the fact I wanted to rip out his throat.
“I’m so extremely sorry, ma’am. I never should have made assumptions,” Brian stuttered, panic written all over his face.
Rath reached over and took my hand in his, pulling it up to his lips and flooding me with calm, soothing emotions to stabilize my own.
“My love, forgive the ignorant human. He didn’t know any better,” he cooed before turning his gaze to Brian.
“Is there anything else you need from her, or can you complete the rest on your own?”
While I never was the type to make others doing their job feel bad, Brian had no right to say what he did.
What I did with my money or my personal life was none of his concern.
“I agree. If I can get the cash I requested, I believe you have all the information needed.” I stood, settling my hands on Brian’s desk, and gave him the death stare of an assassin as I spoke the last part, “If I hear anything about Zander using women for money or the fact that we are mated, I will know where it came from and personally deal with the problem.”
Brian gulped audibly at my words as he stood, trying to put the office chair between us, letting me know he was taking me seriously. “Of course, ma’am, I apologize for speaking out of turn and butting in where I had no right. Give me a moment to get that cash and you can be on your way.”
Rath chuckled as he stood, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me tight against him, showing me just how much he enjoyed my possessiveness.
“Nin mel, do your other mates know how lucky they are to have you? Not many women would think to ensure Zander’s reputation stays intact.
It’s not widely known he’s tied to the Senate, but we elves find it best to know who the dangers are as we stay hidden.
That and I’m around the same age as him, I believe. ”
Gasping, I turned in his hold and looked up at him. “Zander is a hundred years old? How did we not know that? The organization also likes to ensure we have all the best information on big players in the supernatural and human world.”
“As I said, they like to keep his information close to the chest with who his mother is,” Rath pointed out.
I was unable to ask more about that since Brian returned with an envelope of money and a paper for me to sign. As soon as we were finished, he escorted us to the front door. “Can I call you a cab to take you to where you’re going?”
“Thank you, but that won’t be needed,” I said before Rath could share his feelings on the matter. With a quick wave, I pulled my mate out of the bank and onto the streets. “Remind me that I should run errands like this alone. You all seem to make things so much worse.”
Rath huffed as if I’d offended him by saying that.
“Nin mel, there is no way that you will be going anywhere without one of us. The Dark Ring might not know yet that they failed to capture you, but they will be after you soon enough, and we don’t know the extent of the connection to the Senate.
Personally, I wouldn’t discount your previous employers being a part of this as well. ”
“The Organization doesn’t pick sides. They stay neutral until someone pays them to be otherwise.
Even then, it’s only for a job, and they go back to not caring about what happens in the world unless they can make a profit off of it,” I countered, not willing to believe that Miranda would go so far to allow them to play me like that.
Now that he’d introduced that idea, it made me think the risk of contacting Miranda would be worth it.
She might be the face of the Organization, but she wasn’t at the top of the ladder.
There was a mystery figure at the top that only stepped in when needed.
Could this person be working without telling Miranda what they were doing?
Out of the situations I could think of, that seemed to make more sense to me than for them to turn on me so fast. If that was what was happening, then I needed to talk to her.
She might be in as much danger as I am if they bring down the Senate on them.
“Whatever has you worried, know that we will figure it out together. Seven brains are better than one, don’t you think?” Rath asked as he took my hand in his, giving it a squeeze. “So, where shall we eat?”
Stepping out to the road, I waved my hand at a cab that drove by and it pulled over to pick us up.
“I know just the spot. It’s near the airport they will be using to fly, so we will be close.
” Turning to the driver, I gave him the address, and we were off.
One step closer to us all finally being back together.