Chapter 41
Alric
Pack Carnell stands as I approach. They look absurdly similar to each other, with thinning hair in shades of brown and sleazy smiles. Their suits are tailored, but it’s obvious they’ve spent years indulging in vices and each look a decade or two older than their age.
“You must be Alric Monroe, I’m Brett. This is Charles, Keith, and William. Congratulations on the success of your new app.”
“Thank you.” We shake hands and I can’t help myself, tightening my grip painfully, a fake smile firmly in place. Satisfaction blooms in my chest at the way he discreetly flexes his hand afterwards.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to be here.” Brett’s eyes practically glow with greed. “I believe our companies have the potential for a very successful partnership.” He truly thinks we’re in the market to do business with them.
“Please have a seat. These are my business partners, Zachary Clark and Hunter Anderson.”
Once they are all seated, we step aside, finally revealing her. “And I believe you know our bonded omega, Madeline.”
Each of their oily smiles slides away, expressions ranging from guilt to anger, but all of them are speechless. Her petty pleasure at that is obvious in the bond.
I hold her hand as she sits in the lone chair, her pack at her back, standing over her like vengeful gods ready to enact her every command.
Charles swallows hard. “Linny, how—how have you been…”
“Well, I’m certainly better than Mom.”
Keith and Charles suddenly lose the ability to maintain eye contact with her.
Good, they should feel fucking terrible.
“That was extremely unfortunate,” Keith finally says, still staring at the floor. “We’re sorr—”
“Is this why you brought us here?” Brett seethes. “To guilt us over shit that happened years ago? We had no control over finding a scent match, and you’re aware of the rules. Scent matches over everything.”
“Oh, I am very aware of that, Brett,” Madeline spits out.
“You were, however, in control of the years of emotional mistreatment and heat abuse, but I know there’s nothing I can say that will make you understand that.
One would need a heart and basic human decency to comprehend the pain you caused my mother.
You all showed time and time again that’s something you never possessed. ”
William speaks for the first time, glaring at Madeline so hard I need to clench my fist to stop from punching the sucker.
“She was lucky we even wanted her for as long as we did. She was terrible at being an omega. Not like you, though, looks like all the training we drilled into you got you far in this life.” He glances up at us with a scowl.
“A billion-dollar pack? You should be thanking us.”
There’s a sharp collective breath from us, but her side of the bond is strangely calm—unlike ours, which is filled with rage. I only need a single reason to launch myself across that table.
The feral alpha I connected to when she’d been taken is still lingering under the surface, eager for a chance to eradicate her enemies one by one.
“You did nothing but torment, neglect, and abandon your omega and your child. You don’t deserve my gratitude, nor will you ever receive it.
After tonight, I will never think of you again.
” She holds out her hand and I pass her the file.
“I’ll be much too busy sitting on the board of Carnell Banking and Investments to dwell on the past.”
Confusion stuns them all but Brett recovers first, laughing. “You want a seat on the board? As if we would ever let a little whore like you near our company. You think we didn’t know about the sugar babying? Our golf buddy Jensen told us about you, said you were a real bitch to him.”
Rage explodes in our bond, but before we can make them regret those words, Madeline holds up her hand to stop us.
“Bold of you to shame me for the job I turned to as a teenager from having no financial support from my millionaire fathers. Have you heard from Jensen recently? Has he missed any tee times?”
They glance at each other. “Alphas are busy men. Why? Are you two still dating?” Keith asks, confused at the question.
Hunter, Zachary, and I all growl at him and Keith has the good sense to be scared, his shoulders curving in.
Madeline calmly continues. “No. He’s playing golf in hell now.
Alric murdered him with his bare hands after he kidnapped and assaulted me.
” They all look rightfully horrified and she presses on.
“But the case is still open. I’ll be sure to let the Omega Protection Services know you were all such good friends. ” Her last words are dripping in venom.
“We had no idea, please believe us,” Charles begs. “All we knew is that he said you were ignoring his calls and he felt slighted.”
A deep well of hurt and disgust opens up inside of her but she hides it, not wanting us to step in yet.
“And did you tell him to leave me alone? Did it cross your minds that if I was ignoring him, it was for a reason, and as my fathers, he might have listened to you when my wishes were clearly disregarded? The universe granted you one final opportunity to do something kind for your kid and you tossed it away. Just like you threw me away.”
Keith covers his mouth with his hand, eyes turning glossy, but Brett stands. “This meeting is over.”
The other guests around us take note of the drama unfolding, conversations coming to a lull to eavesdrop. Good, I want them to talk about this tomorrow. It’s why we’re having this meeting in the open and not in one of the private spaces.
William grabs Brett’s arm and slams him back on the couch, turning to me. “You made your fucking point, Linny. What does any of this have to do with our company?”
“Oh, you mean, my company?” She lays out the folder with everything they need to see to believe her, the stamped letter from the board on top.
“You can’t do this, we started Carnell Banking and Investments before you were even born,” Brett screams.
“And I’m going to end it with as much care as you gave my mother.”
They all stare at her, mirrored expressions of horror as the truth sinks in.
I finally step in. “The board and a number of your employees were quite chatty about your past transgressions once they found out about the new ownership. Sexual harassment complaints that were swept under the rug, dirty deals, bad investments, market manipulation, and artificially inflating prices.”
Zachary laughs. “Sounds like you’ll be keeping the Financial Protection Bureau incredibly busy.”
“We still own 40 percent stock,” William retorts, his face twisting into a cruel grin.
Hunter sits on the edge of Madeline’s seat so he can take her hand to kiss it before speaking.
“After the announcement that we’re liquidating the company goes out, those shares will be worth pennies by Monday morning.
But if knowing you still have some ashes of this company helps you failures sleep at night, keep telling yourself that it means something.
At least until the FPB completes their investigation.
Not sure how well you’ll sleep in prison, though.
I hear those beds are terrible for your back. ”
“You fuckers have messed with the wrong pack,” Brett barks and jumps to his feet, his shoulders shaking with rage.
Madeline stands, not letting him tower over her in some useless attempt to intimidate her. “Well, as you said to my mother on the night you kicked us out, some things just run their course. No need to get so emotional about it.”
Brett and William gape at her with reddened faces. The other two look close to tears, but I’m under no illusions that it is the grief Madeline and her mother deserve, only loathsome men who know they destroyed their own lives.
“How much to buy it all back?” William demands.
“I promise, you couldn’t afford it.” She flips her hair over her shoulder for added effect. “Now, we have dinner reservations and filet mignon is far more important than this conversation.”
I nod my head in the direction of these fuckers, security surrounding us. As much as I would love to take a swing at these pitiful excuses for alphas, it’s nearly as satisfying seeing them dragged out of my lounge, the guests snapping photos and videos that will be all over social media in minutes.
“Wait! Wait,” Keith yells, reaching back towards her. “What about your sister? Kiara!”
Panic surges within her and I yell to bring Keith back.
“What about her?” Madeline asks dryly.
“If we’re broke, how can we provide for her and her mother?” He seems genuinely concerned, but it might be a tactic to make his first daughter feel guilty.
Madeline looks at me for help, so I reach out and pass him my assistant’s card. “Your bondmate can reach out on Monday. We’ll ensure they don’t suffer for your mistakes, and any profits recovered will be put in a trust for Kiara’s eighteenth birthday.”
Keith nods gratefully, choking out a rough, “Thank you. I know it means nothing now, but I’m sorry. It will never be enough, but Charles and I did try to be better for Kiara. I hope you’re happy, Linny.”
Her expression is hard but her words are soft. “I am happier than you can possibly fathom. No thanks to you.”
He nods, not waiting for her to accept his apology, and flees with my card. Once they’re out of sight, Madeline takes a deep breath, all of us coming to her side.
“You did amazing, babycakes. Stone-cold bitch looks incredibly hot on you.” Hunter kisses her cheek.
She slumps against us. “That was a lot. Satisfying, but overwhelming.”
Zachary takes her hand. “Sounds like closure.”
“Yeah, that felt good. Can we never think or speak of them again? I have all the family I need right here.”
We all press even closer to her. “Of course, honey.”
The bond thrums with her pride in herself and in us, with only a slight lingering touch of sadness. We focus on showering her with love, and by the time we finish dinner, she’s all smiles again.
Madeline’s life may not have started with the love she deserved, but we will make sure every day going forward is overflowing with it.