Terms of Surrender

The Morning Battle: Darian

I felt calmer while I prepared breakfast, my confidence was returning. I had half-worried that Tess would force herself awake all night. Especially when I’d heard her shuffling around the east wing. I found her sleeping peacefully though. I also found the missing box of protein bars and felt relief that she was eating something, even if it wasn’t much.

Sausage sizzled in the pan, the coffee machine bubbled. I had to show her I cared. I had to show her that this arrangement benefited us both. Her door opened, and I heard the soft tread of her footsteps coming closer to the kitchen. I expected the questions to start immediately. I knew she wouldn’t be passive, but I was prepared to respond with just enough information to keep her sated.

“Good morning, Tess. Coffee?” I asked when she entered the kitchen. She was already dressed for the day. She was wearing black, wide-leg slacks, and a simple long-sleeved black shirt tucked in. Her belt cinched the pants around her waist, the gold buckle glinting in the fluorescent light of the kitchen. Even knowing she wasn’t leaving, she still dressed for the day as if she was going to work. As if she was ready for a meeting.

She didn’t answer right away as she sat on one of the barstools. Tess wasn’t just calm, she was focused and prepared. “Thank you, Mr. Whitmore. Before we discuss my new role, I need to know why the Silvercrest Pack has made forty-seven non-developed land acquisitions. That expenditure makes no sense for a legitimate acquisitions firm. What is the territory for?”

I was caught completely off-guard, but I refused to let her see that. I focused on pouring her a mug of coffee while I regained my composure. She didn’t necessarily accept it, but she didn’t deny it either when I had asked. “That land is not for business,” I conceded, sliding the mug towards her. My voice was low, and I turned my back to her, focusing on not burning breakfast. “It is for the Change…it is where my people retreat to during the full moon. It is the boundary of the Silvercrest territory, ensuring our privacy and safety.”

I could feel her eyes on my back, scrutinizing me as I turned the burner to low. She was still so unnervingly calm. I could feel her analyzing my words. She didn’t say anything else while I got plates from an upper cabinet. I portioned the food and turned back to her. “You are intelligent enough to understand the stakes, Tess. Now, eat.”

“I’m vegan,” she repeated the same words she’d claimed at dinner, and I started to wonder if they were actually true, and not just another way to infuriate me.

“Then drink your coffee.”

I watched her closely while I ate. Her hands wrapped around the mug, and she lifted it to her lips, but they never touched. She never sipped. If it weren’t for her refusal to eat at the restaurant, I would question if she thought I was trying to poison her.

I could see the intellect in her eyes as she processed my answer to her question, analyzing my words. She was right on the edge of the truth, I could feel it. She was still reluctant to believe in the supernatural though, and I didn’t want to scare her more than I already had.

I pushed my empty plate aside, towards the edge of the sink, and leaned forward on the counter. “Your financial models only account for so much, Tess. Now that you have new variables, what is your calculation?”

Now, she finally took a slow, steady sip of her coffee. A deliberate choice that she made while maintaining eye contact. She was attempting to keep her composure. “The calculation remains the same, Mr. Whitmore. You require stability, I require leverage.”

She should be running or fainting. Either she still hadn’t figured it out yet, or she was denying the truth.

“I have a meeting scheduled,” I finally tell her, finishing my coffee. I had to maintain the facade of the outside world for the pack. “You have the run of the east wing and the study. I will have groceries delivered later. I expect you to eat.”

“Understood,” she said, placing the mug on the counter. Her eyes were already drifting past me and I knew she was thinking about the books in the study. I grabbed my blazer and tie from where I laid them over a chair back. “I will be back before sunset.”