Terms of Surrender

The Price of Loyalty: Darian

I watched Tess stand, the summary sheet held in her hand and my breath caught for a moment, waiting for whatever revelation she held. “Before I give you this, I need your promise,” she started, “I need you to swear that my compliance and my assistance means safety for my family. I’m not asking to contact them. I simply need to know that no matter what, no harm comes to them.”

Whatever I had expected her to say, that wasn’t it. I was stunned for a moment, processing her demand. She valued her family’s safety above her own freedom. This was a demand rooted in fierce, non-negotiable love. This was the demand of someone who would protect the weak before herself. I was in awe of her.

I thought back to the empty threat I’d made after her phone call. She had no way of knowing that I’d been bluffing. That there had never been any intention to target her family. Now I had to assure her with more than just a mere promise. I had to give her the Pack’s Oath, not just my word.

I stood from the armchair, pulling my shoulders back as I rose to my full height. I held my fist over my heart as I bowed my head to her. I felt the shift in my eyes, the steel grey of the wolf showing as I met her gaze.

“I swear this by the Pack. As Alpha of the Silvercrest Territory, I vow that no harm shall come to your kin so long as you stand as my Mate and Luna. Their safety is protected by the Silvercrest. Anyone who violates this oath will be dealt with swiftly. This is my absolute promise.”

It felt as if time was stretching on forever as Tess searched my eyes for any trace of deceit. Her gaze drifted over my face, my stance. I could only imagine how silly I looked, standing here, with no sleep, in my pajamas.

She must have seen the truth in my words though, because after an agonizingly long moment, I saw her shoulders relax. It was a small movement as she exhaled softly. She nodded slightly, then held the paper out to me.

I crossed the space between me and the desk, my focus shifted instantly.

I scanned her findings, reading her notes. She leaned forward, tapping the paper. “The balloon loan. Nearly everything Steelclaw has is tied up in that,” she spoke softly, a hint of a smile curling the corner of her mouth.

It was brilliant! She was brilliant. I pulled my phone out to call Leon. “Kyvan won’t even see the shot coming,” I told her. “I must get Leon on the line. Tess, you will deliver the executive summary yourself.”

Leon answered the call on the second ring, sounding chipper despite the early hour. “Morning, Boss.”

“Leon, assemble a meeting for first thing this morning. It’s urgent.”

“Right away.” There were no questions asked. There rarely were with him.

The call ended, and I turned my attention back to Tess. I cupped her face in my hand, gentle and reassuring. “I know you must be tired. I just ask this one thing from you, and then you can sleep.”

She nodded, her lips twitching again, fighting her smile. She couldn’t hide the financial firecracker that she was though. It was no wonder she’d been recommended for my company’s audit.

“Shower, eat, whatever you need to do. We will go down to the meeting room in two hours when the office opens.”

Tess nodded her agreement, accepting the two hour window, and returned to her room to prepare. I went back to mine as well, sending out a message to my receptionist on the way, telling her to cancel everything on my schedule for today except for the meeting Leon was putting together. I showered and fixed my hair, attempting to look like someone who hadn’t spent the entire night awake. I put on a dark tailored suit, fixed my tie, and put on my shoes.

By the time I returned to the east wing, Tess had showered as well. She now looked every bit the financial analyst that she was. Her black skirt was loose with small pleats, and hung to mid-calf, her black turtle-neck sweater was tucked in with the same belt she’d worn yesterday, and a tailored black blazer was draped over her shoulders as she gathered Apex’s public findings and her summary.

“Have you eaten yet?” I asked.

She shook her head, not looking up from her task. “I will later.”

I wanted to insist, but when she finally looked up, all I could see was the determination in her eyes.

I conceded without argument, nodding my head slightly. We started towards the elevator together, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. “They will be skeptical. They’re Pack, but they value data above all else. Your work is impeccable, I trust your analysis.”

I seen a flash of confidence wash over her face. Her voice was calm and collected, “I trust my numbers, Darian. Their belief is irrelevant.”

By the time the elevator brought us down to the executive floor, Leon was already waiting in the meeting room with the other key pack members who served as board members for the company. “Mr. Whitmore,” my receptionist, Cynthia, stood, bowing her head slightly as we entered the lobby, “The whole board is waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

She took her seat again, and I led Tess to the meeting room. It was as cold and sterile as ever, the overnight cleaning crew had been through during the night. There were quiet murmurs that ended the second we entered the room. Leon sat confidently in his chair, the rest of the group looked concerned, if not confused.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I started, addressing the small assembly. “This is Ms. Tess Beaumont. She led the audit of Whitmore, and she also has a tactile solution to the Steelclaw threat.” I shifted my attention to Tess as I motioned to Leon, “You’ve already met our Beta, Leon.” I swept my hand across the rest of the room, “These are the heads of our legal and financial divisions.”

Leon nodded to Tess, acknowledging her position. The rest of the room, however, erupted in another wave of hushed murmurs, their faces twisting in confusion that I had so openly referred to Leon with pack terms to an unknown human.

“I require silence and complete focus,” I commanded, quieting the room again. I understood their concerns, but now was not the time for it. “Ms. Beaumont speaks with the full authority of the Alpha.” I turned to Tess again, and took a step back as I nodded, “You may proceed.”

She nodded and stepped forward so she could stand at the head of the table. Another wave of admiration washed over me as I watched her. Her shoulders were drawn back, chin high. She had an air of easy confidence, despite being in a room full of skeptical werewolves. “During my audit of Whitmore, I discovered that Apex Land Ventures is most likely the corporate shield of the Steelclaw Pack. Their weakness isn’t territory, but liquidity. Their recent expansion is built on a single unsustainable balloon payment loan collateralized by their core assets.”

The summary sheet was passed around the table while the public findings were central where everyone could look as they pleased. I watched as their skepticism turned to awe. Tess pointed out their projections and debt-to-equity ratios, making our greatest threat seem like a simple financial error. The Pack members were visibly stunned, even Leon couldn’t hide the shock in his wide eyes.

“The necessary action isn’t a territorial claim, but a financial short-sell targeting the collateralized loan’s stability. This will force a premature default, crippling Steelclaw’s infrastructure and forcing them into a defensive posture. Without bloodshed.”

My chest swelled with pride, and I couldn’t help the smile that fixed itself to my lips as I watched her. The board’s - the Pack’s - skepticism was silenced. My decision to trust her was validated.