Damn poured two pints of liquor into a glass when he walked over to the bar. ‘’All my wolf wants to do is to claim and mate. My Beta handles other aspects of the company like the operations, however, I need a human with human instincts on board. A human that will understand the corners of fraud in the corporate system better than my wolf could ever.’'

‘’In gold, your sister’s debt was paid, but your debt to me, it will be paid with intelligence. If you find one weakness in Riannon’s family, I will grant your privacy contract to be extended by one week. I will grant you access to all the files, and then two weeks of privacy to start work. If you succeed me, you’ll have more time in privacy, away from me. But if you fail, I will claim my mate entirely.’’

This was too good to be true. It was by far, better than I had imagined. A chance to find Riannon’s family’s vulnerability, access, information, far into Damon’s corporation as well. It was a fantastic offer.

‘’This is a counter-contract, I suppose.’’ I imitated Damon’s tone as I spoke. ‘’When you give me all the documents I need, I will have two weeks for analysis. During this period, the boundary for no-physical contact will be re-affirmed.’’

Damon sipped the liquor slowly with his eyes fixed on me. ‘’Little birdie, you know you work for me now. You are an asset,’’ Damon re-affirmed. ‘’Make sure you do not disappoint me.’’

‘’Check the tablet on the table by the bed side. The files have been uploaded and encrypted there,’’ he said and placed that glass on the bar. ‘’Don’t share any information from that tablet with anybody. Not even my Beta, Rys.’’

He looked at me with a glare that promised that he was not done tormenting me, then he turned around and walked away to his own suite. With a soft thud, the heavy door shut tight behind him.

After I heard the door of his suite click finally, I sank into the floor and used the dress I had on to hug myself. This was too much. I had a purpose different from anything I had ever thought, a grace period with Damon, as well as a secret that will shake the world if it was let out.

Things had changed; the game had taken another turn. I was no longer merely a victim, but a spy for the Alpha.

For a long time after Damon’s door shut with a click, I remained still, listening to the silence that had engulfed the penthouse. The only thing I heard other than the silence, was my heart beating frantically, as well as the Mate Bond insistingly aching me.

‘Come back Mate, the scent is fading.’

The silky gown I wore felt like a toxic second skin as I peeled it off my body. I threw on the lingerie that Rys had brought earlier. Now that I was done with that nasty gathering that Damon forced me to attend, I could now concentrate on this awful lingerie that he bought me.

On the bed side, placed neatly on the dark wood, I found the tablet that had encrypted information in it. It felt so heavy when I carried it,I was surprised. Maybe the tablet’s heaviness was all in my mind since it held three important things in it.

The fate of two giant corporations, as well as the fate of my freedom, was held in the drive inside this tablet.

I quickly put it on and was greeted by an operating system which had been customized and had a streamlined directory. With astute and cold efficiency, the files were named. ‘PROJECT CHIMERA – TARGET ACQUISITION DATA.’’

This was what my life had turned out to be. I was nothing but a creature who was controlled by access codes, spreadsheets, and buyouts with leverage. Damon Thorne could not dominate nor claim this aspect of my life.

I felt a sense of familiarity as I allowed the scent of doing corporate work to envelope me. Although, this was corporate work that was far from what I knew. I was an espionage. The target was called Falcon Group. It was Riannon’s father's primary company.

For the next three hours, I observed a razor-sharp focus. I forgot about everything including Alpha Damon who was just some feet away from me. When I studied the file, I saw that there were complex debt swaps, several false companies registered, and a number of asset transfers so much; my head started spinning.

It was obvious that Falcon Group was involved in money laundering.

This work that Damon gave me was the perfect antidote to the Mate Bond that had been incessantly pulling me. I directed my focus on the work I was doing anytime the Mate Bond started to ache, disorienting me and changing my focus.

I used the knowledge and information I had gotten from college to navigate this competitive world of asset management.

‘Elara, focus and buy yourself time. Find the weakness.’

Falcon Group has been reckless. I found their weakness quite easily. It was a small window hidden in financial bonds. It was hidden underneath other legal assets and business decisions.

I must confess that the set-up was brilliant and fragile. So fragile, it sat on a land mine. If Damon ever got to attack Falcon Group at that point, the entire hierarchy would collapse.

I was disgusted. I felt a sense of pride and professional pride, but I was disgusted at the audacity of the crime I was looking at. Wealthy criminals are the worst, and I was now working for one of them.

Soon, I traced a transfer that was particularly peculiar. Then, my focus landed on something else entirely different. It was a piece of information tucked somewhere in the periphery, as if it was not important.

Damon’s Beta team had made an internal communication for the adjustment of real estate within the Pack’s territory. Compared to any other thing, the figures were small, but the wording was what attracted my attention because of how odd it sounded.

‘If there is a non-compliance of mineral rights, then adjust the land value to compensate for it.’