CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25 FINANCIAL CRISIS

Caroline’s POV

The moment everyone arrived, Draven instructed me to lock the office door and close his when I entered. We gathered on the sofas in his spacious office, the tension in the air palpable as Alpha prepared to speak.

"Here’s the situation," Draven began, his violet eyes intense with concern. "You four are the only pack members I trust completely right now. What I’m about to share stays within these walls."

He paused, his broad shoulders tensing beneath his tailored suit. "Six months ago, I noticed something wrong with our financial reports, accounting, and commercial data. Ryan and I started digging deeper. After checking the latest financial reports, we discovered someone is stealing from the pack’s company."

My wolf Rory stirred uneasily within me. This was serious—pack resources being compromised meant potential danger for everyone.

"It’s not just money being siphoned away," Beta Ryan said. "They’re diverting other resources too. Plus, clients are reducing business with us, and some have terminated contracts entirely."

"Then we’re looking at something far more dangerous," Clara said. "If the pack’s business is under coordinated attacks from multiple angles, we risk complete financial collapse."

"Exactly, Clara," Draven confirmed, running both hands through his golden-brown hair in frustration. "That’s why I had you retrieve those accounting documents without warning yesterday. But this situation is more extensive than I initially thought. We need a thorough investigation."

My mind raced with possibilities. "Alpha Draven," I said, "if there’s company-wide theft happening simultaneously on multiple fronts, this isn’t the work of a lone wolf—this is coordinated by a group." I felt Rory stir within me. "When I worked at BuildRight Corp, I witnessed something similar happen to a supplier who appeared financially solid but went bankrupt overnight. He was a friend of Alpha Gerald."

Ryan’s eyes locked with mine. "Do you know more about what happened?"

"Yes," I nodded, sitting up straighter. "I was working as a secretary when Alpha Gerald made me available to help his friend for three months. The company had just received an audit that declared everything fine, but a week later, they were bankrupt—completely gutted. I helped him review all the documentation to understand what happened."

Draven’s eyes lit up. "That’s fortunate for the pack. Your experience will be invaluable, Caroline."

His lips curved into a smile that sent my heart racing. "Where did the audit fail?"

"The audit didn’t fail; it was compromised," I explained. "We discovered the auditors were bought off by the perpetrators almost immediately. That’s why I believe you shouldn’t hire an external audit firm or announce an investigation. It would alert them, giving them time to destroy evidence, sabotage the process, or bribe the auditors."

"But Carrie," Kyle’s brow furrowed in confusion, "without an audit, how do we identify the traitors?"

I leaned forward. "We need to hire three or four trusted individuals under the guise of normal recruitment—people who can conduct an independent audit. They would infiltrate departments as undercover operatives without anyone knowing their true purpose. They can blend in, monitor daily activities, and access offices at night for unrestricted investigation."

Draven and Ryan exchanged knowing glances, clearly in agreement. Then Draven spoke directly to me. "You have a strategy in mind, don’t you?"

I nodded, feeling a surge of confidence. "I do."

"Share it with us, Caroline," he commanded softly.

"It’s straightforward. The building is large, so you could clear out an entire floor under the pretense of renovation. That floor would serve as a secure command center.

It should be sealed off and accessible only to trusted pack members, just like the executive suite you’ve already restricted.

We’ll recruit operatives to embed across all departments, not just the ones under suspicion. They should appear harmless, blending in easily, while acting as our eyes and ears. Their task would include duplicating all internal documents.

Since this is your territory, installing recording equipment in meeting rooms won’t raise any questions.

The investigation team would operate exclusively at night. They’ll review and analyze everything from within the secured floor."

"The concept is solid, Carrie," Beta Ryan said thoughtfully, "but why restrict them to night shifts?"

"To minimize contact with company employees," I explained. "It reduces the risk of detection and prevents potential corruption. Plus, it avoids raising suspicions about strangers in the building."

"That’s brilliant thinking, Caroline," Clara remarked, her eyes approving.

"I can share contacts of the professionals who helped Mr. White when we conducted his investigation," I offered. "They’re independent but highly qualified. In fact, Mr. White himself would be an exceptional asset."

Draven’s violet eyes widened. "Wait, are you referring to Arthur White from City Steel?"

"Yes, that’s him. You know him?" I asked, surprised by his reaction.

"Of course," Draven’s voice softened. "He was one of my father’s closest allies. When his company collapsed, it seemed highly suspicious. I met with him afterward. He mentioned how a friend had provided a remarkably competent person who helped uncover the fraud. That was you?" His eyes held newfound respect.

"Yes," I admitted. "Fortunately, Mr. White managed to prove the fraud was an orchestrated scheme; otherwise, he might have been wrongfully imprisoned."

"The lawsuit continues," Ryan added solemnly. "Several people are behind bars, but White hasn’t recovered much of what was stolen from him."

"Exactly," I sighed, thinking of the kind man who’d become something of a mentor. "I visited him recently. He couldn’t rebuild completely, but his family had other smaller businesses that prevented total ruin. Draven, why not ask Mr. White to lead this investigation? He’s become quite specialized in fraud detection since then."

"That’s precisely what I’ll do," Draven nodded. "Ryan, what do you think of Caroline’s plan?"

"It’s perfect," his Beta confirmed without hesitation.

"Clara?"

"Absolutely ideal," she agreed.

"Excellent," Draven’s voice took on the commanding tone of an Alpha making decisions. "We’ll implement it immediately. One more thing: from now on, we’ll need to meet Saturdays at my home office. Caroline and Kyle will be compensated for the extra time."

We all nodded our agreement. "And Clara, I know you’re transferring to London soon and will support remotely, but can you return if needed?"

"Of course, Alpha," Clara responded.

"Perfect," Draven continued, his posture straightening with determination. "I’ll arrange a meeting with White at my house next Saturday. Clara, before you leave, relocate the staff from the floor below the executive suite—that’s where we’ll establish our investigation headquarters. Spread the news about upcoming renovations. I’ll also meet with the head of security on Saturday; Daniel is pack-loyal and will help us prepare the surveillance." His violet eyes swept across all of us. "Stay more vigilant than ever and report anything suspicious. And remember, this matter is only to be discussed off company grounds in secure meetings at my home office."

Everyone agreed and filed out one by one, with me preparing to be the last to leave.

"Caroline, wait a moment, please," my Alpha called, his voice carrying the weariness of a pack leader bearing heavy responsibilities.