Auctioned Mates Revenge
Chapter 56

Grace's POV

Walter and Matt spoke a little longer before Walter drew up a contract between them and signed over Blooming Vibes. Curiosity was killing me, but I held my peace. How was it possible to have more than one pack profile? How did the Interpack Authorities allow such a thing? Why did Mat have it? How did he get it?

And how did Renda and Walter know each other?

"I'll show you around if you'd like," Walter said, smiling.

Matt nodded, "Why don't you two take a tour? I have a call to make"

I nodded and walked with Renda out of the room. He walked us around and introduced us to several women who looked at Renda as if they had seen a ghost. They were all from Fluorite I bet, or they knew her from when she was younger. How was that possible? Renda shook hands with them all, as did I. They smiled at me nervously as we headed through the rest of the building. There were boxes stacked everywhere.

"What are all the boxes from?" I asked.

Walter chuckled, "Returned items."

"Returned?" Renda asked, her voice horrified. "Why?"

Walter chuckled, "Well, how else do you force someone to go to auction other than making sure no one will buy anything?"

I shook my head at Renda. We were really going to have to work on her cover, but I couldn't say if this man had been close to her or not. I didn't even know how I would react being in the same room as someone from Frost Pelt after all these years. The sound of my father's voice had sent my heart into my throat and brought tears I hadn't thought I could ever cry again, streaming down my face.

I followed along, intrigued at the amount of paper accounting and cataloging they did. There were a few computers, but they were older and seemed to be used more for dealing with external business than internal management.

Walter handed Renda a clipboard, "This is all that's been returned as of last night. The midday count will be happening soon. I'll take you to the docks."

She frowned down at the paperwork as we walked to the receiving dock where a bunch of men was hauling boxes out of trucks and onto dollies.

"Have you gotten any calls from a Justin Ashbrook?" I asked.

Walter shook his head, "No. Is that someone I should be aware of?"

I nodded, "I'm sure we'll get to it."

We kept walking towards the storehouse. I could smell the scent of flowers hanging in the air. Everything was packaged and labeled neatly. Renda stopped and pressed her hand to one of the labels. Her eyes went misty as she drew her fingers across the label before she turned away.

I leaned close to figure out what had caught her eye.

RJ-THC 30/A. napellus 20

Quality Check #: H. Fluorite 923-16

I didn't know what the label meant, but I had some time to figure out some of it. The package beside it had a different first line, but the second line also had H. Fluorite on it.

It could be a person or some other code.

I walked after them, noticing the codes had begun to change. Renda and Walter turned the corner ahead of me as I continued to look at the labels. Not all of them mentioned H. Fluorite, but a lot of them did. I stopped at the small tower of packages at the end. There was something nestled between the stacks of product under a package labeled RH-THC 50/A. napellus 10 Quality Check #: H. Fluorite 10295-17.

I pushed the package up and pulled it free from the stack and gasped.

It was a greeting card with a photo inside. There were four smiling faces and a message wishing the receiver well wishes and good health.

Looking at me from within the photo was a younger version of Renda, I was sure of it. Looking at the younger woman and the older woman in the photo, I couldn't doubt that they were family. The card was signed by Adam and Helen, but the names weren't my

concern.

The four of them were standing in front of a sign welcoming people to Fluorite. The two adults were dressed in official clothing bearing a crest made of flowers and mountains.

I gasped and Demi hummed, She is the alpha of Fluorite's daughter. She is in great danger.

Matt needed to know, but I couldn't betray her trust like that. This wasn't the time to think about it in either case.

"Grace?" She called from around the corner. I tucked the card in my purse and hurried to catch up.

"Sorry, I spaced out," I said looking at her and Walter. "What's happening?"

"We were going to head back to the office," she said taking my arm and grinning, "You haven't lived until you've tried floral gummies, the regular kind anyway."

Walter laughed, leading the way as Renda pulled me along.

We will have to teach her to survive, Demi said. It is what is right and what should be done as her second.

I couldn't disagree, but the thought of it seemed overwhelming. The children of pack leaders tended to be more sheltered than most. Despite everything that had happened to Renda since the fall of her pack, she still hadn't learned to hide her identity and anything that could give it away better.

"Oh, this is something you might like," Walter said as we turned a corner.

Renda gasped, "It's beautiful!"

I drew closer to see the long coursing fountain that seemed filled with almost glowing flowers. Their scent hung in the air, gentle and calming.

"We've taken to growing them in the office to keep people calm," Walter said, "It's been just enough for now."

"Incense would be better," Renda said.

"What are these?"

"Aquaria Flora," she said, "Well cared for too. How'd you get them to thrive inside like this?"

Walter smiled and pointed up. I looked up to the skylight above and Renda laughed a high joyous little sound.

"That makes sense, but you'd be better off getting some fish in the fountain and..."

I smiled, listening to her go on about the flower, chatting with Walter. I could hear her real age in her voice and excitement. I was glad she had kept some of her innocence over the years, but I couldn't help but worry. Surviving trafficking and prostitution was one thing, even dreaming or retribution was something different.

The path to revenge, justice, or something like it was dangerous. Would she be strong enough to see it to the end?

We headed back to the office and found Matt there, sipping from a cup with a thoughtful expression.

"This is really good," Matt said, "Add a little coffee to it and it's delicious."

Renda pouted, "Coffee ruins everything."

Walter laughed and I shook my head as she went back to the bar and made herself another cup of hot cocoa. I refreshed my coffee and sat beside Matt.

Walter crossed the room, "I should go home and tell my wife the news."

He chuckled a little, "Luckily, she's been putting off packing until the last possible moment. I hope one day soon, you'll understand what it means for your mate to have everything exactly where she wants it in the house." I bit back a smile as Matt flushed, "...me too."

Walter chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder and tossing him the keys to the building.

"You should come by for dinner at some point, but I'm sure you're going to want the rest of the day to survey your new property. I hear a Matt Wallber takeover isn't once you should get in the way of."

He laughed and grabbed his briefcase he stopped beside the bar before looking at Renda.

"There are a few boxes in the cabinet," he nodded across the room. "Take what you like. It's... rare for this office to get many visitors who want Cocoa Madness."

Renda beamed at him, "I will."

He nodded and headed out with a wave.

Matt sipped his coffee with a pensive look.

"How do you have more than one pack profile?" I asked, unable to contain the question. "Isn't that illegal?"

"No," Matt chuckled, "It's just not done because most alphas have an issue with sharing. I've had a profile with Midnight since I was a child."

Renda frowned, "Doesn't that mean Ben and Mordecai are actually closer than you think?"

Matt shook his head, "Ben doesn't know I have a second profile unless Mordecai told him, and I doubt he has... my mother set it up."

I frowned at the thought as Matt scowled, "I suppose she knew that I'd end up in this situation."

I didn't ask what he meant but Demi shifted, turning his words over.

Something isn't right. She said and I couldn't help but agree.

I'd have to ask those questions sometime after I decided on what to do with this photo.