Chapter 33
Elliot nodded. “Yeah, I sent her to check if you needed help, but she came back pretty quick.”
Alpha Gideon leaned back on the sofa, lost in thought.
The next morning, I woke early.
Camilla was still asleep, so I headed to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.
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Last night’s tiny yacht cake hadn’t cut it-I’d been starving by 4 a.m., tempted to hunt down a snack.
With time to kill after eating, I wandered the hotel.
It had a nostalgic vibe, its tropical gardens bursting with life.
Tall palms rustled in the breeze, and standing beneath them, I closed my eyes, letting sunlight filter through the leaves onto my face.
The morning breeze was gentle, my breaths filled with the fresh scent of greenery.
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Look at this world-so vibrant, alive, fresh.
It doesn’t dim just because some wolf or love lets you down.
Footsteps approached, growing closer.
The light dimmed, and a musky, post-workout scent mingled with the crisp air.
I opened my eyes.
A broad chest in a black athletic shirt filled my view-Alpha Gideon’s chiseled pecs, sweat tracing his perfect collarbone, a striking Adam’s apple, and rose-tinted lips.
“Vivian, something wrong with your eyes?”
His steady breaths brushed my face like a warm tropical breeze.
His handsome face tilted down
I snapped out of it, touching my eyes and stepping back.
“Sun’s too bright. Got a little dizzy.”
Alpha Gideon smirked. “Keep staring, and you’ll go blind.”
Rubbing my eyes, I felt a twinge of embarrassment from last night.
“Alpha Gideon, you out for a morning run?”
I asked, grasping for small talk.
He gave a soft, “Mm,” wiping sweat with a towel.
Standing under the tree, he added out of nowhere,
“You were the one sneaking around on the yacht’s third deck last night, right?”
I froze, my eyes shooting to him.
Sneaking?
Who was sneaking?!
“I wasn’t sneaking! I went up, saw you two… uh, doing that thing, and I left right away. Didn’t stare, I swear.”
“Doing what?” Alpha Gideon’s face was blank.
“Spell it out.”
I groaned. He wasn’t letting it go. Throwing caution to the wind, I blurted,
“Kissing. Like, intense kissing. Happy now?”
“You saw wrong.”.
His tone was blunt.
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< Chapter 33
I didn’t buy it but could play along.
What did their kiss have to do with me?
I nodded. “Fine, my mistake.”
Alpha Gideon frowned, eyeing me. “You don’t believe me?”
“I do, I do!”
“I don’t kiss. Especially not she-wolves.”
You-!
I felt like I’d stumbled onto a bombshell.
Was he into wolves?
But what about his love-hate thing with Camilla?
Did he used to like she-wolves but now preferred wolves?
My mind spun, eyes blinking in confusion.
Alpha Gideon cut in.
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“Point is, you got it wrong. No kissing happened. As my secretary, you can’t have these kinds of
misconceptions.”
I nodded frantically.
“Got it, got it, totally clear.”
Satisfied, Alpha Gideon strode off.
I watched his tall, commanding figure.
Okay, but do I really need to know that much about his personal life?
Back in my room, Camilla was awake, back to her cool, black-swan elegance from the dock.
“Vivian, thanks for last night,” she said.
“No problem.” I smiled.
“I’m heading out. See you at the pack council.” Camilla left with a nod.
At 9 a.m., Alpha Gideon, I, Elliot, and two senior execs headed to the Shaloria branch.
The branch was on high alert, prepped since Alpha Gideon’s inspection was announced, dreading a surprise
visit.
Camilla radiated sharp professionalism.
She led the branch’s management team to greet Alpha Gideon at the entrance.
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“Welcome, Alpha Gideon, to guide and inspect,” she said formally.
His gaze flicked over her face briefly before he greeted the execs and moved to the meeting room.
We spent the whole day there-meetings, reports, financial reviews, and project updates.
Camilla arranged lunch at a local specialty restaurant.
For dinner, she set up a banquet with key project partners.
The branch’s deputy and finance managers joined, filling a lavish private room with a packed table.
Elliot and I, exhausted from assisting all day, sat in the lounge area outside.
“Vivian, you notice Camilla’s like a whole different she-wolf today?”
Elliot said, leaning in for some gossip.
I, focused on my tablet, didn’t look up.
“Last night was her heart talking. Today’s work. She keeps it separate.”
“You haven’t seen her when she doesn’t.”
“Let their love-hate drama sort itself out.”
“You’re just spooked from last night, huh?”
“Yeah, it’s a lot.”
I recalled Alpha Gideon’s “no she-wolves” comment, glancing at Elliot’s refined feature.
“Why do you keep giving me weird looks?” Elliot asked.
“Nothing.” I went back to my tablet.
Curious, Elliot leaned over and saw I was reviewing attendance and payroll records.
“Something off?”
“It’s weird. Attendance matches payroll, but the on-site headcount in the attachments? Always two short.
Every day.”
“No way.” Elliot took the tablet.
It took him a while to spot it.
Attendance and payroll aligned, and on-site numbers weren’t totaled, so finance wouldn’t dig into the raw
data. It was easy to miss.
Alpha Gideon, on an inspection, wouldn’t catch such a small detail.
I continued, “Shouldn’t happen. From hiring to clocking in, there’s oversight. Attendance says 2,025, but on-site’s 2024. Only explanation? Someone’s exploiting a loophole, skimming pay for ghost workers. Can’t say who or how from just this.”
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Elliot scanned it again.
“Eight years, at local wages, that’s over eight million for two phantoms.”
“Has to be someone colluding. Eight years unnoticed? Wild.”
“We should tell Alpha Gideon, but he’s got that summit with the pack leaders tomorrow.”
“How about I hit the factory tomorrow, sniff out the ghosts?”
“Good call.”
As we spoke, someone stepped out of the banquet room, overhearing us.
A flash of tension-and a hint of menace-crossed their face.
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