Page 37 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Brennan

I sat in my office, going over spreadsheets on my laptop, doing the math. Again. A sigh escaped my lips. Why wouldn’t the numbers magically bend to my will?

Of course, I knew very well that wasn’t how accounting worked.

Terrance knocked on my open door. “Bren?”

“Come in.” I sighed again.

“That good?” Terrance took a seat in the chair across from my desk. “While I trust you, and know you’re a visionary, are we really going to take the financial risk of historically renovating that old estate?”

“We specialize in unique properties. What would be more special than being transported to the era of Tea-Time Britain? I’m not saying the guests would have to dress the part–or even the staff, but think of the possibilities?” I suggested, seeing the entire thing in my head.

Grace had made me watch a movie on her laptop about the immersive resort, and while I wasn’t completely sold on the idea, I’d gotten some good ideas.

His fingers tapped on his chin. “True. But the cost.”

“Considering it’s a historical property, and we have to meet certain criteria anyway, it’s not that much higher. Reg and his crew will only be able to do so much, we might have to bring in specialists,” I told him, checking the numbers again.

“All I hear is the sound of money leaving.” His look wasn’t completely serious. “Are you sure we can’t negotiate with the historical office?”

I sucked in a breath. “I pissed off my mother. Now the historical office is on my ass, and they’ve changed the rules. I’m guessing there’s a correlation.”

When we’d voted at family dinner a couple of days ago, I hadn’t counted on her making war on the business front.

“Is this over whatever happened at the gala?” He frowned. “After you left with Grace she was grumpy for the rest of the presentation.”

“That and I fired the housekeeper she made me hire.” I sighed.

You’d think I’d done something horrible by the way my mother reacted to that.

“Though honestly, this is on us,” I added. “We were checking with our county’s office. Turns out, it’s registered in both this and the next county because when it was built the lines were different.”

“Shit.” Terrance rubbed his bald head.

“It won’t be that bad. I’ll send it to you along with the proposals we’re getting from restoration specialists.”

“Are you okay?” Terrance got up, shut my door, and sat back down. He knew exactly what my mother was capable of, having been there for me–and the company–after my car accident.

“I think I’m about to start a war with my mother. Short version–she’s stopping the funding for all the scholarships the foundation gives omegas.” I glanced back at the numbers on my laptop.

He whistled. “That’s low.”

“It is. My pack is starting a foundation of our own to cover the gaps. I actually have to go over to Compass BioTek so Spencer and I can meet with the lawyer.” Which is why I’d been crunching numbers.

“Honestly, that sounds like a good call–but maybe have better galas?” he joked, having been to plenty of my mother’s.

“We now own an event venue.” I grinned.

He chuckled. “That we do.”

“Things could get bad. She has a lot of contacts in this town.” I winced at the potential fallout. Those who went up against her seldom won.

“We’re not in our twenties anymore. If she starts messing with our business, we’ll fight back,” he assured. “Also, very little of our business is here–and while people know who she is here, most of the places we operate don’t know or care about her.”

“True.” Sometimes I forgot that.

I thought for a moment. “We need to go over everything and make sure it’s tight so there are no more oversights like this one with the historical office. We also need to lock down communications and be very careful. Wes will help us.”

Riley had already built a backdoor into the Morris company server. It wasn’t paranoia when your mom had spies everywhere.

“Got it.” He nodded. “What about Grace?”

“Grace sadly isn’t a scientist that makes explosions. She just maths.” I grinned. Terrance had set so many things on fire in chemistry when we were in high school.

“You’re okay with Grace now?” Terrance asked.

“I have to be. Two of my packmates are bonded to her, one is courting her. Also, she’s sort of growing on me. Don’t get me wrong, she does so many things that bug me, but she checks out, and she’s not the mountain I want to jump from,” I admitted quietly.

“I see.”

“Anyhow, let’s be careful. You know how quickly things can spin out of control with my mother.” This phone call I was about to make could shove it into motion.

“I’ve got your back, Bren. Always have. What she’s doing to you isn’t healthy or fair. It’s been a long time coming and there are people who will support you in this.”

“Thank you. You’re a good friend, Terrance,” I said.

Terrance grinned. “Who? Me? I just want to keep this company in business. My children have expensive hobbies.”

He stood and left. I closed the door and called the Morris family lawyer.

“Brennan, what can I do for you?” Ian Murphy drawled. He was an old man who’d literally watched me grow up.

“I’d like to claim full access to the trusts and all my assets,” I said.

“Now Brennan, you know I can’t do that without permission from your mother.”

I clicked out of the spreadsheet on my laptop and over to the trust documents Katie had sent me. “She’s not the executor of either. I meet all the criteria–and I’m happy to furnish any documents you need proving my age, pack, and marital status.”

“Well, Brennan, there are issues,” he mumbled.

“I’ve sent letters of wellness to you multiple times. Katie has full access to hers. I meet the same criteria.” This wasn’t the first time I’d tried to get full access–and not just the small allowance my grandmother’s trust gave me.

“I’ll talk to your mother,” he blustered. “Also, the assets for your trust are not… liquid.”

To make it harder for me to claim, my mother had ‘invested’ most of it–including buying the building that was now the foundation headquarters.

“Never mind, I’ll just have my lawyer call you.” I winced as I ended the call.

That was a declaration of war. But Jett was right. There was no legal reason for them to keep my money from me. I’d read the documents and had our new pack lawyer look over them as well.

I called our pack lawyer and left her a message. Letting my assistant know that I was stepping out, I got my motorcycle and went over to Compass BioTek, a pass waiting for me at the front desk. I went up to Spencer’s office.

“Brennan, dear.” Mrs. Katsopolis smiled at me from her desk.

“Mrs. K.” I grinned back. “Is the boss ready for me?”

“Absolutely.”

I entered his office, which was understated and sophisticated. There were tiny wisps of Grace as I took a seat in the offered chair.

“Are you okay?” Spencer asked over his laptop.

“I’m having the pack lawyer start the process of getting my trusts.” I gulped, because I was kicking the hornet’s nest here.

“If it’s too much–”

I shook my head. “It’s my money and I’m tired of my mother trying to control it.”

And me. Though me acquiescing had been less about getting access to my money and more about the fear of her upending my life like she’d done years ago.

Not to mention the financial plan I’d drawn up to get the foundation started required contributions from both Spencer and I, as well as the pack. While Spencer could fund this foundation himself, given this was going to be our foundation, he shouldn’t have to.

“I know at the start we’re just trying to cover the outstanding scholarships for the omegas currently enrolled. But when we get situated, there’s something I’d like to do,” Spencer said quietly.

“Of course. I’m sure Riley has lots of ideas.” I grinned. She’d already mentioned getting her school a new computer lab and better art stuff.

He laughed. “Oh, I’m sure.” His look turned wistful.

“I’d like to endow some scholarships for betas in the sciences.

One at the university Elaris and I attended, and one at Hadley Hall, or some equally prestigious academic institution, such as the one Sonja is dean of.

Elaris never got the opportunity to attend a high school like that.

I’d like to give others the chance. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. ”

Elaris. He so seldom mentioned her. All I knew was that she was smarter than Spencer and had radical ideas.

“That’s a great idea, go for it. Maybe do all three.

” I wasn’t about to argue with scholarships.

No one in the pack would. It also seemed like a nice tribute to her.

I’d never met her but to be both the love of Spencer’s life and to have accomplished everything she had at such a young age, she must have been something.

Mrs. K appeared in the doorway. “He’s here.”

The foundation lawyer came in and the three of us went over everything we needed to do to lay the groundwork for the Thanukos Family Foundation.

“Well, we have our homework,” Spencer stated when the lawyer left.

I looked at the list of action items. “Indeed.”

There’d be lots to talk about at family dinners as we got the logistics ironed out.

“I’ll speak to the headmistress at Finchley to get things going in regards to making sure those students keep their funding. Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” Spencer assured. “We won’t let your mother win.”

My phone rang. My mother. I silenced it. “No, we won’t. Spence, you’re okay with all this? The names and everything?”

That was a very strange dinner conversation.

I’d never expected him to offer his name.

He’d always been content to be in the background.

Not that I’d minded. Though I absolutely didn’t mind him taking over as the face of the pack.

I liked being in charge, but I didn’t like being social.

Neither did Wes. Something required for a pack of our stature.

Not to mention a drawback to us claiming his last name was that it would catapult our social status. Everyone was going to invite us to everything. Everywhere. No thanks.

Spencer nodded. “Of course. As long as you’re okay with it.”

“I am. I’ll get that process started, too.”

“Can I choose her house?” Spencer’s look went pensive.

That took me a moment. “Grace. You want to choose the house she gets when she joins the pack? Is that what she wants?”

It didn’t need to be a house, it could be any sort of asset. Paintings. Stocks. Jewelry. Money. Horses. It just had to be hers alone.

“It is. Please? If I’m not overstepping. Wes is fine with it.” He looked so earnest.

“Go for it.” I didn’t have time to do it, and Spencer would choose something she’d adore. “But we’re not there yet.”

“I know.” He nodded. “I can get her whatever I’d like?”

“Go for it.” Then I told him about the historical office and what was happening with the estate. “This could get messy.”

“While I generally respect Siobhan, if she crosses lines with my company, I’ll show no mercy,” he stated.

“I appreciate that.” While I believed him, because like me, he was a businessman, I also really wanted to see what him showing no mercy looked like. I seldom saw him as anything but congenial.

“At some point we should talk about how far we want to take this,” he added.

“That’s a good point.” While this was a war I wanted to win, I didn’t want to stoop to her level.

Then again, I’d do anything for my pack–and I wasn’t quite sure my appearance-oriented mother truly understood that.