Page 6 of His Brazen Mate

“Like everyone else here, I was able to buy a ticket to this event.”

Michael nodded. “You’ve become quite the bourbon enthusiast of late. You and I seem to keep showing up at the same events, but I don’t recall your name on the bourbon auction I’m holding. If you’d like to attend, I’d be happy to add your name to the list of invited guests.”

“That would be very nice. Thank you, Michael.”

“My pleasure.”

Megan had to wonder if it was just a small talk kind of question or if he knew, or suspected, her true identity and motivation. Deciding to play it as though she was unaware of any hidden agenda Michael might have, Megan engaged him in conversation, but remained acutely aware of the undercurrents swirling around the room.

The Northern Lights Distillery was more than just a business; it was a microcosm of power dynamics and hidden agendas. And she intended to uncover as many of those secrets as she could.

CHAPTER 4

DRAKE

Having dispensed with his duties as host for at least a few hours, Drake returned to his family home, sitting alone in his father's study, the weight of the past pressing heavily on his shoulders. The room was dimly lit, the only light filtering in from the pair of French doors behind the desk and the fire crackling on the opposite wall. He’d spent the last few days sifting through his father's files, but it was the dusty, leather-bound ledger he now held that had captured his full attention.

His father's meticulous handwriting filled the pages, but it was the unfamiliar symbols and codes interspersed throughout that caught Drake's eye. His heart pounded as he flipped through the ledger, each page revealing more of the cryptic notations. It was clear that these were no ordinary financial records.

As he deciphered the codes, Drake's anger grew. The ledgers seemed to hint at illegal—or at least off the books—transactions, money moving through shadowy channels and being funneled into obscure accounts. His father, a man he had always respected, seemed to have been involved in something sinister. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him feeling both betrayed and furious.

"Damn it," Drake muttered under his breath, slamming the ledger shut. He rubbed his temples, trying to process all the implications of what he’d discovered. How could his father have hidden this from him? From the clan? Who and what else had he been involved in?

Drake's dragon senses began to tingle, a prickling sensation running up his spine. He’d felt it more acutely when he’d been in the gathering area at the opening of the annual tasting event. There had been a moment when he’d felt almost overwhelmed with dizziness and a churning gut. But this tingling along his spine was different. It was a feeling he had learned to trust, one that alerted him to hidden dangers. He sat back in the leather chair, closing his eyes and focusing on his heightened awareness. The room around him seemed to hum with an unseen energy, and his suspicion that his father's death was no accident solidified.

The official story had been a no-fault car accident perhaps precipitated by a heart attack, but Drake had never quite believed it, and had allowed the wishes of the clan to honor his father’s death with the traditions of their past. Now, with the coded ledgers in hand, he felt certain that his father had been involved in something dangerous enough to get him killed. His dragon instincts sharpened his perception, allowing him to pick up on the faintest of clues that an ordinary person might miss.

Drake leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his face. Who else knew about these transactions? And how deep did the corruption go? Drake felt a surge of anger combined with determination. He would find out the truth. Period. It didn’t matter what the consequences were, he would see things set right. He owed it to his father to uncover the secrets that had led to his death.

Drake's senses remained on high alert. He knew that from this moment on, he would have to be careful. It might be time to have Jasmine return to her home. The dangers his father had faced were now his to navigate, and the circle of who he could trust was going to need to remain small. It could be argued that those at the distillery were members of the clan, most of whom he’d known all his life, but still if he was interpreting the ledger correctly, some of those people had to be involved.

Drake took a deep breath and reopened the ledger. He would unravel the mystery, piece by piece, until he uncovered every hidden secret. Only then would he be able to avenge his father's death and put an end to whatever dark forces were at play.

Drake was still engrossed in his father's coded ledgers when the door to the study creaked open. He glanced up, his senses immediately on alert, though he relaxed slightly upon recognizing his Aunt Victoria standing in the doorway. Her stern expression and the way she held herself hinted at the reprimand she was about to deliver.

"Drake, what are you doing in here?" Victoria's voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet of the room. "We have guests—ones who paid a lot of money to attend this event—out in the gathering room, and it's rude to leave them unattended."

Drake closed the ledger and leaned back in his chair, carefully masking his frustration. "I needed a moment, Aunt Victoria. There's something I had to look into."

Victoria stepped into the room, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of the ledger on the desk. "Is that one of your father's books?" she asked, her tone softer now, tinged with curiosity.

"It is," Drake replied, watching her closely. "I've been going through his files. There are... things that don't seem to add up."

Victoria's expression tightened, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Drake, what would you know about finances or what it takes to run a business? You’ve only just left the Navy. I doubt they had you SEALs doing detailed financial analyses of our enemies. Besides, your father was a complicated man. Whatever it is you think you're looking for, now is not the time. Your absence will be noted."

Ignoring her attempt to change the subject, Drake pressed on. "Did you ever suspect my father was involved in something illegal?"

Her eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and something else—fear? anger?—before she quickly composed herself. "Your father was a businessman, Drake. He dealt with many people, and not all of them were saints. But accusing him of illegal activities? You should be ashamed of yourself. You chose to be gone for a long time, you have no right to come in here and criticize how things were done."

Drake stood up, stepping closer to her. "I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I'm trying to understand these ledgers—there are coded transactions. They suggest something more than just business as usual."

Victoria took a step back, her gaze darting away from his. "I wouldn't know about that. Your father kept many things to himself. Perhaps it's best to let some of his secrets go to the grave with him."

His aunt’s answers were evasive at best. There was something she wasn't telling him, something important. He could sense it, the way her body tensed, and her eyes refused to meet his directly.

"Aunt Victoria," he said, his voice steady, but firm, "I need to know the truth. I am the alpha here now. If there's anything you can tell me, now is the time."

She hesitated, just for a moment, before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Drake. I can't help you. Now, please, come back to the gathering room. It's what your father would have wanted."

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