Chapter10 Complications

Present Day

"Yeah, we've met," Harper replied unhappily. What were they playing at? She wondered. Both men were trying to communicate with her using their eyes, without being detected by Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll.

"Won't you come in?" Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll gestured her closer. "You can stand there," he pointed to a cross marked on the floor in red tape. "Now, Mr Lysander and Mr Emrys and I have been over the financial side of your debt, and that is all settled. We were just discussing your reluctance to accept their generous application…"

Harper slid a look at Dorian and Gwyn.

"We were assuring Mr Driscoll that sex work would not be part of the requirements, if that is where your concerns lay," Dorian took over smoothly. "The requirements are simple. You will accompany us to our places of business, attend meetings with us, dance if we require it, and behave according to our instructions."

"In return," Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll scrolled through the contract. 'mr Lysander and Mr Emrys will provide for your needs, and you will no longer have to pay the interest off your debt. It's really an exceptionally advantageous opportunity for you, Ms. Patterson-Hemming as I am sure you can appreciate."

Harper stood on her red cross and frowned as she thought furiously, trying to ignore the distraction of the mate-bond, which seemed to emphasis how precisely gorgeous Dorian and Gwyn were in their expensive suits, slicked back hair, clean shaven faces and crisp shirts, nor how fabulous they smelled – their colognes emphasising their natural pheromones rather than disguising them, which indicated, she thought, that they paid a good werewolf perfumer to custom make the scents for them.

Dorian and Gwyn were determined to help in some way and had obviously decided that buying her debt would enable them to do so. As much as she resented the idea that she was being purchased like a possession, their plan did have merit. She had not even known that her debt could be purchased and imagined that was something deliberately kept quiet to prevent outraged uprising. Now that she knew, she would much rather it be owned by Dorian and Gwyn than by anyone else who took a fancy to owning a werewolf slave.

"Okay," she said reluctantly. "Okay, I consent."

She saw the tension ease from both Dorian and Gwyn's shoulders.

"Ah," Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll's disapproving frown eased into pleased relief. "Wonderful. I honestly thought she'd be more difficult from our conversation earlier over the phone," he said confidingly to Dorian, as if Harper were not standing right there. "Obviously once the initial shock wore off, she's seen reason."

'mhm," Dorian's reply was non-committal.

"Well, let's sign the paperwork."

Harper watched the three men sign the transfer, only stepping off the cross when it was her turn to sign her consent.

"It is done," Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll announced, standing. "Thank you for your time gentlemen and I hope you are satisfied with your investment."

"We will be," Gwyn answered.

"so, now what?" Harper wondered.

"That is between you and the gentlemen," Admin Case Manager Scott Driscoll gestured for them to proceed him to the door. "I will see you again at the check ins," he said to Dorian and Gwyn. 'mandatory process, you understand, to ensure that the intention behind the debt transfer isn't abused by altruism."

"We understand," despite his pleasant smile, a muscle ticked in the corner of Dorian's jaw – a sign that he was controlling his anger. "Have a pleasant afternoon."

"And to you too."

"This way, Harper," Gwyn gestured towards the elevator with one hand, the other resting against the small of her back.

"I can't go that way," she said irritably. "Werewolves are not allowed."

"The rules change under this arrangement," Gwyn replied. "As long as you are with us."

"What is this arrangement exactly?" She demanded under her breath. "I have never heard of this before."

"We'll talk about it when we're in the car," Dorian replied, and turned his phone screen so that she could see that the app it was running showed orange – caution.

They steered her into the elevator and the three of them stood silently as they descended to the underground car park. Rather than the flashy Ferrari, the car which they unlocked was a sensible gunmetal grey Porsche sedan. Gwyn took the driver's seat and Dorian slid into the rear seat with Harper.

"We have a lawyer," Dorian explained to Harper as Gwyn steered the car out of the car park. "Officially she looks after the various legalities involved with our businesses, but on the side and off the books, she investigates avenues for improving werewolf rights.

"she raised the debt transfer with us recently. It is a fairly new revenue raising process that the Werewolf Administration has introduced on the sly, deliberately targeting one werewolf at a time and putting the contract in place swiftly so that the werewolves and their supporters cannot organize against it.

"Our lawyer has been working with a political aspirant to abolish the Werewolf Administration's powers to effect these contracts, and it occurred to us after we dropped you off last night… Why not use it against them?" His smile was brilliant. "As your owners, we alleviate your financial situation, and our parents by association, we can justifiably provide for you healthcare and other essentials, slip you a bit extra cash on the side…"

"I guess," she was dubious. She wasn't sure that it was as safe for them as Dorian seemed to believe, and the mate-bond added a level of complication that they seemed to be ignoring.

"If we could, we would have bought our parents debt, too, but it would have been unwise," Dorian continued, ignoring her lack of conviction. "It's one thing for two guys to buy the debt of a young woman, but to buy three members of the same family's debt…" He grimaced.

"And you were the highest risk," Gwyn said from the driver's seat. "We saw how much interest there was in you at the club last night. If one of those guys gets wind of the debt transfer, and had the means to buy you, Harp…" He shook his head grimly.

'such a dangerous thing to do," Dorian agreed disapprovingly. "Why pole dancing, Harper? Why not just settle for a safe factory job like every sensible she-wolf?"

"I like to dance," Harper said disgruntled. "And I didn't know about debt transfers, so…"

"Well, it doesn't matter now," Dorian said, his tone softening, and his eyes gentle. "It worked out in the end."

Harper eyes fell to his lips, and she felt the sexual tension between them tighten, drawing her in. 'did it really work out, Dorian?" She asked moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue as she remembered the taste of him when he had kissed her in booth one. She wanted nothing more, she thought, than to taste him again. "Because it feels to me like things have just gotten more complicated."

Dorian's pupils dilated, but he remained stoically in place. "I apologise for yesterday, Harper," he said softly. "That shouldn't have happened. I didn't anticipate that the mate-bond would still be so strong after so long."

"It's strong," she replied, with a quirk of her lips. "very strong."

"Well, you know the solution to that," he told her. "You need to reject us, Harper, and accept our rejection."