Chapter 15
Renee
I blinked. “Wait–what?”
Dominic looked just as stunned as I felt. “Pardon, did you say me?”
The head of the council adjusted the collar of his robes, clearly unbothered by our disbelief. “Yes. You are not of the Frostborne pack, and you have no legal claim to the estate beyond your current… proximity to Ms. Caldwell. That makes you an ideal temporary steward.”
“I” Dominic glanced at me, then back at the council. “With respect, I’m hardly unbiased. Renee is-”
“Are connected, yes,” the man said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “And usually, after such an event, as that failed confirmation ceremony, you wouldn’t be considered ideal, but the law requires proximity, capability, and presumed impartiality. Her mother’s family does not meet that burden. You, however, meet those conditions better than anyone else available to us who has not been directly tainted by Frostborne influence.”
I bit back what I wanted to say. That was such a bullshit. My mother’s family would have perfectly met the burden, and it would have made the most sense to have them manage her accounts and estate on my behalf. This was just a last–ditch effort to buy time to find a way to restore Phillip as manager of the estate until I turned twenty–five. They knew that if they would turn it over to my mother’s family, they would never get it back. Something told me that a lot of them benefited from Philip’s misuse of her money and made a note to get my lawyer to look into it.
“I disagree,” Dominic said, and the quiet in the room shattered into a dozen murmurs. “It’s ridiculous to state that her relatives, who knew the deceased while she was alive and thus would know what her mind was with regards to her own daughter, are not fit to manage the estate.”
The judge’s mouth dropped open. “Alpha-”
“For the record, I will only agree to this until I can speak with the alpha of her mother’s birth pack. In addition to that, I will only serve as steward over her estate insofar as she’s a minority. Her estate lawyer has stewarded over these accounts all this time, and should thus remain in primary control of them as she learns to manage them herself.” He looked at me. “She may be underage of majority now, but she will not be for much longer, and given her chosen major, it makes sense that this will only be a formality.”
I swallowed. My lips twitched into a small smile. He nodded at me in a short, quick way before turning his attention back to the judge who sat at the forefront of the panel.
“Until the investigation is complete,” Dominic continued, “all decisions concerning the estate will go through me. Ms. Caldwell will have full access to the legal counsel of her choosing throughout the process.”
I sat frozen in my seat, unsure if I was holding back tears or laughter. Maybe both.
It wasn’t everything I wanted, but it would guarantee that my money would be restored and I could attend school without issue.
I swallowed hard, trying to make sense of why he wouldn’t say that he supported my move for emancipation.
“This is ridiculous,” the lawyer said, scoffing. “Ms. Caldwell is not a child. Emancipation all of a handful of months early is not significant enough for the panel to deliberate. He scoffed. “Let alone this farce of giving guardianship over to a man whose own daughter runs amok at the least provocation.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed. “You will watch yourself when speaking of my daughter.”
My lawyer smirked. “You find out whose underwear was in your gamma’s inner coat pocket yet?” His eyes narrowed. “Of all the people that it should be turned over to, Alpha Brightclaw should not be on the list.”
“My determination is final, and you will not find enough dissenting voices on this panel to force a different outcome.” The head judge’s lips twitched. “I would just as soon throw out her whole case as her case for abuse and the financial case are two separate matters. We could motion to have it heard in a separate court. As a lawyer, I’m sure you know how long it will take to get back on the court docket.”
The lawyer smiled. “I would just as soon call in the International Judicial Body for it. They certainly won’t entertain this thin attempt to placate a young woman seeking justice, Or go to the public about how the Panel has fallen to the very same corruption they all suspect.” He looked at Dominic. “Not even the seemingly impeachable Alpha Brightclaw would escape that sort of smear campaign, so let’s be reasonable, shall we gentlemen?”
The man paled. Dominic turned to me slowly, something unreadable passing behind his eyes.
“Counselor, I think we can both agree that drawing more attention to Ms. Caldwell’s uniquely vulnerable state would not be in her best interest. You have my word that I will transfer control of her estate, her guardianship to the appropriate member of her mother’s birth pack.” He looked at me again. “I have no desire to exercise that sort of power over a young woman more than capable of governing herself. It’s demeaning.”
The lead judge cleared his throat. “Well, that is settled. Furthermore, should it be proven that Philip Caldwell misappropriated the funds of the late Mrs. Caldwell’s estate, both he and the Frostborne pack will be held financially liable.”
“As well as anyone else implicated in the misappropriation of funds,” Dominic added, eyeing the lead judge.
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Chapter 15
That made everyone sit up straighter.
The man shifted. “If such entities exist, of course.”
“And how are you going to ensure that it is all paid back?” The lawyer asked. “Down to the cent. Including interest and penalties in accordance with the prenuptial agreement and will?”
I tried not to smile, but from Dominic’s cocked eyebrow, I must have slipped. That kind of restitution would gut Frostborne. Their power, their holdings, and their future all hinged on Philip being innocent.
And he wasn’t.
“We will have to search the laws to find precedence.”
“That should have been done before you all came to chamber,” the lawyer said. “Otherwise, what is the purpose of submitting case documents?”
Dominic chuckled. “I can see why her mother chose you. Conscripted labor is the last option, but a viable one if Philip is not gainfully employed and the monies in his account are found to be actually his by right.”
The lawyer seemed almost pleased beside me.
I clenched my jaw. “And what about my emancipation?”
The head judge didn’t hesitate for a moment. “My initial ruling stands.”
“I will be twenty–five before the end of the year,” I said, shaking my head. “Why the paperwork?”
The judge cleared his throat. “Until the full investigation concludes, we cannot make a permanent ruling on your legal independence. Hence the guardianship order. We have to verify these claims of financial abuse. Bringing evidence is one thing but given the wide–reaching consequences of such a thing…”
However…”
He trailed off. Flinching as he noticed that Dominic was staring at him, glaring actually.
“There should be no consequences to be considered other than the ones of keeping her from her freedom. Denying her emancipation would leave her exposed to whatever other issues may crop up within Frostborne, and do you expect, even if Philip is proven innocent somehow of financial abuse, that she could ever return to living in the packhouse, even if only for a short time?”
“Given her relationship with your daughter, Alpha Brightclaw, we expected her to live with you.”
“No.” I swallowed at the low, biting tone of his voice. “Yoù will not make me party to whatever game you are playing with her life and mental well- being. She refused to marry a gamma of my pack who was agreeable to marrying her under compulsion. I recognize that you don’t care about your own daughter, but no good father would even consider letting her be anywhere near him.”
“Alpha Brightclaw-” He held up a hand.
“I cannot override the majority on this. I understand. I will speak with Ms. Caldwell about what arrangements she might want to be made.” He looked at me. “Wherever and whatever will make you feel safest.”
My heart thudded, and I nodded.
“If that is all,” the judge said, scowling. “Court is adjourned.”
He slammed the gavel down with a heavy crack that echoed through the chamber. I headed out feeling numb. I didn’t even look back at Philip—I didn’t want to see his face.
But he made sure I saw him. The moment I stepped through the building’s grand doors into the crisp afternoon air, I heard his voice behind me.
“You ungrateful little-”
I didn’t even get the chance to brace myself before he grabbed for my wrist hard, fingers digging into the same spot that had bruised more times than I could count over the years.
“You think this is over?” Philip hissed. His breath was hot with rage. “You’ve humiliated me. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
I didn’t get to answer because a second later, a blur of motion slammed into him from the side and a loud crack filled the air as he collapsed.
I turned, and there stood Dominic.
