Chapter 439

Olivia

It was early the next morning, and I had just called the PR team for an impromptu meeting to discuss the lofty goals that the Alpha association had set for us.

We were gathered around the conference table once again, a tray of coffee and pastries placed in the middle. I had picked it up on my way in this morning, figuring that it would help to soften the blow that was certain to knock most, if not all, of them out of their chairs.

“Everyone,” I began, clasping my trembling hands together. “There’s been a significant development regarding the auction. We’ve… We’ve been challenged by the Alpha association to raise a staggering amount of money—a hundred thousand dollars.”

A collective gasp echoed around the table. Everyone began glancing around incredulously, clearly trying to tell if I was playing a prank on them or not.

“You’re serious?” Ashley asked, her voice quieter than usual.

I nodded. “I am,” I said. “Look, I know it’s a lot, but—”

“Sorry, Luna, but… how the hell are we supposed to raise that much?” Joshua blurted out, his youthful optimism faltering for the first time since I had met him.

“Joshua’s right. It’s an absurd amount,” Laurie added, shaking her head so hard that a bit of her red hair fell into her eyes. “For a small town like ours, it seems... impossible.”

I nodded, completely empathizing with their concerns. Little did they know, I had stayed up for most of the night, trying to figure out what the hell we were going to do.

The future of our pack hinged on this, though; if we didn’t achieve this goal, then Nathan would lose his chances of getting on the Alpha association. All of our efforts would have been in vain, and that especially stung whenever I recalled the images of Nathan fast asleep at his desk, skipping meals, and slumped over at his steering wheel.

“Listen, I totally understand that it’s a daunting figure,” I said. “But we need to come together, think creatively. This is crucial for the future of our pack and Nathan’s position in the Alpha association.”

There was a silence for several moments as the others began to wrack their brains.

“Well, um… it’s not entirely impossible,” Benjamin, always the practical one, said. “We can broaden our outreach, maybe get some surrounding packs involved?”

I shook my head. “I think it’s best if it stays within our pack,” I said with a soft sigh. “I’m afraid that the Alpha association might look down on us if it’s not specific to our pack. It’s a test of our community, not others.”

Another silence fell upon the room. I felt a bit bad for raining on Benjamin’s parade, but he took it well, and nodded. I would already see the gears turning in their heads, though, and that gave me hope.

But then, Vanessa, who had been silent up to this point, scoffed softly. The noise drew the rest of the team’s attention, and I looked over at her to see her leaning back in her chair, her arms folded across her chest.

She was the only person who hadn’t partaken in the breakfast I had brought for everyone, a perfect example of her disdain for me.

“Do you have anything to contribute, Vanessa?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral even though I was pretty sure I knew where this was going.

Vanessa shrugged. “What exactly do you propose we do, Luna?” she asked. “This is far beyond the scope of any small town auction. You’re the ‘leader’, so I think you should be the one to figure this out.”

I met her gaze squarely. Her words cut deep, but I wasn’t about to let her get the best of me; not when there was so much on the line. “Well, this is a team effort,” I said, “But I agree with Benjamin; although, rather than expanding our reach to other packs, we should start with the local businesses who have turned the auction down. See if we can change their minds, get more high-value items. That will, in turn, attract more bidders from outside the community.”

Vanessa tented her fingers and leaned forward on her elbows, a skeptical smirk on her lips as she rested her chin on her hands. “And you think you can lead us to achieve this? With all due respect, Luna, your experience in these matters is... limited.”

I felt a sting at her words but maintained my composure. “My experience might be limited, Vanessa, but my commitment to this project and our community is not. If you feel you can contribute more effectively in a leadership role, I’m more than open to stepping aside.”

The room fell silent, the team members exchanging uncertain glances. I knew this was a gamble, but the project’s success was more important than my pride. And it was clear that Vanessa had had it out for me for the beginning, so it had only been a matter of time before I put her on the spot.

“You know what? Let’s put it to a vote,” I suggested. “Who believes I should continue leading this project, and who thinks Vanessa should take over?”

One by one, team members raised their hands in my favor. The tension was palpable as the count leaned heavily towards me; in fact, everyone voted for me. Vanessa’s face turned a shade darker with each vote.

When the last hand was raised, Vanessa’s chair scraped loudly against the floor as she stood up, her anger barely contained.

“Of course they’d vote for the Luna. They’re afraid of the consequences if they don’t,” she spat venomously as she gathered her things. “Cowards, all of you.”

With that, she grabbed her belongings and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her.

The room remained silent, the aftermath of Vanessa’s outburst hanging heavily in the air. I looked around at the team, their eyes downcast, some still avoiding my gaze.

“Is that true?” I found myself asking. “This is a democracy, guys. You know I wouldn’t have held it against you if you had wanted to vote against me.”

Some scattered words of approval made their way across the room, but no one met my gaze still. The sight of it made my heart wrench, and it just made Vanessa’s words feel even more real. Maybe they were afraid of me; maybe the power imbalance was too great, no matter how hard I had worked to make sure everyone knew that I was only here to collaborate, not to dictate.

And yet, with the auction drawing close and the feat feeling higher than ever now that we were one woman short, I knew that none of us could afford to waste any more time on this.

Shaking off the uncertainty, I refocused on the task at hand, even though my heart felt like it was about to shrink into oblivion. “Alright, um… We can’t let this set us back,” I muttered. “We have a goal to achieve, so… Let’s brainstorm, think of ways to raise more funds for the auction.”

The team slowly rallied, suggestions starting to flow once more. We discussed various high-value items and experiences we could include, trying to reignite the creative spark that had dimmed.

Then, Benjamin, who had been quietly taking notes, looked up with his eyes wide. “I have an idea,” he said, breaking a silence that had been going on for a few minutes as we all tried to think of plans.

I raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze. “What’s up, Benjamin?”

He paused for a moment, scratching his head. “Well, there’s this artist who lives outside of town,” he said slowly. “She’s a bit eccentric, but…”

“Oh my god,” Lauria said, glancing at Ashley, who was shooting her just as much of an incredulous expression. “You mean Dianna Miller. Her paintings are worth a fortune.”

Benjamin nodded, excitement filling his eyes. “Look, I know it’s a long stretch, but we could try to contact her,” he said. “If we can get her to auction off a couple of her pieces, not only will they fetch a pretty penny, but they’ll attract buyers from all over.”

As Benjamin spoke, the entire team’s faces lit up, mine included. I leaned forward, intrigued by this idea. “Benjamin, you’re a genius,” I said. “Can you contact her? See if she’d be willing?”

But Benjamin’s face fell, and he shook his head, looking defeated. Ashley leaned in, filling in for him.

“Dianna is a recluse,” she said. “She hasn’t taken a visitor in over a decade.”