Bound To The Broken Alpha (Amy and Daniel) novel Chapter 387

Chapter 387 Narrow Window

AMY

Finished

The day started like any other day would–reports queued, meetings staggered, nothing urgent flagged overnight. Daniel had already left for an early council briefing. I stayed back at Carter Holdings to finalize internal approvals that had been delayed by the previous week’s tension.

By midmorning, the atmosphere shifted.

It wasn’t panic. It was restraint. People spoke softer. Movements slowed. Wolves paid attention without admitting they were paying attention.

Addison was the first to say it out loud.

“Something’s wrong,” she said, standing at my office door with a tablet pressed to her chest. “Security is requesting clarification on an internal release.”

“What kind of release?” I asked.

She hesitated. “Strategic vendor data. The northern logistics projection.”

I stood. “That information hasn’t left this floor.”

“That’s what I said,” Addison replied. “But the trace shows executive authorization.”

I took the tablet from her. The screen displayed access logs, timestamps, clearance paths. My clearance path.

I didn’t react right away. I needed to be sure of what I was looking at..

“This isn’t possible,” I said. “I didn’t approve of this.”

“I know,” Addison replied. “But it’s already been flagged.”

“Who has it?” I asked.

“An external analysis firm,” she said. “Southern–adjacent.”

The room felt smaller, not because of fear, but because of consequence. This wasn’t an attack. It wasn’t sabotage in the obvious sense.

It looked like a mistake.

“I need security records,” I said. “Full access history. Not summaries.”

“They’re already compiling it,” Addison said. “Daniel’s been notified.”

“Good,” I replied. “Let him hear it from me before someone else frames it.”

The word frame settled heavier than I expected.

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7:05 pm D

Chapter 387 Narrow Window

Finished

By the time I stepped into the executive corridor, people had started to notice. No one confronted me. That was worse. Wolves didn’t accuse unless they were certain. When they weren’t, they watched.

Clara stood near the conference area, speaking quietly with two department heads. She looked up when she saw me.

Concern crossed her face quickly. Too quickly.

“Amy,” she said, stepping forward. “I heard there was an issue.”

“I’m handling it,” I replied.

Her brows knit together. “Of course. I just wanted to check on you.”

I nodded once and moved past her.

As I walked away, I felt it.

Not relief. Not sympathy.

Satisfaction.

It wasn’t obvious. It was a small thing–a stillness in her eyes that didn’t match the concern she was performing. I registered it without understanding it. At that moment, I didn’t attach meaning to it. I was too focused on the problem unfolding.

Security requested a formal clarification by noon.

Sue was assigned as part of the review team. That alone told me how seriously this was being taken. Sue didn’t investigate the noise. She investigated patterns.

We sat across from each other in a small conference room. No observers. No recording devices.

“I need to ask this plainly,” she said. “Did you authorize the release?”

“No,” I replied. “And I didn’t delegate it.”

She nodded slowly. “The access path says otherwise.”

“I know what it says,” I replied. “It’s wrong.”

Sue studied my face, then looked down at her notes. “There’s no forced breach. No override. Whoever did this had clean access.”

“I don’t share my credentials,” I said. “Not even with Daniel.”

“I know,” she replied. “That’s what complicates this.”

She paused, then added, “This doesn’t look malicious.”

That was the second thing that unsettled me.

“Explain,” I said.

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7:05 pm

เย

Chapter 387 Narrow Window

Finished.

“It looks careless,” she said, “As if someone acted under pressure. Or misjudged risk.”

I leaned back. “You think I slipped.”

“I think that’s how it will be interpreted,” Sue replied carefully.

The distinction mattered. But not enough.

By the afternoon briefing, the damage had already begun.

A temporary review was announced. Limited scope. Non–disciplinary. Language chosen to calm, not accuse. But wolves heard what words didn’t say.

Access to certain streams was paused pending review.

My name was attached to the pause.

I stood through it without comment.

Clara sat two rows behind me. When the announcement ended, murmurs spread. People shifted. Wolves adjusted posture.

I turned slightly.

Clara’s face was composed. Respectful. She looked exactly like someone worried for a leader under strain.

And then, for a moment, when she thought no one was watching-

There it was again.

That same quiet satisfaction.

I looked away immediately.

Not because I understood it. Because I didn’t.

Daniel joined me later in my office. He closed the door and rested his hand on the back of the chair across from me.

“This wasn’t random,” he said.

“I know,” I replied. “But I don’t know what it was.”

He sat. “Security thinks it was a lapse.”

“It wasn’t,” I said.

“I believe you,” he replied. “But belief won’t stop the review.”

I nodded. “Who benefits from this?”

Daniel didn’t answer right away. “Someone who wants you questioned without being attacked.”

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