The Sickened Luna's Last Chance novel Chapter 458

**The Perfect 458**

I was well aware of the gravity of the situation. Clenching my jaw, I extracted the receipts from my pocket—the very ones I had unearthed in Margaret’s safe—and handed them over to Dantel, my heart racing with the weight of what they represented.

“We discovered these,” I stated, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “They are receipts for gemstone purchases. They could prove instrumental in constructing a case against them, especially if Stormhollow funds were misappropriated.”

Daniel took the receipts, his brow furrowing as he scrutinized them. After a moment, he nodded, returning them to me with a sense of urgency. “Keep these secure. They might be crucial later on.”

I tucked them back into my pocket, feeling the cool paper against my skin as Daniel resumed his tale, his expression darkening with the memories he recounted.

“Fortunately, we received funding from Ashclaw for several years,” Daniel remarked, casting a glance at Alexander, who listened intently. “This financial support allowed us to maintain essential programs, like healthcare benefits, for a while. But eventually, Richard began hoarding even that money, diverting it to indulge his wife’s extravagant lifestyle.”

A knot twisted in my stomach. If those funds had continued to bolster the pack’s welfare programs, I would never have instructed Alexander to halt the checks. Yet, in the end, it had become clear that the money wasn’t helping anyone at all. I felt a wave of relief wash over me for having stood my ground against my father that fateful day, a sentiment that deepened with each passing moment.

“By the time the witch passed away,” Daniel continued, his voice heavy with sorrow, “even healthcare was slashed. Entire sections of the pack were systematically deprived of electricity and hot water, sometimes for days on end, all in a misguided attempt to save costs. Yet, Richard somehow managed to construct a mansion for his family.”

“A mansion built on the suffering of your people, I presume,” I muttered, unable to contain my disdain.

“Indeed. It was,” Daniel replied, his expression falling. “We lost some remarkable individuals during that construction. Men who were well past retirement age, who should never have been tasked with building a mansion, simply collapsed from sheer exhaustion, never to awaken again. They left behind families without inheritance, without a means to survive.”

Beside me, Alexander cleared his throat, his voice thick with sympathy. “That’s horrific. Surely, Ashclaw can resume sending funds—”

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