Mate to Match

Raina

2. Raina

(Raina)

My wolf has been restless all day.

I feel her stir under my skin once more as I finish delivering the order to table 19. Thank the Moon Goddess I had the sense to put down the beverages first, otherwise the loud beating of my heart might have made me drop them all on the customers' laps. 

I make my way back to the waiters' station, smoothing down my skirt anxiously. Is this PMS? I try to think about when I had my last period, but I don't expect to remember. That's one consequence of barely having enough to eat--your period is shows up rarely, if ever. I know people must think this is a blessing in disguise, but honestly, I'd rather be healthy and have a monthly flow than constantly worry about how thin I am.

"Order up for table 20!" the chef calls out, and I hurry to pick up the plates. 

The diner is ridiculously full today. Alpha Aiden Black is coming home from Hemsworth, and wolves from all over the country have descended upon Willow Falls to greet him. Table 20 has a Gamma's family sitting around it. The man himself does not acknowledge me when I drop off their food, but his mate casts me a gentle smile and one of the daughters says thank you. I grin back at them, grateful for the bit of kindness.

It's not that I am abused in any way in this pack. In fact, after my father died when I was ten, the pack was kind enough to let me stay. They gave me a place to live in the pack house, paid for my schooling, and let me move back into my dad's house once I'd graduated. But unlike everyone else in my senior class, I didn't have a family, a college fund, or even a social clique to prop me up. I've been working in this diner since I realised I needed spending money at 16. It was okay when all I needed was spending money, but now that I need to feed, clothe, and shelter myself, minimum wage just doesn't cut it.

And to think that I once had dreams of saving up for college.

"Raina, can you come in here a minute?" 

I go through the double doors into the kitchen. Jenny, the manager, is standing there with her hands on her hips. 

"Hey, what's up?" I ask her.

"You wanna make a few extra bucks?" she says, smiling.

"Do you even need to ask?" I smile back.

"I don't know...you look even more tired than usual. And you just pulled a double." 

"Just tell me what you need?"

"Okay, here's the thing," says Jenny, clapping her hands together. "The Alpha's welcome party is tonight, and Joe over at TAP just called saying he needs more staff. The plan was to close the diner early since everyone will be at the party anyway, and have our regular shift workers work there instead. But Clarice called in sick, so now we have an open spot. You want it?"

I don't even have to think about it. "I'll take it." My wolf stirs once more, strangely excited at the thought of this party. I tamp down on the restlessness, confused.

"Great!" Jenny steps in closer and whispers in my ear. "I'll bill it as overtime so you can make something extra, okay?"

"Thanks, Jen," I say, giving her a quick hug. "Means a lot."

"Your shift's almost over, so how about you hop on home and get changed? It's black tie, so even the serving staff has to dress formally."

My heart sinks down to my stomach. "I don't have any fancy dresses." Literally, the only one I have is white, and it's my mother's wedding dress.

Jenny doesn't pause to think, going instantly into problem-solving mode. She calls over her shoulder to one of the chefs and explains the problem. 

"I can have Meera drop one of hers off at your house, Rey," says Nikita, the chef. 

I thank her, taking off my apron and folding it. 

"Be at the pack house at 8," Jenny tells me.  

I wave at her and back out of the folding doors, rushing off into the evening.