Moonlight Run

Nine

A few days had passed since the brunch, and by Wednesday afternoon Lily Rhodes had yet to return to training with us so I was still being partnered up with our future Alpha.

I was distracting myself from the thought of his muscular body working around mine as we had grappled earlier in the gym by scrubbing away at baseboards in the Alpha wing, when I heard footsteps approaching from behind me.

I looked up just in time to see Alpha Phineas Blackburn coming my way. He seemed to be walking with purpose, so I looked down the other side of the hallway and as I was trying to figure out where he may be headed at this time of day, he called out,

“Isadora Petrova,”

Well shìt, I thought.

I dropped the wire brush into the small bucket I’d been using, and with a short nod, I followed the Alpha down the stairs and to the office annex. His office sat at the very end of the hallway.

Even when my father was Alpha, I’d never spent much time in this room. The two times before in my memory were when Beta Leon and my mother were married in a private ceremony in this office, performed by the Alpha; and again when I turned 18, when he called me here to ask if I’d like to remain living in the Beta quarters freely, even as an adult, so long as I agree to stay on as part of housekeeping staff.

Alpha Phineas held the door open for me and I walked past him. He shut it firmly behind him, and motioned to a set of red armchairs that faced opposite a sofa by a fireplace to the left. The left side of the room was a lounge area. The right side of the room had a wooden conference table that looked like it sat six to eight chairs. And in the middle towards the back of the room was a large U-shaped desk and a black leather high back chair. A library of bookshelves were staked to the right, and another smaller desk and chair sat off to the left.

I took a seat in one of the red armchairs, taking the space in with awe.

“It’s cozy, yes?”

“You could say that,” I nodded.

“Do you remember it at all?”

“Just from the last time I was in here,” I said.

He raised a brow, his resemblance to his son much reflected in his expression. I explained, mentioning the wedding and again when he offered me the housekeeping position.

He chuckled. “Funny, how easily you blend into the background, Miss Petrova. I can’t say I remember you being there either of those times.”

I tried to hide any offense I may have felt at his comment.

“And yet, as I sit before you I feel I’m in the presence of an intelligent young woman, who’s made the most out of a situation with some… quite unpleasant… beginnings. I dare say,” He c****d his head to the side and eyed me curiously with a pause, “one would even call you an attractive young woman. You’ll do well for yourself, I’m sure.”

I was surprised to hear that kind of praise, but I cleared my throat and let out a simple, “Thank you, Alpha.”

He continued to appraise me with his eyes a minute more; a minute too long, really. I was just beginning to feel uncomfortable when he straightened up and spoke again.

“Onto the matter at hand,” he slapped his knees. “It’s come to my attention you’ve been taking a bookkeeping course, yes?”

Oh no, I thought. How could he know?

As if registering my confusion he answered my question, “My secretary, Lena— she gets the mail in the mornings, and seemed to have accidentally grabbed a letter. She didn’t realize what she was reading until she’d opened it, and understood it to be for you.”

He handed me the open envelope, the letter exposed inside. It was my most recent interim report on my grades.

“It appears you seem to know your way around a spreadsheet, and we just happen to have use for that around here soon.”

“Oh. Oh?” I didn’t know what to say.

“I didn’t expect to fill the position yet… it was just sitting on a to-do list, really. But with Nikolai’s ascension quickly approaching, this seems to be an opportunity to fill that need.”

“What need, sir?” I ask as politely as I can muster.

“Well, as I’m sure you understand, when Nikolai ascends and takes over as Alpha, Lena doesn’t plan to remain in her position, available to him as she’s been to me.”

I knew that Phineas and his ‘assistant’ Lena had been sleeping together for years — it was no secret — and I suddenly was very confused about what he was proposing. My expression may have given my concern away.

“She’s a brilliant secretary,” He said, clasping his hands together. “And in many ways, more. She’s handled many of the managerial duties a Luna would— sees to the emails, the spreadsheets, the damn coffee even,” and he takes a dramatic sip from the mug on his side table. “When it’s all said and done, she makes sure the lights are on around here, and that’s the truth of it. I couldn’t tell you what day of the month a single thing is due. But she gets it done.”

He took another sip of his coffee before he continued, “Being an Alpha, well, it’s a demanding job, and you have to have people in your corner that you can delegate tasks to with confidence. Dimitri is a great kid, and I have total confidence he’ll make a fine Beta. I know my son plans to name him, and I have no objection. But let’s be honest here, I’ve seen that kid’s high school transcripts. He’s all brawn, not a lot of brains happening in there.”

I had to contain my snort, but the Alpha smiled at me knowingly.

“But you, on the other hand…” He clicked his tongue between his teeth. “Miss Petrova, I believe you may have the know-how capabilities that my Lena does.”

“Are you…” I hesitated. “Are you asking me to be your son’s secretary?”

“Secretary, assistant… administrative whatever… office manager. I don’t care what you call it, really. But when I leave, Lena will too. So if you’re interested there’s a substantial salary upgrade from housekeeping, to be sure.”

I blink in disbelief. “Um, well…”

He stood up and walked to his desk, pulling out a memo pad and a pen. He quickly scribbled something down, and then he flashed me the paper. “Do those numbers work?”

I felt my jaw unhinge. “Is that monthly?”

He laughed. “Weekly,”

The words flew out before I could process. “Oh, yes. Yes, I do think those numbers will work.”

He slapped his hands together, “Glad to hear it!”

I felt my bravery get the best of me just then, “But… sir?”

Again, he raised the familiar brow at me. “Miss Petrova?”

“Could I be permitted to move out of the packhouse?” I ask. He breathes in deeply and I’m afraid I’ve upset him. “It’s just… with that kind of income, I believe I could afford an apartment. You wouldn’t have to keep the roof over my head anymore. That’s all.”

“Is something wrong with the living quarters in the Beta wing?” He crosses his arms, still eyeing me suspiciously.

“Oh, nothing really. They’re— they’re more than adequate. It’s just… Sir,” I took a breath. “I live next to my fourteen year old sister. I have my mother and step-father on the other side of me. It’s hard to feel much like—”

He laughed and waved his hand in the air at me. “I get it. You know Nikolai rarely stays in the Alpha wing anymore?”

“I think I knew that.” I replied. Did I? I asked myself. Why did I remember that?

“He bought himself a duplex in town a few years ago. He had this big idea about fixing up the other half of the place and using it as a rental,” Phineas paused. “An income opportunity, I think he called it.” He laughed.

“He’s left the other side sit empty all this time because he hasn’t had a minute to work on it. ‘Call a contractor,’ I said. But he was going on about wanting to learn how to drywall and take a sledgehammer to some cabinets.’ or something. I don’t really get it.” Phineas continued to chuckle.

“But he did at least manage to put a nice home office in his half. Hell, he works out of there more than he works here in the annex. It might be good to have you closeby, you know.”

I began to chew the inside of my check, not sure where he was going with this.

“What would you say to moving into the other half of the duplex? Gives you some space away from the family, but still close enough to handle all the assistant duties?”

I felt immediately overwhelmed by the decision, and perhaps he could sense it.

“You don’t have to make a call on that part right now. Just tell me if you’ll take the secretary gig, and give this old man one less thing to worry about on his way out.”

Truthfully, I could kick rocks until I was dead and that would bring me more joy than doing something that made Phineas Blackburn’s life easier. But I had plans of getting out of this town, and what he was offering me in weekly salary was more than I could save in a month if I stayed on as a housekeeper.

“I think I’d be a damn fool to say no,” I said aloud.

He laughed for a moment before he extended his hand towards mine. “So we have a deal then?”

And without hesitation, I shook it firmly and thanked him for the opportunity.

***

“Christ on a cracker, Isadora, are you insane?” Pipa sat on the edge of my bed that afternoon in disbelief. “It’s like watching a lamb wander into the lion’s den. Phineas Blackburn is sending you to his son for slaughter.”

I held up the paper with the proposed wages written on them. “That’s weekly, Pipa,”

Her eyes went wide a moment.

“Okay, but even if you do his secretary bit, you can’t possibly even consider sharing a house with Nikolai. I think I’d sooner take the lion’s den.” She cringed.

“I wouldn’t live with him, Pipa. Do you understand what a duplex is?”

“Yeah, and it’s still the same house.”

“Following that logic… here we have two families and a handful of staff living under the same roof, along with a bunkroom downstairs, where literally anyone in the pack can crash when they need a place to sleep. That’s better how, exactly?”

“It’s better because Nikolai isn’t next door.” She put her fingers in her mouth and made a gagging gesture.

“Well, part of the job description requires that I have to be available to him, so it does shorten the commute. Just saying.”

Pipa resigns, knowing she’ll never win this argument she stood from my bed and made her way to the door. “Okay, look— get that bread, hustle your heart out, smash those goals. I’m here for you, I support you, but just… don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She turned to walk out the door and I called after her, “That doesn’t feel like support. I do not feel supported.”

“I love you,” she called over her shoulder.

“Mmmhmm.” I fell back into my bedspread with a sigh. “Love you, too.”

***

Nikolai’s POV

“Absolutely not,” I stood to my feet from the red armchair across from my father. “These new feelings for her aside, I don’t need a secretary right now.”

“But you do need your mate, Nikolai. Dammit!” My father threw the whiskey tumbler to the ground unexpectedly

“It’s my wolf,” my father said. “He’s fading out. I go whole days without feeling him anymore. I know it won’t be long until he slumbers, and then I’ll just be a man, Nikolai. It’s important that I know you have secured our legacy.”

I swallowed hard, processing his words. “But you’re not even 50 yet?”

“Ha!” My father laughed. “You know why we retire by 50? Because around 45 you can feel the change, you don’t run like you used to, your wolf sleeps more, hell— I sleep more.” He paused for a moment. “The truth is, you get about 20 to 25 years out of being an Alpha, and that’s all a good one needs. And if anyone feels the need to stick it out longer? It’s because they didn’t get the job done in the time they had.”

He looked me over for a moment before he took a swig of his class. “I have been fortunate enough to oversee two packs, and I’ve raised a future Alpha. My work here is done.”

My father walked to his office door and opened it, motioning to the exit. “Now get the hell out of here, figure out if that girl is your mate, and get to work.”

I pressed my fingertips into my eyes with one hand, while rubbing my temples with another. “Can’t I start with hiring my own secretary?”

“Consider it a non-negotiable starter. It sets up nicely for her transition to Luna when she comes of age, anyways. Everything that comes after that is up to you.”

I exhaled as I began to head out of the office, and as he closed the door behind me he paused. “Oh, and one more thing,”

“Yes?” My shoulders slouched in expectation.

“How much did you plan to rent the other half of that duplex out once you’ve got it all fixed up?”

“I don’t know… It’s a two bedroom. So, I guess around $900 a month? Maybe $1000?”

“Let’s call it $1300 with utilities included?” My father reached into his inside suit pocket and removed a money clip. He began to count hundred dollar bills out. “Here’s $1300 for the first month, and $1300 for the last month. I’ll have some for you on the first of each month she’s there.”

“Wait, the first of each month that who’s there? What are you talking about?”

“Your rental space. The Petrova girl is going to be staying there.”

I felt my jaw fall slightly. “No! Dad, you can’t just —”

“I can, and I did. Now take this,” he shoved the wad of cash into my hands, “and start getting the damn place fixed up for her.”

And then he closed the door in my face as he said, “You’re welcome.”