My Mate's Joy

Chapter: Two

Chapter Two: Jobs
{ Vale }

The days that passed since arriving back home I did in fact meet with the Gunthry's. As it turns out it was the same girl my older sisters use to hang out with in school.

To be honest I remembered the girl as being somewhat of a bitch...typical popular mean girl (just like Brooke), I was glad to see her upcoming motherhood seemed to have softened her tough demeanor and superiority complex.

"Little Vale, It's so good to see you...I guess it's Alpha Kirkshaw now huh...how are your sisters?"

"They're good, both are married, Brooke doesn't make it out here much anymore but Briar tells me she's good, apparently she and her husband are trying for a baby." I filled her in. "You'll see Briar from time to time as she visits me quite often." I smiled.

"It's good that you two are close....I remember you use to be really close to your brother Ash and your sister Everest, how are they?"

"Still am actually, Ash is the Alpha over at the Weston Hills pack with his Luna and mate Flora...you'll see them a lot too, and Everest is now Luna Graystone as her mate is Titus Graystone."

"Wow." She sounded genuinely impressed.

I nodded, "Yeah they're really lucky Ash and Everest...you know between both of their families I have 8 nieces and nephews."

"They've certainly been busy." Anna's mate Henry sounded. "And no Mate and kids yourself Alpha?"

I shook my head, "Nope...not quite as lucky as the both of you." I said, "But welcome to the pack, Anna we are glad to have you back...at the end of next month we will be having a fall festival, although i'm sure you'll hear more about it as the time draws closer."

"Sounds great." Anna smiled, I shook their hands and showed them out with another good luck on their baby's delivery and an assurance of my open door policy.

As I was showing them out a red head girl I've never met before was walking up the steps.
"Hello." I smiled, "Can I help you?"

She smiled shyly,"Hello My name is Jessa Reeves, I'm here to see the Alpha."

I held out my hand to her to shake, "Alpha Vale Kirkshaw."

She dropped her head, "My apologizes Alpha Kirkshaw."

"No please...I'm not the kind of Alpha that required my pack members to bow out of respect or anything like that...please, come in."

She looked up at me, I could see a stain of blush in her cheeks so I offered her another small smile as I showed her inside.

"Would you like to speak in the office, or the sitting room...I've got to be honest the sitting room is much more comfortable but not as private."

"Which ever you prefer." She sounded unsure.

I guided us to the sitting room.

"Can I get you anything, something to drink?"

"No thank you Alpha...really I just came on behalf of my mother and I, we wanted to personally thank you for allowing us to return back to the pack."

"Of course, Once a Reed River packer, always a Reed River packer right?" I asked lightly.

I wanted her to relax, I found if my pack members were timid or feared me they didn't trust me.

She held back a smile at my statment, "I assume you were informed as to why we returned?"

I nodded, "I heard about your father's passing...I'm sorry for your family's loss, from what I can remember...he was a good man, he use to give me a free candy everytime I walked into his pharmacy."

She smiled a genuine smile this time, her eyes were a little watery now.

I cleared my throat and handed her a tissue.

"Whatever you or your mother need please do not hesisitate to ask."

She nodded, "Thank you Alpha...as it happens I do need something."

I sat there and awaited her next words.

"As you know my father is gone, and my brother lives with his mate in our previous pack...My mother isn't quite in the condition to work so financially we could use some help."

I paused, "Well, " I sighed. "I can set you up with some cash for the time being...get you in contact with some of our local businesses who run nonprofits as well, they help out with paying your bills or food...-"

"You are truly kind Alpha, and while I appreciate your generosity my mother and I aren't exactly destitute as my father's life insurance left us enough money to survive on and we own the home we live in...but an income would better help us be less dependant on what we were left, if I had a job we could live off of that mostly and use the inheritance for emergencies...so if you know of anyone around town that's hiring, or even drop my name if you hear anything...i'd really appreciate it."

"Of course." I sat and thought about it, before it hit me. "As luck would have it, I do know of a new job opportunity that just opened up."

"I'll take just about anything...like I said this would really help us out."

"As I don't have a Luna my Beta and I were recently toying with the idea of me possibly getting an assistant."

"Personal assistant to you Alpha Kirkshaw?" She asked unsure

I nodded, "yes...this would entail you having to sit in on meetings with me and sometimes even for me, take my calls, manage my emails and scheduled, speak on my behalf in my stead at certain events..."

She nodded, "When would I start?"

"Let me speak with my Beta, we'll talk some numbers and see what I can pay you as well as come up with a start date." I said as I grabbed another tissue and pulled out a pen from my pocket.

"Sorry i'm not exactly being professional at all right now." I laughed, "Could you write down your info and I'll be in touch."

She held back a laugh and smiled as she nodded and took the tissue and pen, she took care in delicately jotting down her information and afterward I stood up with her and shook her hand.

"Until we meet again Ms Reeves."

"Thank You Alpha Kirkshaw."

I walked her out and went about the rest of my day.

"Hey I've got some good news." I said as George walked in that evening for our weekly meeting, Wex right behind him."

"Oh?" George sounded as he took his usual seat and set up his laptop.

I nodded, "I took your advice and found an assistant...honestly it's more like she found me but whatever, I found someone to help me out."

"Well I'm glad, last thing I want is for you to overextend yourself Alpha... so who's the new assistant"

"Jessa Reeves...I just have to call her back on when she can start and how much I can pay her."

"Well then let me get this going and we can crunch some numbers for her salary...as for a start date, the town committee meeting is next week to discuss the Festival's intricacies...if you think she's up for it?"

I sighed, it did seem kinda heavy for her to start with something so demanding right off the bat...but if she could handle this then I knew she'd be able to handle just about anything. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

Wex shrugged, "if all else fails we can ask the committee to regroup and have a second d meeting."

I nodded, "I'd really rather not put it off too long and risk pushing back the festival though."

George looked at me and smiled, "and for all we know Miss Jessa Reeves May knock it out of the park...now, shall we begin?"