Inaaya rubbed the blurriness out of her eyes as a wide yawn escaped her lips. She arched her back while cracking her neck from side to side before pushing the laptop further away on the bed. Her left foot had fallen asleep, causing her to stumble as she stood up. She stomped her foot a couple times before kicking her leg in the air, trying to regain the feeling in her asleep foot.
It had been four hours since breakfast, the exact time Inaaya spent sending out job applications as a Digital Marketing Manager yet again. On her second day at the castle, she had requested access to a laptop with internet connection and Axel had come through. However, five days later, she still had no luck with any of her applications. Her last few days were spent job searching, spending time in the rec room and of course, flashing the stop sign whenever moments between her and Axel became too intimate.
Now though, Inaaya adamantly decided she needed to earn her keep one way or another. She couldn't just take advantage of Axel and his pack. After all, her decision of staying was more for her own sake than anyone else's.
She closed the laptop lid, heading into the ensuite bathroom through the walk-in closet, just like it was in Axel's room. She splashed her face with cold water and patted it dry, hoping it would make her look fresher than she felt. Brushing her hair up into a ponytail, she overlooked her outfit for any flaws. Apart from a couple wrinkles on her grey shirt, her outfit was immaculate.
She didn't have many outfits in her luggage, seeing as the trip was never meant to be extended until further notice. A shopping spree was in order. One she would have to put off till she found a job. But to get a job, she would need to get an interview first. And in case she did get an interview, she would need new, professional clothes to attend. She sighed. She was running in circles here.
Inaaya wore her black ballet flats, the only pair she had, before exiting and locking her room. Even though Axel was the Beta, the second in command of this pack, she thought it better than to go to him for what she had in mind. In the last six days, no matter how many times she had asked how she could pull her weight, he had only brushed her off saying she didn't need to. No, she needed to reach higher, seek out his Alphas.
Remembering her tour of the castle with Jermaine, Inaaya walked towards the direction of the Alphas' offices. She knew she would have a better chance of finding them there than at their room at this hour. Since she was hoping to speak with Diella instead of Eliseo, she knocked on her door first.
"Come in," a female voice called from inside and Inaaya opened the door. Inaaya didn't want to encroach on Dielle's privacy, so instead she stood by the door, letting it close softly behind her. The room she stepped inside of was effortlessly sophisticated. The walls were made of natural wood with several inbuilt shelves and a white curved ceiling adjoined them. She could see her reflection in the brown marble flooring of the room, the way her hair frizzled and her eyes looked tired.
The ticking of the clock and scratching of pen on a paper were the only sounds that could be heard inside the office until Dielle spoke. "Inaaya?" she asked, surprised. "Come, sit."
Dielle's face held a welcoming smile, causing Inaaya to return a polite one. She gingerly walked towards the mahogany desk and occupied one of the two beige chairs kept across from Dielle's. Light rays of sun shone on her face from the large circular window behind Dielle, causing a warmth to spread through her body.
"What brings you by?" Dielle asked, signing a paper before filing it away. Then, the red-haired woman gave Inaaya her undivided attention.
"I wanted to personally thank you for your hospitality," Inaaya said, leaning slightly forward in her chair. Dielle smiled and nodded. "And I wanted to ask how I could earn my keep here," Inaaya added, making Dielle pause in her movements. She looked at Inaaya with curiosity apparent in her green eyes.
When Inaaya couldn't take more of Dielle's silent, studying eyes, she elaborated, "I can start contributing monetarily once I get a job. Till then, I was hoping there was another way for me to chip in." She steepled her fingers in her lap, making a mental effort to not bounce her leg.
Dielle leaned back in her chair, the pleasant smile never leaving her face. "Have you spoken to Axel about this?"
Inaaya nodded. "I did. Numerous times. Every time he just told me there was no need." Inaaya watched as Dielle's head tilted ever-so-slightly to one side and hoping that the woman doesn't misunderstand her, Inaaya explained further. "Don't get me wrong. I appreciate your support. Really do. I just don't want to take advantage of it. For the sake of my dignity and peace of mind, I'd like to give back for what I take." It might be conceited of her but Inaaya could be sure Dielle looked rather impressed with her.
"I must say, I hold you in a high regard for coming to me with this. Inaaya, you're now a part of our pack and for the pack to run smoothly, every member has to contribute somehow. I appreciate you volunteering to do the same," Dielle said, her smile reaching her eyes for the first time.
Inaaya nodded, smiling formally. She felt relieved and appeased with her decision of seeking out Dielle. Had she not, she would have left the impression of an opportunist.
"You are now a Psi of the pack. Do you know what that means?"
Inaaya nodded. "I do. Jermaine gave me the book of pack rankings."
Dielle nodded in understanding, sorting through some loose papers on her desk before filing them away. "You understand your duties, then?"
"I think so." According to the pocketbook Jermaine gave her, the Psi were supposed to follow the orders given to them, simply put. They were the subordinate members with no defined duties. "I do the tasks assigned to me."
Dielle glanced at Inaaya, her brows furrowing in inquisitiveness. "Out of curiosity, have you memorised all the rankings and their duties?"
Inaaya shook her head, frowning slightly. "No, I haven't. Should I have? I remember some, I'll start on the others if you'd like me to?" she asked and Dielle shook her head amicably. Inaaya nodded, smiling tightly. "Remembering my new position and the responsibility defined for it is more a matter of self-interest."
Dielle nodded, clearing her desk of any clutter. "Understandably so. May I ask what jobs have you been applying for?"
"In digital marketing," Inaaya replied at once.
Dielle looked up, a pleasant and surprised smile curving her thin lips. "Perhaps you won't have to look anymore then! We have a small business within the pack and Goddess knows, we need better marketing strategies for it. You see we only have social media crazed teenagers handling it as of now," Dielle said, laughing. Inaaya couldn't help but chuckle along. "Would you be interested? We can decide on a salary too."
Inaaya nodded, "Sure. But I'd like to know more about the business first, if you don't mind? I'd then be able to know if I'm the right person for the job. Perhaps a detailed tour of the business?" That's how it worked. How was she supposed to sell something she knew nothing about.
Dielle nodded in understanding. "I'll show you to our pack business in a moment." Inaaya nodded and waited patiently as Dielle's green eyes phased out for a few moments. She briefly wondered if Dielle was mind-linking Axel about her. What would Axel's reaction be? Would he be upset she went over his head?
Soon enough, Dielle was back and getting up from her chair. Inaaya followed the woman out of the office and through the hallways. "Inaaya, one other thing. I'd like you to sit in hour-long sessions with one of our Sigmas, the pack tutors. It will help you learn a lot about our species as well as the Hiraeth Howls Pack."
"Hiraeth Howls Pack?" Inaaya questioned, increasing her pace to match Dielle's.
"That is the name of our pack."
"Hiraeth," Inaaya whispered, "such a beautiful word."
Dielle glanced at Inaaya, smiling wistfully. "It is, isn't it? I still remember the night when Eliseo and I had left our home. I had lost all hope but Eliseo was there to rekindle it. He was the one who came up with this name for our new pack, our new beginning. It holds a melancholic nostalgia for us."
Inaaya watched Dielle as she recounted a memory. Her whole demeanor had changed. She went from being a strong and authoritative Alpha to a woman wounded by her past. Inaaya wanted to ask her what had happened that night, why she had to leave her home. But like Inaaya herself didn't appreciate prying questions, she presumed Dielle wouldn't either. She settled on simply giving Dielle a small, understanding smile.
"I'm sorry, I digress. So as I was saying, I'd like you to attend sessions with our Sigma. There are two in the pack. I could assign you one if you agree?"
"It sounds great. I have many curiosities that need answering," Inaaya replied, smiling. "If it's not too much trouble, could I attend sessions with Jace? I think I will be more comfortable with him. We spend time together in the rec room every afternoon."
"Of course. I'll have Jace give you the timings for his sessions. I'm glad you're settling in well."
Dielle had led Inaaya to the training grounds in the middle of the fortress. As they walked towards the back exit of the castle, Inaaya watched a group of about twenty werewolves training on the grounds. The training seemed strenuous and even somewhat violent.
"They are the warriors of the pack, the Eta," Dielle informed her. "The whole pack is required to train for two hours in the mornings, however, the Eta train in batches all day on these grounds."
Inaaya watched the pack warriors train till she followed Dielle outside the castle, mesmerised by their agility. Dielle led her through the woods and a short walk later, they arrived at a large barn. From inside the barn, sounds of a ruckus could easily be heard. Dielle walked inside the open doors and Inaaya followed. What she saw inside was bemusing.
Inside were people brushing large wolves with shedding brushes and mounds of different coloured wolf fur scattered around the barn. Bewildered, Inaaya turned to Dielle who was being greeted by the people and wolves alike, both bowing their heads in respect.
"What is this place?" Inaaya asked, glancing back as the group resumed their task.
"Welcome to Selene's Fashion!" Dielle said, smiling wide. "We run a business of real wolf fur clothing," Dielle explained. "The first step is to brush the wolves of the pack to collect fur. Like any furred animal, we too shed fur when in our wolf form." Dielle walked forward, gesturing to the activity going on around her. Inaaya followed, looking around in amazement. "The wolves are brushed and their fur is collected into piles based on colour."
Dielle then exited the barn from its back door. Inaaya, too occupied in watching the wolf fur flying about in the air gently, didn't register Dielle's absence. "Inaaya?" Dielle called and Inaaya looked at her, startled.
"Sorry," she murmured, blushing. She looked at the wolves one last time before proceeding after Dielle. They exited into a clearing where Inaaya could see people working around large steel tubs filled with soapy water. A bit further away, Inaaya could see another barn and by its side, she could spot a warehouse.
"After the fur is collected, it is thoroughly washed and softened. It is then kept to be dried in that barn over there," Dielle pointed out the barn before moving towards the warehouse. Inaaya watched as a man pulled out soaking brown fur from a tub and well, she found the sight quite nausea inducing. She quickly followed Dielle, averting her gaze farther away from the soaked fur and puffing her cheeks as if trying not to gag.
Inside the warehouse, Inaaya spotted several spinning wheels to one side and people knitting on the other. Towards the back, Inaaya could see several sealed boxes stacked in neat rows and a staircase disappearing upwards. "The dried fur is spun into yarn here and then knitted into different styles of clothes. We sell these clothes around the city and to other colder countries," Dielle said, turning to Inaaya with a slight smirk. "Find it bizarre? Morbid?"
Inaaya turned to Dielle with wide eyes. She attempted to deny Dielle's words but she couldn't bring herself to lie. So instead she settled for, "At least this way it's cruelty-free."
Dielle's laugh echoed through the room, drawing some eyes towards them. "You're one of a kind. Nobody has such positive outlook on this when they are brought here first." Dielle chuckled, shaking her head. She requested a passerby to bring her a finished coat. Soon enough, the woman handed Dielle a beige fur jacket, who then handed it to Inaaya. "This is one of our finished products."
Inaaya was awed by the softness of the coat as well as its style. She brushed her hand through the coat, noticing the brand tag attached to it with the words 'Selene's Fashion' written on it. "These clothes are extremely warm, even more so than normal wolf fur. Therefore, they're equally more expensive. This business is not only profitable but also helps keep normal wolves safer from being targeted for their fur," Dielle explained and Inaaya nodded her head in appreciation, returning the coat to the waiting woman. "Come, I'll introduce you to our marketing team."
Inaaya followed Dielle upstairs where a small makeshift office was created. There were seven Apple computers and three teenagers lounging in front of them as they worked. "The pups work here part-time, whenever they are free from their lessons," Dielle said. "Hey, guys! Meet Miss Inaaya Bansal, she's our newest Psi, Beta Axel's mate and hopefully, your new boss!"
The two boys and one girl gave Inaaya curious looks with a hint of shyness. They said their hellos and went back to their tasks. Inaaya looked over their shoulders to analyse their work. Then she asked one of the teenagers to walk her through their current digital marketing strategy. It was quite smart, considering these teens had no guidance other than the internet.
"So, what do you think, eh?" Dielle asked her, standing behind the chair she occupied. Inaaya swivelled the chair around to look at Dielle.
"I think I can handle this. Though, I must let you know, I have headed the entire department before."
Dielle smiled wide, shaking her head. "That's no problem. We hadn't known the ABCs of a business when we started out. At least you've worked at junior levels before, right?" Inaaya smiled too at Dielle's words. "Great! How about you start tomorrow then? I'll arrange for you to meet the entire team and we can discuss the rest then. There are three more apart from these darlings here," Dielle gestured towards the working teenagers. Inaaya found it adorable how the two boys blushed at Dielle's words. With that, Dielle began leading her out of the warehouse and back towards the castle.
As Dielle and Inaaya traced their steps back, they saw a group of children playing at the clearing right outside the castle's backdoors. Inaaya spotted the middle-aged woman she had seen on her first day sitting on the ground as she watched the children.
"Alpha," the woman said, standing up and bowing her head at Dielle. Dielle smiled back before her attention was drawn towards the excited children.
"Alpha Dielle, Alpha Dielle, Alpha Dielle!" the children all screamed, surrounding Dielle as they requested her to play with them. Inaaya watched from the sidelines along with the middle-aged pup-sitter, a Phi of the pack, as Dielle played Ring a Ring o' Roses with the giggling children. The happiness on Dielle's face seemed to transform her completely. Seeing Dielle so lively brought a broad smile to Inaaya's face.
Soon, Inaaya found herself being dragged by the children too, playing several games with them for the next hour or so. She hadn't been around children much before but she could assuredly claim that she hadn't laughed as hard as she did with them for at least six years now.
When she and Dielle returned inside the castle after seeing the children back home safely, she turned to Dielle with a wide smile on her face. Dielle's mirrored it. "Thank you. For giving me the job."
Dielle nodded, squeezing Inaaya's arm gently. "Thank you, for accepting it! We needed you, badly," Dielle said, laughing.
Inaaya laughed too. "This was the most fun I've had in years now," she said, bringing the conversation to the play session they had with the children. "You're so good with children! You'll make a great mom."
In an instant, Dielle's smile faded. She averted her gaze from Inaaya's and her lips pursed tightly. Inaaya couldn't understand the reason for her sudden despondency.
"If only I could ever be one," Dielle whispered, turning her gaze back to Inaaya. "I can't have pups, Inaaya," she declared, her voice hard, yet it betrayed her devastation.
Inaaya's eyes widened and lips parted in shock. Guilt coursed through her body. "I'm sorry, Dielle. I... shouldn't have said—"
"It's alright. You couldn't have known," Dielle interrupted, giving Inaaya a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I should get going. Are you good to find your from here?"
Inaaya nodded, apologising once more before Dielle took her leave. She stood there for the longest moment, chiding herself for saying more than was necessary. As she walked back to her room, Inaaya wondered if her stupidity would cost her the job or even this pack house entirely.
A/N:
I feel this was a bit of filler chapter, no? Did you enjoy it anyway?
Thoughts on coats made out of wolf fur? So bizarre, right? :D
Also, guys! I've officially begun my trip so please excuse me if the updates are a little late for the next couple of weeks. :)