MATE

My thoughts are cut off by my phone ringing giving me a bit of a fright. It always rings and vibrates unnecessarily loud and violently when it is on a hard surface and I hate that.

I groan and pick it up from the table to see who is calling me. When the name flashes across my screen it only serves to irritate me further.

What does he want? I am not due to work for another six hours. Something must have happened.

"Hey, John," I answer, hiding my annoyance.

"Grace, just the person I needed to talk to," He chuckles nervously.

I sigh and roll up my eyes.

"Well, you got her."

After a brief moment of silence he begins to speak."Someone bail on you again?" I ask, keeping my friendly tone. After all, he is still my boss and I need this job until after college to help keep me up.

I hear a heavy sigh on the other end of the line before he replies. "Athena quit this morning."

"Not another one," I groan.

Lately, waitresses have been quitting left and right, and now one of the senior employees has just quit as well. I suppose it doesn't help that most of them are finding their mates.

I'm sure the male wolves don't want their mates working in places like these. If they did there was sure to be a fight every night with one of the many inappropriate customers.

What am I supposed to do now? The same Athena I was going to ask to cover my shift tonight has left. Annette will be working the lunch rush with me so that leaves no one for tonight.

At that think I know why he is calling me.

"You want me to pull a double shift today don't you?" I ask hesitantly.

Seeing how bad I need the money I would have normally accepted his offer, but sadly I have to be at the pack meeting tonight. Too bad he isn't a werewolf, so I can't explain the situation to him.

“Was there no one else who could take my place?"

"You know I hate to ask, but Ida is still on vacation and Annette is still new, so I have no one else." He explains.

I sigh. I know he is right but I don't know how to help him.

"Please?" he begs.

I have never heard him sound so desperate before.

"I'll give you an extra two dollars on the hour for coming in on such short notice." he quickly adds.

Now he is singing my tune. How can I resist an offer like that? Do you know what an extra two dollars an hour could do to my bank account?

"Fine," I say. "I'll do it."

"Oh thank you, Grace," He says in relief. "You really saved me here. I owe you."

"Yeah, about that. I kind of need a favor as well," I say, "Well two actually."

"Anything," he says.

"First, I'd like to take on all the extra shifts this summer so I'd like to ask that you don't hire anyone else."

"Done," he agrees.

"And....I need off work for a couple of hours tonight for something important," I add.

I cringe slightly, waiting for his reply while the silence grows. I almost fear that would be a deal breaker, but I silently hope it isn't. I can't miss the pack meeting tonight. That would land me in hot water with the Alpha.

"Okay, but just two hours and I expect you back here immediately," he says, trying to sound like a firm boss again

Oh thank goodness. I feel such relief at his cooperation.

"Thank you John. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I smile as I pull the phone away from my ear and hung it up. Isn't it weird of me to be happy about this? I mean I will be getting extra hours, more money, and still be able to attend the pack meeting tonight. That's something to be happy about, right?

I just might get that apartment after all. And with only thirty dollars in my account right now I could definitely use the extra money.

I trudge through the bustling cafe tothe counter to pick up the two dinner orders for table twelve. They are growing increasingly impatient and have already asked me about their order three times. It's as if they didn't notice we were incredibly busy tonight.

It has been going full swing since lunch today and it hasn't let up since. This was the hell you go through when working on a Saturday and with only one waitress. Well until ten minutes ago when Annette finally shows up. I guess she is here to temporarily relieve me.

I look up at the clock on the wall counting down the minutes until I have to leave. I can not be late.

After I put the plates down at the table that ordered them, I walk back to pick up my second order while letting out a yawn. It has only been five hours since I started the shift and I am already feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

I think I might need a five hour energy shot just to get through the rest of the day. They seem to work well for me but I hate to rely on them. The effects aren't as good once your body gets used to them.

"Grace, break time," John yells across the noisy diner and points to his watch. "Two hours starts now."

I give him a quick nod of my head and sit the plates down before I tear the apron off and toss it aside, then make my way to the counter. After grabbing my belongings from behind it, I quickly rush out the door in a hurry.

My car is the third one down the lot in the employee parking spaces, so it doesn't take me long to get inside. If I wasn't in such a hurry I might have taken the time to enjoy the summer air walking, but now was not the time for that. If I was even so much as five minutes late I was sure to get into heaps of trouble by the Alpha or the Elders.

As I pull up in front of the large pack house I am silently thankful that I am not the last to arrive. From the looks of things it seems that my parents are already here, as is most of the pack except for the few that are arriving just as I was.

I guess I drove a little faster than I thought I did. Oh well, whatever gets me here on time. I'm not complaining.

I walk through the mass of cars following behind a couple who are also heading towards the back of the house. In the evenings, weather providing, we always have outdoor meetings. However, on occasion, the alpha holds them in his office.

And when I say office I mean a room the size of two or three of my bedrooms put together, a hall. I suppose it has to be rather large in size though to accommodate the size of the pack.

"Grace!" a little girl screams as soon as she has caught sight of me.

"Is that my little Daisy?" I chuckle, lifting her off the ground.

Daisy was a little girl I used to baby sit when I was in high school for extra cash. Her parents were always busy with pack duties, so they hired me to take care of her in the evenings until they were finished. That was two years ago. She was barely even walking then. Now I'm standing here looking at a very tall three year old who is still as cute as ever and whom I had missed with all my heart.

"Hello Grace," Mrs. Bischoff's warm voice interrupts us.

I set Grace down on the ground and turn to greet her in return.

"Hey Mrs. Bischoff. How are you?" I ask.

"I am well, thank you, but I believe the meeting is about to start. Would you like to sit with us?" she offers.

"I'd love to," I reply before following her to the seats.

I sit next to Daisy before she loops her arm through mine and looks towards the front. Seeing as Mr. Bischoff is third in command, we have great front row seats so we aren't bothered with looking over top of people's heads to get the view. I am grateful for that seeing as I am not exactly the tallest person in the pack.

"Hello. Thank you all for coming this evening. I realize this meeting was sort of last minute but I have an important announcement to make," the sweet, melodic voice of our Alpha says.

He stands no more than ten feet in front of me looking out into the crowd of people with the most beautiful, proud, smile on his face I'd ever seen. Nothing could be more perfect. He is just so... so...wonderful. I just want to touch him.

Oh no. What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking about Alpha Logan that way? It's not right. He has a girlfriend and he is way out of my league.

"Today I'd like to announce my wedding and mating to the most beautiful girl I've ever met, Josephine Langford."

Just then I feel my wolf about to jump out of my skin. Something has really gotten her riled up.

Mate. She whispers.

No. It can't be. He can't be my mate if he's already proclaimed his love for Josephine. I mean, he's just announced getting married for goodness sakes.

So why am I feeling this way?

Maybe it's just confusion. Yeah, that's it. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and I'm really tired. That's bound to mess with someone's head and affect their thinking.

The sound of the crowd applauding brings me from my thoughts and my eyes drift back up to them. They are smiling brightly and holding hands while gazing at all the pleased wolves.

It is like they are the President and First Lady.

Just as everyone gets up to shake their hands I immediately begin to think of ways to get out of here. I don't want to be around him if I can't even hold it together just by hearing his voice. What if he thinks I like him or something? I can't. He's Logan, an alpha, and I'm me. We don't even make sense.

"Did you hear? Josephine is going to be our Luna," Daisy grins with excitement.

I look down at her with my best fake smile without a word then quickly turn away. If I am going to go now is my best chance.

As the pack crowds around them I take my chance and disappear behind everyone slowly making my distance. Surely no one will notice me with all the excitement going on.

Once I am sure I am not in sight of anyone from the pack I start to pace a little quicker until I reach my car. I have never been so glad to see it in all my life.

As my hand stretches out to the grab the handle, a voice catches me off guard, sending a wave of panic through me."Where are you going?" Daisy's soft voice calls out. "Are you leaving?"

I quickly look in her direction and see the saddened look on her face staring back at me.

"Yeah. I need to get back to work," I say, a fake smile on my face. What I have told her is a lie, technically.

Her features then become saddened. "But you didn't say goodbye."

My heart clenches and I desperately want to reach out to her, but I know I have to leave. I need to put some distance between me and this place as soon as possible.

"Look Daisy, I really have to go, but I promise I'll come by and see you Thursday. Okay?"

That seems to perk her up and she runs to me for a quick hug.

"You promise?" she asks with a toothy grin.

"I cross my heart," I reply adding the X over my heart for extra effect.

"Okay," she nods before letting go of me.

"Now you better get back to your mom before she gets worried about you," I say.

She then turns from me and starts back in the direction I have just come from before calling back to me. "Bye Grace."

I smile fondly after her until I make sure she does as I have said, then immediately get into my car and leave. With the windows down and the music turned up, I do my best to drown out my thoughts and forget everything that has just happened.

I'm sure tomorrow all of this will be out of my head and I can get on with living my life again. Maybe even let my wolf out as well. It's obvious she's having side effects from being cooped up so long. I think some fresh air will do her some good.