The Masked Wolf

Getting distracted

Ava’s point of view

Gloria and I breathed a collective sigh of relief as we finally finished cleaning the 2nd floor of the pack house. It had been a close call, with moments where we feared we wouldn't complete the task in time.

We were both eager to work at the bar today, but the state of the place made it hard to believe it was cleaned every day. The offices of the Beta James, Gamma Gregg, and other high-ranked members, aside from Alpha Ace, were always in disarray. It seemed like they had little appreciation for maintaining a pleasant environment. This forced us to redo our cleaning routine day after day, which was frustrating, to say the least.

In contrast to the others, the Alpha's office stood out as relatively neat, making our work easier and more efficient.

It was the only redeeming quality of his personality. It was a shame to see such good looks wasted on such an unpleasant man.

However, some pack members showed no regard for cleanliness whatsoever. They would eat at their desks and even inside the meeting room, leaving behind a mess they never bothered to clean up. Witnessing such negligence was genuinely frustrating.

Gloria and I took pride in our attention to detail and dedication to maintaining a clean environment. That's probably why we were permanently assigned to the most unpleasant and unsanitary areas of the pack house.

It was disheartening to be tasked with the dirtiest spaces, but we understood the importance of our role. I was slightly faster than Gloria with my years of experience.

I quickly glanced at my phone before heading into the shower to freshen up and try out some new makeup I had recently purchased for my evening shift at the bar. I was so excited to be working at the bar again tonight.

"Well, it seems like I'll be working all night too," read Tom's message from earlier, which I chose to ignore to finish my work.

Although a part of me felt sympathy for him, I didn't want to pry into his personal life. I also hoped that his job wasn't too dangerous.

Putting that aside, I decided to divert the conversation. "Oh well, at least I'm not alone working all night. How do you feel about your job? Do you find it fulfilling?" I typed, curious to know if Tom had a more satisfying occupation than my role as a maid at the pack house.

"Most of the time, it's enjoyable. Being the boss has its perks, but there are moments of pressure. I have a lot on my plate," Tom replied promptly, his eagerness evident in his response.

Tom’a quick reply made me giggle, finding it amusing how he seemed to have anticipated my message.

I couldn't help but wonder what exactly Tom was the boss of, but I decided not to pry into his personal details. After all, I had no intention of revealing my own personal information in return.

"Well, with your charm, I'm sure you're amazing with people. Your employees probably appreciate having you as their boss," I smiled. Another notification interrupted my thoughts, but I knew I had to hurry and get ready.

Gloria was waiting for me, and Tom's messages were becoming quite a distraction. I settled on a sleek black dress paired with golden heels and costume jewelry. I applied some makeup following Gloria's guidance, although it didn't turn out as perfect as when she did it for me. Nevertheless, it would suffice for now.

I met Gloria in her car, and she immediately started admiring my stylish new clothes. "Wow, you look amazing! The shopping trip was definitely worth it. Let's get going so I can get ready and make sure we're not late," she exclaimed with excitement.

Gloria’s kind words made me feel good, and I realized she was an amazing new friend.

As Gloria drove us to her apartment, our phones chimed with a message from our boss, Bart. "There was a server issue where a customer recognized one of our employees from their pack. As a precautionary measure, we will now require all staff members to wear masks. I have already arranged for them to be made, and they will be ready for your shift," I read aloud, confused.

Why would it be a problem if a server was recognized? This news made me feel a bit nervous.

"Well, that's actually not a bad change. I kind of like it," Gloria commented warmly as she pulled into her apartment. "Would you like to come up and wait, or would you rather stay in the car and message Tom?" Her remark made me blush, but we both knew the answer to her question.

"I'll stay and message Tom," I replied, causing her to giggle softly.

"I'll leave the windows down for you so your makeup doesn't smudge," Gloria kindly offered as she went inside her apartment.

I read Tom's message, "You would be surprised. I don't think I'm that charming to anyone but you." His response genuinely surprised me.

In my interactions with him, Tom had always exuded charm. It seemed he didn't realize just how charming he indeed was.

"You can't be worse than my terrible boss," I truthfully replied via text.

Although I found Alpha Ave undeniably attractive, I was not fond of him as my boss, and I would never voice that aloud. He didn't like me either, as he made it quite evident.

"I can't fathom how anyone could be anything less than adoring towards you. Even if you were the absolute worst at your job, I would still revel in having you by my side all day long. Perhaps he keeps you toiling away for endless hours because he harbors a secret attraction to you, and now I must admit, a twinge of jealousy has taken hold of me," Tom sent back, causing a delightful blush to color my cheeks.

Tom's irresistible charm never failed to captivate me. Oh, I wished he could be my boss instead of Alpha Ace.

"Believe me, I excel at my job, and yet he inexplicably loathes me. It's as if being in my presence is a burden to him. As I mentioned before, my boss is an ass," I replied, feeling a mix of relief and caution.

Sharing my frustrations about Alpha Ace with a stranger felt oddly liberating. However, the thought of him discovering my venting session filled me with apprehension, knowing the severe consequences I would face for daring to disrespect him.

"I could handle him for you, you know. I happen to have some connections," Tom playfully texted, making me smile. Tom's unwavering persistence never failed to charm me.

"No, it's complicated. You don't realize how powerful he is or how complex my situation is. I'm hoping to untangle myself from it soon," I replied, my fingers hesitating over the keyboard as I carefully crafted my response.

I wasn't sure how much detail I could share with Tom about my predicament. I reluctantly pressed send.

"Well, maybe your boss doesn't realize how powerful I am. Perhaps if you allow me to assist, I can make a difference. I hate that he isn't treating you right," Tom texted back, his words filled with determination and a touch of frustration.

Tom’s offer was tempting, but I couldn't let him help me. The truth was, I was trapped in a web of substantial debt, the details of which I wasn't entirely aware. It was a burden I couldn't fully disclose to a stranger, no matter how well-intentioned they were.

"Are you ready?" Gloria suddenly interrupted, her voice piercing through the open window.

Startled, I quickly turned my attention to her. Lost in my conversation with Tom, I hadn't even realized she was approaching.