The Alpha 8: Protect. Procreate. Prevail., page 9
“Anyway, we should go and check into our room,” Kyle said as he tapped the handle of his suitcase. “We were thinking of getting some drinks at the bar shortly, if you guys wanted to join us?”
“Sure.” I shrugged. “I imagine the women will want to go to the pool anyway.”
“Ooh, yes, I forgot about the pool!” Hailey squealed.
“Then we’ll meet you down there.” Cassie smiled.
I let out a sigh as the couple walked away. I felt like that went well, and Kyle and Cassie believed the blended-family lie, so it could have been worse.
Once the majority of the crowd had walked inside, my omegas and I collected our luggage from Aunt Eva, and then we went to join the back of the line.
The reception area was quite compact, with yellow painted walls and a large oak counter in the center. An electric fan blew crisp, cool air around the square room, and there was a wooden unit on one side that held various leaflets about other tourist attractions.
The brunette receptionist behind the counter had a cheery smile constantly on her face, and the name badge on her red-and-yellow striped shirt told me her name was Lucie.
Come in, brother! Do you copy? Benji called out a moment later.
Hey, I replied.
We’re, like, two minutes away from the hotel, he said. Are we good to pull up outside, or should we wait a minute? I don’t want the orchestra guys to think it’s strange that the random people on both flights have also turned up at the exact same hotel as them.
You should be fine, I snickered. Most of them have headed off to their rooms anyway, so I doubt they’d notice you arriving.
Awesome, copy that! Benji called out.
Our rooms are all pretty close to each other, I informed everyone. So let’s not make it too obvious that we’re all one big group, but we’ll keep in constant contact.
You got it, Gemma replied.
The three cars of betas turned up just as we were being checked into the hotel. I turned my head and smiled to acknowledge them, but then I paid attention to everything Lucie was telling us.
“Breakfast is served from seven until ten, and it’s included in the price of your rooms,” she explained. “We also serve lunch and dinner, but the hotel is quite busy at the moment, so we advise that you book a table in advance.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” I replied.
Lucie then went on to explain where the bar and gym were located, and the opening times of the outdoor pool and hot tub. Once that had been sorted, we went over various paperwork and other details, and the receptionist finally handed over our keys and gave us a brief explanation of where our rooms were.
“Enjoy your stay.” She smiled.
“Thank you!” Hailey said happily.
There were two exits to the lobby. One took us out to the pick-up point, but the second took us outside to the pool area, and every room in the hotel overlooked the pool and the outdoor facilities.
The pool was almost like the shape of a deformed kidney bean, with the hot tub built in at one end. Fake jagged rocks had been positioned around the circular hot tub, and yellow-toned lights had been secured to the walls, so they gave off a warm and inviting glow.
“This looks so nice,” Arielle said as she inspected the enclosed area.
“And we’re the only ones out here at the moment, so maybe we’ll have the pool to ourselves,” Blair commented.
“If we’re quick when it comes to unpacking, that is,” Hailey replied.
“But we’ve got so much time to unpack,” Nikita said. “Let’s enjoy our first night.”
“Yeah, or live out of your suitcase like I do,” Blair chuckled. “What’s the point of hanging up all of our clothes? We’ll need to repack everything in a few days anyway.”
“Because some of us like to be organized.” Hailey winked.
“I’m with Hailey on this one.” Arielle nodded. “I like to be able to see all of my outfits, because I’d just make a mess if I piled everything on top of each other.”
“Fair enough.” Blair shrugged. “Just as long as you don’t mind stepping over my suitcase every time you need to use the bathroom. Which is every hour for you, Arielle.”
“I don’t mind peeing,” Arielle giggled. “It’s a pregnancy symptom, so you won’t see me complaining.”
“Just wait…” Nikita snickered.
“Okay, let’s go and find our rooms,” I laughed.
The hotel came with two elevators on either side, so fortunately we didn’t have to worry about making constant trips up and down the stairs with all of our suitcases. Particularly with my violin case I also had to juggle.
Not like the bags were overly heavy, especially not to shifters, but we took shortcuts whenever we saw them.
“Oh, this is me here,” Aunt Eva said as we left the elevator. “Number forty-three.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “We’re room fifty, so we’re just down here.”
“Are you going to come to the pool with us, Eva?” Hailey asked.
“Hmm… I might,” Aunt Eva paused for a second. “But I also might call it a day, because I am quite tired.”
“Like we said on the bus, let’s try and make this a proper vacation.” I smiled. “So if we don’t see you again until breakfast, then that’s absolutely fine.”
“Yeah, enjoy your book.” Blair smiled.
“And let me know what you think of it,” Arielle added. “Because I will definitely be borrowing that book after you.”
“You might be waiting a while if I don’t have the chance to get past chapter nine,” Eva giggled.
“I think we should take that as our cue to go.” I winked.
“Yes, let an old woman have some peace for once, Jesse,” Aunt Eva sighed sarcastically.
“You’re not exactly old, but okay,” I chuckled. “Whatever makes you happy.”
My omegas and I trundled our suitcases down the walkway as we headed for our own rooms, and the rumbling wheels seemed to echo around the entire hotel.
I quite liked that nearly everything was outdoors, and there were no indoor corridors that often felt cramped and claustrophobic on a hot day. Everything was open, the surrounding walls provided some needed shade in the afternoons, and there was a cool breeze in the air now that the sun had left for the day.
The actual room itself was bigger than it looked online, and I could instantly tell why the hotel was two hundred dollars a night.
A small living area welcomed us as we first walked in, with a coffee-colored couch against one wall and a forty-inch TV on the other. The area was separated in half by a little kitchenette that held a microwave, a fridge, a coffee machine, and a wooden table with four matching chairs.
Then there was also a bathroom and two double beds around a corner and hidden from the entrance. The bathroom was the only room separated by a door, so everything else was open planned, and I liked that.
Jack Nolan’s plan for the week had been left on the table by the kitchenette, so I made a mental reminder to take a look at it once we had settled in.
The decor was the same all throughout the room, with a gray carpet, cream walls, and silver comforters on the bed. Then the bathroom had a white tile flooring, but dark gray tiles sectioned off the bath and shower combo. There were also his and hers sinks, and an enormous mirror which the omegas were more than happy to find.
A mirror was just a mirror to me, but apparently it made all the difference when the omegas were trying to do their makeup.
“Okay, who’s going to sleep with Jesse first?” Blair asked as she lounged on the bed they had already picked for me.
“I’m assuming you want to go first?” Nikita snickered.
“Whatever gave you that idea?” Blair shrugged as she crossed her ankles to make herself more comfortable.
I was about to offer a solution to make the decision easier, but then my phone began to vibrate in my pocket.
At first, I didn’t recognize the number on the screen, so I was tempted to ignore it. The caller could have left a message. However, it then dawned on me that it could have been any of my new betas, or perhaps a member of the orchestra.
“You can sort out the sleeping arrangement,” I chuckled. “I’m going to answer this.”
I wandered back into the living area and sat down on the couch as I answered the call.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Hi, it’s Jessica Henderson,” a sweet voice answered.
It must have taken me less than a second to realize what was going on.
It wasn’t Jessica Henderson, because that woman didn’t exist.
However, there was only one person who had a voice as soft and gentle as that.
It was Hazel Wise.
Hazel must have been using her burner phone, otherwise I would have recognized the number. And the fact that she gave me her fake name told me she clearly wanted to hide the call as much as she could.
The Shifter Detection Department had some sort of strange friendship with Theo Finch, but now that the motherfucker was dead and buried, Hazel Wise needed to be careful. She could have lost her job if her boss found out she and I often worked together.
“Jessica, hi,” I replied. “Are you okay?”
If it wasn’t serious, then Hazel would have used her regular phone, and she would have used her real name, too. We had to have this covered on both sides, and our secret calls were the only way that was going to work.
“Yeah…” Hazel sighed. “It’s been… I dunno, strange? But I’m getting there.”
“What’s up?” I asked. “How’s work going?”
Hazel rarely acted like that on the phone, and she always wanted people to think she was tougher than she really was. Hazel had a serious set of balls, but she also had a weaker side that I’d come to realize she tried desperately to hide.
“It’s been very quiet on my end,” she snorted sarcastically. “I haven’t been given any new jobs since the last one, so my days are feeling exceedingly tedious and boring.”
“Really?” I frowned. “But that’s… That’s been a while.”
“I know,” she sighed again.
The last case Hazel covered was the death of the werefoxes in the city, and so much had happened since then. Before I killed Theo, Hazel had mentioned the lack of work she’d been assigned, but we thought that wouldn’t have lasted forever.
Now, it had been months.
“Have they told you why?” I asked.
“No,” she replied. “I was just told to wait and see what my boss had lined up for me. But I don’t want to interfere and keep asking, especially while I’m trying to keep a low profile right now.”
“Yeah, I get that.” I nodded. “But that’s so annoying. Hopefully it won’t be too long before you’re given a new case to follow. Are you just stuck pushing files around for now?”
Part of me wondered if maybe I was the reason behind it all, but surely that wasn’t the case. No one in the SDD knew Hazel and I were in contact with each other after she had interviewed me about Gray Mackenzie. They also didn’t know I had been the one to kill the werefoxes, so I felt confident that our connection had nothing to do with Hazel’s lack of tasks.
“Well, that’s kind of why I phoned in the first place,” she said. “You see, your own file has been updated…”
“Uh-huh…” I led.
I wasn’t exactly scared to hear the answer, but I prepared myself nevertheless.
“You’re now listed as a potential threat on the system…” Hazel replied. “It was literally updated this morning.”
“A potential threat?” I chuckled. “Me?”
“I know, I know,” Hazel laughed softly. “I don’t understand it.”
“That son of a bitch wasn’t considered a threat, but I am?” I snorted. “Okay, then…”
“Other communities have even been warned, too, and they’ve been told you’re a threat,” Hazel continued.
“I won’t lie, Jessica, I kinda like it,” I snickered. “Sure, it’s a load of bullshit. But there’s some power that comes with an upgrade like that.”
“The glass is always half-full with you,” she giggled.
“It’s the only way to get through life.” I shrugged. “But thank you for letting me know, I really appreciate it.”
“But now that’s out of the way, let’s lighten the mood, shall we?” Hazel laughed. “How’s your trip going so far? You’ve just landed, right?”
“How did you know I came here today?” I frowned. “I don’t remember giving you proper dates?”
“No, but it’s on the system,” she explained. “There are SDD agents everywhere, so you guys are always spotted whenever you board a flight or arrive in a new place.”
“That would probably explain the strange guys I noticed in the airport,” I muttered.
“What strange guys?” Hazel asked.
“Just a group of men watching me while we waited for our flight,” I explained. “But they didn’t board our plane, so they might have been those agents you just talked about.”
“Yes, possibly,” Hazel replied. “If they didn’t do anything, then that’s often the first sign that they’re just fellow SDD agents.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I nodded. “Oh, but while you’re on the phone, do you think you could help me with something?”
“Sure,” she said without a hint of hesitation.
“It would be useful to know if I’m near any shifters right now,” I said. “I really don’t want to step on any toes, so I’d much prefer knowing the safer areas to travel to. Do you think you could get that information for me?”
“Um… hold on, let me check,” she muttered.
“Copy that, Jessica.” I smirked.
The call went quiet for a minute as Hazel Wise typed away on her laptop, and then I heard a rustle as she held her phone back to her ear again.
“Hey,” she said. “From what I can see here, there’s a large pack of werecoyotes and avians on either side of you, but they’re a few hours from where you are right now. But you’re in free land, so you haven’t arrived in anyone’s territory.”
“Okay, perfect.” I smiled. “Thank you, I now feel even better than I did before. The nearest packs are hours away from here, and the guys this morning were just agents keeping note of where I went. The nosy bastards…”
“I’m glad I could help,” Hazel said sweetly. “I can only just imagine the anxiety you must have felt if they were constantly staring at you.”
“Yeah, none of us knew what they were up to,” I sighed. “But you know what? If they actually were just random men waiting to board, they were probably jealous of my good looks. That would have been why they couldn’t take their eyes off me.”
“Yeah… I’m sure they would have found it so hard to look away,” Hazel sighed, and I could almost hear the dramatic rolling of her eyes.
“Are you saying I’m not handsome?” I gasped. “Jessica Henderson, how dare you.”
Her sweet laugh caused me to smile, and it felt fucking good to know I had been the one to cheer her up.
“Anyway, I should probably go,” Hazel said. “But let me know if you need anything else, okay? And I’ll be sure to keep you posted if I see any more changes in the file.”
It was nice to know I didn’t need to convince Hazel to give me information anymore, and she had openly offered to do it herself.
“Thank you, Jessica,” I replied. “And the same goes for you, too.”
“Oh, but remember to call me on this number if you do need anything,” she added quickly.
“Don’t worry, I will,” I said.
Once the call had finished, I instantly saved the number to my phone under the name “Jessica Henderson.”
I was comforted by the fact that I wasn’t stepping on anyone’s property, and I could sit back, relax, and enjoy the tour.
All while I watched my stunningly sinful omegas splash around in barely-there bikinis.
That sounded like a fucking good vacation to me.
Chapter 6
Once I informed everyone about my conversation with Hazel Wise, the rest of our evening was spent in the pool and getting some food from the restaurant as we silently discussed everything that was said on the phone. Everyone was relieved that the men in the airport were just SDD agents, and no one could believe that I was now known as a threat in the shifter community, but we all just laughed it off.
After dinner, we even joined Kyle and Cassie in the bar for drinks like I had promised them. It was lovely and relaxing, and I even managed to work out that my theory about Kyle had been correct.
He had been playing the piano since he was six years old, and it had been his dream to be a part of an orchestra, which was exactly what I’d wanted before this new life changed that path for me.
We didn’t spend a lot of time in the bar, but it was nice to really get to know Kyle and Cassie, and for them to get to know the omegas, too. I found out that they lived in a tiny town not far from Portland, so we made potential plans to stay in contact and meet up after the tour had ended.
Because of the calming evening, I woke up the next morning feeling fully rested, and I was excited to have my first rehearsal and meet the rest of the orchestra officially.
We had to be at the concert hall at ten, and because it was only a five-minute drive from the hotel, Jack said we didn’t have to use the buses he had booked for us. We could walk or organize our own transportation, just as long as we got there on time.
A few of my betas left the hotel at nine o’clock in order to check out the area, and they were pleased to see that there were some restaurants and a few stores they could visit while they patrolled the streets. Raina even noticed a tattoo studio two blocks from the performance center, and even though she didn’t currently have any tattoos, she was tempted to get one to remember the trip.
According to the itinerary, I was going to be rehearsing from ten until four, so my betas had made a plan for one group to patrol for the first three hours, and then a second group would take over for the second half.
Even though everyone was more than happy to walk around for the full six hours if they had to, I wanted my betas to relax as much as they could. It only felt right that they took it in turns to be my guards. But I reminded everyone to take anosmiacs before they went anywhere, even if the nearest pack of shifters were hours away from here.
