Page 2 of Facets of Attraction (Betas in Waiting #30)

A sel watched the guests come and go while she kept busy with her paperwork. It was two in the morning, and the guests who had gone to bars and clubs were returning to the hotel.

She was waiting for one late arrival, and then she could run the night audit.

A huge Asian alpha with brooding features walked up to the desk and spoke in Japanese. Mr. Akamora checking in.

She answered carefully. Yes, sir. She prepared the small folder and handed it to him with both hands. Is there anything else I am able to do for you this evening?

He looked at her and sighed. Mr. Akamora requires a woman. You will do. Come up to our room in twenty minutes.

She paused. I am not able to leave my post, but I can source a different option for you if the requirement is urgent.

You meet his preference. When are you available?

I am not. It is not in my job description to go to a guest s room. I am reception, not completion.

His expression curved into a smile. I will forward your refusal.

I didn t refuse; it simply is not within my work experience.

The man grinned. He does not require sex, just remove a small bit of energy from you.

Is he entering the hotel?

Yes.

If he stops by the desk, I will give him enough energy to last him.

He laughed. That would be interesting, indeed. Very well.

She waited attentively at the desk as the man who had to be a bodyguard or something left the hotel and returned a moment later with a man who was the embodiment of beauty and exhaustion.

The dark silk of his hair flowed forward to hide his face, and he murmured, I was told you could help me, miss?

She said, Of course, sir. I only need your hand.

He extended his hand, and she took the graceful digits with super soft skin in hers and bowed over it, pressing her forehead to his knuckles and giving him a baseball s worth of female sexual energy.

There you are, sir. That should last until you are able to seek out a suitable partner.

She glanced up at him as she straightened. Seeing a face she had seen on countless advertisements over the last ten years was jolting, but she smiled politely, released his hand, and leaned back into her position at the desk.

He looked up, the exhaustion was gone from his features, and his bulky companion was stunned. He was stunning and had a shocked expression. Miss, have I met you?

No, sir. I would have remembered that. You are very beautiful.

He smiled. You are very familiar.

Sir, I must just have one of those faces.

He blinked. That must be it. Thank you.

She nodded. Have a lovely stay.

He and his escort walked toward the bank of elevator doors. The bellman had already taken their luggage up and returned.

Amy came up next to her and asked, You didn t get his ID?

He s a photo ID VIP. I knew him when his file came up, his stay was paid, and his card was on record and authorized for charges.

Oh. I haven t gotten one of those.

They tend to come in on the night shift. Audit is running by the way.

Great. Everyone is in?

They are. Nice quiet Wednesday. Are you ready to be on your own for the next two days?

Are you sure you can t come in?

I have a prior engagement. I am not even going to be in this part of the country. I leave as soon as I get home in the morning.

Are you sure you can t stay?

Absolutely. This is a favour for my sister, and she has to be there and wants me to be there.

What are you doing again?

Just part of the opening ceremonies for the Versus the Islands game.

Oh, wow.

Yeah. I was there to practice a month ago, but now, it s showtime.

So, it only gets released here on Saturday. You are going to know who won.

Nope. I am not. They are leaving the voting open for a week so that the world can watch. My part is just for the opening. I will be back for Friday night.

Amy nodded. Okay. I will man the fort.

Good. The manager and general manager are aware of my night off. They will be on call if you need them.

Amy beamed.

The rest of the night was unremarkable, and when Asel clocked out, she was relieved. The drive home was short, and getting changed and joining Honey on Emerald was just what she wanted that night.

It was time to play with fire.

When she got home, Honey was laughing and supporting her. You went hard.

I did. At least the others are over at Lydia s now. I won t freak them out. Asel was grinning, her canines matched her sisters, she was wearing markings on ninety percent of her body, and her skin was tingling from playing with her fire. She giggled and hiccupped.

Dude, you are high on your own supply.

Yeah. Fun though. That was a lot of fun. Their tongues were on the ground for your clips.

You did a pretty good job of keeping them there.

Of course. One body, two souls. Different markings. She giggled wildly. Oh, work tonight is going to suck.

I thought you got two days off.

Days. I work nights.

Oh, tricky.

Yeah, but Amy is new. I can t leave her alone on a Friday night.

You are too soft. Honey smiled.

That s what you keep telling me. She groaned.

Wait. Don t you have to take care of the chickens?

Nope. They took the chickens. It is just you and me on the farm.

Come on, roomie. Let s get you to sleep. You have to be up in eight hours.

Yay. More work! Asel got into her room and dropped onto her bed. As she fell, the dance costume disappeared, and her grandma s quilt covered her. Thanks, Honey. This was fun. Any luck on your mates?

They are showing up at work regularly and sniffing around. Fortunately, your smell isn t the right one, and that is the one I am wearing.

Asel laughed and rolled over. That only works until they get hold of you.

I know. And I also know that if they get pushy, you will be there, lighting them up.

A girl has to have her hobbies, she mumbled and dozed off.

Honey smoothed the quilt over her and headed to her own room.

The hotel was buzzing with excitement, and Asel walked into work, her hair damp from the rain. Whoa. What s going on?

The desk staff were wide-eyed, and security was stationed.

Amy turned, saw her, and clutched her, sobbing softly. They were doing that premier of the new survival show in the park and got rained out, so they are connecting all the ballrooms, and we have close to a thousand people in here.

That explains the beehive feeling. What are they waiting for?

Midnight. That is when they start the viewing. Tomorrow afternoon, it goes online.

Oh, boy. I am really regretting coming in tonight. Amy, stop hugging me. We have guests.

They separated and checked in the guests who were getting rooms for the night: IDs, deposits, notices about amenities, and check-in times.

When the wild-eyed manager arrived on the floor, he handed her a list on a clipboard and told her what she was supposed to do. Asel was supposed to stand near the doors and direct the folks who were on the list for the event to the ballrooms and everyone else to the front desk. Extra serving staff had been pulled in to keep the snacks and beverages available and the bathrooms clean.

Minoru and Polly were coordinating things with gentle smiles and firm direction.

Asel began her work with the list, and folks flooded in as fast as she could process them. When Win and her mates came in, they looked at her and grinned. She slumped. Please be welcome and enter the ballroom to my right. Further direction will happen when you are inside.

Win said, Honey is coming. She s bringing friends.

Well, she is very personable. She makes friends wherever she goes. She smiled and bowed slightly. Please proceed.

Win looked behind her and dragged her mates into the building and into the ballroom.

Folks were staring at her, but Asel stifled a smile as she greeted the next participants in the show. She had processed about ninety percent of the show folks when she saw Honey walking in her Elite form with two familiar men.

She bowed. If you are here for the event, please give me your names so that I may take you off the list. You may continue on to the right, and you will be directed inside the event.

The beautiful man smiled. We had a frank discussion with your sibling.

She is good at frank discussions, sir.

Honey winced. I told them who you are, Asel.

Well, that is unfortunate. Please proceed to the right, miss. There are others coming in behind you.

The men were amused, and the very pretty man with the long silky hair smiled. You are able to hold your composure, even when faced with your mates?

Yes, sir. I did it on your arrival, and I am on the clock, so I would like you to please proceed to the ballroom or your guestroom to avoid conflict in the lobby.

The pretty one reached out to touch her cheek, but she dodged him.

He chuckled. You are nimble, miss.

I am. Please proceed.

Thankfully, her sister and Asel s two mates headed to the ballroom.

There was a woman with three people behind her current guests, who was agitated. Asel winced. This was going to be unpleasant.

She checked in the first two people, and then the woman said, I am here for the event.

Yes, miss. What is your name? She held up the clipboard and looked at the woman attentively.

Maggie Wyatt.

I am sorry, miss, you are not on the list. If you are the guest of someone already inside, please step aside and call them.

Look, ma am. It s my boyfriend. I heard he is here with another woman.

That is unfortunate, but if he has chosen to bring someone else, it is not my concern.

The moment she finished, the woman slapped her hard across the face. Asel sighed and watched as the woman was picked up by security and bodily thrown out of the hotel.

Polly rushed over and said, I saw that, Asel. Are you all right?

Yes, Mrs, I will just ask permission to retaliate if it happens again tonight. I only give away one for free.

Uh, I will clear it with Minoru.

Thank you.

The enormous and burly man, who was next in line, said, Are you all right, miss?

Yeah. Your mate is in Elite omega shape with an alpha and another dark Elite with very long silky hair. Super pretty. Can t miss him.

He smiled at her slowly, his tawny hair and dark green eyes gleaming. You are sure?

Oh, pretty sure. She s a giant, pearly wildling. Wearing a blue dress.

Thank you, miss.

You are Alen Vagar?

He beamed. I am. And you are?

At your service. To the right. She gestured, and he beamed at her and went in search of her sister. If Honey was going to blow her cover, she knew that this would keep the scales even.

A few minutes later, a man with dark brown hair and darker brown eyes with seriously broad shoulders came in. Did Alen Vagar check in?

Yes, sir. You are Baran Cheshire?

He beamed. Yes.

To the right, they will give you further directions once you are there.

There was a familiar squaw, and Asel turned and saw Alen carrying Honey out. Asel stepped between him and the exit. You can t remove her before the viewing.

Alen s eyes were a little wild. She is ours. You pointed her out.

Honey bent around and muttered, Really?

Well, fair is fair. Alen, you aren t taking her out of here. I will take you down, and I will lose my job in the process, which will not make me happy. I am going to become your sister, after all.

He paused. She won t run?

Honey kicked her feet. I can t run in these shoes. Why are you so perky all of a sudden? You are normally so dark and broody.

There was an announcement, and the doors to the ballroom were closing.

Asel murmured, Go now, or I will hide her for another decade.

Alen blinked and turned on his heel. Yes, miss.

Baran went with them, and eventually, he plucked Honey off Alen s shoulders, and they made it in before the screening started.

Asel sighed and stretched before heading into the coffee room and sitting for a few minutes.

Amy quietly got a cold compress and gave it to Asel. Your face has a handprint on it.

Yeah. It would. She didn t mention what she wanted to do. Amy didn t need to know. How long is the screening?

Amy paused. I think it is going to last until six or seven. It s an all-night thing.

Oh, good. We just need to wrangle breaks and anything that catering needs us to get. She pressed the compress to her cheek.

The manager came in and saw her; his eyes were shocked. Someone hit you?

She wasn t on the list, and she was stalking someone. Security kicked her out.

Do you need to go home?

No. I don t have a lot of front-facing to do for the night. I will be heading home when they are coming out. Run the night audit as usual?

Yeah. That will be fine. If you aren t feeling up to it, head home. Any late check-ins will be dealt with later. I doubt any of the attendees will manage to get up before checkout.

She nodded and checked the tablet for outstanding reservations. No one had been scheduled to arrive after midnight, but now, there were more check-ins set for after six in the morning.

When she had her coffee and got back to the desk, she went about her normal tasks as her face throbbed. She could fix it easily, but she was a beta, and they didn t spontaneously heal.

She went about filing, verifying wake-up calls, special requests, billing for incidentals, and lining up the following day s afternoon check-ins. Some clients had preferred rooms, and she needed to keep them open tonight so they would be available for the following evening. Someone who needed a nest or an open rut space wasn t one to be ignored.

She hummed as she made sure to close off those rooms for anyone today, while making notes as to why. They had forty percent availability this evening, so things should be fine.

Asel stood and went through what she did every night. She tidied up the hotel so it was easy to find space to keep the guests comfortable.

She took her lunch in the dark of the night, and her phone rang. Hey, sis.

Funny. You couldn t have warned me?

It legitimately just happened. Why are you chatting?

They called a break. We have half an hour to get food, beverages, and hit the restroom.

Delightful. Glad I am on break.

Come on out. I want to introduce you to someone properly.

Pass. I am going to be gone by the time you guys are out of there.

Come on. She wants to meet you. This is her shindig.

Asel put her apple down and said, Where are you?

Next to the statue of the woman in a kimono.

That isn t a statue, that is Polly. I am on my way.

A few minutes later, she wove her way through the crowd and found her sibling. Hey, sis. What s up?

A woman with dark purple eyes and honey-gold hair smiled. Hello, Asel. I am Violet. You were recently taunting my cameras, and I was wondering if I could get you to sign off on letting me use some of the sequences for promo.

Wait. I did the fire dance. Wasn t that what you wanted?

Yes, but the editor found you and your sister goofing around to be hypnotic.

Oh, where we morphed the costumes of different female gaming characters? Yeah, that was just fun though.

Fun or not, I want to pay you so that I can use the footage legally.

Asel paused. What is the urgency?

Honey grinned. It s up next.

Why so intent?

Honey smirked. It shows us going from beta to omega.

Oh. That part. Sure. Where s the contract?

Violet whipped out a tablet, and the contract was on it. Honey s signature was already there.

Asel did what she did and absorbed the information. It wasn t underhanded, and nothing was sneaky. She signed it and handed it back.

Violet jumped happily. Thank you. I am going to name my firstborn after one of you.

Honey smiled. Which one?

Well, they both mean honey, right?

Asel laughed. You are the only person to clue into that in the last five years.

Violet smiled. I am very smart. I hope to talk to you soon, Asel.

Go and have fun.

Honey grinned. Poppy and her guys are hilarious, but I am biased.

Yeah. You would be. Right, well, my break is over. I don t want to get fired over this.

Honey sighed. They won t fire you.

This is a four-star hotel because the staff is held to a high standard. I am not blowing it. She turned and headed back to her post. She would be gone by the time the screening was over.