Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 Manager Interview


    The next day, Friday, Davie brought his first choice for the bar manager to interview with Thea. They


    met at the coffee shop in the vige after school.


    “Luna,” Davie said when they walked into the coffee shop. Thea stood up from the table she secured.


    “This is Quinn Alden of High Tide Pack. Quinn, this is New Dawn’s Future Luna, Thea Lyall.”


    Thea held out her hand. Quinn extended his hand but stopped short when he caught a whiff of her.


    “I apologize,” Thea said.


    “One of my mates is scenting me because he can. I promise no one wille after you if we shake


    hands.” The scenting business was taken seriously in the werewolfmunity. Touch someone who


    has been scented, and you could end up dead.


    Quinn took her hand, and they shook.


    “Nice to meet you, Quinn,” Thea said.


    “The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure,” he said. He wore a freshly pressed button-down shirt and dress


    pants, much like Davie always wore. He had sunkissed brown hair in a long crew cut and pretty hazel


    eyes with long, dark eyshes.


    “Please, sit,” Thea said.


    Quinn clocked her Delta guard detail. A server walked up to them and took their orders.


    “I’m not familiar with High Tide,” Thea said. “Do you like your pack?”


    “Yes. We’re small, but ournd is on the coast. The beach is lovely. Most of us work in the city. From


    what I understand from Davie, we have simr values as New Dawn.”


    Thea nodded. “That’s good to hear. I want good business acumen in my manager, but above all, I want


    to see eye to eye on how the staff is treated and valued,”


    Quinn said.


    “Absolutely.” Thea described her vision for the bar, its purpose, the expectations for keeping the


    clientele and staff safe.


    “Do you have a mock-up of what the bar will look like?”


    “I do,” Thea said. She opened herptop and pulled up thetest email attachments from Jane. She


    handed it over to Quinn.


    “Wow. You have excellent taste,” Quinn said.


    “Thank you, but Jane, the interior designer, deserves the credit,” Thea said.


    “I’ve seen Jane’s other projects, and she can only work with the vision her client has. I have to say,


    being in the industry, this is top tier.”


    “That’s kind of a relief,” Theaughed. “Sometimes, I wonder if I’m surrounded by yes men. It’s nice to


    hear an opinion from someone who doesn’t know me, especially one with expertise in the field.”


    “To be honest, your reputation did precede you, but I’m not giving lip service. I don’t need a job. I’m


    happy where I am right now, but when Davie approached me and gave me the gist of your n, I was


    intrigued. Skeptical. It sounded too good to be true.”


    The server came with their coffees.


    “First,” Quinn said. He took a sip of his drink. “As an openly gay werewolf, a gay bar for werewolves


    immediately got my attention. I am well acquainted with the dangers we could encounter. I already


    have ideas for security. There are a number of security firms in the city with humans and werewolves


    alike. The humans already know about werewolves. Most have a werewolf mate. They would be


    immune to any wolfsbane. I’ve found that can be important.”


    “Yes,” Thea said. She still got a shiver in her spine and pain in her heart whenever wolfsbane was


    brought up.


    “Second, I could not be more in line with your vision for the bar, the safety of staff and clientele, the


    treatment of staff, all of it. However, I have ulterior motives for wanting to be involved. I haven’t found


    my mate. Your purpose for the bar


    – helping wolves like me find our mates—I feel a deep connection with that. Can I ask why you felt


    strongly enough about this to open a bar?”


    “I have a friend who is too afraid toe out openly,” Thea said.


    “It made me realize the culture is wrong. The matebond has been taught wrong. My Alpha and Luna


    helped me work with the local school to change the curriculum. I believe the matebond’s purpose is to


    ensure families stay together. Anyone can get pregnant.” She paused for a moment, knowing she might


    not be able to. “The important thing is to stay with your family. I think that’s what it’s about. Not


    procreation like it’s taught. So I want to start changing the perception and make it safe for everyone to


    find their mates. If the goddess gives someone a mate, there’s a reason. We shouldn’t stop them from


    being together.”


    Quinn took another drink.


    “After meeting you,” Quinn said. “Getting a feel for you personally, your business instincts, seeing your


    taste, what’s important to you, I’m not just intrigued. I’m a believer. Davie told me I’d be impressed. I


    didn’t expect to be. I think he undersold you.”


    “Oh, thank you,” Thea said.


    “I’m in What do you need from me?” Quinn said


    Thea smiled. “What aspects of running a bar have you been involved in? Advertising? Promotion?


    Hiring, ordering supplies, payroll?”


    “All of it. I would rmend hiring a few people who specialize in promoting bars and clubs to boost


    promotion at first. It’ll be important to start with a bang”


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    “Sure.” Thea nodded.


    “As the business grows, I may need an assistant or an ountant. For the beginning, I can do just


    about everything”


    “You can train staff


    “Absolutely. I prefer it. That way, I know everyone has the same information. No one can abuse anyone


    else. They know toe to me directly if something is amiss.”


    “Excellent,” Thea said.


    Just then, Maverick came up to Thea and whispered in her ear. “The front gate is calling foryou.


    There’s a group saying the code words.”


    “Will you mind link the triplets and Lizzy? Tell them to meet me in the dining hall with food if they’re not


    busy. Tell Lizzy to bring Alessia if she can.”


    Maverick nodded and stepped back.


    “I’m so sorry, Quinn,” Thea said. “This must seem so unprofessional, but I have an urgent matter to


    attend to. If you need to leave, I understand. If you can stay, please do.”


    “I can stay, Luna,” Quinn said.


    Thea smiled. “Thank you. I don’t know how long this will take. Order whatever you want here. It’s


    already taken care of. You’re invited to pack dinner. Davie, are you staying?”


    “Yes, Luna,”


    “Can I ask you to entertain Quinn?”


    “Of course,” Davie said.


    “I’ll have someone mind link you when I know more,” Thea said.


    Thea left with her guard detail.


    “You weren’t kidding,” Quinn said to Davie.


    “I was not,” Davie said.


    “Her aura. It’s magnificent.”


    “She’s not even at her full strength right now. She almost died a month ago.” Davie breathed in,


    remembering. He told him what had happened.


    “She’s still not recovered.”


    “I can’t imagine,” Quinn said. “There’s a goodness in her. Light. She glows.”


    “It’s usually even stronger. You should’ve seen


    the mating ceremony. She lit the dais up. She had the future Alphas glowing right along with her,


    maybe the whole pack. I’ve never experienced anything like it. She’s smart as a whip and has the


    biggest heart. She uncovered a ring of abuse at her school. Alphas and shifted Alphas-to-be have


    been using their Alpha tone to rape she-wolves and force them to keep silent. That’s what she’s doing


    right now. She offered protection for any of the victims. Anyone being mistreated can join our pack.”


    Quinn’s eyebrows shot up for a second.


    “I’m not easily shocked,” Quinn said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this kind of thing happening-a


    leader opening the doors, taking on the responsibility to protect people outside their pack, assuming


    the risk of retaliation. She can’t let injustice go unpunished, can she?”


    “She’s a force of nature.”