Favor Redeemed Ch. 04

Everyone parked and got out. Amelia started to duck her had back into to grab some of her things, as she figured it would mean one less trip later when Reyna called to her, "Leave it for now. Let's get your introduced and then we'll get your stuff moved in."

Amelia couldn't help but grab her purse and the bag she'd filled mainly with memento's and remembrances of her family, then she followed Reyna and Jeremiah who were in the lead. They walked to a door and small elevator. "This is a private elevator," Jeremiah stated in a firm tone she had not really heard him use before. "No one is allowed to use it but pack members and it goes directly to the top floor."

"I understand," Amelia said.

Reyna smiled mischievously and then said, "Don't mind his gruffness, he's just very big on pack safety."

"That's ok," Amelia answered brightly. "It is his job after all, I assume."

Jeremiah's expression softened a little. The more he was around Amelia, the more he liked her. She seemed so calm and sensible.

Everyone attempted to climb in the elevator, but there was not enough room for everyone. Only Amelia, Jeremiah, Reyna, and two of the betas fit. One of the men whom Amelia had not yet been introduced to, but who had come with Reyna and Jeremiah, got a twinkle in his eye as he stood outside the elevator. "Race you," he said and then moved to the other door, which Amelia assumed led to stairs.

"No shifting," Jeremiah called and pressed the "Door Close" button, put in a small key in a keyhole next to the number panel, pressed "5," and the elevator started going up. He looked at Amelia and said, "We will get you a key to the elevator as well as an opener for the parking area. A key is required to get up to the 5th floor so that guests don't accidentally end up where they don't belong."

"Great!" said Amelia, her excitement filling the whole elevator, making everyone smile. As they reached the top floor Jeremiah stepped out first, then Reyna, and the other two betas nodded at Amelia to go first.

She followed them down the hallway and noticed a large room at one end. They passed numerous doors to what she assumed were rooms. As they got to the large room, she noticed that it was like a large Den with a TV and several couches and it also combined with a kitchen that actually went back on one side. It was a very open space, but no one seemed to be lounging. In fact, she looked at about 20 pairs of eyes, all looking intently at her. She wondered for a moment if this was "everyone" and how they had come to be gathered here like this. She smiled what she hoped was a friendly smile.

Jeremiah nodded at everyone and said, "I would like to introduce Amelia. She is a member of the Beckett family and she will be joining us here to help organize and manage the front desk. She will be staying here as well. I am sure that you will all do what you can to help her feel at home."

Amelia listened to Jeremiah's little speech and watched the group as they seemed to be watching her. She wondered what they were thinking and hoped it was good, so she just kept smiling. After he finished Amelia gave a little wave and said, "I'm so happy to be here." The thing was that even though she was uncomfortable at being the focus of everyone, she WAS truly happy to be there. It was like being at college, having a family, and having a job all rolled into one.

Reyna watched Amelia and could feel her embarrassment, partially from the blush on her cheeks, but she again watched as a truly happy smile lit up her face. She then watched as that smile seemed to light up the room, and this was not the first time she had noticed this happen. She thought of the Alpha and smiled even more inside because, while there were certainly going to be complications between him and her, she appeared to be exactly what he needed, in Reyna's opinion.

Realizing that an awkward silence had ensued she broke in and said, "Ok, I think that's enough of us all standing around and staring at her. We want her to feel welcome not put on display." She turned to a particular woman in the middle of the room with blond hair wearing jeans but a frilly white blouse. "Hannah, can you help me show her around a bit while Jeremiah helps get her set up with security."

"Of course," Hannah replied and stepped forward. Everyone else seemed to be hanging back and not really moving along, still watching Amelia.

Amelia was in awe of the slim, tall woman in front of her. She looked beautiful enough to be a model. As she came over, though, Amelia's innate sense of manners had her offering her hand and saying, "Pleased to meet you."

Hannah took her hand and shook it briefly with a firm grip and also said, "Pleased to meet you." Amelia was surprised at the firmness because it implied a strength that she did not see.

Reyna said to Amelia, "Hannah is the one who has been trying to keep things organized, but she really does not have the time as she is studying nursing at the local community college and it's pretty demanding."

"That's really cool," Amelia responded. "My best friend growing up went to college to become a nurse." Amelia had not thought of Virginia in a while and she had not seen her in years. In fact, she had lost touch with all her old friends; John had not liked for her to have friends.

Hannah chimed in, "Yeah, people thing that since I spend so much time studying that I can just sit at the front desk and it isn't an issue but people are always coming by or calling and it breaks my concentration and I have to start over. I don't mind doing my shift, but I don't want the responsibility."

Amelia was struck by how young but not immature Hannah seemed. She suspected that Hannah had a plan for herself and Amelia hoped that things worked out the way she wanted. "Well, let's get me started then."

Reyna noticed that there were still a good many people standing around so she turned to everyone and said, "Well since y'all seemed to be lacking for something to do, why don't you go unload Amelia's car."

"Oh that's not necessary," Amelia piped up, "I can do that later."

"Nonsense," Reyna replied with a smile, "We all pitch in and help, and like I said, since they don't seem to have anything else to do at the moment, getting a few things from your car isn't going to hurt them. Besides, this will give you more time to learn things from Hannah."

Amelia did not want to have the help and she was a little concerned about everyone going through her stuff, but she did want to get started so she reluctantly agreed with a murmured, "Ok."

Reyna again smiled inside thinking that Alpha Brendan, who was by no means inactive and unwilling to do, was used to being "waited on" to an extent and Amelia was going to want to do everything herself. When they got together, the sparks were going to fly and Reyna was certain that Alpha Brendan needed a bit of that.

Jeremiah watched the mischievous smile on his mate's face and wondered what she was thinking because, for the moment, she was not sharing her thoughts. He'd have to pick her brain a bit later. To the group he said, "Let's go get her things. Chase and Grady are moving in as well and have some gear to unload."

Amelia assumed that Chase and Grady were the other that had accompanied them out to the Inn. They both looked very serious and Amelia watched fascinated as everyone seemed to defer to Jeremiah, Reyna, and these two. It must be something to do with the pack order that Reyna had explained to her. Jeremiah came over and asked for her keys, which she handed to him, and watched as everyone began filing out toward the garage.

Hannah pulled Amelia's attention back to her by saying, "Well obviously this is great room and kitchen. Most of us just fix food for ourselves when we want it or eat at the restaurant. Occasionally someone will cook a big meal for everyone, but it takes a lot to feed all of us and it's hard to fix enough food in this kitchen. Obviously the restaurant has its own, industrial kitchen and if we really are all eating together, sometimes we use that while the restaurant is closed."

Amelia went and poked around the kitchen for a moment while Hannah continued to talk about the "house rules." The rules again reminded Amelia of college; clean up your own mess, write name on food that you don't want to share with others. Don't take up too much space in the refrigerator or freezer. All seemed like common courtesy. The tour continued and Hannah pointed out a particular room that was like a common hotel room as the room that would be assigned to Amelia. Amelia noticed that people were already arriving with her things and though she wanted to stop and help them, she continued following behind Hannah and Reyna followed her.

Next they went down in the elevator, using the key again, to the first floor. Hannah pointed out, "Obviously the elevator won't work without a key. This helps keep guests from ending up where they shouldn't be. This elevator and the stairs beside it go directly from the first to the fourth floors, and the elevator is only accessible through the first floor office suite, where the guests should not be. For housekeeping purposes, the main elevators are used. This can make things a bit cramped for guests sometimes, but generally most have checked out or gone out when housekeeping is around."

Just as Hannah had said, the elevator deposited them in a room full of desks, with phones and computers, and there was a young man sitting at one of, talking on phone through a headset and typing into the computer. "That Ryan," Hannah said to the unspoken question. "He taking a shift in 'Reservations' and in a minute I'll introduce you to Chloe who is currently manning the front desk."

While most of the desks were just in the open, there were a couple of offices on one side. As they walked in Amelia noticed papers scattered over the top and a computer with a chart on it. "This has been where I've been working, and as you can see it's a bit of a mess. I am going to get cleared out so you can take over before the end of the day."

Amelia would have felt bad about Hannah feeling like she had to leave the office, except there was obvious relief in her voice so she just said, "That's fine, take whatever time you need. I hope you will still be around to help me as I learn everything."

"Absolutely!" Hannah replied with a grin, then added, "Just as long as it's you in the chair instead of me." The three of them then chuckled a little. The tour continued to the front desk and lobby, and then to the restaurant, which was quite busy, though everyone stopped as entered and gave her a little bow. Amelia found it a little odd, but they were then moving along and Hannah was telling her different details about the hotel and the restaurant that she needed to concentrate on.

By the end of tour Amelia wished she had paper and pen to make notes with, and she hoped she'd remember at least half of what Hannah had said. She was also happy because it was obvious that this job really was something that the pack needed and so her doubts about them just finding a place to put her were laid to rest.

By this point Jeremiah had joined them and he said, "All your things are upstairs in your room." He handed Amelia back her keys and asked, "Would you like to go upstairs and take a nap or get settled?"

"A nap?" both Reyna and Amelia questioned; Reyna in a tone of incredulity and Amelia in a tone of surprise.

"Well I thought you might be tired?" Jeremiah said defensively at a glare from his mate.

"She's a human not a child, dear," said Reyna in a tone that made Amelia laugh a little and Hannah just watched all of them.

"I know that!" Jeremiah replied, grabbing Reyna and pulling her toward him and giving her a kiss on the lips. "I just wanted her to be comfortable, " he grumbled against her mouth.

"I'm fine," said Amelia, "And I'd love to get started if Hannah still has time to teach me."

"Yeah, I have time," said Hannah and the two walked into the office and began working.

After a little while, Reyna and Jeremiah appeared at the door and Reyna said, "We are going to head back to the lodge now."

Jeremiah reached out his hand with a card in it and said, "This is my cell phone number and the number to my office at the lodge. I've also written Reyna's number on the back. If you need either of us, please don't hesitate to call."

"I'll come back tomorrow to make sure everything's going ok," Reyna added.

"Sounds good," said Amelia, and again flashed her light-up-the-room smile.

"Amelia," Jeremiah started and waited until she was looking at him. "I've also written Alpha Brendan's cell phone number on there," he said quietly. "You can also call him if you need anything."

Amelia frowned and nodded, unsure of how to respond. She took the card with a "Thank you."

To break the sudden tension, Reyna came around the desk and gave Amelia a hug, "Take care, and I'll see you tomorrow." Then she took Jeremiah's hand and they walked away.

That evening, back at the lodge a very tired and worn looking Brendan found Reyna and Jeremiah talking in Jeremiah's office.

"Where is she?" Brendan asked quietly of his second.

"She's at the lodge. I have Chase and Grady there to protect her. She is taking over as the manager for the time being."

Brendan nodded, but he said nothing and his look remained a bit remote. Jeremiah could tell Brendan had been in some kind of fight. Probably with some animal, who had probably been torn to pieces.

"For what it's worth my Alpha, I think things will work out." Reyna said, "And, she was very happy to have a job."

Brendan nodded again and walked toward his office. As he sat in his chair the thought to himself, "What have I done."