One

Everest

"Order for table sixteen!" The call from the kitchen was so loud that it jolted me from my daze.

Moving as fast as I could, I hurried to pick up the order and deliver to the said table.

"Your order sir," I tried to keep my smile as I took more orders from the group sitting at the far end of the restaurant.

Two hours ago, I thought I could finally get to rest after a hectic day at work, but Elena had to make me come fill in for her at work since she supposedly had a date with her mate, the Prince.

I could have refused and chose to get the rest which I badly needed, but that would have worsened the situation as my Stepmom would definitely make things harder for me.

Being an orphan with a stepmother like Alice, has made life quite tiresome, and getting on her bad side would only add more heat to my hellish life.

Ten years ago, I lost my mother to an accident. A man showed up at the funeral claiming to be my father.

I was only nine.

He took me home and loved me, making sure that I didn't feel my mother's absence. However, that only lasted for one year as my father also passed away, leaving me at the mercy of my stepmother.

Even though I'm all grown now, I still live at the mercy of my stepmother. After all, in a world where werewolves rule, what am I without a wolf?

If I am to survive, I have to stick with my pack and my home. That means I have to stick with my stepmother and her wicked antics.

"Here you go."

I picked up the rest of the orders and delivered them to the tables, making sure that I was fast enough to deliver in time.

"You did great."

I turned around to see a middle aged man with a round belly standing behind me with his hand on my shoulder. His appearance fits Elena’s description of what the hotel manager looked like.

"Thank you," I muttered as I moved away from his prying hand.

"You must be Elena's sister....uh..."

He seemed to be struggling to remember my name.

"Everest," I replied before he could mention the name on his lips.

"Everest..." he repeated as he circled me. "You seem very good at this job. You're very good," he repeated, his eyes wandering from my head down to my toes. "Have you worked in a hotel before?"

"No sir," I replied honestly.

I have taken several jobs to see myself through school, but I have never worked in a hotel. My current job is at a small shop where I work as a sales representative. Though the salary isn't huge, I get to pay my dues to my stepmother.

“Have you not worked in a hotel before?” he asked, mouth open. He seemed surprised.

“No,” I replied quickly.

I couldn’t wait to finish my work and call it a night. I checked my wristwatch again and I noted that I had one hour left to work.

One hour more before I go home to my bed.

“Then you must be really smart to be….” The ringing of his phone cut his words short as he immediately moved away from me to answer the call, giving me the opportunity I needed to bail.

However, as soon as I moved to leave, I was stopped by him as his hand grabbed me.

“I have to… he stopped me with his index to his lips.

I wonder what he was up to. I fixed my eyes on his hand around my wrist, wondering why he held me like I was caught doing something wrong.

“Oh, you can’t leave yet,” he muttered as he returned the phone to his pocket.

Of course I know that I couldn't leave yet since I had to send the rest of the orders. He didn’t need to rub it in my face.

“I want to collect the rest of the orders.” I mumbled loud enough for him to hear, hoping that he would let me go.

“I think I like you more than Elena,” He muttered with a strange smile dangling on his lips. His hand roamed my body and his flirtatious eyes looked at me like I was a meal he couldn't wait to devour.

His hand roamed my body until it landed on my butt. He gave my butt a light squeeze and I clenched my fist in anger.

I could have dealt him a slap to stop him from doing all that to me, but I knew that I would only bring more trouble for myself if I did that. So, I stood there and had him touch me so carelessly as he spoke.

“You’re hardworking, diligent and respectful,” he nodded as if to say that he was sure of his deductions about me. “And I think….”

His phone rang once again, and this time his eyes looked at me from head to toes, before he nodded.

“Done,” he muttered before inserting the phone back in his pocket. He returned his gaze to me and a sinister smile crept up on his face. “Wine is needed in room 204.”

I shouldn’t be the one delivering wine. I wanted to say, but with how annoying the man was, I took that as a cue to move.

“Sure sir,” I hurried towards the cellar to pick a bottle of wine before heading to the stated room.

He didn’t mention the name of the wine and I didn’t want to go back to him. So, I took a wine of my choice.

The hotel wasn’t a five star hotel, but it was famous in Callhary for its unique services.

Elena would often brag about meeting several big shots at her place of work and how generous they were. She would often show me how much she made as a tip in just one night, but looking at the place now, I doubt any of her words were true.

I mean why would any big shot visit such a place?

I went up the stairs, trying to locate the room, but the place was like a maze. I found myself at the exact spot where I was before, leaving me to wonder how the place was built.

Is it just me or is there something strange about the place?

I traveled down the corridor in search of the stairs. I looked for the way back, but couldn’t find it.

Just then, I saw a young female waitress walking towards me with a tray in her hand.

“Excuse me,” I immediately stopped her. “I think I’m lost,” I confessed.

She smiled and looked at the tray in my hand. “The Vip section is that way,” she pointed at the mirror behind us.

What? Am I supposed to walk inside a mirror?

“I have an order for room 204 not the vip section,” I corrected her.

The lady smiled and took the lead. She walked towards the mirror and surprisingly the mirror parted ways and she walked into an elevator. My mouth hung open as I watched.

Who would have thought that such a thing was hidden there?

“Hurry up,” she called out and I hurried towards the elevator.

“That was….”

“Surprising, right?” she chuckled before I could complete the sentence. “I thought so too when I first arrived here.”

“Here we are,” The elevator dinged and opened.

We stepped into an exquisite corridor with the most amazing decor that I've ever seen.

“Thank you,” I muttered as I began the search for room 204 while she went ahead with hers.

I just have to make this last delivery and I’ll be free to go home.

I knocked on the door of the room to notify its occupant that their order had arrived, but the door opened as soon as I touched it. Without delay, I went inside to relay the order.

A man was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed and placed on a leather footrest. The room was dimly lit, but I could see the table beside him. His head was bowed, and he seemed to be in deep thoughts.

“Here is your order, Sir,” I smiled as I placed the wine on the table.

No response.

“Sir, are you okay?” I asked as I noticed that the man wasn’t moving.

However, instead of a proper response, he muttered an apology. “Forgive me, Miss,” he said as he stood up.

“What are you apologizing for?” I asked in amazement. He didn’t even look at me, so why was he apologizing?”

“For this,” he replied swiftly, and before I could realize what was happening, I was swept off my feet by his shove. Without a wolf, I stood no chance against him. So fighting was futile.

I begged him to stop as I realized what he was about to do, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as he pounced on me like a hungry beast.

I struggled to get him off me, then I heard him whisper the most nerve wrecking statement I’ve ever heard. “I’ll compensate you.”