Tori’s POV I stared up at the unlit neon sign which indicated ‘Remus’ wasn’t yet open for business. My hand trembled as I pressed the buzzer. What I was about to do was daring in the extreme, given my past experience with this kind of establishment. Yet I felt good in my business suit even though I was way too early for my appointment. The middle-aged female who came to the nightclub door looked unfriendly, adding to my nerves. “Yes?” “Victoria Culpepper. I have an interview with Mr Phillips.” She didn’t even smile, just stood there with a hand on her hip. “Media, eh? No doubt you’ll be bad mouthing us in your article. BDSM always gets a poor press.” “There must be some mistake,” I said. “I’ve come about the job.” She slapped her forehead with the heel of her hand. “Silly me, I got the days mixed up. The reporter for the Werewolf Times has weaselled her way in because – no, you don’t need to know why or when.” She cleared her throat. “Alpha Calvin is running late unfortunately
Tori’s POV Ellie screamed when I gave her the news. “That’s wonderful, Tor,” she said. “I know the circumstances are just awful, but you’ve a foot in the door now.” She hugged me and I wiped away a tear. I was doing that a lot recently, crying. “Thanks for making dinner, Els. I love your special pasta. The meatballs are just divine.” My friend and flatmate hailed from Waning Moon. We’d attended the same college and she’d vouched for me when I applied to join them. One day I was from Black Gold, then I was in mourning, and within a week Alpha Joseph had accepted me into the pack which specialised in ceramics. They were short of females. Ellie was training to become a doctor, so we attended a mating ball once in the proverbial blue moon. That suited me just fine. “Tell me about the Alpha.” “You mean Calvin?” Her eyes widened. “Do you get to call him that? Already?” She put her hands on her hips. “What did you do?” Her frivolity was just what I needed. “Nothing, Els.” “Did y
Tori’s POV I spent Sunday on my own as Ellie got a call from her mom to say her sister was visiting from Oregon. She drove herself, straight after breakfast, and I spent the morning chilling in my bathrobe. A long soak beckoned after which I tried on the lingerie I’d bought. Some of it was lacy and delicate – the teddies, all in pastel colours – and the corsets had saucy little bows. I expected to be sharing an office with the Alpha, though didn’t think he’d let me use it when he was elsewhere. Nobody trusts a new employee at first. If I had to sit in the office off reception with Naomi I would manage. A laptop isn’t called that for nothing. She may even let me use the desk. Ellie wasn’t back by the time I was due to set off for work. Calvin had said to turn up around ten. I called an Uber and fussed over my appearance during the twenty minutes it took to arrive. No jacket today, just a tasteful skirt and retro blouse, striped with a white collar, the minimum of foundation and a
Tori’s POV I couldn’t get to sleep that night, even though I’d already picked out the outfit I was going to take: a black corset with burnt orange bows. Was this a test of my sensibilities, or something more sinister? I really hoped not to have to participate. Wondering if Naomi would be attending, as well, I dozed, only to be woken by Ellie, who was stumbling about in the dark. I knew we had agreed to save on electricity, but this was ridiculous. Then I began to wonder if it was even her. If only I had a baseball bat to hand. The mini crisis set my adrenaline flowing but it was a false alarm as I found out when the thumps and bangs ceased and she came into my bedroom by mistake, instead of returning to hers after a bathroom visit. I switched the light on. “We must stop meeting like this,” I said. Because it had happened before. “Sorry, Tor,” she mumbled. “I was hoping not to disturb you.” “Was it as bad as you were expecting?” She nodded. I saw the smear of what looked like
Tori’s POV It was eerie being in a closed club environment, yet I sensed Alpha Calvin was doing his best to put me at ease. The cut-out mini dress he’d selected covered me in all the right places with just a smidgen of tease. I felt confident and sexy, something which hadn’t happened in a long time. I was watching Travis show a small audience of about twenty dominants, or Doms, how to deliver a spanking safely. To my surprise, Maria, the submissive taking part was able to give her perspective as well, once the scene was over. “Your sub must be aware she can communicate with you at all times, even if gagged,” the Delta said. One of the watchers raised a hand. “What if she’s bound as well?” he asked. “Establish pre-arranged signals like waggling fingers or blinking a set number of times. It is your responsibility to keep checking in with her.” “And if there’s a blindfold?” “Someone wants his money’s worth,” Travis joked. “Prepare for all eventualities. Each one of our submissives
Tori’s POV“Have you seen this, Tor?”Ellie thrust a copy of the Werewolf Times in front of my nose. The banner headline read, “‘Romulus’ and ‘Remus’ to slug it out”.No shit.I abandoned my muesli to read the article. Apparently, the owner of a rival club was threatening to file a lawsuit for damages when his proposed change of name to ‘Romulus’ was blocked by Alpha Calvin.“He’s got some nerve,” I muttered.“I don’t get it.”“What do you know about Rome?”“Uh, it wasn’t built in a day?”“Nice try,” I said. “It was founded by Romulus after he killed his twin brother, Remus.”“So?”“Apart from the association with Alpha Calvin’s establishment, which may give customers a false impression they’re connected somehow, it also implies ‘Remus’ is kinda the poor relation.”“You mean this guy’s trading on the Alpha’s success?”“Yep,” I said.No wonder he’d been off with me yesterday.“Maybe you should poke the bear,” she mused.“Already thought of that. How do you fancy a trip to ‘Cheetah’s’?”
Tori’s POV I’d been wondering about his second-in-command and why I had never seen him at the club. “Who’s catering? Because I know a deluxe service in town which doesn’t charge over the odds.” “Typical of my financial adviser.” He grinned. “His mate, Laura, is organising that side of things.” “I’m not a waitress,” I pointed out. “Knowing you, Tori, you’d excel at that as well. However, on this occasion I want you to be my official plus one.” My mind went blank. What could I say? “Like an escort, you mean?” “Hardly, Tori,” he said. I was enthused now, even if it would have been preferable to mingle with his pack members in a neutral uniform and carrying a tray of drinks. This would be a great opportunity to find out more about the North Shore pack. Yet, in effect, he was paying me to act as his girlfriend. Tough job, though I’d never have a better chance to suss out whether he was guilty or not. Partygoers tended to gossip and become loud when they’d had a lot to drink, and m
Tori’s POVThe Dom in question was Oscar. I’d seen him around though he never said much. He was using Susan to demonstrate signals and positions to an audience of females, as I had expected.“What am I looking for this time?” I whispered.“Women who won’t make the cut.”Calvin was wearing leather pants and a black shirt.“How will I know?”“Put yourself in their position, Tori.”I hoped he didn’t mean that literally. Empathy was something I could do. If it saved the club money that was a bonus.The Alpha was gradually giving me more responsibility and more of an insight into this kind of scene. I have to admit, even though I’d lied at that first meeting when I told him it intrigued me, there was a small part of me which was curious.Why did women sign up for this kind of thing? Did they have a past trauma or just a strange fetish?I was dragged into it when one of the observers balked at trying it out. Had he somehow anticipated this?“What about her, the bruised one?” she asked, poin