Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 46: Chapter 46
You are reading Island Stripe Pride, Chapter 46: Chapter 46. Read more chapters of Island Stripe Pride.
Carter strolled into the lobby, hands in his pockets as he casually looked about. The Island Stripe Mountain Resort was not one of those fancy five-star hotels he’d seen on his travels for the Pride overseas, but to him, it was home.
The enormous log cabin structure was built using reclaimed wood and stone from the land itself. There were two hundred guest rooms in that building, along with over a hundred and fifty smaller cabins surrounding the nearby lake and wooded areas.
Carter hadn’t been there in years, and though he saw some minor surface changes, everything was the same. The air was warm and mild, and the staff was busy bustling around, getting ready for the big Shifter gathering that would soon take place.
No one paid him any mind, which was one of his finer qualities. As an Enforcer for the , he was powerfully built, tall, and cunning as only a Tiger could be. But unlike his pal Trench, Carter had the ability to blend into the background if he wished. Hunching his shoulders, hands in pocket, and head down, he remained unobserved while he took in the comings and goings of the lodge’s onsite manager, a smallish female Tiger with red hair and a stern expression.
She was too young to be so angry, he thought, and the way she talked down to her employees was not something he approved of. Still, he waited, leaning casually against one of the many columns, for her to take note of the stranger in the room.
“Miss Jameson?” one of the few staff members who’d seemed to notice him was trying to get her attention.
“What is it, Bradley? If it’s another problem with the linen vendor, handle it. I am too busy to have to tell you how to do your job,” she snapped.
“Um, Miss Jameson, I think we have a guest,” he tried again, eyes averted as the more dominant feline stared him down.
Carter took a quick inhale and identified the unfortunate Bradley as a Mongoose Shifter. A predator, yes, but way smaller and less intimidating than his Tiger boss. Miss Jameson flicked her gaze over to Carter who was surprised at the gold of her beast he saw glittering there.
Eyebrow raised, he stared at her until she averted her gaze due to his dominance, but he had to give her credit for trying. The smaller female was definitely used to running the roost, he thought with mixed feelings. Technically, she was a member of the Pride, but Carter had never made her acquaintance. A fact he was increasingly happy about.
“Can I help you?” she asked, adding a switch to her step that she’d probably used time and again on the unsuspecting male.
Carter was certainly not that. He almost laughed but controlled the urge.
“Are you Lynne Jameson, general manager of the Island Stripe Mountain Resort?”
“Yes, I am. Are you with the construction crew? I believe they are on the south grounds erecting the tents for the upcoming gathering. Did you need help with that?” she asked, her gaze dropping boldly below his waistband.
“My name is Carter Marrow, the Neta sent me.”
“Oh? What for? I received no notice. Bradley! Did you know about this?” she asked angrily.
“Miss Jameson, I-I forwarded you the missive from Alex Kensington earlier today,” Bradley explained quickly.
She glared at Bradley, and Carter had the distinct impression this feline was a bully. Turning back with a wide grin on her face, she cocked her hip and leaned forward, tapping her finger on his chest in a way that roused his beast. And not in a good sense.
The Tiger inside him was furious at the woman for touching him without invitation. It was obvious she was not on the ball, and it was his job to make sure the gathering launched without a hitch. Miss Jameson was a problem, but he needed to investigate before he reported it back to the Neta.
"I apologize for my staff’s lack of efficiency, Mr. Marrow, but I assure you I am on top of things. If there is anything you need, I can see to it personally,” she added breathlessly.
He almost snarled, but he simply took her hand and removed it from his shirt. The female had a lot to learn if she thought he would be so easily distracted. Whatever. He was not in the market for an affair, and he was not tempted by what she had to offer. Not even remotely.
“I need to see the schedule for the upcoming gathering immediately.”
“Oh, uh, okay,” she said, straightening her shoulders. “Bradley, make sure Mr. Marrow gets everything he needs. If you will excuse me, I have to speak to the janitorial staff about their increased duties,” she murmured, excusing herself.
It was not lost on Carter that Bradley seemed relieved the moment Miss Jameson walked away. He commiserated with the guy. It would have been bad enough if she were just his boss, but she was also higher on the predatory chain and seemed to abuse that fact.
This was the very thing Dean was trying to do away with from his temporary position within the Shifter Council. It would not be easy, starting a revolution never was. But Carter was behind his Neta one hundred percent.
It was the 21st Century and now more than ever Shifters had to band together to protect their secret. They could no longer afford to war amongst themselves if they were going to prevent the human world from finding out they existed. No one wanted that.
Humans would do what they’d done for centuries whenever they’d come across something different. Their fear would incite panic, revulsion, misunderstandings, and of course, war. So much fucking war all because they refuse to learn from their past.
The death toll of such a global battle of normals against supernaturals would be far worse than anything the world had ever seen. Dean was right to try to protect not only their species, but all species from such a catastrophic and possibly extinctive event.
"So, Bradley,” Carter began, turning to face the shorter man. “Do you have a place for me to look over the schedule of events?”
“You can use Miss Jameson’s office. She is never in there,” he returned matter-of-factly.
“I see. Lead the way, please.”
Bradley called another staff member to sit at the reception desk while he walked with Carter to the general manager’s office. The room looked unused, and the air smelled stale, further confirming Bradley’s statement.
“I have a user account,” Carter supplied as he took a seat behind the desk. “But I would like you to show me the files.”
“Yes, sir.”
During the next few hours, Carter had come to some very clear conclusions. One, Bradley Furlong, Mongoose Shifter, and guest relations clerk, was an underpaid and undervalued member of the Island Stripe Mountain Resort Staff. After he’d warmed up to Carter, he showed him the schedule, pointing out some pretty glaring errors.
“None of the Flocks, Warrens, Mischiefs, or other prey Shifter groups responded to our invitations?”
“Well, um,” Bradley hedged.
“I need to know everything before I can fix anything,” the Tiger reminded him.
“Not all of the invites went out. In fact, only the local Flock received theirs as a result of, well, um, I might have accidentally hand delivered the envelope to Carol Bunford. She’s my fiancée,” Bradley added, puffing out his chest proudly.
“I see,” Carter said, nodding his congratulations.
“What does this mean here?”
He pointed to a table where all the vendors who had been hired for the gathering were listed. There was a highlighted row labeled Mike’s Meats. Fuck. If this was what he thought it was, he had more trouble than he knew.
“Oh my gods,” Bradley hissed, grabbing the phone and dialing. “Yes? This is Bradley from Island Stripe Mountain Resort, I was just confirming your services for next weekend—”
The Mongoose’s face went from red to ashen in an instant. Swallowing loudly, he hung up the phone and averted his gaze. But he didn’t have to bother, Carter had heard the other side of the call.
“So, we have representatives from sixty-five different carnivorous Shifter groups confirmed for the gathering, with another twenty maybes, and three dozen invites to omnivores and herbivores that have not even been sent yet, and we have no caterer. Is that what I just heard?”
“Yes, sir,” Bradley whimpered.
“What’s going on here? Who is using my computer?” Lynne Jameson snapped as she came stomping into the room.
“That would be me, Miss Jameson. Care to explain this?” he asked, his voice growing thicker in his annoyance.
“Um, yes, well, I was just going to—”
“What happened to the invitations the Neta ordered be sent out? And why didn’t you confirm the caterer prior? His secretary claims she contacted you six weeks ago with the cancellation.”
“Oh, um, you know I was just—”
“Whatever you were going to do, Miss Jameson, it appears it is too late. Leave. Now.”
“What?” she sputtered.
“I said, go. You are fired effective right now. Bradley, contact security and have them escort Miss Jameson to the locker room to retrieve any personal belongings. Your severance will hit your account within the hour,” Carter said evenly, dismissing the female.
“But you can’t—”
“I can. I did.”
He waited as security arrived, two big motherfuckers he’d worked with before. The enormous males averted their gaze in reverence to his position and dominance and Carter approved. His promotion was new within the Pride, but it was one he’d earned with hard work. He was well-respected amongst their kind and because of his great loyalty and devotion to the , he would give no less than his all in any situation. Something his Pride mates knew and respected.
“Escort Miss Jameson off the premises and remove all access to the lodge and its systems.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Marrow.”
He shook his head as the woman hissed and sputtered pulling against her escorts. She’d be fine, he knew, she-Tigers were tough as nails. But her neglect of this place and her failure to see the importance of this gathering were inexcusable. Bradley’s mouth was hanging wide open, clearly, he’d never seen anyone talk to his former boss like that.
“Okay Bradley, until I can find a new manager, I will need to fill the position temporarily, and I’ll need your help. Let’s get started.”
“Alright,” the younger man said excitedly. “Where should we start?”
“First, I want those invitations sent express. Then I want someone to follow up on those who replied with maybe. And finally, we need a new caterer capable of supplying enough food to feed over two hundred Shifters on short notice. Know anyone like that?” Carter asked, running a hand along his freshly shaved head.
“Actually, sir,” Bradley said, grinning. “I do know someone who can pull it off!”
“Great,” Carter said.
The enormous log cabin structure was built using reclaimed wood and stone from the land itself. There were two hundred guest rooms in that building, along with over a hundred and fifty smaller cabins surrounding the nearby lake and wooded areas.
Carter hadn’t been there in years, and though he saw some minor surface changes, everything was the same. The air was warm and mild, and the staff was busy bustling around, getting ready for the big Shifter gathering that would soon take place.
No one paid him any mind, which was one of his finer qualities. As an Enforcer for the , he was powerfully built, tall, and cunning as only a Tiger could be. But unlike his pal Trench, Carter had the ability to blend into the background if he wished. Hunching his shoulders, hands in pocket, and head down, he remained unobserved while he took in the comings and goings of the lodge’s onsite manager, a smallish female Tiger with red hair and a stern expression.
She was too young to be so angry, he thought, and the way she talked down to her employees was not something he approved of. Still, he waited, leaning casually against one of the many columns, for her to take note of the stranger in the room.
“Miss Jameson?” one of the few staff members who’d seemed to notice him was trying to get her attention.
“What is it, Bradley? If it’s another problem with the linen vendor, handle it. I am too busy to have to tell you how to do your job,” she snapped.
“Um, Miss Jameson, I think we have a guest,” he tried again, eyes averted as the more dominant feline stared him down.
Carter took a quick inhale and identified the unfortunate Bradley as a Mongoose Shifter. A predator, yes, but way smaller and less intimidating than his Tiger boss. Miss Jameson flicked her gaze over to Carter who was surprised at the gold of her beast he saw glittering there.
Eyebrow raised, he stared at her until she averted her gaze due to his dominance, but he had to give her credit for trying. The smaller female was definitely used to running the roost, he thought with mixed feelings. Technically, she was a member of the Pride, but Carter had never made her acquaintance. A fact he was increasingly happy about.
“Can I help you?” she asked, adding a switch to her step that she’d probably used time and again on the unsuspecting male.
Carter was certainly not that. He almost laughed but controlled the urge.
“Are you Lynne Jameson, general manager of the Island Stripe Mountain Resort?”
“Yes, I am. Are you with the construction crew? I believe they are on the south grounds erecting the tents for the upcoming gathering. Did you need help with that?” she asked, her gaze dropping boldly below his waistband.
“My name is Carter Marrow, the Neta sent me.”
“Oh? What for? I received no notice. Bradley! Did you know about this?” she asked angrily.
“Miss Jameson, I-I forwarded you the missive from Alex Kensington earlier today,” Bradley explained quickly.
She glared at Bradley, and Carter had the distinct impression this feline was a bully. Turning back with a wide grin on her face, she cocked her hip and leaned forward, tapping her finger on his chest in a way that roused his beast. And not in a good sense.
The Tiger inside him was furious at the woman for touching him without invitation. It was obvious she was not on the ball, and it was his job to make sure the gathering launched without a hitch. Miss Jameson was a problem, but he needed to investigate before he reported it back to the Neta.
"I apologize for my staff’s lack of efficiency, Mr. Marrow, but I assure you I am on top of things. If there is anything you need, I can see to it personally,” she added breathlessly.
He almost snarled, but he simply took her hand and removed it from his shirt. The female had a lot to learn if she thought he would be so easily distracted. Whatever. He was not in the market for an affair, and he was not tempted by what she had to offer. Not even remotely.
“I need to see the schedule for the upcoming gathering immediately.”
“Oh, uh, okay,” she said, straightening her shoulders. “Bradley, make sure Mr. Marrow gets everything he needs. If you will excuse me, I have to speak to the janitorial staff about their increased duties,” she murmured, excusing herself.
It was not lost on Carter that Bradley seemed relieved the moment Miss Jameson walked away. He commiserated with the guy. It would have been bad enough if she were just his boss, but she was also higher on the predatory chain and seemed to abuse that fact.
This was the very thing Dean was trying to do away with from his temporary position within the Shifter Council. It would not be easy, starting a revolution never was. But Carter was behind his Neta one hundred percent.
It was the 21st Century and now more than ever Shifters had to band together to protect their secret. They could no longer afford to war amongst themselves if they were going to prevent the human world from finding out they existed. No one wanted that.
Humans would do what they’d done for centuries whenever they’d come across something different. Their fear would incite panic, revulsion, misunderstandings, and of course, war. So much fucking war all because they refuse to learn from their past.
The death toll of such a global battle of normals against supernaturals would be far worse than anything the world had ever seen. Dean was right to try to protect not only their species, but all species from such a catastrophic and possibly extinctive event.
"So, Bradley,” Carter began, turning to face the shorter man. “Do you have a place for me to look over the schedule of events?”
“You can use Miss Jameson’s office. She is never in there,” he returned matter-of-factly.
“I see. Lead the way, please.”
Bradley called another staff member to sit at the reception desk while he walked with Carter to the general manager’s office. The room looked unused, and the air smelled stale, further confirming Bradley’s statement.
“I have a user account,” Carter supplied as he took a seat behind the desk. “But I would like you to show me the files.”
“Yes, sir.”
During the next few hours, Carter had come to some very clear conclusions. One, Bradley Furlong, Mongoose Shifter, and guest relations clerk, was an underpaid and undervalued member of the Island Stripe Mountain Resort Staff. After he’d warmed up to Carter, he showed him the schedule, pointing out some pretty glaring errors.
“None of the Flocks, Warrens, Mischiefs, or other prey Shifter groups responded to our invitations?”
“Well, um,” Bradley hedged.
“I need to know everything before I can fix anything,” the Tiger reminded him.
“Not all of the invites went out. In fact, only the local Flock received theirs as a result of, well, um, I might have accidentally hand delivered the envelope to Carol Bunford. She’s my fiancée,” Bradley added, puffing out his chest proudly.
“I see,” Carter said, nodding his congratulations.
“What does this mean here?”
He pointed to a table where all the vendors who had been hired for the gathering were listed. There was a highlighted row labeled Mike’s Meats. Fuck. If this was what he thought it was, he had more trouble than he knew.
“Oh my gods,” Bradley hissed, grabbing the phone and dialing. “Yes? This is Bradley from Island Stripe Mountain Resort, I was just confirming your services for next weekend—”
The Mongoose’s face went from red to ashen in an instant. Swallowing loudly, he hung up the phone and averted his gaze. But he didn’t have to bother, Carter had heard the other side of the call.
“So, we have representatives from sixty-five different carnivorous Shifter groups confirmed for the gathering, with another twenty maybes, and three dozen invites to omnivores and herbivores that have not even been sent yet, and we have no caterer. Is that what I just heard?”
“Yes, sir,” Bradley whimpered.
“What’s going on here? Who is using my computer?” Lynne Jameson snapped as she came stomping into the room.
“That would be me, Miss Jameson. Care to explain this?” he asked, his voice growing thicker in his annoyance.
“Um, yes, well, I was just going to—”
“What happened to the invitations the Neta ordered be sent out? And why didn’t you confirm the caterer prior? His secretary claims she contacted you six weeks ago with the cancellation.”
“Oh, um, you know I was just—”
“Whatever you were going to do, Miss Jameson, it appears it is too late. Leave. Now.”
“What?” she sputtered.
“I said, go. You are fired effective right now. Bradley, contact security and have them escort Miss Jameson to the locker room to retrieve any personal belongings. Your severance will hit your account within the hour,” Carter said evenly, dismissing the female.
“But you can’t—”
“I can. I did.”
He waited as security arrived, two big motherfuckers he’d worked with before. The enormous males averted their gaze in reverence to his position and dominance and Carter approved. His promotion was new within the Pride, but it was one he’d earned with hard work. He was well-respected amongst their kind and because of his great loyalty and devotion to the , he would give no less than his all in any situation. Something his Pride mates knew and respected.
“Escort Miss Jameson off the premises and remove all access to the lodge and its systems.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Marrow.”
He shook his head as the woman hissed and sputtered pulling against her escorts. She’d be fine, he knew, she-Tigers were tough as nails. But her neglect of this place and her failure to see the importance of this gathering were inexcusable. Bradley’s mouth was hanging wide open, clearly, he’d never seen anyone talk to his former boss like that.
“Okay Bradley, until I can find a new manager, I will need to fill the position temporarily, and I’ll need your help. Let’s get started.”
“Alright,” the younger man said excitedly. “Where should we start?”
“First, I want those invitations sent express. Then I want someone to follow up on those who replied with maybe. And finally, we need a new caterer capable of supplying enough food to feed over two hundred Shifters on short notice. Know anyone like that?” Carter asked, running a hand along his freshly shaved head.
“Actually, sir,” Bradley said, grinning. “I do know someone who can pull it off!”
“Great,” Carter said.
End of Island Stripe Pride Chapter 46. Continue reading Chapter 47 or return to Island Stripe Pride book page.