Page 21 of The Alpha's Envy
When we reach the hotel lobby, the tension is palpable.
Sarah and Emma, both recent business graduates, stand on opposite sides of the front desk, glaring at each other while guests mill around, glancing toward the two young women uncomfortably. There’s no missing the frosty atmosphere.
I ignore them, turning my attention to the two well-dressed ladies, tired from travel, who want to get on with their holiday, not listen to the petty squabbling of two love struck young women.
“Ladies, my apologies. There is a problem with the booking, but only because I was in the process of giving both of you complimentary upgrades and the system just hasn’t updated yet. Michael, can you please get these guests a signature cocktail on the house while they wait for their key cards. And make sure their bags are brought up immediately.”
Both women grin, delighted with the unexpected turn of events and accept my apology easily. While they settle in to some plush chairs nearby, I refocus on the problem at hand.
"My office. Now." I keep my voice low but firm, wanting to have this discussion someplace private. Our oblivious human guests nearby who don’t need to be treated to a fight with fur and claws flying.
MARIE: Michael, can you find rooms for them asap? The new VIP suites haven’t been booked yet so use those if there’s nothing in the main hotel.
MICHAEL: Sure thing.
He disappears, relieved not to be the one trying to sort out this cat fight and with something concrete to do instead.
Once inside my office, the second the door closes, both women start talking at once.
"She's deleting my bookings?—"
"She's lying, I would never?—"
They cannot be fighting over this.
"Stop." I hold up a hand. "Sarah, show me the booking system."
Sarah pulls up the software on my computer, pointing out discrepancies. "See? These were all confirmed yesterday, but now they're gone. It's the third time this week."
"Emma?" I turn to the other woman, who's practically vibrating with indignation.
"I haven't touched her bookings! But she's been telling guests I'm new and don't know what I'm doing. I've worked here longer than her!"
Looking between them, I can see they're both nervous under their anger, and ashamed of their unprofessional behaviour without me needing to read them the riot act. Young wolves, fresh out of college, trying to prove themselves.
"Both of you are missing the bigger picture here," I say carefully. "This hotel isn't just a business, it's the backbone of our pack's prosperity. Every time you give guests a bad experience or earn us a negative review, you're hurting all of us. Disagreements are handled behind closed doors. Always."
They both deflate slightly.
"Sarah, have you checked if IT can track changes in the booking system?"
Her eyes widen. "No, Luna. I didn't think..."
Ah yes, I’m not a Luna in name only. I know some stuff too.
"And Emma, why not showcase your experience by figuring out a solution to help our guests and worry about who’s to blame later?Ifanyone is, that is, it could be a system error, it could have been accidental. Either way, you should be experienced enough to know its people before paperwork."
Emma shifts uncomfortably. "I... I could do that. Sarah, I’ll bring you to meet Josh, he’ll be able to track who’s touched the bookings."
“After you bring the guests to their rooms.”
They both nod, agreeing to work together instead of fighting to be right. As they leave, considerably calmer, Michael appears.
“The guests have cocktails and canapes. I’ll get their luggage brought to their rooms while they relax and finish their drinks.” He lingers, and eventually, gives me a small smile. "Well handled, Luna."
"You think so?" Now that it's over, I’m not sure. Hopefully it was enough to smooth things over. “Thank you for telling me what was going on.”
He smiles. "Of course. I’m more than happy to turn the HR stuff over to you. You have a much more measured way of dealing with disputes. My usual go-to for training the enforcers is dragging them outside by the scruff of the neck. It doesn’t really fit the vibe of a five-star hotel.”
