Chapter 20: Meeting Jeremy Again

Ariana's POV

Michael stood there with both of his hands shoved into his pockets. I frowned, staring at him, rooted to my spot. I was terrified by Damien, but for some reason, I wasn't scared of Michael. Well, I guess I will run off if he shifts into his wolf.

"The alpha does not tolerate lateness on the part of employees," I heard Michael say, and I frowned.

"Well, I would have made it here early if I had used the elevator instead of running up a total of 169 staircases to get here," I replied boldly.

"If you had concentrated on climbing instead of counting, you wouldn't be late," I heard Michael say, and I got angry.

"You do forget I am human and pregnant, too. I have not eaten this morning, and you expect me to move at your speed on a 169-staircase to the 8th floor?" I questioned angrily. "Which of these do I look like to you? Thor, Ironman, Superman, or flash?" I asked through gritted teeth with a frown.

"You can't disrespect me like that. I am Alpha Damien's beta," I heard Michael say.

"I don't care about your position. If you behave like an ass, I will treat you like one," I said and Damien walked into the corridor.

I went mute and lowered my gaze immediately.

"Alpha, I came to get her, like you instructed, but she is being disrespectful towards me again," I heard Michael say, and I was livid.

I was itching to reply to Michael's statement, but with Damien present, a fear held me back.

"Get me the documents from the HR office," I heard Damien say. "Ariana," I heard him call out to me, and I lifted my head to look at him. "Come with me," he said and began to walk away. 

 I thought he was going to scold me after Michael reported me, but he didn't. I concluded he was going to scold me inside his office or something.

"Yes, Alpha," I heard Michael say, as I hurried my steps, following Damien. 

I looked back briefly and saw Michael using the staircase. It appears, the elevator to the 8th floor is only used by Damien. We made a turn at he end of the corridor and I walked right behind Damien. He pushed the door on his left open and entered. I followed him in.

I have never seen an office that huge. I saw a desk with a laptop sitting on it, with a swivel, comfy-looking chair behind it. That was almost to the left side of the room. To my right was what looked like a living room with a TV. There was also a table with six chairs around it, well-positioned in the room. And there was a place covered with a heavy curtain. I was not sure what was behind it. 

"You read the details of your contract," I heard Damien say, snapping me out of admiration of the office. 

"Yes," I replied quickly, still rooted to my spot at the entrance. 

Damien was already sitting behind his desk.

"Good, get me a cup of coffee. Black and no sugar. From the cafeteria," he said.

"Please, where is the cafeteria?" I asked, and he frowned.

"It's your job to find that out," He replied and shifted his gaze to his laptop. 

Next, his fingers were dancing on the keyboard of the laptop. It was smooth and very beautiful to watch. I forgot for a minute, he had sent me, and I didn't even know where the cafeteria was. I was drawn to how gracefully his fingers moved on the keyboard. 

"What are you doing still standing there?" I heard Damien's deep voice.

"Sorry," I apologised, and exited the office.

What is wrong with you, Ariana? I thought. What is this sudden admiration for Damien? I thought, as I headed for the staircase.

I had my head lowered so I didn't realise Michael was also coming in that same direction. I bump into him. 

"Watch where you are going," I heard Michael say.

"You weren't watching either," I boldly said and averted my gaze.

Michael ignored me and walked past me.

"Do you know where I can find the cafeteria?" I quickly turned and asked.

Michael stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned to look at me, and I rolled my eyes. 

"After all that disrespect, I never thought you would ask for my help," I heard Michael say.

"Alpha Damien has sent me to get him coffee from the cafeteria. I don't know where to find the cafeteria," I said, sounding like, once it was Alpha Damien who had sent me, he was supposed to help whether he liked it or not.

"The cafeteria is across the street," I heard Michael say.

"Thank you," I said and began to walk away as Michael headed for Damien's office with a weird smile plastered on his face. 

I wondered why he was smiling like that, but I ignored him. For some crazy reason, I feel I could beat him up, and hence, I wasn't going to take his nonsense. 

I was alone in the corridor, and no sign of the 8 guards who had come upstairs with us. I walked towards the elevator.

There is no way they can tell I used the elevator, right? I thought and I returned in the direction of Damien's office. I had seen the elevator not far away from his office entrance. 

I got there and realised it was not a simple press the button elevator. I turned around and headed back to the 169-staircase, disappointed. I was soon inside the garage. I walked towards the car entry point, and I was soon outside on the street. Cars were driving past, and some shops were around, but no cafeteria. 

"Good morning, please direct me to the cafeteria. I understand is across the street," I asked a lady who was walking down the pavement close to the place where I was standing.

She was very nice. She directed me to where I can find the cafeteria. I started walking to the front of the company. It was a long way. I finally made it to the front of the company. Indeed, there was a cafeteria directly opposite the company across the street. I used the pedestrian crossing to the other side of the street. I walked into the cafeteria and straight to the counter.

"Good morning," I greeted the lady behind the counter. "I would like a cup of coffee, black with no sugar," I placed my order.

"I cup, black coffee, no sugar," I heard the lady repeat. "What size?" she asked me, and I realised I had no idea what size Damien would have preferred.

"Medium, I think," I replied, playing safe.

"Do you want anything to go with it?" the lady asked me as she entered something on the machine in front of her.

"No, please. Just the coffee," I replied.

"$1.22," the lady said, staring at me.

"Wait, it's not free?" I asked. 

"Ma'am, it's a shop, and there is nothing free here," the lady replied politely.

"Oh," I said, as I didn't have any money on me to pay for the coffee. 

"You have a problem with cash?" the lady asked.

"Er, I will just leave," I said.

"Wait, I will give you the coffee, just for today. But just know this, the coffee here is not free," the lady said to me.

"Thank you," I appreciated. 

The coffee was ready in 5 minutes, and the lady handed it to me. I thanked her one more time and exited the shop. I used the pedestrian crossing and walked towards the company gate. I pushed the gate, and it won't open.

"Use your pass card," a man in a police-like uniform said to me from the inside.

"I don't have one," I said to him.

"What is your name?" he asked me as he entered the security post next to the gate.

"Ariana Brown," I replied.

"I am sorry, I don't have Ariana Brown here," he replied. "Are you a guest?" he asked.

"I am an employee. Alpha Damien sent me," I replied.

"Ariana Brown, what are you doing here?" I heard a familiar voice ask.

I turned around to find Jeremy Wilson walking towards the gate where I was standing.