Chapter 1: Rich People and Interviews

“Mr. Atwood, Mrs. Madden is ready for you now.” The tall, Alphan woman’s voice echoed through the hall. Sitting in a long, white hallway with tile flooring—and surprisingly comfortable chairs—did nothing to ease my nerves. 

It was as if what I was doing finally registered in my brain, but it was far too late to turn back now. 

Gulping, I lowered my gaze to the floor and said a hushed, “Thank you.” as I pushed past the woman. 

Mrs. Madden’s office was much less bland, but I was still taken aback by how pristine everything looked. White framed pictures hung from the walls and angelic white curtains flowed with the wind coming from the open window. Oh thank God, a break from the pheromones.

A white rug on the floor to match and lavish chairs sat on my side of the massive desk sitting in the middle of the room really tied the clean, rich people look together.

“Aleksander Atwood, how lovely to meet you. With your resume, I have high hopes for your capabilities. Please, have a seat.” The business-like tone brought me out of my stupor, finally taking a peak at the woman behind the desk that I had been avoiding with my eyes since I stepped inside. 

Smiling—which probably looked more like a grimace—I took a seat across from her and took that time to take in her appearance. 

Long black curls, beautiful almond colored eyes, and an abundance of freckles across her face, Mrs. Madden was a sight to behold. What am I doing here?

“Um, thank you. Your office is lovely.” What was I supposed to say to someone with that much money?

“Thank you! My decorators did a wonderful job, didn’t they? Now, let’s see.” She started, grabbing a binder off the neighboring bookshelf and flipping the pages until she reached the one she seemed to be searching for, “So, it says here you’ve been a nanny before, for five years. Is that correct?”

I noticed a hint of curiosity in her voice. “Yes, I nannied an 11 year old until she reached 16, then they no longer needed me.” I tried to give a professional smile, but it was a bittersweet feeling.

“Ah, I see. Your resume also says you’re 24? You started at 19?”

“I did, yes. At the time I needed the money, but I kept the job because I grew to love it.” That time, my smile was genuine. I loved being a nanny. 

Whatever I said must have pleased Mrs. Madden, because a big smile grew on her pretty face. 

“Good, good. And I see the number of your old employer is written down. Do I have permission to contact them?”

“Yes, absolutely.” I wasn’t surprised by how thorough Mrs. Madden wanted to be, this was a job for watching her child after all. 

“I’ll be sure to give them a call then, but other than that, everything else seems to be in order. I just have a couple questions for you.” I nodded in response. 

The questions she asked were the usual interviewing type questions. “How much do you expect to make?”, “Why do you want this job?”, “What would you do in a situation like this?” And I believe I answered them according to her tastes. She seemed very thrilled with my overall performance. 

Only a few minutes later, and the interview was over. It went by in a flash and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. 

Shutting the binder, she stood up and I followed to receive her handshake. 

“Thank you very much for your time. I will reach out soon to let you know my decision, most likely after I receive your background check.” 

“Oh, yes of course. Thank you Mrs. Madden.”. 

“Please, call me Carly. I hope to see you soon.” She walked me to the door and before I knew it, we exchanged pleasantries and I was back out in my worn down Mazda, driving myself back home.

After returning to my apartment, I hung my keys on the hook by the door and started my small trek to the kitchen. 

My place was on the cheaper side, so there were definitely things that could have been improved, but I was happy to have found a place that would work with an omega that had little money. 

It was a studio apartment on the second floor, but there was no balcony. The kitchen was the first thing you saw when entering, and all you had to do was turn slightly to the left to see the living area and my bed. A very open space, but for someone who seldomly had visitors over, it was perfect. 

Plus, my landlord was actually quite alright. She was an older lady, and she had her moments, but overall, she seemed to enjoy my company. 

I fixed a glass of wine and sat with the television on, not really focusing on what was playing. I was still processing the interview, really doubting I would hear back, considering how short the interaction was. But, Mrs. Madden did seem rather enthusiastic.

She was an interesting character, bestowed with so much wealth and yet she seemed to be very grounded and in tune with her surroundings. At least from the small conversation we had. 

I didn’t want to admit to myself that I really believed I’d enjoy working for her, but it was hard not to. Her appearance mixed with how she came off in interactions gave her a calming aura and I could use some of that in my life. 

I chuckled to myself, thinking back to how pretty much the entirety of my existence was splattered with worry and grief. I had to grow up far too quick, but in this society, that’s just how things were. Especially for omegas. And, especially unmated omegas with no family or wealthy ties.

But, I was used to it, and I couldn’t really imagine life for myself any other way.

A/N: Hey there Reading Mice! Welcome to my new story! I hope you love it. This is for ONC. If you'd like to be ahead and get early access, check out my Ko-Fi and Patreon! Link in description below!<3 Chapter two is out now on both of those platforms to members only:)

QOTD: What is you favorite houseplant? I personally love orchids and pothos plants:)