Chapter 8 The Beta Profile
The Beta Profile
Kol
Oscar spends the entire weekend evaluating plans for getting a beta. He has several profiles of betas he imagines would be good fits for us. One of the features is “cute” because he wants to make sure Acadia likes him. He actually has no idea why Acadia wants a beta in her pack. None of us do.
So he might as well be cute.
Oscar is also considering a female beta. He says she may help with my rutting problem.
The whole point of the beta is for Acadia. Not me. I tell him this, but he waves me away.
Again, we are going on very little information on what kind of beta this little omega is looking for.
While he did that, I went over applications for a personal assistant. I assumed Locke was going to take on this role when we moved here, but it’s just not the thing for him. He’s more of a start a project and abandon it kind of guy.
I’m building a real estate portfolio from nothing out here and it’s to the point I need to hire someone.
Amongst the applications that have come through in the last week, there is this hotshot MBA guy.
He’s been the EA to two CEOs in the last three years.
Why he’s applying to be a PA to a real estate investment company, I don’t even know.
I absentmindedly click on his LinkedIn profile.
When his picture comes up I think, “ha, he’s cute.
” And close out. I don’t need some business bro PA.
I need someone who can drive all over town.
Make financial projections. Comp reports.
Manage my schedule. Send paperwork. Print documents.
It’s the work of someone who’s careful and smart.
Not someone trying to buddy up with CEOs.
I reach out to three applicants and ask them to use my link to schedule a call.
By the end of the day, Oscar has upgraded his research and planning to a giant corkboard on the wall by the kitchen table. Locke is staring at it like it’s a Jackson Pollock painting. I just shake my head at it. It’ll make sense in an hour, I’m sure. Oscar’s mind is like a machine.
Not one applicant gets back to me or schedules my calendar. I get back on my laptop and send out three more emails.
I’m looking at two properties in the late evening and I drag Locke with me. He has great initial feedback on spaces. It’s all from his gut and he can’t explain his reasoning, but he’s usually right in the end.
The first property he loves. It’s a row of rentals. All filled with tenants. The doors lead out to a tight alley downtown. They got together and built a garden between two of the units.
Locke says it won’t be a moneymaker, and they would be better off turning it into a co-op. I give them my card and say if they want consulting, I can do that for them. It’s better than a new landlord.
The second property is a restaurant. Locke smells the grease before we even make it inside. We figure out later that the exhaust system would need a total gut job. More money than it’s worth.
I get home late and still have no responses on my personal assistant job. I’m sure by tomorrow, one of the six will respond back. But as a little Hail Mary, I send an email to the hotshot.
What’s the worst that could happen?
He’s the only one who responds and he schedules me for my next available slot.
Mads De Vaan. Oscar dresses me in green slacks and a plaid dress shirt.
No tie. His corkboard looks orderly. There’s one side for beta traits and how they would work best with the four of us, Acadia included.
The other side is options for meeting a beta.
My favorite is “pool tournament at local bar”. Like, where did he think of that?
Before I leave, Oscar stops me. “Kol, it’s been a couple of weeks since you’ve been with anyone. Are you doing ok?”
Oh, I was hoping to avoid this conversation. But Oscar, being the closest thing to my current physician, and being my pack lead, I have to be honest.
“No, not really.”
“Maybe you should stay out late and find some relief.”
I sigh deeply. “I can’t.”
“Why?” He has to know.
“I would. I need to. I am jacking off like four times a day now. I know. But ever since Locke said she’s a scent match…”
I can’t say it. My inner alpha thinks she may be my scent match too, or maybe even just my omega. The idea of going out to a club or a bar and picking up some woman to fuck feels so wrong. Like I’d be cheating on her.
“But if you go too long…”
“I know, Oscar. I know. But I can’t anymore.”
“I want you to just consider it. I don’t want to meet her and then your pheromones scare her. You can get really intense.”
I look down in deference. I understand what he’s saying. I do.
All three of us have our issues and reasons we needed to leave Salt Port, our home, and I’m no exception.
I blow out all the air from my lungs. And I nod. I’ll go out. After my interview.
“I’m going to take the interview here in the kitchen. I don’t want to go to that café nearby. Is that ok? I suddenly don’t want to leave.”
Oscar understands. He gathers his work and takes it to his room.
The hotshot is right on time to the video call.
He looks so different from his LinkedIn photo. His cheeks are hollow. He has dark circles under his eyes. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes, and he no longer has black hair. It’s a mousy light color.
“Hello, Kol,” he says with a strained voice. Is this guy ok?
“Hey, Mads. Thanks for the opportunity to talk today.”
We get started, and he’s got great responses to my questions.
His history and track record are so impressive.
The projects they’ve been having him do are really inspiring.
I could see myself needing to give him the same complicated projects, and knowing he’d be able to take it and run with it makes me feel great.
“Have you ever managed real estate portfolios before?”
His answer makes me feel like an idiot for not paying close enough attention to his CV. He’s handled larger portfolios than I ever have.
“Alright, let’s talk compensation. What’re you looking to get?”
I’m getting a buzzing feeling in my stomach. I can see so much potential working with him. I wouldn’t keep him as my assistant for long. I’d set him up to be a partner. The only reason I’m not suggesting it now is because he is being very clear about being an assistant.
“I need $5,000 a month. Can you make that happen?” Is he joking? I think he’s joking. He sees the look of confusion on my face, so he goes on. “It’s just what I’m looking for. Is that something we can work towards?”
“That’s $60,000 a year, Mads. Is that how much they’ve been paying you to do this at those large companies?”
I know he’s a bit offended because his curly mouth goes noticeably straight. “By the time I left, that’s where I was at.”
I think they were paying him in peanuts.
“Mads, I would pay you that just to manage my calendar, and Google does most of the work. This job starts at $90,000. But with your experience…” I shake my head, “I’ll send you over an offer.
You can look through it. There’s no health insurance right now.
I’m just getting started here in Cash City.
So I’ll make sure there’s language about how I have additional pay to cover you getting personal insurance. ”
“Um…” His professional image cracks, then he puts himself together. “Cash is king. That’s fine.”
“Let’s meet in person to go over some details.” I don’t miss him visibly wincing. “How does tomorrow for lunch sound? You pick the place. Send me a calendar link with the address.”
When I end the call, Oscar slides into the chair across from me.
“Why do you look like that? He seems like a good hire.”
“I just got a weird feeling he’s not ok.
Like personally. He looked like he’s aged so much from his profile picture.
And at times, he kind of had a kicked puppy look.
I don’t know. There’s a lot of potential there.
And he’s very familiar with Cash City. I’m sure we will be able to get out of this rental by the end of the year.
Get Acadia a nice place. I wonder what kind of house she wants.
Something on the river? Maybe in the foothills or mountains? ”
“Let’s just focus on today. Are you going out?”
I look out the window.
“Yeah, I’ll go out tonight.” I will go out and try to pick up a woman. All the while, my omega is out there, just out of reach.
So fun!