#Chapter 21: Reprimanding the Alpha
Karl

I cross my arms and take a glance around the kitchen. The tiles sparkle like they’re brand new, and the

entire place smells like lemon cleaning solution; I’ve just finished mopping the floor, and although I

would never admit it to anyone, it’s… the first time I’ve ever used a mop.

“Maybe I’m a bit out of my depth here,” I think to myself as I look around. “But I want to do a good job.

For Abby.”

I might not know a great deal about mopping floors, but I do know a lot about running a business. I just

hope that Abby will let me help more in the future. She said she doesn’t need another leader, but that

doesn’t mean that I can’t give her ideas, right?

“Karl,” Abby shouts from across the kitchen, her voice commanding over the din of kitchen noises. “Put

the mop away. We need you over here cleaning dishes.”

She points to the growing pile of dishes on the far counter, then the dishwasher beside it. Ethan had

given me a long-winded tutorial on how the machine worked earlier, but I was really hoping to avoid

that particular job. The idea of touching soggy food and getting hot water all over myself isn’t the most

appealing of ideas, but I know that it needs to be done.

I nod and return the mop to the place I found it. The current dishwasher meets me at the back sink,

where the dirty plates are overflowing.

“Excess food goes in there,” he says, pointing to a nearby garbage bin. “You scrape that off and I’ll

rinse.” Until now, he’s been doing all three jobs himself. It’s clear he’s struggling to keep up with the

never-ending piles of dirty plates that the busboys keep bringing in.

“Geez,” I think to myself. If Abby was worried about losing business and having to close down, she

needn’t have bothered. Now that the place is up and running again, the dinner rush has been nonstop.

Without a word, the dishwasher hands me one of the plates. There’s a half-eaten steak on top, gravy

everywhere, what looks like mashed potatoes that someone swirled around with their fork before

deciding that they didn’t want them. I can’t help but scrunch up my nose at the mess; who orders a

steak and then only eats half of it? It feels like a waste.

I ask the dishwasher, wanting

said it.

I’ve always been good with names, and I’ve already

kitchen down. “Here, Jack,” I say, handing

shakes his head at me and points at the garbage again. “What’s wrong with

at the plate. I’ve already scraped

look. “There’s still mashed potatoes on the plate.

to gum up my dishwasher or something? Scrape

dishwasher’s attitude, but I decide

over the trash can. When I’m satisfied, I turn to hand it back

ches it out of

sigh of annoyance at Jack’s

lost a bet in my life, and there’s too much on the line

go to that party with

you spent less

of dishes on the counter. If we don’t start moving faster, the dirty

over us.

“You have to rinse them well, or there will be

crusted to the plates.”

I’m getting the plates ready for you a lot faster than you’re

should rinse them.”

“That wouldn’t make sense.”

another plate and stack it next to the sink. “It makes a lot of

charge here, and I say we do it this way.” Jack shoots me an angry look, his

filled with annoyance.

say more, but before I can, Abby’s voice cuts through

and turns back to his work, and I

up?” I say, wiping the sweat from my brow with the

Jack,” she says. “He’s busy and you’re

can’t help but frown. “I was just trying

your job to shut up and follow orders.

dishwasher before, and you haven’t. Just do what he tells

bet.”

If that’s

Even if it’s stupid.

Abby

on his work, scraping food scraps into the garbage. I watch

minute, my brows pulling together. He’s saying something to

on

business having an opinion on. For some reason, he can’t

not the one in

being in charge, and dominance

if he keeps this up, it’s going to cause

he could use a little bit of humility in his life. Maybe

dog everywhere he goes.

like that, which is part of the reason why I love

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