Moon of Misfortunes

29

The next morning, we find ourselves wandering back into the office. Admittedly, I'm relieved that the search for new Council members is coming to an end. I smile over at Rubio as he fixes the desk we misplaced the night prior with a smirk. I walk over to the crumpled-up application on the floor, squatting down to pick it up and desperately trying to straighten out the edges of the paper.

"Whose application is that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

My cheeks redden at the memory. "Former Alpha Hendricks. I read you the application last night."

"I almost forgot," he chuckles. "I was a little preoccupied. May I?"

He holds out his hand, and I hand it over. He quickly reads through it.

"He's actually a good candidate," Rubio laughs, setting the paper down on the desk. "I was thinking we could do phone interviews today. The candidates we like, we can offer the spots to."

"That sounds like a good plan," I agree. "How many spots are we offering?"

"Twenty," he groans.

I look at the stack of papers. "We have around thirty qualified applicants. If we divide and conquer the interviews and keep them short, we can be done in eight hours."

"Let's get started then," he groans, plopping down in his chair. "It's going to be a long day." 

We set up our laptops and phones, organizing the applications into two neat piles. Rubio and I take a moment to glance at each other before he smirks at me. 

"Dibs on calling Alpha Hendricks," he firmly states. I playfully roll my eyes. 

As we begin dialing numbers, I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness; every decision we make today will impact the future. My first call is to a retired warrior, known for his strategic mind and fair leadership.

"Hello, Mr. Stone," I say, trying to sound as professional as possible. "This is Adaline, and I'm calling regarding your application for the High Council."

The conversation goes smoothly, and by the end, I'm confident in his abilities. Rubio is also deep in discussion with Alpha Hendricks, his serious expression occasionally breaking into a nod of approval.

We continue this way for hours, occasionally taking short breaks to discuss our impressions. Each candidate brings something unique to the table, and it's clear that we are gathering a diverse group of individuals who can offer different perspectives and strengths.

Halfway through the day, Rubio leans back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. "This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," he admits with a tired smile.

"It really isn't," I reply, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "We're making a lot more progress than I thought we would."

By the time we reach the last few applications, the sun is beginning to set. My voice is hoarse from talking, and my hand aches from taking notes, but the end is in sight. I dial the final number, and as I speak with the last candidate, I can't help but feel a sense of relief.

"We did it," I say, hanging up the phone. "Twenty new Council members."

Rubio nods, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, we did. Let's hope they live up to our expectations."

I lean against the desk, looking around the now cluttered office, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in.

"I'm sure they will," I yawn out, trying to keep my eyes open. "Did you ever finish up the leadership organization for Rosia?"