Chapter Twenty-Three

**Myra**

By the time Thursday came around, Myra was wandering down the hallways after she had abandoned her work up in their bedroom. She had spent most of the day reviewing reports from her teaching assistant, who was substituting while Myra was on medical leave. She had made some notes and replied to suggestions about the upcoming lesson plans for the coming week.

“*Wow, my leave is almost over,*” Myra thought, gazing mindlessly at a landscape painting that hung on the wall. It was a brightly water-coloured painting depicting a colourful forest during a rainstorm with a couple walking together under an umbrella. The longer she stared at the vivid colours of the art piece, the more her vision started to blur, and her mind wandered off. “*The week seemed to have flown by with surprising swiftness due to the abundance of different activities.*” She thought as she returned to the here-and-now, “*But the house feels extra empty today.*”

Sloan had to attend several meetings outside of the house. Since the break-in, the rogues seemed to have limited their activities and retreated underground, taking Elizabeth with them. Their sudden lack of activity has caused great concern for the Council Elders, resulting in Sloan and the others working tirelessly to locate them. However, her suggestion about finding other survivors proved to be fruitful. Declan had found and created a list of reported animal attacks. He was independently reviewing the different accounts to include possible victims to the data they already possess.

Aside from Council business, Sloan also had to go into J & Sons head office for back-to-back corporate meetings with the different shareholders and investors. It wasn’t an ideal time to have these meetings, but they needed to be done.

It was disconcerting to be in a quiet house, especially after the events of the day before. They had gathered as a whole pack to celebrate the lives of both Adam and Toby. An abundance of tears marked the sad occasion, but the boys were given a dignified send-off. In the end, their bodies were cremated, and their ashes scattered over the cliff tops that overlooked the sea. Myra wiped a stray tear that rolled down her cheek at the memory.

“Ms Myra,” A passing staff member greeted as they walked by.

“Oh, Mandy... hello” She smiled politely at the young girl, watching as she pulled an apron off the hook and replaced it with her school backpack. Mandy was a rare falcon Shifter, a first for Myra. While Mandy had aspirations to become a valued warrior, she was still too young for such responsibilities. So, Leanne – who was her commanding trainer – made sure the girl stayed in school but gave her simple pack duties to do before she came of age.

“Did you have a good day at school?”

“Yeah, I am still trying to figure out when I will ever need Algebra in my life.” She laughed, and Myra smiled.

“As a teacher, I am obligated to say *you will need it,*” Myra laughed and waved to the girl as she walked off.

Myra was slowly learning about and from the different Shifters who work in the house. She was determined to know her new extended family. Arthur – the head chef – in particular, took a shine to her. He had been showing Myra how to prepare some of Sloan’s favourites. She suddenly felt heated as she remembered how Sloan had thanked her for taking the time to learn to prepare one of his childhood favourites, which was Mexican spiced beef stew. She bit her lower lip and squeezed her thighs together.

She rounded a corner and walked straight into Leanne. Leanne quickly gathered onto Myra’s upper arms to prevent her from falling. “Oh... sorry, Lee.” Myra giggled.

“I should be apologizing… but it’s convenient that we walked into each other.” Leanne smiled. She made sure Myra had her footing before she released her arms.

“Oh?”

“Megan’s here.”

“Really?! Thank you.” Myra smiled, jogging down the hallway.

“She’s in the Common Rooms!” Leanne hailed out as Myra skid on the smooth, polished floor of the entryway. Her smile brightened as her friend stood nervously, gazing out of the window. It was raining all day, and the raindrops were falling gently against the glass.

“Hey, Bitch!”

“Hi Ho.” Megan laughed as Myra launched herself into her friend’s opened arms. “Sloan definitely agrees with you.”

Myra smirked and shook her head, “You’re deflecting… what happened at my Claiming?”

“You don’t remember??” She gasped playfully, grabbing the sides of Myra’s face and stared into her eyes. “First of all, you got all dolled up in the sexiest lace dress I have ever seen.”

“Not that bitch! What happened between you and Declan?” Myra growled.

“Oh that.” She half-heartedly said as she released Myra’s face. “Can I get a drink before you interrogate me?”

“No… now stop strolling and start talking!” Myra demanded, pulling Megan over to the couch and yanked her down.

“Nothing happened.” She blushed.

“I know you tend to swap saliva with anything with a pulse and a penis… but this is Declan.”

“Swap saliva? What are you, twelve?” She asked, folding her arms over her cheat, still strolling. Myra pinched the side of Megan’s boob. “FUCK! That hurts!! Damnit, we only kissed, and you know that already.”

“The fact that you are so reluctant to talk about it means it’s so much more than nothing.” Myra scuffed, “We have never kept secrets from each other… so please, don’t start now.”

Megan slapped both of her hands onto her face, rubbing it before raking her fingers through her silky hair. She sighed heavily, slumping against the back of the couch. “It’s not like I want to keep secrets… I can’t say anything about it because I don’t understand it myself.”

“Oh, hunny,” Myra comforted by hugging her.

“You know I am a take-charge, enjoy her independence type of bitch… but from the moment I met Declan… I–I– I don’t know my brain turns to mush.” She sighed. “It’s why I’m so childish around him.”

“Immature for sure,” Myra muttered.

“Not helping! Do you want me to stop talking?”

“My lips are sealed. Please continue…”

“I don’t know what’s happening between us. I mean, remember when Ms Sian was talking about the scent thingamabob, that scared me.” Megan said in a rush. “Please tell me he smells like mint chocolate to you too!” She begged, slowly becoming more and more hysterical.

“Whoa… whoa… okay baby girl, breath,” Myra chuckled. “Jesus, I’m usually the one to freak out. Besides, you have been around Shifters all your life; it’s only natural for you to assimilate. Kind of.”

“Yeah, maybe…” She agreed half-heartedly, “But you didn’t answer me, does he?” Myra bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. “Fuck! Since meeting Declan, I have been reassessing my life. Me?? Megan Alexander! Contemplating her life’s choice.”

“Oh, and what have you discovered?”

Megan’s expression suddenly turned sad, and she cleared her throat before answering. “I started with my parents… the real ones… who are they? Why did they give me up? I have even been wondering if they are still alive.”

“Wow.” Myra gasped in genuine shock. “Do you want to look for them?”

“Yeah… no… I don’t know… this is all his fault.”

“I wouldn’t…”

“Oh, I would.” Megan cut her off. “I was quite happy with my life and how it was. But when – when I look at his stupid, smug, pretty face, I picture a future I’ve never considered for myself. You know the cliché, a house surrounded by a white picket fence, a big yard with two dogs and two-point-five kids running about – well, in his case, bear cubs – and sex!” Megan gasped, sitting up. “Lots of it! Bed-breaking, earth rumbling, loud and wild, purely unadulterated, animalistic and hopefully illegal sex!”

“That’s my girl.” Myra giggled, pulling Megan in for a hug.

Megan laughed too before sniffling into Myra’s neck. “I haven’t had my itch scratched in almost two weeks.”

“That’s a drought for you… What happened to Baron?” Myra asked, but she already had her suspicions that Declan had thoroughly warned him off.

“I haven’t seen him since the day I dropped you off at school… plus, he’s a fucking pussy.” She grumbled, causing Myra to laugh some more. “Apparently, Declan had a man-to-boy chat with… what the hell did I see in Baron anyway?”

“His dick?”

“It wasn’t even that good,” She confessed, “but his oral skills though…”

“Stop…” Myra demanded, covering Megan’s mouth to silence her. But Megan’s eyes glazed over, and a wicked smirked spread across her face. “Wait, how did you get from Declan to your parents to Baron’s oral-ness… is that a word? Anywho, Sunday. I need you to focus, what happened on Sunday?”

“He couldn’t take my ignoring him, and we started arguing about his interference in my love life… and the next thing I knew, I was “swapping saliva” with him… and nerd, it’s swapping spit.” She finally explained.

“Saliva is spit.”

“But honestly, Declan was, hands down, one of the best kissers I have ever kissed in my life.”

“He might be your only kisser from now on.” Myra teased, making kissy faces at Megan, who grabbed a throw pillow and hit her with it.

***

Megan’s visit ended up lasting three hours. Unfortunately, one of her co-workers texted her, asking to switch shifts. It resulted in them cutting their afternoon short as she needed to get him for a quick nap before her work that night.

Soon after Megan left, Declan came barrelling out from the direction of the Den. He looked like he was out for blood. He said nothing as he rushed past her, slamming the front door shut as he left the house. Seconds later, she heard a motorbike start and tires squealing on the asphalt.

Myra chuckled to herself, shaking her head. “*Nothing happened, my ass.*”

A little lightbulb dinged in her head, and she started to formulate a plan in her head as she turned towards the kitchens. She needed to discuss dinner preparations with Arthur first. After a brief conversation and reassurance from the elderly chef, she went to step two of her plan. She texted Sloan and told him to let her know when he left the office. She knew he would have had a long day and wanted to help him de-stress when he got home.

She then returned to their bedroom and looked about the space. “*A romantic dinner on the floor, perfect.*” She pushed the coffee table away from the couch and grabbed the duvet off the bed. She spread it out on the floor and piled some pillows against the couch.

“Leanne?” She called out, and her head popped into the room through the open door. The silly look on her face made Myra giggle.

“Do you need something, Myra?”

“Yes, tea candles and… if possible, a string of fairy lights from Saturday night?”

Leanne smiled and nodded her head. “Leave it to me.” She disappeared for a bit and quickly returned with the items Myra asked for. Leanne stayed and helped Myra arrange the vanilla-scented tea candles around the room and away from anything flammable. She would light them later when Sloan got home. They placed the fairy lights along the border of the duvet and plugged them in.

She smiled brightly, happy with the layout of the decorations. Leanne quietly excused herself, and Myra took that time to take a nice, hot soak in the tub to soothe her well-used girlie parts. As she waited for the tub to full-up, she stripped and looked at her body in the mirror while tying up her hair. On her left breast, she saw the evidence of Sloan’s new habit; he had placed a hickey on the swell of her breast and kept it bright by sucking on the spot, either during their sexual encounters or when he found her naked.

She glanced down at her phone, and a different evil thought popped into her mind. “*Sloan will blow a fuse…*” She smiled, taking up her phone and quickly snapped a picture of the hickey. She looked at it, and it was angled perfectly. It provided a clear view of her naked breasts, which were barely concealed by her free hand, covering her nipples.

Text message [Myra]: Missing you, cum home soon.

She giggled to herself as she attached the photo to the text message and hit send. She climbed into the tub when her phone buzzed.

Text message [Sloan]: Jesus, woman! I’m sitting in a boring-ass meeting about financial projections, and now thanks to you, I have a raging hard-on.

Text message [Sloan]: Your ass is mine.

“*I’m already in trouble… so let’s dig myself a deeper hole.*” She thought. She raised her legs out of the water and hooked her ankles together on the ledge of the tub. Though the water acted as a distortion, one can still barely make out her private parts. She snapped another picture, reviewed it then quickly typed a message to go along with the photo.

Text message [Myra]: I do love your raging hard-ons.

Text message [Sloan]: Myra… you are on a warning! Don’t push me.

Text message [Myra]: Promises, promises… when will you be home?

Text message [Sloan]: This meeting is just about to wrap up. Should be home in 30 to 45 mins.

Text message [Myra]: I’ll try to behave.

She smirked and added another message.

Text message [Myra]: Where’s my egg?

Myra giggled as Sloan’s name flashed on her screen. She decided to ignored it and continued washing her body. Her phone kept on buzzing as the call cut off, and several messages started coming through the device.

Once she finished soaking, she dried her skin and wrapped a fluffy towel around her body. She picked up her phone and giggled.

Text message [Sloan]: Why didn’t you answer your phone? Call me back!

Text message [Sloan]: Myra, don’t play games with me. Call me.

Text message [Sloan]: Oh baby, you are so getting it when I get home

Text message [Sloan]: Leave the office now, see you in 30 mins.

“*When will I learn,*” Myra smirked, dressing in a comfortable silk crop top and long matching pajama pants.

Text message [Myra]: See you soon, drive safely.

Text message [Sloan]: Love you.

Myra smiled as she read his message. Even over text, that word gave her butterflies.

Text message [Myra]: Love you too… don’t text and drive.

Satisfied that he wasn’t going to reply, she put on her robe and went down to the kitchens. “Hey Arthur.” She greeted as she entered the bustling room.

“Hello, Myra. What’s the Alpha’s ETA?”

“Thirty minutes.”

“Perfect timing…” He said gleefully, “the asparagus were just washed and ready to be used… and the baby potatoes are about to come off the stovetop.” He explained, nodding to a kitchen staffer in a silent command to strain the potatoes. Myra watched him walked over to the refrigerator and removed a Ziploc bag. “Flank steak. I had this beauty marinating since you told me about your plans. Please sit back and watch an artist at work.”

“You say that all the time.” She laughed, sitting on the barstool he had indicated to.

“Jack, go down to the wine cellar and pull out a couple of Cabernet Sauvignon for the Alpha and Omega.” He called out to the young man as he fired up the stovetop grill.

Soon, the air filled with the searing of meat and the blending of the spices that coated it. Myra looked over at the girl who strained the potatoes and placed them whole on a baking sheet. She took a mason jar and gently pressed the little balls, breaking them open. She added the raw asparagus to the potatoes and drizzled some olive oil, salt, black pepper and all-purpose seasonings over them. She took some cloves of garlic, minced them and sprinkle them over the sides. She used her hands and thoroughly mixed them. Once done, she washed her hands and brought the sheet over to Arthur. He spooned a space in the centre of the sheet, waiting for the meat edges to be perfectly seared before placing it in the blank spot. He then transferred the sheet to the oven to finish cook. He set the timer to eight minutes and bowed to her.

“Et Voila…”

Myra applauded him, and he bowed again, dramatically. “An artist indeed.”

“You go finish up your surprise for the Alpha, and I will personally bring up dinner for you both.”

“Thank you, Arthur. Umm, there’ll be no need to dish out portions for us,” She started to say.

“I was thinking of a buffet style, where you both choose your portions.”

“It’s like you read my mind.” She smiled, glancing around the room, looking at the different Shifters preparing dinner for the rest of the household. Jack had returned with the two bottles of red wine, and he was opening one to let it breathe in a decanter. She politely smiled at all of them and noticed that Stacy was missing. “Oh, did Stacy have the day off?”

He looked up and carelessly shrugged his shoulder. “She was here a moment ago, huh! She must be taking a break.”

“Okay, and thank you again.” She said, but the sweet elderly chef shooed her out of the kitchens. She laughed as she walked out, taking the longer route back to the bedroom. As she neared the hallway leading to the foyer, she heard hushed voices. They were speaking quietly but rushed.

“We need to be more careful,” A female voice stated, and someone groaned in frustration.

“We are… but how much…”

Myra didn’t want to seem like she was eavesdropping, so she started humming to let them know that they were no longer alone. When she rounded the corner, she found the two locked in a lover’s embrace, kissing passionately in a darkened alcove.

“Don’t mind me,” Myra chuckled nervously.

“Oh, Ms Myra! Oh my,” The woman turned around, and it was Stacy. She still had her arms wrapped around Richie, an IT tech from the security surveillance room.

“Omega, we have only discovered we are mates… please don’t.” He begged her with a look of absolute terror on his face.

“I saw nothing… I heard nothing.”

Relief washed over their faces as Stacy quickly kissed his cheek and ran back to the kitchen. Richie straightened his tie and retreated to the security offices.

Myra blushed in embarrassment for catching the two of them like that, but she understood the initial need to screw one’s mate on every available surface, at every possible chance. Her blush then brightened as she thought about her teasing and Sloan’s deliciously insatiable appetite, and she found herself squirming in anticipation.