"It's because of what is happening that we need to celebrate." Byron looked to Meryn.
"Will you be okay by yourself today?"
"Like Aiden would leave her alone?" Colton said from behind Meryn. He walked up behind her and gave her a brotherly hug.
"I'll leave her in your hands." Byron's voice was pleasant but even Meryn could hear the unspoken, commanded order, 'Protect her or face me.'
"Yes, sir."
"Maybe I should stay with Meryn?" Adelaide wrung her hands. Meryn shook her head.
"No, Aileen will need you more than me. Tell her I am thinking about her and when we find Eleanor I'll help with the nursery." Meryn promised.
"You're such an angel." Adelaide kissed her cheek and Byron the top of her head and they left.
Meryn looked at Colton, who stared back.
"So?" She asked.
"So?" He responded.
"Whatcha wanna do?"
"Can you show me the Sheriff's email? I'm not as good as Keelan with the tech stuff, but I'd like to help review some of the case information while I'm here."
"You mean while you're stuck babysitting me." She interpreted.
"That too." His grin was completely unapologetic.
"On one condition."
"What?"
"You shift into a wolf later and play with me." She turned her face so he couldn't see her embarrassed expression. He just pulled her into a bear hug and swung her around. Laughing, she tried to get down.
"I knew you liked me!" Colton set her down and ruffled her hair.
"Maybe a little." Meryn admitted. She grabbed a muffin out of the basket from the small buffet style breakfast set up on the sideboard. Colton got a napkin and filled it up. She grabbed a bottle of Diet Mt. Dew and he grabbed two bottles of water.
"Come on Colton, I'll let you be my minion."
"Sweet!"
They ended up in Byron's office since he had the more comfortable chairs and the large fireplace.
She turned to him and opened her laptop.
"Let's get started."
*****
"I'm bored!" Meryn closed her laptop. They had checked both Sheriff's emails and nothing new had come in. She showed him how she had hacked their passwords and set up the forwarding program.
"So what do you want to do?" Colton swung his feet down off of the sofa and sat up.
"Would you like some tea?" Marius asked from the doorway.
"No offense Marius but if I drink any more tea I'll float away. As it is I feel like I'm about to lose my mind." There wasn't much in the world she hated more than the feeling of being bored.
"Might I suggest a visit to Master Aiden? You do have that other package I bought. I left it in the pantry for safe keeping." Meryn jumped to her feet and turned to Colton.
"Can we go visit Aiden?"
"Sure. Keelan texted me a little while ago to let me know that they were back at the barracks." Colton stood and stretched his legs.
"Aiden didn't text?" Meryn asked. Colton laughed out loud.
"Aiden doesn't text. I don't even think his phone can text."
Meryn stopped putting her laptop in her backpack and blinked at Colton.
"You're lying. Everyone texts!"
"Not Aiden, I think it's because of those manly fingers of his. It takes him forever to type anything. If any texting has to be done, either Keelan or I do it."
"He really is a Neanderthal." Meryn was going to have to pull Aiden into the twenty first century whether he liked it or not. She walked over to the door where Marius was waiting for them. He had gone to the pantry and returned with a large box.
"Miss, your package." Marius set down a rather large box down in the hallway.
"Awesome. Thank you Marius!" She jumped up and kissed his cheek.
"You're welcome little miss."
"Okay Colton, that goes in the car."
"What is it?"
"I'll show you when we get there." She promised.
Meryn nearly wet herself watching Colton try to get the box into his trunk.
"Next time, you lift it. What in the hell is in that box Meryn?" Colton rubbed his back.
"It wasn't that heavy you big baby."
"Meryn that box was almost as big as you are."
"And I know what is inside, so it shouldn't have been too heavy for a big, ole, strong shifter like you."
"You're lucky the box is in the trunk shortie." Meryn stuck her tongue out at him and got in the car.
It didn't take long and they were pulling up to the unit's barracks. Meryn stared. She had only seen it briefly, traveling panicked in Aiden's arms. She gawked up at the large mansion in front of her. It was smaller than the estate his parents lived in, but not by much.
"This place is huge!"
"All the unit barracks are this big. Each warrior has his own suite complete with a small kitchenette area. Downstairs we have shared spaces like the media room, kitchen, main dining room and offices." Colton explained.
"It's pretty." Meryn was taken aback by how homey it seemed.
"Adelaide has helped us make it more domestic." He pointed to the gorgeous landscaping by the door.
"Now will you tell me what's in the box?" He asked.
"You can see for yourself. Where do the men train?"