Baxter (10)

I waited by my office door for Monroe to arrive. Giving Esme space seemed like the right thing to do since she scoffed every time I tried to talk to her. Monroe raced down the stairs with McCoy on her heels. She was in one of his shirts and a pair of his shorts. It was obvious what the two of them were up to.

"you two were upstairs?" I asked as they rounded the stairs to where I was standing

"don't start." Monroe pointed her finger at me and then looked at McCoy. "you stay out here."

"Why?" he asked as she entered my office

"Stay" she pointed her finger at him as well

"we aren't actually dogs to be commanded," McCoy shouted after her

"Good boy," she turned around and gushed. Bickering like normal for those two. she ran into the room and hugged Esme. They stayed huddled together for a long time. I could hear bits of their conversation, but I felt Roe was keeping them quiet for a reason. My body was stiff as I forced myself to stay put and not listen to their conversation. I could hear the creaking of the wall as I gripped it.

"you told her." McCoy pulled me back into the present.

"she could tell I was keeping something from her."

"What are you, a terrible liar or something."

"I'm fine at lying to people I don't care about, but when I care, I find it more difficult to lie."

"Still, this is pretty early for a human. I mean, you met her like yesterday."

"two days ago, and that is rich coming from the man who told a gossip that there was no future for him and his mate," I snapped back.

"damn, did she tell everyone" he was shaking his head. The long hair he usually pulls back into a bun hung over his face.

"You basically call an open season on the position of beta female. Of course, if you are sleeping with Monroe, that might be a little awkward for all the girls who will want to be your new mate," he growled at the end of that comment. At least his wolf has no intention of having a new mate.

"I didn't mean it as an invitation. I meant that I don't know how we won't work if I can't mark her."

"I know, man, but you have dug a hole, and now you have to figure out how to get out of it," I responded, patting his shoulders.

"The same could be said about you." He stared in the room at Roe and Esme, still huddled together and talking.

"ahh, yes, but I have a secret weapon." I looked back, hoping I was right. "I have Roe fixing my mistake."

"mine"

"yours," I apologized. I felt the slight smell of incense enters my nose. I turned to look at Roe, my heart pounding.

"well."

"Not yet," she said to me, then looked at McCoy. "take off your shirt and shorts. Leave the underwear. You have more upstairs."

"you sure" McCoy looked at me before doing what she said

"I want McCoy to show her the shift because I think it will scare her, and I'd rather he be scared of him than you," she explained. I nodded, and he took off the clothes and followed her in. I listened to the sound of his bones breaking, followed by the blood-curdling scream from Esme, and that was when I lost control. I ran into the room and grabbed her. I held her close and ran my hands over her hair.

"shh." I kissed the top of her head.

"It is real. What you said was real," Esme cried into my chest. She glanced at McCoy, still in wolf form, waiting for someone to tell him what to do. "Make him change back, please."

"McCoy, shift back," I told him. It was not an alpha command, but he wondered if he should shift and get dressed. It took a few minutes for Esme to calm down and settle on the couch beside me. Monroe was right to have McCoy shift because she tensed in fear when he entered the room.

"Okay, I'm ready to listen; explain everything in excruciating detail," she prompted, leaving Roe, McCoy, and me staring at each other, trying to figure out where to start.