Visiting Myra

Addy

The weekend after my heat subsides, we send a message to Tate’s pack. We want to pay them a visit. I’m pacing around the room that morning, my gaze landing on the disheveled bed. Memories from the past week wash over me. He was right about us not leaving the room. We could hardly eat when food was brought because we were too busy making love. I pull on a nice shirt and shorts, then sit on the couch to put on my shoes.

He emerges from the bathroom, his hair still wet, and heads to the closet to pick out his clothes. He sits next to me, a grin spread across his face. I know what he’s thinking about. All the time we spent in bed, he was thrilled to have that much sex with me. But I’ve been sore for the past few days. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing, but doing it non-stop for a week can take a toll on the body. Drake has also mentioned being a bit sore and raw, but it never affected his performance.

“How long will it take to get there?” I ask, watching him pull on some shorts.

“About two hours,” he replies, pulling on his shirt. “It will take almost an hour just to get off our land. His packhouse is right in the middle of his territory. Once we get off the main road, it will take about thirty minutes to get there.”

I lean back against the couch. “I’ve missed her. People have been nice to me, but it’s not the same.” I miss the days when we could just roam around without a care in the world. Now, we have responsibilities in our packs that leave us with little time to chat. I’ve called her a few times, but she always had to hang up, or Drake needed my help with something. His mother has been teaching me everything I need to know before they step down. It’s not as complicated as I thought, but it’s exhausting trying to finish school and having lessons with her in the evenings. Drake stands up and extends his hand to me.

“Ready to go see his pack?” he asks, taking my hand in his.

He pulls me into his chest and gives me a quick kiss just as there’s a knock on the door. Ryan and Kevin walk in.

“Let’s get this party started, shall we?” Ryan says, wiggling his eyebrows, making me laugh.

Kevin looks around the room. “Man, this is much nicer than mine.”

Drake smirks. “Did you expect the pack leader to live in anything less than luxury? My parents’ room is even bigger than this one.”

Kevin nods slowly. “I’ve heard that higher-ranking members get the better rooms in the packhouse. I’m still sharing a room with Mark.”

Drake rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Ryan, is that room below yours still available?”

Kevin’s eyes widen as Ryan nods. “Yeah, they moved when their daughter found her mate last weekend. They wanted to go to Tate’s pack with her.”

Drake nods. “Kevin, since your rank is higher now, you can move into their old room. The bodyguard of my mate should have a nice room to himself. That way, if you find your mate, she can move in with you without having to rearrange the rooms.”

Kevin’s mouth drops open while the other two guys laugh at his expression.

“They can move him while we visit the other pack today. Drake, you made sure these two packed an overnight bag in case it runs longer than we expected, right?” I ask, rubbing his arm with my fingers.

Kevin and Ryan nod at me. “Yes, he told us earlier to bring a small bag with a change of clothes. He wasn’t sure how long we would be there today with the tour and the meeting they want to have with all of us,” Ryan says.

I smile at them and reach for my bag, but Drake grabs it before I can. He slings them over his shoulder and heads out the door, taking my hand with his free one. We all head down to the front driveway where his SUV is waiting. He opens the door for me to get in the front seat while Ryan puts our bags in the back. Ryan then gets in behind Drake while Kevin slides in behind me. Looking back, I see another car following us, filled with more men.

“Drake,” I say, tapping his arm, “what’s the other car for?”

“Extra security. We’re going into unfamiliar territory. As an Alpha, I always bring extra warriors for backup if needed.” He winks at me before starting the car.

We drive out of the gates and down the long road before turning left and heading out of our territory. We chat with each other to pass the time. Kevin learns more about me, and I learn more about him and Ryan. They both still hope to find their mates and have great personalities that their mates will love. They ask all sorts of questions about me and what it’s like to become a leader after the life I had. The time passes quickly as we chat, listen to music, and play games during the ride. Once we pull into a long gated driveway, the cars stop at a guard shack and Drake rolls down his window.

“What brings you here?” the older guard asks.

“We have a meeting with Alpha Tate. I’m Alpha Drake; my mate Addy, my Beta Ryan, and her bodyguard are in this car. The other car has some extra guards for us,” he says, pointing out the window.

The man’s eyes glaze over for a moment before he steps back. “Open the gates,” he orders. “The Alpha is expecting them.”

The large iron gates creak open to let us in. As we drive down the long dirt road, I find myself drawn to the woods surrounding the area. Mystic stirs in my mind, and I try to calm her down.

‘What’s going on?’ I ask, furrowing my brows.

She sits down, looking out into the forest as we drive by. ‘We need to go out there once everyone is settled. Something is calling me, and I need to see what it is.’

“Addy,” Drake says, pulling me out of my thoughts, “what’s wrong?”

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog she put me in. “Mystic wants to explore the woods before we leave. She said there’s something out there she needs to check out.”

His eyes scan the forest before returning to the road. “If Tate allows us to explore, we will. But remember, this isn’t our land. We’re in his territory now, and we have to follow his rules.”

I nod, acknowledging his words, and turn my attention back to the road as it opens up to a charming small town. We drive through, passing businesses, shops, and small diners before reaching a large area with their packhouse in the middle. It’s not as big as ours, but it’s still impressive. Myra is standing on the front porch, waving as we pull up.

She rushes over and pulls me into a hug as I get out of the car. “It’s about time you got here. I know it hasn’t been that long, but it feels like forever.”

Drake walks around the car, looking at her with a sad expression. “Are you going to give all your love to my mate and not your brother?”

She giggles and rushes over to him, and he hugs her tightly. Tate comes out onto the porch with a smile, followed by Soloman.

“Welcome to Red River. I know it’s not as impressive as your pack, but it’s enough for me,” he says, giving me a gentle hug.

Soloman is next, giving me a brief hug before whispering in my ear, “I know Mystic wants to go exploring. This area has changed a lot, but we can go after dinner.”

“How did you know?” I ask, giving him a surprised look.

He chuckles. “I know you better than you think. She always loved this land before it changed, and she gives off vibes when there’s something she wants to do.”

Tate steps over to us. “I felt it too. This land was different over a thousand years ago, but some things still draw her to it. I haven’t explored all of my lands, but we can go for a run later this evening before it gets dark.”

We follow them inside the house while the extra men grab our bags. The house looks similar to ours but older. You can tell it’s been standing for a while. The brown wood has darkened with age, and the windows, though clean, are arranged in a way that shows there hasn’t been much updating recently. He leads us up the stairs to the second floor and down a long hallway. He stops at some doors, telling our security where their rooms are before returning to the hallway. He stops in front of a black door and turns to Ryan.

“This is your room. Kevin will be across the hall here,” he says, pointing to another door.

They both head into the rooms, and we trail behind them down the corridor. Eventually, he halts at a door with a reddish hue, twists the knob, and gently swings it open. I step into the room, a low whistle escaping my lips.

“Wow, this place is something else,” I say, taking in the expansive room.

Drake moves to stand behind me, his hand finding its way around my waist. “It’s really nice. Thanks for this.”

Tate dismissively waves a hand. “I reserve this room for high-ranking visitors. Mostly Alphas, but we don’t get many of those around here. We do have guests occasionally, but it’s not a regular occurrence.”

He spins around, taking Myra’s hand in his.

“When’s dinner?” I find myself asking.

“It’s still a few hours away. Feel free to explore the place. Our home isn’t as grand as yours, but you’re welcome to wander. I’ve informed the border patrol about our guests so they won’t attack if they see you out and about,” they say, before exiting the room and shutting the door behind them.

Drake strides over to the window, peering out at the backyard. I join him, our eyes drinking in the stunning view. After a while, I decide to break the silence that’s been stretching between us.

“I know this isn’t what you had in mind for your sister’s future, but Tate seems like a decent guy,” I say, fiddling with one of my fingers.

He looks down at me, a small frown on his face. “That’s not what’s bothering me. Something here is making my wolf uneasy. When we crossed into his territory, Diego started pacing restlessly, sensing something was off. I can’t pinpoint it yet, so I want you to stick close to me while we’re here. This Ewart, or whatever human form he’s assumed, is making me uncomfortable. I have this nagging feeling that he’s lurking somewhere, biding his time. How many different forms has he taken when he’s visited?”

Mystic tilts her head, deep in thought before we answer. “He’s only been in the same places as me three times that I’m aware of. Once when Phebe seduced my mate in an attempt to kill Soloman, and when I was kidnapped so he could drain me before taking Mystic’s powers. All the other times, he’s never shown his face. He was the Alpha of the pack that attacked Soloman. When Axton was seduced, he was the king’s advisor. The last time I was kidnapped, he was a lieutenant in the army, so he could get close to me. I’m not sure what form he might take this time. He could be in our pack, Tate’s, or a neighboring one. There is one way to identify him, though.”

Drake turns to face me fully. “Tell me so I can watch out for the signs.”

I take a deep breath. “His eyes are always silver, whether he’s shifted or human. He also has black hair; his wolf would be silver and black. That’s the only way we’ve been able to identify him; it never changes.”

Drake nods, pulling me closer. “If he dares to come near us, he’ll be destroyed. That’s my promise to you; he won’t lay a finger on you.”

Mystic snorts. “That’s a promise you’ll have to make good on sooner rather than later. Drake will be fighting for his life and ours if I can’t complete this mission before he shows up.” Her harsh tone sends a shiver down my spine. I just hope we can wrap this up before he makes his move.