"Absolutely, sir, won't be an issue at all." Lennox and the others shook their heads back and forth.
"Wonderful. Looks like everyone is getting along beautifully. Come on let's go get your gear so we can start my favorite part of the day. Drills." Aiden grinned at the lot of them before kissing Meryn and walking out the door.
"Look at him, he's like a little boy with a new toy to break in." Meryn sighed happily before her eyes went wide. Wincing she turned to the trainees. "Sorry."
Keelan, Colton, Gavriel and Darian joked with the trainees and filed out the door behind Aiden leaving Noah and Jaxon staring at them.
"Meryn, these two were waiting to speak to you too. The one on the right is Noah Caraway and the one on the left is Jaxon Darrow," Elizabeth explained pointing to the new men.
Meryn turned to them. "What could I possibly do for you?" she asked.
"We want to learn from you!" Noah blurted.
Meryn blinked. "Huh? I'm not a warrior trainer," she pointed out.
Jaxon wheeled closer. "No, but you easily bypassed our sub-routines to take control of the city camera's last month. As you can see, we're not exactly warrior material." Jaxon nodded to his legs. Noah held up his arm pointing to a puny bicep.
Jaxon continued. "You can teach us what you know about hacking. We can help you," he offered.
"It's internet security..." Meryn started.
"Hacking," both Jaxon and Noah said together.
Meryn looked to her. Elizabeth shrugged. This was beyond her. She could organize and run a city but she didn't know the first thing about computers beyond how to get her reports.
Meryn then turned to Ryuu who was nodding. "I think this is a good idea, denka. Teaching others is very humbling and grounding, you need both. Plus, considering your condition, you may need the help."
Jaxon turned to Meryn, concern in his eyes. "Condition?"
Meryn shrugged. "We just found out that I'm preggo."
Jaxon and Noah looked at each other confusion on their faces. Noah turned to her. "How did that happen?"
Meryn shrugged. "Aiden has this thing he likes to do that I just can't say no to..." Ryuu placed a hand over her mouth. Both men blushed furiously.
Without removing his hand Ryuu turned to them. "If you're to study with Lady Meryn you'll have to get used to her bluntness. To answer your question, she is human. She can get pregnant at any time, which is why she is pregnant out of season." Ryuu removed his hand.
"Oh, that's what they wanted to know." She turned to Ryuu. "I'm hungry."
Ryuu bowed. "Gentleman, we have plenty of breakfast leftover if you haven't eaten," he offered.
Noah licked his lips. Jaxon laughed. "He's a bottomless pit and is always hungry. But I could eat too. I was so nervous about coming here today I couldn't eat this morning. When we heard that trainees from the academy were allowed to move to the Alpha estate we thought that it wouldn't be that much different if we came here during the day to learn."
"This way." Ryuu led the way to the dining room.
Elizabeth followed. She wouldn't be of any use outside in the cold carrying gear and she was craving another cappuccino.
When everyone was seated with food in front of them she pointed to her empty cup. Ryuu nodded and left for the kitchen.
"So, can I ask you something?" Meryn said turning to Jaxon.
He grinned ruefully. "You're going to ask how a shifter can become paralyzed when we can heal so quickly aren't you."
Meryn nodded not even looking embarrassed.
Jaxon blinked. "I fell out of a tree when I was very young, before I could shift. Unfortunately it has inhibited my wolf so I'm stuck like this. It doesn't bother you does it? My affliction?" he asked.
Elizabeth could only imagine the kind of life he had led living in a predominately shifter city with a handicap.
"Why would it bother me? I'm kinda jealous; you always have a place to sit." Meryn took a huge bite of her breakfast sandwich.
Elizabeth swatted at her arm. "Meryn!" she admonished.
"Wha?" Meryn asked with her mouth full.
Jaxon surprised her when he began to laugh. Noah grinned shaking his head. Finally Jaxon spoke. "No one has ever looked at me and seen an advantage. Not once. I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but I'm not above begging. Please let us study with you. We'll do whatever you say. We want to learn how to help the warriors like you do." His eyes blazed with passion.
Elizabeth could see that had life been different he could have easily been one of the trainees outside getting his gear. His body though seated was large and muscular. She wondered how many times he had been dismissed and shunted to one side.
"I have minions," Meryn whispered in awe.
"Gods above save us," Elizabeth muttered.
"Ryuu!" Meryn yelled.
He appeared in the doorway almost immediately. "Yes, denka?"
"I'm calling dibs on one of the guest suites downstairs for my minions, can you make sure the meatheads know?" She started rubbing her hands together. He bowed and walked out towards the front door.
"You'll teach us? We can actually stay here? Like the trainees?" Noah stuttered his questions.
"Yup! And don't think I'm going to go easy on you either. The things we'll be able to do with three of us." Meryn's eyes shone with excitement.