Detective Alsie and the Triplets ... the beginning

Settling In

Alsie POV-

I walked over to Guesthouse 1 to get myself settled and grab some food. I’m enjoying my time alone and not going to lie. I’m grinning from ear to ear. That stunt back in the Alpha’s office is going to get me into some kind of trouble, I know it. Whatever the punishment, shifting those five was worth it. I wish could be a fly on the wall when Beta Jacob shifted to his human form. The thought of him going ape-s**t crazy makes me chuckle. I have come to absolutely hate that guy.

I got to where I will now call home. I opened the door and walked in. It’s beautiful. It’s about 5000 square feet, with cathedral floor to ceiling windows looking out over the manicured garden and into the forest. I walked up the floating staircase to the second floor. I picked the room I’ll be spending the next two and a half weeks in, with the best views of the mountains and trees. I don’t want to see the packhouse.

My temporary room has a California king bed, with a beautiful hand-made quilt with colors of teal, gray, and white, trimmed in silver satin. The pillows are adorned with pillowcases in the same colors. There is a six-drawer dresser made of reclaimed wood in different shades of gray, a matching nightstand set, and a chase-lounge by the window. I opened the door to the bathroom, and it is a white bathroom. With white subway tile backsplash, a double sink vanity with white and gray quartz, a white penny floor tile with a gray grout, and all the fixtures are a brushed nickel finish. There is a large walk-in shower with multiple rain-style shower heads, a claw-foot soaking tub, and a toilet with a heated seat. The linens are the same colors as the quilt in the bedroom portion of the suite.

I open my bag and set up my toiletries. Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash on the sink vanity. I put them in the middle because I am unsure which sink in the double vanity I want to use. I proceed to the shower and notice there is already shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a luffa in the shower on the built-in shelf. I check the drawers in the vanity and find plenty of extra towels. I am satisfied walking out of the bathroom.

I close the bathroom door and walk across the suite to one of the other doors. I open it. This room appears to be a living room of sorts. It also has windows looking out to the forest, the mountain view is slightly askew from this room. In this room there is a gray couch and matching loveseat with teal and white throw pillows, and a couple of throw blankets strategically placed. There is a fireplace with a mantel made of the same gray reclaimed wood as the dresser and nightstand in the sleeping quarters. I love fireplaces. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall above the fireplace, a coffee table sits in front of the couch and loveseat, three end tables sit in a triangle pattern around the ends of the couch and loveseat. The couch and loveseat themselves sit in an L formation, perfectly angled to see out the windows, enjoy the fireplace and watch TV all at the same time. On the other side of the room is a recliner with a side table, a pole lamp next to it, and a bookshelf eight shelves high made of matching reclaimed wood.

I noticed another door in this room. I go over to open it and realize it goes out to the hallway. This room apparently has its own separate entrance. That’s nice and convenient if you want to have people in your area but not in your sleeping quarters.

There is a third door in this room, as well. I go check it out. I opened the door and there is a small two-piece washroom. I guess they thought of everything. I don't know why I'm surprised.

I went back into the sleeping quarters to retrieve my laptop and charger. I needed to charge it and make sure no damage was done to it. It would be nice if I had some type of office. That’s when I see the 4th door in my suite. I walk over and open it. This room is an office. It has a desk, a filing cabinet, a small bookshelf with some office supplies, a printer, a comfy-looking office chair, a small couch on the far wall, and a small table with two chairs. This office can be found in any corporate office building. It was nice, had quality furnishings, and was fully stocked.

I went over to the desk, sat my laptop on it, found a plug and plugged in my laptop charger. I then plugged the charger into my laptop. As I sat in the chair behind the desk, I got to think about things. A headache started to form, a lot has been going on in my life and much of it I’ve had no control over. That’s a defeating feeling to have. I need to take back some control over my life. I can start by working on and solving this case regarding Brook’s cousin Bethany. I’m good at solving cases. If I can get this one thing off my plate, it will help me feel better, like I’ve accomplished something.

My stomach rumbles, I’m hungry. I never got to finish eating that pizza. The triplets and I went up to the packhouse to speak with Alpha Kordell, then all hell broke loose on the way back.

I make my way back through the sleeping quarters and out into the hallway. I smelled something being cooked. It shocked me for a minute, then I remember Alpha Kordell saying he had the guesthouse fully stocked and staffed. I started towards the stairs to get to the kitchen and dining room.

“Cute. Sweetness, real cute.”

“I didn’t hear you come up the stairs, Evander. Whatever are you talking about?” I ask coyly.

“The walls and doors to the sleeping suites are soundproof. The living areas are not. The doors to the sleeping suites lock both in the hall and the interior doors from the living quarters to the sleeping suites. The others remain unlocked, and those rooms are not sound-proofed. I’m going to get dressed now…again.”

“OK Evander, will you be joining me for something to eat downstairs?” I asked, as I giggled.

We both stood there in the middle of the upstairs hallway. Evander naked for the second time today, and me taking in the beautiful view, and I am not talking about the mountains. Impressive. I bite my bottom lip, and he slowly walks towards me. Evander reaches out and grabs my wrists, he pulls me towards him and kisses me on my forehead. I feel myself sink into him, he’s warm, and he makes me feel safe.

“Let me get dressed and yes, I’ll be joining you for dinner.”

“OK,” I say quietly.

I finish my trek to the kitchen and dining area downstairs. Both Andrew and Osiris are already there, sitting at the smaller table that is the “eat-in” kitchen. I like this part of the guesthouse; it feels less resort-like.

“Little Luna, that was quite the stunt you pulled.”

“I know Andrew, how mad is Alpha Kordell?” I ask, genuinely wanting to know how much trouble I might be in.

“Not as much as you might think. He was pissed when he shifted back. Beta Jacob was furious and confused. He couldn’t even put together a coherent question. That made our dad laugh. Our dad laughing made Beta Jacob more mad, which made our dad laugh harder. Beta Jacob got pissed off, stormed out of the office, slammed the door, and tripped on the stairs. At that point, the Alpha couldn’t stop laughing. All of that helps keep you out of trouble. I’m sure you will have a “talking-to” coming up sometime in the near future. I think our dad needed those few minutes of laughter to ease some of his stress and worry.”

Evander walked into the dining area that we were sitting in. He was dressed casually in sweatpants and a T-shirt. I looked over at the other two brothers, and they were dressed similarly.

“Settling in, OK?” asked Osiris.

“Yes, the room has everything I might need. Tomorrow morning, I have to contact my boss and let him know I’ll be working from home for a little while.”

“Are you going to mention what happened at your place?” asked a concerned Andrew.

“No. Nothing that needed to be reported was stolen. I have my badge, gun, and keycard. Out here is way out of his jurisdiction and I don’t want the state police involved.”

Our food is brought to us and served family-style. It was lemon chicken, white rice, broccoli, and a garden salad. It smells delicious. We sat and ate together quietly, but it wasn’t awkward. It was the same feeling I had with Andrew earlier in the day while making breakfast.

How was that all in the same day? Time felt as if it were passing too fast and going too slow all at the same time.