Page 39 of Strays
When I wake the next morning, she is still sleeping.
I meet Jay’s eyes, and from his face, I can tell he’s been awake for a while already, but he’s obviously staying still to avoid waking her in his arms. Behind him, Shane is awake too, lying on his back, hands folded behind his neck, staring at the ceiling with a big smile on his face.
I thought I’d slept well last night, but I didn’t know what good sleep was until now. I passed out so hard it might as well have been a coma. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this rested in my entire life.
The alarm I set for our appointment at the administrative building hasn’t gone off yet, but the light coming through the window tells me it’s not too early anymore. And since there are four of us and only one bathroom, I decide to getthings moving.
I sit up and carefully crawl off the nest. Then I head to the shower.
Half an hour later, when I step out of the bathroom fully dressed, Jo is awake, still sleepy-faced, curled in Shane’s arms, her expression peaceful as he rubs her back.
“Morning, you,” she says, making me smile.
Jay is heading into the bathroom when Shane suddenly asks her, “Do you like beards?”
Jay snorts. “What kind of question is that?”
Shane ignores him completely, eyes still locked on Jo, waiting for her answer.
She shrugs, thoughtful. “Short ones. That stubble you get after a few days.”
Instantly, I regret shaving. I didn’t even think twice this morning, just went through the motions. I’m glad Shane thought to ask. And despite teasing him, when Jay comes out of the bathroom, I notice he didn’t shave.
Great. Just great. Shane won’t now, for sure, so I’ll be the only one with a smooth baby face while my brothers grow the kind of beard she likes.
Shane kisses her on the top of her head and gets up. She stays curled in the nest, reaching for the phone he gave her to make a call. Her clear voice carries across the room as she speaks to someone at Joseph Monson Hospital, explaining that she needs to extend her leave. She was supposed to be back in two days, but with the bond and everything ahead of us, we all need a little more time.
After Shane showers and gets dressed, Jo goes into the bathroom.
When she comes back, draped in a towel, I catch the scent of her shampoo mixed with her lily scent. She’s a vision — skin damp, hair wet and trailing down her back. My cock twitches, desperate.
I immediately turn away, pretending to check something on my phone. I cannot walk across MAB with a fucking boner, so I focus, hard, on literally anything else.
I keep my eyes on the screen while she goes back into the bathroom, the hum of the hairdryer filling the quiet. When she finally steps out, fully dressed, I glance at her, and forget how to breathe. From across the room, I hear one of my brothers gasp.
She’s wearing white. All white. A long dress that clings in all the right places before flowing down to her ankles. Simple, but… fuck.
And then it hits me: she looks like a human bride. Not the princess-ballgown kind. But a bride all the same.
Comparative Anatomy and the Neuroendocrine Divergence of Homo Gregalis
Excerpt from Emergent Divergence: The Evolutionary Path of Homo Gregalis by Dr. Steve Bureau, Ph.D. (4th ed., West Kempton Institute Press)
The nyra’s endocrine-reproductive system is activated by the simultaneous occurrence of two stimuli: the physical trauma of one or more mating bites and the absorption of pheromones and salivary compounds into the bloodstream at the bite sites.
Following activation, the nyra’s body begins to produce novel hormonal blends and pheromones. These compounds are received by specialized receptors in her bonded aegis, triggering a secondary developmental stage that unlocks their full biological potential.
Mated aegis undergo measurable anatomical and neuroendocrine enhancements. Growth resumes in previously closed epiphyseal plates, resulting in increased height. In addition, they experience muscular hypertrophy, skeletal reinforcement, and vascular expansion.
Neurologically, mated aegis display denser myelination along key motor and sensory pathways, reducing synaptic latency and improving reaction time. Increases in cortical density have been documented in the prefrontal cortex, along with structural changes in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, correlating with enhanced memory, sensory processing, and executive function.
Neurotransmitter levels associated with pleasure and psychological equilibrium — particularly dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin — are also significantly elevated, resulting in notably higher quality-of-life indicators.
CHAPTER NINE
Ours To Keep
Her dark hair is down, shiny like ink, brushing the middle of her back. I can’t tell if she styled it or if it just naturally falls like that, but either way, it works.
