14. Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CREED'S POV

" J ust pick something already." I grit out, annoyance building and joining the thrumming pain in my head.

Never before had we taken so damn long to place an order at ‘Pages and Pies'. We had been standing here for almost ten minutes already, with Annex and Ezra going back and forth on what ‘Red' would like to eat. Two minutes is all it would usually take to place it…for all of us. But now these idiots can't decide on what Micai would like on her damn sandwich, holding us all up. And it was pissing me off.

Why the hell did I have to wait while they discussed whether she would like red onions or tomatoes?

I push past them and up to the counter, Daina giving me a small smile of relief as I open my mouth. "The usual four and a whole-wheat sandwich with chicken, spinach, cheese, tomato, and red onion." She gives me a quick nod, jotting it down before quickly shuffling toward the kitchen.

"What if Red doesn't like that shit?" Calls Annex.

"She might prefer turkey or ham." Adds Ezra, his brows drawn.

Why were they this serious over a sandwich ?

"She'll eat it, or she won't. Either way, she doesn't seem like the picky type." Even I could tell she wouldn't turn down a meal so easily.

That girl liked her food too damn much, and seemed like she would stab even Annex if he came too close to something she was enjoying.

"Red will love this little surprise." Annex grins before his brows quickly crease, something flickering behind his eyes as a strange look forms on his face. "She didn't sleep well, so this will help."

"I knew you snuck away!" Yells Ezra, elbowing Annex in the side. "Not fair dickhead." A playful glare takes over his face as Annex rubs the spot. "You should have called me."

"What, so we could both try to squeeze into that tiny cot?" He flexes his shoulders, wincing as he moves. "We'll need to get Red a bigger bed before that."

"A bigger room in general." Adds Ezra, his brows pinched as he gazes at Annex, who nods in unison.

"Agreed."

Why the hell did she need a bigger room? The dorms weren't as big as our place back in the abattoir, but they were reasonably sized. Giving her something bigger would just be overkill.

"Order up, boys," Daina beams as she comes toward the counter with all five wrapped sandwiches before putting them in a brown paper bag.

"Keep the change," I call as I take them from her, handing her a bit extra for the boys holding her up. "Let's go. I'm not wasting any more time. I have enough to do."

Ezra sighs. "We've all had enough to do. Too much, in fact. We need time to ourselves—"

"And with Red," Annex adds, a grin lacing his lips as he takes the bag from me, cradling it like some precious package.

Ezra nods as a heavy sigh leaves my lips. They have both been constantly harping on about her lately. Red this and Micai that .

We had work to do. And everyone needed to stay focused.

Christmas day was only a week and a half away, and I had that group coming.

The whole party that night in the abattoir was planned around them so that I could get the information and contacts I needed from them. They were an important step for our future plans, and nothing could mess it up.

They all needed to stay focused, not constantly talking and thinking about some small blue-eyed girl with a tight ass and a fiery temper. We didn't have time for that.

Especially now with trying to find out who's throwing out black fucking pills on the dark market. The small circular drug had been circulating in all the wrong crowds and giving me a damn headache.

They've caused more problems for us in the past couple of days than I've had to deal with in weeks. Already, two shifter packs had to be dealt with when they tried to enter our territory, hopped up on those pills and asking for a bloodbath.

Unfortunately for them, Annex wasn't in the mood to play around. Or maybe that was their luck?

Quick was better than being tortured or ‘played with' for days.

Either way, he and Mallyn ran through them quickly last night. Even with their enhanced speed and strength from that black little drug, they were no match for a pissed-off Annex and Mallyn's agitated beast.

The psycho asshole had then left us to clean up the mess alone while he ran off, and now I know why. To go to Micai.

What was so special about her that he jumped like some trained pup when her name was mentioned? Even dropping us and leaving the bloody mess he loved to make, just so he could sleep beside her?

I never claimed to understand Annex's mind— I don't think anyone could —but I thought I knew him well enough. But lately, I'm not so sure.

I thought that sending him to deal with the physical tasks would help ease some of the madness that always seemed to take hold of him when he returned from death. He always seemed more crazed each time, craving blood and carnage in a way that would outdo even Mallyn's beast.

I threw those types of bloody jobs at him, hoping it would help ease it and bring some part of Annex back to us. And it seemed to work to an extent.

Except even with that, he seemed to be slowly pulling away from us. His gaze told me he was worried about what he would become if it continued. I think he worried that he would turn on us one day, the madness taking him over completely…and unfortunately, I couldn't reassure him otherwise.

But now, he seemed to resemble the Annex I remembered before the madness had chipped away at him. Lately, he didn't seem so lost. He seemed…clearer and more calm than ever before.

"I'm not working today, Creed. I'm spending my time with Red."

"Me too." Calls Ezra. "We have those stupid interviews tomorrow, so I'm not wasting another moment today. I have to make up for lost time."

"We better get that bigger bed soon, then," chuckles Annex.

"I don't mean it like that . I'm happy just being with Micai." Adds Ezra with a dopey look in his eyes.

Annex shakes his head. "We didn't do anything last night either, but trying to get a good position in that small bed?" He rolls his shoulder again and cracks his neck. "It wasn't exactly a comfortable night."

"Let's pick something huge so she can starfish between us." Smiles Ezra, a look of genuine happiness spreading on his face that I'd never seen there before.

My eyes narrow as they start chatting back and forth about different bed types and thread counts…what the hell was happening to them? They seemed to be getting excited over bed sheets .

"We have those interviews today, Annex." Calls Mallyn, cutting off their weird discussion. His hoody is pulled up, covering most of his face as we walk through town to the abattoir.

A small sigh of relief leaves my lips as I watch Mallyn. At least one of them was acting normal.

"Fuck that," Annex seethes, all joy drained from his face as his annoyance takes over. "I'm not being interrogated by some council dog about what I was doing and who I was with." He kicks a metal bin while we pass by, a significant dent forming in it as a couple of the locals glance our way, their gazes falling to the ground as soon as they see us.

Everyone knew who we were in town and not to mess with us.

"They won't find answers, and anything they do find will be kept quiet," Annex grits out as he continues to rant. "They'll only be reported to those greedy bastards who only know how to sit around and scratch their old dusty balls."

Ezra's face scrunches up with his words, the visuals making even me wince in disgust.

"We don't need to draw any attention to ourselves." I sigh. "Play along. Tell them you were with Micai and hid in the forest when the attacks occurred."

"Hid?!" Annex's face twists, an incredulous look etched across his features as he glares at me. "I've never hid from a fight in my life. I'm usually the one starting—"

"You'll have to for Micai," Mallyn says, cutting Annex off and drawing his complete focus with her name. "You and Ezra were seen with her. Your stories need to match. And those stupid interviews don't need to last longer for no reason. For us or her."

"We don't need the Tracers looking into Micai or doing any unnecessary poking or prodding—"

"Nobody's poking Red but me." Interrupts Annex, a grin stretching his lips as Ezra sighs.

"Either way, we need to be careful and not draw any attention toward ourselves or Micai." Ezra finishes, scowling at Annex as the asshole just nods and grins.

"We'll also have ours tomorrow," Ezra calls, turning toward me. "It's best we all synchronise our answers."

Stupid fucking ‘interview'. It was just another thing that would take time away from the business I had to do and the plans I had in place.

I hated those damn Tracers and the council more than Annex did. My hatred was more deep-rooted, knowing exactly how corrupt the council was and how many black connections they had.

I'll relish the day when I can crush them all beneath my boot.

Ezra's voice pulls my attention back toward them as we reach the abattoir's parking lot, talking about the night of the attack and recapping the story we should all keep to.

Morgan had her ‘interview' yesterday with Grey and Ash. They matched their stories, remembering my words, and told the Tracers they went to the dormitories to hide but were attacked by a beast. Morgan said she assisted from the sidelines as Ash and Grey killed it, with Ash getting injured in the process.

A faculty member who helped them with Ash after that confirmed it, and they were let go quite quickly. I had told her to keep the rest of us out of the story so it wouldn't draw too much attention to what happened afterward in the forest.

She would be leaving soon with Ash and Grey for the Winter Break and heading to Grey's family for Christmas this year.

I hated being away from her, preferring her close so I could protect her myself. But with everything going on and all these attacks lately…it might be better for her to spend it with them this year.

I had a long talk with Grey and Ash already. They won't get another chance if she so much as gets a papercut. I love Morgan and care about her opinion, but she doesn't need weak partners who can't protect her or stand beside her.

"Hopefully, Red's still in bed," I hear Annex say. "I can't wait to wake her up and watch her eat…it fucking does something to me." A dark grin spreads on his lips before a hand creeps toward his trousers, adjusting his—

For fucks sake.

"Seriously?" I grit out, my face twisting in disgust.

"What can I say? Just thinking about her gets me hard." He grins, not in the least caring about how much he's turning my stomach.

"Just fuck her then and be done with it." I bark, glaring at the bastard.

Ezra stops, a serious expression taking over his features.

"Micai is not some plaything, or fuck-buddy to us, Creed. She's not a fling or passing phase, either. We want Micai in a way neither of us has ever had with anyone else before. Annex and I are serious. We don't just want to fuck Micai—"

"I do." Cuts in Annex, a smirk tracing his lips. "Many, many times over, and in every position imaginable." The bastard fixes himself again as I narrow my eyes. "But I also want everything that comes with that, too: every smile, every laugh, every sexy little glare." He turns to me, meeting my gaze with a serious look. "I wanna eat Red up alright, Creed, but I also wanna savour her forever. I don't think I'll ever get tired of just… being with her. I'm a greedy bastard, so I want it all; everything she's willing to give me and then some."

Ezra's look softens, glancing toward the soppy psycho before returning to me.

"We want Micai, and don't see a future where she's not beside us, Creed. You'll have to accept that she's one of us now."

My brows draw together, my glaze flickering between the two of them. "You're really this serious about her?"

"If you give her a proper chance, you will see what we do, Creed. She's more like us than you think."

I roll my eyes as Ezra narrows his.

"I know you don't trust easily. It's understandable with everything we've all been through. But she's a part of us now, whether you like it or not." He takes a step toward me, his tone a little colder as his expression darkens. "You also need to show her more respect. She deserves it and has been through enough shit without you adding to it." A sigh leaves his lips as he drags a hand through his hair, watching me.

"Words leave scars that aren't easily removed, Creed. Try not to scratch at the small wounds you've already caused. I know you'll regret it in the future."

What the hell was Ezra talking about? Why would I care about Micai or her scars?

I flick my gaze between them both, their expressions serious as they watch me. Had they both lost their minds over this girl?

I get that there was more to her than I initially thought, and maybe she wasn't just some side-chick trying to use our status or power to help herself. But there still wasn't enough information about her to trust her so easily.

I could see she cared for my brothers to some extent.

And she clearly wasn't scared of any of us, running with Mallyn's beast, standing up to Annex and his blades, and not hiding away or flinching from me either. Something grown men three times her size have failed to do.

I could sometimes see some of the appeal, but it wasn't enough.

It couldn't be.

We worked too hard and came too far to throw things away for someone we barely knew.

I steel myself, my wall building higher and stronger as I gaze at my brothers.

So long as she doesn't damage the work we're doing, I'll play nice… for now .

But the information on her was limited, and from what I had seen the night of the attack, she was undoubtedly hiding secrets. Secrets that could potentially hurt my family. And I couldn't take that risk.

I couldn't read Micai. She was uncontrollable and unpredictable, which could be dangerous for my brothers.

I won't risk them getting hurt. They had suffered enough. We all had.

And our plans were bigger than one blue-eyed girl.