Page 36 of Beast: Part Two

This time Brooklyn, Malia, and Ms. Reese howl in laughter.

“I guess I never thought about it that way,” Malia laughs.

“If you think that’s crazy, wait until you figure out Hawk’s superpower,” Brooklyn jokes.

Twenty minutes later we are all caught up in our own conversations. Ms. Reese, Malia, Brooklyn, and I are discussing their pregnancies so far. Hawk, Priest, and Fem are talking about their former Pope. Lucien interjects every now and again before going back to his laptop.

However, all conversations stop when a looming shadow falls over me. Brooklyn’s eyes widen when she looks up over my head.

“Beast, son, are you alright?” I turn around at Priest’s words and gasp.

Gabriel is covered in blood. It’s in his hair, smeared on his shirt, and on his face. My gaze rakes over his body trying to see where the blood is coming from. However, there isn’t a mark on him.

Immediately, he’s surrounded by Priest, Hawk, and Lucien. However, he's too focused on me to notice them as he stands over me.

“Gabriel, baby, where is this blood coming from?” I reach out to touch him, but he leans back. It’s then that I notice the shopping bags in his hands. There are four bags total from one of those well-known retail stores that sell everything.

He drops the bags at his feet. “Change clothes.”

“You’re bleeding. You need to—"

“Summer,” he growls my name in a way that has my heart stuttering in my chest. “Go take off his shirt.”

Before I could open my mouth, Priest spoke.

“Fem, take Summer into her room and help her change out of those clothes.”

“But—”

“It’s not his blood, Summer,” Priest reassures me.

Fem comes up beside me. “Let’s go, Summer.”

I hesitate to stand from my chair. I can't take my eyes off Gabriel, and he's staring right at me. The man is confusing. One minute you’re telling me you don’t want to be together and then the next you go out of your way to bring me clothes just so I can’t wear another man’s shirt.

I guess this shouldn’t be too unusual. He did spend five years in lock down without communication with me, but still paid every bill in my house. I think it’s just second nature for him to take care of me.

Finally, I allow Fem’s incessant tug of my arm to get me out of my seat.

“I’ll help,” Brooklyn volunteers.

“Malia, you go too,” Lucien says.

“I’ll take Charlie and put him down for his nap,” Ms. Reese adds.

Malia and Brooklyn grab the bags at my feet and carry them out of the kitchen.

As soon as we step out into the hallway, I hear Priest ask?

“Who’s blood?”

“Disciples,” Gabriel says. “Two of them. They tried to attack me after I left the store. I need you to wipe the cameras at the back of the building.”

I don’t get to hear the rest of what he says because Fem drags me back to my bedroom. Although I allowed her to lead meaway, I can’t help the nagging feeling in my soul that something is wrong with Gabriel.

As soon as we enter the room, Malia lays my clothes out on the bed.

“Something is wrong with him,” I tell Fem as soon as she shuts the door.

---