Page 6 of Feral Monsters
“Fuck off, Wraith,” Sabbath muttered, not removing his eyes from the TV screen as he drove a New Holland tractor across a field of corn. “It’s calming.”
I snorted a laugh and took a seat on the loveseat, tugging Merit down beside me by the back of his hoodie. Wraith settled on the other side of Merit, officially squeezing him between us. A glance at Merit’s face told me he didn’t seem to mind all that much.
I wasn’t really good at reading people. I usually left that up to Wraith. But after stalking Merit for months every single day, I’d learned all his expressions and his cues.
“Heard we’re having a family meeting,” Onyx drawled as he walked into the room with his husband, Korain. “Don’t we all just love family gatherings?” Onyx was older than me and Wraith by only a few minutes. He looked much like we did, except he had the same brown curls as Wraith instead of the black hair I had.
“I’d much rather still be sleeping,” Vargas grumbled as he walked in behind them. Vargas was the oldest out of all of us, born three minutes before Onyx. He was a smart ass through and through, and he loved getting his hands bloody. He was a monster that hid behind pleasant smiles—literally the best masker out of all of us.
“It’s damn near lunch time,” Pops snapped at him as Vargas dropped onto the couch. Onyx tugged Korain closer to him, shooting our brother a warning look. He didn’t like anyone getting close to Korain. I used to find it annoying, but now that I had Merit, I got it.
I’d probably break all of Vargas’s fingers if he got too close to Merit.
“So, what’s the family reunion for?” Onyx asked, relaxing back into the couch and tugging Korain with him. Korain shot him an annoyed look, but Onyx ignored him. Typical considering Onyx did whatever the fuck he pleased.
Pops looked at me and Wraith. “You two realized you’ve started a shit storm, right? Michael Smith is out for blood, and he knows you two were the ones to kill his men and steal his toy.”
I leaned forward, a snarl twisting my lips. “He’s not a fucking toy,” I growled. “Watch your mouth, Pops.”
“No, you watch yours,” Pops snapped at me. Dad gripped his wrist, keeping him seated and grounded. “You’re doing the one thing I told you boys not to fucking do, which is bring trouble to our doorstep. You’ve put your dad, Sabbath, and Korain all at risk. Was it fucking worth it?”
I lurched to my feet, but before I could take a step forward. Merit was in front of me, his palm pressed to my stomach, his other hand gripping my hip. I looked down at him, my nostrils flaring. I was pissed. Who the fuck did Pops think he was? Of course, Merit was worth it. He was worth everything, and I’d gladly watch this family crumble if it meant he was safe for the rest of his life.
“He’s not wrong,” Merit said quietly, his gray-green eyes staring up into mine. “Regardless of how you feel, you have to think about your family.”
I clenched my jaw. “Ike…” Wraith quietly called from behind me on the couch. “Sit down.”
I grabbed Merit’s hips as I turned my head to look at my brother, the one I was closest to. The one I relied on. “If you’re siding with them…”
“I’m not,” he promised me. “He is ours, Ike. But if we really did cause a shit storm, then we need to stick together as a family to protect him.”
“Please sit down,” Merit pleaded. I looked back at him. His eyes were warm and inviting, melting some of my rage. “Please.”
Grunting, I sat down, but instead of letting him sit beside me again, I tugged him onto my lap and possessively banded my arms around him. “We’re not returning him,” I told Pops. “Over my dead body will you take him from me and Wraith.”
“No one is taking Merit from you,” Dad soothed. “But we do need to talk about what to do from here so you can keep him and none of the rest of us are hurt or killed.”
“Why don’t we all move back in here for the time being?” Vargas asked as he stretched his arms above his head like we were discussing what was for dessert rather than keeping my man safe. “Take turns taking watch while we deal with this so the house is never unguarded.”
“And taking out his… what—owner?” Sabbath asked, looking at Merit. “How do you suggest we go about doing that?”
“That’s Merit’s kill,” Wraith announced.
Pops sighed, looking at Merit. “If you don’t want to be here, we’ll make sure you’re safe and let you go free.” I opened my mouth to protest because what the fuck, but Pops held his hand up to me. I gritted my teeth, a low growl sounding from my chest. “What do you want, Merit?”
Merit stuffed his hands in his hoodie pocket. “I want to stay here. With them,” he added, his voice low. “Please.”
Pops sighed, then nodded his head. “Then, we all stay here until this is taken care of, understood? No one goes outside without my permission. Vargas and I will take first shift of watch. Shifts will be twelve hours a piece. Sabbath and Onyx, you’ll be next.”
Onyx grunted in annoyance, and Sabbath huffed. Korain shot Onyx a glare. “Remember when you murdered my stalker and your brothers had to come help do cleanup?” He tapped Onyx’s cheek condescendingly, making Wraith, Vargas, and Sabbath snicker. “Payback is a bitch, honey.”
Onyx rolled his eyes, then tugged him off the couch and toward the stairs. “If I have watch coming up in twelve hours, then I need sleep.”
“Sleep. Right,” Vargas drawled. “We all know you won’t be sleeping, Onyx.”
Onyx shot him the middle finger over his shoulder. Dad stood and came over to Merit. “I have cookies, and I also made brownies. Would you like some?”
Merit looked at Wraith. Wraith nodded, urging him to go. “You’re free, apart from being ours,” Wraith reminded him. “You don’t have to ask for permission.”
