Escape is Only Temporary [boyxboy]

Chapter VII

~Wednesday 25th May 2016~

Reece stared at the menu above the counter unsure of what to get. From what he had remembered, Shepherd was a vegetarian, that part was simple enough. Unfortunately, he couldn't be sure that the man hadn't switched his diet to vegan during their separation, nor if he had developed any allergies over the years. He didn't want to purchase Shepherd anything that he wouldn't like, he was trying to make a good impression. He could only sigh, stepping forward when the customer in front of him received their order.

"Can I get the Californian quinoa and avocado salad, the crunchy bulgur salad, a chai latte and a lemon ice tea, please?" Reece thought it best to get two options in the end, one vegan salad and one vegetarian, picking up a few sweet items that were dotted over the counter as well and adding them to his order. He peered over his shoulder briefly, catching sight of Tavien and Aris outside by the car, laughing with one another. They were in good spirits, as always, after a full moon. Reece wished he could agree, however, he couldn't find himself in the best of moods recently due to Shepherd's situation. His internal worry always displaced the happiness he might feel.

"T-That'll be thirty-five sixty, sir," Reece returned his attention to the young barista in front of him, holding up his card and inserting it into the machine when he was prompted to. People were staring more than usual that day. Reece knew why, he had seen the papers that morning, and his visage plastered all over it. A nice, clear picture of him choking that idiotic little teenager in the hotel lobby, being branded a psychopath, with humans lining up to protest the lack of action taken to put him away.

It didn't bother Reece. He had been gawked at so often in his life that it barely even registered anymore. Humans disliked him, why did it matter? He was an alpha and he would protect his pack, no matter what. He acted in self-defense. There were certain clauses in laws that allowed for that in regards to alphas, or coven leaders, or any other creature in power of their creed. Hence why Reece had yet to be prosecuted. No lawyer wanted to take him on, they would only get a barrage of backlash from other creatures. It wouldn't be worth it for their career.

Reece tensed abruptly, closing his eyes, when an icy liquid suddenly hit his face. He didn't flinch, nor did he make a noise, although the cafe around him did go silent. All that remained was the subtle dripping of whatever drink had just been thrown over him running down onto the floor and occasional pieces of ice making it to the ground below too. Wiping his eyes, Reece opened them, looking through the receding haze of what smelt like citrus, to find a small human glowering up at him.

"Monsters like you should be locked up!" The woman shrieked in his face, raising a hand to slap him. Reece didn't move, he merely stood there, watching the woman with guarded eyes, wondering if she might honestly attempt to hit him. He wore a bored expression, glancing to his right to see that, yes, the drink the woman had thrown on him was the iced tea that he had purchased. At least the skittish barista had already moved away to make another, trembling all the while.

"And, yet, here I am," the woman stumbled back, slipping on the ice below and landing heavily on her ass when Reece spoke. His fangs tended to make humans nervous. They were just getting accustomed to vampires, but wolves didn't often half-shift, meaning their own four extended canines weren't well known as a trait. Reece, however, had a tendency to catch himself just after that, before he shifted entirely and ripped apart all those around him. Humans were blessed in that sense.

"Thank you," Reece smiled politely at the barista when he placed the new tea on the counter beside the paper bag with the other items he had purchased, "for the trouble," he added, taking out a hundred dollar bill and resting it near to the barista's hand, "at least you didn't faint, count yourself lucky," ignoring the eyes following his every step, Reece exited the cafe. Tavien and Aris didn't look so gleeful anymore, wearing solemn expressions as they waited for any sign of Reece's temper flaring once again.