The One

Jake Creed

Their brief silence shattered as she turned to the boy beside her. "What's your name, boy?" she asked gently.

"Jake, ma'am," he answered, his eyes wide.

"What a handsome name for a handsome boy," she praised, earning a shy smile from him.

"Where do you live, Jake?"

"Just around the corner. It's about a 20-minute walk from here."

"Are you the oldest?"

"No, I'm the second oldest."

"And where's your brother?"

"He's working at a place not far from here."

Christian observed, deciphering the interaction, his silence brimming with curiosity. "How many siblings do you have?" he asked suddenly, the authority in his voice causing Jake to stiffen.

"Three: my big brother, me, and my younger sister," Jake replied quietly, his voice tremulous.

"Oh, that's so cute! I bet she's a sweetheart and a real head-turner," Karol chimed in, trying to brighten the atmosphere.

But Christian's tone returned, probing. "How long have you been here, Jake?"

"Three years. We've been here for three years, sir," Jake answered, his gaze lowered as he fidgeted with his hands.

"Oh Christian, don't scare the kid," she admonished, rolling her eyes, though Christian remained unfazed, firing another question. "What's your last name?"

"Creed, sir. It's Creed."

Karol interjected with genuine excitement, "What a cool name," attempting to steer the conversation to a more comfortable place.

"If you'll excuse me, can I please go to the loo?" Jake asked anxiously.

"You don't need to ask permission, Jake. You can just go," she responded warmly.

"Sorry," he mumbled, hurrying away, his head downcast.

"Christian?! Can you be a little kinder to that boy? He looks petrified of you."

With a playful smirk, he replied, "A little intimidation won't hurt him." He sipped his red wine, his gaze softening as he looked at his mate.

She scoffed, "Whatever, weirdo. By the way, do you know anything about his family?" Leaning in, her full attention was on him.

"No, I don't," he admitted.

"Then why did you ask for his last name?"

"In case I know what his family history is."

"But you don't? Aren't you supposed to know everyone in this place?"

"Yes, but not anymore," he sighed, pulling out his phone to type quickly before returning his focus to her smirk.

"Are you asking your assistant to run a background check on him?" she teased.

He nodded with a playful smile, causing her to shake her head, bemused.

Just then, Jake returned timidly, taking a seat and making himself smaller before them.

"Jake, you don't need to be scared of us. We're just humans, you know," she reassured him, but his insecurity surfaced.

"It's rude for someone of lower class to sit at the same table with my big boss and high-ups," he stammered.

Karol's loving expression shifted to annoyance. "Who says that?"

"It's known, ma'am. In this society, someone of lower status shouldn't share a room with high-ranking people unless they're one of them."

"Oh really?! Then forget the high-ups and their privileged badges or ranks! That attitude isn't welcome in my circle," she snapped, a fire igniting in her.

Before their conversation could escalate, their beautifully presented food arrived, melting her irritation away as she beamed at the sight.

"Let's dig in," she declared, eagerly grabbing her fork and knife to tackle her grilled lamb. Minutes ticked by, and amidst her cutting, she noticed Jake struggling. Without a second thought, she began helping him.

Christian, too, sprang into action, cutting some of his food and trading plates with his mate. As she glanced up and caught his eye, a smile of gratitude spread across her face, and in that moment, connection filled the air, warming the space between them all.

She allowed Jake to finish the task while she eagerly awaited her food, her gaze drawn irresistibly to Christian's plate, which sat tantalisingly before her. As he expertly sliced through the meat, he exchanged their plates, eliciting a radiant smile from she, who blew him a playful kiss in gratitude for his assistance.

'How I wish she would really kiss us right here, right now,' Arlo mused through their mind-link. Christian grinned, taking a bite of his meal, responding, 'That would be heaven.'

But Arlo, his tone tinged with annoyance, quickly scolded, 'You stupid human, you need to get away from that woman before our mate gets angry.' 'Working on it,' Christian replied, their link snapping shut as he focused on his food.

"Oh, you're younger than me by a year," she remarked.

"Yes, ma'am," Jake replied.

"Jake, please stop calling me ma'am. You can call me Karol—it's a demand since I'm older than you."

"Oo-okay, Karol," came his hesitant response.

The trio finished their lunch, laughter and warmth enveloping them as they savoured their hearty meal before parting ways. "Bye, Jake. And remember to always eat on time"

"Yes, Karol! I'll always remember your words. I've got to go now; my brother's here," Jake said, pointing to the truck parked within view.

"Okay, take care. Bye!"

"Bye, Karol," he chirped, walking towards the truck. Unbeknownst to him, she wore a small smirk, which softened into a gentle smile as he turned to wave back at her.

Without wasting another moment, she hopped into Christian's car, and they sped away from the restaurant, heading back to the office.