The Pet Shop (bxbxb)

6. Settle

Warden had planned to take the entire day off, having called in earlier, but he unfortunately found himself back at work around noon to deal with a situation that had gotten out of control. It had just been a money issue, specifically one about money missing from a certain fund. Of course, the analyst for that particular company had forgotten to check the emergency account, where any money is sent when a hacker tries to sneak into their systems. Warden didn't think it would be a big deal when he first started the job, but to his surprise, he'd already had to deal with it four different times.

He had just hung up the phone explaining everything to the manager, who had only been on the job for about a month, when he pushed himself up and grabbed his coat. Slipping it on over his suit, he hurried out of his office, and the building. He'd intended to go straight to the apartment to check on Cerat, but when he started heading there i his car, a sign for a vitamin store caught his eye. Without much thought, he pulled into the parking lot and after getting out and locking his car, headed inside.

The shop was quite small compared to the ones on either side of it, but when his eyes landed on a bottle of iron pills, he couldn't help but smile. An associate was heading over to him, likely to help with any questions he had, but Warden was in no mood to deal with salesmen. He walked right over to the supplements section and grabbed the largest bottle of iron ones he could find. They were surprisingly expensive, being around sixty dollars, but as money wasn't an issue, he quickly turned and set them on the counter. The employee hurried behind it and rung up the purchase, taking Warden's credit card when he offered it.

He didn't even wait for his receipt before stalking out the door, feeling almost like he imagined Drake did when he hadn't had enough sex. His body ached to hit something, but as he sped toward Cerat's apartment, the only person he could really think of that deserved the aggression, was himself.

Pulling into the small parking lot, he made himself calmly walk over and take out the small key the owner had texted him would be glued to the underside of the plant by the door, then unlocked the shop. He hurried to shut and lock it, too, not wanting anyone to think that it was open and to come in. When he finally got upstairs and stepped inside, he could hear movement coming from the single bedroom. He expected Drake to be doing something, or possibly Cerat, but when he stepped into the room, his eyes bugged.

The woman from the pet shop?

Shocked, he let the bag with the bottle of iron pills drop to the floor, drawing the woman's attention to him. He had also garnered Cerat's, but instead of staring, he quickly ducked under the blanket he'd been sharing with Thumper in the corner of the living room area. 

"I am not happy with you right now, young man." The woman said, her face turning into a scowl.

Warden sighed, leaning over to pick up the bag with the bottle of pills in it before straightening back up.

"Join the club, Ma'am. How did you get in here, by the way?"

The woman rolled her eyes at his question, making Warden almost regret asking.

"I own this building and have a spare key... but I didn't use it."

Warden's eyes narrowed on the woman, his feathers slightly ruffled at her statement. 

"So then how did you get in?" He asked.

"I knocked and Cerat opened the door for me."

Warden grumbled as he turned and headed toward the minuscule kitchen. She soon joined him, ignoring his glare as she got down an ancient-looking blender and took a large container of spinach out of the refrigerator.