Bear in Sheep's Clothing | Book #1

forty: like a river (Part I)

— Phillip —

Phillip came to. A faint smell of disinfectant and cureburn medi-spray mixed with the fragrance of clean bedsheets—a cheap, floral-scented softening one could only find in the most shitty grocery stores in New Continent.

He was definitely at Léon's place.

With a gentle smile and a sigh, Phillip opened his eyes. His head was fuzzy, and his thoughts were confused, so he raised his hand to where Léon's head should be—rested on his chest, his beautiful fingers brushing his cheek, his naked thigh laying on his own in a cruel tease—but Léon wasn't at his side. No one was. Except...

A rustling of fabric came from his right. "Phil! Are you okay?" Eureena.

"Rena," he answered, sitting up.

"Oh, holy shit! I was so worried!" She hugged him, keeping her hands away from his back.

"How the fuck did we get here?"

"I don't know. I passed out when The Mayor attacked me. Everyone did, apparently." She narrowed her eyes. "Everyone except Warp. I mean... Léon." She grimaced. "His mom could've picked a less french name."

"Don't let your father's prejudices get into your head, Rena." Phillip rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Right, right," she answered in a low voice, matching his. "Anyway, Léon was the last one to pass out, and he said something happened shortly after we joined the fight. He managed to teleport us here, as he did with Silvia's room in Silverin Heights. Except this time, he brought us all the way across the city. I had no idea he could do that!" She shifted on her improvised bed on the floor. "And here I thought Grizzly Bear was the strongest among us." Phillip gave her a sour look, and she chuckled. "Sorry, darling."

He huffed and raised his gaze to look for the others. Satina and Fred sat around the square table at the corner, Mary and the twins played with little Pietro, and Iara stood beside Anachronica, who was sitting on an armchair, while Kaliandra checked her pulse. Léon was closer, kneeling beside the sofa and holding Roberto's hand.

"Teleport, uh." Phillip licked his lips and stared at Eureena. "He can do much more than that." Phillip breathed in. A hammer pummeled his head from inside and did the same with his back. The images he had seen during the fight were still etched in his memory, violent and terrifying. "I saw all the shit that happened before we were poofed here." His eyes flicked from Eureena to Léon as if Phillip was worried he would hear them. "Some weird fuckery happened while we were locked in that dome, Rena. Léon is different. He... he seemed to be another person."

Furrowing his brow, Phillip set his eyes on Roberto. "I think that's why that motherfucker came here in the first place." He bit his lower lip and leaned even closer. "It's because of Léon. That dipshit Grizzly Bear wants something from him; something related to his powers. I'm sure of it. Léon changed after Bear arrived." He took in a deep breath and held it. "I have to tell them," he whispered, breathing out.

Eureena stared at him in silence. She sighed and lowered her eyes.

"Phil..." Eureena considered her words for a moment. She focused her brown eyes on Satina and on Phillip again. "I know how it feels. All right? It hurts, I get it. But you can't project that feeling of rejection on Léon's new boyfriend, Phil. It's not healthy, darling." She caressed his cheek. "If he doesn't want to be with you, you have to let go."

His blood boiled, painting his cheeks with fury-red. "I'm not projecting shit!" he barked—maybe a bit too loud.

The others turned around to face him.