Can't Do Anything Right

Sakura was like a fish out of water.

Flopping around uselessly.

Slowly dying inside.

She had done just fine helping to dig the foundation of the cabin, tearing up the earth one shovel full at a time. Gathering stones had been simple; finding flat, smooth ones and removing them from the creek and placing them into an ever-growing pile. She had loved cutting down trees, completely obliterating their trunks and tearing the branches off. All of those tasks had been simple and enjoyable. If something needed to be destroyed, she was the girl to do it.

But now that they were in the process of putting it all together, building something from all the pieces, she only managed to get in the way and make things more difficult for everyone around.

No wonder she was always stuck pulling weeds and cleaning the coop.

She could take away.

But she couldn’t create.

At least, nothing worth being proud of.

“You can’t just drop that there.”

The woman huffed, “Why not?” Her eyes narrowed at the white-haired devil, tired of his nitpicking. He was being too particular, wanting everything done a certain way. His way. Which was fine, it was his home, and he should have the ultimate say, but Sakura was struggling to not only follow direction but to do so in the neat way he expected.

“Like I’ve told you before, the stones have to go together,” Zero said calmly but his eyes hinted at his growing agitation as he looked up at her on his hands and knees. “You can’t just keep dropping them wherever.” He leaned forward, grabbing the stone and drug it over to the others, placing it properly atop an already existing layer of stone and clay.

“What does it matter? It’s all gonna be put together eventually. And how many layers do you plan on doing for this floor? You already have one and you're doing another.”

“It matters because if it’s not done correctly now, then it will make for more work later on,” the boy slowly explained the obvious. “There’s going to be three layers. That way the moisture doesn’t just sit on top of the floor. It’ll drain down, away from the surface.”

She watched as he took stones from Ivy and positioned them carefully, each one having its own special place. The devil was still quiet, he probably always would be, but he was so much more open than when the woman had first met him. She could actually have a conversation with him now, some of which he even started, instead of short, concise answers. He was more confident, sure of himself, stating his wants and needs instead of keeping them to himself. He really had come a long way.

Sakura scrunched her lips and sighed. “You talk too much. You know that? You’ve been around Ren too long. You’re becoming more like him everyday.” And he was, in a way. The devil’s meticulous and considerate nature in which he went about the construction of the cabin was almost identical to the angel’s habits. Watching the two of them interact reminded her of Raz and a younger Ren.

It was sort of eerie and entertaining at the same time.

Crimson glared up at her. “Go get more stone.” His tone not amused with her comparison.

The woman chuckled but obeyed and went to one of the piles, grabbing more stone.

“Not that pile!” Ivy was a little too concerned over a load of rocks. “The other one.”

She groaned, “Why? What’s wrong with this pile?” This was never going to end. She was never going to get this right.

“Those are the pretty stones,” the girl chirped sweetly. “I’ve spent a lot of time separating and organizing them. They’re going to go on top, and I want them to make a design. Maybe of the mountains or a river. I’m not sure yet.”

The urge to toss each and every pretty stone back into the creek was so encompassing that Sakura knew that she just needed to admit defeat and walk away, least she make the fae cry over the most ridiculous reason possible.

Rocks.

She would make her cry over rocks.

It was time to go.

The woman breathed through her irritation. “It’s getting late. I think I should go start supper.”

“Do you need any help?” Ivy asked as she continued packing stones back and forth to Zero.

“Oh, no. You keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.” She couldn’t get out of there fast enough and had to resist the urge to sprint back to the cottage.

At least she could make food correctly.

Most of the time.

Sakura quickly entered before anyone could possibly call her back and closed the door, ensuring her freedom. She had been looking forward to a moment to herself without being scolded like a child, but that suddenly wasn’t looking very good. “What are you doing in here?”

Ren flipped up the mallet in his hand as he stood in the doorway to Raz’s old room, peering inside. “Needed this.”

“Okay. You got it. What are you doing now?”

“Thinking.”

The woman went and tucked herself next to him, searching for what was so interesting. “About what?” There was nothing special. It still mostly looked the same other than a few things of Ivy and Zero’s here and there; more books on the bookshelf, a comb on the dresser, boots and shoes that Ivy had talked Ren into buying her lined in neat rows under the bed.

His brow was furrowed as he gave the room the due consideration it deserved. “About how many kids we can stuff in here after we get rid of those two leeches.” The man waited for a smack or some back handed comment but it never came. He glanced down, watching emeralds dart around the area.

“It’s not a very big room but it’ll probably be able to hold more if you build beds that stack. Or maybe just one really big bed that we can shove them all in together,” she suggested simply before turning to go to the kitchen.

Ren said he wouldn’t chase her.

But sometimes, promises were made to be broken.

He grabbed her wrist, preventing her from getting away. “What are you doing? I didn’t say you could go.” His eyes narrowed at her audacity.

Sakura nodded towards his other hand. “Don’t you have somewhere to take that?”

“Nope.” He tossed the mallet away and it thudded heavily on the floor.

“You should probably go help.” She certainly wasn’t any, and the least he could do was be useful.

Ren smiled slyly, shaking his head. “Nah, let them figure it out. It’s their house. Come here.” His smile only grew as she stepped up to him. “Look at you, obeying your alpha mate like a good, little fox girl. It’s about damn time you submit.”

“Oh, shut up!” the vixen snapped, slapping his chest. “You’re such a jerk!”

“Shhh, don’t be like that,” he hushed, ocean eyes washing over her as his hands snuck to her waist, urging her closer. “We’re having a nice moment right now. Don’t ruin it. How many kids do you want?”

She breathed in deeply, pondering as her fingers went to his shirt and rolled the fabric, before releasing the air quickly. “I’m not sure. I’ve never really had a specific number in mind. How many would you want?”

“However many I can get out of you. The more the better.” He grinned at the thought. “My plan is to constantly keep you with child, that way you won’t be able to run off ever again. You’ll be as good as trapped here. You can try to waddle your ass away, but you won’t be getting far with all those little ankle-biters taking you down and dragging you back. I won’t even have to look for you. They’ll do all the work for me.”

Her brow raised. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while now, haven’t you?”

“Longer than you can imagine. Children take time though. You gotta work at it. A lot. Put forth the effort to bring them into this world.”

The woman chewed her cheek as her eyes shifted away. “Ivy and Zero are outside,” she cautioned, but her arms reached around his shoulders.

“I don’t give a shit where they are. This is my house. If they don’t like it, they don’t have to watch.”

Her lips scrunched to the side, and she peered up at him. “I guess you have a point. It’s too bad that door doesn’t have a lock, though.”

The man shook his head. “Fuck a lock. I’ll tear this whole house apart and throw everything in front of that door if that’ll make you feel better. No one will be getting in… or out.”

“I don’t think you need to go that far.”

“I’ll go however far I need to.” The man paused, realizing his track record had much to be desired. “Wait a minute. You’re not fucking with me again, are you? Leading me on for your sick amusement.”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged with a longing sigh. “Maybe. I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

He gauged her expression, her posture. The way her skin pressed against his, its heat. How her lips parted and her eyes were bright, alluring, and inviting. Her breathing heavier, her arms wrapping tighter, fingers intruding into his hair, lightly encouraging him nearer. Feet pushing onto toes and closing the distance.

And Ren knew…

Only good things could come from this.

She was finally ready to give.

So, he would take it all.

And make it his.

He smiled and went to meet her.

The girl he had chased since he was seven years old.

That which he desired above all else.

He had finally caught her.

But she slipped through his fingers, pushing away from him as her head snapped towards the door and her ears twitched at a sound only she could hear.

This fucking woman.

“Don’t you dare,” the man growled, his hold tightening, not willing to let go of that which was so close. “Don’t you fucking do this to me. Not now, Sakura. Those two can stay outside. It won’t kill them.”

Sakura turned back, eyes filling with tears. With terror. “Ren.” A weak whisper that turned his blood to ice. “It’s wings.”