Chapter 7: Overcoming prejudices
Logan's blood boiled as he glared daggers at the mutant strapped down in front of him. Charles had found the psychotic lunatic in the woods of the school about five kilometres out, raving on about how he had lost his mate, his wife. Even now what others could distinguish and comprehend from his growls were, 'I need to find her'.
However, Logan would not believe a word that Victor Creed would breathe out. It didn't make any sense and even if it did, Victor Creed was a known maniac who seemed to be suffering from delirium. As the adamantium shackles rattled and whined with the force that Victor exerted on them, Logan finally snarled at him, "Shut it, bub!"
Victor froze but then his growls returned tenfold, "It was you, wasn't it runt? It was you! When I get out of here, I'm gonna find that chinky cunt and skin he-"
"You watch your goddamn mouth, you fuckin' animal!" Logan's claws were unsheathed, ready to plunge into Creed.
"Logan, would you please!" Hank appeared beside him, the azure of his fur was such a stark outline in the white lab.
Beside him wheeled along Charles, followed by Jean and Scott. "He's right, Logan. We do not know what Mr Creed here-"
Logan's black look was directed to the group, "Listen professor, I don't care what-"
Jean interrupted, "You should, Logan. You should listen to the Professor."
Logan scoffed and turned back to Creed who was beginning to foam at the mouth and continued to grunt and snarl with each attempt to struggle out of his bonds. "Why should I? You people think there's something wrong with him that can be fixed! Look at him!"
Hank stepped in, his tone becoming hard when his eyes latched onto Victor, "None of us hold any sympathy for Victor Creed and I for one would rather have him in a state prison than on my examination table but he's suffering, Logan. I cannot abide by that. He's suffering a state regression and severe agitation at the loss of something, though we cannot be sure of what."
Scott stepped closer and backed Jean behind him, "Loss? What could Creed loose?"
Logan began to sneer at Creed before Charles even opened his mouth, "What do you mean regression?" Logan pointed at the man who was begging to become more feral by the minute. "He's already an animal."
"Logan," Charles raised a hand to calm him, "Victor Creed is many things, but one thing he always prides himself in is control of his own feral nature and he is lacking that." When he gestured to the Victor, his bare chest was beginning to grow even more coarse hair and they lengthened to the point where it was beginning to match Hank's fur.
"I can't read him mind" Jean hand shook as she concentrated, "It's like he has… blocks in place." Scott took her hand into his larger and warmer one in a show of comfort. Logan's nostrils flared at the gesture but turned his gaze to Creed. Even he had to admit that capturing Creed had been too easy; he had been distracted.
"I know, Jean. He is much like Logan, and even I cannot find the source of his troubles." Charles wheeled closer to the raging feral. "I cannot even calm him."
"We should take him to a secure facility, Charles." Scott wrapped his arm around Jean's shoulder. "It's for the best. We won't be able to contain him if he keeps like this."
"Just put him in a room with me," Logan ground out. "And I'll keep a close eye on him."
"Scott's right" Charles began to turn when the growls subsided.
"Stop right there egg head," Victor shocked everyone when he managed to bark at Charles. It was the first response other than, 'gotta find mate!'.
"I'll leave your stupid x-zone school if you give me back my mate."
Charles levelled with the man, a curious twinkle in his eyes, before he faced him directly. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Victor."
"Fer fucks sake", Victor thrashed against his binds, "I'll even set up a fucking charity fund for the little frails."
Jean mumbled to Scott, "Something isn't right. This isn't just delirium."
"You're quite right, Jean" Hank looked over the notes on the clipboard.
They quietened when Charles responded to Creed, "Victor, I do not-"
The madness in Creed's eyes blackened his entire being as he roared at the top of his lungs, "Give me back my mate! Give her back! I'll fucking kill you all! Give her back! Mate!"
His uncontrollable bellowing rattled the cells and rose Logan's hackles, and he began to scream back at him, "You don't have a fuckin' mate! Who the fuck would wanna be with you?!"
However, Creed howls overpowered even him and the group decided to remove him from the school. Charles had no idea where they would take him considering he was wanted in over forty states, but he reasoned he would figure it out on the jet. As they wheeled him along his yells became more violent and viscous, and his wrists, neck and ankles began to bleed. More disturbingly his fangs and claws lengthened along with the complete blackening of his eyes.
"Quickly now", Hank had the ramp lowered and the jet ready for lift off.
"Jesus!" Scott exclaimed when Victor's claws almost ripped his wrist off as they began to load him on the ramp.
"Fuckin' hell! Don't know what the fuck he was shootin' up but it's messed him up even more." Logan's remark was tinged with his ill-temper.
"His blood work revealed he was as clean as a whistle." Hank sounded puzzled.
"His body must have burned it out quick", there was no doubt when Logan said that.
Just when Victor's unbridled rage hits its peak, his muscles began to bulge, and the X men struggled to handle him an unfamiliar voice echoed in the hanger which caught them all off guard, "Victor."
Hank watched with fascination as Creed deflated and all of his transformation began to fade away as Creed's head snapped towards the voice. Even his eyes returned to normal.
No, not entirely, Hank remarked to himself as he watched Victor's pupils remain dilated though for what reason he could not say.
Charles wheeled closer to the upcoming figure. Not much could be seen of the person, only their dark outline but as she sauntered closer more of her became clearer: a stout woman, coffee skinned, with large hips and a semi-protruding stomach more from overeating than from pregnancy coupled with a large mane of jet-black hair.
Logan could not have cared less for the woman only she provoked such calm out of Victor Creed that he had never seen before. He unleashed his claws when he wondered how this unassuming woman had passed through the security and found Creed with such ease. Already the fact that she knew Creed had put her in Logan's bad books.
"She's just as powerful as Creed… if not more dangerous because of her wisdom" Jean commented with minor hints of concern.
"How can you tell?" Scott asked, echoing Hank's inquiry.
"I can see her mind, but only because she wants me to. She wants to take Sabertooth off our hands." Jean braced herself as the woman neared, her golden eyes peering at Jean before they focused on Charles.
"The hell she will", Logan sounded no less aggressive than he would have been with Victor.
Hank leaned forward towards Logan to examine the woman who began to speak with Charles, "Professor Xavier, I think there has been a misunderstanding."
"I'm sorry but I do not understand what you are referring to, Miss?" Charles was taken aback when the woman by passed him and went for Victor.
Logan stood in front of the chained feral on the gurney, but she held his gaze. "Creed, Noor Creed and I believe my husband has done no wrong. There was a slight mistake in his judgment and I thank you for your hospitality but I think I'll be taking him home now."
The team stood gobsmacked.
Victor Creed had a wife? Victor Creed was-
"You stay away from him, Mate" Victor called, his growl much softer as his eyes trained on her. "Well away."
Noor stepped aside and walked past even Logan who was frozen in his spot. When she was next to Victor, her soft hand skimmed his forearm, "I wouldn't have to go anywhere near him if you had just read my note, Victor. Oh," she gasped and fussed. "Look at the state of your wrists."
Victor was struggling to get closer to his mate, not really caring about the X-men. "What note? I told you to stay at the hotel and then when I get back you're gone and your scent goin'-"
Logan was the first to come out of his stupor, "I don't give a damn what you say-"
Victor roared at Logan however Noor calmed him yet again when she rubbed his forearm.
"-he's not goin' anywhere." Logan had continued to growl as if Victor hadn't cut him off.
Charles wheeled on to the ramp and began to send waves of calm to everyone, "Mrs Creed, if I may? I think we can have something arranged to meet the needs of both parties."
Noor's unimpressed expression was mirrored by Victor who both shared a look before Noor replied, "It's fine, Professor Xavier, Victor and I have been in an agreement over certain matters for a few decades now"
Another shock that stunned the group apart from Charles this time.
"And I think all you would have to do is remove those shackles," Noor pointedly eyed the bloodied bindings on Victor.
Charles opened his mouth yet again he was interrupted when Storm, Rogue, Kitty and Poitr ran in. Rogue was the first to say, "Professor, we've had ah break in-"
She halted immediately when she saw Noor's hand so intimately on Victor's wrist. Storm had also noticed it and came to a grinding halt. From the back they could hear Kitty ask, "What's going on?"
Charles chuckled mirthfully, "I believe Mr and Mrs Creed were just leaving."
Logan's head snapped towards the old man, "What? Charles!-"
However, it was not Charles but Hank who had stopped him. Logan was about to snap at the man but he realised Hank was not even looking at him; he was focused on Noor and her hand on Victor.
Rogue tensed and managed to take herself towards the group but left a great bit of breadth between herself and the Creeds. They all watched helplessly as Scott unleashed the man and received another revelation when the first thing Victor did was embrace Noor. It was like the mated ferals didn't even notice they were surrounded by the enemy. Then before anyone could recover, with a last glance from Victor to Charles, they were gone.
"Who was that, Logan?" Rogue tugged on his wrist.
"That- that was…" Logan was at a loss of words.
"That was Victor Creed's wife," Jean filled in, her eyes wistful.
"I thought Creed was a bigoted brute. Why the hell would she want be with him?" Storm had an equally mournful look to her eye.
Kitty linked her hands with Poitr's, "It would explain why he suddenly was less interested in femicide."
"No," Poitr boomed, "A man like Creed wouldn't go soft just because he found himself a zhena."
"You're right, Poitr. However, that being said, I believe…" Charles wheeled down and gazed in the direction that the Creeds left in. "For the first time in his life, Victor Creed was content."
"How do you know?" Logan's whisper was harsh like he was forcing it out.
"Because he told me."
Later, miles away from Xavier's institute for the gifted, Victor tugged on Noor's hair sharply as they prepared for Sonya's wedding, "Woman, answer me."
"Oh, so I have been demoted to just woman now, have I?" Noor fussed with her hair insistently as attempted to fix the mess her husband left. He had pulled out one of her pinned curls and the stupid thing wouldn't go back up.
"Mate", Victor stepped closer until he was breathing down her neck and his hands gently grazed up her arms. "Why did you go there?"
She grunted and hissed when her small arms couldn't reach the specific position she wanted it to go to. "Victor, do you remember that shawl you gave me a few years back, the green one?"
He grunted in affirmation.
"Who else loves to burrow in it and disappear for hours on end exploring?" she asked as she finally managed to reach the position the curl belonged in.
Victor's eyes closed in vexation and he sighed through his nose, "Damien."
"Damien", Noor repeated in confirmation. She almost cried when the curl fell out again and stomped her foot in resignation. Her arms fell defeated until a clawed hand tucked it behind her ear. Then his mouth brushed against her ear as he said, "Leave it, s'better this way."
"Victor, this is not our wedding. It is Sonya's and-"
"And nothing." His soft tone was perplexing in the harsh growl he released, "If she don't think her mother ain't beautiful for not putting her hair up, then she can just deal with it."
Noor spun to face him, her hands brushing on his chest lovingly and began to whisper, "Victor, I just want our daughter to be happy and this is going to be the last time we're going to be together as a family and-"
Victor pulled her into himself and nuzzled the top of Noor's head, "Nah, you're not afraid of giving away Sonya. Hurt, maybe but not afraid. You're still thinkin' of that shitty school."
Noor fell into his arms limply, "I don't like it when you're with your brother. He's horrible and those people in that school all see you-"
"Don't give two fucks what they think of me an' the runt needs to be taught a lesson." Victor swayed them softly like a motionless dance.
"I know you don't care, but I do. That man, Xavier, if it had been up to him he would have sent you to some hole to rot in." Noor's hands fisted on his chest at the thought of the amount of disgust and disregard he had for her mate.
"He ain't the only one, Mate" Victor bumped his nose to the top of her forehead in affection. "And like I said, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that they probably think you're my whore-"
"No, actually they probably thought that you would be too much of a bigoted asshole for that." Noor laughed sharply at him.
Chuckling, Victor held still with Noor in his arms, "You're right 'bout that…"