《Her Devilish Alpha》


 Chapter 1 - While She’s A Human… He’s A… Well…

    "Kill me," she spat bitterly.


    "If you really claim to be the alpha, then killing me wouldn''t be a problem, would it?" She said, getting teary despite the fact something inside her told her it''d work.


    "I''m just a normal human, whilst you''re the alpha of your pack," Madeline continued, provoking him whilst wiping her tears off her face.


    He remained rooted to the ground, unmoving and still as he stared at her glaringly, watching her every move. Strangely, he didn''t seem like he was going to pounce, although his eyes flashed with malicious intent.


    She huffed.


    "I SAID KILL ME, XAVIER!" She yelled, spreading out her arms.


    The werewolf that stood across her rushed towards her, his claw raised and ready to attack her. They were deep in the woods, there was no chance anyone else would find them.


    Madeline shut her eyes.


    ''I don''t want to die.''


    Then... a blinding flash appeared out of nowhere!


    In the werewolf''s place, a man standing there shirtless, wearing pants that looked tattered and ripped apart.


    Xavier, as Madeline called him.


    Panting, he pulled her in a tight embrace, practically crushing her.


    "Madeline," he whispered huskily, his voice dripping with lust and desire.


    Madeline slowly opened her eyes. Was she in heaven now?


    "Xavier?" She asked, her eyes going round.


    Was she hallucinating?


    "I''m sorry," he said in between gasps for air, letting her go.


    Madeline''s breath trembled, pulling him into another embrace.


    "I almost lost you," she uttered.


    The sky rumbled, and it wasn''t long before rain began pouring down on the both of them, leaving them completely soaked. Not that Madeline cared. On her face were only feelings of unbridled joy.


    She ruffled his hair; it was his moment of weakness, being asked to kill her. His weakness.


    He captured her lips in his, kissing her so roughly to the point Madeline felt a warm liquid ooze out of her soft, rosy lips, losing himself in her as he did so.


    Now, rewinding to the past...


    "Step forward," he ordered, his steely gaze landing on her.


    Madeline swallowed as a chill went up her spine.


    Silence engulfed the crowd, Madeline heard a lady whisper to her friend, "Who is she to catch Xavier''s attention?"


    "I never saw her before, is she new to the pack? Why haven''t I seen her before?"


    "She''s not even that pretty. Is she an omega? I really can''t remember seeing someone like her here in the pack. Is she from another pack?"


    "Probably, seeing as she''s unfamiliar with the place," the lady snickered, unaware Madeline could hear every word she spoke.


    Deciding the better idea was to follow this Xavier guy''s orders and ignore whatever the lady had to say, she stepped up to the dais before turning to face him.


    And that was the moment Madeline felt her heart sink to her stomach.


    God, Xavier was¡­ simply looking at him made her knees weak. To think, a couple of seconds ago, she''d stumbled into this cult-like place when she was looking for what she''d dropped.


    And now, she was following this random yet handsome guy''s orders?


    His devilishly handsome face scoured hers. And strangely, Madeline couldn''t get herself to meet his piercing gaze. It was as though he was waiting for her to do something. To bow or curtsy, perhaps.


    And his aura¡­ Madeline couldn''t fathom how his aura felt evil. Did that even make any logical sense?


    Xavier scoffed, tilting his head to get a better look at her, "And what¡­ pray tell do we have here?"


    Trying to get a sense of who she was, he sniffed her before his eyes widened. She leaned backwards.


    "You don''t belong here," he snarled, making Madeline want to run despite her intuition which told her not to.


    Making a face, he narrowed his eyes and spat, "You''re a human."


    The way he said human¡­ The disgust in his tone made anger well up in Madeline. Who was he to say that to her? This Xavier man sat on a throne, so what? Was he not human? What a hypocrite he was, talking to her like this.


    Xavier demanded, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"


    Words were stuck in her throat, she couldn''t get herself to speak in front of him. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind, it was a shame all she got out of herself was, "So I am."


    "Aren''t you all?" She questioned, taking a look around at everyone else to see people whispering amongst themselves, some of them laughing and ridiculing her.


    Before Xavier could reply, another man stepped up to the dais, bowing before him.


    Xavier nodded, and the man whispered something into his ear.


    The second Madeline caught one of them looking at each other and then at a nearby pole, she wondered what would happen to her.


    Would she be chained to a pole and burned at the stake? The way they looked at her, it was as though she was a delicious, steaming feast, and they were lions that''d been starved all this time. It was terrifying, being surrounded by starved lions.


    Did they have some terrible fate planned out for her? Because it certainly seemed like it.


    She quietly took a step back, and both men turned to her.


    Beginning to panic, she wondered, ''Do they have some sort of mind link? Is that how they could communicate without even speaking to each other? And do they have super hearing; are they even human? I barely made a sound!''


    Their auras¡­ how their eyes glowed¡­


    ''Who am I kidding? Creatures like that don''t exist, they''re fictional. They''re just strange.''


    Xavier assessed her, as though waiting for her next move. He wondered how a human could have penetrated their barriers. No ordinary human could do so, she had to be special. Was she offering herself to the pack, was that why she wasn''t leaving and screaming in terror? Or was she unaware of who they actually were?


    She wondered if they could stop staring at her, both Xavier and the other man.


    Was he going to let someone apprehend her? Would she be left for dead?


    Wide-eyed, Madeline stared back at him, her eyes meeting him before she felt something tighten around her pinky. Her heart tightened and began pounding faster than it did before.


    It flickered, but it was clear what it was. Everyone stared between them, back and forth in confusion. Whatever it was, it could only be seen by Madeline and Xavier.


    That day, an eternal bond was created.


    Xavier stared at it, his eyes immediately widening from shock. He flexed his pinky, making sure it was real and that he wasn''t simply dreaming.


    The look on his face screamed, ''THIS CAN''T BE!''


    ''With a stranger? Are you kidding me?'' He growled.


    Her heart raced, she was thinking the same thing.


    Fate had chosen him? Their meeting couldn''t have been just a coincidence now, could it?


    Well, that must''ve explained why she could''ve penetrated their barriers, she was special after all.


    After years of searching, he''d finally found her, although she wasn''t who he was expecting.


    The person he was tied to¡­ his soulmate wasn''t one of his kind.


    She was a mere human he''d just met a couple of minutes ago. A human that had happened to stumble upon Eudora whilst they were celebrating the turning of new werewolves.


    Whilst he, the alpha of the pack.


    Of werewolves, might one add.


    A creature that didn''t exist!


    It was then her knees then buckled, and black spots clouded her vision before darkness swallowed her whole.


    __


    Author''s Note: All names, characters, settings, etc, that are mentioned in this book are all purely fictional and are from my imagination. Any reference to real events is used in a fictitious manner. Unnecessary, hateful comments and reviews will also be deleted,


    Another thing: details might be unnecessarily mentioned in chapters since a novel always has to have its starting phase, it needs strong world/character/plot development to provide a better experience for all readers. I also sincerely hope you won''t confuse this book with reality. That''s all, I hope you enjoy the next chapters.


    Lots of love, mari!

 Chapter 2 - W-Why Can’t I Leave?

    Madeline lurched forward, heaving and panting.


    Taking a minute to breathe after what she''d just seen, she wondered if she''d been dreaming or if she actually had stumbled upon the man destined to be her soulmate. Then she realized she wasn''t in her bedroom.


    ...and neither was she in her loft. She was in another person''s bedroom!


    ''Could it be Xavier''s bedroom?'' Madeline wondered to herself before she felt that same chill up her spine. Someone was watching her.


    Xavier, something in her gut told her.


    Looking downwards, she realized she was in different clothing. Her coral hair tumbled over her shoulders, and she was dressed in silk pyjamas that matched her eyes that were as green as freshly-picked olives.


    "I know you''re there," she said loudly, hoping it''d make her sound confident, staring into the darkness. Unbeknownst to her, he could sense her fear from a mile away.


    Frankly, who could blame her? Not only was she in someone else''s bedroom, that someone was her soulmate.


    And out from the corner, she spotted a dark figure in the dim light of the room. She saw the silhouette of his body, but not his face. It was kept hidden from her.


    Madeline felt something tighten around her pinky.


    Yep, it was Xavier alright.


    ''Sh*t, so it wasn''t a dream after all,'' she cursed under her breath.


    What she didn''t know... was that he could sense how she was feeling. It wasn''t a soulmate thing, more like it was a werewolf thing.


    "You''re awake," he sneered, glaring at her with disdain and contempt, nearing the light.


    She glared at him with as much hatred. What was she doing here? And who the f*ck was he? She did a great job at hiding her initial reaction of seeing him.


    Why? Because he was the breathtaking epitome of perfection.


    Hell, he had to be the most attractive looking man she''d ever seen. By his mere looks, she was rendered speechless and in awe. With intense, piercing ocean blue eyes as well as dark copper brown hair that framed his chiselled face, she wondered what he was. This Xavier man certainly wasn''t mortal, but come to think of it, neither was everyone else in the crowd.


    "Who are you?" She asked him, taking a brave step.


    He chuckled at her boldness.


    Getting up from his seat, he straightened his tie before walking out into the light.


    "I believe you already know who I am since we''ve already met before. It''s Xavier, Xavier Ronan."


    Xavier Ronan, those two words slipped off her tongue with ease.


    He straightened his tie.


    "Alpha of the werewolves. And you are?"


    It took a while for Madeline to process things, and a longer while for her to tell him her name.


    "Werewolves," Madeline spoke aloud.


    "Werewolves," she drawled.


    She blinked, remembering the question he''d asked her.


    "It''s Madeline. Madeline Delcour."


    "Get it out of your system," Xavier rested his head on his hand, waiting for her to say it.


    "Werewolves don''t exist," Madeline laughed before she felt a gust of wind slam her like a wall of bricks.


    Suddenly, Xavier was at the other side of the room, right beside her.


    "Are you sure about that?" Xavier growled, his eyes flashing a searing red colour.


    Madeline backed up against the pillows.


    Scratch that, not only was she in a random stranger''s bedroom. That random stranger was claiming to be the alpha of the werewolves. How stranger could this get?


    Hold on, could werewolves actually exist? Madeline held back a scream. Was he really¡­


    "What are you?" She asked him.


    "Are you really¡­"


    She held her breath before finishing her question, "A werewolf?"


    Xavier raised his arched brow in curiosity, wondering if she dared question him.


    Tch, was what he did not proof enough?


    "Would you like me to really prove it to you?"


    No one in the pack dared defy him. Sure, she didn''t know who he actually was, or the power he held yet¡­ but she was already beginning to annoy him. Who knew he''d be paired with such an unbelieving person, what more a human!


    Had it been anyone else, he would''ve ripped them to shreds. Then, they''d learn that werewolves did exist, proof being they were killed by one.


    "Or would you like to base your assumptions on what you already saw?"


    Madeline kept quiet.


    "I see you''ve made your choice."


    Silence filled the atmosphere - there wasn''t much to talk about. Madeline thought of her red string, and as she did, her pinky was once again entwined with said string. It was how it worked. You thought of your red string once you found out who fate had chosen you and boom! It appeared wrapped around your pinky, only for you and your soulmate to see.


    No one other than you and your soulmate could see your red string, and once you got your red string and your soulmate was chosen¡­ you could never go back. You could never have another soulmate. Just the one you already have, for the rest of all eternity.


    ''My soulmate''s him. A stranger I hadn''t met until a while ago that claims to be the alpha of the werewolves. So basically, the king of the werewolves.''


    "Doubting me already, pup?"


    Madeline snapped, "I am not your pup."


    "Never said you were," he retorted.


    "What are you doing here anyway? What, waiting for me to wake up so you could torture me and call me names?" She asked, a disgusted look on her face.


    He looked at her with a slightly surprised look. No one dared speak to him that way before, she was a first.


    His eyes flashed with indistinguishable emotion.


    "Don''t you dare speak to me that way," he said curtly.


    "What would you have done had your soulmate collapsed?"


    "I didn''t ask to be your soulmate," Xavier tsked in annoyance.


    "And now you act like I chose to be your soulmate."


    "Did you?"


    She huffed, turning to one side and lifting her chin, "I had no say on who''s my soulmate."


    Crossing his arms, he grumbled, "Neither did I."


    Never was an alpha paired with a human. Ever.


    They were paired with other werewolves in their packs. Deltas, omegas, sometimes even betas. But humans?


    It''d never been done before in the history of Alaric, so Xavier was the first-ever alpha to have a human soulmate.


    Knowing there were other things for him to do, he mumbled to her, getting up to his feet.


    "I''ll have Adrian show you around the place, wait for him here, and don''t leave this room."


    "Show me around the place, why would I need a tour?" She questioned.


    "And also, why can''t I leave?"


    What she hadn''t noticed was that Xavier had already left her, all alone and without any answers and explanations as to why she couldn''t leave.


    Left all to herself, she noticed her heart was pounding in her chest way faster than it had before.


    Taking a look around, she realized she had no other choice but to wait for whoever was Adrian.


    However, whilst she was waiting for him, she felt the sudden urge to leave.


    But¡­ Xavier had told her to stay.


    Wait, why had he told her to stay?


    Was there something lurking outside this room?


    Or worse, was there something waiting for her?

 Chapter 3 - Meeting Adrian

    The door creaked open. Madeline braced herself for whatever she was about to see.


    Knowing she could''ve just waited for Adrian instead of considering leaving to tour the place herself, Madeline left anyway, changed into more comfortable clothing she happened to find laying on an ottoman.


    ''I''ve got to see what''s up with this place,'' she thought.


    Truth be told, she was tempted to leave. What was there to stay for?


    Sure, she found her soulmate. But surely she wasn''t actually destined to spend the rest of her life with this guy, right? This had to be some joke!


    Maybe, this was all a dream. That would explain it.


    She pinched herself, covering her mouth to prevent herself from yelping in pain.


    "Yep, totally not a dream," she grumbled.


    Taking a look around, she let out a gasp. It was a whimsical wonderland in the woods. Or at least, to her it was.


    It was now morning, much to her surprise.


    ''How long was I out for?'' She asked, before she heard a snap sound.


    She had stepped on a twig.


    "Crap," Madeline frowned.


    "Hi," she heard someone greet.


    She flinched.


    "Sorry, didn''t mean to scare you," she heard someone say from behind her.


    Madeline''s hand went to her chest.


    "You scared me," she said, whirling around to see who it was.


    It was the same man from that gathering!


    "You must be Adrian," Madeline nodded.


    Adrian scratched the back of his neck, "Yep, that''s me!"


    "I really didn''t mean to scare you. Just¡­ I forget humans are sensitive to us werewolves having super speed most of the time."


    He straightened himself.


    "Right, I haven''t introduced myself yet. I''m Adrian, Xavier''s loyal advisor and beta of the werewolves. If you''re wondering what beta is, I''m second in command. In the unfortunate case anything happens to the current alpha, who''s Xavier, that is," Adrian chuckled.


    Frankly, he seemed like a friendly guy.


    Madeline took the information in, not knowing what she''d gotten herself into. But, she couldn''t help but think¡­ Adrian was much sweeter than Xavier was.


    He grinned at her, "So, I should probably get to doing what I was sent here to do, which is to show you around the place!"


    "And don''t worry, I don''t bite hehe," he reassured, shooting Madeline a gentle smile.


    Finally, someone who wasn''t cold and distant.


    ''Hmm, maybe I''m just being prejudiced against werewolves,'' Madeline reasoned.


    ''I just got to talk to one werewolf.''


    "Not all werewolves are as cold as Xavier, right?" Madeline asked.


    A drop of sweat formed on Adrian''s face.


    "That''s outside of my¡­ paygrade."


    "You get paid?" Madeline creased her brow in confusion. What was this


    "Err, no I don''t actually. I just don''t like to speak of why the alpha''s¡­"


    Adrian paused a second before continuing, "...the way he is."


    Madeline pouted, "So you can''t tell me anything?"


    Adrian looked fairly guilty for someone who was meant to be the alpha''s advisor. Wasn''t he supposed to be cool and calm?


    "I''m sorry, I can''t," he apologized before trying to change the subject, "Let''s just get moving."


    "I was asked to give you a tour after all," Adrian spoke, a grin replacing his frown.


    Madeline agreed reluctantly; the sensible thing to do next was to get to know the place well anyway.


    After a whole hour of getting to know the place, Madeline was well-versed to the lodgings in the wood and everything else. Obviously she hadn''t gotten to see the entire place since that would''ve taken much longer, but she''d seen all the important facilities and places. And, she learnt more about werewolves.


    "So summarizing everything you said, alpha''s the leader, beta the advisor, delta and omega protectors except omega''s lower in rank. That, and prowess varies depending on rank."


    "Yep!" Adrian smiled reassuringly.


    "If you''ve got any other questions, feel free to ask me."


    ''He really is sweet, nothing like Xavier,'' Madeline thought, peering at him.


    "Speaking of which, where is Xavier?"


    "Oh look, there''s Alpha Xavier!"


    Speak of the alpha.


    Adrian bowed, prompting Madeline to do the same.


    Xavier glared at her, and she glared back.


    Noticing the tension between the both of them, Adrian made the decision to leave.


    "I should get going now," he declared, waving Madeline goodbye.


    "Bye Adrian!" Madeline greeted, flashing him a dazzling smile with her pearly whites.


    Once he left, she turned to him.


    "So what now?" He questioned.


    "You''re asking me that?"


    "You''re the one with a lot of things to say," Xavier pointed out, a distasteful look painted across his face. He looked somewhat displeased, as though she''d done something to tick him off.


    "If you have something to say to me, you could just tell me."


    "Well, I apologize if I don''t find confiding in a stranger rudimentary."


    "Cut the fancy talk."


    "You''re not telling me you can''t comprehend a couple of moderately difficult words, are you?"


    "Did you just--"


    Madeline wanted to slap him.


    "Are you calling me dull-witted?" She demanded, her eyes flaring from rage.


    How dare he!


    She stomped away.


    ''Hmph, how dare he call me unintelligent!''


    "What are you doing?" He called from afar.


    "Going somewhere I''m not made a fool of," she flipped her hair.


    Xavier pressed his palm against his forehead.


    What was she doing?


    "Seriously?"


    "You''re leaving?"


    "I am!"


    "Did you forget we''re bonded by a red string or something?"


    "No I didn''t, for your information. But that doesn''t mean I can''t leave," Madeline said.


    "This is all too much for me to handle."


    ''I''m a normal person. I''m not someone that gets paired up with the alpha of the werewolves - if werewolves even exist - so how am I supposed to deal with all of this in one day? I''m leaving.''


    Madeline had been given proof werewolves exist, and yet she was still in denial.


    However, whilst she was occupied ignoring Xavier''s warnings and so focused on leaving the place, she didn''t notice a large branch falling towards her.


    The hairs in the back of her neck stood, and when she looked upwards, it was much too late.


    A piercing scream echoed through the woods.


    CRASH!

 Chapter 4 - At Deaths Doorstep

    Death.


    The first thing that came to Madeline''s mind when she first saw that branch heading for her. There was no way she could dodge it, it was far too huge a branch for her to move in time. She was toast.


    Death came hurtling towards her like a meteor, and all Madeline could do was close her eyes and brace herself for whatever came next.


    Shielding herself with her arms, she braced herself for impact¡­ before she felt herself being lifted up into someone''s arms and carried away.


    Hearing someone pant, she was surprised to hear Xavier say to her, "You can open your eyes now, you know."


    Madeline slowly opened one eye, taking a swift look around before opening both her eyes.


    She wasn''t crushed under a branch, yet she was still at the same spot as she was before.


    The branch had been torn into pieces.


    And worst of all, she was in Xavier''s arms.


    With a trembling breath, Madeline''s eyes widened.


    She was alive.


    "Y-you saved me," she stuttered.


    "Don''t make a big deal out of it," he said, pursing his lips.


    "I just pushed that branch out of the way," he shrugged, brushing dirt off of his shoulder.


    "Thanks," Madeline thanked him, her chest feeling like it''d explode at any moment now. She''d never seen him this upclose.


    Albeit, what she didn''t know was that other than super speed and super strength, werewolves also had super hearing. She was too busy focusing on the man who was the sole reason she was alive rather than worrying over the abilities he possessed.


    Meanwhile, Xavier was milking this for all it was worth.


    *Thump thump, lub dub.*


    Listening to the palpitations of her heart, Xavier asked, feigning ignorance, "For what?"


    "For saving me, why else? You saved me so why shouldn''t I thank you?"


    "Mm, I don''t know. Here you are going on and on like a babbling baboon. Why don''t you just let that heart of yours do the talking?"


    "My heart do the chatting¡­?"


    "You can hear my heartbeat?!"


    "So werewolves do have super hearing along with super strength and super speed, just like how novels portray them?" Madeline wondered.


    Xavier looked seemingly displeased by her question.


    "Was it something I said?" Madeline grew self-conscious.


    Xavier shook his head, "It isn''t."


    He leaned closer to her, "Just, for curiosity''s sake, how do fictional novels portray werewolves?"


    "Other than having strength, speed and hearing."


    "So you do possess those abilities," Madeline deduced.


    "Who knew I was given such an oblivious soulmate?"


    "Hey! Who are you calling oblivious? I''ll have you know I¡ª"


    "You?"


    "Finish your sentence," he coaxed.


    Their conversation was cut short when Adrian came.


    "What was that crashing noi--"


    Adrian stopped mid-sentence, assessing Xavier and Madeline''s position. He should''ve never came to check on them. What the heck were they doing, anyway?


    Noticing he was still holding Madeline, Xavier gently let her down.


    Madeline stumbled - grabbing Xavier''s shoulder so she wouldn''t fall and eat dirt.


    Brushing dirt off her clothes, she felt relatively grateful Adrian had barged in their conversation. Saved her the effort to finish her sentence.


    Truth be told, she had nothing to say. And frankly, she hoped Xavier wouldn''t bring it up, or she''d be left racking her brain trying to find something to say.


    From what she''d seen from him, Xavier was highly unlike his advisor, who was practically his opposite. Adrian was sweet and caring; Xavier couldn''t relate.


    To Madeline, he was arrogant and insolent.


    Looking back and forth between Xavier and Madeline, Adrian decided to ask Madeline if she was staying or leaving. And the minute he finished speaking, everyone turned dead silent. No one breathed loudly, no one made any noise, it was just silence. Nothing more.


    Of course, they couldn''t simply force her to stay because she and Xavier were destined to be together.


    There was valid reason why some people chose to go against their fate; some of them ended up satisfied with their decision too. It proved that their preordained destinies weren''t set in stone, but that was only in some cases. Not all of them.


    ''Do I stay? Or do I leave?''


    Peering at Xavier, he looked cross while Adrian was waiting in anticipation for her answer.


    Madeline asked herself the question, what was there to stay for?


    Obviously, there was something to stay for. Xavier was meant to be her destiny, meant to be her other half, but she wasn''t getting along with him at all. And even so, it was only by coincidence she''d stumbled into this place.


    Not to mention, they were claiming to be werewolves! So far, they''d exhibited super strength, super speed and super hearing.


    Although she didn''t want to admit it, she was beginning to believe werewolves actually existed, despite the small part in her mind that remained unbelieving.


    Werewolves? Pah!


    ''You must be out of your mind to believe a couple of strangers!'' A voice in her head spoke.


    Another voice reasoned, ''But he''s your¡­ you know. Red strings can''t possibly be faked, so why don''t you give him a shot?''


    ''She''s already given him a shot, you dimwit! That darned man is arrogant and insolent!'' The first voice combatted.


    ''Have you never learnt to not judge a book by its cover?'' The second voice snapped.


    "SHUT UP!" Madeline yelled.


    Both Xavier and Adrian stared at her, blank looks on their face.


    They exchanged looks, could she hear them?


    Madeline''s eyes widened in horror.


    "Sorry," she apologized.


    "Could you hear us?" Adrian probed.


    "Hear you? You were speaking?" Madeline seemed just as confused as Adrian was. She had no idea what he was referring to - she hadn''t even heard him and Xavier speaking!


    ''They must be trying to fool me somehow and make me think I''m crazy,'' she thought.


    "So why did you tell us to shut up?" Xavier furrowed his brows.


    Madeline gulped. What could she say now?


    "Uh, I¡­ umm."


    "What I meant to say was that I''m¡­"


    She paused, taking a deep breath.


    "....I''m staying."

 Chapter 5 - Fine, Ill Let You...

    Madeline''s sudden response managed to catch both Xavier and Adrian by surprise.


    No sane person would stay, was she this crazy? Was she plain insane?


    "Are you sure?" Xavier assessed her face as though waiting for her to let him down and change her decision. Say she''d return from wherever she came from and pretend as though nothing happened. Too many times he''d been let down, and given nothing to believe in.


    What made him believe something would change this time? He was never the lucky one.


    "We''re not forcing you to stay," Adrian assured, not helping things.


    Xavier nudged him hard in the shoulder.


    "Ow," Adrian rubbed his shoulder, even if it didn''t hurt in the slightest.


    ''Drama king,'' Xavier mumbled under his breath.


    "So, are you staying?" Xavier then went on to ask.


    Madeline was tempted to say yes, but she paused for a moment.


    ''Should I really just stay here?''


    She figured no one would notice if she disappeared. Frankly, she hadn''t any friends and her parents... that was a story for another day.


    What was there to lose?


    Seriously, what was there to lose.


    No one would miss her, and she certainly wasn''t doing any good staying at home, spending most of her time in bed watching TV shows and eating.


    "I am," she replied confidently.


    Screw it, she was doing this!


    "I''m staying," she repeated just in case Xavier and Adrian hadn''t heard it.


    A small smile tugged on Xavier''s lips, he tried his hardest to fight it back, to no avail.


    Meanwhile, Adrian had a huge grin on his face.


    He checked with Xavier to see if this was good news or bad news.


    Suffice it to say, Xavier looked less displeased than he did before.


    "That''s great!" Adrian then exclaimed, a twinkle in his eyes.


    It seemed like it was good news after all. Madeline was staying!


    Looking at the expression on Xavier''s face, Madeline huffed.


    "Hmph. I told you I''m staying, quit being so emotionless and grumpy already."


    "I am not emotionless and grumpy," Xavier insisted.


    "Sure you aren''t," Madeline didn''t seem convinced.


    Knowing continuously starting fights with Xavier wasn''t what she stayed for, Madeline heaved a sigh.


    Adrian knew it was time to take his leave and leave the two be. Interfering in their¡­ squabbles was a huge no-no.


    However, before he left, he took it upon himself to give Xavier a nudge in the right direction.


    ''Converse with her. And don''t be too rough,'' Adrian told Xavier using their mind link.


    ''I won''t.''


    ''Good, I''m leaving,'' Adrian gave Xavier a confident smile before he left to attend to the matters of the pack.


    "So, it''s just you and me now," Xavier spoke.


    "Not so confident when Adrian''s no longer around, are you?" Xavier raised his arched brow.


    "What does Adrian have to do with anything?" Madeline pouted.


    "You tell me," Xavier uttered.


    "We should get going," he said, looking around.


    "I''ll show you to your lodgings."


    "You? Shouldn''t someone else do it?"


    Xavier swivelled his head, asking curiously, "Do you want someone else to do it?"


    Once again, Madeline had put herself in an awkward situation.


    ''I''ve done it again,'' she thought to herself, shaking her head.


    "No, of course not," she answered truthfully, "I just figured since you''re the alpha¡­"


    "You wouldn''t be the person escorting a nobody like me to my lodgings."


    "Is that it?" Xavier furrowed his brows.


    He raised his pinky, and the red string returned.


    "Are you forgetting something?"


    Madeline blinked. No, she hadn''t forgotten that.


    When her gaze returned to her pinky, her red string had disappeared.


    Red strings worked in mysterious ways. It appeared and disappeared when you willed it to, although sometimes it could just show up at any random moment.


    "Do most werewolves have red strings?" Madeline queried.


    "They do," Xavier answered as he and Maddie walked past a couple of trees.


    (Author''s Note: To clarify, Maddie is a nickname for Madeline.)


    "Humans aren''t the only creatures who have soulmates," Xavier said.


    "Werewolves have them too."


    "Ah," Madeline said, her voice hushed.


    Was it insensitive of her to ask whether or not werewolves had soulmates?


    She was just curious, and Xavier didn''t seem to mind.


    ''Why am I overthinking everything?'' Madeline wondered, clearly still grappling with the whole ''werewolves actually exist'' part of matters.


    "What powers do you have other than super speed, hearing and¡­ what was it again?"


    "Strength," Xavier responded.


    "Right, strength," Maddie nodded.


    "What else?"


    "Well you''re a curious one, aren''t you?"


    "Asking so much questions like that¡­"


    "When do I get to ask the questions?" Xavier asked.


    Madeline replied, "After you answer my question."


    "It''s a deal," Xavier said in his usual monotone.


    "To answer your question, werewolves have inhuman senses, meaning they can see perfectly at night and have a great sense of smell."


    "And¡­"


    Xavier paused, "You''ll have to find out the rest later."


    "Later? Eh?"


    Madeline scrunched her adorable nose.


    "I''m not the patient type of person," she admitted.


    "Why is that not a surprise?" Xavier retorted.


    "Oh, hush y--"


    Madeline tripped on a small rock, but before she fell face-flat to the ground, she grabbed Xavier, who was strangely caught off guard.


    Oof, went both Madeline and Xavier as they fell towards the ground. Xavier wrapped his arm around Madeline''s head so she wouldn''t suffer from a head injury or crack her skull from the landing impact, even if what she was landing on were grass and dirt.


    "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Madeline immediately asked, scanning Xavier for any scratches or scars only to find nothing except his suit torn.


    Madeline''s eye twitched.


    She and Xavier were so close to each other - he was barely inches away from her.


    With how close they were, he could see every detail on her face. Her dainty nose, her big, round eyes, her soft-looking, plump lips.


    "Werewolves are also immune to damage," Xavier assured, wiping some dirt off of his suit.


    "I see that now," Madeline admitted before feeling immense pain in her leg.


    First, she passed out. Second, a leg injury.


    Werewolves and their immunity to damage.


    Xavier stared at the gash in her leg.


    Madeline tried not to look at it, as much as she didn''t want to admit, she was never the type of person to shrug off injuries and act like she wasn''t in complete pain.


    But, Xavier could sense her pain from a mile away. He kneeled down and applied pressure to her wound.


    (Author''s Note: What''s written here is highly inaccurate for treating actual gashes, after all this is a fictional novel.)


    He scooped her up in his muscly arms.


    "Werewolves are immune to damage, but humans aren''t."


    "So what, are you just going to carry me all the way back to the lodgings?"


    "If that''s what it takes. Then yes, pup," Xavier cooed mockingly.


    "I can walk on my own," Madeline insisted.


    "Oh really?"


    "Yes!"


    "Then walk," Xavier prompted.


    Madeline mumbled something under her breath before trying to move her leg.


    "Ow," she winced, tears stinging in her eyes.


    "So, what do you say, walk all the way back on your own or let me carry you?"


    Madeline crossed her arms, "Fine."


    "And¡­?" Xavier prompted.


    "Thank you," Madeline grumbled.

 Chapter 6 - ITS A BOMB?!

    [TW: Slight Blood]


    "So you''re telling me you''re not amused by any of this?"


    "As in¡­ you don''t find it funny at all?"


    "Do you think of me that lowly, pup?" Xavier glared down at her.


    "You''re clearly hurt," he pointed out, "What''s there to it that should be funny?"


    He halted, declaring to Madeline, "We''re here."


    They''d arrived in a tent, and there in the tent sat an elderly looking lady who was seemingly waiting for their arrival. It was as though she''d predicted they''d come.


    Xavier told her something Madeline couldn''t make out. However, whatever it was sent her running away. Whether or not she ran away in fear or because the matter was that important remained unclear.


    "Sit down," Xavier ordered.


    He didn''t look the least bit concerned, but his actions betrayed such a notion.


    Madeline - who was about to do that anyway - followed.


    Xavier kneeled down before treating her wounds, catching Madeline by surprise. She never knew he could treat wounds. Then again, he was still a stranger to her. Who knew what else he was capable of doing? He didn''t seem fazed by the small droplets of blood dripping down her leg.


    A few minutes later, the same woman returned. This time, holding an aluminium tin in one hand.


    "It''s a healing balm," Xavier explained when he caught Madeline peering at it.


    "Bomb?"


    Madeline''s eyes widened in sheer horror.


    Xavier looked like he was about to laugh. Keyword, about to.


    He never laughed. He never smiled, he never showed a hint of happiness.


    A bomb?


    "Balm," he corrected her, handing her the tin for her to see for herself if she still couldn''t believe it.


    Madeline took the tin, cautiously opening it to see the contents of said tin.


    Thankfully, Xavier was right. Turned out, it wasn''t a bomb.


    She imagined what it would''ve been like had the contents of the tin actually was a small, minuscule bomb. Then again the chances of that in the first place was near zero.


    Madeline couldn''t help but feel idiotic. How could she manage to humiliate herself in front of him so much times in one day? God, it was a never-ending cycle of her messing up. She exhaled deeply.


    All that was left was for her to apply the balm on her gash, and hopefully, it''d heal quickly.


    Holding the tin, Madeline wondered why in the world werewolves would need a healing balm if they were completely immune to damage. Unless¡­ there was something that weakened them enough to inflict damage.


    Madeline decided not to pry further. She''d done enough - and frankly, Xavier didn''t seem like he was up to talk about it.


    Xavier took a seat next to her, looking dazed and lost in his own train of thought. He was spacing out, and Madeline couldn''t help but wonder what he was so occupied about.


    She applied the balm to her gash, trying to be as quiet and calm as possible. She''d hurt enough in front of him. In her eyes, there was no need for her to worsen things.


    "Does it hurt?" Xavier asked.


    "No," Madeline lied, her stubborn side showing.


    "Hmm," Xavier mused.


    "Is that so?"


    "It is," Madeline replied quickly.


    "Alright then."


    __


    "I smell¡­ the scent of a human wafting around here. Now who could be lurking around these corners?"


    "Come out come out wherever you are, little humannnnnnn," a mysterious voice called.


    "Wherever you''re hiding, I''ll find you," he said threateningly.


    Madeline wondered where was she. One moment, she was in her lodgings. The next, she was teleported to this place!


    "I know you''re in here, human," the voice spat.


    "SHOW YOURSELF!" His voice boomed, echoing off the cave''s walls.


    Silence followed. Madeline was unsure whether or not he''d stopped looking or was just agile and precise. Her hands trembled.


    Unfortunately, it was the latter that was true.


    She prayed she wouldn''t be found, that wherever she was was concealed from his vision. Anything, so long as she wasn''t found by this mysterious man.


    The first mysterious man she met was her soulmate. Now who would her second mysterious man be? What, her brother?


    Madeline held back a laugh. The irony had this man actually been her brother.


    She was the only child, raised with no siblings.


    "So, you''re not here in physical form," he sneered.


    "Your soul is here, but your true form isn''t."


    "Show yourself!"


    "Or I''ll find you and hunt you down myself!"


    Madeline stood very still, not making any movement.


    ''Don''t breathe loud, don''t breathe loud, don''t breathe loud,'' she repeated in her head.


    ''Please don''t let him find me,'' she pleaded in her mind to no one in particular.


    Oh who was she kidding?


    No one could hear her! It was all in her head.


    When she heard footsteps approaching, her heart stopped beating. Everything slowed down. Had she been surrounded by¡­ say, a flock of birds, they would''ve flapped their wings slow, to the point it looked like they were trying to swim in air.


    ''I can smell you, but I can''t see you,'' she heard him mutter under his breath.


    ''Interesting¡­''


    "Don''t think you can fool me just by being here in soul form. I have tricks up my sleeve, and wherever you are¡­ I won''t let you foil my plans! I have worked too hard for everything to come crumbling down!"


    ''Well that''s an incredibly stupid things to say for someone who''s planning something,'' Madeline frowned.


    It took all her courage to take a step forward and try to find an exit. Wherever she was, she had to leave. ASAP.


    This man clearly didn''t want intruders, and he sounded furious. Who knew what he''d do to a¡­


    Madeline gulped simply thinking about it.


    ''No, I mustn''t be fazed. I''ll get out of here, and when I do, he won''t be able to catch me.''


    However, it wasn''t a minute afterwards when she heard the mysterious man chuckle.


    "So, it seems like you were foolish enough to show yourself after all."

 Chapter 7 - An Achilles’ Heel

    "NOOOOO!" Madeline cried, tossing and turning as pain engulfed her.


    And then, just like that, her surroundings dissolved.


    She was back in her bedroom, in that wretched cave no more.


    Without the slightest idea what just happened, Madeline sunk into her pillows.


    She turned on a night lamp at her bedside table.


    "It was a dream," she spoke, her eyes glassy and tear-filled.


    "It was just a dream," she sighed with complete and utter relief.


    It had all felt too real. Like she''d actually been in that cave, and that that man - whoever he was - could actually sense her.


    Madeline tensed.


    Hold on, was it real?


    Was all that nonsense about one''s soul form true?


    What is a soul form, even? Was that another version of yourself?


    Had she just escaped death? He''d found her after all. It was like they were playing a game of hide and seek, and it ended with him finding her.


    "This is all too much for me to handle today," Madeline pouted.


    All she wanted was a warm, steaming cup of coffee and another couple of hours in bed without having to be disturbed. Then again, she had breakfast with Xavier so she couldn''t do that.


    Staring at a wall, Madeline spoke, her voice as hushed as a whisper, "How did I, a normal human, be fated to be with a werewolf?"


    Somehow, she remembered an old story she''d been told. Of course, she wasn''t accustomed to the original, real story. What she had listened to as a child was a far different story. One that changed her perception of werewolves and love for the better.


    Long ago, on a faraway land called Cevian lived a witch that was dead set on killing a wolf.


    But, this wolf wasn''t just any ordinary wolf. He was the first of the wolves. The original werewolf. The strongest of his kind.


    He could resist the full moon, only turning to his werewolf form whenever he pleased. He was a million times stronger than any human and could lift buildings with a pinky without breaking a sweat. He could control all the werewolves, practically invincible.


    However, all beings, no matter how invincible, always had an Achilles'' heel.


    A weak spot that once discovered could easily be used to defeat the opponent.


    No matter how hard the witch tried, she couldn''t hurt him. And when she did, he always got back up. That was, until she learnt of his weakness.


    Nothing could hurt him. Sure, there were some materials and substances that could harm him, but nothing came as close to his biggest weakness.


    A mortal he was madly in love with. A weak, frail mortal.


    Armed with the new information the witch had discovered¡­ in the middle of the night, she captured the girl.


    That had managed to catch the werewolf''s attention. Being caught off guard, he took the bait, luring himself into the witch''s trap.


    The witch hung the girl over a pit of spikes. He would''ve stood a chance, had it not been for the fact that the spikes were covered with the once substance that could fatally kill him. But, that didn''t make him any less determined to stop at nothing to save her, for she was the love of his life, and he was hers.


    She pleaded and pleaded for him to reconsider his actions; to leave before he got hurt. Rather her than him.


    However, as stubborn and madly in love as he was, he refused to leave her side.


    The witch took no pity in them, as relentless as she was.


    After their chat, the witch cackled.


    With a swish of her hand, the rope that suspended the girl in mid-air was cut, and down she fell from the cliff, falling to her doom. Down she fell to her doom, never to see the love of her life again. The last image of him being his tear-stricken face when he saw her in the state she was in.


    Sharp, deadly spikes waited for her at the bottom of the cliff - she was falling to her death. And the worst of all was¡­ before he could do anything to the witch, she disappeared out of thin air. She was gone forevermore.


    However, the story doesn''t end so soon.


    The werewolf - without a second of hesitation, rushed towards the edge of the cliff.


    Knowing what would come next, he took a deep breath before jumping down.


    Madeline never learnt the end of the story, all she was told was the events leading up to the cliffhanger. Literally. But never the ending. For some reason, she''d been forbidden to find out what it was.


    Yet, that one story was a game-changer for her. It taught her that love was strong and true. The things someone would do for love was endless.


    Looking out the window, Madeline realized the sun was rising.


    Day was approaching.


    Staying in bed, Madeline watched peacefully as the sun rose.


    Life here was so different from her previous lifestyle.


    Madeline was unemployed, without parents, and practically without friends. After university, she didn''t know what was next for her and was let down from her job. It proved that being the top of your class at a prestigious university didn''t guarantee you anything, at least¡­ not for Madeline. She''d spent more time in bed than she did socializing with people, most of the time either watching TV shows or engrossed in books she''d stay up at night to read.


    Of course, she did have one friend, but she and said friend hadn''t talked in quite a while.


    They''d grown distant, although Madeline occasionally wondered from time to time what''d happened to her dear friend.


    __


    Author''s Note: So¡­ what do you think of Alaric lore? I got inspiration from the fairy tale, little red riding hood. Add a pinch of romance, a splash of tragedy and a sprinkle of cliffhanger (literally lol) and there you have it! Feel free to tell me what you think of this in the comments down below since I''m always looking to improve my stories.


    Love, mari.


    P.S. And yes, the original story mentioned in this chapter is little red riding hood, if you''re wondering.. Just had to put it out there.

 Chapter 8 - Why Are You So Calm? Someone’s Going To Kill Me!

    "Xavier''s waiting for you in the dining room."


    "There''s a dining room here?"


    "There is hehe," Adrian answered, chuckling lightly.


    Madeline couldn''t help but notice the dirty looks all the ladies were giving her. It seemed they''d been notified of who she actually was. Word spread quickly around this place, she presumed. News of her¡­ situation had been spread.


    "Imagine being the alpha''s soulmate," a beta whispered, unsure if she was supposed to be in awe or looking at Madeline in pure disgust. That was supposed to be her, not Madeline. Pft!


    Another beta agreed, mumbling, "I''d give anything to be her and to have Alpha Xavier as my soulmate¡­"


    "She''s not even pretty," the two betas said in unison.


    "Really? I think she''s really pretty," a third beta chimed in, looking at her in awe.


    The two betas glared at her.


    "Who''s side are you on?" One of them demanded, wondering what would make her spout such nonsense.


    "Ours," the third admitted, "But that doesn''t stop me from saying what I think, and I think she''s pretty."


    Speaking of Madeline¡­ she was surprised to find Xavier already waiting for her at the breakfast table.


    She was still unable to wrap her head around having a werewolf as a soulmate, but she was adapting.


    After a satisfying meal, and failed attempts at starting some small talk with Xavier. Madeline asked, "What''s a soul form?"


    Xavier looked confused.


    "A soul form?" He mused.


    Madeline had expected him to ask her what it was. Instead, he questioned her, wide-eyed, "How do you know of it?"


    "Uh."


    Madeline hadn''t anticipated that reaction, so she was at a complete loss for words.


    Xavier mused, "Interesting."


    "What did you see?" Xavier inquired.


    "Excuse me?" Madeline furrowed her brows.


    "What did you see in that¡ª"


    He stopped himself, clearing his throat.


    "That vision," he finished his sentence.


    "What did you see there?"


    "What vision?"


    "Don''t play dumb with me, pup."


    "I won''t once you stop calling me pup," Madeline glared at him.


    Well, she didn''t completely dislike being called pup, but that didn''t mean she allowed him to call her that.


    "Well then, I suppose you ought to continue feigning ignorance. If you''re alright without knowing what a soul form is and what that vision meant, that is."


    Xavier had hung tempting bait, and Madeline was on the edge of giving in. She craved to know what it was, and what that nightmare was. And especially who that man possibly could be.


    "Information for information," Xavier reasoned, staying dangerously calm despite the new information he''d just learnt.


    "A fair bargain," he added helpfully.


    "You tell me what vision you had, and I tell you what it means," he said in his dulcet tones.


    "You promise?"


    Xavier''s eye glinted with an unfamiliar emotion.


    "I don''t do promises."


    "Ever," he added, as though his previous words weren''t enough.


    There was more to it than he was letting her know.


    However, curiosity got the best of this cat, so Madeline let in.


    "Fine."


    "I dreamt of being in some cave, being hunted by a man who has it out for me. He briefly mentioned something about soul forms, and how he''d kill me once he found me."


    "And?"


    "And then, he found me¡­ and I woke up," Madeline responded, observing his face for any changes to see just in case he''d start behaving strangely. Then again, Xavier was a man of little to no emotion, so she''d come to learn, so it''d be difficult to tell anyway.


    "Now it''s your turn to tell me what soul forms are," Madeline pointed out, starting to get freaked out by the expression on Xavier''s face.


    Was it something she''d said? Was unfortunate news coming her way?


    For a man that didn''t express much emotion, Xavier looked¡­ concerned. Or was she hallucinating?


    Could she have been making this up herself? Whyever would Xavier look so concerned when it was all just a dream?


    "A soul form is basically the soul that could visit and roam wherever it pleases. Sometimes, it goes where the universe wants it to go. And sometimes¡­ it goes where it truly belongs."


    Madeline''s lower lip trembled.


    Xavier nodded, confirming her suspicions.


    "Couldn''t this just have been a dream?"


    Xavier peered at her, now being the one that asked questions.


    "Then, why would you ask about this soul form?"


    ''Darn it.''


    "B-because¡­"


    "The man in what you call a vision mentioned it," she admitted.


    "So he did," Xavier said, taking a sip from his cup.


    "It''s certainly not a dream," he confirmed.


    "If what you say is right, then there is someone out there hunting you down to kill you for finding him."


    "How could you say that so calmly?"


    Xavier turned silent. Madeline was enraged.


    "You''re telling me someone''s out to kill me, and you say this calmly? Is there something I''m missing here?"


    She jabbed a pair of chopsticks into the plate of noodles out of frustration, giving up and admitting defeat to her opponent. The chopsticks she''d been trying to pick up noodles with.


    Why was she making such a big deal out of this?


    "Surely, whoever this man is is no match compared to the werewolves that would fiercely protect their pack."


    "May I remind you that I''m not a part of your pack?"


    "And exactly what makes you say that?"


    Madeline''s heart thudded in her chest.


    Was she really¡ª?


    A part of their pack?


    Before she could react, the doors flew open.


    "MADDIE?!"


    Author''s Note: So.... who do you think was surprised to see Madeline here? Comment your thoughts down below!

 Chapter 9 - Behold, The Realizations Of One Madeline Delcour

    Madeline''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    "Briar? What are you doing here?" She questioned, her head turned to face the lady that''d just barged in and interrupted her conversation with Xavier.


    What was the explanation to this?


    What was happening?


    Was this another dream?


    Madeline held her head.


    "My poor head," she mumbled.


    Things had a knack for catching her by surprise these days.


    Xavier looked back and forth between them. He''d expected someone to come barging in, but he hadn''t expected her. He''d gotten into a defensive stance once seeing the intruder. Of course, he backed down once Madeline confirmed she knew who the intruder was, but that didn''t mean he was completely trusting of her.


    Furrowing his brows, he realized she was a familiar face. He''d definitely seen her before. And he had perfect memory, so there was no doubt she was¡­ well, only time would tell.


    Briar was rooted to the ground - she''d momentarily forgotten about something.


    "I''m terribly sorry to intrude, Alpha Xavier," she curtsied, an apologetic look painted across her face.


    Madeline stared at her.


    Wait. What?


    Briar noticed Madeline''s look of sheer confusion.


    Clearing her throat, she said, "I can explain."


    Xavier stared at her intensely. How dare she barge in the dining room! That was against the rules. Had she been spared from punishment, it''d prompt the other wolves to rebel.


    Meanwhile, Madeline was more concerned as to why her friend was here.


    ''Why else would she be here, idiot?''


    ''Oh come on! Give her a chance to explain and plead her case. You can''t always just jump to conclusions, you know.''


    Madeline shrunk downwards when she heard what Briar had to say.


    "You''re a werewolf?!"


    "Are you kidding me? Bri, this isn''t funny," Madeline scrunched her nose. This wasn''t funny at all.


    To her dismay, Briar shook her head, "I''m not."


    So, all this time... Briar was a werewolf. She was a delta in the pack.


    Come to think of it, things were beginning to piece together. No wonder Briar was never available during full moons... and behaving strangely all around. It all made sense now, and that scared Madeline to bits.


    If Briar was a werewolf... who else could have been a werewolf?


    A bead of sweat dripped down Madeline''s face.


    "Are veryone in my life werewolves?"


    Briar and Xavier both turned to look at her.


    "What are you looking at?" Madeline raised her brow, a big frown now on her face.


    Briar was a werewolf. Her friend was a werewolf this entire time and yet she never noticed!


    One part of her was seething with rage over the fact that Briar had never told her about this. The other part of her was relieved to know she had someone here and was glad she was here.


    Finally! Someone she trusted... sort of.


    Briar had lied about being human... but on the other hand, how could she have told her anyway?


    Nearly no humans knew werewolves existed, Madeline presumed.


    Heck, had Briar told her point blank that she was a werewolf, she would''ve laughed it off and asked if Briar was joking. That, and how halloween was months away.


    "You hid the fact you were human from me for years," Madeline realized.


    Xavier knew better than to intrude. Then again, he could''ve easily just ended the conversation and sent Briar away to receive punishment... but this seemed important to Madeline.


    Ah yes, Madeline. Her.


    Xavier was stunned to discover his soulmate was her, a mere mortal. But, under his usually calm exterior, he wondered if she was truly mortal, or if she was faking her identity.


    No mortal could simply show up in another place in soul form. Hell, he had trouble doing so and he was the most powerful werewolf of the pack!


    Instead of dismissing it, he''d made the decision to investigate it further.


    Perhaps it was partly because he doubted fate would give him a human soulmate.


    He was prejudiced against humans, yes he could admit it. But, Madeline was different, and she was his soulmate.


    Soulmates weren''t allowed to hurt each other physically. The red string that bonded them prevented them from doing so.


    If he tried doing so, he''d start feeling inscrutable pain. So would Madeline if she tried.


    Watching as Madeline and Briar spoke, he looked at the time impatiently. He had somewhere to be, much to their dismay.


    He was the alpha of his pack, he had things to do at all times, and kept the idle chit chat infrequent.


    "Ahem," he interrupted Madeline and Briar''s conversation.


    "I''ll be leaving," he announced.


    Briar nodded, and Madeline waved him goodbye.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you''re a werewolf?"


    "Because¡­"


    "I think you can agree that the majority of humans think werewolves don''t exist."


    "So, when they discover that they were wrong all along, they start planting seeds of doubt in their own heads."


    "Unless they were to see us in werewolf form - which is dangerous as is since we can''t control ourselves during the full moon - we have no concrete evidence that we''re werewolves. And besides, humans will always find ways to dismiss our abilities. Super strength? They must work out a lot. Super speed? They''re probably just a fast runner. Super hearing? Aww, they can hear well."


    Madeline could see why Briar chose to keep things a secret, but she was still having a hard time dealing with the fact that her closest friend was a werewolf.


    It couldn''t have been just a coincidence, meeting her soulmate and her closest friend and discovering they were both werewolves all in a span of three days or so.


    Fate must have had something planned.


    __


    Author''s Note: So, what do you think of the story so far, leave a comment down below to tell me what you think! (And also, powerstones, reviews and comments are much appreciated. I try to respond to each comment I get, so feel free to drop down feedback and theories below since this is my first ever werewolf book.)


    Love, mari <3

 Chapter 10 - I Know Him?

    Fate, a mysterious thing.


    One could never really know what lay ahead for them, but there were a few exceptions.


    "Was being a werewolf why you never showed up for any night hangings and bailed on me?"


    A look of guilt crossed Briar''s face.


    "I suppose... it had a huge part to play in that."


    Briar waved her hand dismissively, "Okay maybe it was why I bailed on you."


    "I''m sorry," she looked at Madeline apologetically.


    "I didn''t want us to meet like this, but the moment I heard a Madeline Delcour was here I had to see it for myself," Briar scratched the back of her neck.


    "I thought you were in trouble so I rushed to see you but it turned out it wasn''t anything like that," Briar sounded relieved.


    Perhaps it was time to allow Madeline to speak - what with her having spoken for the last few minutes, going on and on about how she felt incredibly guilty about all she''d done to her dear friend without any valid explanation up until now.


    Madeline took a deep breath.


    No, she wasn''t upset, or annoyed.


    She was relieved.


    Just relieved, nothing else.


    "I''m not mad," Madeline nodded, hoping Briar wouldn''t fret over this.


    "You''re not?" Briar blinked - honestly, she thought things would take a turn for the worse. Not for it to end up with Madeline forgiving her so¡­ easily.


    "I''m not," Madeline shrugged before pulling out a seat for her friend.


    "Sit down," she ordered.


    "Before I make you," a smile tugged on the corners of Madeline''s face.


    Briar followed, taking a seat.


    "How could you not be mad at me, after what I did?" Briar decided to ask.


    Madeline chuckled lightly, "The way you''re saying it it''s like you purposely want me to be upset."


    Briar shook her hands wildly, "That''s not what I meant!"


    "I know," Madeline patted Briar on the back.


    "But it does explain things."


    "I''m just glad you''re here," she admitted.


    "Glad?"


    "Why?"


    Briar realized she didn''t know what Madeline was doing so far from home.


    "What are you doing here anyway?" She placed her hands on her lap.


    Madeline went silent.


    Woah, did she not know the truth?


    Blinking, Madeline bit her lip.


    "You don''t know?"


    It turned out word didn''t spread everywhere. That, or Briar hadn''t caught up to the latest news.


    "I haven''t," Briar shook her head.


    "Forget I said anything then," Madeline began.


    Briar narrowed her eyes, growing suspicious of Madeline.


    All this time she was focused on making it up to her and apologizing for never telling her anything whilst being her friend that she trusted, that she never actually wondered what Madeline was doing here! So why was she here?


    Her eyes widened. Luna forbid she was some sort of sacrifice to the wolves. No, that was ridiculous.


    (Author''s Note: Luna means moon goddess, the god all werewolves worship in Alaric. Luna forbid is the wolves'' equivalent to god/heaven forbid.)


    However, if not that, then whatever was she doing here?


    Was she a werewolf too?


    "You''re not a werewolf too, are you?" Briar questioned albeit it didn''t make any sense. Had she been a werewolf, Briar would''ve been able to sense it. All werewolves had this instinct whereas they could detect one of their own, so if Madeline truly was a werewolf, then why hadn''t she realized it sooner?


    "Heavens no," Madeline shook her head.


    "I''m not a werewolf, I''m human," she confirmed, still unsure how to tell Briar the truth when she''d just told her she was terribly sorry for keeping this secret from her. Now Madeline felt guilty.


    "So why are you here?" Briar furrowed her brows, seeming genuinely confused.


    "Uh," Madeline hesitated.


    "You can tell me," Briar coaxed, "Whatever it is, I won''t judge."


    "I promise," she added.


    Madeline exhaled lightly.


    "Well... if you promise you won''t judge then..."


    She glanced at her pinky.


    "My soulmate''s a werewolf," she answered.


    Briar burst out in laughter.


    "Maddie, I asked you to tell me why you''re here, not joke around," Briar couldn''t hold back her laughter, unable to process the news that was - much to her dismay, true.


    When she saw the look on Madeline''s face, she quieted down. She wasn''t laughing, and she looked anxious.


    "You''re being serious?" Briar''s eyes went round.


    "Like actually serious?"


    Madeline bit her lip, confirming Briar''s thoughts on the matter at hand.


    "How is this possible?!" Briar exclaimed, looking her friend up and down.


    How was the girl she''d befriended in her university days destined to be with a werewolf? It''d never been done before! To her, Madeline had to be the first ever human in history to be soulmates with a werewolf.


    Briar trailed off, "A human and a werewolf..."


    "It''s never been done before. Ever. In the history of forever there''s never been such a pairing!" Briar spat, still in complete shock.


    "Gee, thanks. That''s great to know," Madeline uttered sarcastically, a frown on her usually cheerful-looking face.


    Briar looked at Madeline apologetically before going on to ask, "So who''s this soulmate of yours?"


    "It''s a small world, who knows, I might know him," Briar spoke, completely oblivious and ignorant as to who he was. Oh, if only she knew.


    Madeline began, "About that..."


    "You definitely know him," Madeline swallowed.


    Now was the hard part, telling Briar this soulmate of hers was Xavier.


    How could she start?


    There never was a book written on how to tell your friend that happens to be a werewolf your soulmate''s the man that leads her pack.


    ''I''m in so much trouble,'' Madeline thought, placing a hand on her forehead.


    "I know him?" Briar''s curiosity grew by the minutes that passed.


    So she knew the guy...


    The pack had hundreds of wolves. Perhaps even thousands, Briar had lost count long ago.


    It could be anyone out of the entire pack, so who was the lucky man?


    "No one comes to mind," Briar admitted to her friend.


    "Just tell me," she pleaded, giving Madeline the puppy eyes she knew Madeline could never resist. What she didn''t know was how she''d come to regret asking her to tell her who.


    "Okay, fine," Madeline huffed.


    "My soulmate? The one you know?"


    Madeline sighed, looking at her pinky.


    "It''s Xavier."

 Chapter 11 - Mr Ruthless, Cold & Relentless

    "Xavier?!"


    "When you said you were soulmates with a werewolf I reckoned you meant a delta, a beta, maybe even an omega..."


    "BUT XAVIER?!" Briar''s face reddened.


    Basically, Madeline was destined to be with the man that led her pack.


    ''I''m staring at the alpha''s soulmate,'' Briar uttered under her breath.


    "My friend, is the alpha''s soulmate," she spoke, still unable to process things.


    For someone that was a nobody in her pack and kept things lowkey, she realized the power Madeline held. That, and how many of the werewolves were probably out to get her.


    She didn''t know of this because she didn''t have many friends here - she never felt as though she truly belonged, and now she was hearing of this.


    If she thought she didn''t belong here, then what was Madeline?


    It had to be said that the alpha was longed by many werewolves. He was a hot comodity amongst the female werewolves and it''d be a dream come true for him to be their soulmate.


    To discover it was not them and instead a mere mortal that took Xavier... that wouldn''t sit well with them.


    Werewolves were just like humans when it came to feelings and emotions.


    "You and Xavier..."


    "No wonder the two of you were having breakfast. Alpha Xavier usually doesn''t eat with anyone," Briar realized, everything clicking now.


    "Did you come all the way here just to find him? What happened?"


    "Tell me everything," Briar rested her head on her hand, leaning close to Madeline. She needed to know how this happened or curiosity would kill her.


    How did Madeline come to be the alpha''s soulmate?


    She - for one - never found herself interested in Xavier. He was a very... dangerous person to put it in one way. He was the alpha, and he was too big a fish for her pond. That and how men like him wasn''t her type.


    Briar listened carefully as Madeline told her the detailed version of everything that''d happened lately - leaving out the vision she had since that was enough information for one day.


    "Hold on, just..."


    "I''m not over the part where you stumbled upon this place and suddenly met Xavier."


    "My mind can''t compute this right now," Briar muttered, taking a croissant from the table and munching on it. She never worked good with an empty stomach. Socializing with people made her hungry for some reason, be it an old friend, or Alpha Xavier.


    ''Crap!'' Briar thought. Forgetting about one thing. That thing being her barging in his breakfast and ruining his morning. Oh, he''d have her head for sure. She was about to be severely punished for her inconsiderate and crude actions.


    Briar felt her cheeks flush. To think, she went from being shocked over her friend and him being soulmates to panicking over the punishment she''d possibly receive for being so inconsiderate and careless.


    "I''m toast," Briar slumped down the chair.


    "For what, interrupting breakfast?" Madeline questioned.


    Briar nodded, now gloomy. She wouldn''t be pardoned.


    Knowing Xavier, he was ruthless. He wouldn''t let this go.


    Seeing the mood he was in when he left...


    Briar imagined all the possible punishments she could receive. She shuddered in fear.


    Madeline pursed her lips - she had to do something about this.


    "I''ll talk to Xavier."


    Briar turned to look at her incredulously.


    Wait, what?


    "You will?" She flinched.


    "All jokes aside, would you?" Briar blinked.


    Madeline was offering to... talk to Xavier for her?


    Was she unaware of the true nature of this man?


    Xavier was ruthless, relentless, cold, and uncaring.


    He wouldn''t let her go simply because Madeline talked to him.


    Or... would he?


    A glimmer of hope fluttered in Briar. She believed in Madeline, despite knowing Xavier. Then again, she never knew him up close. All she knew was what she heard about him.


    Never had anyone volunteered to get into contact with the alpha.


    Briar was scared of him - and for good reason. He could be terrifying, and he was the most powerful of the pack.


    What didn''t make sense was how different Xavier and the person that was second-in-command, Adrian, were.


    Adrian was a ray of sunshine. He was sweet, compassionate, levelheaded and fair - not traits one would expect from the alpha''s advisor.


    "Maddie, I''ve got to warn you, you really don''t have to talk to him for me. Xavier can be terrifying and I wouldn''t want to get you in a position where--"


    Madeline waved at Briar dismissively.


    "Oh come on, talking to him wouldn''t hurt."


    Briar''s heart warmed. Madeline didn''t realize how much this one gesture meant to her. Even if Madeline were to prove unsuccessful in changing Xavier''s mind... It was the thought that counts. And Madeline''s heart was in the right place.


    Madeline winked at her, "And besides, you''re my friend. And you just wanted to see me in real time."


    "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Briar asked, a small smile curved on her lips.


    "You haven''t, but with how things are turning out, I think you''ll have more opportunities to be able to tell me that," a mischievous grin reached Madeline''s face.


    She got up from her seat, straightening her attire.


    "How do I look?" Madeline asked, turning around for Briar to get a good glimpse of her outfit.


    "Amazing," Briar admitted truthfully - not just because of what Madeline was about to do.


    "Maddie, you don''t have to do this for me," Briar reasoned.


    "Nonsense," Madeline shrugged, "I don''t mind."


    She never had a reason to speak to him, but now that Briar was in this dilemma, she found this the perfect opportunity to speak to him - if he wasn''t occupied of course.


    Left with no other choice, Madeline bid Briar goodbye, making her way to Xavier''s office that was a long walk away.


    "Curse werewolves and their super speed," she mumbled as she slowly made her way to the place Adrian told her to go to if ever the case she needed to talk to Xavier.


    Inhaling, Madeline looked at the huge door that led to the inside of his office.


    "I can do this," she convinced herself, cheering herself on as she turned the doorknob.

 Chapter 12 - Ms Shameless, Let Me GO!

    "It''s you," Xavier said when he saw Madeline enter his office.


    "Hi," Madeline greeted.


    "Hello," Xavier greeted in return.


    "So, what are you here for?" Xavier asked, not looking up from the document he held in one hand.


    Madeline paused.


    "You came to my office, I presume you came here for something, so speak," Xavier picked up his pen and began writing something down.


    "Well, you''re right," Madeline nodded.


    "And?" Xavier probed.


    "And I''m here on behalf of Briar."


    It was then Xavier looked up at her.


    What did she just say?


    "Her? What for, pup?" Xavier studied Madeline''s face.


    Madeline crossed her arms, "Again, I have a name. Don''t call me pup!"


    "It''s Madeline to you," Madeline corrected.


    Xavier still hadn''t earned the right to call her Maddie. That was reserved for people who were close to her.


    Xavier placed his document down.


    "Madeline it is then," he decided before reminding himself of what previously happened.


    "Right."


    His lips curved into a frown - how did he look so damn handsome even when he was annoyed?


    "You''re here to plead her case."


    "Tch."


    A grim look crossed his face.


    "You can leave now," Xavier declared.


    "Seriously? Oh come on, you can''t just punish her."


    Xavier rested his head on his hand.


    "Oh, I can''t punish her?"


    "Why can''t I?" He queried, taunting her.


    "Do tell," he said, all ears.


    "A good reason," Madeline answered, faltering.


    What was she meant to say before?


    "So it''s a good reason," Xavier leered.


    "Then I shouldn''t punish her," he said.


    "You''re mocking me," Madeline narrowed her eyes, pouting.


    Madeline felt horrible.


    Xavier was mocking her.


    She watched as Xavier returned to his work, writing something on an important document.


    Knowing she couldn''t get his attention and a word in edgewise, she had to do something.


    Then, suddenly, she sniffled.


    And like instinct, Xavier looked back up.


    He squinted, and for once - he looked greatly surprised.


    Wide-eyed, he asked, as though he''d never seen something like this his entire life - like this was his first time seeing someone let out a sniffle.


    For a second, his gaze faltered.


    "Are you¡­ sniffling?" He questioned.


    "What does it look like?" Madeline said in between sniffles.


    "Why are you¡ª"


    Xavier was rendered confused and speechless. How was he supposed to react to this?


    He wanted her to stop sniffling - heck, he''d do anything if it got her to stop.


    "You''re¡­ like this because¡­ I''m going to punish your friend?" Xavier asked.


    Madeline wiped her tears.


    "I can''t favour her over everyone else."


    Tears welled up in Madeline''s eyes - and Xavier took notice.


    He explained, "It''d prompt a rebellion."


    However, luck wasn''t in his cards and a tear fell down to the carpet of Xavier''s office.


    Xavier was truly confused and muddled.


    What was he supposed to do?


    "Stop," he hissed.


    Madeline didn''t stop.


    "Please?" Xavier added, hoping it''d do something which - to his avail - did not.


    "Don''t punish her for something that I caused," Madeline said, tears dripping down her face.


    Xavier stared at her.


    What kind of woman was he paired with?


    Was she seriously crying because her friend would get punished for interrupting breakfast-?


    Xavier grumbled, now in a grim mood.


    "This is exactly why I will never understand women. Ever."


    Of course, he couldn''t do anything to Madeline except watch in sheer terror.


    In an attempt to get her to stop shedding tears, Xavier inquired.


    "Hypothetically, if I let this friend of yours off with a warning instead of punishing her, would you stop crying?"


    Madeline sniffled, looking at him.


    "You''d do that?" She asked.


    "For real?"


    "Would it get you to stop crying in my office?" Xavier inquired, hiding the desperation behind his eyes.


    God, he didn''t know how to handle her in situations like this, and something told him this wouldn''t be the last of this.


    By doing this, not only did it seem like he was having favourites, it established that to get anything she wanted, all Madeline had to do was shed a few tears. But, something told him her tears were genuine, even though he couldn''t understand the importance of his matter. Briar had to learn from her mistake somehow. He couldn''t just¡­ give her leeway because¡­


    Madeline wept while he remained silent, truly at a loss for words.


    What was this woman''s intentions? Was she really just trying to get his pity for her friend to get off free from any punishments?


    This darn woman!


    "Maybe," she replied, fueling the bits of hope in Xavier.


    Xavier facepalmed.


    He wouldn''t actually do this, would he? He looked at Madeline, then back at his desk. He never fared well with emotions - he never knew what to do with them. They were messy, and unnecessary in his eyes.


    But, it was either he gave in to her¡­ request or he''d be stuck with a crying Madeline. He couldn''t force her to leave, and he certainly couldn''t¡­ use violence. That was too brutal, and even Xavier knew that, which was saying something.


    Adrian wouldn''t let this go once he discovered once he''d done.


    "Fine," he heaved a deep sigh.


    Madeline had to admit he looked great now that she got a better look at him - and even better with his rolled up sleeves which exposed his arms. Madeline could have swore she saw veins popping out from his arms, but she disregarded the thought.


    ''Being an alpha must be stressful,'' she presumed.


    "I''ll let her go with a warning just this once because she exhibited remarkable decorum in the past."


    He looked upset as he asked her, "Satisfied now?"


    "Thanks," Madeline said in astonishment and wonder.


    "Thank you," she thanked him before walking over to him.


    Xavier furrowed his brows, wondering what this girl was doing before he was hugged from his side.


    "Let go of me!" Xavier ordered.


    "You can leave me, I did what you asked," he seemed thoroughly annoyed now.


    "Madeline!" He called, snapping her out of her daze.


    Madeline had shut her eyes.

 Chapter 13 - Who Is Softening Who?

    She''d hugged Xavier from the side. Oh, if only the other werewolves could see this. They''d have a field day at the sight of their alpha being hugged.


    What more by a human!


    Xavier couldn''t just push her away.


    "Let me go," he ordered sternly.


    Madeline opened her eyes.


    ''What am I doing-?''


    ''I only thought of hugging him. I didn''t actually mean to hug him!''


    She let go of him, averting his gaze as she felt her face flush.


    Well, that was totally not awkward.


    "I''m g-going to go n-now," Madeline said before sprinting away, ashamed and embarrassed of what she''d just done.


    ''He thinks I''m crazy, doesn''t he?'' She asked herself when she slowed down her pace now that she was a safe distance away from his office.


    Wondering if Xavier heard the palpitations of her heart when she''d realized what she''d done, her face turned even redder.


    What was worse was how Briar was approaching her.


    Briar wasn''t sure of how things would turn out - so when she saw her friend in one piece, she sighed in relief.


    Obviously, Xavier couldn''t do anything, but what if he''d¡­


    ''No, don''t think that, you never know what actually happened,'' Briar reasoned.


    "Maddie!" She called, using her super-speed to reach her in a matter of seconds.


    Briar tapped lightly on her friend''s shoulder, but Madeline was rooted to her spot.


    "Maddie?" Briar asked, moving in front of Madeline so she could get a good view of her face.


    Madeline was¡­ blushing?


    "What the--"


    "What happened?" Briar questioned, now more curious than ever.


    What the hell happened? What made Madeline behave like this?


    Madeline was never the type of person to freeze up and stay dead silent. She was the type to react quickly in situations and never turn anxious and nervous. So seeing her like this¡­ it was a new sight to Briar.


    "Earth to Madeline," Briar waved her hand in front of Madeline, who was lost in thought.


    ''Xavier¡­ I¡­ hu--''


    She snapped out of it.


    "Briar!"


    "When did you get here?" She inquired, a blank look on her face.


    Briar couldn''t believe it. Did Madeline not notice her arriving?


    "I just arrived," she answered.


    "Ah."


    "So, how did things go with Xavier?" Briar asked, truly curious.


    What the hell made Madeline blush so fiercely?


    Was it Xavier?


    "They went fine," she grumbled, mumbling something else under her breath.


    "You can''t just tell me that and leave me in suspense, wondering what happened, Maddie," Briar pouted.


    "Unless¡­"


    "Unless what?"


    "Nothing," Briar shrugged.


    Madeline placed her hands on Briar''s shoulders and shook her.


    "Tell me!" She exclaimed, trying to convince Briar to tell her what she was about to say before she halted.


    Crossing her arms, Madeline said, "Look who''s leaving me in suspense now."


    "Xavier told me he''d just leave you with a warning. There, I told you."


    "Now, what were you about to say?" Madeline asked point-blank.


    Briar blinked.


    "He said that¡­?"


    "He actually said that? Are we talking about the same person or someone else entirely?"


    "You''re not doubting your friend, are you?" Madeline inquired.


    Briar shook her head, "No, of course not!"


    "That''s just¡­ extremely out of character of him to do," Briar admitted.


    "He''d never usually do that," Briar added.


    "How the heck did you get him let me off the hook so easily?"


    "It wasn''t easy," Madeline corrected.


    "My bad."


    "So what was it you were about to say?"


    "I forgot," Briar lied, scratching the back of her neck.


    "Aish."


    "You forgot," Madeline frowned.


    Sighing, she reasoned, "Well, on the bright side, you''re off the hook just this once."


    "And¡­ don''t tell anyone of this or they''ll¡­ you know¡­"


    Briar nodded, already beginning to feel guilty, "Of course."


    She''d keep this till her grave - even after what she''d done. Madeline was willing to go to lengths to help her. It proved how compassionate she was.


    "Let''s head back," Madeline suggested.


    Briar nodded.


    "Oh, and Madeline?"


    Madeline looked back to face Briar, "Yes?"


    "Thank you."


    "Whatever for?"


    "Being such an amazing friend."


    Madeline laughed softly, "So what, you''re calling me an amazing friend now?"


    "And I thought you were about to suggest we have a movie marathon."


    Briar blinked, that was an excellent idea on Madeline''s part.


    "We should definitely do that," Briar nodded in full agreement.


    "Right?"


    "Come on, let''s go," Madeline said, taking Briar''s hand, acting as though they hadn''t been distant and nothing happened.


    A grateful smile made it to Briar''s face.


    "Let''s."


    Meanwhile¡­ back with Xavier¡­


    Adrian entered Xavier''s office, wanting answers.


    "Xay," he called.


    "What do you want?" Xavier asked rudely.


    "Entertain me," Adrian said, walking over to Xavier''s desk.


    "Was my hearing off or did I just hear you let Madeline''s friend off with a warning instead of punishing her?"


    Adrian found himself amused. He''d doubt what he''d heard¡­ but by the looks of it, Xavier actually did!


    "So I did. It''s a one-time thing," Xavier insisted.


    "Are you sure it''ll only be a one-time thing?"


    A cheeky grin made it to Adrian''s face. Only by luck would he make it out of here without doubling down in laughter. This was all too hilarious.


    "What did she do to you?" Adrian grilled Xavier for details.


    "You''ve barely known her for a couple of days, and¡­ you''re already pardoning her friend."


    "I did not pardon her friend because of her. I pardoned her friend due to her previous record which was free of wrongdoings," Xavier argued.


    "Then why did it seem like you made her cry?" Adrian questioned.


    Xavier hesitated.


    "I did not."


    ''I heard differently,'' Adrian mumbled under his breath.


    "What are you trying to insinuate, Adrian?" Xavier raised his brow, trying to hide his rage. Why did Adrian have to hear the entire conversation?


    Could he not have minded his own business? Why was he being so nosy?


    Adrian would never usually take any sort of derision or ridicule from other werewolves, especially those of lower rank.


    "What I''m trying to insinuate is¡­"


    "That maybe being around Madeline is softening you."

 Chapter 14 - Xavier & His Tight-Assness

    "Softening me?"


    "What am I, a piece of toast?" Xavier growled.


    "Adrian, you know damn well she is not softening me."


    ''Say whatever you want, Xay, your words and your actions are pointing towards different things entirely,'' Adrian thought to himself, unable to stop himself from chuckling.


    "What about this do you find funny?" Xavier demanded.


    "Nothing," Adrian blatantly lied to his friend.


    Xavier frowned, displeased by Adrian''s preposterous accusations.


    Him? Softening up to her?


    What was this, some sort of romance movie?


    He sighed, knowing there was nothing else to do but admit the truth.


    Sure, Xavier could be cold, but he wasn''t a liar.


    "She was crying."


    "What else was I supposed to do?" Xavier asked.


    "What would you have done if you were in that situation?"


    "Not give in to whatever her wishes were and leave her crying?"


    "Do you forget that¡­"


    Xavier lifted his pinky. How he wished he could just chop off his pinky altogether and save himself from the embarrassment of seeing that wretched soulmate of his. She was gut-wrenchingly shameless, while he was the complete opposite. What a pair!


    By then, Adrian couldn''t hold himself back.


    He let out a laugh. To think, after all the years of waiting, Xavier had finally found a soulmate. They''d originally thought he was meant to end up alone - but as it turned out, fate had something else planned. And now that he had one¡­ he was making a fuss over her. All she had to do was turn on the waterworks, apparently.


    All this time, Xavier was invincible and powerful. And now, Adrian couldn''t help but find the situation humorous.


    Behold, the great Alpha Xavier, defeated by a mortal.


    "Ah, right. That explains it," Adrian spoke, unconvinced.


    "All because you''re destined to be together."


    "Don''t joke with me, Adrian," Xavier''s eyes flashed dangerously.


    "I''m not joking with you," Adrian said, dismissing his claims.


    "You better not be," Xavier stared at him glaringly.


    "Cheer up a little, Xay," Adrian convinced.


    "You know, maybe being around Madeline more would be good for you." "You take that back."


    "I won''t, I''ll continue."


    "Adrian."


    "Xavier," Adrian called in return.


    "Why would being around a mortal help?"


    Adrian didn''t know how to sugarcoat things, so he simply told Xavier the truth.


    "Xavier, you''re a tight ass. Respectfully."


    "A tight ass?"


    "A tight ass," Adrian confirmed.


    "What''s a tight ass?" Xavier questioned, muddle as to what Adrian could''ve meant by calling him a... tight ass.


    Adrian inhaled. Of course Xavier wouldn''t know what a tight ass was.


    "Basically, a tight ass is someone who doesn''t know how to have fun."


    "Are you accusing ME of not knowing how to have fun?"


    Adrian cleared his throat.


    "Xay, list five people you''d willingly have drinks with."


    Xavier was about to speak before Adrian interrupted him.


    "You cannot name me, or any of the werewolves you''re to force to have drinks with you. They must also agree to have drinks with you. It can''t just be one-sided, Xay."


    "So¡­"


    "Go ahead."


    Xavier remained deadly silent.


    After a couple of minutes passed, Adrian came to the touching conclusion that his assumptions were proven correct.


    Xavier indeed had no one to go for a round of drinks with.


    He didn''t know what fun was like after being swamped with work for the past decades. And yes, past decades. Werewolves aged incredibly differently than humans. So while Xavier looked like someone in their mid 20s, he was actually more than hundreds of years old.


    "No one?" Adrian inquired.


    He sighed, "See, this is why, as your friend I''m telling you to learn to have fun."


    "Learn to have fun?"


    "However could I simply learn to have fun?"


    Wasn''t fun supposed to be natural?


    "Yes, Xay. Learn to have fun."


    "Learn to chillax and stop worrying."


    "Chillax¡­ and stop worrying? What does chillax mean?"


    "Haha, Xay, you''ve really got to get out there and have fun."


    "Take Madeline as an example. I''m certain she knows how to have fun."


    "And what are you trying to insinuate here?" Xavier stared at Adrian unblinkingly.


    "What I''m trying to say is¡­ why don''t you get to know the girl."


    "She seems delightful," Adrian fought back a chuckle of delight.


    Sure he meant his words, but seeing Xavier''s reaction was incredibly amusing.


    "And how do I get to know her?"


    "I''ll leave that up to you," Adrian decided.


    "Adrian, don''t leave me like this. You''re my advisor," Xavier pointed out.


    "This is a situation that needs advising," he added.


    "Don''t tell me you''re going to leave me when I finally ask you to do your job properly, Adrian. Do you forget that I''m the alpha of the pack?"


    Sweat formed on Adrian''s face. How the tables have turned. It was him being cornered now, and his job was on the line.


    ''How cruel of Xavier to practically ask me to give him the answer to his question, hmph!'' Adrian frowned.


    "This has nothing to do with my job, Xay."


    "Well then, help me with this as my friend."


    Adrian blinked. This was the first time Xavier had acknowledged him as his friend in¡­ well, years!


    "You called me your friend," Adrian placed a hand on his heart, pretending as though it was the sweetest thing Xavier had ever said to him.


    "Quit acting so dramatic," Xavier snapped, starting to get irritated as shown in his change of tone.


    "Just tell me how to stop being¡­"


    "A tight ass," Xavier spoke bitterly, unable to handle being called that by his one and only friend.


    How dare Adrian call him a tight ass! Of course he knew how to have fun!


    He just hadn''t had the opportunity to have fun after years of being the alpha of the pack. Who could blame him and his overall tight-assness?


    Why don''t Adrian try being the alpha then, see if he knew how to have fun after all this?


    (Author''s Note: Yes, I know tight-assness isn''t a word.. Don''t come at me in the comments about this please o.o)

 Chapter 15 - A Round Of Archery

    "So what you''re telling me is that Xavier is more than hundreds of years old?" Madeline clarified.


    Briar nodded.


    "All I know is that he''s hundreds of years old. I don''t know the exact count, but I doubt anyone in the pack knows. Maybe even thousands."


    "What about Adrian, shouldn''t he know?" Madeline blinked.


    Clearing her throat, she added in an attempt to clarify herself, "About Xavier''s age?"


    It came as a surprise to poor Madeline when Briar had informed her Xavier was likely¡­ who knew how many times older than her.


    He was ancient!


    "Hmm."


    "I suppose he would," Briar mused.


    "But there isn''t much that''s known about him."


    "About who? Xavier or Adrian?"


    "Adrian."


    "Other than him being the alpha''s advisor and being good friends with Xavier, I know nothing else."


    "Ah," Madeline spoke, a tone of fathom in her voice.


    "Well, just tell me one thing."


    "Humour me."


    "If Xavier''s hundreds of years old, then what''s your age?"


    "Since werewolves age differently than humans and all that."


    Briar winced.


    "Right, that."


    "My age..."


    "You don''t have to tell me," Madeline assured.


    "No no, I don''t mind," Briar chuckled nervously.


    "I''m just..."


    "What if I let you guess?"


    "Sure," Madeline nodded, it''d be more gratifying that way.


    "23," Madeline began, guessing her own age in hopes Briar was the age she looked like.


    Briar shook her head, wickedly amused by this


    After an entire round of guessing games and Briar ending up giving Madeline a few hints just to give her a nudge in the right direction, Madeline had finally guessed Briar''s correct age.


    "Seriously?" Madeline stuttered like a fool, her jaw on the floor.


    She hadn''t expected that to be Briar''s answer, consider her stunned!


    "You don''t look a day over 100 years old!"


    Briar chuckled, "Why thank you, Maddie, but that''s a given for us werewolves."


    "We''re not immortal, but¡ª"


    She paused mid-sentence. Her hand immediately flew to cover her mouth.


    Goodness forbid Madeline had heard what she said.


    "But-?"


    "Finish your sentence," Madeline coaxed, her curiosity piqued.


    "I probably shouldn''t," Briar laughed nervously. Her breathing became ragged, as she knew she''d said something she wasn''t allowed to.


    Despite Madeline being her friend, there were some things better off her not knowing. Especially since she''d just discovered her friend was more than a hundred years old, and her soulmate possibly more than a thousand years old.


    There were a few things she - as a werewolf - had sworn to keep to herself. While being a werewolf was what many wished to become¡­ she wasn''t too keen on being one.


    Madeline sat on her bed, cross-legged.


    A question remained on her mind.


    She thought it''d go away, but it still stayed, allowing her curiosity to swell.


    Madeline had a plethora of questions she wanted answered, and since Briar seemed like she wasn''t allowed to tell her anything. Who other than to ask rather than Xavier?


    A knock came at the door.


    "Now who could that be?" Briar wondered, volunteering to open the door for Madeline. Yes, this place was heavily guarded. But Briar couldn''t help but fuss over how someone could be out to get her.


    "You really don''t have to."


    "Madeline, if what you told me is true, then it''s better off if I''m the one opening this door."


    Briar twisted the door handle, opening the door to see¡­


    "Xavier?"


    Her eyes went round. Briar cleared her throat, acting like she''d been coughing.


    "Alpha Xavier, what could you be doing here?"


    "Especially¡­ at this hour?" Briar stumbled with her words, unable to gather her composure in front of the most powerful werewolf of her pack.


    ''Oh shit oh shit oh shit,'' she cursed in her mind.


    Xavier got straight to the point.


    "I''m here to see Madeline."


    Madline nodded, her signal of telling Briar to let him in.


    "Oh!" She exclaimed in astonishment.


    "Right this way then," she opened the door for Xavier to enter since Madeline had allowed him to enter.


    Briar shot Madeline a look of confusion.


    The look in her eyes asked, ''Want me to stay or do you want me to leave?''


    ''You can leave, I''ll be fine Briar, I promise.''


    Briar nodded, fathoming her choice.


    "Alright then, I''m going to leave now," Briar gestured at Xavier and Maddie with her hands.


    "See you, Maddie."


    "Goodbye Alpha Xavier, have a nice day," she bid him goodbye before swiftly leaving.


    There was a huge difference in the way Briar had wished her and Xavier goodbye. Then again, it was completely in Briar''s nature to suck up to someone ranking higher than her in the pack''s hierarchy.


    Heck, this was identical to how things had been back in university. Briar had always been favoured by her teachers not because she was the most intelligent - one had to admit that was Madeline''s case - but because she always knew what to say and when to say it.


    Considering Xavier was the alpha, Madeline simply knew Briar couldn''t pass on an opportunity like this. Not just anyone could commune with the alpha this many times in a single day.


    Madeline got off her bed. She wasn''t sure¡­ but Xavier looked determined. What did he come here to do?


    He began, "So¡­"


    Madeline stared at him with her innocent, round eyes. She hoped this had nothing to do with Briar and him retracting his previous words - he did say he wasn''t a man or promises.


    "You and me¡­"


    Rendered confused, Madeline blinked twice.


    "Yes?"


    Why was he so nervous?


    "Why are you so nervous?" Madeline questioned.


    "I am not nervous," he insisted, before admitting his true intentions, "I just came here to ask if you''d like to learn archery."


    "Archery?"


    "Yes, archery."


    That question had taken Madeline by surprise.


    Was archery supposed to mean something else in this conversation?


    Unable to handle the silence, Xavier inquired, "So, what do you say?"


    "Care to join me for a round of archery?" He asked, his voice a slight bit different than usual.


    Madeline gulped, her answer stuck in her throat.


    ''Should I, or should I not?''


    ''Oh what do I have to lose anyway, it''s archery. I''ve always wanted to learn archery.''


    Finally having the courage to speak¡­


    "¡­sure," Madeline managed to croak.

 Chapter 16 - WE DID IT!

    Hours ago...


    "Okay, if you want to know how to stop being a tight ass then..."


    "I''m listening," Xavier grumbled.


    "Go ask Madeline out."


    "Excuse me...?"


    "To a round of archery, what else did you think I possibly could have meant, Xay?"


    "Unless..."


    "You''re not that... stained, are you?"


    Adrian gasped dramatically, teasing his friend.


    "Adrian, you forget I''m still the alpha."


    "Hmph, now you''re using your title against me," Adrian crossed his arms.


    Xavier facepalmed - Adrian had always been a drama king.


    "Quit stalling and tell me what to do."


    "Why are you so insistent on not being a tight ass? You never concerned yourself with my opinion when it came to personal matters¡­ so why now?"


    Xavier glared at him.


    "Stop glaring at me and do something."


    "You want me to ask her out?"


    "If you want to put it that way, sure."


    "You should," Adrian patted Xavier on the shoulder.


    "You aren''t joking?"


    "Why would you reckon I was joking?"


    Xavier pondered over it.


    "I still have work."


    "I''ll handle it," Adrian volunteered, stepping up to the plate to handle all of Xavier''s matters.


    "You¡­ will?"


    "Xay, are you doubting me?"


    "Maybe I should," Xavier sighed.


    "Tsk. Just go already, I''ll handle everything. I am trained to take care of Eudora," Adrian showed his friend a toothy grin.


    (Author''s Note: Eudora is where the pack resides. Consider it a small land where werewolves reside.)


    "How could I ask her?"


    "First of all, you need to put your ego aside."


    "I do not have an ego."


    "Nonsense, everyone has one."


    "I am not everyone."


    "Just go already."


    And that was what brought Xavier to where he was now, standing across from Madeline asking her to have a round of archery together.


    Madeline - poor girl that she was - hadn''t any idea what Xavier was doing.


    Was he asking her out? Or was he volunteering to teach her archery?


    Concluding worrying and fussing over this would get her nowhere, Maddie sighed in exasperation. She tied her silky coral hair up in a french braid ponytail so her stray hairs wouldn''t get in the way during anything, and wore clothes that fitted the occasion - that of which was a round of archery with Xavier.


    Dressed in a bluish-silver jacket that hid a plain white shirt, as well as silvery camo pants and combat boots, Madeline deemed herself ready - for archery, not spending time with Xavier. She found that notion terrifying but reasoned why shouldn''t she just give it a shot. That was why she''d agreed to it after some deliberation.


    She looked at herself in the mirror.


    "I can do this," she cheered herself on.


    "It''s a round of archery."


    ''Worst case scenario, I mess up and prove to be horrible at it.''


    ''Best case scenario, you prove to be quite the archeress and impress Xavier.''


    She made sure to lock her door before leaving to meet Xavier in their designated meeting spot, the shooting range.


    Of course, Madeline had only a faint clue as to where the shooting range was since Adrian had shown her said location during their tour - along with all the other facilities Eudora provided.


    It was a miracle she''d arrived in one piece.


    "I''m here," Madeline announced, knowing Xavier likely knew she was already to arrive.


    "Good," Xavier nodded, acknowledging her.


    "Are you ready?" He questioned, peering at her before looking over at the equipment already prepared for the both of them.


    Madeline nodded in an instant, "Yep, I''m ready!"


    "Alright then."


    He handed her protective gear.


    "Why do I need to use all this protective gear?" Madeline frowned exasperatedly.


    "Well, it''s your decision."


    "Do you want to get injured while learning how to archer?"


    "Who said I''m not an expert at archery already?" Madeline retorted.


    "Oh, so you''re an expert," Xavier mused, not a hint of sincerity or faith in his tone.


    "An expert that doesn''t need protective gear."


    "Well, if that''s the case it is you that needs to show me how it''s done."


    Madeline froze.


    "Come on, show me," Xavier prompted, a serious look on his face.


    Sighing, Madeline came to the conclusion that this would go nowhere.


    "Okay okay, I''ll put on the protective gear," she placed a pouty look on her face as she slipped on a glove on one hand.


    Once she had a chest guard on, she told Xavier, "Alright, we can begin."


    When she''d spoken those words, what she''d expected was for Xavier to instruct her on what to do next. And he did, up until one point.


    "You don''t hold the bow like that," he spoke, taking a step towards her until he was in close proximity with her.


    Madeline found the fact that they were dangerously overwhelming. The delectable scent of his cologne, the way he assisted her with aiming the bow and arrow right at the bullseye and how his veins popped out from his arm when he noticed she was daydreaming and unfocused.


    "Miss Delcour?" He called.


    She snapped out of her dazed-like trance.


    "So, I aim it like this?" She questioned, blinking.


    "Exactly," Xavier nodded.


    "Alright," Madeline said as she closed one eye to get a better view of the bullseye.


    She fired one shot after the other, constantly missing shots despite Xavier''s corrections and instructions.


    "You''re not supposed to aim it that way, you have to do it this--"


    "Uh, whoops," Madeline winced when she had accidentally shot an arrow at a couple of passersby.


    "Sorry!" She apologized, watching them rush to leave in fright and terror.


    Xavier couldn''t help but facepalm at the scene.


    ''Archery''s much harder than I thought,'' Madeline mumbled under her breath as she aimed just as Xavier had told her to.


    "That''s it," Xavier spoke.


    Was that¡­ a hint of hope in his voice?


    "Just like that," Xavier nodded.


    Madeline aimed, hoping this would be it.


    ''This is it. This is the one,'' she convinced herself, before she fired.


    Time slowed, the trees temporarily stopped swaying to the wind as the arrow hurled towards the target.


    Madeline''s heart thumped loudly in her chest - she couldn''t get herself to calm down.


    "Thunk!" Went the arrow when it hit the target, exactly at the bullseye.


    Madeline couldn''t believe it, her eyes widened from shock and she pounded her fist in the air.


    "WE DID IT!" She yelled in celebration, not paying any attention to Xavier - who actually looked impressed.


    That, and the small smile that had made its way to his features.

 Chapter 17 - Leave, At Once!

    "Madeline," Briar called.


    "Hmm?"


    "Why didn''t you tell me Xavier asked you out to a round of archery?" Briar inquired.


    Imagine her shock and surprise when she''d been informed that her friend was currently spending time with her pack''s alpha, having a round of archery together! She was left appalled and confused as to why Madeline hadn''t told her before and was left to wonder if that was the only thing Madeline was hiding from her.


    "It took me by surprise, it wasn''t long after he asked me that we had to meet, there was no time to tell you," Madeline admitted, drying her hair with a fluffy towel.


    "Ah," Briar spoke, a hint of understanding in her voice.


    Madeline couldn''t just leave Xavier waiting anyway, that''d be completely wrong.


    "So, now that we''ve got that part settled," Briar began.


    She pulled a chair towards Madeline.


    "Tell. Me. Everything."


    "Spill," she coaxed.


    Madeline refused to say anything about it, claiming nothing happened and everything went well - nothing more.


    Of course, knowing Madeline, either things really did go that way - or she was hiding something.


    "You''re hiding something, aren''t you?"


    "I am not," Madeline denied in an instant.


    "You''re being defensive," Briar noticed.


    "Nothing happened, Bri," Madeline answered, sounding truthful.


    "Yeah, that''s not going to do it."


    "What, did he sweep you off your feet?"


    "BRIAR!"


    "Whaaaaaat? I''m only curious. After all, he is the illustrious alpha, anyone would kill to go out with him - or even better, be taught by him how to use a bow and arrow properly."


    Madeline didn''t seem to break, continuing doing what she was doing before.


    "Please?" Briar pleaded.


    "Nothing happened, either you believe it or don''t," Madeline insisted.


    "Tsk."


    "I did land a bullseye though," Madeline smiled triumphantly.


    Briar patted Madeline on the back, praising her, "Now that is impressive."


    "Care to elaborate?"


    "I''m not telling you anything else."


    Briar groaned in exasperation. This was getting her nowhere.


    "Fine, fine, I''ll stop," she gave up.


    Meanwhile, with the alpha and the beta of the pack¡­


    "Word''s been spread around Eudora."


    "Had a pleasant time with Madeline?"


    "Do I have to answer your question?"


    "I''d appreciate it if you did," Adrian admitted.


    "No comment," Xavier replied with.


    He reminisced on the moment she''d landed a bullseye. How she''d jumped and squealed in excitement, and that¡­ smile that happened to make its way to his face.


    The alpha rarely smiled, he was a serious man majority of the time. Some would say they''d never even seen him smile in the first place, so this was a¡­ rather strange case.


    "Give me more than ''no comment'' please," Adrian reasoned, hoping Xavier would let him in on more tidbits of their time together.


    "Why would you want to know?"


    "Xavier, you''re my friend, and you rarely ever spend time around women. For all the time I''ve known you, you''ve never spoken to a woman for anything other than work, and that''s depressing."


    "Huhuhu you''ve got to talk to girls more often," Adrian suggested helpfully.


    "Talk¡­ to girls more frequently?"


    "Whyever would I see the need to do that? It doesn''t have any relevance to the matter at hand."


    Xavier looked out the window, noticing that the sun was beginning to set. He was instantly reminded of something. Something that - if he hadn''t remembered in the nick of time - would''ve put Madeline in grave danger. It was coming early this month, how coincidental.


    He and Adrian exchanged looks. Adrian seemed genuinely worried - something he''d never felt for a human in a long time, but this was Madeline they were fretting over.


    "What are you going to do? Send her away?"


    "You''re not considering letting her stay now are you? It''d be far too dangerous! Especially at a time like this," Adrian reasoned.


    "Do you think I haven''t yet considered it?" Xavier let out a low growl, displeased by Adrian''s mannerisms.


    "We''ve never experienced a human residing amongst us werewolves, there wasn''t any book or scripture written regarding what to do in ever the case a mortal happened to be with us when we¡­"


    Xavier paused, exhaling deeply.


    "I''ll tell her to leave," he decided.


    "For the time being, or¡­?" Adrian questioned.


    Despite only knowing Madeline for a few days, she was a delightful girl - someone Xavier would benefit from being around. Adrian knew with full certainty that this wouldn''t be the last he saw of Madeline, but for now it seemed like she really had to go.


    This night was a dangerous one - for all werewolves.


    No human was brave enough to ever stay in a vicinity where something this... feral was taking place. They''d have to be insane to want to stay.


    "I''ll figure things out," Xavier nodded.


    "I always do," he uttered under his breath before he left, off to tell Madeline off the news he had to share with her. Time was ticking, after all.


    __


    "Do you think he was annoyed of me?" Madeline questioned, laying beside Briar on her bed.


    "Why would he be?"


    "I kept failing my shots and had poor aim," her friend answered almost instantly, as though she knew Briar would ask this question.


    "Oh come on. Xavier''s many things but he''s¡­ fair," Madeline noticed the hint of hesitation in Briar''s voice.


    So imagine her surprise when minutes later, Madeline found herself standing across Xavier, who apparently had something to tell her.


    ''I swear, whenever someone says his name he shows out of nowhere,'' she thought as her mind buzzed with possible answers as to his sudden call.


    "Ms Delcour," Xavier began.


    Those two words imprinted themselves in Madeline''s brain. It sounded unnatural to put it frankly. Ms Delcour? What happened to the previous nickname he had for her?


    "You have unfortunate news," Madeline noticed the look in his eyes, knowing this wouldn''t be good. No one that bore good news looked that way - unless she was soulmates with an emotionless person, that is.


    He cleared his throat, "I''m going to have to ask you to leave Eudora."

 Chapter 18 - YOU DIDNT TELL ME I COULD DIE

    "Eh? Leave?" Madeline cried, beginning to regret asking Briar to leave. At that moment, all she needed was emotional support.


    "Why?"


    "Was it something I did?" She tried to remember if she''d said anything for nothing to pop up. Nope, she hadn''t done anything.


    Xavier clarified things, shaking his head.


    He explained, "The full moon comes tomorrow."


    In his entire life, Xavier never had an instance where a mortal was residing in Eudora. So telling her to leave was a new experience altogether. Then again, never in the history of forever was a mortal and a werewolf destined to be soulmates, but that wasn''t what Xavier''s current focus was.


    Luna forbid Madeline had stayed till the full moon. Things would''ve turned catastrophic!


    Madeline trailed off, "The full moon¡­"


    "You''re not a werewolf, you''re a human," Xavier reminded, not really helping things as her brain took a while to process things.


    The first thing Madeline thought when he''d told her tomorrow was the day of a full moon was him turning into a werewolf. Briar and Adrian as well. It''d be a wondrous sight to see, but if she were there to witness everything, she wouldn''t be able to make it out alive to see the next full moon.


    With the entire bedroom now dead silent, Xavier knew he should''ve gotten Adrian to talk to her. He''d always had a way with words, and he was way more equipped to inform her of such dreadful news. The way he told her, it was as though she was trespassing on his property and he was some unfeeling landlord.


    "You mean¡­ everyone will¡­"


    Madeline couldn''t get herself to finish her sentence. Xavier obviously got what she meant.


    "What about you, you''re the alpha, shouldn''t you get an advantage or something?"


    "You''re not wrong about that," Xavier confirmed.


    Being the alpha, Xavier still retained his memories and had control of himself in his wolf form. Not only the alpha was capable of such a feat, but it took time to perfect it.


    (Author''s Note: To clarify, werewolves have a human form but they''re deemed werewolves. Their human forms are more of a disguise to blend in with other mortals when in a crowd, and a form they take since it''d be strange if they walked around constantly in wolf form.)


    Trying to make things easier for her to comprehend, Xavier explained, "The full moon triggers the transformation into a werewolf. Werewolves have no choice but to transform into their werewolf form because of the effects of the full moon."


    "And me being the alpha, the full moon affects me differently compared to other werewolves," he added.


    Madeline swallowed, fear growing inside her. She still hadn''t fully processed the existence of werewolves. And now she was faced with this. Then again, this was what she got herself into when she decided to stay here.


    "What about... Adrian?"


    Xavier stared at her, perturbed by her concern for Adrian. He snapped, "What about Adrian?"


    "He''s the beta, shouldn''t he be able to withstand the effects of the full moon?"


    By the look on Xavier''s face, Madeline couldn''t determine whether or not Xavier was simply annoyed by the fact she''d brought up Adrian in their conversation or if he looked this disturbed during their entire conversation in general. It was a guessing game, in which Xavier refused to confirm nor deny anything.


    ''If you keep talking about Adrian, why don''t you go ask him to be your soulmate instead?'' Xavier thought to himself.


    "I can''t tell if you''re hiding something or if you''re always like this," Madeline admitted truthfully.


    "What?"


    "Tsk, you''re no fun," Madeline huffed.


    Xavier frowned. Did Adrian actually have a point?


    "Do you think I''m a tight ass?" Xavier suddenly interrogated her.


    "Excuse me?"


    __


    "Now that''s cold," Briar winced after hearing what Madeline had told her.


    After enduring a full moon every month, it was practically routine. She hadn''t remembered that it was tomorrow. Had Xavier not remembered this and Madeline had stayed, she would''ve... died.


    Tears stung her eyes just thinking about it. They''d come so close. So close.


    "Do you think I should stay?" Madeline questioned.


    Briar blinked.


    "WHAT?" She nearly-yelled.


    Madeline coaxed, "Briar, calm down, everyone else can hear you."


    "Maddie, you can''t possibly just stay here. That''s¡­ that''s..."


    "Please don''t. Madeline. Please. During the full moon werewolves aren''t able to control themselves in wolf form. Some have killed people. Even killed each other at times," Briar gave Madeline a pleading look, terrible memories flashing in her eyes. The worst part was, she remembered everything she''d done after she was back in her human form. It was what haunted her, even until now.


    "Are you saying I should leave?"


    "You''re not leaving permanently," Briar reasoned, knowing Madeline going far away, where no one could hurt her would be what was best for her. She had to agree with Xavier on this. Madeline had to go.


    "It''s only for a couple of days, it''s not that long," she spoke, offering Madeline a reassuring smile.


    They were doing this out of concern for her. As harsh as it sounded, no mortal would stand a chance against all the werewolves of the pack during a full moon. It wouldn''t be too long before she could return, although it wasn''t long ago that she''d just decided to stay, only to be told to leave because she was mortal and unlike everyone else.


    "What am I supposed to do before I can return?" Madeline asked incredulously. She had nothing else to do, her life was depressing before she came here. Three days may seem like a blink of an eye to the werewolves, but to her, it''d be torture. She was an extremely impatient person - it was one of her flaws.


    (Author''s Note: Okay, not gonna lie that landlord analogy was real strange. Welp, do tell me what you think of Her Devilish Alpha currently down in the comments.. Bye for now, see you in the later chapters my dear readers, love you all so much.)

 Chapter 19 - Cant I Just Stay?

    Life before meeting him¡­ how could she explain?


    It was as though she was missing something in her life, and now that she found it, she was being asked to leave. Sure, it was only for a couple of days, but it''d feel like an eternity to her.


    For the most part, she knew it was for her safety, and they were faced with no other choice.


    But for some strange reason, as crazy as it may have sounded, she wanted to stay.


    "Can''t I just stay?" Madeline asked the next day during breakfast.


    Xavier spat out water from his mouth.


    "What kind of preposterous idea is that?" Xavier demanded while grabbing a napkin.


    "Stay here? At a time like this?"


    "Ms Delcour, you really are completely out of your mind," Xavier observed.


    "And just to clarify, that isn''t particularly a good thing."


    "You can''t stay here," Xavier insisted.


    "Why can''t I?" Madeline challenged.


    He let out a low growl.


    "Are you seriously asking me that?"


    Madeline lowered her head, staring at her lap.


    "Everyone here will turn into werewolves, and even if they know you in their human form, they''ll be in their wolf form. They won''t recognize who you are until they return to their human forms. They wouldn''t hesitate to kill you if they spotted you or picked up your scent."


    He spelled it out for her, "You could get killed."


    "And why would you care if I got killed?" Madeline asked incredulously.


    Startled by her own curiosity, she apologized.


    "I didn''t mean to imply that¡ª"


    Madeline hesitated before letting out a deep sigh.


    "I suppose you''re right."


    "I''ll leave," she nodded.


    "Hope you''re happy now, Xavier," she rested her head on one hand in defeat. Briar would be pleased she was no longer considering staying.


    ''Go tell Xavier that,'' Madeline remembered Briar telling her.


    Xavier stared at her - it was one of the first times he''d heard her say his name. It was a strange sensation, but what else could she have called him? Alpha? Mr Alpha?


    A line appeared between Madeline''s brows.


    Was Xavier okay? Why was he looking at her that way?


    "I should get going now," Xavier decided.


    "Goodbye, Ms Delcour," he greeted before...


    WHOOSH!


    He was gone in a blink. Literally.


    He rushed out the door and disappeared.


    Madeline toyed with her spoon.


    This place had been homier in a few days than her home had ever been in years. There, she felt lonely. Desolated, even. Did that sound pathetic?


    Here she felt... at peace. Or was that overplaying it?


    Madeline could see the pain in Briar''s eyes when she told her she had to go, even if it was for a while.


    ''It''ll all be over soon,'' Madeline told herself inwardly.


    ''All you have to do is wait a couple of days.''


    ''Then you can return here and be with Briar again. Oh, and Xavier.''


    Madeline paused.


    Xavier?


    Where had that suddenly come from?


    She sighed. This was all done for her sake. Had she not been a regular mortal, she could''ve just as easily stayed. She could''ve also been able to protect herself in the face of danger, and not be defeated by a large and heavy piece of wood. That way, Madeline wouldn''t have needed to be saved. She''d be her own hero.


    ''My own hero,'' she scoffed.


    What was wrong with her these days?


    She was surrounded by werewolves that could just as easily kill her in seconds.


    Either she was the bravest person in the whole of Alaric to try and fight against them or the biggest fool.


    ''How things would change if I wasn''t just a mortal,'' Madeline mumbled to herself, unaware the universe was listening to her¡­ pleas.


    "I should go and pack my things," Madeline decided, not feeling too hungry anymore. She''d grabbed a bite, but she had to leave in a couple of hours and she hadn''t quite readied herself yet. Then again, she hadn''t come here with anything so there wasn''t much to pack except a couple of necessities for the road.


    It was sweet - Xavier inviting her to breakfast. And as per Briar, completely unlike him.


    Then again, everything Xavier had been doing was completely unlike him from what Briar said.


    He was cold and ruthless. His temper was short, and it seemed like even Adrian doubted he was capable of... feelings and emotion. There was nothing left of what he once was - that was before he was turned into a werewolf.


    ''How did he turn into a werewolf anyway?'' Madeline was left to wonder.


    Surely, the way humans were turned into werewolves in the books she''d read wasn''t actually accurate now, was it?


    Madeline sighed. Of course, Briar had to tell her that before Xavier was a werewolf, he roamed Alaric as a human.


    It was nothing but scuttlebutt - or gossip - but Madeline pondered the reason behind why he was the way he was. Was it actually because he was a human once upon a time? Could that possibly be why he''s this way now?


    Madeline believed that there was a good reason why. And that there were two people she could get answers from. One of them Xavier himself, and the other his trusted advisor and dear friend, Adrian.


    ''Speak of the werewolf himself,'' Madeline thought as Adrian walked into the room.


    "Have you seen Xavier around?" He asked her.


    Madeline blinked. Wasn''t he supposed to be with Adrian?


    "No, I haven''t. He left a while ago. Isn''t he supposed to be with you?" Madeline asked questioningly.


    If he wasn''t with Adrian... then where else could he be?


    He did say he was pretty occupied before he left. Surely he returned to his office to finish up some work... or whatever alphas do. Right?


    To her horror, Adrian shook his head.


    "He isn''t. That''s why I came here."


    "But--"


    "I''ve searched the entire site, he isn''t anywhere to be found here.. And if he is, he doesn''t want to be found because he''s blocking me out and trying to temporarily cut our mind link off."

 Chapter 20 - Xaviers Missing?!

    "Xavier''s missing?!" Madeline practically jumped out of her chair from shock and confusion.


    How could he go missing?


    Adrian reasoned, "Well, he isn''t really¡­ missing."


    "But he doesn''t want to talk to me right now," he nodded.


    "Where could he be?" Madeline asked, her tone filled with concern.


    "You''re his friend, surely you should know where he likes to go," she reasoned with Adrian.


    A bead of sweat formed on Adrian''s face, "Unfortunately, he doesn''t want to tell me where he is now."


    It was then an idea popped in Adrian''s head. A brilliant idea, might one add.


    "Say, Madeline, could you do me a favour and find Xavier for me?"


    "Find Xavier for you? Can''t you do it?"


    "I could, but I''m not who he probably wants to talk to right now, and I have work to do."


    "But I''ve got to pack for my return!"


    "Finding him won''t take too long. Pleaseeeeee, for me?" Adrian pleaded with her, hoping for her to agree to his little favour.


    Besides, she and the man were destined to be together, so a little nudge in the right direction wouldn''t help now, would it?


    "Oh alright," Madeline said, frowning at Adrian''s smug facial expression. He came out victorious.


    "Off you go," Adrian shooed Madeline away.


    "You expect me to find him now?" Madeline pouted.


    Adrian came to an abrupt stop.


    "Were you still eating your breakfast?"


    "Err, no," Madeline answered truthfully before she let out a sigh.


    "I know what you''re about to say. Okay okay, I''ll try finding him, but no promises."


    "Thanks," Adrian thanked, grinning from ear to ear.


    Madeline mumbled something to herself before she went her way, off to find Xavier.


    She passed by the shooting range, but he wasn''t anywhere in sight. She visited a couple of other places in Eudora before she spotted a figure in the distance. Somewhere Adrian would''ve never thought of looking.


    Madeline couldn''t help but wonder why she could find Xavier with ample ease, but Adrian couldn''t.


    Was this some sort of setup?


    Adrian wouldn''t have done this all for her and Xavier, would he?


    She shook her head, she was overthinking again.


    Xavier turned around the minute he heard sounds coming from her direction.


    "...Ms Delcour?"


    Madeline snorted, "You know you can always call me Madeline."


    "Ms Delcour''s a tad bit too formal," Madeline sat down beside him, prompting him to ask the question, "What are you--"


    "Adrian sent me to find you," Madeline answered.


    "Ah."


    It did seem like something Adrian would do.


    Xavier sighed. He''d have a word with him when he returned.


    "Why are you here, anyway?" Madeline knitted her brows together in confusion.


    This place didn''t seem like somewhere special, or anything like that. It was simply secluded from everywhere else.


    "Peace and quiet?"


    Xavier didn''t answer her question.


    "Ah, so it is peace and quiet you came here for."


    She read his facial expression, and a look of pity crossed her face.


    "What''s the full moon like?"


    Xavier stared at her questioningly, "Why ask?"


    "Because unlike you, I''m not a werewolf. I don''t know what it''s like to turn into a werewolf, and I''ve never been able to experience seeing the world from a wolf''s perspective."


    "You did say I could ask questions," Madeline reasoned.


    "I did," Xavier nodded.


    He pondered about it, until he gave her his answer.


    "Turning into a werewolf during the full moon..."


    "It makes everything around you change. Your senses are even more heightened than before, and you feel hungry. You crave the taste of meat and blood and the urge to kill something is irresistible."


    He explained further, "Not only that, everything around you shifts. Suddenly, everything in your way is an obstacle. Even if that thing is another living being. You become merciless. You don''t hold back."


    Xavier had seen best friends kill each other in their wolf forms. He''d seen others kill their family members, and for some, their own soulmates. Turning into a werewolf - during the full moon - was a dreadful experience. And him being the alpha, he got to witness it all in real time. For everyone else, they only got to remember what they did when they return to their human forms.


    Some werewolves - after remembering what they''d done - took their own lives. They couldn''t bear to live centuries knowing they were why the people they loved had perished.


    By the look on Xavier''s face, Madeline could tell he was trying to stay strong.


    "So¡­ what you''re saying is¡­ tonight, when everyone changes into werewolves¡­ they''ll kill each other?"


    After a couple of minutes of silence, Xavier replied, "Some have learnt to resist the urge - however tempting it may be. But others¡­ don''t. The young ones especially. It depends for everyone."


    "And I have to see to it no one goes running off looking for prey or causes trouble. Humans can''t know of our existence, or we''d be hunted down and killed one by one until there''s none of us left."


    "But I''m a human, and I know you exist," Madeline countered.


    "Yes, you do," he said, before turning dead silent.


    Madeline''s hands began trembling.


    "You''re an exception," Xavier said, as though it was obvious.


    "An exception? Because you can''t hurt me?" She teased.


    "You know exactly why and it''s not because of that," Xavier spoke, his voice dripping with¡­ pain.


    Madeline wondered if it was because of what she said, or something else he was hiding from her.


    "You know, you can tell me anything."


    "Even if I haven''t even known you for more than a week¡­ you''re my friend."


    "And friends tell each other things."


    "Your¡­"


    He paused, the word still quite foreign to him.


    "Friend?"


    "Mhm!" Madeline nodded, knowing Xavier needed some cheering up, despite unaware of why he looked hurt.


    It wasn''t because of what she''d previously said to him, but something that he hadn''t gotten over, even after centuries of time passed by. It felt like nothing had changed.


    "I''m your friend, and I hope you consider me as yours.... too."

 Chapter 21 - I Won’t Need Your Saving All The Time, You Know

    Safe to say, Xavier was rendered speechless.


    Friend? So soon?


    It took him years to establish his and Adrian''s friendship. And now, here she was, claiming he was a friend to her despite knowing each other for less than a week.


    Then again, he had no idea how human friendships worked. After so long¡­ he''d forgotten what it was like to befriend humans.


    Instead of saying anything about her calling him her friend, he told her, "I think it''s time for you to leave."


    Madeline was truly appalled. Did he ignore everything she''d said? Hell, was he even listening?


    However, Madeline didn''t say a word about it. She knew Xavier had a point - and she hadn''t even any idea how much time had passed by.


    "W-we should head back," Madeline said, only realizing afterwards that she had a stutter to her voice.


    Clearing her throat, she asked him, "Shall we?"


    Xavier nodded.


    "We shall," he answered, his voice more enthusiastic than before.


    ''At least Adrian will be pleased I found him,'' Madeline reasoned as she and Xavier walked back.


    "You should go pack," Xavier reasoned.


    Madeline could feel his gaze on her.


    "I should," she responded, knowing how awkward this conversation was.


    "Bye," she then greeted before running away to her room.


    If only Briar could get a load of this.


    The minute Madeline shut her door behind her, she tried calming her racing heartbeat down, but it wouldn''t slow down. It was going wild, and Madeline hadn''t the faintest idea why.


    An hour or so later, she''d finally finished packing, and was bidding Briar goodbye.


    "I''m going to miss you," Briar pouted, bringing Madeline in a crushing embrace.


    "I can say the same for you," Madeline chuckled, knowing she''d miss Briar the days she couldn''t see her.


    "Be careful now," Briar reminded her friend.


    "You too."


    "Don''t you worry about me, I''ll be fine," Briar assured Madeline.


    "I''ve been here long enough to know how things work, you go rest easy."


    Madeline pursed her lips.


    "Alright."


    "But promise, you''ll call me as soon as it''s over?" Madeline asked, patting Briar on the back.


    "Call you? The reception here is terrible."


    "Briar!" Madeline exclaimed, pulling away from Briar.


    "I''m kidding. I will, I promise," Briar promised, giving Madeline a cheeky wink.


    "Now go, your comfy loft awaits you."


    "You never liked the loft," Madeline pointed out.


    "Course I didn''t, it was never really my style," Briar admitted, holding back her laughter once she saw Madeline fighting back a frown.


    "Go," Briar encouraged.


    "Goooo."


    "I haven''t said goodbye to Xavier yet."


    "Never thought I''d hear that sentence coming from you," Briar mused, knowing Madeline couldn''t hear her now that she was talking to Xavier.


    "Goodbye, pup," Xavier said to her.


    "Back to calling me pup again?"


    "Would you rather I call you Ms Delcour, or pup?"


    "I told you you could call me Madeline."


    "Everyone else gets to call you Madeline. Why can''t I get to call you something far more unique?"


    "So you''re saying you don''t like my name."


    "What I''m saying is, you better leave or werewolves will be able to catch up to you and tear you apart, pup."


    He added, "I won''t be able to save you every time you''re in trouble and are in need of saving, you know."


    Madeline scoffed.


    "I won''t need your saving all the time, you know."


    She exhaled lightly.


    "I should go now," she said, her hand moving to her purse. Yep, her car keys were still there.


    Putting her ego aside, she bid Xavier goodbye. It was getting late after all.


    (Author''s Note: Madeline drove back to her place since she found Eudora after dropping something when she exited her car. So yes, her car was practically parked at the side of the road for days without getting towed, etc. Keep in mind, this is a fictional novel.)


    One car drive later, she arrived at her loft, exhausted and completely drained.


    She turned on her lights to see everything where she''d placed it. Nothing had changed.


    Madeline yawned, knowing she was too tired to function or think of anything other than how comfortable her bed felt like.


    "Hello bed," she greeted, now changed into sleepwear.


    She flopped onto bed, and sleep washed over her, like waves did on a beach.


    __


    "So I see you''ve come to visit me again, little soul."


    ''NO NO NO NO! What am I doing back here?!''


    "Came to continue what happened on your last visit?"


    ''I''ve got to leave this place before he actually finds me this time,'' Madeline winced just thinking about it.


    There was definitely no one around. It was just him and her there. No one was there to save her - that is, if they could even see her.


    "Don''t be shy¡­ show yourself," he drawled, knowing he''d scare her off if he used his super speed to find her.


    "Or would you rather I find you first?"


    No noise followed - either he''d stopped speaking and breathing¡­ or he was quiet in finding her.


    ''Where''s Xavier when you need him?'' Madeline thought briefly before she shook her head.


    ''No, I don''t need anyone''s help. Much less his.''


    ''I will get out of this place in one piece.''


    Madeline hoped for the best - that she''d find a way out of here or the same thing that happened before repeated itself, and she disappeared into thin air.


    She then noticed how real everything felt. It didn''t feel like she was in some sort of dream anymore, all she felt was light and floaty. Like she was some sort of¡­ ghost, to put it in one way.


    ''This definitely isn''t a dream,'' she observed, looking around her to see a couple of rocks nearby. If he came close to finding her, she could hide there - presumably without getting caught.


    Something alerted Madeline. It didn''t take her long to realize¡­


    She could hear faint breathing behind her.


    ''NO NO NO NO.''


    "AHAH! I FINALLY FOUND YOU!" He roared with laughter and delight, knowing she had nowhere to escape now that he''d finally found her hiding spot.

 Chapter 22 - Death By…

    Madeline felt like she''d faint any moment now.


    Not this¡­ please, not this.


    ''Death by¡­ a mysterious stranger in a cave. How pathetic,'' she thought to herself, knowing she''d finally met her demise. There was no escaping this one.


    And to make things worse, she felt her body solidify. Like she was no longer in her soul form and this had turned into a reality.


    ''Crap, I''m dead for sure!''


    "Turn around, let me see you," he ordered sternly, giving her no other option but to turn around to see him, and to finally be able to get a good glimpse of his face.


    But, when she was finally able to look at him, she was left appalled.


    The man''s face was full of huge gashes and scars, and Madeline could''ve sworn he looked somewhat familiar. She dared say she felt he was a familiar figure too.


    ''Who is this?!'' Madeline wondered.


    ''Why isn''t he doing anything?''


    She stared at him, taking a step back.


    He was gaping at her, acting like a little kid who''d just gotten a present and was caught off guard. His eyes were round, and all he could do was look her up and down.


    The look on his face was priceless, and Madeline wondered if he was reconsidering killing her and hunting her down.


    ''All because of my face¡­?''


    Had he never seen a girl with coral pink hair?


    Was he shocked by her beauty?


    A million possibilities, and yet none of them came close to what he was actually thinking at that moment.


    His look of shock turned into a look of rage, but for some reason, Madeline didn''t think it was her he was infuriated at.


    Before she could ask what this was about, and why he''d suddenly froze in place, her surroundings dissolved.


    Madeline woke up, drenched in sweat and feeling like she wanted to throw up.


    What the hell just happened?


    How had she made it out of there in one piece?


    ''Just be grateful you made it out of there alive and quit wondering about all the irrelevant details,'' a voice spoke in her mind.


    Another voice spoke, ''Agreed.''


    Madeline sighed. They had a point. It wouldn''t do her any good to keep on pondering about how he didn''t do or say anything.


    At the end of the day¡­ she had survived.


    Looking out her window, Madeline witnessed the sun rise.


    Dawn had arrived, and Madeline couldn''t help but wonder how her friends were doing back at Eudora.


    Days quickly passed by, and Briar still hadn''t called.


    "Is she alright?" Madeline wondered.


    Would Briar make do on her promise and actually call her?


    Madeline felt a tad bit worried, before¡­ the phone rang.


    ''Should I pick up the phone?''


    ''I probably should,'' Madeline bit her lip nervously before picking up the phone and placing it beside her ear.


    "Hello, this is Madeline," she spoke, waiting to hear something from the other side of the phone, only to hear nothing.


    "Err, hello?" Madeline repeated, hoping to hear Briar''s voice. She''d checked the number that was calling her. It was Briar, alright.


    And yet, nothing. All she heard before the call abruptly ended was heavy breathing.


    "What do I do?" Madeline asked herself aloud.


    She knew she couldn''t just call Briar again - her previous call had said enough.


    What had happened?


    Was Xavier and Briar alright?


    ''Adrian too of course,'' a voice in her head added.


    Madeline sat down on her bean bag, knowing she wasn''t actually considering...


    ''You know, it wouldn''t hurt. She did say three days.''


    ''It was an estimate, it''s not for certain!''


    Biting her lip roughly, she didn''t think she could actually entertain such a crazy idea. Surely... she wouldn''t actually risk her life to go there would she?


    ...would she?


    __


    ''I can''t believe you''re entertaining this idea,'' a voice in her head spoke.


    ''It''s too late to go back now,'' another voice spoke, telling the truth.


    Madeline - insane woman she was - was currently on her way to Eudora. She''d remembered every single turn and path she had to take to get there, as though the directions to the place were imprinted in her mind.


    "What if Xavier''s preventing her from calling me?"


    "But he doesn''t know about her promise, does he?"


    "What''s keeping them from calling me?"


    "Surely it''s ended, it''s been five whole days without any news."


    Perhaps¡­ It was because of the pit of curiosity that gnawed in her stomach or the fact she was done waiting and wanted actual answers that she did this, but only time would tell what she''d come to see when she arrived.


    Only then could she confirm her suspicions.


    ''My suspicions¡­''


    What did she suspect?


    Being an overthinker, she''d already considered many kinds of possibilities, regardless of how nonsensical they were.


    Never did she think werewolves existed, but here she was now, soulmates with one. Who knew what else in the world she''d been so wrong about?


    Then again¡­ she''d never actually seen him in his wolf form¡­ who knew?


    Madeline blinked. Was she actually doubting Xavier?


    The man had saved her. And this was what he got in return from her?


    ''You''re being unfair,'' a voice spoke.


    ''Well no shit sherlock,'' another voice scoffed.


    ''Quick, it''s not too late, you can always head back and wait a couple more days, who knows? Maybe then Briar will call you,'' the voice reasoned, ignoring what the other voice had to say.


    ''Surely there has to be a misunderstanding in this or something,'' the voice continued, knowing Madeline was better off waiting then... risking her life to see things for herself.


    Unfortunately, Madeline wasn''t open to heading back. She was dead set on seeing things for herself. She''d always been extremely stubborn.


    Once she made up her mind, it was extremely difficult to get her to change her mind.


    ''Yay, you''re here!'' The other voice exclaimed, cheering her on.


    Madeline exited her car, locking it before she stared at the woods.


    ''Here I go,'' she thought, before she walked towards where she''d originally found Eudora.


    Oh, would she come to regret this¡­

 Chapter 23 - Oh You Have Got To Be Kidding Me

    ''Don''t get yourself killed,'' Madeline said to herself, knowing she was practically putting herself in danger, doing this.


    ''Oh come on, what''s the worst that could happen?'' Madeline reasoned, venturing deeper into the woods.


    ''Something unfortunate always occurs whenever that line is spoken. Especially in horror and or action movies,'' a voice huffed in annoyance and disapproval.


    Disregarding the two voices in her head acting as angel and devil once more, she went on, knowing she''d come to regret this but decided to continue anyway.


    When she saw Eudora, she stopped. It was a dead zone. There were no signs of life or anything in general.


    "What the¡ª"


    "Where is everyone?" Madeline wondered.


    "Where have they gone?"


    Deep down, a part of her - that liked to overthink things all the time - had already come up with its own answer. One Madeline didn''t think was possible until¡­


    She saw no more belongings left in the tents, and Xavier''s office completely barren and empty.


    They didn''t.


    They couldn''t have!


    Madeline''s heart raced in her chest, as she looked around the place, heading to Briar''s room.


    ''This has to be some sick joke,'' Madeline thought before she entered. It was sparkling clean.


    NO!


    It couldn''t.


    It couldn''t have all been a figment of her imagination that she''d created. They were here! Her soulmate was a werewolf. Her dearest friend was a werewolf! And Adrian¡­ he was the alpha''s advisor!


    She dialled Briar''s number, knowing this couldn''t be true.


    Maybe¡­ the full moon''s effects had affected them for a longer period than usual. Maybe¡­ they were out hunting somewhere.


    Madeline waited, and waited, and waited, before she had finally came to terms with what had happened.


    She fell to her knees, tears stung her eyes. Her heart felt like it''d explode from the sheer pain it was experiencing.


    Fighting back tears, she''d realized she was all alone in the woods, with no one else there. They''d abandoned her.


    No, abandon was the wrong word for it.


    They''d betrayed her. Xavier had betrayed her. Briar too.


    The two people she''d thought were her friends had lost her.


    With her face stained with tears, Madeline made it back to her car and safely back to her loft, vowing to forget all that''d happened.


    Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months - those months slowly turning into years as Madeline dismissed the events of Eudora as nothing more than that of a figment of her imagination. Xavier didn''t exist to her, and frankly¡­ neither did Briar. They were a faint memory to her, one that she wasn''t so keen to relive.


    It had taken her long to get over the fact that werewolves didn''t exist in the world, and things were finally beginning to improve for her.


    For one, she had gotten herself a job interview at a company that was one of the most sought after companies to work at. To say she wasn''t excited would be a complete lie. She''d been waiting for this day.


    She''d been between jobs and hoping she''d finally be able to land a permanent job and like an angel beaming down on her, the gods answered her prayers.


    Dressed up to the nines for said job interview, Madeline wished herself luck.


    ''It''s a job interview. Be professional, remember what I practisedMadelineswivelledll be completely fine,'' Madeline straightened her dress.


    For once in her life, she needed stability. A pillar to hold on to, and this job was it for her. It was exactly what she needed, and this time, there would be no surprises. Nothing that''d come unexpectedly.


    ''This isn''t actually what you want now is it, having a boring although stable job,'' the voice in her head reasoned.


    ''Talk, talk, talk. That''s all you do and look where it''s gotten her,'' the other voice tsked.


    Madeline knew it was best to ignore the voices. Today was her day. A new beginning for her. A restart. She was ecstatic and filled to the brim with excitement.


    She pulled up to the company building, knowing she could do this and she was ready for the fresh start she needed ever since¡­


    Madeline winced, she was better off not remembering that.


    It took her months to get over it, she didn''t want all those emotions to come rushing back in.


    So imagine her surprise¡­ when instead of being interviewed by the hiring manager, or even a member of the recruiting team¡­ she was asked to meet the CEO of the company instead.


    "The CEO?!" She cried, suddenly feeling more nervous than she did before. She hadn''t prepared to meet the CEO! That would''ve required far more preparation.


    Madeline''s heart skipped a beat from those two words themselves. Why the CEO? Why would he want to interview someone as lowly as her? Were they short-staffed today? Was that why?


    "This way please," a lady guided her towards the elevator leading to the CEO''s office situated on the highest floor of the building.


    She pressed a couple of buttons, and then Madeline was on her way, off to see the CEO for this job interview of hers.


    Mind you, Madeline had applied for a relatively small position. In the sense that the applicants didn''t require being interviewed by THE chief executive officer of the company, that is.


    "Ding!" Went the elevator before its doors slowly opened, leading to the hugest office Madeline had ever seen in her entire life.


    Across from the elevator doors, Madeline saw a huge chair facing backwards from her.


    She croaked, "H-hello."


    "Ms Delcour, it''s been a while," the man''s voice spoke.


    Madeline immediately recognized the dulcet tones she''d heard. But it couldn''t be.


    All those fake scenarios she''d created in her head, all the nights she''d spent crying herself to sleep knowing she''d been duped and betrayed¡­


    The chair swivelled, and low and behold. The one sight she''d never dreamt of seeing.


    Madeline''s heart flipped in her chest. Her knees shook.


    "W-wha-"


    "Oh you have got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath, recoiling at what she saw.

 Chapter 24 - Ferals

    Madeline groaned.


    "I hate this," she grumbled, unable to open her eyes, what with the sun shining in her eyes.


    "A dream in a dream, how worse could my luck be," Madeline scoffed.


    This was extremely ridiculous. She almost fell for it, if not for her waking up in time.


    She yawned, "Oh finally, that damned dream sequence is over."


    Dreaming she was dreaming - as nonsensical as that sounded - was a nightmare she never wanted to relive.


    Merely thinking about herself applying for a job in a company whose CEO turned out to be Xavier made Madeline laugh. She couldn''t help but crack a few laughs at the thought of it. How could she not?


    She sighed, crawling out of her bed before putting on her fluffy slippers. Today was the day she returned.


    Excited to see Briar (and Xavier) again, Madeline brought a couple of her belongings, knowing this time she''d stay longer.


    Trying not to think of the dream she had - wherein she dreamt of having a dream, she went on with her day, now on her way to Eudora.


    Briar had already called her beforehand, so she was in the clear.


    Nothing that''d happened in that nightmare of hers would come true. Briar was alright. Madeline couldn''t have been more pleased to have heard Briar''s voice at the other end of the call.


    Driving to Eudora, Madeline hoped to see them, and she was delighted to see Briar awaiting her arrival. It''d been three days since she''d been here, and finally... she''d returned.


    "It''s great to be back here," she breathed, taking the entire place in. It didn''t look so different to her.


    "It''s great to have you here," Briar spoke, having missed her friend dearly.


    "Hunting for prey isn''t as fun when your friend is waiting back at her loft for you," Briar admitted, noticing Madeline was searching for something.


    "Looking for Xavier?" She questioned, her one brow raised.


    "Where is he?" Madeline asked, trying to hide the look of disappointment when she didn''t see him there.


    "He''s... occupied," Briar said sheepishly, knowing it was better if Madeline didn''t disturb him at the current moment, for he had other things to do that didn''t include greeting her upon her return.


    "You''ll probably see him later," Briar reasoned.


    Madeline gave her a convincing smile, "Oh it''s fine."


    She walked closer to Briar, "So, anything''s happened while I was gone?"


    "Any improvements?"


    Briar pursed her lips.


    "Before we get to that, why don''t we grab a bite?" She offered, knowing Madeline was the type of person to get hungry easily.


    There were twinkles in Madeline''s eyes - she was famished, to say the least.


    "Great idea," she said cheerfully, knowing food was exactly what she needed. She''d been tired from her drive here.


    Unlike werewolves, her stamina was extremely low.


    On her way to the dining hall, Madeline was surprised to see less werewolves in the pack. What was the meaning of this? Had something happened?


    Something was off; the atmosphere was tense.


    Could this explain why Xavier wasn''t here?


    The air was chillier than before, and Madeline felt goosebumps on her fair skin. She shivered.


    Eudora felt a tad bit different before - she wondered why Briar didn''t seem to be affected. Was she used to this?


    Madeline observed Briar, wondering if she had any idea as to what was causing this. Did she?


    "Something feels off," Madeline noticed.


    Briar froze in her spot like a child did when they were in trouble and were about to get scolded by their parent, or whoever was babysitting them.


    "Oh? What feels off?" She asked unconvincingly, knowing she was busted.


    "Do tell," Briar said.


    "You know exactly what I mean," Madeline crossed her arms.


    "You have that same face when you''re hiding something."


    "Not that you''ve ever been good at hiding secrets," she reasoned.


    Briar pouted, "Do you really want me to tell you?"


    "Tell me what, what''s going on here?"


    Briar stared at the grassy floors, "That, and what connection it has with Xavier."


    Madeline blinked, "It''s connected to Xavier?"


    "Is he alright?" She asked worriedly, wondering if something had happened to him.


    To her relief, Briar shook her head.


    "He''s not hurt or anything."


    "And besides it would be difficult to harm him, he is the alpha after all. He''s the most powerful person here, in terms of strength and rank."


    "What I mean to say is... how he''s at the forefront of dealing with this situation," Briar said, making hand gestures while she did.


    Now Madeline was really curious. So this had something to do with Xavier - or at least it was him dealing with this.


    ''Hmm, could this have something to do with the full moon?'' Madeline wondered.


    ''It is the most logical explanation to all of this.''


    ''But I should hear what Briar has to say since she knows more of this situation than I do.''


    "So¡­"


    "Do you know of the term ''feral''?" Briar questioned.


    Madeline narrowed her eyes, looking really confused.


    (Author''s Note: Feral means a wild state, usually related to animals.)


    "Of course I do," she answered, prompting Briar to take a deep breath.


    Briar began, "Every full moon, when humans turn to werewolves, we risk the chance of going feral."


    "As in, we completely lose ourself in our werewolf form and we become what we are to the outside world. A monster."


    "The ones that turn to these creatures are called feral. And once one turns into a feral, there is no turning back. You''re stuck in that form forever, and most either are slaughtered by one of their kind or roam Alaric, looking for creatures to prey on as they''re no longer able to be like what they once were."


    Madeline stuttered, "W-what do these ferals look like?"


    Briar inhaled lightly.


    "They look exactly like werewolves," she answered, studying Madeline''s face to see if there was a change in her expression.


    A look of realization dawned upon Madeline''s face.


    "So when you say Xavier''s handling this situation¡­ about the ferals¡­"


    "You''re saying he''s the one who''s going to slaughter them?"

 Chapter 25 - HELPPPPPPPP!

    "Briar, you''re kidding. Right?" Madeline gave her a pleading look.


    While she knew this wasn''t as big a deal as she was making it out to be¡­ She didn''t know she was soulmates with a man that''d killed his own kind!


    Madeline didn''t know what to think at that moment.


    "I''m not," Briar answered, before assuring her.


    She noticed the look on Madeline''s face.


    Briar inhaled, "Listen."


    "Ferals kill ruthlessly, and they never hold back any mercy."


    "If they were exposed to humans¡­ who knew what could happen next. A feral apocalypse, maybe."


    "So¡­ what, Xavier''s a hero?"


    Briar kept silent, only saying in response, "Take it as you will."


    "I''m just saying... don''t make Xavier out to be some big bad wolf."


    "I doubt he wants to do this anyway," Briar said.


    "No one does. It''s just the job tasked to the alpha, since any other werewolf that comes into close contact with the feral and gets... bitten, or injured by it would turn into one as well."


    "Just like how werewolves are turned," Briar added.


    Madeline stared at her, "So you''re telling me... you actually were a human before you were turned into a werewolf?"


    Briar nodded.


    "Mhm," she answered.


    Madeline had a look of both pity and shock displayed across her face. She didn''t know what she expected, but it certainly wasn''t this.


    Her lower lip quivered, "What... happened?"


    "If you want to talk about it, of course," Madeline spoke in a hushed voice.


    Briar shrugged it off, "It''s alright, Maddie."


    She gazed thoughtfully at a couple of trees in the distance, trying to remember a memory that remained fresh in her mind, despite being decades old.


    "How I was turned¡­"


    "It was ages ago," Briar admitted, "At least¡­ it feels like it."


    "It took place about 70-80 years ago. I was turned by some werewolf that was invading my family''s home in the middle of the night."


    "The werewolf had killed my entire family, but I had survived."


    Briar recalled watching helplessly as her parents were slaughtered in front of her. How¡­ afterwards, instead of meeting the same fate as her parents, she was bitten and turned into the same creature that''d killed her parents.


    "Keep in mind, humans are turned into werewolves when they''re injured by a fully-turned werewolf. And then it''s at the next full moon that they turn into a werewolf for the very first time."


    Paying full attention to what Briar was saying, Madeline''s mouth flapped open and close like that of a fish''s.


    ''So that''s how humans were turned to werewolves. That actually makes a ton of sense,'' Madeline mused.


    "So what you''re saying is¡­ Xavier''s preventing a whole feral apocalypse from taking place," she realized.


    "If you want to put it that way, then yes."


    Briar had a sheepish smile on her face.


    "But¡­ do take this with a grain of salt, Xavier was the one that took me in the pack in the first place when I was first turned, so¡­ there''s that."


    "Woah."


    "Mhm."


    "So¡­"


    Briar repeated the same thing, "So¡­"


    They said in unison, "Picnic?"


    A grin of agreement formed on both their faces.


    "You know, three days without you felt like forever," Madeline admitted.


    Briar laughed softly, "Oh it wouldn''t have been that long to you."


    "So, are we going to have a picnic or what?"


    "You''re right," Madeline said.


    Hours later, Madeline and Briar went their separate ways after their enjoyable picnic together. It was safe to say that Madeline didn''t anticipate what happened next, but it was this occasion that made Madeline never roam Eudora during the darkest hours.


    "I should accompany you to your room, make sure you get there safely," Briar had offered, only for Madeline to shake her head in disagreement.


    "Briar, I''m not some porcelain vase. I''m not fragile and delicate, I can handle myself just fine," she reasoned, insisting on making it back to her room on her lonesome, without any protection and anyone by her side.


    As she passed the shooting range, she heard a noise coming from behind her.


    The bushes behind her rustled.


    Feeling the presence of someone else behind her, Madeline picked up her pace.


    A low, guttural growl emerged from behind her, making Madeline freeze in place.


    Madeline recalled what Briar had told her during the picnic. "If ever the case you''re faced with a feral. The first thing to do would be not to panic. A feral feeds on fear. It can smell it too."


    ''What''s behind me?'' Madeline wondered curiously, knowing she couldn''t panic or make any sudden movements.


    ''Turn around idiot,'' a voice in her head chided.


    The other voice agreed, ''Turn around, you''ll get a better view of whatever this creature is.''


    Her heart feeling like it''d explode, Madeline turned around.


    She had to stop herself from flinching as she found herself practically face-to-face with a werewolf.


    "Oh my god," she breathed.


    Her hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from screaming and running away in panic.


    The werewolf would catch her in a blink of an eye and then she''d be done for.


    For some reason, he wasn''t doing anything, as if terrified of her.


    ''Err¡­ is he supposed to be staying still and doing nothing?''


    Madeline took a couple steps back, hoping it wouldn''t go noticed by the werewolf.


    It was her first time ever seeing one.


    But then, something seemed to have angered the werewolf, as he glared at her, looking at her like she was some Michelin star dish he was about to feast on.


    Madeline was seconds away from running before¡­ the werewolf pounced at her, knocking her to the ground.


    Too frightened to notice the blood leaking from her finger, Madeline tried crawling away from the werewolf, to no avail.


    This was it, she was finally done for.


    She moved away from the werewolf, trying to get up but stopping her was a sprained ankle that she''d gotten when she''d been thrown roughly to the ground.


    ''Please don''t hurt me,'' she thought, using her hands to move backwards.


    The beast growled, and that was enough to scare Madeline out of her wits.


    She yelled just before the werewolf was about to bite into her and dig in¡­


    "HELPPPPPPP!"

 Chapter 26 - What Happened To That Werewolf?

    It felt like a ton of bricks slammed into Madeline as she was picked up. Her surroundings turned into a blur as suddenly, the feral was gone.


    Madeline felt like crying from shock.


    What the hell just happened?


    ''How am I still alive?''


    ''Where am I?''


    "Stay here," she heard a masculine voice tell her, although she couldn''t see him. He was standing behind her.


    Afterwards, she turned around to see no one. A gust of wind blew at her face.


    She heard a loud howl coming from the distance, and then, WHOOSH!


    Xavier wiped his hands calmly.


    ''Xavier,'' she breathed.


    "You called for h¡ª"


    Oof!


    "You saved me," was all Madeline said, her voice filled to the brim with appreciation and gratitude.


    "Well you called for help," he pointed out.


    "I didn''t expect anyone would come," she admitted sheepishly.


    "Tch, you have absolutely no faith," he couldn''t help but facepalm.


    "What happened to that werewolf?" Madeline then asked.


    Xavier furrowed his brow, "That wasn''t just a werewolf."


    "It was a feral werewolf."


    "What are the differences between the two of them?"


    "Appearance wise? There aren''t any. But, it''s relatively easy to sense which is a feral and which is a normal werewolf. So long as you''re a werewolf, that is."


    "Aish, you and I both know I''m not a werewolf," she pouted.


    ''Hm, I didn''t get to see Xavier in his werewolf form either.''


    But, she did see a feral werewolf. For the first time in her whole, entire life.


    She hadn''t taken the time to process things.


    "But... all things aside, you saved me."


    "Thanks," she smiled bashfully.


    "It''s no big deal," Xavier nodded.


    "I was meant to deal with them in the first place, so... either way I would''ve killed the feral anyway."


    He pursed his lips, wanting to say something but unable to. Why were the words stuck in his throat?


    Madeline had sat down on a nearby bench.


    He sat down beside her.


    "And... it was the least I could do for my friend."


    Madeline looked up at him - even sitting down he was at least a head taller than her.


    She looked taken aback, to the point she had to do a double take.


    "You called me your friend," she realized.


    "As I said before, it''s no big deal so no need to make a big fuss of it," Xavier said.


    He didn''t look like he was frowning, but didn''t seem like he was smiling either. Xavier could be confusing and vague, especially when it came to showing or displaying his emotions.


    Madeline tried her best not to bring him in a hug, or to do some random gesture simply because she was glad and overjoyed he considered her a friend.


    Making friends¡­ It was difficult for her. It was why she didn''t have many friends, except for Briar - and now - Xavier.


    Xavier knew Adrian would most certainly be pleased with this new improvement.


    So when he and Madeline returned, Madeline drenched in sweat and Xavier both looking and seeming different than before¡­ it managed to give Adrian the wrong impression.


    "What happened?" Adrian asked, his eyes round in anticipation.


    "We''ve established that we''re friends," Xavier said, unaware of Adrian''s presumptuous assumptions.


    "Friends?" Adrian tilted his head, hoping for more. More information as to what happened in the woods, when they''d been left alone at night.


    Who knew how fast news could spread, especially when it involved the alpha and his human soulmate alone at such a time.


    The dark hours, could there have been a worst time for them to be seen together?


    "I saved her from a feral werewolf," Xavier explained.


    Adrian paused.


    "A feral werewolf?"


    He seemed thoroughly shocked.


    "Haven''t you dealt with all of them?" Adrian asked.


    "I had," Xavier nodded.


    "It''s becoming worse," he placed a hand on his forehead.


    "We don''t know what causes this, all but how it occurs during the full moon. Who knows what might occur next if humans were to be exposed to the ferals? In no time at all, humans will be turning into ferals left and right, and there''ll be nothing we can do about it," Xavier sighed.


    "She called for help. I heard it after I''d finished what I thought was the last of it and killed that feral too."


    "How many do you think are left out there?"


    Xavier exhaled deeply.


    "My honest answer?"


    "I don''t know," he answered.


    "But what I do know is..."


    "My friend could''ve died out there."


    A dark aura enveloped him - even Adrian sensed Xavier was anything but at ease. He was hissing with rage.


    But¡­


    "You''re still calling her your friend."


    "You call her your friend after knowing her for less than a week. But I, who you''ve known for centuries, you call by my name. Is it weird I find myself offended?"


    "It''s not the right time to joke around, Adrian."


    "See what I mean! You call me Adrian!" Adrian crossed his arms in jealousy.


    It was one of the moments where he was talking to Xavier as his friend, not his advisor.


    One would never find Adrian speaking like this in front of everyone else. He behaved this way only in front of Xavier.


    "Would you rather me call you something other than Adrian?"


    "Say¡­ brother?"


    "That would be nice," Adrian admitted, genuinely liking the idea.


    "I was joking," Xavier clarified before Adrian continued, insisting he be called the one thing he always wanted Xavier to see him as - a brother.


    Adrian frowned.


    "Fine, but come on."


    "You can at least tell me what happened and how you and Madeline''s friendship came to be," Adrian coaxed.


    "What is this, an inquisition?"


    "I just¡­ declared we''re friends, ''is all."


    "Nothing more to it," Xavier shrugged.


    Adrian gave Xavier a dirty look.


    "Really?"


    "Because if I recall¡­ It took me centuries for you to consider me as your friend."


    "You''ve barely known the girl for a week and now you already consider her your friend."


    "Hmmmm," Adrian mused.


    "Peculiar, no?"

 Chapter 27 - Love, Love - And You Guessed It - Love

    "I am unaware of what you''re trying to say," Xavier feigned ignorance.


    "It came naturally," he admitted.


    Adrian was astounded by Xavier''s words.


    ''It came naturally''?


    Seriously?


    Confused as to whether to burst into laughter or start glaring at Xavier, Adrian blinked.


    "Are you to tell me your entire explanation for this is..."


    He gulped.


    "''It came naturally''?" Adrian made air quotations while quoting Xavier''s words.


    Xavier narrowed his eyes, "Why? Is there something wrong with it?"


    "No, of course not," Adrian dismissed it, knowing Xavier wouldn''t take the hint.


    He wasn''t exactly the brightest when it came to taking things trivially. He was always all serious and broody.


    One wouldn''t understand why he and Madeline were paired together.


    One side, cheery and a ray of sunshine. The other... darkness. Just darkness. They were opposites.


    And some people claimed that opposites attract¡­ just as magnets do¡­ but it leads one to ask the question, would a werewolf and a human actually be compatible as¡­ friends?


    Briar and Madeline were friends, but their friendship had began with one party thinking the other was their kind. That they were human, just like them.


    However, now that Madeline had learnt of the truth, she didn''t see or treat Briar in a different way.


    She treated Briar like she did before. Sure, she had some learning to do when it came to werewolves, but¡­ otherwise, not much had changed.


    Speaking of Madeline, she was telling Briar all about her first encounter with a feral werewolf - and a werewolf in general.


    Madeline hadn''t expected to encounter one so soon - especially when it hadn''t been a day since she returned.


    "What happened next?" Briar questioned, Madeline''s news sparking her interest.


    Of course, she''d been worried once she heard of what happened, but once she ensured Madeline was completely alright and had no lasting injuries¡­ She let her curiosity get the best of her.


    "Xavier saved me."


    "He came to your rescue?"


    "After I called for help," Madeline said sheepishly, trying not to blush thinking about it.


    Being saved twice by Xavier¡­ Why was he always at the right place at the right time?


    "Then he did."


    "Did you get to see him¡­"


    Madeline shook her head. She hadn''t got to see Xavier kill the feral. He''d brought her somewhere far away before doing it - or so she assumed, what with the howls she heard in the distance.


    Thinking of what Xavier could''ve done to the feral, Madeline couldn''t help but feel pity.


    ''Pity? For a creature that nearly killed you? You''ve gone insane,'' she thought in her mind.


    "I didn''t."


    "Did he say anything to you afterwards?"


    "Do you always ask this much questions when someone gets attacked by a feral?" Madeline asked, the part where the feral had nearly scratched her beginning to hurt.


    "No, I don''t."


    "So why ask me?"


    "Because usually, when someone''s attacked by a feral, they don''t get to tell the tale. That is, because they were either turned into ferals or died from the attack," Briar explained.


    "Ah," Madeline spoke, a light hue of rose covering her porcelain cheeks.


    "And usually, the ones that do survive don''t get saved by Xavier."


    Madeline kept quiet, knowing it''d be best if she just stayed quiet. She didn''t know that before.


    "And you''re the first human I know to have been in close proximity with a feral. And the only human I know to have been attacked by a feral werewolf and nearly transformed into one," Briar added.


    Madeline - in an attempt to change the topic to something more convenient for her to comprehend - blurted aloud, "Xavier called me his friend after he saved me."


    Briar couldn''t believe her ears.


    "¡­what did you just say?"


    There was an evident stutter to her voice - it''d successfully shocked her.


    "He called you his¡­"


    "His¡­"


    Briar cleared her throat, although still unable to say the word aloud.


    "Briar, you alright?"


    Madeline looked over at her concernedly.


    "I am, I just¡­"


    "Xavier called you his friend."


    "He did," Madeline confirmed.


    "He called you his friend," Briar repeated.


    "I called him my friend first," Madeline pouted.


    Briar had a look that made Madeline assume she understood something she herself didn''t.


    She and Adrian shared a mutual understanding of something that both Xavier and Madeline couldn''t fathom.


    "This isn''t a competition, you know," Briar pointed out.


    "I know that," Madeline creased her brow.


    Briar looked out the wall clock in Madeline''s room. It was already extremely late.


    "I should go now, let you sleep in peace," Briar decided, not wanting to leave Madeline''s room despite knowing Madeline needed sleep after her ordeal.


    Actually, the word room wouldn''t be the right way to describe her accommodations. She''d been given one of the largest rooms in Eudora - another perk of being the alpha''s soulmate and friend. Briar was fortunate to have been welcomed in Madeline''s quarters whenever she pleased - at least that was the sentiment Briar had.


    Briar returned to her room, leaving Madeline to allow her to finally get some rest.


    ''Wouldn''t want to bother her,'' she said, before sighing.


    Looking at her pinky, she wondered if she had a soulmate out there.


    She was happy for her friend - she truly was, but with Madeline being soulmates with the alpha¡­


    Who was she meant to be with?


    Never had Briar found herself interested in men, even after more than a hundred years of roaming Alaric.


    No one had managed to catch her attention, or prove to her they were worth her affection.


    But, as time passed, she grew to want to find love, and the man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with.


    It all started when she decided to leave the pack to go to university and feel what it was like to be a human for once. When she met Madeline, who showed her the world of romance novels and movies and how love could be a beautiful thing.


    ''Love,'' Briar muttered under her breath while looking up at the ocean of stars which was the velvety night sky.


    ''When will I be able to feel the pleasure of experiencing it?''

 Chapter 28 - Her Names... Briar

    Love.


    A mysterious force as is.


    In Alaric, everyone was believed to have a soulmate.


    If you didn''t have one, things could go either one of two ways.


    One, you meet the love of your life, and you fall in love.


    The other, you remain lonely and either make peace with it, or you spend the rest of your life with no one by your side.


    Briar had dreamt of meeting her soulmate, ever since she was a little girl and her mother had told her tales of what love was like, and what it felt like.


    Obviously, she wasn''t too keen on looking for anyone as of now, and she had Madeline, although... after so long, she''d begun to give up on the possibility that she was meant for¡­ love.


    Briar laughed softly, remembering the time Madeline had brought up dating apps. Madeline had desperately tried getting her on there, and to start meeting people when she discovered Briar felt ready for a relationship.


    At that time, she didn''t know Briar had decades of time to prepare herself and to find a soulmate, but nevertheless, her efforts were in vain. No one was to Briar''s liking.


    ''They don''t deserve you anyway,'' Briar remembered Madeline saying after Briar had gone on numerous, unsuccessful dates.


    ''Some people aren''t cut out for... this kind of lifestyle,'' Madeline said in the nicest way possible, trying not to offend her friend when Briar never felt offended in the first place.


    Briar exhaled lightly, sucking in her cheeks.


    She was glad to have Madeline back in her life again. Especially when things had begun turning boring and old for her.


    She couldn''t fathom how Xavier had survived hundreds of years of this sort of torture, mateless and duty-bound. He''d been the alpha for ages, she never knew a time where there''d been another alpha in the frame.


    Who knew that the day Madeline stumbled upon Eudora would be the day Xavier found his long lost soulmate.


    The alpha''s mate.


    Many ladies vied for his attention. To be the one he cast his gaze on when he walked past the crowd. To be his one and only.


    They would''ve given anything they had to be with him. To have the alpha as their soulmate. And now, he''d finally found his soulmate, and that would definitely cause a stir amongst the female werewolves. Especially those that didn''t have a mate.


    They''d do anything to make sure Madeline would get out of the picture - and Briar had a feeling that played a factor in why Madeline had encountered a feral. Someone had done it to rid her.


    Briar had never personally taken interest in Xavier. To put it frankly, he was never her type of ideal guy.


    Whether or not he was Madeline''s on the other hand¡­ Briar had no idea. Madeline had never discussed what she desired in a man. She was a diehard romantic, that was definite, but she''d kept it to herself. Briar never bothered to ask either.


    Before, finding someone to date was the last of Madeline''s priorities. Now¡­ She already had a soulmate, and it was the last person Briar ever thought fate would''ve paired Madeline with.


    Briar thought back to a moment during the picnic.


    ''Madeline, could you humour me for a moment?'' She asked Madeline.


    Madeline turned to look at her, ''Sure.''


    ''Why weren''t you upset when you discovered that I was a werewolf?''


    Her friend didn''t reply for a moment.


    ''Well, I was upset for a moment, before I thought about it and realized it wasn''t as bad as I was making it out to be. You''re my friend, and we''ve been growing distant lately. I didn''t know what you were up to and when I''d discovered Xavier was my soulmate¡­ the first person I thought of telling was... you.''


    ''I''m glad you''re here - and not because I just need someone to talk to,'' Madeline shook her head.


    ''Because you''re my friend, Bri.''


    Briar was moved by Madeline''s words. She had to stop herself from getting teary.


    Something she hadn''t told Madeline was how she''d missed her too.


    Madeline had treated her like no one else did. Everyone else knew she was a werewolf, but when they''d met, Madeline didn''t know a thing.


    She treated her like she was a friend, and only that. She didn''t get upset when Briar had to bail on plans during the full moon.


    Back to reality, Briar reminded herself it was getting late. It was best she got some sleep right about now so she''d be cheery in the morning.


    Meanwhile, with two other werewolves that were still awake and working¡­


    "So you think this happened on purpose?" Adrian questioned.


    "Yes," Xavier nodded.


    He knew from the start Madeline being his soulmate would make her a target for malicious doings, but he didn''t expect this to have happened to her.


    "What do you want me to do?" Adrian asked from the sombre look on Xavier''s face.


    "You can tell me what you''re thinking," Adrian reminded.


    "Mhm," Xavier grumbled, tapping his finger on his desk.


    "Assign someone to guard her," he decided.


    "E-Eh? Guard her?" Adrian blinked.


    He didn''t think Xavier would take those measures for Madeline.


    ''Consider me shocked,'' he thought.


    "Do you think she''ll consent to being followed all the time by someone she doesn''t even know?" Adrian reasoned with Xavier.


    "Right."


    "Then you do it," Xavier decided.


    Adrian became even more shocked.


    "M-ME?!" He nearly yelled.


    "Keep your voice down," Xavier chided.


    "You''re going to draw attention with how rambunctious you''re being."


    "If I''m so rambunctious then why did you just assign me to watch over Madeline?"


    "Are you objecting?" Xavier inquired, staring Adrian in the eye.


    Friend or not, Xavier was the alpha.


    His alpha.


    ''Not like I have a choice,'' Adrian thought, lowering his head.


    "I''m not. Of course, I''m not," he sighed.


    "I''ll do what you ask me to."


    Xavier looked surprised.


    "I''m messing with you," he said casually.


    Adrian frowned.


    "Seriously?"


    "You called me a tight ass, remember."


    "And my words bite me back in the ass."


    "So who''ll you get to protect Madeline?"


    Xavier asked, "What''s the name of that friend of hers she''s constantly with? She''s a delta in this pack if I recall."


    Adrian seemed to have forgotten her name as well.


    "Briar," he recalled.


    "Her name''s Briar."


    "Alright then, let Briar do it."

 Chapter 29 - THE ALPHA TASKED ME WITH PROTECTING HIS SOULMATE?!

    "THE ALPHA TASKED ME WITH PROTECTING MADELINE?" Briar yelled.


    Adrian winced, "Quiet down."


    "I''m merely the messenger, but yes. The alpha has tasked you with protecting Miss Madeline, so do not let him down," he nodded, acknowledging her.


    Briar had to resist the urge to curtsy.


    "Of course!" She exclaimed, now even more determined to do the job she''d intended to do in the first place.


    She had always intended to keep Madeline safe from harm. But now that Xavier had ordered her to, she couldn''t help but feel more determined.


    Bidding Adrian goodbye, she headed to Madeline''s quarters, where her dear friend hadn''t yet awoken and was still in a deep slumber.


    "Wakey wakey," Briar said singsongingly, opening the curtains wide enough for the sun to come blasting in at Madeline''s face.


    Briar had became successful in waking her friend up. Madeline rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn.


    "Did you have to wake me up so early?"


    "Wake you up so early? Heavens, Maddie, it''s late in the afternoon."


    "Then why is the sun so bright?"


    "I wouldn''t know," Briar answered.


    "And what are you doing here anyway?"


    Briar grinned sheepishly.


    "Well... I came here to tell you what Adrian told me."


    Madeline groaned in annoyance.


    "Oh?"


    "Was it that important that you had to interrupt my sleep?"


    "Yes. Yes it is actually, and it concerns both you and me."


    Madeline sat up in her bed.


    "...what?" She asked, her curious piqued.


    "What is it then?" Madeline questioned impatiently.


    Briar answered, "Xavier''s assigned me to be your bodyguard."


    Instead of seeming shocked, Madeline doubled down in laughter.


    Briar couldn''t help but stare at her friend. Had she lost her wits? What could she find funny about this?


    "That''s a funny prank you''re playing on me," Madeline said in between laughs, unaware this actually wasn''t a sick joke.


    She paused once she noticed Briar not laughing with her.


    "Oh," she said quietly.


    "This isn''t a prank or a joke."


    She wanted to slap herself.


    Looking at the bright side, she realized, "At least that means you have a reason to stay by my side."


    Briar beamed, "Well you''re certainly right about that."


    "It''ll be fun," Madeline insisted.


    Briar chuckled - that mere action flooded Madeline with relief.


    "You''re right, it will be fun now that I''ve been tasked with hanging with you all day."


    "Everyday will seem like a sleepover too," Briar pointed out.


    "You''ll be sleeping in my quarters starting now on?"


    "Oh, uh--"


    "I didn''t mean it as a bad thing or anything, I''m just¡­"


    Madeline looked incredibly excited.


    "I can''t believe it, we get to spend even more time together."


    One could easily tell Madeline was radiating with excitement by how she spoke.


    Briar shared the same sentiment to this new change.


    She no longer had any other duties except guarding Madeline. One that didn''t seem like a duty and more like a blessing.


    Glancing at the wall clock, Briar reminded Madeline she had breakfast with Xavier coming soon.


    It was then she realized that by being Madeline''s bodyguard, she''d got to feast with the alpha as well.


    "Oh god, I''m eating with you and Xavier," Briar winced merely thinking about it.


    "I don''t want to be the third wheel."


    "What was that?"


    Briar panicked, "Nothing!"


    "Hm, okay."


    "I''m going to go take a shower now. See you in a few."


    Madeline slipped on her slippers and headed for the bathroom. Briar made herself comfortable on one of the chairs in Madeline''s quarters.


    Less than half an hour later, Madeline walked out of the bathroom wearing her ensemble for the day.


    "What do you think?" Madeline questioned.


    "You look perfect," Briar said, giving Madeline two thumbs up.


    "So, ready to go to breakfast now?" Briar inquired.


    "Yep," Madeline responded.


    "Let''s go."


    Less than an hour later, she and Briar were seated on the dining table along with Xavier.


    Briar had offered to leave but Madeline had insisted she stayed - and Xavier didn''t seem to mind.


    And by ''didn''t seem to mind'', it meant that he had no other choice but to let her stay.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to get used to this,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    He thought back to what Adrian had said. Adrian was right.


    Had he tasked a stranger to guard Madeline, he''d likely never heard the end of it from her.


    "Got any plans for today?" He inquired, beginning to get bored from the silence that filled the entire room.


    Whilst he had other matters to attend to, he felt it rude if he left now when he''d already left early yesterday, and during the days before.


    Madeline shook her head, "Nope."


    "Why ask?"


    "No particular reason," Xavier answered, returning to eating.


    The entire time, Briar watched the two engage in conversation. She didn''t feel like it was her place to speak, especially with the alpha there. She''d save her thoughts for later.


    When Briar snapped out of her train of thought, she was confused as to what happened.


    Madeline and Xavier were¡­ bickering.


    Briar tilted her head, watching the both of them.


    "I already told you, I have nothing to do all day."


    "And I told you I''m busy."


    "Can''t you spare some time or something to go exploring with me?" Madeline asked out of nowhere.


    She seemed surprised by her own words. The way she looked, it was as though she wanted to melt into a puddle right then and there on her chair.


    With a stutter to her voice, Madeline said to him, "I-I was j-joking."


    At that point, the both of them hadn''t noticed Briar making up some excuse and leaving the dining room.


    "Sort of," she added.


    "Are you asking me to go exploring with you?"


    "What if I am?" Madeline asked curiously.


    "Are you?"


    "I don''t know."


    "You can be very confusing at times¡­ you know that?" Xavier asked.


    He scrunched his nose.


    "I am not," Madeline said insistently.


    "You say that and then you continue to say things like¡­"


    Xavier cleared his throat, before mocking her, ''Can''t you spare some time to go exploring with me?''

 Chapter 30 - Go Ask Madeline

    Madeline resisted the urge to curse at him.


    What an incredibly insufferable, insolent man. How dare he mock her like that!


    She took a look around - slightly grateful Briar wasn''t here to witness it.


    "Where did Briar go?" Madeline asked.


    "She left," Xavier answered, taking a sip of a mysterious drink.


    "Left?"


    Madeline bit her lip. She''d been so engaged in the conversation that she didn''t notice Briar leaving.


    She stared at his drink.


    "What''s that?"


    "A magical potion," Xavier answered casually.


    "What does it do?"


    "I didn''t think you''d actually fall for that," Xavier seemed surprised.


    "You were joking?" Madeline blinked.


    "You weren''t?"


    "Then what is it?"


    "Think of it as an energy drink, but for werewolves."


    Madeline raised her brow questioningly.


    An energy drink?


    "While you have the luxury of sleep. I don''t," Xavier said.


    "Are you saying you were up all night working tirelessly?"


    "Pretty much. Why?"


    "Hmmm."


    "Nothing," Madeline lied, trying to avert his gaze.


    "I thought you''d be a better liar."


    "And I thought you knew how to prioritize work with health but you clearly don''t."


    "Werewolves don''t need to sleep."


    Madeline combatted, "That doesn''t mean you don''t sleep, Xavier."


    "What do you want me to do, sleep for once and disregard my work?"


    "No, I don''t want you to disregard your work."


    "I want you to start prioritizing yourself over work and consider getting other people to assist you."


    "Who are you for me to listen to what you say?"


    Madeline reminded, remaining unfazed by his hurtful words, "I''m your friend, remember?"


    Xavier stayed silent.


    Shoot, he had called her his friend.


    His words had bit him in the ass.


    Was this how Adrian felt?


    Did he really have to start prioritizing his health over work?


    He''d never actually considered it before - despite Adrian''s pleas for him.


    __


    "How did breakfast with Madeline go?" Adrian asked cheerily, hoping for something by the expression on Xavier''s stoic face. He was deep in thought, meaning Madeline must''ve said something.


    "What did Madeline do?"


    Xavier kept silent.


    "How long do you intend to keep me in the dark and ignore me, Xay?" Adrian frowned, a crease forming between his brows.


    He was beginning to get annoyed. Xavier had a habit of spacing out and not listening to him recently. Well, he''d always done that but now more than usual. What was up with him?


    Come to think of it, it''d all started¡­ when Madeline came.


    Did these two things have a connection or did they have no relation to each other whatsoever? That was the big question on Adrian''s mind.


    "Does this have any relation to the events that occured at breakfast?"


    Xavier snapped out of his daze.


    "It doesn''t."


    Adrian cursed under his breath, beginning to regret his decision to skip breakfast. He should''ve been there to witness what happened. Maybe then he''d fathom why Xavier was behaving in this manner.


    "Care to tell me what Madeline said?"


    "She didn''t say anything worth noting," Xavier lied, being quite convincing.


    Adrian would''ve believed him if he didn''t know Xavier, but after being friends for centuries, he knew better. And by that, he knew when Xay was hiding something from him.


    "Do you think I overexert myself?" Xavier then asked Adrian, peering over at him to get a better look at him. His cold eyes assessed Adrian''s face.


    "Why the sudden--"


    It clicked.


    This must have something to do with what happened at breakfast, mustn''t it?


    "You do," Adrian nodded, more sure of this than anything else at the moment.


    If anything, Xavier was the most hardworking person he knew.


    No matter what, he got the job done. It was what made him an excellent alpha.


    "You overexert yourself and focus on the needs of others before yourself," Adrian pointed out, making Xavier realize Madeline had a point to say what she did.


    ''Hmm, so she''s right and Adrian agrees I overexert myself.''


    "What do you propose is the next course of action?" Xavier asked, hoping to get an actual answer out of Adrian instead of some nonsense or lecture about how he had to start taking care of himself.


    "I may be your advisor but I''m not the best person to ask about this," Adrian began.


    "Why don''t you ask¡­ hmm," he said, trying to make it seem like he was thinking of someone for Xavier to go to for advice although he already had someone in mind.


    "Madeline."


    "And why do you suggest I ask her?"


    "Because I know you, Xavier, and you wouldn''t bring up something like this if something didn''t happen. Madeline clearly must''ve said something at breakfast, prompting you to ponder about it now and ask me. That''s how you usually work."


    "So you''re telling me to go to the mortal instead of confiding in my own advisor who refuses to answer to his alpha?"


    Adrian gave Xavier a toothy grin, proving how he wasn''t going to change his mind any time soon.


    Even Xavier knew that once Adrian''s mind had been made up there was no stopping or changing him. Heck, Xavier could easily relate.


    "Yes. Yes I am," Adrian confirmed, nodding.


    Xavier would kill him for this, but it was worth it.


    "Now if you''ll excuse me Xay, I have some work to do."


    "I haven''t dismissed you," Xavier reminded.


    "Yes, but work calls," Adrian reasoned, excusing himself.


    "I''ll be going now, best of luck asking Madeine with that question you needed advice and answers to!" Adrian exclaimed, fully confident Madeline would steer Xavier in the right path - seeing as she was the only person who seemed to be able to have a say.


    ''Consider me jealous,'' Adrian chuckled as he headed for his study that was not too long a walk away.


    __


    Author''s Note: Sorry for the only one chapter update today guys, but I''m not feeling too well so chapters updates will likely be slowing down.. But, once I feel better I will continue with stable updates and try doing 14 chapters a week. For now, stay tuned!

 Chapter 31 - Desire Vs Promise

    Madeline blinked.


    "You really thought about what I said at breakfast?" She queried.


    Xavier had shown up on her doorstep just to ask her something she''d mentioned at breakfast.


    Like any gracious person would, she invited him into her quarters.


    "Come in," she opened her door wider, allowing him to enter.


    Thankfully, her quarters were sparkling clean - what with Madeline being somewhat of a clean freak.


    It was something they both had in common. They disliked messes.


    "You should have the day off," Madeline suggested, closing the door.


    "A day off?" Xavier asked, foreign with those three words.


    He hadn''t a day off in¡­ well, forever!


    "I can''t take a day off," he insisted, his eyes flashing with disappointment and sadness.


    "I have things to do as alpha, and those things won''t wait."


    "Well then, as I said let someone else deal with it," Madeline insisted.


    "Look, I certainly haven''t known you for long but you seem incredibly stressed."


    "I''m not stressed," he grumbled, crossing his arms although he fully knew she was right.


    "I''m just busy," he lied.


    Madeline stared at him, not cutting eye contact.


    "When you learn how to lie more convincingly you get to return to work."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "It means that you need a break."


    "Come on, we''re friends. Do me this one favour."


    ''Why do I get the feeling this isn''t going to be your first and last favour you ask of me.''


    "I heard that!"


    "I didn''t mean for you not to."


    "So you''re telling me I should take things slowly today and resume work tomorrow?"


    "Yes! Exactly!" Madeline exclaimed, smiling warmly at him, glad Xavier was beginning to get it.


    "Take a break, even if it lasts one day, and then do what you''re supposed to do the day after when you feel refreshed and less tired."


    "I''ll have to talk to Adrian first," Xavier said.


    Madeline nodded.


    "And I''ll come with you."


    "Why?"


    "To make sure you don''t get distracted and forget why you decided to talk to Adrian."


    "I don''t forget things," Xavier said confidently.


    "Yeah I''m still coming with you," Madeline said.


    "Is this how things are going to be, with you constantly telling me what to do?" Xavier queried.


    "Why, are you complaining?"


    Although Xavier had more excuses to say yes, indeed he was complaining because she was bossing him around, but he ended up shaking his head.


    "No ma''am," he answered.


    ''I called her ma''am.''


    ''Where did that come from?'' He asked himself.


    He sighed.


    Madeline stared at him.


    "You stay here, I''ll go talk to Adrian."


    Madeline stared at him some more.


    "I promise I''ll return once he gives me an answer."


    "There, happy?" He asked exasperatedly.


    She nodded.


    "Okay, fine."


    Xavier got up, straightening his suit.


    Madeline had always questioned why he wore a suit when he lived in the woods, but who was she to judge?


    He looked amazing at all times, even Madeline had to admit it.


    She looked back up, only to see she was the only one left in her quarters. She hadn''t noticed him bidding her goodbye before leaving swiftly.


    Xavier shut the door behind him.


    "Adrian, you''re going to pay for this," Xavier crossed his arms, giving Adrian a look of resentment for what he just had to endure.


    Adrian closed a book he''d just been reading.


    "I take it your conversation with Madeline went well?"


    "If you consider a conversation where I was bossed around and coaxed to take a break from work one that went well, then yes."


    "So it did go well!" Adrian''s eyes lit up with excitement.


    One thing Xavier couldn''t comprehend was how Adrian had kept his childlike glee despite being nearly as old as he was.


    How Xavier behaved had been caused by the events of the past. Whilst Adrian never let anything change his behaviour. Xavier found it fascinating.


    The pack had always wondered why Xavier chose Adrian to be his advisor. They expected someone less¡­ cheerful, and someone other than Adrian, but Xavier never once doubted Adrian when it came to what counts.


    Adrian narrowed his eyes.


    "If it went well then why are you here and not enjoying the one day off you have?" Adrian questioned.


    "Because I came here to make sure you''d be alright with it."


    The moment those words had exited Xavier''s mouth, Xavier realized he''d made a huge mistake.


    Adrian''s eyes shone with gratitude.


    He felt acknowledged by his friend.


    Xavier wanted his say on whether or not this was the best move for him.


    Adrian was so moved he''d forgotten that Xavier was still waiting on his say.


    "Adrian?" Xavier knitted his brows together.


    Was he listening to him?


    Adrian returned to reality.


    "Right," he said, his eyes flashing apologetically.


    "We''ll survive without you for one day, go enjoy your break," Adrian assured, shooing Xavier away.


    "Tsk, you seem happy to see me take a day off from work."


    "That''s because - if you ever were to listen to me - then you''d remember that I''ve been asking you to do this for ages."


    Xavier seemed surprised.


    Adrian had wanted him to take a break?


    "You should go spend time with Madeline too," Adrian added just as Xavier was about to walk out the door.


    Xavier scoffed.


    "Spend time with Madeline?"


    Adrian nodded, returning his gaze on the book he''d just been reading.


    "Spend time with Madeline," he confirmed.


    "She is your soulmate."


    "I don''t need to be reminded of that."


    "Alright then, go on, do whatever you want," Adrian dismissed him.


    Xavier gave him a dirty look before he left, about to head to his office before he remembered he''d promised Madeline he''d return.


    Xavier was left with two choices.


    ''You can prove Adrian wrong and go do whatever you want, it''s your one day off!''


    ''Remember your promise to the girl. A promise is a promise, no matter what. And think of how upset she''d be if you never returned and she discovered you lied and didn''t keep your promise!''


    He mumbled under his breath, ''I have two choices. One, to keep my promise.. The other, to break it.''

 Chapter 32 - Are You Propositioning Me?

    "Which do I choose?" Xavier asked himself.


    ''Do I keep my promise or do I do as I please?''


    ''Madeline would be upset if I broke her promise. I wouldn''t want to upset my friend.''


    ''I should return to her quarters,'' Xavier decided.


    "So much for an entire day to myself," he sighed, walking over to Madeline''s place, just as he said he would.


    He knocked on the door.


    It wasn''t a few minutes before Madeline opened the door for him.


    "You''re back!"


    "Why do you seem so surprised? Remove that look off your face," Xavier scrunched his nose.


    Madeline stuttered, "W-well, I-I didn''t expect you to come back here. I thought you''d have gone to your place or something."


    "I''m a man of my word, I wouldn''t have left you here."


    Madeline changed the topic.


    "Moving on," she began.


    "You have the entire day off, what do you want to do?"


    Xavier had no idea what he wanted to do now that he finally had some time freed.


    "Read a book, get some sleep, have a meal," Xavier answered.


    Madeline had a huge frown on her face.


    "Seriously?"


    "That''s it?"


    "Do you have a problem with what I decided to do on my one day off?"


    Madeline retorted, "Yes! I do."


    Xavier hadn''t expected that as her answer.


    "You have the entire day to do whatever you please. And seeing as your meaning of a day off is just sleeping, eating and reading, as your friend I''m telling you you should add some spice into your life."


    "Are you propositioning me¡­?"


    Madeline looked confused for a second. She was seconds away from asking what he meant before realization dawned upon her like the sun did every day at dawn.


    "I MEANT YOUR LIFE LIFE, NOT YOUR¡­ OTHER LIFE--"


    She facepalmed. Her soulmate was filthy-minded.


    "Aish, you''re so filthy-minded."


    After realizing he made the atmosphere a whole ''nother level of awkward, an idea came to Xavier''s mind. One that was beneficial to both parties. He hadn''t even snapped back when he heard Madeline call him filthy minded.


    He extended his hand.


    "Come with me."


    "What?"


    "I''m inviting you to my place."


    "If this is about what I said before, that wasn''t what I intended to mean--"


    "It''s a friendly gesture, don''t take it the wrong way and make me uninvite you."


    Xavier walked over to Madeline''s door, leaving Madeline standing there alone.


    "Are you coming or are you not?"


    Madeline swallowed. That gesture had taken her completely by surprise.


    "Coming," she answered.


    With every step she made moving closer to Xavier, she was filled with a tad bit of hesitation. What did he intend to do when he invited her to his place?


    Madeline decided to trust him. Xavier was her friend after all. Her red string flashed. It served as a reminder to her of what fate had planned out for her, but she disregarded it.


    She made her own way in the world, and if her friend decided to invite her to his place then so be it!


    "So, where''s your place?" Madeline asked after she and Xavier were no longer at her quarters.


    "A long ways from Eudora," Xavier answered.


    Madeline''s eyes widened.


    "It''s not at Eudora?"


    "If my place were to be situated in Eudora, for everyone else to waltz in whenever they pleased, it''d create a huge problem."


    "But who''d dare do such a thing when you''re the alpha and it''s where you live?" Madeline questioned, genuinely curious if someone would be that foolish.


    Xavier remained silent, fueling Madeline''s assumptions.


    "Some do," was all he said.


    "So how are we going to get there?"


    Xavier rolled up his sleeves and extended both his arms.


    Madeline looked at his muscly arms and then back at his face, confused as to whether or not he was showing off his arms or asking her to let him carry her.


    She stood there, jaw on the floor, gaping at him.


    "What are you looking at?" Xavier inquired.


    ''His drool-worthy arms, that''s what you''re looking at,'' a voice in her head answered.


    ''Can''t disagree with that,'' the other voice said, snickering.


    Madeline gulped.


    She couldn''t understand how this man was more than hundreds of years old and still managed to look like a snack.


    ''And now she''s spent a couple minutes trying not to melt into a puddle in front of him. How cute,'' a voice spoke.


    ''Quit being sarcastic, he''s hot.''


    ''No need to state the obvious, dumbass,'' the voice retorted.


    It was the angel and devil in Madeline''s brain, fighting over what they thought was right and what Madeline should do next - as per usual. To put it in a way that wasn''t too strange, it was like two sides of Madeline''s conscience.


    "What are you waiting for?"


    "For me to scoop you up and just bring you to my place like I''m your knight in shining armour?" Xavier mocked.


    "You''ve spent the past couple of minutes staring at me."


    "And I''m the one you call filthy-minded, tsk. You''re being hypocritical."


    "I am not a hypocrite!" Madeline insisted, crossing her arms and looking away from him.


    "If you say so," was all Xavier had to say in return.


    When Madeline stood there, still doing nothing, Xavier asked her, "Do you want to see what''s my place is like or not?"


    Madeline exhaled, knowing her curiosity would betray her.


    But, she held on for as long as she could, before she couldn''t help but go, "Fine."


    "Maybe I do want to see what your place is like. But no funny business!"


    "Have you ever saw me as the type of person who plays shenanigans and pranks on people and is considered¡­"


    Xavier looked disgusted as he finished his sentence.


    "...funny?"


    Stating the obvious, Madeline answered, "No."


    "Exactly."


    Madeline got on Xavier and made herself comfortable.


    (Author''s Note: I promise you didn''t mean to make it sound so ambiguous, I just couldn''t come up with any other way to describe that action in particular. O_O)

 Chapter 33 - Icebreaker Gone Wrong

    She allowed him to carry her and seconds later, they were at his place, thanks to his super speed.


    Madeline gawked at the place.


    Xavier''s place wasn''t like the residences at Eudora at all; it didn''t look as old and rustic as the places there.


    "It''s beautiful," Madeline breathed, admiring the two-storey modern cabin that stood in front of her. She was struck in awe.


    "You live here?"


    Xavier shrugged, "I don''t have much time to use this place but I do whenever I can."


    He fished in his pocket for his house keys.


    "Ready to go inside?" He asked Madeline.


    "Or are you still busy gawking at its exterior?"


    "It wasn''t what I expected," Madeline admitted.


    "Then¡­ What did you expect?"


    "Uh," Madeline hesitated.


    ''Shit, what do I answer?''


    "I''m messing with you," Xavier spoke, unlocking his door by pressing a couple of buttons and using his key.


    For a second there, Madeline thought she saw Xavier break into a smile.


    But that probably was her seeing things¡­ Right?


    She let out a huge gasp the minute she saw the interior of Xavier''s place.


    It was¡­ perfect. Everything was sparkling clean, as though he had cleaned the house every day, or had live-in butlers and maids.


    ''What are you thinking, this isn''t some movie, get your head out of the clouds!'' Madeline told herself.


    She asked, "Can I take a look at what''s upstairs?"


    Xavier didn''t see why not.


    He didn''t have anything to hide - and what he did was properly stashed away, somewhere Madeline definitely wouldn''t look.


    "Go ahead," he said, heading for the fridge to grab something to drink.


    Madeline occupied herself with roaming around Xavier''s place, forgetting that Xavier was there with her.


    Of course, she didn''t get to see what Xavier''s bedroom looked like, amongst a couple of other places, but she didn''t notice. She was too starstruck.


    But, whilst she was in awe, she couldn''t help but admit this place felt¡­ lonely.


    ''Poor Xavier, how long has he lived here for?'' Madeline thought, keeping her thoughts to herself knowing Xavier would likely hear everything she said, what with his super hearing.


    From the high ceilings to the furniture made mostly of wood and the woollen carpets, Madeline wondered if Xavier had really picked out everything for the cabin. It seemed so¡­ off-brand and un-Xavier like.


    ''Speaking of, where is Xavier anyway?'' Madeline wondered, looking around.


    She looked down at the first floor to see no one there.


    Madeline searched through the gardens, the entire first-floor area and the second floor to no avail. Xavier wasn''t there.


    ''That man certainly has an affinity for being mysterious,'' Madeline frowned, beginning to worry Xavier had left her here.


    Until¡­ she saw Xavier outside, at a spot she hadn''t looked at.


    There, sitting in the distance was Xavier.


    Madeline walked over to him, trying to be as quiet and discreet as possible on her way to him.


    Then again, her meaning of quiet and discreet wasn''t exactly silent enough to go unnoticed by Xavier.


    "I really ought to teach you how to be more nimble," Xavier said, taking a sip from his drink.


    "What''s that, another Eudorian energy drink?"


    "How did you know?"


    Madeline was about to slap the drink away before he scoffed.


    "I''m kidding," he admitted.


    "It''s water."


    Madeline sat down beside him.


    He handed her the other bottle of water beside his.


    "Here."


    Madeline managed a small smile.


    "Thanks."


    She sighed, staring into the distance.


    "You''ve got to admit, this is way more fun than sleeping and or reading," Madeline chuckled.


    "You''re not wrong," Xavier said.


    "We should do this more often."


    "When I''m not stacked with work," Xavier said mindlessly.


    He stopped moving. He had said that without thinking and just blurted it out.


    Just as he was about to change the subject so he''d feel less¡­ exposed, Madeline nodded.


    "Agreed."


    "We should do this more often when we get the chance to."


    "But¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    "What is it?" Xavier asked, curiosity slowly filling him the longer Madeline didn''t answer his question.


    "Why don''t we play a game?"


    "What kind of game?"


    "An icebreaker," Madeline answered.


    "What''s an icebreaker?" Xavier questioned, genuinely confused as to what it was.


    After a quick explanation of what an icebreaker was, Xavier agreed to play it.


    His reasoning was¡­ he had one day to do whatever he wanted. It was a game played to warm up the conversation.


    "Okay, who''ll start?" Madeline inquired.


    "Ladies first," Xavier insisted.


    "Alright then."


    "So, what''s something nearly no one knows about you?"


    "Pass."


    "What''s the best present you''ve ever been given?"


    "No thanks."


    "What''s your guilty pleasure?"


    "What''s a guilty pleasure?"


    Madeline was beginning to get frustrated.


    "Xavier, that''s not how you play icebreaker."


    "Then how do you play it?"


    Madeline had a hand to her forehead.


    "Well, for starters you try to answer all the questions the other player asks," Madeline explained.


    "Ah."


    "I''ve never played icebreaker before," Xavier admitted.


    ''I can see that,'' the look Madeline gave him spoke for her.


    A few minutes passed by in complete silence.


    Neither of them wanted to cave in, before¡­


    Xavier began, "My full name is Xavier Caspian Ezekiel Aspen Ronan."


    "A few seconds ago, four people knew. Now that I told you, five."


    Madeline stared at him.


    "Xavier Caspian Ezekiel Aspen Ronan," she said, the words rolling off her tongue smoothly like she''d heard the name before.


    "That''s your full name?!" Madeline asked in astonishment.


    "That''s--"


    "Do you want to hear the answers to the rest of the questions or are you going to go on about how long my name is?"


    "Right, go on then," Madeline cheered Xavier on.


    "Okay."


    He mused, "The best present I''ve ever been given¡­"


    "...is you," he answered thoughtfully, not regretting what he said.


    Madeline didn''t know whether to feel honoured or act disgusted.


    ''Pft, why act disgusted?''


    ''There''s nothing to be disgusted about. It''s sweet.''


    The two voices seemed to have agreed on this one thing. Actually, as of late it seemed like they''d been on great terms.


    Thankfully, the first option won - although the only thing that made it out of Madeline''s mouth was, "Aww."

 Chapter 34 - More Than Meets The Eye

    "So¡­ about the last question," Madeline reminded.


    "Again, what''s a guilty pleasure?" Xavier inquired, curious as to what it meant whilst already having a couple of ideas regarding what it could''ve meant.


    "It''s something you enjoy doing that might be frowned upon by others," she explained.


    "Ah."


    "Then I suppose my guilty pleasure is not sleeping."


    Madeline didn''t have anything to say to that.


    However¡­ it seemed like Xavier did.


    The corners of his lips curved up into a devilish smile - it was the first time Madeline had ever seen him smile and that managed to scare her to bits.


    "Why are you suddenly smiling like that?" She stuttered, her confidence down the drain as she couldn''t think of what to say to get out of this situation.


    "Because it''s your turn now, and I get to ask you any question I want."


    "Am I right?"


    Madeline narrowed her eyes.


    "You are," she said bitterly.


    "So," Xavier began.


    Fighting the urge to get up and run, Madeline''s heart raced in her chest.


    ''Please don''t ask me anything about my personal life, please don''t ask me anything about my personal life,'' Madeline repeated in her head. It was a sensitive topic to her.


    Thankfully, Xavier asked instead, "What were you doing before you stumbled upon Eudora?"


    Madeline answered almost instantly - like she''d expected him to ask that question, "I''d dropped my phone when I had stopped along the road to check my tires."


    "Hm. Fascinating," Xavier mused.


    "Next question, what''s one thing no one knows about you?"


    Madeline pursed her lips.


    "That I''m adopted," she answered.


    Rendered speechless, Xavier stared at her.


    When he''d asked her that question, he thought her answer would be anything but that.


    Perhaps she had an even longer name than he did.


    Or maybe¡­ she knew about werewolves all along.


    Heck, he considered she''d answer something regarding Briar.


    But no, she''d just told him she was adopted.


    How does someone react to that?


    "You''re not joking, are you?"


    "Do I seem like someone who''d joke about being adopted?" Madeline questioned, genuinely curious as to whether or not Xavier thought of her that lowly.


    "No," Xavier responded.


    "Exactly."


    "So¡­ do you want to talk about it?"


    "Look at you being considerate."


    "For someone trying to change the subject, you''re doing a horrible job at it."


    "I''m not trying to change the subject," Madeline denied, lifting her chin up in the air.


    Xavier sipped from his drink.


    "Alright then, if you''re not willing to talk then don''t talk," he said.


    "I never declared I didn''t want to talk."


    "You never declared you wanted to either."


    "Fair point," Madeline sighed.


    She knew she was going to regret this, but they were still playing a game of icebreaker.


    Xavier had previously explained that whatever said or done at his place couldn''t be heard or noticed by other werewolves since there was some sort of material infused in the ground that did something, although Madeline couldn''t seem to recall what it did.


    For a moment, she felt silly. She was telling Xavier about her adoption. Something she hadn''t even told Briar regarding. It was a sensitive topic to her, one that she didn''t like to discuss with others¡­ but Xavier didn''t know her. And somehow, that made it easier for her to do what she loved doing most. Talk.


    Then, she began telling her life story to him. The man that was practically a stranger to her. She explained how she was born to two parents who didn''t have the means to properly care for her, so when she was two months old, she was adopted by a couple looking to have a child of their own but were unable to.


    Strangely, talking to Xavier about it didn''t feel out of place or unnatural. Madeline couldn''t help but go on and on about her story.


    "Wow," was all Xavier managed to say.


    Madeline nodded.


    "Do you know who your parents are?" Xavier inquired completely out of the blue.


    Madeline shook her head.


    "I don''t. Never tried finding them. I rather stay ignorant when it comes to who they actually are."


    "Hmm, interesting."


    Xavier didn''t really know how to react to her story.


    Yes, he had to admit, he had some doubts as to who Madeline actually was.


    All his life he spent reading every book and scripture he could read regarding werewolves, and how soulmates worked for them.


    Never was there anything written about a werewolf and a mortal. It was completely unheard of.


    Xavier was still in shock over it, but hearing Madeline''s story... there was still one small seed of doubt in his mind.


    She was special - and no it wasn''t only because she was his soulmate. There was something else.


    Regular humans couldn''t just visit Eudora.


    Why? Because there was a special barrier separating Eudora from the rest of the world. One only a werewolf could pass through.


    That, and the veil.


    The veil was a mist that covered Eudora from the human eye. It was what helped werewolves go undetected by humans for centuries.


    Werewolves sightings were covered up easily, and when investigations were done, nothing was found. All because of the veil, and the barrier.


    Not just anyone could pass through.


    So the fact that Madeline could intrigued him.


    He hadn''t asked her much about how she''d stumbled upon Eudora, and when he did, it seemed like it was coincidental.


    ''Was it all truly a coincidence?'' He wondered to himself.


    Much to his surprise, he believed her words.


    She didn''t seem like someone with ill intentions or someone that''d exploit the existence of werewolves to the rest of the human race.


    Xavier had a brooding look on his face. One half of him knew doubting her was wrong. The other half of him wondered how was this possible and stuck with the facts.


    And the fact of the matter was that no human can see through the veil and get past the barrier. It wasn''t humanly possible.


    Or was it?


    It was a miracle on its own, that a human could be soulmates with a werewolf.


    Perhaps there was more than meets the eye¡­


    Or perhaps Xavier was simply in denial that he was destined to be with a mortal.

 Chapter 35 - Here We Go Again

    "You''re beginning to scare me," Madeline admitted after minutes had passed by in silence.


    Was Xavier purposely ignoring her?


    Did she break him with her life story?


    What was going on?


    ''I broke the alpha,'' Madeline breathed, wondering if it was about time to begin panicking. This clearly wasn''t good.


    "Xavier?"


    "I''m only scary when I want to be," Xavier replied.


    ''Oh phew, I didn''t break him,'' Madeline sighed with relief before feeling a drop of rain hit her arm.


    "Huh?"


    Madeline glanced at her arm.


    The sky rumbled.


    Only then had Madeline realized the sky had become cloudy.


    Reaching her hand out, Madeline watched as droplets of rain hit her palm one by one.


    Although she didn''t want to leave, she knew she''d end up getting a cold if she stayed out in the rain like this.


    ''No thanks to my weak immune system,'' Madeline grumbled under her breath.


    Suddenly, something changed.


    Madeline wasn''t aware of what it was till she looked upwards.


    The rain wasn''t hitting her.


    Xavier held up an umbrella for her, shielding her from the raindrops that descended upon the lands.


    "How did you get an umbrella so--"


    Madeline stopped mid-sentence.


    "Right, super speed."


    "Forgot about it for a moment."


    "Mhm," Xavier mumbled, wondering if Madeline wanted to stay here chatting out in the rain instead of seeking shelter and heading inside his place.


    It was her choice of course, not that it affected things for him.


    Staying out in the rain was a breeze for him.


    However, the same couldn''t be said for his friend.


    Madeline offered to hold up the umbrella herself - although she was denied by Xavier who insisted it was nothing.


    On the short walk over to his place, Madeline inquired, "Why are you doing this?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Doing what?" Xavier raised his brow, blissfully ignorant.


    "All of this," Madeline gestured at the umbrella he held and his suit he had draped over her.


    Xavier''s answer managed to catch her off guard.


    "Because," he pursed his lips.


    "That''s what friends are supposed to do, no?"


    "Right."


    "Friends."


    "Briar would call how you''re behaving gentlemanly."


    "So being gentlemanly includes holding up umbrellas and making sure someone doesn''t get cold?"


    "Among many other things."


    "How would you know?"


    "I like reading romance novels."


    "And?"


    "Hey! Romance novels are very insightful."


    "Ah. If that''s the case, then you must be an expert when it comes to romance."


    "I wouldn''t call myself that."


    By then, they''d reached the doors.


    Xavier pushed the door open, letting her enter before he did. He was a lot of things, but he wasn''t unbecoming.


    Once Madeline hit the couch, she nearly passed out.


    She slumped down.


    "I just remembered we''ve yet to finish the icebreaker game."


    Madeline sat up.


    "I forgot about that," she confessed, taking off Xavier''s suit and folding it neatly before walking over to him.


    She handed him his suit.


    "So, what about one last question and then we get dinner?" Madeline offered.


    Obviously, werewolves enjoyed dining on raw flesh, but in their human forms, their preferences were returned to that of a human''s.


    However, they still retained their vicious appetites. One could say that a werewolf''s appetite is similar to that of someone who hasn''t eaten in an entire day.


    Xavier sat down on a chair across from her, placing his leg over the other as he peered at her.


    He already had a question in mind, and yet¡­ he couldn''t get the question off his tongue.


    The way Xavier looked at her made her think he was going to ask some deep question that''d make her dig deep inside of her to answer.


    What he asked instead was, "Do you have any siblings?"


    Madeline faltered, "I-Is that supposed to be the last question you have for me?"


    Xavier hesitated. No, it certainly wasn''t the last question he had for her.


    If he had the chance, he''d ask her a plethora of questions. But, he didn''t want to overwhelm her.


    Madeline looked like a goldfish lacking oxygen, opening and closing her mouth wanting to say something although nothing was said.


    "I don''t. To my knowledge, I don''t have any siblings," Madeline responded.


    ''Was it odd I expected something else?''


    ''You know what? I should stop overthinking.''


    "Ah," Xavier said.


    "Right, now that we''re done with our game, dinner?"


    "Yep," Madeline nodded enthusiastically before she remembered something.


    She looked out the window.


    "But it''s still raining, wouldn''t it be a hassle to have to get all the way to the dining room?"


    "Who said we''re going to the dining room?"


    ''Hah, hassle my ass,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    If he wanted to, he could bring Madeline from his place to the dining room in seconds. But, she was right. It was still raining.


    Madeline stared at him, she couldn''t fathom what he was suggesting.


    As it turned out, he wasn''t referring to what Madeline had originally presumed he was.


    In addition to Xavier being the alpha, he was an amazing cook as well.


    The Xavier Madeline got to hang around was so different to the Xavier she encountered at Eudora. It was as though there were two completely different people playing Xavier, and she was currently with the nicer one.


    One delicious homecooked meal later, she and Xavier sat beside each other.


    The sun had already set, and darkness filled the land.


    Time had flew by so very quickly.


    It felt like an hour ago that Madeline was eating breakfast. Now? She''d just finished dinner and was sitting on the porch swing in Xavier''s cabin.


    "I should head back," Madeline realized.


    ''You don''t even know your way back. How are you supposed to head back? Are you asking to get lost?''


    Madeline inwardly cursed.


    Right, Xavier had brought her here.


    She didn''t remember the way back since her eyes were glued shut during the quick trip there. She turned to Xavier, an awkward look on her face.


    Madeline gulped, setting her ego aside for a short moment before she said sheepishly, "So¡­ about heading back¡­"


    Xavier shot her a look of understanding.


    "Here we go again."

 Chapter 36 - I-Is The Alpha Trying To Kiss Me?

    Madeline thought of an idea.


    "What about we walk back instead?" Madeline suggested, hoping Xavier would agree to it.


    "We still have a lot of time to waste, the day isn''t over yet," she reasoned.


    "And we can walk off the calories!"


    "I have a metabolism hundreds of times faster than yours," Xavier informed her, coming off as braggy and arrogant.


    "Pshhh, screw fast metabolisms," Madeline gave him the side eye, writhing with jealousy.


    "We''re walking back," she decided before finally deciding to ask him, "That okay with you?"


    Xavier scoffed.


    "I could take that route a million times and still wouldn''t break a sweat."


    "Alright then, walk it is," Madeline said, secretly smiling now that she wouldn''t have to deal with the embarrassment of being carried all the way back to her quarters.


    ''You''re doing this all to avoid embarrassment, how funny,'' a voice in her head spoke.


    Madeline ignored it, choosing to look at the bright side. Now she''d also know how to reach Xavier''s place.


    As soon as him and her had left for Eudora, she asked him, "Who else knows about your cabin?"


    Xavier answered, "Adrian."


    "And?"


    "It''s just him," Xavier replied.


    Did she expect someone else to know?


    Surely she didn''t think he was that trusting.


    There were some people that were out to get him. Entrusting just anyone with where he lived or where he stored his valuables would turn out catastrophic!


    "I don''t tell everyone where I live, you know," Xavier looked weirded out by the mere thought of it.


    Some werewolves were unpredictedable.


    "Why not?"


    "Because," Xavier began, glaring at her.


    "Not everyone has the best of intentions. Who knows what they''d do if they ever found this place."


    "But¡­ they can''t kill you, you''re the alpha are you not?"


    Xavier narrowed his eyes. Was she playing around with him? This certainly wasn''t funny.


    Someone killing him wasn''t the only possibility as well.


    Facepalming, Xavier explained to her, "Simply because I am the alpha doesn''t make me invulnerable."


    "That''s not how being the alpha works."


    Yes, he was the alpha but that didn''t make him immune to everything.


    Somewhere out there, there were still a couple of things that were capable of hurting even the strongest and smartest of the werewolves.


    Say, if someone were to find where Xavier lived and somehow manage to get inside and ravage the entire place¡­ who knew what precedent it''d set with the other werewolves.


    "I''m not indestructible," Xavier admitted.


    "So you''re saying you have weaknesses of your own?"


    "Everyone has weaknesses, that saying doesn''t exclude me."


    Madeline then spoke, "Well, it''s great to know werewolves have weaknesses too."


    "Did you think we didn''t have any weaknesses?"


    "Maybe," Madeline lied, feeling foolish.


    Of course they did.


    Then again, she was quite clueless when it came to werewolves.


    Aside from how werewolves had super strength, speed and hearing, she knew virtually nothing. Heck, she still knew practically nothing about them.


    Of course, she had gotten some useful tidbits from Xavier regarding them, but she still had so many questions.


    What are the downsides to being a werewolf?


    Are all werewolves immortal?


    Who was the first ever werewolf to come into existence?


    Did Xavier have any relation to the first ever werewolf?


    If he did, then what relation?


    "How are werewolves created?" Madeline inquired.


    Xavier halted.


    "Why would you want to know?"


    "I''m curious, ''is all."


    "Hmm, if you''re just curious then why should I tell you?"


    "You must have a more valid reason than¡­ ''I''m just curious.''"


    "What about you begin with telling me why I can''t know about how werewolves are created?"


    "Because, you''re a mortal."


    "That''s incredibly mortalist of you to say," Madeline scrunched her nose.


    "There''s no such thing as mortalist," Xavier insisted despite knowing Madeline had made that word up.


    "And?" Madeline cocked her head to the side, waiting for him to reply to her.


    Her questions ceased when she felt a dark aura engulf Xavier. It was like¡­ she could sense he was upset.


    ''So he doesn''t want to talk about it.''


    ''I should stop pressing him for answers,'' Madeline decided, looking down at her shoes, trying not to meet his gaze.


    Then, Xavier finally answered her.


    "Because it''s best you don''t know," he said, trying to hide the pain in his voice as best he could.


    Had Madeline not known better, she would''ve dismissed it and changed topics like it was nothing. But then again, Xavier wasn''t the greatest when it came to anything that had to do with emotions, especially hiding them.


    "Alright then," Madeline nodded.


    If Xavier said it was best she didn''t know how humans became werewolves, best things stay that way. He was her friend after all, she trusted him.


    Madeline felt chilly walking back to Eudora. By then, it''d stopped raining - it had ever since they''d started walking, thankfully.


    She wondered if Xavier was thinking of the time he was turned into a werewolf.


    Hold on, was he turned into a werewolf? Or was he of werewolf descent?


    ''Nope, I''m not asking him. Nope nope nope, I''m not doing it.''


    ''He''s already upset as is, I don''t want to anger him more.''


    Being his soulmate meant he couldn''t harm her, but that didn''t mean it was terrifying.


    ''What''s he thinking about right now?''


    They were reaching Madeline''s quarters. By then, it was already late in the evening.


    Xavier took notice of something, and like it was some sort of an instinct, he went for it.


    However, when Madeline saw him, she immediately thought he was going to hug her. Or worse¡­ kiss her!


    ''W-what is he doing?'' She faltered, freaking out on the inside.


    ''No no there''s no way this is actually happening,'' Madeline took a small step back, her eyes widening in utter and sheer horror.


    __


    Author''s Note: Woot woot, Her Devilish Alpha is now contracted! You can now send the book gifts since the gift option is now available (think of it as a tipping jar for you to tip at will).


    Thank you so much for all your support thus far, lots of love, mari.

 Chapter 37 - Tell Me Everything

    Madeline held back a scream. No one was there for her to alert.


    ''I can''t run, he''d catch me in an instant,'' Madeline reasoned, her heart feeling like it''d explode.


    What was happening?


    However, as it turned out, Xavier wasn''t trying to do any of that.


    Madeline discovered she''d been worrying for nought.


    All this time, she was occupied with her own thoughts. So much so that she hadn''t noticed the leaves falling, and one leaf managing to snag itself on her silky locks.


    ''Why''d he have to do it with his mouth?'' Madeline whined, a fiery blush spreading across her cheeks despite her best efforts to try to hide her now evident blush.


    "Why are you blushing?" Xavier inquired.


    Was Madeline too cold?


    "Hmm?"


    "Just a bit chilly," Madeline lied.


    ''If that''s what you want me to believe then sure,'' Xavier mumbled.


    "We''re here," Madeline announced, glad she''d finally arrived at her place.


    "You know, you could always stay," she offered.


    "Continue the conversation, the day''s not over yet."


    "I''ll pass," Xavier said.


    "Like you said, I have the night left to spend."


    "Good point," Madeline nodded.


    If anything, she understood the sanctity of spending time alone.


    "Good night," she greeted him, unlocking her door.


    "Night," he greeted in return, looking somewhere else.


    Madeline was about to shut her door, before she felt someone tug at the other side of the door.


    "Madeline," Xavier called.


    Madeline opened her door again.


    "Yes?" She looked up at him with her round eyes.


    "Thank you. For choosing to spend today with me."


    A small smile made it to Madeline''s face. Madeline had to admit, it was a sweet thing for him to say.


    "That''s what friends are for, are they not?"


    __


    Madeline yawned, pushing her covers away.


    Rubbing her eyes, Madeline was about to get out of bed before¡­


    "You forgot you gave me the spare keys," a voice spoke from the corner of her bedroom.


    Madeline turned her gaze to the mysterious source of the voice.


    When she''d spent the entire day with Xavier, Madeline had forgotten about one thing.


    Briar.


    "Briar!" She exclaimed.


    "Morning," Madeline greeted, trying to seem casual.


    "Morning, Maddie," Briar greeted, her eyes narrowed. Madeline was acting suspicious. She never usually greeted Briar good morning. They''d gotten past the point of daily greetings.


    "So," Briar began, wanting to get straight to the point without any further detours. She had questions she wanted answers to.


    "Where did you run off to yesterday?" She questioned, not cutting off eye contact with her friend.


    "Nowhere."


    "So where were you?" Briar raised her brow.


    "Ran off with Xavier?"


    "How coincidental for the same day you run off to be the same day the alpha gets a day off from his duties."


    "Yes, how coincidental indeed," Madeline nodded, unaware of her cheeks turning slightly rosy.


    "Now look who''s blushing."


    "Surely¡­ you didn''t spend the entire day with him. Did you?"


    Madeline''s face turned red. She practically looked like a tomato at this point. Briar couldn''t have been more sure of her suspicions. So she was with Xavier.


    "You spent the entire day with the alpha?" Briar asked her, her words setting in.


    "You have no proof," Madeline shook her head, denying everything.


    "Then what''s that blush on your face?"


    Madeline mustered up a particularly lame excuse.


    "I just woke up."


    "Your face wasn''t red till I mentioned Xavier."


    "So¡­ you spent the day with him?"


    "Like¡­ you didn''t just go off into the woods to explore it or something?"


    "Or did you go out with Xavier?"


    "I DID NOT GO OUT WITH XAVIER!" Madeline snapped at Briar.


    "But you spent time with him."


    Briar studied Madeline''s face - which consisted of a mix of emotions.


    She looked dazed, upset, wary, and flustered all at once.


    "Where did you go?" Briar asked once more, this time with a stern tone, expecting an answer from her dear friend.


    When Madeline still remained quiet, she coaxed, "Tell meeeeeee."


    "You can tell me anything you want."


    "What happened between you and Xavier? Did something happen? Is that why you''re blushing and why Adrian refused to tell me anything?"


    "I assure you nothing happened," Madeline promised.


    She blinked.


    "Hold on, you talked to Adrian?" Madeline squeaked.


    "I did," Briar said, recalling their conversation.


    "He didn''t tell me any useful information. All he said was, and I quote, ''Leave Madeline alone, she''s occupied at the moment and her whereabouts are to be kept confidential, even to you,''" Briar told Madeline in her best impression of Adrian.


    Madeline doubled down in laughter.


    "Your impression of Adrian is spot on," Madeline praised. She had to hand it to Briar. The impression she made of him really was quite similar to Adrian''s voice.


    "Why thank you," Briar bowed jokingly.


    "So, care to tell me what happened?"


    "Why do you keep persisting with that same question over and over again?" Madeline said quizzically.


    "Because, the alpha of my pack went missing on the same day my friend did. And it''s the first time in decades Xavier''s gone completely off the radar."


    "Even Adrian didn''t seem to know where the two of you were," Briar pouted. She''d gone to the length of asking Adrian where Madeline was. That took some serious guts to do.


    "And Adrian knows everything," Briar explained, adding, "Since he''s a close friend of Xavier''s and all that."


    "I digress."


    "What did the two of you dooo?"


    "We went to his place," Madeline answered.


    The moment she''d spoken those four words, it was like Briar had been told a bomb was in the building.


    Briar jumped up from her chair and her eyes went wide.


    "YOU DID WHAT?" She yelled, unable to keep her voice down when all she felt like doing at the present moment was faint from shock.


    Madeline said in a hushed tone, "Keep it down."


    Briar couldn''t help but gawk at Madeline.


    "S-so what you''re trying to say is¡­"


    "You spent the entire day with Xavier¡­"


    "¡­at his place?"


    Madeline nodded.


    Briar pulled a chair closer to Madeline''s bed.


    "Tell me everything."

 Chapter 38 - Imagine Being The Alpha’s Soulmate

    "What did you get up to?" Briar questioned.


    "Since you spent the entire day at Xavier''s place," she nodded.


    "What are you trying to say here?" Madeline scrunched her nose in confusion.


    "He invited me to his place, and we went there to play games."


    "You and him¡­ played games?"


    "Did you expect something else?"


    Briar thought about it.


    "Should I have expected something else? Don''t tell me you were blushing because you remembered you and Xavier playing¡­"


    She swallowed.


    "¡­games?"


    Madeline hesitated, "Uh¡­"


    "I thought he was about to kiss me," Madeline admitted.


    Briar stared at her.


    "Excuse me?"


    "So you told me nothing before and now that you finally begin to tell me¡­ you tell me you thought Xavier was going to kiss you?"


    Madeline shrunk down.


    "What the hell happened yesterday, Maddie?"


    "I told you already, we went to his place, talked a bit, played some games then he sent me back here," Madeline admitted, before she went into more detail regarding everything and finally telling Briar of the time she''d thought Xavier was going to kiss her.


    Briar listened closely, taking everything in.


    How Xavier had trusted her to the point he invited her to his place, which she hadn''t known about until Madeline told her.


    Frankly, she nearly thought Xavier''s home was his office with how much time he spent there.


    "It wasn''t one of my finest moments," Madeline said.


    "There, I told you everything, happy now?"


    Briar nodded, "Yes."


    A smug grin made it to her face.


    "So¡­ there''s clearly something going on between you," she said.


    It was what she''d gotten from Madeline''s storytelling session.


    "S-something going on between who? Xavier and I?" Madeline stuttered.


    "Oh don''t pretend nothing''s going on."


    "But nothing is going on!" Madeline insisted.


    "Madeline."


    "I didn''t even know Xavier had a house till you told me he did."


    "He spends more time in his office than he does anywhere else. And from what you just told me he chose to spend the entire day with you."


    "Well, not the entire day," Madeline corrected.


    Briar facepalmed.


    "He spent the night alone."


    "But you spent the rest of the day with him?"


    Madeline nodded slowly.


    "Goodness."


    "You got to visit the alpha''s place," Briar placed a hand on her heart.


    She glanced at the wall clock.


    "And you''re about to have breakfast with him," Briar reminded her.


    "Oh right."


    "Imagine being the alpha''s soulmate," Briar mumbled.


    "Meanwhile my soulmate is nowhere to be seen. There''s a sea full of fish and I haven''t yet gotten any."


    Madeline reasoned, "The sea is full of trash and garbage. That''s why there''s climate change."


    Briar snickered, "Good point."


    "Now go get dressed."


    She said singsongingly, "Alpha Xavier is waiting for youuuuu."


    Madeline shot Briar a dirty look.


    "Are you ever going to let me live this down?"


    "Nope," Briar answered smugly.


    Madeline frowned.


    Half an hour later, Madeline and Xavier were eating breakfast together.


    Of course, Briar had offered to leave to give the two some privacy¡­ but that wasn''t before she gave Madeline two thumbs up on her way out.


    ''Rooting for you, Mads, don''t disappoint!''


    ''Rooting for me to do what?'' Madeline shot Briar a look of confusion.


    Briar didn''t notice, and seconds later, the door slammed shut.


    Briar was gone, leaving Madeline and Xavier alone in the breakfast room.


    Madeline trailed off, "So¡­"


    "What''s up?" She asked casually, unable to have thought of anything else to say.


    Madeline took a sip from her cup of coffee.


    "The ceiling," Xavier answered, nearly causing Madeline to choke on her drink.


    "That''s not how you reply to that question," Madeline explained.


    "Then how does someone reply to ''what''s up''?" Xavier raised his brow in curiosity.


    Was there another way to answer this question?


    And if so¡­ how?


    "What''s up means what''s happening. A person usually answers something like nothing much or not much," she explained.


    "Ah," Xavier finally answered after moments of silence went by.


    Madeline was about to speak before her hand brushed against something and suddenly¡­


    "Madeline?" Xavier called when he noticed Madeline had been staring at something for the past few minutes.


    Was something wrong?


    Madeline snapped out of it.


    "Sorry about that, I spaced out a bit," she apologized before Adrian barged in the room.


    "Apologies for interrupting your breakfast," Adrian began.


    "But Xavier, I need to speak with you."


    Madeline spoke mindlessly, "If you''re going to tell him that you need him to come with you to talk about the duties he needs to catch up with because of his day off yesterday I could just leave."


    Her hand flew to her mouth.


    Where had that come from?


    Was she having deja vu?


    She''d seen Adrian barge in the room wanting to speak to Xavier, and now it was happening again.


    Madeline didn''t even know if Adrian was going to tell Xavier that. She''d just spoken without thinking.


    Xavier and Adrian both stared at her.


    ''Did she really just¡ª?''


    ''So she has superpowers.''


    ''We don''t know that yet,'' Xavier denied.


    ''She just predicted what I was just about to tell you.''


    ''So you really were about to tell me that I had to return to work?''


    ''Yes!''


    ''So what do you want to do about it, stay and interrogate her about her possible powers?'' Adrian raised his brow.


    ''What, you still think she''s an ordinary human?''


    ''Because if humans could see through the veil then we''d be done for. And I have a feeling what just happened wasn''t Madeline guessing.''


    ''I am not going to do something because you have a feeling.''


    ''Then do it for yourself, you never know what you could find. She is your soulmate after all.''


    Madeline watched the two look at each other. Were they talking?


    ''I forgot they have a mind link.''


    ''God, what just happened?'' Madeline wondered. She hadn''t said it on purpose, Madeline had just blurted it out like it was common knowledge.


    She shrunk in her chair, wondering if she could leave.

 Chapter 39 - Hot, Just Like Me!

    ''The exit is meters away, I can leave,'' Madeline said, trying her best not to obsess over what Adrian and Xavier were possibly thinking.


    Whilst she thought they were badmouthing her, what they were actually talking about was how this couldn''t have been her on par guessing skills.


    ''What did you get out of her yesterday?''


    ''It wasn''t an interrogation, Adrian.''


    ''We spent the entire day together, that''s all.''


    ''Hmm, sure.''


    ''The Xavier I''d know would''ve spent the entire day himself. Not spend it with a friend.''


    ''What are you trying to say here?''


    Adrian shook his head.


    ''Nothing.''


    ''Oh and I don''t think you''ve realized but we''ve been staying silent for a couple of minutes now, Madeline''s staring at the both of us.


    Xavier returned his focus to Madeline.


    "How did you know that?" He questioned.


    Madeline briefly hesitated before she answered truthfully, "I just knew."


    As crazy she sounded, Madeline was telling the truth.


    Xavier believed she was, at least.


    "Really?" Adrian asked.


    Xavier nudged him in the elbow, which was as high he could reach since he was sitting down and Adrian was standing.


    "Never mind," Adrian dismissed as he rubbed his elbow.


    ''Ow,'' he thought.


    "Are you saying you just guessed what Adrian was about to say and got it completely right?"


    Madeline blinked, looking at Adrian.


    "You were about to tell Xavier exactly what I said?"


    Adrian nodded.


    Madeline let out a gasp.


    ''It''s just a coincidence,'' she dismissed, before she said to Adrian,


    "You''re not kidding?"


    "I''m not kidding," Adrian confirmed.


    "I''d like to test something," Adrian decided.


    "You up for it?" He asked Madeline before turning to Xavier to see him nod in approval.


    "Sure," Madeline answered, curious to see what''d happen next.


    Madeline''s surroundings blackened before she returned to where she was.


    ''Woah, what was that?'' She wondered.


    She''d seen her and Adrian chatting about something she couldn''t completely make out - but overall, she''d gotten the gist of it.


    "So I want you to guess what I''m about to say next."


    "And it''s going to be so unpredictable that you can''t possibly guess it unless¡­"


    Madeline looked at him strangely.


    "Unless¡­?"


    "You can tell the future," Adrian made a gesture, a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    "I can¡­ what?" Madeline asked, her tone filled with confusion.


    "Isn''t that going too far with the assumptions?" She blinked, beginning to get a tad bit nervous.


    "It could all just be a coincidence."


    "Coincidences aren''t the answer to everything. They are usually disguises to hinder us from the truth," Xavier reasoned, his curiosity piqued.


    "I suppose," Madeline pursed her lips.


    When she turned her gaze to Adrian she yelled, "Don''t touch that it''s burning hot!"


    Adrian heeded her warning but it was as though he''d come to sudden realization. Like something had clicked.


    "You''ve been here for hours, surely if this was hot it would''ve cooled down by now."


    Madeline had a burst of confidence.


    "Then touch it!"


    Adrian - who seemed determined to prove Madeline wrong - touched the kettle.


    He retracted his hand almost instantly, wincing.


    "Why is it still hot?" He asked.


    Xavier mused, "Fascinating."


    "Hohoho, so I was right, it''s still hot," Madeline chuckled.


    "Hot. Just like me," Xavier said aloud.


    Adrian and Madeline collectively stared at him.


    Just as Madeline was about to say something about Xavier, he told the both of them, "I''m going to leave now, it''s humid here."


    "You were talking about the atmosphere?" Adrian questioned.


    "Did you think I was referring to something else?" Xavier asked in return.


    Narrowing her eyes, she nodded at Xavier, signalling he could leave.


    "You can leave now."


    "I leave when I want to leave," Xavier scoffed, wanting to make a point before he turned away and left.


    Madeline frowned. She couldn''t believe he''d left her here with Adrian, all because he felt humid.


    Where was the Xavier she''d spent time with yesterday?


    Xavier had returned to how he usually behaved.


    ''Hmph, the old Xavier wouldn''t have left me here.''


    Adrian seemed reluctant to stay so Madeline decided to leave as well.


    Briar was likely waiting for her back at her quarters.


    And she was certain she could resume things tomorrow. She wouldn''t want to keep Briar waiting, as she did yesterday when she''d left her to spend time with Xavier.


    "I should probably get going too," Madeline began.


    "Briar''s probably waiting for me at my room and I don''t want to keep her waiting," she said, heading for the door.


    Once she bid Adrian goodbye, she left.


    Adrian took one look at the door before he looked back at what he was holding.


    ''That girl is anything but ordinary.''


    ''Peculiar, I''ve never seen a case like her ever in my life.''


    He stared at the door, wanting to investigate further.


    He wouldn''t be surprised if it turned out she wasn''t human.


    After writing something down on his clipboard, Adrian headed for Xavier''s office, where he was waiting for him.

 Chapter 40 - Love At First Sight

    "She''s special, and you know that. You said it yourself, coincidences are usually a disguise," Adrian reasoned.


    "I know that," Xavier said, lost in thought.


    "What do you think of this? What do you suggest we do next?" Adrian inquired, wondering what Xavier had to say.


    Of course, even though Adrian was his advisor, Xavier still knew many things he himself didn''t.


    "That we test this theory and ensure she actually has powers before we jump to any conclusions," Xavier suggested.


    "Right," Adrian agreed.


    "We don''t know if she does have powers yet, so before that we don''t do or say anything. This cannot make it to the other wolves."


    Adrian nodded, "Understood."


    Reading the room, he took his leave.


    Xavier sighed, taking a seat, placing his hand on his forehead.


    She was driving him crazy.


    Back to his old, broody self, Xavier returned to work, picking up the pace as he had loads to catch up on.


    __


    "Bri," Madeline gulped.


    "Yes?"


    "Xavier and Adrian think I have powers."


    Briar stared at her.


    "And I have a third arm," Briar said, laughing at her own joke.


    "I''m not kidding," Madeline insisted.


    The wolf blinked.


    "...you''re not?"


    "Why would I be?" Madeline questioned, frowning at Briar.


    "Because, first it was you thinking Xavier wanted to kiss you after you spent a day with him. I leave for an hour or so and when you return from there, you tell me Xavier and Adrian think you have powers."


    "This is absurd," Briar crossed her arms in disbelief.


    "Tell me about it," Madeline plopped down on her couch, feeling like she was about to faint any moment now.


    "So, what happened for them to think you have powers?"


    "Care to explain?"


    After a quick explanation of the events that occurred at breakfast, Briar pursed her lips.


    "Hmm."


    "I don''t know much about humans having powers."


    "But you aren''t just any human."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "I''m not an ordinary human because my soulmate''s a werewolf?"


    Briar shook her head, "That''s not what I mean."


    "What I meant was..."


    "You''re not an ordinary human because you could see fine through the veil."


    Seemingly confused, Madeline inquired, "The veil?"


    "What''s that?"


    Briar explained that the veil was what kept humans from spotting Eudora. It was a sort of disguise to keep humans from discovering the existence of the supernatural, since who knew what would happen if a human were to discover werewolves weren''t simply fiction?


    "But I found Eudora," Madeline reasoned.


    Briar nodded, "Exactly."


    "Not just any regular human can see through the veil. If so, we would''ve been discovered ages ago. And also, if you were just like every other mortal, you could not have gone past the barrier either."


    Madeline took it all in.


    "So what you''re saying is... I''m special?"


    "And not just because I''m Xavier''s soulmate?"


    Briar sighed.


    "Madeline, your value here isn''t only as Xavier''s mate. You mean so much more, and you know that. You aren''t just here because you''re Xavier''s soulmate. Sure, it has its advantages but I digress."


    "I guess you''re right," Madeline reasoned.


    "When am I not?" Briar joked.


    Madeline fought back a chuckle.


    "You know I couldn''t have made it past the last few days without you."


    "Oh, you looked perfectly fine without me."


    "Looks can be deceiving," Madeline shot Briar a dry look.


    Looking away, Briar lied, "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "Sure you don''t."


    "Oh? And what''s that supposed to mean?" Briar raised her brow expectantly.


    "You decide," Madeline spoke.


    "I''m going to go look for something to read," she decided.


    "Classic Madeline, retreating to books when she has nothing more to do."


    "You say it as though it''s a bad thing when it''s not."


    "I never said it was."


    "You never said you weren''t."


    "Arguing won''t do anything," Madeline said.


    "So, do you know where the library is?"


    Briar seemed hesitant to tell Madeline where the library was located for a couple of seconds, but it wasn''t long before the hesitation vanished behind her eyes and turned into excitement.


    "I do," she nodded.


    "Come on, follow me," she beckoned to Madeline.


    Madeline grinned.


    "Library here I come."


    There was nothing like the fresh scent of books to lighten up her day.


    Whenever she was down, no matter where she was, the sight of books could always cheer her up or calm her down.


    Madeline was a bookworm through and through, and practically everyone she was someone to knew that.


    "Welcome to the Eudorian library," Briar showed Madeline around the place.


    Surprising, Eudora had a huge library. For a place Madeline hadn''t expected much from, the Eudorian library certainly surpassed her expectations.


    It had an impressive collection of books, and the building was two storeys high and bright wood arches, it was love at first sight.

 Chapter 41 - Child’s Play

    "Is Xavier okay with me being here?" Madeline asked, giddy as she walked past a shelf filled with books.


    "Oh you''ll be fine," Briar reassured.


    "All the books here are completely fictional."


    "So where are all the important books placed?"


    Briar shrugged, "I wouldn''t know."


    "Go ask Xavier yourself," she told Madeline.


    Madeline frowned, "Well that''s unhelpful."


    "Tsk, as if I''d ask him about something like this."


    "He''s busy right now."


    "I doubt he''d be too busy to see you."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Briar lied, "Nothing. It''s supposed to mean nothing."


    "You shouldn''t pay any mind to it," she said to Madeline, wondering if Madeline really couldn''t figure things out.


    So she could see through the veil, but she was blind when it came to this. How incredibly ironic.


    Briar narrowed her eyes. Only Madeline would be this foolhardy.


    Speaking of Madeline, she was looking through a couple of books before...


    Bonk!


    "Ow!" Madeline rubbed her head.


    A book had fallen on her.


    "The heck was that?" Madeline asked, garnering Briar''s attention.


    "Heard something drop, you alright?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Madeline assured.


    "My head aches a bit, but I''ll be fine. It''ll pass."


    She bent down to pick up the book that''d dropped to return it to its original spot, but as her eyes glazed over the cover, Madeline stopped to read the title of the book.


    ''The alphas of Eudora,'' she read.


    Her curiosity piqued, Madeline opened the book, only to find that only the first two pages of the book contained text.


    ''What is this?'' Madeline wondered, flipping through empty pages.


    "The alphas of Eudora¡­"


    "Briar," Madeline called.


    Briar peeked at Madeline from one of the nearby shelves.


    "Yes?"


    "Have you ever heard of a book called the alphas of Eudora?"


    "The alphas of Eudora? No, never heard of it before," Briar admitted.


    "Hmmm," Briar mused when she gazed at the book.


    "I''ve never seen this book in the library before."


    "And is that a good thing or¡­?" Madeline turned to look at Briar.


    "The rest of the pages are completely blank," she said.


    "Woah, really?" Briar asked.


    She took a look at the book.


    ''Strange, the pages really are blank aside from the first few,'' Briar thought.


    "Why don''t you go ask Adrian about this?"


    Madeline knitted her brows together in confusion. Why Adrian? Couldn''t she ask Xavier instead?


    Then again, Xavier would likely be busy¡­ so Adrian was a valid alternative.


    "I''ll ask later," Madeline said, trying to find other books to read so she could take her mind off the only book that had managed to catch her interest thus far.


    After hours in the library reading every book there was for her to read, it finally came down to one last book.


    Every book left, Madeline found boring.


    ''Aish, of course there''s only one book left,'' Madeline banged her head against the table.


    ''Should I read it?''


    ''I should. But why are the pages blank? I''m getting a peculiar feeling about this,'' Madeline rested her hand on her chin.


    Briar was reading another book as she felt a tap on her shoulder.


    "Pick a number between one or two," Madeline told Briar.


    ''One means I don''t read, two means I do.''


    "Two," Briar answered almost instantly.


    Madeline flipped a page in the book.


    ''Looks like I''ll be reading it after all.''


    "The tale of the two alphas."


    ''Two alphas? Shouldn''t there only be one alpha for each pack?''


    Madeline was so focused on the book that she hadn''t noticed the whispering of the other girls in the library, judging her every move.


    ''So when she isn''t with the alpha, she retreats to the library. Tsk! What a nerd,'' one whispered to the other.


    ''What book is she reading? The title''s not visible,'' the other asked.


    ''I can''t see it either,'' the third one admitted.


    And then¡­ silence fell upon the library. The three girls sensed a powerful presence looming.


    ''The alpha''s coming, shut up!'' The first girl whisper-yelled.


    ''Oh no we''re done for!'' The other exclaimed, wrapping her arms around herself.


    The library door creaked open, revealing Xavier in all of his glory.


    Perhaps it was because they had badmouthed his mate or simply because his presence was truly terrifying that the three were beside themselves.


    Now using their mind links to communicate, one of them told the others, ''He''s glaring at us.''


    ''We''re doomed.''


    ''We shouldn''t have badmouthed her to begin with!''


    When their gaze returned to him, he was approaching Madeline and Briar''s table. Something that didn''t come to much of a shock to the three. Who else did he come here to visit?


    There was no one else in the library but the three girls, Madeline and Briar before Xavier came. Finding who he came there to visit? Child''s play.


    "Xavier?" Madeline froze.


    She hadn''t expected to see him here.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Xavier placed his hands in his pockets.


    "I came to see you."


    Briar stayed as quiet as possible. She wiggled her eyebrows at Madeline.


    "O-oh," Madeline stuttered.


    "For what reason?"


    Xavier wrinkled his nose.


    "Do I need an excuse to see you?"


    Madeline stared at him.


    Had he really said that allowed, or was she hallucinating?


    Briar fought back a laugh. Xavier was known to be brutally honest about things, but the fact that she got to see him this way in front of her was surreal.


    ''So he really is different around her,'' she mused, smirking at the two of them.


    ''They''re cute together,'' she noted.


    She noticed the three girls at the other corner of the library.


    What were they doing here?


    Briar never pegged them as people who took interest in reading. They must''ve come here after they heard Madeline was in the library since the library was completely empty before.


    ''What are they doing here?'' She gave them a dirty look.


    They were ruining the atmosphere.


    Returning her attention back to Madeline and Xavier, Madeline had already explained to him her particular finding and showed him the book.


    ''Shit,'' she heard Xavier curse the minute he saw the book in real-time.

 Chapter 42 - I Summoned You!

    "This the book you were talking about?" Xavier asked her, placing his hand over his mouth.


    "You didn''t read anything in it, did you?"


    He took the book away from her.


    "Hey!" Madeline exclaimed, reaching for the book but unable to reach it since Xavier put it out of reach.


    He shot Briar one look, and she took it as her sign to leave. Xavier was there, rest assured Madeline would be well taken care of.


    As soon as Briar left, the three girls followed.


    Obviously, they knew if the alpha spotted them there, eavesdropping on their conversation, they''d be severely punished.


    ''Faster, or we''ll be spotted!''


    ''Come on! You wouldn''t want the alpha to catch us still here do you? That''s literally asking for a death wish!''


    "Did you read it?" Xavier inquired, this time his voice stern.


    Thankfully, Madeline shook her head, "I didn''t read it, although I was about to."


    Xavier sighed in relief. That book wasn''t supposed to be in the library in the first place. It was supposed to be in his office, so he found it strange that it ended up here, in the hands of Madeline.


    "Where did you find this?" He asked her.


    Madeline shrugged, "It fell on me."


    "It fell on you?" Xavier furrowed his brows.


    How could it have fallen on her?


    All the doubt in his head cleared. This girl certainly wasn''t human.


    After making a mental note to find out who Madeline was, Xavier held the book tighter in his hand.


    This book was the one thing he didn''t want Madeline to see. Yes, there was a fair number of things he decided to keep from her, but this was not something he wanted to concern Madeline with.


    It was best she be left in the dark and remain blissfully ignorant.


    "Did you see where it was before it fell?"


    "How could I have?" Madeline retorted.


    "And anyway, that book is blank," she said.


    "There''s nothing to read."


    "The later pages at least, the first few contain text, but I never got to reading it. I only flipped through the pages," Madeline admitted.


    Xavier opened the book.


    How could it be blank?


    Last he checked, the book was anything but blank.


    He stared at the contents of the book, being rendered speechless.


    ''How could this be?'' Xavier thought for what had to be the millionth time this week alone.


    "Are you alright? You''ve been staring at that book for a while now," Madeline prodded him gently to grab his attention.


    "Was it blank since you first got it or did it suddenly turn blank?" Xavier questioned.


    Madeline heard the urgency in his voice.


    "It was blank ever since I first got hold of the book," Madeline answered, eyeing him.


    Had she done something?


    Xavier didn''t seem upset, but he didn''t seem completely pleased either.


    ''Did he not want me to find that book?''


    ''Should I have gotten his permission to enter the library before coming here in the first place or something?''


    Then, out of nowhere, Xavier questioned, "Are you certain you''re a human?" ?


    "Uh, yeah?" Madeline responded, sounding unsure of her answer when she was simply taken by surprise.


    "I am a human," she answered, this time with more confidence.


    "And are you completely certain?"


    "What are you trying to get me to tell you?"


    "That I''m not a human?"


    "I''m asking you if you''re completely sure you''re a human, and if your birth parents are too."


    Madeline turned silent for a brief moment, racking her brain for something to say in return.


    In all honesty, she didn''t know whether or not her parents were human. Her adoptive parents refused to say anything other than a couple of details Madeline needed to know.


    Other than that, and a couple of stories her parents insisted she grew up listening to, she knew nothing.


    Xavier had taken a seat across her and leaned forward.


    "Are you?"


    Madeline snapped, "I''m not sure!"


    "I''m not sure, okay? I don''t know much about my birth parents, I chose not to know about them and their identities, but one thing I do know is that I''m definitely a human."


    Twisting his mouth, Xavier watched as Madeline continued.


    Thank goodness there was no one else in the library.


    "Why ask anyway?" Madeline asked, frowning.


    Had Xavier even been listening to her this entire time? Or was he too occupied daydreaming?


    "I have my reasons," Xavier answered.


    __


    Madeline made herself comfortable in bed, before she slowly drifted off to sleep


    And just like that, she was whisked away to the cave, where a mysterious stranger was waiting for her.


    ''Not this again,'' Madeline cursed.


    Why did she have to return to this place?


    A voice echoed throughout the cave, "You may be wondering, why are you here again?"


    Madeline creased her brow, was he reading her thoughts?


    "Well, that''s because I summoned you!" He exclaimed.


    Sighing, Madeline couldn''t help but feel a tad bit relieved that he couldn''t read her mind. Then again, if he could he would''ve already found her by now.


    "You know, we''ve gotten acquainted quite well over the past few times we met, don''t you think? We can just get past the hide and seek part and skip right to the seeing and talking to each other part," he suggested.


    Madeline wondered if he thought she''d fall for his trap. Did he really think she''d fall for that?


    He really was underestimating her. That was his first mistake.


    ''Tch, he thinks I''m that stupid.''


    ''Pah! What is it with men thinking I''m some dumb cow with no intelligence whatsoever?''


    ''Okay, maybe I''m exaggerating, but that''s not the point.''


    "What would it take me for you to show yourself, hmm?" She heard the stranger ask.


    Madeline turned to look for the source of the voice. He couldn''t find her whereabouts, and neither could she find his.


    ''Crap, I don''t know where his voice is coming from,'' Madeline said, beginning to get frustrated.


    Whatever was happening, and wherever she was, this needed to stop.. She needed to put an end to it, and part of the plan she was beginning to formulate in her head included¡­ you guessed it, Xavier.

 Chapter 43 - Theres Something Wrong With Her!

    "You''re the first to ever have made it here, and you''re about to be the last."


    Madeline retorted, "You said something like that last time and look at me, I''m fine."


    Hearing cackles of laughter echo through the cave, she gulped.


    "Well that''s because I let you go," the voice spoke, this time sounding more confident than ever.


    "And that was when you didn''t know anything."


    "But now that you know more, and you''ve gotten a glimpse of my face, you need to be dealt with."


    The cracking of knuckles was heard next, and Madeline wondered what''d happen if she mentioned Xavier''s name.


    Did he know Xavier? Would mentioning his name do anything?


    She questioned, "Why are you here?"


    "Is that a question from you I hear?"


    Madeline rolled her eyes, "Listen, if you really are going to deal with me then you can at least humour me."


    "Why are you here, and why can''t you leave? If you really didn''t want me to find where you are, you could''ve moved to another location, but you''ve stayed here all this time."


    "So you noticed."


    He scoffed, "If you really must know, my subject imprisoned me here and banished me from my pack."


    Time seemed to come to a halt.


    ''He said ''my pack'','' Madeline realized.


    The person in her visions was a werewolf.


    It was then she felt something prick her, and her surroundings darkened.


    __


    Speaking of Xavier, he and Adrian were in his office, discussing matters of severe importance.


    "Let me guess, you already have something in mind."


    "I may have a theory," Xavier said.


    Adrian tilted his head and sat in the chair opposite to Xavier.


    "So do you intend to tell me this theory of yours or are you going to keep me in the dark like you do Madeline?" Adrian asked.


    Xavier frowned, "I keep her in the dark for her sake."


    "Do you think she wants to know about how I became¡­ you know? I don''t think so."


    "Xavier, she''s not some fragile vase."


    "Adrian, I know her better than you do," Xavier said.


    "If she were to find out that was how I became it she wouldn''t speak to me for an entire day."


    Adrian snickered.


    "So you''re doing this not to get her upset," he summed up.


    "When you put it like that, I want to kill myself."


    Adrian reminded, "But you''re immortal."


    "And you clearly can''t take a joke," Xavier rolled his eyes.


    "What, Madeline taught you how to joke around?"


    "When did anything to do with Madeline start becoming an insult?"


    Adrian shrugged, "When you and her started spending more time together."


    "Your point is?"


    "I''ve been your friend for centuries and you barely spend any time with me, excluding work," Adrian crossed his arms and knitted his eyebrows.


    Xavier seemed to be at the brink of a smile.


    "Are you telling me you''re jealous of Madeline?" Xavier tilted his head, not cutting off eye contact with Adrian.


    "You could say that," Adrian snarled.


    "So, what''s your theory?"


    "You think I''m just going to tell you?"


    Adrian placed both his hands on the desk.


    "Not only am I your close friend, I''m your advisor. Obviously, I should be one of the first people you tell of your theory," Adrian reasoned.


    Xavier scoffed, "I''m not telling you if you stay like this."


    He gestured at Adrian''s stance.


    Adrian plopped down on the chair he usually sat on.


    "So, what''s your theory?"


    Xavier exhaled lightly, "That Madeline''s not a human."


    Adrian stopped him.


    "You''re admitting that I''m right," Adrian smirked.


    "I never said you were wrong," Xavier insisted.


    Adrian was about to say something but chose to keep quiet instead.


    "You didn''t let me continue," Xavier said.


    "When she was reading in the library, a book happened to fall on her."


    Adrian nodded, "You mentioned that already, but what''s so important about that?"


    "The book was the alphas of Eudora."


    And instantly, Adrian''s face darkened.


    "Madeline found that book?"


    "But how was it in the library? Isn''t it supposed to be in your private collection?"


    "How could it have been suddenly misplaced like that? And that book especially. It''s just an ordinary book, so how¡­"


    "The book isn''t just any ordinary book, it''s a magical book," Xavier corrected him.


    Adrian appeared shocked.


    "A magical book?" He asked in astonishment.


    "What do you mean by magical? As in, the book can fly?"


    Xavier shook his head, "No, it can''t fly."


    "When I say magic book, I mean it can find wherever the book is needed most."


    Things slowly pieced together, and Adrian found himself wondering why would the book find Madeline? Was it because there was something in it that she desperately needed to know?


    Xavier had told him the contents of the book, it was a gruesome tale of how he came to be the alpha of the pack.


    What matter of importance could it possibly serve Madeline?


    "And you''re telling me the book just fell on her?"


    Xavier nodded.


    Adrian pursed his lips.


    Wow, so not only could Madeline possibly have powers, she wasn''t a human as well.


    "Are you relieved?"


    "Relieved of what?"


    "That there is a possibility that Madeline isn''t a human?"


    Fire burned in Xavier''s eyes. It was like Adrian''s words had him off.


    "Whether or not she''s a human doesn''t make a difference," he clarified.


    "It shouldn''t change how we see her," he added.


    "Wah, look at you being so wise," Adrian praised, resisting the urge to pat Xavier''s head. Xavier would''ve definitely found it strange and asked him what in the hell was he doing.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "No reason."


    "Then stop looking at me like that," Xavier scowled.


    "Hmph, you''re so mean," Adrian crossed his arms and looked away.


    "Now you''re really beginning to sound like Madeline," Xavier said, looking a tad bit concerned.


    Bangs were heard from the door.


    Xavier rushed to the door, opening it with haste wondering who''d dare disturb him at such an untimely hour.


    To his surprise, it was Briar, drenched in sweat.


    She looked like she''d just ran a marathon, except more panicky and less tired.


    "M-madeline, there''s something wrong with her," she said in between pants, trying to catch her breath.

 Chapter 44 - One Last Request

    When Briar had said something was wrong with Madeline, Xavier certainly did not expect this.


    "What happened?"


    Briar told him everything she knew.


    "I just came to check on Madeline and wake her up but then she wouldn''t wake up despite my best efforts and she''s been mumbling random things."


    "It''s like she''s in some kind of trance or something!"


    Xavier turned to ask her, "What''s your name?"


    Briar blinked.


    "My name?"


    Xavier raised his brow, wondering if Briar truly had the bravado to.


    "Are you requiring your alpha to repeat himself?"


    "N-no, of course not! It''s Briar. Briar Alva."


    "Well then, Ms Alva, you should have a seat," Xavier gestured to one of the chairs in Madeline''s quarters.


    Alerting him was the right thing for her to do, instead of thinking she could handle it by herself and get her to wake up.


    "So from what you''re saying, yes. Madeline is likely in a trance. Something''s clearly stopping her from waking up. But it''s an obstacle only she herself can overcome. Suffice it to say, we''re powerless."


    He looked over at Madeline, massaging his temples while doing so. His knuckles were completely white. Despite refusing to admit it, he was overcome with worry.


    Whoever did this was powerful, and frankly, Xavier only knew one person that could be behind this, for he was the only one he thought capable of such a feat.


    ''Adrian, where are you?''


    ''Calm down, I''m on my way!''


    ''Don''t tell me to calm down, get over here.''


    The door opened and Adrian entered.


    ''Finally,'' Xavier glared at him.


    ''Well, you seem incredibly upset. What''s happened and why are we in Madeline''s quarters?''


    He took one look at Madeline and looked back at Xavier. His face turned gloomy.


    ''Oh,'' he thought, realization evident in his voice.


    ''Who do you think is behind this?'' Adrian stared at him.


    Xavier answered, ''There''s only one person you could have possibly thought of.''


    ''But what would he want with her?''


    ''Surely he''d go for you instead.''


    ''Do you think he knows about the string?''


    ''He doesn''t,'' Xavier insisted.


    He hoped for the best, that Madeline would soon wake up.


    From what she''d told him in the past, this man - whoever he was - kept threatening to kill her. And to harm her.


    Luna forbid she doesn''t manage to escape and she falls right into the hands of the evildoer.


    She was still a human. And unless she called him, he wouldn''t know where she was.


    ''So you suspect it''s him but you''re unsure?'' Adrian questioned.


    Xavier ran a finger through his hair.


    ''You could say that,'' he said.


    ''Are you alright?'' Adrian inquired next.


    ''What makes you think I''m not?''


    Adrian pointed at something.


    Xavier had his fist clenched.


    ''I''m fine,'' Xavier insisted.


    ''Quit worrying.''


    ''Well, Madeline is your friend. It''d be perfectly reasonable to--''


    ''Don''t you dare finish that sentence,'' Xavier said.


    Adrian went silent, obeying Xavier''s command.


    Briar wondered what they were discussing. They were shutting her out, so she couldn''t eavesdrop on their conversation. Instead, Briar focused on Madeline.


    Rendered powerless when it came to figuring out who was behind this, she broke the silence by saying the name, ''Miles.''


    "Madeline just mumbled the word ''Miles'' before she disappeared," she said, wondering where had she ever heard that name before.


    "Just telling you in case that might help," she added, trying to hide the quivers of her bottom lip. Madeline was gone. She''d disappeared into nothing!


    They were having a conversation of their own so she wasn''t sure if they''d heard what Madeline had just mumbled.


    Adrian and Xavier exchanged a look, knowing things had just gotten a hell of a lot worse.


    "And you''re sure she said the word, ''Miles''?"


    Briar nodded instantly.


    So it was him after all.


    Xavier - with all his pent up rage - walked over to a wall, and punched a hole through it.


    __


    Madeline slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings.


    "Wakey wakey," she heard someone tell her.


    Madeline asked, stuttering, "W-who are you?"


    "If I told you, it''d defeat the whole purpose of capturing you, wouldn''t it?"


    "That is, if you make it out of here alive."


    "So you''re saying there''s a chance," Madeline realized, trying to get up to no avail.


    Something was holding her down.


    She wiped the sweat on her forehead.


    "Invisible chains. Don''t even think of escaping, little one."


    Madeline scowled, "Don''t call me that!"


    "Feisty," he commented.


    Walking over to her, the man knelt down and lifted her chin.


    Madeline finally got a good look at him.


    He had a dainty nose, and huge, round eyes.


    And for some strange reason, Madeline felt familiar with him. What was this strange feeling?


    Why would he feel so¡­ warm and familiar?


    He examined her face, taking great interest in her hair. He trailed off, "Your hair¡­"


    Madeline looked down at her locks.


    The man mused, ''You remind me of her.''


    Unfortunately, Madeline didn''t hear him say that.


    ''Fascinating.''


    "How did you stumble upon here? You''re not a werewolf," he asked, looking at her questioningly as he got back up on his feet.


    "I don''t know," Madeline admitted.


    "Oh, feigning ignorance I see," he said, fishing for something in his pocket before pulling out a rapier.


    How could he have fitted a rapier into his tiny pocket?


    Madeline couldn''t wrap her head around it.


    He pointed the rapier at her.


    All it took was one piercing.


    One stab.


    And Madeline would be bleeding out on the cave floor.


    Running his finger across the rapier''s sharp blade, he admitted, "It was fun going back and forth."


    "Trying to find you and failing."


    "But that''s over now, I''ve found you. And like I said many times before, I''ve got to deal with you."


    Madeline shrunk back, shaking as she tried to crawl away from him.


    "No," she spoke.


    "Don''t come near me," she spoke, her voice trembling in fear.


    There was no one.


    "HELP!" She yelled.


    All she heard were laughs and cackles.


    "No one''s going to hear you."


    "We''re far, far away from hearing distance."


    "Puny mortals thinking they can escape me," he pointed the rapier right at her.


    "WAIT!"


    Madeline stopped him.


    "One last request."


    "Before I meet my demise and die a slow and painful death."


    "Oho, so you''ve come to terms that you''re going to die?"


    Madeline shook her head, "No."


    "I just figured that I should at least know the name of the man that''s going to kill me."

 Chapter 45 - WHY YOU-

    [TW: Blood]


    "Xavier, I have news!" Adrian announced.


    Xavier practically jumped out of his chair.


    "About Madeline''s whereabouts?"


    "No," Adrian shook his head, "Her whereabouts are left unknown, just like you made it."


    Sighing, Xavier felt even more guilt pool in his stomach.


    Where was she?


    "So what''s this news about?"


    "Madeline''s parents."


    "Adoptive parents, to elaborate," Adrian said, walking over to Xavier and handing him a file.


    "What''s so important about Madeline''s adoptive parents that you figured I needed to see this?"


    "Just read it," Adrian insisted.


    "You''ll see," he added.


    Xavier took one look at Adrian before opening the file.


    He skimmed the irrelevant part before he got to the identity of Madeline''s adoptive parents.


    Adrian spoke, "So when you asked me to do a background check on Madeline''s adoptive parents, you weren''t--"


    Xavier closed the file.


    "So my theory was right after all."


    __


    "Hmm, I suppose it''s a fairly reasonable request."


    Nodding slowly, she asked, "So, what''s your name?"


    The man scoffed, "I''m not telling you my real name."


    He added, "But, I will tell you what people used to call me."


    Madeline looked at him hopefully, her plan to buy herself some time working. Whoever this man was, he loved to talk. Something they both shared in common.


    "Miles."


    ''His nickname is Miles,'' she thought in her head.


    ''Miles,'' she repeated, hoping something would happen if she kept saying his name.


    Unfortunately, other than feeling lightheaded, nothing else did.


    "So, Miles, why don''t we talk about this?"


    "Surely you could let me go if I promise not to say anything to anyone. No one would believe me anyway, and I know nothing about you."


    Miles thought about it thoroughly.


    "Your efforts are appreciated, but I won''t be changing my mind. Once my mind is made up, there''s¡ª"


    ''There''s no changing it. Yeah I know,'' Madeline mumbled under her breath, annoyed.


    "Now, since I''ve fulfilled your one last request, it''s time I deal with you once and for all, puny mortal,"


    Madeline, beginning to get desperate, shouted, "Don''t you dare lay a hand on me, Xavier--"


    "You know Xavier," Miles realized, interrupting her.


    "What is your relation with him?"


    Madeline blinked, "Excuse me?"


    "This Xavier man you speak of. What do you have to do with him?"


    "He''s a stranger I recently met," Madeline lied, wondering how he could know Xavier.


    Was he truly that well known?


    "What is your relation with him?" He demanded to know, pulling her closer to him and glaring at her.


    "I told you already, he''s a complete stranger!" Madeline exclaimed, hiding the one thing she knew would get her killed.


    "I was given the exceptional ability to detect lies, I know you''re lying," Miles narrowed his eyes and brought her closer to him than she already was.


    "Who is he to you?"


    "We''re friends," Madeline finally admitted.


    Letting her go, he spat, "So that makes you my enemy by principle."


    "What did Xavier ever do to you for you to look so angry?"


    Silence filled the room.


    Miles gnashed his teeth together in rage, letting her go and watching as Madeline fell to the floor.


    "Why do you think I''m still here in this cave? Huh?"


    "Did you think I wanted to be stuck here?"


    "Are you saying Xavier locked you in this cave?"


    "I''m the one asking questions here," Miles said, his eyes flashing dangerously.


    Pointing his rapier directly at her, Madeline crawled back.


    Time was up.


    For once, she was filled with a sense of dread.


    There was no escaping this one.


    "Xavier," she whispered, to see no one rushing to save her.


    "Xavier, where are you?" She asked, speaking louder than before.


    Miles laughed hysterically.


    His grin disappeared from his face.


    He scoffed, whispering under his breath, ''How pathetic.''


    "No one can hear you, little one," Miles said, his voice dripping with amusement.


    "It''s just you and me here, and that makes it all the more satisfying."


    "I really am sorry for this. Look at the bright side, I haven''t killed anyone in centuries so I''m a tad bit rusty. Consider yourself as¡­ target practice."


    Madeline panicked hearing his words.


    ''It''s time to wake up from this vision.''


    ''Time to return to reality perfectly fine and pretend nothing happened.''


    When nothing happened, Madeline cried, "Don''t you dare lay a hand on me!"


    "I am a friend of the man that got you stuck here in the first place, and once he finds out what you did to me, he''ll--"


    Miles raised his rapier, disregarding everything she''d said while feeling victorious as he struck her.


    "Hyah!"


    Blood spattered everywhere and one loud scream was heard, but for some reason, Madeline didn''t feel the tiniest bit of pain.


    Opening one eye slowly, Madeline realized the blood wasn''t hers.


    It was his!


    ''B-but, h-how--''


    "YOU DAMNED WOMAN, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" She heard Miles cry.


    to see a twinkling, fawn barrier between her and him.


    Miles bellowed, staggering backwards as blood leaked from his wound, "HOW COULD THIS BE?"


    Madeline felt a surge of power flow through her fingertips. For a split second, she felt like she could rule over the world. That she was no longer human. She was so distracted that she hadn''t noticed that Miles had stabbed himself in his leg because of the barrier.


    He growled, "Y-you, this must''ve been your plan all along!"


    Madeline tried not to seem so confused.


    The barrier hadn''t disappeared, it still remained there and Madeline stared at the mysterious force separating her from the man that had almost killed her.


    Was it her that had created the shield?


    Or was it someone else?


    "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE CREATED A SHIELD," Miles couldn''t comprehend how a human could be capable of such a feat.


    Only a few people in the world could.


    And perhaps it was a coincidence that both of them were two of those able to, or perhaps it was a disguise.


    "H-how," Madeline stuttered in awe of what she''d done.


    "Xavier was right, it wasn''t a coincidence, I do have powers," she tried not to seem so shocked and panicky.


    "I have powers," she repeated.


    "W-why you--"


    Miles lunged for her while she was distracted, but he was stopped. Instantly, he felt excruciating pain in his lower leg and got down on his knees. Of course the rapier he had pocketed was made out of silver. And worse, it''d pierced through his leg.


    "I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE, YOU WITCH! I PROMISE YOU, THIS WON''T BE THE LAST YOU SEE OF ME!" He yelled, looking at the spot he''d stabbed himself at.


    Rocking back and forth, he watched as Madeline ran for the exit without any hesitation. Fortunately after visiting the cave multiple times, she knew exactly where the exit was. She ignored Miles'' cries and pleas for help as he was left in the cave, injured and bleeding. Her barrier had disappeared, meaning she was left defenseless if Miles were to recover quickly.


    ''Who knew it only took one stab to the leg?'' Madeline thought to herself. She thought he''d be able to handle more than that with Miles'' constant claims to be some powerful werewolf descendant.


    Of course, Madeline also knew that one stab to the leg wouldn''t kill Miles. At best, it''d stun him temporarily and give her time for her to escape.


    Once Madeline was a safe distance away from the cave, she only noticed her pyjamas were soaked in blood. Miles'' blood.


    She fell to the ground, the effects of the barrier finally catching up to her. Recuperating, Madeline felt her insides boil. Her hunger and thirst left her, and she couldn''t get herself to speak. Her vision was turning black, and something told Madeline it wasn''t coming back.


    With the last bit of strength left in her body, Madeline managed to get one word out before she felt herself drift away.


    "Xav¡­ ier¡­"

 Chapter 46 - Dont Stop! [R18]

    [WARNING: MATURE CONTENT, DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT OF AGE AND SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER AS IT WON''T HAVE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE WHETHER OR NOT YOU READ THIS CHAPTER]


    "Madeline," Xavier called, grinning from ear to ear as a mischievous idea came to his mind.


    Looking upwards from her vanity, Madeline asked, "Xavier?"


    She walks over to him, wondering what he could possibly be doing here.


    "Who else would visit you so late?" Xavier spoke, his lips brushing against her as he pulled her closer to him like she was a lightweight.


    Madeline, who was caught off guard, placed both her hands on his chest in an attempt to steady herself.


    "I-uh, sorry," she apologized, lowering her head as she took her hands off of him.


    "Why apologize?" Xavier asked.


    Frankly, he liked the feeling of her hands on him.


    Confused and hazy, Madeline looked at him questioningly, not noticing she drew closer to him by some magnetic force she couldn''t fathom.


    When she snapped out of it, Madeline couldn''t believe her eyes. Xavier and her were in close proximity. No, that was an understatement.


    All it took was for one person to bend over and--


    Madeline''s thoughts were interrupted when she felt something against her.


    Xavier was kissing her!


    Not fighting it, Madeline gave into it, kissing him back as desire and passion set her body aflame. Sparks flew everywhere, and never in a million years would Madeline have thought this would be happening.


    Her cheeks were the reddest shade they''d ever been, and Madeline asked herself, ''Am I really going to do this?''


    That moment, she had two choices. The first was to run and hope this passed. The second? To fuck him senseless.


    With the feel of his soft lips against hers, she was rendered speechless.


    Xavier couldn''t believe what he''d done either.


    ''I kissed her.''


    He corrected himself, ''I''m kissing her.''


    And to him, the best part was that¡­ she was kissing back.


    Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and he tried not to cave in to his growing animalistic urges.


    ''No no no no, not now,'' he told himself, shutting his eyes as he bit back a moan.


    Hell, she thought her knees would give up on her and she''d fall. But, something told her he wouldn''t let that happen.


    ''Fuck him senseless, pft! Do you remember that you''re still a virgin?'' A voice in her head reminded her.


    "Are we really going to go through with this?" Madeline asked after she had gasped for air.


    Xavier panted, "That''s up to you."


    "Are we?" He blinked, looking at her seductively.


    Something in Madeline clicked. Without any further hesitation, her lips met his once more. Madeline knew she''d come to regret this, but that had already become immaterial the moment she found him again.


    Xavier moaned into the kiss, and Madeline felt something pressing against her lower stomach.


    Lust and desire, two feelings foreign to her had built up inside her, and Madeline felt like she''d explode.


    He pulled away from her, and Madeline''s skin felt tingly. She realized that he''d been sucking on her neck, adding more fire to her fuel.


    Like instinct, she took off his shirt, before his belt and pants followed, and Madeline''s clothing too. She shivered as she felt the cool breeze on her skin. Madeline felt uncomfortable and squeamish, but not for long.


    "Cold?" Xavier asked.


    Madeline nodded, sharing a look of agreement with him.


    The alluring look he was giving her told her, ''I know a way we could keep warm.''


    He scooped her up, and Madeline squirmed. She soon settled and wrapped her legs around him.


    The bed dipped down as Xavier began kissing Madeline''s chest, and then stomach, before trailing his kisses even lower, succeeding in finding the core of Madeline''s pleasure. He began sucking, and Madeline dug her nails into his smooth skin. It didn''t seem to have any affect on him since he simply continued what he was doing.


    ''Perks of being a werewolf,'' Madeline couldn''t help but feel the tiniest bit of jealousy burn inside her before she picked up where she left off.


    "Oh god yes," she said breathlessly.


    That hit the spot.


    Groans reverberated around the room, which had quickly turned sizzling hot.


    Pinning her down with one hand while he fingered her clit with the other, sending shockwaves of pleasure through Madeline''s body.


    Madeline bit and nibbled her way back up his body, causing Xavier to groan loudly.


    "Don''t stop," he pleaded, picking up the pace as he pumped into her opening even faster than he did before.


    And sooner rather than later, she felt him near her entrance. He was teasing her!


    She was already wet from anticipation, Madeline was growing more and more impatient.


    Knowing she''d die from the wait, Madeline bucked into him, pleasure searing through her.


    She never wanted this to stop. Ever.


    Something told her this definitely wouldn''t be the last of things, and Xavier seemingly shared her sentiment.


    Madeline felt something building inside her, feeling ashamed as she threw her head back and cried, squirting everywhere.


    To her surprise, Xavier looked pleased. Madeline rolled her hips continuously, panting as her insides felt like they''d dissolved into a puddle of slime.


    Xavier groaned, his knot beginning to swell, getting caught inside her. Madeline tried pulling away but was unable to. She cried out in pain as it kept swelling.


    Xavier shook with pleasure from the feeling of her folds squeezing his manhood. For too long he''d been fantasizing about this, and now it had turned into a reality!


    And not a moment too soon, he came inside her, filling her with his seed, being unable to hold it any longer. Madeline was freed from his knot, her chest heaving up and down as she crumpled onto Xavier''s chest from exhaustion.


    Placing a sloppy kiss on Xavier''s jaw, Madeline straddled him. He seemed pleased, happy to know she agreed they couldn''t possibly have left things just like that.


    Madeline chuckled, wiping her face with her hand, "The night''s not over yet."


    "Indeed it hasn''t," he agreed before he stuck his tongue deep inside her.

 Chapter 47 - It Was All A Lie

    Madeline stirred, waking up from her slumber. She had changed into different clothing, and her right arm was wrapped in a bandage.


    Looking beside her, Madeline was relieved to see no one laying beside her.


    ''It was a dream.''


    ''Nothing more than a dream,'' she convinced herself.


    ''It was all a lie,'' Madeline said.


    But¡­ if it was just a dream, then why didn''t she feel glad it was just that?


    However, just to make sure, she looked around the room to see a nervous Xavier pacing around, murmuring something to himself and unaware she''d just woken up.


    Madeline felt something damp against her. She lifted her comforter to look at what was damp and fidgeted at the sight, alerting Xavier.


    For a second, Madeline almost thought Xavier was on the brink of a smile when he saw her conscious and awake, but she shrugged it off. Xavier never smiled. Or at least, when he did he wasn''t around her.


    "You''re awake."


    Madeline nodded.


    "How long was I out for?"


    "Since last night, of course," Madeline added, assessing him to see if there was any change in his face.


    "Last night?" He looked at her, a look of confusion painted across his face.


    Madeline was proven right. It had been a dream after all.


    Clutching the comforter even tighter now, Madeline dismissed it, "Never mind."


    Xavier gave her an odd look before walking over to her.


    ''What''s he--''


    ''Oof!''


    Madeline''s eyes widened as he embraced her.


    Was Xavier¡­ hugging her?


    ''Why is he hugging me?'' Madeline wondered, her brows furrowed.


    ''Why''s he being so gentle?''


    Had she been out for that long?


    Blinking, Madeline gently patted him on the back, wondering when he''d let her go from this embrace.


    Briar was about to have a field day. Where was she anyway? And what was this bandage around her arm?


    Madeline didn''t recall her arm being injured, but strangely, she felt completely fine. Like nothing had happened. She wasn''t numb, but


    watched as Xavier separated from her.


    Looking at him questioningly, he scratched the back of his neck.


    "Um," Xavier swallowed.


    "I''m glad you''re awake," was all he managed to get himself to say.


    Madeline smiled thankfully.


    "You saved me again, didn''t you?"


    Xavier shook his head, "All I did was bring you back here."


    She tilted her head.


    "I could''ve found you before you passed out."


    Madeline wondered if he knew how thankful she was. In that cave, she had really thought she was dead. Even if she escaped the cave using her own means, it meant a lot.


    ''Now where''s Briar?'' Madeline thought.


    Briar was nowhere to be seen.


    Had Briar refused to see her?


    Madeline looked upwards.


    Right, Xavier was in the room. Didn''t seem like Briar had a choice, and even if she did she was too intimidated by Xavier to stay. Had Xavier not been there, Madeline knew Briar would''ve been at her side 24/7.


    "You''re wondering what happened," Madeline guessed.


    It didn''t take much effort to figure that out.


    Xavier hesitated before he nodded.


    "What did he do?" Xavier questioned, hoping Madeline would tell him.


    And the funny thing was, he didn''t fathom why he cared. And why he bothered to ask her.


    Suffice it to say, had this been someone else. Say, a wolf of lowly ranking to have been found injured, he would''ve made sure they were brought to safety, but it was to that extent.


    "Xavier," Madeline called.


    "Hmm?"


    "He said he knew you," Madeline began.


    Xavier''s gaze on her faltered.


    "Miles said that?"


    Madeline added, "He also said that Miles was just a nickname people used to call him."


    "Ah."


    "You know something."


    "You don''t know that," Xavier insisted.


    "I can see it in your eyes," Madeline frowned.


    "Do you really want to know?"


    "Why do you think I asked in the first place?"


    Xavier''s eyes glittered perilously, causing Madeline to think she wouldn''t get anything out of him.


    She cleared her throat, telling him, "And something else he said was that you had something to do with him being stuck in the cave."


    "So you were in the cave," Xavier inhaled.


    Madeline stared at him.


    So, it really was his fault she''d been put in danger.


    Why oh why was it his fault?


    Well, that cave was special. It''s location constantly changed, and finding it was and is impossible. Xavier couldn''t track her no matter what resources he used. It was meant to never be found again, so how Madeline stumbled upon it and had visions of it shocked Xavier as well.


    "Does he know we''re soulmates?" Xavier asked next.


    To his relief, Madeline shook her head, "No, he doesn''t."


    "Madeline, do you realize what you''ve gotten yourself into?" Xavier inquired.


    Strangely, it seemed like he was more upset with himself than he was with her.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be upset at me?" Madeline blurted out without thinking.


    "Why would I be upset at you?"


    Madeline shrugged, "I hurt whoever he was and got myself into trouble again."


    Xavier raised his brow.


    "Y-you hurt him?" He spoke with a stutter in his voice.


    "W-why are you stuttering?" Madeline stuttered.


    He peered at her, "Start from the beginning, tell me everything."


    "And tell me every last bit of how you managed to hurt him," Xavier ordered.


    ''E-eh? Why all of a sudden? He didn''t seem as interested at what happened till now.''


    Crossing her arms, Madeline reckoned this was the perfect time to strike a deal.


    "Information for information."


    "I''m not telling you until you tell me something in return."


    Xavier scoffed, "Seems fair."


    Grinning, Madeline then said, "In exchange for everything I''m about to tell you, you just have to tell me one thing."


    Albeit Xavier seemed perfectly calm and collected, inside he was dreading her request.


    What would she ask of him?


    Surely it couldn''t be anything too personal, or something he had to keep secret no matter what, right?


    Despite knowing he''d come to regret it, he braved himself to ask her, "And that one thing is¡­?"


    "Who Miles actually is of course," Madeline answered.

 Chapter 48 - Whos Emilio?

    "By the look on your face and my assumptions, I doubt it''s good."


    "Well your doubts are correct," Xavier confirmed, "It''s not good."


    "So, are you going to tell me who Miles actually is and what you and him have to do with each other?"


    "Surely you didn''t..."


    Madeline gasped, "I didn''t know you were into men!"


    "Is that why you''re so hesi--"


    After receiving glares from Xavier, Madeline stopped with the teasing.


    "Tell me," Madeline coaxed.


    "Make me," Xavier taunted.


    Madeline didn''t seem fazed, "I''ll have you know I can be very convincing when I want to be."


    "You just haven''t seen that side of me."


    "Just tell me," Madeline continued, still trying to get Xavier to tell her something.


    "I don''t know anything about what''s going on, and I just want to know something," Madeline bit her lip.


    "He tried killing me," she added.


    After she''d said those four words, Xavier caved in.


    "Fine."


    "But this stays completely between us, you got that?"


    "Mm," Madeline nodded, waiting in anticipation over what was he going to tell her next.


    "That book in the library that you said fell on you."


    "...it has something to do with it?"


    Xavier nodded, "It does."


    "Everything that happened is in that book," Xavier explained.


    ''So that''s why he asked me if I read it.''


    Continuing, he told her that it was strange she couldn''t read the book.


    "I''m not sure why you can''t read it, but my best bet is that it has something to do with you not being a werewolf."


    "So what you''re trying to say is¡­"


    Madeline couldn''t bring herself to speak with the information still fresh in her mind.


    "T-that¡­"


    Xavier finished her sentence for her, "That Miles was the alpha before me, and my previous leader."


    "H-how is he still alive?" Madeline asked.


    It was then Xavier went radio silent. How could he tell her that this was all his fault?


    With what he knew about her, she likely wouldn''t blame him. Hell, she''d even take it as far as to blame herself.


    And low and behold, he was right.


    Madeline thought that to ascend to an alpha, one would have to kill the pack''s current alpha. Turns out, she was wrong. Since, why else would he still be alive if that was the case?


    Xavier deliberated how he''d tell her the only reason Miles was still alive was because he had lent him mercy. Perhaps it was a moment of weakness where Miles'' pleas had got to Xavier''s usually locked and impenetrable heart. Or perhaps, he thought death was too convenient a fate. After all, it was when Xavier was seconds away from killing him that he decided to do something else with Miles instead.


    He sealed him away from the rest of the world, to spend centuries if not decades of solitary confinement in a cage created with the proper magic to detain him.


    "Xavier? Xavier!" Madeline exclaimed, interrupting his train of thought.


    "I did my part," Xavier spoke, refusing to say more. Although he told her everything she needed to know, he didn''t tell her everything she wanted to know, but that was for another day.


    "You''ve fulfilled your part of the deal, it''d only be fair if I fulfilled mine."


    "Agreed," Xavier''s tone turned to his normal, cold and unfeeling tone.


    Madeline took notice of this but kept her resolve.


    She told him everything that had happened


    "He was pointing his sword at me and everything, and then--"


    "Are you telling me a story or telling me what happened?"


    Frowning, Madeline asked him in return, "Do you want to know what happens next or not? I could just as easily stop right here."


    "Continue," Xavier said, regretting what he previously said.


    Madeline fought back a snicker.


    ''That''s what I thought.''


    "How did you make it out of there alive?" Xavier questioned.


    "Are you belittling me?"


    "I''m not," Xavier shook his head.


    Miles was not just any werewolf. He was powerful. More powerful than even Xavier, the current alpha. And yet, Xavier was the current alpha.


    Madeline was unaware of that, as well as why he was so powerful. There was one detail about Miles that Xavier was keeping from her, one that was a game changer.


    "Then why--"


    "Is there something you''re keeping from me?"


    "Well if I am keeping something I can''t really tell you if I am," Xavier reasoned, crossing his arms in an attempt to persuade Madeline he was anything but guilty.


    "Fair point," Madeline admitted, "But you''re hiding something."


    "So Miles was the ex-alpha, there''s something else," she quickly realized.


    "His name is Emilio, not Miles. Miles was just a nickname some people used to call him," Xavier explained.


    Madeline blinked.


    Emilio.


    There was something about that name, she just couldn''t wrap her head around it.


    ''Emilio¡­ I''ve heard that name before.''


    ''I don''t know where I heard it from but I''ve heard it somewhere.''


    "Were you close to him before you became the alpha?" Madeline asked, fidgeting in her spot.


    She felt a tad bit warm.


    "Close to him¡­"


    "I was his advisor," Xavier admitted.


    "Woah."


    Xavier looked at her questioningly.


    "I''m just¡­ shocked because I did not expect that."


    "Then what did you expect?"


    It took some time before Madeline answered his question.


    "Well, I expected you to be some fierce warrior or something. But not an advisor though," Madeline admitted albeit she found it impressive.


    "So, moving on from that, who is he?"


    "Emilio?"


    "Yes, Emilio."


    "Something''s up," Madeline said.


    "So what is it?"


    Xavier kept quiet.


    He had the answer to her question. Everyone in the pack knew of him actually.


    Emilio was the previous alpha of the pack, so not many were there when he was still the alpha but those that were still remembered him till this day.


    Why?


    Because Emilio was special.. For he was not only the ex-alpha of Eudora, but a direct descendant of the first werewolf that ever walked across Alaric.

 Chapter 49 - How He Became An Alpha

    And since that made him a powerful being, it made things all the more difficult for Xavier to defeat him.


    Now why would Xavier need to defeat him when he was his alpha and he was a mere beta?


    Because it was how one became an alpha.


    They''d have to challenge each other to a duel. The victor would become the alpha, and the vanquished wouldn''t be given any mercy and would be killed mercilessly by the newly appointed alpha.


    Now, with that, one would wonder¡­ if Xavier became the alpha, how was Emilio still alive?


    Surely Xavier would''ve killed him during the duel and the rest would be history, right?


    Wrong.


    It was why he blamed himself for what happened to Madeline.


    Rewinding back centuries, Xavier and Miles were engaged in combat.


    Xavier was close to losing, but just in the nick of time, he came up with a strategy and outsmarted Miles.


    Miles was vanquished, and Xavier was about to kill him with one final blow before he had a quick change of heart. Something told him not to.


    And just like that, Xavier gave in.


    Instead of killing him, Xavier sealed him away in a cave, thinking death was too convenient for him.


    It was that one choice he made that caused the present things to occur.


    Now, back to Madeline and Xavier, who were still in Madeline''s quarters, having a chat regarding Miles, or Emilio, as Xavier had mentioned.


    "Xavier, you can''t keep ignoring me," Madeline said.


    "You''re going to have to tell me who he is eventually."


    "Keyword, eventually," Xavier said in return.


    Madeline pouted, "Are you really not going to tell me who he is?"


    In her life, Madeline had never not gotten her way. When it came to getting what she wanted, she always did.


    One would remember that Madeline was raised by adoptive parents. She was loved, although Madeline never felt like they were her parents. They were more reminiscent of guardians tasked to care for her until she was of age. Then, they disappeared into nothing.


    Madeline never heard back from them after she returned from university. All they left her was a letter explaining that she''d make her own way in this world, and that she was stronger than she could possibly imagine.


    Now, with that, Madeline was left to deliberate over whether or not to tell Xavier regarding the barrier.


    She tapped on Xavier''s shoulder.


    "Yes?"


    "There was something else," Madeline admitted.


    ''It wouldn''t hurt to tell him, would it? He wouldn''t hurt me.''


    "Miles did come close to killing me."


    "Oh?"


    Madeline then continued, "But, just as he was about to stab me there was this barrier that separated me from him."


    "I don''t know where it came from but it just appeared out of nowhere."


    "You''ve got to believe me," Madeline said once she saw the look of disbelief on Xavier''s face, biting her lip.


    "What makes you think I don''t believe you?"


    Wait, did that mean he believed her?


    "What did the barrier look like?"


    "It was a light yellowish-brown colour," Madeline responded.


    A wave of relief washed over Madeline, so he believed her after all. She couldn''t express how grateful. That, and how she''d been wanting to get it off her chest.


    "It was so strange," Madeline said as she sat cross-legged on her bed.


    "What happened to Emilio?" Xavier asked next, waiting for her reply.


    What did happen to him anyway?


    "He stabbed himself."


    Xavier looked like he''d been punched in the face.


    "He what?"


    Xavier looked confused, a rare sight.


    "So that barrier appeared out of nowhere and Emilio stabbed himself?" Xavier questioned, trying to get Madeline''s confirmation before he assumed anything.


    Madeline nodded.


    "And you managed to escape before he caught you?"


    "You sound like you wanted me to get caught by him," Madeline pointed out, pouting.


    "You and I know that''s not true," Xavier said, before moving on.


    "But if what you''re saying is true, then¡­"


    "Then what?"


    Xavier inquired, "Are you sure you''re human?"


    "As in, are you completely sure you''re human and you don''t possess any special abilities that you don''t know of?"


    Madeline shook her head, "From what I currently know, I''m likely human."


    "I don''t know what caused the barrier but it wouldn''t disappear until--"


    A gentle knock came at the door.


    ''Oh not again,'' Madeline thought, wondering who it could be.


    She didn''t want to stop talking to him, they were having a serious conversation. And it was nice seeing him especially after the ordeal she had.


    Looking irritated someone had interrupted their conversation, Xavier got up to open the door.


    "That must be Ms Alva," he predicted before opening the door to reveal¡­yes, Briar.


    "O-oh, Alpha Xavier, you''re here," Briar seemed genuinely shocked.


    She began apologizing profusely, saying she could always leave.


    Sighing, Xavier knew the poor girl simply wanted to visit her friend after her near-death experience.


    ''I''m becoming soft,'' he told himself.


    He opened the door wider for her to enter, mumbling an excuse before announcing he''d leave.


    Walking over to Madeline, he whispered something to her right before he left for his office. He thought it''d be a good idea.


    ''I''m glad you''re okay,'' he whispered.


    Rendered speechless, Madeline gawked at him.


    Briar was in the same room, and he dared say something like that to her?


    ''O-oh, uh, I-I''m glad I''m okay too,'' Madeline stuttered, unable to come up with something to say in return.


    As soon as he bid her and Briar goodbye, Madeline moved a hand to her ear, a rosy blush spreading across her face.


    "What was that about?" Briar asked, smirking at her.


    "He cares about you," she cooed.


    "I missed you too, Briar."


    Briar turned serious for a second.


    "I missed you too, Madeline," she said, pain evident in her tone.


    Taking Madeline''s hand, Briar exhaled in relief.


    Madeline was alright now.


    "Whoever did this will pay."


    "Do you know who did this?" Briar gestured at her, before her gaze landed on Madeline''s hand.


    She gasped, unable to get herself to speak and talk to Madeline.


    ''What the--''


    ''Why''s she behaving so strangely?'' Madeline stared at Briar who looked like a fish out of water.


    "M-Madeline, d-did you injure your hand?"

 Chapter 50 - No, I Just Passed Out

    Madeline shook her head, "No, I just passed out."


    Briar stared at Madeline''s hand in awe.


    ''Oh my goodness,'' Briar uttered under her breath.


    "What?"


    Briar began, "There''s always been a remedy to getting injured. One that''s extremely rare to obtain."


    And what was this remedy she was speaking of?


    It was none other than Xavier''s blood. Yes, blood.


    Madeline hadn''t gotten injured, and as she said her hand was perfectly fine, but she''d been on the brink of death when Xavier found her. It was a miracle how he got her here without¡­


    Briar realized what he''d done.


    Then again, Madeline still didn''t know, and she''d always been squeamish at the sight and mention of blood, so Briar decided to keep this to herself.


    "I forgot what it''s called and how to obtain it though," Briar lied.


    Madeline paid it no heed.


    "Oh, okay."


    She then asked Briar, "Do you know of anyone who can create magical barriers?"


    Briar knitted her brows, "I don''t think so."


    "Why ask?"


    "Magical barriers, that''s incredibly random," Briar pointed out.


    "Was that how you escaped from Emilio?"


    "How does everyone but me know who Emilio is?" Madeline asked.


    "He was the ex-alpha of the pack, it''s common knowledge here," Briar explained.


    Madeline frowned albeit it made a lot of sense. Of course they knew about Emilio, how could they not?


    She looked outside her room window, gazing outside before her gaze landed at the distant view of Xavier''s office.


    Was he there at the office with Adrian?


    And as it turned out, he was.


    "So she can create barriers, proving she has powers," Adrian spoke.


    "There''s no evidence she can actually create barriers, Adrian," Xavier reasoned.


    "You believe Madeline, don''t you? Her words should be more than enough evidence, and anyways, you and I both know that humans aren''t permitted to leave the cave."


    The office turned dead silent.


    "I know that," Xavier insisted, seemingly deep in thought.


    "She managed to hurt him," he added.


    It was something even Xavier found difficult in doing. After all, with Emilio being a direct descendant of the first ever werewolf, that granted him powers.


    "So now you believe she''s not a human?"


    "I''m left with no other choice," Xavier shrugged.


    "Could a human do all the things she did? No, unless all of them secretly have powers we''re unaware of."


    Even Adrian could tell Xavier was clearly in denial.


    "So, are you going to keep denying it?"


    "I don''t deny anything," Xavier said, before realizing he''d just did as Adrian said.


    He did deny it. It being everything that had to do with Madeline being special and not just an ordinary human.


    Xavier would''ve been a fool to believe she was just a human. He had a theory which had been confirmed when he discovered who were Madeline''s adoptive parents.


    Obviously, he hadn''t told anyone what this theory was, not even Adrian. It was something he wanted to keep to himself, and besides, he couldn''t run the risk of Madeline finding out.


    Some things were better kept secret.


    "Where did you find her?" Adrian asked, referring to where Xavier had found her when she''d called him.


    "In some faraway woods not too far away from the cave."


    "There you have it."


    "You and I both know that cave was designed to--"


    Adrian paused.


    Humans weren''t meant to enter the cave. The same with exiting. They weren''t allowed to leave either. If they managed to enter in the first place, they wouldn''t be able to exit, leaving them trapped in a cave with a powerful werewolf that had been starved for centuries.


    Now, if humans weren''t allowed to enter and leave, did the same apply to werewolves? No. It didn''t.


    When it came to werewolves, they could leave and enter as they please, all but a few exceptions.


    Those born as werewolves had a far greater volume of the first werewolves'' blood than those turned into werewolves. Emilio had the blood of the first werewolf. He was born a werewolf.


    However, someone like Xavier was unable to enter the cave, but someone who was born a werewolf could. Currently, there was one person who could enter and leave, and he was the man the cave was designed for, so he couldn''t leave no matter what.


    Xavier remembered Emilio trying to claw his way out or breaking the barrier that separated the cave from the outside world, but nothing worked. He was stuck despite his best efforts at leaving. And there was only one person who was born a werewolf from Xavier''s information as it was extremely rare to be born a werewolf. Everyone in his pack were turned into werewolves, none of them were born werewolves. But as it seemed, Madeline managed to do so just fine.


    Now, what would that mean?


    Madeline didn''t possess any special abilities. She didn''t have superspeed, super strength, and super hearing. She had said she''d created a barrier. Or at least, he immediately assumed she did.


    No one else could''ve been in that cave but Emilio and her, and there was no way he was capable of creating barriers.


    Xavier spent decades learning of Emilio''s powers before he challenged him to a duel, Emilio couldn''t possibly have been capable of creating barriers, even if the last Xavier had seen of him was centuries ago.


    "What we need to find out is what relation Emilio holds with her, there''s no way she''d see visions of him for no reason," Xavier said.


    Adrian agreed, "I''ll see what I can find."


    "But¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    Adrian chuckled nervously, "So umm, now that Madeline''s alright, about your workload¡­"


    "What about my workload?" Xavier raised his brow, wondering what Adrian wanted to tell him.


    Adrian hesitated, confused as to how to tell him to take a break for once.


    Adrian had gotten to experience what work Xavier had to do everyday. Safe to say, it was torture. He couldn''t fathom how Xavier dealt with this everyday. He nearly died for paperwork, and hosting ceremonies, along with many other things.


    And to think, Xavier was the same man who had rescued him from death so many centuries ago.

 Chapter 51 - Listen, I Don’t Want To Worry You Or Anything, But…

    "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "You didn''t hit your head or twist your knee or anything, right? I''m just making sure," Briar asked as she examined Madeline who seemed perfectly fine.


    "I''m fine, quit worrying," Madeline whined.


    "I have all the right to be worried," Briar said, adding, "After all, when your friend suddenly vanishes out of thin air and is found outside the cave of the ex-alpha on the brink of death, you get worried."


    Madeline had to admit, Briar had a fair point.


    "I''m sorry," she apologized, to which Briar shook her head.


    "Maddie, what in the hell are you apologizing to me for?"


    "For worrying you," Madeline answered, feeling guilty.


    Briar took one look at her and sighed, "There''s no need for you to apologize."


    "I''m just wondering¡­ why did you get yourself involved in this anyway?"


    "From what I''ve seen, most humans would''ve left at the first sight of danger," Briar remarked.


    A small smile grew on Madeline''s face. Had Briar not known her prior, she would''ve thought Madeline was crazy. That she was an insane woman trying to get herself killed by constantly putting herself in danger, albeit unintentional.


    "Want my honest answer?"


    "I don''t know either," she admitted.


    "Maybe it''s because I didn''t have anyone before, and I''ve felt more alive here than anywhere else¡­ or perhaps it''s because I''ve finally met my soulmate and I want to see where things go with him."


    Madeline didn''t think of herself as a daring person. She''d always been the one lost in the fictional world of books. The one to wish for a fantasy to turn true. For a romance that would defy all odds and was surreal. One that was magical and perfect and all sparks and bliss.


    Adventure and action wasn''t for her, and yet, action was the one thing that made her feel alive.


    "Ah," Briar said, a hint of understanding evident in her voice.


    Briar always had difficulty seeing things in someone else''s point of view, even if that person was Madeline, a close friend.


    "You know, Madeline¡­"


    "Yes?"


    "Xavier was incredibly worried about you when you were gone," Briar began, a smirk on her face.


    It wasn''t something to smirk about, but Briar couldn''t help it.


    Madeline couldn''t help but ask, "Worried? How did you know?"


    Briar pointed at a that looked like it''d been punched through and fixed afterwards.


    "Xavier doesn''t break walls for no reason," Briar said.


    ''E-eh?! He broke one of my room''s walls?!'' Madeline thought, quite shocked.


    She hadn''t noticed it before either.


    "Why would he do that?" Madeline asked, her eyes wide in horror.


    Was it strange she was somewhat impressed by his strength?


    Briar cooed, "Because he was clearly worried about you."


    "Walk me through what happened," Madeline ordered.


    Briar explained to her how when she was asleep, she''d muttered the word ''Miles'', and how Xavier and Adrian were having a conversation so they didn''t notice. She continued with how she''d told them and¡­ that was when Xavier punched through a wall.


    Madeline never expected for something like this to happen.


    Breaking her wall? Now that sounded ambiguous.


    ''Wah, quit being so dirty-minded,'' a voice in her head scolded her.


    ''Hello, he literally broke his wall out of anger and frustration, it''s so clear,'' the other voice retorted.


    Madeline reasoned, "We''re just friends, maybe he was just¡ª"


    Briar furrowed her brows, interrupting her mid-sentence, "You two are just friends?"


    She emphasized the word ''just'', and Madeline found it peculiar.


    Was it strange that they were friends? What, were they supposed to be acquaintances instead?


    "Okay."


    "So, Madeline, what do you think of Xavier?"


    "What do I think of Xavier?"


    "Hmm."


    She tried remembering all the time she and Xavier had spent together and what he was like to her.


    "Xavier¡­ he comes off as someone intimidating and someone who''s serious all the time but when you actually get to know him he''s really fun, and sweet. He probably acts differently because he has to present himself a certain way as the alpha of the pack, but¡­ the man''s also saved my life a couple of times so he has my eternal gratitude for it," Madeline explained.


    The minute she stopped talking, Briar said to her, "You''re so smitten with him."


    "Smitten?"


    "I''m not smitten with him, we''re friends."


    "And also soulmates," Briar reminded her.


    "And you know the phrase ''we''re friends'' isn''t an excuse right?"


    "It''s not an excuse. And besides, we''ve known each other for less than a month!"


    "Right, there''s also that," Briar nodded.


    "And besides, I''m not really ready for a relationship either."


    "Wanna talk about it?" Briar offered.


    Madeline chuckled lightly.


    "I don''t know, maybe it''s because I''m a diehard romantic or because I read and watch nothing but romance books and movies but¡­"


    Exhaling, Madeline continued on, "I have this unrealistic expectation of what love is supposed to feel and be like, and a part of me knows that if I ever fall for someone and we hit it off, my perception of love is going to be popped like some bubble that we all knew was going to burst eventually."


    "So maybe it''s because of that I feel like I''m not ready, or it''s because I have yet to love someone romantically."


    "But, you know I''m just seeing where life takes me and if things will change."


    Madeline smiled, "Feels nice getting this off my chest."


    Briar hugged her, "Whatever you decide to do you know I support you."


    Madeline''s heart warmed at Briar''s words.


    Briar suddenly tensed, hearing something.


    "Stay here," she said, taking a peek outside from the window.


    Madeline saw Briar''s eyes briefly widen in horror.


    Trying to keep calm and put on a brave face for Madeline, she said, "Never mind."


    "Didn''t seem like something you could dismiss," Madeline said.


    "What is it?"


    Briar shook her head, walking over to Madeline before she gulped nervously.


    "What is it?"


    Briar hesitated.


    "Listen, I don''t want you to panic or anything, but¡­"


    "But what?"


    "Emilio''s right outside."

 Chapter 52 - What’s Up With Xavier & Walls?

    After deliberating over how Emilio could''ve possibly escaped the cave after years of being stuck, Xavier stared at him with hatred and fiery anger burning within him, so much so that he momentarily forgot that Emilio had managed to escape from the cave.


    ''HOW DARE HE COME HERE?''


    "We meet again, filthy scum."


    "What are you doing here?"


    "What, think I''m challenging you to another duel? Relax, I''m not here to start up another fight."


    Xavier muttered under his breath, ''With what you''re doing, I''m pretty certain you are.''


    "You''re prohibited from ever stepping foot in here, so what are you doing?"


    Emilio raised his hands up in the air in surrender, showing he came here in peace although he knew what''d happen next.


    "So what are you here for?"


    "Is that the only thing you have to ask me, what I''m here for?"


    "Spit it out, Emilio. What''s to stop me from killing you like I said I would?"


    "Ah yes, when you threatened to kill me in that wretched cave."


    "Still hung over it?"


    Xavier''s eyes glowed a scarlet red.


    Seconds later, Emilio was pinned to a wall.


    Emilio knew he was no match for his¡­ successor. From spending all that time in that magical cave, his powers had weakened. Not to mention, after centuries, Xavier definitely became stronger. Emilio felt it.


    Now, with that in mind, one would wonder¡­ Why would Emilio come all the way here? It obviously had to be extremely important if it was worth risking his life.


    "I asked you once and I''ll ask you one last time, what are you doing here, Emilio?"


    Even if he wanted a rematch it was crystal clear who the victor would be.


    "If you don''t answer me, you know I could kill you right here and now."


    "Finish what I last left off," he said, holding Emilio by the collar like Emilio once did Madeline.


    Xavier didn''t need to say anything else. Emilio was left with no other choice but to speak. It was either that, or death.


    ''I can''t die,'' Emilio thought.


    "Hah, it''s deja vu. I did the same thing with that little friend of yours the other day," Emilio said, knowing bringing her up had done something when Xavier let him go almost instantly.


    ''He came here for her.''


    Raw anger shot through him, and fury surged through his mind. Emilio''s brief pause managed to rouse his anger even more.


    "Speak," Xavier hissed, baring his pearly, sharp teeth at Emilio.


    He took one look behind him. Madeline''s quarters weren''t far.


    "I just want to talk with her," Emilio reasoned.


    "Talk?"


    "TALK?"


    Emilio''s neck was practically squished until Emilio couldn''t breathe. He was lifted off of the ground, and


    "I caaaaan''t breaf," Emilio choked out.


    "I''m nof here tof fight," he managed to say next in between desperate gasps for air.


    "I''m not stupid, Emilio."


    "I spent ages being your advisor, you think I''d fall for something like this?"


    "Just let me go, pleaf," his predecessor pleaded, waiting for a miracle to happen and save him from his misery.


    Something had to happen, this couldn''t be the way he went out.


    Had he been a human, he would''ve died already.


    (Author''s Note: Do keep in mind that all of this is medically accurate. This is all fictional. What might happen if this occurred in real life would not happen in this novel.)


    "Miles?" A voice squeaked.


    Xavier tensed like a deer in headlights, like he''d been caught for a crime. His grip on Emilio didn''t slacken, but he completely stopped moving.


    Briar quickly assessed the situation. She''d been warning her friend not to go outside and leave her quarters until Miles had left but Madeline hadn''t listened. She was incredibly stubborn.


    Even from looking at the man, Briar could tell he was the ex-alpha of the pack. He was powerful, her power was no match to his.


    If he attacked, they were toast.


    Then again, Xavier was there.


    Madeline had rushed out of her quarters the moment she heard Miles was outside.


    She hadn''t expected to see Xavier there either.


    Xavier''s eyes turned back to its normal, deep brown colour. He let Emilio go, whispering in his ear, "You hurt her and so help me I will rip you to shreds."


    Emilio coughed before he cleared his throat.


    "I-I''m just here to talk."


    "What makes you think I actually believe you?"


    "Have you ever known me as a liar?" Emilio raised his brow in curiosity.


    Did he?


    ''Don''t trust him.''


    ''He''s a dangerous man albeit his current weakened state.''


    Someone had to have let Emilio out of the cave. He couldn''t have left all on his own. The cave was specifically designed to trap him there.


    "I''ll let you talk to her once you tell me how you escaped," Xavier said, crossing his arms to make it seem as though he wasn''t completely bluffing.


    As if he''d actually do that.


    Let him speak to her?


    What was he, a fool?


    Pah!


    Adrian had just arrived, and Xavier looked him dead in the eye.


    ''Seize him.''


    ''Oh. Okay,'' Adrian agreed reluctantly, still in shock over who he was feasting his eyes upon.


    The ex-alpha.


    What a once in a lifetime opportunity!


    "Get your hands off of me!" Emilio exclaimed as Adrian grabbed hold of him.


    Strangely, Emilio wasn''t putting up much of a fight.


    ''Let him go,'' Xavier ordered next.


    Adrian furrowed his brows, wondering if he''d heard what he thought he just heard.


    ''Let him go? Didn''t you just ask me to seize him? What are you up to?''


    ''If he really did come here with ill intentions he wouldn''t have let himself get caught or seized. He would''ve put up a fight until he had no other choice but to surrender and admit defeat.''


    ''So what are you trying to say?''


    ''What I''m trying to say is¡­''


    Xavier inhaled and exhaled deeply.


    ''That we listen to what Emilio has to say before we decide what to do with him.''

 Chapter 53 - Don’t Tell Me You Only Got Weaker…

    ''What is happening?'' Madeline turned to Briar for answers since Xavier and Adrian were clearly occupied.


    Xavier was out for blood.


    Adrian looked both serious and confused.


    And Emilio''s only current concern was getting out of this alive so they would hear him out.


    Sure, he wanted to kill Madeline for a moment, until things began piecing itself together.


    ''Yes I came here for her,'' Emilio confirmed, nodding.


    Xavier gritted his teeth, ''Then you''re going to need to leave before I really just kill you here.''


    ''What''s stopping you?''


    Emilio''s eyes flashed.


    ''Don''t tell me you only got weaker¡­ What, are you scared to kill me?''


    Xavier looked to his left, where Madeline and Briar were.


    Emilio smirked for once.


    For a moment, they were back to what they once were.


    A time where Xavier was still a beta and Emilio was the alpha.


    When they were friends.


    "You''re not scared."


    "You don''t want to kill in front of her."


    "Been a short while," Miles said to Madeline, waving.


    Madeline stayed silent, glaring daggers at him whilst digging her nails deep into her arm.


    Briar gave her a look that asked, ''Want me to kill him?''


    ''What?!''


    ''I was half-kidding,'' Briar mumbled non-convincingly.


    Briar shot Madeline a look, silently asking her if she was alright.


    ''I''ll be fine.''


    ''So you''re saying you''re not fine.''


    Madeline looked away for a brief moment.


    This was the man that nearly killed her standing not too far away from her. And strangely, something was preventing her from acting out. Or perhaps¡­ someone.


    ''I''m fine,'' Madeline told herself as she stopped digging her nails into her skin from the pain.


    Adrian glanced at her, noticing her reaction to this.


    He said to Xavier, ''Madeline''s freaking out.''


    Xavier didn''t hesitate to tell Emilio, "We''re bringing this somewhere else."


    "Oh?"


    ''So you are scared after all,'' Emilio taunted.


    ''Shut up if you want to live,'' Xavier snapped.


    ''Feisty. You''ve changed.''


    ''So you want to die?''


    ''What''s with you threatening to kill me?''


    ''You tried killing my soulmate, and you think me threatening to kill you is merciless?''


    ''If I was so merciless you wouldn''t be alive,'' Xavier said, using their mind link to communicate so the others wouldn''t hear them.


    Only he and Emilio could hear whatever they had to say to each other. Not even Adrian could eavesdrop on their current conversation.


    Xavier had forgotten that he and Emilio were friends before he challenged Emilio to a duel.


    And, after you try killing your friend things tend to get rough and¡­ traitorous in a friendship.


    Obviously, the only reason Xavier ever challenged Emilio to a duel was because he was a horrible alpha all throughout his¡­ reign, to put it in one way.


    Although, tyranny would be a better way to put it.


    Emilio did as he pleased when he was the alpha, and no one dared disobey him unless they had a death wish. Before Xavier challenged him, life at Eudora was hell.


    He was the beta at the time, meaning whilst he did have some sort of power all he was was a voice of reason. Nothing more.


    However, he was the advisor for a reason.


    Xavier was seconds away from killing him. All the innocent lives Emilio had taken. Emilio was no saint.


    Emilio blinked, unable to believe his ears.


    ''Did you just say¡­ she''s your soulmate?'' Emilio asked, seeming shocked and nervous at the same time.


    ''I did,'' Xavier confirmed.


    There was a reason why he didn''t want to kill in front of her. And also, there was another reason Emilio hadn''t tried killing everyone already.


    He came there for answers, not a fight.


    Strangely, he wasn''t looking for vengeance or revenge. All he wanted was the secret behind how Madeline possessed such powers.


    All this time, he''d thought that it was because she was a special human. That she was of special lineage.


    And yes, the first part of his theory had been clearly proven wrong, but the second was not.


    No human could be a werewolf''s soulmate.


    And she had powers.


    Everything clicked.


    He looked at Xavier, and inhaled.


    ''Was she adopted?''


    Xavier didn''t want to answer him, but since this wasn''t Emilio the ex-alpha he was talking to and simply Emilio his old friend, he nodded.


    Emilio looked defenseless.


    He had no witty quip at the ready. No move he had planned beforehand. No trap, no anything.


    All Emilio had brought was himself.


    ''Let''s talk somewhere else,'' Xavier said, his voice radiating both anger and worry.


    ''What, now that I know you want to kill me?''


    ''Why? Do you want me to kill you because I''d be happy to,'' Xavier retorted.


    ''My office. Now.''


    ''You mean my office,'' Emilio corrected out of instinct.


    ''It''s my office now,'' Xavier said, grabbing Emilio by the arm before¡­ WHOOSH!


    They disappeared.


    "What the¡ª"


    Madeline asked Adrian, "What just happened?"


    Adrian placed a reassuring smile on his face as he told her, "A reunion of sorts. But, you don''t have to worry. Xavier won''t let anything happen to you and Emilio''s defenseless."


    "How do you know that?" Madeline questioned.


    Adrian chuckled, "I can sense it."


    ''What was Xavier and Emilio talking about?'' Briar asked Adrian, secretly communicating with him through a mind link.


    He shrugged, ''I wouldn''t know.''


    ''W-what? Then what were you doing this entire time?''


    ''Making sure Emilio doesn''t step a toe out of line.''


    Now, moving on to Xavier and Emilio who were at Xavier''s office.


    "I see you''ve redecorated the place."


    "It looks horrendous," Emilio said, looking around with disgust.


    What had he done to his office?


    Right, it wasn''t his office anymore. It was Xavier''s.


    Reminding himself he was here for serious business, Emilio crossed his arms.


    "So, her."


    "What do you know about her?" Emilio asked, talking to Xavier like they hadn''t just tried killing each other centuries ago and that nothing was stopping the two of them from waging another battle.


    Xavier took a moment to stare at Emilio.


    "It isn''t you that''s in the position of power here, it''s me," Xavier reminded him sternly.


    "So quiet down unless you don''t want to know about your daughter," he said, those two words finally leaving his mouth.


    (Author''s Note: Mind links are a form of communication between werewolves.. The stronger the relationship between the two werewolves, the stronger the mind link.)

 Chapter 54 - Telling Madeline

    Now what was happening?


    What were Xavier and Emilio referring to? Who was his daughter?


    "The prophecy, has it really come true?" Emilio asked.


    His leg bounced up and down as Emilio dug his nails into his skin. There was no hint of malice in his eyes. All there was left was confusion and disbelief.


    He didn''t have a daughter.


    He was never a father to anyone.


    And now there was Xavier telling him Madeline was his daughter?


    What kind of nonsense was this?


    This wasn''t the answer he came for. This wasn''t the explanation he''d accounted for.


    "She can''t be Cornelia''s daughter. Cornelia''s dead," Emilio''s voice trembled.


    "How¡­"


    "The Delcour bloodline was ended. I felt it. She can''t¡­"


    For once, the great Emilio Quince was reduced to nothing but stammers and stutters.


    He couldn''t process the news. Xavier had confirmed it, and he couldn''t be tricking him, could he?


    "And you''re sure she''s your soulmate?" Emilio asked.


    Xavier raised up his pinky.


    "Can she see through the¡ª"


    Xavier nodded.


    For once, Xavier was beginning to take pity in Emilio. Not to say he didn''t enjoy it. A huge part of him took pleasure in seeing Emilio like this. He wasn''t a tyrant at that moment, he was a man that just discovered he was a father.


    ''Remember what he did. There''s no reason to ever pity the man,'' Xavier reminded himself.


    He too was swept up in emotion. It had been confirmed.


    His soulmate, Madeline Delcour was the daughter of the ex-alpha. Emilio, his nemesis, was her father.


    It explained a whole lot of things.


    How Madeline came to be was still unclear, but how she was able to see through the veil and pass the barrier.


    How she could enter and leave the cave and managed to survive. How she could create barriers. How she was his soulmate.


    She wasn''t human.


    No, not human was false.


    Indeed, Madeline possessed human blood, but she came from a long line of powerful witches.


    Yes, witches.


    It was all so confusing. There''s so much to unpack and so little time.


    Xavier placed a file on the office table that contained the identities of Madeline''s adoptive parents.


    With shaky hands, Emilio opened the file to see what he''d expected.


    He banged his hands on the table, nearly cracking it into two.


    "She can''t be my daughter."


    "That woman is not my daughter," he said to himself, trying to convince himself to no avail.


    It was true. Everything but a couple small details added up.


    One of those small details were¡­ when Madeline was supposed to have been conceived, Emilio was still trapped in the cave he was doomed to spend the rest of eternity in, and Cornelia was traveling across Alaric.


    Unless her memory was wiped. Unless she wasn''t actually in her 20s. Unless¡­ her entire life was a lie.


    Xavier chose not to tell her since he wasn''t truly sure. It was a theory. Once he discovered who her adoptive parents were, he was even more sure but there was always that small part of him that doubted it.


    What if she was human?


    What if it was simply him in denial and refusing to have a mortal as his soulmate?


    Was he that cruel?


    No. He wasn''t.


    Emilio looked up at Xavier, his face showing he was regretting his decision to return to Eudora in search of answers.


    ''I shouldn''t have ever come here. I should''ve just stayed at the cave and never left in the first place. Is this why he trapped me there?'' "Why are you looking at me like that? What, do you want a hug?" Xavier asked.


    "I''m not hugging you," he crossed his arms and looked the other direction, deliberating how he''d tell Madeline of this. Or would Emilio be tasked with that?


    Frankly, he couldn''t care less how Emilio was feeling. Or at least, he didn''t want to.


    "I never asked you to, Xavi."


    "I just¡­"


    "What if you''re tricking me and she isn''t actually my daughter? What if this is some ploy and I''m actually childless and there isn''t an ancestor to the Quince and Delcour bloodline?"


    "You really think I''d trick you right now?"


    "I could have killed you," Xavier crossed his arms.


    Yes, Emilio being Madeline''s father was a part of the reason why he hadn''t killed the ex-alpha yet, among other reasons.


    However, Madeline didn''t know that.


    Hell, all she knew was that Emilio was here at Eudora, discussing important matters with Xavier.


    "Madeline said she created a barrier," Xavier began, staring at Emilio.


    There was no more evil left in him. Even Xavier could sense it.


    If what Xavier was saying was true, then that girl was dangerous.


    Dangerous? She doesn''t seem dangerous, one would argue.


    She''s harmless!


    Or was she?


    Emilio hunched his back and covered his face with both his hands.


    He was filthy and probably starved. And yet none of that were his current concerns.


    What his concern was whether or not Madeline was actually his daughter, and whether or not the prophecy had come true.


    What prophecy was he speaking of?


    What prophecy predicted that Madeline and Xavier would come to be soulmates? What sort of prophecy would have predicted an alpha would bear a child that would go on to be--


    "So she really is my daughter," Emilio said, his eyes filling with despair and misery.


    Miserable, Emilio reasoned, "I should return to my cave now huh."


    There was nothing else he could say. He never wanted to fight in the first place, there was no fight in him.


    "So what, planning on telling her?" Xavier asked.


    "Why are you treating me so kindly?" Emilio asked his old friend turned enemy.


    "I tried killing you."


    "And I locked you in a cave for centuries."


    "So you''re saying you don''t want to kill me anymore?" Emilio asked, sounding hopeful.


    Xavier rolled up his sleeves, "Don''t get ahead of yourself."


    "You still haven''t considered one thing."


    "And what is that one thing?"


    Xavier answered, "Telling Madeline."

 Chapter 55 - Supreme Sorceress

    Telling Madeline the man that tried to kill her was her father without any logical proof or reasoning would be a daunting task.


    She still had the perception she was human. That she had been one all her life.


    So informing her she wasn''t everything but ordinary? It wasn''t something Xavier was looking forward to.


    It wasn''t his place. He and Madeline were friends. Nothing more.


    And who in their right mind would tell their friend they''d known for a couple of weeks that her father was the man that tried to kill her? Certainly not Xavier.


    Therefore, there was one option left.


    To get Emilio to tell her.


    Yes, Madeline would totally believe the man that tried to kill her and constantly threatened to find and hunt her down was her father. She would''ve believed it without a second doubt. Totally.


    There wouldn''t be any misunderstandings or doubts. It was all just¡­


    Xavier sighed, knowing this would end in pure tragedy.


    From discovering he was her soulmate to finding out her father was the ex-alpha of Eudora¡­ not to mention she was at the brink of death days ago¡­


    The cave was designed for anyone to leave weakened. Madeline had nearly died because of it.


    And she never blamed a thing on him.


    She was brave.


    Perhaps she got it from her mother.


    "Cornelia."


    "How do you explain Cornelia to her?"


    Emilio looked like he was close to passing out.


    "Things were much simpler when all we had to do was duel to figure out whether or not I stayed as alpha or you took over and replaced me. And now this."


    Xavier narrowed his eyes. Did this man really have a death wish?


    Had he not been¡­ accommodating enough?


    Emilio wasn''t supposed to be here, he was supposed to be stuck to the confines of his cave.


    But no, he escaped.


    "Emilio," Xavier called, taking a seat on his chair.


    Emilio looked upwards, refusing to meet Xavier''s piercing gaze.


    Cornelia¡­ how could he explain her?


    They weren''t mates. They had a love that was forbidden.


    This was all crazy enough, suddenly discovering he had a daughter by the man that stole his title of alpha and banished him from Eudora.


    Their whirlwind love story? It was even crazier.


    Poor Madeline, having to grasp werewolves existing and roaming the world, and now having to suddenly be told he was her biological father.


    She hadn''t known yet, but no one wanted to tell her.


    Now, returning to Cornelia.


    Cornelia Delcour¡­ Madeline''s biological mother if this prophecy was proven to be right after all.


    No, she wasn''t a werewolf like Emilio was. If that were the case, Madeline would''ve been a werewolf as well. She''d possess similar powers to the other werewolves, with a couple of special abilities others couldn''t perform, but something along those lines.


    However, Cornelia was special. She was the all-powerful, supreme sorceress.


    Yes, sorceress.


    She was a witch.


    With Cornelia being a sorceress and Emilio having blood from the descendant of the first ever werewolf, what did that make Madeline?


    The first in the entire world to be born with that of a witch''s blood as well as a werewolf''s.


    She wasn''t transformed into a werewolf. She was born with werewolf blood. From a powerful descendant that happened to be Emilio.


    Xavier had his theories and his assumptions, but he never got to proving them or testing them out. He wasn''t sure why he never did, it was simply something he felt was best.


    ''My soulmate''s a witch and a werewolf,'' Xavier said in his head, realizing how incredulous it seemed.


    Of course she had to be of powerful blood. It explained why she could see through the veil and pass the barrier without any problems. It was likely also why she managed to leave the cave without any qualms.


    In theory, witch blood would be able to tamper with the spell cast to keep Emilio in the cave. It was possible. But, it would drain the energy of whoever left, hence why he found Madeline on the brink of death when she escaped from Emilio.


    As things began slowly piecing themselves together, it made more and more sense.


    Xavier wondered why he hadn''t looked into it more or realized it any sooner.


    Like her father, Madeline could create barriers.


    But one problem remained.


    And that was how she had no powers as far as they knew.


    Perhaps she hadn''t yet unlocked them.


    Or perhaps¡­ She was born powerless with the small exception of being able to create barriers.


    No, that couldn''t be possible. Or was it?


    There was no book or scripture written regarding witch-werewolf hybrids. There wasn''t a term coined either. Nothing was known about them.


    For all Xavier knew, Madeline was the first of her kind.


    And the worst part was, Madeline didn''t know a thing.


    Xavier said to Emilio, "You need to clean up."


    Emilio looked downwards before he looked back up and nodded slowly.


    "I do."


    "And you need to figure out how to tell Madeline before it''s back in your cave," Xavier said, his words ice cold.


    This was enough madness for one day.


    Emilio had escaped for a couple hours and now look at what he brought up.


    ''You should''ve just killed him,'' a voice in his head said, stating the obvious.


    ''Why did you have to show him mercy? Who knows, maybe that''s how Madeline was--''


    Xavier stopped. He rather not think about that.


    Emilio chuckled weakly, "Back to the cave?"


    "You really are sending me back to that hellhole huh. I can''t shmooze my way out of this or challenge you to another duel?" Emilio asked.


    The old Emilio would have never admitted defeat. He would''ve challenged Xavier to a rematch and made sure Xavier regretted ever crossing him.


    Meanwhile, the current Emilio seemed slightly hurt Xavier had already decided to send him back.


    Perhaps people did change.


    He may have seemed like he changed, but a tiger simply couldn''t change its stripes. One couldn''t change their nature no matter how long it had been.


    Or could it?

 Chapter 56 - Want Me To Come With You Or...?

    "Quit making all these assumptions, you''re not realizing it but you''re slowly starting to sound like a conspiracist with everything you''ve been coming up with."


    Madeline whined, "Oh come on, you know I overthink all the time."


    "And seeing the man that tried killing you with the man that happens to be my soulmate can''t be a coincidence, can it?"


    "They''re planning something," she insisted.


    "You know you could just wait for what they have to say instead of worrying yourself over this."


    "He wouldn''t let anything happen to you."


    "Who knows, maybe they''re having a rematch and Xavier''s using that as some excuse to beat him up," Briar accidentally said aloud.


    She slapped her hand over her mouth.


    "I was kidding," she said non-convincingly.


    "Sure," Madeline retorted, becoming more and more suspicious over time.


    What were they doing together?


    Xavier seemed pissed, so what was going on?


    Did he call Emilio here to discuss matters of importance?


    ''Emilio mentioned it was Xavier that trapped him there, don''t you remember? So why would Xavier invite him here to talk about something unimportant,'' she reasoned with herself.


    Madeline knew she''d drive herself crazy if she kept assuming and creating fake scenarios.


    Ah yes, fake scenarios. Madeline had developed a fancy for them lately.


    ''Remember that dream you had,'' she reminded herself.


    Madeline wished she could forget it, feeling her heart tighten.


    Sometimes, she took her imagination to a whole other level. This was an accurate representation of what a ''whole other level'' meant.


    Obviously, Xavier knew nothing about the dream she had. If he did¡­ Madeline couldn''t comprehend how she''d survive with him knowing of what she dreamt of.


    It was mortifying.


    What she didn''t know was that - compared to her conspiracies and theories she made up in her head, the truth was far more crazier and nonsensical.


    A knock came from Madeline''s door.


    "I''ll get it," Briar insisted, her protective instincts taking over.


    She was made to guard Madeline in case anything happened, and she''d do just that. Say, if Emilio was the one who knocked, they were in trouble indeed.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t Emilio.


    Just Adrian waiting outside the quarters.


    "What is it?" Briar asked him curiously.


    Clearing her throat, she corrected herself, "Ahem, I meant¡­ What is it, Beta Adrian?"


    "Xavier''s looking for the both of you."


    Muddled, Briar questioned, "The both of us? Not just Madeline?"


    "Are you sure?"


    Questioning why she''d just questioned Adrian, she shook her head, "Uh, never mind."


    Madeline walked over to Briar and Adrian, pleased to know Xavier wanted to talk.


    Finally, her questions would be answered.


    Well, she hoped they would. Better this than her continuing making stuff up.


    If Madeline didn''t know, she assumed.


    "Do you know what he wants to discuss?" Madeline asked Adrian hopefully.


    Adrian grumbled something before he said, "If I knew we wouldn''t be having this conversation right now."


    "All I know is that it has something to do with Emilio."


    They stopped at Xavier''s office doors.


    He asked her, making sure she was ready since he''d postpone the entire thing if she wasn''t.


    If Emilio was involved this wouldn''t be a walk in the park. It must''ve been a serious discussion, what with Xavier having not killed Emilio yet for disregarding the punishment he had sentenced him to centuries ago.


    "Are you ready?" He asked just her.


    Briar stared at him, feeling slightly left out.


    "Is Emilio in there?"


    "He is," Adrian nodded, "But in the case something happens Xavier''s there too."


    "Unless you want him to leave that is," Adrian added, as Xavier told him to.


    "No no, it''s fine," Madeline refused.


    Being left in a room with that man. Never again.


    "Want me to come with you or?"


    Gulping, she nodded, bracing herself for what was to come - like she had many times this month already.


    Walking into Xavier''s office, she felt like a student walking into a principal''s office after being discovered doing something wrong. And frankly, Madeline never knew what that felt like. Never had she gotten into trouble at school. Instead, she got straight As, topped her class etc.


    Xavier gestured for her to sit.


    Madeline squirmed uncomfortably in her seat once she was seated.


    Xavier shot her a look, reassuring her with his gaze alone.


    Madeline looked downwards at her lap. Frankly, she found it nice Xavier was there. At least someone else was.


    Emilio didn''t notice that little moment between them.


    "So, Madeline," Xavier began, speaking in a hushed tone.


    Madeline looked back up, waiting for what he had to say.


    Xavier kept quiet, not saying anything.


    ''Is it Xavier that has something to say or¡­''


    Madeline wondered if he was here to extend an apology. No, an apology wasn''t enough. He''d tried killing her! Was an apology supposed to fix that in one fell swoop? She didn''t think so.


    Yes, Emilio''s life had turned a complete 360 degrees, but Madeline didn''t know that. And how he felt couldn''t compare to how Madeline the moment she discovered who Emilio really was.


    Madeline couldn''t even recall what he was going on and on about. She''d never seen him like this. He looked¡­ normal. There was no aura about him, it was as though she was sitting beside a completely different person.


    Was she sitting beside a completely different person? Did he change as soon as he left the cave after ages of being trapped there?


    And why wasn''t Xavier doing anything?


    Madeline caught Xavier looking at her mid-conversation. He looked away immediately after he was caught, but Madeline had already noticed.


    Why did he look so¡­ guilty? And unsure?


    So many insignificant questions, so much more important and relevant answers.


    No preparation she made beforehand could brace herself for what was about to hit her.


    That was the exact moment Madeline felt a whole planet-sized meteor practically crush her tiny self flat.


    The words Emilio had been wanting to say all along finally stumbled out of his mouth.


    "¡­I''m your father."

 Chapter 57 - Get A Free Soulmate, Get A Daddy Too

    When Emilio had told her he was her father, her immediate reaction was to double down in laughter.


    Emilio, the man that attempted to kill her was telling her that he was her father? Hilarious.


    Madeline wondered if she really was sane, laughing in front of her almost-killer. But she simply couldn''t help it.


    ''Him, my biological father? What a load of bull,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    And that, ladies and gentleman, was the moment Madeline realized that no one was laughing along with her. The moment her entire world shattered and crumbled into pieces.


    She managed to croak, "What¡­?"


    What sort of tomfoolery was this? No sane person would go up to a person they barely even knew and tell them he was their father without any concrete evidence. Then again, Emilio was anything but sane.


    Thinking about more and more only made it make less sense.


    Emilio was a descendant of the first werewolf was he not? Being his daughter meant she was a descendant too. And if that was the case, did that mean she was a werewolf? Hold on, who was her biological mother?


    ''Why am I even considering it?''


    ''I''m clearly not his daughter.''


    "You probably mistook me for someone else," Madeline nodded.


    Emilio and Xavier exchanged a look.


    Confused, Madeline was left to wonder whether or not they hated each other''s guts or were close. From what Emilio had told her back at the cave, she assumed it was the first option but now she was confused.


    Unable to comprehend this, she asked, desperately seeking confirmation so she wouldn''t continue freaking out, "Right?"


    "I''m the wrong person you should be telling this to because I''m not your daughter," Madeline insisted.


    "There''s no way I''m your daughter," she continued, shaking her head in refusal.


    No, no, no.


    She refused to admit it.


    ''They''re staying silent. Why are they staying silent? Speak, anyone¡­ speak!''


    "You''re not the wrong person," Xavier said.


    "There''s no evidence," Madeline said.


    Emilio had been trapped in that cave around the time she was born. He had to have been! Unless¡­


    Madeline''s imagination was going wild, and it was only getting worse and worse over time.


    She scoffed, "Come on, this has got to be a joke."


    "I mean, you tried killing me," she said to Emilio.


    "And now you''re telling me you''re my biological father? That''s funny," Madeline crossed her arms.


    Emilio looked apologetically at her, wondering what to say.


    What was he supposed to do?


    Apologize¡­?


    ''Am I supposed to apologize?'' He asked Xavier.


    Xavier stared at him, narrowing his eyes.


    He didn''t know what he expected when he was going to tell Madeline but he was beginning to think this was a big mistake.


    ''Wow, now you realize this was a big mistake.''


    ''Couldn''t you have thought of a way to prove things to her?''


    "Your mother''s a supreme sorceress," Emilio blurted aloud, breaking the silence.


    Xavier''s eye twitched.


    Madeline stared at him.


    It was beginning to seem more and more like some sick prank they were playing on her, but her gut told her this was anything but one.


    Madeline deliberated over it.


    Say, if this were true, then what sort of life had she been hidden from?


    And what was she?


    Madeline stayed dead silent, processing the information.


    No, processing the information was the wrong way to put it. She''d been trying to wrap her head around it, but she failed to.


    It all seemed like the plot of a terribly written and planned novel.


    First, you stumbled upon a ceremony filled with werewolves, and then met your soulmate... Next, you find out werewolves actually exist and if that wasn''t all, you nearly die on multiple occassions and as it turns out, the last man that tried to kill you? He''s your father. Adding more fuel to the already raging fire, your mother turns out to be a sorceress.


    ''Me? Emilio and some supreme sorceress'' daughter?''


    Madeline turned to Xavier, patiently waiting for him to inform her this was a joke and that Emilio could quit acting now.


    ''You could just tell me it''s a joke,'' said the look on Madeline''s face.


    Xavier raised his brow in confusion, wondering why she was looking at him. Was she trying to communicate with him through a mind link? Was that what she was trying to attempt to do?


    ''What is she trying to do right now?'' Xavier tilted his head to the side in confusion.


    Everyone still remained silent, causing fear to creep over Madeline although Xavier looked confused as to what she was trying to tell him.


    Clearly, it wasn''t easy. Learning your life was a lie and that you weren''t even what you thought yourself to be. In Madeline''s case, her entire life she thought she was a human, and just that.


    "How do I know this is true?" Madeline asked, wanting evidence before she began believing that Emilio was actually her father.


    Truth be told, she was trying to stay calm.


    It took Madeline all her willpower not to begin screaming the office down. She was in shock, and had nothing to ask for other than concrete evidence that would prove his words since she was the seeing to believe type of person.


    Although she doubted this was a prank, she wanted to ensure this wasn''t one.


    Madeline wondered what she did when she decided to get involved. From nearly getting killed to a man claiming to be her father?


    ''Get an alpha werewolf as a soulmate, get a dad for free too,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    Xavier looked like she already had something in mind. All he needed was her consent. And if things went right, then¡­ it''d be proven that they were father and daughter after all.


    __


    Author''s Note: So, Madeline discovers this huge life-changing news.. Or at least, she discovers this news but still needs to see evidence to believe it. Have you had any similar experiences in the past? Comment down below to share them!

 Chapter 58 - Tyrant Emilio

    "There is one way to prove it," Xavier said quietly, having previously kept to himself.


    Of course, he could sense Madeline''s discomfort and shock from a mile away. She had all the right to feel this way.


    Xavier wondered if this would go right.


    ''Hm, what''s my definition of things going right?''


    Say, if it was proven that Madeline was actually Emilio''s daughter, would that be a misfortune or the opposite?


    After all, Emilio was a tyrant.


    If the other werewolves were informed of the news he had a daughter, it''d wreak havoc across Eudora.


    The daughter of the tyrant Emilio, here on Eudorian grounds?


    She''d be hunted. The werewolves would scour the entire of Eudora, just to find even the slightest trace regarding whoever she was. And if they were to discover that the person they were looking for was also the alpha''s mate? Things would get messy.


    "What do we need?"


    Emilio answered for Xavier, "All it takes are two miniscule droplets of blood, water and a flat dish."


    Two droplets, one from Madeline and one from Emilio.


    ''Am I going to trust him? After what he did? I''d be dead if not for the barrier for god''s sake,'' Madeline reasoned, her lips curled together.


    Of course, Xavier was in the room. Who knew what Emilio would''ve attempted had Xavier left? She''d be rendered defenseless. Compared to him, that is.


    However, knowing Emilio, he would''ve tried killing her as soon as he laid his eyes on her. If not, he''d begin threatening her, or something along those lines.


    Madeline was rather confused, since the Emilio she was feasting her eyes upon felt different.


    There was no ounce of evil to him left.


    Heck, saying Emilio looked miserable wouldn''t be false. He did look miserable, sitting there with a grim expression of his face as he remembered Xavier would make him return to the cave after this was all over. And if he didn''t do so and decided that Emilio deserved a crueler fate, then Xavier would kill him himself.


    Unable to meet Madeline''s gaze, Emilio hung his head in both embarrassment and disappointment.


    Centuries of being trapped in that cave, and yet he never thought of his actions till now, when he was sitting across his supposed daughter.


    Was he a father? Or was the woman across from him a stranger?


    And anyway, he didn''t know her.


    A couple days ago, when she appeared in his cave, he hadn''t any idea who she was. And now?


    Emilio felt like laughing. Why did he want to laugh? This certainly wasn''t the occasion for it.


    "Let''s do it," Madeline decided.


    If they did this test, it''d prove Emilio wasn''t her father once and for all that this was a terrible misunderstanding.


    That way, everyone would be happy. Madeline would continue being unaware of who her biological father actually was, and things would return to the way they were. Back when she didn''t have a father.


    Madeline was sure this would turn out to be a misunderstanding; she was sure of it.


    And yet, it took her a long while to decide to do it.


    ''What''s wrong with me? Do I actually believe this? Of course not. He''s not my father, I''m human. I''ve been one my entire life,'' Madeline said in an attempt to convince herself.


    There was no reason for Xavier and or Emilio to deceit her. This couldn''t all be a web of lies, some part of this was true, Madeline could feel it.


    However, her doubt and disbelief consumed her.


    Minutes later, once everything needed was gathered, Madeline slit her finger.


    One droplet of blood dropped onto the water in the dish, and Emilio did the same.


    How it worked was: If they were father and daughter, the droplets of blood would attract, like magnets with opposite sides would. If it repelled each other, then they weren''t anyhow related to each other.


    Xavier explained this to Madeline as Emilio closely observed whatever was happening to the dish.


    Madeline''s heart felt like it''d explode from anticipation alone.


    To think, she claimed to not believe a word Emilio said but decided to go along with this anyway.


    "How do you know this anyway?" Madeline asked Xavier curiously.


    "From a book," Xavier replied hastily.


    Xavier stared at the dish, waiting impatiently for the results.


    (Author''s Note: Keep in mind, this is not medically accurate. This is purely for fictional purposes. Right, so moving on with the chapter...)


    After a long ten minutes of waiting and dreaded silence, the results were conclusive. They were finally here.


    Madeline held her breath as she turned to look at the petri dish.


    Strangely, she couldn''t think of any reason why Xavier had a petri dish simply laying around in his office but she chose not to ask. Alas, her poor attempts at distracting herself before the results were conclusive were to no avail.


    "Oh," was all Madeline managed to say when the results were conclusive, which was the moment she discovered the truth.


    For a second, she wondered if Xavier was tricking her.


    Then she asked herself, ''What has this man done to make me think of such a possibility?''


    He was her friend. All things put aside, there was no reason for her to doubt him after all he''d done.


    She wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for him, so why doubt him now?


    Then again, Madeline technically wouldn''t be here without Emilio as well.


    Emilio and Xavier stared at the petri dish.


    (Another Author''s Note: Yes, werewolves are drawn to blood, except the amount that was used in the test wasn''t enough for Xavier nor Emilio to be drawn by said blood.)


    Emilio began, launching into a outburst of curses and profanities, "Holy--"


    Xavier stared at the dish, unblinking. Madeline did the same, rendered completely speechless.


    It was done.


    The droplets had attracted each other. It proved the one thing Madeline wished wasn''t true.


    ''No.''


    ''No.''


    ''No.''


    ''We should repeat the test. Do it again, do something about this-- I can''t be Emilio''s daughter!''

 Chapter 59 - Whats My Definition Of Things Going Right?

    "Curse these soundproof walls, I can''t hear anything," Briar said as she placed her ear on one of Xavier''s office''s walls, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Adrian asked her, "What are you even trying to do?"


    "Xay''s office has soundproof walls, you and I both know that."


    Briar was appalled, having never heard the beta of her pack address the alpha as¡­ ''Xay''. It was strange hearing Xavier being called that after she''d gotten used to hearing him being addressed as ''Alpha Xavier'', or ''Eudora''s Alpha''.


    And besides, Xavier wasn''t just any alpha, he was the alpha of one of the world''s most powerful werewolf packs. Heck, every one of Xavier''s predecessors was descendants of the first werewolf.


    They killed each other in battle and overthrew one of them. It was like a record that repeated itself again, and again, and again.


    However, it was different this time around. For the first time in a millennium, the title of alpha had been passed down to someone that wasn''t directly related to the first-ever werewolf that roamed Alaric.


    And yet, Xavier had earned the respect of practically everyone in the pack, with some as exclusions, but they never thought to speak out in fear their alpha would duly punish them.


    Indeed, they had all the right to be terrified of Xavier. He''d defeated Emilio after all, and it was no simple task. Compared to Emilio, Xavier was better liked. The way Emilio ruled the pack paled in comparison to how Xavier did. He was a far better alpha than Emilio ever was.


    Say, if the pack were to discover that Emilio had a daughter that was half-werewolf as well as half-witch¡­ it''d be a whole ordeal of its own.


    Obviously, Madeline would be set to have to challenge Xavier, but then there''s how the two of them were soulmates! They couldn''t possibly hurt each other.


    So with all of this, how would the pack possibly react to Madeline''s true identity?


    Cornelia and Emilio¡­ what an incredible pairing.


    Who would''ve thought the human that stumbled upon Eudora turned out to be their daughter?


    Any alpha in Xavier''s position would''ve begun plotting ways to rid of her, or ways to kill her without having to hurt her himself¡­ and yet Xavier didn''t do such a thing.


    He was still in a state of shock.


    It was a theory. An explanation to all the things Madeline was capable of doing.


    Now, it was real. It was a fact.


    His friend. Emilio''s daughter.


    The person that everyone would''ve thought threatened his position as alpha with the blood that flowed through her veins.


    Of course, Madeline didn''t know anything. She was innocent.


    She was bound to figure things out eventually, but now she was oblivious.


    Emilio looked like he was about to pass out on the spot.


    Tyrant Emilio say bye bye.


    At the current moment, he was a normal man that had just discovered he was a father. That his lover had birthed a child he knew nothing about. A child he was kept away from for years, no decades!


    Emilio grumbled, ''When I find that woman, I''ll--''


    He paused, remembering he hadn''t any idea where she was.


    He could sense her. That she was alive and well. The question was¡­ where was she?


    And how dare she keep this secret from him? How dare she keep the fact that they had a daughter?


    Come to think of it, Madeline was the spitting image of her mother.


    Her hair, the shape of her mouth, he could go on and on.


    Had his denial blinded him?


    Had it prevented him from believing the one thing that changed his life completely?


    The answer was a yes. It had.


    "So, uhm," Madeline began, shifting uncomfortably.


    "You''re my biological dad?"


    "Does that mean I have powers? And does that mean I''m¡­ what, half a werewolf?"


    Xavier stared at her incredulously. So she just found out Emilio was her father and those were her questions?


    He was confused as to whether or not to be amazed or terrified. This woman--


    Her first concern was whether or not she had powers? Was he missing something here?


    Madeline caught Xavier staring at her.


    "What?" She questioned, looking at him innocently.


    Emilio stared blankly at the petri dish, too stunned to say anything.


    "Nothing," Xavier said, waving his hand dismissively.


    ''What''s going on? What did I miss?'' Adrian asked Xavier using their mind link.


    Xavier answered absentmindedly, ''Madeline is Emilio''s daughter.''


    ''E-eh? H-how¡­ have you done the test?''


    ''I have.''


    ''Then wouldn''t that mean-- but you can''t harm her!''


    ''I know,'' Xavier said, seemingly annoyed by his interaction with Adrian.


    He cut off the mind link, swiftly ending their conversation and leaving Adrian to have a flabbergasted look plastered across his face.


    "Oh my god," Adrian breathed.


    "What is it?" Briar said, resisting the growing urge to grill him for answers.


    ''WHAT''S HAPPENING?''


    Adrian couldn''t bring himself to speak.


    "I¡­ I¡­"


    He stood there, rooted to the ground while he gripped his clipboard tightly in one hand.


    Was Xavier tricking him?


    Madeline couldn''t have been Emilio''s daughter. She was nothing like him!


    As he ignored Briar''s continuous pleas asking him to tell her what was going on, he thought about it more and more, realizing Xavier''s theory was right after all.


    Ha! Of course, he was. It was why he was the alpha in the first place.


    Other alphas were more powerful in terms of their powers. Being descendants of the first werewolf, they possessed many special traits of their own. Many traits Emilio had inherited too.


    ''I''ve got to hand it to him, this was completely unexpected but it makes a whole lot of sense,'' Adrian scoffed to himself.


    He turned to Briar, finally giving her the answer she''d been waiting for all along.


    Relief washed over Briar the moment she caught Adrian''s attention. Albeit that same relief washed away the minute she heard what he had to tell her.


    "Madeline''s the ex-alpha''s daughter," he said to Briar, awaiting her reaction to the news.

 Chapter 60 - What A Wholly Unexpected Turn Of Events

    ''So first, Madeline finds out I''m a werewolf.''


    ''And now, I find out she''s Emilio''s daughter.''


    ''What a wholly unexpected turn of events.''


    ''I can''t believe this is happening. I can''t believe Madeline comes from a long line of descendants of the first werewolf. Oh god. My friend''s a direct descendant of the first werewolf.''


    ''Goodness knows what she''s feeling right now,'' Briar thought, beginning to worry about Madeline.


    When it came to times of crisis, Madeline usually turned to denial and acted like nothing of importance was occurring.


    ''Don''t panic, don''t panic, don''t panic. Your friend''s a direct descendant of the first ever werewolf. She''s still Madeline,'' Briar reasoned with herself, hoping it''d help¡­ when in reality, she was freaking out like Adrian was.


    ''So Xay''s soulmate is the daughter of Cornelia and Emilio. Fascinating,'' Adrian noted.


    ''Wonder what''s Xavier thinking right now.''


    "Will Alpha Xavier kill her? He can''t though, right? After all, they are soulmates," Briar questioned, her voice shaky as she spoke, unsure of her words.


    "I''m not sure either," Adrian admitted, "I''m just as clueless as you are."


    ''Beta Adrian, clueless? We really are doomed,'' Briar frowned.


    There was no telling what was going on in that office. All she could do was hope that Emilio was on his best behaviour, and that he didn''t attempt to kill his daughter again.


    ''Oh god. Her biological father tried killing her, that''s messed up,'' Briar quickly realized.


    It must have been dreadful, discovering you weren''t human and that your biological father was the same man that had tried killing you. Madeline had all the right to act out and be upset.


    "And you''re sure?" Briar inquired, making sure this wasn''t some nonsense Adrian had come up with on a whim.


    "Yes. Yes, I am," Adrian confirmed, nodding.


    If anything, he wanted to be able to witness whatever was going on in that office. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.


    Would Madeline blame Xavier for locking her father up in a cave and being the reason she was unable to grow up with at least one biological parent in her life?


    Would she demand an explanation from Emilio?


    Or would she put on a brave face and act like she was completely fine with it, and that she''d dealt with the whole ''my father''s the ex-alpha of Eudora and has tried killing both me and also Xavier before'' issue?


    The third option, obviously. And the worst part was, she had barely scratched the surface of knowledge when it came to Emilio.


    All she knew was that he''d been locked up in a cave and that he was her father.


    She wasn''t aware of how he had ruled over Eudora in the past. The lives of innocent people he had taken all because he did as he pleased and never allowed anyone to speak ill of him.


    If anyone were to step a toe out of line or¡­ Heck, do anything he disapproved of, they were to face the wrath of the alpha. A terrifying fate indeed.


    There was no one able to share the tale of what it was like, excluding Xavier, who was still alive and well till this very day.


    For the others¡­ their corpses had been devoured, remains rotted away as time had passed.


    What fate would befall on Madeline?


    Xavier thought of a plan to get Emilio as far away from Eudora as possible before the others picked up on his scent. Well, that and figure out Madeline''s true identity. That possiblity was frightening.


    There was no saying what they''d attempt to do, and Briar was no match for all of them, even she knew that.


    He pinched the skin between his brows in frustration.


    "You''re supposed to have powers," Emilio said.


    ''What else am I supposed to say to her?'' He asked himself, wondering what he could possibly say to ease the awkward tension in the office.


    Xavier looked at the two of them, wondering if he was supposed to give them privacy.


    ''I won''t hurt her,'' Emilio said to him.


    ''How am I supposed to believe you?'' Xavier questioned.


    ''I won''t hurt her,'' Emilio insisted, this time sounding more serious than he did before.


    ''You did in the cave,'' Xavier reasoned.


    ''I won''t hurt my daughter.''


    Emilio corrected himself, ''I won''t repeat the same mistake again.''


    After Emilio had cut off his mind link with Xavier, Xavier could have sworn he heard Emilio mumble under his breath, ''How could Cornelia keep this from me?''


    Xavier narrowed his eyes, knowing he had to give Emilio a chance.


    Of course, he''d be waiting outside in the case something happened.


    ''If he dares--''


    Xavier paused, knowing he had to give him a chance.


    Not for him, but for Madeline.


    He didn''t deserve the time of day, but Madeline did nothing. She hadn''t killed the innocent, it wasn''t her fault she was born as the ex-alpha''s daughter, and she didn''t deserve to be looked down upon because of who her father was.


    Emilio was hated. He was one of the worst representations of alphas in the entirety of Eudorian history. For other packs, who knew? But when it came to Eudora¡­ Simply the mention of Emilio was enough to get howls of anger from those that were there to witness his reign of terror.


    Hoping he wouldn''t come to regret his decision to leave the two of them be, Xavier said to Adrian and Briar the minute the office''s doors were closed shut behind him, "No one says a word of this to anyone else. This stays between us."


    Briar nodded, intending to keep her mouth shut. Adrian gave Xavier a look.


    ''You have got to tell me everything that happened, Xay.''


    (Author''s Note: Yes, yes I know you''re probably annoyed by the many author notes wedged in chapters but I just wanted to inform you that during December, I have set up privilege tiers.. Do support this novel by purchasing them, it''d mean the world to me.)

 Chapter 61 - I Take Everything Back!

    ''I take everything back, it was best if I didn''t know.''


    ''So Cornelia and Emilio had a daughter together? But it doesn''t add up. Emilio was stuck in that cave when Madeline should''ve been¡­''


    Adrian paused, refusing to continue.


    ''How could it be?'' He asked Xavier.


    ''Go ask Emilio, how am I supposed to know?'' Xavier said to him coldly, the two of them still communicating through their mind link.


    ''I''m still not over how you left her there with Emilio.''


    Adrian shook his head in disapproval.


    ''He''s in a weakened state,'' Xavier insisted before he growled.


    ''And I''m sure Madeline knows how to handle herself, I don''t have to be in the office. She''s not a child, she doesn''t need to be babysat or anything like that.''


    Adrian had to admit Xavier had a good point.


    However, this was Emilio. He was as cunning as he was powerful.


    Even in his weakened state due to being in the cave for so long and never being able to exercise his power¡­ he still retained his powers.


    Adrian inquired, asking what both he and Briar had been wondering, ''What do we do if word does spread?''


    He glanced at Briar who immediately looked away from him, having caught the omega staring at him.


    Briar focused her glance elsewhere, slightly embarrassed she had been caught looking at Adrian. She just wanted to know what was going on and what was their next line of action.


    Would Emilio be returned to the cave? Would a stronger spell be cast upon it, sealing him to that cave forevermore? If not, would he be brutally killed in front of the pack? Would there be a special ceremony for it? So many questions!


    And why would Xavier have left Madeline in a room with Emilio?


    Did he underestimate Emilio''s capabilities?


    Then again, he was Madeline''s father. He wouldn''t hurt her, she hoped.


    ''Who am I kidding, he''s Emilio,'' Briar reminded herself.


    ''And Madeline''s father,'' she added, still unable to get over the fact that Madeline wasn''t human.


    Nothing changed, she was still Madeline, but this was a huge deal.


    Briar asked Xavier all of a sudden, "So if Madeline''s the ex-alpha''s daughter, who''s her mother?"


    And a few seconds after Briar asked that one question, she regretted it.


    "Ask your friend, not me," Xavier answered.


    "If she decides to tell you then so be it. I won''t be the one to tell you unless Madeline permits it."


    Adrian turned to look at his friend, his face displaying an expression halfway between pride and pure shock.


    "What?" Xavier asked Adrian aloud, confused as to why Adrian looked so surprised.


    "Nothing," Adrian said, dismissing it.


    "Alpha Xavier," Briar addressed.


    "Have you tried communicating with Emilio by your mind link with him? In order to check if Madeline''s alright in there being left alone with¡­ uh, her dad," Briar said, keeping herself together.


    Xavier was intimidating, yes, but he was a fair leader. He''d listen to what his subjects had to say so long as they made a point.


    He nodded curtly, "I have."


    "Madeline''s fine," he said, trying to hide an amused smile.


    Briar stared at him, looking like she''d just seen a ghost.


    Was he¡­ smiling? Or trying to smile? What the hell was going on inside that room?


    For one to know what happened¡­ one must start from the very beginning of things.


    After Emilio had explained everything to her - that of which included telling her more about her mother and what kind of ruler he had been.


    Yes, she knew he was a tyrant.


    And yes, she learnt the full story of Cornelia and Emilio''s whirlwind romance. For some reason, Emilio thought it fitting his daughter knew of it. He wasn''t comfortable keeping secrets from her, no matter how gruesome they were.


    Out of all things, instead of getting to know each other or anything they chose to get all the questions out of the way. Was there billions of other things they could''ve discussed? Definitely.


    But, it was better than nothing. And frankly, Madeline appreciated the fact that Emilio tried starting conversation and took initiative. For a split second, Madeline expected for the room to be completely silent.


    As per what they discussed¡­ How Emilio and Cornelia came to be? Check.


    Find out what sort of ruler Emilio was when he was still the alpha of the pack? Also check.


    "So what you''re trying to tell me is, you have no idea how I came to be but you still think I''m your daughter?" Madeline asked, just as confused as Emilio.


    "Yes."


    "And you told me of your tyranny¡­ why?" Madeline questioned, wondering why in the world Emilio decided to tell her of this without any further context.


    Was he bragging to her?


    Was this bragging what caused his downfall in the first place?


    Was she supposed to pity him and sympathize with him after what he told her? Madeline didn''t think so. Frankly, she was mortified.


    Truly, truly mortified.


    Who - in their right mind - would tell someone else, their daughter no less, that he''d taken the lives of the innocent. He didn''t seem guilty either.


    "Because I figured it was best my daughter knows of it. And that I come clean and don''t hide anything from you."


    "It was a small test, who knows if it''s accurate!"


    "Are you sure it was accurate or are you simply in denial?"


    "Oh, so it''s not instinct for me not to believe the man that tried killing me when he claims to be my father."


    "You heard what that soulmate of yours had to say."


    Madeline paused. So Emilio knew she and Xavier were soulmates. He knew they had a red string connecting them both.


    "You know he''s my soulmate?"


    "How did you think I connected the dots between you and the prophecy in the first place?"


    "...what prophecy?" Madeline questioned, extremely clueless.


    Slowly, something built up inside her.. Sooner or later, she''d burst, as the brighter the truth shone, the quicker Madeline deteriorated.

 Chapter 62 - How Dare You Call Me Rude? She Slapped Me!

    Xavier had told her nothing, and in all fairness she never asked him either. What was there to ask? Too much.


    When Madeline questioned what prophecy Emilio spoke of, suddenly, Emilio forgot how to properly speak english.


    Madeline recalled the prophecy word by word. It went, ''The tyrant''s princess shall beest the alpha''s belov''d ''gainst all odds.''


    Of course, Madeline''s first instinct was to ask what the hell it meant, until she realized that it translated to ''The tyrant''s princess shall be the alpha''s beloved against all odds.''


    Once she figured it out, she wondered what took her so long.


    ''On second thought, that isn''t so hard to comprehend,'' Madeline said.


    "So, you''re telling me I''m the said tyrant princess in this prophecy?"


    "Pretty much," Emilio said nonchalantly, shrugging.


    ''This jerk,'' Madeline thought.


    She hadn''t even known him for so long and she wondered how she could possibly be related to him. By how he acted¡­ even how he spoke told her a lot about him.


    Things he hadn''t thought to tell her.


    "And what makes you think this prophecy will actually become reality?"


    "Well, you are Xavier''s soulmate."


    "It wasn''t like I had a choice," she snapped back in return.


    "So rude, talking to your father like that," Emilio said, crossing his arms.


    Madeline took a moment to process his comment. That was it.


    It was like whatever holding her back snapped into half.


    Madeline clenched her fist.


    "¡­rude?"


    "RUDE?"


    "How dare you call me rude?"


    "Mind you I have to deal with the fact that I suddenly have a dad in my life. Not to mention, that dad is a werewolf, meaning I have werewolf blood coursing through my veins and also, if that''s not enough you used to be an alpha too! Then there''s this prophecy and many other things you expect me to deal with in a couple hours."


    "I''m processing this information in my own way and I''d appreciate it if you - the man that''s supposed to be my father - would let me do it in peace and without any unrealistic expectations."


    "I grew up thinking I was a human. I had no father in my life. I had people taking care of me but never a father."


    "So excuse me if I''m ''rude''," Madeline said, making air quotations when she said the word rude.


    She sighed, "But¡­"


    Walking over to him, she did something he hadn''t expected. First, he thought she was coming over to hug him and to say she wanted to try things out. See how this worked.


    Instead¡­


    WHACK!


    Emilio felt a horrible sensation across his cheek.


    Madeline slapped him across the face as hard as she could, reckoning he wouldn''t feel much anyway.


    "But that''s not all. That''s what you get for trying to kill me too," she grumbled under her breath.


    Turning on one heel, Madeline stomped away, storming out of Xavier''s office.


    "I said I''m sorry!"


    "Tch," she said in annoyance, sighing.


    Did he really think she believed he was sorry?


    "What happened?" Briar questioned as soon as she noticed Madeline storming out the room.


    "Madeline¡ª"


    "I''m fine," Madeline lied.


    Xavier looked at her before turning to his office door she''d left open.


    Adrian looked back and forth, "What the hell¡ª"


    "Was this why you were smiling?" Briar asked, taking a peek at whatever was in Xavier''s office to see¡­


    She froze in place, realizing what Madeline did in an instant, frozen in shock.


    Xavier seemed even more so.


    "So as it turns out this pup bares fangs too," he said, unable to hide his amusement.


    Emilio had been defeated.


    Low and behold, in the middle of Xavier''s office Emilio stood there, clutching his cheek like he''d been severely punished for something he''d done.


    It didn''t hurt. What hurt was who he had been slapped by.


    ''Did I really deserve this?'' Emilio asked, groaning.


    Briar snorted, before her hand flew to her mouth.


    ''Thank the stars, no one noticed.''


    Briar let out a sigh of relief.


    Adrian let out a hearty laugh.


    She looked at him, giving him a questioning look.


    The hilarious thing was¡­ Say this happened years ago, Madeline would''ve been tied to the stake and burned without any further remorse. Or, she''d be beheaded by a guillotine or left for the werewolves during the full moon.


    No matter who she was, she couldn''t get away with it.


    However, this was a new era. A new time.


    Emilio wasn''t the alpha, Xavier was.


    And Xavier was on Madeline''s side.


    "She slapped me!" Emilio cried, acting like he was some pitiful victim.


    "And you tried killing her," Xavier said, raising his brow.


    "A slap is too light a punishment."


    "Would you prefer to be killed for attempted murder of my mate or a slap?"


    "If you put it that way¡­ then I suppose a slap isn''t all that bad," Emilio grumbled, having to accept the humiliation and embarrassment he had gone through like some big boy when in reality, he wholly deserved it.


    It was a wonder how he was still able to walk anyway, what with all his actions.


    One would think he would''ve suffered his demise by now, but one would be mistaken.


    Here he was, alive and well.


    His dignity was in shambles, but better that than his life being taken.


    There was still so much for him to do. A whole life ahead of him.


    And as it turned out, now he had a daughter, so it was something else to live for as well.


    Sure, they had first gotten off on a rocky start, but¡­ she was his daughter still.


    Nothing would change that.


    If only Emilio didn''t let his pride get in the way of fixing things, then perhaps he wouldn''t have been slapped, and perhaps some part of his dignity would have been salvageable then.


    "What do I do now? My own daughter hates my guts," Emilio said to Briar, Adrian and Xavier, hoping they''d prove to be good use to his new goal to fix things with his daughter.

 Chapter 63 - What Does This Woman Have Against Me?

    Briar looked around, glaring at Emilio.


    Emilio caught Briar glaring at him.


    He wondered what this woman had against him. Emilio had never met her in his entire life, so what was her deal? She couldn''t possibly be Cornelia in disguise, since he''d have easily sensed in the first place.


    Was she a friend of Madeline''s? That''d explain why she seemed to bear a grudge against him.


    "You could always start by apologizing sincerely," Briar suggested.


    "Who even are you?"


    Briar scoffed, before she reminded herself Xavier and Adrian were there with her.


    "A friend of Madeline''s."


    "Ah."


    "I''d say it''s nice to meet you but it''s not," Briar said next, feeling like she had to get it out there.


    She was close to pouncing on him and trying to kill him.


    How dare he try to kill Madeline?


    And he was her father too!


    He didn''t deserve to live.


    Madeline simply slapped him - she could''ve done worse but no. She slapped him. That was all.


    Xavier and Adrian didn''t seem to mind anyway.


    "I don''t even know you," he said glaringly.


    "And that''s your concern," Briar retorted.


    How did Madeline put up with him? They were in Xavier''s office for a great deal of time, she must''ve had to listen to him explain.


    God, it was infuriating, not being able to do anything. Being in a position where you were powerless was excruciatingly painful, especially when the evildoer had inflicted pain to your friend.


    She hissed, thinking to herself, ''If only I was stronger, then I''d be able to kill him or at least get my revenge for what he did to Maddie.''


    ''The damn bastard deserves to rot in hell.''


    He hadn''t done something insignificant, like told her a lie.


    He had nearly taken her life. He had threatened to take her life away too. Many others as well.


    Briar lowered her head, deciding to check up on Madeline. After what she''d just found out about herself, Briar reckoned she wanted someone to talk to.


    Someone that properly knew her before this entire mess.


    "I''ll go and check up on Madeline now," Briar said, chuckling nervously.


    Right, she had spoken to Emilio with an attitude in front of Xavier and Adrian.


    Thankfully, they didn''t seem to bear the intent of punishing her, so at the moment Briar was relieved to know she was in the clear.


    Although, if she hadn''t left when she did¡­ Who knew?


    "Your time is up Emilio," Xavier said, asking Adrian to leave promptly.


    ''Leave me and Emilio. You have work, don''t you? Go attend to it,'' Xavier ordered Adrian sternly.


    Adrian nodded in understanding, leaving as quickly as he could.


    "That your beta?" Emilio inquired as he tilted his head to the side.


    "Yes, he is."


    "Aren''t you the least bit scared he''ll betray you and try assuming the title of alpha like you did me?" Emilio questioned, trying to get Xavier to turn on Adrian.


    "That won''t work, Adrian and I are friends. He wouldn''t do that."


    "However, since your daughter clearly seems not to want you here, I''m going to have to ask you to leave. I''ve been kind enough, lending you extra time to live. Then you tested my patience by coming here and I still lent you mercy."


    "So return to the cave you belonged without any fusses, a stronger spell will be cast and we''ll return to our normal lives."


    "You know why the spell was broken," Xavier realized.


    "I may have an educated guess," Emilio said, slowly backing away.


    "But it has something to do with her. Her being the woman that just slapped me, of course."


    Xavier snarled, knowing whatever spell that was to be casted on the cave would be ineffective. Emilio had managed to escape the last time, what was to stop him from escaping again?


    They weren''t out of the woods yet¡­ and besides, there was still danger prowling amongst it.


    "What is it you want?"


    "Your reputation is tarnished, you''re banished from Eudora, you aren''t supposed to be here. What could you possibly be staying for?" Xavier questioned, a mysterious glint in his eye.


    "You''re right," Emilio admitted, not answering any of Xavier''s questions.


    Beating around the bush, he said, "I know that I''m not supposed to be here."


    "But¡­"


    "Speak," Xavier hissed.


    "Someone seems upset."


    "How could I possibly be not upset?"


    Xavier had been holding back. No one else had noticed the way he''d been looking at Emilio. Murderous rage burned behind his dark, stormy eyes. The fact that he couldn''t do anything about Emilio only made the fire that fueled his anger burn even brighter in him.


    He was brought back to the olden days, where Emilio had the upper hand. Except, he was the alpha this time. He had the power.


    All he needed was the answer to his current problem.


    And the only person who knew its answer was the same person who''d hide it from him no matter what the cost.


    "I have a daughter," Emilio said.


    "And?"


    "You didn''t let me finish."


    Xavier threw his hands up in the air.


    "Fine, finish it."


    "I should''ve just killed you all those years ago," Xavier admitted as he bared his sharp teeth at Emilio.


    ''Would''ve saved me the trouble from dealing with all of this,'' he grumbled to himself, knowing damn well Emilio could hear him.


    "I want to get to know her."


    "She''s the only piece of Cornelia I have left."


    "You speak of Cornelia as if she''s passed," Xavier said.


    "She''s my daughter."


    "Whom you tried killing."


    "Why doesn''t anyone understand that it was all a misunderstanding?"


    Emilio paused.


    "Xavier," he suddenly called.


    "Humour me for once, and be completely honest with what I''m about to say."


    "If this had happened to a regular human, someone that wasn''t her, would you be as upset, and would I still be able to speak to you?"


    Xavier kept quiet.


    "You''re not acting like this because I harmed a human."


    "You don''t know what you''re talking ab--"


    "You''re doing this because it was Madeline I nearly killed."

 Chapter 64 - That Blood Is MINE

    "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    "I highly doubt it''s nonsense."


    "From what I know, fathers are supposed to say something when it comes to things like these¡­"


    "I''ve been stuck in that cave for eons, but¡­"


    "What was it¡­ Oh right!"


    "Breaketh h''r heart and I breaketh yours," Emilio said, his voice turning serious and solemn for a few minutes.


    Mortified and confused, Xavier asked, "If this is your method of worming out of your punishment then I implore you to stop."


    "Your threats don''t work on me, you know that."


    "I''ll do worse than threaten you with what you''re insinuating."


    "You are my daughter''s soulmate."


    "Does that make you my son-in-law?"


    Xavier opened and closed his mouth, unable to say anything.


    Did Emilio have a death wish? He wasn''t kidding when he said he wanted to kill him.


    Only one thing was holding him back. One.


    It was a thin straw that was about to crack into halves at any time.


    And yes, Emilio was right. It was Madeline.


    He hadn''t gotten to know her that well, but they were still friends.


    It wasn''t her fault who her father was, he knew that. However, he was still her father.


    And if he were to be honest with himself, Xavier felt it was his fault Madeline never got to grow up with actual parents.


    However, who knew what would''ve happened had Emilio never got trapped in that cave? Would Madeline still exist? Would they still be mates?


    There was still the burning question that was¡­ How Madeline came to be in the first place.


    However, Xavier reckoned it had something to do with her mother.


    The practically omnipotent sorceress, Cornelia Calpurnia Celestia.


    Perhaps it was her final farewell to Emilio, or perhaps¡­ Xavier refused to ponder on about it.


    "I want to get to know her."


    "Would it help if I said ''please''?"


    "Why would I believe you?"


    Emilio raised his brow, "If I had ill intentions, I would''ve killed someone already."


    "That''s not a strong enough basis."


    "Xavier, I''m not going to hurt my daughter."


    "I know you can''t trust me but I wouldn''t hurt her."


    "And besides, she''s not of full-werewolf blood. She''s a halfling."


    [Author''s Note: Halfling as in she''s the daughter of a human sorceress and werewolf. Yes, Cornelia is a human, stick around to find out more about her¡­ I promise you there''s more to Cornelia than meets the eye. Right, back to the chapter hehe.]


    Xavier shook his head in disapproval.


    Why was he actually considering it?


    Emilio was dangerous!


    One shouldn''t make the ample mistake of underestimating the werewolf.


    However, Emilio''s capabilities paled in comparison to that of his previous lover, Cornelia.


    The woman rivaled even the strongest of werewolves, but now wasn''t about her.


    Now was about Madeline.


    Speaking of Madeline...


    "When I got involved in this, the last thing I expected was to get to meet my biological father," Madeline spat.


    "I mean honestly, what''s the chance something like this happens?"


    "Little to none, that''s what."


    "Briar, I don''t know what to do. Help."


    "Sorry, I didn''t realize I was rambling," Madeline apologized, scratching the back of her neck.


    She hadn''t meant to make this all about her, she was simply caught up in the moment.


    Emilio was her dad, Xavier was who sent him in that cave.


    Was her and Xavier being soulmates not a coincidence after all? Was it planned from the very start?


    "Well, look at the bright side, your life''s like that of a movie now."


    "That''s not always a good thing," Madeline said whilst pouting.


    Briar agreed with her.


    "You know you could tell me anything," Briar told her friend, sensing her discomfort and fear from a mile away.


    Madeline rested her head on Briar''s shoulder, heaving a deep sigh.


    "I know."


    "I just don''t feel like talking right now," she admitted.


    "Hmm."


    "If you don''t feel like talking, then want me to tell you something to cheer you up?"


    "Does this something have to do with Xavier?" Madeline asked out of nowhere.


    "I meant¡­ Does this have something to do with your insistence that we''re¡­"


    Madeline cleared her throat, preparing herself.


    "Meant to be?" Madeline spoke, hands dramatically clasped together as she spoke in her own impersonation of Briar.


    Briar chuckled, "Yes actually."


    "I was kidding," Madeline slouched against the wall.


    "I was not."


    "Xavier seemed amused."


    "By what? The fact that Emilio''s my father?" Madeline questioned, crossing her arms.


    "Not that," Briar denied, shaking her head and letting out a sigh of exasperation.


    "I jumped to assumptions huh," Madeline realized.


    "Mhm," Briar nodded.


    "Returning to what I was about to say. Xavier seemed amused when Emilio told him you slapped him."


    "Hah! He probably thought I was going to hug him or something, didn''t he?" Madeline asked.


    "Who knows."


    Biting her lip, Madeline nodded.


    "Yes¡­ Who knows?"


    "Who knows what Emilio''s true intentions are."


    "He''s tried killing me, what''s to stop him from doing it again?"


    "He''s in closer proximity with me, he has reason to see me and stay here."


    "Oh god, I''m the one who''s given him reason to stay."


    "He mentioned he was a tyrant. If the others knew he were here¡­"


    "They''d have a field day," Briar nodded, confirming Madeline''s fears.


    Madeline bit her lip even harder than she did before, feeling a metallic-tasting substance ooze onto her lips now.


    Briar, immediately sensing the presence of blood in the open, turned to her.


    "Briar?"


    "Is that blood?" Briar questioned.


    The urge to lick the substance oozing out of Madeline''s soft lips grew more and more as Briar tried her very best to tame her inner temptations.


    No, not now. Not to Madeline.


    She already had enough of a scare today.


    Madeline, who was beginning to have a hint of what was happening, rushed for the tissues.


    "I''m sorry," she apologized.


    Briar shook her head, "It''s fine."


    "I''m fine."


    "I''m the one that''s sorry."


    Madeline looked over at her friend worriedly, her heart pounding like a loud drum in her chest.

 Chapter 65 - Je Ne Sais Quoi

    "You know, it''s nice being able to talk in uncharted territory," Madeline chuckled.


    "It is," Briar smiled, grateful Madeline had placed the whole blood incident aside.


    Madeline was a strong person in general. She was tough on the outside, but on the inside, she was incredibly soft.


    After years and years of having to keep to herself, she''d grown incredibly talented at hiding how she actually felt.


    Say, if anything were to happen, Madeline''s first instinct was to bottle up whatever emotions she felt and keep them hidden from everyone.


    She wasn''t one to openly share her emotions, so when she did, it was incredibly rare.


    So after Briar left her quarters, Madeline was surprised to find Xavier knocking on her door.


    "What is it?" Madeline asked, looking Xavier in the eye worriedly.


    What, had she upset Emilio by slapping him? She didn''t think he''d react that poorly to her doing so.


    "If Emilio wants an apology, I''m not apologizing," Madeline said, getting straight to the point.


    The day she apologized to Emilio for slapping him was never.


    She''d never apologize, and she''d never feel sorry for what she did to the man.


    Yes, he was her father, but blood didn''t mean everything.


    Being related to him by blood didn''t mean anything to her at least.


    Xavier furrowed his brows, beginning to get confused, "Why would Emilio want you to apologize?"


    Frankly, he thought the man deserved it, so why did Madeline think he''d want an apology out of her?


    If he were in her position, he would''ve done much worse. Heck, he wouldn''t want to see Emilio either. He''d want Emilio as far away from him as possible.


    However, now wasn''t about him. It was about her.


    "I''m not here because I want to deliver some message from him. I don''t speak for Emilio, he''s perfectly capable of doing that himself."


    "I''m here to¡­"


    "To?"


    "To check up on you," Xavier finished his sentence.


    Madeline blinked.


    She blinked once more.


    "T-to check up on me?"


    ''Woah, why am I stuttering all of a sudden?'' She wondered, feeling something creep up her cheek.


    ''A-am I blushing?!''


    "That isn''t necessary, I''m perfectly fine," Madeline dismissed it.


    "Ms Alva may have fallen for that, but you obviously aren''t."


    Madeline looked truly confused as she asked, "Why are you¨C"


    "Don''t interrupt my spiel," Xavier said, a touch of sass to his voice.


    He did all of this with one intent.


    "Okay okay, come in," Madeline said in retaliation.


    She opened her door wider for him to enter.


    Xavier entered the room, reaching to the doorknob to close the door for her.


    For a moment, they were in extremely close proximity with each other.


    Madeline could smell him. She wondered if werewolves used cologne, then realized it was a stupid thought. And then, he turned.


    Seconds passed by as they looked each other dead in the eye.


    Nothing happened. No one moved. No one made a single sound or said anything.


    Xavier felt something he couldn''t quite comprehend.


    What was this sensation?


    This¡­ this feeling?


    There was this burning sensation in the middle of his chest he couldn''t explain.


    Call it je ne sais quoi, call it heartburn, Xavier couldn''t put his finger on it.


    [Author''s Note: Je ne sais quoi means something inexplicable. A certain something that can''t be explained and put to words. Hmm, what do you think is happening here? Share your thoughts in the comments!]


    He exhaled.


    Breaking the silence, he said to her, "Right, so¡­"


    "I know we don''t know each other that well, but I figured you could use someone to talk to," Xavier began, taking a step back.


    Pausing, Xavier realized he had actually never told someone that before. That was a first.


    While Adrian was the one who had suggested he check up on her, it was Xavier speaking and coming up with what to say. He was genuinely worried about her, and Madeline found the sentiment heartwarming.


    Yes, he had to admit, he felt partially guilty for what was happening.


    Perhaps he could have done something to keep her safe. He wasn''t just anyone, he was the alpha of Eudora. The one responsible for putting Emilio in that cave in the first place.


    What if he got a stronger spell to be casted?


    Xavier had the habit of constantly blaming himself for everything that happened.


    Unbeknownst to most, behind that usually tough exterior lay someone that did care.


    "Aww," Madeline managed to make out.


    Inside her mind, she was a hot mess.


    Perhaps it was because this came from someone like Xavier, or because he could read right through her¡­ All Madeline felt was joy and appreciation for him.


    "Well a couple minutes ago I''d insist I was fine but¡­"


    ''I hope he knows I appreciate it.''


    ''And that I''m grateful to have a friend that cares.''


    Of course, she had Briar, but she understood the boundaries Madeline set in place. If she said she was fine, it was best to leave it at that.


    Xavier, on the other hand, predicted her moves and told her he was there for her no matter what.


    Somehow, it hit different.


    Did that make sense?


    "I guess I''m still reeling from all this. It just came so unexpectedly so I''m left in a state of shock."


    And like never before, Madeline began talking.


    Xavier sat on one of Madeline''s chairs, listening intently on everything she was saying.


    He didn''t have to say anything, she was doing all the talking, and he didn''t mind.


    Albeit, one would be obliged to mention it was his first time hearing someone rant to him. Where they didn''t hide behind some facade and try to act like they were completely okay, only for him to be able to estimate how they were feeling at the current moment.


    Then again, he wasn''t too experienced when it came to emotions. Half the things he knew were from Adrian, and half the other he either learnt from personal experience or observed.


    Suffice it to say, Xavier wasn''t the best at reading people''s emotions


    Was it strange he found it refreshing?


    It also told him more about her as a whole, and how she viewed things.


    Think of it as a glimpse into Madeline''s world.


    "I commend you," Xavier said after everything.


    A bead of sweat formed on Madeline''s face.


    Xavier, commend her?


    Was she dreaming?


    She couldn''t help but gawk at him as he continued speaking highly of her.


    Is that what he really thought of her?


    Madeline was fazed.


    A small smile formed on her face the minute he finished.


    He didn''t know how much his words meant to her.


    To say Madeline''s mood improved was a vast understatement.


    It wasn''t that she''d forgotten about the previous events so quickly, but she definitely felt better than she did before.


    "You realize you can be really sweet when you want to be, right?" Madeline said.


    "What do you mean, sweet?"


    "I''m not sweet," Xavier insisted, looking to his right.


    "You just don''t want to admit it," Madeline snickered.


    "But thank you. Thank you for saying that. Really."


    "I don''t really know how to thank you enough," she admitted.


    "Hm?"


    "Thank me enough?"


    "When did telling the truth merit thanks?"


    Madeline stared at him, truly speechless.


    Suddenly, she had an idea.


    She extended her hand out and ruffled his hair.


    ''E-eh? Is he whimpering?'' Madeline blinked.


    It took her a few seconds to realize but¡­ indeed he was.


    He was whimpering!


    This caught Madeline by surprise.


    Actually, many things did today.


    Today was a day full of surprises.


    First, she finds out her biological father was alive and well and that he was Xavier''s mortal enemy of sorts¡­ and that he''s the ex-alpha of Eudora who was hated by the entire pack for his tyranny and that her mother was a supreme sorceress making her magical.


    She was still wondering if she had powers, and whether or not she''d ever get to meet this mysterious sorceress mother of hers that Emilio seemed still in love with.


    God, Emilio¡­ the mere thought of his name managed to instill a sense of rage in Madeline.


    She couldn''t believe she had been making excuses for him.


    Madeline had insisted that Emilio was acting this way because he never knew he had a daughter and that he didn''t know what it was like to treat his child after he had tried killing her, but those were all excuses.


    Since she knew nothing about him, she was doing what she did best, making assumptions.


    Madeline frowned.


    Snapping back to reality, Madeline asked him, stuttering, "A-are you whimpering?"


    "Whimpering?! I''m doing no such thing," Xavier said, biting his lip.


    "Oh you were so whimpering," Madeline insisted, a mischievous smile forming on her face.


    "I was not."


    "No need to hide it, we''re in uncharted territory," Madeline said.


    "What does that even mean?" Xavier questioned curiously, having never heard of the term ''uncharted territory'' used for something trivial before.

 Chapter 66 - WHY AM I STUTTERING AGAIN?

    "What?"


    "Uncharted territory," Xavier stated, "What does it mean?"


    "Since I doubt you''re using its literal meaning."


    "It''s commonly used in unfamiliar situatio¨C"


    Madeline realized how close they were.


    ''Not again.''


    "O-Oh," she stuttered.


    ''WHY AM I STUTTERING AGAIN?'' She asked herself, truly confused as to why this was happening.


    Why were her cheeks heating up? And why was she flustered all of a goddamn sudden?


    She certainly didn''t think she had a whimpering kink.


    ''Or maybe it''s not about that,'' Madeline considered.


    ''Hmm¡­''


    __


    "You''ve got to tell me what''s happening!" Briar exclaimed.


    "Why would I? You are a mere delta," Adrian retorted, scrunching his nose while he crossed his arms.


    "Wah, who knew the incredibly wise and smart beta could have such an attitude?"


    "Your reputation precedes you," Briar followed Adrian''s actions, crossing her arms as well.


    "My reputation?"


    Briar nodded.


    "So people talk about me?"


    "Err¡ª"


    "Do tell," Adrian said, sitting down on Xavier''s chair.


    "Isn''t this Alpha Xavier''s office?" Briar reminded him.


    Adrian immediately got to his feet, as if only remembering he was there at that very moment.


    "Right, right," he dusted something off of his long-sleeved, button-down shirt.


    "Let''s talk someplace else," he said, knowing Xavier would get extremely upset in the case that he discovered Adrian sat in his chair without his permission.


    As Briar would put it, Xavier ''busted his ass off'' to get to own that office in the first place. And to be able to sit on that chair too.


    And just like that, they moved places.


    Currently, they were at Adrian''s personal office.


    "Come in," Adrian gestured.


    "Wow," Briar said in awe.


    Obviously, she had never been in the beta''s office before.


    It was a new experience for her.


    ''If only the others knew I had the luxury of being able to visit the beta''s office. To be welcomed in it too. They''d freak,'' Briar thought to herself.


    Briar laughed.


    "Why did you laugh so suddenly?" Adrian asked her, looking at her strangely.


    "Such a weird person," he said out loud, just so she could hear him say so.


    "I''m the weird person?" Briar asked, looking hurt.


    "Aish."


    "With all the things I heard about you, I doubt I''m the weird one," Briar sneered.


    "So you admit you''re weird, and that you''ve heard things about me."


    Briar''s sneer faltered.


    Truth be told, she hadn''t.


    She hadn''t heard anything about him. At all.


    No one had anything to say about him, and when they did - a rare occasion - they all spoke highly of him.


    So what was she to do? Tell him someone spoke ill of him when no one actually had?


    She couldn''t simply place the blame on someone and frame them for something they didn''t do. They''d get into trouble because of her, and even if she wasn''t close with any of them¡­ she didn''t despise them. She chose to stay neutral with everyone and have no enemies.


    It was better that than to have enemies within the pack. That was dangerous.


    "Hmm?"


    "Why have you gone silent all of a sudden?"


    "You were pretty chatty a while ago, were you not?"


    "Aish," Briar said out of annoyance.


    "You don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Seems like you don''t know either," Adrian combatted.


    "You said you heard lots about me, so who did you hear it from? And what was it did you hear?"


    He had cornered her.


    ''I''m toast,'' Briar thought to herself.


    ''What am I supposed to say to him? I can''t lie!''


    "I''m kidding," Adrian said, laughing aloud.


    It was him that was laughing this time, but why was that the case?


    "I don''t get what''s happening," Briar admitted.


    What the hell was happening?


    Was he mocking her?


    "I monitor most werewolves in the pack. And as per what I''ve observed, you don''t talk to much werewolves, yes?"


    Briar was stunned.


    "What, you''re a stalker now?"


    "I am not a stalker, and I refused to be called one," Adrian said, his chin up in the air.


    "So don''t call me a stalker," he said, as though he hadn''t made it clear enough.


    Briar gave him a strange look before she looked away from him.


    __


    ''Great, now my hair''s messed up,'' Xavier grumbled.


    Madeline personally thought he looked great with his hair styled messily, but she refused to admit it.


    Xavier? Look good? No.


    "Ms Madeline!" Someone called on the other side of the door.


    Madeline didn''t recognize who that voice belonged to.


    Was it one of the other girls coming to visit her?


    What reason did she have to visit her at this time of day?


    "Hide," Madeline whispered.


    "I''m the alpha of this pack, I don''t hide."


    Madeline was about to say something but dismissed it.


    She headed over to open the door.


    [Author''s Note: To those wondering, every room in Eudora is soundproof, meaning werewolves can''t eavesdrop in conversations. This way, werewolves have their own privacy when they''re in human form.]


    The minute she opened the door, she sensed something was wrong.


    No, she wasn''t in danger, it was another type of wrong.


    "Uh, hi," Madeline greeted to the stranger standing across her.


    The girl waved at her.


    "Hi."


    "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something," she said.


    Madeline furrowed her brows, her gut instinct telling her something was about to happen.


    However, there were times her gut instincts were wrong and she seemed sweet.


    "Sure," Madeline nodded.


    "Go ahead."


    And suddenly, the girl''s demeanour took a 360 degree turn.


    In an instant, she was no longer the sweet girl she was, and instead¡­


    "We know what you''re doing."


    "We?"


    Madeline tilted her head to the side.


    "Me and my friends."


    "You know what?" Madeline asked next.


    "That you''re the ex-alpha''s daughter."


    Before Madeline could ask anything next, the girl decided to attack her with a flurry of accusations and insults.


    "Playing the victim every single time something happens."


    "You''re nothing but a manipulative, controlling woman who''s greed for power blinded her."


    "What, thought we wouldn''t know about the identity of your father?"


    "Your little human act is over."


    "We know you aren''t a human, and that you''re here to exact vengeance for what our alpha did to your father."


    Madeline listened intently.


    "Look at you now! You''re staying silent because you have nothing to say. You know you''ve lost."


    "And if you so much as say something, me and my friends won''t stand for it. We''ll make sure you pay for what you''ve done. You don''t deserve to be the alpha''s mate."


    Madeline bit her lip, unable to stop herself anymore.


    She slapped her thigh as she burst out laughing at her words.


    "What''s your name?" Madeline asked her.


    The girl was caught off guard.


    ''The gall this woman has!'' She thought.


    ''Once I get my hands on her, I will¡­''


    ''I can''t believe the alpha got paired with her. It could''ve been anyone but no! He was paired with a random stranger that stumbled upon Eudora. What a coincidence¡­''


    ''And now she''s laughing at me? She''s dead to me!''


    Then, she ended up telling Madeline her name after all in a show of fearlessness and bravery. She wasn''t scared to tell Madeline her name. She was the one in the right here! Madeline was in the wrong, so there was nothing for her to be guilty over.


    It was her that would bring glory to her pack by confronting the witch of a woman and telling her to put an end to her ways unless she wanted to face the wrath of the other werewolves.


    "Indiana," she answered confidently.


    Madeline began, "Well, Indiana, I appreciate your concern for your pack''s alpha."


    "However, I''m pretty sure Xavier can handle himself and tell if he''s being used or manipulated or anything you''re accusing me of doing. There''s a reason he''s the alpha of your pack and he''s been doing his job amazingly for centuries I assume. But¡­"


    She turned to Xavier who was behind her, seated on one of her quarters'' chairs before returning her gaze back at Indiana.


    "Scared?"


    "Let me guess, you''re going to go running to Xavier all scared and terrified."


    "Telling him of what I did."


    "Go tell him! I dare you!"


    Something Indiana hadn''t seen coming was Xavier being able to listen in to their entire conversation; she hadn''t even noticed he was there in the first place.


    The look on her face was priceless when she noticed Xavier.


    Xavier was there the entire time?


    He heard everything she said to Madeline?


    Oh, this was the end of it. She was done for. Goodbye world, she was definitely about to be punished.


    It was as though she had been crushed flat by a meteor.


    "Hmm, do you now?" Xavier asked as he got up and walked over to her.


    He didn''t seem calm, he seemed livid.


    Anyone could tell by looking at him.


    The minute his face was in her view, she cowered in her spot. Her life flashed before her eyes.


    Indiana shut her eyes, murmuring...


    ''Why did I have to be the one that this happened to?''

 Chapter 67 - Powerful, Handsome Xavier

    Where did we leave things off?


    Right, Indiana was close to passing out and had just discovered that Xavier had been there the entire time.


    She had been so caught up in the moment that she forgot to check if there''d been anyone with Madeline at the moment.


    And coincidentally, Xavier just had to be eavesdropping into their entire conversation.


    An offence this huge would merit death by torture, or other punishments depending what the alpha thought was suitable.


    However, Indiana knew Xavier wouldn''t simply let this incident go. He was a strict and fair person, but that didn''t mean he gave way to exceptions.


    And also, what was he doing in her quarters anyway?


    ¡­and why was his hair messed up?


    Realization dawned upon Indiana.


    ''Did they actually do it?''


    ''Was that why Madeline was in such a good mood and laughed it off?''


    ''Was that why she took a long time to open the door? Because she was getting dressed?''


    ''No, I''m getting ahead of myself, there''s no way that actually happened.''


    ''Or did it?''


    Indiana''s lower lip trembled.


    There was a reason why she volunteered to do this out of everyone else.


    Why?


    Because¡­ Way before Madeline stumbled upon Eudora, she had feelings for Eudora''s beloved alpha, Xavier.


    Powerful, handsome Xavier.


    Safe to say, he caught the eye of many female werewolves. And he had also proved he wasn''t all just looks, so there was that as well.


    She envied Madeline; she had the privilege to be Xavier''s soulmate. How could someone like her be able to end with someone like him?


    For luna''s sake, she was Emilio''s daughter!


    Her father was the worst alpha Eudora ever had!


    Perhaps she was being prejudiced, or perhaps she was simply too jealous to think rationally, but a part of her thought Madeline was carrying out revenge on Xavier for what he did to her father.


    What she didn''t know was how she was completely wrong.


    And the funny thing was, had she dug a little deeper, she would''ve discovered that Madeline hated Emilio''s guts.


    But no, she had jumped into her conclusions and now she was here, standing across from Xavier and Madeline.


    ''Any longer and I''m going to pass out,'' Indiana thought, feeling her chest tighten.


    The embarrassment she felt from the situation she had put herself in¡­ Any fate was better than this.


    She knew what was coming next; she knew Xavier would punish her for this. This entire time she was bracing herself for whatever was to happen next.


    Would Xavier kill her?


    Would he banish her from Eudora?


    ''Am I getting ahead of myself or am I underestimating whatever punishment I''ll receive?''


    ''Do I beg him for mercy?''


    ''Oh Luna, what do I do?''


    [Author''s Note: Keep in mind that oh luna is the equivalent of ''oh god'', since Luna is what''s believed to be the moon goddess'' name.]


    ''Someone else should''ve been here... I can''t believe my luck. Way to go, Diana. Way to go.''


    "I''m going to have to talk to you in my office after this," Xavier declared.


    Indiana''s knees wobbled.


    ''I''m so dead, I''m so dead, I''m so dead,'' she repeated in her head.


    Madeline looked at him.


    "You can go now," she said to Indiana, smiling.


    Strangely, Madeline didn''t seem to hate her or anything. Even moreso, she seemed worried for her.


    Indiana looked confused, ''Why is she looking at me that way? It''s like she''s worried for me.''


    ''Or is she mocking me? I''m going to be strictly punished anyway¡­ must she really mock me and my dreadful fate?''


    "U-Uh, right."


    She bowed, hoping that one small action would do some good for her.


    "Goodbye A-Alpha Xavier¡­ and Ms Madeline."


    The moment she left, Xavier raised his hand as though he wanted to¡­


    "What are you going to do?" Madeline asked him.


    "What do you mean?"


    "To Indiana," Madeline said to him.


    "You''re going to punish her, no?"


    "And here I thought you''d be glad she''d get what''s coming to her."


    "Xavier," Madeline began.


    "In a sick way she was being protective of you," she said to him.


    "Protective?"


    What did Madeline mean by Indiana being protective?


    That was protective? It seemed more like an insult.


    Xavier stared at her, wondering where she was taking this conversation to.


    "Yes, protective. There''s a lot you can tell by the way someone looks at someone else."


    "And?"


    "By the way she looked at you I''d say she''s in¡­"


    Madeline made a heart gesture with her hands.


    "...love."


    "What in the hell are you talking about?"


    "Love? What kind of nonsense is that?"


    "You do know that''s not a valid excuse for me not to punish her, right? It''s still a rule violation."


    "My job as an alpha is to be fair and to make sure everyone stays in line," he told her sternly.


    "I know, I know," Madeline nodded.


    "But all the things she accused me of aside, I don''t think she really meant anything terrible or evil."


    Madeline was certain Indiana didn''t have any ill intentions. To her, she was simply looking out for Xavier in the wrong way.


    And even if a part of her did believe Indiana''s deeds merited punishment¡­ She still believed Indiana didn''t deserve one that was too brutal and severe.


    "And also, she wasn''t the only one involved here. She said it was her and her friends that''d do something about me."


    "Maybe that''s the thing you should focus on."


    __


    Author''s Note:


    I have made sure this author''s note won''t cost you extra coins or anything, but I just wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate you guys so much! I''m sorry for the one chapter updates these days but life has been relatively hectic so there isn''t much time for me to write.


    However, I will have more time soon once term break starts, then ready yourselves for more updates, and maybe a few mass releases too! Alright, that''s enough for now, goodbye everyone! I hope you enjoy what I''ve got prepared for you all next and continue showing your support to this work, Her Devilish Alpha!


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 68 - I Dont Like You

    "So you admit there was no one in this pack talking about me?"


    "W-Well, the possibility of it isn''t completely nil. There could be someone out there doing just that," Briar said, trying to make her defeat less painful.


    "So Delta Briar''s a liar," Adrian said, putting it out there.


    Briar frowned at him, "I don''t like you."


    Adrian said in return, "I don''t like you either."


    "Right, now that we''ve established we don''t like each other, mind leaving my office?"


    "Since I am the pack''s beta, I have things to do all the time and I''m being pulled in different directions so I''d really appreciate it if you leave."


    Briar curled her lip.


    "Fine, I''ll leave," she said to him.


    "Don''t you dare speak to your beta with such scorn and contempt," Adrian ordered.


    Briar inhaled.


    "Sorry," she apologized, sounding half-sincere with her apology.


    "I''ll take my leave now," Briar said, not in the least bit apologetic or remorseful.


    "Goodbye, Beta Adrian."


    "I hope we meet again soon," Briar said, smirking at him before she turned on one heel and left.


    Adrian''s eyes went wide.


    "Why¡ª"


    "What did she think she did by leaving like that¡ª"


    He shook his head.


    "I''ve got to return to work."


    "Before I get distracted by anything else, of course."


    Adrian sat on his chair.


    He sucked his teeth.


    "Why am I so agitated all of a sudden?"


    He exhaled.


    "Work."


    "I should think about work, since work should always come first."


    He sighed before he returned to his work, wondering what Xavier was up to at that moment.


    Was he with Madeline?


    Were they chatting? Bantering?


    ''Argh, why can''t I focus?'' Adrian asked himself, banging his office desk.


    Thankfully, it didn''t split into two since he hadn''t hit it hard enough.


    He rested his head on his desk.


    "What a beta I am."


    Adrian wondered why Xavier made him the beta of the pack. Yes, he had his great moments, but he never thought himself as the person suitable to be a beta.


    Betas were supposed to be able to understand and read the others'' emotions well, along with many other key traits. He was supposed to be able to properly command and lead the pack¡­ in case anything happened to its current alpha. It was why betas weren''t really liked by the pack.


    Most werewolves thought he was only there to steal Xavier''s place. That was part of the reason why they didn''t trust him much at first. However, all betas started out as omegas in the first place.


    Like everyone else, Adrian started out as a beta and worked his way up to the top. It was during that trip that he got to know Xavier. He had known him ever since Xavier was a mere delta, which was way before he became a beta.


    But although he wasn''t there to witness Emilio and Xavier''s duel, he heard all about it later from Xavier himself. It was like he was there.


    And it took centuries before Adrian got to know Xavier, which also was a slow process all in all. And there were still many things Adrian didn''t know regarding Xavier.


    Say, his family.


    Xavier had never once spoken about his parents, or if he had any siblings or distant relatives. For all Adrian knew, Xavier could have been in multiple foster homes growing up. With how secretive he was, who knew?


    So when someone like Madeline stepped into the picture, he was delighted. Xavier opened up to her quicker than he ever did with his own friend who he knew for centuries.


    From what he observed, Madeline was a sweet girl. She didn''t have any ill intentions for Xavier and while he once thought Madeline was hiding her real identity as Emilio and Cornelia''s daughter, any doubts he had when it came to her had vanished.


    He could see through her easily¡­ and with how she reacted to finding out Emilio was her father¡­ he doubted she could''ve been able to put on such a stellar performance and still be able to go unnoticed by Xavier.


    Xavier wasn''t foolish. It was his intelligence that had gotten him to where he was today and if Madeline were to have some hidden card up her sleeve, he''d have found out about it already and done something about it.


    Madeline would already be out of the picture and there would be no trace of her left in Eudora.


    And it couldn''t have just been so perfectly planned where Madeline''s desire to exact vengeance on Xavier for what he did to her father happened to coincide with who her mate was - Xavier himself.


    Either fate was playing a trick on both Madeline and Xavier or it had something planned.


    Adrian wagered it was the latter.


    Xavier barged in Adrian''s office whilst he was in the middle of working.


    ''I''m never going to finish work at this point,'' Adrian mumbled, before he asked, "What are you doing here all of a sudden, Xavier?"


    "Something happened with Madeline?"


    Xavier stood there.


    "How did you know it had something to do with Madeline?"


    "You have that look on your face," Adrian said to him.


    "When something you don''t quite fathom happened," he added.


    "So what, you can also guess why I''m here?"


    "I can''t actually," Adrian admitted.


    "Some girl named Indiana stopped by Madeline''s quarters and decided to insult Madeline and accuse her of using me, et cetera et cetera."


    "Hold on, did you say the name Indiana?"


    Xavier nodded.


    "I did, why?"


    Adrian blinked, "She has a spotless record. She''s never been in any trouble before, she''s a sweet girl all around."


    He waggled his eyebrows, "And¡­"


    "She has a¡­ What do people call it nowadays? Oh right, she has a crush on you."


    "A crush?"


    Adrian nodded enthusiastically.


    "A big, fat crush."


    "What''s a crush?"


    "A crush is when you have love and admiration for someone you aren''t in a relationship with."


    Xavier stared at him.


    "Are you to tell me Madeline was right after all?"


    "That girl did this all because she was being protective of me?"

 Chapter 69 - Is This The Same Xavier Im Friends With?

    "Protective of you?" Adrian asked, a smile curving upon his face.


    He made a mental note to stop by Madeline''s place to find out more details. Oh, this seemed promising.


    "What did she say to Madeline for her to think Indiana was being protective of you?" Adrian inquired, his curiosity now piqued.


    What could Xavier be talking about? It sounded interesting.


    Xavier went into further detail, explaining to Adrian how Indiana claimed to know what Madeline''s plans were and who she really was.


    "They know she''s Emilio''s daughter."


    "Who''s they?"


    "Her and a couple of her friends, I presume," Xavier answered.


    "So what else did they tell her? You didn''t seem as upset when you told me the other parts of what happened today," Adrian said to Xavier.


    He gasped.


    "You''re being protective," he said to Xavier.


    "Why is the word protective being thrown around all day so much? No one is protective over anybody," Xavier insisted.


    "Indiana violated one of the pack''s rules. It merits a punishment."


    "And if you''re so sure about that, why did you come here?" Adrian questioned.


    "Because Madeline''s telling me to go easy on her."


    "Tell me what else Indiana said," Adrian ordered.


    Xavier stared at him.


    "What do you want me to say next, ''please''?" Adrian asked him, wanting the information, stat.


    "That would be acceptable," Xavier admitted, nodding in agreement.


    "I''m kidding," he said, his face unchanging.


    Adrian folded his arms, "Why do I feel like you''re hiding something?"


    Xavier thought about it.


    "Come to think of it."


    "I learnt a new term from Madeline."


    "Term? What term?"


    Xavier stated, "A crush."


    Adrian''s subtle smile immediately turned into a full-on smirk.


    "A crush?"


    "How did you stumble upon the term?"


    Xavier inhaled.


    He exhaled lightly, telling Adrian, "Madeline assumes Indiana has, and I quote¡­"


    He cleared his throat, still unable to believe he was telling Adrian this.


    ''I sound like a fool,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    ''Why am I doing this?''


    Finishing where he left off, Xavier said to Adrian, "Madeline assumes Indiana has a ''big, fat crush'' on me."


    Adrian bit his lip to keep himself from laughing all of a sudden.


    "A crush."


    "I can''t believe it."


    "She taught you what it meant too."


    "And how do you know what it means?"


    "Care to explain?" Xavier inquired, raising his brow.


    "Unless¡­"


    "Unless what?"


    Xavier''s eye flashed with a mysterious emotion.


    "You have a crush too."


    "And you never told me who this mysterious person is."


    Deciding to play the part, Xavier placed a hand on his heart.


    "I''m very hurt."


    Adrian looked confused.


    "E-eh?"


    "I don''t have a crush," he denied.


    "I swear, I don''t."


    It was now Xavier''s turn to fold his arms and look at Adrian with distrust.


    "That''s exactly what a person who''d have one say to their friend."


    Adrian reasoned, "And also what a person who doesn''t have one would."


    Confused, Adrian wondered what had happened to his dear friend. Was Xavier alright? He didn''t seem as serious and stern as he was before¡­ had something else happened between him and Madeline?


    Why did Xavier feel the need to corner Adrian and ask if he had any crushes? He was far past the age of likings and crushes and all that jazz.


    Love was one of the last things he was thinking of. He was the beta of a powerful pack, and he had willingly buried himself in work.


    Never did he complain or find it tiring.


    Alright, that was a false statement. He did, but rarely!


    Did Xavier really doubt him to the point he thought his own friend was hiding his crush from him?


    "Xavier, I''m not the type of person to like someone else."


    "I''m the type of person who dies working! I don''t have time for petty crushes."


    "Xavier, you have to believe me."


    "I''m not sure why you think I have one all of a sudden but I swear to you Xavier, I don''t have a crush."


    "I know you don''t, I was only checking if you did," Xavier said, grabbing one of the bottles of water on Adrian''s desk.


    "I didn''t expect you to insist you didn''t have one though."


    Adrian pouted, "Why did you have to do this to me, Xay?"


    "Because it''s funny," Xavier said.


    "Funny?"


    Adrian seemed truly confused this time.


    ''When did Xavier ever do things because they were funny?''


    ''Is this the same Xavier I''m friends with?''


    ''There is no way he''s the same person I talked to before, he must''ve been swapped out. There''s absolutely no way, but how do I prove he''s someone else? Aish I sound like a lunatic actually considering this.''


    "Are you sure it''s because you find it funny and not because you have one?" Adrian asked jokingly, not expecting Xavier to take it seriously.


    "I don''t have one."


    "Like you I throw myself into work, I''m not the type of person to fall in love with someone."


    "Even with Madeline in the equation?" Adrian asked, raising his brow.


    Xavier faltered, "Err."


    Adrian gasped.


    "Are you blushing?" He asked Xavier.


    Adrian''s hand flew to his mouth, "You''re blushing!"


    "I am doing no such thing, you''re just imagining it, Adrian," Xavier said, looking away.


    "Oh you''re definitely blushing."


    "W-Why would I be blushing?"


    "And now you''re flustered too."


    Adrian''s smile on his face grew even bigger.


    Although Xavier never admitted it, Adrian''s cheeriness was one of the many reasons why he chose him to be his beta.


    It had a huge difference with how he became a beta, which was because he was practically the only viable option. That and how Xavier used to be one of his confidants.


    Yes, Xavier used to be one of Emilio''s closest confidants.


    Whilst he never agreed with the way Emilio ruled the pack, it was better he stayed in a position of power rather than mingle with the other deltas and omegas and stay at a low rank.


    To him, being a beta meant he''d be capable of making an impact. Centuries ago, at least. And once Emilio chose him, he couldn''t deny it. It was either to accept and become a beta, or to deny it and face the wrath of Emilio himself - which was to be killed in a duel¡­ or worse.


    And look at him now.


    He had slowly gained the favour of the other werewolves of the pack over time and that proved helpful. It was his plan all along, and it worked for him. They approved of Xavier being the alpha, and he was respected and loved by the majority of the pack.


    Sure, they were minorities that disliked him, but they didn''t dare speak out against their alpha. They were the same people who thought Emilio deserved to be the alpha despite what he did but Emilio was gone. Xavier wasn''t.


    Xavier had proven he was worthy of the role he so deserved over time, and even whilst it was a gradual process, Xavier never regretted what he did - assuming his place as alpha and replacing Emilio.


    Emilio would''ve destroyed Eudora had he taken his doings further.


    Countless lives were lost, and for what? Emilio''s pleasure?


    He had a few loyal supporters, but the numbers dwindled, and dwindled, and dwindled.


    Luna forbid, his remaining supporters were to discover that Emilio was on Eudorian grounds.


    All hell would break lose!


    Right, where were we?


    Adrian''s cheeriness, that''s right.


    Xavier appreciated how Adrian stuck by his side. He had proven he was a loyal ally to him. No matter the circumstances, Adrian stayed fiercely loyal by his side and never once questioned his place as alpha.


    Of course, Xavier wasn''t a man of many words so he never got to express how much gratitude he had for Adrian, but¡­ he would forever cherish what Adrian had done for him.


    ''What would Adrian think if he heard this?'' Xavier thought.


    Like it or not, Adrian made a wonderful beta. He was a way better alpha than Xavier ever was¡­ that went without saying entirely.


    He was patient, and he knew how to take things both seriously and lightly depending on the gravity of the situation he was in. Adrian constantly strived for the best for his pack, and if something were to happen to Xavier, Adrian would make a great alpha.


    Xavier could go on and on about how Adrian suited his job perfectly, but he knew his ego would never allow him to be caught dead doing so.


    Of course, he had his flaws, but what he was flawed in he made up with his numerous strengths.


    One would ask, why did Xavier never tell him any of this?


    Because, as he put it, he wasn''t a man of many words, and when it came down to sentiments, and gooey stuff that made one melt whilst hearing it¡­ He was no good at it.


    However, he couldn''t shake the thought of something else that was completely irrelevant to Adrian and what he thought of his friend¡­


    What was it, exactly?


    Where he and Madeline stood.

 Chapter 70 - A Big No-no

    ''Where do Madeline and I stand?'' Xavier wondered.


    Ah yes, him and Madeline.


    He wondered what it was about her that made him feel all tingly and warm.


    Was one supposed to feel this way whenever he was with his mate?


    Xavier never grasped the concept of love. He never thought he needed someone to make him feel whole, he was satisfied enough on his own.


    Why would people be led to believe they needed someone? Why would they be inclined to spend their entire lives pining for a person who would either¡­. One, didn''t exist in the first place. Two, be uninterested in them and not reciprocate any of their feelings, or three, not know they exist.


    Xavier would never understand what it was about love that was so appealing to the eyes of humans, his fellow werewolves too, but he also never decided to question their choice.


    ''It''s their choice, not mine. Whatever they choose to do I can''t prevent.''


    ''But what is it about love that''s so captivating?''


    He reckoned Adrian was just as clueless as he was when it came to this.


    All his life he had been so focused on work, and work and work, as well as being an alpha that he never so much as tried to give himself a break.


    He didn''t feel tired, or bored of his job¡­ All he felt was confusion.


    Crushes¡­ Did he have any crushes in the past?


    He didn''t think so. As he said before, he always stood his ground when it came to anything about love.


    Everything fitted into one summary, it was a big no-no in his eyes.


    So now, on to where he and Madeline stood.


    To him, they were friends. Just that.


    There was nothing more to their relationship.


    Not a relationship actually, he stood corrected.


    Their friendship was what it was supposed to be.


    A knock came from the door.


    "Tch, who is it?" Xavier demanded.


    He rushed to the door, opening it.


    "Right, you''re still here," Xavier said annoyedly.


    "People found out she''s your daughter, happy now?"


    Emilio stared at him, "What are you talking about?"


    Xavier shook his head, "Never mind that."


    "Fun''s over Emilio, we''re bringing you back to the cave, and  this time we''re putting an even more powerful spell."


    "But you said the spell cast was already the most powerful one possible, no?"


    "I''ll find one," Xavier insisted.


    "So long as you''re trapped there."


    "And if you can''t find one?" Emilio questioned, beginning to regret having stayed on his best behaviour all this time.


    If he wanted to escape, he could have.


    And anyway, why didn''t he escape in the first place?


    He could have, he could have made a run for it. It would''ve bought him more time although it didn''t exclude him from the possibility of death completely.


    Knowing his friend, Emilio knew Xavier would hunt him down himself, not stopping till he successfully found him and brought him back to Eudora - if he was considerate enough.


    If he wasn''t? Emilio was dead to him, literally.


    Xavier would return victorious, basking in the glory of having killed the ex-alpha. He''d be successful, and Emilio had no doubts the other werewolves would hold even more respect for him.


    Some still found him weak - the small minorities that still supported Emilio. However, they weren''t foolish enough to be unable to realize the mistakes to their ways if Emilio was no longer there.


    Emilio used to be treated as though he was some sort of god, and now? He was treated like he was filthy scum, and even Emilio couldn''t deny he didn''t deserve to be treated this way.


    "You die," Xavier said.


    "And yet, I''m still here," Emilio reasoned.


    ''Yes, that''s the big question,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    Can''t Emilio have left already?


    He had to make a decision¡­ When it wasn''t his to make.


    As much as he needed to make a decision, it was Madeline''s.


    Emilio wasn''t his father.


    ''Thank god he isn''t,'' Xavier said to himself quietly.


    However, he was Madeline''s.


    Xavier had to take her into consideration, and that made things a whole lot more complicated.


    Did she want him to stay?


    Did she want Emilio to leave and to never see him again?


    It''d be unfair if Xavier made a decision on her behalf and caused her to lose the opportunity to get to know her biological father.


    Then again, as he recalled, she had mentioned she never wanted to get to know her real parents, that was why she never tried finding out who they really were.


    But now that she finally got to meet her father, would she change her mind, or would she remain the same?


    Madeline slapping Emilio didn''t do much to reassure Xavier when it came to what she wanted. It only made him even more divided.


    It was his duty as alpha to decide what happened to Emilio.


    But it was his duty as a friend to ask Madeline for her answer.


    Which would win at the very end?


    Adrian listened into their entire conversation, not saying a single word.


    Honestly, what happened next was in Xavier''s hands entirely.


    Would he let Emilio off the hook and decide something else for him?


    Or would he let this be the last Emilio ever got to see of Eudora and kill him on the spot?


    "Why are you still here?" Xavier inquired.


    "You''re right, you could''ve left ages ago but you''re still here. You could''ve gone on the run but you chose to stay here even after your daughter clearly doesn''t want you here."


    Emilio took a deep breath.


    "Am I going to be killed either way?"


    "I can''t answer that question," Xavier said to him.


    Pursing his lips, Emlio answered Xavier''s question.


    "Because I feel like I should get to know her since we''ve already lost plenty of time, and there''s how I never knew I had a daughter until today and¡­"


    "Now I have something to stay here for."


    Xavier was conflicted as to whether or not to believe Emilio, since Emilio had shown Xavier all the reasons why he shouldn''t trust him, and yet here he was¡­ Considering letting Emilio off the hook until he found a proper solution to this.


    ''No, I mustn''t let him roam free. Just because he has a daughter doesn''t mean he''s suddenly not guilty,'' Xavier reminded himself.


    Emilio nodded, "And I know that just because I have a daughter now that doesn''t get me completely off the hook."


    Xavier glared at him.


    "You''re right, you aren''t off the hook," he said sternly.


    "Let''s get things clear, you are definitely not off the hook."


    "You will return to that cave you were trapped in previously, and if not that you will receive the punishment you deserved to face from the start."


    "I may have lent you mercy that one time but I won''t repeat my previous mistake."


    "But what about Madeline?"


    "You know you can''t use her like some shield," Xavier snarled.


    "She knows exactly the type of person you are, you told her yourself," he added to his argument.


    "I am not using her as some shield, what''s so wrong with a father wanting to get to know his long lost daughter?"


    "Had she not been your daughter you would''ve killed her already," Xavier said, sounding enraged.


    "And I''m sorry for that. I thought she was a regular human that happened to stroll in my cave by accident."


    But, it was what Emilio said next that really struck Xavier.


    "But tell me, if the girl in this situation wasn''t Madeline, would you be reacting the same way you are now? And would I still be alive?" Emilio asked.


    Xavier shook his head. He was many things, but he didn''t want to be a liar.


    Had this been a human, even Xavier knew he wouldn''t have put this much thought into it. He''d proceed as though this was typical and move on with his life.


    "It only proves how special my daughter is," Emilio said, his voice radiating pride.


    Xavier couldn''t believe him.


    Seriously? He used this situation to be prideful over Madeline?


    ''Are you listening to this?'' Xavier asked Adrian, wanting his opinion on the matter.


    Thankfully, Adrian was there, so he didn''t have to explain everything that happened before he got any feedback, etc.


    ''Mhm,'' Adrian responded.


    ''But, you know, Xavier¡­ Emilio''s onto something,'' Adrian admitted.


    ''You can''t possibly agree with him.''


    ''I don''t agree with letting him free, but what I do agree with is when he says Madeline is special,'' Adrian snickered quietly.


    ''If she wasn''t, then he wouldn''t even be here. And also, you wouldn''t have asked her to stay."


    "What are you trying to insinuate?" Xavier asked Adrian aloud, grabbing Emilio''s attention.


    ''Keep it down,'' Adrian said to him.


    ''Right,'' Xavier said, feeling a pair of eyes staring at him.


    Emilio must''ve been wondering what the hell the both of them were up to.


    ''Right, so as I was saying,'' Adrian began.


    ''What I''m trying to insinuate is¡­''

 Chapter 71 - They Were Gone

    ''You two must be really good friends,'' Adrian said, observing Xavier''s face to see if there were any changes the minute he learnt of what he had to tell him.


    Xavier scrunched his nose.


    ''Huh?''


    ''Really good friends?''


    ''Are you serious? That was all you got from the entire conversation between Emilio and I?''


    Adrian shook his head, ''Of course not.''


    ''Obviously, you''re returning him to his cave. If Madeline pleases, she could always visit him and it''s a win-win situation. Emilio gets to live, Madeline gets to know the man that''s her biological father better and the ex-alpha gets what he deserves.''


    ''There are a few kinks we need to work out but¡­''


    Adrian shrugged.


    ''Hmm, great idea,'' Xavier commented.


    "You two done talking now?" Emilio asked.


    Albeit he was unable to know what they were discussing, he knew it had something to do with Madeline.


    ''I keep forgetting he''s my daughter''s mate,'' he muttered to himself.


    ''What was that phrase?'' He asked himself.


    ''Break her heart and I''ll break yours? Hmm.''


    ''I should really tell Xavier that,'' Emilio thought, sighing.


    It was pointless, wasn''t it?


    Now, when he found himself a reason to stay, there was another reason to leave.


    The pack wouldn''t react kindly to seeing Emilio on their grounds.


    Of course, neither had Xavier or Adrian ''reacted kindly'', but for the most part, they kept their true and real opinions to themselves.


    Xavier¡­ His ruthlessly efficient beta turned alpha of the pack that used to be his.


    Was he happy Xavier was now alpha? No.


    Not because he thought Xavier was unworthy, but simply because Xavier had stolen his life from him.


    Yes, to Emilio, Xavier was the big bad one. All his life, Emilio was raised to rule Eudora. To take over as alpha after he defeated his predecessor in a duel and got his advancement from beta to alpha.


    Like everyone else, he started as an omega, but he rose through the ranks quickly. In no time at all, he was the alpha, with Xavier by his side as his chosen beta.


    Whilst Xavier had his side to his story, so did Emilio.


    Xavier was the righteous one, he was the one constantly in the wrong. No matter what he did, he was never right. Xavier was the one that was favored, he was the one that other wolves respected and placed on a pedestal although it was to be noted that there was no excuse for what he did to the innocent.


    Emilio let out another deep sigh.


    ''What''s the point of all this? No one''s going to let me get to know my daughter more, and I''m going to have to return to that damned cave I was trapped in for centuries.''


    That cave was practically hell for him. There was nothing and no one there.


    Dying was a far better fate than being stuck somewhere he couldn''t thrive in. Why would anyone willingly subject themselves to that sort of torture?


    Everyone had a different example of purgatory and Emilio''s meaning of purgatory was obviously that cave.


    Although that was one of the last questions that remained in his head.


    There was one that he couldn''t help but continuously wonder, how was Madeline conceived in the first place?


    He hadn''t seen Cornelia in¡­ centuries if he recalled correctly.


    So how was it possible that Madeline was here? How she existed?


    He knew Cornelia had something to do with it.


    Perhaps this was her way of bidding him goodbye one last time, or perhaps this had all happened per chance. By accident.


    ''Cornelia, where are you?'' Emilio asked himself.


    It felt like he was back¡­ Back at the day he and Xavier dueled.


    Rain poured in the background, and thunder boomed in the sky.


    Drenched and soaking wet, Emilio showed that he was as much of a man to admit defeat, but still beg for mercy.


    It proved how desperate he was to survive. That way, he could find a way to get his place back as alpha. Well, that plan proved to be a bust. Centuries later, he was still the ex-alpha, and nothing had changed.


    That day, he had also wondered where Cornelia was. She hadn''t witnessed the duel, she hadn''t bid him goodbye, she had disappeared.


    The last he saw of her was before he dueled Xavier and lost. It was as though¡­


    She knew it was going to happen.


    That must''ve been why she was against him dueling Xavier. That, or her lack of faith in him.


    No, that was unlikely. She was the supreme sorceress, she was practically omnipotent. There wasn''t anything she didn''t know.


    Heck, she probably knew he had escaped from his cave, and then he finally got to meet his daughter.


    ''I''m straying away from what''s really important here,'' Emilio said to himself.


    He knew how pretentious he sounded. It was as though he was using Madeline to stay.


    When in reality¡­


    ''I have a daughter now,'' Emilio said to himself for what seemed like the millionth time for this day alone.


    That one fact made him rethink everything. And to put it in comparison¡­ All his time he spent in that cave, he never once regretted his actions.


    The minute the results were shown, Emilio was guilt-stricken. His heart felt like it had been cracked into two, and he wondered what it was like had he watched his daughter grow up, and what would life be like if his wrongdoings hadn''t gotten him trapped in that cave.


    He was never involved in deciding whether or not Madeline was to be given away. Never did he have a say. Never did he have a chance to meet his daughter when she entered this world.


    He wasn''t even the second person to have seen her.


    She had lived decades without knowing who her parents were, and who she really was.


    How could he not feel the slightest bit of regret?


    And now he understood what it felt like when he had done all those horrid things to those who had done something to tick him off.


    Now he realized the pain and suffering he had caused, and one of the worst things was that he couldn''t make amends with them.


    They were gone, and he had gone too far.

 Chapter 72 - Please Dont Say It...

    Briar slammed the door behind her.


    After her unpleasant conversation with Adrian, she had run to Madeline''s quarters, deciding to visit her friend.


    She stomped over to Madeline, flouncing into her room and throwing herself down into a chair from pure frustration.


    "Do I need to kill someone?" Madeline asked Briar instantly, taking her entrance as a not-so-subtle sign.


    And then, out of nowhere, Briar spoke, catching Madeline by complete surprise.


    "Adrian is a jerk, and no one can convince me otherwise."


    "What''s gotten you so upset?" Madeline asked, looking over at her.


    "Did Adrian do something?"


    "Or did you have some lover''s quarrel?" She cooed.


    "Where did that come from?" Briar questioned in confusion, tilting her head to the side.


    A lover''s quarrel?


    "Never mind that," Madeline said, wondering what had overcome her.


    She had accidentally spouted that out.


    "Yes," Briar said, asking Madeline immediately, "So what do you think of Adrian?"


    "What do I think of Adrian?" Madeline asked, pointing at herself.


    Briar nodded, confirming it.


    Madeline shrugged.


    "I don''t know, I haven''t gotten to know him much during my time here and he seems like a really pleasant guy. He''s sweet and compassionate, as well as caring and calm."


    She observed the look on Briar''s face.


    "Not the answer you were looking for, huh."


    [Author''s Note: For those that might not remember what happened since it took place a couple chapters ago, her and Adrian had engaged in an unpleasant conversation whereas Briar pretended to have heard about someone speaking ill of Adrian when¡­ In reality, no one had. That conversation ended with the two of them exchanging ''I don''t like you''s.]


    Crossing her arms, Briar puffed her cheeks out, not commenting on what Madeline had previously said about Adrian.


    "I can''t believe him. That, that¨C"


    "I don''t know what it is about him that the others rave about. What is it that makes him so great at his job and all that too."


    "Once I have a real conversation with him, I see his true colours and he''s inconsiderate, bratty, snobby¨C"


    "Slow down, I''ve never seen you this upset before."


    "Especially¡­ over a guy."


    Madeline gasped.


    "Woah."


    "Could it be that¨C"


    "Please please please don''t say it," Briar pouted.


    "So you admit it."


    "Admit what?" Briar inquired, seemingly confused.


    "That you..."


    Madeline created a heart with both her hands.


    "Like him."


    "Is this your way of getting me back for what I said about you and what you feel for Xavier? Because I''m not taking it back," Briar said, standing her ground.


    "But I''m not getting back at you."


    "I''m just¡­"


    "You haven''t even heard what happened," Briar said.


    "Yeah," Madeline nodded.


    "So what went down with you and Adrian for you to be so perturbed?"


    "And don''t leave out any details like you usually do," Madeline added, frowning.


    Just as Briar was about to defend herself, Madeline interjected, "And don''t try to deny it."


    "What happened?" Madeline inquired next, wanting answers.


    "Hmph."


    "Adrian was rude to me is what happened."


    "Rude to you?"


    "Adrian doesn''t strike me as a rude person," Madeline mused.


    "He doesn''t strike you as a rude person until you get to know him. I can''t believe him, calling me a liar!"


    Madeline looked both amused and shocked.


    Frankly, she looked like she was trying to hide her amusement, but she didn''t manage to fool Briar.


    "Don''t try to hide it from me, you find this funny," Briar observed.


    Madeline shook her head, "Of course not."


    "Of course I don''t find this funny, my friend being called a liar is horrible!"


    "But what did you do for him to call you a liar?"


    Gasping, a couple of unseemly and unbecoming ideas surfaced her mind.


    ''Of course I had to think of that,'' Madeline mumbled under her breath.


    She doubted what happened was anything like that.


    However, the images were already stuck in her mind.


    ''Oh god.''


    Madeline slammed her eyes shut.


    "Are you alright?" Briar asked her worriedly.


    "I''m fine," Madeline replied reassuringly.


    "You keep saying that phrase more times and it won''t even sound like a phrase anymore."


    "I see right through you."


    Briar narrowed her eyes.


    "How did this suddenly become about me?"


    "You came here, wanting to talk about what happened between you and Adrian, don''t stray away from that."


    Briar told Madeline dryly, "You really are talented at changing the subject."


    Managing a forced smile, Madeline didn''t say a thing afterwards.


    Was she alright?


    Xavier had successfully improved her mood but there wasn''t anything that could completely ''cure'' her mood.


    She knew what was going to happen next.


    Emilio would likely return to his cave where he''d stay trapped there like before.


    Or¡­ He''d be killed.


    She knew how these things went.


    And ironically, it all depended on Xavier. Her mate/friend.


    It was up to him to decide what happened to Emilio. And as much as she wanted Emilio to return to the cave¡­ She had to admit.


    A part of her wanted to stay.


    Was she crazy for thinking so?


    That was debatable.


    Had she told anyone else?


    No.


    Did she intend to tell anyone else?


    Maybe.


    And last but not least, why did she want him to stay?


    ''Honest answer? I don''t know,'' Madeline admitted.


    She wondered what part of her was deranged enough to want him to stay.


    ''I''d have to be out of my own damn mind.''


    ''What has he done for me that makes me want him to stay?''


    ''I''ve already said I never wanted to get to know my biological parents. That''s why I never tried finding them. What''s with my sudden change of mind?''


    ''Is this because I never knew what it was like to have actual parents in my life?''


    Shaking her head, Madeline told herself, ''Why am I even thinking of this? I''m pathetic. How pathetic of me.''


    By then, Briar had told her everything about her and Adrian, while she hadn''t been present to hear absolutely present but she had gotten the main gist of it.

 Chapter 73 - From Embarrassment To Scoring Dinner

    "Wow."


    "So what really happened was, you and Adrian had a disagreement and the both of you handled it like children."


    "I guess you could say that," Briar said, refusing to comment on the part where Madeline called her and Adrian childlike.


    The funny thing was, it was Madeline that was the child if one were to compare them in terms of age. Then again, age was just a number in all of their eyes. It was nothing more than just the number of years one had lived.


    "Aish, I don''t know why Xavier appointed him as beta when there were many others he could''ve picked."


    "Why tell me that, I never knew anything about why anyone was picked to be a beta and what was behind Xavier''s decision."


    Briar stared at her, as though she had just remembered something important.


    "Oh my goodness, I''m so sorry for laying all of this on you. You''re the one that needs to let your emotions out and all that."


    Madeline shook her head, "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine."


    "Xavier helped boost my mood," she said, smiling bashfully.


    Blinking, Briar thought to herself, ''At this point, there''s nothing else that can shock me when it comes to Alpha Xavier and Madeline.''


    ''Are they really just friends? I can''t believe what I''m told when it comes to what they think of their current relationship. They''re so blind. Both of them.''


    ''I have nothing against Xavier. Whoever helps or helped Madeline in the past is an angel in my eyes.''


    ''Alright, calling Xavier an angel is a bit of a stretch¡­ Although he and Madeline are mates so there''s that.''


    Madeline and Xavier¡­ An unlikely pairing, but Briar figured fate must''ve had something up its sleeve.


    In the silence, Briar stared at her pinky.


    Whilst Madeline found who was supposed to be her mate, Briar had no such luck.


    ''Time will tell. Whoever''s meant to be my mate will come,'' she had told herself many times.


    ''I can''t be doomed to spend eternity alone.''


    ''My mate will come in due time,'' Briar told herself once more.


    Whilst she had convinced herself to give up numerous times in the past, there was always something that stopped her.


    She had already come this far with hope, perhaps¡­ If she hoped or believed more¡­ She''d finally meet who she was destined to be with.


    And whilst she was so persistent in believing there would come a day when she met her mate¡­ Madeline didn''t agree with that same sentiment.


    She was all for true love.


    The true love that meant¡­ Loving someone against all odds.


    Say, if two people were destined to spend their lives with someone else but felt they were right at home whenever they were with someone else¡­ They''d be with the person they felt was right.


    The person that truly owned their heart.


    It sounded unrealistic and crazy, didn''t it?


    Madeline knew that. That was why she had never gotten together with someone.


    She had a few likings on some of her friends, but it was just that.


    Likings.


    Madeline never experienced those same feelings she read about in romance novels. Perhaps they were all falsehoods to trick the naive.


    Or perhaps¡­ She''d just never found the right person who made her feel all fluttery and warm inside.


    Would she bump into him somehow?


    Or was he right in front of her already?


    Madeline knew she already had a mate. Xavier, to be exact.


    But she and him were simply friends. There was nothing more to it except friendship, and she was still getting to know him.


    Madeline knew she wanted Emilio to stay already, but she couldn''t simply get Xavier to find some way for Emilio to stay just because she wanted him to now could she?


    That would be unfair to Xavier and those who suffered because of Emilio.


    And also, Madeline wouldn''t even know how to begin!


    "I''ve got to go," Madeline said all of a sudden.


    "Oh? You''ve got to go? Where?"


    "I''ll tell you later."


    "Oh come on! Just get it over with and tell me!"


    "You''ll find out later, I promise!"


    "Madeline, you know I don''t do well with¨C"


    The door slammed shut.


    Briar frowned.


    "...waiting," she finished her sentence.


    "What is that girl up to?"


    Madeline, who was determined to make a stand, suddenly decided to do something completely stupid.


    ''Am I out of my mind? This will never work! I''ll only seem crazy doing this!''


    One voice in her mind reasoned, ''But how else could you get Xavier to listen to what you have to say about Emilio? There are no other plausible ways!''


    Another voice reasoned, ''What kind of nonsense is this? Sure there are! You could do something else other than barging in poor Xavier''s office unannounced and pleading your case. That''s a recipe for full on disaster!''


    Madeline had to agree with the second voice, although it was too late now.


    She was already in front of Xavier''s office''s door.


    Thankfully, by then, Emilio was somewhere else.


    Xavier had ordered Adrian to take the ex-alpha somewhere else. That way, Emilio couldn''t interfere with Xavier and his work.


    Emilio aside, he had other things that needed his attention.


    And Emilio was aware of that, so he stayed where he was, which was Adrian''s office.


    Madeline knew Xavier had heard her footsteps by now, so she skipped knocking and all else.


    "Listen, I''m so sorry for barging in on you and your work but please don''t send Emilio away back to his cave or kill him or anything."


    Xavier stared at her.


    "It''s selfish I know, but¨C"


    "I''m not sending him away anytime soon."


    "Or planning on killing him for that matter."


    Madeline blinked.


    "Really."


    Xavier nodded, "Really."


    And it was at that moment Madeline realized her shortcomings.


    What had she just done?


    ''You just made a fool out of yourself, that''s what you just did,'' a voice in her head told her.


    "Oh."


    Madeline tucked her hair behind her ear.


    "So uhm, forgetting what just happened."


    "I''ll leave you to your work."


    "Don''t exert yourself too much, and¡­"


    "Wanna grab dinner after this, if you''re free?"


    Xavier didn''t see why not.


    "Sure."


    "Dinner," he nodded.


    As Madeline backed away, nearing the door, she forcefully smiled, "Dinner."


    She bumped against the door.


    "Ow," she said quietly, making Xavier let out a laugh.


    "Dinner it is," Madeline said before she left, ashamed and mortified.

 Chapter 74 - I Scored Dinner With Him At Least?

    "At least I scored dinner with Xavier," Madeline said, trying to console herself.


    ''What did I just do? Did I really just say that to him?''


    Madeline buried her face in her hands, ''Great job Madeline.''


    ''You made a fool of yourself in front of him. It''s a miracle he agreed to dinner.''


    ''Do I tell Briar this?''


    Feeling horrible and guilt-stricken, she shook her head, ''I''ll tell her, but I''m going to take a short detour first.''


    She headed straight for where she knew Emilio was.


    Adrian''s office.


    Madeline had visited Adrian''s office only once before, but that didn''t stop her from remembering the directions to said place.


    She hummed a song as she walked to Adrian''s office, trying to keep her cool.


    ''Don''t panic, don''t panic, don''t panic,'' she told herself repeatedly.


    She wanted to tell Emilio something.


    Madeline knew it was quite fast for her to want to talk to Emilio, but this was how she dealt with things. She wanted things dealt with swiftly and as efficiently as possible, even if it meant compartmentalizing.


    Unlike what she did with Xavier, she knocked on Adrian''s office door, waiting for him to open the door or respond to the knock.


    An annoyed voice asked, "Yes? Who is it?"


    "It''s Madeline!" She exclaimed.


    And in a matter of seconds,  the door whooshed open, revealing a dishevelled Adrian and an Emilio peering curiously from behind him.


    "Madeline?" Emilio called out, wondering if he was seeing things or if it was really her.


    He hadn''t expected to see her so soon.


    Or did she mean to visit Adrian and not him?


    "What are you doing here?" Adrian questioned, as curious as ever.


    What could Madeline possibly be doing at his office?


    Was it something about Xavier?


    Or was she here to talk to Emilio?


    ''Wait, is she?''


    ''And does Xavier know about this?''


    "Come in," Adrian said, ushering Madeline in and ever so subtly shooting Emilio glances.


    ''Be on your best behaviour,'' Adrian hissed.


    ''Trust me, I am on my best behaviour,'' Emilio insisted.


    ''It better stay that way or Xavier will hear of this,'' Adrian warned.


    ''I''m not some immature child, I know how to behave myself,'' Emilio looked Adrian up and down, wondering who did Adrian think he was to talk to him like this?


    Despite him not being the alpha anymore, he wanted to be treated with respect.


    Or was that too much to ask for?


    "I came here to talk to Emilio."


    Emliio piped up, "You could always call me dad."


    Madeline glared at him.


    "Or whatever suits you," Emilio added, nodding.


    Turning to Adrian, Madeline said to him, "I didn''t come here to bother you, I just want to talk to¡­"


    She inhaled, "My dad."


    Emilio looked contented when Madeline had called him her dad.


    However, whenever he looked at her, she''d remind him of Cornelia.


    Emilio reckoned it was normal when she reminded him of Cornelia, except for the fact that it wasn''t a good thing as much as it was a painful reminder of the woman he rather not think about.


    Strangely, he felt betrayed by her. From what she did, she made it clear that she didn''t want anything to do with him at all.


    Why else would she never have bothered to visit him?


    She was able to freely pop in and out of the cave without any effort.


    And yet, she never once did.


    Whilst Emilio had lied to himself by constantly making up excuses for Cornelia''s actions, he could sense that she was perfectly fine.


    Perhaps she had moved on and found another love interest that wasn''t confined to a cave for eternity.


    Perhaps she never wanted to see him again because she lost interest in him.


    Or perhaps she couldn''t bear to look him in the eye knowing what she did and how she hid their lovechild.


    Who knew, other than Cornelia and her alone?


    Albeit¡­ Had he defeated Xavier and wasn''t sentenced to life in that cave¡­ What would the present be?


    For one, Xavier and Madeline wouldn''t be mates.


    Madeline wouldn''t have grown up completely surrounded by humans.


    She likely would''ve never met Briar and the two of them would be complete strangers.


    And last but not least, had he known, Madeline would''ve been able to have at least one parent in her life growing up.


    As cruel as a person Emilio was, he wouldn''t have abandoned his daughter had he known he had one.


    As far as he knew, he didn''t have any other children. There was just Madeline.


    He remembered what Xavier had said to him - how the other werewolves discovered Madeline was his daughter.


    They''d use it against her, that was definite.


    Madeline was in a whole lot of trouble, all because she was someone''s daughter.


    Be it hypocritical, Emilio found it unfair.


    He had done much worse to people for lesser reasons¡­ Was this how they felt?


    It was unjust and uncalled for.


    "We should talk somewhere else," Madeline said.


    Whilst Emilio was busy thinking of what could''ve been, Madeline and Adrian had been chatting about something else.


    Adrian nodded.


    "That would be best," he agreed with her.


    Emilio looked at the two of them, wondering what happened before he noticed Madeline gesturing for him to leave with her.


    "Goodbye," Emilio said to Adrian, snarling at him quietly.


    ''Thanks for nothing,'' Emilio told his pack''s current beta using their shared mindlink.


    Adrian wanted to strike Emilio, but refrained from doing so.


    ''I can''t do anything to him without Xavier hearing of it.''


    ''Madeline''s here too so I shouldn''t do anything rash,'' Adrian reminded himself.


    Xavier had once told him to keep the violence to a minimum when Madeline was around.


    Perhaps he was trying to keep the violent nature of werewolves strictly confidential from Madeline, or he was simply trying to do something else.


    ''You''re lucky you get away unscathed this time,'' Adrian said to Emilio.


    ''Don''t think all your sins have been forgotten so easily, you still have a lot to pay for, and I''ll make sure of that.''

 Chapter 75 - None Other Than Emilio Himself

    ''Still salty over what happened to her, huh.''


    ''So you remember what you did,'' Adrian sneered.


    ''You''re so lucky I can''t kill you right here and now.''


    ''Funny, you''re the second person who''s threatened to kill me today alone,'' Emilio said, unfazed by Adrian''s threat.


    Adrian stayed calm and collected, albeit inside, he felt like he was dying.


    Out of the many Emilio had gotten killed, one would always have its place in Adrian''s mind. His heart as well.


    Oh yes, this lady had managed to capture Adrian''s eye from day one. It also didn''t take long for his heart to be hers.


    Although her memory would always be preserved in his mind, he never forgot who caused this all. All the pain and mental anguish he endured.


    And that person was none other than Emilio himself.


    Adrian had one talent in particular - holding back his emotions and acting like nothing was happening.


    Whilst he was first confused and dazed with as to what reason could explain Emilio''s sudden visitation to Eudora, he now returned to his senses.


    He felt that Emilio deserved a fate worse than death.


    And that was when Madeline came into the equation.


    It was like Emilio had developed this magical shield around it.


    Ironic since he had the capability to create and draw shields whenever he pleased.


    Oh yes, all this time he had been playing dumb. It only proved how great of an actor he was, and how he had been hiding his own rage after what Emilio did to her.


    It was as though she meant nothing. Like she was worthless.


    He hadn''t even remembered why Adrian could''ve possibly been so upset with him until Adrian had not-so-sweetly reminded him.


    Killing others had been such a routinely task that he didn''t remember those he killed.


    They were nothing but pawns to him. All just pawns for his pleasure.


    Offend Emilio and you were dead, literally.


    However, Adrian wouldn''t have been so hostile to Emilio had they never met again. He blamed herself for her death.


    All she had done was stand up for what she believed was right.


    Sticking to her own morals was the same thing that had gotten her killed.


    Whilst in Emilio''s eyes, it was her foolishness that had gotten her killed.


    That was the difference between Emilio and Adrian.


    She was brave, his late lover.


    Brave enough to stand up for what she believed was right even if it meant losing her life to be silenced.


    Even if it meant her voice would be silenced for eternity, she still stuck to her morals.


    And whilst Adrian knew she could''ve found another way to do so that didn''t include dying because of it¡­ He was unable to stop Emilio from doing what he did next.


    All it took was one slash, and she was no more.


    ''I never got to say goodbye, and tell her how much I loved her.''


    ''And for that, I''ll do the one thing her death merits at the very least.''


    ''Your death.''


    ''Someday, you will pay.''


    ''If Xavier doesn''t see to it, then I will.''


    Adrian snarled at the door.


    Emilio and Madeline had already left by then.


    Adrian never noticed when had they left, but he still continued to stare at the door incredulously.


    He had a lot of pent-up anger in him; he was unaware of what happened to her himself.


    Had he known¡­ he would''ve done something about it.


    Perhaps had he begged enough, he could''ve traded his life for hers. Or perhaps he could''ve¡­


    No, not that.


    He had saved many lives himself.


    He had many other things to live for.


    Why consider such a horrible thing?


    Adrian knew he was capable of more things if he was alive rather than if he wasn''t. That, and how he could preserve the memory of her if he was still able to walk on Alaric''s land.


    Sighing, Adrian remembered it was nearing that same date.


    The day she had lost her life.


    Her deathday.


    [Author''s Note: Deathday as in the day someone died.]


    Obviously, he had plans already prepared. All he had to do was get Xavier to approve of them before he had a couple of hours free to do as he pleased - and in this case - celebrate and cherish the memory of his only love.


    Or who he believed would be his only love his entire life.


    However, he still had a long, long life ahead of him. Who knew what lay ahead? After all, life was full of surprises, as he had come to learn.


    And fate seemed to have something planned for him.


    Sighing, Adrian hoped to be able to get over being so emotional whenever he thought of her.


    It had been centuries¡­ eons¡­ since she had died.


    Why was he so hung over?


    Why did it feel like he was so empty inside whenever he thought of her?


    Why couldn''t he forget her even after so long?


    He still loved her - he knew that. But¡­ He also knew she wouldn''t have wanted him to hurt so much whenever he thought of her.


    What she''d want him to do was to be happy regardless. To spend life doing whatever he loved doing even if it meant doing it without her.


    She''d be content knowing he was happy.


    ''I miss you, Cassandra,'' Adrian whispered, knowing no one could hear him.


    Madeline and Emilio were still chatting outside.


    Speaking of Madeline and Emilio¡­


    "If you''ve come here to slap me again, please refrain from doing so," Emilio spoke, lifting his chin up in the air.


    Madeline lifted her hand in the air, "Well I wasn''t going to but now you''re tempting me."


    "So what, you came here to argue even more?"


    Knowing she came here to be the bigger person, she shook her head, "I didn''t come here to argue, I came here to¡­"


    "Talk to you about how things are going to work out."


    "Oh?" Emilio asked, caught by surprise by Madeline''s words.


    "Why, do you have any objections?"


    "No," Emilio shook his head, adding, "You can go on."


    Madeline forcefully smiled, although she was dying inside.


    "I was quite cruel before, what with slapping you."


    "But I just found out I had a dad, and that same person tried killing me."


    "Understandable."


    Madeline lightly smacked him on the elbow.


    "Let me speak."


    "Alright, alright," Emilio said, rubbing his elbow.


    "I won''t speak for the entire duration of your spiel."


    Madeline frowned before she took a deep breath.


    "Picking up from where I left off, obviously we''re both in shock."


    "But I do not want to spend my entire life hating on you. Whether I like it or not, you''re my dad."


    "And you''re going to get whatever punishment is coming to you. You know what? That''s all up for Xavier to decide. I still don''t know the full story of what you did in the past and frankly, I rather not know."


    "What I do know though, is that if we are to have a father-daughter relationship, we do it on my terms."


    "Got it?"


    Raising his hand, Emilio hoped Madeline would allow him to speak.


    "Speak," Madeline ordered.


    "What does ''your terms'' mean?"


    Madeline managed a genuine smile on her face.


    "It means no trying to kill each other, or threatening any of my friends, or hurting anyone in general for no reason."


    "What if they threaten me first?"


    Madeline blinked, staring at Emilio incredulously.


    "What kind of a question is that?" Madeline inquired.


    "Did thousands of years of living here not teach you anything?"


    "How do you know I''m thousands of years old?"


    "That''s what you''re asking me?"


    Pinching the skin between her forehead, Madeline knew this would be one heck of a ride.


    "Don''t make me regret what I told you," she said to him.


    She could''ve done anything other than give Emilio a shot.


    Heck, she could''ve ended things with their relationship still strained.


    And yet, she chose to give him a shot.


    Would she come to regret this? Probably.


    But was she still going through with this? Yes.


    Emilio nodded, "I won''t, I promise."


    "Good."


    __


    Author''s Note: So, about the mass release on Christmas, there will be a minimum of three chapters posted. Wondering how to raise that number up?


    For every gift ''Her Devilish Alpha'' receives (applicable to luxury cars onwards only), a bonus chapter will be released on Christmas day.


    If the said number of chapters aren''t released by Christmas, I will compensate by updating even more frequently for the days following Christmas.


    But obviously, if no gifts are received, then three chapters will still be released as my gift to you all for Christmas.


    And who knows¡­ maybe there''ll be a little surprise in the chapters posted for you all to read. Stay tuned for Christmas!


    FYI, I know I haven''t written much scenes between Madeline and Xavier, but¡­ Mavier scenes are coming, I promise.


    Lots of love, mari.


    And also, this won''t add any extra coins to the chapter.

 Chapter 76 - Emilios Reckonings

    Things had changed - instead of being the one in charge, it was Madeline that would decide where their relationship would become.


    Of course, he had no idea what being a father entailed so he allowed her to go forth and do so.


    It was a good chance for change, he reckoned. Having someone like her in his life.


    Perhaps¡­ he could even train her and figure out what powers she had.


    Did she inherit any of her mother''s powers? Would she become just as powerful a sorceress as Cornelia was?


    Who knew?


    Speaking of change, Emilio had asked Adrian what had happened to his dear pack, to find that nothing much had changed other than the way it was being ruled and its leader.


    Eudora was still one of the strongest and most powerful packs in the whole of Alaric. Technologically, they were also the most advanced.


    Emilio couldn''t deny that he was proud to see changes implemented to Eudora.


    Xavier had done a¡­ ah, mediocre job at being alpha. In Emilio''s eyes at least.


    "At least this place hasn''t crumbled to ruin."


    Eudora was thriving.


    And tomorrow was supposed to be the hunt.


    Since the leading pair were supposed to be the alpha and his mate¡­ Xavier and Adrian would lead the hunt instead.


    Madeline was definitely unprepared when it came to hunting.


    Heck, she had only learnt a couple of hours ago that she had werewolf blood coursing through her veins.


    Her? Leading her very first hunt with no preparation beforehand?


    If the other packs were to hear of this, who knew what would happen next?


    Eudora''s reputation would be tarnished.


    And currently, the other packs were still unaware of Madeline''s true lineage, as well as how the line of descendants from the first ever werewolf would continue with Madeline.


    Of course, anyone could tell Madeline was unfit to be the alpha of the pack, even with her being Emilio''s daughter.


    It had to do with her not going through the proper preparation and learning even the basics and fundamentals of werewolves.


    In comparison, it took Xavier centuries to become the alpha.


    It took him a long time to learn the ropes, and he had to start from a mere omega. It was impressive that he was able to do it all, and be the very first Eudorian alpha that wasn''t a descendant of the first werewolf.


    Eudora was on the verge of crumbling had Emilio stayed as alpha.


    Xavier had done the best he could to keep Eudora floating, and his efforts were rewarded greatly.


    And the thing was, Madeline would''ve been treated extremely differently had everyone else knew who her parents were.


    She''d be looked down upon.


    There would be those who hated her, and those who feared her.


    Somehow, Indiana and her group of friends had found out about who Madeline was.


    Speaking of Indiana, she was supposed to meet with Xavier to talk about the consequence or consequences she''d have to face.


    A terrified Indiana cowered away from Xavier, shaking and trembling.


    ''I didn''t think I''d be this nervous, but he''ll kill me from the way he''s looking at me.''


    ''I''m so doomed! Someone save me!''


    "You can calm down, I''m not going to punish you too severely," Xavier said.


    From how she had been acting, he could tell she was nervous.


    Looking at the grandclock in his office, Xavier reminded himself that there was about an hour tops before dinner. So he had an hour at most to deal with Indiana and finish up work.


    ''I can do that.''


    "R-really?"


    "Are you doubting your alpha?"


    "N-no sir," Indiana stuttered out.


    Xavier raised his brow although he seemed unamused by the situation.


    Like Adrian, he was an expert at hiding how he truly felt.


    ''How dare she? She''s lucky I''m letting her off lightly becaused Madeline didn''t take it harshly.''


    "Since you violated one of the pack rules, what I''m going to do is demote you from delta to omega, thereby forbidding you from joining the hunt tomorrow as well."


    Indiana looked truly surprised.


    Demote her? Forbid her from joining the hunt?


    Whilst she knew she''d face some serious punishment, she didn''t think he''d forbid her from joining the hunt! She''d been looking forward to it.


    ''It''s better than some other punishments I had in mind,'' Indiana thought to herself, wondering why was Alpha Xavier being so¡­ considerate to her.


    Honestly, she had expected more. Not that she wanted to face any punishments.


    However, she had simply thought¡­ from everything she heard about Xavier that he''d be harsher to her.


    For a second, she panicked, wondering what would she do if Xavier would banish her from Eudora¡­ or get her to starve herself.


    Punishments ranged from the severity of the offences made, however, Indiana had specifically insulted Madeline in Xavier''s presence. He had witnessed everything so there was no hiding or denying anything from him.


    Besides, Xavier could easily see through all her lies - that was what also made him an amazing alpha.


    Some part of her knew that she deserved this punishment since she had also made him out to be some foolish, mindless lunatic that didn''t know what he was doing with Madeline.


    Perhaps she was exaggerating, or perhaps she was trying to think of anything else but her punishment.


    She''d be demoted to an omega.


    All her hard work she put into becoming a delta had perished; she''d return to square one.


    The pain and humiliation she felt was inexplicable.


    All Indiana hoped for was that Xavier wouldn''t add any extra punishments.


    Xavier had stayed silent, albeit in reality he had a lot to say to her.


    He was being as considerate as he possibly could.


    Out of all the punishments he could''ve chosen for her, he let her off the hook for this one.


    What, other than embarrassment and humiliation, there wasn''t much to being demoted.


    Sure, you''d be looked down and frowned upon but that wasn''t something to fret about too much.


    Caring about what others thought of you would only bring you down with them. There was no use doing so.


    "Do you accept your punishment, or do you think you deserve less?" Xavier questioned, his eyes assessing hers.


    "I think it''s fair," Indiana answered truthfully, nodding.


    ''I can''t believe I''m being punished by him¡­ All I wanted to do was to warn Madeline to stay away from him,'' she fumed.


    Whilst she felt horrible for actually going through with her decision, she wondered if Madeline had anything to do with her light sentence.


    ''Why would Madeline want me to be punished less? Shouldn''t she have been the one to have suggested me to get a heavier punishment? After everything I told her, there''s no way she''d actually side with me.''


    Indiana wanted to ask Xavier how she could''ve possibly been let off with a slap on the wrist¡­ until she noticed he didn''t look pleased either.


    He had his hand on the side of his head.


    For someone who was sentencing someone else to a punishment after said person insulted him, Xavier looked like he regretted what he had just said.


    As though he didn''t agree with the punishment he had given her.


    Indiana was beginning to be even more convinced that Madeline had something to do with this. And if not her, perhaps Beta Adrian.


    ''I''m being so foolish, why would Beta Adrian concern himself with whatever punishment I receive?''


    She lowered her head, "I''m truly sorry for what I did."


    Indiana could''ve sworn she heard Xavier mutter something along the lines of ''sure you are sorry for what you did'' under his breath before he dismissed her and allowed her to leave his office.


    "You''re allowed to leave now. Do not repeat the same mistake twice or there will be dire consequences at the next."


    Just as Indiana was about to leave, Xavier stopped her.


    "And one last thing."


    "If I ever hear of anyone speaking poorly of her, you included, I''ll do more than just banish you."


    Indiana bit her lip to stop tears from running down her cheeks - Xavier could be terrifying at times, and this was one of these times.


    She made a mental note to never bring Madeline up in any conversation ever again.


    Alright, she was done badmouthing her.


    Something inside of her told her it was because of Madeline that she was still here. Even after she had trashed her and accuse her of horrible deeds, Madeline had pleaded her case. Indiana was sure of it. It had to have been Madeline.


    In the spur of the moment, Indiana decided to take a visit to Madeline''s quarters.


    Perhaps she could offer an apology and be on okay terms with her.


    That''d be better than nothing.


    Indiana gathered up the courage to walk over to Madeline''s door.


    She knocked, waiting for Madeline to open the door.


    "I''m coming!" Madeline exclaimed, rushing to the door.


    "Who is it?" She asked, opening the door to reveal herself in a stunning green, floral a-line midi dress that reached her knees.

 Chapter 77 - What Someone Would Wear To A Dinner Date

    Time stopped. It felt like it, at least.


    Those split-seconds Madeline spent looking at Indiana seemed to last an eternity.


    "Oh."


    "It''s you," Madeline spoke, biting her lower lip.


    "What are you doing here, Indiana?"


    Indiana shook her head, "I''m not here to cause any trouble, I promise."


    "I just came here to thank you."


    A look of surprise crossed Madeline''s beautiful face.


    "T-thank me? For whatever reason?" She asked, curious as to what Indiana could''ve possibly been thanking for.


    Madeline subconsciously took a step away from her. Her gut instinct was telling her to run, although her mind told her to stay.


    ''I should listen to what she has to say,'' she told herself.


    ''Maybe it''s not what I think she''s going to do.''


    Indiana didn''t want to admit it, but it was at the tip of her tongue.


    ''Why don''t I just get it over with?'' Indiana asked herself, wondering why she couldn''t simply tell Madeline already.


    She had the right to hear this from her.


    Madeline waved her hand in front of Indiana''s face, wondering if she was daydreaming or in some kind of trance. Why was she staying silent?


    The silence was concerning.


    "To thank you for speaking to Xavier."


    Playing dumb, Madeline asked, "About what, you?"


    Indiana was rendered puzzled.


    "You were the one who talked to him to lighten my punishment, no?"


    Madeline cursed under her breath, ''Oh shoot, did Xavier tell her?''


    ''What am I supposed to tell her, that I actually did it?''


    "Maybe," she answered.


    Indiana bowed, managing to catch Madeline by surprise for the second time in a span of a few minutes.


    "Well, if you did, then thank you so much."


    She looked Madeline in the eye, genuine with her apology, "I didn''t mean to hurt you or anything with what I said, and if I did I sincerely apologize."


    "It may seem faked and non-genuine but I promise you, I''m learning from my mistake and I won''t ever repeat it," Indiana promised.


    A small smile grew on Madeline''s face.


    ''Am I crazy? Why am I smiling at her all of a sudden?'' Madeline wondered to herself.


    Stumped, Madeline deliberated over what to say to Indiana.


    On one hand, she could accept Indiana''s apology.


    On the other, she could deny it and tell her that she hadn''t yet forgiven her for what she said.


    Whilst she had quickly gotten over what Indiana had told her, she wondered if that was the impression she gave other people.


    If it seemed like she was using Xavier.


    That was what hurt her, not anything Indiana had told her.


    Madeline reassured her, "It''s fine."


    "Really, there''s no need to bow or anything."


    She exhaled, "But, thanks for apologizing."


    Indiana nodded, feeling guilt well up inside her.


    Madeline had been part of why she had been let off the hook when it should''ve been her that wanted justice for what a stranger she never met before told her and accused her of.


    And instead of being treated rudely, Madeline treated her kindly. She was classy about such inelegant matters.


    An alarm went off in Indiana''s head.


    Something was behind her.


    No, not something.


    Someone.


    She turned around to see Xavier in all his glory.


    By then, the evening had come.


    Indiana quickly came to realize she had never actually noticed how spectacular Xavier looked.


    Donning a pair of straight-leg jeans and a slim button-down shirt, Xavier looked amazing.


    Madeline said to Indiana, "I should probably leave now."


    Indiana nodded, a look of understanding plastered on her face.


    She and Xavier had plans.


    Jealousy welled up in her, but she pushed it down the best she could.


    Exchanging goodbyes, Indiana walked away, trying not to look back at the two of them.


    What plans did they have?


    Were they going on a date? Was it just dinner?


    Indiana forced herself to walk away.


    She had done what she had planned to, Madeline had accepted her apology - or at least, that was what she hoped.


    Madeline didn''t seem too upset by neither her apology nor presence, so Indiana hoped for the best.


    Perhaps they could forget about this in the future - after all, Madeline did seem like a sweet person.


    "If only I didn''t jump to insulting her and took time to get to know her first," Indiana whispered.


    Her heart felt like it''d crack into two right then and there, although she tried to get as far away as possible before¡­


    Thump!


    Indiana''s knees buckled, and she fell to the ground.


    Picking herself up, she shook her head.


    ''It''s time to get over this silly crush of mine,'' Indiana thought to herself, knowing she should''ve tried to rid of her crush on Xavier a long time ago.


    And yet, her feelings were still in bloom.


    She doubted they''d vanish any time now, but she thought herself clearly undeserving of Xavier.


    He had a mate already - Madeline.


    Indiana knew this entire time she was pining over a man that she couldn''t possibly have, although she never expected it to sting this much when she had to walk away from him. She wondered why when in reality, she never got to know Xavier much after all.


    He and her were acquaintances at most.


    And Xavier must''ve resented her for what she said to Madeline - Indiana was sure of it.


    Just by the way he looked at her in his office, she could tell.


    She could also tell something else - something she doubted Madeline knew - that Xavier deeply cared for her.


    It was obvious - everyone could tell how Xavier was enamoured in his mate - despite his efforts to hide it.


    And on that very day, Indiana got to witness it with her very eyes.


    The alpha never spent time with anyone.


    Not even with his friend. Singular. That one friend being his trusty advisor, Beta Adrian.


    And in truth, they didn''t seem too close.


    Yet, there she had seen Xavier, waiting for Madeline dressed in clothing one would easily mistake as¡­ what someone would wear to a dinner date.

 Chapter 78 - The Least Of Her Worries

    Were they going on a date?


    Was it their very first time?


    And also, had Alpha Xavier heard her apologizing to Madeline for what she''d previously done?


    Since he''d been there, she hoped he had heard her apologize.


    It hadn''t been her intention for him to have overheard everything.


    All she wanted to do was express how sorry she felt to Madeline and sincerely apologize.


    Yes, Indiana had to admit, she wanted Madeline''s forgiveness - and in the future, she wouldn''t mind getting to know her more.


    ''Why hadn''t I done some reconnaissance beforehand?''


    ''I could''ve talked to her, possibly got to know her too.''


    ''She seems like a delightful person, why did I ruin things right away?''


    ''I''m a fool.''


    Indiana knew all this was her trying to distract herself from Xavier.


    ''Am I hurt he''s going out with someone else?''


    Scoffing, she knew the answer to that question was yes.


    Even though she tried denying it, there was really no denying she had developed feelings for Xavier.


    Indiana wasn''t even the slightest bit worried about how all her other friends would react to her being demoted.


    That was the last of her worries at the current moment.


    So they''d make fun and ridicule her.


    She''d learnt not to take what people thought of her to heart, things never ended well when she did.


    There were many things she tried avoiding - one of which included thinking about what Madeline and Xavier could possibly be up to.


    Speaking of which¡­ Madeline and Xavier were doing nothing like she had imagined them to be doing.


    Yes, they had decided to have dinner together, but who would''ve thought all that would lead to the two of them sitting across each other at the dinner table, keeping to themselves?


    ''Something''s bothering him,'' Madeline noted.


    Xavier looked irritated.


    Did it have something to do with Indiana?


    It wasn''t him who made the poor girl apologize to her, right?


    "Are you alright?" Madeline questioned worriedly.


    "Of course I am."


    "You say that, but how you''ve been acting this entire time points to something entirely different," Madeline pointed out.


    She felt as though it was her fault - and in some ways, it was.


    Madeline knew this had to do with Emilio. It just had to.


    Indiana had been dealt with, and she had also apologized.


    Work? Madeline had never seen him this stressed out.


    She wondered if there were more to Emilio than she was let in on. More to what happened between him and Xavier.


    "Is it Emilio?" Madeline asked, refusing to refer to him as her father.


    Although she admitted to wanting to fix things with her father, she didn''t support nor agree with what he''d done in the past. Madeline would be lying if she said she didn''t want to forget everything she''d learnt of Emilio''s past.


    He was a horrible man.


    But, perhaps there was a reason for it. A reason that explained why Emilio became the man he was today.


    "I''m sorry," she apologized.


    That was when Xavier decided to speak up.


    "If you think any of this is your fault, it''s not," he reassured her.


    Madeline smiled at him, grateful he thought it wasn''t her fault.


    "Sometimes you''re too sweet for your own good."


    "I''m never sweet."


    "You keep telling yourself that," Madeline chuckled.


    Suddenly, she had an idea.


    She moved closer to Xavier, sitting beside him.


    They were far apart before, now they were in proper speaking range.


    Xavier appeared to be surprised, although he didn''t seem to mind.


    He asked, "What¨C"


    Madeline shrugged, "I''ve never seen you eat with anyone before."


    Before Xavier could speak, she added, "Adrian doesn''t count as anyone, he''s an exception."


    That was partly why she chose to eat breakfast with him.


    They were friends, and she doubted Xavier had anyone to talk to, or a friendly face to see other than Adrian. And usually, he was knees deep in work.


    Of course, if Xavier needed to go, he could always do so. She wouldn''t mind, she had Briar when her dear friend was free after all.


    And besides, Madeline understood the sanctity and importance of work.


    Briar had her own things to do as well, but now that she''d been assigned to guard her friend, her workload had been cleared - something Briar didn''t mind at all.


    "And also, I''m sorry for barging in your office," Madeline apologized, knowing she had done something wrong.


    Then again, Xavier probably knew she was coming since he heard her footsteps right before she barged in and snagged dinner with him. He hadn''t expected her to enter and cause a ruckus, though. That was uncalled for. Definitely uncalled for.


    Had she wanted to tell him something, she could''ve done so without barging in his office.


    "I won''t do it again," she nodded.


    Never would she repeat what she''d done.


    She never wanted to feel and experience that same humiliation again.


    It was horrid!


    "Great," Xavier said, taking a bite out of his food.


    Unlike what Madeline had first assumed, werewolves weren''t ferocious eaters that constantly feasted on raw, bloody meat.


    When in their human forms, they were refined eaters. At least, Xavier was.


    Werewolves were quite different from how the few books she had read portrayed them. They dressed differently, acted and behaved differently¡­ there was that and so much more.


    Madeline wondered why werewolves had such a horrible reputation.


    Say, if someone were to encounter a werewolf in the streets, their first instinct would be to run as far away as possible.


    Most would, of course.


    It was practically instinct to humans.


    It was human nature, to run at the mere sight of something new and unfamiliar.


    "I need to tell you something," Xavier said to Madeline, knowing he had to tell her this at some point.


    So why not now?


    Madeline''s ears perked up.


    What did Xavier have to tell her?


    Xavier gulped, wondering how he''d manage to tell her¡­


    That by default she was supposed to be inclined to be alpha.


    Or at least, to hone her powers.

 Chapter 79 - You Could Always Steal The Job I Worked Centuries For...

    "So¡­ there''s something you need to know."


    "Oh?"


    "Does this have to do with what happens to Indiana or something to do with me being Emilio''s daughter?"


    "The latter."


    "Ah."


    Madeline studied Xavier''s face.


    "Is it something I should know by today?"


    "If it isn''t you could always just tell me some other time."


    ''I''m guessing it''s not something that can wait,'' Madeline thought to herself the minute she noticed the change in Xavier''s expression.


    ''Is it bad news? Is that why he''s hesitating?''


    ''Alphas don''t hesitate, what am I doing?'' Xavier asked, scolding himself.


    He fought back a growl.


    ''I should''ve told her already.''


    ''Why do I feel this¡­ feeling?''


    Like it or not, there was this emotion welling up in him he couldn''t quite put his finger on.


    Was it doubt?


    Guilt?


    Remorse?


    Or¡­ was it¡­


    ''No, I never am that way.''


    ''I''m never¡­''


    ''Great, I''m stalling.''


    Xavier wanted to throw his hands in the air out of frustration or punch something. Or both, he wouldn''t mind doing both either.


    ''Oh, so actually you''re in line to be alpha following my predecessors. But, since you aren''t prepared enough, you''re not qualified. However, in time, who knows what might happen? You could always steal my job that I worked centuries for. Or you could choose to continue as you will. It''s optional.''


    ''Why I decided to tell you all of this when I could''ve kept this secret and spared us both the utter humiliation of knowing this? No idea. A spur of the moment thing, perhaps.''


    ''I''m not telling her that,'' Xavier refused.


    He poked at his dish, not feeling like eating.


    This was not what he signed up for when he became alpha - or Madeline''s friend.


    It was most certainly not what he had expected in the first place either.


    Madeline being the ex-alpha''s daughter¡­ he hadn''t had the time to process that quite yet.


    Was he shocked?


    Most certainly.


    Did he hold any resentment for Madeline?


    Definitely not.


    The werewolf in him was clawing its way out.


    It was almost as if it was telling him, ''Instead of finding a way to tell her, why don''t you just let the wolf side of you take over?''


    It was like this whenever he felt any strong emotion.


    However, he had gotten better at keeping that side of him hidden.


    Sometimes, the answer to the problem wasn''t violence, or turning into a werewolf, which was extremely irrelevant to the situation at hand, one might add.


    Madeline was confused as to what Xavier wanted to tell her.


    Was it that bad?


    Should she be terrified? Worried? Calm?


    Xavier began, managing to shock her.


    "Eudora''s predecessors¡­"


    He took a deep breath, mumbling something under his breath before he hastily continued what he started.


    "They were all direct descendants of the very first werewolf."


    "Now, everyone thought the most recent descendant was Emilio."


    "You can begin to see where that leads from this point onwards," Xavier nodded, feeling like he''d swallowed something disgusting.


    "So what, by that logic it means I''m in line to be the next alpha?"


    Madeline didn''t even consider it.


    Her? The leader of Eudora?


    Pft! Never.


    She didn''t see it.


    "Why would I ever consider being alpha?"


    "Was that why you looked so tongue-tied?"


    Madeline launched into a flurry of praises and compliments.


    "Hey, you''re an alpha who seems to be amazing at your job. And also, there are millions of reasons why I''d make a horrible alpha. I don''t know anything about it and say, I considered it in the first place, I''d pale in comparison to you."


    "Who becomes alpha shouldn''t be decided by who they''re descended from, geez," Madeline said, dissenting the idea.


    Goodness, did Xavier actually think she could take his job?


    Furrowing her brows, Madeline asked him, "Why did you tell me this?"


    "Because you deserved to know."


    "What if I actually considered being alpha?" Madeline inquired curiously.


    Something flashed in Xavier''s eye.


    "Well then, it''s your decision."


    "Well, I''m not considering it anyway."


    Xavier stayed silent, wondering if she had really meant everything she had told him.


    Did she really think of him as an amazing alpha?


    Something in him felt different.


    Something had subsided.


    Madeline asked, "Did you think I was going to consider it?"


    "Err."


    Staring at him, a pout formed on Madeline''s face.


    Did he really think she''d consider it? Consider taking his job away from him?


    The one he worked centuries for - as per what she had been told.


    One would have to be foolish to make a claim for the title of alpha when Xavier was the current alpha. They''d lose in a heartbeat.


    Xavier knew Madeline wouldn''t do such a thing, but the chance she would wasn''t null.


    Of course, the other wolves would laugh if they heard of something this hilarious. Besides, everyone was content with Xavier as alpha. No one wanted things to change, especially not Madeline.


    "Maybe," Xavier admitted.


    Madeline placed a hand to her heart.


    "Ouch, that hurt."


    Xavier stared at her blankly, wondering if she really felt hurt by it or if she was being dramatic.


    Madeline hid a smile.


    ''Why are both my friends so dramatic?'' Xavier asked himself.


    ''Why is it that both the things they have in common, one of them includes being super dramatic?''


    He truly wondered what was it that made his friends all have that in common.


    Frankly, he thought himself as a complete opposite.


    Dramatic would be one of the last adjectives used to describe him as a person.


    "Although, I''m beginning to think it''s me that should be asking you whether or not you''re alright," Xavier said to Madeline as he looked down at her plate.


    She''d barely touched her food.


    Madeline stared at her plate, realizing she had yet to eat anything.


    Well, she had taken a couple of bites, but¡­


    "I''m not too hungry right now," Madeline spoke before her stomach growled.


    "You sure about that?" Xavier asked her, looking her in the eye.


    "Uh¨C"


    And just like that, Xavier picked her spoon up. This was his way of getting her back for what she said - even though they were simply compliments.


    In all truth, he hadn''t any idea why he was doing it. He just suddenly decided to and went with it, knowing there was no option to back out.


    Xavier never backed out from anything.


    ''E-eh? Is he trying to feed me?''


    "What?" Xavier looked at her questioningly.


    "Eat," he said.


    ''Why does he sound like a concerned boyfriend making me eat because I''m refusing to?'' Madeline wondered as she did as he told her to.


    When she had asked him to join her for dinner, she had never expected this to happen.


    If Briar asked what happened during dinner, Madeline knew she''d keep her mouth fully closed.


    ''No one will know,'' Madeline told herself.


    "Hmph! If you get to feed me, I get to feed you," Madeline insisted, lifting her chin in the air, refusing to look Xavier in the eye.


    All this was simply an attempt to hide the raging blush across her now blood-red face.


    She felt her cheeks heat up, and she bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she didn''t want to tell him. If she hadn''t, she would''ve said something she''d come to regret, even if it wasn''t a lie.


    "Sure," Xavier replied, catching Madeline by surprise.


    ''Did he just allow me to feed him?'' Madeline asked herself, slumping down her chair.


    ''If only I could just melt into a puddle and evaporate into nothing, if that meant I could escape from this conversation¡­''


    Madeline would be lying if she said she wanted to leave.


    In the pit of her stomach was a strange tingling feeling.


    No, it wasn''t her stomach rumbling or growling, or anything remotely like that. Strangely, it wasn''t an allergic reaction either.


    What could it possibly be?


    ''What the heck is happening to me? Why do I feel so weird?''


    ''Is it because I haven''t eaten enough?''


    ''Is that the reason why my stomach''s so¡­ fluttery?''


    ''It could be something else that''s unrelated to food, you know,'' a voice in her head reasoned.


    ''Something relating to what Briar said.''


    ''You never know¡­ the possibility is there. Come on, are you going to try to deny it?''


    ''And by the mere way he''s been treating you, who knows if¨C''


    Madeline picked up his spoon.


    "I didn''t think you were actually going to¨C"


    "Don''t make this any harder than it is," Madeline deadpanned.


    "Alright," Xavier said smugly.


    "I won''t."


    "Now, open wide," Madeline said fervently.


    "I''m not a child."


    "I''m not treating you like one."


    "Hmm."


    "So, are you going to eat it, or not?" Madeline asked.


    Xavier nodded, hoping no one would see what was taking place.


    They were dining in Eudora''s private dining room, of course, so there was little to no chance someone would find them there.


    But if someone walked in to see Madeline feeding him?


    Xavier couldn''t comprehend how he''d deal with it.


    Or worse! What if Adrian heard of it?

 Chapter 80 - All Smiles

    Xavier took a bite.


    ''There,'' he thought to himself, hoping for the best, and that news wouldn''t spread around the pack like wildfire.


    Adrian would tease the life out of him!


    There wouldn''t be a day that passed by without Adrian reminding him of what he happened to have walked into or heard from someone else.


    Perhaps he''d wallow in the fact that he didn''t get to see it for himself if it wasn''t him that witnessed it.


    But he''d be all smiles all around.


    Whilst Xavier admitted it was nice seeing Adrian smiling after what had happened with¡­ her.


    Oh yes, he knew about her alright.


    He had simply kept quiet about it since Adrian wasn''t the type that wanted reassuring. All he wanted was someone to stay by his side through all his rough patches, and clearly that proved to be true as centuries later, he and Xavier were still friends.


    After everything Adrian had done for him, it was only fair he had done the same when his friend had lost the woman he loved. Except, Adrian didn''t really need anyone so much as he needed space.


    When he was hurting, all Xavier could do was pat his shoulder at most.


    Talk to him? Xavier wouldn''t have known the right words to say.


    Actually, he still didn''t know what to say about it even centuries later.


    When it came to feelings and emotions, he had always struggled understanding his own, what more someone else''s.


    He didn''t know a single thing when it came to that.


    It was why he made a better alpha than he did a friend, although many would argue that he made an amazing friend as well.


    It all depended on everyone''s viewpoints.


    Nevertheless, that wasn''t what one should be focusing on at the present moment.


    Where was it that we last left off?


    Right, Madeline was just about to feed Xavier, and he was stressing and fretting about what ifs.


    ''What if someone walks in?''


    ''What if they see us like this?''


    ''Why am I thinking about all this anyway?''


    Madeline fiddled with the buttons of her dress.


    Xavier momentarily wondered what was going on inside her head.


    "Do you have any family?" Madeline questioned.


    She had expected silence as a reply, but instead, Xavier nodded.


    "I do."


    Madeline refrained from asking as to whether they were alive or¡­


    "They''re all dead," he said.


    Madeline opened and closed her mouth.


    What was someone supposed to say to that?


    Were they supposed to offer him condolences?


    Was he pleased they were no longer here or was he hiding the grief and sorrow he felt?


    "I''m sorry to hear that," Madeline said to him, wondering what else to say.


    As a reply, he told her that they had all died of old age.


    But¡­ did they really?


    ''I should change the subject,'' Madeline said before she shook her head.


    ''What if he wants someone to talk about it with? Wouldn''t changing the subject be cruel and heartless?''


    By no means was she trying to be cruel and heartless, or rude in any way.


    "It''s alright. I was never close to them in the first place," Xavier spoke, his voice sounding robotic and unnatural.


    Madeline couldn''t help but notice the abrupt change of tone. She didn''t mind it, fathoming that family was a sensitive matter to some, her included.


    She never really had proper parents in her life, and she was an only child.


    And from her current knowledge, she didn''t have any siblings.


    ''Imagine if I were to have siblings,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    She had always wanted siblings but now was too late.


    And besides, as far as she was concerned, Emilio had only one child - her.


    This wasn''t a soap opera or a tv show or anything of the sort.


    A stranger wouldn''t mysteriously show up out of nowhere and claim to be her sibling and demand a paternity test to prove it, only for them to actually be the main character''s sibling.


    That stuff only happened in movies.


    ¡­right?


    Nevertheless, Madeline decided to change the topic of conversation to something else.


    Something less¡­ sensitive.


    "So, how''s work?"


    Xavier seemingly went along with it.


    "So so."


    "We''re holding a hunt tomorrow, so there''s that."


    "A hunt?" Madeline asked.


    "Sounds interesting."


    Xavier didn''t know how to break it to her that a hunt included feasting on the dead remains of whatever prey they lay their eyes on.


    How it worked was, the female and male alpha got to eat first.


    However, since Madeline was unequipped to join in on the hunt, Xavier would lead it on his lonesome.


    Of course, she wouldn''t be totally alone whilst he and the pack hunted for prey. She''d have Briar by her side to protect her.


    [Author''s Note: The Eudorian pack consists of about 40 members.]


    Madeline wondered if Briar was alright with skipping the hunt. Would she be upset? Enraged?


    She hoped not.


    The funny thing was¡­ Madeline didn''t know this, but Briar was more than pleased to be able to miss the hunt.


    It wasn''t that she enjoyed hunting¡­ it was simply that she despised the killing part of any hunt. Seeing the hunted die Briar hated watching.


    The fact that she got to skip this one hunt meant that she could spend time with her friend, protect her at all costs, and skip out on it. It was a win-win.


    Meanwhile, Indiana wasn''t too pleased with having to sit the hunt out this time.


    She loved hunting. It was the very thing that got her adrenaline pumping. The thing that breathed life into her very being.


    Being unable to join the others for the hunt struck her where it hurt. She was forced to sit this one out. Comparing her absence during the hunt to her demotion made her demotion seem like nothing.


    Indiana had hoped the alpha would have a change of mind, but knowing Alpha Xavier, he wouldn''t change his mind once it was made up. That simply wasn''t who he was.


    He was the type of person to stick with his decision.


    It was a rarity for him to change his decision, and that was something that served him well over the past.


    Xavier was heavily relied on to keep the peace within the pack and to deal with handing out punishments, as well as console his pack as a sort of consoler-in-chief.


    It was heaven compared to Emilio''s former treatment towards the pack.


    A pack was supposed to be a family of wolves.


    When Eudora was in Emilio''s hands, there were practically no one left other than the few werewolves that continued supporting him even though they knew the type of person he was.


    They knew he had wronged so many innocent lives, and they still kept supporting him despite knowing they too could lose their lives whilst doing so.


    Xavier thought them crazy, and he had all the right to do so.


    Oh yes, he was Emilio''s beta. But as one said before, he had only done it to obtain more influence and protect those that truly needed it from Emilio''s side.


    Even if it didn''t do much, it did something.


    After all, had he not been a beta he would''ve never been able to face Emilio off in a duel.


    Some of the things Emilio taught him ended up proving to be extremely useful, as he used those very things against him.


    It was a part of Xavier''s plan all along. To get on Emilio''s good side, learn more and more about him to eventually use it against him once he seized the right opportunity which was when he challenged Emilio to a duel when the ex-alpha least expected it.


    Did Madeline know of what he''d done to her father? No.


    Did Xavier intend to tell her anything that happened in the past? The answer was a probable no.


    Did Xavier feel guilty over what he''d done?


    The truth? No. He wasn''t guilty at all for what he had done for Eudora.


    Eudora would''ve crumbled. It would have no longer existed if someone hadn''t stepped up to the plate to do something about Emilio.


    He was a monster that kept on destroying.


    Xavier didn''t regard himself as some hero. No, he did not.


    But, he felt responsible for whatever was happening to Eudora so he did something about it.


    Emilio hadn''t only killed many, he''d slowly tortured them, starved them, made them watch their family die before killing them himself.


    Whatever Madeline decided to do with Emilio was up to her completely, but he''d keep an eye on him.


    Eventually, Emilio would get what was coming from him.


    If not from him himself, then someone else.


    Emilio had made himself a long list of enemies in the past.


    Be it the families of those he murdered, or the people who had witnessed his despicable self in action, there was no telling everyone who hated Emilio.


    The list would go on and on, it''d be endless.


    Now¡­ What if other forces were to discover that the tyrant ex-alpha had a daughter?

 Chapter 81 - Oh Yes

    Who knew?


    Thankfully, news hadn''t reached the other packs, although Xavier doubted it''d take long before the others knew.


    Was he worried?


    Oh yes, he was worried.


    However, at the same time¡­ Any pack that dared do something about it would technically be pledging war against Eudora.


    Hmm, it wasn''t as dramatic as it sounded, although it was a serious offence as well.


    Now, would Xavier allow anyone to so much as glare in Madeline''s direction?


    The answer was a definite no.


    After what happened with Indiana, Xavier hoped the entirety of Eudora knew that doing anything that would hurt Madeline would only hurt them in turn.


    Just because she was Emilio''s daughter didn''t grant anyone permission to treat her poorly.


    Xavier had truly hoped Indiana learnt her lesson and wasn''t apologizing to make it seem like she had.


    One moment, she was accusing Madeline of doing horrible deeds. The next, she was asking Madeline for forgiveness and apologizing to her. And it wouldn''t be unlikely of her to try to obtain Madeline''s forgiveness to appease Xavier. Who knew what she was truly capable of?


    Most would argue that Xavier was being too harsh to those that were simply trying to look out for their alpha by punishing them and demoting them.


    It was to note that instead of trying to look out for him, they could''ve also trusted him.


    Xavier had led them for centuries.


    Never once had he allowed some stranger in the pack, much less a human that turned out to be the ex-alpha''s daughter.


    And because of that, most of the members of the pack had their suspicions. But, at the same time, Xavier knew what he was doing.


    He wouldn''t have allowed Madeline to stay in Eudora if he didn''t know what she was up to or thought she had ulterior motives and was hiding who she truly was.


    "If you had one day left to live, what would you do?" He asked her.


    "That''s a great question to ask," Madeline acknowledged, looking upwards.


    ''If I had one day left to live¡­ what would I do?''


    ''Obviously, I''d spend it with family and friends, but other than that.''


    Now, if Madeline were in a romance film, she''d answer something along the lines of ''I''d spend the last day left with the man I love and give him one last kiss before I depart and tell him how I was blessed to have someone like him in my life.''


    Albeit, she wasn''t in one.


    This was reality, and Xavier had asked her this deep question.


    "I suppose I''d want my last day here to be like every other and keep the fact that I''d die in 24 hours or less to myself. If I told anyone they''d just cry and pity me and I''d rather leave without having to cause anyone I care about pain. I''d wish them silent goodbyes and avoid them looking at me knowing that sooner or later I won''t be here anymore. I know it''s selfish, but¡­ I don''t know. I''d die soon so I''d be inclined to be selfish."


    "What would you do?" Madeline inquired in return, wondering what would be Xavier''s answer.


    Would he do the complete opposite? Did he agree with what she said?


    Madeline was curious as to what he was thinking right now.


    When really, Xavier was simply deliberating over how to tell her something.


    He had no one.


    Hmm, actually, he had Adrian, but he''d definitely make a huge fuss about it. Now when it came to his family¡­ he would rather not think about it.


    There was one, teensy detail he hadn''t told Madeline yet.


    One he''d been hiding from her since he figured it wouldn''t matter much to her¡­ When eventually, it would.


    "I''d do what you did," Xavier agreed with her.


    Madeline smiled, happy that he shared the same sentiment as her when it came to this matter.


    Time passed as Madeline and Xavier asked each other questions and slowly got to know each other more.


    Madeline stifled a laugh at Xavier''s first impression of her.


    To think, it hadn''t been so long since they first met and they were already joking about this.


    Despite everything that had happened that of which included  finding out her biological father was a werewolf and that her mother was a supreme sorceress, dealing with Indiana, and discovering her dearest friend was also a werewolf... Madeline felt like staying.


    ''They''d call me crazy if they knew I thought this,'' Madeline thought.


    One would argue that she didn''t belong here! She couldn''t even transform into a werewolf. How could she be staying in Eudora? How could Eudora''s alpha permit this?


    Then there was the red string.


    Everyone knew it was one of the major reasons Madeline was allowed to stay.


    They''d first thought the female alpha would match Xavier or have powers unmatched.


    And now, it looked like they had gotten what they had wanted in the first place.


    The daughter of the ex-alpha and his lover, Ms Supreme Sorceress as the alpha''s mate.


    And they still weren''t satisfied. Indiana being one of them in this example.


    All because of the reputation Emilio had, they''d think Madeline was similar to her father, thinking the apple couldn''t possibly have fallen far from its tree because it bore many similarities.


    The funny thing was, Xavier was made out to be like he was the damsel-in-distress in this situation. Like he was helpless and was incapable of looking out for himself and sensing who was innocent and who had other secret motives.


    What, he wasn''t some weak prince being heavily guarded by a fire-breathing dragon in a castle, waiting to be saved from some knight in shining armour who was destined to save him. Xavier wondered how he came up with something like that too. That seemed too farfetched to be true.


    Dragons? Pfuit!


    Everything was being blown out of proportion for no good reason, all because they wanted another person to blame everything on.


    Someone other than their lovable alpha.


    So they chose Emilio and any of his brethren. Anyone with any relation to him would be their target.


    Xavier knew fully well that the pack knew of Madeline''s identity now. There was no point hiding anything in the first place, they''d find out eventually, it was only a matter of time.


    "What happened to Indiana?" Madeline decided to ask him.


    Xavier froze.


    Madeline initialy told herself not to panic - maybe Xavier was hesitating to tell her because he wasn''t allowed to -  not because he thought she''d react harshly.


    "What happened to her?"


    Xavier answered, knowing it was better to tell the truth instead of beating around the bush and or lying, "She received a demotion and won''t be able to attend tomorrow''s hunt."


    Madeline''s ears perked up.


    "Hunt?"


    "There''s a hunt taking place tomorrow?"


    "There is," Xavier confirmed.


    "I''d ask if I could join but I''m not cut out for that sort of thing," Madeline said, laughing it off.


    She thought about it for a moment, before she realized.


    "So is everyone but her joining the hunt?"


    "Yes. Everyone but her."


    "And Briar," Xavier added, much to Madeline''s relief.


    Well, she wouldn''t have been relieved if she didn''t know her friend. Briar was the type of person who hated violence.


    Of course, although she hated violence she''d do anything to those who harmed her friends and those she found close to her but¡­ otherwise¡­ she despised it.


    "Ah, alright then."


    Knowing Briar, she''d freak if she had to kill something. Sure, she''d like the hunting aspect of the hunt, but not the killing part.


    Thinking of Briar, she thought of what Briar had told her about Adrian.


    Heh, it was cute. She''d never seen Briar upset like that. Briar wasn''t truly upset at Adrian, or at least she seemed she wasn''t to Madeline.


    And then, there was Indiana.


    What could she say about Indiana?


    She appeared sincere when she was apologizing to her. But whether she actually was, Madeline didn''t know.


    Was not being able to join her peers in the hunt and a demotion too severe for a punishment?


    Madeline didn''t know better, she was still new here after all.


    Briar would probably agree, saying Indiana deserved whatever was coming to her for what she did.


    She''d also say something about ''giving Indiana hell'', Madeline presumed.


    Speaking of which, she had Briar to tell everything that happened to. Or had she already been notified?


    "Between the two of us, do you think that was a severe punishment for Indiana?" Madeline asked him, wanting him to be completely honest with her.


    __


    Author''s Note: Progress update for the Christmas mass release, you''ll be pleased to know that there will be one more chapter posted thanks to one generous reader. So four chapters will be posted! Alright, that''s all for now, returning to the story¡­


    P..S. For those wondering how this mass release works, check chapter 75 to find out more about it!

 Chapter 82 - Xavier Doesn’t Go On Dates

    "SHE DID WHAT?" Briar asked as Adrian told her the news.


    She grabbed his collar and shook him back and forth.


    "Tell me everything."


    She ordered, "From the beginning. Tell me."


    "I think you should remember your place," Adrian reminded her.


    Briar froze in her spot.


    "Uh, right," she said, releasing him and dusting off invisible dirt off of Adrian''s collar.


    "Sorry about that."


    "Instinct," Briar added.


    "I''ll let it slide just this once," Adrian said to her.


    "Now, do you want me to tell you what happened or would you rather leave and wait to find out?"


    Briar took a seat on one of the empty chairs in Adrian''s office.


    "First."


    Adrian grumbled, "I haven''t even finished work yet."


    "Oh well."


    "So, starting with what happened with Madeline and Indiana..."


    Adrian told her the summarized version of what happened between the two girls, before finally telling her the punishment Xavier had given her after Briar had made a huge fuss about Indiana deserving hell.


    "How dare she!" Briar exclaimed.


    "I''m going to rip her head open."


    She looked at Adrian, realizing she was still in the presence of Eudora''s beta.


    "I meant it in a nice way," she said, hoping it''d do something and help things in some way.


    Adrian shrugged, "Nice way or not, after what she did your reaction is more than understandable."


    "There''s a reason why Xavier demoted her and forbade her to join the hunt."


    Briar heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Yeah."


    "Speaking of which, Alpha Xavier wants you to stay behind."


    "Eh? Did I do something wrong?"


    Adrian shook his head, "He simply reckoned someone had to stay back and accompany Ms Madeline."


    "Ahhh," Briar said, understanding evident in her tone.


    So she could skip the hunt all because Xavier figured Madeline would get lonely. How cute!


    It was a win win anyway.


    "Of course, if you refuse and want to join the hunt then we could find someone else to accompany her."


    Briar shook her head, "It''s alright."


    "I don''t mind staying back to accompany her."


    She hid a smile.


    ''Oh thank the moon goddess, I''m excused from the hunt.''


    "Does Madeline know I''m staying back?"


    Adrian pursed his lips, "Probably."


    He said to her without thinking, "We''ll miss you at the hunt."


    Adrian blinked, looking at Briar to find her staring at him unblinkingly.


    What the hell had he just told her?


    Had he gone insane? What was wrong with him?


    "Since this will be the first time you''re missing the hunt, that is," Adrian added, trying to save him some humiliation and embarrassment he had already caused himself.


    ''Why did I say that to her? Is the stress getting to me?''


    ''Who am I kidding, it''s not stress. It''s my carelessness. What is she thinking right now? Is she wondering why I told her that? Why am I thinking about this all of a sudden? Gah!''


    ''What is happening to me?''


    Briar stuttered, "H-haha, yeah, it is."


    "Didn''t realize that."


    "I''ll miss the hunt, but I''ve got to stick with my friend," Briar said to him, before turning deadly quiet.


    She hoped he wouldn''t see right through her facade. Was it strange that she didn''t want to attend the hunt?


    She hoped not.


    Then, there was the other thing.


    He had said that everyone would miss her.


    Adrian must''ve known that she was a loner.


    Before Madeline came, she had no one else.


    Not because she was hated, it was simply because she never fitted in with everyone else.


    Briar wondered if she should announce that she''d leave now, since Adrian had important work to do that didn''t involve her bothering him.


    Madeline was with Xavier right now, she presumed.


    And she doubted he''d do anything.


    Were they having dinner together? Now that was something she was curious to know.


    Briar had to stop herself from gasping.


    ''Are they on a dinner date?''


    She asked Adrian, who was now writing something down.


    "Say, you wouldn''t know whether or not Madeline and Xavier are on a dinner date now, would you?" Briar questioned.


    Adrian looked confused as to what she was talking about.


    "Dinner date?"


    He returned to his work, answering confidently, "Of course not."


    "Alpha Xavier doesn''t go on dates."


    Briar wondered if he was sure about that. It seemed like there was a lot of personal pride riding on this.


    "Are you sure about that?"


    "Yes," Adrian nodded.


    Briar made a mental note to ask Madeline what she was up to with Xavier. That is, if she really was with Xavier.


    Maybe she was back in her quarters, curled up reading a book.


    Or doing anything else.


    Briar couldn''t simply assume she was with Xavier.


    Funnily enough, Xavier hadn''t told Adrian a thing about his plans with Madeline that evening.


    Adrian would have to eat his words the minute he heard about the truth about what Xavier and Madeline were up to.


    Now, returning to Xavier and Madeline, they were finishing up dinner.


    Xavier had gathered up the courage to tell her, "I had a great time at dinner."


    "You did? That''s great!"


    "Me too," Madeline said, letting out a giggle.


    "We should do this again sometime."


    "Without the barging in your office, of course. Sorry about that again."


    He placed his hand on her shoulder, startling her a bit, before she relaxed.


    She had to look up to meet his gaze.


    ''Why does he have to be so so so tall?''


    ''Not only him, why is everyone here so tall?''


    ''Does being a werewolf make you taller or something?''


    Madeline then remembered that technically, she had werewolf blood coursing in her veins.


    She had never gotten an answer as to what powers she inherited as Emilio and Cornelia''s daughter.


    However, she had a feeling that no one knew as well, so she kept that one question to herself.


    ''Who knows? Maybe over time I''ll find the answer to it myself.''


    ''It''d be cool though, having powers. I wonder what powers I''d have if I did have them.''


    "We should probably leave now," Xavier began.

 Chapter 83 - Kiss Kiss

    "Oh right," Madeline nodded.


    In all truth, she didn''t want to leave, but it was getting late and Xavier probably had loads to do since he had to have cleared up his schedule just to fit in dinner with her.


    He helped her get up, as a gentleman did.


    "Why thank you," Madeline smiled sweetly at him.


    They walked over to the door.


    Xavier leaned towards her, and once again, Madeline thought he was going to kiss her for a moment, and then she reminded herself that it was probably her imagining things.


    And she was right, as all Xavier was trying to do¡­ was open the door for her.


    Madeline asked herself why she always thought the wrong things at the wrong time.


    He was just trying to open the door for her.


    All he did was lean towards her.


    ''I really need to get my eyes bleached some day,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    ''Geez, wait till Briar hears about this.''


    ''Or has she heard from Adrian already?''


    "See you next time," Xavier said to her.


    "You''re implying there''s a next time to this," Madeline said.


    "I am."


    "We''re doing this some other time, are we not?"


    "Hehe, we are."


    "Till next time."


    Madeline placed a tentative kiss on Xavier''s cheek to thank him, before she ran for her quarters.


    Or to put it in a far more formal way, they parted ways.


    And that was when Xavier lost all sanity.


    ''What the hell just happened?''


    ''What did she just do?''


    He touched the exact spot where she''d done it.


    He decided not to tell Adrian that night.


    Adrian was better off not knowing for now.


    Who knew how he''d react?


    He could be such a drama king at times.


    Xavier headed for his office, knowing he''d have more privacy.


    Once he entered his office, he paced around nervously.


    Why had she done it?


    Did she think it was funny?


    Goodness, he wouldn''t be able to work until he got an answer.


    He went over to the restroom to wash his face, hoping it''d clear his mind.


    Meanwhile, over with Madeline and Briar¡­ Madeline paid a visit to Briar''s room.


    "Briar! Psst, Briar!" Madeline called as she knocked on Briar''s door.


    "Let me in please!" She pleaded.


    "Maddie?" She heard a confused voice ask.


    Briar opened the door, dazed and confused.


    What was Madeline doing here?


    Madeline walked in her room uninvited.


    She said to Briar, her voice hushed, ''I kissed Xavier.''


    Briar''s eyes went wide.


    "YOU WHAT?"


    "WHY DIDN''T YOU JUST TELL ME THAT RIGHT AWAY?"


    "There could be others listening in, who knows?" Madeline reasoned.


    "Goodness, Maddie. I don''t hear from you for hours then you return to tell me you kissed Xavier. It''s like everytime we separate something happens."


    "And Adrian was certain when he said that Xavier doesn''t go on dates."


    "Oh, it wasn''t a date," Madeline denied.


    "Then what was it? And why''d you two kiss if it wasn''t a date?"


    Madeline realized that she''d been making things out to be that she and Xavier had shared a kiss during dinner, when in reality, the truth was nothing like that.


    "Oh. OH!"


    "It''s nothing like that."


    "I just kissed him on the cheek and ran," Madeline said, a bead of sweat forming on her face.


    Briar couldn''t believe it. She was impressed, shocked and slightly disappointed. Just a tiny bit.


    A kiss was a kiss.


    "Seriously?" Briar asked her, before noticing what she was wearing.


    "You look amazing by the way, is that a new dress?"


    "Oh thanks, it was just something I found in my quarter''s closet," Madeline said.


    "So, mind telling me what happened?"


    "Pretty sure Adrian would kill to know what happened too."


    "Seriously? You''re on good terms with him now?"


    "Not on good terms, but we''re¡ª"


    "Okay that''s not the main point here."


    "The main point is me finding out what happened between you and mister hawt, sexy alpha," Briar chuckled.


    "You''re calling him hawt, sexy alpha now?" Madeline asked Briar, tilting her head to the side.


    Briar found Xavier hot? And sexy?


    "Just a nickname."


    "Oh I''m just kidding," Briar said to her.


    "Go on, tell me everything that happened.


    ''Adrian''s going to get a kick out of this.''


    The very next day¡­ Xavier, now more refreshed, walked to Adrian''s office.


    He closed the door as quietly as possible.


    Instead of waking Adrian up the regular way, Xavier decided to go another route.


    He whispered in Adrian''s ear, "Madeline kissed me last night."


    Adrian woke up, his hair messy.


    "WHAT?"


    "I knew that would wake you up."


    Adrian pouted, "So it was a lie?"


    Xavier shook his head, "Oh no, it actually happened."


    "Then what happened¡ª"


    His hand flew to his mouth.


    Didn''t he just tell Briar that Xavier didn''t go on dates?


    He was dead if Briar were to find out.


    Or had she already found out?


    "Did you kiss her back?"


    Xavier slapped him lightly on the shoulder, "It''s not like that."


    "I swear it''s not."


    "She kissed me."


    "On the cheek," he added.


    Adrian stared at him.


    "You woke me up to tell me Madeline kissed you on the cheek¡­"


    "Why? To make me feel lonely?" Adrian asked him, placing his hand on his heart.


    He balled his hand into a fist and placed it on his mouth.


    "I''m hurt."


    "Oh, cut it off."


    "I really am," Adrian insisted.


    "But I''m happy for you."


    "Happy for me, why?" Xavier asked him.


    "Because¡­ from a scroll I once read¡­ one person doesn''t kiss another unless¡­"


    "There''s something there," Adrian said, refusing to specify what it was despite Xavier''s many pleas.


    "It never specified what the ''something there'' was, but I have my guesses."


    Xavier frowned, "And you won''t tell me any of your guesses."


    "What did she do after she kissed you?"


    "She ran away," Xavier answered, confused as to why Madeline decided to give him a quick peck on the cheek before running off without even saying goodbye.

 Chapter 84 - Madeline The Gutsy

    "You have guts," Briar told her friend.


    Wow.


    Just, wow.


    Who would''ve known Madeline gathered enough courage to do something like kiss Eudora''s dreaded alpha on the cheek?


    Then again, she hurriedly escaped the scene before anything else could have happened, but that wasn''t the point here.


    "And how did Xavier react?" Briar questioned without thinking properly.


    "I didn''t see how he reacted, I just did it and ran as far as I could," Madeline replied, lowering her head.


    Of course she did this.


    Hoping she hadn''t made things awkward, Madeline wondered how Xavier was feeling.


    ''He probably doesn''t see it as a big deal.''


    ''It''s just a small¡­ kiss¡­ to the cheek anyway."


    ''Ow, why does my chest hurt so much?''


    "I need to sit down."


    "What did I just do?"


    Briar cooed, "You kissed him."


    Madeline gasped.


    "Oh god, I did!"


    Burying her face in her hands, she asked her dear friends, her mind in chaos and confusion, "How am I going to face him again?"


    "What if I ruined our friendship?"


    ''I doubt it did,'' Briar looked away from her friend.


    "I don''t think he really minded it."


    Briar looked at Madeline.


    Madeline turned to look at her friend, meeting her gaze.


    "Really?"


    "He seems quite smitten with you from what you''ve told me."


    "Maybe he''s trying to be polite."


    Facepalming, Briar compared her friend to one of those dense female leads that didn''t know and or sense a thing until the male lead had to tell her.


    "I''m the dense one here?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re the dense one here."


    "I''m not dense."


    "That''s what most dense people say."


    "Most," Madeline pointed out.


    "That''s the part you point out?"


    Briar would''ve been more irritated had she not know what she now did.


    Madeline kissed him.


    "What were you doing together anyway?"


    "Having dinner, and?"


    "You spent hours with him, no?"


    Briar gasped, "Was it a date?"


    ''Can I get Adrian to eat his words?''


    ''Did Alpha Xavier actually go on a date?''


    Furrowing her brows, Madeline insisted, "We just had dinner together."


    "We had fun, talked, and had a couple of laughs."


    "Alpha Xavier¡­"


    Briar gulped, bracing herself before she finally said, "Laughed?"


    When was Alpha Xavier capable of laughing?


    Alright, that was unfair. Everyone was capable of laughing - as far as Briar knew.


    But¡­ She had never seen him laugh.


    She doubted Adrian had as well.


    Xavier seemed like someone who was serious and frowny at all times. Him laughing? That would never happen.


    Until Madeline came.


    "What powers do you possess?"


    "When were you funny?"


    Madeline flipped her hair, acting confident.


    "I''ve always been funny."


    Briar''s eye twitched.


    "That''s funny."


    "I wasn''t trying to be funny by saying I was," Madeline said to her.


    "Mm."


    Meanwhile, with Adrian and Xavier¡­


    "So what you''re saying is¡­ Madeline went up to you, kissed you and ran away?"


    "And suddenly you''re feeling nervous?"


    "I never said I was nervous."


    "You look nervous."


    "I look like a lot of things," Xavier said sassily, crossing his arms.


    "And you look like you just woke up," he said to Adrian.


    "That''s because I just did. You woke me up, remember?" Adrian questioned, beginning to neaten his hair by brushing it with his fingers.


    "Right, I did."


    "Mhm."


    "So what now?"


    "How do I face Madeline again?" Xavier asked his friend.


    Adrian responded, "I think it''s her that''ll have to worry about that."


    "Why her?"


    "She was the one that did it, no?"


    "She was."


    "And what about it?"


    "Why did you think she did it if she thought of you as just a friend? She wouldn''t want to send¡­ mixed signals or anything."


    "I don''t fathom what you''re trying to tell me."


    Adrian sighed, pinching the skin between his brows as he decided to get straight to the point.


    "The point is¡­ there''s obviously something between the two of you and neither of you are privy to it."


    "There, I said it. No need to look all shocked and surprised."


    Crossing his arms, he said casually, like it was common knowledge, "Everyone else knows as well."


    "How could they know?"


    "Because¡­ ever since Madeline''s came¡­"


    Adrian deliberated over how to tell him.


    "Let''s use Indiana and Briar as an example."


    "They both were let off the hook."


    "Indiana especially."


    Had Indiana said this to Emilio, she''d have been beheaded on the spot.


    Emilio wouldn''t have given it a second thought and killed her.


    She was fortunate to have been spared with punishments that could compare to a slap on the wrist and a reminder to not do it again.


    And Briar? One mustn''t get started on that.


    "Let me guess, Madeline talked you down from punishing her severely?"


    "I''m not some dog for people to talk down to," Xavier combatted, seemingly offended.


    Adrian nodded.


    "You''re right, but¡­"


    "But what?"


    Xavier raised his brow, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently.


    __


    "Are you done talking?" Madeline asked Briar.


    "Only if you''re tired of listening."


    "I''m kidding, I''ll leave now."


    "I wasn''t telling you to leave¡ª"


    "It''s fine."


    "Besides, I have somewhere to go after this."


    "Oh?"


    It was Madeline''s turn to act smug.


    A twisted smirk on her face, she inquired, "Are you going to visit Adrian?"


    Acting like she had no idea what Madeline was talking about, Briar replied, "No."


    "Then why are you turning red?"


    "I''m not turning red, it''s an allergic reaction."


    "How odd, you weren''t red before."


    "You only began blushing when Adrian was mentioned."


    Madeline chuckled.


    "It''s nothing, geez."


    "Doesn''t seem like nothing," Madeline noted.


    "I''m leaving now," Briar informed her.


    "Alright."


    Madeline giggled, walking over to bid Briar goodbye.


    Using her inhuman powers, Briar left, off to - as Madeline predicted - visit Adrian.


    Knocking on Adrian''s door, Briar impatiently waited for Beta Adrian to open it.


    Oh, how she couldn''t wait.


    The minute the door creaked open, Briar gasped from shock. She had almost barged in and went, "GUESS WHAT!"


    Fortunately, Briar had stopped herself just in the nick of time.


    For it wasn''t Adrian who opened the door, but Xavier.


    ''Oh crap. My luck is horrid! Of course I had to interrupt whatever conversation they were having.''


    "Oh, sorry, I should leave and come back later."


    Xavier - who looked annoyed - shook his head.


    "Why hello Ms Alva."


    Adrian''s ears perked up.


    Ms Alva? Briar was the visitor?


    "I was just about to leave."


    During that exchange she had with Xavier, Briar thought she had successfully managed to irritate the alpha of her pack.


    However, it wasn''t her that he was irritated with, but Adrian.


    He opened the door wider, revealing Adrian who had been eavesdropping on their conversation.


    Adrian mouthed the words, ''What are you doing here?''


    The minute Xavier was out of sight, Briar rushed to him.


    "I was here to visit you, duh!"


    "Visit me? So early in the morning?"


    Briar stared at him, "Why is your hair so untidy?"


    Adrian became more conscious about his hair.


    In an instant, his hands flew to his hair.


    "I just woke up!" He exclaimed defensively.


    Clearing his throat, he straightened his suit, "I meant, I just woke up so my hair is a tad bit unkempt."


    Briar looked at him strangely, "Alright."


    "Be sure to comb your hair so you don''t look like you just woke up then."


    Adrian nodded, "Of course."


    Briar smiled.


    "So, did you hear what went down yesterday?"


    "What went down?"


    "At Madeline and Xavier''s dinner."


    "Ah, that."


    "I heard," Adrian nodded.


    "Did you come here to gloat?"


    Briar wanted to ask, ''How did you know?''


    "Maybe," she answered.


    Now, moving on to Madeline, who had been left by herself. She would''ve been left by herself had Briar not agreed to accompany her at Eudora during the hunt, which would be held that day, starting at the evening.


    "Mrow."


    Madeline looked around.


    Where did that noise come from?


    "Mrow."


    Closing her door, she searched for where the noise was coming from.


    "Hello?"


    "Mrowwwww."


    Madeline turned a corner, only to see a couple of bushes and nothing else in sight.


    The noise became louder.


    ''I must be getting closer.''


    And finally, she found the source of the noise.


    ''A kitten? How did it get here?''


    And like any perfectly sane person would do, Madeline crouched down to pet the cat, which purred in response.


    ''Awwww.''


    She bit her lip, wondering what to do with it. She couldn''t just leave the kitten alone. Who knew what would happen?


    Or what if¡­ the poor kitten was one of the prey that''d be hunted by the werewolves that night?


    ''I can''t let that happen.''


    Madeline looked at the kitten, and then back at her quarters.


    ''What if¡­''


    Her eyes widened, realizing there was something stroking her knee.


    Madeline knew this was a stupid idea.


    Who knew where this kitten came from?


    Eudora was guarded, how could this kitten make it all the way here?


    Did it have an owner? Was it homeless?


    Was its owner desperately looking for it?


    Did it even have a name?

 Chapter 85 - Is She Purring?

    ''What do I do with it?''


    ''I can''t let the poor thing wander around, look at it! It''s scrawny.''


    Slowly, Madeline picked it up, hoping the kitten wouldn''t react poorly to it.


    Thankfully, instead of scratching Madeline or trying to escape, all it did was purr in response.


    ''Is she purring?'' Madeline asked.


    [Author''s Note: Madeline can tell the cat''s a female. To those that wonder how¡­]


    She exclaimed, her eyes sparkly, "You''re just so adorable!"


    Madeline searched for a collar.


    Unable to find a collar, she decided to give it a name.


    After a bit of thinking, Madeline finally decided on one name.


    "Hmm, what about Lily?"


    "Do you like that?" She asked the kitten, stroking its head carefully so she wouldn''t harm her.


    The kitten meowed in response.


    ''I must be crazy to consider keeping her.''


    ''But¡­''


    ''The hunt today¡­''


    She placed the kitten down, opening her doors and wondering what the kitten would do next.


    And if Madeline wasn''t feeling guilty enough considering merely feeding the kitten and leaving her, the little thing entering her room and looking around innocently didn''t help either.


    ''Damn it, why does she have to make this even harder for me?''


    ''I can''t.''


    ''I''m keeping her, I can''t leave her here.''


    ''Maybe after the hunt, I''ll find someone else more suitable to take care of her, but now¡­ what else can I do?''


    "Here kitty, come here," Madeline said, looking for the kitten that was somewhere in her room.


    What she didn''t know was that evening was coming in a couple of hours, and that Xavier was still fully unaware of the kitten that Madeline decided to care for till she found it a better home. That is, if she ever did.


    Things were already awkward after Madeline decided to give Xavier a quick peck on the cheek before running for the hills.


    Imagine his reaction if he were to greet her goodbye and hear meowing coming from her room beforehand.


    Who knew how he''d react?


    Would he be upset? Happy for Madeline? Mortified?


    Madeline hadn''t thought of that yet, as she was occupied thinking of what necessities one needed when providing for a cat.


    She had never been a cat person. Heck, she had always been into dogs more than cats, although she never expected herself to get any pets in the first place. And now, she had a kitten she knew nothing about in her quarters.


    ''Should I tell Briar? Inform Xavier? Or Adrian?''


    ''Are cats even allowed here?''


    "What do I do with you, hmm?"


    "How did you get here anyway?"


    She looked at the kitten who met her gaze, staring back at her with her adorable eyes.


    For a moment, Madeline felt like she could understand what the kitten was trying to tell her. As if she could talk to the cat.


    ''Hah! Now I seem crazy. I can''t talk to animals, that''s just absurd!''


    "I''m driving myself crazy," Madeline sighed, telling the kitten, "You can''t understand me."


    How she wished she could.


    "I guess it would be nice having someone to talk to," Madeline said, a smile growing on her face.


    "Someone other than Briar, and Xavier."


    Xavier. Him.


    She had still yet to think of what to say to him if she were to encounter him again.


    What if they met up before he left for the hunt? What would she say to him then?


    Whilst Madeline hoped time would make things less awkward, she wondered what Xavier thought of it.


    Maybe he dismissed it like it was nothing.


    After all, friends kissed each other on the cheek.


    ¡­right?


    ''What kind of bullshit is that, you don''t kiss Briar, do you?'' A voice in her head reasoned snarkily.


    Looking out the window, Madeline realized evening was coming soon. Extremely soon.


    In an hour or so, Xavier was supposed to leave.


    She''d definitely miss him when he left for the hunt.


    As surprising as it may have been, she had a stellar time the other day at dinner.


    It had started off horribly with her barging in on his office practically demanding Xavier didn''t kill her father. No, not her father. Emilio.


    She refused to call him her father yet.


    Speaking of Xavier, he was on the way to Madeline''s quarters, off to bid her goodbye and make sure she was alright before he went off to hunt for prey.


    ''Would it be alright for me to check in on her or would it be¡­ overkill?''


    Xavier had learnt a new term from Adrian lately.


    Overkill.


    What it meant was when someone did something excessively, as Adrian had explained.


    Xavier thought the meaning of said word had something to do with killing, but turns out, he was incorrect, much to his dismay.


    He hesitated when he arrived at her door.


    ''Should I knock or not bid her goodbye?''


    ''I shouldn''t.''


    ''Or should I?''


    ''I probably should.''


    ''Will she think I''m annoying?''


    ''Gah!''


    He knocked on her door.


    Then, he heard some scrambling and something dropping, before he finally heard Madeline exclaim, "Coming!"


    For a second, Xavier was slightly - and only slightly - worried that something had happened to her.


    But, all his worries vanished the moment he saw her face staring back at him.


    "X-Xavier?" Madeline stuttered.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I came to say goodbye," Xavier said, his hand in his pocket as he looked someplace else.


    "Since I won''t return till morning earliest."


    Madeline blinked.


    "Oh."


    ''He came to say goodbye, how sweet,'' Madeline thought, her heart warm simply thinking about it.


    He didn''t leave without greeting her goodbye. She couldn''t help but feel all warm when she thought about it.


    It was then Xavier sniffed the air.


    "Is there an animal in your quarters?" He asked Madeline.


    Madeline''s eyes went wide


    "Right, about that¡­"


    Xavier gently pushed her to take a step into her quarters, as one did when they sensed unknown danger - or at least as Xavier did.


    He stared at the floor, trying to prevent himself from yelping.


    ''WHAT IS THIS DOING HERE?''


    ''WHAT''S THIS MONSTER DOING IN MADELINE''S QUARTERS?''


    One would argue that he was overreacting when he found a cat in Madeline''s quarters. However¡­ Who knew?


    Maybe he had his reasons for reacting so harshly¡­


    Madeline was about to explain herself, before he questioned, "How long has this¡­ creature been here?"


    "It''s a cat. It''s been here for a couple of hours."


    Xavier seemed like he wanted to say something to her but chose not to.


    Madeline reckoned he was hiding something from her.


    ''Does this have something to do with Lily? But she''s just a kitten. What could possibly be so wrong with her?''


    Did werewolves have a natural dislike towards cats? Was that what was happening?


    Did Xavier not allow cats here? Would he ask her to move Lily someplace else? Or worse, abandon her?!


    "I know it is."


    He didn''t know how to explain it to her.


    Oh yes, he had a dislike towards cats, that was for sure.


    Those creatures had eyes that pierced through your soul whenever you looked at them. And they looked like they were constantly plotting a million different ways to torment you to your dreadful death. They acted all high and mighty as well. And the way they meowed to get attention and acted all innocent sometimes?


    Xavier could go on and on. However, that wasn''t what he was trying to tell her. What he was trying to tell her was¡­


    Sort of embarrassing, when he thought about it.


    He backed away from the kitten, hoping it wouldn''t come closer to him or try to curl up next to his feet.


    ''Please no.''


    The kitten certainly knew he was there. It licked its paw, acting all innocent.


    Now, something to know about Xavier was that he had one thing that differentiated him from other werewolves.


    A¡­ weakness, as one would put it.


    Not even Adrian knew this. Xavier had never told anyone this before, so he was having trouble doing so now.


    There was a reason there were no cats in Eudora. Other werewolves were alright with cats, others weren''t. But either way, there was a strict no pets rule there. Cats definitely applied to this rule.


    Xavier had a feeling Madeline wouldn''t react so kindly to leave the cat someplace and never look back. There was a reason she harboured the¡­ pest in her quarters in the first place. Maybe Madeline found it¡­ cute.


    He shuddered, backing away from the kitten.


    Madeline wondered if he had any problem with Lily. She hoped not.


    ''I''m only keeping her till the hunt''s over and I find someone else who can properly care for her.''


    "I should probably tell you that¡­ uhm¡­"


    Xavier scratched the back of his neck nervously, wondering how to break it to her.


    It wasn''t a big deal.


    Alright, that was debatable.


    If she found Xavier being unable to visit her quarters so long as the cat stays a big deal, that is.


    What was this thing he was trying to tell her?


    That he was allergic to cats.

 Chapter 86 - Why Didn’t You Tell Me Sooner?

    "I''m allergic to cats," he said to her.


    Madeline furrowed her brows.


    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?!"


    Xavier asked in return, "How do you tell someone you''re allergic to cats when their cat''s in the room?"


    "Good point."


    Xavier distanced himself from Lily, unaware the being had a name in the first place.


    Before Madeline questioned how werewolf allergies worked, she wondered about Emilio.


    "Hold on."


    "What about Emilio? You''re going on a hunt soon so what about him?"


    Xavier hid a smirk, "That''s already been arranged."


    Tilting her head, she wondered what Xavier could have meant.


    Would he be locked up somewhere?


    Would some werewolves be left behind to guard him?


    Did everyone in Eudora know he was there already? Or were only some of them aware?


    Word spread fast around Eudora, but did it spread that fast? Did everyone know that not ONLY was Emilio here, but that Madeline was his daughter?


    What a coincidence.


    It was marvelous and jaw-dropping how this could''ve happened. It was a one in a million opportunity.


    Xavier was still stumped as to how Madeline could''ve been Emilio''s daughter. They were nothing alike.


    The apple fell so far from the tree that it wasn''t even considered an apple.


    Or in this case, Madeline fell so far from Emilio that one could easily get confused as to how Emilio and Madeline were father and daughter respectively.


    Funnily enough, Xavier had thought of this punishment for Emilio on the spot. It didn''t take much thinking for him to figure what to do when Eudora was left unguarded and there''d be no one to babysit Emilio.


    Emilio was still dangerous, and Xavier wouldn''t be able to leave Eudora without stressing over what Emilio would get up to if he were to be left unsupervised or left free to roam Eudora freely.


    So he wanted to get to know Madeline better, he still could have had ulterior motives. Nothing was out the door. Nothing was impossible and off limits, not to Emilio.


    He didn''t care if someone was guarding him, he could easily charm or persuade or kill them with his bare hands. Just to¡­ Say, visit his daughter or wander around Eudora to see everything that''s changed before critiquing Xavier about it.


    So leaving him alone wasn''t an option Xavier could possibly consider.


    Instead, Xavier opted to keep Emilio locked up in a spare room in Eudora. One Emilio had no idea how to leave and even if he did¡­ He''d face dire consequences.


    And since Xavier knew Emilio wouldn''t care if he threatened to kill him, he did something else.


    "You take one step out of this room, and your daughter dies," Xavier threatened.


    Xavier knew he wouldn''t be hurting Madeline, even if he tried, the red string that connected them both together prevented him from doing so.


    But Emilio knew that he''d find a way (not that Xavier considered hurting Madeline because of Emilio).


    Emilio wasn''t sure what Xavier would do. Would he actually hurt Madeline? Would he not? Was Xavier only bluffing?


    And out of both doubt and lacking assurance, Xavier knew Emilio would stay in that room.


    A part of Eudora''s current alpha believed Emilio did love Madeline. He just figured out he had a daughter and was still reeling from shock so he didn''t know how to behave. It was part of the reason as to why he hadn''t yet killed Emilio.


    If he knew Emilio couldn''t care less that he had a daughter with Cornelia, Emilio would''ve been dead ages ago.


    Xavier would''ve never spared a second thought about it.


    He had to admit, Madeline was the sole reason why Emilio was still standing here, and that placed Madeline in a lot of danger as well.


    Xavier had quickly sensed the tension that had built in Eudora. Others doubted him.


    They had already begun doubting him ever since Madeline entered the picture. And ever since they discovered he was mates with her.


    Why hadn''t they started a rebellion or spoke out about it? Either they were terrified of what he''d do, or he was overestimating them.


    They kept in mind that Xavier overpowered Emilio. He was even more powerful than a descendant of the first ever werewolf, even if that power he used to beat Emilio wasn''t all brawn. That had to be something to be taken into account before anyone did anything rash.


    Look at Indiana!


    Indiana had returned to her friends a disappointment instead of a success.


    Instead of being the bearer of good news, she was the bearer of bad news.


    Everyone mocked her, poor girl.


    What had she done to deserve this?


    She thought she deserved being treated like this, when all she had done was speak her mind.


    Indiana was uninformed. Even Madeline thought her punishment was a tad bit on the overkill side.


    However, imagine her shock and surprise when she found out the reason behind Xavier''s reaction to seeing Lily in her quarters for the very first time.


    ''He''s allergic to cats?''


    ''Well that was incredibly unexpected. I thought it was something else.''


    "So you came to say goodbye?"


    "Right, I did."


    They exchanged goodbyes, and Xavier quickly explained what would happen to Emilio.


    "Ah, got it," Madeline nodded, a look of understanding now on her face.


    She never planned to visit Emilio anyway, sure she was looking to fix her and his relationship, but not now. She still needed time.


    And she doubted Emilio wanted to see her so soon again anyway, despite her being his daughter and all that.


    "I guess this is goodbye then," Madeline said to him, frowning.


    "Why do you look so sad?"


    "Because you''re leaving."


    "Only temporarily," he reassured.


    "It''s for a couple of hours or so anyway."


    Madeline tried not to seem so dejected.


    "I suppose," she pursed her lips.


    "I''ll be seeing you soon then," she said to him.


    He said to her, "Yeah."


    He''d miss her when he''d lead the hunt, but he knew it wouldn''t be for too long.


    And besides, a couple of hours were practically like a couple of minutes for an immortal like him, no?


    He wasn''t supposed to be this¡­ dejected over something like this. That''s what he told himself, at least.


    Xavier reassured himself, telling himself that Emilio was taken care of, Madeline would be fine with Briar and without him, et cetera et cetera.


    Speaking of Emilio, he wasn''t too pleased with his current situation.


    "I can''t believe he threatened to hurt Madeline," he said to himself, his arms crossed.


    "I mean, who does he think he is to threaten me? So what if he''s Eudora''s current alpha? No one could threaten me and get away with it. Not without facing my wretched wrath."


    "Then again, if he hurts Madeline¡­"


    He shook his head, he couldn''t let that happen.


    Madeline was already in danger because she was his daughter. Imagine if Xavier actually followed his promise and did as he said he would if he left the room?


    Would Madeline be brutally killed like he killed all those innocents?


    ''No! I should stop thinking about this.''


    ''Xavier is probably bluffing. Right? He wouldn''t actually do that to her.''


    ''They''re soulmates, so he can''t hurt her. But he could get someone else to. Like that pest, Ariel. No, Adriel. Wait, no that''s his name.''


    ''Adrian! Right, Adrian. That''s his name.''


    ''I nearly forgot him. That''s how forgettable he is, goodness. Xavier needs to have a change of beta.''


    ''Where was I? OH RIGHT. Madeline.''


    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, he felt guilty.


    Out of all the families Madeline could''ve been in, she had a father like him, and a mother like Cornelia.


    Cornelia was never even present in her life, and Emilio?


    Did anything else need to be said? They weren''t exactly parents of the year. Heck, they weren''t great parents at all.


    Cornelia was busy someplace else minding her own business. She never checked in on her daughter when she knew damn well she had one.


    It was her choice to hand her daughter away.


    It was her choice to hide her daughter away from her father for decades till he had to find out himself. And Emilio still resented Cornelia for it.


    Who''d do such a thing?


    And he thought they ended things on a good note.


    Had she found someone else?


    Knowing her, she probably forgot about him already and moved on to someone else.


    Someone on her level.


    Someone that didn''t need to spend centuries trapped in a cave.


    And yet, Emilio still thought and worried about Cornelia.


    Was she doing well?


    Was she eating properly?


    Did she wake up with a smile on her face everyday?


    Did she have someone loving her properly?


    What was she doing right now?


    Did she know Xavier and Madeline were mates?


    Did that have something to do with why she gave Madeline away in the first place? The fact that she knew there was much more to Madeline than being the daughter of a supreme sorceress and direct descendant of the first-ever werewolf?

 Chapter 87 - Killing Because… What?

    As said before, Cornelia was practically omnipotent so she must''ve known who Madeline was to be in the future, right?


    Was that why she made the decision to give her away and to hide her from Emilio?


    Would something change if Emilio knew he had a daughter all along?


    Now Emilio couldn''t stop thinking about Cornelia and her actions.


    That woman never did anything without a purpose. Everything she did was strategically thought out. She wasn''t a simple person.


    That was what he loved about her.


    The centuries that passed didn''t change his feelings for her. As much as he resented her, he still loved her.


    His urge to kill overpowered the part of him Cornelia fell in love with. It was also the thing that drove the two of them apart. The thing that drove a wedge between them.


    He killed because he wanted to. She killed when absolutely necessary.


    There were many differences between Cornelia and him, but it was said that opposites attracted each other. So why weren''t they compatible?


    Why did their whirlwind love story end on such a horrible note? Were they really doomed from the start?


    Emilio remembered fondly of the time he met Cornelia. The time he sensed she''d be different than everyone else.


    And just like her mother, he sensed the same about Madeline.


    She was meant to do greater things. She was capable of doing better things. Things even Emilio couldn''t imagine doing because he paled in comparison to her.


    Imagine if Madeline were to discover she inherited a fraction of Cornelia''s power. That''d end up horribly if she didn''t manage to quickly learn how to use said powers.


    The powers of the supreme sorceress in a werewolf? Unheard of.


    That was what made them so unique.


    Just like a human and a werewolf pairing was unique, so was a sorceress and a werewolf.


    Emilio wondered how Madeline and Xavier came to meet in the first place.


    What a coincidence, that his daughter was mates with the person who stole his job from him.


    He knew the error to his ways and how his ways had affected those in Eudora. Not that he ever stopped to consider it''d backfire on him, of course. Had he done that, he wouldn''t be here.


    "Huh, how funny."


    "If I had stopped to think about what I did, I wouldn''t be in my current situation and trapped here."


    "And maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ Cornelia would''ve stayed."


    He slumped on the door of the room he was stuck in as he felt his knees weaken.


    ''I''m so weak now. It''s pathetic.''


    Thankfully, Madeline didn''t take after him when it came to this. She was a strong girl, he could easily tell.


    And she had a mean grip.


    At one point of him being trapped in the room, he had nearly left, wanting to teach Madeline how to hone her powers - if she had any of course.


    "I''m stuck here till the hunt''s over."


    What Emilio didn''t know was that Xavier had purposely locked him in that spare room way before he left just to spite him.


    Way before he left, he had Emilio locked up to ensure the safety of his pack - and Madeline.


    It proved that Xavier still didn''t trust Emilio around her. And he admitted it himself.


    Emilio wasn''t to be trusted. No matter what truth he shared, or anything he told anyone¡­ He was dangerous. Very, very dangerous.


    There was a reason Briar was advised to stay. Someone had to watch over Emilio.


    Well, watching over Emilio wasn''t the right way to put it. It was more like guarding Madeline.


    And whilst Madeline could probably handle herself in a dangerous situation, it was better to have someone there with her. One never knew if anything would happen.


    And Madeline didn''t mind having Briar at Eudora with her. She never liked being alone in the first place.


    When she was alone at home, she felt alright. After all, she had her books to accompany her through everything.


    But in Eudora? With Emilio?


    Knowing her track record, nothing good would come out of it.


    For some reason, Madeline was constantly in danger, again and again and again.


    She blamed it partially on herself.


    Everytime something happened, she wondered what could''ve happened instead had she not been there.


    Had she never stumbled upon Eudora, met Xavier and discovered Briar was a werewolf.


    That, and also discover Emilio - the man that tried killing her multiple times - was her father!


    Madeline had a lot going on, and now Xavier and everyone else in Eudora was going on a hunt.


    Well, not everyone.


    Indiana had been forbidden to join the hunt for her actions.


    Xavier had also considered the possibility that Indiana would take out her anger and frustration on Madeline so he made someone stay with her. That someone being Briar.


    He wanted that someone to be a person Madeline trusted, and Briar was the perfect person for it. Not to mention, Xavier had a feeling Briar wouldn''t be too dejected missing out on the hunt.


    Speaking of Briar, it seemed like she and Adrian had been getting quite close lately.


    Was there something between them?


    Or would they claim to be just friends?


    Briar told Madeline, "Thank god I get to stay here with you."


    Madeline chuckled, asking, "Oh? Why is that?"


    "Do I have to tell you? You know how much I despise killing."


    "And it''s not guilty people who deserve to be killed, or beheaded or tortured to death. It''s animals that did nothing wrong."


    "And it''s a whole pack of werewolves hunting them down," Briar said, her eyes twitching.


    She seemed flat out terrified just thinking about the hunt.


    And now? The opportunity to miss out on the hunt and spend time with her friend was too amazing to pass on. It was killing two birds with one stone.


    If that wasn''t all, she also got to avoid Adrian.


    It wasn''t that she had something against him. She simply didn''t want to see him brutally kill a harmless, innocent animal. She couldn''t fathom why she was against the idea of seeing him do such a thing when she already had seen him do it many times in the past, but she just did.


    Perhaps now that she had gotten closer to him, she didn''t want to see him doing such a horrible feat.


    Or perhaps it was something else.


    "Makes me relieved I''ve never got to witness a hunt before," Madeline admitted, nodding solemnly.


    ''Poor creatures,'' she thought, clearly ignoring the elephant in the room that was waiting to be let out of its tiny cage.


    What was that elephant in the room? One asked.


    What could Madeline possibly be worrying about other than the hunt?


    Why, the person leading said hunt, of course!


    Madeline never expected the Xavier she knew to be the type of person who led hunts and killed and feasted on the corpses of those he slaughtered.


    But, who was she to comment?


    She was still an outsider.


    Safe to say, Madeline knew nearly nothing about how a pack worked, and the inner workings of a pack in general.


    But, like Briar, she was totally against killing.


    Unless necessary or deserved, of course.


    Madeline couldn''t deny that in some cases, some did deserve the fate given to them, even if that fate was death.


    However, when it came to her father Emilio¡­ She couldn''t say much.


    Sure, he was her father, but whatever fate had planned for him, she knew he probably deserved it.


    He had missed out a lot in her life, and by that, one meant everything.


    He had missed her teen years, her goth phase, her cutesy girl phase¡­ All the times she needed a real father to put it frankly. Or someone to be there for her.


    Madeline never blamed Emilio though, since he wasn''t given a choice. He missed out on her life because he didn''t know she existed. Not because he chose to.


    If only he had¡­ Life would''ve been incredibly different for Madeline.


    She would''ve grown up with an actual father. Maybe that would have affected her personality, her lifestyle, and her mate.


    Who knew if Xavier would''ve been in the picture had she grown up knowing Emilio was her father?


    ''No. I mustn''t think about this.''


    ''Fate made me and Xavier meet. It wasn''t just a coincidence. It was fate.''


    __


    Author''s Note: So sorry for the lack of updates these days, I''m currently traveling and I''ve got little time to write these days. Although, for the mass release on Christmas, four chapters will still be released, so stay tuned for that!


    And also, what do you think is going on between Briar and Adrian? Share your thoughts in the comments down below and who knows?


    P.S.. I try to like and respond to each comment, do share your thoughts and I''ll try my best to read each one of them and respond hastily.

 Chapter 88 - Out Of The Blue

    Out of the blue, Madeline asked Briar, "What if we invited Indiana to hang with us?"


    Briar gave her a strange look, wondering if Madeline had lost her mind and gone insane.


    "Indiana?"


    "You mean the girl that accused you of using Xavier?"


    "Why would you possibly suggest the idea of hanging out with her? She¡ª"


    "She''s alone, and she doesn''t have anyone else here because she was forbidden to join the hunt because of me."


    "It wasn''t because of you, it was because of her actions and her poor decision making," Briar corrected.


    "Why are you blaming yourself for what happened to her?"


    "Xavier punished her fairly, and it''d be better if she could just spend this time to think her actions through and see the wrong in her ways."


    Madeline reasoned, "She must feel a tad bit guilty, she apologized."


    "Many people can apologize, Madeline. You know that."


    "But¡ª"


    Briar shook her head, "No buts, Maddie."


    "We''re not hanging out with her."


    "No matter what."


    "There''s no convincing me for this one," Briar said to her, knowing that Madeline would eventually find a way to get her approval to spend time with Indiana had she not set that ground rule.


    Madeline pursed her lips, "Oh, fine."


    Crossing her arms, Madeline surrendered. There was no arguing with Briar when it came to this.


    Briar would stand her ground.


    "I''d say please but you wouldn''t agree anyway," Madeline said, chuckling lightly.


    "Fine, if we won''t invite Indiana to hang with us then why not a game?"


    "A game? What type of game?"


    "Truth or dare?"


    Briar stared at Madeline incredulously.


    She had not expected that.


    Of course Madeline picked truth or dare.


    Briar found the game childish, but¡­


    "Whatever floats your boat," she said to Madeline, beginning to question her strange taste in games.


    Briar wondered what it would''ve been like had Madeline asked Xavier to play a childish game like truth or game.


    Did Xavier even know what truth or dare was?


    Briar doubted Adrian knew much about it either. She could imagine him asking when he heard such a thing, ''Truth or dare? What''s that? Some sacred ritual performed to summon something?''


    Madeline was still considering inviting Indiana over.


    Why not? What''s the worst that could happen? It was a game of truth or dare after all. It was practically harmless.


    But, Briar was against the idea so¡­ Looks like Indiana would be all by herself till the others returned, much to Indiana''s relief.


    Indiana found that to be a relief because¡­ After her demotion, she''d discovered who was truly her friend and who wasn''t.


    Most of the people she befriended backed away from her and tried their best at avoiding her now that she had received a demotion in rank and was unliked by Eudora''s alpha. Being in close vicinity with her would certainly go noticed by Xavier.


    Even those that made her talk to Madeline disappeared the moment they heard what happened to Indiana.


    One bad thing and now everyone hated her for it.


    Hmm, hated on wasn''t the right way to put it.


    Indiana was exiled from her previous friend group. She was now a castaway.


    A castaway''s first instinct would be to search for another group to insert themself in, but Indiana doubted anyone in their right mind would take her in.


    See, in Eudora, there were many cliques.


    There were the gossipers, the Emilio worshippers, the warriors, and many more.


    No one would take her in if they wanted to remain in Xavier''s good graces.


    No one would mess with Madeline for that same reason as well.


    The whole of Eudora knew how taken Xavier was by her.


    And no, not in that sense.


    Although, Eudora was also taken aback and confused as to what was going on between Xavier and Madeline.


    Were they friends with benefits? Just friends? Lovers? A fling? A situationship?


    Who knew?


    No one but Briar, Adrian, as well as Xavier and Madeline themselves.


    However, some in Eudora had already made up their minds as to what Xavier and Madeline were, even when all they did was assume, assume and assume.


    It was simply all assumptions and no truths.


    Heck, Indiana practically thought Xavier and Madeline were an item.


    And that they were going on a date right after she had apologized to Madeline. A dinner date, to specify.


    She hoped they had fun, and that Xavier was happy.


    If only she knew they weren''t going on dates or dating or anything like that. She and Xavier simply had plans with each other that evening and had dinner together. That was all, there was nothing more to it.


    She sat outside her room, kicking rocks as she felt incredibly guilty about what she did.


    A part of her knew it wasn''t all her fault. A part of the blame went to the girls that encouraged her when they could''ve stopped her from doing anything foolish and then she would have never been in this situation in the first place.


    But no, they cheered her on and added fuel to the already burning fire.


    They were just as guilty as her, if not more whilst they escaped unscathed, while she had to bear all the horrible consequences.


    ''It''s so unfair,'' Indiana thought.


    ''How come they get to join the hunt and I don''t, all because I was the one who spoke out on what everyone thought? I''m not in the right this time but don''t they deserve some punishment at the very least?''


    ''Why am I the only one who''s gotten a demotion and was forbidden to join the hunt?''


    ''Do I have to spend the rest of my time here sulking and thinking my doings through when I wasn''t the only one who planned it?''


    She knew talking to Xavier about this wouldn''t do anything since he wasn''t some counselor, he was Eudora''s highly respected and powerful alpha.


    And then, there was Madeline.


    Her only shot.


    And as far as she knew, there was only her, and Madeline at Eudora.


    Who knew if Madeline wanted some company?


    Of course, she wasn''t aware that Briar was with Madeline so when she visited Madeline''s quarters with an olive branch, she was surprised to find Briar there with her.


    Said olive branch was actually a batch of muffins Indiana had made the other day.


    "You," Briar said coldly, glaring at Indiana.


    Indiana had never seen Delta Briar so upset before. Then again, she had heard that Briar and Madeline were really good friends so she understood why Briar was upset.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked sassily, crossing her arms together.


    "Who''s that?" Madeline asked from the closet since Briar had dared her to wear two pieces of clothing she''d never be caught dead in.


    "Guess who."


    "Emilio?"


    "Why would Emilio be visiting you?"


    "Indiana?"


    "Bingo," Briar replied.


    Madeline rushed to the door.


    "Hey Indiana," she waved at her.


    Briar slapped her hand away.


    "Hey!"


    Indiana waved timidly at Madeline.


    Briar grilled her for answers.


    "What do you want, hmm?"


    "Did you come here to accuse Madeline of more because if you want to fight then--"


    "Briar, stop," Madeline said.


    "Come on, she apologized already."


    "People can fake apologies, it''s been done before."


    "I was sincere with my apology," Imdiana insisted.


    "I really was."


    "Look, I even brought this," Indiana said, gesturing to the tray of muffins she held in one hand with the free one.


    "As an olive branch. Sort of."


    "Aww, thanks," Madeline thanked, smiling.


    Briar looked at her.


    ''What?''


    ''She''s not to be trusted!''


    ''Oh come on.''


    ''We can trust her. It''s not like she can hurt us.''


    ''And what guarantee do we have?''


    ''My dad''s locked in another room.''


    Briar looked at her questioningly.


    ''And?''


    ''Wait, never mind.''


    Briar narrowed her eyes.


    ''Do you really trust her, Maddie?''


    Madeline nodded.


    Rolling her eyes, Briar gave in, giving Madeline a look that said, ''Fine, but if she does anything I''m hurting her.''


    ''And I don''t mean the hair pulling out kind of hurt. I mean pinning her to the wall with my claw to her neck kind of hurt.''


    Indiana asked curiously, "You done?"


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, sorry about that, come in!"


    She gestured for Indiana to enter her quarters, taking the tray of muffins from Indiana''s hand.


    "I''ll take that," Madeline said cheekily.


    "Thanks by the way."


    "No problem."


    "So, what were you doing before I came?" Indiana asked, wondering what they were up to.


    "Truth or dare," Briar answered.


    Indiana furrowed her brows, "Truth or¡­ what now?"


    "Truth or dare. It''s a game where we''re given two choices. To either execute a task also known as a dare we''re given by another player or answer a question another player asks truthfully."


    "Ah."


    "Want to join us?" Briar asked, faking a smile.


    Indiana saw right through Briar but appreciated her efforts.


    At the same time, she felt all warm and fuzzy inside.. She had never been treated so¡­ warmly before, even if Briar seemed hesitant to trust her.

 Chapter 89 - I Like Your Boyfriend

    Indiana''s previous friend group never valued her for who she was. And it was filled with drama 24/7.


    So¡­ Indiana couldn''t say she was sad over them exiling her, not that she thought it was a hidden blessing either.


    As she played truth or dare with Madeline and Briar, she felt her heart getting warmer and warmer.


    She didn''t feel like they judged her.


    Well, Briar did at first, before the game progressed.


    Slowly and surely, she got to know Indiana a tad bit better. Even though she still resented Indiana for what she did to Madeline, Briar had to admit from the way Indiana behaved, it didn''t seem like Indiana had any ulterior motives.


    She kept a close eye on Indiana the entire time, making sure she wasn''t up to anything although she doubted Madeline fully trusted Indiana either. She was trusting, not stupid.


    Madeline knew what Indiana had done, she wasn''t blind. She knew Indiana had gotten punished for her doings, and Indiana had apologized to her as well.


    "Your turn," Madeline said to Indiana.


    "Truth."


    "Hmm, alright then."


    "Any man caught your eye here in Eudora?"


    Indiana kept completely quiet.


    ''Oh shit.''


    ''How do I answer this truthfully?''


    ''I can''t answer that truthfully, I can''t just tell her that I have feelings for her mate, that''s crazy!''


    ''Oh so actually, there is a guy that caught my eye. He''s actually your mate, who''s also the alpha of Eudora and the person leading the hunt. He punished me, demoted me and forbade me from joining the hunt and the person you''re dating but hey this is truth or dare so I can''t exactly lie.''


    Then again, she was still unaware that Madeline and Xavier weren''t dating and that they were just friends, so there was that.


    Briar observed Indiana''s facial expression, knowing it was best if she stepped in to change the subject.


    Madeline had gotten the hint, stepping in and telling Indiana, "Wait, no. Scratch that."


    "What about¡­ How did you come to join Eudora?"


    Indiana''s eyes widened ever-so-slightly.


    "Oh, that''s a great question."


    Thinking about it, Indiana recalled the very first day she met Xavier, which was also the same day she joined the pack.


    Wolves approached her, sniffing her out and getting to know her scent. It was like she was undergoing a test to see if she''d fit into their social order rather than try to rule it herself.


    She had to show that she meant no harm and came in peace by showing them her weak spot - her throat area.


    And then, she was allowed into the pack and started from the very bottom as an omega.


    She had chosen to be a part of Eudora instead of all other packs. They worked differently than most other packs and were one of the most powerful, it was a no brainer. Any person in their right mind would choose to join Eudora.


    Now, like Madeline, Indiana was born as a werewolf. However, there was a difference between her and Madeline.


    Firstly, she was born to normal werewolf parents. She wasn''t the daughter of some sorceress and Emilio.


    Secondly, she had no human blood in her, she was a full werewolf.


    After explaining all of that to Madeline and Briar, Indiana concluded her answer with, "That''s about it. Nothing special."


    "So, what about you?" Indiana asked, turning to Briar since it was her turn next.


    "Me? What about me?"


    Indiana answered in return, "How did you come to join Eudora?"


    Briar was partially relieved she hadn''t asked about how she came to be a werewolf. If that was the case, she wouldn''t know how to answer at all, it was a sensitive topic.


    "I joined by accident," Briar answered.


    Indiana looked shocked, "Accident? How?"


    "Err."


    "Well¡­"


    Madeline added, "Do tell."


    Briar then went on to explain how she came to join Eudora, excluding the part regarding how she became a werewolf.


    Would Indiana want to know she witnessed her parents being brutally murdered in front of her whilst she was trying her best to stay alive?  She doubted so.


    And besides, had it not been for Xavier, who found her and allowed her in the pack, she would''ve been left for dead and would not be here.


    That was why Briar was grateful for Xavier, although everything that happened was by chance.


    She had been given a chance to live again when she thought she was done for. When she thought she would never be able to see Madeline again and all else. She was given a chance at redemption when she was found.


    It was why she respected Xavier and accepted his invitation to Eudora.


    To this day, Briar still wondered why Xavier invited her to Eudora when there were many others that deserved to join the pack other than her.


    Perhaps Xavier found her worthy, or perhaps there was another reason as to why he invited her to Eudora. Briar never got why he did what he did, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t grateful regarding everything he had done for her.


    Even if she didn''t have many friends in Eudora, or had to partake in hunts she despised joining, she loved Eudora in her own way. It had been her home for the past few decades.


    As Briar explained how she came to join Eudora - by chance - Madeline and Indiana listened intently.


    The night progressed, more questions were asked, more dares were handed out, the girls tired themselves out.


    Madeline yawned, "I should probably get to sleep soon."


    Briar and Indiana exchanged a look.


    "We should go," they said in unison.


    "Sorry," they apologized simultaneously.


    Before Indiana was about to apologize again, Briar said, "We should probably get going."


    Nodding, Indiana added, "We wouldn''t want to disrupt your beauty sleep."


    They exchanged goodbyes, and Briar left swiftly after.


    Just as Indiana was about to leave, Madeline stopped her.


    "Wait," she said to Indiana.


    Indiana stopped dead in her tracks, wondering why Madeline had called her when she was just about to leave.


    Did she have something important to say?


    "Hmm?"


    "Before you leave, I just wanted to say, I had a fun time. We should do this again some other time," Madeline admitted to Indiana.


    Indiana was rendered speechless from shock.


    She had not expected this.


    And if anything, it was supposed to be her telling Madeline this. Madeline wasn''t obliged to invite her to a game of truth or dare. She wanted to, willingly. It only went to show how kind of a person Madeline was.


    A genuine smile curved on Indiana''s face, "I did too. We should do this sometime."


    "And also¡­"


    "Yes?" Madeline asked.


    "Thank you."


    "For what?"


    Indiana had already reached her doors.


    Opening her door, Indiana replied, "For spending time with me when no one else would."


    Moving on from Indiana and Madeline¡­ Somewhere far, far away¡­


    A woman lifted her glass, taking a sip from its contents as she watched from a screen.


    "So, she''s adapting to Eudora¡­"


    "Perfect."


    "Now, how''s Emile doing?"


    Snapping her fingers, the screen changed into something else.


    Emilio, to be exact.


    Her eyes stared at the screen,


    "My lady," a voice called her.


    She turned to look at him.


    "Yes? Returned with more news?"


    "Yes, my lady."


    "Then make haste, speak!"


    "Her mate''s off on a hunt, the coast is clear. Everyone but Mr Delcour, Ms Delcour, Ms Alva, and another omega called Indiana joined."


    Her eyes went dark, like she turned into someone else entirely.


    "He is not to be referred to as Mr Delcour."


    "My apologies, ma''am. I meant Emilio."


    "Did he give you permission to refer to him as Emilio?"


    "I¡ª"


    "Silence!"


    Waving dismissively, she shooed him away.


    "Leave me be, if you only came to relay useless information, then I''m better off without your help."


    "What you spent so long figuring out I could have figured out in a matter of seconds. I know that darned alpha is her mate, and that he''s on a hunt. Seems like someone''s forgotten their master''s abilities."


    Her servant stood there, wondering if she really wanted him to leave or if it was a spur of the moment thing. It wouldn''t be the first time he left and she''d call him right back, saying she needed him to do something else when she previously said she no longer needed his assistance.


    "What are you doing, just standing there? Scram! I can check in on them myself, I don''t need your help."


    "I won''t repeat what I did last time if you''re really concerned about that. Geez, all worked up about nothing."


    "Yes ma''am, I''ll leave right away," he said, bowing before her out of courtesy before he left as quickly as he could, getting out of her way.


    He didn''t want to anger her, for that was the biggest mistake any foolish person could make.


    After all, angering a witch was never a good idea.


    "Ugh, finally, he''s gone," she said, taking another sip from her champagne.


    "I thought he''d never leave," she added, caressing her silky coral hair.

 Chapter 90 - But—

    "We meet again," Emilio said to Madeline, glad that they got to talk, even though it was through a dream.


    "I just want to sleep without being disturbed," Madeline admitted, wondering why he wanted to speak to her at this time.


    "Let me return to sleep."


    "I don''t need you bothering me, can''t whatever you have to tell me wait till morning?"


    "Seriously, I don''t want much. I just want to sleep undisturbed."


    "But it''s important," Emilio insisted.


    "It can wait."


    "No, it can''t."


    "Yes, it can. No offense."


    "None taken."


    "But¡ª"


    "I''m locked in a room."


    "I know that already," Madeline said, nodding.


    Frankly, she was too sleepy to look him in the eye.


    "And he threatened to kill you if I left."


    Madeline opened both her eyes just to stare at him.


    "Seriously?"


    "You''re telling me this when I''m trying to sleep?"


    "I''m just worried," Emilio admitted.


    "Worried?"


    Did Xavier really seem like the type of person to kill Madeline if Emilio took one step outside of his room?


    Madeline wondered if Xavier would really kill her, or if Emilio was talking all nonsense and bullshit.


    Xavier wouldn''t¡­


    But¡­ Emilio knew Xavier better than she did, whilst she barely knew the man.


    ''He just told Emilio that so he''d behave and be on his best behaviour,'' she told herself, knowing Xavier would never do such a thing.


    And besides, he couldn''t hurt her himself, so there was that too.


    ''He could always get someone else to do the job for him,'' Madeline reasoned.


    ''But he wouldn''t do that just because Emilio left his room¡­ Would he?''


    Madeline knew Xavier resented Emilio, but did he really hate him enough to threaten her life if he left his designated room? Was he really that¡­ heartless?


    It didn''t seem like something Xavier would say, he didn''t seem like the type of person to threaten their mate''s life.


    Then again, she didn''t know what Xavier would say. As said before, they were beginning to get to know one another, there were still many things they didn''t know about each other, and just as many things to find out.


    Madeline still had no idea of Xavier''s dark past.


    Hmm, it wasn''t really a dark past as much as it was something he wanted to keep hidden from her so she wouldn''t see him differently.


    Emilio definitely knew more about Xavier than Madeline did. He had been Eudora''s alpha before Xavier, there must have been some things he knew about Xavier that Madeline didn''t.


    Secrets, trivial pieces of information, et cetera et cetera.


    Oh, if only Madeline knew half the things Emilio did.


    She''d definitely start seeing Xavier differently - or at least, Emilio thought she would.


    Xavier had told Emilio some things in confidence, and the others Emilio had found himself when he was still the alpha of Eudora, and when Xavier and him were still friends and or collegues. They never made a proper distinction so Emilio was left to wonder what they actually were.


    Not that Xavier would ever call and consider Emilio his friend. That was definite.


    The day Xavier admitted he ever considered Emilio a dear friend at one point was the day pigs began flying and cows began oinking.


    "Thank you for your concern, but it really isn''t necessary."


    "Come on, Xavier wouldn''t hurt me."


    "You don''t know him."


    "I know that," Madeline admitted, nodding.


    "Although,  just because I don''t know him doesn''t mean you do."


    "Ouch," Emilio said, placing a hand on his heart.


    Madeline rolled her eyes in annoyance.


    Why did he have to be such a drama king?


    ''Thank god I''m not as dramatic as him,'' Madeline thought, unaware she was just as dramatic as he was, if not more.


    "Is there something else you have to say to me or is that all?"


    "Do you have to be so rude when talking to me? Just because you mentioned you wanted things to go your way doesn''t mean you can talk to your father this way," Emilio told her, pouting.


    Madeline narrowed her eyes before she sighed.


    "I guess you''re right. I''m just grumpy when I''m tired."


    "So am I."


    ''She got it from me.''


    He fought back a small smile threatening to form on his face.


    Oh hell no.


    Breaking the awkward silence, whilst rubbing her eyes, Madeline told him, "Goodnight. I''m going back to sleep."


    "Goodnight," he said in return, waving at her.


    He didn''t know the proper way to greet Madeline goodnight.


    Was he supposed to give her a kiss on the forehead?


    Bring her into an embrace?


    Tell her he loved - correction, love - her?


    Parenthood was so confusing. No, confusing was a major understatement.


    He simply felt grateful he got to spend time with her, even if the meaning of them spending tune together was a few minutes alone.


    It meant a lot to him, the fact that she''d give him a chance despite knowing the type of person he still was.


    Even Xavier hadn''t, so he found it rather strange Madeline would welcome him with¡­ open arms.


    Alright, Emilio had to admit, Madeline did not welcome him with open arms. All she did was give him a second chance, although that was more than enough for him.


    Even if Madeline didn''t trust him.


    Even if Madeline seemingly disliked him, he''d be on his best behaviour so long as it meant he had a chance to get to know her and make up for all of that lost time.


    If Cornelia even thought that he wouldn''t even try to get to know their daughter better, then she was about to proven very wrong.


    And someone needed to watch over Madeline.


    If Cornelia wouldn''t do it, then he most certainly would.


    Geez, where was she even? Vacationing someplace else with a new boytoy, without him?


    ''Tsk, that woman.''


    ''Does she even care about me anymore? After she left me to rot in that cave and hid our daughter from me, she dares do such a thing?''


    Then, there was another lingering thought in his head.


    One which entailed Cornelia not being Madeline''s mother.


    Now why would Emilio think such a thing? Of course Cornelia was Madeline''s mother, what with their uncanny resemblance and all the other similarities they had with each other.


    It was a no-brainer that they were mother and daughter; Emilio wondered why he had been so blind before. For a moment, he was under the impression that it was all a coincidence.


    Anyone that knew or seen Cornelia could have taken one glance at Madeline and connected the dots.


    ''Oh, they''re mother and daughter.''


    But, there was one slight problem.


    Timing.


    The timing didn''t add up.


    There was no trace of Cornelia''s blood anywhere. There was no way of telling if Madeline was actually her daughter other than the jarring similarities that were already there.


    And frankly, there was no catching Cornelia''s attention. She was likely busy with other things, whether it was experimenting, or other things.


    It was also Madeline''s excuse.


    ''Why hadn''t my real mother ever thought to visit me or check up on me? Oh, probably because she was too busy to, that must be why.''


    Or maybe¡­ She wanted nothing to do with her daughter.


    If she truly cared, couldn''t she have freed some of her space to go and see her?


    That was far better than decades of continuous silence, which gave Madeline the wrong impression.


    Then again, she had foster parents growing up, so she thought her biological parents never wanted her so they gave her away to people who did.


    Oh, how she was wrong.


    Her father never knew she existed; it was her mother who gave her away when she was a mere infant.


    [Author''s Note: Just wanted to put it out there that Cornelia is actually Madeline''s mother to prevent anyone from getting confused.]


    Why did her mother do that?


    No one knew.


    Maybe she didn''t feel ready and equipped enough to be a mother, or maybe she really didn''t want a daughter.


    That was only for Cornelia to know, and for Emilio to find out.


    Emilio just wondered why hadn''t Cornelia confided in him on what to do with Madeline.


    Something in his gut told him Madeline was Cornelia''s daughter. She simply had to be.


    There was no one else but Cornelia in the picture. No one else but her he got together with.


    Emilio lied awake in the middle of the night, "Why did she keep Madeline a secret from me?"


    "Did she think I was unfit to be a father?"


    "Alright, she has a good reason to think of me as unfit to be a father," Emilio reasoned, although that was no reason to hide Madeline''s existence from him.


    But¡­ She knew him. Did she really think he''d do something to harm Madeline, his one and only daughter?


    Despite everything he''d done, she was his daughter. Him and Cornelia''s daughter.


    He wouldn''t put her in danger¡­


    Intentionally, at the very least.

 Chapter 91 - His Subordinates

    However, Emilio knew that being his daughter meant a lot of danger was on Madeline''s way already.


    Xavier''s threat to hurt her was simply the cherry on top.


    Many would have it out for Madeline for what he had done.


    How unfair was it for someone to be hunted all because of who her father was?


    And if everyone went by that logic, shouldn''t they have backed away and reconsider harming the daughter of Cornelia and Emilio?


    Cornelia was powerful.


    She may not have been present during Madeline''s life, but if something were to happen to her daughter, she wouldn''t be happy about it¡­ Right?


    That was up for discussion.


    Moving on from Cornelia¡­


    Madeline yawned, taking in the sunlight.


    She had woken up to Lily''s soft purring.


    "Seems like someone liked the cat bed I made," Madeline chuckled, looking at the cat bed she had made out of a sweater and a large pillow.


    It wasn''t the best, but it worked for now. And besides, Madeline doubted she had what it took to be a cat mom. What more a little kitten that was in need of someone well equipped to take care of her, not someone who was still picking up the pieces and hanging on to life by a bare thread.


    ''Maybe I''m being a bit dramatic,'' Madeline thought in her head.


    She wasn''t a hot mess, she was put together - sometimes, at least.


    Madeline remembered how Briar and Indiana had reacted to Lily when they first met her.


    They had both taken a dislike to her until they warmed up to Lily.


    Recalling yesterday''s events, Briar had asked her where in the world had she found Lily.


    And much to Briar''s shock, Madeline told her that she had found Lily roaming around Eudora, and that she had found Lily right outside her quarters.


    There had been no instance of this before, this was a first.


    At this point, anything that had to do with Madeline was a first.


    During the whole time Briar had been at Eudora, she had never seen a cat. Ever.


    It was common knowledge that Xavier hated cats. From what Madeline told her, Briar knew Xavier had already met Lily previously.


    Oh, he definitely did not react lightly to seeing Lily in Madeline''s quarters.


    He must have wanted Lily to leave.


    What Briar didn''t know was that there was one thing Xavier was deadly allergic to, and that thing was cats.


    ''Alright, I have to admit, Lily''s adorable,'' Briar told Madeline the other day.


    ''She is,'' Madeline replied, chuckling.


    Indiana seemed to really like Lily as well. They got along really well and Indiana had ended up giving Lily a pat on the head.


    Madeline stroked Lily''s head gently, asking her, "Did you sleep well?"


    ''Who am I kidding, Lily can''t respond to me, she''s a kitten! I''d have to be crazy to think she''d respond to me when I asked her if she slept well.''


    ''Maybe I didn''t get enough sleep last night.''


    The cat meowed.


    Madeline looked at her, wondering if Lily could understand what she told her.


    Ever since she discovered werewolves existed, nothing was off the table. Talking cats included.


    Who knew? Maybe Lily was able to talk but was refraining from talking to her so as to not scare her away.


    Or maybe Madeline was making things up. It was either one.


    Madeline frowned when she thought of how she''d have to give Lily up sooner or later.


    Xavier had a severe allergy to cats, and she''d never want to put Xavier in an uncomfortable position.


    ''The sooner I get rid of Lily, the less attached and hurt I''ll be,'' Madeline said to herself, feeling her heart crack into two.


    She didn''t want to bid Lily goodbye, she had been an amazing temporary support pet, if there was actually something like that in the world.


    Madeline pouted, "I''m sorry, I have to give you to someone else soon."


    "I hope you won''t mind," Madeline said to Lily.


    Lily purred. She didn''t seem to mind it. That, or she didn''t understand what was happening and was going along with it.


    Madeline felt a pit of guilt well up in her stomach, unable to rid of the kitten. It felt like she was doing something horrible - which she actually was.


    She couldn''t imagine the day where she actually had to wish Lily goodbye. The pain she''d feel when she''d be separated from the kitten.


    It had been a day, and she found herself emotionally attached to the adorable creature which was Lily.


    ''Is it selfish of me to regret bringing her in?''


    ''Had I never brought her in, I would have never gotten attached. Is this why some people choose not to have pets?''


    Madeline got out of bed, brushing her hair so she didn''t look like an untamed lion that had been let out of its cage.


    Today would be the first day she ate breakfast without Xavier there.


    It wasn''t that big of a deal, although Madeline missed him.


    ''I wonder how Xavier''s doing right now,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    Xavier was still leading the hunt along with Adrian.


    Unlike normal hunts that included shotguns and gloves, Eudorian hunts entailed hunting in packs and stealthily looking for innocent prey, preferably large hoofed animals such as deers, bison, moose and elk.


    And afterwards, they made their move, doing whatever it took to kill their prey before feasting on their bleeding corpses.


    Xavier, being the alpha, was in the thick of the hunt. He selected which animal to pursue, and if the hunt was going too poorly, he could choose to break off the hunt and return to Eudora.


    He trusted the members of his pack, they knew exactly what to do. He didn''t need to go all bossy and bark out orders to his subordinates.


    Xavier only did so if necessary.


    And besides, they didn''t need anyone to command them. If anything, they were on their best behaviours whenever the hunt came around.


    If they were to misbehave, Xavier would likely end the hunt right then and there. That would be extremely unfair to everyone, so no one spoke out, and no one complained. They behaved and acted accordingly. Hunts were not held frequently, so this was a rarity as well as an opportunity they didn''t want to ruin.


    Returning to Indiana¡­


    She was surprised to find Briar at her doorstep, asking her if she''d like to join her and Madeline for breakfast.


    Pointing at herself, she asked, "Me?"


    "Are you sure you''ve got the right person?"


    "Oh come on, of course I''ve got the right person. There''s practically no one here besides you, and another person we don''t speak of."


    "If you don''t want to join us, just say it. We don''t mind," Briar said to her.


    It was her idea to invite Indiana to breakfast, not Madeline''s. Oh, one could definitely say it''d be a surprise for Madeline to find Briar and Indiana entering the breakfast room together.


    It''d be a pleasant surprise of course, seeing Briar and Indiana together, which was partly why Briar had invited Indiana. That, and also because she enjoyed truth or dare with Indiana last night. She made excellent company.


    And knowing the fatal blow her reputation took, it wouldn''t hurt for Indiana to have some friends here in Eudora, even if it meant for her to have to befriend Delta Briar, who was known for mostly keeping to herself, and Madeline, the person she had once wronged.


    Not the best people to befriend, but she wasn''t anyone to judge.


    They had welcomed her and treated her kindly. The least she could do was treat them just as they treated her.


    "No, no, I''d gladly join you and Madeline."


    "I was just shocked you invited me, is all," Indiana admitted.


    "Ah," Briar said.


    Originally, she hadn''t planned to invite Indiana to breakfast, but hey, it wasn''t a horrible idea, and she liked Indiana. She was sweet. So here she was, asking Indiana to join her and Madeline for breakfast when she hadn''t even asked Madeline if she was alright with it.


    Knowing Madeline, her answer would be a yes. She would never object to Indiana joining them.


    Speaking of Madeline, she was already waiting for Briar in the kitchen.


    Since there was no one in Eudora, the kitchen had been left empty, and there was no one to whip them breakfast.


    So, Madeline and Briar decided to make their own breakfast in Eudora''s kitchen, because why not? What''s the worst that could happen?


    Briar and Indiana made their way to the kitchen, chatting along their way there.


    __


    Author''s Note: The mass release is coming soon, stay tuned for four brand-spanking new chapters, all in one day to show my appreciation and gratitude to you all after all the support you''ve shown and everything you''ve done for me and my work.


    Hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful Christmas Eve/Christmas/day, dear readers!


    Love, your author, mari.

 Chapter 92 - Me & Him? Oh God No

    "We''ve arrived!" Briar announced to Madeline who was already decked out in an apron.


    "Finally! What took you so lo¡ª"


    "Hold on a moment, did you say ''we''?" Madeline questioned, walking out of the kitchen to see Briar and Indiana standing beside each other.


    "Oh!" She exclaimed in shock.


    "Hi Indiana," she waved, grinning.


    "Didn''t expect to see you here."


    Madeline wondered why she hadn''t thought of inviting Indiana to breakfast herself. She was so caught up with Lily and having to give her away that she completely forgot about Indiana.


    She was about to invite her to breakfast, but she had forgotten to.


    ''Curse my horrible memory,'' Madeline scolded herself, adding, ''She probably thinks I purposely left her out.''


    That wasn''t the case at all. Madeline wouldn''t do such a thing to Indiana.


    Safe to say, Madeline felt a tad bit guilty over what happened to Indiana. She felt it was because of her.


    Maybe some things got lost in translation, or Indiana really did mean those things, but Madeline knew Indiana was a good person.


    She didn''t mean any harm to anyone.


    Madeline didn''t think so, at least.


    Sure, some mean words came out from her mouth, but she apologized for it.


    And Madeline knew a sincere apology from a fake one. Separating one from another was simple.


    So when Indiana apologized to her, she could tell Indiana was being sincere. And if Indiana wasn''t¡­


    Who knew what might happen next?


    The others would find it strange that Madeline chose to befriend Indiana when there were many other more suitable options. Especially in the category of people who had not done Madeline dirty in the past.


    ''Who would''ve thought that I''d end up befriending Indiana?''


    Madeline realized she had been making lots of questionable decisions lately. First, taking Lily in. Second, choosing to befriend Indiana of all people.


    "Come in," Madeline said, gesturing Indiana and Briar to enter.


    Indiana smiled, walking in the kitchen.


    Inside, she was incredibly nervous.


    She was never good at cooking, it was why she stuck to baking.


    The last time she tried cooking, she nearly burnt the kitchen down. That was why she was usually assigned to dish duty when eating with her friends. Well, her ex-friends. They no longer wanted anything to do with her now so doubted they saw her as a friend.


    But, after they saw her with Madeline, would they change their minds?


    After all, Madeline was a popular name in Eudora. Everyone knew her. Everyone was terrified of her.


    Indiana had been the only foolish person to mess with Madeline and look where she was now, it seemed to work out quite well for her.


    However, she was still in Xavier''s bad graces after what she''d done and there was nothing she could do to change that. Not unless a miracle occured.


    Heck, Indiana thought Xavier had purposely gotten Briar to stay with Madeline to protect her from¡­ well, her.


    It was quite reasonable of Xavier to do so.


    Maybe he thought after she did one thing, she''d go on to do another, especially when he was absent from Eudora. And that Indiana was not to be trusted.


    Whilst Indiana admitted that stung, Xavier was just concerned about Madeline''s safety.


    ''He''s just being a concerned boyfriend.''


    Oh yes, Indiana still thought Madeline and Xavier were dating, even though that wasn''t the case at all.


    If she were to even mention Madeline and Xavier dating, she''d get corrected, and she''d discover that they never dated in the first place.


    They were just friends; they saw each other as just that.


    But Indiana didn''t know that.


    Heck, she saw them as an adorable couple. Imagine if she were to find out that what she thought was true was actually false.


    Breaking the silence, Indiana told Madeline, "You and Xavier sure make an adorable couple."


    Briar and Madeline stared at her, wondering what she was talking about.


    ''Couple?''


    A bead of sweat rolled down Madeline''s face.


    "Couple? Me and Xavier are not dating," Madeline corrected, furrowing her brows in confusion.


    Where had she heard that she and Xavier were dating?


    Did everyone in Eudora think so too?


    Madeline inhaled. This wouldn''t end well, huh.


    "Wait, what?" Indiana asked, her eyes widening.


    "The two of you aren''t an item?"


    "Oh god no, we''re not."


    Madeline shook her head.


    "We''re just friends," she explained, "Nothing more."


    "Woah."


    "Where did you hear that we were dating?"


    "Uh, I didn''t hear it from anyone, I just assumed so."


    Briar fought back a laugh.


    If she didn''t know better, she''d be just like Indiana.


    She''d automatically assume Xavier and Madeline were dating.


    Heck, if she was Indiana in this situation she would''ve told Madeline the same thing as well.


    Meanwhile, Madeline was stunned.


    Did people really think he and her were dating?


    Did things get lost in translation or something?


    How could people possibly think she and him were¡­ together? As something more than friends?


    Shaking her head, she assured Indiana that she and Xavier were not dating.


    "We most certainly are not dating," she said to Indiana seriously.


    "Anything but that."


    "Xavier''s a great guy, but dating''s out of the picture."


    Even if they were mates.


    Indiana had to admit she felt partly relieved her assumptions turned out to be false, although she was left to wonder¡­ Had they never given each other a chance despite being mates and amazing friends?


    Indiana stared at Madeline incredulously, wanting to say something to her but ending up not saying anything at all.


    __


    Author''s Note: Merry Christmas everyone! (Or Christmas Eve depending on your time zone).


    Hope you all have wonderful Christmases and enjoy the four new chapters that will be posted today!


    And also, I''d like to thank one reader. To DaoistSXBpUt, thank you ever so much for the magic castle. When I wrote Her Devilish Alpha, I never expected to receive any gift like that. Thank you, truly.


    Alright, moving on from that, here''s to a wonderful Christmas from this small author.


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 93 - Cheers!

    ''Why in the world would people think Xavier and I could possibly be dating?''


    ''That''s crazy!'' Madeline thought.


    It didn''t make any sense.


    Xavier would agree with her on this.


    Why ever would--


    This was preposterous!


    Yes, Madeline admitted she found Xavier good looking. Extremely good looking, actually.


    And on top of that, he was a really, really sweet and caring person.


    Madeline stared into the distance, nearly burning the cupcakes she was supposed to be watching over.


    "Madeline? Madeline!"


    "Earth to Madeline," Indiana said, waving her hand in front of Madeline''s face to get her attention.


    "Madeline? Are you there?" She asked, looking behind her to see if Briar had returned.


    She had gone to fetch some missing ingredients for their breakfast, leaving Indiana and Madeline to bake the cupcakes.


    Funnily enough, Madeline was horrible at baking and great at cooking, whilst Indiana was great at baking and horrible at cooking.


    A perfect match.


    Madeline blinked, seeing Indiana look at her worrily.


    "What is it?"


    "You spaced out for a bit."


    "Ah."


    Madeline turned to look at the cupcakes, which were still baking in the oven.


    ''Oh phew, the cupcakes are still baking.''


    ''Briar would''ve been upset if I''d burnt them, thank god I didn''t.''


    Well, it wasn''t just her in charge of watching over the cupcakes.


    "You alright?" Indiana questioned.


    Nodding, Madeline assured Indiana she was perfectly alright, saying she was simply sleepy.


    Right, back to Madeline simping, no, thinking about Xavier.


    Xavier¡­ She was skeptical at first of werewolves existing, and scared as well, but Xavier was there for her every step of the way.


    She could spend hours thanking Xavier for everything he''d done.


    The reason she was still here was also him.


    He''d saved her life¡­


    What, twice?


    Knowing Xavier, he probably blamed himself for everything she had been through, including the times she had nearly lost her life albeit there were things that he couldn''t control.


    Madeline hoped he knew it wasn''t any of his fault.


    "The cupcakes are done!" Indiana exclaimed happily.


    A grin formed on Madeline''s face as she watched Indiana pull out two trays of steaming, delicious-looking cupcakes.


    "They look amazing," Madeline praised, looking hungrily at them.


    Just as Madeline reached for a cupcake, Indiana slapped her hand.


    "Don''t. They''re still hot, remember?"


    "Then how can you¡ª"


    Madeline paused.


    "Right, never mind about that," she nodded, completely forgetting the fact Indiana, like Briar and Xavier, was a werewolf.


    Unlike Madeline, they wouldn''t have to use any mittens to fetch trays, they could use their hands without having to worry about burning themselves.


    ''I just wanted a cupcake,'' Madeline said, pouting.


    She was getting hungry.


    "Hmm, where''s Briar gone? She hasn''t returned."


    Indiana furrowed her brows.


    "You''re not the only one wondering that."


    "Moving on, we''ve gotten the cupcakes done, drinks nearly done, what are we missing¡­"


    "Me, you''re missing me," Briar said, startling the two of them.


    "Briar, you''re back!" Madeline exclaimed.


    "Course I am. Took me a while but¡­ I''m back."


    "Oh, and I brought drinks!" Briar announced, just as Indiana was about to ask her if she''d returned with anything.


    She had found a bottle of wine that paired amazingly with the white chocolate cupcakes they''d made.


    Ice wine.


    Briar had snagged a bottle of ice wine from a cabinet in the breakfast room. All she needed was to look at the right place to find the right loot. That was how she returned victorious.


    And by returning victorious¡­ A bottle of ice wine in hand.


    "Yay!"


    Briar smiled, "Let''s get breakfast started, shall we?"


    "Agreed," Indiana nodded before reaching for the trays of cupcakes.


    Madeline helped Indiana hold one of the trays now that they had cooled and weren''t as hot as they were before.


    They moved their breakfast to a table, Briar bringing a large bottle and a couple of glasses for her, Indiana and Madeline.


    "There," Indiana said, grinning proudly at what they''d made themselves.


    All it took was about an hour of work and fun and now, bam!


    Breakfast was ready.


    "Cheers," Madeline said, clinking glasses with Briar and Indiana.


    She hadn''t expected to have so much fun with Briar and Indiana.


    For a moment, she thought she''d have to fake a smile or something.


    Besides, there was no one in Eudora other than the two girls and Emilio. And, when push comes to shove, Madeline would pick Briar and Indiana over Emilio any day.


    ''Hmm, that''s cruel. I haven''t gotten to know Emilio yet and I''ve never given him a shot either.''


    ''Speaking of that, I should probably give him a chance. After the hunt, of course. Not now.''


    ''After this, it''s a chill day with Lily.''


    Madeline took a sip of her ice wine, savouring it.


    She continued to enjoy her breakfast with Briar and Indiana, devouring the cupcakes Indiana had made on her own - with a tad bit of help from her rookie assistant, Madeline.


    "Yum," Madeline said after she bit into a white chocolate cupcake.


    "We should totally do this again sometime," she said, to which both Briar and Indiana agreed.


    "Definitely," Indiana commented.


    "That goes without saying," Briar agreed, nodding.


    "Refill?" Briar went on to ask Indiana, lifting the bottle of ice wine.


    "Mhm," Indiana answered, holding her glass out.


    Whilst eating, Madeline realized that Emilio had nothing to eat and that he was probably starving by now, so she decided to save a few of the cupcakes they had made for him when she went to visit him.


    She knew exactly where he was - Xavier had told her where - so she could visit him if she wanted to.


    It was like getting the chance to see an animal in a cage, the animal being Emilio and the cage being the room he was confined to which was reminiscent of the cave he was stuck in for many, many years.


    Madeline deliberated over this.


    Was this the smartest decision, visiting Emilio?


    Would he attempt to hurt her if she came anywhere near him?

 Chapter 94 - Things Going Terribly Wrong

    Madeline gulped.


    She had a habit of making dangerously bad decisions these past few days. Things were on the verge of going terribly wrong, although nothing happened¡­ yet.


    ''Oh, I shouldn''t think something''s going to happen. Wouldn''t want to jinx it,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    She sighed, "I can''t believe breakfast is over so soon."


    "As I said before, we should definitely do this again sometime."


    "What about we meet again for lunch?" Madeline questioned, looking at Briar and Indiana to see what they thought and if they were free.


    "Sure," Briar and Indiana said in unison.


    "So, see you for lunch then," Briar said to the two of the ladies sitting across from her.


    They exchanged goodbyes before they were on their separate ways, Briar and Indiana off to retire to their rooms whilst Madeline took a couple of cupcakes and the leftover ice wine for Emilio to eat.


    Emilio''s ears perked up as he heard footsteps approaching his jail.


    Oh yes, he considered it a jail.


    But, it seemed like now there was a visitor approaching.


    He hoped it was Madeline.


    He wanted to see her and only her, no one else.


    And as he had hoped, it was Madeline coming to visit him.


    "Hello," Madeline greeted, confused as to how to start an actual conversation between him and Emilio.


    How else could she start a conversation? They didn''t have a close relationship, they were practically strangers!


    "You came," Emilio noted, unable to see Madeline''s face although he was able to recognize her voice in an instant.


    "I did."


    "And I brought breakfast."


    Emilio felt touched. Madeline thought of him and even brought him something to eat, how sweet was that?


    He was beginning to starve here. Back in his cave, he was able to lure animals and feasted on them whenever he pleased.


    Here? His actions were far more limited. Heck, he could barely move here.


    "You did?" He asked as his voice cracked whilst he wondered if this was some kind of joke she was playing.


    He hoped not, he had already gotten his hopes up and was all emotional.


    "I did," Madeline confirmed.


    She unlocked the door, placing a bag of treats for Emilio to help himself to.


    Emilio knew better than to invite Madeline in.


    He wouldn''t let himself in either if he were her.


    Opening the bag, Emilio braced himself for disappointment.


    Plot twist, Madeline brought him nothing.


    But she wouldn''t do that¡­


    Would she?


    ''She probably still hates me,'' Emilio thought to himself, frowning.


    Xavier knew what he was doing when he threatened Emilio and made him stay in that room.


    Emilio could''ve left at any time he wanted to, but when he was told what was on the line - Madeline''s life - he stayed.


    If he left and tried wreaking havoc on Eudora, there was practically no one left there other than Indiana, Briar and Madeline.


    And who in their right mind would harm their children?


    Emilio, actually - before he discovered Madeline was his daughter, of course.


    Had Madeline not been his daughter¡­


    As much as Emilio didn''t want to admit it, she probably would''ve been left for dead somewhere.


    But, before he could''ve killed her, he found out she was his daughter, which obviously changed things.


    Emilio was thankful he got the chance to get to know Madeline better.


    The fact that Cornelia hadn''t also helped.


    Well, she had the chance, she just gave it away. Emilio was never given the chance so now that he was, he wouldn''t let it go. He''d fight as hard as he could if it meant he could have a stable if not loving relationship with his daughter.


    He and Madeline were going through a rough patch - of sorts - but once this was done with, who knows?


    ''Maybe I''ll finally do something right in my life, what with all the mistakes I''ve made in the past.''


    If only Madeline knew he felt this way, all she knew was that he''d go along with how she wanted to go about things.


    He wanted to change.


    He wanted to do something right. And he took everything as best as he could since he thought he deserved it.


    Sure, after everything he had done to Eudora, he did, but this was not about Eudora. This was about him and Madeline.


    Madeline never got to know her mother. She grew up with adoptive parents and was unaware of what she actually was, being under the impression that she was a human until recently.


    Who did that to someone?


    Who hid the fact that their adoptive daughter was inhuman?


    Were they - like Madeline - unaware of it?


    If yes, that was reason enough. But if they knew all along, how cruel were they to have hidden it from her?


    Couldn''t they have at least told her when she was of age?


    Why did Madeline have to find out her true heritage from someone else?


    She had the right to know long before she actually found out.


    It was crazy!


    Emilio didn''t spend any time pitying himself.


    The only person who deserved pity? Madeline.


    And to make things worse, her biological mother seemed to want nothing to do with her.


    He respected Madeline for not letting that get to her. Even if she was adopted, he reckoned it hurt.


    She had been wronged in the past, so he was trying his best to make up for it even if he had little to no part to play in it, excluding the time where he tried killing her.


    ''Even if it takes a million apologies and me having to do whatever Madeline wants for her to forgive me? It is worth it. She is my daughter, and I am trying to make up for lost time so if this is what I have got to do, then so be it.''


    Madeline closed the door before she took a seat on the floor outside the room, not leaving her father''s side.


    [Author''s Note: Emilio''s trapped in a hut.]

 Chapter 95 - Are You Serious?

    "Were you brought food before?"


    Emilio asked her, "Honest answer?"


    "Honest answer."


    Then, Emilio went on to admit, "I wasn''t. I''m starving."


    Madeline felt concerned. Sure, locking Emilio up was fair. But starving him? Seriously? That wasn''t okay.


    Her hand flew to her mouth.


    ''Woah, why am I so worried all of a sudden?''


    "Then eat," she insisted, not wanting Emilio to starve.


    "I brought you food for a reason."


    "I am!" Emilio exclaimed, not wanting Madeline to worry.


    Madeline frowned, wondering why she was getting all irritated.


    "Want me to get you something else?" She asked him, fiddling with her fingers.


    "No thanks," Emilio replied, taking a sip of the wine Madeline had brought him and generously gifted him.


    ''That''s delicious. And what about the cupcakes?''


    He happily munched on the cupcakes Madeline brought him which tasted even better than it should have been since it was her who had brought him them.


    Madeline and Emilio sat across each other in silence, one of the hut''s walls separating them although they felt each other''s presence regardless.


    They didn''t feel the need to speak.


    Emilio questioned, "Why did you do this?"


    "You didn''t have to bring me food. You could''ve left me to starve for all you cared."


    Madeline crossed her arms, "I''m not heartless, Em¡ª"


    She debated on what to call Emilio, deciding to call him Emilio before reckoning that''d be rude.


    ''He''s still my dad, I shouldn''t be calling him Emilio.''


    "So, what do I call you?" Madeline asked him.


    Emilio seemed fazed on what to get Madeline to call him.


    Dad? She would definitely refuse.


    Father? No.


    Emilio? Wouldn''t that be extremely strange?


    Emile? No.


    So what was he supposed to answer?


    Mister? Oh come on, they''d gotten past the point of talking to each other so formally.


    However, they weren''t close enough to talk to each other informally as well.


    "I''m not sure either," Emilio answered truthfully.


    "What about¡­"


    "Err," he hesitated.


    "Emilio?"


    Madeline furrowed her brows.


    "Alright," she agreed.


    Knowing that she had lunch with Briar and Indiana coming up in a bit, Madeline was prepared to bid Emilio and - as the modern kids called it - dip.


    [Author''s Note: Dip means leave.]


    Emilio then went on to ask her, "And what do you want me to call you?"


    As awkward a conversation it was, it was definitely better than not speaking at all. It was an improvement.


    ''Baby steps,'' Madeline thought, cheering herself on.


    She could do this.


    ''I can do this.''


    ''This is what I signed myself up for.''


    "Madeline, or Maddie''s fine," Madeline answered, her voice muffled.


    Emilio wondered if he was wasting her time.


    After all, she had been sitting outside his hut for quite a while.


    He hoped she didn''t find this time-wasting.


    Albeit it was, he found it great that they were finally spending some time together - just like he had been hoping for.


    When Xavier returned, he knew he and Madeline would have less time to spend getting to know each other as she seemed to have taken quite an interest in Xavier in what he had seen and heard.


    He was weakened, not blind. He still knew there was something between Xavier and Madeline.


    Emilio considered himself a love expert, of sorts.


    ''I know a great deal about love, don''t I?''


    ''I mean, I was in love with Cornelia. I probably still am. Shouldn''t that make me an expert?''


    He knew exactly what it was like to be in love with someone that wasn''t his mate. That accounted for something, shouldn''t it?


    Many people had never fallen in love before.


    Whether Madeline had was unknown to him, but he hoped to find out if he could.


    ''Maybe I could give her some pointers,'' he said, unaware that - just like him - Madeline also thought she was some expert.


    Hmm, Madeline didn''t think of herself as an expert. That would be overkill.


    Madeline simply thought that she had read enough novels and watched enough romance movies and TV shows to be considered someone that was experienced in the arts of love.


    How she was wrong.


    One knew what being head over heels in love felt like, the other thought books and movies made them informed of anything love related.


    Funny, it seemed like the apple didn''t fall too far from the tree when it came to this.


    Beginning a deep conversation with Madeline, he inquired, "Have you ever been in love before?"


    Her ears perked up.


    ''Did he just ask me if I''ve ever been in love?''


    ''Is he looking for people to kill or something?''


    Blinking, she replied, "I don''t think so."


    It was Emilio''s turn to be confused.


    "What do you mean ''I don''t think so''?"


    "What kind of answer is that?"


    Madeline shrugged, "I''m not sure if I''ve ever been in love before."


    "Wow," Emilio remarked.


    "I don''t know what to say."


    Madeline scoffed, "Neither do I."


    "Why do I sense a long spiel coming?"


    Shrugging, Madeline admitted, "I mean, I do have room for a long spiel. Lunch with my friends isn''t till about¡­"


    "Not sure, an hour?"


    Emilio found his curiosity piqued.


    "Go, speak."


    "I''m not stopping you," he said to her, wondering what it was she had to say.


    Hey, he was willing to listen. And if she wanted to rant or vent or speak or whatever, she could. To him.


    Things may have been awkward, but Emilio had all the free time in the world.


    Not to mention, Emilio had no one else to talk to but her. No one else was willing to have a proper conversation with him other than her.


    Heck, no one treated him seriously other than her.


    And at first, she didn''t treat him seriously either. She was one of them.


    But now, she was beginning to treat him the way he wanted to be treated.


    Fairly, and just like everyone else.


    Alright, everyone else was an obvious exaggeration, but it was nice, feeling like he had someone that didn''t talk to him like he was a useless jerk.

 Chapter 96 - I’ve Never Been In Love Before

    ''Maybe I am a useless jerk. So what? That does not give people a proper reason to treat me like cheap dirt.''


    ''Okay, okay, maybe it does.''


    ''Yeah, it definitely does. But that''s not the point here. The point is listening to what Madeline has to say and reacting to it like a normal¡­ person would.''


    "So," Madeline began.


    "Are you there?" She asked, checking in to see if Emilio wasn''t in some food coma or had fallen asleep out of boredom.


    "Mhm, I am," Emilio responded in the nick of time, managing to surprise Madeline.


    ''Wow, I didn''t expect him to answer."


    Madeline felt it was incredibly random.


    Why would she pour out all her feelings or everything she had pent up to someone like Emilio who she had barely known?


    There was Briar.


    There was Xavier, even.


    Indiana too.


    But it was Emilio who she wanted to spill it to.


    It was nice, Madeline had to admit, having a fatherly figure in her life.


    Someone who was looking out for her that wasn''t any of her current friends.


    Someone who could remind her to take care of herself when she was feeling ill.


    All the times she desperately craved a father in her life, such as her high school graduation when everyone else had their parents bringing them flower bouquets and hugging them, or when she realized she was an adult and no longer a teenager.


    There was no one.


    Her adoptive parents were nothing but legal guardians. Nothing more.


    They were never there for her.


    She had to watch as everyone was showered with love whilst she stood there alone, her school bag in hand and her eyes glancing around the room. And all the feelings that came up when she thought back to it only made her feel incredibly pathetic about thinking this way.


    High school and teenagehood was a long time ago.


    ''I shouldn''t be feeling this way, right?''


    ''That was all a long time ago, it''s over now. I should''ve been done with this ages ago.''


    "I don''t think I''ve ever been in love before," Madeline said to Emilio.


    "I''m not sure because I don''t know what love feels like."


    "There are what books and movies say about it, then there''s the fact that I''ve never witnessed love before."


    Emilio felt something strange in his chest. Something that stung.


    ''Ow, what was that?'' He questioned himself.


    What was that stinging sensation in his heart?


    Was it pain? Pity?


    Or the guilt of not being present in Madeline''s life?


    Guilt, a recurring moral emotion.


    Saying Emilio was guilty would be an understatement in general.


    "My adoptive parents didn''t love each other, that was clear."


    That was a fatal blow on Emilio.


    "You had adoptive parents?"


    "Yeah," Madeline answered, nodding.


    "Oh," he said, sounding heartbroken.


    "I''m sorry, I just¡ª"


    "No, no. Go on," Emilio encouraged.


    "It''s alright. And besides, I did tell you I''d listen, didn''t I?"


    "I''m a man of my word," Emilio said, trying his best to sound prideful.


    Madeline went silent, before she gathered up her courage to ask him, "What was it like, between you and¡­ What was her name?"


    "Cornelia," Emilio answered.


    "Yeah, her," Madeline nodded.


    Emilio chuckled.


    "It''s inexplicable."


    "The relationship between me and that mother of yours."


    "She''s a real firework."


    Emilio stopped himself.


    He was about to practically confess his feelings for Cornelia. Oh luna, wouldn''t that have been so insensitive?


    Madeline was just talking about how she didn''t know what love was like. And here he was, about to tell her how amazing it felt when he was with her.


    So amazing that he never wanted it to end in the first place.


    Love.


    It was like dancing across the clouds in a never-ending waltz with the one person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. Something would tell you there was only one person in the picture, and that person was your one true love.


    That was how Emilio would describe love to Madeline.


    At least, that was what he thought him and Cornelia had. It was obviously wrong, since she had moved on from him and onto something probably better.


    Heck, he was so in love with her that he was happy for her and what she had probably achieved by now.


    To this very day, Emilio thought he didn''t deserve Cornelia. He never deserved someone as amazing as her.


    That was how madly in love he still was.


    Despite all odds, despite the centuries that passed, the love he had for her was one that would never cease to exist.


    He could never get over her, and even if he did, which had practically no chance of happening¡­ A part of him would always love her, and keep the fond memories they shared in his heart.


    If Madeline knew of what he thought, she''d burst out into laughter and call him bluff.


    She''d wonder how someone like him was capable of feeling such beautiful emotion. That was what he thought, not what would actually happen, of course.


    Emilio had a habit of thinking the worst things imaginable would happen. That was how he functioned, bracing himself for disappointment so he wouldn''t feel disappointed when all things went horrible.


    Although, one thing he knew about Cornelia was that she wasn''t the type of person to simply abandon someone like Madeline.


    In some way, Cornelia must''ve thought keeping Madeline as far away from her as possible was keeping her safe.


    "Cornelia and I were¡­ madly in love," Emilio said, refusing to say anymore than he already had.


    Madeline furrowed her brows, honestly expecting more from him than, ''Me and mom were madly in love.''


    Perhaps it was from watching all those shows and reading all those books that had made her have higher standards, or because she assumed there was something incredible between Cornelia and Emilio.


    __


    Author''s Note: It has come to my attention that there was a chapter mix up (with chapters 94 & 95). I sincerely apologize. With all the chapters, it seemed like I posted the wrong chapters.. I''ll make sure it won''t happen again, I truly am sorry.

 Chapter 97 - A Whirlwind Romance

    "Do tell," Madeline said to him.


    "What do you mean? I already told you Cornelia and I were madly in love. What more do you want me to tell you?"


    "You said ''were''," Madeline pointed out.


    "Eh, it''s complicated," Emilio admitted.


    Madeline told him, "I have a lot of time on my hands. Go ahead."


    "Didn''t you have something you wanted to say beforehand?" Emilio asked.


    Madeline shook her head, "You and Cornelia sound way more interesting than anything I''d have to say."


    Besides, Madeline sensed something in its midst.


    Something Emilio was hiding from her.


    ''What are you refusing to tell me, Emilio?'' Madeline wondered.


    Did this have something to do with his actual feelings towards her mother?


    ''Feels weird calling Cornelia my mother,'' Madeline admitted, pursing her lips.


    ''Then again, just because she gave birth to me doesn''t mean she''s automatically my mother.''


    Madeline reminded Emilio that he didn''t have to tell her anything, it was optional. If it was too personal to share, then he could keep it to himself.


    Emilio told her, "It''s not that I don''t want to tell you, it''s just that¡­"


    He racked his brain for a reason.


    There was no reason for him not to tell her anything.


    "That what?" Madeline inquired.


    "Err."


    Emilio wondered how to put his whirlwind romance story into words, and if Cornelia thought of it differently.


    Did she consider their love story nothing?


    Was that why she was able to move on so effortlessly?


    ''Oh, who am I to assume? I don''t know what actually happened. But¡­ Cornelia wouldn''t just abandon me and Madeline. That''s cruel.''


    He''d never get over it.


    Over Cornelia''s cruel actions.


    Or had she turned heartless over the years?


    Had all her emotions disappeared?


    What, did she have some brand new, perfect family with someone else?


    Emilio felt a pang of jealousy in his heart.


    All the time he had spent in that cave, he had never thought of that. The possibility Cornelia had left him for her new and improved family that didn''t consist of a miserable killer that was confined to a cave for centuries as a lover and their lovechild.


    ''Miserable killer.''


    What Emilio thought of himself. And lovechild, as in Madeline.


    God, how could Madeline be dragged into this messy situation?


    Out of all families, she had him as a father and her as a mother. Fate couldn''t have been crueler in Emilio''s eyes. That was their biggest mistake.


    Meanwhile, he was proud of Madeline.


    Proud she had grown up with morals. He didn''t want her following his path.


    What was fate thinking, pairing her up with Xavier and making Cornelia and him her parents?


    It was all connected to one another.


    The one person Emilio blamed for his imprisonment and losing Cornelia was the one person Madeline was destined to spend the rest of her life with.


    Ironic.


    But, then again, Xavier had also done him a great favour.


    Come to think of it, Madeline would''ve never been here had he not been spared. She''d have never existed.


    Xavier wouldn''t have a soulmate, Cornelia would''ve never had their lovechild, Emilio would''ve never been able to meet and spend time with his daughter, and many others.


    Briar would lose her friend.


    Indiana would''ve never gotten demoted, and she would''ve been able to join the hunt.


    The world would''ve turned out differently without that one action Xavier had performed.


    Sparing Emilio? That was what started this all.


    That was why he was in an unlocked hut, sitting across from his daughter with the hut wall separating the both of them from seeing each other''s faces.


    Emilio wondered if Cornelia had something to do with Madeline''s fate.


    She was practically omnipotent, and she was powerful.


    But was she powerful enough to alter and or assign someone''s fate? Was the supreme sorceress capable of such a daunting feat?


    As powerful as she was, Emilio doubted so.


    She couldn''t have anything to do with Xavier and Madeline mates, right?


    If she had, Emilio wondered if she had done it to protect Madeline or to spite him.


    So after they met and after he figured out who she actually was, he couldn''t hurt her because they were mates.


    Not to mention, making Xavier Madeline''s mate was a blow to Emilio - his ego especially.


    Emilio''s daughter, mates with Xavier? Back in the day, people would''ve found this hilarious.


    Now? Since it was the truth, it was anything but hilarious.


    Was Emilio okay with Xavier and Madeline being mates?


    Honest answer? No, he wasn''t.


    For eons, Emilio wanted to inflict harm on Xavier. Make him feel the same pain he felt being trapped for centuries, even if Xavier did him a huge favour, sparing him.


    At the time he was spared, Emilio didn''t recognize it as a blessing in disguise.


    Now he did. All it took was hundreds of years.


    "I said it was complicated for a reason," Emilio said to her.


    Mainly, it was his ego preventing him from telling her everything.


    Oh sure, like any normal father would tell their daughter their mother abandoned him, left him for dead and never cared to check up on him, and that he had no idea how she came to exist.


    After everything Madeline had to find out, was this really the right time for her to discover that out as well?


    Emilio wondered if he was supposed to be the right person she should hear this from. It was either him or¡­


    ¡­Xavier? Oh no, definitely not him.


    Dragging Xavier in any situation was a huge no. To Emilio, especially.


    Hmm, speaking of Xavier, did he know anything about Cornelia?


    After all, he was Eudora''s great alpha.


    Yes, Cornelia was a master at hiding herself if she wanted to keep herself hidden and untrackable.


    But Xavier could easily find her.


    Emilio lost to a worthy opponent.


    Xavier could easily track her down, Emilio was sure of it.


    Then again, things were better staying the way they already were.


    Cornelia being found and dragged back here would do nothing.


    Why was he even thinking of Xavier dragging Cornelia back here anyway?


    It had absolutely no relevance to him and Madeline''s current conversation.


    Back to Madeline, she knew her time was running out. It didn''t take much to figure out that nearly an hour had passed.


    From what Emilio had told her, she knew that there was something there. Something unexplainable and inexplicable.


    Maybe it was a rocky relationship.


    Or a beautiful romance story. One for the ages.


    ''Yeah, I''ve got to stop assuming this kind of stuff every single time someone doesn''t want to tell me something,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    She and Emilio chatted some more, and Madeline managed to get an explanation from Emilio as to why he was so hesitant to tell her anything.


    Madeline summed everything up.


    ''So basically, Emilio''s ego is in the way so he can''t tell me anything because of that.''


    She fidgeted in her spot, murmuring something under her breath.


    Emilio said to her, "You probably have to go now, huh."


    "How did you know?"


    "Instincts, I guess," Emilio said.


    "You should go then," he encouraged.


    Madeline felt it was rude to leave all of a sudden.


    They were spending time together.


    And Madeline would go as far as to say they were having a moment as well.


    It was great being able to talk to Emilio even if they didn''t have a proper conversation.


    Madeline reminded herself, ''Baby steps. It''s a start.''


    ''Now, I''ve got to go, wouldn''t want to keep Briar and Indiana waiting for me.''


    Rushing to their arranged meeting spot, Madeline found Briar and Indiana already waiting for her.


    "What took you so long?" Briar asked worriedly.


    "We couldn''t find you in your quarters," Indiana added.


    Madeline told the two of them, "Sorry about that, I was paying Emilio a visit."


    Indiana seemed surprised.


    "Emilio as in the ex-alpha of Eudora Emilio? Or some other Emilio?"


    Briar nudged her in the shoulder, whispering to her, ''There isn''t any other Emilio here.''


    ''Ah.''


    Indiana then asked Madeline, "So, what were you doing visiting Emilio?"


    "Brought him some cupcakes and leftover wine as breakfast," Madeline explained.


    "How thoughtful," Indiana remarked.


    She wondered if Madeline knew of her father''s doings, unaware that Madeline was.


    Indiana was under the impression that Madeline was left in the dark and not told anything.


    Glancing at Briar, she wondered why Briar hadn''t said anything about it to Madeline.


    How could she stay quiet about something like this? Did she really think keeping this from Madeline was a good idea?


    Indiana considered telling Madeline the truth, although she decided it was better to test out the waters before doing anything rash again and repeating her previous mistake.


    __


    Author''s Note: Woo, three more chapters till we reach a hundred chapters for Her Devilish Alpha! Not only that, but things will get more interesting from here, I promise.


    Oh, and also, is anyone missing Xavier? What do you guys think will happen next in the story?

 Chapter 98 - Blaming Herself

    "We should get to making and eating lunch now," Madeline reminded the two of them, who had been thinking that same exact thing.


    "Finally, we get to the topic of lunch," Briar said, breathing a sigh of relief.


    For a moment, she thought she''d be stuck talking about Emilio for ages. Fortunately, Madeline had switched the topic to lunch.


    "So, what are we thinking? Does anyone have any ideas on what to eat for lunch or are we just making what''s most convenient for us?"


    Indiana suggested, "Why don''t we just do the second option."


    "Agreed, whatever''s the fastest route to food," Briar said excitedly.


    She loved food. And eating.


    And thanks to her inhuman metabolism, she wouldn''t gain any weight from eating tons and tons of food. One of the best parts of being a werewolf and having a sweet tooth.


    At the same time, Briar just discovered Indiana was an excellent baker.


    How sweet!


    All it took was one bite of Indiana''s cupcakes and Briar knew that Indiana was someone she''d want to stick around. Not just because of her superior baking skills, of course, but for other reasons as well.


    Indiana was great company as well.


    Briar was grateful to have found herself a new friend that was a fellow werewolf.


    Other than Adrian, of course.


    Madeline couldn''t help but tease Briar about her and Adrian whenever he was brought up so she tried her best not to talk to Madeline about Adrian. Ever.


    Couldn''t two werewolves be friends without having to mate or being romantically interested in each other? Geez.


    Madeline would constantly tease Briar about Adrian.


    However, when Briar did the same about her and Xavier, Madeline would deny, deny, deny.


    ''Oh come on, they''re friends, they also happen to be mates. And there definitely has to be something between them. Friends don''t just kiss the other on the cheek and runoff. Xavier doesn''t allow people to just kiss him on the cheek and runoff. Not without receiving punishment, or a lecture, or something.''


    ''Don''t get me wrong, Xavier isn''t some heartless person, he was the person who saved me and gave me another chance at life but whenever he''s around Madeline he''s all different. He''s more kind and considerate, pretty sure he blushes a lot around her too.''


    ''Hmm, if Madeline and Xavier were ever to literally tie the knot. What would their ship name be?''


    ''Madeline plus Xavier would be¡­ Mavier. Yeah, Mavier.''


    ''Their ship name would be Mavier.''


    Something Briar had picked up when she went to university was the term, ''ship name''.


    The combination of two people''s names, especially two people others wanted to see in a romantic relationship or two people who were already in one.


    Briar chuckled thinking about Madeline and Xavier together. They were quite different. But then again, there was the term ''opposites attract'' for a reason. It was proof that even the most different of people could fall in love with one another. Even if it was against all odds.


    And hey, they were mates. So even if they tried denying the hell out of it, even fate rooted for them.


    Then again, knowing Madeline, she was terrified.


    Not terrified of Xavier, let''s get that clear. But afraid of love.


    Now one would ask, ''Why would she be afraid of love?''


    Well, she wasn''t afraid of love itself, but afraid of being heartbroken. Afraid of her fictional perception of love getting torn apart once she fell in love herself.


    That, and Madeline''s insistence that she had not found the right person yet.


    What Madeline had in mind and what fate had planned were two different things entirely. In fate''s eye, why would Madeline look any further when the man planned to be her forevermore was right in front of her?


    Because she believed that one should love all because their mate is right in front of them, but because of who they were. She believed in that. In love that was so true that in her eyes, it could only be found in novels, and movies, etc. It couldn''t possibly become true.


    Madeline didn''t think she deserved the blessing of true love. Not when she''d done nothing to deserve it her whole life.


    Briar begged to differ, Madeline did deserve the gift of love.


    The difference between Briar and Madeline was that Madeline thought herself unworthy, whilst Briar cursed at the skies, wondering why she deserved to go decades without ever having a mate.


    After so much time, she made up her mind. That fate thought her unworthy. That, or it had something else in mind for her. Something greater.


    Back when she was a human, Briar was taught to believe that a soulmate was one of the best things life had to offer to you. Nothing else would beat having someone to spend hours laughing with, and a whole lifetime of being happy with them in general. It would be a life truly lived.


    ''A soulmate was known as one''s other half for a reason. That person would be the person you relied on and rested your head on through tough times. A person that would stick by your side no matter what.''


    ''Unfortunately, I''ve never had the pleasure of meeting that one person. And even if I had, fate seems to have something against me.''


    Perhaps Briar was being ungrateful. Fate had brought her here, so that was one thing.


    And no, fate wasn''t as cruel as Briar was making it out to be. Maybe it was under the impression that she was better suited without a mate.


    Briar was a strong, powerful person.


    She recalled something Madeline once told her.


    They were at a cafe, sipping on coffees whilst they talked about life during a time Madeline still didn''t know Briar was a werewolf.


    "So, what kind of person do you think I am?" Briar asked her out of nowhere.


    "Why ask?"


    "Just curious," Briar answered casually before she bit into a croissant.


    Madeline didn''t think about it for a second, already having an answer in mind.


    "You''re amiable, resilient, charming, affable, strong in the face of danger¡­"


    "And how would you know that last bit?" Briar asked, scoffing whilst having a smirk on her face.


    Madeline smiled, "Educated guess."


    "Moving on."


    "You care deeply about others and wouldn''t let anyone harm the ones you care about, you''re direct and honest, you say what you really think and feel. Not only that, you''re dependable too."


    Madeline laughed, "I would''ve had to pull more sleepless nights if it weren''t for you."


    Briar chuckled, "We''re friends, we help each other out."


    "But thank you for saying all those things about me."


    "Hey, I''m only being honest here," Madeline admitted, with a smile on her face that could light up the sky.


    [Author''s Note: And here marks the end of the flashback. Everything moving on occurs during the present.]


    Thinking about how Madeline behaved in the past was quite painful for Briar.


    Madeline was so happy before. Way before she discovered werewolves existed and that Xavier was her mate. It was a peaceful time in her life - her uni days. She and Briar were able to spend their sweet, sweet time together. They had their joyous moments, their sad moments¡­


    Briar had barely seen Madeline smile these days.


    When she was around her and Indiana, Briar had seen her smiling, but¡­


    She was once under the impression that it was her and Xavier who had caused her all of this.


    Madeline wouldn''t have been in this situation if it wasn''t for her and Xavier.


    Xavier wasn''t the only one who caused this, so was she.


    Sure, Madeline was given the choice to stay or leave, and it was her who chose to stay, but Briar couldn''t help but think that if it wasn''t for the factors that made Madeline stay¡­ She wouldn''t have nearly gotten killed multiple times.


    Briar was a factor, she knew that. A part of the reason why Madeline stayed was to accompany her friend and rekindle their friendship.


    Even when it was Briar''s fault.


    ''It was me who left Madeline. Me.''


    ''If I hadn''t left her for Eudora¡­ If I had just explained¡­ Maybe she wouldn''t have felt debted and burdened to stay.''


    This was how Briar functioned, blaming herself for everything and feeling burdened albeit it was her friend who made those choices in the first place, not her herself.


    Madeline had once told her that her blaming herself would become a big problem, seems like it would turn out to be one.


    __


    Author''s Note: So, I''ve been thinking about a mass release to celebrate the upcoming new year. Can you guys believe it? It''s about to be 2022 soon, crazy! It felt like yesterday it was 2021. Love you guys all so much, see you at the next chapter, author out.


    P.S.. I''m going to stop writing these author notes, I know how annoying I must be, writing these long author notes that take up space, I promise I''ll stop soon.

 Chapter 99 - Hubby Xavier

    [TW: Blood]


    ''So, missing Madeline already?''


    ''Adrian, it''s barely been a day. And also, I don''t miss people.''


    ''Madeline doesn''t fit in the category of ''people'', she''s Madeline.''


    ''And?''


    ''Do you really think so little of her?'' Adrian asked Xavier, a surprised expression on his face.


    They were speaking using their mind link as the hunt was drawing to a close. Their hunt had gone pretty successfully.


    Indiana definitely missed out on a lot when she stayed at Eudora. Xavier nearly felt bad for the girl. Keyword, nearly.


    But, that was one of the last things on his mind as of the current moment.


    Whilst the hunt was drawing to a close, it had yet to end.


    Adrian made a gesture at Xavier, signalling that the last prey was all his.


    The elk ran as fast as its legs could carry it, trying to escape the terrible demise Xavier had planned for it.


    Xavier caught up to the elk, ferociously puncturing its neck before it devoured the elk like a starved lion that had been freed from its cage whole.


    Droplets of blood splattered everywhere. Onto the ground, on the stalk of the nearby trees of the forest.


    Minutes after, there was nothing left that remained of the elk. Not even its bones since Xavier refused to waste any food when on a hunt.


    Adrian licked his sharp fangs, getting a tad bit antsy himself.


    Usually, the pack would rely on teamwork to hunt a group of prey. Their resilience was nothing short of incredible; they had agility, speed, power, etc. They''d team up to kill, circling the herd so as to separate them.


    If the herd were to stick together, the wolves would be no match for them. The wolves would then continuously harry the herd and get it to reveal its weakest link, usually one of the smallest in the herd.


    The herd would try to defend their weakest, going on the defensive, unaware the wolves would be waiting for just one of them to break.


    If the wolves feel the need to retreat, they do just that, although they keep focused on the back of the herd, which causes the herd to panic.


    That was the cue for the wolves to begin chasing the herd, waiting for the one thing bound to happen - that weak link falling behind the others.


    The weak one struggles to escape the wolves'' grasp, now surrounded by wolves. The rest of the herd''s only concern was escaping, unaware and paying no mind to the one had fallen behind.


    Then, the wolves would begin devouring the weak link, leaving nothing behind.


    Bones? All it took were two three bites before they were crushed.


    It was a huge pack of wolves, so this repeated itself until everyone was satisfied. Until all their ferocious appetites were calmed.


    This particular time, Xavier seemed to be in a hurry.


    Was there something particularly important for him to have to do everything so hastily? Hunts were supposed to be enjoyable when they were slow. It was not as fun when it was sped up.


    Even Adrian noticed Xavier having this ''let''s get it over with'' attitude. What was up with him?


    He usually loved hunts.


    Alright, in all fairness, Xavier didn''t love hunts. He didn''t love anything.


    He liked them at best.


    Love? Pft!


    The great Alpha Xavier wouldn''t be affected by such a force.


    Friendship? When did Xavier have any friends that weren''t his colleagues as well as Madeline?


    Madeline was the one exception to this, of course. Heck, she was a whole different category.


    Did he want to see Indiana''s expression of missing out? Did he want to ensure Emilio was right where he had left him?


    Adrian doubted so.


    ''Must be something else,'' he reckoned, turning into his human form.


    By the centuries, he had gotten better at controlling his wolf self. Sure, he wasn''t as versed as Xavier when it came to self-control and all that, but he wasn''t horrible at it. He''d say he was quite good, actually. Compared to the others.


    Then again, he was Eudora''s beta, so that was expected of him, but regardless, he was just as proud of himself.


    ''Ehehe, I''m getting better at this,'' Adrian thought to himself, a small smile on his face.


    He had to admit, he was quite excited to return to Eudora.


    His reason was unknown, but one could wager that this had something to do with a certain friend he had made back at Eudora.


    Madeline? No. Not her.


    Definitely not her, unless Adrian wanted to get on Xavier''s bad side.


    ''Hmm, I wonder if Madeline thinks of me as her friend,'' Adrian wondered momentarily.


    ''Does she? Ah, I should stop thinking about this.''


    Turning to Xavier, who was back in his human form as well, he asked, "Missing Madeline already?"


    Xavier turned away from Adrian, "No."


    "You should make yourself sound more convincing before you deny things like that. It''s obvious."


    "Nothing''s obvious, I don''t miss Madeline," Xavier insisted, refusing he missed Madeline.


    Miss her? So soon?


    Did Adrian think of him as some lovesick puppy?


    "Tsk."


    "Don''t tsk me," Adrian said.


    "Watch your mouth, Adrian," Xavier said to his friend, a look of warning crossing his face.


    Adrian went silent.


    Sometimes, he forgot Xavier was Eudora''s alpha.


    He was transported back to the past, when Xavier was still beta and he was still a measly delta.


    ''I mustn''t discredit myself so easily. Becoming a delta took effort,'' Adrian reasoned.


    "I still can''t believe you''re alpha now."


    "Adrian, I''ve been alpha for centuries now," Xavier said, tapping his foot on the ground.


    "What are we waiting for anyway?" Adrian asked.


    He had been wanting to ask that since a couple minutes ago. Everyone else were probably back at Eudora now, so what were just the two of them doing out here?


    "We''re having a breather."


    "A breather? When did you rest?"


    "Madeline says I have to take breathers since it''s good for me," Xavier reasoned.


    Adrian couldn''t help but gawk at Xavier.


    ''W-what did he just say?''


    ''Madeline said it was good for him? What kind of joke is that? It isn''t believable. Geez, Xavier''s insane if he thinks I''m going to believe him on this.''


    "You''re kidding," Adrian said, a surprised look on his face.


    ''Tell me this isn''t true,'' he thought to himself amusedly.


    ''This can''t be true.''


    Briar had to hear of this. This was crazy!


    He could imagine Briar''s jaw dropping to the floor once she heard. This was unheard of.


    Xavier was an expert at shocking everyone around him at this point with all the things he''s said.


    Adrian couldn''t help but rub his eyes and pinch himself. He was dreaming.


    The day Xavier actually told him this was the days pigs would fly.


    Pft, Xavier sounded like a husband terrified of what his wife would do to him if he didn''t listen to her words.


    If it was true, and Madeline had actually told Xavier this, he wanted to give her a high five.


    ''Man, Madeline is amazing,'' Adrian thought.


    Unfortunately, Xavier had managed to hear Adrian''s thoughts. Why?


    Becaus of their mind link, of course!


    Adrian had purposely used their mind link and told Xavier he thought Madeline was amazing.


    And how did Xavier react to that?


    Adrian tried to get a glimpse of Xavier''s face, that of which Xavier was obviously hiding from him.


    ''Why are you hiding your face from me all of a sudden?'' Adrian asked him.


    ''Why do you feel the need to look at my face?'' Xavier questioned in return, sounding bitter.


    Adrian simply wanted to see Xavier''s probably priceless reaction to his thought.


    He envisioned Xavier looking all tongue-tied when he returned to Eudora.


    Xavier grumbled, "Let''s head back."


    Adrian was beginning to believe Xavier hadn''t been joking about what Madeline said. Xavier wasn''t the type to joke around, and he seemed upset now.


    Now why could that be?


    Was he upset because of how the hunt went?


    ''That wouldn''t make sense, the hunt went well,'' Adrian reasoned.


    So he was right, Xavier reacted poorly to him thinking Madeline was amazing.


    Adrian fought back a gasp.


    Was Xavier being possessive of his just a friend?


    ''That''s not common, is it?''


    Unbeknownst to Xavier, Adrian was noting everything down to tell Briar later when he returned.


    This was too juicy for Adrian not to tell Briar.


    And anyway, he reckoned this was something Briar wanted to know as well.


    ''So many things to tell Briar. Looks like Briar''s going to be satisfied,'' Adrian chuckled.


    However¡­ What Adrian wouldn''t reckon was Briar having made a new friend when he returned to Eudora alongside Xavier after their successful hunt.


    Little did he know that Briar too had lots to tell him about. He wasn''t the only one with things to share.


    A friend Xavier wouldn''t be particularly pleased about - Adrian as well.


    __


    Author''s Note: Reminder, this is a fictional book.. Everything written isn''t to be taken seriously.

 Chapter 100 - I Was Worried!

    Imagine Adrian''s surprise when he went looking for Briar that he stumbled upon Briar, Indiana and Madeline having lunch together.


    "What the¨C"


    Briar recognized Adrian''s voice immediately.


    "Adrian, you''re back!" She exclaimed.


    Indiana looked at Madeline, giving her a questioning look.


    The look on her face asked, ''What''s going on?''


    Madeline had an amused smirk on her face.


    She thought to herself, answering Indiana''s question in her mind, ''Briar and Adrian are happening, that''s what''s going on. Nothing else needs to be said.''


    Indiana looked confused.


    Since when were Beta Adrian and Briar close?


    Adrian glared at her, wondering when he gave her permission to call him Adrian in front of Madeline and Indiana.


    And anyway, what was she doing having lunch with Indiana in the first place?


    Briar seemed to have hated her last he checked, so what changed in such a short period of time?


    How could her grudge possibly have ended so quickly?


    Did something happen?


    Adrian looked at Madeline for answers.


    Madeline shrugged.


    Indiana knew this was about her. The moment Adrian''s eyes landed on Indiana, there were warning signs already.


    "I should probably leave," Indiana mumbled.


    Madeline shook her head, "There''s no need."


    "Stay," she insisted.


    Adrian stared at Madeline, both awe-struck and shocked.


    She wasn''t the type of person to want to hold any grudges or have any enemies, so she chose to befriend Indiana.


    ''Wise decision.''


    Right before Adrian took his leave, Madeline caught Adrian winking at Briar.


    Her smirk turned even wider, and that was saying something since she infrequently smiled.


    "You two," Madeline said.


    She didn''t think she needed to explain any further. All she had to say was those two words.


    Indiana hid a smile, slightly glad she was able to witness the entire conversation. She got to see another side of Beta Adrian she had never seen before, and that was eye-opening in itself.


    Although, what was shocking to her was how Adrian talked when in the presence of Briar and Madeline. Like they were friends.


    She doubted Briar even addressed Adrian as Beta Adrian either.


    ''This is so cool,'' Indiana thought.


    Even if Adrian seemingly disliked her being around Madeline and Briar, it was nice knowing Madeline wanted her to stay.


    Briar apologized, "Sorry about Adrian, he''s just¡­ He reacts poorly to these things."


    Indiana stared at her incredulously.


    So, her assumptions were true.


    Madeline chuckled, "So, why did he wink at you?"


    Briar furrowed her brows, wondering what she was talking about.


    "Wink at me? Adrian didn''t wink at me."


    "Yes, he did. Don''t feign ignorance, Briar. We both saw it," Madeline said, referring to both her and Indiana.


    Indiana nodded, a smug expression on her face.


    Briar frowned.


    ''I''m being ganged up on here, this is extremely unfair.''


    "I didn''t notice him winking at me," Briar admitted.


    Madeline told her, "But now you know."


    She squealed, "I bet this was the first place he went the minute he returned from the hunt."


    "How sweet, he immediately thought of you," Madeline mused.


    For a brief moment, she wondered where Xavier was and if he had managed to return to Eudora safely.


    And if he had, why hadn''t he told her he was alright?


    Was he being considerate and refused to make a scene like Adrian did by barging in the dining room, or?


    Did something else happen?


    Madeline pushed her chair backwards, startling both Briar and Indiana.


    "Excuse me for a moment, I''ve got to go somewhere."


    She had eaten a substantial portion of her meal, and she no longer felt hungry.


    Instead, she had this gnawing feeling in her stomach that wouldn''t subside until she found out whether or not Xavier was okay.


    She was glad Adrian had returned safely, but what about Xavier?


    ''Instead of going through all this trouble, I could''ve asked Adrian where Xavier was,'' Madeline reasoned with herself.


    ''Aish. Maybe it''s better if I see for myself that he''s alright though. That way, I''m reassured,'' Madeline continued.


    She walked up the path leading to Xavier''s office, knocking on his door.


    This was the first place he''d return to after the hunt, she presumed.


    And just as she expected, Xavier opened the door, peering down at her.


    "Madeline," he called.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked, sounding displeased to see her.


    Madeline couldn''t care less what he sounded like, she was just relieved to see he was alright.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you returned safely? I was worried!" Madeline exclaimed, resisting the growing urge to bring Xavier in a tight embrace.


    "Do you not trust me? Of course I''d return safely," Xavier said, crossing his arms.


    He furrowed his brows, "And when did you begin to worry about me?"


    Madeline lifted her nose in the air, "I worry about you all the time, I just don''t show it."


    "Didn''t expect that answer," Xavier remarked.


    "Tsk," Madeline said, sounding annoyed.


    "I''m fine," Xavier insisted.


    "Go, have lunch," he said.


    It was Madeline''s turn to cross her arms.


    "I already had my lunch," she answered, pouting.


    "With Briar and Indiana."


    Xavier was seemingly confused.


    "Indiana?"


    "How did that happen?" He asked.


    Was she invited to have lunch with Madeline and Briar?


    ''What is the meaning of this? They had¡­ lunch together?''


    ''Consider me shocked,'' Xavier thought.


    Madeline forgave Indiana so quickly. Then again, he doubted Madeline was upset at her in the first place. Knowing her, she wouldn''t be.


    He inwardly sighed, hoping this wouldn''t end in disaster and that Indiana didn''t have any ill intentions against Madeline.


    Madeline nodded.


    "Yeah, I invited her for lunch."


    Xavier''s first question for Madeline was, ''Why would you do that?''


    Yeah, why would Madeline do such a thing? Did she want to befriend Indiana?


    __


    Author''s Note: I can''t believe it, a hundred chapters! To celebrate this book reaching one hundred chapters along with the upcoming new years, there will be another mass release for HDA which will take place on the first of January as a gift of appreciation from me to you guys.. Love you all so much, hope you guys enjoy the last Thursday of 2021, mari.

 Chapter 101 - Impressions Of Madeline

    Noticing the expression on Xavier''s face, Madeline explained, "She seems like a sweet person."


    By then, she was in Xavier''s office, standing across him.


    Xavier looked great, even after the hunt.


    Any normal person would look tired and exhausted. Meanwhile, Xavier looked as radiant as ever, in a white button-down shirt and trousers. And he smelt addictive and mesmerising. Well¡­ His cologne, of course.


    "It''s times like these I don''t understand the logic you go by," Xavier admitted.


    If he were her, he''d never want to see Indiana''s face ever again. Ever.


    And that was easy for him. If he didn''t want to see anyone''s face again, so be it. They wouldn''t dare get in his way unless they were masochistic and wanted to face his fiery wrath.


    Xavier''s wrath would send any sane person fearing for their life.


    But, it seemed like Madeline was taking a different approach. One Xavier couldn''t comprehend.


    "Why would you invite the enemy to lunch? Is this some strategy of hers?"


    "Oh come on, she was lonely, there was no one else here. And if it helps, Briar was there, so if anything were to happen¡­ Not insinuating that it would, Briar would be there to protect me," Madeline reasoned.


    "And Indiana is great company, actually."


    Xavier looked bitter when she said those words.


    So Indiana was called great company, what about him?


    Was he mediocre company?


    ''Hmph,'' he thought to himself.


    Oh sure, he was being a bit salty about this all, he admitted it himself.


    But having Indiana around Madeline didn''t sit well with Xavier. His gut feeling told him something would happen that''d end up with Madeline getting hurt again. Even if she played it off like it was nothing, it was definitely not nothing.


    Well, it was Madeline''s choice when it came to what she''d do about Indiana. So long as she kept her guard up, she''d be alright¡­ Right?


    Xavier hoped for the best, knowing Madeline would be affected if anything else were to happen.


    "I missed you during the hunt," he said, putting it out there.


    Madeline lifted her head, meeting his gaze.


    "You what?"


    Raising his brow, he repeated, "I missed you, that''s what."


    Recovering quickly from her initial shock, Madeline admitted, "I missed you too."


    "You said you already ate lunch?"


    Madeline gulped, "Yeah."


    Xavier cursed. Had she not have eaten lunch yet, he would''ve asked her if she wanted to grab lunch with him.


    Why did he want to eat lunch with her?


    Because she was great company and eating lunch with her felt different in a strange but enjoyable way.


    ''Maybe tomorrow, then,'' Xavier reasoned, still not taking into consideration the long hours he needed to work and the whole having to work overtime after freeing up some time to eat lunch with her.


    After all, Xavier was no free person. His work schedule was enough to give headaches to any person, human or werewolf.


    The times Adrian had to take over Xavier - a rare occasion, one must add - he would find himself on the brink of fainting.


    How did Xavier balance his work life with his personal life?


    If Xavier was asked this question, instead of answering it, he''d simply scrunch his nose and ask, "What personal life?"


    Madeline had once told him he was a workaholic. That time, she was only stating the obvious. Nothing had changed.


    Then again, it hadn''t been long since she said that.


    And by ''it hadn''t been long'', one meant a couple of days at most.


    "Lunch tomorrow?" Madeline asked.


    "Did you read my mind or something?"


    "It''s a yes then," Madeline nodded, observing Xavier''s face.


    "Yeah," Xavier agreed, nodding.


    He could imagine Adrian''s face as he told Adrian this.


    These days, Xavier had been surprising Adrian a lot with him freeing up time to spend with Madeline.


    Adrian suspected there was something more going on, but Xavier would never crack when he tried interrogating him.


    Then again, Adrian could only ask him a couple of questions before Xavier would stare at him, causing him to stay silent right afterwards.


    Adrian knew work would affect their friendship, but he never expected it to have limited his actions quite a bit.


    "Do you have somewhere to be?" Xavier asked, noticing Madeline''s odd behaviour.


    She was acting all nervous and fidgety. Xavier sensed something was up.


    Was she alright?


    Madeline''s eyes widened.


    "How do you know?"


    "You''re being nervous," he pointed out.


    Madeline chuckled nervously, "Oh."


    "Well, I left Briar and Indiana at the dining room but I don''t want to end our conversation so fast."


    Xavier pursed his lips.


    "You can go, I''m not keeping you here."


    "Besides, I have work to do," he said casually.


    Madeline got the impression that he wouldn''t mind her leaving. That stung.


    "Alright then," she said, speaking softer.


    "I''m going to go," she nodded.


    Not meeting Xavier''s gaze, she left Xavier''s office, returning to the dining room where Indiana and Briar were.


    "Where did you go? You were gone for so long."


    Looking at the expression plastered across Madeline''s face and the period of time she had spent ''going somewhere'', Briar presumed she hadn''t gone to the restroom, nor had she left for some fresh air.


    ''She went to visit Xavier, didn''t she? She wanted to make sure he had returned safely and was alright. That was why she was in such a rush to leave and insisted she had to go somewhere,'' Briar realized.


    And ding ding ding, she was a hundred percent right.


    Madeline considered keeping her lips sealed before she reasoned, what was the point? Briar probably knew already. She was just waiting for Madeline to say it aloud.


    "I went to see Xavier. There, I said it," Madeline answered, expecting a smug expression to form on Briar''s face once those words left her mouth.


    And as she expected, Briar looked as smug as ever.


    In her best impression of Madeline, she said to her, "How sweet, you immediately thought of him."

 Chapter 102 - Feelings Be Gone

    Finally, Madeline had to eat her words.


    Her teasing Briar about how Adrian immediately thought of her once he returned to Eudora resulted in Briar doing the same, except this time it was Madeline thinking about Xavier.


    Briar was at a crossroads, unsure of what was going on between the two of them and if she was misunderstanding everything, but at the same time extremely tempted to tell the two lovebirds to just get a room already.


    Sometimes, they were too much to handle.


    ''Geez, why do they have to be so lovey dovey all the time? I know they''re mates and meant for each other and all but¡­''


    Briar laughed.


    In all truth, she didn''t mind. Besides, Madeline seemed to be way more happier as of late. And if Madeline was happy, so was she.


    There was nothing more Briar could want when it came to Madeline.


    Hmm, she wondered what was the reason behind Madeline smiling more often. It was strange to even think of it.


    ''Why would anyone think of reasons why someone smiles more? It''s strange.''


    As Briar was keeping to herself, Indiana asked Madeline, "I''ve been meaning to ask, Madeline, why did you invite me to lunch?"


    That question managed to grab Briar''s attention instantly. Indiana was right, why did Madeline invite her? She could have had lunch with just Briar, she wasn''t obliged to invite Indiana to lunch, or breakfast, or anything really. Madeline had the option to keep away from Indiana but she never did.


    Oh snap!


    Madeline stopped whatever she was doing, looking up to face Indiana.


    ''Wonder what Mad''s going to answer,'' Briar thought, her brow raised.


    ''I want to know as well,'' Briar admitted, listening in to their conversation.


    "Well," Madeline began.


    "Because you seem like a sweet person all around."


    "How could you think of me as sweet when I--"


    Indiana had said it. The elephant in the room.


    It had seemed like they had gotten over it, but Indiana wanted her questions answered. And that was fair.


    Madeline didn''t mind answering any questions Indiana had. Indiana wasn''t doubting her choice, she was doubting herself and whether or not she deserved to even have breakfast or lunch or hang out with Madeline in general.


    "And you seemed genuine when you apologized so why not? After all, other than Emilio we''re the only people here, and I don''t think you''d try to hurt me either. I''d hope not."


    "So there you have it," Madeline said, casually wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin as she finished answering Indiana''s question.


    Indiana had nothing to say. Frankly, she was stunned. Rendered speechless by Madeline''s words, she muttered, "Ah."


    "Thank you."


    Madeline took a sip from her glass.


    She looked confused, wondering why Indiana was thanking her for answering a question.


    ''Why thank me?'' Asked the look on her face.


    "For giving me a chance," Indiana explained, nodding to show her sincerity.


    She really appreciated Madeline doing this. She really did.


    There wouldn''t be a day where she didn''t regret what she had done to Madeline. To think, she could''ve done the tiniest bit of research to know what Madeline was like.


    No wonder Xavier was so enamoured in her. He deserved to have someone like her in his life.


    And also, Indiana reckoned they''d make a great couple.


    A piece of her heart would be chipped whenever she thought of Madeline and Xavier together. Her feelings were preventing her from being truly happy for her¡­ friend, if Madeline would consider as one.


    Did Madeline see them as friends? They certainly had not known each other long enough to be friends.


    Heck, only last night had they actually vibed with each other.


    Hmm, vibe was an odd way to put it.


    Moving on, Indiana had been trying to push her feelings for Xavier aside and telling herself her blossoming friendship with Madeline was far more important to her than that.


    She hoped for herself to be able to move on from Xavier and hopefully either find someone else to hopelessly crush on or no one at all.


    Basically, feelings be gone.


    She knew Xavier didn''t see her in the way she saw him. He never would. Ever.


    Did she want him to see her as more than a friend?


    A part of her would answer yes. She wanted him to see her as more than a friend. She wanted him to see her as his world.


    His one true love. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.


    And if these feelings were to never perish, she''d be stuck with them for the rest of her life, loving someone who she knew she could never have.


    Why? Because she presumed his heart¡­ belonged to someone else.


    That he saw no one else but her.


    No one else caught his eye. No one else was as superior as her.


    There was only her in the picture. Madeline was his world.


    If someone were to ask her if it hurt - knowing the man you loved didn''t love you but loved your friend - she would answer yes as well.


    But she hoped that over time, it would begin to hurt less. That the pain would subside, and that hopefully she''d find someone that made her feel the same way she used to feel for Xavier in the future.


    However, in reality, she was a hopeless girl loving the glorious alpha of her pack.


    Her ex-friends would laugh at her if they were to know the truth.


    She never told them of her feelings for Xavier, she made a point not to.


    They''d mock the living hell out of her, and if she were to do anything wrong or anything they disliked¡­ Who knew what they''d do?


    Yes, yes, Indiana knew not to let them into her head, but at the same time, she felt humiliated.


    And there was no one by her side. In her past friend group, she was the one that was always left out.


    Everyone else was in unison. In tune with each other. She was always the odd one out.


    But, she didn''t feel that way with Briar and Madeline.


    She didn''t feel like Briar and Madeline would hurt her or had any ill intentions towards her. Far from it actually.


    Madeline had done her a great favour. Heck, had she not invited her to breakfast and or lunch, Indiana would''ve probably starved herself.


    ''I deserve it,'' she thought.


    ''After all I''ve done and the kindness Madeline''s been showing me? I definitely deserve it.''


    ''I wish there was a way to make it up to her. Hmm, how do I do just that?''


    She thought of many ideas, before she set her mind on one idea in particular.


    Why was she doing this? Indiana could''ve just milked this for all it was worth, using Madeline to get her way since Madeline saw the best in everything that happened and all that. Maybe not all the time, but for the period of time where Madeline was being compassionate and kind and treating her well.


    But no, since Indiana wanted to change.


    After the way she behaved in the past, it was no wonder she had gotten herself involved with that kind of friend group.


    She had behaved like them, thinking herself as someone that was high and mighty when she was just like everyone else.


    Heck, she was in no position to act like she was some god. Now, she was a mere omega. Even Briar surpassed her in rank now that she had been demoted as a punishment.


    Indiana had sensed the others had returned to Eudora.


    Her ex-friends were probably looking for her, wanting to tell her all the amazing things that had happened during the hunt because they wanted to make her feel like she missed out on tonnes of action.


    They didn''t need to, Indiana was already feeling like she had missed out on a wonderful opportunity.


    Of course, the hunt paled in comparison to being able to dine with Madeline, but at the same time, Indiana wished to have been able to participate in the hunt.


    She loved the feeling of being out in the wild, chasing prey¡­


    It was one of the best parts of Eudora. Their hunts.


    Being able to feast on the corpses of those that they had hunted? It was a sensation like no other.


    Indiana hoped she was able to join the next hunt. All she had to do was be on her best behaviour and maybe, just maybe, Xavier would allow her to participate in their next hunt, whenever that may be.


    For now?


    All she could do was hope for the best.


    __


    Author''s Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Hope you guys have a wonderful 2022, wishing you all the best. To celebrate, as I''ve said in chapter 100, there will be a mass release of five chapters.. Hope you all enjoy your new years, love mari.

 Chapter 103 - Having Werecubs With Him

    "Get someone to watch Indiana," Xavier ordered Adrian.


    Adrian nodded, "Alright."


    He knew better than to ask further, Xavier was sure he wanted Indiana watched over. Who knew what she was trying to do?


    Indiana had been demoted, she had been unable to join the hunt.


    Who knew if she''d be out for blood?


    And who knew if she''d take it out on Madeline because she blamed her for what happened?


    From what Xavier analyzed, Indiana had been most disappointed when she heard she wasn''t able to join the hunt with the others.


    The demotion? Pft! She didn''t care about that as much as she did the hunt.


    Who knew if she held a grudge?


    After all, she had to have been lonely now that she had gotten a demotion in rank.


    Deltas usually stuck together.


    They didn''t hang with omegas, it was extremely rare.


    Briar and Indiana seemed to be an exception, although Indiana used to be a delta, so technically, it was like usual.


    Then again, she used to be a delta. She wasn''t a delta currently. She''d have to work her way before she could regain her title as a delta in Eudora.


    Not to mention, Indiana would have to be on her best behaviour in front of Xavier for that to happen.


    If she were to even make the slightest mistake, it would take another toll on her reputation, and her chances at a promotion in rank.


    Anyone in her position would be careful how they acted in front of Xavier especially.


    Indiana? The same person who had insulted his friend in his presence?


    Oh, she had a lot of work to do before she even thought of becoming a delta wolf again.


    And by a lot of work, one meant a lot.


    She''d have to work twice as harder than any other omega because of her special circumstances.


    No one would cut her some slack. No one would let her off the hook.


    This was her consequence for acting rashly. One she would have to bear until Xavier decided she deserved to be a delta again.


    And so far, Xavier was unsure of her intentions now that Madeline seemed to be set on befriending her.


    Whilst he was with Madeline on many things, he wasn''t with her when it came to this.


    Indiana wasn''t someone you wanted in your close circle of friends.


    Hello, she gave Madeline the worst impression possible.


    ''Who approaches someone and accuses them of horrible things right in front of them so shamelessly?''


    ''If Indiana had done this to anyone else, she would''ve received less punishment.''


    When she had said all of those things to Madeline, had she ever stopped to think about what Xavier would''ve thought when he heard all of this?


    What, did Indiana find him incompetent to see who was good and who was bad?


    He wasn''t a child, and he definitely wasn''t incompetent.


    It was like she had assumed he was blinded by Madeline or something. To the point he couldn''t see her intentions.


    He could see her intentions. Heck, he saw them from the very start.


    Also, did Indiana think Madeline was working for her father or something? Well, that couldn''t possibly be true.


    Madeline didn''t even know Emilio was her father. Neither did Emilio. They were both shocked. He had been there to witness it all.


    Knowing Emilio, he was never great at acting. If he didn''t know Madeline was his daughter, he didn''t know. How he behaved after he discovered she was easily proved it.


    Hah! Madeline working for Emilio?


    What, was Indiana without intelligence?


    Tsk.


    Before he handed out Indiana''s punishment, Xavier momentarily wondered if his punishment had been a little too tough on Indiana. If he had gone too far after she had said all those things.


    ''No, I didn''t go too far. She said those things, broke a pack rule and deserved the punishment coming for her.''


    Not to mention, Madeline was his friend.


    Rest assured if anyone spoke ill of her they''d have to face him.


    Indiana was living proof of that.


    What he didn''t know was that Indiana did everything for a reason.


    Madeline had already told him, but he was in denial.


    ''You can''t fall in love with someone you don''t know,'' he insisted.


    That was what he thought.


    That you couldn''t fall in love with someone you didn''t really know.


    But, love worked in mysterious ways.


    And somehow, Indiana loved him regardless.


    If only he knew the real reason she did everything. For him.


    She had acted rashly, she admitted that. But she had done it mainly out of her feelings for him.


    Adrian would have a field day if he found out the real reason why she had done what she did.


    Love? Seriously?


    When did love become a real reason to do something?


    Then again, Xavier never knew what it was like to be in love with someone, for he never had been in love with anyone.


    Out of the centuries he had lived n Alaric, he had never developed feelings for anyone.


    Xavier had never felt what it was like to fall madly in love with someone. And he was grateful for that. From everything he had heard about love, he rather stayed living a life where he''d never love anyone.


    Love? That was for the weak.


    It was what made people do foolish things. It was a recipe for disaster.


    But then there was Madeline.


    He didn''t love her, despite fate wanting the two together, hence the red string connecting the both of them for the rest of eternity.


    And he doubted she loved him either. As friends, sure. As something more than friends? Oh luna no.


    Why would she? There was nothing about him to love.


    That was also why he doubted Indiana could possibly love him.


    Because there was nothing to love. Nothing about him that could possibly interest anyone.


    Xavier thought he was destined to spend life alone. That he was supposed to manually find himself someone to have werecubs with him. He was getting hopeless.


    And that was when Madeline entered his life, as though the heavens decided to bestow upon him a mate.

 Chapter 104 - Heaven Sent Me You

    What were they thinking, sending him Madeline?


    Who knew?


    However, they must''ve been up to something to have sent him Emilio''s daughter. It couldn''t be a coincidence.


    So Xavier''s mate just happens to be Emilio''s long lost daughter.


    This wasn''t common, this was practically fictional!


    ''What does Madeline think of all of this?''


    Right then and there, in his office, as Xavier wrote something down on paper, he thought about Madeline.


    Did she like having him as her mate? Did she despise it?


    She never told him personally what she thought.


    But maybe Briar knew.


    Ah yes, Briar. That friend of hers.


    Xavier was fully aware of how they both went to university together. That made it even more baffling how all this connected to each other.


    Briar and Madeline knew each other before Madeline came to Eudora.


    Madeline was Emilio''s daughter, and Emilio used to be the alpha of Eudora. He used to be Xavier''s boss, although now he was trapped in a hut since Xavier had threatened to kill his daughter if he were to escape.


    Xavier sensed that Emilio hadn''t escaped.


    If he did, he would''ve sensed it. He would''ve been alerted.


    But it seemed like Emilio did care about his daughter''s wellbeing after all.


    Speaking of Emilio, Xavier had planned a short visit to him in a while. There were some things Xavier wanted to discuss with Emilio, some of them including Madeline.


    Even if Xavier had threatened to hurt Madeline if Emilio had left the hut, he never actually intended to hurt her. Not that Emilio knew.


    For him, leaving the hut was a gamble. Sure, he would be free and he could leave. But, doing that risked Madeline''s safety. What if Xavier followed his word and killed her?


    Xavier was a man of his word. He wouldn''t break his word just because the person''s life that was being threatened was his mate''s. Would he?


    And that was why Emilio couldn''t take that risk and stayed in his hut.


    Xavier used the fact that Emilio couldn''t bear to lose his daughter, who was also the one piece of Cornelia he had left to his advantage. And yes, that was wrong, but it was what needed to be done.


    Otherwise, who knew what would have happened?


    Besides, the people of Eudora wouldn''t be able to sleep a wink if they knew Emilio was roaming Eudora freely and without anyone watching him.


    Xavier knew the wolves of Eudora. Someone like Emilio wasn''t welcomed there. Not without something preventing him from doing anything that could endanger the lives of everyone in Eudora.


    Madeline had to know that Xavier never intended to make do with his word. He would never hurt her. Ever.


    Not under any circumstances.


    Hurting her was the very last thing on his mind.


    He valued their friendship more than anything, as much as he didn''t want to admit it to Madeline.


    Friendships were a sensitive spot for him, and Xavier never liked admitting things such as what he''d do to protect his friends, etc.


    He would deny, although he''d be all gooey and emotional on the inside.


    Xavier was never known to be the type of person to act out and reveal his emotions to others. He always hid his emotions.


    Never had Adrian heard Xavier tell him what he felt unless it was work-related.


    Heck, the majority of their conversations were work-related.


    Xavier rarely spoke to Adrian about his personal life. That was something he kept for himself for it was something only he should know.


    Adrian would love for Xavier to begin to express his emotions more openly, but at the same time, liked Xavier for who he was.


    And besides, asking him, or even pushing him to change his ways after him being like this for centuries wouldn''t work out.


    You couldn''t expect someone to grow out of a habit that they''d been doing for centuries. That was close to impossible on the difficulty scale!


    As Xavier worked, he considered all the ideas he had for tomorrow''s lunch.


    Lunch would be special. It wouldn''t be held in some dining room, it should be special, just like Xavier wanted and hoped for it to be to Madeline once she saw what he had in mind.


    Moving on to his work, he rushed through his work and finished one-quarter of it all.


    Unfortunately, there were three other quarters for him to complete.


    Xavier rarely felt tired, but after the hunt and having to work without taking any breaks as well as having to multitask between considering his next move and working¡­ He was beginning to feel a tad bit weary.


    It was understandable obviously, how Xavier felt this way after all his hard work and all the effort he put in making Eudora a better place.


    Xavier ran a finger through his hair, reminding himself what he was doing this for, and why he was doing what he was doing.


    When he challenged Emilio to a duel, he hadn''t expected to have won. He had expected to forfeit or lose to Emilio since Emilio was way more powerful than him at the time. But, he persisted since the pack needed a leader that could actually run Eudora better than Emilio did.


    Someone that wouldn''t slaughter someone else all because of something they had done that he disliked. Someone better than Emilio, at the very least.


    And that was why Xavier stepped up to the plate.


    That was why he had tried his very best to beat Emilio in terms of brains and had managed to snag the position of alpha from Emilio.


    Speaking of Emilio, Xavier had a visit with him due soon.


    Xavier straightened his shirt, standing up and brushing off any dust and dirt off of his ensemble. He rushed to the door with his inhuman strength, unlocking the door before closing it once more.


    Then, he was off to visit Emilio, who had already been waiting for him ever since he had returned from the hunt.

 Chapter 105 - His Worst Consequence

    "Why hello, Xavier," Emilio called, happy to finally see Xavier here.


    Then again, he couldn''t exactly see him, Emilio had sensed his presence when he neared his hut. Finally, someone else to talk to!


    He was in a good mood after Madeline''s visit. That, and because there were more company to liven up the grim atmosphere surrounding the hut.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked Xavier cheerfully.


    "What''s gotten you in a cheerful mood?" Xavier questioned, raising his brow.


    Emilio laughed, "Did Madeline not tell you? She visited me today."


    "And she even brought me breakfast," he boasted.


    "Good for you," Xavier said to Emilio bitterly, a scowl on his face.


    "Did you come here to talk to me like that?"


    "If you did, you could leave."


    Xavier sighed, Emilio was still a pain in the ass. Nothing would change that, unfortunately. Not even him being given the chance to establish a relationship with Madeline.


    "You could try to seem grateful," Xavier said, his teeth gritted.


    "After all, without me you wouldn''t be here," he added.


    Emilio frowned, "Why try to ruin my mood? I was in such a good one before you had to come in and ruin it."


    "Leave me be, I''m already stuck in this hut."


    Xavier realized he was being too harsh on Emilio. For a moment, he decided to treat him like someone who''s daughter''s life was on the life.


    "What if I told you I never intended to hurt Madeline?"


    Emilio chuckled lightly.


    "I know that."


    "It took me a lot of considering and all that, before I realized that you wouldn''t lay a finger on her."


    His voice came out a bit muffled but Xavier could hear everything Emilio was saying properly.


    "You''re just not that kind of person. And no, I''m not mocking you or ridiculing you. If anything, I''m quite thankful."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Xavier questioned.


    Emilio could''ve stayed silent and not said anything for luna''s sake. So why''d he have to go out on one limb and tell him this?


    "Because even though I don''t say it, I''m proud of you."


    Xavier furrowed his brows.


    "If it had been anyone else as alpha I wouldn''t be alright with Eudora being in their hands. But it was you."


    "I don''t know why I''m saying this," Emilio admitted, "And praise or compliments coming from me probably don''t mean anything to you but¡­"


    "At least I know Eudora''s in good hands."


    He thought to himself, ''Among other things.''


    Emilio knew that Xavier was nothing like him. And that was what led to his downfall, and Xavier taking his place.


    Xavier and him saw the world in two completely different ways.


    And it was nice, knowing Madeline had a mate that wouldn''t hurt her or even think about it.


    Sure, Xavier used her against him which wasn''t cool, but at the same time, Xavier would never do anything that would put her in harm''s way. Not on purpose or anything, of course.


    And then Emilio thought about it even more. Xavier didn''t spare him for no reason. And even if - for some reason - he chose to spare him, he wouldn''t have let him off so lightly.


    Not unless he had reason to.


    Did he have another reason for doing all of this?


    Perhaps this had all occurred because of a certain mate of his that wanted to get to know her father more which resulted in him having a change of heart and sparing him.


    Or because he suddenly decided to spare Emilio out of nowhere!


    Highly unlikely.


    The first option was the truth. Emilio was sure of it.


    He knew Xavier cared about his daughter, as much as he didn''t want to admit it. If not, why did he do all this? Just to see him suffer?


    Just to get him to get to know his daughter better before tearing it all apart and ruining everything by killing him?


    Xavier wouldn''t. Not if it meant Madeline would get hurt by it.


    Whether or not a love story would eventually blossom between the both of them or they would remain friends and nothing would change was up to them, but Emilio would wager that something was brewing between them.


    He knew what two people that cared about looked like. Well, Emilio didn''t know if Cornelia still cared about him after all this time, but he had hoped she did.


    Nevertheless, he''d like it if he knew Madeline had someone like Xavier in her life.


    Funnily enough, he couldn''t think of any better person to be Madeline''s mate.


    It was ridiculous, Emilio knew. Why would he be thinking this?


    He wasn''t actually her father¡­ It was only blood that connected them.


    The one thing that Emilio would always regret would be that he never got to watch her blossom into a wonderful young woman. He never got to be there when she learnt to walk, never got to be there when she said her first word, or to give her the birds and the bees talk if one were going there and tell her that no one deserved her.


    He never got to be her father up until now.


    And that was the worst thing about his life. Never being able to enjoy the gift of seeing his daughter grow up.


    Now that he thought about it, being stuck in a hut paled in comparison to that one punishment of his. It was the worst consequence amongst all others he was given.


    And even now, him and Madeline were just two people who were getting to know each other and had a sort of father-daughter bond.


    But if Madeline ended up with Xavier, he wouldn''t complain.


    He wondered why he thought of that when he was busy thinking about how he missed the most crucial parts of her life.


    But, if he were to continue or add to that, Xavier was a good man.. And Emilio didn''t say that just because Xavier spared him, he said it because deep down, that was what he thought.

 Chapter 106 - When Will I Get Powers?

    Most of the time, his ego prevented him from admitting these things, but he couldn''t possibly deny that Xavier was a great replacement as him.


    He didn''t appreciate losing his job to Xavier, but it was better him than someone else.


    Of course Xavier would someday replace him. Emilio knew that it was inevitable. It would happen at some point, he just didn''t know when.


    So when it actually happened, it took him by surprise. But after centuries¡­ He slowly made peace with it.


    Well, not really centuries. Recently would be a more accurate way to put things. Emilio had done no retrospection the past few centuries, he had only done it recently. And by recently, one meant when he discovered Madeline was his daughter.


    And when he discovered Madeline and Xavier were mates as well.


    Xavier thanked him for his kind words, wondering if Emilio was trying to compliment his way out of there. It wouldn''t work, obviously. Xavier wasn''t easily swayed by Emilio. He never had been so that wasn''t anything to worry about.


    Moving on from Emilio and Xavier to Madeline, Briar and Indiana.


    By then, they had finished lunch and Briar had returned to Madeline''s quarters with her, wanting to chat with her about something whilst Indiana had separated from the two girls, off to her room.


    Madeline had forgotten to mention to Briar that she had another guest in her quarters, so when Briar opened the door and heard a couple of noises coming from the corner of Madeline''s quarters, she rushed to find the source of the noise.


    "It''s a¡­ cat?"


    "Why is there a cat in your quarters?"


    Madeline''s eyes widened.


    Shoot, she had forgotten about Lily!


    "Briar, meet Lily," she said hastily, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she nervously chuckled, hoping Briar wouldn''t be too upset at her for hiding her pet from her.


    Briar furrowed her brows.


    "This isn''t a stray?"


    Madeline shook her head, "She isn''t a stray."


    Briar looked at the kitten, muttering something under her breath before she asked, "And you found it nearby your quarters?"


    "I did."


    "Peculiar," Briar commented, staring at the kitten.


    She crouched down, observing it like it was some fine piece of steak.


    "No collar," she said.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, I found her like that."


    Briar looked at the bed laying near Lily.


    ''Aww,'' she thought to herself.


    ''Madeline made her a bed¡­ Hold on.''


    ''Madeline made her a bed.''


    "When did you find her?" Briar asked, wondering how Madeline could''ve possibly made a bed so quickly.


    "A couple days back," Madeline answered, shocking Briar.


    "A couple days ago?! So you''re telling me you''ve had this kitten in your quarters and you never decided to tell me?"


    "It slipped my mind!" Madeline exclaimed, trying to defend herself.


    "With everything that was happening I forgot to tell you about it," she admitted before hastily apologizing to Briar.


    "Sorry."


    Briar caught her breath.


    "It''s fine, I just¡­"


    "Have a natural dislike towards cats," Briar admitted.


    Her being a werewolf and all¡­ She was prone to disliking cats.


    And no, it wasn''t only her. Xavier disliked them as well.


    Dreadful creatures, they were. The way they stared at you unblinkingly like they were in charge. Like they were some sort of powerful god or goddess.


    Whilst Briar was fond of creatures, she had grown to dislike cats.


    Kittens were acceptable, but when they were all grown up¡­ No. Luna no.


    Xavier''s dislike towards pets was why pets weren''t allowed in Eudora.


    "Does Xavier know about this?" Briar asked.


    Madeline nodded, "He does. He was the first to find out."


    Briar stared at Lily.


    "How are you still alive after Xavier discovered you''re here?" She asked curiously.


    She was being serious about this. How could Lily possibly be alive?


    Xavier would''ve arranged for her to have been--


    No, she didn''t want to think about it.


    Thinking about animals getting killed always managed to make Briar''s stomach churn. Nothing changed now.


    Madeline nodded, sighing.


    "I have to figure out what to do with her before she becomes a problem. Xavier dislikes her being here too so there''s that."


    Of course, Briar was unaware that Xavier was allergic to cats, and Madeline decided to keep it that way.


    She doubted Xavier wanted her knowing he had an allergy to cats. That was¡­ unnecessary, and something for her and Xavier to know only.


    Briar stepped away from the kitten. Whilst she found Lily adorable, she couldn''t stand being near her.


    She didn''t know what it was.


    "Maddie?" Briar asked out of the blue.


    "Hmm?"


    "What you said to Indiana during lunch¡­ Did you mean all of it?"


    "Why wouldn''t I mean all of it?" Madeline questioned.


    "Of course I did."


    "Ah," Briar said.


    "Did you think I didn''t mean it?" Madeline asked, furrowing her brows.


    Did Briar think she wanted to do something about Indiana and get back for what she did?


    Briar said, "Err."


    "I should probably head out now," she said nervously before waving at her friend.


    "Wait! You still haven''t answered my ques--"


    Briar had left by then.


    A gust of wind slammed against Madeline''s face.


    "And now I''m alone again," Madeline said.


    "I wonder if I have powers like everyone else," she wondered.


    Maybe then she''d be able to run at insanely quick speeds like the others, and be just like them.


    Maybe then she wouldn''t need someone to protect her since she''d be able to protect herself with her new powers now. She wouldn''t have nearly been killed a couple of times either, and most of her problems would be solved.


    Xavier wouldn''t need to worry about her anymore.


    She wouldn''t be some fragile vase compared to the others.


    Perhaps¡­ She''d be able to participate in hunts and wouldn''t have to drag others behind with her.


    __


    Author''s Note: Today marks the first day of 2022, oh my lord how far we''ve come.. Hope you all have a wonderful first day of the year, love mari.

 Chapter 107 - My Cat’s… WHAT?!

    Madeline thought to herself, if she had powers, she wouldn''t be a burden to her friends anymore.


    She wondered if Emilio knew anything about this. Then again, if she did inherit any powers, he would''ve told her by now and he would have explained everything to her by now.


    So if he hadn''t told her anything, he probably didn''t know anything either.


    And also, what if she discovered she had some powers she didn''t want to know she had?


    ''Gah! I should stop thinking about this now, this will only lead to disaster,'' Madeline told herself.


    With only her and Lily left in her quarters, she asked, "Now what am I going to do about you?"


    She pouted, "I don''t want to give you away."


    One of the reasons she had never gotten a pet before was emotional attachment. She was terrified she''d grow to love said pet and be unable to separate herself from it.


    And now, she felt that same way.


    Of course, she wanted Lily to be safe. She hadn''t known Lily for too long, but it was nice having her here even if it only had been a couple of days.


    Dogs were known as a human''s best friend.


    Why weren''t cats known as best friends as well?


    "Mrow."


    Was that cat for ''don''t be sad''?


    Madeline felt something stroking her leg to find Lily curled up beside her feet.


    She let out a deep sigh before crouching down to pick Lily up in her arms.


    "Let''s get you some food now," she said, presuming Lily would be hungry now.


    And indeed, she was.


    Madeline snagged some lean deli meats from the kitchen, refusing to think about how they managed to make it there.


    "Here you go," she said, giving Lily a small platter of meats for her to enjoy.


    As Lily happily feasted on the food Madeline had brought her, Madeline stroked her head gently.


    "Eat up," Madeline said to her, a small smile on her face.


    Madeline wondered if Lily knew how she felt, and that she''d have to change homes sometime soon.


    ''That is, if Lily ever regarded this place a home to begin with,'' Madeline thought.


    ''You know what, before I think of what to do with her, I make her a goodbye gift,'' Madeline decided.


    ''Yeah, I should make her a goodbye gift. Maybe I should make her a toy.''


    Madeline had made up her mind - she''d create a yarn ball for Lily.


    She looked for the yarn she had someone send to her quarters.


    ''Why do you need yarn?'' Xavier once asked her when Madeline asked Adrian if there was any yarn lying around Eudora.


    ''I want to make Lily something,'' she answered.


    "Hehe, I found it!" Madeline exclaimed, successfully finding yarn in one of her quarters'' cupboards.


    "Mrow," Lily meowed, staring at Madeline questioningly.


    She must''ve been wondering what Madeline was doing with yarn.


    Madeline looked behind her to see Lily looking at her.


    "Don''t mind me, I''m just making something for you," she said before she closed the cupboard.


    Madeline heard something drop to the bottom of the cupboard.


    She opened the cupboard again, looking downwards to see a sewing kit had fallen to the floor.


    Needles, pins, threads, thimbles, and pincushions were scattered at the bottom of the cupboard.


    Madeline picked them up, before¡­


    "Ow," she squeaked.


    When she had picked up the sewing needle, she had been pricked.


    Blood seeped out of spot the sewing needle had pricked her.


    And as a droplet of blood dropped onto the floor, a blinding flash came from the exact same spot Lily had been.


    Madeline grabbed a tissue, cleaning up the blood that had dropped onto the blood before taking another one and covering where the needle had pricked her before she rushed to where Lily was, only to see her no longer there.


    Where Lily was once was instead a woman.


    Standing up, she stretched, a look of pleasant delight on her pretty face.


    As she yawned, she said, "Oh, it feels so great to finally be in my human form."


    She looked over at Madeline, who was too stunned to speak.


    All she could think at that moment was, ''Did my cat just turn into a living, breathing person?!''


    ''H-how is t-this possible?''


    "Come, come, let auntie¡­"


    "What was that absurd name you gave me again?"


    Madeline stuttered, "L-Lily."


    "Ah, right."


    "Let Aunt Lily get a closer look at you, dear child."


    "A-Aunt?" Madeline questioned.


    She was unable to speak properly. And now, this woman was claiming to be her aunt?


    Was she a friend of Emilio''s? Or a friend of¡­ Cornelia''s?


    "I''m sorry, but do we know each other?"


    The woman blinked, "Right, I''ve yet to introduce myself to you, darling."


    ''Who the heck is this woman?'' Madeline inquired.


    She looked her up and down, observing her ensemble. The woman that her cat had turned into was dressed in a long-sleeved beige blouse, black high-waist trousers as well as pumps. To sum it up, she looked like an insanely rich office lady.


    But what was she doing calling herself Madeline''s aunt? Were they related somehow?


    Madeline figured this woman couldn''t possibly be Emilio''s sister, since they bore absolutely no resemblance to each other if they were indeed siblings.


    "Obviously, my real name isn''t Lily, it''s Rosalynn."


    "Feel free to call me Aunt Rosalynn."


    Rosalynn added, "Technically, I''m a family friend."


    She corrected herself, "No, no that''s the wrong way to go about it. I doubt he''d consider me a friend since he despises me."


    "Just¡ª I''m a friend of your mother''s."


    Madeline''s ears perked up.


    Her mother''s?


    Of course, Madeline didn''t know her biological mother had a sister. Then again, she knew nothing about Cornelia either so that was a given.


    However, she was confused.


    What was she doing here?


    And also, had Rosalynn been listening to everything Madeline had been saying.


    Madeline gasped.


    And watching everything she was doing?


    Her hand flew to her mouth, covering it as she stifled a squeak.

 Chapter 108 - Lily The Kitten

    "Hold on just one moment."


    "Aside from you being my aunt¡­"


    "A couple minutes ago, you were a cat."


    "The same cat that listened to me ranting and going about my quarters¡­"


    Madeline didn''t finish her sentence.


    "Ah right, that."


    "Let''s not talk about that now," Rosalynn said, dismissing it.


    "You must be wondering what I''m doing here, and why I suddenly changed into a human, no?" Rosalynn asked, her brow raised.


    Madeline nodded, "Of course."


    Rosalynn seated herself on Madeline''s couch.


    Madeline followed, sitting across from Rosalynn.


    "Originally, I only came for a little visit. Think of it as a little check up to see if you were alright. But then, you spotted me and I realized that my little trip would have to be extended."


    "Since I couldn''t possibly change into my human form for¡­ certain reasons."


    "Until, you pricked yourself with that needle which would technically mean you were in some form of danger."


    She gestured at herself, "So here I am."


    "How could Xavier not have realized you were¡­ you in the first place?" Madeline questioned.


    Rosalynn chuckled, "You mean that boyfriend of yours?"


    "He saw right through my disguise. But then instead of ratting me out he decided to play it off that he had some allergy to cats."


    She walked over to a counter with a pitcher of water and two glasses.


    Whilst pouring herself a glass of water, she shrugged, "I don''t know why he did it, maybe he wanted it to be a surprise."


    "Who knew he''d take Emile''s spot as alpha one day? How unexpected of him."


    Madeline inhaled, not paying any heed to whatever Rosalynn was saying. So this entire time.


    This ENTIRE time.


    Xavier knew, and he didn''t tell her?


    That there was a woman living in the same quarters she was living in, except in the form of a kitten she decided to take in.


    She had been so focused on that one detail, and the fact that Xavier hadn''t told her that she hadn''t bothered to correct Rosalynn when she had called Xavier her boyfriend.


    Her mind reasoned, ''Hey, look at the bright side, you don''t have to give her away anymore. And as an added bonus, you have a magical shapeshifter aunt now!''


    She brushed that off, making a quick note to confront Xavier about it when they met once more before she asked Rosalynn the question she had been meaning to ask.


    "So¡­ What are you?"


    Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "If you don''t mind answering, of course."


    Rosalynn thought about it.


    "A shapeshifter."


    "Obviously, it''s difficult to shapeshift in Eudora, but I was able to return to my original form due to your previous predicament."


    "You might wanna rinse that under some warm water by the way," she reminded Madeline, who had forgotten about that by now.


    Madeline looked down at her finger.


    Right.


    She had been occupied thinking about Rosalynn.


    "Aunt Rosalynn seems too long for a title."


    She clicked her tongue.


    "Let''s shorten it to Aunt Rose."


    Rosalynn repeated it, "Aunt Rose, it has a nice ring to it."


    Her gaze softened when she saw the look on Madeline''s face.


    "I know this comes as a shock to you, what with me suddenly returning into my human form all of a sudden, but¡­"


    "If you have any more questions, I''d be willing to answer them."


    "Especially any questions about your mother."


    Madeline smiled gratefully.


    Rosalynn observed the look on her face.


    "Unless Emilio''s already told you a bit about your mother already."


    "Is he here? In Eudora? Right now?"


    Nodding, Madeline confirmed what Rosalynn had been thinking.


    Emilio was here.


    He was in Eudora, and he was still alive and well.


    "You mean Xavier hasn''t killed him already and left him for dead, or leaving him to die a slow death?" Rosalynn asked in astonishment.


    "Emilio''s trapped in a hut," Madeline answered, realizing how silly she was for saying that.


    Rosalynn burst into laughter.


    "Now I must see this."


    "Would you be a dear and bring me to him?"


    Madeline found it terribly difficult to object to Rose''s request.


    Rose seemed harmless. And if Xavier had known she was here all along¡­ Why not?


    "Sure," she said, getting up on her feet.


    "After you deal with that of course," Rose said, pointing to Madeline''s pricked finger.


    "Right," Madeline agreed.


    After Madeline dealt with that issue of hers, she and Rose left to visit Emilio.


    Boy, was Emilio in for a shock.


    Rose could barely hold in her laughter when the two of them approached Emilio''s hut.


    She bit her lip.


    Never did she imagine the day she''d see Emilio punished for his doings. By Xavier, no less.


    Rose had been shocked enough when she discovered Emilio was to spend the rest of his life trapped in a cave.


    And now?


    She wondered what was up with Xavier and why he suddenly decided to go easy on Emilio.


    As far as she knew, Xavier hated Emilio to his very core. Everyone knew that, Rose and Cornelia being no exception to that fact.


    There was no telling what Xavier intended to do by doing this, but Rose presumed this had something to do with his close relationship with Madeline.


    Oh yes, she knew Xavier and Madeline were close friends.


    Just¡­ By the way they looked at each other as well.


    And the fact that they were mates only helped with her assumption.


    Who would''ve known that Emilio''s one and only daughter would be so¡­


    Taken by the man that was once his beta.


    Rose originally knew Xavier as Emilio''s beta. She was taken aback when she discovered Xavier had become alpha. Although¡­ As unexpected as it was, to some degree, this was always going to happen one way or another.


    Madeline knocked on the door of Emilio''s hut.


    "You have a visitor," she announced.


    A smirk dawned upon Rose''s face as she knew it was her time to shine.


    "Oh Emilioooo," she called.

 Chapter 109 - Auntie Rosalynn

    Emilio''s eyes widened upon hearing that.


    ''I recognize that voice.''


    He blinked.


    ''I RECOGNIZE THAT VOICE!''


    He looked to where the voice was coming from, asking, "Rosalynn?"


    "Been a while, Emile," Rosalynn said, scoffing.


    "How have you been doing? How''s life been treating you?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer to the questions she asked Emilio.


    When Emilio didn''t answer Rosalynn''s question, she threw her head back and laughed.


    "Fine, have it your way."


    "You know exactly what I''d answer," Emilio said bitterly.


    "Why pretend to not know, Rose? What are you doing here anyway, and how did you get past the barrier in the first place?"


    "Does Xavier even know you''re here?"


    "Of course, he does. He was the first to realize I was here."


    "What did you do this time?" Emilio asked, sounding particularly annoyed.


    ''Does Emilio dislike Aunt Rose?'' Madeline wondered, listening intently into their conversation.


    It sounded so from the way he talked to her.


    "Did you shapeshift into something?" Emilio asked, wishing he too could shapeshift.


    Rosalynn scoffed, "Of course, I did. I wouldn''t want to waste the skills in which I was bestowed."


    "And besides, at least my antics didn''t lead me to my doom," she said, referring to Emilio and him being trapped in that cave.


    Emilio took it as a personal attack.


    "Did you come all this way to insult me or did Cornelia send you?" He asked, wondering what her point was in angering him.


    "Did Cornelia send me? Of course not. I chose to come here all on my lonesome," Rosalynn explained, clearing things up.


    All she did was pay a little visit to her friend''s daughter. Was that wrong?


    She had first intended to visit Madeline and her alone, until Madeline took her in, causing Rose to have to extend her stay.


    If she had left Madeline to return to where she had come from, that would''ve hurt Madeline in the process, would it not?


    Madeline adored Lily - albeit she barely knew the kitten.


    She took her in, gave her a name, made her a bed, provided her shelter and sustenance, et cetera et cetera.


    Madeline wasn''t obliged to do that. Hell, she wasn''t obliged to even spare her one glance.


    But she did.


    Rosalynn was surprised by the warmth and affection she was given on her first day at Eudora, even if it was in the form of a kitten.


    However, the more she thought about it, she couldn''t dismiss Xavier''s action.


    He hadn''t ratted her out to Madeline.


    All it took was one glance for him to realize who she actually was, but instead of doing anything, he kept silent.


    Perhaps it was due to the fact that he didn''t want to hurt Madeline or spoil it for her.


    It was common knowledge that Madeline grew up without ever knowing her spontaneous mother.


    Emilio interrupted Rose''s train of thought when he asked Madeline, "Madeline, are you there?"


    "I am," Madeline answered.


    "I could leave," she said, knowing her presence wasn''t exactly warranted here anyway.


    "Alright, dear," Rosalynn answered.


    "You should probably inform Xavier too," she said.


    "Right," Madeline nodded, before she was on her way to Xavier''s office.


    When she was halfway there, she stopped herself.


    She figured that she''d been pestering Xavier too often lately, so she decided not to bother him now.


    "Madeline?" Xavier asked.


    Madeline looked up to see Xavier looking at her.


    "Xavier? What are you doing here?"


    Wasn''t he supposed to be working at that given time?


    Strangely, Xavier felt like his voice was trapped in his throat. Like he couldn''t form a sentence around Madeline for some reason.


    Why could that be?


    "I was looking for you," Xavier admitted after a couple of moments of silence.


    Madeline pursed her lips, "There must''ve been a reason you didn''t tell me, right?"


    Xavier nodded.


    "Of course."


    Why had he kept it from her when he could''ve spilled Rose''s secret to her right then and there?


    Why did he pretend to have a cat allergy instead of just telling her the truth?


    "You could''ve just told me the truth," Madeline reasoned.


    "I doubt you wanted me to tell you your cat was a friend of your biological mother and wasn''t what it was pretending to be."


    "You were fond of it, were you not?"


    And while Madeline appreciated the sentiment, she found it odd that was Xavier''s reason for keeping Rose''s existence from her.


    He didn''t even try to pretend he didn''t fathom what she was talking about.


    "I''m sorry for not telling you about it sooner. It was a mistake on my part."


    Xavier thought it was pathetic of him, telling her he kept a secret from her all because it was difficult for him to have to see her face something she had personally admitted to him she wanted nothing to do with.


    Madeline had specifically said she wanted nothing to do with her biological mother.


    Xavier originally thought Rose would leave in peace. That she wouldn''t bother telling Madeline the truth about her and leave, even if it meant Madeline being heartbroken that she had lost her dear companion.


    She''d spend endless nights, either searching for Lily or worrying about where she was at every given moment.


    However, now that she knew who Lily truly was¡­ Even Madeline had to admit she felt some sense of relief.


    Madeline was in between a ''yay, I no longer have to figure out a way to get rid of Lily, as well as a ''now I have an aunt''.


    It was funny because she would''ve never seen this coming.


    Madeline wasn''t as shocked as she would have been months before.


    If she were to discover that a cat had the ability to shapeshift into a human form, and that her father was a werewolf, she''d burst into laughter and dismiss everything as well as call whoever told her or whatever piece of evidence that lie in front of her completely untrue.


    But now, she wasn''t as shocked. She took it more calmly than Rose would''ve expected her too.


    For a moment, she thought Madeline would''ve reacted harshly to her turning into a human the moment that droplet of blood had made it onto the floor. But no, she hadn''t.


    "You''re hurt," Xavier noticed, lifting Madeline''s hand to reveal her bandaged finger.


    He thought to himself, ''So, that was how Rose returned to her human form on Eudorian grounds.''


    ''Once her dear friend''s daughter''s blood was spilled, she was able to return to her human form.''


    "Yeah, Rose explained to me that was how she was able to transform back into a human."


    "Correction, Aunt Rose," Madeline corrected.


    Xavier wondered if that was what Madeline thought when he brought that up.


    He couldn''t care less about how Rose could transform back into a human.


    And besides, Rose knew it was a risk the moment she stepped foot into Eudora. The only reason she had access to Eudora and could pass the barrier was Emilio.


    She was Cornelia''s dearest friend.


    What else was he supposed to do, not let her in his territory?


    He was madly in love with Cornelia.


    So much so that he''d do anything for her.


    He was a biased alpha, and he knew it too.


    Xavier wasn''t concerned.


    Rose was harmless.


    He knew she wouldn''t do anything to harm Madeline.


    And what reason would she have to hurt Madeline in the first place?


    Cornelia and her were still on good terms, Xavier presumed. Heck, Cornelia probably knew about her visit to Eudora too.


    Whilst it was a surprise Cornelia didn''t come with, it was expected.


    After knowing her for a long while, Cornelia probably thought her research was more important than seeing her daughter.


    And knowing Rose¡­ She disagreed with Cornelia on that one thing.


    Rose was a kind soul. Cornelia, on the other hand, only cared about what was best for her.


    Giving Madeline away was her one last courtesy towards her daughter.


    Did Cornelia ever even spare Madeline a glance?


    Did she ever think about her daughter? Did she?


    It was strange, since Cornelia seemed truly in love with Emilio.


    They were destined to be together, even if fate wanted it another way for the two of them.


    So when Emilio was sent to that cave¡­ Xavier expected Cornelia to still stay by his side.


    Regardless of whatever hardships the two of them faced, they''d get through it all. They''d still find a way to be happy together.


    But was Xavier wrong.


    He was shocked by Cornelia''s actions when he received word she no longer visited Emilio or wanted anything to do with him.


    Then again, he had done the same thing, abandoning his ex-friend by leaving him to spend the rest of his life alone.


    Except, there was a difference.


    This was the way packs worked.


    The beta killed the alpha.


    The beta took the alpha''s place in the pack, assuming the throne and becoming alpha.


    He or she would assign another beta, and the whole cycle would play once more.


    Except¡­ There were times the beta refused to kill the alpha.


    Or challenge the alpha to a duel in the first place.


    So what would happen if that were the case?

 Chapter 110 - The Eudorian Ways

    Well, if that were the case, then¡­


    They''d have to wait it out until something happened, since not all werewolves were blessed with longevity.


    And not all of them were immortal.


    Unbeknownst to Madeline, the descendants of the first werewolves were all immortals. Although, they weren''t impervious to harm.


    If they were, then that''d cause a huge ripple. It''d affect each and every pack, and every werewolf on Alaric.


    But, what prompted doubts from Emilio and Xavier about Madeline being immortal was since she had a mother that possessed human blood.


    So, was she immortal? Was she not?


    Did she age differently than others? Or would she live the average lifespan of a normal, ordinary human?


    However, her mother wasn''t quite human either. Just because she possessed human blood didn''t make her human.


    Also, she had found multiple ways to increase her lifespan with the spells she had tinkered with in the past.


    So, if she was able to increase her lifespan, the same could probably be done with Madeline.


    If she wasn''t immortal already, of course.


    Xavier looked at Madeline, who was looking up at him.


    He looked away, cutting off eye contact with her. He had come to her to tell her something, something that had nothing to do with Rose.


    Xavier looked down at his hand, staring at the book he held in his hand. The product of his research.


    After weeks, and weeks, and weeks of researching and going through every single page of every single book the library - as well as his own private library - had to offer, he had discovered a book that discussed special circumstances of a human and a werewolf being mates, as well as other things it entailed.


    One particular page in the book  was bookmarked, as it contained the very thing Xavier had been looking for.


    An explanation.


    So, it turned out that while there had never been a human and a werewolf who were mates, the book wrote of a prophecy that was identical to the one he knew. The one that referred to Madeline.


    She was the one the book wrote about.


    The girl that grew up surrounded by humans and knew nothing about her true identity, whose father was doomed to never have everything he ever wanted.


    It was an old book Xavier had found in his private collection of books passed down from one alpha to the other. They were centuries old, but Xavier still treasured them regardless.


    Emilio had never used them, so they were left unattended to and collecting dirt in the alpha''s private library.


    Now, returning to that book.


    That wasn''t all about Madeline - or what Xavier assumed to be about Madeline.


    If what was written in it was to be taken seriously, then if one were to sum everything up, Madeline was a cursed child.


    Danger surrounded her, and everywhere she went, everything she touched, would crumble into ruin. All it would take was time.


    Everyone that had anything to do with her would have to suffer the ultimate consequences.


    They might not have realized it now, but there was something dangerous that slowly waited for them all.


    What is this dangerous thing? Xavier had no idea.


    The book hadn''t specified it.


    All it had mentioned was that there would be a¡­ parody?


    The word had been scratched out. All Xavier could read from the text were the letters p, r, d, and y.


    He found it strange.


    Now that didn;''t make any logical sense, did it?


    "What''s that book in your hand?" Madeline asked, snapping Xavier out of his train of thought.


    "It''s a book I just found," Xavier responded, answering Madeline''s question vaguely, hoping she wouldn''t question it further.


    And hopefully, for luna knows what reason, she wouldn''t ask to look at the book.


    How would she respond to being called a cursed child?


    How would anyone react to being called a cursed child?


    Not nicely, that was obvious.


    "Ah," Madeline said.


    Madeline said to him, "Can''t wait for lunch tomorrow!"


    "I''m excited," she admitted, the edges of her mouth close to curving up into a smile.


    A wave of relief washed over Xavier. Thank goodness she didn''t pay anymore heed to the book.


    That was what he thought - at least.


    ''I wonder what''s in that book for him not to tell me,'' Madeline wondered.


    ''Probably some important information relating to Eudora there, huh. I probably wouldn''t understand it in the first place so why bother asking?''


    Madeline felt a sour taste in her mouth, accompanied with that fluttery feeling in her stomach again.


    ''Why are my cheeks heating up? Do I have a fever?''


    Madeline placed a hand on her forehead, checking her temperature.


    She doubted she had a fever, it must have been something else that caused her sudden rise in temperature.


    However, something she noticed was that this only happened whenever she was around¡­ Xavier.


    Was being around him affecting her and causing her to be this way?


    She hoped this wouldn''t continue.


    Madeline liked spending time with Xavier. She found his presence comforting and reassuring.


    It was nice having him around, and she was getting more and more comfortable around him.


    Sure, there were still a few things that confused her here and there about werewolves, but she was still new to everything. Some confusion had to be expected from her.


    "Neither can I," Xavier admitted, smiling.


    He could no longer hide it.


    And besides, she was his friend.


    Why did he see the need to hide his smile from her?


    Moving on from Madeline and Xavier to Emilio and Rose¡­


    "Wow, so you came all the way here just to visit Madeline?"


    "Do you have to seem so shocked? I can check up on Madeline. Is it so wrong for me to want to check up on my dearest friend''s daughter?"


    "My trip was extended when Madeline found me, I did not intend to end up here, speaking to you," Rosalynn admitted.


    "And besides, Cornelia would dislike it if she were to discover I was here, talking to¡­ Well, you."


    Emilio looked down at his lap, frowning.


    "Does she hate me now?"


    "I''m talking about Cornelia, and don''t try to change the topic of conversation," Emilio said, sounding truly miserable.


    He was that way whenever he talked about her.


    "If you think she hates you, that''d mean you think you did something to warrant that, no?"


    Emilio trailed off, "I¡­"


    "I guess you''d say that," Emilio muttered under his breath.


    "I doubt she despises you," Rosalynn admitted, "Although she''s moved on from you."


    "Moved on?"


    Rosalynn refused to disclose any further details about Cornelia. That was enough as is.


    Cornelia would be at her throat if she let Emilio in on everything.


    And besides, Cornelia wasn''t too pleased when she discovered her friend would be visiting her daughter, although she had the opportunity to and skipped out on it.


    Why did she skip out on that opportunity?


    Who knew?


    Maybe she purposely wanted to keep her distance from her daughter.


    Or because she knew it served no purpose and that Madeline would be upset at her for all the choices she had made in the past that had to do with her.


    Cornelia wasn''t the best mother.


    Everyone could admit that.


    And Rosalynn''s visit to Eudora was extremely random and made no sense at all. Not unless she was sent here to fulfill a purpose.


    Or if she was sent here on Cornelia''s orders to check on how Madeline was doing there now that she discovered Emilio was her father.


    "She cares about Madeline," Rosalynn said to him, knowing he was thinking about it.


    "She may not admit it but she does care about Madeline to an extent."


    Emilio murmured, ''The keyword is to an extent.''


    "You are aware, I can hear you, right?"


    Emilio shrugged, "It was meant for you to hear."


    "But, if you say Cornelia cares about her daughter¡­"


    "Why is it you telling me this and not her herself?"


    "Why did you have to come and visit Madeline when her own mother could have done so?" Emilio reasoned.


    Rosalynn knew Emilio made an amazing point.


    She was nothing to Madeline.


    She knew Cornelia was who Madeline really wanted to see. Not her of all people.


    However, Rosalynn still valued Madeline.


    Things would''ve gone differently had¡­ Cornelia never gave her away.


    If Cornelia decided to keep Madeline, how would life be?


    For one, Rosalynn would''ve gotten to know Madeline way better.


    Secondly, Madeline would''ve grown knowing Cornelia better than she did Emilio.


    And lastly, she would''ve grown up with at least one parent present during her childhood, being there for her every step of the way.


    Well, maybe. That wasn''t for sure.


    Nothing was.


    __


    Psst, author here. Writing this author''s note to tell you that this chapter contains some very special¡­ information so long as you pay attention to detail. Take these words as you will.


    Alright, love you guys so much, author out.

 Chapter 111 - A Proper Explanation

    Hours passed, and the sun dawned on Eudora once more.


    Madeline woke up, immediately thinking about her plans with Xavier.


    Speaking of Xavier, he had woken up particularly excited for whatever reason.


    Thankfully, he managed to get a wink of sleep thanks to a bit of convincing from Madeline.


    ''Madeline,'' he thought, remembering their plans.


    It was the first thing he thought of the entire day.


    No, not the duties he had to fulfill or anything else.


    Xavier felt his heart pounding. His pulse was racing, and he felt extremely restless for whatever reason.


    He placed a hand on his forehead.


    His entire body felt¡­


    Hot?


    Why was that so?


    He shook his head, refusing to let those red flags tamper with his day. It was probably temporary.


    They''d vanish as soon as he got something to eat, or began working.


    Xavier''s workpile had evidently decreased over the couple of days, so luckily, his schedule wasn''t as tight or packed as usual.


    Madeline was delighted to hear that. Spending time with Xavier was a delight, and she wished to do it more often if not for his schedule limiting him.


    However, now that he had more leeway, Madeline intended to milk it for all its worth. Whatever it took if it meant she got to spend time with her dear friend.


    She was living life.


    Getting to know her father, a new aunt in her life, being able to reconnect with Briar as well as see Xavier more often. She was content with it as is.


    From Xavier''s recollection, Rosalynn ended up ''crashing'' in a spare room in Eudora.


    At this point, Eudora had an endless amount of rooms. And by endless, one meant fifty, excluding the facilities Eudora provided.


    Fifty rooms were constructed to accomodate any guests. Say, a messenger from another pack. Or, accomodation for new members.


    Rosalynn was shocked when she had been offered accomodation at Eudora; she found it strange that everyone was being so compassionate to her.


    And the sad part of this was that¡­ The reason she found it strange was because she had never been treated this compassionately by Emilio.


    Emilio was nowhere near compassionate. Not even to her, and she was Cornelia''s closest confidant. They were practically sisters at this point.


    It was no wonder Emilio was skeptical of Rosalynn visiting him only to talk. She must''ve had another intention. Something other than to visit the girl that was practically her niece.


    Maybe Cornelia did send her after all.


    Rosalynn had always been an expert at trickery and lying. She was a trickster, using her powers for her entertainment most of the time. That was part of the reason Emilio was never too fond of her.


    Although, it seemed like Rosalynn had changed her ways now.


    Emilio hoped she was being genuine, and that he hadn''t fallen victim to another one of her tricks again.


    If he had, not only would it be extremely embarrassing, it''d prove that Rosalynn never changed.


    Emilio always wondered what someone like Rosalynn was doing around Cornelia, until he realized Cornelia and her bore many similarities.


    Cornelia too was a playful person at one point in her life. She ''grew out'' of it eventually, and it seemed that so did Rosalynn.


    They complimented each other, Emilio knew that now. It took him ages to figure out, and a part of him knew that there would never come a time where he fully understood Cornelia, even when he assumed he did back in the past.


    Oh, how foolish he was.


    Now, returning back to Xavier¡­


    He was having a rough morning, feeling all sickly. It was never before seen.


    The alpha, feeling sickly?


    Xavier refused to confide in Adrian. This was something Adrian was better off knowing.


    And this was exactly how Xavier worked.


    He kept secrets from those that cared about him, especially at times they needed to know how he was doing or should have been by his side.


    Xavier never told them anything until they either found out themselves or Xavier was comfortable enough to tell them. He too knew it was a problem, but everyone knowing about his current symptoms was unnecessary. It really wasn''t.


    And besides, why would anyone care if he felt a tad bit sickly? He was supposed to follow his daily routine, in which he sucked it up, acted like he felt nothing and was completely fine and went on with his life just like that.


    It worked for centuries. No one questioned him.


    The majority of his pack adored him, with a couple of exceptions.


    Ahem, Emilio worshippers.


    However, Xavier didn''t let that get to him. If he spent his entire lifetime trying to get people to like him, then that would be a life not worth living, would it?


    It would be worthless and nerve racking, if everything he did was to please others.


    By doing the exact opposite, he succeeded. Xavier did what he thought he needed to do, and was rewarded in the process by fate.


    He was given the title of alpha. That was fate''s gift to him.


    One could argue that there was another gift far more valuable than his title as alpha, but that was not one could disclose so publically.


    Besides, that was mainly for Xavier to figure out.


    With the bottom half of his body neatly wrapped in a towel, he picked out something for him to wear with clothes suitable to have lunch with a friend in mind when he did.


    After quickly getting dressed, he exited his cabin. And in a mere couple of seconds, he was back in his office.


    The familiar scent of Rassia lingered in his office. It had been proven to increase productivity and alertness, so Xavier kept a Rassia plant in his office.


    Taking a deep breath in, he convinced himself he was fine before he took a seat on his office chair.


    Xavier told himself, ''Today is going to be a fine day. I''m going to work, have lunch with Madeline, and then continue working. That''s it. No distractions.''


    ''No distractions at all,'' he clarified.


    For someone that loved work, he didn''t seem as motivated to work today as he usually was.


    Why was that, anyway?


    The question of Xavier''s day.


    ''Why was that?''


    He had skipped breakfast as he didn''t feel hungry.


    ''Strange, not only have I lost my appetite, I''m slightly feverish, I couldn''t sleep well, I have heart palpitations, and a racing pulse.''


    He dismissed his racing pulse and his difficulty sleeping. That was normal.


    The heart palpitations were strange though. His heart didn''t beat this fast. His cheeks weren''t usually this fiery hot.


    Did it have something to do with him overexerting himself? He doubted so.


    This had gone on for centuries, so why would he only get tired of everything now?


    Surely he would''ve reached his limit a long time ago if this was the case, no?


    So why now?


    Why was this day ruined with these strange occurings?


    Xavier was never this way, this was a first.


    When he was a human, he had felt sick and close to dying.


    But he was a werewolf now, his human years were long gone now. They were long behind him.


    He retained all of his human memories, yes.


    However, he chose not to reminisce on them as he felt¡­ A tad bit ashamed of them, really.


    His human side of him was vulnerable.


    He was once weak and unable to protect himself; he was once a human.


    The him that thought being turned into a werewolf was a curse now thought of it as a blessing.


    His life was extended. He outlived humans, and he was given special abilities.


    Xavier had been so occupied with his newfound powers when he was newly turned, that it was what blinded him.


    Years passed by, and Xavier grew to love his powers more and more. Then, he discovered that werewolf packs existed and joined one.


    He worked his way up to the top, and after decades of hard work, he made it to the treasured beta position.


    During that time, Xavier was still unknown to most. He was still that mysterious newcomer that happened to grab Alpha Emilio''s attention, and that one thing helped him become beta.


    And during that time, Xavier had only one friend.


    A delta by the name of Adrian.


    Who knew that fate had more in plan for them than just beta and delta?


    They both received huge promotions when Xavier had defeated Emilio once and for all.


    Sure, his decision not to kill Emilio shocked Adrian, who was the only person who knew of Xavier''s decision.


    Everyone else assumed Emilio was dead. Sure, Xavier had stuttered and chose not to kill Emilio right away, but he was swiftly killed afterwards.


    But no, that wasn''t the case.


    Because of that, Madeline was born decades later, whilst Emilio was still imprisoned in his cave.


    And just like him, she was the first of generations.

 Chapter 112 - You Just Started A War

    Whenever Xavier was engrossed in his work, hours and hours would pass by like it was nothing.


    Looking at the wall clock, Xavier realized lunch had rolled around the corner.


    ''That was so fast, it didn''t feel like a couple of hours went by,'' Xavier thought to himself, just as a knock sounded from the door.


    ''And that should be Madeline,'' he said as he walked towards the door.


    Before he turned the doorknob, he straightened his shirt and ran a finger through his hair.


    "Hello Xavier," Madeline greeted, a teensy smile plastered across her face.


    She was excited for lunch.


    Why wouldn''t she be?


    Lunch consisted of two things she heavily looked forward to.


    Food, and Xavier.


    Xavier was a no-brainer.


    So was food, since Madeline was the biggest fan of food.


    Anything spicy in particular.


    Shockingly, Madeline was a huge fan of spicy foods.


    And to her shock, Xavier was the complete opposite of her.


    Whilst she favoured anything spicy, he was always up for anything sweet.


    "You look incredible," Madeline praised.


    Xavier smiled, his racing heart slowing down.


    Finally, he felt like he was at peace. Like there wasn''t a gun to the side of his head.


    Strange how he only felt this way when he was around her.


    ''Must be because she''s such an amazing friend,'' Xavier thought to himself, dismissing it as nothing and continuing on.


    Of course, instead of coming to the dining room to see a feast already prepared in advance for them, Madeline suggested that they both made lunch together the day prior.


    "We make lunch together?" Xavier questioned, his brow raised as Madeline brought up the suggestion.


    "Yeah."


    "Think of how fun it''ll be," Madeline reasoned, a smile on her face as she held both his hands, a hopeful look across her face.


    Xavier stared back at her, his book stored under his arm.


    How could he say no to her?


    Giving in to Madeline''s request, Xavier said to her, "Alright."


    "But be warned, I know nothing about cooking."


    "Well that''s alright. It''s making lunch together, no one''s trying to impress each other or anything. We can take things slow, make lunch together, and just have fun," Madeline reasoned.


    "When you put it that way, it does sound fun," Xavier admitted.


    He had to hand it to her, Madeline had the ability of making things he''d usually find boring and uninteresting the other way around.


    Whilst Xavier could have spent the entire day researching what his and Madeline''s red string situation meant, he chose to spend time with her. That was why they were having lunch together.


    Madeline was someone it was nice having around. She managed to make dark days bright, and horrible moods better.


    Sure, she didn''t smile often in the past, but now she smiled more.


    He didn''t see how that was relevant to anything, but it was nice seeing her smile.


    That same smile could easily light up the velvety, sparkly sky, among other things.


    "We''re here," Madeline said, snapping Xavier out of his thoughts.


    Clearing his throat, he nodded, "Oh right."


    Madeline had seen the way he looked before.


    Was there something wrong?


    ''You''re overthinking it, what if it''s nothing and you asked him all this for no reason at all?'' One voice in her mind said to her.


    Another reasoned, making a valid point, ''Well, it''s better to ask than keep silent.''


    Madeline asked him worriedly, "You alright? You were spacing out before. We could always postpone lunch if you need--"


    "No," Xavier answered instantly.


    "There''s no need, I''m alright, it''s nothing. I promise. We can continue, I''m fine, I need to clear my head anyway,"


    Madeline was unsure whether to trust him about this, but she chose to let it go. If he said he was alright, then so be it. She''d believe him, unless how he behaved later on had anything to say about that.


    There was something that told her there was something on his mind.


    But what could it possibly be? Work stuff?


    She didn''t know much about his line of work, so there wasn''t much to talk about there. That was the one thing that divided them most.


    Xavier was alpha. She was just her.


    Even though Xavier had made it very clear to her that she was not just any ordinary person.


    She recalled his exact words.


    ''You''re Madeline, you''re not just any person. You''re special, don''t ever doubt that.''


    Madeline found it sweet that he reassured her about it.


    And if he still wanted to talk to her about work or anything at all, she was always there for him. And she hoped he knew that, because she was nearly sure there was something he was hiding.


    Now, if Xavier was hiding something, it was probably between two things.


    One, something about work he couldn''t disclose. Something that lingered in his mind.


    Two, something about her he didn''t want to tell her.


    Xavier didn''t seem uneasy around her or anything. He seemed peaceful and calm.


    "So, got any ideas on what we''re going to make?" Madeline asked.


    After a bit of back and forth, they finally decided on what to make.


    Xavier''s curiosity was piqued when he heard of this strange dish.


    "Tortillas?"


    Madeline nodded.


    Basically, tortillas were thin flat bread made out of wheat flour usually eaten with dips or various sauces.


    "Let''s make that then," Xavier said, wanting to know more about this strange food he had never once heard of.


    Was this some sort of delicacy kept in Madeline''s family? A family recipe of sorts?


    Madeline threw her head back and laughed when Xavier had asked her that whilst they were collecting the ingredients needed to make the tortillas.


    It wasn''t like that, it wasn''t anything special.


    "No no, it''s not like that. It''s not a recipe passed down from generation to generation or anything with some long backstory. I just ate it at a restaurant and liked it so I tried making it."


    "Wow," Xavier said as he successfully found the container of flour he had been looking for from a kitchen cabinet.


    Madeline looked at the ingredients they had collected.


    "Flour, salt, baking powder, water, that should be all."


    "And then, there''s the dips."


    "You take the reins on that one," Xavier said to her.


    "Alright," Madeline agreed.


    She decided on two dips. Hot salsa, and guacamole.


    Salsa was spicy and hot, while guacamole was supposed to have a sweet flavour.


    And then, Madeline got to work, with Xavier being her assistant.


    "I didn''t know you could be bossy," Xavier admitted, slightly pouting.


    "What did you just say?" Madeline said, too occupied to have been able to listen to what Xavier had just said.


    She rolled the dough balls she and Xavier had made with a floured rolling pin, flattening them into the round, thin delicacy known as a tortilla.


    "Nothing," Xavier lied.


    "Hmph, liar," Madeline said, flour in hand.


    With the flour she was about to sprinkle onto the rolling pin, she accidentally threw it at Xavier.


    She gasped, "I am so sorry."


    Now, Xavier had learnt that when someone threw something at you, whether it was a full-on attack, or flour¡­ You didn''t act irrationally.


    You waited and thought about it for a bit before you did something about it.


    However, when the battlefield was a kitchen¡­


    Xavier quickly grabbed a handful of flour and flung it back at Madeline, covering her in flour from head to toe.


    Instead of calling what he was starting off or continuing to make the tortillas, Madeline scoffed.


    "You don''t know what you just started," she just said to him, trying her hardest not to break into laughter right then and there.


    Inside, all she wanted to do was pout and tell him, ''How dare you!''


    That, and smother him in flour.


    Then again, that would suck the fun out of things way too quickly.


    "Oh? I started something now?" Xavier asked, feigning ignorance and acting as though he was innocent.


    "But I did nothing," he lied, blinking innocently at her.


    Being- No, acting oblivious was his specialty, after all.


    "Why you--"


    Oof!


    Madeline threw flour at Xavier, aiming directly for his head.


    And just like that, Xavier felt something cover his head and face.


    "You ruined my hair!" Xavier exclaimed as his hands went straight to his hair.


    And just like that, the two of them engaged in an all-out war, flinging flour at each other until they were both covered in flour.


    Thankfully, no one else but them were allowed access into the kitchen, so it was just the two of them. They had the entire kitchen to themselves and they could do whatever they pleased.


    And by whatever they pleased, they chose a food fight.


    So much for making the tortillas.


    __


    Author''s Note: Guess what I was doing whilst I was writing this chapter. Hint, I made it very, very obvious in this chapter and it''s food related.


    Alright, alright, moving on to the next chapter. Hope you all had or are having an amazing day.. Author out.

 Chapter 113 - What Are Those Strange Noises Coming From The Kitchen?

    "Xavier? Xavier," Adrian called, looking for Xavier, wanting to ask him something of utmost importance.


    To his surprise, Xavier and Madeline were still in the kitchen.


    What were they doing that was so time consuming? Cooking didn''t usually take this long.


    After hearing some strange noises, Adrian took a peek in the kitchen, only for his jaw to drop to the floor.


    Xavier and Madeline were¡­


    Having a food fight?


    ''Are my eyes working properly?'' Adrian asked.


    ''You know what, I should just leave. Come to think of it, I could always ask him later.''


    Now, one would be asking.


    How did Adrian go unnoticed by Xavier and Madeline?


    Adrian was extremely skilled at being silent. He was agile and stealthy.


    Unfortunately, Xavier noticed Adrian peeking in the kitchen out of the corner of his eye.


    ''What?'' He asked Adrian as he shielded himself from the flour that was just about to hit him.


    ''Nothing, I''ll leave now. Don''t go too rough on her.''


    ''You¡ª''


    Just like that, Adrian vanished.


    And by vanished, one meant he left.


    Xavier stared at the door before he heard laughter coming from Madeline.


    "Alright, I lost. I definitely lost," she admitted, being a good sport about it.


    "You win," she said next.


    "So you admit defeat," Xavier said, a smirk now plastered on his charming face.


    "I do, and what are you going to do about it?"


    Xavier felt his heart quickly pick up speed.


    The heck was with it all of a sudden?


    ''What is up with me today?''


    He placed a hand on his shoulder and managed a teensy smile.


    "Good game, partner."


    "Partner?" Madeline questioned.


    What was up with him? And also, was he smiling?


    Her breath was caught in her throat.


    "We made good partners before a fight ensued, don''t you think?"


    "Yes, we did. We didn''t succeed in making the tortillas we originally intended to make though," Madeline pointed out.


    "And we still have the kitchen to clean," she said, staring at the kitchen that would take hours to clean up.


    Xavier scanned the kitchen.


    "You''re forgetting one thing," he said to her.


    Then, he zipped around the kitchen, cleaning everything before returning to the exact spot where he had just been.


    "Problem solved."


    [Author''s Note: To those that might wonder why Xavier can speed clean but is unable to speed work and simply finish piles of work in a matter of seconds or minutes, just think of it this way. Work obviously requires a lot of brain power and requires Xavier to have to practically speed read thousands if not millions of words. And he has to do this every day, so that''s not an option.]


    "Wow," Madeline said in awe.


    ''Of course Xavier can do that. Haha, if only I had super speed. That''d solve most of my everyday problems.''


    She chuckled, "You''re so cool, you know that?"


    "Every werewolf can do this," Xavier said to her.


    "Including me?" Madeline asked hopefully.


    "Not so sure about that," Xavier admitted, taking sudden interest in the floor.


    "It''s alright," Madeline said.


    "If you say so," Xavier said to her, looking over at the now clean kitchen.


    "We should get to making lunch now," he reminded her.


    Madeline pursed her lips.


    She trailed off, "And after making lunch¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    "I''ll tell you later," Madeline said.


    The two of them hastily made lunch out of anything they could find from the kitchen, and an hour or two after, they sat on a spot far away from whence they came, overlooking Eudora, having a picnic.


    "How did you come to know about this place?" Madeline asked.


    "It was a place I found when looking for places to build the cabin."


    "Ah," Madeline managed.


    "Well, this view is amazing," she said with a smile, taking a bite out of a deviled egg.


    "Yum," she said, enjoying the food whilst enjoying the view.


    In a couple of hours, she had managed to make deviled eggs, chicken sandwiches, and sparkling strawberry lemonade.


    "Try it," Madeline insisted.


    "What is this?"


    "Sparkling strawberry lemonade."


    "Sparkling?"


    "Yes."


    "Why should I try it?" Xavier asked.


    Madeline wondered how Xavier wanted her to answer that question.


    "I''ll try it," he said after a couple moments of silence passed by.


    He nodded.


    "I''ll try it," he repeated.


    Of course, Xavier had originally expected not to like what Madeline had made, but she made it.


    And thus, he had high expectations.


    Taking a sip, Xavier found himself pleasantly surprised by the lemonade. It was a tad bit on the sour side, but he was still surprised.


    ''Wait, it tastes great,'' Xavier said, his eyes widening.


    "I like it," he admitted to Madeline.


    Madeline felt happy to hear that.


    "See," she said smugly.


    Honestly, she hadn''t expected him to like it.


    Then again, she hadn''t expected that Xavier would even try the drink in the first place but it was great he gave it a chance.


    "Eat," Xavier said to her, taking her by surprise.


    "Wha¡ª"


    Madeline stared at Xavier, who was holding up a sandwich.


    She took a bite of the sandwich, munching to it contentedly.


    ''It''s great that we decided to have a meal with each other again.''


    A part of her mind told her, ''Yeah, it''s sort of like a date. You and him feeding each other and or telling each other to eat. Cooking food and making drinks together.''


    Hmm, Xavier would beg to differ. He was simply emotional support when she cooked, occasionally assisting her in grabbing ingredients, or handing her the tools she needed.


    "It''s nice," Xavier mused.


    "What is?"


    "The fact that I get to do this and spend time with my¡­"


    He paused.


    "¡­friend."


    Madeline looked at him.


    Yes, she understood that being an alpha meant Xavier could barely have little free time to himself. But she never thought it was that bad at first.


    She wondered if Emilio faced the same problem whilst he was alpha.


    That would explain many things¡­


    ''No, it wouldn''t. Being busy and having a packed schedule doesn''t allow you to kill the innocent and everything else he did in the past. Sure, he was put under pressure but that makes no excuse,'' Madeline reasoned with herself.


    She couldn''t make excuses for Emilio; she wasn''t someone who lost their loved one because of Emilio''s previous heinous crimes. Madeline didn''t know anything about what it was like to be on the opposite side of Emilio''s good graces.


    And also, she was his daughter.


    Perhaps that was also a part of why Indiana did what she did in the past.


    Was she also one of those who had lost their loved one because of Emilio?


    Madeline hoped not.


    However, if so, there was an apology for Indiana that was long overdue from Emilio.


    And if not¡­ Then Madeline reckoned thinking about Emilio this way would only hurt him.


    He was trying to change, was he not? Emilio was trying to turn over a new leaf. And whilst his efforts were much appreciated, Madeline certainly did not agree with his past doings.


    Xavier probably thought her wrong for giving Emilio another chance and wanting to get to know him. Heck, Xavier held a lot of resentment towards Emilio. There was no doubting that.


    Madeline knew Xavier didn''t agree with the way she was treating Emilio.


    Someone like him deserved to rot in a cave for centuries.


    But, he was her father. That one fact gave him a couple of temporary privileges.


    However, when it came to him receiving his punishment. Madeline was sure Xavier would make sure he''d receive the end of it, no matter how long that took.


    Did Madeline hate Xavier for it?


    No. And that was the truth.


    She found it incredibly difficult to hate him.


    At the beginning, she found him cold and indifferent. Maybe a little arrogant as well.


    But that was all a facade he placed.


    There was more to Xavier that met the eye.


    Once you got to know him, he turned into an adorable little cinnamon bun you wanted to cuddle wit¡ª


    ''Where am I going with all of this?'' Madeline asked herself, her hand on her mouth.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xavier admiring the view. He looked so peaceful. So calm.


    There was no dark aura that surrounded him. No chilly aura that sent shivers and tingles up her spine.


    He looked harmless. Serene. Tranquil.


    Madeline had been wary of having a picnic near the edge of a cliff, but her worries had dissipated by now. It had been replaced by a sense of content.


    Seeing her friend looking unbothered and calm made her somewhat happy. It was simple, there was nothing more to it.


    Seeing Xavier however¡­


    There was something else to it.


    Something else she couldn''t describe.


    __


    Author''s Note: Just wanted to apologize for the one chapter updates. My schedule has been packed lately, and I will publish two chapters daily once everything has subsided.


    Onto the next chapter, love, mari.. Author out.

 Chapter 114 - Madeline’s One Request

    Madeline brushed it aside; she was happy to see Xavier like this.


    Because usually, he either seemed stressed, or extremely broody.


    "I have to return back now," Xavier said, sounding sad.


    "Work?" Madeline asked.


    He nodded.


    It was about time he returned, Adrian was probably looking for him.


    "Alright, let''s go," she said.


    "Sorry for cutting this short," he apologized.


    "No need to apologize," she chuckled, "I understand, don''t worry about it."


    ''I''m just happy you got to take a break, even if it wasn''t that long and lasted a couple of hours,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    Xavier smiled at her gratefully, before they swiftly returned to Eudora, Xavier giving Madeline a piggyback ride back.


    Once they returned, Xavier headed for his office, whilst Madeline went over to Rosalynn''s room, hoping to talk to her.


    She knocked, only to get silence as a reply.


    ''Guess she isn''t in her room.''


    "Madeline?" She heard a voice ask.


    She whirled around.


    "Aunt Rose," she called.


    Rosalynn gave her a tiny smile, "What are you doing here, dear?"


    "I came to talk to you, actually."


    "Oh?"


    Rosalynn raised her brow, curious as to what Madeline came here for.


    She had just visited Emilio to talk to him and bring him something to eat before hastily returning to her room. It was a nice thing to do, and Rosalynn figured Cornelia would want Emilio to be alright.


    There were many things about Cornelia that were unknown.


    Whether she still cared about Emilio and Madeline¡­


    Whether she knew Rosalynn had talked to Emilio and Madeline very recently¡­


    And why was it Rosalynn that had visited and not Cornelia? It would''ve definitely made more sense had Cornelia come, no?


    Rosalynn knew that. Of course, she did.


    She knew that, and Cornelia better than anyone. She knew that Cornelia still cared about Emilio, even if it was in her terribly peculiar way.


    Alas, she had always valued her work more than anyone. Even the love of her life, and her daughter. So much so that she gave Madeline away without a second thought, and so much so that she abandoned Emilio to spend the rest of his life questioning where she was and if she was really alright.


    That day, he was relieved to discover that she was doing perfectly fine from what Rosalynn had told him. Her work was going well, she was healthy, happy and doing just fine without him.


    But, there was another thing she was hiding from him. One she figured was best to keep secret till it was prime time she told him.


    She opened her room''s door.


    "Come on in," she said to Madeline, ushering her in her room.


    Madeline stepped into Rosalynn''s room, taking a seat on one of the chairs there.


    "What questions do you have for me?" Rosalynn asked, pouring Madeline and her a drink.


    She felt she needed a drink after visiting Emilio.


    "It''s about my mother."


    Rosalynn stopped at whatever she was doing.


    "Ah," she said, her voice soft.


    Madeline felt that there was something wrong.


    ''Am I not allowed to ask about my mother anymore?'' Madeline thought to herself, wondering if Cornelia was a sensitive topic to Rosalynn.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to go ahead of myself."


    "No, no, it''s alright. I just didn''t expect to be asked anything so soon," Rosalynn reassured, handing Madeline a glass of water.


    "What do you want to know?" Rosalynn asked.


    "I want to know if she''s alright," Madeline said first, a solemn look on her face.


    Rosalynn furrowed her brows.


    That was the first question?


    "She''s doing fine," Rosalynn answered.


    ''Phew, she''s doing fine,'' Madeline said, sighing in relief.


    "Next question," Madeline begun, "Did she willingly give me up or did she¡ª"


    The words were stuck in her throat. For some reason, she couldn''t get them out. They were stuck. Like there was something preventing her from finishing that sentence.


    Rosalynn inhaled.


    There was no easy way of telling the truth when it would hurt the person you''d tell it to.


    She didn''t want Madeline to be hurt once she knew the haunting truth.


    ''Knowing that your own mother didn''t want you and gave you up without a second thought was something capable of keeping you awake at night. I can''t tell her the truth, it''ll shatter her!''


    She began, "My dear¡­"


    Madeline understood.


    So it was the first option, wasn''t it?


    She wished Rosalynn would have asked what the latter was and told her something else, but Rosalynn''s silence was enough of an answer.


    Biting her lip, she nodded.


    "I should move on to the next question," she mentioned shakily.


    Rosalynn looked at her warily.


    Yes, she supported most of Cornelia''s decision, but the decision she made to give Madeline away wasn''t one she could support.


    Rosalynn admitted Cornelia wouldn''t have made the best mom, but she didn''t give Madeline away out of the concern Madeline wouldn''t be raised and treated the way she deserved to be. She gave Madeline away because Madeline didn''t benefit her in any way and she was only looking out for herself.


    Sitting across from Cornelia''s daughter who was all grown up now, seeing her learn that her biological mother gave her up willingly¡­ That was torture.


    Then again, it was Cornelia''s choice. Maybe she had her reasons, but from what she had told Rosalynn, there wasn''t much. It wasn''t deep.


    Cornelia was simply in no place to care for a child. She thought that she was meant for more. For greater things, like being the supreme sorceress. Being a mother wasn''t in the cards for her, ever.


    Hence, she made the choice to give Madeline up, arranging for someone to take her away the moment she was born.


    Rosalynn remembered that very moment. The moment Madeline entered the world, crying and screaming.


    Madeline asked next, "Why did she hide this from Emilio?"


    Compared to the previous question, this was an easier one.


    Alright, as much as Cornelia didn''t really care about Madeline, Rosalynn knew why she did that.


    She could''ve made arrangements. She could''ve told Emilio he had a daughter and maybe things would have gone differently. Heck, Madeline could have been brought to Emilio''s cave to visit him every once in a while too.


    "Because if he knew you existed, he would''ve done something about it a long time ago. You wouldn''t have been raised by humans, you wouldn''t have been surrounded by humans, and Emilio would have likely raised you into a younger version of himself. One that would eventually take over the current alpha of Eudora, and rule like he did. By killing the innocent, et cetera et cetera."


    "She hadn''t purposely kept you from Emilio. But, it was more like an added bonus. If Emilio had a choice or a say in how you were raised and by who you were raised by¡­"


    Xavier would have a new rival.


    Had Emilio taken his daughter under his wing whilst he was still stuck in that cave, she would have grown into an undeniably strong being.


    He would have taught her to hone her powers. Heck, he would have found a way for her to unlock whatever powers she had.


    And that was a recipe for disaster. Madeline would have found herself on the opposing side of the current alpha - Xavier.


    "He would have taught and convinced you that the current alpha was the villain too," Rosalynn explained.


    Madeline strangely felt better that she never got to grow up with Emilio as her father/mentor.


    "The Emilio you see and talk to now was nothing like the old Emilio," Rosalynn explained, "Many feared him. Many still do."


    "At breakfast, I managed to meet that Briar friend that visited your quarters once. And another person. What was her name? Indie, Diana¡­"


    "Indiana," Madeline offered.


    "Right, Indiana. She''s the person that accused you of using Xavier, no? And working for your father?" Rosalynn asked, proving the point she had made.


    Madeline nodded, confirming Rosalynn''s prediction.


    "She did," Madeline answered.


    Now, it made more sense to her, she had to admit. That one answer had cleared many things up.


    Madeline felt.. grateful.


    Of course, she would never speak of this to Emilio, but she also realized that Emilio did change. He was trying, and she appreciated that.


    "Emilio''s different now though," Madeline reasoned.


    Rosalynn nodded, "He is. It''s quite a shock. For all the time I''ve known him, he was always stubborn. He wouldn''t change his mind, he refused to apologize, he was stuck thinking he was constantly right and he wouldn''t compromise or change his ways for anyone."


    "So now that he''s changing and strangely more accepting of other people''s¡­ critique and words¡­ It''s an improvement. He must really want to get to know you, your father," Rosalynn noted.


    Compared to Cornelia, Emilio was like father of the year.. He had stuck by his daughter and his promise to her, and had stayed days stuck in a hut just for her.

 Chapter 115 - A Life Of Remorse & Regret

    Even if it meant he would be humiliated by Xavier, and teased by Rosalynn along with the other wolves of the Eudorian pack, he still stayed.


    Maybe he really did intend to keep his promise and make do on it.


    Madeline appreciated his efforts. She knew this was his way of trying to fix his ways and establishing a familial relationship with her.


    The old Emilio wouldn''t make a good father, but the same couldn''t be said for this new Emilio.


    "Is that all? Or do you have another question to ask, dear?" Rosalynn asked.


    So far, she had covered why Emilio wasn''t told of her existence, whether or not Cornelia gave her up willingly, and also if Cornelia was alright.


    Hmm, what next?


    "Emilio once told me he and Cornelia were madly in love."


    Rosalynn seemed amused. So this was the route Madeline was taking things.


    "But he didn''t seem to want to get into detail."


    Rosalynn nodded, "Ah, that."


    "There isn''t much I can tell you."


    "Not because I don''t know anything, but because that''s not for me to tell you."


    This entire time, Rosalynn was relaying information Cornelia had told her. She had told Madeline because she doubted there would ever come a day Madeline could get the opportunity to ask her own mother about these things.


    Instead, she was giving her one, except it was her that would answer Madeline''s questions.


    "Maybe Emilio will tell you eventually, but really I can''t be the one to tell you what happened or what took place between Cornelia and Emilio."


    Rosalynn knew the answer. It was a long one. Their love story¡­ It was complicated. That was the shortest way to put it.


    If only Emilio had told her what happened himself.


    "Did Emilio tell anything else?" Rosalynn asked curiously.


    She wanted to know if Emilio had told her something other than how he and Cornelia were madly in love.


    Maybe some other details she possibly didn''t know of. After all, Emilio and Cornelia viewed things differently.


    Rosalynn wondered if a glance in Emilio''s perception of their romance would make her see their love story in a different light.


    Hence why she waited impatiently for Madeline''s answer.


    "No, he didn''t tell me anything else. That''s why I asked you," Madeline responded.


    Rosalynn''s hope was shattered. So much for knowing what Emilio thought of things.


    She''d bring it up during her next visit, which would take place tomorrow morning.


    Then again, if Rosalynn''s impatience got the best of her, Emilio would find himself another visitor. The visitor being her in a search for answers.


    "Why ask?"


    "No reason," Rosalynn lied.


    "Now, it''s getting quite late, are you not hungry?"


    Madeline thought of a wonderful idea.


    "Not really. But, would you like to join me for dinner?"


    This question seemed to take Rosalynn by shock.


    A startled look on her face, she asked, "Dinner?"


    "Me and you?" She asked, wondering if anyone else would be in attendance.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, just the two of us."


    "Oh, alright," Rosalynn said.


    ''I didn''t know she''d invite me to dinner all of a sudden,'' she thought to herself.


    Madeline smiled, "Great!"


    One might be wondering¡­ Why had Madeline invited Rosalynn to dinner all of a sudden?


    Did she have other questions to ask? Did she want a change of scenery?


    No. The answer was that she realized she never really got to know Rosalynn.


    She''d only been asking questions about her biological parents, and none about Rosalynn herself.


    ''How rude of me to go asking Rose questions without getting to know her first? She didn''t come here just to answer my questions, and after everything she''s told me, the least I can do is invite her to dinner.''


    A quick trip to the dinner room later, and Madeline and Rosalynn sat across from each other.


    At the beginning, it was awkward. Rosalynn was quiet, and Madeline wasn''t speaking much.


    As they dug into their food, Madeline got to know Rosalynn better - her favourite foods, how she met Cornelia, the moment she met Xavier, and others.


    ''So her favourite food is anything that has to do with dessert. She met Cornelia by coincidence, and she met Xavier when she was visiting Eudora alongside Cornelia and was introduced to Emilio''s beta at the time, Xavier. She has no siblings, although her parents are alive and well. Hmm, what else to ask¡­''


    "I suppose it''s my turn to ask you a couple of questions now, no?" Rosalynn inquired, hopeful she could get a couple of questions of hers answered.


    "Yeah, go ahead," Madeline said.


    Rosalynn had already thought of a couple of questions to ask.


    "So, first of all, I heard you have powers."


    "Powers?" Madeline asked confusedly.


    What was Rosalynn talking about? She didn''t have powers.


    "I don''t have powers," she denied.


    "Oh?" You were able to create a shield, no?" Rosalynn asked.


    Madeline held her breath. Ah, Rosalynn was referring to that.


    That was a moment she rather not remember. After all, Emilio had tried killing her.


    She had already forgotten about it. Heck, she and Emilio were past that. So Rosalynn bringing it up wasn''t really pleasant.


    Rosalynn caught wind of what she had done. Sometimes, she did things impulsively. This whole visit was on impulse.


    Besides, Cornelia had warned her against visiting Eudora. She had gone against Cornelia''s warnings by visiting the place and seeing Madeline.


    Cornelia knew Rosalynn would visit Eudora, but at the same time, she didn''t know what Rosalynn had in store.


    Mind you, she was practically omnipotent. Not completely omnipotent. There were still some things even Cornelia did not know. She knew most of what would happen in the future, but there were some things fate kept from her.


    "I was," Madeline confirmed.


    "I know what Emilio tried doing, and he is sorry for trying to kill you the moment he laid eyes on you, from what he said at least," Rosalynn explained.


    Madeline agreed, "Yeah, he''s told me that himself."


    Well, that was nice, hearing Emilio tell someone else what he told her. He seemed sincere with his words, and Madeline hoped he was.


    After all his efforts in trying to become a better person, there was still one thing Emilio had failed to do.


    And what was that one thing?


    Clearing Madeline of all doubts.


    Still, she hadn''t forgotten about him trying to kill her. Madeline had tried burying that memory in the past, but she couldn''t simply forget it and act like it never happened. What she could do was move forward...


    But, deep down, there were still a couple small seeds of doubt that came from his past actions.


    No amount of changes in personality and apologies would excuse Emilio for killing her.


    Yes, he thought she was an intruder and a walking meal for him to feast on since he had been starving and probably couldn''t think straight.


    But it was only after he discovered she was his daughter that he decided he''d stop killing her and that he''d change.


    Had Madeline not been his daughter, she would''ve been dead a long time ago.


    She wouldn''t have met Rosalynn and Indiana. She would''ve died without saying goodbye to those she cared about, and died without making an impact. That terrified Madeline.


    Rosalynn knew it must have been extremely tough, Madeline having to live with the fact that her father tried killing her the moment they first met.


    That was her first impression of him. And actually, if Rosalynn recalled correctly from what she had heard, Emilio had tried killing her multiple times actually. Not just once. He had come close to succeeding the last time, but otherwise, he had failed and Madeline had escaped his grasp.


    Thankfully she had. If she hadn''t¡­


    Xavier would have been furious, that was for sure.


    Knowing him, he''d kill Emilio on the spot, without giving it a second thought.


    Killing the innocent was one thing¡­


    Killing his friend/mate was another.


    Especially when this friend turned out to be his own daughter.


    What if Emilio had killed Madeline, only to discover she was his and Cornelia''s lovechild?


    He''d live the rest of his life in regret and remorse, having killed the only remaining family member he had left. And his only daughter.


    Even if he was heartless and a tyrant, he had always had a soft spot for Cornelia. If he were to discover she bore his daughter¡­ And that daughter had stumbled upon his cave only to be killed by him? He would''ve blamed himself.


    He brought his daughter''s death upon himself, there would be no one else to blame.


    Xavier would be without a mate, and Emilio would not be the same man as he was before he killed Madeline.


    __


    Author''s Note: The volume is coming to a close, and the next volume is coming quite soon.


    What will the next volume include and be about, you may be wondering? Well, it will entail getting to know Madeline better. It will also include more spice, and a hint of romance in the mix ehehe. Alright, author out.. Love you all, mari.

 Chapter 116 - Under The Rain

    Xavier looked through an old book of diseases and sicknesses.


    He wasn''t aware werewolves were able to fall sick, so this felt new to him.


    "No, not that. It''s not a cough, no, not that either," Xavier said as he quickly flipped through the pages of the book.


    "Two hundred and fourteen down, another three hundred and thirteen left to go," he mumbled absentmindedly.


    Unable to fathom why he had been feeling strange all day, Xavier decided to turn to books for an answer. Maybe someone else had faced this, and maybe they would give him the answer he was looking for.


    "Where is it?" Xavier asked, sure there had to be something that entailed and explained his current state.


    Of course there would be¡­ After all, this book had every possible sickness in the entire world.


    This was the thirtieth book he had read, this book being the complete list of all possible infections, illnesses and diseases a human could potentially experience. The werewolf one included turning into a feral, etc etc. There was nothing of assistance in that one.


    So he turned to this as a last resort.


    Adrian didn''t even know anything about what Xavier had been doing the past hour.


    Xavier had purposely finished his workload for the day to use his freetime for researching the reason behind this.


    "Why can''t I find anything helpful?" Xavier said, banging his head against the desk.


    "Xavier?" A familiar voice called.


    He looked up to see Madeline peering down at him.


    "Madeline?"


    The figure furrowed his brows.


    "Madeline? I''m not Madeline."


    Xavier blinked, only to see Adrian looking down at him.


    His eyes widened. Was he seeing things?


    ''I could''ve sworn I saw Madeline looking at me. What is wrong with me?'' Xavier thought to himself.


    "Are you alright?" Adrian asked him, "You just called me Madeline."


    Adrian seemed more worried than pleased Xavier had slipped up. Xavier had never done something like this; he had never called him another name. Xavier never slipped up, he was¡­ Well, Xavier!


    "You sure you don''t need to lie down?" Adrian asked him, his brow raised.


    "I don''t need to lie down. I need to know what''s going on with me, that''s what," Xavier refuted.


    "And what''s going on with you?" Adrian asked.


    As a last ditch attempt, Xavier told Adrian what was going on with him, hoping he''d have an answer to how he was behaving.


    "So let me get this straight," Adrian began.


    "Your face is constantly flushed, you''re seeing things, you have heart palpitations, your mood changes, you can''t think straight¡­"


    "And you read how many books to find out what''s behind this?" Adrian asked, an amused smirk now growing across his face.


    "Do you not know the reason already?"


    Xavier shook his head, as oblivious as ever.


    "Why, do you know?" Xavier asked hopefully.


    Adrian seemed like he knew what he was talking about.


    "Of course, isn''t it obvious?" Adrian said, raising his eyebrows whilst a cheeky grin was plastered across his face.


    "If it was obvious, I wouldn''t be telling you all this," Xavier said, unamused by how Adrian was acting about all this.


    Why did he seem more pleased than concerned?


    "And shouldn''t you be worried for me instead of smiling and grinning like a fool?"


    "I doubt so. After all, it''s nothing much to worry about."


    "Then, tell me," Xavier demanded, "What is it?"


    "Quit dilly-dallying, just tell me already," he said impatiently when all Adrian did was smile and smirk to himself.


    "You really want to know?" Adrian asked, adding, "You sure you won''t regret it once you find out?"


    Xavier glared at him, "Tell me."


    "Well, if you say so," Adrian said, clearing his throat as he began his spiel.


    "The reason behind your face flushing involuntarily, and your sudden mood changes, and your seeing things? There''s one word to describe what you''re going through," Adrian began.


    Xavier narrowed his eyes, wondering if Adrian was taunting him or this was simply Adrian being himself.


    Adrian finally ended his spiel with a drawing conclusion.


    "So to sum everything up, you, my friend, are lovesick."


    Xavier stood up from his chair the minute that word exited Adrian''s mouth.


    "EXCUSE ME?" Xavier roared, knocking the books he had read over the desk unintentionally.


    "How dare you," Xavier said to Adrian, adding, "How dare you accuse me of being¡­ Lovesick?"


    Adrian pretended not to know who this was about.


    "So, who''s the lucky lady that caught your attention and has you so enamoured that you''ve fallen lovesick?" Adrian asked, placing a hand on his chin and pretending to think about it.


    "Could it be¡­ Madeline?"


    Xavier couldn''t speak, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.


    What was Adrian-- No, this couldn''t be. There was no way.


    ''I can''t be lovesick, Adrian must be wrong,'' Xavier insisted.


    "It''s not Madeline, it''s no one. I am definitely not lovesick, Adrian. You''ve got it all wrong," Xavier corrected, a hand on his forehead.


    Groaning frustratedly, he said to Adrian, "You''re kidding, right? I''m not actually lovesick. There has to be another explanation to this, one that doesn''t include anything to do with love."


    "Are you sure?" Adrian asked, reasoning, "After all, it wouldn''t be strange if you liked her. And the two of you are mates, so that helps things too."


    "And who knows, maybe she--"


    "Adrian, that is enough!" Xavier exclaimed, preventing him from saying any more.


    "If you came here to trick me into believing I''m lovesick or whatever, then you may as well leave," Xavier said bitterly, unable to look Adrian in the eye.


    "Do you really want me to leave? You sure you wouldn''t want me to stay? We could talk about it like friends do, what do you say?" Adrian questioned.


    "Adrian, you''re testing my patience. You''re being annoying," Xavier said, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently.


    "Are you sure I''m being annoying?"


    Taking one good look at Xavier, he noticed something.


    "Look at you, you''re blushing."


    Gasping, he realized, "I have never seen you blush before."


    "Adrian," Xavier said one last time, stressing out each syllable of his friend''s name.


    Adrian heaved a deep sigh, "Oh alright, I''ll leave now. You''re no fun, Xay."


    He left, closing the door behind him, managing to hear Xavier mutter the words just as the door slammed shut, "I never wanted to be fun in the first place."


    When Xavier was definitely no longer in hearing range, he asked himself, "What the hell just happened?"


    He buried his face in his hands. As much as he didn''t want to admit, he was beginning to wonder if¡­


    If¡­


    Adrian was right.


    The symptoms matched up perfectly, it made sense. There was just one thing missing from it all.


    Xavier refused to believe he had feelings for anyone. Or that he loved anyone.


    When did he ever love anyone?


    And Adrian kept on insisting it was Madeline he was lovesick because of.


    Xavier had always regarded Madeline as a close friend at best. Never anything more.


    There was a line that he and she wouldn''t cross. Sure, they were mates.


    Sure, Adrian had told him multiple times he and Madeline would make a cute power couple. But that was completely besides the point.


    ''Am I lovesick? Is that really what''s behind my recent behaviour?''


    Xavier recalled something Adrian had mentioned. About how being lovesick meant you saw that one person you longed for everywhere.


    And actually¡­ If that were the case, then that would''ve meant that it was Madeline, all this time.


    The previous night, Xavier recalled bits and pieces of a dream he had.


    Whereas he and someone had¡­ Hmm, that was best kept for later.


    It was one he refused to touch up on, but it took place in his own cabin.


    He and another woman were dancing in the rain, although the entire time, the woman''s face was blurry.


    Strangely, he wasn''t in his own body, but he was able to observe the entire conversation somehow.


    ''Hurry up!'' She exclaimed, tired of waiting for him.


    ''Alright, alright!'' He exclaimed, catching up to her.


    Tilting her head, the lady flashed a dazzling smile, telling him, ''Have I ever told you how wonderful you look, even under the rain?''


    The man chuckled, ''No, but how I look pales in comparison to how you do, my love.''


    ''So I see you''ve chosen one nickname to stick to calling me,'' she noticed.


    Nodding, he made his way towards her, ''I have.''


    ''And what are you going to do about it?'' He asked her, taunting her.


    The lady pulled him closer to her by the collar, standing on her tiptoes to give him a peck, only for him to push her away.


    Oof!


    ''Hey!'' She exclaimed in complaint, a pout forming on her face.


    ''Woah!''


    The man twirled her around, before steadying her right before she was about to fall to the ground.


    And then, his lips captured hers.

 Chapter 117 - Under The Rain II

    And as his lips captured her, Xavier, who was watching from afar, had finally caught a glimpse of the mysterious woman''s face.


    Even after he''d finally seen her face, he couldn''t take his eyes off of what was happening. To make things even more worse, the man in his dream wasn''t just anyone, it was him.


    Under the rain, the lovestruck couple kissed like there was no tomorrow. Like no one else but them was present, which was true in a sense. She wrapped her arms around his neck, he clasped his hands behind her back.


    Xavier heard a symphony of noises, the rapid beating of someone''s heart, the sounds made by the rain as it poured down on what was once dry land.


    Thunder boomed in the background. Most would have taken it as bad timing, but Xavier would reckon otherwise. He didn''t know much about dreams.


    However, what had happened may have been a sign. A kiss wasn''t just a kiss, it could mean many things.


    An epiphany.


    A solution.


    An impending disaster.


    Or a transformation.


    Xavier felt a pang of happiness in his heart, before he woke up, breathing and panting whilst drenched in sweat.


    Sighing, Xavier wondered if that dream he had had any hidden meaning behind it. Was it some sort of sign?


    Dreams could never be taken light. So¡­ was it¡­


    A sign that something that included him and Madeline was to come? Who knew?


    ''Argh, what''s Adrian done to me? Now, I''m getting distracted again,'' Xavier said, grasping his hair with his two hands.


    Why, why, why?


    Why was he feeling like this all of a sudden? Why did these feelings decide to surface now of all times?


    He was fine the way he was, that was what he believed to be true.


    Was he happy? Content? Fine where he was?


    The answer to that was¡­


    "I don''t know," Xavier admitted.


    He would have answered that he was sure he would be happy. Something had made him change his mind.


    "Why do I not know?" He asked himself.


    Frustration brimmed within him.


    He didn''t feel like he was lovesick, he felt like he was frustrated.


    Frustrated that he couldn''t make up his mind whether or not this was the path he wanted to take.


    Frustrated because he felt like he was backed up into a corner with no means of escape.


    Laying his head on his desk, he felt someone stroke his head gently.


    "You need to get some rest, you know. You''ve been working too hard. An hour isn''t enough. Neither are two hours, or three. Overexerting yourself won''t do you any good," a familiar voice told him.


    "You''re not actually there, are you?" Xavier asked, looking up to see no one there.


    Sighing, he couldn''t believe he imagined Madeline there. She was probably someplace else, doing something else, and not thinking about him.


    Wondering if she would follow her word, he headed to her quarters, wanting to do something.


    Knocking on her door, Xavier didn''t expect anything, or anyone to open the door.


    So when Madeline opened the door, dressed in navy blue silk pyjamas with her hair flowing down past her shoulders, Xavier was unable to speak.


    "I wanted to¡ª"


    Xavier gulped.


    Madeline could sense something was up.


    She brought him in a hug, feeling like he needed one. She could tell from the look on his face, and the way he stood up.


    "You looked like you needed a hug," she whispered to him when she sensed him flailing his arms, wondering where to put them.


    Xavier felt another pang in his heart, and felt as his previous emotions subsided.


    "Thank you," he whispered back, speaking even more softly than she was before.


    ''For everything,'' he thought to himself.


    She had once told him that she was there for him whenever he wanted to talk. Well, he didn''t feel like talking, but decided to come to her anyway.


    "I''m sorry for bothering you in the middle of the night," Xavier said, pulling away from Madeline.


    "I don''t know what came over me, I¡ª"


    "You''re not bothering me, now come in already," Madeline said, taking him by the hand and pulling him in her quarters, telling him, "Just because you''re busy, or you have work, or you have other things to do doesn''t mean you don''t take care of yourself and rest properly. Come on in."


    Xavier was rendered speechless, wondering what to do next. What was she trying to do?


    "But, I have work," he reasoned.


    Madeline looked at him, dead in the eye, as she said to him, "For once you need to prioritize your health over your work. Look at you, you look exhausted."


    She took a seat on the couch, an idea in mind.


    Questioning what Madeline was trying to tell him, Xavier tilted his head to the side curiously.


    "Take a nap," Madeline said, patting her shoulder.


    Xavier seemed even more confused.


    "Not with me," she clarified, adding, "But beside me, so there''s nothing that could possibly distract you, nothing to disturbing you, and at least you get some rest," she reasoned.


    Deliberating over it, Xavier wondered if it was really sleep that he needed. Walking over to her, he sat on the couch beside her, resting his head on her shoulder.


    And like clockwork, he was lulled to sleep by the silence of the room, and feeling warm and safe.


    In a matter of minutes, he had fallen asleep.


    Madeline didn''t know how long it''d take for him to wake up, but she stayed there. Not long after, she too fell victim to the resisting temptation which was sleep.


    __


    "Morning," Xavier heard someone greet.


    Opening his eyes, he saw Madeline still dressed in her pyjamas, handing him a cup of water.


    "Here," she said.


    Xavier thanked her, accepting the cup.


    He felt far better than he did before. Heck, he felt better than he ever did, actually.


    ''Who knew that nap would have done the trick?'' Xavier asked.


    He didn''t feel the same way he did yesterday. His heart no longer raced, his moods didn''t shift as quickly¡­ That was a major improvement in his eyes.


    "Had a nice nap?" Madeline asked hopefully.


    As much as Xavier didn''t want to admit it. He had to, there was no doubt about it.


    Nodding in response, he confirmed Madeline''s prediction.


    At first, he wondered if she was able to read his mind.


    She knew he wanted a hug from her without him having to say it aloud. She knew exactly what he needed, and her presence made him feel at ease.


    Heck, rest had fixed his problem.


    Who knew?


    Who knew that the solution to all of this was rest?


    Xavier thought that it would''ve taken a more complex solution.


    To think, Madeline was part of the solution.


    Xavier felt like he could run thousands of laps around Eudora. He felt amazing.


    Adrian was in for one hell of a surprise that day.


    One moment, he was met with his friend who had the exact same symptoms as lovesickness.


    Next, this friend was all sunshines and rainbows.


    Adrian was called by Xavier to join him for breakfast.


    Sensing something strange was occuring since Xavier had never once invited his friend to breakfast, he rushed to the breakfast room, only to see Xavier¡­


    Err¡­


    "What is going on?" Adrian asked.


    "Sit, I invited you to breakfast for a reason," Xavier said, gesturing for Adrian to sit on one of the free chairs.


    Adrian narrowed his eyes.


    "What, think I''m being suspicious? Sit, before my mood''s ruined," Xavier ordered.


    Adrian followed his friend''s orders, sitting down before helping himself to some food. He hadn''t had much of an appetite the past couple of days, but he didn''t want to waste the opportunity to eat breakfast with Xavier, he reckoned it would be a great bonding session.


    Also since they hadn''t had the chance to simply sit down and talk, especially about things that had nothing to do with work.


    "Been a while since we got to sit down and talk," Xavier said.


    Adrian nodded, "Nice that we get the chance to."


    They chatted, and had a satisfactory time at breakfast.


    At the same time, Adrian knew there had to be something behind Xavier''s spectacular mood.


    After breakfast, they visited Xavier''s office, which was squeaky clean.


    Well, it was always clean. However, it was cleaner than usual.


    "What has gotten into you, Xay?" Adrian asked, watching Xavier and his every move.


    "Nothing, I just got a great night of sleep, is all."


    Adrian nodded, a look of fathom on his face.


    So Xavier had gotten a great night of rest.


    ''Hmm, totally. Of course, that''s the only reason behind this. There''s no other meaning and or reasoning behind this. Just sleep. Is all.''


    Adrian didn''t pay it any extra attention, he reminded himself that it didn''t matter how Xavier was happy, so long as he was content¡­ He wouldn''t question it further.. Alright, that wasn''t all truth and facts.

 Chapter 118 - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

    "Have you heard? Alpha Xavier is in a particularly good mood today. I heard he invited Beta Adrian to breakfast with him. He''s never done that before, I don''t think so," the first omega whispered to the other.


    [Author''s Note: First omega as in the first person who spoke, so it''s easier to tell who''s speaking.]


    Her friend whispered back, "Yeah, I know. And guess what? I heard from someone else that he was seen leaving Ms Madeline''s quarters early in the morning. Apparently, he stayed there the previous night," another whispered. Is this his way of confirming there''s something ongoing between the two of them? Is this proof that they''re together?"


    The first omega gasped, her eyes wide as she asked, "Oh my luna, they spent the night together?! And who did you hear that from?"


    Indiana, who had happened to be passing by, happened to overhear their conversation.


    "I can''t tell you who, but it''s from a reliable source. They definitely spent last night together. And the person who saw Alpha Xavier leaving, also noticed his hair was all messed up, and that he was smiling and blushing," she heard one say.


    "Eh? Alpha Xavier, smiling and blushing? Are you sure that''s him? It could be someone else, you know," the other omega reasoned, before she received a nudge in the ribcage.


    The two noticed Indiana who was walking nearby.


    They used their mindlink to communicate, feeling horrified.


    ''Isn''t that the omega who''s been hanging around Madeline a lot lately? She''s her friend, and she heard us gossiping about her!'' The first one exclaimed, her eyes wide in panic and terror.


    ''What if she tells Madeline? We''re doomed!'' The other said, feeling her chest being squeezed.


    Indiana said nothing as she continued walking, acting like she had heard nothing when she heard a great deal of their conversation.


    ''So¡­ Xavier spent the night at Madeline''s, fascinating,'' Indiana thought to herself, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her.


    Inhaling, she took a detour. She was just about to visit Madeline, but she didn''t feel like talking to anyone. All she felt like doing was curling up into a ball and crying herself to sleep.


    Honestly, she didn''t expect it to hurt this much.


    Indiana had first thought she had gotten over her feelings. Some remained, but not enough to make her wince and feel her heart get torn apart whenever Xavier had anything to do with another girl.


    It wasn''t jealousy; Indiana believed it not to be.


    Using her superspeed, she made it to her room in a matter of seconds. Locking her doors and closing her windows, she entered her bathroom. She first made sure no one followed her, and that she was completely alone. No one could enter her room unless they broke into it.


    Now that she was sure she was alone, she slumped down her bathroom wall, biting her lip so roughly she felt blood ooze out of the crack in her usually soft lips.


    Why?


    Why was the world being so cruel to her? Why did it keep doing this to her?


    Why was she so hung over a man she barely even knew? Indiana knew him like everyone else did. There was nothing special between the two of them, so why did she hurt so much?


    Of course, she knew she''d wince whenever his name was brought up. That was a given, a part of her would always love him, but it felt so wrong.


    Like loving someone that already had someone in mind.


    He would never love her back, she knew that.


    ''How foolish of me to continuously have feelings for him despite knowing he''s someone else''s mate?''


    She sat down in a fetal position, trying to keep her tears from falling.


    ''I''m overreacting, I shouldn''t be behaving this way. He''s not my boyfriend, he''s not my friend, he''s¡­ Xavier. He''s the alpha. So why do my feelings linger? There''s nothing keeping me from no longer loving him, there never was.''


    Indiana had thought it over to the point she wondered if she loved him not for him, but for the idea of him. Someone that was in her corner, someone that would be there for her, someone like the highly respected, powerful alpha, Xavier.


    Was it the idea of him that made her love him?


    Or him himself?


    Indiana couldn''t answer. She felt divided. Why did she love him?


    Unable to get herself to list any reasons, she wondered if this stemmed from something else that had happened ages ago. Maybe she was terrified of letting him go, that was what was keeping her from ending whatever this was.


    And the worst part of all of this was, Madeline knew no idea of this.


    She had the right to know, she was Indiana''s friend.


    Alas, the world worked in mysterious, coincidental ways. Madeline wasn''t only Indiana''s friend.


    She was also Xavier''s mate. And also, the woman he spent the night with.


    Maybe it wasn''t as big as she was making it out to be. A man and a woman could be friends. They could spend the night together without doing anything.


    And besides, Madeline had made it out to seem like she wasn''t interested in Xavier.


    Hmm, that was the wrong way to put it.


    It wasn''t that she wasn''t interested in Xavier, she seemed opposed to the idea of dating someone. Or loving them.


    Indiana knew better than to ask why. That was the stuff that began deep, meaningful conversations. They were taking their friendship one step at a time, there were still a couple of boundaries between the two girls.


    ''There''s also Briar,'' Indiana reminded herself tearfully.


    Wiping her tears away, she asked, ''Why do I keep doing this? I shouldn''t be crying over a man, I should be doing something else.''


    Taking a deep breath in and out, she said to herself, "I am fine. And if I''m not fine, I will be. As long as it takes, I''ll be fine. This is just an inconvenience that will be solved."


    Those three words repeated in her head.


    "I am fine."


    "I am fine."


    "I am fine."


    And yet she hadn''t managed to convince even the tiniest bit of herself that she was fine. Maybe she would be in the future, but being fine and being happy wasn''t in the cards for her now.


    She knew she had to meet Madeline afterwards, Briar had arranged another girl''s night together. They had been talking about having one for days, so Briar would be holding one in her room.


    Speaking of Briar, the delta was unaware of what had happened between Madeline and Xavier last night. No one had told her, and she had been kept in the dark.


    Madeline thought it was best not to tell her, after all, Xavier had come to her having a bad day. It wasn''t something you told someone else, it was something you kept to yourself, just like he''d want her to.


    Xavier had a reputation to keep.


    And as far as everyone else was concerned, the alpha didn''t have bad days. He was meant to be perfect. After all, only the best would be accepted as the alpha.


    Although what happened last night wasn''t enough to tarnish his reputation, it would show another side to him that no one but Madeline and Adrian knew of. The part of Xavier that wasn''t constantly broody or so focused on work.


    And also, Xavier preferred if others wouldn''t know. Not that he wanted to keep Madeline some sort of secret. Of course not.


    He had simply wanted to keep last night''s events hidden from everyone except those he decided to tell.


    And the only exception to that was his dear friend and loyal beta, Adrian.


    Xavier had opened one of the finest bottles of wine he had preserved.


    "I''m beginning to think this wasn''t because of one night of sleep," Adrian admitted, clarifying, "Not that I''m complaining, of course! Hehe, I love this Xavier, he''s way more cheerful than the other Xaviers, but you''re hiding something from me aren''t you?"


    So much for not questioning things further, his curiosity had gotten the best of him.


    The day Xavier was this happy because he got to sleep was the day pigs began raining down from the sky, something that was impossible and would never happen. Ever.


    If it did, he''d eat his shoe.


    "Come on, something had to have happened," Adrian said, grilling Xavier for answers.


    Unlike Indiana, Adrian had not been privy to the rumours and gossip circulating Eudora as of the current moment. No one had let him in on what was happening, but¡­


    He didn''t need to be told. After all, he could get the news straight from the source. Xavier himself.


    Perhaps Xavier was in a good enough mood to tell him the reason why, or he''d keep it from him but give a couple of clues.


    "You may be on to something," Xavier said as he took a sip of wine.

 Chapter 119 - Theres Bromance In The Air

    Adrian seemed shocked Xavier had told something so soon.


    For a moment there, he was ready to grill Xavier till he got answers. However, it now seemed like that wasn''t necessary. Xavier was quite willing to talk.


    "Oh? So something did happen¡­"


    Tracing it to last night, Adrian asked, "This must have something to do with Madeline, doesn''t it?"


    "It must have something to do with you being lovesick, and you¡­"


    Adrian gasped, his mouth open so wide his jaw practically hit the floor.


    "You didn''t. You didn''t actually¡ª"


    "I didn''t actually do what?" Xavier inquired, his brows furrowed.


    Had Adrian caught on that fast? And why did he seem so shocked about it?


    "Confess," Adrian said in a hushed voice, speaking of the word like it was some taboo.


    Xavier frowned, "You think I¡­ confessed? To what? Thinking she''s a great friend?"


    Adrian facepalmed.


    Alright, there went his best guess, Xavier didn''t confess.


    "What about you being lovesick yesterday?" Adrian asked, bringing up how strangely Xavier was acting the day prior.


    "We don''t know if I was actually lovesick until there''s factual evidence," Xavier reasoned, as calm and stoic as ever whilst he cleared his throat and added to his previous statement, "For all I know, I could have been feeling off, it doesn''t mean I''m lovesick."


    "But¡ª"


    "I did not confess or anything of the sort. I spent the night at Madeline''s quarters, is all," Xavier said, acting like it was no big deal.


    Adrian seemed to get the wrong impression.


    "Y-you¡ª"


    "You don''t confess, but you¡ª"


    Then, it dawned on Adrian. This was Xavier he was speaking to.


    Sighing, he asked, "What did you do?"


    And as he expected, his expectations were met when Xavier answered, "Took a nap there, is all."


    Adrian was halfway between bursting into laughter and pulling his hair out. Sigh, Xavier¡­


    Blinking and pursing his lips, he asked Xavier, "Madeline allowed it?"


    Xavier explained to Adrian what had happened down to the last detail, knowing Adrian had thought he had done something else at first.


    "Tsk, I never knew you were so perverted," he said to Adrian.


    Adrian pouted, "I am not perverted."


    "Then what did you think I meant when I said I spent the night at Madeline''s, hmm?" Xavier questioned in an attempt to prove his point.


    "I-I¡ª"


    Adrian was caught red-handed, and there was no way for him to escape from this situation he had been caught in. He didn''t know what to say, because Xavier was right.


    In his defense, he was certain Xavier was lovesick the other day. So when he heard Xavier had spent the entire night at Madeline, and saw him in a great mood¡­


    "Are you not going to scold me?"


    Xavier shook his head, "I''m not letting your pervertedness ruin my mood."


    Adrian gave him a dirty look, beginning to dislike this Xavier. He wasn''t usually this chatty, or anything like he was when he wasn''t in a good mood.


    ''Will grumpy Xavier ever return?'' Adrian asked, beginning to wonder if this version of his friend would stay. He reasoned, ''Hmm, what a weird way of putting it. I doubt he won''t return though.''


    Moving on, Adrian had a new appreciation for Madeline. She had worked wonders on Xavier.


    Without her, he wouldn''t have had the chance to have breakfast with his friend, or even be talking to him so informally. It was great, Xavier was more friendly to him that day than he ever was in the past.


    He hadn''t expected Madeline to do something like that. She had made sure Xavier had taken care of himself before he got to work.


    That was someone you wanted by your side. Someone who''d remind you that work was not as important as one''s health.


    "Now when do I get someone like Madeline?" Adrian joked.


    Xavier narrowed his eyes, "And what do you mean by that?"


    "I''ll leave you to figure that out on your own," Adrian said to his friend, hiding a crooked smile from his face.


    "Hmph," Xavier said, irritated by Adrian''s tone.


    "I thought you said you wouldn''t let me ruin your mood," Adrian chimed in.


    "You didn''t," Xavier admitted.


    Chuckling, Adrian said to his friend, "I''m just glad we got to talk like this."


    Then suddenly, Adrian thought of something. Blinking innocently, Adrian asked his friend, "Can I ask you something?"


    Sensing the change in Adrian''s tone, Xavier answered, "Proceed."


    "Can I have a hug?" Adrian inquired.


    Xavier took a step back from Adrian.


    What was happening?


    "A hug? Why would you want a hug from me?"


    "It''s normal for friends to hug each other, and besides, I never asked you anything excluding anything to do with work. So, please?"


    Xavier knew it was futile to resist. Adrian would keep pestering him again and again and again until he got what he wanted, his friend was the type of person to do that.


    However mortifying Xavier found the idea to be, he placed his feelings aside and took a deep breath.


    "Fine, but don''t touch me," Xavier said, his face serious and stern.


    "Alright," Adrian nodded enthusiastically.


    And like he had asked, Xavier hugged his friend.


    "There. And don''t you tell anyone, Adrian, or I swear¡ª"


    Adrian saluted him.


    "Don''t worry! I won''t tell a soul about it, my lips are sealed tight," he said to Xavier.


    Xavier would have laughed, had he not just hugged Adrian.


    No one would know of what happened that day.


    And also, Xavier hoped that no one knew of his doings last night. They were quick to make assumptions whenever they heard even the teensiest of gossip, so if they heard that he spent the night in Madeline''s room and left at the crack of dawn¡­ Who knew what stories they''d try to spin, as well as the rumours they''d try to create?


    As much as he hoped no one would know, someone was destined to find out. That was how Eudora worked. Hiding something from the rest of the pack was futile.


    He sighed.

 Chapter 120 - Oh My Luna!

    Eventually, everyone else would find out. And Madeline would be dragged into something nasty.


    Now, returning to Indiana, she had pieced herself together and collected herself.


    "I''ll be fine for now," she said, brushing off the dirt on her outfit.


    Looking in the mirror, she neatened her hair, and washed her face, making sure she didn''t look like she had been crying.


    ''I can''t spend the whole day locked in my room, crying and weeping. I have a girl''s night with Briar and Madeline, and they come first,'' she thought to herself as she dried her face with a towel.


    Despite her feelings for Xavier, there was no doubt in her mind that she would always prioritize Madeline and Briar first. Only by sheer willpower was she standing up and walking.


    She was close to breaking down, collapsing and breaking into tears in front of Madeline and Briar. But she couldn''t do that, she had to stay strong in front of them. And the fact that was keeping this from Madeline only made her feel even more pathetic.


    A moment ago, she had made herself a promise. That she would stay strong no matter what and wouldn''t let this part of herself show. This was temporary, it would go. It was only a matter of time, as she kept telling herself.


    Now, what she didn''t know was that whilst she was still preparing for girl''s night, Madeline and Briar were already on their way to her room as a little surprise.


    "You know, you seem to be happier these days," Briar noticed.


    Madeline nodded, all smiles, "I am. I''m not even sure why, I''m just¡­ happy."


    Briar wrapped her arm around Madeline''s shoulder, "Now that''s what I like to hear."


    Madeline scoffed, "So, what about you?"


    Looking away from Briar, she said amusedly, "A little birdie told me that you and Adrian are having lunch together tomorrow, is that true?"


    Briar first inquired, "Who told you that?"


    "Answer the question," Madeline reminded her.


    "Maybe we will have lunch together tomorrow, but now you have to tell me who told you," Briar said, wondering who had chosen death.


    By then, they had reached Indiana''s door.


    Narrowing her eyes, "Indiana told you."


    "And do you have any proof of the matter?" Madeline asked, adding, "It''s not a big deal, although we could pick a nice outfit for you, make you look cute, and¡ª"


    "We''re here," Briar told her, intervening.


    "Aish, you only told me that so I wouldn''t continue," Madeline said, knowing full well what Briar was trying to do.


    She took a step forward and knocked on Indiana''s door, "Indiana? Are you there?"


    Silence followed.


    Then, the door creaked open, showing Indiana holding  a bag of clothes in case she needed a change of clothing during girl''s night.


    "Well someone seems ready for girl''s night," Madeline commented, beaming from ear to ear.


    Indiana gave Briar a look. Briar shrugged.


    ''I don''t know why she''s in a good mood, she''s keeping it a secret from me.''


    ''Ah,'' Indiana said, fathoming the situation here.


    Scrunching her nose, Madeline asked, "Is that a graze on your bottom lip?"


    ''Oh crap, I forgot about that,'' Indiana thought immediately, her hands covering her lips in an instant to hide it from Madeline and Briar.


    She had treated the graze, but she had bit her lip and only worsened it.


    Dismissing the graze, she said to them, waving her hand, "It''s nothing, just a little scratch."


    Madeline assessed the graze, it looked fresh. Like it was recent.


    Had Indiana been biting her lip a lot?


    ¡­Had Indiana been crying?


    "You sure we shouldn''t treat that first, there''s still fresh blood," Madeline told her worriedly.


    ''Are you alright?'' Briar asked her.


    ''I''m fine.''


    ''What happened for you to get a graze on your lip of all places?'' Briar asked in confusion.


    ''Err, I tripp¡ª''


    ''And don''t even try to lie to me,'' Briar said, staring at her sternly.


    ''It''s just a bad day, that''s all.''


    Madeline looked at Briar, knowing she was engaging in conversation with Indiana.


    These were times she wished she could speak using a mindlink. Things would have been way more convenient for her.


    Heck, communicating with Briar during their uni days would have been way more easier as well!


    However, Madeline would rather she had no powers. Being powerless meant no responsibility. She had no powers, and thus, she wasn''t expected to do this, or do that.


    ''And I''m getting distracted again,'' Madelinen said to herself.


    Indiana insisted for the millionth time, ''I''m fine, Briar. I promise.''


    ''Hmm, sure,'' Briar said to her, not believing a single word Indiana said. There was a strange thing to her.


    Indiana was hiding something, something important enough not to tell Madeline and her.


    Well, probably about Madeline. But, she and Madeline came as a package deal. It was both or none. Telling one of them meant telling the both of them, with little to no exceptions.


    "Also," Indiana began, wanting to get the attention off of her as she felt like everyone was looking at her.


    It was the same feeling one would feel when standing on a stage with everyone watching said person, not looking at anything else but them. The nervousness she felt, mixed with her desperation made her blurt out, "So, I heard you received a visitor last night."


    Madeline''s cheeks were tinted a rosy red.


    "And where did you hear that?!" She exclaimed, shocked.


    "Oh my luna, Madeline''s blushing!" Briar pointed out, realizing it must have been Xavier if the mere mention of his visit made Madeline blush.


    Unable to help herself, Indiana wanted to know more. Smiling, she said to Madeline, "I have my sources. Now, spill."


    Well, she wasn''t exactly lying.


    __


    Author''s Note: Hmm, what do you think happens next in the story? What does Indiana do next? Does she overcome her feelings, or does she double down and break? Comment down below. Alright, that''s all from me today.. Love you all so much, mari.

 Chapter 121 - Girls Night

    Briar turned to Madeline, having no idea what was happening.


    "Go on, tell us," she encouraged Madeline, cheering her on whilst they walked all the way to Briar''s room.


    "Err¡ª"


    Racking her brain, she desperately searched for a way to tell them both what happened without seeming like she was hiding something, and like she had done something else.


    "I just made him take a nap since he was exerting himself."


    Indiana blinked, "In your quarters?"


    "If it were somewhere else, he wouldn''t have actually taken a nap in the first place," Madeline reasoned, adding, "Why ask? Something happened?"


    Briar stared at Madeline.


    Something clicked.


    "Actually, something did. Strangely, Xavier''s been in a¡­"


    ''How do I put it?'' Briar questioned.


    "¡­Really, really good mood this morning," Briar finished. She whispered to the both of them, "I heard he even invited Adrian for breakfast, he practically never does that."


    "And where did you hear that?" Madeline asked.


    "The important thing isn''t where I heard that, it''s why that happened," Briar clarified.


    "You''re not going to ask Adrian about this, are you?" Madeline questioned, burying her face in her hands.


    Briar would twist it into her own version of her story, and then insinuate she was interested in Xavier.


    Madeline promised, "It''s not what it seems like. He was tired, so he visited me, and¡ª"


    "He visited you? You didn''t invite him?" Indiana inquired, staring at Madeline with wide eyes.


    "Remind me why we''re talking about me and Xavier again? For crying out loud, we''re having a girl''s night, we shouldn''t be talking about what I did last night."


    Pausing, Madeline realized what she had just said.


    "Hmm, you make a good point," Briar said, nodding.


    ''This explains Madeline being in a good mood today, Xavier''s the reason behind it, no wonder,'' she thought to herself, trying not to snicker.


    Indiana couldn''t believe it, she had cried for nothing. They hadn''t even¡ª


    Out of nowhere, she broke into laughter, startling both Briar and Madeline.


    ''What a strange reaction,'' Madeline thought to herself, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Indiana get herself together.


    Apologizing, Indiana said to the two girls right as they were reaching Briar''s room, "Sorry, it''s nothing. I just¡­ I did not expect that."


    She couldn''t process how she spent ages crying on her bathroom floor, all to find out they didn''t even do anything.


    Xavier just took a nap in Madeline''s room!


    ''Are you kidding me?!'' Indiana thought, sighing.


    Briar announced, "We''re here."


    They had arrived at Briar''s room.


    Of course, Briar and Indiana could''ve reached there in a matter of seconds, but Madeline couldn''t. So, they walked there instead. And it felt like it took forever to reach Briar''s room when it could have taken way way less if Madeline had the same if not more powers than the other two.


    Briar ushered the two ladies in her room, welcoming them.


    "What should we do first?" Madeline asked excitedly as she walked out Briar''s bathroom, now changed into her pajamas.


    Briar and Indiana had also changed into their sleepwear.


    She asked Indiana, "How do I look?"


    Indiana gave her a thumbs up, "Gorgeous."


    Then, Indiana - who had decided to put whatever she felt aside till girl''s night was over - grabbed one of Briar''s pillows.


    ''Do you mind?'' She asked Briar with a look.


    The moment Briar shook her head, Indiana took the pillow and hit Madeline with it - lightly, of course.


    "Ow!" Madeline exclaimed, a look of anger and frustration on her face.


    ''How did she get the first hit?'' She asked, not the tiniest bit angry at Indiana, but more on herself.


    She quickly took a pillow and hit Indiana, resulting in Briar doing the same.


    What was supposed to be a calm, elegant and collected game night with champagne, gossip, and teasing turned awry.


    Alright, awry was an oversimplification. It had started with a pillow fight instead.


    "Hyah!" Briar exclaimed, hitting Indiana with her pillows, not taking notice of the feathers flying everywhere, more so on her opponents. She refused to lose. That was just how she was.


    After 10 long minutes of fighting passed by, Indiana dropped onto a couple of pillows placed on the floor in a dramatic manner, admitting her defeat.


    "I lost," she admitted, taking deep breaths in and out.


    Looking at both Briar and Madeline, she told them, "Good game."


    "I concur," Madeline agreed.


    Briar nodded, "Mhm."


    Madeline and Briar fist bumped.


    Briar trailed off, "To celebrate our win¡­"


    Rushing to her cupboard, she carefully took something out. She said to Indiana and Madeline bashfully, "It''s not champagne, or anything too fancy, but¡­"


    Madeline spoke for both Indiana and her when she told Briar, "It''s no big deal, so long as we get to toast."


    Briar smiled gratefully at them. She had wanted to be an accommodating host, hence why she brought drinks. However, she was struck with her tendency to overthink everything.


    ''What if they don''t like it? What if it tastes horrible?'' She wondered.


    ''What if they think my room''s too small?''


    ''Curse my overthinking, I can''t keep overthinking everything.''


    And then, she also had plans with Adrian the following day. She had yet to pick her outfit, or her shoes, or what jewellery she''d wear.


    And why was she making a big deal out of it when she was simply having a meal with her friend?


    It made no sense whatsoever to her.


    However, that was not her biggest concern as of that moment. Her biggest concern was making sure Madeline and Indiana had fun as she was the host of this girl''s night. She thought it was fitting.


    Taking three glasses, she poured Indiana and Madeline a glass.


    "A toast," Briar began, grinning.


    "To a wonderful girl''s night!" She exclaimed, holding her glass up.


    Madeline, Briar and Indiana clinked their glasses, taking a sip from their glass.


    After partaking in games, gossiping, and even more fun, the girls laid on Briar''s bed, heaving and panting.


    "And this is why we''re having yet another girl''s night," Madeline said, looking up at the ceiling.


    Indiana giggled, "Yes."


    Something remained in Madeline''s mind, and she kept wondering if Indiana knew she knew.


    Knew what? One would ask.


    Well, it was never a secret in the first place.


    And that was Indiana''s feelings for Xavier.


    It was something Madeline had noticed from the very beginning. When Indiana had done what she did, it wasn''t out of spite. It was her way of protecting Xavier.


    So, she made sure she had cleared things up when Indiana had asked her about what she had heard.


    Indiana looked like she had been crying, and Madeline presumed it was because of well¡­ Her.


    And Madeline was right. Except, Indiana didn''t just have feelings for him. Indiana loved Xavier. Even if she didn''t know him much.


    Madeline knew Indiana being friends with her would only hurt Indiana. But, she had no one else.


    That was why she had hesitated at first, until she realized¡­ Knowing Indiana, she didn''t want to be in love with Xavier.


    ''I hope she''s doing alright,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    First, she wanted to get Briar to talk to her about it. Talking to Indiana about it herself wasn''t really the right thing to do, since she was his mate.


    Just imagine¡­ Xavier''s mate talking to the woman in love with Xavier. Not to mention, they were close friends.


    Then, Madeline remembered something.


    She had told Xavier she thought Indiana liked him.


    Madeline bit her lip, muttering under her breath, ''Crap.''


    "You alright there?" Indiana asked.


    Lying to Indiana, Madeline told her, "Yep, I think I''m lying down on something though."


    Madeline pretended to get up and desperately search for something, only to find nothing.


    "There''s nothing here," Madeline said.


    "You sure you''re alright?" Briar asked, beginning to get suspicious of Madeline.


    "Of course I''m alright," Madeline responded to Briar, nodding.


    "Really, it''s nothing."


    Indiana sat up instantly, Briar followed.


    "Someone''s coming," Indiana said, her eyes wide.


    Who would be visiting them at this time of night?


    The footsteps drew closer to Briar''s room.


    Madeline whispered to Briar, "Are you expecting anyone?"


    Briar shook her head, "No, I''m not."


    A knock came from the door.


    Briar asked instantly, "Who is it?"


    After a couple seconds of silence, the three girls heard someone exclaim, "It''s me, Adrian!"


    "What are you doing here?" Briar questioned, raising her head and looking straight at the door.


    "Why don''t you open the door and find out?" Adrian said.


    Madeline nudged Indiana gently in the rib.


    "What do you think he came here for?" Madeline asked.


    She whispered as quietly as she could in Indiana''s ear, "You know, I bet he wanted to greet her tonight."


    Indiana shook her head, "What if he just wanted to check up and see how she was doing?"


    __


    Author''s Note: I am so sorry for not updating, something came up. Sorry for the inconvenience, I''ll make it up to you, I promise.. Love, mari.

 Chapter 122 - Madeline’s Bet

    Madeline furrowed her brows, "Why would he do it in the middle of the night?"


    Indiana answered, "I''ll bake whatever you want for breakfast if he does what you say."


    "And if he only came to check up on her?" Madeline asked, wondering what she had to do if Indiana won the bet.


    "Then, you get to do one thing I tell you to," Indiana said to her.


    Madeline extended her hand, "Deal."


    "Quiet down you two," Briar said, overhearing their conversation.


    She opened the door, revealing Adrian in all his glory.


    ''So, what are you doing here?'' Briar asked Adrian, communicating with their mind link so neither Madeline nor Indiana could overhear.


    By the look on Briar''s face, Adrian could tell she wasn''t exactly pleased he was here. And that made him hesitate for a moment.


    Adrian stuttered, ''Err, no particular reason.''


    ''If it was for no particular reason, you could''ve just visited me tomorrow,'' Briar reasoned, asking him, ''So, what are you here for? No excuses, just spit it out. Come on, no need to hesitate.''


    With those words, Adrian managed to gather up enough courage to tell her the truth.


    ''Well, I came here to¡ª''


    He paused.


    Would it be weird if he told her?


    He looked behind Briar to see Madeline who was staring right at him.


    Madeline kept giving him weird looks, when the truth was, she wanted him not to fail her.


    When she saw Adrian hesitating, however¡­


    She subtly gestured for Adrian to do whatever he was about to do, and to stop being so nervous. Like she knew what he was going to do.


    ''¡­greet you goodnight. I came here to greet you goodnight,'' Adrian said to her, his face turning a completely different shade.


    Remaining silent, Briar took a couple of seconds to process what he just said.


    ''You¡­ What?''


    Briar scrunched her nose in confusion.


    She never knew Adrian had enough gall to pull a prank on her.


    ''Funny joke, you can leave now,'' Briar said, just about to close the door on Adrian before he prevented her from doing so, placing his foot in the crack between the door and the threshold.


    ''It''s not a joke,'' he insisted.


    ''You really came all the way here to greet me goodnight?''


    ''It takes seconds to get here,'' Adrian reasoned.


    ''Seconds are valuable,'' Briar reasoned in return, not knowing how to react.


    ''I''m not some stingy person, I can spare a couple of seconds to greet my friend goodnight,'' Adrian said, narrowing his eyes.


    ''Goodnight,'' he grumbled.


    ''I''m going now.''


    ''You¡ª''


    ''I said goodnight, I''m going now,'' Adrian said.


    Briar frowned, telling him before she slammed the door the minute he was out of sight, ''Goodnight to you too.''


    Crossing her arms, she blew a strand of hair out of her face. What was up with him?


    "Seeing how you literally slammed the door on him, that conversation did not go well," Madeline said, tilting her head and pointing out the obvious.


    Briar huffed.


    "Well, you''re right."


    "He just interrupted our girl''s night just to tell me goodnight. That''s all. Nothing else."


    Indiana gasped.


    Madeline pumped her fist in the air.


    "Yes!" She exclaimed in celebration.


    Madeline corrected herself, "I mean, no, how cruel of him."


    Indiana looked devastated, whilst Madeline beamed from ear to ear.


    She whispered to Indiana, "Looks like I get to choose breakfast tomorrow."


    Indiana frowned.


    Briar gazed back and forth between the both of them.


    "Did you really place a bet on what he came here to do, seriously?"


    She looked at Madeline, mouthing, ''What did you win?''


    Noticing Briar asking Madeline that question, Indiana answered, "I have to make whatever she wants for breakfast tomorrow."


    It was Briar''s turn to gasp.


    "Score! Lucky you," she said to Madeline, her tone filled with envy.


    "Moving on," Briar said, waving her hand dismissively.


    "Why do you think he greeted me goodnight?"


    Madeline opened her mouth.


    "No, Madeline, he is not interested in me. And no, that Adriar ship you came up with is not canon and is not sailing," Briar said, predicting exactly what Madeline wanted to tell her.


    Madeline pouted, "You could''ve just let me say it out loud."


    Indiana laughed, throwing her head back in amusement.


    "Adriar''s a cute ship name," she admitted.


    Briar looked offended.


    "See!" Madeline exclaimed.


    She smiled, "Indiana agrees with me. And besides, I''ve never seen you get so upset when someone tried to greet you goodnight."


    Indiana realized something.


    "And Briar, didn''t you say you have plans with him tomorrow?"


    Briar narrowed her eyes, Indiana was up to something.


    "I did," she said, watching Indiana''s every move.


    "Have you picked out the right outfit to wear? Matching shoes? Jewellery, even?"


    Madeline agreed with Indiana, "She''s right."


    Briar had to admit, it would be nice having Indiana and Madeline assisting her in picking out an outfit.


    "Oh alright. You can help pick out an outfit," she said, lowering her head.


    "But nothing too out there," she added.


    "Alright, alright," Madeline said, nodding before she got out of bed.


    "Let''s get to picking," she said, a determined look plastered across her face.


    Indiana slowly got out of bed, yawning. She felt tired. Like she didn''t want to do anything other than stay in bed.


    Rubbing her eye, Indiana mumbled under her breath, ''I want to sleep.''


    Then, she reminded herself she had something to do, which was help pick out an outfit for Briar.


    Unfortunately, friends came before sleep.


    ''Although that might change after we pick out an outfit,'' she said sleepily, trying not to fall back in bed and doze off right then and there.


    "This, or this?" Briar then asked her, showing her two shirts.


    Indiana gravitated to the one on the left. It suited Briar more than the other one.


    "Alright then," Briar said.


    "That''s the last of it."


    Briar paused.


    "Wait, never mind. We''re missing the shoes."


    She looked at her collection of shoes, realizing none matched her outfit.


    Madeline suggested, "Why don''t I head over to my quarters and grab a pair of shoes that would match your outfit? I promise, it''d look great with what you''re going to wear tomorrow."

 Chapter 123 - Boom Boom!

    "Are you sure about that? It''s the middle of the night, roaming around Eudora, even if it''s to return to your own quarters is dangerous. We can pick it out tomorrow."


    "Oh come on, it''s alright, Briar. It''s not that far a walk away. I''ll just grab the shoes and return back. It will only take a couple of minutes at most," Madeline promised.


    "I''ll accompany you," Briar said.


    "It''s fine, you stay here," Madeline insisted.


    "Madeline."


    "Briar," Madeline said, a look of urgency in her eyes.


    "I can do this. It''s just grabbing a pair of shoes."


    "Indiana? What do you think?" Briar asked.


    Indiana rubbed her eye sleepily, "It won''t take too long, right, Madeline?"


    Madeline nodded.


    "I''ll be back," she promised.


    "Oh alright," Briar gave in, sighing before she mentioned, "But if you don''t return in a couple of minutes we''re coming over."


    "Alright," Madeline said, waving them goodbye before she quickly left.


    On her way to her quarters, someone tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn around in shock and¡ª


    A blast of energy shot out of her hands and into the distance. Fortunately, he had blocked it before it came anywhere close to him.


    "You shocked me!" Madeline exclaimed, clutching her chest.


    "I shocked you? You just shot a blast with your hands," Xavier pointed out, his eyes wide and his mouth open.


    Madeline looked at her right hand.


    "Did you know you could do that?" He asked.


    She shook her head, "No, I didn''t. If I did, I would''ve told you."


    "What are you doing, walking around Eudora so late at night?"


    "I just wanted to grab some shoes from my quarters," Madeline answered.


    "Couldn''t you have done that tomorrow?" Xavier questioned, pointing out the obvious.


    "I could, but I''d rather do it today."


    "How''s girl''s night going?"


    "Great."


    Madeline and Xavier stood there in silence, before Xavier asked her, "Are we not going to talk about what you just did?"


    Madeline nodded, "Yes, just right after I grab the shoes I came for."


    "Madeline¡ª"


    Madeline inhaled, trying not to think about what just happened much.


    She had been wondering if she had inherited any powers. And boom. Powers.


    Or maybe it wasn''t a power. Maybe it was something that happened whenever she was shocked. But why hadn''t that happened before?


    She looked at him, "Can''t we talk about it after girl''s night?"


    Xavier looked at her, "You want to hide it from your other friends?"


    Madeline opened and closed her mouth.


    "Until I find a way to tell them," she said.


    Xavier narrowed his eyes, "And Emilio?"


    "I''ll tell him tomorrow," Madeline said.


    "Don''t tell anyone," she said to Xavier, before she realized Adrian was an exclusion from the word anyone.


    And if Adrian knew, Briar would too.


    "If you say so," Xavier said.


    Madeline stared at her right hand with fascination and shock.


    With how unexpectedly this all came, Madeline acted like nothing happened. That was her method of coping.


    When she was ready, she''d talk about it. When she found a way to tell others, she would talk about it.


    Madeline thought she was a human until a while ago.


    And a couple minutes ago, a blast of energy came from her.


    She gulped, "Not even Adrian."


    Xavier nodded, "I know."


    "We''ll talk about it tomorrow then," he said, eyeing Madeline.


    Well this had come as a shock. Madeline had inherited powers from her mother after all.


    Like she had asked him to, he''d keep this a secret from Adrian. He wouldn''t tell anyone till she did.


    Looking at the bright side, Madeline could protect herself.


    Speaking of Madeline, she wondered if her creating that barrier and making that energy blast was connected.


    Perhaps the barrier was someone else''s way of protecting someone they held dear to their heart.


    Or perhaps, Madeline had powers after all.


    However, Madeline couldn''t dismiss what just happened. She shot an energy blast out of her hand, no amount of denial would change that.


    "Want me to accompany you to your quarters and back to Briar''s room?" Xavier offered.


    Madeline - who looked shaken - nodded.


    "Yes please," she said softly.


    They walked together to Madeline''s quarters, and Xavier waited for her outside her quarters as she fetched the pair of shoes she had originally came here for.


    Originally, Xavier had wanted to take a walk, until he had run into Madeline. He had finished his work early, taking advantage of his amazing mood.


    He felt even more productive and motivated than ever before. And that was saying something.


    "Alright, let''s go," Madeline said, holding a pair of shoes in her left hand.


    "You promise we''re talking about it tomorrow?" Xavier asked.


    "I promise."


    "And don''t overthink it," Xavier said to her, knowing she liked overthinking things a lot.


    "I''ll try not to," Madeline said, pursing her lips.


    "And you don''t stay up late," she said to him with a tiny smile on her face - her attempt at seeming like she was fine.


    "We''re here," she said, looking down at her shoes.


    "I should go now," Xavier said to her.


    "Bye now," he said, wishing her goodbye.


    "Bye Xavier," Madeline said, waving with her free hand.


    Before she knocked, she took a deep breath.


    The door then opened without her having to knock.


    "Met Xavier on your way there?" Briar asked, an excited smile on her face.


    "Yeah," Madeline said, nodding.


    "And I got the shoes!" She exclaimed.


    "That''s great!" Briar exclaimed, admitting, "With the time you were taking, I was beginning to get worried. Thank luna you''re back."


    __


    Author''s Note: Here you go, two brand new chapters to make up for yesterday. Hope you all enjoy it. Again, sorry for any inconvenience caused!


    And also, I just wanted to stress something. This book was written for those who enjoy slow-burn romance novels with a touch of werewolves and red string. It''s my take on werewolves and it''s not meant to be everyone''s cup of tea, so if you do not like this book, you could always just click the exit button.


    Alright, author out.

 Chapter 124 - He’d Have Your Head!

    "Yeah," Madeline agreed, handing the shoes over to Briar and subtly trying to hide her right hand from both Briar and Indiana.


    Speaking of Indiana¡­


    "Indiana fell right back asleep the minute after you left," Briar explained.


    "Ah," Madeline said, looking like she had seen a ghost.


    "I''d try waking her but she''s dead asleep. Well, not literally, but you get what I mean," Briar said to her.


    Madeline chuckled, "I do."


    Albeit she had just discovered she had powers, she felt strange knowing there was something inside her that was capable of making energy blasts.


    She still felt like herself, but there was something else to it.


    Did she really inherit powers?


    Or was this a temporary thing?


    Madeline frowned thinking it was temporary.


    If she had powers, that would hugely benefit her and those around her. Not only could she actually have some way to protect herself around any imminent danger, she wouldn''t have to be saved.


    As much as she said she wasn''t a fragile, delicate vase, that was exactly what she was, even if no one wanted to admit it.


    They were simply being polite, they never meant any harm.


    So, if she did get powers, and if she learnt to properly use them, she''d appreciate it. And, she would finally be able to protect those she cared out.


    Then again, powers were a responsibility. They weren''t just something to show off and think selfishly about.


    Madeline knew Briar would have to know about her powers eventually. She''d crack under pressure soon, or break and tell Briar everything that happened.


    Looking at her right hand, Madeline wondered how would her father react.


    ''I called him my father,'' she realized.


    Inhaling, Madeline wondered if she was finally beginning to see Emilio as a fatherly figure now. That, or she had called him her father by accident.


    Madeline shook her head. She didn''t want to hide it from Briar.


    "Briar," she called softly.


    "Hmm?" Briar asked, walking out of the restroom.


    "I need to show you something," Madeline said to her, determined to get it out of the way before anything else happened and she found out the news from someone else.


    Briar deserved to know from her, and her alone. They were  friends, not strangers.


    Her voice was soft as she whispered to her, "Let''s go outside so we don''t disturb Indiana."


    Tilting her head, Briar wondered what this could be about. Did Madeline really find the need to have to bring her outside to talk about this? Briar wouldn''t eavesdrop on their conversation, she had tried many times to wake her up, to no avail.


    Heck, she''d even tried tickling Indiana! She was exhausted. That poor girl. And after all that, Briar finally decided to let her get some well-deserved sleep.


    Once they were out of Briar''s room, Briar demanded, "Now what are you on about?"


    Speaking in a hushed voice, Madeline said to Briar, "You know how I took a longer time to return back from my quarters?"


    Briar nodded, "Yeah, we heard Xavier outside, he walked you back here, no?"


    Now, it was Madeline''s turn to nod.


    "Yeah, he did. But something else happened."


    With how nervous Madeline was about it, and not in the butterfly in the stomach type of nervous, Briar was left to believe this was not about Xavier.


    "You don''t have to talk about whatever this is now," Briar said.


    "No no, I brought you out here for a reason. I intend to tell you now," Madeline insisted.


    "It''s nothing too important," she said, adding, "It''s nothing worth me overreacting, at least."


    "Are you undermining your situation again? Madeline, come on," Briar said, becoming even more concerned.


    It was when Madeline was reluctant and hesitant to speak and trying to dismiss her issues were things more serious.


    Who knew what Madeline was hiding?


    Was Madeline hiding something that she had encountered?


    Something she had known for a long time but only got reminded of during her short trip to her quarters?


    ''Gah! I should stop thinking about it too much,'' Briar said, wanting to smack herself on the head with how much thought she was putting into this.


    Madeline said it wasn''t important. If she really wasn''t undermining her situation and making it seem less important as it actually was... Then there wasn''t anything to overthink or overreact about.


    Staring at her right hand, Madeline knew if there was any better time to shoot an energy blast, it would be now to demonstrate it to Briar.


    She''d shoot it somewhere it wouldn''t break anything, of course. Xavier would have her head if he knew she did so.


    Alright, that was an exaggeration, he wouldn''t do such a thing.


    "So... I..."


    "You what?" Briar asked, coaxing her to speak and spit it out already.


    It had to be this way, if Briar didn''t encourage Madeline to speak, Madeline would spend an entire hour just stuttering and mumbling whilst never telling Briar a damn thing.


    Inhaling sharply, Madeline explained the situation to Briar as quickly as she could.


    "So basically, I was walking towards my quarters and felt this hand on my shoulder. I turned around and it was Xavier and I almost shot him."


    Briar looked confused, her brows knitted.


    "How--"


    "How I almost shot him?" Madeline asked, a look of nervousness on her face.


    She extended her hand, before a literal energy blast shot through the woods, right where she had been aiming.


    Briar''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    Madeline''s eyes were wide; she had not expected to have been able to shoot an energy blast at will. It had taken sheer willpower, and Madeline was beginning to feel woozy, but otherwise, she felt fine.


    "You just--"


    "You just blast--"


    Briar couldn''t process what she just saw.


    On her face was a look of shock and wonder.


    "That is so cool!" She exclaimed.


    Madeline chuckled, "Yeah."


    "It''s cool," she said, looking at her right hand once more.


    Hmm, Briar seemed to have reacted better than she had imagined.


    Briar paused.


    "Hold on."


    "Why were you so nervous to tell me you had powers?"


    "Oh, that."


    Madeline scratched the back of her neck nervously.


    "Err."

 Chapter 125 - The Beta & His Bossy Friend

    "Powers aren''t all cool, they''re responsibilities too," Madeline reasoned.


    And she was right.


    Powers weren''t just cool. Heck, some people found them to be burdens at times.


    Sometimes, they wanted to be regular people who got to enjoy a regular life that didn''t include having the ability to, say, blast through things, or finish a book in a matter of seconds, or crush a car with their bare hands.


    Some people that were given powers never wanted them. Madeline was unsure why the first thing she thought when she got powers was how they could become burdens in the future and might turn into responsibilities.


    Frankly, she thought she would have thought them cool and showed them off to everyone else. Not slowly revealing herself to have powers to Briar this way.


    "I''ll tell Indiana once she wakes up," Madeline decided.


    Briar nodded, "Alright."


    "And what does Xavier think about this?"


    "Err, I don''t know about that. First, he seemed a bit reluctant when I told him not to tell anyone, Adrian included, but¡­ I don''t know. Oh, and also,  I''ll tell Emilio tomorrow since he''s probably asleep already," she decided.


    "Right, you should probably do that," Briar agreed.


    "Oh god, it''s really late now, huh. We should probably get to sleeping."


    Briar scoffed, "Wow, I never expected you to say that."


    Madeline laughed, "Me neither, actually."


    She added, "But really, you have plans with Adrian, right? I wouldn''t want you to be late because you stayed up late talking to me. I''m not that bad of an influence."


    "Oh alright."


    "But, before we hit the hay," Madeline said to Briar.


    "What is it?"


    Madeline hugged Briar.


    "Here''s a hug."


    Briar looked confused, but hugged her friend in return. One could never have enough hugs, as someone once said.


    Yeah, no.


    "Thank you for being here, even when I had no one else at first, and being here even after everything. Even when I wasn''t at my best."


    "Hey, where''s this all coming from?" Briar asked.


    Madeline shook her head, letting Briar go.


    "Just something I''ve been wanting to tell you."


    "Hmm, sure. Goodnight, Maddie," Briar said, grinning at her friend.


    "Goodnight, Briar," Madeline said, laying down on the mattress she and Indiana had brought to Briar''s room.


    It wasn''t so spacious, but it was big enough to fit the mattress. No other sound in the room was heard other than Indiana''s snores. She slept peacefully, and Briar followed, falling asleep quickly afterwards.


    Madeline looked up at the ceiling of Briar''s room, unable to sleep.


    Her powers hadn''t been all she had been hiding.


    She had lied. There was another reason she had been nervous. Not because of her powers.


    Inhaling, she closed her eyes.


    ''Enough of that, I should sleep now,'' she told herself, reasoning that whatever she could do now she could always do tomorrow.


    And soon after, sleep washed over her like a wave washing over a beach''s golden sand. Madeline had given into the temptation of sleep.


    __


    The next day, Briar walked to the place she was supposed to meet Adrian, dressed in the clothes Indiana and Madeline had helped her pick out.


    "I see someone went all out for what''s just supposed to be lunch," Adrian pointed out.


    Briar rolled her eyes at him, "For your information, it was Indiana and Madeline who did most of the work when it came to choosing this outfit."


    "And why would they put in so much effort in choosing an outfit for lunch?" Adrian asked, trapping her in a corner.


    Snap, he had a point.


    Briar''s cheeks turned from its usual shade to a deep rosy red. She didn''t even try hiding it, she knew Adrian had noticed it.


    "It''s lunch, I should have the decency to at least make an effort to dress up, no?"


    "Hmm, sure," Adrian said, not seemingly falling for Briar''s answer.


    "Moving on, let''s get to lunch."


    "I couldn''t agree more," Briar said, ready to eat.


    Adrian had extended his elbow for Briar to hold. Briar was startled, but accepted it. It was a sweet gesture after all, she couldn''t just push him away.


    Together, they made their way to a patio.


    "Woah, I thought we were supposed to eat at the dining room."


    "Would you rather eat at a regular dining room, or this place? You choose, I''ll go with whatever you end up deciding."


    "Alright, you''ve made your point, I was just pointing something out," Briar said.


    Adrian pulled out a chair for her.


    She sat down, and watched as Adrian took his seat.


    Briar was beginning to wonder if this was a date and not just lunch.


    "So, I heard Xavier invited you to breakfast yesterday."


    "He did, it was great. And you? How did girl''s night go?"


    "Indiana fell asleep before it ended," Briar told him.


    Adrian took a spare spoon and placed a serving of food on Briar''s plate.


    "Wha¡ª"


    He answered, "You said you liked this food in particular, if I remember correctly."


    "A gentleman with great memory, consider me surprised."


    Adrian chucked, "What can I say? I can be very, very surprising."


    Briar threw her head back and laughed.


    She noticed he hadn''t placed anything on his plate and questioned, "Do you usually eat nothing when eating with others?"


    Adrian looked down on his plate, just realizing he hadn''t eaten anything either.


    "Well, usually, when I get too engaged in a conversation, I forget everything else that''s happening. Even if that ''everything else'' is eating."


    Briar took the spoon on his side and got a spoonful of what he had once told her was his favourite dish.


    "Open wide, don''t make me force you to eat."


    "You can be so bossy, you know that?" Adrian asked her.


    Was Briar aware of it?


    "I''m not bossy, I''m just asking you to eat," she reasoned, crinkling her nose.


    "Same thing," he responded with.


    "Eat," she insisted, holding the spoon.


    "Fine.. Since it''s you telling me to eat it," he said.

 Chapter 126 - Xavier’s Acting Strange…

    Moving on from Briar and Adrian.


    Meanwhile, with a certain coral-haired girl¡­


    "Who is it?" Emilio questioned once he heard the knock come from the other side of the door.


    His hair was curly, and he looked distraught. That was what days of staying in a hut with nearly no company other than Rose, Madeline and Xavier''s few visits as well as only having a limited space to move in did to him.


    "It''s me, Madeline," Madeline answered.


    Emilio turned to face where the voice was coming from, a smile now on his face.


    "Madeline?" He asked.


    It was great to see her! He had lots to tell her.


    Firstly, Xavier was reconsidering leaving him there, since it wasn''t the safest place to store him.


    And with a little more convincing, Emilio was sure Xavier would let him of the hook for a little while and let him clean up and have a meal.


    Madeline was unaware of that at the current moment, but Emilio would wager that she''d be ecstatic once she heard the news.


    Of course, with everything to tell her running through his head, he hadn''t anticipated Madeline coming to his hut to inform him of some news.


    Especially anything that had to do with powers.


    It was something Madeline didn''t brought up, so Emilio had always presumed she didn''t want to talk about it.


    Maybe Madeline didn''t want any powers and found them to be burdens to shoulder.


    Or maybe, she refused to talk about powers since she didn''t have any.


    Either way, Emilio didn''t mind. He had learnt long ago that there were many reasons to cherish someone, not just for their powers.


    Ironically, Cornelia was the one that thought him that.


    Thinking of Cornelia caused memories to surface, but Emilio shook it off. He wouldn''t let the memories he shared with his ex-lover ruin his daughter''s visit.


    He had grown accustomed to being visited and having guests. Sure, only Xavier was allowed in his hut and both Rosalynn and Madeline were told not to enter unless extremely important, but some company was better than no company.


    Having someone to talk to, even if they had to stand outside the hut, usually in the burning sun whilst they did so was great for him, albeit the same couldn''t be said for them.


    For once in a long, long time, Emilio felt like there was someone there for him.


    Brushing aside the fact the meaning he had for the people there for him was his daughter, the man that stole his job and tried killing him and Cornelia''s best friend... Emilio was content.


    It was more than he had expected when he first arrived at Eudora.


    For a moment, he was under the impression that Xavier would shoo him away and kill him if he refused.


    Xavier had been acting quite strange in front of him since the first moment Emilio had stepped on Eudora, Emilio knew that.


    At the beginning, Emilio had concerned himself with why Xavier was behaving this way, until he realized ages later...


    Xavier hadn''t treated him with any hint of compassion. Not until it was discovered that Emilio was Madeline''s father.


    Emilio already knew it was one of the only few reasons he was alive, no one needed to remind him of that.


    However, he was certain Xavier thought of Madeline differently than everyone else.


    In what way? Emilio was unsure.


    However, there was no denying that Madeline was special to Xavier. And not just because she was his mate.


    Emilio had this gut feeling that this had something to do with one word, but he couldn''t get himself to spit it out.


    Was it strange he found it disgusting if his daughter and Xavier were¡­


    ''I should stop thinking about that before I get a headache,'' Emilio told himself, rubbing his forehead.


    "You there?" Madeline asked for what seemed like the millionth time, wondering why Emilio had been so silent for the past few minutes.


    Had he passed out or something? Had he fallen asleep?


    Emilio wasn''t responding to anything she was saying or making any sound. That was enough for Madeline to grow concerned.


    "I am," Emilio nodded.


    "I spaced out before, sorry," he apologized.


    "It''s alright, I just asked you if you''d eaten yet and you didn''t reply so¡­ I became worried," Madeline admitted.


    Emilio heard a crinkle from the outside of the hut, and he smelled the familiar yet distant whiff of¡­


    ''What did Madeline bring with her? Why does it smell so good?'' Emilio asked before admitting to Madeline that he had not eaten anything the entire day.


    Madeline opened the hut door and placed a bag inside.


    "You said it was your favourite food so I¡ª"


    "Thank you," Emilio said, meaning it from the bottom of his heart.


    She was so considerate, bringing her his favourite food when she wasn''t under any obligation to.


    How sweet!


    Whilst a part of him wondered why she wanted anything to do with him when she could have advocated for him to die at the stake or something along those lines, a part of him felt relieved.


    Relieved that his daughter wasn''t anything like him or inherited the parts of himself he wanted to hide and keep buried from the rest of the world once he had done some retrospection.


    "Thank you so much," he repeated.


    "You''re welcome, it''s no problem," Madeline said before she cleared her throat, trying to get herself to tell him.


    ''It''s now or never. Maybe he knows something about how I got these powers and how to use them.''


    "Emilio?" She called, her voice now faint and softer than before.


    "Yes?" Emilio asked seconds before he was about to dig in the food Madeline had brought him.


    "I need to show you something," she mumbled, knowing Emilio could very well hear what she had just said.


    "What is it?" Emilio inquired.


    With how Madeline was behaving, this must have been something big.


    Was it that bad?

 Chapter 127 - Like Mother Like Daughter

    "You should probably step out of your hut for a moment," Madeline said to him.


    ''Huh? Why would I need to step out of the hut, am I in danger or something?''


    "It''s nothing bad," Madeline reassured, mumbling to herself, "I''d hope not."


    "Then what is it?" Emilio asked, adding, "You can tell me."


    Madeline hesitated. She wondered if her powers had vanished overnight. Or if they were a one day thing. Or if¡­ Emilio wouldn''t react nicely to her powers.


    Xavier didn''t react so badly, it was going to be alright.


    ¡­Right?


    "Last night, something happened," Madeline began.


    Emilio did not like where this was going.


    Thankfully, his worries dissolved when he discovered Madeline was referring to something else.


    "I shot a blast,"  Madeline said, looking directly at Emilio, who had stepped out of the hut.


    Before he asked her to demonstrate it, she made her palm face the sky.


    She tried her best and a short period afterwards, a blast shot up into the sky.


    Emilio stared at the sky, unable to say a word as he processed what he had just seen and heard.


    Energy blasts...


    They were Cornelia''s thing. She was capable of making energy blasts too.


    He mumbled, "Cornelia could form energy blasts too."


    Biting his lip, he stopped himself. Now wasn''t the time to start a whole spiel about her powers and how he missed her.


    Madeline had powers. She had inherited them from her mother, he was sure of it.


    "You inherited powers," he said, a look of relief and awe on his face.


    Not a single ounce of worry was on his face anymore. He could feel pride swell up in him.


    This sensation was strange, but he had to admit, he did feel proud of her. He was never for any of her important milestones, so being able to witness her unlocking this power was... Spectacular.


    Sure, he didn''t know exactly how to hone this power... But, he knew someone who did.


    "You have powers," he mentioned next, a grin plastered across his face.


    He remembered Cornelia when she had first demonstrated her powers to him. Emilio had been so awestruck it took him minutes to compose himself and get himself to form a single sentence.


    And now, Madeline had powers.


    Singular, not plural actually.


    Power.


    One power.


    Emilio doubted this was it. There were more to it.


    Cornelia was a woman of many talents.


    If one thought energy blasts was all she was capable of doing, boy were they wrong.


    If Madeline inherited even half the powers she did, then Eudora would have an extremely powerful ally in its midst.


    The sad thing was that Cornelia wasn''t here to have witnessed this. She would have been able to teach Madeline how to use her powers, and how to unlock them.


    Now Madeline was left on her own to figure out how to use her powers with no one to guide her.


    Sure, there was Rosalynn, but was she versed in the things Cornelia was? The answer was a probable no.


    And then, there was the other one.


    "Does Xavier know about it?" He asked, his face turning solemn and serious.


    "He does, he was the first to know," Madeline replied, swiftly explaining to him how she had come to learn about her new powers.


    As in, when she was with Xavier.


    "So Xavier does know," Emilio noted.


    "He does," Madeline said, observing his facial expression.


    He looked away, deliberating over something.


    "Why? Is it not a good thing?" She questioned.


    "No no, it''s nothing," Emilio dismissed.


    He couldn''t help but wonder if this was all just a coincidence. Rosalynn coming to visit and getting caught, Madeline getting powers. If Rose wanted to be under the radar and never be caught, she could do just that.


    If she really wanted it, she would''ve never gotten herself caught even if the entirety of Eudora was searched hundreds of times.


    Cornelia surrounded herself with the best of the best. People who were just like her.


    It made sense actually.


    Cornelia had abandoned Emilio when he was trapped. When being with him would no longer benefit her since he was no longer the alpha, but just a measly wolf who was destined to spend eternity in his cave because of his sins.


    So, she left her daughter under the care of the people that would turn out to be her foster parents. Perhaps that was her way of ensuring that no one would inform Madeline of her true bloodline, and actually, it worked.


    Until she stumbled upon Eudora, of course.


    Fate had something else in mind for her.


    But, Emilio wondered if Rosalynn did too.


    He made a mental note to ask Rosalynn this once she visited him. She had set up a schedule of when she''d visit him and when she wouldn''t, something Emilio found highhly unecessary since Rosalynn didn''t do much all day except lounge around and enjoy life.


    The perks of freedom, no one was limiting her from doing anything she pleased. No one made her stay in a hut and threaten her loved one''s life.


    Emilio was envious of the life Rosalynn was living. Mainly because she got to talk to Madeline whenever she wanted to. She didn''t only see Madeline whenever she came to visit, or when she wanted to inform her of something.


    But it was the one thing he would have to live with. The consequence of all his actions.


    He was living proof that not thinking the consequences through would lead to a more painful life than constantly having to think about one''s consequences.


    Even though Emilio was trying to see the error to his ways, his past would always come back to bite.


    Alright, he was straying from the topic at hand.


    Madeline had powers.


    "If you''re wondering who else knows, it''s just my friend Briar, and Xavier," she informed him, knowing he wanted to ask her that.


    "What about that other friend of yours, Indiana?" He asked in return.


    Appalled Emilio knew who Indiana was, she asked, "How do you--"


    "Don''t be shocked that I pay attention to what you say," Emilio said to her, a disappointed frown on his face.

 Chapter 128 - It Hurts

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    "It hurts," Emilio said to her, placing his hand on his chest.


    He added, "It hurts because I do listen to what you say."


    "Sorry," Madeline apologized.


    "Moving on," Emilio said, brushing it off before asking her, "How do you feel about this? Getting powers is a big deal, is it not?"


    Madeline thought about it. She hadn''t had much time to think it over, and afterwards, she''d tell Indiana about what she had missed last night.


    "I guess¡­ I''m still adapting. I''m unsure of how to deal with these powers¡­ I don''t know if they''re going to stay or if they''re temporary, so I feel sort of lost."


    It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. That only prompted her to continue speaking.


    "Go on," Emilio said, encouraging her to continue. He knew she had more to say.


    Madeline smiled gratefully, touched he was there for her.


    "I don''t know, I never expected to have powers. And I''ve always heard people saying it''s a burden, and that it''s more of a responsibility than it is a cool thing or fun, which is true. It is, but... Another part of me doesn''t know how to react to this. It''s like I achieved something, but everyone''s divided. Some think it''s cool, some are worried about me, and the others judge me."


    Madeline paused.


    ''Wow, that feels good to say,'' she thought to herself.


    It was nice, getting to talk to her father and knowing he was listening to her every word.


    Her entire life, she wasn''t listened to. She was brushed off, so she usually did anything it took to keep the people in her life. No matter what they did. That applied to Emilio as well, as if it hadn''t been for her need to keep him in her life, he would have been long gone.


    He would be nothing more than a dinner anecdote, if that had actually happened.


    However, it didn''t. And Madeline chose to get to know her father. Something she should have had the opportunity to do ages ago.


    "And who are the people that judge you?" Emilio asked, clenching his fist tight.


    Madeline hesitated before answering, noticing his hand balled up in a fist.


    "It''s not really judging. I just... am exaggerating. Yeah, I''m exaggerating, is all," Madeline said to Emilio, who seemingly didn''t believe a word that came out of her mouth.


    "Do you have to go now?" Emilio asked, wondering why Madeline looked so jittery and nervous.


    Madeline shook her head, "No, I don''t. I have a lot of time on my hands, and I don''t intend to leave anytime soon."


    Emilio looked pleased to hear that.


    ''Huzzah, she''s staying for a while longer,'' he said, resisting the urge to pump his fist in the air in celebration.


    Madeline would have found it weird, no?


    He said to her, "Is there anything else you want to tell me or ask me?"


    Suddenly, Madeline thought of an idea.


    "Hold on a moment," she said.


    "When you were the alpha of Eudora, Xavier was your beta, no?"


    Emilio nodded, "Yes, he was. I don''t see how that has to do with anything though."


    Madeline commented, "You must have lots and lots of stories to tell about Xavier, huh. And also when you were still an alpha."


    Emilio thought back to all the little moments he had witnessed of Xavier. He had practically watched Xavier grow up. He was there for when Xavier was still a mere omega, up till the point he appointed Xavier as his beta. He wasn''t too keen on speaking about his time as alpha. However¡­ When it came to Xavier on the other hand¡­


    Yes, there were a few memories that still lingered in his head. Ones that he''d never be able to forget... And ones Xavier would likely not want anyone to know of.


    Madeline gasped, "Why don''t you tell me share some of those stories while we still have some spare time?"


    "Err."


    "Of yourself and or Xavier," Madeline specified, adding, "If you want to."


    It was then she realized she was disturbing him.


    "Oh, right. You haven''t eaten anything, I''m only bothering you by asking you to talk about all that. Sorry."


    Emilio stared at his daughter, telling her, "Don''t apologize."


    Madeline blinked.


    "You have the tendency to apologize a lot. Apologizing too much is not a good habit to have, and you need to know that."


    A shocked but proud expression crossed Madeline''s face.


    "You''re right," she admitted, lowering her head.


    Emilio made a wonderful point about how Madeline had the tendency to apologize too much. Not to mention, pointing out how apologizing too much to someone was a bad habit to have certainly made him seem more...


    Fatherly, strangely.


    Madeline felt like she was being reprimanded for something she had been caught doing. The look of disappointment he was giving her... It wasn''t filled with hate, it wasn''t filled with rage... It was filled with disappointment.


    And Madeline hated nothing more than disappointing someone, Emilio being no exception to this.


    Disappointing someone was one of the worst things a person could ever encounter if you asked Madeline.


    The look of disappointment on their face... It was unbearable.


    Madeline made a mental note to stop apologizing as much as she did. Emilio was right, and she knew that.


    She had simply grown too used to apologizing, to the point that it was the first thing she did whenever she was in a dilemma or was involved in someone doing something wrong, even if it wasn''t her fault.


    Emilio looked at her, wondering if Madeline had listened to what he said and would actually start apologizing less. He hadn''t wanted to reprimand her...


    Although what he did was less like reprimanding and more like a gentle slap on the wrist as well as that disappointed face someone gave to the person who disappointed them. Yeah, that was a more accurate description.


    Madeline told him, "You know, you have changed a lot since the first time we met."


    Emilio scoffed, "Did I now?"


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 Chapter 129 - Youll Have To Come With Me To Find Out

    Once he took a moment or two to think about it, he figured Madeline was right. He had changed, by a lot.


    No longer was the man that was dead set on ruining Xavier''s life once he saw Xavier once more. He felt different too, like the fire that burned bright in him had dimmed. His urge to kill had lessened, and he no longer wished to inflict harm on anyone.


    All he wanted was to atone to what he had done, and to get to know his daughter better. The rest could be damned; that was all he cared about at the current moment.


    And also, talking to Rosalynn these days had helped him experienced what it was like in Cornelia''s world. Or at least, she gave him a dip into Cornelia''s point of view.


    From the very start, Cornelia had admitted many, many times that she didn''t think she''d have kids. Emilio knew that already. All Rosalynn had done was repeat it.


    Except, Cornelia didn''t think she''d have kids not because she hated them and wanted nothing to do with them.


    Instead, it was because she had always thought she''d make a horrible mother. Sure, if she were to have become a mother, the chance she''d prioritize her child over her life''s work was slim to none, but there were plenty of other reasons as well.


    Firstly, she believed that children deserved to have loving parents who could provide and care for them, as well as give them the best that life could offer.


    Someone like her would never be a good enough mother for a child, as Rosalynn claimed.


    Of course, Rosalynn had told Emilio all this for a reason. There were some things she knew Cornelia would be alright with Emilio knowing, and others she wouldn''t be alright with. She kept those to herself, and told him everything she possibly could.


    Cornelia believed children deserved patient parents.


    Emilio had once remembered her telling him that she respected kids. That she thought they deserved the world and more that she could ever give them, hence why she thought she was undeserving of a child.


    However, at that time, Cornelia was still a rookie. She wasn''t the woman she was now, but someone else entirely.


    Perhaps power had gotten into her head, or perhaps she had changed herself to be the best possible sorceress she could possibly be, even if it meant removing her young daughter out of the equation as well as her lover.


    Knowing Cornelia, Emilio knew there was some truth to her words. At that time, she had really thought that.


    And at that time, Cornelia would not have given up her daughter so willingly without finding a way to get to be in her life whilst she grew up and still manage to work.


    ''Or maybe I''m saying this because I''m trying to find an excuse behind why she hid Madeline from me...''


    The Cornelia he had met latest had no qualms giving anyone up. That was what she had done when it came to him after all, disposing of him like he was some piece of garbage that had no use for her anymore. Or at least, that was how Emilio saw the things Cornelia had done to him.


    Cornelia had changed and blossomed during all the time he had known her.


    From whence a rookie sorceress who was still figuring out the basics now stood a powerful sorceress who had nothing standing in her way.


    She was doing fine, she didn''t need anyone like him in her life anymore.


    And from what Rosalynn had told him, she didn''t even think of him. She was far too busy with everything else she had going on in her life.


    Now, moving on from the father daughter duo and returning to Adrian and Briar who were on a date.


    Correction, lunch.


    Even after the hours that had passed by, it seemed like no time had passed at all.


    Why had time gone by so fast? Couldn''t time slow down?


    "You have to go now," Briar pointed out, noticing the look on Adrian''s face.


    "I do, but I don''t want to," Adrian admitted.


    "Go. You have work, I''ll be fine by myself, I can walk myself back to my room."


    Adrian shook his head, insisting he stay.


    "I made plans with you. I''m not leaving for work. I''ll quickly catch up once I return to work, my load has been lighter the past few days anyway."


    "Are you sure?" Briar questioned worriedly.


    She would''ve loved it if he stayed but she refused. She wouldn''t allow him to compromise his work just for her.


    "I''m not worth skipping work for. And besides, it''s been a fun couple of hours," she reasoned, "You can go now. I promise you, I''ll be fine."


    "No, I''m staying. That''s final," Adrian said, crossing his arms and looking the other direction.


    Briar was appalled.


    Why was he acting so immature? It was''t a huge deal, he just had to go.


    The world wasn''t ending, she wasn''t volunteering to fight till the death.


    ''My luna, why am I thinking about that anyway? That''s incredibly random. Ugh, curse my imaginative brain,'' Briar thought to herself.


    "If you insist on staying," she said to Adrian, chuckling as she mumbled under her breath, ''You don''t have to act so immature about it.''


    He pouted, "I am not acting immature about it. Is it so weird if I want to stay by my friend''s side?"


    "I never called it weird," Briar reasoned.


    Adrian stared at her, opening his mouth and about to say something before he stopped himself.


    No, it was neither the time nor place.


    Something flashed in his eyes. Briar couldn''t tell what it was, but it was familiar.


    Taking a sip of her drink, Briar told herself it was nothing. Probably a figment of her imagination she had created for no reason whatsoever. She had done that many times before, what was different about it now?


    "Dang, things just went silent all of a sudden," Briar noticed.


    Adrian laughed, "Yeah."


    Briar walked across the patio, bringing her chair alongside with her.


    Adrian stood up, "I can help you with that."


    "No no, I''m fine," Briar told him as she placed the chair right beside him.


    "Any reason behind moving your chair right here?" Adrian asked, looking at his right to see Briar looking back at him.


    Briar shrugged, "We''re closer this way."


    "You make a good point," Adrian acknowledged.


    "So, anything else you have in mind for us to do? Unless you want to stay here for another few hours..."


    "Hmm, I''m not sure, nothing comes to mind when I think of something to do," Briar admitted, ignoring the ideas she had come up with.


    She had come up with something to do actually, she just refused to tell him.


    Not that she couldn''t think of anything. Briar wasn''t like that.


    "I have an idea," Adrian said.


    "Oh?" Briar asked.


    He extended his hand towards her, telling her, "Follow me, I have something to show you."


    "Oh? Something else to show me?"


    "What other surprise do you have hidden underneath," Briar said, narrowing her eyes and wrinkling her nose in curiosity.


    "You''ll have to come with me to find out."


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 Chapter 130 - Ill Take It To My Grave

    Usually, it would be in this part of the story where Briar would get abducted once she was lured into another place.


    [Author''s Note: This is a joke for obvious reasons.]


    But, this wasn''t that type of story.


    "Alright," Briar agreed, still a tad bit sceptical of where he intended on bringing her.


    When Adrian had brought her to the woods, Briar couldn''t help but ask him the question, "Did you already have someplace in mind before you asked me?"


    "Honestly? No. I just thought of it very last minute," Adrian admitted, adding, "However, this is a secret place that only I know of. So, don''t tell anyone. No matter what happens."


    "Promise me you won''t tell anyone," he said to her.


    Briar found it strange he wanted her to promise him she wouldn''t tell anyone, but she agreed to it, since she knew she could trust him. After all, they were friends. And he had been treating her splendidly ever since lunch, being a gentleman and skipping work for her.


    "I do," she promised, nodding.


    "Excellent," he said, prompting Briar to feel a bit skeptical of where he was leading her to.


    Was he leading her to an abandoned place out in the woods?


    Showing her his findings?


    So many possibilities!


    Briar knew it was best if she stopped overthinking it and placed some trust in him instead. He was leading her somewhere, not doing something else.


    ''Why am I doing this to him? He''s shown me nothing but kindness and acted like a gentleman the entire afternoon. And then I''m suspicious of him. Why, why why?'' She thought to herself, wanting to smack herself in the head and call herself all kinds of names.


    "Even Xavier doesn''t know of this place," Adrian mentioned as he stopped for a moment to check if there was anyone following him and Briar.


    However, he doubted anyone was. The coast was clear, he and Briar were free to go to the place he intended on bringing her to.


    Breathing a relieved sigh, Briar felt a bit concerned. Whilst nibbling on her bottom lip, she wondered where Adrian would be taking her. However, she kept quiet about it.


    __


    "See you tomorrow," Madeline said to Emilio, waving him goodbye whilst she braved a smile on her face.


    Emilio managed to smile, "Bye now."


    And then, Madeline faded from sight.


    Now off to visit Indiana and tell her the news, Madeline had what she was going to tell her in mind. It wasn''t as big a deal as she was making it, Madeline knew that. Sort of.


    "Madeline! I''ve been expecting you," Indiana said, a jolly smile plastered across her face when she opened the door to see Madeline''s face.


    She had heard footsteps approaching her door and quickly put the pieces together. Only Madeline would be visiting her at this time. Briar was off somewhere with Adrian. She hadn''t any other friends, and Madeline should have been done with her visit with Emilio by that time.


    "Seems like someone''s in a good mood," Madeline chuckled, taking a step into Indiana''s room.


    "Yeah, I had a great night of sleep last night and started my day off with my two favourite people. Why wouldn''t I be?" Indiana asked, closing the door behind her once Madeline had entered her room.


    "Great to hear that. Girl''s night was fun," Madeline commented.


    "So, moving on, what brings you here? Got anything to tell me?"


    Indiana gasped.


    "Got any news from Briar and Adrian?"


    Madeline shook her head, a frown forming on her face.


    "Wish I did, I''d love to know how their lunch is going but so far, I''ve got nothing."


    "Hmm, shame," Indiana said, pouting.


    She would have loved to know how Briar and Adrian were doing at the moment. The way Briar had talked about Adrian, he was a particularly interesting individual. One that had managed to catch Briar''s eye and also get her to have lunch together with him.


    Briar wouldn''t have lunch with just anyone who asked her, even if it was Eudora''s beta. It was part of the reason why Madeline and Indiana wanted to know more.


    Usually, Briar was tight-lipped about her and Adrian''s friendship.


    However, whenever she talked about him...


    Strangely, there was something else to her.


    Her eyes would glimmer, and the way she talked about him nearly convinced Madeline Briar had turned to a completely different person. Not to mention, Briar could be extremely immature when it came to him. The littlest things he did set her off, and the thoughtful things he did touched her.


    It was strange to see Briar behaving this way. It wasn''t anything bad, or anything to be worried of.


    It was just something Madeline had never seen before.


    ''I''m straying away from the reason I came here,'' Madeline reminded herself.


    She came to inform Indiana of something, not to get carried away talking about Briar and Adrian. She could always do that afterwards anyway.


    And perhaps once Briar returned, she''d be in a good enough mood to share some of the things that happened to both her friends.


    Keyword, perhaps.


    "Right, I didn''t really come here to talk about Briar, although we can do that later," Madeline admitted truthfully.


    Inhaling sharply, she wondered if there was a book that had been written. A guide that told her exactly how to inform her friends she had powers, because she had never done this before.


    Not only a guide that would teach her how to inform friends of one''s powers, but also a guide informing her how to control her powers. That would be helpful.


    There was a high likelihood there was a guide like that written. She probably hadn''t searched in the right places.


    ''Hmm, maybe I can stop by Xavier''s office and ask him for some books to read after I''m done telling Indiana. Maybe that would help.''


    Madeline tilted her head, seeing Indiana fidget with her hands.


    She started by telling Indiana, "Don''t tell anyone."


    Having no idea what Madeline was about to tell her, Indiana nodded.


    "Alright, I won''t. Your secret''s safe with me, whatever that secret is.. I''ll take it to my grave if I have to."

 Chapter 131 - Hidden Gems

    The minute she heard Madeline tell her not to tell anyone, she immediately thought of Xavier.


    What if this had something to do with him?


    Was she really the right person to tell this to? Could Madeline not tell Briar instead, or her own father?


    What she didn''t know was that they too knew. She was the last to find out.


    Madeline hadn''t intended for that to be the case, but she didn''t want to wake her up for something like telling her she had powers. Or could shoot a couple of blasts.


    That seemed extremely rude to do, so Madeline decided to postpone telling her till tomorrow came.


    So here she was, standing across from Indiana, about to tell her everything.


    Indiana was getting more and more curious by the moment. The more Madeline hesitated and kept this secret from her, the more Indiana wondered. Was this secret really that important?


    Madeline usually told her everything. Sure, Madeline seemed like a reserved person who kept things from most people since she didn''t want to burden them and stir up a fuss.


    However, things weren''t more different than that.


    Madeline had her moments where she kept things from her friends.


    At the same time, she had her moments where she told them everything. They were friends, after all, there was nothing to hide.


    Indiana thought that same thing, until she reminded herself she was being hypocritical.


    How could she think of telling her friends everything when that would mean calling herself out?


    She still had feelings for Xavier, that hadn''t changed.


    However, it must be noted that Indiana never wanted to have feelings for him.


    Indiana thought to herself, ''As the saying goes, the heart wants what the heart wants. There''s no stopping it.''


    She couldn''t stop herself from having feelings for him, and she couldn''t force herself to put an end to those feelings she harboured for Xavier.


    Seeing him only worsened them. It only deepened the same feelings she had prayed and hoped would vanish into thin air and never return.


    So, she tried to keep away from Xavier. Try to avoid him and never come into close proximity with him.


    Staying as far away from him as possible would be better for her anyway. Not only her, but for her and Madeline''s friendship.


    In her eyes, it wasn''t right to have feelings for Madeline''s mate.


    She knew something Madeline didn''t. Both her and Briar.


    Madeline - even if she insisted she didn''t - considered Xavier as more than just a good friend.


    Ever since one point¡­


    Things had changed.


    Practically the whole of Eudora knew that.


    Indiana could bet Adrian noticed it too.


    The only two people in the entirety of Eudora that had no idea of this were the two people that were supposed to know.


    And those two people were obviously Madeline and her mate, Alpha Xavier.


    Indiana found it ridiculous they only considered each other as friends. She never once questioned Madeline though. It was her choice.


    If she thought of Xavier as a friend, then so be it. Who was she to tell her what to do and what not to?


    No one.


    She was a friend of Madeline''s, they had established that already. But, there were still some things they kept from each other. Both of them knew that.


    It was a mutual thing.


    And besides, some things were never meant to tell other people in the first place.


    "Hmm, you''re hesitating, meaning it''s something important," Indiana finally decided to point out.


    Madeline scratched the back of her neck nervously, "Err, I guess you could say that."


    A bead of sweat formed on her forehead, "So, last night¡­ I figured out that I¡­"


    "You?" Indiana asked, her head tilted to the side in confusion.


    Her mind thought of all the possible combinations.


    Did Madeline figure out her true feelings for a certain someone?


    Did Madeline figure out the truth behind her existence?


    What was she going to say?


    "You''re driving me crazy not telling me, come on. Just say it. You''ll feel way better once you put it out there," Indiana reasoned.


    "You''re right."


    "So, it''s actually better if I show you instead of tell you. Let''s go outside for a bit," Madeline said to Indiana.


    Indiana couldn''t help but get even more confused. She couldn''t fathom the entire situation. So Madeline had a secret she needed her to keep, but she wanted to go outside?


    "If you say so," Indiana said.


    Following Madeline outside, Indiana looked around. Nothing seemed different.


    "Okay, I''m beginning to get real confused here, what''s going on?" Indiana asked.


    Madeline stared at her hand, trying to get herself to shoot a blast.


    __


    "It''s a surprise over a surprise, dang," Briar said in awe, questioning him next, "How many surprises did you have hidden underneath your sleeves?"


    A smirk came across Adrian''s face, "A few actually."


    "I just don''t like telling others about them."


    "So I''m the exception."


    "The one and only," Adrian said.


    He sat right beside her, a safe distance away from the waterfall.


    Right, the waterfall. Adrian had brought her to a beautiful waterfall.


    Briar found herself engrossed in watching the waterfall. The way the water cascaded down from the cliff to a small lake¡­ The ripples of water¡­


    "You have a good eye for hidden gems, I never even knew such a place existed," Briar admitted.


    "I do, don''t I?" Adrian said, glimpsing at her ever-so-subtly.


    __


    Author''s Note: It has been brought to my attention that my book''s been facing a bug, in which readers can''t access the most recent chapter(s). In case anyone is having difficulty reading the newest chapters, try exiting from the book and then opening it again. I hope that works for you guys. And if not, do leave a comment down below, I''ll get back to you as soon as possible and try my best to assist you all.


    Alright, that''s all from me today.. Love you all so much, mari.

 Chapter 132 - His Helplessness Towards Her

    Briar looked at him, noticing that he was looking at her at that very same moment.


    Her cheeks turned a fiery red, and she looked the other direction instinctively.


    "The view is incredible," she said in an attempt to diffuse the awkward tension.


    Now, moving on from Briar and returning to Madeline and Indiana¡­


    Madeline had decided not to show Indiana anything and tell her instead. Her powers weren''t cooperating with her.


    "You have powers," Indiana said.


    Madeline nodded.


    "Yeah."


    Indiana repeated, "You have powers."


    Staring at her with enormous eyes, she took it all in.


    Madeline had powers!


    "You could''ve woke me up to tell me," Indiana reasoned.


    "I didn''t want to wake you up, that''d be plain rude," Madeline reasoned, crossing her arms, "Besides, when you sleep, there''s no point in trying to wake you up."


    Indiana furrowed her brows, "What''s that supposed to mean?!"


    "I''m just trying to say that you''re a deep sleeper, that''s all," Madeline admitted.


    "Hmph, telling me you have powers is worth waking me up. I was just sleepy last night."


    Indiana mumbled under her breath, ''To think, if I had actually stayed awake I could''ve known before.''


    When she found out about Madeline''s powers wasn''t that big of a deal, so Indiana wondered why she wished she could''ve been the first to know.


    It was like she wanted to be privy to information everyone else didn''t know.


    "Right, I''m not supposed to tell anyone," Indiana reminded herself.


    "Yeah," Madeline agreed, before she remembered something.


    Crinkling her nose, Madeline told Indiana, "Hold on, you told us you had something important to do today, no?"


    Indiana nodded slowly, "I did."


    "Right, then I shouldn''t bother you. I''ll be taking my leave now, I have someone to talk to," Madeine said, nodding subtly.


    "When you say someone to talk to, are you referring to Xavier?"


    Madeline had already begun backing away from Indiana.


    "Maybe," she answered, leaving that to linger in Indiana''s mind before she bid Indiana goodbye, closed the door and left.


    Madeline headed towards Xavier''s office.


    The wind blew fiercely, and Madeline shivered.


    When she had been let in Xavier''s office, she hadn''t considered how cold his office would be.


    "Are you cold?" Xavier questioned worriedly when he saw her shiver.


    Before Madeline could react and answer Xavier''s offer, Xavier took his suit off, draping it over her, to her surprise.


    "Thanks,"  Madeline said, a smile in her sparkling eyes.


    "No problem," Xavier said in return.


    Madeline turned away in embarrassment to hide her flushed face.


    ''What''s wrong with my face?!'' Madeline asked herself.


    "So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?" Xavier inquired.


    "Right," Madeline agreed, "We should."


    "You''re probably going to have to learn how to use your powers properly," Xavier said to her.


    Before he could say anything else and add that it wasn''t necessary or compulsory, Madeline nodded, "Yeah, that makes sense."


    Xavier blinked, expecting to have needed to convince her.


    "You don''t think I''m being unreasonable?"


    "Of course not. From what I''ve watched from movies


    __


    "See you next time," Briar said to Adrian, who smiled in response.


    "Next time? Are you trying to insinuate something?" He asked, raising his brow.


    Briar scoffed, "I''ll leave you to figure that out, I''m going to go now."


    Brushing her dress, she said to him, peering at him, "Thanks for an amazing time, Adrian. Truly."


    "No problem, we''re friends after all," Adrian said to her, observing her reaction.


    "Alright, I really have to go now," Briar said, waving goodbye to him before she dashed away.


    Adrian threw his head back and laughed before he continued looking at the waterfall.


    ''She had a great time,'' he whispered softly.


    He wasn''t scared to admit it. It was right there.


    It was obvious.


    He didn''t know how Briar felt towards him, but one thing was certain, and that was his feelings for her.


    Adrian admitted it alright.


    Speaking of feelings, he was about to admit it to Briar, before he backed away. There was no way he stood a chance when it came to Briar.


    But why would he think he didn''t stand a chance when Briar was a delta and he was a beta?


    Well, for one, ranks weren''t everything.


    There was only one person who knew about the waterfall; he hadn''t even brought Xavier to the place. Only one person. Like how there was only one person who owned his heart.


    Adrian wasn''t sure when he began having feelings for Briar, it wasn''t something that happened at one specific moment, it was something gradual.


    First, they started off bickering and having short conversations. Simple and sweet, there was nothing more to it.


    However, as time progressed, he realised he treated Briar differently than everyone else. And from there onwards, it wasn''t difficult for him to trace the very reason he did so.


    Adrian didn''t do anything for no reason.


    He hadn''t meant to invite Briar for a meal.


    Adrian was hellbent on keeping his feelings for her a secret from everyone else. Maybe he''d let a few people in on the secret, but that was all.


    He wondered what Briar thought of him.


    Adrian had never gathered up the courage to ask her. All he had managed to do was walk up to her doorstep and bid her goodnight. That was all. And it took a lot of convincing himself for him as well.


    He had nearly returned to his office and continued with his work had he not told himself bidding others goodnight was also alright to do between friends. Or so he had read somewhere.


    Not to mention the reason Adrian knew the symptoms of lovesickness was because he had been researching what love was like lately. It was then he had stumbled upon a book that entailed everything there was to know about love.


    However, love wasn''t just something he could read from a book. Love was more than that. It was pure and true.


    Adrian thought it was cruel of him to have brought Briar out for a meal when he had other intentions.


    Of course, Adrian didn''t have any ill intentions when he had invited her out for lunch. He never did. It was simply an afternoon with Briar, his friend.


    Well, she considered him a friend, at least.


    He balled his hand into a fist, shutting his eyes.


    What would he do about his feelings?


    Honest answer? He didn''t know. Yet.


    Keyword, yet.


    He had many options.


    He could come clean to Briar and get the feelings he had for her off his chest.


    Best case scenario, she admitted she had feelings for him too and the rest turns into history, or... She rejected him and he was left to pick up the pieces of his broken heart alone, with no one else to help him.


    But one would reason, ''He has Xavier! That would count as help, Xavier''s a friend of his!''


    Of course, that was a given. Xavier was a dear friend, but he wasn''t the person to come to when it came to anything that had to do with feelings.


    He wasn''t the alpha of Eudora only. He was the alpha of denial as well.


    [Author''s Note: Episode I don''t even know anymore of me making up nonsensical names such as ''Alpha of denial''. What even is that...? Also, I forgot to mention. We''re ranked 18th place in the New Win-Win category! Thank you so much for all your support, I love you all so much ahhh! Love you all so much, mari.]


    Not to mention, Xavier was¡­ Xavier.


    Others swooned for him and fell at his feet. His dashing looks, and his undefeated power only served to help him. Those who swooned for him weren''t limited to those in Eudora alone. Other wolves who had heard of him and his incredible feats respected and bowed down at his feet too.


    ''Alright, alright, bowing down at his feet is an oversimplification. I''ll admit that,'' Adrian thought to himself.


    He sighed, asking himself what was he doing out here in the wild?


    Briar didn''t see him as anything other than a friend.


    The thought of that made Adrian''s heart pound erratically and pained him.


    Who wouldn''t be pained when the woman they had feelings for had them in the friendzone?


    Not to mention, Briar was waiting for her one true soulmate. The perfect match for her.


    She had mentioned many, many times how she had always dreamed of meeting her match. The person that she''d spend the rest of her life with without any qualms. The person that would make her happy, and hopefully that person was the one at the other side of her red string. Briar wouldn''t have minded that.


    Adrian stared at his pinky.


    He hadn''t felt like this in so long. It had been forever since he had last had feelings for someone.


    And that person was the reason why he was preventing himself from ruining his friendship with her. As the one thing that was worse than being rejected when it came to love and feelings¡­


    Was watching the one you loved suffer right in front of you whilst you remained helpless.

 Chapter 133 - All-Out Gentleman

    Once Briar returned to Eudora, she heaved the biggest sigh of relief she''d ever sighed.


    Not that she was glad to have returned and that her time with Adrian was over. Of course not! Briar had a glorious time with him. The thing was, something felt off.


    Quickly during their time together, Briar had realised Adrian was acting differently, very unlike his usual self. Sure, he was charmingly polite and an all out gentleman¡­ But it was a side of him Briar had never seen before.


    Like Adrian had flipped into a different him. Was that crazy for her to think?


    ''Hmm, maybe Adrian just doesn''t show this side of him to just anyone,'' Briar thought in her mind whilst she was headed for her room.


    To her surprise, she managed to see Madeline and Xavier walking towards the¡­


    Shocked to see the both of them heading there, Briar quickly thought to herself, ''What could the two of them be doing in the training field?''


    Briar then reminded herself that Madeline had powers.


    ''Perhaps she agreed to training and learning to deal with her powers,'' Briar reasoned.


    What was shocking was how Xavier seemed to have more free time.


    Was he freeing up time to be with her?


    ''Aww,'' Briar thought, a smile in her eyes.


    Madeline and Xavier were deep into a conversation, Madeline all smiles and grins.


    Briar reassured herself Madeline would be okay before resuming her walk towards her room.


    Why didn''t she use her powers to return more quickly and instead took the long route?


    She figured that taking the long, scenic route wouldn''t make that big a difference. Briar''s schedule wasn''t hectic or anything, and besides, she felt like taking her time.


    However, when she was halfway to her room, she heard faint mumbling and muttering from somewhere. Searching the area around her, Briar realised the noises were coming from Indiana''s room.


    "Indiana dear, it''s not what it seems like."


    "Are you serious? It''s not what it seems like? You didn''t tell me you were coming. I just found out not too long ago, and from Madeline of all people," Indiana said, her brows knitted and her arms crossed.


    She glared at the woman sitting across from her. However, it must be noted that she wasn''t glaring at the woman due to hate and resentment, but because she was anything but informed about her arrival to Eudora. Not until Madeline told her, that was.


    "I wasn''t supposed to be found, darling. I didn''t expect to run into you here either."


    "But you knew I was here, and you just decided not to say hello at the least? Or even tell me you were coming?" Indiana questioned, her eyes filled with hurt.


    The woman''s eyes softened.


    Briar took a long time taking it all in.


    So they knew each other?


    "I''m sorry, my dear. I couldn''t tell you, it would''ve ruined the whole thing. You know how I am," she reasoned, looking guiltily at Indiana.


    Indiana lowered her head, trying not to look straight at her.


    "I just missed you."


    The woman threw her head back and laughed, telling her, "I missed you too, darling. I''m glad to be able to see you again after all this time."


    Briar blinked and rubbed her eyes, wondering if what she thought was happening was really happening.


    ''But how could they be connected to each other?''


    Thinking of the millions of ways the two of them could somehow be related to each other only made Briar dizzy.


    It couldn''t be.


    ¡­Could it?


    Briar remained quiet and tried staying as still as possible. She couldn''t risk being found overhearing their conversation, or she''d be in trouble. Indiana would kill her.


    "So, how are you doing here? Like the place?"


    "Yes, don''t worry about it. I''m doing fine."


    "Your mouth is saying one thing, your face is saying another, dear. I''m not easy to deceive."


    Indiana pouted, "Then why did you ask me that question in the first place?"


    "To see how honest you''d be with me, obviously," she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    Noticing the expression across Indiana''s face, she exhaled softly.


    "Listen, I didn''t tell you for a reason. If I could, I would have. But, it was supposed to be a secret. Only Xavier was supposed to know," the woman admitted, peering down at her lap.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really. I''m being honest," she replied, giving Indiana a tiny nod.


    [Author''s Note: This is not what Briar sees, this is simply what is going on in Indiana''s room.]


    "I didn''t want anyone to know, because I came to make sure that the two girls that are the closest things I ever had to children were doing alright, and that includes you," she added.


    Blinking, she corrected herself, "Well, the other one not really, but I think you get what I''m talking about."


    Indiana nodded, "I do."


    The woman got up to her feet, extending her arms and bringing Indiana into a warm embrace.


    "Oh, I really have missed you."


    Indiana bit back a sob.


    "I missed you too."


    The woman was the closest thing she had to family. She was the person that had found her when she was dying. When everything had gone wrong, that woman had stood by her, and it was her that had told her to find Eudora.


    So Indiana was glad to see her.


    Without her, Indiana would have died long ago. She would''ve ceased to exist altogether. Indiana was grateful towards her.


    "So, moving on from hellos, I heard about your situation with Xavier."


    Indiana separated from the woman.


    "My situation with Xavier?" She questioned, wondering what she was referring to.


    ''She can''t possibly be referring to that, can she?''


    "As in what I did to Madeline?" Indiana asked hopefully.


    The woman tucked a strand of hair that covered her eye in her ear, "You know what I''m talking about, Diana."


    "It''s nothing, it''s bound to go away anyway."


    "It''s not nothing. Feelings are anything but nothing," the woman insisted, looking worriedly over at Indiana.


    "I¨CI plan to do something about it, if that''s what you''re wondering. I don''t want to continue doing this to Madeline, I know it''s not right."


    The woman sighed, "You''re not doing anything to Madeline. It isn''t your fault who you have feelings for, even if it is her mate. The heart wants what the heart wants. It''s complex. But are you sure you''re going to just let your feelings slide away? Will that really work?"


    Indiana cursed.


    Of course she would bring that up and point that out.


    She knew everything. Absolutely everything. Even what Indiana was thinking.


    Hiding anything was difficult especially when it came to her.


    "It''ll work. I know it will," Indiana insisted, nodding.


    "Are you sure?" She asked.


    "I am," Indiana managed to choke out.


    "My dear, you know I''m here for you. And besides, if you think I trust that you''ll just let time pass and lose feelings for Xavier¡­ Then, you''ve changed a lot since when we first met; when you were still an adorable little girl."


    Indiana opened and closed her mouth, wanting to say something before she swiftly prevented herself from doing so.


    Snap, she made a very good point.


    "Can''t I just hope I will?" Indiana inquired.


    Briar listened in to the conversation intently, like she was listening to an episode from a drama show. It was all too interesting for her to take her eyes off of. And also, she was overall too stunned to speak. She was too terrified to peek into the teensy crack in the door, so she listened and didn''t watch.


    It was then the woman noticed someone at the threshold when the door screeched open, realising what had been going on amidst their entire conversation.


    She chuckled, tucking a strand of her own hair behind her ear.


    Briar''s eyes went wide. She had been too engrossed in the conversation to the point she hadn''t thought about hiding from plain sight. Then again, the woman wasn''t taking it too harshly¡­ She seemed calm and composed about it. Her spot was exposed. She knew the woman could see her now.


    "Heh, seems like we had someone listening into our conversation all this time," the woman noticed, acknowledging Briar, who was at the threshold of Indiana''s room, staring at the both of them, wide-eyed.


    She waved her hand, "You can come out now, friend of Madeline''s."


    Indiana gasped, her hands instantly flying to her mouth when she saw Briar at the threshold of her room door.


    And yet, it was Briar that ended up more shocked, as her suspicions were finally confirmed. It was the final piece of the puzzle.


    The woman that Indiana had been talking to all along had turned out to be¡­


    ''Rosalynn?!''


    __


    Author''s Note: And that marks the end of this chapter. Moving on, what does everyone think of the new, commissioned cover for HDA? Hope you guys like it. I couldn''t have been able to purchase one if it weren''t for you all.. Love you all so much, mari.

 Chapter 134 - Its No Biggie

    "Briar, how much did you overhear?" Indiana asked worriedly.


    "Uh," Briar hesitated.


    The look on Indiana''s face had prevented Briar from answering Indiana''s question. Indiana looked flat out mortified.


    "I heard the entire thing," Briar admitted, lowering her head a bit.


    Indiana opened and closed her mouth, before she apologised.


    "Listen, I''m sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but I didn''t know how to. It was difficult to explain, and I really¨C"


    Simply standing there, Rosalynn watched them talk to each other, staying silent.


    She didn''t know what to say. Heck, she was more interested in what Rosalynn and Briar would talk about.


    Rosalynn hadn''t gotten to know Briar well, they''d talked a couple of times but it was just greeting each other. That was all.


    ''Wonder what Madeline will have to say when she discovers me and Indiana knew each other previously,'' Rosalynn thought to herself, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.


    "You and Rose know each other?" Briar asked.


    From what Briar had heard, long story short, Rosalynn was the reason Indiana was in the Eudorian pack. And also, that Rosalynn and Indiana had a mother daughter sort of bond. She was shocked to see Rosalynn there with Indiana, but¡­


    ''Come to think of it, Rosalynn and Indiana seemed awkward when Madeline first introduced them to each other.''


    "Does Madeline know?" Briar, who was still in a state of shock, asked next.


    Indiana stuttered, "Uh, um. No, she doesn''t. I kept this from her too."


    Briar was even more shocked Indiana had kept it from Madeline.


    If she were Madeline, she''d be quite upset Indiana had kept something like this from her. Then again, it wasn''t really any of Madeline''s business who Rosalynn was close to and knew¡­ But, it would''ve been nicer Indiana had told Madeline any of this instead of keeping it away from her and locking it up like it was some secret.


    However, it wasn''t Indiana''s fault either.


    From what Briar could gather, Indiana was shocked as well.


    Shocked to see Rosalynn in Eudora. So, Briar figured blaming Indiana for everything would be unfair to Indiana as well.


    Indiana was unaware Rosalynn would be visiting Eudora. She was also unaware that Rosalynn was connected to Madeline.


    Then again, how could she have known in the first place? Rosalynn wasn''t really an open book. Not to mention, they seemed to have not seen each other in a long while. They must not have contacted each other frequently either, or so Briar assumed.


    ''How will Madeline react once she knows?''


    Hmm, speaking of Madeline¡­


    "Alright, jokes aside, we really do have to begin training," Madeline reminded him.


    "Right," Xavier mused, hearing the sound of footsteps approaching.


    "Briar''s coming," he told her.


    Madeline looked to her right to see Briar storming towards her.


    "What is it?"


    "I have something to tell you," Briar said to Madeline.


    Madeline turned to Xavier, "No eavesdropping."


    "But what if I can''t help it?"


    "Don''t."


    [Author''s Note: Think of it like this. Xavier can control his super hearing and choose whether or not to hear things and not to.]


    "Fine," Xavier said.


    "What is it?" Madeline asked, walking with Briar.


    "Something important? If not, you could always tell me later you know."


    "It is important," Briar said.


    "Something to do with you know who?" Madeline asked, referring to Indiana.


    "How did you know?"


    "I don''t. I just know you," Madeline answered.


    "You found out she has feelings for¡­"


    Madeline paused, Xavier was in hearing distance.


    "How do you know?!" Briar asked loudly.


    Madeline covered Briar''s mouth, "Don''t speak too loud."


    "He''s nearby," Madeline reminded Briar.


    "Oh right," Briar realized.


    Madeline could feel Xavier glaring at her. She could feel his gaze piercing through her.


    It was like he was telling her, ''Why don''t you just let me listen? This sounds interesting.''


    "You knew about this all this time and you kept quiet about it?" Briar asked Madeline, staring straight at her.


    "I kept it quiet because I knew how you''d react," Madeline admitted.


    And she was saying the truth. Even if it was unintentional - as in, Indiana''s feelings for Xavier. It was never her fault.


    Having feelings for someone else was never their fault. And Madeline knew that Indiana had harboured feelings for Xavier before she ever came to the picture.


    She could read it all over Indiana''s face when she first appeared on her doorstep and accused her of using Xavier, etc. Indiana wasn''t trying to spite her or trying to hurt her. She was trying to protect the one person she had been in love with for a long period of time.


    "And how do you feel about this?" Briar asked Madeline, only to get in response, "I''m alright about it."


    "I don''t mind. And besides, it''s not her fault for having feelings for someone. We shouldn''t try to distance ourselves from her because of that. It''s not her fault, it never will be. And, I had my own intentions for befriending Indiana anyway," Madeline explained.


    Briar stared dead straight at Madeline, shocked that she had known this entire time, even before she decided to befriend Indiana in the first place.


    That was unexpected. She thought Madeline would have been just as shocked as her when she found out the truth about Indiana.


    However, there was something Briar knew Madeline a hundred percent did not know. And that was how Indiana and Rosalynn knew each other beforehand.


    "It''s not only that," Briar whispered.


    "Hmm, there''s something else you want to tell me?" Madeline asked, raising her eyebrow.


    "Yeah," Briar nodded.


    "Oh?"


    Madeline muttered, ''If this isn''t important...''


    "Does this also have something to do with Indiana or is it completely irrelevant?" She asked Briar, wanting to know the details.


    "Err, yes actually," Briar answered.


    Madeline blinked. She had not been expecting Briar to say yes.


    For a moment, she had expected it to be about something else. Perhaps it was about Rosalynn, or Emilio.


    Or her time with Adrian!


    Madeline had first expected Briar to come find her to tell her all about what had gone down with her and Adrian. Especially the spicy details.


    However, Briar decided to come find her to tell her about Indiana instead.


    "So you don''t come to me to tell me about how you and Adrian''s plans went, but you come to tell me things about Indiana?"


    Briar blinked.


    "Well, when you put it that way-- I was planning to tell you all about it later but--"


    "I''m kidding," Madeline reassured, before apologising afterwards, "Sorry."


    Briar stared at her, "It''s no biggie."


    "So, what was it about Indiana that you wanted to tell me?"


    Briar then proceeded to whisper something into Madeline''s ear. She basically gave Madeline a short summary of everything that had happened.


    Firstly, about how she had overheard Indiana and Rosalynn talking to each other in Indiana''s room and how they knew each other from past encounters. As well as how Indiana had found out she had overheard her and Rosalynn''s entire conversation and actually approved of Briar telling Madeline this.


    Briar would never have told Madeline anything had Indiana not allowed her to tell Madeline. After all, it was Indiana''s choice whether or not to have to tell Madeline about her and Rosalynn. It was never Briar''s place to tell her anything, unless Indiana gave her the sign of approval.


    And fortunately, Indiana actually did allow her to tell Madeline. After she admitted she had been having trouble finding a way to tell Madeline.


    "Ah," Madeline said, a hint of fathom in her voice.


    "So they know each other."


    "Shouldn''t you be more shocked? Don''t tell me you knew about this too," Briar said to her.


    "I am shocked," Madeline admitted, "I just¡­ Indiana obviously had her reasons not to tell me."


    "Huh?"


    "What do you mean, huh?" Madeline asked.


    Honestly, all she wanted to do was begin her training with Xavier. All the Indiana stuff and all the Indiana information could wait till later. She had powers to learn how to use.


    Briar could have always told her this later, there was that option.


    But no. And the worst part was, Xavier had heard all of this. He''d ask her about it later on.


    Sure, it wasn''t a big deal. But Madeline knew for a fact that Indiana would not want Xavier knowing about her having feelings for him.


    It would have been cruel of her to tell Xavier, especially when she wasn''t allowed to. Heck, if she was in Indiana''s position, she would have been furious if she discovered Indiana had told the man she had feelings for that she had feelings for him.


    Not that Madeline was admitting she had feelings for someone¡­


    Of course¡­


    __


    Author''s Note: Sorry for the one chapter update today, had a busy weekend and barely got any time to write. On a good note though, I will begin updating more tomorrow onwards, so that''s something to - hopefully - look forward to. Alright, that''s all from me. Author out.. Love, mari.

 Chapter 135 - Hah, You Wish!

    "So, you plan on telling me what happened and what you and Briar talked about?"


    Madeline bopped him on the nose, "You wish."


    Xavier pouted,  "Can''t even give me a hint, pup?"


    Pausing, Madeline realised it had been quite a while since he had last called her that.


    Xavier noticed her reaction to him calling her pup, pausing to ask, "Was it something I said?"


    Madeline admitted, "I''m fine, I just haven''t been called that in a while."


    She looked at her lap, missing the olden days where she and Xavier would bicker and he would call her pup. Hmm, what had happened since then?


    For one, there was Rosalynn in her life, as well as Emilio and Indiana. It was great to have them, as much as Madeline tried not to admit.


    The best reminder in her life as of the current moment was that she had someone by her side no matter what happened. Through thick and thin, her friends were by her side. Her family as well.


    As time passed, Xavier began teaching Madeline how to use her powers, and how to use just the right amount and not too much at one time. He didn''t want her to summon a huge energy blast with nothing to do about it, after all. That''d be highly dangerous. Also since no one was sure of what powers Madeline had.


    Did she have one power? Two? Four? Eight?


    It was still kept a mystery.


    Moving on from Madeline and onto Xavier, he was having trouble focusing on the lesson he was giving Madeline.


    For some reason, he kept on imagining Madeline on him and getting to know her on a more intimate level, starting with her soft, kissable lips.


    ''I can''t be thinking this,'' Xavier told himself, reminding himself this was so, so wrong.


    He couldn''t be thinking like this, he was simply trying to teach her how to use her powers!


    Xavier forced himself to think of something else.


    Perhaps¡­ Thinking about Indiana would change things¡­ After all, Madeline had just discussed Indiana with Briar, no? He could easily shift the topic in his mind to what she was discussing with her friend instead of her herself.


    Speaking of Indiana¡­ Just as she was about to head to Rosalynn''s room to talk to her about something, she felt a tap on her shoulder.


    Astonished to hear someone calling her name that wasn''t Madeline, Briar or even Rosalynn¡­ Indiana whirled around, seeing a tall gentleman looking at her.


    "Hello there," she greeted him, managing a smile.


    "Hello, Ms Indiana," he greeted, scratching the back of his neck nervously as he tried gathering up the courage to tell her something. Unfortunately, all that had managed to exit his mouth were a couple of stutters and mutters as he couldn''t even form a single sentence.


    "Woah, slow down," Indiana told him, placing a hand on his back.


    Asking him point-blank, she questioned, blinking ever so innocently at him, "What was it that you were trying to tell me?"


    Indiana had no idea why he had decided to talk to her. She wouldn''t thought he was crazy if he admitted it. Everyone else had warned him not to come in close proximity with her. After all, she had gotten demoted and being seen talking to Indiana would not sit well with Xavier.


    However, he''d take the risk.


    "My name is Jonathan. I''m an omega here," he started off by telling her, telling her next, "I just wanted to say I think you''re an amazing person."


    Blinking, Indiana asked, "Come again?"


    She didn''t purposely want him to repeat his kind words, Indiana was asking because she didn''t get to hear what he had just said. What was someone like him being around someone like her? That''d only ruin his reputation. It was like touching a sand castle. It looked pretty at first, but once you touched it, it would crumble into sand and be nothing more.


    Omega Jonathan cleared his throat once Indiana asked him to repeat himself. More and more he felt his energy and courage draining. However, it was now or never!


    "I-I just wanted to say I think you''re an amazing person."


    Once Indiana actually got to hear what Jonathan had to say, she blinked.


    Really? Had he actually just told her that? Or was she hearing things now?


    Indiana thought to herself whether or not keeping secrets really turned into hearing things now.


    Had she succumbed to the guilt she felt? Was this her consequence from keeping that one secret from Madeline?


    ''Alright, in all fairness it isn''t the only secret I''m keeping from Madeline,'' Indiana reasoned with herself.


    "M-Me? You''re telling me this? And you''re not¡­ Joking?"


    Jonathan shook his head, "I''m not joking, I''m not, I swear!"


    ''This Jonathan fellow is adorable when he''s nervous,'' Indiana noted, chuckling.


    Although his intentions with her were unknown, Indiana felt like he was being sincere. Like he had no secret intentions and actually just decided to go up to her and tell her this.


    Had he been wanting to do it for a while? Why was he so nervous? And why hadn''t he not listened to the warnings if he really had been warned by the others?


    "Thank you for your kind words," Indiana said to him, trying not to seem too surprised and too happy by it even though those words alone had made her day. Finally, she added, "But, just a word of advice. I think it''d be best to stay away from me."


    Jonathan seemed surprised by her words.


    "Stay away from you?" He inquired, wondering why that was even necessary in the first place. He asked Indiana again, "Why would I want to stay away from you?"


    Indiana answered, "Because the others wouldn''t be so happy with you even talking to me."


    Jonathan stared at her.


    Throughout his entire time at Eudora, that was the very first time someone had told him to stay away from them.. And coincidentally, this person happened to be the woman he had been harbouring feelings for for the past couple of months.

 Chapter 136 - A Love Thingy

    Oh yes, this just turned into a whole love diagram.


    Was it a love triangle? A love square? A love pentagon?


    Who kept track at this point? Things were confusing.


    However¡­


    Yes, Jonathan had feelings for Indiana.


    In a sense, he was similar to her. He wondered why he would have feelings for Indiana when he didn''t know her.


    Obviously, he didn''t listen to a word anyone told him about staying away from Indiana when they caught him glancing at her every now and then, since it was him who could decide what he did and what he didn''t do.


    However, he was confused when Indiana had told him to stay away.


    Was this her peculiar way of protecting him, a man she had never even talked to until today?


    "I''m not telling you to stay away from me. I''m just suggesting you do that because I don''t have the best reputation here, and I¨C"


    Jonathan dismissed it, taking a bold step closer to her.


    To think, all he had told her was that he thought she was an amazing person. That was all.


    No, he didn''t ask her out.


    No, he didn''t flirt with her.


    He just told her he thought she was a wonderful person. That was all.


    Did things get lost in translation?


    "I don''t care what other people have to say. Besides, I just told you I thought you were an amazing person so I don''t understand what you''re trying to¨C"


    Indiana stared at him, knowing he had a point.


    She felt like she was overreacting.


    When all she had originally intended to do was basically protect him from the others. Whether it was from her previous friend group who would tear him apart the moment they saw him talking to her, or Xavier himself.


    What if Alpha Xavier held a grudge for what she had done?


    What if he chose to punish those who had anything to do with her with the exception of Madeline and Briar?


    She gulped.


    "I just¡­ I don''t think the others would agree with you being here."


    "They''re not the bosses of me, they can mind their own business."


    Indiana liked his spirit. He didn''t let anyone else tell him what to do and that was a quality she desperately wished to have. If she was like him, she wouldn''t have been warning any person who even came close to her in fear that they''d suffer consequences for their actions.


    She respected him for saying that. Heck, she wanted to thank him for saying that. It was something she needed to hear. That, and how she was an amazing person.


    Indiana had not been feeling so amazing lately.


    To put into short, she had been feeling miserable and horrible.


    Stuck having feelings for someone you knew could never possibly love you back would be the one thing that would drive her mad one day.


    Why oh why did fate do this to her when they could have paired her up with someone like Jonathan?


    He seemed like a sweet, caring gentleman.


    After all, he had literally walked up to her and praised her. That gesture alone had brightened up her day. She didn''t know how he did it.


    He looked like he was smiling in his eyes when he glimpsed at her. Like looking at her all confused on what to do next amused him a little.


    "Are you wondering why I randomly did this out of nowhere?" He asked her, only for Indiana to nod in response.


    "I am."


    Jonathan shrugged, "You just seemed like someone who needed a praise or two. And you seem like a lovely person, so¡­"


    Indiana''s heart warmed in an instant. She couldn''t get herself to look him in the eye, too touched to speak to the point she couldn''t form a coherent sentence.


    Besides, how did he expect her to react after he said that?


    Did he expect her to melt into a puddle and evaporate into nothing?


    If that was an option, she would''ve done that.


    However, this was real life. It was no fantasy. Neither was it a fever dream.


    Rosalynn would have been excited to hear what Jonathan had done. However, Rosalynn was nowhere to be seen. She was probably still waiting for Indiana all the way in her room.


    ''Rose is going to get a kick out of this,'' Indiana thought to herself, still avoiding Jonathan''s gaze.


    "Do you really mean what you said?" She questioned, peering up at him and meeting his eyes.


    "I do. Of course I do," Jonathan responded truthfully.


    Indiana wondered if he would want to join her for dinner, gravitating toward getting to know him better. This Jonathan fellow seemed like a real sweet guy. And besides, what was wrong with asking him out to dinner?


    It was one dinner. And they were two strangers, acquaintances at best.


    "Fine, if you say you really don''t care about what other people think¡­ Mind joining me for dinner?"


    Jonathan looked surprised and amazed at the same time. He almost looked as though he was going to tell her, ''Of course I''d join you for dinner.''


    Indiana did hope he agreed with her offer. Perhaps they could become great friends, or at least have dinner.


    Indiana knew there weren''t many people that would agree to dinner with her, but she hoped he would.


    "Of course. I''d be delighted to," Jonathan answered, giving her a charming grin.


    Indiana giggled, wondering why she felt so happy talking to him.


    Heck, she had enjoyed being in his presence so much she invited him out to dinner as soon as she could.


    __


    Author''s Note: Little fun fact to those who are reading this, Jonathan was inspired by someone I met in real life who was bold and didn''t care about what others had to say. He didn''t come off as arrogant, and he was actually quite charming. So why not write him in as a character? Alright, moving on to the story.. Love you all so much, mari.

 Chapter 137 - Indianas Love Life Arc?!

    "And where are you going, all dressed up like that?" Madeline asked, feeling drained after practice with Xavier.


    "Madeline," Indiana said, her eyes going round as she whirled around.


    "Hey," Madeline greeted, waving as she inquired, "So, care to tell me why, or are you going to let me guess?"


    Indiana straightened her shirt and brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face.


    "Uh, before I answer that, I should probably apologize to you for keeping you know..."


    Madeline dismissed it.


    "It''s alright, you choose to tell me what you want to tell me and what you don''t want to. Just, next time, know that I wouldn''t be upset," Madeline told her.


    Indiana had always wondered why Madeline was like this towards her. She was constantly going easy on her and treating her so compassionately.


    Unaware of what true friendship looked and sounded like until she had started talking to Briar and Madeline more frequently, these things and these words always managed to surprise her still. That, and the fact that she knew that someone out there was looking for her.


    "Oh," Indiana said, feeling grateful Madeline wasn''t upset at her.


    If she was in Madeline''s place, she would feel hurt. It was strange Madeline wasn''t.


    "Uhm, okay. And answering your previous question, I invited a guy out for dinner."


    Madeline gasped.


    "A guy? Out for dinner?"


    Her cheeks turning red, Indiana told Madeline, "It''s not what it sounds like, I swear! I just figured dinner was appropriate between the two of us and--"


    Madeline shook her head, "Yeah, no need to tell me all of that. Just make sure to enjoy your dinner. Oh! And tell me all about it later."


    Indiana pouted, "But there isn''t much to tell you."


    "I''m going to need more convincing," Madeline said to her.


    Indiana laughed softly.


    In a blink of an eye, she was at the door, reaching for the doorknob, "Goodbye Madeline."


    Shooing Madeline out of her room, Madeline mouthed, ''I want all the details. All of them.''


    Indiana repeated, "Goodbye Madeline, I''ll see you after dinner."


    "Bye Indiana," Madeline said cheekily.


    She mumbled just as she left Indiana''s room, ''Have fun, Indiana.''


    Briar knocked at Adrian''s office''s door, waiting for him to open it for her.


    "Briar?"


    "Hello there," Briar greeted, entering his office and closing the door behind her as she surprised him.


    "You know you''re not allowed to just walk in my office whenever you please, right?" Adrian asked.


    "We''re friends, aren''t we?" Briar asked.


    Adrian gave her a dirty look, "That doesn''t give you permission to waltz in my room, Briar. Doesn''t matter how good of friends we are."


    Briar took a step back, "Alright then, I''ll just leave."


    Irritated he was falling for her trick, he muttered, "I never told you I wanted you to leave though."


    After Briar insisted she''d try not to barge in his office, he asked what she was here for.


    "News," Briar answered nonchalantly.


    "News?"


    "Yeah."


    Adrian sat down, "This better be good."


    "It is," Briar insisted.


    "Then what are you waiting for?" Adrian asked, narrowing his eyes.


    "Does this have something to do with Xavier?"


    Adrian placed a hand on his mouth, "Did he hide something from me?"


    Briar wondered what he was talking about.


    She answered, "That depends. Do you know about Madeline''s powers?"


    Blinking, Adrian demanded, "Since when did Madeline have powers?!"


    "Is this common knowledge? Does everyone know this? Or am I one of the first to know?" Adrian said, asking Briar question after question.


    Briar stared at him, wondering what she had just started by telling him that. Madeline had specifically told her not to tell anyone... But she never told her not to tell Adrian. He was excluded from just ''anyone''.


    He was one of her closest friends, she considered him family. Even though they hadn''t been friends for the longest time. She felt safe around him, like she was wrapped in a warm blanket whenever he was around her.


    Perhaps that was another reason why she had visited him. He was one of the first to come to mind.


    Being around him made her feel a different way. And whenever there wasn''t a smile on her face, it felt like something was missing. Especially since Adrian usually had a smile on her face.


    Compared to Xavier, who didn''t show much emotion, Adrian was pleasant to be around since he had usually had a glowing aura to him.


    Briar couldn''t help but wonder how someone like him - who had been through his fair share of dealings in the past - could always be so¡­ happy.


    She had heard that Adrian had lost someone. Someone that was of the utmost importance to him. Of course, it was all gossip and scuttlebutt so Briar wasn''t sure whether it was true.


    Unaware what she had heard was true, Briar was left to wonder, had Adrian actually lost someone?


    Was his happy demeanour a facade to hide his true emotions?


    ''I shouldn''t think like this. What if it was all gossip?'' Briar told herself.


    "It isn''t common knowledge, definitely not," Briar corrected, adding, "However, Xavier does now. So does Indiana."


    "Rosalynn?"


    "No."


    "Emilio?"


    "Oh right, he knows too," Briar nodded.


    "So you''re telling me I was told even after Emilio was told about her powers," Adrian pointed out.


    Briar reasoned, "Well, he is her father and they''ve gotten quite closer lately."


    Feeling like he had been left out by everyone else, Adrian pouted. He couldn''t have cared less if Emilio knew before him. He simply wondered why Xavier hadn''t told him.


    Of course, he was unaware that Madeline had told him not to tell anyone, including Adrian¡­ But that was only until she told Briar and everyone else about it. Then, he could tell Adrian.


    Not that he told him anyway.


    ''Why would Xavier keep something from me¡­ Why, Xavier, why¡­''


    Adrian frowned, "Did Xavier have a reason to keep this from me?"


    "Why ask me that?" Briar asked, telling him to go ask Xavier.


    She looked at him, wondering how someone like Adrian could have become Eudora''s very own beta.


    Not that she was doubting him, of course. Briar was simply wondering how Xavier and him managed to be friends and work together. They were polar opposites.


    Adrian was hardworking, and he could be serious at times. However, he had a sunny disposition. Meanwhile, Xavier was rarely ever happy and was constantly thinking about work - excluding the past couple of days where he had been prioritising spending time with Madeline.


    Was that why? Because she had learnt she had powers?


    Adrian had thought they were finally¡­


    He sighed, making a mental note to tell Xavier he knew about it.


    Now, moving on from Briar and Adrian and on to Indiana¡­


    "You sure we''re allowed to be here, just the two of us?" Jonathan asked, looking around.


    He had never been in the private dining room, having gotten used to eating alone in his room. He''d whip himself something up and then eat all by himself.


    Jonathan was much of a loner. Not because he wasn''t social¡­ It was simply because he never liked the other members of the pack. Hence why he chose not to talk to them.


    Indiana''s friend group was known throughout Eudora for the wrong reasons. However, he had still developed feelings for her.


    Jonathan was never able to understand how it worked. He didn''t know Indiana personally, he had only heard a bit about her. And yet, he developed feelings for her.


    Obviously, he knew about what she did to Madeline.


    But did he judge her? No. He reckoned she had her reasons for doing so and didn''t want to pry into anything.


    Perhaps Indiana was worried for Alpha Xavier. Or perhaps, Madeline do something to her? Jonathan knew nothing.


    "It''s my first time I''ve ever had dinner here," Jonathan admitted to Indiana, who seemed surprised by it.


    "Oh?"


    "Then we have to make it special," Indiana said to him.


    Jonathan chuckled nervously, unsure how he managed to score dinner with Indiana. Then again, it was her who had invited him out to dinner.


    Why? He was unsure.


    But it was a great idea. After all¡­


    A part of him loved it. He got to have dinner with her. A scenario he had been imagining in his head for practically weeks now.


    He never imagined what first started from a couple of words would end up like this.


    "I have one question."


    "Shoot."


    "Do you invite everyone who tells you anything out to dinner?"


    Indiana laughed, "No, of course not."


    "Then why was I the exception?"


    Indiana chuckled, "Well, because you seem like a genuinely sweet person and I don''t know actually. And¡­ here we are, about to have dinner with each other."


    "So, tell me about yourself," she said to him, asking, "Jonathan, you don''t happen to bake, do you?"


    Jonathan stared at her like she was a crazy person, only to answer, "I do."

 Chapter 138 - Why Are You Just So Damn Nice?

    "And I''ll have you know I make a mean lemon meringue pie," Jonathan insisted.


    "Oh really? Then you''d have to show me some time. And maybe, I can bake a treat for you too!"


    Jonathan looked surprised, "You bake too?"


    "Of course I do, why else would I have asked you if I didn''t?"


    Jonathan realised Indiana made a good point.


    He realised Indiana hadn''t been eating much.


    "Something wrong with the food?" He asked.


    Indiana shook her head, "No, it''s nothing. I just don''t feel like eating."


    Jonathan wondered if there was a reason behind why Indiana didn''t feel like eating.


    "And why don''t you feel like eating?" He inquired, only for Indiana to lower her head and admit, "I hid something from my friend."


    "And who''s this friend?" Jonathan asked.


    "My friend, Madeline," Indiana explained.


    Jonathan''s eyes went as wide as saucers.


    "Madeline as in the same Madeline that''s Alpha Xavier''s mate?"


    Indiana nodded, a tad bit shocked Jonathan didn''t know she and Madeline were friends. Then again¡­


    He blinked, "Woah, the two of you are friends?"


    ''I had always thought you guys wouldn''t be close because of the whole¡­ err¡­ incident,'' he thought to himself.


    "We are," Indiana answered.


    "Why? Does it come to a shock to you?" Indiana inquired, watching him intently.


    Indiana hoped he wouldn''t try to lie to her face. That would only make things awkward. She knew he was shocked since his eyes went round the moment he heard they were friends.


    However, it was common knowledge throughout Eudora that they were. So how he didn''t know that was quite peculiar... To Indiana, at the very least.


    "I mean, I am shocked. A little bit," Jonathan replied truthfully. He didn''t try bringing up the incident since Indiana definitely wouldn''t be pleased. But... She didn''t seem like a person that liked being lied to.


    Indiana was a relatively easy person to read.


    Jonathan could tell she didn''t like being lied to, and that she regretted something.


    Her eyes shone with regret, so it had to be something.


    "So, what did you hide from your friend?"


    Indiana told her, "I think she''d prefer if you called her Madeline instead of my friend."


    "Alright, so Madeline. What did you hied from Madeline?"


    Indiana hesitated before telling him, "That I knew someone she just got to know. The person I''m referring to is the new guest that arrived her a while ago. Her name''s Rosalynn, and she was the person who told me about Eudora."


    "So, what you''re telling me is, without her, you wouldn''t be here right now?"


    "Exactly."


    "And why did you keep it from her?" Jonathan asked, not a hint of judgement on his face.


    That surprised Indiana, since she expected him to judge her the moment she told him what she had done. But no. He just sat there, waiting for her to answer his question.


    Indiana must have had her reasons for keeping it from Madeline.


    After all, in Jonathan''s eyes, she was a good person. Probably because he hadn''t actually gotten to know her much, but he doubted that image he had of her would change even after he got to know her better.


    The look on Indiana''s face faltered. Why¡­


    Why was he being so nice to her?


    He didn''t need to. He never did. Heck, if he just trashed her and insulted her, she would''ve just stood there, thinking it was what she deserved for everything.


    He could have just told her what he thought of her, he could have just¡­ Not been so accommodating to her despite everything he knew she had done.


    Jonathan had implied he knew about what she had done to Madeline. Didn''t he think she was shameless? To accuse Madeline of something, and then befriend her at the next?


    When her friend group had left her, they would have used that as their excuse. They would have told her they wanted nothing to do with someone like her who turned their backs on her when she found someone better¡­ When the truth was that they had supported her and even suggested the idea to her.


    She was simply the only person who had bothered to act on it. And when she did, she lost her title as delta.


    Jonathan must have lots to say to her, Indiana assumed. He must have had many things on his mind to say. And yet, he kept quiet and never once judged her the entire time they had talked. It was like he was giving her a chance to express herself freely in a place she wouldn''t be judged.


    And Indiana had to admit, it was nice having someone like Jonathan, even though they had just met and only knew each other for a couple of hours and were practically strangers.


    When Indiana hesitated to tell him the answer as to why Indiana kept something from Madeline, Jonathan told her, "You don''t have to tell me why if you don''t want to, of course."


    Indiana pouted, "Do you have to be so damn nice?"


    She poured herself a glass of leftover wine from girl''s night. They never managed to finish it anyway, so why not?


    A fierce shade of red tainted Jonathan''s cheeks, he asked, "What do you mean?"


    Indiana looked at him, wondering if her previous friend group sent him. There was no way someone like him existed. Not unless he had other motives.


    What if he was trying to get to know what was happening before reporting it back to her friend group? What if he was their way of keeping an eye on her? What if they wanted their revenge for her leaving them for Madeline?


    Not that she ever left them for Madeline. She would''ve stayed with them if they hadn''t betrayed her.


    Besides, Indiana never left her previous friend group, she was kicked out of it and no longer welcomed there anymore.


    Of course, Indiana didn''t make a big deal out of it and instead chose to accept it, thinking she''d be better off without them anyway. They didn''t hesitate to kick her out the first chance they got. And if that was the case, they wouldn''t hesitate to leave her even if she apologised and begged for them to take her back.


    ''They always treated me like utter trash anyway,'' Indiana reasoned, adding, ''There''s no point in trying to stay friends with people like them. Having people like them in my life will only worsen it.''


    Jonathan looked at her, wondering if he should have just retracted his statement and not asked her anything about it.


    ''I mean, it was the most obvious thing to do. What else was I supposed to do when I was told that? Not ask her why she did it and change the topic?''


    Jonathan paused.


    ''Come to think of it, changing the topic would be a great idea.''


    However, before he got the chance to change the topic, Indiana answered, "I guess I did it because I didn''t know how Madeline would react. Also because me and Rosalynn had a complicated past. One that I don''t really like talking about."


    Indiana was slightly proud of herself for answering his question, even if it had taken her some time to formulate and tell him her answer.


    "Moving on from me, what about you?" Indiana asked him.


    "What about me?" Jonathan asked.


    There was nothing much about him anyway. Nothing much she''d want to know, at least.


    "There''s not much to know about me," Jonathan admitted, "My life story isn''t anything special."


    Indiana stared at him, "Don''t dismiss yourself like that. And, I''m sure your life story is special."


    Jonathan laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "Well, I guess you''d have to be the judge of that."


    Indiana motioned for him to continue, staying quiet and paying full attention to Jonathan.


    At that moment, he felt special. Like he mattered to someone. The fact that the person in the room with him was Indiana only helped matters more than it already did.


    No one else volunteered to listen to him. Or to ever have a conversation with him unless absolutely necessary. That was also what made him keep to himself.


    No one else invited him out to dinner.


    Indiana had even poured him a glass of wine.


    ''I''m getting off track here,'' Jonathan reminded himself.


    He told Indiana how he came to join Eudora - how he had been born from a family of werewolves and how he was an only child. Jonathan chose to skip a couple of topics, but he figured those details were irrelevant to the story he was telling anyway.


    "Wow," Indiana said, in awe of Jonathan.


    His life story was anything but ordinary or nothing special.


    Everyone was special in their one way after all.


    Like how Xavier was special to Indiana, and how he had been for the past months.


    Except¡­ for once¡­ Indiana wasn''t thinking about Xavier.


    ''Shocker,'' she said to herself inwardly.


    This time, she was thinking about someone else.

 Chapter 139 - The Mystery In The Dark

    "Here you go," Xavier said, handing Madeline a drink since he reckoned she must have been tired after training.


    "Thanks," Madeline said bashfully, telling him, "You know, you make a really good mentor."


    "And you make a really good mentee," Xavier said, a smile in his eyes.


    Madeline chuckled, "Right, I should probably leave now. I''ve bothered you enough for one day."


    As she walked towards the door, Xavier gripped her hand, refusing to let her go.


    ''Huh?'' Madeline wondered, turning her head to face a determined Xavier.


    "You''re not bothering me at all, you could always just¡­"


    The words managed to get caught in his throat.


    "Just¡­"


    ''Why can''t I say it?''


    "Hmm?" Madeline questioned, looking at him innocently.


    "Stay," he finally managed.


    "You could always just stay."


    Madeline seemed surprised by Xavier''s words. So surprised she nearly stumbled if Xavier hadn''t let go of her even by then.


    What she hadn''t realised was that she was barely inches away from Xavier.


    "Woah," she said, steadying herself before she gulped.


    ''I''m centimetres from his face,'' Madeline told herself, trying to stay calm.


    Xavier heard Madeline''s heart racing.


    Must''ve been because she nearly fell.


    It was the fall that was behind why she was having heart palpitations.


    "Sorry," Madeline apologised.


    "Mm," Xavier grumbled, letting go of her arm almost immediately.


    For a moment, he had trouble controlling his other half. Like the werewolf in him was fighting to get out of him. How strange.


    Then, Madeline remembered something she had wanted to tell Xavier. Well, she didn''t really remember something, but it was something she just decided to ask Xavier.


    "Xavier," she called, her voice soft and soothing.


    "Yes?"


    "I have a question, but of course you don''t have to answer it but¡­"


    "Have you ever been in love?"


    Madeline wondered if she''d asked him that before.


    Had she forgotten?


    ''Hmm, what if he has a new answer. And what if¡­ Someone caught his eye?'' Madeline thought to herself, seriously considering the thought.


    Xavier seemed to be in a better mood these days. Whenever he was around her, he seemed a tad bit more joyous. Madeline assumed it must have been because he had found something that made him happy, and because of that, she chose not to ask and kept to herself.


    Xavier blinked.


    Huh.


    "I haven''t," he answered, looking directly at her.


    Xavier figured it was nothing to hide from Madeline. He felt like he could tell her everything. Would she judge him for it, or see him in a different light?


    He doubted so. Besides, she didn''t know anything about him. Well, the him from the past.


    Compared to everyone else in Eudora, Madeline knew nothing. Sure, she knew him now. His hobbies, his dislikes, etc. But the person he was now and the person he was in the past were two completely different people.


    While Emilio was a horrible alpha and killed, that didn''t make Xavier the greatest alpha of all time. Or a good one.


    Compared to Emilio, he was the obvious option.


    However, there were a fair share of things he had done in the past that he didn''t want anyone to know. That, as well as details that he hoped would stay hidden from everyone else. Not even Adrian knew. Well, Xavier didn''t think he did, so there was that.


    And even if he did, Adrian knew better than to bring up the past. His past was no better. After all, Adrian''s past was filled with death, misery and grief.


    Why would he want to bring it up?


    So, Xavier and Adrian reached a consensus view about their pasts. No one would talk about it unless it was absolutely necessary.


    Otherwise, it gets buried under work, and other things. Adrian had once talked to him about dealing with the past, but neither of them were actually willing to do so in the end. Hence why they mostly kept things work related.


    It was also why Adrian was so shocked when Xavier invited him to have breakfast together. Xavier was never in a good mood. Something really special must have happened.


    Xavier asked her, "Have you?"


    "Have I ever been in love?" Madeline asked.


    Xavier nodded.


    Pondering over it, she shook her head, "No, I haven''t."


    At that moment, Xavier felt a crushing sensation, and his chest began to ache. Xavier was never someone who could easily be hurt, but this one time. He felt a dull ache in his chest that wouldn''t subside.


    Madeline sensed his discomfort and asked him, "Are you alright?"


    Was it her presence that was bothering him?


    "Really, I could always leave and come back later if you want. You don''t look alright."


    Xavier denied everything, although his voice came out a bit choked.


    "No, I''m fine," he dismissed.


    "You don''t look fine," Madeline said, narrowing her eyes and staring at him.


    "It''s nothing."


    "If you''re lying to me, Xavier¨C"


    "Why would I lie to you, pup?"


    Madeline was caught off guard by that.


    He had called her pup again. She didn''t know why she liked hearing that. Her heart fluttered.


    Being called pup, heh. The funny thing was, had it been someone else, she would have just corrected them and told them not to call her that.


    When it came to Xavier, however¡­


    Xavier had noticed how Madeline froze in her place the moment she heard that word come out of his mouth.


    Did she dislike it?


    ¡­Or did she like it?


    It was a nickname Xavier had come up with on the spot for her. He hadn''t realised he hadn''t called her that nickname in a long, long time though.


    And when he called Madeline pup, he was instantly reminded of when they first met. When he had no idea who she truly was and assumed she was a normal human that could pass through the barrier and see through the shrouded veil.


    Later that night, Madeline laid in bed, tossing and turning as she tried to escape her dream.


    "No, no¡­"


    In that dream, she was running from something.


    An invisible monster she couldn''t see.


    However, that didn''t stop her from sensing his presence. Call it a gut feeling, or intuition.


    She could feel there was someone in the dream with her.


    Someone that had nothing but purely ill intention. Someone that was chasing her down. Shivering, Madeline found herself terrified and running away from it.


    She couldn''t see it, nor sense which direction the monster was heading. All she knew was that she had to run for the hills.


    Unbeknownst to her, it was all just a dream. All just a wicked nightmare only she herself could end.


    Then, the creature, or monster, or whatever it was, spoke.


    "You¡­ I''m coming for you."


    "And everything you care about. Everything will crumble and fall."


    Beads of sweat dripped down Madeline''s face.


    No. She had to keep going on. She had to fight.


    "I don''t even know what you are," she said to the mysterious being.


    It took all of Madeline''s willpower not to cower in fear or faint. But no.


    She couldn''t do that. There was no one to protect her. There couldn''t always be someone to do so anyway. At the end of the day, she was all on her lonesome, with no one by her side.


    "Hah! But you will," the being insisted, his voice deep and raspy.


    A savage grin formed on his face, not that Madeline could see it from where she was.


    "Everything you built, everyone you love will perish. Including him."


    ''Him?'' Madeline asked herself.


    A maniacal laugh sounded from the distance.


    "Oh, you still don''t know, do you? Who this ''him'' is? I see. It seems like you''re more oblivious than I imagined, Madeline Delcour."


    ''How does this creature know my name?''


    "Madeline Delcour, it''s no use trying to run. I''ve watched you my entire life. And now, you''ve fallen right into my hands, and my genius plan will finally be put into action."


    Madeline inhaled, telling whoever this being was, "Listen here. I don''t care who you are, but threatening me does nothing and doesn''t affect me. The fact I''m still standing here unharmed proves that you''re bluffing."


    The creature seemed to be surprised by Madeline''s words. So she had some gall after all.


    "Seems like you''re more brave than I imagined. No matter. And to your previous words. The only reason you''re alive is because you serve a greater purpose. And your survival is most crucial. It wouldn''t work if it weren''t for you."


    Her eyes searched desperately for anything. Any light, or any pathway. It was pitch black, so she couldn''t see anything but she hoped for something to happen. Anything.


    "And what kind of villain spoils their own grand plan?" Madeline questioned, daring to speak to him in such a manner.


    __


    Author''s Note: Alright, so I''m thinking of doing a mass release on the 1st of February to celebrate Chinese New Year. And to those who don''t celebrate it, just think of it as a way to celebrate the first day of a new month.. What do you guys think of it? Comment down below.

 Chapter 140 - A Cinnamon Bun

    "The type that knows it wouldn''t affect things regardless," he said, his grin turning into a crooked smirk, adding, "Even if you know, it would make no difference, so why not?"


    Madeline had backed away, so much so she had hit a dead end. She felt her heart beating so fast to the point she thought it was beating in her ear.


    Taking rapid, deep breaths, Madeline began hyperventilating.


    ''How do I get out of here?'' She asked herself, looking upwards since everything around her was pitch black.


    ''There has to be a way out of here, there has to be,'' she thought to herself, thinking of an idea.


    "Yoohoo~ Madeline," the creature said, before he chuckled, "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything about you. Not this soon. But, beware. I will be back."


    Madeline had to stifle a scream the moment she woke up. She got up, placed her slippers on and ran towards Xavier''s office. Tears were streaming down her face.


    It felt real. Too real to be just a dream. It was more than that, Madeline knew that.


    However, instead of bothering Briar, or waking Indiana up, she chose to go to the one person who was awake. One person who - by the time she arrived - would''ve already seen her coming.


    A concerned look was plastered across his face.


    "I don''t¨C"


    Madeline sniffled, wiping her eye with her sleeve.


    "I had a nightmare, and I know it''s no reason for me to come here, but¨C"


    Xavier took a step forward, bringing her in a hug.


    "I told you you could always talk to me, didn''t I?" He mumbled as Madeline buried herself in him.


    "Nightmare?" He asked, practically reading her mind.


    Madeline nodded.


    "Yeah," she whispered, trying not to cry in front of him.


    She had felt like she had been bothering with all of her antics.


    What had she done for him?


    If Madeline were to list all the things Xavier had done for her, the list would go on. It was endless.


    Meanwhile, what had she done for him, hmm? Nothing, practically nothing. In her mind, at least.


    And yet, he never once made it seem like she was indebted to him. Like she owed him for everything he had done for her.


    Why did he do that?


    How was he so¡­ Sweet?


    Meanwhile, she was just¡­ Herself. The same self that made mistakes, was clumsy, and constantly embarrassed herself.


    Compared to Xavier, who was perfect in every way¡­ She was just her.


    Just Madeline.


    What did fate have in mind, pairing her with someone like him when she was absolutely no match for him.


    ''I was never a match for him to begin with,'' Madeline said to herself, unable to meet his gaze.


    They stood there, not saying a word to each other and staying as quiet as they possibly could.


    Xavier wondered what had happened in that nightmare. And if it hadn''t been a nightmare and something else.


    ''No, I should wait for what she has to say before assuming anything,'' he thought to himself.


    "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, raising his brow in curiosity.


    Of course, if she didn''t want to talk about it, or bring it up, he''d understand. However, he was quite surprised Madeline did indeed have a nightmare. He figured she just decided to visit him in the middle of the night.


    Madeline shook her head, thinking it was better she didn''t talk about it. She was someone who was easily frightened. Sure, she placed a brave face sometimes, but this was something she couldn''t possibly hide. It was like her feelings just poured out of her.


    After nearly being killed, after finding out she had a father, after finding out her cat was basically her aunt. It had taken a long time before she cracked.


    Not to mention, the others thought she was using Xavier. Even if Xavier had told her many times that whatever others had to say was completely false¡­


    Madeline couldn''t help but feel horrible about it regardless. Xavier may have seemed like a cold person from the outside, but once you got to know him, he was an adorable little cinnamon bun, as much as he didn''t seem like it.


    If Xavier knew Madeline saw him that way, he would have frowned and insisted he was nothing like a cinnamon bun. Of course, he would have asked how him being described as being a cinnamon bun would work when it was just food first, before going on to react that way.


    "Let''s get you a seat," Xavier said, pulling up a chair for Madeline.


    Once Madeline sat down, she passed out.


    Xavier looked over to see Madeline who had already fallen asleep. Seemed like she was really just exhausted.


    Sitting there, Xavier wondered what to do. He had never dealt with a sleeping guest in his office before, so it was new to him.


    ''Should I bring her to her quarters? Do I leave her here and wait till she wakes up? What should I do?'' Xavier wondered, doing everything as stealthily as always so as to not wake up Ms Sleeping Beauty.


    Thankfully, Madeline had seemed to already calm down by then. After all, she had managed to fall asleep already.


    The next day, Madeline woke up to find herself in her bed.


    Had Xavier brought her there?


    Madeline rubbed her eyes, trying to remember anything from the previous night.


    What had happened¡­?


    She squeaked, remembering the events of last night. She had come up to Xavier''s office, crying and sobbing like a cowardly fool.


    "I must''ve fallen asleep," Madeline said, cursing to herself as she closed her eyes shut. She cried, "How will I face him? This is the millionth time I''ve embarrassed myself already."


    She slumped against her pillows.


    "Argh, why am I like this? Must I really have done what I did last night?"


    Sighing, she wondered if Briar and Indiana were up already. They must have been, they were never the type of people to wake up late and sleep in.


    Well, Indiana at least. Briar, on the other hand, liked sleeping in a lot.


    The Briar in university, at least. Madeline wondered if that part of her had changed.


    She pulled out her phone to text Briar.


    [Author''s Note: Yes, they have phones. Yes, they still use them. Sometimes. However, the service in Eudora is horrible and they live close to each other so what''s the point of them using their phones to communicate. Not that that stops them anyway. Alright, back to the story. Author out.]


    Texting Briar, she asked if she was awake.


    A couple seconds later, Briar responded to Madeline''s text, informing her she was awake.


    Indiana knocked on Madeline''s door, hoping she''d answer.


    Madeline was surprised to hear knocking coming so early. She reckoned she''d have more time to get ready and dress up.


    Too bad. She didn''t.


    "Indiana?" Madeline asked.


    "How did you know?" Indiana sounded from the other side of the door.


    "Educated guess," Madeline answered, getting out of bed and heading for her door to let Indiana in her quarters.


    Indiana heard shuffling from the other side of the door.


    And then, Madeline opened the door. She had a bad case of bed hair, and Indiana could''ve swore Madeline''s eyes were puffy.


    Narrowing her eyes, she asked Madeline, "Are you alright?"


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, I am. I just woke up, so¡­"


    Indiana gestured to her eyes, "Uh, your eyes are puffy."


    And at that moment, Madeline nearly gasped. Trying to play it off as having rubbed her eyes one time too many, she told Indiana that it was nothing and that she was perfectly alright.


    "I just rubbed my eyes a lot when I woke up," she lied.


    Knowing damn well Madeline was lying, Indiana decided not to say anything about that.


    "Alright," she said, trying to sound like she was convinced when she sure as hell wasn''t.


    ''I should check in with Briar later, see if Madeline''s okay,'' Indiana said to herself, making a mental note.


    "So, what did you come here for? Came to tell me all about your dinner with that mystery man?" Madeline asked, fascinated by what Indiana was up to the other day.


    "Well, first of all. Mystery man has a name, and it''s Jonathan."


    Madeline wiggled, "Ooh, Jonathan. Nice name."


    Indiana chuckled nervously, "Yeah."


    "We just had dinner the other day, it was nothing much. I just asked him out to dinner to get to know him better."


    __


    Psst, author here. If you''re still reading all the way here, before moving on to the next chapter, I have an announcement to make. HDA will be having a mass release on the 1st of February. So, mark your calendars and be prepared for five brand new chapters! All the best, mari.


    P..S. Still reading? Well then, I''m pleased to tell you that the mass release may not be the only thing to look forward to hehe, since there''s something else stirring¡­

 Chapter 141 - There Will Be No Dropkicking People Today

    "You were the one to ask him out to dinner?"


    "My friend''s all grown up," she cooed, adding, "Oh come on, you have got to tell me everything, and do not spare any details, regardless of how irrelevant they may seem."


    Indiana seemed nervous to tell Madeline. Fear crept over her.


    What if she slipped and admitted she had feelings for Xavier to Madeline? How would she react?


    "And how did you come to meet in the first place?" Madeline asked.


    She had never once heard Indiana mention this fellow. So, either she chose to hide him from her as well, or it was something that happened recently.


    Indiana explained, "He came up to me and said a couple of nice things."


    Madeline narrowed her eyes, her instincts kicking in. So he walked up to her, told her something, and she invited him to dinner?


    Curiouser and curiouser.


    "So what you''re telling me is that you asked the first guy who went up to you out for dinner?" Madeline asked.


    Indiana''s eyes began twitching.


    Safe to say, she sounded pathetic. Then again, she was already pathetic for having feelings for Xavier in the first place, so she doubted the whole pathetic thing was supposed to be her main problem.


    "I know, but¨C"


    Madeline glanced at her friend fretfully, wondering if this man had a motive for doing such a thing. Sure, maybe he really had no ill intentions and decided to do this.


    But Madeline had learnt never to trust someone. Especially when their reasons for doing something were kept unknown.


    "Who did you say this man was, again?" She asked, raising her brow.


    Did she intend on asking Xavier about this man?


    Of course not, she felt guilty after what he had to put up with because of her last night.


    However, she wouldn''t just sit at the side and do nothing about it.


    Then again, she knew nothing about this fellow.


    ''What if, once I get to know him, he turns out to be a really sweet guy who would only want the best for Indiana?'' Madeline reasoned.


    After all, she didn''t know him one bit. So she couldn''t just jump to conclusions. That would be unfair, coming from her part. Besides, it was Indiana that had invited him. Not him, so there was that.


    "Jonathan. I said his name was Jonathan," Indiana answered, fidgeting with her hands.


    Now that Madeline had mentioned it¡­ Indiana had to concur. Madeline was right.


    She had taken things too fast for her liking.


    Heck, Indiana wasn''t usually like this.


    Sighing, she told herself, ''I really screwed up this time.''


    However, one must acknowledge the fact that the dinner she had with Jonathan wasn''t for nothing. It also didn''t prove useless. She discovered that Jonathan and her had many things in common, and that was a great start towards what would hopefully be a great friendship.


    Besides, Jonathan seemed like a really sweet guy. Indiana wanted to believe it too. So why not?


    ''Hmm, is it really a screw up?'' Indiana asked, now that she had thought about it a bit before she realised this was the part of her and Madeline''s conversation where she would tell Madeline what Jonathan was like, etc etc.


    "Jonathan''s a really sweet guy, we even discovered that we have something in common, which is baking, and I had an overall great time with him. I''d love to have dinner with him again, that''s for sure," Indiana told Madeline.


    "Wow, you already have something in common," Madeline stated, before she wiggled her eyebrows and asked her, "So, you about to have a round two of dinner with this Jonathan guy?"


    Indiana laughed nervously, "Maybe, if he still wants to have dinner with me, that is."


    Looking confused, Madeline asked, "Why wouldn''t he want to have dinner with you?"


    Hyping Indiana up, Madeline said to her, "Dia, you have an amazing personality, you''re gorgeous, you''re a talented baker, I could go on and on. Again, why wouldn''t he want to have dinner with you?"


    Dia was Madeline''s nickname for Indiana. Since others called her Diana, or Indie or Ana, Madeline decided to come up with a brand new nickname for her that was unlike any other.


    "You weren''t joking when you said you''d call me Dia?" Indiana asked, staring at Madeline confusedly.


    "I wasn''t. And besides, Dia is a really cute nickname. It suits you too."


    Indiana was both touched and embarrassed.


    She hadn''t been called Dia since she was¡­


    That was the same thing Rosalynn called her. It was strange to hear Madeline call her that.


    Of course, it went unbeknownst to Madeline that Rosalynn had already come up with that very same nickname, but Indiana rather not let her find out either.


    "Right, if you have nothing else to talk about, I''ve got to go right after this," Madeline said to Indiana.


    "Oh? Are you meeting up with someone this early in the morning?" Indiana asked, blinking.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah. Rosalynn wants to talk to me about something."


    Indiana seemed even more surprised to hear that. What did Rosalynn want to talk about?


    "Oh, alright then. I don''t want to keep you, I''ll be on my way now."


    "To Jonathan?" Madeline asked when Indiana headed for the door.


    Indiana laughed.


    "You wish," she said to Madeline, before she disappeared, leaving before Madeline asked her to come visit Rosalynn together.


    "Aish, I was just about to ask her," Madeline said, pouting.


    She refused to go together to see Rosalynn with Madeline. That wouldn''t end well. And by that, Indiana meant that Rosalynn would probably get distracted and begin telling Madeline stories about her when she had first met Indiana. The cute, adorable ones, especially.


    ''Oh, did you know, Indiana used to¡­''


    ''She was so adorable. The way she would scrunch her nose when she was confused¡­''


    Rosalynn just would not stop talking if Indiana did come. That was why she was so insistent on leaving before Madeline could ask, since she knew Madeline would. That was the type of person Madeline was. Inviting and compassionate.


    She never wanted to leave anyone behind, and it could be both a strength and a weakness of hers.


    Madeline quickly got dressed, before she headed for Rosalynn''s room.


    "Hello Aunt Rose," she greeted.


    ''How strange it is to be called Aunt,'' Rosalynn thought to herself.


    "Hello dear," she greeted in return, taking a seat.


    She began, "So, I''m certain you''ve already heard about how me and Indiana knew each other from¡­ You know."


    Madeline nodded, confirming her thoughts.


    "Yeah, I heard about it. But¡­ Uh¡­ Moving on, why did you call me here?"


    Rosalynn chuckled, "Straight to the point, I see."


    She gestured for Madeline to sit, "How rude of a host I would be if I didn''t ask you to sit before I told you anything?"


    Madeline sat down, becoming more curious.


    Was Rosalynn stalling, or was she just usually this¡­ Talkative?


    ''Oh right, it''s Rose I''m talking about,'' Madeline reminded herself.


    "So, speaking of things we heard, I heard you unlocked your powers?" Rosalynn asked, leaning forward.


    Madeline found herself scrunching her nose at Rosalynn''s phrasing.


    Unlocked her powers? Did she mean to say she knew she had powers all this time?


    "I knew about them, if you''re wondering. I didn''t know exactly what powers you would''ve inherited but I knew there was bound to be some since you have Cornelia''s blood running through your veins after all. Hmm, I should''ve told you sooner."


    The girl was too stunned to speak.


    "W-Was this why you came here? To monitor me?"


    To her relief, Rosalynn shook her head, "Of course not. And you''re not some creature or baby - for that matter - that needs to be monitored at all times. Why I came is completely unrelated to that, so don''t even think about it."


    Rosalynn gulped, "I came here to see if you were doing alright. That was all. To see if you were adjusting to Eudora right. I know it doesn''t really add up, since I''m not your mother. Or your real aunt, or a relative, even. I know I''m just your mother''s friend."


    Madeline looked at her, wondering if that was what she had been thinking all along.


    "But, I could''ve done something about Cornelia''s choice. I could have fought harder, or something. Or made sure you grew up knowing who you actually were and not learning everything now. So, I¡­"


    Madeline went over and hugged Rosalynn, catching her by surprise.


    "Just because we aren''t related by blood doesn''t mean we''re not family, or that we''re not close," Madeline said to her.


    Rosalynn was unsure how to react. She would''ve dropkicked Madeline had she not been so surprised. Her instincts would have just kicked in and she would''ve let her other side take over. The one that wouldn''t react so nicely to being hugged, even if it was by Madeline.


    "Of course we''re family.. And blood never needed to play a part in it in the first place."

 Chapter 142 - Thats Enough Now, Darling

    "Alright, that''s enough now darling," Rosalynn stuttered, not knowing how to react to this.


    Rosalynn was never usually¡­ Uh, hugged. Hugging was a rarity for her.


    Indiana had never hugged her.


    Cornelia? Most definitely not.


    So when Madeline surprised her by bringing her into an embrace - sort of - she was rendered both speechless and touched at the same time. There was no telling with her. It was something both she and her mother shared.


    That hint of uncertainty and mystique that came with whatever they so chose to do.


    Cornelia was nowhere as warm as Madeline was, and Rosalynn found it quite funny.


    Why? Because when she thought about it, Cornelia had never once hugged her, while Madeline had done so just to prove how important she felt Rosalynn was to her.


    And others might question Madeline for doing so, as Rosalynn was someone that had just recently entered her life.


    One would ask, ''Family? How is someone like her considered family? How does that work out? So does everyone that enters her life become important to her?''


    Rosalynn wasn''t sure how Madeline functioned, or how her logic worked, for that matter.


    And right after that, Madeline let her go.


    Rosalynn then discussed with her what she knew about her powers, or her supposed powers.


    Afterwards, Madeline headed for her second destination, only to see Adrian walking out of there.


    "Oh Madeline, you''re here. Thank the heavens," he said the moment he laid eyes on her, breathing a sigh of relief.


    "Hmm, what''s going on?" Madeline asked.


    The air felt colder, and she felt like someone was pushing ice cold needles into her spine. What in the world was happening?


    "Err, I was just about to go and look for you," Adrian admitted, his eyes flashing with both warning and fear.


    "Why?" Madeline questioned, both confused and curious.


    She tilted her head, looking at the door leading to Xavier''s office.


    Did it have something to do with Xavier?


    Adrian leaned in and whispered in her ear, "He''s in a bad mood."


    Madeline blinked.


    A bad mood? So that was why.


    If Xavier was able to control the weather, Madeline could''ve sworn the skies would be all thunder, storms and lightning. Somehow, she could feel it all the way here. There was an aura that circulated Xavier''s office.


    "Everyone''s been steering clear of his office, since it''s extremely obvious that he''s upset," Adrian whispered.


    How was Adrian able to tell Xavier was upset?


    Why, by how he was acting, of course.


    Xavier was acting like a five year old, throwing a temper tantrum and locking himself in his room to do his work all alone whilst refusing to see anyone. And anyone that dared enter his territory would have to face his wrath.


    Honestly, Adrian had never seen Xavier like this. What was up with Xavier?


    "Me? What can I do? I''m just his friend," Madeline replied, scrunching her nose.


    What did Adrian expect her to do?


    She wasn''t some Xavier whisperer that could make him suddenly be in a good mood. Madeline didn''t think so.


    ''If you and him still think you guys are just better off as friends then I''ll stab someone,'' Adrian mumbled under his breath.


    "Madeline. We''re friends, are we not?" Adrian asked hopefully.


    "We are," Madeline said sceptically.


    "So, as my friend, and also as Xavier''s friend. Could you visit him and try to lift his mood?"


    He whispered, "You''re the only one that can calm the raging storm."


    Knitting her brows, Madeline wondered if this was what Briar dealt with. Adrian was very convincing with his argument. Then again¡­


    "I was already planning on visiting him," Madeline answered, adding, "So, sure. I guess."


    A smile dawned on Adrian''s face, "That''s great! I''ll leave that to you then. I''ll be on my merry way. All the best to you. And, uh Xavier."


    Adrian zipped away, before Madeline could ask him any other questions.


    "Adrian!" She exclaimed, before she heard the door behind her slam open.


    Xavier looked dashing - as always - but there was a different air to him.


    Madeline''s eyes widened. Had Xavier overheard the entire conversation?


    "Xavier," she called, turning around and smiling.


    The moment he saw her smiling, that aura dissipated.


    "Madeline," he greeted, his voice softer than usual.


    Madeline walked over to him, having a plan in mind.


    First, she started by saying what she had come over to say. She wouldn''t stray away from the main reason she had come.


    Taking him by the hand, she said to him, "I''m sorry for what happened yesterday, I didn''t want to show you that side of me. It won''t happen again."


    Xavier stared at his hand.


    ''Madeline is holding my hand,'' he thought to himself, unable to take his eyes off of his hand.


    That, and the way she was casually holding it like it was nothing.


    Keywords being ''like it was nothing''.


    ''Does she think it''s nothing?'' He wondered.


    He looked up, meeting her gaze.


    "Don''t apologise. There''s no need to apologise. People have their bad days," he said, brushing her apology off.


    "Really?" Madeline asked, looking up to him.


    She didn''t understand why she was getting all teary. That wasn''t a part of her plan.


    Her bottom lip quivered, thinking about what had happened last night.


    Being chased by something. By some being while being unable to see anything. All she could do was run, and hope she''d somehow escape.


    "And thank you," she said to him, before she blinked, trying to clear her eyes. She added, "Right, uh. We should probably bring this conversation in your office unless we want people to overhear."


    Xavier nodded, "Agreed."


    He had been too distracted on something else to have asked her to enter his office and usher her in.


    Xavier wondered what was up with him. It wasn''t like him to be in a bad mood. A while back, he was in an amazing mood. He didn''t usually change moods this quickly.


    Madeline let go of his hand, and headed for the door.


    When Xavier stayed at the same spot he had stood before, Madeline called out, "Come on, slowpoke!"


    Xavier laughed softly, "Coming."


    He closed the door behind him, locking it.


    Madeline asked him, "You didn''t happen to overhear me and Adrian''s conversation, did you?"


    Xavier answered nonchalantly, feigning ignorance towards Madeline''s question, "No idea what you''re talking about."


    Looking up at him, Madeline looked convinced.


    "Sure," she said, sounding unconvinced and sceptical of Xavier.


    "So, I heard you were in a bad mood."


    "Not anymore," Xavier admitted.


    "Oh? Why the sudden change in moods?"


    "Yo- No idea," Xavier answered.


    "Well, so long as you''re in a better mood then that''s alright with me."


    Madeline began, "So, I was thinking of us having a day out, or a walk in the woods."


    "A walk in the woods?" Xavier asked.


    What was Madeline up to? Xavier felt as though she already had something planned.


    "What do you have in mind?" He asked, looking her up and down confusedly.


    "That''s for me to know, and for you to find out," Madeline answered, chuckling.


    She took a peek at Xavier''s desk, which was stacked with paperwork.


    "Been a busy day," Xavier told her.


    "I can see that," Madeline said, nodding whilst she stared blankly at his work.


    Xavier had made it a point to hide his stacks of files and work from Madeline whenever she visited.


    This time however, he had forgotten to when he found himself too occupied in his own work.


    That, and listening to some parts of Madeline and Adrian''s conversations.


    The walls of his office were thin. He had been planning on getting something to fix that. There was a certain material that was able to make other werewolves unable to hear what was going on in rooms. Xavier had installed said material in his cabin, and planned on doing the same for his office.


    [Author''s Note: Alright, come to think of it. Making sure people don''t overhear conversations isn''t the only thing that said material might be helpful in doing. 0.0]


    "How do you do this much work everyday? If I were you, I''d be passed out on my bed, unable to move or function properly."


    Madeline pursed her lips, "I know you''re a werewolf, and a powerful one but geez. Alright, we can discuss things later. I''ll leave you to your work. Best you get that over with and then we can talk things over. Besides, I''ve got to visit Briar after this anyway."


    Xavier''s gaze faltered, "Alright."


    ''Don''t go.''


    "I''m going now," Madeline said to him.


    Like the gentleman that he was, he opened the door for her.


    "Bye," she greeted.


    "Bye," he greeted, his voice barely audible.


    As she left, Xavier looked at his hand, and then back at Madeline''s figure which became smaller and smaller as she walked farther away.


    His hand held his cheek as he whispered softly, his cheeks tainted with the bright pink shade of magnolias, sighing dreamily, "No one makes me feel the way you do, Miss Madeline Delcour."

 Chapter 143 - Third Wheel

    "You want me to¡­ What? Third wheel you and Xavier?" Briar questioned.


    "I never said that," Madeline insisted, her eyes narrowed.


    She seemed confused by what Briar meant.


    "Bri, it''s a walk in the woods, not a date. You''re not going to be third wheeling anyone."


    Briar asked, "Does Xavier even know you want me to come with you? He''s probably not alright with it."


    Madeline blinked, Xavier had agreed with Briar coming along already.


    "He does, he''s alright with it," she said.


    "Seriously? Xavier''s alright with me coming? Are you sure about that? You didn''t make him agree with me coming, did you?" Briar asked.


    "Why would I do that?" Madeline asked, seemingly offended by Briar''s accusation. She insisted, "I would never."


    "Sure," Briar said, sceptical.


    Then, she thought of an idea.


    "Hold on."


    "Hmm?"


    "Could Adrian tag along?" Briar asked.


    Madeline turned around to face Briar.


    "Sure," she answered.


    Madeline blinked. She remembered something. If Briar were to bring Adrian along, who would take care of Eudora?


    Sure, Eudora didn''t need babysitting or anything of the sort. However, Xavier insisted that someone stay to watch Eudora. And obviously, the person he''d assign to watch over Eudora was Adrian.


    If anything happened to Xavier, Adrian would be in charge. He was second-in-command.


    Adrian insisted he wasn''t fit to be Eudora''s alpha, also insisting that he was perfectly alright being second-in-command.


    Briar had thought of the same thing and told Madeline, "No, that won''t do. Xavier probably wants him to stay back and watch over Eudora."


    Madeline suggested, "So, if not Adrian, what about Indiana?"


    Shifting, she mumbled, "Unless she has plans with that mysterious Jonathan fellow."


    "Mysterious Jonathan fellow?" Briar asked, tilting her head to the side.


    Frowning, she said, "I never heard of a mysterious Jonathan fellow. Who''s this mysterious Jonathan fellow?"


    "I think that''s for Indiana to tell you," Madeline said, blinking.


    She was unaware Briar didn''t know about Jonathan.


    ''I suppose Indiana planned on telling Briar about Jonathan later on in the day or something,'' Madeline reasoned.


    Briar pouted.


    Madeline began, "But¡­ You''re going to know eventually, so¡­"


    Briar''s eyes lit up.


    "So you''re going to tell me?" She asked, an excited grin now plastered across her face.


    "Fine," Madeline gave in.


    "But, before I tell you anything. Can''t you just come along with me and Xavier? Come on, it''s like a bonding session with..."


    Madeline racked her brain for something to say.


    "A bonding session with my pack''s alpha?" Briar offered.


    "Yeah," Madeline said awkwardly.


    "Fine," Briar gave in.


    Madeline squealed, "Yay!"


    "But no being all lovey-dovey around me, Madeline," Briar warned, narrowing her eyes at Madeline.


    Her quarters were quiet for a couple of seconds before Madeline told Briar, "You don''t have to worry about that."


    Briar had this gut feeling all of a sudden.


    Staring at Madeline, she wondered what her friend was up to. And what she was trying to hide from her.


    Trying not to make things any more awkward, Madeline began, "So, about that mysterious Jonathan fellow¡­"


    She pursed her lips, "Indiana invited him out to dinner. They even have something in common."


    Briar''s eyes widened, and she gasped, asking Madeline, "Something in common? And you said Indiana was the one who asked him out?"


    A plan formed in Briar''s mind.


    "I never heard of Jonathan here before," Briar admitted, trying to rack her brain if she had heard anyone called Jonathan there at Eudora.


    "He''s a delta here," Madeline offered.


    "Woah," Briar said, even more shocked than before.


    A knock came at Madeline''s door.


    "Just in time, Indiana''s here," Madeline said, smiling.


    "Wow, that''s some impeccable timing on Indiana''s part," Briar commented.


    She went over and opened the door before Madeline could.


    "Ehe, you forgot I have superspeed," Briar said to her.


    Madeline said bitterly, "Tsk, you win."


    The minute Briar opened the door, she looked straight at Indiana, "So, I heard there''s this guy you asked out to dinner."


    Indiana looked at Madeline, "You told her already?"


    Madeline shrugged, a nervous look on her face.


    "It''s difficult for me to hide anything from her!" She exclaimed.


    When Indiana had told her not to tell anyone¡­ Indiana had forgotten one thing. And that was how Briar was excluded from everyone.


    Indiana frowned, she had been trying to find the right moment to tell Briar.


    ''Oh well, there''s no point hiding it now.''


    Indiana walked in Madeline''s quarters, closing the door behind her.


    "Yeah, I asked someone out. His name is Jonathan, as Madeline probably already told you. He''s a sweet guy, a delta here - not that I''ve ever heard of him before until the other day."


    Briar agreed, "Right? I wasn''t even aware there was a delta named Jonathan in Eudora until Madeline told me about it."


    Indiana nodded. Jonathan had explained during dinner that he chose to remain lowkey. And that was likely why not many knew about his existence.


    Madeline found herself sceptical about this Jonathan fellow. She wondered if she''d get the chance to meet him.


    And if Madeline were to ever get that opportunity, she wanted to see for herself what type of person he was.


    Indiana was telling Briar regarding what happened the previous day during dinner with Jonathan. How they both liked baking, how Jonathan was introverted, etc.


    "Wow, from the sound of it, he''s like a duplicate of you," Briar commented once Indiana had finished talking.


    Indiana chuckled nervously, "You think?"


    Briar nodded.


    "Yeah."


    "Can''t wait to meet him," Briar said, adding, "If I ever get to, of course."


    She nudged Indiana lightly, "So, you into him?"


    "Into him? I''ve known him for a day, it''s hard to tell if he''s someone that I''m into," she answered, lowering her head a bit.


    Briar frowned, knowing Indiana had a point.


    At this rate, she needed someone to ship. An adorable couple.


    That was when what Madeline had told her surfaced in her mind.


    "Indiana," Briar called.


    "Yes?"


    "Would you like to join me, Madeline and Xavier for a walk in the woods?" Briar inquired.


    Indiana squeaked at the mention of Xavier. She covered her mouth with her hands before she cleared her throat.


    Madeline faced Briar and Indiana, wondering what Briar was on about.


    "You don''t have to come if you already have plans or don''t want to, of course," Madeline said, hoping Indiana didn''t feel obliged to come along with her, Briar and Xavier.


    Especially because of her feelings for Xavier.


    However, Madeline thought it was better she asked Indiana instead of not asking her. That would only make Indiana think she was being excluded from everyone else. And also, she was unaware Madeline knew she had feelings for Xavier.


    If she did¡­ Who knew how she''d react?


    Indiana wished to tell Madeline the truth. Maybe then she''d get some peace of mind then.


    All it took was Indiana going, ''I have feelings for Xavier.''


    That was all she had to tell Madeline.


    Would Briar be upset at her?


    Would Madeline be upset at her?


    No actually. Briar would not be upset at her. Neither would Madeline. They never would have been.


    Briar knew that Indiana had feelings for Xavier, thanks to a slip up on Madeline''s part, even though Madeline had never intended on telling Briar that. Heck, she assumed Briar knew already, since Briar was always better at reading people than her.


    Then again, there wasn''t anything for Briar to read in the first place. The times Xavier was brought up during conversations, Indiana would act calm.


    Or did she?


    Madeline recalled the first time she had brought up Xavier to Briar. Indiana had overheard and immediately hid her face from view. There was no way for Madeline to see how Indiana had reacted.


    Of course, this was just a theory. Madeline was unsure if Indiana really did have feelings for Xavier, but either way¡­ If Indiana ever thought of hiding her feelings for Xavier from her friends because she thought they''d be upset with her, or they''d see her differently.


    Madeline begged to differ.


    Indiana looked at both Madeline and Briar, guilt creeping over her once more.


    She had tried telling them, but she had always choked up before she managed to.


    ''Do I tell them?'' She asked herself.


    ''And do I join them tomorrow?'' Indiana asked herself next.


    Xavier would be there. Indiana was certain she''d slip up, or say something embarrassing. Not to mention, she knew that it''d end with her having to admit her feelings.


    Determination filled her eyes, and she told herself that one way or another, she''d tell the two of her friends about her feelings for Xavier. She had to get it off her chest, and they were her friends.


    Maybe, just maybe, they already knew about her feelings. If that was the case¡­ Then it would only worsen things.


    The entire time, they knew. They still treated her the same.


    Indiana truly hoped that wasn''t the case.


    But, she was determined to tell them the truth.


    Regardless of what happened, she would tell her friends the truth.

 Chapter 144 - Yes, The Two Of You

    Indiana decided to get it over with.


    "Oh, and about your offer to join you guys for tomorrow''s walk, why not?" Indiana said.


    Briar smiled, thankful Indiana was coming with, "Oh! Well, that''s great!"


    Madeline concurred.


    Now that Indiana had gotten that out of the way¡­


    ''It''s better if I do it now than later, right?'' She reasoned whilst she tried to come up with the words to tell Madeline and Briar.


    Yes, she''d tell the two of them at the same time. That way, she wouldn''t have to tell them one by one.


    That way, she didn''t have to say the same things twice. Or see both Madeline and Briar''s looks of disappointment a whopping two times.


    "I need to tell you something," she began by saying.


    Briar and Madeline exchanged a look. What did Indiana want to tell them?


    "Both of us?" They asked in unison.


    Indiana nodded, "Yes, the two of you."


    Briar gave Madeline a look.


    ''Think this is about her feelings?''


    Madeline shrugged, ''I guess we''re going to find out.''


    Indiana then sat down, fidgeting with her hands.


    ''What if this goes south? What if it goes wrong, and I get kicked out and become an outcast? No, they wouldn''t do that. Would they?''


    Indiana breathed deeply.


    ''Stay calm,'' she told herself repeatedly. Panicking would do her no good. It would only hinder her from actually telling them the truth.


    "So I''ve been meaning to tell you both this for a long while, but I never managed to because I was too nervous and I was scared of how you''d react to it," Indiana said, gulping.


    Madeline placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Don''t worry about it, you can tell us anything."


    That was it.


    It was how Madeline had been so compassionate and kind about everything that had her nervous.


    Madeline had been nothing short of amazing and gracious, and this was what Indiana did to her in return.


    Indiana had said a great deal of times how she didn''t deserve someone like Madeline in her life. It was why she wanted to shoo Jonathan away as well, he was the same case as Madeline.


    She felt like she was nothing but a burden to those she cared about most, and that was what kept her from spilling everything.


    "And what''s this about?" Briar asked curiously.


    Indiana shifted her foot, "A guy."


    She didn''t want a guy to come in between her friendship with Madeline. She never would.


    If she was given the choice, she''d have erased any trace of feelings she held for Xavier.


    He was Madeline''s mate, not hers.


    She would never be able to have him, as his heart had already belonged to someone else the entire time. It had taken a while to notice, but once it was out there, there was no denying it.


    "And who''s this guy?" Madeline asked, tilting her head as she lifted her hand from Indiana''s shoulder.


    She scooted closer towards Indiana, "It''s not about Jonathan is it."


    Indiana confirmed Madeline''s suspicion.


    "It''s not about Jonathan. Although, I wish it was."


    Taking a deep breath, Indiana wondered what was keeping her from telling Madeline and Briar. The truth was right there. She had the perfect opportunity to tell them, she couldn''t just blow it because she felt nervous, or was too scared to say anything that could possibly jeopardize her friendship.


    "I have feelings for this guy," Indiana blurted.


    ''I have to do this. I have to continue on,'' she told herself in her head.


    "Oh?" Madeline asked.


    Briar kept quiet, knowing it was better if she didn''t speak till after Indiana was done.


    Indiana was determined to get through this without breaking into tears. The goal was simple. Tell Madeline and Briar the truth.


    She inhaled sharply, "I have feelings for..."


    Indiana repeated, "For..."


    Looking up at the ceiling, she wondered, ''Why am I tearing up?''


    Madeline and Briar kept quiet, wondering what to say to Indiana.


    Indiana shut her eyes, "Xavier."


    Madeline''s quarters were dead quiet. No one spoke, no one moved, no one did anything.


    "I have feelings for Xavier," she said, her voice raspy and barely a whisper.


    "I''m sorry," she apologised to the two of them.


    "I never wanted to have feelings for him. And I never wanted to hurt you, Madeline. Really, if I could reverse my feelings¨C"


    "No," Madeline interjected.


    Shaking her head, she told Indiana, "Why are you apologising to me?"


    Taking a deep breath, she said to Indiana, "Listen, Dia. You don''t have to apologise for having feelings for someone. There''s no need for it, and I won''t have you apologising for something you can''t control."


    As a tear slid down Indiana''s cheek, Madeline got Indiana a tissue.


    "Here," she said, handing Indiana a tissue paper. Continuing her spiel, she told her, "It''s me who should apologise. If I ever made you feel like you couldn''t tell me about your feelings towards someone, or like you had to hide it from me to preserve our friendship. I hope you know that I''m here for you."


    Gesturing at Briar and herself, she added, "Both me and Briar are here for you. We always will. So don''t hesitate to tell us anything so long as you want to or feel like it, okay?"


    Madeline tried looking away from Indiana, on the brink of tears herself.


    ''Don''t cry, what if it makes Indiana feel bad about herself?'' Madeline told herself.


    Then, Briar took over. She began, "Madeline''s right. We''re your friends, so no matter what, we''re here for you. We won''t abandon you, we won''t leave you behind."


    Indiana was touched by her friends'' sincere words.


    Of course they''d have to tell her it was alright.


    Wiping her tears away, she couldn''t imagine what life would have been like had she not befriended Madeline and Briar.


    "Thank you," Indiana croaked, lowering her head. She was unable to meet both Madeline and Briar''s worried gazes.


    "For everything. I never kept this from you because of something you did, or how you acted.


    She liked Madeline''s mate.


    In her previous friend group, she would''ve been punished severely, or tortured, even. Tortured till she made the decision to leave - if she wasn''t kicked out at one point.


    Instead, nothing like that happened with her and Madeline.


    Madeline didn''t seem a teensy bit upset.


    All Madeline did was make sure she was alright.

 Chapter 145 - In The Spirit Of Confessing (I)

    Talking it out, Indiana confessed everything. When her feelings had started, and what she intended to do with them.


    How the conversation ultimately ended? Why, the girls simply decided to hug it out - and to never speak of this or bring the conversation up ever again.


    Indiana could see why Madeline was made Xavier''s mate. Regret flashed in her eyes. This was the person she accused of using Xavier.


    Madeline would never.


    "Alright, that''s enough for now. Look at the time. It''s way past lunch," Madeline commented.


    Declining Madeline''s offer for lunch, Indiana reckoned it was better she cleared her head.


    Making some excuse, she left Madeline''s quarters, leaving Madeline and Briar.


    Briar broke the silence, telling Madeline, "Well, that went better than expected."


    Madeline glanced out her quarters'' window.


    "Yeah, but I hope Indiana doesn''t feel uncomfortable around us because of this."


    Briar noticed how dejected Madeline looked.


    "You''re an amazing friend, you know that right? Not just to me, but to Indiana too."


    Madeline laughed softly, "And why do you choose to tell me this now out of all times?"


    "Because you look like you need some praise," Briar responded.


    Rolling her eyes, Madeline said to her, "Let''s just go get lunch already. I''m famished."


    "You and me both, Maddie," Briar said.


    The two ladies left for the dining room, where they hadn''t expected to encounter both Xavier and Adrian.


    Madeline waved at Xavier.


    "Didn''t expect to see you here," she admitted.


    Xavier said, "How unfortunate. We were just leaving."


    Madeline pouted, "Aww. Next time then."


    Briar used her and Adrian''s mind link to tell him she was leaving tomorrow.


    ''If you can''t find me tomorrow, that''s because I''m going out for a morning walk with Madeline, Indiana and Xavier.''


    Adrian raised his brow, ''Oh, you too? Xavier only informed me that it was him and a couple of others. I never expected you to be one of those joining.''


    ''Well, now you know. So, I''ll be gone for a couple of hours tops.''


    ''Noted,'' Adrian replied nonchalantly, adding, ''Have a good lunch.''


    ''I''d say you too, but it seems like you''ve already had lunch,'' Briar noticed.


    ''Well, you''re right. I have.''


    Noticing Xavier leaving, Adrian told Briar, ''I''ll be on my way now. Bye.''


    Briar waved him goodbye, watching as he left with Xavier.


    Xavier had greeted her goodbye as well.


    Strange, he wasn''t usually this courteous with her.


    Correction, he never was. And Briar knew why.


    He was the alpha, she was just a delta. So why would he even feel the need to treat her courteously in the first place?


    Turning to Madeline, she questioned, "What did you do to him? You''re magical, seriously."


    Madeline turned a blind eye towards Briar''s words.


    "Food," she said, her stomach doing the talking. Madeline was getting easily distracted by other obstacles such as the food, all because she was stalling. She had expected Indiana to decline her offer to lunch, and already had a plan in mind.


    Indiana wasn''t the only person who had something she had kept hidden. She thought she had kept hidden, at least.


    It was a similar case for Madeline.


    Hmm, similar was the wrong way to put it.


    Madeline got herself a couple of helpings of her favourite dish. Briar followed, unable to help herself.


    "Got something on your mind?" Briar inquired right before she dug into her helping.


    "How did you know?"


    "It''s all over your face," Briar replied with, her face turning serious and stern.


    "You still haven''t talked much about what just happened with Indiana. And that wouldn''t be the case unless you have something you want to say yourself. Something unrelated to Indiana, I presume," Briar said, continuing, "And since you''re staying completely quiet, am I correct?"


    Madeline muttered, "Maybe¡­"


    She didn''t feel like eating anymore. Her entire mood had shifted.


    Suddenly, the room turned silent. Not even Briar ate; all she did was stare at Madeline.


    Who would break the silence?


    Madeline looked away from Briar, staring at the spot Xavier would usually be at during their meals.


    She sighed dreamily.


    Briar noticed this, realising what Madeline was staring at. Since she had a great memory, she instantly knew what Madeline was doing. Or, to put it more accurately, what Madeline was thinking.


    "Hey," Briar called.


    "Hmm?" Madeline asked absentmindedly.


    "You do too," Briar said.


    All Briar found herself able to do was gawk at Madeline.


    "You do too," she repeated once more.


    Madeline hid her face, avoiding Briar''s gaze.


    "No," she whispered.


    "Then why are you hiding your face from me?" Briar questioned, wondering why Madeline took a sudden interest in the floor.


    "Because," Madeline began.


    She hesitated.


    "Because¡­"


    Burying her face in her hands, she asked Briar, "What do I do?"


    Briar was too stunned to speak.


    ''Did Madeline...''


    All this time, she had kept hold of herself. That way, she wouldn''t slip up and blurt it out. Or look at those piercing eyes of his and confess her feelings like someone would confess their sins. One slip up, and someone would know of it.


    It had all started when Emilio had caught her in his cave and tried killing her. The very first person she thought of was Xavier. That was the same moment Madeline had come to a stunning realisation. That something was up with her, and that she held Xavier in different regard compared to everyone else.


    That moment she was nearly about to be killed, she still wouldn''t stop worrying about him, even if she knew he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and didn''t need someone fretting about him.


    Xavier was the first person she had come to when she had experienced a nightmare not only because he and her were friends, and she felt that she was able to confide in him whenever, but because¡­ She had feelings for him, and she had been harbouring these feelings for the longest time.


    Madeline had already fallen for her mate, and there was no changing that fact.

 Chapter 146 - In The Spirit Of Confessing (II)

    Madeline hoped she had done a good enough job at hiding them. Sure, Briar had teased her of them a couple of times, but by the expression on Briar''s face, Madeline was nearly certain she had successfully hidden something from Briar.


    Well, up until she chose to tell Briar of course. Then, she didn''t bother hiding anything.


    Madeline pursed her lips, looking at Briar desperately, "Don''t tell anyone. Not even Indiana and Adrian, alright?"


    Briar nodded, "Of course. I won''t, I promise."


    Madeline exhaled, "We should probably get to eating, huh."


    "Right," Briar said quietly, poking her food with her fork.


    Meanwhile, with Indiana¡­


    Indiana took a trip to Jonathan''s room once she had made sure she looked alright, and like she hadn''t been crying her eyes out the past hour.


    Fortunately, he had told her where his room was in case she ever wanted to find him.


    "Jonathan?" She asked, knocking on his door.


    "Indiana, that you?" Jonathan asked, opening the door to see Indiana. He greeted, "Oh, hey. Err, want to come into my room?"


    Indiana nodded, "Sure."


    She stepped in his room.


    "You are so organised," she commented, taking a look around.


    "Haha, yeah. I just don''t like things messy," Jonathan admitted.


    "Ah," Indiana said, pursing her lips.


    Jonathan had just admitted he didn''t like messy things.


    Meanwhile, there was Indiana, who thought to herself, ''He mustn''t like me then, my entire life is messy.''


    Indiana resisted the urge to snort.


    Jonathan went on to ask, "Have you had lunch yet?"


    Before Indiana answered, her stomach grumbled. Her eyes widened, and she blushed.


    "Ah," Jonathan said.


    "Sorry, I skipped breakfast this morning," Indiana admitted, nibbling on her bottom lip.


    Jonathan peered worriedly at her, reasoning, "And you haven''t eaten lunch either. Go eat lunch, why did you visit me? You could''ve eaten something beforehand at least."


    Indiana agreed, "I know, but I came to tell you that I''m going on a walk with Alpha Xavier, Madeline and Briar tomorrow, so I might be a tad bit late for lunch."


    "Oh, alright then," Jonathan said.


    The two of them stood there in silence, waiting for the other to break it. No one had anything to say. Indiana felt like it was appropriate for her to announce that she was leaving and rush back to her room, but at the same time, she felt it was awkward that she had visited just to tell him that before leaving quickly after.


    ''I know I declined Madeline and Briar''s offer for lunch, but¡­''


    Breaking the silence, Indiana began, "By the way, care to grab lunch with me?"


    Jonathan blinked, surprised she was asking him out for yet another lunch. Sure, they had one planned for tomorrow but¡­ Who was he to complain? He''d take any chance he could get to dine with Indiana.


    Could he confidently say that his feelings for her were growing with every moment he got to share with her? Yes, actually.


    Could he also confidently say that Indiana would never be so much as interested in him? Also yes.


    "Oh," Jonathan said aloud, hesitating for a bit before he finally answered Indiana''s question, "Yeah, of course. I didn''t have any plans and intended on eating lunch anyway, so¡­ err, yeah."


    ''And now I''m rambling,'' Jonathan thought to himself, feeling a tad bit flustered.


    "Alright then," Indiana replied, wondering why he was acting strange.


    Tilting her head, she went on to ask him, "But, are you alright there?"


    "Mhm," Jonathan answered, nodding.


    That didn''t seem to convince Indiana, but she went with it.


    "We should probably go and make up some lunch then huh," Jonathan reasoned.


    An idea came to Indiana''s head.


    A mischievous grin crept up her face, prompting Jonathan to ask, "Why do I have the feeling you have something in mind?"


    "Well, you''re right," Indiana confirmed, smiling.


    "Let''s go, I have something in mind."


    Jonathan narrowed his eyes, sceptical of Indiana. Then, he decided to trust her. Why not? So long as he and her were careful, they wouldn''t get into any trouble. Hopefully, at least.


    "Alright," he said.


    Indiana and him headed for the kitchen. Indiana checked the dining room, knowing Madeline and Briar were light eaters so there would be many food left over. Even if Xavier and Adrian had eaten, she doubted there wouldn''t be anything left either.


    It was something she used to do when she was too lazy to bake or cook up anything. She would find the leftovers of others.


    Hmm, leftovers was an oversimplification. Some of the food was left untouched, so technically, they were the food that hadn''t been eaten and not leftovers.


    Using her mind link with Jonathan, she told him about her plan.


    Sure, she could have just walked in casually and taken some food for herself, but that was no fun. Besides, if she was caught by another wolf, she would have been punished severely. And with what she had done in the past¡­


    She didn''t want to make things awkward for tomorrow''s walk. If she had been caught, who knew how''d Xavier react to it?


    He certainly didn''t have a liking towards her.


    Did he even allow her to join them on the walk?


    Indiana figured that it was fully Madeline''s decision to invite her and not Xavier''s.


    ''Alright, back to the plan,'' Indiana reminded herself.


    She and Jonathan snuck in the dining room once Indiana had made sure no one was there, and that no one was watching the two of them.


    They exited the room successful in their plan, returning to Indiana''s room to have lunch together.


    "Fist-bump," Indiana said to Jonathan, who fist-bumped her in return before they dug into their lunches.


    The rest of the day passed by quickly, and the next day at the very crack of dawn, the group gathered together.


    __


    Author''s Note: So sorry for the delay to have access to the newest chapters, I added an extra five chapters to a privilege tier. Right, back to the story, and I hope you all are enjoying Chinese New Year/the first day of February!

 Chapter 147 - In The Spirit Of Confessing (III)

    Xavier had vowed not to let his work life interfere with his personal life.


    After all, Madeline had asked him to go out on a walk. He refused to ruin it for her all because he held a grudge towards someone for something that was supposed to be in the past.


    And of course, this someone was Indiana.


    How dare she?


    When he had saw her talking to Briar, he couldn''t help but clench his fist.


    Yes, he had considered that Madeline would have invited her to join the walk, but he had never expected her to have accepted the offer.


    However, that wouldn''t make him back away from this. Just because Indiana was there didn''t mean he wouldn''t have a great time.


    Checking in with Madeline, he asked, "Are you sure I''m meant to be here?"


    What Xavier wasn''t aware of was that Indiana intended to steer clear of Xavier. After what she had told both Madeline and Briar the other day, she knew it was best if she kept away from Xavier.


    Also because she had noticed the dirty looks he had been giving her the entire time she was there. She was no ignorant person, she had noticed from the very moment she arrived.


    ''I can''t back down from this now, I already told the both of them that I''d join them. If I left early, or made some excuse that I couldn''t come, that would only worsen things,'' Indiana had reasoned.


    She had bid Jonathan one last farewell, before they began their walk.


    It wasn''t really a walk, and more of an excursion.


    Xavier felt relieved there was someone he trusted watching over Eudora while he was away, even if it was for a couple of hours.


    Who knew what would happen during those few hours?


    The pack was unpredictable. It was nice knowing someone he fully trusted was there, making sure things were going smoothly and that no one was behaving out of line.


    Xavier had instructed that whatever happened, he was not to be contacted unless it was crucial.


    As Xavier had put it, "Unless it''s that important, to the point you have to tell me, don''t disturb me. Not until I return. Then, you can bug me all you want, and fill me in on what has happened and what I have missed."


    Adrian agreed of course, knowing Briar would kill him if he ruined this for Xavier and Madeline, all because of what he could have dealt with himself.


    A couple of minutes in, Indiana found herself chatting with Briar mostly. Madeline was far too busy talking to Xavier at the moment, and she was glad that Madeline was able to spend time with Xavier and her friends at the same time, as she could see that Madeline was happy.


    Briar noticed it too, choosing not to interrupt her friend''s conversation.


    Also partly because she didn''t want to be subject to Xavier''s dirty looks.


    For a moment, Briar wondered if Adrian had ever talked to Xavier about her. Was that strange?


    Briar shook it off and picked up on where her and Indiana''s conversation had left off.


    They used their mind link to chat of course, and casually listened in to what Madeline and Xavier were talking about.


    Madeline thought to herself, ''So far so good.''


    She hoped that they''d go out like this more often. It was great to have just her, Xavier, Briar and Indiana in one place, chatting amongst themselves.


    Madeline looked at Xavier, asking, "When was the last time you went out with your friends?"


    "Went out with my friends?" Xavier asked, thinking back to when he spent time with his friends.


    "Mhm," Madeline said, nodding.


    Of course, Madeline knew that Briar was on to her. She could feel a pair of eyes watching her every move.


    Madeline presumed it was Briar, wondering if she''d do anything about what she had informed her of the other day.


    And Madeline''s answer?


    Maybe.


    Or no.


    Or never.


    Madeline was hesitating, of course.


    Nervous it would go awry and would lead to her being either friend-zoned by Xavier, or rejected, or downright ignored, Madeline chose not to do anything about it.


    ''Just keep talking, don''t bring up anything about romance, or love, or feelings, or anything like it,'' Madeline told herself, determined not to mess up and fess up to her...


    The sun was beginning to rise now.


    Pointing towards the sun, Madeline said to Xavier, "Look, the sunrise."


    "How beautiful," she commented, not noticing how Xavier was looking at her and not the rising sun.


    "Yes," he said absentmindedly.


    That little moment had gone unnoticed by Briar and Indiana.


    By then, Indiana had been teasing Briar about well, Adrian.


    Indiana was insistent that there was something between her and Adrian.


    "I wonder if Adrian misses you already," Indiana said to Briar.


    Briar dismissed it, waving her hand, "Of course not, we''ve been gone for a couple of minutes, tops. Why would he miss me? He''s probably super busy since he was put in charge."


    "Hmm, maybe. But that doesn''t mean there''s no room for him to miss you," Indiana reasoned, wiggling her eyebrows.


    A rustle was heard from the bushes. Everyone turned completely silent and turned to the bushes.


    It was like something out of a movie.


    ''It came from the bushes,'' Xavier thought, paying close attention.


    After a couple of moments of silence passed by and nothing happened, the group continued on with what they were doing, although they paid more attention to their surroundings, Xavier especially.


    He searched for anything that might possibly be in their way, or hiding. Or watching them.


    Xavier didn''t feel like someone was watching them, but there was something that told him something was up. A gut feeling that was telling him something was very wrong.


    Xavier turned his head, glimpsing at Madeline. Had she noticed anything?


    Xavier didn''t bring it up, keeping it to himself since he didn''t want Madeline to panic. What if it was a false alarm?


    He reasoned, ''But what if it isn''t?''

 Chapter 148 - In The Spirit Of Confessing (IV)

    [TW: Slight Violence]


    Madeline placed a hand on Xavier''s arm, "You alright?"


    She had noticed Xavier had been spacing out a bit and began worrying about him.


    ''What if he''s uncomfortable? Or what if he doesn''t want to be here?'' Madeline wondered, beginning to overthink everything.


    It had been about three hours, and the sun had completely risen.


    A guttural growl came from the bushes. One Xavier recognised all too well.


    Xavier realised what had happened - well, not what happened, but what had been happening the entire time.


    A look of horror crossed the others'' faces. They had been followed, and stalked.


    Any sudden movement they made, and they would pounce. One wrong move, and it was the end.


    Who was ''they''? And why hadn''t Xavier realised any sooner?


    Well, this ''they'' were the ferals.


    Not just a group of ferals, but if Xavier''s estimation was right, an army of them.


    How did he know? And so fast?


    Had there been a few ferals, they would have just attacked on the spot. But that wasn''t the case.


    That growl everyone had just heard? It wasn''t just any growl.


    It was a warcry. A declaration of battle.


    They had come out of hiding, one by one, surrounding the four.


    Time seemed to have stopped as Xavier assessed the situation. His first priority was getting Madeline out of there, stat. But that wasn''t possible. They were ferals, they had super speed too. And with about a hundred of them, if he brought her someplace else, they were bound to find her soon. So that removed the possibility of scooping Madeline up and whisking her away.


    Madeline looked at Xavier, who didn''t look like he was panicking. In fact, he seemed quite calm as he rolled up his sleeves.


    Indiana and Briar exchanged a look. They were outnumbered.


    They both thought the same thing, ''What about Madeline?''


    Indiana stared at Xavier, wondering what he was going to do.


    The ferals circled them.


    Madeline saw a flash of light before both Indiana and Briar were no longer.


    In their place, were two wolves, baring their fangs at the ferals.


    Yet, Xavier hadn''t turned. It seemed like he was waiting for something.


    Was it the right moment? Maybe.


    Madeline looked at Xavier, desperately wanting to tell him something despite this being the worst time to tell him. In her heart, she felt a feeling of dread. She felt her heart beating in her ears.


    Xavier''s eyes flashed red, before he turned into his wolf form. Larger than the rest of the ferals.


    That seemed to do it.


    One feral pounced on Indiana, clawing and slashing its way.


    One slash, and she would turn into one of them. That was all it took.


    And that was when Madeline witnessed her very first fight. Her friends were fighting for their lives around her, and she was left defenceless.


    As Briar and Indiana desperately tried not to get transformed into ferals themselves, all Madeline could do was defend herself.


    Xavier headbutted a feral, using its body to kill another feral.


    One by one, the ferals dissipated into greyish liquid. Madeline managed to kill a couple with her blasts. Aware that her friends could turn on her at any moment, Madeline persisted.


    Briar and Indiana could have directed who they tried killing, but it was only a matter of time.


    Indiana bit into a feral before flinging it away.


    Realising what would happen if he didn''t do something, Xavier howled.


    More growls were heard as more and more of the ferals were defeated. It took more strength and stamina to defeat them as they were unlike Xavier had ever seen.


    They were tougher, stronger, and smarter. Unlike the usual ferals he dealt with every full moon.


    Something seemed to have changed, as the ferals seemed to hesitate. Like they were scared.


    A loud howl was heard minutes later, albeit it didn''t come from Xavier this time. Madeline looked behind her to see a pack of wolves who had formed behind her.


    When Madeline had come to and realised what had actually happened, it was the ferals that were outnumbered.


    Madeline blasted another feral that was trying to sneak up on her, before glancing at Xavier. She could have been killed with all the times she had been checking up on him. What had been her trying to see if Xavier was alright had nearly ended her own life.


    However, her and everyone else''s efforts were not for naught. The ferals'' numbers had dwindled, and nearly none of them remained. The rest of them that were still standing were taken out. And then, there was no feral left¡­ or so they thought.


    Indiana heaved and panted, exhausted. She was far away from where the battle had ensued and now back to her human form, laying on the ground.


    By then, Xavier had already returned to his human form, commanding the rest of the pack to return from whence they came. It was wrapped up, there was no need for them to stay any longer. They listened and left. No one dared disobey Xavier at that moment.


    And then it was just Madeline and Xavier left. Madeline realised that with everything that happened, she still hadn''t done something.


    "Xavier, I need to tell you something. It''s something I''ve been meaning to tell you," she said, trying not to seem nervous as she used her remaining strength to do this.


    There was no stalling or hiding anything now.


    Xavier walked towards her, looking her up and down and heaving a relieved sigh once he saw she was alright. He kept quiet, waiting for her to continue.


    Madeline looked up and met his gaze, telling him the words she had always meant to tell him ever since she had fallen head over heels for him.


    "Xavier, I have feelings for you."


    Unaware if Xavier knew that she had a whole book of things she had wanted to tell him, Madeline was taken aback when¡­ instead of replying, Xavier pulled her closer towards him. And finally, after what felt like forever, their lips met.


    There had been no moment of hesitation.


    Heat rose from Madeline''s stomach. It took her a couple of seconds to realise Xavier''s mouth was on hers. It was his way of telling her that¡­ All this time, he had had feelings for her too.


    And then, they heard it.


    "INDIANA!"

 Chapter 149 - Gone Like The Wind

    Madeline stopped breathing.


    Fireworks shot through her as she felt him deepen the kiss, parting her mouth. His arms wrapped around her, sending shivers through her nerves. And yet, Madeline did more than try to stop him. Instead, she found herself kissing him back. It evoked sensations she never knew she was capable of feeling. She balled her fists in his shirt, making him pull her closer to him in response. Madeline''s breath was stolen away, and she felt knees weaken and giddiness swirl in her stomach.


    ''Let this never end, please,'' she thought in her head, her lips still brushing against his soft ones.


    Madeline and Xavier separated from each other, and Madeline covered her mouth with her fist, still unable to process what happened. And yet, there was still a huge grin on her face.


    Xavier was no different, currently on cloud nine, until¡­


    "INDIANA!" Briar called urgently.


    Scrambling was heard, and Xavier scooped Madeline up, bringing her to where Indiana was.


    Madeline gasped. She couldn''t believe her eyes.


    Xavier''s eyes widened.


    They had to get out of there, it''d only be minutes until¡­ He couldn''t bring himself to say it aloud.


    He placed a hand on Madeline''s shoulder, and she placed her hand on top of his.


    "What happened?" She managed to ask, seeing Indiana laying on the ground with a massive injury on her thigh.


    Briar looked at her, and Madeline saw her eyes flash with an unfamiliar emotion.


    Huh? What had happened?


    Was Indiana alright?


    Indiana seemed to have told Briar something, but that didn''t help matters. Briar looked like her world had crumbled to dust right in front of her.


    Her bottom lip quivered.


    Xavier inhaled, knowing if Briar wouldn''t tell her what happened, he would.


    Madeline hesitated before heading to Indiana''s side. They had to get her some help. She would be alright, it didn''t look bad.


    It didn''t look fatal.


    But Madeline was unaware of the grisly truth.


    Xavier leaned closer towards her and whispered something in her ear.


    And just like that, Madeline''s eyes widened. She rushed to Indiana''s side, whispering the same word over and over again.


    "No no no no no."


    ''I don''t¨C There has to be some sort of cure, right? This can''t be happening to her. Not now of all times,'' Madeline thought, her heart going at speeds they had never gone before.


    First stage of grief, shock and denial.


    Now, one would be asking, why would Madeline be grieving? Shouldn''t she have been celebrating after she confessed her feelings and he had told her he had feelings for her as well?


    No.


    Because, the ferals had managed to get to her friend, Indiana.


    And as of that moment, her life was on the line, and she was hanging on by a thread that was about to break at any given moment.


    At most, Indiana had minutes left.


    "Why didn''t you call for the rest of us?" Madeline asked, holding back tears.


    Briar had vanished into thin air.


    Where was she? Had she not been there a minute ago?


    Madeline looked around, trying not to face Indiana as her eyes were shining with tears.


    "Where''s Briar?" She asked.


    Where would Briar be that was so important, she had to go someplace else when Indiana was¡­


    Madeline sniffled.


    "I made her run an errand for me," Indiana croaked, coughing before she told Madeline, this time stuttering, "Y-you shouldn''t be here. You should¡­ y-you s-should leave."


    "Leave you? Now? No. NO. I''m not leaving you now, I''m staying," Madeline insisted.


    Xavier held her, signalling to her that they had to go before Indiana turned into the very thing that she had killed. Soon, she''d be nothing but a mindless creature that wanted to kill. If Madeline didn''t leave¡­ No. She had to get Madeline to leave.


    She told Madeline, her eyes flashing with desperation, "Leave. Please. Don''t come back."


    It took all her willpower to remain in this form, even though she knew it was inevitable.


    Xavier''s eyes flashed with urgency. They had to leave.


    Indiana shot Xavier a look. She didn''t need to have used a mind link to communicate. He knew what she was trying to tell him.


    ''No matter what, get her out of here.''


    Madeline could hold her tears back no longer. As one dripped down her face, she said to Indiana, "I''m sorry. This is all my fault. I should''ve never invited you here if I knew this would have happened. I should''ve¡­ I should''ve¡­"


    Indiana sighed, "No."


    "Don''t be sad, or mourn my death. Be happy."


    She had heard Madeline confess her feelings. Even in her last moments, she refused to think about herself.


    "Con-congratulations. I''m happy for you," she managed to choke out, feeling something beginning to overtake her.


    ''No, not yet. I still have something to say,'' Indiana thought, holding it in as best as she could.


    Taking deep breaths, she felt grateful. Grateful she had at least gotten to say goodbye to Briar, and Madeline, and see Xavier one last time.


    Briar zipped back, and Rosalynn was by her side.


    "Darling!" Rosalynn cried, collapsing to the ground. Unable to speak or form a coherent sentence, she crawled towards Indiana.


    Briar had explained to her what happened and brought her there.


    Madeline stared at Rosalynn, biting her lip to the point blood gushed out of it like a waterfall. She felt Indiana tap her arm.


    She began, "M-Madeline¡­"


    "Before¡­ Before I¡­ Before I go¡­ I need you to do something for me."


    "A-Anything, name it," Madeline said as tears flowed down her cheeks.


    Madeline would do anything Indiana said.


    There was a moment of silence. Madeline turned to Xavier, wondering if there was any solution to fix this. Maybe, just maybe, there was a spell that could reverse it.


    Or a spell that could reverse time, or bring someone back. Anything¡­


    Madeline held Indiana''s arm, trying her very best not to look at where the feral had bitten her.


    When Madeline hadn''t been looking, Xavier had done a search of the area. There were no other ferals in sight, or lurking. It seemed like Indiana had still managed to defeat the feral despite getting injured.


    "Near Briar''s room, t-two blocks away is Jonathan''s room. T-Tell him that¡­ I won''t be able to make it for lunch."


    Indiana felt herself changing, but pressed on.


    Her eyes expressed her feelings of regret. For being a horrible friend to Madeline, Jonathan and Briar that never did anything but constantly burden them, and for being a horrible omega that didn''t do anything to serve Eudora¡­


    "Goodbye," she said to Madeline, looking her in the eye.


    She thought it deserving she did this. And just seconds before, she thought to herself, ''Jonathan¡­ I''m so sorry for everything¡­''


    And that was the moment that Indiana met her end.


    The moment she drew her very last breath as Indiana.


    Xavier had to whisk Madeline away someplace else. If not, she would''ve stayed and turned into a feral herself.


    They had already lost someone. He couldn''t bear to lose Madeline too.


    There had never been a descendant of the first werewolf who had been turned, so if Madeline were to have been turned by Indiana¡­ What would have happened next?


    Madeline buried her face in his shirt, sobbing and hitting his chest.


    She wished to be able to turn back time.


    Maybe then she could''ve done something. Maybe then she would''ve cancelled everything so that none of this ever happened. Indiana would have still been here. They could have gone out for lunch, but no.


    She was left to inform Jonathan of the news.


    After a while of crying and lots of screaming, Madeline made it back to Eudora, headed straight for Jonathan''s room.


    Imagine Jonathan''s surprise when he saw Madeline at his doorstep, looking like she had just cried.


    He looked confused, "W-What are you doing here?"


    Madeline was unable to meet his gaze. It was her fault that she had to tell him this. But it was Indiana''s last request.


    "Indiana sent me to tell you that she¡­"


    Hesitating, Madeline pushed herself. She had to do this.


    It was Indiana''s last wish.


    "She won''t be able to make it for lunch," Madeline said.


    Jonathan wondered why Madeline was speaking like it was the end of the world. That was alright. If Indiana couldn''t make it¡­


    "We can always reschedule lunch, it''s alright," Jonathan said, seeming unbothered.


    Madeline was left with having to break the poor boy''s heart. And she was unaware that he had feelings for her. Shaking her head, she told him shakily, "That''s not what I meant by it."


    Remembering the time Indiana had talked to her about him, Madeline managed to chuckle, telling him, "Indiana told me quite a bit about you, Jonathan."


    Tears brimmed in her eyes, she was thinking about Indiana again, "I''m sorry. I''m getting emotional. I just¨C"


    "Indiana''s gone. Really gone."


    "...what?"


    "She was turned into a feral, Jonathan."


    A tear slid down Madeline''s cheek as she finally processed everything that had happened.


    "Indiana''s gone¡­ forever."

 Chapter 150 - Bloodshed, Tears & Cuteness

    After a month mainly consisting of lots of crying, being consoled, sobbing uncontrollably and hiding from everyone else, Madeline kneeled down, placing a flower before her friend''s resting place.


    Well, technically, it wasn''t her resting place. Indiana didn''t simply leave her body. She had turned into a feral, and she had to have been terminated.


    Who did it? Madeline never tried guessing who. Imagining it was horrifying enough.


    Having to bear with the fact that she could''ve prevented her friend''s death had haunted her enough, Madeline tried her best not to think how Indiana was¡­


    Taking a seat on the dirt surrounding Indiana''s grave, Madeline inhaled, acting like Indiana was sitting across from her, smiling as she waited for her to speak.


    "I hope you''re in a better place," Madeline began.


    Bit by bit, she had been healing. That one month had taken forever to pass by, and she still wouldn''t ever cope with the fact that her friend was no more. That month, she had gone through denial, anger, bargaining and depression.


    Now? She had to learn to accept it. As much as she didn''t want to.


    Crying wouldn''t bring Indiana back. If Indiana were watching, she''d be dejected to see her friends so affected by her absence. She wouldn''t have wanted this - something Xavier had told Madeline already many, many times.


    Indiana wouldn''t have wanted them to grieve over her for so long. They hadn''t known each other long either, she would''ve wanted them to continue on and be happy.


    If Indiana were here¡­ What would she have told Madeline? Especially if she knew that she and Xavier were now aware of their feelings for each other. She would''ve insisted Madeline go out and have fun. Go on a date with him to get to know him as more than just a friend now that feelings had been established between the two of them.


    Who knew what would happen next?


    Madeline exhaled, knowing there was still much to be done. Rosalynn had disappeared without a trace, Briar stayed locked in her room, refusing to exit unless it was for the few times she came out to eat - mostly because she was forced to. She and Briar hadn''t talked much over the month.


    They needed to process things. They still did And as much as Madeline wanted a friend to have during all this, Briar seemed to think otherwise. All she wanted to be was alone, isolated in her room, with no one to talk to. She needed time to process the loss of her friend.


    The very first friend she had made in Eudora, in fact.


    Yeah, Madeline was her friend for years, Indiana had been her friend for a couple of weeks.


    But, that didn''t change the impact it had on Briar.


    Adrian tried not to pester her unless it was to get her to eat. And sometimes, Madeline had to visit her to feed her.


    Madeline had decided that it was enough grieving, and that it was time to figure out what had actually happened.


    ''It''s no time to think about that, I''m with Indiana,'' Madeline said, peering at Indiana''s resting place.


    Despite knowing Indiana wasn''t there, and that she had been killed and had died as nothing but greyish goo, Madeline chose to look at the bright side. She pretended like Indiana was listening to her as she updated her on everything that had happened.


    Madeline''s heart fluttered as she began, "Briar says she''s alright and that she''ll be able to talk about it soon. Dad''s trying to be there for me as much as possible, and¡­ Xavier asked me out on a date today."


    Yes, she knew. It was rude to speak about her and Xavier. And it was strange for Xavier to have asked her out on a date whilst she was still grieving. But Madeline had agreed.


    Not to mention, Indiana would have hated it if Madeline had visited her grave telling her she missed her, and that she wished she would come back. She would''ve despised hearing those words coming out of Madeline''s mouth and asked her for something else more interesting than that. Say, the latest gossip in Eudora or something of that sort.


    There was no need for Madeline to mention something Indiana definitely knew.


    A leaf dropped from a nearby tree.


    "I shouldn''t be telling you this, but I figured you wouldn''t want to hear me telling you how I''ve been doing, and how much I miss you and wished you were here. I just hope you''re doing alright," Madeline admitted, looking up at the sky for a bit.


    Perhaps it was because she felt like she was being watched, or because the fact that she would be going on her very first date had set in.


    Xavier had been there for her the entire time. And he hadn''t forced her to go on a date or anything, he had simply suggested it to her since she had said she was done sulking and sobbing. Then, Madeline agreed.


    Spending months grieving wouldn''t have worked out. She''d only burden those that were still around with it. And she felt like it was time she did something about it.


    She added, "And, we''re going to find out who did this to you, Indiana. I promise."


    Now, what was Madeline talking about when she said they''d discover who was behind this?


    Well, it would only be appropriate to explain by rewinding to the moment everyone gathered in Xavier''s office, reeling from Indiana''s death. Xavier had summed up what happened, telling Adrian everything.


    Xavier had explained that he was certain this was no accident. It was set up. If it had been one feral, sure.


    Two? That was out of the ordinary, but that wasn''t as uncommon.


    But a whole hoard of ferals that were stronger than usual in the woods?


    Xavier had come to the conclusion that someone had set them up. Someone who knew that they were going on that walk, which could have been anyone at Eudora.


    Madeline managed a small smile, knowing Indiana would rather have her smile than be broken any day.


    "I''ll see you next time Indiana," Madeline said, imagining Indiana sitting across from her.


    Perhaps that really was the case, and a ghost version of Indiana was sitting across from her, elated she was alright.


    For a moment, Madeline could''ve sworn she heard someone whispering something to her. She shook it off, bidding Indiana a goodbye.


    She had promised not to make things sentimental and break down during her visit. She would be strong.


    And now she had something to look forward to and stress over, her first date. Sure, Xavier had said she could bail or drop out last minute if she felt like it¡­ But no. She refused to.


    Madeline refused to throw this away all because she was grieving. Indiana would have never wanted her to grieve, and by doing this, she was fulfilling what probably would have been Indiana''s last request to her before she passed.


    "Hey," Xavier greeted her, taking his eyes off of the book he had just been reading.


    "Hey there," Madeline responded.


    "Work going well?" She asked.


    "You could say that, I''ll be done soon."


    "Wow, you impress me more and more by the day," Madeline said, walking over to his desk.


    Placing her head on his shoulder, she asked him, "You didn''t give me any hints on what to wear for the date."


    Xavier squinted his eyes, inhaling sharply.


    Thankfully, Madeline didn''t know what his original answer was. Xavier''s smirk turned into a small frown real quick.


    "If I gave you a hint, that would ruin the surprise. And anything you choose to wear would look lovely," Xavier said like it was nothing.


    Madeline blinked, "Even if it means I show up to the date in clothing that''s irrelevant to the actual date?"


    Xavier nodded.


    "Please?" Madeline asked hopefully. She bargained, "One hint. Just one. That''s all."


    "One hint?" Xavier considered.


    "One hint," Madeline confirmed.


    "Fine," he gave in. He said next, "Casual. That''s all I''m saying."


    Madeline furrowed her brows, "Hmm, alright."


    "I''m excited," she admitted, her heart doing a flip.


    "You and me both," Xavier said to her, trying not to blush in front of her.


    She was literally there with him. He couldn''t give in to how adorable she was being that easily.


    Madeline decided it was best if she left.


    "Alright, I''ve got to prepare and talk to someone. I''ll see you later tonight," Madeline said, winking at Xavier before she left, closing the door behind her and leaving Xavier stunned.


    He banged his head against the desk, "How is she so adorable?"


    And while they were preoccupied with other matters, they were rendered blind to what a certain someone had in store for them for their next chapter. Someone who sought nothing but the blood of those who had wronged him.


    But that''s not to be told during this chapter, and instead at the next¡­

 Chapter 151 - Hello From The Other Side

    Madeline knocked on Briar''s door. She called, "Briar, you there?"


    The door opened, revealing Briar, who looked better than usual.


    "Hey," she greeted, her voice raspy from all the crying.


    She shot Madeline a look, wondering why she was dressed for a date. Well, it wasn''t easy to tell but Madeline didn''t usually dress up like this.


    Briar came to her senses.


    She gasped, her voice sounding a bit different than usual although she seemed happy for her friend.


    "He asked you out," she said aloud, adding, "You''re going on a date."


    Briar had finally accepted the truth. Well, it wasn''t really like she had accepted Indiana''s death just like that. She was just¡­ in higher spirits because she had been visited by a certain someone in her dreams.


    Call it just a dream, or something Briar made up to cope. But Briar had finally gotten to talk to Indiana one last time before Indiana was gone for good. In the middle of the night, whilst she was asleep, Indiana had paid her a visit. Briar never thought of it as a dream.


    The moment she recognised Indiana, she was ecstatic, thinking it was real. That Indiana had never died at all and that Indiana had come back.


    ''Indiana?'' She asked, reaching for her friend to see if Indiana would vanish.


    Briar and her were in a place that seemed to have no end. A place that was filled with nothing but brightness and light.


    Indiana waved at her, and Briar gasped.


    ''You''re here. You''re actually here.''


    Briar tried embracing Indiana, to no avail.


    ''What¨C''


    ''I''ve missed you,'' Indiana admitted, a smile in her twinkling eyes.


    ''That''s all? That''s it? I''ve missed you?'' Briar asked, looking hurt. She added, ''You- you died, you''re not supposed to be here.''


    Indiana nodded, ''I know. I''m not supposed to be here. But, I had to pay you one last visit.''


    Briar asked, ''And Madeline?''


    Indiana chuckled, although she didn''t seem too happy the moment Madeline''s name was brought up. Like she knew something Briar didn''t.


    ''I never needed to visit her. Seeing me wouldn''t help her,'' Indiana said to Briar, like it was a known fact.


    Briar looked dejected, asking, ''Will I ever see you again?''


    Indiana scoffed, ''There''s no need to go and ask these types of questions. They only bring down the mood. I came here to visit you, not to discuss sad, depressing details.''


    Scrunching her nose, she noted, ''I''ve heard what everyone said. How much they miss me, how they want me to come back, etc etc. The list goes on and on.''


    Briar''s eyes shined, ''But that''s the truth. We all want you to come back. If you can talk here then¡­''


    Indiana breathed deeply, ''If I could talk here, I''d stay. I would never leave and would wait for you to come here every night. But that can''t be the case, can it? I have to leave someday.''


    ''What are you talking about? Of course you can stay,'' Briar cried.


    Shaking her head, Indiana told Briar, ''I can''t. I have to move on.''


    ''So you came to tell me goodbye?'' Briar asked.


    Indiana nodded, ''Exactly.''


    Briar sniffled, ''But¨C''


    Indiana smiled reassuringly at her, ''You won''t need me. You never did. Neither did Madeline.''


    Looking like she had just remembered something, Indiana said to Briar, ''And Jonathan. Make sure he''s okay.''


    Briar scoffed, sounding both pleased and upset, ''You come here to say goodbye and yet you''re telling me to make sure he''s okay, and also her¡­ What about you?''


    ''Me? What about me? I''ll be perfectly fine here. And I know you all will be too. So long as you remember not to let anything get in your way, especially not my death, even if I am your friend. I don''t want you to continue spending all your time in your room, Briar. I never would. You still have a long life ahead of you, don''t waste it. Not on me,'' Indiana replied.


    Indiana stared at her hand, which had begun to fade away.


    Briar cried, ''What''s happening to you¨C What¨C''


    ''Seems like my time is up,'' Indiana said calmly.


    She walked over and hugged Briar with one hand. And Briar felt Indiana''s warmth surround her.


    ''Goodbye, Briar. It was nice being able to talk to you one last time without any other interruptions this time,'' Indiana admitted, letting go of Briar, who watched as she faded away.


    When Indiana had vanished, Briar awoke, realising morning had already come. How long was her conversation for it to already have been morning? She was left to assume it was a dream, and that Indiana had really said all those things. It all sounded like things she would''ve actually said.


    Then, hours later, she heard a knock at the door. Madeline had come to check if she was alright.


    Back to where we last picked off.


    "I''m so happy for you," Briar said, smiling.


    She quickly ushered Madeline in her room, and Madeline noticed Briar seemed happier than usual.


    "And what''s gotten you all smiles?" Madeline asked, pleased her friend was in such high spirits.


    Briar laughed softly, "I''m just happier today, that''s all."


    Madeline eyed her friend, hoping Briar would remain happy like she was now.


    "Well, I''m glad you''re happy, Bri," Madeline admitted, smiling.


    She had paid Briar a visit right before her date with Xavier. Perhaps that would help in calming her nerves. And besides, she had originally intended to sit with Briar till it was time for the date, but it seemed like that wasn''t necessary any more.


    "And I''m glad you''re going on your very first date," Briar admitted, adding, "I hope everything will go well."


    Madeline joked, "Hey, if all goes well - and I really hope it will - we could always have a second date, but this time with you and Adrian. It can be a double date. Us four, all together."


    Briar didn''t seem to dislike the idea, her eyes glimmered with something.


    "Hmm, I''ll think about it," she said.

 Chapter 152 - The Moment Weve All Been Waiting For

    It was time. Time for the moment Madeline had been waiting for.


    Madeline thought coming to the date 15 minutes earlier than what was planned was overkill.


    However, that didn''t stop her from meeting Xavier on the dot.


    ''Hubba hubba,'' Madeline mumbled under her breath.


    Xavier couldn''t stop smiling.


    "You look incredible, as always," he praised when she arrived, dressed in a cosy-looking sweater and jeans with sneakers that paired her sweater.


    Madeline giggled, "Thank you. And you too."


    "So, where to?" She asked, radiating with excitement.


    Xavier looked at her, asking for her permission.


    Madeline nodded, wondering where he''d bring her to. He looked amazing in his button-down shirt which outlined his muscular bod, and jeans.


    "Hold on tight," he said, scooping her up in his arms and bringing her someplace.


    Madeline admitted the moment they arrived at their destination, "I will never get used to travelling that fast."


    She felt like her face was going to peel off. Like it would melt or something, with how fast he was going.


    Xavier chuckled nervously.


    Madeline then realised she was standing in front of Xavier''s cabin. She gasped. It had changed since she had last come.


    "You decorated your entire cabin for me?" Madeline asked, taken aback.


    She thought it would have been something more laid back. Something more casual.


    ''Now I feel underdressed. The place looks wonderful,'' she thought to herself, flabbergasted.


    Xavier nodded, "Figured our first date had to be special."


    Madeline''s cheeks turned redder than the roses Xavier had handed to her.


    "For you, milady," Xavier said, a confident smirk on his face, hiding his nervousness.


    ''I can do this,'' he told himself, being his own hype man.


    Madeline accepted the bouquet, kissing him on the cheek to thank him.


    "You really didn''t have to, you know. So long as there''s you here with me then I would''ve been happy," Madeline said to him as she followed him to where he was taking her - his balcony.


    Xavier looked at her, "I could say the same. But, it''s my very first date. And, I hope it''s something we can fondly look back on."


    "I share the same sentiment," Madeline replied before Xavier stopped at his balcony.


    "Hope you like the view," Xavier said, not realising Madeline was looking at him instead of the spectacular view the balcony had to offer.


    "I do," Madeline answered, nodding enthusiastically before she turned her attention to the view. She added, "Mhm. I love it."


    He pulled her chair out for her.


    "Thank you," she said, taking a seat on her chair.


    Madeline stared at the food.


    How long had Xavier prepared for the date?


    "I cooked everything. With some help from Adrian."


    Staring at Xavier, Madeline could imagine the kitchen being in utter chaos with Xavier and Adrian trying to figure out how to do this and that. Then again, it was her imagination. She presumed they would''ve done it without any chaos ensuing.


    What she didn''t know, however, was that she was right.


    Xavier remembered earlier that day, spending hours in the kitchen trying to make something with Adrian to no avail.


    Adrian had whined a lot about how he would never get a date if he had to do all this and prepare all that. Then again, neither he and Xavier were experienced in cooking, so that affected how things went.


    Xavier had begun planning this day for ages.


    Perhaps because he really didn''t want to screw this up. Or because he was the type of person to plan things in advance and ensure they play out just the way he envisioned it. This date for an example.


    The moment Madeline confessed¡­ And the moment they decided to try going on dates, Xavier knew he had to utilise his planning skills to his fullest.


    Hopefully, Madeline would enjoy the date.


    And hopefully, she''d agree to another.


    He reasoned, ''Pfft, of course she''ll agree to another.''


    He blinked, wondering what if she didn''t agree to another.


    ''But, what if she doesn''t¡­''


    Shaking his head, Xavier told himself not to think about it. No, it was their first date.


    Madeline scooped a spoonful of food.


    "Eat," she said, knowing she had to be the one to make him or he''d eat nothing at all.


    He followed her orders.


    "My turn," he grinned.


    He fed her a spoonful of the food he had painstakingly made, hoping she''d like it.


    __


    "Alright, honest confession here, I was about to just invite you to the walk," Madeline admitted to Xavier after the food was finished.


    Xavier blinked, wondering where this was going, "What?"


    Madeline wondered if Xavier was magical. What felt like minutes were actually hours.


    "But then, I chickened out, I got scared and really nervous so I invited Briar along. I also told her she could bring someone if she wanted to," Madeline admitted. She exhaled, "I was going to just invite you, confess in the woods. I would hope everything goes well and if it doesn''t, it would also mean it would have been an awkward trip home."


    "Really?" Xavier asked, his eyes shining.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah."


    She laughed, "Oh my god, and remember that  time we tried making tortillas and ended up going on that picnic?"


    Xavier laughed along with her, recalling the moment fondly, "I do. Of course, I do. I had a blast with you."


    Madeline mused, "We should do that again sometime."


    She looked out at the view, a part of her still unable to process what was happening.


    This felt too surreal.


    Her going on her very first date, with the person she had feelings for.


    The novels, and the movies? It didn''t compare to this. Heck, it paled in comparison to this.


    Just being around him was enough.


    The view, the food, the decorations, the flowers, they only made it better than it was before.


    Madeline smiled at Xavier, wondering how she had gotten so lucky to be able to have even gone on a date with Xavier in the first place.


    How did someone like him have feelings for her?

 Chapter 153 - Goodnight Darling

    Madeline was flawed. She wasn''t perfect, she could be annoying at times too.


    Yet, Xavier still had feelings for her regardless.


    At one point, he had found her repulsive. He also thought she didn''t belong here, although he wanted to know more about her and decided not to let it get in the way of discovering who she truly was and why fate had paired her with him. Now? His view about her had changed significantly.


    As he gazed across from her, he thought about how far the both of them had come.


    He remembered the moment he realised he had feelings for her.


    After numerous books proving unhelpful, Xavier decided to stop finding an answer. It had taken him that long to realise that he was in denial.


    Why? Because he didn''t think he was capable of having feelings for someone. Also because¡­ He didn''t know what to do if he really did have feelings for Madeline.


    But now, he was in his cabin and on his very first date with Madeline. And he could confidently say that he tried his best to make sure everything he planned would go right.


    Madeline wondered how she had gotten so lucky. Never did she imagine her first date would turn out like this.


    Frankly, she assumed Xavier would downright reject her.


    "Next time, it''s my turn to plan the date," Madeline announced.


    Xavier blinked, "Next time?"


    Did that mean she wanted to go on another date with him?


    "Mhm, next time. As in, the next date we have," Madeline said.


    "I look forward to it then," Xavier said in return, trying to contain his happiness.


    Madeline told him, "Thank you. For a wonderful first date."


    He had planned the perfect date.


    "You don''t need to thank me, you know," he said.


    Madeline shook her head, "That''s not true, I have lots to thank you for."


    She held back so much from him.


    How thankful she was that he was there for her even whilst she was grieving, and being immature and constantly angry.


    How patient he had been despite having a busy work schedule and better things to do, and how he never left her side, despite the fact that Madeline was mourning Indiana''s death, and Indiana hadn''t exactly been in Xavier''s good graces.


    He put aside everything he thought of Indiana for Madeline. And whilst Madeline was still occupied grieving and mourning, she couldn''t be more grateful for Xavier.


    Not to mention, Xavier had to deal with the aftermath of Indiana''s death, having to address it, etc. Some thought something else had happened to Indiana, and that it was staged because of what she had done to Madeline despite that being completely and utterly false.


    So, Madeline felt in debt to Xavier. Even if he knew she felt that way, he''d tell her she shouldn''t feel that way.


    It was her that caused this. Xavier had to suffer the consequences, and he never once blamed her for it.


    Those feelings Madeline had for Xavier only increased during that period.


    She had planned a whole speech, but she ended up not telling him said speech.


    Her feelings for him were endless.


    Madeline was who she was today because of Xavier. The days she spent with him were the greatest days of her life.


    But this was their first date, telling him all this would be overkill, wouldn''t it?


    Well, Madeline thought so.


    Xavier and her left the dinner table, moving downstairs.


    Madeline glanced at the clock, it was getting late. She didn''t want it to be over¡­ Heck, time flew so fast.


    Xavier looked at the time.


    "It''s late," he said in realisation.


    He had thought it was way earlier. Did the evening really go by so fast?


    "Seems like we have to continue this next time, huh," Madeline realised.


    "Mhm," Xavier said, sounding dejected. He offered, "I can walk you back."


    "Xavier, it''s alright, you don''t need to¨C"


    Cut to a couple minutes later, Xavier and Madeline arrived at Madeline''s quarters. He had managed to convince her to allow him to join her. Besides, he did invite her on that date. It was only fair if he walked her back to her quarters, made sure she returned safely before bidding her goodbye.


    It was only temporary, he''d see her tomorrow, he knew that. But, it did feel like he''d have to wait a long time to see her again.


    ''Centuries of living, and I find a couple of hours long when it comes to waiting, tsk,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    "I can''t believe it''s over," Madeline said, a frown across her face.


    Looking at the bright side, she''d see him again tomorrow. So, that was relieving and also something to look forward to.


    "Goodnight," he said bitterly.


    Why did it have to end?


    ''You''ll see her tomorrow, quit wasting her time,'' a voice told him in his head.


    He told her, "I should go now."


    It was late at night, Madeline was probably exhausted now. He refused to keep her awake and tire her. That would be incredibly rude of him.


    Blinking, Madeline faltered, "Oh, alright."


    She was about to invite him to come in and stay for a bit, but if he wanted to go, who was she to stop him now?


    An idea surfaced in her mind.


    Gathering up her courage, she began, "One last thing before you go."


    Madeline couldn''t help but hide a smirk from her face.


    Getting on her tiptoes, she aimed for Xavier''s forehead, but ended up placing a tentative kiss on his nose. However, instead of correcting her mistake, Madeline walked through her quarter''s threshold, hiding the smirk on her face.


    Xavier was too stunned to speak.


    Madeline tilted her head to the side a bit.


    "Goodnight darling, see you tomorrow," she greeted before she closed the door behind her.


    __


    Author''s Note: Welcome to HDA''s second volume (The Two Brothers of Alaric)! Hope you all will enjoy this volume. Back to the story now.. Love, mari.

 Chapter 154 - The Painstaking Truth

    The next day, Briar awoke to an energetic Madeline banging, no, knocking on her door.


    "I went on my very first date," she said proudly, like she was a child showing off an achievement.


    "Madeline. It''s seven in the morning," Briar said to her.


    "Briar, it was so magical," Madeline said to her, unable to contain her excitement.


    Even after the date, she was hyped. It was even more amazing that she had expected it to be.


    Briar yawned.


    "You came to rub it in my face, didn''t you?" She asked Madeline.


    Shaking her head, Madeline said to her, "Of course not, I only came to talk about how amazing my first date was. Even if I already had my first kiss with him before the date, it was incredible."


    That one bit of information managed to catch Briar''s attention.


    "Wait, what?"


    Briar''s eyes widened. She was no longer half-asleep.


    "You had your first kiss already? And you didn''t tell me?" Her jaw dropped, "I feel so hurt. I can''t believe you didn''t tell me. When did you get your first kiss? Why didn''t you tell me?"


    Madeline explained, fumbling with her words, "It was before the... I didn''t think it was important to say because there was something that was obviously more important than my first kiss."


    Briar fathomed what Madeline meant the moment she started explaining.


    "Ah," she said. She leaned closer, beckoning Madeline to come closer to her, "What was it like?"


    Madeline furrowed her brows, unsure how to describe it.


    "I''m unsure how to describe it," she admitted.


    She doubted describing how she felt at that moment would be something Briar wanted to hear about.


    Besides, Briar asked what it felt like.


    Briar looked at Madeline, "Never mind then."


    She pondered over it for a moment, asking Madeline, "Are you having breakfast with Xavier, by the way?"


    Madeline''s visit had gotten her more optimistic than she already was. It was a new day, and she refused to spend it locked up in her room.


    Indiana did not want that. She literally told her she didn''t want that, so there was no denying it.


    Instead, she''d spend the day like she usually did.


    "Wanna have breakfast together?" Briar asked.


    Madeline seemed surprised but went with it. Answering Briar with, "Of course I do. You didn''t need to ask, Bri."


    She was about to ask if they should invite Indiana, before she remembered that... Indiana was gone.


    Madeline blinked, realising there was now an awkward silence between her and Briar.


    Was Briar also thinking about Indiana?


    Yes, actually.


    ''This was usually the moment we asked each other if we should invite Indiana,'' Briar told herself, missing Indiana like crazy.


    But, she wouldn''t dwell on that for any longer. She nudged Madeline, "Congrats on the first date."


    Briar could bet Xavier was also raving about how his and Madeline''s date went. She could envision Adrian coming to visit her like he had been the past few weeks, checking in on her and updating her on everything that had been happening.


    Something both Adrian and Xavier shared in common was how patient they both could be. Briar was unable to comprehend how Adrian kept visiting her. Was she really worth visiting? She didn''t think so.


    "So, breakfast?" Briar asked her.


    Briar was about to get out of bed, exit her room and head for the breakfast room had she not realised she was still in her pyjamas. Her hair was in a mess too. She couldn''t be seen like this.


    ''Right, I''ve got to change into more suitable clothing and freshen up,'' she told herself.


    "Give me ten minutes," Briar said to Madeline, getting out of bed and rushing to her bathroom.


    "Why hello gorgeous," Madeline praised the moment Briar exited the bathroom. She mused, "Seems like you never lost your fabulous sense of style."


    Briar chuckled, "Hehe, I get it from you."


    Madeline scrunched her nose, "Nonsense."


    Tying her hair up, Briar announced, "Alright, let''s go."


    One sumptuous breakfast later¡­


    "I thought the both of us would be single for life," Briar said to Madeline.


    Madeline pouted, "What do you mean? I''m not taken, I''m still single, Briar."


    Briar commented, "For now."


    "Oh come on, it''s one date. Besides, you''ll always be in my heart," Madeline said to Briar.


    Briar chuckled, "Haha, very funny."


    "Alright, where to next?" Briar asked.


    Indiana would have suggested they go bake some treats, or stroll outside. But she was no longer here.


    Madeline couldn''t help but reminisce fondly to the times Indiana would suggest something for them to do. Where she would bake them treats, come up with brilliant ideas¡­ Madeline couldn''t help but miss Indiana more.


    She hoped Indiana was happy where she was.


    Briar and Madeline decided to pay a new friend a visit, hoping he was doing better now that some time had passed.


    Then again, he had seemingly been the most affected out of anyone else.


    Why?


    Because.


    The woman he had feelings for had perished.


    She had died, and he never got to say his last goodbye.


    She had perished.


    They never even got to spend time together. They had barely known each other, and yet¡­


    He couldn''t get over the fact that she was gone. That she had died.


    Sure, he didn''t blame anyone, but it was safe to say that the loss of Indiana had impacted him.


    Madeline had told him what Indiana had told her, having to be the one to explain to him that Indiana was gone. She tried being there for him, whilst also processing Indiana''s own death.


    She was also quite surprised to discover that he had feelings for her.


    And how did she know?


    He had told her about it, the moment she had told him the truth.


    The painstaking truth, which was how Indiana was never coming back.


    __


    Author''s Note: I know, I''m annoying you all by writing another author note.. But, I''m thinking of having another mass release for Valentine''s Day, what do you guys think? Comment down below. And also, what do you think will happen next for HDA?

 Chapter 155 - Drunk Madeline (I)

    "Let''s drink," Madeline suggested.


    Briar asked nervously, "For what occasion?"


    Madeline squinted her eyes at Briar, wondering, "Do I need an occasion to drink with my dear friend?"


    Eyeing Madeline, Briar knew how this would end.


    "You have a low tolerance for drinks," she said to Madeline, being straightforward with her friend.


    Madeline reassured Briar, "Don''t worry about it, I won''t drink much."


    "Promise?"


    "Promise."


    "Fine," Briar gave in. She sighed, "Let''s go."


    "Why do you seem so down?"


    "No reason," Briar said to Madeline, using her finger to brush her tangled hair.


    ''Ow, curse my hair, why is it so tangled?'' She asked.


    "You alright there?"


    "Mhm," Briar answered casually, trying to get a knot out of her hair.


    She exclaimed in celebration, "Finally! I got it untangled."


    Celebrating with her, Madeline punched her fist in the air, "Woo!"


    Briar and Madeline then got themselves a jug of wine to drink, Briar asking if Madeline was sure she wanted to drink this much wine.


    What if Madeline ended up getting drunk? What would unravel then?


    Well, Briar''s predictions came true.


    Just like that, Madeline guzzled down one glass of wine.


    Then another one.


    And another one.


    By the time Briar had finished one glass, Madeline was well into three. Or was it four? Briar wasn''t sure.


    "You have got to slow down," Briar said to Madeline, wondering why her friend was in such a rush and just being so reckless.


    Madeline hiccuped, "What are you talking about? I don''t need to slow down. I''m fine, Briar, I promise. I just feel cold, so I drank some wine to warm me up."


    "That much wine does more than just warm you up, Maddie," Briar said to her, wrapping an arm around Madeline''s shoulder to support her in fear Madeline would fall of her chair or do something else like leave when Briar wasn''t properly paying attention.


    "You stay here," Briar said to Madeline, who sat right beside her.


    "Where else do I have to go?" Madeline asked, seemingly left with no choices but to stay there and wait for Briar to return, "And where are you going?"


    "The restroom. Now stay," Briar told Madeline, who yawned in boredom.


    Drinking was boring. She wanted something more interesting. Like social interaction.


    Yes, social interaction was just what she needed.


    "Where''s Xavier?" Madeline asked, swivelling her head around to get a glimpse of Xavier to see no one there with her.


    She asked, forgetting where Briar went as she scratched the back of her head, "Where did everyone go? Why did they leave me alone?"


    Fighting back tears, she said, "They left me alone again..."


    Getting off of her chair, Madeline left Briar''s room, just as Briar was leaving.


    "Hey! Where are you going? Madeline, come back!" Briar exclaimed, managing to hear Madeline trying to leave just as she was washing her hands.


    It seemed like Madeline had gotten drunk already.


    Briar easily caught up with Madeline.


    "You''re so fast," Madeline commented, swaying from left to right, "How do I become fast like you?"


    Massaging her forehead, she said to Madeline, "This is why we shouldn''t have drunk. You have a low tolerance for alcohol in general."


    "Well, it''s okay. I have an amazing friend like you here with me."


    Briar frowned, scolding Madeline, "I won''t always be here with you though. I won''t always be here when you drink too much or do something else at the end of the day."


    Madeline sniffled, "I know. Everyone''s going to go at some point. Look at Indiana."


    She mumbled to herself next, ''She isn''t here anymore because of me. I''m the bearer of bad luck who''s constantly bringing pain and misfortune to everyone in my life.''


    Her sniffles became louder, "I do nothing but bring pain to those who I care for most."


    Briar looked concernedly at her friend, "Don''t say that. You don''t do that."


    "But Indiana¡­"


    "No," Briar said firmly, "Indiana chose to go to the woods with us. I''m not saying it''s her own fault, but it''s certainly not yours."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really. No need to ask," Briar said, visibly irritated by Madeline''s own words.


    Madeline shouldn''t be blaming herself for what happened to Indiana. She had no part to play in that.


    It could have been anyone. It just had to be Indiana.


    Madeline wailed all of a sudden, "Xavierrrrrr."


    Briar''s eyes went round. Oh luna.


    Like clockwork, Madeline began marching towards Xavier''s office.


    "Oh no you don''t, you''re staying here, Xavier''s very busy."


    "I know that, but I have to tell him something very very very importanttt," Madeline slurred.


    "It can wait."


    Briar grabbed Madeline by the hand.


    "Ow! That hurt. I thought you once told me feelings can''t wait," Madeline grumbled, crossing her arms like a little kid would when they were throwing a tantrum and refusing to do something they were told to do.


    Briar found herself baffled by her friend.


    "Feelings? You want to tell him about your feelings?" Briar asked, slackening her hold on Madeline.


    "I do," Madeline nodded, pulling her hand away from Briar and rubbing it whilst she winced in pain. Briar sure had a strong grip.


    "And you want to tell him about it?" Briar asked.


    She shook her head. No, this was all a part of Madeline''s plan. Maybe she really did want to tell Xavier about her feelings for him, but she wouldn''t allow her to disturb Xavier whilst he was in the middle of work.


    What Briar hadn''t accounted for, however, was how Xavier had walked outside, hearing Madeline''s voice and wanting to hear what the commotion was about.


    Xavier did a double take.


    He asked incredulously, "What¨C"


    "Alpha Xavier!" Briar greeted, trying to hide Madeline behind her.


    "Hello there," he greeted in return, before turning to Madeline, who looked pale.


    Tilting his head, he knitted his brows together, asking Briar, "Is Madeline alright?"


    Briar summarised everything that had happened in the shortest way she could think of: "Madeline''s drunk."


    "And why is she here?" Xavier questioned.


    "Because¨C"


    "Xavier!" Madeline exclaimed, reaching for Xavier.


    Xavier allowed Madeline to embrace him.


    Yep, this was the work of drunk Madeline.


    Briar walked over, "I can take her off your hands, I know you''re a very busy person, Alpha Xavier."


    The corners of Xavier''s mouth twitched into a smile, "No no, it''s fine. Leave her with me."


    He had never seen her like this before. She was adorable. Then again, she also wouldn''t remember everything that happened so that was another bonus.


    Briar was taken aback. Was Xavier really offering to supervise Madeline?


    Alright, supervise was the wrong word for it. Madeline was drunk, she wasn''t an infant that needed supervising at all times.


    Madeline mumbled something that both Xavier and Briar managed to hear, "Why do you smell so nice all the time?"


    Briar presumed she was referring to Xavier.


    "Alright then, I''ll leave her in your capable hands, Alpha Xavier," Briar said to him, knowing what Madeline intended to do.


    Xavier nodded slightly, "Very well."


    Hiding a mischievous grin, Briar greeted her pack''s alpha adieu, before she left.


    Madeline was in capable hands. Besides, Xavier had offered to take good care of her. Who was she to decline her alpha''s offer?


    "We should get you a seat," Xavier said to her, steadying her.


    "Yeah, we should," Madeline slurred, "Oh oh oh! And I have something to tell you."


    Xavier found his curiosity peaked. Drunk people were honest most of the time. Anything they said was supposed to be honest, no?


    "What is it?" He asked, wondering what Madeline had to say to him.


    He held back a breath, did it have something to do with the date yesterday?


    Or what she thought of him?


    Ding ding ding, Xavier had gotten it right the second try.


    "I already told you once," Madeline began, stuttering and slurring her words.


    "I have feelings for you."


    Xavier wondered where this would lead.


    He prompted, "You''re right, you already told me that. So, what is it that you want to tell me?"


    Madeline acted like it was obvious. Well, in all fairness, it was.


    "My feelings for you."


    She paused for a moment, trying to remember a word that had seemingly vanished from her memory.


    "Duh," she added finally, after a long moment of silence.


    "Is this a confession?" Xavier asked, tilting his head to the side.


    Madeline tsked, telling him, "Wellllllll when you loooook at me like that with your charmingly handsome face it''s hard to lie to you."


    Xavier decided to pour her a glass of water, trying not to pay much attention to what she was saying.


    As he poured water into a glass for Madeline, she confirmed, "It is a confession."


    And in the process, nearly making him pour too much water in the glass and spilling it.


    "A confession, you say?" He asked, now more curious than ever.


    What did Madeline have to tell him that he didn''t already know?


    And why had sober Madeline hid it from him? Why did he have to find out from drunk Madeline?

 Chapter 156 - Drunk Madeline (II)

    Drunk people were more likely to tell the truth, no?


    They were more likely to be brutally honest with whomever they were with¡­ And it seemed like Madeline was no exception.


    She yawned, beginning to get sleepy.


    Xavier said to her, "Let''s get you to bed then."


    Just as he was about to pick her up in his arms, Madeline shook her head, pouting dejectedly.


    Folding her arms across her chest, she said to him, "But I want to stay with you¡­ Why can''t I just stay with you¡­"


    Xavier looked at her, wondering why he took pity at her. This was just drunk nonsense, right?


    She began sniffling, "I just wanted to tell you about¡­"


    Madeline had difficulty trying to form sentences. It seemed like the alcohol really went to her brain, she slurred, "My feelings for you that I never got to tell you before."


    "This can wait for another day," Xavier said to her, knowing it was best he didn''t try to pry anything out of her whilst she was in this state.


    If Madeline came to, and remembered what he had done, she''d kill him!


    "It can''t," Madeline hiccuped.


    "Oh? Is it that important?" He replied, asking.


    "It is," she nodded, grateful he knew how important the matter was.


    And then, she told him everything.


    How¡­ She never wanted him to leave because she loved him with all her heart. And how she couldn''t help but fall for him because he had never been anything but good to her. Even whilst they were still strangers and barely knew each other.


    He was compassionate, caring¡­ She could go on and on. And whilst she was drunk, these were actual, sober thoughts of Madeline.


    Xavier was too stunned to speak, unable to do anything other than listen as Madeline poured her heart into telling him about her feelings for him.


    Madeline told him absolutely everything, not leaving anything unbeknownst to Xavier, who was still having trouble processing everything.


    How her heart ached whenever she wasn''t with him¡­ How she was sad whenever he was, and happy whenever he was.


    She told him of the moment she realised she had fallen head over heels in love for him, and how her heart felt warm whenever she was with him and whenever they did something as simple as have a conversation, or feed each other food.


    As she had put it, ''I don''t know what you did to me, but you''ve got me under your bewitching spell. All I think about is you.''


    She hiccuped, getting even more sleepier now despite continuing her spiel.


    Madeline knew better than to let this opportune moment slip out of her hands so fast.


    Then again, this was drunk Madeline thinking, and sober Madeline''s thoughts. However, it was to be noted that drunk Madeline was still in control.


    This was why Briar told her not to drink.


    Madeline told him about how her chest pounded whenever he mentioned another girl¡­ How her heart would beat faster than it usually would whenever she laid eyes on him¡­


    She said that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him if she could, and that she never considered another man ever since she had come to the jaw-dropping realisation that she was already madly in love with someone else.


    "I sound stupid¡­ but¡­ I love you," she told him.


    She hugged air, her body laying on two chairs.


    What Xavier didn''t know was not one bit of her confession was false or made up on the spot. Everything she said was true. Everything she said was what she felt for him, and more.


    "What I feel for you is indescribable, Xavier¡­ there won''t ever be enough words for me to use to tell you how much I care for you," she said.


    She apologised next, getting everything she ever thought off her chest, "And I don''t understand how someone like me managed to catch your attention and be your mate. I''m sorry for being an incompetent mate¡­ I''m sorry for being me¡­"


    Xavier couldn''t believe his ears. Was she really apologising to him for being too incompetent of a mate for him?


    He whispered softly, now stroking her soft locks, "You were never incompetent. And you never had to apologise, pup."


    A faint smile managed to come across Madeline''s face, "I love it when you call me that."


    Xavier chuckled, "Then I should call you that more often, huh."


    Madeline nodded, smiling with her eyes closed, "You shouuuuuuld."


    Would she come to realise she''d regret this once she sobered up and woke up in the morning?


    Who was to say? Madeline was still drunk now.


    "I don''t know how I was lucky enough to be paired with someone as perfect as you," Madeline breathed deeply.


    It was hard to take her seriously when she was drunk and slurring her words, but Xavier found it easy to take her seriously. He was once amused. Now, he was curious what else Madeline thought of him¡­ and also celebrating inside.


    There were thousands of mini Xaviers in his mind, running around with his hands up in the air, celebrating after what they heard Madeline said.


    Xavier knew it sounded stupid, but he couldn''t help but smile bashfully after hearing what Madeline had to say.


    And in all fairness, who wouldn''t?


    The lady had confessed her feelings for him, not to mention, she had told him everything she thought of him, leaving nothing off the table.


    Everything was on the table. Everything was open to be discussed.


    Xavier wondered if Madeline would come to regret what she said today.


    He vowed he''d never come to make her regret her feelings for him. He also wanted to find a way to bring her back without starting another spiel.


    Xavier knew he looked like a fool, grinning and smiling to himself as he slowly processed what Madeline told him.


    They were made for each other, he and her. They both shared feelings for each other, and Xavier couldn''t help but admit¡­ if he were in her position, he''d likely do the same thing she did. Confess all his feelings for her so that it was all out in the open.


    It would have been nice to get it off his chest, although he couldn''t do that at that moment since Madeline likely wouldn''t remember what he told her.


    Hmm, maybe that was a good thing though.


    If she wouldn''t remember¡­


    "I have feelings for you too, Madeline," Xavier said to her, patting her on the head.


    Madeline heaved a sigh of relief. She told him how much she couldn''t believe he had feelings for her, and how it still came as a shock to her to that day.


    Baffled, Xavier asked her, "Why does it come as a shock?"


    Madeline rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Because I didn''t think you''d reciprocate the feelings I have for you. If I were in your position, I''d hate myself."


    Xavier furrowed his brow, going on the defensive, "What do you mean, you''d hate yourself?"


    He took her by the hand, crouching and all. Telling her, "I care about you Madeline. I don''t hate you. I don''t think I could ever bring myself to hate you. The feelings I have for you? They''re real. Very."


    Madeline snored, and Xavier laughed softly.


    So now when it was his turn to confess to her, she fell asleep.


    What perfect timing she had.


    He couldn''t help but take some time to stay beside her. She looked adorable sleeping.


    ''Please don''t tell me this is just a dream,'' he thought to himself.


    Pinching himself, he sighed relievedly, "Nope, not a dream."


    It was real.


    The girl of his dreams confessing to him was a hundred percent real.


    He made a mental note to tell Adrian what happened - of course, he wouldn''t embarrass Madeline, he''d only tell Adrian what she told him.


    His heart fluttering, he whispered, "We should really get you to your quarters before you wake up here."


    Even though he knew Madeline couldn''t hear him, and that she wouldn''t wake up since she was a deep sleeper, he took his time carrying her to her quarters.


    He doubted he could refuse staying with her if she woke up and asked him to stay.


    Telling Madeline no was difficult.


    Difficult was an understatement, actually.


    "There you go, easy does it," he said as he laid Madeline on her bed.


    Looking around, Xavier suddenly felt obliged to stay and watch over her.


    What if she rolled off the bed and hit her head?


    ''No, I can''t let that happen. I have to stay.''


    Well, what he was really doing was making excuses for himself so he could stay and watch over her. Also because¡­ Why not?


    Xavier reasoned, ''I suppose I could postpone my work.''


    This seemed like the millionth time he had said that this week alone.


    Madeline snored, still in a deep sleep. It didn''t seem like she would wake up anytime soon.


    Xavier sighed, ''No, I can''t postpone my work. Not again. I''ll just do it quickly, get it over with and come back.''


    Feeling guilty, he placed a tentative kiss on Madeline''s forehead before he left for his office.

 Chapter 157 - Her Pain Reliever

    Madeline yawned, finding herself in her comfortable bed.


    "Ow, my head," she said, clutching her head and wincing from the pain.


    Seemed like the alcohol had gotten to her, as Madeline was faced with a severe headache.


    "What happened? Who brought me here?" She asked, looking around to see no one there.


    Just in time, the door creaked open.


    "Who''s there?" She asked, her voice panicked.


    "It''s me, Xavier," Xavier answered, glad she was awake.


    It had been hours. He was just about to wake her to eat dinner.


    Maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ They could eat dinner together.


    Madeline sat on her bed, her eyes round.


    "Xavier," she said, her voice raspy.


    He didn''t bring her here, did he?


    Did he see her whilst she was drunk?


    ''I wasn''t a hassle, was I?'' She thought to herself, her mind an utter mess.


    "What are you doing here?" She questioned.


    Xavier smiled nervously, unable to shake away the events that had occurred a few hours ago.


    "I came to wake you up for dinner, but it seems like you already woke up," he answered, his voice soothing.


    Madeline asked, narrowing her eyes at him, "Why are you acting differently than usual?"


    "I''m not acting differently than usual," Xavier denied.


    "Did you see me while I was drunk?" Madeline asked, her eyes wide and her bottom lip trembling.


    Had she done something? Said something to offend him?


    "I''m sorry, I don''t usually get drunk, I¨C"


    Then, something came to Madeline''s mind. It was a memory of her telling Xavier something. She remembered being in Xavier''s office, telling him how she couldn''t comprehend how she managed to catch his attention and be his mate in the first place. How she was sorry for being an incompetent mate and sorry for being herself¡­


    Madeline''s hand flew to her mouth.


    Xavier was wearing the exact same thing in the memory.


    No¡­


    Had she said something else?


    ''Is this some mind trick? Is my brain trying to mess with me by bringing this up?'' Madeline thought, her heart pounding erratically.


    By the confused expression on Madeline''s face, Xavier thought of two things. Either Madeline was facing a hangover, or she remembered something that had happened hours ago.


    "What happened? When I was drunk," She asked, turning to Xavier for actual answers, her voice shaky.


    Xavier''s suspicions that she knew something was confirmed when she asked him about what happened whilst she was drunk. The question now was - should he tell her or keep her in the dark and feign ignorance?


    He knew better than to keep secrets from her.


    After all, she poured her heart out to him. Shouldn''t he be honest to her at the very least?


    "You were uh¡­"


    "You can tell me," Madeline gently prompted.


    She didn''t think it was¡­ that¡­ bad.


    Not until she heard Xavier say, "You told me about your feelings."


    Madeline let out a timid squeak.


    "How much did I tell you about my feelings?"


    From Xavier''s reaction, Madeline could tell she told him everything. Or almost everything.


    ''Wow, it''s been barely a month and I''ve already told him everything. That took shorter than I expected. Urgh, I should''ve listened to Briar and never gotten drunk. Why did I drink in the first place?''


    Madeline slumped on the pile of pillows, "Ah."


    "I thought it was cute," he said, chuckling.


    "Cute? The drunken confession or¨C"


    Xavier remembered Madeline clinging onto him and refusing him to leave her side. He had to wait till she fell asleep before he could do anything. He was aware that that was Madeline''s own way of showing how much she cared for him whilst she was drunk, of course.


    "What you told me," Xavier replied, fighting back a smile that was trying to take over.


    Madeline groaned, knowing she was better off not knowing what she told him. She felt like passing out.


    ''Look at the bright side, if I do pass out, I''m in the best possible spot to faint,'' Madeline reasoned, fanning her face and trying to hide her bright red cheeks from Xavier.


    "Madeline?" Xavier asked, snapping her out of her train of thought.


    "Hmm?" She asked absentmindedly.


    "Did you mean what you said?" He asked, wondering if her words were just something she spouted in her drunken stupor.


    "You mean, my confession?" Madeline whispered.


    Xavier nodded slowly.


    She scratched her head, trying to remember everything she said. Only bits and pieces of what happened came to her head.


    "Honestly, I have no idea what I said to you. I mean, I remember some parts, but¡­ what I do know is¡­"


    Looking Xavier dead in the eye, she told him, "I don''t know how I was lucky enough to be paired with someone as perfect as you in this life. There won''t ever be enough words for me to use to tell you how much I care for you."


    She paused, as if trying to remember something. "Ah yes, and¡­ uhm, that, I do actually quite like it when you call me pup."


    She winced, wondering why she had said that.


    ''Way to go Madeline, now he probably thinks you''re creepy,'' she thought to herself.


    Xavier''s eyes were round. Madeline wondered what was going on in his mind.


    Never did she think he was freaking out and wondering how he would put his confession into words now that she had so beautifully put hers.


    He felt like he was no match for her. Madeline was too good with her words.


    Did this have to do with her enjoying reading romance novels in her free time? Xavier guessed so.


    Unable to form a coherent sentence, Xavier mumbled, "Thanks."


    She had just said the same exact things as when she was drunk.


    Madeline smiled slyly, knowing Xavier probably felt awkward, "I''m only telling you the truth, there''s really no need to thank me."


    She acted strong, although she still had a massive headache.. Now that Xavier was there with her, the pain seemed to be alleviated by quite a bit, but she doubted she would be left scot free by her choice to drink that day.

 Chapter 158 - Am I That Horny?

    Xavier was still too focused on one fact.


    That Madeline had just told him the same exact things as she did when she was drunk. Did she mean to tell him that everything she said was true? Including¡­


    Including the ''pup'' part?


    His heart felt warm all of a sudden. Xavier wasn''t aware that Madeline saw him that way, it was still shocking to him.


    "Are you hungry?" He asked her, worrying if he had bothered her with his questions.


    Madeline smiled bashfully, "Err, a bit."


    Xavier told her, "Want me to grab dinner for you?"


    Blinking, Madeline nodded, stammering, "Y-yes please."


    Xavier shot her a sympathetic smile before he left, clearly in a rush to fetch her dinner for her.


    Madeline laid on her bed, wondering what just happened.


    Had she really confessed to the man so casually?


    She placed her hand on her lips.


    Alright, Madeline had to admit. She missed something.


    And that something was the feel of his lips on hers.


    Yes, yes. She had received her very first kiss from Xavier, but she was missing the feeling of being kissed.


    One would think Xavier would be a horrible kisser since he had never had experience kissing anyone before, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    The soft feel of his lips, the way Madeline wanted to just¡­


    She didn''t think it was appropriate for her to even think about it.


    When¡­ When had she become so perverted? Hmm?


    "What has happened to me?" She asked herself, her cheeks now redder than the roses Xavier had given her for their very first date.


    Why was she so perverted all of a sudden?


    ''Am I that horny?'' She questioned, curious.


    She buried her face in her hands, this was the first time she had felt this way. And Madeline had to admit, she found the notion quite strange.


    They had gone on their very first date, they weren''t going to do anything soon.


    ¡­right?


    "When will he be back for dinner?" Madeline wondered, wanting to see Xavier again.


    Hmm, a way to see Xavier again would be a second date.


    ''This time, I''ll initiate it, hehe¡­ Since he planned the first date, it would only be fair if I invited him out for the second, no? I must begin planning, I need to make it special too,'' Madeline thought, wondering what they would do together.


    Something that was simple, but fun at the same time. Something she wanted to do with him and only him.


    No one else.


    ''Hmm¡­ What do I do?'' She wondered.


    It had to be an ingenious idea. One that would interest Xavier. After all, there was no better way to show how much she cared for him than bringing him out on a date and showering him with love and affection too.


    Maybe they could even cuddle afterwards!


    Madeline felt her lips tingle at the thought of cuddling with Xavier.


    He looked like he''d be comfy to cuddle with in bed.


    Smacking her head, she told herself, "Why am I thinking like this? I should really stop."


    Wondering if pervertedness could be spreaded from one person to another, Madeline wondered if Briar had transferred her pervertedness to her. She wasn''t usually this¡­ imaginative.


    Madeline smacked her face with a pillow.


    She was down bad.


    There, she admitted it.


    She was down bad for Xavier.


    And she couldn''t pretend like she hadn''t grown feelings for him. Hiding it was futile now.


    Thinking about how Xavier had feelings for her in return only made her smile like a fool.


    ''He has feelings for me too,'' she whispered, looking up at the ceiling.


    Maybe they could just look up at the stars and tell each other everything.


    That could make a great date¡­


    Well, anything that included him and her in private was a great date in her opinion. But¡­ that didn''t stop her from trying to make it as special as possible.


    He had made their first date magical. Wasn''t it fair she did the same?


    ''I swear that I''m going to plan an amazing second date, one that Xavier will like,'' Madeline swore to herself.


    A knock came from her door.


    "Xavier?" Madeline asked hopefully, deliberating how he could possibly have returned so quickly.


    That was way faster than she expected.


    "It''s me, geez. Did you think I was Xavier?" A familiar voice asked her.


    Madeline''s eyes went round.


    Whoops, it seemed like she had mistaken Briar for Xavier. In all fairness, he said he''d return, so it was only a matter of time.


    Briar let herself in, knowing Madeline was stuck in bed.


    Madeline said apologetically, "I could''ve opened the door, you know."


    Shrugging, Briar reassured her, "It''s fine. You stay here, rest up."


    Pouting, Madeline said to her, "What''s it like never being able to be drunk since you have a fast metabolism?"


    Briar thought to herself, ''Hmm, that''s a good question.''


    "I''m not sure what it''s like since I never was able to get drunk. You know I don''t have a fondness for drinking, although I will drink on several occasions. But¡­ having a fast metabolism has its downsides too. At first, I used to feel hungry, although now I can suppress my hunger a bit so it''s not that bad."


    Madeline got out of bed, despite Briar telling her to stay and rest up.


    Madeline patted Briar on the back before realising she was wearing the same thing as before she had gotten herself drunk.


    Madeline heaved a sigh of relief. What if¡­


    No, she didn''t want to think about it.


    Wondering what had gotten her friend all nervous and flustered, Briar poked a bit of fun at her, "So, something must have gone down with you and Xavier."


    __


    Author''s Note: Is it strange to say I''m very proud of this chapter title? Okay, moving on. Also, volume 2 is when the real action happens.. And when Mr Villain gets introduced¡­ But who''s the villain I''m talking about? You have to read to find out of course, and who knows, maybe there''ll be chapters with snu-snu. No promises though¡­

 Chapter 159 - Happy Alpha, Happy Life

    The colour Madeline''s cheeks were the moment before returned, tinting her smooth, porcelain cheeks.


    She gulped, wondering if Briar could easily tell by how she was acting alone.


    "I''m only joking," Briar said.


    It was now her turn to give Madeline a pat on the back, the poor girl seemed like she was about to faint.


    "Don''t joke about that," Madeline insisted, her cheeks beet red.


    "Ahh, alright  alright I won''t. Since you told me to," Briar said, making a mental note not to bring it up again.


    Madeline smiled at Briar appreciatively, before she went on to tell Briar, "I told Xavier about my feelings for him. Except, I gave him more details and I was drunk so I don''t remember exactly what I said."


    Briar''s eyes widened, "You did what?"


    She cleared her throat, realising her reaction might have given Madeline the wrong impression.


    "Well, I''m happy for you, I know how much you care about Xavier," Briar said, giving Madeline a slight nudge in the shoulder, "And how did he react?"


    "He smiled, then he offered to grab dinner for me," Madeline responded.


    Briar tilted her head. That meant Xavier would arrive any moment now. It was only a matter of time.


    "So he''s coming back?" Briar asked, now tempted to leave so she wouldn''t interfere or intrude on anything.


    "Yeah," Madeline nodded, noticing the expression across Briar''s face.


    "You know you could always stay, we haven''t had a girl''s night since¡­"


    Madeline paused, knowing she had dug a hole for herself unintentionally.


    The room turned sombre.


    "What I meant to say was," Madeline began.


    Briar shook her head, knowing Madeline didn''t mean to bring that up either, "It''s fine."


    "If you want me to stay, I will," Briar said. She then asked her friend, "And how are you doing? You just woke up, no? Are you still facing a hangover?"


    Madeline nodded miserably, "I am. But it''s not too bad, hopefully it''ll go away soon with sleep."


    ''Yes, sleep. That''s what I need right now. And food. I''ll eat, then sleep.''


    She pinched her arm, beginning to rethink it, ''Or maybe I shouldn''t¡­''


    Briar asked Madeline, "Is there anything I can get you? Water? Xavier?"


    Madeline laughed softly, "I love how you included Xavier."


    Speaking of Xavier, where was he?


    Well, Xavier was panicking, wondering if she wouldn''t like the dinner he picked out for her.


    Briar could hear someone outside Madeline''s quarters, fumbling and muttering to himself. She presumed it was Xavier, and she was right.


    Xavier hesitated when it came to knocking on Madeline''s door. Seemed like she had a visitor, Briar was there with her.


    "Ah, screw it. I did say I''d bring her dinner," he said, knowing damn well Briar could hear her.


    He knocked on her door, and Briar told Madeline to stay put and not move.


    "Well, I can''t really move, can I? Everywhere''s sore," Madeline pointed out, rolling her eyes and chuckling.


    Briar opened the door to see Xavier holding a tray of dinner for Madeline.


    She had to remind herself not to gasp from surprise.


    What had Madeline done to Eudora''s alpha?


    Briar had trouble piecing everything together.


    Wasn''t this man feared amongst the entirety of Alaric? Other werewolves who knew his name trembled, others could only hope they were a part of Eudora. Those that were there were the best, and only the best.


    Sure, news had spread throughout Alaric that Xavier''s mate had finally made herself known to everyone. But Briar still found it shocking, seeing Xavier holding a tray of food for Madeline, with a look of worry and concern in his eyes.


    Briar chose to remain silent, greeting the alpha and opening the door wider for him.


    Madeline smiled the moment she saw him enter, "Xavier."


    Briar made some excuse, realising it was best if she left despite Madeline saying she''d love it if Briar stayed.


    She could talk to Madeline sometime else, she had all the time in the world, whilst Xavier had a busy schedule and a lot on his plate. So the fact that he made time for her and seemed genuinely worried was heartwarming, even to Briar.


    "I''ll see you later, Madeline. Goodbye, Alpha Xavier," she greeted before she left to see Adrian.


    "You know I could have gotten dinner myself," Madeline whispered, touched.


    "It''s fine, besides, it didn''t take too long."


    Xavier was about to offer to feed her, but he thought Madeline would refuse.


    Madeline mumbled, "I never got to eat dinner in bed before¡­ among other things."


    "What was that?" Xavier asked, too busy thinking about something else to hear what Madeline had to say.


    Madeline shook her head, insisting it was nothing.


    Xavier could have sworn he heard Madeline talk about something that had to do with beds.


    He blushed, thinking something irrelevant to what he came there to do. Ahh, what had she done to him? All it took was her mentioning something about beds.


    Walking over to her, he placed the tray of food on her bedside table.


    "Do you want me to leave?"


    Staring at him, Madeline asked dryly, "Now why would I want you to leave?"


    She had just confessed her feelings to him, telling him everything she thought of him. And he was under the impression that she wanted to be left all alone.


    Madeline stared at the food he had brought her, her mouth watering.


    Xavier knew her well enough to pick out exactly the type of food she enjoyed most.


    "My compliments to the chef," Madeline said, enjoying her food.


    ''I feel like a glutton, eating in front of him without offering him anything,'' Madeline thought to herself, feeling extremely selfish about her actions.


    Xavier smiled to himself although it wasn''t him that had made the food. Sure, he had cooked everything for their date, but otherwise, the food was left for one particular person to make every day.


    The pack''s own chef, a man by the name of Paxton. A delta in the pack.


    He made a great fighter, and a great chef.


    Of course, the others could choose to cook their own dishes and use the other kitchens to cook as well as the other dining rooms to feast in, but these days, no one dared be spotted by Xavier roaming around Eudora.


    Until the day before, of course.


    There was a term that went something like, happy wife, happy life.


    In Eudora, it was different.


    Happy alpha, happy life.


    So if their alpha was miserable, so would they be.


    Hmm, maybe that exerted pressure on Madeline, but Madeline usually ended up lifting his mood instead of ruining it.


    "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t be eating in front of you," Madeline said, her eyes filled with guilt.


    "Tsk, you still have a hangover, no?"


    He ruffled her hair, smiling reassuringly at his friend, "I''ll be fine. Just eat, don''t worry about me."


    Madeline wanted to thank him for being so considerate and patient with her. Especially when she was drunk.


    "Also, is it strange that I want to see what you''d be like if you were drunk?" Madeline asked curiously, looking up at the ceiling.


    Xavier scoffed, "Well, I''d be able to answer you if I had ever gotten drunk before. But, I never have. However, if you want me to tell you what you told me while you were drunk, I could always do it without any further hesitation¡­"


    The lady''s face turned pale. She nearly coughed out the food she just ate.


    "What are you trying to say?" She asked.


    "Look at you, you''re blushing," Xavier said, feeling prideful he was successful in making Madeline blush.


    He found her adorable when she was blushing and all that.


    "Quit being so charming," Madeline said, blowing her spoonful of soup so she wouldn''t burn her tongue when she tried to drink her soup.


    "You''re making it very hard for me to eat, you know," she said jokingly.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know you''d be so taken with me to the point you have difficulty eating," Xavier said.


    Madeline wondered where Xavier got this sudden boost of confidence. No no, she wasn''t complaining. She was just¡­ in shock.


    Playing along, she said to him, "Of course I''m taken with you. You''re perfect."


    Well, Madeline wasn''t lying.


    Xavier pouted.


    Madeline patted an empty space on her bed beside her, signalling Xavier to sit beside her.


    She was seated on her bed, her legs criss-crossed whilst she ate her food innocently.


    Xavier walked over to her, not following her signal and sitting down. He held her hair back whilst she tried to drink her soup, knowing soup would get in her hair if he didn''t do so.


    Holding her hair back¡­ Now, what other scenario would he be holding her hair back whilst she was doing something?


    ''Gah! What is wrong with me? Why am I thinking such thoughts now? She''s just drinking soup,'' Xavier thought to himself, scratching his own head.

 Chapter 160 - Did Something Happen To My Daughter?

    Emilio had missed being visited by Madeline. His daughter had been visiting him less and less, and that worried him. Was she alright?


    Did something happen to her? And was Xavier aware of what had happened to his dear Madeline?


    "Xavier!" He exclaimed in annoyance once he could no longer take it.


    The man, who had heard his name being called, zipped to Emilio''s room.


    What was it this time?


    Xavier looked just as annoyed as he was when he asked Emilio, "What is it, Emile? Another one of your requests? I told you I can''t fulfil them. I can''t just excuse you of¨C"


    "That''s not what I called you here for, I called you here to ask you about my daughter."


    Tilting his head to the side, the young man questioned, "What do you have to ask about Madeline?"


    His annoyance towards Emilio subsided. Was the old man really just worried about his daughter? Was that really the only reason he had called him here?


    "She didn''t visit me the day before. Or today. Is she alright?"


    "And how do you know if she''s not alright just because she doesn''t visit you for two days straight?" Xavier inquired, wanting to know.


    "My gut feeling is telling me something is wrong with Madeline," Emilio said.


    Xavier lowered his voice, explaining to Emilio, "Madeline is alright. Why she didn''t visit you the other day, I have no idea. But she got drunk and is now having a hangover."


    "Did she eat dinner?"


    Xavier nodded, relieving Emilio of his worry, "Yes, she has. I made sure she did."


    "Thank luna," Emilio said gratefully.


    Even Xavier could tell he cared about his daughter.


    Xavier had warmed up to Emilio. Hmm, it wasn''t really warmed up, but he wasn''t as cruel to Emilio as he was before. He was a tad bit more lenient. Maybe it was because Emilio was still Madeline''s biological father one way or another. If anything happened to him, she''d be distraught.


    They had developed a father-daughter bond. If anything happened to Emilio? Madeline wouldn''t forgive herself. Ever.


    She had already lost Indiana. Then Emilio too? It would be too much to bear on her part.


    Emilio gritted his teeth. Madeline never got to tell him how her date went. Did it go well? Did Xavier treat her well?


    He hoped Madeline was doing alright, and that she was happy during yesterday''s date with Xavier. Of course, Emilio had no say in Madeline''s personal business, although he did feel slightly hurt his daughter didn''t think of him.


    She had other things to do rather than talk to him.


    "Anything else you would like to ask me? I''m going to leave now, if you don''t have any more questions for me," Xavier said flatly.


    "It''s not a question, but it''s a reminder," Emilio said. Staring at him, he told Xavier, "You and I both know what happened that day was no accident. Someone''s out for you and your friends."


    Taking a deep breath, he admitted that he only told Xavier this because it concerned Madeline. If she was in danger from whoever had planned that attack on Xavier and the others on that day? Emilio would never forgive himself. Or Xavier for that matter.


    Madeline was the only family he had left. She was also the only child he had. Even if he had multiple children, his worry for her wouldn''t subside. He still cared for her, despite only knowing her for a relatively short while. She took after her mother in some ways, and she seemed to be fond of her father too.


    Xavier nodded, "I know that. I''m having Adrian look into it."


    That was when Emilio frowned, something he had taught Xavier was not to trust people so easily. Then again, he wasn''t foolish. Emilio was fully aware who Adrian was. Adrian was Xavier''s beta, meaning if he told Xavier to doubt Adrian and not trust him, Xavier would not like that.


    "Excellent," Emilio said, slightly proud of Xavier.


    Good for him.


    The only reason he told Emilio what he had done was because Emilio was not the one behind it. It didn''t make sense. If there was even a risk his precious daughter would be harmed and the end of the first werewolf''s bloodline would come, he wouldn''t do it. Heck, if he truly was the one who was behind this, that would have meant someone was helping him. Someone within Eudora. That seemed very unlikely, and Emilio had made that very clear.


    As he had put it while in a fit of rage when he discovered what happened, as well as how he wasn''t able to help fight the ferals off, ''I''m going to kill the bastard who dares try to hurt her the next time I lay eyes on him.''


    "Also, how did the date go?" Emilio asked Xavier, changing the topic since Xavier didn''t seem so pleased that Emilio brought it up.


    Yes yes, Emilio knew about how Xavier wanted to take Madeline out on their very first date.


    Xavier strangely felt obligated to ask Emilio for his permission to bring his daughter out on a date. He figured it was the least he could do considering Emilio was still Madeline''s father.


    And luckily, Emilio allowed him to. It was clear that Xavier made Madeline happy, and if his daughter was happy, Emilio just couldn''t say no. Could he?


    If he did, Madeline would kill him. Maybe literally, Emilio didn''t know.


    What he did know was that he had grown fond of his daughter. She took after Cornelia in some ways, in the sense she had the best of her. She was strong, resilient¡­ she had an uncanny resemblance to Cornelia. It was stupid now that Emilio thought about it.


    Why didn''t he realise sooner? He felt like an idiot.


    A faint smile was now on Xavier''s face, "It went well."


    Emilio squinted menacingly at Xavier, about to ask him a question before he stopped himself.


    Xavier folded his arms. Best to leave before Emilio asked any more questions.


    "I''ll take my leave now."


    Emilio had been moved to a different place, and into a room. That way, he could clean himself up, and someone was assigned to bring him food everyday. Madeline had offered to do it, but she couldn''t do it everyday.


    Of course, Emilio had no complaints about it. Moving someplace more comfortable was already a miracle.


    Truth be told, had it not been for Madeline, he would have died long ago. So, he would cherish this with his life.


    And then, he was all alone.


    __


    "I''m baaaack," Xavier announced.


    "Xavier, what are you doing here?" Madeline asked, baffled. She had to admit, she figured Xavier would be occupied with work.


    She was unable to meet his gaze, feeling guilty for wasting his time like this.


    "You didn''t have to visit me, you know. I have other ways to occupy myself."


    Shaking his head, he said to her, "I came to check if you were alright. Do you still have a headache?"


    Madeline smiled sweetly, and the corners of Xavier''s mouth twitched into that of a faint smile.


    "Nope! Thanks to the food you brought me, I''m feeling better," Madeline said, placing her hand on her lips. She told him, her eyes gleaming with thankfulness, "Thank you, sweetheart."


    Xavier had to look away so Madeline wouldn''t be able to glimpse at the look painted across his dashingly handsome face. The lady had never called him sweetheart before, it was a new experience to him.


    "No problem, pup," he replied, noticing the way Madeline''s cheeks reddened.


    It always worked. Xavier''s own nickname for her never failed to make Madeline blush.


    "You are adorable," Xavier said to Madeline.


    Madeline''s smile widened. She chuckled, "Not as adorable as you, hehe."


    They exchanged praises back and forth, before Madeline surprised him by patting the spare spot on her bed.


    Blinking in confusion, Xavier wondered what Madeline was trying to tell him.


    With a dirty look on his face, glancing back and forth between Madeline and the bed, he told himself he had gone too far.


    ''What is happening to me? Why am I thinking such vulgar thoughts? Tsk, I should stop,'' Xavier told himself in frustration. He had never felt this way for a woman before. Correction, he had never felt this way for anyone before. Not just a woman.


    "You must be tired after a long day," Madeline said.


    This time, she talked to him as his friend, not as his¡­ more than a friend.


    They hadn''t really clarified what they were.


    Madeline and Xavier had gone on a date, but it was safe to say that the two were confused as to what they were and never thought to bring it up to each other. Besides, they were still enjoying each other''s presence and having fun. Madeline doubted it was the right time to discuss what they were.


    Yet, she couldn''t help but wonder¡­ were they good friends? Best friends?


    More than friends?


    ¡­a fling?

 Chapter 161 - His Sleeping Pill

    Madeline shook her head. She couldn''t have been more wrong.


    If anything, she was certain this was not a fling.


    She had feelings for the man that was in her quarters with her. She had fallen head over heels in love with him, there was no denying that anymore.


    He knew that too.


    But¡­


    Madeline realised that he had never told her much about his feelings. Sure, he had displayed them and shown her countless times how much he cared about her, but¡­ she wished he''d tell her, as selfish as it sounded.


    Xavier had taken his coat off and hung it on one of the coat hangers nearby. He had also taken his shoes off.


    Biting her lip, she looked at him, wondering what this man was thinking about.


    Did he know she was really as crazy for him as she had once told him?


    Was he aware that she would do anything for him?


    He now sat beside her on her bed. It felt strange, but soothing.


    His presence was calming, and Madeline yawned, beginning to get drowsy again. She felt like a lazy pig that could only wake up, eat, and then return to sleep.


    Then, he placed his hand on top of hers.


    Madeline stared at their hands, and intertwined her hands with his like it was natural. She smiled bashfully, and her heart was beating so fast to the point she heard it beating loudly in her ears like a drum.


    Xavier still couldn''t believe it.


    The woman loved him back.


    Well, she may not have told him she loved him but those things took time.


    "When you told me about your feelings for me, I couldn''t have felt happier," Xavier admitted, gazing at her intently, his eyes twinkling with pure happiness.


    His attention was all on her now.


    His affection for her was something he wanted to announce atop of mountains.


    When she confessed her feelings for him, he was too stunned to speak. He wanted to gobble her up, or hold her tight and never let go no matter what.


    Wherever she went, he would follow like a lovesick puppy following its master. If only she knew what she had done to him.


    And yet, he found herself falling for her more and more by the day. It was like clockwork. No matter how much he told himself he couldn''t be more enamoured in the woman, he constantly surprised himself.


    Being around her made him happy.


    "Are you there, Xavier?" Madeline called, tilting her head questioningly when he had failed to answer her question and stared blankly at whatever was in front of him. Was he dozing off?


    When he still didn''t answer her, she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling her body being lulled to sleep.


    "Madeline," he said breathlessly before he drifted off into a deep sleep.


    The next day, Adrian found himself searching the entirety of Eudora for Xavier.


    The man was worried as to where his friend had gone. Adrian had even gone as far as to visit Emilio and ask him if he had any idea where Xavier was. But no, there wasn''t any news.


    Xavier would have returned to his office by now. But no. He wasn''t even at his cabin.


    For some strange reason, Adrian hadn''t checked Madeline''s quarters. No one had replied to him when he knocked either, so he assumed Madeline was still asleep. He refused to wake her up, he was terrified to deal with a mad Xavier when he discovered what Adrian had done.


    So, when he was left desperate, he unlocked Madeline''s door with the keys Xavier had kept in his office. Xavier had told him where he left them in case Adrian would ever need access to any room in Eudora. Breaking Madeline''s door seemed like overkill, so he chose this less violent and more peaceful way of entering Madeline''s quarters.


    And to his surprise, he had found his missing friend asleep, beside Madeline.


    Adrian couldn''t believe his eyes. Xavier was actually asleep. If that wasn''t all, a smile was stretched across his face. He seemed so happy. So peaceful.


    The man was too hesitant to wake his friend up with how happy the two of them looked. He felt obligated not to ruin this.


    Adrian knew Xavier deserved some rest. Besides, the other pack members would understand. He was simply worried as to where his friend had gone and wanted to know if Xavier was alright.


    But now that he saw Xavier like this, he knew there was nothing to worry about all along.


    However, Adrian had to admit that there was a tad bit of jealousy in his heart when he saw Xavier like this. He was reminded of when he and the woman he used to love were like this, and could spend their time together.


    His eyes filled with regret, knowing he could have been like this with the woman if she had not¡­ He refused to think about it. Seeing Emilio had only made him think this way, there was nothing more to it.


    Besides¡­ Adrian had to admit, while there was residual pain in his heart whenever his deceased lover''s name surfaced in his mind, it didn''t hurt as much anymore.


    Perhaps it was because he had someone else he had feelings for, or perhaps it was because seeing his friend happy like this managed to stop him from feeling so gloomy and depressed about it.


    Either way, he was happy for Xavier.


    Adrian was well aware Madeline confessed to Xavier. And without a doubt in his mind, he knew how much Xavier cared for Madeline too.


    They were a perfect match, complimenting each other. Adrian also happened to know that Xavier usually had trouble sleeping. Heck, he had never seen Xavier rest up before or take time for himself. Not until Madeline showed up.


    It was like she was his sleeping pill, helping him sleep with ease.


    Adrian knew it was best to leave them be, leaving the room as quietly as he could.

 Chapter 162 - I Slept With Him

    Xavier yawned, waking up to unfamiliar surroundings.


    Where was he?


    He certainly wasn''t in his cabin, nor was he in his office.


    Xavier blinked when he realised there was something on his shoulder. Something that hadn''t budged or moved an inch since last night.


    He turned to see-


    ''Madeline?!'' Xavier thought, his eyes going round with anxiousness. He thought to himself, ''Did I really fall asleep in her quarters?! Was I that exhausted?''


    Xavier then realised this wasn''t as bad as he was making it out to be.


    ''She looks adorable when she''s asleep,'' he admitted, moving a stray strand of hair that was in front of her face away.


    Hmm, he had to admit, it wasn''t so bad that he had fallen asleep. Sure, he felt obligated not to move so as to not wake the petite girl up, but at the same time¡­


    He didn''t want to move away.


    Say, if he didn''t have a job, he would have stayed right by her side, waiting patiently for the moment she would wake up so he could greet her. But, things didn''t go his way. Not this time, at least.


    However, he seemed to be fortunate that day, as Madeline seemed to stir.


    She wondered when her pillow had become so tough. Wasn''t it supposed to be soft and fluffy?


    ''I''m in my room, so why¨C''


    "Morning, beautiful," Xavier whispered, his voice husky and deep.


    Madeline nearly shrieked from embarrassment.


    She had fallen asleep on his shoulder!


    "M-morning," she stammered, unable to contain her excitement.


    The lady had to admit, she was glad to have been able to wake up beside him.


    "Slept well?" She cocked her head questioningly.


    "I did," Xavier answered, a grin across his face.


    "You should go now, I''ve kept you for long enough," Madeline said, a sheepish grin on her face.


    A part of her longed for him to stay.


    Alas, Xavier had to go. It wouldn''t be long before someone came in search of Xavier.


    "What time is it?" Xavier asked, glancing at the wall clock.


    Maybe, just maybe, it wasn''t too late and he could stay for a bit longer. Even better, they could get the chance to have breakfast in bed! Wouldn''t that be great?


    His eyes went round.


    Madeline hadn''t noticed how late it was either. They really had slept in.


    Xavier wondered why Adrian hadn''t interrupted him and Madeline''s slumber. Had Adrian really not noticed his absence? Or did his friend decide to leave him alone to get some much needed rest?


    Whatever Adrian''s reasons were, Xavier knew he had to leave.


    Shooting Madeline an apologetic look, Xavier rushed out of her room, coming across Briar who was about to visit Madeline.


    "I''ve got to go," he said in a panic.


    Madeline was about to bid him goodbye before he vanished, leaving her all alone in her quarters.


    "Alpha Xavier?" Briar asked, surprised to see him coming out of Madeline''s quarters¡­ wearing the same exact thing he did yesterday.


    Xavier acknowledged Briar''s presence, nodding curtly at her before rushing off.


    Briar - who was now curious as to what Xavier could have possibly been doing in Madeline''s quarters - used her powers to quicken her pace, making it to Madeline''s door in seconds.


    Knocking on Madeline''s door, all kinds of thoughts ran through Briar''s mind.


    She had never seen Xavier looking so dishevelled in her life. He was wearing the same exact thing as when she had last seen him, which was the day prior, and he seemed to be in a rush.


    No¡­ he hadn''t. Wait, did he?


    Briar couldn''t be sure about it until she heard it from Madeline herself.


    The moment she was let in Madeline''s room, Briar didn''t give Madeline time to ask her what she was doing, visiting her this time in the morning.


    "Why did I see a dishevelled looking Xavier exit your room? Did you sleep with him?"


    Madeline nodded, wondering why Briar seemed to be making a big deal about it. Well, it was a big deal, but not as big a deal as Briar was making it out to be.


    What Madeline didn''t take into consideration was that Briar''s meaning of ''sleep with him'' and hers was different.


    "Yeah, I did," she answered nonchalantly.


    Briar''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    She didn''t believe what she had just heard come out of Madeline''s mouth.


    Had they actually done the deed? In Madeline''s quarters?


    "Why do you seem so calm about it?" Briar stammered. She asked next, "Is your energy so drained to the point you can''t even bother to act like losing your virginity is a big deal?"


    Blinking, Madeline cocked her head questioningly, "Losing my virginity? What does sleeping with him has to do with losing my virgi¡ª"


    Realisation washed over her like the waves did on a beach.


    ''OHH, so that was what she meant by sleeping with him.''


    Madeline waved her hands vigorously, shaking her head as well.


    This was all just a misunderstanding.


    "No no, it''s not what it looks like. Xavier just fell asleep here, Briar."


    Madeline remarked, pouting this time.


    "Stop being so perverted."


    It was Briar''s turn to pout. She said defensively, "Well, I''m sorry. I just saw Xavier leaving in such a rush, I just immediately thought it was¡­"


    Briar figured it would be best if she stopped talking.


    Madeline frowned, "Is that really what it seems like? Like I had sex with him?"


    Briar chuckled nervously, a bead of sweat rolling down her face, "Xavier was blushing like crazy, and he was wearing the same thing as he did yesterday. His clothes and hair were in a mess and I saw him leaving your quarters so¡­ to me, it seemed like a no brainer. He didn''t seem like he was in a bad mood either, he seemed pleasantly happy. I doubt anyone else saw him though."


    Madeline''s eyes twitched.


    What she said next had Briar roaring in laughter.


    "But, if we did have sex¡­ my quarters aren''t soundproofed. They would all be able to hear me¡­ it would have been mortifyingly embarrassing," she reasoned, frowning.


    Briar nearly doubled down and fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. But, she couldn''t do that. She refused to upset Madeline when it was her who had brought it up.


    When Madeline saw Briar fighting back a smile and giggling, she found herself utterly confused.


    Wasn''t it supposed to be loud? Madeline had heard many things about having sexual intercourse¡­ But she had never done it before. Was she saying the wrong thing?


    "What?" Madeline asked, looking Briar in the eye. She questioned, "Did I get my facts wrong?"


    Briar clutched her head, "I would have to have experience to be able to tell you that."


    Right, Briar was in the same predicament as her.


    She scratched her head, trying to change the subject as their conversation had turned¡­ awkward.


    Madeline told Briar, "I promise, we did nothing more than sleep."


    Frowning, she muttered to herself, "We didn''t cuddle either. We fell asleep before we could do that."


    Perhaps it was her wishful thinking, but if she had been any less tired than she was last night, she would have proposed they cuddle¡­ or watch a movie together!


    Briar let out a chuckle.


    "Well, I trust you. If you tell me you didn''t do anything then of course that''s the truth," Briar told her friend before she paused, asking Madeline then, "Also, are you still facing a hangover?"


    Madeline shook her head, realising that her hangover was gone.


    "I don''t feel dizzy anymore, I feel just fine."


    She was grateful. When she was having a hangover, she felt plain miserable. Now that it was gone, Madeline felt back to normal.


    Breathing deeply, Madeline asked Briar, "What about you? Got any plans today?"


    Briar eyed her friend, wondering what was her point of this question. The way Madeline was looking at her with hope gleaming in her eyes, it was like Madeline wanted her to say she had no plans.


    And just as Madeline had hoped, Briar admitted she had no plans for the day.


    "I already had breakfast, and I was planning to maybe talk to Adrian about pack matters¡­ but that''s all. Now, care to tell me why you asked? Why do I feel like you have something in mind already¡­"


    Madeline confirmed Briar''s suspicion.


    "You''re right, hehehe. I do have something in mind."


    She lowered her voice, "I need your help planning something, Bri."


    Briar knitted her eyebrows together, wondering what Madeline possibly needed her help with when it came to planning something.


    She plopped down on Madeline''s bed, asking her, "You don''t have to ask, I''ll help you with anything. So, what''s the ''something'' you need to plan?"


    Madeline beamed, looking like a child who had just received her favourite candy from her mother.


    She kicked away her comforter and moved closer to Briar, whispering in her ear, "It''s me and Xavier''s next date.. I''m going to ask him out."

 Chapter 163 - Letters With A Side Of Death

    Briar never expected the day to come this soon.


    Sure, she teased Madeline about her feelings for Xavier before Madeline confessed to Xavier, but she was still¡­ in shock.


    Nevertheless, she was happy for her friend.


    She cooed, "I can''t believe it. My friend''s going to ask the man she has feelings for out and go on her second date. My goodness, you''re growing up so fast."


    Briar wiped a non-existent tear from her face, feeling like a mother watching her daughter grow up.


    Madeline scoffed, "He still has to say yes, you know."


    Briar smirked, "I doubt you have to worry about whether or not he''ll agree to the second date."


    Her friend scratched her cheek mindlessly, "Not sure about that, but I''m taking your word for it."


    Nodding, Briar shot Madeline a reassuring smile.


    "So, got any ideas about what you want your next date to be? I''m sure you wouldn''t just opt for any date idea."


    Grinning, Madeline nodded, "Right. Of course I wouldn''t. Ahh, you know me too well."


    Briar nudged Madeline in the rib playfully, "Of course I know you too well. I''ve been your friend since your uni days¡­"


    Tapping her finger on her chin, Briar gasped, "I wonder how Xavier would react if he discovered what you were like in univer¨C"


    The girl was quickly cut off when Madeline interjected, "Don''t you dare!"


    Briar teased her, "Fine, but I bet he''d be willing to find out."


    Madeline folded her arms across her chest, "I''m not so proud about the person I was back then."


    She poked Briar playfully, "And also, how have you and Adrian been doing?"


    A blush grew on Briar''s face - she was as red as a tomato.


    "Why ask so suddenly?"


    Madeline patted Briar''s shoulder, noticing the expression across her face, "Because whenever I talk about Adrian, it provokes this kind of reaction from you."


    She couldn''t help but giggle and point out, "You''re blushing."


    Briar was in denial.


    Shaking her head, she said to Madeline, "I''m not blushing, I think I have an allergic reaction to something in your quarters."


    "Really? An allergic reaction? Just when I mentioned Adrian?"


    She scratched her cheek mindlessly, "How strange. And what terrible timing."


    Briar nodded, "Exactly. It''s terrible timing, really."


    Perhaps it was Briar''s wishful thinking alone, but she wished to melt into a puddle. That would be the perfect way to escape the conversation.


    It was then, out of the corner of her eye, something caught Briar''s attention.


    "Madeline," she began, wondering what it was.


    "There''s something on your window," she said, pointing.


    Madeline rolled her eyes, "Briar, that won''t work."


    She knew Briar was lying about the allergic reaction, this wouldn''t fool her either.


    What Madeline didn''t know, however, was that Briar wasn''t trying to trick her. There was really something at her window.


    Briar walked over to her window, picking up two envelopes. She read aloud, "To Ms Delcour."


    She then read the other one, "To Ms Alva."


    "Wait, so there''s something that''s actually on my window?" Madeline asked, baffled.


    Staring at her, Briar questioned, "What, did you think I was lying when I said there was something there?"


    Madeline admitted, now feeling a tad bit guilty, "Well yeah, kinda."


    Briar handed the envelope addressed to her, a smug expression on her face, "Here you go. It''s proof I''m not lying."


    Madeline read the front of the envelope. Turning it over, she opened the envelope, taking a letter out of it.


    At the same exact time, Briar pulled out her letter and read it. A horrified expression took over her face.


    The letter was short and read, ''To Ms Alva, I hope this letter finds you well. I know you''re a woman that would want me to get straight to my point so I won''t stall. Meet me at the waterfall, or else your beta friend dies.''


    Madeline''s letter wasn''t much different, except¡­ It read, ''To Ms Delcour. I invite you to have the pleasure of meeting me right outside the waterfall in Eudora. Your boyfriend knows where it is. Also, speaking of your boyfriend. If you choose to ignore this letter, then he dies.''


    She covered her mouth with her hands.


    Briar felt her knees weaken.


    Who¨C Who would send her such a thing?


    Madeline pressed the letter against her chest, hiding it from Briar.


    Pressing her lips together, Briar said to her, "I-I have to go somewhere."


    Nodding, Madeline didn''t try to stop Briar. She had to do something as well.


    "Alright, see you later," she said to Briar.


    Briar rushed to the door and left, on the way to Adrian''s office. This was something he had to see. He just had to.


    "Adrian," she called, knocking on his door.


    Her heart thudded in her chest.


    Adrian opened the door to see Briar with tears shining in her eyes.


    "Adrian," she said, feeling terrified.


    He ushered her in his office, wondering what was going on. Briar was never this scared. Heck, most of the time, he found her intimidating. He also found her fun, especially when they bickered and bantered.


    But this was a different side of Briar he saw.


    The moment they were in his office, Briar asked him, "Did you receive anything?"


    "Receive anything? What are you talking about?" Adrian inquired, seemingly confused.


    Briar heaved a sigh of relief, before another knock came at the door.


    Adrian opened the door to see no one there.


    However, he noticed something on the floor.


    "Oh? Someone sent me a letter."


    Briar''s eyes went wide. They had never been this round before.


    This had to be some sick joke, right?


    Adrian realised Briar was holding a letter in her hand as well. Was the letter why she seemed scared?


    It had to be something quite scary if it managed to terrify even Briar. She was a strong person - who didn''t let much things ruin her day, or mood.


    He opened it and read it as quickly as he could.


    Briar''s bottom lip quivered as she told him, "Someone threatened to kill my friend if I don''t go somewhere."


    And just like that, he brought her in a tight embrace.


    He refused to tell her what his letter had mentioned, but he thought that Briar needed a hug.


    All Briar could do was stare forward in shock. She had never expected to hug her pack''s beta. But this wasn''t Adrian the beta that was hugging her. It was Adrian, her dear friend. The same friend some mysterious person threatened to kill.


    It definitely wouldn''t be easy, and Briar wasn''t sure if this person wasn''t just bluffing and making this up. Maybe nothing would happen¡­ but who knew?


    Briar was curious as to what the letter had stated.


    "It''s going to be alright," Adrian said, ruffling her hair.


    He was certain it would.


    There was something different when it came down to his and Briar''s letter. Something that told him this wasn''t just some pack member trying to play tricks on anyone else.


    ''Did Xavier also get a letter?'' He wondered, thoughts racing through his mind.


    He couldn''t tell Briar since she seemed too distraught to listen to reason, but he knew this wasn''t what it seemed like.


    Well, he hoped so at least.


    Adrian whispered, "I''ll talk to Xavier about it. We''ll sort this out."


    Briar and him separated from their embrace. She glanced at him, "Sort this out?"


    Pursing her lips, she said to him, "You''re acting so calm, like you''ve got everything under control."


    It was one of the things she admired about him, really. The fact that he could always keep cool and never panic. Being around him, even when Briar felt terrified and scared beyond her mind, was soothing and calming.


    She didn''t want to leave. Fear washed over her, and she doubted she could look Madeline in the face knowing what she did.


    Speaking of Madeine, what if her letter also included someone threatening to kill her friend¡­ or Xavier, even?


    Briar looked up to meet Adrian''s gaze, whispering, "What did your letter say?"


    Adrian kept quiet, knowing it was best he didn''t divulge any parts of his letter till Xavier knew. There was a good reason why he was doing this. Besides, he doubted she wanted to know.


    Why?


    Because, just as this mysterious person had done for everyone else, she threatened to kill someone if he didn''t do as she pleased.


    And the worst part was, he was standing across from her, and she was looking at him expectantly, teary-eyed and waiting for an answer.


    __


    Author''s Note: I''m going to admit, I was trying to write HDA so that chapter 169 would be a smut chapter, but I can''t wrap my head around to do so without making the novel confusing for readers. And also, I apologise for not being able to have a mass release on Valentine''s day as something came up. Alright, that''s all from me. Love, mari.


    P..S. If you''re still reading, who do you think sent those letters?

 Chapter 164 - Why Do I Hear Soft Music All Of A Sudden?

    "It''s nothing to worry about," Adrian answered reassuringly.


    He refused to worry her by telling her the truth. Sure, he would be lying to her, but it was for her own good, no?


    Placing the letter down, he smiled apologetically at her.


    Before he could say anything, she asked him, "Is it really nothing to worry about?"


    He could see the fear in her eyes. Whilst his reassurance had helped a bit, she was still terrified.


    What if Adrian got injured?


    He could certainly protect himself, but¡­ no one was invulnerable. And why was he being so calm?


    Adrian told her, "I promise you, it''s nothing to worry about."


    The next thing he did shocked her.


    With an apologetic look on his face, he told her, choosing his words quite carefully,  "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''m going to pay Xavier a visit. I need to¡­ ah, consult him about something."


    Briar quirked a brow, "Consult him about something? Now?"


    Adrian nodded, "Yes, now. It''s important."


    "Alright. Besides, who am I to stop you?"


    Briar laughed, although she didn''t seem happy.


    "I''m just a delta here," she said, scratching the back of her neck.


    She shouldn''t have just barged in here. Well, she knocked, and he let her in¡­ but that didn''t make her feel much better.


    "You know I don''t consider you lower than me because you''re a beta," Adrian said to her, opening the door.


    Briar walked past the threshold, shooting him a look.


    "I know I know, I just¡­"


    She couldn''t come up with something to tell him. Sighing, she said to him, "I''ll see you."


    Adrian smiled at her, "See you."


    His heart fluttered when he left, feeling guilty for leaving her so abruptly. However, he had to talk to Xavier. It was a gravely important matter.


    He didn''t knock, proceeding to enter Xavier''s office. If his assumptions were right, Briar wasn''t the only person who received a letter from her. So did Madeline.


    So far, it was three people.


    And maybe, just maybe¡­ it was more than that.


    Maybe Xavier got one too.


    And two others, but he was unsure.


    "I received a letter today," Adrian said to Xavier, who was occupied reading something.


    He had received one too.


    Xavier clutched his head.


    While he didn''t seem to be panicking, he looked irritated. If he wasn''t in such a good mood from his amazing morning, he would have punched a hole through a wall in anger.


    But no, he refrained from doing so.


    Like Adrian, he knew exactly what was going on. Not because he had experienced this before, but because he knew someone who had.


    "Perfect, you came here just in time," Xavier said to him, not bothering to meet Adrian''s gaze.


    "You received one too," Adrian said, pointing out the obvious as his eyes noticed Xavier''s letter.


    Xavier had to admit, it was a great idea to catch their attention. Had she done things any differently, they would have scoured the entirety of Eudora, thinking the culprit was someone amongst the pack. Xavier would not have stopped until he found out exactly who was behind this.


    Sighing, Xavier asked, "Who else got it?"


    Adrian answered, "So far, Madeline, Briar, me and you. Whether he got it however, I''m unsure."


    "Hmm," Xavier pondered over it.


    She wanted to meet for dinner.


    For a moment, he wondered how Madeline felt about this. Did she have mixed feelings? Was she distraught over what she had been told?


    He clenched his fist, wondering how heartless she was. Xavier wasn''t referring to Madeline, of course. But¡­


    Shaking his head, he said to Adrian, "I''ll check in with him later. I''ll also tell Madeline there''s nothing to worry about."


    Adrian sighed, wondering why - out of all times, she chose to invite them now.


    "Couldn''t she just choose to stay away? Why now?" He asked.


    Xavier looked more curious than irritated now.


    "I suppose we''ll find out," he said.


    Deep down, he wanted to rip her into half and dispose of her rotting corpse.


    But that wasn''t possible, since she was way more powerful than he ever could be. He was left to do as she had asked him to, and wait till later that evening, when she wanted everyone to meet.


    Xavier ordered, "Free up your schedule. We''re meeting with her this evening."


    He daren''t speak of her name. She would know if he did.


    Adrian asked, "Are you really going to keep this from Madeline? Don''t you think she should know about this before she just meets up with you know who?"


    "She asked me to keep it from her."


    "And you''re going to listen to her rather than tell Madeline the truth?"


    "It''ll only be for a few hours," Xavier answered.


    Adrian pursed his lips.


    "Do I tell Briar?"


    Xavier shook his head, "Not until later on. They can''t know."


    He was reminded of the time he first dealt with this. He was terrified too.


    "I''ll visit Emilio later, tell him about what happened. He''ll probably be expecting me," Xavier said to Adrian.


    All they had to do now was wait until evening came.


    And just like that, hours passed by quickly.


    It felt like forever to Madeline, who didn''t know what to think about the letter.


    What if this person did what they mentioned in the letter? What if harm fell on Xavier?


    She couldn''t bear to lose someone else. Not after Indiana. Losing her was painful enough. And now Xavier too?


    Madeline was left to assume Briar got a similar letter. That was why she looked so distraught when she said she needed to go somewhere.


    She had chosen not to bother Xavier since she had bothered him enough. Besides, if Briar had told Adrian, it was safe to assume Xavier already knew about this.


    Maybe he had already done something about it. Who knew?


    But, her gut told her to do what the letter said. She didn''t feel like she was in danger. Heck, she felt somewhat compelled to meet with this mysterious person at the waterfall. Was that strange?


    When evening came, she was already dressed. Just as she was about to leave, Xavier paid her a visit.


    Madeline stopped dead in her tracks.


    "Xavier," she called, realising he had come to her quarters.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Xavier smiled apologetically, "Coming with you."


    Madeline blinked, "Coming with me?"


    She was at a crossroads.


    ''Do I tell him the truth or do I feign ignorance?''


    She chose to just tell him the truth. What was there to hide anyway?


    "You got a letter too?" She asked, her knees weakening.


    Xavier steadied her, telling her, "I did."


    "W-wha¨C"


    Xavier remained tight-lipped about the situation.


    "We''re going together," he said to her.


    Madeline stared at him, "Why do I have a feeling you know exactly what''s going on?"


    "No comment," Xavier said as he wrapped his arm around her waist since she was still swaying.


    "You''re coming with me though," Madeline said, bopping him in the nose although fear was still coursing through her veins.


    "I am, since I go wherever my pup goes," Xavier said proudly.


    When he saw her still looking nervous, he comforted her.


    "All jokes aside, we won''t be the only ones coming."


    "Really? Who else?" Madeline asked, her eyes wide.


    Who else would be joining them? This was getting even more peculiar.


    So letters were sent out to not just her, Xavier and Briar? Did Adrian receive one too?


    "You''ll find out soon enough, pup."


    "Are you seriously going to keep this from me? You could always tell me¡­ it wouldn''t hurt, right?"


    Xavier ruffled her hair, not exactly answering her question when he said to her, "You''ll know soon enough. Do you trust me?"


    Madeline opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out of it.


    She wanted to answer, ''Of course I do. I trust you, that goes without saying.''


    "I do," she managed to stutter.


    Madeline braced herself as his strong arms picked her up. That was one thing she would never get used to, even though she felt safe in his arms.


    To her surprise, Briar and Adrian were already waiting.


    Xavier gently put Madeline down.


    "We''re all here," Madeline noticed.


    Briar shot her a look of warning, and she gulped.


    She walked over to her, asking Madeline if she knew anything, only for Madeline to shake her head, just as confused as Briar was about this.


    Adrian informed Xavier using their mind link, seemingly amused, ''Emilio refuses to come, he thinks she''s bluffing, or that this is some sick prank being played on him by the world.''


    ''Very well, it seems like it''s just us then,'' Xavier replied, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently.


    Xavier nodded, before he whispered something into Madeline''s ear, ''Brace yourself, it''s quite overwhelming the first time.''


    Just as Madeline wanted to ask him what he meant, her surroundings faded, and soft, gentle music began playing in the background, as though they were all being serenaded by someone.

 Chapter 166 - Dearest Daughter

    Their surroundings vanished, and now, they were no longer in Eudora.


    Xavier was glad someone was left in charge of Eudora - someone he could trust. He had a feeling it would take a while.


    "Welcome to her ladyship''s grand dining room," a sombre voice greeted the guests.


    Madeline gulped, startled by the voice. Xavier gently squeezed her hand.


    She wondered where they were, and by the look that was painted across Briar''s face, so did she.


    A second voice greeted the rest, one more cheery than the first.


    "Welcome one and all to my humble abode!" A lady exclaimed, stepping out of a portal.


    Briar gasped, covering her mouth. Madeline''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    Xavier and Adrian exchanged a look - maybe they should have told them something beforehand.


    "W-wha¨C"


    A man stepped up to Xavier, bowing, "Lord Ronan, it has been a while."


    "Indeed, still working for her, I see?"


    "Of course, my lord. Wherever my lady goes, I follow," he answered, unable to meet Xavier''s gaze as he found himself unworthy to meet Eudora''s current alpha''s gaze.


    He greeted Adrian, bowing at him too, his face void of any emotions.


    "Oh don''t mind Pierce, he talks too fancy," the woman spoke, resting her gaze on Madeline, who was staring right at her.


    She snapped her fingers, and then they were transported to a dining table.


    "Sit, sit! You all must be famished!" The woman exclaimed.


    Xavier pulled a chair for Madeline, who was beyond confused at that point.


    Biting her lip, she looked at Briar, wondering if she was thinking the same thing she was.


    It was like she was looking at a mirror.


    Why? Because, the woman looked exactly like her.


    Sure, she looked like an older version of Madeline and had coral pink hair which went down her shoulders, and also seemed like she was in her mid thirties. Her features resembled that of Madeline''s too, but she couldn''t possibly be the person Madeline was thinking of, right?


    Was there a reason Emilio wasn''t here?


    The woman clutched her head and scrunched her nose when she realised two of her guests weren''t here.


    Briar gathered up the courage to ask, "Who are the two spare chairs for?"


    The woman answered, "I''m certain you know who they''re for. They''ll be running a bit late."


    She took interest in Briar, a twinkle in her eye.


    Meanwhile, Madeline was piecing everything together.


    Glaring at Xavier, she asked him, "You hid this from me? That you knew exactly who the letters were sent from and that I had an actual connection to her?"


    Xavier opened his mouth, wanting to tell her something before¡­


    "It didn''t take you that long, excellent, darling."


    Laughing softly, she confirmed Madeline''s suspicion, "Yes yes, I know what you''re thinking. And you''re right, dearest daughter."


    Briar stared at Cornelia, and then back at Madeline, her eyes round.


    Momentarily, she wondered why she and Adrian had been invited if this was a family reunion. Half of her was still frozen in shock, but the other half of her had begun thinking about it. Shouldn''t Emilio have been invited? Rosalynn too? Why the four of them alone?


    Cornelia massaged the skin between her brows, "He''s not coming, is he? I suppose I''m left with no choice."


    Xavier warned her, "He refuses to see you."


    "It''s not like there was much of a choice in the first place. How rude of him," Cornelia said.


    With a snap of her fingers, Emilio appeared, sitting on the empty chair that was positioned right beside her. He was dressed in a button-down shirt and trousers.


    Madeline could have sworn she saw Cornelia gazing longingly at Emilio.


    "Cornelia," Emilio said, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion.


    He refused to even look at her, choosing to look at the four instead. Hmm, they were here. It wasn''t just him and her. He supposed it was better than nothing.


    "Won''t even bother to greet me? After all this time?"


    Emilio''s eyes flashed, and he let out a growl. If it weren''t for Madeline, he would have threatened to rip her apart already. Screw her excuses, she had done enough harm. If anything, it should have been her greeting him.


    Madeline looked at him, looking terrified.


    Emilio''s gaze softened, and he sighed, choosing to remain quiet instead.


    ''Do it for Madeline,'' he said to himself. The man couldn''t fathom how his daughter could possibly be feeling.


    Xavier was thinking the same thing. He should have told her something at least.


    He whispered, "I''m sorry."


    Madeline didn''t reply, her heart thudding in her chest. If there was any time she was going to faint, it would be at that very moment.


    He placed his hand on hers, and she pulled away.


    She felt hurt. Betrayed.


    Like she wasn''t given a choice.


    What if she said she didn''t want to meet with Cornelia? Would she still be here?


    She had already told him she wanted nothing to do with her parents. That was, until she discovered that the only reason she grew up without a father was because her father didn''t know she existed in the first place.


    Cornelia felt the tension swarming in the dining room. This was bound to happen, she predicted it.


    Clearing her throat, she began, "Before anyone leaves, or before anyone says anything. I have something to say."


    Briar and Adrian exchanged a look, wondering why they were here, feeling out of place. Adrian in particular, was confused. Why was he here?


    Why would the sorceress invite him of all people?


    Unless¡­ She had something in mind.


    Cornelia smiled apologetically, "Pierce will escort the two of you to get some refreshments. If you don''t mind, I need to talk to them first."


    Briar and Adrian nodded, before they followed Pierce and walked through a portal into another room entirely.


    Now that it was just Xavier, Madeline, Emilio and her, she took a deep breath.


    "Right, now that the two of them are gone for a bit, I suppose it''s time for me to get to explaining, huh."


    __


    HDA MASS RELEASE (MARCH 1)


    On the 1st of March, I will do a mass release, and how many chapters I post ultimately depends on you guys, the readers. If we do not reach the goals set, I will still post a substantial number of chapters, but if you want more chapters, then keep on reading.


    If we reach:


    40-80 Golden Tickets = 5 Chapters


    81-120 Golden Tickets = 8 Chapters


    121-160 Golden Tickets = 10 Chapters


    Best of luck!


    P.S. You can get golden tickets by spending 300 coins from unlocking chapters, giving this book gifts, spending more than 300 coins during the previous month, etc.


    P.P.S.. I will take the total number of golden tickets HDA has by the end of February.

 Chapter 167 - Sorry, Im Late!

    Madeline listened carefully as Cornelia explained why she had brought them here.


    "I invited you all here for many reasons, although I doubt anything I''ll say will be able to convince you all. So, I''ll answer any questions you want, and I''ll also be a gracious host. After all, I did invite you all to dinner."


    She glanced at Madeline, knowing her daughter was full with questions she wanted to ask her.


    "All in time, of course," she said, her smile not leaving her face.


    Emilio shot her a murderous glare, and Xavier felt anger radiating off of Madeline.


    He folded his arms against his chest.


    "Seriously? You leave me for that long only to casually invite me to dinner and invite our daughter along with us with no explanation?" He asked, speaking up for him and Madeline.


    Xavier just watched, knowing it wasn''t his place to interfere.


    Emilio seethed, "I don''t¨C I don''t even remember how she came to¨C"


    Cornelia stopped him, a faint smile on her face, "Are you sure you don''t?"


    The man''s ears turned the reddest shade of red it had ever been, as he stopped talking. He looked confused, before he returned to glaring at Cornelia.


    ''Why that¨C''


    Turning to Madeline, Cornelia asked her, "You have many questions, so why are you staying silent, child?"


    Madeline snapped, "I am not your child."


    Cornelia looked like she had been expecting this. With a calm look on her face, she said to Madeline, "If that''s what you want to think then. We''re just two people who look similarly to each other and are related by blood. What do you think?"


    Xavier couldn''t believe Cornelia was tugging on Madeline''s strings. It was something she''d do, but Madeline was her daughter.


    He shot Cornelia a warning look.


    Madeline kept her cool, telling her, "Where have you been all this time? Why do you suddenly care about us now?"


    Cornelia stared at her, before she laughed again. The woman couldn''t help it, her daughter had taken after her father a lot. Even if her daughter refused to be known as her daughter.


    "Like father, like daughter, huh. You two are peas in a pod. Well, if you must know, I never started caring about you all of a sudden. I''ve always been there for you, you just never noticed, since I have my own ways."


    Madeline stared at her, "That''s called stalking."


    Blinking, Cornelia asked, "Is it really still deemed stalking if it''s watching over my family?"


    "I. Am. Not. Your. Family," Madeline said, stressing each word.


    Fire burned in her eyes. How dare she.


    Emilio couldn''t have been more proud of Madeline at that moment, watching her stand up to Cornelia was enlightening.


    Perhaps a part of him was delighted he could have dinner with his daughter without having to be confined to just one room. Even if Cornelia was there, he was still quite happy.


    Ah yes, Cornelia. His one and only.


    Emilio had all kinds of mixed feelings about the woman.


    On one hand, she was Cornelia. And a part of him was still in love with her, even after being apart for what seemed like forever. That part of him also wondered if she had found someone else. If¡­ he had been replaced by someone else. Someone else who made her just as happy as he once did.


    He hoped not, even though this was Cornelia he was thinking about. It was her who abandoned him.


    And yet, he still found himself missing her. He still found himself missing that warmth he felt whenever he was with her, and everything about her in general.


    Then, there was the other part of him, who hated her down to his very core. They could have still been a happy family. So why did she abandon him? Was it something that she saw in the future?


    Cornelia couldn''t have changed that much during the time he hadn''t seen her, right? Deep down, she was still the same person she was before, except with a couple of tweaks, unless she really did change and was different than she was before.


    ''Why am I even thinking about that? What, am I going to think about getting back with her next? She abandoned me. It wasn''t the other way around. She abandoned me the one time I needed her most, after I was there for her,'' he thought to himself, deeply hurt by her actions.


    His heart had healed, and seeing her only made all the stitches reopen.


    By then, Cornelia heaved a deep sigh, "My girl, you really do take after your father. Shame, I would''ve loved a mini me."


    The woman that sat across from her was resisting the urge to strangle her mother. That- that¨C


    And Xavier. How dare he hide this from her?


    It wasn''t up to him what she did with her family. She could have stayed back. If Cornelia brought her here with a snap of her fingers, she could have found a way to leave, no?


    "Cornelia, that is enough."


    Cornelia looked weakly at Xavier, like she knew something that they all didn''t know. Strangely, Xavier was one of the people she listened to. Among a few others, of course¡­


    "Oh alright, I was just joking anyway."


    She paused, realising she had an incoming guest.


    "Perfect timing," she noted, watching as the grand doors opened to reveal¡­ Rosalynn.


    "Aunt Rose," Madeline called, relieved to see her alright and well.


    Where had she been all this time?


    "Sorry I was late," Rosalynn apologised, wondering what had she missed when she saw Emilio looking downright frustrated, Xavier looking like he had messed up big time and Madeline more relieved to see her than she had ever been.


    "Oh, that''s alright. Come join us," Cornelia invited, motioning Rosalynn to take a seat beside Madeline.


    She muttered under her breath, a bitter look on her face as she gazed at Madeline, ''So you call Rose your aunt but refuse to acknowledge me as your mother, hmph.''

 Chapter 168 - Enter Miss Mysterious (I)

    Rosalynn took a seat, wondering what she had missed. Madeline''s mood seemingly improved now that Rose was here, or so Cornelia noticed, at least.


    Looking displeased, she replaced the frown on her smile with a faint smile, "Rose, great to see you here."


    Her daughter seemed to have a bond with Rose, and she didn''t even try hiding it. Xavier watched, feeling like he was in for disaster. Madeline would kill him. No matter what he said, she would most definitely kill him. Or be upset with him once they returned.


    With a crazed look in Madeline''s eye, she said to Cornelia, noticing her displeasure from a while ago, "How thoughtful of you to invite Aunt Rose here."


    Rosalynn smiled at Madeline. It had been quite a while since they last saw each other, and she honestly missed her. She had just decided to go someplace to mourn Indiana''s death, until she was invited by Cornelia for dinner.


    Cornelia stared at her daughter, a glimmer of unfamiliar emotion in her eye. The last she had seen Madeline in person was the day she was born. And now, Madeline was right across from her. She took after her in terms of her looks and attitude.


    Madeline reminded her of her younger self, except Madeline was more¡­


    Cornelia pursed her lips, "Of course."


    Knowing Madeline refused to be called ''child'', she refrained from repeating her previous mistake. Emilio noticed she was holding something back. Heck, he could have sworn she looked quite sad about how she was being treated by her very own daughter.


    Emilio nearly took pity on Cornelia before he reminded himself, this was Cornelia. Not some innocent woman who had been separated from her daughter at birth. But the woman who had hid her daughter''s entire existence from her own father and gave her away.


    Anger welled up in Emilio, although that seemingly didn''t affect Cornelia.


    "Why did you give me away?" Madeline asked with teary eyes, breaking the silence.


    Everyone turned to stare at her.


    Even Cornelia was stunned. An apologetic look replaced her fascinated one. Emilio had never seen Cornelia look this¡­ this¡­ guilty before. Was she really capable of feeling guilty for what she had done?


    And was she actually just sorry?


    Cornelia made a brilliant actor. So brilliant that she could tear up if she so wanted to. So was she truly sorry or just pretending to be since the woman across from her was her heir?


    Right, there was that part.


    Both Xavier and Emilio suspected Cornelia had invited Madeline and wanted to get to know her now that she had come of age and matured into the woman she was today. It seemed perfectly like Cornelia to abandon Madeline and only think of her as useful when she was old enough.


    Of course, Madeline didn''t know this either, since she was left in the dark. It was horrid enough being forced to have dinner with her biological mother she hadn''t met in decades. If she knew this? She''d be livid.


    Madeline stared at Xavier, mouthing, ''We need to talk after this.''


    Xavier gulped before Cornelia cleared her throat.


    "Right, you must have wanted to know about that," Cornelia said. She explained, keeping her cool, "I did it because it was what was best for you, and I was¡­ ah, looking out for your best interests."


    No one dared speak, and all eyes were on Madeline, who felt unprepared and nervous.


    "Best interests?"


    When did Cornelia ever have her best interests in mind?


    "There are some things you don''t know, dear," Cornelia said to her, a solemn expression on her face now.


    "Some things I can''t tell you and are best kept secret," she said next, taking a sip from a glass of wine that had appeared out of nowhere.


    Yes, she knew, she was the big bad villain for abandoning Madeline and not caring about her. She also abandoned Emilio, which only made her seem even more callous, but that wasn''t the truth.


    Well, it was, but there were always two parts of the story.


    On one hand, she did do all those things, and she had left everyone with no explanation as to why she had done them. She could have informed them or tried to stay in touch with them since she wasn''t pent up someplace or busy with something else.


    On another hand¡­ she was nearly omnipotent. She was the supreme sorceress, and that made her powerful. And yes, many were aware that she had a daughter. However, they also knew that she was estranged from her mother and that she was of no value to the sorceress. That also placed her out of harm''s way. And if she were to give her to her father instead, how would Emilio care for Madeline?


    He was still trapped in that cave, and she couldn''t possibly just break him out of the place. Not to mention, even if he wasn''t trapped, Emilio had taken countless lives from the innocent. What was to say he wouldn''t kill Madeline either? Even if she knew what type of person he truly was, she still couldn''t trust Madeline in Emilio''s care. He was practically a wanted criminal.


    Hence, she handed Madeline off to a family that could properly care for her. She did not just abandon her. But Madeline didn''t know that, so as of the moment, Cornelia was Ms Villain, and she was the person that had wronged her daughter.


    In a couple of ways, she felt like she did wrong to her daughter, but she was much too prideful to admit it, not in front of everyone there.


    As for Emilio¡­ did he really think she ever stopped loving him? They hadn''t met in decades, sure. But did he really think their love was that temporary? That it wouldn''t stand the test of time? Cornelia was baffled.


    The woman couldn''t live with the possibility of Madeline being put in danger because she was her daughter. And if she had formed a bond with Madeline, and Madeline was made out to be her one and only weakness?


    The others would soon discover that and would use that weakness of hers for their own selfish gain, and to attain whatever they wanted from Cornelia.

 Chapter 169 - Enter Miss Mysterious (II)

    She had a tough exterior, which was a vital part of being a powerful sorceress. No matter what she went through, she had to act tough and strong. Not to say she didn''t love being in a position of power.


    But what she did for her job shouldn''t have made her a villain, not to her family''s eyes, right?


    Well, she was certain both Emilio and Madeline refused to have anything to do with her now. They were busy, thinking to themselves and probably hating on her.


    "Hate on me all you want, but if you have any questions, I''m here."


    Emilio grunted in response, and Cornelia rolled her eyes at him. He hadn''t bothered to dress up, so she picked out some clothes for him.


    "I always told you you looked fabulous in white," she said to Emilio before she clasped her hands and said, "Right, enough with this tense atmosphere, we should get the other guests here."


    Rosalynn was seemingly confused, there were other guests here? Who else came?


    She thought the two chairs were just there to separate people from each other, or some other reason. She hadn''t put much thought in it since she was busy listening into Cornelia and Madeline''s conversation.


    From what she could gather, Madeline had no idea she''d be meeting Cornelia, the poor girl was left in the dark. Rosalynn could also tell that Emilio felt miserable, and also that he seemed to have missed Cornelia, what with the longing gazes he kept giving her.


    Cornelia replaced the sour look on her face with a cheshire grin. Gone was the woman that missed her lover and wanted to get to know her daughter, for now at least.


    Briar and Adrian returned from where they once were, both oblivious to what had just happened. In her hand was a glass of wine that was nearly empty.


    Briar waved at Rosalynn, wondering where she got here. She and Adrian took their seats instantly.


    With a wave of her hand, Cornelia and Rosalynn switched spots, Cornelia now sitting beside Madeline.


    Madeline''s body stiffened up, and she chanted to herself to keep calm.


    "So, tell me, you are mates with Xavier, no?"


    "I am," Madeline answered, refusing to make a fuss and break out into yells.


    Cornelia knew what she was doing. Hence why she decided to get to know a bit about Madeline.


    Sure, she knew nearly everything about the girl, so what? She wanted to hear about it from Madeline herself.


    "You must like him a lot since you two were holding hands," Cornelia said, wiggling her eyebrows whilst she teased her daughter - something she never got to do till that day.


    Madeline revealed, "I do like him, a lot."


    Everyone else was chattering amongst themselves. Briar, with Adrian. Emilio, with Xavier and Rosalynn.


    Rosalynn shot Cornelia a worried look, wondering how her friend was faring. Everyone was against her, she sensed that the moment she entered the room in the first place. She had never expected it''d be this severe though.


    She mouthed, ''You alright?''


    Cornelia had a faint smile on her face, ''I will be.''


    The woman smiled, her conversation with Madeline was nice. She sighed dreamily, "Reminds me of when me and your father were together."


    She paused, realising it was best if she didn''t let Madeline in all of that.


    Placing her hands on her hips, she asked Madeline, "I heard from a little birdie he asked you out on your very first date. How was it?"


    As she swirled the contents of her glass, she listened intently to what Madeline had to say.


    "Fascinating," she said, paying full attention to what Madeline had to say.


    After prying Madeline for a couple other details about her friend - and Xavier - Cornelia turned her attention to the woman that was meant to be Madeline''s closest friend.


    Briar tugged lightly at the collar of her dress, was she supposed to greet the woman? She noticed Cornelia staring wistfully at her. Strangely, Cornelia seemed content looking at Briar, as if she was indebted to her.


    ''Why is she looking at me that way?''


    Adrian tapped her shoulder, checking in if she was alright since she was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She shot him a reassuring look, before she caught Cornelia glaring at someone else.


    Briar had heard Cornelia was a near omnipotent sorceress. Wouldn''t that mean she knew exactly what lay ahead for all of them?


    Madeline seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she said to Cornelia, "I heard you''re an omnipotent sorceress."


    The woman corrected Madeline, "Nearly omnipotent. There are some things even I don''t know."


    Madeline said dryly, correcting herself, "I heard you''re a nearly omnipotent sorceress. Wouldn''t that mean you know what will happen next?"


    Cornelia grinned from ear-to-ear. Oh yes, she did know the future. There was just one catch - as supreme sorceress, she was unable to do anything about it. Doing so would have consequences, even if it was for a worthy cause, or for someone she cared about.


    Not that she minded, Cornelia knew what she was signing up for when she had become and assumed the role of supreme sorceress. She was a better woman for it - well, she thought so, at least.


    "And by omnipotent, what can you do?" Madeline asked.


    Cornelia scoffed, feeling Madeline mocking her with the tone she was using.


    "Insolent child," she said, before she whistled.


    The next second, something felt different.


    "W-what did you do?" Madeline asked, looking around.


    No one moved, no one breathed, it was like everything had stopped.


    ¡­it was like time had stopped.


    "For one, I can slow time. Stop time too, it''s a neat trick, isn''t it?"


    Cornelia pursed her lips, thinking this wasn''t a proper demonstration of her powers.


    "Right, right. Stopping time is too cliche of a demonstration, you''re probably expecting something more¡­ what''s that term people nowadays use more often¡­ oh, never mind."


    Extending her hand, Cornelia said to Madeline, "If you want to see more, you''re going to have to follow me."

 Chapter 170 - Enter Miss Mysterious (III)

    Their surroundings dissolved, and now they were by an unlit fireplace. With a flick of her hand, Cornelia created a ball of fire, and effortlessly lit up the fireplace.


    Madeline stared at her.


    "Aish, it''s so stuffy here now that I lit the fireplace," Cornelia said, beckoning Madeline to follow her outside.


    "Darling, what''s your favourite weather?"


    "Weather?" Madeline cocked her head questioningly. What was Cornelia going to do? Change the weather to whatever she--


    ''Oh,'' she thought, the realisation bonking her on the head.


    "I suppose my favourite weather would be snow," she said, looking up at the sky.


    With a wave of her hand, snowflakes began descending from the sky.


    One snowflake fell on Madeline''s nose.


    ''If only I got to enjoy the snow with Xavier,'' she pondered, missing him already.


    Then, she reminded herself of what he did. Yet, her mind still lingered.


    Sighing dreamily, she envisioned kissing Xavier passionately under the snow, whilst the snowflakes fell around them. She could only wish he was there with her.


    "What else can you do?" Madeline asked, her tone half curious and half impressed.


    Cornelia grinned, "Many others, but I''m afraid we don''t have enough time."


    Ah yes, her little demonstration had to be cut short. As supreme sorceress, she had other matters of business to attend to. Matters that were far more important than showing Madeline what she could do with her powers. The same powers Madeline could unlock¡­ so long as she was willing to and tried doing so. But she didn''t know that.


    "You''re still upset at me," Cornelia noted.


    Madeline nodded, even though she didn''t look the part, she was definitely still upset.


    "You never told me why you gave me up. You just did, and you never told Emilio about me either. If you had at least tried explaining it, or apologised, then¨C"


    The young girl''s eyes flashed with dejectedness. Cornelia felt a piece of her heart get chipped away.


    Cornelia revealed, "I know, dear."


    But there were just some things she could never tell Madeline.


    "It was my fault," Cornelia said, refusing to gather up the courage and the means to apologise.


    Her? No.


    She was still supreme sorceress, and she had to take it upon herself to never apologise for anything.


    Cornelia could also never ever show any weakness in front of Madeline.


    So any explanations, any apologies, they wouldn''t be coming.


    "It''s best if you don''t expect an apology, or an explanation from me. It''s not that I don''t regret what I did, I just have a habit of letting people down in this department. Take your father as an example," Cornelia said, a faint smile on her face.


    Madeline couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Correction, what she had just heard come out of Cornelia''s mouth.


    So this was all for nothing?


    The demonstrations, everything. What was it for?


    Wasn''t Cornelia trying to woo her? Or impress her?


    Pursing her lips, Madeline asked, "If you never wanted to apologise, or explain yourself¡­ then why bring me here."


    Cornelia breathed deeply, "Ah yes, that. That''s because I have something to discuss with you, and you alone."


    Narrowing her eyes, she pondered over telling Madeline this. Imparting this one piece of information would serve Madeline a great favour, although she was torn.


    Alas, her position prevented her from interfering. She had been the person to send Madeline to Xavier, but that was all she could do.


    Cornelia knew she couldn''t do anything about it. That was the consequence that came with her power. Everything she had shown Madeline was simply a tiny fraction of her powers.


    Madeline was amazed with what she saw. However, her finding Cornelia''s powers cool did not amount to what Cornelia did and her lack of explanation.


    She mumbled, sure Cornelia could hear her, "We should return to the table."


    The woman chuckled, that cheshire grin painted across her face once more.


    "Oh, we don''t have to worry about that. I''ve got it covered," Cornelia reassured.


    "Champagne?"


    Madeline shook her head, "I don''t think I should drink that."


    Cornelia chuckled, as if remembering a fond memory. Ah yes, the time Madeline had gotten herself drunk. She had checked in on Madeline - or as Madeline put it, stalked her daughter - to see her confessing her feelings to her mate whilst she was heavily intoxicated. Not that Madeline was aware she was being watched.


    "More champagne for me then," Cornelia said, a glass of champagne appearing in her hand. She commented, "It''s the perfect time to drink wine anyway, what with this weather."


    Madeline stared at her.


    "Since you have many powers, can you predict the future?" She asked, knitting her brows together.


    The woman turned to look at Madeline, her eyes examining Madeline.


    "Predict the future?"


    Strangely, she looked both offended and amused. Like she was torn between being insulted that Madeline asked her if she was able to predict the future when she had demonstrated her powers, and being amused since Madeline didn''t know the whole demonstration wasn''t even scratching the surface of her true powers.


    "This demonstration. Me controlling the weather, making things appear in my hand, making portals, controlling all elements and even more¡­ and you ask if I can predict the future?"


    Not giving Madeline a moment to speak up for herself, Cornelia smiled, "I can do so much more than just predict the future, my darling."


    And that was when she came to a grinding halt. Right, Madeline couldn''t know about the rest. It was enough, telling Madeline she could do way more than just predict the future. She could change it and alter it to whatever she pleased. However, there were some restrictions to what she could and couldn''t do as supreme sorceress.


    She had been given a horrid reputation as a power-hungry sorceress that didn''t care about anyone other than herself. And whilst that was true at one point, she could safely say that being a mother had changed her.


    ''Hmm, then again, she regards me as anything but her mother. I''m just a stranger to her that happens to be showing off my cool powers,'' she thought to herself, admittedly feeling dejected.


    Her own daughter wanted nothing to do with her.


    She didn''t expect that to sting so much. Originally, she had planned to give Madeline away, and never look back.


    Never would she check up on Madeline or see if she was doing alright when she was left all alone.


    Never would she steer Madeline in the right direction and nudge her. Heck, Cornelia was a big part of the reason Madeline and Xavier met in the first place. Not that they knew of course.


    Cornelia had told herself not to get involved, but she found herself fretting over whether or not Madeline had eaten, or whether or not she was feeling alright after her graduation.


    But did anyone think of what she felt? No.


    They were all just busy with themselves, and their own feelings. Not that she could blame them.


    Cornelia had to stay in the shadows. Suffice it to say, she had gotten into a great deal of trouble for doing what she did. And if she had the chance to change things, she refused to change it one bit.


    Madeline had grown into an incredible young woman. A woman that would one day go and¨C


    Right, one hasn''t gotten to that part yet.


    All that was there to say was that Madeline had grown so much. Time passed differently for Cornelia as it did for Madeline. Even though twenty years or so felt like forever to Madeline, it only felt like a blink of an eye for Cornelia.


    And in that blink of an eye, the only heir to her bloodline had grown up so much.


    If she was one of those emotional mothers that was openly proud of their daughters and boasted about them to fellow parents, she would have shed a tear. But no.


    She was supposed to be the callous, thick-skinned sorceress that people knew she was. Across Alaric, those that knew her trembled and feared her when her name was even mentioned. She could decimate anyone she pleased with a thought. Cornelia could make them wish they were never born and cry for their mothers.


    Emilio and her made a fine couple back in the day, both of them powerful and complimenting each other well. However, the narrative made it seem like Cornelia abandoned Emilio when he was no longer of use to her. When the idea of being with him no longer benefited her when she never thought of it that way.


    Alright, that was a lie. But, as Cornelia claimed, motherhood had changed her. It felt like she was reborn. Like the old version of her was no longer and that all she wanted to do was bring Madeline into a tight embrace and fiercely protect her so that no one would harm her.


    __


    Author''s Note: So we find out that it was Cornelia who had something to do with Madeline and Xavier meeting. Also, fun fact.. Cornelia was supposed to be completely different, but I changed her personality last minute.

 Chapter 171 - Enter Miss Mysterious (IV)

    But this was reality, and reality could be a double-edged sword at times.


    Cornelia sighed, knowing that this was enough for now.


    "I suppose it''s best if we return to the others now," Cornelia decided.


    Sure, it may have seemed like they had been gone for a quick moment, but it only felt fast. They had already left for about an hour or so.


    Madeline wondered if Cornelia would create another portal, or simply teleport back with her.


    She warned, "Darling, I think it''d be best if you closed your eyes for a moment."


    Doing as she said, Madeline closed her eyes.


    After what felt like a minute or two, Cornelia whispered, now sitting beside her, "You can open your eyes now."


    They were back at the dinner table, and Adrian was laughing nervously about something, and Briar''s face looked like it had been lit aflame. Xavier had an amused look plastered on his face and Madeline couldn''t help but feel like she was missing something.


    "What happened?" She asked Xavier, her voice devoid of any emotion.


    Xavier answered, "Something Cornelia said, is all."


    He whispered, "I''m sorry, we can talk all about it later if you want."


    Folding her arms across her chest, she looked away from him.


    Xavier''s hand hovered behind her back, unable to touch her.


    She paused. Didn''t they just return? Cornelia had been with her the entire time, so how¡­


    "Hold on a moment. How could Cornelia be with you all when she brought me to¨C"


    ''Oh. Ohhh. I suppose that makes sense,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    So Cornelia also had the ability to duplicate herself. Shocking.


    She had to admit, with everything she was being told and discovering, she felt overwhelmed. Like she had no choice or no power to do anything.


    She had been brought there against her will, Cornelia had also brought her to a completely different place where she had demonstrated her powers to her.


    Madeline felt all kinds of emotions. Confusion, anger, awe, amazement, wonder and last but not least¡­ resentment.


    Why now?


    Why was Cornelia hiding everything from her?


    Where was the explanation which was what she had wanted all this time?


    That was all she wanted. A glimmer of hope still lay in her, hoping that Cornelia would just pull her aside and tell her why she did what she did. Why?


    Madeline could think of a long list of reasons as to why Cornelia would tell her. And yet, Cornelia told her she couldn''t, and she also managed to hide the reason why as well.


    The fact that Xavier helped her - and that he kept this from her. She could have not gone at all. That way, she would have saved herself from knowing about Cornelia. From meeting her in person, and from having to deal with the aftermath of all of this.


    At the same time, she felt left out.


    At that table were powerful individuals. Xavier, the almighty alpha of Eudora. Briar, a delta of Eudora. Emilio, Eudora''s ex-alpha. Cornelia, supreme sorceress. Rosalynn, a powerful shapeshifter. Adrian, Eudora''s very own beta.


    And her? She was just Madeline.


    If not for her blood ties and her being Xavier''s mate, she wouldn''t be sitting here. She had no place here amongst everyone else.


    Speaking of being Xavier''s mate¡­ did Cornelia have something to do with that?


    She glared at the woman, wondering if Cornelia was really powerful enough to be capable of such a thing. Sure, she was powerful as is, but was she that powerful?


    Powerful enough to decide what was her biological daughter''s fate?


    Sighing, Madeline knew she wouldn''t be getting any answers from Cornelia soon.


    Wrapping things up, Cornelia said to everyone, "Would you look at the time? It seems that our dinner has to come to an end, sadly."


    Briar shot Madeline a curious look, ''Where did you go?''


    Madeline mouthed, ''I''ll tell you all about it later.''


    She took pity on Briar, who was left in the dark as well. Had Madeline known something, she would have made it a point to tell Briar in advance. But, it seemed like Briar enjoyed the dinner regardless, so that was some sort of a relief.


    The tension was still high, but it had diffused a bit. It wasn''t as tense and awkward as before. Sure, Emilio looked like he was fed up with Cornelia''s antics, but he looked like he didn''t want to leave.


    "I''ll have Pierce bring you back to Eudora," Cornelia announced, well aware Xavier wouldn''t allow her to set foot anywhere near Eudora.


    Correction, he wouldn''t prefer for her to set foot anywhere near Eudora.


    If the others caught sight of Cornelia wandering around Eudora, they''d wonder what she was doing, and if this had anything to do with Emilio.


    Rosalynn volunteered to stay, and shockingly¡­


    Cornelia blinked.


    Coughing violently, the others saw a side to her they hadn''t seen the entire time there. It was just as they were leaving too.


    She stuttered, "Y-you want to stay?"


    "Pierre, quit standing there," Cornelia barked.


    The man was about to correct her, since his name wasn''t Pierre, but Pierce. But, he decided against it and only told the rest to follow him.


    Madeline still refused to bid the woman goodbye. Xavier bid her goodbye out of courtesy. Briar and Adrian followed suit. Cornelia acknowledged them.


    Once Pierce and the four were out of sight, Rosalynn leaned in and asked Cornelia, "You didn''t tell her, did you?"


    Cornelia sighed, "I can''t."


    "If not Madeline, then would you care to explain to me what in the hell is going on?" Emilio grumbled, cutting Cornelia and Rose''s conversation short.


    He had only stayed for an explanation.


    Maybe Cornelia wouldn''t tell him when Madeline was around. Now that they were alone, maybe she''d have the heart to tell him. He figured it was the least he deserved.


    "It''s a long story," Cornelia said, shooting Emilio a sympathetic smile.


    "And I have all the time in the world. That''s why I chose to stay here. To get an explanation."


    The woman''s eyes twinkled.


    Rosalynn wondered why Cornelia still didn''t tell Emilio.


    Heck, she knew nothing about it, not until she told her. Cornelia played her cards right, knowing the only way to reach Rosalynn and lure her was to tell her the truth and explain why she gave Madeline away, etc etc.


    Of course, Rosalynn still wasn''t alright with what Cornelia had done, but Cornelia was still her dear friend. And whilst Cornelia wasn''t always right, she wasn''t wrong in that situation either.


    "You know I can''t tell you." Cornelia mumbled, beginning to rethink inviting Emilio.


    It was bound to happen - him prying the truth out of her. If this were to have happened mere decades ago, she would have relented. Told him everything there was to know without further hesitation. That was how much she loved him. So much so that she would tell him everything he wanted to know.


    And if she was being truly honest with herself¡­ Seeing Emilio again was nice.


    Nice was an understatement. It was more than just nice. It was refreshing, seeing his face. He hadn''t changed at all, even after decades of not seeing each other. She still found him attractive, and missed seeing him.


    But when duty called, Cornelia placed work over her family. So even if it meant keeping things from him now to protect him¡­ so be it.


    She wasn''t allowed to tell him because her superiors wouldn''t allow her to. Also because, fate wouldn''t allow her to.


    The truth was that she was never supposed to have Madeline in the first place. So when she did, it came as a surprise to her. It was an accident of sorts, and it rippled, causing other things to be set in motion.


    Being supreme sorceress and having a family was a dangerous combination. All those before her had to give that up to have a family. It was only right she did the same. That was why the bloodline of supreme sorcerers and or sorceresses died with them. They had no one to carry on their legacy because they chose to commit to the position. Also because having a child with such a powerful position would only bring harm to the poor, unsuspecting child.


    But, Cornelia managed. No one knew about Madeline.


    Yes, Cornelia knew what was in store when it came to Madeline''s future, and that her efforts would only temporarily protect her, but¡­ That was where a line was drawn, and where she was unable to do anything about it.


    If she did, it would only result in her getting even more hurt, and Cornelia refused to allow that to happen.


    All she could do was try to guide Madeline on the right path. Having dinner with her was already touching that line and nearly crossing that boundary. Who knew if she tried doing anything else?


    "It''d harm Madeline," Cornelia explained quietly, her throat dry and her cheeks burning up.

 Chapter 172 - Crazy For You

    Emilio''s eyes widened in sheer terror.


    Harm Madeline?


    Why would an explanation from her possibly hurt their daughter? That certainly didn''t add up.


    "And how would an explanation be capable of harming our daughter?" Emilio questioned.


    Cornelia licked her lips, only noticing how good he looked now. She shook her head, clearing her head of such indecent and obscene thoughts.


    ''Get yourself together,'' she told herself, wondering why she was still behaving this way around him when he was clearly uninterested in her now.


    That was one thing.


    Even if she was supreme sorceress, she never knew what Emilio felt. She couldn''t feel what he felt, and she couldn''t know because he refused to tell her anything. His feelings were off-limits.


    Cornelia did feel grateful Emilio didn''t speak up much during dinner. That he gave her a chance to explain herself even though she had no intention of doing so.


    Whilst she wanted to melt in his arms, tell him everything and hope for the best, she couldn''t. All she could do was tell him what she truly felt.


    "Rose," Cornelia called.


    "Right, I was about to leave anyway," Rosalynn said.


    A portal was conjured up, and Rosalynn stepped through, disappearing into another one of the many, many rooms in Cornelia''s ''humble'' abode. And by abode, one meant a castle hidden from plain sight, deep in the forest.


    Sighing with relief, she told Emilio one thing he had been waiting to hear.


    "I''m sorry."


    Tears were threatening to spill, but she kept them from falling. No, she wouldn''t show any weakness to this man. She couldn''t. That would only make him look down on her more.


    Emilio''s gaze softened, and he asked her, a tinge of worry in his deep baritone voice, "And what could you possibly be sorry for?"


    She stared straight at him, her eyes shining with tears. Emilio hadn''t seen her like this in a long time. And even if they hadn''t seen each other in decades, he felt pieces of his heart slowly chipping away.


    "Everything," Cornelia replied, her answer sounding halfway between a question and a reply.


    "For abandoning our daughter¡­ for leaving you to rot in that cave for decades¡­ for seeming like I didn''t care for you two anymore by not trying to get into contact with you all and only inviting you to meet with me now," she murmured under her breath, unable to meet Emilio''s piercing gaze.


    Whilst she apologised for it, she had never explained why she did it. That was what Emilio noticed, at least. And yet, he ached for her.


    Taking her by surprise, he brought her into a tight embrace.


    One thing Cornelia wasn''t was a liar. Not to him, at least. Besides, she didn''t have a reason to lie to him.


    "I know there''s nothing I can say to make you forgive me now, but I''m sorry," Cornelia said, knowing she''d get into trouble for saying this.


    In a way, she was like a child, fearful of getting into trouble by her parents. Except, in this situation, her parents were her superiors. Beings that were far more powerful than her and could obliterate her if they pleased. She was defenceless against them, and couldn''t interfere with what fate had already planned for those she cared about.


    Just as the four were leaving, she had shot Xavier a look. Whilst she had said nothing, what the message she was trying to convey was as clear as day.


    ''Protect the girl.''


    Cornelia was grateful towards Xavier for not killing Emilio, even after what he had done. She knew he deeply cared for her daughter. It was pointless trying to get him to prove it, although she''d get a kick out of that.


    Emilio mumbled to her, "You won''t tell me why you''re sorry, will you?"


    Yet, he didn''t seem upset by it. He seemed more worried than upset.


    He felt her nod.


    "I can''t tell you," she insisted, adding, "If I did, I would have told you from the start. I wouldn''t have told you that I couldn''t tell you. You know I rarely keep things from you¡­ I tell you everything there is to know. I always did, I trust you."


    She had a point, Cornelia ever found the need to keep things from him.


    Right, Madeline was an exception to that.


    Other than Madeline though, there was not much that she had hidden from him. A part of Emilio wanted to tell her that if she really trusted him, she''d tell him why, but he also understood. Understood why she had to do what she had to do.


    "If you can''t tell me why you did it, then nod or shake your head," Emilio said.


    "Did you hide Madeline''s existence from them because she''d be put in danger if they knew you had a daughter?"


    Cornelia gulped, nodding. He had always been great at reading her.


    Sure, she was nearly omnipotent. But when it came to her, so was he.


    Emilio knew he had made it obvious that he wasn''t capable of raising a daughter. He didn''t have to say it, both him and Cornelia knew that. It was just that no one pointed it out.


    There was also another reason too.


    One that she couldn''t put into words no matter how hard she tried. She couldn''t tell him because it would have its own consequences. Also because it would terrify him.


    Fate had chosen Madeline''s path.


    She was meant to grow up without her biological parents in her life.


    She was meant to be mates with Xavier, and meant to stumble upon Eudora and him. One way or another, she would fall in love with her mate.


    Everything was meticulously planned out.


    If something had changed, so would everything else, as little a detail as it may have been.


    Madeline would have never been Xavier''s mate.


    The girl would have been¡­ She would have¡­


    Cornelia refused to think of it, it was far too gruesome for her to think of. She wondered if this was the right moment to tell him about something she had also been keeping from him.


    But this wouldn''t affect anything.


    "Emile," she called.


    "It was nice seeing you again."


    Emilio frowned, "It wasn''t like I had a choice."


    She chuckled, "Alright, you have a point with that."


    He said to her, "What are you keeping from me?"


    Cornelia blinked.


    "Other than the reason you''re keeping why you did what you did from me. There''s something else," Emilio pointed out. He added, "I''ve known you for forever, there''s something else on your mind that you''re reluctant to tell me."


    She winced. Why was he so right?


    Why could he read her mind like it was nothing? Why was he so effortlessly amazing?


    "What else are you keeping from me?" He asked, his voice softer than before, his dulcet tones soft and soothing enough to lull Cornelia to sleep if she hadn''t been so insistent on staying awake and talking to the man.


    "Do I have to tell you?" Cornelia asked.


    Emilio wondered what it was. What else was she hiding? Was there yet another secret she was keeping from him?


    "You wouldn''t have brought me here unless you wanted to tell me something. And if you wanted to apologise, you could have written a letter or something since you''re keeping explanations from me too. Not to mention, you didn''t have to go all out and invite me all the way here," Emilio said.


    Cornelia sighed, this was why she loved this man so much.


    Did he know that she never once paid any notice to any other man than him even after all this time?


    The only things that were going through her mind were: Emilio. Feelings. Confess. Now.


    There was no better time to do it than now. It was just the two of them, and Emilio seemed to be willing to listen to what she had to say.


    She separated from him, looking him in the eye. Did he still have feelings for her?


    Probably not. He probably lost those feelings for her long ago. She had done him wrong, and it was understandable he''d have lost all his feelings for her. If she were him, she wouldn''t have even wanted to spare herself another glance.


    "It isn''t the best time to tell you this," she started, her eyes flickering with regret and nervousness.


    Emilio cocked his head to the side questioningly.


    She stuttered, "B-but¡­"


    The words were at the tip of her tongue, all she had to do was say them.


    ''Get a grip, Nelia. Don''t be nervous, there''s no need to be nervous,'' she thought to herself whilst her heart screamed and wailed for her to just tell him already.


    "I still have feelings for you," she finally spoke.


    Nodding, she repeated herself so he wouldn''t think he was dreaming or hallucinating. She placed her hands on his shoulders and confessed her feelings to him.


    "I still have feelings for you and am still crazy for you, Emilio."

 Chapter 173 - Did She Really Still...

    That was the last thing Emilio would have ever expected Cornelia to tell him.


    Did she- did she really still¨C


    His cheeks turned beet red, and he didn''t know how to feel about this. His head was telling him this crazy woman couldn''t possibly be in love with him. How could someone who did what she did love him? She abandoned him, for luna''s sake. And now she was confessing her feelings? Now she was telling him she was still in love with him even after all this time?


    Did she think of him as some sort of idiotic, naive fool?


    On the other hand, he felt like screaming on a rooftop. She said she had feelings for him. That she still loved him.


    His heart yearned to believe her, while his mind screamed at him not to fall for it.


    He stood there, looking like a deer caught in headlights, unable to move and speak.


    Cornelia chanted to herself to keep calm and not to begin panicking. She wasn''t some young girl confessing her feelings to a man she barely knew. She was confessing to her baby daddy, a man she knew loved her just as much as she did decades ago. But that was decades ago.


    She was in the present, and by the look he was giving her, she doubted he returned her affections and felt the same way she did.


    Scratching her nape, she said to him, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to make things awkward."


    Boy was that a lie.


    Had Cornelia not wanted to make things awkward, she wouldn''t have abandoned him in the past. She could have found a way, or a loophole to still be with him despite all her obligations and duties that came with her position. But she didn''t. Instead, she fled and was left in this situation. It was her who had put herself in this situation.


    Emilio had done nothing to cause this. It was all her.


    "It''s all my fault," she admitted.


    Obviously, she knew that from the start. But, she had to put it out there. That she knew she was in the wrong.


    What she had done wasn''t quite wrong, but keeping everyone in the dark was wrong on her part. Thankfully, she had Rosalynn who stayed by her side no matter what decisions she made and no matter what she decided to keep from her friend.


    She knew Rosalynn must have questioned some of her decisions, but still remained completely loyal to her close friend. Cornelia knew Rosalynn was a true friend by what she did, and that was why she made it a point to treat her friend right.


    Emilio stuttered, "I-I don''t¡­"


    "I don''t know how to¡­"


    He couldn''t even form a coherent sentence.


    ''Decades and I''m still nervous around her when she admits her feelings for me,'' Emilio thought to himself, wondering how he could have landed himself in this situation with her.


    She still looked just as she did decades ago, as beautiful and flawless as ever. Nothing changed, except for their relationship and the fact that they now had a daughter together. A daughter who was mates with the man who was responsible for trapping Emilio, although it wasn''t Xavier''s fault as much as it was Emilio''s.


    Xavier was also the reason why Emilio was still alive, so that was something to remember.


    Without Xavier, Emilio would have been dead ages ago. Yet, he had a change of heart and had mercy on the man. Emilio was indebted to Xavier. Without Eudora''s current alpha, he wouldn''t have been able to establish a proper relationship with his daughter, whom he loved very much.


    Even Cornelia could tell how he felt towards his daughter with the looks he gave her during dinner. She had to admit, she was quite jealous of the bond Emilio and Madeline had. Madeline and her never got the chance to form that type of bond, or talk about the guys in Madeline''s life. Cornelia never got to attend Madeline''s graduation in person with a huge bouquet in hand and congratulate her¡­ she never got to give Madeline a hug and be there for her when she really needed it. All she could do was watch. She never knew how much it felt like a curse until she saw Madeline in person. Her daughter, all grown up without her.


    It didn''t occur to her how much she''d hurt seeing Madeline. All her life, she had always assumed being the supreme sorceress would be a blessing. She wouldn''t regret everything she did to get to where she was, until¡­ Madeline came. It was like the world''s way of saying that they would never let her be completely happy.


    So whilst she was satisfied with her position, she would miss her loved ones.


    Why was it beginning to feel like a curse more than a blessing?


    Cornelia sighed. Her old self would have blamed Madeline and Emilio for this all. She''d insist it wasn''t her fault. It was difficult, balancing her job and being the lover to a man that had killed thousands like it was nothing.


    Not that she minded, of course. She couldn''t have cared any less about those that had died, managing to convince herself that if Emilio killed them, it must have been for a good enough reason, no?


    It was a strange relationship.


    A woman that would one day assume the highly coveted supreme sorceress position loved Eudora''s murderer of an ex-alpha.


    It wasn''t that Eudora''s own alpha hadn''t killed before either. Saying Xavier hadn''t would be a huge lie. He had, of course he did. But he did it for the good of Eudora, slaughtering ferals, and those that dared disobey the pack''s sacred rules. It was only fitting he do so to remind the others not to step a toe out of line.


    And yet, they still managed to make it work.


    Emilio cleared his throat, telling her as nonchalantly as he could, "I think I still have feelings for you too."

 Chapter 174 - I Just Want To...

    Never in Cornelia''s entire life had she ever wanted to¡­


    Right, he had just confessed his feelings to her. The feelings that he still had for her. She couldn''t help but smile and blush.


    She couldn''t feel any happier once she heard it.


    Once she had gotten her feelings off her chest, she felt relieved. Knowing Emilio felt the same way about her only made her wonder if they could ever¡­ rekindle what they once had.


    Was Madeline alright with that?


    Figuring Madeline hated her guts, probably not. But Madeline was a considerate person, she''d want what was best for her parents, no?


    Cornelia remembered how she threatened to kill Xavier if Madeline didn''t come to dinner. And how she did the same for Briar. Yet, she told Adrian and Xavier what was happening, adding her signature crest to the letter so no one would be too alarmed.


    If she had been upfront with Madeline and told her who she really was, the chances Madeline could come were little to none. And Cornelia was certain Madeline would only be more upset if she forced her to attend. It was one of the only few ways for her to have gotten Madeline to come to dinner in the first place.


    Speaking of Madeline¡­


    She curled up in bed, contemplating how she could have gotten herself here. Her very own mother had threatened to kill Xavier if she didn''t go to dinner with her, and as it turned out, she had nearly nothing to say to her daughter. All she did was say she had her reasons.


    ''Of course she does,'' Madeline grumbled, a murderous and terrifying aura surrounding her entire quarters.


    "Looks like someone''s in a bad mood after dinner," the beta said to his friend, who looked both terrified and concerned.


    "It''s all my fault."


    Adrian corrected Xavier.


    "It''s all Cornelia''s fault. Although it was kinda your fault too," he said to Xavier, who glared at him.


    "That''s what I said," Xavier said, his eyes fixed to his desk.


    He reckoned he was one of the last people Madeline wanted to see, along with her very own mother. She was probably missing her father, who was still with Cornelia, for some reason.


    Xavier knew he''d have to apologise to her for what he had done to her, he should have thought it true.


    At the same time, if he had told her, she''d refuse to come, and Cornelia wouldn''t be happy with that. Madeline would also be unable to give Cornelia a chance. Now that Xavier thought about it, he regretted his decision. He felt like a fool, doing this to the woman he loved despite her telling him she wanted nothing to do with her biological parents in the first place.


    So much for doing right by her side. He felt like a traitor.


    "Think I should pay her a visit?"


    Xavier noticed Adrian wincing at him, pausing for a brief moment before he answered Xavier''s question, "Who am I to tell you what to do?"


    "You''re my friend, that''s what," Xavier replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    Adrian felt his heart warm up, but knew better than to cause a scene and make a big deal about it. Xavier wasn''t in the best mood to be teased and played with. Best he do it some other time when Xavier had made up with Madeline.


    "It hasn''t been long since she confessed and you''re already fighting."


    Xavier stiffened, "We are not fighting."


    "What would you call it then?"


    He was stumped. What were him and Madeline experiencing?


    Madeline was upset at him, but he never thought of it as their very first fight as a¡­ whatever they were.


    "Anything but a fight," he responded with, his mind pulled in what seemed like a million directions.


    "Like a dilemma," Xavier offered, to which Adrian nodded in agreement.


    "Right, that too. So moving on from what we''re calling this, what are you going to do about it?"


    Had Xavier been a twig, he would have snapped right then and there. He was thinking of what to do, but other than apologising to her there wasn''t much else he could do to improve the situation he put himself in.


    "I''ll apologise to her," Xavier decided. If he had to beg her for forgiveness, then so be it.


    Gathering up his courage, he went to Madeline''s quarters.


    "Alpha Xavier," Briar greeted, lowering her head for she wasn''t important enough to meet Xavier''s important gaze - or so he thought.


    "Briar," Xavier greeted, asking her, "She''s upset, isn''t she?"


    Briar couldn''t help but nod. She couldn''t lie to Xavier. Besides, Madeline really was mad. There was no hiding it.


    "Good luck," she wished, before she walked away, wondering how Madeline and Xavier''s conversation would go.


    Madeline could be really stubborn at times, although she meant well.


    Xavier was let in her quarters, noticing a sour look on Madeline''s face.


    "If you came to tell me off or something you may very well just leave, I don''t need your judgement," she said, her words like an icicle, stabbing Xavier in the heart.


    "I didn''t come to judge you, pup, you know that."


    "Then what did you come here to do? Apologise?" Madeline spat, as if doubtful Xavier would apologise to her so quickly.


    She gulped as tears threatened to fall down her cheeks.


    "If you want to apologise now then why did you do it? Why did you do it if you knew it was wrong?" She asked, her heart cracking.


    __


    Author''s Note: I''m so sorry for the short chapter and the quite long author note, and if this chapter is more on the boring side. I have a terrible fever, a sore throat and am experiencing other symptoms.


    I may take a break from writing HDA, or I''ll resume posting but just keep to one chapter every day. So sorry for the inconvenience caused, I''ll make it up to you all once I recover, I promise.


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 175 - The First Casualty

    "I¨C"


    Xavier was rendered speechless. Apologising wouldn''t do anything.


    Madeline wanted to run. Not away from him, but towards him.


    "She threatened to kill you if I didn''t come. How am I supposed to react to that? I didn''t react there because I didn''t want to make a scene, but how could she possibly do such a thing? Had she explained the situation and told me why she did what she did, then maybe I would be able to come to terms with it¡­ but she didn''t. She didn''t do anything but demonstrate and flaunt her powers. I didn''t know what would happen if I didn''t come, she didn''t tell me who she was, I was left in the dark. I''m not blaming any of that on you, but¡­ you kept that from me too."


    Madeline''s eyes fixed on him, and she couldn''t help but sniffle.


    "You could have told me something. Anything. It would have helped if I wasn''t left in the dark¡­ So what happened?" She asked, her voice shaky and her mind spinning as she asked next, "D-did she tell you to keep it from me? Do you not trust me enough to tell me who was actually behind this? Did you think you were doing me a favour by keeping me in the dark?"


    "I''m sorry," Xavier apologised, looking down at the floor. He said to her, "She told me to keep it from you. I never hid it from you because I didn''t trust you or anything, I promise. I was just trying to¡­"


    He hesitated, "I was just trying to¡­"


    What was he supposed to say?


    Madeline took a couple steps towards him, wrapping her arms around him which took him by surprise. He wrapped his arms around her, whispering those two words into her hair, "I''m sorry."


    "I didn''t mean to hurt you like this," he admitted, "I do trust you. I trust you with my life, I thought it''d be better if you didn''t know because it was something for her to tell you, not me," he explained, feeling like a horrible person.


    Why didn''t he tell her? Sure, Cornelia would be quite upset with him, but he could handle that.


    What he couldn''t handle was Madeline being mad at him for something he completely screwed up.


    This was something Cornelia would do. It was something those around her had gotten used to. But, what Xavier hadn''t taken into consideration was how Madeline felt about it.


    Had he been in her position, he''d be distraught if someone had threatened to kill Madeline and would want to rip them into half with his bare hands afterwards. How dare anyone do such a thing?


    This time, the roles were switched. Madeline was the one who thought his life was on the line. And to make things worse, when she asked him about it, hoping he''d tell her what was going on, he didn''t. He hid it from her.


    No apologies would make what he did okay, that was what he thought at least.


    It was horrible, what Cornelia had done, inviting her to dinner under completely false pretences. There was a reason even Emilio refused to come to dinner.


    Had Madeline known exactly who had invited her to dinner, she would have chosen to remain at Eudora as well, probably with her father.


    "I don''t want to be mad at you," Madeline admitted, burying her face in his shirt.


    She laughed, even when tears were streaming down her cheeks, "I was actually discussing and planning what our second date would be before all this happened."


    Xavier''s heart fluttered.


    Madeline inhaled, taking his scent in. He smelt amazing.


    "Y-you smell good," Madeline praised, her legs beginning to sway.


    "Madeline?" Xavier asked, when she stopped talking. He could hear her breathing, but¡­


    Next thing he knew, Madeline was falling to the ground.


    "Madeline!" He exclaimed, catching her before her head hit the cold, hard ground.


    And that was it. The first casualty.


    He placed her on her bed, beginning to panic.


    "This really is all my fault," he said to himself. He had to make it up to her some way or another.


    Madeline laid in her bed, unconscious. Xavier wondered how long it would take before she awoke, staying right by her side whilst he thought about what to do next.


    A tear rolled down his cheek.


    "Please be okay," he mumbled.


    He wondered if Emilio had returned from dinner. The man deserved to know what happened to his daughter.


    Xavier knocked on Emilio''s door. He called, "Emilio?"


    The door opened, and Emilio peered at Xavier, "What is it?"


    "Madeline," Xavier managed to croak out, a guilty expression plastered across his face.


    Emilio narrowed his eyes, a concerned and upset look on his face.


    "Bring me to her," he said.


    Xavier nodded, telling him, "Follow me."


    The moment before Emilio entered Madeline''s quarters, he had this feeling of dread in him. What happened to the girl? Was she alright? Who''d caused this?


    He took a deep breath before he stepped into her quarters, seeing her lying on her bed, eyes closed.


    Xavier explained to him what had happened once he was in her quarters. Emilio bit his bottom lip.


    "How long has it been?"


    "About ten, fifteen minutes," Xavier answered.


    Emilio knew better than to harm Xavier. Madeline wouldn''t want that. Besides, it was mainly Cornelia''s fault. The woman had put Madeline through so much.


    If anything, she was the reason Madeline was lying there, unconscious.


    Xavier had kept it from her, yes. However, unlike Cornelia, he had apologised. He was sorry for what he did and he proved it to her.


    In Emilio''s eyes, it was Cornelia who had done this to their daughter.


    It was her who was the reason why she was unconscious.


    __


    Author''s Note: So an update, I took two covid tests. One tested negative, and the second (the more accurate one) tested positive.. However, I''m feeling much better and in the mood to write now that I have more free time because of my current condition.

 Chapter 176 - Mr Protective

    Of course, it wouldn''t be long before Madeline woke up. That was what Xavier and Emilio hoped, at least.


    Emilio asked, "What happened? Before she fainted."


    Xavier blinked.


    He thought Emilio would have scolded him or threatened him if Madeline didn''t wake up soon. Instead, Emilio simply asked what had happened before she fainted.


    Xavier inhaled, "We were talking about Cornelia, and about what I did."


    He left out some parts - which included her talking about how she had been planning their second date - since that wasn''t something Emilio would have to know. Not now, at least.


    Maybe later, but now wasn''t the right time for him to know about that.


    "I''m sorry," Xavier apologised to Emilio.


    It was the first time he had ever apologised to Emilio. But he wasn''t apologising to the murderous ex-alpha. He was apologising to the man that was Madeline''s father.


    Emilio was a better parent to Madeline than Cornelia had ever been. Yes, he didn''t have the best past, but he had been trying to change for his daughter, that was clear. Even Xavier could see it.


    Emilio was desperately trying to change himself to be the best possible father he could be to his daughter, and the fear and worry Xavier saw in Emilio''s eyes were unlike he had ever seen before. He had never seen Emilio this terrified and worried. It was refreshing, but understandable.


    The father grumbled, "It''s more of Cornelia''s fault than yours, Xavier. We both know that."


    Folding his arms, Emilio huffed. Emilio knew Madeline wouldn''t have been pleased with meeting Cornelia for the first time like that. But, at that time, he wasn''t aware of what Cornelia had said and done.


    "...what? Cornelia did what?"


    It was his first hearing that Cornelia had sent Madeline a letter telling her she''d kill Xavier if she didn''t attend dinner.


    "Her friend also got one," Xavier added.


    Emilio froze, Cornelia hadn''t told him that either. How dare she?


    She really threatened Madeline? And her friend?


    "Did she threaten you and Adrian?"


    Emilio stared at Xavier, waiting for him to answer.


    "You know what, don''t answer that question. I rather not know," Emilio said.


    He was livid.


    How psychotic was she? How could she do such a thing? To her own daughter?


    Madeline wasn''t some stranger, she was her daughter. Her own flesh and blood.


    And yet she didn''t hesitate to threaten Madeline to kill Xavier if she didn''t attend a measly dinner with her? Emilio couldn''t believe it. Had the woman he loved become that heartless?


    Where was the woman that had told him she still loved him? Was that all a lie?


    Cornelia was always an amazing actress, she could easily fake a confession and tell him she still had feelings for him despite feeling nothing like that. Emilio felt doubt creeping up on him, beginning to think she was lying about everything she had told him.


    ''That¡­ that¡­''


    He couldn''t even think of words to describe her at the current moment.


    Next time he saw her, he''d have a chat with her about it.


    "I didn''t know that before," Emilio said, still baffled by what Cornelia had done.


    Was the woman insane?


    He looked at Madeline, who was still unconscious. Poor thing.


    Emilio couldn''t bear to look at his daughter whilst she was in this state. It was much too painful for him. Yet, he stayed, or tried to stay for a bit more before he gave up.


    After a couple moments of sheer silence passed by, Emilio cleared his throat.


    "I''m going to go outside for some fresh air," he said to Xavier, before he got up and left Madeline''s quarters to get some fresh air.


    It was then Madeline stirred.


    She clutched her head, wondering what she had missed and how long she had been out for.


    Xavier looked up, realising Madeline was stirring.


    "Ow," she muttered, sitting up whilst she glanced around the room.


    "Xavier?" She called weakly.


    "Hey," he said, walking over to her.


    "How long was I out for?" Madeline asked, fluttering her eyelashes as she tried to remember what happened before she passed out.


    "About twenty minutes," Xavier answered. He whispered, his voice low and husky, "I was so worried."


    Madeline pouted at him. Why''d he have to make it so difficult for her to be so upset with him?


    "Don''t do what you did again, or I''ll kill you. And then kill you again," Madeline said, eyes narrowed to show how serious she was with her words.


    He leaned down to place a tentative kiss on her forehead, "You have my word, pup."


    She took his hand, intertwining hers with his.


    "Alright, quit being so adorable. Makes me just want to kiss you."


    Xavier was about to laugh, before Madeline''s door creaked open.


    Emilio stared at the both of them, before he blinked.


    "Madeline, you''re awake," he said.


    "Dad?" Madeline asked, blinking to see if she wasn''t just hallucinating.


    Was he really here?


    "What are you doing?"


    She was about to ask, ''Aren''t you confined to your own room?''


    However, she stopped herself since she thought that was insensitive to ask. Besides, he was probably here to check up on her, how sweet.


    "I came to see you when I heard you passed out. Are you alright, sweetie?"


    Months ago, if Emilio had dared called Madeline something even remotely similar to ''sweetie'', Madeline would have stared at him, wondering if his brain was screwed on right.


    Now, it felt natural. It was difficult to come to terms with the fact that she had her father in her life now, but she had adapted to it quite well. It was nice knowing she had Emilio in her life, and that he cared about her a lot.


    Not that he had ever told her that upfront, Madeline was simply able to see it by the way he treated her.


    He rushed towards her, "You don''t have any injuries, do you? How many fingers am I holding up?"

 Chapter 177 - Cornelia, What Are You Up To?

    "Rose, what am I supposed to do?" Cornelia asked after her third or fourth glass of wine that night alone.


    "Stop drinking, that''s what. You''ve got to stop drinking," Rose said, taking the bottle of wine away from Cornelia.


    "You know I could always conjure up another bottle, right?" Cornelia asked.


    "You wouldn''t dare," Rose narrowed her eyes.


    "Well, you know I wasn''t referring to my drinking issue when I asked you what I was supposed to do right," Cornelia spoke, her voice weak.


    "If you knew you were going to react this way then why did you want to meet them in the first place?" Rosalynn questioned, tilting her head to the side and knitting her brows.


    "Huh, you always know the right questions to ask," Cornelia noticed.


    "Of course, I do. I''ve known you for a substantial amount of time, I know what to ask and what not to ask," Rose commented.


    "Glass," she said to Cornelia, who sighed.


    With a flick of her hand, a glass appeared out of nowhere.


    Rose took the jug of water from the dinner table and poured Cornelia a glass.


    "Honest answer? I wanted to meet them. I just wanted to get a chance to meet and talk to them, I missed my daughter and¡­ and I missed Emilio too. Obviously, I knew our meeting would have its repercussions and consequences but I still arranged it anyway."


    Burying her face in her hands, she told Rosalynn, scoffing, "Obviously, I knew our meeting would have its repercussions and consequences but I still arranged it anyway. I even went as far as to threaten her that I''d kill her mate."


    Rosalynn facepalmed, "Seriously? Why?"


    "I have my pride to protect, I''m still supreme sorceress," Cornelia answered, staring blankly at her glass.


    "Protecting your pride isn''t equivalent to threatening your own daughter, Nelia."


    "I know¡­"


    "If you did then why did you do it? Madeline¡ª"


    Cornelia barked, "I don''t need you lecturing me, Rose. I know what I did. Just because you have a closer relationship with my daughter than I do doesn''t mean you get to call all the shots and lecture me about what''s equivalent to what now, even if you''re my close friend."


    Rosalynn frowned, "I never said anything because I was closer to the girl. I''m telling you this as your friend. One that you personally told me you trust."


    Her friend sighed, burying her face in her arms, "Apologies. Guess this whole family ordeal has me antsy."


    Rosalynn folded her arms against her chest, "And?"


    Rolling her eyes, Cornelia told Rosalynn, "And for snapping at you."


    "Much better."


    "Look at the bright side, it seems like Emilio and Madeline got closer," Rosalynn offered.


    Cornelia pressed her lips together, "I suppose it''s a good thing¡­ Now, moving on from me, what about you?"


    Rendered shocked, Rosalynn questioned, "What are you talking about?"


    "Her death is still recent," Cornelia reminded her.


    Gulping, Rosalynn nodded.


    "Right. That."


    That was why she had left Eudora in the first place. To clear her mind after Indiana''s death.


    "You considered her family, no?"


    "I did," Rosalynn answered, before she quickly corrected herself, "I do. I mean, I do. I always will."


    Cornelia patted her friend on the shoulder.


    "I''m sorry for her loss, she didn''t deserve it. Poor thing."


    "Did you get to talk to her?" Rosalynn asked hopefully, wondering if Indiana had anything to say to her.


    Cornelia paused, wondering how to answer Rose''s question. She breathed deeply, before she nodded, "I did."


    She remembered the sweet girl, and how sincere she seemed when asking for one last chance to get to talk to a friend of hers to say her goodbye.


    "She misses you, I''m sure. She was really sweet when I got to talk to her, the girl seemed at peace too," Cornelia said to Rosalynn who smiled, seemingly cheered up.


    That was one of the differences between Cornelia and Rosalynn.


    Cornelia cared about protecting her pride and all that. Being supreme sorceress was her ultimate priority.


    Meanwhile, Rosalynn cared about her friends and family. Indiana''s death had affected her in ways unimaginable. Even Cornelia had trouble understanding how Rosalynn could possibly feel that sort of way towards someone that wasn''t even her own blood, although she tried not to bring that up into any of their conversations and try to be there for her dear friend.


    "Thanks," Rosalynn said to Cornelia, heaving a sigh of relief.


    "Funny how everything is intertwined into some sort of intricate spider web," Cornelia pointed out.


    Laughing, Rosalynn nodded, "Come to think of it, you''re right."


    Madeline had become dear friends with Indiana. The same Indiana she considered family and treated dearly.


    Cornelia was grateful Rosalynn had just asked one question. Any more and she would have had to draw a line.


    Being as powerful as she was didn''t come with its rules to abide by. Cornelia had tried going against it to no avail.


    She sighed, hoping Madeline was doing alright now that she had woken up.


    __


    Madeline couldn''t help but feel touched that Emilio was so concerned for her.


    Even Xavier was rendered speechless when he saw his former friend rush to Madeline''s side, a look of displeasure and discontent painted across his face as he checked on her and made sure she was alright. It was considerate of him to do so, and he could feel the worry radiating off of Emilio and the relief he felt once Madeline assured him she was alright.


    "I''m fine," Madeline said for what seemed like the millionth time.


    She was propped up against a pile of pillows, looking paler than usual. Otherwise, she looked perfectly fine.


    Emilio looked at Xavier, wondering if Xavier could leave so he''d be able to chat with his daughter alone. Then again, Xavier probably didn''t trust him enough to leave him all alone with Madeline, despite her being his daughter and all that.


    Xavier wondered if it was best if he left the two of them alone to talk to themselves. Emilio wouldn''t harm Madeline again, he was sure of it.


    Yet, Xavier still had this gut feeling tugging at him. He decided not to listen to it. Besides, it would only be for a couple of minutes.


    He shot Madeline a look. Mouthing, ''Want me to leave you two alone?''


    Madeline nodded gratefully, shooting him a faint smile.


    Xavier cleared his throat and said to the two of them, "I''ll leave you two be."


    Emilio watched as Xavier left, amazed Xavier trusted him enough to leave him alone with Madeline. So much so that he had to fight back the urge to smile.


    "Xavier told me what happened," Emilio said, before he asked, "But what about you?"


    "Me?" Madeline asked, shocked Emilio decided to ask her after being told everything by Xavier already.


    "Yes, you. You must have your own side of the story, right? Something you want to talk about. Xavier''s not here, you can tell me anything," Emilio assured.


    Madeline bit her bottom lip. She did have something to say. And then, her strong resolve crumbled. She looked like a lost child who had no idea where she was.


    "Why would she threaten to kill Xavier?" Madeline asked.


    Emilio inhaled, feeling like strangling Cornelia now. It was funny how he was thinking she really meant what she said, up until he heard what she had done with Madeline.


    But, the moment he heard what Cornelia had done to Madeline, he was appalled. Baffled. Taken aback.


    This wasn''t the woman who he loved. Sure, she was very career-driven and ambitious and all that, and this didn''t seem very out-of-character for her.


    However, Emilio thought that Cornelia would have at least refrained from doing such a thing to her own daughter. It only made her seem heartless in the process.


    Cornelia wasn''t heartless, not to the people she cared about.


    Then again, she did abandon her only remaining family. Yes, it was to protect them but she didn''t tell them that, did she? They were left to assume and guess.


    Emilio sat beside her on her bed, hugging her gently so as to not hurt her since she was likely still weak after she had told him everything else that had happened and how she felt about it. She told him about all her pent up feelings. Some parts not even Xavier knew about yet.


    "It was a horrible thing for her to do, that''s for sure. I''ll talk to her the next time we see each other, it''s unacceptable. I''m sorry you had to go through this, Madeline," Emilio apologised guiltily on Cornelia''s behalf.


    Cornelia knew about how Madeline was feeling, he was sure of it. She couldn''t say she didn''t know this would happen either, so that was something. Somewhere out there, she knew exactly how she had done her daughter wrong and how distraught she had made Madeline by doing this all.


    ''Cornelia, what are you up to?'' Emilio thought to himself as he tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully.

 Chapter 178 - Youre Not Bad, Alva

    Xavier paced nervously right outside Madeline''s quarters.


    He had to make it up to her. Would asking her out on a second date work?


    ''Tsk! You want to make it up to her and yet you''re trying to get her to go out with you on a second date. What makes you think she''ll say yes after what you did? She may have forgiven you but that might just be the farthest she''s going to go. How do you know she won''t just turn you down?'' A voice asked in his head, taunting him menacingly.


    Xavier placed his hand on his mouth, "What if she rejects me? What if she turns me down?"


    Closing his eyes, he told himself not to think about it. His very first priority was regaining Madeline''s trust. Even if she had made it quite clear she wasn''t upset with him anymore, he knew he had to do something. She deserved it.


    He decided to pay a visit to someone who''d assist him with his plans.


    Knocking on Adrian''s office door, he called, "Adrian?"


    The door opened, revealing Adrian and Briar who stood right behind him.


    "Ah, just the person I was looking for," Xavier said.


    Adrian beamed, "I''m assuming you meant me."


    Xavier didn''t know how to break it to his friend that he was referring to Briar who was standing right behind him. Why would he say such a thing if he came to Adrian''s office, where he was the majority of his time in Eudora?


    Clearing his throat, Xavier said to his friend, "I meant Ms Alva."


    Briar pointed towards herself, "Ms Alva, as in me?"


    What would Xavier want with her - again? Was this a serious issue? Did something happen to Madeline? Why was there a sense of urgency in his tone and why did he look quite desperate?


    ''I should stop asking so many questions before he explains why he came to look for me,'' Briar reasoned with herself.


    "There''s only one Ms Alva here in Eudora," Xavier pointed out.


    Briar nodded slowly, "Right."


    Folding his arms against his chest, Adrian narrowed his eyes at the two of them, "If you''re going to talk, do it someplace other than my office, especially if this conversation doesn''t concern me and Eudora."


    "Alright then, Ms Alva. If you will, follow me," Xavier instructed.


    Adrian watched as Briar followed Xavier, waving at her.


    ''Tell me everything later,'' he mouthed.


    Briar scoffed, mouthing back, ''You wish I''d tell you everything later, Adri.''


    Adrian tsked, just about to tell her not to address him by the nickname ''Adri'' if she hadn''t closed the door behind her already.


    He walked over to his office, rolling his eyes and scoffing.


    His usual crooked grin returned to his face as he plopped down onto his chair, telling himself, "Back to work then."


    Meanwhile, with Briar and Xavier, she said to him, "Why do I have a feeling this has something to do with me being friends with Madeline?"


    Xavier''s usual cold expression vanished into thin air, replaced by a warmer one.


    "Well, you''re not wrong."


    "So, what did you come looking for me for?" Briar asked.


    "Wanting to get straight to the point. You''re polar opposites with Adrian," Xavier remarked.


    Briar laughed softly, before she told him, "Of course, I''m not laughing at you, I''m just¨C"


    "I get it, it''s fine," Xavier dismissed.


    Sighing with relief, Briar began, not telling him much but asking him anyway, "Does this have something to do with a date?"


    "It does," Xavier nodded, beginning to think that Briar was a good influence on Adrian. She got straight to the point. Sure, she joked a bit but she didn''t beat around the bush much. Not to mention, Briar seemed like an all-around fun person to be around. He could see why Adrian liked her a lot. Or maybe he did more than like her. Who knew?


    "Madeline mentioned this thing," he said.


    Briar raised her brow, Madeline mentioned a lot of things.


    "Where you could watch movies and do this and that and¡­"


    "...so, a laptop?"


    "Yes, that''s it," Xavier nodded in agreement.


    She had to admit, it was adorable of him to be so considerate and caring when it came to Madeline. It was nice, knowing Madeline had someone like Xavier as her mate who would listen to everything she had to say, take notes etc.


    ''Madeline is one lucky woman,'' Briar thought to herself.


    "So you want to find a laptop?"


    "I''m going to need you to teach me how to use one too," Xavier said.


    Briar didn''t look so shocked, "Oh, okay. Sure."


    Xavier hummed, pleased that Briar had agreed.


    "So, what are we?" She asked next.


    Blinking, Xavier asked, "What?"


    "Not in that way, geez. I meant, are we strangers that help each other out sometimes? Acquaintances? Alpha and delta?"


    She paused, before she added hopefully, "Friends, even?"


    Xavier thought about it.


    He mused, "Guess I never thought about it. I suppose we''re friends."


    Extending his hand towards her, he asked, "Friends?"


    Briar shook his hand, "Friends."


    "Right, let''s get to finding a lap¡­ what''s-it-called now then."


    She corrected, "Laptop."


    Xavier nodded, "Right, laptop."


    After Briar and Xavier managed to find a laptop, Briar taught him how to use it to watch movies and prepare him to her best.


    "You ready?" Briar questioned, looking him up and down.


    "I guess so," Xavier answered sheepishly.


    Briar wondered how Madeline would react if she came over the next day to tell Madeline what Xavier did and how Xavier had to ask her to teach him how to use a laptop to have a movie date with her.


    Of course, Briar had just discovered that Madeline had passed out and Xavier had to reassure her multiple times that Madeline was alright now.


    ''Poor thing must be worked up because of what Cornelia did to her, huh,'' Briar thought to herself, taking pity on Madeline.


    She had been talking to Adrian about how dinner with Cornelia had gone before Xavier had found her. How Cornelia had no right to do what she did and how he should have told her something instead of just letting her attend dinner like that.


    As she put it, ''You make me out to be some kind of fool. Not cool, Adrian. Not cool.''


    She was snapped out of her reverie when Xavier was just about to leave.


    "Go get her," Briar said to him, pumping her fist in the air to cheer him on.


    Xavier looked at her, bitter expression on his face seconds before he vanished behind her door, "You''re not bad, Alva.. Not bad at all."

 Chapter 179 - If You Say So, Dear

    "Thanks, dad," Madeline said to Emilio.


    Emilio scratched the back of his neck, "No problem, Madeline."


    He paused, realising it was best if he left now.


    "Do you have to go?" Madeline questioned.


    "I think it''s best if I do," Emilio said, looking miserable.


    Madeline looked discouraged, but she replaced her frown with a smile, "I''ll see you later."


    "Of course," Emilio said, before he rushed out the door, back to his room like Xavier ordered.


    When he was leaving, he happened to run into Xavier, who was holding a bag filled with snacks and something else.


    "Is that for her?" He questioned.


    Xavier nodded, "It is."


    Emilio smiled, a look of understanding now on his face as he said to Xavier, "Good luck. I''ll be on my way to my room now so don''t you worry."


    Xavier nodded, watching as Emilio disappeared from sight, returning to whence he came before he knocked on Madeline''s door - which was unlocked.


    "Can I come in?"


    "Yeah," Madeline answered.


    Xavier opened the door, bag in hand.


    "What''s that?" Madeline inquired, cocking her head questioningly as she pointed towards the big bag Xavier held in his other hand.


    "You''re going to have to find out," Xavier said, in a cheerful mood.


    "You''re more cheery than usual," Madeline said, eyeing him. Did his happiness have something to do with what was in the bag?


    She supposed so.


    Xavier looked at her, his eyes sparkling.


    He began, quite nervous, "Would you want to go on a second date with me?"


    "You know I was going to ask you, and now you''re the one asking me. Again," Madeline said.


    "Is that a no I hear?"


    When Madeline looked away from him, he sat down on her bed.


    Madeline felt the bed dip. Hence why she turned to look at him once more.


    "I never¡­ said¡­ no," Madeline pointed out, eyeing the bag.


    She exhaled, "If I say yes, will you tell me what''s in the bag?"


    "Not if you say yes only because you want to know what''s in the bag," Xavier answered.


    "I would never say yes only because I desperately want to know what''s in the bag. I like you, of course I''d go on a second date with you."


    She patted the free space beside her on her bed, "What do you have in mind?"


    Xavier grinned sheepishly at her, pulling out a laptop.


    Madeline gasped, "The second date is a movie date?"


    "It would have been something different if not for your current situation," Xavier admitted, adding, "But we have to work with what we have. Besides, any date with you is perfect."


    "Why you¨C"


    She sniffed.


    "Is that popcorn I smell?"


    "Mhm. Caramel flavoured, just the way you like it."


    Madeline squealed with excitement. Popcorn!


    There was nothing like food to lighten up a situation like this. Especially after she fainted. A movie date with popcorn. And Xavier, of course. A movie date with popcorn and Xavier was more than just perfect.


    "You remembered," she said.


    "Of course I did."


    "Any movies you want to watch in particular?" Xavier asked, laying down beside her before he opened the laptop, thankful that Briar had taught him everything she knew about laptops.


    Well, not exactly everything she knew but everything she possibly could teach him within a short span of time right before the movie date with Madeline.


    Her eyes lit up as they scrolled through the options available for movies to watch. Xavier couldn''t help but chuckle when he saw the ecstatic look across her beautiful face.


    "What about a funny movie?" He asked, adding, "We can laugh all we want about it, it''d be fun."


    Madeline nodded in agreement, "Funny movie it is then."


    She played a funny movie, and Xavier dimmed the lights to set the right mood and atmosphere for the movie they put on.


    "It''s starting," Madeline said excitedly.


    It was her very first movie date, it was still difficult to process how she went from her first date not too long ago to her second with Xavier. Together. In her quarters.


    "I know, darling," Xavier said to her, intertwining his hand with hers.


    Her cheeks were tinted with a rosy shade, and she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach.


    That man was still capable of giving her butterflies whenever he did even the slightest of gestures. She just couldn''t believe it.


    She had a soulmate who loved her, and she loved him too. Sure, they had gotten into a complication, but they had come out of it as strong as ever.


    "Don''t you dare keep anything else from me again, Xavier," she said whilst engrossed in the movie.


    "I promise I won''t, pup," Xavier said to her, making her a promise he fully intended to keep.


    Madeline stifled a laugh. She had missed watching movies with someone.


    It felt like ages when she last had a girl''s night. So being able to watch a movie with Xavier felt like a blessing. Madeline was practically on cloud nine with everything that was happening.


    The movie turned out to be a romantic-comedy.


    Mid-movie, Xavier''s eyes began glowing red, before it returned to its usual colour. Xavier felt something strange. What was happening to him?


    He shook his head, telling him not to pay it any mind.


    ''It was a one time thing. It won''t happen again, it''s probably just nothing,'' Xavier told himself, dismissing it.


    It was like he had lost grasp of his powers, nearly turning into his werewolf form right then and there, in Madeline''s quarters, during their movie date.


    Madeline looked up at him worried, "You alright? You''ve been spacing out a bit."


    The movie credits were playing, and Madeline was just about to ask him if he wanted to watch another movie before she noticed him all spaced out and nervous.


    "Yeah, I just felt something. I don''t think it''s anything," Xavier admitted.


    Madeline eyed him, suspicion painted across her face, "If you say so, dear."


    He squeezed her hand lightly, figuring it was better if he just changed the subject.


    "Are you feeling better by the way?"

 Chapter 180 - What Do I Want For What?

    "I am, thanks to you," Madeline said, placing a steamy kiss on his lips.


    Xavier kissed her back, deepening the kiss when he inserted his tongue in her mouth.


    ''It''s the second date, don''t go too far,'' she warned herself, knowing it was much too soon to get into any mischief and mayhem, especially since it was only their second date.


    Even though she wanted to do more than just kiss Xavier at that moment, it was best she kept her urges to herself. For now, at least.


    Just as it was about to turn from a passionate kiss into something else, Madeline and Xavier separated themselves from each other, laying beside each other while looking in the opposite direction.


    Madeline opened and closed her mouth, willing herself to stop this. She wasn''t ready, and she could bet that neither was Xavier. It was their second date, it was best if they waited some other time. Perhaps a more suitable time.


    Not during a movie date¡­


    Xavier was worried he''d be pushing Madeline''s boundaries, and Madeline''s body since she had just fainted. She was in no shape to¡­ do the devil''s tango, as one would put it. He didn''t want to be a jerk, and he certainly didn''t feel ready.


    He had heard it felt good, and that it was a journey.


    Well, a journey he had never once taken before. So if he''d ever do it, it would be a first. For him, and Madeline.


    Despite being centuries old, Xavier had never once been able to experience sexual pleasure before.


    ''I need to stop thinking about this,'' Xavier told himself, racking his brain for any other topic to think about so long as it was something other than it, despite the fact that his brain kept screaming the same word over, and over, and over again.


    Honestly, Xavier would have flung himself out of a moving car before he thought anything obscene that had to do with Madeline. He respected her way too much to¨C


    ''You and I know that that''s a lie. The part where you think you can stop yourself from thinking such obscene thoughts about Madeline, pervert,'' a voice in his head told him.


    He knew it was right.


    ''I should stop being such a pervert,'' he told himself, shaking his head.


    "Xavier?" Madeline called.


    "Hmm?" He asked, turning to face her.


    "This may sound weird, but I feel like I need to talk to Cornelia," Madeline said.


    Xavier knitted his brows together.


    "Cornelia?"


    He sat up, his eyes fixed at her.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, I need to talk to her. There''s something I need to discuss with her."


    "You sure?" Xavier questioned, narrowing his eyes as he tapped his finger on her comforter.


    "Do you know how to get into contact with her?" Madeline inquired.


    A mischievous glint glimmered in Xavier''s eye. He answered, "I don''t think we have to worry about that."


    Madeline furrowed her brows in confusion, "Oh?"


    "What do you have in mind?" She asked him, both curious and worried regarding what Xavier had in mind.


    "She could have just given us her number or gave us some way to keep in contact with her."


    Xavier''s answer seemingly confused her.


    He smiled.


    "She didn''t need to. You can easily contact her whenever you just please, you''re her daughter after all. And also because she''s listening."


    "The way you put it, she sounds like some intergalactic, powerful creep," Madeline said, staring at Xavier.


    "She''s eccentric, is all," Xavier said, adding, "And cruel. She can be very cruel."


    It was what made her an effective supreme sorceress. How she could be ruthless to those who crossed her. That was why many feared her.


    Just as many feared Emilio, but he was a different case. And he had decided to turn his life upside down for Madeline. Now, he wasn''t a murderer who wouldn''t hesitate to kill anyone who crossed him.


    He was now a loving father who just wanted his daughter to be happy and thrive in life. It was a major change. He wished Cornelia had been there with him throughout his journey.


    Cornelia was unforgettable. There was once where he dreamt of Cornelia and their very first date. Another where he dreamt of the day he fell in love with the woman that was now his baby momma, they were all memories he fondly looked back on.


    Unfortunately, life moved on. And now he was on horrid terms with Cornelia.


    "So, do you want to talk to her now? Or," Xavier said.


    Madeline hesitated, "Do you want to come with me?"


    She caught Xavier mumbling something to himself.


    He mumbled, ''I don''t think I have that much of a choice, especially if Miss Sorceress over there wants me to come along with you.''


    "What was that?" She questioned.


    "It depends, whether or not Cornelia wills it."


    Madeline spoke, "Right. I forget she''s some powerful, omniscient sorceress sometimes."


    Despite the fact that it was a difficult thing to forget - that your mother was a supreme sorceress - Madeline found herself forgetting that fact. She was far too occupied remembering Cornelia as the woman who had abandoned her without reason.


    And whilst she still couldn''t forgive Cornelia, she intended to use it to her advantage. Cornelia was her mother, and she was guilty, was she not?


    "Do you intend to go like this?" Xavier asked her.


    Madeline wondered what that was supposed to mean, before she realised she was dressed in comfortable pyjamas and reeked of caramel popcorn. Scratching her nape, she said to Xavier, "One moment, I need to change into suitable clothing before I meet with¡­ her."


    Xavier nodded, "You and me both."


    "Meet back here? Or some other spot," Madeline questioned, tilting her head to the side a bit.


    He chuckled, ruffling her hair before he got out of bed.


    "Meeting each other back here will do."


    Madeline blew him a kiss before she entered the bathroom, and Xavier left her quarters.


    As he rushed to his office, he encountered Adrian on the way.


    "Why do you smell like a confection? Caramel to be specific," Adrian questioned. Gasping dramatically, he assumed, "Did you eat with Madeline?"


    Xavier nodded, a proud grin on his face, "I did. We just had a movie date, and it was really fun. You should do it with Briar some time."


    Adrian''s ears turned beet-red.


    "You like her, don''t you?" Xavier asked as he fetched a suit and matching trousers out of the closet in his office.


    Adrian shook his head, "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Xavier smiled dreamily, "I used to say that once. Now look where I am, I just had my second date and I''m about to meet Cornelia again."


    "Meet Cornelia again, why would you meet up with that woman after what she just did? I thought you always thought she was strange. That was what you told me," Adrian admitted.


    "It''s Madeline''s decision, not mine," Xavier answered.


    Adrian seemed even more confused than he was before. Madeline wanted to meet up with Cornelia?


    The man reckoned Cornelia was the last person Madeline ever wanted to see. And here she was, willingly meeting up with Cornelia after Cornelia threatened to kill her more-than-just-a-friend?


    Yes, he referred to Xavier as Madeline''s more-than-just-a-friend since they hadn''t established what they were to each other. They weren''t dating, they weren''t just friends, it was like some situationship. All they needed to do was make it official, and it was only a matter of time.


    "You both are insane," Adrian said.


    "For each other, yes," Xavier replied, his signature grin plastered across his face.


    "Would you quit grinning like a fool?" He asked Xavier, who only shook his head and sighed in response.


    "Leave my office, I''m off to visit Cornelia with Madeline," Xavier said to Adrian.


    He had a strict rule, in which no one was allowed in his office when he wasn''t present in Eudora. In the case of an emergency, only Adrian would be allowed, but otherwise, no one was allowed for obvious reasons.


    "I''ll be seeing you," Xavier said.


    "You have a pile of work waiting for you when you return," Adrian said before Xavier vanished, off to Madeline''s quarters.


    He sighed, before he went off to Briar''s quarters.


    "I owe you a meal," he said to her.


    Briar had a smile on her face, and Adrian felt butterflies in his stomach.


    "Then again, Xavier did come to me for help," Briar admitted. She added, "So, you owe me a meal. Breakfast?"


    Adrian thought about his schedule, and if he was free for breakfast. Then he remembered that he could determine his own schedule.


    "Yeah, sure. Breakfast," he grumbled, asking her next, "What do you want?"


    Briar asked mockingly, "What do I want for what?"


    "For breakfast, since you won the bet and he asked her out on the second date, not the other way around," Adrian grumbled.


    __


    Author''s Note: So it''s less than a week till the month ends, and we have 36 golden tickets.. The event is still ongoing, and I''ll check the GT count just before the month ends.

 Chapter 181 - Oh Hush You

    "You would think you would side with Madeline."


    "I did, up until the point she was upset with Xavier. She can be really stubborn at times, no matter how much she cares for a person," Briar retorted.


    "So, breakfast later today? Did you even get any sleep?" Adrian questioned, raising his brow.


    "Me? Get any sleep? Course I did," Briar said, before she yawned.


    "Really?" Adrian asked quizzically, hands akimbo.


    "Alright alright, I didn''t sleep a wink. Can you blame me? Last night was hectic, there was Cornelia''s dinner, then everything afterwards¡­ including me winning the bet."


    Adrian frowned, "Did you add that just to rub it in my face?"


    "No comment," Briar responded.


    "Geez," Adrian said, bitter that he was being treated so poorly. Was having to make her breakfast not enough for her?


    Briar chuckled, "Oh lighten up, we can make it together if you want."


    Adrian thought about it. Huh, making breakfast together seemed like a great idea.


    "Seems more time-efficient," he commented, adding, "So let''s go with that."


    Briar laughed, "Alright then, looks like we''re making breakfast together. Guess the bet isn''t a win-lose situation."


    Adrian grinned, "Guess it isn''t."


    Now he got to make breakfast with her, sweet! The part of him that had feelings for her nearly wanted to jump with excitement, he was getting all hyped over this. Him losing his bet had turned out great. All because Briar offered to make breakfast with him. That way it''d be more fun, and he got to spend time with her.


    "Are you sure you''re free this morning?" Briar questioned.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "You attended Cornelia''s dinner, that must make you behind on work. Making breakfast--"


    "Nonsense, I can make time for a friend," Adrian remarked nonchalantly.


    Briar placed the back of her hand on her forehead and sighed dramatically, "Oh how thoughtful, Mr Beta has cleared up his schedule for little old me. I suppose I''m the exception."


    He looked at her, giving her a strange look before he said, "The exception. Yes, that you are."


    "You could play along, you know," Briar said bitterly, propping her head up with her hand.


    Adrian stared at her, "What do you want me to say?"


    Briar laid her back on her bed, thinking of a reply.


    __


    "Are you sure about this?" Xavier questioned, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.


    Madeline wanted to harrumph and answer, ''No, I''m not sure about this and honestly, when I see her again I have no idea how I''m going to have any restraint and not try to strangle her on the spot until she chokes and turns purple or something. All I feel like doing is killing that she-witch who somehow is my biological mother for doing what she did, and she hasn''t even apologised! How am I supposed to react to that unless I get an explanation from her? I''m going crazy over here.''


    Instead, she went for a more simple answer, "I suppose I am. It''s not like I have any room to be unready. I''ve made up my mind, we''re meeting her¡­ you don''t have to worry about me."


    Xavier pouted, "I can''t help it."


    She went on her tippy toes and kissed his forehead, "Don''t, besides, I''ll be fine."


    "What do you want to ask her? Is this about the previous incident?" He inquired, refusing to bring up Indiana. He noticed the way Madeline would falter whenever Indiana was mentioned, hence why he refused to bring Indiana up unless absolutely necessary, or if Madeline brought the topic of conversation up herself. That would mean she was ready to talk about it.


    But with what happened with Cornelia, Xavier doubted she''d talk about Indiana anytime soon.


    It was now already the next day and the sun was beginning to rise. The movie had gone on for a couple of hours, and they had spent some extra time chatting and laughing together too.


    Madeline took a deep breath. Everything would be okay. Over time, she''d get over what Cornelia did and then she could return to her life. Her perfect, beautiful life she had without Cornelia.


    A life she led where she had been perfectly fine all these years, without her.


    Sure, her younger self would have loved having her actual mother in her life but now was a different time. Now, Madeline was grown up and she couldn''t be hung up over how mommy didn''t attend her graduation or how she never had any resemblance of a mom in her entire life.


    All her life, she had guardians, not parents. She had two people whom she was entrusted to, that was all.


    They were never a family, not to her.


    Madeline closed her eyes, hoping that she''d find herself in Cornelia''s presence when she opened them next. And just like she had hoped, there was Cornelia.


    Xavier had let go of her hand, telling her it was best if she met Cornelia, and he followed later. That was how Cornelia preferred it as well, seeing as she had only teleported Madeline to her castle and not her more-than-just-a-friend too.


    "And why did you decide to visit me at such an unseemly hour?" Cornelia questioned, staring at her daughter.


    "Right, I know the answer to that question," she said next, not giving Madeline the chance to answer her question as she grinned to herself, "Well you both seem in a good mood."


    ''Well it''s not because you''re standing across from me,'' Madeline thought to herself, averting the woman''s gaze.


    "Oh hush you, you came here to ask me something didn''t you? I didn''t think you''d come back so soon," Cornelia admitted, replying to Madeline as if she could read Madeline''s thoughts. Well, then again she could.


    Madeline nodded, "I did come here to ask you something that I meant to ask you before.. And you know I''m not leaving till I get an answer, and that you''re going to have to tell me it one way or another."

 Chapter 182 - You Take After Me

    Cornelia couldn''t help but laugh at how bold her daughter was being. It seemed like Madeline inherited her own boldness.


    "Well it seems like you took after me in another department," Cornelia said, chuckling before she told the girl, her face more serious than before, "You''re right, I''m going to have to tell you the answer one way or another. Now is just not the time, dear."


    Madeline was beginning to get annoyed at how Cornelia kept treating her like she was some porcelain vase that would break. She didn''t need to be treated like she was fragile and couldn''t be told stuff, even if it was because she wasn''t supposed to know what Cornelia was purposely hiding from her, et cetera et cetera.


    "You didn''t tell me why you left either," she pointed out, her voice now flat again.


    Cornelia sighed, tilting her head, "I know."


    "The least you could do is answer the one question I have, and I know you know what''s the question too. Since you do, you''d know how important it is to me. I''m still your daughter."


    Her voice cracked as she continued, "I''m still¡­ family, am I not?"


    Cornelia opened her mouth. Who gave her daughter the ability to guilt trip so well? Even she was convinced. Strengthening her resolve, she said to herself she couldn''t. Sometime later, maybe. But not now. Most certainly not now.


    Now was the worst time.


    "I still can''t tell you. I''m sorry. I know you desperately want to know but I can''t tell you, it''d disrupt the flow of how things are supposed to go and I can''t possibly do that by telling you," she said to Madeline.


    Madeline pleaded, "Then a hint? Would that affect things? I don''t think so."


    Cornelia cursed under her breath, Madeline was good. She stared at the girl, wondering if she should return Madeline and just forget this ever happened. Yet, another part of her whispered to let her stay and watch her plead her case. Maybe Madeline would be able to give her a good enough reason.


    "A hint," Cornelia said, absorbed in thought as she deliberated her options.


    Madeline stayed quiet, wondering what to say next. She felt like she had run out of things to say pretty quickly now that she had said nearly everything she had up her sleeve. Yes, she was guilt tripping Cornelia to answer her.


    She could only imagine Xavier''s reaction once she told him everything. Perhaps he''d be disappointed in her for using such a shameful tactic, or perhaps he''d be amused that the supreme sorceress had even allowed Madeline to try to guilt trip her in the first place. Or maybe he''d even be proud, especially if Madeline had returned with the piece of information she had come for.


    "If you didn''t want to tell me anything or give any hints, then why did you bring me here? What, did you want to see me again? Because you made it quite clear that you could see me whenever you please, so¡­"


    Cornelia pressed her lips into a line, Madeline made a point. Was this how Emilio found her? As irritating and right as Madeline was being?


    "While you make a good point, has anyone ever told you before that you can be very, and I mean very, irritating?" Cornelia questioned.


    Madeline didn''t know how to reply to that, so she kept quiet instead.


    Cornelia sighed, telling her, "I''m not telling you anything, but there''s this saying I was told a lot before I became the person that I am today."


    Madeline''s ears perked up, and she stared at Cornelia, listening intently on every word Cornelia said next.


    "It''s always¡­"


    Cornelia paused immediately, and a horrified look was now painted across her face. A look that screamed, ''What am I saying? Did I just say that aloud?''


    "That''s enough from me," she said.


    Madeline pleaded, "What about what comes next? You can''t just give me the two words of a quote when there are many, many phrases that fit it next!"


    Cornelia''s eyes flashed dangerously at Madeline. For a moment, Madeline wondered if Cornelia would give her some kind of stern lecture or scold her. Then, her gaze softened and she pursed her lips, "If I could tell you, my dear, I''d tell you everything. But I can''t. I''m not saying you won''t know one day, you definitely will, but it''s one day in the near future, not now. So I suppose, I can just give you two words of a quote, that''s for you to figure out. Time for me to talk to Xavier now, ta ta!"


    Before Madeline could say anything or interject, Cornelia waved goodbye, and Madeline disappeared into a pile of vapor, replaced by Xavier who stood there staring at her.


    "You seem pleased," he said to her.


    "Oh yes, I just learnt my daughter takes after me and inherited one of my many amazing qualities. Terrific," Cornelia replied.


    "Care to tell me why you brought me here, and does it have to do with Madeline?"


    "I saw you took her out on a movie date," Cornelia said dryly, adding, "You never asked for my permission when it came to taking my daughter out on dates."


    Xavier said to her, "I asked Emilio for permission because he and Madeline have a close bond with each other. If she didn''t want to go out on a date, or if she was uncomfortable with it, he''d tell me. And who am I to come asking the great Cornelia Delcour for something as simple as permission to bring her daughter out on dates?"


    Cornelia bit her bottom lip, just like Madeline did whenever she was upset, bored, nervous and or agitated.


    "Of course you could, she''s still my daughter. And I know all about how close Emilio and Madeline are, no need to tell me that."


    She slumped in her chair which was reminiscent of a throne which stood tall and mighty in an empty room which had nothing other than her and him in it.

 Chapter 183 - Swear To Me That Youll Protect Her, Got It?

    And that''s when Xavier saw it.


    Cornelia''s gaze flickered and he no longer saw her as some supreme sorceress. He saw her as a lonely woman who was estranged from her daughter, despite caring deeply for her.


    "She even takes after me in personality," Cornelia remarked. She told him, "I watched her grow up, I check on her when I miss her, but in all truth I don''t really know much about her. I just saw parts of her life, and I wasn''t there to watch her grow up in person. You must know something about her."


    ''So she made me come all the way here to discuss Madeline, seems right,'' Xavier thought to himself, surprised Cornelia wasn''t interrogating him or something and seeing if he was good enough for her daughter.


    After all, it did seem like Cornelia treasured her daughter. Both Emilio and Cornelia seemed to care for Madeline, although they had different ways of displaying their affection for their daughter. Emilio chose to spend as much time as he could with Madeline, whilst Cornelia kept her eye on the girl and also made sure Madeline was alright by herself.


    Another difference was how Emilio was present, it was his way of trying to make up for his absence in Madeline''s life, which wasn''t his fault, and Madeline knew that now. Meanwhile, Cornelia apologised, and didn''t explain herself.


    "She bites her bottom lip like you do," Xavier pointed out. He added, "She''s also very compassionate, you must know she took Rosalynn in when Rose was in the form of a stray cat. Even made her a bed, from what she told me."


    Cornelia chuckled, remembering that, "Oh yes, I do. Rosalynn was surprised Madeline took her in. Still can''t believe you allowed Rose in with her taking that form."


    Xavier pursed his lips, "Well I couldn''t tell her to just get rid of the stray cat out of nowhere could I? Rosalynn would have killed me if I just threw her out when Madeline wasn''t watching or something. Not only her, Madeline too. She can be incredibly fierce sometimes. Intimidating too."


    "You wouldn''t," Cornelia said, doubting Xavier was capable of doing such a thing. The man was ruthless, he could be, but he wasn''t that ruthless. Not to someone who didn''t deserve it.


    Cornelia took in the other things Xavier said, telling him, "I know that I''m no one to tell you that, I''m not actually Madeline''s mother, sure I gave birth to her but the way she sees it she has no mother, she just has a dad and I''ll eventually come to terms with it. You''re a good man, and I know how much you care about her. So please do this one favour for me."


    "I''m listening."


    "Protect her," Cornelia uttered.


    "Of course, I''ll always do that," he said, meaning every word he spoke.


    "It''s nice that Madeline has someone like you in her life, and I finally get to say this. Don''t break her heart."


    Xavier saluted Cornelia, and she scoffed before he vanished.


    "It''s been decades and he''s changed so much too," she commented, sighing.


    __


    "So I make the drinks and you make breakfast?"


    "That doesn''t seem like a fair deal," Adrian commented, turning to see Briar with her hands planted on her hip.


    "You still lost the bet."


    "Hmm, you make a good point. You''re right."


    "Of course I make a good point, and I''m always right," Briar remarked.


    Adrian tsked, "Sure you are."


    "And what''s that supposed to mean?" Briar questioned casually.


    "Nothing!" Adrian exclaimed, getting to work so Briar wouldn''t question him further. He and her decided on breakfast tacos, and for the drinks, they chose to go with beer.


    "Don''t just stand there and watch me do all the work, help me," Adrian whined.


    Briar chuckled, "I''d much rather just stand here and do nothing, thank you very much. Besides, I''m done with the drinks."


    "Please?"


    "Never expected to see the day where you ask me for help," Briar admitted, only for Adrian to answer¡­


    "I just need an extra set of hands to speeden up the process, is all," Adrian said to her.


    "Well, we have quite a lot of time this morning, I don''t see why we can''t just take things slow. You''ll be better off making the tacos on your own, besides you''re an amazing cook," she reasoned, taking a swig of the beer.


    "Want some?" She teased, holding the other glass in her free hand.


    Adrian scoffed, "Of course I do, but I can''t right now. Not unless I want to ruin some soon-to-be tacos."


    Briar held up the glass to Adrian''s mouth, "Here."


    "Why thank you, milady," he said to her, taking a sip.


    "Call me milady one more time and I''ll leave you all alone and wait in another room," Briar said.


    "How cold! I didn''t think you had the heart to leave me when I''m the one making breakfast! What if it affects my performance somehow and I end up making a bad batch of tacos?"


    "I doubt you''re capable of making bad tacos. Besides, food''s food. And we can always make another batch," Briar reasoned.


    Adrian smiled. He then went on to ask her, "So, you and Xavier are friends now?"


    Briar had a wide smile on her face, "Yeah, it''s a new improvement. Xavier and I are friends, it''s pretty cool."


    "And being friends with me isn''t? Ow, that stings," Adrian said.


    Briar stared at him, "You know I don''t mean it that way, you and Xavier are different. I never would have thought he''d just call me his friend that easily, I thought it would take more. Look at you, you told me it took you ages to befriend Xavier. For a split second, I thought the same case would apply to me, even if I''m Madeline''s friend. I guess not though."


    Adrian had finished assembling the tacos by then.


    "And voila! Ground beef tacos, all done," he announced proudly, gesturing towards his creation.


    __


    Author''s Note: Feel free to write down your thoughts in the comments below~! Love, mari.

 Chapter 184 - Who’s The Lucky Lady?

    "Want to try one? I tried my best at making them, I hope they taste good enough to your liking."


    Briar glanced at the tacos excitedly, "Are you kidding? Of course I''ll try one."


    Adrian held up a taco, watching Briar take a bite out of it.


    She took the taco away from him, "I''ll be taking that, it''s delicious."


    "Really?"


    Taking another bite, Briar said to him, her mouth half-full with food, "Yes, really. Now go eat."


    "Shouldn''t we move somewhere else before we dig into breakfast?"


    Once Briar finished the taco, she said to him, "Right, it''s probably best if we move someplace else. Wouldn''t want to hog the kitchen."


    After a quick cleanup of the kitchen, Briar and Adrian brought their breakfast to Adrian''s office.


    "You sure we should eat in your office? We could always bring this to my place if you want," Briar offered.


    "Oh it''s fine, what Xavier doesn''t know won''t hurt him. He''s probably still with Madeline right now, they went to see Cornelia before."


    Briar''s eyes widened and she instantly placed her beer glass down.


    "They did WHAT?!"


    "Sorry, I forgot to mention it earlier," Adrian said, scratching his nape, figuring that he should have told Briar earlier.


    "Why would they see Cornelia again? Madeline seemed like she hated her last time I saw her," Briar pointed out.


    "And she probably does. Who knows, maybe they had a question to ask Cornelia," Adrian reasoned, patting her on the shoulder.


    Briar shuddered, "Ugh, I hope Madeline''s alright. She''s refusing to talk much about it to me, and I get why. I suppose I''m just worried for her since this usually happens during these types of situations. Madeline keeps quiet, doesn''t say a word, bottles up her emotions and then boom! It all comes spilling out at the worst moment."


    Adrian reassured her, "Maybe she''s talking about it with Xavier, love changes people. Or she''s sorting things out with Cornelia as we speak and expressing her feelings that way, I don''t know."


    He wondered what more to say to Briar since he wasn''t the best at consoling people. His ex-lover was really open. Heck, most of the time it was pretty easy to know what she was feeling and why she was feeling it. It was something he admired about her since she had always kept her heart on her sleeve. And Briar was no different. Both ladies wore their hearts on their sleeves and were open.


    Although, they were quite different. She was shy, Briar wasn''t.


    He said soothingly, "You could check up on her after this, she''s probably with Xavier right now but it wouldn''t hurt."


    "Right, I should go do that after breakfast," Briar said, making a mental note to go and do that once she and Adrian finished their tacos and beer. Holding up her beer bottle, she said to him, "Cheers."


    He and her clinked glasses. Adrian then tried changing the subject since Briar didn''t seem so happy discussing it.


    "Got your eye on anyone currently?"


    Briar stared at him, thinking of her answer carefully. Did she have her eye on anyone currently?


    "Yeah, you," she answered.


    Adrian nearly spat the beer he was drinking. He wiped his mouth, "Excuse me?"


    "Sorry, delivery problem. Yeah, you?"


    He exhaled, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Briar had given him a scare with her answer for a second. Not that he didn''t like her and had feelings for her. He did, he definitely did. There was no doubt he had feelings for Briar, but he didn''t think she felt the same way towards him.


    Adrian felt a pang of pain in his chest when she said there was someone that had caught her attention. Someone that had managed to catch her eye. Now who was worthy of Briar''s attention? Who was the person that was capable of it?


    "Hmm, maybe I do, maybe I don''t," he replied, waggling his eyebrows at her.


    Briar threw her head back and laughed, telling him, "Well, I''m certain whoever this person is, if you are interested in someone or this person simply caught your eye, they''re lucky."


    Adrian couldn''t help but stare at her, wondering how she couldn''t see it when he was just as blind as she was, if not more blind.


    They were both fools. Ignorant fools that were both as blind as each other. They couldn''t see the one thing they wanted to see, and they made assumptions just because they didn''t hear the truth straight from the other even though they didn''t have to. It was right there.


    "Why thank you. I''m certain whoever caught your eye must be the luckiest man in the world, if he was able to have caught your¡­ ah, divine gaze."


    "Are you mocking me?"


    "I''m most certainly not mocking you, I''m only stating a fact."


    "Sweet-talker," she nudged him in the rib.


    He wanted to tell her, ''I''m your sweet-talker.''


    But, he refrained from doing so, scared she''d look at him strangely or feel uncomfortable.


    "So, mind telling me who this mysterious person is or are you keeping it under wraps from me?" Adrian questioned.


    Briar''s cheeks were lit aflame, "I''ll leave it to your imagination. It''s best if you don''t know."


    Adrian gave her a reassuring smile, "Alright, it''s your decision, whatever you want."


    He ate another taco, trying not to look at her. Why had he asked that question? It turned the conversation awkward, even though that wasn''t his intent. If he had known the conversation would have turned to this, he wouldn''t have asked in the first place.


    "But are you close to him?"


    "You could say that, I suppose I''m interested in him," Briar nodded, taking a swig of her beer. She asked, "And what about you? Who''s the lucky person?"


    She lowered her voice, whispering in his ear, "You can tell me, I won''t judge. Or not, your choice."


    Adrian whispered back to her, "Well¡­ She''s a wonderful person.. That''s for sure."

 Chapter 185 - When Will The Cycle End?

    Briar felt obliged to smile and grill him for more details as to who this mysterious woman was. It was clear Adrian meant to hide who this woman was from her, but he seemed willing to spare a couple of details.


    ''Who knows? Maybe I can piece the details together and find out who this woman is,'' Briar reasoned.


    If Madeline was there with her, she would have solved everything already. It would only take her a second to figure out who this so-called ''mysterious woman'' was since it was too obvious. Adrian made it too obvious.


    Continuing where he left off, Adrian said to her, "She''s perfect and anything but shy, she''s confident, knows exactly what she''s capable of and a badass. Being around her brightens up whatever horrible day I''m having, it''s refreshing. She doesn''t know about this, and I don''t intend on telling her anytime soon."


    "Wow, she seems like an amazing person. Will I ever get to meet her? Or do I know her already?"


    "Of course you know her already."


    Briar narrowed her eyes, this person couldn''t be Indiana, could it?


    But Indiana was known for being shy, and she was buried underground. She''d think Adrian would sound a teensy bit sad if it really was Indiana, despite the idea being plausible. Indiana was desirable, many men having their eye out for her wouldn''t be a shock.


    Speaking of men who had their eye out for Indiana¡­


    Jonathan banged his head against his desk, feeling like he was trapped in a never-ending time loop.


    Everyday, he''d wake up, reminded that Indiana was gone and the woman he had feelings for was no more. It had been months, and he still hadn''t gotten over Indiana''s death, which had hit him like a truck.


    His hair was dishevelled, his eyes were puffy and sore from crying and he couldn''t feel any worse. Everything was a constant reminder of Indiana. He had even stopped baking. It just reminded him of her, and how Indiana once told him she loved to bake.


    A part of him couldn''t comprehend feeling this way. He barely knew Indiana, they were acquaintances, and calling them friends would be pushing it.


    Yet, he was still hung over Indiana''s death. The fact he had feelings for the woman didn''t help either. It was like a piece of his heart had been chipped, and there was no turning back from there. He didn''t feel like eating, or going out to hunt.


    Knowing the full moon was approaching, he cursed at himself. Turning into a werewolf whilst he was still emotional wasn''t great. Upon his transition, his emotions were magnified and all the hurt and pain he felt only increased by a tenfold.


    Why, oh why had he been cursed with such misfortune? Why couldn''t he have not known or loved Indiana at all? That way it wouldn''t have hurt.


    That way, Indiana''s death wouldn''t have affected him the way that it did.


    Jonathan couldn''t even process her death. When he had heard the horrid news, he had just told himself that Madeline was playing some sick prank on him. That Indiana had told her to pull a prank on him to see his priceless reaction.


    Only after she broke down right in front of him did he realise the truth. That Indiana really was dead.


    He was convinced that Madeline was just a really gifted actress at one point. Not that she was actually just grieving her friend''s death. Jonathan had been in a state of denial.


    To the point he was beginning to wonder if he really had feelings for Indiana, or if he had become obsessed with her.


    Had he developed an obsession towards Indiana?


    Did her death fuel said obsession? Did it have a big part to play in what he felt for her now?


    The answer would be a yes. It did. Jonathan didn''t think he''d get over her death anytime soon, despite it being months after.


    Come every full moon, he imagined himself and Indiana roaming Eudora whilst in their wolf forms, going out on some night stroll and hunting for prey together or something of the sort. Of course, that was all in Jonathan''s imagination since Indiana was unable to transform in her wolf form and all that, but he had been so¡­ emotional and tormented that he had made everything up and went with it.


    Madeline had made it a point to check in with him every once in a while. Jonathan had to hand it to her, she was really devoted to Indiana.


    Indiana had told him a little bit about Madeline when she was still alive. Jonathan knew how they had gotten off at a rough start, but then became friends. He knew what Indiana did since she explained everything to him too.


    "Indiana, I''m sorry," he apologised while he rocked back and forth.


    He felt extremely sorry. Especially since this was not what Indiana would have wanted.


    What would she have wanted? For him to find someone else, of course. Or to just be happy. She''d say something about how he didn''t need someone to be happy, and that he was perfectly capable of finding his own happiness.


    Like all her other friends - Briar, Madeline¡­ She wanted them to be happy. That was all. If they were happy, she''d be able to die peacefully. Yet, she left without being able to say goodbye to Jonathan.


    Jonathan had spent nights wondering one thing, ''If Indiana said goodbye to me before she left and told me to be happy, would it have affected the way I reacted? Would it have given me some closure at the very least?''


    He sighed, knowing another day of his life would be wasted pondering what could have been. As he entered his restroom, he muttered to himself, "When will the cycle end? When will I finally be okay after what happened to her and make peace with the fact that she''s gone? I need to end it someday."


    __


    Author''s Note: Poor Jonathan.

 Chapter 186 - No More Stalling

    "Did Cornelia say anything? Give you any hints?"


    "Hints? What hints?" Xavier questioned, exiting his cabin with his wet hair dripping onto his towel.


    "Hubba hubba," Madeline commented, smiling at him.


    "You know you have to leave, I have work. I''ve pushed stuff aside enough for one day and it''s already morning," Xavier said, an evident frown on his face.


    "I know, but do you want me to bring some breakfast to your office at least? So you don''t starve."


    Xavier kissed her on the forehead, "That would be lovely, thank you."


    Madeline patted the spot beside her on the couch, "Come here."


    "Why?"


    "Just come here and sit down."


    Xavier followed Madeline''s orders, taking a seat beside her.


    Madeline went to work, scooting closer to him before she pulled his towel away from his neck and flung it over his head. She told him whilst she began drying his hair by massaging said towel through his enviable, shiny hair, "You shouldn''t be going to work with wet hair, it''s not good for you."


    He allowed her to continue massaging, wondering how her hands could possibly be so magical when all it was doing was simply drying his hair. Xavier said to her, licking his lips, "Whatever you say, pup."


    Once Madeline was done, she handed her his towel, and he placed it on his shoulder, rewarding her with a quick kiss on the cheek. She chuckled, "Now, shouldn''t you be getting to work, darling?"


    He bopped her adorable nose, "I do, but I don''t want to leave you."


    "I don''t want to leave you either, but it''s not like you have a choice! You can''t just abandon your work for me," Madeline said to him, with a tiny pout on her face.


    Xavier knew Madeline was right even though he desperately wished she wasn''t. It''d be nice if they got a full day to spend for themselves without any distractions like work or parents. Wouldn''t it be nice if they could just spend the entire day in bed, watching movies, telling jokes and just being by each other''s sides?


    Yes, yes it would. But that wouldn''t be realistic. What was realistic?


    Him having to go to work. As much as he wanted to spend time with the woman he loved, he couldn''t. Not now at least.


    ''At least I have motivation to complete work as fast as I can, then I get to spend the rest of my time with Madeline,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    "By the way, did Cornelia mention anything about what happened during that¡­ walk?" Madeline questioned.


    Xavier furrowed his brows, "Err, no. We didn''t even discuss it."


    "Oh," was the only thing that managed to exit Madeline''s mouth.


    "Why ask?" Xavier inquired, turning to Madeline with a suspicious look on his face. Raising a brow, he asked next, "Did you want to see her to ask about it? To get clues as to who''s behind it?"


    Madeline''s bottom lip quivered, "She gave me a hint."


    "So that was what you were talking about before," Xavier pieced things together.


    "Yeah, that was what I was talking about before. Cornelia gave me a tiny hint, although she went on about how she wasn''t allowed to tell me anything. I doubt it''s really any hint, since it''s an open answer, but she said something about, and I quote, ''There''s a saying that goes, it''s always.''"


    "Nothing else?" Xavier questioned. He thought Cornelia would have let her in on more than just two words from some quote. There were multiple phrases that suited it.


    It''s always the pretty ones¡­ it''s always the little ones¡­


    Madeline wished she could shake her head and tell him she had mentioned something else. Instead, she nodded, confirming, "Yeah, nothing else. She was extremely tight-lipped even after I tried guilt tripping her."


    Xavier seemed in awe of Madeline, "You tried guilt tripping her?"


    "Yep," answered Madeline, popping the ''p'' in yep as she ran a finger through her silky hair.


    After a couple moments of silence passed by, Madeline called, "Xavier?"


    "Mhm?"


    "What did you and Cornelia talk about if not the walk? I remember you were talking to her for quite a while, no?"


    "We just talked about you," Xavier answered, remembering how he promised not to keep anything from her. Besides, what was there to keep? Madeline deserved to know if they talked about her.


    "About me? What about me?" Madeline inquired.


    "Hmm, we talked about how amazing you are," Xavier answered nonchalantly.


    Madeline rolled her eyes, "Alright, off to work now. No more stalling."


    Xavier swooped her up in his arms. Madeline told him off, telling him not to surprise her like that again before she herself tried surprising him with a kiss.


    Unfortunately, she missed and kissed his nose instead of his lips.


    He laughed, and told her to hang on tight. Then, they were at the door of Xavier''s office.


    "You could always join me for work," he invited.


    "Wouldn''t I distract you more than help you?"


    "No comment on that," Xavier replied.


    "I know you know it''s the truth, pretty boy," Madeline chuckled. Breathing deeply, she said to him, "Alright, I''ll be back once I have breakfast. Go, work! Or you won''t get any breakfast from me."


    "Fine, fine," Xavier said, raising his hands up in the air before he retreated to his office.


    Madeline headed for the kitchen, off to get her and Xavier breakfast when she heard people talking in another room, recognising one of the voices to be Briar''s and another person''s.


    ''Huh, she must be having breakfast with Adrian,'' Madeline figured, smiling as she silently cheered her friend on.


    Once she managed to find her and Xavier some breakfast, she packed it all up, bringing it to Xavier''s office.


    "I missed you."


    "Oh please, I was only gone for a couple of minutes tops."


    "A couple of minutes feels like a long time to me, especially when I''m separated from you," remarked Xavier who was also eyeing the bag Madeline held since he felt famished.


    Madeline and Xavier prepared breakfast, quickly eating it before Madeline insisted on leaving. It was that, or disturbing Xavier.


    "I need to talk to Briar anyway."

 Chapter 187 - No Hiding Anything From Him

    "How was breakfast with Adrian?" Madeline asked, an amused grin on her face.


    "How did you know about that?" Briar questioned, remembering she hadn''t mentioned it.


    "I heard the two of you on my way to the kitchen," she explained, adding that statement so Briar wouldn''t think she was just stalking her, "I was grabbing me and Xavier breakfast."


    "Oh," Briar said. She said next, "We were just chatting. He lost a bet so he had to make breakfast."


    "Gosh, that''s so adorable. You and Adrian are just so freaking adorable, you two should get a room," Madeline commented, her grin becoming wider.


    "But we did," Briar reasoned.


    "Right," Madeline replied, chuckling.


    "You seem to be in cheery spirits, Breakfast with Xavier went well then," Briar noted.


    "It did, he''s away at work now though so I can''t see him. He was really sweet, offering me to join him but I didn''t want to be a bother."


    "My Luna, you had a chance to see Xavier at work and you declined?"


    "I think I''ve already mentioned why I chose to decline his offer," Madeline reminded.


    "I know," Briar responded, before she remembered something. She called, "Madeline?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Why did you go and see Cornelia again? If I were you I''d hate her guts."


    "Oh, don''t get me wrong I do hate her guts, I just saw her again to try and get some information from her," Madeline admitted. She shrugged, "I don''t know, I just wished she could have told me something. The way she treats me, it''s like I''m some porcelain vase that could just break and crumble at any given moment. She told me it''s why she can''t explain herself and why she did what she did too."


    Briar patted her friend''s shoulder, "She really messed you up, huh."


    "I don''t blame her for how I turned out. Without her I probably wouldn''t have been able to meet Xavier in the first place. But she kept my existence hidden from Emilio. My own father didn''t know who I was. Hell, we had to do a bloody test for him to find out, and he had no idea beforehand!"


    She hadn''t been prepared before meeting Cornelia, the whole thing was a surprise for her. Heck, had she been more prepared, she wouldn''t have been so upset at Cornelia. Madeline knew what type of person she was - the type who would abandon their child, abandon their lover and still not explain.


    "Madeline¡­"


    Madeline swallowed, "How do you tell someone what a complete ass they''ve been to you when they''re smiling and seeming like they''re having the time of their lives at dinner? How am I supposed to ruin the mood and atmosphere set with my crap? I can''t, because I feel obliged not to. It''s like I''m stuck in this bubble."


    "It''s really unfair for you, you don''t deserve this," Briar pointed out.


    Madeline deserved to have loving parents who cared for her. It was part of the reason why she longed for a family. For people to take her in and treat her like she was one of them. They would have their occasional fights, but they would still be a family regardless and they would still love each other blindly because that was what family was all about.


    That was why she gave Emilio another chance, and he delivered on it. He apologised, cleared things up and now they were closer than ever. Sure, Cornelia had her reasons for keeping Emilio from Madeline, even Madeline knew that, but she was glad.


    "Does your dad know you feel this way about it? He could talk to her."


    Madeline nodded, "He does, he''s probably pissed at her. I don''t mean to drive a wedge between them with how I feel. Pretty sure she still loves him."


    Briar''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    "Cornelia? She still loves Emilio?" Briar questioned.


    "Probably, I assume that was what she talked to him about when they stayed," Madeline admitted.


    "Wow, what a love story. Must have been tough on Emilio too, since he hasn''t seen his baby momma in decades."


    Madeline shuddered, "Yeah I rather not think about that. By the way¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    "Have you heard from Rose? Did she come back from dinner last night?"


    Briar smiled apologetically, "I wish I did hear from her but I doubt she returned, haven''t seen her since dinner with Cornelia."


    "Ah. I guess she stayed with Cornelia then," Madeline figured.


    "Probably."


    Madeline exhaled, "I wonder when she''ll return¡­"


    Briar wondered if she could get Madeline to do something else. So Madeline could take her mind off of things and not have to think about Cornelia, Rosalynn and Emilio.


    "Why don''t we go and do something else? Something fun and not depressing? We can go out, go to the reunion."


    Madeline blinked, confused as to what in the hell Briar was talking about.


    "Reunion? What reunion?"


    "The one the girls planned. Didn''t you receive an invite?"


    Madeline whipped her phone out, checking it to see a notification.


    "Oh they did," she answered, baffled. She asked, "So, thinking of coming?"


    Briar scoffed, "Yes actually. I mean I haven''t seen them in a while. So, what about it? You up to see them again?"


    Madeline sighed, "Hmm, I haven''t seen them in quite a while. It''s not like we were all super close or anything but we were friends, I''d hope we are. So I suppose I am up to see them, I am so down for it. I''ll just go and tell Xavier and he''ll likely approve. I hope so. What about you? Planning on telling Adrian or¨C"


    "I suppose I will."


    "Or do I not tell him? After all he''s a really busy guy. Then again I can''t just disappear from Eudora without a trace¡­ I guess I will tell him," Madeline decided.


    "Tell me what he says about it, I''ll go and tell Adrian," Briar said, a grin on her face as she and her friend fistbumped.


    __


    Author''s Note: So, since we''ve reached 40 golden tickets and the end of the month is approaching, I''m pleased to announce a mass release of five chapters that will occur on the first of March so stay tuned!


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 188 - Smug Briar

    "So I wanted to run something past you, just tell you so you''re not left in the dark and fret over my whereabouts."


    "What is it?"


    "I was thinking of meeting up with some friends at a cafe."


    Xavier looked up at her, "Did they just invite you out of the blue or what?"


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, it was completely out of the blue, but I do want to see them."


    "Have fun, and make sure to call me if anything happens," Xavier reminded her, a smile now on his face.


    "Oh come on, I''ll be fine."


    "And that''s totally something people say whenever they''re going to be fine," remarked Xavier.


    "Haha, very funny. I''m going now."


    "You sure I can''t send you off or anything?"


    "I''ll be going with Briar."


    Madeline blew him a kiss, "Ta ta!"


    "Love you!" Xavier exclaimed.


    "Love you too!" Madeline exclaimed, chuckling.


    She met up with Briar, asking her what Adrian said.


    "All he did was tell me to have fun," Briar replied.


    Madeline checked her phone again, seeing when exactly the reunion was.


    "The reunion is soon, holy, did they really just invite us out of the blue? They could have told us sooner instead of just surprising us. What, do they want to ask about our love lives?"


    Briar waggled her eyebrows, "Well what would you answer them if they ask? Are you taken now that you have Mr Handsome Alpha in your life?"


    "I am not taken. We haven''t even¡­ talked about it yet."


    Briar was taken aback.


    "Seriously?"


    "We''ve been on two dates, we''re not going to get married, or start dating anytime soon. I mean, maybe the dating part but we''re going with the flow, I''d like to think," Madeline admitted.


    "Well, we should get going now," Briar said.


    "Right, we should. Unless we want to arrive fashionably late. I doubt Stephanie would be so pleased about it."


    Madeline looked at what she was wearing, she told Briar, "One second, I need to change into more suitable clothing to go to a cafe."


    One clothing change and one long drive later, they arrived at the cafe they were supposed to meet everyone else at.


    "What do we tell everyone?" Briar asked.


    "What do we tell everyone? What kind of question is that? Stephanie will probably be talking the entire time about her new beau or her new car or something. Or she''ll be prying into her other friends'' lives, you know what she''s like."


    Briar scoffed, "Good point. You ready?"


    "Of course I am," Madeline answered, holding the door open for Briar.


    "Maddie, Bri! Over here!" Someone exclaimed.


    Madeline and Briar turned around to face their friend, Stephanie. She was just like they remembered. Beautiful, blonde, tall and ocean blue eyes adorned her face.


    "Just in time ladies, everyone else is already here, we were waiting for you!" She said, bringing the two ladies into a hug.


    "Steph, I can''t breathe," Madeline said, to which Briar laughed.


    Stephanie let Madeline go, "Sorry. I just missed you both so much."


    Madeline and Briar were greeted by their friends. They took a seat beside each other.


    There were about 8 ladies present, one being Stephanie, two others being Madeline and Briar and the five others. They got to talking, finding out what they missed. It seemed like everyone in that table had good news to share with everyone. And when it came to the topic of love lives and all that jazz? Stephanie was engaged, another girl was expecting, and the others were taken.


    Briar, when asked about her love life, made it clear she was single and had no intent on dating anyone anytime soon.


    "There''s no one in the picture, not right now," she admitted, before the girl who asked her turned her attention to Madeline.


    She was a snarky girl, always jealous of Madeline''s smarts back in university. Ruth was her name, and she was known for being popular amongst the guys in university because of her looks, which were alright.


    "And what about you, Madeline? Got any guys in your life?" She questioned as she sipped on her drink.


    Madeline figured she''d be asked about her love life soon enough. She exchanged glances with Briar, who looked at her with alarm.


    The cafe''s atmosphere was chilly. Madeline felt people staring at her, but it wasn''t the girls that were staring. It was someone else. Well, not just one person.


    She laughed when Madeline stayed silent, "Honey, if there''s no one in your life, you could just say so. It''s not shameful or anything."


    Madeline opened her mouth, "No, no that''s not the case."


    "Then?"


    Briar whipped out her phone. Madeline stared at her, wondering what Briar possibly could be doing. Wasn''t it the worst time to be texting on her phone? She needed some help.


    Smiling to herself, Briar placed down her phone and looked at Madeline.


    "There is someone," Madeline said.


    "It''s not shameful to admit there isn''t, Maddie. If there really isn''t you could just tell us, we''re your friends."


    Madeline raised her brow, "But there is someone."


    "What''s his name?"


    "His name is¨C"


    The cafe door opened, and as if the atmosphere wasn''t chilly enough, it turned even colder. Madeline felt goosebumps on her skin, whilst Briar had a smug expression on her face. She knew no convincing would get Ruth to believe her. Ruth was hardheaded. Xavier would have to show up for her to have a shot at convincing her. Otherwise, what was the point?


    Madeline took a sip from her drink, not realising a couple of men were shooting her occasional glances every now and then, wondering if she was single and if they''d give them her number.


    One praised, "Oh my goodness, she''s so hot! Is she single?"


    "Single? Who cares if she''s single! I don''t see any men around her. Just her and a bunch of her friends. Maybe one of us can get her, and the others can get her hot friends!"


    A hand slammed down on the table, grabbing the men''s attention. They were sure the table would crack into two if the man used any more strength.


    The man retracted his hand, and the men heard a low growl coming from him. He whispered in his low, baritone voice, "I usually don''t like tainting my hands with filthy blood, but I really won''t mind killing you all.. If you value your life and do not wish to die in my hands, then I suggest you run away now."

 Chapter 189 - Mr Boyfriend To The Rescue!

    "And who do you think you are?" One man dared to ask.


    "Yeah! I don''t even know you," another added.


    The man brought his face closer to the both of theirs, "I''m the man who will kick both of your asses if you keep staring at her."


    After all, wolves were known for being very territorial, especially when it came to what was theirs.


    Ruth''s eyes lit up, and what she deemed a brilliant plan was beginning to form in her mind.


    "Since you have no one in your life right now, what about that conventionally attractive man?" She asked, pointing towards a man that was talking with the men who sat at another table.


    The other ladies turned their attention to the man, gasping and gawking.


    "He''s handsome, and I don''t see a ring on his finger," Ruth pointed out, a smirk on her face.


    Briar laughed, telling herself not to just double down and begin laughing her ass off in front of everyone.


    Madeline turned to see what everyone was looking at. Or rather, who. Her eyes widened, and she gasped.


    "Unless you think he''s out of your league, of course."


    The man''s ears perked up once he heard Ruth''s words. What was this lady going on about? Saying he was out of her league?


    Madeline whipped around, her heart thudding in her chest. She had not expected him to meet them this way.


    "Out of his league?" She asked, seeing Briar having so much fun from the corner of her eye.


    The man walked right towards her, shooting the men at the table looks that could kill. They took the hint and scattered, paying their bill before they left, cursing at themselves.


    ''Dammit, she''s taken!''


    ''How dare he threaten us?''


    ''I''m never going to find a girl!''


    Ruth looked confused, "Why''s he walking towards you?"


    Stephanie piped up, "Maybe he knows someone here. And also, Briar, what''s so funny, why are you laughing?"


    "Me? Laughing? I''m not laughing, something got caught in my throat," Briar admitted, her face turning solemn. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing even more. This was the best decision she had ever made.


    "Why hello darling," he greeted, kissing Madeline on the cheek to greet her.


    The girls collectively gasped, with the exception of Briar, of course.


    Ruth stuttered, "W-wha¨C"


    Another girl by the name of Chelsea asked, "You know him?"


    Madeline didn''t answer her question.


    "Xavier, you shouldn''t have," Madeline breathed. She couldn''t have been more happy to see him.


    "I thought to stop by and see how the reunion was going," Xavier replied, shooting Briar a glance.


    All it had taken was one text from her telling him that there were people staring at her. She knew how much her friend would hate it, and Madeline was in a tough spot. So why not?


    "You must be the friends she said she''d meet up with," Xavier said, a smile plastered across his face. He held his jacket over his shoulder and looked sickeningly handsome in his signature button-down shirt and trousers.


    "And who are you?" Ruth asked, gulping. This man was fine. So fine.


    There was no way he actually knew Madeline. No way Madeline was talking about this man when she said she had someone. Ruth didn''t think this would actually backfire on her.


    Madeline looked up at him, meeting his gaze. The other girls were whispering amongst themselves, and the funny thing was, Xavier and Briar could hear every word they were saying. Xavier chuckled, glad he decided to come. Then again, it wasn''t much of a decision. He knew he just had to come when Briar sent him that text.


    "I''m her boyfriend," Xavier answered, peering down at Madeline and hoping she wouldn''t be upset he decided to pretend to be her boyfriend. Once he saw her nod, his smile turned into a cheshire grin. Madeline kept silent, figuring it was best if Xavier did the talking. She figured her trying to lie wouldn''t do much, but that didn''t mean she wanted to tell everyone the truth, which was that she and Xavier weren''t dating.


    And technically, they went on two dates. Sure, they weren''t dating but they weren''t not-dating. They just hadn''t discussed it yet.


    "Boyfriend?"


    It was Stephanie''s turn to ask questions.


    "You should sit down, join us!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement.


    Briar pulled Xavier a chair, and Madeline said, "Yeah, you should totally join us for a bit."


    "If you say so, darling," he said, savouring the moment.


    Ruth looked tongue-tied. Why didn''t she get a really hot guy like him? He seemed like a gentleman, and he seemed interested in Madeline. Imagining them as a couple wasn''t strange, they looked amazing together. She frowned, "Ugh."


    Madeline felt her heart still pounding in her chest. Whilst she was pleased and Xavier''s presence had sent the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy, she hadn''t accounted for this to happen. She had no idea why she hesitated before telling Ruth the answer she wanted.


    Ruth asked, "And what''s your full name?"


    Xavier answered, "Xavier Ronan. Next question."


    "How long have you been dating?"


    "About a month," he answered, sounding very convincing. Even Madeline would have thought they were dating if she didn''t know better.


    "Your job?"


    "Wouldn''t you like to know?" Xavier asked.


    Ruth scoffed. She couldn''t understand how a man like him could end up dating someone like Madeline and she never would have pegged him as the type to be into her. However, the way Madeline kept looking at him - the love and adoration she had in her eyes - said enough about the man. Seemed legit. Everyone else was convinced.


    One interview and or interrogation later, and Xavier figured it was best if he left.


    "I''ll see you later?" Xavier questioned, squeezing her hand gently.


    "Mhm," Madeline nodded, mouthing, ''We''ll talk about it later.''


    Briar rubbed it in, "Don''t they just make you want to tell them to get a room? They''re sickeningly sweet. Right, guys?"


    Everyone else had to agree, and Madeline blushed.

 Chapter 190 - Goodnight, Pup

    "Did you hear, Mr Ethan''s no longer teaching, I heard he retired this year," Madeline said to the others.


    Briar gasped, "Wait, seriously?"


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, didn''t you know about it?"


    Her friend shook her head.


    Stephanie added, "I heard he and his wife are going through a nasty divorce."


    Briar placed her hand on her mouth, she liked Mr Ethan. As a professor, of course. Not in that way. That was strictly reserved for someone else.


    "Oh my goodness," Briar said.


    [Author''s Note: The reason Briar goes with ''oh my goodness'' and not ''oh my luna'' like she usually does is because she''s with her friends. Her normal, human friends that have no idea she''s a werewolf.]


    Ruth said, "We should probably change the subject into something less depressing."


    Madeline agreed, "Totally."


    "Would you look at the time? I don''t want this to end," Briar admitted.


    A girl who sat at the far-end of the table chuckled, "Neither do I."


    "Group hug?"


    Madeline stared at Stephanie, "Yeah, no."


    Briar stifled a laugh, "Hard pass."


    An hour later, the girls bid each other goodbye. Madeline and Briar exchanged a glance.


    "Well that went¡­ well," Madeline began, breaking the silence between her and Briar as they both entered Madeline''s car.


    "Heck yeah it did," Briar replied, a grin on her face.


    "Why are you so happy? Did you not hear what happened to Mr Ethan? I thought you actually liked him as your professor."


    "I do, I do. I''m just particularly happy about something else."


    Madeline raised her brow, "And what''s this something else?"


    __


    "You are so cool, you know that?" Madeline mused, "And did you see the way they were looking at you? It''s like no one else was in that room. The girls were enamoured with you too."


    "Well, that wasn''t really my intention, but¡­"


    "How did you know I was there anyway? Or do you have your ways?"


    Xavier admitted, "Briar texted me, she told me it was better if I came to sp¨C"


    He stopped talking. Xavier was about to say, ''To spook the men that kept defiling you with their dirty gazes.''


    He couldn''t stand them, and he hadn''t even been there.


    "To what? I didn''t quite catch that."


    "Nothing! Nothing. It''s just¡­"


    "Do I really want to know or do you want to keep it to yourself?" Madeline questioned, narrowing her eyes at him. She asked next, "And what did you say to those guys to make them just run away? They seemed terrified."


    "I just told them to¡­"


    Xavier remembered the exact words he told them, and he winced. How would he tell Madeline what he said?


    "I usually don''t like tainting my hands with filthy blood, but I really won''t mind killing you all. If you value your life and do not wish to die in my hands, then I suggest you run away now," Xavier blurted out.


    "What?!"


    "What I said, that''s what I told them. Word for word. You told me not to keep anything from you!"


    Madeline whipped her head around at him, "Just don''t go around threatening people. What did they do to deserve it anyway?"


    Xavier opened his mouth to tell her exactly what they did but chose to keep silent.


    "Oh alright," he mumbled. Then, he thought of a genius idea.


    He smirked, and she raised her brow.


    "What is it?"


    "If I stay here till you fall asleep, would you give me a kiss?"


    "Do you even have to ask?" Madeline questioned.


    Xavier leaned in and placed a tentative kiss on her lips.


    Madeline giggled, "So, since you''re staying here, why don''t we talk about the elephant in the room?"


    "Mm, I suppose it''s the perfect time to talk about it. Wait, we are thinking about the same thing, right?" Xavier questioned, to which Madeline nodded.


    "We are. It''s about us as an item," Madeline said. She chuckled, "I want to date you. I want to be your girlfriend, there''s no doubt about that. I just¡­ want things not to go too fast. I want to go with the flow. Besides, we have all the time in the world, don''t we?"


    Xavier couldn''t have been happier to hear what Madeline said to him.


    "And I want to be your boyfriend. But you''re right, let''s just go with the flow. Have fun, fall more in love with each other."


    Madeline grinned, "It adds up though, Briar looked really smug. I could see why."


    Xavier laughed softly, "I was surprised to receive a text from her. It was simple and short, and mentioned something about guys, and you, and me needing to go over there."


    "Classic Briar," remarked Madeline.


    He began, "And I had something to tell you."


    "Oh, what is it? Does it have something to do with why you look so guilty?"


    Madeline fought to stay awake.


    "Tomorrow''s the full moon."


    "Ah."


    "You could wait in the cabin if you want."


    Madeline sat up.


    "Wait, what?" She asked, sitting there staring at Xavier. Tilting her head to the side in confusion, she questioned, "You trust me enough to have me stay at the cabin alone? Emphasis on alone."


    Xavier raised his brow, "Of course I trust you enough. Why would I not trust you?"


    Madeline realised she had just dug a deep hole for herself. Cursing under her breath, she said, "I just¡­ I didn''t expect you to offer that. If you don''t mind me staying there, then¡­ yeah, sure."


    "Then it''s settled."


    Full moons were a tricky situation. Xavier tiptoed around Madeline whenever the full moon came, and Madeline noticed. She could see why, and she didn''t mind it. It wasn''t only him, Briar too.


    The only person that seemed to be alright and refused to hide anything from her when it came to full moons was Emilio. Madeline supposed he didn''t want to keep things from her, and she found the sentiment sweet.


    "You know I trust you right? I trust you more than¨C"


    Xavier paused, realising Madeline had already fallen asleep. He carefully removed the pillows from the small pile so Madeline could properly lay down.


    "Goodnight, pup," he whispered, before he left as quietly as he could.

 Chapter 191 - THEYRE DATING NOW?!

    "So, how was your reunion?"


    "Fun. Drama filled. Xavier made an appearance."


    "Xavier made an appearance? What are you talking about, and why haven''t I heard of this?"


    Briar grinned, "Didn''t you hear?"


    Adrian frowned, "I wish I did, but no. If I did, I''d be at Xavier''s office right now, talking his ear off."


    "Xavier made an appearance at the reunion."


    "Yeah, that I already know off. What else?"


    "I sent him a text. Told him guys were looking at Madeline and the next second he''s there. He scared them off and the girls loved him. They practically ate him up and they were enamoured with him, you should have seen it."


    Adrian narrowed his eyes, "Yes, I should have."


    "Oh! And he also claimed to be Madeline''s boyfriend."


    "THEY''RE DATING NOW?" Adrian asked.


    "Quiet down! You''re talking too loud, you''re going to give me a headache. No, they''re not. Xavier just pretended, I think he did at least."


    Adrian said dryly, "Oh, so they''re not dating."


    "Yeah, they''re not. If they were, Maddie would have told me. And so far, she told me she''s going with the flow so I don''t think it''s really happening any time now but maybe in the future. They''re made for each other after all."


    "Can''t argue with that, they''re sickeningly sweet."


    Briar nudged him in the rib, a smile on her face, "I said that too."


    Adrian chuckled, "You know you never told me about the person you were interested in."


    She turned to look at him, "Smooth, but you''re not getting me to talk about him now."


    "I guess I tried."


    She scoffed, "Aren''t you going to try and pry it out of me?"


    "If you told me I''m not getting you to talk I don''t think you''re going to tell me anything no matter how much I try prying out of you."


    "Wow, I would''ve thought you''d try at the very least. Never knew Beta Adrian was a quitter."


    The word ''quitter'' seemed to affect Adrian as he exclaimed, "I am no quitter!"


    "Really? Are you sure you''re not just all talk and no bite?"


    Nose up in the air, he said to her snobbily, "I rarely quit things. I''m very persistent when I want to be. Keywords, when I want to be."


    Briar fumbled with her shirt, "Sure."


    Adrian glanced at her, wondering if she knew who he was referring to all this time. Was she really that blind when it came to who he quite clearly held his affections for? He doubted so, unless Briar was in denial and didn''t think it was true.


    "You should go now, I have to work, you know," he said to her.


    Surprisingly, Briar agreed.


    "Alright, I understand the sanctity of work. Go on, work. I''ll take my leave now," she announced.


    "Bye," he greeted, wishing her farewell.


    For now at least.


    "Goodbye, Beta Adrian."


    He exclaimed, "I told you to stop calling me by that and just call me Adria¨C"


    The door slammed behind her, and he sighed, burying his face in his hands. He knew that Briar was interested in someone else but kept pursuing her. Well, he wasn''t really pursuing her, was he?


    He was simply hiding the truth from her and talking to her. They simply acted like friends did, and she never made it seem like she held even an ounce of affection for him. She was clearly interested in someone else, and yet he remained crazy for her. He wasn''t even sure when this had all begun, he supposed it happened slowly over time. From a small crush to what it was now. Full blown feelings for a woman who didn''t reciprocate said feelings.


    He wrote things down with his pen, wondering what to say when he saw her again. Adrian didn''t know what to do, terrified he''d fess up to his feelings. One wrong word and he''d spill everything he thought to her.


    One wrong word and everything he felt for her that he had kept hidden went down the proverbial drain.


    "I need to compose myself," Adrian thought to himself, not taking his gaze away from the piece of paper with information neatly written on it.


    Just because he had feelings for a woman did not mean he could just shirk his duties. He had work to do, he wouldn''t just throw that all away. He still prioritised work.


    Meanwhile, Madeline went off to visit a friend since the full moon was that night, and she couldn''t help but be reminded of her whenever the full moon approached.


    As another full moon came, she was reminded that her friend wouldn''t be able to turn into a werewolf. Why? Because she was long gone.


    Madeline smiled, "I''m here to visit you again."


    No response came, as expected.


    It was calming, Indiana''s grave. Madeline found it nice that she was able to see Indiana, even if Indiana wasn''t there in person. She could feel the presence of her friend, as strange as it seemed. Even though Indiana''s body had been disposed of somewhere else, and she knew that¡­ Madeline chose to believe that Indiana had received a proper burial. And that she was buried under her grave, perfectly entombed.


    "You''re probably really annoyed by me now since I could be doing anything else but I chose to visit you. I didn''t forget you, and I won''t forget you," Madeline said, playing with the leaves nearby.


    The wind whistled in her air, and she could hear the sounds of water splashing nearby. It was all so serene. So peaceful. Hence why she had chosen this spot for Indiana to be buried. It seemed like someplace Indiana would have wanted to be buried.


    "I met my university friends at a reunion. Xavier even showed up mid-reunion, now they think he''s my boyfriend. Then again, he claimed to be my boyfriend to them so of course they do," Madeline chuckled, remembering yesterday''s events. She didn''t think it was weird to spend her time talking to a grave, but she figured it wasn''t supposed to be normal.


    Madeline scoffed.


    ''And when have I ever been normal, or chose to do things normally?''

 Chapter 192 - Where Is This All Coming From?

    "Right, I should probably wrap things up and leave now. I''m sorry, I just¡­ I''ve been missing you a lot these days. Especially with the full moon, I wish you were here. I should get to leaving now, so I''ll see you later," Madeline said, getting up on her feet and taking one last look at Indiana''s grave before she left.


    Once she returned to Eudora, she decided to pay her father a visit and see how he was doing.


    "Hey dad," greeted Madeline cheerily when Emilio opened his door for her.


    "Hello dear, how''s your day been?" Emilio asked, putting the book he was reading down to a nearby table.


    "It''s alright, I visited Indiana today," Madeline answered, a smile painted across her face.


    Emilio wasn''t sure whether or not to keep talking about Indiana or change the subject. Madeline seemed to be in a good mood, but did she want to keep talking about Indiana or did she want to stop talking about her as soon as possible?


    He was at a crossroads, but ultimately decided not to delve too deep into Indiana. It was a sensitive topic for Madeline.


    "Well, that''s great," he said, smiling.


    "Yeah, it is. What were you reading?" Madeline questioned as she walked over to her father.


    "It''s nothing, just some boring book," Emilio dismissed.


    Madeline noticed Emilio was more happy today. Was this because today was a full moon and that would mean he got to roam Eudora even if it was for one night? How would that work out anyway? Weren''t the other wolves not allowed to see him?


    "Ah, alright. So, are you excited for the full moon?"


    Emilio chuckled nervously, "Me? Excited about the full moon? Yeah, of course I am. It''s one night of freedom. So long as I steer clear from the others I''ll be completely fine."


    Xavier had made it clear that he didn''t want Emilio to wreak havoc on Eudora. But, he''d allow Emilio to roam free during full moons. So long as he steered clear from everyone else and didn''t stir up any trouble. If he did, then it was back to his hut for him and Xavier would have to come up with suitable punishment.


    The suitable punishment being death of course. If that wasn''t clear.


    Madeline questioned, "Have you eaten breakfast yet? I could get you something if you haven''t."


    "No need to worry about me, I''ve already gotten breakfast. Xavier had someone send it to me."


    "Oh, right. I forgot Xavier arranged for someone to send you breakfast everyday," Madeline said, nodding.


    When it came to Emilio and Eudora, Madeline was in a dilemma. Eudora had become her home. But, Emilio was her father. He had taken the lives of many innocent people, and Eudora had to suffer because of him. He didn''t terrorise just Eudorian wolves, but other wolves as well. Other innocent people too, not just wolves, but humans as well.


    It was why Madeline wished Emilio wasn''t a murderer at times. As selfish as she thought she sounded, it would have solved a few of the problems she faced because of it. Such as Emilio being confined to his room because of his past actions. Madeline couldn''t do anything about it, not when her conscience was at odds with herself.


    Emilio couldn''t roam free, that would be outright disrespectful and dishonouring those who had lost their lives because of Emilio. Or lost their family because of Emilio. Madeline had always found it funny how she had an absentee mom, and a murderous father. Not that she didn''t appreciate her father. She just put the fact that he was a murderer aside whenever she was with him.


    Madeline found that it was easier that way. Rather than to see Emilio as what he was, a cold-blooded murderer. And the funny thing was, if she had to pick between Cornelia who claimed to protect her but had to abandon her and her murderer of a father, she''d pick Emilio. Madeline wasn''t sure if she was just really messed up or if it was because she thought Emilio wasn''t given the same chance Cornelia was.


    Cornelia had the choice to keep her. Sure, she had her reasons but Madeline didn''t know them. Emilio didn''t know she existed, she kept her existence from him. Maybe because she thought Emilio would have killed her like he did many others. But that wasn''t what Cornelia said.


    Heck, Cornelia never said anything. All she did was sit still and pretty and act like she did nothing wrong. Madeline remembered her sipping on her wine like she hadn''t just abandoned her family and then invited them to dinner like it was something they always did.


    ''The nerve of that woman,'' Madeline thought to herself, frowning.


    An explanation would have really helped. That was all she really wanted. For Cornelia to say she always wanted her and never meant to hurt her. That she did it to protect her because¡­


    Madeline found her mind blank. She had no idea why Cornelia did what she did. Sure, she had her assumptions but never a real answer. Assumptions were assumptions. Cornelia never confirmed if any of her assumptions were right so they were just that. Assumptions.


    "You don''t deserve this," Emilio said all of a sudden.


    "Don''t deserve what?"


    "Me as your father. Cornelia as your mother. We''re a messed up family," Emilio said, stating the obvious.


    Madeline stared at him, "What are you going on about?"


    Emilio stared back at her, confused as to why she was acting confused.


    "You could have been given any other family but you were given me and Cornelia as your birth parents. I''m sorry. You deserve a real, loving family. Not whatever mess you were dragged into when you entered our lives."


    "Where is this all coming from?"


    "I just wanted to put it out there. Decided to get it off my chest."


    "Is that how you''ve been feeling all this time? That having you as a father and Cornelia as a mother weighed me down?"


    Madeline looked him in the eye.

 Chapter 193 - Is That A Hint Of Jealousy In Your Voice I Hear?

    "Pretty much."


    "Seriously?" Madeline asked, scoffing.


    Emilio looked at her, wondering what Madeline was going to tell him. He had gotten to know her, so it would probably be something about how that wasn''t true.


    "Come on, you''re my dad. Sure, I can''t say much about your past decisions that got you to where you are today but you''ve never been short of an amazing dad. Except for the times you tried killing me but we don''t talk about that either. I appreciate what you''ve done and compared to Cornelia, you''re the world''s number one dad."


    Scratching his nape, Emilio admitted, "I don''t think we should be comparing me to Cornelia."


    "Yeah, we probably shouldn''t," Madeline agreed with him, deciding a change of subject would be more beneficial.


    "It must have been something, seeing Cornelia after decades of not seeing each other."


    "Hmm? Oh yeah, it was. It was really shocking, and I was quite glad to see her," Emilio admitted. He had learnt it was best not to keep anything from Madeline.


    Keeping things from her wouldn''t end well, so why not just come clean and tell her everything she needed to know? That way, he could get things off his chest and not have to feel guilty whenever he saw her because he was keeping something from her. The whole being a parent thing changed him. Not only him, but Cornelia too, unbeknownst to most.


    "If you want to talk¨C"


    Emilio nodded, "I know, I know. You''re here for me. It''s really sweet of you dear."


    Madeline smiled, before she thought to ask, "By the way, have you seen Rosalynn lately?"


    Shaking his head, Emilio answered, "No, I haven''t, not since dinner the other day. Why? Something to talk to her about?"


    "No, I just wondered where she was since I haven''t seen her here."


    "Oh, she''s probably staying with your m¨C"


    Emilio paused, realising his mistake.


    Madeline interjected, "Oh¨C"


    "Cornelia, I meant that she''s probably staying with Cornelia."


    "Yeah, probably," Madeline agreed, wondering what else to say.


    "If you want to talk to her¡­"


    "Oh it''s fine, I really was just wondering where she was. Besides, I forgot to mention, I talked to Cornelia after dinner. I went to see her again."


    "Oh? Did she tell you anything?" Emilio asked, careful about what he asked her.


    Madeline shook her head, "No, nothing much. I just asked her about something that was on my mind for a while and I didn''t get much from her. She can be very tight-lipped."


    "Mhm, tight-lipped. She kept my daughter from me so I think tight-lipped would be a definite understatement," Emilio spoke, bitterness clearly evident in his tone.


    "Right," Madeline said, trying not to laugh.


    She couldn''t possibly put together why she found it funny. It wasn''t supposed to be funny, but the way Emilio had put it¡­


    ''Gah! Why do I want to laugh at the worst times? Curses,'' Madeline thought to herself, rolling her eyes in annoyance.


    __


    "You heard about the reunion," Xavier said once he heard the door creak open.


    "I did," Adrian nodded.


    "Do you want to get straight to the point or do you want to keep lingering here?"


    "I''m just surprised you threatened the innocent. That''s so unlike you," Adrian admitted.


    Xavier had a look of resentment burning in his eyes. Adrian wondered if he had made the right decision when he chose to talk to Xavier about it. His mind told him not to bring it up any further with how pissed Xavier looked.


    "What did they do to make you so upset?" Adrian questioned.


    "Don''t get me started on them, the way they were looking at her¡­ It was like they were defiling her," Xavier tsked in annoyance before he raised his arms in frustration, "What was I supposed to do? Not come over there once Briar texted?"


    Adrian sat down on the chair opposite of Xavier''s, now more interested in the situation than ever.


    "Tell me more."


    "I wanted to kill them all," Xavier muttered.


    "You can''t just do that, that''s way too violent! For humans, at least."


    "May I remind you I''m not a human? Not anymore," Xavier reminded.


    "I know, I was referring to them."


    "Right."


    Xavier crushed his pen.


    Adrian stared pitifully at the pen.


    ''Poor pen. It didn''t do anything to deserve getting crushed,'' he thought to himself.


    "What did you tell them?"


    "You''re the second person to ask me that," Xavier said.


    Adrian smiled, "Wonder what Madeline''s reaction was when you told her. Must have been bad huh."


    Xavier told Adrian what he told the men to have them scatter away in fright.


    Safe to say, Adrian was shocked. His jaw had practically fallen to the floor and Xavier was sure that if he had said any more, Adrian would have fainted.


    "I''m not sure if I should be proud of you as my friend, or give you one long lecture as your beta," Adrian admitted.


    "Save the lecture. Madeline seemed perfectly fine with it," Xavier said, flipping a page over as he continued to read something.


    "Geez, you''re acting like you didn''t do anything."


    Xavier scoffed, "You should have seen Briar yesterday. She was doubling down from laughter and just enjoying what happened."


    "So what, you and Briar are friends now too?"


    "Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice? I''m not going to steal her or take her from you, besides, I only have eyes for one person and one person only and you know that," Xavier joked.


    Adrian grumbled, "I''m not jealous, I know you won''t take her. Anyway, she''s already interested in some other person."


    Xavier looked even more smug once Adrian mentioned it, "Oh? Briar''s interested in someone else?"


    __


    Author''s Note: So sorry you could only access the chapters now! I added extra chapters to the final priv tier (so now readers have access to 30 chapters if they buy the last privilege). Hope you guys enjoy the new chapters, and I hope you guys all have a lovely day.


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 194 - Show Me

    "Moving on from who Briar''s interested in, I came to tell you that I found something."


    Xavier suddenly turned serious. Without any further hesitation, he ordered, "Show me."


    Adrian placed a file on Xavier''s desk, explaining, "There were traces of magic found nearby where the ferals appeared, and they were quite old. It took quite a while for them to show so we didn''t find it right away. Seems like someone''s definitely behind this, and they either are experienced in magic or¡­"


    "Or has someone who aides them that is experienced in magic. Yeah, that I figured," Xavier inhaled.


    "The funny thing is Cornelia is an easy answer. She knows who''s behind this, she could tell us," Adrian pointed out.


    "But that didn''t work out. She''s as tight-lipped as ever."


    Adrian patted Xavier on the back, "We''ll find who did this. And when we do, we''ll make sure whoever did it pays."


    A glimmer of hope shimmered in Xavier''s eye, "Yes, yes we will. And when we do, there''ll be hell to pay."


    "Just admit it, before there was Mavier there was us."


    Xavier stared at Adrian blankly, "Excuse me?"


    He received another pat on the back, "You heard me."


    "You''re one strange guy."


    "And yet we''re still friends. You chose to be friends with the strange guy, and as an added bonus you also chose to work with him hehe," Adrian grinned.


    Xavier rolled his eyes, "You can go now. I''ll keep the file to look at myself."


    "Alright, I''ll see you later," Adrian said, before he disappeared.


    Now that he was left alone in his office, Xavier flipped through the file Adrian had left on his office desk, making sure not to miss every single detail. Perhaps one teeny tiny detail would lead him to whoever did it, or bring him closer to finding who did it. He felt it was proper if he found the person behind it. After all, he couldn''t risk it happening again.


    It was his job as alpha to protect his pack. Make sure no one inflicted any harm towards Eudora, not under his watch. His friends as well. What happened to Indiana was no accident, he couldn''t deny it. What Cornelia had said to Madeline confirmed it too. Cornelia wouldn''t lie to Madeline.


    Well, maybe she would, but not about this. Besides, he saw the way Madeline was right after Indiana had died. It was like a piece of her heart had been ripped out of her chest. He was grateful Madeline was alright now but he couldn''t just forget how she was. So, he took it upon himself to find whoever was behind this. Madeline knew about how he had already gotten people to search the area where the fight had taken place, but she hadn''t known about the results.


    He''d tell her when he saw her again, which was for lunch. Then, he''d tell her about the new clue.


    However, something tugged at him at the back of his mind. This magic was definitely not created by a rookie. Whoever did this intentionally left the magic at the spot, wanting it to be found. Heck, whoever did this must have wanted him to fall for it, and probably would have known he''d figure it out sooner or later as well.


    ''Now who is capable of planning this all,'' Xavier thought to himself, racking his mind for answers only to come up with¡­ nothing. This person wasn''t foolish, Xavier had to admit it himself.


    The type of magic used, where it was found, Cornelia''s hint, it was supposed to piece itself together. It was supposed to show exactly who was behind it. But a trail wasn''t that short, there would always be a long, winding road ahead and there had to be someone at the end of it. There simply had to be.


    Xavier knew he was just at the beginning. He thought back to the nightmare Madeline had, wondering if it was connected with all of this. It was certainly plausible, Madeline could have been dragged into some person''s territory. Perhaps it was his way of scaring her out of her wits and shooting a firework up in the sky. Basically, Mr or Ms Villain''s way of shooting a flare gun.


    Tapping his finger on his desk, Xavier thought of all the possibilities, knowing he couldn''t possibly overlook any of them. That would just be extremely reckless of him, wouldn''t it? If the only reason he couldn''t find out who Mr or Ms Villain was because of his recklessness or because he overlooked a simple detail, he would never be able to forgive himself.


    He scoffed, choosing to refer to whoever the person behind it was as Mr or Ms Villain since he had no idea who they were. It could have been anyone, but he couldn''t accuse anyone unless he had solid, concrete evidence. And said solid, concrete evidence couldn''t just fall out of the sky like the rain.


    It would take days, weeks, maybe even months before Xavier could find anything. All he could do was hope the said person made bolder moves. That way, it would be easier to find out who he was and deal with him immediately.


    Didn''t Madeline deserve to know who the man behind Indiana''s death was too? If the situation hadn''t been handled the way it did, Indiana wouldn''t have been the only one that was turned into a feral. There would have been more than just one casualty. She wouldn''t rest until she found the person responsible for Indiana.


    If she was desperate enough to try to guilt-trip Cornelia for answers as to who was behind this, who knew what else she''d do? Madeline seemed like she was out for blood, as fine as she seemed. Xavier could sense it too, how Madeline felt towards the situation. She wanted to know who, and when she did, she wouldn''t be able to hold back.


    Even if it hadn''t been intentional, the person had killed her friend. And now that Cornelia had given Madeline that one hint, she confirmed it.. They weren''t just crazy and trying to find someone to pin Indiana''s death on, they were actually onto something.

 Chapter 195 - She Threatened To Kill Xavier Too

    "How''s work going?" Madeline questioned as she watched Xavier pour her a drink.


    "It''s going fine," Xavier answered.


    Madeline exhaled, "You know, you don''t have to pour me a drink."


    A grin found its way on Xavier''s face as he said to her, "I insist, let me pour you a drink, pup."


    She huffed, "Fine."


    "What about you, visited Emilio today?"


    Madeline nodded enthusiastically, "Mhm."


    __


    "I know I''ve got to go but I''m going to miss you," Xavier said as he gazed longingly at the woman of his dreams.


    "I''m going to miss you too, but time''s running out," Madeline reminded him, chuckling. She ran her finger down his arm and said to him, "How about this? When you return, I''m taking you out on a date and we can make up for lost time."


    She shrugged, thinking to herself, ''I was planning on asking him out anyway.''


    Xavier''s face lit up. Clearing his throat, he tried to compose himself.


    Madeline laughed, "I''ll take that as a yes."


    He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of Madeline''s hand, "Of course it''s a yes. Now I have more to look forward to when I return, other than reuniting with you."


    "Go," Madeline said, brushing a stray hair away from her face, "Before I change my mind."


    "Fine, fine. If you say so, pup."


    He walked out of the room, winking at her before he vanished from sight.


    Madeline sat herself down, knowing it''d be a long couple of days.


    "Guess it''s just me, myself and I now," Madeline said.


    Briar was gone, so was Emilio and the others. Going out would be too risky, so she was left to stay in the cabin. Xavier had told her she was free to explore the place, so long as she wouldn''t enter or try to force her way in any of the locked rooms. Those were off-limits.


    Madeline stared at the living room table, feeling lonely. She wished for anyone to be there with her so she wouldn''t feel so alone; she was reminded of her childhood, when she had to go to school and feel separated and disconnected from everyone else, being treated differently. Parents told their kids to stay away from her because she had no parents.


    A knock came from outside the cabin. Madeline turned deadly silent, and she searched for the nearest item that she could use as a weapon. Her human instincts took over. One could never be too prepared. Once she heard footsteps approaching, she nearly screamed, "I have a weapon!"


    "No need to panic, it''s just me," Rosalynn said, raising her hands up in the air.


    "Rose," Madeline sighed in relief. She questioned, "Did Xavier put you up to this?"


    "No, of course not. I came here all on my lonesome. Besides, tracking you isn''t all that difficult," Rosalynn admitted. She took a seat beside Madeline and squeezed your shoulder, "And I figured you''d want some company since it''s the full moon."


    Rosalynn remembered how lonely Cornelia felt when Emilio was off. He was alpha too at one point, he had to lead the others and fulfil his duty meaning Cornelia was left alone. Other than Rosalynn who kept her company like the great friend she was, she had no one. No one left to talk to or chat with¡­ it was depressing. The fact that Madeline had an uncanny resemblance to Cornelia didn''t help either. They were super depressing, both of them.


    "Was Cornelia ever like this?" Madeline questioned, before she added, "Want a glass of water or something, Aunt Rose?"


    "Oh, sure. And to answer your previous question. She was, on most full moons she felt alone even though that wasn''t Emilio''s fault, it was his job that required him to leave for a couple of days. At the same time, I''d like to believe it strengthened their relationship," Cornelia answered.


    "Wow," Madeline said before she headed over to pour Rosalynn a glass of water.


    "It''ll pass dear."


    "Here you go," Madeline spoke, handing Rosalynn the glass. She whispered, "I do hope it passes. I miss them."


    "They''ll be back soon, try to distract yourself from it by doing something else."


    "Easier said than done."


    "I could check up on you and visit."


    Madeline''s eyes lit up, she practically looked like an enthusiastic puppy.


    "Yes please, I would love that!" She exclaimed before admitting to Rose, "I don''t do well with being alone for long, extended periods of time."


    Rosalynn felt a pang in her heart.


    ''Poor thing,'' she thought to herself, taking pity on Madeline.


    They hadn''t gotten to talk much after dinner with Cornelia. Rosalynn felt horrible after she had witnessed everything that had gone on during dinner. Cornelia refused to speak about what Madeline desperately wanted to know about and instead just apologised. She could see where both ladies were coming from, and now that Cornelia had told her what made her make certain decisions she made in the past¡­


    Suffice it to say, Rosalynn was torn. What Cornelia had done was wrong - keeping everything from Madeline.


    "She threatened to kill Xavier too," Madeline said.


    Rosalynn blinked, "Come again?"


    "Cornelia, she threatened to kill Xavier if I didn''t attend dinner."


    The woman seemed just as shocked as Emilio was when she heard. Cornelia hadn''t told her that.


    "She did what?!"


    She placed her hand on her mouth.


    "Yeah," Madeline said, staring at the jug of water.


    Rosalynn breathed deeply, making a mental note to have a chat with Cornelia regarding what she had done to Madeline.


    "Was it only you, or?" Rosalynn questioned, wishing Madeline would say it was only her. It couldn''t be any worse than that, right?


    "She sent my friend one too," Madeline added, as if things weren''t bad enough.


    Rosalynn held her breath.


    "And Adrian, and Xavier but they didn''t seem as alarmed, they knew what was going on. Xavier admitted he did, at least."


    __


    Author''s Note: How''s everyone feeling about March? Hope you all are having a nice day!

 Chapter 196 - When Did It Start To Rain?

    "My goodness, looks like I''ll have to talk to Cornelia about this. I can''t believe she''s back to her old antics."


    "Old? As in, she''s done this more than once? And to other people?"


    Rosalynn nodded, face filled with confusion. She thought Xavier would have told her.


    "There was once a time even Xavier fell for it, thinking someone''s life was on the line because of Cornelia."


    Madeline opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out of it. The woman was too stunned to speak.


    "Wait, seriously? Who did Cornelia threaten to¨C"


    Rosalynn realised she had spoken out of line. So Xavier hadn''t told her yet, she had expected him to have told her by now. Perhaps he was too embarrassed, or perhaps he didn''t want to upset Madeline further.


    "Forget I said anything," Rosalynn said.


    "Eh? Why?"


    "Cornelia does this a lot, it''s not uncommon for people around her to be threatened. She thinks it''s funny."


    The girl looked flat-out horrified by what Rosalynn had told her.


    Rose was beginning to think she also shouldn''t have told Cornelia found threatening people funny.


    "You shouldn''t take things too seriously, Cornelia has a very eccentric way of doing things. Seems like being her daughter won''t exclude you from it either if she''d threaten to kill Xavier if you won''t attend dinner. Of course, she wouldn''t actually do it since she''s not heartless, but¡­"


    The look on Madeline''s face said enough; Rose took the hint and stopped talking. That was enough talking about Cornelia for now.


    "Eccentric. People call her eccentric," Madeline muttered, unable to see how people could just accept things as is. Even Briar acted normal, like she hadn''t just been threatened.


    Was it really as normal as they were making it out to be? Briar never met Cornelia before, so she wouldn''t know what it was like. Yet, she kept her cool. She made a small fuss about it at the beginning but that was it.


    "She looked miserable that night, during dinner," Rosalynn blurted out.


    "What? How could Cornelia be miserable? She looked like she had the time of her life," Madeline stated as if it was extremely obvious. Which it was, to her.


    "Another thing Cornelia does often is put up facades. She may seem like she''s having the time of her life on one end but she may be suffering on the other."


    "Are you trying to say she was miserable because I was there?" Madeline asked, her voice shaky.


    Rosalynn shook her head, "That''s not what I''m trying to say, dear. What I''m trying to say is she looked miserable because she knows what she did to you was wrong."


    Madeline folded her arms against her chest, narrowing her eyes.


    "I''m not the only victim here."


    "Ah, right," Rosalynn smiled apologetically at Madeline. She corrected, "Both you and Emilio. And Briar."


    "And yet she never explained why she did it. All she did was apologise, apologise and apologise," Madeline pointed out flatly.


    "You''re right. All Cornelia did the other night was just apologise, apologise and apologise. But just because she didn''t explain the situation to you also doesn''t mean she isn''t sorry, dear. You have to know that. Her job limits her from speaking about certain matters."


    "Even if those ''certain matters'' are personal and important?''


    "Especially if those certain matters are personal and important."


    Hurt shone in Madeline''s eyes, she couldn''t believe what Rosalynn was saying. She knew Rosalynn was trying to be there for her whilst also telling her about Cornelia''s perspective, but she felt hurt. By Cornelia, not Rosalynn.


    "She abandoned me, and when she''s asked about why she can''t tell me why she chose to abandon me and not tell Emilio I exist, she says it has everything to do with her job. And then, when she doesn''t seem apologetic. Maybe there''s a hint of remorse on her face but I''ve been told she makes a great actress. And the look on your face isn''t exactly reassuring, heh."


    "That''s because what you said is true, and it would be wrong of me to deny it. But what I can''t deny and what I can say is that she is apologetic. She is miserable because she doesn''t get to say what she wants to say to you and because she has to look you in the face and remember what she did. If she didn''t care for you, she wouldn''t have checked up on you whilst you were growing up. She was there every step of the way, even if you didn''t see her," Rosalynn said, nodding.


    "That wasn''t a lie?"


    "Nothing she said was a lie," Rosalynn admitted, adding, "Except for what she said in that letter, that was a lie of course. I know her, and she wouldn''t have killed Xavier," Rosalynn spoke, choosing to keep another thing from Madeline. She placed a hand on hers, "You should get some rest, it must have been a busy day for you."


    Madeline pressed her lips into a thin line, "Yeah, I probably should. Are you coming by tomorrow?"


    Rosalynn nodded before the two ladies exchanged farewells, and she left, leaving Madeline alone.


    She laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, awake at night.


    Madeline had chosen not to sleep in Xavier''s bedroom, thinking it was too soon for that and choosing to sleep in one of the guestrooms instead.


    Just as she was about to sleep, she heard the sound of thunder booming.


    ''When did it start to rain?'' Madeline wondered, her brows knitted. She had never noticed it had begun raining, she was too focused on her thoughts and ideas.


    Covering herself with the comforter, she wished it would end. Madeline had always hated thunder, and storms ever since she was a little girl.


    __


    Author''s Note: I would like to clarify that Xavier, Briar, Adrian and the others are away for a couple of days because it''s the full moon, and in Alaric, werewolves remain werewolves for a couple of days and not for only one night.

 Chapter 197 - Maybe He Will, Maybe He Wont

    The next few days passed by like a blur. Madeline and Rosalynn had gotten to know each other better and had lots of fun.


    They had a mutual agreement, where they wouldn''t bring Cornelia up.


    So on the day Xavier was supposed to return, Madeline was getting impatient. She knew she shouldn''t have felt that way, but she had ended up missing more than she had intended to. Rosalynn had already left, so it was just her at Xavier''s cabin, or so she thought.


    When she was passing by Xavier''s bedroom, she heard a noise.


    She stopped, noticing the door was open. Madeline peered inside to find someone already waiting for her.


    "Hey there," Xavier greeted, a wide grin on his face as he lay in his bed, head propped up by his hand. He was dressed in a t-shirt and matching pants, looking dashing as usual.


    "Darling, you''re back!" Madeline exclaimed, face filled with excitement.


    She walked over to him, wondering if he was up for their third date or still exhausted. It was understandable, of course.


    He patted the space beside him on the bed, a grin still carved into his wickedly handsome face. There seemed to be a different air to him, or perhaps it was because of how much Madeline had missed him.


    Madeline crawled onto the bed, wondering what he was trying to do.


    "I missed you," he spoke, gazing into her eyes.


    She replied, "I missed you too."


    Thinking she was going crazy from the days she had been separated from him, she took a deep breath.


    "Everything okay?" He questioned, raising his brow at her.


    "Yeah. Everything''s okay. Better actually, now that you''re here."


    "So, what do you say to some you and me time?"


    Blinking, Madeline smiled, beginning to trace her finger up Xavier''s chest.


    "I know we''re dating now, but as I said before, we should just go with the flow, see where that takes us."


    [Author''s Note: Before anyone points out ''but they''re not dating, aren''t they just going on dates'', I suggest you continue reading. Safe to say, this chapter was one of my absolute favourites to write. XD]


    "Alright," Xavier said, a pout on his face.


    Madeline got up, running a finger through her silky hair.


    "Come on, we''ve got to celebrate your return. What about wine?"


    __


    "So she does hate my guts," Cornelia said, holding up her head with her hand.


    "You could say that."


    "You''re upset at me because I threatened my own daughter, huh."


    "You didn''t tell me that you threatened to kill Xavier before I decided to visit Madeline. She''s like my niece, I care about her. And I think you do too, so why would you do such a thing? Cornelia, she''s your daughter."


    "I know, but I had to get her here somehow."


    "There are countless other ways to get her here which don''t include threatening to kill her soulmate, Cornelia. You know that."


    "You know me, I like doing things differently."


    "Doing things differently isn''t equivalent to threatening people."


    "What, do you want me to apologise?"


    "An apology would be nice. Don''t you think she deserves one?"


    Cornelia stared at Rosalynn.


    Yes, she cared about Madeline.


    And yes, she knew she was wrong when she threatened Madeline to attend one dinner with her.


    However, she wouldn''t lower herself and apologise to her. That was way out of her capabilities.


    Cornelia had apologised to her already. She refused to apologise to Madeline another time. That was one of her fatal flaws, her stubbornness. It resulted in Emilio and Cornelia fighting over things that could have been resolved by a long, deep conversation.


    She would refuse to apologise for what she did, and Emilio would pick up fights. They would end up apologising to each other but that didn''t mean Cornelia had become any less stubborn decades later.


    "Are you seriously being stubborn now? You threatened to kill your biological daughter''s soulmate. Madeline''s hurt by it. And it''s not just that you need to apologise for."


    "Rose, you can''t tell me what to do with my daughter. That''s something I should decide myself."


    Rose stared at her, "I would''ve left you alone if you could decide what to do for yourself. But if I left you and did nothing about it, you wouldn''t have done much."


    Cornelia frowned, "Rose¨C"


    "Cornelia, she nearly cried in front of me. We didn''t bring you up even once after the first day I visited her. It''s only going to get worse from here."


    "I know that," Cornelia said, lowering her head slightly.


    "I''m not supposed to interfere but I care about her too."


    "Would she forgive me if I apologised?"


    "Nelia."


    "I''m kidding. I know, I know. I''m going to have to do more than just apologise to her to get her forgiveness. But you know why I did it."


    "It''s exactly because I know why you did it that I want you to just talk to her, sort some things out."


    "I doubt Emilio will even allow me anywhere near her."


    "Oh right, Emilio too."


    Cornelia scoffed, "He''s definitely upset with me, I doubt I''ll be able to get words in without him snapping at me or giving me some lecture about what I did to our daughter."


    "Well you''ve got to start from somewhere, it''s better than nothing. And maybe if you explain everything to Emilio he''d understand where you''re coming from."


    The woman stared at the floor, thinking of something. What if he did understand where she was coming from? Would that mean they had a shot of rekindling what they once had?


    Shaking her head, Cornelia told herself not to think about it too much. She refused to know what would happen between her and Emilio next. It caused her a great deal of pain, especially now that she''d see him again. Knowing that he hated her guts pained her.


    She muttered, "Maybe he will, maybe he won''t."


    __


    "Wine sounds great," Xavier responded, smiling.


    Once she made it all the way to Xavier''s bedroom door, a smirk made it on her face.


    She turned around, facing Xavier who''s gaze lingered on her.


    "You''re not Xavier, are you?"

 Chapter 198 - Stop Trying To Get In My Pants!

    The man that laid on Xavier''s bed got up from his bed.


    "You catch on pretty quickly. Way faster than I would''ve expected you to."


    Getting straight to the point, Madeline tilted her head questioningly, "Who are you? And what are you doing in someone else''s house?"


    That same grin he had on his face before returned to his face as he walked right over to her.


    "I''m Lawrence, Lawrence Ronan."


    She stared at him, quickly piecing things together. Ronan was Xavier''s last name, so the man that stood across from her must be Xavier''s¡­ twin brother. She huffed, displeased that he had tried getting into her pants when she hadn''t even known him before that day. The only reason she hadn''t tried attacking him or kicked him out was because... As much as she didn''t want to admit it, he had Xavier''s face. Besides, it was no easy feat making it all the way here from wherever he came from. He must have been a werewolf too, or some other species.


    "So what, your plan was to somehow trick me into sleeping with you because you look exactly like the man I''m in love with?"


    "Pretty much."


    "Did you not think there would be any repercussions?"


    "I can protect myself quite well, I don''t have to worry about any repercussions."


    "...quit looking at me like that."


    "Like what?"


    "Like I''m some delicious piece of meat. And keep the dirty jokes to a minimum."


    "But you are hot, there''s no denying that. Can''t blame me for wanting to--"


    "Keep ''em to a minimum. Man, I can''t believe you and Xavier are brothers. You sure do look alike but Xavier''s a gentleman. You''re perverted and shameless."


    "Hmm, can''t argue with that. Xavier''s always been a goody two shoes. But I''m not him, I like enjoying the pleasures life has to offer."


    "Pleasures as in sleeping with various women?"


    Nose up in the air, Lawrence insisted, "It''s an adventure, not some sin."


    Madeline folded her arms against her chest, "I can''t believe I really thought you were Xavier for a second."


    "So you admit, for a second, I had you fooled," he smirked.


    "Don''t flatter yourself. I''m only interested in one man and you''re not him."


    "But I do look like him, I can act like I''m him if that''s your thing. I''m also amazing in bed, and making people feel a certain way."


    Madeline facepalmed.


    "I''m not sleeping with you."


    "Hmm, fine. I guess I tried. And also, since you asked who I am and didn''t immediately peg me as Xavier''s twin brother that means you didn''t know who I was. Xavier didn''t mention me, did he?"


    Pursing her lips, Madeline reasoned, "He probably has a reason for keeping your existence from me."


    "You''re the woman he loves, isn''t he supposed to tell you everything?"


    "There''s bound to be several things he won''t want to tell me, he doesn''t have to tell me if he chooses not to."


    "Wow, smart and considerate. I can see why he loves you so much."


    "Am I supposed to thank you right now?"


    "You can thank me by doing more than just say it aloud."


    "Hard pass."


    "You sure? Many girls pass me down until they give in and--"


    "And what if I said yes? Hmm? Don''t you think Xavier would be upset or do something? We''re soulmates, you know."


    "I can handle my brother."


    "Sure you can."


    "I have a question," Lawrence stated.


    "Shoot."


    "What made you realise I wasn''t Xavier?"


    Madeline chuckled, "Oh, that. Me and Xavier aren''t dating, we''ve gone on a few dates but we''re going with the flow. We just had a talk about it."


    "Wow, so I must''ve made a quite convincing Xavier. Seems like I do know my brother enough."


    "And what about your brother?" Another voice asked.


    Madeline whipped around to see Xavier.


    The real Xavier, this time.


    "Darling," she called, her voice softer than usual as she bit her lip.


    She had missed him so damn much.


    "I see you''ve met my brother," Xavier said, narrowing his eyes at Lawrence and wondering what the man had told Madeline.


    "You never told me you had a brother," Madeline said, eyeing him.


    Xavier looked apologetically at her. Family was a sensitive topic for him, although Madeline knew that already.


    "And you never told me you found your soulmate, brother dear," Lawrence added, an amused expression on his face.


    Of course, Xavier was unaware Lawrence had tried to sleep with Madeline and that Lawrence had broken into his cabin without his permission¡­ but it was a matter of time.


    "She''s not bad."


    Madeline scoffed.


    "Wow, thanks. Means a lot."


    "And what are you doing in my bedroom?" Xavier asked the both of them.


    Madeline and Lawrence exchanged glances. Madeline wondered if it was best she told him because it wasn''t anything like what it seemed like.


    Xavier glanced back and forth between the two of them.


    "Is there something you need to tell me?"


    "I think it''s better if you hear it from Lawrence. You know, your brother."


    Lawrence laughed nervously, nudging Madeline in the rib. He knew what it looked like, Xavier''s bed was untidy too, so that didn''t help matters.


    Madeline knew it too, and she couldn''t believe it. How did she get herself into this situation?


    "Let''s move down to the living room," Madeline suggested, to which both Lawrence and Xavier agreed.


    "So, now is someone going to tell me what''s going on?" Xavier inquired, getting impatient.


    He didn''t like being left in the dark. Had Madeline slept with Lawrence thinking Lawrence was him?


    A knock sounded on the door, before whoever was at the door realised it was left open. Seemed like Xavier had forgotten to lock the door when he rushed upstairs to see who Madeline was talking to.


    "Xavier?" Adrian questioned, looking for Xavier to find Madeline, Xavier and Lawrence in the living room.


    His eyes widened, and he dropped whatever he was holding from pure shock.


    "What the f¨C"

 Chapter 199 - I Cant Clone People

    "What in the hell is going on? Is this some kind of new power Madeline unlocked? What, can she clone people now?" Adrian questioned.


    Madeline folded her arms against her chest, "Sorry to say, I can''t clone people. I wish I could but I can''t."


    Xavier exhaled, "This is my twin brother, Lawrence."


    "You never told me you had a twin brother," Adrian spoke, jaw practically on the floor.


    "And who are you supposed to be?" Lawrence questioned, slightly sad it wasn''t some conventionally attractive woman that had walked into Xavier''s cabin for him to go on an adventure with.


    "I''m Adrian, Xavier''s friend," Adrian said, introducing himself. He couldn''t keep his eyes off of Lawrence, still processing things.


    "He looks exactly like you. Like exactly like you."


    "I know that, we''re twins," Xavier grumbled.


    "He''s just upset I''m older than him by five solid minutes," Lawrence stated proudly.


    Xavier glared at Lawrence to shut up.


    Madeline stifled a laugh. Xavier gazed at her longingly, eyes filled with hurt although he decided to keep his mouth shut till he knew what happened.


    Thankfully, Madeline decided to have a chat with Xavier alone. She announced, "Me and Xavier are just going to head upstairs to have a little chat, you two go chat amongst yourselves or something."


    She knew as a matter of fact that Xavier''s bedroom was soundproof.


    "Come on, we''re talking upstairs," she said to Xavier who nodded and followed her.


    Adrian was about to say something along the lines of ''don''t leave me with him, I don''t even know him'' but chose to keep quiet. Whatever Madeline wanted to talk with Xavier about seemed serious.


    Lawrence waggled his brows, asking Adrian, "So, you''re decent-looking, got a girlfriend?"


    "Why ask?"


    __


    "Listen, I know what it looks like, but it''s a misunderstanding. I didn''t sleep with him," Madeline said, trying not to laugh. She added, on a roll, "The only reason we were in your bedroom was because I walked past your bedroom while I was on the way to the guest room and I saw him there, and I thought he was you."


    "Okay, continue," Xavier urged.


    "Then, I talked with him, thinking he was you because you and him look exactly alike. But then I realised that he wasn''t you," Madeline said, placing both her hands on Xavier''s chest. She began, "I''m going to tell you something that you might not like. So promise not to get upset?"


    Xavier looked at her, pursing his lips.


    "You have my word that I''ll try."


    Madeline inhaled.


    "Lawrence was trying to sleep with me. That''s the whole reason he¨C"


    Before Madeline could continue, Xavier interrupted her.


    "He what?" He questioned, fists balled and jaw clenched.


    Madeline stopped talking. She couldn''t try to reason with him and say he didn''t know she and Xavier were a thing. She had told Lawrence they were dating. Sure, she rectified her mistake later on but that didn''t mean she and Xvaier weren''t a thing. They went on a few dates, they were soulmates too. She didn''t have eyes for anyone other than him.


    Xavier believed her of course. Trying to get Madeline to sleep with him seemed like something Lawrence would do. After all, he was a womaniser. It was perfectly in his nature to try to get any attractive woman to sleep with him, especially if he knew his brother was interested in her. It was a great incentive.


    He couldn''t even remember what happened next, all he could remember doing was rushing downstairs with Madeline running behind.


    Without any further hesitation, he walked over to Lawrence.


    Madeline rushed to Xavier''s side, wanting to warn him not to do anything before-


    WHAM!


    Xavier sent Lawrence flying to a wall with one punch, breaking said wall in the process.


    Adrian could only watch everything happen, wondering what it was Madeline told Xavier for him to look so furious. The man seemed livid; he was encased in this aura of darkness and doom.


    Lawrence seemed insulted, "OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"


    "What was that for?"


    "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Xavier bellowed, voice echoing off the walls.


    "Can''t we talk this out like men?" Lawrence said, peeling himself off of the wall, muttering under his breath, ''If I were a human this would have killed me.''


    Xavier growled.


    Adrian stared at the floor, "I am both entertained and so confused right now."


    "I''m going to kill you."


    "Oh come on, I didn''t actually sleep with her!"


    Madeline walked over to Xavier''s side, heaving and panting. She stared at her mate who had successfully broken one of the perfectly good walls of his own living room by punching his twin brother. She bit her lip and squeezed his hand as if trying to tell him, ''Don''t, he''s still your brother.''


    "Adrian, I think it''d be better if you left," Madeline said to him, urgency flashing in her eyes.


    "Agreed," Adrian said, before he quickly left.


    "Xavier, don''t."


    "Listen to the lady, Xavier. We''re brothers, after all. Mom would''ve hated this."


    "Don''t you dare bring her name up, she would''ve been disappointed at who you''ve become."


    "You say that as if I''d let mom know the type of person I''ve become."


    "She would''ve hated it," Xavier stated.


    Lawrence scoffed, "What, you punched me once and now you wanna be civil?"


    Xavier grinned, "Oh don''t get me wrong I would love to kill you right now."


    "Then what''s stopping you?"


    "What do you think? What are you doing here anyway?" Xavier questioned.


    "I just decided to drop by and check in on my little brother."


    "I am not your little brother."


    "That five minute difference says otherwise."


    "A true brother wouldn''t have tried sleeping with their brother''s mate."


    "Geez, I''m sorry. Is that what you wanted to hear?"


    Xavier deliberated over it for a couple of seconds before he replied, "If you were anyone other than yourself, you''d be dead right now."


    "Wow, it''s really nice to know that. How accommodating of you."


    Madeline held Xavier''s hand tighter.


    "You know, at least I didn''t sleep with her. Wouldn''t it have been awkward?"


    "Oh, shut up, before I decide to punch you a second time," Xavier said.

 Chapter 200 - She Sure Has You Wrapped Around Her Little Finger

    "So we''re keeping this whole thing a secret, why?" Lawrence questioned, only to be shushed by Xavier.


    "You''ve got to help me out here, Madeline! You''ve got to tell me something, we''re friends right?" He asked her, shaking her back and forth.


    "If you let me go, I''ll tell you," she said, and he immediately let her go.


    "Speak."


    "Don''t order her around," Xavier said, running a finger through his hair in annoyance.


    Did he really have to put up with Lawrence?


    The man told himself it''d be worth it. It was only a matter of time. He first thought it was a stupid plan, but it was something he desperately wanted. And he couldn''t just dump his work on Adrian, Adrian had things to do on his own. Besides, Lawrence was just like him. He was an alpha of a powerful pack, he looked exactly like Xavier and it was perfectly in his capability to act like Xavier.


    "Don''t keep whatever you have in mind from me," retorted Lawrence. He added, "You know, Madeline. Since you''re out of the picture, if you have any fri¨C"


    Madeline gazed at the door of Xavier''s office, reminded of Indiana. She wondered how Indiana would''ve reacted if she got the chance to meet Lawrence. And Briar.


    Her eyes widened.


    ''Oh crap, Briar!''


    She knew that it was best if Briar heard the news from her instead of Adrian. Besides, Adrian didn''t know the full story, she did. Madeline smiled apologetically, "I''m going to leave you two on your own to resolve your issues. Just don''t fight and don''t go breaking walls, mkay?"


    "You have my word," Xavier promised.


    The minute Madeline left, Lawrence commented, "She sure has you wrapped around her little finger. Not saying that''s a bad thing. Mom would''ve loved her."


    "She would," Xavier mused.


    "Oh and also, I heard she''s Emilio''s daughter, is that true?" Lawrence questioned, disappointment evident in his tone. If it was true, and if Madeline was really Emilio''s daughter and it wasn''t just some hoax, that was some powerful soulmate his brother had. If Emilio had a daughter, there was only one woman that could have been the girl''s mother.


    Xavier raised his brow, "What do you think?"


    Lawrence placed his hand on his mouth, "So you''re saying that your soulmate is Cornelia and Emilio''s daughter? I wasn''t even aware they had a daughter."


    "Neither did I, not until recently."


    "See, this is fun. Both of us talking without getting into fights."


    Xavier glared at him, "It doesn''t change the fact you tried to sleep with her."


    "Right, right. I apologise for that. Can''t blame me thou¨C I should probably stop talking right now."


    "Yes you should. About my plan¡­"


    "What plan?"


    "Remember when we used to swap places when we were children?"


    Lawrence''s eyes widened in horror.


    "No, hell no. You''re not making me do that. I get to choose whether or not I help you and Madeline."


    "You tried sleeping with her," Xavier reminded.


    "Good point, I''m in. Do I get something else as compensation?"


    "Something else as compensation?" Xavier questioned, turning to look Lawrence dead in the eye.


    "Tsk, you know it''s very rude of you to talk to your older brother this way. You''re lucky I''m even agreeing to this. I could''ve declined."


    "How cruel. You''d decline when I, your younger brother, is simply trying to spend some time with his soulmate. That''s all I''m asking," Xavier said, using the younger brother card.


    Lawrence tsked in annoyance, before he replaced his displeased expression with a smug one.


    "By the way, is there any chance Madeline happens to have any single, attractive friends?"


    "Don''t even try."


    "So she does have attractive friends."


    "I never said that."


    "You didn''t have to."


    "I''m telling Madeline."


    "I never said that," Xavier insisted.


    "Madeline!" Lawrence exclaimed, a smug expression still plastered on his face.


    Despite knowing Madeline was long gone, it was satisfying, teasing his brother like that. Yet, he never managed to get Xavier to smile. That was when Madeline came in. Whenever she was there, or even mentioned, Xavier would smile like some idiotic fool.


    Lawrence wondered what it was like, to be head over heels in love with someone. He couldn''t relate, for he was too busy enjoying the best that life had to offer. At least, in his opinion.


    "How''s Ravaryn been doing?"


    "When were you ever concerned about how Ravaryn was doing?"


    "Ever since it''s had you as its alpha."


    "So you can make a joke."


    "I''m not a tight ass, Lawrence."


    "And you''ve learnt new terms, impressive."


    Xavier scoffed.


    "You''re staying in some guest room, and make sure to stay away as far as possible from everyone else. They can''t know you''re here. Not for now."


    "Alrighty then, I''ll leave now."


    Just as Lawrence was about to leave, Xavier stopped him.


    "And just to make things clear, just because I didn''t punch you again and allowed you to stay doesn''t mean I''m not mad at you."


    "Was the apology not enough?"


    "Leave."


    __


    "Briar, it''s me," Madeline said, knocking on her door whilst hoping Adrian wasn''t in there already.


    "Madeline? What are you doing here at this time, why are you still awake?"


    Briar rushed to open the door, looking over at Madeline worriedly like some concerned parent.


    "Briar," Madeline breathed.


    "Has something happened?"


    Madeline placed her hands on her knees, "You won''t believe what just happened."


    Hearing the tone of Madeline''s voice, Briar relaxed. Madeline seemed fine.


    "Come in," Briar said, ushering her inside and making her sit down.


    "So, what is it?"


    Madeline laughed, "You won''t believe it."


    "Try me."


    She began breathlessly, "So I found Xavier waiting for me in his bedroom, lying on his bed. We talked, and then¨C"


    Madeline paused.


    Briar urged, "Continue, continue."


    "Nothing happened. I just got out of bed, and I had previously asked him if he wanted a glass of water."


    "Is there something you''re keeping from me?" Briar questioned, her brows furrowed and her arms folded.

 Chapter 201 - Im Not Going To Panic

    "So this is about Xavier, and I shouldn''t panic," Briar said the next morning. She stated, "You know, I practically stayed awake all night because I was wondering what this surprise was about."


    "Don''t panic," Madeline said to her.


    Briar rolled her eyes, "I''m not going to panic."


    Madeline opened the door, and Briar walked in, ready to see whatever surprise Madeline had in store for her. She covered her mouth to stop herself from shrieking, and Lawrence waved at her.


    "Why hello gorgeous."


    "Don''t mind him," Xavier said to her.


    "There are two of you," Briar said, her jaw on the floor. She repeated, still unable to process things, "Two of you."


    "Yeah," Xavier said, looking at Madeline, who shrugged.


    She mouthed, ''I couldn''t find the right words to tell her.''


    "So what, did you grow a twin brother overnight or something?"


    Briar was never even aware Xavier had any living relatives to begin with. Then again, she didn''t know much about Xavier, but this was a big surprise, to say the least.


    "No, I''ve always been here, darling," Lawrence said, taking a sip of coffee.


    It looked surreal, Xavier and Lawrence sitting beside each other.


    "I''m not dreaming, right?" Briar asked Madeline, who shook her head.


    "You''re not, I was just as shocked as you are."


    Remembering the moment she discovered Xavier had a twin brother, Madeline remembered the shock and surprise she felt. She most certainly would''ve never expected this to happen to her. Heck, she never thought she''d even get the chance to meet any of Xavier''s family in the first place.


    "Where''s Adrian?" Briar questioned, wondering if Adrian had chosen to skip out on breakfast to avoid encountering both Xavier or Lawrence or if he''d simply be arriving late.


    "Why wonder where''s Adrian when I''m here," Lawrence purred.


    Briar narrowed her eyes, "Your name?"


    "Lawrence. Lawrence Ronan. Xavier''s twin brother. And what''s your name, milady?"


    "My name''s Briar. Briar Alva."


    "Pleasure to meet you Ms Alva," Lawrence grinned, shooting her a seductive look.


    She looked at Madeline who didn''t seem fazed.


    "Hold on, Lawrence Ronan as in the same Lawrence Ronan that''s the alpha of the Ravaryn pack?" Briar questioned, trying to diffuse the obvious tension in the breakfast room.


    Lawrence''s grin only widened, "Yes, I am! Glad someone recognised me here."


    Xavier facepalmed.


    Madeline and Briar then took their respective seats, Madeline sitting beside Xavier and Briar sitting as far away as possible from Lawrence. Something didn''t sit right with him. It just felt off to her.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t long before the room doors were opened, revealing Adrian.


    "Sorry, I''m late. I had a few errands to run," he apologised, before he quickly took a seat beside Briar.


    Xavier had decided breakfast was in order, so he''d get introductions out of the way. Since he and Briar were friends now, he decided it was best to invite her as well. Inviting Adrian along too was a no-brainer, and then there was Lawrence, who happily agreed to breakfast.


    Lawrence broke the silence, asking Adrian, "So, you and Briar a thing?"


    Both their cheeks turned beet-red and Madeline fought the urge not to snort. She turned to Xavier, a smile etched on her face.


    ''They''re cute don''t you think?'' She mouthed, to which Xavier agreed.


    ''They sure are.''


    "We aren''t, we''re just friends," Adrian answered, refusing to look at Briar. He didn''t manage to catch her staring at him longingly.


    Lawrence seemed amused by the results he had achieved with that one question. Xavier glared at him some more, as he had been doing during the entirety of breakfast.


    "Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?" Briar questioned.


    Everyone turned to look at her, and she shrugged, "What?"


    She stared at Madeline, knowing Madeline was keeping something from her. Something other than Lawrence''s existence.


    Was it something Lawrence did?


    Was it something he said to her?


    Briar studied Lawrence, unable to tell Xavier and Lawrence apart if not for their completely different choice of clothing. Xavier was dressed in his signature button-down shirt and trousers whilst Lawrence was dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. One looked formal, whilst the other looked casual and comfortable. That was the only way Briar could tell the difference.


    Right, and the last difference.


    Lawrence kept touching his cheek. First, Briar had thought the man was just extremely narcissistic and couldn''t stop touching his face. Then, she began to realise that he was touching the same spot over and over again. And with the dirty looks Xavier had been giving his brother, she could only presume it was something Lawrence had done.


    She looked back and forth between Lawrence and Madeline.


    Madeline had tried telling her something last night. Something about her and Xavier.


    What if¡­ what if that was what she was trying to tell her?


    __


    Adrian and Briar had managed to pull Xavier and Madeline aside, head filled with questions they desperately wanted answers to.


    "Why did you punch him?" Adrian questioned, looking Xavier in the eye.


    Briar gasped, "You punched him? Why would you do that, isn''t he your brother?"


    Madeline squirmed, and Xavier opened his mouth to say something before she spoke for him.


    "He tricked me into thinking he was Xavier."


    Briar and Adrian exchanged a glance, that wasn''t so bad.


    That was, until Madeline continued, "And nearly tricked me into sleeping with him."


    She watched as her friend''s face fell to the floor from shock.


    Lawrence tried sleeping with Madeline?


    Briar whispered to Xavier, well aware Adrian and Madeline could hear her regardless, "Did you punch him hard enough?"


    Xavier scoffed, "I did, I broke a wall."


    The girl couldn''t help but snicker. Madeline elbowed her, "Don''t encourage him!"


    Adrian nodded, "That explains things. But what''s he still doing here then?"


    Briar couldn''t believe how dense Adrian was being.


    His face paled, "No! Don''t leave me with him."


    "It''s only for one day, he''s a perfectly fine replacement," Xavier reasoned.


    "One day?" Adrian asked.


    He mumbled under his breath, ''A perfectly fine replacement that tried sleeping with Madeline."


    "One day, and I heard that," Xavier said.


    Briar snickered. She questioned, "You and Madeline have plans?"


    "We do."


    "Have fun."


    "Thank you."

 Chapter 202 - Are You Jealous?

    "So, we have a whole day to ourselves," Xavier said to Madeline.


    "So we get to enjoy our third date. The whole day, just us," said Madeline ecstatically, a ball of excitement.


    "What do you have in mind?" He questioned.


    "We go to the city, I''m bringing you to a mall where we can do plenty of things."


    "I''ve never been to a mall before, it''ll be a first."


    "A first to remember, hopefully. So, you ready?" Madeline questioned.


    "Ready,"  said Xavier as he intertwined his hand with hers, telling her, "Let''s go."


    A couple of hours later, they arrived at the mall.


    "Wow, this place is huge," Xavier said, in awe.


    "Mhm, and we haven''t even entered the place yet."


    Gone was the same man who had numerous expectations placed on him and had a pack to run. Xavier was just a person now. A person who had the entire day to himself and decided to go to the mall as a date.


    "Where do you think we should go first? I''ll follow."


    Madeline chuckled, "What about we get some food first?"


    "Yes please," Xavier said, a smile etched on his handsome face.


    She was glad to see Xavier was excited. Sure, it wasn''t extravagant or out of this world, but it was something. And they had the whole day to themselves so Xavier wouldn''t have to rush to return to work. Lawrence was there, so no one would suspect anything either.


    The two of them decided to stop by a lavish restaurant for lunch.


    Xavier watched as Madeline crinkled her nose, trying to decide what to order.


    The waitress that was taking their order kept staring at Xavier, unable to take her eyes off of him. She never knew such a man existed in the world. This man had looks that made models dull in comparison. She eyed Madeline jealously. Lucky girl.


    After both Madeline and Xavier placed their orders, the waitress took one more look at Xavier before scurrying away.


    She whispered to her colleague, "Hottie alert, at table seven."


    "Oh my goodness," the colleague replied once she laid eyes on Xavier. She questioned, "Can I swap with you? Serve them their meals?"


    Her friend scoffed in response, "Not a chance."


    What they weren''t aware of, however, was that Xavier was listening in to their conversation. And he wished he hadn''t.


    Madeline had noticed the waitress shooting Xavier glances, and her colleague staring at him.


    "Seems like you''re real popular with the ladies," Madeline teased, wiggling her eyebrows.


    Xavier held his nose up in the air and replied, "Too bad I''ve only got eyes for one lady."


    He kissed the back of Madeline''s hand, causing her to giggle.


    "Wah, he''s taken. I hoped they were just friends at first but it seems like I''m wrong," the waitress whispered.


    "There''s always next time."


    "Do you think he''s a model? Or a celebrity?" The waitress questioned.


    "Wouldn''t put it past the man, have you seen him, Diana?" The colleague replied with.


    The waitress, or Diana, as her colleague had called her, frowned. She began, "If the man''s a celebrity, or a model, I think I would''ve heard of him by now. Or seen a picture of him."


    She heard a bell ring and whipped around. Xavier and Madeline''s order was ready.


    Once she served them their order, she returned to her colleague.


    "Gotta hand it to them, they look good together," her colleague remarked.


    "I wonder what''s his name," Diana mused.


    "I bet it''s some hot name."


    "Megan!" Diana whisper-shouted.


    "Why don''t we flip a coin? Heads, you ask his name when you bring them their bill. Tails, you don''t."


    "Do you have a coin?" Diana questioned.


    Megan smiled, bringing out a coin from her pocket.


    "Do you just keep coins in your pocket?"


    "No, I just had one today. Leftover change when I bought myself my daily dose of caffeine."


    "Quit stalling and flip it."


    __


    After Xavier had made his fourteenth pun in the short span of an hour, Madeine scoffed.


    "We should probably get the bill now, they''ve been looking at us this entire time."


    "I don''t think they''re looking at us because they want us to leave," Xavier stated.


    "What did you hear?"


    "They think I''m handsome. Like some model or celebrity."


    "That''s because you are," Madeline replied, gazing dreamily at him.


    She wanted to tell him that he was more than just a handsome face to her. He was way more than that. Xavier was smart, had an amazing sense of humor, sweet like the light of the stars, he made her feel a way she had never felt before.


    "We should ask for the bill now," Xavier said, snapping Madeline out of her reverie.


    "Way to ruin the mood."


    "I''m not ruining anything," Xavier retorted, "Except that¨C"


    His cheeks seared. He hadn''t meant to say that.


    "Hmm?" Madeline asked as she raised her hand, beckoning Diana over.


    Diana rushed over to Madeline, who asked her, "May we have the check, please?"


    "Of course!" Diana exclaimed. She printed out the check for table seven and hastily returned, handing Madeline the check. She inhaled, bracing herself.


    Tapping Xavier on the shoulder, she began, "Also, I wanted to ask, what''s your name?"


    "Why ask?" Xavier questioned, knowing damn well what the answer was.


    "I w-was j-just wondering," Diana stuttered.


    Madeline glared at her, watching as Xavier said to her, "The name''s Xavier."


    Why did she feel so¡­ upset?


    "That''s a nice name," Diana squeaked, shutting her eyes. She couldn''t believe she actually asked Xavier for his name. It sounded like she was into him.


    Once the bill was paid, Madeline and Xavier left.


    "Are you okay?" Xavier questioned, "You''ve been quiet ever since we left the restaurant."


    "I''m fine," Madeline reassured.


    "You don''t look fine," he stated before he gasped.


    "Are you jealous?"


    __


    Author''s Note: I know I should''ve done this a couple chapters ago but this book recently hit 200 chapters! I''d just like to thank everyone for supporting this novel so far, as HDA would''ve never gotten here without you guys.


    To celebrate, I''ll be updating more this week (meaning, you get to know more about Lawrence as well as Xavier''s past hehe~).

 Chapter 203 - You Read My Mind

    "Me? Jealous? Pfft, of course not."


    Xavier smiled, "Alright then, where to next? A bookshop?"


    Madeline''s eyes lit up, and Xavier knew he had chosen the right place to go to next.


    "Yes! Yes, that''s an amazing idea," Madeline said, nodding enthusiastically. She tugged at Xavier''s hand like she was some child, "We''ve got to go to a book store and choose a couple of books to read. It''s a must."


    "Come on then, what are we waiting for?" Xavier questioned.


    He watched as she hastily scanned the nearest directory, looking for the nearest bookshop. He of all people knew how much she loved books. It was the perfect way to cheer her up.


    They ended up going to a bookstore that sold both books and beverages. Madeline couldn''t have been happier. Of course, she was happy enough going on a third date with Xavier, but she had been craving a new book to read.


    The minute she entered the bookstore, it was like she was transported to a world of her own. She loved everything about the store - the woody feel of everything, the smell of the books being sold there, and the faint scent of coffee beans which were being roasted.


    She ushered Xavier to an aisle of books, practically running towards it. Not that Xavier had difficulty keeping up, of course. That was one perk of being a werewolf.


    Madeline picked out one book, intrigued by its title. She read its blurb, fascinated by the book.


    Xavier picked out a book for himself, wondering if he''d find himself interested in anything. As his eyes trailed the words written at the back of the book, he found himself captivated by a book.


    "Found something you like?" Madeline asked, book in hand.


    Taking this as the perfect opportunity to flirt with Madeline, Xavier tapped her nose, "Yes, and she''s standing right across from me."


    Madeline giggled, "I''m asking you if you''ve found a book interesting, not me, that I know already."


    "Why yes, yes I have," Xavier said.


    He caught her eyeing several other books.


    "Give me that book, I''ll hold it for you so you can look at other books all you want," he said to her.


    Madeline smiled shyly at him, handing him her book before she took another one and read through its blurb. She returned it where she originally found it and picked out another book.


    "I''m sorry if I''m boring you."


    Xavier shrugged, "You''re not boring me. You''re never boring me. I could just be looking at you and I wouldn''t get bored even if I''ve seen your face countless times a day."


    Her ears turned scarlet, "Thank you."


    She hurriedly took another book, trying not to meet Xavier''s piercing gaze as she felt her cheeks turn burning hot. How did Xavier always know the right thing to say?


    After a couple minutes of reading blurbs, Madeline decided she had enough books.


    "We should head to check out," she said, taking the books that she had picked out back from Xavier.


    "Yes we should," Xavier mumbled, offering her his arm to hold.


    Madeline took it and they walked over to the cashier.


    Once they paid for their books, they sat down at a table, Madeline holding their books and Xavier holding two steaming cups of coffee.


    "Not too much sugar, just the way you like it," Xavier said as he and Madeline exchanged their things, Madeline handing him his book whilst he handed her the cup of coffee he had ordered for her.


    "Aww, thanks," Madeline said, taking the cup. She was shocked he remembered how she liked her coffee.


    Both of them were seated, chatting it up while  occasionally taking sips of coffee as they continued talking. Madeline found herself falling into a void. A void that was never-ending. One she fell deeper in as the days went by. She hadn''t even touched the books she had bought because she had been too occupied talking to Xavier.


    Yep, she had fallen for him. The same man that was sitting right across from her and remembered exactly how she liked her coffee and how she loved books.


    Her heart fluttered just thinking about it, she was lucky to have been able to have someone like him as her soulmate. Sure, they had their issues but they always managed to resolve it together.


    Once she and him finished their coffee, Madeline suggested, "What about we get out of here and go somewhere else to read? I know the perfect place."


    "Somewhere even better than here?" Xavier inquired.


    Madeline nodded, "Somewhere better than here."


    "You know I''ll follow you anywhere you go," Xavier said nonchalantly.


    He hadn''t been lying when he said it, he had meant it. A hundred percent.


    Hell, not a hundred. A bajillion. No, a bajillion was still an understatement.


    "You''re not supposed to say that so easily," Madeline said, throwing her now empty cup of coffee down the trash bin, as did Xavier.


    "But it''s the truth," Xavier admitted, him and Madeline walking out of the bookshop since they had already cleared their table.


    Bringing their books alongside with them, they headed to the highest floor of the mall which was a park. The unofficial couple found a roomy spot to sit down away from everyone else to read. A spot that was surrounded by greenery.


    Madeline was glad it was just the two of them. She was even more glad that they decided to do this.


    "You have a good taste in books," Madeline stated once she got to read the blurb of the book Xavier had chosen. She laid her head on his lap, placing the book down as she stared up into his eyes.


    Xavier gulped, why was she so dang cute? He couldn''t handle those adorable eyes looking up at him.


    In an attempt to distract himself, he took his book.


    "Are you going to read to me?" Madeline joked.


    Xavier replied, "You read my mind."


    Clearing his throat, he began, "Chapter one."

 Chapter 204 - What Do We Do Now?

    Madeline began, "It''s my turn to read."


    She had to read something, or she''d fall asleep. Being in Xavier''s presence was calming - calming enough to make her sleepy. It wasn''t even evening yet. It was still quite early in the afternoon and a couple hours till dinner.


    "You sure?" Xavier questioned, noticing her yawning several times.


    "Mhm, definitely sure," Madeline said.


    "If you say so," he said, eyeing her warily.


    __


    "What do you have in mind for dinner?" Xavier questioned.


    Madeline sat up and shook her head.


    "I chose lunch. You get to choose dinner. We eat whatever you want."


    "Whatever you say, pup."


    He got up, straightening his clothes before he helped Madeline up, helping her with the bag of books before they went and found the nearest mall directory.


    "Let''s go with this restaurant," he decided.


    Madeline felt a tinge of sadness in her heart, knowing that the date was coming to an end. Momentarily, she wondered how Briar, Adrian and Lawrence were doing back at Eudora. She hoped things were going smoothly and without a hitch.


    Perhaps¡­ they could do this again.


    At the same time, Lawrence couldn''t just stay at Eudora forever. He too had a duty to his own pack. It was selfish of her to think of something like that. Staring at her shoes, she wondered how she could possibly think of such a thing.


    She wanted to smack herself and curse.


    ''I shouldn''t be so selfish,'' she told herself as she and Xavier headed towards the restaurant of Xavier''s choice.


    "I don''t want this day to end," he admitted.


    Madeline shared the exact same sentiment, but chose not to sulk about it too much. She smiled reassuringly, "On the bright side, we got to spend time with each other. A whole day of uninterrupted bliss. Breakfast excluded."


    "I suppose you''re right," Xavier said.


    If he was being honest, he was wondering what life would have been like if he weren''t the alpha of his pack. If he were still a beta.


    For some reason, he wondered what his and Madeline''s relationship would have been like if Emilio knew he had a daughter all this time, and he stayed alpha of Eudora. Eudora''s beta and alpha''s daughter as a pair, Emilio certainly would have disagreed with it. But what else would be different?


    Xavier''s eyes lingered on a couple walking together, beginning to imagine life if he and Madeline were just like any other couple. Correction, like any other human couple.


    A life where he didn''t have a pack to lead and protect, and a life where Madeline wasn''t Cornelia and Emilio''s daughter. A normal life where they were two humans in love with each other, going out on a date to a mall. One where they wouldn''t have to separate from each other every full moon, and one where they got to experience what being human was like.


    ''Well, I was human. At one point,'' Xavier reminded himself, before he heard someone calling his name.


    "Xavier? You there?" Madeline questioned when she noticed Xavier spacing out.


    "Mhm," Xavier answered.


    All it took was seeing the look on Xavier''s face to get Madeline worried.


    "There''s something wrong, isn''t there?" Madeline questioned.


    Xavier was taken aback. Did he really make it obvious?


    "I was just wondering what life would be like if we¡­ were human, or led lives like them. We could be like that couple," Xavier said, gesturing at the couple that was now in one of the mall''s shops with a look of longing.


    Madeline inhaled. Was that what he was thinking?


    "We shouldn''t compare ourselves to others, especially to other couples," she began.


    Xavier turned to look at her, eyes fixed at her.


    "I know," he said quietly.


    Madeline continued, "We''re way different than them. It''d be unfair to compare ourselves to them in the first place. Besides, you''re the alpha of a powerful pack. When you met me, you thought I was human. Well, in all fairness, so did I. But that''s besides the point, don''t you think it''s a pretty cool thing that we ended up together? I mean, who would''ve thought?"


    He laughed softly, "When you put it that way, I suppose we are pretty damn cool."


    Xavier froze.


    "What is it?" Madeline questioned.


    He broke into laughter, "I think we went in the wrong direction, we must have been distracted by our conversation to have noticed."


    They had just walked straight.


    Madeline doubled down in laughter. She hadn''t even noticed it until Xavier had pointed it out. They had walked far away from where the restaurant they had chosen was.


    They asked in unison, "What do we do now?"


    After they simmered down, they decided to go to the nearest restaurant they could find. Their original plan was to go to a sushi restaurant but it was far away from where they currently were.


    "I''m famished," Madeline admitted once she and him were seated.


    "So am I," Xavier admitted, opening the menu to see what the restaurant had to offer.


    A waiter came over to take their order. Once he received their orders, he repeated it for them to listen to.


    "Yep, that''ll be all, thanks," Xavier said.


    The waiter nodded, and left.


    Madeline whispered over to Xavier, "Do you have any idea what we''re going to do next?"


    Xavier inquired, whispering back to her, "No, I have no idea what to do next. And also, why are we whispering?"


    She shrugged, "I don''t know."


    Blinking, Xavier remembered something he had meant to tell Madeline.


    "Magic," he blurted.


    "Come again?"


    "There were traces of magic found around the area where the ferals had appeared."


    Madeline''s eyes widened. Her hand flew to her mouth, and her facial expression turned deadly serious.


    "Someone''s behind it. Someone''s really behind it," she spoke. Her eyes darkened, "Tell me everything."


    __


    Author''s Note: So I''m thinking of doing an event which will go on till the end of the month.. For every 20 GT this book receives, I''ll post an extra chapter (I''ll add BONUS CHAPTER to the chapter title to signify which chapters are bonuses).

 Chapter 205 - Womaniser, Womaniser

    "That''s everything," Xavier said.


    The waiter arrived at their table, tray in hand.


    "Here you go," he spoke, placing both Madeline and Xavier''s dishes on the table.


    Madeline pressed her lips into a thin line.


    They thanked the waiter, before Madeline breathed deeply, telling Xavier, "Do you think someone placed it there to arouse suspicion? Or did they accidentally leave traces of magic there?"


    He shot her an apologetic look, feeling horrible he didn''t know more.


    "Sorry, I shouldn''t be talking about it over dinner," Madeline said. She nodded, "We should talk about it someplace and sometime else."


    Xavier tilted his head, "You could always talk about it to me. And how you''re feeling about it. I''m here, pup."


    Madeline smiled, "God I love when you call me that."


    He laughed, "And I love calling you that. Right, we should get to eating before the food gets cold."


    Taking a spoonful of food, he held a spoon of food in front of her, "Eat, it''s good for you."


    They took turns feeding each other, basking in the relatively quiet atmosphere of the restaurant. Other than the other people there, it felt like it was just them.


    ''I could get used to this,'' Madeline thought to herself.


    She had told herself not to think about what Xavier had told her too much. It would only result in herself overthinking absolutely everything.


    Three words were at the tip of Xavier''s tongue.


    ''Not now, it''s too soon,'' a voice warned him, adding, ''You don''t want to scare her. What if she isn''t ready to say it back? You''re just going to make things awkward and dig a deep hole for yourself.''


    Xavier remained quiet, knowing it was best for him to keep quiet. Not now. Not at dinner whilst she was eating.


    He had done his fair search of research regarding love and all things romance. So he knew a bit about it. Keyword, a bit.


    __


    ''When will Xavier and Madeline return?'' Adrian wondered, wishing the two of them were here.


    Adrian was stuck babysitting. Ahem. Correction, accompanying Lawrence.


    He refused to leave Briar with the man, especially after what he had heard from Xavier and how Lawrence had tried seducing Madeline. The nerve of that man!


    "So, is Briar single?" Lawrence questioned, tapping his pen on his file.


    Adrian looked up from what he was previously reading.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You heard me, is Briar single?"


    The beta scoffed, "I doubt she''d be alright with you calling her Briar."


    Lawrence rolled his eyes, "I was simply asking if she''s single. Or if she has a soulmate."


    "She is single, and she doesn''t have a soulmate, why ask?" Adrian glowered.


    "Because you and her seem close," Lawrence commented. He reassured, "Nothing to get upset about."


    Adrian scoffed, "Did you really try sleeping with Madeline?"


    "Are you that interested in that Briar girl?"


    All the colour was drained from Adrian''s face, which had turned as pale as a ghost''s.


    "I''m not interested in her," he insisted, sounding somewhat convincing.


    "You can tell that to yourself all you want, maybe if you say it to yourself enough times, you''ll convince yourself that you really aren''t interested in her," Lawrence said with a smirk.


    "But I''m not interested in her."


    "Are you hearing yourself? I saw the way you looked at her this morning, like some lovesick puppy. Poor thing, does she not reciprocate your feelings?"


    "I know what you''re trying to do."


    Lawrence blinked, feigning ignorance, "And what''s that?"


    "If I tell you she doesn''t reciprocate your feelings, you''re going to just slide¨C"


    "So you''re saying I have a shot," he interjected, before he scoffed and shrugged. He boasted, "Well, of course I have a shot. Just look at me, any girl would be lucky enough to have me."


    "You and your brother are polar opposites," Adrian commented.


    "There''s no denying that," Lawrence said.


    "And also, I don''t look at her like some lovesick puppy."


    "Yes actually, you do. If you see the need to deny it, doesn''t that prove that there''s something there? And that I''m nearing the truth?"


    "No, it¨C I just want to clear the air because Briar''s my friend, and just that."


    "So try your hand at confessing then," Lawrence said, ignoring what Adrian had just said to him.


    Adrian was getting frustrated at Lawrence. The only reason he hadn''t done anything was because he was still Xavier''s brother.


    "You''re lucky you''re Xavier''s brother," Adrian hissed.


    Lawrence scoffed, "You and I know that I''m speaking facts."


    "I don''t have feelings for her."


    "Now you sound like you''re just trying to convince yourself you don''t. That''s just depressing," remarked Lawrence, who walked over to Adrian and patted him on the back.


    Just as Adrian was about to tell him not to ever touch him again, Lawrence said, "I''m mighty fine at keeping secrets. If you do have feelings for her, you can tell me. I won''t tell my brother."


    Raising his nose up in the air, he boasted, "As a matter of fact, I don''t tell my brother many things."


    Adrian stared at Lawrence, unable to comprehend how he and Xavier were even somewhat related. It didn''t make much sense to him.


    "So what if I do have feelings for her? What''s the next course of action?"


    Lawrence seemed pleased by Adrian''s response.


    "Ah, so you''re going that way. Fine, fine. It''s an improvement and way better than nothing. Best course of action would be to confess your feelings to the gal and hope for the best."


    Adrian narrowed his eyes at Lawrence, a question in mind.


    "Have you ever confessed to a girl yourself? Or been in a relationship?" He questioned, slightly doubtful regarding the advice he was being offered, especially when he was told Lawrence was a womaniser that couldn''t take things seriously.


    Lawrence answered proudly without any further hesitation, "Nope."


    __


    Author''s Note: Thank you to all the readers who used their golden tickets on Her Devilish Alpha! Currently (during the time I''m writing this) the book has 12 GT. So eight more till a bonus chapter will be released. Alright, onto the next chapter.


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 206 - Why Are You Giving Me Advice?

    "So why are you the one giving me advice?"


    "Because you seem like the type of person who won''t do anything unless someone knocks some sense into you or tells you to do it," Lawrence admitted, asking him, "Why, have you ever been in a relationship?"


    The whole room turned quiet. One should note that there were only two people in Xavier''s office at the time, but it was enough for Lawrence to take the hint.


    "And what happened?" Lawrence dared to ask.


    "She''s gone," Adrian said, refusing to specify or get into clearer detail.


    Lawrence inhaled, "Sorry to hear that."


    Adrian nodded, and Lawrence - despite being awfully ignorant sometimes - took it as a hint not to ask any further questions. In an attempt to lighten the mood and change the topic, Lawrence questioned, "So do you like Briar or do you not like her?"


    "Don''t you have the answer to that question already?" Adrian asked, his voice lowered.


    "I want to hear you say it," Lawrence said.


    "Fine, I''ll say it."


    "Go on."


    "I like her. I have feelings for her."


    "Now that you''ve said it, I won''t take it upon myself to try to sleep with her."


    Adrian stared at him, wondering if he was joking or being serious.


    "Dude."


    "What? I''m trying to be nice here, I''m being sincere."


    Sighing, Adrian said to him, "I doubt she reciprocates my feelings."


    "And how can you be so sure?"


    "It''s a gut feeling."


    "See, you said it. It''s just a gut feeling."


    "What are you, my therapist now?" Adrian questioned.


    "Sure, let''s go with that. No idea what it means but it sounds nice so I''ll allow it."


    Adrian muttered under his breath, ''And just when he was becoming somewhat tolerable.''


    __


    After dinner, Madeline and Xavier decided to go on a shopping spree.


    Entering a fashion store, they picked out similar-looking sweaters for each other to wear. Madeline exited the fitting room, donning a light brown sweater with a long-sleeved button down shirt on the inside, pairing it with grey jeans with its pant legs slightly rolled up and comfortable sneakers.


    Xavier gulped, commenting, "You look really¡­ good."


    "And you look adorable," Madeline commented, a smile on her face as she admired Xavier who wore the exact same thing as her, except his sweater was a darker shade of brown. He looked - and smelt - amazing.


    She gasped, telling Xavier, "Wait one second."


    Rushing over to a shelf, she picked out a pair of funny-looking glasses. Handing one pair over to Xavier and keeping one pair for herself, she told him to put it on.


    "There''s the nearest mirror," Xavier said, rolling his eyes as he placed the pair of glasses on. Once he and Madeline made it to the mirror, he commented on himself, "See, I look ridiculous with these glasses."


    Madeline pouted, trying her best not to laugh at Xavier, "I think you look cute with those glasses."


    "Don''t laugh," Xavier said, trying not to laugh at himself either.


    "But it''s funny," Madeline said, allowing Xavier to take the pair of glasses from her hands and put it on her. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and announced, "I''m not the one who looks cute here."


    Madeline folded her arms against her chest, "We''ve got to get a picture of this."


    She and Xavier huddled up in front of the fitting room''s mirror, and Madeline brought out her phone from her purse.


    "Cheese," she said, snapping a couple of pictures of her and Xavier before an idea surfaced in her mind.


    For the last picture, she leaned in closer to Xavier, who wondered what she was doing. He heard a snap go off when Madeline went on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek.


    "Tsk, you''re so cheeky," he commented before a smirk came across his face and he captured her lips with his, causing Madeline to nearly drop her phone in the process from both shock and excitement.


    "You smell nice," Madeline commented breathlessly once they separated.


    "And you taste nice," Xavier said, referring to Madeline''s lipgloss, which he could taste.


    They were huge dorks, both of them.


    Madeline''s cheeks burned, and she coughed.


    "Don''t tell me one compliment''s already got you blushing crazily," Xavier said.


    She leaned closer to him, going on her tiptoes again to whisper in his ear, her voice deeper than usual, "Don''t tell me one kiss has you satisfied already."


    Xavier''s ears had never been as red as they were after she had said what she said. He covered his mouth and bit his lip to stop himself from saying something stupid in response to what Madeline had told him. He said to her, eyes twinkling and all, "You''re joking with me."


    Madeline laughed softly, "I am, I don''t know what came over me."


    "We should probably pay now," Xavier spoke, his hand on his neck now.


    "Alright," Madeline said, chuckling. He was adorable at times, like one of those huggable teddy bears.


    They changed into their previous clothing before they headed to the cashier. After they got paying out of the way, they decided to make one last stop at the mall''s arcade.


    "So basically, an arcade is a place with a lot of electronic and coin-operated games for us to play," she explained as they headed there.


    "Sounds fun."


    Madeline chuckled, her eyes twinkling with pure excitement as she admitted, "It is fun."


    "I''ll take your word for it then," Xavier said. Pointing at the bluish lights in the distance and raising his brow, he said to her, "I''m assuming that''s the arcade."


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah."


    Once they arrived, they purchased a substantial amount of coins, and that was when the fun truly began. Xavier caught Madeline eyeing one machine in particular.


    "How does it work?"


    "Hmm?"


    "That machine, how does it work?"


    "You insert a coin, then you try to get a prize with the claws," Madeline explained, eyeing a teddy bear with a heart that was placed in the middle of all the other prizes.


    They walked over to the machine, and Madeline inserted a coin, hoping to win the bear for herself.


    Strangely, it reminded her of Xavier.

 Chapter 207 - Shooting Stars

    "We should try that machine over there," Madeline suggested, her eyes glimmering with pure excitement. Even if she felt quite tired, she wanted to win that teddy bear for herself.


    "Got your eyes on a certain prize?" Xavier questioned.


    Madeline nodded, "Yeah, that teddy bear."


    "This is the part where I volunteer to win you that prize."


    "Oh come on."


    "No no, my lady has spoken. If she wills it, I can only follow and do my best to get her what she so desires."


    Madeline swatted his shoulder playfully, "You."


    "I''m not kidding, give me the coins."


    She hesitated, before she handed him the bag of coins.


    "Here you go."


    "One favour."


    "Hmm?"


    "Teach me how to use a claw machine."


    He handed her a coin, and she quickly taught him how the claw machine worked, which was way easier than Xavier had expected.


    "So it moves the direction I want it to by just pushing this contraption in said direction?"


    "Mhm."


    Xavier exhaled, "One step closer to winning you that prize."


    "You don''t have to," Madeline said, hoping Xavier wouldn''t put any pressure on himself to win her anything.


    "Alright, stop talking for one moment, I need to win this."


    Madeline stopped talking, watching as Xavier tried winning that teddy bear from the claw machine.


    One try, and another try. And another try later, Xavier banged his hands on the machine in frustration.


    "I told you you didn''t have to," Madeline whispered.


    He shook his head, insisting that he would win it one way or another.


    "Over my dead body will I not win that teddy bear for you," Xavier said, staring maniacally at the claw machine.


    "Let me try it," Madeline said.


    "Oh alright,"


    Xavier glared at the claw machine, gritting his teeth.


    "Shoot, I lost," Madeline cursed.


    Placing a kiss on her forehead, Xavier said to her, "My turn now."


    Madeline snorted, "I thought you''d say something else for a second."


    "I will say something else when I win," he grinned.


    "Oh god, you''ve become addicted."


    "I''m not addicted, I''m a man of my word," Xavier insisted.


    "Sure, you can quit talking to me and play now," Madeline said, rolling her eyes.


    Xavier smiled gratefully at her before he returned to attempting to win that teddy bear from the evil claw machine''s grasp.


    "I''m coming to get you, claw machine," Xavier whispered, eyes narrowed and his other fist clenched.


    After what seemed like the millionth time of losing the claw machine, Xavier inhaled.


    ''That''s it. I''m resorting to plan B,'' Xavier thought to himself.


    He looked around. One second, he had nothing but a couple of coins left. Next, he held the teddy bear in hand. The teddy bear was a light brown colour and held a heart on its lap. Staring at the bear, he muttered, ''Do you know what it took to get you?''


    Madeline stared at him incredulously. She placed her hand on her heart and bit her lip. Xavier, books, reading, food, and now this. Could this day get any better?


    "Don''t tell me you doubted me," Xavier said before he gave her the bear.


    "Of course not," Madeline answered truthfully, taking the bear from him, whispering, "But I''ll be taking that, thank you."


    Xavier laughed heartily, "We should probably head back now."


    Hugging the bear tightly, Madeline responded, "Oh yeah. Totally."


    Just as they were leaving, her eyes landed on the photo booth.


    "Pictures, we need pictures."


    "Don''t we have the pictures you took on your phone?"


    "And as for physical photos?"


    They took a couple of pictures in the photo booth, all smiles and grins.


    The booth whirred, printing the pictures.


    "I look horrendous."


    "Oh nonsense, you look amazing."


    "You''re just saying that because we have a three hour car ride after this."


    "I said that because it''s true, and you''re hot. And you also got me this teddy bear, so yeah," Madeline grinned.


    __


    Madeline yawned, resting her shoulder on Xavier''s as they looked up at the sky which glistened with stars. After a long, long car ride back, they returned to Eudora. Since it was late at night, and both Madeline and Xavier didn''t want the night to end just yet, they came up with the idea to end the date with some stargazing.


    It was way past midnight, the perfect time to take a look at the velvety, ethereal sky.


    Xavier held her hand, taking slow, deep breaths.


    "The perfect end to a perfect date," he whispered.


    "I couldn''t agree more," Madeline whispered back.


    "Do you think the others are awake?"


    "I rather not find out."


    "I''m so lucky to have you in my life," Madeline whispered all of a sudden.


    When she felt Xavier stiffen, she began to panic and chanted to herself to keep calm and not make any sudden movements.


    "No, it''s me that''s lucky to have you in my life, pup," Xavier whispered, his dulcet tones barely audible. Blinking, he said to her, "Can I try something?"


    Madeline nodded, "Of course, I trust you."


    The moment after she spoke those words, she felt arms wrapping around her, gently hugging her from the back and pulling her backwards. The couple fell on the soft mat.


    Her eyes took notice of something and she squealed in excitement, pointing at the sky, "Look, look, a shooting star!"


    "What perfect timing," Xavier commented, looking at the shooting star.


    "We should make a wish before it disappears," Madeline said, explaining, "There''s this legend where wishing upon a shooting star makes the wish come true for a long time."


    Xavier smirked, "Then I wish to spend forever with you."


    "I don''t think you''re supposed to say it aloud, Xavier," Madeline said, flicking his nose playfully.


    "Too late for that now, and what''s your wish?"


    Madeline thought of something and looked up at the sky, thinking to herself, ''Come to think of it, I don''t need to wish for anything¡­''


    Peering up at Xavier, she gave him a soft smile, knowing one thing was for certain.


    ''I don''t need to wish for something, because you''re the wish I''d make on every shooting star.. So long as you''re here with me, my wish has come true.''

 Chapter 208 - A Dark Presence

    "Xavier?"


    "Hmm?"


    "You know I have eyes for only you, right?" Madeline questioned, her olive-green eyes eyeing him.


    Xavier squeezed her hand gently, "I do, and the same goes for you."


    Madeline laughed, her eyes staring at her pinky and the red string that surrounded the digit.


    He said to her, a pout now plastered across his face, "You can''t just bring me out on some awesome date and expect me to return to work without missing being able to go on fun dates with you, you know."


    She chuckled, "Would you have preferred if I brought you on some boring date?"


    "No date with you is boring," Xavier retorted.


    "You sweet talker."


    Noticing that Madeline''s eyes began drooping, Xavier suggested, "If you''re tired we could head back."


    The trees rustled in the background, and the strong breeze blew.


    Lowering his voice, he said to her, "I don''t want to face grumpy Madeline tomorrow."


    "Grumpy Madeline won''t make any appearances," Madeline said, yawning again. She told him, "Can we stay here?"


    "We wouldn''t want you to get a cold or something," he said worriedly.


    "I''ll be fine," Madeline reassured. If she were to be frank, she didn''t want the night to end. Correction, the date to end. It felt like she had to let something go.


    "Why don''t we head back since it''s getting late?"


    "Oh fine, I am quite tired anyway."


    "Let''s get you back to your quarters then," Xavier said.


    They made it to Madeline''s quarters, and Xavier smiled at her sincerely, "Best date ever."


    "That''s subject to change."


    "We don''t know that for certain," Xavier said.


    Madeline unlocked her door, entering her quarters. Xavier placed the bags of books and clothing down, leaning down to place a kiss on her cheek, "See you tomorrow, pup. Goodnight."


    "Night," Madeline greeted, before Xavier closed the door behind him, knowing if he looked at her once more he wouldn''t be able to get himself to leave. He wouldn''t want to leave and end up staying.


    Knowing Madeline, she''d want him to stay and they''d end up getting lost in some conversation and not sleeping at all. Madeline had insisted that Xavier get a good night of rest after the date.


    She took a quick shower and wore comfortable pyjamas. Lying in bed, she stared up at the ceiling, chest heaving up and down.


    "That was an amazing third date," Madeline said, glad it had gone well and hadn''t gone haywire. She was terrified something would go wrong, or that there would be some work emergency.


    Of course, she wouldn''t know for certain if something would happen, and she couldn''t blame Xavier if he had to rush back because of work, but she wished their date wouldn''t be abruptly cut short. And thankfully, it hadn''t been. And no one had stirred up any fuss so it went smoothly.


    Xavier had even told her about what the waitress at the restaurant they had lunch at had as well as her colleague said about him. Madeline was amused to find out about Taylor, knowing something was up when she had asked him for his name but unsure of what it was exactly. She thought he was interested in him or something, but it turned out she only found him attractive.


    Not that Madeline could disagree, of course.


    Madeline knew she shouldn''t be thinking about bothering her friend to talk about how amazingly her date went, but she was too satisfied to sleep. Did that even make any sense?


    She was pleased how the date went, and how it had gone seamlessly and without any interruptions. Madeline knew it was selfish, but all she wanted was some time with Xavier. It was so long since they had a day to themselves. And the next day, everything was back to normal.


    Next thing she knew, she had forgotten all about how her date went, drifting off to sleep after what was a long, long day.


    Meanwhile, with Emilio¡­


    He paced his room, wondering if Madeline had returned safely from her date with Xavier. If anything had happened to her¡­


    He took a deep breath, knowing it was better not to assume things when Madeline could have already returned and was asleep for all he knew. Just because he was told nothing didn''t mean he could assume that something had happened to his dearest daughter.


    All he knew was that if something happened to her, he wouldn''t be able to live with himself.


    He''d know if she was alright tomorrow, he reminded himself. Madeline would come to visit him tomorrow, right?


    She''d prove she was alright and that there was nothing for him to be worried about in the first place. She had just returned from her date late and was tired so she decided not to pay him a visit - which was actually what happened.


    He had begun to worry ever since he felt some dark presence. It had begun a while ago, and that was enough for him to worry about his daughter''s whereabouts and if she was truly alright.


    What if something had happened?


    What if he could have stopped it from happening had he asked about her sooner?


    What if she was stuck someplace?


    No, that wouldn''t happen. She could protect herself.


    And as an added bonus, she had Xavier with her. He wasn''t some weak, defenceless guy. Emilio doubted Xavier wouldn''t put up a fight if anyone dared mess with Madeline, so that provided him with some relief.


    He sighed, melting into his chair. One thing that was nice about being in a relationship with Cornelia was that she always knew what was happening. Of course, that wasn''t a reason why he loved her, but it would have been nice knowing that Madeline was safe and sound. Sadly, he wasn''t allowed to leave. Xavier would know if he left, he could easily track his scent.


    And that posed a huge problem for Emilio.


    __


    Author''s Note: Woah, eighteen golden tickets (as I''m writing this)! Two more before a bonus chapter will be posted. Hope you all are having a nice day!


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 209 - Thank Luna

    "Oh, thank luna, you''re fine," Emilio said once he saw Madeline. He looked her up and down, checking for any injuries or anything out of instinct.


    "Of course, I''m fine. It was a date, not a fight," Madeline assured, "I''m fine, dad. I''m fine. It was fun."


    "Alright, alright. So, do you want to tell me what you and Xavier did yesterday?"


    "I do," Madeline answered, excitement radiating off of her voice.


    "Must have gone well since you''re so happy."


    "Hehe, it did go well. We had lunch together, then we picked out books, read together, ate dinner, stargazed, then the date ended. Nothing to worry about."


    "I just wanted to know if your date went well," Emilio admitted, chuckling. He hid the fact that he was nervously pacing around his room the previous night, wondering if Madeline was okay.


    Thankfully, she was. And she looked extremely happy so Emilio was happy too. Happy for her, especially. It was nice knowing that Madeline got to experience the joys and highs of love, it brought him back to when he and Cornelia were like that. Sure, they weren''t on the greatest terms now but they did share fond memories together.


    Fond memories he thought back to whenever he felt miserable in his cave. One would think that the ex-alpha wouldn''t have any fond memories to look back on other than when he slaughtered the innocent, but they''d find that they were completely wrong. Just when he thought there was nothing to live for, fate brought Madeline right to him.


    Had he killed her and found out that she was his and Cornelia''s lovechild, he would''ve never been able to live with himself. It was part of the reason why he worried about her quite often. He couldn''t protect her, not when he was confined to a room. Sure, it was way better than that purgatory of a cave but that didn''t mean he felt better.


    To an extent, he felt worse. He could only interact with Madeline when she visited him, or when something had happened to her. When he had learnt Madeline had passed out, he had been so distraught. He had trouble thinking, trouble breathing. It was like the world was caving on him. Seemed like parenthood was really changing him.


    Madeline caught Emilio looking at her worriedly, as if he was terrified to let her go - which he actually was. He never got to see her grow up, so that meant he''d protect her as much as he could now that he got the chance to. He simply felt obliged to.


    It provided Emilio some relief knowing that Xavier protected Madeline. Xavier was stronger than him, there was no doubting that. He wasn''t calling Madeline weak or incompetent to the point she couldn''t protect herself, of course not. However, it was just nice knowing that Xavier was there. The same man that he had taught and imparted his wisdom to.


    Hmm, perhaps imparting his wisdom wasn''t the right way to put it. Point was, Xavier was better than nothing. Emilio was still bitter about what Xavier had done to him, but it wasn''t Xavier that kept Madeline from him, it was Cornelia. Xavier only brought her to him, in a way.


    Had Madeline not brought Xavier up, who knew what would have happened? Emilio wouldn''t have hesitated to kill her and would have her beheaded on the spot. He would''ve¡­ he didn''t want to think about it. Simply thinking about it made him feel repulsed.


    "It did," Madeline confirmed, nodding before she saw the expression on his face. She told him, "Also, did you know that Xavier had a twin brother?"


    "A twin brother?" Emilio questioned, sounding amused. He shook his head, "I was told that someone was covering for him but I never thought it was his twin brother. I was just aware he had family and refused to talk about it."


    "Oh," Madeline said.


    "Wow, he has a twin brother."


    Madeline remembered how Xavier had reacted when he had discovered what Lawrence had tried doing, so she decided it was best she kept it a secret from Emilio for as long as possible. However, she wouldn''t keep everything from him.


    She admitted, her hand on the back of her neck, "I was tricked into thinking he was Xavier."


    Raising his brow, Emilio inquired, "How were you tricked?"


    "He joked around with me, acted like Xavier, he was very convincing. When in truth he''s quite different from Xavier. Xavier''s a gentleman, he''s¨C"


    Madeline hesitated.


    Emilio tilted his head to the side, "He''s what?"


    "Err."


    "Not a gentleman, did he do something to you?" Emilio questioned, his eyes widening in horror and anger. He peered at her, eyes burning with rage  now, "Did he? Answer me, Madeline."


    Hearing him call her name made Madeline shudder, the tone he used made it quite evident he was concerned and wanted to know the truth.


    "And does Xavier know what happened?" Emilio asked next, his tone sounding more concerned than angry now. He knew that Xavier had a nasty temper, it was something he and Xavier shared in common. If Xavier''s brother had actually done something to Madeline, and Xavier found out, he wouldn''t have reacted nicely.


    "Promise you won''t be upset?"


    "If it''s something to be upset about, how can I not be upset?" Emilio reasoned, adding, "Since you asked me to promise not to be upset, it must be serious. Tell me. What. Did. He. Do."


    Madeline had no one else to blame but herself. She had placed herself in this situation, Emilio was simply concerned. Fidgeting with her hands, she answered, "He tried to seduce me, admitted to wanting to get me to sleep with him despite knowing I''m interested in Xavier."


    "WHAT?" Emilio bellowed, his voice echoing off his room''s walls.. Fire burned in his emerald green orbs, and he could''ve sworn that if Madeline weren''t in the room with him he would have ripped something apart, or thrown something.

 Chapter 210 - Unforgivable

    "HOW DARE HE?" Emilio roared, feeling like killing Xavier''s brother. He glared at her, disappointed in her, "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TOLD ME NOT TO BE UPSET? DON''T DEFEND HIM, WHAT HE DID IS UNFORGIVABLE."


    Madeline placed a hand on his back, and he sighed, feeling like pulling all the hair out of his head and punching into Xavier''s brother''s chest and crushing his heart.


    "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. She had never seen Emilio this mad before. Sure, she had watched in terror as he desperately tried finding her with the full intent of killing her, but he was more amused by her bravado at the time. He was never this mad before.


    It touched her that he cared about her this much to get this riled up once he heard what Lawrence had attempted, but she knew that Lawrence had been humiliated because of what he''d done, and it was because of Lawrence that she and Xavier got a day to themselves. After Xavier caught Lawrence up with everything he was supposed to do and all that, the man threatened him, saying that he''d hurt him in ways unimaginable if he attempted anything.


    Lawrence promised he wouldn''t do anything, of course, but Madeline was unsure if he had really kept his promise. However, Adrian was there with him the entire time. And it was Xavier''s territory, not his. He was still outnumbered if he even dared try anything. He wouldn''t make it out alive, and no one would spare him. Even if he tried to pretend to be Xavier, Madeline figured.


    "He doesn''t get to do this to you and get away with it, you know," Emilio said to her.


    Madeline nodded, remembering what Xavier had done to Lawrence. She began, "Does it make you feel better to know that Xavier punched Lawrence into a wall?"


    Emilio blinked, before a small smile came across his face, "He did?"


    "He sure did," Madeline said, mumbling, "Right in front of me."


    To her surprise, Emilio clapped, admitting, "I''ve never been more proud of Xavier, he did the right thing."


    "Dad!" Madeline exclaimed.


    "What? He tried sleeping with you. Am I supposed to be upset or frustrated that Xavier punched him to a wall? Xavier lands strong punches too, he must''ve broken the wall huh."


    "I will neither confirm nor deny that."


    "You don''t have to, but something still needs to be done with him," Emilio said, before he turned his attention back to Madeline completely, asking her, "But are you alright?"


    "Me? Alright?"


    "Yes. Isn''t your soulmate''s twin brother tricking you into thinking he''s your soulmate and trying to sleep with you not something to get upset about? I''d think it is."


    Emilio was still upset, but he knew it was better if he didn''t seem upset now and got all the facts first.


    Madeline bit her inner cheek, "I mean, I realised that he wasn''t Xavier before we did anything, but if I hadn''t and I had actually done something with him then¡­"


    She couldn''t say what she wanted to say next. She thought to herself, the continuation of the sentence in her mind, ''I wouldn''t ever be able to face Xavier again without remembering it. I don''t think I''d ever forgive myself.''


    Embracing Emilio, she realised the severity of the situation that she had recently been in. She and Xavier had talked about it yesterday, but she had stuffed all the ''what ifs'' to the back of her mind, refusing to think about what she would have done if she''d actually slept with Lawrence.


    At that moment, she was extremely grateful towards Emilio. She hadn''t talked to Briar about it since she hadn''t seen Briar that day and had been out with Xavier yesterday, there wasn''t any time for her to speak to her friend about it and she felt it was best to pay Emilio a visit and reassure him she was alright. She knew her father, and how he''d be dead worried about her if he hadn''t heard from her.


    Changing the subject, Madeline said to her father, "You should''ve seen Xavier when he was trying to win something from this game, he got so frustrated."


    "Oh?" Emilio said, sounding curious. What game would Xavier partake in that would have him so frustrated?


    An amused look replaced Madeline''s tiny smile, and she told Emilio everything that had happened at the arcade. Sure, she had to explain to him what a claw machine and an arcade was, as well as what Xavier had to do to win and how he had eventually won the teddy bear. She found it adorable, and sweet of him to refuse to give up, all to win her that teddy bear when the only reason she had wanted it in the first place was because the bear reminded her of him.


    "The only reason I ever wanted that bear in the first place was because it sort of reminded me of him," Madeline admitted.


    Emilio laughed softly, "And he ended up getting you that bear."


    "The bear''s even holding a heart, it''s adorable."


    They continued talking, before Emilio said Madeline had spent enough time with him for one day when in reality, he didn''t want her to leave. He simply said so because he figured Madeline was being polite, not wanting to leave his side to hang out with her friends or talk to Xavier because she wanted to spend time with him and not leave him alone.


    "Go now, I''ll be fine here," Emilio reassured.


    "Why do most of our conversations end up with you reassuring me that everything will be fine?" Madeline questioned.


    He shrugged, "No idea, but you should go now, dear."


    "Alright, bye dad," Madeline said, bidding her father farewell before she returned to her room to grab something before visiting Briar next.


    __


    Author''s Note: So we hit twenty-two golden tickets, meaning a bonus chapter will be released. The bonus chapter will be coming in about an hour, so stay tuned, and I hope you all have a lovely day!


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 211 - [BONUS CHAPTER] Did I Make It That Obvious?

    "I''d ask how your date went but you''re in an extremely good mood today so I''ll hold off from asking," Briar said, her eyes narrowed and her hands planted on her hips.


    Madeline shrugged, "What can I say? It was a perfect date."


    "Hmph, when will I be able to go on a date? Never been on one before," Briar said, crossing her arms jokingly.


    Her friend scoffed, before leaning closer to Briar, "Also, how was Lawrence?"


    "No idea, last I checked he was with Adrian all day. I''ll go check up on Adrian later, see how he''s doing. I wonder if he''s annoyed to death by now, Lawrence was irritating at breakfast."


    Briar turned to look at Madeline, who asked, "What?"


    "Are you alright after what happened with Lawrence?"


    "I''m fine, I talked about it with my dad earlier," Madeline answered, staring up at the ceiling. A grin replaced her solemn expression as she told Briar, "Xavier won me a teddy bear."


    ''Here we go,'' Briar thought to herself. Her curiosity overcame her as she questioned, "How many tries?"


    "I didn''t count, it took quite a lot," Madeline admitted.


    "What I''d give to have seen it," Briar muttered under her breath. She ordered, "Tell me more."


    She was far too curious, and Madeline had already told her a tidbit of what happened during the date, Briar wanted more.


    "Funny, I was just about to do that," Madeline said.


    Briar whispered, "Were there any jealous girls?"


    "No," Madeline replied, much to Briar''s disappointment.


    "So what did the two of you do? My luna, you were gone for the whole entire day, you must''ve done a lot," Briar said, wiggling her eyebrows.


    "Totally," Madeline said, her face lighting up. She gushed about her date, telling Briar how she wished she and Xavier could go on dates everyday, telling Briar, "We even read a book together, and ended the date with stargazing. There was a shooting star too."


    "A shooting star? Ooh, what was your wish?"


    "I didn''t wish for anything," Madeline admitted.


    "What? Why wouldn''t you wish for something?" Briar inquired, unable to fathom why.


    To her surprise, Madeline just shrugged, replying to Briar''s question with an ever so nonchalant tone, "Because I have Xavier in my life, there''s nothing else I want to wish for."


    Briar regretted asking. Not that she didn''t want to hear Madeline talk about Xavier, that was fine. Perfectly tolerable.


    However, it only reminded her of her current dilemma. It had nothing to do with Madeline, who was nothing but delightful.


    "You two should just get a room. Like I said, you two are sickeningly sweet. I stand my ground," Briar said.


    Madeline laughed softly, "You and Adrian too. There''s just something between the two of you that''s going on that I can''t explain."


    "You can''t explain it because there is nothing going on," Briar said dryly.


    "Hm, sure. Go tell yourself that," Madeline said in her best imitation of Briar''s voice.


    "Was I always like this to you when you and Xavier hadn''t confessed your feelings to each other?"


    "Yes," Madeline answered almost instantly.


    "Oh. I mean, when you think about it though, I wasn''t wrong, you guys are going on dates now," Briar reasoned.


    "Geez," Madeline said, rolling her eyes. She told Briar, "And besides, didn''t Adrian ask you out on a date?"


    "That was not a date," Briar insisted, "He just brought me someplace nice and¨C"


    "Sounds like a date to me," Madeline said, speaking what she thought was the truth as she told Briar, "I''m nearly certain he''s interested in you."


    "There''s always a chance he doesn''t and this is all some misunderstanding ," Briar reasoned.


    "The chance of that happening is slim. Really, really slim, and you know that."


    "No, I don''t. Besides, I can''t just bring it up to him. It''d only make things awkward between us."


    "Or you could tell him."


    "Tell him what?"


    "That you have feelings for him, what else could I possibly have meant?"


    __


    "I''m so grateful you''re back!" Adrian exclaimed once he entered Xavier''s office.


    Xavier was writing something on a piece of parchment, focused on his work, "Thank you."


    Adrian paused, wondering why Xavier was so serious, "The date went well then?"


    "It went splendidly," Xavier answered, still not looking up from the parchment he was writing on. He pointed out, "You''re standing there as if you want something from me. You''re hovering."


    "No, I don''t. I don''t want something, I''m just glad you''re back," Adrian said.


    "Did Lawrence do something for you to be telling me this?" Xavier questioned.


    "Don''t get me started on him."


    "So he did," Xavier remarked, sounding slightly more interested than before.


    "He did! He claimed that I had feelings for Briar and made me¡­ made me¡­"


    Adrian stared at Xavier, who had looked up from his parchment.


    "Is it supposed to be torturous? And a bad thing? I always reckoned it was obvious you have feelings for Briar."


    He watched as his friend''s cheeks turned beet red.


    "That''s¨C I don''t¨C"


    Biting his lip, Adrian questioned, "Did I make it that obvious?"


    "You have a habit of not being able to hide anything. Feelings included."


    Adrian froze, "Wait, so you''re saying Briar knows I have feelings for her?"


    Xavier shrugged, "How do you expect me to know? As far as I''m aware, Briar and you are in the dark as much as each other."


    His friend sighed in relief, "So she probably doesn''t know, phew."


    "Why, scared you''re going to ruin your friendship?"


    "I never said that."


    "Your face says it for you."


    "My face is perfectly fine."


    "No it''s not, it''s heating up. You''re blushing," Xavier pointed out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    Adrian''s cheeks turned even redder.


    "Wait, so Madeline knows too?"


    "Yep," Xavier answered confidently.


    "Did she tell you?"


    Xavier looked disappointed.


    "She didn''t have to tell me anything, it''s obvious, Adrian.. So get over it already, you have feelings for her and she has feelings for you."

 Chapter 212 - If Your Cheeks Turn Any More Red Youll Combust

    "I don''t¨C It doesn''t work that way."


    Xavier shrugged, "It worked for me and Madeline."


    "Just because it worked for you and Madeline does not mean it''ll work for me."


    "Don''t tell me you''re scared she won''t reciprocate your feelings or something and reject you on the spot," Xavier said, searching for his quill pen. He said nonchalantly, "If your cheeks turn any more red you''ll combust."


    "Haha, very funny. I''m happy for you and Madeline and your perfect relationship."


    "No relationship is perfect," Xavier pointed out.


    "When did you become so wise when it came to relationship advice? I remember the days where you used to ask me all about it. And now it''s you schooling me about relationships, and everything love-related.


    His friend chuckled, "I suppose Madeline is rubbing off on me, not that it''s a bad thing. ''Course it''s not a bad thing."


    "Of course not," Adrian assured before he went on to ask, "But do you think I should do something about it? Because that''s exactly what Lawrence said too."


    Xavier was surprised, "Lawrence told you to confess your feelings to Briar?"


    "Yeah, he gave me advice about it, told me to do it," Adrian replied before he remembered something else Lawrence had said.


    "What else did he say?" Xavier urged, knitting his brows together.


    "He said he''d take it upon himself not to try to sleep with Briar."


    Xavier''s tone turned bitter as he said to Adrian, "Wow, never knew Lawrence had any self-restraint."


    Adrian laughed, despite panicking on the inside. A million tiny Adrians were running around his mind, desperately trying to find what to do and get someone to tell him what to do. Should he confess? Not confess and keep his feelings for her a secret? Or should he just wait it out and see if Briar does anything herself?


    ''So many options! How did Madeline do this?'' Adrian wondered, before he decided to go ask Madeline herself. She should know, right?


    After all, her confession towards Xavier had gone exceptionally well. If he could replicate that, or do something like what Madeline did, perhaps¡­ he and Briar would have a shot.


    ''Look at me, I seem so desperate,'' Adrian thought to himself. On one hand, one side of him wanted to confide in Madeline and ask her for advice. The other side told him to just go for it and do it without any further hesitation.


    What if Xavier was right? What if Briar had feelings for him?


    Adrian wondered if he was simply that blind or if Briar did a great job at hiding her feelings.


    ''Or maybe, just maybe, she doesn''t have any feelings for you and when you confess to her, she''ll reject you and then your friendship will be ruined.''


    "How did Madeline do it?" Adrian asked Xavier, desperately needing an answer from his friend.


    "I don''t think I''m the person you should be asking," Xavier said, asking Adrian, "Also, don''t you have the work I delegated to you?"


    Adrian''s face paled, before he reminded himself that he had actually finished his work beforehand. He had been too caught up thinking over what Lawrence had told him. And now, he had what Xavier told him as well. That he made his feelings towards Briar extremely obvious.


    "I''ve finished it."


    To him, he thought he did a great job at hiding his feelings. Since he was going to pay Madeline a visit, he decided to ask her about it as well, and see what she thought about it. Did she also think he made his feelings towards Briar extremely obvious or was she blissfully unaware?


    ''Guess I''m going to find out,'' Adrian thought to himself.


    "Hm, fine. Since you''re done with the work I''ve given you, you get to go visit Madeline."


    "You read my mind."


    "It''s a part of my job. My job is to think multiple steps ahead of everyone unless I want to lose it and lose Eudora in the process because of some reckless mistake," Xavier reasoned.


    "Ah."


    "You can go now."


    "See you later."


    "Mm," Xavier grumbled, returning back to work.


    __


    "Madeline, psst, Madeline!" Adrian called.


    Briar and Madeline turned to face him, asking him in unison, "What?"


    "I was talking to Madeline," he said to Briar, narrowing his eyes.


    "And Madeline was talking to me, go talk to her some other time, Quince."


    "It''s important, Alva," Adrian retorted.


    "That''s one nice last name," Madeline commented.


    "Thanks. And also, could I ask you something, Madeline?"


    "Oh sure," Madeline answered. She followed Adrian outside, leaving Briar alone.


    She winked at Briar, who raised her brow and tilted her head questioningly, wondering what could Adrian possibly ask Madeline. Did it have something to do with Xavier? Or Lawrence?


    Lawrence, how she hated that name. She huffed. What could Adrian possibly want to talk to Madeline about? And why was he hiding it from her?


    "They''re not talking about me, are they?" Briar wondered.


    ''You''re just being paranoid,'' a voice in her head said to her, ''Why would they be talking about you?''


    Briar reminded herself that there were a plethora of other things they could possibly be discussing . Of course, she wasn''t aware of the fact that she was right, and that Adrian and Madeline were talking about her.


    Once they were a safe distance away from Madeline''s quarters, Madeline asked Adrian, breaking the silence,"Is it that important that you had to drag me away from Briar?"


    "Yes, because it''s about Briar."


    Madeline gasped, lowering her voice as she whispered to him, "Does it have to do with your feelings?"


    Adrian flailed his arms, trying to explain himself.


    "It''s¨C That''s¨C"


    "So it is about your feelings," Madeline said, wiggling her eyebrows in amusement.


    "Were they really that obvious?"


    "Oh come on, you asked her out on a date and disguised it as a¡­ hangout?" Madeline reasoned, trying to remember what he had called it.


    Adrian frowned, "So does Briar know?"


    Madeline stared at him incredulously, turning dead silent.

 Chapter 213 - Hes Not Here, Hes Not Here

    She snorted, before she burst out into laughter, slapping her knee.


    "Her? Know about your feelings?" Madeline said in between laughs.


    Adrian''s frown turned into a pout, "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Madeline waved her hand dismissively, telling him whilst fighting the urge to laugh again, "Sorry, sorry. I''m not supposed to be laughing right now. I just¨C You''re hilarious."


    "I don''t get it."


    "Briar doesn''t know, because she''s just as oblivious as you. And funnily enough, she used to mock me for my feelings towards Xavier. So is that what you came to ask me about, or did you come to ask about something else and I strayed away from that?"


    "I just wanted to ask you¡­"


    Adrian looked around warily, making sure there was absolutely no one who would overhear what he was about to say.


    "Just say it already."


    He leaned closer to her, whispering something in her ear.


    Madeline gasped in surprise. She managed to stutter out, "O-oh."


    Her expression soon turned into a smirk.


    After they talked it through, Madeline headed back to her quarters, before she heard a voice greet her cheerily, "Madeline, yoohoo!"


    She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes, "He''s not here, he''s not here."


    Whenever she thought of him, all she could see was Xavier. Hearing his voice, she had originally thought it was Xavier calling her, but Xavier didn''t call her Madeline that often. However, Lawrence did.


    "But I am."


    "Shoo! Go away."


    "Yeah, I''m not leaving. Telling me to go away won''t do anything, I''m staying," Lawrence insisted.


    Madeline crossed her arms, "What do I have to do to get you to go?"


    "If I go, your chance to get embarrassing stories of Xavier."


    "How dare you use it to get me to not ask you to leave me be," Madeline said irritatedly.


    "I can use something else to make you not want me to leave."


    That remark managed to get Madeline to whip around and glare at him.


    "I''m not interested in you."


    "You don''t have to be, no strings attached."


    "Xavier punched you, did he not? I watched him. Unless he didn''t actually do that."


    Lawrence brought his hand up to his cheek, "Yeah, I remember that too."


    "So why¨C"


    He shrugged, "Because most women wouldn''t hesitate and would jump at the chance to let me¨C"


    "Please don''t finish that sentence, for both our sakes."


    "Then, how was your date?" Lawrence questioned.


    Madeline narrowed her eyes, "It went perfectly."


    She eyed the door leading to her quarters, Briar was waiting for her.


    The moment Lawrence caught her eyeing her door, he chuckled, "If you really want to do me, you don''t have to hide it."


    His words didn''t seem to faze Madeline. If anything, they managed to annoy her more than amuse her.


    "I''m with Xavier."


    "I don''t see a ring on your finger."


    "Womaniser," Madeline muttered under her breath.


    Lawrence shrugged, "Hey, it takes guts saying what I say."


    Madeline looked him up and down, realising he looked dishevelled. Her face turned pale.


    "Stay away from me."


    He ran a finger through his hair, tidying it up.


    "I don''t wanna know," Madeline said before she walked into her quarters.


    "It''s rude to just leave people alone!" Lawrence exclaimed.


    She rolled her eyes, wishing him goodbye before she closed the door behind her.


    "Got held up talking to Ronan numero uno," Madeline explained to Briar.


    Raising her brow, she asked, "What did he say to you?"


    "He''s the same."


    "Still trying to get you in bed with him?"


    "What do you think is the answer to that question?" Madeline asked sarcastically, her hands planted on her hips.


    Briar snorted, "Are you trying to distract me from what you talked to Adrian about?"


    "If I were, I''d dodge this question," Madeline answered.


    "Good point."


    "But I can''t tell you what we talked about either," she admitted.


    Frowning, Briar asked, "Why would you tell me that unless you''d want to rouse my interest? You could''ve hidden that from me¡­"


    Madeline walked over to Briar and gave her a quick hug, "You''ll see."


    Briar narrowed her eyes, "A hint. One hint."


    "I wish I could."


    "Not even one small hint?"


    Madeline told her, "You''ll see, I promise."


    Briar sighed, "Fine, I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt."


    A part of her knew that if Madeline was keeping something from her, it had to be vital enough to keep a secret.


    She looked over at the teddy bear Xavier had gotten her and grinned. She exhaled, "Did you know Xavier won me that teddy bear from a claw machine?"


    Briar snorted, envisioning Xavier desperately trying to win that teddy bear from a claw machine and getting more and more frustrated with every time he lost.


    "Did you want the teddy bear?"


    Madeline nodded, "I did want the bear, because it reminds me of him."


    Staring at the bear, Briar wondered how that teddy bear reminded Madeline of Xavier. Was it because Xavier''s personality reminded her of a teddy bear? Was it something else?


    "We should have another girl''s night," she suggested.


    Briar grinned, "Agreed."


    She also wanted to bring up something else.


    "Should we visit Indiana?"


    Madeline seemed shocked that Briar had suggested it. She had never thought of the both of them going to visit Indiana. It was mostly just her.


    Briar had refused to visit Indiana - not because she didn''t want to see Indiana ever again or anything like that. It was simply because her heart ached whenever she thought of her fallen friend.


    Indiana was gone. She had come to terms with that, but at the same time, she had wished Indiana her goodbyes already. Seeing Indiana again¡­ even if it was at the place her tomb was situated¡­


    "If that''s what you want, of course, let''s do that," Madeline said, a soft smile on her face.


    __


    Author''s Note: How''s everyone feeling? What do you guys think will happen next? Will Adrian do something about his and Briar''s current standing? Will Lawrence find love? Comment your thoughts down below!


    Love you all, mari.

 Chapter 214 - Im Not Judging You

    One quick trip later, the girls arrived at Indiana''s grave.


    Briar stared at Indiana''s grave, breathing deeply as she said to Madeline, "This is where you go whenever you say you''re visiting Indiana?"


    "Yeah."


    "Feels cosy," Briar commented, trying not to get teary.


    Madeline took a seat on the grass, patting the space beside her.


    "Sit down," Madeline ordered.


    She followed her orders, sitting down right beside her.


    "Are we supposed to talk to her?" Briar questioned.


    "That''s what I usually do when I come here," Madeline answered, squeezing Briar''s hand gently.


    "So does Indiana know about you and Xavier''s third date?"


    Madeline brought out a basket full of treats.


    "You brought those for Indiana?"


    Shaking her head, Madeline left a flower in the vase right in front of Indiana''s grave.


    "The flower''s for Indiana, the treats are for us."


    She had brought some treats along just in case Briar got hungry or wanted something else to do. Briar wasn''t some child, of course. But Madeline knew her friend well, she knew that Briar would want to distract herself somehow.


    "Indiana loved croissants," Briar said, staring at the grave miserably. She had remembered Indiana''s words, but she wished she had the chance to speak to her friend in person.


    "She liked flowers too," Madeline pointed out, smiling.


    "How do you do it?" Briar asked all of a sudden.


    "Hmm?" Madeline asked absentmindedly.


    "You''re acting like it''s normal."


    Madeline pursed her lips, "It''s not normal."


    As much as she acted or pretended like she had made peace with that fact, there was no making peace with the fact that her friend was dead. Just because they didn''t know each other for that long didn''t make her death less painful. For a moment, she had even thought she was going out on dates and everything because she was trying to distract herself from the truth.


    She hadn''t even been that upset with Cornelia because¡­ Cornelia was still her biological mother. She still said she cared, she still apologised. A part of her wanted to salvage as much as she could of it because she was terrified the same thing that happened to Indiana would happen to Cornelia.


    But Cornelia was all-powerful. She knew what lay ahead, didn''t she? She could handle herself just fine, she didn''t need her daughter worrying about her.


    Madeline laughed when she thought about giving Cornelia a chance. Give that woman a chance?


    She could think of a million reasons why not to forgive Cornelia and to keep things the way they were.


    "Madeline? Madeline!" Briar exclaimed, snapping Madeline out of her reverie.


    Madeline shrugged, "It''ll never be normal."


    "Oh, you''re continuing," Briar mumbled, eyeing Indiana''s grave. She could see Indiana wanting to give Madeline and her hugs at that moment if she were here.


    "Yeah, I am. Just because I act like I''m okay doesn''t mean that I am, and that I''ve gotten used to not having Indiana around."


    Madeline remembered the times they had girls nights with Indiana present. There were times she had fallen asleep way before them because she was simply tired, and times where she''d win games and rub it in her and Briar''s faces.


    "You hear that, Indiana? I miss having you around for girls night," Madeline said, speaking louder than she usually did.


    Briar laughed, her mood improved.


    "You don''t happen to have brought cupcakes in that basket, do you?"


    Madeline grinned, before she pulled out a cupcake.


    "Here you go."


    "You''re an amazing friend."


    "One cupcake. One cupcake was all it took to be considered an amazing friend."


    Briar chewed the cupcake, telling her with her mouth half-full, "I didn''t take two like Indiana would have."


    The wind whooshed loudly in both their ears, as if it was Indiana''s way of communicating with them. Rustling noises could be heard next, although Madeline and Briar dismissed it, thinking it was just the wind. They didn''t think too much about it, returning to their conversation.


    "Hm, you make a good point," Madeline admitted as she found herself a cupcake to dig into.


    "Madeline," Briar called.


    "Hmm?"


    "I need to tell you something, and you need to promise not to tell Xavier."


    "That depends, is it about Xavier?"


    Briar shook her head, "No, but it''s about Adrian."


    Madeline turned to face Briar, her brow raised, "About Adrian? Do tell."


    Biting her lip, Briar decided to come clean to her friend. She had been meaning to tell Madeline anyway, so why not now?


    "I think I have feelings for Adrian," she blurted out.


    "About time," Madeline said, placing her cupcake down to clap in celebration.


    Briar laughed, "You have frosting on your nose."


    Madeline took a tissue to wipe the frosting on her nose, "Now back to your feelings. You want to talk about it?"


    Her friend nodded shyly, "We''re not soulmates. He and I aren''t soulmates. We''re friends."


    "And why are you telling me this?"


    "Because he doesn''t see me as anything more than a friend. I''m just Briar, his good friend. Nothing more, we''ve never established we were anything more than just friends either. But he''s so¡­ sweet, and charming. How am I not supposed to fall for him? I tried not to but it''s like a disease which keeps worsening and worsening."


    "Did you just compare your feelings for Adrian to a disease which keeps worsening and worsening?" Madeline asked incredulously, staring her friend in the eye.


    "I did," Briar admitted, fidgeting with her hands.


    "What are you going to do about these feelings?"


    "I''m going to act like nothing happened, like I didn''t just tell you I had feelings for him and like I have absolutely no feelings for him," Briar answered, before she saw the expression on Madeline''s face. She pleaded, "Please don''t judge me."


    "I''m not judging you."


    "You have that judgy look on your face that you have whenever you''re judging people."


    "No I don''t!" Madeline insisted.


    __


    Author''s Note: Who misses Indiana? Also, I just wanted to thank you all so much for the support! Hope you all have a nice day ahead.


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 215 - Have It Your Way

    "If you''re not judging me then can''t you tell me what to do about it?" Briar asked hopefully.


    Madeline tilted her head, "I can''t just tell you what to do, it''s your decision. I''m just here to be your hype woman or help you make your decision, either one."


    "And wouldn''t you be helping me make my decision by telling me what to do?"


    "That won''t work on me."


    "Fine, fine," Briar said, standing up.


    "What are you doing?" Madeline questioned as she watched Briar begin pacing around Indiana''s grave.


    "I feel so inappropriate saying this in front of Indiana''s grave."


    "Hmm, we should probably leave now," Madeline figured.


    "Agreed."


    Madeline imagined how Indiana would react to this. She would have given Briar some nice advise on what to do and tell her not to panic.


    Briar awkwardly greeted Indiana goodbye, unsure of how to bid her friend goodbye when she was used to doing it in person. Yet another reminder that Indiana was gone, as if the grave she was standing in front of wasn''t one huge reminder already.


    They hastily returned, meeting up at Briar''s room.


    She plopped down her seat, heaving a deep sigh.


    "I can''t believe I spent part of my very first visit to Indiana''s grave talking about my feelings for Adrian," Briar grumbled.


    "Hey, Indiana would have preferred you talk about Adrian rather than telling her how much you miss her and getting all emotional in front of her grave. She would have hated that."


    Briar scoffed, "Alright, you''ve got a point. I guess I shouldn''t be so hung up over that."


    "Heck yeah you shouldn''t."


    Giving Briar a quick hug, Madeline said to her, "If you want to get your feelings off your chest, you could always resort to confessing to Adrian."


    "Confessing to Adrian¡­ But how do I do it? Wouldn''t I need to find the perfect moment to confess to him? Plan the perfect spot to say it? Shouldn''t I prepare some long speech to tell him once I''m ready?"


    Madeline gazed at her friend, "If you''re hung up on finding the right moment to confess your feelings, or finding the perfect spot to say it, or preparing some long speech then you''ll never be ready. The heart wants what the heart wants, and if you want to confess to him and see how he responds then go for it, I know you can do it."


    "You can be such an amazing motivational speaker," Briar commented.


    She chuckled, "I guess so."


    "So you think I should confess? Honest opinion."


    "Briar," Madeline said.


    "I know, I know. It''s up to me to decide, but I¡­ I''m terrified."


    "That he''ll reject you?" Madeline questioned.


    "Yeah, that he''ll reject me. He has loads of reasons to."


    "Loads of reasons to not reject you, you mean," Madeline corrected.


    "Madeline, how did you do it?"


    Madeline placed both her hands on Briar''s shoulders and said to her, "Get yourself together, Briar. Don''t let the nerves get to you. I didn''t know how to do it either, I just let my drive and willingness to confess take over me. I quitted trying to find the right moment to confess and I just did it, I went with the flow. And look at me now."


    "I suppose you''re right."


    "Of course I am."


    "So you think I should confess? I mean, I want to."


    Madeline smiled, "Then do it."


    "What if he rejects you?"


    "Let''s not think about that till after you confess."


    "Fine, have it your way."


    Trying her best not to break out into grins and smirks, especially because she knew something Briar didn''t. Well, it was quite obvious, wasn''t it?


    Briar probably knew already; the only thing that was keeping her from believing the truth was herself. Her self-doubt, specifically.


    "You think I should do it now?" Briar questioned, before she quickly corrected herself, "Wait, never mind. He has work, so I don''t want to distract him."


    In her best imitation of Briar''s voice, Madeline said, "Fine, have it your way."


    Briar nudged Madeline in the rib.


    __


    "Master, I''ve done everything you''ve asked of me. They''ve picked up what we''ve left for them to discover," the servant informed, his head lowered. Pride swelled up in his chest with what he had told his master, prideful that he was able to complete his master''s orders.


    "Very well. It should only be a matter of time before they pick up on the other clues. They aren''t fools."


    "Will that be all, master?" The servant asked, unable to meet his master''s gaze.


    He was in no place to look the man in the eye. All he could do was lower his head whenever he talked to the man he had dutifully served for many, many years now.


    "Hmm, yes. That will be all for now. You may leave me."


    Just as the servant was about to leave, he was stopped.


    "And also, make sure to keep an eye on them, if anything happens, you must come to me immediately. You understand?"


    "Yes, master," the servant answered, bowing his head before the man before he left, off to fulfil his master''s orders.


    The man the servant had referred to as ''master'' sat down on his seat, sitting on it like it was some kind of great throne as he placed his feet up on his desk. A smirk was etched on his face, and he couldn''t help but sigh in satisfaction. Everything was coming together, just as planned.


    "Soon, they will pay for everything they''ve done to me and you," the man said, looking down at a certain something that was placed on his desk. He played with a pen before he crushed it in his hand with ample ease. He whispered, "I''ll do you justice. I will avenge you, even if I have to sacrifice my life for it."


    __


    Author''s Note: Who do you think is the mysterious man being referred to as ''master''? Comment down your thoughts below!


    Love, mari.

 Chapter 216 - Why Do You Smell Like Cake & Soil?

    "What the heck is happening?" Madeline wondered as she saw a crowd of people surrounding Xavier''s office. They weren''t usually all crowded together; they were usually busy training, practising archery or hunting for prey themselves.


    Briar gasped, once she heard what people were whispering about.


    One beta used their mind link to communicate with their friend.


    ''Madeline''s here, you think Alpha Xavier will tell her what happened?''


    ''You serious? You think he doesn''t want to get all the answers first before he goes telling her what happened? Wasn''t Madeline close to Omega Indiana? And you know how much he cares for her, they''re in love or something!''


    ''I guess, he''s been way happier since she came here. Does he not remember she''s the ex-alpha''s daughter or has he lost his mind?''


    ''True love persists, even if she''s the daughter of the man he despises,'' the other replied with.


    Madeline squeezed through the crowd, Briar following close behind her, curious as to what had happened. Everyone was completely silent - she figured they were chattering amongst themselves using their mind links.


    She stared at them all, watching as Xavier''s door opened.


    "Scatter, all of you. Away from my office, now," Xavier ordered sternly, his face as stoic as ever.


    He realised she was amongst the crowd and his gaze softened. Madeline took it as a hint to enter his office.


    Briar whispered to her, "I''ll go find Quince. Go."


    [Author''s Note: And yes, Quince is Adrian''s last name. Briar used it to hide the fact she was going to find Beta Adrian and to prevent stirring up a ruckus.]


    The others followed Xavier''s orders, scattering and returning to whence they came. They knew better than to disobey their alpha''s orders, even if they wanted to know what happened. Rest assured Xavier would inform them if there was anything important he needed to know.


    Madeline walked over to Xavier''s office, "What is going on?"


    Xavier ushered her in his office.


    "Someone was found roaming Eudora''s vicinity," he calmly replied.


    "And what''s this someone doing?"


    "I''m not so sure about that till I get proper answers, although he hasn''t managed to get past Eudora''s barriers," he answered, before he snorted.


    "Is it something to laugh about?"


    "No, it''s not. I just remember who managed to get past Eudora''s barriers and show up during a Eudorian ceremony, and the other day I went on my third date with her."


    She rolled her eyes, "Shouldn''t you be interrogating whoever this person is?"


    "He''s with Adrian at the current moment."


    Madeline stiffened.


    ''Crap, wasn''t Briar going to search for Adrian?''


    "What is it?"


    A knock came from the door.


    Xavier opened the door, only to find Lawrence staring at him.


    "You heard," Xavier reckoned, a frown returning to his face now that Lawrence was standing right in front of him.


    "Of course I did, I was interrupted from my morning exercise," Lawrence said, straightening his shirt.


    "I''m not letting you in my office," Xavier said, adding, "I have important business to attend to."


    "So you''re going to leave me alone with Madeline?" Lawrence asked, waving at Madeline who was standing right behind Xavier at that given moment. He greeted, "Hey there."


    Xavier took a deep breath, "You touch her, lose a hand. I''ll be on my way now. Lawrence, step away from my office. Darling, you should leave now."


    "The difference is astounding," Lawrence commented, bitter about how Xavier treated Madeline better than how he treated his own brother.


    Madeline walked past the threshold, patting Xavier on the shoulder before he shut the door behind him and zipped off.


    Lawrence sniffed her, a strange look on his face.


    "Why do you smell like cake and soil?"


    She answered, "I visited my dead friend."


    He eyed her warily, "Dead friend, you said that so casually."


    Madeline denied it, "I''m not saying it casually."


    "You''re far more twisted than I ever realised," Lawrence replied, staring at her with his eyes narrowed.


    "Also, you up for drinks? Get to know each other."


    Madeline shook her head almost instantly, "I don''t do well with drinks, and there''s no way I''m drinking with you."


    "Why? Scared you''ll do something you probably won''t regret doing?" Lawrence questioned, feigning ignorance.


    Madeline acted like Lawrence had never said that.


    "Don''t you have somewhere to be?"


    Lawrence shrugged, "Nope, I have a free schedule. Meaning, I can do whatever I want, with whoever I want."


    "Blegh."


    It was then Lawrence decided to gather some intel.


    "That Briar girl, I''m assuming you''re friends with her."


    "I am, why?"


    "Is there something going on between her and that beta?"


    Madeline raised her brow.


    "If I answer that question, will you stop trying to get in my pants?"


    He grinned, "Never."


    "What if Xavier punches you again?"


    "I can take another punch."


    "You say that until you get punched another time."


    "The sex would probably be worth it," Lawrence said, before he saw the expression on Madeline''s face. He pressed his lips into a line, "I''m kidding."


    "If I drink with you, would you shut up?" Madeline asked hopefully.


    "That would depend."


    She grumbled, "Unlike you, I can get drunk. I don''t have some super fast metabolism that allows me to drink as much as I want and not get drunk."


    He said as a matter-of-factly, "I don''t know if someone''s told you this yet but we werewolves can get drunk. All you''ve got to do is add some wolfsbane to alcohol and boom! Drunk. Also, aren''t you a werewolf yourself?"


    Madeline kept quiet.


    "I shouldn''t have asked that, huh."


    __


    Briar searched nearly the entirety of Eudora for Adrian. And yet, she was unable to find him.


    If only she knew what Adrian was doing, interrogating the person whilst she was desperately trying to find him to talk to him.


    She figured he was busy doing beta things, so she decided to wait it out until he returned or paid her a visit.


    "Adrian, where in the hell are you?" She wondered to herself.

 Chapter 217 - Curse You, Lawrence

    Madeline opened and closed her mouth.


    "I suppose I am a werewolf, I have werewolf blood coursing through my veins," Madeline said.


    "Please don''t have some shocking revelation about your life in front of me," Lawrence said to her.


    She wasn''t listening to what he was telling her, as she was too busy remembering that she indeed had werewolf blood coursing through her veins.


    "How am I still able to get drunk?" She wondered. She stared at a tree, "Am I not a werewolf? Do I have to learn how to become a werewolf? Or how to turn into one?"


    "Did you not listen to what I just said?"


    "Right! Drinks. Wait, hold on."


    "Hmm?"


    "When you do your ''morning exercise'', do you do it under the pretence that you''re Xavier?"


    "Well, when you put it that way¨C


    Madeline placed a hand on her mouth, not allowing Lawrence to finish his answer.


    "Oh my god. No one knows you exist, meaning they think they slept with their pack''s alpha, and that Xavier¡­"


    "You''re right, I do need a drink. Stat," Madeline said, grabbing Lawrence''s hand and dragging him someplace.


    "Are you actually bringing me with you to drink?"


    "I doubt you''d actually do something when you''re in Xavier''s territory, and besides you''re not that bad as company."


    "So you finally admit it," he said, a grin plastered on his face. He questioned, "Are you sure Xavier would be okay with this?"


    "I think it''s supposed to be me asking that question," Madeline admitted, adding, "It''s just a couple of drinks."


    "That''s what they always say."


    "Would you quit it with the witty quips, I''m just trying to stay calm here."


    "Would it make you feel better if you knew that they loved it?"


    Madeline turned around slowly, staring at him.


    "...they?"


    "You thought I was referring to one person? What kind of person do you think I am, some saint?"


    She shuddered.


    "They think you''re Xavier."


    "But I''m not Xavier," Lawrence nodded.


    She cursed to herself. Of course, Xavier had a twin brother. A twin brother that was a shameless, perverted womaniser. Now people thought Xavier slept with other women, when in reality, Xavier wasn''t interested in anyone other than Madeline.


    Shutting her eyes, she made a mental note to bring it up to Xavier. After he got the situation sorted out and after he discovered what another person was doing roaming around Eudora''s vicinity, of course. Taking a couple of bottles and a cup to drink with, she and Lawrence found a spot to drink at.


    And luckily, someone was already there.


    "Maddie? Xavier?" Briar questioned, shocked as to what the two of them were doing there.


    Madeline corrected her friend, "He''s not Xavier, he''s Lawrence."


    Lawrence nodded, "Yep, that''s me. I''m Lawrence."


    "Ah," Briar said, before she asked, "What are you doing with Lawrence here?"


    "She agreed to drink with me to get me to shut up, she also needs a drink," Lawrence piped up, answering Briar''s question for Madeline.


    Briar shot Madeline a look of concern.


    Lawrence spoke up, telling Briar, taking accountability for his¡­ actions, "The women I slept with all think they slept with Xavier."


    Briar''s jaw nearly dropped to the floor, "Are you serious? And what do you intend to do about it, Mr Womaniser?"


    The man shrugged, "Accompany Madeline for drinks, I guess."


    They took seats, Madeline sitting beside Briar and Lawrence sitting beside Briar as well. He figured Madeline would have preferred if he sat away from her, seeing as she was in a terrible mood.


    Lawrence poured her and Briar a drink. Briar took her time drinking, whilst Madeline downed her drink almost instantly.


    "I told you, just one drink," Madeline said once Lawrence was about to pour her another one.


    "Hm, fine."


    "You have such horrible memory," Madeline remarked.


    Briar sat in the middle, glad Madeline refused to take more than one drink. Remembering what had happened last time, she knew Madeline wouldn''t want history to repeat itself.


    "And you''re such a stick-in-the-mud, I was about to propose a drinking contest," Lawrence pouted.


    Briar glared at him, "That''d be unfair."


    "Exactly why I wanted to suggest it, easy win," Lawrence admitted.


    She tsked in annoyance, telling him next, "I wonder how Adrian put up with you."


    Lawrence didn''t reply to her words, smiling and grinning to himself as he remembered what he had been told. So Adrian had feelings for this woman. He could see why Adrian liked her, she was feisty, bold, dared to speak up. She was also a good friend towards Madeline.


    Hmm, a good friend was an exaggeration, he barely knew her.


    ''So maybe a decent friend.''


    "He was quite annoyed with me, but that''s alright," Lawrence said before he took another drink.


    Briar asked Madeline, "Did you just realise this?"


    Madeline, who had her head on the table, croaked out a yes. Honestly, she had no idea why she was so upset over it. She knew the truth, which was that Xavier was a loyal man that would never hurt her this way.


    But there was one thing for certain. Envisioning Xavier sleeping with another woman drove her insane.


    Was this how he felt when he had saw her talking to Lawrence in his bedroom? Madeline couldn''t imagine how Xavier must have felt. She felt both sorry, and like ripping someone to shreds.


    ''So you''re both jealous and guilty,'' a voice in her head summed everything up.


    She sighed, wondering how she could have been so miserable when she already knew the truth. Staring at her pinky, she reminded herself that Xavier was her mate, no one else''s.


    If only Lawrence wasn''t the spitting image of Xavier. There were multiple girls thinking they had slept with Alpha Xavier of Eudora, and they were under the impression that he wasn''t truly in love with Madeline. Not if he''d sleep with them.


    "Curse you, Lawrence," Madeline hiccuped.


    "Don''t tell me you''re drunk, you drank one drink," Lawrence spoke, his eyes beginning to fill with worry.

 Chapter 218 - Im Not Drunk, Im Jealous

    "I''m not drunk, I''m jealous," Madeline admitted.


    "I knew it! You had to be jealous of me," Lawrence said smugly.


    She glared at him some more, "When I said I was jealous I didn''t mean to say I was jealous of you, idiot. I''m jealous thinking of Xavier doing things with someone else."


    "Don''t call me an idiot," Lawrence replied.


    Briar patted Madeline on the back, also taking the glass away from her and handing Lawrence her glass. He placed it to his right side.


    Lawrence leaned over to Briar, whispering, "Are you interested in anyone right now?"


    She turned to look at him, "Yes. Yes, I am interested in someone right now."


    "Alright then," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. He told Madeline, "Jealousy is such an ugly colour on you."


    "I don''t ever recall asking you for your opinion," Madeline said.


    Lawrence replied, "But you know the truth regardless, that darned brother of mine is too loyal to ever even think of sleeping with someone else."


    Madeline kept quiet.


    "Yeah, you''re right."


    Briar told Madeline, "Besides, all it takes is Xavier introducing Lawrence to the rest of the pack to clear things up."


    Lawrence cleared his throat, "Right, we''d have to talk to my brother about that."


    "Mhm," Madeline replied, before she laughed, "Lawrence has a point."


    Emilio would kill Xavier before anything like that happened. Besides, she knew Xavier cared about her, he knew he would never do anything. Even if Lawrence looked exactly like Xavier, and if there were people out there who thought they had slept with him, because that wasn''t the case at all.


    __


    "Speak," Xavier ordered.


    Adrian crossed his arms, "He hasn''t said much the entire time."


    Xavier calmly walked over to the man that had been found around Eudora, his mind racing with thoughts.


    "How did you come across this place?" Xavier questioned.


    "I h-have no idea. I just stumbled across it," the man stuttered.


    He could easily tell the man was lying, it was written all over his face. The man, whoever he was, looked terrified. Like if he said one wrong thing, he''d be beaten into a pulp. Or worse.


    "I promise, I didn''t know about this place. I didn''t know it ever existed!" He exclaimed, his hands clasped together. He pleaded, "Please, you have to believe me!"


    ''What do you want to do with him?'' Adrian questioned, using his mind link to communicate with Xavier.


    ''Break him if he refuses to talk,'' Xavier replied.


    ''He knows something,'' Adrian agreed.


    ''Right. Exactly why we need to break him to get him talking, and if he still refuses to talk then, dispose of him.''


    There were a few things about Xavier that Madeline didn''t know about, this being an example. Xavier didn''t hesitate to kill if it meant he got to protect Eudora.


    Had Madeline been there, she would have refused to see him killed when he might have been what he was pleading he was - innocent. What if he was speaking the truth? What if he was innocent after all?


    But Xavier was sure of it - that this man was hiding something. Last time, it was Madeline that had stumbled across Eudora. And they soon discovered that Madeline wasn''t just an ordinary human. And Xavier also fell in love with her.


    "Where did you come from?" Xavier questioned, brow raised.


    "I came from nearby here, I don''t mean you any harm, I promise!" The man pleaded.


    Adrian had a twisted look on his face, wondering what they''d do with this man. Xavier didn''t seem pleased, he didn''t seem like he was in a good mood either.


    "Nearby here isn''t a good enough answer."


    "Who sent you?" Xavier questioned.


    The man met Xavier''s gaze, he began shaking his head.


    "No one sent me," he insisted, repeating it, "No one sent me!"


    It seemed like he was being driven to insanity, fear painted all across on his face.


    "So someone sent you," Xavier commented.


    The man went on his knees, "Please believe me, no one sent me. I promise you, no one sent me."


    He whispered, his voice soft and shaky, ''If he knows I was found, he''ll kill me. He''ll kill me, I don''t want to die.''


    "Who sent you?" Xavier questioned, hearing what he had just whispered under his breath.


    "Are you from another pack?"


    The man stopped talking.


    Xavier exhaled.


    "Adrian, leave me," he ordered.


    Adrian patted Xavier on the shoulder before he hastily left, shooting the man a glare, hoping to scare him.


    He breathed deeply, walking over to him.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Lucas."


    "Well, Lucas. If you don''t tell me who sent you, and who you actually are, and what you came here for, then you''re going to die the most painful, gruesome death possible."


    Lucas'' eyes widened in horror.


    "No no no please no. I don''t mean harm to anyone, I promise."


    Xavier chuckled, "I know when people are lying, Lucas."


    Lucas moved backwards.


    "I can''t risk him knowing I was caught," he whispered.


    The alpha couldn''t believe his ears. Lucas had broken easily. He had given in and actually told Xavier something in a matter of minutes. Was he really that weak?


    "So you admit it," Xavier hissed, his hands wrapping around the collar of Lucas'' shirt. He asked next, his voice sending shivers up Lucas'' spine, "Who sent you?"


    "I don''t know," Lucas choked out, barely able to breathe.


    Lucas didn''t dare place his hands on Xavier, knowing fully well who Xavier actually was. If he even dared touching Xavier, he''d be dead. Or wishing he was dead once Xavier was done with him.


    He was nothing compared to Xavier, sure he had powers but this was THE Xavier he was talking to. All it took was this man deciding that he was sick of him and killing him on the spot.


    Tightening his grip around Lucas'' collar, Xavier let out a growl, "You don''t know?"


    Lucas nodded slightly, raising his hands up in the air, "I don''t know. I don''t know!"

 Chapter 219 - Kill Me Now

    "Then what is it that you do know?" Xavier questioned, beginning to lose his patience.


    Lucas, who was beginning to find it difficult to breathe, began tearing up. He croaked, "That I''m going to be slaughtered alive if I say something."


    Xavier let him go, rushing over to grab something from the corner of the dingy room. In a matter of seconds, Lucas was all chained up. Now unable to touch his face with his hand, he wailed, "What is it that you want from me?"


    "I want answers," Xavier answered, cupping Lucas'' jaw, "And unless I start getting answers from you, you remain locked here, and you continue to make me lose my patience."


    "Do your best," Lucas croaked, "I''m not saying a word."


    The alpha rolled his eyes, before he expertly twisted Lucas'' arm, so much so that Lucas shrieked in pain and tried his very best to move away from Xavier.


    "Stop, stop!" He yelled.


    "First, your arms. Then, your legs. So on, until I reach your throat," he spoke, a dark, murderous aura surrounding him.


    There was no doubt in Lucas'' mind that this man wanted to kill him. The only thing that was keeping him alive was what he was keeping from Xavier.


    "But if I tell you, you could just kill me," he stammered.


    "And if you don''t, you''ll die sooner, it''s all a matter of timing. You tell me what you were doing around here, and you get some more time to live," Xavier said, beginning to sound bored and impatient. Continuing, he told Lucas, a hand on his shoulder, "Don''t, and you''ll wish you were buried six feet underneath the ground and as far away from me as possible."


    "But I''ve done nothing wrong, I was just walking around Eudora!" Lucas reasoned, his eyes wide as he tried his best not to glance over at his arms.


    "A spellcaster walking around Eudora? How coincidental," remarked Xavier.


    "B-but I''m n-not¨C"


    "Don''t try to deny it, Lucas," Xavier said, adding, "You''re wasting my time."


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry! But can''t we talk things out? Let me go and I swear not to let a word of this to anyone? I don''t mean any harm!"


    "Foolish mortal, but you''ve already admitted that someone sent you here."


    The prisoner''s voice turned shaky as he told Xavier, "He''ll kill me."


    "And you think I won''t?" Xavier inquired, scoffing.


    A crack sound was heard before Lucas felt unbearable pain in his leg, which then felt prickly and turned numb soon after.


    ''Kill me now,'' he thought to himself.


    [Author''s Note: Just going to put it out there, this is not medically accurate. Moving on to the story¡­]


    Screams, shrieks and yells echoed off of the room''s walls as Xavier continued his torment, breaking Lucas into telling him what he wanted to know from the man, who was supposed to be a relatively powerful spellcaster. He had sent a couple of deltas to bring him to a room farther away from Eudora, outside the barrier.


    It didn''t take long before Lucas had broken. He cursed his luck. Of course he had been caught.


    His master certainly wouldn''t be pleased. It would come as a shock to Xavier to discover that he hadn''t been lying when he said he didn''t know who sent him. He truly didn''t know who sent him. All he knew was that the man he worked for was powerful. He didn''t know what the man looked like, only what he sounded like.


    However, one thing was for certain, once his master got news that his servant had been caught, it wouldn''t be long before he took action to prevent his plan from getting ruined. This certainly wasn''t a part of his plans, and the darned servant hadn''t intended to be caught in the first place. It risked putting the entire plan to jeopardy.


    Lucas had been offered a reward, but was it really as significant as his life?


    "Stop, please," he spoke, panting as blood dripped down his body.


    Xavier didn''t break a sweat, looking impeccable as ever, even when his shirt was soaked with Lucas'' blood, his hands as well. For a moment, he felt grateful Madeline wasn''t here, and wasn''t able to see him like this.


    "Still won''t talk, eh?" He sneered.


    "I can''t talk!"


    "What is it that is so important that you can''t talk about it, even if it means you''d lose your life over it?" Xavier asked.


    For a brief moment, he thought back to Madeline. If someone was about to kill him, and they asked this question, that would be his answer. Of course, he wouldn''t say it to their face, but that would be his answer. Madeline, his one weakness.


    As for Lucas however, it was written all across the man''s face.


    To think, the reward he had been offered wasn''t as significant as his life but he was still persistent on keeping everything his master had planned a secret. It was greed that overcame him, it was why he had accepted his master''s offer. But would it be greed that would be the very thing that got him killed?


    Lucas didn''t want to die, he refused to.


    "I''ve been very lenient to you," Xavier admitted, adding, "If I were any grumpier, I''d be staring at your corpse."


    "Please¡­ I don''t want to be killed. Please don''t kill me, I have a soulmate."


    Xavier glared at him, telling him, "You''re lying."


    Lucas lowered his head, dejected it hadn''t worked. He already felt like he was dying with what Xavier had done to him, could it really get any worse than this?


    "What if I tell you something?" Lucas questioned, having difficulty breathing. Everywhere hurt.


    Xavier answered nonchalantly, "I''ll leave you be for now. That is, if you don''t try anything."


    Desperate not to get killed, Lucas said to him, "Then I''ll tell you something."


    "I''m waiting," Xavier said, getting ready to make Lucas regret lying.


    The man had already lied many times to his face, even after he''d gone through so much pain. If he was still capable of lying, who knew what else he was capable of?


    Xavier felt his eyes glow red, sensing his wolf wanting to take over all of a sudden.

 Chapter 220 - Will You Leave Me Alive If I Do?

    His wolf was fighting to take over, which was unusual. Xavier barely had any control over his other side. The only thing keeping him from transforming into his wolf form was sheer willpower.


    Killing Lucas would do no good, not when he hadn''t given him any useful information he could work with. There was always the possibility he was a great liar¡­ And Xavier refused to let Lucas out of his sight, even if Xavier had left him unable to do anything other than speaking and casting a few spells.


    "I wasn''t lying when I said I don''t know who sent me here¡­ I don''t know who I''m working for. I promise you, I''m telling the truth," he whispered, his voice so soft it was barely a whisper.


    Xavier stared at him, having a hard time believing he was lying. It didn''t seem like he was lying.


    "So what, you work for a nameless, faceless person?" Xavier demanded.


    To his surprise, Lucas nodded, gulping. Closing his eyes shut, he knew that he had to do whatever it took to stay alive, even if it meant telling Xavier what he wanted to hear, with the exception of a couple of things.


    Deep down, he knew he''d die regardless, but he''d have some extra time, especially if he was locked up in the room. His master wouldn''t have any trouble finding him, that he was sure of, but that didn''t mean he could plan his escape and run for the hills. Or perhaps, he could beg his master to forgive him and take him back.


    Maybe then¡­ his master would take him back and not kill him. If he didn''t say much about his master''s plan, and kept that part to himself, maybe he''d get out of this alive, even if he''d already lost his perfectly good arms and legs in the process.


    "Then what are you doing here?" Xavier demanded, getting straight to the point.


    "Must you keep on interrogating me? Look at what you''ve done to my arms and my legs, I can''t feel my hands and toes."


    "You did that to yourself," the alpha hissed, continuing, "So tell me, what were you sent here for?"


    He could see it in Lucas'' eyes. Lucas had not-so-expertly dodged his question, and Xavier took notice of that.


    "I-I¨C"


    "Speak," Xavier said, his eyes boring into his.


    Lucas swallowed, wondering how long he could go. He had lost his arms¡­ his legs¡­ what next? He already felt like he was going to pass out at any moment, the pain was too much to bear. The only thing that kept him from passing out was the spell he had uttered, numbing a portion of the pain that Xavier had inflicted upon him.


    "Will you leave me alive if I do?"


    "That depends what it is you decide to tell me."


    "What if I get killed anyway?"


    "If you still get killed by the master you work for, then so be it," Xavier said nonchalantly, without a care in the world.


    So long as he got what he needed from Lucas, whether he lived or died wasn''t his concern. For all he knew, Lucas might have been the one behind Indiana''s death. Indiana was one of his own, she was a part of Eudora. Finding the person, or people responsible for her death was one of his top priorities.


    "The ferals," Lucas croaked, grabbing Xavier''s attention.


    "Go on."


    "There was a spell I had been researching that could turn normal werewolves into ferals, all with an incantation," he explained, adding, "I never intended to use it for any horrible deeds or anything like that."


    He knew that Xavier desperately wanted to find out who was responsible behind the ferals, so he decided to admit it. He was going to die one way or another. If not in Xavier''s hands, then in his master''s.


    It was as though a weight had been lifted off his chest when he had told Xavier the truth. He had created a spell that would turn any normal werewolf into a feral. However, Xavier didn''t take that too well. He had never looked more upset before.


    "So it was you."


    Indiana meant well. The girl didn''t deserve to die, and he certainly wouldn''t let her death go in vain. She had played a part in saving Eudora, and to think he was standing across from the man that created the spell to turn werewolves into ferals¡­


    Not denying Xavier''s claim, Lucas explained, his voice trembling, "I spent most of my entire life studying werewolves. I created a spell to turn a werewolf into a feral, and I intended to use it to reverse the spell as well, so those that were turned into ferals could return back to what they once were. So that they wouldn''t just have to be killed."


    Xavier had to resist the urge to kill Lucas right then and there. No, it couldn''t be. He envisioned Lucas capturing werewolves, turning them into ferals. All for what? Experiments? A spell that hadn''t even been created?


    If there really was a spell that was capable of turning ferals back into normal werewolves, Indiana wouldn''t be dead. She''d be perfectly fine, and Madeline and Briar wouldn''t have had to go through all that they did.


    The nights Madeline had fallen asleep crying in bed, missing her friend who had been killed by her mate were etched in his head. He had killed Indiana.


    He wasn''t sure whether to be upset at Lucas, upset at himself, or upset at his luck. Why couldn''t they have found Lucas just as Indiana were to turn into a feral? Maybe then Lucas could have cured her with convincing¡­


    Xavier shook his head, his eyes cold and lifeless as he spoke, his voice raspy as he knew he had to do whatever it took to get as much information as possible from Lucas.


    "Tell me everything else.. I will not kill you if you tell me everything you know, and I''ll make sure that nothing happens to you if you do."