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."