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!'