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.