Chapter 68 - I Don't 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—"

"What did she think she did by leaving like that—"

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?"