Chapter 69 - Is This The Same Xavier I'm 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.