Chapter 139 - The Mystery In The Dark

"Here you go," Xavier said, handing Madeline a drink since he reckoned she must have been tired after training. 

"Thanks," Madeline said bashfully, telling him, "You know, you make a really good mentor."

"And you make a really good mentee," Xavier said, a smile in his eyes. 

Madeline chuckled, "Right, I should probably leave now. I've bothered you enough for one day."

As she walked towards the door, Xavier gripped her hand, refusing to let her go. 

'Huh?' Madeline wondered, turning her head to face a determined Xavier. 

"You're not bothering me at all, you could always just…"

The words managed to get caught in his throat. 

"Just…"

'Why can't I say it?'

"Hmm?" Madeline questioned, looking at him innocently.

"Stay," he finally managed.

"You could always just stay."

Madeline seemed surprised by Xavier's words. So surprised she nearly stumbled if Xavier hadn't let go of her even by then. 

What she hadn't realised was that she was barely inches away from Xavier.

"Woah," she said, steadying herself before she gulped. 

'I'm centimetres from his face,' Madeline told herself, trying to stay calm. 

Xavier heard Madeline's heart racing. 

Must've been because she nearly fell. 

It was the fall that was behind why she was having heart palpitations.

"Sorry," Madeline apologised. 

"Mm," Xavier grumbled, letting go of her arm almost immediately. 

For a moment, he had trouble controlling his other half. Like the werewolf in him was fighting to get out of him. How strange.

Then, Madeline remembered something she had wanted to tell Xavier. Well, she didn't really remember something, but it was something she just decided to ask Xavier.

"Xavier," she called, her voice soft and soothing. 

"Yes?" 

"I have a question, but of course you don't have to answer it but…"

"Have you ever been in love?" 

Madeline wondered if she'd asked him that before. 

Had she forgotten? 

'Hmm, what if he has a new answer. And what if… Someone caught his eye?' Madeline thought to herself, seriously considering the thought. 

Xavier seemed to be in a better mood these days. Whenever he was around her, he seemed a tad bit more joyous. Madeline assumed it must have been because he had found something that made him happy, and because of that, she chose not to ask and kept to herself. 

Xavier blinked. 

Huh. 

"I haven't," he answered, looking directly at her. 

Xavier figured it was nothing to hide from Madeline. He felt like he could tell her everything. Would she judge him for it, or see him in a different light?

He doubted so. Besides, she didn't know anything about him. Well, the him from the past.

Compared to everyone else in Eudora, Madeline knew nothing. Sure, she knew him now. His hobbies, his dislikes, etc. But the person he was now and the person he was in the past were two completely different people. 

While Emilio was a horrible alpha and killed, that didn't make Xavier the greatest alpha of all time. Or a good one. 

Compared to Emilio, he was the obvious option.

However, there were a fair share of things he had done in the past that he didn't want anyone to know. That, as well as details that he hoped would stay hidden from everyone else. Not even Adrian knew. Well, Xavier didn't think he did, so there was that.

And even if he did, Adrian knew better than to bring up the past. His past was no better. After all, Adrian's past was filled with death, misery and grief. 

Why would he want to bring it up? 

So, Xavier and Adrian reached a consensus view about their pasts. No one would talk about it unless it was absolutely necessary. 

Otherwise, it gets buried under work, and other things. Adrian had once talked to him about dealing with the past, but neither of them were actually willing to do so in the end. Hence why they mostly kept things work related. 

It was also why Adrian was so shocked when Xavier invited him to have breakfast together. Xavier was never in a good mood. Something really special must have happened. 

Xavier asked her, "Have you?"

"Have I ever been in love?" Madeline asked.

Xavier nodded. 

Pondering over it, she shook her head, "No, I haven't." 

At that moment, Xavier felt a crushing sensation, and his chest began to ache. Xavier was never someone who could easily be hurt, but this one time. He felt a dull ache in his chest that wouldn't subside. 

Madeline sensed his discomfort and asked him, "Are you alright?" 

Was it her presence that was bothering him?

"Really, I could always leave and come back later if you want. You don't look alright." 

Xavier denied everything, although his voice came out a bit choked.

"No, I'm fine," he dismissed.

"You don't look fine," Madeline said, narrowing her eyes and staring at him. 

"It's nothing."

"If you're lying to me, Xavier–" 

"Why would I lie to you, pup?" 

Madeline was caught off guard by that. 

He had called her pup again. She didn't know why she liked hearing that. Her heart fluttered. 

Being called pup, heh. The funny thing was, had it been someone else, she would have just corrected them and told them not to call her that. 

When it came to Xavier, however… 

Xavier had noticed how Madeline froze in her place the moment she heard that word come out of his mouth. 

Did she dislike it?

…Or did she like it?

It was a nickname Xavier had come up with on the spot for her. He hadn't realised he hadn't called her that nickname in a long, long time though. 

And when he called Madeline pup, he was instantly reminded of when they first met. When he had no idea who she truly was and assumed she was a normal human that could pass through the barrier and see through the shrouded veil.

Later that night, Madeline laid in bed, tossing and turning as she tried to escape her dream. 

"No, no…" 

In that dream, she was running from something. 

An invisible monster she couldn't see. 

However, that didn't stop her from sensing his presence. Call it a gut feeling, or intuition. 

She could feel there was someone in the dream with her.

Someone that had nothing but purely ill intention. Someone that was chasing her down. Shivering, Madeline found herself terrified and running away from it. 

She couldn't see it, nor sense which direction the monster was heading. All she knew was that she had to run for the hills. 

Unbeknownst to her, it was all just a dream. All just a wicked nightmare only she herself could end. 

Then, the creature, or monster, or whatever it was, spoke.

"You… I'm coming for you."

"And everything you care about. Everything will crumble and fall."

Beads of sweat dripped down Madeline's face. 

No. She had to keep going on. She had to fight. 

"I don't even know what you are," she said to the mysterious being.

It took all of Madeline's willpower not to cower in fear or faint. But no.

She couldn't do that. There was no one to protect her. There couldn't always be someone to do so anyway. At the end of the day, she was all on her lonesome, with no one by her side.

"Hah! But you will," the being insisted, his voice deep and raspy. 

A savage grin formed on his face, not that Madeline could see it from where she was. 

"Everything you built, everyone you love will perish. Including him."

'Him?' Madeline asked herself. 

A maniacal laugh sounded from the distance. 

"Oh, you still don't know, do you? Who this 'him' is? I see. It seems like you're more oblivious than I imagined, Madeline Delcour."

'How does this creature know my name?'

"Madeline Delcour, it's no use trying to run. I've watched you my entire life. And now, you've fallen right into my hands, and my genius plan will finally be put into action." 

Madeline inhaled, telling whoever this being was, "Listen here. I don't care who you are, but threatening me does nothing and doesn't affect me. The fact I'm still standing here unharmed proves that you're bluffing."

The creature seemed to be surprised by Madeline's words. So she had some gall after all. 

"Seems like you're more brave than I imagined. No matter. And to your previous words. The only reason you're alive is because you serve a greater purpose. And your survival is most crucial. It wouldn't work if it weren't for you."

Her eyes searched desperately for anything. Any light, or any pathway. It was pitch black, so she couldn't see anything but she hoped for something to happen. Anything. 

"And what kind of villain spoils their own grand plan?" Madeline questioned, daring to speak to him in such a manner. 

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Author's Note: Alright, so I'm thinking of doing a mass release on the 1st of February to celebrate Chinese New Year. And to those who don't celebrate it, just think of it as a way to celebrate the first day of a new month.. What do you guys think of it? Comment down below.