Chapter 40 ~Closure?~
(Xander's POV)
Tonight was going to be my first full moon outside Silvereign Pack… like ever. But, I was trying to not think much of it.
I was dressing up for school when I heard a knock on my door. I knew who it was because of her scent.
“Come in, Fiona.”
When she walked in, I could tell she was anxious because she was fidgeting with her fingers.
“You're dressed for school,” I said.
She nodded. “Xander, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, but I didn't know how to.”
I eyed her cautiously.
“Your Coach cut you from the hockey team.”
“Wh—you're joking, right?” She didn't look like she was.
“I'm not.” She shook her head.
Something in my chest tightened at the news.
I picked up my car keys hurriedly and walked past her. “And you didn't think I deserved to know all this while?”
I didn't wait for a response as I ran to my car and drove off.
Somehow, I still couldn't believe that Coach would remove me from the team. I was the best player. I always had been.
When I drove into the school's parking lot, there were a lot of stares at me. Not that I blamed them. I had been absent from school for quite some days.
But there was one direction on my mind—Coach's office.
“Yo man, where have you been?” Matt called out, but I ignored him and continued walking.
A few people tried to talk to me as well, but I was more concerned about getting to the office.
When I got there, I was in such a frenzy that I barged in without knocking.
I saw Damon Griffin sitting across from Coach, talking with him.
Coach raised his head, his brows creased once he realized it was me. “Grayson, you can clearly see that I'm talking with the captain. Wait outside till I'm done.”
I tried in vain to hide the shock on my face, but my jaw slacked on their accord.
Damon Griffin?! Captain?
That was who Coach was replacing me with?!
“Sure thing.” I muttered, then walked out.
Outside the door, I stood impatiently, tapping my foot on the floor as I waited.
There was no way this was happening.
No way.
After about fifteen minutes, Damon walked out, and I hurried in, almost pushing past him.
“Calm down, man!” He wore a smirk when he said this.
I was very close to punching the smirk off his face, and I was pretty sure my face reflected it because he scrambled away afterwards.
The coach had a cold look on his face when I walked in. “Yes, Grayson?”
“Coach, I'm so sorry for the other day. I had an emergency.” I didn't know what else to tell him.
“But it's not even about that day. Walking out in the middle of a game with scouts watching is probably the least thing you've done so far.”
He continued. “It's the zoning out during games. Missing practice multiple times. Heck, even your teammates are complaining.”
So this was it then.
“I've made the hard decision for you. You're an excellent player. Yes. You score goals more easily than a pro-hockey player. Yes. But it's consistency that'll take us to the finals and Griffin is just that - consistent.”
I clenched my fist into a tight ball. I was fuming at this point.
“So, kindly turn in your gear and keys to your locker before the school day is over.”
“Please,” I begged. “Just give me one last chance.”
Hockey was my life.
“You've had one too many chances, Grayson.”
“Please!” My voice came out louder than I intended.
“You can leave my office.” He bent down to continue with his paperwork.
My breathing increased. I was seeing red… Actually I wasn't seeing anything at all.
And like I was possessed, I ran towards his desk and tumbled everything down in one swipe.
He looked shocked… and somehow I was, too.
I stormed out of his office before I'd do something else I'd regret.
People cleared from my way when I walked through the hallway… which was probably a wise decision.
When I got to the parking lot, I saw Yara's car pull in.
Fiona got out and walked towards me, her eyebrows knotted in worry. “Xander, I-”
I walked past her to my car.
“I'm sorry.” She called out, but I'd turned on the ignition and was already driving out of the school.
I wasn't sure where I was driving to, but I was going far away from anyone.
There was one person on my mind… the only person who knew what exactly to say to make me feel better.
–
We sat on the riverbank.
At the same spot where I first saw her swimming when we were six.
“Hockey is my life.”
Dakota turned to me. “No, Xander. Hockey doesn't define you. You do.”
I was heartbroken, but I laughed. “Remember you were the first person I told that I wanted to be a hockey player?”
“Your father was very much against it!” She gave her signature half smile.
“Yes… and I kept saying he hated me. Who knew all the man wanted was to groom me to become the Alpha?”
“And I told you that you could be both. I said if you got good grades, he'll know just how good you are.”
“And it worked.” I turned to her, reminiscing. “You were with me when I went through hell, heaven and everything in between."
This time, her smile was sad. “And yet, you left me and marked another.”
There was a moment of awkward silence.
“You were the one who ruined it all. Don't try to manipulate everything, Dakota.” I said finally.
She looked hurt. “How could you not see that I loved you deeply… that I was trying to run away from the feelings that were so evident that I thought they'd crush me?”
This was the first time she was saying this.
“I was trying to convince myself that we could be just friends. But after that night…”
I looked away, not wanting to remember.
“Xander, I kept something away from you.”
“Dakota, that doesn't matter now.” I couldn't betray Fiona. “I have a mate now.”
“Don't pretend like that changes anything,”
She shifted my face with her finger. “The question is, do you still love me?”
“Dakota, I-”
She shushed me with her finger.
The kiss was unexpected.
Her lips on mine felt almost foreign, it felt so long since I'd felt them, and Theon growled inside me—not with desire, but guilt.
I froze. Shocked, but maybe I wanted her to continue.
There was no warmth in the kiss, only the ache of everything we never fixed.
There was a shuffle of leaves.
And then I scented her. Fiona.
I broke away from Dakota and was instantly faced by a horrified Fiona.
A single tear slipped from her left eye, and her lips quivered when she said. “Xander!”