Chapter 47: Gaining experience

Xavier was impressed with how well Sage had handled the revelation of the supernatural world. She accepted her destiny with maturity and composure. Most people would have been traumatized by such a revelation, but Sage seemed quick to adapt. With Sage fully convinced, the next step was to train her.

Xavier relaxed on the couch in the living room, reclining with his feet crossed and hands behind his head. Sage had requested to see Jane, so he let her into the room where Clara was with Jane.

“Xavier, where have you been?” Red asked as she entered the living room. “Everyone’s been looking for you. There’s a situation—the vampires are back.”

Xavier sat up immediately at the mention of vampires. He knew they had stopped searching for the hybrid for some reason, but now they were back.

“Have they caused any trouble?” Xavier asked, standing up and grabbing his jacket.

“Yeah, at the school again. They caused a lot of harm, but luckily the werewolves who are staff there managed to control the situation before more forces arrived.”

“They’re insane. They’re breaking the secrecy code.” Xavier was furious. Anything involving vampires angered him, and now they were endangering the secrecy of the supernatural world. Humans were not allowed to know of their existence.

“Were the vampires caught?” Xavier asked as he opened the door.

“No, they retreated into the woods. It seems like a force has taken shelter close to the school, but we haven’t investigated to be sure.”

Sage overheard the conversation and decided to check who Xavier was talking with, sensing the anger in his voice. She stepped out of the room where Clara and Jane were and saw Xavier about to leave.

“Are you going somewhere, Xavier?” Sage asked, her voice tinged with sadness. She enjoyed his company, especially since he was the only one she had really connected with since arriving.

“Yeah, I have some things to attend to,” Xavier replied.

Sage felt a wave of boredom wash over her at the thought of being left behind. “Do you think I can come along?" She questioned. She noticed Xavier's hesitation to reply to her, so she tried persuading him. “You promised to show me more about the supernatural world. How can I learn if I’m just sitting here?”

Red looked at Xavier. “You’re not seriously thinking of bringing her along, are you?” she asked in a hushed  voice

Xavier stared at Sage, knowing she was the most wanted person in the supernatural world. She wasn’t ready to step out of the veil, but he thought it would be a good experience for her.

“I understand your worry, Red, but there’s no harm if she comes with us. She’s also a supernatural being now, and she’s part of us.” Xavier said.

Red couldn’t believe her ears. “The rest of the team won’t like this,” she muttered under her breath before walking past Xavier to wait outside.

Xavier’s words reminded her of the other day when they had gone with Drake to meet someone who could unveil Sage’s supernatural energy. But the girl still felt normal, without any aura of supernatural energy.

‘I know Xavier isn’t accountable to anyone, but they should have at least let us know what went down at Dark Knight,’ she thought.

While Red was lost in thought, Xavier came out with Sage. Sage was now disguised, wearing a long curly blonde wig that she got from Clara. Clara and Jane had destroyed their hair trying to cut bangs, so they wore wigs to hide the damage. Clara still had hers on, but they had taken Jane’s off while she was in a coma.

At first, Xavier had suggested Sage wear a black hoodie and a nose mask to cover her face, but it looked too suspicious. Now she was dressed to stand out in a good way. She wore the blonde wig, jeans that hugged her hips perfectly but flared slightly at the ends, and a white long vest tucked into her jeans. Xavier also brought out a black cropped jacket for her.

“Shall we?” Sage asked, unable to hide her excitement as she stepped off the balcony with Xavier. She had no idea where they were heading, but she didn’t care.

Red scoffed at how comfortable Sage was around Xavier despite knowing him for only a few days. She remembered how uptight Xavier was when she joined the pack. The only way to get close to him was through training, where they would compete, but he was always better.

Now, seeing how easily Sage had connected with him, Red’s heart ached. She felt a deep sense of loss, fearing that she was losing Xavier for good. The thought was unbearable, and she didn’t know how to cope with the growing void inside her.

“Where are the others?” Xavier asked Red as he pulled out his car keys.

“They all left for the school.”

“Alright, let’s go meet them there.”

****

Xavier stepped out of the car when he parked just outside the school. There were cops and ambulances outside, also some news reporters littered the area.

“Some students suffered serious injuries, while others... you know,” Red said, walking behind Xavier. She soon spotted Valarie sitting in a yoga position by a tree with her eyes closed and went to meet her.

“Hey, what’s up?” Red said.

“Shhh. I’m meditating. There’s so much negative energy here.”

“Of course there is; people died,” Red responded, her voice a bit louder and aggressive.

Valarie looked up at Red with one eye open. “What’s got you upset?” she asked, concerned. “It’s Xavier, isn’t it?” She had noticed that Red had been frustrated lately but tried to hide it. She didn’t get a reply from Red but looked into the crowd and saw Xavier with Sage sticking close to him.

“Who is that girl so close to him?” Valarie asked, her voice sounding disgusted.

“That’s his mate,” Red answered nonchalantly but was enraged every time she thought of it.

Valarie couldn't recognize Sage due to the disguise she had on.

****

Sage didn’t leave Xavier’s side for one moment. He had told her to stick close to him in case there was an attack so he could protect her and quickly take her to safety. He met up with his brothers Ian, Leo, and Edward, and they all discussed the next step.

“I suggest we go into the woods. No doubt they’ll be camping there. A vampire can’t run far under the sun,” Ian stated.

“So do we split up?” Edward inquired.

“Splitting up would be too risky. But if we divide the group into two, it could work. One group would be ahead of the other, just so we don’t all walk into a trap.” Xavier stated, sharing his plans with the group.

“Great idea,” they all echoed.

With their plan set, they went to meet with the girls under the tree.

“Red, Valarie, we’re splitting the team into two to look for the vampire camp,” Ian informed them. “The team behind would move through the trees to better spot any attacks ahead of us.”

“Alright.”

“Cool,” Red responded after Valarie. “What about Sage? I think she should stay behind so she doesn’t get hurt if we encounter any vampires.”

“No way. She stays with me,” Xavier growled. “I’ll keep her safe.”

“Sure she won’t be a distraction?” Ian questioned. Xavier didn’t say anything, but the look on his face said it all, and no one questioned him again.

“That means you will be part of the first team,” Ian said, and Xavier nodded in response.

Sage stood quietly behind Xavier, her eyes wide as she watched the group’s interactions. She was impressed and slightly intimidated by how they all looked to Xavier for guidance, treating him as their leader.

A knot of fear tightened in her stomach. They were going to confront the vampires responsible for the school attack. The reality of the danger they were heading into began to sink in.

Despite her fear, she kept her face composed, refusing to let it show. She took a deep breath, silently vowing to be brave. This was her new world now, and she had to face it head-on, even if her heart pounded with trepidation.