Chapter 33 ~Loki's fury~
(Xander's POV)
“Don't you ever do that to me again.”
Those were the first words I told her the moment I saw her eyes staring back at me. Beautiful ocean eyes.
She gave a crooked smile. “Do what? Save your ass?”
I laughed despite myself. Only Fiona would crack a joke on her sickbed. “Keep up with this and I just might think you're in love with me.”
She scoffed and scrunched her nose. “Huh! You wish. Didn't they tell you that you were a breath away from death? You ingrate.”
The door opened and Maelis walked in.
She was our healer at Silvereign. Also known as the pack's ‘crazy lady’. Could you blame them when she mostly preferred to live in the woods?
She said it connected her to her ancestors, or some shit like that.
“Maelis, you're here.” I spotted the hot broth she brought for Fiona. “I know you haven't officially met Fiona. Let me introduce you b…”
She shrugged. “Don't bother. I know all I need to know about her.”
Fiona covered her face with her palms.
Maelis handed her the broth. “Stubborn one you have here.”
“Tell me about it.” I groaned. Fiona tossed a throw pillow at me.
“She insisted on using her light powers to help you up, even when I told her not to. It was a good thing I was here, or else…”
I knew what she meant. Fiona could have lost her powers. Maelis also had healing powers once, but she lost it somehow and now she healed with herbs.
“Let me leave you both.” She dropped the soup and walked out of the door, leaving just Fiona and me.
“So?” I said.
“So… I thought this broth tasted like shit when she was feeding it to you. But it's actually flavorful and spicy… kind of nice.”
I knew she was ranting to distract herself from everything that'd happened. And so was I. “It's okay, Fiona. You can talk about the war.”
There was a short moment of silence.
She kept the soup on the stool, her eyes taking a faraway look. “I think I want to adopt someone. I don't know whether to call it that since we're almost the same age.”
That was not what I was expecting… like, at all. “Who?”
“Um… her name is Mirabelle. She's an orphan omega and her younger brother was killed in the war, so she's kind of alone now.”
I nodded in understanding. “If you feel okay about it, then sure, Princess.”
“Princess? Is that a new nickname?” She scrunched her nose.
“Do you like it?”
“Huh?”
“Do you want me to call you my princess?”
She tapped her chin for a while, pretending to think. A small smile played around her lips. “Yes actually… yes, I'd like that very much.”
“Then it stic_” The door to my room banged open, immediately interrupting me.
I turned to see a livid and seething Loki.
“It's all your fault!” He shouted in a loud voice. “Vivienne died because you refused to do your duties as Alpha.”
I stared at him, my eyebrows scrunched. Fiona was looking just as confused and worried as me.
Vivienne was killed by a rogue in the war. I mindlinked Fiona to explain.
“What! Loki, I'm so sorry about that.” Her countenance was instantly one of distraught. “I didn't know Vivienne died.”
“You'll be next, by the gods.” Loki spat out to Fiona.
And that was the exact moment he fucked up.
“Loki. Kindly repeat what the fuck you just said.” I shot up from my seat and walked in front of him. “To my face.”
Fiona was already up and holding me back. “Xander, it's not worth it, honestly.”
Loki cracked a bitter smile. “I watched father give you the title of Alpha and I never said a word. You even foolishly gave Calvin the position of Beta. Father spoiled you so much that you think the entire universe revolves around you.”
“Does it revolve around you, then?” I shot up an eyebrow, impatiently waiting for him to repeat the shit he said to Fiona.
“... but here you are. Still a selfish prick. Preferring to go to high school and play some bullshit hockey rather than sit your ass down. Heck, this pack would be in shambles, if not for Calvin. Have you, for once, stopped to ask yourself how the rogues got into our pack?”
If he had something to say. Let him just go to the fucking point.
“But you're here with your mate, while mine is being buried outside in the damn graveyard, you fucking idiot!”
“I'm just gonna take it that you're grieving, Loki. I'll let this one slide.” I shrugged and sat down.
I could see Fiona visibly let out a breath that she was holding.
“You've had every shit you've wanted before you even asked for it. But I promise you, Alexander, this time it's me and you.” He walked towards the door. “You'll see hell. I can promise you that.”
Fiona looked at me immediately he left. She looked absolutely shaken.
“Xander, this doesn't sound good.”
“Fiona, Loki didn't start his threats today.”
She sucked in a heavy breath. “I have something to confess to you.”
“What?” I asked, puzzled.
“I think I have an idea who's responsible for the rogue attack.”
“Who?”
“Alpha Beckett of Ashridge packhouse. I… he. We were mates. But he rejected me. And I've been receiving threats about him coming to-”
“Wait… what?” I mean, I knew about Beckett and Fiona. But I didn't know that he'd threatened her. “You think Beckett was the one who facilitated the rogue attack?”
“Yes… I mean… I'm not completely sure. But I think so.”
This could take this entire situation to a different level because if they struck once, they were likely to start another attack…
I mindlinked Calvin. Beta, call for an emergency council meeting immediately. We need to know who's responsible for the attack.
I'll do that right away Calvin's voice came just as urgently.
I faced Fiona, who looked lost in thought. “But how did he get access to the pack if there's such tight security here?”
Fiona shrugged. “I don't know.”
She looked close to tears. “I regret not telling you all this earlier. And now Bibo and Vivienne and the gods know how many more wolves are dead.”
I held her in comfort. “Now is not the time for regret, now is the time to get answers. Fast.”
She sucked in a breath. “What if it was a mole that helped them in?”
“A mole?”
But who?