HSDWM, a fanfiction

Chapter 21

While Raven and Alpha Xavier argued with Jenna in the yard, I helped Markus clean up the glass and then we came back out to the porch. As we watched the arguing trio from the porch, we spoke some more.

"Now, miss Ash, I'd like to know what you'd like to have happen."

"I want my wolf back, but beyond that I-I don't know. I love alpha Xavier, I've been in love with alpha Xavier, but he doesn't love me and we don't seem very well matched. And he's hurt me in so many ways... Raven and I get along great, we share so many interests, but... I love him in the same sort of way I love my girl and gay best friends. He's my friend." I sat back down on the loveseat as I watched the three people my fate was intwined with argue.

"Hmm. My daughter was caught up in a situation similar to yours."

The sadness in Markus' voice caught me off guard and I turned to look at him. "What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh," he rubbed his face with both hands, then settled his arms on the armrests of his chair, "she fell in love with a dragon shifter, learned they were not mates when they came of age, only dragon beasts are similar to your hybrid mate, happy to fool around but refusing to mark anyone but a primary mate and they only get the one mate. Well he met his primary mate and my daughter wasn't having it. There was nothing I could say that would sway her. She'd already rejected her primary mate around the time she'd started seeing the dragon fellow, sent him off packing. My daughter, well, she attacked her lover's primary mate, and managed to kill the female dragon. Her dragon lover found her in the act and because there was no secondary bond he killed her in a fit of rage."

It took me a moment to absorb the story. I reached out and touched his hand, "Oh, goddess! I'm so sorry! I can't imagine... I'm so sorry."

He smiled sadly and patted my hand, "It happened a long time ago, before you were even a twinkle in your parents' eyes. But thank you. I can guess the four of you talked of getting the council involved." He picked up his whittling again.

There was no use trying to hide anything from this man. He'd seen it all and done it all. Nothing would phase him.

"Yeah, Alpha Xavier wanted to involve the council's help in removing Raven's imprint, but I told Raven about it because I was scared of what the council would put me through when they learned I'd lost my wolf. Alpha Xavier wasn't pleased I'd told Raven of his plans, but Raven had the idea of coming to you and told Alpha Xavier that Jenna was succumbing to the rejected mate bond, and he didn't want to subject her to the tactics."

"I see. You and Raven became close while you lived with him, the betrayal of your primary mates brought you together better than the secondary bond would have done alone. Why didn't you tell Xavier of your wolf being gone?"

I turned my head back to watching the trio in the yard. Seeing how they're fighting right now makes it difficult to imagine they were best friends when they were children.

"I was afraid. I was afraid he'd go ahead and let me die to be with her. He said he didn't want me to die, but..."

"Trust has been lost between you."

"Yes."

"Has he done anything to attempt to regain your trust?"

"Some, but just when it feels like a step has been made, he goes straight back to her in some way. Even now, the way he's looking at her I can tell he's angry, but he's so in love with her."

"You don't believe he'll ever fully accept you."

"No. And I don't think she'll ever let him go."

"That will be an issue between you until it's resolved. In what ways has he attempted to gain your trust? Has he apologize for his actions?"

I shrugged. "He says he's sorry, but... he gave me a real apology a few days ago, so I know he knows how to, but..."

"He's not ready to open up to you, show you who he really is."

"But I don't understand why?"

"He's afraid, too."

*****

Alpha Xavier eventually returned to the porch, unscathed but for his hair looking like he'd been running his hands through it.

Raven and Jenna had gone around the side of the house. Even though he had imprinted on me, they were still true mates and he would be able to calm her wolf better than anyone.

Markus set his whittling aside again and instructed Alpha Xavier to bring up everyone's bags from the car and he'd show us to our rooms. "You come along, too, miss Ash. We'll get your things settled, then you can both help me set table. I've a roast in the crockpot."

I stood to help Alpha Xavier get everyone's bags from the car, but he spun around, pinning me with a hard look and a pointed finger, "No, you stay here, Ash. I'll get everything from the car." Then he turned and stepped off the porch.

"But why? I just want to help," I whined.

"It's the best way to keep you both safe," Markus said. "If she sees you unprotected, or suspects you may be unprotected, even for second, she'll try to take your life again. And if she tries to take your life again, his wolf may very well kill her."

My head whipped around to stare at him so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.

"Your primary mate has marked you and her primary mate has imprinted on you and she's just learned the only way she'll get what she wants is by taking you out of the equation altogether. She's already proven willing to harm anyone in the way of getting what she wants, don't give her a chance to take it a step further."

"But I didn't want any of this," I protested, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Miss Ash, whether you intended for it or not, she is hurting, too. And remember what came to light just a little bit ago, her mate hurt her in a similar manner she and your mate were hurting both of you. Some people can be hurt and not wish pain on others, like yourself, but other people want to inflict the pain they feel on others, believing it will reduce their own pain in the process. Don't go thinking they'll stop inflicting their pain onto you just because you're not returning it."

Alpha Xavier came up to the porch and dropped off one load, then turned and went back to the car for the rest.

"Miss Ash, if you don't mind me saying, I can see why Xavier is afraid to be vulnerable with you."

I looked up into his kind face and he smiled a grandfatherly smile.

"Your innocence and kind heart are like a shining light, brilliant and pure. Only a truly evil person would be willing to diminish that purity."

I blinked at him, then turned my head to watch as Alpha Xavier closed the trunk of his car.

"I'm not glass," I blurted.

Markus chuckled. "I'm not the one you need to convince, Miss Ash."