How to Survive a Werewolf Romance

Chapter 36: Unorthodox Methods

{No,} he agreed, clearly irked.

The angry alpha opened his lips, displaying his sharp canines. "She's mine, and they're keeping her from me against my will, Princess."

"But more importantly, is it against her will? I don't know what happened, but from what I understand your mate willingly chose to flee here. Why did she do that?" She stared straight back at him expectantly.

"Because she's reckless and selfish," he said.

Fleur finally straightened her back at his words. "Because I'm reckless and selfish? Or maybe it was because you growled and yelled, and then you locked me in a tower!"

The accusation rang throughout the room. Most people were sympathetic, although I suspected there were more than a few alphas uncomfortable with the accusation because they had done something very similar to their own mates at some point. There probably wasn't even one alpha in the room who couldn't sympathize with the urge to overprotect their mate. Pierce would love to keep Anne's physical form locked up somewhere safe.

Xavier's gaze swung back to Fleur. "You were going to leave me!" he snapped.

"Because you're a controlling monster! You isolated me, and threatened me—"

"When did I ever threaten you?" he asked, his temper heating again.

"'If you don't stop trying to leave you'll never see the light of day again'? 'If you want to see your sister...' 'If you think you can...'"

"Those aren't threats," he protested. And the worst part was, it seemed like he really believed it. I didn't have to imagine what my mate was thinking, just looking at her furrowed brows demonstrated how ridiculous she thought he was.

She took a stop forward and my hands twitched to drag her back to safety. "Okay, enough of this. Fleur, are you going to end your relationship with Alpha Xavier?"

Xavier's growl was so loud in response to my mate's question, Fleur's soft denial was barely audible. I scowled at Xavier for daring to growl at Anne. Had he no respect? Pierce's growl leaked out of my own mouth.

Anne's soft had touched my arm. {Let me handle this. I think I can get through to him.}

{I'm stepping in if it gets too dangerous, Anne.}

{Of course.}

"If everything were good, would you like to be with Alpha Xavier?"

Fleur nodded. "I love him."

She smiled encouragingly at Fleur. "Then why aren't you with him, now?"

She just looked at Anne helplessly. "It's just, everything, you know?"

"I really don't."

"It's this. He scares me."

"I wouldn't hurt you," he protested vehemently.

Anne turned back to the heaving alpha. "Okay, Alpha Xavier. I believe you would never want to hurt Fleur. But, look at this situation. Your mate doesn't want to reject you, and for some reason, she also doesn't want to live with you. That's sort of odd, isn't it? But then, she says she's scared, even if you wouldn't hurt her. Why do you think that might be?"

He blinked at my mate blankly, like she was speaking a language he couldn't understand.

Anne met his eyes, beseeching him to hear what she was saying. "Maybe if she was not scared, you two could talk things out and fix whatever the problem is. Can you think of anything you could maybe change that might help her feel less scared?"