Chapter 33

BETA XAVIER

“Do we have a clear view of his face?” I asked. Samuel shook his head.

“Unfortunately, that bastard knew our border and pack too well.”

“We’ll catch him soon, I’m sure of it,” Marquez replied.

I stared at the recording, hoping to see if I recognized the man’s body structure or hand gestures. I hoped this wasn’t Ivan.

I straightened my back and started to walk away.

“Xavier,” Samuel called my name.

I halted and turned around to face him.

“Tighten the security around the border, and bring warriors in from our allied packs. Tell the warriors to track everyone who enters and exits the pack.”

“Sure, I’ll work on it,” I said, then got to work on communicating the latest strategy to the team and connecting with our allies. .

By the time I got home, it was past one in the morning. I quietly entered the house and made my way upstairs.

When I reached the second floor, I saw that a light was on in my office. I thought at first that I may have left the light on, but then I heard a slight rustle coming from the room.

I cautiously walked toward my office, and as I pushed the door open, I saw my mom seated on my chair, and she was reading a file taken from my cabinet.

I was relieved that it was only my mother and not a rogue or someone from the pack snooping. But my heart sank to the pit of my stomach when I realized what she was reading.

It was the contract that I made Eleanor sign.

“M…mom?” I stammered.

I’d never really been afraid of anyone—except my parents. But my mother was a whole different story compared to my dad.

He would yell, sure, but Mom…she was worse. Her anger didn’t need to be loud to cut deep.

“Come in, and close the door, Xavier. I want to talk to you,” she said in an eerily calm tone, and my heart rate increased.

I gulped a few times before I closed the door and walked closer.

I looked at my desk and saw a letter there.

“When I went downstairs to get some water, someone knocked on our door.” She paused, creating tension in the air. “And you wouldn’t believe who I found on the other side. It was our dear Jade!” she said with a humorless laugh.

~Shit! Why the hell did that bitch come here?~

“And she handed this letter to me so that I could pass it on to you,” she said and held the letter up in the air before she threw it toward me. I caught it mid-air.

“Why don’t you read it, Xavier?” Mom insisted, so I read it.

~Baby,~

~You haven’t come to see me since that bitch Eleanor ended up in the hospital after what happened between us.~

~But don’t worry, baby. You can still break the mate bond and come back to me. We can make love again—she wouldn’t even know. And maybe next time, she won’t end up in the hospital.~

~Or better yet, I know someone who can help us with that. Call me so we can meet and talk more.~

~Love,~

~Jade~

Why doesn’t this bitch get that I don’t want her?

I looked up and saw fury in my mother’s eyes.

“Is this how I raised you, Xavier? I know you’re hurting. Just so you know,, and I figured it out the first day I got here that something was wrong between the two of you.” Mom began as she walked around the table to stand in front of me.

“Mom, let me…”

“I did ask Eleanor about it, and after a lot of persuading, she finally told me about the contract. And even then, I wasn’t this angry, Xavier. Because I understand the power of a mate bond. I knew it would eventually bring you two together. That’s why I didn’t confront you about it before,” she said, waving the contract in the air. “But when I found out you cheated on her, I couldn’t keep quiet anymore.”

“Mom, I know I…” My words were left hanging in the air as the sound of the slap against my face resonated in the room.

“How could you stoop this low!” she yelled while I looked down at the ground, ashamed of what I had done.

“Mom, I know I made a mistake. But it didn’t happen again, and I told her that everything between us was over. I know I hurt Eleanor, I wasn’t thinking.”

“So, what now? Are you going through with the contract?”

“That’s none of your business, Mom. I know what I am doing,” I snapped when she rolled her eyes at me.

“I don’t even know who you are anymore, Xavier.”

“Mom.” My heart painfully ached when those words left my mother’s mouth. I wanted to tell her that I was falling for Eleanor. But I had to protect myself. I didn’t know how Eleanor felt, and I hadn’t made a final decision about the contract yet.

“If you don’t like her, then just let her go, Xavier. The longer you keep her around, the more painful it will be for both of you,” Mom spat out, and when she was about to leave, I grabbed her hand.

“Mom, I’m sorry you’re disappointed. But I have the right to decide what I do with my mate bond,” I said as she pulled her hand out of my hold and stepped back.

“She’s a human being too, and I don’t think she can take much more of this,” she said gently, though her eyes held a quiet seriousness. “I love you, but if she ever tells me she wants to leave, I’d have to support her. I hope you understand that,” she warned as she tossed the contract on the floor and stormed out of the room.

I didn’t know how long I stood there, her words echoing in my mind. She had always been my anchor, the one person who stood by me—but now, even she seemed to question the choices I was making. And she was right to.

With a heavy breath, I bent down and gathered the papers she had thrown, my hands moving slowly as if the weight of her disappointment clung to every page. Once I had them stacked neatly on the desk, I turned and made my way to my bedroom, the silence in the house louder than it had ever been.