Chapter Seven

Ariel Brent

I was still looking around the big house when my cell phone started to ring. My eyes rolled as if they had a mind of their own when I saw that Xavier was the one calling me. I answered the call but focus on finding my way back to the living room where my box was still lying.

Getting lost in this house would be easy.

“Why aren't you opening the damn door!”

His voice hit my eardrums and I didn't fail to hear the anger in it.

“What door—”

“The door to the house, Ariel. I have been knocking for ages. How did you fail to hear the banging sound?”

Xavier interrupted. I felt bad for keeping him waiting by the door but the house was large enough for me not to hear him knocking on the front door and didn't he have a key? The key I found by the flower pot beside the entrance was what I used to enter the house and I assumed it was a spare key.

I rushed to the living room and unlocked the door. Xavier’s face look swollen when he entered the house and I bite my lips, seeing that he was frustrated.

“I didn't expect you to return so early and I locked the door for security reasons.”

I explained to Xavier and he nodded but his attitude didn't fall.

“As the Alpha King’s warrior, shouldn't you be busy with training? You look so free.”

Maybe I shouldn't have asked that since Xavier was keeping to himself but I couldn't help but wonder how he was so free and how he made so much money… enough to afford this house. Xavier didn't answer for a while and I almost gave up thinking he was still mad about being locked out…

What was the big deal about that?

“I usually watch other warriors train and sometimes, I train them.” He finally answered and turned to face me.

“Wow… that’s impressive, Xavier. You must be an important warrior in the territory. Awesome.”

I praised him immediately and he relaxed his tensed shoulders after that. His anger seemed to be fading also and that encouraged me to ask him more questions. We were still getting to know each other so questions were important. Fake bond or not.

“Why are you back so early? Is this the normal time you return from watching warriors train?”

I questioned. This particular question also took Xavier a while to answer. He even appeared reluctant but he eventually replied, saying, “I came in to take some things.”

Xavier was giving off mysterious energy. One minute he was relaxed and the next he had put his guard up. What could he be hiding? I didn't let that stop me from questioning him further through.

“As an important warrior, do you get to see the Alpha King every day?”

I wasn't just curious about Xavier. I was also curious about the kind of life the Alpha King lived.  Xavier nodded expressionlessly. He was putting up the walls again.

“Do you know if the Alpha King will be attending the Banquet that will be held tonight? He dint attend the one that Alpha Cole held yesterday but is there a possibility that he will be attending—”

“Whether the Alpha King attends the banquet or not, how is that your business and how does it concern you? Are you planning to attend too since he will be there and dress up for him like every other woman in the territory?”

Xavier cut me off coldly and indifferently. From his current and past reactions, I concluded that Xavier had a bad temper. Could that be because he was a warrior? Regina had told me that Xavier had never found a mate or even a female to be his girlfriend. Now that it was having a discussion with him, I could boldly say that even if he had found his mate or a woman to love him, Xavier would have scared her away with his bad temper.

Since I was living in his home and wouldn't want to return to my sister’s or love on the street, I decided to not annoy Xavier. Making him angry shouldn't be my intention.

“If the Alpha King attends the banquet, Alpha Cole will be delighted. I asked about that because I was curious to know if Alpha Cole’s plan would succeed or fail as it did yesterday.” I started explaining, “Dressing up for the Alpha King would be a water of time, Xavier. I am not worthy of him and I do not like him. He must like the other beautiful women and-”

“He doesn't! The Alpha King doesn't like any of those women!”

Xavier snapped confidently. He was so sure of what the Alpha King liked and I presumed he was closer to the Alpha King than any other warriors. Xavier took his leave after snapping at me. He left the house again. I shook my head at his starnge behavior but I dragged my box to one of the rooms in the house and started unpacking.

I took a look at the room I had chosen. It was large and painted with a bright color. Xavier was no doubt a redoubtable warrior. While unpacking, my cell phone rang. I thought it would be Xavier again but it turned out to be my best friend.

“Finally, someone remembers her friend.”

I exclaimed after answering the call and Chloe laughed on the other end.

“You should have called me, Zaa.”

Chloe had always called me differently. She doesn't call me Ariel or Zay like Esther. She always emphasized the a, making it sound like ZAA. I scoffed but before I could tell her about what had happened in my life, Chloe continued talking.

“However, I called to ask you to attend the banquet with me.”

“Why am I just finding out that Alpha Cole is holding a banquet at your house, Chloe? What happened to friends code?”

I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see me.

“Well to be clear, I only found out this morning too and that’s why I am calling my best friend to attend with me—”

“I can't attend the banquet, Chloe. I will rather stay at home than be in the same space as Alpha Cole and the Alpha King.”

I argued. Chloe sighed. I knew she was cooking a plan in her head. She was definitely biting her lips right now, thinking of how to persuade me.

“What about we sit in a corner together and just try out the delicious food at the banquet? That will-”

“Still not interested, Chloe. I can't attend—-”

“Let me finish, Zaa. that will give us both the opportunity to do some digging for new food that we can add to the specials at the diner. Haven't you been thinking of new dishes and how to make more money? This is your sign, my darling friend.”

Chloe didn't give up nor did she stop there. She kept persuading me until I had no will to decline anymore.

“Fine... I will be there.”

“Great! See you soon-”

“Wait a sec. I have something to tell you.”

I stopped her from ending the call and when I had her attention, I revealed all she had missed and all about Xavier to her.

“You really got marked by a stranger! Why not my brother? He has always liked you and you-”

“Lucas is younger, Chloe, and I do not want to ruin his future possibilities.”

Even though Chloe did feel sorry for me, she brought up her younger brother who had always had a crush on me. Chloe didn't ask any more questions after that. She told me to tell her more about Xavier at the banquet and we ended the call.

A few hours after, I was walking into the hall of the banquet and got pulled into a corner by my beautiful Chloe. We stayed in that corner, eating and gisting. Xavier was of course the main subject of our discussion.

“He is an impressive warrior and he owns this big house at-”

When I got to the best part of the gist, Lucas ran into the hall and our hiding place, panting like he had been chased by a stronger wolf. He blushed when he saw me but Chloe snapped him out of his teenage fantasy.

“What happened, Lu? Why the-”

“Don't call me that in public, Chloe.”

Lucas gritted ta his sister. It was cute to watch them but when Lucas finally told us why he ran into the hall, all the cuteness faded and I thought I would crawl into a hole.

“The Alpha King has arrived at the banquet!”

But Xavier said he wasn't coming! However the mysterious Alpha King of Moon Howlers territory was here.