Chapter Seven
Amelia was thrilled when she saw Xavier sitting on her steps. Too thrilled. The way her heart lifted like it was full of helium. The hope that maybe he didn't hate her was so powerful that she knew it would kill her when he repeated what Timothy had said. She wanted to just turn around. Go somewhere far, far away. Like Pluto.
Maybe Mercury. Amelia hated the cold.
Don't be silly. He wouldn't have driven all this way just to say that he hates you. But Amelia was already so raw that she didn't want to trust him. She didn't want him there at all. Even if he wasn't looking for a fight, she might just turn it into one anyway. Still, she let him lead her inside.
"I don't know if it's a good idea to talk right now," she sniffed, expecting that if she started to cry he'd run off like all her previous boyfriends had.
To her surprise, Xavier gently turned her to face him and wiped her tears away. "We don't have to talk. If you just want me to hold you, that's okay. I just hope Timothy didn't say anything unforgivable… He wants you, Amelia, and so do I. It's just hard for him to put his heart out there."
Amelia's lip wobbled and she bit down on it, not wanting to cry anymore. Xavier's explanation was so gentle and believable that of course, it made sense. It was just her luck that on top of the anger and heartbreak she was feeling, guilt would have to come, too.
But he said that they wanted her. And right now she wanted to believe it so bad that she had to think it was a lie. It hurt too much to think it was true.
"I don't want to be held," she mumbled. "I don't want to… I just want to be alone. But I don't want to be alone."
Xavier slowly put his arms around her, so slowly that Amelia thought he must be waiting for her to pull away. She leaned into him instead, grateful that he at least was trying to calm things down before they escalated further.
Goodness knows I'm no good at that. She said what she thought and acted on how she felt. Sometimes what she meant to say in the heat of the moment was a lie once she calmed down. It's exhausting being me.
With his arms still around her, Xavier led her to the couch, settling her down before he kissed the top of her head. "I'll make you some tea."
Amelia sniffed and nodded. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back. Her fight with Timothy played back and she felt terrible. Yes, he had no right to dismiss her like that, but she also didn't have to react the way she had. She certainly didn't have a right to push the issue, entering his home without permission and not letting him walk away.
Xavier brought her a mug that smelled of lemons, and Amelia cupped it between her hands, not drinking, but comforted by the warmth just the same. Xavier put a hand on her shoulder, moving it down to her elbow and back up in a soothing touch that relaxed her despite the trials of the day.
After half an hour, Xavier stirred again. He took the tea from her and pulled her into his lap. "Want to tell me what happened now?"
Her tears were dry, but Amelia still had a hard time getting the story out past the lump in her throat. It all seemed so stupid now. She started with what Lucinda told her, and how she had stupidly believed the female werewolf. He didn't interrupt, except to reassure her that what he and Timothy had told her from the start was the honest truth. Amelia found herself telling him far more than she intended, including all about Mr. Abs, their disastrous dating experience before she met the Alphas, and why she agreed to a date again.
Finally, she ended with the fight she and Timothy just had. By that time, she was crying again and wiped her face with her sleeve, embarrassed by how much liquid was leaking out of her.
Xavier kissed her lightly. "I know it seems bad now, but I can talk Timothy around. He's a great Alpha, and is very firm in what he feels is right, but when it comes to personal relationships… Well, you know how dysfunctional his home life was. And it's not just that his mother and father didn't get along. Tim idolized his dad growing up, but was never good enough for him. The old Alpha saw all his own flaws in Tim and punished him for it. Tim's determined not to be like him, but…"
Amelia snuggled deeper into his arms, enjoying the way they felt around her. "But if we always react to each other like we did here…? How would it ever work? I don't want to be the type of girl who marries someone she is always fighting with. It wouldn't be fair to any of us."
"Any of us?"
"Timothy, me, whatever kids might end up in that situation. Or you. Especially you. You'd always be caught in the middle, playing mediator. Having to pick a side."
"Or we could take our time getting to know each other, like the original plan, and I set up deliberate fights between the two of you so you can learn how to communicate during your disagreements."
Amelia jerked away at that suggestion. "Excuse me?"
Xavier grinned at her. "Well, it would force the two of you to learn how to talk through your problems. Either that or prove that you're just too different from each other. Either way, it's the only thing I can think of that will help to minimize future regrets, one way or another."
Deliberately making them fight still didn't sound like a good idea, so Amelia gave him a dirty look and wiggled off his lap. She drank her now room-temperature tea. "The real question is where we are now. After that blow-up… I need to apologize."
"And so does he. But he'll need a little time to cool off. It's one of the hardest things of being with him, learning when and how to let him walk away so he can bring himself under control before we can talk." Xavier shook his head. "But I will talk to him, and everything will work out in the end. You'll see."
Amelia nodded, hoping he was right. He pressed his lips to hers briefly and wiped the remnants of tears from her face.
"I need to get home now, but I'll call you."
Amelia nodded again. She hoped that it wouldn't take long for Xavier to talk Timothy around to seeing her again. If he even could.
***
Timothy paced round and round in the house, tugging his hair to its ends, alternately grabbing his phone to call Xavier and throwing it away. He knew what Lucinda had just told him couldn't be true. It was impossible. His partner – his best friend – wouldn’t betray him like that. Xavier would never attempt to cut him out of the leadership of the pack. It wasn't in his nature.
But there was that niggling doubt in Timothy's brain. Everybody knew that he had his issues, his temper being at the top of the list. How many times had his father told him that a hothead couldn't possibly be a good leader? How many times had Xavier told him that he needed to develop some techniques to stay calm or to see a therapist to help him work through his issues? How many times did he insist there was nothing wrong with him?
His temper wasn't the only thing, either. He made snap judgments. He didn't listen or forgive easily. Wasn't that what he was doing with Amelia right now? Why couldn't he just try to believe her? Why couldn't he say, Yes, this time, I believe you, but it will never happen again? What was wrong with him, that he had such a hard time giving second chances?
He heard Xavier pull into the garage and sucked in a deep breath, counting to ten, telling himself to remember to listen to his partner before he leaped to any conclusions.
But when Xavier walked into the room, Timothy could smell Amelia all over him. It was clear what had happened. Lucinda's words rushed back.
"They plan to mate each other and force you out."
At first, Timothy was too shocked to react. But then Xavier smiled at him. Actually smiled. A growl burst from Timothy's chest.
"You slept with her."
"What?"
"You slept with Amelia!"
"Calm down—"
The fact that he didn't deny it made all of Timothy's frustrations erupt. It had been years since he last had a physical outburst, but he was so blinded by rage that the only person he could ever truly trust would do this to him that he didn't think. He leapt at Xavier, fists flying.