CHAPTER 22: 22

XAVIER

Under my instruction, Brian started looking out for good doctors or healers we could employ and bring to our pack since it was the most important thing to do.

The pack was once filled with healers and different herbs for treatment, but as everything evolved, our love for ancient medicine diminished and was regarded as lesser by the minute. No one foresaw the war between the then Alpha and Alpha Dmitri’s pack.

And when it came, it came like a flood that swept away more than half of the pack. We regrouped, but it wasn’t like the old times. There was always a need for more people, more elders, more warriors, more Cubs, more males...

"Alpha," one of the guards called.

"We found one, but he’s on the north coast, and it’s going to cost us more resources to bring him over to the pack. The rumour has it that he hasn’t practised since the last century. Since his young daughter was taken from him, he stopped practising."

"What do you think, Alpha? Should we go there and try to talk to him?" He asked, awaiting an answer from me.

"You said going there would take up much of our resources, and we’re not sure he’d want to come with us to practice here, plus he hasn’t healed anyone in years..." I reasoned.

"Let’s leave it. Search for other healers and doctors, preferably young ones who have been practising in recent years and can handle pressure." I dismissed. If we were going to get anyone, the person should be ready to treat during a war when casualties would be brought in.

The pack had lived on with that need until the last war came and swept away all hope of getting back on track. The last healer was killed alongside her husband. Only her child survived, but she barely knew anything about healing, so she wasn’t of much use. The Gamma was killed.

Only a fuvking bunch of us survived the attack. So I wouldn’t blame the wolves who are scared of joining my pack. They were worried about their safety, since the enmity between the pack that once wiped out a good amount of our members still existed, it could happen again and no one wanted to fall victim to being injured and not receiving adequate care to heal.

Most wolves from the neighbouring packs aligned with Dmitri’s pack after they almost destroyed my pack. Well, who wouldn’t?

Everyone wanted safety, and even I did, too. I wanted the safety of my pack members and I was ready to do anything to settle the war until now, I don’t think I can go on any longer with the plan of getting married to Ivy.

With every new day, my resolve keeps getting stronger, and a strong force keeps pulling me to Nylah instead. I was supposed to stay off her, but it felt like I was punishing myself for staying away from her, and it felt unbearable.

The previous night, I let her sleep in my room after she complained of having nightmares in the room she was given. I knew it was a plot to stay with me, but I remembered Brian’s words and let her anyway.

She tried to have sex with me, and I had never rejected any female’s advances the way I did hers.

"Come on, Xavier, I want you to do this tonight. I’ve been here for days, but you haven’t made any move to have me and claim me." The thought of claiming her made irritation churn within me.

The last thing I wanted to do was sell out my pack to an Alpha who always had its eyes on it.

"You’re here so the people will know you. You didn’t come for this," I replied, putting a pillow between us.

She huffed with anger and continued.

"Why do you think I told my father to let me come here and stay a while before the marriage settlement?" She asked, with a straight face as if she expected an answer from me.

"It’s because I want to do it before then. I want our wolves to align, I want you to claim me. Fuck me like you do those other girls. I’ve wanted you to do that to me ever since I set my eyes on you in my pack." She prodded and I could hear the urgency in her voice.

How long has this princess been harboring such filthy thoughts?

"I can’t do that Ivy. This is not the conventional type of marriage you hear about. This is no fairytale marriage, this is a trade. A means for settlement and I’ll still do what I used to do before I met you even after our marriage." I replied coldly.

The thought of leaving Nylah was scary as hell.

Ivy was silent for a while and I thought for a minute I’d broken the camel’s back. Ivy was a young naive girl and two things were going to happen.

Either she foolishly agrees to the marriage in hopes that I’d love her with time and claim her or she makes a fuss and calls her dad to reprimand me.

Either way, I wasn’t going to take back my words. I couldn’t claim her, not after what her pack had done to mine.

"I’ll be leaving the pack tomorrow." She announced after a long silence.

I heaved a sigh of relief and hoped that she didn’t hear that but at the same time, anxiety arose in me. What if she was going to cry to her father and cook up some horrible stories saying I mistreated her?

I quickly mind-linked Brian, not minding how late it was.

’Wake up man! Wake up! Ivy’s leaving tomorrow!’ I shouted through the mind link and after some seconds, Brian’s weak voice replied.

’Why are you waking me up so late? Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?’

’Ivy’s going back to her pack tomorrow.’ I announced again.

’Oh, wait what?! Why?’ I was certain he was fully awake by then.

’I don’t know man..’

’What did you say to her?’ He asked knowing me well.

"I’ll tell my dad to go on with the marriage preparations and I’ll return to this pack as your Luna with full rights to your bed." Her voice was filled with determination and resolve.

Just as I suspected, she chose to use her father’s influence and the situation on the ground.

’What if there isn’t enough time to get a healer before their return for the marriage? What if it’s too late?’ I asked Brian, desperate for answers.

’We’ll find someone.’ was his only response.

Although it wasn’t much of a response, it calmed me a bit and I turned to Ivy and gave her a nod of approval.

"Suit yourself."