Mr Ruthless, Cold & Relentless

"Xavier?!"

"When you said you were soulmates with a werewolf I reckoned you meant a delta, a beta, maybe even an omega..."

"BUT XAVIER?!" Briar's face reddened.

Basically, Madeline was destined to be with the man that led her pack.

'I'm staring at the alpha's soulmate,' Briar uttered under her breath.

"My friend, is the alpha's soulmate," she spoke, still unable to process things.

For someone that was a nobody in her pack and kept things lowkey, she realized the power Madeline held. That, and how many of the werewolves were probably out to get her.

She didn't know of this because she didn't have many friends here - she never felt as though she truly belonged, and now she was hearing of this.

If she thought she didn't belong here, then what was Madeline?

It had to be said that the alpha was longed by many werewolves. He was a hot comodity amongst the female werewolves and it'd be a dream come true for him to be their soulmate.

To discover it was not them and instead a mere mortal that took Xavier... that wouldn't sit well with them.

Werewolves were just like humans when it came to feelings and emotions.

"You and Xavier..."

"No wonder the two of you were having breakfast. Alpha Xavier usually doesn't eat with anyone," Briar realized, everything clicking now.

"Did you come all the way here just to find him? What happened?"

"Tell me everything," Briar rested her head on her hand, leaning close to Madeline. She needed to know how this happened or curiosity would kill her.

How did Madeline come to be the alpha's soulmate?

She - for one - never found herself interested in Xavier. He was a very... dangerous person to put it in one way. He was the alpha, and he was too big a fish for her pond. That and how men like him wasn't her type.

Briar listened carefully as Madeline told her the detailed version of everything that'd happened lately - leaving out the vision she had since that was enough information for one day.

"Hold on, just..."

"I'm not over the part where you stumbled upon this place and suddenly met Xavier."

"My mind can't compute this right now," Briar muttered, taking a croissant from the table and munching on it. She never worked good with an empty stomach. Socializing with people made her hungry for some reason, be it an old friend, or Alpha Xavier.

'Crap!' Briar thought. Forgetting about one thing. That thing being her barging in his breakfast and ruining his morning. Oh, he'd have her head for sure. She was about to be severely punished for her inconsiderate and crude actions.

Briar felt her cheeks flush. To think, she went from being shocked over her friend and him being soulmates to panicking over the punishment she'd possibly receive for being so inconsiderate and careless.

"I'm toast," Briar slumped down the chair.

"For what, interrupting breakfast?" Madeline questioned.

Briar nodded, now gloomy. She wouldn't be pardoned.

Knowing Xavier, he was ruthless. He wouldn't let this go.

Seeing the mood he was in when he left...

Briar imagined all the possible punishments she could receive. She shuddered in fear.

Madeline pursed her lips - she had to do something about this.

"I'll talk to Xavier."

Briar turned to look at her incredulously.

Wait, what?

"You will?" She flinched.

"All jokes aside, would you?" Briar blinked.

Madeline was offering to... talk to Xavier for her?

Was she unaware of the true nature of this man?

Xavier was ruthless, relentless, cold, and uncaring.

He wouldn't let her go simply because Madeline talked to him.

Or... would he?

A glimmer of hope fluttered in Briar. She believed in Madeline, despite knowing Xavier. Then again, she never knew him up close. All she knew was what she heard about him.

Never had anyone volunteered to get into contact with the alpha.

Briar was scared of him - and for good reason. He could be terrifying, and he was the most powerful of the pack.

What didn't make sense was how different Xavier and the person that was second-in-command, Adrian, were.

Adrian was a ray of sunshine. He was sweet, compassionate, levelheaded and fair - not traits one would expect from the alpha's advisor.

"Maddie, I've got to warn you, you really don't have to talk to him for me. Xavier can be terrifying and I wouldn't want to get you in a position where--"

Madeline waved at Briar dismissively.

"Oh come on, talking to him wouldn't hurt."

Briar's heart warmed. Madeline didn't realize how much this one gesture meant to her. Even if Madeline were to prove unsuccessful in changing Xavier's mind... It was the thought that counts. And Madeline's heart was in the right place.

Madeline winked at her, "And besides, you're my friend. And you just wanted to see me in real time."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Briar asked, a small smile curved on her lips.

"You haven't, but with how things are turning out, I think you'll have more opportunities to be able to tell me that," a mischievous grin reached Madeline's face.

She got up from her seat, straightening her attire.

"How do I look?" Madeline asked, turning around for Briar to get a good glimpse of her outfit.

"Amazing," Briar admitted truthfully - not just because of what Madeline was about to do.

"Maddie, you don't have to do this for me," Briar reasoned.

"Nonsense," Madeline shrugged, "I don't mind."

She never had a reason to speak to him, but now that Briar was in this dilemma, she found this the perfect opportunity to speak to him - if he wasn't occupied of course.

Left with no other choice, Madeline bid Briar goodbye, making her way to Xavier's office that was a long walk away.

"Curse werewolves and their super speed," she mumbled as she slowly made her way to the place Adrian told her to go to if ever the case she needed to talk to Xavier.

Inhaling, Madeline looked at the huge door that led to the inside of his office.

"I can do this," she convinced herself, cheering herself on as she turned the doorknob.