15 A Round of Archery

"So what you're telling me is that Xavier is more than hundreds of years old?" Madeline clarified.

Briar nodded.

"All I know is that he's hundreds of years old. I don't know the exact count, but I doubt anyone in the pack knows. Maybe even thousands."

"What about Adrian, shouldn't he know?" Madeline blinked.

Clearing her throat, she added in an attempt to clarify herself, "About Xavier's age?"

It came as a surprise to poor Madeline when Briar had informed her Xavier was likely… who knew how many times older than her.

He was ancient!

"Hmm."

"I suppose he would," Briar mused.

"But there isn't much that's known about him."

"About who? Xavier or Adrian?"

"Adrian."

"Other than him being the alpha's advisor and being good friends with Xavier, I know nothing else."

"Ah," Madeline spoke, a tone of fathom in her voice.

"Well, just tell me one thing."

"Humour me."

"If Xavier's hundreds of years old, then what's your age?"

"Since werewolves age differently than humans and all that."

Briar winced.

"Right, that."

"My age..."

"You don't have to tell me," Madeline assured.

"No no, I don't mind," Briar chuckled nervously.

"I'm just..."

"What if I let you guess?"

"Sure," Madeline nodded, it'd be more gratifying that way.

"23," Madeline began, guessing her own age in hopes Briar was the age she looked like.

Briar shook her head, wickedly amused by this

After an entire round of guessing games and Briar ending up giving Madeline a few hints just to give her a nudge in the right direction, Madeline had finally guessed Briar's correct age.

"Seriously?" Madeline stuttered like a fool, her jaw on the floor.

She hadn't expected that to be Briar's answer, consider her stunned!

"You don't look a day over 100 years old!"

Briar chuckled, "Why thank you, Maddie, but that's a given for us werewolves."

"We're not immortal, but—"

She paused mid-sentence. Her hand immediately flew to cover her mouth.

Goodness forbid Madeline had heard what she said.

"But-?"

"Finish your sentence," Madeline coaxed, her curiosity piqued.

"I probably shouldn't," Briar laughed nervously. Her breathing became ragged, as she knew she'd said something she wasn't allowed to.

Despite Madeline being her friend, there were some things better off her not knowing. Especially since she'd just discovered her friend was more than a hundred years old, and her soulmate possibly more than a thousand years old.

There were a few things she - as a werewolf - had sworn to keep to herself. While being a werewolf was what many wished to become… she wasn't too keen on being one.

Madeline sat on her bed, cross-legged.

A question remained on her mind.

She thought it'd go away, but it still stayed, allowing her curiosity to swell.

Madeline had a plethora of questions she wanted answered, and since Briar seemed like she wasn't allowed to tell her anything. Who other than to ask rather than Xavier?

A knock came at the door.

"Now who could that be?" Briar wondered, volunteering to open the door for Madeline. Yes, this place was heavily guarded. But Briar couldn't help but fuss over how someone could be out to get her.

"You really don't have to."

"Madeline, if what you told me is true, then it's better off if I'm the one opening this door."

Briar twisted the door handle, opening the door to see…

"Xavier?"

Her eyes went round. Briar cleared her throat, acting like she'd been coughing.

"Alpha Xavier, what could you be doing here?"

"Especially… at this hour?" Briar stumbled with her words, unable to gather her composure in front of the most powerful werewolf of her pack.

'Oh shit oh shit oh shit,' she cursed in her mind.

Xavier got straight to the point.

"I'm here to see Madeline."

Madline nodded, her signal of telling Briar to let him in.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in astonishment.

"Right this way then," she opened the door for Xavier to enter since Madeline had allowed him to enter.

Briar shot Madeline a look of confusion.

The look in her eyes asked, 'Want me to stay or do you want me to leave?'

'You can leave, I'll be fine Briar, I promise.'

Briar nodded, fathoming her choice.

"Alright then, I'm going to leave now," Briar gestured at Xavier and Maddie with her hands.

"See you, Maddie."

"Goodbye Alpha Xavier, have a nice day," she bid him goodbye before swiftly leaving.

There was a huge difference in the way Briar had wished her and Xavier goodbye. Then again, it was completely in Briar's nature to suck up to someone ranking higher than her in the pack's hierarchy.

Heck, this was identical to how things had been back in university. Briar had always been favoured by her teachers not because she was the most intelligent - one had to admit that was Madeline's case - but because she always knew what to say and when to say it.

Considering Xavier was the alpha, Madeline simply knew Briar couldn't pass on an opportunity like this. Not just anyone could commune with the alpha this many times in a single day.

Madeline got off her bed. She wasn't sure… but Xavier looked determined. What did he come here to do?

He began, "So…"

Madeline stared at him with her innocent, round eyes. She hoped this had nothing to do with Briar and him retracting his previous words - he did say he wasn't a man or promises.

"You and me…"

Rendered confused, Madeline blinked twice.

"Yes?"

Why was he so nervous?

"Why are you so nervous?" Madeline questioned.

"I am not nervous," he insisted, before admitting his true intentions, "I just came here to ask if you'd like to learn archery."

"Archery?"

"Yes, archery."

That question had taken Madeline by surprise.

Was archery supposed to mean something else in this conversation?

Unable to handle the silence, Xavier inquired, "So, what do you say?"

"Care to join me for a round of archery?" He asked, his voice a slight bit different than usual.

Madeline gulped, her answer stuck in her throat.

'Should I, or should I not?'

'Oh what do I have to lose anyway, it's archery. I've always wanted to learn archery.'

Finally having the courage to speak…

"…sure," Madeline managed to croak.