Chapter 14: Chapter 14

ELEANOR

We all turned around to see the bride walking down the aisle accompanied by her father.

After he handed his daughter over to Philip, he took his seat.

After the couple exchanged their vows and their rings, it was time for the mating process.

“The male bites the female first, then the process is repeated with the female biting him. Got it?” the person leading the ceremony asked, and both of them nodded.

Philip stepped forward and bit on Jane’s shoulder, and Jane did the same, finally sealing their bond while everyone clapped and cheered for the new couple.

Xavier hurried off before I could talk to him. During the celebrations afterward, I tried to distract myself by getting to know some of the pack members.

Philip and Jane walked up to me as I was about to grab a drink, so I turned my attention to them.

“Beta Costa, Miss Amato said that you wouldn’t come.” I turned around and saw Xavier standing there with a small smile on his face. He must’ve come back for part of the celebration.

“Eleanor insisted that I come, so I had no choice,” he lied. He walked to my side and before I could comprehend what was happening he pulled me close to him and placed a kiss on my lips.

It was our first kiss, and it stirred emotions I hadn’t even known were there. The fireworks igniting on my lips nearly pulled a moan from me, but I held it back. When he finally pulled away, I could see the same dazed wonder in his eyes that I felt in my chest.

“You two make the best couple,” I heard someone say when we turned around as a smile plastered on my face.

We were at least doing a good job of pretending. Xavier stayed this time and we mingled with the pack members for a while.

“I’ll be right back,” I told Xavier, and he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. We looked like a normal couple, but deep inside I knew that this was all an act.

I made my way to the buffet table and grabbed a glass of champagne, and as I took a sip I saw someone familiar pass by me. I abruptly turned to see Benjamin walk into the backyard.

What was he doing here?

I placed the glass back on the table and walked to the backyard. I looked for Benjamin, but I didn’t see him anymore.

Was I dreaming?

“Eleanor, what are you doing here?” I turned around when I saw Xavier standing behind me.

“Nothing.”

“Shall we go home?” he asked me, and I nodded my head.

We walked back to the house in silence. I still felt confusion from this morning…and the tingle on my lips from Xavier’s kiss earlier.

When we got home, Xavier made his way upstairs while I walked to the kitchen to grab something to drink. After washing my used glass, I placed it to dry and made my way upstairs. As I passed his office, I saw the door slightly ajar, and he was inside.

I was about to continue walking when I heard his voice. “Eleanor.”

“Just keep walking,” I mumbled.

“~We can’t hide from him forever, Ellie,~” Erica said.

Does he want to talk about what happened at the ceremony?

“Eleanor?” Tingles shot through my body and made me jump. When I turned around, I saw Xavier standing there. “Can we talk?” he asked me.

He sounded exhausted.

“I…I have something to do in my room,” I told him, desperately trying to avoid conversation.

I’d already heard enough hurtful words from him this morning, and I wasn’t sure my heart could take any more.

“This will only take a minute,” he reassured me.

I knew that there was no escape, so letting out a defeated sigh, I nodded my head.

He stepped out of my way and gestured for me to go into his office. With a little hesitation, I walked in, and Xavier followed behind me and closed the door behind him.

“Have you eaten enough today?”

“What?” I was confused why he was asking about my eating.

“I just want to make sure you’re recovering from…this morning.”

Did Xavier look remorseful?

“Yeah. Yes, I’ve eaten.”

“Good. I want you to move into my room,” he said in a monotone, and this made my eyes widen in shock.

Did I hear that right?

“What’s the catch?” I asked him.

“My parents are cutting their vacation short and will be back home tomorrow.”

“So, that still doesn’t explain why I should move into your room.”

“I don’t want my mother to start a lecture on mates and how the mate bond is sacred and stuff,” he vaguely answered, and I didn’t probe further.

“Okay,” I told him, and I saw him look surprised at my response.

“What?”

“I thought you would put up a fight, but…” I raised my hand, stopping him from continuing further.

“I don’t want to blow your cover,” I said simply and left his office so we wouldn’t have to have any other difficult conversations today.

When I arrived in my room, I looked around and let out a sigh. I'd just finished organizing this place the way I liked it, but now I had to move my things all over again.

I opened the walk-in closet and pulled out my suitcases before I began packing my clothes.

I’d assumed Xavier’s parents were out of the picture, but clearly they were still very much a part of his life—enough for him to care this much about me moving into his room.

I prayed to the Moon Goddess that they were nice people because I didn't think I could handle any more bullshit right now.

It took me three hours to pack all my belongings. I looked around the empty guest room and let out an exhausted sigh.

~Why are you torturing me like this, Moon Goddess?~ I started moving the three suitcases toward Xavier’s room, and after bringing the final box, I placed it in front of his door and knocked on it, waiting for him to open up.

After five minutes, he hadn't even responded. ~Has he gone to sleep?~

I turned around, and I was about to leave when the door opened.

“I thought y…” my words got stuck in my throat when I realized that he was only wearing a towel around his waist. His hair was wet, and water droplets slid down his shoulder.

This wasn’t the first time I saw him shirtless, but it was the first time I let myself admire what I saw.

I felt my breath hitch, and my palms began to sweat.

~I must give him credit. He does look like eye candy with that eight-pack and those huge biceps.~

“What are you staring at?” Xavier’s voice broke me out of my trance, and I looked up at his eyes.

“I was wondering how women even fall for this. I mean, this looks like nothing extraordinary to me,” I said with sass, and this made him arch an eyebrow at me.

“Now, if you would move, I have to get my things in,” I told him and grabbed my suitcases.

He moved out of the way as I walked into his room.

~Oh my god!~ I thought my room was big, but his was huge.

Just like the rest of the house, the interior of the room was done in gray and black, and there was a huge king-sized bed in the center. The walls behind the bed and the one next to it were made of glass.

Almost his entire house was built with glass.

I looked to my right to see two doors. The door to the left was slightly ajar, showing that it was the bathroom.

Then the other one must be the closet. I walked toward the closet and opened the door to see that it was filled with his clothes.

“Where can I keep my clothes?” I asked Xavier, and right then, he walked inside the closet.

“On the floor,” he said in a ~duh~ tone.

I glared at him.

“I’m not going to move my things, so you either keep it on the floor or inside your suitcase,” he answered before he took a pair of joggers and a T-shirt and walked out.

~Calm down, Eleanor. It’s only temporary.~