Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Xavier's Pov

"Levine?" My voice trembled as I spoke his name, and my desire to meet him grew stronger.

Was that an illusion or just my desire to see Levine? I was perplexed.

He turned back to me, his angry eyes like burning lava, his face serious, and his medium-length shiny black hair touching his shoulders. He didn't look like the person he used to be.

My heart began to race, and my hopes began to dance to the tune of Levine's presence. I couldn't stop myself from hugging Levine tightly as I watched him. He stood there like a statue, didn't say anything, didn't show any emotions, and didn't move like I was hugging a tree.

"Levine!!" I was both surprised and delighted.

He did not return my hug, nor did he appear to be pleased to see me.

"I looked everywhere for you." I was excited to watch my brother when I thought he was dead and couldn't find him.

I let go of him and touched his face, which was expressionless as if he were a robot.

"I'm glad to see you're still alive."

When I was lost in my excitement, there was no haven for my happiness.

"What exactly are you doing here?" When I couldn't find any happiness in him being reunited with his brother, Levine asked me with a straight face.

"What exactly do you mean? I visit here on every—-" He interrupted me.

"Why now?" He inquired.

I couldn't say anything to him because I was feeling exactly what he wanted me to feel. a sense of guilt for not returning sooner.

"You left them waiting for you; who are you waiting for now?" Levine mocked me.

"We'll talk about it, but first tell me where you've been." I was concerned about his well-being.

"Talk? There's nothing to talk about," he scoffed.

"I realize it was too late for me, and I regret it; I should have —" He cut me off once more.

"Why are you explaining everything to me? I'm not even interested in listening to your pointless regret show." Levine's attitude toward me was akin to a lion in the cage of another lion or two swords unable to keep from attacking each other.

"Why are you acting as if I was to blame for our parents' deaths? What did I do?" when I was going insane and inquired about his rude behavior toward me.

"What exactly have you done? You still don't understand? So why should I be the one to tell you when I want to kill you so badly?" When he spoke to me, he had hatred in his eyes.

"Kill me!" I put Levine on the spot.

He averted his gaze from me and began to walk away from me.

"Where you're going?" I yelled.

Levine ignored my words as if I were invisible to him. He couldn't feel my emotions but still wanted to spit his rage at me. I dashed over to him, pushed his shoulder away from him to turn him around, and grabbed his collar.

"Kill me if you dare," I teased him once more.

His fist was tight; he was never one to control his anger, but he was doing so admirably. I punched him in the face, but he got right back up. He was controlling himself.

I noticed his rebellious eyes were filled with violence; he was not the same as before. What had caused him to change? All those years, I was curious about how and where he lived.

Levine used to be a crybaby and was younger and moodier at the time, so my parents focused all of their attention on him even though I never complained about anything. I used to feel injustice at times, but I understood that he needed more attention than I did.

Levine had never been stronger than he was right now. I punched him again, but this time he turned his face to me with his punch but stopped near my face. I could see right through his big hateful eyes that he had a lot to curse about.

"Blaming is easy because you can spit words to make others guilty without knowing the true reason," my wet eyes couldn't take his hatred any longer.

"I'm not blaming anyone; I'm simply stating the facts: You have always been selfish; you prioritize only your own needs; you were never there, never!" he exclaimed loudly.

His prick conversation was hurting me deeply. Since we met, the brother I was desperately looking for and hoping to see one day when I was unaware of his existence has been blaming me.

"They were waiting for you," Levine said, trying to keep his emotions in control.

I let go of his collar, and tears streamed down my cheeks like a river. I was drained in a sea of guilt; he was correct that I was never present, and always avoided my responsibilities because I was free-spirited.

"They wanted to see you," Levine sobbed, unable to speak further.

We were trying to choke down a still-beating heart.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell them but," My eyes welled up with tears as I thought, "If I... I..." I began to cry openly. I have no control over myself.

I cried in front of Levine while he was silently crying. I had always been good at hiding my emotions, but that day I discovered something unusual about myself: I was uncontrollable and broken.

My heart was shattered into many pieces. feeling a lot of pain in my chest. I had no energy in my legs and was helpless, crying like a madman who had given up hope of ever living.

Levine sat next to me in the garden for an hour and did not leave. We were both fighting a silent battle of emotions that we were both trying to keep inside.

"Where have you been?" I inquired of Levine.

"You don't deserve to know," he stated solemnly.

"Am I no longer alive to you?" I was looking him in the eyes when he avoided making eye contact.

Levine did not respond, and my anxiety was taunting me, and I was concerned about what would happen if Levine did not agree to accompany me. I took too long to ask him.

"Come home with me," I said.

"Where?" he inquired.

"Home," I explained.

"Home? Do you think we have a home after losing our parents? Which house are you referring to?" He was mean.

"Home, with Our pack, on our land, our safest haven, where our kind can be protected," I was hoping to persuade Levine.

"Home? Pack? Since when do you sing a country song?" He made fun of me.

"Time has changed; I had to protect the pack when enemies were alerted following my father's death; I am an Alpha," I explained.

"Alpha?" Levine remarked sarcastically, "When did you become interested in father's position? Or did you want him dead so you could take control of the pack?"

I was controlling my rage; I could beat him or punish him for his rude behavior, but I remained calm and did not react because he wanted my reaction to trigger me.

"They trusted me; I had to step in when hunters were killing our kind like bees; if I hadn't stood up for our kind, The Oak pack would have been destroyed long ago, and our enemies would have rejoiced at our pack's defeat," I explained softly.

"Why bother after he's gone? You never did anything for the pack when father needed you the most; you were out there in the world with our enemies, humans! You are a betrayer." His voice was not even trembling as he taunted me over and over.

I knew I'd made many mistakes in my life, and I never wanted to be like my father, but I needed to protect my pack.

"Where was the pack when Oberon murdered our parents?" Levine was overcome with emotion.

"Stop blaming everyone, Levine; everyone fought for our father, but we're still unable to exact our vengeance," I said.

"I will exact my vengeance on Oberon, and I will make him pay for his sin." Levine was enraged.

"I understand how you feel; we now have companions, we can fight, and we will exact our vengeance; I need you, Levine, please."

Levine was thinking quietly.

"We can't get our vengeance if we go alone; we need a pack and companions to get what we want; come with me." I wanted to keep him close because he was the only family I had left.