Waveland

Chapter 30: Xavier

The crossbow lay limped against his body. The moment he saw Rose and Tyler safely returned he felt nothing but pure rage. Because his brother did not. The voice of David repeatedly telling him that the only thing Rose brings is danger. With one signal from the captain, Xavier did not hesitate. He fired his shoot. The moment his fingers disconnected with the string, His eyes widen. Horrified at what he did, in his moment of volcanic rage. A strong brutal arm now wrapped around him. Threatening him, a low voice snarling at him. He was in a daze. He could feel himself swaying, the only thing keeping him steady was Patrick standing behind him wrapping his arm around his throat. He was the only one to blame. He peered at the ground, parts of the bloody arrow still on the ground. Rose's shocked expression imprinted in his brain. 

Two rough hands shoved against him. "What the hell were you thinking?" Patrick's red hair russeled in the wind. Violent brown eyes.

"She was a danger in this camp. Christian could be dead somewhere because.." He try to pose himself into a lethal calm, he watched numerous of people around him do it plenty of times before. There was no emotion in his words, his own brain trying to wrap everything. 

"No!" Another hard push against Xavier. Next thing He was tackled to the ground, but it wasn't Patrick he bared their weight on him. It was the one who seemed never able to leave Rose's side. Brutal brown eyes glared at him, pinning him to the ground. Tyler's forearm braced against his throat. Xavier's face turning red slowly from the lack of oxygen. He looked into Tyler's vicious eyes. He knew that Tyler wouldn't hesitate to kill him. His former best friend, lethal but always posed. The perfect solider with enough serial psychotic to kill. In these moment he was anything but posed, he was ready to kill him over what he did to Rose. 

The pressure from his throat released. Xavier scratched at the relief, his throat tight, he wheezed finding it difficult to breath normally. Once he felt his breathing normal he glanced up to find Patrick holding Tyler's arms behind his back.

"Don't pretend to believe the lies from David. You knew Rose better than anyone here!"

"Don't you think it is strange that everywhere Rose goes, danger follows." Xavier's throat bobbed. Tyler smoothly escaped Patrick's grip. His brothers friend probably not trying too hard to detain him. Patrick still glared at Xavier.

Tyler took two strong steps toward him, getting in his face. Xavier waited for his hands to wrap around his throat. The trained solider turning feral. For a reason Xavier didn't understand.

"Why do you think Rose stayed?" Tyler's face turned red in his own fury. All of Xavier's previous feeling diminished. "She has survived on her own for the last two years. She doesn't need this place. She can survive on her own, but she stayed for you." Tyler poked him hard in the shoulder. Guilt forming in Xavier's stomach. He wanted to hate Tyler, but he was speaking the truth. "You are the reason she left. You and David are the reason if she becomes the horrible monster you all claim. She trusted you!"

Xavier watched as Tyler rapidly turned, sprinting outside the walls. No doubt attempting to track her. He should be the one running to her. His closest friend, and he shot an arrow through her thigh. The worst part was she didn't even flinch at the pain, but at the betrayal of who held the crossbow. A look Xavier would never forget.

A rough cascaled hand grip his shoulder, in a fatherly way. David. "You did the right thing. Our people come first. I am proud of you." A shake of his shoulder and then his leader walked away, leaving Xavier standing there frozen. Xavier didn't acknowledge Patrick who still glared at him. He was in a daze, his surroundings blurring together. Each step felt heavy like they were tied down with bricks. He crouch slowly to the ground picking up the bloody arrows. He didn't know what would happen next. Tyler was right about one thing, this was his fault. He reacted without thinking, his leaders thoughts in his head when he pulled that arrow.