The True Alpha

#22. The Captor's Story

Dedication to @jackdaniels18 because well he actually guessed that this all mess is related to those doctors. And yes, he had the closest guess.

Xander stands in front of the huge window in his office; he knows it is an act of cowardice. The war is raging outside and instead of leading his pack; he is hiding in his office.

The warriors of shadow pack are everywhere in his line of sight and he can't help but feel fear. For now his warriors are doing a good job of keeping them away from the main pack land. He knows at some point he has to go out there, those warriors can't fight a war without their leader.

"I knew you were a coward, but I didn't guess the extent of your cowardice. Now I know" a voice comments and Xander half smiles in triumphant. He knows who this person is; he has been expecting her to come soon.

"Aren't you a brave one?" Xander replies and tears his attention from the view outside of war towards the women standing at the door of his office "Ava" he finishes looking smug. Ava walks into the office with long confident strides and settles on the chair placed in front of Xander's table.
"I was expecting you about an hour before, I think you are late" Xander says, placing his both hands flat on the table as he leans down to maintain the eye level.

"Your guards made it tough for me" Ava replies smugly, her wolf smiling internally at Ava and at their achievement. After all they did escape a lot of guards to come till here in his office, after she sent Mischa and Keeva away and at a safe place.

"Ah my guards, talented aren't they?" Xander cocks his eyebrow at her and with a grace that is hard to find, he settles on his chair.

Ava sneers and looks around the office. There is sudden change in atmosphere of the office that is quite evident by the eerie silence present in the office. The smug look vanishes off their faces as now they actually look like a captor and a captive.

"What you did there in that cottage Xander?" Ava questions and her question actually caught Xander off guard. Even after he knew Ava will somehow escape the cage he hadn't thought that she will be able to find out about the events that happened in the cottage after he kidnapped her.

"What do you mean?" Xander replies looking everywhere else but her.

"Cut the crap Xander. Don't play this game with me. We both are old players and even I have some tricks up by my sleeves" Ava retorts and Xander almost smiles at the women sitting in his office on his chair and in his pack but nonetheless talks like she owns this place.
"Then you are well aware of what happened there Ava, why do you want me to repeat it?" Xander questions and for the first time he allows the misery of his life to be reflected on his face in front of her.

"I can help Xander" Ava starts but that was all required to break the dam of patience for Xander.
"No! You can't! No one can!" Xander yells and slams the table leaving a dent on the wood.

Ava knows better than to flinch and show her fear. She knows that she is in his territory but she also knows that he won't kill her. He can't kill her. He needs her. "If you think you kidnapped me then you are even more naive than what I initially thought. I let you do it Xander" Ava claims and looks straight in the eyes of her captor.

"The distance between your secret hideout and your pack house is about two thousand eight hundred and fifty three steps towards North. I can walk even in dark. There are only two guards in the cell near the cage and the guard standing on the left has the keys. He stands at about 30 cm distance when he comes to give us food. You know it was really easy for me to take the key. Then in your dungeon there aren't any more guards but the pack warrior at the gate of dungeon. I am an Alpha Xander you think it would be difficult for me to fight only two warriors? I have fought four at a time in my human form" Ava stops and looks at Xander who has a complete smug look on his face. Xander knew she is smart, he also had an idea that she already knows how to escape, but was curious about why she isn't escaping? Why did she come with him? Why did she wait for today, she could have easily escaped before? Why? What is her reason for tagging along this long?

When Xander was taking Ava towards his pack, he deducted a change in her breathing and understood she regained her consciousness and is hyperactive. That is when she must have started counting steps, taking notes of hideouts and guards and even about the directions. After all living a life of rogue teaches you to be alert all the time.

"I must say, I underestimated you." Xander applauses and stands on his feet and rounds the table came towards her side.
"I can help your mate." Ava whispers and as predicted the color vanishes off Xander's skin. He looks pale.

"Whaaattttt....Youu....I...I...." Xander stutters but Ava cuts his sentence.

"You took my blood in that cottage Xander. I'm not that naive." Ava retorts.

"Oh yes, she is ill. Seriously ill and I needed your blood to save her." Xander starts but again Ava cuts him off as she stands on her feet looking angry as he is lying to her again.

"You needed such a huge amount of blood for one person, huh Xander? What do you think I am huh, a fool? Because when I woke up in that cage I was in a miserable condition and very weak, and a werewolf does not gets weak with only a syringe full of blood is taken out from her body." Ava yells glaring at him.
"What do you even know about me huh? Who do you think you are?" Xander yells back and both glares at each other until a smile break off on Ava's face.

"I think I am Avaline Lina Caurset. And I am smart enough to know that your mate is kidnapped by those humans. And they asked you to bring my blood. Isn't it Xander?" Bewildered Xander looks at Ava his mouth hanging open. But he nods nevertheless. She is right.

"I am going to stop the War, then Xander we are going to discuss this." Ava says and walks off leaving a confused and tired Xander behind with his own thoughts.

Xander's mate is a healer. Just like Ava and so those humans took her when she went into a human colony four years ago. That was last he saw her. He can't find her through her scent and he can't find through the mate bond. He looked for her everywhere. Things took an ugly turn when they discovered that Hailey, his mate, isn't as effective as Ava. All interactions that he had with those people who captured her are when one of them calls him. And even though Hailey is of no use for them anymore they still kept her as hostage to make Xander work for them.

He wants her mate. She was pregnant with his baby when they kidnapped her. And Xander can't help but feel that it was all entirely his mistake. If he would have been with Hailey that day, he could have saved her and his baby. One mistake and his, his mate's and child's life are destroyed.

He can't do the same with Ava and Elias and so he gave her an easy way. Initially he planned to hand Ava to those humans but now he can't. He went to that fest only to take Ava and handover her to humans in exchange of his mate but he couldn't do it, thinking of his Hailey who never would have liked it. He worked on his plan and captured Ava using Elias sister. But reality slapped him hard on his face. He can't let Elias or any other for that matter face the same things that he is facing. In the end he settled for her blood. He admitted that he has taken a large quantity of Ava's blood but that is to make sure that they leave chasing Ava.

But Hailey, he has no idea how he will get her back. He can feel her presence and that's what keeps him alive and motivated, that one day he will see her again. He will hold her again. He will be able to kiss her again and then he will never let her go, never ever never.
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Woah, so what do you think of Xander now?
Has anyone noticed the little chunks of details I gave about Xander's mate in previous chapters?
Turns out he isn't a bad wolf. Though yes, at first he was actually planning to handover Ava but he didn't. And that's what matters. Isn't it?