Stealing My Best Friend’s Mate

11- Ask Her

Xavier’s POV

Instead of pulling her into my arms and kissing the daylight out of her like I wanted to, I mutter, “Hey, you made it. Thank you.” I do caress her cheek- because it’s something a boyfriend would do. I ignore the shocked expressions around me, and I wonder if they’re looking at Kai and back at us in confusion.

Whatever, I was simply just saving Sloane from embarrassment.

“Yes, I did. The new hire was eager for the extra shift.” She smiles a real smile then, and I hug her briefly, closing my eyes for the span of a heartbeat as her familiar scent fills my lungs. A strange sense of calm washes over me, quiet enough that I almost miss it. Moros doesn't. He hums in satisfaction, content simply because she's here.

‘Hmm.’

Adrenaline, I tell myself as I almost melted into her, and I blame it on Moros.

'I take it,' he replies to that, pleased.

Reluctantly, I ease back, lowering my head as I pull away. If I meet her eyes now, she'll see it in my eyes that my wolf is out. She'll see just how much a four-second hug affects me, and I have no intention of explaining something I don't even understand myself.

Moros sighs contentedly and allows me back in control.

"I've..." My voice comes out rougher than I intend. Clearing my throat, I finally look up. "I've got to get back to the locker room."

When I finally lift my gaze, she's already looking at me.

Time seems to hesitate, and Moros is drooling. There's something so open about her gaze that it steals every coherent thought from my head. Completely unaware of what she's doing to me.

‘Beautiful.’ Moros is talking about Sloane because her wolf is nowhere… How can he be attracted to the human? Is this normal? Is this what mating is like? But Sloane is not even my mate… wait, does this mean I’ll find her wolf attractive too?

‘What the- what is wrong with you?’ Moros is snapped out of his drool-state, and him doing so also snaps me out of it as well.

‘Right, fated to my best friend.’ I remind myself and Moros.

The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth as I skate toward the tunnel with the rest of the team, not waiting for her reply and feeling like a leech. The deafening cheers fade behind us, replaced by the familiar scrape of skate blades against rubber flooring and the muffled celebrations echoing through the corridor.

Coach Peters is already waiting near the locker room entrance, his weathered face split by one of the rare smiles he reserves for victories that matter. "Enjoy it," he announces as each of us files past. "You earned this one."

Pads are peeled off, jerseys are exchanged for hoodies, and skates are traded for sneakers before equipment bags are slung over shoulders, while he addresses us. Winning leaves every wolf restless. The adrenaline still courses through our veins long after the final buzzer, demanding an outlet only a run can satisfy.

His gaze sweeps over the room before hardening with quiet determination. "But don't get comfortable."

The celebration dies almost instantly.

"The Semifinal won't forgive the mistakes you made today."

My jaw tightens, because despite the win, I know exactly which mistakes he's talking about. My gaze finds his across the locker room, and Kai's already staring back. Venom flashes in his eyes, his jaw muscle working as he grits his teeth hard enough to make the tendon twitch beneath his skin. Whatever restraint he'd managed to cling to on the ice is hanging by a thread now.

Coach Peters' voice becomes little more than background noise, along with the equipment manager, “Uncle Benny,” barking at someone to stop throwing equipment around. Even assistant coach Marcus is arguing with Coach Peters about the line combinations for next week's game, but it all blurs into meaningless noise.

There's only Kai.

What the actual f#ck is his problem? Judy is his girlfriend, he says so himself. He's also the one who talks me into pretending to be Sloane's boyfriend. So why does he keep looking at me like I'm the one crossing the line? Does he expect me to play the role halfway? To be the world's shittiest fake boyfriend?

His stare is sharp and accusing. Furious. I hold his gaze, refusing to look away. Whatever's eating at him, he'd better get it under control. Kai might not realize what he's doing, but I do.

I'm an Alpha. If he keeps glaring at me like this, sooner or later, Moros is going to stop seeing my beta and best friend and start seeing a wolf throwing down the gauntlet. Instinct doesn't care about history and friendship.

Neither of us wants to find out what happens if my wolf decides to answer. Because as an alpha, my strength surpasses my beta. He’d better keep himself in line.

Scoffing because I recall he was just making out in front of Sloane with Judy. What sort of #sshole is Kai anyway? Does he think because Sloane forgot him that it's okay to be this disrespectful? How could the man I considered smart be this dumb? Who in their right mind would actually think that when their girlfriend eventually remembers who they are, she will forgive this behavior of his?

Rachel’s loud voice pierces into my eardrum as she corners Ethan, who is pretending he is limping. Rachel is our twenty-four-year-old, very attractive sports therapist, and she often gets mad when the guys pretend to be injured so she would be “touchy” with them. Red hair- rare for us, as mostly fairies have red hair, not werewolves, but Rachel is a werewolf. Banging body- not my choice of words and not even Kai’s. Believe it or not, the wording came from Carter Flynn. The goalie who never talks at all.

“Packhouse?” Mason calls, slinging his bag over his shoulder, and a chorus of cheers answers him.

It isn't really a question. Most universities celebrate in bars, frat houses, or dorm rooms. Black Shadow is different. Our university sits within pack territory, so there has never been a reason to build dorms when nearly every student lives nearby- even when sometimes we wish we do.

We have the packlands and forests to run through.

Every member of the Black Shadow Pack lives somewhere within our territory. Most of us live with family while others have small houses or apartments scattered throughout the land, but every road always leads back to the heart of the pack for major events.

The Pack House is where I live. My house. Or, more accurately, my parents' house.

Tradition. After every big win, everyone drifts there without needing an invitation. Alpha and Luna, my parents, will ensure there is a home-cooked meal waiting, laughter spilling from every room, and enough food to feed three packs.

That's how we've always celebrated. Victories are shared around overflowing tables, birthdays stretch into nights spent around the bonfire, and every milestone, no matter how big or small, is celebrated with the people we've spent our lives calling family.

Even when Sloane was taken in by Beta Darren, it was celebrated in our house.

Hmm, I wonder if Sloane would be interested in coming?

Moros practically prances beneath my skin, his excitement infectious enough that the corner of my mouth twitches despite myself. ‘Ask he-ask her-ask her.’

‘Don’t get giddy Moros, you know she won’t.’ I swear, the moment Sloane enters the equation, Moros loses every ounce of common sense. He wants to bring her home as though it's that simple. It isn't. She stopped coming to pack celebrations years ago. Every time she did, someone barked another order at her. Bring this. Take that. Clean up. Nobody ever seemed to notice they were treating her more like a servant than one of their own.

‘They’ll learn, don’t fear.’ Moros grates out.

Outside, everyone is scrambling around to get into vehicles, and Kai is one of them, heading towards his car, where Judy and two other cheerleaders are already waiting.

Relief washes over me when I spot Sloane sitting on the bench near the parking lot. She didn't leave. She rises when she sees us.

"You're coming back to the packhouse, right?" Kai asks, his attention fixed on Sloane as he pauses at his door.

Also changed out of her cheerleader’s uniform, Judy is wearing a big grin- I can see the fakeness in it.

I always knew Judy wasn't the greatest friend to Sloane. The flirting with Kai had been obvious enough, but Sloane never seemed bothered by it, so I figured I was reading too much into things. Now, looking back, I wonder how much of Judy's smile had ever been genuine. Because now that I know what she's capable of, all I can see is the falseness I'd somehow missed before.

The other two girls clasp their hands over their mouths, their perfectly manicured nails a stark contrast to the barely concealed delight flickering in their eyes.

Moros rumbles beneath my skin, the sound vibrating through my chest. He doesn't like their eyes on Sloane.

On the other hand, Sloane blinks, almost as though the answer should be obvious, before her gaze drifts to me; a small smile curves her lips.

"Why wouldn't I?" she replies simply. "My boyfriend's the captain."