Xavier POV I could feel her anxiety radiating from her once she learned the council would be attending the ball, but I didn't say anything hoping her anxiety would dissipate. After we reached our first store and it hadn't, I knew I needed to say something to calm her nerves. "You know the council is just a bunch of pompous assholes that think they're better than everyone. But they really like your dad, or maybe they are just afraid of him, or us, I'm not sure. What I do know is that every time they come to Hidden Woods they kiss the all the ranked wolves asses, so I wouldn't worry too much about them. Besides, you have me and Lunar in your corner Little Bit. And we won't let them be mean, or disrespectful to you, ever. So don't stress it. Just be your wonderful, happy, brilliant self and I'm sure they'll love you. If not, I'll let Lunar have them because he doesn't like them at all." I chuckled to her as we walked around the store. She smiled when I called her Little Bit, which w
Novalie POV Dinner was intense, but having the mindlink back was everything. Sure, texting is cool, but the only friends I really had were here in this pack so I didn't really need texting with the mindlink. And that aura? It reached all the way to the back of the room and some of them were whimpering, which meant I was powerful. Xavier confirmed it after dinner as we got into the elevator and he told me that I had the strongest female Alpha aura he'd ever felt. I couldn't help but to smile at how much my world had changed over the last few weeks, and though I knew I'd have to relive the horrors I experienced before getting here in therapy this week, I was so happy to be here that I didn't really care about anything that happened before I became Alpha Henry's daughter. He had literally changed my entire life and I was so grateful for him and my new family. I spent the rest of the night on my laptop beginning the writing of the first draft of my first book. I knew that the chances o
Novalie POV A week and a half had passed since my appointment with the pack psychologist. Her report had said that I was well adjusted and hopeful for the future, and that I had processed, accepted and was moving on from the event at Midnight Moon, so I was cleared to go back to school. I had also been cleared by the pack doctor, so I had joined training with the other pack members, though I was being trained mostly one on one by Alana. Since I had been allowed to start sparring, I spent alot of my time training with Alana. She said I was making great progress and told my father that I was an incredibly fast learner which made us both proud. Today was the day of the Christmas ball, and Christmas was in three days. Because we had so many different ranked members from packs all over the country, and even some from the United Kingdom here, the packhouse was bustling with life. Most notably were the numerous young ranked children who had spent most of yesterday throwing temper tantrums
Xavier POV As I buttoned up my dress shirt I couldn't help but to remember Nova's interaction with the Hindleys this afternoon. They had been trying to get under her skin, from the way he grabbed her to the councilwoman's remarks about her being an Omega and what Natalia did to her. I wanted to lash out at her for even bringing it up, but Nova held her own like the Alpha female she is before walking away. She had even tried to assume that Nova was taking credit for entertaining the children when it had been my mother's idea. The Hindleys were always trying to knock us down as if they needed to be better than us, but just as Henry and I had done several times before, Mom and Nova handled them like the boss Alpha females they are. Now they knew that it wasn't just the men in the family that wouldn't allow them to mock, disrespect or intimidate them. We were a strong Alpha family, and having Novalie here only made us stronger. I put on my tie, my emerald cuff links and my loafers, gla
Novalie POV I was quickly frustrated by the council members and their attempts to push their authority over me and test the power of my aura. I walked away from the Alpha table and headed to the restroom, leaving Xavier there to deal with the last councilman who openly challenged me. It made me proud to know that my aura was more powerful than all of the council members, and I realized why they made sure to stay in my family's good graces. Surely they were freaking out now that they realized that both Xavier and I were stronger than them. The restroom was packed and quite a few of them were girls I went to school with, but I paid them no mind as I did my business, washed my hands and left them in there whispering about me. They had never liked me and I'm sure they liked me even less now that I was apart of the most distinguished Alpha family of this time period. That was fine by me, as I didn't particularly like them, let alone want to be friends with them. They didn't like me as a
Xavier POV I watched as Lauren made a fool of herself attempting to ruin Nova's dress. Luckily for her, Charles, as he's apparently taken to using his full name, stepped infront of Nova and allowed the drink to spill all over him. I was grateful to him for doing so, but also incredibly jealous of his closeness to her. I really needed to get a handle on whatever was going on with me. I couldn't have feelings for Nova, she's my little sister now, and I needed that line to stay clear and intact. I felt it the moment the energy in the room shifted, everyone did as they began to look towards the aura that was radiating throughout the room. Nova was scolding Lauren, and her aura was seeping out of her pores as she put her in her place. I couldn't help but to smirk at the altercation until I watched her grab his hand and lead him into the kitchen. That's when the jealousy and rage really started burning through me as I clenched my free hand into a tight fist and began taking deep breaths t
Novalie Christmas and the New Year came and went, and today we were headed back to school. Dad and Anne flew in with Xavier and I so they could help me set up my new dorm room. The new semester didn't start until Monday, so we had the weekend to get it done. Charles and I had exchanged numbers, and we texted and talked everyday, and even facetimed occasionally, though that would be harder to coordinate now that I was even further away from him. But, I didn't have time to focus on that as Anne and Dad unpacked all the Christmas gifts they had gotten me that they had bought specifically for my dorm. The other kids were coming back to school today too, but I wasn't too worried about them. It took us hours to finally get my dorm set up perfectly, and by the time it was all said and done I found myself being grateful for my new family once again. Anne always made sure that I was completely satisfied with whatever we were doing before she would let anyone stop, and I was grateful to have
Xavier POV We were sitting in my dorm room playing our games, me on my gaming system, her on her laptop. She had gotten into playing the Sims which I didn't understand at all, but she enjoyed it. We were talking occasionally, but mostly just playing our games and enjoying eachother's company. Then, her phone rang. It was already late, so I figured that maybe it was Alana, but that hope quickly vanished when she answered with a flirty 'hey you.' I knew then that it was Charles, and couldn't help but roll my eyes. I knew I shouldn't be jealous of their relationship, but I couldn't help but to be. She still had no idea how I was feeling about her, and as much as I wanted them to, the feelings weren't fading away. I had grabbed her hand in the car, sensing her discomfort, and held it long after I should have let go. I knew that I was playing with fire, spending so much time with her, but I couldn't walk away. She was the only thing bringing me comfort as I battled the feelings I was fe