Xavier's Regret

Xavier stood in his chambers, staring at the wall.

He'd been standing there for hours—ever since the Council had left, ever since he'd defied them for a woman who hated him and a child who didn't know him.

You did the right thing, Kael said quietly.

"Did I?" Xavier's voice was hollow. "I defied the Council. I risked everything. And she still won't look at me."

She looked at you. At the battle. She thanked you.

"She thanked me for protecting the pack. Not for anything else."

It's a start.

Xavier laughed bitterly. "A start. After three years of hell, I get a 'thank you' and a glare. What a victory."

He turned away from the wall, crossing to the window. The sun was setting over the Silver Moon territory, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold. It should have been beautiful. It felt like a mockery.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter."

Marcus stepped inside, his expression carefully neutral. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Xavier turned to face his Beta, his jaw tight. "I need to talk to someone. And you're the only one who won't lie to me."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "That's a first."

"Sit down."

Marcus sat, his sharp eyes studying Xavier's face. "You look like hell."

"Feel like it too." Xavier ran a hand through his hair, frustration pouring off him in waves. "I don't know what to do, Marcus. I've tried everything. I apologized. I fought for her pack. I defied the Council for her son. And she still—" He stopped, his voice breaking. "She still hates me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"She told me to stay away from her family."

"She told you to stay away because she's scared." Marcus leaned forward, his expression serious. "Luna isn't the same girl you rejected, Xavier. She's stronger, yes. But she's also more guarded. She's been hurt—badly—and she's built walls to protect herself."

"I know."

"Do you? Because from where I'm standing, you're still acting like the same possessive Alpha who thinks he can claim whatever he wants."

Xavier flinched. "That's not—"

"Isn't it? You tried to fight Damian at the banquet. You confronted Luna in the garden. You approached Leo without permission." Marcus's voice was calm but firm. "You're not respecting her boundaries. You're not giving her space. You're just... pushing."

The words hit like a physical blow. Xavier opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

Because Marcus was right.

He'd been so focused on winning Luna back, on claiming what he believed was his, that he'd forgotten the most important thing: Luna wasn't a prize to be won. She was a person—a woman who had been broken by his cruelty and had rebuilt herself from the ashes.

And he was still treating her like property.

"I don't know how to fix this," Xavier admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't know how to be anything other than what I am."

"Then learn." Marcus stood, crossing the room to place a hand on Xavier's shoulder. "You're an Alpha. You're used to commanding, controlling, taking. But love isn't about control, Xavier. It's about trust. And trust has to be earned."

"How?"

"By proving you've changed. Not with words—with actions. By respecting her choices, even when they hurt. By putting Leo first, even when it means stepping back. By being patient, even when every instinct screams at you to claim what's yours."

Xavier closed his eyes, the weight of Marcus's words settling over him like a shroud.

"I've been a fool," he said.

"Yes. You have."

"Three years. Three years of regret, of pain, of longing. And I'm still making the same mistakes."

"Then stop." Marcus's voice was firm. "Stop making mistakes. Start making changes."

Xavier opened his eyes, a new determination settling in his chest. "I need to apologize. Properly this time. Not to win her back—just to... to make things right."

"That's a start."

"And I need to give her space. Let her come to me."

"That's another start."

"And I need to be there for Leo. Not as a father who demands, but as a father who supports."

Marcus smiled—a rare, genuine smile. "You're learning."

"I'm trying."

They stood in silence for a moment, the setting sun casting long shadows across the room.

"There's something else," Marcus said quietly. "Something you need to know."

Xavier tensed. "What?"

"The investigation into the rogue attack. I found something."

"What kind of something?"

Marcus hesitated, his expression grim. "One of the Silver Moon warriors—a man named Derek—was seen meeting with a rogue the night before the attack. He's been acting strangely ever since."

Xavier's eyes narrowed. "Derek. He's been with the pack for years."

"Which makes it worse. A traitor from within."

"Do you have proof?"

"Not yet. But I'm working on it."

Xavier's hands clenched into fists. "Find him. Find the proof. And bring him to me."

"And Luna?"

Xavier paused. "Tell her. She deserves to know."

Marcus nodded. "I'll inform her immediately."

As Marcus turned to leave, Xavier called out. "Marcus?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For being honest with me. For not lying."

Marcus smiled. "That's what Betas are for."

And then he was gone, leaving Xavier alone with his thoughts.

---

Later that night, Xavier stood on the balcony of his chambers, staring at the moon.

It was full—a massive silver orb that dominated the sky, casting its pale light over the territory. The same moon that had witnessed his rejection of Luna. The same moon that had watched her flee into the forest, broken and bleeding.

The same moon that had blessed her with Moonfire.

She's out there, Kael whispered. Our mate. Our son.

"I know."

We need to make this right.

"I know."

Not with force. Not with demands. With patience. With love.

Xavier closed his eyes, letting the moonlight wash over him. "I know."

He stayed there for a long time, thinking of Luna, of Leo, of all the mistakes he'd made and all the things he still needed to do.

And for the first time in three years, he didn't feel hopeless.

He felt determined.

He would earn Luna's forgiveness. Not because he deserved it—he knew he didn't. But because he couldn't spend the rest of his life without her.

And if she never forgave him?

Then at least he would know he'd tried. At least he would know he'd changed.

At least he would know he'd become the man she'd always deserved.

I'm coming, Luna, he thought, his eyes fixed on the moon. Not to claim you. Not to control you. But to prove to you that I'm not the monster you think I am.

I'll wait as long as it takes.

I'll wait forever if I have to.

And somewhere across the territory, in the Shadowfang Pack's quarters, Luna woke from a dream with Xavier's name on her lips and the ghost of the bond pulsing in her chest.

She didn't know why.

She didn't want to know why.

But the bond was there. Always there.

And it was growing stronger.