Rejected, Then Reborn
Chapter 89

Rieka and Lobo and Henderson had all left, leaving Reed all alone with his best friend, the good doctor in his study.

They had spent a good two hours filling him in on everything that had happened in the space that he was gone… matters that had arisen that they had dealt with, and those that only him could deal with.

They had taken stock of accounts, and balanced books together, and then when all of that was dealt with, they had whipped out the drinks, offering their Alpha King their congratulatory wishes for his successful marriage.

But now they had all left, and the Alpha King was left with Xavier, both of them seemingly lost in thought.

You know, Reed was normally oblivious to the feelings of others, except when it was a collective emotion, or when it had something to do with his beautiful wife and mate, or when it was blatantly obvious.

But perhaps, Lacy’s presence in his life had changed him for the better, because he could see emotions and sense them much better now,

And something told him that his best friend was not okay.

His friend had laughed and joked with everyone… basically, he was his normal self, or at least he had pretended to be, but Reed could still feel that something was wrong.

“Xavier?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Oh, yeah, yeah. Don’t mind me, I’m just thinking of a case we have at the clinic.” The good Doctor tried to brush off his concerns as nothing, but the Alpha King was not convinced.

“I’ve never seen you like this before, man… and I’ve known you long enough to know how you look when you have a case bothering you at the hospital, and this right here is not it.” Reed concluded with certainty, downing a glass of whiskey in one gulp. Not that it was going to do anything to him anyway, he just wanted something that would make him think he was going through the motions, his mate’s annoying sisters almost making him wish he was still the inconsiderate a*****e he used to be, so he could kick them out for being so blatantly rude.

Xavier sighed, “It’s just…I don’t know. I feel like something is off,” He lied as honestly as he could, his voice barely above a whisper. “I feel like I’m not doing enough, like I’m failing my patients, you know? I’ve lost the thrill I used to have when I first took on my role as Healer Supreme, and I really don’t know what’s happening, man… I have no f*g clue.” The Healer Supreme rubbed his neck in unease, he knew that he hadn’t been honest, but this was also a problem he had been dealing with of late, and he figured if he couldn’t talk about Anaya, at least he could settle for the next thing that had been weighing on his mind.

Reed frowned, his brow furrowing in concern, he had noticed Xavier’s tell. Rubbing his neck. The i***t didn’t know it, but he had a tell, one that Reed knew very well. Xavier was lying, or not completely telling the truth, and the Alpha King was left baffled at the observation.

He had always admired Xavier for his dedication to his patients and his unwavering commitment to his work, and so he didn’t really know what the Healer was talking about. “You’re one of the best doctors I know, Xav. You save lives every day, and you know this,” he said firmly. “So, what’s really going on?”

You know, Xavier Mendoza had always been a closed book even with his outgoing demeanor, closed off even to their closest friends, but someway somehow, his best friend seemed to have a way of reading him like an open novel. “It’s nothing, really,” He tried to insist, but the Alpha King was having none of it.

“Come on, Xav. We’ve been through too much together to keep secrets.” He admonished his friend. “I know you well enough to know that while that is a problem, it is not really what is bothering you. Not right now, at least. What’s going on? Are you in some kind of trouble? And no f*g cover ups this time, man.” Reed prodded, his voice low and steady.

He could see the worry etched on Xavier’s face, and he knew that something was really bothering him, and indeed, something was, but how could the good doctor tell his friend that this something involved his baby sister… the very one he was superprotective of?

He cursed the fact that the beautiful red headed vixen had gotten to his head with her uncertainty, making him unable to admit his current predicament to his best friend.

Because truth be told, he really didn’t know how the Alpha King was going to take it.

This felt like the utmost betrayal against the bro code, and Xavier did not even want to think about how he would have felt if the tables were turned and it was Reed having such wild thoughts concerning his sister. All of this made him all the more upset.

Anaya was all the way in Blue Valley Pack now.

Living her life.

It was almost three years since she had left.

Hell, she had probably forgotten all about him now, probably found some stupid i***t werewolf to go along with her stupid plan of hooking up without any kind of attachment.

He felt his Lyken wolf, Damien growl in his head, and he cursed inwardly, knowing without a doubt that his eyes had changed color. He took a deep breath and claimed control once more, shutting the beast out.

You know, Reed had asked him what he thought about sending her on that trip all those years ago. It was what his best friend had called him to talk about, and he had bumped into her on his way out, closing his heart on her like he had always been doing when fate made them meet.

But that had not stopped him from telling his friend the truth.

That Anaya deserved to go, because she was more than a pretty, delicate princess who needed any protection.

What he hadn’t told his friend was the fact that he had wanted her to go away so he didn’t seek her out and make a fool out of himself a second time, dropping to his knees and holding on to her, begging her to take him in any way she pleased so long as it meant that she would still be in his life, because he had been that close to going to her again. He had made a fool of himself once, and she had stomped hard on his heart and left him heart broken.

And he had told himself that never again.

But what he hadn’t anticipated was the fact that she’d actually come to enjoy her stay there.

Because she was supposed to have come home almost two years ago, but she had told her brother that she just wasn’t ready to come back yet.

He had lost her.

That much was clear.

But the thing was that she was never his to claim in the first place.

She had never been.

And they had been so caught up in the blessing of love and mateship that seemed to have dropped on Reed and Lacy’s laps, thinking that the same thing had perhaps happened to them too.

But Xavier was pretty sure that it was all wishful thinking.

At least it had to be right?

Because if the Moon Goddess surely wanted them together, she would have found ways to still push them together by now, right?

“Xav, you’ve got me worried man, what is it?” The Alpha King’s voice snapped him out of his musings, and Xavier stared at his friend, seriously contemplating if he should tell his friend the truth.

In the end, he settled for a half truth, knowing Reed was not going to drop it.

If his two lies from earlier had not worked, then at this point, nothing else would.

“I’m just worried about Anaya, man… I—I had this very weird dream about her, and she was in danger. I—I don’t know, I think she should come home.” He finished.

“Oh, so it’s Anaya? Anaya’s the reason why you’re all so worked up, Damien is making an appearance?” The Alpha King asked in puzzlement. “Well, you need not worry about her. She’s really taking her duties seriously in Blue Valley, and she’s training every day. You know, the Supernatural Council is really impressed with her, and I’m really glad you helped me decide to send her over. She’s thriving over there and very happy as well.”

“But she’s still not safe.” He threw weakly.

Reed adjusted himself in his seat, “What was this dream you had about, Xav? Tell me all about it, perhaps there’s something we can do about it from here without making her come all the way back.”

Oh.

The Good Doctor realised that he actually hadn’t thought that far, but he was quick, “I don’t really remember what the dream was about.” He replied evasively. “All I know is that I could sense that she was in danger.”

“She’s fine, Xav. You really need not worry. I spoke to her this morning right before we left the island. She’s doing okay.” Reed tried to calm his friend down, but he could sense that his best friend was still distressed.

“What if—”

But Xavier cut him off before he could even finish his sentence, “You know what? It’s fine. I’m probably overreacting.” He stood up, grateful that he could return to the clinic since he hadn’t taken any of the drinks his friends had been having. Because he really needed to do something so he didn’t get lost in thought.

And who knew where those thoughts could lead him?

“I should start heading back to the Clinic. They probably need my help back there.” He told his friend, something about the weird way the Alpha King was looking at him making him swallow uneasily.

Reed stared at him for what seemed like ages, and then he finally leaned forward in his chair, a calm yet murderous expression on his face. “Tell me Xavier, how long have you f*g been in love with my sister?”

Oh s**t.

He had lost her.

That much was clear.