Project X ✔ [O L D V E R S I O N]

+ chapter thirteen +

Project X

All Rights Reserved

© 2015 Luna Black

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When he was younger his parents reminded him to care for his future partner. They reminded him that there would be moments where they would fight and disagree on certain issues - but that was what would make the relationship fresh and exciting.

Xander vowed that no matter what the issue was between his partner and him, he would resolve it and try not to make such a huge deal out of it. Although the Xrionian women were honoured and deemed in high esteem, it did not mean that they didn't have their flaws.

Some went rogue and rebelled against their society; others joined the enemy and fought alongside the Griods. Most of the Xrionians couldn't understand why they would do such a thing, but most of the women or men that had joined the Griods had committed a crime; it was their way of standing up against the Xrionian government.

He sighed, quietly locking his locker door and grabbed his bag full of dirty laundry. Most of the soldiers had already left the commune, he had gone back to pick up his bag and return home. After his fight with Alexa, he decided that taking his anger out on the gym equipment would be best.

He wanted to speak to General Jenks about Dram's behaviour, but he had been in a meeting with him, trying to figure out why he had treated their "guests of honour" in such a rigorous way. Although he was a warrior, Xander wasn't one for violence - unless it was strictly needed.

Peaceful negotiations were favoured over wars, but after the incident that occurred with General Jenks' wife and a Griod, he had lost faith on the technique. He simply needed to figure out which negotiator would best be treated with peace; the Griods were definitely not one of them - and neither was a man who would try to hit a woman.

The anger he felt when Dram had Alexa's neck in his hands was similar to the one he felt when the Griod tried to attack Vrya; immense and almost incontrollable. Maybe it was because he had been taught the high morals of how to respect others from a very early age and the military upbringing might've influenced that as well, but Dram was an example of how that wasn't necessarily true.

Dram was the son of the General's step-sister. He had been adopted by her after his parents were slaughtered by the Griods and he looked up to Jenks. When he was a young teen, he practically worshipped Jenks – and then he met Corah, Jenks' daughter.

She was beautiful and the next in line for the crown; she was the perfect candidate in his eyes. But Xander came along and swept her off her feet. They instantly fell in love and in their people's eyes, they were the perfect couple. Dram lost his respect for Jenks when he approved Xander's and Corah's union and went away to finish his duty as a soldier.

Rumours were spread that when Xander began distancing himself from Corah, Dram had been there to keep Corah company, but he didn't pay much attention to them. He was far too busy trying to focus on his career rather than making sure that Dram stayed away from her.

According to the worker's gossip, Corah made sure that Dram knew she was engaged to Xander and he grew enraged; his hatred for Xander growing more every day. He had taken Jenks' attention and Corah's; his heart was drowning in green jealousy. The black veins in his centre were pumping jealousy throughout.

After Corah died, Xander felt angered that he hadn't given Corah the freedom to be with a man that cared for her like he once did. He had been selfish and naïve, but he learned from his mistakes.

If Alexa wanted to train with Dram, he wouldn't get in the way, but he sure as hell wasn't going to allow Dram to hurt her in any way.

"I would like a word with you, Dram," Xander spoke from the corner of the room, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at the man up and down.