Our Hearts Collided (MxM)

Chapter 33

Vince's POV

Even as a kid, Xavier always had a way of making me or Michael worry. Guess clumsiness and trouble just ran in the family. I wasn't normally overbearing or concerned whenever Xavier had meetings or had trips away from the pack, but his visit to the southern pack was unlike anything else he's done. When I was the alpha, phone calls with their alpha were dreadful, and I probably only attended two meetings there; two meetings too many. It wasn't that the alpha was more powerful or more intimidating and cruel, but his ideologies and leadership aligned more with werewolf packs from generations ago.

They never liked to interact with humans and rarely accepted rogues or other pack members, even if it was a wolf's mate. That, and they were very conservative in social relationships. Same-sex mates, single parents, and mateless wolves were considered taboo and frowned upon in their society.

It was like another Damon, which was why Xavier's lack of calling frightened me.

I hadn't realized I had trekked down two flights of stairs and paced the yard outside the pack house as Xavier muted the call, insisting he wanted to wait until he returned to the safety of his car before saying anything. I didn't blame him, but the silence was terrifying.

Once it was unmuted, the relieving sound of his car started up. "Alright, I've made it to my car."

"Did he do anything to you?"

"No," he said confusedly. "We signed the papers, but he wouldn't shut up about politics. That's why it took so long."

My jaw clenched. "If he or any of them said anything, I'll—"

"Vince, they're going to say shit. That's just how that jerk and his group of betas are. We know this." He sighed. "He's always been like this, even when you were alpha. Talking down on people, telling everyone he's superior or whatever."

"It shouldn't be okay to let him slide with it."

"It's not okay," he agreed. "But, it's whatever. I got the papers signed; that's what I set out to do."

"What did he say to you?"

"The same speech about not having a luna by my side or how I'm being stupid for adopting and raising two kids on my own." My grip on my phone tightened as he continued. "Basically, I'm not enough to do all these things on my own—which ouch, I was already feeling insecure about, but whatever— and nobody's going to see me as an alpha if I'm doing these "motherly" things—whatever the hell that means. Oh, and that and this peace treaty is stupid, but they'll sign it out of pity."

My blood boiled. "They said that?"

Xavier cleared his throat before adding this time, "I'm sure they must've meant it as a joke. Or that's what I'm going to tell myself anyway."

"They shouldn't be joking like that." I let out a frustrated sigh. "If that's how they'll treat you after signing that peace treaty, I won't hesitate to drive down there and tell them that's a violation. Maybe even punch them"

"No, don't punch them. Besides, that's not in the treaty; they can say whatever they want so long as they don't attack the other packs or us."

"I don't care," I said plainly. "That's not how they should treat an alpha trying to extend an olive branch."

Xavier sighed loudly over the line. "Whatever. I should go and pick up the kids. Sam's probably regretting agreeing to watch them at the clinic."

"I'm sure your boyfriend loves having them over."

"I—" He cleared his throat. "We discussed this already."

"I know. And I'm just reminding you that if you're dating him, it's totally fine with me. Just know that I better be the first to know."