Taming A Predator

Chapter 47

Xander's POV:

I raced up to my parents' floor, stopping about 20 feet away from the doors so I wouldn't crash into them, but kept the momentum to run at a human speed and push through the doors.

"Sorry!" I exclaimed while all eyes fell onto me.

Some... nicer than others.

Mom and Nico were on opposite pages when it came to my tardiness, my dad somewhere in the middle.

My mother spoke up first, thank god.

"Where've you been?" She asked simply.

I appreciated the light and wondering tone over what it could have been.

Being late -surprisingly- wasn't a habit I'd gained, so they had to know that this was an accident.

I'd gotten close many times but usually manage to make it work.

"I just lost track of time is all," I responded truthfully enough, hurriedly skittering over to my seat.

I sent my mom an apologetic look once I was down, seeing her wave it off and shake her head in a 'don't worry about it' sort of way.

Looking directly across from me, I could already feel the tension forming in Nico and subsequently dad.

Well, food looked good at least.

Right as I started to dig in, my father began.

"Now that you boys are here, there's something we need to discuss."

Yeah. Called it.

"The treaty that Alexander revised made it to the pack at the northern border. The leader there read it and sent back a response that he's willing to sign off on it, so," He turned to face Nico, "I need you to travel up there 10 days from now and sign it on my behalf."

I'm sure I failed to hide my wince at his words, immediately knowing how this conversation was about to go.

Of all of us why Nico?

Dad knew Nico's thoughts about that pack. We all did.

I had assumed that was why he had me write up the treaty.

Although, they did have a knack for putting Nico through things that would eventually benefit him once he became the lord... They never put us in these uncomfortable situations for no reason.

"No," Was Nico's cold, final response.

I know that I was expecting it, but the sound caused me to tighten.

His tone was once the one he'd use to handle... me back in Bronwyn's territory.

Hearing it again compared to that heart-to-heart talk we had a few nights back was an interesting comparison now that the tone wasn't directed at me.

"Nicolas," Dad warned, causing me to look at the side opposing him to my mom to see if I could read where she stood in the conversation.

She was the only one they'd both listen to when they got in their little quarrels.

Her face was... unreadable, just one of attention, sipping at the blood in her crystalline glass, eyes shifting depending on who was speaking.

"You have to be kidding me," Nico cut in, "I don't understand why you still keep them around when all they do is terrorize and slaughter our citizens. They've found loopholes in the treaties for hundreds of years and I doubt they're gonna stop here."

We turned to look at each other, sending me a solid 'no offense' look with his eyes alone.

Yeah no that's fair.