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M AN N E R E D

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"Irina! Get a hold of yourself!" Xavier shouted as he threw the girl onto the ground and pinned her down. Beneath him, she struggled a great deal. She twisted and turned, retaliating strenuously against his hold. Her teeth had sharpened and her eyes had turned a blaring auburn as she growled at him. It was something the boy had never seen before; it was something that frightened him, her in such an animalistic state. Losing focus for just that one second, Xavier had provided Irina with the upper hand as she used her legs to kick him off. "Shit," he groaned as his back met a rock. He then rolled over onto his side and glanced over to the girl.

"I'm going to kill him," she promised through gritted teeth. Next, a spark of red appeared in her glossy eyes. "I'm going to kill them all."

{ four hours earlier }

"I'm so glad you're joining us for a meal today," Gideon said.

Irina glanced at Xavier who gave her a subtle nod. Next, she smiled softly at the elder and took her seat. "I thought it was time for me to come out of my room," she explained.

"That's good news. You're certainly heading down the right direction. But how are you feeling, Irina? I know it must be very—uhm... difficult losing your family and all. Just know though that you'll always have us," Gideon kindly reminded, gesturing to himself, Xavier and Kaleb. However, his son seemed to disagree with the statement as he scoffed. His father immediately sent him a pointed look but he brushed it off like he always did.

"Thank you." Irina bowed and under the table, Xavier gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. This told her to hang in there. Just a little longer and they would be able to go.

Dinner went by with not too many words exchanged. Every now and then Gideon would speak up, ask the girl questions about herself and of course she would answer. Lucky for her, he avoided the topic of her family and she was grateful for that. It was still hard getting used to their absence and Irina was certain she'd most likely never get over their deaths. It was just the manner in which they were executed was so cruel and because she had witnessed it all as well made it all the more difficult for her.

On the outside she might appear okay but on the inside it was a completely different story. However, what's done was done and she had to accept it (even if she didn't want to). This time, Gideon made sure to have all of their meats cooked thoroughly even though Rogues preferred consuming it raw. For Irina's sake he had ordered that the meals be prepared to her liking to avoid an incident like the last time. He didn't want her running out again; especially not on the first evening they were all having a meal together.

"Cooked deer isn't too bad," Xavier commented. "What did you think Irina?"

"It was delicious," the girl answered.

"Delicious my ass," Kaleb grumbled as he poked at his food. He had taken one bite and although it wasn't as bad as he expected it to be, he definitely liked his deer uncooked and seeping with blood better.

"If you don't like it, then give it to Irina," Gideon snapped and before his son could react, he snatched his plate away and placed it in front of her with a smile on his face. "Go on dear, eat some more. You've become a lot thinner and that's not good." Irina wanted to reject his offer but if she wished to convince him and everyone else she was doing fine, she would have to keep up with the act. She nodded and smiled graciously at him as she ate Kaleb's portion, not even bothering to spare the boy a second glance.

"Whatever, I'll go catch a rabbit," Kaleb announced, slightly annoyed that she didn't even bother to say anything to him.

"Sit down," his father ordered as soon as he stood up.

"As if." He snorted, rolling his eyes. He was about to leave when he saw Irina licking her lips through his peripheral vision. Images from the night by the waterfall flashed into his mind along with the all the sounds she was making and he clenched his jaw. Now he remembered why he didn't want to be in the same place as her. "I'm leaving," he announced.

"Guess I can't blame him." Gideon sighed. "I did raise him to be a heartless son of a gun." Suddenly Samuel entered the vicinity looking restless and frazzled. "What is it?" the Alpha questioned. The guard went over and whispered something into his ear. Xavier and Irina didn't know what he had said but by the new expression plastered on their host's face, they could tell it was urgent, perhaps even bad. "I got it." He then turned to the two teenagers still sitting at the table. "I have to leave for a meeting. Will you be fine with that?" This was going perfectly! Irina didn't want to seem too eager as she gave him a small nod. "Take care of her while I'm gone, Xavier."

"Yes sir," the boy replied. As they watched the two men rush out, Irina swallowed and looked at Xavier.

"When can we go?" she muttered in case anyone was around listening in on their conversation.

"In a few hours or so, yes. We have to wait until nightfall arrives," he said.

"So what are we supposed to do until then?" she inquired. "I'm too full to take another bite." Xavier chuckled and she just blinked at him. "What are you laughing at? Did I say something amusing?"

"That's the first time I've heard you say you were full. That's good," he complimented. "Anyways, there's a lot we can do. Would you like to go to The Square?"

"The Square?" Irina repeated, confused. "What's that?"

"It's where the Rogues who are more civilized live. They have markets, pubs, parlors and such there. It's not as advanced as the institutions built in the kingdom but it's decent enough. You'll get to see a lot of new faces as well and it would probably kill time. What do you say?" He stood up and after giving the suggestion some thought, Irina climbed to her feet as well.

"Sounds good," she answered.

"Just remember to stay close to me. There are usually a lot of people so you can get lost easily. And if anyone asks, tell them you're a guest of the Alpha. If you're new around here, Rogues take notice almost immediately," he prompted. Next, he eyed her attire and ran his fingers through his hair. "We have to change your clothes. No girls your age dresses like that anymore."

Irina glanced down at her long dress which swept the floor and the corner of her lips curled downward. "But girls in the kingdom wear things like this all the time," she argued softly as she brushed over the fabric of her dress.

"Yes, the ones who typically belong to the high class and noble families. I don't even know how Gideon managed to get your wardrobe but when you leave the confines of this cave, you have to change. We don't want anyone becoming suspicious. Believe it or not, there are some rather intelligent Rogues amongst us," Xavier warned. "I'm sure the maids here will have something you can borrow."

After asking nearly every worker in the place, Xavier had finally managed to find Irina an outfit most girls in Savage Rogue territory wore. "This is too revealing," she remarked to herself as she stared at her reflection. Wrapped around her body, was a grey, Classic Lolita dress that had an empire waistline, meaning it hugged her figure like a glove, a squared neckline, which was just a little too low for her liking, and short sleeves. The dress itself stopped a few inches above her knees and had lace trimmings at the bottom. Growing up, all Irina had ever worn were lengthy, loose gowns that fell to her ankles and hid all of her curves. The sleeves were also always long since she was a young and dignified princess who had an image to uphold. She'd never worn something like this before and if she was to be honest, she felt out of place.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and she figured it was Xavier. "Don't say a word," she instructed as she stepped out of the room, a little shy. She did not want to be ridiculed.

"What? I was going to say you looked nice." Xavier smiled. The girl still didn't meet his gaze and as he looked at her again, his brows pinched together. Perhaps he should have just given her men's clothing. Hopefully, she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself with her fair beauty.

* * *

"Wow." Irina gaped as soon as they arrived at the place of designation. "This is The Square? It looks even busier than Collier," she commented as they entered through the large wooden gates. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn she was back in the kingdom. There were people everywhere she looked and everything appeared to be modern and up to date. Something she was not expecting at all.

"Remember to stick close to me," Xavier reminded as he walked one step ahead of her.

"Yes si—" Irina's response was cut short when someone suddenly smashed their shoulder against hers. "Ouch," she winced, stumbling back.

"Watch where you're going!" a boy gnarled as he gritted his teeth at Irina and glared ferociously at her.

"Back off," Xavier sniggered as he pushed the girl behind him. The two boys shared an intense gaze before the stranger scoffed, rolled his eyes and turned away. Seeing that he had been engulfed by the sea of people around them, Xavier sighed and shook his head before he swiveled around to check on Irina. "Are you all right?"

"My shoulder hurts a little," she admitted meekly. "But why was he so hostile just now? It wasn't entirely my fault he bumped into me."

"That's just how Rogues are," he replied. "From now on, just hold onto my arm and walk behind me. Some people here can get even worse than the guy we just encountered." Without saying another word, Irina nodded and followed his orders. People were streaming by her on both sides and every now and then she would collide into someone (or more like they would run into her). She wasn't accustomed to this kind of setting because every time she left the palace, the roads were always cleared and vacant, making travel much easier for her. Since she was also a princess, she was not allowed the chance to enter places which were dense in population. So this was a new experience for her. The last time she had been in an area with so many people at the same time was during that particular evening.

Next, her expression became gloomy at the recollection of the tragic event and her grip on Xavier unconsciously tightened. She didn't want to think about it anymore because every time they crossed her mind all Irina could feel was agony and her heart wrenching. They were both unpleasant experiences that she didn't want to feel, but she knew they were also inevitable so there wasn't anything she could really do about it. The excitement and fascination she initially had when she arrived dwindled until nothing but sadness was left behind. Now her head was hung low and her grasp on Xavier had loosened. She didn't even pay attention to where they were going until the sound of the busy hotspot disappeared from her ears.

Lifting up her chin, Irina was surprised to discover that the two of them had entered into what looked like an old book shop. "Hey, what's the matter? Are you still thinking about that guy we ran into back there?" Xavier questioned softly as he looked at her with a gentle expression. The sincere concern shone in his eyes and for a second, she could see Lyra within Xavier. It was then that she realized how similar in personality the older boy was with her sister. Slowly, she shook her head.

"I just thought about them again," she murmured. Her gaze fell to the floor and Xavier could only nibble on the insides of his cheeks.

"Cheer up, kiddo," he encouraged as he ruffled her hair, something Isaiah did whenever he could as well. "You're going to see your mate tonight, remember?" At the reminder, Irina's face and mood did brighten up a little. Although she had to force the corner of her lips to curl upward,, it was still a smile nonetheless. She nodded and decided she would ignore those horrid memories as best as she could. Regaining the interest she carried at the beginning of their trip, Irina's eyes scoured the shop. There were only three people inside at the moment, which consisted of the two of them and an old man whom she presumed to be the owner. He met her eyes and, as a greeting and display of respect, she gave him a small bow. When she stood tall again, the elder was looking at her with a stoic expression before he sent her a tiny nod of acknowledgement.

"Don't mind him. He'll warm up to you eventually," Xavier whispered.

"I can hear you. You do realize that right, Theodore?" The elder sighed, flipping through a book. He didn't even bother to look at the two of them and for a second, Irina was surprised that he had heard everything Xavier had said. There was at least a good ten yards in between them and where he was stationed and she was positive Xavier had used the quietest voice he could manage. So how was it possible the old man was able to pick up on everything stated? And who was this Theodore person he mentioned? "I may be old but my ears still work well." That's right. He was a Rogue after all. How could she forget that?

"Never said they didn't, Mickey," Xavier replied with a small chuckle. "Just telling the girl the truth in case she misunderstands and assumes you don't like her because of your brisk response."

"Xavier." She tugged on the sleeve of his shirt. He turned to her and she got on her tippy-toes in order to reach his ear. "Who's Theodore?"

"That's—"

"Oh, just some bothersome teenager who likes giving me headaches." Mickey cut in, causing Irina to look at him with a bewildered expression while Xavier was sporting a pout. "Wipe that pout off your face, Theodore Hollandswey. It does not suit a boy your age. Are you still a pup?"

"What?" Irina stuttered. "Your real name is Theodore?"

Xavier smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I thought I told you."

"So then what's Xavier? Is that your middle name?" Irina wondered.

"It's more like a nickname," he explained. "When I was younger, Holden had a difficult time pronouncing Theodore, so he just started calling me Xavier since it sounded manlier to him and it kind of just stuck."

"Ah I see." The girl nodded. "Did..." She didn't want to ask this but curiosity got the best of her and before she could stop herself, the deed was already performed. "Did she call you by your real name or did she use Xavier like everyone else?"

It was silent and covertly, she peered over and saw his melancholic expression. She felt a twinge of guilt and scolded herself. She should have just kept her mouth shut. Why did she ask him that when she wasn't even supposed to be thinking about her deceased kin? "She called me Theo," he answered tenderly. "She was actually the only other person, besides for Mickey, who addressed me by my real name. Even my parents became accustomed to calling me Xavier."

"So then would it not be okay if I decided to address you as Theodore?" Irina felt she would be more comfortable and feel closer to him if she were to do so. However, she did wish to call him by his real name if he would not allow it. If he didn't, she would understand.

"Of course you can." His reply caught her off guard but soon enough a gentle smile graced her lips.

"Theodore. I like the sound of it," she said.

Xavier stared at Irina with an indecipherable expression. After, the corner of his lips twitched upward. "She said the same exact thing." Just as Irina was about to say something else, the bell attached to the knob of the door chimed through the shop and three girls entered. They were all rather loud and rowdy and Irina started to ask herself if they had come into the wrong place. Did they, by chance, mistake the this place for a pub of some sort? Although she didn't mean to, Irina inhaled their scent and nearly choked at how strong the smell of their perfumes were. Had they dumped a whole bottle over their heads?

"Xavier! I knew I'd find you here!" one girl shrieked once she spotted the duo. She had a black dress wrapped tightly around her figure while her hair cascaded half-way down her back. She was rather pretty. She had curves in all of the right places too and, subconsciously, Irina folded her arms up against her chest.

"Ellen," Xavier greeted blandly.

"No hug for me?" Ellen whined as she swayed her shoulders side to side almost like a child.

"When have I ever hugged you?" He quirked a brow and when she didn't say anything he shook his head. "Why are you looking for me?"

"Does she always have to have a reason to look for you? Isn't it obvious she's got the hots for you?" A second girl with short, dark blonde curls snorted as she made her way over as well with the third party in their little clique.

"Lissa," the girl with light brown hair grumbled in disapproval, yanking her friend's arm as a warning.

"What now, Sophie? I'm just helping their relationship progress faster. I mean seriously, Xavier. How long is it going to take for you to stop playing hard to get with our princess? Do you know how many boys would kill just to have Ellen even turn in their direction?" Lissa spat.

"It's not called playing hard to get if he wasn't even in the game in the first place," Mickey chimed in.

"Who was talking to you, you old geezer? Stay out of the youths' business. What would you know?" Lissa snickered rather rudely and her demeanor made Irina frown in displeasure.

"That's quite impolite and very impertinent of you," Irina voiced out, making her presence known. It looked like she had been invisible to the three females until she decided to speak her mind.

"And who the hell asked you?" Lissa growled as she eyed the younger girl with a disgusted expression.

"No one." Irina shrugged, unfazed by Lissa's crass tone. She was clearly upset with how awful the girl was being and refused to stand for her sour attitude. Irina believed a youngster should always respect their elders. "I'm just making a statement about your terrible manners towards an elder that's all. Don't you know the basic etiquettes? How can you speak to an elder of your society in such a brazen tone? Where I come from, you could get severely punished for such a thing." It was clear Irina was reprimanding the girl and Mickey and Xavier had to admit she was brave for doing so.

"Who are you?" Ellen questioned, blinking profusely since she was genuinely curious of her identity.

Irina didn't know what to say and fortunately for her Xavier had come to her rescue (again). "She's with me," he declared as he stepped in front of Irina. He was shielding her from the scrutinizing scowl Lissa was sending her and anything else that could possibly ensue.

"Is she—is she your..." Ellen's heart plunged right into her stomach, unable to even complete her question.

"No. She's like a sister to me. Thus, I'd appreciate it if you girls didn't cause her trouble. What she was saying wasn't wrong either, Lissa. How could you just come into Mickey's shop and be so rude? I know we're Rogues and all but we still cherish respect." Xavier then wrapped his fingers around Irina's wrist and led her to the door. "We'll come back another day. Until then, please take care." Without another word being exchanged, the pair made their exit.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" Lissa hissed. "That little wench did not just talk back to me and walk away." She took a step forward, ready to pursue them when Ellen stopped her.

"Didn't you hear Xavier?" she sighed. "Don't cause her trouble."

Her friend's face fell. "But."

"Let's just leave," Sophie suggested. And as his shop emptied out, Mickey placed his book down. Something didn't sit right with him. The aura emanated from Irina as she spoke with such poise, such sophistication and confidence was peculiar to him. No one he knew talked with such class and now that he thought about it, this was the first time he's seen her around. Just who was this girl Xavier had brought to his shop? And exactly where did she come from?

* * *

"Can we do this here? Don't you want to go somewhere a little more private?" the girl questioned as she felt Kaleb's hand sliding up to cup her breast. A quiet moan left her lips as he sucked on the skin of her neck. The two of them were located on the second floor of a parlor where a majority of the teenagers in the Savage Rogue Territory gathered.

After he had left his home, due to the fact that he wasn't able to properly digest anything, he headed straight for The Square. He had knowledge of Peter and Holden were going to be there as well and decided to join them. As soon as he had arrived, he found the two of them surrounded by a swarm of girls. There weren't many people around but Kaleb knew that in a few hours the place would be crowded. Luckily for him and his companions, they received special treatment from the owner which included both access and ownership to the second floor.

"It's all right, sweetheart," he coaxed, shifting her position so that she was now straddling him. His left then hand fell to her ass and he gave it a rough squeeze. This told her what he wanted and without reluctance, her hands dropped to his pants while Kaleb's lips moved over to her collarbone.

Holden broke away from the heated kiss and sniffed the air. "Do you guys smell that?"

Peter sipped his drink as a girl behind him gave his shoulders a massage. "What are you talking about?"

"It's her," the tanned male said. Her enticing and alluring scent grew stronger and stronger, along with his friend's, but Kaleb paid no mind to his surroundings as the girl reached down into his drawers and seized his erection in the palm of her hand. A low grunt was emitted from him as he threw his head back in pleasure.

"What. The. Hell." He heard a familiar voice say through gritted teeth and, like a ton of bricks, her overwhelming scent hit him. His eyes snapped open and he was shocked to discover Irina and Xavier standing across from them. The boy had on a repugnant look plastered on his face but Kaleb could not care less about what he thought. His attention was fixated on Irina and although it was dim, he could see the faint layer of blush which had fallen over her cheeks. One would think she was flustered by the sight but her stale expression said otherwise. He realized how awful it looked but before he could push the girl off, Irina spun around and left. "You guys have houses for a reason," Xavier snarled angrily.

Kaleb was about to get up and follow the two of them. He felt this unsettling prick in his side, but when his mind registered what he was about to do, he halted. What the hell was he thinking? He was just about to have some fun with a tempestuous girl yet he was just about to throw it away for Irina? He must have gone insane. "Are you okay?" the girl asked. He nodded in return.

That night, however, Kaleb Blackwell didn't get the release he so desired and it was her fault... again.

- - -

Author's Thoughts: Yes, it's a little confusing but Xavier's real name is Theodore. I had to go back and edit chapter 7, where Irina does in fact call him Theodore. However, I will continue to use Xavier in the narrative. Thank you all once again for reading this story <3

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to halscion :). Also, this book takes place during a time where technology is just beginning to advance in some areas. If you've seen pride and prejudice and zombies (one of my faves haha), the setting of this story sort of mimics that era, along with the clothing and such. This is also a fantasy world, for the most part, where I also include renowned people from history, like Niccolo Machiavelli.

The beginning of this chapter though... But on another note, who do you think should play Xavier? Any suggestions?