Xavier

"This is killing me," I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"Oh calm down lover boy," Zander teased. "You have twenty warrior wolves guarding Sam's house twenty-four seven. She is going to be okay. And also, whenever they leave, half of them go and follow."

"I know but still. She's not by my side. It's like I'm having withdrawals or something," I laughed. "I'm so used to having her cute, small little body next to mine. And now she's isn't next to me. I feel like I'm dying!"

Zander scoffed at me. "You're so dramatic."

"I'm losing my mind," I said.

"That you are," I looked up to see Chloe walking down the stairs. "I thought I heard you playing Sam's favorite One Direction song this morning," she smirked.

I froze and I felt my face turn red. I can't believe she heard it.

This morning when I woke up, I looked up She's Not Afraid by One Direction on YouTube and played it repeat.

But hey, can you blame me? I was missing my mate so much and her scent was still on my bed.

"You did what now?" Zander asked trying to hold his laughter back.

"I-I didn't do that," I stuttered trying to sound believable.

But by the looks on their faces, I knew it wasn't.

"Okay fine! I played her favorite One Direction song okay?" I huffed.

"Oh my gosh! That's priceless!" Zander said laughing.

"Yeah. He put it on repeat for about an hour. I have it stuck in my head." Chloe smirked.

"I miss her okay? So shut up," I whined.

This caused Zander to fall on the floor holding his stomach from laughing too hard.

"So where are Hunter and Ryan?" Chloe asked sitting where Zander was sitting.

He noticed this and stuck his tongue out.

"They both are on their shift for watching over Sam."

"Oh," she said. I saw her get up and grab her keys heading toward the front door.

"Where are you going?" Zander asked.

"Going over to see Sam," she said.

"We can't remember," I told her. "We have to stay clear."

She laughed. "Xavier. She told her dad that she met us at the library, so he knows we are friends with her. And besides, don't you have a boat date with her tonight?"

"Chloe you're a genius!" I shouted and pulled her in for a hug.

I let go and she smiled.

"I know I am," she said and walked out the door with Zander and me right behind her.

We arrived at Sam's house and parked the car.

"How's everything going?" I asked Hunter.

"Good alpha. She and her family seem to be doing just fine," he replied.

"Good. Anything else?"

He nodded. "Her parents received a call from her grandpa. He is coming over in a week."

I nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

He bowed and walked back to his post.

"You dorks coming? I want to see Sam already," Chloe called from the front door.

We knocked on the door and Tom answered it.

"Oh hello guys," Tom said smiling.

"Hi," I said.

"Sorry to bother you, but we wanted to know if it was okay for Sam to hang out with for her birthday. We asked her if she wanted to go out for lunch with us," Chloe said politely.

'Oh wow, she can sure change her act fast.' I mind linked Zander.

He chuckled. 'I know.'

"Oh of course," Tom smiled. "Let me go get her. You guys come inside and sit on the couch while I go get her."

"Thank you," Chloe said with a giant grin.

We sat down on the couch and while Tom went to go get Sam.

"Hello dears," Sharon said as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Hello," Zander said smiling.

"How are you guys?"

"Good. We are just waiting for Sam. Tom said it was okay to take her out for lunch for her birthday," I replied.

"That's good," Sharon smiled sweetly.

I love her mom. She seems so nice.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sam asked with a smile.

"We came to take you out to lunch for your birthday. Duh," Chloe teased as she ran over to Sam and pulled her in for a hug.

"Thanks Chloe." Sam hugged her back.

"What? No hug for Zander?" Zander asked with a smile.

"Oh come here Zander," Sam said.

Zander rushed over to her and gave her a bear hug. Well more like a wolf hug.

I'm not surprised that they are acting like this. They haven't been with their Luna. Even some of the moms over at the packhouse have been off. Not being with your Luna can take a toll on the pack. That's why so many of my warrior wolves volunteered to watch over their house.

For a werewolf, it's an honor to guard and watch over the Luna. And because of that, I have men taking shifts because so many volunteered and I couldn't say no to them.

If I was asked to watch over the Luna, I would say yes right away.

Zander let go and gave me a push toward Sam.

Sam blushed and her father looked between us with his eyebrow raised.

I gave Sam a hug and I watched him stiffen.

'Uh oh,' Ryder said.

'I don't think her dad likes us so much,' I told him.

He growled, 'My princess.'

'Our.' I scowled him.

'Whatever. She loves me more.'

'Whatever.' I scoffed.

"So Xavier," Tom cleared his throat and I let go of Sam.

"Dad," Sam whined.

"What? I just wanted to talk to Xavier," he replied laughing innocently.

"Uh-huh," Sam accused crossing her arms.

"Just go wait outside while I talk to Xavier here."

Sam reluctantly nodded and left with Chloe and Zander to go outside.

"Tom. Don't scare the boy," Sharon teased.

"I won't," he said as she walked upstairs.

Once she left, he turned to me with hard eyes.

"Hey," I said awkwardly.

"Hi," his tone was cold and clipped.

I looked around the room and saw a rifle.

My eyes widen as I realized what type it was. "Is that a Rugar No. 1 Varminter K1-BBZ."

His eyes widen also. "You know guns?"

I nodded with a smile and walked over to it. "It has a cartridge of .204 Ruger."

"Correct," his voice was softer but it still had a cold tint to it. "Do you hunt?"

I shrugged. "A little I guess." If you count rogues.

"You want to see it."

"Sure." I smiled.

He handed me the gun and it seemed heavier than I thought it would be. It seemed kind of strange.

"I know; heavy, right?" Tom laughed. "My dad passed this gun down to us about two years ago. Right after his best friend passed away." He looked down and let out a small chuckle. "Sam always called him Tigger. The one from Winnie the Pooh, because that was his favorite character and Sam's. His name was Roy. She refused to call him Uncle Roy. So she settled for Tigger."

Oh wow.

"What happened?" I asked out of the blue. "Uh, I mean. If you want to tell me."

He waved me off. "I would love to. I don't know why, but there's just something about you I like. I didn't really want to admit that, but I guess I just did." He laughed. "My father and his friend Roy were on a hunting trip one afternoon. They left around maybe four in the morning so Sam didn't get to say goodbye to him. I don't know what happened, but I heard the door open and all I saw was my father covered in blood."

I gasped. "Really? Was he okay?"

He nodded. "He was, but Roy. Roy didn't come back. My father told me that while they hunting, a bear came out of nowhere and attacked them. My father shot it but he was too late because it already killed Roger. But since then, my father has been shutting us out. Like there was more to the story than he was really telling us. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized he wasn't telling us the truth. Because I thought about it, and bears aren't around here."

"I could have sworn there were no bears here."

"Yeah. But I don't know why he would lie to us so I didn't say anything."

I nodded. "So how come this gun is so heavy?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. I think it has something to do with the bullets."

"The bullets? Bullets aren't this heavy." I laughed.

He chuckled. I think he's warming up to me. "I know. But my dad makes his own bullets. I'll show you one."

I handed him the gun and he took a bullet out.

He handed it to me and once it touched my skin, it burned me.

"Ah!" I screamed and dropped it.

It rolled by his feet and he picked it up.

"Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

I looked down at fingers and gasped as I saw two small burns where the bullet touched me. Silver.

I looked back up at him and gave him a reassuring smile. "Yeah. It just shocked me and I wasn't expecting it."

He laughed at me. "Oh," then all of a sudden he got serious again. "So let's talk about my baby girl."

I gulped as I saw him set the gun down and cross my arms.

"Uh. What about Sam?" I asked getting nervous.

He leaned forward and it looked like he was studying me. "I see the way you look at her."

"I-I."

"Listen, Xavier. I'm going to tell you that if you like my daughter, I won't like it, but it's her decision. Not mine. But I will tell you this; I like you way better than that Brett fellow she dated. Something was off about it and I never liked him."

"I met him. I didn't like him either."

"You did?"

"When we went out to Subway to eat, we met him. He tried getting Sam back," I said looking down.

"What happened?" He asked.

I looked around not meeting his gaze. "Well."

"Xavier," Tom said sternly.

I looked up meeting his eyes. "I might have punched him."

He looked at me shocked before busting out laughing. "You do not know how many times I've wanted to do that."

"You're not mad that I punched him?"

"Mad? I'm so happy! I've wanted to do that for so long."

"Seriously?" I laughed.

"Yeah. I hated him." He smiled. "You know, I like you. But, just be careful with my baby girl. She's my everything. And I would not be very happy if you hurt my princess. Because if I find out that you did," he paused and pointed to his rifle. "I will shoot you with that gun. I don't mind going back to jail."

I nodded frantically. "I understand, sir. And to be honest, I really do like your daughter. She's very special and I do really like her. She's nice, sweet, cute, smart, and funny. It's just, she's perfect," I smiled down at my hands.

"You really do like her," he said looking at me with soft eyes.

"I do."

He stood up and stretched his hand out. "I give you my permission to date my daughter."

I stood up quickly and looked at him. "You do?" I asked grinning like crazy.

"Yes. None of the boys that she has dated sat down and pretty much poured their heart out. And no one has ever said she was perfect. You said it and you meant it. Hell, your eyes light up every time you say her name. And plus, I saw when you looked at her today."

I pulled him into a giant hug. "Thank you thank you thank you. You won't regret it, I promise you."

"I'm holding you onto that," he said seriously. But then I saw his lips turn I to a smile.

"Of course," I walked out the door and saw everyone standing there.

"Bout time," Zander teased.

"Sorry." I laughed.

"What did he say to you?" Sam asked me suspiciously.

"Stuff about you," I said and pulled her into a hug.

"Me?" she asked.

"Yep."

I heard her groan. "Oh lord."

"It's all good. Don't worry," I told her and kissed her head.

We walked over to the car and got in.

Zander drove while Chloe sat on the passenger side. And Sam and I sat in the back.

She was about to pull on her seatbelt but I stopped her hand and pulled her into my lap.

"Xavier." She giggled. "This is illegal."

"I don't care," I said and stuffed my face in her neck. I took a deep breath and kissed her mark. "I missed you."

She sighed in content and turned around so her face was in the crook of my neck. "I missed you too."

"I love you." I felt her smile against my neck.

"I love you too, wolfie."

"Gee thanks, princess." She giggled again and snuggled closer to my chest.

'We need to watch out for Sam's parents,' I mind linked Chloe and Zander.

'Why what happened?' Zander asked as he looked at me through the rearview mirror.

'Is everything okay?' Chloe asked.

'Her dad has a rifle and it's loaded with silver bullets. And it was her grandfather that made them.'

Chloe gasped. 'Her grandfather is coming sometime next week.'

'We have to watch out for him then too,' Zander said sternly.

I nodded. 'Yes. But I wonder if Sam knew.'

'I don't think so,' Chloe said.

'How do you know?' Zander asked.

'Well, Sam didn't know anything about werewolves. And if she knew about the silver gun, then she would have known about us.'

'Good point,' I said.

'So what are we going to do about Sam?' Zander asked me.

'Get more wolves to watch over her,' I said.