IN A FEW DAYS
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
The stables smelled like hay, damp wood, and impatient animals. Sunlight streamed in through the open barn doors, catching in the dust and warm air. Students were already gathering in loose groups, voices buzzing with anticipation and low grumbling. I stayed toward the back, arms crossed. And I watched him.
Villiam Blackstone stood near the edge of the crowd, looking as disinterested as ever. Arms were tucked into his coat, posture straight but somehow detached, like this was all beneath him. Or maybe he was already calculating the fastest way out.
"Doesn't look like he's ever touched a horse." I thought.
"He hasn't." M wolf rumbled. "But he won't back down."
Instructor Darek Wren strode out of the tack shed, dragging silence behind him. He had the kind of presence that made even nobles straighten their backs.
"Name's Wren." He barked. "You may have heard of me. If not, that's your loss. Today you're not pampered alphas, you're learners. I don't care if you come from a castle or a cave you fall off your horse, you get up. Or you crawl home."He said coldly.
Some students laughed nervously. I didn't. My eyes never left Villiam. His expression didn't even twitch.
"You're picking a horse, and that's it. No switching. No whining. Choose wisely, and don't come running to me if your mount tries to throw you off." She surveyed the students, arms crossed, eyes cold.
I glanced back at Villiam, who was still standing there, apart from the others. Something about the way he was eyeing the horses - there was a... hesitation in his movements. The kind of hesitation that came from someone who had no clue how to ride. Then it happened.
Instructor Wren turned to the far end of the stables.
"And that one... is off limits. Don't even think about it."She said Her finger pointed to the darkest corner of the stable, where a wild, towering horse stood - Damon.
That beast wasn't like the others. He was massive, a midnight black stallion with eyes that glowed eerily in the low light, his muscles rippling beneath the layers of dust and grime. The stall was reinforced, heavy iron bars blocking his view from the students.
"Damon's for special training only. Don't bother with him unless you want to get yourself killed."She explained.
Most of the students averted their gaze, but Villiam... He didn't flinch. My gut tightened. He was walking toward the beast. I watched, confusion and disbelief creeping in. Was he serious?
"Blackstone." Instructor Wren's voice cracked like a whip, but Villiam didn't even look back. He kept moving, slow, deliberate.
"I'll take him."Villiam said.
Her face twisted with irritation.
"You don't get to choose, Damon. I've told you-"She started.
"I said I'll take him." Villiam's voice was low, but there was a certain finality to it.
Wren glared at him, stepping closer.
"That horse is dangerous. He's been-"She started.
"I know." Villiam interrupted, his voice colder than usual. "I want him."
The group fell silent, eyes flicking between Villiam and the horse, waiting for Wren to make a move. She hesitated, her gaze locked on Villiam, her face unreadable. Finally, she turned her back to him.
"Fine." She said, voice low. "You get him. But if that horse rips you to shreds, it's on you."
With a soft click of his boots against the ground, Villiam walked past her, never once looking back, his gaze focused entirely on the stallion. Everyone else watched, murmuring. I could feel the tension in the air like it was a live wire, sparking everywhere. And then it happened.
Instructor Wren turned to head back to the rest of us, but then... the gate to Damon's stall slowly creaked open.
Everyone froze. What the hell? My breath caught in my throat. Damon wasn't supposed to be free. He wasn't supposed to leave that stall. But somehow... he did. The stallion took one powerful step forward, then another, his hooves thudding against the ground. And the next thing I saw... Damon was walking straight toward Villiam.
Villiam didn't flinch. He didn't move a muscle. He didn't even look down. He just stood there, cold as ice, until Damon stopped right in front of him. The beast nuzzled Villiam's arm, rubbing against him like a cat trying to get attention. The crowd gasped. Wren stood, frozen, her hands shaking slightly.
"That... can't happen." She murmured, eyes wide in disbelief
But Villiam... Villiam didn't even react. He didn't smile or show any emotion. His hand, almost as if it were a reflex, rested gently on Damon's neck. He was calm. Collected. In control. No words. No struggle. Just connection. Damon... had chosen him. The horse — the one no one else had dared approach - had chosen Villiam.
Instructor Wren didn't move for a second, her eyes narrowing, but she finally stepped forward with a sharp exhale.
"Fine. If you're serious, take him. But don't say I didn't warn you."She repeated.
Villiam said nothing in return. He simply walked, Damon by his side, following his every step like a shadow.
As they walked past me, I could feel the pulse of something stirring inside me. My wolf shifted restlessly. I couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't just the bond between the two of them. It was something else. Something deeper. And then... A voice broke my thoughts.
"This doesn't make sense."My wolf said.
"I can tell that."I said.
"What the hell is happening? This horse… doesn't do this."She said.
She looked like she had seen a ghost. I couldn't blame her. I felt the same way. Damon had always been untamable, an absolute beast. But here, with Villiam... it was as if something had clicked.
"Why is it so calm?" One of the other students whispered, his eyes wide.
"Does anyone know him?" Another student added, their voice shaking slightly with disbelief.
Then, there was the headmaster, Celvin, his stern face now creased with confusion as he observed the scene.
"Is something wrong?" I heard Celvin mutter. His gaze was unwavering, but I could tell the questions were flooding his mind.
Even he, with all his experience, seemed to be taken aback by this. But the one who didn't hide his shock was Wren, who had never been anything but professional. She was still staring, slack jawed, at the pair in front of her.
"What's going on here, Villiam?" Wren asked, clearly bewildered. "That horse never listens to anyone. Never. And yet…" She trailed off, glancing at the other students for some kind of explanation.
"Villiam." I finally called out, my voice more tense than I wanted it to be. "What the hell are you doing with that horse?"
I tried to sound calm, but I could feel my wolf stirring. There was something off about the whole thing. It wasn't just the horse's sudden docility. No, it was Villiam. He was the reason everything was changing, and I couldn't figure out why.
"He's not… that bad." Villiam finally said, shrugging as if this was just some normal interaction. He reached out and patted Damon's mane, his fingers grazing through the dark fur with a quiet confidence.
The students around us were still staring, mouths agape. Even Celvin, the headmaster, was now studying the scene with narrowed eyes.
"You've got to be kidding me." Celvin muttered under his breath, clearly not expecting what he was seeing. "How is this possible?"
I didn't need to hear any more. I knew what was happening now. There was something about Villiam, something that made Damon... calm. But the way the other students were reacting, and the way Wren and Celvin were observing, made it clear that this wasn't just about horses. There was something deeper, something more between Villiam and Damon, and I was sure it wasn't just about horse whispering.
"I'm not doing anything." He said, like it wasn't a big deal. "Just… a connection."
I felt my heart race again. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this. I had no idea what it was, but it felt too significant to ignore. And then, as the class ended and the students began filing out, Damon stayed close to Villiam, no one daring to approach them. Even Wren didn't try to argue anymore. It seems Damon is now Villiam's partner for good.