Filed To Story: Luna Riannon and Alpha Brayden Novel
“You were going to leave,” he stated, surprising her with the question and the cold contrast of his voice.
“I was,” she had to admit.
“And you were not going to come back-” his grasp on her tightened.
“No, I wasn’t-” She couldn’t bring herself to lie or look at him again, so she averted her gaze.
“Why do you want to come back to him so much?” Fenrir’s words were filled with pain. “Would it have been so terrible to stay with me?”
“No,” she shook her head, astonished by his reaction. “Of course not. That’s not what it’s all about at all.”
“Then why?” Fenrir exhaled sharply, barely restraining himself.
It pained her to see him like this.
“I still chose you,” she reminded him. “I killed my friends for you.”
“They were not your friends,” the rogue retorted. “You know that much.”
She had nothing to say to that, and he pulled her onto his lap, cupping her face with his large palm to make her look at him.
“They were harming you for years, lying to you and yet you were ready to go back with them to the man who orchestrated all this. It’s the only thing I want to know. Why, Astrea?” His gaze was so intense she wanted to hide, but at the same time, she felt safe enough to tell him the truth.
“Because of my ward,” she confessed, and this changed everything for Fenrir, who wrapped his hands tighter around her.
“Your ward?” He furrowed his brows.
“Yes, it’s a girl I trained. A friend of mine… she is like a little sister to me,” Astrea explained. “For the past few years, she was the only family I had, and she stayed behind. I can’t leave her there.”
He was thinking for a few seconds before nodding for her to go on.
“Tell me everything and start from the very beginning,”
Fenrir gently stroked her hair, and she felt like there was nothing to lose. With him, she felt secure, and words poured out of her with ease. She started with the first memory of her family, followed by how Joran saved her and her life on the Firstborn island ever since.
At first, Fenrir was calm, but when her story reached the silver pit, she felt his whole body turn to stone, and she could swear that the red specs in his eyes were shifting to real flames from time to time. Like smouldering embers.
“I am going to kill him,” he announced. “I am going to kill my brother.”
“Your… brother?” Astrea’s breathing hitched from the shock as her world turned upside down.
Oh, Goddess!” Astrea found it difficult to breathe because, for a moment there, she thought it was all a product of her inflamed imagination.
Did Fenrir just call Joran his brother?
How was this even possible? This couldn’t be real!
“You are brothers,” she said aloud to try and make the words real. So many thoughts circled through her mind that she didn’t notice how she grasped his hand and squeezed it tight.
As if it could help her.
“Yes.” Fenir was ready to curse himself for the slip-up. It was so dangerous. Too dangerous. He had experience with this and knew that any information had to be revealed carefully; otherwise, the consequences could be brutal.
“This means-” Her sky-blue eyes met his, and he felt a prickle of guilt. “This means he knew precisely where he was sending me.”
“Not exactly,” Fenrir shook his head, “We lost touch decades ago. He found out I was in the East when you arrived here.”
“Decades,” she muttered to herself while staring at him.
She knew for quite some time that her Teacher was more than just a shifter. He was something else entirely. He did not get old, and his powers didn’t match any species. He was a dragon, yet he was too different from any other known dragon shifter in history.
Which could only mean that Fenir was the same. Different from any other wolf.
“Fen- rir-” She tasted his name on her tongue again, getting a completely new flavour this time. “Oh, my god-“
Astrea was lost for words as the realisation finally sunk in.
“You are the wolf god Fenrir!” she gasped, letting go of his hand.
This changed everything!
He lowered his gaze before answering her in a low voice. “
Yes.”
“Why didn’t you- tell me?”
Partially she knew why. Who was she to be informed of such things?
And yet… he chose her. He wanted her. He told this to her time after time.
A whirlwind of emotions struck her. All the puzzle pieces were falling in their places.
It finally made sense. Of course… only a deity could keep Solace protected like this. No witches were ever able to do anything of this magnitude.
He had immense powers…
“Astrea, I couldn’t,” he found her hand again, lacing their fingers together. “It’s not that simple.”
“Are you serious? This is all you are going to give me?” She raised her brow at him but not a muscle flinched on his face.
“All in due time, Astrea. You are too fragile to-“
“Oh,” she huffed a laugh, “that’s a first for me! Do you really think I am that fragile to handle a grown-up conversation after everything I’ve been through?”
“Of course not,” he shook his head, “It’s more complicated than that.”
“I bet it is! You are a freaking god, Fenrir!” She chuckled darkly. “And so is the man who trained me! Is this a coincidence?”
“I highly doubt it,” Fenrir responded honestly, but it still wasn’t enough.
“Tell me everything I need to know!” She demanded.
“Astrea, I can’t! Not like this. You need to remember everything yourself,” he said sternly, running his hand through his hair. “Just trust me on this one, okay? If we rush, you can pay a high price for this. And I can’t- I can’t lose you. Not again.”
She stared at him, searching his face for the answers she so desperately needed. She could already feel the truth, but deep inside, she was afraid even to assume it was possible.
“You need to get some rest,” he cupped her cheek, stroking his thumb over her delicate skin. “We will talk more in the morning, okay?”
Astrea didn’t like this “solution” but nodded at him nonetheless. After all, she did need time to think of what was happening. She had to process it all.
***
Fenrir found himself back in the greenhouse in no time, his heart racing like crazy. Pacing back and forth between the plants, he couldn’t forget the disappointment on her face.
He hated that he couldn’t just pour all the memories into her in one go. He hated this waiting game. He hated to feel this powerless. Just like back then…
Not thinking twice, Fenrir swung his arms, shattering glass panes and sending shards flying in all directions. Pot after pot, stand after stand, he ruined them all one by one to appease the anger rising inside him. The once vibrant and meticulously arranged plants were now crushed under his relentless fury, their delicate leaves and blossoms reduced to debris.
He was breathing heavily when he noticed her.
Astrea was watching him quietly from the doorframe.
“You how long have you been here?” His voice broke in the middle of the sentence.