Filed To Story: Luna Riannon and Alpha Brayden Novel
“Goodbye then,” she took a step in his direction, and he didn’t take his eyes off her. A part of her was disappointed that he didn’t try to stop her, and she didn’t know why.
“Goodbye, Astrea,” his words sounded dull and lifeless, and she took another step.
One kiss, one quick stab into the artery on his neck. Easy.
She could do it. She was trained to kill; this wasn’t anything special.
Just. One. Kiss.
“Don’t miss me too much,” she brushed her palm over his cheek, his beard prickling her fingers, creating goosebumps all over her for some reason.
“No promises,” Fenir’s voice rasped in his chest, and she halted abruptly. Why would he say something like this?
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Astrea stood on her tiptoes, and he lowered himself gently. Initially, her plan was to pretend that she was going to kiss his cheek and then ambush him the next moment. The Dragonfly was about to do this when she decided to back away at the last moment. That didn’t work. Fenrir caught her waist and pulled her closer, crashing his lips into hers.
His lips moved against hers with hunger as old as time, one hand pressing her tighter against his chest while the other tangled in her hair. Fenir snarled into her mouth, deepening the kiss, their breathing ragged.
It was the perfect moment, and Astrea’s hand rested on the belt where she secured her dagger, fingers brushing over the cold metal that could take the rogue’s life in less than a second.
She could do it
She had to do it.
For Niki…
“Mine!” The word left his mouth, and she gasped for air, pushing him away because… because he wasn’t supposed to say this!
The perfect assassination moment was gone.
Fenrir nodded understandingly, trying to catch his breath and kill the glow in his eyes. Nova was going crazy inside.
They never felt anything like this before, and Astrea couldn’t explain this.
“I should leave!” she blurted out and noticed how quickly Fenrir clenched his jaw, his eyes full of anticipation just a moment ago turned cold and distant.
“As you say,” he said dryly, not trying to stop her.
Anger washed over her. He couldn’t kiss her like that and then wave her goodbye.
She wouldn’t be begging him to stay, either. If he was fine with it, so be it. The Dragonfly wished she had those emotions moments ago when she had the dagger in her hand. That would have been so helpful.
Instead, she turned on her heels and started walking.
Plan C, she announced to Nova. We leave the city, regroup, call help, wait for Fenir to be alone again and then
“Wait!” the rogue growled, and her treacherous heart skipped a beat.
“I knew you missed me already,” she angled her head to give him a taunting smile. “What do you want now?”
“You see, Astrea,’ the corners of Fenrirs lips turned upwards, ‘if you leave Solace, there is a catch-*
***ASGARD***
It was just one stupid dance, but Fenrir couldn’t get her out of his head for the past two days. Tyr’s words were also coursing through his mind, and although no
announcements had been made as of yet… the possibility bothered him.
So, he went to the only place that brought him peace the cliff above the cave where he usually met with his brother.
No one ever went there because there wasn’t anything particularly interesting near that river. However, when he reached his destination today, everything looked different.
He paused at the gates that definitely weren’t there the las time he checked, but when he sensed the familiar energy, his instincts compelled him to enter what looked like a garden.
Fenrir was greeted by moonstone arches and columns, sparkling with a silver light that glinted off the surrounding rocks.
Glowing flowers lined the winding paths, shimmering with iridescent hues of blue, purple and gold, interspersed with exotic plants that seemed to swirl and dance playfully in the night breeze.
Pure magic.
Foreign magic.
“You are not supposed to be here!” Astraea tried to sound reproachful, but her voice betrayed her as she couldn’t hid a little note of excitement.
Fenrir froze, transfixed at the sight before him. She wore a delicate silver and white dress that seemed to shimmer with the light of the stars. Nothing like women wore here it Asgard. Her hair, a cascade of gleaming silver locks, hung down her back like a gentle waterfall of starlight.
Astraea was mesmerising as she stepped out of the shadows to meet his gaze.
“Me?” Fenrir scoffed, leaning against a nearby column as i he was leisurely passing by. “How about you? What do you think you are doing in a realm that isn’t yours? Alone and a night… Exploiting our land.”
Unlike her, he didn’t have trouble pretending. He spent mo: of his life playing a role that wasn’t really his. So, when he furrowed his brows, a shadow of doubt ran across the woman’s beautiful face.
Astraea regained her composure quickly, though.
“This is my gift for Asgard, she lifted her chin, sending hin a daring glance. “And I have official permission from the ruler to do whatever I like here.”
“That doesn’t sound like good old Odin at all” Fenri chuckled. “He is very territorial about everything that belongs to him.”
“Maybe he just likes me more!” She suggested with a giggl that died down at once when she realised what she had just said. “I’m sorry-“she covered her lips with her fingers quickly, and something warm spread across Fenrir’s chest.
Because she cared.
“You have nothing to apologise for.’ He cleared his throat, not sure what to say next.
“It’s good that you are here!” Astraea said suddenly and grasped his hand, breaking down the walls he had built up over his lifetime, tearing them down in less than a second.
“Come with me! You can help me test it.”
“Test what?” He asked, although he didn’t really care. She was pulling him deep into the garden, and he was more than happy to oblige. There probably wouldn’t be another chance like this during the day, and he wanted as much time with this unpredictable young goddess as he could get.
“You know everything about this place and what they like. am worried that my gift is not good enough,” she bit her lower lip, probably not realising what kind of effect it had on him. “So, I will show you everything first, and you can tell me what you think.”
“I am afraid you will owe me more than a dance after this” he let out a low laugh.
“I think you are mistaken,” Astraea arched her brow at him
“You are the one who owes me now.”
Their gazes locked, and he noticed how a pink tint crept uf her cheeks.
“Is that how you see it?” Fenrir’s lips curled into a smirk, and her smile faded. She still held his hand, and he felt. how she squeezed it tighter.
“They shouldn’t treat you that way,” she whispered as if she was afraid that someone would hear them.
His whole body stiffened because he knew that she meant it. It was the first time someone said it out loud. Someone other than his father or Jor.
“Lead the way.” He changed the subject swiftly, and that pretty smile curved her lips again.
She walked him through the labyrinth she’d created here and explained every turn, arch, and sculpture. Everything had meaning and he was amazed by how her mind worked.
“The garden’s true power lies in its bloom, which only occurrs at night,’ Astrea explained. “These are not just regular flowers. I sprayed each with my personal magic, and because of that, every time the moon rises and the stars appear in the sky-“
“They will glow,” Fenrir finished her thought.
He looked around again, seeing how the flowers erupted in a chorus of luminescence, illuminating the whole garden and casting everything in a soft and mystical glow. It was then that the garden truly came alive, blossoming into a ric of colour and magic. Her magic. A particle of her soul.
Something Asgardians would never appreciate. She poure her heart and soul into this place, but they would never ser it or even if they did… they would never care. It pained him to know that all her effort would be in vain.