Filed To Story: Luna Riannon and Alpha Brayden Novel
“So, what do you think?” she caught him off-guard. “Is it beautiful enough?”
“It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” he replied, not taking his eyes off her.
“Do you think Freyja would like it?” Astrea smiled, and his treacherous heart began racing again in his chest.
“She loves nature and flowers” he said. “She will love it.”
Astraea’s smile became brighter, and he realised he wante to see more of that.
“You know what may be a good touch here,” he casually suggested, rubbing the back of his neck.
“What?” She looked at him through her long lashes.
“Runes,” he crossed his arms over his chest to look more serious while he was spouting nonsense.
“Runes?” She looked puzzled.
“Yeah, runes. Freyja created quite a few magical ones for luck, prosperity, fertility and so on. If it’s her approval you
seek-“
“But I… don’t know any runes.” Their eyes locked, and the corner of his lips tilted upwards.
“Well then,” he sighed, “you are in luck, because I know every single one.”
She sucked in a breath, and he knew that everything woul depend on her response now.
“Are you suggesting that you’d help me?” she asked.
“And absolutely free of charge,’ he nodded, trying to hold back that smirk that threatened to escape him.
“Chivalry in Asgard is blooming,” she gave him a look that implied she knew what he was doing, and for a second, he was sure she was going to decline his offer. “How long do you think it will take us?”
“At least a week,” he blurted out, and she tried to suppress giggle. “Maybe two or three if we want to do all of them.”
“Wouldn’t it be too much?” she taunted.
“No, sounds about right,’ he stepped closer. He was planning to make those two weeks count.
***SOLACE***
“I knew there would be a catch!” Astrea narrowed her eyes at him, and Fenrir shrugged.
“Depends on how you look at it, really,” he said nonchalantly.
“What is it?” she snapped, lips still burning from his kiss. A kiss she wouldn’t mind repeating even though she’d sooner die than admit it.
“If you cross the border of Solace, you will forget everything about this place and what happened here,” he informed her, knowing this changed everything.
“Big deal,” she scoffed, tensing on the inside. There was no way she could return to Joran without Fenrir dead or at least some kind of valuable information. “So, l’d forget the tour of the city and a very questionable dinner.” She still tried to pretend it didn’t matter.
“And the kiss of your life!” A laugh rumbled through Fenrir’s chest.
“Don’t flatter yourself!” she hissed, wondering if any kind of magic could erase that from her mind. She doubted it. “I’ve already forgotten it.”
“I don’t know how you’ve lasted so long at your job,” Fenrir stepped closer, towering over her. “You are a terrible liar.”
“Or maybe you are a terrible kisser!” she retorted defiantly, knowing it sounded stupid. “Overestimating yourself mu-“
He leaned lower as if he was about to kiss her again, and she lost her train of thought completely, their breaths mingling as one.
“You were saying?” he chuckled, his beard barely brushing over her skin.
“I am leaving!” she seethed through her teeth, balling her fists.
“Bye then.” Fenrir’s lips curved.
“Just so that you know, it’s not freedom if people have to stay here!” Astrea tilted her head, locking their eyes once again.
“No one has to stay here. That’s the whole point. Everyone who wants to leave is free to do so. Yourself included.
Wanna leave? Be my guest!”
“And if someone here decides to leave, do they forget their family?” Astrea furrowed her brows. “Don’t you think that it’s cruel? Is there anything worse than not remembering the ones you love?”
His throat bobbed with emotion. If only she knew what she was talking about.
“Trust me, it’s more painful for the ones who do remember!” he told her, and her lips parted when she noticed the look in his eyes.
“Did… Did someone forget you?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Anyway,” he decided to return to the original topic. “Are you leaving or staying?”
She wanted to reply but quickly realised that she hadn’t made the decision and had no clue what to do now. She wasn’t prepared to leave. If she did now, Joran would own her for the rest of her life
They stared at each other for a few more seconds when she realised something.
“But you can leave,” she pointed out.
“I can,” he confirmed.
“And so can Devoss and Salome,” Astrea continued.
“The trusted circle can leave and return as they please.”
Fenrir watched her intensely.
Nova, I think I know what to do next! Astrea mentally grinned at her wolf.
Stay and find out how the others leave, Nova sneered. Then leave the same way and use Solace as the bargaining chip for trading our and Niki’s freedom.
Yeah, exactly- The woman agreed, but for some reason, she didn’t feel happiness or excitement. It didn’t feel like a victory at all.
“I will still remember that Unicorn thing,” she suddenly said, although there was no reason to remind him of that. What if he changed his mind about letting her leave based on that?
The question is if you want to leave, Nova said in a strange tone. I am getting mixed signals here.
“You will forget, he nodded, eyes on her at all times.
“Didn’t you bring me here so that I couldn’t tell anyone?”
Astrea reminded him.
“That wasn’t the only reason. And I don’t think you will tell anyone about that.”
“What makes you so sure?” Now she was genuinely interested. He couldn’t possibly trust her with this kind of information.
“It’s the last Nightmare,” Fenrir disclosed what had to be a secret. “If you tell Joran about it, he will hunt it and kill it.”
“And you decided that I would care about it… why exactly?”
Her brows went up. “That thing poisoned me!”
“But right before that, it bonded to you.” The rogue’s words stunned her. He gave her a few seconds to process this information and went on with a chuckle. “What? You didn’t think a Nightmare lets just anyone touch it? Besides, if anyone else wrapped their hands around his horn, they would be dead instantly. He softened the blow for you.”
“Wh-why?” Astrea looked at him with wide eyes.