Filed to story: Luna Riannon and Alpha Brayden Novel
“I did not want to-” Her older sister was fighting a sob that threatened to escape her. “He”
“Come on!” Joran chuckled coldly, enjoying the moment. “I didn’t even have to torture her. The whole thing took me like a minute or two. She sold you out because she did not care about you. The only person who really cared about you is me!”
“Is that so?” Astrea snapped her head in his direction. “Is that what you caring about me looks like?”
He frowned, taking another gulp of the liquid that failed to burn his throat the way he wanted it to. He wished for it to burn away all the pain from his chest, but it wasn’t working.
She still couldn’t see what he saw.
“It’s true,” Riannon admitted. “I don’t want there to be lies between us, Astrea. He asked me about your location and I told him. Maybe if I didn’t, you could have escaped to the East and be safe there with Fenrir.”
“Or maybe he would have found me anyway,” the girl shook her head. “He is a god and a freaking dragon! It was naïve to think I could escape that easily.”
“It’s still my fault-” Riannon exhaled painfully, and Joran let out a bitter laugh.
“Let me guess,” his Dragonfly gave him a contemptuous glance, “you were pregnant, and he threatened to hurt your child?”
“And she chose the brat that wasn’t even born yet!” he” reasoned” and she rolled her eyes at him.
“As she should! This is her child and my nephew! I would have been appalled if she chose otherwise! But that’s something you wouldn’t understand!”
“If she really loved you-” The dragon got angrier and threw the whiskey bottle against the wall right next to Riannon,” myriads of shards flying in all directions, cutting the Western Queen’s skin in several places.
Ria hissed in pain, and Astrea was next to her in seconds.
“Are you out of your mind?” she yelled at the god before her and then concentrated on her sister. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” Riannon cupped her cheek and smiled through tears. “It’s just a scratch, and I am already regenerating.
And to be honest, nothing can ruin this day for me. Not when I finally found you, Asti.”
The word sent a rush of goosebumps down her spine, evoking more childhood memories that were now flooding her mind.
Astrea took off the blazer Devoss gave her and tried to use the fabric to soak the blood from her sister’s wounds, while the latter assured her she was fine.
“Ria, we will talk again soon!” Astrea pulled her into a tight hug and whispered into her ear. “Right now, I need you to find Gideon. Take him and leave back to the West. It’s not safe here at the moment and you have a kid to worry about.
“I am not leaving you!” Riannon embraced her back. “Not again!”
“You are not leaving me,” the Dragonfly smiled. “You are helping me and Fenrir do what is right. In the meantime, you need to take care of your country and your people. You know that.”
The Queen of the West pursed her lips. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear or how they wished for this conversation to go, but they both knew that at this given moment in time, it was the best course of action.
“Just know that me, Gideon and the West are always with you,” Riannon gave her one last hug. “Whatever you need.
Any time.”
“I know,” Astrea smiled and embraced her tighter. “Go, Ria.
We will catch up another time.”
Riannon was about to leave, when she stopped right next to Joran..
“Remember what I told you,” she said through clenched teeth. “I don’t even have to do anything. Your end has already been written!”
“Bye, witch!” he ignored her and stepped onto the balcony, crushing the glass under his boots.
He waited for the sounds of receding steps to disappear before he spoke up again.
“Is it finally my turn?”
“What do you want?” The woman snapped, throwing the blazer over the rail and meeting his gaze.
“Really, Astrea? Is that all you have to tell me after everything?” He ran his hand through his blonde hair.
*I just know you better,” she retorted: “You always want something.”
“I saved you!” he bellowed.
“And turned me into your slave! You are sad now because I am not wearing my collar anymore. Or am I wrong?”
“Everything I did was for your protection,” he threw his head back, trying not to look at her because it was too painful for his liking.
“You know it’s a lie just as well as I do.” Astrea shook her head. “Get over it.”
She turned on her heels to leave, but he caught her arm, fingers digging into her flesh.
“Why?” A fire she hadn’t seen before burned in his eyes. “
Why, after all these years, you couldn’t fall for me?”
Joran held her tight, and she glared at him so fiercely that his heart clenched painfully. He did not even realise before that moment how much she meant to him and how much she hated him.
Not like that.
“Why?” He repeated. “Why couldn’t you fall for me? I was always there, doing everything for you!”
Astrea stared at him for a few minutes, shocked he had to ask her that.
“Because I was already taken!” She replied, making him flinch at her words. “Because I never saw you that way. You never acted like a man who knew how to love, a man with whom I could feel safe, and to be absolutely honest, I still think you don’t know what actual love is.”
Those words were like a slap to him, and his first instinct was to pull her closer.
“I have lived for thousands of years. Do you think I have never been in love before? I know very well what love is!”
“You had women in your life, no doubt there,” Astrea tilted her head, meeting his gaze. “But would you sacrifice yourself for any of them? You are an immortal, and where are all those women now?”
His fingers unclenched, letting her go, and she straightened her dress, distancing herself as far as the balcony would allow it.
“I cared for you. I cherished you. I didn’t push you. Don’t think for one second I couldn’t have done whatever the hell I wanted to you.” The bitter words left him while the pain was still spreading through his chest.
“You don’t get a medal for not forcing me,” she cut him off and turned away. “It’s not how it works, Joran.”
Joran wanted to spin her around so that she faced him again and yell at her, but something told him it would only make matters worse, so he stormed out of the balcony to find more alcohol. It was annoying how much fiery liquid was required to make him stop feeling anything.
Sometimes his divine status seemed like a curse.
He bumped into someone at the end of the corridor and swore under his breath.
“Don’t stop on my account.” The God of Vengeance measured him from head to toe with his gaze. “It’s not like we have anything to talk about.”
“What, no deals then?” Joran let out a dark chuckle.
“No deals for you, that is.” Vidars lips curled into a merciless smile. “I don’t think I need you anymore.
Someone else took advantage of my offer, and they will reap the benefits.”
“Some benefits!” Joran scoffed, rolling his eyes. “To be locked away as your subject in Asgard forever?”
“Nothing you will have to worry about anymore.” Vidar kept walking, demonstrating that he was done with this conversation.
Joran was happy to get rid of him, and although initially, he wanted to be left alone, his legs somehow brought him back somewhere else while he processed what he had just heard.
He saw his brother talking to his team next to the Convocation Hall.
“May I have a word?” He interrupted them, and Fenir raised a brow questioningly but still followed him to an empty corner of the grand corridor.