STRIKERShe fell asleep in my arms, but I couldn’t do the same. Having her body clinging to me after so long was doing the usual things to me. I was out of breath, my heart was beating so fucking fast that I wanted to punch it to slow it down.On top of it, lingered Dustin’s scent on her. It didn’t let me rest, not for a single moment.So, when she started to snore, I removed her arms from around me and got down from the bed. Separating myself from her proved hard—harder than the last time because I didn’t have that strong resolve anymore. When I asked her to leave a month ago, I was not aware of how painful and haunting it was going to be, for me, but now I knew—and I still had to do it.I sucked in a sharp breath and walked out of the cabin without stealing a single glance at her gorgeous face. I was not sure I would have found it in me to step out if I had caught a glimpse of her, that’s why I didn’t look at her the last time either—this thing, this one thing was always going to re
STRIKER“ We can not defeat him. We can use all our force, and kill all his army, but we can not defeat Levian. ” He said, keeping the stoic face on.I searched for a hint of sarcasm, but there was none this time either.“ How do you know it if we haven’t tried? We are greater in numbers now and we are advanced. We don’t go by the old ways an— ”“ Levian has seen it all. ” Dustin cut me off. “ he is the age of the first Lycan—fucking centuries years old. And if our grandfather’s grandpa couldn’t defeat him…how do you expect us to do that with the South hiding behind a wall, the West facing a threat of attack every day, the East having a puppet for a King, and the North fucking in the middle of every fuckery? ” “ You are talking like a little shit. ” I rolled my eyes.“ I see things for what they are, Striker. I don’t waste my time on stupid little hopes, and daydreams. In short, we are fucked. And you are double fucked because the wall in the West has fucking holes big enough to attr
NORA Margarette's face haunted my sleep, chased me until I gave up on resting. It had been so long until I had a dead dude hunting me down, making me scared. I thought I was beyond this stage where I would wake up in bed, drenched in sweat, feel pain in my heart and stare at the ceiling for some minutes straight. But it was all coming back again. The harder I was trying to run, be selfish and be happy like my mother had asked me to do…the more I was moving in the other direction. I had become just like her. Just like her in hell. Getting down on my knees, pleading, crying, telling him I was in pain…I had lost it. I had no control over myself, I couldn’t help it anymore. Striker took away my strong resolve, left me with the same pathetic tendencies as my mother. That’s why my mother had often told me to never fall in love, never be weak for a man, and never be selfless. I could imagine my mother shaking her head in disappointment, thinking I failed her. I failed to be happy.
NORANo Moving. No Running. No Breathing.I became a statue instantly. My muscles were so taut and sharp that I felt like I was going to crumble with a harsh breeze my way.“ Nora. ” He whispered, in an almost inaudible voice.And it sent my nerves into raging mode. Nora? He had the audacity to call me Nora—the same nickname my mother gave me?“ Don’t. ” I hissed, turning around.There were no tears, no dropping to knees, or a dramatic breakdown. I always knew this day was going to come. I had hoped I was wrong and had done everything to prove myself wrong.But when my gaze landed on the all-familiar man with dark eyes, and short hair that was turning grey from the edges…I just…couldn’t keep the tremors from claiming my hands.Needles pricked my eyes, my heart, and my flesh making me stumble back. My father, on the other hand, had his eyes wide, his face painted with shock and relief at the same time.All the memories that I had locked away, the happy moments, and the worst moment cam
NORAI didn’t know what to make of this whole situation, the new truth and a different direction to life.I suffered for nothing. When it was for my mother, because of my father, or even for Striker…I suffered for nothing because I got nothing out of the suffering.“ I am sorry. ” I muttered quietly as I sat on the chair opposite my father’s chair.All eyes were on me. Dustin, Tyson, Dad…everyone was watching me, giving me a headache. It was as if they all knew I was stupid. I had never felt so dumb in all honesty.“ It’s not your fault. ” Dad whispered.And then silence fell between us.Even after knowing he had not killed Mom, I didn’t know what to say or feel. Things were the same. The fact that Dad had led her to her death would never change, even if he was not the one who ordered her and my murder.Some things were hard to take back. If he had come back sooner, if only he never left, if he stayed with us…things would have been different.Perhaps, it was not only about Dad. I had
STRIKERA week. It had been a week full of confusion, hurt, anger, and then just…haziness. I didn’t know how I was getting by. I just knew that by the third day, I had become awfully calm. There was no raging storm, no signs of any destructive emotion, not even the crippling love that I had for Nora. Everything had been ruined by the constant night terror that came to haunt me whenever I dared to close my eyes.The same place—the cozy cottage in the forest that I would have loved to explore. But, the scene in my nightmare had tainted the perfect location, and the coziness of the place.In those nightmares, I always watched Nora with Dustin in fucked up positions. I had heard her tell me that she loved him and not me. Never me. She had screamed it, yelled it, and confessed her love for Dustin so many times that my ability to feel pain had become overwhelmed and everything had gone cold, numb, and dead. I had told myself over and over again that she had the right to choose, but I co
NORAMy first interaction with Eliana also known as the Queen of the East was not what I expected. Of course, I was anticipating a frying pan my way or at least, a heel thrown over my head in anger. But she was nothing like that.When Dad dragged the reluctant me to the so-called home that I was quite nervous to even see, I was expecting the worst of worst. I was not looking forward to a clean white-walled castle, that had high towers like Euthoria Fortress but adorned with flower veils. There were colors everywhere—blue, pink, Yellow, green…every other color I couldn’t even think of. Now, I knew what West lacked. Euthoria Fortress was built like a place that was supposed to be strong. It was supposed to withstand all attacks and threats. But, the Eastcairn Citadel—the castle of the East was built more like a spring home, filled with colors.I should have been ecstatic after seeing the Eastcairn Citadel which was never-ending and was more lively than Euthoria Fortress…but I missed t
NORA“ Or shall I ask… whom do you want to be with, Lenora? ” My heart skipped a beat as a pair of black eyes sparkling with a magenta hue flashed in my head. Magical, mysterious, Intense.“ I think it’s time you stop running and make a decision. Whom do you want to be with? Striker? Or Dustin? ” Tyson whispered. “ I will support you in all the decisions but you have to make one now. You can not keep running from one side to another. It’s going to break a heart or hearts. I can not stand that and I can not stand you getting hurt either. I care about you, Lenora, and I care about Dustin and Striker. ” He had never voiced out his care before, but now he was doing it…and it felt like the wrong time.“ Striker left me. ” I mumbled.That was the whole point. I had never held grudges but right now, I was carrying hot lava inside my chest. I was mad at Striker and didn’t want to see him ever again but secretly, I kept calling out to him.“ Dustin told me. ” Tyson sighed. “ Striker acted li