NORAShe is dying. Three words, yet a torment for a lifetime.The rationality, the will to hold back, the determination to not leave until ending things properly between North and East perished with the news.One piece of information, and the sleeping Nora woke up with a threatening force. I ditched Dustin, the whole North, and East, and set out for the West. The rest of the world could burn in hell for all I cared. In my haste, I did ask Dustin to tell Dad about my departure and to let him know my answer to his question with equally startling three words. ‘ It’s Striker, Dad. ’ I knew when Dad got that message he would understand what I meant. He would be furious, but I didn’t care.I only cared about myself, and my sanity that was dangling by a dangerous thread. Standing outside the closed gates of the Euthoria Fortress, and waiting for them to open up was pushing me to unknown limits.I swear to Satan’s Buttocks, if Striker had strange ideas about keeping me outside for the whol
NORA “ Yes. It’s all because of you. Cry some more. ” The voice croaked sulkily. Amanah was so hurt because of me that she felt the need to stab me in the heart. It was all because of me. Everything was my fault. “ I am sorry, Amanah! ” I sobbed. “ I know I hurt you too…so please forgive me. ” “ Amanah shouldn’t forgive you. ” The voice moped. I blinked to clear my blurred vision. Granny’s face came into my view. Her eyes threw daggers at me, and it scared the hell out of me. I yelped, jumping in my spot and almost dropping to my butt. “ Granny! ” I yelled, and before I knew it, I was throwing myself at her, holding onto her. My heart was beating so fast that I wondered if my heart had invented a new machine that pumped my blood faster in my veins. But, it was only probably shock…and then utter relief and wait a moment— “ You are alive! ” I hissed, pulling myself back from her arms. “ You wanted me dead? ” Granny glared at me. It took a fraction of a moment for me to piece
NORAI told Granny and Amanah everything from the start. Except for what Dustin did.I told them what misunderstandings Striker and I had between us, but I didn’t tell them who created them. I didn’t want Granny to get angry at him. He confessed and apologized for everything. There was no need to drag his name through the mud.“ Why didn’t you explain yourself to Striker? ” Granny repeated the same thing for the tenth time in a scary, grumbling voice.“ I… ” I pouted. “ he never gives me the chance to explain. ” ‘ Liar! ’ Zoey hissed.I sighed. “ Actually, I am bad at explaining. It’s not Striker’s fault.”“ So you rejected His Highness when he came to bring you back instead of talking to him? Do you not know how important a mate bond is to a Lycan? Mates are not supposed to be like this. I am disappointed in you. ” I was surprised when Amanah became the one to scold me more than Granny.She was fuming. If fire burst out of her flaring nostrils, I would have to hide under the bed.“
NORAStriker leaned in. His hot breaths fanned my forehead as I visibly shuddered. He still had a maddening effect on me. There was nothing that could change the way I reacted to him and his nearness to me.I loved this man too much. I didn’t even care about a supposed fated mate when it came to him.My lips puckered out as he closed what little distance was left between us. His lips hovered above mine, so close, so in reach. My eyes closed as my heartbeat drummed in my ears and awkwardly in my lips.“ Very well. ” He breathed, instead of kissing the hell out of me like I thought he would do.“ What very well? ” My eyes snapped open, meeting his amused gaze.“ If the Princess needs me to escort her to the main door…respectfully…how can I refuse? ” He smirked and tightened his hold over my hand.My eyes narrowed into slits. I opened my mouth to send him to hell, but he shut me up by tugging at my hand.Turning around, Striker straightened his stupid spine and pulled me in the direction
STRIKER“ They finished their work on that side. We don’t have to worry about anything, Your Highness. ” Chester informed me as I sat on the throne, staring at him, but not quite able to see him.I could make out the words, but couldn’t process them in my head because that space was occupied by the trouble that decided she wanted to barge back inside my life and turn it upside down again.“ Your Highness? ” He sighed when I didn’t reply.“ We can do this later. ” I dismissed him with a wave of my hand and rose to my feet.“ I heard Princess Lenora arrived in the morning. ” He spoke when I stepped down the first stair.“ From where do you hear all this, Alpha? Do you spend all your time spying on me and the Euthoria Fortress? ” I smirked.“ I met Queen Grandmother before you, Your Highness. That’s how I found out. ” Revealing in a resigned tone, he got up.“ You are good at befriending everyone. That’s good. ” I nodded and started towards the door.“ Your Highness. ” Chester called out
NORAWhite color surrounded me. The daisy flowers all moved with the light breeze, like living breathing creatures.My jaw hung low as I walked, and walked, and walked. There was no end in sight. But it was beautiful.I glanced down at my body and found myself wearing a white knee-length dress that flared with each gust of soothing wind.Where was I? I didn’t know. But oddly, I knew it was a dream. The day was too bright, and the place was too beautiful to be real.“ After multiple failed attempts from my side, someone finally took the bait and did it. ” The soft whisper broke my peaceful trance.I whirled around. The flowers mirrored my gesture as if they were attuned to my every move, every breath. My eyes scanned the area, the endless soft flowers. There was no one around.Satan’s Buttocks. Was I hearing voices in my dreams now?Probably lost too much of my mind.“ I am here. ” The voice spoke again, softer this time, more feathery, more appealing.I took a whole 360 turn and still
STRIKER‘ It can be our child. ’ Beast snarled. ‘ Why are you not even considering that possibility? ’My head was about to split into two. I wanted to bash it in because of the constant headache. Beast was causing this by trying to fight for my control over him.‘ Ask her. Talk to her once. Maybe, she found out about it and came back to you. ’ He hissed when I didn’t answer.I didn’t even want to think about it. I didn’t want to hope that I made her pregnant, that she was carrying my child yet she loved another man. And what if it was not mine? What if was really Dustin’s child? That was going to break my heart all over again. I was not ready for this. I was never ready for anything, any emotion she ripped out of my chest and claimed as her own.And here she was, doing everything all over again without lifting a single finger.“ The message was sent, Your Highness. ” One of the guards informed me from the doorway of the throne room.I tore my gaze from the carpet and glared at him i
STRIKERThe doors to my study cracked open, and Dustin strolled inside. There was no hesitation in the way he walked, or stared ahead. He was the same—the usual calculative Dustin everyone knew him to be.“ Why? ” The absurdity of the question irked me.“ You know why, Striker. ” Dustin didn’t wonder what I was asking about. He knew what it was about.“ I believed you will never lie to people you care about, Dustin. To friends and family. ” I gripped the edge of the desk, staring at him keenly.I would have expected this from everyone else—even Tyson at some point but never Dustin. We were together since we figured out how to pronounce each other’s names. He was always like this, to everyone else, but not to me or to Tyson.“ Are you not going to say you didn’t want to do it or how it must have hurt you to lie to my fucking face? ” I narrowed my eyes into slits, as the calmness stirred and a fiery sense of betrayal overcame my senses.He needed to say the right words. He always did.
Hey Sweet Readers! So, after some eight months (that's really a lot. I didn't know so much time had passed honestly), the story is complete. Nora and Striker's story was different from all the stories I ever wrote before. I didn't know what overcame me when I started writing this story and decided to make Nora a crackhead from the beginning *evil laugh*, but I guess, I wanted to try something unique for the first time. I was tired of the usual All Dark Romances with the FL getting tortured and the ML being an a-hole. It was really an experiment. I was nervous about it in the beginning because I doubted anyone would want to read this book, but you all my sweet readers proved me wrong. I can't thank you enough for the support you always show me and I will never stop saying it ❤️ Like all the books before, I unconsciously delayed writing the end of this story because I was too attached to the characters but I am glad I was able to finish it. Now what's next? I am sure you all are wo
NORA “ I went to look for him before any of you did. ” He whispered and pushed himself away from the railing. “ I always will. ” I was left speechless once again. He walked away from me and left his words hanging in the air. ‘ He fucked everything up. ’ Striker groaned down our link. ‘ Make sure Ryder doesn’t see any of it. ’ I sighed and decided to follow the rest of the crowd to see what was being done. People stepped aside to give me way when they noticed my aura and me. I exited the grand hall and approached the throne room. Everyone followed me closely, eager to witness the King of the East and his new shenanigan. I came to a slow halt as I noticed blood painting the floor outside the golden double doors of the throne room. I picked up my head and stared at the man in the distance. Tyson was sitting on the grey concrete seat that had golden engravings. He was only wearing his jeans, and the upper half of his body was bare. His legs were spread apart as he rested back on
NORA Tyson couldn’t stay with us for long. He fulfilled his promise to me, gave Jack back to Striker, and then departed for the East. The little time he spent with me was enough for me to know something had changed in him. Maybe, everything had changed. His voice was no longer gentle. His eyes didn’t shine. He lost his genuine smile that used to touch the hearts. I wanted to know if it was because he was part vampire now. But, I didn’t get the chance as Striker was attached to his side first and then, it was Ryder who refused to leave him alone. Surprisingly, Ryder was able to pull the old Tyson out of him for a little while. When he smiled at him, it was real. And even for a small amount of time, Tyson’s eyes shone bright again. It was enough for me to sit back and just watch the first interaction between my son and my brother. There was still hope for Tyson. He was not all lost. And after two weeks of his return, I was proved right. I was sent an invitation from the East
NORA It was unexpected but people got used to the absence of the wall pretty fast. Levian could be credited for this perhaps. Because he didn’t attack us after the day he promised me the things he did. Vampires and humans were rarely seen. That was the case with Tyson too. He didn’t return even after two years passed. Dad went back to being the King in Tyson’s place while the three Kingdoms waited for the return of the King of the East. That’s what I liked to believe before I visited the East and realized the harsh truth. The people of the East were ecstatic that they didn’t have to deal with a rapist King anymore. They flourished during the reign of my Dad. I didn’t want to, but I felt bitter towards those people. Striker told me at that time. Tyson has to do a lot of work to make people believe in him again. But, I didn’t agree with him. People treated him harshly due to an accusation that was not even trialed or proven. They didn’t care what it made him feel or put him
STRIKER When I didn’t find her sleeping beside me earlier, I felt the worse fear of my life. Panic and anger became one, consuming my every thought, and hijacking my every move. I searched for her like a madman. In the castle. In my mind. And when I realized where she must be, all logic evaded me. I ran to save her, desperate to get to her before she ended up in danger. I was not terrified for one but two lives. My whole world, my family, my love was at risk…and there was nothing I wanted more than to have it all back. Nora made me go through all this. I could understand her desperation to find her brother but she didn’t need to do this to me. I would have gone to find Tyson anyway. I would have done everything to bring him back. For a moment, I was angry that she didn’t trust me, didn’t believe in me…and this thought drove me crazy. But it didn’t mean this anger would push me away from her. On the contrary, I found myself becoming more possessive. After what happened to
NORA“ It’s Lenora Skoldofr now. ” My voice echoed in the silent hall. “ I am the mate of Alpha King of the West. Do I need other reasons? ” “ Women are not…” Another started again but closed his mouth when I looked at him.Or maybe, because Striker looked at him at the same time.A little part of me found it infuriating but if I needed Striker’s shadow to get things done, I wouldn’t mind. I would never fight with him over this.“ I know you all were discussing the vampire threat. ” I started.All eyes were on me, judging and rejecting. Women were not supposed to take part in such activities.“ I want to be useful and suggest something to the Alpha King. ” If I needed to rely on him, so be it.“ What suggestion? ” Striker wondered, craning his neck to look at me.Instead of getting up and towering over me, he let me remain the taller one. Turning to me, and staying in this position didn’t affect him in front of all these people.“ We have a small army. ” I stated, as a matter of fact
NORAStriker didn’t ask me about Tyson again. We had come to a silent agreement that until his return, we wouldn’t discuss him. I was relieved. But, I couldn’t get Tyson out of my mind.When we came back, Granny was waiting for me. Instead of scolding me as she had done once before, she embraced me. I was given clothes to wear, and Striker was taken to the throne room by a warrior.Apparently, my adorable, violent mate had summoned the whole Kingdom and all the Alphas for any possible war. Now, he needed to send everyone back. Granny didn’t let me follow him when I tried to go. She pulled me to the sitting area, her hold firm on my wrist.She was scared.Everyone was scared.Except Amanah. She was scared and hurt.Right after she saw me sit in the sitting area, she turned and left me with Granny. My heart drowned, but then it went back inside my chest when I realized I could always talk to her.Amanah would never hate me, or remain angry at me forever.“ I was not expecting such an
NORA Levian was not a liar. When he said he wouldn’t fight, he stayed true to his words. He made all his people stand back. All I had to do was to go to my fuming Striker after that. He was still spitting fire, that burned the ground he walked on. When he saw me coming, his wolf stopped glowing like a stove and calmed down. His head dipped a little low, letting me step closer. ‘ We are not fighting today, Striker. ’ I whispered down the mind link. ‘ What makes you think I will leave him alone when I have him just in front of me? ’ He snarled. He was angry and barely holding that flaring fire back. It was clear that this was all now directed at me because I ran away from home. ‘ We will not provoke him like our ancestors, Striker. I—We need to do things differently. Repeating the same mistakes won’t make us win. ’ I sighed. ‘ And retreating like cowards will? ’ His wolf stepped forth, almost brushing against my shoulders. The heat of his body warmed my skin. I expected his fire
NORAI didn’t think it would be this easy to convince Levian to talk to me alone, and to let Striker really let me go. But, they both didn’t protest. I was stunned for a moment but then my gaze fell on Tyson who had turned his back to us. The surprise vanished. Worry took its place.What was he going through? There was no way of finding out. He wouldn’t tell anyone. He was the kind who liked to suffer alone.Sighing, I walked towards Levian. The crack in the ground still baffled me, but it was not as surprising as it was supposed to be. The ability felt natural and didn’t make me uncomfortable.Levian turned around when he saw me approaching. He led me towards the trees in the distance.‘ Careful. ’ Striker murmured in my head furiously.‘ Nothing will happen. You are right behind me. ’ I huffed.He grumbled but didn’t say anything.Levian stopped close to a tree and turned around all of a sudden. I paused, my brows lifting to my forehead.He raised his hand and waved it in the air.