Norris (2)
“Mate,” the creature growled softly, none other than Norris, the Lycan, and the wolf side of Alkrevas.
“N-Norris…”
“My mate… I missed you…” Norris said in a voice deeper than Alkrevas’s, with an Alpha aura and aggressive energy emanating strongly from the Lycan’s body. Luna eyed the deadly claws before glancing at the Lycan’s snout. She stepped back nervously and carefully, not wanting to reveal her intentions to Norris.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
“No, mate. Don’t be afraid of me… don’t… forgive me… I hurt my mate…”
Luna felt her back press against something hard, and when she turned, she realized she was cornered against the wall of the Tower.
Damn it! Luna cursed inwardly and looked back at Norris. She saw the Lycan step closer, making her body tremble even more with fear, and her heart pounded rapidly.
“You… how did you get in? Alkrevas set up protective magic…” Luna dared to ask, trying to push aside her fear and trauma. She felt so pathetic at that moment, cornered and trembling with fear. She felt like prey, while Norris was the predator, which, in reality, he was.
“I wanted to see my mate, mortals can’t do anything.”
“Are you going to do that to me again?”
Norris shook his head.
“Why won’t you do that to me again?”
“I don’t want to hurt my mate, and I’m holding back so my mate won’t hate me even more.” Luna believed it was difficult for him to do so, especially on a moon night like this. She remembered the knights saying that Norris would kill all the criminals on a moon night as an outlet for the full moon’s effects.
Luna held her breath and closed her eyes when she saw the Lycan suddenly raise his hand, reaching out to her, making her mind flash back to that night in the underground prison. But the dark memory faded when she heard a sad whimper. Slowly, Luna hesitantly opened her eyes and widened them in shock when she saw Norris crouching with a tragic expression. The Lycan’s eyes looked round like a puppy’s, and his tail moved slowly before tucking between his hind legs. Luna blinked in surprise, seeing Norris behaving like a puppy seeking attention and affection. Then she watched as Norris crawled closer and stopped right at her feet.
The whimpering continued, and Luna wasn’t sure what surprised her more, seeing Norris enter her room or witnessing the world’s most dangerous predator cowering, kneeling, and acting like a puppy in front of her.
Luna didn’t know how to react. Her body was stiff, and her heart couldn’t stop pounding rapidly. Cold sweat began to dampen the nape of her neck and her temples. Norris whimpered again, widening his eyes at her, behaving so submissively. Luna swallowed hard and extended her hand, and suddenly, Norris stuck out his tongue and licked her palm in a gesture full of apology.
Luna couldn’t help but let the corners of her lips lift. Could this dangerous predator become adorable? Her trauma still loomed over her, but unlike before, a tiny spark of courage allowed Luna to consider giving Norris a second chance.
After that lick, Norris stood still like a statue. He remained frozen, his red eyes watching her silently. If Luna hadn’t seen the Lycan breathing, she might have thought the creature in front of her was just a statue. She clenched her hand before touching Norris’s head with a hand that was trembling violently.
At that moment, she hadn’t had the chance to admire or feel the presence of the Lycan before her because she had been consumed by fear, but now she could observe and feel Norris more closely. Like the night sky, his thick, black fur felt so soft against her palm. A contented purring sound emerged as Norris slowly closed his eyes, hiding the intense red gaze that had been fixed on her.
Luna scratched the back of Norris’s ear, which twitched, and the purring grew louder. Unconsciously, the corners of Luna’s lips lifted further into a broad smile.
“Aww… are you trying to win my sympathy?” Luna asked, looking into Norris’s red eyes. A soft growl escaped the Lycan’s snout, and he licked Luna’s palm again.
Luna chuckled softly and scratched behind Norris’s ear, making the Lycan’s tail wag even faster. “No matter how hard you try to be as cute as a puppy, you can’t pull it off.”
Luna looked at Norris’s giant body. “And in case you want to know, I’m a cat lover.” Wait, are there cats and dogs in this world?
“I’m not a cat…”
Luna mused inwardly, and with Norris’s response, she already knew the answer to her question. However, she had never seen any cats or dogs here. Could a werewolf keep pets? She shook her head, withdrew her hand, and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’m going to try to be fair. I gave Alkrevas a chance to talk and explain honestly.” Luna took a deep breath and continued, “I’ll give you the same chance, Norris.”
“Really?” Norris asked, his eyes brightening.
Luna observed Norris. “You’re not acting aggressive like before. This is a full moon night. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I would do anything for my mate. I also seek mercy and forgiveness from my mate.”
Luna needed to be sure because that would mean Norris was ignoring his instincts as a predator.
Still, somehow, those words made her tense, stiff body relax again. “Alkrevas should learn from you.”
Norris grinned broadly and smugly muttered to Alkrevas through their mental connection, “Did you hear what mate said, mortal? Mate said I’m better than you. You should learn from me.”
“Hah! She doesn’t know how sneaky and terrifying you are. You’re just like me, Norris.”
“I’m willing to kneel at her feet. You’re not. That means I win. Mate likes me better.” After that, Norris cut off the communication and slowly stood up.
Luna stepped back as she watched the Lycan rise to his full height. She was about to move further away but gasped in surprise when Norris scooped her up and carried her bridal style out of the room.
“I disagree with that mortal who locked you in this Tower,” Norris said as he stepped into the now-destroyed bedroom. Luna blinked and looked around before taking a shaky breath. “I’d rather have my mate sleep in the Royal Chamber surrounded by luxury. This place feels like a birdcage. Norris doesn’t like it. It’s cramped and suffocating.”
For the first time, Luna agreed with Norris. “So you destroyed this room?”
“Yes, so that mortal wouldn’t force you to sleep here again.”
Luna giggled, and without realizing it, she lifted her hand and patted Norris’s head with a proud look, making Norris purr with pleasure. When Luna realized what she had done, she froze in shock. There was no fear or discomfort, only a sense of calm. It was as if what she had done was the most natural thing in the world.
She accidentally touched Norris’s wet nose, causing the Lycan’s red eyes to gaze at her with amusement. “Why do I feel so comfortable with you so easily?”
“Norris is trying to heal the wounds and trauma in my mate’s heart.”
Luna rolled her eyes and shifted slightly. “Put me down. I can walk on my own.”
“No. There’s a lot of glass and wood. I don’t want my mate to get hurt.” Then Norris walked out the door and down the stairs, ignoring the maids and palace guards who stood frozen in shock.
Once they reached the Royal Chamber, Norris set Luna down in the middle of the room and led her to the bed. He made sure Luna sat comfortably before curling up protectively at her feet. Norris’s head was raised, and his tail occasionally brushed against Luna’s legs. His red eyes looked up at Luna’s face before he said, “Norris made a big mistake with my mate. Forgive me.”
“I will decide whether to forgive you or not after hearing your explanation.”
“I… I couldn’t control myself when I met my mate. I should have realized that my mate was afraid of me.” Thinking back on it, all of that happened because of his own mistakes, and Norris had never once thought of it that way, choosing to blame everything on himself instead.
Luna was amazed, especially considering Norris was an Alpha. It made her heart race, but this time not out of fear but because of something else. “If only I could turn back time when I first saw my mate, I should have just turned around and left.”
“Norris… it wasn’t entirely your fault… I played a part in that mistake, too,” Luna said sadly. Then she looked down and observed Norris’ red eyes, filled with various emotions.
Luna realized that while she had previously been so afraid of Norris and felt more comfortable with Alkrevas, now it was the opposite. Norris laid his head on his folded front paws and closed his eyes. “Do you want to sleep here?”
“I will guard my mate from danger until morning. I also haven’t finished explaining things to my mate. This time, I want to talk to my mate.”
“Alright.” Luna lowered herself to the floor, and with a sudden surge of courage, she gently stroked Norris’s back. “What else do you want to explain to me about that night?”
“As the mortal said, I lost control because he kept me from meeting my mate.” Luna nodded, recalling Alkrevas’s explanation of what Norris had done to her. “I won’t make the same mistake again. I promise. Do you hate the mortal? He hurt you by lying.”
“Lying?”
“Yes. The mortal didn’t perform the public mating. We could never do that. Our mate belongs only to us, and only the mortal and I can see your body.”
“What? What do you mean?” Then Luna remembered Alkrevas’s ambiguous muttering the night before. “So… it was all just a trick?”
“I never agreed to public mating, and neither did the mortal. But those bastards wanted that outdated tradition as proof that you are loyal to us.”
Bastards? Who? Were they the nobles? Luna huffed in frustration. She hadn’t expected that was what Alkrevas meant. So he deceived her? How outrageous! Then she looked at Norris. A sly smile curled on her lips as a realization dawned on her.
Instead of teasing, it was better to take advantage of the resources in front of her. “Alright, Norris. Will you tell me everything? Everything that Alkrevas didn’t tell me. I will forgive you if you do.”
“Really?” Norris asked with bright, eager eyes. His tail thumped rapidly against the floor, showing his excitement and enthusiasm. “I will do anything for my mate!”
No, Norris. Could you not do it? Alkrevas protested in his thoughts.
Norris ignored Alkrevas because he was determined to do whatever it took to win over the mate he so desperately desired. He saw Luna nodding, and Norris began to tell his story.
Meanwhile, Alkrevas could only remain silent, listening in his mind. He could only groan in frustration and sigh in resignation. Unsurprisingly, Norris would be so cunning and do whatever it took to earn Luna’s praise. Alkrevas regretted being unable to tell her, even though Norris was technically a part of him. It still felt different because it didn’t come from his mouth.
Damn, wolf! Alkrevas cursed Norris, who was grinning smugly at him.
That night, for the first time, Luna spoke with a Lycan who curled around her protectively.
….