[NOUR]
Staring at the dying crowd, Nour knew that things would never be the same. It was a reality that was staring at him, one that he knew he would have to come to terms with the moment the midnight moon gave him his brother's ex-mate to be his.
It was a chance that he never wanted and as he stared at everyone leaving, while his mate wasn't even anywhere near him Nour cursed the moon for making this a reality.
He had never once coveted what his brother had, and yet right now, he was going to have to deal with the scraps of what was left of Alanor's disappearance.
The fact that he couldn't even be mad at his brother or the damn mate was making him feel like his world was coming apart.
He hated this and wanted to leave.
"Uh… hello mate. I am going on a night run," Nour said agitatedly, though he had tried his best to make sure that he didn't look the part.
He wanted to come off as an understanding mate but he knew that this was the beginning of his hell. He knew that nothing would ever be the same and he was not going to be happy with whatever bond there was here.
Nour had seen how Grant had been clinging onto his brother, holding onto Alanor like he was hopeful and he had noticed the change in Grant when Alanor had admitted to having a mate.
It wasn't the best thing for Grant, but it certainly wasn't the best night for Nour.
"What?" Grant asked, and Nour looked at him, almost like he was asking the man before him if he was stupid.
Grant had been too preoccupied with whatever he was doing, interacting with the warriors, and picking up the pieces left by the beast of the midlands, but goodness, the only thing Nour had wanted was a mate who looked even the least bit happy that they were bound.
But that was something he could see and call a pipedream. Because this mate bond… it was just clear to Grant and he was already making it so obvious to his mate.
"I haven't had a run in weeks. I'm just letting you know in case you need me and I'm not here. Is it okay if we see each other later, or whenever you deem fit?" Nour said and Grant raised a brow.
He wasn't sure what had triggered this, but he was just thankful that the omega was giving him some space. He didnt care what the reason was really. He needed to get some rest too and take in the fact that Alanor had left.
"Yeah, sure. When you come from the run, come to my chambers, love. We are mates after all and I wouldn't want you looking like a mateless omega anymore," Grant said, stressing the omega bit.
It was then that Nour realized that his words had struck a nerve.
However, right now he just didn't give a shit about it. If the chief enforcer of Acrod wanted to talk to him about wolves, then he was very welcome to do so, but until then, Nour was leaving. He couldn't stand the man before him and it was fucking with him.
"Thank you and I will keep that in mind," Nour said as he found his way out of the mating ball and away from the chaos that he had just witnessed. His mind was full of so many things and he hated what was about to happen.
Nour had never been one to fight over anything, but right now, he seemed too angry to even face the reality that his brother's rejected mate was still clinging to the hope that there would come a time when Alanor would want him back.
But that was never going to happen.
Nour knew it and the sooner his mate faced that truth, the sooner everyone would get back to their lives and move on from the forsaken bonds.
"You'll hurt yourself at this rate," Delbert's voice came through when Nour was already in his wolf form and was headed to the southern part of the midlands forest.
He was headed in the direction of the hounds, which was dangerous, but he sure didn't care anymore. He was looking for someone to fight, someone to let out his anger and frankly, he was already considering ditching the Merdel twin who was running beside him.
"Fuck off," Nour said while in his wolf form, before he came to a screeching brake, almost hurting himself. It was scary because he was a wolf and the lycan beside him wouldn't have been able to communicate with him in any way.
Sighing, Nour shifted back into his human form, ignoring the fact that he was very naked, while Delbert was standing clothed beside him. It didn't even bother him that the lycan beside him was eyeing his body like a man who was addicted.
"I get that your lycan magic allows you to be intrusive and a fucking prick in all of this. But I want to be alone. I need to be alone. I don't need you following me or even telling me what color the sky is and was.
"Leave me the fuck alone and go back to being the dutiful junior warrior. Who knows, maybe the enforcer might as well look at you and come to you for a few bangs and kisses no? Heard he's in the market for sleeping with anything with a skirt and a dick.
"I assume you have one of the many choices he looks for, right?" Nour said angrily as he kicked the nearest tree, making it break in the process. But that wasn't what he cared about right now. He hated the universe.
His whole life was a mess and no one had failed to remind him of that. Now that he finally found someone who was supposed to be there for him, someone who would stay with him, so at least Alanor would be free, and get to roam the midlands freely, he was already losing.
What kind of fate was this?
"You need to calm down," Delbert said and Nour glared daggers at him. This man couldn't really be serious right now, yeah? There was just no way he couldn't read the room and see that Nour was not in the mood for stupid pep talks.
"Calm down? You want me to calm down when I'm mated to my brother's ex, and the bastard still wants Alanor? When I got a freaking mate and he couldn't even look at me because he was worried about my brother, who by the way ended up with a prince for a mate?
"Get out of my face, Delbert. This is certainly not the time for you to come and play good warrior, because it could end really badly for you," Nour warned frustratedly.
He was sick of what had happened and he needed a release.
He needed to punch things but he didn't want to fight his best friend's twin.
"Yes. I need you to calm down because seeing you angry is angering my lycan and that is even more dangerous," Delbert said and Nour let out an empty laugh.