Chapter 273

Chapter 22 – Walter POV There weren't many people on this island, and as such, everyone knew each other’s business, it was a very close-knit group, we had to be. There were different chores that each family was given, working together as a whole is how things were able to remain livable. But as chores were shared so was personal business. The people here, wanted order and balance, to return things to what they were supposed to be. The wanted the Royals, they wanted helpful Elders and they wanted beliefs to be reestablished. “You weren’t lying were you?” Lux asks as we walk slowly – my weakness keeping us – but he asks because everyone here found my rejecting my mate going against the way we were meant to live. Glares from people as I walked near them, ‘rejected his own gift.’ Not all said anything to me, and Lux was one of those that didn’t but there was no way I would even give that question a response. “Have you seen her?” I asked instead, “my Nora?” “No I met Luna at the door.” Pushing past the brush, I went over the large fallen trunk, “Nora is on the second floor, first door on the right.” I didn’t look back at Lux or even thank him, just took step after step in the direction of my mate, Nora for some short months had become my whole life while I was studying in London, and in that time I was the happiest I had ever been in my own life. I found purpose and love, a sense of belonging that I hadn’t experienced anywhere else, but just as I had it; I was ripped away from it. Some days wondering if I had imagined the whole thing, meeting her, loving her, and just like the camera I once own, I would have to imagine snap shots, different pieces of the whole. I stopped when I entered the kitchen, I hadn’t asked how the Luna came across my Nora, and she wasn’t the troublesome type so how? As far as we all knew the Luna came from California, where did she come across my mate? What as Nora doing in California? Was she searching for me? Was she running from her father? I hadn’t learned much but by the time I as taken I did know that she was running from him. I couldn’t understand what type of man could enforce the type of fear my Nora had, especially when I entered her flat for the first time. A loft, larger than the place that Andrew and I were renting, we were bringing Nora home after she was attacked, from her shopping patterns I had guessed that she lived frugally, but the loft clued me in and confused me all at the same time. Empty. There was no furniture, only the suitcase I saw her come with, and a sleeping bag, and music books scattered near a lamp and the sleeping bag. Playing it off, Andrew and I lowered Nora carefully to the floor, not mentioning her total lack of any and all furniture, but when we went to her fridge, that was when I really had to bite my lip to prevent myself from scolding her on her total lack of supplies. One box of crackers, half an orange, three cans of beef soup, four bags of chips – that I know she bought from the shop – and one bottle of milk and another of juice. In all the time I had her, I never sensed her being hungry, but after three or four weeks on the island I felt it, ate for days until I realized that it was Nora that was hungry. Go to mate! My wolf murmured, weak but bringing me back, slowly I climbed the stairs stopping twice for breath, before continuing, until I was four steps from the top, and her scent was coating over me, the walls covered in vanilla, mint and lilac. A smile on my face, I go to knock on the door, but drop my hand, what if she thinks I left her? And the smile vanishes. As though in slow motion the door before me slowly opens and reveals my Nora, my much thinner than I remember Nora, but as I inspect her body, she did mine, and the horror in her eyes were clear to see. “What – how – what happened to you?” she said in worry, but her accent so thick, thicker than I had remembered on a good day, brought tears to my eyes. I was hearing her, really truly hearing my Nora, I breathed in shakily, “Are you ill Walter?” concern in her voice, I shook my head, the action making me dizzy, her scent overwhelming my senses, “You’re here,” I cried, not caring that there was so much desperation in my words that I sounded weak – that was okay – because Nora was my weakness, but strengthened me at the same time. “I – I thought you were gone, d – dead,” eyes welled, I took a step towards her, shaky scared hands afraid of her rebuff, lifted to the side of her alabaster face skin tone, her hazel eyes beautiful, more so that I remembered and imagined. “I’m so sorry, I never chose to leave you, I was taken, and I couldn’t come back,” I said pleading my case before I was even fully in the room, “I worried about you, could feel you suffering but I couldn’t – I didn’t, I’m just so – so happy that you’re here with me,” her eyes gazed into mine, mate is changed, Zed said and I sniffed again, surely he was wrong. My eyes swept over her body when I took in the enhanced shifter scent rolling off her body, her bare arms, nothing a miss, new scratches I hadn’t remembered, but her scent had been changed but I couldn’t put my finger on it. My senses were much too weak. My hands had their own plans, coasting softly up her arms, against her silky skin, over her shirt to pull it aside, her body shivering involuntarily, as I touched my mark, her breathing changing, shallow, her eyes dilated, but there is confusion there, swirling in the building lust, her forehead scrunched together in question, “sorry,” I murmur taking a step inside, Nora takes one back, but not enough to get away from me, just enough to let me enter the home the Luna has provided her. I want to look around, scour her home now, see if it what she deserves, because in my eyes she deserves the world, but I can’t look away for a second to do that. “You’re really here,” Nora whispers still in disbelief, but her heart pounds loudly, and her lips crash against mine unexpectedly, welcomed, needed and treasured. Sweet. Her lips molding to mine – better than any dream I conjured – slowly, unsure but only for a minute. My mind is consumed only by her, pulling her body against mine, hearts pounding, beating crazily at finally being reunited with their other halves. So many unanswered questions, things I’ll want her to tell me, days I remembered being so afraid, crippled by fear – hers – I couldn’t move without throwing up, I want to know what happened. Days I was so hungry that I ate until I was sick, but still felt hungry, I want to hear about those days – if she wants to tell me. I want to know about everything I missed, but first I hold her with all I have, tight never wanting to let go, our lips dancing, and the colors come back. Dancing behind my eyes, the colors I have yearned for are released where they were trapped inside my head, Nora the key. A fire burns inside my chest, raging and she returns that passion, in the delicate kiss, words unsaid understood, passed in a secret code only we know.