Chapter 5
Gali
As I stepped out into the hallway, leaving Norri alone in the guest room, I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease at the prospect of leaving him there unattended. After all, I was the only one who wanted to keep him safe. Everybody else wanted to hurt him.
But duty called, and I had matters to attend to elsewhere in the compound.
Still, I found myself hesitating outside his door a few moments later as if I had been drawn back to the place, listening intently for any sign of distress or movement from within. After a few seconds passed without incident, I finally tore myself away, striding purposefully down the corridor towards the 'war room' where my team waited for debriefing.
Halfway there, however, I heard the door creak open behind me, followed by soft footsteps padding across the hardwood floor. I turned around sharply to find Norri standing in the doorway, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation etched onto his youthful features.
I didn't think he was going to do that. I thought that he wouldn't even try to get out of the room he was in. Plus, I should have locked it. I didn't know why I hadn't. Must have forgotten.
"Something wrong?" I asked, arching an eyebrow as I walked back towards him. "Couldn't sleep?"
My tone was way too casual with someone who was supposed to be our captive. Once the boss learned about this, he wouldn’t be pleased. Raze was already breathing down my neck, after all.
Norri, not caring, shrugged noncommittally, hugging his arms around himself. "Just wondered what happens now," he said quietly. "Where am I supposed to go from here?"
It was a valid question given his current situation, yet one I hadn't yet fully figured out how to answer. Not satisfactorily anyway.
"We'll discuss that tomorrow," I told him firmly, trying to keep any hint of uncertainty from my voice, even though it was difficult to do it. "Tonight, you need rest. Come on." I reached out to usher him back inside, but Norri remained rooted in place, staring up at me with those big blue eyes coated with questions he wanted to ask me.
"But why are you doing this?" He blurted all of a sudden, surprising me enough that I paused mid-motion, caught off guard. I hadn't expected him to be so bold. "Why are you protecting me after everything that happened earlier? Why do you care what happens to me? I'm just a nobody, after all. Nobody cares about me."
His words hit me harder than any physical blow ever could. They struck a chord within me, resonating deeply with emotions I barely understood myself let alone knew how to express. The truth was, sometimes, I felt the same way.
I couldn't tell him the truth — that somehow, against all odds and logic, I'd recognized him as mine from the moment our eyes met amidst the chaos of that warehouse. So, I did the only thing I could think of: I lied.
"You remind me of someone," I said gruffly, averting my gaze lest he see too much reflected therein. He might figure out what I was thinking. "Someone I used to know a long time ago."
It was true enough, albeit not in the way I truly meant it. The boy who haunted my memories did bear a passing resemblance to Norri, yes, but their similarities ended there. Whereas that boy had been brash, bold even, Norri seemed almost timid by comparison, as if life had beaten the spirit right out of him. That might actually be the case, which made me feel worried about him.
Yet despite their differences, seeing Norri huddled and frightened reminded me vividly of the young man I once considered my closest friend. A friend whose loss still weighed heavily upon my soul.
If only I had been stronger, maybe he would still be alive. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stop believing I should have done more.
And maybe, just maybe, caring for Norri could serve as penance for failing to protect him all those years ago...
Norri's expression softened slightly at my words, some of the tension draining from his shoulders. "Oh," he said softly, nodding slowly. "That makes sense, I guess."
Before I could respond, he surprised me again by stepping closer, reaching up to press his hand lightly against my cheek. I didn't think he was going to do that. Did he care about me? He was too sweet for me.
His fingers were cool, his touch tentative yet surprisingly comforting. My heart pounded in my chest, caught between wanting to lean into that contact and pulling away before things got too complicated. It would be a mistake to give in to my feelings.
"I'm sorry about your friend," Norri murmured sincerely, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe one day you'll tell me about him."
I opened my mouth to say something — anything — but found no words forthcoming. Instead, I stood frozen beneath his gentle movements, struggling to maintain control over the swirling emotions threatening to consume me.
After a moment, Norri withdrew his hand, looking slightly embarrassed by his boldness. Clearing his throat, he shuffled backward into the room, leaving me standing there like an idiot, unable to move or speak. His ability to make me feel uncomfortable was astounding.
"Goodnight, Gali," he said quietly, turning away from me to climb back into bed.
As the door clicked shut behind him, sealing me off from the warmth of his presence, I realized too late that I should've gone after him. Should've stayed by his side until he drifted off to sleep rather than leaving him alone with thoughts best left undisturbed.
As long as I was with him, I felt I didn't have to think about much. He made me feel at peace. More and more, I grew certain he was my destined mate.
It was too late now. All I could do was stand there, leaning against the doorframe, listening as silence reclaimed the hallway once more.
Fuck. What was happening to me?
With a heavy sigh, I pushed away from the door and continued on my way towards the meeting room. I had a job to do, and dwelling on impossible dreams wouldn't get it done.
Did I really think Norri and I could end up together? That was a ridiculous notion. There was no way we could have a relationship, not with me living in this place.
Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with the mess my feelings were fast becoming. For now, though, duty came first.
Besides, there was always a chance that whatever madness had taken hold of me tonight would pass by morning light. A slim chance perhaps, but a chance nonetheless. And clinging to hope was better than giving in to despair, right?
◆◆◆
When I finally returned to check on Norri later that night, long after my duties were completed and the compound lay quiet save for the hum of the machinery, I found him still awake, propped up on pillows, gazing out the window at the starless sky beyond. He was most likely wondering what was going to happen to him and I couldn't blame him for behaving that way.
At the sound of my entrance, he turned towards me, surprise flickering across his face briefly before settling into a more guarded expression. Maybe he thought I wouldn't be back. Not even I was certain I would be back here.
"What are you still doing up?" I asked gruffly, crossing the room to sit on the edge of the mattress beside him. Again, my friendliness was showing. It was a good thing that the boss was occupied with something and couldn't come back for now.
Norri shrugged, tucking his hands under the covers as if seeking shelter from something unseen. "Just thinking," he admitted softly. "Too many thoughts racing through my mind to sleep."
I could relate all too well to that particular problem. Leaning back against the headboard, I stretched out my legs alongside his, feeling the slight pressure of his foot brushing against mine.
"How's the wound?" I inquired instead of commenting on the obvious. Better to focus on practical matters rather than delve deeper into whatever turmoil kept us both awake tonight. I couldn't fuck this up.
Norri glanced down at the bandaged wound peeking out from beneath the sleeve of his shirt. "Hurts less now," he replied after a moment's hesitation. "Not as bad as I thought it would be. Thanks for bandaging it up."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of my mouth at his attempt at nonchalance. He was trying to lie to me, which wasn't working.
"Glad to hear it," I told him sincerely, letting my own hand rest atop his where it gripped the covers, the knuckles white. "You were lucky; it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked."
At the same time, I couldn’t stop blaming the idiot who had shot him. But there wasn’t much I could do about it. I couldn’t punish someone for being cautious. Besides, the boss wouldn’t be happy if I did.
Norri nodded slowly, still staring intently at the spot where our hands touched as if mesmerized by the simple contact.
"Do you... Do you have someone waiting for you out there?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence between us once more. "Someone who cares about what happens to you?"
The question took me aback, catching me off guard. Did I have someone? Not anymore. Not since... Well, not for a very long time.
"Not really," I answered honestly, keeping my tone deliberately neutral lest he sense the wealth of emotion lurking just beneath the surface. "My life isn't exactly conducive to relationships if you know what I mean."
He didn't respond right away, instead digesting this new piece of information silently before speaking again. "So why stay then? Why keep doing this if it only brings you loneliness and pain?"
His words hit too close to home, striking a chord deep within me. It was as though he could read my mind. They echoed thoughts I'd had myself countless times before, usually during moments of weakness when the weight of responsibility threatened to crush me entirely.
But unlike those dark nights filled with self-doubt, tonight I found myself responding without hesitation, "Because I want to be doing this. I fought hard to be where I am right now."