Chapter 7 Orion, The Warrior

• ‘This is truly a fictional world, because all the men I have met so far are all so damn good looking. Even Florence was quite handsome despite his old age. Reminds me of Pierce Brosnan. But wow… Orion is… He’s definitely more like my type.’
• Orion was tall, just an inch or so shorter than Alistair. He was also fit and lean, but he didn’t have the same broadness of back and thickness of muscle that Alistair had. His wavy chestnut brown hair with the fringe styled down, covering his forehead, gave his face a kinder and softer appeal despite the sharpness of his hazel eyes. But the one thing that made Orion so recognizable despite the distance between him and Diana was the tasteful tattoo on the right side of his neck. It was a big serpent, covering a significant area of his skin and disappearing beneath his currant henley shirt. There was no doubt the ink slithered all the way to his right shoulder.
• “I’m sorry,” Orion apologized with a mildly sheepish tone. “I didn’t mean to surprise you like that. I swear. I thought you would’ve at least heard me come in.”
• For a short moment, Diana couldn’t speak, since she was still quite stunned by how fine Orion was. It didn’t help that she had finally noticed how soothing his voice sounded.
• “Diana? Are you okay?”
• “Uh… Yes. Yes I’m fine. Actually, if you really are apologetic, then please leave the library. I wish to be alone today.”
• Orion crossed his arms, and the muscles beneath his sleeves that were rolled up until his elbows flexed attractively. “After seeing you nearly fall? I’m not too inclined to leave you alone.”
• “That was only because you surprised me,” Diana argued.
• “Yeah? Well, unfortunately, I’m the type who couldn’t leave well enough alone. So I will stay here and look after you. Because someone should really be with you to protect you at all times. I better tell Alistair later.”
• “Don’t you have anything better to do?” Diana asked, her annoyance beginning to slip in her tone.
• “What is better than being with our beloved Luna?”
• “I don’t know! Go and find someone else to bother.”
• Diana returned her attention back to the book she found, which she assumed and sorely hoped would have the information she wanted.
• “I won’t bother you; I promise. In fact, I am very much willing to help. What books are you looking for?”
• Diana groaned, already completely irate with the mulish man who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
• ‘Wow! I thought men who did not have any understanding of the concept of respect, consent and boundary only existed in my world and not in a fictional world of romance.’
• She turned head to look down at Orion again and sternly replied with an icy glare, “Orion, seriously. I don’t need help. I also do not want help. I am fine on my own. So please, just go. Okay? I want to be alone.”
• “Oh, come on. Don’t be so cold, Diana. Let me help. I promise I have a useful and good head on my neck. I’ll be helpful!”
• But Diana decided to just tune him out and redirected her focus back on the books on the shelf. Her right hand pulled the very thick book she wanted out of from where it was clamped between more books and carefully put it on top of the first one she had taken, A Guide to Potions, which hadn’t toppled off from where it was placed on the step just above her head, despite the teetering, swaying, and nearly falling that happened earlier.
• But the same teetering, swaying and nearly falling happened once again when another voice chimed into the conversation.
• “You heard my mate, Daez. She wants to be alone.”
• “Seriously,” Diana muttered as soon as she found stability back on the rolling ladder. She then whipped her head to see the newcomer in the library. “I am going to die an early death with how everybody seemed to have a penchant for appearing out of nowhere!”
• Orion laughed heartily, pressing a palm against his stomach. But Diana didn’t have any attention to give him, her gaze already set on Alistair, who was standing by the open door and leaning his back against the doorframe. His hands were inside his pockets, and his eyes were fixed on Diana.
• “Come on, Daez.” Alistair beckoned Orion without tearing his gaze away from Diana. “Diana wishes to be alone.”
• “What do you even need me for?” Orion asked, his tone bordering childish.
• “You are set to train aspiring Warriors today. Or have you forgotten?”
• “No. I simply do not want to.”
• “Is that why you are here instead of being in the training grounds?”
• “Obviously. I mean, who wants to be around a bunch of bratty young pups? Not me.”
• “Orion,” Alistair said warningly. His eyes finally went to Orion, and his stare was anything but patient.
• “Fine. I will go,” Orion relented with a petulant scowl. “Bye, Diana.”
• Diana only nodded at him. She was longer charmed by his awfully attractive appearance, and a big part of her hoped that she wouldn’t have to meet him again around the manor and anywhere in the territory.
• While Alistair had also shown him his stubborn side yesterday, she was aware that it was only natural for him to be very uncooperative. After all, what she had asked from him was difficult. Breaking bonds weren’t truly rare between werewolves, but Alistair loved his Diana. So him being unyielding to her request wasn’t off-putting in the slightest.
• “Head straight to the training ground, Orion. They are already waiting for you.”
• “Yes, Alpha. Whatever you say, Alpha,” Orion griped.
• Alistair only rolled his eyes at his best friend, clearly already used to his puerile antics.
• “I shall go now too,” Alistair shared once Orion, who had been muttering complaints beneath his breath, was out of the library.
• “Will I see you for lunch?” Diana asked before she could stop herself. “Or perhaps later at dinner?”
• Alistair slightly shook his head. “Probably not. I have matters to take care of.”
• “Alright. I’ll see you when I see you, I suppose.”
• A few seconds ticked by without any response from Alistair. He simply stared at her, drinking the view of her standing right at the middle of the tall rolling ladder.
• Unnerved by the thick blanket of silence that befell them, Diana spoke once again. “Thank you, by the way. Orion wouldn’t listen to me.”
• She gathered the two books she had taken out from the shelf, hugging them close to her chest with one arm as she carefully descended the ladder.
• “He is quite stubborn,” Alistair acknowledged.
• “Yeah,” Diana agreed with a short and breathy laugh. She landed back on the ground and faced Alistair. But she didn’t dare get closer to where he stood by the door, afraid that he might see what kind of books she had chosen. “He’s stubborn as a mule. That must be why the two of you are great friends.”
• Alistair raised a brow at her, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips. “Are you saying I am mulish like him?”
• “Well,” Diana said slowly, her own lips stretching into a grin. “You do have a stubborn bone in you. But no, I am not saying you are mulish. What I was actually trying to say is that you are best friends because you are a good match for his stubbornness. You are man enough to call him out when he’s out of line, and you put him in his place. And that is why I am thanking you. It was likely that he wouldn’t have budged no matter how many times I reject his offer. But you stepped in. So, thank you.”
• Pink tinged the tips of Alistair’s ears. He cleared his throat and glued his eyes on his combat boots like they were the greatest pair he had ever worn.
• Alistair’s attire for the day was drastically different from last night’s, steering more into a casual territory. Just like Orion, he was clad in a henley shirt, but his was in midnight blue, and the fabric clung to his body like second skin.
• “Right. Uh… Don’t forget to lock your door and windows before you sleep.”
• Diana rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She then mimicked what Orion had said to Alistair. “Yes, Alpha. Whatever you say, Alpha.”
• Alistair immediately leaned away from the doorframe, standing rigidly straight. His blue eyes turned golden, and his chest rose and fell in rapid succession, as though his lungs were chasing air. A burning intensity was evident as he looked at Diana like a prey he would devour if only he let go of all his self-restraints.
• “A-Alistair?”