Surprise!

Hey y'all, finally the second chapter is up. Ain't that fun? 

This book--which I'm super excited about--has been something y'all have asked for a lot over the past couple of months. And though I love Fenrir and Karin, unfortunately, this book won't have very consistent updates. Like, at all. I'll publish chapters when I get inspired to do so, but since this isn't a major part of the story in LG and MP, it's not as high on my to-do list. I'd rather get Marcus and Kaiah's chapters out, priority wise.

That's not to say I'm abandoning this! This is going to be a less plot-intense (but still intense don't worry lol) story that is almost a break from the chaos that is MP. So I hope you enjoy it when I do update :)

That said, I hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy,

E <3

~

FENRIR

This woman would be the death of me. I didn't even require my godly abilities to see it. Like my Mira, she wasn't particularly subtle in her disregard. If the violent clanging of ceramics in the kitchen were anything to go by, she was taking out her fury at me on her dishware.

What a firecracker.

I should be annoyed at her. I know my grandfather, Odin, certainly would be. But I'd always taken after my father, Loki. I admired strong women, and difficult women—what my Mira would likely describe as "bitchy"— amused me even more. I enjoyed them beyond all reason. So, when the woman was in the middle of her furious tirade, keeping on my unfeeling mask and not allowing my amusement to seep through had been challenging. Wrangling her would be far more enjoyable than I'd thought when I'd initially accepted this assignment from my Mira.

I'd not known what to expect when I promised to essentially babysit her adoptive mother. The woman was a mere human—nothing more. She wasn't even of the same blood as my pup. I saw little reason to hold regard for her, other than the fact that she had raised my daughter in my stead. That, I'd supposed, was enough to earn her my acceptance, if not my respect.

However, the woman who'd shouted at me to leave, whatever I was, was not what I'd expected to find. And I'd certainly be lying if I said I wasn't beyond pleased at the development. This task would be rewarding and amusing, at the very least.

I'd been loath to leave my only daughter alone in her new dwelling—the campus she insisted on living in was populated by the young and foolish, and I'd not wanted her to have any part in it. However, as a modern woman, Mirakel had wanted to learn, and I found there was little I could deny her. And, as I'd grudgingly admitted to her, if Signe had been born in this time, she'd have wanted the same. Higher education was this time period's version of a blade, and I could not find fault in wanting to arm oneself. But, knowing my daughter, there was no way she'd be able to focus on her studies if she worried, rightfully so, for her adoptive mother's safety. So, I'd volunteered, even if it had the unfortunate side effect of taking me from my daughter.

The burbling of the coffee machine brewing jolted me from my thoughts, and I made my way into the kitchen, vowing to hide my emotions from the feisty female inside. I reminded myself that she was frustrating. No being, mortal or immortal, enjoyed frustrating women. It was simply my troublemaking father's influence, nothing more. I was a sane god...well, I wasn't, but I hopefully had some sense. More than my fellow Norse gods gave me credit for, at least. I hoped.

So, with that in mind, I steeled myself against the woman's innate draw. Of course, having armed myself against her charm did nothing. That wasn't how the male mind worked, god or no.

My resolve crumbled like krumkake when I entered and I saw her pouring a hefty glug of an unidentified amber liquid into one of the mugs of coffee, a fierce frown adorning her face but yet doing nothing to mar her timeless beauty. I quirked an amused brow at her antics despite myself. Her every move endeared her to me, and though I'd thought my heart too scarred and hateful to feel much of anything these days, like my daughter, the hard-ass American woman made my chest tighten. Not in a bad way, but in no good way either.

"Plan on poisoning me, kvinne?" I asked, prodding her without consciously realizing it. I wanted to provoke her, to get her to go off on yet another of her glorious tirades.

She didn't acknowledge me or pause in the slightest in her pouring until she was satisfied at the alcohol content of the drink. After eyeing the hot, rich brew speculatively, she turned to face me, her cheeks still aglow with temper.

Lovely.

The thought came unbidden to my mind, and I furiously quashed it, a pang of guilt slicing through what was left of my heart. Betrayer. I was a betrayer.

She interrupted my self-hating inner rant with a feisty quip. "No, that one's for me. I need more than just caffeine to deal with a puffed-up male ego this evening."

I forced down a wide grin, the guilt and anger forgotten all at once.

"A woman who likes her alcohol, eh?" I teased, walking up to loom over her. "Thank you for the drink."

Before she could move, I took the bottle of what I guessed to be whiskey from her hand and took a sizable swig. The acrid burn as the liquid slid down my throat calmed me like a smooth balm, and I sighed in contentment. A contentment that was quickly shattered by the woman's outraged cry.

"That's my good whiskey, you animal!" She shrieked, her mouth hanging open in horrified shock. "And you drank half the damned bottle in one slug!"

I looked down speculatively. The bottle was indeed less than half full—as opposed to the mostly full bottle I'd taken. I shrugged, took another drink (ignoring the wordless feminine shout of condemnation) and drained the rest of it. Suitably plied with booze, I smiled at her.

"I'll have that coffee now, I think."

Blinking owlishly at me, the woman gestured to the cup, still on the counter, and I took both it and her elbow, steering her to the sitting room I'd seen when I'd checked the house for lingering threats.

As expected, it didn't take long for her to bounce back. Despite the stress that undoubtedly came from having one such as me invade her home, she handled it with an easy adaptability that reminded me of my daughter. It seemed this woman had passed on many of her good qualities to my pup. A fact I'd have to thank her for at a later date.

Perhaps not now.

Sitting down heavily in an armchair, she set down her cup and buried her face in her hands. I sat down on the sofa opposite her, content to drink my coffee and wait for her to process. When she did, she'd come at me with a vengeance, so I saw no reason to rush her.

After a few minutes, she raised her face to glare at me with a fury that would wither the balls of a lesser male.

"Who are you?"

"Fenrir," I grunted in response. I was positive I'd already told her that.

She growled cutely. "No, asshole, who are you? Save me the Google and tell me."

I nodded my understanding. "I'm from the North—a Norse wolf god. I'll devour the world and eat Odin during Ragnarök, which I'm very much looking forward to. Though I expect he'll taste like the sea and mold." I curled up my lip involuntarily in distaste

Her already pale face blanched worryingly, but I doubted she'd appreciate my concern, so I kept silent, opting to watch her carefully.

"So...you're telling me that you—the man who broke into my house—are a chaotic, world-ending wolf deity." Her voice was shaky, and I eyed her.

"Can I be clearer, kvinne?"

"My name is Karin, not whatever the hell that means!" She snapped back, before taking in a calming breath. "Sorry, that was...rude."

I waved off the unnecessary apology. Time had made it very difficult to offend me, and the words of a human woman had no consequence, however likable she may be.

"I suppose you'll wish to know my purpose, then?" I inquired, leaning back and draining the rest of my coffee.

She nodded, tipping back her own mug at a worrying rate, considering the amount of alcohol contained therein.

"Very well. Mira—excuse me, Ammi—is safe, that I promise you. Far safer then she has ever been. She asked me to look after your safety for the time being. There is a pervasive threat that may select you as a target. I cannot say anymore, however—"

"Excuse me?" Karin spat, her back shooting straight in her passion. "You can't tell me any more than that? That's some bullshit."

I eyed her coolly. "I have told you what I can."

She just snorted. "No, you've told me what you wanted, and you wanted to be infuriating. Well, congratulations, asshole, you've done it!"

I looked to the ceiling, as if exasperated, when all I was doing in reality was preventing her from catching a glimpse of the mirth in my eyes. This job was turning out to be most diverting.

"I'm here to protect you," I replied soothingly, though I knew in the back of my mind that would just serve to stoke her ire further. "Not to cater to your every whim." I stood up deliberately, placing my mug on the coffee table with a tiny, unavoidable clatter. "I noticed a guest room on the upper floor. I'll settle in there while you come to terms with our arrangement."

With that, I walked calmly past the stunned female. It wasn't until I'd ascended the steps and closed the thin wooden door behind me that I heard the inarticulate scream of rage that followed.

I grinned widely, maliciously.

How very amusing.

~

What did y'all think of that?

Isn't Fenrir just the worst and yet somehow the best? I love writing him so much, he's a grade-A asshole. 

Any thoughts you'd like to share?

Until next time, whenever that may be,

Epsilon <3