I never thought that anyone (mm) could make me feel this way (uh)

^^ The news of the child killer’s death had been immediately followed with the crowning of a new era within Northfall: the welcoming of their queen. A queen, which meant that Ragnar had taken a mate, and while that meant that life in Northfall was prospering and grand, Amata wondered what the future might hold.

They had come to Northfall some time ago, because they had needed a home; a safe place for a few nights, and Amata had taken to the Northfall life pretty well. Her traveling partner, Leviathan, had also taken to them; he enjoyed their love for bloodshed and battle, having recently been promoted, but Amata was in the same place.

All that she had learned was simply how to descale a fish for eating purposes, and didn’t quite enjoy hunting, fishing, or the ways of battle - even if she had taken an eye from her very first caretaker, which now felt like even that had been eons ago.

So she decided that perhaps she just needed some time to think about what she wanted; what direction, or path, she wanted to take in life. So she left the familiarity and comfort of Northfall, heading north - to the beautiful Alpine Moors with a sigh.

She looked to the field of flowers, which might normally be beautiful and something to admire, but in the last stages of fall/autumn, they looked like nothing more than a field of bare sticks. *

Which was oddly similar to how she was beginning to feel.

---

*— Without knowing what type of flowers reside here, it is assumed that the flowers of the alpines are dormant at this time of the year.

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It was quite funny to think about when it all boiled down to it. At the beginning, he didn't even want to be here. It was Amata's idea to mess with the pig creature. It was her idea to run through the weird warping portal. And it was her idea to head north to find a pack to stay with. Levi had really thought this all was going to blow up in their face and they would be left alone, cast to the side, or killed. 

So far, none of that had happened. In reality, the opposite had happened. In the short time he was here, he had grown close to Sindri in a motherly way, helped in a war and was promoted within the ranks. But in all of this, he could tell that Amata wasn't having the best time. 

Even after he had sucked up his pride and told her that he loved her, things were still odd. And so, with a deep breath, he would follow her scent, determined to know what was going on with her and if he could do anything.

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^^Leviathan must have thought Amata was either a genius, or completely insane - an insane genius? - yet he followed her without complaint. Through the portal; into Northfall, and now he was being promoted for things that Amata was, seemingly, against.

But once upon a time, Amata had marked someone by removing their eye. Leviathan might have fallen faster, deeper, and harder in love with her, had he ever come to know that.

He followed her, now, into the collection of dormant flowers. He would likely always follow her, and Amata never understood why he held such an attachment to her. He was growing in Northfall. He was gaining a reputation, respect, and Amata was a ghost.

“Leviathan,” Amata breathed, having come more than accustomed to knowing that he liked to keep her within view. “I suppose you’ve come to tell me that you want to see other girls, huh?”

They were not together. They held more of an estranged relationship, as he had focused on training with Sindri, and likely the key in earning his promotion, and while he had told her of his feelings for her - nothing else had followed.

And now that he outranked her, well, why would he want anything to do with her? He could have all the ladies that he wanted, as they’d soon see his blossoming potential - a potential that cast over Amata like a shadow.

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The man wasn't surprised when she called out his name. Even if he had been trying to hide, which honestly he wasn't, she knew him well enough to assume he was always lingering close behind. And so, he would stand up to his full height, slowly walking over to her. As she spoke of another girl, he would let out a low, dangerous growl, one lower than his usual higher pitched snarls. 

"The only time I'll be close to another is to rip their heart out. And if this is your clever way of saying that you found another, I will gladly show him that he doesn't hold a candle to me." He would lower his head slightly as he watched her, not a threat to her, but to any potential suiters. 

"Is that why you keep yourself so far away from me?" His eyes shone bright with something akin to bloodlust, along with several other feelings all twisted in his flaming gaze.

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^^What is a candle, and why would they ever hold it to him?

Where other canines might wear their heart on their sleeves, on Leviathan, one would only find his very, very, very short fuse - one that Amata usually ignited without even trying, such as right now. He released a growl this time, though, unlike his usual set of snarls and death threats; a type of growl that she hadn’t heard before. It was lower, to which Amata narrowed her eyes.

He could growl; he could snarl; he could (and has, before, many times) threaten to take her life from her, but she would never fear him. Sometimes, she wondered why that was. He lowered his head, a gesture that subordinate wolves gave to their alphas, or other wolves that were above them.

Did he see himself as lesser than she? She, who held no rank or importance to Northfall, whereas he was the literal opposite?

There was something in his eyes; they beamed at her in a light she was unfamiliar with. “You think I’m clever? Oh, that’s cute,” Amata said, in the same tone; proving that she did not fear him and was not surprised to hear his growls - even if it sounded different than all the others.

What was even going on?

His last question settled in her, and Amata wasn’t sure what to make of it. Her hackles didn’t lift, but they shifted, and Amata took a deep inhale and lowered her gaze.

“If you’re not here to rub your new rank in my face, or to break off whatever this was, then why are you here? Shouldn’t you be off training, or something cool and important?” Her eyes burned as though something might leak out of them, and they held a glossy appearance as she stared at him, actively avoiding the question she didn’t know how to answer.

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He kept his head lowered, a sign that he respected her, though it was clear from her face that she hadn't expected that. If he wasn't so pissed, he would have chuckled. Instead, he kept himself still, not flinching or blinking from her own snarls. He enjoyed the fact that she challenged his own anger, enjoyed the fact that he had someone who could stand with him blow for blow. But it seemed she didn't understand that. And when was Levi ever good at expressing his feelings?

It wasn't until something changed in the air that he would lift himself up slightly, rearing back as he watched her face, noticing the differences on her usually glaring expression. Something was very wrong and it lit a fire under him, a will to kill whatever it was that hurt her. "Is that what all of this is about? My rank? You've been avoiding me, right after I threw my feelings on the ground in front of you, just because I got promoted?" He would sigh and sit himself down, too mentally tired to give off his tough guy act anymore. "I really don't understand women...." He would sigh and look back up at her, eyes looking confused. 

"Do you still love me? Or like me at all? No more snippy comments, or ignoring the question. Because I came here for a reason, and I'm not going to be an idiot if there's no point."

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^^

rolled an 18, but we’re going to pocket that for a later purpose..

---

He remained like a statue, so much so, Amata wondered if he might turn to stone. There was an uncomfortable silence that brought in a thick tension between them. He must have felt it, too, because he moved suddenly - and Amata arched a brow as she watched him.

He sat himself down and looked up at her with a confused expression that looked weird on his face. If he had just thrown away his feelings, including that tough macho boy act, they could talk like the adults that Amata was trying to convince herself that they were.

He spoke about a love they shared, which was never something he had expressed to her, and nor she him, and Amata wondered where that had come from.

It was now Amata’s turn to growl as she faced him, with her hackles and tail raised behind her. “Tell me why you’re here first and how that relates to you being an idiot and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

It was not a question, but a command that he would be wise to obey.

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The man raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst of anger, though he made no move to stand back up. Just as she wasn't scared of him, he wasn't scared of her, even if it would make her feel better to think he was. Still, he would sit there, thinking for a moment before he would sigh and shake his head, already done with the conversation that hadn't even truly started. 

"Damn it, you know I don't fucking like putting myself in these situations...." He would huff, "Fine, you want to know why I came here? I came here because I wanted to make sure you were okay. Because I'm worried about you. I wanted to ask you to be my mate, officially, to move into my den with me..... I wanted to tell you that I love you....." 

He would close his eyes for a moment, fighting the urge to say more, or to know more emotions than the few that slipped through his cracked mask. With a deep breath, he would stand up, putting his façade back up as he expected her to yell at him, attack him even, or just leave without a second thought.

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^^

remember when I rolled that 18? >)

---

Just a second ago, Amata had wondered where the idea of love between them had come from, and suddenly, Amata had an answer that she wasn’t expecting. Communication between them had not always been the best, much less this talk that sat upon a throne of emotions.

He liked to pretend he was a tough boy, but Amata knew she could nurture him to be more than that, — or she could break him and all that he stood for.

He sighed and shook his head, and Amata was about ready to jump his bones in all the wrong ways. He was wise to follow with her commands of an answer, though he would huff and Amata would smirk beautifully at him.

And suddenly, the answers were there, like cards on a table, staring at her. She had worried him, Mr Macho, yet somehow, this caused her to feel guilty. His claim of loving her was questionable, they hadn’t spoken since he told her that he liked her - and he had asked her why.

“I haven’t been avoiding you,” Amata whispered as she collapsed into a sitting formation, ears flat and lowered as she looked at her paws - because if she looked at him, or allowed him to see her like this, it would be harder for her to tell him.

“I was waiting for you to do something about it.” Because deep down, every girl has their dream wedding, and their dream love, all mapped and planned out. She had been waiting for him to make a grand show of his actual love confession, and it never happened.

Instead, she got this pathetic love confession, forced out of him and crumbled before her.

And quietly, she started sobbing like the child that she wasn't. Her body quivering and shaking as she closed her eyes and refused to look at him, even as she whispered, in a voice so soft that he would need to strain himself in order to hear it: “You don't want me.”

Because how on earth could he ever want this?

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The man stood there and watched her, unsure of what to say as there was a moment between them, one of only silence. She had been waiting for him, and he had been training. He felt terrible, but now wasn't really the time to wollow in self pity, not when the love of his life was breaking down in front of him.

Him and emotions didn't mix well together, not his and certainly not others. He didn't know what to do and, if it was anyone else sitting here crying, he would have just walked away. Instead, he would quickly aim to wrap himself around her, using his body to shield her from the outside world, pushing her into his warmth. "Hey now, don't lie to yourself. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want you. I may be an idiot most of the time, but I know what I want and I want you. Why else do you think I would follow you like a lost puppy through all the things that could have gotten us killed?" He would aim to start lightly grooming the top of her head, something that he would kill someone if they ever found out. 

"Breath, I don't know enough about healing to stop you from having a heart attack." He muttered slightly before going back to grooming her. "I love you Amata, I have since we were kids trying to kill each other. I want to call you my mate, to come home to you every night, I want to have a family with you..." He would sigh as he looked down at her, eyes bright and hopeful. "Will you be mine?"

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^^In an instant, it felt like someone had put a nice warm blanket around her; a nice warm blanket that smelled exactly like Leviathan - and when Amata finally braced herself to look at him, she was greeted with a tongue to the face, which was probably meant for her forehead.

She turned, then turned to face him directly to burrow her face deeper into his chest. It was not often that Leviathan was this supportive or this vulnerable with (or for) her, and Amata wanted to hold onto it as long as she possibly could.

This Leviathan was the one she loved. Macho Boy Leviathan, however, needed to go. Like yesterday.

“I love this side of you and I wish you were always like this,” Amata said as she came to place her head on his chest, listening to the sounds of his beating heart as she softly nodded her head.

“Does that make you mine?”

Of course it did, but she wanted to hear him say it.

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She hadn’t attacked him, hadn’t yelled at him, and hadn’t pushed him away. Instead, she stayed curled up next to him, looking up at him with eyes that made him melt.

Her words make him chuckle light before he would aim a small kiss to her cheek. ”Only for you. Only you get to see me like this.” He honestly didn’t care about acting like this all the time for her. He enjoyed being able to drop the tough guy act, though she was the only one who he trusted enough.

He would aim to lay his chin on her head, a protective and loving motion. ”Always. You’re kind and I’m yours.”

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^^Amata would do none of those things unless she felt that it was well deserved. He came to kiss her on the cheek, and though Amata would allow this, she would sigh softly against him. She did not enjoy his two-faced-like tendencies, joggling between soft boy and mr macho.

“Do you not love Northfall, too? Why don’t they get to see this side of you, too? Macho should be reserved for strangers,” Amata mused softly as she turned to nibble on his neck.

“Besides, don’t you want to show off your love for me, so that everyone in the pack knows I’m yours?” Amata stood, suddenly, walking a few paces out in front of him, with a raised tail as she stopped, looking over her shoulder at him with the lick of her lips in the attempt to seductively tease him.

^^

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He watched her closely, raising an eyebrow at her question of loving a Northfall. He would shrug slightly before he spoke again. ”I do care about this pack, but there’s only about 2 within these walls that I trust enough.”

He would chuckle slight as he watched her, his tail flicking slightly as he remained laying down. ”Only for you would I show this side of. I don’t feel comfortable letting others see me like this….” He would sigh in defeat. ”but if you really want me to, I will…”

It was clear that this was an uncomfortable topic for him, but he was willing to change for her, to show her that he wasn’t lying. And so, he would watch her, waiting to see what her response would be.

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^^It was curious, watching him shrug at the question if he loved Nortfall or not. How could he not know? He was only close with two members, one of those being herself, but she simply smiled and arched a brow at him with the added sway of her hips.

“That’s not what I asked,” Amata said softly, because it didn’t matter if he only trusted two wolves; he had accepted their promotion, and would eventually need to treat them like family.

“The Macho Act only works for one of us here, and I don’t like him.” Amata stated, turning her nose up at the sky, deciding that she would not be mated with someone with two faces.

And he would risk losing her completely if he continued down this path, but surely, he knew that. Amata had never been a fan of such behavior.

“Besides, I thought you’d jump at the chance to show off your arsenal.”

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The man would sigh, though his eyes would never leave her. Even as she pressed the subject of family, something that he typically would have attacked someone for, he remained calm, even as his lip twitched slightly. "Family is a sore topic, you know this. Even if I to see them as 'family', does that mean I'll have to worry about them ready to kill me if I do something they don't like? Do I have to worry about those I care about being bullied because the pack feels like it?" Nightwalkers was his family, and look how well that turned out. 

"Regardless of how I see this pack, I left my home and siblings behind to be with you, nothing will stop me from doing that again." Yes, he would be sad about having to leave, but he would do so again if he needed to. Hell, there wasn't much he wouldn't do for her. 

Again with the tough guy act. He hated this, and would lay his head down onto the ground, still looking up at her. "This 'act' that you dislike, is the only way to ensure survival." At least that was how he was raised. "If you go into an unknown situation open and friendly and bubbly, that's how you die. I will never not be on guard when it comes to strangers, and I dislike socializing in general, but I will try." It was clear that, even as he said all of that, this would be difficult for him, but he was willing to do so. 

This wasn't going to be a change that would happen overnight, he had been acting a certain way for his whole life, mimicking @Vengeance and to suddenly rip that part away, was something he wasn't sure he was ready for.

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^^ If these two stubborn, determined wolves were going to make their union of love work, they needed to be on the same level. It was never going to work if they continued to bash heads, and Amata wanted one mate for the entirety of her life - unless, of course, he went to war and ended up getting killed, as death was the only way out for her.

So Amata would sigh, nodding her head and making many mental notes. Family was a sore topic for him, but she never knew why - you know, aside from being that fuck face’s kid - that she had totally ripped away from his only family.

And now it was a family he wanted to create with her, while blaming her for his choice of abandoning his family? Was he even hearing himself right now?

“Correction,” Amata growled, turning to face him completely now, hackles raised and teeth bared sharp and eyes glowing red.* “Your idea of family is twisted, fucked, and screwed on sidways. You realize this, yes?” Yeah, okay, says the woman who had no family to speak of.

“The King and Queen have literally just returned from a trial over the death of the princess, or did you forget? You really think that if they didn’t care about their daughter, or that if they killed anyone who ever did anything wrong, that Northfall would be as large, or as successful as it was? How else is anyone supposed to learn anything, if mistakes are not made? Or was saying yes to your proposal of being your mate a mistake, too?”

No seriously, these were legit questions that Amata was expecting answers for. “Ensuring survival and being two faced are two different things. I don’t want to be the mate of someone who is not consistent. You’ve been a member of Northfall long enough to know and see the differences between your crummy birth pack and the pack that you’re in.”

I mean, where is the lie?

“I wish I could brainwash you and re-teach everything the Nightwalkers had failed you.” Amata hissed, arching her brows. “It’s great that you will try, but this will never work if you do not succeed.”

Amata was silent for a time, narrowing her eyes towards him as she took a step closer. “Listen, families come in all shapes and sizes. Having a “real” mother and father isn’t what matters here. What matters is that you are literally surrounded by wolves who love you for who you are. Related or not, you mean the world to us, and that alone should make us all family,” Amata turned suddenly, lowering her head and turning her back to him as she looked up at the sky.

“I don’t know what it will take for you to see things through my eyes, my love, but it breaks my heart that you can not see it. I’m not asking you to forget about your family, and maybe one day, we will go and visit them - I’m sure you miss them, and they miss you - ” Amata had family there, too, and she missed @Grumble very much - “but all I’m asking is for you to trust that no one in Northfall,” excluding Amata, of course, “is going to kill you for something as simple as a fucking mistake.”

Way to kill the fucking mood, Leviathan.

---

* and now I want to watch Nightmare Before Christmas, what have I done?!

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Everything was going great.... until it wasn't and Levi wasn't really sure where it all went down hill but not everything was burning around him. As she snarled at him, he had to stop the very strong urge to come up snarling and snapping and instead, stayed where he lay, though his muscles did tense a great bit. Quietly, he would listen waiting for her to finish to main character monologue so that he could speak. 

It wasn't until she was finished that he would lift his head, watching her for a moment before answering. "My love I said I would try, that isn't me saying that it will never happen, but you can't expect me to change overnight, and I don't want to lie to you and tell you that I will instantly change like a switch is flipped because I can't. I will change, but it will take some time, that's all I'm saying." He would sigh slightly as he repositioned himself, crossing his front paws over one another as he stared down at them. 

"You're right, they did come back from a whole trial, for their flesh and blood. I am nothing but a soldier, if my own mother and father are fine with throwing me to the side, how can I expect wolves that aren't even related to me to care? I want to believe you, I'm just scared is all.. I don't want to do something that could risk my life much less yours on top of that." He would sigh as he aimed to walk over to her, hoping to wrap his body around hers once more. 

"I'll make you a deal, I will be more.... sociable, but if at any point, I feel like you're in danger, I will kill them." He whispered softly, aiming to nuzzle his nose against her ear. "And please for the love of everything, no more flirting around, because that will be the death of me..."

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^^Oh no, look at him, making the mistake of calling her something that she would now need to make clever excuses for him to call her in public, in front of everyone else. Now that they were official, too, Leviathan’s sanity was in complete danger; putty in her hands.

He literally had no idea what she was capable of, and Amata simply could not wait for him to realize what he’d done. She had so many plans, suddenly, but it seemed like he was missing the point.

His parents had not come looking for him, so he had a twisted version of family. Some part of her understood this, because where had Grumble been, when Amata had gone missing from the territory? Granted, Grumble had gone missing long before Amata had, and Amata hadn’t gone to look for her, either.

“I did not say that this was something that needed to happen overnight, dearest.” Amata cooed towards him, as he came to wrap himself around her, again. Though this time, she was not having a breakdown, so there was no need for him to do such things, yet he did anyway, and was greeted with a kiss to the nose — as silent encouragement.

She could see that words were not getting her anywhere with him; he was scared, and only knew one way of life, she supposed, meaning that for him, actions spoke louder. And then he made his request, and Amata turned to look at him, batting her eyelashes.

“Alright, but only because you asked nicely.” Amata cooed, burning her nose into his neck as she began to groom him there, applying little nibbles here and there.

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