I'm not at your orders

broken promise

They stepped out onto a wide terrace next to them, having views of a facade of the pack house that was nothing less than magnificent: between architectural twists and wide staircases, Nori was distracted even from his own thoughts.
"Nori," Filip's voice, serious but also apprehensive, called back to him, leaning on the balustrade, "are you sure you're all right? what did the scribe ask you?" the beta with an initial uncertainty reported the events that had happened with the old man, but omitted some of the questions asked, while Filip's gaze never looked away from him:
"I'm fine, really. A cut like that disappears after not even five minutes."
"I wasn't referring to the hand. I want to know how you feel about being back in Awa" Nori quieted down, not expecting such a question, then cringed at Filip's piercing gaze:
"I...uh, I only remember a few things...trivial things, nothing more. To me it's like any other foreign place."
"I saw you very absorbed when we arrived, I expected it after all, that's why I wanted to get confirmation from you." Nori was surprised, not thinking that Filip was keeping an eye on him:
"what kind of confirmation?"
"that you don't have any other plans in your head. your mother lives here, doesn't she?"
"she should."
"would you like to see her again?"

"is this also a security question?" Nori spoke with bitter irony.
"No. But if I were in your place, I would want to see her again. I think that's understandable," the beta fell silent, struck by those words penetrating the halls of his composure:
"you say?"
"yes" Filip spoke calmly : "even though I know I shouldn't."
"it's good then that I don't want to see her"
"don't lie to me." the alpha's eyes could grasp beyond the merely tangible, everyone knew: "no matter the wrong she has done you, I know you would like to see her again, if only to get some answers, that's why I want you to promise me not to leave the pack house for any reason.Faramir is watching us, it's not convenient for us to break his conditions." Nori's face hardened, until that moment convinced of his words:
"why do you think you always know everything?"
"I know you well enough to say that, don't I?" Filip looked at him carefully, tracing his young, delicate face with his eyes:

"promise me Nori"
"yes, yes, I promise, if that's what will make you comfortable" Seeing that Filip kept looking at him he felt shy:
"what?"
"nothing" his voice sounded mellifluous to Nori's ears,
"why are you looking at me like that?"
"how?"
"as if you feel pity for me" Nori did not like to appear as someone to pity, but Filip had a small grin furrow his face:
"it's not. The last thing I feel is pity, as cynical as that may be, and yet it is."
Nori felt confused, but at the same time drawn into knowing more:
"If your mother had not done what she did, you would never have come to Pania."
Nori's pulse seemed to jump a few seconds:
"yeah, I...I would have had a completely different life."
"would you have wanted it? a different life."
"no" Nori had no hesitation, and the two found in the other's gaze a spark of reassurance and also something else indecipherable.
"i'm glad to hear that"
"you wouldn't have had anyone to torment otherwise"
" indeed that's the main reason" he said with a facetious grin, then broke away from the balustrade without waiting for a reply from Nori, and finally said:
"I'd better get going now. I still have matters to discuss with Faramir." He could not explain it, but Filip felt unusually lighter, as he could gather from his own steps, while his wolf experienced for the first time since their arrival in Awa a state of quiet mixed with gaiety. The alpha knew that something was changing between the two of them: their dialogues were more docile, the other's company became more and more pleasant, just as Nori's actions seemed to acquire more relevance for him. The explanation for this was obvious, but having to admit it was rather difficult for Filip, poised between the voice of duty and that of his feelings, not imagining that he could find himself in this kind of conflict.

Nori at the same time knew well that his feelings for Filip were intensifying, his wolf confirmed this, no matter how doubtful his mind still was. The man for whom he had least sympathized ever was becoming the man at the center of his attention and feelings, as well as his most intimate ones.