10. Levi

I pulled awayfrom the kiss and studied Luca"s expression. He looked dazed, pupils dilated, his tempting mouth still a little sore from the intensity of our kiss.

There was something incredibly alluring about his slightly mussed appearance.

I remembered the moment earlier when I saw him with someone else, another mage. My inner fox had immediately grown jealous.

Part of my logical brain understood that Luca had other options, that I was simply one of several potential partners for his arranged marriage.

But the sight of him with that other mage had ignited a fierce protectiveness in me. It was illogical, I knew that.

All I wanted to do was strangle that other mage"s neck, to stake my claim and make sure everyone knew Luca was mine.

But now, looking at him in this moment, seeing how he reacted to the kiss, to me, it wasn"t hard to deduce he was as crazy about me as I was about him—just denying himself the truth, perhaps out of obligation to his family to keep his options open.

"Luca," I murmured. I gently cupped his face in my hands. "You feel it too, don"t you? This connection between us?"

His eyes flickered with a mix of uncertainty and desire. "Levi, I..."

I didn"t let him finish. I leaned in again, brushing my lips against his in a feather-light kiss, teasing and tantalizing.

His breath hitched, and I could feel the tension radiating off him, the war between his mind and his heart evident in the way he gripped my shoulders, both pulling me closer and pushing me away.

"You"re mine," I whispered against his lips, my voice firm and resolute. "My mate. Whether you realize it or not, we belong together."

His eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought he might push me away completely.

But then his expression softened, and he melted into me, his arms wrapping around my neck as he pulled me in for another kiss. This one was hungrier. My fox showed interest and I could feel my jeans tightening.

I wanted, no needed to take him somewhere private and remind him who he belonged to.

"I know he's the other guy," I said. "But I"m not backing down. I"ll fight for you, Luca. I"ll prove to you that what we have is real, that it"s worth everything."

He looked up at me. "Levi, I"ve been so scared," he admitted. "Scared of what this means, scared of losing control. But when I"m with you...everything feels right."

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.

"That"s because it is right. We were meant to be mates," I told him.

I was about to suggest we head someplace private when his "date" had the audacity to approach us.

"Luca? Is everything fine? Is this... shifter bothering you?" the mage asked, and I didn"t miss the way he said "shifter" with distaste.

An irritated growl slipped from my lips, and I glowered at the mage, silently sizing him up.

He did the same, his expression turning wary. He even raised his hands, possibly to cast some kind of spell.

"Wait," Luca said, quickly stepping between us. "Levi"s..."

He halted, glancing at me, and I waited, my heart pounding in my chest, for how he'd label me. If he called me a mere friend or acquaintance, my heart would sink.

Luca took a deep breath, his eyes locking with mine.

"Levi's not bothering me… He's my fox," Luca said.

My fox? I would've preferred if he acknowledged me as his mate, but being his fox didn't hurt.

Luca probably still needed time to decide and time was something I could give. The mage"s eyes widened in surprise, his hands dropping to his sides.

"This shifter's special to you?" The other mage asked, looking between us with a mixture of shock and disbelief. "But you never mentioned..."

"Because I hadn"t fully realized it myself until now," Luca interrupted, his tone firm. "I'm sorry."

Relief and pride surged through me. Luca hadn't chosen me exactly, but I was betting I was the front runner.

I stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Luca"s waist, pulling him closer. The mage looked flustered, clearly unsure of what to say next.

"Well, what a complete waste of my time," the mage grumbled. "I suppose I should... leave you two alone."

"That would be best," I said, unable to keep the possessive bite out of my voice.

I watched as the mage nodded awkwardly and walked away, leaving Luca and me alone once more. Luca turned to me, his eyes filled with emotion.

"I"m sorry about that," he said softly. "I didn"t mean for things to get so complicated."

"It"s not your fault," I assured him, brushing a hand through his hair. "Let's get out of here?"

"Yeah, sure," Luca nodded.

I suggested my place back at the pack house, but in the end we both agreed it was too far.

So, we ended up checking in at a nearby inn instead. I didn"t remember talking to the innkeeper or snatching the keys.

All I could think about was Luca. Once I slid the key into the door, we were all over each other.

I yanked him close for a kiss, my hands threading through his hair as I pulled him against me.

Luca responded with equal fervor, his hands gripping my shoulders as our lips collided in a heated embrace.

We stumbled into the room, barely managing to close the door behind us. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow from a bedside lamp casting a warm, intimate light over us.

I backed Luca up against the wall, pressing my body against his, feeling the heat between us intensify.

His breath hitched as I nibbled on his lower lip, my hands roaming over his back. Nothing else mattered; there was only the two of us, lost in each other.

"Luca," I murmured against his lips, "you drive me crazy, you know that?"

He let out a soft laugh. "Good," he whispered. "Because you do the same to me."

I wanted to ask him for more, to solidify what we had, but I hesitated, not wanting to push him.

"Then…" I trailed off, searching his eyes for any sign of hesitation.

He sighed, dropping his gaze. "I need more time, Levi. I'm sorry. I have to think about my family, what they want…" His voice was tinged with uncertainty.

I cupped his face, lifting his chin so our eyes met again.

"Okay," I said gently. "Take all the time you need. All I need to know is that I'm still in the race."

His eyes softened, and he smiled, a tender, reassuring smile that made my heart swell.

"You're at the very top of my list. Believe me," he said.

"That"s all I needed to hear," I whispered.

I captured his mouth in another searing kiss, savoring the taste of him, the feel of his body against mine.

We moved towards the bed, our movements urgent and frenzied. Clothes were discarded carelessly, landing in a heap on the floor.

Every touch, every kiss felt electric, sending shivers down my spine.

As we finally collapsed onto the bed, I took a moment to look at him. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were filled with a mix of desire and something deeper.

"I love you," I said. "I"ve never been more sure of anything in my life."

Luca"s eyes softened, and he reached up to cup my face in his hands.

"I love you too, Levi," he said softly. "More than words can say."

I could hear a "but" in there, but at that moment, it didn't matter. The only thing I needed right now was to be inside him.

I parted from him a moment to snatch the lube and condom.

"No condom," Luca said as I was about to put it on.

"No?" I asked with a raise of my eyebrow.

"We're both clean and I…trust you," Luca said, blushing.

He looked endearing at that moment.

"Alright then," I said, sliding back to bed.

After lubing his ass, I saddled him, hefting his legs over my shoulders. My gaze never left his.

As I entered him, Luca raised his head and kissed me. My inner fox howled inside me in triumph as I pumped in and out of him.

I started slow, then went faster and deeper. He panted, we both did, meeting me for every push.

My balls tightened against my body and my cock felt like a steel pipe between my legs.

At my last push, Luca came, screaming out my name. He painted my stomach with his jizz. Feeling his climax triggered my own.

I emptied my seed inside him, before collapsing next to him. Then, I gathered Luca in my arms.

In that moment, he looked mussed up, lethargic, and all mine. The satisfaction of it warmed my heart.

"Take all the time you need," I whispered in his ear. "We both know you"ll choose me in the end."

Luca"s eyes met mine, searching for something, perhaps reassurance or understanding.

He didn"t say a word, but the way he melted into my embrace spoke volumes.

We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other. His scent, the warmth of his body against mine, it all felt right, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place.

Luca finally pulled back slightly, his eyes half-lidded and dreamy. He reached up and touched my cheek, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw.

"You"re annoyingly confident, you know that?" he murmured with a hint of a smile.

I chuckled softly. "Only because I know what I want, and that"s you," I told him.

He shook his head, a small laugh escaping his lips. "You make it hard to resist," he said.

I leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "That"s the idea."

Luca sighed contentedly, resting his head against my chest.

"I never thought I"d find someone like you," he admitted softly. "Someone who makes me feel...safe and wanted."

"You are safe with me, Luca," I promised, tightening my hold on him. "Always."