12. Levi

As I pulledthe car into my brother"s driveway, I couldn"t help but notice how nervous Luca looked.

He was fiddling with his fingers and glancing at the house like it might swallow him whole.

I chuckled softly, remembering how just weeks ago I had pictured this exact perfect moment: finally introducing my mate to my family.

"It"s going to be fine," I said, reaching over to squeeze Luca"s hand.

His fingers were cold, and he shot me a weak smile.

"You sure about that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Positive," I said confidently. "They're going to love you."

Luca took a deep breath and nodded, though the uncertainty in his eyes didn't entirely fade.

I admired his courage. It wasn"t easy being thrust into a new family, especially one as loud and tight-knit as mine.

"Come on, let's get this over with," he muttered, pushing the car door open.

I laughed and got out, walking around the car to join him.

Together, we walked up the path to the front door, the sound of our footsteps crunching on the gravel the only noise breaking the silence.

As we reached the door, it swung open, and Dave came barreling out.

"Uncle Levi!" he shouted, throwing himself at me. I caught him and swung him up into a hug, his laughter ringing in my ears.

"Hey, kiddo," I said, ruffling his hair. Dave squirmed, trying to get free.

"Who"s that?" he asked, pointing at Luca.

"This is Luca," I said, setting Dave down. "He"s my mate."

Dave eyed Luca curiously, and I could see Luca tense up again.

"Hi," Luca said, his voice a bit shaky.

"Hi," Dave responded, then looked back at me. "Are you coming inside? Mom says dinner"s almost ready."

"Of course," I said, grabbing Luca"s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Let"s go."

We followed Dave into the house, the familiar smell of Marie"s cooking hitting me as soon as we walked through the door.

It was comforting, grounding, and I felt some of my own nerves settle.

Marie was in the kitchen, as usual, and she turned around with a warm smile when we entered.

"Levi! Luca! Welcome," she said, wiping her hands on a towel before coming over to give me a hug.

"Marie, this is Luca," I said as she pulled away from me and turned to Luca.

"It"s nice to meet you, Luca," she said, offering her hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Luca said, shaking her hand.

"Dan"s just finishing up outside," she said. "You boys go ahead and get settled. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Marie," I said. "We"ll be in the living room."

As we walked through the house, I felt Luca relax a little more with each step.

By the time we reached the living room, he seemed almost at ease, the initial nerves starting to fade.

"See? Not so bad, right?" I said, nudging him playfully.

He smiled at me. "Yeah, not so bad," he agreed.

We sat down on the couch, and Dave immediately started showing us his new video game.

I watched as Luca interacted with him, the tension melting away completely. This was the moment I had dreamed of, and it was even better than I had imagined.

Finally, Dan walked in, wiping his hands on a towel. His eyes lit up when he saw us.

"Levi! Luca! Glad you could make it," he said, coming over to give me a hug.

"Wouldn"t miss it," I said, patting his back. "Luca, this is my brother, Dan."

"Nice to meet you," Luca said, shaking Dan"s hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Dan said with a grin. "Welcome to the family."

Luca looked at me, a mixture of relief and happiness in his eyes. I smiled back and gave Dan a wink.

We didn't come here just to spend the night. I had other plans, and I needed my brother's help.

"Are you sure you"ll be okay here?" I asked Luca, my eyes searching his face for any lingering doubt.

Luca smiled and nodded, his earlier nervousness completely gone.

"I"ll be fine, Levi. Go enjoy your game with Dan," Luca said.

I gave him a quick kiss on his temple, grateful for his understanding.

"Thanks. I"ll be back soon," I told him.

Marie and Dave waved us off as we headed out the door. Once in the car, Dan gave me a knowing smirk.

Both of us were dressed in sportswear, the perfect cover for our real mission today. I turned the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life.

"You ready for this?" Dan asked, his smirk widening into a grin.

"Yeah," I said, my heart pounding with excitement. "Let"s do this."

We pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the nearby park, our cover story. But instead of stopping there, I continued driving toward the city center.

Dan didn"t say anything, just watched me with a curious glint in his eye.

"So," Dan said after a few minutes, "you really think Luca"s the one, huh? Because there's no going back from this."

I glanced at him, my grip tightening on the steering wheel.

"Yeah, I do. He"s everything I"ve been looking for and more," I told him.

Dan nodded, his expression serious now. "Well, then let"s find the perfect ring for him," he said.

We parked near the jewelry district, a row of high-end stores glittering in the afternoon sun. My heart raced as we walked down the street, the weight of what I was about to do sinking in.

I had never been this sure about anything in my life, but now that the moment was here, it felt incredibly special.

We entered the first store, and a sleek woman behind the counter greeted us with a professional smile.

"How can I help you gentlemen today?" She asked.

"I"m looking for an engagement ring," I said, my voice steady.

She nodded and motioned for us to follow her to a display case filled with sparkling rings.

"Any particular style in mind?" she asked.

I thought about Luca, his personality, his tastes.

"Something elegant, but not too flashy. Unique, like him," I answered.

She smiled and began pulling out a selection of rings, each one more beautiful than the last.

I examined them carefully, but none of them felt quite right. Dan, sensing my hesitation, stepped in.

"Do you have anything else, something that feels more personal?" he asked.

The woman raised an eyebrow but nodded, disappearing into a back room. She returned a few moments later with a small box.

"These are some of our more unique pieces," she said.

I looked at the rings inside, each one beautiful in its own way. My eyes were drawn to a simple band with a shimmering blue stone. It was elegant and unique, just like Luca.

"That one," I said, pointing to it.

The woman took it out and handed it to me.

"Excellent choice. This ring is one of a kind," she said.

I felt a thrill of excitement as I held the ring, imagining slipping it onto Luca"s finger.

"I"ll take it," I immediately said.

As we left the store, ring in hand, Dan clapped me on the back.

"You did good, little bro," Dan said.

"Thanks," I said, slipping the ring into my pocket. "Now let"s get back before they start wondering where we are."

We drove back to the house, my mind racing with thoughts of the future. I knew this was just the beginning, but I was ready for whatever came next, as long as Luca was by my side.

When we walked back into the house, Luca was in the living room, chatting easily with Marie and Dave.

He looked up and smiled when he saw us, and I knew in that moment that I had made the right choice.

"How was the game?" he asked.

"Great," I said, unable to keep the grin off my face. "But it"s even better to be back."

As we settled back in, I couldn"t help but feel a surge of anticipation. I had the ring, and now all I needed was the perfect moment to propose.

For lunch, Marie had outdone herself with a feast that left us all feeling satisfied.

Luca fit in seamlessly, chatting animatedly with Marie and making Dave laugh with his playful banter.

Dan and I exchanged glances throughout the meal, the secret of the ring burning a hole in my pocket.

As Marie brought out dessert, an apple pie Dave and I bought on the way back, my heart began to race. This was the moment.

I watched as she sliced the pie and served it, making sure Luca received the piece with the hidden surprise.

Luca took a bite, savoring the sweet flavors, but suddenly his expression changed.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, pulling something from his mouth.

His eyes widened as he realized what he was holding—the ring. Marie and Dave both gasped, their eyes darting from Luca to me.

The room fell silent, everyone watching to see what would happen next. Luca"s gaze locked onto mine, shock and confusion written all over his face.

I stood up, my heart pounding in my chest, and walked around the table to where Luca sat.

Gently, I took the ring from his hand and knelt down on one knee in front of him. The entire world seemed to hold its breath.

"Luca," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were someone special. You"ve brought so much joy and light into my life, and I can"t imagine my future without you. I love you more than words can express. Being my mate isn't enough. I want you to be my husband. Will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in Luca"s eyes as he stared at me, clearly overwhelmed.

For a moment, I worried that I had misjudged, that maybe he wasn"t ready for this step. But then, a radiant smile broke across his face.

"Yes," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "Yes, Levi, I"ll marry you."

The room erupted in cheers. Dan clapped me on the back, and Marie hugged Luca, tears streaming down her cheeks. Dave leaned in to get a closer look at the ring.

I slipped the ring onto Luca"s finger, my hands shaking with excitement. It fit perfectly.

As I stood up, Luca threw his arms around my neck, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss.

The world around us faded away, and in that moment, it was just the two of us.

When we finally pulled apart, our foreheads resting against each other, Luca whispered, "You really went all out, didn"t you?"

I chuckled, brushing a stray tear from his cheek. "I wanted it to be memorable," I told him.

"It"s perfect," he said, his voice filled with awe. "Absolutely perfect."