3. Luca

I was vaguelyaware of the warm body behind me. The steady rhythm of his breath sifted through my hair, warming my nape.

Our legs were tangled together, and when I tried to move away, his hand on my waist pulled me closer. What was he still doing here?

I can"t speak much from experience, but didn"t one-night stands usually last... one night?

As in, they'd leave in the middle of the night, nowhere to be seen by morning.

I knew why I was still here. I didn't want to go home. And it was the best sleep I've had in weeks. Months even.

With all the responsibilities I had to shoulder recently, the sick grandfather I had to care for, I barely caught a break.

But why was this guy still here, hugging me so close I could feel every inch of his contoured chest against my back?

An unfamiliar ringing broke the silence. It was coming from my phone, but I didn't recall ever using that notification sound before.

I grabbed it and swiped the screen. It was a calendar alarm.

FH Pack House 11:30 AM.

It was a calendar reminder added by my mother. No wonder it didn't sound familiar.

I made a mental note to figure out how to prevent her from sneaking these schedule items onto my calendar without my knowledge.

I groaned, rolled onto my stomach, and continued to check my messages. A slew of them from my mom since last night filled the screen.

Mom: Where are you?

Mom: Are you coming home soon?

Mom: Are you ignoring me?

Mom: I left your suit for tomorrow in your bedroom.

Mom: Are you home yet?

Mom: Are you awake? Don't be late for your meeting later.

I rolled my eyes and closed the screen. Thank God for notification previews. If she knew I had seen her messages and left her on read, she'd immediately call, furious that I hadn"t replied.

The bed creaked as the guy behind me sat up. Suddenly, I felt his lips leaving small kisses along my neck.

"Good morning," he murmured.

I tried not to move, pretending to remain absorbed in my phone. I didn't want him to see my reaction, unsure of what my face might reveal. But inside, I felt a strange mix of guilt, dread, and butterflies in my stomach.

I managed to mumble a noncommittal "mmm."

Then it hit me like a freight train—what really happened last night. Yes, it was a one-night stand. But I had slept with someone on a whim before meeting a marriage candidate.

Shit.

I heard the bed creak again, followed by the soft patter of footsteps on the wooden floor and the sound of a door opening, then water running. He must have gone to the bathroom.

"Why don't we get some breakfast before we check out?" he suggested.

I stole a glance at him, consciously avoiding his chiseled torso and instead focusing on his hands.

He was tearing open a disposable toothbrush and applying toothpaste. His muscles flexed as he moved, the sinews in his arms and back standing out with every motion. How could someone make dental hygiene look so sexy?

He awaited my response, and I nodded in agreement. Satisfied, he flashed a smile and proceeded to brush his teeth.

As I watched him, a knot began to form in my stomach. He seemed like a decent guy, not even leaving in the middle of the night, even wanting to get breakfast together.

But I knew I had to leave.

Some part of me imagined us having breakfast, laughing, finding out more about each other, actually exchanging numbers, and eventually dating. Like a normal relationship.

But I couldn't. I had a meeting with the fox shifter marriage candidate in a few hours, and in a few weeks, I'd practically be engaged.

I definitely needed to leave.

"Hey, could you help me fill the tub?" I called out.

He nodded in response, finally closing the bathroom door, leaving it slightly ajar. The sound of running water filled the room.

That was my cue. I stood up as quietly as I could, quickly put on my pants, grabbed the rest of my things, and slipped out the door.

I hurriedly called a cab to return to the bar, where my car was parked. From there, I headed home to freshen up for the marriage interview at the Fox Haven pack house.

The morning passed by in a blur, but I didn't mind. Anything to stop me from thinking about the guy I left behind at the inn.

Nervous and flustered, I still felt the buzz from the previous night"s adrenaline. Not from a hangover but from the encounter itself.

Sleeping with a stranger, the good sex, and then hastily running out on him—it was a lot to process.

I couldn't get the guy from the bar out of my head. Maybe I should've taken a look at the fox shifter's file to distract myself.

If I had read up on him, maybe I could"ve calmed down a little, thinking this wouldn't be so bad.

But I had left the file at home and forgot to grab it on my way out.

I tapped my fingers nervously on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change. I was wearing the suit my grandfather had chosen for me.

It was uncomfortable and scratchy in places I didn"t even know could feel scratchy. I quickly took off the tie and jacket in frustration.

I was sweating too much, too nervous, and honestly, I looked ridiculous.

Damn. I really should've read that file.

Now I felt completely unprepared. If only I had taken a look at it, it would have given me some semblance of control, some questions to ask when I met him. But now, I felt utterly exposed, with no idea what to expect.

Alright, what did I know? He was a Fox shifter, possibly around my age or slightly older. His initials were ‘L.C.'

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down a little. That was three things I had on him. Not too bad.

If I was lucky, maybe he'd be a nice guy like James or Shane. Because that's all I could hope for, right?

Wasn't that the best-case scenario for these arranged marriages? Maybe he even had a good sense of humor, but that might have been pushing it.

So, okay, starting from the top again. Fox shifter. Wait. He's a fox shifter.

A shifter with sharper senses, like a heightened sense of smell.

Oh crap.

Would he be able to smell me? And what I did last night?

A wave of guilt washed over me. I didn't want to screw this up before it even started, but it already felt like I did.

The only thought going through my head was that I might still have that guy's scent on me and the shifters would know, cut off the deal, and I'd disappoint my grandfather and screw my family's future.

I quickly made a U-turn to head back home for another shower.

After half an hour, I was back on the same road toward the pack lands, feeling a bit more composed.

I had changed my shirt because the other one was drenched in sweat. Now, I wore a light sweater, which felt much more comfortable.

Passing through security at the entrance of the pack lands compound, I felt relieved that I didn't encounter any problems on entry. Security even gave me directions to the pack house.

My mother was supposed to accompany me as a chaperone, but she said she'd rather be caught dead than set foot in the pack lands.

"What will my friends think?" she had said.

It was more about her social image than any genuine concern. What would her friends say if they discovered her son might be marrying a fox shifter?

But her attitude didn't faze me anymore. I was used to her self-centeredness. Besides, Ollie lived here, so if I needed support, I could always turn to him.

Parking in front of the pack house, I drummed my fingers nervously on my seat. Opening the glove compartment, I hastily grabbed some wet wipes.

Memories of the guy from last night flooded my mind again as I wiped my neck and arms—the way he held me close, his touch lingering in my thoughts. I shook my head, trying to dispel them.

Yet, every time his image resurfaced, a lump formed in my throat, and my stomach twisted into knots.

Then again, why should I let it bother me? I was a grown man with needs.

I hadn"t even met this marriage candidate yet. I wasn"t some cheating husband.

Nevertheless, I couldn"t shake off this nagging feeling. I retrieved another wipe and meticulously cleaned myself again, trying to erase any lingering scent or trace of the previous night.

It wasn't like I wasn't sweaty or anything. In fact, to a normal person, my skin looked completely fine, with no visible sheen of sweat.

But, I wasn"t sure about shifters; I didn"t know how sensitive their sense of smell was.

Entering the pack house, I felt nervous as I sat in the waiting area. Behind the reception desk, a man immediately picked up the phone upon my arrival.

A few minutes later, Owen, the pack alpha, came out of his office.

We shook hands. "You must be Luca. Nice to meet you," he said with a warm smile.

I returned the smile, remembering him from Liam's housewarming party. As our hands parted, he leaned in slightly, his gaze curious. I instinctively withdrew my hand and took a step back.

Could he smell me? I had practically finished my whole packet of wet wipes in the car.

Trying to steer the conversation away, I asked, "Sorry I was late. Is, um, he here?" I glanced around, secretly hoping my appointment hadn"t arrived yet.

"He should be on his way. Why don"t you take a seat? My assistant can get you a coffee while you wait," Owen offered, motioning to a nearby chair.

I nodded as Owen went back into his office. Taking a seat, I watched as his assistant poured me a cup of coffee.

I wasn't really sure what was supposed to happen here. Other than meeting the shifter, how do these things work anyway?

Would we talk in a formal setting, like a business meeting? Or maybe we"d just chat at a café, which seemed more comfortable. Either way, I hoped for the latter; a formal setting felt too impersonal.

Owen's assistant handed me a mug. "Here you go."

"Thanks," I said, taking a sip.

The warmth of the coffee helped to ease my nerves slightly. I realized I hadn"t even had my morning cup yet. No wonder I felt a bit sluggish, unable to fully collect my thoughts.

Between bolting out of the inn and driving back and forth, changing outfits twice, I just didn"t have the time.

"That smells good. I think I'll have one too. Didn't get much sleep last night," a familiar voice, low and husky, sounded from behind me.

Whipping my head around, I stood up so quickly I almost spilled my drink. There he was, the guy from last night. What was he doing here?

He was wearing a well-fitted shirt, his hair slicked back, and he smelled of eucalyptus and leather.

He looked so refreshed, like he just stepped out of a damn commercial for some high-end skin care product.

Dimples formed on his cheeks, and an annoying smirk played on his lips, as if he knew something I didn't.

He looked infuriatingly good. I wanted to throw my coffee at him. But lucky for him, it would be a waste to harm that handsome face.

I shot him a glare. When I remained silent, he continued, "Small world, huh? I'm Levi, by the way."

He extended his hand, but I didn"t take it. Levi chuckled softly, unfazed by my lack of response.

"Go away. I'm busy," I said, taking a step back, looking around nervously, making sure my appointment wasn't here yet.

But damn, he smelled good. Really good, in fact. Yet, this only added to my frustration, especially since I had already tried wiping his scent off me for the past half hour.

Although, I suspected his scent still clung to me, based on Owen's earlier reaction.

"Can't. I have business here," Levi replied casually.

"What business?" I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.

He seemed so nice and innocent last night. It must be those deep green eyes of his, seemingly drawing me into his charms.

Or was it the ambiance of the bar, the soft glow of the string lights, that masked the now infuriating smirk.

Right now, I just wanted to cover that distracting smile of his with my hands. Or with my mouth.

No, definitely the former.

Levi walked over to the coffee machine to pour himself a cup—black, no sugar, no milk. I didn"t even know why I was bothering to remember his coffee preferences. He downed it in one shot.

"Same one you have," he said, placing his mug on the table and walking towards me.

Taking a big sip of my coffee, I tried to remember if I"d mentioned anything about my plans for today but came up empty. Just as I was about to ask, a voice interrupted.

"Ah, you're finally here. I see you two have met," Owen said, walking up to us.

I turned to Levi, realization hitting me, and accidentally spat my coffee all over his shirt.