4. Luca/ Levi

LUCA

I stood there, completely still, my heart racing as I witnessed coffee dribbling down Levi"s bewildered expression, leaving dark stains on his once pristine white shirt.

Panic surged through me as the realization of what I had just done sank in.

No one seemed to be able to move. Everyone around us was frozen too. Owen tried to conceal a chuckle, but his trembling shoulders betrayed his amusement.

His assistant, however, appeared terrified, his gaze darting anxiously between Levi and me, probably worried about Levi"s reaction once he recovered from the shock of being drenched in coffee.

Levi"s immediate response was hard to gauge. He closed his eyes on instinct when the hot liquid hit him. He stood there for a beat, then blinked open his eyes, revealing a mixture of shock and confusion. He didn't seem angry per se, but he was definitely surprised.

As the tense moment lingered, Owen slowly lifted his phone. The unmistakable sound of a camera click seemed to echo loudly in the room, followed by the flash of light that broke the spell that had enveloped us.

Owen"s assistant rushed over from his desk, clutching a tissue box in hand. Owen quickly lifted his phone above his head, out of Levi"s reach, as Levi attempted to grab it.

"I, uh, have some wet wipes in my car," I stammered, taking a step back and seizing the chaos as an opportunity to flee the building.

As I hurried away, I could hear Levi"s voice calling out after me.

I sprinted as fast as I could, zooming past the parked cars in the lot before following the gravel path that led to the nearby woods. With each step, I pushed myself to keep moving.

Out of nowhere, my foot snagged on a stray branch, and I crashed to the ground, a searing pain spreading through my knee.

Ignoring the discomfort, I pushed myself back to my feet and continued, determined to put as much distance as possible between myself and the scene I had left behind.

I just wanted to get away from them, from him. I wasn"t sure what to think or feel. Did Levi know this whole time?

Had he been lying to me from the start? The very thought made my stomach churn. Everything felt like a cruel joke, and I was the punchline.

I finally stopped at a small clearing, leaning against a tree as I tried to catch my breath. The cool air filled my lungs, helping to clear my head, but I was still reeling from everything that had just happened.

Shock and disbelief hit me hard. How could the guy I spent the night with turn out to be my first arranged marriage candidate? Part of me felt stupid for not seeing it coming, while another part was downright angry.

Was our connection real, or was it all part of some elaborate setup? The laughter, the flirting—were they real, or just part of his act?

Did I genuinely like him, or was it just because of the circumstances we found ourselves in? As I stood there, leaning against the tree, I tried to make sense of the chaos in my mind.

I felt torn, part of me betrayed and another part unable to ignore the moments of connection we"d experienced. It was overwhelming, too much to process.

I closed my eyes briefly, attempting to calm my racing heart and sort through the sudden chaos of my life.

But I pushed those thoughts aside. Right now, all I wanted was to confront Levi, to ask him if he had known all along.

Looking back at the path I had taken, I paused, suddenly disoriented. Where had I come from? Where was I?

I patted my pockets and realized my phone was missing. I cursed under my breath.

A sudden pain shot through my feet, and I sat down at the base of the tree I was leaning on.

Now that the adrenaline had worn off, I could feel the full extent of the pain in my feet. This was the price I paid for running who knew how long on uneven ground in my new dress shoes.

I winced as I slowly took off my shoes, each movement sending a sharp twinge through my feet.

A sticky sensation greeted me as I carefully removed my socks, revealing peeled skin, bleeding toes, and a horizontal cut across my ankles.

As I inspected my feet, I noticed a similar abrasion on my knee, where the fabric of my pants had rubbed against the skin during my sprint through the woods.

I bowed my head, hoping for some kind of... I didn"t even know what. Someone to pass by? My wounds to miraculously heal? A pit to open up and swallow me whole?

I let out a deep sigh. How dramatic.

No, no one was coming, and I would just have to walk back barefoot. I just needed to rest a little bit, maybe close my eyes for a couple of minutes until I caught my breath.

Just as I started to relax, I felt a drop of rain, and soon, it was pouring. Great.

LEVI

"Luca, let's talk things through," I called out, but the mage ignored me.

All I could see was his retreating back as he disappeared into the woods. Dang it. In hindsight, maybe not revealing my true identity the night before was a grave mistake.

I didn"t have any ill intentions; I simply wanted the chance to get to know Luca before any decisions were made about our future together.

Although now, the likelihood of us tying the knot seemed slim, judging by Luca"s angry and shocked reaction.

My heart pounded in my chest as I quickened my pace.

Did I regret my actions last night? Perhaps, but certainly not the part where we ended up in each other"s arms.

The electric charge that ignited between us, the way our bodies molded together seamlessly—it was undeniable evidence that there was something special between us.

It was enough to give me pause before rushing to tell Owen about my desire to transfer back to my old pack.

Yet, despite the undeniable chemistry, doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind.

Had I made a grave mistake? Had I jeopardized something potentially great by withholding the truth about who I was?

As Luca"s figure faded further into the distance, I felt a surge of urgency coursing through me.

All I could do now was chase after him, desperately hoping that I could somehow mend the rift between us before it was too late.

I set off into the woods, my senses on high alert as I followed Luca"s trail.

His scent lingered in the damp air, guiding me through the dense foliage, and his footprints left an unmistakable path in the soft earth.

But as I ventured deeper into the forest, the sky above darkened ominously, heavy clouds gathering on the horizon.

Before long, the first drops of rain began to fall, each droplet a cold kiss against my skin.

My worry deepened with each passing moment. The woods may be a shifter"s natural environment, but Luca didn"t strike me as the outdoorsy type.

I couldn"t shake the image of him, alone and vulnerable in the midst of the storm. Pushing through the undergrowth, I quickened my pace, my heart pounding in my chest.

The rain fell harder now, a steady downpour that obscured my vision and muffled the sound of my footsteps.

As I closed in on his location, I realized that navigating the rugged terrain in my human form was slowing me down.

I allowed the transformation to wash over me, my body contorting and shifting until I stood on four paws.

In my fox form, my senses were heightened, and the rain no longer felt like an obstacle. As I bounded through the underbrush in my fox form, Luca"s scent grew stronger.

But beneath the familiar scent, another scent caught my attention—a metallic tang that made my fur stand on end. Blood.

I followed the coppery scent of blood leading me to Luca"s location. As I drew closer, the sight of him, hunched and shivering in the rain, sent a surge of alarm coursing through me.

I let out a series of urgent barks as I bounded towards him. He turned, his eyes wide with surprise. At first, he looked scared, then it quickly passed as he realized who I was.

"Levi?" Luca asked.

With a series of concerned whines, I circled around him, my nose twitching as I inspected the source of the blood.

Gently, I nudged Luca"s injured leg, eliciting a pained whimper from him. Without hesitation, I moved closer, offering him what little comfort I could in my fox form.

I licked his knee. To my surprise, his reaction was not one of pain, but of amusement.

"I"m fine, silly fox. I fell. Probably just scraped my knee," he chuckled, his voice tinged with warmth despite the discomfort he must have been feeling.

His easy laughter washed over me, easing the tension that had settled between us. Luca reached out, his fingers brushed against my fur, sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine.

I hadn"t expected the simple gesture to feel so intimate, so comforting.

"Your fur"s so soft," he murmured, his touch gentle as he continued to stroke my coat.

The rain intensified, I knew we couldn"t afford to linger here any longer.

Letting out a bark, I broke away from Luca"s touch and took a few steps forward, urging him to follow.

"Right," Luca said. "We can"t stay here."

As Luca struggled to put his shoe back on, I moved closer to him, offering my support as he leaned on me for balance.

Together, we navigated the slippery terrain, inching our way towards safety one cautious step at a time.

I couldn"t shake the image of Luca slipping or injuring himself in the treacherous conditions. The thought was unbearable.

Fortunately, I remembered a small cave nearby where we could take shelter until the worst of the storm passed.

With Luca leaning on me for support, I led us towards the shelter of the rocky alcove. Relief filled me as we finally reached our destination.

We huddled together in the relative safety of the cave. As we waited out the worst of the weather, the rhythmic patter of rain against the cave walls provided a soothing backdrop to our makeshift shelter.

I glanced over at Luca, his features softened in sleep, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

If I were in my human form, I would"ve grinned at the sight. My mage looked dang adorable. The thought sent a warm flutter through my chest.

My mage. My soon-to-be husband.

The notion felt both exhilarating and daunting. I watched Luca turn on his side, using me as a make-shift pillow.

I liked the sound of being Luca"s husband, of building a life together with him. And hopefully, Luca felt the same way.

Despite our rocky start, I was determined to set things right between us. I sat there, keeping watch over Luca as he slept, I made a silent promise to myself.

I would do everything in my power to make him see we were perfect for each other.