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"Thank you for being a stubborn ass," he said into Ian's warm chest.
He laughed, and it sounded a little wet. "No problem. Can we court you properly now?"
Elias slowly pulled back, eyes misty with tears. He refused to let them fall. "Court me? What is this, the eighteen hundreds?"
Dane was the one to laugh this time as he gently spun Elias into his arms, rocking him back and forth. It was dizzying, the amount of support he had right now.
"It's the only way to say it. We want you to feel comfortable with us before sealing anything with a mating bite. So we'll spend time together, not for you to choose one, but to accept us all."
Elias bit his lip. "Okay."
Dane looked surprised. Those baby blues blown wide. "Really? Just like that?"
Elias slowly pulled away from him and smoothed out the front of Dane's dress shirt. "Yes. Did you think I'd take more convincing?"
"Well, yeah."
He lightly tapping two fingers into the Dane's chest. "You pose a good argument for why more is more, in this case. However, I'd like to meet that pack out in West Sagefield, if possible."
He looked at Levi as he said so, and the alpha nodded, a smile blooming across his face. "I'll set it up. I'm sure her and her alphas would love to meet you."
Elias hummed. "And is my first date with you this weekend, as planned?"
"Yes, don't be late."
Chapter Thirteen
Levi's mansion, true to Elias's expectations, was a lavish display of extravagance. It sat on the outskirts of Hamton along the wall near the coast. If he focused really hard, he could hear crashing waves in the distance and the high caw of gulls floating above them.
He leaned on top of his car, staring at the monstrosity before him with apprehension. It was at least five thousand square feet and solid white sandstone carved with whirling patterns along each pillar holding it up. A rounded, paved driveway with a matching, running white fountain sat in front of it, pattering away. Birds flit from flower pot to flower pot, along with butterflies enjoying the immaculate landscaping.
Elias assumed the inside must be much more opulent, but tried to calm his nerves by taking a deep breath, hoping to mask the scent of his anxiety. While he grew up in Hamton, he wasn't used to this level of blatant wealth. His father was a lawyer, while his mother was a financial consultant. They made good money, don't get him wrong, but not this much money. Only business owners and investors enjoyed luxury like this.
Elias gulped again and pushed away from his car, forcing one foot in front of the other until he got to the front door. There should be a doorbell, but all he saw were old-fashioned brass knockers screwed into the cream double doors. He used them, tapping three times in quick succession.
The door swung open a few moments later, revealing a taller beta gentleman with no obvious scent. He was older, with salt-and-pepper hair and a fantastic, welcoming smile that instantly put Elias at ease.
"Hello and welcome to the Weston residence. My name is Jem, the head butler. And you are?"
He smiled tentatively, keeping his posture straight and looking the man in the eye. "Elias. I'm here to spend the afternoon with Levi."
Jem nodded and stepped aside, sweeping the way forward with his arm. "Of course, Mr. Weston informed me of your impending visit early this morning. Please, come in."
Elias slipped past him to stand in the foyer, eyes trailing over dark wood tables, huge potted plants in every corner, and a drop chandelier twinkling with crystal. Beneath his feet was a maroon carpet sewn with beading. He had the strange inclination to dip his toes into it just to verify if it was as soft as it seemed. He was staring, but couldn't bring himself to stop.
"Overwhelming, isn't it?" Jem commented, standing beside him with his hands tucked behind his back.
He glanced over. The thing was, even Jem looked like he belonged here with his snazzy suit and slicked-back hair. Elias had on a casual sweatshirt repping his college and some dark wash jeans. Nothing fancy or put together about it.
"A bit," he agreed.
Jem flashed another smile. "You'll be fine. Follow me."
They moved from the foyer and into a long hallway with the same color scheme. Paintings that looked to be decades old lined it. One was a woman swooning over an armchair surrounded by wildflowers. Another was a fierce battle between two armies. A third was a single man sitting in a dark room alone, eyes vacant as he sat surrounded by mountains of books. They were all impressive and well done.
Jem turned left and entered a living space that had two massive L-shaped couches, a wall-mounted flat screen, and various abstract sculptures. Positioned beside a wall of windows with a view of the back garden, a grand piano gleamed in the sunlight. Elias found the room audacious or frivolous because of its spaciousness, comparable to Ian's apartment.They stopped just inside and Jem turned back to him, gesturing to the couches.
"Feel free to sit there while you wait. I'll inform Mr. Weston of your arrival. Would you like any refreshments? Tea? Coffee? Juice? Soda? Something stronger for the nerves?"
