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It was all so confusing, and I couldn't help but feel like I had been humiliated. I told myself not to get my hopes up, yet I did exactly that anyway.
When the bathroom door opened again and Levi came out, I didn't say a word. Instead, I made myself as comfortable as I could and looked up at the ceiling.
The mattress dipped on his side as he crawled into bed and pulled the blankets over himself. With a sigh, he settled in and maintained that distance between us.
As the moonlight poured in through the windows, I stared up, unable to close my eyes yet.
More shame and frustration crashed over me as Levi made no move to touch me or even pose reasons why we should complete the bond. As far as I knew, he didn't want to.
He likely assumed I wasn't deserving of him or that I didn't look how he expected his mate to.
On the brink of tears, my eyes burned, and I tried my hardest to fight the strong emotions that threatened me, but that humiliation was impossible to beat.
What was I supposed to do in a bond with a mate who wasn't attracted to me? How could we ever develop something meaningful if he couldn't stand to touch me?
But as the silence lingered, I was surprised to hear Levi's voice break it.
"Most ceremonies would end with the consummation, as I'm sure you know, but I won't push you," he began, voice steady, albeit quieter than usual. "We haven't had the usual time to bond like most mates, and I don't believe we need to try and make up for lost time in one night. We can wait."
That confusing disappointment jabbed into my side like a barb, but at the same time, I couldn't disagree with him. As much as I hoped he found me desirable, I didn't want our first time having sex to happen out of tradition or long-standing customs. Our situation felt unique, and there was no need for us to sour things before they could truly begin.
At the same time, it felt like he was offering me the chance to choose, and I couldn't argue against it.
Sitting with those conflicting feelings, I tried to let it pass. But the moment Levi reached over and placed his hand on mine, a rush of warmth moved through me.
I froze immediately, unsure if I was imagining it or not. But there was no doubting his presence or the way that contact brought me a sense of ease.
Levi had been my enemy in a sense, but with his hand on mine, it felt like a sort of truce. It wasn't the kind of intimacy I had been anticipating, yet it was a sign of hope.
Even if we were practically strangers still, it came off as a silent promise—a small token to show that he cared.
Giving in, I accepted the touch and allowed his hand to envelope mine. I was toeing the line of my tolerance for him, and while it should've been alarming, I didn't mind.
That touch was almost magnetizing, and I could feel our connection strengthening, even if only slightly.
As we lay there in silence in the dark bedroom, aware of that mutual pent-up frustration, we chose to ignore it still. To resist for our own sakes rather than giving in to the urges of our wolves.
Regardless of my slight disappointment, it felt like a good first step.
Chapter 9 - Levi
My life had changed dramatically over the span of one weekend, and while I wasn't normally itching for the work week to begin, it was nice to return to some normalcy.
With a coffee in hand, I made my way up the stone steps out front of the sky-rise and was greeted by the doorman. With a deep, reassuring breath, I went to the elevator, offering greetings wherever necessary, and clicked the button for the top floor.
That floor was reserved for us and served as a constant reminder of our success. We developed our tech company to give back to our communities, and while it certainly skyrocketed to greater success than we ever could've imagined and a lot more work, I wouldn't dream of changing it.
The elevator dinged, announcing my arrival. Sebastian, Beau, and Ezra were already sitting around the glass table, chatting as usual. Their heads lifted to acknowledge me.
"Look at who finally showed up," Sebastian chided, sipping from his coffee.
"You can't blame him. He's had an eventful weekend," Beau added, grinning with satisfaction.
"Speaking of, how did everything go after the party?" Sebastian asked, achieving a slightly more serious air about him.
"It's too early for prying," I muttered, waving them off as I took my seat.
"Come on. You can't leave us hanging like that," he returned, looking incredibly curious.
