Chapter 22: twenty-two
"Levi?" I called out on awe. He hastily stuffed his face in my neck and squeezed me tightly, breathing in my scent and refusing to let me go. Then he wrapped his arms around me. The hug was full of love and affection, not a single negative emotion. Being in his embrace is way better in real life rather than a dream.
"I told you I would find you, Naomi…" he mumbled out, "no matter where you go mate, I will always be a few steps behind. Because.. I love you."
My eyes widened and I pushed him backwards off of me. Of course the push did nothing because he was too strong, but he got the hint and moved back. "Love? You don't love me Levi. You just love having someone to claim and occasionally mess around with." I could see the hurt in his eyes after those words left my mouth. But it was true. All he has ever done was abuse me in various ways then proceed to pretend like it didn't happen.
"No, Naomi. I do love you. Please, give me a chance to explain myself," he took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face. I took that moment to analyze him, I hadn't seen him for a few days and it appeared that his clothes were a bit dirty and there were large bags under his eyes as if he hadn't slept for the past few days. But he was still fit and still kept his back straight and head high.
I've always admired that about him.
"After I marked you.. I took a peak into your mind," I rolled my eyes. That's all I needed to hear. "Look Levi-"
"No, Naomi. I need you to hear this. I need you to hear me." I sighed and nodded my head.
What am I even doing? I should be leaving, I should be at the train station by now. But, he gets here and it feels as though I'm already where I need to be.
"All I felt in your mind was.. sadness.. misery and anger. I was ignorant to keep you locked up for all those days. I was selfish and I just wanted you all to myself. Not only that but I wanted to please my father and the pack, I thought of everyone else before you… my mate.. my everything," he placed his hands on my hips and I sucked in my breath.
His touch felt so deliciously good.
Levi gulped and squeezed my hips. I could tell that he hadn't quite planned out what he was going to say and that this conversation was eating him up, but I let him continue.
"I want to redeem myself, Naomi. I want you to trust me… not as your alpha and not as your superior but, to trust me as your mate." He paused for a second and closed his eyes before reopening them.
"I promise I will never, ever lay a single hand on you… unless you want me to.." he mumbled that last part and tried to repress his smirk.
He removed his hands from me and ran them through his hair. "Please, Naomi, please I need you by my side. I cannot go on without you, you mean more to me than you know and I would like to have another chance to treat you better…"
I was at a loss for words. We stood there in silence for a few seconds as I tried to gather my thoughts.
He was truthful to me, so it's time I be truthful to him, "Levi the day I met you I wanted nothing to do with you. All I wanted was to live a normal life away from werewolves. I never wanted a mate, I never wanted to have this mess in my life."
His eyes filled with sorrow as he looked down at me. But he didn't dare interrupt my confession.
"You and your wolf abused me in so many different ways every single day I was in that cabin with you! I even have the bruises to show for it!" I pulled down my sweatshirt a bit to reveal the bruises on my neck and pulled up my sleeve to show the nasty bruises on my wrist from the day he dragged me back to the cabin.
I took a deep, shaky breath to stop myself from crying.
"You cannot possibly expect me to come back with you willingly after I spent the worse days of my life in that cabin."
Levi sadly nodded and bit his lip. He began to speak again but my ears completely tuned him out.
What was happening? It was beginning to get overly hot in this house despite the cold wind blowing inside. I lifted my sweatshirt up and down, trying to get air to blow inside but nothing seemed to work. I moved passed Levi and ran out the door.
The wind seemed to only make it worse. "Shit!" I was burning up!
"Noami? What's wr-" Levi started, from behind me but stopped mid sentence. I flipped around to see what the hold up was and found his eyes fixated on mine.
His body was stiff and his eyes were darkened, they weren't as dark as his wolf's eyes but they definitely weren't as light as his eyes. And has he always looked this attractive?
"Levi?" I said, breathlessly. I felt like I just ran a marathon. My throat was dry and my body feels like it's being engulfed in flames. I've read about this in one of my books before… what was it again? I couldn't put a single thought together!
Levi was stiff and looked me up and down before walking toward me. When he reached me I got a better look at his eyes. They were a dark brown, almost as if his wolf was just on the very surface of control.
Without any warning, he dipped his head into my neck and breathed in, letting a long groan out after. I would've protested against this, but his skin felt so… good against mine. Even better than before. The warmth settled when he was near and I felt like I could finally breathe normally again.
His icy hands slipped underneath my sweatshirt and settled in my bare skin. A tiny gasp left my mouth and my cheeks heated up. I felt his sharp fangs against the unmarked side of my neck. I didn't try to stop him, my body wanted this. Besides, I've already been marked once right? What's the issue with one more?
Just as his teeth were going to sink in my neck a voice was heard from inside the house, "Naomi?" My mother called out. I pushed Levi back and snapped out of whatever trance I was in. I ran over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I thought something happened to you!"
My mother shook her head and looked over at Levi. He was still standing there, back facing us. Whatever internal battle he was having with his wolf had nothing to do with me anymore.
"I heard Levi and you speaking and didn't want to interrupt.. what happened?" she mumbled. I bit my lip and looked back at him once more, "it's nothing. Are you ready to go?" I asked.
Just as she began talking my stomach began to ache terribly. I clutched it and tried my hardest to suppress the pain. This can't happen now, I need to leave before Levi flips out again and takes me back to the pack!
"Naomi? What's wrong?" My mother worriedly asked. Her voice began to tune out and my vision got blurry.
"I'm- I'm f-fine.." I spoke before I blacked out and felt someone catch me.
I felt him catch me.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone