Nicolas POV
“I will be out in a minute, Levi-bear!” My heart skipped a beat when I heard Zara’s voice coming down the hallway. Her sweet remarks about Levi made me feel envious and territorial.
Levi raised his hand defensively and hastily, as if sensing my change in mood.
“It’s not what you think,” he defended. “Zara has been calling me that for as long as I remember. It is only a nickname. I swear.”
“A nickname?” The two words rolled tiredly from my tongue. I was physically and emotionally worn out. It was starting to wear on my body and mind because I had not slept at all for the previous two days.
Nevertheless, I was compelled to come and attempt to correct things with Zara. I had to tell her I was sorry, hoping she would accept my apology.
“Yes,” Levi replied.
“Have you heard me,…?” Zara called once more, a little louder this time.
“Yes, I did,” Levi shot back at her. “I am eagerly awaiting your arrival. Our food is starting to get cold. Hurry up and get dressed! I am starving!”
“I’ll be right out!” She called back.
Levi glanced back at me. He appeared anxious to get things cleared up, but for some reason, he seemed to be a little reluctant.
“Uhm,” Levi stammered as he tried to continue.
“What?” I questioned, suddenly uneasy in his presence.
Did I spill something on my clothing?
“Oh, brother,” Ray uttered from the recesses of my thoughts. “There are moments when you can be so dumb.”
I responded by rolling my eyes, a little irritated.
For the past two days, Ray has shied away from me like the plague.
“I am not dumb,” I defended myself. “I just feel a little uneasy.”
In response, Ray arched his eyebrows.
Levi let out a sigh, and I turned to face him. He lowered his shoulders and appeared somewhat fatigued.
“I do not know how to tell you this,” he said, his eyes pleading. “Nevertheless, I must get this off my chest.”
“Tell me what?” I squinted, shivers running down my spine from an unholy sensation.
Was it Zara?
Has she made up her mind to reject me? Will she go to such extreme lengths?
Ray snorted, “You are being foolish again. Do not overthink this.”
“I can’t help it!” I said, my heart racing with anxiety. “What if?”
“Zara is not going to reject you,” Ray stated, with a serious tone.
“You don’t know that!” I snapped. “And what the hell are you doing here? Did you come here to witness my groveling and begging?”
“Quite the opposite,” Ray remarked gravely. “I have come to help us win back our mate.”
“This is bloody hard,” Levi mumbled and turned away.
“What the devil is Levi talking about?” I muttered to myself. I was starting to lose my patience with it.
“Please just f*cking tell me!” I grated my teeth and snapped. I couldn’t take any more emotional tension around me. “What is causing you to be so tense and anxious?
“This is so f*cking embarrassing!” Levi exhaled, took a seat, and ran a hand through his blond hair.
“What is?” I questioned, feeling a surge of anger inside of me. “Does this relate to Zara in any way? Is her intention to reject me? Did she opt for someone else? Was there a kiss…?”
My eyes enlarged with fear. Has she slept with someone else?
“Oh my goddess, no!” Levi stated, glaring at me with disdain. “I swear to you. Zara is unrelated to this.”
I was caught off guard by that and took a deep breath to collect myself. It didn’t, however, ease my anxiety.
I had to know why Levi appeared to be so incredibly anxious about whatever was bothering him.
I fixed my gaze on him and watched as he worked up the nerve to divulge some sort of secret. He took a deep breath, raised his head, and met my eyes.
“I am gay, Alpha,” he declared, his eyes seeming to convey only what was true.
I was completely taken aback when Levi said those words; I did not anticipate him saying them.
“Gay?” I gradually repeated the single word.
“Yes, Alpha,” he answered. “As in, I am not attracted to women sexually.”
Levi stared at me, waiting for a moment for the information to register.
Was he trying to read me?
I knitted my eyebrows together and tilted my head to the side.
How should I respond to this?
Concerned? Something felt off about that.
Shocked? Undoubtedly.
Surprised? Yes, I was that. She-wolfves would constantly trip over each other to get a glimpse of the attractive Levi, but he would simply say that he was not interested in them.
Was Levi playing the fool with me?
It took me quite a while to comprehend and recognize Zara’s motivation for selecting Levi as her partner.
How was it that I missed that?
Ray did not become engaged when Levi held Zara’s hand, which suggests that he had some suspicions.
“Okay,” I hesitantly answered. “Thus, I will not ever have to be concerned or experience-”
Levi grinned and nodded his head gradually.
“No, Alpha,” Levi shot back. “When Zara is with me, you never have to experience jealousy or insecurity. Even though we are just acting as if we are in a romantic relationship. There is nothing sexual about my love for Zara; I assure you; it is just sisterly love.”
“Okay,” I remarked, startled. I could not have come up with anything more to say. Knowing this bit of private information would not have any impact on my life.
“I am hoping that my sexual orientation will not affect how you view me, Alpha,” Levi expressed concern. “No one else knows except for you, Zara, and Alpha Harrison.”
“Alpha Harrison?” I asked, surprised. How on earth did he learn Levi’s secret?
“He was my mate,” Levi bitterly answered, his eyes full of sorrow.
“Did he…?”
“Reject me?” Levi interrupted me with a question, but before I could respond, he nodded in response to his own query.
“I am sorry to hear that,” I said. “And no, your sexual preferences are private and not my business.”
Although it would not affect anything in my life, knowing this piece of private information could reassure me.
“Thank you, Alpha,” Levi said with a relieved sigh. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
Suddenly, the surrounding air turned cold and unbreathable.
Levi tensed up, taking an unwelcome step backward and looking first toward the hallway and then back at me.
Was there something he was trying to get past me?
“This is going to be fun,” Ray said with a laugh.
“What are you talking about, Mutt?” Frustrated with him, I gave him a growl.
“Maybe you should turn around,” Ray suggested. “Our mate is waiting at the door, and she appears to be in a mood. It is unclear to me whether she is in a good or bad mood. It would be really beneficial for you to turn around and find out.”
I turned around abruptly and found Zara standing still in front of the living room door. Her stunning eyes flit between silver and black, her face hard and icy cold. Kaya must be fighting for control.
Levi turned to face me, terror reflected in his eyes.
“This is not going to go the way you had hoped,” Ray said, lifting an eyebrow.
****