Zara’s POV
“I am just playing with you!” Levi said abruptly and started laughing. “I understand that you are just making fun of me.”
With a sigh of relief, I shut off the shower and stepped outside.
“You are an asshole!” I snarled and attempted to strike Levi’s arm, but he grabbed my hand and gave me a wink. “You have got me worried!”
“What were you worried about? Hmm?” His eyes were full of mischief as he asked. “That both of us understand that when our mates spend time with other attractive people, we will feel jealous and…”
Levi’s eyes gazed over, interrupting his thoughts.
That was unexpected and rude!
“What kind of person would mind-link at this hour?” I hissed in frustration.
I let out a sigh as I noticed Levi standing motionless. It looked like a very serious conversation. In an instant, his face hardened, and his jaw muscles began to tense up. He did not like whatever they were talking about.
After waiting patiently for him to finish the conversation, I finally gave up.
I shook my head, thinking it was some long-winded banter, and walked over to the sink. I picked up my toothbrush and carried on with my daily routine.
It was not until I finished and left the bathroom that Levi concluded the mind-link conversation. He appeared a little irritated, perhaps even alarmed.
“Who is causing trouble at this hour of the morning?” I asked.
“It was my father,” he said absentmindedly as he leaned against the door frame of the bathroom. He appeared to be thinking deeply.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. “You appear to be somewhat preoccupied.”
“Yeah,” Levi said, but he continued to stare blankly.
“Is he looking for sh*t?” I asked.
Eyeing me, Levi said, “Who?”
“Your father?” I asked.
My question caused Levi to furrow his brows in confusion.
“No,” he replied. “What do you want to know?”
I gave him a raised eyebrow. Levi appears to be far more preoccupied than I had thought. What was going through his mind?
“What did your father discuss with you?” I asked, disregarding his query.
“Oh, that, uhm,” he said, shifting back to his feet. “He mentioned that Alpha would like us to join him for breakfast.”
“And?” I asked.
“That Alpha would like to talk about the contracts we signed and…”
“Contracts?” My eyes widened as I interrupted him. “Shit! “Where on earth did I leave mine?”
“Well,” Levi said, “I did not see you with it last night.
“Crap!” I hissed.
I started searching for the damn thing right away. I recalled Nic giving it to me, but I was too preoccupied to recall what I did with it.
“What is wrong?” Levi inquired, observing me going through my belongings. I was freaking out.
“I cannot find the damn thing,” I said, tangling my fingers in my hair.
“What? The contract?” He asked, seemingly surprised. Usually, I take a lot of responsibility for such things.
“Yeah!” I confessed, my eyes beseeching him to assist me.
“Where was the last time you saw it?” he asked, moving to the other side of my bed and opening the drawers on the bedside table.
“When Nic gave it to me in the car,” I said, on the verge of crying. I am going to get a lot of flak from my dad for losing the contract. He will think I am incompetent if I make a mistake again.
“Perhaps you left the contract in the car,” Levi said, after searching for thirty minutes. My room, Levi’s room, and every other room in the quarters have been searched.
“In Ronan’s car?” I asked, hopeful. “That could be the reason we are unable to locate it at this time.”
“Get dressed,” Levi gave the order and left for the door.
“Why?” I asked. “What are you planning on doing?”
Levi turned his head to the side, drew a thin line across his lips, and gave me a frustrated look.
“You can’t leave our quarters like that!” He said, pointing to me wearing just a towel. “And I am phoning Ronan to see if he still has the contract.”
I nodded and followed instructions.
Levi ended the call with Ronan the second I arrived in the living room. He appeared somewhat torn.
“Oh, no. I lost the contract for good. My dad is going to kill me,” I said anxiously.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “You did, in fact, leave the envelope on the car’s backseat. Ronan will email us a copy of the original contract in the interim since he is unable to bring it here at this time.”
“Then why do you look so upset?” I said, drawing nearer.
Was there something he did not want me to know about?
“Nothing that you need to worry about now,” he said. “Come on. We still have the contract to print and breakfast with your father.”
“Are we not going for training this morning?” I asked. I wanted to release some pent-up tension.
“Not this morning,” he said as he made his way to the door. “It is too late already. We squandered time trying to find the contract.”
Embarrassed, I nodded and went to follow Levi to his office.
In the process of printing and preparing the contract, Levi behaved normally. But I could not shake the feeling that something was bothering him.
Perhaps something happened to Kyle? Was that the reason for his behavior?
Were they fighting?
Did I cause it?
“Do you think my father will notice?” I asked, taking the envelope from Levi.
“I doubt that,” Levi said as he rose from his office chair, avoiding eye contact. “He is already dealing with enough. Most likely, he will file it. It will buy us some time in the meantime. Ronan promised to send the driver and the original contract later today.”
“Levi,” I said, stopping him at the door. “I notice that something is bothering you. Is it Kyle? Has something happened to him?”
“Kyle is perfectly fine. I talked to him this morning,” he said, motioning for me to leave first.
“Then what are you not saying?” I asked, searching his gaze. “I can sense your anxiety and tension. Tell me what you are keeping from me. What is going on? I am entitled to know.”
Levi let out a sigh and lowered his shoulders. Was he caving in? Is he going to tell me?
“There was-”
“There you two are,” Beta John’s icy voice cut through me as it echoed through the quiet hallway. Levi’s eyes jerked to his father; he ceased speaking, and his posture became notably more rigid as he saw him coming.
“Morning, Beta,” I said, reluctantly turning to face him and nearly growling. As usual, he gave off the impression of being angry at our presence.
“What can I do for you?” I asked, trying not to show how annoyed I was.
“Your father sent me,” he said, his voice taking on a note of urgency.
“Concerning?” I asked, biting my tongue as John pinned Levi’s gaze.
Was he attempting to scare Levi? Was it working?
I was certain we had done nothing wrong. We were not even late for breakfast.
“He has important things to talk to you about,” Beta John said, turning to face me.
I could tell by the look in Beta John’s eyes that whatever he knew was about to end badly.
I was not sure whether I was ready to face what he knew…
****