2000

Lev and I didn't speak the entire ride back to our hotel, even though we weren't accompanied by anyone.

Yet the moment we stepped outside of the car, watching it drive back off into the night as if it never existed in the first place, he grabs my arm, turning me around to face him. His eyes are wild, blond hair mussed about as if he has been running his hands tirelessly through it.

"You can't do it," he growls. It's clear he shouldn't have come, that he shouldn't witnessed that. I'm starting to become used to the unpredictable world that these Alpha's live in, so I'm not so shaken by what I've been offered to do.

Lev on the other hand...He looks moments away from breaking down.

"I have to think about it at least," I reply, shrugging his grip off as I walk into the hotel, thankfully no one is in the waiting area to hear out exchange. No one would believe it anyway. I can hardly believe it.

"Remember, you don't owe them anything," Lev comments.

I sigh. Of course I know that. I know that it would be easier to move here, away from the Harmony Pack that Noah leads, and live a life without the chaos of immortals and Alpha's. But if I do this, I'm not only helping avenge Noah for what happened to his mate, I also may recieve compensation for it.

"But imagine what I could get from them if I do this," I tell Lev as we stalk up the stairs and to the room we are sharing. "We may never have to work again."

"Double-crossing such a powerful immortal is extremely dangerous, Amolet," Lev growls, as if I hadn't already considered that. "Let's move here."

As we walk into the room, Lev closes the door firmly, dragging his hand through his hair, still unable to shake that concerned expression. I can get Cian to trust me, to see me as someone he can confide in him. If I'm the first one that has gotten him to talk, then surely I'm capable of his trust.

"Cian won't hurt me. If he wanted to, he would have already," I sigh, rubbing my hands down my arms as I remember the way he took me to the immortal realm, not laying a finger on me. Had he desired my demise, he would have enacted it then.

"That's because you haven't betrayed him yet. He's Greed, which is not something to mess around with," Lev notes, the desperation in his tone making my stomach churn.

The last thing I want is to upset my friend...How can he not see how good this could be.

"So he likes to get what he wants...So does everyone, to an extent," I say with a shrug, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"But Greed is what shapes him, what makes him who he is. He's a bad guy Amolet, I can't let you do this," Lev insists. I know he is right, about Cian being Greed, yet I haven't witnessed anything of that sort yet...Other then him impulsively taking me to the immortal realm just to speak to me.

I look down at my hands. "It's not your decision."

"I know, but I feel like I owe it to you to try make your life as good as possible," he stresses gently, coming to sit next to me on the bed. I let him take my hand in his, the warmth of his touch usually comforting, but tonight, it feels odd. "And I love you...You know I love you."

"I love you too Lev. But that doesn't change anything..." I say quietly, half defeated.

"I was trying to tell you something earlier, but we got cut off," Lev says, deciding to turn the conversation in a different direction now. I frown, not realising Lev had anything to tell me that I didn't already know. Recently I've been the one with all the secrets, and I hate it.

"What is it?"

Lev swallows, closing his eyes for a moment as he musters some confidence. I watch him warily as he gets to his feet, pacing before me incessantly.

"If I tell you this, you have to promise to not let it ruin our friendship," he insists, clasping his hands together as he continues to walk back and forth. I'm anxious, knowing Lev never acts like this in front of me. "If you don't want to respond, you don't have to, and we can pretend it was never said."

Oh no.

"Okay, now I'm scared," I say, trying to laugh to lighten the mood, but my giggle falls short once Lev's expression doesn't change from that vacant, frightened look.

"I have feelings for you, Amolet," he breathes after a moment's pause.

I blink. "Huh?"

"Feelings...Like more than friendship feelings," he elaborates, frozen in spot. He looks terrified for my reaction, which I can't blame him for, because right now, I have no idea what to do or say, my cheeks heating in response.

This is the last thing I could have imagined Lev would be saying to me. When I first met him, I was attracted to him, and wanted to date him, but our friendship was so quickly established, and was perfect from the beginning, that I didn't want it to be ruined. After time, I stopped feeling that so much, just glad I had him as a friend.

Now I'm facing the reality that he likes me...

"Lev...You can't be saying that right now," I tell him slowly, my heart thundering in my chest to the point it's painful.

"I know you don't feel that way for me yet, but imagine how happy we could be if we gave it a chance," he breathes, stepping toward the bed where I sit, looking as though he wants to reach out and touch me.

"I'm your friend, Leven," I remind him, hoping he will realise how risky this is and take it all back. "Your best friend."

"I've fallen hopelessly in love with you," he maintains, kneeling before me. "I thought when we moved in together I would start seeing you like a friend instead of..."

My breath hitches in my throat. "Instead of what?"

"You're beautiful, I mean everyone knows it," he sighs, grabbing my hands tightly in his. I fight the urge to pull away, to tell him ridiculous for doing this, for bringing this up now. Is this why he brought me here, to the Passion Pack? The last thing I want to do is hurt his feelings, but I'm not sure what I can say to him to make him see how insane this is.

"What are you implying," I ask, voice shuddering uneasily.

"I want to be more than friends," he bites out, already anticipating a no in response. "Every time I look at you I want to kiss you."

I'm stunned, wishing I could turn and walk away from this situation, only to return later when I've composed myself. "That's not a good idea."

"I know...But I'm hoping you'll think about it at least," he breathes, squeezing my hand tightly. His touch no longer calms me, instead his fingers feel hot and clammy in mine, his nerves getting the best of him. Suddenly returning to five minutes ago before this was brought up would be excellent.

"Yes, I have a lot to think about," I breathe.

"Get Cian out of your head," Lev insists, although it comes across as more of a demand. It's much easier for him to say that, then for me to actually do it. "Let me be your biggest concern."

"I'm going to take the deal with Alpha Noah...I'm going to get as much out of this as possible, and when it's done, we move, okay?" I tell him firmly, knowing that I need to do this, for both Lev and I. And for a moment, it's easier to push away this issue with Lev rather than overthinking it.

"Amolet..." Lev murmurs, attempting to change my mind.

"Okay?" I confirm, my tone suggesting that there is nothing more to say about this right now.

Lev breathes in deeply, letting go of my hand as he stands. "Alright."

And for the rest of the night, we didn't speak about it.

***

I'm not sure what woke me. Maybe it's the heat, or Lev shifting incessantly beside me, but eventually I pull myself out of bed, knowing there is no chance of me getting back to sleep again.

Wrapping a gown over my shoulders, I open the balcony door and step out, the balmy wind blissfully peaceful as I let it close behind me again. As much as I don't want to stand out here and think about Lev and what he has said to me, I can't get it out of my head.

However, that though vanishes, the moment I see a figure leaning against the balcony railing, staring at me.

Stace.

"You're lurking, creep," I mutter, surprised I'm not so bothered by his presence. Part of me half suspected it. He hadn't spoken to me while I was at Alpha Isaiah's very much, I just didn't expect him to chose now, in the middle of the night on my balcony to do it.

"Ouch, I'm your boss remember," he says with a raised eyebrow.

I linger close to the balcony door, as if it makes much difference. I'm uneasy knowing he managed to get up the second-story with no issue, although I know I'm not going to ask. That would mean confronting the reality that he's most definitely not mortal, and has been using some kind of magic.

He looks especially deadly tonight, as if the darkness casts a more frightening facade upon him. His tattoos are painfully visibly above the collar of his shirt, his hair brushing above his eyebrows.

"I'll take the deal," I tell him firmly, trying not to overthink this to the point I change my mind. "But only if I get something out of it, like a pay rise. And a big one."

"Are you sure you want to do this? It's not going to be easy," he murmurs, sounding genuinely apprehensive. I'm not sure why he cares so much about me, or what deal I'm making with Alpha Noah.

In all honesty, it doesn't seem like even he is believing Noah's claimed motive.

"I'll do it, okay?" I tell him, shivering despite the warm night.

"You will be paid handsomely," he assures me, twisting to face the view. There's not much to see, despite the moonlight. Yet in the distance I can admire the sea, which I will miss when we return him in a few days.

"Wait, before you go," I say, worried he's going to disappear into the night, where it appears like he belongs. I've seen those tattoos, which look as though they have been moulded by shadow, moving as if controlled by their own entity. "I want in on everything. No secrets, or I'm not doing this."

Stace pauses, raising an eyebrow. "I'll tell you as much as I can."

Huffing out a breath, I shake my head. I know what that means; I'm not going to learn anything from him, or Noah.

"Including who you really are and where you are from?" I ask, realising I sound awfully hopeful.

He smiles slightly, shaking his head in a way that makes his curls shift along his forehead. "Maybe."

And as much as I want to know who Stace is, I have a feeling I never will.

🤎••🤎

🎇••🎇

🐼••🐼

Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼