#Chapter 2: Check

The entire party gasped, shock rippling around the room. My head whipped to face Levi – and found his cool gaze already on my face.

I stepped away from Levi, too stunned to speak. Everyone was. He was actually calling off our engagement.

Mason’s loud uncle from before stepped forward, breaking the silence. “Is this about earlier?” his voice was high, panicked. He forced a weak laugh. “Oh, we were joking! It’s a … tradition in our family, we meant nothing by it!”

The others started nodding vigorously, all agreeing and apologizing – Levi didn’t deign to even look at them.

Mason whirled to Levi and stalked close enough to whisper, “You can’t cancel the engagement. This isn’t a joke, I swear to you – I love Harper, I want to marry her… wouldn’t it look childish to cancel now?”

Levi didn’t even respond. His gaze was locked – on me. And I was frozen under it. Was he defending me… or was he just upset he didn’t know about Mason and the wedding sooner? I mean, we hadn’t gotten his consent, and it was a hasty decision, and I did only tell him once it was decided.

I’d known Mason less than a year, but what we had was real. I knew he wasn’t even after a connection with the White fang pack, because I only told him who I was to Levi after we got engaged. So I trusted him, and I knew he loved me. If he’d heard his relatives earlier, he’d defend me like he always did.

I had to make Levi understand that, believe it. I forced a serene smile and took Mason’s hand. Levi’s eyes flickered down to it, then back to my face.

“Levi, please, you don’t have to worry about me,” I promised, but the words felt awkward, forced. “I’m happy. I know it’s fast, but it’s real between us and…” the words died under the force of his stare.

“It was fast,” Levi agreed neutrally. “So fast you didn’t have time to tell me before you started party planning.”

Shit. He was mad I didn’t tell him sooner. But why was it such a big deal? Confused, I said softly, “I'm not your responsibility anymore, I thought you’d be happy.”

Levi’s expression darkened , his frown thunderous – but he just turned to leave.

Mason let go of me to go calm his squawking family, but I just stood there, staring at where Levi disappeared. He left. He really just came, blew up my engagement, and left.

But why was I surprised? He was always leaving.

His back was almost more familiar than the front of him. That’s the view I always ended up with when he left to go play with random women and leave me behind. I knew I was a burden to him, he’d made that clear. He should be happy I was getting married and not his problem anymore!

He wasn’t always bad, some part of me chastised.

It was true. Around high school, I decided to grow up a little, to be more understanding. He was an adult, an alpha, a pack leader with a life. He didn’t ask for a kid, but he made sure I never wanted for anything. That could be enough. He started being kinder then, paying more attention like he’d sensed the shift in me. I’d started to hope then, that we could be closer… but just when I thought we were, he’d push me away again.

That’s how I knew. I was a burden Levi didn’t want.

Hands curved over my shoulders and Mason’s heady bergamot scent wrapped around me, familiar, but not as comforting as I thought it should be. “What are you doing?” he asked, forced cheer in his voice. “The party’s going, babe!”

Levi reappeared, phone in hand. I started – he hadn’t left after all. But it didn’t look like he wanted to join the party anyway. Pain pierced my chest. I knew I shouldn’t have invited him.

Wait. “The party is still happening?” I asked, pulling my eyes to Mason’s face.

“Of course!” He pitched his voice to travel. “I’m sure we’ll clear up this misunderstanding with Levi soon, so there’s no reason to stop the celebration.” Mason threw a jovial arm around my shoulders and steered me to the drink table.

With our backs to the room, he leaned down and murmured, “Listen, Harps, you know the state the pack is in. I hate to ask, but we need Levi’s help. Now that he’s here, maybe you two could talk about securing some resources in exchange for our pack’s cooperation?”

Unease roiled through me. He was right, the pack’s financial state wasn’t great, but I was helping where I could with getting things organized. But this?

“I’m not sure, Mason,” I said slowly, shaking my head. “I don’t think he’ll help just because I ask. Our relationship is…” complicated and borderline illegal if I had my way at 18? “Distant.”

Mason pulled back, confused. “Aren’t you guys close?” before I could answer though, he ploughed on. “Listen, just explain to him that my intentions for the pack’s future are for both our benefit, White fang and Ridgewood. This marriage is about more than two people in love, it’s about two packs coming together.” He cupped my cheek and I melted into the touch. “You can do it, babe.”

I sighed. After that, how could I refuse?

Except I never got the chance. Levi never came back into the party. I’d spent the entire time entertaining guests, accepting toasts, and managing the staff, but I always kept an eye on the balcony doors.

By the time the party ended, I was disappointed and exhausted. Mason went to settle the last guests into their cars for the night, sending me a pointed look at the balcony. I nodded. It was now or never.

I stepped out onto the balcony, and though he was standing fully in the shadows, my eyes found Levi immediately. He was on the phone, smoking a cigarette. The profile of his face was perfect, as if he was a carving of some kind of god.

And he was just as cold. He didn’t even look at me as I marched over and snatched the cigarette from his fingers.

“These will kill you,” I complained. “It’s time to quit.”

Levi paused. “Hold on.” He pressed the phone to his chest and when he looked at me, his eyes were cold.

“Oh now you care about your step-father?” he sneered. I reeled, taken aback. “After you cut ties with me, after all these years, why bother pretending now?”

If he’d slapped me, it’d hurt less. “I always cared about you, Levi – maybe too much.” I whispered the last words and his eyes flared wide – then narrowed as if I’d never spoken.

He brushed past me and walked away, back through the empty ballroom. I rushed after him, desperate to explain.

“Levi, I was just afraid,” I said frantically, “My feelings were… you know, and I didn’t want to cross any boundaries. I didn’t want to make things worse between us!”

But he ignored every word. He raised his hand and a bellboy tossed him his keys. He caught them mid stride and was in his car before I’d caught up to him.

I watched his car peal out of the lot like a bat out of hell. Like he couldn’t wait to get away from me. I just turned back inside, a wave of disappointment swallowing me. How could tonight have gone so wrong? Tears welled behind my eyes.

I reached in my bag for a tissue and my hand brushed … a check?

Familiar handwriting looped out a unbelievable

sum. Levi must have slipped it to me. I gasped, whirling around, but of course, he was already gone.

I looked down at the check with disappointment, imagining Levi might have signed it with that pen he always uses, when I suddenly noticed a line of small, barely noticeable words at the bottom:

Call me anytime you need me.