I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.Not the polished black car with its sleek frame glinting under the last sliver of sun. Not Levi stepping out, dressed in a dark button-up and jeans that clung just right, like he’d actually thought about what to wear. Not the way his gray eyes found mine and didn’t immediately look away—like I was something worth pausing for.For the first few seconds, neither of us spoke. I gripped the flowers tingling around my fingers.“You look…” he said finally, then stopped to clear his throat. “Nice.”“Nice,” I echoed, trying not to smile too much. “Wow, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”His lips twitched. “Would you prefer stunning? Beautiful? Breathtaking?”I looked down at my dress. “Nice is fine.”“No,” he said softly, as he opened the door for me. “It’s not. You look amazing.”That shut me up. I slipped inside the car, my heart doing this slow, warm tumble that I wasn’t ready for. I’d expected something casual—a cafe, maybe a
This was the first morning in a long while that I woke up smiling. I didn’t even remember falling asleep. One moment I was staring at the ceiling and reliving Levi’s voice asking to take me on a date, and the next, the soft chirping of birds was slipping into my dreams, nudging me awake. My pillow smelled faintly of the forest, and I swore my heartbeat hadn't slowed all night.I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and caught sight of my reflection in the mirror across the room. My hair was a wild mess of dark waves, and there was a stupid grin on my face I couldn’t quite shake.Just as I was about to head for the shower, a knock sounded on my door."Astraaaa," Valerie sang from the hallway. "Don’t tell me you’re still asleep."I opened the door, and there she was, already dressed, her red hair braided back, her lips wearing a smirk.“Valerie?” I hung my head in confusion. “What are you doing here?“Important business.”"Do not start," I groaned, stepping aside to let her in
This was the beginning of something beautiful. I just knew it.Levi and I didn’t just bond, we became one. At some point, he accepted that I was fine, and engaged in fun and reckless activities with me. We splashed around, meditated, held our breath under the water—which he proved he was better at.It was amazing.Levi definitely proved he was capable of enjoying himself when he wasn’t worrying about losing control, worrying about my safety, or trying to please his father.Beneath it all, he was a teenager who just wanted to live his life the way he saw fit.As it grew darker though, the former Levi began to creep in. He wasn’t just worried about ignoring his duties in the packhouse, he was worried about what my father would say. He wanted to get me home as soon as possible before Julian found another way to discredit him.“I had fun today,” I said as he drove away from the woods, my hair still dripping with water, and my clothes slightly sticking to my moist skin.He looked at me, sm
I woke up thinking the events of the day before was a dream. But one look at the head beside me told me otherwise.The steady rhythm of Levi’s breathing beside me made my heart yearn, warmth feeling me up inside. The faint scent of pine and ash that always clung to his clothes engulfed my senses. The sun was slipping through the slats in the curtains, casting golden lines across the room. Almost like we were in a place out of a fairytale, or maybe it was just the effect Levi had on me.My leg was finally done healing. No more ache or pain, not even a slight scar to indicate there was ever a bruise there.I sat up slowly, inspecting the once ruined limb that had kept me bedridden for two days. The bandages had been removed at some point, and smooth, unbroken skin stretched over where the gash had been.It was like it had never happened.Levi stirred beside me. His eyes opened slowly, groggy at first, until they locked onto mine and he jolted upright. “You’re awake.”“You stayed all nig
“You can’t sit by my side all day,” I protested, sulking. “Shouldn’t you be with Monica or something?”My body ached in places I didn’t know could hurt—especially my leg, which throbbed with a low, persistent pain. But it had been two days since the barrier battle with the ferals—I knew that much. I kept going in and out of consciousness, but every time I opened my eyes, Jerry was sitting by my side.And that was where he stayed plastered, except to use the bathroom or get us something to eat.Julian even had to bring him a change of clothes because he wouldn’t agree to leave my side, almost like he was afraid I’d try to use my power again.Just now, I’d woken from a nap, wincing, only to find him slumped in a chair beside my bed, his head tilted at an awkward angle, mouth slightly open. The sight should’ve made me laugh, but instead, I felt a tight squeeze in my chest.He was uncomfortable, but still, he stayed. Just to keep an eye on me.He yawned, stretching slightly, finally wakin
I don’t mean to be negative, but something inside me kept nagging, telling me they were all going to die. And no matter how hard I tried to push it away, it kept clawing its way into my head.Why would Levi do this to me?Doesn’t he know locking me in here was more dangerous than letting me be by his side? The mind is a dangerous place. If this room was my prison, my thoughts was the electric chair.The silence in the metal room was so loud, it began to roar.I sat with my back pressed against the cold wall, legs drawn to my chest, arms locked tight around them. My breathing came in shallow waves, and even though I tried to calm myself, my heart wouldn’t stop its frantic drum. The air was thick, stale, and with each minute ticking by, I felt more like a caged animal.He locked me in here to protect me. I should be angry. Maybe I was. But mostly...I was scared.Dejectedly, I said a prayer to the moon goddess to keep every single one of them out there safe. But the problem with war is…t