Page 65 of Entering a New World

My mood soured, my cock flagging as I reached for the phone and hit accept. If I’d put it on silent, I wouldn’t have to deal with this right now. Being cock blocked by a cop was a new one for me—and an experience I could’ve very well gone without.

“Levi? God, finally. I’ve already tried your other number and Rhett’s phone. Your manager just arrived in town and tried to check-in at Mave’s.”

Next to me, Rhett growled while my body turned to ice.

Yeah. I really should’ve put the phone on silent

Chapter 17

Rhett

The audacity.

The audacity of that fucking scumbag to stroll into town a month after he’d abandoned my mate in the woods. More than three weeks after that storm had hit the exact same spot where he’d left Levi behind to fend for himself. Fuck, he hadn’t even filed a missing person’s report for Levi after the storm, even though he’d known he’d been out there. He hadn’t come looking for him either. Nope. He’d kept quiet and said nothing.

And he damn sure hadn’t been back to pick Levi up after that one week like he’d promised. I knew because I’d sent someone out there to check.

Maim, my wolf suggested. Kill.

That scumbag excuse of a human being deserved to die. And I’d be happy to be the one to end his life for leaving my mate to die… but I couldn’t just leisurely stroll into town and do it.

Even though I really wanted to.

I didn’t know if Levi was aware that his manager hadn’t even tried to pick him up after the agreed-upon week in the woods had been over. He hadn’t asked and I hadn’t wanted to be the one to tell him, but I was sure part of him knew and didn’t want to think about what that meant.

He’d come so close to dying. If I hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have survived. Either the storm would’ve killed him or he’d eventually have starved or frozen to death because that asshole hadn’t wanted to take responsibility for his actions.

“We’re supposed to be on our honeymoon right now,” Levi grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest while staring right out of the windshield. “We just got shifter married. We’re supposed to be in bed, fucking each other’s brains out instead of driving into town to deal with that asshole. He ruined my life once… why does he get to do it again?”

I couldn’t help but snort at Levi’s antics even though there wasn’t anything remotely funny about the situation.

“We’ll pick up where we left off as soon as we’re back home, okay?” I promised.

“We shouldn’t have had to leave off in the first place.” Levi pouted, pushing out his bottom lip, and I had to fight a smile. A pouty Levi was a cute Levi. Also, he hadn’t said anything about me implying my house was home for both of us.

Mate, my wolf supplied. Ours. Stays.

Yes. He’d stay with us.

My heart beat faster in my chest, a million different ideas and thoughts flooding my mind. I needed to up the timeline on the renovations I wanted to get done. Open up the kitchen to create more space, maybe add another room or two.

He’d said he wanted to use the sitting area in our bedroom for his filming stuff, but surely, he’d prefer to have his own room, right? A studio maybe? I could add another room or build a small cabin just for him and his vlogging business. Or resume the original plan of adding another floor to the house.

We’ll see.

“How is your neck?” I asked instead, glimpsing at the big piece of gauze right at the nape of his neck.

“It feels fine. A little tender maybe, but it also tingles in a good way?”

I released a breath. I’d always dreamed about this. About being mated. Claiming my fated mate. Never once had I imagined the claiming bite would be something I would feel conflicted or even guilty about.

But here I was, staring at that big patch of white gauze I’d used to cover up the wound after I’d thoroughly cleaned it. Shifters had advanced healing. Something in our bodies just worked differently, so wounds closed up in minutes. A bite, even one deep enough to draw blood and scar over wasn’t a big deal.

But for a human…

I shuddered. It felt like so long ago, but it’d been a mere five hours since I’d frantically called Jasper because the bite hadn’t stopped bleeding yet and Levi was unconscious.

As we entered the pack house, Paul and Gray were waiting for me, as were Jasper and Heath, sitting in the dining room with papers strewn on the table in front of them. Empty plates were shoved to the side while two bowls filled with poutine were sitting there, Levi’s and my name basically written all over them.

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