Luna Cherry

17. oh no, here we go again

I curl myself into him further letting his woody scent fill my senses. The movie sends me into a fit of a laughter, the guitar laying in the front seat and him popping up behind the lead female. Levi tightens his arms around me holding me close, the sparks hadn't dulled for a moment- a constant reminder of this foreign bond between us.

"What'd you think?" He kisses the top of my head, mumbling into my hair.

"I loved it. Truly a movie for the ages." My eyes spot that damn clock, the one that replaced the other I had shattered, "Shouldn't we be getting ready?"

"I rather enjoy lying in bed with you." His hand splays out over my stomach, thumb moving back and forth. It's moments like these I realize how much larger he is than me and truly just how easy he could break me.

"You will have more time to cuddle later. Come on, I want to hang out with Mary." The words slipped from my lips before I could self-process. Levi's brows raise, my eyes going wide as well at the unspoken promise I just gave.

"Cherry..." He starts and I raise a hand at him stopping the conversation from continuing.

"Not today, not now, just... no. Come on, please." I turn to change, but a minor thought flicks through me but large enough of an annoyance I have to ask sooner rather than later, "Levi, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, darling."

"The Heat," He sucks in a breath, shifting before I could continue, "When is that for your people?"

"Pack, darling. And yes, I suppose I knew you would ask about it soon enough." Levi stands off the bed cracking all the bones in his body, "It should be at the end of next week."

"The end of next week?"

"Yes, is there something in particular you would like to discuss?"

"The whole pregnancy thing and shifting is a good place to start." My hand goes to my hip, tossing it to one side. Confidence is starts to replace the fear I once felt, and sometimes still do. However, the longer I stay with Levi, the more I realize he won't hurt me, and could potentially -genuinely- care about me.

"Now?" He groans flashing a quick look at the time, but with an hour to spare it's not likely to come up with a good excuse, "When the moon comes into rotation, all mated women that haven't made love with their mates will feel this need. Males will feel it as well, but the women are much more driven to produce an heir, at least typically. When that time comes, I'll mark you under the moonlight. You'll undergo your first shift, then..."

"Then what? We fuck under the stars until I'm a personal stuffed cream pie?"

He closes his eyes to calm down, the black of his wolf coming to the surface, "What happened to having a good day?"

"I just didn't expect something so possessive. Can I say no?"

"Say no?" Levi looks surprised at my request, "Don't women love the idea of something magical happening to them? Having a soul mate and all that."

"Are you stereotyping me right now?"

"No, I am questioning you." He grabs a shirt from the closet pulling it over himself.

"I never wanted this, and I don't like the idea of being forced into something so permanent. I've had enough of my life forced on me thus far."

He pauses, the anger dropping off his face, "Cherry..."

"Can we just go? I don't want to argue. Not when I am starting to like you. Just think about it, okay?" I sigh deeply inching closer to the closet, "At the end of the day you're much stronger than me. I can't win."

The beautiful dresses he's bought me surround me when I leave the room. My words weighed heavy on us both, he knows just as much as I do that I can't get away from him. Not physically. He has me beat in all forms of physical ability. I snatch a red dress from a hanger, the soft body con dress looking rather appealing for a bar night.

I'm barely a foot away from the vanity before his arms come around me shoving me against the uncovered closet wall. The air in my lungs escapes me, his black eyes meeting mine. I pissed him off, "Is that what you think?"

"Wh-what do I think?"

"That'll just strongman you into doing what I want? Force you to bend to my will?" I swear I can see the fire exiting his nose, my heart about to explode from his closeness. The words catch on my tongue, the saliva building around stopping any formulation of sentence structure. He heaves, breathing more elaborate, "Can you please answer me?"

Defeat.

The feeling rolls off him in waves, the pain, the terror, it's as if I feel these emotions myself. Levi slouches dropping his arms next to his side before finishing his whisper, "I don't want to hurt you, ever. I'm here to serve you."

He pulls away leaving the closet. His back is the only thing in view when he stops at the doorway, a subtle glance over his shoulder, "I'll chain myself during the heat."

The words bubble to the surface, "Levi."

"We leave in half an hour." Then he was gone, only a howl from the nearby forest to alert me of his travels.