Chapter 15: Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Mate?

Black could not get the thought out of his head. Levi’s voice echoed through his mind. He had spent weeks thinking about Willow and wishing she was his. Every moment when he was not productive and his mind wandered off. He thought of her honey-brown eyes. Thinking of her had become a sweet torture.

Now that what he had wished for since he realized that he liked her could be a possibility, he was silently freaking out. Everything made sense all of a sudden. He was attracted to her, and the same was for her. He never felt attracted to anyone despite his looks, but one look at Willow had made him want to be possessive of her and claim her.

It also made so much sense why his wolf was possessive of her and why he was so upset at Willow being Louis’s mate. And why he wanted to break Levi’s limbs when he held her. Willow’s scent was masked because of the suppressants that Levi gave her, and thus, Black could not tell that she was his mate.

That all made sense to Black. But he could not accept it. The idea was amazing. Willow, being his mate, sounded amazing. But that was all it was...an idea. His entire life had been a spiral of horrible luck, at the end of the day if he actually did get to smell Willow’s scent, he feared that she would not be his mate. The idea of not having a mate had engraved itself in his mind over the past years.

Now that he faced the possibility of having one, he was scared that it was not real. That she was not his, and if she were, she would be taken away from him like everyone else he ever loved. Black had learned to accept the constant people in his life that he loved. If Willow was his mate, would she not be scared? Would she not reject him?

“It was only a precaution measure, and besides, I didn’t think she would end up being someone’s mate,” Levi said with his hands over his chest. “It’s not very common for humans to be mated with werewolves. I guess my Willow is part of the rare.” Levi wore a proud face on his face.

Black scowled at his words. He did not appreciate the younger's choice of words. Levi noticed his scowl and only smirked, trusting more than anything that he was correct, and that Willow was truly Black’s mate.

“Precaution against what?” Black asked even though he had the slightest of ideas after last night and what Isaac told him.

Levi’s face contorted into a frown. The topic was not an easy one and he preferred not to talk about Willow’s life in her absence.

“I don’t want to tell you anything that Willow would not like to tell you, but...” He paused and took a deep breath. “I realise that you’re her mate—”

“That’s not a fact yet,” Black cut in.

Levi rolled his eyes. “All you need to know is that my brother is a dick and that he has made her life hell. I had to give her the scent-suppressing pills in order to keep her safe from rogues.” He explained vaguely. Black knew that that was all he was going to get from the jade-eyed man.

“The scent suppressants?...What about that?” Black inquired. “How will her natural scent come back?”

Levi paused and pushed himself off the wall of the restaurant. “She just has to stop taking the pills, and then probably after a week or two, her scent will be back.” He replied.

A weight lifted off Black’s shoulders, but he could not be entirely relaxed. With this new information, he had a lot to hope for. He could see himself with Willow as his mate, and he could also see fate playing a trick on him. What if he waited for two weeks only to be disappointed?

“I’m very certain that she is your mate,” Levi’s voice cut through Black’s thoughts. Black looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, silently asking him ‘How are you so certain?’.

Levi only shrugged. “My gut says so.” Which only earned an eye roll from Black.

Black was about to ridicule Levi when his phone’s ringtone blared in his pockets. He fished for his phone and looked at the phone screen before looking up at Levi and raising a finger. Levi nodded, giving him time to answer the call.

“Isaac, this isn’t a great time,”

An exaggerated sigh followed afterwards from the other end of the call. “I don’t care if you’re kissing Willow, I need you right now.”

“Call Alex or something, you’ve got a whole pack, and yet you cling on to me,” Black replied in an irritated tone.

“Alex is already here. We have to sort this rogue issue, so get your ass back here.”

Black exhaled and looked up to meet Levi’s curious gaze. “Mind if I bring someone?”

“Don’t bring Willow into the pack again without her consent.”

“It isn’t her,” Black grumbled out.

“Okay then, sure. I hope they are useful.”

Black cut the call and looked up at Levi, who shook his head.

“I’m not going anywhere near a pack.” He said with a bothered look on his face.

“It doesn’t matter what you want. You have information that my pack needs and you seem like a pretty decent guy, so I am giving you the opportunity to side with the winning side.”

Levi continued shaking his head and took a few steps back. “I am only on Willow’s side and everything I told you was just because I want to help her. If you are indeed her mate then she won’t have to continue doing Louis’s dirty bidding.” Levi said and looked sideways before facing Black once again.

“I think you’re a decent guy and you’re capable of doing what I have only dreamt of doing, saving Willow from this life. Despite everything, I can’t betray my brother.”

Black looked at Levi for a few seconds before he clicked his tongue and shoved his phone in his pockets. “Your choice.” He said before shrugging and leaving.

Levi watched Black get into his car and leave. His hands were clenched at his side, emotions threatening to spill out. Louis’s end would come soon, and he knew that he had to do something to save his brother from himself. Louis had grown big-headed, and all of this would only lead to disaster.

After everything that had happened, he wished he could love Louis any less. If only he could force himself to hate Louis, maybe he would have had the guts to fight him and correct all his wrongs. But Levi still lived with his brother, who had turned into a monster. He stood by Louis’s side even when he despised everything he did to the core.

Levi still had amazing memories with Louis. He could still remember the big brother that bought him, sweets, even when they did not have enough. The brother that fought for him when anyone dared to say something awful to him. He could still remember the big brother that he shared the same bed with and they would stay awake through the night, planning how to better their lives.

Despite all the abuse, he could remember all the broken promises and he still held on to the hope that perhaps...just perhaps, one day they would be able to fulfil them.

“Levi?” Willow’s voice made him quickly wipe the unshed tears that had built up in his eyes. He looked up and she stood in front of him in the restaurant’s uniform.

“I saw Black’s car driving away.” She said and pointed in the direction where Black drove off. “Are you okay?” She asked when she saw his moist eyes.

Willow moved closer to him and placed her hand on his cheek. “Did he beat you again?” she asked in a worried voice, and Levi shook his head.

“Did he say something mean?... If he did, I’ll walk to his empty house and burn it down.” Willow threatened with a fire in her eyes.

Levi chuckled and pulled her into a hug. “His words or punches wouldn’t hurt me. I’m so relieved that you’re okay.” He said with his head on her shoulder and his hand running down her hair.

Willow hugged him back and smiled.

......

Black opened the door to Isaac’s office and just as Isaac had said, Alex was already there. Isaac was seated behind the desk with a frown on his face while Alex was seated across the room on one of the couches with his leg crossed over the other, looking unbothered as ever.

Black looked at his cousin for a few seconds before he walked over to Alex and took a seat on the couch. He poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip before looking at the other men expectantly.

“You smell like a rogue,” Alex commented before pouring himself a drink as well. “Is it the girl?” He asked casually before taking a sip as well.

“Yes and no,” Black replied.

Alex looked at him as if waiting for him to elaborate further but Black just continued drinking the wine. After finishing the contents of the glass he looked to where Isaac was seated.

“What’s this about? What do you have in mind?” Black asked. “You can’t really walk into the club and attack them. There are humans, and they haven’t attacked anyone in the pack and so we can’t make the first move.”

It was law, after all. As werewolves, they also had their own laws, and one of them was not to attack without reason. Isaac could not attack Louis and his rogues because they had not done anything to threaten the safety of the pack members. He could only retaliate if Louis actually decided to pose a threat. And he had not yet.

If Mediam Noctem Sidus pack attacked first, it would make them the bad guys and they would end up on the wrong side of the law.

“They haven’t posed as a threat to the pack yet but rogues have been causing the riots around the town,” Alex said and placed his cup back on the table.

“That doesn’t count, you know that.”

Alex licked his lips and smirked. “Are you trying to protect your little crush?” He asked in a mocking tone with a slight tilt of his head.

Black glared at Alex, and a low growl escaped his throat. Alex laughed and relaxed back on the couch before turning his neck to stare at Isaac.

“You didn’t tell me that it was this bad, he’s literally growling at me like the dog he is.” Alex continued laughing.

Isaac rolled his eyes. “Alex don’t tease the lover boy,” he joked and stood from his seat and walked over to join the two men. Isaac sat opposite them and poured himself a drink.

Black glared at both of them, unimpressed with their new way of teasing him. If he didn’t like Isaac’s teasing then he definitely hated Alex’s teasing. Alex was way worse than Isaac and Black wished he could dig both of them a well and throw them inside.

“Are you done?” Black asked them after their laughter settled down.

“You should have seen him this morning, he looked like he wanted to fuck her on the island in his empty kitchen.” Isaac continued.

“Oh, I never thought Blackie was also perverted.” Alex continued his mockery.

“Don’t call me that,” Black grumbled in frustration because he really hated the nickname.

“I bet if Willow called you Blackie, you’d be soaring in the sky.” Isaac and Alex continued their teasing accompanied by laughter.

Black poured another cup for himself and drank it all in one go. He stood up and was about to leave when Alex held his arm.

“Don’t leave yet, we’re just kidding man.” He said trying to control his laughter.

“Yeah,” Isaac agreed with a playful smile gracing his lips. “Why so serious?” Isaac asked with a smirk. “Besides, Willow did say that she feels safe around you.” Isaac continued his teasing.

“She said that?” Black asked with clear curiosity and eagerness in his eyes which made Alex laugh even more.

“Not really, she thought it,” Isaac replied.

“Damn, you are whipped,” Alex commented.

Black glared at him. “You were also very whipped for Audrey when you met, heck you still are.”

“Yeah, she’s my mate but Willow isn’t your mate.” Alex countered with a shrug.

Black stiffened. Alex’s words were not supposed to sting so much and yet they did. It was true after all, Willow was not his mate and he should not feel like this for her and it should not hurt so much. But he thought about what Levi had said and hope blossomed within him once more.

“Alex,” Isaac said in a warning tone when he saw his cousin go stiff. He knew how much the topic of mates bothered Black even if he tried not to show it.

“She could be.” Black’s voice was low but thanks to enhanced hearing, Isaac and Alex heard him very clearly.

“What?”

“Huh?!”

Black looked at both men and sighed. “I met Levi Conley,”

He paused and waited for a reaction but Alex only motioned for him to continue. “He thinks Willow is my mate.”

He paused once again, waiting for a reaction that never came. Alex and Isaac still looked unfazed, as if they knew way before him.

“What? You want us to gasp?” Isaac asked. “We knew that already.”

“What?” Black was in full disbelief.

“Even a blind man would have sensed it. I mean your wolf got so angry when I mentioned the possibility of her being Louis’s mate.”

Black sat down and ran a hand through his hair and glared at Isaac. “I can’t believe you. You even told Alex, but not me. She’s my mate, not his.”

“I’m his Beta and best friend, he tells me everything,” Alex said smugly. “How did you even end up talking to Levi Conley? I thought you’d kill him the instant you saw him.”

“I beat him last night, actually...” He said and took in a sharp breath when he remembered how passed off his wolf had been. “—turns out, he is friends with Willow.”

This time, he actually managed to get a reaction from Isaac and Alex. They both looked shocked.

“Levi thinks Willow is my mate, and I can’t tell because her scent is masked.” Black saw the gears running in both Alex's and Isaac’s minds.

“Scent suppressants.” Alex said with a realization on his face.

“Of course, rogues use that all the time,” Isaac added. “Why does she take the pills though, she isn’t a rogue?”

Black pursed his lips into a thin line. He also did not have a clear answer to that question. “Levi is the one who gave them to her, he said it was for her own good.”

“What? That doesn’t make sense, if anything masking her scent only coated her with the smell of rogues. It puts her in a precarious position with other werewolves.” Alex said, the frown on his face deepening.

Isaac mulled over Black’s words before taking a huge sip of the drink in his hand.

“Did he say anything else?”

“I asked him to join the winning team but he refused and said some shit about being on Willow’s side only.” Black scowled. “He also said something about me saving Willow from her life and doing Louis’s bidding.”

Isaac clapped his hands after placing down the cup. “Exactly!” He exclaimed. “Damn, I’m smart.” He went on to praise himself.

Alex rolled his eyes. “What?”

“Vincent said that Willow is one of the girls that offer sex services in Louis’s club and this is exclusively for rogues. Humans know nothing about it. After reading Willow’s thoughts that day, she had thought about Louis Conley and every thought about him was accompanied by fear. She is obviously scared of Louis, and he has some hold on her and her aunt, Charlotte if I remember correctly.” Isaac paused and looked over at Black.

“Come to think of it, she was concerned with the safety of Charlotte and Levi,” Isaac added.

Alex nodded slowly, piecing everything together. “Judging from what his younger brother said, then Louis surely does have some hold over Willow, and he is forcing her to do shit for him and his club. It’s probably why Levi gave her scent-suppressing pills.” Alex still had a thoughtful look on his face.

“Scents during sex for werewolves are very important, and it’s somehow of a stimulant. I’m guessing Levi made her take the pills so that rogues would not go crazy while...” Alex trailed off silently and kept quiet when he saw how stiff Black had gone.

Black’s hands were clenched on his lap. He was livid and he needed to release his anger by hitting the one that had done this to Willow and all the rogues that had touched her indecently. He now understood what Levi had said. He had to save Willow from such a life, and he had to do it as soon as possible.

“Black?” Isaac called.

“I’m going to kill him.” The tone of Black’s voice caused shivers to run through the room. It was like a silent promise and the other men knew that Black would do it if not stopped.

“Let’s focus on saving Willow from all this and then killing will come afterwards,”

“I think I can ask to meet this Louis guy and then we’ll try to talk to him,” Alex suggested and Isaac nodded but Black did not look pleased.

“On second thought, Alex and I will speak with him. Why don’t you focus on trying to win Willow over? You messed up today.” Isaac told Black.