Page 48 of Levi

Not that she hadn’t dealt with angry shifters before. But those weren’t her mate, and she was bound to take things more personally when she was being yelled at and scorned by her beloved.

For the time being, she let him sleep on her. She leaned against his head, feeling the softness of his hair, smelling the musk of his skin. She traced his forehead with her lips, memorizing every bump and curve.

She wanted to believe that things were going to work out for them because of his shifter status. But there was something nagging at her. Something that made her think about all the people in her life who had let her down.

She thought about her mother, of course, the main person in her life who had given her nothing but grief. The woman wanted her forgiveness, but Hannah wasn’t sure if that was something she was capable of giving.

She had been on her own her entire life. Why on earth did she need to have her mother in her life now? And would the same thing happen with Levi? Would he let her down?

Or had she already let him down by using the serum on him before he was able to consent?

Hannah tried to let the past go as she held Levi close, enjoying the moment before reality set in and took away their bond.

21

LEVI

Levi woke on top of Hannah’s breasts and realized that he was drooling. Something was different than normal. He felt instantly awake, instantly energetic, and ready and able to fight, or fuck, or anything that was required of him.

He shot up to his feet in a single movement, startling Hannah as she dozed beneath him.

“Baby,” she said hazily. “Are you okay?”

Levi could hear her, but everything around him seemed to pulse and to shimmer. He remembered that they had made love ravenously right there in the forest, but not much else.

“Hannah,” he said, still gazing around. “Hannah, what happened?”

Hannah sat up in the dirt, and Levi could sense her heartbeat picking up pace. It was loud and thick in his ears.

“You were shot, Levi,” she said softly. “Lincoln found out that you knew about his satellite plan, and he shot you.”

Levi could only slightly recall what had happened, like it was some other life, some dream he’d had. He could feel the steel heat of the bullet moving through his body, penetrating the top ventricle of his heart. He felt Hannah’s warm tears on his skin, begging him to stay awake.

Then everything had gone black. That was until a bright light permeated his vision, inflating every muscle in his body until his skin and bones expanded to make do.

He gazed down at Hannah, whose emerald eyes were somehow even more sensational than when they met.

“The serum,” he said, recalling the waiver he had signed after being rescued and having Hannah become his bodyguard. “You gave me the serum.”

Hannah nodded with a look of anguish.

Levi realized he was naked, then all at once, found that his vision had been corrected along with the enhancement of his body. He smiled madly, feeling like he could hop that height of the Empire State Building.

“I feel … incredible.”

Levi was feeling everything, everywhere, all at once. He was enraptured by the strength and power he possessed, by how well he could satisfy Hannah, and fuck, he could finally protect her. But he was also enraged by what Lincoln had done, the feeling bubbling up like lava through a volcano.

“We have to get to Lincoln,” Levi said.

He felt a hand on his wrist. It was Hannah trying to pull him back but failing immensely.

“Levi,” she said. “Let’s just take a step back for a second. We have to let Nick know what is going on and the FBI or CIA or whatever before we start hunting Lincoln on our own.”

Levi felt an emotion that he couldn’t quite label. It was magnificent with its intensity but also a bit terrifying.

He snatched his hand away from Hannah and began walking forward into the forest.

“I don’t fucking work for Nick,” he growled. “I don’t need his approval for the havoc I am going to wreck.”

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