Chapter 7 Lev
SEVEN
LEV
Lev’s long legs carried him down the castle’s corridor without conscious thought, his heart hammering like a caged animal desperate for escape. The ancient tapestries lining the walls blurred past him as he fought to process what had just slammed into him with the force of a freight train.
My fated mate.
The words echoed in his mind like a death knell, even as his lion roared in triumph deep within his chest. Every instinct he possessed had locked onto Xelene Warren the moment she’d stepped into his father’s office—her cream silk blouse hugging curves that made his mouth go dry and that navy skirt emphasizing the length and tone of her legs.
But it wasn’t her beauty or her body that had captured him, though she was stunning enough to stop traffic on three planets.
No, it was something deeper, more primal.
Her scent—lavender mixed with something uniquely her—had filled his senses the moment she’d entered his orbit, making his lion prowl restlessly beneath his skin.
He’d had to clench his fists to stop himself from pulling her into his arms and burying his face in her neck to get a deeper inhale of that intoxicating fragrance.
Yet he’d reached out anyway, like some fool drawn to flame, and the moment their palms had connected, the mate bond had slammed into him with a force that left him reeling.
Fire had raced up his arm and exploded through every nerve ending, his lion roaring in recognition while his human mind scrambled to deny what was happening.
The way her breath had hitched, the widening of those cool green eyes—she’d felt it too, even if she didn’t understand what it meant.
Idiot, he cursed himself. You knew better than to touch her. You knew she was your fated mate before you even shook her hand.
The reality of it made him want to punch something.
His father—that manipulative bastard—had orchestrated this entire situation.
Lev wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly what Gerri Wilder was famous for, and it wasn’t finding reputation consultants.
The woman was a legendary matchmaker who specialized in pairing shifters with their destined mates.
When his father had mentioned consulting with her about Lev’s “reputation issues,” Lev knew the trap was being laid even as his father played dumb.
“Prince Lev?”
The familiar voice made him spin around, his eyes blazing with fury as he faced the petite woman who had just upended his entire world. Gerri Wilder stood in the corridor, her white hair catching the afternoon light streaming through the windows and her blue eyes holding that knowing gleam.
“Are you alright, dear? You seemed to become rather unraveled back in the office.”
Lev’s hands clenched at his sides as he glared down at the matchmaker. “What do you think? You know exactly what happened back there. Don’t try to play innocent with me.”
Gerri’s expression didn’t change, that infuriating smirk remaining firmly in place. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bullshit.” The word came out as a growl, his lion pressing closer to the surface. “You brought my fated mate to me on purpose. My father put you up to this, didn’t he?”
The matchmaker’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and Lev knew he’d hit the mark. “Well, dear, sometimes these things need a little push. Your father’s health concerns and your succession to the throne warranted some... strategic intervention.”
“Strategic intervention?” Lev’s voice rose, echoing off the stone walls. “I’m tired of people pushing me to do things I’m not ready for. This whole thing is complete bullshit.”
The weight of it all crashed down on him at once. His freedom slipping through his fingers like sand, the crown waiting to crush him beneath its weight, and now this. A fated mate who would expect commitment, loyalty, everything he’d spent his adult life avoiding.
I don’t want to lock myself down to just one woman, his mind protested desperately. I’m not ready for this.
“I think your lion has been ready for quite a while,” Gerri said gently, her voice cutting through his internal panic like a blade. “You’ve just been too stubborn to listen to him.”
Lev’s jaw clenched as her words hit their target with surgical precision.
She was right, damn her. His lion had been restless for years, demanding he slow down, find his mate, claim the love his soul yearned for.
Instead of listening to that primal wisdom, Lev had rebelled harder, partied more, buried himself in the beds of willing females—anything to avoid the deep connection that terrified him more than any enemy he’d ever faced.
Because with that kind of love came vulnerability. The same vulnerability that had destroyed his father when Lev’s mother died, leaving the king a hollow shell of the man he’d once been.
What if I lose her? The fear that had driven him for decades clawed at his chest. What if I’m not enough to keep her?
“Why don’t you just give Xelene a chance?” Gerri suggested, her tone deceptively casual. “I know you only have six days before the Trial, but I’ve seen shifters figure it out in much less time than that.”
“This is absurd,” Lev snapped, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t want to figure it out. I want to keep my current lifestyle.”
“You know that’s not possible anymore.” Gerri’s voice carried an edge of steel beneath its gentle tone.
“The crown won’t wait for you to grow up, Lev.
Your father’s health is failing, your pride needs leadership, and whether you like it or not, everything is about to change.
Maybe Xelene will be able to help you navigate that transition. ”
Lev stared at the matchmaker, his mind racing.
Everything she said was true—he’d known this day was coming, and had felt the weight of destiny pressing down on him for months.
He’d told Benjamin just that morning that he would prove everyone wrong, that he could handle whatever challenges came his way.
Before I knew my reputation consultant was my fated mate, he thought desperately. Before everything became so complicated.
But he had made that promise. He’d sworn he would be a good student, that he would listen and try to become the man his pride needed. The irony wasn’t lost on him that the woman meant to fix his reputation might be the very person destined to claim his heart.
“Fine,” he said finally, the word torn from his throat like a confession. “I’ll go back in there. But this doesn’t mean I’m accepting anything beyond professional consultation.”
Gerri’s smile was pure satisfaction. “Of course, dear. Whatever you say.”
“And I want it known that I think this entire situation is manipulative and underhanded.”
“Duly noted.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Now, I’m going to check on your father while you get acquainted with Xelene and Janice. Try not to run away again—it’s rather undignified for a future king.”
Lev watched her walk away, her small frame radiating smugness that made his teeth grind.
He stood alone in the corridor for a long moment, steeling himself for what came next.
Behind that office door waited his fated mate—a human woman who had no idea what she’d walked into, who probably thought he was nothing more than a spoiled prince with image problems.
She has no idea that everything just changed, he thought grimly. For both of us.