Chapter 20 Lev
TWENTY
LEV
Lev opened his eyes, meeting his best friend’s steady gaze. “If Xelene agrees to stay and help me become king, I’ll spend every day doing exactly that.”
Through the bond, he felt a flutter of something that might have been determination from Xelene’s side. Maybe he hadn’t lost everything yet.
A soft knock interrupted the conversation, and the sound sent his heart racing with desperate hope. When the door opened to reveal Xelene’s silhouette, he felt his breath catch in his throat. She wasn’t carrying a suitcase—that had to mean something.
Benjamin’s eyes darted between them, reading the charged atmosphere with his keen perceptiveness. “I’ll leave you two to talk,” he said quietly, squeezing Lev’s shoulder once more before heading for the door.
The click of the door closing seemed to echo through the room. Xelene stood near the entrance, her casual jeans and fitted t-shirt a stark contrast to the formal black dress she’d worn to the funeral. The sight of her in something so normal, so approachable, made Lev’s chest tighten with longing.
“Can we talk?” she asked, her voice carrying that professional composure he’d come to both admire and find maddening.
Lev gestured toward the seating area near his stone fireplace, where leather chairs and a plush couch created an intimate conversation space.
The fireplace itself was cold—he hadn’t bothered lighting it despite the slight chill in the air—but the setting felt less formal than going to his office and sitting across from each other at his desk.
Xelene chose the couch, settling herself with careful grace.
Lev followed but maintained careful distance between them on the cushions.
His lion was already prowling, drawn to her presence like metal to a magnet, but he refused to crowd her when she was clearly processing everything that had happened.
The mate bond pulsed between them, carrying undercurrents of her emotions—determination mixed with uncertainty, professional resolve battling against something deeper and more vulnerable.
“Well,” she began, folding her hands in her lap with deliberate precision, “since we apparently can’t hide from each other emotionally anymore, there’s no sense in not speaking openly and honestly. I suggest we do exactly that.”
Lev’s pulse quickened. Her directness was one of the things he found most attractive about her—no games, no manipulation, just brutal honesty that cut straight to the heart of things.
“First thing,” she continued, meeting his gaze with those sharp green eyes, “I’m staying.
I’ll help you clean up your reputation and prepare for the Trial of the Sun.
I’ll do everything I can to see that you become king.
” Her voice carried the authority of someone accustomed to managing crises.
“I was hired to do that job, and I will see it through.”
Relief flooded through Lev’s system so powerfully that he had to grip the arm of the couch to steady himself. She was staying. Whatever else happened between them, she wasn’t abandoning him to face this alone.
“As for the mate bond thing,” Xelene’s voice softened slightly, revealing a hint of the vulnerability she usually kept locked away, “I’ve decided to put that on hold for now.
Just focus on helping you prepare for leadership.
Whatever this bond is doing to us, whatever is happening between us—we have to wait on it until after you pass the Trial, at least.”
Lev studied her face, noting the slight tension around her eyes, and the way she held herself just a fraction too rigidly. Through the bond, he could feel her fighting against the pull between them, trying to compartmentalize emotions that defied neat categorization.
“That may be challenging,” he said carefully. “The mate bond will only get stronger with each passing day, especially the more time we spend around each other. But I won’t push. I really appreciate that you’re staying to help me.”
The admission cost him something—acknowledging that he needed her help, that he couldn’t do this alone, that he’d crumble without her here. But if there was anyone who deserved his honesty, it was the woman fate had chosen as his other half.
Xelene nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. “Well, let’s get to it then. Janice and I spent time going over your pride’s traditions and politics, but any insights from you would be helpful too.”
“What do you know so far?” Lev leaned forward slightly, genuinely curious about what she’d discovered.
“There’s a council of five elder pride members, and Councilor Christoph is the head of the council. They’re in charge of conducting the Trial of the Sun.” Her analytical mind was clearly engaged now. “The Trial has three tests—strength, wisdom, and loyalty.”
“All correct,” Lev confirmed, impressed despite himself.
“Do you know what those tests entail specifically?” she asked, leaning forward with the intensity of someone preparing for battle.
Lev’s mouth curved into a rueful smile. “The elders change it up so you can’t really study for it or know what to expect. They want it to be challenging, to test the candidate under pressure.”
Xelene’s jaw tightened with determination. “Then we’ll just have to prepare in every way we can think of for each test and hope it’s enough.”
The fierce loyalty in her voice, the way she said ‘we’ as if his success was her personal mission, made Lev’s chest warm with something deeper than gratitude. This incredible woman was choosing to stand beside him, even after everything that had gone wrong.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, letting sincerity replace his usual charm. “For everything. Truly. For not bolting, even though I would have understood if you had.”
Xelene’s expression softened. “I never leave a job incomplete, no matter how challenging. And this is certainly proving to be the most challenging assignment I’ve ever taken.”
The light filtering through his windows was growing golden, painting her face with warm hues that made her look less like the polished consultant and more like the woman he’d held in his arms. Lev stood abruptly, needing movement before he did something foolish like reach for her.
“Would you like to go for a walk through the city?” he asked, hoping his voice sounded casual rather than desperate. “Just to take your mind off things, get to know the place better.”
Xelene considered for a moment, then nodded. “Sure. I could use some fresh air.”
“I could too,” Lev admitted. “It’s been a long, eventful day.”
Eventful was certainly one way to describe burying his father and accidentally completing a mate bond with the most fascinating woman he’d ever met.
As they headed toward the door, Lev found himself hoping that showing Xelene his kingdom might help her see what he was fighting for—and maybe, just maybe, help her understand why he needed her beside him for all of it.