That had been the best sleep Eden had gotten in weeks, or perhaps ever. It could have been logically explained away by her exhaustion catching up to her, but it felt as though it was because Levi had been there. She was warm, comfortable, and safe. Those were all feelings that had eluded her in the previous weeks. The rise and fall of Levi’s chest gave Eden as much peace as the gentle waves of the lake. It deepened her sleep further.

Without meaning to, the couple slept straight through the morning and into the early hours of the afternoon. Eden only stirred at the distinct metal click of her bedroom door being unlocked. Her eyes snapped open, and she lifted her cheek from Levi’s chest to make eye contact with Ivy.

The two of them remained in a deadlock, Eden praying she was dreaming. Her eyes flickered to the clock to find, much to her horror, that it was already half past two in the afternoon. Then, the bedroom door slammed shut, and Levi woke with a start.

Eden was on her feet in a flash, clutching her head. “Oh, this is so bad. This is so, so bad… This can’t be real.”

“What… what happened?” Levi asked, sitting up in the bed and rubbing his face to bring himself out of slumber.

Eden didn’t respond, rushing for the door and flinging it open. Looking up and down the hall, she hissed under her breath. Ivy was already out of sight, meaning she was probably already on her way to tell Carlyle what she had seen. Shutting the door back, Eden clutched her head and sank to the floor.

“We’re both dead. We’re dead.” Levi stumbled toward her, concern glistening in his amber eyes. “It’s 2:30 p.m., and I guess my cousins were sent to find me. Ivy unlocked my door and saw us.”

Levi, too, hissed under his breath. “We could try and track her down.”

“We couldn’t do anything. If you even set foot outside of this room, you’d be captured and killed. Besides, she was gone by the time I got to the door. I have no doubt she went right to my father. Everyone in this damn Kingdom does nothing but try and better their status. What does status matter when you’re a complete jerk?” Eden snarled.

“I agree.” He frowned, wishing it wasn’t so. “Then… then we need to get going. It’ll be a matter of minutes before they swarm the room.”

The impending doom didn’t seem to click for Eden, and Levi forced her to her feet. Snatching his bag from the floor, he rushed to her closet and tossed in several articles of clothing before hurrying back to her and taking her hand. Still, Eden could not act on her own freewill, in complete shock that her secret had been uncovered so easily.

“We’re going to jump and shift,” Levi instructed.

It was only then that Eden realized they were already on the railing. “I’m not the fastest at shifting,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Trust me, with the ground rushing up at you, adrenaline will help. If you can’t, it’s fine. I’ll catch you.” Levi only gave a nod before he stepped off, pulling her with him.

Eden screamed as air gushed up past her. Closing her eyes tightly, she put her entire focus on transitioning. Her secondary skeleton locked into place, and her scales sprouted across her body like wildfire. For some reason, it always took the most effort for her to eject her wings from her back. Her eyes caught sight of the ground, just moments away from crashing as she still worked her wings out of their slits. Then, she was jerked upwards by the shoulder. Levi had saved her from falling, assisting her until her wings finally unfurled, and they darted straight up into the sky. It was so dangerous to fly during the day like that, but it was the only chance they had to get away.

Once they were near the tops of the woods, without having to communicate, they both dipped into the spaces between the trees. They needed to stay out of sight of airplanes, as well as the dragons that were sure to pursue them. Flying at that level would buy them some time as long as they managed to dodge all the branches. Eden tilted her body side to side to navigate between the trees while tucking her wings in and expanding them to keep in flight while avoiding clipping the trunks of the trees.

It was tiresome, but Eden was wired from adrenaline. She couldn’t remember a time when she had to run from anyone or anywhere. They had been to war with the witches in the past, but Eden had never been allowed to participate in the fight. If moving to America to start fresh—away from the witches and the memories those lands held—counted as retreating, then she had only done so once in her life. That hadn’t been exactly a nerve-wracking event for her.

This, however… This was. Her life, her future, depended on her being accurate. One misstep, and Eden could crash to the forest floor, risking getting captured. She had no idea if they were after her. She couldn’t hear anything beyond the sharp whistling noise coming from the trees’ leaves as she whizzed by them.

She wasn’t sure if time was flying by or dragging on, unsure of how long she and Levi had been flying before her entire body was fatigued. When Eden felt her body beginning to dip and droop, she knew that she had to stop soon. Surely they had flown far enough that they could rest for a bit, right? Before Eden could think of a way to signal to Levi that she wanted to land, he was slowing his speed, and then he perched on a pine tree.

Eden followed suit, managing to land on a branch right next to Levi. Her head bowed, and her eyes scanned about, trying to see what it was that Levi was watching so intently. There was a moderately-sized cabin nestled in a small clearing. What were they doing there? Why was he so interested in it?

Without warning, Levi swooped down and maneuvered his body through the trees, approaching the cabin. By the time Eden appeared next to him, Levi was in his human form and dressing himself. Eden followed his example and morphed, too. As she covered herself modestly with her hands, Levi extended the bookbag to her. She was a blushing mess as she attempted to wrestle an outfit from the bag while keeping herself covered. Levi was paying her no mind, however, turning to the cabin and unlocking it. It was only then that Eden noticed his truck peeking out from behind the cabin.

This was Levi’s home.

“What are we doing here?” she asked. Stepping inside the cabin, she was astonished. It was spacious and homey. The rich wood that made up the walls was well taken care of, and it brought warmth to the room. It wasn’t cluttered, but Levi did have shelves full of books and artifacts.

“Getting supplies.”

“For what?”

“You said it yourself, Eden,” Levi answered. “He’s going to come after you. We have to get out of their reach, and we’re currently racing against time as it is.”

Eden crossed her arms over her chest, and her brows came together. “I thought you agreed last night that running away wasn’t an option.”

“I agreed that it wasn’t the best option. It’s not what we’re going to do, either. This is a temporary solution, because we can’t just sit here. If we do, they will get to us and do like you said: imprison you, beat you into submission. The only way that’s happening is over my cold, dead body.”

Eden was touched by Levi’s sentiment and knew he was right. She didn’t say anything and stood awkwardly, watching him. Levi moved about the room mechanically, not making a single mistake in his footing. He had memorized the layout of his belongings, and he clearly didn’t have to second-guess even for a moment. It felt that if she tried to help, she would only be in the way.

The duffle bag on the dining table was soon filled with blankets, clothes, flashlights, rations, basic survival supplies, and a small metal box, which Eden assumed contained all of his important documents. She didn’t have to ask why he was grabbing all that. There was a good chance he would never be able to return there. Her eyes took in the room once again, staring at everything he was going to leave for the wolves. How long had it taken him to collect everything in that cabin? How much time and planning had gone into his life there? Her heart broke but also swelled. He is leaving everything behind for me.

As soon as Levi’s hands wrapped around hers, they were out of the cabin. He explained the dragons would probably assume they were still flying to get as far away as possible, and it was safer to travel by car, anyway. Dirt kicked up behind them as the car hurried down the overgrown path. Speeding through the wild terrain, it took them over twenty minutes to get to the main road.

“You sure did isolate yourself,” Eden commented.

“I told you, I lived peacefully. That was probably the most peace I could have while still staying close enough to take care of my mom.”

A tension settled in the air. They both knew that the first place their chasers would go in search for Levi would be his mother’s. Eden felt horrible for the ill woman. She made a silent promise to herself that, as soon as the dust settled, no matter what the result was, she was taking a trip to his mother’s house to treat her. Her thumb rubbed roughly into the back of Levi’s hand, knowing that he was holding in his fear over it. She was there for him, though.

It was strange. After the day she had spent with Darian, Eden had been more confused than ever. She had seriously considered abandoning everything she had with Levi because Darian was easier. He had proven himself not to be as horrible as she had anticipated, and it would have overjoyed her father for her to be content and go with his plans without any protesting. Yet from the moment she had seen her cousin standing in her doorway, she had thought of nothing but how she and Levi were going to get out of their situation together. It was like her body had spent the last two weeks suspended right in the middle of fight-or-flight instincts when it was around Levi. When a push finally came, she was fighting. Levi was her mate, and she was going to do anything in her power to keep him by her side.

They rode away from the city. Not even Eden could keep up with the erratic route that Levi mapped. At the speed he was going, it was disorienting. She didn’t complain, however. Eden had no knowledge about escaping an enemy at all, so she was going to trust Levi and his instincts. They drove for over an hour before Levi pulled into the parking lot of an overlook. Shutting the engine off, he rubbed his face.

“This is as good a place as any to stop without going too far,” Levi sighed.

“What are we going to do here?”

“Figure out what it is we want to do.”

Eden nibbled on her bottom lip and studied him. Levi remained composed, as always, but for the first time, she could see the stress weighing on him. His eyes were heavy, and his posture was too stiff. He was rigged and on edge. She took the chance to come clean with how she was feeling. “No matter what we do, I know that I want to try everything in my power to make sure it is you I end up with, Levi.”

She had expected him to smile or perk up, but his expression remained dull. Levi shook his head and looked out his window. It took him several moments to turn back to her. “I’m glad you feel that way, but I guess it would have meant more if you had felt like this last night. I don’t want you to default to me because we were caught.”

She could have gotten angry or defensive, but she wasn’t. She just hurt because she had hurt him.

“I know I was… well, I was probably insufferable at times,” Eden began to say. “It was a big decision for me, and it took time because of everything at play. Yes, Ivy seeing us offset the decision, but that doesn’t change how I feel. I don’t feel forced to choose you. I could have stayed there and apologized and caved in with my dad. I could fly back now. I don’t want to. Getting caught only made me realize that I want to be with someone that I want to fight for. I want to fight for you, and I’m sorry that it’s only now that I’m seeing it.”

Levi’s eyes stayed on hers, reaching to squeeze her hand. “Thank you, Eden. That means a lot to me. Nothing has pained me more in my life than thinking of losing my mate to another man before I ever got to really know her.”

They embraced each other, scooting toward one another on the bench seat. She could tell by his simple language and clipped tone that he was uncomfortable by being so emotional. He had been passionate with her, but he had never been hurt by her.

Eden gave him a soft smile and leaned her head towards his, kissing him passionately. He happily returned the kiss, letting his hands move to her face, pulling her in as close as he could. A fire awoke in them as emotions poured into their kiss. Eden was hungry for his touch; aching for it, even. They had never gone further than kissing before, but the timing had never felt more right. Eden was so ready for the step. For the first time in a while, she gained back the control of making choices for herself. And this was the best decision she knew she would ever make. She was choosing the side of her heart, her own personal desires, and emotions rather than wracking her brain with what other people thought.

Levi hastily guided Eden to lay down but needed no words to do so, straddling her lap in under a second. The connection between them felt stronger than ever. Something neither of them had felt before and never knew they had the chance to feel. Eden bit down on his lip as Levi thrust his hips into hers. The nerves running through them were intense, but they had never wanted anything more. Eden wanted to show and let Levi know that she truly wanted him, and only him. No matter what her father said or tried to force her into. Where she was with Levi was not only where she wanted to be, but also where she needed to be.

Eden quickly put all those thoughts aside as Levi started to move his hands down her pale body, causing all her fine hairs to stand up straight. She moved her hands down his sides, tugging at the bottom of his shirt and slowly removing it. Their lips collided once again as he started unbuttoning the front of her blouse. He then helped her slide it off, along with her bra, throwing it out of the window of his truck. Eden slid her hand down his lightly tanned body, reaching down and tugging down his pants. Levi’s lips covered her chest in kisses as he shimmied her skirt down her legs, followed by her panties. Eden started to say something, but immediately lost all train of thought as he started to kiss down her stomach. She could barely contain herself.

Having sex with someone was not totally foreign to her, but making love with someone you were meant to spend eternity with was overwhelming and a sensation all on its own. Her eyes opened to look down at Levi. He kissed down to her hip, trying to find just what drove her wild. This was new territory for both of them, and they both wanted nothing more than to please each other like they never had before. And they did.

Eden was writhing in Levi’s hold, and he was using his strength to hold her down while he teased her sex. Then she felt his hard member, still contained in his boxers, pressed against her as he moved towards her lips once more to show Eden just how much he craved her. His mouth was down to her inner thigh, and a shiver coursed through her at the sensation. This made her hands grip the car seat.

Levi spread her legs and gently licked her lower lips. Eden’s back arched, and her legs involuntarily drew in. Levi managed to surprise her with his tenderness. They were such strong and fiery beings, and yet when it came to going down on her, he was patient and gentle. It was so blissfully pleasurable, leaving her sex begging for more attention.

His arms snaked around her upper thighs, and in a swift motion, he suddenly pulled her warmth closer. His tongue pressed inside her, swirling around, moving in and out before withdrawing completely. Eden’s stomach muscles tightened, and she found grip within his soft, dark locks. Levi was truly spoiling her with attention. She was starting to think she could become addicted to his touch. He cared so much about her needs within the short amount of time of knowing one another.

As Levi ran his tongue up and down her slick seam, Eden began moving her hips back and forth, having to bite down on her lip to contain herself. It was so erotic. Eden felt her thighs start to tremble as Levi focused on her clit, flicking it with the very tip of his tongue. Ecstasy started to build in her center when two fingers pressed into her entrance. Moans freely escaped her, unable to contain herself any longer. Her hips twitched, writhing in pleasure. Her thighs locked around Levi’s head as she came to a climax more powerful and earth-shattering than anything she had ever experienced.

Once Eden caught her breath, Levi pried his face away from her pelvis and moved her legs from around his head to his waist. She lay beneath him, looking up at his handsome face, which had a schoolboy grin on it. She loved how pleasing her appeared to please him as well. Angling his hips, Levi pushed the tip of his member against her before sliding in the entirety of his shaft. Her slick, swollen sex greeted him excitedly. Levi groaned, gripping Eden’s hips as he thrust his in an intoxicating rhythm.

“I’ve waited so long for this,” Levi whispered in her ear, biting her earlobe and moving down to her neck. Eden couldn’t help but moan in agreement, feeling his manhood deep within her. She had wanted this with Levi for quite some time. The connection and vibe between them were so strong, and this act was allowing them to grow closer and become complete. Eden could feel the pace becoming faster, but the intimacy was ever stronger.

Soon, however, it became too much for her to bear. Levi grabbed her legs, putting them over his shoulders while he began to thrust rapidly into her. Eden moaned loudly, her sex already tightening around his member. Levi’s hands traveled from her hips, up towards her thighs, and to her knees. He pushed them together, getting a better angle. His lips seized hers, kissing her deeply. His movements became rougher, thrusting as deeply as he could with every stroke. The growing climax was driving her mad. She craved him painfully.

Pushing him off her and onto the seat himself, Eden climbed on top of him. Levi let out several short, desperate breaths as she rode him sensually. She was teetering on the very edge of climax, having to attack his lips with hers to keep from getting too loud. Then, Levi snarled and tightened his grip on her hips, taking control back so he could move her pelvis in rapid pumps. Eden’s fingers dug into his scalp and practically screamed into his lips as she released. Already, she could feel her thighs were dampened by her own excitement. Levi kept her pressed down against him, and then his body froze for a moment, followed by a shudder. Afterward, he kissed all over her neck and shoulders as they both focused on catching their breaths.

“You’re amazing,” Eden breathed, a dopey smile on her lips, nuzzling his nose.

Levi pulled back with a smirk. “You’re pretty good yourself.”

They looked deeply into each other’s eyes. They had proven just how real and true their feelings were.

As they lay in Levi’s truck, naked and holding each other tight, Eden’s worrying thoughts started to pour in once again. What were they going to do now? Where were they even going? As much as she was enjoying the position they were currently in, she needed to know what position they were going to be in next. Levi kissed her nose and opened the door, getting out and picking their clothes from the ground. Eden tried to cover her questioning thoughts with a nervous and cute smile as she dressed herself once more.

“So… a plan,” she finally said.

“There aren’t many options, honestly,” Levi replied, climbing back into the truck, dressed again. “Run or confront it, and both are dangerous.”

Eden chewed her lip, allowing herself to think things through. “What if I go back alone and try to talk to my father myself?”

“He would lock you up.”

“But If you come with me, they’ll kill you.”

Silence fell over them as they leaned against the truck, each of them trying to map out different scenarios, trying to find the one that would work best. The storm of hormones and emotions had subsided, though it still lingered in the way their cheeks were flushed and their fingers intertwined.

“What if we head that way in a little bit?” Eden asked. “Most of the men will be out looking for us, and I can call my dad and tell him I’m coming by myself to speak with him about everything. We actually go together and try to talk to him.”

“Do you think there is any talking sense into him?”

Eden shrugged. “Honestly, no. But maybe he will at least call off the hunt, and we can… can figure something out.”

Levi stared out the windshield for a while before he nodded. “Great plan, babe.”

“I’m ‘babe’ now?” She grinned.

He shot her a wink before starting the engine. “Driving out here gave us good timing. Call him when we’re close so that he can’t call his men back to him.”