Rejected (Werewolf Levi x Witch Reader Soulmate AU)

Chapter 10: Levi

Levi didn't know how long they gazed at each other, but he was in no rush to look away. He wanted to cherish her, to memorize every detail of her elegant form. His mate. His perfect mate.

Then (f/n) blinked and bit her lip. "Um, so anyway..." she began hesitantly, as if she suddenly felt embarrassed for staring at him, "I was able to heal most of your leg, but I can't imbue permanent strength into your muscles. You'll need a lot of physical therapy before you'll be able to walk on it, and then more time on top of that to gain the equivalent of what you have in your right leg."

Levi glanced down at his leg, tilting it this way and that. "I give it a week," he assessed flatly.

(F/n) balked. "A week? Levi, stuff like this takes months."

"Werewolves have accelerated healing," he informed her. "And that includes accelerated muscle growth."

Her brow furrowed. "Well, okay then," she muttered uncertainly. "Of course, you're welcome to stay here while you get better. We could buy you some more clothes from the shop in town, and my bed is big enough that we can share..." She trailed off, blushing furiously, then rushed to add, "But I can also take you home – to your home, I mean – to the pack, if you'd prefer."

The mention of the pack had Levi's mood deflating. He didn't regret choosing (f/n), but all the same, the thought of losing his position, of basically becoming an outcast among the wolves who had once been like his family, filled his heart with sadness.

"I want to stay here," Levi murmured quietly, his eyes falling to the floor. "But I should warn the pack. They need to know that the Rogues were practically at our front door today. They need to prepare for war."

(F/n) stilled. "You think it will really come to that?" she whispered.

Levi's silence was answer enough.

"I can send a raven to your Alpha," she offered. By the gentleness in her voice, Levi could tell that she understood how he was feeling, even if she didn't know exactly why. She probably thought he was worried that the pack would view him as a pariah, considering his non-werewolf mate. Levi still hadn't told her that he would lose his position as Beta, and he didn't plan to, not yet. He knew it would come out eventually, but he hated the fact that (f/n) would likely blame herself.

Levi nodded. "Yeah, that'll work."

She fished a pen and paper out of a drawer, then paused. "Do you want to write it, or do you want me to?" (f/n) asked softly.

With his eyes still downcast, Levi mumbled, "You, please. Just...just tell Erwin that I'm staying with you while I heal, and that I'll be back in a week."

(F/n) nodded. Levi listened to the scratching of her pen on the paper, then to the soft pad of her footsteps as she walked to the window. After pushing it open, she whistled, and Levi heard the flapping of wings.

A moment later, the bird was gone, and (f/n) had returned to the room. "I should warn the coven as well," she muttered.

She scrawled another message, but instead of summoning a raven, she walked purposefully to the fireplace. She plucked a handful of powder from a jar on the mantle, and threw it into the flames. Their orange and red hues turned a vibrant purple, at which point (f/n) tossed her paper into them. However, instead of burning up, the message simply disappeared. The flames flared, then returned to their natural colors.

With her task done, (f/n) came to his side, bypassing her seat on the floor and perching on the couch instead. After a moment's debate, she wrapped her arms around his blanketed frame.

Levi sighed, then began petting her hair. It was incredible, really, how her touch could ease his burdens. He still felt miserable, but the intensity had lessened just a little, just enough.