Rejected (Werewolf Levi x Witch Reader Soulmate AU)

Chapter 15: Levi

So he focused himself, utilizing the instinct that commanded him to protect his mate. Levi Ackerman was the strongest Beta in history, and now, he had cause to be even stronger. No matter how many enemies came at him, they all dropped like flies.

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It was a long, hard night, but the battle finally ended. To Levi's relief, the pack sustained minimal casualties. The Rogues may have had the advantage of sheer numbers, but Levi had spent years training his subordinates to be capable soldiers. One of them was worth ten Rogues, easily.

As soon as the fighting stopped, he rushed to (f/n)'s side, nudging her with his nose. She did seem to be alright – just knocked out. Unsure of what else to do, Levi curled up beside her, waiting for her to wake up.

That was how the Alpha found him.

"There's no need to stay out here in the rain," Erwin murmured. "The mansion is still yours. Why don't you take her there? Both of you fought hard tonight. You deserve some rest." Then, as if he sensed Levi's question, he added, "Any other discussions can wait until you're both feeling up to it."

Levi nodded numbly, too exhausted to respond more than that. He nudged himself underneath (f/n) until she was draped securely across his back. Then he trotted home, careful that she didn't slide off.

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By the time Levi reached the mansion, the rain had stopped, and the first of the sun's rays were beginning to peek over the horizon. He had to shift into human form to open the front door, and he stayed that way while he carried (f/n) to the bedroom. If he hadn't been so exhausted, he probably would have chuckled at the intensity with which she would blush if she woke up and found him naked.

He laid her down on the bed, fully aware that she was covered in mud and rainwater, but he had more important things to worry about than his sheets getting dirty. He checked her head again, and once he was satisfied that she truly was alright, he quickly cleaned himself off and threw on a set of comfortable sleepwear. Returning to her side, he realized that her delicate human body might get sick if she remained in her wet clothing for too long. However, he was also pretty sure that she would feel awkward if he undressed her, even though he would never do anything disrespectful.

Levi leaned down close to her face, gently running his fingers through her damp hair. "(F/n)..." he cooed softly into her ear. Then he pressed a light kiss to her temple, her cheek, her lips. "Come on, brat. Wake up."

After a few moments of his gentle coaxing, (f/n) awoke with a groan. However, instead of opening her eyes, she squeezed them shut, fighting the pull into consciousness. "Nngh...nnn hnnnnnd..."

Even though her words were unintelligible, Levi could guess what she wanted. "You hit your head and blacked out. It was kind of my fault, actually," he murmured, feeling ashamed that his mistake had harmed her, even if it was out of his control. "The battle's over. We won." He stroked his fingers through her hair again, then added, "You're an idiot for coming here, you know? But, all the same, thank you."

"Mmmmrgh," she grumbled back. "Jerk...wannna sleep..."

"You can't sleep like this. Your clothes are all wet," Levi explained. "I can take them off for you, but I don't want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable."

"Go mrrhead..." she mumbled.

"Are you sure?" he clarified, hesitant to take her word for it when she was only half awake. "I don't want –"

"Goddess' sake, Levi," she groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes. "I know you're not gonna do anything to me. Just get it over with so I can go to sleep. My head hurts..."

"Okay, I'll be quick," Levi murmured.

As gently as he could, he untied her cloak, then slipped off her clothes. Her undergarments seemed to be mostly dry, so he left those on. Then he towel-dried her hair before tucking her under the covers and crawling in next to her.

"Goodnight, love," he whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead.

(F/n) rolled onto her side, nudging him just enough to indicate that she wanted to cuddle.

Levi chuckled, then pulled her close, tucking her head into his chest. She fell asleep immediately after, and it warmed his heart to know that she felt safe and relaxed with him. He nuzzled into her hair and breathed in that pleasant lavender scent, so soothing that it didn't take long before he was sleeping just as deeply as she was.

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The moon was full and bright in the sky by the time they finally woke up.

"It's about time, brat," Levi muttered when he felt (f/n) stirring next to him.

"Hey, I fought a bunch of werewolves yesterday," she mumbled. "I'm entitled to a good night's sleep...or day's sleep...whatever."

Levi smirked, then asked softly, "How are you feeling? How's your head?"

"Better," she replied, her eyelids finally fluttering open as she removed her head from his chest. "It doesn't hurt at all, actually."

"Good," he murmured, petting her hair gently. "Is there anything you need?"

"I'd really like a shower," she grumbled.

Levi nodded his head toward the bathroom. "It's all yours."

She smiled lazily, then stood up and slipped into the bathroom, clicking the door shut behind her. A minute later, Levi heard the rush of the water turning on. The sound was strangely comforting to him – a reminder that, for the first time in decades, he was not alone in this giant house.

He took the opportunity to change the bedsheets, his tolerance for the mud and rainwater having finally run out. When he returned from throwing the soiled ones in the wash, his ears told him that (f/n) had exited the shower and was now blowdrying her hair. With nothing left to do, Levi lay down on the bed and waited, still feeling slightly worn-out from the battle.

Finally, the blowdryer clicked off. Levi heard the soft creaks of (f/n) moving around the bathroom, and a minute later, she opened the door.

Levi's eyes flicked to her, then went wide. In the same instant, he jolted halfway into a seated position, lips parted in shock, completely floored by the sight that greeted him.

(F/n) was leaning against the doorframe, smirking softly. She had wrapped herself in the plush, grey robe that Levi always left hanging on the door. His robe. His scent. The wolf inside him purred, pleased at the demonstration that she belonged to him.

Her arms were crossed in front of her, but as Levi watched, she moved them behind her back. Now, they no longer obscured his view of how the robe parted in the middle, just enough to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

His heart kicked into overdrive, hammering so loudly that he couldn't think straight. "(F-f-f/n)?" he sputtered, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. By the stars, did she even realize what she was doing to him?

Her smirk faltered just enough to betray her nervousness. "I've been thinking..." she murmured as she glided across the room, then climbed onto the bed.

All the while, Levi could only stare at her, his mouth going dry, his lungs forgetting how to breathe. Yet, despite his lack of function, he couldn't escape her intoxicating scent – now laced with a very obvious tone of desire. Was this really happening?

When (f/n) was a mere foot away from him, she stopped, kneeling on the fresh sheets. Her smirk had softened into a tentative smile, and sincerity shone in her (e/c) eyes. "Levi, I don't need to wait anymore. At first, I thought it was a bit hasty, but...I know that this is what I want – that you are what I want. I feel completely comfortable with you, and I love you, and I don't...I d-don't want there to b-be anything b-between us..."

Levi remained completely still, unable to believe what he was hearing.

(F/n) took a deep breath, then looked him straight in the eyes and stated, "Levi, I want you to claim me."