Page 22 of Mane Attraction
But when the first tear slipped down her cheek, she couldn’t bring herself to care about professional boundaries. Something about this place, these people, this powerful man, this moment felt like coming home to a life she’d never known she needed.
Lev turned at the sound of her quiet intake of breath, his blue eyes widening when he saw her tears. Without hesitation, his free hand rose to cup her face, his thumb gently brushing away the moisture with a tenderness that made her breath catch.
“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “For being here with me today. For not leaving when things got complicated. It means everything.”
The ceremony that followed stretched for what felt like hours, filled with ancient rituals and speeches that honored a king’s life and legacy. Xelene found herself crying for a man she’d never met, her emotions somehow tangled with the collective grief of the pride. Lev’s hand remained firmly clasped in hers throughout, grounding her in ways that defied logical explanation.
The mate bond,she thought, studying their joined fingers.There’s more to this than I understand.
When the formal proceedings finally ended, a steady stream of pride members approached to offer their condolences. Lev introduced her to each one with the same words: “This is my girlfriend, Xelene.” The lie felt strange when she smiled and nodded, especially knowing what she now knew about fated mates and cosmic connections.
Most of the pride members seemed genuinely pleased to meet her, their expressions curious but welcoming. But whenCouncilor Christoph and his son Crispin approached, Xelene’s professional instincts immediately sharpened.
“Your Highness,” Christoph said with a bow that managed to convey respect while somehow feeling mocking. “Please accept our deepest condolences on your father’s passing.”
The older man’s ice-blue eyes were sharp and calculating as they swept over Lev, then lingered on Xelene with undisguised assessment. His silver hair was slicked back perfectly, and his ceremonial attire spoke of wealth and influence.
“Thank you, Councilor,” Lev replied evenly, though Xelene caught the subtle tension in his voice. “This is my girlfriend, Xelene Warren. Xelene, Councilor Christoph Vashan and his son Crispin.”
Crispin stepped forward with predatory grace, his pale blue eyes intense as he took her hand. Where Lev’s touch sent warmth racing through her, Crispin’s felt cold and calculating.
“A pleasure,” he said smoothly, though his smile never reached his eyes. “I don’t believe we’ve had the honor of meeting before. Are you from Nova Aurora?”
“Earth, actually,” Xelene replied, keeping her voice professionally pleasant while cataloging every micro-expression. “I’m here visiting.”
“How... interesting,” Christoph murmured, his gaze flicking between her and Lev with obvious skepticism. “Such an important time for our prince to be... entertaining visitors.”
The subtle insult hung in the air like a challenge. Xelene felt Lev’s entire body tense beside her, his alpha nature bristling at the implied criticism, but she squeezed his hand in warning.
“Actually,” she said with her most disarming smile, “I find Nova Aurora fascinating, and I came here to study shifter kingdoms with great legacies. King Rorick was a great king, and Lev is a very strong prince who will make a fine king in his own right.”
Both men’s expressions sharpened with interest, clearly caught off guard by her directness.
“Indeed,” Christoph said slowly, but the flash of irritation in Christoph’s eyes told her he’d caught the implication that she believed Lev would succeed.
The conversation ended with polite but strained farewells, and as they finally made their way back to the waiting royal vehicle, Xelene’s mind was already analyzing what she’d observed.
Once they were settled in the back seat, she turned to Lev. “Those two are going to be problems.”
Lev’s jaw tightened as he nodded grimly. “Christoph’s been undermining me since I was sixteen. He thinks I’m spoiled and irresponsible, unfit to rule. He’s been positioning Crispin as an alternative for years.”
“Your behavior didn’t exactly help counter that narrative,” she pointed out gently.
“No,” he admitted, running a hand through his golden hair. “It didn’t. I was so focused on my own freedom, on avoiding responsibility, that I ignored the political threats building around me. I was selfish and shortsighted.”
The raw honesty in his voice made something shift in her chest. This wasn’t the charming deflection she’d expected—it was genuine self-reflection from a man confronting his mistakes.
“Well,” she said, allowing a small smile to curve her lips, “that’s why I’m here. Everything I’ve seen in the past twenty-four hours tells me there’s a solid man underneath all that partying and chaos. We just need to show your pride who you really are.”
Lev’s answering smile was the first genuine expression of joy she’d seen from him all day. The transformation was stunning—grief and guilt melting away to reveal the magnetic charisma that had made him legendary across Nova Aurora.
“You really think I can do this?” he asked, his deep voice carrying a vulnerability that made her heart race.
“I know you can,” she replied with more conviction than she expected to feel.
The words hung between them in the intimate space of the royal vehicle, and suddenly the air seemed charged with electricity. Lev’s blue eyes darkened as they searched her face, and Xelene felt her carefully constructed walls beginning to crumble under the intensity of his gaze.
“Xelene,” he murmured, his voice roughened with emotion and something deeper, more primal.
