15: Movie Night

Levi's POV

“There!” Dina suddenly exclaimed, pulling me out of my thoughts. Carefully, I let go of the TV and, to my semi-surprise, it stayed in place.

“Thanks,” I muttered and pushed it against the wall. Dina grinned and, as on cue, misplaced her feet and almost fell off the chair. Automatically, I reached out and caught her, pulling her into me. A small gasp escaped her plum, red lips and her perfect green eyes met mine. My heart involuntarily skipped a beat and my wolf pushed forward, wanting to be close to her as well. Her body fit perfectly with mine, her smaller and softer features complimenting my hard ones. A rose-colored blush spread across her cheeks, and suddenly my mouth became dry.

Goddess, I wanted to kiss her so bad---

“Erm, that--- I-I’m---erm--- Yeah,” she stuttered, slowly pushing away from me. My wolf whined when she was no longer flushed against our body and, honestly, I felt cold without her in my arms. “Sorry,” she breathed, and her eyes automatically drifted to the floor, hiding her red-tinted cheeks from me.

“It would be better with a kiss.”

I heard myself say--- and almost choked the next instant. Sure, it was what I wanted, I wouldn't deny it.

But to say it out loud?!

Shit!

Dina gaped at me with wide stunned eyes and I could hear her erratic heartbeat tumbling against her chest.

Shit, Levi! I mentally scolded myself. Think fast!

“Just saying,” I quickly added in a lighter tone, playing it off as a joke. And praying she'd buy it! I didn't care much about other people's opinion of me, but if she hated me, I don't know---

“Don't tease me like that,” she scolded, and hit my arm. But luckily, there was no force behind her slap or any real anger in her voice. She sent me one last scowl, before breaking out in a shy smile. She chuckled a little nervously and then spun around, heading to the kitchen. And I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Shit!

That was a close one!

And frowned, confused by myself.

Close one to what, exactly?!

“Popcorn with or without butter?” Dina called from the kitchen, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Have any caramel cream?” I replied and let myself fall onto the sofa. My heart was racing, and I could still feel her body on mine. What was I doing? She was my brother’s girlfriend, for crying out loud. Why was I so attracted to her? Was this one of those stupid "can’t have, thereby must have"-alpha traits I’d developed?

“Oh, you read my mind,” Dina continued, and I heard her working in the kitchen. In the meantime, I set up the TV and before long, Dina returned with two bowls of popcorn goodness. She grabbed the remote, before dropping down next to me, and logged on to N*****x with Rita’s account.

“What’s good?” I asked, watching the long list of movies that were suggested, hoping it would distract me from the fact that the female I wanted but couldn't have, was a hair's breadth away from me.

Literally!

“Depends on what you’re into?” she replied with a nonchalant shrug, making me only more curious about her.

“What are you into?” I asked and while I - surprise, surprise! - usually didn't care, I found that with Dina, I did care.

“Depends on the mood,” she confessed and glanced over at me. “Sometimes a horror or thriller just hits the spot, but a good comedy can save you a ton of money on therapy.”

“How about a psychological thriller?” I asked, as comedy really wasn’t my thing; unless it was stand-up.

“Are you by any chance reading my mind?” Dina suspiciously asked, narrowing her eyes at me. But the slight tilt of her lips reassured me that she wasn't mad.

“I can if I want to,” I grinned. “But I do respect people’s privacy and only do it in case of an emergency.”

I knew she was referring to the mind link. It enabled the alpha to communicate with everyone in his pack and vice versa. But it couldn’t and shouldn’t be used for private conversations, since the alpha, aka me, would hear every word of it. Unless it was between mates and close blood-related family. Those bonds were separate from the pack bond and did enable them to communicate privately. But friends and distant cousins had to communicate the old-fashioned way - when we were in human form. When we were in our wolf form, we also did sort of "talk" telepathically, but it worked much in the same way as when we were in human form. Anything we wanted to "say out loud" the other wolves could pick up. But if we mind-linked, other wolves wouldn't be able to hear us.

It was a handy ability to have...

“I believe you,” she replied with a smile and tucked herself under the blank she'd pulled out from goddess knows where. I didn’t even know I owned one…

“Hmm, this one has great ratings, but I haven’t seen it,” she mumbled, concentrating on the screen.

“Put it on,” I said, and took a hand full of popcorn. It was rather nice to just sit there and enjoy a movie. Once that one was done, Dina found a slasher film I apparently had to see before I got to choose one of my childhood favorites: The Shining.

“I’m sleeping with my lights on,” she squealed from under the blanket, once the credits finally rolled up. It was on the tip of my tongue to suggest she slept with me instead. But I bit it back at the last second. Not only would Mick kill me, if my scent was all over his girlfriend, but I was also pretty sure that if she ended up in my bed, it would be a temptation I wouldn't be able to resist...

“You always sleep with your lights on,” I teased her instead, grinning as she emerged from the comforter, the picture of disheveled cuteness, as she glared at me.

“That does not make me any less of a woman,” she quickly fired back and pouted her delectable lips.

“Just makes you less of a grown-up,” I mumbled with a smirk.

“HEY!”

Before I knew what hit me, I felt the sticky residue all over my face and hair. Popcorn! Shocked, I turned to Dina, who had a warrior's look on her face and her hands covered with the residue of her assault weapon.

“Did you just throw popcorn at your alpha?” I gaped at her in disbelief.

“Yes,” she announced almost proudly. “I’m allowed! I’m the one cleaning it up anyways!”

Did she throw popcorn at me?

She threw popcorn at me!

“Fine,” I smirked and before she had time to react, I emptied my bowl on her head.

“HEY!”

She shrieked, before giving me a look that could put ordinary men six feet under. But me? I smirked, satisfied with my masterpiece.

“I’m the one paying you,” I grinned back and meticulously picked a popcorn off her face. “I’m allowed.”

I barely got to put it in my mouth, before she charged at me.

“You womanizer!” She yelled and threw another handful of popcorn at me - the goddess only knew where she kept finding more. “Maid defector! Alpha bully--- HEY!”

Unable to stop myself, I playfully launched at her, pinning her under me and tickling her. Her squeals of joy and laughter had my heart soaring and something in my heart suddenly felt lighter.

I was having... fun!

My wolf was content and actually liked it when she tried to fight back, slapping my arms and chest. He liked her just where she was and didn't want to do anything to hurt her. I didn't need to worry about losing control of him, because this wasn’t about winning or being the best. My beast felt no need to lash out or dominate her. He just wanted to enjoy this moment.

And so did I...