The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 442: Chapter 442 A Sudden Urge

With that resolve, both she and Levi pushed aside their wandering thoughts and focused on the task at hand. As Addison carried the brazier closer to the carrier, Levi approached her quietly, handing her a bottle of lemon water with a few slices of cucumber inside and a bar of milk chocolate.

A small gesture, but one that spoke volumes.

”Here, take some first,” Levi said as he handed her the items. ”We’ve been working nonstop. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, have something sweet for extra energy, and rest whenever you can. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Seeing Levi approach, Addison broke into a wide smile. She carefully set the brazier down near the hot-air balloon’s carrier, beside the two guards working there, before turning back to him.

”Thank you, Princess, for all your hard work. Beta Levi is right, rest for a bit and let us handle the rest,” one guard said, offering Levi a grateful smile.

Addison didn’t try to act tough. She followed Levi to the side and slipped off the thick gloves from her hands. Before she could put them away, Levi popped a chocolate into her mouth, took the gloves from her hands, and handed her the lemon water with his other hand.

Seeing his care, Addison rose on her tiptoes and planted a feather-light kiss on his cheek, her eyes sparkling mischievously like a cat that had just stolen a fish. ”Thank you, Levi,” she murmured, instinctively licking her lips where his had brushed against her skin.

Levi felt the soft press of her lips on his cheek, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as his gaze lingered on her lips. A dark heat pooled in his chest and churned low in his abdomen, growing stronger with every heartbeat.

”Addie, are you teasing me?” Levi asked, his voice husky as his gaze trailed from her lips up to her golden eyes. Addison caught the dark desire swirling in his stare like a bottomless pit and felt her stomach flutter.

Now that she was confronting her feelings for Levi, she realized she had never truly seen this side of him. He had always been proper, a gentleman, and almost mild-mannered around her. Yet seeing this raw intensity made something stir deep within her, an unfamiliar pull that made her want to throw herself into his arms.

A shiver ran through her at the thought, and she almost let out a whimper, but she managed to bite the inside of her cheek and anchor herself back to reality.

’God... that was so hot of him...’ Addison thought, lowering her eyes to hide the longing and desire shining behind them. Her thick lashes veiled her downcast gaze, yet Levi noticed the subtle tremble in her eyelids, the faint flush on her ears, and the sudden sharp intake of her breath.

He understood, she had caught the desire swirling in his eyes, and he wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. After their earlier conversation, he had decided there was no point in holding back. If Zion and Maxwell could enjoy the bold moves, why should he always play it safe? From now on, he would take bolder steps, and Addison’s reaction only made the choice feel all the more irresistible.

Because of everything that had kept him busy earlier, Levi had almost forgotten the gloom and negativity that had crashed into him like a ton of bricks. He didn’t even understand why his emotions had been swinging so wildly.

One moment, he had wanted to reject their mate bond, to set Addison free, and to protect her from the shadows as nothing more than a silent guardian. The next, he wanted her entirely to himself.

Whenever a negative feeling crept into his chest, it felt as if it were being amplified tenfold, overwhelming and impossible to ignore. He hadn’t understood why, until now.

Staying busy, helping out, and forcing himself to focus had cleared his mind. It was as if someone had pressed a reset button. The fog lifted, his thoughts settled, and for the first time in a while, he could face his feelings for Addison without fear or confusion.

In fact, he felt renewed.

And with that clarity came boldness. A quiet but undeniable certainty that he wanted more, more of Addison, of her presence, her warmth, everything about her.

Before Levi even realized what he was doing, he had already pulled Addison into the forest, backing her against a tree hidden from view. The moment she tried to react, his lips crashed down on hers, fierce with restrained desire and passion.

”Le—” Addison tried to speak, but Levi seized the chance, slipping his tongue into her mouth in search of hers. Startled, she instinctively grasped his arms, feeling the hard tension in his muscles, every inch of him taut, as if he had been holding himself back for far too long, only to finally lose control.

His left knee pressed between her legs, urging them apart just enough, while one hand cradled the back of her head, preventing her from pulling away. The angle of his arm carefully supported his weight, mindful of their height difference so he wouldn’t crush her against the tree.

By then, his other hand had already settled firmly at the small of her waist, anchoring her to him as the kiss deepened.

”L-Levi, there are still people—” Addison tried to protest, but her words were stolen by a searing kiss that left no room for argument.

”Shh...” Levi murmured against her lips, his voice low and teasing. ”Let me see just how good that chocolate was. I heard it’s irresistible.”

He traced her mouth with a slow, deliberate lick before claiming her kiss fully, swallowing the soft moan that escaped her. He didn’t give her time to breathe, keeping her close as his hand slid from her waist down as he cupped her ass and guiding her hips to roll against his knee. The friction sent a sharp rush through her, stealing her breath, her knees weakening despite herself.

Levi inhaled deeply as he started to catch a whiff of Addison’s growing arousal, the change in her reaction unmistakable, and whatever restraint he had left wavered. The air between them felt charged, instinct and desire pushing dangerously close to the edge he’d been trying so hard not to cross.

”Damn it, Addie... how was I supposed to go through the rejection,” Levi growled against her lips, his voice rough with barely restrained emotion, ”when every part of me — body, heart, and soul — craved you?”

He brushed his mouth over hers, a lingering, restless touch that betrayed his struggle to stop. Reason told him to pull away, because the guards weren’t far, and the thought of anyone else sensing her, and catching a whiff of her aroused scent, sparked a sharp, possessive jealousy in his chest.

And yet the more he tasted her, the more impossible it became to let go. It was as if she was seeping into him, addictive and consuming, until all he wanted was to draw her closer, to make her part of him.

”Hng...” A soft moan slipped from Addison before she could stop it when Levi’s grip tightened, his touch sending a sudden jolt through her. The closeness, the heat, the way he moved, it all ignited something deep inside her, a restless warmth blooming low in her belly as desire flickered dangerously to life.