Chapter 23. A Kiss Is Different Than a Mark

Lennox’s POV

Call me childish, but I refuse to leave the barn until Levi and Lotus do. I saw that kiss, and I know it is only a matter of time until they go further. Levi might think she is ready to be marked and mated, but I don’t think so. These things take time, and Lotus deserves that.

When we step back into the palace, Louis is waiting for us at the top of the stairs. His eyes narrow when he sees Lotus’s smudged lipstick, and he storms away, not giving any of us time to explain what happened.

Lotus’s cheeks are still bright red, but I am not sure if it is from the cold or from embarrassment. She disappears into her bedroom, shutting Levi and me out. Adjusting the front of his pants, Levi tries to follow her into her room, but I pull him back by his collar.

He pretends to choke as I drag him into Louis’s bedroom and toss him on the floor. I stand over him with my hands on my hips. “Explain.”

Levi gets to his feet and brushes off his clothes.