Chapter 25: Levi P.O.V

I'm going to lose her. I-I can't fucking lose her, I whispered to myself. Repeating it through my low whispers, chanting the words like a spell to the growing pain in my chest. My shoulders moved back and forward while my lungs expanded to their max capacity while I took in the cold forest mountain air, I took in shallow breaths faster. I dug my claws into the palms of my hand, "I- I can't lose her." I frantically whispered. My two brothers looked at each other, their eyes drenched in worry while I tried to find the ability to breathe. My hands clutched around my throat, "I- I can't breathe." I growled, my teeth growing and changing into the fangs of my wolf.

"Levi, we need you to get control, for her." Liam tried to reason with me. I shook my head while my wolf and I battled for control.

'We need to mark her, Levi. She can't leave us if we mark her.' My wolf whispered his volatile thoughts through my head, chanting them like they would bring the idea to life.

'No, I can't do that to her.' I whispered, shaking my head no while my eyes shifted back and forth.

'Stupid humans, you're too weak to do what is necessary. No wonder nobody has a true mate anymore.' my wolf huffed.

"Levi, she needs you," Lucas growled out, ringing his command through my head and effectively breaking my concentration.

"I need help," I whispered back, grabbing his arm and looking up at my brother. He got down to my level on the ground and focused his breathing into even shallow breaths.

"You have to take deep breaths, Levi, you're having a panic attack." He explained, looking at me. He's ashamed of me, I can tell. The one time I should actually be in control and I can't seem to control my own emotions.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, barely above a whisper while I pleaded with him through our eyes to forgive me.

"There's nothing to forgive Levi, it's the bond. It's bound to affect us all on a different wavelength." Lucas smiled before he turned his attention back to our mate.

I nodded my head and got up off of the cold ground, that was the thing about being a wolf. We always radiate body heat and warmth but when we do come into contact with something as cold as the forest floor in October it's less than pleasant. Her soft head lays in Liam's lap while he brushes a few more strands out of her face, "I don't know what's wrong with her. I can't seem to get through to her." He explained he was just as lost as the rest of us.

"I have an idea but I'm not sure how you will feel about it or how she will feel about it when she wakes up." I took in a deep breath and waited for both my brothers to give the go-ahead to proceed with my idea.

"Temporary mating marks." I spat out bluntly. Maybe it would be enough for her wolf to understand that we do want to mark her and we do want to claim her in front of the entirety of the world until we can give her the permanent one.

"Hell no. She isn't even awake to give consent on this one." Liam growled out, defensive on our little mate's side. I knew he would be, I have had the magnetic pull to all of her darker sides, while he has become pulled towards her mind and soul, then there was our dear brother Lucas who was drawn to her completely lustfully and physically.

"Her wolf wants to be marked and so does she. We all heard them and maybe it will be enough to keep her alive." I explained, trying to give them the reason that they needed to hear to go through with this. The truth? Her wolf was embarrassed that every other she-wolf in the pack would meet their mate and get marked then she was over here begging her mates for the same treatment. Wolves don't do well under embarrassment, we are proud creatures and we've hurt her more than once on the subject.

"Her wolf might wake up if we can compromise on her demands," Lucas whispers staring at Aurora. His eyes are blackening more the longer she doesn't wake up, but I don't want to say anything. I can't pull my brother out of his loss of control when I'm not sure how much longer I can hang on before my wolf decides she needs his mark. I want her to wear my mark, she's my mate.

"Liam, I get it. She's your mate too and this will be really difficult for each of us to pull away from her but if we don't at least try to give her a temporary mark she may never wake up." I growled out, trying to reason with him while my wolf grew more irritated with his lack of judgment as the seconds turned into minutes.

"I know that you're right but how am I supposed to let this happen when we are supposed to protect her? I can't protect her from herself." He shakes his head in disappointment and anger.

"Then, let's protect her. Let's keep her safe. We are Alpha's, we can sway the elders and change their minds but she has to be living for that." I grasp his shoulder trying to lean all the support I have to give. He let out a deep breath and focused on our mate's tiny body, the way she took in slow breaths while she shivered before he nodded in agreement.

"We have to do it at the same time," I whispered, waiting to hear the bickering and disagreement from both of them. They have always thought that a mating mark should be something that is done privately.

"Fuck no," Lucas growled out, his eyes finally turned black and his wolf came out to play. Fucking perfect, Lucas.

"Lucas, do it for her. " I growled back, his wolf is all emotion and heart.

"I am doing this for her!" He roared, staring into my eyes and challenging my authority on the matter.

"Lucas, you could lose your mate if you don't listen," I said calmly, staring back at my brother's wolf. The hair that had been growing out of his skin and sharp claws transformed back into his human characteristics.

"Where?" Lucas whispered, defeated.

"I want her neck, but your marks are up to you."I looked between the two of them.

" What do you think, Liam?" I looked back at my more logical brother. He nodded his head and focused back on our mate, "I- I want to mark her shoulder." he claimed and turned back to our brother.

"Fuck you, then. I'll take the other side of her pretty neck." Lucas smirked, stalking towards her body like she would be his last meal.

"You have to pull away at the last second or this is it. No romantic sex and then marking her on your terms. You can't give in to your wolf." I warned each of my brothers while I pulled her against my chest and then moved her hair out of the way, "Such a pretty neck." I smirked, feeling my fangs grow for the impending fight against my wolf. Liam sat next to me, pulling the sleeve of her shirt down and kissing his targeted spot gently, "Ready?" Liam asked, turning his attention to Lucas. I would have never assumed in a million years that we would be waiting on Lucas to mark our mate but there he was torn between what he needed to do for her.

He sat on the other side of her body, her hair tangled around his fingers while he held her head up, "If she hates us for this, I'm blaming you Levi." he threatened looking back at me. I nodded my head and moved my mouth towards her neck, "I'm sorry, beautiful." He whispered before I heard the three of our fangs break into her skin.

"AH!" She screamed, her piercing scream breaking us of our focus within seconds. Her limp body tense with the fear of what was happening to her, what we were doing to her.

Fuck.