He was just barely 18 as it is and didn't feel ready to be a dad yet. Besides he knew just how much this dream meant to Vi and ruining it for her would be a death sentence for himself. Not only would Vi hate him, but all four of their parents, plus their extended family would never forgive him for hurting her. He still needed to get the gumption and face his Uncle Asher and ask him for permission to marry her, but that would be a few years down the road at the very least.
Spotting the unmistakable outline of his love, Leon got out of his car and made a beeline straight for her. He immediately pulled her into his arms and ignored her half-hearted struggle to free herself from his embrace. He held her and whispered sweet words of his love for her and set about trying to soothe her. After a minute she stopped resisting but sobbed on his shoulder as he hugged her close.
"Why do you do this to me?! You're always telling me that you love me, but then I turn around and you're wrapped in someone else's arms or making out with them! Then you make me realize that I am a complete fool for you and head over heels, but then you go and have a secret hideaway to bring your conquests! I can't, Leo! I can't love you if you're not going to be faithful. I have to be your only one! I won't compete for your affections!" Vivi sobbed but didn't stop hugging Leo back. She felt the soothing pheromones and the gentle caress of his hands on her back as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear.
"Vi, you misunderstood Noel! That secret hideaway is a love nest I prepared just for us! I wanted to celebrate your practical exam results with you as well as finally making you realize that my love for you is that of a man! Do you feel this?! This is what you do to me with just your presence, your voice, your laugh!" Leon guided Vi's hand to his throbbing erection. You do so much more for me than just a physical reaction! You're the reason why I am working so hard to prove myself as a capable alpha in the eyes of my parents and yours! I love you, Vivian Hendrix! I want to be your only one! I want you to be my only one as well! You tend to jump to conclusions, just like your mom, Vi, so I don't get the chance to explain myself when you run away from me!" Leon stated passionately.
"I-I don't mean to…" Vivi sobbed. How could she be so stupid and yet everyone had always told her how smart she was all her life. When it came to what mattered, she nearly lost it by not trusting and giving Leon the benefit of the doubt.
"Shh, it's alright! I know you didn't mean to. I know you better than you think, Vi. That's why I came after you! I couldn't let you convince yourself that I was some kind of atrocious monster again! I let you be once, but never again! I swear to you here and now, that I won't ever give you reason to doubt me or my intentions! I love you Vi, and I will prove to you that I will be a faithful partner for you!" Leon declared passionately as he held Vivi close.
Vivi slowly settled down. As her sobs turned to hiccups, Leon guided her to his car where he had a bottle of water. After offering it to her and seeing her finally calm down, he pulled out the piece of paper his mom had given him from Dr. Matty. He had originally intended it to be a bribe to get Vi to follow him to their waiting love nest, but he had a feeling that if he asked her now, that she would willingly follow him there.
"Here, Vi. This is for you." Leon handed her the practical examination results.
Vivi slowly took the paper and unfolded it. She gasped in shock and joy as she read her name and her test scores. She achieved a perfect practical examination score and passed with more than just flying colors. Now all that was left was to submit her thesis for review from the medical board. She immediately grabbed and hugged Leo in her joy. "How?!" she asked in wonder.
"I asked Mom for a favor. Knowing it was important to you, Mom got a hold of Dr. Matty, who was overseeing your practical examination so he got the results a bit early for you. Normally, you'd have to wait another week while the other results are scheduled to be mailed to everyone, but you know Mom and his ability to talk Dr. Matty into giving him information."
After that night, Vivi went home, floating on a cloud of happiness. Not only was Leon hers, but she had achieved perfect scores on her practicals.
Leon, on the other hand, was scolded for skipping out on the family dinner, even though it was his birthday. Thanks to Noel telling their parents that he had rushed off to placate his latest lover, he got the scolding of a lifetime, for not only ignoring the family and being rude, but for supposedly pissing off his girlfriend to the point that he had to leave the family gathering to make her happy. He was lectured on how a good partner would never intentionally make you choose them over family and how he was dating the wrong sort of person if they were making absurd demands on his time.
After that night, he gave Noel the cold shoulder whenever she came home to visit. Although thanks to her meddling, their parents didn't find out about his going after Vivi, nor about his intentions to whisk her away for the following weekend.
Soon enough his happiness and giddiness could hardly be contained. It was Friday and he and Vi both had the weekend free from any classes. He drove over to Vi's house and waved to the boys and gave little Emma a pat on the head as he headed inside. Normally he would spend a bit more time with them, but his excuse was that he was taking Vi and some of their college buddies out for a trip to the beach while the weather was nice. He could hardly keep the grin off his face when his uncles told him to drive safe and have a good trip. Oh, he would have a good trip alright. Just Vi and him in their own special place away from prying eyes for the weekend. Just the two of them in their very own love nest. He was really glad that the rental was for most of the year, even if he had to pay up front with a hefty deposit.
"Ready Vi?" He asked.
"Yeah, just let me make sure that Marmalade is going to be okay…"
"Hey, Sis? Get outta here already! Marm will be fine with us! Or do you want us to spill the beans to Dad that your 'beach trip' is just a pretext for the two of you to be alone?" Both Atreus and Artemis said.
"Mom is already keeping Dad distracted, Sissy! You better hurry up and leave before Dad figures out that you two are more than friends!" Emma added.
"Fine, fine, I get it! I'm going! Bye Art, Trey, Emm!" Vivi bid farewell to her siblings, giving each of them a hug, but not before wrangling her brothers into a headlock and whispering, "If you two breathe a word about this to Dad, you're dead meat!"
Atreus and Artemis laughed and promised. They knew their sister's threat was empty, but they still wouldn't breathe a word to Dad and have him grill Leon. He was scary enough when they brought home a girl that was just a friend! They could imagine that he would probably be ten times worse when it came to Vivi and Leon dating.
After hopping into Leon's car, they hit the road. Not to the beach like their parents thought, but the place that Leo had promised was all theirs.
"Are you excited, Vi?" Leon asked as he hit the city limits and pressed the accelerator to bring the car up to country road speeds.