The Hybrid's Hope novel Chapter 12

Levi

Hope and I have only ever argued about one thing. Children. Not about if WE were going to have them, only if SHE was going to have them. I’ve always felt strongly that any child of hers would be perfect. She’s always worried that any child of hers would be different and therefore suffer the way she has.

When I park the car, I feel like every good thing that happened this weekend has been ruined. Hope reaches for the door, but I take her arm, stopping her.

“I love you, Hope. That hasn’t changed. I don’t like this. I don’t like hiding my mate from the world. But I’ll respect your wishes. However, you should know that I will travel to every continent, every island, every possible place in this world if it means getting the answer we need about having children.”

“Levi, you should just …”

“Do not! Do not tell me that I should reject you and find someone else. I do not want anyone else, Hope. I want you. Only you. It’s always only been you.”

She looks at me with sad resolution in her eyes. I know she thinks I’m wasting my time. Fine. It’s my time to waste.

“I’m sorry if this ruined your weekend,” I say.

“Nothing about you ruined my weekend, Levi. You made it so special. I love you too. I hope you know that,” she says.

“I would know it more if you kissed me,” I say hopefully.

She glances around, making sure no one is watching us, then leans over and kisses me quickly.

“I have to go.”

“I know.”

We get out of the car together, and I get her bag, then watch her walk into the packhouse to go pack her things. At least I’ll get to spend the morning with her before I have to report for work.

When I walk into he packhouse, my sister is there, almost like she was waiting for me. She probably is.

“Come talk to me,” she says, nodding her head in the direction of her office.

I nod, knowing it’s useless to refuse. She’ll just find another way to talk to me and truthfully, it will be nice to talk to someone who I know is insightful enough to ask the right questions so I can keep my promise to Hope and still tell my sister what’s going on.

When we walk into her office, she closes the door and looks at me. “So, are you mates?”

I breathe a sigh of relief that she asked me outright.

“Can I sit?”

“Absolutely.”

“Yes, we’re mates. Hope didn’t reject me, but she didn’t let me mark her and she wants to keep our mate bond a secret,” I tell her.

“For what purpose?” Grace asks, coming to sit beside me.

“She says that it will give her bullies more fuel to make fun of her if they know we’re mated but she’s not wearing my mark.”

My sister raises an very arrogant, very Alpha, eyebrow. “There’s a way around that.”

“That’s what I said! But …”

I drop my head in my hands.

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