The Hybrid's Hope novel Chapter 13

Hope

I thought I might see Levi after we got back to the packhouse, but he must have realized that I’d be very busy. I went to see Sirona, who didn’t know that I was leaving tomorrow morning. She gave me a pregnancy test and told me I’d have to use condoms for a week until I knew whether or not I was pregnant. Once I knew for sure, then I could start taking birth control pills or get the injection.

After that, my mother didn’t leave me until late at night. She cried a lot while we packed my things, talking about memories of when I was growing up and funny times we had as a family.

It wasn’t until my father came to get her that I was able to settle down and finally get some sleep. Although, sleep did not come easy. Part of it is my own fear of starting my new life. As excited as I am to be leaving the pack, I’m also nervous. But after spending hours laughing and crying with my mother this afternoon, another part of it is nostalgic. I’ll still be a part of this pack, I’m not severing my ties with them. But I’m not going to be a permanent resident of the pack any longer either.

Since we have to leave early to get back to the city, I won’t be joining warrior training this morning. Levi told me that the lone wolves who live in the Holstin Enterprises building sometimes spar together, but more often than not, they use the training facility on-site to keep in shape. Hopefully, since Levi will be there, he and I can spar together so I don’t lose my edge in fighting.

There’s a soft knock at my door at four o’clock. I open it to find Levi.

“Good morning. How’d you sleep?”

“I’ve slept better. How about you?”

“The best night's sleep I’ve ever had was with you in my arms. I’m hoping maybe we can sleep together again tonight,” he says, wrapping his arms around me.

“I’d like that.”

“What did Sirona say yesterday?”

“I have to wait a week to get on birth control, so we’ll have to use condoms until then.”

“Good thing I still have some then,” he says, grinning. He looks past me into my bedroom. “Is all of that coming with us?”

“As much as we can fit.”

“We’ll make it fit,” he says, then steps past me to start grabbing my bags.

I take a moment to watch as Levi begins putting bag after bag over his shoulders. The muscles in his upper body are rippling underneath his shirt. It reminds me of our time together and the feel of him underneath my fingers. When he finally realizes I’m not helping, he turns to look at me.

“What are you doing?”

“Admiring your strength,” I say.

He stands up, laden with bags. “Hope, we don’t have time for whatever it is that’s going through your mind and making this room smell even more strongly of your scent. But I promise that tonight, we can take our time, and you can do whatever it is that you’ve got rolling through that pretty head of yours,” he says, making me blush.

Then he walks over, leans down, careful not to let the bags slide off his shoulder, and kisses me. “Now get that cute ass moving. I have to be at the office in a few hours.”

I smile and go collect several bags. On the way downstairs, I run into my father.

“I saw Levi. Are there anymore bags?” he asks.

“There’s a few more,” I tell him.

“Let me take these. You go get the last bags and do a final walk through of your room. I’ll warn you now, your mother is already crying, so be prepared when you come downstairs,” he says.

“Thanks, Dad,” I say, as he pulls the bags off my shoulders and puts them over his shoulders.

I go back to my room and grab the last of my bags. I take a moment to slowly spin around my room, the place where I grew up, the place where I hid and found my sanctuary so often. I close my eyes and breathe it in, then let the breath out, just as Levi’s warm arms wrap around me.

“Ready to take the next step in your life, Hope?”

I nod. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

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