The Hybrid's Hope novel Chapter 5

Hope

Why can’t I back down from a challenge?

‘Because we’re powerful and strong, like an Alpha,’ Qadira says. She’s doing that rumbling thing again, looking at Levi like he’s a piece of meat.

‘Meat I’d like to eat,’ she purrs.

It was mostly because of Qadira that I said I wanted to touch Levi.

‘You can lie to anyone else, my human, but you can’t lie to me. You want him as much as I do, even if you can’t admit it.’

I love my beast, I really do. But sometimes, I just wish she’d just let me get away with my own delusions.

‘I wouldn’t be your beast if I did,’ she says. Qadira licks our lips and Levi’s eyes track to my mouth.

His eyes spark with Malcolm’s presence, and he takes an offensive stance.

“Ready?” he purrs.

No. “Yes,” I say out loud.

He punches his fist at me and I dodge, realizing immediately that he was right about the sand. I’m not used to having to balance on an uneven surface while fighting.

Normally, I would spin and knock my opponent off his or her feet, but Levi knows that trick and I’m not sure I can get all the way around in this sand that my feet are already sinking in.

My delay gives Levi a chance to strike again, but this time when he punches, I grab his arm as I dodge and pull him forward, yanking him off balance. I leap onto his back, using the momentum of both our bodies to bring him to the ground. Then I land the winning punch to his kidney, pulling my punch so I don’t do permanent damage.

“First round to you, beautiful. Where did you want to touch me?” Levi’s deep voice asks as he turns his head to look at me over his shoulder.

I lift myself off of him and look down at his exquisite back. His hands are pressed against the sand and the muscles in his back are rippling as he shifts his body in the sand.

“Here,” I say, taking my hands and splaying them over his broad shoulders.

He’s as strong as he looks, but underneath the strength there is sensitivity. His muscles quiver as I touch him and goosebumps rise on his skin.

I watch my hands as they trace the warmth of his body, following the lines of his muscles. He relaxes against the sand, letting me take my time. When I look at his face, he’s watching me intently, but he doesn’t say anything.

Feeling bold, I lean forward and press my lips to his shoulder. Malcolm immediately starts purring and I feel Qadira pushing forward as my mouth begins to water. I feel the sting of my canines and her desire to mark her mate.

‘No, Qadira,’ I say, sitting back.

“I’ll take offense this time,” I say to Levi as I get to my feet.

It only takes him a moment before he pushes up and is back on his feet. He brushes the sand off his chest, but I realize that it’s not all coming off. This is going to become messy and gritty very quickly.

I wait for Levi to get in his defensive stance. Then he gestures for me to ‘come hither’ with that sexy grin on his face.

I swing my leg at his head. In the sand, I’m slower than normal and Levi uses that to his advantage. He ducks under my leg, then tackles me to the ground before I can get steady on my feet again. He puts his mouth at my throat, winning this round.

“Second round to you, Levi,” I say. I can feel my heart pounding, not knowing what or how he’s going to touch me.

When I feel his warm tongue slide across my throat, I moan involuntarily. Why does it feel so good?

‘He’s our mate, Hope. Everything he does to us, everything we do to him, will feel good,’ Qadira says.

Levi presses kisses over my exposed throat. Normally, Qadira wouldn’t allow this level of submission, but with Levi and Malcolm, she doesn’t seem to mind. She lifts our neck, making Malcolm growl loudly, the sound slowing into a purr as Levi begins kissing his way across my throat to my shoulder.

It takes me a moment too long to realize he was going for my marking spot. But the moment he sucks the sensitive skin into his mouth, it’s like he's sending an electric shock straight to my core.

I cry out, grabbing on to him as he sucks the area hard enough that I know I’ll have a different sort of mark in the morning if Qadira doesn’t heal us.

‘What’s to heal?’ she asks, basking in our mate licking and sucking on our marking spot.

I feel my body climbing to someplace I’ve never been. The pleasure of Levi’s mouth is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Then his hand is sliding up my side and over my breast. He pulls my bra down, gently squeezing my breast as the ocean breeze makes my nipple harden.

He seems to know how my body is going to respond because he slides his thumb over my nipple, making me cry out again. Then he teases my nipple between his thumb and finger, intensifying the feelings inside me.

“Levi,” I gasp. I’ve heard of orgasms before, but I’ve never experienced one on my own. I was never brave enough to explore my own body, but Levi has no such hesitation.

He pulls off my neck, growling when he sees his mark on my marking spot, then he looks down at my breast. I reach up to cover myself, but he stops me with one word.

“Don’t.”

He looks up at me with eyes that are nearly black with desire, but he doesn’t stop teasing my nipple.

“Don’t ever hide from me, Hope,” he says softly before lowering his head and sucking my nipple into his mouth.

If I thought his fingers felt good, it’s nothing compared to what it feels like to have his mouth on me.

“Oh goddess,” I say, feeling like the world is spinning out of control and the only anchor in the world is Levi.

He sucks harder, then pulls off my nipple with a soft pop before looking up at me.

“You can call to her, baby, but it’s me that’s bringing you this pleasure. It’s me that will always make you feel good,” he says before pulling the bra off my other breast and lowering his mouth to my nipple and adding more fuel to the fire that is burning inside me.

I had no idea how strong the mate bond would be, no idea how lost, out of control, and absolutely perfect it would feel to have Levi touching me like his.

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