The Hybrid's Hope

Chapter 13: Home

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.”

He takes the remaining bags from me and when we go downstairs, my mother, who looks like she just dried her tears, begins crying all over again.

Luna Grace is standing beside her, rubbing her back.

“Mom, I’m not leaving forever,” I say.

“I know. I know, my baby girl. I’m just going to miss you so much,” she says, hugging me tightly.

I hold her until she pulls out of the hug. “Now, call me tonight and let me know how you like your apartment. If there’s anything you need, let me know. We’ll get it for you.”

“Mom, I’m sure I’ll be able to afford my own things very soon. I’m meeting with Alpha Liam today. Hopefully he’ll have a job for me to start soon.”

“I want to hear all about it,” she says, pulling me into another hug. “Don’t forget to eat. And don’t stay up reading all night.”

“Amber, Hope’s an adult now. If she wants to eat pancakes at two in the morning while she stays awake reading a book, she can. She’ll have to face the consequences of those decisions the next day at work, but that’s what being an adult is all about,” my father says.

“Goodbye, Luna Grace,” I say, giving her a hug.

“Goodbye, sweetheart. You know you always have a home here. I don’t know how often you’ll return home, but you know you have to come back for Emerson’s Alpha ceremony in a few months. You’ll need to accept him as your Alpha.”

“Of course. Levi and I will both be here for that.”

“And my birthday!” Faith says, hugging me tightly. “Love you, sis,” she says softly.

“Love you too.”

I say goodbye to Alpha Eli, then hug my father goodbye, before following Levi out to his car.

I get in and wave goodbye, watching my father wrap his arms around my mother as she tucks herself against his chest and cries.

The ride to the city is a lot easier than the ride home was yesterday. Gone is the tension between us as Levi tells me about everything I can expect at Holstin Enterprises. His appointment with Alpha Liam is at eight o'clock. My appointment with him is at nine o'clock.

“I’m sure he’s going to give you some time to get settled into your new apartment. I’ll probably be deployed first thing, but most of my jobs are day jobs. Sometimes they’re overnight, but hopefully we won’t be apart too much. When we’re home at the same time, I’d love to have dinner together and we can alternate between our apartments for sleeping arrangements until you’re ready for us to move in together.”

“You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?” I ask him as we pull into the underground parking garage for Holstin Enterprises.

“No, but I will,” he grins at me.

We grab my bags and make our way up to my new apartment. Levi waits while I open the door and step inside. The smell of fresh paint and new furniture hits me as I look around. It doesn’t smell like home, it smells like a fresh start.

Levi drops my bags on the floor by the door.

“I’ll go get the rest of your things,” he says, kissing me on the side of my head before going back downstairs and leaving me in my new apartment.

I breathe in the unfamiliar scent and realize that, for the first time in my life, this place is mine. All mine.

Levi comes back up with the rest of my bags then looks at his watch.

“I have to go. I’ll see you upstairs at nine?”

“I’ll be there,” I tell him.

He pulls me into his arms and kisses me. It’s a long, lingering kiss.

When he pulls away, he smiles at me.

“Welcome home, Hope.”