Chapter 3: Late Night Walk

Hope

Levi is one of the few people who never seems to get tired of listening to me talk. And for some reason, I seem to talk much more when I’m around him.

Before I know it, dinner is done.

“Let me get my things from the car and then I’d love it if you’d walk on the beach with me,” Levi says.

I walk outside with him and wait while he gets his things. Then we go upstairs.

When we walk into the suite, Levi whistles low. “Wow. This is nice. My mother found her second chance mate, and he’s a wonderful man, thank the goddess. But he’s a warrior. He could never afford anything like this.”

“How is Paisley?” my mother asks.

“She’s good, Beta, really good. It took her a long time to accept that Nash was nothing like my father, as you know. But they’ve made a nice life for themselves. He’s really good to her and they’re both happy.”

“I’m so glad to hear that, Levi. Please tell her we said hello when you see her again.”

“I will Beta,” he says before turning to me. “Ready to show me the beach, Hope?”

“Sure, let’s go,” I say.

Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with Levi. I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t help myself. He’s an incredible man, an incredible Alpha. Honestly, he deserved to have his own pack. If his father hadn’t been such a horrible man, he might have had that option.

As we walk out of the room, Levi takes my hand.

“So, now that you’re nearly an adult, what do you plan to do with your life, Hope?” he asks me as we take the elevator downstairs.

“Well, I know that Alpha Xander will eventually take over the family business, but I thought I’d ask Alpha Liam if he needed any more wolves to work for Holstin Enterprises.”

“Is that so?” he growls softly. Levi works for Holstin Enterprises, too.

“Yes. There’s not a lot for me to do otherwise. It’s already been decided that Alpha Cohen will take over as Alpha Emerson’s Beta when they come of age. Dad’s not even upset that he never had a son. Honestly, I think he’s happy being a girl dad.”

“He’s a very good girl dad,” Levi says as we walk out to the beach. “Wow, this is gorgeous and so peaceful.”

“I had such a great time today. Qadira didn’t want to get out of the water. She was in her element.”

“I’m so happy for you and for her. You both needed something, a place where you feel that you belong,” he says, as always understanding me better than I understand myself.

“Can I tell you something, something private?”

He turns and looks at me, his amber eyes flashing in the moonlight. “I hope you know I will always keep your secrets, Hope.”

I know he will because he always has.

“I want to try and find my biological father.”

Levi stops and turns to look at me. “That’s new. When did this come about?”

I shrug. “I’ve been thinking about it, wondering if he survived whatever they did to him to get his sperm, if he ever got away like mom and I did. I wonder if he wonders if somewhere he has a child but never knew where to find me.”

“You’re hoping to use Holstin Enterprises to find him,” he says.

“Yes, but I also need a job. I’m strong. There’s no reason I can’t be a body guard or even a construction worker.”

“And what if you find him?” he asks me as we start to walk again.

I shrug again. “I guess I see if he wants to know about me, if he wants to get to know me. I’m not looking for a father. I have Carlos for that, and he’s been an amazing father my entire life. But I just want to know if he’s alive and if he’s ever wondered about me.”

“I’ll help you, Hope. I’ll help you find him. You should tell your parents, though.”

“I don’t want to hurt Carlos. I don’t want him to think that I don’t love him as a father. He’s been an amazing father, better than I could have ever imagined since I’m not his biological child.”

“Carlos never cared about that,” Levi says.

“I know. That’s my point. He’s never treated me any differently than he’s treated Faith. He’s always raised us as if we’re both his biological daughters and I don’t want to hurt his feelings by letting him know that I want to find my biological father.”

I watch Levi as he looks out over the water. “I think, if you keep it a secret, it will hurt him more. He’s your father. You know him better than I do. But if it were me, I’d want you to be honest with me.”

He turns and looks at me, stroking his fingers over my cheek. “Just think about it, okay?”

“Okay,” I say, unable to say no to Levi.

Something in the air shifts between us. It’s happened before, but right now, the pull to him feels so much stronger than it ever has before.

“We should get back,” I say.

“What are you afraid of, Hope?” he asks, his voice soft. It sends a wave of electrified tingles through my body, making me shiver.

“I’m not afraid,” I say defiantly.

“No. No, you’re never afraid, are you?” he murmurs, his thumb gently caressing my cheek and jaw.

He’s wrong. I’m terrified of what will happen at midnight. I’m terrified that we might be mates and what that means, for him and for me.

“You know I love you, right Hope?”

“Levi …”

“You know that I’m hoping that tonight, Qadira and Malcolm will call each other mate and I’ll know that you’re truly mine forever.”

“Levi, don’t,” I say.

Rather than pull away, he leans forward, running his nose over my jaw to my ear.

“You know that there could never be any woman for me but you, Hope. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

“Levi, you deserve …”

“Don’t, Hope,” he says, putting his fingers over my lips. “Don’t tell me what I deserve. I deserve to have my goddess given mate. I deserve an opportunity to prove that I can be the man and mate that you want and need in this life. I deserve a chance, Hope.”

He holds my face in his hands, watching me. I didn’t even know what time it was, but Levi did. He knew it was almost midnight and as he holds my face, as our gazes are locked together, I feel it. I feel the mate bond connect.

Qadira pushes forward. “Mate.”

I watch Malcolm push forward, making Levi’s amber eyes turn dark brown. “Mate,” he growls. That one word is so possessive, such a powerful claim, that I gasp.

Levi takes that as an offer and his mouth crashes against mine. It’s not the first time he’s kissed me. He’s pressed his lips to mine gently in the past. But there is nothing gentle about this kiss. This kiss is meant to claim, meant to possess, meant to brand my body with his.

I whimper as my beast gives herself to the kiss, leaving me desperately clinging to Levi and trying to maintain some semblance of reality. But it’s no use. His lips are warm against mine and when his tongue slides into my mouth, his taste overwhelms me.

I growl, feeling Qadira answering Malcolm’s claim with her own, desperately wanting to possess this man and his wolf that we both love with every part of our being.

So, I let go, surrendering to Levi’s kiss with the full moon shining down on us and the soft sound of the ocean waves lapping against the shoreline.