Chapter 142

Chapter 142
Lincoln

My blood was boiling in my veins as I watched him pull her into his lap. Her clothes and hair mussed up like they had been rolling around on that huge golden bed before I got there. 

And Hope didn’t struggle. She looked like she was in a daze. 

The real question was whether she was in a daze because they had been fucking, I refused to think of it as making love or because he was using some kind of power on her.

And he did have power. I could feel it the moment we stepped inside this ruined but grand building. It crawled across my skin. Not the usual blood sucker powers either. This one called even me. It dragged me forward like he wanted me to witness what was playing out on the bed.

From the shadows where we were hiding we had the perfect view. I hated it. Hated that I was forced here to see her choose him.

But then again, hadn’t I always known that she would. That was why she had snuck away. She wanted to be with this creature and not me. He was her first choice.

The raging blood became a roar in my ears, drowning out everything else. Shaking my head , I half turned to walk away. I would respect her wishes because I loved her but I wouldn’t stand around and watch. 

“Wait,” Blake’s hand caught me around the wrist and dragged me back down to crouching. “Listen Lincoln. Not to the voices in your head. Listen to Hope, like you promised you would.”

“Some crazy incel bullshit.” Hopes voice was rising with anger.

I didn’t know what the word incel meant but she didn’t sound very happy about it. She tried to yank her arm from him , her eyes shining with anger that I knew and loved well and the fathers knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip.

“It’s not like that, Hope.”

“You’re hurting me Justin.” She spat but his grip didn’t loosen. If anything it looked like he held on tighter. 

“I made you to love me. And you did once. I don’t understand why you can’t again.” Using his other hand he flicked her hair back and bared her throat to him. 

From my hiding place I stiffened, my lips pulled back from my teeth as a low grumble threatened to erupt from my mouth. Blake shot me a warning look and I bit it down.

“I can give you everything you want,” Justin’s lips brushed her throat, right over her throbbing pulse. One tiny bite and he would open up her vein and drink her blood right in front of me. 

“I can give you a world to rule over at my side, as my queen.” He licked a long line up her flesh and groaned with his eyes closed. “I know you have taken a knot now. I know how well you have taken it.” He groaned again. “I can taste how much you enjoyed it, Hope. It can be the same with us. Imagine how much better it would be because I made you for me, not him. Let me-“

Holy shit , this was all because he was obsessed with her. He wasn’t lying when he said he could tell she enjoyed being locked  on to a cock. He could taste it on her skin but of course he could. I had cum all over her, her skin would be covered in our mutual release.

“I won’t talk to you about my private life Justin. Let go of me.” Taking him by surprise she pulled her hand away and stood up. Her shoulders heaving like she had just run ten miles. 

“We don’t need to talk Hope. I saw it. Right from your eyes.”

Swinging her arm back she slapped him across the face with her entire strength. His head didn’t even rock back. I heard the crack of the bones in her hand before she registered the pain.

She howled, jumping back and holding her hand to her chest. I was out of my hiding place in a second. Rushing towards her.

“It’s ok.” I turned her towards me. Quickly taking in her tear stained face. “Let me look.” Gently I pulled her hand towards me.

The entire time Justin just sat there cross legged on the bench and watched. A knowing smile on his face.

“What are you doing here, Lincoln?” Hope whispered through her tears.

“Where else would I be?” Frowning down at her hand I turned it over and winced at the purple red swelling that was already forming. “I think it’s broken.”

“No shit Sherlock.”

“I don’t know what that means either but you’re going to be ok. We will set it and-“

She cut me off again. “Why are you here Lincoln? Hope asked again.

Sliding my hands up her cheeks I drew her face up towards mine. “I’ve told you. Where else would I be but at your side? I wasn’t going to let you face this alone.”

My eyes skirted towards the oldest vampire in the world and then back down to her face. I studied her. “I can leave if you want me to?”

“I don’t want you to leave.” Hope said instantly and I felt my heart start to beat normally again. 

Maybe she wasn’t choosing him after all. 

“Then I won’t leave. I’ll stand by your side.”

“She won’t ever choose you mongrel?” Justin laughed from the bed. It was a mocking sound. “You just have to know that?”

Hope turned first. “Do not try and tell me my own mind Justin.”

I beamed with pride. 

“But I will,” slowly he stood up and seemed to grow before my eyes. Towering over me by almost a foot. “I will tell you how to think, Hope because I moulded you into my mate. My true love and one and only. I made you to be perfect for me.” His eyes flashed towards me, and I took a protective step forward. 

“Hope is my mate.” I growled before I could help myself.

“So you think-“

“Stop it right now.” Hope screamed. “Stop arguing over me like I’m not here. I have my own mind and can make my own choices. And right now I would choose,” her eyes darted over to me.

Justin saw it as well. His smile slipped into a scowl. “Well I never expected this at all.” He said slowly. “You actually love him. That is unfortunate.”

“She has made her choice,” I began to say and he cut me off. “Yes she has but I know Hope. She’s a clever woman. She will choose the man who is best for her not on love but on what he can give her. What can you give her wolf?” He cocked his head to the side. “What have you given her but pain and heartache? I can offer her the entire world. She will rule by my side. No one would ever hurt her again. If you loved her that’s what you should want for her. Wouldn’t you want her to be a queen for the new world I will build for her.”

I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut again.

“I never wanted a new world Justin.” Hope said quietly. “I liked the old world. It was full of beauty,” her eyes flashed. “And you destroyed it.”

“Think about it,” Justin swept forward. “Talk it over between yourselves. I will give you your privacy because I have something important to do.” He paused and looked back over his shoulder. “But remember Hope, I can give you things he cannot. I can let you see your family again.” His eyes swirled to red. “And I can give you back your daughter.”