Chapter 147

Chapter 147
Hope

“Hope?” Lincoln asked again.

“Yes.” I didn’t really trust my voice but slowly I let him take the child from me even though it took everything I had not to snatch her back and hide her away from him. 

Only I could protect her from the horrors of this world. From the horrors I could hear coming from downstairs. Nell’s screams were quieter now. I didn’t know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“I’ve got her.” Lincoln’s voice shook as much as my hands were. Glancing down I realised I was clutching the blanket. 

“I promise you Hope.” Lincoln whispered. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Sighing heavily I dropped my hands to my side. “I know you won’t.” 

I did know that. Lincoln had a lot of faults but I knew he would be a great father and he deserved that chance. Just like Faith deserved to know him.

“Faith.” He whispered staring down at the sleeping bundle with more love in his voice than I had ever heard before. Stepping away I smiled. The love didn’t just come through in his voice. It was written all over his face. His eyes swam with tears.

“Hello Faith. I'm your daddy.”He cooed to her. Stroking across her little hand. She lashed out , curling her fingers around his finger and clinging on. Tiny little claws erupted. Lincoln lifted his eyes to me in shock. “She’s already shifted?”

“She came out like that.” I whispered with a shrug. 

One step to the side and he flung his arm around my waist. Bending down he pressed his lips to my hair. I felt his tears drop down to hit my scalp. 

“Thank you Hope. Thank you so much. She is the gift I have ever been given.” He gushed. Without meaning to, I leant against him and closed my eyes.  

Justin might not want to share me but he couldn’t take this moment away from me either. This beautiful, happy moment where my family was finally together.

Who knew when this would ever happen again, if ever.

“She’s beautiful and strong like her mama.” He gushed and pressed another kiss to my upturned head.

I couldn’t help but smile. “I think she has lots of you in her as well.” I joked. “Do you think she will be an alpha? Or-“ my voice shook with worry.

“I think she will be free. It doesn’t matter what her biology is because she will be free.” Lincoln said gruffly. In his arms Faith stirred and almost instantly my heavy breasts ached.

“You should feed her.” Lincoln smiled and passed her back over. “Come on, let's sit and talk as she feeds.”

“We can wait , you’ve only just-“

He cut me off with a shake of his head and led me to a chair. Settling on the floor facing me. “Feed our child so I can memorise how you look together.” 

I did what he asked because he seemed desperate for it and because if I was honest with myself I was desperate to feed my child after so long apart.

She latched on perfectly and I sighed happily.

“Lincoln,” I said finally. “What you heard before.”

“I know Hope, you don’t need to explain.” He said quickly. “As long as,” he lifted his eyes to me. And they were begging for reassurance.

“I do love you. If we were alone I would show you just how much I love you.”

Lincoln’s mouth split wide in a smile. “I love you as well Hope, and Faith as well and this is all the proof I need. Just sitting here next to you both for a few minutes before he takes you away from me.”

“He’s taking me home for a while.” 

Lincoln did a double take, from by the door Blake’s head snapped around in shock.

“What do you mean?”

“He can time travel.” I said flatly. “He’s going to take me home to visit my parents.” 

“Will you come back?” Lincoln closed his eyes 

“Yes, yes Lincoln I’ll always come back. I’ll find you and-“

The door opened with such force that Blake almost fell back and only just caught himself in time.

“Times up.” Justin said in a creepy sing song voice.

“No.” Smoothly Blake slipped between us all. “You said they had an hour.”

“Things change.”

Easily Justin moved around him and came to face me. Instinctively I tightened my grip on my child. 

“Give the child to her father.” 

“No.” My heart fluttered in my throat. Why was he acting like this. What has changed?

“You gave her your word that she would not be separated from her daughter.” Lincoln growled as he stood up. “You promised her.”

Justin ignored him totally. “Give him the child, Hope. Now. Do not-“ reaching down he yanked the child back. Faith let out a cry but Justin ignored her as well.

His eyes darted downward to my naked leaking breast. And something I couldn’t understand darkened his eyes. 

He looked hungry but it was more than that as well. It was longing. 

“I am a man of my word but Faiths time,” he said smoothly and forced his eyes up to mine. “Will be split between her mother and her fathers house. The pack is yours again alpha Lincoln and alpha Blake,” he flashed a smile to the tiger shifter. “You’re mate will also be freed. I have had the alpha who took her punished. She is unharmed.”

Blake swallowed hard. “My -“

“You gave me back my love so I returned yours.” Justin said smoothly. “Lincoln, I can not give you the woman you love because she was never yours to begin with but I give you your child. That is more precious than anything else. If you would bring her to her mother on the days of the full moon it would-“

“What are you talking about?” I asked wildly. “That’s not what we agreed.”

“No.” Lincoln growled his whole body shaking. “She has to stay with Hope.”

“But I am giving her to you. Hope will see her. And I will make sure Faith has protection.”

Justin didn’t seem to be getting it. But he was about to because I was going to beat him with a chair. Faith wasn’t his to give away and I had given up to much to have her in my arms again.

I wouldn’t let some blood sucker take her away again. I didn’t care how powerful he was.

“No.” Lincoln's voice was final. “I don’t want her,”

My head snapped up in shock. “What?”

“I don’t want her. I’ve met her now and she has no future within my pack. A daughter is not needed,” Lincoln’s eyes bored down into mine. “I will not take the child, she has to stay with her mother. And trust me a happy Hope is a lot easier to control,” He gave a sardonic laugh which made me bristle.

“Keeping her with the child will make her happy.” Taking a step forward Lincoln bent over me. Pressing a kiss first to our daughters head and then mine. “Take her Hope, take her somewhere safe. Somewhere this world can’t hurt her. I love you both.”

With that he walked away and Blake fell into step beside him. Neither one of them looked back.

“You will not go to him.” Justin’s hand came down on my shoulder and forced me down into the chair. “He has let you both go. He gave up on you. I will never do that, Hope. And he was right, you have to make sure she is looked after and only I can guarantee that.” His fingers slid down to brush against the swell of my breast. “Finish the babies feed so we can leave. Hopefully the young one will survive the jump.”

She would. I already knew that. Just like I knew what those last words of Lincoln meant. Justin might think he had ditched us both but I knew Lincoln and I knew what he was telling me to do.