Chapter 149

Chapter 149
Hope

“Are you ok?”
Gulping hard I swallowed the sick that had rushed up my throat and stumbled forward. Faith let out a wail that told me she had survived the jump and my arms tightened around her and almost fell to my knees.
At least this time I hadn’t passed out, but god I felt rough. Justin caught me under the elbows and straightened me. “Just take a few deep breaths my love, don’t try and talk. I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.” 
Nodding silently I stared at his face. He was back to acting like the perfect gentleman. All sweet and kind of dorky looking. The man who had been my first love all those years ago.
Sucking in some shaky breaths I let my eyes travel around. We were on a busy London street. I knew it was London because of the sky scrapers in the distance.
The Gerkin and the - my heart thudded in my chest. Speeding up as I looked at the Shard. It was all shiny now. In two centuries it would still be there but it wouldn’t be as beautiful. It would be dark and cracked but god I had some good memories there. Some of the best memories. 
I’d fallen in love with Lincoln there.
Following my gaze Justin frowned and I tore my eyes away. “Do we know what year this is?”
“The year you went missing.” Justin glanced at his watch. “It’s been less than a day. They will be phoning the police and -“ even as he spoke a car rushed past with its lights and sirens blaring. We watched it go in silence.
“Do they ever realise I was gone.”
“Yes.” Taking my arm , he began to weave through the early morning crowd. “They missed you and didn’t stop looking for you. Even when the police told them that you had clearly just left early for your travels,” his eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you were actually planning on leaving me, Hope. You must have known I would never let you go.”
“It was centuries ago Justin.” I snapped. “You need to let it go. I’m here now aren’t I?”
“Technically.” He drawled. “You broke up with me last night.” 
I rolled my eyes and bit back a retort. Now wasn’t the time to start a fight with him. I had to make him think I was falling back in love with him.
“I know you’re not in love with me Hope.” Side by side we walked. People moved around us, like we were normal. Like everything was fine and would always be fine.
“Stop snooping in my head Justin.” I said, stroking my hand down Faiths back. She wasn’t crying anymore but she was wide awake and staring around her. It wouldn’t be long until she got restless again. 
My breasts ached to feed her again.
“It’s ok that you don’t love me because we have always been in different places when it comes to our relationship.” Justin’s hand curved around my elbow and he began to lead me toward. Weaving us in and out of people. And not one person turned to stare at us. We blended right in.
It was me who kept looking around.
Why was all of this so alien to me? This was my time. This was where I belonged. So why did it feel all wrong?
“That isn’t true.” I said finally. “I loved you.”
“But not as much as I loved you. I changed the world for you, Hope.” His fingers squeezed my arm painfully and I hissed. “I saved you.”
“You didn’t save the world for me, Justin.” I ripped my arm from his grasp. Lowering my voice to a whisper I glared at him. “You fucked the world completely. Don’t pretend any of this was for me.”
We stared at each other in silence for several long seconds. My face was set in a strained grimace , his was … confused?
What the fuck did he have to be confused about. Unless somehow Justin thought he was the hero in this story. He wasn’t. I wasn’t sure what he was anymore but it wasn’t the god damn hero.
“So,” I sucked in a breath. “What are the rules? I’m guessing I have some?”
“You would be correct.” He said softly. “They are going to wonder where you have been. And you are going to have to explain-“ he chin jerked towards my daughter,
I bit back the urge to remind him that she had a name. 
“I suggest you tell them you disappeared because you went in labour. That you didn’t realise you were pregnant and that I talked you into coming home. That we are a happy loving family.”
My eyebrows shot up. A happy loving family? What the fuck? “Faith isn’t a new born though, don’t you think they will notice?” 
There were so many holes in his plan. It wouldn’t work.
“Yeah they are going to notice but your folks also love you. They will be so happy that you are back that they won’t question things too closely. We will tell them that we didn’t mean to scare them but that we are moving in together and-“
I sighed. “So we are going to pretend to be a madly in love couple.” I couldn’t help it I rolled my eyes.
“We don’t have to pretend to be a couple, Hope. Now I have you back I won’t be letting you go. The original omega who was made for the world's first alpha. We were literally made for each other,”
I had several things I wanted to say to that. Namely I was pretty sure I was made for a wolf shifter alpha named Lincoln but now wasn’t the time to remind Justin of my true feelings.
He was a blood sucker after all.
“Fine. And will you be safe here?” I glanced around the people who were completely oblivious to the threat standing in their midst. 
The corner of Justin’s mouth curved upwards into a smile that showed just the tip of fangs. “I think what you are really asking is if everyone is safe from me right?”
I remained silent. 
“I’ll need to feed at some point.” The tip of his tongue played across the tip of one of the white fangs. “It will depend how long we stay. But I give you my word that I won’t feed off anyone we know anymore.”
“Anymore?” My voice shook but I didn’t get the chance to ask anything else as my name was yelled by a panicked desperate man’s voice.
I turned towards the familiar voice, searching the crowd for the man it belonged to,
I saw him, just a flash at first. Across the street and half a block down. My heart beat took off at a gallop.
“Remember the rules, Hope.” Justin came to stand by my side. His hand was almost threatening in the small of my back.
“I won’t forget.”
The man crossed the street, his face bright red and a chorus of car horns went up that he ignored.
Puffing and panting he came to a stop in front of me. “Hope? Hope is that really you? Where the hell have you been?”
Taking a deep breath , I forced myself to meet his eyes with a smile. “I’m sorry dad.”