The One 27
Chapter 27: Return to the Pack
Hunter
Now that our bond isplete, I can feel Sophie’s emotions, I can feel the weight of what she is
taking on as her
responsibility. It’s not her responsibility to bear, and the responsibility that we will be taking on isn’t
hers alone. We are in this together. But we will have a steep, difficult mountain to climb.
I stare into her eyes, pouring my strength and my determination. into her until she finally nods. I
know she’s been away for two years, and a lot has happened and changed since that time. Her
being the face, or at least the name, of the revolution is going to make those who are against the
change in the iming process push that much harder against us.
“We will fight,” she says.
“Yes. WE will,” I confirm.
I hold her face in my hands until I feel her calm, until she takes a deep breath, and her body
rxes.
“You are not alone anymore, Sophie. And while we do have our work cut out for us, there will be
positives,” I say, stroking my hands down her arms.
“Like seeing my family again,” she says.
“Yes. And now, we’ll make our stand. Anyone who doesn’t agree can leave our pack. Once it’s
cleared and only those who agree
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Chapter 27: Return to the Pack
with eliminating public imings remain, we can open our borders to all the she-wolves who are
running.”
She gasps, grabbing onto my arm. “But Hunter, don’t you think. that means that the packs will join
together and fight against us? We’d never be able to withstand that type of attack.”
“Yes, there will be battles. Yes, there will be fighting. But the first thing we are going to do, before we
announce that our borders are open to all she-wolves on the run, is to find out who is on our side
and who will stand with us. Like I said, many packs stood beside your father. I believe that some
good Alphas, Alphas like Alpha Kayce and Alpha Dutton who haven’t found their mates yet, may
have lost their fated mates to the Alphas who are hunting the she-wolves. I think, once we exin
to them that we could potentially provide a safe refuge for their mates, fated, second-chance, or
chosen, that they will side with us. I don’t think it has urred to them that some of these Alphas
hunting their mates have taken more than one mate. Even if the first was their fated mate, the
second one surely wasn’t.”
“You’ve thought a lot about this,” she says, leaning into me. I can feel her respect and admiration for
me through the bond. It makes me feel proud to be her mate.
I lean forward and nuzzle my nose against hers. “I know we need to head back. I know we need to
leave this ce. But I’m also resistant. I know once we leave, reality will set in and like you said,
we’ll have battle after battle on our hands. I’ve loved every minute of our time here together and I
hope, someday, we cane back here,and remember our night together. Until then, will you stand
with me, beside me, as my Luna and partner in life?”
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Chapter 27: Return to the Pack
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Now it’s her turn to take my face in her hands. “I’m not sure I could love you any more than I already
do, Hunter Reynolds. I will be proud to stand beside you to call you my Alpha, and my mate.”
I take her mouth in a passionate kiss, one that provides the promise of a life toe, a life where
we are happy together. A new beginning for the mating of ranked wolves.
She begins whimpering, pressing against me. I reach down and grab her thighs wrapping her legs
around me. I can smell her arousal and I sit her on the edge of the stone table, pulling back just
enough to look at her.
“Once more before we go. I need to be inside you,” I say to her.
“Yes,” she breathes, guiding me to her entrance, as greedy for me as I am for her.
It’s beautiful the way she wants me, her confidence that I want her and that she is safe with me. I
watch her beautiful face as I thrust into her, watching here undone for me once, twice, and then
a third time before I empty myself inside her.
I kiss her again, letting her feel my love for her in the kiss, opening my mind and heart to her. When
I smell her arousal s**e again, I pull away from her.
“No more, witch. At least not for now,” I sayughing and pulling. away from her before I do take her
again.
“Does Shaw agree with that?” she asks, her voice deeper. I’m about to answer when Shaw pushes
forward.
“Absolutely not. We have an hours run back to the pack. I’m
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Chapter 27 Return to the Pack
pretty sure I can catch my little mate several times on that run, and when I do, I’ll make you mine.”
Sophie, or maybe it’s Hedda, shivers in anticipation. I quickly look around, cleaning up the dishes
fromst night, knowing Kinsley will be by here today to clean it up. Once that’s done, I walk out the
front entrance, ahead of Sophie, making sure there are no Alphas lingering in the area. When I
ensure that the coast. is clear and my mate is safe, I step aside and watch while she shifts.
This time, I take my time looking over Hedda’s body. I stroke my fingers through her fur, feeling her
body shiver at my touch.
“You are beautiful, Hedda,” Shaw says to her. She preens at the praise.
After we’ve circled her body, looking her over, he returns to stand in front of her. “The pack is that
direction. Now, run. Escape me if you think you can my little mate,” he says, and she yips excitedly,
taking off toward the pack.
‘You’re giving her a head start?’ I ask Shaw.
‘I’ll catch her,’ he says confidently pulling the shift and howling his hunt of his mate.
I’m thankful that no answering howls go up around us. I’d be concerned if there were other Alphas
out hunting nearby. However, Owen is the first I’ve seen in this area.
Shaw catches up to Hedda quickly, whether it’s his speed or her willingness to be caught I’m not
sure. Either way, he leaps onto her back, careful not to hurt her, while pinning her to the ground and
mating her, marking her in wolf form, and sealing their
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bond. She purrs her pleasure while they mate and when he lets her up, she races off again, only to
be captured by Shaw again. and again.
It takes us nearly two hours to reach the pack, and as we get close, I shift back, letting Sophie know
that we need to slow down. Before we get to the borders, I mind link Kinsley.
‘Alpha?’
‘Kinsley, can you bring one of my shirts and two pairs of shorts to the eastern border?’
‘I’ll be right there, Alpha,’ she says.
From where we’re standing, I point out the patrols to Sophie, showing her the borders on this side of
our pack.
“Where is the packhouse from here?” she asks.
“More to the center of the pack. You can’t see it from here. We’ll have to secure these borders now,
but from here, I can see where we have gaps that need to be filled.”
I’m surprised when Sophie also identifies areas where we should increase our patrols. I pull her to
me and keep my arms wrapped around her as we talk and look over our pack. When Kinsley
arrives, she hands the shirt and a pair of shorts to Sophie, giving the second pair of shorts to me.
“Wee to our pack, Luna,” she says, showing Sophie her throat.
“Beta Kinsley, I’m counting on you and I bing good friends. From what Hunter has told me, we
have a lot of work to do if
to the Pack
we’re going to make the changes that we need to make.”
She looks over at me as I mind link Lucas to join us. I want to present a unified front.
“You’re really going to do it? You’re going up against all the packs?” Kinsley asks.
“I’m-hoping it’s not all of the packs, but yes. I have my mate. I will not tolerate any disrespect to her,
and I refuse to im her publicly and share her. It’s time to make our stand Kinsley, not just by
giving food to those on the run but providing them a safe refuge from harm.”
I watch as tears fill her eyes, and she huffs out a breath before -turning to Sophie. “I would be proud
to stand by your side and
fight alongside you, Sophie Meyers.”
“I would like that, but I’m Sophie Reynolds now.”
She smiles, ducking her head, just as her mate joins us. “Yes, you are.”
“So, your Little Sophie Meyers?” he says.
I growl softly. “She’s Luna Sophie Reynolds now.”
“Of course, my apologies Luna. I meant no disrespect,” he says, showing her his throat before
turning to me.
“Sophie, meet my Beta, Lucas, This is Kinsley’s mate.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Beta, Lucas.”
“How do you want to do this?” Lucas asks, turning back to me.
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“This is my pack,” I say, reaching over to take Sophie’s hand. “This is my mate. This is the pack’s
Luna. They ept it or they leave,” I tell him.
He nods and I can feel his concern that most of the pack will leave.
“We will present a unified front. You said you were with me. Have you changed your mind?” I ask
him, and Kinsley frowns at him.
“No, I haven’t. I just…..we’re going to lose a lot of pack members,” he says.
“So be it. In the next few days, we’ll be opening our borders to all the she-wolves on the run. If we
lose warriors and omegas, they will be reced with ranked she-wolves. Our pack will only be
stronger, not weaker.”
He nods, taking a deep breath. “I notice that Kodan isn’t here.”
“I don’t expect him to stay,” I say, watching as Kinsley ducks her head, hiding the flush on her
cheeks.
“Who is Kodan?” Sophie asks.
“My G**a,” I say, reaching out to stroke her cheek. She leans into my touch, making me smile. From
the corner of my eye, see Kinsley’s eyes widen at my touch and Sophie’s response. Lucas grits his
teeth.
“Hunter, are you sure he won’t stand with us?” Sophie asks. Instead of answering her, I look at
Kinsley and Lucas.
“What do you two think?”
Retum to the Pack
“He won’t,” Kinsley answers immediately. “Believe me, he’s one of the ones that gets off on the
public imings.”
I watch as Sophie takes in this information, then stands tall, lifting her chin. “Well, then he is no
longer wee in our pack.”
I smile, leaning in to kiss my mate. I hear Kinsley’s gasp of surprise, but I don’t look at her. Sophie
stiffens, but only for a moment. “Right you are, my mate,” I say, before touching my lips to hers.
I take Sophie’s hand and stand up. “Ready?”
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