The One 68


    Chapter 68: Birthday Party


    Sophie


    “Are you nervous Nikki?” I ask, watching her as she gets ready for her party.


    “Yes and no,” she says, but I can see her nerves.


    Allison and Letti left with Kayce several days ago to return to his pack. ording to Hunter, he lost


    several members of his pack too when he refused to im Allison publicly, but word of Brooklyn had


    spread like wildfire through the packs, so not as many omegas and warriors were willing to leave,


    even if they did agree to continue the public matings. No one wants that for their daughter, or their


    sister. It seems it’s only okay if it’s for someone else.


    The twins have been out and around the pack more often. Hunter and I had heard them sucking in


    air several times when they’d see us do something unexpected. It was much like it had been when


    Nikki, Allison, and Letti first arrived.


    We ve had several more she-wolves find us, some who were on the run, but now, we’re starting to


    see warriors and omegas who are afraid that they will be taken as mates or worse, raped and cast


    aside like Brooklyn. Nearly every day we have at least one she-wolfe to our borders requesting


    protection. We’d also heard that Alpha Kayce had received his first request for protection, and he


    had epted.


    Hunter had called Alpha Ezra and told him that he was invited to


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    Nikki’s birthday party if he wanted to extend his stay or dy it a couple of days. He chose to dy


    it, wanting to see a birthday party that didn’t include a public iming.


    “You know that neither Hunter nor I will allow anyone to im you against your will, right Nikki?” I


    ask her.


    “Yes. I do trust that. It’s just….” she looks at me in the mirror where she’s putting thest touches on


    her outfit.


    “What if he’s my mate? What if he isn’t? What if…”


    I step forward and put my hands on her shoulders. I’m not that much older than she is, but in some


    ways, I feel much, much older.


    “You take it one step at a time, one day at a time,” I tell her. “If he is, you get to know him, you take


    things as slow or fast as the two of you choose to, together. If he’s not, then…”


    “I hope he is,” she says, looking at herself in the mirror. “Is that crazy to say?”


    “No, it’s not. I think we all saw the chemistry between the two of you when he was here. From the


    little bit of time I had with him, he seems like a good man.”


    “He does. I never thought I’d say this, but…I think, with time, I could learn to trust him.”


    “Believe me, if he’s a good man, it won’t take very long at all. Look at me. Look at Allison. I think


    Alpha Robin will be the same.”


    She takes a deep breath. “When will they be here?”


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    “I think they’re all nning to arrive around the same time. Alpha Dutton is bringing Penny. She


    wanted to join our pack. I’m d. I liked Penny and I think she can help with the she-wolves. that


    are starting to flood our borders. It will be good for her to see a birthday party as it was meant to be.


    A party about you, not about getting imed.”


    “You know you’ll have to start patrolling out farther, right? Alphas like Owen will n an attack


    where they could catch a she-wolf on her way to your borders.”


    “Alpha Owen has hismittee meeting in a couple of days, so hopefully, he’s busy with that.” I


    look at her in the mirror. “You know your brother asked to be here?”


    “Yes, Alpha Hunter told me. He also told me that if I wanted him here, he’d make the exception, but


    he couldn’t promise that I’d be safe. I’m sure ric nned to bring his Beta, He’s wanted me as


    his mate for years.”


    “I’m d you said no. I’m sure ric will bring it up at themittee meeting, and who knows, if


    you’re a newly mated Luna, you can tell him yourself that you requested he not be in attendance.” All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I、atch the fierce smile spread across her face. “Oh, I would love to see the look on his face if I


    showed up at themittee with a mark on my neck.”


    I hug her from behind. “We’ll see how it goes. It could be a really fun meeting with you and Allison


    there as well,” I say.


    “I’ll see you downstairs,” I say to her, leaving her to go check on the twins. They had gone back and


    forth about being at the party. I know they’re terrified, not only because it’s an 18th


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    birthday party, but also because there will be three unmated Alphas in attendance.


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    I find them in the room they decided to share. Maybe it’s because they are twins, or maybe it’s just


    fear, but they don’t seem to want to be separated..


    “Hey, how are you both?” I ask, sniffing the air so I can tell them apart. They both have their dark


    blond hair down, but Tiffany has the sides of hers twisted and pinned up in the back. They wanted


    to wear blue dresses today, which surprised me because it will only ent their startling blue eyes,


    bringing attention to them and their beauty.


    “Nervous, if we’re being honest,” Tammi says.


    “I understand that. But you truly have nothing to fear. Hunter made sure each Alpha was aware that


    there would not be any public imings in our pack, that you, Nikki, and all the other she-wolves are


    under our protection, and that he would protect them with his life.”


    “We know, it’s just…” Tammi begins.


    “We’ve been to these sorts of birthday parties before. Some we e awful and some were…okay.


    That’s the best it ever was, okay. Unlike you, our Alpha wanted all his ranked she-wolves to know


    and understand what was in store for us. We were to ept our fate and go along with it.”


    “Well, tonight will be about eating and dancing and enjoying an amazing woman on her 18th


    birthday,” I say to them. “If you’re nervous, stay close to Kinsley. I’ll be keeping tabs on our Alphas


    along with Hunter. But Kinsley is in charge of making sure the party moves along.”


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    “Luna?” Tiffany says as I turn to leave.


    “Yes?”


    “I’m not sure we’ve told you how much we appreciate you and Alpha Hunter for taking us in. Neither


    of us believes that we would have survived on our own much longer. You saved us.”


    “You saved yourselves. All I did was give you a safe ce to live. The two of you had to find your


    way here and you had to ept what we were offering.”


    They smile and look at each other. It sometimes feels like they share a brain or have a secret way


    ofmunicating. Maybe they share a mind link since they’re sisters.


    “You really are the Sophie Meyers we heard about, aren’t you?” Tammi asks.


    “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m Sophie Reynolds,” I say, smiling as I turn to go.


    “I think Sophie Reynolds is going to be more powerful than Sophie Meyers ever was,” I hear one of


    the twins say to the other as I walk down the hall.


    I shake my head as I go back into the main hall, checking to see that everything is ready, answering


    last-minute questions and getting ready to greet our guests.


    When I turn, I see Hunter watching me, a hungry look in his eye that I know well. We’d seen the


    doctor and confirmed that I was pregnant, getting to hear our baby’s heartbeat. I had cried and


    although Hunter didn’t shed a tear, his eyes were ssy, and I could feel his overwhelming


    emotions. We’re both very excited,


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    and tomorrow, we find out if we’re having a boy or a girl.


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    ‘Ezra’s here,’ he mind links me, smiling his very possessive smile as he walks toward me, looking


    down at my stomach and then back up at me.


    “Shall we greet our guest together?” I ask him, sliding into his arms, leaning against him and


    wrapping my own arms around his waist as I look up at him.


    “Yes,” he says, kissing my nose. I’m hoping we can have our own celebrationter, alone,’ he says


    in the mind link.


    ‘I’d be disappointed if we didn’t. I believe I won today’s wager,’ I reply, smirking up at him. I know I


    only won because Hunter is being very careful with me. The doctor agreed that I could


    continue to spar, but Hunter won’t allow anyone to spar with me except himself.


    ‘Isn’t that what this afternoon was about?’ he asks, raising an eyebrow.


    ‘The day isn’t over. The wager is for the entire day, is it not?’


    “Damn, I love you,” he says out loud, leaning in to kiss me. He pulls away before I’m ready for the


    kiss to end, but he takes my ha.id as we walk outside to greet Alpha Ezra.


    When we walk out, he’s looking around, but he zeros in on our sped hands immediately.


    “Wee, Alpha Ezra. We’re so d you decided to join us,” I


    say.


    “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to an 18th birthday party,


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    and it’s the first one I actually wanted to attend since I met my mate,” he says, the sadness


    flickering over his face.


    “Today will be different,” Hunter assures him.


    “That’s the only reason I’m here. Well, that and to meet a rare Alpha female,” he says, smiling. He’s


    older than Hunter, maybe in his early 30’s. He’s still muscr and strong, but the loss of his mate


    and pup have taken their toll on him, making him look older than he is.


    “Nikki is nervous, but excited. It will be what we hope is the first of many happy 18th birthday


    parties,” I say, sliding my arm through his and leading him inside. I can feel his sadness and


    reluctance setting in, but I want him here. I want him to see. what it can be like if things change.


    When we walk back inside, I’ve just gotten Alpha Ezra a drink when I hear people gasp. I turn and


    see Nikki making her way down the stairs. She looks stunning. I smile and walk toward her.


    “Well everyone, the guest of honor has arrived! Let the party begin!” I say, walking her over to meet


    Alpha Ezra. I see the twins hovering near Kinsley, thankful that they’vee down. I’ m. going to


    wait to introduce them, give them some time to rx.


    Nikki has just taken a sip of her drink when Lhear a growl at the entrance. I turn seeing Alpha


    Robin, staring straight at Nikki.


    “Mate,” he says, his eyes burning into hers. I take a step closer to her, just in case Alpha Robin


    can’t control his wolf.


    “Mate,” Nikki says softly before smiling at him.


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    “Mates!” another growles from behind Robin. He turns, snarling at Alpha Dutton who has just


    entered the room. Robin moves quickly to put himself between Nikki and Alpha Dutton, his ws


    coming out.


    “MINE!” Robin snarls, as the room goes quiet.


    “Mate” I hear beside me, ringing out in chorus. All of our heads snap to the twins, staring wide-eyed


    at Alpha Dutton.


    “Is it always this interesting around here?” Alpha Ezra says to no one in particr.