《The One He Claimed》 The One 1 ? Chapter 1: Birthday Sophie When I woke up this morning, I raced to Amelia''s room, leaping onto her bed. "Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to see if you smell any delicious scents!" I say excitedly. Today is my sister''s 18th birthday. As the daughter of the Alpha, my sister''s birthday will be the event of the year. Every Alpha in a 100-mile radius will being to her party tonight to see if she is his mate. "Sophie," she groans, pulling a pillow over her head. "I was up past midnightst night to see if I could smell my mate, but he''s not here. He''s not in our pack." "Well, that just means that you''re likely to be mated to an Alpha! Oh, I can''t wait to find my mate," I say, pulling the pillow off her head. I''m two years younger than my sister and this is the first time that I will really get to see what it''s like to be at a party for an Alpha female. I''ve heard the omegas whispering about it and I know my mother has been nning the event with my sister for at least a year. Decorations, dance floor, space for dining, and food preparation have all been underway for nearly two weeks. In thest 48 hours, the entire pack and packhouse has been chaotic. "Sophie," my mother says quietly, walking into Amelia''s room. "I need to speak to your sister. Go get some breakfast and have the omegas send some up for your sister and I." ''The talk,'' I mouth to Amelia so my mother can''t see. "Yes, mother," I say out loud before hopping off the bed and walking up to hug my mother. She looks worried, which is strange because she should be excited after all the preparation she has done for thest year. But she gives me her usual hug before I step away and turn to my sister. "See you soon, Amelia," I say, walking out of the room. I walk downstairs, seeing that everyone is still buzzing about the party tonight. Everyone loves my sister. She''s sweet and kind and as her younger sister, I would know. She''s never been mean or catty to me or anyone. She''s one of the kindest women I''ve ever met. I just hope that her mate recognizes what a gem she is. I''m sure he will. And if she''s lucky, he''ll be an Alpha. That will make her a Luna and she can show that pack all the kindness that she has shown ours. After sending trays of food up to my mother and sister and eating my own breakfast, I go in search of my father. Because I''m his daughter, I usually don'' t knock on his office door unless I know he haspany. I lean my ear against the door and when I don''t hear anything, I open the door to find my father with his head in his hands. I can smell the scent of scotch and I see an empty ss beside him on the desk. "Dad, is everything okay?" I ask, worried. First my mother, now my father. His head snaps up as he looks at me. "Soapy, I didn''t hear youe in," he says, snatching the ss off his desk and putting it in the drawer along with the bottle sitting beside him. Soapy. It''s what my sister called me when I was born. My father loved it and never dropped the nickname, regardless of how many times my mother scolded him for using it. "Why do you look so worried, Dad? Isn''t today a good day?" "Of course, sweetheart," he says, standing to walk over to me and hugging me. My parents have always been very protective. No matter how many friends we had, we were never allowed to participate in their 18th birthday parties. That''s another reason I''m so excited for tonight. I''ve never actually seen anyone find their mate before. Well, I have within the pack, but usually you can tell who will be mated to whom. They start spending time together before they turn 18, like they are feeling the bond before itpletely forges. Then, on the 18th birthday of the youngest of the two, they yell ''MATE'' and rush into each other''s arms. It''s very romantic. But I''ve never seen a ranked member find their mate. All ranked members have parties like Amelia''s, or at least, I assume they are like Amelia''s. I''ve never been to one. No matter how much I begged and pleaded, I was never allowed. Amelia either. So, today is extra exciting for us. "Is something wrong with the party? Do you need help?" I ask. "No, honey," he says, looking at his watch. "Look at the time. You should go start getting ready." My father''s voice remains sad, even though he pastes a smile on his face. "If you need anything, let me know," I say, as he leads me to the door of his office.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "What I need is for my Soapy to go get ready for her sister''s party." "Okay, Dad," I say. The rest of the afternoon, I get ready. Our omegas put my long chocte colored hair into an intricate half-up half-down hairdo. They put just a bit of makeup on my face, to ''enhance my natural beauty'', as they say. Since Amelia is the guest of honor, I''ll be greeting our guests with my parents as they arrive, so I have to be done earlier than she does. However, I want to see my sister all dressed up before everyone else does. As her sister, I think I deserve a sneak peak of how beautiful she is. My sister'' s hair is a lighter shade of brown than mine is. Where my hair is straight, hers has a natural curl and the omegas have enhanced that. She''s stunning. "Amelia! You look gorgeous!" I say, walking into her room. "Thanks, Sophie. You look great as well," my sister says. "Oh Amelia. I''m so excited for you! Tonight is going to be perfect," I tell her. "I hope so, Soph. I really do." "Well, he''ll get one look at you and there''s no way he''d ever reject you. You look like a princess." "Thank you." ''Sophie, the first cars are arriving, where are you?'' my mother asks me in the mind link. ''Coming, mother,'' I say. "I have to go. I''ll see you down there." My sister holds on to my hand as if she wants to say something as I pull away. I stop, turning to look at her, seeing the indecision on her face. "I love you, Soph." "I love you too!" I say, moving out of her room and heading downstairs. I put a smile on my face as I walk out the front door of the packhouse to begin greeting our nearly 200 guests. The One 2 The One 2 Chapter 2. Mate 288 Vouchers Chapter 2: Mate Hunter ¡°Hey, what time are we leaving to head to the Alpha¡¯s daughter¡¯s party?¡± Lucas, my Beta, asks. ¡°Do you mean what time are we heading over to Alpha Carter¡¯s party? Or do you mean what time are we heading over to Alpha Amelia¡¯s party?¡± I ask my Beta, my tone sharp. ¡°They have names. You should know them and use them.¡± It¡¯s an uncalled for response and I know it, but I hate these parties. How any Alpha can find his mate and then share their first encounter with everyone in the room is beyond me. If anyone were to see my mate like that, I¡¯d kill them. I don¡¯t care if that meant I had to decimate every pack in this world. I don¡¯t share. Never have, never will. ¡°Come on, Alpha. You know I didn¡¯t mean it like that. It¡¯s the way it is,¡± Lucas says. says. ¡°Maybe it shouldn¡¯t be the way it is. We consider ourselves an advanced species from the humans and yet they ended this ridiculous practice centuries ago.¡± I turn, looking at my Beta. ¡°Do you really not care that every man in the room will watch you have sex with your mate on her first night? You don¡¯t care that they¡¯ll see her in some stage of undress? You¡¯re willing to share the woman the Moon Goddess chose only for you with every lecherous man in the room?¡± Chapter 2: Mate 1280 Mouchers ¡°Geez, Alpha, when you say it like that, it sounds creepy. There are ways to make sure she¡¯s covered. I¡¯m not like some of those a**holes who strip their mate down and bend her over so the men get a front row view of him taking her as she s**bs her heart out. I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Yeah? So, it¡¯s better that you¡¯re covering her body, but she can. still see the room full of men behind you watching her as you pump into her?¡± I growl. ¡°What has gotten into you?¡± he asks me. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I refuse to do that to my mate. The bond is supposed to be sacrosanct, and this forced act of a public mating does not fall in line with that. There is nothing about it that is sacred and don¡¯ t tell me that those males don¡¯t get off watching that poor woman get imed in front of them.¡± By the time I finish. speaking, I¡¯m snarling. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Alpha. You know that our pack, no pack, will ept your Luna if you don¡¯t im her publicly. I do know. It¡¯s why I¡¯m d that I haven¡¯t found my mate yet. My sister was older than I am. After her public iming, she told me how horrible it was for her, how she could never trust her mate to care for her after that. She practically begged me to never mistreat my mate like that. I loved my sister, and I was devasted when she jumped off a cliff high enough to ensure she wouldn¡¯t survive. When the packhouse doctor examined her to find out if she was pushed, he confirmed that she was pregnant with a female pup, and knew exactly why she did it. She refused to allow her daughter to go through what she went through. Chapter 2: Mate 288 Wouchers I have no intention of ever putting my mate through that. My sister was a strong woman, an Alpha female, and it was more than she could bear. If I ever do find my mate, and goddess. willing I won¡¯t, but if I do, I won¡¯t mate her in front of a room full of onlookers. I won¡¯t be the reason that my mate can¡¯t ever trust me or worse, would prefer to end her life than live with me. So, unlike my Beta, I have no desire to go to this party. If for some reason this girl is my mate, I will refuse to mate her in front of everyone. If she¡¯s not, I have no desire to watch her public iming. However, I am an Alpha. An Alpha who was invited to this Alpha female¡¯s birthday party and on the off chance that she is my mate, I¡¯m going. I refuse to allow anyone else to try and im my mate. So, once we¡¯re ready, Lucas and I get in the car and head to Alpha Carter¡¯s packnds. I drive because I need something to upy my mind, something other than the possibility of what will happen tonight. When we arrive, I park in the already packed parking area and Lucas and I begin making our way to the packhouse. When we get closer, I see Alpha Carter, his mate, Luna Amy, and a young she-wolf. I lift my nose in the air and realize that this female is a juvenile, not Alpha Amelia. However, she has the scent of the family so she must be a younger sister. When we step up, I greet Alpha Carter and Luna Amy before. turning to the young wolf. I feel a strange pull to her. ¡°What is your name, pup?¡± I ask her. Her chin juts up and I smile at her defiance. ¡°You¡¯re not that Chapter 2 Mate 288 Vouchers much older than I am, Alpha. And my name is Sophie.¡± ¡°My apologies, Alpha Sophie,¡± I say, taking her hand, then leaning over and kissing it. ¡°I meant no offense.¡± Alpha Carter growls at me. ¡°Sophie, as you stated, is underage Alpha.¡± I turn and look at him. ¡°I meant no harm, Alpha.¡± I hold his gaze until he nods, recognizing that I wasn¡¯t trying to be inappropriate with this young female. It makes me wonder who may have tried something with her already tonight. It¡¯s not wise of Alpha Carter to let her stick around if her sister finds her mate. The males be randy and depending on how the male ims his mate, the process can put the ranked males into rut. Based on the look he¡¯s giving me, he¡¯s dreading tonight more. than I am. I step inside and see that the festivities are already going. There are several she-wolves in attendance who will provide an outlet to the randy males if the need arises. I don¡¯t participate in those activities either. The entire process pi**s me off. As I look around, I realize that every male here is hoping to getid. tonight, one way or another. It angers me. This innocent girl is celebrating her 18th birthday and instead of being the sweet party it was meant to be, it¡¯s already feeling more about the ranked males in attendance than it is about the birthday girl. There are a couple of Alphas here who aren¡¯t falling into the craze of excitement and those are the ones I migrate to. I get a drink and go stand beside the four Alphas who are watching as the excitement in the room increases. In some instances, even after the male identifies the female as Chapter 2. Mate 1288 Vouchers his mate, they wait toplete their iming until after dinner. I see that this girl¡¯s parents, her name is Amelia, are hoping that if she finds her mate, that he¡¯ll at least give her the time through dinner to get to know him. ¡°I can¡¯t decide if I want her to be my mate or not,¡± Alpha Calvin says. ¡°I hope she¡¯s mine. There aren¡¯t a lot of pure Alphas left in our area. Amelia and her sister are the last two local Alpha females in this generation,¡± Alpha Dutton says. ¡°The energy in this room is getting so thick you could cut it with a knife,¡± Alpha Robin says. ¡°They make me forget that we¡¯ve supposedly evolved from the wolves that give us our strength,¡± Alpha Kayce says. As I sip my drink, Alpha Carteres back inside and announces that everyone should move to the back room. We all move as instructed. I notice the younger sister, Sophie, standing off to the side, practically bouncing on her toes. My wolf, Shaw, nudges me to go stand beside her. ¡®Shaw, what¡¯s up?¡¯ ¡®I want to protect that girl. I like her.¡¯ That¡¯s unusual. He usually doesn¡¯t pay a lot of attention at these things. For him, there¡¯s nothing wrong with mating in front of everyone. In fact, he thinks it ensures that everyone knows that she is yours. However, he recognizes that the human side of our psyche doesn¡¯t agree with this. He doesn¡¯t fight me in my argument for iming our mate publicly. At least, he hasn¡¯t so Chapter 2 Mate 11 200 Wouchers far, but we haven¡¯t found her yet either. I move closer to where Sophie is watching the stairwell, waiting for her sister. The room has gone quiet. I step behind her, blocking the other males from getting too close to her. Her mother, Luna Amy, is standing beside her and she turns, ring at me until she sees who it is. I realize that Shaw must have felt the inappropriate excitement of the other males in the room. If Ameilia isn¡¯t their mate, Sophie is the next best choice. I nod at Luna Amy, letting her know that I mean no harm to her daughter. She seems to understand, turning back to watch her oldest daughter walk down the stairs. I know immediately that her mate is here. The question is, which one of these males is it. I follow her gaze as Calvin pushes forward in front of the others. ¡°Mate,¡± he says quietly, and I realize earlier that he had already smelled her. He knew Amelia was his mate and he had been watching the other males in the room get excited about watching him im her tonight. ¡°Mate,¡± Amelia says, a tentative smile on her face. Because I¡¯m standing so close to Sophie and her mother, I see the fearful look Amelia gives her mother. At her mother¡¯s subtle nod, Amelia finishes walking down the stairs to Calvin. Of all the Alphas here, Amelia could do much worse than Calvin. Of course, that may not matter. If my sister is any indication, the night of the marking and mating could set a bad tone for the rest of their lives. We all watch as Calvin gently leans in and kisses his mate. Her cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink. She waits, obviously Chapter 2: Mate 280 Mouchers knowing that Calvin will decide the pace for the rest of the evening. ¡°Alpha Carter,¡± he says, turning to Amelia¡¯s father. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner.¡± I see the tension drop off of Luna Amy¡¯s shoulders. Sophie seems oblivious to what will happen later tonight, but Calvin is doing the best he can with thews of our kind. He¡¯s giving Amelia time to get to know him. He escorts her to the dining room and the rest of us file in. I reach out my arm to Sophie. ¡°May I escort you to your table, Alpha Sophie?¡± I ask her as Alpha Carteres up to escort his mate into the dining hall. The two of them seem to be having a private conversation and aren¡¯t paying attention to me and Sophie. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Hunter. You¡¯re very kind,¡± she says, taking my arm. Shaw seems pleased that she knows my name. ¡°How old are you, Alpha Sophie?¡± I ask her. ¡°I¡¯m sixteen, Alpha. I still have a couple of years before it¡¯s my turn to find my mate. I¡¯m so happy for Amelia. Do you know Alpha Calvin?¡± ¡°I do. He¡¯s a good man, a good Alpha.¡± ¡°Amelia is the sweetest, kindest woman I¡¯ve ever met. I hope he appreciates what a wonderful Luna and mate she will be for him,¡± she says, making my heart hurt even more. As we walk into the dining hall, the other ranked members in the room be bold and begin chanting, ¡°Mark, Mark, Mark!¡± Chapter 2 Mate 288 Vouchers I see Amelia go pale and Calvin turns and snarls at the others in the room. ¡°If you don¡¯t like the pace of the evening, feel free to leave.¡± That shuts everyone up quickly. I can see Sophie¡¯s confusion at what is going on. I know that for my sister, she was protected from all of this until she was nearly of age. Apparently, Sophie is the same. I¡¯m thankful that Amelia, at least, seems to understand what will happen this evening. I walk Sophie to the table with her parents, Amelia, and Calvin, tucking her into her chair and nodding at Calvin, before going to find my seat. The One 3 The One 3 Chapter 3: Party 289 Woucher¨¡ Chapter 3: Party Sophie Something feels off. I can¡¯t figure out what it is, but the air in the room feels heavy with anticipation. Over dinner, I watch my sister as she gets to know her new mate. My parents seem to rx, and my mother even smiles at Calvin. I¡¯m d that Alpha Hunter said Alpha Calvin is a good man. I hope he will appreciate my sister. att I spare a nce over at the broody Alpha. He has been very kind to me, but there is an anger buried inside him, I can feel it. Rather than scaring me, as it probably should, it excites me. He looks more deadly, more intimidating, more s**y. As dinner winds down, I notice my sister getting fidgety, nervous. I frown. My sister never gets nervous. Alpha Calvin reaches over to cover her hands with his. ¡°Amelia, it looks like there is a dance floor set up for dancing. Would you like to dance tonight? It is your birthday, after all.¡± She nods, smiling softly. ¡°I enjoy dancing.¡± ¡°As do I. But I will say that the only other male that I will permit to dance with you tonight is your father.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she says. He strokes her cheek in a very intimate gesture. ¡°I want tonight to be as pleasant as possible for you.¡± 2054 Chapter 3: Party 288 Vouchers It feels as if there is an undertone to his words, something that I don¡¯t understand. Since my mother hasn¡¯t given me ¡®the talk¡¯, I have to go by what I¡¯ve heard from the mated females in the pack. I¡¯ve heard that the first time can be quite painful, so maybe that¡¯s what Alpha Calvin is referencing. When Calvin stands from the dinner table, taking Amelia¡¯s hand and pulling her to her feet, I feel the strange energy in the room ratchet up again. Everyone gets quiet and turns to stare of Alpha Calvin and Amelia. ¡°For anyone who would like to enjoy dancing, there is a dance floor avable. My mate is off limits to anyone who values their life. As I mentioned earlier, if you don¡¯t like the pace that I am setting tonight, feel free to leave. I frown, trying to figure out what is going on. I turn and look at my father. He¡¯s basically turned over the direction of the evening to Alpha Calvin, as has my mother. I would think that my father would be leading this, not allowing another Alpha, even my sister¡¯s mate, to decide what will ur next. As I look around the room, seeing all eyes on Alpha Calvin, I¡¯m startled by the grey eyes of Alpha Hunter, staring straight at me. I feel my cheeks heat, and I quickly look away, but not before I see a hint of a smile on his face. Everyone stands and as the tables are moved back, I step out of the way, and into the warm, hard chest of someone. I look over my shoulder and see Alpha Hunter. ¡°Alpha Sophie, may I have this dance?¡± he asks me. I turn and look across the room where he was sitting only moments ago. How did he even get over here that quickly? Chapter 3. Party 1288 Vouchers When I turn back to him, his eyebrow is raised in question, a smile twitching at his lips again. He finds me amusing. I look at my father, who is staring at Alpha Hunter. Alpha Hunter doesn¡¯t look away from me, but my father turns his head to me. and nods. I turn to face the Alpha. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Hunter. I¡¯d be honored to dance with you,¡± I say politely. His smile widens and he nods, putting his arm out for me, very formally. I take his arm and see that Alpha Calvin has done the same with my sister. As we pass, Alpha Hunter stops and leans in to say something quietly to my father. I can¡¯t hear what he says since the music has started, but my father looks at him a moment, then nods, before Alpha Hunter takes me out to the dance floor. ¡®He¡¯s cute,¡¯ Hedda, my wolf says in my head. ¡®Very cute,¡¯ I say. ¡®How old do you think he is?¡¯ ¡®Not too old, early 20¡¯s maybe,¡¯ she says. ¡°Do you like to dance, Sophie?¡± he asks me. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ve never had a chance to dance with anyone outside of our pack.¡± He pulls me to him, as others get on the dance floor. ¡°Meaning, I¡¯m your first Alpha, other than your father, whose arms you¡¯ve danced-in?¡± There¡¯s something about the way he says it, along with the electricity in the air, that has me blushing again. Instead of 201 Chapter 3: Party answering, I nod. 288 Wouchers The music starts and it¡¯s a fast song, one that I love. ¡°Then let¡¯s make the most of it, shall we?¡± he asks, before wrapping his arm around me to take my hand and spin me around. My smile is instant. Alpha Hunter likes to dance. Not all men do and not all men know how to dance well. I turn and look at him and his eyebrow is raised again as if in challenge. Oh Alpha, challenge epted. This is a choreographed song, as most of the ones chosen for tonight will be, meant to allow my sister to show off her skills as a graceful dancer. She and I have been taking dancing lessons for years. At first, I hated it, until our instructor helped me to realize that I need to feel the music, let it guide me. I begin dancing and I can see that Alpha Hunter wasn¡¯t expecting me to be quite as aplished as I am. What he doesn¡¯t know is that my mother loves to dance, and she insisted that her daughters learn as well. Alpha Hunter is a fantastic dancer and partner. He spins me around the room, making sure that ICopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. don¡¯t stumble, catching me easily during times when he¡¯s going too fast for me, and changing his pace to make it easier for me. When the song is done, much, much too quickly, I¡¯m panting, and I know my cheeks are now rosy from the dance. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Alpha Hunter¡¯s eyes move away from mine, looking over my left shoulder. ¡°No.¡± Chapter 3: Party 200 Mouchers ¡°You can¡¯t dance with her all night, Hunter,¡± another Alpha growls. I¡¯m about to say something, not wanting them to fight. over me, when something about Alpha Hunter stops me. There¡¯ s something deadly about his aura. It¡¯s not directed at me, it¡¯s directed at this Alpha. I¡¯m not sure why, but Alpha Hunter has been nothing but kind to me, so I follow my instincts and stay quiet. ¡°Alpha Sophie, may I have this dance,¡± another Alpha hase up on my right side. I look at Alpha Hunter, not sure why I feel the need to get his permission, his approval. He looks at me and nods. I turn and see Alpha Kayce. ¡°Thank you, Alpha. I¡¯d be honored.¡± Something passes between Hunter and Kayce before he passes me off. Kayce spins me away, not quite as good of a dancer as Hunter. When I turn, I see Alpha Hunter standing face to face. with another Alpha. ¡°Are they going to fight?¡± I ask, worriedly. I don¡¯t want anyone ruining my sister¡¯s birthday. ¡°If they do, Hunter will take it outside.¡± ¡°Should I go¡­¡± ¡°No. Dance with me, little Alpha,¡± Kayce says, smiling down at me. He dances me around the room and when wee back to where I left Alpha Hunter, he and the other Alpha are nowhere to be seen. ¡°Doesn¡¯t my sister look beautiful?¡± I ask Alpha Kayce. Chapter 3. Party 288 Vouchers ¡°Yes, she does,¡± he says, looking at her with a sadness in his eyes that I don¡¯t understand. Maybe he was hoping to be my sister¡¯s mate. I notice that Alpha Calvin never lets anyone dance with my sister. They don¡¯t leave the dance floor and he never looks away from her, talking to her and getting to know her. He¡¯s so sweet. After Alpha Kayce, I dance with Alpha Dutton, then Alpha Robin, then my father and when a slow songes on, Alpha Hunter is back to dance with me again. Other Alphas have attempted to dance with me this evening, but this group has refused to allow them to. I¡¯m not sure how long I remain on the dance floor, but much too soon, my mother is waving me over. Alpha Dutton, who is currently dancing with me, leads me to her. ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± she says as we walk up. ¡°Your daughter is a wonderful dancer, Luna Amy,¡± he says, smiling down at me. His praise makes me smile. I know that I¡¯ll be practicing even harder for the next two years before my birthday. I want to be the most incredible dancer my mate has ever danced with. ¡®I liked all the Alphas we danced with tonight,¡¯ Hedda says. ¡®You like all Alphas,¡¯ I joke. ¡®I am an Alpha. I want my mate to be of equal rank.¡¯ ¡°Sophie, it¡¯s time for you to go upstairs,¡± my mother says. The One 4 The One 4 Chapter 4: Shock Chapter 4: Shock Sophie ¡°What?¡± I ask, shocked. ¡°Mother, the party is just getting going!! want to dance more and there¡¯s going to be cake.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already sent some cake to your room, Sophie. Warrior Julianne is going to escort you to your room. Do not go anywhere else other than your room,¡± she says as Julianne steps up beside her. Her eyes are tracking all around the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Alpha,¡± she says. ¡°But mother¡­¡± ¡°Sophie!¡± my father barks roughly. He¡¯s never used that tone of voice with me before. He sees my shock and moderates his tone. ¡°Do as your mother says.¡± ¡°Yes father,¡± I say, lowering my head and following Julianne out of the room. I turn and look one more time at the party-goers. Most of them are watching Alpha Calvin and Amelia, but my eyes lock on grey ones and Alpha Hunter winks at me as I step out of the ballroom. Hedda begins purring in my head. I ignore her, still irritated that I have to leave the party. Even though I¡¯m annoyed with my mother, there¡¯s no reason that Julianne should miss the fun. ¡°I know where my room is, Julianne. I can get there by myself,¡± I Chapter 4: Shock 1288 Voucher say, just as one of the ranked males steps into Julianne¡¯s path. ¡°Hello pretty, are youing back?¡± he asks her, ncing at me over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s my job to make sure Alpha Sophie makes it to her room. Move out of my way or I¡¯ll move you,¡± she says, taking a defensive stance. ¡°Feisty, I like that. If you get bored,e find me,¡± he says. I¡¯ve never seen a man speak to a woman that way. It¡¯s¡­ This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Covetous,¡¯ Hedda says. And she¡¯s right. I realize the hairs on my arms have gone up during the exchange, leaving me feeling ufortable.- ¡°Let them pass, Owen,¡± I hear Alpha Hunter¡¯s voice behind me. I turn, seeing that his face is much more serious than it was a moment ago. His hard gaze never leaves Alpha Owen¡¯s. ¡°You ruin all my fun, Hunter, especially after you and your friends kept Alpha Sophie to yourselves all night,¡± he says, but he moves out of the way. I see Julianne¡¯s shoulders rx and we move past Alpha Owen. When we¡¯re far enough away and walking up the stairs, I look back almost expecting to see Alpha Hunter watching to make sure I go upstairs. ¡°What was that about?¡± I ask Julianne. She turns and looks at me, then looks around. ¡°Your parents haven¡¯t told you?¡± Chapter 4 Shock 1288 Vouchers ¡°Told me what?¡± I ask as we get to the Alpha floor. She looks around. ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Julianne, everyone has been acting so weird today. Just tell me. I won¡¯t say anything. I swear! We get to my room, and I can smell the scent of cake. My mom said she sent a piece up for me and it¡¯s here, waiting. Instead of going to get my cake, I turn to Julianne. ¡°Please, Julianne!¡± She looks behind her, as if my parents are going to catch her saying something. ¡°Okay, fine. But you can¡¯t tell anyone that I told you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I say, pulling her into my room, and closing the door. ¡°Do you know anything about ranked members getting imed?¡± she asks. ¡°No. Isn¡¯t it the same as everyone else?¡± I ask. ¡°No. Listen to me. You need to stay up here. Promise me you won¡¯t go back downstairs. Promise me!¡± ¡°Okay, I promise. What? What is it?¡± She sighs, rubbing her hands over her face. ¡°imings for ranked members are public.¡± I frown. Public? ¡°What does that mean?¡± 2055 She takes my shoulders, leaning down slightly to make sure we¡¯ re eye to eye. ¡°It means that Alpha Calvin will have to mark and mate your sister front of that room full of men.¡± ¡°What? No way! My parents would never allow that.¡± ¡°Your parents have no choice. Once a ranked male finds his mate, he is in charge of when and how the public marking and mating urs.¡± I begin shaking my head just as I hear cheers begin downstairs. Julianne stands, looking at my door. ¡°When I leave, lock your door. You had a couple of Alphas looking out for you tonight, but that doesn¡¯t mean that one or two won¡¯t get past them.¡± Looking out for me? Does she mean Alpha Hunter? She walks to the door, opening it slightly. ¡°I need to get to my room before it¡¯s done. Stay up here and keep your door locked. You¡¯re safest here,¡± she says, turning to look back at me. ¡°Sophie! Are you listening to me?¡± she asks urgently. I nod, walking to the door. The chants of ¡®Mark¡¯ and ¡®Mate¡¯ have gotten louder. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until I hear your door lock but do it quickly. I need to get to my room. I¡¯ve heard that some matings can send ranked members into rut and they¡¯ll take anyone around. That¡¯s why there are she-wolves here that you didn¡¯t recognize.¡± Everything Julianne is saying makes sense with everything I¡¯ve seen today, but I just can¡¯t believe that my mother and father would allow that to happen to my sister. 1249 Mouchers I close the door and lock it, hearing Julianne rushing down the hall. Once I¡¯m sure she¡¯s gone, I unlock my door and peek into. the hallway. The chants are getting louder, and I carefully step out of my room and slowly make my way to the stairway banister. I slide down the wall and carefully turn my head so I can see four floors down into the main living area of the packhouse where the chants are happening. I watch as Alpha Calvin brings my sister to the front of the room. He snarls at the men in the room, quieting them. Then he turns to my sister. She looks like she¡¯s about to throw up. This is what my mother told her this morning. This is why she looked so scared when she smelled her mate earlier. I watch as Alpha Calvin gently pushes her against the wall, into the darkest part of the room. It¡¯s not dark enough, not when you¡¯ re in a room full of ranked shifters, but it¡¯s the best he can do. I search, finding my parents standing on the side of the room, just watching. Why aren¡¯t they doing anything? I turn back to my sister. ¡®Please.¡¯ I see her mouth to her mate, tears streaking down her face. I¡¯m not sure what he says to her, but he kisses her tears before kissing her. I watch Alpha Calvin slide his hand up my sister¡¯s leg, pulling up her pretty dress and exposing her bare leg to everyone. I watch, horrified as my sister begins to s**b, but Alpha Calvin doesn¡¯t stop. I look at the men in the room, all staring, watching as my sister is imed in front of them. As I search, I don¡¯t see the dark hair of Alpha Hunter anywhere. 57.86% 20:55 Chapter 4 Shock 288 Vouchers I look back toward my sister and see Alpha Calvin undoing his pants. His hips thrust forward and my sister jerks. I p my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. As I look away in horror, my eyes connect with the grey eyes of Alpha Hunter. He¡¯ s standing outside the room, on the other side of a wall, watching me, not what¡¯s happening to my sister. Is this why he was being so nice to me tonight? Knowing that one day this might be me and him? Hedda whines in my head at that. While she isn¡¯t as appalled at what¡¯s happening as I am, she does recognize that I wouldn¡¯t want it and because of that, she¡¯s against it. Everything I ate tonight threatens toe back up and as I run to my room, I hear the cheers of the ranked members behind me. When I get to my room, I lock the door and look around. I won¡¯t ever be put in that position. Ever. The only way for me to escape it is to leave. I need to run away, to get away from this ce. I push away from the door and quickly strip out of my party dress. I pull my hair down and quickly brush it out, pulling it into a simple ponytail. Then I grab a bag and throw some casual,fortable clothes into it. I find the money I¡¯ve been saving and put it into my bag. It won¡¯tst me long. I¡¯ll need to figure out a way to get a job somewhere far from here. As I look around my room, I realize that I can¡¯t leave without saying goodbye to my parents. I quickly grab a pen and paper, and scribble a note to them, 2055 Chapter 4 Shock 1200 Mouchers letting them know that I love them, but I can never go through what Amelia went through tonight. I doubt they¡¯ll get it before. tomorrow morning. My mother looked as nauseous as I felt. That¡¯s good because it means I have more time to escape from here. I grab my bag and take one more look around my room. I realize I¡¯ve led a charmed, protected life up until now. But all of that is about to change. The One 5 The One 5 Chapter 5: On the Run Sophie Nearly two yearster ¡°Sophia! Get your head out of your a** ande get this food for table six!¡± my boss, and I use that term lightly, yells from the back. I¡¯ve been on my own for almost two years. I tried changing my name, but it became obvious quickly that I didn¡¯t answer to the fake names that I made up, so I had to go with something close enough that I¡¯d actually realize they were talking to me. Sophia. area. When I left my pack, I had run for weeks, barely stopping and skirting around the packnds that I knew were in my Once I was out of our area, I had to be more careful. It wouldn¡¯t be good for me to end up on someone else¡¯s packnds. They might just hold me until my 18th birthday and force their mark on me. I finally stopped running in a small town full of humans. In the time I¡¯ve lived here, I¡¯ve only stumbled across two lone wolves passing through. They had asked if I was okay, recognizing me as a pup, but because they were also running, they didn¡¯t argue when I said I was fine. When I got here, I found a small apartment, or rather, an efficiency. The entire ce is smaller than my bedroom back home. But I don¡¯t care. Here, I¡¯m free. There¡¯s no chance that any Alpha or ranked member will im me publicly. I still wake Chapter 5: On the Run up with nightmares about what happened to my sister. ¡°Coming Josephine.¡± It¡¯s not her real name. Her real name is Jane, but she hates it, saying it¡¯s boring and in. We live in a town that is boring and in, so I¡¯m not sure what she thinks changing her name is going to do for her. I grab the food and head to table six. I lift my nose, identifying which one of them is the shifter. I smelled him when he walked in, but I didn¡¯t make eye contact, choosing to watch him subtly. When IContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. walk to the table, his eyes lock on mine, and I look at the others at the table. They are all human. He¡¯s hiding as much as I am. ¡°Patty melt?¡± I ask, waiting for them to point me to the person who ordered the food. ¡°Reuben?¡± I ask, again waiting for them to tell me which one. I sniff the next one. ¡°Burger, rare?¡± I already know this one is going to the shifter. ¡°He likes it bl**dy, miss. I hope they didn¡¯t overcook it,¡± one of the humans says,ughing at the shifter. I look at the te. ¡°There¡¯s blood running off the burger, so I hope that works for you,¡± I say, handing him the te. He nods. and I hand out the rest of their tes and ask if they need anything else. When they don¡¯t, I go back to my other tables and it¡¯s not long afterward that table six heads out. ¡°Sophia, break!¡± my boss yells at me. I don¡¯t need a break, but I¡¯ m required to take one by human standards. Chapter 5: On the Run 288 Vouchers I walk out back, where most of the humans go to smoke. I¡¯m about to step out of the alleyway when the shifter from earlier steps up. ¡°Hey, Sophia, right?¡± I¡¯m instantly on alert, Hedda¡¯s canines extending. ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± he says, his hands up in front of him. ¡°I just wanted to say thank you for not saying anything.¡± ¡°I figured you were hiding since you were among so many humans. They didn¡¯t seem to know what you are.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks and see if you¡¯ re okay or need anything. Us lone wolves have to stick together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks. Just don¡¯t tell anyone that you saw me here.¡± ¡°Same goes. I¡¯m Jethro,¡± he says to me. I raise an eyebrow at him, and he smiles. ¡°Okay, J¡¯m Jaime. James. You smell like an Alpha. You running from the iming process?¡± he asks me. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± I growl. ¡°Again, just asking. I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I¡¯ve seen several ranked females, several of them Alpha females on the run from the iming process. It¡¯s a nasty business.¡± I sniff the air again. ¡°Would you still say that if you were a ranked member?¡± 28.31% 2055 Chapter 5. On the Run 288 Mouche ¡°I have two sisters, one older and one younger. I have no desire to see either of them treated like that, especially if it meant that my friends got to see her in that position. What kind of standard does that set, especially if she¡¯s the Luna of her pack. Not everyone agrees with me, but if they don¡¯t figure it out, there won¡¯t be a lot of ranked females left in the packs. Take care of yourself and watch your back. I¡¯ve heard that Alphas have started hunting for the missing females, specifically Alpha females, to bring them back whether by force or by forcibly marking them.¡± ¡°Thanks for the head¡¯s up,¡± I say. We both hear someone calling for Jethro. ¡°You¡¯d better go,¡± I tell him. He nods. ¡°Remember what I said, be careful.¡± That night, I think about what Jaime told me. I haven¡¯te across any Alphas or Alpha females, but in the forest where I let Hedda out on the weekends, I¡¯ve found faint trails that smelled like ranked females. Over the next couple of days, I worry about whether or not it¡¯s time for me to move on. If Alpha females are passing through this part of the country, it will only attract more wolves. And if Alpha males are hunting Alpha females, it¡¯s only a matter of time before they find me. I decide to head back to a different forest this weekend, one that I don¡¯t go to often. The terrain is rockier than the one I usually go to, but that¡¯s where I¡¯ve been smelling the Alpha female scents. Chapter 5. On the fam 283 Mouchers When I get there, I sniff the air, making sure there are no Alphas or other ranked werewolves in the area. I listen, making sure I can¡¯t hear any sounds of wolves running or people whispering in the forest around me. All I hear are birds and the creek that runs through this part of thend. I find a spot where I can tuck my clothes away and I shift. Hedda is a big wolf, and we have to be careful not to run up on any hunters. She¡¯s been shot at before, but she¡¯s faster than the hunters and so far, she hasn¡¯t been hit by any bullets. I let her take over as she runs. She hates that she can onlye out a couple days a week, but she understands that it¡¯s necessary to protect both of us. Thisndscape provides a much-needed challenge for Hedda, and she has to focus to climb up the rocky terrain to find opennd to run through. Then, she has to make her way back down the rocky terrain to run again. She¡¯s feeling pretty good and has been running for hours when we hear a scream. ¡®Hedda, what is that?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not sure,¡¯ she says, turning to head in the direction of the scream. As we get closer, my stomach tightens and Hedda slows down. We can hear what sounds like crying from a female and what sounds like encouragement from several males. Hedda gets on her stomach and crawls to some bushes, carefully and quietly pushing her way through. Once we can see, my stomach clenches and nausea rolls through me. Chenter 5. On the Run 284 Vouchers There¡¯s a woman, a she-wolf, on her hands and knees. She¡¯s sobbing as a male, most likely an Alpha pins her head to the ground while he pumps into her from behind while three other men cheer him on. The Alpha, or whatever he is, has practically stripped the woman and she¡¯s bare to the men watching her. As I watch, his canines extend and he grabs her by the hair, pulling her up to him. ¡°Never run from me again,¡± he snarls before mming his canines into her marking spot. She screams as her body jerks with pain. ¡®Hedda, get us out of here.¡¯ She hurriedly crawls away from the scene and once we¡¯re far enough away, she begins running at full speed. ¡®What are we going to do?¡¯ she asks. ve to o ¡®We have to go. We have to get away from here. Our town is the closest town. If they are looking for a ce to stay¡­¡¯ I can¡¯t finish and I don¡¯t need to. ¡®They¡¯ll find us,¡¯ Hedda finishes. I stop to get my clothes, but Hedda reaches up in the tree to grab them in her teeth, not wasting time for me to shift. Then she races to our little apartment. By the time we arrive, it¡¯s dark, so I quickly shift and go inside, packing my bag and grabbing the money I¡¯ve set aside over thest couple of years. As I step outside, I look down the street and see several men,rge enough to be ranked shifters, standing outside the diner, noses lifted in the air, sniffing. Chanter 5 On the Run 288 Vouchers ¡®HEDDA!¡¯ ¡®I see them. Quick, get to the bus station. They won¡¯t be able to follow our scent once we¡¯re on a bus.¡± I stay in the shadows, running to the bus station. There¡¯s only one bus leaving tonight, and it won¡¯t be leaving for another hour. That¡¯s too long to wait. ¡°Where¡¯s the next nearest bus station?¡± I ask the attendant. ¡°Sixty miles north sweetie, but you¡¯ll never make it there to catch theirst bus. It leaves at the same time ours does,¡± the attendant says. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡®Hedda?¡¯ ¡®I can make it.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s go,¡¯ I say, moving into the shadows and shifting. She grabs the bag, and we race through night to get to the next bus station. We haven¡¯t been running long when I hear the howl of the hunt go up behind me. They¡¯ve found my little apartment. They¡¯re after me. I can only hope that my trail from earlier today throws them off. As I run, I hear gunshots. The ranchers in this part of the world don¡¯t like wolves getting too close to their livestock. I know where to stay in order to be safe, but the Alphas, or ranked members chasing me don¡¯t. It won¡¯t kill them, but it will slow them down. Chapter 5: On the Run 280 Vouchers. We arrive at the bus station with five minutes to spare. I get my ticket and jump on the bus just as the doors are closing. As the bus pulls away, I see several men racing up to the station, their noses in the air. I slide down in my seat, hoping they won¡¯t figure out that I¡¯m on this bus until it¡¯s toote. The One 6 The One 6 Chapter 6: Kinsley Hunter ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Alpha Aiden returned my f**k**g call,¡± I growl at Lucas. ¡°He¡¯s out hunting Alpha females like the rest of them,¡± he says, gloomily. Lucas found his mate a year ago. Once he imed her, he realized just how right I was to hate this process. His mate, while a good Beta female and role model for the pack, still struggles with their mate bond. Every time he touches her in public, she flinches away from him. I know he hates it, but she¡¯s actually morefortable with me than she is with him. I asked her about it once and she told me that she saw me walk out of the room during the iming process. She said that she trusts me because I did what I could to give her a bit of privacy. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the others at the party, and so, she still struggles with Lucas¡¯ touch. I also know that it extends into their bedroom. I don¡¯t ask, and he hasn¡¯t said anything to me, but Kinsley hasn¡¯t gotten- pregnant yet, so I doubt they are having sex and I know it must be killing him to not be able to touch his mate. ¡°Anyone in their right mind who¡¯s paying attention realizes that all we¡¯re doing is causing more problems for our packs. They need to end this ridiculous process and stop having these public imings,¡± I growl, standing and pacing. 20 563 Chapter 6: Kinsley 288 Vouchers ¡°Yeah, I agree with you,¡± Lucas says contritely. There¡¯s a knock at the door and before I tell her toe in, I already know it¡¯s Kinsley. When she opens the door, she looks surprised to see Lucas in here. She collects herself quickly, then nces back at me. ¡°Alpha I was wondering if you wanted lunch. I wasn¡¯t sure what your ns were for today.¡± She nces at her mate. ¡°I could bring you lunch as well, Lucas.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have lunch with you, Kins,¡± he says. ¡°There¡¯s a lot going on. I don¡¯t really have time to stop for lunch today.¡± ¡°You have to eat Kinsley,¡± he says to her. I watch the interaction between them, but I stay out of it. This is their mate bond, and he has to figure it out. There was a time when Kinsley did lose too much weight and I had to step in. It was soon after they had been mated and she had stopped eatingpletely. As much as I don¡¯t want to interfere in a mate bond, she is a pack member, and I was worried about her. I brought her into my office, and I told her that she either needed to start eating or that she would have to start having all of her meals with me. I¡¯m not sure if she didn¡¯t believe me, but when I started insisting that she sit beside me at every meal and I watched everything that she ate, she finally took me seriously. She doesn¡¯t eat as much as she should, or as much as Lucas would like her to eat, obviously. But she hasn¡¯t gotten dangerously thin again. Lucas turns to look at me, a pleading look in his eyes. Where he is unable to make headway with his mate, I am able to as her Alpha. Chapter 6. Kinsley 1288 Vouchers I sigh internally, I can at least try to help. ¡°Kinsley I was going to talk to Lucas about the missing ranked she-wolves over lunch. You might have a different perspective, different insights, something that we¡¯re overlooking that could help us find some of these females. Would you be willing to have lunch with us and talk through that?¡± I ask her. leave the decision up to her. I won¡¯t force it. She looks at me a long moment, then looks at Lucas. ¡°I¡¯m not. sure what information I can provide that would be helpful.¡± ¡°Neither do I, but you¡¯re a Beta female, and these are ranked females on the run. They¡¯re in danger and we need to do something to help them. You have insights to that different than what Lucas and I have.¡± She looks thoughtful for a moment, and I wait her out, letting her make the decision. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll get three trays of food and I¡¯ll be back.¡± When the door closes, Lucas looks at me. ¡°Thank you, Hunter. I know our mate bond is not your problem, but as my Alpha, as her Alpha, you seem to have a better understanding of how to getContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. through to her than I do.¡± ¡°I give her choices, Lucas. I don¡¯t tell her what to do, except in the one instance where she was killing herself. Everything I do leaves the decision up to her. Perhaps you should try that.¡± His lips press together, and I know that he understands that their very first meeting, his im of her, has caused all of these problems. That night, she had no choice. It didn¡¯t matter how kind he was during the process, it didn¡¯t matter what he had done to make it as private for her as possible. She can¡¯t move Chapter & Kinsley 288 Mouchers past it, and they can¡¯t move past it together. One night, not long after they were mated, he got **t-faced drunk and told me that the moment that his canines sank into her flesh, he felt her fear, her embarrassment, and her shame at what was happening. The strength of her emotions had flooded into him, and it had made him almost incapable ofpleting their mate bond. He hadn¡¯t even been able to o**m. He had immediately pulled out of her and scooped her up in his arms, taking her from the room. But the damage was done. I walk to the conference table thinking back to that birthday party two years ago. That party seems to have been the catalyst that started it all. Sophie Meyers, the younger sister of Amelia, ran the night of her sister¡¯s iming. Calvin, like Lucas, had done everything that he could to make that evening better for his mate. Like Lucas and Kinsley, Calvin and Amelia had a rocky start. However, they seem to be finding their way, unlike Lucas and Kinsley. I remember the outrage that urred after Sophie ran. Many Alphas bonded together in a way they never have before, fighting against her father Alpha Carter, wanting him to go after his daughter. But he refused. He said if she was unwilling to participate in these events, then who was he to force her into them? Several Alphas threatened to go to war with Alpha Carter if he didn¡¯t find his daughter and bring her home. But several of us, including Robin, Dutton, and Kayce, stood beside him. I was surprised when Alpha Ezra, my sister¡¯s mate, also stood beside him. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be, though. My sister killed herself to get away from the mate bond. Alpha Ezra has never recovered from that. Chapter 6 Kinsley 285 Mouchers Alpha Carter has been an outspoken activist on eliminating the public iming process since the day that Sophie left. For al long time, the Alphas kept tabs on him, certain that he knew where his daughter was, ready to go find her and drag her back. However, from everything that I could tell, she never contacted him, and he never sent anyone out to find her. They still keep tabs on him, just not as aggressively as they did at the beginning. That was two years ago. Somehow the word of Sophie¡¯s disappearance, of her rebellion against this process, sparked a revolution of sorts among the ranked females. Rather than waiting until their 18th birthday to tell them what was going to happen, mothers began telling their daughters at younger ages, helping them n their escape. Some Alphas have locked down their packs, refusing to allow any ranked females out alone. Rather than fixing the problem, this has actually made things much worse. In some instances, ranked she- wolves are choosing death rather than the public iming. This has only made the Alphas be even more strict in keeping tabs on their ranked female members, and therefore causing those females to go to even more dire extremes to get away from them. The packs have be divided, creating clear alliances, and splitting the packs into one of two sides. One side is in agreement that the public imings should end and the other is still fighting to continue with this antiquated process. In some packs, such as my own, there is disagreement within the pack itself. So far it has not be a problem for me. I don¡¯t have any young ranked she- wolves that will being of age in the next few years. But eventually this will need to be resolved. I Chapter 6 Kinsley refuse to have a public iming in my pack. 288 Wouchers I think back to that night, of Sophie Meyers and her excitement at the thought of finding her mate. That¡¯s how it should be. A young she-wolf excited on her birthday to find the man that the Moon Goddess made just for her I remember how sweet and innocent she was, how she smiled as we danced around the dance floor. Something about her has stuck with me for thesest two years. And I¡¯ve wondered more than once if she survived on the run. If she did, she would be on the verge ofing of age and her time on the run would most likely being to an end. ¡®We should try to find her,¡¯ Shaw says in my mind. I¡¯m not the only one who was taken with that young she-wolf that night. Shaw felt very protective of her, and he howled sadly when we heard that she had run. ¡± ¡®Shaw, she could be anywhere. How do you propose that we find her? I ask him. ¡®Well, the typical way is that we actually would start a search, Hunter,¡¯ he says sarcastically. ¡®Really? You want to begin hunting her, just like every other Alpha wolf out there? She would run from us. You know she would. And I couldn¡¯t me her. You saw the look on her face, same as I did.¡¯ Her look of horror as she watched her sister imed in front of that group of people has haunted me for two years. I hated that look. It was such a stark contrast to the happiness that she had on her face all night before that moment. I shake my head, putting thoughts of Sophie out of my mind as Chanter 6: Kinsley 288 Vouchers Kinsley walks back in. Lucas jumps up to grab the trays from her arms. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says politely, almost painfully polite, as if they are acquaintances and not mates. I ignore the interaction, sitting down to start the conversation about how we can possibly help these she-wolves. With our own pack divided, I¡¯m resistant to bringing them inside our pack. However, they need our help and I have to do something. The One 7 The One 7 Chapter 7: The Legend Sophie The thing about buses is they stop a lot. I had about four solid hours before the first stop around 4:30 AM. It had taken me a long time to be able to rx enough to fall asleep. So, I only slept an hour, two at the most before we reached the first bus stop. I hadn¡¯t seen the Alpha wolves following me, but that doesn¡¯t mean that they wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure out where this bus was going if they realized I was on it. So, I hop off at the first stop. Because of the early hour, there is nobody selling bus tickets. Instead, I ask the bus driver where the next nearest bus stop is. He gives me a funny look, reminding me that my ticket took me past this stop. ¡°I got a message from my family. I need to get back home,¡± I tell him, making up an excuse on the fly. ¡°The nearest bus station is going to be about an hour east of here. I¡¯m not headed that direction, otherwise I¡¯d drop you off,¡± he says kindly. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± I tell him. ¡°Do you know what time the bus station opens?¡± ¡°It usually opens around 6:00 AM. You could find an all-night diner, grab some breakfast and be back here in time to grab the next bus, or if you¡¯re in that much of a hurry, about 20 miles from here, there¡¯s a train station. 288 Mouchers ¡°They have passenger trains here?¡± I ask. He looks around to make sure no one¡¯s watching us. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was a passenger train. But the trains go in all directions. You could hop a train, get off in a city somewhere, and grab a bus to your destination. I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s what you should do, I¡¯m just saying that I know people who do it, especially if you¡¯re in a hurry. But be careful, they do periodic checks for stowaways.¡± Thank you,¡± I say, and he points me in the direction of the train station. I carefully make my way from the bus station, sniffing the air to make sure there are no werewolves nearby. As soon as I¡¯m far enough away, I strip down, put my things in my bag, and shift. Hedda runs the 20 miles quickly and easily. Before long, we can hear the sounds of the train tracks, the whistles of the trains, and the sounds ofrge cargo being loaded onto the train beds. Hedda carefully slinks closer to the train tracks, keeping her body low to the ground. When we¡¯re close enough, I can see that all of these trains are cargo trains and my bus driver was correct, they¡¯re heading in all different directions. I had been heading east and if the Alphas figured that out, that¡¯s where they¡¯ll be going to look for me. So instead, I find a train that¡¯s going west, and I wait until the cargo is loaded. Hedda carefully begins making her way west outside of the train. station. We¡¯ll have to jump into a train car, hopefully a train going this way will have a covered car that can provide us some protection from the sun or rain, and hopefully that train car isn¡¯t filled with animals going to ughter. Once we¡¯re far enough away, she begins jogging more quickly, Chapter 7 The Legend 208 Vouchers keeping the train tracks on our right. We hear the sound of a whistle behind us, and she turns, seeing that there is a train heading in our direction. She finds a ce where she can hide in the tall grass, and we wait to see what this train looks like as it passes. The sky is starting to lighten as the sun begins to rise. Soon it will be too light out for us to try and jump on the train without someone seeing us. So, I¡¯m hopeful there¡¯s a covered car on this train. ¡®If not, we¡¯ll catch it for a while and then I can jump off and we can wait for the next train,¡¯ Hedda says. ¡®We¡¯ll have to be careful. We don¡¯t want to inadvertently stop in the middle of someone¡¯s pack lands.¡± ¡®We¡¯ll be careful.¡¯ she says, as the train begins to make its way past us. It¡¯s a long train and it¡¯s taking a while for it to get up to speed. While we wait, we watch the cargo cars passing us by. ¡®There,¡¯ Hedda says. Through her eyes I can see that there are several covered carsing ourCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. way. She begins running alongside the train, easily maintaining a pace so that we can allow the covered cars to catch up to us. When we do, I can see that there are some that have sliding doors that are open. The cars themselves are empty and that¡¯s where Hedda heads. She picks up her pace, pushing herself to the same speed as the train as she moves closer, gauging the distance between herself and the open door. As the train picks up speed, so does Hedda, but I know that we¡¯re running out of time. She¡¯s going to have to leap soon or we¡¯re going to miss our chance. Chapter 7 The Legend 288 Wouter ¡®We¡¯ll make it,¡± she says confidently. ¡®I trust you as always,¡¯ I tell her. I give her control. My wolf is strong, powerful, and intelligent. I know that I can put my life in her hands, and I do that now. I feel. the muscles in her legs and her body tighten as she begins to run even faster, closing the gap between us and the open car door. Just as I think she won¡¯t make it, she leaps, sliding into the car and mming into the other side, safely inside. She pants, catching her breath as she gets to her feet. It takes us a moment to realize we¡¯re not alone in this car. The moment she does, her hackles go up and she takes a defensive stance, ready to attack if necessary. ¡°Please.¡± There¡¯s a girl huddled in the corner, pleading with me. ¡°Please just let me be.¡± Hedda stands up out of her defensive stance. ¡®She¡¯s running too,¡¯ she says, sniffing the air. ¡®Ga**a,¡¯ she says, identifying her rank. She¡¯s small for a Ga**a, either that or she¡¯s still very young. ¡®She¡¯s still a pup,¡± Hedda says and takes a step towards her. The moment she does, the girl begins running for the open door. There¡¯s no way this girl could make the jump, given the speed that the train is going, without breaking multiple bones in her body. Hedda, instinctively wanting to protect her, leaps and pins her down. Chapter 7: The Legend 288 Vouchers ¡°NO!¡± she screams. ¡°I¡¯m still a pup. I¡¯m still a pup.¡± Hedda steps back but puts herself between the open door and the girl. As the girl begins scooting backwards into the corner, I pull the shift. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re a she-wolf?¡± she asks. ¡°I thought you were one of them, one of the Alpha¡¯s or other ranked wolves hunting us. Your wolf is so big, I thought¡­ I didn¡¯t look¡­. I mean¡­.¡± she stammers. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m running too,¡± I tell her, putting my hands up in front of me. ¡°You don¡¯t need to run from me. You don¡¯t need to jump from the train. You¡¯ll hurt yourself for sure. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Penny,¡± she says softly. ¡°Penny, I¡¯m Sophie. My wolf says you¡¯re a Ga**a. Is that correct?¡± I watch as her eyes go wide. ¡°Sophie? THE Sophie? Sophie Meyers?¡± A ¡®Hedda, how does this girl know our name? And why does she look so excited?¡¯ ¡®I have no idea.¡¯ ¡°Yes, my name is Sophie Meyers,¡± I say to the girl. ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°Oh my goddess. I can¡¯t believe it. We weren¡¯t really sure if you were dead or alive, if you¡¯d survived after all these years. It¡¯s been two years, right? You ran two years ago?¡± she asks, Chapter 7. The Legend 288 Mouchers ignoring my question. Now I¡¯m getting a little freaked out. ¡°How do you know about me? I ask her. ¡°Sophie Meyers. You¡¯re the legend. You¡¯re the reason that all the ranked females have started to run. We found out about you, and-we realized that there was another option out there, that we didn¡¯t have to ept what was being pushed on us, that we didn¡¯t have to ept these public imings. When you ran, your started a revolution. You started it all.¡± The One 8 The One 8 Chapter 8: Promise Me Hunter I¡¯m not surprised that Kinsley had some great ideas about how we could help these she-wolves. While we know we can¡¯t take them in, she did have a great idea to find ways to make sure that they had food and water. Many of these girls are young, still underage pups, who may have little to no way of feeding themselves. I put Kinsley in charge of finding a ce where we could leave food and water for the females on the run who might be travelling through the area, a ce that would be safe from scavengers and the animals of the forest. We all agreed that the she-wolves who are running won¡¯te too close to the pack, but there are areas where they could skirt around the local packs, including ours, if they were passing through. The first time she left food and water, she went back the next day and was disappointed to find that no one hade through. She left a note letting them know that if they were passing through, that the food and water was for them, that they could take it, and to be safe, It was two more days before she finally found the food and water missing with a simple note saying thank you. Now she goes nearly every day to check to see if she needs to put more food and water out and to continue to leave notes about anything that we know, any warnings that we can give to the she- wolves who are on the run. 000 2057 288 Vouchers I¡¯m at my desk going through thetest list of casualties within the packs. More and more, the ranked she-wolves are putting themselves at risk in order to get away, sometimes resulting in their death. Because of this, the Alphas and ranked members are putting restrictions on the ranked she- wolves, locking them into the pack houses, refusing to let them leave or not allowing them to go anywhere alone. There are some she-wolves who have epted their fate, some who are not fighting the system, but they¡¯re bing more and more rare. It won¡¯t be too long before we¡¯re going to have a real problem on our hands, and I won¡¯t be the only Alpha unable to find a Luna or to provide an heir for my pack. As I¡¯m reading through the list, bing more and more agitated, the door to my office swings open and Lucases in looking distraught. He closes the door and throws himself in a chair in front of me. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked without preamble. ¡°Alpha Zahn caught his mate. He hunted her down, found her, imed her in front of the warriors that he had taken with him. Then as he was bringing her home, she jumped off the mountain pass they were on.¡± He puts his face in his hands, his fingers sliding into his hair and grabbing hold.. ¡°Is she dead?¡± Heughs, mirthlessly. ¡°No, she survived. She¡¯s in critical condition, from what I can gather nearly every bone in her body is broken. But she¡¯s alive. I doubt that she¡¯ll be happy about it when she finally wakes up. He looks up at me with haunted eyes. ¡°That could have so easily 2057 208 Vouchers been Kinsley. What if she had tried to kill herself like that, Hunter. What if she¡­¡± He covers his face with his hands as his body wracks with the s**bs over the fear for his mate. I¡¯ve just stood up to walk around my desk and console him when there¡¯s a quick knock at my door and it opens before I can tell them toe in. Kinsley steps in, looking at me, then at her mate. ¡°Alpha I¡­. What¡¯s happened?¡± When Lucas realizes that his mate is there, he stands and in two steps, he has pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her neck. Kinsley stiffens in his arms, and turns to look at me, not sure what she¡¯s supposed to do. ¡°Lucas was just telling me that Alpha Zahn hunted for and caught his mate. He marked and mated her, and then on the way home, she tried to kill herself.¡± I watch as realization dawns on her and she slowly wraps her arms around her mate, who is quietly sobbing against her neck. I turn around, giving them a little bit of privacy, as much as I can in my office. When he calms down, Lucas steps back, taking Kinsley¡¯s face in his hands. ¡°If you ever think about taking your life, if you ever would rather die than be with me, then you reject me, Kinsley. I will ept it. I would rather be a broken man than to have you not in this life. This world is a better ce with you in it, and it would be worth it to me to live like that, as long as I know that you¡¯re alive. I know you don¡¯t love me as much as I love you. I know that you may never love me as much as I love you, and I¡¯m okay with 20:57 288 Wouchers that. But the thought of not being able to see you, of you not being here. It just¡­.¡± His voice breaks and he takes a moment to collect himself. ¡°Please Kinsley, promise me. Promise me that you won¡¯t do that,¡± he begs her. ¡°I won¡¯t do that Lucas. I¡¯ve never tried to kill myself.¡± ¡°You practically starved yourself to death, Kins,¡± he says. She sighs. ¡°I¡¯ll admit after everything happened, I felt nauseous all the time and it was hard for me to eat. And sometimes, when I remember that night¡­. Sometimes it¡¯s hard for me to eat even now. But I¡¯m not trying to kill myself, Lucas. It wouldn¡¯t do that. Not to you, not to Alpha Hunter, and not to this pack. I swear. He pulls her to him, holding her tightly. Her arms go around him, and even for me, I can see that it¡¯s ufortable for her, something she¡¯s not used to. But whether it¡¯s the mate bond or it¡¯s just the kind of person that Kinsley is, she feels the need to console him. ¡°Thank you, Kinsley,¡± he says softly into her hair before stepping back. She heads to the door. As she reaches for the doorknob, she turns and looks back. ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, I could have lunch with you today,¡± she says to Lucas. ¡°I¡¯m not too busy, Kins. And even if I was, I would make time.¡± He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and then back at her. ¡°Would you be morefortable having lunch with me and Alpha Hunter, or would you prefer it just be the two of us?¡± he 2057 298 Moures. asks. I¡¯m proud of Lucas for giving her the option. It¡¯s what I suggested and he¡¯s taking my suggestion to heart. I watch as Kinsley looks at me and then back at Lucas. ¡°I would be morefortable if it was the three of us having lunch,¡± she says honestly. He looks at me and I nod. ¡°Maybe we can talk about what¡¯s going on with the she-wolves that you¡¯ve been contacting Kinsley. You can give us an update over lunch,¡± I say to her. ¡°I¡¯ll get the trays and I¡¯ll be back,¡± she says, smiling at Lucas before heading out. When she leaves, he goes into the bathroom and washes his face, blowing his nose and pulling himself together. I sit back down behind my desk, waiting for him. ¡°That seemed promising,¡± I say to him as he sits down in front of me. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about what you said, about Kinsley not having choices and how I need to give her options. I would have preferred to have had lunch, just the two of us. But this way, maybe she¡¯ll be open to eating with me again. I think you¡¯re right, that the way to gaining her trust is by allowing her to make decisions that are best for her.¡± Lucas and I work together for the next hour, and when there¡¯s a knock at the door, he jumps up to open it. He takes the cart from Kinsley and helps her to set the trays on the table. I notice as she passes him, she reaches out and lets her hand graze across his back. Chapter 8 Promise Me Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. I feel the sharp sting of jealousy that Lucas has someone in his life while I¡¯m still alone. He and Kinsley seem to finally be finding their way together, and I¡¯m still without a mate or a Luna. The One 9 The One 9 Chapter 9: Food and Water Sophie ¡°What are you talking about? I didn¡¯t start anything,¡± I say to Penny. ¡°You may not have meant to, but you did. Word of you running, of your father standing up to the Alphas and refusing to track you down, spread like wildfire. Our mothers and sisters began to realize that we didn¡¯t have to a**e by thews that we don¡¯t agree with, that we have a choice. Granted, it¡¯s not a great choice, being on the run, but it¡¯s better than being forced into something that you can¡¯t live with. She reaches out, taking my hands. ¡°Some of the Alphas are on our side. Some of them agree that we need to stop this process.¡± ¡°But not all of them,¡± I tell her, remembering the girl in the woods. ¡°Some Alphas are still out hunting, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have to run.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, and some Alphas have put so many restrictions on their ranked females that they¡¯re not even allowed to leave the packhouses. Ranked she-wolves have started taking extreme measures, some of them taking their own lives to get away from this process. ¡°What? Why? Why would they kill themselves?¡± I ask shocked. ¡°They would rather die than live with the embarrassment of 0.00% 2057 Chapter 9. Food and Water 288 Mouchers having been imed publicly. For some, it¡¯s not worth it.¡± I scrub my hands over my face. This is why there are so many she-wolves on the run now. When I first ran, there weren¡¯t any. It was just me, and it was easy to hide. Now it seems I¡¯m going to have to be much smarter about hiding. ¡°Where are you going? I ask Penny. ¡°There are rumors of a ce, a pack that is leaving food and water for those of us on the run. I never learned to hunt in my wolf form, and it¡¯s been a really long time since I¡¯ve eaten. So, I¡¯m heading there in the hopes of getting food.¡± ¡°It could be a trap, you know,¡± I say to her. ¡°I know. But I¡¯ve heard it from more than one source, and no one stays. They take the food and water that have been offered and they keep going. That¡¯s what I intend to do as well. ¡°But don¡¯t you think that the Alphas that are hunting the ranked she-wolves will hear about it and they¡¯ll start staking the ce out. If I were an Alpha hunting a ranked she-wolf, that¡¯s what I would do,¡± I tell her. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. I don¡¯t know, but like I said, I¡¯m hungry and I have to do something.¡± I turn and go to my bag, grabbing some gran bars that I stuffed into it when I left. ¡°Here, eat these,¡± I say, tossing them to her. ¡°It¡¯s not a hamburger. But it will take the edge off.¡± She devours them quickly, and I pull out myst two bottles of water, giving her one. ¡°Make itst. I only have two left, one for me and one for you,¡± I say. 2057 Chapter 9 Food and Water ¡°Thank you so much. I don¡¯t remember thest time I ate.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°You¡¯re wee. You said my father stood up to the Alphas. What does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know everything. But what I heard was that the Alphas threatened war against your father unless he came after you.¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask, terrified that my family had to go to war to protect me. ¡°Some other Alpha sided with your dad threatening to fight alongside him if a war broke out. Apparently, that was enough to keep the Alphas from going to war. ¡°Do you know anything about my sister, Amelia? It was her birthday the night that I ran. She found her mate that night, Alpha Calvin. Do you know anything about them? Anything about her? Is she okay?¡± I ask. ¡°Alpha Calvin is one of the Alphas that stood beside your father, I believe. I don¡¯t know much about your sister, but in cases like this, no news is good news, right? It means she hasn¡¯t tried to kill herself and hasn¡¯t done anything drastic.¡± I feel terrible, having had no idea that I was causing this many problems for my family. ¡°Maybe I should return home,¡± I mumble to myself. ¡°NO! You can¡¯t! If you do, all of this will have been for nothing. You are the reason that it¡¯s working. You were the reason that there¡¯s a possibility that things might change. Please don¡¯t go back.¡± ¡°But my family¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ve survived this long, right? Even if you didn¡¯t realize what was going on, they¡¯ve managed to get by this long. You going back would change everything. Please, you have to continue.¡± ¡°What about you? Where are you going? Where does this end? Where do we find a safe ce to live our lives?¡± I ask her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only know that I¡¯m not being held prisoner in my pack, waiting until the day I turn 18, so that some man who calls himself my mate can im me in front of my pack. How could I even face them every day after that? How could I look them in the eye? How could I be their ranked member after they had seen me in that position?¡± I understand exactly what she means. That¡¯s why I ran. As a Ga**a, she has the potential to be a Ga**a, Beta, or a Luna. But for me as an Alpha female, I know that an Alpha will want me. The thought of having to lead a pack who had seen me in such a personal state still makes me sick to my y stomach. ¡°So where is this ce? This ce where they provide free food and water to the wolves on the run?¡± I ask. She gives me a general sense of where the ce is and I realize it isn¡¯t far from where my father¡¯s pack is. That makes me wonder if it isn¡¯t him and my mother leaving this food and water out. Even if it¡¯s not for me, they are still able to help those who are like me. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go and check this ce out too,¡± I tell Penny. She looks at me a moment. ¡°Please don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I¡¯m thrilled to be spending time with you and to have finally 288 Vouchers met you. But if the two of us stay together for too long, the possibility of both of us getting captured is higher, do you know what I mean? I think it¡¯s better if we split up soon.¡± ¡°I understand. But we don¡¯t have to split up yet, right? I mean, there¡¯s protection in numbers too, and we could at least get there to see if it¡¯s safe, before we split up. If they only provide food once a day, you could take the first batch and go, and I could wait for the second day. ¡°You would do that?¡± she asks, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve been on the run a lot longer than you have. I found ways to survive, and I¡¯ve eaten more recently than you have. So yes, I would do that.¡±- ¡°Honestly, I would love thepany for a while. If I wasn¡¯t afraid of being captured, I would ask if we could stay together. But as it is¡­¡± ¡°I understand, truly I do. None of us want to be captured. While we¡¯re on this train, I think one of us should stay awake and make sure we stay safe. If you¡¯re tired, I¡¯m happy to take the first shift,¡± I tell her. ¡°Actually, I found a safe ce and was able to sleepst night. So, I¡¯m good if you need to rest.¡± ¡°Thank you. I only got a couple hours of sleep. If anything scares you or worries you at all, wake me up. If we start to slow down, wake me up.¡± ¡°I will.¡± I use my bag as a pillow and find a spot away from the open Chapter 9. Food and Water 289 Vouchers door. Iy staring up the ceiling of the train car, listening to the sound of the metal wheels on the rails as the car rocks back and forth. It¡¯s been two years since I¡¯ve seen my family, two years since I¡¯ve spoken to them. Even if this isn¡¯t them leaving food and water, I¡¯ll still be close enough that maybe I can sneak onto their packnds. Or maybe I can somehow let them know that I¡¯m. alive and well, and that I love them. If I¡¯m really lucky, maybe I can spend the night, safe, in a warm bed in my old packhouse. The thought of being tucked into my old bed, safe on the Alpha floor, my parents down the hall, is thest thought I have before I drift off to sleep.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The One 10 The One 10 Chapter 10: Scent Hunter Lucas and I head to my office after morning warrior training. We walk in, ready to look over the patrols and everything else that we need to tackle today. I sit down at my desk, and he sits across from me. I noticed something different about him this morning, A spring in his step, but didn¡¯t want to ask in front of everyone. Now, however, it¡¯s just the two of us. ¡°Something¡¯s different. What¡¯s going on with you?¡± I ask. He gives me a smug smile. ¡°Why would you say something¡¯s different?¡± ¡°Besides the fact that you¡¯re my Beta and my best friend, I¡¯ve known you for a long time. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Kinsley invited me to sleep in the bed with herst night.¡± I look at him a moment, not exactly sure how impactful this is. They¡¯ve been together over a year. ¡°Was that¡­¡± ¡°After I marked her, I told her she could have the bed and I would sleep on the couch until she invited me to sleep with her. Last night was the first night that she finally invited me. Nothing happened and I¡¯m okay with that, but she let me hold her all night. I haven¡¯t felt this calm since I met her.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Lucas. Seriously, I¡¯m happy for you.¡± ¡°I think you were right about giving her choices. It seems the ||| 288 Mouchers more that I¡¯m giving her options, the more open she is to including me in her life. We still have a long way to go but we took a step in the right directionst night.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m d to hear it. And I hope you continue to make steps in the right direction.¡± We begin going through the work for the day, making sure our patrols are scheduled properly, making sure we ount for our she-wolves who are no longer able to shift because of pregnancies. Unlike ranked members, the warriors and the omegas don¡¯t im their mates publicly. So, generally speaking, once they¡¯re mated, they begin having pups right away. It¡¯s getting close to lunchtime when Kinsley knocks on the door. I¡¯m about to tell her toe in, but Lucas is up and heading to the door before I have a chance to. He opens the door, smiling at his mate. ¡°Hey Kins,e on in.¡± She returns the smile, and a soft blush flushes her cheeks. She looks down a ment before looking back up at Lucas. ¡°I needed to speak with you and Alpha Hunter for a moment,¡± she says, stepping into my office. ¡°Hey Kinsley, what do you need?¡± I ask. ¡°I need to go into town tomorrow. I usually go once a month, just to make sure that our grocery bill is paid and there aren¡¯t any problems. It¡¯s never been an issue before, however, now it means I won¡¯t be able to leave food for the she-wolves because I¡¯ll be in town. I was wondering if one of you would be willing to go and leave the food and water for the she-wolves. I don¡¯t know if word has gotten out or if perhaps it¡¯s the same person 2057 1288 Vouchers. coming back multiple times, but the food is gone every day now. I¡¯d hate to think that somebody¡¯s going hungry just because I had to go into town,¡± she says. ¡°Don¡¯t you normally go in the mornings?¡± I ask her. ¡°I do, and I know that that won¡¯t be possible for you. That¡¯s why I was wondering if maybe it would be Lucas that would go. instead,¡± she says. ¡°Actually, I would like to go. I¡¯d like to see how you have it set up, and I¡¯d also like to check to make sure that there are no Alphas around. If we¡¯re just getting the word out to she-wolves on the run, I would hate to think that the Alphas have started staking the ce out. I don¡¯t want us to inadvertently leave a trap for these, she-wolves,¡± I say to her. ¡°I¡¯m d you said that, Alpha. I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing, wondering if we shouldn¡¯t change the spot where we¡¯re putting the food. My only concern with that is will they know how to find it if weCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. move?¡± ¡°Let me check it out tomorrow and see. I won¡¯t be able to go in the morning, but I¡¯ll go in the afternoon. Hopefully if it¡¯s a new person every day, the time of day won¡¯t matter. I hope, anyway.¡± ¡°I can take you this afternoon, show you where the ce is, where I leave the food. How I hide it,¡± Kindley suggests. ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s n to go after lunch. You usually drive right?¡± ¡°Yes. That way I can clean up if there¡¯s anything left behind and then I can leave the food and secure it. ¡°OK, let¡¯s go this afternoon then. We may as well bring another 24.58% Chapter 10: Scent 288 Vouchers supply of food since we¡¯re going anyway. That way if someone doese in the morning, it won¡¯t be as fresh as when you leave it, but there will be food and water there for them. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Alpha. I¡¯ll have another food basket put together and then I¡¯ll have lunch sent up for both of you?¡± she asks, looking back and forth between us. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± I say to Lucas, giving him the opportunity to invite Kinsley to have lunch with him. ¡°I¡¯ll get the patrols posted, Alpha,¡± he says before turning to his mate: ¡°I¡¯ll take lunch in my office, Kins. If you have time, you¡¯re wee to join me.¡± She looks down and blushes again. ¡°I have time,¡± she says softly. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll see you in a few then,¡± he says, gently kissing her cheek as he passes her. She turns her head and watches as he walks out the door. Before he steps out, he turns and winks at her making her blush an even deeper shade of pink. I feel jealousy for their rtionship flowing through me again. I want a mate. I want a rtionship with someone, someone who I can grow old with, someone who I can love and dote on, someone who loves me in return. I get angry all over again about the process that we have for iming ranked she-wolves which is impacting my ability to find and take a mate. ¡°Alpha?¡± Kinsley asks and my head snaps up to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you ask me something?¡± I ask, not having heard 37.76% 20 58 200 Vouchers her if she did. ¡°You were growling Alpha. Is everything okay? ¡°It looks as though you and Lucas are finally finding your way together. I¡¯m happy for you, but it frustrates me that our process has caused the problems in your rtionship that it has and that it¡¯s impacting my own ability to take a mate. Sometimes I feel it more strongly than others. My apologies. I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good Alpha, Alpha Hunter. I have no doubt that you would make a great mate. But speaking from experience, no matter how good your mate is, that initial iming makes everything so much more difficult.¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯m working hard to try and change it. I want to find my mate, but I don¡¯t want to find her only to lose her. ¡°I hope that you¡¯re able to make changes to the process Alpha Hunter. Truly, I have no desire to raise a daughter in this environment. To know that she would have to go through what I went through¡­ And I was lucky enough to be mated to Lucas. He¡¯s been more patient with me than I ever expected. Many others aren¡¯t as lucky as I am.¡± I nod, knowing she¡¯s right. ¡°Come get me when you¡¯re ready to go.¡± A few hourster, we¡¯re in the car driving up into the mountains. ¡°I intentionally chose a spot that¡¯s difficult to get to and requires someone to be smaller than an Alpha. It¡¯s going to be hard for you to get into this space,¡± Kinsley tells me. 50 20% 288 Meuchers ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± When we park, I grab the supplies and begin following Kinsley up an unmarked trail. I make note of where we are, breathing in the air around me, making sure I can find this ce on my own tomorrow. As we climb, I sniff the air, happy and a little surprised that I don¡¯t smell any Alphas or other ranked werewolves in the area. ¡°You chose a ce that¡¯s in bear territory?¡± I ask Kinsley. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a risk for the she-wolves, but they¡¯re out here on their own anyway. The bears are at least a deterrent for the ranked wolvesing after them. I give my Beta female an appraising look. It was smart of her. She¡¯s right. The ranked wolves would b**s the area once they smelled the bears, not wanting to risk an attack. Being a hunting party, they would be in small groups and bears have been. known to take on up to ten wolves at a time, even werewolves. She begins ducking through rocky areas, ces that are very small. She helps me through, both of us making sure that I don¡¯t scratch myself to the point of bleeding. If my scent is here, the she- wolves won¡¯te. As it is, just having me here is a risk, but it¡¯s one I¡¯m willing to take if it means that we might be able to feed a starving female. After maneuvering through several small openings, I see the spot where Kinsley leaves the food and water. She¡¯s found a perfect area. There¡¯s a small little pool here with water dripping from a lake or river nearby. The she-wolves could take the opportunity to wash themselves off while they eat and drink before leaving again. In truth, they would probably be safe to 62.53% ||| 20 58 spend the night here, but I doubt that any of them would do that. I lift my nose in the air, smelling the scent of multiple she wolves who havee to take the food and water that we¡¯re offering. There¡¯s another scent more potent in the air. ¡®Fear,¡¯ Shaw confirms. ¡°I¡¯m rethinking you moving this ce, Kinsley. You found a nearly perfect ce here. My only concern is that they have to get in and out, and there would be ways for the Alphas toy ambush for them.¡± She shows me a note, one that she reces with one in her -pocket. The note says that the food and water are for anyone. who is hungry or thirsty. It gives an update on thetest that we¡¯ve heard about where the Alphas are hunting, and then it gives directions on how to exit a different way than we entered. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not part fox, Kinsley? I say, yet again impressed with her. She chuckles at that. ¡°No. I just have an idea of what they¡¯re feeling, what they¡¯re trying to escape from. I¡¯ve used that to guide my notes and my ns for them.¡± ¡°Start looking around, see if you can find a ce that¡¯s as good. or nearly as good as this one. I would hate to give this ce up just because we¡¯re nervous about Alphas being around. Worst case scenario, maybe Lucas and can begin patrolling here, trying to keep the ce safe.¡± ¡°We¡¯d need to be careful with that too. We wouldn¡¯t want your scent to be too strong or they won¡¯t stay.¡± 76.67% 20.58 ¡°Agreed. Okay, let¡¯s head back the way we came. I don¡¯t want to know the secret exit.¡± A Kinsley chuckles again. As we make our way back out to the main area, there¡¯s a moment where the breeze blows in our direction, and I suddenly get the scent of orchids. I stop, lifting my nose in the air and taking a deep breath, wanting desperately to go find the source of the scent. ¡°Alpha?¡± Kinsley asks, and I realize that I¡¯ve taken a step in the direction of the scent. I stop, looking around, seeing nothing. I¡¯m pretty sure I know what this scent is though. ¡®Shaw is that¡­?¡¯ ¡®Yes, that is the scent of our mate.¡¯ I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that. If she¡¯s here, she may be hungry, she may need water and don¡¯t want to scare her off. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow. Maybe I can catch her and at least try and talk to her, let her know that I¡¯m not like the others, that I won¡¯t im her publicly, that she can trust me. I take one more look around, lifting my nose in the air, trying to catch the scent one more time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Kinsley. Let¡¯s head back.¡± I turn and walk away, getting in the car and looking around as we begin to head back to the pack. I don¡¯t see her, but I know she¡¯s there. My mate. The One 11 The One 11 Chapter 11: Injured 288 Mouchers Chapter 11: Injured Sophie Penny woke me up in the middle of the night and I took my shift, watching and making sure that we stayed safe while she slept. About an hour before sunrise, I woke her. I could see a train station coming ahead and we needed to get off this train before anyone spotted us. As the train starts to slow, I strip out of my clothes and put them in my bag, shifting back into my wolf. I make sure that Penny is doing the same, then I grab my bag in my mouth and wait until the train slows as much as I feel I can let it before I need to jump. I find a spot with grass, and I leap, quickly turning to watch and make sure that Penny joins me andnds safely. Hernding isn¡¯t as graceful as mine and it looks as though she might have twisted her ankle. I race over to her, sniffing her leg. I nudge her with my nose and wait. She puts weight on her leg and almost instantly, she lifts it again, a painful yelp escaping her lips. I look around. We are very exposed here and as soon as the sun.es up, anyone close by will be able to see us. We need to get to the forest, and we need to do it quickly. I shift and quickly take Penny¡¯s paw in my hand. I gently move my hand up to the knee joint where she flinched, whimpering as I touch it. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to carry you Penny. We can¡¯t stay here, we 25:130 Chapter 115 Injured 1 288 Vouchers have to move.¡± She shakes her head, pushing me with her nose, telling me to leave her. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you. I know it¡¯s going hurt to shift, but I need you to shift, and then you can climb on my back. I¡¯ll carry you. We¡¯ve got to get to the forest before the sunes up,¡± I tell her urgently. When she doesn¡¯t instantly shift, take her face in my hands. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. It¡¯s going to be hard enough for me to travel carrying you. We have to go, Penny. You have to shift.¡± She nods, and I release her face. She whimpers as she begins to shift and when her leg shifts back, she cries out before pping her hand over her mouth. Her knee looks terrible. It¡¯s swollen and already bruising an ugly purple color. ¡°That¡¯s going to take some time to heal. Come on, we need to get going.¡± I help her up into a standing position, grabbing both of our bags and handing them to her. Once she has them over her shoulders, I turn, crouching down in front of her and I help her the good leg around my waist, and get onto my back. She wraps I carefully wrap my arm underneath the thigh of her bad leg. She whimpers softly as she bends her knee and lets it hang. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to run Penny, so just hang on.¡± ¡°Okay, just hurry,¡± she says and I can hear the pain in her voice. I take off running as fast as I can. I run in the opposite direction of the train station and train tracks. It looks like there¡¯s a mile, Chapter 11 Injured ¡ü 288 Vouchers maybe two, before I can get to what looks like a forest. I hope that¡¯s what it is. I hope it¡¯s a thick forest, where we can hide and maybe find a ce to let Penny rest and heal. When I get to the tree line, the sun is just starting to rise and I can see very quickly that this is no thick forest. This is just a smattering of trees, and we¡¯ll have to continue on. Penny pushes her face against my back as I run. I can hear her whimpering periodically, but she keeps the sounds as quiet as she possibly can. I frequently stop listening to make sure that no one is following us, that no one has caught our scent. This is a bad situation, and it would be very easy for us to be captured. Somewhere around noon, I stop near ake, sitting Penny on the ground. I need to catch my breath and she needs to stretch out her legs. Thankfully the trees have gotten thicker as I¡¯ve run. I¡¯m still moving in the general direction of my parents¡¯ pack, hoping that it¡¯s them leaving the food out. I know we¡¯ll need to be more careful as we get closer to my parents¡¯ pack. There are several wolf packs in the surrounding area. I don¡¯t know how many of those Alphas have found their mates, butCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. I¡¯m sure if they haven¡¯t, they¡¯ll be on the hunt for one. I take our water bottles and fill them quickly in the coolkeing back and handing one to Penny as I sit beside her. I drink the water quickly, thirsty after my long run. Then Llook down at her knee. ¡°How does it feel?¡± I ask her. ¡°Better,¡± she says. I look at it and see that it¡¯s turned into a yellow and green brdise from the ugly ck and purple that it was earlier today. That¡¯s a good sign that it¡¯s healing, but the fact that it¡¯s still bruised means it¡¯s not healed enough. 21:13 1288 Vouchers ¡°Do you want to try walking on it?¡± I ask her. ¡°Yeah, let me at least try and if nothing else, maybe I can walk for a while. The forest has gotten thicker here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I agree, knowing it would be better if I can look around, see if I can find a ce for us to hide tonight. I pull out two more gran bars from my bag and hand her one before taking our water bottles down to theke and refilling them. ¡°Let¡¯s try walking around theke, maybe there¡¯s an area here where we can hide for the night, or at least let you rest until your knee is healed. It looks like it should be fine by tomorrow and then we can both begin to run. ¡°I¡¯m holding you back. You should just go without me,¡± she says, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you here. You¡¯re at risk at being captured. I¡¯m not going to do that to you.¡± She nods and surprises me by reaching out to hug me. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what friend¡¯s do.¡± ¡°I wish we were the kind of friends who could stay together and not have to separate in another day or so.¡± ¡°Me too. Maybe someday. We can hope.¡± I help her up and wrap her arm around my shoulder before we begin making our way slowly around theke. We both listen intently for the sounds of footfalls, running paws, growls, or howls of any kind. It¡¯s slow going as Penny limps her way around theke trying 288 Vouchers not to put too much weight on her bad knee. Once we¡¯re around the Lake, I look around and see that away from theke, the forest bes thicker with trees. ¡°What do you think, Penny? Theke or the forest for tonight?¡± She looks around, then looks back at the forest. ¡°I feel too exposed here by theke. I feel like anyone in the area wille here to get water, and then they will find us.¡± ¡°I agree. I think it¡¯s time for you to climb back on my back. I¡¯d like to make some good time and get away from thiske. As soon as someone catches our scent, they¡¯lle after us and I¡¯d like to be far enough away that we still have a chance.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we swim across? If we get in the water, our scent will be lost, and it will take a long time for them to find our scent again. If we swim straight across, we can get out and then cut left heading north again.¡± ¡°Are you sure your knee can handle it?¡± I ask her, worried about her ability to swim. It¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t already suggested that we cross theke. ¡°I¡¯d rather take longer to heal than to get caught,¡± she says resolutely. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it. We¡¯ll swim together. I¡¯ll carry our bags and keep them over my head. You worry about swimming and keeping your head afloat.¡± We strip off our clothes and make our way into the water. It¡¯s cold and my body is covered in goosebumps almost immediately. Once we¡¯re submerged in the water, Penny looks at me. Her lips have already started turning blue. 211 Chapter 11: Injured ¡°At l-l-least the c-c-cold f-f-feels g-g-good against m-m-my knee,¡± she stutters with the cold. 288 Vouchers I nod, focusing on keeping our bags over my head as I use my legs to kick and push me across the lake. Penny uses her arms, pulling her body behind her, letting her bad leg drag limply in the water. Thankfully, there isn¡¯t much of a current. The problem is the cold. By the time we reach the other side, the sun is starting to set. We get out and I immediately grab clothes out of both our bags, handing hers to her and putting mine own on. Once we¡¯re dressed, I give Penny our bags and I help her get on my back again. It takes me about a mile to work out the cold and the stiffness in my joints. But after that I get into a rhythm and begin running. This time it¡¯s not as painful for Penny. And she¡¯s able to listen for sounds of others chasing us while I focus on running and finding a ce where we can be safe for the night. While I¡¯m running, I cross the path of a small Alpha hunting group. So rather than stopping, I continue on much longer than I intended to. It¡¯s well into the night when we finally find a ce to stop. We both copse, exhausted. Neither of us even bothers to change. We put our bags under our heads and fall asleep. It¡¯ste the next day when we wake. I step out of the little shelter I found and sniff the air, looking around. We had both been so tired that we hadn¡¯t kept watch, but I don¡¯t hear anything, and I don¡¯t smell anyone. I turn back and I look at Penny. She¡¯s checking out her knee and it looks much better than it did yesterday. Chapter 11: Injured 288 Vouchers ¡°How does it feel?¡± I ask her. ¡°Better. Healed,¡± she says. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re too far from where we¡¯re supposed to be based on the directions you gave me. If we run hard, I think we can be there in a couple of hours, early afternoon at thetest. Then you can have some food and maybe you¡¯ll be nice enough to share the water with me,¡± I smile at her. ¡°I¡¯ll share both the food and the water with you,¡± she says. ¡°You¡¯ve been so kind and so generous to me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just see what¡¯s there. Let¡¯s hope that there really is food and water.¡± We pack up our things and we start slow, making sure that Penny is able to run on her injured leg. But it seems that it¡¯s healed, if notpletely, then almostpletely, so we begin running much harder. It¡¯s early afternoon when we arrive. We slow down and I let Penny take the lead. She has a better idea of where she¡¯s going. The terrain here has be much rockier than the forest, and we have to be careful. I lift my nose in the air, sniffing to see if I smell any Alphas in the area. What I smell has me stopping in my tracks. I smell the scent of a she-wolf. That¡¯s expected. It¡¯s not one that I recognize, but it makes sense that a she-wolf is the one leaving the food and water for us. It¡¯s the other scent that makes me stop. The scent of pine, the scent of home. ¡®Mate,¡¯ Hedda says. The One 12 The One 12 Chapter 12: Home 208 Vouchers Chapter 12: Home Sophie I I slow, nearly to a stop. I growl softly at Penny, and she stops too, turning to look at me. She whimpers softly, wanting to know what is wrong. I sniff the air again and my eyes practically roll into the back of my head. The smell of pine intermixed with the musky masculinity of the Alpha is making my body feel strange. I know he¡¯s an Alpha. I¡¯m not sure how I knew, but I could tell, just by his scent. Hedda whimpers in my mind, much more loudly than Penny. She wants to meet her mate. ¡®Hedda, you know that¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡®I know, but still¡­.he smells so good,¡¯ she half purrs, half whimpers in my head. I can see that Penny still hasn¡¯t picked up his scent. I probably have because he¡¯s my mate, but I¡¯m also an Alpha and my senses are a bit stronger than hers. I shift, staying in my crouched position. ¡°I smell an Alpha up ahead,¡± I whisper to her. Her head whips around and her nose goes in the air as she whimpers again. ¡°Easy, Penny. I can smell a she-wolf with him. She smells like a Charter 12 Home 1288 Vouchers ranked member. Maybe she is the one who is putting the food out and he¡¯s helping her?¡± I suggest. It¡¯s unlikely and I know it. Just having his scent here now will deter several she-wolves from getting the food and water they came here for, at least. until his scent dies down. I wonder why he¡¯s here. Why now? Why today? I stay in my low. crouch, and I slowly move forward, staying hidden in the bushes. I stop when I see a man and a woman, walking away from a particrly rocky spot in the side of this mountain. ¡°Alpha?¡± the woman asks. It¡¯s interesting to me that she doesn¡¯t seem afraid of him. Hedda growls possessively in my head. She doesn¡¯t like this she-wolf near her mate. I fight to keep the sound to myself as I watch his nose turn in our direction, watch it twitch as he sniffs the air, I realize the wind has shifted and he¡¯s caught my scent. I stiffen, waiting for him toe after me. I¡¯m ready to leap and run. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Kinsley, let¡¯s head back.¡± The woman, Kinsley, turns and looks in our direction, but I can tell that she has not captured our scent the way that he has, or at least not mine. I¡¯m not sure if he smelled both Penny and I or just me as his mate. ¡°You go find the food. I¡¯m going to make sure they leave,¡± I whisper to Penny. J shift, knowing that Hedda is much quieter than I am. She stays low and we follow the two of them all the way back to a car. I watch as the Alpha turns and looks back in our direction. When Chapter 12: Home 288 Vouchers he does, I realize two things. First, I know him. I remember him from Amelia¡¯s birthday party. That is Alpha Hunter, the man who danced with me and watched over me that night. Second, he doesn¡¯t have a mark on his neck. He hasn¡¯t found his mate yet. ¡®That¡¯s why he smells so good. He¡¯s been waiting for us,¡¯ Hedda purrs. I ignore her and watch as they leave, wondering if he will return without the female, worried that we¡¯ll have to leave tonight. When their car is far enough away, I turn and run back to where Penny was. I follow her scent until I have to shift back into my human form to be able to follow along the passageway. I have to admit, that she-wolf was smart to find this spot. I¡¯m not even sure how that Alpha fit through here, I can barely fit through here. Omegas would have a much easier time being naturally smaller. I look around, sniffing the rocks, wondering if the Alpha scraped himself and left blood. When I don¡¯t smell any, I realize that he must have been very careful and that the she-wolf must have helped him if he went into this area because I don¡¯t find a single spot of blood. When I finally get to the center, Penny is devouring the food that¡¯s been left. ¡°It¡¯s still lukewarm,¡± sheContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. mumbles around a mouthful of food. I¡¯ll admit, the scent of freshly cooked food is making my stomach grumble, but I know that Penny is much hungrier than I am. ¡°Eat,¡± she says, pushing some food towards me. ¡°And look, there¡¯s a ce where we can bathe.¡± I step forward, taking some of the food. My mouth is watering as I take the first bite and I moan softly to myself. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had real food. Food at the diner was greasy and Chapter 12: Home gross but I lived off of it because I had to. This is the kind of food you get in a packhouse, the kind of food meant for werewolves. 288 Vouchers While I eat, I walk over to the small pool. I reached my hand out where the water is dripping down from the side of the mountain against the rocks. The water here is cool, but when I put my feet. into the pool, it¡¯s warm where the sun has shone on it throughout the day. ¡°Oh Penny, I¡¯m getting in before the water gets cold,¡± I tell her. Since I haven¡¯t bothered to put on clothes since I¡¯ve shifted back and forth, I step into the pool, letting the warm water soothe my aching body. I lower myself into the pool, moving my arms around, letting the waterp against me. I close my eyes and lean back, floating in the water and letting the sun hit my face, feeling safe for the first time in a long time. That thought makes me pause. I feel safe, yet I just ran into the Alpha who is my mate. My mind goes back to that night. The night I met Alpha Hunter. I remember he was a great dancer. I remember he was very polite and kind to me. I remember him challenging Alpha Owen when he wouldn¡¯t let me and Warrior Julianne pass. But what I remember most is him watching me while Alpha Calvin imed my sister. The memory sends shivers up my spine, and I sit up in the pool of water. ¡®It didn¡¯t feel covetous. It didn¡¯t make the hair on the back of my neck stand up like what Alpha Owen did,¡¯ Hedda says. ¡®No, but he was there,¡¯ I say and then think about it. Why wasn¡¯t he in the room with the others? Why was he looking up at me? Did he know, even back then, that I was his mate? Was he nning even back then, to im me as his mate? Or was he Chapter 12: Home 1288 Vouchers doing what Julianne had suggested he¡¯d been doing and watching out for me all night, protecting me from the others? I step out of the water feeling torn, unsure of my feelings. towards Alpha Hunter. Although I¡¯m confident about one thing. Mate or no, I have no intention of being imed publicly. When I step back over to where the food was, I realized that Penny has stuffed herselfpletely. There was enough food for her to take with her, but she was so hungry that she just shoveled it all in and now her stomach is so bloated that she can barely move. I look around and realize that this is a fairly safe ce and unless Alpha Hunter returns tonight, we could actually stay here. ¡°Read the note,¡± Penny says from where she¡¯s lying down on the ground. She points at a note sitting on the makeshift stone table. I pick it up along with a bottle of water and sit down to read it. It gives thest known coordinates of the Alphas and the other ranked members who are hunting the females. The note wishes us luck, letting us know that there are four wolfpacks in this area and that we need to be careful, but I already knew that. It also says that while her Alpha does not agree with the current process of iming mates, not everyone in their pack agrees with him, so it is unsafe for him to bring the she-wolves into his pack. That is the only reason he¡¯s not offering his protection. The note goes on to exin that there is a separate exit from the entrance, in case we¡¯re found here. That way, we¡¯re not actually captured. I look at the instructions for exiting and I find the opening across from where we came in. Chapter 12: Home 280 Vouchers ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± tell Penny. She struggles to sit up, looking at me. ¡°Where are you going? Did you see that this is a safe ce for us to sleep tonight?¡± ¡°I did, but I want to check out this exit. I want to know where we¡¯re going toe out and I want to make sure that I don¡¯t smell any Alphas in that area. Otherwise, we¡¯ll need to exit through the front. She nods and I make my way through the back exit. These rock formations are even tighter than the other ones, making it even harder for me to move through them. I know that no Alpha or male ranked member could fit through here. When I get to the end, I carefully step out, sniffing the air. I don¡¯t immediately smell any Alphas in the area, so I step out a little bit further. From here I can see that we¡¯re on the other side of the mountain from where we entered. It¡¯s a small mountain, but it gives me a view of the vast area surrounding us. I find what I¡¯m looking for and I find a ce to sit down. I look down over my parents¡¯ pack. I¡¯m so close. I wish I could just go to them, but I know that I can¡¯t. From everything that Penny told me, my father has worked very hard to give me the freedom that I chose when I ran. It¡¯s too risky to try and go see them. If I were captured, he would have done all of that fighting for nothing. I turn and look in either direction, seeing the other wolf packs, watching to see where their patrols go and how far their territories extend. When I exit this way tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to be careful. There¡¯s only a thin area in between the packnds and I will have to be very quick getting through them. I stay longer than I intended, waiting until the sun sets, and I can see the lights and torches light up in my parents¡¯ pack. I Clienter 12 Hone 788 Vouchers can¡¯t be sure, but I think I see my father step out back, looking up at the mountain. ¡°I see you, Father, and I thank you for helping to protect me in the only way that you can,¡± I say softly on the wind. Then I stand, making my way back into the center of the mountain, where I know I will sleep safely tonight. The One 13 The One 13 Chapter 13: Wait Hunter I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep knowing she¡¯s out there. Alone. My mate. I¡¯ve thought through hundreds of scenarios of how to talk to her, to let her know that I won¡¯t force my mark on her, or im her publicly, but I have no idea how to even get close enough to her in order to have a conversation with her. Shaw has been no help. He¡¯s ready to hunt her down and mark her. He wants to im his mate so no one else can. He¡¯s been pacing in my head, asking me every 15 minutes if we have any updates on where the Alphas are hunting. When he asks me again, I snap. ¡®Shaw, it¡¯s the middle of the f**k**g night. No one has an update on any of the Alphas!¡¯ I bark at him. ¡°We should go to her, find her, protect her, make sure she¡¯s safe.¡¯ ¡®If she¡¯s safe and we show up, especially at night, she¡¯ll run.¡¯ He growls at me and continues to prowl around in my head. I sigh, sitting up. There was no use trying to get any sleep. Between me and Shaw, I won¡¯t be sleeping tonight. I feel like a zombie by the time I have to get dressed for warrior 0.00% 21 141 289 Moucherh training. I trudge down the stairs and I¡¯m almost knocked over by Lucas who is practically sk**g down the stairs. ¡°Good morning, Alpha!¡± he sings, causing me to flinch at his much too loud tone. ¡°What¡¯s good about it,¡± I grumble. ¡®It¡¯s good because we can finally go to her,¡± Shaw grumbles in my head. He¡¯s as tired as I am, both of us working off of anxious adrenaline. ¡°Rough night?¡± Lucas asks me, his tone and demeaner much more muted. I sigh. I haven¡¯t told anyone. I didn¡¯t even tell Kinsley yesterday on the way home. I look around, seeing the warriors all heading out back for training. I take Lucas¡¯ arm and pull him into my office, closing my door. ¡°This stays between me and you. For now, you can¡¯t even tell Kinsley,¡± I say, turning to look at him. ¡°Do I need tomand you?¡± He frowns at me. ¡°When have you ever needed tomand me to keep a secret, Alpha?¡± he asks, and I can hear the hurt in his voice. I huff, running my fingers through my hair. ¡°You¡¯re right, I apologize. I¡¯m just¡­¡± I sigh and scrub my face roughly, trying to focus. When I look back at Lucas I can see his worry. ¡°I smelled her. Yesterday when Kinsley and I went to the ce where she leaves the food for the she-wolves on the run, I smelled my mate. She was there. Chapter 13: Wait 208 Vouchers ¡°Oh, f**k. What did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing! I was afraid I¡¯d scare her off. If she¡¯s hungry or needed a safe ce to sleep, I didn¡¯t want to take that away from her, but now¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep all night worrying about her,¡± he finishes for me. I huff out a sigh, running my hand through my hair again. ¡°Exactly.¡± He looks at me a moment. ¡°Go. Go find her. I can take care of training this morning. Go, talk to her. But Alpha, if you mark her, if you do it in private¡­¡± I feel Shaw push forward, feel anger at my Beta. ¡°Would you challenge me?¡± I growl at him. He frowns at me. ¡°No, never. I understand now, more than I ever did. But others may challenge you and her as a Luna. Not just other Alphas, but also some in our pack. You need to be prepared for that.¡± ¡°If I mark her and she agrees to return with me, they will ept her or I will reject them from the pack,¡± Shaw snarls. He nods. ¡°Then go, convince her to let you mark her. Kinsley would love to have another female around.¡± I¡¯m desperate to go to her. Whether it¡¯s Shaw¡¯s need, mine, or both of ours, I don¡¯t question Lucas¡¯ ability to watch the pack while I¡¯m gone. He¡¯s my Beta for a reason. I turn and before I can think too much about it, Shaw pulls the 288 (Vouchers shift, and begins racing to where hest smelled our mate. As we run, I catch the scent of local Alphas, but we also catch the scent of other ranked wolves that aren¡¯t local. Shaw growls. The only reason ranked wolves would be in these woods is because they are hunting she-wolves on the run, one of those being my mate. When we cross their trail and smell the scent of only a few wolves, I know that I¡¯m right. Shaw pushes harder to get back to our mate before one of these Alphas finds her first. One of the problems that has arisen with the she-wolves running is that now, ranked members don¡¯t only search for their fated mates. If they find a wolf and catch her, they im her. So, the fact that this she-wolf is mine won¡¯t matter to them. And if they im her first, the mate bond, my fated mate bond, will be gone forever. I can¡¯t let that happen. When we get higher up into the areas where the forested mountain bes rocky, Shaw slows, lifting his head into the air and sniffing for her scent. Since we know where the opening to the safe area is, we continue to make our way there while he searches for her scent. It¡¯s possible that she didn¡¯t go inside. If she caught my scent, it could have scared her off. But I¡¯m hoping that she needed the food and shelter more than she feared my scent. As we get closer, I catch her scent and the scent of another she- wolf, younger than my mate. I follow it to the entrance of the hiding spot that Kinsley found and I smile. If nothing else, I know my mate has eaten recently and hopefully she slept herest night. If I¡¯m really lucky, she¡¯s still here. I carefully make my way into the space where Kinsley leaves the food. I realize that I should have brought some with me. Now, 21-18 Chapter 13 Wat 288 Mouchers depending on what happens with my mate, I¡¯ll either have toe backter, or I¡¯ll have to figureCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. out how to get more here. I don¡¯t want hopeful she-wolves going hungry because of my distraction with my mate. I¡¯ve made amitment to help. these she-wolves and I need to fulfill that. I¡¯ll just have to figure it out once I¡¯ve found my mate. When I finally get inside, my heart drops. While I can smell her scent and the scent of the other she- wolf, neither of them are here. I lift my nose, sniffing the air. Her orchid scent is filling the small space and the small bit of air blowing around in here is wafting her scent around me. I can see that the food that Kinsley and I left yesterday is gone. It also looks like both women slept herest night. I walk around sniffing the ground until I find the spot where my mate slept. Her scent is strong. I touch the ground and realize that it is still warmer than the earth around where she was sleeping. She hasn¡¯t been gone long. Then I see the bag. I reach out and take the bag, bringing it to my nose. This is my mate¡¯s bag. It¡¯s possible that she forgot it, but most likely, she¡¯sing back. I begin looking around. I hadn¡¯t looked for the secret exit yesterday when Kinsley told me about it, but that must be how they got out. Otherwise, I would have seen them. I see the card sitting on the stone table and s**h it up. I find where the back exit is and I walk over to it, sniffing the walls and catching her scent. I feel Shaw perk up in my mind and I open my senses, letting him guide me to whatever caught his attention. ¡°Be careful, Penny. If you go that way, there are several packs. that are close together. You have to be very careful not to cross Chapter 13: Wan 288 Vouchers onto their packnds,¡± my mate instructs. I know it¡¯s my mate by the fluttering my heart makes at the sound of her voice. ¡°Which way do you think is safer?¡± the girl, Penny, asks. It¡¯s quiet for a moment while my mate ponders her answer. Is she staying or are they going their separate ways now? ¡°If we hadn¡¯t heard the sounds of wolves nearbyst night, I¡¯d say go the other way, but since we did, I think you should head toward the packs. See the one in the middle there? That one is safe, and you are probably safe to go between their pack and the one to the left of them. There¡¯s about a mile between the pack borders, but you¡¯ll have to be fast. I don¡¯t know if that pack is hunting she- wolves, so skirt closer to the one on the right.¡± I think about where my mate is directing the younger she-wolf. The middle pack that she¡¯d see from up here would be Alpha Carter¡¯s pack. I wonder how she knows that his pack is safe. Alpha Dutton¡¯s pack is on the left of theirs from this perspective and it¡¯s also safe, although Dutton hasn¡¯t found his mate yet. I know he¡¯s not out hunting for a mate, but I also don¡¯t know that he wouldn¡¯t let an opportunity like that pass him by if onended, at his front door. So, my mate¡¯s instructions are perfect for this she-wolf. I hear Penny say something quietly to my mate, but I don¡¯t hear what she says. ¡°Yes,¡± my mate responds. ¡°It must be hard to be this close.¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± my mate says sadly. Chapter 13: Wait 288 Vouchers This close to what? I hear the rustling of clothing and then the snapping of bones as Penny shifts. ¡°Be safe, and I hope our paths cross again,¡± my mate says. Penny lets out a soft bark and then I hear her paws running off in the direction of Alpha Carter¡¯s pack. I wait, listening, until I hear my mate sigh and then I hear the tell- tale scratching of skin and clothing against the rocky surface of what must be the exit. She¡¯sing back. I move, not wanting to startle her and cause her to hurt herself. The fa**t ce I can move in this small space is over by the main entrance. As I feel her getting closer, I take a deep breath of her scent. The moment she steps back into the space she stops. Her eyes go wide, and she immediately starts to turn back. ¡°Wait!¡± I say, putting my hands up. ¡°I could have captured you, but that¡¯s not the type of man I am. Please, I just want to talk to you,¡± I say to her. ¡°The type of Alpha you are, you mean?¡± she asks, not moving away from the exit. ¡°Please, I just want to talk to you. ¡°How did you even get in here?¡± she asks, looking around. ¡°It¡¯s my Beta female who is leaving the food. I caught your scent yesterday when I came here with her, and I couldn¡¯t sleep all night, worrying about you, out here alone.¡± Chapter 13: Walt 1288 Vouchers ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone,¡± she says. ¡°That juvenile she-wolf doesn¡¯t count. I¡¯m sure you were providing more protection to her than she was to you.¡± ¡°How did you¡­¡± she begins, but I tap my nose. ¡°I caught her scent as well.¡± She looks at me warily. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± I look at her a moment. I know she must sense the mate bond, but since she¡¯s also on the run, I know it¡¯s probably scaring her right now. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She looks at me for a long moment. ¡°Josephine.¡± Josephine? It¡¯s not a name, I know and now that I¡¯m closer to her, I can smell that she¡¯s an Alpha. I¡¯ve been given a rare gift from the Moon Goddess, an Alpha she-wolf for a mate. Given how long it took her to respond, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a fake name. I can understand why she¡¯s scared. But I want her to know that she can trust me. ¡°My name is¡­¡± ¡°I know who you are, Alpha Hunter,¡± she says. Chapter 13: Wait 298 Mouchers ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone,¡± she says. ¡°That juvenile she-wolf doesn¡¯t count. I¡¯m sure you were providing more protection to her than she was to you.¡± ¡°How did you¡­¡± she begins, but I tap my nose. ¡°I caught her scent as well.¡± She-looks at me warily. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± I look at her a moment. I know she must sense the mate bond, but since she¡¯s also on the run, I know it¡¯s probably scaring her right now. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She looks at me for a long moment. ¡°Josephine.¡± Josephine? It¡¯s not a name, I know and now that I¡¯m closer to her, I can smell that she¡¯s an Alpha. I¡¯ve been given a rare gift from the Moon Goddess, an Alpha she-wolf for a mate. Given how long it took her to respond, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a fake name. I can understand why she¡¯s scared. But I want her to know that she can trust me. ¡°My name is¡­¡± ¡°I know who you are, Alpha Hunter,¡± she says. The One 14 The One 14 Chapter 14: Hunted Sophie Maybe it¡¯s the sadness of seeing my family¡¯s pack again, or maybe it¡¯s because I was distracted by the masculine scent mixed with pine that Hedda was purring over, but I didn¡¯t realize that Alpha Hunter was in the hidden space until I stepped back into it after saying goodbye to Penny. I wanted to run, to get out of here before he could grab me, but Hedda held me in ce, and he made a good point. If had wanted to grab me, he could have, and I wouldn¡¯t have realized what was happening until it was toote. I considered giving him my real name. Hedda wanted me to, but I don¡¯t trust him yet. It doesn¡¯t help that he¡¯s standing here. naked in front of me. I¡¯ve been working with humans for so long, I¡¯ve forgotten what it¡¯s like to live with shifters who have no modesty. And why is he here? What are his motives for being here? Are his warriors right outside the entrance to this space and if I follow him, he¡¯ll force his mark on me in front of them? No way I¡¯ m letting that happen. I can see the shock on his face when I tell him I know who he is. I¡¯m not sure if I should be insulted that he doesn¡¯t remember me or happy that he doesn¡¯t know who I am. I have changed my hair color. I¡¯m sure that I look harder than I did a couple of years ago when I led a cushy life. Life on the run tends to do that to you. I¡¯ m thinner, more muscr, and more streetwise than I was two 21:15 14: Hunted 288 Vouchers years ago. ¡°You know who I am?¡± he asks, his nose going up in the air and he sniffs my scent again. ¡°Have we met?¡± ¡°What do you want, Alpha Hunter?¡± I ask him and he instantly. refocuses his attention on me. I swallow hard. The man¡¯s gaze is intense. It was before when we danced at my sister¡¯s birthday party, but now¡­now his gaze is sending waves of warmth through my body. ¡°I want to get to know my mate. I want to keep you safe, and I want to let you know that I¡¯m not one of those Alphas who will mark and mate you in public.¡± raise my eyebrow at him and chuckle derisively. ¡°Really? Are you going to keep me safe from yourself?¡± ¡°I would never hurt you.¡± ¡°Why should I believe that you are any different from the other Alphas who im their mates publicly?¡± ¡°Because I am a possessive man, a possessive wolf, and a possessive Alpha,¡± he growls, making shivers run through my body. He takes a predatory step forward and I press my back against the rocky wall. ¡°I will never share my mate with anyone. No one has the right to see her, to see you, in that state except for me,¡± he says. ¡°You are mine. The Moon Goddess made you for me and I do not share what is mine.¡± His words are doing strange things to me. I desperately want to believe him, but I can¡¯t. I remember the way he watched me that 15.384 21:15 Chapter 14: Hunted 1280 (Vouchers night at Amelia¡¯s birthday party. Now, I wonder if it was this possessiveness he¡¯s speaking of Did he know back then that I was his mate? ¡°You said it¡¯s your Beta female who is leaving the food out here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I want to help when and where I can.¡± ¡°Then, what you¡¯re saying to me is a lie,¡± I tell him. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°In her note, she very clearly says that you can¡¯t bring these she- wolves into your pack because not everyone in your pack. agrees with your decision to not im mates publicly. Tell me, was her im public?¡± ¡°Yes, it was. My Beta did not understand the impact of the public mating until after it was toote.¡± ¡°What does that mean, toote?¡± ask. ¡°When you mark your mate, you not only can hear their thoughts, but you can feel their emotions. He was able to feel everything that she was feeling in that moment. He s**hed her up and took her to their room, but the damage was done. It¡¯s taken them over a year to finally start toe together. He understands now why I would never do that. I want a positive rtionship with my mate. I want her to trust me, to love me and cherish our bond as much as I do. The only way that¡¯s possible is if I cherish it from the very beginning.¡± ra ¡°Those are pretty words, Alpha. But that¡¯s all they are. Words.¡± 21:15 Chapter 14: Hunted 288 Vouchers ¡°How can I convince you? Would you be willing to stay here until I can bring Kinsley to you? She can confirm everything I¡¯ve said to you.¡± I can feel Hedda howling in my head. She knows what I¡¯m about to do and she¡¯s howling her resistance, making my head hurt. ¡°She¡¯s your Beta. She would do whatever you tell her to do. I can¡¯t trust that. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say and I see his eyes go wide. ¡°NO!¡± he shouts, taking a step forward. ¡°I¡­¡± S**t! I can¡¯t give him my real name. He¡¯ll know who I am, that I¡¯m an Alpha female, and then I¡¯ll never be free of him, ¡°I reject you, Alpha Hunter Reynolds as my mate and Alpha,¡± I say, and watch as his hand ps against his chest. I don¡¯t wait to see if the rejection works. I know it¡¯s only partiallyplete anyway. He¡¯d have to ept it, but perhaps he¡¯s hurt enough for me to escape. Leaving my bag behind, I quickly make my way out of the secondary exit. I scratch myself in several ces as I rush to get out and away from Alpha Hunter, from my mate, from his intoxicating scent, and from all of the pretty things that he said that I wish I could believe. But that¡¯s not reality. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d risk losing his pack members and maybe even his Alpha title to im me privately. Rather than follow Penny, I change directions and go left. I leap, letting Hedda take over and begin running hard and fast. I don¡¯t know if Alpha Hunter will follow me, but I¡¯m not taking any chances. I haven¡¯t gone far when I hear the howl of the hunt. My heart. 21.16 1288 Vouchers s**p*s a beat, and we stumble as we run. Thankfully, Hedda catches us before we can fall, and she begins pushing herself even harder. I hear the answering call of three more wolves, and I know I¡¯m in trouble. If they catch me¡­ ¡®If we¡¯re going to be forced, I¡¯d rather it be my mate,¡¯ Hedda says, and I can hear the fear in her voice. She doesn¡¯t want to be forced into a mate bond, especially when her mate is so close. Unfortunately, we most likely left our mate writhing on the ground, so I don¡¯t think we can expect any help from him. ¡®Do you think we can turn back?¡¯ I ask her, just as we hear yipsing up on either side of us. ¡®Toote,¡¯ she says. Real fear slides down my spine. If this group is able to keep up with us, they are all ranked members. This is most like an Alpha and his ranked members hunting for a mate. And as an Alpha female, I¡¯m the golden prize. I hear paws running us down as the wolves on either side of us begin closing in. ¡®Faster, Hedda,¡¯ I scream. I feel her push even harder, but I was right. This is an Alpha male. Only an Alpha can run down another Alpha. I feel jaws snapping at Hedda¡¯s legs, then a nose bumping into her legs, tripping her up. She stumbles, flipping over and over before finallynding on her stomach. When she shakes her head and focuses, we¡¯re surrounded by four wolves. Thergest one, the Alpha,es to stand in front of me. He shifts, then Nooks down at us. ¡°Shift!¡± hemands. I can already see that he¡¯s aroused, 21.150 Chapter 14 Huvied 288 Wouchers excited by the hunt and capturing his prey. Me. I feel the weight of hismand wash over me, but I¡¯m an Alpha too. I can¡¯t be forced by an Alpha that isn¡¯t my own. When I don¡¯tply with hismand, I watch a slow, predatory smile spread across his face. ¡°Well, well, looky here boys. We caught ourselves an Alpha,¡± he says, watching me intently. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one more chance to shift, little one. Then, if you don¡¯tply, I¡¯m going to let Hegir, my wolf, to mark and mate you and then you¡¯ll be forced to shift onmand so that I can mark and mate you in human form. What will it be, little Alpha?¡± Hedda gets to her feet, her head low as she growls menacingly at him. I watch as he smiles. ¡°Good, I love a good fight before I f**k,¡± he says before shifting. He leaps and Hedda jumps away from him, only to be corralled by the other three wolves. The wolf, Hegir, begins stalking us. Hedda waits until he close, then leaps, trying to jump over him. I¡¯ m not sure if he anticipated the movement or just got lucky, but he leaps up at her as she jumps, knocking onto her side. Before she can get up, he pounces on her. She snaps and scratches, snarling at him. Heys his body on her, crushing her into the ground and trying to get his teeth around her throat or the back of her neck to force her submission. 21:15 Chapter 14 Hunted 788 Vouchers It¡¯s getting harder to breathe and know we¡¯re only moments away from his wolf getting the upper hand when I hear another snarl and suddenly, Hegir is ripped off of us. The huge wolf puts himself in between me and the other wolves as they snarl, some checking on their Alpha and the others preparing to leap on Hunter¡¯s wolf. Because that is who came to my rescue, Alpha Hunter. Faster than I¡¯ve ever seen anyone shift, he¡¯s in his human form, his head turned to look at me. ¡°Run! I¡¯ll find you,¡± he says before quickly shifting back just in time to snap his jaws at the wolf leaping at him. When I don¡¯t immediately take off, he turns, barking at me to go, and I shake off the shock before Hedda turns and races off. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m more terrified of that he¡¯lle and find me, or that he won¡¯t because he¡¯s dead.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The One 15 The One 15 Chapter 15: Comfort Hunter When my mate rejected me, I instinctively clutched at my heart, expecting the horrific pain of rejection. My heart felt the sting of her words, but not the debilitating pain of her rejection. And then I¡¯d realized something very important ¨C she hadn¡¯t given her name in the rejection which just confirmed to me that her name isn¡¯t Josephine. Every wolf, especially an Alpha wolf, knows how to properly reject their mate. Not that it matters much in these times, but it matters to me. I made my way out of the hidden space and was debating on whether or not I should chase after her when I heard the howl of the hunt go up. There was no way that I was going to risk my mate getting caught and imed by anyone else. Shaw pulled the shift and began racing in the direction the howls hade from. When we hear the yipping excitement of the pack closing in, Shaw snarls and pushes harder. I hear her vicious snarl and as terrified as I am for her, I smile internally at her willingness to fight. I know they¡¯ll have her surrounded, but she¡¯s refusing to go down without a fight. That gives me enough time to get to her. When I finallyy eyes on her though, fear unlike anything I¡¯ve ever felt before runs icy in my veins and I see red. I knew from his scent that it was Alpha Owen, and he has my mate pinned to the ground in wolf form trying to force his mark on her so he can force her shift. 21:15 15: Comfort 288 Voucher Shaw swipes at his Ga** before leaping and grabbing Hegir by the back of his neck and ripping him off of my mate. Shaw doesn¡¯t take the time needed to snap his neck, but his bite is deep and I feel his teeth touch bone. We ce ourselves between our mate and Owen¡¯s pack members. His Beta immediately runs to help him while his Ga**a is still trying to stand with the gaping wounds I left. running down his side. The fourth wolf, however, looks like he¡¯s going to leap at me. He obviously doesn¡¯t know who I am. Before he can make his move, I pull the shift, staying in my crouch and turn to my mate, telling her to run. Just as the wolf leaps at me, Shaw pulls the shift back into our wolf form. He jumps up and our jaws sink into the wolf¡¯s soft, fleshy throat. When I don¡¯t hear my mate¡¯s retreating paws, I turn and see her gaping at the scene in front of her. Shaw barks sharply, getting her attention and she turns and runs as Alpha Owen regains his feet. Since neither his Beta or Ga**a look ready to attack me, I shift as well, standing to face him. ¡°Alpha Hunter, I should have f**k**g known. What theF **k are you doing? I¡¯m within my rights to im that she-wolf,¡± he says, rubbing the wounds on the back of his neck. ¡°She¡¯s my mate. I will kill you, all of you, before I¡¯ll allow you to touch her,¡± I snarl, Shaw¡¯s voice oveying with mine. Alpha Owen stops, looking at me. ¡°You just want her because she¡¯s an Alpha.¡± ¡°I want her because she¡¯s mine.¡± 21:15 Chapter 15: Comfor 1288 Vouchers ¡°Then you¡¯d better im her fast, because if Ie across her trail again, she¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Touch her and you die,¡± I snarl again. He looks at the fourth man, lying dead on the ground and realizes my threat isn¡¯t idle. I didn¡¯t rip his throat outpletely, but there¡¯s a gaping hole in between his throat and his spine. Alpha Owen looks around. ¡°I don¡¯t see any of your pack members. Did want us to follow you, so we can watch you im your mate?¡± he asks, licking his lipssciviously. He¡¯s a disgusting man and I would never let him see my mate in any form of undress. I don¡¯t care that she¡¯s a werewolf. ¡°No. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Suit yourself, but in my experience¡­¡± he begins. ¡°The experience that you don¡¯t have because you haven¡¯t been able to run down your mate yet? Even when she¡¯s outnumbered four to one?¡± I growl at him. ¡°Remind me, how long have you been trying to capture your mate?¡± His lip curls with his anger at me. ¡°I look forward to the day when I can knock you off that pedestal that you¡¯ve ced yourself on. And don¡¯t worry, Hunter, that day wille.¡± ¡°I doubt it, Owen. You aren¡¯t smart enough to knock anyone off of anything,¡± I retort. ¡°Now, are you going to turn around and run off in the direction you came from, or am I taking out one of your ranked members?¡± I ask him, staring down his G**a and Beta. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± he says, nodding at the two. His Ga**a is still 21:15 M Chapter 15 Comfort 283 Vouchers bleeding heavily from the g**s*es gave him, but he turns and takes off running. His Beta shifts and follows closely behind him. Alpha Owen gives me one final re before leaping, shifting, and following his pack members. I guess the dead guy doesn¡¯t matter, since they left him. Once I know that they¡¯re gone, I turn, leaping and letting Shaw pull the shift. He immediately catches our mate¡¯s scent and begins hunting for her. We follow her erratic trail, turning at strange points, shifting left then doubling back right before leaping over a fallen tree and running full out. I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s trying to throw a hunter off her scent or if she¡¯s struggling with almost getting caught. When we finallye up to a river, Shaw slows down. Before I see her, I can hear her teeth chattering, and I can smell the salt of tears. Shaw is slow to step out of the woods and I see her in the water, scrubbing her body that is already bright red as she **b*s. Shaw whines and m ready to pull the shift, but he stops me. ¡®She¡¯s in her human form. If you shift, she might run. She¡¯s in shock. She¡¯s shaking. Let me see if she¡¯ll let me close to her. I can¡¯t mark her in her human form,¡¯ he says as her head whips around. ¡°Stay away from me!¡± she screams, and I can see that Shaw is right. My mate is in shock. Shaw lays down, watching her and she resumes the scrubbing of her body that is bing so rough that I can smell a faint scent of blood. He whines again and begins to belly crawl toward her. She lifts Chapter 15 Comfort 1288 Voucher her nose in the air, continuing to scrub her body. ¡®Let me shift. I need to talk to her, I tell Shaw. ¡®You¡¯ll scare her off,¡¯ he growls. ¡®She¡¯s going to hurt herself. I need to talk to her, then you can shift back.¡¯ He reluctantly agrees, and I shift. As expected, she turns, ready to run. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m going to shift back, but I wanted to speak to you quickly. You¡¯re in shock. You¡¯re rubbing your skin off of your body. I¡¯m going to shift back into Shaw. Let himy with you, let him warm you. Your teeth are chattering. I don¡¯t have any clothes, or I¡¯d offer them to you. Please. I know you¡¯re afraid. I promise, my word as an Alpha, this isn¡¯t a trick to try and mark you. You¡¯re my mate. I don¡¯t like seeing you like this. Please, let me help you,¡± I say as gently as I can. I¡¯ve never begged for anything in my life. I¡¯ve never had to. I¡¯m an Alpha. I get what I want, what ask for, or what I demand. But this is different. She is different. I want her to trust me, even if it is because she¡¯s desperate to get warm. ¡°Sh-sh-shift back,¡± she says, her teeth chattering, her arms wrapped tightly around her body. She¡¯s still in the water. I have no idea if it¡¯s cold, but I know she is. I can see her lips turning blue from here. Shaw pulls the shift and immediatelyys down on his belly again, whining at her. We watch as her eyes sh darker and I know she¡¯s talking to her wolf. When she¡¯s done, she looks at Shaw, taking a step in our direction. 288 Mouchers ¡°Okay, Sh-Sh-Shaw. My w-w-wolf, Hedda, says w-w-we can trust you. She d-d-doesn¡¯t feel any ill intent fr-fr-from you. Don¡¯t p-p- prove her wrong,¡± she says, her teeth chattering as she walks. out of the water. I feel a tightness I didn¡¯t know I was carrying in my chest ease as she makes her way toward us. Shaw slowly stands and carefully takes a step toward her. She looks around. ¡°Maybe we can find a ce that isn¡¯t so sandy and rocky and is hidden, in case other Alphas catch my scent?¡± Shaw growls at that, making her lips twitch. She turns, heading back to the wooded area of the forest. ¡°I need to th-th-thank you foring to my rescue. Alpha Owen is d-d-disgusting. I can¡¯t image being b-b-bound to him for the rest of my life. I¡¯m beginning to understand why some sh-sh- she-wolves prefer to take their lives instead of living with the Alphas who im them.¡± Shaw begins to whine at her statement. She turns and looks at him, sitting down and huddling into a ball. He approaches her slowly, carefully wrapping himself around her. She gasps, then leans into his body, making him purr as he settles.himself and presses his body closer to hers. ¡°Oh, you f-f- feel so warm.¡± She presses herself closer to his body, grabbing hold of his fur and sliding her ice-cold feet against his body. We jerk at the feel of her cold body, but don¡¯t pull away. ¡°S-s-sorry, I know I¡¯m c-c-cold.¡± Shaw nuzzles her face, sniffing her, and beginning to lick the shallow wounds she caused herself by scrubbing so hard. Chapter 15: Comfort 200 Vouchers She chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re very sweet. I¡¯m guessing that came more from her wolf than from her. I wish I knew her name. All I know is that she¡¯s an Alpha female, not named Josephine. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you followed me, after I rejected you,¡± she says, her voice m**d by Shaw¡¯s fur. He rumbles at her, not quite a growl, not quite a whimper. ¡°I¡¯m really d you did,¡± she says, as her body begins to warm and the tremors from before begin to ebb. She snuggles closer to Shaw. Whether it¡¯s her or her wolf, I¡¯m not sure and I don¡¯t care. All I know is that she¡¯s seekingfort from us. ¡®From me, you mean,¡¯ Shaw says smugly as he begins purring at our mate, calming her even more ¡®Shut it, douche-bag. She wouldn¡¯t be here if I hadn¡¯t told her that we wanted to help her.¡¯ While she begins to fall asleep, I look her over. ¡®Her hair isn¡¯t red, Shaw,¡¯ I say, seeing the chocte brown roots of her real hair. ¡®I realized that when we saw her wolf earlier. She¡¯s not a red wolf, she¡¯s a brown wolf,¡¯ he says, I had been so angry at Owen trying to im what was mine and getting her away from him, that I hadn¡¯t paid attention. ¡®That¡¯s why you need me,¡¯ Shaw says, arrogantly. Chapter 15: Comfort I just shake my head at him. I wait until my mate¡¯s body has warmed and she¡¯s sound asleep before I shift, pulling her into my arms and holding her close. We both need some sleep. ¡®I¡¯ll keep watch, you sleep,¡¯ Shaw says in my mind.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The One 16 The One 16 280 Mouchers Chapter 16: Questions Sophie I wake slowly, warm andfortable, with the scent of pine surrounding me. I love the scent of pine. It reminds me of the pine trees surrounding my home. My hand moves over something hard. It¡¯s not a rock, it¡¯s¡­.. frown, running my hands over the hard surface. When I hear a man¡¯s groan of pleasure I shoot up, or I try to. I realize I¡¯m in the arms of a man and not just any man, Alpha Hunter. My mate. ¡°Let go of me! What are you doing?¡± I scream, pushing away from him andnding on my butt. ¡°What? Huh?¡± he says, shaking his head as if shaking the sleep away. I make the mistake of looking down and I can see that he¡¯ s very much aroused. ¡°Oh no! No, no, no!¡± I yell, scooting away from him on my butt, ready to turn and shift into Hedda. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t go! I¡¯m¡­¡± he jumps up, then looks down at his erection. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s nothing I can do about that. I wasying with you, you¡¯re my mate, you were running your hands over my chest, and it felt so good¡­¡± He holds his arms out to the side, shrugging. ¡°I¡¯m a man, it¡¯s not like I can hide it. I¡¯m attracted to you, aroused by you. But I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I would never force myself on you. ¡°No, you¡¯d just force your mark on me, and then force yourself on me,¡± I say, still scooting back. ¡°Look,¡± he says, putting his hands on his hips and as much as I don¡¯t want to, I can¡¯t help but appreciate how utterly gorgeous this man is. He has thick, sandy blond hair, still mussed from sleeping. His body¡­.I have to press my legs together as I look over his body. There isn¡¯t an ounce of fat on this man. I know from touching him a moment ago, that his muscles are solid and rock hard, and they cover his entire body. Every inch of him is muscr and powerful. Hedda begins purring and I quickly cut her off. I see his nostrils re. Da**it, he can smell my arousal. Well, arousal or no, I¡¯m not going to let him mate me in front of goddess knows how many people. ¡°Look,¡± he says again, this time crouching down. ¡°If I was going to force my mate mark on you, I could have done it at any pointst night.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one here to witness it, what would be the point?¡± He growls at that, and I watch his hands turn into fists. ¡°No one will ever see you like that. I told you before. I¡¯m a possessive man. I do not share. Ever. You are mine. You will only ever be mine. I refuse to mark and mate you in front of anyone. If you want to kiss me in public, or let me kiss you in public, fine. If you want to sit in myp in public, I¡¯d love that. But I will never parade you naked, never put you in any state of undress or partial undress where anyone can see you. You. Are. Mine,¡± he snarls thest part, standing again. I scramble to my feet, not wanting to be at a disadvantage of being on my a** in front of this man. But, I have to admit, his 11.86% 288 Voucher words send shivers down my spine. ¡°Now, can we start by you telling me your name?¡± he asks. I open my mouth, but he cuts me off. ¡°You¡¯re real name, this time.¡± I shake my head at him. ¡°I already know you¡¯re an Alpha. I can smell it. Hell, even a**hole Owen could smell it.¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He just realized that his Alphamand didn¡¯t work on me,¡± I tell him. He gives an exasperated look. ¡°Good to know he¡¯s as s**d as I thought,¡± he says, which makes me chuckle before I p my hand over my mouth. It¡¯s toote, he heard it. When he looks back up at me, his eyes have gone soft. ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d go way, way out on a limb. Someone who I thought I would never see again,¡± he says, his voice so soft I have to strain to listen. I feel a wave of jealousy flow through me. Who is this woman who he thought he¡¯d never see again, the woman he obviously hopes to see again. He looks at me with those grey eyes through his longshes. D**n him and his long, s**y eyshes. ¡°Who would you guess?¡± I ask, not sure I really want to know. ¡°Little Sophie Meyers.¡± My heart **ips a beat at the way he says. 21.16 288 Vouchers it. It¡¯s as if he truly is desperate for me to be her. ¡°I¡¯m not little anymore,¡± I say quietly. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. I remember you being so happy, so excited the night I met you,¡± he says with a soft smile on his face. ¡°Yeah, well, two years on my own, on the run, and a big dose of reality will wipe that right out of a girl,¡± I say sarcastically. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how hard it¡¯s been for you.¡± He says it so gently, with so much concern in his voice, that it brings tears to my eyes.. I shrug, turn so I can wipe the s**d tears from my eyes. ¡°Where have you been all this time?¡± he asks me. ¡°I was hiding in a human town.¡± ¡°What happened, why did you leave that town?¡± I shrug again. He gestures for me to sit, and I narrow my eyes at him. He puts his hand up in front of him and then slowly sits down. ¡°Please,¡± he says, gesturing for me to sit with him. ¡®Hedda?¡¯ I ask my wolf. ¡®I like him.¡¯ ¡®Yes, but can we trust that this isn¡¯t a trap?¡± She pushes forward, looking at him. He never once looks away. ¡®Yes, I think we can trust him. At least for now.¡¯ When I sit, he smiles, pleased with my decision. 21.16) Chapter 16: Questions 288 Vouchers ¡°Tell me about what¡¯s happened with you. Where did you go? Why did you leave?¡± I ¡°First, I have a question for you,¡± say, crossing my arms. The motion makes me realize that I¡¯m just as naked as he is. It¡¯s been a long time since I was naked like this in front of someone. I suddenly feel very self-conscious. I¡¯m not sure what he sees on my face, but he puts his hands up again. ¡°Give me one minute,¡± he jumping to his feet. He starts to turn and then turns back. ¡°Don¡¯t run. Please.¡± I nod: I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve never heard an Alpha say ¡®please¡¯ as many times as Alpha Hunter has said it to me in thest 24 hours. I hear some rustling nearby and he¡¯s back in a few minutes. I¡¯m shocked when he hands me branches with leaves and shrubs on them. ¡°You look ufortable sitting here naked, so I thought you could use these to cover yourself, I got myself one too, so you don¡¯t have to see how excited I am to be talking to you,¡± he says, giving me an embarrassed smile. I stare at the branches for a moment, feeling my heart melting just a bit at his kindness. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, covering myself. I feel better not being so exposed. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now, you had a question for me. You can ask me anything,¡± he says, covering himself and settling in like we¡¯re in an office or sitting room somewhere, catching up like old friends. 21.10 Chapter 16 Questions 1288 Nouchers I frown at him for a moment, trying to understand him. I can¡¯t, so I decide I¡¯ve got nothing to lose by asking him my question, or rather, questions. ¡°You said you remember that night, the night we met?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, your sister¡¯s 18th birthday party.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, looking down at my hands. ¡°Why¡­.why did you. hover around me that night? Why did you dance with me and only let certain people dance with me?¡± ¡°To protect you. I could tell instantly that you had no idea what was going to happen. It didn¡¯t matter that Alpha Calvin is a good guy and I knew he¡¯d do whatever he could to make the night easier forContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. your sister. There are always some people, like Alpha- Owen for example, who get out of hand. You were underage, but you were also quite na?ve. I warned your father about only letting you dance with a few of the Alphas that night, and we took turns dancing with you.¡± He smiles, looking away for a moment. ¡°I remember you loved dancing, and you were very good at it.¡± I smile, blushing at the unexpected praise. ¡°I remember thinking the same about you. You were a very good dancer. I enjoyed dancing with you that night.¡± I looks at me, the smile lingering on his face. ¡°Is that your only question for me?¡± I shake my head, not sure how to ask my next question. ¡°You want to know why I was watching you when your sister was being imed?¡± Chapter 16 Questions 288 Wouchers I look up into his eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± it¡¯s likely that ¡°S ¡°I felt a pull to you that night. Shaw felt a pull to you, a need to protect you. I didn¡¯t know it at the time, but it¡¯s quite possible it was the early stages of the mate bond. We are both Alphas so feeling it early. I refuse to watch a woman be taken publicly like that. I don¡¯t agree with it, and I have no desire to have a conversation with a woman who can¡¯t meet my eyes because I saw her in a situation like that and now, she¡¯s too embarrassed to even look at me, much less speak to me. I was outside that room, so I could give your sister what little privacy I could offer her. That¡¯s the first reason.¡± ¡°And the second?¡± I ask. ¡°I was watching over you. I was making sure no one tried to sneak to your room while everyone was watching your sister¡¯s iming. I also helped your warrior get back to her room safely, but I came right back to make sure you were safe. It was not my ce to tell you what would happen, but I could see on your face how horrified you were. I wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that you had run the next morning.¡± I look down, thinking through everything that he¡¯s said. It changes the entire perspective that I¡¯ve had of him that night. I look back up at him, having one more burning question for him. ¡°Ask,¡± he says gently. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I whisper. ¡°You¡¯re my mate. I want you. I want my mark on your neck. I want to make love to you and bind you to me in all possible ways.¡± Chapter 16: Questions 288 vouchers ¡°But not in public?¡± I rify. ¡°No, I want to do it privately, just you and me.¡± ¡°What about your pack members who don¡¯t believe in a private iming? What about the other packs who will fight against me being named your Luna?¡± ¡°Any pack member who does not ept you as my mate and their Luna, will find themselves without a pack, at least until they find someone else to take them in. I will renounce myself as their Alpha.¡± ¡°You would do that?¡± I ask, shocked. ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you are my mate. Because I am your Alpha. I am meant to protect you, and love you, and care for you. And that is what I will do. No one will be above you in my life. No one. They may sound like pretty words,¡± he says, using my phrase, ¡°but they are words that I mean. They are from my heart.¡± The One 17 The One 17 Chapter 17: More Questions Hunter I watch as my mate stares at me in disbelief. I¡¯m beyond thrilled that she¡¯s at least talking to me. She no longer looks like she¡¯s ready to run at any minute. It seems as if she¡¯s truly interested in what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m hoping that I¡¯ve cleared up whatever memory she has of me from the night of her sister¡¯s birthday. Looking at it from her perspective, it may have looked like I was watching her possessively. ¡®We probably were. I was pulled to her even then,¡¯ Shaw says, and I can feel him ming himself. ¡®Neither of us knew. How could we. But we¡¯re here now. We need to make this work, make her see that we mean it.¡¯ ¡°Did you have any other questions for me?¡± I ask her. She shakes her head, and I see a ghost of a smile before she answers. ¡°No, but I reserve the right to change my mind.¡± ¡°I was serious about you asking me anything. I will never lie to you. I will share everything with you, my mate.¡± I see her frowning again. Hopefully, it¡¯s good that I¡¯m surprising her. I really do mean what I¡¯m saying. ¡°Can I ask you my questions now?¡± I ask. She nods, looking hesitant. ¡°Where did you go?¡± I ask. While I didn¡¯t know she was my mate, I¡¯ve often thought of Sophie over the past two years, wondering if she was safe, if she had been captured. ¡°I found a human town. It¡¯s a small ce, in an area with a bunch of cattle ranchers.¡± I raise my eyebrow at that. Cattle ranchers don¡¯t think much of wolves running around their areas. It¡¯s actually a very smart and probably one of the safest choices she could have made to settle down. ¡°How did you survive?¡± ¡°I got a job at a diner as a waitress. Sometimes, lone wolves. would travel through, and they¡¯d all ask if I was okay, recognizing that I was a juvenile. But they¡¯d continue on their way, and I stayed.¡± ¡°What happened that you finally left? You didn¡¯t go straight home, so it¡¯s not that,¡± I say and now I understand the conversation between Sophie and Penny earlier. Penny knew that Sophie¡¯s pack was close by. That¡¯s what she meant when she said it must be hard to be this close. ¡°Some of the she-wolves on the run starteding through the area. The Alphas and other ranked wolves eventually followed. On the night I left, I saw a woman captured, being mated in front of the Alpha¡¯s pack members. I had run back to my apartment and seen another group of ranked wolves at the diner. I knew they¡¯d catch my scent and find me. Hedda and I ran with just a small bag, but thest bus of the night wasn¡¯t leaving for another hour, and I knew I didn¡¯t have that much More Questions 288 Vouchers time. I ran to the next closest bus station and hopped a bus there. At the first stop, I got off and asked the driver where the next closest bus station was. I wanted to make it hard for the hunters to find me. He seemed to realize that I needed to get away quickly and he suggested the train. You don¡¯t have to pay for the train, you find an empty car and you jump into it, or at least, that¡¯s what I did.¡± Her eyes have gone unfocused as she remembers that night. Her jaw has tightened, and no tears have spilled over, but I can smell the saltiness of them, along with the heightened fear that the memories are bringing to her. I desperately want tofort her, pull her into my arms and hold her, but I know that¡¯s not an option. Not yet at least. ¡°When I jumped in the car, there was another girl there, another she-wolf running from the iming process,¡± she says. I nod. ¡°Penny, right?¡± I ask and her head snaps up to me. ¡°How do you know that?¡± she asks, and her body tenses as if she¡¯s ready to flee again. I put up my hands. ¡°I was waiting for you to return to the space inside the mountain, but I could hear the two of you talking. I heard you call her Penny.¡± I watch as she rxes. She scrubs her hands over her face. ¡°Penny was there. She¡¯s an underaged G**a and unlike me, she hadn¡¯t found a ce to settle. She¡¯d been running and apparently word of your little food pantry is making the rounds.¡± ¡°Food pantry?¡± 21-16 She shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s free food, right?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± I say, chuckling. 283 Vouchers She looks down at her hands again. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing that you do. I didn¡¯t know if we could trust it. I was actually thinking, or hoping really, that it was my family who was doing it.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t. The unmated Alphas still watch your parents all the time.¡± She growls at that. ¡°F**king vultures,¡± she says, and I raise my eyebrow at her. ¡°What?¡± she asks, frowning at me. ¡°Suchnguage, Little Sophie Meyers,¡± I say, smiling at her. ¡°I told you, that little girl is gone.¡± ¡°Yes she is, and in her ce is a beautiful woman, striking really You were beautiful when I met you two years ago, but now¡­. you¡¯re breathtaking.¡± ¡°Back to using your pretty words, Alpha?¡± she asks, but I can see her blush, even though she tries to hide it. ¡°Call me Hunter, and as I said before, they aren¡¯t just pretty words, they are words from my heart.¡± I shrug. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the mate bond. I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t care. I just know that you are the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.¡± I can tell she doesn¡¯t know how to respond to what I¡¯ve said, and an ufortable silence begins to weigh heavily between us. 298 Vouchers ¡°When¡¯s thest time you ate?¡± I ask her, not wanting her to leave. I quickly nce over her body,This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. seeing that even though she¡¯s been settled and in one ce, she¡¯s still much too thin. ¡°Penny shared some of the food with me,¡± she says. I frown. ¡°You make it sound like it was hers and not yours. It was meant for everyone.¡± ¡°She and I had agreed to go our separate ways after arriving here. She was hungrier than I was, so I told her she could eat and leave first, and I¡¯d stay for the next day¡¯s meal. But there was a lot of food and she practically fell into a fooda, she ate so much.¡± That makes me chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m d there¡¯s enough food. I¡¯ll make sure Kinsley knows that she¡¯s doing a good job.¡± Of course, that reminds me that today is my day to leave food. ¡°Would you be willing to go back to the hideout with me?¡± I ask her. She narrows her eyes at me. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°First, because it will be dark soon and you¡¯ll be safe there. Second, because my Beta female is at the store today, and I was supposed to bring the food. But Shaw was too worried about you, and we left without thinking about food. Of course, you¡¯re always wee toe back to my pack with me¡­¡± I break off as she begins emphatically shaking her head, no. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. So, rather than you sleeping out here on your own, I can feel safe leaving you if you are there. You have some clothes there and then when Ie back, I¡¯ll bring food for us 21 172 Chapter 17: More Questions 288 Mouchen and we can continue talking,¡± I tell her. ¡°What else is there for us to talk about?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to tell you about what my pack is like, what your life could be like if you ept me as your mate.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± she asks me. Rather than answer, I set aside the branch I had ced over myp. My erection is mostly gone now, so hopefully I won¡¯t scare her. I stand and reach out my hand to her. ¡°Come with me. I don¡¯t mind killing to protect you, but if I can avoid a bl**dy fight, I¡¯d prefer it. You¡¯re too vulnerable out here and Shaw and I won¡¯t befortable until we have you tucked away for the evening.¡± She looks at my hand, then up at me. Tentatively, she reaches out. Her hand is cold, and I help pull her to her feet. She trips over the bushes that were covering her nakedness and stumbles into my body. I catch her easily, my arm wrapping around her waist as I look down into her pretty green eyes. The nearly gone erection springs back to life. Whether it¡¯s the surprise at falling into me, or the feeling of the tingles that just whipped across my body and I¡¯m sure hers as well, her eyes go a bit ssy, she licks her lips, and she leans into me. ¡°Sophie, you need to stop looking at me like that. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ m going to kiss you.¡± The One 18 The One 18 Chapter 18: A Possible Future Sophie Did he just say he was going to kiss me? I look down at his lips ¨C full, soft, warm-looking lips and I wonder what it would feel like to be kissed by this man. Everything he has said has made me feel safer and more loved than I¡¯ve felt since I ran away from home. It¡¯s dangerous because it¡¯s intoxicating. ¡°I¡­.¡± I begin. He growls low, sending heat through my body and straight to my core. ¡°I warned you,¡± he says and slides a hand into my hair as his mouth gently presses against mine. His lips are just as warm and soft as they looked. I melt into the kiss, my very first kiss. He has one hand syed on my back, holding me to him, the other slides into my hair, gently tugging my head to the side. As soon as I do, he deepens the kiss, running his tongue of the seam of my lips. I gasp and his warm tongue slides into my mouth, gently coaxing my tongue to join his. My hands slide up his chest and I feel his body shiver at my touch. He growls again, this time it¡¯s a deep, primal, possessive growl as he deepens the kiss even further. I can only hold on to him, overwhelmed by the feelings that he¡¯s conjuring in my body, the swirling of emotions in my mind. 289 Wouchert When he finally pulls away, we¡¯re both panting. He presses his forehead to mine and I feel his heart beating just as fast as mine is. ¡°You taste just as sweet as you smell,¡± he says. When I look, his eyes are closed and he¡¯s licking his lips, as if he can¡¯t get enough of my taste. When he pulls his head away from mine, he looks at me with grey eyes that have darkened to a nearly charcoal color with his desire for me. ¡°We need to get moving. You smell entirely too delicious to be left in the open like this,¡± he says, stepping back and sliding his hand out of my hair and down my arm to intertwine our fingers together. He turns and begins walking, leading me away from the river. I can still feel the tingling sensation on my lips. I turn and look at the river. When I got here early this morning, I was trying to scrub the scent and feel of Alpha Owen off of me. I look at Hunter. Now, all I want is to feel his mouth on mine again and to roll myself all over him until I¡¯m covered in his scent. ¡®He smells SO good. I bet if you asked him, he¡¯s let us roll on him,¡¯ Hedda purrs seductively. ¡®Did you feel how¡­ big he is? You know, down there?¡± I ask her. The purring gets louder. ¡°Oh yes, yes I did,¡¯ she says. I see Alpha Hunter looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and a smile twitches at his lips. Chapter 18 A Possible Future 283 Mouchers ¡°Did Hedda have something she wanted to say?¡± he asks me. ¡°No,¡± I grumble, and his smile gets wider. I huff. ¡°What were you going to say about my life if I ept you as my mate?¡± I ask, changing the subject. He looks at me, then focuses on where we¡¯re going, never letting go of my hand. His thumb is rubbing circles on the back of my hand, and it continues to send tingles throughout my body. It feels amazing. ¡°Well, for one thing, you¡¯d no longer have to run. My mark on your neck would make you safe from any other Alpha.¡± I knew that. My issue was never having a mate, it was all about how the mates were imed. ¡°You¡¯d be able to see your family again. And, without putting too much pressure on you, it would make your father safe again. The Alphas would stop watching him and your mother. You and Amelia would both be imed, so there would be no reason for them to watch your family¡¯s pack.¡± I hadn¡¯t thought of that. That, without anything else, would make me reconsider epting Alpha Hunter¡¯s proposal. He stops, turning me to look at him. ¡°But most importantly, second only to you being my Luna, is that you could stand by my side and help me fight against this injustice, help me fight for other she- wolves to have the right that I¡¯m offering to you.¡± I stare up into his eyes, seeing his fierce determination, not to im me, but to make our world a better ce for every she- wolf, not just for me, and not just for our pups. Chapter 18: A Possible Future 1288 Vouchers Our pups. The thought makes my heart flutter and Hedda flip onto her back ready to show her belly to Shaw. ¡°You¡¯re really serious about all of this?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯m not the only one, I¡¯m just the only one willing to stand my ground and fight for what is right. There are others who will stand with us, my Beta for one. I¡¯m guessing your sister and- Alpha Calvin would stand with us as well. Your parents would stand with us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a lot of people,¡± I say frowning, thinking of the mountain that we¡¯d have to climb to change ourws. ¡°It¡¯s a start. I want a better life, not just for you, and for us, but for our pups, our daughters.¡± There it is again. OUR pups. I can practically feel myself ovting for this man right now. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s me, or Hedda, but I think it¡¯s more me, that throws my arms around his neck and ms my lips against his. His body jerks with the shock of it and I start to pull away, embarrassed by my action, but his mouth follows mine, capturing me in another kiss, this one even more passionate than the first. I¡¯m feeling light-headed and wobbly when he pulls away, growling possessively. ¡°You smell so **g good. I need to get you out of this forest,¡± he says, turning and moving quickly. My arm jerks as he tugs me along, my brain struggling to catch up as I let him lead me back to the hideout. Chapter 18 A Possible Future 288 Vouchers Hees up to the back side of the hideout. ¡°Where¡¯s the back entrance?¡± he asks me. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± I ask, surprised. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t want my scent back here, so I told Kinsley not to show me.¡± I smile at him. He¡¯s so thoughtful. ¡°It¡¯s right here,¡± I say, showing him. ¡°Good. Go, get inside before you draw too much attention with your scent,¡± he says, his eyes darkening. ¡°You¡¯re leaving me?¡± I ask, feeling lonely in a way that being on the run never made me feel. He steps up to me, taking my face in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back to my pack and get food. Food for you and then more for anyone else that finds this ce. It will take me a couple of hours. Please, stay here. You¡¯ll be safe inside. And for goddess¡¯ sake, wash your arousal off your legs,¡± he says gritting his teeth. ¡°Any male in a five-mile radius will be drawn to your scent.¡± I don¡¯t know what makes me do it, other than the warm feelings this man is making me feel, but I lean into him, sliding my hand up his bare chest. ¡°What about you? Are you drawn to my scent?¡± One hand traps my hand on his chest, just over his heart, while he wraps the other arm around me, tugging me against him. ¡°I could forego dinner and spend the rest of the night dining on you, feasting on your delicious scent. Generally speaking, I have a lot of control, but don¡¯t push me, Sophie. You could very easily snap what¡¯s left of my control and I¡¯ll have my face between Chapter 18: A Possible Futu 288 Wouchers your thighs and you screaming my name in pleasure in no time.¡± His words send another wave of pleasure through me, his hard length pressed against my stomach making butterflies take flight. I watch his nostrils re as my arousal s**s, and I feel my heat dripping down my thighs. I feel his entire body shiver in much the same way that my body is responding to him before he drops to his knees in front of me. ¡°Just one taste,¡± he says, sounding like a desperate man. ¡°What¡­¡± I begin, just as his tongue snakes out and slides between the folds of my p**y lips before swirling over my c**t. ¡°F**g delicious,¡± he growls, before standing quickly. I can see his wolf close to the surface. He¡¯s on the verge of losing control and it excites me as much as it scares me. ¡°Get inside, Sophie, before I start something that you¡¯re not ready for,¡± he growls. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a couple of hours. Then we can talk about next steps. Think about what I¡¯ve said,¡± he says, before leaping away from me and shifting, running quickly around the side of the mountain. I step inside the small opening, hurriedly making my way inside to the safety of the hideout.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The One 19 The One 19 Chapter 19 Unexpected Jealousy Chapter 19: Unexpected Jealousy Hunter As soon as I¡¯m far enough away to get control of my desire, I turn back, making sure that Sophie gets inside the walls of the hideout. F**k! That woman tastes better than she smells. I knew the mate bond was strong, but this¡­this is far beyond anything I could have anticipated. It¡¯s taking everything in me to hold Shaw at bay and keep from marking her. I want her agreement first. I want to know that she is choosing me as her mate. I turn, running toward the front of the hideout. ¡®She hasn¡¯t rejected us again. Now that we know her real name, she could have and it would have been much more effective,¡¯ Shaw says. ¡®True. Hopefully, she¡¯ll use this time to think about what I¡¯ve said. I feel like I was getting through to her,¡¯ I say as we make our way around the mountain. I intend to cut straight across the forest and run home again, but I catch Kinsley¡¯s scent and pull up short. Shaw lifts our nose in the air and begins tracking her scent. I find her halfway between the parking lot and the hideout. ¡°Hey Alpha,¡± she says, looking behind me. ¡°Lucas said you came looking for someone. You¡¯ve been gone all day, so I decided to bring the food out here, in case any new she-wolves arrive.¡± Chapter 19: Unexpected Jealousy I shift and stand, looking around and sniffing the air. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here alone at night, Kinsley. Not all of these Alphas that are on the hunt will stop to see that you¡¯re already marked before trying to take you.¡± 288 Wouchers ¡°I know. Lucas wasn¡¯t thrilled about meing out here, so he¡¯s waiting by the car. I told him I¡¯d howl if I needed help. So¡­did you find who you were looking for?¡± ¡°I did. She¡¯s in the hideout. We¡¯ve¡­talked. I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll let me mark her.¡± She looks at me a moment, a slow smile spreading across her face. ¡°You found your mate?¡± I nod. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Alpha Hunter.¡± ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll introduce you,¡± I say. She raises an eyebrow. ¡°You want to introduce me to your mate?¡± ¡°Yeah. I told her about you. Maybe you can put in a good word for me,¡± I say. She smiles at that and nods. ¡°Anything I can do to help.¡± I take the food and follow her to the entrance. We both stop and lift our noses in the air, making sure there aren¡¯t any Alphas or other ranked wolves in the area before she ducks inside. I carefully make my way through the narrow walls behind her. Having done this several times already, I have a better idea of V. Unexpected Jealousy how to get through. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± I hear Kinsley say. I push faster, stepping up behind her. 288 Vouchers ¡°Sophie¡­¡± I begin, watching as she steps out of the water, her eyes tracking from Kinsley to me and back before she growls, not at me, but at Kinsley. It¡¯s a possessive growl and while I want to smile at her possessiveness, I don¡¯t want her attacking my Beta female. I step in front of Kinsley, setting the food down and putting my hands up. ¡°Sophie, this is Kinsley. I ran into her on my way back to my pack. She¡¯s my Beta female, the one I told you about. She¡¯ s the one who found this ce and brings the food in every day.¡± I watch as she shakes her head as if clearing it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯ t know why¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s the mate bond,¡± I say, trying to reassure her. ¡°Sophie? Sophie Meyers?¡± Kinsley asks, shocked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Sophie says, frowning. Kinsley turns to me. ¡°Your mate is Sophie Meyers? The Legend?¡± I press my lips tightly together. I hadn¡¯t quite gotten that far in my discussion with Sophie. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not a legend.¡± ¡°Oh, but you are! You didn¡¯t know? EVERYONE knows who you Chapter 19: Unexpected Jealousy 288 Vouchers are. You started it all, the entire revolution! It¡¯s all because of you,¡± Kinsley says excitedly. ¡°Kinsley,¡± I say warningly, watching my mate. ¡°She¡¯s been away from the packs for two years. I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk to her about the impact that her runhing had on the she-wolves.¡± ¡°Oh¡­so you didn¡¯t know?¡± Kinsley asks, her tone much more muted. ¡°Penny said something, but I thought she had to be exaggerating,¡± Sophie says, and I can feel the nervousnessing off of her in waves. ¡°We can talk about it over dinner. Kinsley, what did you bring tonight?¡± I ask her. ¡°Uh¡­some pork chops, mashed potatoes, and green beans. They might still be warm,¡± she says, and I hear Sophie¡¯s stomach rumble. ¡°You can go, Kinsley. Tell Lucas that I won¡¯t be home tonight. Can you n to bring more food tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she says and turns to leave. ¡°Before I go,¡± she says, turning back. ¡°I want you to know, Sophie, that our Alpha is as genuine as he seems. He¡¯s not the kind of man who lies to get what he wants. In my experience, he¡¯s always truthful, he¡¯s always respectful, and always kind. ¡­.¡± she stops and I turn my head slightly to see her looking down at her sped hands. ¡°I was imed publicly by my mate. Alpha Hunter was there, and I watched him leave the room before Lucas imed me. Chapter 19: Unexpected Jealousy That¡¯s the kind of man he is. He gives every woman the only 288 Vouchers. privacy he can and because of that, he¡¯s had my loyalty from the moment I became his Beta female. My rtionship with him has always been easier than my rtionship with my own mate because ofCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. it. Because I trust him to protect me in ways that I haven¡¯t always trusted Lucas. We¡¯re¡­.working through that, but it¡¯s still hard. I only tell you this so you¡¯ll know, woman to woman, that I believe in and trust my Alpha. And I know that you can too. Give him a chance. You won¡¯t be disappointed,¡± she says and turns to leave. ¡°Thank you, Kinsley,¡± I say, touched by her words. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Sophie says, looking back at me. 1 stay still, listening to make sure Kinsley doesn¡¯t have any problem getting away from the hideout before I turn back to Sophie. ¡°Ready to eat?¡± I ask her. ¡°I¡¯d like to get dressed first,¡± she says, pointing to her bag. ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, dragging out the word. ¡°I didn¡¯t make it to the pack, so¡­¡± I gesture down at my naked body. She turns and looks at me over her shoulder as she crouches down to open her bag. I can see a smile twitching at her lips. ¡°Want to wear something of mine?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a wee bit smaller than I am. I¡¯m not sure you have anything that will fit me. But if it will make you feel better, I¡¯ll take a shirt andy it over myp.¡± She turns back to her bag, but not before I see her blush. ¡°I¡¯ve Chapter 19: Unexpected Jealousy 288 Vouchers been away so long, I¡¯ve gotten used to wearing clothing in front. of others,¡± she says, as if she¡¯s embarrassed of herself. ¡°I think that¡¯spletely understandable, considering you were living in a human town. I also think it¡¯s understandable since you know that I¡¯m your mate, you know that I¡¯m attracted to you and as hard as I¡¯m trying not to drool over your gorgeous body, I¡¯ m probably not doing a very good job,¡± I say honestly. She barks out augh. It¡¯s unexpected, but it makes heart soar that I was able to make herugh. Rather than grabbing clothes, she stands and turns to me. ¡°Well then, perhaps I should stay naked so that you¡¯re as ufortable during this dinner as I am.¡± 1 have to bite my tongue to keep the growl from leaving my mouth. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to hide my excitement at being here with her and if she¡¯s naked, that will only make it worse. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t make you any more ufortable,¡± I say, gesturing at the evidence of my arousal for her. She looks down and whether she means to or not, she licks her lips, making my already hard c**k twitch. She blinks her surprise and looks back up at me. I know my eyes are dark with desire for her and I swallow, closing my eyes and trying to get a grip on my emotions. I¡¯m an Alpha, I¡¯m supposed to always be in control, but this little slip of a girl is about to make me loose every carefully held shred of self- control that I have. ¡°How about we eat,¡± I grit out, my eyes still closed. Unexpected Jealousy ¡°If it¡¯s easier for you, I can put clothes on,¡± she says. 288 Vouchers ¡°No. It won¡¯t help. I now have the image of your beautiful body burned into my brain and even if I could forget it, Shaw definitely won¡¯t.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m beautiful?¡± I look at her, looking over her body slowly, watching as her face turns a darker shade of red as I take my time. ¡°Can I be honest?¡± I ask. She nods, hesitantly. ¡°You¡¯re perfect, except for one thing.¡± She frowns. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I prefer your chocte brown hair to this red hair you¡¯ve got now.¡± She reaches up to touch her hair. ¡°That was a disguise.¡± A ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t a preference? You don¡¯t prefer the red?¡± She crinkles her nose. ¡°No. But going blond was a lot of effort and I had to dye it more often. It was harder on my hair, drying it out, so I switched to red. I was hoping that the color change would make some of the ranked members question if I was really Sophie Meyers. Speaking of, how did you know it was me?¡± gesture for her to sit, and I reach down and pick up the bag of food that Kinsley brought. Chapter 19 Unexpected Jealousy 288 Mouchers. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you while we eat,¡± I say, moving to sit across from her, using the stone table toy out the food. When I¡¯m done, I make sure that she starts eating before I do. I watch as her eyes roll back into her head as she shovels in two more bites of food before looking at me. Shaw begins purring loudly, loud enough for her to hear. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My wolf and I like the feeling of taking care of you, my mate.¡± She blushes again and I take a chance, reaching out to stroke my knuckles over her cheek. I¡¯m thrilled when she leans into my touch. When she catches herself, she pulls away, looking down. ¡°You should eat, too.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, digging into the food. The One 20 The One 20 Chapter 20: Say the Words Chapter 20: Say the Words Sophie Alpha Hunter is doing strange things to me and Hedda isn¡¯t helping. I can¡¯t believe I leaned into his touch. But the electric tingles, the feel of his warm skin against mine, made me crave to have him touch me all over. ¡°Back to your earlier question,¡± he says, refocusing on our discussion. I like that he¡¯s not pushing me to mate, not pushing for me to allow him to put his mark on me. It reminds me a bit of how Alpha Calvin took his time with Amelia on her birthday, talking to her and getting to know her. It feels like Alpha Hunter is doing the same with me. ¡°You gave me a couple of hints. First, I heard you and Penny talking before she left. I didn¡¯t understand what she meant at the time, but it fell into ceter. You knew who I was, which meant that we¡¯d met before. I¡¯ve been to a lot of packs, so that didn¡¯t really help, but you also know who Owen was. That,bined with your conversation with Penny and me realizing that you were talking about being close to home, helped me to figure it out,¡± he says. It doesn¡¯t seem like enough to have figured out who I am. ¡°Do you always pay such close attention to things?¡± I ask, curious. He shrugs. It¡¯s a nonchnt gesture, but somehow, watching the muscles in chest and shoulders flex and rx, is very **y. My fingers twitch with my desire to touch him. 288 Vouchers ¡°I try. I can¡¯t always stay on top of everything, but I do the best I can. I¡¯ve learned to trust my Betas and my G**a though to follow up on things that I can¡¯t. However, with you, my mate, I will always pay close attention,¡± he says, focusing his attention on me. His gaze is intense and I know that he means what he¡¯s saying, which reminds me¡­ ¡°Your Beta female gives you high praise,¡± I say. I don¡¯t mean for it toe across that way, but even I can hear the jealousy in my words. He sets his fork down, leaning forward, his gaze intensifying even more. ¡°Kinsley is my Beta¡¯s mate. They¡¯ve had a rough time, like she said. It¡¯s not my ce to talk about their struggles, but she mentioned it, so I¡¯ll tell you this. When she and Lucas were first mated, she didn¡¯t trust him at all. She wouldn¡¯t let him touch her, wouldn¡¯t look him in the eye, and barely looked the pack members in the eye. She stopped eating, to the point that I finally had to step in so she wouldn¡¯t starve herself to death,¡± he says, and I gasp. She looks so healthy now. ¡°What she said to you was the truth, just like with your sister, and every other female whose iming I¡¯ve been to, I step out of the room while the woman is imed. Because Kinsley saw me do that, I was one of the only people she could look in the eye, one of the only people she trusted to make her feel safe and protected. She and Lucas have been mated over a year now and they¡¯re only just now starting toe together.¡± He reaches out, taking my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want that for us. I don¡¯t want you to fear me, to fear my touch or have it remind you of a terrible, traumatic moment in your life. I want you to seek out my touch, seek me out when you need or wantfort, to feel confident that I would never, ever allow anyone to hurt you, 21:23 Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Vouchers embarrass you, or make you feel anything less than the strong, confident woman and Luna that you are.¡± ¡°What do you propose?¡± I ask, wondering how he intends to aplish that. He smiles, reaching out to touch my cheek again. This time, I lean into him willingly, letting his stroke my cheek with his thumb. ¡°Give me tonight. We can talk, we can touch, get to know each. other, we can swim,¡± he says gesturing to the small pool. ¡°But I want to make love to you, I want to put my mark on your neck, I want to make you mine, here, with no one but you, me, and the moon above us. I look down, but I don¡¯t pull away from his hand. ¡°You said you remember me from that night, the night of my sister¡¯s party?¡± I ask him. ¡°I do.¡± I look back up at him. ¡°I was so excited about finding my mate. I had such fairy tale dreams of what it meant to find him, to find you, and to be his. Yours. Then, the bubble of that dream was burst, and I never wanted to think about being imed again.¡± I put my hand over his, holding it against my cheek. ¡°You make me feel like the fairy tale could be a reality.¡± He smiles at me. ¡°Is it too cheesy to say I want to make all of your dreamse true?¡± Chapter 20 Say the Words Iugh, watching as he smiles, his grey eyes t**g in the moonlight. ¡°Much, much too cheesy.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make it any less true.¡± 288 Wouchers He looks at me a moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe sit in myp. I¡¯ll feed you.¡± I¡¯m sure he can feel the heat of my blush. ¡°But we¡¯re naked.¡± ¡°Mmm, yes we are. You did mention something about making me as ufortable as you are. Having you in myp would definitely do that,¡± he says, and I can see the challenge in his eyes. D**n him, he knows that as an Alpha myself, it¡¯s hard to back down from a challenge. ¡®Do it, then his scent will be all over us. And maybe he¡¯ll do something about that ache between our thighs,¡¯ Hedda says. ¡®Stop being a h**y,¡¯ I scold her. ¡®Then start acting like an Alpha and ept his challenge,¡¯ she counters. I stand, ready to call his bluff. Instead, he smiles, scooting back on the rock that he¡¯s using as a seat. He taps his thigh, reaching over to pull my te across the stone table. I walk to him, sitting on the thigh he suggested, my back ramrod straight. It¡¯s impossible to miss the very hard erection that is now pressed against my thigh and hip. His warm arm wraps around my waist, and he scoots me closer, urging me to lean against him. He¡¯s so warm and he smells so good, that I don¡¯t resist. Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Mouchers He reaches out with his hand, taking a piece of pork, sliding it through the mashed potatoes and puts it up to my mouth. I open my mouth and he puts it in, getting mashed potatoes on my lips. He takes his thumb, wiping the potatoes off my lips. while I chew, then he sucks his thumb into his mouth, watching me. I stop chewing, watching his mouth. I have a very strong desire to lean forward and kiss him. ¡°You can do anything you want to with me, Sophie. Tonight, and every night, I hope,¡± he says softly. I look up at him, seeing the earnestness in his eyes before I look back down at his lips. Instead of leaning forward, I turn to the te, doing what he did, getting a piece of pork and sliding it through the mashed potatoes. When he opens his mouth for me, I put the food into his mouth. Instead of wiping the mashed potatoes off his lips, I lean in, watching him as I slide my tongue over his lips to lick off the potatoes. He surprises me by swallowing quickly and sliding his tongue out to touch mine swirling his tongue around and drawing mine into his mouth. Our lips meet again. His are so soft and warm, his body heat so inviting that I lean into him and the kiss, letting him tease my tongue. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel his free hande to my thigh, holding me on hisp. His fingers begin stroking up and down my thigh, sending waves of pleasure through me. I can feel heat spreading through my body, feel my arousal begin to drip onto his thigh. I moan softly against his mouth, as his hand begins to move up my side, his thumb sliding under my breast. I arch my back, pressing my breast into his hand, Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Vouchers needing him to touch me. He begins kissing his way down my neck, making my body shiver as he sucks on my marking spot, making me gasp as heat floods my body and drips from my entrance. ¡°You are so beautiful Sophie, and so responsive to me,¡± he says, brushing a thumb over my nipple, I whimper at the touch, and he lifts his head, watching me as he gently pinches and rolls my nipple between his fingers. ¡°Do you like that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I breathe. ¡°I want to make you feel all sorts of pleasure tonight, Sophie. Will you let me make love to you? Will you let me mark you? Will you ept me as your mate?¡± I open my eyes, seeing the desire in his, the apprehension that I might tell him no. ¡°I want you, Sophie. I want you as my mate, as my lover, as my Luna. Say that you¡¯ll be mine. Tell me you want me to im you.¡± ¡°Yes, Hunter. Yes, please,¡± I say, letting my head fall back. ¡°Say the words, Sophie, I need to hear them.¡± I lift my head, looking into his dark eyes. ¡°Make me yours, Hunter. I want you to im me as yours.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The One 21 The One 21 Chapter 21: One of Many Hunter I had to yank Shaw back the moment Sophie told me she wanted me to im her. He was ready to sink his canines into her that minute. ¡®Shaw, this is an important moment and based on the way she kissed me, I¡¯m guessing she has little to no experience with men. We aren¡¯t rushing this. I want it to be a night that she never forgets and remembers with happiness.¡¯ He grumbled but agreed. ¡°Ummm, what¡­.?¡± I watch as Sophie gets nervous looking around. Now that she¡¯s agreed to let me mark her, she¡¯s not sure what¡¯s next. ¡°Let¡¯s finish eating. You can take this time to touch me, if you want. I¡¯d like to touch you as well!¡± Her eyes immediately drop to my chest, and I see her fingers. twitch. I fight my smile. I know she¡¯s remembering running her hand over my chest in her sleep earlier. She looks up at me through hershes and I feel my aching c**k flex, making her eyes drop even lower. Her eyes widen and her heart rate increases. I take her chin and tilt her head up to meet my eyes. ¡°How about starting with something a little more simple, like my shoulders, or my chest. For now, let¡¯s just ignore how aroused I Chapter 21: One of Many am by being here with you,¡± I suggest. ¡°Hard to ignore,¡± she mumbles, and this time I can¡¯t hide my smile. 220 Vouchers She takes a deep breath, probably gaining courage, and tentatively reaches out to touch me, instantly looking up to make sure that I¡¯m okay with it. I lean forward, kissing her nose and-reach around her to take another piece of pork dragged through potatoes. As she bes bolder, ttening her hand against my chest. and running it over my pecs, I hold the food in front of her mouth. She doesn¡¯t look up as she takes the food, watching her hand as sheThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. caresses my chest. ¡°That feels incredible,¡± I say, my body shivering at her touch. I run my free hand over her back, down to her hips then up to her neck and into her hair as I continue to feed the two of us with my free hand. I watch as her eyes roll closed and I make a note that my mate likes to have her scalp rubbed. When she opens her eyes, theye back to my lips, and I watch her lick hers. ¡°You can touch me anywhere, kiss me anywhere you want,¡± I say softly, watching as her eyes sh up to mine before moving back to my lips. ¡°Your lips are so warm and soft,¡± she says, as if mesmerized by my lips. I tap a finger on my lips. ¡°Come feel them again, just to make sure,¡± I say, teasing her. 21:23 283 Vouchers She smiles, but leans in, her eyesing back up to mine as her lips gently press against mine. I gently coax her mouth into a kiss, letting my eyes drift closed as hers do, forgetting about the food and focusing on the sweet taste of my mate. I deepen the kiss, letting her response to me set the pace. When she begins to whimper, I deepen the kiss even more, requesting ess to her mouth with my tongue. This time, she seems as anxious as I am to deepen the kiss and her arms slide around my neck as she tilts her head and presses her body against mine. I growl a low, hungry growl of desire, feeling her body shiver in my arms. ¡°Hunter,¡± she gasps as I move my kisses down to her jaw, then kissing the sensitive space under ear before moving my way to her marking spot. I lick and suck on it, smelling the increase in her arousal, feeling it dripping on my thigh as her hips begin moving on me, seeking a release to the ache I¡¯m building inside. her. It¡¯s the same ache that I have for her, but my release can wait. I want my mate to know how important she is to me, and I want to see her pretty facee undone as I make here. I move a hand to her thigh, stroking up and down the outside of her thigh until she begins to whimper with need. I move my mouth back to her ear. ¡°I want to help ease the ache between your thighs. I going to move my hand and touch you, stroke you, and help you find your release,¡± I say before pulling my head back and looking at her. Her eyes are beautifully ssy with desire, shing from dark to light as her wolf makes her presence known. I¡¯m sure Hedda is as much involved with this as Shaw is and I know he¡¯s right on Chapter 21: One of Many 208 Wouchers the edge with me. I keep my eyes on hers as I slide my hand up her inner thigh. ¡°Spread your legs for me,¡± I say softly. I looks at me and I can see the indecision on her face. ¡°Spead your legs for me, my mate. Let me help you ease your ache,¡± I say, keeping my voice steady but gentle as I remind her of what she is to me. My mate. My love. She does as I ask, and I run my hand up her thigh until it begins to slide through her liquid arousal. She¡¯s watching me, unsure of what is to happen next. Now, I¡¯m confident my mate has never had a man touch her before. Without taking my eyes off of her, I bring my wet fingers to my mouth, licking and sucking her arousal off of them. ¡°You taste so good, love. I hope you¡¯ll let me lick you and taste you before the night is over,¡± I say to her, feeling her body shiver again as the sweet scent of her arousal **s. I bring my hand back to her inner thigh, sliding it up again. ¡°Spread your legs a bit wider for me, love,¡± I say. This time, there is no hesitation and I¡¯m given ess to her sweet, soaked p**y. I look down and even from here I can see how swollen her p**y lips are with desire. ¡°Beautiful,¡± I say as I slide my finger over her **t. She gasps and I look back at her face. ¡°Is this where it aches?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she gasps, her hips beginning to gyrate on my thigh Chapter 21: One of Many 288 Wouchers again. I slide my fingers to her entrance, soaking my fingers before bringing them back to her c**t. ¡°You¡¯re so wet for me, so very responsive to my touch.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she says, and her head falls back, her mouth opening as I add-pressure to her c**t with my fingers. ¡°Yes,¡± she says more loudly, and I wrap my arm around her hips, holding her tightly against my body. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, my love. Let go and let me make you feel good.¡± ¡°Hunter,¡± she says, gasping as her body begins to jerk. ¡°That¡¯s it baby,e undone for me.¡± Her hand grips my shoulder, and her body tenses a moment before she jolts with her o*m. S**he shudders violently against me, crying out, crying my name as I hold her against me, letting her feel safe as her body experiences the pleasures that only I will ever bring her. I kiss and suck on her neck as I slowly bring her down, her body leaning heavily against me when finally release her. She looks up at me,ying her head on my shoulder. ¡°That is just one of many or**m*s that I have nned for you tonight, my love.¡± The One 22 The One 22 Chapter 22: Dance Sophie I feelpletely and totallynguid in Hunter¡¯s arms. I¡¯ve touched myself before, brought myself to o**m. But nothing I¡¯ ve done before has ever felt like this. Maybe it¡¯s because of the mate bond, or maybe Hunter is just really good at what he¡¯s doing, but I¡¯m pretty sure I saw stars, and not the ones in the sky, just now when I had that incredible o**m. And now, he¡¯s telling me that it¡¯s going to be one of many? ¡®S**y and talented,¡¯ Hedda says, sounding just as rxed as I feel. ¡°Are you still hungry?¡± he asks me. Hungry? Who could be hungry after that? ¡®I¡¯m hungry for more of our mate, Hedda says and begins purring loudly before I can stop her. Hunter chuckles as he runs his nose through my hair. The man is sex personified. Everything about him is s**y, even the way heughs at me. ¡°I take it Hedda is feeling good as well?¡± he asks me, kissing my temple. ¡°Yes,¡± I say, lifting my head, just as Shaw begins purring at Hedda. I smile. Chapter 22: Dance 288 Vouchers ¡°I think your wolf likes my wolf,¡± I say. ¡°Correction, my wolf is head over heels in love with your wolf,¡± he says, making me blush. The mate bond is so strange. I barely know this man, but he¡¯s right. The feelings I have for him are very strong and my response to him, not just my body¡¯s response, but also my desire to bind myself to him for the rest of my life are nearly overwhelming in their strength. He leans forward and I have trouble catching my breath as I feel his warm breath on my cheek, his warm, soft lips brushing across my cheek as he moves to my ear. ¡°I¡¯m head over heels in love with you, too,¡± he says. I feel my heart s**p several beats and I have trouble catching my breath. He gently rubs his cheek against mine and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s Hunter or Shaw who is doing it. Rather than think too muchContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. about it, I close my eyes and enjoy the feel of him, the tingles that are still moving through my entire body, his warmth everywhere his body is touching mine, and the love that he¡¯s openly showing me. ¡°Would you like to dance?¡± he asks me. I open my eyes and look at him. ¡°There¡¯s no music.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need music to dance with my mate,¡± he says. ¡°Are you trying to help me rx before¡­before you im me?¡± I ask nervously. ¡°Partly,¡± he says, standing and setting me on my feet in front of Chapter 22: Dance 1288 Vouchers him. He takes my hand and pulls me to the only area where there¡¯s enough room for us to move around. ¡°But the other part is that I want you to remember tonight. I want you to look back on the night that I marked you, that you became mine with nothing but happy memories. I want to make tonight special for you. I want you to tell our pups about tonight, because you want the same for them that I¡¯ve given to you,¡± he says. I¡¯m not sure how I got so lucky to not only have found a mate who is willing to fight ourws, but who also wants to make tonight as positive and memorable for me as possible. He wraps one arm around my waist and takes my hand in the other, holding it against his heart. ¡°I know it¡¯s the mate bond that is making me feel this way, but that¡¯s the point, right? That¡¯s why the Moon Goddess created fated mates, so that when we found each other, we¡¯d know that we were perfect for each other. I know you don¡¯t know me that well. I know that will take time and that we have a mountain ahead of us to climb. But for tonight, it¡¯s just you and me, and the love that we share because we are the perfect halves making a perfect whole.¡± I feel tears p**k in my eyes. ¡°You have a lot of pretty words, Alpha,¡± I say, my throat tight. ¡°And I mean every one of them from my heart, my Luna,¡± he says, using my title just as I used his. He is slowly moving us around in circles, slow dancing under the moon light. I take the hand that is resting on his shoulder and move it up to his thick hair. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve figured out that I have no experience in rtionships or with men,¡± I say. Chapter 22 Dance 288 Vouchers ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought I would be scared if this night ever came, but I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You have nothing to fear from me, ever.¡± I smile at him andy my head against his chest as we slowly dance around the small space. I can feel his hard length. pressed against my stomach. Eventually I¡¯ll have to acknowledge that, but I¡¯m not quite ready for that yet. ¡°Did your mother teach you to dance?¡± I ask. ¡°Mine did. She taught both me and Amelia. Amelia is a better dancer than I am, but she had two more years of practice than I did. And now, I¡¯m a bit rusty,¡± I say, pulling back and looking up at him. There¡¯s a sad look on his face and I stop dancing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No. No, you didn¡¯t,¡± he says, pulling me to him again and continuing our dance. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­it was my sister who taught me to dance.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I say, not sure why that would make him sad. ¡°She must be a very good dancer.¡± ¡°She was,¡± he says sadly, then sighs heavily. ¡°My sister is the biggest reason that I¡¯m so against this iming process. She was a beautiful woman, happy, and kind. A lot like how you described Amelia to me on the night of her birthday.¡± I pull back, looking up at him. I can tell that this is important to him. He¡¯s looking over my head, lost in his thoughts. ¡°My sister was Chapter 22:Dance 288 Vouchers one of the many she-wolves that struggled with the public mating process. After her mate imed her, she begged me to never do that to my mate. To you¡± he says, looking down at me. ¡°Oh.¡± He swallows hard and looks away again. ¡°She got pregnant with a female pup and rather than have her pup suffer the way she did, she ended both of their lives. I gasp, my handing to my mouth. ¡°Oh, Hunter¡­¡± He smiles, but it doesn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spoil our night with sadness, but I told you that you can ask me anything and I¡¯ll always be honest with you. I loved my sister very much. It broke my heart when I found out that she was gone. That was when I knew that I had to somehow change ourws, for her, for you, and for all of the ranked she-wolves today and in the future. They truly are more than just pretty words to me, Sophie. I mean them. And I¡¯m thrilled to know that I¡¯ll now have a strong partner to stand beside me, to fight beside me, to make that happen.¡± I lean my head against his chest again, this time wrapping my arms around his waist and holding him close to me. He does the same and we rock back and forth for several minutes before I step back and take his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s sit in the pool together and you can tell me about me being this legend that people keep talking about,¡± I say to him. He lets me lead him to the pool and I gently push him to sit. When he does, I straddle hisp, wanting to be able to see him as we talk. His hands go to my hips, helping to warm the cool water around me. Chapter 22: Dance 283 Mouchers ¡°You know, this isn¡¯t a good idea to sit like this if you want me to focus on anything besides wanting you,¡± he says, his voice deep with desire. I look down, then take his big, hard c**k in my hands, seeing that the tip is poking out of the water. ¡°What about this, is this going to help you focus?¡± I ask, feeling powerful at this man¡¯s instant response to my touch. He sucks in a breath as move my hands up, then down. ¡°Not on anything other than my need for you,¡± he says, reaching up to stroke my nipples. My body jerks with pleasure at his touch and I realize that the conversation about our future can wait until tomorrow. Tonight is about him and me, about me bing his and him bing mine. Tomorrow, when I¡¯m wearing his mark and my body is covered in his scent, then we can talk about what¡¯s next. But tonight, I want to focus on the pleasure he¡¯s promised me, and I want to know that I¡¯ve been able to give him the same pleasure in return. The One 23 The One 23 Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight Hunter My mate is driving me utterly wild. She said she wants to talk but she¡¯s straddling myp and stroking my c**k that is ready to blow in her hands. I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s ready for that. ¡°Sophie, baby, if you don¡¯t stop what you¡¯re doing, I¡¯m going to have an o**m and make a huge mess on your hands and chest.¡± I swear her eyes sparkle and she looks down which only makes my c**k twitch in her hands. ¡°You did give me an o**m. I think it¡¯s only fair that I give you one,¡± she says and whether she means to or not, she sounds s**y as f**k. ¡°Love, it¡¯s not a contest and do you know what happens when a man o**ms?¡± I ask, panting with the effort not to blow all over her. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m about to find out,¡± she whispers, watching me intently. I can tell she¡¯s feeling pretty proud of herself, so I let go, crying out with the force of my o**m, my eyes rolling back into my head as I lean back against the side of the pool while my body jerks its release. ¡°Oh!¡± she says, and her hands stop. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Sophie. Please, goddess, don¡¯t stop,¡± I say, practically begging. I grab her hips and hold on as she begins 21:24 Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight 200 Vouchers- stroking me again. When I finally open my eyes again, her eyes are wide, watching as thest of my c**m spits out of my c**k. She looks up at me and bites her lower lip, trying to keep from smiling. ¡°Was that good?¡± Iugh, my body jerking again as lean forward and run my thumb over her lips. ¡°That was f**g incredible.¡± I look down and see her chest and neck covered in my c***m. I growl, reaching out to smear it across her chest. She¡¯ll smell like me by morning anyway, but now, she¡¯s covered in my scent, and it helps Shaw to rx, knowing that our scent is coating hers, When I look up, she¡¯s watching me with dark eyes. I lean forward and kiss her softly. She surprises me by leaning against me, wrapping her arms around me. I pull back, frowning. ¡°Did you want to talk?¡± ¡°It can wait until tomorrow,¡± she says, breathily. ¡°Perfect,¡± I say, taking her mouth and grabbing her thighs as | stand, walking out of the pool. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she asks, pulling away and looking around. ¡°I can¡¯t smell your arousal in the pool. I want to smell you and taste you. If we aren¡¯t going to talk, I want to touch you, explore your body, learn what makes you shiver, and what makes you moan,¡± I say, running my nose up her throat. Slowly andpletely unexpectedly, she begins to lift her chin, Chapter 23 Under the Moonlight 288 Vouchers exposing her throat to me. It¡¯s aplete and total act of submission. As an Alpha wolf, it¡¯s the greatest gift she can give me. She is giving herself to me, her wolf is giving herself to Shaw. He pushes forward, gently biting her throat, letting her know that he epts her submission. I feel her body twitch and the scent of her arousal begins to permeate the air again.. I lick her throat once Shaw lets go and move my nose to her ear again. ¡°I will never give you a reason to regret your choice tonight,¡± I say softly, making her body shiver again. ¡°See that you don¡¯t,¡± she says. The words are demanding, but she¡¯s still submitting to me. It makes me feel even more powerful, having this woman give herself to me. She is a true Alpha, and she will be a strong mate and Luna for our pack. I grab the nket that Kinsley had in the basket and quickly spread it on the ground beforeying her on top of it. ¡°How is that? Any rocks digging into your back?¡± I ask her. She shakes her head, biting her lip again. I look down at her lip, leaning in so our lips are nearly touching. ¡°That¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°What?¡± she whispers, freeing her lip from her teeth. I suck her lip into my mouth and gently bite down on it before releasing it. ¡°That.¡± I kiss her again, taking my time, feeling her body rx, her armse around my neck, and into my hair, her orchid scent permeating the air around us. Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight 288 Wouchers I move to kiss her neck, moving my way down to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m going to touch you and taste you. If anything makes you. ufortable, let me know.¡± I lift my head and look at her. ¡°Ufortable, like it hurts, not ufortable like it¡¯s something new that you¡¯ve never experienced before. And feel free to let me know if you like. something. I¡¯ll continue doing it,¡± tell her, smiling as I lower my head again. ¡°Can I¡­touch you?¡± she asks. I look up at her again. ¡°Anywhere. Everywhere. There will be no secrets between us after tonight, Sophie.¡± stoke my hand down her side to her thigh as I kiss my way to her breast. I feel her hande to my back gently running her fingers over the muscles in my shoulders. ¡°Mmmm,¡± I hum, encouraging her to touch me as I flick my tongue over her nipple. It immediately tightens into a tight little nub. As much as I¡¯m enjoying the feel of her touching me, I want to know if she likes what I¡¯m doing, so I watch her face as I suck her nipple into my mouth. Her body¡¯s response is instant, and she arches, pressing her breast into my mouth. I bring my hand up and gently squeeze her breast as I continue sucking on her nipple. ¡°Oh yes,¡± she says, her hand now gripping my back. I pull back and flick my tongue over her nipple again, watching her. ¡°Did you like that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she says, nearly panting as she looks down at me. 21:24 Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. 1288 Vouchers ¡°Which part? This?¡± I ask, flicking my tongue over her nipple. ¡°Or this?¡± I ask, sucking her nipple into my mouth. ¡°YES!¡± she says, arching up again. ¡°That! I like that!¡± she says, her free handing to my hair and gripping it as she holds my face against her. ¡°Yes! Oh goddess, yes!¡± she moans, her body writhing underneath me. I move my hand away from her breast and begin to slowly make my way down her stomach, feeling her stomach muscles quiver at my touch. When my hand reaches the apex of her thighs, she¡¯s soaked for me. I moan, and whether it¡¯s the vibration against her nipple or the feel of my hand touching her c**t, her body jerks and she moans again. I lift my head off her nipple, looking down at my fingers that are glistening in the moonlight, coated with her arousal. I pull my fingers to my mouth and watching her, I lick them clean. ¡°Oh yes, I definitely need to taste you tonight,¡± I say, before leaning back down to suck her other nipple into my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure what that means, but if it feels like this, I¡¯m willing to try it,¡± she says, panting. She¡¯s begun scratching her nails across my back. I know that I¡¯ll have marks that will probablyst until tomorrow, but don¡¯t care. I slide a finger into her tight entrance, and I moan. ¡°You¡¯re so tight.¡± ¡°Well, I am a bit worried about that¡­¡± she says, the light scent of fear mingling with her much stronger scent of arousal. Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight 1283 Vouchers I look up at her, still moving my finger inside her. ¡°You were made for me, and I was made for you. I will fit. I¡¯m not going to say it won¡¯t hurt. It probably will at first, but Hedda will heal you quickly and then there will be nothing but pleasure for the rest of the night.¡± I hold her gaze for a moment. ¡°Trust me?¡± I ask. She nods. ¡°I trust you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I say smiling at her before dipping my head back down to her needy nipple. I run my tongue around it before sucking it back into my mouth. This time, I look down at my hand, carefully inserting a second finger inside her and slowly beginning to stretch her as I use the heal of my hand against her c**t. ¡°Hunter,¡± she moans and while I know my fingers are probably a bit ufortable, the feel of my hand on her c**t and my tongue on her nipple are overriding the pain. ¡°Mmmm,¡± I purr at her, sending vibrations through her body. I feel her body tightening and I know I¡¯ve got her close to another o**m. I put more pressure against her c**t as I gently bite down on her nipple and that¡¯s enough to have her mping down on my fingers. She cries out, as I force her to ride out her o**m, pumping my fingers in and out of her, not too hard or fast, just enough for her to adjust to the feel of me. When she finallyes down, I pull off of her nipple with a soft pop. I slide up her body, kissing her deeply and moving my body between her legs. She wraps her legs around me, her arms holding me tightly. I kiss her until her body rxes and her hands begin to move over my back again. 212400 Chapter 23: Under the Moonlight 1288 Vouchers When I pull back, I run my nose over hers. ¡°I smell blood, but it¡¯s not mine. Did I hurt you?¡± she asks. ¡°You might have scratched me while you were moaning through your o**m.¡± ¡°Oh my goddess, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. I don¡¯t mind carrying the evidence of the pleasure I gave you.¡± Even in the dark, I can see her blush, feel the heat of it against my face. ¡°That felt really good,¡± she says shyly. ¡°Good, because I¡¯m not done with you yet. Now, I want to taste you.¡± The One 24 The One 24 Chapter 24: His Sophie Taste me? Does he mean lick his fingers after having them inside me again? I have to admit, the look of utter bliss on his face as he sucked my arousal off his fingers was one of the s**t things I¡¯ve ever seen. I unhook my legs, and he begins kissing his way down my body. He sucks each of my nipples into his mouth, but I¡¯m surprised when he doesn¡¯t stop there. He continues to kiss his way down my stomach and then, he looks up at me, pulling one of my legs over his shoulder. I know my eyes go wide as his tongue flicks out, licking my aching p**y lips. He did that before, but this time, his eyes close and he growls loudly before attaching his mouth to my aching p**y. His warm tongue slides easily through my lips, swirling into my entrance and making me arch into his mouth. Nothing has ever felt as good as his warm mouth. My body feels so desperate for him, desperate for the release that he seems know I need. I¡¯m watching him, trying to keep my breathing under control as he sends waves of heat through my body. When his eyes meet mine, I can¡¯t catch my breath. His eyes are so dark, so full of need and desire, desire for me. ¡°Take what you need and want from me,¡± I say, not sure what I¡¯ m offering but knowing that I want to give him everything he desires, no matter what it is. 000% 21:24) Chapter 24: His 288 Vouchers His answering growl is possessive, and he tugs my body closer to him, sucking my c**t into his mouth. If I thought his talented tongue worked wonders on my nipples, that¡¯s nothingpared to the feelings he¡¯s eliciting from my c**t. ¡°Hunter,¡± I gasp, pressing my hips into his face. I feel his hands slide under my a**holding my p**y to his face as he licks and sucks on me like I¡¯m the best thing he¡¯s ever tasted in his life, like he¡¯llCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. never get enough of me. ¡°Hunter!¡± I call out again as my body tenses and I feel the o**m rip through me. My body is still jerking when I feel the unfamiliar feeling of his fingers sliding inside me again. It¡¯s not ufortable, but it feels strange, like an intrusion. He continues sucking on my c**t while his fingers begin stretching me. It¡¯s a bit painful, but I understand what he¡¯s doing. Soon enough, I feel the heat flowing through my body again, feel the tension, like my body is a spring that is getting tighter and tighter, ready to snap. Hunter begins growling against my c**t, sending vibrations through my body and then his fingers rub a spot, a perfect spot, inside me that has yet another o**m ripping through me. I arch my back hard, grabbing onto the nket underneath me as my body bows from the pleasure. His tongue slows, as I ride out my o**m on his face and fingers. When he finally pulls away, my body is still having little aftershocks. He makes his way up my body, leaning over me and kissing me. I can taste myself on his lips and tongue. It¡¯s a s**y, heady thing to know this strong, powerful Alpha was just between MY thighs, bringing ME pleasure. I slide my hands up his strong arms as he pulls his mouth from 21 24 Chapter 24: His 1288 Wouchers mine. ¡°Are you ready for me to make you mine forever? Are you ready for me to im you?¡± he asks. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m an Alpha, maybe it¡¯s because I feel smug after so many o**ms, or maybe it¡¯s because I want this man as much as he seems to want me. ¡°Are YOU ready to be imed by ME, Alpha?¡± I ask him. I suck in a breath as he turns his neck, exposing his throat to me. ¡°I want your mark, right here,¡± he says, lifting his hand and tapping the marking spot on his neck. Much like he did with me, Hedda pushes me to lift up and I gently nip at his throat, epting his submission and his request to im him. When he looks back down at me, his eyes are dark. ¡°I¡¯m d we¡¯ re in agreement,¡± he says, settling himself between my thighs. ¡°We¡¯re going to take this slow. It will hurt, but once the pain is in pleasure,¡± he gone, I promise, I¡¯ll make you scream my nace the pain is says, making my body shiver in anticipation. When I feel the head of his c**k, his veryrge **k, at my entrance, I realize that those two fingers weren¡¯t anywhere close to the size of this man. He settles himself on his forearms, running his thumbs over my face, leaning in to run his nose over my jaw, and against my nose as he begins to push inside me. I gasp, already feeling the sting of the intrusion. ¡°Rx,¡± he says softly, leaning in to kiss me. I can feel his body 21:240 1248 Woucher shivering with the control he must be maintaining to go this slow. I force myself to focus on his mouth, on his tongue that is teasing mine and I make my body rx. ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± he says before kissing me again as he starts to push further inside me. I¡¯ve never felt so full. The sting is there, the pain, but there is also the promise of the pleasure that told me he would give me. I know he will. I know he¡¯ll make this night even more memorable that it already is. He¡¯ll do that for me. I pull his face away from me as he continues to slide slowly inside me. ¡°I love you, Hunter¡± I say, feeling it deep in my heart. ¡°And I love you, Sophie Meyers, soon to be Sophie Reynolds,¡± he says, smiling. Then, I see his slight frown as he continues to slide inside me. ¡°What? What is it?¡± He tilts his head to the side. ¡°I thought there would be resistance. If your hymen was intact¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been with another man, I swear it,¡± I say, suddenly fearful that he¡¯ll think that I¡¯ve been with another. ¡°Baby, I know. I can tell that all of this is new to you. Your hymen probably broke while you were on the run. Any type of excessive exercise can break it. Hell, even warrior training could break it,¡± he says. ¡°Are you¡­are you disappointed?¡± ask quietly. He¡¯s been so 21240 288 Mouchers sweet, so kind to me. I don¡¯t want to disappoint him. He takes my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. ¡°Disappointed that this won¡¯t hurt you as much as I expected? That I¡¯ll be able to move more quickly inside you and that you¡¯ll feel the pleasure I¡¯m giving you faster? No, my love. I¡¯m not. disappointed at all.¡± He reaches down and pulls my thigh up to his hip. ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m already buried all the way inside you. How do you feel?¡± ¡°Full, I say, smiling up at him. ¡°Sore?¡± ¡°It stings a little, but nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± He slowly slides out of me and I can feel every inch of him, rubbing the aching spots inside me. ¡°And now?¡± ¡°Better,¡± I say, wanting more, of what I¡¯m not sure. ¡°You, Sophie Meyers, continue to be a surprise to me.¡± I want to ask what I¡¯ve done to surprise him, but he slides inside me again and this time, the sting is much less. ¡°Does that feel good?¡± he asks, his voice rough with his control. ¡°Yes. What would make it feel good for you?¡± He puts his forehead on mine. ¡°You. Feel. Incredible. When you¡¯ re ready, I¡¯ll move faster.¡± Chapter 24: His ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I tell him, wanting him to feel as good as he¡¯s making me feel. 288 Vouchers He looks at me a moment, then begins moving faster, thrusting in and out of me. ¡°Oh yes, oh yes that feels good,¡± say, arching against him. He moves up onto his hands, leaning over me and pulling my one leg over his shoulder, going even deeper inside of me. ¡°Yes!¡± I say, as he begins rubbing the spot that his fingers found earlier. ¡°Yes!¡± I say again. ¡°You are mine, Sophie,¡± Hunter growls and his words are lisping. open my eyes to see that his canines have extended. ¡°Mine!¡± he growls and begins thrusting even faster, harder, his body pping against mine every time he bottoms out. ¡°Yes, Hunter. Yes, I¡¯m yours!¡± I cry as I feel my body begin to tighten, feel my inner walls begin to flutter around Hunter. I ¡°Yes!¡± I cry, throwing my head back as my body explodes into a million-points of pleasure. Hunter¡¯s movements be jerky as he continues to thrust and then, just as his body tenses, he leans over and sinks his canines into my neck. I scream, my body exploding yet again only this time, my focus narrows and I feel the tingling of my canines as they extend. ¡°Mine,¡± Hedda growls and I sink my canines into Hunter¡¯s neck, feeling his body jerk again as he growls against my neck, milking his venom into my body as I am with him. We¡¯re connected in every possible way, and I wrap my arms and Chapter 24: His 288 Vouchers legs around him, holding him tightly as our bodies jerk with the pleasure of our o**ms. Long after the venom in my canines is gone, Hunter pulls his canines from my neck, and I do the same. We both lick the wounds closed then he carefully turns on his side, pulling me against him. ¡°You¡¯re mine now, Little Sophie Meyers,¡± he says smugly. ¡°That¡¯s Sophie Reynolds to you, Alpha,¡± I say. His pleased chuckle is thest thing I hear before falling into the deepest sleep I can remember in years. The One 25 The One 25 Chapter 25: Waking Up Hunter I held Sophie after she fell asleep. She¡¯s mine. She agreed to be mine and now I¡¯ve imed her in every possible way. ¡®We need to make her our Luna, officially, when we return to our pack,¡¯ Shaw says, purring as our mate snuggles against us. ¡®And I want to run with Hedda before our pup begins growing inside them.¡¯ ¡®You think they¡¯re pregnant already?¡¯ I ask him. ¡®No telling, but I have no intention of only trying once, do you?¡¯ he asks smugly. I stroke my fingers through her hair, rubbing her head and listening to the sweet, contented sounds she makes as she sleeps. ¡®Definitely not,¡¯ I say, smiling at the thought of my mate carrying my pup. ¡®You know we have a battle on our hands the moment we arrive back home?¡¯ I say to Shaw. ¡®I dare anyone to contest that Sophie is their Luna. If they do, they will answer to me.¡¯ I intend to give them the opportunity to leave before her ceremony. If they do, I¡¯ll allow it. If they contest her leadership after they have sworn their loyalty to her, then I¡¯ll kill them,¡¯ I 21:25) 283 Wouchers growl. Iy awake, looking at the night sky and enjoying the feel of my mate¡¯s body pressed against mine as I think of the massive struggles we will face in theing weeks. It doesn¡¯t matter, I will always fight for her. Now, I don¡¯t have to fight alone. I¡¯m not sure when I finally drifted off into sleep, but the feel of warm hands on my body and my throbbing erection wakes me. When I open my eyes, I realize that it¡¯s not quite dawn. My mater is sitting up on her elbow, stroking her hand down my chest, to my stomach, by-passing my aching c**k, before sliding back up again. ¡°Sophie?¡± I ask, my voice thick with sleep. ¡°You said I could touch you anywhere,¡± she says, the glint of a challenge in her eyes. 9 ¡°I did, and I meant it. But your touch has a very specific effect on me,¡± I say, gesturing to my hard length. She looks down at me, her fingers trailing a line from my chest. to my belly button before gently caressing my length, making me jerk from the unexpected pleasure. Her eyes return to mine. ¡°You made me feel very goodst night, and I want to return the favor.¡± ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t a contest, but I have no problem if you want touch me, or even tease me into near insanity.¡± She smiles at that and then looks back down at my c**k, her smile fading. She tucks her chin, looking away from me Chanter 25: Waking Up 1 288 Vouchers completely, even though her hand continues to stroke my body. I reach out and stroke her cheek with my knuckles, feeling the heat of her embarrassment. ¡°What is it? You have nothing to be embarrassed about,¡± I say to her. She nces at me, then looks away again, before pressing her lips together and forcing herself to look me in the eye. D**n she¡¯s so f*g s**y. ¡°I want to do more than touch you and tease you. I want to make you feel good like you made me feel good. But¡­I don¡¯t how,¡± she says quietly, as if admitting a terrible crime. ¡°Would you like me to give you some options of things that I like, or would you like to know what I want most right at this moment?¡± I ask her. ¡°What do you want most, right at this moment?¡± I smile at her enthusiasm, pulling her mouth to mine for deep, passionate kiss. ¡°Straddle my hips, like you didst night,¡± I say when I release her mouth. She does, quickly, then looks at me. ¡°Touch yourself. Slide your fingers inside your entrance. Let meThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. see if you are ready for me.¡± I put my hand on her thighs, running them up and down slowly. I can feel her body vibrating with desire and I already know, just from her sitting on my stomach that she¡¯s wet for me. 21:35 Chapter 25: Waking Up However, my sweet mate watches me as she follows my instructions, lifting up just enough to slide her fingers inside herself, before pulling them out and showing me how they glisten in the starlight. 288 Woucher! ¡°Put your fingers in my mouth. Let me taste your sweetness,¡± I say softly. She does as I ask, licking her lips as I lick her fingers. I swirl my tongue around her fingers, licking them clean as the scent of her arousal continues to increase. When I¡¯m done, I pull her hand from my mouth, watching her. ¡°Lift yourself and take me in your hand. Put the head of my c**k at your entrance.¡± She does as I say, and I continue to slide my hands over her body, moving up to her waist and hips. ¡°You can slide me back and forth, getting the tip wet, if you want, then, slowly and carefully, lower yourself onto my length. If you feel resistance, lift up, letting your arousal coat my c**k until you are seatedpletely on me and I¡¯m buried deep inside you,¡± I say. I already feel like I¡¯m ready to explode inside her, but I hold back, wanting her to have this moment. She¡¯s so soaking wet that she doesn¡¯t have to stop as she slides down my length. I watch as her breathing quickens, her chest heaving with her gasps as I fill her, stretching her. ¡°You feel so good, Sophie,¡± I tell her, knowing no woman could ever feel as good as she does. I reach up and run my hands over her breasts. Chapter 25: Waking Up 288 Wouchers ¡°Move your hips, feel me inside you and find a movement that feels good to you, that touches you in just the right spot. You can make circles, slide up and down, or back and forth. Different positions will hit you differently, some will also rub your c**t which will make it even more pleasurable for you.¡± Her eyes refocus on mine. ¡°What about for you? I want to make you feel good.¡± ¡°Baby, I could have alreadye if I wanted this over quickly. I want you to learn how to ride me so we can do it again sometime, sometime very soon I hope,¡± I say, gently pinching her nipple and feeling it harden between my fingers. She gasps and begins moving her hips. ¡°Oh, f**k, Sophie. That¡¯s right. Find a movement you like. It all feels good to me.¡± She leans forward putting her hands on my chest, giving me ess to her breasts. While she grinds on me, finding a position she likes, I lean up, sucking her nipple into my mouth. She cries out and her inner walls mp down on me. I growl, excited by her unexpected o**m, and I continue to suck her nipple, as she rides out her pleasure. Her body floods with her arousal, soaking my groin and hips underneath her. ¡°Find another position, ande for me again, Sophie. Feeling your o**ms, while I fight to hold mine back, will only make my o**m that much better when I finally let go.¡± ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m doing it right?¡± she asks breathlessly. ¡°Oh yes, love. When I finallye, you¡¯ll know just how Chapter 25: Waking Up 28H Vouchers incredible you are.¡± She catches her breath and I see determination in her eyes as she begins sliding up and down my length. F**k, I¡¯ll never hold out this time. ¡°Oh Hunter! Oh Hunter, this feels really good,¡± she says, her head falling back as she bounces on my c**k, her breasts. pping together as her movements be faster. ¡°That¡¯s right baby, ride my c**k,¡± say to her, grabbing her hips and beginning to thrust up into her as she bounces on me. ¡°Hunter! HUNTER!¡± she screams, and I feel her walls mp down on me as her body jerks with her o**m. She begins keening with pleasure and I hold her hips, thrusting into her several more times before I explode and bury myself deep inside her. 3 She copses against me as we both pant, gasping for air, the aftershocks still rippling through our bodies. I wrap my arms around her, stroking her back. ¡°Feel free to wake me like that every morning for the rest of our lives,¡± I say, making herugh. She looks up at me and I can see her eyes starting to droop. ¡°It was okay?¡± ¡°It was fantastic. It was perfect. You are perfect,¡± I tell her. ¡°Well, practice does make perfect. So, perhaps I can find true perfection if I practice more,¡± she says, snuggling against me. ¡°I will happily be your test subject each and every time you wish Chapter 25: Waking Up 288 Vouchers to practice,¡± I say, feeling her chuckle. It isn¡¯t much longer before her breathing deepens and she falls asleep. This time, I follow closely behind her, my arms still wrapped tightly around her as we sleep. The next time I wake, I¡¯m hard inside her, never having slipped out while we slept. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure we stayed hard the entire time you slept,¡¯ Shaw smirks. ¡®How could I not? I have my s**y mate naked on top of me.¡¯ I slowly begin moving inside her, gently waking her and enjoying the sweet sounds of arousal she makes as she wakes. When her eyes open, she sucks in a breath, looking up at me. ¡°Good morning, sunshine,¡± I say, continuing to move inside her. ¡°Good morning, indeed,¡± she says, her voice already sounding a bit desperate. ¡°Would you like to ride me again, or would you like to try a different position? She sits up, biting her lip as she thinks. I sit up too, pulling her lip from her teeth with my thumb. ¡°What did I tell you about that?¡± I growl, feeling her body shiver at the sensation. I lean forward, nipping at her lip before sucking it into my mouth. She presses her lips to mine, kissing me as she wraps her arms around me. ¡°Ride or new,¡± I ask, flexing my c**k inside her. She gasps at the Chapter 25: Waking Up 1288 Mouchers feel, then narrowing her eyes, I feel her tighten her walls around me. ¡°Well, that feels fantastic,¡± I growl ¡°I want to try something new,¡± she says, her eyes shining with excitement. I spare a brief moment and realize that Lucas has never had moments like this with Kinsley and it¡¯s all because of the way he imed her. This, this right here with me and Sophie, is how every iming night and morning should be. This is what we¡¯re fighting for. I run my nose over hers. ¡°I¡¯ll take you from behind. Would you prefer to be on your knees, bent over the table, or pressed against the stone walls of the pool?¡± I ask her and watch as her eyes get wider with each suggestion. ¡°Which one is better?¡± she asks. ¡°That depends on what you like best. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s a better option unless you have on in particr that you like.¡± She looks around, making her decision. ¡°The pool,¡± she finally says. ¡°Perfect, if you like it, we can try it again at home in the shower,¡± I say, lifting onto my feet and standing. She wraps her legs around me, and I walk to the pool, still deep inside her. I step into the pool, moving to the area where she can stand and put her hands against the stone wall where the water trickles down. I lift her off my c**k and set her on her feet, kissing her nose before spinning her around. I pull her hair aside before I cover her hands with mine, leaning in to kiss the sensitive part of her neck. ¡°Arch your back and spread your legs for me.¡± Chapter 25 Waking Up She does as l ask, and it isn¡¯t long before she¡¯s screaming her release again. This position is perfect because it gives her leverage to push back against me as I thrust into her and I can wrap my arm around her, ying with her nipples and c**t, making here several times before I finally roar my own release, hearing it echo around the small space we¡¯re in as I pull her to me and bury myself inside her. I lean my head against her back as she¡¯s leaning against the stone wall. ¡°Does this ever get old?¡± she asks me. Iugh. ¡°If it does, tell me and we¡¯ll mix it up.¡± Weugh together as I slide out of her, turning her to kiss her again. ¡°Come on, we need to eat whatever is left and then we need to talk before we head back to the pack.¡± ¡°Yes. And I was seriousst night. I want to know about being this legend that Kinsley and Penny talked about.¡± I rinse the sex off of both of us before we get out and walk to the table. There is some bread and butter left over fromst night and I sit Sophie on myp and feed her, thinking through how to best tell my mate that she truly has be a legend. The One 26 The One 26 Chapter 26: Being the Legend Sophie ¡°You¡¯re thinking very hard,¡± I say, chewing the bread that Hunter fed me. I¡¯ve thought more than once in thest 24 hours that I must be the luckiest woman in the world to have Hunter as a mate. He¡¯s given me the fairy tale. Everything I ever dreamed that finding my mate would be when I was a young girl. And he¡¯s perfect. He doesn¡¯t make me feel foolish for not knowing things. He doesn¡¯t make fun of me, but he gives me the choice, let¡¯s me decide how I want to proceed. I¡¯m pretty sure that even without the mate bond, I would have fallenpletely in love with this man. And let¡¯s not ignore the fact that he¡¯s the s**t man I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s been a while, but I grew up in a pack. Nudity wasmon, so I¡¯ve seen naked men and women. But this man¡­I¡¯ m getting warm in tender ces just thinking about it. I touched quite a bit of his body while he was sleeping, and even after he woke. His strength, his muscles, only add to the heat that has begun to pool yet again in my core. Since I¡¯m sitting on hisp, I¡¯ m not surprised when I see his lips twitch and he looks at me. out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± he asks, holding another piece of bread up to my mouth. I don¡¯t think either one of us loves this breakfast, but we¡¯re both hungry after exerting so much energyst night and as Alphas, our bodies burn a lot of calories in general. 16:50 D The Legend 203 Mouchers ¡°Just thinking about how s**y you are,¡± I say honestly. That makes him smile. ¡°Mmmm, I¡¯d love to explore that further, but for now, we should talk. We need to get back to the pack. I want to officially instate you as my Luna tonight.¡± ¡°Already?¡± I ask, surprised. ¡°Yes. You know there will be push back from many packs. We¡¯ve been working to create a council, a group who can preside over these types of issues, but we¡¯re so divided that we haven¡¯t even been able toe to an agreement about who should sit on the council. So, without that, and knowing that I¡¯ve technically broken aw by iming you like this, I want to take away any possibility of them stripping you of your title.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve broken,¡± I say, and he frowns at me. ¡°We¡¯ve broken thew. It wasn¡¯t just you. If we¡¯re going to face off against the ones who refuse to make change, then we will do it as a unified front,¡± I say, determined that I will stand beside him. I won¡¯t let him take the brunt of whatever is toe because he wants to protect me. He¡¯s already given me more than I ever dreamed to hope for in thest two years. For that alone, I¡¯ll fight beside him. Add to that, I¡¯mpletely and totally in love with this man already, and I would die for him, just as I know in my heart, that he would die for me. He takes my face in his hand, leaning into kiss me in a much deeper kiss than I was expecting. ¡°How did I get so f**g lucky?¡± he asks, chewing the bread that was in my mouth a moment ago. ¡°Are you talking about me now, or the food?¡± I tease. 11 288 Vouchers He smacks my a** making me jump. ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯ m talking about,¡± he says, holding out another piece of bread for me. I use my tongue to pull his fingers into my mouth, then bite them, just enough to get him back for smacking my a** All it does is make him smile and increase the possessive look on his face. I can feel the heat pooling in my core and Hunter¡¯s nostrils re before he shakes his head. ¡°Hold that thought for tonight. We do need to talk.¡± I nod, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. I realize, I¡¯m perfectly happy being naked in my mate¡¯s presence now. That didn¡¯t take long. He takes a deep breath and sighs, before looking me in the eyes. ¡°What Kinsley and Penny said is true. I¡¯m not sure why or how, but something about you leaving that night, changed everything. The news of your leaving spread like wildfire through the packs. The Alphas are probably partially responsible for that because they were very vocal about your father searching for you and bringing you back. His absolute refusal to search for you caused a ripple unlike anything I¡¯ve ever seen in the packs.¡± He looks past me, his eyes unfocused as he remembers. ¡°The Alphas were angry. They threatened to wage war against your father and your pack. Several of us stood with him, your sister¡¯s mate being one of them, agreeing to fight at his side if there was to be a war. There were enough of us, enough strong packs, that stood beside your father, that the other packs backed down.¡± ¡°Are all the packs either for or against thew?¡± I ask. 16:50 1208 Vouchers. ¡°There are a few who are neutral. Those that have few, if any, ranked she-wolves in their pack. But for the most part, the packs are divided one way or the other.¡± ¡°So, what does that have to do with me?¡± I ask. ¡°You remember how na?ve you were that night? It was the same with your sister, I¡¯m sure,¡± he says, and I nod. I remember my mother giving Amelia ¡®the talk¡¯ that morning. Why wait until just before the event to tell her what was going to transpire? ¡°It was the same with my sister as well and I¡¯m sure, most ranked she-wolves. There are almost never any ranked she- wolves at aing-of-age party for another ranked she-wolf, for that reason. However, once you left, everything changed. Mothers who hated the future for their daughters began telling them of what was toe. They began hiding money, setting up secret bank ounts, apartments in big cities, anything they could do to get their daughters out of the packs before they turned 18.¡± He sighs. ¡°It worked, for a while, especially for Alpha females, I¡¯ m told. Having more money, they were able to hide and put away money more easily. But then, she-wolves started disappearing, not just from a pack here or a pack there, but from all of them. The Alphas and other ranked wolves figured out what was happening and some of them started locking their ranked she-wolves in the pack, not letting them leave, even if they are years away from turning 18. Others went on the hunt, as you know, hunting down ranked she-wolves and iming them. They stopped caring if the she- wolf was their fated mate, they only cared that they caught and imed their mate.¡± I knew this, Penny had basically told me how awful it had Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. 16.50 11 288 Vouchers gotten, but to hear it from Hunter¡¯s perspective, to hear it from an Alpha, was almost worse. He looks at me, and I¡¯m not sure what I see in his eyes, but it feels almost like pity. It makes my stomach clench and I know I¡¯m not going to like whatever he¡¯s about to say. ¡°It started about a year or so ago. A ranked she-wolf was captured, dragged back to her pack and imed publicly in front. of the pack. I¡¯m not sure if the Alpha was her fated mate or not, and honestly, I don¡¯t think it matters. From what I heard, he wasn¡¯t careful with her, he was angry at having to hunt her down, so he punished her, by stripping her down while he imed her for all to see.¡± He stops, clenching his teeth. I¡¯m not sure he realizes that his arm has tightened around me, almost as if he¡¯s instinctively protecting me from something like that ever happening to me. ¡°To my knowledge, she was the first to start it.¡± ¡°Start what?¡± I whisper. He looks into my eyes and takes a deep breath. ¡°She ran to a cliff edge. Her mate and the pack tried to stop her, but she had already decided death was better than the life she had. I wasn¡¯t there, but the rumors flew afterward. She apparently turned to look at the pack and before she jumped,¡± he sighs, taking. another deep breath. ¡°Before she jumped, she cried out, ¡®For Sophie! For all of us!¡¯ and then she jumped to her death.¡± Tgasp, my hand flying to my mouth. ¡°Why? Why me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know why she said it, but it started a whole other ripple effect. Every time a she-wolf intentionally took her life after that, she¡¯d either scream the words, or write them 16:50 Chapter 26: Being the Legend 258 (Vouchers down, so someone would find the note and know that she chose death over this life. That¡¯s why they call you the legend. You started this ball rolling, and they¡¯ve turned you into a martyr, a beacon for the choices that they are making. I stand, the bread in my stomach threatening toe back up. When I turn, Hunter hasn¡¯t moved, the hand that was around my hip reaching out like he was trying to hold on to me. ¡°I never wanted any of this. I just. I just didn¡¯t want to be imed publicly. How¡­?¡± In a moment, he¡¯s up and his arms are wrapped around me. ¡°Breathe, Sophie. Breathe. This is why I waited to tell you. I knew it would be a lot. I knew it would be a heavy burden on you. ¡°All those lives¡­¡± I say, tears running down my face. Hunter pulls back, taking my face in his hands and wiping away the tears. ¡°Those lives are not lost because of you. Do you hear me?¡± he asks fiercely. ¡°It¡¯s because of this process, thisw, that needs to be eliminated. You are not responsible for those deaths, Sophie. Thew is. Tell me you understand that.¡± My head is spinning, I don¡¯t know what to think. I had no idea, none, that any of this was happening. ¡°SOPHIE!¡± Hunter growls, shaking me, bringing my attention back to him. ¡°You are not responsible for their deaths,¡± he says carefully and slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°No, you are not.¡± Chapter 26 Being the Legend 1288 Muchers There¡¯s something about the way he says it, the way he is looking at me, that helps me to breathe, helps my head to stop spinning. ¡°No one knew what happened to you. You hid much better than anyone else did. Maybe the first woman thought you were dead. or at least assumed you were. I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s be frequent enough that everyone, and I do mean everyone, knows your name Sophie. You need to be prepared for that.¡± I look into his eyes, feeling desperate and lost. ¡°What am I going to do?¡± ¡°We, Sophie,¡± he says, putting his forehead against mine. ¡°What are WE going to do? A unified front, remember? You and me, together. And WE are going to change thew, WE are going to change history. WE are going to make a better life for all she- wolves.¡± The One 27 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 1651 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?¡± 16 51 M Chapter 27: Return to the Pack 288 doumers 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 16.51 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 1651 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. 16:51 288 Wouchers. ¡°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?¡± ¡°Ready.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The One 28 The One 28 Chapter 28: Pack¡¯s Reaction Sophie As I walk hand in hand with Hunter, I can¡¯t help but feel nervous. I trust him. Everything he has told me up until now, everything that has happened, has proven to me that he¡¯s the real deal. He cares about me, and he refuses to share me with anyone. But, I¡¯m still walking into his pack on faith alone. Faith in him. I notice that Kinsley doesn¡¯t take Lucas¡¯ hand as easily and readily as I take Hunter¡¯s and I think about what Hunter told me about their struggles. I feel the mate bond so strongly, the pull to Hunter is almost impossible to resist, I can¡¯t imagine how. frustrating or upsetting it would be to have your mate and not be able to trust them. Or, on Lucas¡¯ side, to have your mate but they distrust you so much that they don¡¯t even want you to touch them. I¡¯ll admit, I tensed a moment when Hunter bent down to kiss me in front of the two of them, but that¡¯s all it was. A kiss. He was showing his love and adoration of me to his Betas. He has no problem expressing his love for me in front of others, and I know that it won¡¯t take long before I don¡¯t tense up and I just ept his public disys of affection, knowing that¡¯s as far as it will ever go. He told me so, that he has no problem letting others see our love, but he will never share me with anyone, never share our intimacy with anyone. Kinsley¡¯s response, however, was telling. I heard her gasp, heard her heart rate increase as Hunter reached down to kiss me. She still struggles with what happened to her. I don¡¯t know if there is Chapter 28 Pack¡¯s Reaction 288 Vouchers anything that I can do to help her get past that, but I will try, not only as her Luna, but also, hopefully, as her friend. The patrols hear us first, howling their hello for the return of their Alpha. Perhaps it¡¯s my scent that has the patrols continuing to head our way rather than continuing their patrol, but I can¡¯t be sure. When they arrive at the border, the leader shifts, but the others stay in wolf form. The leader looks at me, quickly noticing that I¡¯m wearing his Alpha¡¯s clothing. ¡°Alpha, wee home. We smelled a new scent, and I just wanted to check to see who it was,¡± he says, his eyes continuing to nce at me. ¡°Nathan, let me introduce you, all of you, to your new Luna. This is Luna Sophie,¡± Hunter says to him and the other wolves. They shuffle around and just based on their bodynguage, I feel pretty confident that I can tell which ones are for and which are against the public imings. The ones who are acting excited think they¡¯re going to watch me get imed tonight. ¡°Alpha Hunter will be making an announcement to the pack, isn¡¯ t that right, Alpha?¡± Beta Lucas says, stepping up. ¡°That is correct, and we will be having our Luna ceremony tonight. I¡¯m going to make an announcement in a few moments, make sure you hear it,¡± he says, causing the patrols to howl their excitement. I¡¯m pretty sure they think this means that the public -im on me will ur tonight, but they couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. However, their howls alert the pack and as Hunter leads me farther into the packnds, the pack begins congregating our 12.40% 16610 Chapter 28: Pack¡¯s Reaction 288 Vouchers way, surrounding us and murmuring about me. I feel Hunter squeeze my hand and look down at me, smiling his encouragement. I smile back at him, pulling on all my strength and training as an Alpha not to crumble at the pressure that I feel building within the pack. ¡°Do my eyes deceive me, or has our Alpha captured our Luna?¡± a man with dark hair says, sauntering out of the packhouse. ¡°You would be correct, Ga**a Koden, although ¡®capture¡¯ may not be the correct word,¡± Hunter says. The man¡¯s eyes look over my body hungrily. I¡¯m thankful for the bagginess of Hunter¡¯s clothing which allows this man to see -nothing of me or my body. Hunter growls a warning growl at his Ga**a. The man lifts his chin in submission, but it¡¯s almost a cating gesture, not a true submission. ¡°And do we get the name of our Luna?¡± he asks, his neck still raised. Hunter hasn¡¯t released him yet. ¡°Your new Luna is Sophie Reynolds.¡± ¡°Sophie¡­. You mean our Alpha has captured Sophie Meyers? Well done, Alpha. It¡¯s about time. Now we can put this so-called revolution to bed,¡± Koden says. His neck is still bent in submission, and he doesn¡¯t seem to realize that he¡¯s only making Hunter more and more angry with every word. Hunter releases my hand and steps up to him, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground. Chapter 28: Pack¡¯s Reaction 11 288 Vouchers ¡°Now, why would you say that, Koden?¡± He frowns, finally turning his attention away from me and focusing on Hunter. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll im her properly now that you¡¯ve got her back to the pack, I¡¯m sure. Once that¡¯s done, the ranked she-wolves on the run will no longer have their martyr. They can all return home back to life as usual,¡± he chokes out. 8 §Õ§Ñ§â §Õ§à Hunter pulls Koden¡¯s face close to his. ¡°Do you really think that my stance on public imings will change now that I¡¯ve found my mate?¡± ¡°It has to Alpha. It¡¯s thew. If you don¡¯t im her properly, we can¡¯t ept her as our Luna,¡± he sputters. Hunter continues to hold him off the ground as he looks at the pack members who have surrounded us. I notice that Kinsley and Lucas move to stand on either side of me, ready to protect their Luna if a fight breaks out. They don¡¯t seem to understand that I¡¯m the other Alpha wolf here. It¡¯s my job to protect them. ¡®We should kill the a**hole. I¡¯d be happy to, except my mate looks so s**y snarling at him,¡¯ Hedda says admiringly. ¡°You all know me. You know my stance on public imings. I have forbidden them in this pack for over a year. My belief that the public imings are wrong and should be ouwed hasn¡¯t changed because I found my mate. You¡¯re all werewolves. You can smell my scent on Sophie. She is already imed.¡± He turns and looks at me. ¡°Show them, my love,¡± he says, and I pull his shirt away from my neck, turning in a circle so everyone can see his mark on my neck. Chapter 28:Pack¡¯s Reaction 1288 vouchers ¡°There will be no public iming. will never share my mate with anyone,w or no. You have until tonight to decide if you will give your allegiance to me and to Sophie as your Luna. If you do not, you are free to pack your bags and leave this pack before. sundown when her Luna ceremony will ur. If you choose to stay, you will swear your allegiance to me and to Sophie and any disrespect to her after that will result in your death. I am giving you the choice, the choice that our ranked she- wolves do not have. If you decide to leave now, there will be no penalty, other than you will need to find another pack to live in. Questions?¡± He still hasn¡¯t released his G**a who has begun turning blue and is iling around, scratching at Hunter¡¯s hand. Hunter acts as if he doesn¡¯t even feel it, as if holding a full-grown man off the ground is simple. ¡®For him it seems to be, Hedda purrs in my head. ¡®Focus, Hedda.¡¯ ¡°Alpha, how can we possibly find a new pack in less than a day?¡± ¡°You knew my stance long before now. You know me. Have I ever wavered in my decisions? If you didn¡¯t agree with me before, you should have left sooner,¡± he says, resolutely. ¡°What about the pack? The other packs will shun us at best, dere war on us at worst,¡± someone says. ¡°Yes, I expect a war,¡± Hunter says. ¡°The war has beening for a long time, long before Sophie ran two years ago,¡± he says, holding his arm out to me. I immediately walk into his embrace. He holds me tightly to one side, still holding a iling Koden by the throat in his other hand away from his body. ¡°But, I don¡¯t Chapter 28 Pack¡¯s Reaction 288 Vouchers believe it will be us against everyone. I believe that there are others who will stand beside us. Sophie and I know that we have a tough road ahead of us¡­¡± ¡°Tough? Try impossible,¡± someone says. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s impossible. Change only happens when people make a stand. Well, it¡¯s time to make a stand, past time really. Our she-wolves have been making a stand for two years. Shame on me and shame on us for not making a stand with them sooner,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ve seen my share of public imings,¡± an older woman says, stepping forward. ¡°Most of us have, at one time or another.¡± She turns and looks at me. ¡°Tell me thest time you saw a new Luna walk into the arms of her mate so willingly? When¡¯s thest time you saw an Alpha or any ranked member¡¯s mate look at him with love in her eyes like our Luna¡¯s doing with our Alpha, no offense Betas,¡± she says, ncing at them, then back at me. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have to worry about our Luna jumpin¡¯ off a cliff any time soon, do we Luna?¡± she asks me. She has a slight ent, as if her family descended from a European country. ¡°No ma¡¯am. You don¡¯t, and I won¡¯t, ever. I absolutely love your Alpha, my Alpha now too,¡± I say, smiling up at him. ¡°As you all know, I¡¯ve been away for two years and honestly, I had no idea what was going on in the packs. But now that I do, now that I¡¯m back, I intend to stand beside Alpha Hunter and fight this injustice, not just for me, but for all the ranked she-wolves out there. They deserve to find the happiness that I¡¯ve already found with my mate. I want to stop these senseless deaths. I want everyone to have what I¡¯ve found with my mate.¡± I pause, looking at all of them. ¡°I saw my sister¡¯s iming. I saw Chapter 28: Pack¡¯s Reaction 288 Vouchers the horror on her face and the tears in her eyes.¡± I look up at Hunter. ¡°The tears that I criedst night were the tears of love, so strong that it made my heart hurt. There was no part of the night where I was afraid, or embarrassed. We sealed our bond, given to us by our Moon Goddess, andContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. he imed me under the moonlight honoring and thanking her for this gift. We both did. This is what it should be like to be imed. It should feel like this, like nothing in the world cane close to comparing to your love for your mate, that nothing is more important than your mate.¡± Hunter drops Koden on the ground and slides his hand into my hair. His lipse to mine and he kisses me, his tongue requesting entrance to my mouth, which I readily give him. I know I can trust him, and I feel his pride at my words, his need to show me how much he appreciates what I¡¯ve said and the trust that I¡¯ve given him. I lose myself in the kiss, leaning into him, my arms going around his neck as his arms pull me closer to him. When I hear someone clearing their throat, I¡¯vepletely forgotten that we¡¯re standing in front of a large group of people. Hunter pulls back, smiling down at me and stroking my cheek. ¡°No one and nothing could ever make me do anything that would take away the trust that my mate has in me,¡± he says, kissing my nose and looking at his pack. I realize that they have all gone silent, watching our embrace. ¡°Well, that was all I needed to see. I haven¡¯t seen a love like that among our ranked members in¡­ well¡­much too long. I¡¯m staying. I¡¯d rather fight for an Alpha and Luna who love each other like that, than rush to a pack with a Luna who¡¯s constantly looking for a way to escape and is willing to end her life to get Chapter 25: Pack¡¯s Reaction 1288 Vouchers away from her mate,¡± the woman says, turning around and looking at the pack members behind her. ¡°Any of you who leave, are fools. If you¡¯re foolish enough to go, I¡¯ll be biding my time until youe crawling back begging for a second chance. Who do you think the ranked members are going to come to when the ranked she-wolves are all gone? That would be our pups and our grand-pups.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s not part of thew,¡± someone says from the back. ¡°Who do you think makes thews, you g**t?¡± she asks, her ent getting stronger with her irritation. ¡°You have until sundown,¡± Hunter says again. ¡°And let this be the first and only warning to you,¡± he says, gesturing at Koden lying unconscious on the ground. ¡°If anyone dares to ogle my mate again, you won¡¯t get off so easily. I do not share my mate. Not now, not ever. Dismissed!¡± Hunter, still holding me to his side, turns to Lucas. ¡°Get him off our packnds. He is no longer wee here.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Kinsley says, walking over to Koden¡¯s unconscious body and kicking him in the face, breaking his nose. ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°Kins¡­¡± Lucas says, but there¡¯s a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°He deserves it after the way he looked at our Luna. Plus, I¡¯m tired of him leering at me all the time,¡± she says, lifting his arm and smashing her boot into his ribs, causing a crunch of bones. Chapter 28: Packs Reaction ¡°Oops,¡± she says again smiling, before she and Lucas begin. dragging him away from the packhouse, back toward the borders. The One 29 The One 29 Chapter 29: Names Lucas ¡°I can¡¯t believe you broke his nose and who knows how many ribs, Kinsley,¡± I say, equally shocked and impressed by my mate. She stares down at his unconscious, bl**dy body with her hands on her hips, her chest expanding and contracting with the effort of dragging his dead weight past the pack¡¯s borders. ¡°He was ascivious, arrogant p**k. He knew better than to look at me like that in front of you, but that didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t look at me like he was remembering seeing my naked body every chance he got. I step up to her, taking her face in my hand, gritting my teeth. when she flinches away from my touch. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She turns away from me, wrapping her arms around her body. ¡°You want the truth?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say softly, knowing I won¡¯t like whatever it is she has to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t trust you to do anything about it.¡± put my hands on my hips, looking down at the ground and regretting our mating night for the thousandth time. ¡°Hunter was right. About us taking too long to make a stand. I should have listened to him before I met you. I should have 288 Wouchers taken a stand like he did. But I can¡¯t change the past, Kinsley. All I can do is try to make it better in the future.¡± I stand there, staring at the ground. ¡°Do you know how hard it was to see our new Luna epting Hunter so easily, knowing that I may never have that level of trust with you?¡± I stop, my throat closing. I turn, looking at Koden lying unconscious on the ground. I walk over to him and stomp on his hand, smashing it to bits. ¡°Lucas!¡± Kinsley says, rushing over and pushing me back. I know I have tears in my eyes when I look at her. ¡°You can¡¯t even trust me to protect you? Even now? What the f**k kind of mate does that make me, Kins? A sh**ty one. Is there anyone else? Anyone else that looks at you like that? Because I swear to the goddess Kinsley, I will make sure that it never, ever happens again. This is your home. Our home. And I will not allow anyone to make you feel ufortable in your home. You are a Beta female. They should fall at your feet and submit to you, not make you feel¡­.¡± I stop, taking a deep breath. ¡°If not me, why didn¡¯t you go to Hunter? I know you trust him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go to him every time someone looks at me in a way that makes me ufortable, like I know they are remembering that night, remembering me in that position, Goddess, Lucas, don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯d be in his office every day! We¡¯re a huge pack. Lots of our warriors were invited to my birthday party.¡± ¡°I want names, Kinsley,¡± I growl at her. ¡°It¡¯s not their fault they remember Lucas. Not all of them are 283 Vouchers creepy about it like Koden was. Most of them aren¡¯t. Usually, if I catch them staring, they stop and turn away. But¡­.¡± ¡°Names,¡± I growl, and this time I pull her against me. ¡°You are mine. Anyone who looks at you like they want you, will die. I don¡¯ t feel any differently about you than Alpha Hunter does about Luna Sophie. Don¡¯t YOU get it, Kinsley? I won¡¯t tolerate it. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t happen in front of me. The pack seems to know what you don¡¯t. I won¡¯t allow them to disrespect my mate.¡± She puts her hands on my chest, but she doesn¡¯t push me away. I watch as she stares are her hands, fiddling with the buttons on my polo shirt. ¡°Does it help that I¡¯ve started to believe that?¡± she asks me quietly, looking up at me through her darkshes. ¡°Let me prove it to you,¡± I say gently. ¡°Please. I¡¯ll never gain your trust if you don¡¯t give me a chance.¡± She nods and looks at her hands again. ¡°Honestly, I feel like I should stand up for myself, punch them in the face when they do it.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± She looks up at me surprised. I raise an eyebrow at her. ¡°Did you think that I wouldn¡¯t believe you? Support you? Did you think. that Hunter wouldn¡¯t believe you? You¡¯re a Beta. Both of us know that you¡¯re an honest, incredible woman. If you put a pack member in their ce, I may ask what happened. Hunter would do the same. But that doesn¡¯t mean that we wouldn¡¯t stand behind you and support you. I still want names. But next time it happens, punch the a**hole in the face. Break his f**g nose, like you did with Koden. That will send a stronger message than anything I do.¡± 288 Mouch I watch as a smile spreads across her face. Then she surprises me, lifting up on her toes and cing her lips against mine. ¡°Okay,¡± she says softly. I desperately want to take her mouth, to devour her, taste her, explore her mouth until she¡¯s moaning and lost in the kiss, much like Luna Sophie was earlier. But, I know it¡¯s too soon for that: I need to go at Kinsley¡¯s pace. So, instead, I step back, quickly rearranging my now hard length in my pants before reaching out my hand to her. This time, she epts it without hesitation, and I get to walk back to the packhouse hand-in-hand with my mate. Hunter POV I was beyond thrilled that Sophie not only let me kiss her in front of the pack, but I could tell that she lost herself in the kiss. I nearly did as well, but I need to make sure that I maintain the trust that she is giving me. I feel like a f**g king after what she said about me and our mating night. I will never do anything to make her regret trusting me. ¡°Come on,¡± I say, extending my hand as Kinsley and Lucas drag Koden to the pack border. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a quick tour of the packhouse and then we need to figure out some clothes for you.¡± Sophie takes my hand, looking around at the back of the packhouse. ¡°Is this where we¡¯ll have my Luna ceremony?¡± ¡°Yes, is that okay with you?¡± I ask, wanting her to have a say in 288 Voucher everything. Sheughs and looks at me. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trust you on this. I don¡¯t know anything about your pack lands or this packhouse.¡± ¡°Our packnds and packhouse,¡± correct her. ¡°And I¡¯d love to say you¡¯ll have time tomorrow to look around, but I intend to call your father tonight and see if we can meet with him in the morning. Would you like that?¡± I ask. She stops and through the bond can feel how overwhelmed she is at the idea of seeing her parents again. A stray tear falls down her cheek and I reach up to wipe it away. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispers. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to thank me for,¡± I say, leaning in to kiss her again. I feel like I can¡¯t get enough of her taste, her scent, her warm, plumps lips. When we pull away, I give her a quick tour of the first floor, showing her the offices where Lucas and I work, the office that will be hers and next to that, Kinsley¡¯s office. Then I show her around the kitchen, noting that there are fewer omegas. working than normal. ¡°Do I need to find additional staff for tonight?¡± I ask them. They all look at each other, then back at me. ¡°We mind linked Beta Kinsley. We¡¯re down about four kitchen omegas, Alpha, and several more of the packhouse omegas.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Kinsley can handle it, but if there is a problem putting together a feast for our Luna ceremony tonight, please let me know,¡± I start to turn away, but Sophie steps up to them. 288 Vouchers ¡°Have all of you decided to stay?¡± she asks. They all duck their heads. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so pleased. Thank you. Thank you for supporting all she- wolves and helping Alpha Hunter and I make a better future for everyone,¡± she says, and I watch the omegas smile with her praise but also the thought that they now have a role to y in the future betterment of our species. ¡°Well done, Luna,¡± I say as we step out of the kitchens. ¡°Omegas thrive on praise. I haven¡¯t been gone so long that I¡¯ve forgotten that. But beyond that, they are taking a risk staying with us. If there is a war, their lives be dependent upon us. I take that seriously and based on everything I know about you, you do as well.¡± I ¡°I take the lives of all of our pack members seriously. But your point is valid. Omegas require the most protection, and so it means more that they are willing to stay and entrust us with their lives.¡± I begin to walk Sophie toward the stairs, wanting to show her our room when Kinsley and Lucas return. I see that they are holding hands. I¡¯m d. Maybe seeing my rtionship with Sophie will helps theirs improve. ¡°Alpha, I need to restructure the patrol schedules. We already have several warriors who are packing to leave,¡± Lucas says. ¡°We have several omegas who are leaving as well,¡± Kinsley tells me. ¡°I knew about the omegas. Get a head count of how many are 16 52 288 vouchers leaving, how many are staying and how many are still contemting. If we need more omegas in the kitchen, put them on shorter, more frequent rotations. Lucas, let me know what our warrior status is as quickly as you can. Once word gets. out, we¡¯ll need to make sure our borders are secure.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he says and the two of them head toward their offices. ¡°Do we need to help? I feel like I should be doing something,¡± Sophie says. ¡°You should. You should be familiarizing yourself with our pack. Soon enough, you¡¯ll be taking on a huge part of this workload. But for today, let¡¯s get you acquainted with the pack, our room, and finding something to wear tonight to the Luna ceremony. There is plenty of time for us to do start doing everything else tomorrow. Today, is about you, my love.¡± When we get up to our bedroom, I open the door and let Sophie walk in ahead of me. ¡°Before you say anything, feel free to change anything you want to feel morefortable. If you want to bring anything from your pack that was yours, we¡¯ll find a ce for it.¡± I watch as sheughs derisively, looking around the room. ¡°Do you know, my entire efficiency was smaller than this room. None of it was mine. It was furnished and old. It smelled of stale smoke and sweat, but I felt safe there for nearly two years.¡± She turns and looks at me, walking into my arms. ¡°Everything I want is already in this room. I don¡¯t need anything else to make it feel like home. It¡¯s already better than where I lived for thest two years.¡± Chapter 29: Names 288 Vouchers ¡°Baby, that¡¯s not saying much. I want it to be everything you ever dreamed of. All those things you wanted when I met you at 16, I want you to have those things.¡± She smiles and looks up at me. ¡°I realized something over the past two years, Hunter. I don¡¯t need ¡®things¡¯ to make me happy. The things I need to be happy aren¡¯t tangible objects. I need things like love, security, safety, respect. Those are all things that you¡¯ve given me. The rest is just¡­.decoration.¡± I slide my hands into her hair, leaning her head back so I can look into her green eyes. ¡°You humble me, my sweet mate.¡± I lean in, kissing her slowly and deeply before pulling away ¡°But I still want to see you in a fancy dress for your Luna ceremony,¡± I say, making herugh.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The One 30 The One 30 Chapter 30: Dress Sophie I understand why Hunter wants to have the Luna ceremony tonight. If the pack hasn¡¯t sworn their allegiance to me as their Luna, then anyone could contest my position and title. However, it feels like there is so much going on, so much that we need to do just because Hunter imed me the way he did, that I¡¯m struggling with the idea of having a party instead of protecting our borders or helping around the pack. Since I¡¯m in our room, I don¡¯t know how many of the pack members are leaving. I stop, looking around the room. Our room. It smells deliciously of pine in here and while it¡¯s got a very masculine feel, Hunter said I could add anything I wanted. I¡¯ m not the same girlie girl I was two years ago, but the room. could use a woman¡¯s touch. He left me here while he went to see about finding a dress. While I¡¯m alone, I look around, poking my head into the bathroom and seeing masculine scented shampoo and body wash and dark towels hanging neatly on the towel rack. Maybe I could get some cream-colored towels to offset the darker colors he seems to like. I¡¯ve just stepped out of the bathroom when there¡¯s a knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opens and three women, omegas by the smell of DCOM O 16:53 268 vouchers them, step into the room. ¡°Hello, Luna. Alpha said you needed a dress for your ceremony tonight,¡± the one woman says. ¡°Yes, pleasee in,¡± I say, and the women alle in. None of them look up at me. ¡°May I ask, have all of you decided to stay?¡± This does cause them to look up. ¡°Yes, Luna. We¡¯re all staying.¡± I smile and slowly approach them. They look terrified of me. I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t know what to expect of their new Luna and depending on what they¡¯ve heard of me, I may be pretty frightening to them. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful that you will to trust your Alpha and I to keep you safe with the battles that are to come. We will do everything in our power to ensure that the pack remains safe for everyone. Now, since we¡¯re going to be spending a lot of time together, can I have your names?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Elodie, Miss,¡± the one carrying a bunch of gold material says. ¡°I¡¯m Aria, Luna,¡± the one carrying scissors and measuring tape says. ¡°And I¡¯m Natalie,¡± the one carrying pins, needles, and thread says. ¡°I¡¯m Sophie, as I¡¯m sure you all know by now.¡± ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± 16.53 Chapter 30: Dress 288 Vouchers ¡°So, what do we have here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re hoping that gold is okay with you, Luna. It¡¯s the only material we have on hand that is fancy enough to make a gown for this evening,¡± Elodie says, holding out the gold material. I frown, stepping forward and touching the material. ¡°Make? As in you¡¯re going to sew something before the ceremony tonight?¡± I ask, appalled. ¡°Yes, Luna. We¡¯re very good at what we do, but with such a limited amount of time, it will be very simple,¡± Aria says. ¡°Our apologies, Luna. If we¡¯d had more time¡­¡± Natalie begins. I hold up my hands and they all stop talking. ¡°Is there nothing that is already made? I don¡¯t want you to go to all this trouble for me.¡± They all look at each other. ¡°But¡­it¡¯s your Luna ceremony.¡± ¡°Well, I know, but to your point, you¡¯ve only got a couple of hours. ¡°We promise it will be beautiful, just simple,¡± Aria says. ¡°That¡¯s not my concern. There are so many other things going on. I know that some of the pack members are leaving, that must be leaving more work for everyone. No one has time to make me a dress.¡± ¡°We want to do this for you, Luna¡± Elodie says. ¡°Yes. We would be proud if you would wear our dress tonight,¡± Natalie says. 16:59 ¡ö Chapter 30: Dress 1288 Wouchers ¡°Please, Luna,¡± Aria says. I sigh. ¡°Alright. What do you need me to do?¡± I strip down, once again reminded that it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been around those who are comfortable with nudity. The three women begin wrapping the material around me, talking in anguage that I don¡¯t particrly understand about darting this and hemming that. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me saying, you¡¯re very thin, Luna,¡± Natalie says, looking up at me from where she¡¯s putting pins in the hem of the dress. I smile. ¡°You all know I¡¯ve been on the run for two years, right?¡± They nod. ¡°Well, when you¡¯re alone and hiding, you don¡¯t really have the ability to cook food like you do here in the packhouse. I don¡¯t know who made the pork that Beta Kinsley brought to me and Alpha Hunter last night, but I can tell you, it¡¯s the best thing I¡¯ve put in my mouth since I left the packs.¡± Elodie smiles. ¡°My sister, Eloise, works in the kitchens. I¡¯ll tell her you said so,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s praise well deserved.¡± ¡°What do you think of one strap on the dress, Luna? On the side opposite of your mate mark?¡± Natalie asks. ¡°You mean so my mark is clearly visible?¡± I ask, looking in the mirror across the room and bringing my hand to the mark. I haven¡¯t had any time to really look at it. 16:53 Chapter30 Dress 11 288 Wouchers ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that. I think Hunter would too.¡± They all chuckle. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Our Alpha is a very possessive man. Perhaps you¡¯ve noticed. He¡¯ll be thrilled to have your mark on disy like that,¡± Elodie says. ¡°Luna, now that we¡¯ve got your measurements, would you like us to make a few dresses for you? Everyday dresses, I mean?¡± Natalie asks. ¡°That would be wonderful. I only have a couple of outfits that I took when I had to run.¡± I chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t remember thest time I wore a dress. I think it must have been the night I ran,¡± I say sadly, remembering that night. A momentter, the door opens, and all three women step back, baring their throats to Hunter. ¡°Sophie?¡± Hunter says, walking toward me and wrapping me in his arms. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask. He looks down at me. ¡°I should ask you. I felt your sadness just now. What happened?¡± He looks around at the three women as if they have the answer. ¡°Oh, I was just remembering the night I ran. It¡¯s nothing.¡± 16:53 Chapter 30: Dress 288 Vouchers He runs his hands up and down my arms. ¡°What made you think. of that? Seeing your parents tomorrow? I called your father. I asked to see him in the morning, but I didn¡¯t tell him why. I thought it would be a nice surprise for him,¡± he says, smiling at me. ¡°Thank you for that. It will be a nice surprise, but the sadness was from me remembering the night I ran because it was thest night I wore a dress. Until tonight,¡± I say, gesturing to the women. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°I remember that dress,¡± he says, before turning to the three women. ¡°Is this the color you chose, Elodie?¡± he asks, stepping back and looking at the material draped over my body. ¡°We only had gold and ck, Alpha. I thought we should use gold for the more festive asion,¡± she says. He looks me over, and I feel my cheeks heating. ¡°Are you going to leave this shoulder bare?¡± he asks, his voice going soft as he strokes my mating mark, sending shivers through my entire body. ¡°Yes, Alpha. We thought you¡¯d like our Luna to show off her mating mark during her ceremony.¡± ¡°You were absolutely right. Well, I¡¯ll leave you to it. I just wanted to check on my mate,¡± he says, leaning down and kissing me softly before stepping away from me, not dropping my hands until he can no longer hold them. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Mind link me if you need anything,¡± he says, and I smile as he closes the door. 16:50 Chapter 30: Dress 1283 Vouchers He runs his hands up and down my arms. ¡°What made you think. of that? Seeing your parents tomorrow? I called your father. I asked to see him in the morning, but I didn¡¯t tell him why. I thought it would be a nice surprise for him,¡± he says, smiling at me. ¡°Thank you for that. It will be a nice surprise, but the sadness was from me remembering the night I ran because it was thest night I wore a dress. Until tonight,¡± I say, gesturing to the women. ¡°I remember that dress,¡± he says, before turning to the three women. ¡°Is this the color you chose, Elodie?¡± he asks, stepping back and looking at the material draped over my body. ¡°We only had gold and ck, Alpha. I thought we should use gold for the more festive asion,¡± she says. He looks me over, and I feel my cheeks heating. ¡°Are you going to leave this shoulder bare?¡± he asks, his voice going soft as he strokes my mating mark, sending shivers through my entire body. ¡°Yes, Alpha. We thought you¡¯d like our Luna to show off her mating mark during her ceremony.¡± ¡°You were absolutely right. Well, I¡¯ll leave you to it. I just wanted to check on my mate,¡± he says, leaning down and kissing me softly before stepping away from me, not dropping my hands until he can no longer hold them. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Mind link me if you need anything,¡± he says, and I smile as he closes the door. 16:54M Chapter 30: Dress 288 Vouchers ¡°You really do love him, don¡¯t you?¡± Natalie asks. She¡¯s the youngest of the three women. ¡°I do. I love him more because of what he stands for, because he¡¯s willing to fight for the rights of others. That¡¯s the kind of man I¡¯m proud to call my mate and my Alpha,¡± I say passionately. I see Elodie duck her head and smile. ¡°What?¡± I ask her. She shrugs. ¡°I knew we made the right decision to stay.¡± The One 31 The One 31 Chapter 31: Leavers Hunter It¡¯s strange feeling my mate¡¯s emotions so strongly. Maybe it¡¯s because I want to be close to her want to be connected to her, but the moment I felt her sadness, I felt the need to go to her, to make sure she was okay. A lot has changed for her in a very short amount of time. She¡¯s been thrust back into pack life after being mated and imed. Then to find out that she¡¯s be a legend for the ranked she-wolves on the run, I can only imagine how overwhelmed she must be feeling. So, I¡¯m surprised when her sadness is about remembering the night she ran, because of a dress, I¡¯m not sure I fully understand why she¡¯s sad about that, unless it¡¯s just the memories of that time in her life. Hopefully, it¡¯s not about the dress itself. I had to leave the room quickly. My mate is **y as f**k and the mate bond between us is already hard enough to resist. Seeing my mark clearly disyed on her neck, with the gold material draped round her gorgeous body, had me going instantly hard, which is the opposite of what my mate needs when she¡¯s feeling sad. I¡¯m d that I got a hold of her father and that he agreed to meet with me tomorrow. He wanted to know why, but I just told him that it was a private matter that needed to be discussed in person. He had agreed, if a bit reluctantly. I know that tomorrow when I show up with Sophie, he¡¯ll receive the shock of a lifetime. 1654 Chapter 31: Leavers ¡°Alpha,¡± Lucas says, walking up to me as I head back to our offices. ¡°Head count?¡± I say as Kinsley walks up from the kitchens. 288 Vouchers He looks at her. ¡°By my estimation, I¡¯d say about a quarter of the pack are readying themselves to leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯d agree,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°So, around 50 pack members. How many omegas versus warriors?¡± I ask. Lucas looks at Kinsley again. ¡°Even split?¡± he asks, wanting her opinion. ¡°Yeah, probably more warriors than omegas, but many omegas are mated to warriors and the warriors seem to be the ones making the decision to leave. From what I can gather, the omegas don¡¯t want to leave.¡± ¡°They have more to lose if they don¡¯t find a pack quickly,¡± I say, walking into my office. ¡°And if the pack doesn¡¯t treat their omegas well, even more to lose,¡± Kinsley adds. ¡°A good point,¡± I say. ¡°I expect we¡¯ll see manying back eventually,¡± Lucas says. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. If we go to war, they may not have the opportunity to return. Fifty is doable. Have you looked over the patrols?¡± I ask Lucas. ¡°Yes, and since many are still in their off rotation, Kinsley and I 13.29% To 54 Chapter 31: Leavers 288 Wouchers have agreed that we¡¯ll each take a shift. I¡¯m going to take a shift. tonight and she¡¯ll take one in the morning. That way, I can run the pack while the two of you are gone tomorrow.¡± ¡°I can run patrols tonight,¡± I say. ¡°No, spend the night with your mate. Once word gets out, you don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll have a chance again to enjoy time with her and your bond is still fresh. Take another night with her. Kinsley and I have got this.¡± ¡°Thank you, both of you. I know this is a lot, especially without a G**a here to help.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m happier that he¡¯s gone. It will make my job that much easier,¡± Kinsley says. That makes me pause and I turn to look at her. ¡°You should havee to me about him,¡± I tell her. I watch as Lucas turns and looks at her with an ¡®I told you so¡¯ look on his face. When she doesn¡¯t respond, Lucas does, but his eyes don¡¯t leave his mate. ¡°Apparently there are others making my mate ufortable. I¡¯ve told Kinsley to feel free to break their noses as well, but I¡¯ve also asked for a list of names.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a copy of that list, especially of those individuals who remain in the pack. That won¡¯t be tolerated, Kinsley, not by any of us. We¡¯re going to be bringing more she-wolves into the pack. I won¡¯t have them leaving again because they feel ufortable. This isn¡¯t just about you any longer. Although, I¡¯ m disappointed that you didn¡¯t trust me enough to bring it to my 16.54 Chapter 31: Leavers 1288 Wouchers attention sooner.¡± My words are soft, but I know the meaning behind them will hit Kinsley hard. Everyone wants the approval of their Alpha. For me to tell my Beta female that I¡¯m disappointed in her, will impact her more than anything else I can say. ¡°My apologies, Alpha. I never meant to disappoint you. I¡¯ll have the list to you and Lucas by tomorrow.¡± ¡°See that you do. And Kinsley, I know you didn¡¯t mean to disappoint me. That¡¯s not who you are. So, make sure that you give yourself the same respect that you would give to the others in this pack. If you wouldn¡¯t allow that behavior toward another pack member, you should absolutely not allow it towards yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°Good, now¡­¡± I begin, seeing Lucas move closer to Kinsley tofort her, but I can also feel his happiness that I took the stand I did with his mate. ¡°Sophie is getting fit for a dress, a gold one. I¡¯d like to get her a ne to go with her dress. Any ideas?¡± I ask, looking at Kinsley. ¡°What kind of dress are they making her?¡± she asks, and I frown. ¡°Uh¡­.it looks like it¡¯s going to wrap around her body and only have a strap on one side.¡± ¡°To show off her mate mark?¡± Kinsley asks astutely. ¡°Yes.¡± Kinsley looks thoughtful for a moment. ¡°Would you be opposed 16.54 D Chapter 31: Leavers 288 Mouchers to dangle earrings instead of a ne, Alpha. I think earrings. would go better. ¡°Do you have an idea of what and where we can get such earrings?¡± I ask her. ¡°I do, but I¡¯d need to go now.¡± ¡°Go-and thank you.¡± Kinsley hurries from the room and I turn to Lucas. ¡°Do you have a dress for Kinsley?¡± ¡°No, but I have the omegas making her one. Her coloring isn¡¯t as dark as our Luna¡¯s, so they are going to use a lighter shade of gold for Luna Sophie, and a darker shade of gold for Kinsley.¡± ¡°I like it. A unified front. See if they can make gold ties or vests for you and I as well. I want it clear to the entire pack that their ranked members are all in agreement with this.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°Oh, and Lucas,¡± I say as he moves to the door. ¡°Do you know where your mate is going for the earrings?¡± I ask when he turns to look at me. ¡°I believe so.¡± ¡°Good, call and order a pair of earrings for your mate as well. Have them give her something simr to what she orders for Sophie. He smiles happily. ¡°Thank you, Alpha. And thank you for talking to her. I wasn¡¯t sure she was going to give me the list of names. 16:54 1288 Vouchers But I did let her know that we would always support her if she confronted any inappropriate pack member.¡± ¡°We absolutely will, and I¡¯ll also let Sophie know that I want to know immediately if anyone ever makes her ufortable.¡± Lucas chuckles as he reaches for the door. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure our Luna won¡¯t hesitate to put someone in their ce if they so much as look at her wrong.¡± I smile. Yeah, my mate is pretty incredible. ¡°Now we just need to get Kinsley on board with that.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± he says as he leaves. I check to make sure there is nothing pressing on my desk, then I head outside to check on the preparations for tonight. On my way, I mind link Sophie. ¡®How is my mate?¡¯ I ask, feeling a sudden wave of prideing from her. ¡®I was just looking at my mate mark and thinking how s**y it looks on my neck.¡¯ I growl at her words, startling the omegas around me. ¡°That¡¯s not directed towards you, I say, quickly, stepping away from them. ¡®I¡¯m d you like my mark. I like you wearing it.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m proud to wear it, Hunter. I truly am proud to be your mate,¡¯ she says, once agairt making me feel like a f**g king. ¡®Do you need anything for tonight?¡¯ I ask her. 16:54 288 Mouchers ¡®Shoes? Or I was thinking I could go barefoot. I could ask Natalie to let the hem out a bit, so the dress is long enough not to show my feet.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll ask them if we have shoes first, but you may need to go barefoot, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t mind.¡¯ ¡®How did I get lucky enough to get a perfect mate?¡¯ I ask her, feeling my love for her growing by the minute. ¡®I guess we both got lucky. I¡¯m about to get into the bathtub, did you want to join me?¡¯ she purrs. ¡®Give me ten minutes, make it a shower, and we can practice me taking you in the shower. We¡¯ll try both ways, with you facing me and facing the shower wall. You can tell me which way you prefer,¡¯ I say, my c**k rock hard. ¡®Hurry Alpha. I¡¯m feeling desperate to have you inside me,¡¯ she says, and her voice in my head sounds as needy as she says she is. ¡®I¡¯ll be there just as quickly as I can,¡¯ I say, rushing outside to check to make sure everything is in order. The stage is set up and a table is up on the stage where we¡¯ll put the ceremonial knife and chalice. The omegas are stringing lights around the area and tables are being set up so we can have food and dancing to celebrate afterward. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± I ask, walking up to one of the omegas who is stringing lights. ¡°No, Alpha. We have everything handled. Those of us who are 70 68% 16.547 288 Vouchers staying, at least,¡± she says, ring at a couple who are walking toward the borders with bags in their hands. ¡°It¡¯s their decision. If they can¡¯t respect Sophie as their Luna, they need to leave. I won¡¯t beg anyone to stay. I¡¯m just d to see that so many of you have decided to stay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good Alpha. They are fools. They¡¯lle back soon enough with their tails between their legs,¡± another omega says. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I ask. ¡°I came here after I met my mate, Alpha. This pack is much better than the one I left. Maybe they don¡¯t know how bad it can be in other packs, maybe they don¡¯t realize that it¡¯s only going to get worse if we go to war, but not all Alphas care as much about their pack members as you do. I¡¯ll take my chances here,¡± she says. ¡°Most of the ones who want to leave are the warriors. Their mates are being forced to leave, even though they don¡¯t want to.¡± I look over and see the woman turning to look at where we are. Even from here I can see that she doesn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°If anyone returns because they feel like they made a mistake or were mistreated, I will ept them back. However, they will go through an interrogation because I won¡¯t allow anyone to use their knowledge of what is going on in our pack to help another Alpha take us down.¡± ¡°We understand, Alpha. I just hope that when the timees, because it wille, that the ones who didn¡¯t want to leave in the first ce, get to return.¡± 16:54 Chapter 31: Leavers Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. 288 Mouchers ¡°I hope so, too. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make that happen. But once they cross our borders and renounce me as their Alpha, they are no longer my responsibility. Those who remain are my primary responsibility and I will protect you, all of you, even if that means I have to reject some of the individuals who want to return.¡± The One 32 The One 32 Chapter 32: Luna Ceremony Sophie I don¡¯t know if the mate bond is this way for everyone, but for me, I hate being away from Hunter. I¡¯ve never considered myself a needy person, but I feel a constant pull to be with him. In my fairy tale dreams of finding my mate, it was all sweet kisses and dancing. The reality is much more intense. The kisses and dancing are there, because my mate made sure of it. But it¡¯s so much more. I NEED Hunter, almost like I need air to breathe. I need his scent on me, I need mind touching mine¡­ ¡®You need that long, hard c**k filling you until you scream in pleasure,¡¯ Hedda purrs. I¡¯d scold her, but she¡¯s absolutely right. Almost as soon as my body has recovered from having sex, I want it again. And right now, the idea that I could go into my Luna ceremony with my scent all over Hunter and his all over me, has me so turned on, that I¡¯m struggling to focus and get ready. When he tells me he¡¯ll join me in the shower, I nearly moan out loud. That¡¯s exactly what I need right now. I hadn¡¯t intended to wash my hair not having time to dry and style it, so I put it up in a messy bun on top of my head as I let the water warm in the shower. I step into the shower, after looking at my mating mark again. It really is s**y having Hunter¡¯ s mark on my neck. I know it¡¯s because it¡¯s him, I wouldn¡¯t feel that way if it was anyone else¡¯s mark, but I really do feel lucky to 16.540 Chapter 32 Luna Ceremony 288 Vouchers be wearing his mark. I¡¯m washing my face when I feel heat, warmer than the watere up behind me. I didn¡¯t even hear hime in. ¡°Rinse your face and then put your hands on the wall,¡± his soft voice says in my ear. He begins to leave a trail of kisses across my shoulders as his hands slide down my sides. I rinse my face, just as his hand slides between my thighs, feeling how soaked I am. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°So wet for me,¡± he says, sliding two fingers inside me. I turn my head and he takes my mouth as he presses me forward with his body. My chest presses against the cold tile of the shower, making my nipples harden instantly. His footes in between mine, pushing my right foot out as his fingers begin to slide in and out of me. I whimper in his mouth as he moves one of my hands over my head, running his hand down my arm and around my chest to stroke my cool, hard nipple. ¡°Spread you legs a little wider for me,¡± he says, his voice deep with desire when he pulls away. I do as he says and the hand on my nipple moves down to pull my hips closer to him while his fingers continue working their magic inside me. ¡°Hunter,¡± I moan. He begins kissing his way down my back, before licking his way back up. ¡°You taste so good, Sophie. I¡¯ve missed being inside you. It¡¯s barely been eight hours and I already feel like a starving man, Chapter 32: Luna Ceremony 1288 Vouchers desperately needing to feast on you, desperately needing to feel you wrapped around me while you scream my name. ¡°Yes, Hunter.¡± ¡°Are you going toe on my fingers, baby?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whimper. ¡°Good girl,¡± he says and begins stroking faster until I¡¯m right on the edge, then he twists his fingers, pressing against the perfect spot to have me crying out with the feel of the o*m, m**y body clenching tightly to his finger. He moans behind me, gently biting onto my shoulder while my body jerks with aftershocks. Then he pulls out his fingers and puts the tip of his c**k at my entrance. ¡°Is this what you want?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, feeling almost desperate to have him inside me. He slides in, growling as he finds me wet enough to bottom out, holding my hips with both hands. ¡°Both hands on the wall, Sophie,¡± he says, and I can hear and feel his desperation, the same as my own. The moment my hands are on the wall, he begins thrusting inside me, hard and deep, filling me and giving me that sense of beingplete once again. ¡°Yes, Hunter. Yes, Hunter! YES, HUNTER!!¡± I scream as Ie. He forces me up and over again, continuing his punishing pace before he finally finds his release and empties inside me. Chapter 32: Luna Ceremony 288 Vouchers As soon as we bothe down, he slides out of me, spinning me around and lifting me by my thighs. He presses my heated back to the cooler tiles of the shower and slides inside me again. ¡°I think I like this position better. I can see your mate mark, see your desire for me on your face, and I can kiss those pouty lips while I bury myself inside you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say as he presses me tightly against the shower wall, his mouth taking mine as I wrap my arms around him, holding tightly while he brings me up and over again and again before finally finding his own release again. When he finally sets me back on my feet, I feel wobbly, unstable and I¡¯m panting. I lean against him, and he holds me to his chest. ¡°So, which one did you like better?¡± he asks me, his fingers stroking my back. I think for a moment and then I look up at him. I know my smile is mischievous and naughty. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think we¡¯ll have to do them both again so I can decide.¡± ¡°We can try both positions are many times and as frequently as you would like, my love,¡± he says. We bathe each other and when we are dry and step out of the bathroom, my dress is hanging on my closet door. I try not to think too much about what the omegas might have heard when they dropped it off. Instead, I take a moment to appreciate the talent that these omegas have. I can¡¯t believe that they were able to put together such a beautiful dress on such short notice. Chapter 32 Luna Ceremony 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯ll help you get into it,¡± Hunter says. The gold material is primarily pale but gets darker as it goes down to my feet. It wraps around my body and the zipper is so carefully hidden that I can barely find it. When I do, I unzip it and step into the dress, pulling it up and realizing that it fits perfectly, hugging my curves that I notice, when I look in the mirror, are much smaller than they used to be. Hunter zips up my dress, letting his fingers drift over my back, sending waves of warmth of pleasure through my body. When there¡¯s a knock at the door, he kisses my bare shoulder then goes to open it. ¡°Thank you, Kinsley. Did you want to get a sneak peek at your Luna?¡± he asks, opening the door I turn and see that her dress is a darker gold version of mine. She¡¯s wearing dangly gold and diamond earrings thate almost to her shoulders and ent the dress perfectly. ¡°Oh Luna, you look beautiful!¡± she says. ¡°We¡¯re like a matching set,¡± I say to her. ¡°Except you¡¯re missing these. I had Kinsley pick them up for you, but I¡¯ll make sure you have some of your choosing soon, my love,¡± Hunter says, handing me the bag that Kinsley had given to him. I pull out the box and inside I find a pair of earrings that match Kinsley¡¯s. ¡°Lucas said I should,thank you for my earrings as well, Alpha,¡± she says. Chapter 32 Luna Ceremony 1288 Vouchers ¡°No, you should definitely thank Lucas. I didn¡¯t order them,¡± he says, ncing at her before turning his heated gaze back to me. I quickly put the earrings in and look in the mirror. ¡°They¡¯re perfect. Thank you, Kinsley. Thank you, Hunter.¡± Hunter turns to Kinsley. ¡°We¡¯ll see you downstairs in a few. moments. I just need to finish getting ready.¡± ¡°See you down there,¡± she says, before quickly rushing over and hugging me. ¡°Most of the pack stayed,¡± she whispers in my ear before rushing out the door. I look at Hunter. ¡°Is that true?¡± I ask him as he heads to the closet. ¡°Yes. We lost about 50, but that is only a quarter of the pack. There are more she-wolves than that on the run, I bet,¡± he says. ¡°Tomorrow, when Kinsley goes to leave food, I¡¯m going to give the information to leave for the she-wolves who want sanctuary. I¡¯m hoping we¡¯ll have someing to our borders in the next couple of days. Once they start, I imagine it will be a domino. effect and they¡¯ll all starting.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± I say, watching him put on a gold vest that matches my dress. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a theme here,¡± I say, walking up to him and buttoning his vest. ¡°I wanted to present a unified front. Always, but most especially, today.¡± When he¡¯s done, he offers me his arm. ¡°Are you ready to officially take your ce at my side and as the Luna of this pack?¡± Chapter 325 Luna Ceremony 1288 Vouchers. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I say. He walks me down the stairs and out of the packhouse into the back where a stage has been set up with lighting on one side and food and a dance floor on the other. ¡°I thought you might like to dance with your mate tonight,¡± he says softly for only me to hear as we walk to the stage. I¡¯m surprised at therge number of pack members that are here and I know that it says a lot about the kind of Alpha that Hunter is that they¡¯ve stayed. It only reinforces what I already know. That he¡¯s the perfect man and mate for me. I walk with Hunter onto the stage, where Lucas and Kinsley are already waiting for us. Hunter walks me to the table at the front of the stage, Kinsley on my left, Lucas on Hunter¡¯s right, nking us, all of us in our gold colors. Hunter turns to me, as Lucases to stand between us, reaching for the ceremonial cup. ¡°I, Hunter Reynolds, do hereby take Sophie Meyers as my mate and Luna. We have marked and mated under the watchful eye of the Moon Goddess herself and our bond has been sealed. Sophie Meyers, do you ept me, Hunter Reynolds, as your mate and Alpha, epting your role as Luna of this pack, foregoing all others to love and protect your pack and your Alpha, for as long as you live?¡± ¡°I, Sophie Meyers, do hereby ept you, Hunter Reynolds, as my mate and Alpha. I will love you and cherish you above all others. I will love and protect this pack with my heart and my life Chapter 32 Luna Cenamony 288 Mouchers for as long as I live,¡± I say, having added the part about cherishing Hunter. It makes him smile, but I mean every word. He slices his hand, holding it over the cup as his blood drips in. When he¡¯s done, Lucas hands the cup to me and I sip his blood, feeling the connection to a pack that I haven¡¯t felt in two years. I suck in a breath, closing my eyes as the feeling of belonging, of being part of a pack again, the feeling that I¡¯ve missed for two years finally fills me again. When I open my eyes, Hunter reaches out to brush my cheek. Then he takes my hand and turns to address the pack, ¡°My pack, I give you your Luna, Luna Sophie Reynolds!¡± The pack cheers as Hunter takes my palm and slices it down the center letting it drip into the ceremonial cup. Once my blood has dripped, Lucas and Kinsley also slice their palms and let their blood drip into the cup. Then one by one, each pack memberes to the stage and swears their loyalty to us and the pack, sipping from the cup before exiting the stage. The sun sets long before the line isplete but when thest pack member finally swears their allegiance and loyalty to the pack, Hunter announces the celebration. Everyone cheers, someone starts the music, and the rest of the night, I find myself meeting and talking to all of the pack members, recounting my story of where I¡¯ve been for thest two years over and over until Hunter sweeps me onto the dance floor. I¡¯m definitely rusty after two years of not dancing, but Hunter covers for any of my mistakes, being a perfect partner in dance and in life. It¡¯s early in the morning when Hunter leads me back to our Chapter 32 Luna Ceremony 288 Wouchers room, making love to me again in our bed, before tucking me up against him and falling into sleep. The One 33 The One 33 Chapter 33: Homing Hunter I wake, surrounded by the scent of orchids, naked body tucked against mine l**e¡¯s warm, Last night was a h**e sess, but today begins the real work. As much as I want to let my sweet mate sleep, we need to get up. It¡¯s time for Sophie to be reunited with her parents. I snuggle closer to her, kissing her shoulder, and sliding my hand under the sheet to rub against her hip and thigh. I¡¯d love nothing more than to make love to my mate again, but afterst night, or early this morning, I know she¡¯s probably sore. However, my mate doesn¡¯t seem to care, and as shees awake, she presses her sweet a**gainst my hard length, moaning softly. ¡°Good morning,¡± I say, still kissing her shoulder, moving to her neck. She reaches up, moving her hair to give me better ess and I oblige by licking and sucking on her neck. ¡°Are you going to make it a good morning?¡± she asks me. Her voice is deep, partly with increasing desire and partly with decreasing sleepiness. ¡°Depends. How do you feel?¡± ¡°Achy?¡± Chapter 33: Homing ¡°Achy?¡± I ask, lifting my head to look at her more closely. Her body doesn¡¯t feel warm, but if she¡¯s sick¡­.. ¡°I have an ache between my thighs that only you can alleviate,¡± she says, her eyes still closed, but her backside begins pressing against me even more. I move my hand to slide between her thighs, feeling how wet she already is for me. I slide two fingers inside her, watching as she gasps. I love that her eyes are still closed. Something about this time, early in the morning when everything is still quiet feels extremely intimate. ¡°Is this where you¡¯re aching?¡± I whisper in her ear. ¡°Yes,¡± she moans softly. ¡°Let me see if I can help you with that,¡± I say and rece my fingers with my hard length, sliding into her slowly. She moans and whimpers, arching back to take me deeper into her body. ¡°Will it ever go away? This constant need to feel your inside me?¡± she asks. ¡°Goddess, I hope not.¡± I take my time, slowly waking my mate and easing her ache as well as my own. It¡¯s nearly an hour and several o**mster, when we finally leave the bed, both of us still panting with beads of sweat on our brow. ¡°Come on, we need to shower. We have an appointment with your father. That gets her attention and as we step into the shower, I can Chapter 33: Homing 1288 Wouchers feel her apprehension. , ¡°Talk to me,¡± I say, as I push her head under the water, getting her hair wet before pouring shampoo into my hand and rubbing it into her hair. I make a note to stop and pick up some feminine smelling shampoo, maybe they make something that smells like orchids that my mate would like. Her eyes open, and she looks up at me as I massage the shampoo into her hair. ¡°What if he¡¯s angry that I left? What if mes me for everything that¡¯s happened to him?¡± I stop what I¡¯m doing and put my hands on her shoulders. ¡°He won¡¯t be angry. He¡¯ll be thrilled to finally see you again, to know that you are safe and alive.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± she whispers. ¡°Because, if it were my daughter, I wouldn¡¯t care what mountains I¡¯d had to scale to keep you safe, I would only care that you were safe. Your father loves you, Sophie. That was obvious to me the night I met you. He¡¯ll be happy, very, very happy, to see you.¡± The rest of the morning and the drive to Alpha Carter¡¯s pack, Sophie is quiet. I leave her to her thoughts, but I make sure that I¡¯m constantly touching her, letting her know that she¡¯s not alone. She barely eats her breakfast, picking at it before we leave. When we get to the border of his packnds, I stop for the border patrols, letting them know that I¡¯ve arrived and to announce me to Alpha Carter. It¡¯s standard protocol and I know Alpha Carter will want to greet me as is appropriate when an Alpha visits. 16:55 Chapter 33 Homing 260 Wouchers The border patrol leans in, sniffing the air. ¡°Who¡¯s with you?¡± he asks. ¡°My Luna,¡± I say. Sophie¡¯s scent is partially covered with mine. and while she still smells like herself, it¡¯s been two years since she¡¯s been home. I¡¯m hoping the patrol won¡¯t recognize her. I watch his eyes go unfocused and then he looks back at me. ¡°Alpha Carter is expecting you,¡± he says, and we drive on, following the road to the packhouse. When we arrive, I step out, nodding to Alpha Carter and Luna Amy who is standing beside him to greet me. ¡°Alpha Hunter,¡± he says, looking from Sophie in the car to me. I can tell he doesn¡¯t recognize her yet. ¡°Alpha Carter, I wanted you to meet my new Luna,¡± I say and open the door for Sophie. The moment she steps out, Alpha Carter¡¯s nose goes in the air. Luna Amy gasps, one hand going to her stomach, the other shaking hand going to her mouth. ¡°Soapy?¡± Alpha Carter says, taking a step forward. Even from here, I can smell the salt of tears from both of Sophie¡¯s parents. ¡°Daddy?¡± she says, and I step out of her way, wanting to give her this time to reunite with her parents. She runs to her father, and he pulls her into an embrace, hiding his face as he chokes back a s**b. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s relief that his daughter is alive and well, or if he¡¯s just missed her that much. Luna Amy steps up to them and Alpha Carter opens his arm, pulling her in so the three of them can embrace, the two women sobbing as they all cling to each other. Chapter 33 Homing 283 Vouchers I stay back by the car, giving them time to reunite. Because I¡¯m watching, I notice when Alpha Carter looks up at me and res. He¡¯s just realized that my new Luha is his daughter. I didn¡¯t expect anything else. He doesn¡¯t know how I imed her, not yet at least. ¡°Where have you been? You¡¯re so thin, Sophie,¡± her mother says, looking her over as she wipes her eyes. ¡°Come in,e in, have you eaten?¡± Sophie chokes on a halfugh, half s***b as she wraps her arm around her mother¡¯s waist and takes a step to go inside. ¡°Sophie,¡± I call to her quietly, reminding her that I¡¯m here. ¡°Oh! Oh, Dad, Mom, this is Alpha Hunter, my mate,¡± she says, holding out her hand for me. I step up to her, but my eyes never leave Alpha Carter¡¯s. I¡¯m prepared for him to punch me. His hands are in fists. ¡°Perhaps we should have that breakfast in private. We have much to discuss,¡± I say to him. ¡°Yes, I guess we do,¡± he growls, turning on his heel and walking inside, but not before he wraps an arm around Sophie protectively, leading her inside ahead of me. Her mother nces at me worriedly over her shoulder as she hugs Sophie. Alpha Carter leads us to a private room, not saying anything to his pack yet about Sophie¡¯s return. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because he¡¯s angry, thinking that I publicly imed his daughter, or if it¡¯s because he just wants time alone with her before the pack demands their time. Chapter 33 Homing 288 Vouche ¡°Sophie, what happened to your hair?¡± Luna Amy asks as we walk into the private room. Sophieughs. ¡°Hunter hates it too. It was to help me hide, but now that I don¡¯t have to hide anymore, I¡¯ll let it grow out,¡± she says. When we sit, Alpha Carter purposefully puts Sophie between himself and his mate while I sit across from them. It¡¯s fine for now. I understand why he¡¯s feeling so protective of his youngest daughter, but once he knows the truth, I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll rx. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luna Amy begins peppering Sophie with questions about where she¡¯s been. I heard the story so many times afterst night, I could probably tell it, but I stay quiet and let her tell her story, let her parents ask their questions. She¡¯s nearly done when there¡¯s a knock at the door. Several omegase in with arge amount of food. They nce at me and Sophie, noting the way she¡¯s tucked in between her parents, but they don¡¯t say anything as theyy out the food and leave. Before her father can pull a te to her, I grab two tes and setting one beside me, I quietly call Sophie toe sit with me. She immediately hops up, moving around the table to sit beside me. Both her parents look nervous at having her sit beside me. I ignore that for now, dishing up food for her, hoping she¡¯ll eat now that she¡¯s more settled. She really is too thin. Once the f e food is divided up, I turn to Sophie. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell your parents about how I imed you.¡± I hear silverware tter against a te, and I look up to see Chapter 3 Homing 1288 Vouchers Alpha Carter¡¯s hands in fists. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is necessary, Alpha Hunter,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°I think it is, Alpha Carter,¡± I insist, and I can see and feel that Sophie feels torn by her father¡¯s response to my request. He shoves his te away as if disgusted by the thought of eating now and sits back in his chair, gesturing for Sophie to give the story. She looks at me with worry in her eyes. I lean toward her, kissing the side of her head. ¡°Go ahead.¡± She nods and looks at her parents. ¡°Well, I told you I ran from the human town. I met a girl, Penny. Oh, did you happen to see her? She came this way a couple of days ago.¡± Alpha Carter and Luna Amy look at each other. I¡¯m not sure what they are hiding, but they are hiding something. ¡°Yes, we saw her,¡± Luna Amy says. ¡°Oh, I hope you helped her. I told her you would.¡± ¡°Yes, we helped her,¡± Alpha Carter says vaguely. ¡°Oh good. She was very sweet. She¡¯s the one who told me about the food.¡± ¡°What food?¡± Alpha Carter asks. ¡°Alpha Hunter, well really, his Beta¡­¡± ¡°Our Beta,¡± I correct. She turns, giving me the full force of her smile, melting my heart. ¡°Our Beta,¡± she says. ¡°She found a ce, it¡¯s a really great ce, Chapter 33: Homing 288 Mouchers inside the mountain where Alphas would struggle to fit through. There, she leaves food and water every day for the she-wolves who are on the run. There¡¯s a small pool where water drips from a river or maybe it¡¯s melted snow, I¡¯m not sure, but you can bathe there, too. Anyway, it¡¯s very safe, it has a secondary exit. so if an Alpha or other ranked wolf were to get through, the she- wolf could escape.¡± She turns to smile at me again. I need to touch her, so I reach out to stroke her cheek. ¡°When Penny and I arrived, I smelled Alpha Hunter¡¯s scent. I knew my mate was close, but I wasn¡¯t willing to ept him. Penny and I stayed the night and then she ran, and I was going to stay to get the food the next day. However, when I went back inside the mountain, Alpha Hunter was waiting for me. He tried to talk to me, but I was too afraid to listen, and I rejected him and ran.¡± ¡°Sort of rejected me,¡± I rify. ¡°Right. I wasn¡¯t sure he knew who I was, so I didn¡¯t use my name, so it wasn¡¯t really a rejection, and I didn¡¯t wait for him to ept it, not that he would have,¡± she says, looking at me again. I shake my head, confirming that I wouldn¡¯t have epted her rejection. ¡°Then I ran. Right into the path of another hunting Alpha,¡± she says. look up at Alpha Carter who is frowning now. ¡°Owen,¡± I growl. His eyes go wide. ¡°That a**hole?¡± ¡°CARTER!¡± Luna Amy scolds. Chapter 33 Homing ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. But he IS an **hole.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Sophie says. She leans toward me as she remembers, and I wrap my arm around her protectively. ¡°He ran me down, him and his pack members.¡± Luna Amy¡¯s hand goes to her mouth again. ¡°He ordered me to shift, and when I didn¡¯t, he knew I was an Alpha. He was going to mark me and mate me in wolf form, then order me to shift so he could do it again in my human form. He nearly had me,¡± she says, her voice so soft I¡¯m not sure her parents can hear her. I lean forward again and kiss the side of her head. ¡°But he didn¡¯ t.¡± She smiles and looks at me again. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. Because even though I rejected him, Hunter came for me. He attacked Alpha Owen and told me to run.¡± ¡°Later he found me. I was so upset, so sick about almost being marked and mated against my will¡­.¡± She stops as her voice chokes on the memory. ¡°I had Shaw, my wolf, offer herfort and warmth. She was shivering and in shock.¡± ¡°Shaw¡¯s really sweet,¡± Sophie says, making my wolf preen and purr softly. She chuckles at him, his purr having the desired effect of rxing her again. ¡°I fell asleep and when I woke up, it was Hunter instead of Shaw holding me. He talked to me, told me that he doesn¡¯t believe in public imings. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could believe him, but he took Chapter 33: Homing 288 Vouchers me back to the mountain, and after running into his¡­our Beta, he joined me for dinner and we talked for hours,¡± she says, smiling up at me again. ¡°Then, when I agreed, he marked me. It was just him and me under the moonlight. It was perfect. The most amazing night of my life,¡± she says, her eyes on mine. I can feel her adoration and love for me pouring through the bond and d***n if I don¡¯t feel like a f**g king all over again. The One 34 The One 34 Chapter 34: Surprise Sophie ¡°You didn¡¯t mark and mate my daughter in public?¡± my father asks incredulously, looking at Hunter. ¡°No, sir. That¡¯s why I wanted you to hear the story from Sophie. I have never believed in the public imings. I have more respect for my mate than that. And even if I didn¡¯t, I am one hell of a possessive Alpha. I will never allow anyone, any man, to see my mate like that except for me,¡± he says, making me so proud once again that he¡¯s mine. I lean against him, and he looks at me, kissing me gently on the lips. ¡°Mine,¡± he growls softly. ¡°Oh, Sophie, sweetheart. I¡¯m so happy for you,¡± my mom says, crying again. My poor mother. This has been quite a shock for her. I smile at her, then look at my father. He¡¯s still staring at Hunter. ¡°This is going to present problems for you and your pack, Alpha Hunter.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that and it¡¯s why you are our first stop. You won¡¯t be ourst, but I expect a battle. Not only because I refuse to im Sophie publicly, but I intend to open my borders to all of the she- wolves on the run. I intend to be a sanctuary for them.¡± My father blows out a breath, then scrubs his hands over his face. ¡°When you go in, you go all in, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Hunter says. ¡°You may as well call me Carter. We¡¯re family now.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°Thank you, Carter. I¡¯m hoping I can count on your support if it doese to war.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll have my support, for what it¡¯s worth. But you¡¯ll need more. Who else are you thinking?¡± he asks, pulling his te of food forward and beginning to eat. Apparently talk of war is easier to stomach than his daughter¡¯s iming.. ¡°I intend to reach out to Dutton, Kayce, and Robin. I wanted to get your thoughts on Alpha Calvin,¡± Hunter asks about my sister¡¯s mate before also digging into his food. ¡°Oh, mother, how is Amelia?¡± The men stop and my father looks at my mother. ¡°It¡¯s been hard for her, sweetheart. Seeing you with Hunter¡­it¡¯s so different than how she¡¯s been with Calvin.¡± ¡°But is she happy?¡± Mother looks at my father. ¡°I think she¡¯s finally finding happiness. It¡¯s been a hard road for them.¡± ¡°They¡¯reing by today, actually,¡± my father says. ¡°It¡¯s why I told you I needed to see you this morning instead of this afternoon, Hunter.¡± I turn to look at Hunter. ¡°Can we stay and see them. Please, Hunter?¡± 15:56 Chapter 34: Surprise 288 Moucher ¡°Let me check with Lucas. If nothing else, you can stay, and I¡¯ll head back to the pack. I can always come back and get yourter.¡± I frown. I don¡¯t want him to leave me here. Hunter looks at my father. ¡°I made Sophie my official Lunast night. When we returned yesterday morning, I gave my pack the option to leave or swear their loyalty to her and me. I lost my Ga**a and about a quarter of my pack.¡± ¡°Do you need warriors to help cover your borders? I can send some while you shuffle your pack members around,¡± my father offers. ¡°That would be a tremendous help. I lost about thirty warriors, so the patrol rotations have be much more strenuous. Our Betas ran patrols overnight and this morning.¡± ¡°After breakfast, you and I can talk to my Beta. We¡¯ll see how many we can spare. Now that Sophie is back, my borders should be much safer. The Alphas will leave me alone.¡± ¡°I agree. It¡¯s another reason that I made Sophie my Luna quickly. Not only can no one remove her title or say she isn¡¯t truly a Luna, but now the word will spread, and the focus of the Alphas will come to my pack instead of yours. ¡°Our pack,¡± I correct him as he did with me. ¡°Our pack,¡± he smiles, leaning over to kiss me again. When I look, my mother is staring at me in shock. Again. ¡°Mother?¡± 288 Vouchers She shakes her head and smiles a little. ¡°It¡¯s just so strange. Even after two years, Amelia is ufortable with Calvin kissing her in front of others. But you don¡¯t seem to have any problem with it.¡± Leven c I smile and look at Hunter. ¡°That¡¯s because I know my mate loves and respects me. He would never do anything to me that would embarrass me. Amelia, Beta, Kinsley, don¡¯t have that. I can¡¯t imagine how hard it is for them, knowing how strong the pull of the mate bond is, but not being able to trust your mate to be respectful or keep you safe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard on both sides,¡± Hunter says, looking at my parents. ¡°Our Beta, Lucas, still struggles with his mate¡¯s inability to trust him.¡± ¡°As does Calvin. Which brings me back to your question, yes, I think he will take your side. If I may, I¡¯d suggest that we send my warriors to your pack and have you stay for dinner. It would be good for you, me, and Calvin to talk. We could invite Dutton as well, if you¡¯d like, since his pack borders mine. That would also give Soapy time to catch up with her mother and sister,¡± he says, smiling at me. ¡°Carter!¡± my mother scolds him again for using my kid name. ¡°Forget it, Amy. I¡¯m never giving up that name,¡± he says winking at me. I feel tears **k my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s so good to be home. Well, technically it¡¯s not my home any longer, but it¡¯s good to be back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always wee here, Sophie. And hopefully, since you and Hunter seem to feel so comfortable together, maybe we¡¯ll 288 Vouchers have a grandpup in the near future?¡± she asks, looking between US. My cheeks go hot with my blush, but Hunter chuckles. ¡°I¡¯m doing my best, Luna Amy,¡± Hunter says, making my father bark out augh. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, Soapy. But it¡¯s better to see you so happy.¡± ¡°Thanks, Daddy. It¡¯s good to be back. And I¡¯m so sorry for all the trouble that my leaving caused you. I didn¡¯t know anything about it until Hunter told me.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± he says, cutting me off. ¡°It was worth it, especially knowing you¡¯ve been imed properly.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, have¡­.have you heard¡­?¡± my mother stops, looking from me to Hunter. ¡°She knows about being the legend. I told her.¡±. ¡°Yes, that has to stop! I¡¯m hoping once we open our borders that these she-wolves who are killing themselves will stop,¡± I say. ¡°That will very much depend on what happens in the near future and if we go to war,¡± my father says, looking at Hunter who nods. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, let¡¯s invite Dutton tonight. The sooner I know who my allies are, the better.¡± He reaches over, pulling my hand to his lips. ¡°I want to keep my mate safe, and I want to make sure that any daughters that we have will have a better life than those in this generation. 288 Wouchers We finish breakfast and stand. ¡°Sophie, why don¡¯t you go with your mother, see if there¡¯s anything you want to bring back to our pack. I¡¯m going to go talk to your father about the warriors and call Lucas.¡± wrap my arms around Hunter¡¯s waist, looking up at him. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For giving me my life back.¡± He takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°It should never have been taken from you in the first ce. All I did was right a wrong.¡± ¡°You may potentially go to war to right that wrong,¡± I say, wanting him to know that understand what he¡¯s done for me. ¡°You are worth it, my dear, sweet mate,¡± he says, leaning in to kiss me, deeper this time. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s to prove to my parents that I¡¯m not bothered by the public disy of affection or if he just wants me to know that he loves me. Either way, I let myself get lost in his kiss. When he pulls back, he smiles at me. ¡°Go with your mother. Feel free to bring back anything that you want. I don¡¯t care how big or small it is. If it¡¯s important to you, it¡¯s important to me.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°And Hove you.¡± As we walk out of the room, I hear my father. ¡°I¡¯m d I wasn¡¯t wrong about you, Hunter.¡± Chapter 34: Surprise ¡°No, sir, you absolutely were not.¡± I smile as my mother wraps her arm around my waist and leads. me to the stairs and up to the Alpha floor where my bedroom used to be. It¡¯s feels strange being back here again, after everything that I¡¯ve been through. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch anything, in case you ever returned home. I wanted it kept just as it was when you left,¡± my mother says, opening the door to my old bedroom. I walk in and a feeling of nostalgia washes over me. The room no longer smells like me, but I can tell my mother has it aired out periodically since it¡¯s not stuffy. I take a moment to look around the room, remembering myself at sixteen, seeing the things that were important to me then. pictures of musicians and actors that I found attractive, doodles of my name with a differentst name, sometimes with hearts around it. I smile when I see a page that says Sophie Reynolds with hearts all around it. I smile, remembering that I hadn¡¯t even met Hunter then. I quickly throw away the other names I had written, in case Hunteres up here. I don¡¯t want my mate getting jealous of a teenager¡¯s musings, but I keep the one with my new name on it. ¡°Are you truly happy, Sophie?¡± my mother asks me, standing just inside my room. ¡°Yes, mother, I am. It¡¯s been hard, Looking around this room, I realize just how much I have changed.¡± I chuckle. ¡°When Hunter first realized who I was, he called me ¡®Little Sophie Meyers¡¯. I told him that girl was long gone. Seeing this room, I realize how true that is.¡± 16 57 Chapter 34. Surprise 288 Wouchers ¡°But are you happy?¡± she says, walking up to me and putting her hands on my arms. ¡°I¡¯m happy with Hunter, yes. But, if I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m terrified. of what the future will bring for us. What will happen mother? I was lucky to be mated to a man like Hunter. But what about everyone else. Amelia should have had the opportunity that I¡¯ve had. My Beta, Kinsley, should have had this opportunity. Penny, that sweet Ga**a, should have this opportunity.¡± My mother hugs me tightly. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯ve never known you to not get something you put your mind to. You were always a strong- minded woman, who knew what she wanted. You now have a very powerful mate by your side, a man who obviously adores you and is willing to fight against the entire world for you. I think that the two of you will do great things together, my sweet daughter.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± I say as we hug. I look around my room, realizing that there is very little that still feels like me in this room. I do get some clothes, just so I have something to wear, but even those are too big on me now. ¡°You really do need to put on some weight, Soph,¡± my mother says. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure I will now that I have good pack food to eat again,¡± I say, taking ast look around the room. As we step out into the hallway, I watch my mother¡¯s eyes refocus. Then she turns and smiles at me. ¡°I have a surprise for you. Your father agreed that it was okay to share it with you.¡± ¡°Ohhh, a surprise? I thought seeing Amelia was a surprise, which Chapter 34-Surprise 288 Mouchers I¡¯m really excited about. I¡¯ve missed her. Well, I¡¯ve missed all of you,¡± I say as we walk downstairs ¡°We¡¯ve missed you too, my sweet, tough girl. Not everyone could have survived like you did.¡¯ I shrug. To me, it was survival. I did what I had to do. Those are my thoughts as we enter the kitchen, so it takes me a moment to see my surprise. ¡°Sophie?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Penny?¡± I say when I realize my friend is standing in my family¡¯s pack kitchen. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I identally crossed your parents¡¯ borders the other day. I was taken to your father, and I told him and your mother that I¡¯d just left you and that you were safe. Then¡­.they offered to hide me here,¡± she says. I turn and look at my mother. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only ones who have considered taking in the she- wolves on the run, my dear.¡± The One 35 The One 35 Chapter 35: Another Surprise Hunter When Sophie and her mother leave, Carter looks at me. ¡°I know it¡¯s early, but I could use a drink. Want one?¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m sorry for the secrecy¡­¡± ¡°No. You were right not to tell me ahead of time. And you¡¯ve done right by my daughter. I¡¯m not sure I can ever repay you for that,¡± he says, handing me a ss of bourbon before clinking his ss against mine and downing his in one go. It¡¯s a bit early for me, but I follow suit and take the shot. I watch as Carter takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°I was so worried when I first saw her¡­¡± he says quietly. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I wanted you to hear it from her that I marked her in private.¡± He nods his head and takes another deep breath. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get my Beta in here so we can reinforce your borders. You said your Gamma left?¡± ¡°Well, technically, I kicked him out for ogling my mate in front of me and assuming that I was going to mark and mate her again in front of him and the pack. So, I cut off his airways until he passed out then threw him off my packnds.¡± He looks at me a moment. ¡°You might have been better off if you had killed him.¡± 1657D 288 Vouchers I sigh. I know he¡¯s right. ¡°I¡¯d just brought Sophie home, had literally just introduced her to the pack. I didn¡¯t want to mar that by killing my G**a.¡± He nods and his eyes go unfocused. A momentter there¡¯s a knock at his door. ¡°Matthew, this is Alpha Hunter. Hunter, this is my Beta, Matthew.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I say. ¡°Same.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Alpha Hunter has mated my daughter, Sophie, and brought her home to see her family.¡± I watch the Beta press his lips together before he forces a smile. ¡°Congrattions.¡± Then he turns to Carter. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize little Sophie was here. I can¡¯t wait to see her. My mate will be thrilled as well.¡± Carter watches his Beta as he delivers the news. ¡°My new son- inw marked and mated my little girl in private, Matthew.¡± Matthew turns and looks at me, his gaze intent. ¡°In private?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± I say. ¡°But¡­¡± he begins, looking back at Carter. ¡°Alpha Hunter is going to take a stand against ourws, Matthew, and I intend to join him. I need to know now if you¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°I have always been and will always be with you, Alpha,¡± he says, 16.575 turning back to me. ¡°Alpha Hunter, you have my respect for what you did, but you do realize that this means war.¡¯ 288 Vouchers ¡°I do which is my second reason for being here. My first was for Sophie to see her family again. The second was to ensure that your Alpha would support me in this fight. I¡¯ll be looking at other Alphas as well,¡± I say and the three of us sit down as I go through it again. In the end, the three of us look at their patrols and evaluate how many of their warriors they can send to assist. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can afford to send thirty, but we can make do with sending twenty, especially knowing that the heat we¡¯ve been under for thest two years is about to end and refocus on you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with that and I¡¯d appreciate as many as you can safely send. I don¡¯t want you putting your pack at risk for me. But I also believe I¡¯ll be able to give you most of your warriors back once I have she-wolves entering my pack. They¡¯ll all be ranked members, and my guess is, they¡¯ll be willing to fight to maintain their freedom. I have warriors who aren¡¯t ranked pack members who are fierce fighters. I¡¯m anticipating that these will be as well.¡± ¡°I would agree with you,¡± Carter says, and his eyes go unfocused again. When they refocus, he looks at me. ¡°We may as well tell that girl that was on the run with Sophie? She¡¯s here. We brought her into our pack.¡± ¡°Penny?¡± you, 1288 wouchers ¡°Yes. She identally crossed onto my borders and my patrols brought her to me. After she told me that she¡¯d been with Sophie, she practically begged me to help her,¡± Carter says. ¡°There¡¯s no practically about it, Alpha. She did beg,¡± Beta Matthew says. ¡°Sophie said she¡¯s underage,¡± I say, looking at them. ¡°Yes. Amy says she¡¯s sixteen,¡± Carter says. ¡°And she was practically starving. I¡¯ve never seen a wolf eat that much before,¡± Matthew adds. ¡°Sophie said she stuffed herself the night before. I¡¯m guessing she hadn¡¯t eaten for a long time before that. Do you know what pack she¡¯s from?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of Alpha Elias¡¯ G**.¡± I nod. Alpha Elias is one of the Alphas who believes strongly in the old ways. His daughter is one that didn¡¯t put up a fight against the public imings. It was as if she had been trained to understand her fate and she epted it. However, to my knowledge, she¡¯s been mated for several years and still has yet to produce a pup. The thought brings a smile to my face. I wonder if Sophie will be carrying my pup soon. I wasn¡¯t joking when I told Luna Amy that I was trying my best. ¡°I hope you intend to tell Sophie. She¡¯ll be thrilled to know that her friend is here.¡± ¡°I just told Amy to let her know. Perhaps we should make our 200 Nouchers way out to see them. My daughter Amelia and her mate should be here soon,¡± Carter says. ¡°I¡¯ll see to the patrols,¡± Matthew says. I had already called Lucas to warn him that we had some of Carter¡¯s warriorse to assist with protecting our borders. Carter and I walk out of his office and follow our mates¡¯ scents to the kitchens where I find Sophie hugging a young she-wolf. I smile, feeling my mate¡¯s happiness that Penny is safe. ¡°Sophie, who is your friend?¡± I ask from the doorway. She turns quickly at the sound of my voice, her stunning smile sending shockwaves through my heart yet again. I have a moment to wonder if that will ever change before she pulls Penny up beside her. ¡°Hunter, this is Penny, the one I told you about. Penny, this is Hunter, my mate.¡± ¡°Your¡­.oh, Sophie. I mean¡­¡± she says, clearly distressed at what she thinks happened to Sophie. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Penny. Hunter isn¡¯t like the others,¡± Sophie says, releasing her friend and walking toward me. If she wasn¡¯t talking to her friend, I might forget that there was anyone in the room but us. ¡°He marked and mated me in the mountain, just the two of us,¡± she says, her eyes never leaving mine as she walks into my arms. I wrap my arms around her and she lifts up onto her toes, pressing her lips to mine. I hear the gasps around us, the surprise that my Luna is so 16:57 Chapter 35: Another Surprise 288 Vouchers openly affectionate with me, but don¡¯t care at the moment. Right now, all I care about is that my mate has once again made me feel like I¡¯m the king of the world. I wouldn¡¯t trade this feeling for anything. Every battle toe, every war I have to fight, every battle scar that I¡¯ll have will be worth it because of how my mate looks at me, how she responds to me, how she loves me. She gives herself to me freely and I take what she¡¯s offering, not caring that others see how in love we are. I pull her to me, kissing her deeply, loving it when she wraps her arms around me and leans into me. I get lost in my mate, still careful not to let it go too far, but willing to show everyone what it should be like in a mate bond. ¡°Sophie?¡± I feminine voice says, breaking through our haze. Sophie pulls away and turns in the direction of the voice. ¡°Amelia?¡± she says, her smile breaking out across her face. ¡°Oh my goddess, Sophie!¡± Amelia says, rushing to her sister. The two of them hug and I once again step back allowing Sophie the time to reunite with her family. I can feel my mate¡¯s happiness at seeing her sister again. I got the distinct impression when I met Sophie two years ago that she thought very highly of her sister, so I¡¯m a little surprised when Amelia steps back and looks a little put out. ¡°Da**it, Sophie. You just had to return today and rain on my parade?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Sophie turns and looks at me and I step up to 16 571 Chapter 33 Another Surprise comfort her. 288 Wouchen ¡°Amelia, your sister has been gone for two years. This is a joyous moment, especially when it looks like she and Alpha Hunter are now mated,¡± Alpha Calvin says. I nod at him. ¡°You would be correct. Although, it¡¯s something that I would like to speak to you about later.¡± ¡°Amelia, what parade is your sister¡¯s return raining on,¡± Luna Amy asks, trying to cate both daughters. Amelia steps back and wraps her arm around her mate, as he does the same to her. ¡°Well, I had nned to do this differently, but¡­. Calvin and I are going to have a baby.¡± The One 36 The One 36 Chapter 36: Amelia Sophie My sister¡¯s response to me being home was surprising, until she announces that she¡¯s pregnant. Then I understand. My mother and I rush to hug her, Alpha Calvin stepping back and giving us space. ¡°Congrattions!¡± I say. ¡°How far along are you?¡± my mother asks. ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡± we ask, all in rapid session. Ameliaughs, hugging us. ¡°I¡¯m just a couple of weeks along so we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a boy or girl yet, but we¡¯re both so happy,¡± she says, looking back at her mate. ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Alpha Calvin says. ¡°And Sophie. I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean for that to sound like I¡¯m not excited to see you again. I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re safe and home. But, well¡­now that you¡¯re mated, I¡¯m sure you understand what it¡¯s like,¡± she says, looking at her mate again. This time, hees up and wraps his arm around her. ¡°After¡­well, after being imed, it¡¯s hard. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s still hard for you and Alpha Hunter,¡± she says, looking from me.to him and back again. 1657 ¡°Well¡­¡± begin. I ¡°Perhaps we should move back to my office. We can chat 1288 Vouchers before dinner. Now I have two very exciting announcements to make to the pack,¡± my father says, rescuing me from having to tell Amelia that my iming was much better than hers. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s. I want to hear all about it. I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯m finally going to be a grandmother!¡± my mother says. She gives me a look like I shouldn¡¯t say anything yet as she wraps her arm around Amelia, steering her toward the office. I let them pass and Hunteres up, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. ¡°Give her this moment. It¡¯s important for both of them. It¡¯s taken them two years to get pregnant. I know from talking to Lucas that it¡¯s a huge struggle to get to a point where you mate is willing to be with you,¡± he says quietly. I stop and look up at my mate, once again thanking the Moon Goddess that she gave me this man. ¡°What?¡± he asks, stroking my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m so thankful for you.¡± He smiles, leaning in to kiss me gently. ¡°Not half as thankful as I am for you.¡± ¡°Hmm, I doubt that,¡± I say and turn to follow my family. I stop when I see Amelia staring at me open mouthed. ¡°How long have you been mated?¡± she asks me. ¡°Sweetheart,e inside. Let¡¯s talk privately,¡± my mother says. Hunter puts his arm on the small of my back, gently guiding me 165 * 288 vouchers¡± into the office. The moment the door is closed, she turns back to me. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°Two days,¡± I say and watch as something close to envy crosses my sister¡¯s face. Then she looks at Hunter before turning to Calvin and then back to me. ¡°How is this possible? There¡¯s no way. I know you, Sophie. You would never be thisfortable with your mate after¡­.¡± ¡°Amelia,e sit. I don¡¯t want you getting worked up. You¡¯re pregnant, you need to remember that your emotions impact our pup,¡± Alpha Calvin says. When she doesn¡¯t move, he walks over to her. ¡°Amelia. I¡¯m pretty sure that we will hear their story, and based on their interactions, I would bet money that there is a story,¡± Alpha Calvin says, but it¡¯s more of a question and he¡¯s looking at Hunter. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I was d to hear that you were going to be here this evening. I have something I want to talk to you about. Why don¡¯t we all sit. As you said, your mate is pregnant, and this is a very happy time.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± my father says. Hunter waits until Calvin gets Amelia settled and then he gestures for me to sit on a loveseat that we can share. As soon as he sits beside me, I lean into him. I know I¡¯ve changed a lot in two years, but apparently, my sister has as well. 208 Wouchers Amelia frowns, watching our interaction, watching how I¡¯mpletelyfortable being in close proximity with Hunter. ¡°How?¡± she asks again. I turn and look at Hunter. He leans in, kisses my nose, then turns back to Calvin and Amelia. He¡¯s about to speak, but Calvin beats him to it. He¡¯s been watching us closely, but not saying anything. ¡°You marked her in private, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°WHAT? What do you mean?¡± Amelia asks, looking between her mate and me and Hunter. Calvin continues to look at Hunter. ¡°He did what I should have done two years ago, Ame. He took a stand, right? That¡¯s why your mate doesn¡¯t flinch every time you touch her. It¡¯s why she has no problem with you kissing her in front of others. You have more with your mate in two days than I have with mine in two years,¡± he says, his frustration apparent. ¡°Calvin,¡± my sister says gently, reaching out to take his hand. ¡°Look at them, Ame. This is what it should have been like for us. It should have been this easy. But it wasn¡¯t, although I¡¯m thankful you¡¯ve at least given me a chance to prove that I can be a good mate to you,¡± he says, his eyes softening as he looks at his mate. He reaches out to stroke her cheek and I see her body tense, just a bit, then rx. He smiles, but it¡¯s not a happy smile, having seen her reaction. ¡°So, you¡¯ve taken a stand?¡± he says, turning back to Hunter. 1658 248 Vouchers ¡°Yes. I came here today, first for Sophie to be reunited with her parents. I didn¡¯t know the two of you wereing but it¡¯s a bonus for Sophie to see her sister as well. But, I also need to know who my allies are. Who will stand by my side,¡± he says. Alpha Calvin huffs out a breath. ¡°Two weeks ago, I would have said yes, no hesitation. But now, I have a pup to consider.¡± ¡°Calvin!¡± Amelia says. ¡°Amelia, what Alpha Hunter is talking about is war. I just finally got you. I have no intention of losing you or our pup.¡± ¡°Calvin¡­¡± Amelia begins. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all take a step back. Alpha Dutton will be joining us for dinner, and I know Hunter would like to speak to all of us. I have already told him he has my support, but each Alpha will have to make his own decisions on this,¡± my father says, trying to keep an argument from breaking out between Amelia anu Calvin. ¡°Who else are you going to talk to beside Dutton? Kayce and Robin, I assume?¡± ¡°Yes, and also Alpha Ezra,¡± Hunter says. ¡°Alpha Ezra? Why do you think he¡¯ll side with you?¡± Calvin asks him. ¡°He was mated to my sister,¡± Hunter says, and I can feel the sadness in him. I know how much his sister meant to him, how much taking this stand is as much for her as it is for me. I reach our and take his hand, intertwining our fingers together. He turns and gives me a sad smile. 16:58 288 Vouchers ¡°I had forgotten that Ezra was mated to your sister,¡± my father says. I can see my sister¡¯s mind working hard. She¡¯s in agreement with making this stand and based on what she¡¯s said tonight, I can understand why. ¡°You¡¯re the legend,¡± she says softly, she¡¯s looking down but the wheels in her mind are spinning so fast I¡¯m surprised I don¡¯t see steaming out of her ears. ¡°You knew that, right?¡± she asks, lifting her head and looking at me. ¡°Hunter told me the night he marked me. I had no idea before that.¡± She nods, looking down again as she thinks through whatever is going through her mind. ¡°They wille to you, Sophie. They will trust you, the ranked she-wolves. If you and Alpha Hunter are making a stand, the she-wolves will rally behind you. I will rally behind you,¡± she says to me, but she turns and looks at her mate. ¡°Amelia, our pup¡­ ¡°¡­Is exactly the reason why we should stand beside Alpha Hunter and my sister. Calvin, what if this pup is a female? Shouldn¡¯t we do everything in our power to make her life better than the one that I had.¡± I watch as pain flickers over his face at her words. She reaches out, cupping his face in her hands. ¡°We have a responsibility to our children, to all she-wolves, to make this life better for them, Calvin. I know you love me. I know it scares you to think that something might happen to me now that we¡¯ve finally found our 16.54 788 Vouchers way together. I understand that, but this is more important than you or me,¡± she says, turning her head to look at me. ¡°And whether she wanted to be the face of this revolution or not, Sophie is the legend. They will follow her, they will rally behind her, and they will win. WE will win Calvin,¡± she says, turning back to him. My sister is a lot of things, loving, caring, kind, and generous, but I¡¯ve never heard her speak so passionately about anything in my life. She really has changed in the past two years. Alpha Calvin takes his hand and covers hers, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing her palm. ¡°I won¡¯t say no. I¡¯ll listen to what Alpha Hunter has to say. But my first responsibility is to you, Amelia. I swore to you that I would never put anyone or anything ahead of you again, and I meant it. But, for you, I will hear what Alpha Hunter has to say. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says, turning to the room. ¡°Now, when do we eat? I¡¯m starved!¡± 16.58Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The One 37 The One 37 Chapter 37: Dutton Hunter I didn¡¯t spend much time with Amelia at her birthday party. Okay, I didn¡¯t spend any time with her. I spent much more time with Sophie because Calvin spent the night with Amelia, allowing her the opportunity to get to know him. However, now I can see the simrities between the sisters. They are both passionate, caring, and strong Alpha females I¡¯m also d that Calvin is willing hear me out. I would go to war alone if I had to, but I think it¡¯s important for all of us who are against these iming practices to stand together and fight for what we believe is right. When we step out of Alpha Carter¡¯s office, he is informed that Alpha Dutton has arrived. I haven¡¯t seen Dutton in awhile. He, Kayce, and I always hit it off. Kayce and Robin are Alphas in neighboring packs and that¡¯s how I met Robin, who also seems like a good man and Alpha, not letting the power of being an Alpha get to him. I met Calvin at some Alpha female¡¯s party several years ago and realized that he was more like me, Kayce, Robin, and Dutton. We¡¯ve never been friends like I am with the others, but I¡¯ve always liked him. ¡°Alpha Carter,¡± Dutton says, greeting his host as he walks in. ¡°And Luna Amy, looking as beautiful as ever,¡± he says flirtatiously, smiling when Carter growls softly at him. ¡°Dutton, you charmer, you know I¡¯m old enough to be your mother,¡± Luna Amy says, and while she blushes at the 17288 Vouchers compliment, no one takes offense. Dutton is charming. He¡¯s charmed quite a few women into his bed, but this flirtation seems harmless. ¡°Hunter, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here,¡± he says, smiling at me. before raising an eyebrow at Sophie who is standing at my side. ¡°And who is this?¡± he asks. ¡°Dutton, let me introduce you to my mate, Sophie. And I¡¯ll warn you now, we¡¯re recently mated, so don¡¯t even think about trying to charm her,¡± I say, narrowing my eyes at him. He looks at Sophie and I can tell he¡¯s expecting her to be shy and nervous like all new Lunas or recently mated ranked females. ¡°Luna Sophie, it¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± he says gently. ¡°You as well, Alpha Dutton. It sounds as if you know Hunter well. I look forward to hearing more about how you know my mate,¡± Sophie says easily. Dutton jerks, almost imperceptibly, before raising his eyebrow again. ¡°You¡¯re not, Sophie Meyers, by chance?¡± ¡°She is,¡± I say, wrapping my arm possessively around her waist. He looks her over, smiling. ¡°Little Sophie Meyers, all grown up. I¡¯ m d to see you¡¯re alive and well, as I¡¯m sure your parents are too,¡± he says. ¡°Why does everyone call me little? Was I really that small?¡± Sophie asks me. 16.58M 208 Vouchers ¡°My sweet little mate, you still are,¡± I say, leaning in to kiss her. Now it¡¯s Dutton¡¯s turn to narrow his eyes at me. ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Alpha Dutton,¡± Alpha Calvin says, stepping up. ¡°Alpha Calvin, I didn¡¯t expect you either,¡± he says, tearing his eyes away from me and Sophie to look at Calvin. ¡°And Amelia,¡± he says, purring her name as he leans over her hand to kiss it. ¡°Dutton¡­¡± Calvin growls out a warning. ¡°How about we go sit for dinner before Alpha Dutton causes a fight to break out,¡± Luna Amy says, putting her arm through his. ¡°Yes, your mate was quite close-mouthed about why I was being invited to dinner. But now, I¡¯m guessing it has to do with the two other Alphas who are here.¡± ¡°Charming AND intelligent, what a wonderfulbination,¡± Luna Amy says. ¡°If only I could find my mate and charm her,¡± Dutton says, turning to look back at me and Sophie again, frowning at our closeness and Sophie¡¯s rxed posture around me. ¡°And apparently I need to have a little of whatever it is that Alpha Hunter has,¡± he says as we walk into the dining room. The room goes quiet as we walk in. Sophie hasn¡¯t really been around the pack since we arrived, only being seen by a few omegas who may or may not have remembered her, but in here, there are warriors and older wolves who wouldn¡¯t be fooled by her red hair. She was the beloved youngest daughter of their Alpha and Luna who ran away and hasn¡¯t been seen or heard from in two years. 1288 Vouchers Alpha Carter stands at the head of the table that is set aside for us, Beta Matthew is already seated with his mate, Beta Caroline. Carter gestures for Luna Amy to sit to his right, Beta Matthew is at his left. She has Alpha Dutton sit beside her and I move to sit Sophie beside Dutton, knowing he¡¯ll want to speak to her. I take the seat on her right side, sitting across from Alpha Calvin who put Luna Amelia between himself and Beta Caroline. Alpha Carter stays standing and turns to the room which has remained quiet. ¡°I have two exciting announcements this evening. First, my daughter Amelia and her mate, Alpha Calvin informed me this afternoon that they are pregnant with my grandchild.¡± The room erupts into howls and cheers as Amelia blushes and Calvin preens. ¡°Congrattions,¡± Dutton says as Sophie and I p along with the rest of the pack. When it quiets down, Alpha Carter continues. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to know if I¡¯ll have a grandson or granddaughter, but either way, Amy and I will spoil them rotten!¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± Amelia groans at her father. ¡°Benefits of being a grandparent, Amelia,¡± he says unabashedly, as the packughs and cheers again. ¡°Please make sure that you take time to congratte them this evening while they are here visiting. And my second announcement,¡± he says,ing to stand behind Sophie. ¡°Our daughter, our little girl, has returned. Sophie is now mated 288 Voucher to Alpha Hunter who most of you know has been and remains a friend of this pack. Our daughter is safe and loved and she¡¯se back to us.¡± There¡¯s a lot of murmuring before the pack begins cheering again, although not as strongly as they did for the announcement of Amelia¡¯s baby. I can tell that they aren¡¯t sure how to feel about Sophie being mated, but they all seem happy to have her back. Carter looks at me. ¡°Will you stand with me, Hunter.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Are you sure, Carter?¡± ¡°My pack needs to know, regardless of the decisions that are made by others.¡± I stand, seeing Dutton angle his chair to watch us, realizing that this is the reason that he was invited this evening. ¡°Members of my pack, you all know how difficult it¡¯s been for us since Sophie left. You all know my stance and how I refused to search for my daughter because I didn¡¯t want to see her go through what so many other ranked she-wolves have and continue to go through. You¡¯ve all felt the pressure that many of the Alphas have put on us, the constant monitoring to see if we were sneaking Sophie home. Obviously, now that she¡¯s back, that will stop,¡± he says and the pack cheers again. The constant pressure of being under the scrutiny of the Alphas must have been a lot for them to bear. I feel Sophie¡¯s sadness, taking on the responsibility of the pack¡¯ s stress caused by these Alphas. I reach out and put my hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. When she looks up at me, I wink at her. She ces her hand on mine and takes a deep 1288 (Vouchers breath, calming herself. I notice Dutton watching the interaction intently. Surprisingly, Calvin is also watching the interaction. It makes me wonder if he still struggles to calm Amelia with his touch. Sophie responds to mine almost instantly. ¡°As I said, Alpha Hunter has always been and remains a friend. of this pack. Unlike the other Alphas,¡± he says and nods at Calvin to let him know he holds no ill-will towards him, ¡°Alpha Hunter marked and mated my daughter in private.¡± There are gasps throughout the room, then the murmuring begins. I see Dutton nodding his head as if Carter just confirmed his guess. ¡°I am telling you now, as your Alpha, that I intend to put the full force of this pack behind Alpha Hunter as he fights against the injustices that our she-wolves suffer on their 18th birthdays. He intends to fight ourws and change them. With my daughter at his side, I know that he will seed.¡± I wait, not sure what to expect from the pack¡¯s reaction. I¡¯m shocked when they all begin cheering and howling. Carter¡¯s pack is more strongly unified behind him than mine was behind me. I need to figure out how he managed that so I can bring that same unity to my pack. I turn and look at my mate. Maybe it¡¯s Sophie. Carter¡¯s pack obviously adores her. Their happiness at hearing that she has returned is so strong that it¡¯s almost tangible in the air. Maybe there is a reason that my mate is the legend. Maybe it¡¯s more than her just being the first she-wolf to run from the iming process. Maybe she¡¯s the kind of woman that people adore, the kind that people believe in. 16:58 Chapter 37: Dutton 288 Vouchers. The kind of woman, as Amelia sald, who people can rally behind. Without thinking, I take her hand, helping her to stand. ¡°I have no doubt that with you by my side, we will win,¡± I say, leaning in to kiss her. I feel her hesitation for just a moment, and I stop, a hair¡¯s breadth from her lips. When she leans forward, pressing her lips to mine, the pack bes so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The One 38 The One 38 Chapter 38: Dinner Sophie When Hunter leaned in to kiss me, I could see in his eyes, feel through our bond, that something sparked a strong emotion, a sh of love for me. So, while I wasn¡¯t surprised that he leaned in to kiss me, my immediate reaction was concern that others would see us. It only took me a moment to realize that those are old fears, fears that I don¡¯t need to have with Hunter. He would never hurt me. Ever. So, after a split second¡¯s hesitation, one where he stopped and let me decide if I was willing to kiss him, I closed the distance between us. The moment our lips touched, I forgot everyone and everything around us. I don¡¯t know how Hunter has this effect on me, but it¡¯ s like he¡¯s the only one in the room. I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and tilting my head to the side, letting him. take the kiss deeper. His armse around my waist, holding me in a way that feels safe and protective. There¡¯s a possessiveness there as well, but I like that. I like that he wants everyone to know that I¡¯m his and only his. A throat clearing distracts me and I feel Hunter smile against my lips. I open my eyes and his are smiling down at me. ¡°Perhaps we should let your father continue with his announcement,¡± he says softly. 1288 Vouchers ¡°Oh!¡± I say, jumping out of his arms and blushing a deep shade of crimson as I realize that I just kissed my mate in front of my previous pack. The entire pack! ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I say, not knowing what else to say. The room is exceptionally quiet. Hunter takes my hand and strokes his knuckles across my ming cheeks. ¡°Never apologize for loving me, Sophie.¡± ¡°Uh, right. So, that¡¯s all my announcements,¡± my father says from behind me. I smile at him, completely embarrassed by my very public disy of affection for my mate, before sitting down and trying to make myself as small as possible. Hunter however, puts his arm around my shoulders and leans in to kiss the side of my head. ¡°You have nothing to be embarrassed about, my love,¡± he whispers in my ear. ¡°Hunter, Ipletely forgot we were in a room full of people. People who have known me since I was a pup,¡± I whisper yell, ncing around and seeing that people are starting to talk amongst themselves again, but many are still stealing nces our way. ¡°About that,¡± Alpha Dutton says from beside me. ¡°Is it really just that Alpha Hunter didn¡¯t im you publicly that your interactions with him are different than every other Luna or ranked she-wolf I¡¯ve ever seen? Or is it something about Alpha Hunter himself?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be interested in knowing the answer to that as well,¡± Alpha Calvin says, leaning forward. I turn and look at Hunter. He just watches me, letting me answer the question. 1288 (ouchers Il Is about him not iming me publicly,¡± I say, turning back to Alpha Dutton. ¡°But it¡¯s more than that. I know that he me, that he will protect me, that he would take on the world for respects me. A man like that deserves to be trusted enough for me to give myself to himpletely. I know that Hunter would never do anything to embarrass me or hurt me, so I know that I can give myself to him freely, no matter where we are.¡± I can feel Hunter preening at my praise through the bond, and I¡¯ m d. I mean what I say. He¡¯s a man who deserves for me to trust him wholeheartedly. Alpha Dutton turns back to his food, eating quietly and looking thoughtful. Alpha Calvin, however, isn¡¯t done. ¡°But Amelia knows that I would never hurt her, that I respect her. The only difference is that I did im her publicly,¡± he says. I look at my sister, not sure I should be the one to say anything. ¡°Calvin, you know that I love you and I¡¯ve learned over time that you respect me. We¡¯ve built trust in thest two years, enough that I¡¯m carrying your pup. But it¡¯s wasn¡¯t always like that. That trust had to be earned, rebuilt, if you will. Whereas Sophie and Alpha Hunter don¡¯t have those problems in their mate bond.¡± ¡°So, it is about the public iming? Even though Alpha Calvin did everything he possibly could to make that night as positive for you as possible, it wasn¡¯t enough? Not enough to make your rtionship as easy and basically carefree like what Luna Sophie and Alpha Hunter have,¡± Dutton pushes. Amelia looks at her mate whose lips are pressed tightly together, before looking back at Alpha Dutton. 16.58 288 Voucher ¡°I was mated in a room full of men cheering the act, my first time, the first time I¡¯d ever been with a man, and it was in public. Yes, Calvin did his best, but even that¡­. When you¡¯re rushing a woman her first time, it¡¯s not pleasant.¡± ¡°My mate is being generous,¡± Calvin growls, tossing his napkin on his te as if he¡¯s lost his appetite. ¡°She tore, bled, because of me. Not only that, but I¡¯ll tell you Dutton, the worst feeling in the world is when you sink your canines into their neck, and you feel every goddess-awful emotion that you are causing them, your mate, the one should love above all others. I don¡¯t know how some of the other Alphas do it, knowing their mates are horrified or that they despise them for what they¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Those Alphas don¡¯t love their mates,¡± Hunter says quietly, watching Calvin. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that for you, though, was it?¡± he asks, angrily. ¡°Calvin?¡± Amelia says, putting her hand on his arm. ¡°Was it, Hunter?¡± he growls again! ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t,¡± Hunter says quietly. I look from Alpha Calvin to Hunter. If what Hunter felt was anything close to what I felt, it was love, happiness, pleasure, pride, all positive things. ¡°Excuse me, Amelia, I need some air,¡± Calvin says, abruptly getting up. When Amelia reaches out to him, he takes her hand, kissing the top of it gently, before releasing it and quickly walking away. We all watch as Calvin walks outside, and Dutton looks back at 16.58 288 Vouchers Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. his te. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be meddlesome or obtuse, but, is it really that terrible? Even when your mate tries his best?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Amelia says softly, watching the ce where her mate walked out. ¡°Alpha Dutton, I wouldn¡¯t have run, other she-wolves wouldn¡¯t be running, if it wasn¡¯t that terrible. And sadly, what Amelia went through is the best that ranked she-wolves can hope for. I saw a she- wolf hunted down in the woods, her mate growling at her to never run from him again before he mmed his canines into her. She was already sobbing from being mated roughly and he didn¡¯t even try to make the marking gentle. It¡¯s not a risk that I was willing to take and not a risk that many she-wolves are willing to take. From what I understand, many are putting their lives in peril to escape, and some are taking their lives preferring death to such a life, so yes, Alpha Dutton, it is that bad,¡± I say firmly. ¡°I guess¡­I guess I never considered what it would be like, for the woman. I assumed, st**ly apparently, that if I did my best, like Alpha Calvin did, that it would be okay,¡± he says, looking between me and Amelia. She drags her eyes away from where her mate went. ¡°We¡¯ve found our way, but it took nearly two years.¡± She turns and looks at me. ¡°And I still don¡¯t find epting my mate¡¯s touch as easy as Sophie does, especially not in public. Excuse me, I need to check on my mate.¡± Amelia gets up from the table and follows in the direction that her mate went. Alpha Dutton looks up at Hunter. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to war?¡± 16.59 ) 288 Wouchers ¡°If I have to, yes. They¡¯lle for Sophie, the other Alphas. They¡¯ Il try to force me to mark her publicly, try to strip her of her title when I refuse. I won¡¯t allow it. She¡¯s my mate, she¡¯s my Luna, and I shouldn¡¯t have to make her suffer for others to ept that. I won¡¯t.¡± I turn from Alpha Dutton and take Hunter¡¯s hand. ¡°And this, Alpha Dutton, is why I trust my mate implicitly. Because I know that he will always put my best interests first, always put ME first,¡± I say, smiling up at Hunter. ¡°Always,¡± he says. Calvin POV I run my fingers through my hair, again, and take a deep breath. I¡¯m so filled with envy that I want to punch something. No, I want to punch Hunter. But I know it¡¯s not his fault that his mate responds in the way we all want our mates to respond us. Even now, two yearster, Amelia doesn¡¯t respond to me the way Sophie responds to him. I remember that night, remember the horror I felt when my teeth sank into Amelia¡¯s neck and her emotions came flooding into me. I remember¡­. ¡°Calvin,¡± my mate¡¯s sweet voice says softly from behind me. I spin and without thinking, I pull her into my embrace, burying my face into her neck and hair. As always, she stiffens in my arms. I go to release her, but she wraps her arms around me, holding me to her. ¡°You did what you could, Calvin,¡± she says softly in my ear. 16:59 Chapter 30: Dinner 280 MoucherS ¡°No, Amelia, I didn¡¯t,¡± I choke, my throat getting tight. ¡°It should have been like that with us. I should have made a stand, I should have¡­¡± ¡°You did what you thought was right. You didn¡¯t understand, you didn¡¯t know. Just like Alpha Dutton. It¡¯s not the same for men as it is for women, so how could you know.¡± ¡°Hunter knew,¡± I growl. ¡°Alpha Hunter had a sister who killed herself and her unborn daughter,¡± she says, making me pull away and look at her. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I heard about it at the time and felt awful about what had happened. I didn¡¯t know why or how she died, of course. That was never exined to me. But I looked into it, after we were mated, and everything made much more sense to me. From what I gather, Alpha Hunter and his sister were quite close.¡± ¡°From what I understand, they were. I gehim being devastated when they told him she was gone.¡± I lean my forehead against my mate¡¯s. ¡°Thank you for giving me a chance to show you that I can be trusted, that I do love you, and the I will always protect you. She nods, leaning up and running her nose against mine. ¡°You need to protect our future daughters as well, Calvin. You need to join this fight,¡± she says softly. I pull her tighter against me, loving that she holds on to me just as tightly. Chapter 38: Dinner ¡°Okay, my love. I¡¯ll let Hunter know tonight that he has my support, our support.¡± 288 Vouchers Then, my sweet mate does something she¡¯s never done before. She takes my face in her hands, and she kisses me first. I don¡¯t waste one second before I¡¯m epting the gift that she¡¯s offering me. The One 39 The One 39 Chapter 39: Drive Home Hunter ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I ask Sophie as we drive home. We left Alpha Carter¡¯s pack with three Alphas pledging to stand beside us in theing battles and possibly a war. Sophie and I also talked privately to Carter and Amy about bringing Penny into our pack. That way, there would be no reason for any of the Alphas to attack their pack. The focus would be solely on my pack. Because they have epted responsibility for her and she has epted their safety, they want to talk to her about it first. ¡°I¡¯m good. Sad, but also happy, if that makes sense.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the sad part first,¡± I say. I¡¯m pretty sure I already know why she¡¯s feeling sad. The conversation with her sister over dinner was tough. But Calvin had returned with his mate and promised that he¡¯d stand with us. ¡°I feel so sad for Amelia. I feel sad for all of them. And, honestly, I feel badly for Alpha Calvin as well. It seems to be as hard for him as it is for Amelia. I can¡¯t imagine feeling all of the things that I do for you, but not trusting you, not feeling capable of giving myself to you. That¡¯s not just hard for me, it would be¡­¡± ¡°It would be devastating to me as your mate and your Alpha. It¡¯s my job to protect you, to protect all of our pack members. And somehow, the ones we are supposed to hold most dear are the ones we treat the worst,¡± I finish. What Calvin said tonight over dinner is the same as what I¡¯d 16 59 288 Vouchers heard from Lucas when he sank his canines into Kinsley. And I agree, I don¡¯t understand how a mate can be okay with feeling those emotions from the one they love. Unless some of those Alphas just don¡¯t respect or appreciate the mate bond. ¡°And, of course, I¡¯m happy because I have you. I didn¡¯t have to go through any of that. But, Hunter, how am I going to get these she-wolves to believe me that we have a safe pack for them? How can I convince them to follow me? Amelia seems to think they will follow me just because I¡¯m Sophie Meyers-Reynolds, but that can¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I think it is. I think you underestimate how powerful your words and your actions are. I felt it tonight from your father¡¯s pack. When you leaned in to kiss me, your actions impacted everyone in the room. You saw it with Alpha Dutton and Alpha Calvin. You saw how Dutton asked you about why it mattered, not me. You, and your sister as well, have a lot of pull. But Amelia is right, you are the face of this revolution, whether you intended to be or not. The question is, Sophie Reynolds, what are you going to do about it?¡± I watch as she struggles with this idea. ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± she finally asks, turning back to me. I take her hand, pulling it to my lips, thrilled that she wants my opinion. ¡°Start with the mountain. Start going with Kinsley. If there are she-wolves there, talk to them if you can. If not, leave a note letting them know that you¡¯ve found your mate, how we came together and that they will be safe in our pack. That¡¯s how we start.¡± ¡°You make it sound easy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy. I can guarantee if they haven¡¯t 208 Vouchers already, the Alphas will get together and they will call a meeting, basically a trial where you and I will have to go in front of them and they will try to force me to mark you publicly.¡± I feel her unease and I kiss her hand again. ¡°I won¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t care if I have to fight everyst one of them, I won¡¯t do it. But they¡¯ll have their Lunas there. That will be your chance to make an impact, to give them the knowledge that they can then take back to their packs, to their ranked females. Death isn¡¯t their only option now and the Lunas will unite behind you. Once they do, the others will as well.¡± ¡°What about you? What will you tell them?¡± she asks me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. It depends on which way they fight. If it¡¯s about thew, then I¡¯ll fight for thew to be changed. If they think that I¡¯m weak, then I¡¯ll have to fight them,¡± I say and hear her gasp. ¡°Hunter¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a strong Alpha, my love. But that is also why I¡¯m getting allies now. We still need to go see Kayce and Robin and I need to call Alpha Ezra. We need them on our side before we go in front of the Alpha council. That group makes up half of the Alphas. If we have them on our side and I do have to fight the Alphas, I won¡¯t be fighting all of them alone.¡± She looks back out the windows, staring out into the darkness as I drive. ¡°I can fight too,¡± she says quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t want you fighting the Alphas. I will do that.¡± 288 Vouchers! She turns and looks at me. ¡°Why, because I¡¯m a woman? I¡¯m strong, I¡¯m an Alpha female. I can fight and if theye after you¡­¡± I pull her hand to my mouth again, smiling at my passionate mate. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯te to that.¡± I nce at her, not sure I want to approach this subject yet. ¡°There¡¯s also the possibility that you¡¯re already carrying my pup, Sophie.¡± I say it as gently as possible, not sure how she¡¯ll feel about yet another change in her life so quickly. But, we haven¡¯t been careful and we¡¯ve been pretty active, which I intend to continue. Sophie looks at me, then down at her stomach. ¡°Do you think so? It¡¯s so soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big possibility, not just because we¡¯re mates, but, we were trying different positions, so¡­you have a lot of my Alpha sperm floating around in your body right now searching for an egg to attach itself to.¡± She bursts outughing. ¡°I just got an image of an army of sperm storming a castle trying to find their princess hidden in the tallest tower.¡± ¡°Close enough,¡± I say, smiling because I made herugh. Herughter is a beautiful sound. ¡°How long do think it¡¯ll be before know?¡± she asks, putting the hand that isn¡¯t in mine on her stomach. ¡°A couple of weeks, I¡¯d guess, maybe less. But I wasn¡¯t nning to stop until we know for sure. There are still many, many positions to show you, my curious mate,¡± I purr at her. I smile, much more possessively this time, when I see her body 16.59 shivers at my words. 11 288 Moucher ¡°Like what?¡± she asks me. ¡°Oh, there are quite a few positions we haven¡¯t tried. If you¡¯d like, we can try them all,¡± I say and she¡¯s instantly nodding her head, yes. ¡°And that doesn¡¯t even begin to cover all the positions where we can try oral sex.¡± Her eyes flicker to myp where my d**k has gone hard with this conversation. ¡°Do you have an **m with oral sex?¡± she asks me. ¡°I don¡¯t have to, but I¡¯d prefer it. Besides, I have Alpha sperm. Even if I came in your mouth once, I¡¯d still have plenty left to¡­ add to the army, shall we say.¡± She smiles at my words, but her eyes are still glued to myp, making my **k twitch in my pants. She turns and looks at the road before turning back to me. ¡°Can I try it while you¡¯re driving?¡± ¡°You want to go down on me while I¡¯m driving?¡± I ask, having to control my voice so it doesn¡¯t squeak with my excitement. My mate is so adventurous. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never done it, so I might not be very good at it,¡± she says. I check the distance to our pack on the GPS. ¡°We have about 30 minutes for you to y and see if you like it. The biggest thing is, don¡¯t use your teeth. Hands, lips, and tongue only,¡± I tell her. Her eyes sh with excitement. ¡°You¡¯ll let me know when we¡¯re getting close to the pack?¡± ¡°Absolutely. You can always trust me.¡± She starts to lean forward but I grab her hair, kissing her passionately and quickly before letting her go. 288 Wouchers She smiles at me, a devilish, mischievous smile. ¡°You want me to do this?¡± ¡°Very, very much.¡± She turns in her seat, moving her seat belt to give her better ess before she begins undoing my pants. When I spring free, I lift my hips, pulling my pants down just enough to give her free ess. I push the seat back and watch her. ¡°Hands, lips, and tongue,¡± she says to herself before reaching out and taking me in her hand. I gasp and adjust my hips, thrilled that my mate is so curious. She looks up at me, watching my face as she strokes me. ¡°That feels fantastic,¡± I encourage her. She bites her bottom lip, making me growl as she looks back down, watching herself stroke me. Then she leans forward and licks the tip of my c**k. I suck in air and pull her hair out of her face. I want to see her pretty face while she sucks on me. Her warm lips surround my tip, and she sucks gently. Her mouth already feels so good on me. I moan as she swirls her tongue 16 54 around my c**k. 289 Mouchers The scent of her arousal begins to permeate the air and I realize that she¡¯s enjoying my response as much as I¡¯m enjoying her mouth. I quickly twist her hair, leaving itying on her back so I can still see her face, but I begin moving my hand down her back and to the waistband of her pants. Since we didn¡¯t have any clothes that fit her and even her old clothing was toorge, I easily slide my hand inside her pants and down to her panties. I gasp as she slides more of me inside her mouth and I lean over, sliding my hand over her a**and between her thighs. Her panties are soaked with her arousal and I moan with the pleasure of her mouth and how wet she is for me. 1 slip my fingers under her panties and begin rubbing the rim of her entrance. She moans with me in her mouth and my d**k twitches against her tongue. She moans again, but this time it¡¯s one of understanding. My mate just realized that her moans are enjoyable to me as well, especially in this position. She removes her hand from my **k and leaving my c**k in her mouth, unbuttons and unzips her pants, giving me easier ess. I¡¯ll give my mate credit, she¡¯s either a quick learner or she¡¯s paying attention to what I like, because before long, she¡¯s sucking on me in long strokes, swirling her tongue around my tip before taking me in again until I hit the back of her throat. I slide my fingers inside her soaking wet warmth, leaning over even further so I can begin to stroke my fingers in and out of her. She arches her back, pressing her body closer to me so l can slide my fingers even deeper inside her. ¡°Does my baby like my fingers inside her?¡± I ask her. 16:59 Utive Home ¡°Mmhmm,¡± she responds, without taking my c**k from her mouth. ¡°You feel so f**g good, Sophie.¡± 288 Vouchers I feel the walls of her p**y begin to flutter around my fingers and I know she¡¯s close. ¡°Can you open your throat baby, take me deeper? I want us toe together.¡± I can feel her trying to figure out how to do it while still moaning because of my fingers. I slow my movements, giving her a minute to focus and gently press my hips up when I feel myself hit her throat again. It takes a second, then I slide into her tight throat. ¡°Oh f**k, Sophie, that¡¯s it,¡± I say and begin moving my fingers faster again. I pull off on the side of the road, knowing I¡¯m going to explode in her mouth and wanting to experience the pleasure of it without having to focus on the road. She begins moaning louder as my fingers pump into her. ¡°Yes, Sophie! Yes! F**K!¡± I say as her p**y mps onto my fingers, and I push my c**k into her throat a second before I explode. She moans before instinctively swallowing as Ie, taking everything that I¡¯m giving her. I look down and see her pretty mouth pressed tightly against my body, her throat contracting as I come. As shees down, she slides me out of her throat, licking and sucking me clean before sliding her mouth off my c**k. I grab her hair and pull her to me for a kiss as my fingers continue to 16.59 Chapter 39: Drive Home stroke inside her, loving the feel of her aftershocks. 289 Mouchers When I finally release her, sliding my fingers out of her and pulling her away from the kiss, I hold her close while I suck her fingers into my mouth, licking them clean. Her eyes are still dark with desire as she watches me. ¡°You taste delicious, floral and sweet. I¡¯m going to need to taste more of you when we get home,¡± I say, watching her. ¡°Does that mean we get to try another position?¡± she asks, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Did you want more soldiers to add to your army?¡± I ask, keeping with her earlier analogy. ¡°Yes.¡± I smile at my incredible mate. ¡°We can try as many as you like.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The One 40 The One 40 Chapter 40: Kinsley¡¯s eptance Kinsley I¡¯d forgotten how grueling running patrols is. It¡¯s eight hours of nearly non-stop running and since I¡¯m a Beta and running with a bunch of male warriors, I have to set an example, not only that I¡¯ m worthy of being a Beta but also that I¡¯m just as strong as any male in this pack. I¡¯m tired, not having slept well with Lucas out running patrols all night. While I¡¯ve been struggling with intimacy between us, realize that I miss him when he¡¯s gone. Now that I¡¯ve invited him back to our bed, I really miss feeling his arms around me at night. When we finish our patrol, I shift and reach for my clothes. I hear a wolf-whistle behind me and I turn, seeing one of our warriors staring at me. Ogling me, really. ¡°Knock it off, Trent. You¡¯re being disrespectful,¡± one of the other patrols says. Trent shrugs nonchntly and opens his mouth to say something else. Before he can, his eyes move to something behind me, and I turn, seeing Lucas standing at the back of the packhouse, waiting for me, watching out for me. I see that he¡¯s holding a shirt for me, and he steps off the patio, heading my way. ¡°Don¡¯t know why he bothers. We¡¯ve all seen you anyway,¡± Trent sneers quietly enough that only I hear him as he passes me. 288 Vouchers ¡°Good afternoon, Beta,¡± he says cheerfully as he passes Lucas. ¡°Trevor,¡± he says, his eyes not leaving mine. ¡°Kinsley,¡± he says, pulling the shirt over my head. ¡°I have my own clothes, Lucas,¡± I say, but I take a deep breath, letting his scent of the rainforest fill my senses and rx me after Trevor¡¯sments. ¡°I noticed you slept in my shirtst night,¡± he says, wrapping an arm around my waist, but not pulling me to him. He¡¯s always so careful with me, ever since the day he marked me. But I¡¯ve decided that it¡¯s time for me to put the past behind me. I need to start trusting my mate to care for me, to protect me. So, for the first time in our rtionship, I lean into him. His eyes instantly brighten, and he tightens his arm around me, wrapping the second around me as well, just holding me. We stand like that for a while before he kisses the top of my head. ¡°How was your run?¡± ¡°Exhausting,¡± I say. ¡°But no scent of Alphas or she-wolves.¡± ¡°Well, the she-wolves won¡¯t know that we¡¯re a sanctuary yet, but I¡¯m d to hear that there are no Alphas. And speaking of Alphas, Alpha Calvin is sending 20 warriors to help us run patrols, so we have some time to reorganize the patrol schedules. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great news,¡± I say walking inside. ¡°Yes, and Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie won¡¯t be home untilte. They are meeting with Alpha Calvin and Alpha Dutton 288 Vouchers tonight at Alpha Carter¡¯s pack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s excellent! Do you think they¡¯ll stand with us?¡± I ask him. ¡°Hunter said that Alpha Carter has already agreed, so I have hope that the others will too. Alpha Calvin is mated to Lunal Sophie¡¯s sister, and Alpha Dutton hasn¡¯t found his mate yet, but he¡¯s at least not one of the Alphas out hunting for a mate.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe for me let the she-wolves know our borders are open? I can leave a note when go to drop off the food today,¡± I ask Lucas. ¡°Alpha Hunter was pretty clear, Kins. I think it¡¯s safe. But I want you to be careful. My legs are stiff after running all night. I¡¯m guessing yours will be too and I still don¡¯t like you going alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go now before it gets dark,¡± I tell him. He holds onto my hand. ¡°Hurry home to me, Kins.¡± I nod and turn to head upstairs. Every time he says something like that, my heart melts a little bit more. Not for the first time, I wonder what it would have been like for us if our mating night had been like Alpha Hunter¡¯s and Luna Sophie¡¯s. When I get to the mountain, I see that the food is gone. I¡¯m d because the scent of sex and Alpha Hunter still lingers in this area, but if the she-wolves are hungry enough, that won¡¯t deter them, at least not until they have food in their stomachs. I leave the food and the note that we are now offering sanctuary. I also added that Sophie Meyers has found her mate, our Alpha, but he mated her privately and she is now the Luna of our pack. I¡¯m hoping that they trust my words enough to at least check out our pack. 16.59 1288 Vouchers When I return, Lucas and I have dinner and once Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie return, we head to our room. It¡¯s good to know that at least two more Alphas are on our side and while I would have liked to talk to Luna Sophie more, I¡¯m exhausted and as Lucas expected, I¡¯m very sore. ¡°I think I need to start training more,¡± I tell him as we walk into our room. ¡°Are you still sore?¡± ¡°No, but it took several hours to wear off,¡± he says. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get ready for bed and lie down, I¡¯ll massage your legs.¡± I do as he suggests, and he begins massaging my legs. I know he wants to touch me more than I¡¯m comfortable allowing, so this is a nicepromise, and my mate¡¯s fingers are magic. I try to be good, but a moan slips out asionally. I can see that he¡¯s getting aroused and while it makes me nervous that he might want something more, he doesn¡¯t act on it. I feel bad for my mate. I feel his arousal pressed against my back every night when we go to sleep and every morning when we wake. I know it must be hard for him, but even now, he doesn¡¯t push me. He epts what I¡¯m willing to give him. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± he asks me nearly an hourter. ¡°So much better,¡± I tell him. ¡°Good, we should get some sleep,¡± he says, moving up toy behind me. Yep, he¡¯s hard as a rock. I feel like I want to thank him, in a way that might be more meaningful to him and push me in my desire to show more trust in him, so I turn in his arms and rest my hand on his shoulder ¡°Kinsley?¡± 1659 1288 Vouchers ¡°I thought¡­I mean, I¡¯m not ready to have sex, but I thought, maybe we could kiss for a bit before we go to sleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that. If at any point it gets to be more than you want, let me know,¡± he says. I nod and tilt my head up to his. His warm lips press softly against mine. He takes his time, slowly deepening the kiss and when his tongue licks the seam of my lips, I open for him, letting him slide his tongue into my mouth. I love the way he tastes, fresh and clean, like the forest after the rain. I hear myself whimper against him and he growls softly in return. I can feel my body responding to my mate, heat pooling in my core, making my body crave more. I begin pressing myself closer against him, wanting to ease the ache between my thighs. ¡°Will you let me help you with that?¡± he asks me, pulling away enough to look at me in the dark room. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Just my hands. Nothing else. I can smell your arousal, Kinsley. It¡¯s making me crazy, so I¡¯m guessing that your body is craving a release.¡± I nod. ¡°Let me give you what your body wants,¡± he says softly. I nod and he slides his hand down my body, gently running his fingers under the silk pajama top that I¡¯m wearing. The feel of his fingers against my skin makes my body feel like it¡¯s on fire, desperately needing a release. 17:00 ¨C Chapter 40: Kinsley¡¯s eptance 288 Mouchers He continues kissing me, shifting so that his hand can move down into my sleep shorts. He gently massages his way to my core, his hand sliding between my thighs. ¡°You¡¯re soaking wet, Kins,¡± he growls against my mouth before. taking the kiss even deeper. When his fingers find my c***t, I gasp, looking up at Lucas. I ¡°Will you unbutton your top for me, I want to see you, I want to taste you.¡± His fingers are working magic on my c**t, and I open my legs giving him better ess while unbuttoning my top. When I¡¯m done, I look up at him. ¡°Open it for me. Let me see you, Kinsley.¡± I do as he asks, and he gently pushes against my hips, pushing me onto my back. ¡°Can we take these shorts off? I promise I won¡¯t push for anything more. I just want to see you.¡± I reach my hands down, pulling off my shorts. My heart is racing and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of what Lucas is doing, or my own fear that I¡¯m struggling to keep hold of. When they¡¯re off, I look back up at him. His eyes are devouring my body. ¡°So beautiful, Kinsley.¡± He leans forward and runs his nose over my throat, down my chest and to my breasts as his fingers continue to move in slow circles around my c**. I put my fingers into his thick, curly hair and he looks up at me, his tongue flicking out and licking my nipple. I arch up, nearly pressing my breast into his mouth. 17.00 Chapter 40: Kinsley¡¯s eptance ¡°Mmm, so sensitive.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say watching his dark eyes as they hold my gaze. ¡°What do you want, Kinsley?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to make youe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± 1208 Vouchers ¡°Mmmm, I want that too,¡± he says before sucking my nipple into his mouth, his warm tongue moving the in the same circles that his fingers are. ¡°Lucas!¡± He growls against my breast, making me arch again. This time, he takes my breast, sucking on my nipple as his fingers begin moving faster. ¡°Oh, Lucas,¡± I say and a momentter I feel like my body is exploding, pleasure rocketing through me as I grip onto Lucas¡¯ hair, holding him against me as my body jerks with pleasure. His fingers begin to slow and when I start toe down and think that we¡¯re done, he slides his fingers inside me.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. He looks up at me, pulling off of my nipple. ¡°Tell me if this is too much,¡± he says, his fingers sliding in and out of me. ¡°No,¡± I say, making him smile. ¡°Good. I like watching youe undone for me, Kinsley. Let¡¯s see how many more times I can make youe.¡± The One 41 The One 41 Chapter 41: Kinsley¡¯s Stand Kinsley The next morning I wake, feeling fantastic. Lucas made mee several times and then I had reached out to stroke him, causing him to o**m after only a few strokes. We bothughed at that, his mostly an embarrassedugh, and then we had cleaned up and curled up together to sleep. I roll over, expecting to find Lucas, but instead, I find a note attached to a red rose.. Good morning, sleepyhead. You looked too peaceful to wake. If you have time, I¡¯d love to have lunch with you today. Your mate and lover, Lucas I smile, getting out of bed and showering, thinking ofst night and how kind and generous Lucas had been, how gentle and caring. As I bathe, I can still feel the tingle of my nipples from his very talented tonguest night. I get dressed and head downstairs, ready to take on whatever today will bring, and I nearly run into Trent. ¡°Kinsley,¡± he says, looking me over as if I¡¯m naked. ¡°That¡¯s Beta Kinsley to you.¡± ¡°I have such a hard time calling you Beta when I¡¯ve seen you ??? 11:49 f***ed right in front of me. You know, usually girls like that charge by the hour,¡± he says, licking his lips. ¡°So how much?¡± I¡¯m not sure what I would have said, but another voicees from behind me. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Luna Sophie exims, walking up. ¡°You will apologize, and you will do it now. ¡°Says who? You? You¡¯re not my Luna. You¡¯re no one¡¯s Luna. You don¡¯t get a title unless your mate **ks you in front of us so we can all watch,¡± he sayssciviously. I see red and a momentter, Trent is on the ground with a broken nose and I¡¯m standing over him seething. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Alpha Hunter says, walking up. He looks at Sophie and then at me. ¡°Beta Kinsley?¡± ¡°He insulted our Luna,¡± I snarl. ¡°Is that so?¡± he asks, looking at Sophie. ¡°Not before he insulted our Beta. I believe he made a reference to her being a cheap w*e.¡± I **ear gasps from other pack members, the sounds of a scuffle drawing them to see what¡¯s going on. ¡°I see,¡± Hunter says, walking up behind Trent. Trent starts to get up, but Alpha Hunter pushes him back down. ¡°Stay down,¡± he growls at him. ¡°Beta Kinsley, what is the penalty for disrespecting one¡¯s Beta?¡± he asks, and I look down. If he had asked me the penalty for disrespecting one¡¯s Luna, I could have answered easily, but I 1331% III 1149 day¡¯s Stand 208 Woucliers: still struggle to answer if it¡¯s about me. ¡°Lucas?¡± he asks and my head snaps around to see my mate standing behind me. He came in with the others. ¡°Death,¡± he says, ring at Trent. ¡°Kinsley, what did we discuss the other day?¡± Alpha Hunter asks to me, his hand still holding Trent on the ground. I look down, trying to find my courage. Courage that I used to have, that I¡¯m trying to regain. I square my shoulders and look up, meeting Alpha Hunter¡¯s gaze. ¡°That if I wouldn¡¯t ept the disrespect toward someone else, then I shouldn¡¯t allow it towards myself.¡± Alpha Hunter nods, as if he¡¯s considering his options. ¡°The penalty for disrespecting one¡¯s Luna is also death,¡± he says. Trent snarls and tries to jerk free, but Alpha Hunter extends his ws, slicing them through Trent¡¯s shoulder and pushing down, keeping him on his knees. ¡°Beta Kinsley, I told you that I will not tolerate disrespect in this pack, did I not?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± I say, feeling that I¡¯ve once again disappointed him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to me yesterday?¡± he asks softly. ¡°¡­¡± I begin, feeling Lucase up behind me. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I realized something was going on when I saw Trent talking to you after patrols yesterday? I asked Alpha Hunter this morning if you had approached him after he and our 29.72% ??? 71 50 Chappie 41. Kivley¡¯s Stand Luna returned.¡± 1288 Wouchers I shake my head, feeling like I¡¯ve disappointed both of them. ¡°He disrespected you, Beta Kinsley. It should be you who exacts his punishment,¡± Alpha Hunter says. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me, you f***g b**h,¡± Trent snarls. A momentter, he¡¯s hanging off the ground, Alpha Hunter¡¯s ws holding him up by the throat. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It would be my pleasure,¡± Lucas growls, moving to step around me. ¡°No. No, Alpha Hunter is right. He insulted me first. I need to be the one to punish him for his crimes.¡± Alpha Hunter opens his hand and lets Trent drop to the floor, stepping back and letting me take the lead. ¡°Trent, you have disrespected your Beta female, your Luna, and therefore your Alpha and Beta male. You are hereby sentenced to death, effective immediately,¡± I say, giving him his sentence. ¡°You f**..¡± Trent begins, but I extend my ws and in one sweeping motion, his head goes flying across the room. Blood sprays over me as his body falls to the floor. There is something empowering about being able to stand up for myself. Finally. Finally, I feel capable of stopping the leering stares and remarks. I turn and look at everyone else in the room. ¡°Anyone else feeling disrespectful towards me?¡± I snarl. When no one responds, I turn back.. 46 27% 11:50 Chapter 41 Kinsley¡¯s Stand 1288 Vouchers ¡°Good. Get this a**hole out of here. Bury the body off of packnds. Only respectful, true pack members get a funeral and pyre. And spread the word, disrespect is not allowed in this pack, not by anyone, not towards anyone,¡± I say, looking at Alpha Hunter to see if he¡¯ll back me up. He nods and I turn, needing to shower and desperately needing to get ahold of my emotions that are all over the ce. I jog up the stairs and peel off my clothes as I head to the shower. I¡¯ve just stepped under the scalding hot water when I hear Lucase in. ¡°Kinsley, are you¡­¡± I don¡¯t wait, I grab him, pulling him into the shower with me and stripping off his clothes. I¡¯m not sure why killing Trent has made a difference, but it¡¯s as if everything inside me has righted after all this time. ¡°Mine,¡± I snarl, leaping onto him and sliding down his already hard length. He presses me against the shower wall, kissing me with a passion I¡¯ve never felt from him. He begins slowly, carefully thrusting inside me, but that¡¯s not what I need, not right now. ¡°I need more. I need more!¡± I tell him before sliding my tongue into his mouth. He begins thrusting into me, giving me what I need. Our hands are everywhere, our mouths kissing and licking each other, desperate after waiting a year for this moment. The moment my o**m hits, I throw my head back and scream with the pleasure ofit. Lucas¡¯ own o**m is only a moment behind mine. 6258 Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°MINE!¡± he snarls before he sinks his canines into my neck, marking me again. My response is only a moment behind his. ¡°MINE!¡± I growl, sinking my canines into his marking spot, marking him again as both of our bodies shoot off again with the most explosive o**m I¡¯ve ever had in my life. Sophie POV When Hunter had walked in, he had mind linked me to let him handle the situation. I had been surprised, but I watched, seeing that there was something more going on with Kinsley. After she jogged upstairs, Lucas right behind her, I walked over to Hunter who is overseeing the clean-up of Trent. ¡°I feel like I missed something,¡± I say to him quietly. He looks at where Kinsley and Lucas had gone up the stairs. ¡°I needed her to stand her ground. Lucas found out recently that this,¡± he says, gesturing toward Trent¡¯s decapitated body, ¡°has been going on for a year. I needed her to take a stand, to finally understand her worth, and to fight for it. Thank you for staying quiet. I could tell that wasn¡¯t easy for you,¡± he says, pulling me close and kissing the top of my head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t, but I trust you, so I knew there was more to this than what had happened here today.¡± I turn and look at where our Betas had gone. ¡°Talk about a rite of passage. The term ¡®bathed in blood¡¯ has a whole new meaning to me now. Did you feel the difference in her? When BO.85% 11:501 she challenged the pack, did you feel it?¡± I ask him. He smiles smugly. ¡°Yes, I do believe we finally have our true Beta female.¡± The One 42 The One 42 Chapter 42: Assumptions and Wagers Hunter The next morning, on the way to warrior training, I bump into a ridiculously happy Lucas. ¡°Beta?¡± I ask but based on the dark circles under his eyes and the fresh mark on his neck, I¡¯m pretty sure I know why my Betal looks so happy. ¡°It finally happened, Alpha. Kins finally gave herself to me, and holy f**g s**t. I had no idea it could be that good.¡± I smile at my Beta. It¡¯s good to see him this happy and to know that what I saw in Kinsley yesterday extended to their rtionship. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly an expert, but I can tell you that after just a few days, it gets better and better every day.¡± I say. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Seriously. Where is your mate?¡± ¡°Sleeping. I wore her out,¡± he says smugly. ¡°I¡¯m sure that will continue for a long time, so she better get used to working on little to no sleep.¡± I tell him as we step outside. I take the time to address our warriors and exin that we have some new faces from Alpha Carter¡¯s pack to assist us until we 111 can begin to rebuild our pack¡¯s defenses and update our patrol schedule. After that, I pair Carter¡¯s warriors with mine and watch to see how good they actually are. I¡¯m not sure if Beta Matthew sent me his best warriors, or if they are all this good, but it¡¯s a testament to his pack and their training that his warriors are able to easily keep up with mine. As with all packs, methods of training and techniques vary, so l talk to Lucas about having Carter¡¯s warriors rotate in to lead the morning training and teach our warriors some new fighting methods. The more prepared we are for battle, the better. After training, I head inside, happy to see my mate talking to our pack members and getting to know them. I haven¡¯t given her much time to do that other than her Luna ceremony. I walk up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. ¡°Can I join you for breakfast?¡± I ask her. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she says, surprising me and turning to look at me with her hand on her hips. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me for warrior training?¡± I smile down at her. ¡°I thought you might be tired afterst night,¡± I say, knowing that the entire room is watching our exchange. She might want to think twice about making a scene in the future. Her cheeks redden and she suddenly realizes that we have an audience. ¡°It¡¯s not because I¡¯m a woman?¡± she asks. 10.17% 11:51 Chapter 43: Assumptions and Wages 288 Voucher ¡°Did you not tell me that you were able to withstand Alpha Owen¡¯s Alphamand?¡± I ask her. I hear the murmurings of the group. It¡¯s good to remind our pack that their Luna is an Alpha wolf. ¡°Yes, but what does that have to do with fighting?¡± she asks. ¡°Why would I keep one of the strongest wolves in our pack from training unless I thought she needed her sleep?¡± She presses her lips together and looks down. ¡°I want to start. training, no matter how little sleep I¡¯ve had,¡± she says, a bit sullenly. ¡°Fine, then noints when I keep you up until the wee hours of the morning because you¡¯re begging me for more,¡± I say, leaning in so only she can hear thest part. Now her cheeks turn a deep shade of red and I run my knuckles over her cheek, feeling the heat. ¡°I love your passion, by the way. You should make sure it¡¯s directed properly, though. Now, will you have breakfast with me? I¡¯d like to talk to you about our next steps.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she says, lifting up on her toes and kissing me softly. ¡°Sorry for jumping to conclusions.¡± ¡°We both still have a lot to learn about the other. But I promise. you, until you are carrying my pup, I would be thrilled for you to attend warrior training. As a matter of fact, I told Lucas to have your father¡¯s warriors start training ours so we can learn the different techniques. Maybe you could stand in as trainer as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit out of practice. I think I¡¯d like to go through a couple of 23.984. 111 11:51 288 Vouchers training sses first, see how much I remember and how out of practice I am before I begin training others,¡± she says, looking like she expects that she¡¯ll be starting over. She won¡¯t. She¡¯s an Alpha and it will alle back quickly. She¡¯s only been out of training for two years and if her father started her at ten, like most Alphas, she had six years before she stopped training. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do tomorrow. I¡¯ll spar with you and see what you remember and how good your reflexes are. Deal?¡± ¡°Deal,¡± she says, going through the buffet and piling food on her te. I¡¯m d to see she¡¯s eating a decent amount of food. I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll put on some weight soon. ¡°How about we add a little wager to out sparring, to make it fun,¡± I say quietly. She nces at me from the corner of her eye, but I see the tips of her mouth tip up. ¡°What kind of wager?¡± she asks, and I can tell she¡¯s excited at the idea of apetition. She¡¯s such an Alpha. I love it. ¡°How about the winner gets to pick our sexual positions that night,¡± I say in her ear. I feel her body shiver with my words, or maybe it¡¯s my breath against her ear, I¡¯m not sure but her mouth spreads into a very satisfied smile. ¡°All of them?¡± she asks, knowing we¡¯ll be having sex more than once each night. ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on, Alpha,¡± she says. 38.57% 11:51 Chapter 42 Assumptions and Wagers 288 Wouchers Pleased, I finish gathering my own food and the two of us head to a table where Kinsley and Lucas are eating. I notice they are talking quietly, and Kinsley is blushing simrly to how Sophie was blushing a few moments ago. ¡°Mind if we join you?¡± I ask. Sophie had already put her tray down but stops and looks form them to me. ¡°Oh, did you want some privacy?¡± she asks. ¡°No, no, we were just¡­talking,¡± Kinsley says, blushing a deeper shade of red. ¡°Based on the color of your cheeks, I¡¯d say your mate was talking to you about the same things that mine was talking to me about,¡± Sophie says, smiling at Kinsley before smirking up at me. I just shake my head and sit down. I look at Kinsley. ¡°Are we good after yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha. I won¡¯t disappoint you again.¡± I lean forward, holding her gaze. ¡°You didn¡¯t disappoint me, Kinsley. I just wanted to see you rise to the Beta that I know your can be. I think you¡¯ve found yourself and I¡¯m proud of you.¡± She smiles, looking down, this blush a lighter shade than the one Lucas elicited. He leans in and kisses the side of her head. ¡°I told you,¡± he says to her softly. I give her a minute to collect herself, checking to make sure my mate is eating, then focus. ¡°So, today, I want to invite Alphas Kayce and Robin for dinner. It needs to be soon and if they aren¡¯ 11:51 t willing to make the trip, then I¡¯m going to see if Sophie and I can travel to see them. If that happens, you two will be in charge. again. I know I¡¯m asking a lot during a time when things are up in the air, but¡­ ¡°We understand, Alpha. We¡¯re your Betas for a reason, right Kins?¡± Lucas says. ¡°Absolutely, Alpha. We will manage the pack and protect them as you would if the need arises.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not expecting an attack, but am expecting to get a notice that the two of us have toe before the Committee of Alphas. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that one or more of the Alphas won¡¯t consider our pack weak knowing we lost some pack members recently, and depending on where they ended up¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I found out that Koden ended up with Alpha Owen,¡± Lucas says. ¡°Worst possible scenario,¡± I grumble. ¡°If we do get attacked, that will be who leads it.¡± ¡°Agreed. I also heard that Owen has taken a fancy to one of the younger she-wolves who left our pack.¡± I frown. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Brooklyn. Leah and Michael¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Thews haven¡¯t changed. He can¡¯t publicly im an omega,¡± I say. Lucas stares at me. I nce at Sophie. Right. I went against our 65.23% 11 200 Vouchers laws, so what¡¯s to keep Owen from going against them as well. ¡°If theye back, interview them, make sure you feelfortable letting them back into the pack. At the very least, we¡¯ll give Brooklyn a safe ce to live,¡± I say. ¡°Leah didn¡¯t want to leave either. It was Michael who chose to leave,¡± Kinsley says. I nod. If Owen sets the precedent and the others follow in his footsteps, things could escte even quicker than they will with just Sophie being involved. ¡°We need to start letting the she-wolves know that we have a safe ce for them here,¡± I say. ¡°We started that yesterday, Alpha¡± Kinsley says, smiling. ¡°And that¡¯s why you two are my Betas,¡± I say, watching as Sophie pushes her te away. It¡¯s only half empty. ¡°Sophie?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore. I thought I could, but I can¡¯t. If I do, I won¡¯t be able to move,¡± she says. I want her to eat more, she¡¯s barely eating enough to support a human, much less a werewolf. ¡°Your stomach probably shrank while you were gone and if you weren¡¯t training, you wouldn¡¯t have been burning the calories that you normally would in a pack. I¡¯m sure once you start training again, your appetite will increase,¡± Kinsley says, looking from Sophie to me and back again. I hide my smile. Whether she realizes it or not, Kinsley is protecting her Luna. 76.85% ??? 11:61 #243 Wouters ¡°Very true, Kinsley. Let¡¯s hope after tomorrow¡¯s sparring that your hunger begins to increase. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to find other activities to burn calories,¡± I say, winking at Sophie and making her blush again. After breakfast, I head to my office, leaving Sophie with Kinsley to begin walking through what she does with the pack. Before I call Kayce and Robin, I check my email. One in particr catches my eye and I open it. ¡®You are hereby ordered to appear in front of the Committee of Alphas one week from today at 9am. Your mate, Sophie Meyers, is required to attend as well to address the issue of you attempting to install your mate as your Luna without going through the proper protocols. If you fail to appear before the Committee, you will be renounced as an Alpha and your title and pack will be removed from you, with force, if necessary.¡¯ One week. I have one week to get the remaining three Alphas on board. I pick up the phone and dial Kayce¡¯s number. 10.07%Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The One 43 The One 43 Chapter 43: Refuge Sophie ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here, Sophie. If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m excited that our Alpha was deserving of the legend,¡± Kinsley says to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about being a legend. I¡¯m just Sophie,¡± I say to her. She stops and looks at me. ¡°But you do. You stood up for me yesterday. I watch how you openly love your mate. I can feel how much you care for and want to do right for our pack. And most importantly, I can feel your desire to fight for what is right in this world. That makes you worthy of being a legend. I believe that you and Alpha Hunter will make the changes that our world desperately needs.¡± ¡°No pressure,¡± I say, only half joking. ¡°Are you willing to let your daughter go through what happened to me? To your sister?¡± she asks, and I feel nausea and anger rising inside me. ¡°Never,¡± I growl, making her smile. ¡°See. The legend. Unlike others who try to escape, you are doing something about it. It started by running and now, you¡¯re taking a stand. Those are the behaviors of a legend.¡± I shake my head at Her. ¡°We¡¯ll see, I guess.¡± ¡°In truth, seeing you with Alpha Hunter made me see what it¡¯s supposed to be like, or at least what it could be like with Lucas. He¡¯s a good man. He followed the law, but thew is wrong. I¡¯m d you¡¯re here, and proud to call you my Luna,¡± she says. ¡°Thanks, Kinsley. Now, I know something of running a packhouse, but it¡¯s been a long time.¡± It¡¯s nearly lunch time when I see Hunter again. Hees looking for me, finding Kinsley and I in the kitchen making sure lunch is ready for the pack. He walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. ¡°What¡¯s for lunch?¡± ¡°Barbeque beef and pulled pork sandwiches.¡± ¡°Yum. Are you stopping to eat? I¡¯d like to talk to you,¡± he says. ¡°I could take a break and eat something,¡± I say, knowing he¡¯s worried about how thin I am. ¡°Good, let¡¯s get some food and sit. Or we could eat in my office.¡± ¡°Whatever is morefortable for you,¡± I tell him. ¡°Let¡¯s eat with the pack. They¡¯re all still getting to know you. They¡¯ll appreciate having you among them,¡± he says. ¡°And you as well, Alpha,¡± I say as I grab a sandwich. He frowns when I only grab one, but after breakfast, I don¡¯t want to put more food on my te than I can eat. We say hello to several pack members before sitting down.. ¡°Okay, Alphas Kayce and Robin will be here this weekend.¡± 9.63% 11.51 ¡°This weekend as in two days from now?¡± I ask. 1 203 ¡°Yes. Since they areing from so far, they will be staying the night. I¡¯d like to n to have a private dinner with the four of us as well as Lucas and Kinsley. But then I¡¯d like to have something out back, an informal gathering so they can see you interacting with the pack. I think they¡¯ll be watching you very closely Sophie, not just because you¡¯re the legend, but because your interactions with me are so different than anything they¡¯ve ever seen before.¡± ¡°So, you want me to make it look good?¡± I ask, already thinking through what we could do. ¡°No, I want you to be yourself. Don¡¯t put on any airs, don¡¯t act any differently than you would if it were just us and the pack. Just being you will be different enough for them to notice.¡± ¡°I can do that, and I have some ideas of the type of gathering we can put together, something that has a small, intimate feel to it, but still allows all the pack members to participate if they choose.¡± He stops eating and smiles at me. ¡°What?¡± I ask him. ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re just so perfect and I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re mine.¡± I lean in toward him. ¡°You are such a charmer, Alpha Hunter.¡± He smiles, leaning in to the point where I can feel his breath on my lips. In public, he always lets me make the final step of kissing him. I hold his gaze as I lean in, pressing my lips to his. Once I take the step, his response is instant and his hand is in 20.07 ? 11:52 my hair, his head tilting to deepen the kiss. As always, I get lost in my mate, his scent, his taste, his yful tongue. When he finally pulls away, I leave my eyes closed for a moment, loving the way my lips tingle from his touch. When I open them, he¡¯s smiling possessively at me. ¡°Definitely a charmer,¡± I say to him, making him chuckle. He sits back in his seat, turning back to his food. ¡°Back to business, I¡¯ve also left a message for Alpha Ezra.¡± ¡°Would hee, if you invited him?¡± I ask. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. He still struggles with losing my sister, even after all this time.¡± ¡°Second chance mates aren¡¯t unheard of,¡± I say, biting into my sandwich. Pack food is SO much better than the greasy diner food I lived on for two years. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s there yet, but I¡¯ll invite him. Who knows, it might be good for him to get away from his pack. Or it could possibly make him even more sad seeing what he could have had and lost.¡± ¡°Hey Luna, I have a favor to ask,¡± Kinsley says, jogging over. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask, putting my food aside. I want you to write a note today to the she-wolves on the run. It¡¯ s one thing for me to say that you¡¯re here and are happily mated to our Alpha, but if you were to write something¡­I don¡¯t know, they still wouldn¡¯t have any guarantee that it¡¯s you, but at least it wouldn¡¯t be my handwriting saying it.¡± 32 48% 11.52 762 mouchers ¡°What should I say?¡± I ask, taking the pen and paper. ¡°Tell them the truth. We were mated in secret, we¡¯re fighting thews that require public iming for ranked members, and we¡¯re offering sanctuary for any she-wolves on the run, no questions or strings attached. Well, we will ask them to participate in the pack, so maybe put that,¡± Hunter says, taking another huge bit of his sandwich. The man seems to have a huge appetite for everything, including me. ¡®Most of all, you,¡¯ he says, winking at me and making me blush. I turn back to the paper and stare at it. ¡®Hedda?¡¯ I ask, wondering if she¡¯s in agreement with my idea. ¡®I would be happy to confirm everything you say. They may or may not know my wolf form, but can push forward, and their wolves will feel that I¡¯m an Alpha wolf.¡± I write the note, saying what Hunter suggested but then also stating that Hedda would confirm the pack¡¯s intentions if theye to the border and ask to see me. I sign it, ¡®Our word as Alphas, Sophie (Meyers) Reynolds and Hedda¡¯. Hunter looks over reading what I wrote. ¡°That¡¯s perfect,¡± Shaw says,ing forward and purring at his mate. ¡°No one can deny your word as an Alpha.¡± ¡°We should go for a run again soon, my mate,¡± Hedda says. ¡°Very soon. Perhaps tonight,¡± Shaw says. ¡°Actually, I like that idea. Let¡¯s n on it,¡± Hunter says, pulling Shaw back. ¡°We could use the time to get you acquainted with 43.96% | 11:521 hepler das Artuga 288 Vouchers our borders and you and I could do a run and assist the patrols.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that. It¡¯s important that I know where our pack borders end, especially if those she-wolves come asking for me,¡± I say, pushing the note back over to Kinsley. ¡°Wish me luck. Maybe someone is there waiting for me,¡± she smiles, then heads out to go deliver the food to the mountain. While she¡¯s gone, I meet with the kitchen omegas and begin talking through dinner options for our visiting Alphas this weekend. I n for two nights, just in case they decide to stay. Then I begin nning to put t**g lights up all along the edge of the forest and in the area where we¡¯ll put the food and drinks for the pack, adding some torches to keep the bugs away and give brighter light in some areas. When Kinsley returns, disappointed that no one was there waiting for her, I tell her everything that I nned while she was gone, getting her ideas for some additional food items that make it easier for the pack and our visiting Alphas to mingle if they choose. Hunter gets his return call from Alpha Ezra just as I¡¯m ready to sit down for dinner. So, rather than wait for my mate, I decide to sit with some of my new pack members and begin getting to know them better. I¡¯ve just finished eating, seeing Hunter enter the dining room. with a look on his face that he wants to talk to me when I get a mind link from the patrols. ¡®Alpha, Luna, we have three she-wolves at the border asking if Sophie Meyers is here in our pack.¡¯ 55.82% 11:52 288 Wouchers I look at Hunter. ¡®Tell them I¡¯m on my way,¡¯ I say, racing outside, quickly stripping down and shifting, having Hedda grab my clothes before running to where the patrols are waiting for me. Hunter is right behind me and while I know that Shaw could catch up, or even pass us, he stays behind me, letting Hedda and I take the lead. When we arrive, I shift. A momentter, Hunter does too and before I can pull my clothes on, his large shirt is pulled over my head. ¡°Seriously, Hunter?¡± I ask before turning back to the women. They are standing back from the borders, far enough to give themselves a head start if someone came chasing after them. They¡¯re all watching the interaction between me and Hunter with various expressions of surprise on their faces. As I get closer, I can smell blood. ¡°Which one of you is injured?¡± I ask, concerned. ¡°Are you Sophie Meyers?¡± one of the girls asks. I lift my nose and smell that she¡¯s a Beta. ¡°I was until a few days ago. I¡¯m mated to Alpha Hunter now,¡± I say, pointing to where he¡¯s standing behind me. ¡°My name is Sophie Reynolds.¡± ¡°Is this true?¡± she asks, holding up the paper that I wrote earlier today. ¡°If you¡¯re asking if our pack is providing sanctuary to she-wolves on the run, then the answer is yes. I give you my word as an Alpha.¡± 60 475 Chapter 47. Refuge added a post. You weched their videos recently. 208 Vouchers ¡°An Alpha¡¯s word is wortniess, one of the other giris growls. Her words offend Hedda who pushes forward. She stomps past the patrols, standing in front of them. ¡°MY word as an Alpha will always be good,¡± she snarls, and I watch as all their necks go up in deference to my Alpha wolf. ¡°Shut up, Letti. You¡¯re p**g her off,¡± the third girl says. I pull Hedda back enough to take over but leave her forward enough so they can feel her presence and see her in my eyes. ¡°Are you here for refuge?¡± I ask them. Rather than answering my question, the Beta asks me another question. I¡¯m getting the feeling that she¡¯s the leader of their little group. ¡°You said your Alpha imed you in private. Is that true?¡± ¡°That is correct. Hunter is a good man, a good Alpha and together, he and I are going to fight against thews that require that we, as ranked she-wolves, get imed publicly. The Betas eyes move past me to Hunter. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± ¡°First because I¡¯m a possessive Alpha and I will never share my mate with anyone.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s why you pulled the shirt over her head when she shifted?¡± the third girl asks. ¡°That¡¯s correct. My pack knows they had better be respectful, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want anyone looking at my mate.¡± 79.35% 1152 ¡°What¡¯s the second reason?¡± the Beta female asks. I turn to look at him and he looks at me. ¡°Because, as an Alpha it is my job to care for and protect my pack. My mate should be loved, respected, and revered above all others. How can I show her that I can protect her, that I love her, if our first night together is a public iming?¡± he asks, then looks back at the women. ¡°I¡¯ve lost a sister to the iming process, I¡¯ve seen ranked she- wolves struggle with their mate bonds for years, and we, as Alphas and ranked members, are losing our most valuable possessions ¨C you. How can we have strong heirs to carry on our bloodlines if all of our ranked she-wolves are hiding or dead. It makes no sense to me, so yes, I am fighting thews and I¡¯m working to get other Alphas on my side so that when the Alphas who don¡¯t agreee after me, I won¡¯t be fighting alone.¡± I watch as the Beta female looks at the other two. The one girl, Letti, still looks unsure, but the third girl, the one I¡¯m guessing is injured, looks desperate for her to agree. The Beta turns back to me, squaring her shoulders. ¡°My name is Allison and I¡¯d like to request refuge for myself, and my friends, Letti and Nikki.¡± The One 44 The One 44 Chapter 44: Nikki Hunter I¡¯m letting Sophie take the lead with these females, not only so they can see that I respect her, but also because I know they are afraid of me, even though I¡¯m obviously mated. ¡°We¡¯re happy to have you, Allison, Letti, and Nikki. Now, which one of you is injured and how badly?¡± Sophie asks. Once again, I¡¯m thrilled that my mate is an Alpha. The reasons behind the scent of blood aren¡¯t always easy to detect among lower ranked wolves. Sometimes, a warrior might think that a woman on her period has an injury because they can¡¯t distinguish between the differences in the blood. Sophie, however, had no problem with it. ¡°I am,¡± Nikki says. She and Letti had been crouching beside and somewhat behind Allison. She¡¯s a Beta while the other two appear to be G**as, so she would outrank them and apparently, even in the wild, hierarchy matters. Or perhaps, Allison just established herself as a leader and they are following her lead. Letti stands and helps Nikki to her feet. Allison stays on guard, watching to see if anyone will try to attack them now that we know that one of them is injured. ¡°You¡¯re under my pack¡¯s protection, Allison. No harm wille to you or your friends. I give you my word as an Alpha, even if you don¡¯t believe it,¡± I say, ncing at Letti. 0.001 11 52 I take a step forward and all three girls take a step back. ¡°May I carry you to our pack hospital?¡± I ask Nikki. ¡°I can walk,¡± she says. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could. And you could also do more damage to your broken leg causing your healing to be slower. At first nce, I¡¯d say you¡¯re malnourished, most likely dehydrated, and injured. The first two will already impede your healing. If you will allow me to carry you, you won¡¯t run the risk of injuring yourself further.¡± I turmand look at Allison as she seems to be their leader. ¡°I¡¯m a marked and mated Alpha. I¡¯m not looking for another mate. My Beta is also mated, and our G**a has been kicked out of my pack.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Letti asks. ¡°He didn¡¯t agree with my private iming of Sophie,¡± I say simply. ¡°Just let him carry me, Allie. If Sophie Meyers is his mate, and she doesn¡¯t look scared of him, then he has to be halfway decent and let¡¯s be honest, I can¡¯t put any weight on this leg,¡± Nikki says, looking between Letti and Allison. ¡°I¡¯m Sophie Reynolds now,¡± Sophie quietly corrects her. ¡°There, you see? She wants to be known as his mate,¡± Nikki says, looking at Sophie. ¡°Do you trust your mate to carry me?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Sophie says without hesitation. ¡°If she does, I do,¡± the girl says, looking at me. 1395h ¡°Thank you for your trust, Nikki,¡± I say. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret it, Alpha,¡± she grumbles as I bend to lift her up. I feel her body flinch as I pick her up. ¡°How badly are you injured?¡± I ask her as I turn and begin walking toward the pack hospital ¡°It¡¯s broken and it reset improperly,¡± she says, making me frown. I lean in, sniffing her. She watches me, waiting. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha?¡± ¡°Underage, but yeah.¡± ¡°Not that underage,¡± I say, feeling the strength of her wolf even in her current state. ¡°So, Allison isn¡¯t your leader?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all equal in the wild,¡± she says, sarcastically. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all poor, starving, and on the run, so yeah, I¡¯d say we¡¯re all pretty f**g equal,¡± she says. It should be a growl, but her wolf is too weak, even though I can feel the strength that her wolf will have when she¡¯s healthy again. ¡°Are you twoing with us or are you going to let my mate find you some food and a ce to sleep?¡± I ask, turning my head to see Letti and Allison following us. Nikki leans around me to see them following. ¡°Go get some food and some sleep. I¡¯m sure the doctor is going to put me under to reset my leg. You two need to get your strength back as much as I do,¡± she says. 27:55% 285 Mouchers ¡°Are you sure, Nikki?¡± Allison asks her. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine, right Luna?¡± she asks, looking at Sophie. ¡°My word as an Alpha,¡± Sophie says again. When the other two turn to follow Sophie into the packhouse, I look back at the girl in my arms, intrigued. ¡°So, you¡¯re the leader?¡± ¡°I just said we¡¯re all equal, didn¡¯t I?¡± she scoffs. ¡°And yet, they listen to you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re starving and we can all smell the food in your packhouse from here. The food that was left wasn¡¯t enough for three. But it¡¯s really nice of your pack to do that, by the way.¡± ¡°It was my Beta¡¯s idea. I¡¯ll let her know you said so, or you can tell her yourself when you meet her.¡± When we arrive at the pack hospital, I get her into a room and the nursese in, immediately putting in an IV as the doctores in to examine her. I stay, partly because I¡¯m the only person she knows and partly because I want to see how bad her injury is. She¡¯s my responsibility now and I take that seriously. The doctor begins cutting off the leg of her pants and from the corner of my eye, I see the nurses cutting off her top. I can smell her fear, so I look up at her, making sure my eyes stay on hers. ¡°They¡¯re going to put you in a gown for easier ess while they take care of you since you¡¯ll most likely need surgery. We¡¯ll make sure you have more clothes before you leave the 4060% ¨C 11.52 hospital, I say and wall for her to nod before I turn back to the doctor He begins asking her questions about her health, her age, she¡¯s 17, and when I see her injury, even I suck in air. ¡°How the hell did you get that? Is that a bite wound?¡± I ask her. Her leg looks shattered above the ankle and what was apound fracture with a bone sticking out has now healed in a hideous position with skin covering the bone. Not only that, but it¡¯s also grossly infected. ¡°Yes. An Alpha caught Allison. I attacked him and one of his pack members grabbed me. I kicked him but got distracted and the Alphatched onto my leg. When I ripped it out of his mouth, the broken bones tore through my skin. I was lucky to get away with my leg at all.¡± ¡°How did you get away?¡± I ask her. ¡°Allison and Letti didn¡¯t run. They stayed to fight, and we were able to get away from the Alpha,¡± she says, smiling. ¡°Allie¡¯s tough for a Beta.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the reason they decided to risking to our pack?¡± She nods. ¡°My leg was getting worse and even though I told them to leave me, they refused.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get some x-rays but you¡¯re going to need surgery, young Alpha,¡± the doctor says to her. ¡°I¡¯m not an Alpha,¡± she says to him. ¡°You have Alpha blood. That makes you an Alpha. Do you want ||| 11.53 268 Voucher me to stay with you until they put you under, or I can ask Sophie toe stay with you, if you¡¯d be morefortable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine. You¡¯re not as bad as most Alphas.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment since I know some pretty decent Alphas,¡± I say to her, making her chuckle as the nurses start her drip on an IV drip. ¡°We¡¯re not going to knock you out just yet, Alpha Nikki, but I am going to give you a little sedation to see how effective it is and to help you rx.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she says. ¡°You want to tell me what pack you¡¯re from? Who your father is?¡± I ask, pulling up a chair to wait with her until she goes in for surgery. ¡°You going to call him, tell him I¡¯m here?¡± she asks. Her voice is angry, but I can smell the fear again. ¡°No. This pack is a safe refuge. I¡¯m not bringing she-wolves here to return them to where they ran from. If the other Alphas don¡¯t like it, they can take up with the Alphamittee.¡± ¡°Or they can dere war on your pack,¡± she says. ¡°Very true. My pack is aware of that and I¡¯m already forming allies to stand with me against the Committee of Alphas. I¡¯m not saying that you have to, or that it¡¯s a contingency of you staying here, but if we are attacked, it would be good to have some ranked she-wolves fighting on our side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fight with you. I won¡¯t speak for Allie or Letti, but I¡¯ll fight. I 60 81% 111 11:53 refuse to go back.¡± So, who¡¯s your father?¡± I ask her again. She looks down. ¡°It¡¯s not my father, it¡¯s my brother, Alpha ric.¡± ric is on the Committee of Alphas, a recent addition, and now I know he¡¯s another one against me. ¡°Who almost caught you, or Allison, I guess?¡± I ask. ¡°Alpha Aiden, the f**khead,¡± she says, making me smile. ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± she asks while they do her x-rays. They brought in a portable machine that is covering her lower body to x-ray her leg. ¡°I know I¡¯m not old enough to be your father, but I hope when I have a daughter, that she¡¯s like you.¡± ¡°A b**h?¡± she asks as the doctores in to look at the x-rays. ¡°Feisty,¡± I say, smiling at her. ¡°Okay Nikki, it looks like we¡¯re ready to get you in for surgery,¡± the doctor says to her, and they begin rolling her out of the room. I follow along, not wanting her to feel alone. When we get to the surgery room, they open the IV line and the fear that I had started to smell again, begins to fade. ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you¡¯re done,¡± I tell her. ¡°Thanks, Alpha Hunter,¡± she slurs before she falls into unconsciousness. ¡°I want to know if there are anyplications and I want to know the minute her surgery is done,¡± I tell the doctor before 83.281 1153 hooting su We going to be a long one ught before fam dome it will be the mud of tha don¡¯t care, i want to know, ¡± Aipha,¡± he says, and walk dun munking ance agent arou the damage were dung to tu naked she wolves and terakan our fueCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The One 45 The One 45 Chapter 45: Allison and Letti Sophie I took Letti and Allison inside the packhouse. I felt their fear the moment we stepped in and the room went quiet. Rather than pretend that nothing was happening, I decided to address the pack straight on. ¡°Everyone, this is Letti and Allison. These are she-wolves who have been on the run, the first to request our assistance. There is one more in the pack hospital getting medical attention, her name is Nikki. I hope there will be more she-wolves asking for our assistance in the near future. Please make them feel wee and help them with anything they need,¡± I say before. nodding for the two women to follow me. ¡°So, what¡¯s most important to the two of you? Food, shower, or bed?¡± I ask just as Kinsley walks up. ¡°Hellodies. I¡¯m Beta Kinsley,¡± she says, and both girls¡¯ noses go up in the air. ¡°You¡¯re the one who brings the food,¡± Allison says. ¡°That¡¯s correct and you read the note that Sophie wrote and decided to trust us?¡± she asks. ¡°Well¡­¡± Letti says, looking at Allison. ¡°They have another girl with them who was injured pretty badly. Hunter took her to the pack hospital,¡± I tell her. 0.00% 11:53 288 (ouchers Chapter 45 Alison and Latii ¡°Right. So, how about some food?¡± Kinsley asks them. ¡°We¡¯re really hungry,¡± Letti says. ¡°Yeah, that wasn¡¯t a lot of food for three hungry females,¡± Allison says. ¡°Maybe I need to start leaving more¡­¡± Kinsley says, more to herself than to us. ¡°Kins, will you help them get food and I¡¯ll make sure we have two rooms ready for them?¡± I ask! ¡°Absolutely, follow me, let¡¯s get those bellies filled so that after you shower, you can crash.¡± ¡°Why are you being so nice to us?¡± Allison asks. ¡°Yeah, really.¡± Letti says. ¡°Because it¡¯s the right thing to do. Not everyone realizes that, but we do, our Alpha does and obviously, so does our Luna, since she¡¯s the legend,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°I¡¯m not a legend,¡± I say. ¡°Oh, but you are!¡± Allison says. ¡°Yeah, everyone knows you. I came across multiple girls on the run. I asked them all if they were Sophie, or they asked me. Honestly, I feel a little flustered because I¡¯m finally getting to meet you. You¡¯re like a celebrity¡­only, legend sounds better,¡± Letti says. ¡°All I did was survive on my own,¡± I say. 10.47% 11.53 Allison and i afli ¡°No, what you did was give all of us hope. And for that, we can never repay you,¡± Allison says. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d have been mated off by now, if not for you,¡± Letti says. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t owe me anything, except maybe to live your best life,¡± I say, embarrassed. Kinsley smiles at me as Allison turns to her. ¡°Is she for real?¡± ¡°She is. She doesn¡¯t realize what an influence she¡¯s had, that she¡¯s still having.¡± ¡°Anywho, how about I go check on those rooms,¡± I say, skirting away before I be even more embarrassed. Without consciously realizing it, I reach out to Hunter, feeling his steadying emotions which help calm me. I can tell he¡¯s focused and concerned about Nikki, so I don¡¯t bother him. Instead, I check to make sure we have two bedrooms beside each other that are ready for guests. Then I make sure they have everything they need to shower, and some clothes to wear to sleep in and for tomorrow. I¡¯m sure Hunter has a n for making sure these girls have clothes, but if not, Kinsley and I will manage. I¡¯ve just returned to the dining hall where I can see that Lucas has joined our new she-wolves. They still seem a bit cautious around Lucas, but at least they¡¯re talking to him and even smiling a bit which is good. When I step up, they¡¯re just finishing eating. ¡°I can show you to your rooms. They¡¯re beside each other. I assumed you¡¯d want to be close to each other.¡± ¡°Yes, Luna. Thank you. And thank Betas for helping us. It¡¯s not 20.10% ? 1153 Cuter 45 Allon and Lett 288 (Vouchers what I expected, but I¡¯m really d you offered us this ce to rest, even if we don¡¯t stay for long,¡± Allison says. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you stay?¡± I ask her. She shrugs. ¡°We¡¯re from another pack. Won¡¯t you eventually have to tell our families that we¡¯re here?¡± ¡°No. Not unless you want us to,¡± say confidently. Hunter and I haven¡¯t discussed it, but what¡¯s the point of offering sanctuary if we¡¯re just going to send them home or tell the ones their running from where to find them. ¡°Well, we¡¯d like to at least do our part while we¡¯re here,¡± Allison says. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us for warrior training in the morning? We have some of the warriors from Luna Sophie¡¯s pack who are going to help train our pack members on some new techniques. You both are wee to join in. I¡¯m pretty sure Alpha Hunter is hoping that if we¡¯re attacked, that you¡¯d be willing to help fight to maintain the pack¡¯s safety.¡± I watch the two of them look at each other. ¡°But it¡¯s not required. You don¡¯t have to fight,¡± I tell them. ¡°No, of course you don¡¯t have to,¡± Lucas says quickly. ¡°You¡¯re really serious, aren¡¯t you?¡± Letti asks. ¡°About what?¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Keeping us safe. If you weren¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t be expecting a battle.¡± 33.36% We were seleut about it ve tend to keep you safe, even if man going ** war againgt are of the packs.¡± They took at each other again, thin back at Lucas When time warrior maining Here at them. Five in the morning. ¡°We¡¯ll be there,¡± Allison says, and Letti node. ¡°I will too,¡± I say, before directing our new quests to their rooms. When I finally get back to my room, Hunter is still gone. I shower and fall into bed, only waking when he slides in behind me, wrapping his warm body around mine. ¡°How is she?¡± I ask sleepily ¡°In surgery. How are the other two?¡± ¡°Hopefully sleeping. They¡¯reing to warrior training in the morning.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± he says. I want to ask why that¡¯s interesting, but I¡¯ m too tired and I fall back to sleep before I can. I¡¯m not sure how muchter it is when I feel Hunter getting up. ¡°Is it time for training?¡± I ask. ¡°No. Nikki is out of surgery. I¡¯m going to go sit with her. I told her I¡¯d be there when she woke and I want to keep my word. I¡¯ll hopefully be back for warrior training,¡± he says, kissing me softly before I hear his feet padding away and the door closing quietly. The next time I wake, it¡¯s to warm hands sliding over my body. I take a deep breath of his pine scent and let my mate wake me slowly first with his mouth and then with his body buried inside of mine. By the time I have to get up for warrior training, I¡¯m wide awake. ¡°Please feel free to wake me like that every morning,¡± I say to him. He chuckles as we get dressed. ¡°How¡¯s Nikki? I¡¯m assuming she woke up?¡± ¡°She did. She¡¯s going to need some recovery time, but she¡¯s an Alpha, so once she¡¯s healthy, she¡¯ll begin healing fast.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an Alpha?¡± I ask. ¡°She is, Alpha ric¡¯s sister. Do you know him?¡± ¡°No, my father didn¡¯t think much of him, if I remember correctly,¡± I say. ¡°His sister doesn¡¯t think much of him either,¡± he says. ¡°However, he¡¯s now part of our Committee of Alphas.¡± ¡°Was he part of your original numbers?¡± I ask as we walk outside, wondering if this skews the bnce out of our favor. ¡°He was, and I had him against us since I didn¡¯t know where he¡¯ d fall. Looks like I was right.¡± When we walk outside, I see Allison and Letti. ¡°We need to get them new clothes,¡± tell Hunter. ¡°Have them order some online. It¡¯s not safe for them to leave 55.00% 11:54 the packnds.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let them know,¡± I say as we walk up. ¡°We don¡¯t really have any clothes to spar in. Do you mind if we just watch?¡± Letti asks. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Sophie will work with you today to have you order some clothing. I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t leave my packnds as I can¡¯ t guarantee your safety if you do. ¡°No problem, Alpha. We were wondering how Nikki is doing? Allison asks. ¡°She¡¯s awake. I saw her this morning. When I left she was getting some food, but because of the extent of her injury, she¡¯ll be in the pack hospital for another day or two. After training and breakfast, I¡¯d be happy to take you both over there. You¡¯re wee to sit with her.¡± ¡°We¡¯d like that, thank you, Alpha,¡± Letti says, and they find a ce to watch the warrior training while I go to stand with the others and begin warming up. The moment we start I realize how out of shape I am. Unlike most of the she-wolves out there, I wasn¡¯t on the run. I was waiting tables, barely getting by. So, I can feel my muscles and lungsining as we begin. However, I¡¯m a Luna and I have a responsibility to lead this pack, so I don¡¯tin out loud, I just keep pushing myself knowing Hedda will heal me. Once we¡¯re warmed up, Hunter pairs off with me. ¡°Okay my love, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got,¡± he says, taking a defensive stance. 111 I shake out my shoulders, knowing there¡¯s no way I¡¯m defeating my mate today, but I¡¯m going to give it my best shot. I like some of the positions we¡¯ve tried, and want to try them again, so I want to win our wager. In three moves, he has me in a hold against his body. He nips at my ear ¡°You have to be faster than that, my little Luna,¡± he teases before releasing me. This happens three more times, one after the other and I¡¯m getting frustrated. ¡®So am I,¡¯ Hedda growls. If I¡¯m out of shape, it means she is too. I bounce on my feet, trying to remember my training from back home. I throw a fake punch and when Hunter moves to block, I slide into a crouch, swinging my leg around, trying to knock his Megs out from under him. He realizes my intentions and leaps over my leg, just in time, but he uses my momentum to take me to the ground, pinning me. Both of us our panting, his grey eyes sparkling with our sparring and the fun he¡¯s having, even though this should be serious. ¡°That was a good one,¡± he says. ¡°You almost brought me down. Instead of responding, I lean up, my arms still pinned beside my head and I run my nose up his neck to his jaw, nipping at it. I can feel his body responding to me, and as he looks down, I press my lips against his. It has the desired effect, and he loosens his grip on my arms, sliding one under my head and holding me for the kiss. In an instant, I scissor-kick and flip our positions, straddling him and pinning his arms beside his head. ¡°Gotcha,¡± I say. 788 Woud He smiles up at me. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s knowing your opponent¡¯s weakness.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re my weakness?¡± ¡°Mmhmm. So, does this mean I win?¡± I ask. He startsughing. ¡°No way, I pinned you four times to your one.¡± ¡°A fifty-fifty split then, for our wager?¡± I ask, biting my lip. His eyes travel to my mouth, then back to my eyes. ¡°You have something in particr in mind?¡± he asks, his voice deepening. ¡°I do,¡± I say. He slides his arms over his head, pulling my arms along with them until I¡¯m lying on top of him. ¡°Fifty-fifty split it is,¡± he says before capturing my mouth in a kiss that promises all sorts of pleasure for me tonight. When we finally stand, I realize that the entire field has gone quiet, and everyone is staring at us, including Allison and Letti. ¡°What, you¡¯ve never seen two mates kissing before?¡± Hunter asks, taking my hand and walking me inside for breakfast. 91.50+ The One 46 The One 46 Chapter 46: Guests Allison I thought for sure that Alpha Hunter was going to hurt Luna Sophie when he pinned her during their training session. I nearly jumped on him to pull him off of her. It was my wolf, Mizette, who stopped me, and I¡¯m d she did. I watched, as stunned as Letti, as Luna Sophie lifted her head up and ran her nose over the throat of her mate. I¡¯ve never, ever seen an Alpha allow that, not even from his mate. But these two seem different. ¡°They¡¯re the real deal, aren¡¯t they?¡± Letti asks me quietly. ¡°It seems so,¡± I say as we watch Luna Sophie distract her mate until she can reverse their positions. Once again, she doesn¡¯t appear scared of him at all. Rather than avoiding his touch, she seems to crave it. I have no idea what wager they¡¯ve made, but Alpha Hunter willingly gives in to her im that she defeated him an equal number of times that he defeated her. Again, something unheard of in other packs. At least where Ie from, Alphas insist on proving that they are the strongest, unyielding and unbending to anyone, even their mates. As I look around, I see that their pack still isn¡¯t ustomed to this level of intimacy among their ranked members. Beta Kinsley seemed shy around her mate, not as open to this level of physical contact, at least not in public, so perhaps, this is as new to these pack members as it is to us. ||| When training is done, Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie invite us to join them for breakfast before we go see Nikki. I¡¯m anxious to see how she¡¯s doing. Her injury was caused because she helped me when Alpha Aiden nearly imed me. Letti and I had already joined forces, but it wasn¡¯t until then that we met Nikki. She¡¯s a strong Alpha, tough as nails, and willing to put herself at risk in order to protect others, namely me. She put herself at risk and she didn¡¯t even know me. We¡¯ve stayed with her ever since. It wouldn¡¯t have been fair to leave her on her own after she injured herself protecting me. And I wouldn¡¯t have left her anyway. Out in the wild, if you don¡¯t help each other, someone gets imed. But Nikki is an Alpha, and Letti and I deferred to her decision toContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. are here. However, I think it would be good for them to hear from you why you¡¯ve run, why you¡¯ve chosen a life alone in the wild rather than be publicly imed,¡± Hunter says. ¡°They must already know,¡± Letti says. ¡°They don¡¯t. I¡¯m sure of it. My Beta didn¡¯t understand. Alpha 41.425 11:54 Dutton, another friend that I¡¯ve already met with didn¡¯t understand either. Our wolves don¡¯t see the problem with it, and as an Alpha, I can tell you that my wolf, Shaw, wants nothing more than for me to im his mate for all the world do see so everyone knows that she¡¯s ours. It is the human side of us that disagrees with these practices, practices that do not impact us as males the same way that they impact you as females.¡± w We It¡¯s absurd to me to think that they don¡¯t understand don¡¯t want to be imed publicly. It¡¯s true, Mizette wouldn¡¯t care about being imed publicly, but she also cares about me and knows that I¡¯d be mortified if I were to be imed in such a way, so she refuses to allow it willingly, even by our mate. We walk into the hospital and follow Alpha Hunter to a door. ¡°This is Nikki¡¯s room,¡± Alpha Hunter says, turning to us once again. ¡°I give you my word as an Alpha that I will keep you safe. But the choice about whether or not you will spend time with these Alphas is up to you.¡± ¡°If you promise to keep me safe, I¡¯ll do it. If these Alphas and other ranked pack members really don¡¯t understand how it affects us, they need to know.¡± I look at Letti. ¡°You¡¯ll have to decide for yourself, but the more of us who confirm the way we feel, the harder it will be for them to deny it. These ranked members need to realize that we aren¡¯t being irrational or acting foolishly There is a reason why we feel this way and it¡¯s a valid reason, one they need to think about. and consider if they were to find their mate, especially if they want to have the kind of rtionship that Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie have.¡± ¡°You swear to keep us safe?¡± Letti asks Alpha Hunter. 62.034 11:54 286 Vouch ¡°My word as an Alpha,¡± he says. When we nod, he opens the door and I see Nikki sitting up. Her eyes are intent on mine and as I begin to smile, she speaks. ¡°Why is Alpha Hunter giving his word as an Alpha again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave you three to talk. Nikki, do you need anything?¡± ¡°No, thank you, Alpha.¡± After Hunter leaves, we rush to the bed, hugging Nikki tightly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asks. Letti and I proceed to tell her everything, the differences that we¡¯ve seen between Luna Sophie and every other ranked, imed female we¡¯ve ever met. Then we let her know about the visiting Alphas. She looks down at her leg. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll be healed in time, but I don¡¯t want you meeting with them alone,¡± she says. ¡°Alpha Hunter gave his word that we¡¯d be safe. You heard him, Nikki.¡± ¡°Do you trust the word of an Alpha now, Letti?¡± she asks. ¡°Not all of them,¡± Letti says, smiling ruefully. ¡°But I trust the word of three Alphas,¡± she says, making Nikki smile. ¡°I¡¯d better be one of the three,¡± she says. ¡°Absolutely!¡± 85.70% Chapter 47 ?Chapter 47: Sparring Hunter As I was sparring with my mate yesterday, I realized that she was getting into her own head. She knows how to spar, but whether she just needs to get back into it or she needs to realize she won''t hurt me, I''m not sure, but by the end, I was starting to see her traininging through. Another week and I think she''ll be back, maybe not to full fighting strength, but back to being able to hold her own. I know the pack is still stunned with Sophie''s eptance of me and of our touching in public. They''ve been around Kinsley for a year and I''m sure it hasn''t gone unnoticed that Lucas never touches her in public, or on the rare asion that he does, she jerks away from him. Sophie is the exact opposite. It''s like she craves my touch. When I had pinned her down, I''d heard Allison''s gasp, saw the moment when she considered attacking me. I was d she held off because I''m not sure how Sophie would have responded. We''re still new in our mating and another she-wolf tackling me, even if she thought she was protecting Sophie, probably wouldn''t have gone over well with my mate. ''Maybe jealousy is the way to get her out of her sparring shell,'' Shaw says, pleased with the idea that our mates might be jealous of another woman touching us.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ''Killing the she-wolves we promised refuge to isn''t helpful,'' I reply, wryly. ''Sophie will get there. I''m sure you felt Hedda''s frustration like I did.'' ''Yes. I don''t like my mate feeling frustrated,'' he says, contritely. ''Neither do I,'' I tell him. So today, I''m going to change things up with Sophie. I'' m going to go on the attack, and I want to see how she blocks. My mate isn''t a fighter, so perhaps her skill is better seen when she goes on the defensive. As we walk out to the training field, my mate smelling of me and me of her from our morning love-making, I think about Allison and Letti''s concerns about Alphas Kayce and Robining to visit. It''s a valid concern and one I'' m debating on how to handle. I briefly consider cancelling their visit, but I need them on my side when Sophie and I meet with the council next week. I decide on how to approach them with the knowledge that I''m housing she- wolves who have run from their packs as Lucas and I go through the warm- up. I can already tell that Sophie is better today than she was yesterday. I''m also excited to see Allison and Letti joining the group. They ordered clothingst night when they returned from seeing Nikki, but it hasn''t arrived yet. However, Sophie and Kinsley were able to find them some clothing so they could participate today. After the warm-up, I ask if they want to be paired together, rather than with other warriors in the pack. Both women should have been involved in sparring in their packs because they are ranked she-wolves. However, Letti seems to have less training. When Allison agrees to pair off with other warriors, I put her with Lucas, expecting that her skill set will be simr to his and I pair Letti with a warrior. I intend to continue working with Sophie while the rest of the group learns from one of Alpha Carter''s warriors. When everyone is paired off, I pull Sophie aside. Last night was eye-opening for me to find out what positions my mate is enjoying and it spurred my ideas for new positions as well. Since she chose being on top and riding me, I chose spinning her around and having her ride me in a reverse cowgirl position. I''m not positive, but I''m pretty sure my mate really enjoyed that position too, so if she defeats me today, I expect that she''ll choose that one as one of her positions tonight. I love that no matter if I win or lose in our sparring, I still win. My mate is adventurous, and her body is so responsive to mine that no matter what position we''re in, we''re both able to find pleasure and our release together. I watch as Sophie takes a stance as if she''s ready to attack. "I want to try something different today. You''re not a fighter by nature. You''re good at fighting, but your nature isn''t that of a fighter, so rather than you attacking, I want you to go on defense and see how you block and counter my attack on you," I say. She frowns, standing up out of her crouch. "You think it matters?" "Maybe not, but there''s one way to find out," I tell her. "When you''re ready," I say. She gets into a defensive stance and nods. I start off easy,ing at her, but not too hard, letting her adjust to myrger size and body weight. However, very quickly I realize that this is working much better for her. I was right, my mate isn''t a fighter, but if she''s in a position where she has to fight, she''s more than capable of taking down her opponent. I begin attacking harder, moving faster to get to her, but she''s blocking me, getting in her own strikes to push me back or get out of the hold I put her in, even some of the holds she wasn''t getting out of yesterday. "Come on, Sophie. I''m an Alpha. You can''t hurt me. Give me everything you''ve got. I need to know you can defend yourself against an opponent, especially another Alpha. If you''re going to hit me, hit me like you mean it," I tell her, going at her hard again. This time, she blocks, and her punch is hard enough that I can feel it. "There you go,e on, Sophie. You''re an Alpha wolf, you can punch harder, you can move faster," I encourage her. She blocks me again, and again her punch is decent, but it''s not as strong as I know she is. "Come on, Sophie. Imagine I''m Alpha Owen. I''m hunting you down, tackling you to the ground, ready to im you. Is that how hard you''re going to hit me? Because I''m just going to keeping for you until I sink my canines into your neck and im you as mine," I say, trying to get her to stop pulling her punches. This time, she doesn''t, and holy shit can my girl throw a punch. I shouldn''t be able to breathe, but Shaw heals me. ''You''re wee for the quick healing, now get your ass moving,'' Shaw says, but I can hear the pride in his voice at our mate''s strength. I feel like my words opened pandora''s box, because Sophie is fighting hard. She gone from defense to offense, kicking and punching until I''m the one stepping back and nearly losing my footing. It''s taking all my strength and training to block some of her hardest hits, so I''m not bruised for half the day. She''sing at me hard and fast. I can see the anger in her eyes, the ferocity in her, the determination that no one will ever im her like that. When I finally get an opening, I grab her arm, whipping her around and pining her back against my chest, her arms crossed in front of her. Both of us are panting, gasping for air at the battle my little mate just gave me. I bite down on her ear, gently. "You win, my love. You are fucking fantastic and sexy as hell. I''m so proud to call you my mate," I say to her. She turns her head to look at me, pulling her ear from my teeth. "That really pissed me off, because it almost happened." "I know, but you''re mine now and Owen better keep his filthy paws off you." I feel the shift in her emotions, going from anger to desire. It''s not umon after a battle, and especially when I know she can feel my pride in her through our bond. I lean in and take her mouth in a dirty, possessive kiss, growling my possession over this incredible woman loud enough for all to hear. Our moment is broken by the pping of our warriors all around us. Sophie jumps and I release her, but she immediately turns, leaning her body against mine. "What? You''ve never seen two mates kissing before?" she says, repeating my words from yesterday and making me bark out augh. Damn, I''m a lucky bastard. I feel even luckier a momentter. "Here, let me give you something to p about," she says, and jumps into my arms, wrapping her body around me as she initiates the same possessive kiss I just gave her. The pack begins howling and pping, but this isn''t the same feeling that you have at a marking ceremony. This is happiness and pride that I feel running through the entire pack. They are proud that their Alpha and Luna are so much in love. When she pulls away, she hops out of my arms and takes my hand, leading me back inside. Her eyes are twinkling with mischief, and I can''t fucking wait until tonight, to see what positions my adventurous mates wants to try as part of winning today''s wager. It isn''t until we pass them, that I realize that Allison and Letti are standing there with looks of shock, a hint of fear, and incredulity on their faces at Sophie''s very public disy in front of our warriors and pack members. Good, maybe they can tell Alphas Kayce and Robin exactly what they''ve seen between me and Sophie while they''ve been here. I really could use two more Alphas on my side when we face the Committee of Alphas. The One 48 The One 48 Chapter 48: Unexpected Sophie I¡¯m not sure what got into me, except when Hunter talked about Owen, I started thinking about what my life could have been like if Owen had marked me, if Hunter hadn¡¯t gotten there in time. The thought of being that man¡¯s mate, of being bound to him, set me off. Then, to hear my mate tell me how incredible he thinks I am, to feel his pride in being my mate through our bond, well, it just made me throw caution to the wind. What I hadn¡¯t expected was the feeling of happiness from the pack. They seem to like seeing the two of us being close, seeing how strong our rtionship is and how much trust we have in each other. It once again makes me proud to be Hunter¡¯s mate. It also makes me wonder how much stronger our bond will be over time. Our rtionship has such a strong foundation, I can¡¯t imagine how our love and trust will grow in the future. And Hunter didn¡¯t let me down. I wrapped myself around him, kissed him with utter abandon and he answered my kiss until I was ready to stop. He didn¡¯t push for me to continue, pressure me for more, or make our kiss feel unseemly or seedy. It just felt like a woman kissing the man she loves with all her heart, which is exactly what it was. Well, that and Hedda might have been staking her im in front of our visiting ranked members and the female warriors in the pack. ¡®He¡¯s mine. Everyone needs to know that,¡¯ she says. 0.00% 11.56 289 Wouchers ¡°Everyone does. We wear Hunter¡¯s and Shaw¡¯s marks, and they wear ours. No one can im that we aren¡¯t mates.¡¯ The moment I say it, I know that¡¯s EXACTLY what the Alphas are going to try and say. Or at least say that our marks aren¡¯t valid in their eyes because they didn¡¯t watch Hunter mark me. ¡®Which is why we have to win. Not just because they are wrong, but because we are right. Look at the difference in our rtionship with Hunter. Your sister and her mate may never have what we have in less than a week.¡± ¡®I know, Hedda. And I know that we have to do this for the others, for Allison, Letti, and Nikki, for Penny and all the others on the run. I just don¡¯t understand why it¡¯s so hard, why the Alphas in particr are fighting so hard against this.¡¯ ¡®Because this isn¡¯t their reason for fighting. It¡¯s not about the mate bond,¡¯ she says, making me stop. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know what their real intentions are, but if this was about the mate bond, they wouldn¡¯t be fighting so hard to keep things as they are. They¡¯d be fighting to make the change. So, it¡¯s not about the mate bond itself. It has to do with something else. around the public iming process,¡¯ she says. I¡¯ll have to think about that. What Hedda is saying makes sense. The Alphas are literally out hunting for a mate instead of running their packs. They want a mate, so it¡¯s not about that. Changing the laws would change the she-wolves desire to run and leave the pack, making it easier for the Alphas to im. them. So then, what is it? 12.19% 11:56 My thoughts are distracted by the discussion over breakfast. Today, I want to go see Nikki and after hearing Allison say that Nikki wants to be here when our visiting Alphas arrive, I know that I need to make sure that she¡¯s well enough to be released from the hospital. I don¡¯t want her injuring herself further to protect her friends. Hunter and I will do that, if needed. When we finish eating, I kiss my mate again, taking an extra moment to deepen the kiss and also holding his hand against my face. I know he¡¯ll release me the moment I end the kiss, but I want him to know that trust him. So, when I pull back, I hold his hand against my face, feeling his thumb caressing my skin while he stares into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± I say shyly. ¡°Not soon enough,¡± he says, leaning forward to peck my lips again before I release his hand. I feel like I¡¯m floating as I lead the girls to our pack hospital. ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± Letti asks me. ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°Feeling so safe, sofortable with your mate.¡± I think about it for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to describe it. It¡¯ s unlike anything I¡¯ve ever felt before. It¡¯s like the best day of my life magnified by a hundred, no, a thousand. There¡¯s so much love, so much¡­care and concern that I feel from Hunter, that it¡¯s beyond my words to describe.¡± ¡°I hope one day that I can have that,¡± Allison says. 25 99% 11-561 ¡°Me too,¡± Letti¡¯ngrees as we walk into the hospital I see our doctor walking out of a room, and i stop him. ¡°How is our patient?¡± ¡°Our patient is Impatient to leave, I¡¯ve told her that she can do so, but only if she¡¯s willing to walk on crutches. Her rays show that her wolf is healing her, but her bones aren¡¯tpletely set yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her, I don¡¯t want her doing anything to aggravate her Injury, but being outside may be beneficial to her wolf and her healing,¡± I say, When we walk in, I see Nikki sitting on the edge of her bed, looking like she¡¯s ready to get up ¡°Going somewhere?¡± I ask her as Allison and Letti rush to her sides. ¡°I¡¯m sure your mate told you I¡¯m an Alpha. I have no intention of staying in this bed another minute, especially after hearing that there will be two visiting Alphas in this pack today,¡± she says snarkily. ¡°Yes, my mate did tell me that. And the doctor told me that you are only allowed to leave if you use your crutches. So, where are they?¡± I say, looking around the room. ¡°He¡¯sing back with them,¡± she grumbles. I move to stand in front of her. ¡°Do not risk further injury by doing anything s**d, Nikki.¡± ¡°I will not stand by and allow my friends to be marked and Chapter 48: Unexpected mated publicly,¡± she growls. I put my hands on either side of her body, leaning into her space and letting my Alpha aura push hers back. Because she¡¯s weak, it¡¯s no contest, but I imagine that when she¡¯s healthy, Nikki will have a much stronger aura. ¡°And do you think that I¡¯ve brought you into my pack, given my word as an Alpha to keep you all safe, and will stand by if one of our visitors attempts to take any one of you as a mate against your will?¡± I watch as her face bes contrite. ¡°My apologies, Luna. I did not mean to offend you. I¡­It¡¯s in my nature to protect,¡± she says, as if this changes things. I just raise my eyebrow at her.. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re an Alpha wolf too, I get it. It¡¯s just¡­.the three of us have been through a lot together. That¡¯s makes a difference, you know?¡± I think about my short time with Penny, and I do know what she means. I stand up, getting out of her face. ¡°I understand, but you, Nikki, are also under my protection. I know that doesn¡¯t sit well with an Alpha wolf, but this is my pack, I am the Luna, and I gave my word as an Alpha to keep you safe, even if that means I¡¯m keeping your safe from yourself,¡± I say, gesturing down to her ankle. She fights the smile, but in the end, she gives in and smiles widely. ¡°Yes, Luna. I promise that I¡¯ll use the crutches.¡± ¡°Perfect. Then, let¡¯s get you back over to the packhouse, settled into a room, and get some clothes ordered for you,¡± I say as a nursees in with the crutches. She adjusts them so that 47 79% Nikki isfortable and then we head back to the packhouse. I stay quiet as I lead them, letting Allison and Letti tell her about what they¡¯ve seen in the pack so far. ¡°You should have seen Luna Sophie going after Alpha Hunter in training this morning, Nik. It was incredible.¡± ¡°Yeah, it made me wonder if all Alphas are that strong.¡± Letti says. ¡°Strong and fast,¡± Allison says. ¡°I would have thought you¡¯d be out of practice, Luna,¡± Nikki says. ¡°Hunter knew what to say to get me out of my head and into the fight,¡¯ I say. ¡°We heard him mention Alpha Owen,¡± Letti says, a question in her voice. ¡°Yes. Owen and his ranked members caught me. He realized I was an Alpha when I didn¡¯t shift after hemanded me. He shifted, intending to mark me in wolf form, thenmand me to shift into my human form. He had me pinned. He almost had me¡­¡± I say, my heart rate s**g as I remember. ¡°But he didn¡¯t, and he never will,¡± Hunter¡¯s voice rings out across the courtyard we¡¯ve just entered. ¡°No, he never will,¡± I say, walking into Hunter¡¯s arms and letting him bring the peace that only he can give me. ¡°Is that new?¡± I hear Nikki ask. 60.70% Nope, and it¡¯s mild. She kisses tem,¡± Allison says ¡°A lot,¡± Letti say? ¡°Not nearly enough,¡± Hunter says smaling down at me. ¡°Better? ¡°Yes. What are you doing out here?¡± ¡°I felt you bing distressed. I had already felt your initation, so I tuned into your emotions. I don¡¯t like you feeling distressed. Neither does Shaw,¡± he says gently, caressing my cheek. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, lifting up on my toes to kiss him. Because! know we have an audience of ranked she-wolves, I slide my hand into his hair and deepen the kiss. He chuckles and wraps his arms around me before pulling back. ¡°I have work to do, no distracting me,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°Fine. Just don¡¯t forget I won the wager this morning,¡± I say, swinging my hips a bit as I walk up to the packhouse door, turning to look at him over my shoulder. ¡°I look forward to discovering your choices this evening,¡± he says, his voice deep, making my body shiver in anticipation. ¡°I truly never thought I¡¯d say this about anyone, least of all an Alpha, but that man is s**y,¡± Letti says. ¡°No offense, Luna. I know he¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of how he treats you,¡± Nikki says, watching me closely. ¡°Allison and Letti told me that it was different with you and Alpha Hunter, but until you see it¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to understand, especially since none of us has ever seen a mate bond like yours. At least, not in my pack,¡± Allison Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. says. ¡°Mine either,¡± Letti says, and Nikki agrees. I show Nikki to her room, making sure she orders some clothing and introducing her to Beta Kinsley. When the girls¡¯ clothing arrives, they share with Nikki until hers arrives. She begins looking it over the clothing, searching for something to wear tonight. ¡°It¡¯s not a formal gathering, but as an Alpha, I assume you¡¯ll want to dress up a bit?¡± I ask her ¡°Yes,¡± she says so Kinsley and I find her a dress for her and Allison as well. Letti chose to wear some of her new clothes. Once they are settled, I finish making sure preparations are ready for this evening and our meeting with Alphas Kayce and Robin before going to get ready. Since one of my favorite positions is in the shower, reminiscent of our first night together, I take advantage of my mate and winning the wager before our guests arrive. We¡¯ve just finished getting ready when the patrols let us know that Alphas Kayce and Robin, driving together, have arrived. We walk downstairs hand-in-hand to greet them, stepping outside the packhouse doors as they step out of the car. ¡°Good evening,¡± Hunter says. I watch as Kayce¡¯s nose goes up in the air and I see his wolf shing in eyes. Unlike Kayce, Robin¡¯ s eyes are glued to ourbined hands. Touch among newly mated ranked members is unheard of. ¡°Wee to our pack,¡± I say, and now Alpha Kayce¡¯s eyes sh 82.54% ? you 11:56 to me as well. ¡°May I introduce you to my mate and the pack¡¯s Luna, Sophie.¡± ¡°Sophie Meyers?¡± Alpha Robin asks. ¡°Sophie Reynolds,¡± Hunter and I say together. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that part when you called us, Hunter,¡± Kayce says. ¡°Would it have changed things?¡± Hunter asks. Both Alphas turn and look at me appreciatively. ¡°No,¡± Kayce says finally. Hunter waits for Robin to also agree that it doesn¡¯t change anything, then we invite them in. The moment we step inside, Alpha Kayce growls, pushing ahead of us. ¡°Mate!¡± I turn, seeing a wide-eyed and terrified looking Allison staring at Alpha Kayce. ¡°Mate,¡± she says softly. 94.515 The One 49 The One 49 Chapter 49: Sophie¡¯s Power Kayce ¡°What do you think of Hunter taking a mate privately?¡± I ask Robin. He and I had decided to drive together. Our packs are close in proximity and while we both could have done work while we were driving, sometimes it¡¯s better to confirm alliances rather than to let them sit idly by until one day you realize that your ally is no longer your ally. My father learned that lesson the hard way and I don¡¯t intend to repeat history. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t like the practice myself. I hate being in the room every time a woman is imed, but I won¡¯t miss the events in case she¡¯s my mate?¡± ¡°But he broke thew,¡± I say. And this is where I struggle. If we all begin breaking thews that have been put into ce, then it bes anarchy. ¡°I agree, but I also think that we have to consider that our she- wolves, our ranked females, our best possibility for creating a strong future and another generation of strong Alphas, are literally killing themselves.¡± I sigh. He¡¯s right and I know he is. I don¡¯t like it any more than he does. It¡¯s been almost a year since there¡¯s been aing-of- age party for a ranked she-wolf. Any other females are gone long before they turn 18. I know many Alphas and other ranked members are out hunting down their mates, but I refuse to do that. I refuse to hunt her down, running her nearly to death or possibly to her death, like she¡¯s nothing more to me than prey. 11.57 289 Unlike some Alphas, I want a partner, not another pack member. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve agreed to hear him out at least. Did he tell you anything about his mate?¡± I ask. ¡°No, just that he marked her in private, and he refuses and will continue to refuse to mark her in public.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much what he told me as well.¡± ¡°Did he tell you he¡¯s received a summons to the Committee?¡± Robin asks me. ¡°Is that why we¡¯re meeting next week?¡± I ask. ¡°That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Well f**k me sideways,¡± I say. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re not my type,¡± he says, smirking at me. ¡°A**ole,¡± I grumble. Robinughs as we approach Hunter¡¯s pack borders. We let the border patrol know we¡¯ve arrived, and we drive onto his packnds. ¡°Pretty area,¡± I say, to make conversation. ¡°Yeah, there are several packs in the near vicinity and mountains in between them, giving them a natural separation.¡± ¡°How do you know so much about this area?¡± I ask. ¡°We went to Luna Amelia¡¯s 18th birthday party two years ago, remember? After she was imed, I spent the next day looking around the area before leaving. Dutton is their neighbor on the eastern border, and I spent a couple of days with him, working 14.50% 11 57 300 Muchen! on an alliance with him.¡± Something else that has caused problems with the public. imings in some instances, such as with Alpha Calvin, is that our alliances have be strained because their Lunas do not wish to see the men that witnessed their iming. Some Alphas don¡¯t care, but the good ones, like Calvin, do. ¡°That was smart,¡± I say, just as my wolf, Rodion, stands up in my head. ¡®Rod, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t answer me, but when get out of the car, he lifts our nose in the air and takes a deep breath. Gingerbread, the scent of sweet gingerbread, like cookies that have juste out of the oven, warm, with maybe a hint of icing envelopes my senses. ¡®Find that scent,¡¯ he growls at me, just as I hear a female voice. weing me to the pack. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. I jerk Rodion back and look at the woman who is holding hands. with Hunter. Actually, holding hands, not him holding her, but her fingers are intertwined with his and¡­she¡¯s smiling. I thought Hunter said that were just mated I¡¯m annoyed when Hunter introduces his new mate and she¡¯s none other than Sophie Meyers. I¡¯m tempted to get in the car and leave. She¡¯s the cause of all of our problems. But I drove with Robin, and he looks intrigued. Besides, Rodion won¡¯t let me leave. He¡¯s practically ready to pull a shift to find that scent. I¡¯ll admit my mouth is watering, but geez, we¡¯ll get some d**n cookies. ¡®Chill Rod,¡¯ I growl at my wolf. 26.47% ||| 11:57 However, the moment we step inside, the scent surrounds me and Rodion pushes forward, moving toward her. ¡°Mate,¡± he growls, ready to im her right here, right now. I can see the terror on her face as she repeats the word to me. And then, my view of her is blocked by Hunter. ¡°Stand down, Kayce. I do not allow public imings in my pack and this woman is under my protection.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mate. Get the f**k out of my way,¡± Rodion growls. ¡°No, and if you don¡¯t want her to reject you, I suggest you get a hold of your wolf,¡± Hunter growls, and I can feel Shaw pushing forward, ready to shift if Rodion does. ¡°Get it together, Kayce. We came here to hear what Alpha Hunter and his Luna have to say. Let¡¯s give them time. I¡¯m sure Alpha Hunter can assure us that he won¡¯t send your mate away while we¡¯re busy, right Hunter?¡± Robin says, nearly stepping between us to keep our wolves from fighting. ¡°She¡¯s here, under my protection. I won¡¯t send her away, but I won¡¯t allow her to be imed against her will either.¡± ¡°Her will? She¡¯s my mate!¡± Rodion growls, pushing past Hunter only to have his way blocked by Luna Sophie. I feel the st of her Alpha aura as her wolf pushes forward, her eyes shing with the threat of violence. ¡°Get a hold of yourself Alpha. Now,¡± she snarls. The shock of finding my mate finally wears off and I pull Rodion back. He begins pacing in my mind, keeping a close watch on his mate. Our mate. 1 look at the woman, I don¡¯t even know her name, but she looks terrified. I also realize there are two other females blocking my path to her and Hunter¡¯s two Betas on either side of her, ready to protect her. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, or your wolf. I wasn¡¯t expecting to find my mate today, so I wasn¡¯t prepared for my wolf¡¯s reaction. Alpha Hunter, it seems, has been keeping quite a few secrets,¡± I say, growling at him. ¡°If I had told you, you wouldn¡¯t havee and then where would you be?¡± he asks me, unabashedly. sigh, ignoring that remark and focus on my mate. ¡°I am Alpha Kayce. My wolf is Rodion. May I at least have your names?¡± I ask her, careful to make sure that Rod¡¯s growling doesn¡¯t exit my mouth. ¡°Allison, and my wolf is Mizette.¡± ¡°Allison,¡± I say reverently just as Rodion begins purring at his mate¡¯s name. I smile. ¡°Mizette, meaning a mini reflection of you? How appropriate.¡± She seems surprised that I know what her wolf¡¯s name means. ¡°She¡¯s very much like me,¡± she says shyly. I nod, unwilling to let her out of my sight, but also not wanting to scare her. ¡°Perhaps, Luna, our dinner for four could be a dinner for seven? Assuming the two young ladies who are also protecting 55.345 11:57 ¨C Lupter 49. Sophie¡¯s Presl 288 Moochers my mate from me are her friends?¡± I ask Luna Sophie. ¡°That will be up to Allison, Alpha,¡± Luna Sophie says. I look back at my mate. ¡°My word as an Alpha that I won¡¯t try to im you. I would just like to get to know you and my wolf is going to drive me nuts if he can¡¯t see and smell you,¡± I say honestly, eliciting a small smile. I realize I want to see that smile, muchrger, on her face every day. The two women in front of her, well one is still a girl, underage, turn and look at her. Rodion sniffs the air, one Alpha, one G**a. ¡®And our mate is a Beta, he purrs ¡°Do you trust his word as an Alpha, Luna Sophie?¡± she asks. I want to be offended, but I know that not all Alphas can be trusted these days. However, it¡¯s interesting that they are asking Luna Sophie, not Alpha Hunter, since he knows us, and she doesn¡¯t. Even more intriguing to me is that Sophie turns and looks at Hunter, asking him if I can be trusted. I turn to look him in the eye, raising an eyebrow. He watches me for a moment, then nods. ¡°Alpha Hunter trusts him and if he does, I do,¡± Sophie says. My eyes sh back to Allison. She nods, then looks at the other two. ¡°You don¡¯t have toe.¡± ¡°Like hell I¡¯m not,¡± the Alpha female says. ¡°What happened to your leg?¡± Robin asks her. 68.13% 11:57 ¡°Casualty of the war we¡¯re fighting to not be imed publicly and not be hunted down like dogs,¡± she says sharply. She¡¯s got grit, that¡¯s for sure. If she¡¯s an Alpha, she¡¯s someone¡¯s prize, but not mine. My prize is still watching me closely. ¡°Will you walk with me?¡± I ask her holding out my arm. She looks around at all the others, but it¡¯s Luna Sophie who shrugs, basically saying it¡¯s up to her to decide. I wait her out, pleased when she slowly walks up to me, barely putting her hand on my arm, as if she¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll have to jump away from me at any moment. I cover her hand with mine, noticing that her eyes nearly roll into -the back of her head as she takes a deep breath of my scent. I¡¯ll have to ask her what I smell like to her. ¡°How about you two, may I escort youdies?¡± Robin asks, using his most charming voice. ¡°Fat chance, Alpha,¡± the Alpha female says to him, but it only makes him smile. ¡°Do I at least get a name, little Alpha?¡± he asks her. Once again, the girls look at Sophie, not Hunter for confirmation that it¡¯s okay. I have sorely underestimated her power over these young she-wolves. Something I need to make sure I never do again. When Sophie nods, the Alpha female looks at Robin, her chin up high. ¡°My name is Nicole, but everyone calls me Nikki.¡± He nods, then turns to the other young woman. Chapter 43 Sophie¡¯s Power 288 Vouchers ¡°And you, little G**a?¡± he asks the other one. ¡°Letticia, but everyone calls me Letti.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s your name, Alpha,¡± Nikki asks, her voice still full of snark. ¡°I am Alpha Robin and my friend, as you heard, is Alpha Kayce.¡± ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, where are we meeting?¡± I ask. ¡°Right this way,¡± Hunter says, and begins guiding us to the room where we will eat and talk in private. On the way, I rub my thumb over Allison¡¯s hand, pleased when I feel her body shiver in response to my touch. The One 50 The One 50 Chapter 50: Reasons Hunter I trust Kayce not to do anything rash. He, like me, has always wanted to find his mate. If we had been at Allison¡¯s birthday party, he would have handled it like Calvin did with Amelia, giving her as much time to get to know him as possible. So, I¡¯m not worried about what he will do over dinner or even at the after party. However, I do wonder how he will handle it if she doesn¡¯t want to sleep with him tonight or if he refuses to im her privately. I guide Sophie into the room I had set up for us to have dinner, mind linking the kitchen staff to let them know we need dinner for seven, not four. Luna already let us know, Alpha,¡¯ the kitchen omegas reply. Of course she did. I smile down at my mate. I can feel her nervousness at having Kayce and Robin around these she- wolves, but she once again made me feel like a fucking king when she looked to me for my opinion. The trust that she has in me, after only such a short amount of time, is incredible and I only want it to grow. A mate bond, created the way it was meant to be created, between two people. When we get to the room, Sophie watches to see how the women will sit. Kayce pulls a chair out for Allison, and she sits, blushing shyly while he sits beside her. Nikki sits on her other side, as if she¡¯s ready to pull Allison away from Kayce if he does anything wrong. Robin, sits directly across from Nikki, wiggling 288 Vouchers his eyebrows at her. That means either can¡¯t sit beside Sophie or Letti will have to sit beside either Kayce or Robin. Not surprisingly, Letti leaves an empty seat between her and Robin, sitting across from Kayce. I look at Sophie. Part of why I wanted the two of them here is so they can see the difference in my mate bondpared to everyone else¡¯s. ¡®How would you feel about sitting in myp?¡¯ I ask her in the mind link. She looks at me, then at the table. ¡®Okay,¡¯ she says, but I can tell she¡¯s notfortable with the idea. ¡®Do you trust me?¡¯ I ask her. ¡®Absolutely,¡¯ she says with no hesitation. I smile, sitting at the head of the table in between Letti and Kayce. I scoot the chair back and tapping myp. My mate not only sits in myp, but she wraps her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek. As expected, both Kayce and Robin frown at the interaction. ¡°Forgive me, I didn¡¯t want to be seated away from my mate,¡± I say. ¡°I think it¡¯s important for both of you to see the difference between what I have with Sophie versus every other mate bond you¡¯ve ever seen with a mated ranked couple.¡± ¡°You could bemanding her to do this,¡± Kayce says. I notice that his hand is twitching to touch Allison. She looks almost as 1120% III 11.58 288 Wouchers desperate for his touch. I look at Sophie. ¡°Am Imanding you? Be honest.¡± I say, putting the full force of mymand behind it. I see Letti¡¯s chin go up in submission, Allison¡¯s as well, making Kayce growl. ¡°No,¡± Sophie says, and I release my aura. I look at Kayce, waiting for him to acknowledge my mate¡¯s response. ¡°Okay, fine. I want to ask Sophie some questions,¡± he says. ¡°As do I,¡± Robin says, leaning onto the table, with his hands sped together. ¡°Go ahead,¡± she says. ¡°Why did you run? Two years ago, why did you run?¡± Kayce asks her. ¡°You were there that night, at my sister¡¯s party,¡± she says and Kayce nods. ¡°I¡¯m sure you knew what was going to happen, just as Hunter did, but I didn¡¯t. I was sent to my room, but I didn¡¯t. stay there. I came back out and saw what happened. The warrior who took me to my room that night told me what was going to happen and that was why I had to go to my room. I didn¡¯t believe her. You see, we, as females, aren¡¯t told what was going to happen to us, until our 18th birthday, which has apparently changed since I left. She takes a deep breath. ¡°I was horrified,¡± she says, and I can feel her emotions flgoding into her, overwhelming her. ¡°Shhh. You¡¯re safe,¡± I say quietly, wrapping my arms around her. 2120% 11:59 208 ?VOUC¨ªM¨¢ She snuggles into me, epting thefort I¡¯m offering. ¡°I watched my sister beg Alpha Calvin not to do it, but he did and all those men, they cheered as my sister wept. I refused to allow that to happen to me. So, while everyone was busy watching the big event, I wrote a note to my family, packed a small bag and I ran.¡± Her eyes are lost in the memory, and I can feel her sadness, sharp as if it¡¯s happening again. I lean in, kissing the side of her head. ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± I say again, just for her to hear. She nods, taking another deep breath. ¡°How did Hunter get you to agree to let him mark you?¡± Alpha Robin asks her.- She smiles and looks at me out of the corner of her eye. ¡°Can I tell them the whole story.¡± I shrug. ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re here.¡± She smiles, snuggling into me some more and putting her hands over mine as if she¡¯s afraid her words will make me angry. ¡°I didn¡¯t ept him at first. I rejected him, sort of, then I ran.¡± ¡°What do you mean, sort of,¡± Kayce asks her. ¡°He didn¡¯t know who I was at first. He just knew I was his mate. I was afraid that if I rejected him properly, using my full name, he would chase me down because I am an Alpha female.¡± ¡°Did it hurt?¡± Robin asks me. ¡°It hurt my pride,¡± I say, nuzzling Sophie¡¯s hair. 31.29% 11.591 She smiles and continues. ¡°I ran and was almost caught by Alpha Owen. I thought I was doomed. He shifted when he couldn¡¯tmand me to do so, then his wolf had Hedda pinned to the ground.¡± She begins breathing heavily, her heart rate increasing. I look and see the other girls in the room sping their hands tightly in theirps, looking down so we can¡¯t see the emotions on their faces. I¡¯m sure Sophie is telling their worst nightmare. ¡°Luckily the rejection didn¡¯t work, and I heard Owen¡¯s howl of the hunt,¡± I continue while my mate collects herself. ¡°Since Sophie is my mate, there was no way I was letting anyone, least of all him, have her. I got there in time and ripped him off of her.¡± She turns and looks at me. ¡°Then Hunter found me. I was¡­.¡± ¡°Stressed,¡± I finish for her. Sheughs humorlessly. ¡°That¡¯s one word for it.¡± She smiles again. ¡°It was Shaw who won me over, actually,¡± she says, and my wolf begins purring at her, making her smile even brighter. ¡°I was in ake, scrubbing off the feeling of Alpha Owen on my body, and I was freezing. Shaw offered to warm me and did the same purring sound he is now until I settled and fell asleep. When I woke, rather than Shaw, I had a naked Hunter wrapped around me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that went over well,¡± Kayce says. She shrugs. ¡°He could have marked me at any point while I was asleep, but he didn¡¯t. He just asked me to give him time to talk, 41.40% ||| 11 50 to get to know him, and to belleve him that he had no intention of iming me publicly. So I did.¡± ¡°And you believed him?¡± Robin asks. ¡°We had a lot of time alone and the mate bond if hard to resist,¡± she says, looking at Kayce andContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Allison. Allison blushes and looks down, but Kayce scrubs his face with his hands. ¡°Yeah, it really is.¡± ¡°How did you do it? How did you hold off for so long in marking her. Rodion is making my head hurt he¡¯s being so loud,¡± Kayce says, looking at me. ¡°I had a vested interest in making sure Sophie believed me and trusted me. I knew she was mine and I¡¯d never let anyone else have her, but I needed her to agree to be mine. She did,¡± I say, smiling at my mate. My mate, who may never stop surprising me, leans in and kisses me gently, putting her hand against my cheek. She doesn¡¯t deepen the kiss, so I don¡¯t either, knowing she¡¯s already a bit ufortable. When she pulls back, her eyes stay on mine. ¡°It was the best night of my life.¡± ¡°Mine too,¡± I tell her. I hear a chair scraping and look to see that Robin is standing and is now pacing. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that this,¡± he says, waving his hand at me and Sophie, ¡°is for real?¡± 52 74% ||| 11:59 Crupter 50 Reas?KA 1788 Vouchers ¡°It is for real,¡± Allison says. ¡°We¡¯ve been watching them for a couple of days. What you¡¯re seeing now is mild.¡± ¡°I agree. Allison and I have witnessed the love and trust between Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie, multiple times,¡± Letti adds, looking from Allison to us to the two Alphas. ¡°You saw it earlier, Alpha Robin. You saw how Luna Sophie asked her mate if she could trust the two of you. Have you ever seen a Luna who has that much trust and faith in their mate. A Luna who has been mated less than a week from what I understand,¡± Nikki says, watching Robin closely. He stops and looks at her. ¡°Have you? Because I know I haven¡¯t,¡± she asks him again. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± he concedes. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that all this trust, all this love, is simply because Hunter didn¡¯t im you publicly?¡± Kayce asks Sophie. It¡¯s Nikki who responds. ¡°Let me ask you something, Alpha Kayce. As an Alpha, I feel a deep desire to protect those around me, my pack, my friends, and maybe, someday, my mate. What part of taking your crying mate, who is begging you not to im her publicly, would be considered protecting her? How can she ever trust that you would protect her after that? How could she believe that you truly love her after you mistreated her that way?¡± He looks at Nikki a moment, then at Allison. ¡°Is the idea of being imed publicly really that horrible to you? That you would never trust me or believe that I loved you again?¡± 62.16% THE ¡°Yes, Allison whispers. Why It¡¯s not the same for us as it is for you. Alpha. We are raised differently, women and men in packs, particrly ranked she wolves. We¡¯re given the lies of what a beautiful rtionship we¡¯ll have with our mates, how loving and caring they will be, and all the while, we are told to keep ourselves pure, not to let other men see what we are to give to you on our iming night. Even in the packs, even as an Alpha, I was rarely allowed to be naked in front of the pack members. I would never, ever have wanted my first time to be in front of a room full of men whistling and howling I can¡¯t even imagine the embarrassment that I would have felt, the horror I know that sometimes that gap can be ovee, as with my sister and Alpha Calvin, but not always. We only need to remember Alpha Ezra and Hunter¡¯s sister to know that,¡± Sophie says. ¡°That is why we¡¯ve run. That is why we choose a life alone rather than risk being imed,¡± Allison says to him, ¡°So, it¡¯s about being mated in public, not being marked in public?¡± Kayce rifies. I look at Sophie, wondering if it¡¯s both or just the mating. She turns and looks at me. ¡°Well,) mean, it would be ufortable to be marked in public because, well, there are a lot of strong emotions thate when you¡¯re marked, but¡­ guess for me, it was about the mating, although the two generally happen together, because of those strong emotions,¡± she says, and now she¡¯s blushing ¡°But thew isn¡¯t about the marking, is it?¡± Nikki says again and we all focus on her. ¡°The she wolf rarely marks her mate during Chapter 50 Reasons 11 288 Vouchers the public iming, does she?¡± I look at Kayce and then at Robin, both have the same confused looks on their faces. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve excused myself from them for so many years, I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± I say. ¡°I have as well, but I don¡¯t remember ever seeing the she-wolf mark her mate. You¡¯re right, little Alpha,¡± Robin says. She gives him a look. ¡°I¡¯m not that little, you know.¡± Rather than answering, he just smiles and winks at her, making her huff, but I can see her hide her smile and based on Robin¡¯s smile, he sees it too. Instead, he turns to Letti. ¡°How about you, little G**a. You¡¯ve been very quiet during this conversation which I feel isn¡¯t your norm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a marking. All I know is what my mother told me,¡± she says. ¡°Which is?¡± Kayce asks. ¡°Which is that it¡¯s terrible, painful, mortifying, and not worth finding your mate,¡± she says, watching the two visiting Alphas carefully. ¡°My mother basically said the same,¡± Allison says, ncing at Kayce. ¡°So, I will ask you,¡± I say, as the foodes in. ¡°Why are we mistreating our Lunas this way? What is the purpose? What could it possible matter if their iming is public. Can both of you not smell my scent on Sophie and her on me?¡± I ask, getting 86.44% 11.59 Chapter 50. Reasons 1288 Vouchers to the crux of the issue. ¡°We¡¯re wolves, after all. What good are our advanced senses if we don¡¯t use them. And what good are we as Alphas if we don¡¯t protect those we are sworn to protect, those who are most. precious to us,¡± I say, leaning forward to nuzzle Sophie and smiling as she leans into my touch. ¡°What are we even doing if we aren¡¯t first protecting our mates,¡± I say and see Kayce ncing at Allison beside him, as Robin looks between Nikki and Letti. The One 51 The One 51 Chapter 51: Kayce Sophie As the food is brought in, the omegas look at a loss for what to do with the two tes of food for me and Hunter. ¡°You can set them both here,¡± I tell them. Now that I¡¯m in Hunter¡¯sp, I¡¯mfortable and want to stay. ¡°If that¡¯s okay with you,¡± I say to him. ¡°Is it okay if my mate wants to continue touching me? No question. I¡¯ll always be okay with that,¡± he says, leaning forward just to the point where our lips would touch, once again giving me the opportunity to close the distance between us. I do, without hesitation. This time, I linger a little longer, knowing that he¡¯s letting me drive how long and how deep our kisses get. ¡°They¡¯re always like this?¡± I hear Robin ask. ¡°Still mild,¡± Letti says. ¡°Yeah, you should see them in training,¡± Allison says. ¡°I¡¯m super curious about that wager.¡± ¡°That wager is between me and my mate,¡± I say, pulling back. but staying close enough that I can still feel Hunter¡¯s breath on my lips, our eyes locked on each other. ¡°Yeah, it is. But it¡¯s a good one,¡± he says. ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± I repeat his words making him chuckle before pecking my lips. ¡°Eat, you¡¯re still too thin.¡± 0.00 ? 1200 ¡°Are we invited to join your sparring ss tomorrow?¡± Kayce asks, he looks at Hunter, but I notice he¡¯s making sure Allison has everything she needs before starting on his food. ¡°Oh, I need a knife,¡± she says. ¡°Here, take mine,¡± he says Instantly, handing his to her. I see their fingers touch, watching both of their bodies respond. I look at my mate, smiling a knowing smile. The mate bond is something else. Hunter gives Kayce his knife and mind link the omegas that we need another one. ¡°You are absolutely invited, and I hope you will attend. Alpha Carter loaned us some of his warriors until we can fill the void of the ones that left our pack,¡± Hunter says, making Kayce and Robin look at each other. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d better continue your story while we eat,¡± Kayce suggests, still making sure that Allison isfortable. He¡¯d make a good mate, but he¡¯d make a better mate if he marked and mated her privately. Hunter tells them about our return, his statement that he has no n to im me publicly and anyone not in agreement could leave. ¡°How many left?¡± Robin asks. ¡°About 50. My G**a was removed forcibly and then a mix of warriors and omegas.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your n to fortify your borders if you lost warriors and you¡¯re anticipating an attack.¡± 12.00 Chapter 51 Kayer 1288 Nouchers ¡°Us,¡± Nikki say¡¯s before Hunter can answer. ¡°The three of us and anyone else whoes along. We¡¯ll fight to maintain our freedom and no offense, but once my wolf heals me, I¡¯m worth three to four warriors. Allison¡¯s a beast in a fight and worth at least three warriors and Letti¡¯s right up there too. It won¡¯t take too many ranked she-wolves, literally fighting for our lives, to make Alpha Hunter¡¯s patrols fortified and safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that good, huh?¡± Kayce asks Allison. ¡°I can hold my own,¡± she says, her chin lifting slightly. her ¡°She battled my Beta this morning and he was singing praises to me afterward,¡± Hunter says, making Allison smile and blush. ¡°Would you battle with me tomorrow?¡± Kayce asks her. ¡°Do you think you can handle losing to a Beta, Alpha?¡± she asks, taunting him. For the first time since he¡¯s arrived, he smiles widely. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep up,¡± he says, and both turn back to their meals, smiling. ¡°Anyway, back to Carter¡¯s warriors, I have them leading my warriors, training us on their techniques, giving them some new methods for fighting, hoping to give us another edge. If you decide to stay more than one night, which you¡¯re wee to do, perhaps you¡¯d consider running a ss and teaching my warriors some of your techniques,¡± Hunter says. He kisses my arm and looks up at me. I can tell he¡¯s pleased with the amount of food I¡¯m eating. I think Kinsley was right. I just needed more activity in my life to get my appetite going and 12:00 1 since Hunter and I have that wager, I¡¯m getting lots of exercise at night as well as during training After dinner, I stand and help the omegas clear the ten before turning back to our guests, ¡°I¡¯ve set up a social gathering for you to interact with our pack this evening. Nothing formal, just casual. Talk to our pack members, ask them what they¡¯re. seeing with the Alpha and Luna. can tell you that Hunter and I both feel their happiness with bond, I can tell you that they see the stark difference between our bond and the bond our Betas have which followed thews. Talk to our pack members, talk to Allison and Letti, and even Nikki, although she¡¯s spent most of her time in the hospital unfortunately. Hear from them what they are seeing. I¡¯d wager most of them will tell you the ones who left were fools, but that remains to be seen,¡± I tell them. ¡°I¡¯m going to go to my room to change. Will you be at the gathering, Allison?¡± Kayce asks. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll find you,¡± he says, turning to walk out. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t want to sound possessive, but my wolf won¡¯t like it if I find you in another man¡¯s arms when I return.¡± Allison puts her hand on Kayce¡¯s arm and her wolf pushes. forward. ¡°Rodion, you have nothing to worry about.¡± Kayce¡¯s hand covers hers and he growls low. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°How about you, little Alpha, and you little G**a. Are the two of you going to join us?¡± ¡°You know we have names, right?¡± Chapim 51 Kayre 2013 Mouchers All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure do, little Alpha. So, will I see you out there?¡± Nikki steps up into his face. ¡°You sure will, big Alpha,¡± she says, making Robinugh. He¡¯s seems to be the more easy going of the two Alphas, but he also seems to like Nikki¡¯s spirit a lot. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone show you to your rooms then,¡± I say and call one of the omegas to lead them off. I¡¯m just about ready to go change myself when I get an alert from the border patrols. ¡®Luna, we have two more she-wolves here, asking for refuge.¡¯ I look at Hunter, making sure he got the message too. ¡°I¡¯ll take Nikki. You entertain our guests,¡± I tell him. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asks. ¡°The border. We have two new she-wolves who are requesting sanctuary and I¡¯d like your support in getting them to agree toe in.¡± ¡®Uh, Luna, I didn¡¯t realize it at first, but these are two she-wolves who used to be part of our pack. They¡¯ve returned asking for sanctuary. One is injured,¡¯ the guard says to me. ¡°Scratch that, Nikki. These are returning wolves,¡± I say then turn to Hunter. ¡°I know, I¡¯ming with you.¡± We race to the border, finding Leah and her daughter, Brooklyn. I could smell the blood before I could see her. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask as Hunter scoops the nearly unconscious Brooklyn into his arms. 43 71% 111 12.00 I told Michael we shouldn¡¯t leave I told him,¡± Leah s***bs. ¡°He imed her publicly, then said she wasn¡¯t strong enough and threw her aside.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Hunter growls, but I¡¯m pretty sure I already know the answer. ¡°Alpha Owen.¡± Allison POV I feel like a horde of butterflies have just taken up residence in my stomach. While Alpha Kayce is changing, I run to the bathroom in my room and check my hair, making sure I look okay. I don¡¯t have many clothes, so I may as well wear what I have on already. At least I wore a dress. When I step out, Nikki and Letti are there. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you were going to go to the party,¡± Letti says. ¡°I just¡­¡± I blow out a huff of air. ¡°I had no idea how strong the pull of the mate bond is. It¡¯s so powerful. I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I hadn¡¯t felt it for myself,¡± I stop and look at them. ¡°It makes what¡¯s happening so much worse. I think I understand now why Luna Sophie wants to touch Alpha Hunter so much. It¡¯ s so hard not to, like your skin is ufortable until you feel their touch then everything feels right. It¡¯s so strange.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Nikki asks me. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. Take it one step at a time. He listened, over dinner. They both did, so I have hope that maybe¡­I don¡¯t know, maybe he¡¯ll agree, and I can have something like what 54.18% 12:00 208 Voucher Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie have.¡± ¡°That would be wonderful, but you need to be careful. Follow your heart, but don¡¯t let it rule your mind. Don¡¯t let him put you in a situation you aren¡¯t¡¯ prepared for or don¡¯t want, okay?¡± Nikkil says. ¡°And we¡¯re here for you, no matter what,¡± Letti says. ¡°Thank you both, so much,¡± I say. We walk downstairs together, and I look around, not seeing Alpha Kayce. I lift my nose in the air and just catch his scent of mulled wine, the warm scent of red wine, oranges, c*on, a**nd cloves making my mouth water, just as I feel heat at my back. ¡°Looking for someone?¡± he asks in my ear. His hands are on my hips, not holding me, but very clearly letting me know he¡¯s here and most likely staking a im on me. I yip, jumping as I turn and inadvertently falling into him. My hands instinctively go to his chest to catch myself and he takes advantage by sliding his hands around my waist. ¡°I was looking for you,¡± I say, mesmerized by his amber eyes. They shine brighter when his wolf is at the surface like he is now, almost changing to a light citrine color, yet they still have flecks of green and brown in them. ¡°Good answer,¡± he says, leaning in and running his nose over mine. ¡°I can already tell that tonight is going to be difficult.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± 64.97%. 1200 ¡°Because I want to mark you, and I know I can¡¯t.¡± I feel disappointment flow through me, and I push away from him. ¡°Because you can¡¯t publicly im me in Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack?¡± I ask and even I can hear the hurt in my voice. He grabs my hips, pulling my body against his again. ¡°No. Because I can¡¯t go into the Committee of Alphas with your mark. on my neck. If I do, I¡¯ll be as much on trial as Hunter is and therefore, I¡¯ll be unable to vote and support him and therefore, you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to support us?¡± I ask, shocked that he¡¯s agreeing so quickly. He looks around and seeing that we¡¯re in a very public area, he takes my hand and leads us to the edge of the party. ¡°Let me ask you something. If I told you I was willing to im you privately, would you ept me as your mate?¡± ¡°I¡­.I don¡¯t really know anything about you, other than Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie trust you.¡± ¡°But let¡¯s say we met today, and there was no risk of me iming you publicly, would youe to my room tonight? Would you let me mark and mate you and make you mine forever?¡± I want to say no. I want to say that I should know more about him, but the mate bond is so strong, the pull to him is almost overwhelming. 75631 III 12:00 I would trust the Moon Goddess I say, making him smile. Then trust the Moon Goddess and trust me. I¡¯d like to spend tonight with you. If you agree, I¡¯ll ask Hunter if I can stay until the Committee meeting. I¡¯d like to spend that time with you. But I don¡¯t want to mark you, because I can¡¯t ept your mark until the Committee meeting is done. Do you understand? It would put all the risk of this bond on you. I don¡¯t want to do that to you,¡± he says, his knuckles stroking my cheek. His touch is the most incredible feeling I¡¯ve ever had, like my skin is waking up and for the first time my nerve endings areing to life so they can feel more of his touch. ¡°F**k, you smell good,¡± he says, leaning in and kissing the side of my mouth. ¡°I want to kiss you. Please tell me I can kiss you. I nod, feeling intoxicated and unable to speak. His warm lips cover mine, soft and gentle, teasing me into my first kiss. His tongue slides over my lips and I gasp, allowing him the entrance he was asking for. He tilts his head to the side, taking the kiss deeper and I wrap my arms around him, clinging to his shirt as my body awakens with a need and desire I¡¯ve never felt before. ¡°Will you spend the night with me?¡± he asks. ¡°I swear, we can talk, or we can do whatever you want. I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t agree to. Please, I just want to get to know you, learn about your life, explore your body, if you¡¯ll let me, and while I can¡¯t leave a true mark on your neck, if you¡¯ll allow it, I¡¯ll leave a temporary one here, so everyone knows you¡¯re mine,¡± he says, stroking my marking spot and making my entire body shiver. ¡°Will you give me tonight?¡± he asks me. ¡°Yes,¡± I breathe softly and that¡¯s all the eptance he needs to lead me back to his room. The One 52 The One 52 Chapter 52: Brooklyn Hunter It takes all my training as an Alpha to hold my s**t together while I race Brooklyn to the pack hospital. All I really want to do is run to Alpha Owen¡¯s pack and tear him to shreds. ¡®Iing emergency to the pack hospital,¡¯ I mind link to my pack members. I hear several pack members respond and I know they¡¯ll be there waiting for me when I arrive. I turn, seeing that Leah is struggling to keep up. ¡°Sophie, can you carry her?¡± I ask, not wanting to leave her behind, but knowing that Brooklyn has lost too much blood in the time it¡¯s taken Leah to get here. I can¡¯t slow down to let her keep up. ¡°I¡¯ve got her, go!¡± Sophie says. I begin running faster, feeling Brooklyn¡¯s blood soaking my arms. and the clothes I¡¯m wearing. ¡°Hang on, Brooklyn. You¡¯re safe now. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you ever again. You¡¯re back in Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack. You¡¯re safe,¡± | say to her, not knowing if she can hear me or if it will help, but hopefully if ites down to her living or dying based on her own will power, she¡¯ll know that she¡¯s safe and she¡¯ll choose to live. As I rush up to the pack hospital, the doors are opened, and a gurney is waiting. 1000% 12.01 and Chapter 57. Brooklyn ¡°What happened?¡± Dr. Felicity asks. 288 Wouchers ¡°I don¡¯t have all the details, but from what I understand she was imed publicly and then cast aside,¡± I say to the doctor, who looks up at me in horror before turning back to Brooklyn. She pulls the shirt away from her neck and there is the mark, she¡¯s been imed. ¡°But she¡¯s not a ranked she-wolf!¡± Dr. Felicity says. I feel my wse out and I have to step back as the nurses in the room yelp with the strength of my anger. ¡°Hunter!¡± Sophie says, pushing into the room and past the nurses. ¡°Go talk to Leah, find out what happened. I¡¯ll stay with -Brooklyn.¡± ¡°Our guests¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told Kinsley and Lucas what¡¯s happening. They¡¯ll take care of it.¡± I can¡¯t seem to tear my eyes away from this young girl, covered in blood, with a f**ki**g mark on her neck. ¡°Hunter!¡± Sophie says, putting her hands on my face and pulling attention to her. ¡°Breathe with me, Hunter. I need you to calm down. Our staff can¡¯t help her if they¡¯re trying to work around your aura, baby. Breathe,¡± she says taking two deep breaths. I follow her lead until I can pull my aura back. ¡°Come with me,¡± she says, taking my hand like I¡¯m a child and leading me from the room. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡± she tells the doctor. 11,60% 1201 When I get out of the room, I pull Sophie to me, holding her against me and breathing in her orchid scent. She holds me until I finally feel calm and when pull away, I¡¯m ready. 288 Wouchers ¡°Leah¡¯s over there. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I know something,¡± she says, lifting up on her toes and kissing me deeply. ¡°You can do this, Alpha, I have faith in you.¡± She starts to step away, but I grab her wrist gently. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what mates do. We help each other, right?¡± I smile at my mate. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± I release her arm and turn to see Leah, her arms wrapped around herself as she sits in a chair, rocking herself and sobbing. I take one more deep breath to make sure I¡¯m calm, and I head over to her, sitting beside her and putting my arm around her. She turns her head and begins sobbing on my shoulder. I hold her until she starts to calm down and when she pulls away, I get up and find some tissues for her. I squat down in front of her and hand her the tissues, waiting until she wipes her face and blows her nose. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± I say gently. She continues to cry and hup as she talks, but I get the story. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave. I knew it could be dangerous for Brooklyn because she was so close to turning 18. Michael insisted that we had to leave because you kicked G**a Koden out of the pack, and they were friends.¡± 12.01 She begins rocking again as she talks. ¡°Almost as soon as we got there, Alpha Owen took a liking to Brooklyn. He asked her how old she was and if she¡¯d ever considered being a Luna. I tried to keep her away from him, but after we epted him as our Alpha, he knew where she was all the time. I¡¯m guessing that Koden knew her birthday because how else would Alpha Owen have known?¡± she asks, looking at me as if I have the answers. Since I have none, I stay quiet. ¡°He called an all-pack meeting and then he announced that today was Brook¡¯s birthday, and he was going to im her. Michael seemed pleased, but I¡¯ve never liked Alpha Owen. I didn¡¯t want him to im Brook, but he pulled her up on the stage with him and introduced her as his new Luna. Then¡­.¡± She stops, beginning to s**b again. ¡°Then he ripped her dress, saying that if she was going to be mated to an Alpha that we had to follow the rules for a ranked iming. Brook started crying, trying to hold her dress to her. My girl is sweet, kind, we¡¯ve never raised a hand to her, but that man¡­.that monster, tore my baby apart on that stage for the entire pack to witness. Those sick pack members were cheering and howling while my baby was crying for her mother, crying for ME!¡± Her eyes meet mine and there is fire in them. ¡°And do you know why I couldn¡¯t get to her?¡± she asks through gritted teeth. ¡°No,¡± I say quietly. ¡°Michael was holding me back. Her own father just stood by and allowed it to happen.¡± She stops, covering her mouth as if she¡¯s going to vomit. I This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. 37305 111 12.01 quickly look around, grabbing a garbage can just in case, but she pulls herself together. ¡°Then he stood up there and marked her, sank his teeth into her neck while she sobbed. When he pulled himself out of her body, he let her drop to the ground and turned to look at the pack. ¡®She¡¯s too weak. She¡¯s not worthy of being your Luna¡¯ he said, and he walked off the stage, leaving her there to bleed out.¡± ¡°How did the pack respond?¡± I ask, wondering if they felt this was wrong. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just know that Michael finally let go of me and I raced to the stage, to her, telling her I was so sorry I couldn¡¯t protect her,¡± she says and begins sobbing again. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s it¡¯s like to feel helpless? Knowing you can¡¯t help the one you love?¡± I think about my sister, about how I would have done anything for her, but I didn¡¯t protect her, not like I should have. ¡°Yes,¡± I say quietly. She nods, looking down and shredding the tissue in her hands. ¡°I grabbed some banner or g and covered Brook before picking her up and carrying her off that stage. When I got to the bottom, Michael was standing there. He told me to give Brook to him.¡± She lifts her head, and her eyes are zing again. ¡°I rejected him, and I watched as he fell to the ground in pain. He is supposed to be some warrior, a fighter and while hey writhing on the ground, me, a simple omega, carried my daughter all the way here, hoping you¡¯d help us.¡± She begins crying again. 52 47% ||| 1201 Thank you. Thank you for helping us.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be safe here now,¡± I say, and she nods. ¡°I know, I know you¡¯re a good Alpha. I know you care about your pack, and I know that you will protect us with your life. I know that you will do that for us.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. Now, let¡¯s get you looked at,¡± I say, standing and gesturing for a nurse toe over. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± she begins. I bend over so my eyes are level with hers. ¡°Brooklyn is going to need you when she wakes up. You rejected your mate, that means your body will look like you¡¯ve gone ten rounds with an Alpha. Let them look you over and help you to heal so that you can be here for your daughter when she needs you.¡± When I stand, I get a mind link from the border patrols. ¡®Michael is at our borders, requesting entrance to our pack.¡¯ ¡®Entrance or sanctuary? I ask. ¡®He said entrance to our territory, Alpha.¡± I look at Leah, being led away by a nurse. ¡°What do you want me to do if Michael shows up?¡± I ask her. She turns and looks at me. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you not to let him into your pack, Alpha. But I don¡¯t want that man anywhere near me or my daughter,¡± she growls. I nod and turn away before returning the mind link. 209 deurbe ¡®Denied.¡¯ ¡®Yes, Alpha.¡¯ When I turn back, Sophie is walking towards me. I open my. arms and when she walks into them, I wrap her into my embrace, feeling her arms go around me. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to take a rain check on you winning the wager today,¡± I tell her, pressing my lips to the top of her head. ¡°I know,¡± she says, looking up at me. ¡°I would be disappointed in you if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you exhausted? I feel exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. How¡¯s Leah?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably going to keep her overnight. She rejected her mate who is at our borders requesting entrance to our pack.¡± ¡°Entrance?¡± she asks, catching the same word I did. ¡°Yes, and his entrance was denied.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Brooklyn?¡± I ask. ¡°Not good. Dr. Felicity said she¡¯ll be in surgery for hours stitching her up, but she¡¯ll mind link us when she¡¯s out of surgery and let us know how it went.¡± ¡°Do we need to take care of our guests?¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯s all handled,¡± she says, putting her arm through mine. 78.67% 1201 and leading me out the door. ¡°Want to hear something Interesting?¡± * 208 Vouchers ¡°Yes,¡± I say, smiling down at my mate who is somehow pushing my ck cloud of anger away. ¡°Allison agreed to go to Kayce¡¯s room with him. They been there for hours,¡± she says, smirking up at me. ¡°That sounds promising,¡± I say. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be wearing his mark tomorrow?¡± she asks. ¡°No.¡± Her face falls. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because if Alpha Kayce ns to mark her privately, he can¡¯t show up to the Committee meeting with a mark on his neck and unlike that f**khead Owen, he wouldn¡¯t mark Allison without letting her mark him as well. But,¡± I say as we get to the packhouse and start climbing the stairs to our room. ¡°I would expect her to have quite a few h**k*y *s on her n**k and several on and around her marking s**t. That brings the smile back to my mate¡¯s pretty face. ¡°I¡¯ll take it, it¡¯s still a win.¡± ¡°A big win!¡± I say, opening the door and letting Sophie walk into our room ahead of me. Sophie strips off her dress, tossing it aside and turning to me. She¡¯s wearing ace bra,ce panties and high heels. ¡°You know, suddenly, I¡¯m not so tired after all,¡± I say. Thankfully neither is my mate. The One 53 The One 53 Chapter 53: A Long Night Sophie When we got back to our room, I knew Hunter and I both needed something to get our minds off of Brooklyn. Hunter especially was struggling with his frustration at not being able to protect one of his previous, vulnerable pack members. So, I did what any good mate would do, I chose a position that put him in control. Only, that¡¯s not exactly how it yed out. Hunter desperately needed a shower so after he washed off Brooklyn¡¯s blood and her scent no longer lingered on him, I chose our first position to be in the shower. However, rather than facing the shower wall, I wanted to see him. I wrapped my legs around him and while he still had me pressed against the wall, his arms were wrapped about me and he kissed me, holding me close, until he brought both of us to our release. He had put his forehead against mine as both of us were panting. ¡°I need you again.¡± ¡°Bed,¡± I said. We¡¯d quickly dried and then I told him I wanted to be on top. I had nned on trying the reverse cowgirl again tonight, that was fun, but I needed the connection to my mate, and I could feel through the bond that he needed it too. When I straddled him, he sat up, wrapping my legs around him again. We had kissed as our bodies held each other, his hands 0.00% §º 12.02. helping me to lift my hips up and down until we both came undone together. ¡°Again,¡± he said. And it had gone on like that for hours. We switched positions, but we never weren¡¯t wrapped around each other, holding each other, connecting every part of our bodies as moved slow, fast, gentle, rough, finding our release together over and over until we were both spent. When we¡¯d finally fallen asleep, my mate¡¯s mind was finally settled, at peace, at least for now. It was less than an hourter when we got the mind link from Dr. Felicity letting us know that Brooklyn was out of surgery and stable. She also let us know that Leah had been given painkillers and medications to help her rx, to boost her system, and help her wolf heal her faster. Hunter had pulled me closer to him and I snuggled into him and fell asleep. It was less than an hour after that when we got the mind link from the border patrols letting us know we had more she- wolves at our borders. ¡®Ranked she-wolves?¡¯ Hunter asks as we rush downstairs before shifting and heading to the border. ¡®It¡¯s both, Alpha. It seems as though some of Alpha Owen¡¯s pack members weren¡¯t happy with what happened to Brooklyn and have left his pack,ing here to ask for safety.¡¯ ¡®Hunter¡­¡¯ I say privately. ¡®I know. We¡¯ll figure it out,¡¯ he says. If pack members start 111 Chapter 57: A Long Night 12387 leaving other packs,ing to our pack, it¡¯s even more likely that we¡¯ll have a war on our hands. The problem is, if these are omegas or even inexperienced warriors, it means we have more people that we have to protect, which means we need more fighters to fight. When we arrive, I shift, quickly, then hearing Hunter¡¯s growl, I turn, letting him pull a shirt over my head before turning back to the patrols. There are five of them, two ranked, one additional adult and two teenage pups, all female. ¡°Hello, my name is Sophie Reynolds. You may know me as Sophie Meyers. That was name before I was mated to Alpha Hunter,¡± I say gesturing to him as the two ranked members suck in a breath. ¡°So, it¡¯s true?¡± one of the ranked she-wolves asks. ¡°Is what true?¡± I ask. ¡°You were imed?¡± the other she-wolf asks. ¡°I was, privately and against ourws, Hunter imed me.¡± They all nce at him, then back at me. ¡°How about you three? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°They said you might give them refuge after one of your previous pack members was assaulted by their Alpha,¡± one of the ranked females, a Beta, says. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Brooklyn came out of surgery just over an hour ago,¡± I say. 32974 12:52 Chapter 5 & Long Night ¡°She survived?¡± one of the young teens asks. ¡°She did.¡± The adult woman steps up. ¡°These are my daughters. I don¡¯t want what happened to that poor girl to happen to them. It¡¯s against thew, but unlike with what Alpha Hunter did to you, it¡¯ s not right. He¡­¡± she covers her mouth, holding back a ***b. ¡°What he did was wrong. That would never be tolerated in my pack. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t even allow my own mate to go through that process,¡± Hunter says. He stays back, not wanting to scare the women. ¡°If you want sanctuary, you are wee and you will be safe here.¡± ¡°How can they possibly trust that? You have no way to prove it,¡± the other ranked female says. I lift my nose and sniff. She¡¯s also a Beta. ¡°Are you sisters?¡± I ask. They look at each other, then back at me. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re twins. Identical.¡± This time, it¡¯s Hunter who sucks in air behind me. I turn and look at him, then back at the young women. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Identical twins tend to share mates. Our mate would have had to im both of us publicly.¡± My mouth opens and closes. I can¡¯t even imagine what that would have been like. ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s¡­are you looking for sanctuary?¡± I ask, unsure ??? 12 02 how else to respond. If I thought was afraid of being imed publicly, these girls must feel it even more strongly. I can¡¯t imagine standing by before or after being imed and watching my twin suffer like that with everyone watching. They look at each other again. ¡°I don¡¯t know that we can trust you. We just wanted to make sure that these three got here safely and that Alpha Hunter would be willing to ept them.¡± ¡°Hunter, what time is it?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s 3am.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to wake the three girls who came here a couple days ago. There¡¯s an Alpha, a Beta, and a G**a. You can hear it from them. If you¡¯d like to wait to enter our pack untilter today, I¡¯d suggest that you go up to the mountain where we provide food for she-wolves on the run. It¡¯s about an hour run from here. Be careful but once you¡¯re inside, it¡¯s safe. We won¡¯t force you to do anything here, but if you decide to trust us, or you want to speak to Nikki, Allison, or Letti, the women I just spoke of,e backter. What are your names?¡± ¡°Tiffany and Tammi. We¡¯lle back. But we just need to be sure.¡± ¡°Just be careful. My mate was almost imed by Alpha Owen on that mountain. Be smart and on guard until you get inside the mountain. Follow the scent of my Beta female. It should be stronger than any other scent as she goes there every day to leave food,¡± Hunter tells them. ¡°You three can come in. If you ept, you¡¯re now under my protection.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± the mother says, holding her daughters¡¯ hands in each of hers before stepping onto our packnds. 6277% ||| 12:02 Chap 53 A1 ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I ask, stepping up to them. ¡°Yes,¡± one of the girls says. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll get you some food and then find you a ce to sleep. You¡¯re safe now,¡± I say, wrapping my arm around the shoulders of the nearest girl. ¡°Can I get your names?¡± I ask, turning to see that the Beta twins are still watching us. ¡°You¡¯re still wee,¡± I say to them. ¡°We¡¯ll be backter,¡± they say and turn, jogging off into the darkness. I turn back to the ones I can help now. ¡°Your names?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Chloe and these are my daughters, Lillian and Addison. How is Brooklyn¡¯s mother, I think her name is Leah,¡± Chloe asks. as we walk. ¡°She¡¯s in the pack hospital as well,¡± I say. I¡¯m not sure how much the other pack members know, so I¡¯m not going to assume that they know that Leah rejected her mate. By the time we get the girls settled, it¡¯s nearly time for training. I look at Hunter. ¡°I doubt I¡¯m going to defeat you today. I¡¯m way. too tired.¡± ¡°If our visitors weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d say we could go back to bed, but we missed themst night. We need to be here for them this morning.¡± ¡°I know. The joys of running a pack. That¡¯s okay, I want to see Allison this morning, see how she¡¯s doing.¡± We rush to our room and shower before heading down to warrior training. When we arrive, I see that Hunter was right. Allison¡¯s neck is covered in h**ys and Kayce¡¯s scent is all over her.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The One 54 The One 54 Chapter 54: Lotus Flowers Robin The more I get to know about that little Alpha, the more I like her. I¡¯ve always wanted a mate who would challenge me, keep. me on my toes, and give me a run for my money. I¡¯ve got an entire pack of wolves who defer to me, obey me, and follow my lead. That¡¯s not what I want in a mate. Yes, I want someone who can bnce me. Yes, I want someone who can calm me when the Alpha in me bes too overwhelming for those around me. But I want a challenge, I want the passion and excitement thates from someone who can push my buttons and rock my world. And something tells me that little Alpha is just the one to do it. Unfortunately, she¡¯s underage so I won¡¯t know if she¡¯s my mate until after her birthday, the date of which she refused to give me, which makes me think it¡¯s soon. All night at the party, she challenged me, challenged my beliefs in the public imings and truly, more than anything else, helped me to see that this isn¡¯t a rebellion on the part of our she-wolves. They really, truly don¡¯t want this. It tears them down in a way that a mate should never tear down the one they love. I had an opportunity to speak to Beta Lucas during the evening as well. He confirmed for me what he felt from his mate and the struggles that they have had toe together. ¡°Honestly, it was Sophie that I think has made the difference. My mate didn¡¯t trust me. She¡¯d take Hunter¡¯s word before mine, ||| 1203 her own mate. I think, between the two of us, Hunter and I could have helped rebuild Kinsley¡¯s inner strength, but it was Sophieing here that changed her. She¡¯s seen what our mate bond could be, what it should have been from the very beginning. And I¡¯ll tell you this. If I could go back and do it over, I¡¯d take the stance that Hunter did every time. I would choose my mate of ourws every time, because our she-wolves are right, and ourws are wrong.¡± I¡¯d had a restless night, not only because I have to decide how I will vote at the Committee, but a certain brown-haired, green- eyed little Alpha kept popping into my head. I smile as I get ready for Hunter¡¯s warrior training this morning. I¡¯d noticed the little Alpha, Nikki, watching me throughout the night. She tried to be subtle, but she hasn¡¯t had as much practice at it as I have. When I get outside, I¡¯m not surprised to see the Beta, Allison, covered in Kayce¡¯s hickeys and his scent. That tells me exactly how he ns to vote. He¡¯s siding with Hunter. ¡°nning to exercise your eyeballs the entire training session, big Alpha?¡± Nikki says, passing me. Her crutches from yesterday are gone and she looks like she¡¯s nning to spar today. I quickly fall into step beside her. ¡°Are you cleared for sparring?¡± I ask, secretly pleased that her antagonistic behavior is continuing this morning. I hope that means she¡¯s enjoying it as much as I am. She turns and gives me a look that¡¯s all Alpha. ¡°I don¡¯t need a doctor to tell me that I¡¯m healed enough to spar.¡± ¡°Actually, you do,¡± Hunter says, putting himself in front of her and blocking her path. ¡°My doctors didn¡¯t operate on you for hours just so you could mess up your leg again because you¡¯re 14.52 12.02 288 Vouchers pushing too hard.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I go with you, Nikki. We can go see the doctor now, have them take a quick x-ray of your leg and if they give the all- clear, you cane back for the second half of training,¡± Luna Sophie says, putting her hand on her mate¡¯s arm and more or less pushing him out of the way. The gesture doesn¡¯t go unnoticed by her mate, who raises an eyebrow at her, but she just ignores him. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you, little Alpha. We can talk more about all the reasons that ourws are wrong,¡± I say, hoping for some more time with her before I leave today. As much as I want to stay, my pack borders Alpha Aiden¡¯s on the side not bordered by Kayce. I don¡¯t trust Aiden so I don¡¯t like being gone for long periods of time when I know he¡¯s in his pack. He¡¯s too power hungry. However, most of the time these days, he¡¯s out hunting she-wolves. ¡®She smells really good,¡¯ Derric, my wolf, says, breathing in her scent deeply. For someone so thorny on the outside, she smells floral, like a lotus flower. Beautiful and delicate, but also resilient and strong, just like Nikki. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of getting myself to and from the pack hospital, thank you, big Alpha,¡± she says, giving me a fake smile before turning away from me. ¡®Be right back,¡¯ I mouth to Hunter, who shakes his head at me. I see Sophie give him a worried look, but he shakes his head. Even if Nikki was of age, which she isn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t disrespect Hunter or Nikki by iming her against her will, here or anywhere. 31.94% ? 12.02 I quickly catch up, scooping her into my arms. Derric begins. purring at having our scent on her. 288 Vouchers ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡± she insists as I carry her off. ¡°Where is the pack hospital,¡± I ask, looking around and ignoring her. I already know where it is, but I¡¯m using this time to hold her close. ¡°Alpha Robin, I insist that you put me down this instant!¡± she says, crossing her arms over her chest. I notice that she¡¯s not actually fighting me, or squirming in my arms to get down, so I ignore her again. Her heartbeat hasn¡¯t increased, well it did, but if the increased scent of lotus flowers is any indication, it¡¯s not because she¡¯s scared of me. ¡®I can almost taste her floral scent. I bet she tastes delicious,¡± Derric says. Since Derric has never shown this much interest in woman before, I look at Nikki more closely. a ¡°Are you going to point me in the direction of the hospital or am I going to carry you around the entire pack. I mean, I am an Alpha, honey, but this is a lot of weight to be carrying all over,¡± I say, exaggeratedly lifting her body in my arms, ¡°you aren¡¯t exactly light.¡± Her eyes go wide and fire shes in her eyes. ¡°You did NOT just imply that I¡¯m heavy?¡± I shrug. ¡°I mean¡­¡± She narrows her eyes at me, leaning back against my arm. ¡°Hmmm, you must be one of those weak Alphas, if I¡¯m so heavy ¨C to you. Maybe you should head back to training and work on 47.161 §â 12:03 that muscle strength, Alpha. I guess I shouldn¡¯t even call you big Alpha anymore, If you¡¯re going to be such a wimp.¡± Oh, my little Alpha, how I love ying these games with you. ¡°Or maybe,¡± I say, putting my mouth near her ear, ¡°you¡¯re so desperate to be in my arms that you¡¯re hoping I get lost and have to carry you around for hours,¡± I say, murmuring in her ear. I have to hide my smile when her body shivers in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s over there,¡± she says snarkily pointing in the direction of the pack hospital. ¡°Would you prefer it if I walk you around the pack carrying you some more first?¡± I ask, smirking at her. ¡°Trying to get out of warrior training so the other Alphas don¡¯t embarrass you?¡± she retorts. F**k, this woman has got me so turned on right now. I hope to hell she¡¯s my mate because if she isn¡¯t, I may have to fight whoever is so I can make her mine. I carry her into the pack hospital, refusing to put her down even once we¡¯re inside. ¡°We¡¯re here to have Alpha Nikki checked to see if her leg is. healed enough to participate in warrior training,¡± I tell the person at the front desk. ¡°Of course, give me one moment,¡± she says. I stand there, waiting. ¡°You can put me down now,¡± she says quietly. 61.30% 12.031 ¡°You could put your arm around my neck. It would be morefortable for both of us and maybe then you wouldn¡¯t keep jabbing me with your elbow when I say something that annoys you.¡± ¡°Are you trying to annoy me?¡± she asks, narrowing her eyes. again. ¡°I like your spirit. I like the way you stand up to me,¡± I say, looking her in the eye. Whether it¡¯s my gaze or my honesty, Nikki is at a loss for words. Her mouth opens and closes a couple of times before she¡¯s saved from responding by us being called back. I wait while they take her x-rays and then until the doctores in and tells her that she needs to take it easy one more day. ¡°What does take it easy mean? I can¡¯t attend warrior training? Doc, there¡¯s a waring, I need to be prepared to fight,¡± she says seriously. ¡°How about punching? Can she work on her punches? That way she¡¯s not kicking and spinning,¡± I say, recognizing how important this is to her. She looks at me and I can see how surprised she is that I¡¯m trying to find a way to help her. ¡°If she¡¯s punching only, I¡¯ll allow it. No contact from her opponent that could knock her off bnce and make her fall or try to spin out of the way.¡± She sighs. ¡°Thanks, Doc. So, tomorrow I can spar?¡± ¡°Yes, tomorrow you can get back to regr training.¡± 73.75% 12031 Cafe 54:1-alue Flowers JAB Nachers She nods and 1 go to pick her up, but she hops down quickly and points her finger at me. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You sure?¡± I ask, smiling at her. ¡°Yes.¡± When we step outside, I can see she¡¯s focused on her own thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours? I thought you¡¯d be happy that you could at least punch.¡± She looks at me. ¡°Who¡¯s going to give up their training to help the near-invalid practice her punching? No one.¡± I grab her arm and pull her to a stop. ¡°Uh, I thought it was obvious that I was going to do that. Hunter has pads. I¡¯ll put them on, and you can practice your punches.¡± ¡°You would do that for me?¡± She looks surprised again. I¡¯m. hoping it¡¯s because no other Alpha has ever treated her like this and not because she thinks that I¡¯m an a**hole. ¡°Yeah, and besides, I wouldn¡¯t want the other Alphas to embarrass me in training. So, you¡¯re really doing me a favor here,¡± I say. I get the smile I was hoping for and when she looks away, I scoop her back into my arms. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hey, nothing. If we¡¯re going to convince the others that I¡¯m doing you a favor, it has to look real,¡± I say, beginning to walk to where I know Hunter keeps his sparring pads. 96.67% 12.03 Chapter 51 Lotus Flowers ¡°Fine,¡± she says, and I¡¯m rewarded by her putting her arm around my neck. ¡°Two weeks,¡± she says. ¡°What¡¯s two weeks.¡± ¡°My birthday.¡± Hot d**n!All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The One 55 The One 55 Chapter 55: How¡¯s ¡°What¡¯s pump On With Home Paris H**er *m guessing that was made an impression on him he THE MOSTL TWO TO DAW Dnes te to like trepubic camings, but he also would teler disse me iketta.¡± Disenter VOL as Stovat ne de womed abou ossesecing What? ¡°es a and face fac cont allow DUDIC camnings in my back it would be extrenewdsrespectful and World STC STW chance of an aliance fire dc. Wade Te destiti care aupunta say Frost News underage and Room isn¡¯t Owen. Second, te and face are pose if face is gongo sce wine which it cos Me te s tren Foom will have to think twicef te sit panning II. Those two are regnoos and to have an aliance just like your father and Duton Pus Tesco Abra Aden on his other SITE SI T¡¯S JEter for him to maman the aliance between nim and fara essecaly if a war ising, te says as we ger ready for daming I wanch as Alisson pars off with Abra Kayce 1 saw than coming,¡± I say, turning to my own mate. ¡°Who didn¡¯t? He¡¯s basically put his im in neon lights on her neck,¡± Hunter snorts. ¡°Is that what you would have done,¡± I ask him as we begin. As expected, my exhaustion is making me slow. Hunter, however, is somehow powering through the fatigue. ¡°Yes. I would have wanted everyone to know that if they touched you, I¡¯d kill them, because the thought of anyone else putting their hands on you was and is abhorrent to me,¡± he says. He¡¯s able to put me into a hold, wrapping his arms around me and pulling my back to his chest. ¡°Focus,¡± he growls in my ear. ¡°I¡¯m trying. How are you able to put theck of sleep aside?¡± I ask. ¡°What if I was Owen? Are you going to let him win just because you¡¯re tired?¡± ¡°Hell no, but you¡¯re not Owen.¡± He taps his temple. ¡°Mind over matter, my love.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± I hear Kayce say near me. I turn and see that he has a panting Allison pinned to the ground and then, I watch as that little brat steals my move. She lifts up, running her nose over Kayce¡¯s neck, licking him from the top of his chest to his chin and the moment he¡¯s distracted enough to loosen his grip, she flips their positions. ¡°That looks familiar,¡± Hunter says. ¡°Now, back to practice,¡± he says, smacking my ass hard. 13.87% 12.03 ay rubbing my bem cht Tina you¡¯re the sleazy Owen and I hate your guts,¡± I say. m**y pulling up Owen & image in my head. This time, I¡¯m able to hold my own, unwilling to allow Owen to get the better of me. Hunter is a better fighter than Owen and I¡¯ en pretty sure Owen wouldn¡¯t have been able to pin me, but Hunter did, although it took a lot longer. ¡°Very good,¡± he says, praising me before rewarding me by kissing my neck and whispering the new position he intends to try with me tonight. More than anything. Hunter¡¯s praise and rewards will make me work harder. My body shivers as they call the end of training and we head inside to eat breakfast. ¡°I¡¯m surprised Nikki didn¡¯t make it back,¡± I say as we catch up to Allison, Kayce, and Letti. ¡°I saw her and Alpha Robin going into that building over there,¡± Letti says, and I look up, just as Robin and Nikki walk out. ¡°What is that building?¡± I ask Hunter, not having seen it yet. ¡°It¡¯s our indoor training facility. I¡¯m guessing Nikki wasn¡¯t cleared for sparring, but Robin found a way to help her work out.¡± Alpha Kayce turns and looks at Hunter. ¡°Not like that,¡± Hunter says Kayce just snorts and when they walk up, Nikki let¡¯s Hunter know that she¡¯s cleared to return to training tomorrow. Over breakfast, Alpha Kayce talks to Hunter about remaining in our pack until the Committee meeting so he can stay close to Allison. Hunter agrees easily. I take the time to let the others know that we had two Beta femalese to the bordersst night. ¡°They said they¡¯de back this morning. I told them it was too early to wake you but that I¡¯d let the three of you tell them that it¡¯ s safe here. Hopefully, you all feel safe and are willing to talk to them,¡± I say. ¡°Of course. I mean, I can¡¯t speak for the others, but I¡¯ll talk to them,¡± Nikki says. ¡°I will too,¡± Allison says, ncing at Kayce who somehow seems to know she¡¯s looking at him and reaches out to touch her without stopping the conversation with Hunter. ¡®I would do that too, if Letti wasn¡¯t sitting between us,¡¯ Hunter says in my head. ¡®How do you focus on so many things all at once?¡¯ I ask. He¡¯s talking to Hunter and Robin, talking to me in his head, and still scanning the pack to make sure that everything is okay. ¡®Practice. I¡¯ve been doing it for years. You¡¯ll get there, if for no other reason than I know how competitive you are,¡¯ he says, and I can see a smile twitching at his lips. ¡°What about you, Letti? Do you want to join us?¡± I ask her. 45.32% 12031 ¡®I ampetitive,¡¯ I say. ¡®And obviously practicing right now,¡¯ he says. Letti is looking at me. **it, I missed what she said. ¡®She said yes,¡¯ Hunter says. D**n, that¡¯s four things he¡¯s listening to. How does he do it? This time he can¡¯t stop the smile. ¡°Thanks, Letti. Thank you all. These two are identical twins, so I feel like they are at an even higher risk being out on their own.¡± ¡°Twins? Are you talking about Tiffany and Tammi?¡± Allison asks. ¡°Yes,¡± I say, frowning at her. The table goes quiet as we all turn to look at Allison. ¡°Oh my goddess! I know them. They¡¯ll listen to me. Where are they?¡± ¡°Easy baby, Luna Sophie said they¡¯d being back, right Luna?¡± Kayce asks. Obviously, he¡¯s also adept at listening to and contributing to multiple conversations at once. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But Kayce, they¡¯re out there. Even if they¡¯re close, Sophie was almost captured by Alpha Owen before Alpha Hunter marked her.¡± She¡¯s just finished saying it when we hear a howl, a cry for help, followed very closely by a howl of the hunt. TH Chapter 55 Howle 289 (Vouchers ¡°S**t!¡± I say and jump up, Hunter right behind me. I race outside and leap, ready to shift. Hunter, Kayce, Robin, Letti, and Allison all shift quickly and begin racing to the border, along with other warriors. ¡°NO!¡± Hedda yells in my head, a moment toote. Thankfully, Hedda¡¯s reflexes are quick and I¡¯m able to duck and roll on the ground. ¡®Hedda, what the f**k?¡¯ I ask. I¡¯ve never not been able to shift. I¡¯ m a f**g Alpha after all. ¡°Luna? Are you alright?¡± Nikki asks. She can¡¯t shift yet either because of her injury. ¡°Yeah,e on,¡± I say, and we begin running to the border, knowing we¡¯ll get therete. ¡®Hedda, what the f**k is going on? Why can¡¯t I shift?¡¯ I ask as we run. I notice Nikki looking at me out of the corner of her eye. She¡¯s wondering why I can¡¯t shift too. ¡®Okay, trust me, I didn¡¯t know until this minute. I¡¯m¡­.we¡¯re¡­.we¡¯ re carrying a pup.¡¯ I stumble again,ing to a stop. ¡®WHAT?¡¯ I yell at her in my mind. I look down at my t stomach. Okay, Hunter and I have been going at it like rabbits ever since that first night, but, I mean, for her to know already¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sure it happened the night he marked us. He did say we had a lot of Alpha sperm floating around inside us. He¡¯s done nothing but add to that number every day since we¡¯ve been 76 21% Chafter 55 Howls 1288 /Vouchers here. We¡¯re both Alphas, so our babies will be strong and will grow and develop quickly,¡¯ Hedda says. She¡¯s purring in my head, proud to be carrying Shaw and Hunter¡¯s pup, but I¡¯m still a bit in shock. I didn¡¯t even know we had an indoor training facility two hours ago and now I¡¯m possibly carrying the Alpha heir? ¡°Luna?¡± Nikki asks, looking at me and my hands covering my stomach. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say a word. Alpha Hunter should hear it from you. Come on, let¡¯s go find out what¡¯s going on,¡± she says smiling, just as I hear snarling and snappinging from our border.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The One 56 The One 56 Chapter 56: ric Nikki I¡¯m d to know that Luna Sophie is pregnant and it¡¯s not something else that caused her to be unable to shift. She¡¯d looked terrified for a moment, and it had made me a bit. nervous. I don¡¯t know much about mate bonds, but I know I don¡¯ t want to lose my wolf. With all the craziness going on, pregnancy hadn¡¯t been on my mind. They¡¯ve only been together for a couple of weeks. It¡¯s unheard of for a she-wolf, even ant Alpha, to be pregnant that quickly. But it makes me wonder if that¡¯s how it could be, how it should be when the mate bond is strong like theirs. As we run to where the sounds of fighting are urring, I catch his scent and my stomach drops. ric, my brother, is here. Along with that scent, I catch his Beta¡¯s scent and the scent of two other Beta females. I wonder if these are the twins that Luna Sophie was telling us about. When we jog up, I stay hidden behind some of Alpha Hunter¡¯s warriors. He¡¯s at the front of the group, in his human form, snarling at my brother and his Beta. I smell two others from my old pack, possibly his G**a, and maybe another warrior. My brother is so s**d. He assumes that while he¡¯s out leading the hunt, no one will attack and take over his pack. If I was there, I would. I¡¯d be a better Alpha than he is. ¡°Those she-wolves are unmarked Betas. Step aside and let us im them,¡± my brother growls. 12.04 ¡°Those she wolves are under my protection. You will not cross my borders, or you will be attacked,¡± Alpha Hunter growls. I look and see that Alpha Robin and Alpha Kayce are still in wolf form. They are standing behind Hunter, nking him in front of his warriors. I smile. I guess that means that Alpha Robin is taking Alpha Hunter¡¯s side on this. I¡¯m d. I like spending time with him, but I¡¯d stop if he turned out to be like my brother. ¡°This is war, Hunter! Do you realize that?¡± my brother asks. I see the Beta twins. They¡¯ve shifted back to human form and are huddled on the ground, trying to make themselves small. Letti and Allison are in wolf form, surrounding them and Luna Sophie is there, wrapping her arms them, trying to help calm them. I hate my brother, he¡¯s so arrogant. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t, but I¡¯ve never backed down from a fight. It¡¯s one of the reasons his Beta covets me. ¡°If it doese to war, brother,¡± I snarl his rtion to me, ¡°then what will happen to your pack when you¡¯re here waging war?¡± I ask, stepping past the warriors and looking my brother in the eye. ¡°Nicole. I should have known that you were here. It¡¯s time for you toe home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I say, and notice that Robin subtly shifts to stand in front of me. ric looks back at Hunter. ¡°She¡¯s underage Hunter, she¡¯s my sister and under my protection,¡± he says, and I snort. ¨C J 120 ¡°Protection? Is that what you call locking me away?¡± ¡°She¡¯s under MY protection now, rlo,¡± Hunter growls. ¡°Nikki, you shoulde home,¡± ric¡¯s Beta, Camden, says looking over my body covetously, I¡¯m guessing my brother told him he could have me if he helped him find a mate. Camden has always liked my smart mouth and fiery spirit, but something In me has wondered if that¡¯s only because he likes the idea of trying to break me. Cam always did like a challenge, but he¡¯s not known for his kindness. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Camden. But ric, you should heed my warning. You can wage war, you can come here and attack. Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack,¡± I say and see Hunter nce at me. He doesn¡¯t like the idea of me instigating a war. Even Robin backs up as if trying to quiet me with his presence. ¡°But who¡¯s watching your pack while you, your Beta, your G**a, and your Lead Warrior are all here? Honestly brother, did it even ur to you that any other Alpha could just walk in and take over your pack? How foolish of you to leave yourself and your pack so open to attack and takeover,¡± I say, taunting him. I know my brother. He has a short fuse but he¡¯s a coward. He¡¯ll either s**dly attack or he¡¯ll leave, worrying that his pack has been overtaken while he¡¯s gone. ¡°No one would dare,¡± he growls. I look at my nails, examining them. They need to be trimmed. ¡°I would have, if I was there. There are a lot of ranked she- wolves out on the run. A pack left open like that is an easy target. A ce where they can take up residence and have a home again.¡± 12.04 Chapter Me rc 299 Mouchers ¡°And what would you do when I return, little sister? I¡¯ll tell you, you¡¯d get on your knees and beg for my forgiveness,¡± he snarls. Iugh. ¡°Oh ric. You¡¯re so short-sighted. Any self-respecting leader would have already had the entire pack swear their loyalty to them through a blood bond, renouncing you as their Alpha. It wouldn¡¯t BE your pack any longer. They would attack you, if you came for their new leader.¡± ¡°She-wolves don¡¯t lead,¡± he growls. ¡°We¡¯ll just add that to the list ofws that need to be changed. I¡¯ d make a much better leader than you ever will,¡± I snap back, standing my ground. ¡°You need to leave, Alpha ric. Your sister and those Betas are under my protection. If you choose to wage war, so be it. Your sister seems perfectly happy and capable of taking over your pack in your absence,¡± Hunter says, surprising me. ric growls, ring at Hunter before turning and shifting, howling for the others to follow him. Camden takes an extra moment to look at me. ¡°See you soon, Nikki,¡± he says, looking me over once more. ¡°I doubt it, Cam,¡± I say as Robin growls a low, menacing growl, the hair on the back of his wolf going up. ¡°Found yourself an Alpha protector, I see. He won¡¯t be able to keep me from you, Nikki. You¡¯re mine,¡± he snarls, eliciting a snarl from Robin who takes a step forward. I grab hold of his tail, not breaking eye contact with Cam. ¡°I never was, and I never will be yours, Cam. Now run along. You 57.18% 12.04 Chime 16- Male. 788 Noucher. wouldn¡¯t want my brother starting a ***d war with someone else while you¡¯re here wasting your breath, would you?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he growls, turning to look at Hunter before. leaping and racing after my brother. No one moves while we watch the four wolves racing off. ¡°Double the patrols,¡± Hunter says not turning. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Kayce turns, jogging over to where Allison is still standing guard over the Beta twins. They huddle away from him as he approaches, but Sophie calms them, letting them know that he¡¯s on our side. I didn¡¯t realize I was still holding Robin¡¯s tail until it pulls out of my hand as he shifts. ¡°What the **k was that?¡± he asks, turning on me. He is very, very angry. I lift my chin, ready for the fight. ¡°My brother is a coward. I knew he wouldn¡¯t start a fight. I wasn¡¯ t instigating a war¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a f**k about a war, what was that between you and that Beta.¡± I frown. Robin is panting in his anger, his aura pushing out all around us. I tilt my head to the side and look at him, realizing that his wolf is on the edge. I¡¯m not sure why, but I put my hand on his bare chest, wanting to soothe him. 76.42% 111 12.04 0 1288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure my brother told Camden he could have me as his mate, as long as he tamed me,¡± I say, shrugging. The others around us are slowly starting to head back, the patrols getting back to guarding the borders. ¡°He can¡¯t have you,¡± he growls¡­ ¡°I said as much, didn¡¯t I?¡± He yanks me against his body. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Nicole.¡± ¡°I hate that name,¡± I say softly. His voice softens. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Nikki.¡± ¡°That remains to be seen, Alpha. And it very much depends on how you side on this public iming law.¡± ¡°Mine!¡± he says, before his mouth ims mine in a kiss that is somehow soft and dominantly possessive at the same time.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The One 57 The One 57 Chapter 57: News Hunter My mind is all over the ce. First, I¡¯m worried about Sophie. She and I had been side by side when we left the dining hall, but she hadn¡¯t shifted ande with me. I knew the moment she arrived with Nikki, but she wasn¡¯t in her wolf form. As worried as I am about her, I have to put it aside as I have two Beta females who rushed past me begging for sanctuary, and right behind them are three ranked wolves and another powerful wolf. I had assumed that once Nikki knew her brother was here, she¡¯d remain quiet, but I quickly learned that I was wrong. If anything, she seemed quite antagonistic toward her brother. At first, I thought she was instigating a war, but then she made thement about her brother¡¯s pack being unprotected. I need to make sure I never underestimate this woman. She strategizes like an Alpha, an Alpha who runs a pack. I¡¯m not sure if anyone else would have threatened to overtake ric¡¯s pack and as his sister, she would have an easy im, although she¡¯s right, thews are against her. I can tell that Robin isn¡¯t happy with the Beta who tries to stake. his im on Nikki. While the two of them sort it out, I need to find out what¡¯s wrong with my mate and deal with these Betas. ¡°Tiffany and Tammi, the two of you are now under my protection. Are you both okay?¡± I ask,ing up and pulling my mate to me. I need to touch her, make sure she¡¯s alright. Her mind is swirling around, but nothing that makes sense to me. 0.00% 12:04 285 Moochere They stare at Sophie, not answering me. It¡¯s okay. I told you Hunter imed me differently. Our rtionship is very different than what you¡¯ve experienced before,¡± Sophie tells them. ¡°Trust me, it is,¡± Letti says, shifting. I nod to one of my warriors who quickly gets some shirts in one of the many spots in the pack where we keep them for times when they¡¯re needed, like this. I toss one to each of the twins, one to Letti, and one to Kayce who is standing over Allison¡¯s wolf, his hand stroking her fur. I¡¯m assuming he doesn¡¯t want her shifting in front of all of us, since there are a lot of males around. ¡°So, are you both okay?¡± I ask again. ¡°Yes, thank you, Alpha,¡± they say. As soon as Allison shifts, Kayce has the shirt over her head. ¡°Tiffany! Tammi!¡± Allison says, hugging the twins. ¡°Ali! Oh my goddess, Ali! We didn¡¯t know you were here!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take them inside and get them something to eat,¡± I say. Sophie and I will be right there and then we¡¯ll find you a ce to sleep and talk about what you¡¯d like from us.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha. Thank you for not letting them im us publicly,¡± one of the twins says. I¡¯m not sure who is who. Their scents are simr, but just a bit different. They both have a sweet citrusy smell to them, one is vani and lemon, the other is vani and orange. Once I connect their scent to their name, I¡¯ Il be better able to tell them apart 12.05 ¡°You¡¯re wee and I meant what I said to Alpha ric. You¡¯re both under my protection now.¡± They nod and begin walking inside, Kayce following behind like a warrior protecting his queen. I wonder if that¡¯s what I look like. with Sophie. ¡°Probably,¡± she says, turning in my arms. ¡°Can we sit? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re worried about me not shifting?¡± ¡°Yes. Are you okay. Is something wrong?¡± I ask, stroking her hair out of her face so I can see her more clearly. She chuckles. ¡°You could say that. Come on, let¡¯s sit.¡± She takes my hand and pulls us even farther away from the others. I sit on a tree stump and pull her into myp. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask her. ¡°So, Hedda swears that she didn¡¯t know until that very moment, but¡­¡± she stops, looking at me and I see Hedda shining in her eyes. Shaw pushes forward, wanting to be here for his mate, no matter what they tell us. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± I blink. I blink again. I watch as a frown begins to form on Sophie¡¯s face. ¡°Hunter? Did you hear me? I said I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°With a pup?¡± I ask. Okay, it¡¯s not my finest moment. But the first time you hear that you¡¯re going to be a father, especially when it¡¯s only a couple of weeks after finding your m?te, after wanting her and not finding her for years¡­well, you might sound 1205 As wou sykes wing beams to spread was van bok dowiat ber that stomach,ying my SWAYS NOIg berhard over 7¡¯s very early if thedda You te bevoNG YOU¡¯RE HAVING MY PUPY SAV jumping up and swinging Sophie around in my arms! She beginsughing her sweet Shphieugh. Then I stop stigate and kasing this anazing woman who lets gling me outs in my e I pull back abrug). You need to eat! You need to eat more And no more training! You can¡¯t gain if you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Hurter.¡± she says warningh ¡°You¡¯re carrying my pup, Sophiel ¡°Yes, and I was carrying your pup this morning, yesterday, and the day before and I was able to train,¡± she growls. ¡°But that was before I knew¡­ She puts her fingers over my mouth. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the doctor what they think before you start putting restrictions on me that are going to cause us to have an argument,¡± she says, as if this is the only reasonable solution. ¡°Sophie¡­¡± ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± ¡°No, but..¡± ¡°Have you ever had a pup before?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°Do you know what¡¯s best for me?¡± I open my mouth and quickly close it again. It had been on the tip of my tongue to say yes, but I know my mate well enough to know she won¡¯t ept that answer. ¡°That¡¯s a trick question,¡± I say instead. She smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll make an appointment to see the doctor. Until then, if Hedda says I can do it, then I¡¯m doing it.¡± ¡°Doctor, today or tomorrow, and I want to be there,¡± I insist. ¡°Where else would you be when I get confirmation that I¡¯m having our pup,¡± she says, cupping my face in her hands and lifting up on her toes to kiss me. I growl possessively, now not just for my mate, but for the pup that she¡¯s carrying. My pup. I¡¯m going to have a pup. F**k! We¡¯re going to war and I¡¯m going to have a pup. That adds an entirely new level of stress to an already stressful situation. Now, there¡¯s no option of defeat, no choice that I could possibly lose. I had too much to live for before, but now? Now, there¡¯s no alternative. I have to win the battle with the Committee of Alphas, and I have to win this war for Sophie and for our pup. I lift my mate into my arms and carry her into the packhouse. I 74 42% 1203 News 1 298 Vouchers should probably wait, the doctor hasn¡¯t confirmed it yet, but I¡¯m too excited. I step into the dining room that is full of our pack members and our guests. ¡°Attention everyone! Your Luna has just informed me of some exciting news!¡± ¡°Hunter¡­¡± Sophie says, looking at me. ¡°It¡¯s too good not to share, Soph,¡± I say, kissing her nose. I can feel the excitement in the pack. It feels like the stronger my bond is to Sophie is, the stronger my bond is to my pack, ¡°Your Luna and I are going to have a pup!¡± I say, leaning in to kiss Sophie as the room erupts into deafening cheers all around US. The One 58 The One 58 Chapter 58: Preparations Sophie I d Hunter is happy that we¡¯re having a pup. I do wish he¡¯d waited until we¡¯d at least seen the doctor before he announced it to the pack though. ¡®Why? I¡¯m sure,¡¯ Hedda purrs in my head. ¡®I know. I¡¯m just¡­there¡¯s so much going on right now, Hedda. So much that could go wrong¡­ ¡®Or right¡­¡¯ she says. ¡®You don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen at the Committee meeting.¡¯ She¡¯s right and after Alpha ric chased the twins over our borders, it¡¯s been crazy getting ready for the Committee meeting. Kayce stayed as expected while a very reluctant Robin finally left and returned to his pack, swearing to Nikki that he¡¯d side with us, and he would be returning on her birthday to im her¡­privately. I can see she¡¯s nervous, but she¡¯s been incredible around the pack, helping in warrior training, assisting with the patrols. She called Allison a beast, and Allison is great, but Nikki? She¡¯s all Alpha. Meanwhile, Hunter, Kayce, and I have been on the phone nearly non-stop with my father, Alpha Dutton, Alpha Robin, Alpha Calvin, and Alpha Ez?a. Hunter had spoken to him, and he¡¯d been willing to support changing thews. Even without having 0.00% 12.05 Unsch 8th parafies ever met the man, I could hear his depression through the phone, the loss of his mate still wolghing heavily on him. 200 (ouchent This morning, I¡¯m getting ready to finally stand in front of the Committee of Alphas. I stare at myself in the full-length mirror, watching Hunter getting ready behind me. ¡°How many are there again,¡± I ask for the hundredth time. My palms are sweating, and my stomach is in knots. What if they Insist that Hunter im me in front of them? What if they refuse to let us leave without him doing it? What if they deny me as his Luna? I can¡¯t leave Hunter. But the thoughtN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. of having to have something so private, so special, shared in front of those disgusting Alphas In makes me want to vomit. Hunter¡¯s handse around me from behind, his lips press against the back of my head as Shaw begins purring loudly, working hard to calm me. ¡°Fourteen, including you and me. Twelve who will be on the voting panel. Your sister, as a Luna isn¡¯t considered a voting member,¡± he says, kissing my shoulder. Of course she isn¡¯t. Women aren¡¯t considered equal by this Committee, even if we have Alpha blood. ¡°And we need a majority to keep from going to war?¡± I ask, knowing we have six on our side. ¡°Yes. Alpha Zahn is still an unknown.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one whose mate threw herself off a cliff?¡± I ask. ¡°His second mate. His first one killed herself too.¡± I suck in air. ¡°But then¡­¡± ||| 12:05 They don¡¯t care about fated mates any longer. They will never have what we have. But I don¡¯t pity them,¡± he growls. ¡°They did this to themselves. ¡°What¡­.what happens if we don¡¯t get the majority vote?¡± I ask, turning in his arms. He shrugs. ¡°They could insist that I mark and mate you in front of them and then all is fine,¡± he says. I knew it, but I still tense. He leans in and kisses my nose. I won¡¯t. Ever.¡± He sighs, looking over my head. ¡°Then, they will threaten to have you removed as my Luna and they will threaten to have my title as Alpha removed, and then it will be the threat of war.¡± And then we go to war,¡± I say. ¡°Then we go to war,¡± he confirms. ¡°But Nikki did give me a great idea when she was talking to her brother. I already had an angle, one that I know will hit home with the Alphas on our side and if nothing else, clearly bring them into the war with us. But her angle helps us even more.¡± ¡°What angle is that?¡± I ask. ¡°About no one watching the packs while the Alphas are out hunting their mates. If they dere war on us, and still think that they will be able to hunt for their mates, they are sorely mistaken. I haven¡¯t felt the need to decimate their packs until now, but I will, if ites to that, preferably starting with Owen,¡± he growls. ¡°What other angle do you have?¡± ¡°Your pregnancy. It¡¯s unheard of for a mated couple to be 33.96% III 12.05 Chapter 5 Preparations 1298 Vouchers pregnant this soon. Your sister and Calvin are pretty rare and that has been two years. Two weeks? Unheard of.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you got the doctor¡¯s report that says that I¡¯m carrying your pup?¡± ¡°Yep. Got it right here,¡± he says, lifting the notebook that he¡¯s bringing to the Committee meeting. ¡°And we¡¯re sure, our six are truly on our side?¡± I ask, my heart still thumping in my chest. He pulls back, looking at me. ¡°Do you have concerns about any of them?¡± shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know them as well as you do. I believe Kayce, Robin, and my father will definitely side with us. I¡¯m pretty sure that Calvin will as well, especially since my sister will be there. But I¡¯m not confident about Alphas Dutton and Ezra.¡± ¡°Dutton will stand beside us. I¡¯ve known him for a long time, and you gave him a lot to think about. Ezra will also. He still struggles with losing my sister. He loved herpletely, like I love you. Unfortunately, she was never able to give him the same love and affection in return.¡± He strokes his fingers across my cheek, staring at his hand. ¡°I¡¯m only now realizing how hard that must have been for him, for Lucas, for Calvin. To have the woman that you feel everything for and knowing that she doesn¡¯t feel the same for you because of what you did to her. I can¡¯t¡­.¡± his voice is quiet and by the end, his voice breaks. I can feel the fear through the bond of what it would mean to him to lose me, for our bond to be broken like that. 52 165 12.05 Cupon 53 Peparations 1288 Vouchers ¡°And thankfully, you are a strong enough man to stand up for what is right. You are the kind of man who would burn down the world for the woman he loves. And I¡¯m the lucky woman who gets to call herself yours.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m the lucky one. I AM mated to the legend, you know,¡± he says, smirking. I grunt. ¡°Not that again.¡± ¡°You know it wille up today. The Alphas want nothing more than for you to go away. They me you for everything that has happened.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing that they give me so much power but take it all away from the other ranked she- wolves.¡± ¡°You scare them with the amount of power you wield.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wield any power,¡± I say, leaning into him. ¡°Don¡¯t you? Those she-wolves are only here in our pack because of you. Kinsley is getting stronger, inrge part, because of you. I am a stronger man, a stronger Alpha, because of you. You have more power than you know, Sophie. You may not want to be the face of this revolution, but make no mistake, if you were to stand against those Alphas, you could start a revolution all on your own. You don¡¯t need me at all.¡± ¡°On the contrary, Alpha. I desperately need you. Multiple times a day,¡± I say, smiling flirtatiously up at him. ¡°Needing me for sex and needing me in your life aren¡¯t the same, Soph.¡± 71 42% 12.05 ¡°I need you for everything, Hunter I didn¡¯t realize how much I needed someone else until you came into my life. But even that night when you took Nikki to the pack hospital, I was feeling out. of control, uneasy. Just reaching out and feeling your presence. in my mind, even though you were focused on her, it still soothed me. If I am to be the cause of the revolution, you, my dear mate, are the foundation that allows me to lead and to shine. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.¡± He smiles down at me for a long moment. ¡°How is it possible that I can love you more every day?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I feel the same, He leans in, kissing my softly, sweetly, tenderly. The kiss lingers and all my worries about today leave my mind. Maybe that was his n, because by the time we¡¯re ready to go, I square my shoulders, lift my chin, and take my mate¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± 1 The One 59 The One 59 Chapter 59: Committee of Alphas Hunter I can feel my mate¡¯s tension as we walk into themittee chambers. The Alphas, being pompous a**holes, made sure that their seats sat up much higher than those who were there to be heard. This way, they can literally look down their noses at you. I¡¯ve never liked the practice. We¡¯re Alphas, why do we have to prove that we stand above the others? If those who present themselves in front of themittee don¡¯t realize that just by our aura and presence, then perhaps those in their Alpha positions don¡¯t deserve them. This time, it¡¯s me and Sophie who are on the floor, looking up at the Alpha chairs as themittee members enter. I feel Sophie stiffen beside me and turn to look at her, keeping my eyes on the Alphas. ¡°What is it?¡± I murmur. ¡°Who is the Alpha that just came in?¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn, why?¡± She looks at me. ¡°He was the one who caught his mate in the woods where I was staying. He¡¯s the reason I ran.¡± I look at Alpha Zahn again. The timing would have been right. He caught his mate and she threw herself off a cliff right around 0.00% 111 12:07 [ Babes & Commoner i Aphae the time that I found Sophie. 288 Vouchers I nod, acknowledging that I heard her, but continuing to watch as the others enter. Kayce walked in with us, but I nod as Dutton, Carter, and Luna Amy enter the room. I see Sophie. finger wave at her parents and her father winks at her before taking his seat. I notice that they are all sitting on the leftAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org. side of the seating, while Zahn, ric, and Owen have chosen to sit on the right side. When Ezra walks in, he raises his eyebrow, looking at the seating arrangements. ¡°Choosing sides already, I see,¡± he says, sitting beside Kayce. ¡°That¡¯s Ezra,¡± I say in an aside to Sophie. ¡°And that?¡± she asks about the Alpha who just sat down on the right side of the seating area. ¡°That¡¯s Alpha Aiden,¡± I whisper. She nods. ¡°He¡¯s the one who was hunting me before I got on the train,¡± she says and an inadvertent growl escapes. I cut it off, but not before the room goes quiet. Since the meeting hasn¡¯t started, everyone looks at me, then turns back to their own discussions. ¡®He¡¯s second after Owen on our list to obliterate,¡¯ Shaw says in my head, seething at the man who hunted for my mate. ¡®Yes,¡¯ I say. I¡¯m not going to argue. If he¡¯d caught Sophie, I would never have found my fated mate. She¡¯d have been taken by someone else and she¡¯d be a shell of the person she is today. 12.80% O 12:06 < watch as Alpha Joshua walks in with his mate, Luna Margot. She¡¯s stoic, always has her face well- schooled, and in the three years since she¡¯s been mated to Alpha Joshua, I¡¯ve never once seen her smile. Next to enter is Calvin with Luna Amelia. I knew from our discussions that he didn¡¯t want her here because of her pregnancy, but Amelia, being the Alpha she is, insisted. Calvin sits her in between himself and her father. The safest ce in the room by his standards. I watch as thest two enter the room, Alpha Elias and his mate Luna June. June moves to sit beside her daughter, Luna Margot. I watch as she takes the younger woman¡¯s hand and they both face us, as if creating a unified front. Alpha Elias, the oldest Alpha in our Committee, leads these meetings. He stands in the center of the seating area, looking down at me. ¡°Alpha Hunter, you have beenmanded in front of this Committee of Alphas today because it has been brought to our attention that you have broken one of ourws. How do you plead?¡± ¡°Guilty.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking at me, obviously expecting me to argue. But I won¡¯t. I¡¯m standing up for Sophie and for what I believe in. His eyes snap back to mine. ¡°You agree that you broke one of ourws?¡± ¡°It¡¯s aw I don¡¯t agree with, as thismittee is aware.¡± ¡°Whether or not you agree with it, it is still aw Alpha.¡± 28.22% O ? 12:07 ¡°Yes,¡± I say, standing my ground. Because he¡¯s above us, and because I¡¯m an Alpha, my chin is raised to look him in the eye. I¡¯ m d and proud to see that Sophie¡¯s is as well Alpha Elias looks at me a moment, obviously restructuring the argument he had already nned ¡°You took this woman as your mate?¡± he asks. ¡°I believe you know I did. I¡¯m sure that when my previous G**a joined Alpha Owen¡¯s pack, he let Alpha Owen know, who then let you know just who my mate is,¡± I say, looking at Owen, then back at Elias. I¡¯m not going to let them y games with me. ¡°Yes,¡± he says growling as he looks at my mate. ¡°Sophie Meyers.¡± I take a protective step forward and partially in front of Sophie. ¡°She¡¯s Sophie Reynolds now.¡± ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± he says, refocusing on me. ¡°You have broken ourws. Do you intend to rectify that here and now?¡± he asks. ¡°How do you propose that I do that?¡± ¡°You would need to mark her in thismittee chamber, of course,¡± he says arrogantly. ¡°Do your noses not work?¡± I ask innocently. Sophie has ced her hand on my back, whether to keep herself or me grounded I¡¯ m not sure, but my protective Alpha nature is pushing forward. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he growls, but I see Kayce smiling. He and I 44.14% ||| O r 12:07 Chapter 15 Committee of Aphas 288 Vouchers discussed this. ¡°Well, as Alphas, I would assume that you can see my mark on Sophie¡¯s neck. As Alphas, I would assume that you can smell my scent on my mate, and hers on me,¡± I say, stressing her rtionship to me. ¡°So, I¡¯ll ask again, do your noses not work?¡± ¡°Of course our noses work. But that is not thew,¡± he says banging his fist on the banister of the seating area. ¡°You must im your mate publicly.¡± ¡°So, you only need to see Hunter mark me, is that correct?¡± Sophie asks, moving herself to stand beside me again. Elias looks at my mate-in the condescending way that I¡¯m sure he looks at his mate and his daughter. ¡°That is not thew, youngdy. Marking and mating of all ranked females must be public.¡± I can feel the anger in my mate, feel her Alpha aura pushing out. I want to protect her, but I know my mate is about to put these Alphas in their ce. ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re nothing more than lecherous, disgusting men who get off on watching women taken against their will? As my mate said, you can see his mark, very clearly on my neck. You can smell his scent intermingled with mine. I am willing to stand here and allow him to mark me in front of you, even though that can be quite¡­.personal. So, why then must you witness a man having sex with a woman? I can only assume that it¡¯s because you¡¯re all sick, twisted, loathsome men,¡± she says, and I have to fight hard to keep from smiling at her spirit. I notice her father ducks his head. I¡¯m assuming he appreciates his daughter¡¯s spirit as well. 58.66% ? J 12:07 ¡°How dare you?¡± Alpha Zahn snarls, standing up and ring down at Sophie. I pull her back, taking a protective stance in front of her again. ¡°How dare 1, Alpha Zahn?¡± she asks, and I can see his shock that she knows his name. D**n I love this woman. ¡°How dare l? Let me ask you, how many women have to kill themselves before you stop this brutal practice? I saw you, in the woods, iming that poor girl. She sobbed after you stripped her bare for your pack members to watch while you imed her. I saw how you mmed your canines into her neck, not even attempting to be gentle. It¡¯s no wonder she threw herself off a cliff. So, I ask you, Alpha Zahn, How! Dare! You?¡± This time, it¡¯s my mate who snarls. Zahn res at her, but he sits back down. ¡°You need to get your mate under control, Alpha,¡± Elias growls. ¡°Why? For speaking the truth? I don¡¯t think so. And while we¡¯re on the subject of Zahn iming multiple mates who keep killing themselves to get away from him, have those of you who haven¡¯ t been hunting your mates considered what this means for you?¡± I ask, looking to the ones seated on the left. ¡°If Alpha Zahn caught his fated mate, and she killed herself to get away from him, then who¡¯s mate did he catch this time? Yours Alpha Dutton? Alpha Kayce? Alpha Robin? These men aren¡¯t just hurting our she-wolves, their stealing your mates with no care for them or you. Maybe that¡¯s your mate lying in his pack hospital. Or she would have been, if he hadn¡¯t imed her. Alpha Owen nearly imed my mate. If I hadn¡¯t intervened, I may never have found the love and passion that I have with Sophie,¡± I say, turning to look at her. 76.56% ||| She smiles at me, putting her hand in mine. When I turn back, I can see that all three men look stunned. I knew they hadn¡¯t considered this. They didn¡¯t agree with the practice of hunting for their mates, but they didn¡¯t see the bigger picture that their mates are being stolen from them. Neither did I until it was right in front of my face. The One 60 The One 60 Chapter 60 Trust Hunter ¡°Let me ask thismittee something else. For those of you who have imed your mates publicly, where are your pups?¡± ¡°Mine is right here,¡± Elias says, gesturing to Luna Margot. ¡°You have one. Only one, after all the years that you and Luna June were mated,¡± I say, nodding at Luna June so she knows I mean no offense to her. ¡°Alpha Joshua, you and Luna Margot have been mated for three years, is that correct?¡± I ask and I see Margot nce at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°That is correct, although I don¡¯t see the relevance,¡± he growls. ¡°I¡¯ll get there,¡± I say, smiling a fake smile. ¡°No pups?¡± ¡°You know we don¡¯t,¡± he growls, but I turn to Calvin. ¡°And you, Alpha Calvin, your mate is pregnant after two years, is that correct?¡± I ask. I¡¯m not sure he wanted the others to know, but this is important. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± he says and the Alphas on the right begin murmuring. They weren¡¯t aware. I nod, as if considering my next words. I pull Sophie to my side, smiling down at her. ¡°My mate is pregnant after two weeks of being mated.¡± 0.00% 12:07 < ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± several Alphas say, shouts and gasps echoing around the room. I can see the impact my words are having on Luna June and Luna Margot, see the anger and frustration in Joshua. I hope I haven¡¯t made Margot¡¯s life more difficult, but they need to know the impact that thisw is having on our she- wolves and the alternative that we could have if thew was changed. Elias calls for quiet but before he can begin talking again, I jump in. ¡°How many of you can say that your mate trusts you? How many of your mates seek you out when they needfort or affection? How many touch you of their own ord? How many give themselves to you freely? My mate does,¡± I growl possessively, looking at her. ¡°Is this true, Luna Sophie?¡± Luna June asks. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. I trust Alpha Hunterpletely without hesitation.¡± She steps up to me, wrapping her arms around me. ¡°I love my mate with everything in me. I trust him. I know that he will never allow anyone or anything to hurt me, or our pup, even if we have a daughter.¡± ¡°You could just bemanding your mate to say these things.¡± Alpha Elias snarls. ¡°What sort of Alpha wouldmand his mate? If you canmand her, you don¡¯t have a true bond. A true Luna is equal to her mate,¡± I say. Every Alpha on the right side scoffs at my statement. The ones on the left are sitting forward, looking intrigued, especially Ezra who hasn¡¯t spent any time with me and Sophie. 13.27% ||| 5 12:07 0 ??????? ????? Sophie looks up me. ¡°Command me.¡± ¡°What do you want me tomand?¡¯ I ask in the mind link. ¡®Command me to kiss you! ¡®You know the others will feel the need to respond, I tell her. leatherAngry ¡®Good, then the other Alphas won¡¯t be able to deny that you can¡¯tmand me.¡¯ I smile at my mate, so strong and powerful, so sure of herself and of me. She always knows how to make me feel like a f**g king. ¡°Kiss me,¡± Imand, letting my Alpha aura push out. I already know it won¡¯t affect her. ¡°No,¡± she says, causing several Lunas to suck in their breath. Our eyes remain locked on each other. I can see the mirth in Sophie¡¯s eyes just as I¡¯m sure she can see the determination in mine. I push my aura out even harder. ¡°Kiss me,¡± Imand again, hearing some of the Lunas in the room whimpering as mymand begins to affect them. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Kiss me!¡± Imand, releasing the full effect of my Alpha aura. Several Lunas stand, stepping toward me, their mates reaching out to grab them, snarling at me. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Alpha Joshua roars. He¡¯s holding his mate froming to kiss me. Elias moves quickly to block Luna June and I see Luna Amy standing, but I think that¡¯s more because she 30.78% ? < 12:07 was worried about her daughter. I¡¯m pleased to see that my command doesn¡¯t impact Luna Amelia and I see her recognition of that as well. ¡°Do you believe us now?¡± Sophie asks, as I hold themand. She hasn¡¯t taken her eyes off of me. I hear the growls of the Alphas. ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as I drop my aura, and the Lunas sit down, panting heavily, my mate smiles. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll kiss you,¡± she says and lifts up on her toes, pressing her lips to mine. I wrap my arms around her, deepening the kiss. I feel her momentary hesitation, then she wraps her arms around me, letting everyone see that she trusts mepletely and that she loves me unconditionally. I deepen the kiss, loving this woman so very much, but I make sure it doesn¡¯t be something lewd in front of the others. ¡°Uh, Alpha Hunter, perhaps we can get back to the meeting,¡± I hear Kayce say. I can hear the laughter that he¡¯s fighting in his voice. He and Allison have gotten closer over thest few days and now, he¡¯s seeing what it can be like for the two of them. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s anxious to get this meeting over so he can return to her and finally mark her. ¡°Kissing is one thing, trust is quite another.¡± I¡¯m a bit surprised that it¡¯s Alpha Calvin that says this. I see Luna Amelia nce at her mate. Perhaps they haven¡¯te quite as far as I thought. ¡°You¡¯re right, Alpha Calvin,¡± I say, looking down at Sophie who still has a zed look on her face from my kiss. I love that look. I stroke my knuckles over her cheek. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± 45.27% 12:08 sony and smile as me and exposing her mate mark, in front or of Aphas. I hate that she is, but she¡¯s in my never let anyone else take credit for my mate¡¯s look up at the Aphes, extending my canines. I hear Luna Am and Luna Amy suck in air, but I don¡¯t look at them. I keep eyes focused on s as I lean down and very carefully let just the tp of my canines sink into my mate¡¯s neck. I can see thescivious look on Bles¡¯ face, feel it on the right side of the room with Alphes who think that I¡¯m going to take advantage of my mate¡¯s trust and im her here, for them see. But I would nevet. My mate¡¯s gasp of pleasure and her body shivering in mine, retum my focus to her. I pull my canines out and lick the small wound watching it heal over. 1 would never, ever do anything to betray my mate¡¯s trust. Not for you, not for anyone,¡± I say, pulling my mate to my side and tucking her under my arm protectively. If you are not willing to renounce her as your Luna and you are not willing to publicly im her today, then thismittee will vote to remove you as an Alpha,¡± Elias says. ¡°You can try, but I¡¯ll tell you now, I won¡¯t step down. I am right in this, I know I am. If you can¡¯t see that the bond that I have with my mate is something far beyond the bond that any of you have with yours, then you¡¯re blind and you are the lecherous, disgusting men that my mate imed you to be,¡± I say, standing my ground. ¡°Then it is to be war?¡± Alpha Owen asks. I can see the excitement in his eyes. ¡°If that¡¯s what thismittee decides, then yes. I will go to war for Sophie and for every other she- wolf on the run who wants a rtionship with their mate like I have with mine. But think of this, Alpha Owen. If you go to war with me, who is home watching over your pack? Who is keeping your pack safe while you battle with me.¡± ¡°There is more than just me here who will go to war with you,¡± he says. ¡°And more than just Hunter who will go to war against you,¡± Carter says. ¡°How will you hunt for your mates if you¡¯re at war with me? And if you truly believe that you can trade out with the other Alphas, or whatever you think you might do to keep a war against my pack going, then you¡¯ll be away from your packs even more than you are now. Don¡¯t give me more reason to decimate your pack, Owen. You¡¯re lucky I haven¡¯te for you yet, just for trying to im what is mine,¡± I snarl. ¡°It is time to put it to a vote. We are voting for Alpha Hunter to lose his rank as Alpha and require him to renounce his pack. We¡¯ll start on my right-hand side with Alpha Dutton,¡± 12:08 rN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The One 61 The One 61 Chapter 61: Voting 288 Vouchers Chapter 61: Voting Sophie I knew Hunter was going to have to prove his point about my trust of him. I knew he wouldn¡¯t do anything to betray that trust, but it was still really hard for me to submit to him in this room. full of Alphas and then not to flinch when I felt his canines entered my neck. ¡®I love you.¡¯ His words had floated into my head as Shaw had put just enough venom into my body to make me shiver. Now I¡¯m f**g aroused and ready to get out of here so I can show my mate just how s**y I think he is. Instead, I have to focus. It¡¯s time for the vote. If they vote in our favor, we walk out. If not, it¡¯s war. I don¡¯t know much about wars, but I¡¯d image that war would start now. ¡°You haven¡¯t exined what a ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ vote means,¡± Dutton says, watching me closely. I had felt all their eyes on me, every one of them. But not all of them had been lecherous. In Alpha Kayce¡¯s case, it feels like he¡¯s ready to get the hell out of here so he can start his rtionship with Allison. The feeling I¡¯m getting from Robin is simr. Dutton, though, is hard to read. However, Hunter said he trusts him, and I trust Hunter. ¡°A vote of yes means you agree with removing Alpha Hunter as Alpha. A vote of no means that you agree that he should retain his title. A majority of votes are needed to remove Alpha Hunter¡¯s title.¡± 1208 ourers Dutton¡¯s eyes move from me to Hunter. ¡°No,¡± he votes, and I sigh. ¡°Alpha Carter.¡± ¡°No,¡± my father says almost before Alpha Elias finishes saying his name. ¡°Alpha Kayce?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alpha Robin?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alpha Ezra?¡± He looks at me a moment. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alpha Calvin?¡± Calvin looks at me for a very long time. Long enough that everyone in the room turns to look at him, including Amelia. I can feel my heart rate speeding up. Without him, we¡¯ll never have the numbers to win. ¡°No.¡± I breathe a sigh of relief. Now for the right side. I expect every one of them will vote to remove Hunter¡¯s title, but that will still be a tie. ¡°I vote yes,¡± Elias says, before turning to the other side of the room. 1935 288 Vouchers ¡°Alpha Joshua?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alpha Aiden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alpha ric?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he growls, curling his lip in a snarl at Hunter. ¡°Alpha Zahn?¡± He res at me. ¡°Yes.¡± I don¡¯t know why I feel the need to antagonize this man, but I do. So, I very subtly shrug at him as if his vote doesn¡¯t matter to me at all. As if his vote is nothing. I watch as his re turns to a snarl, only stopping when Hunter gives him a warning growl. ¡°Alpha Owen?¡± Owen looks smug. I¡¯m not sure why. There will be no majority and Hunter said a majority of the vote is required to make a change. Hunter is an Alpha, so Owen¡¯s ¡®yes¡¯ vote won¡¯t change anything. He stares at Hunter, smiling an even broader smile. ¡°No,¡± he says finally, and I jolt with the shock of it. The others around him turn to him, murmuring their own shock but Owen¡¯s eyes remain on Hunter. ¡®He¡¯s going toe up in front of themittee for what he did to Brooklyn. He thinks this is going to ensure my vote,¡¯ Hunter says in our mind link. That b**d. My fists clench with my need to punch the smug look off of his face. He must feel my eyes on him because he finally looks away from Hunter to look at me. Then, the arrogant. b**d winks. ¡°If that will be all¡­¡± Hunter says and reaches down to take my hand. Alpha Kayce is already starting to stand when Elias looks at us. ¡°Actually, that is not all, Alpha Hunter. Another matter has been brought to the attention of this Committee. You are housing ranked she-wolves that are not from your pack, some of them are underage,¡± he says, and he can¡¯t hide the smirk. Hunter may have won the vote, he may have avoided a war to maintain his title, but these Alphas want a war and they¡¯ve found another way to get one. ¡°I have provided sanctuary to those who have requested it. Age does not matter. If a wolf, any wolf, is in trouble and asks for the aid of an Alpha, it is at the Alpha¡¯s discretion to provide such aid,¡± he says, as if quoting aw. ¡°Yes, that is thew, Alpha Hunter, but Alpha ric has petitioned this court to intervene. His sister, an Alpha, is me**y deranged and is in need of medical attention,¡± Elias says. Alpha Robin growls a low, warning growl, making ric smile. ¡°It has also been brought to the attention of this court that you are refusing to allow other Alphas to im their mates properly, hiding them away from all but only a few of your select friends,¡± Elias growls, ring over at Kayce, Dutton, and Robin. Chapter 61: Voting 1208 Nouchers ¡°You will return these she-wolves to their families¡­¡± ¡°I will not,¡± Hunter says firmly. ¡°They have asked for my protection, and I will give it to them even if it means protection from their fathers and brothers, or their previous Alphas,¡± he says, looking at the right side of the room. ¡°I do not allow public imings in my pack. So, if I have a visiting Alpha, and that Alpha is spending time with a ranked she-wolf who is under my protection, it is at the discretion of the she-wolf, not the Alpha. If anyone were to go against my wishes, well, that would be an attack against me and my pack, wouldn¡¯t it,¡± Hunter says, ring at Alpha ric. ¡°You kept me from iming those twins!¡± Alpha Aiden says, standing and panting furiously. ¡°I kept you off my packnds. They requested my assistance, and I gave it to them. I would never expect you to a**e by my rules, Aiden, so no. You are not wee on my packnds.¡± ¡°This. Is. WAR!¡± he roars. ¡°As if you, ric, and Owen weren¡¯t already nning that, regardless of the oue of this meeting. I¡¯m not st**d and I don, underestimate the situation I¡¯ve put myself and my pack in. They are aware and they have chosen to stay and fight for what is right.¡± ¡°How will you stand against three packs at once, Hunter? Is it worth it, to die for them?¡± Aiden asks. Before he has a chance to answer, Robin steps in, ¡°You should be very careful, Aiden. Alpha Hunter already warned you about leaving your pack unprotected. If you are off fighting 09:35 Chapter 61 Voting a war with Hunter, who¡¯s watching your pack?¡± 1288 Vouchers ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be hard at all for, say, a neighboring Alpha to just walk in and take over, would it, Robin?¡± Kayce asks, as if they are having a simple conversation The room erupts into arguing, words slinging across the room. all around me. The more I hear, the angrier I¡¯m getting. These men, these Alphas, acting as if they have a right to decide the fate ofThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. women, as if we¡¯re incapable of deciding for ourselves. what we want. ¡°Enough!¡± I shout with enough Alpha aura to make the room stop and look at me. The One 62 The One 62 Chapter 62: Taking a Stand Sophie I move to stand in front of Hunter. He **ks his head at me curiously, and I feel his mind touching mine to see what I¡¯m doing, but he doesn¡¯t stop me. ¡°You are all forgetting one very important thing,¡± I snarl. ¡°And what is that,¡± Alpha Elias chuckles condescendingly. ¡°While I have no doubt that my mate would crush each and every one of you, decimating your packs for me, for our pack, and for what we believe in, I will also be waging my own war. How quickly you forget who I am. I am Sophie Meyers-Reynolds. You all know me as the face of this ¡®revolution¡¯. Your ranked she-wolves have stood behind me, without me even knowing it, killing themselves in my name and for the future generations of ranked she-wolves. You do not want me as your enemy Alphas, because I guarantee you, if I were to actively start a revolution, none of you would be left standing. I would rally every ranked she-wolf together and we would fight, side by side as sisters against each and every one of you, and we would win.¡± I look at all of them, some shocked faces, some admiring faces, and some arrogant, disbelieving faces. ¡°Because even if we lose, we win. We have much, much more to fight for than you. You, and the werewolf poption, cannot survive without us. If you want to weaken the packs, leave only warriors and omegas to mate with, be my guest, although, I¡¯d bet that soon enough, those she- wolves will join our cause as well,¡± I say, ring at 09:35 Chapter 62 Taking a Stand 1288 Vouchers Owen. ¡°Do not push me, Alphas. You cannot afford to fight a battle. against me and my mate on two separate fronts. You will lose, you will die, and your bloodlines will end.¡± I stand my ground as the room stays quiet, everyone staring at me. I feel the heat of my mate as he comes to stand behind me. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°You heard my mate,¡± he says. ¡°Come for us and you will die. Good day, Alphas,¡± he says, taking my hand and walking me out of the room. The moment we¡¯re outside, Hunter presses me against the wall, taking my mouth in a hot, dirty kiss. ¡°You are so f**g **y. I want to bury myself inside you and roar to the world that you¡¯re mine,¡± he growls before kissing me roughly, desperately again. ¡°Isn¡¯t there somewhere we can go?¡± I pant, as desperate for him as he is for me. He pulls away, pressing his forehead against mine, panting with the rearly unbearable desire that I feel flowing through me. ¡°No, there¡¯s nowhere that I can ensure that we won¡¯t be interrupted. F**k, Sophie. I was already so turned on by your submission, then you had to go all Alpha on that room full of Alphas. I swear I almost o**d just listening to you.¡± I giggle at that, knowing my mate has more control than that, but also knowing that seeing him taking on those Alphas was a huge turn on for me too. 09:35) Chapter 62 Taking a Stand 1288 Vouchers ¡°Sorry, am I interrupting?¡± Alpha Calvin says from beside us. ¡°No. Well, yes, but no,¡± Hunter says, pulling away from me and not so discreetly adjusting himself while I fix my clothing. ¡°Umm, I uh¡­¡± Calvin says, looking down then back up at me. ¡°I wanted you to understand my pause earlier, in the voting. It wasn¡¯t about whether or not I believe that your mate deserves to remain an Alpha. You do, of course,¡± Calvin says, looking at Hunter then back at me. ¡°My hesitation was more about me seeing the difference between you and Amelia. I know sisters are different, but you¡¯re both Alphas, you were raised by the same parents, and you¡¯re both good, strong women. However¡­¡± He pauses, looking down at his hands before making fists and looking back up at me. ¡°She would never have trusted me like that. Not even two yearster. She doesn¡¯t and she may never have that level of trust in me.¡± He huffs out a breath. ¡°I envy you,¡± he says to Hunter. ¡°I envy both of you for what you have, what I could have had if I had stoo ¡®my ground two years ago. But I didn¡¯t, and I have to live with that every day. When we saw you at your father¡¯s pack, I didn¡¯t truly understand the difference. I do now. And I wanted both of you to know that Amelia and I both stand behind you. Thew needs to be changed. Our mates and our daughters deserve better.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha: And for what it¡¯s worth, I noticed that Luna Amelia didn¡¯t feel the pull of my Alpha command. She noticed it too. I hope that helps,¡± Hunter says to him. 09:35 Chapter 62. Taking a * Stand 1288 (Yourbers He nods and turns, seeing Amelia waiting for him. I¡¯m d to see my sister, reaching her hand out, beckoning her mate to her. He responds instantly. ¡°Congrattions, Sophie. I¡¯m very happy to hear that you and Alpha Hunter are expecting,¡± she says to me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, leaning into my mate. ¡°I hope our children can grow up together and be good friends like we were Amelia.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± she says, before she and Calvin turn and head out. Hunter and I follow, finding my parents. ¡°Oh, sweetheart. I¡¯m so proud of you, both of you,¡± my father says, hugging me. ¡°What a strong Alpha female you are,¡± he says proudly. ¡°She gets that from me,¡± my mother says, and I turn to hug her,ughing. ¡°Goddess save me from strong-willed women,¡± my father says to Hunter, but he¡¯s smiling as he says it. ¡°You love every minute of it,¡± my mother teases him. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he says, smiling fondly at my mother. ¡°So do I,¡± Hunter says, holding out his hand to me. I walk to him instantly, letting him wrap his arm around me as we face my parents. ¡°You know they won¡¯t heed the warning,¡± my father says to Hunter, turning seridus. ¡°I know. But I also know that between my mate and I, we won¡¯t 0935 Chapter 62: Taking a Stand 1288 Vouchers lose,¡± Hunter says, looking at me proudly. ¡°No, we will not,¡± I say, smiling up at him. ¡°Let me know what you need from us. Robin has Aiden on one side, I have ric on one side. If you need my pack, or my resources, you have them.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± Hunter says, and we make our way to the car. Hunter keeps me close as the other Alphas are milling around, giving us angry, aggressive looks. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in just over a week,¡± Alpha Robin says quietly, watching the other Alphas. ¡°Nikki will be turning 18. ¡°We¡¯ll see you soon then.¡± ¡°Alpha Hunter, Luna Sophie. I admit, I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from today, but it has been very intriguing indeed. I¡¯d like toe visit your pack, get to know you better, Luna. I¡¯m not sure if Alpha Hunter told you, but I was mated to his sister,¡± Alpha Ezra says. ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Herods, looking sad. ¡°She would have liked you,¡± he says. ¡°Yes, she would have,¡± Hunter agrees. ¡°You¡¯re wee any time, Alpha Ezra.¡± ¡°I appreciate that. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± When we get to the car, Kayce is there, waiting. ¡°About f**g time. Let¡¯s go. I need to get back and mark my 09:36 1 Chapter 62: Taking a Stand 1288 Vouch mate before one of these a**holes tries to take her from me.¡± The One 63 The One 63 Chapter 63: Mate Marks Hunter I¡¯m not sure who wanted to get home faster, me or Kayce. I¡¯ve never felt the desperate need to be inside a woman like I¡¯m feeling with Sophie. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s feeling the same and our combined need is nearly overwhelming me. I almost s**d having a pack meeting when we returned. However, I know the entire pack was on edge with thismittee meeting and I need to let them know that I¡¯m still their Alpha and other than monitoring the borders, we¡¯re business as usual. I got through that meeting as quickly as possible, answering a few questions before nodding to Lucas and Kinsley that I needed to go. They took over, thankfully and I practically dragged Sophie up the stairs to our bedroom. The moment the door closed behind me, we were all over each other, clothes shredding, mouths everywhere. Our sex was rough, dirty, and desperate. I pounded into my mate like I¡¯ve never done before. She wed my back lea ng painful shes that just added to the intense pleasure of our f**g. When I let up just a bit, worried that maybe I was being too rough with her, she took control, flipping our positions and riding me like a f**g jack hammer, her head thrown back, as she roared her power and dominance along with her pleasure. Seeing my mate, so confident, so f**g s**y as she rode me, I¡¯d had one of the strongest o**ms of my life, howling my own pleasure as I emptied myself inside her. When we were both finally spent, our bodies slick with sweat, DP 36 Chapter 63: Mate Marks 11 288 Wuchers c**m, and saliva, she copsed on top of me, her hair sticking to her body, both of us panting. ¡°We should do that again sometime,¡± she said, making me bark out augh. I pulled her closer to me and kissed the top of her head before we¡¯d fallen asleep curled up together. Later, when our sweat had dried, I woke, feeling a chill in the room and pulled the nket over both of us before curling around my mate and falling back to sleep. This morning, I slid inside my mate much more gently, slipping into her warm wetness from behind, kissing her, holding her, and teasing her while I slowly brought her up and over, loving the feel of her body mping down on mine as I continued my thrusts. ¡°You are mine, little Alpha,¡± I growl into her ear, getting aroused all over again thinking about yesterday and how she faced off against that room full of Alphas. ¡°Yes,¡± she says breathily, arching her back to take me deeper as I force her to continue to ride out her o**m. ¡°Say it,¡± I growl, needing to hear her say that she is mine. All mire. ¡°I¡¯m yours. I¡¯m yours, Hunter,¡± she moans, her arm reaching back around my neck. I look down at her body as my thrusts be harder, seeing the bite marks that I left all over herst night. Shaw and I feel the need to leave another one, feel the need to mark her again, make her ours again. I pull out of her, flipping her quickly as my canines extend. I pull her knees over my shoulders and press them to her chest as m back into her. 09:36 Chapter 63: Mate Marks ¡°Mine!¡± I growl. ¡°Yes! Yes, Hunter, yes!¡± she screams, lifting her chin and giving me the ess that I desire. I sink my canines into her marking spot again, Shaw pushing his venom into her, our scent flooding her system as she screams her o**m, her body shooting off again around mine a moment before her teeth sink into my marking spot. As my body explodes with the force of my o**m, I hear her growly voice in my head. ¡°Mine!¡± Once again, our wolves feel the need to pump arge amount of venom into our mates¡¯ bodies, so we stay there, locked together, our bodies continuing to jerk with aftershocks until both of our wolves are satisfied. When Shaw and Hedda finally release us, I pull my canines out, licking the wound closed as she does the same. Then I nip at her neck gently, moving my way to her mouth and kissing her softly, like I started with her this morning. It¡¯s a long, lingering kiss and when I finally pull away, I look down at the goddess. that I get to call mine. ¡°Fe better?¡± she asks, smirking at me. ¡°I love you so ***g much, Sophie. I love you more than I ever knew I could love another person. You are so perfect, so incredibly perfect.¡± Her smile shifts to a sweet smile, a happy smile, as she caresses my arms and back. ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty f**g perfect too, Alpha.¡± She nips at my chin. ¡°And I love you with all my heart.¡± 0936 Chapter 63 Mate Marks 288 Voucher I kiss her nose before pulling out and sitting up. ¡°Come on, we smell of sex and it¡¯s almost time for training. We need to shower so we don¡¯t offend the noses of our pack mates,¡± I say, pulling her into the shower and taking her again in one of her favorite positions. As we dry off, Sophie looks at our bodies in the mirror, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the entire pack is going to know what we didst night. Both of us are covered in love bites and your back looks like you¡¯ve been whipped.¡± I look over her body. I hadn¡¯t paid attention to where Shaw and I were biting her, and obviously she wasn¡¯t paying attention either, but she¡¯s right. There¡¯s no hiding our possessive love. ¡°Does it bother you?¡± I ask her, running my fingers over a particrly deep bite mark on her **cheek. ¡°No. The pack knows I¡¯m yours and that you are mine. Why shouldn¡¯t they see the evidence of that. It¡¯s already on our necks,¡± she says smiling proudly. I growl possessively, before taking her hand and walking to the training grounds. When we arrive downstairs, I¡¯m not surprised that Alpha Kayce and Allison, or most likely now, Luna Allison, are. ¡®t in attendance. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you, Alpha,¡± Lucas says as we walk up. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± I ask, leaving Sophie and moving to the front of the group. ¡°Uh, you weren¡¯t exactly quietst night Alpha,¡± one of the warriors says. 09:36 Chapter 63: Mate Marke This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. 1200 ¡°And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s not obvious that you were up most of the night, Alpha,¡± another says, gesturing at my bite and scratch covered torso. They¡¯re all unwilling to meet my gaze and they all have smirks on their faces. ¡°I make no apologies for making my mate happy,¡± I say, making them snort. I can feel Sophie¡¯s embarrassment, but it¡¯s not about them having heard her as much as it¡¯s about them hearing her and seeing the evidence of her im all over my body. ¡®Are you okay?¡¯ I ask in the mind link. It doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s a bad thing, but I want to make sure. ¡®Yes. I guess I need to try and be quieter next time and maybe try to control myself a little more. But it¡¯s really not my fault that I¡¯m happy to be yours or that you feel so good when I¡¯m riding you,¡¯ she says, finally looking up at me. ¡®I have no problem with you telling or showing the world how much you love me,¡¯ I say, smiling at her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you were the only ones,¡± Letti says, huffing. ¡°I was next door to Allison and Alpha Kaycest night. They didn¡¯t sleep at all so neither did I,¡± she says grumpily. ¡°I can move you if they decide to stay another night, but I¡¯m guessing Kayce will want to return to his pack, especially now that he¡¯s found his Luna,¡± I say. I watch Letti¡¯s face fall at that. From what I understand, she and Allison have been together a while. I guess she feels like she¡¯s losing a friend. We go through training, and I pair off with Sophie again, now it¡¯s Chapter 63 Mate Marks 1 288 Vouchers not only to train her, but also, I won¡¯t allow her to spar with anyone else while she¡¯s carrying my pup. I won¡¯t risk injuring my child. I¡¯m very careful during our training, only tagging her on her hips, legs, and arms, avoiding her stomachpletely, but I can feel the difference in Sophie today. She¡¯s feeling her Alpha power. Maybe it was standing up to themittee together, or maybe it was her standing up to them on her own, whatever it was, she¡¯s attacking and blocking me with confidence this morning. Since she¡¯s still early on in her pregnancy, I don¡¯t limit her moves, but once she begins showing, we¡¯ll have to modify her training program. I¡¯m not so foolish to think that I¡¯ll be able to convince my mate to stop sparring, at least until our pup is sorge that it bes impossible for her, but she¡¯ll need to modify her training because eventually her movements will be limited, and I don¡¯t her hurting herself or our pup. After training, we head inside to have breakfast and find Kayce piling food on a te. ¡°Where¡¯s Allison?¡± ¡°Sleeping,¡± he says with a proud smile. I look at his neck and he pulls his shirt away. ¡°Nice mate mark.¡± ¡°Thanks, yours looks pretty fresh too. Your mate re-iming you?¡± he asks as Sophie walks up. ¡°Ahhh, you¡¯ve both been re- imed I see.¡± ¡°How is Allison?¡± Sophie asks him,ing up and wrapping her arm around my waist. I love how simple and easy it is for her to touch me. Kayce¡¯s smile is that of a man in love. I know the look well. I¡¯ve Chapter 63 Mate Marks seen it on my face every day since I marked Sophie. ¡°She¡¯s perfect.¡± The One 64 The One 64 Chapter 64: Pride Sophie I thought I would be more embarrassed by the jokes the warriors made about my bite marks and scratches that are all over Hunter and which he is proudly disying. I didn¡¯t exactly hide my bite marks, but I didn¡¯t unt them either. However, rather than feeling embarrassed, I felt proud, possessive. This man is mine and everyone should know it. Although, maybe I need to be a bit quieter in the future. ¡®Why? Everyone knows you¡¯re mated. Everyone knows you¡¯re pregnant with our mate¡¯s pup. Who cares if they hear you. It¡¯s not the same as being in front of them while it¡¯s happening, is it?¡¯ Hedda asks. I guess it isn¡¯t. Maybe it¡¯s the difference in the feeling of the pack members. Yes, they¡¯re teasing Hunter about it, careful not to say anything to me, but it¡¯s all in good fun. Rather than feeling sleazy or malicious, there¡¯s a happiness in the pack. They like that Hunter and I are so close. It helps them to feel more confident and calmer as our pack members. I was thrilled to see Alpha Kayce and see that he was wearing Allison¡¯s mark. I truly hope that they find the happiness that Hunter and I have found together ¡°What are your ns, Kayce?¡± Hunter asks him, grabbing a te and putting food on jt. I quickly realize that the te is for me, based on my likes, not Hunter¡¯s. Goddess, I love this man. Chapter 64: Pride ¡°I want to leave today. I¡¯ve been here too long already and with Aiden acting like an a** I don¡¯t want Robin to have to face him alone if he decides to attack.¡± He nces behind us, and I turn, seeing Nikkiing in from training. ¡°Also, I think Robin ns toe back here next week,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°Make sure that he sees how happy you and your new Luna are, Alpha Kayce,¡± I tell him. He stops, his look bing serious. ¡°It¡¯s so different. I really didn¡¯t understand. I mean, I saw the two of you, I saw what you did in thatmittee meeting, but until I felt her emotions, so strong and powerful, so loving, so¡­happy with me for the choice that I made, I didn¡¯t truly get. But do now. IThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. would never do anything to betray the trust that she has given me. Never. You have my support, one-hundred percent Hunter.¡± ¡°Thank you, because I intend to petition themittee to change thatw. It¡¯s going to take a lot of pressure and we¡¯ll get a lot of push-back, but it needs to change.¡± ¡°Whichw are we talking about? And nice mate mark, Alpha,¡± Nikki saysing to join us. ¡°Thew about the public imings. Hunter¡¯s going to petition to change thew. Alpha Kayce is now on board as well.¡± She looks at him assessingly. He waits her out. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. How is my friend?¡± ¡°Tired,¡± he says, smirking again. ¡°Happy?¡± she asks. 0230 Chapter 64: Pride 1288 (Vouchers ¡°Very, but I¡¯ll let her tell you herself, after she gets some sleep. and some food. Which,¡± he says, lifting the nearly overflowing te of food in his hands, ¡°I need to go.¡± ¡°Just let me know if you n to stay another night. You¡¯re both wee, I just want to make sure we¡¯re make preparations.¡± He nods and just before he turns, he looks past me again. ¡°Will you let Letti know that Allison wants to speak with herter today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let her know if you let Allison know that I want to speak with HERter today,¡± Nikki says. He grins at her. ¡°Should I tell Robin you said hi when I see him?¡± She huffs and walks off, not answering. Kayce only grins wider. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes. I¡¯ll see you later and I¡¯ll talk to Ali about our ns, and let you know this afternoon what they are, if that¡¯ s okay.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Hunter says. Hunter guides us to sit with Nikki and Letti for breakfast. I look around. ¡°Where are the twins?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure they¡¯vee out of their rooms since they got here,¡± Nikki says. ¡°Yeah, I went to see them yesterday, but they didn¡¯te out at all,¡± Letti adds. ¡°Are they afraid?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I told them it was safe, so did Letti, but they might have heard Alpha Kayce and Allisonst night. I¡¯m pretty sure 0936 Chapter 64: Pride everyone on that side of the packhouse heard them,¡± Nikki grimaces. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to them. Do we know if they¡¯re eating?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Luna,¡± Nikki says and Letti shrugs that she doesn¡¯t know either. I look at Hunter. ¡°Eat first. You¡¯re eating for two. Then take care of our guests,¡± he says, leaning over to kiss the side of my head. ¡°So, how did themittee meeting go? The real story. I¡¯m guessing it went really well since the two of you look like you literally tried to devour each otherst night,¡± Nikki says, smirking. ¡°My mate was incredible,¡± Hunter growls, looking at me with pride, passion, and desire, sending a wave of heat through my body. I shrug. ¡°They p**d me off. They were acting like we don¡¯t matter, like Hunter is in this fight alone. I just reminded them that I¡¯m Sophie Meyers and that if I decided to truly start a revolution, we, the ranked she-wolves, would destroy them.¡± Boin Nikki and Letti stop eating and stare at me. I notice that the other tables around us have gone quiet too. ¡°See? Incredible,¡± Hunter says proudly. ¡°You threatened the Alphas?¡± Letti asks. ¡°Only some of them? Half of them were in agreement to at least let Hunter keep his title. Alpha Kayce obviously is on our side, Alpha Robin is too,¡± I say, smiling at Nikki. She looks down as a 09361 Chapter 64: Pride light blush colors her cheeks. ¡°My father is and now, Alpha Calvin is as well. The only one I¡¯m still not sure about is Alpha Ezra, but he said he wants toe visit and see more of our interactions.¡± ¡°I intend to call him today,¡± Hunter says. ¡°He needs to see us, to see you, to see how happy you are. It¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Can we get back to the part where you threatened the Alphas?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°Well, Hunter had already threatened to decimate their packs. Alpha Robin and my father reminded your brother and Alpha Aiden that their packs border each other, so if they were to wage war on us, their packs might not still be there when they return,¡± I say, smiling and taking a bite of food. ¡°Alpha Robin said that?¡± Nikki asks quietly. ¡°He did,¡± I confirm, watching her nod as she looks down thoughtfully. ¡°You know he¡¯ll be here next week?¡± She nods. Alpha Robin was clear that he intends to be here for Nikki¡¯s birthday, in case they truly are mates. ¡°A ?ha, Alpha Ezra is on the phone for you,¡± Lucas says, jogging up. Hunter looks at me. ¡°Saves me the phone call,¡± he says standing and looking at my te. ¡°Will you finish that, please?¡± ¡°Hunter, it¡¯s so much food,¡± I say. ¡°Please, Soph. Try, for me,¡± he asks softly, leaning down to kiss me. Chapter 64 Pride I huff. ¡°I¡¯m making an appointment to see the doctor soon. You need to know that I¡¯m not fragile, Hunter.¡± ¡°Baby, there was nothing fragile about you in front of those Alphas yesterday,¡± he growls. This time when he kisses me, he grabs my hair and takes my mouth in a possessive kiss. It¡¯s so reminiscent ofst night that I know we¡¯re going to have another marathon love fest tonight. ¡°Come see me after you talk to the twins,¡± he says, his eyes dark. ¡°Okay,¡± I say softly. ¡°Ladies,¡± he says, barely ncing at Nikki and Letti before holding my gaze. He releases my hair and stands. ¡°See you soon, lover.¡± I watch him walk away. ¡°Do you think¡­.do you think we can all find that?¡± Letti asks me when I turn back with a dopey smile on my face. ¡°I hope so. If we can change thew, it will make a huge difference. But honestly, it depends on the man. Hunter is a good man, and he obviously doesn¡¯t care who knows how much he adores me.¡± ¡°Did you really submit to him in front of the other Alphas?¡± Nikki asks quietly. ¡°I did. Neither of us liked it, but it was important to show that I have absolute faith in him. Besides, I was in his arms. He would never let another man get that close to me,¡± I say smiling. 09361 Chapter 64. Pride 1285 Your ¡°I don¡¯t know that I could ever trust someone like that,¡± Nikki says. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could either, but Hunter is a man of his word,¡± I say. ¡°Does he have any brothers?¡± Letti asks, making meugh as I take thest bite of food my stomach can handle. It¡¯s not the entire te, but it¡¯s more than I had nned to eat. That will have to do. I mind link the pack doctor, letting him know I need to make an appointment. ¡®Tomorrow, Luna. Nine o¡¯clock?¡¯ he asks. ¡®Perfect. Hunter and I will see you then, I say, as I grab some I food and make my way to the twins¡¯ rooms. I need to find out what has them scared and what we can do about it. 09:36 The One 65 The One 65 Chapter 65: Tiffany and Tammi Sophie I take the te of food in one hand and knock on the door with the other. ¡°Who is it?¡± a scared voice asks. ¡°It¡¯s Luna Sophie. Can Ie in?¡± The door opens a crack and I see a bluish-grey eye peeking out at me. ¡°It¡¯s just me,¡± I say, waiting. When she opens the door, I show her the food. ¡°Have you your sister eaten?¡± and She shakes her head, no, and I walk in, seeing that it looks like the twins are sharing a room now. I walk to the desk area and set the food¡¯down, hearing both wo nen¡¯s stomachs growling. If Hunter thinks I¡¯m thin, then he hasn¡¯t looked at these two closely enough. As I look around, I see that the clothes that have been brought for them are still sitting in the bag by the door, untouched. When I turn back, the women are staring at me wide-eyed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I stand facing them, sping my hands in front of me and keeping my voice soft. Both women are giving off the vibe of being frightened wolves, ready to bolt at the first 09:37 Chapter 65 Tiffany and Tammi sign of trouble. ¡°Are you sending us home?¡± one of the twins asks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, before I answer that, I can¡¯t tell you two apart by your looks. But your scents are just different enough that I could. Which sister are you?¡± They look at each other, as if deciding whether or not they want to tell me. The one sister nods and the other looks back at me. ¡°I¡¯m Tammi.¡± Tammi smells of vani and orange, so Tiffany must have the vani and lemon scent. ¡°Tammi, I have no intention of sending you home unless you want to go. Hunter and I offered you refuge so you wouldn¡¯t be on the run, so you could have food, shelter, clothing,¡± I say gesturing around the room with each word. ¡°So, why are you not taking advantage of our hospitality?¡± The girls look at each other again. I call them girls, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re still underage or not. It¡¯s hard to tell with their wide eyes and their gaunt faces, their clothes hanging on their small frames. ¡°We don¡¯t have any money,¡± Tiffany finally says. ¡°And?¡± I ask, unsure why that matters. ¡°And we can¡¯t pay for this,¡± Tammi says, gesturing to the food and the clothing. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to pay for this and I don¡¯t expect it,¡± I tell them. ¡°But then we¡¯re just parasites on your pack. Why would help Chapter 65 Tiffany and Tammi us?¡± 1288 Vouchers ¡°Okay, well first, I don¡¯t know who told you that you were parasites on our pack or any pack, but that¡¯s not true. And I¡¯m helping you because I was on the run too. I know what it¡¯s like and my mate and I are working to change things. While that happens, the she-wolves on the run need a safe ce where the Alphas and other ranked wolves can¡¯t hunt you down.¡± They look at each other again. ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Tiffany asks. ¡°Well, first, I¡¯d like for you to eat, shower, change clothes, and maybe actually sleep in one or both of the beds that I¡¯ve provided for you. If you get sick and die in my pack and word gets out, none of the other she-wolves will trust that this is a safe ce for them. Second, I¡¯d like for you toe join in our pack activities. Eat in our dining room, join our training ss in the morning, get to know our pack members, talk to Nikki and Letti. I¡¯m not sure if Allison is going to be here long enough for you to get to know her, but if you came out today, you¡¯d get to see her. Talk to them. We haven¡¯t asked any of them for anything, other than if they choose to fight, we¡¯d like that. We believe a war is coming, after yesterday at themittee, definitely think there are some Alphas who intend to wage war against our pack, but it¡¯s not a requirement. You can do as much good inside a safe room keeping others calm as you can on the battlefield. You¡¯re Betas, the warriors and omegas will look up to you.¡± The girls look at each other again and frown. ¡°You¡¯d let us fight?¡± ¡°Let you? Umm, that would be your choice, not mine.¡± 0937 Chapter 65: Tiffany and Tammi 1288 Vouchers They look at each other again. ¡°We weren¡¯t allowed to train in our pack.¡± ¡°Well, you are here. My mate still has me sparring with him even though I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°YOU¡¯RE PREGNANT?¡± Tiffany asks, jumping to her feet. I take a step back, not sure of her intent. My hands instinctively going to my stomach in a protective gesture. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­it¡¯s just¡­our Luna didn¡¯t have a pup for years. Our mother only had us. She was never able to get pregnant again,¡± they tell me. ¡°But you¡¯ve only just found your mate. How are you already pregnant?¡± ¡°Well, besides the biology of how you get pregnant, I believe that it has more to do with my love for my mate. I enjoy being with him, we love each other, we enjoy our¡­ intimacy.¡± ¡°Why do you have bite marks all over you?¡± Tammi asks. I look at the marks that are faded but still noticeable. ¡°Hunter and I might have gotten a little carried awayst night.¡± ¡°Soooo, it wasn¡¯t a punishment?¡± Tiffany asks. ¡°A punishment?¡± I scoff. ¡°If you think I look bad, you should see my mate. Trust me, it was mutual, and it was done in the heat of pleasure, not as something mean and cruel.¡± The twins look at each other again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat, and then, if you¡¯d like, I can take you to see Hunter and I can show you my bite marks on him.¡± Chapter 65: Tiffany and Tammi ¡°Why did that Alpha have the Beta female in his room all night?¡± ¡°That would be Allison. I heard maybe they were a bit loud. Sorry about that. But he¡¯d been waiting a week to mark her. He had to wait so he didn¡¯t have her mark on him before themittee meeting that we went to yesterday. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to vote for and support us in the meeting. When he returned, he couldn¡¯t wait to mark his mate. She consented, it was done privately¡­or as privately as possible, and now they are mated. The only question is, when will they return to his pack.¡± ¡°Would you mind if we eat and shower, maybe change our clothes and then we cane find you? I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to wander around your pack alone, but if we know where you¡¯ll be¡­¡± Tiffany begins. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll probably be in my office or Hunter¡¯s, or if it¡¯ster, in the dining hall for dinner. Nikki and Letti will be around too, so feel free to find them if you can¡¯t find me. I know you¡¯re probably not comfortable with Hunter yet, but he¡¯d be happy to let you know where I am if you can¡¯t find me, and Kinsley, my Beta, is amazing.¡± ¡°Thanks, Luna. And thank you for letting us stay here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. You have nothing to fear here. That doesn¡¯t mean that there won¡¯t be battles on our borders, but you have nothing to fear from any of our pack members or our guests, even if they are Alphas. Hunter has a rule that no one can be publicly imed in his pack, our pack. Anyone who enters our packnds will know and agree to that, so you have nothing to fear. Believe me, he and I will not allow anyone to im you against your will.¡± ¡°Your pack seems very different than ours. Our father and our Chapter 65 Tiffany and Tammi Alpha¡­well, they have very specific ideas about the role of a she-wolf, ranked or otherwise.¡± ¡°Some Alphas do, but not Hunter, and not many of his friends. We¡¯re helping them to see that there is a better way to im us, better for us, and better for them, I¡¯ll see you soon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I say and head out to find my mate. I knock on his office door, and he waves me in. ¡°I look forward to seeing you this weekend, Alpha Ezra,¡± he says, smiling at me and tapping hisp. ¡°Goodbye,¡± he says as I crawl onto hisp. ¡°So, Alpha Ezra ising to visit?¡± ¡°Yes. How are the twins?¡± ¡°Scared, but hopefully I¡¯ve convinced them toe out of their rooms and visit with us and the pack. They thought my bite marks were a punishment,¡± I say sadly. ; ¡°A unishment?¡± ¡°From you. He growls, shaking his head. ¡°And here I was, hoping to leave a few more bite marks on you tonight,¡± he says. I wrap my arms around him and lean forward, kissing his neck and running my nose down to his shoulder. 09:37 Chapter 65: Tiffene and Tammi ¡°I was going to leave one right now,¡± I whisper before sinking my teeth into his shoulder. He¡¯s up and moving, closing and locking his door before both of us shred the other¡¯s clothes, needing to be connected, needing to touch, and taste each other again.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The One 66 The One 66 Chapter 66: Mated Allison I feel incredible. Well, I¡¯m sore in a lot of ces, but mostly, I feel incredible. I understand why Sophie feels the way she does. about Hunter now. I open my mouth as my mate hand feeds me another bite of food. He hasn¡¯t stopped touching me, caressing me, running his nose over my body since we came into the roomst night. I was nervous, even though it was just us, but he has been so loving, so gentle, and so kind, taking his time, exploring my body, and letting me explore his. And wow! What a body he has. I reach out as I chew the piece of bacon, stroking his muscr chest. I have touched every inch of this man now, I know every part of his body and he knows mine, but still, I want more. ¡°You need to eat something. I won¡¯t be deterred this time, little mate,¡± he growls into my neck, making my body shiver and heat pool in between my thighs. Since I¡¯m naked and sitting in hisp, I¡¯m sure he can feel my heat dripping onto his leg. ¡°That¡¯s what you said thest two times,¡± I say, grinning. I grab a piece of egg and put it in his mouth, his eyes holding mine as he licks my fingers clean. The sensation of his tongue on my fingers has memories ofst night and my mate¡¯s exceptionally talented tongue, racing through my mind. 1 ¡°Thest two times, 1 didn¡¯t smell blood on you. Your body has had enough for now,¡± he says seriously. 09.37 Chapter 66 Mated ¡°Tell that to my body. I still want you. I¡¯m sore, yes, but it isn¡¯t stopping this intense need that I have to be with you,¡± I say. I won¡¯t say that I won¡¯t ever be embarrassed with this man in the future, but afterst night, after everything that we did, after baring myself to this man as he did to me, for me, there¡¯s not a lot of room for embarrassment. ¡°Mmm, I have an idea about that, but you¡¯ll have to be honest with me and let me know if it doesn¡¯tContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. work.¡± ¡°What kind of idea?¡± I ask excitedly. Anything that I can do to make this man agree to take me again, I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ve be the type of woman I never thought I¡¯d be. I¡¯m a puddle of goo for this man. He made it easy though. I hadn¡¯t expected him to submit to me. I knew I would have to submit to him, he¡¯s the Alpha. But he submitted to me, more than once during the night, exposing his neck to me and making me his equal. That, more than anything, has bonded me to this man for the rest of my life. The thought makes me lean in, kissing him gently as my emotions, my feelings for him overwhelm me again. I feel tears p**k at my eyes, and I feel him frown as he pulls away from the kiss, just enough to look at me. ¡°What are these emotions I¡¯m feeling from you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so overwhelmed by you. You, this, it¡¯s so much more than I ever dreamed of,¡± I say as my throat closes and a tear falls down my cheek. Kayce is quick to lean over and kiss my tear away. ¡°I don¡¯t like you crying. Tell me what you¡¯re feeling,¡± he says, stroking his hand up and down my back as Iy my head on his 09:37 Chapter 66: Mated shoulder. ¡°You submitted to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mate,¡± he says simply I lift my head, another tear falling. ¡°And that¡¯s why I almost can¡¯t stand how strong my feelings are for you. You¡¯re so perfect.¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± he says, as the tears start falling. He wipes them away with his thumbs. ¡°Allison, I¡¯m far from perfect. But I get why Hunter is willing to put everything at risk to protect his mate. I would do anything for you, Allison. You are my mate, my partner. I want you to stand by my side. I want you to argue with me when you don¡¯t agree with me. I want you to love me with the trust and openness that you showed mest night. I want to know all your secrets and I want to share mine with you. I was envious of Hunter the first time I saw him and Sophie together, frustrated for thest week as I watched them get closer while I waited to mark you. But now, this is so much more than I ever realized. I thought I understood, but you can¡¯t until you feel it, until you have it. You are my equal, Allison. You are my love. You are my everything.¡± I lean in, kissing him, opening my mind to him so he can feel h** deeply, how desperately, I already love him. He growls, opening his mind to me and before I know it, we¡¯re back on the bed. I thought he would slide inside me again, but instead, he begins moving down my body, smirking up at me. ¡°I want to try my idea.¡± ¡°And what was your idea?¡± I ask, stroking my fingers through his thick hair. 0937 Chapter 66: Mated 17 288 Wouchers ¡°A wolf¡¯s saliva is healing. Rodion is pretty sure he can heal you, and then I can take you again. Or, if my little mate wants, she can ride me again, since you seem to like taking control.¡± I feel the heat on my cheeks, but bite my lip and refuse to turn away from my mate. ¡°Yes, I do like it.¡± ¡°I do too. I get to watch that glorious body bouncing on me while you make yourselfe on my **k. S**t f**g thing I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± he growls before spreading my legs wide and licking every part of me until I¡¯m h**e once again from screaming. Much, muchter, I¡¯m wrapped up in Kayce¡¯s arms and I feel him kiss the top of my head. ¡°I¡¯m going to let Hunter know we¡¯re staying another night, but we need to leave tomorrow, Allison. I need to get back to the pack and they need to know that I¡¯ve found my Luna. We¡¯ll have to do what Hunter did, give the pack the option to stay or go. I hope that most or all of them will stay, but I¡¯m not counting on it. The practice of public imings will no longer be allowed in our pack. It¡¯s not just about this,¡± he says, gesturing with his hands to show us happily naked and sated in bed. ¡°It¡¯s about what¡¯s right, it¡¯s about fulfilling my oath as an Alpha, and it¡¯s about ensuring that our poption can co tinue for generations. I mean, look at Hunter and Sophie, pregnant already.¡±. He looks down at me. ¡°I hope like hell that¡¯s you in a couple of weeks.¡± I smile up at him. ¡°Me too. And with the amount of sex we¡¯re having and I hope we¡¯ll continue to have, I don¡¯t see how I won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a greedy little mate?¡± he asks, looking down at me 0937 Chapter 66 Mated 1288 Vouchers possessively. I lift up, putting my chin on his chest so I can look him in the eye. ¡°Is that aint?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m thrilled you seem to want me as much as I want you.¡± He strokes my hair away from my face. ¡°As much as I hate it, we need to get up. I need to talk to Hunter, and you need to talk to Letti. Oh, and Nikki wants to talk to you. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s ready to take me on if you¡¯re not happy with our rtionship,¡± I say smiling. ¡°She¡¯s a good friend. She¡¯ll make a great Luna if she finds the right man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that man is Robin and if so, you two will be neighbors.¡± My head pops up. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even thought of that. I¡¯ll still get to see her!¡± He smiles at me. ¡°I like it when you¡¯re happy.¡± I smile back at him. ¡°You make me happy.¡± ¡°I i..tend to keep it, that way,¡± he says, sitting up and bringing me with him, kissing me and pulling me into hisp. I feel his hand p my a** cheek as he pulls back. ¡°Now, get that cute a** in the shower.¡± I crawl off hisp, and turn, looking at him over my shoulder. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there some new position you wanted to show me in the shower?¡± I ask, seductively. 09:37) Chapter 66 Mated His growl is the only notice I get before I feel his arms around me. I yip as he carries me into the bathroom and shows me yet again how fantastic my life is going to be with this man. When we finally emerge from our room, it¡¯s nearly dinner time. We walk downstairs and see Alpha Hunter first. He¡¯s smirking at Kayce. ¡°I guess you¡¯re staying another night?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± he says, turning to me. ¡°You¡¯re glowing, Allison.¡± I smile shyly, as Kayce puts a protective arm around me. ¡°I¡¯m very happy, Alpha,¡± I say, smiling up at my mate. ¡°That¡¯s makes two of us,¡± he says. ¡°I know Nikki has been anxiously waiting to talk to you and the twins have finally emerged from their room. Sophie is with them, but it might help them to see you. You know them, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. I didn¡¯t get the impression that their pack was a good one,¡± I say, stepping forward. Kayce is right. We do have things we need to do, things that can¡¯t continue to be put aside berause I want to be selfish and have my mate all to myself. ¡®We¡¯ll make time to be selfish together. I want the same with you, but yes, we both have responsibilities,¡¯ Kayce says in my mind. I nod, but I¡¯m looking around the packhouse. ¡°I need to find Letti, Alpha. Do you know where she is?¡± ¡°I believe she¡¯s with Nikki on the back porch, waiting for Sophie and the twins to return from seeing the packnds. Sophie Chapter 66: Mased wanted to make sure they knew where the borders were so they could stay inside. I nod and take a step away, feeling Kayce¡¯s hand take mine, holding me in ce. I turn and look at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± I frown at him. ¡°What?¡± He taps his lips with his finger, smiling at me. He wants me to kiss him, wants me to publicly show my affection for him, publicly ept him. Now, I do blush. He wants to know that I trust him, that I know that he¡¯ll always protect me, and I know it¡¯ s important to him that I believe that. I step up to him, putting my hands on his chest and lift up on my toes. Much like I¡¯ve seen Hunter do with Sophie, Kayce lets me lead the kiss, only taking it as deep as I¡¯mfortable making it. Since it¡¯s the first time we¡¯re kissing in public, it¡¯s short and not a deep kiss, but he seems happy that I showed that level of trust. ¡°Let me know if you need anything,¡± he says, kissing my hand before finally releasing me. ¡°It¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± I hear Hunter say as I walk away. ¡°It¡¯s so much more than ever expected,¡± my mate replies, making me smile as I head outside. ¡°Hey girls!¡± I say, and they both jump up to hug me. ¡°How are you?¡± Nikki asks, looking at me intently. ¡°Really, truly fantastic. I¡¯ve never felt better. It¡¯s not a fluke with 09371 Chapter 66 Mated 1 Sophie. The mate bond with the right man is incredible. Kayce is incredible!¡± I gush. ¡°Does this mean we have to start calling you Luna?¡± Letti asks me. ¡°Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I talked to Kayce, and we were hoping that you¡¯d want to move to our pack. You don¡¯t have to, I know you feel safe here, but¡­we¡¯ve been together a long time, and I was hoping¡­¡± ¡°You want me toe with you?¡± I nod. ¡°Kayce promises to keep you safe and he and I, well, we need to talk about it more, but we¡¯re talking about opening our -pack as a safe ce for she-wolves as well.¡± She throws her arms around me. ¡°I was so sad thinking that I¡¯d lost you. I would love toe with you!¡± I smile, wrapping my arms around her. ¡°The thought of leaving you here felt like I was losing a sister.¡± ¡°I felt the same. When are we leaving?¡± ¡°Tc norrow.¡± The One 67 The One 67 Chapter 67: ns Hunter I swear the longer I¡¯m with Sophie, the more I need to touch her, to be with her. It¡¯s like I can¡¯t get enough, like it will never be enough. She seems to feel the same and I love it. I was thankful that she didn¡¯t seem to mind that the pack was teasing me about her bite marks. I was also thankful that they were smart enough to not tease her about it. I can feel her confidence growing, her willingness to openly show her love and possession of me, but I don¡¯t want to rush it. I¡¯m not surprised but I am disappointed to hear that other packs have and use bite marks as a punishment. It¡¯s something I need to remember before I go to any Committee meeting with Sophie. I don¡¯t want any of those Alphas to think that I¡¯ve punished Sophie in some way. My bite marks are purely because I love having my scent and my mark all over her. Well, that, and I can¡¯t keep my mouth off of her. After adding some new bite marks to each other, Sophie had been the one to end our fun. ¡°The twins are supposed to being down soon. I don¡¯t want to scare them off, but¡­¡± she had turned and pressed her still half naked body against mine. ¡°I expect you to pick up where we left offter tonight, Alpha.¡± ¡°What my Luna wants, my Luna gets,¡± I growled, loving how her body shivered in response. As soon as the twins had emerged, I knew it was going to take 109371 Chapter 67: ns: time with them. They have not had it easy. I haven¡¯t asked, and I won¡¯t for a while, but I¡¯m guessing their pack is one where the ranked she-wolves are locked in until they turn 18, which makes me wonder how they escaped. I let Sophie take the lead with them, seeing how skittish they are around me. I mind link Kinsley and ask her to join them. The twins are Betas and may feel morefortable with another Beta, at least until Allison emerges with Kayce. While Sophie is out, I check my emails, seeing that we have another Committee meeting next week, this one is for Owen. I mind link Dr. Felicity, getting an update on Brooklyn and asking for a medical summary of Brooklyn¡¯s injuries and treatment to provide to the Committee members. Owen may be hoping that I¡¯ Il support him in this, but he is mistaken. ¡°Alpha, did our Luna let you know that she has an appointment at nine o¡¯clock tomorrow morning to have your first evaluation of her pregnancy?¡± ¡°It must have slipped her mind but thank you for letting me know. We¡¯ll be there,¡± I say, excited to find out more about our pup. She chuckles. ¡°That¡¯s what she said. I¡¯ll warn you, it¡¯s early, but we should at least be able to hear a heartbeat.¡± A heartbeat! I thank Dr. Felicity and turn back to my work, trying to focus while still excited about the idea of hearing my son or daughter¡¯s heart beating tomorrow. ¡®We should listen tonight. I might be able to hear it,¡¯ Shaw says, as excited as I am. 01.371 Chapter 67. ns 12 ¡®Definitely. While I¡¯m looking over the Committee meeting agenda, I pull up the paperwork to petition the changing of thew that allows she-wolves to be imed publicly, I begin going through it and marking the changes that I want to see made and penalties for continuing with this practice. By the time I¡¯m finished with my first draft, my eyes are blurry and I¡¯m missing my mate, so I walk out to find them, seeing Letti and Nikki on the back porch. ¡°Good afternoon,dies. How are we today?¡± I ask them. ¡°Hello, Alpha. We¡¯re good. Have you seen Allison?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine, Nikki, but no. They haven¡¯t emerged yet.¡± She nods, still looking worried. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like for your birthday, Nikki? Eighteen is a special birthday. Anyone we should invite to your party?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a party, Alpha. Actually, I¡¯d almost prefer not to have one, given the bad connotation that it¡¯s had for so long,¡± she says. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to take that up with my mate. She¡¯s nning a party for you, but Nikki, there are no public imings in my pack. No matter if you find your mate or not, I won¡¯t allow it. You can just enjoy your birthday as it was always meant to be, a celebration of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha.¡± ¡°I will say, though, that there are several unmated Alphas who 09:371 Chapter 67: ns 1243 Wouchers would like to be here, in the event that you are their mate. Would you be opposed to me inviting Alpha Dutton, Alpha Ezra, and Alpha Robin to attend?¡± I watch her eyes dte when I mention Robin. ¡°I thought Alpha Robin was already nning to attend?¡± ¡°He invited himself, but it¡¯s your party, Nikki. If you don¡¯t want him here, I¡¯ll tell him to stay home.¡± ¡°You swear you won¡¯t allow anyone to im me?¡± ¡°My word as an Alpha. The only way someone will im you is if you allow it. It will be your choice.¡± She nods. ¡°Okay then, yes, I would be okay with the three of them. But not the others,¡± she says quickly. ¡°Good, because none of the other unmated Alphas are wee on my packnds anyway,¡± I say, smiling at her. I¡¯ve just walked back inside, ready to call Alpha Robin to confirm that Nikki officially invited him, when I run into Kayce and Allison. Allison looks just like Sophie did the day after our mating, happy, overwhelmed, and glowing. Kayce probably looks. more like I did, smug, happy, and proud. I send Allison in search of the twins and ask Kayce if he¡¯ll look over thew change that I¡¯ve started. ¡°Send it to me. Also, you should know that Allison is going to ask Letti toe with us. Apparently, they are closer than I realized, having been on the run together for a while.¡± I look at him. ¡°You¡¯ll keep her safe?¡± 09:37 This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 67: nt 11 288 (Vouchers He nods. ¡°I¡¯ve given my word to my mate, and I¡¯m sure your understand how important that is.¡± ¡°I absolutely do.¡± ¡°Tell me about the twins,¡± he says. I give him the little bit of information that I know. ¡°They¡¯re not from around here, are they?¡± he asks. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I have Lucas subtly looking into packs who have posted for missing she-wolves. I¡¯m trying to find where they came from, but so far, we haven¡¯t found notices of missing twins.¡± ¡°They probably didn¡¯t want to alert the hunting Alphas that twins were out there. Talk about a hunt!¡± ¡°They¡¯re lucky they found me when they did.¡± ¡°Yeah, if Aiden had caught them, their lives would have stayed the same as what you¡¯re describing,¡± he says, just as our mates re-emerge with Nikki, Letti, and the twins. ¡°Letti ising with us tomorrow, just so you know. She agreed,¡± Kayce says to me in an aside, not taking his eyes off of his mate. I haven¡¯t taken my eyes off of mine either. Both of them look up, giving us sweet, perfect smiles. Almost as if pulled to them, Kayce and I begin walking toward them. I notice the twins flinch as step up, and I¡¯m careful not to touch them, but I need to touch my mate. ¡°Hi,¡± I say to her. She smells like the outdoors, like the forest around us mixed with her orchid scent. Chapter 67. ns 11 288 Vouchers ¡°Hi,¡± she says softly,ing to wrap her arms around my waist as I pull her to me. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°I missed you, too.¡± From beside me, I can hear Kayce having a simr conversation with his mate, even though they¡¯ve only been apart less than an hour. But they are newly mated. ¡°Did you have a nice time showing off our pack?¡± I love seeing those green eyes shining with her love for me. ¡°Yes. Tiffany and Tammi prefer staying closer to the packhouse, but they at least know where the boundaries are now. She raises her hand to stroke my face, lifting up on her toes. I lean in, pressing my lips to hers, letting her guide the kiss since we have some skittish she-wolves around us. I¡¯m surprised when she deepens the kiss, pressing herself against me, her orchid scent intensifying. I growl, pulling away. ¡°Sophie¡­¡± ¡°I told you I missed you,¡± she says, smiling unapologetically. ¡°I hear we have a doctor¡¯s appointment tomorrow morning.¡± She rods. ¡°I was nning to tell you earlier, but¡­I got distracted.¡± She grins at me, reminding me of our earlier time in my office. ¡°Yes, I have the bite marks to prove it,¡± I grin, hearing the twins suck in air. I refocus, tucking Sophie against my side. ¡°It¡¯s nearly dinner time. How about all of us have dinner together. I hear we have some news to share and some of you will be leaving us Chapter 67 ns 1288 Wouchers tomorrow.¡¯ Over dinner, Kayce and I mostly stay quiet, letting our mates chatter happily with their friends. The twins mostly stay quiet too, but their eyes are wide, listening and watching the interactions around them. They be hyper aware when Nikki and Sophie start talking about Nikki¡¯s birthday and that¡¯s the first time they enter the conversation. ¡°You¡¯re having a party?¡± Tiffany asks. I see Kayce¡¯s head snap up as the scent of fear increases quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Nikki says. ¡°I know you don¡¯t know Alpha Hunter, but you must have heard of Sophie. Trust her. I do and neither she nor Alpha Hunter have let me down yet. Until they do, I¡¯m going to trust them, and I believe that you can as well.¡± ¡°Are you eighteen?¡± Kayce asks gently. They both nod. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid to stay here for Nikki¡¯s party, you¡¯re wee toe with us, but I¡¯ll warn you, I haven¡¯t had the same conversation or given my pack the same ultimatum that Hunter has with this pack. There may be some in my pack that are still in favor of public imings. I won¡¯t know for sure until we return. That could cause you some difort. I, like Hunter, won¡¯t allow you to be hurt or imed against your will, but that doesn¡¯t mean that my pack members won¡¯t be irritated or angry that they are being made to leave.¡± I watch as Allison reaches out to take his hand and he immediately picks it up to kiss the back of her hand. Chapter 67: ns 11 288 Vouchers ¡°We¡¯ve spent nearly as much time with Alpha Kayce as we have with Alpha Hunter. I believe you can trust both of them, but if I were you, I¡¯d stay here. This pack is settled, they already know and have agreed to protect everyone here against any attacking Alphas. Alpha Kayce and Luna Allison still have to get their pack to that point,¡± Letti says. When the twins nod, agreeing to stay, I look at Kayce. Nikki¡¯s birthday, with three ranked she-wolves and three unmated Alphas in attendance, is going to be very interesting. The One 68 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 0.00% [09:38) Chapter 66 Birthday Party 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?¡± 12.93% Chapter 6B: Birthday Party 11 280 Wouthern ¡°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 2563 09.381 Chapter 68 Brthday Party birthday party, but also because there will be three unmated Alphas in attendance. 281 Moucher 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.¡± 40 85% 04.38 Chapter 58: Birthday Party 11208 Younters. ¡°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, 55.394 1930 Chapter 68 Birthday Party and tomorrow, we find out if we¡¯re having a boy or a girl. 288 Moochers ¡®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, Chapter 6 Birthday Party 1289 Vouchers. 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. 09 38 Chapter 68 Birthday Party 200 Mouchers ¡°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. The One 69 The One 69 Chapter 69: Mates Dutton I smelled them the moment I got out of the car. Well, I didn¡¯t know there were two, I just knew my mate was here. I could smell her ¨C vani and citrus. I hadpletely ignored Penny, who I brought with me to the pack and raced inside, leaving her yelling behind me that she needed help with her bags. I never wanted to hunt my mate down, but that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t want her. I do. I desperately want her. Except her, is them. Twins. I¡¯m mated to twins. When Robin had snarled that my mates were his, Orion, my wolf, had been ready to kill him or anyone else who got in our way. Only he was standing in front of some other female I could care less about. My mates, plural, two, more than one, holy goddess above what did I do to deserve two of the most gorgeous women in the world? My mates were on the other side of the room. I took a step toward them, only for someone else to get in my Wa J. I refocus. Hunter. ¡°Get out of my way, Hunter,¡± Orion and I snarl together. ¡°You need to get control of your wolf, Dutton,¡± he growls back, Shaw close to the surface. ¡°We could take Shaw. He¡¯s strong, but if he thinks he can keep us from our mates, I will destroy him,¡¯ Orion says. 0.00% Chapter 60: Mases. 1285 (Vouchers ¡°They are scared, and you will only alienate them or cause them to run from you. Theye from a pack that mistreated them. They are under my protection so if you want a chance to get to know them, rein in Orion, now!¡± Hunter growls in a low voice meant only for me. When I look back, I can see the women, my mates, clinging to each other, their eyes wide with fear. Now that I¡¯m paying. attention, I can smell their fear intermingled with their divine scent. I shake my head, grabbing hold of Orion. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. When we stepped out of the car, I smelled¡­¡± I stop, breathing deeply of their scent. No wonder l was overwhelmed by it. There are two of them, their scent and my pull to them being amplified because they are twins. ¡°I smelled your scents, and my wolf took over. But I have him under control now. I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± I tell them gently. I feel Hunter¡¯s body rx, but he doesn¡¯t move out of my way. ¡°May I at least have your names?¡± I ask. They turn their heads to look at someone else. I follow their ey¡¯s and see Luna Sophie. She looks at me, her wolf at the forefront, sniffing my intentions. Then she looks back at my mates and nods. ¡°I¡¯m Tiffany,¡± the one who smells like vani and lemons says. ¡°And I¡¯m Tammi,¡± the one who smells like vani and oranges says. ¡°I¡¯m Dutton, Alpha Dutton. Is there¡­¡± I suddenly realize that we¡¯ 11:781 0938 Chapter 69- Mates 1288 Vouchers re in the middle of a party and everyone has gone quiet, watching our interactions. ¡°Is there somece more private. where we might talk?¡± I ask. Their electric blue eyes go wide again, and again, they turn to look at Luna Sophie. ¡°Hunter, why don¡¯t we switch. I think that Nikki and Alpha Robin are good,¡± she says, turning to look at the woman standing behind her. So, she¡¯s the birthday girl and Robin is her mate. Good for them, but I could give a s***t right now. My mates are standing in front of me. ¡°Remember my rule, Dutton. I will not hesitate to keep you in line. And if you get out of control around my pregnant mate, will kill you,¡± Hunter says, deadly serious. I look at Luna Sophie as she walks over, casually putting herself between me and my mates. ¡°I¡¯m sure now that Alpha Dutton has had a moment to collect himself and his wolf, he¡¯ll be on his best behavior, right Alpha?¡± she asks me. Her tone is casual, but I can see the threat in her eyes as well. If I try anything with these she-wolves, she won¡¯t hesitate to put me down. Knowing what I know about her, I feel confident that she could do it. And even without Hunter¡¯s threat, Orion and I wouldn¡¯t hurt her even if he did attack us. I can smell the pup on her. Her scent has subtly changed since Ist saw her. ¡°Absolutely, Luna. I just want to get to know my mates.¡± ¡°Well then, follow me,¡± she says, turning and wrapping her arms around my mates, continuing to keep herself between me and them. ¡°Will you stay with us, Luna? We don¡¯t want to be alone with 0938 Chapter 6 Mates him,¡± I hear Tammi ask. It hurts my heart, makes Orion howl with. pain inside my head, but I get it. This is the very first birthday party in history that a ranked female finds her mate and won¡¯t be marked publicly. F***k, how will that even work with two of them? I can¡¯t mark both of them at once. We have a lot to talk about. ¡®How about we get them to agree to letting us mark them before we worry about who we will mark first,¡¯ Orion grumbles. ¡®You agree with a private marking and mating?¡¯ I ask him, surprised. ¡®Look at them, they¡¯re terrified of us. They¡¯re ours, I¡¯ll do anything they need to make them feel safe, even if it means I have to wait to mark them. Hunter said they were mistreated in their pack. I will kill anyone and everyone who ever hurt them,¡¯ he growls. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit in here. It¡¯s a bit away from the noise of the party. I can have someone bring us some food and something to drink, if that works for everyone?¡± Sophie says. ¡°Whatever my mates would like. Have you eaten? You both look like you need to eat more,¡± I say, looking them over quickly. I don¡¯t want to make them afraid, but they are much too small. It makes me wonder how long they¡¯ve been on the run. ¡®Or maybe their Alpha kept them underfed so they couldn¡¯t run,¡¯ Orion growls. ¡°We could eat,¡± Tiffany says. I¡¯m starting to get a feel for the two of them. Tiffany already seems to be the more outgoing of the two, Tammi is shyer. 09 39 Chapter 66 Mates ¡°And you Tammi? You¡¯ll eat as well?¡± I ask her, and I see her. surprise that I can already tell her apart from her sister. She nods. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down, and I¡¯ll ask someone to bring us some food and did you want something to drink?¡± Sophie asks, looking at the girls. ¡°Wine for us,¡± Tiffany says, giving even more confirmation that she¡¯s more outspoken. ¡°Red or white?¡± I ask. ¡°White,¡± she says, and Tammi nods when I look at her. ¡°And I¡¯ll have what they¡¯re having. I say to Sophie. ¡°Please, sit,¡± I say, taking control of the meeting. I¡¯m not sure if that was Sophie¡¯s intention but she gave me an opening and I¡¯m taking it. I see them both nce at Sophie whose eyes are unfocused in the mind link. ¡°Please,¡± I say, gesturing to a two-seater sofa. They sit and I sit across from them. I¡¯m itching to touch them, but I refrain. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me a little about yourselves. You¡¯re twins, you¡¯re at least eighteen, you¡¯ve been on the run and are here under Hunter¡¯s protection,¡± I begin. I¡¯m on the edge of my seat, literally, getting as close to them as possible, but also because I want to know everything about them. ¡°We¡¯re eighteen,¡± Tammi says, and I smile at her encouragingly. ¡°Who was born first?¡± I ask. 09 38 Chapter & Mate ¡°I was,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°By two minutes,¡± Tammi says. ¡°Where are you from?¡± I ask them. They look at each other. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to send you away. But I¡¯ve never met you and I¡¯ve been to many birthday parties in the packs in our territory, so you¡¯ve obviously run from quite a distance.¡± ¡°We¡¯re from out west, California.¡± ¡°Beach bunnies?¡± I ask, earning a giggle from Tammi. F**k, she¡¯ s so sweet. ¡°No,¡± she says, blushing. ¡°You look like it with your blond hair and blue eyes,¡± I tell them. ¡°We lived in the mountains, or our pack did. We weren¡¯t¡­¡± Tiffany begins, looking at Tammi. The grin from a moment ago. is gone. ¡°We weren¡¯t allowed to leave.¡± I nod, holding onto Orion as he snarls and thrashes around in my head. ¡°You¡¯re the daughters of the pack Beta?¡± I ask, noticing that Sophie is watching us, but staying back and letting me talk. ¡°Yes, the only children of our parents,¡± Tammi says. ¡°And, they were okay with you not being allowed to leave the pack?¡± I ask gently, trying to figure out how they got away. Chapter 60 Mates ¡°No¡­well, our father was,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°But not our mother,¡± Tammi says. ¡°Is that how you got away?¡± I ask. ¡°It was supposed to be all three of us,¡± Tammi says, and her eyes fill with tears. I¡¯m practically desperate to pull her into myp and hold her, but instead, I reach out my hand, offering to hold hers. She looks at it a moment then reaches out, taking my hand. Hers are soft and small in mine. I smile at her then turn to Tiffany, extending my other hand to her. She smiles and takes my hand. I swear I feel both of them rx a bit with just my touch. I know Orion rxes, and he begins purring softly. I don¡¯t cut him off, wanting to soothe both of them. ¡°Who was the other person who was supposed toe with you?¡± I ask. ¡°Alex,¡± Tiffany says and I instantly growl, causing both women to s**h their hands away from me. S**t. I get hold of my jealousy and anger. ¡°You were supposed to run with a man?¡± I grit out. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°What? No!¡± Tammi exims, frowning. ¡°Alex is short for Alexandra. She¡¯s the Alphas daughter and our best friend,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°Our mothers worked together to get us out, but something happened. The Alpha and our father were supposed to be gone longer than they were, and our mothers couldn¡¯t get us out of our locked rooms fast enough. Alex, she¡­.¡± Tiffany stops and once again, I desperately want to Chapter 69: Mates comfort them. The look at each other and when they turn back, they both have tears in their eyes. ¡°Alex sacrificed herself so that we could get away.¡± They both begin sobbing and I drop to the floor in front of them. ¡°Please, please let me hold you. My wolf is howling with our need tofort you. I hate seeing you cry,¡± I say, opening my arms. I know better than to try to hold them. These two are very skittish and will take a lot of time and patience on mine and Orion¡¯s part, but it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re terrified after what they¡¯ve been through., It¡¯s Tammi who drops into my arms first, putting her head on my shoulder and wrapping an arm around me. I kiss the top of her head, wrapping one arm around her while keeping the other one open to Tiffany. When she finally falls into my arms, I kiss the top of her head and take a deep breath, holding on to these sweet, gentle women, my mates. I know the moment that Tiffany puts her head on my shoulder that they truly are meant for me. And while I hate that they are both crying, nothing has felt so perfect in my life as having these two women in my arms. The One 70 The One 70 Chapter 70: Promises Nikki When someone else had cried mate, I¡¯d felt fear slither down my spine. All the horrors, all the spectacles of public imings, came smashing into me. But then¡­.Robin had moved in front of me, his ws extended, ready to fight another Alpha for me, even though his mark isn¡¯t on my neck. As soon as I hear the twins softly cry ¡®mate¡¯, I knew what had happened, even if it took the rest of the room a minute to figure it out. I put my hand on Robin¡¯s back, letting him know that I¡¯m safe, but also enjoying the feeling of his muscles quivering under my touch. He smells like musk and earth, like raw masculinity. Everything about this man screams Alpha to me, even his willingness to let me stand up to him. Nothing says power like a man who isn¡¯t afraid to let others show theirs. I feel his body rx and while I continue to watch Hunter trying to calm Dutton and his wolf, I step up to Robin. ¡°Are you going to go all protective Alpha all night?¡± I ask softly, helping to diffuse his anger, but also happy to be teasing him again. ¡°That depends,¡± he says, still watching Dutton intently. ¡°Are you nning to dance with anyone other than me tonight, mate?¡± He turns and looks at me over his shoulder. His intense gaze sends heat pooling south. My mouth has gone dry so all I can do is shake my head, no. Chapter 70: Promise ¡°Good,¡± he growls softly. When Sophie suggests that she help the twins and Hunter check on Robin and I, I can see his reticence, but Sophie, being the queen she is, takes control of the situation. I know the twins are worried, but I also know that Sophie won¡¯t allow anything to happen to them, letting me focus on my mate. I look back at Robin. If things between us work out, I hope to be the same kind of Luna that Sophie is, strong and confident. As Sophie begins to lead the twins and Alpha Dutton from the room, Robin turns to me. ¡°Now, where were we?¡± ¡°I believe our wolves were identifying each other as mates,¡± say. I¡¯m feeling shy all of a sudden. What does Robin expect of me now? ¡°Nikki, are you good?¡± Alpha Hunter asks, walking over. ¡°Yes, Alpha. I think we¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Robin, remember my rule,¡± he says. Robin nods but doesn¡¯t look away from me. ¡°I¡¯m here until themittee meeting so that my mate and I can spend time together,¡± he says. I jerk in surprise, and he merely smiles at me. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t think I¡¯de in, and expect you to leave with me immediately, did you?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect,¡± I say. ¡°Hunter, can we get the music back on so I can dance with my mate?¡± Robin asks and when Hunter doesn¡¯t respond, we both look to find him gone. 09:39 Chapter 70 Promises ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± I look around wanting to find Kinsley. Robin, however, pulls me to him. ¡°We can make our own music,¡± he says and begins swaying back and forth. His gaze on me is so intense, it makes me blush. ¡°You look so beautiful tonight. Even if you weren¡¯t my mate, I¡¯d be jealous of the man who was lucky enough to call you his,¡± he says. I tilt my chin up and narrow my eyes. ¡°So, you only want me for my looks?¡± His smile grows wide, and I realize that while he probably was giving me a realpliment, he also knew it would antagonize me and I yed right into it. His eyes drop to my mouth and his gaze turns to a burning hunger. ¡°I also love that smart mouth of yours and I can¡¯t wait to taste it.¡± He drags his eyes back to mine. ¡°I love the intelligence and strength that are behind that beautiful face and the passion¡­Oh my little mate, how I do hope that you keep your passion. I think you and I can have a wonderful life together.¡± ¡°I have a lot of things that I want to change about our world,¡± I say, defiantly. He may as well know what he¡¯s getting into. ¡°Like what?¡± he asks softly, watching me as if every word I say is of the utmost importance. ¡°Women should have an equal say in the packs. We should have the same rights as men. Women should have the right to take 09 391 Chapter 20 Promises 1288 Mourners over as Alpha,¡± I say, quickly muttering the biggest of my issues, the one that would cause other Alphas the most concern. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying if our first child is a girl, she should have the right to take over our pack?¡± he asks, as if it¡¯s a simple conversation, casually bringing up our child. I swallow hard, struggling with the image of having this man¡¯s pup as a sh of hot desire rushes through me. I really want that. ¡°Why not? I would have made a better Alpha than ric,¡± I say, defensively, trying to get myself and my purring wolf under control. ¡°You definitely would have, but that¡¯s not saying much. Your brother is a terrible Alpha. Would you, let¡¯s say, have made a better Alpha than Hunter?¡± I turn, looking around the room for our host. I see him putting together tes of food, possibly for Dutton and the twins. I¡¯m guessing he wants to check on his mate. I think about his question a moment. Robin¡¯s right. There¡¯s a huge difference in being better than my brother versus being better than Hunter. ¡°I would always strive to do my best and to be the best Alpha I could be for my pack. I would be open to their worries and concerns, listening to their ideas and trying to make the pack more cohesive and stronger. I don¡¯t know if that would make me a better Alpha than Hunter, but I would think it would at least make me as good an Alpha as he is.¡± Robin reaches up and strokes my cheek. ¡°You can do all those things as my Luna. Listen, make the pack feel heard, be open to their ideas, make the pack stronger,¡± he says. 109 39 L Chapter 70 Promises 1280 Wochen I look up at him, seeing pride at what I¡¯ve said. ¡°And what about you, Alpha Robin? What do you want in a mate?¡± ¡°A partner,¡± he says without hesitation. ¡°Running a pack, if your do it well, isn¡¯t easy. I want someone who is kind, loving, intelligent, strong, passionate, someone who will stand up to me if they think I¡¯m wrong, someone who will aggravate me to the point of nearly losing my mind, someone who make me crave them every minute of the day so that I can barely stand to be away from them, someone who will learn to trust me, someone who will give themselves to me completely, freely, and withplete and utter abandon.¡± ¡°Well, with such simple criteria, I can¡¯t imagine why you haven¡¯t found her before today,¡± I say sarcastically, feeling a bit overwhelmed by his words. He¡¯s very confident about what he wants. ¡°I¡¯ve had a week to think about it, wondering if you were my mate. I¡¯ve had a week to realize that you meet every one of those criteria, or hopefully, you will one day when you learn to trust me and give yourself to me. I would never want topare what I have with my mate to someone else and theirs but when we were in thatmittee meeting and Hunter asked Sophie to submit to him? I can¡¯t imagine the amount of trust. that it took for her or the amount of love and respect that it took from him for her to give it. I want that. The moment I saw them, I knew that it was exactly what I wanted in my rtionship with my mate. I want her, you, to know that if we were in a room full of Alphas, that you would never, ever have to worry that I wouldn¡¯t put you first, that I would never betray your trust, that I would never let you down.¡± We¡¯ve stopped dancing, his words impacting me more strongly Chapter 70 Promises 1288 Vouche than I would have imagined. ¡°All I¡¯m asking, is for you to give me a chance, to let me prove to you that I can be that man to you, I¡¯ve seen what Hunter and Sophie have, I¡¯ve seen what Kayce and Allison already have. I want it. I desperately want you and I to have that, that trust, that love, that respect, all of it. But with you, IContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. also want your F**g passion. You have a fire, Nikki, and I want to burn in your mes every f**g night for the rest of my life.¡± I don¡¯t know what to say, all I know is his words are having a very strong effect on my body. I feel hot and ufortable in ways ¡®I¡¯m unustomed to. He looks down at my mouth, and unconsciously lick my lips. His low growl of approval sends another wave of heat to my core, causing me to press my thighs together so my arousal doesn¡¯t begin to drip down my thighs. ¡°And I desperately want to taste that mouth,¡± he says, and now he¡¯s panting, his eyes glued to my lips. ¡°Please tell me that I can.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, and in a fraction of a second, his warm, soft mouth is devouring mine in a gentle, dominant kiss, promising everything that he intends to give me in our future. The One 71 The One 71 Chapter 71: Ezra Hunter I don¡¯t like my mate being away from me, especially when she¡¯s in a room with an agitated wolf who just found his mates¡­.two, two mates. I know how strong my pull was to Sophie. I can¡¯t imagine what the pull would feel like if Soph was a twin and there were two of them. His wolf must be nearly out of his mind. After checking on Nikki, I see Penny, standing in the doorway with bags on her shoulders and in her hands, looking around wide-eyed. ¡°Penny. Oh my goddess, did Dutton just leave you?¡± I ask, rushing up and grabbing her bags. ¡°Yeah, sounded like he found his mate,¡± she says, looking around the room. ¡°He did. Mates, actually, they¡¯re twins.¡± ¡°Oh, well, um¡­where are they?¡± she asks. I watch as her eyes focus on Nikki and Robin who are dancing in the room, but the music hasn¡¯t started back up yet. I¡¯m just about to reach out to Kinsley when the music begins again. I look across the room and see that she is taking control of everything. ¡®Thank you. Penny is here. I¡¯ll take her to her room,¡¯ I say to Kinsley. ¡®Is our Luna okay?¡± she asks. Chapter 71; Ezra 288 Vouche ¡®Not sure. I¡¯ll check on her when I get back.¡± She begins walking toward me. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take Penny to her room. I was watching over the twins, but I don¡¯t have to do that now. You cane with me Penny, and when we get back you can help me keep this party going,¡± she says, smiling at Penny. For whatever reason, it seems to put Penny at ease, so I thank Kinsley and turn. ¡°What else needs to happen?¡± I ask. ¡°Just keep the party going until I get back.¡± She looks over her shoulder at Nikki and Robin, deep in conversation. ¡°I think that mate bond will be a good one.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± I say, watching the imperturbable Nikki blushing in Robin¡¯s arms. When I see an omega putting arge amount of food together, I walk up, asking who it¡¯s for. ¡°Luna asked me to bring food for three,¡± he says. ¡°Make it four, your Luna forgets that she needs to eat, and I¡¯ll take it to them.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I help them put the food on a cart and then I follow my mate¡¯s scent to an office space where I hear the m**d sounds of crying. I knock softly on the door before opening it, my mate walking over to me. ¡°How is it going?¡± I ask. She opens the door a bit wider so I can see Dutton on the floor, a twin in each arm as they cry against his shoulder. He¡¯s cooing at them, trying to soothe them. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask. ¡°He asked how they got here. They¡¯ve already told him more than they told us,¡± she says. I nod. The mate bond is a very powerful thing. ¡°You let me down, Sophie Reynolds,¡± I say. Her head whips around to me and her eyes looking horrified. ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°You ordered food for three, when you should have ordered food for four, or better yet, food for five. Lucky for you, your mate adores you beyond anything else in this world and rectified that,¡± I say, smiling at her and stroking her cheek so she knows I was joking. ¡°I was hoping toe eat with my mate, but I think I should stay a hit longer. They¡¯re doing pretty well on their own, but the twins are skittish.¡± ¡°Dutton and Orion and under control?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re his mates, Hunter. He loves them and wants them to be happy. I think now that you gave him a moment to think, he¡¯ll be fine. How are Nikki and Robin?¡± I smile. ¡°Exactly as we expected.¡± She leans in and kisses me. ¡°I love you, my mate.¡± ¡°Not nearly as much as I love you¡± I say, giving her a soft, but deep kiss. ¡°Is this anotherpetition, Alpha?¡± she asks, smiling. 1288 Vouchers ¡°Nope, I already won,¡± I say, making herugh. Dutton¡¯s head snaps up, looking over at us. I nod at him, pushing the cart into the room and peck my mate on the lips again before leaving. Sophie¡¯s right, Dutton seems to have this under control. If he didn¡¯t, he would have growled at having another male that close to his mates, even a mated one. I head back into the party, searching for anyone who looks out of ce. My eyesnd on Ezra who is standing off to the side, alone, watching everything. As I watch, he follows Penny, who is no longer with Kinsley, to the bar. I follow behind, wanting to make sure that Penny is okay. ¡°I¡¯m underage!¡± I hear Penny say, her eyes wide and the scent of her fear permeating the area around her. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting name, I¡¯munderage. Where does a name like that generate from?¡± I hear Ezra ask casually. ¡°Penny, this is Alpha Ezra. He¡¯s a friend of mine. Ezra, this is Penny. She was on the run with Sophie just before I found her,¡± I say, walking up. ¡°Penny, that¡¯s a much more normal name. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Ezra says. Her eyes track from him to me and back again. ¡°Uh, hi. Uhhh, hi, Alpha, it¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± she says, getting a hold of her fear. Chapter 71: Ezra 288 Vouchers Ezra sniffs the air. ¡°G**a?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she says, nodding. ¡°Do you mind if I ask where you¡¯re from?¡± he asks her as the omega bartenderes to take their drink order. Ezra orders a bourbon, which I knew he would, so I made sure to have his favorite on hand. I order one as well and Penny orders a ss of wine. ¡°I¡¯m from out west. Sophie and I took a train to get back here,¡± she says, rxing a bit in my presence. Ezra tilts his head. ¡°You were on the run, and you took a train? How did you have the money for that?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she begins, looking around as if she¡¯s afraid to give away the secrets of the she-wolves on the run. ¡°Ezra isn¡¯t an Alpha who hunts she-wolves,¡± I say. ¡°No. I found my mate a long time ago,¡± he says sadly. ¡°Oh, is she here?¡± Penny asks. ¡°No. She was one of those who took her life,¡± he says, shooting his entire drink. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he says, walking away. ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± she says, watching him. ¡°I know. She was my sister,¡± I say watching Ezra. He looks lost, sad, miserable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s never gotten over losing her and his daughter,¡± I Chapter 71-Ezra 288 Vouchersi say, shooting my own drink and heading toward Ezra. ¡®Lucas, can you and Kinsley keep an eye on things here?¡¯ ¡®Of course. What¡¯s up?¡¯ ¡®Ezra needs a break. I¡¯ll be in my office. Sophie is still with Dutton and the twins, but things seem to be moving okay there and-Nikki and Robin seem fine. If that changes, let me know.¡¯ ¡®Yes, Alpha.¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me?¡± I say, putting a hand on Ezra¡¯s shoulder. I can see the grief in his eyes as the memories return. He nods and I lead him away from the party, to the quieter part of the packhouse. On the way, I grab a bottle of the bourbon that I bought for him, and we go to my office. When we get there, I pour both of us a drink and gesture for him to sit. ¡°I can¡¯t sit. I can¡¯t¡­. It¡¯s so different tonight. What you¡¯ve done here, is so different than how it was when Diana turned 18.¡± His eyes ze over with the memory of my sister. ¡°She was so beautiful that night. Well, she was beautiful every night, but that night, the first night I recognized her as my mate, she was utterlyThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. gorgeous. I had to hold Thorin back from marking her right there. He wanted every f**g male in that room to know she was ours.¡± He shakes his head and clenches his teeth as his eyes fill with tears. ¡°I tried. I tried to make it as easy for her as I could. But¡­ when you¡¯re in the middle all the chanting, all the feverish energy, you just want to get her away from it all, and you rush it. A woman should never be rushed her first time, or anytime, but Chapter 71 Ezra 288 Vouchers definitely not the first time. We never had a chance after that. She gave herself to me, eventually, but it was never like what you have with your mate, not like what I¡¯m seeing between Robin and Nikki. If I could go back in time¡­¡± He shakes his head again, putting his drink down and scrubbing his face in his hands. ¡°We should have all fought sooner. We should have all stood up for our mates. You were right, in themittee meeting. You were absolutely right that we should all be acting like the f**g Alphas that we are, not blindly following aw that¡¯s been outdated for much too long.¡± ¡°I¡¯m petitioning to have thew changed. Kayce looked it over when he was here and I was hoping to get you, Robin, and utton to look it over too.¡± He nods. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to.¡± He stares at the floor a moment and I wait. ¡°You did what we all should have done. You had the courage to stand up for what we all should have stood for. If I had done that¡­.¡± his voice c**ks. I want to offer sce, but I know there isn¡¯t any. He looks up at me. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely stand beside you. It¡¯s toote for me. But I¡¯ll stand for the others who deserve better. I¡¯ll do it for them, and I¡¯ll do it for Diana.¡± The One 72 The One 72 Chapter 72: Getting Settled Sophie Dutton got the twins calmed while I pushed the food into the room. I didn¡¯t want to intrude, but I also didn¡¯t feelfortable leaving them alone yet. So, I grabbed the te of food that I knew Hunter had made for me, the te with all of my favorites, and I sat off to the side, letting Dutton to serve his mates and take care of them. ¡°You can eat with us, Luna,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°Oh yes, you don¡¯t have to eat alone. You¡¯re already giving up time at the party,¡± Tammi adds. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t want to intrude,¡± I say. ¡°Please, Luna. Join us,¡± Dutton says as he serves his mates. I feel like he wants to give the girls a break so they can eat without making themselves sick with nerves, so I pick up my te and go to sit with them. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t want any wine since you¡¯re expecting?¡± he asks. ¡°No, but thank you, Alpha.¡± ¡°Do you know if it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± he asks as he pours the wine, confirming my suspicions that he was letting the girls settle by focusing the conversation on me. ¡°We find out tomorrow morning. I¡¯m pretty sure Hunter is secretly hoping for a boy, but we¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°How did you get pregnant so quickly, Luna? I know you said it¡¯s because you love your mate and you enjoy intimacy, but could that really be all that it is? It¡¯s so rare for a Luna to be pregnant so soon,¡± Tammi asks me, surreptitiously eyeing Dutton. ¡°I think, from the little I know about the, let¡¯s call them fractured mate bonds, that intimacy isn¡¯t as frequent as what I experience with Hunter. I love being with my mate. I can¡¯t get enough of him, and he feels the same for me. When I¡¯m with him, I open myself to him. I ept the gifts that he¡¯s giving me. It¡¯s the way it was meant to be, I think,¡± I say smiling. ¡°And because of that, and because we were never careful about avoiding a pregnancy, here I am,¡± I smile, looking down and rubbing my stomach. ¡°We¡¯re very happy for you, Luna. Speaking as an Alpha, I can say that every Alpha wants a male heir, someone he knows can one day take over the pack for him. But I also believe that your mate will be thrilled to have a little Sophie running around the pack,¡± Dutton says, smiling at me. ¡°I believe you¡¯re right, Alpha,¡± I say. ¡°What about you, Alpha? What would be your preference for a pup?¡± Tiffany asks him. ¡°Healthy, happy, and loved. That¡¯s all that matters, boy or girl, I¡¯ll be happy to have a pup, or pups. I¡¯d like to have more than one and if the two of you ept me as your mate, then we can talk about how many each of you want. I¡¯d be happy to fill my packhouse with our pups,¡± he says, his eyes shining possessively while his mates both blush, looking down to try and hide their smiles. 1280 Mooch ¡°I want three,¡± Tammi says, showing more confidence that I¡¯ve seen in her yet. ¡°Then three you shall have,¡± he says, smiling as her smile widens at his words. Then he turns to Tiffany. ¡°What about you?¡± Tiffany raises her chin, looking at her sister, then back at Dutton. ¡°Tammi and I agreed that if we ever found our mate, that I would be the one who would produce the heir. I don¡¯t care how many children I have to have as long as I have one boy.¡± ¡°What if you have a boy first? Are you done?¡± he asks, casually challenging her. ¡°Well, no,¡± she says frowning. ¡°And does that mean that Tammi doesn¡¯t get to have children until you have a boy? My first-born son would be heir to the pack, regardless of which of you delivered him,¡± he says, looking at them. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just say that Tiffany¡¯s first-born son was heir to the pack?¡± Tammi asks. ¡°That would potentially take the right of being Alpha away from one of our sons, Tammi, just because he was born to you and not Tiffany. That sort of thing breeds contempt among Alphas and brothers. I would never want one of my sons to be angry or hateful toward another for taking what they feel is rightfully theirs,¡± he says. I know he¡¯s right, but the twins were born into an all-girl family, and they are Betas. The issue of handing over pack rights to Tiffany¡¯s first-born son seems okay in theory, but Dutton is right. Chapter 72: Getting Settled ¸Ê That¡¯s how discontent is started among families, and it wouldn¡¯t be the first time a brother killed another to take over the pack. I can see that they hadn¡¯t considered all of the ramifications of their decisions. ¡°I believe that you all have a lot to talk about and these sorts of decisions don¡¯t have to be made today. You¡¯re still getting to know each other; you¡¯re still deciding if you are going to ept Alpha Dutton as your mate¡­¡± ¡°We are?¡± Tammi asks, looking at Tiffany for confirmation. ¡°Are you?¡± Dutton asks Tiffany, obviously recognizing that she¡¯s the mouthpiece for the two when it comes to decision making. ¡°Luna, how did Alpha Dutton vote at themittee meetingst week?¡± she asks, not taking her eyes off of him. ¡°He voted in favor of Hunter keeping his title.¡± ¡°And how do you feel about public imings?¡± she asks Dutton. ¡°My mind is being changed about them. I¡¯ll admit, when I first met Luna Sophie, I was surprised to hear about the reasons that the public imings were so traumatic for women. It¡¯s different for men and it¡¯s different for our wolves. Not having any sisters, I didn¡¯t fully understand the impact that it caused. Now, seeing both of you, having you here with me, I have no intention of sharing any part of our intimacy with anyone. That is mine, for me alone to have with the two of you.¡± ¡°I believe our mind is made up, but we want to take it slow, Alpha,¡± Tiffany says. Chapter Getting Settled 11788 others ¡°I understand. You¡¯ve had a difficult time and I want you both to feel safe and confident that I will protect you from anyone or anything, that includes your previous Alpha and your father. And you¡¯re my mates, you should call me Dutton.¡± I swear I can see Tammi melting at his words and even Tiffany¡¯s rigid posture seems to rx. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°It sounds like you won¡¯t be needing me any longer,¡± I say, standing. ¡°Alpha Dutton, you have a room, but the twins are sharing one. If you decide that the three of you are moving into one room, just let me know.¡± All three stand and the twins turn to look at me. ¡°Thank you so much, Luna,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Tammi says. ¡°You¡¯re very wee. Please let me or Hunter know if you need anything at all. And Alpha, you and your mates are wee to stay as long as you¡¯d like. I believe that Alpha Robin is staying until the committee meetingter this week. He¡¯ll be using that time to get to know his mate as well.¡± ¡°Thank you, Luna. We may do that. I¡¯d like to give my mates some time to adjust and as you said, we have a lot to talk about.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it then,¡± I say and walk out. I walk back into the main room, seeing that the party is still going, but it¡¯s starting to die down. I find Kinsley talking to Lucas. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± 250 Mouchers ¡°Well, after the birthday girl left with her mate to walk around the packnds and probably have some privacy, everyone else started to head to their rooms.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Penny?¡± I ask, looking around. ¡°She got skittish about Alpha Ezra saying hi, and she retired early.¡± ¡°Where is Alpha Ezra?¡± I ask, not seeing him either. ¡°He was with me, but I think he¡¯s retired now as well,¡± Hunter says,ing up behind me. ¡°The twins?¡± ¡°They¡¯re well enough that they¡¯re talking about who¡¯s going to have the Alpha heir,¡± I say, smiling. ¡°Already?¡± Kinsley asks as Hunter wraps his arms around me from behind, nuzzling into my neck. ¡°They had it all figured out in their minds, but it¡¯s not going to work in practice,¡± I tell them. Lucas looks around the room. ¡°Come on, love, let¡¯s get to bed. I know you weren¡¯t feeling well this morning and you¡¯ve had a long day. There¡¯s no one left that needs tending to,¡± he says to Kinsley. ¡°You were ill this morning?¡± I ask her, concerned. ¡°I think something I atest night just didn¡¯t agree with me. I feel fine now, just a little tired, but as Lucas said, it¡¯s been a long day.¡± He wraps an arm around her shoulder and kisses the side of her head. I¡¯m thrilled that she doesn¡¯t flinch away from his touch. ¡°Come on, time for me to take care of my mate and put her to bed,¡± he says, leading Kinsley away ¡°Time for me to take care of my mate too,¡± Hunter growls in my ear. ¡°Did you have more positions you want to try tonight?¡± I turn in his arms and smile up at him. ¡°Several.¡± The One 73 The One 73 Chapter 73: Excitement Hunter I¡¯m so excited that I nearly jump out of bed without taking care of my mate. Nearly. The day I forget to start my day inside my mate, hearing her sweet moans, and my nameing from her lips, is the day that I give up being an Alpha. When she¡¯s lying limp in my arms, exhausted and happy, I carry her to the showers, and take her again. ¡°Someone¡¯s happy this morning,¡± she says, smiling at me as we get ready for warrior training. ¡°I can hardly wait for warrior training to be done so we can find out if we¡¯re having a boy or a girl,¡± I tell her. She slowly walks over to me, her hips swaying as she walks, making me hard and ready for her again. She takes my face in her hands and lifts up to kiss me. ¡°We need to check on our guests and we need to make sure you know I¡¯m ready for an attack and able to protect myself and our pup, so let¡¯s go to warrior training and have breakfast, then go find out if we¡¯re having your Alpha heir.¡± I stop, grabbing her hand as she starts to walk away. ¡°You know I don¡¯t care, right? You know I¡¯m just thrilled to be having a pup with you? Boy or girl, I don¡¯t care. I mean, yeah, I want an heir, but if this is a girl it just means we have to have another pup,¡± I say grinning as my mateughs up at me. She¡¯s so beautiful when sheughs. Chapter 73 Excftement 288 Vouchers ¡°We can have a couple of each, if you¡¯d like,¡± she says, sauntering away. I begin following her, my ma that constantly draws me to her. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d like. We should definitely keep practicing,¡± I say to her, once again making herugh. She¡¯s stillughing, smiling up at me as we walk out to warrior training. I¡¯m sure I look possessively happy as I smile back at her. The entire group goes quiet as we join them. ¡°About time,¡± Lucas grumbles as I kiss Sophie and jog up to the front. ¡°What are you so grumpy about?¡± I ask him. He just shakes his head. I frown, but leave it for now. I begin our training, noticing that Kinsley is absent. ¡°Where¡¯s your mate?¡± I ask Lucas in an aside. ¡°She¡¯s sick again,¡± he grumbles. I look at him. ¡°Do we need to get her to see the doctor?¡± ¡°She won¡¯t go. She says she¡¯s fine. We¡¯re just getting to a point where she trusts me, so I don¡¯t want to push¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Sophie. I¡¯ll have her talk to Kinsley,¡± I say. ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± he says, relief evident in his voice. I look around, seeing Robin and Nikki sparring. Robin is smiling at Nikki¡¯s skill. She¡¯s not wearing his mark yet, but I can smell his scent on her from here. They¡¯ll make a good pair. I also see Dutton sparring with his mates. They all look Chapter 73: Excitement 1288 Vouchers exhausted, and I¡¯m impressed that they are even up. Once again, none of them have marks on their necks. It¡¯s probably a good thing they¡¯re taking it slow. Once the warriors are training, I move to Sophie and begin. sparring with her. She¡¯s getting better, faster, and stronger. I know that¡¯s time limited for now. As she getsrger with my pup, her agility and flexibility will decrease, but I¡¯m really proud of her. And since I don¡¯t care who wins our sparring matches, I can be extra careful with my punches, only tagging her in the arms and legs. I don¡¯t throw any serious kicks her way, but she doesn¡¯t hold back which is exactly what I want. She nearly knocks me to the ground with a low, swiping kick and I have to work to stay on my feet and maneuver to tag her on her back side. Because I¡¯m proud of her, I swat her a**hard, harder than I would if I havended a punch. She yips, rubbing her a**cheek. ¡°You¡¯re going to kiss thatter and make it better, Alpha,¡± she purrs. ¡°Any time, my Luna,¡± I say, and I¡¯m surprised when Lucas calls the end of training. It¡¯s good that I¡¯ve been distracted by my mate and not focused on our doctor appointment. We start to head inside, and I pull Sophie aside. ¡°Lucas said that Kinsley is sick again this morning. He¡¯s worried about her but he¡¯s afraid to push her too hard to see a doctor because they¡¯re rtionship is just starting to improve. Would you talk to her?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I can¡¯t have my Beta getting sick on me,¡± she says. ¡°You are utterly incredible. Do you know that?¡± I ask her, pulling her to a stop as we walk into the dining hall. ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty incredible too, Alpha.¡± 09.15 11 248 vouchers I lean in, cupping her face in my hand as I kiss her. Here, in our pack, I don¡¯t have to wait for her to kiss me. I can feel through our bond that she trusts me and our pack. As I kiss her, I can once again feel the pack¡¯s happiness, their contentment at our rtionship. ¡°Can we have that?¡± I hear a soft voice ask as I continue to kiss my mate. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want us to have,¡± I hear Dutton say. ¡°Us too?¡± I hear Nikki ask. ¡°Nah, I want you leaping into my arms and wrapping yourself around me when we kiss,¡± Robin replies and I hear Nikki snort. I smile, feeling Sophie smiling as well, both of us having heard their conversations.. She pulls away from me, still smiling up at me. ¡°When you trust your mate like I do, you can have any kind of rtionship you want,¡± she says loud enough for them to hear, once again. making me feel like a f**g king. stroke her cheek. ¡°Goddess, I love you.¡± I take her hand and we walk to where the food isid out. When we fill out tes, we return to the table with our guests who also now include Ezra and Penny ¡°Penny!¡± Sophie says, rushing to say hello to her friend. I smile, then turn to Ezra who is watching me closely. ¡°I missed you at training,¡± I say. ¡°Apparently you did, since I was there,¡± he says, raising an 09152 This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 33 Exotement. 1288 Vouchers eyebrow at me. ¡°You were?¡± I ask and he nods. ¡°Sorry, my mind¡¯s on our appointment this morning,¡± I say. ¡°I understand. If you don¡¯t mind, can you send me that draft of thew change you¡¯re proposing? I¡¯m leaving after breakfast,¡± he says. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± He looks down at his food, and I see him swallow a lump in his throat. ¡°It¡¯s hard. Being here. Seeing what you have. I¡¯m happy for you, but¡­it¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I say, and I do. I know that if Sophie took her life, I¡¯d be devastated. I¡¯m not sure I could go on like Ezra has. Maybe I¡¯d dedicate myself to my pack, but I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ d have the will to do that. Their bond may not have been as strong as mine is with Sophie, but I know Ezra loved my sister with everything in him. When we¡¯re done with breakfast, I know our time is getting close. I feel like a child on his birthday waiting to open his presents. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take my mate to our appointment before his nervous energy begins to permeate the entire pack,¡± Sophie says, smiling at me. ¡°I¡¯m not ashamed that I¡¯m excited,¡± I say, smiling back at her. ¡°Come on, Alpha, let¡¯s go,¡± she says, standing and taking my hand. We say goodbye to our guests and walk together to the pack hospital. I feel like I¡¯m walking on air, like I want to s**p down the street. I¡¯m practically giddy with excitement. I can feel Shaw¡¯ s excitement mixing with mine, intensifying my emotions. Sophie just chuckles at me as we walk in and announce ourselves. I can¡¯t sit, too excited to find out what the gender of our baby will be. When we get into the room and Dr. Felicityes in, she smiles at me before turning to Sophie. ¡°I see our Alpha is ready. Are you, Luna?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she says, and Dr. Felicity squirts some goo on Sophie¡¯s stomach and turns on a television monitor. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what we can see,¡± she says. Sophie reaches out her hand and I take it, leaning over her to wrap my arm around her, putting my face close to hers and kissing her cheek quickly before focusing on the monitor. ¡°Here¡¯s your baby¡¯s heart. It¡¯s beating beautifully,¡± Dr. Felicity says, and I see a small pulsing blob on the screen. She clicks a button and Sophie and I can both hear the sound of our pup¡¯s heart. I can smell the salt of Sophie¡¯s tears and I lean in, nuzzling the side of her head as I watch the monitor in rapt attention. ¡°It¡¯s small, and maybe hard for you to see, but this is your baby¡¯s head,¡± the doctor says, clicking a button. ¡°This is their bottom, which means they¡¯re being shy and turned away from me. Typical Alpha making my job hard,¡± Dr. Felicity says good. naturedly, which makes my mate chuckle. I kiss the side of her head, my eyes still glued to the screen. Dr. Felicity moves the wand around on Sophie¡¯s stomach, trying to get a better picture of our pup. ¡°I¡¯m going to poke you a little, to see if I can get closer to your pup, Luna. If I hurt you, let me know.¡± Sophie nods and Dr. Felicity begins moving the wand around of different parts of Sophie¡¯s stomach, pushing until she finds the spot she wants and the freezes the image on the screen. ¡°You want to know what you¡¯re having, right?¡± she asks, looking over at us. ¡°Yes!¡± we both say. ¡°Well, Alpha, Luna. It looks like you¡¯re having a boy.¡± My response, or maybe it¡¯s Shaw¡¯s, is instinctual. I lift my head up and howl my utter happiness with this news. The One 74 The One 74 Chapter 74: Hunter¡¯s Fear Sophie I knew Hunter wanted a son. He says it didn¡¯t matter, but he¡¯s an Alpha. It was always hard for my father that he never had a son to pass his pack along to. I¡¯ve wondered from time to time what he ns to do with his pack. He¡¯s getting close to retirement age. If either Amelia or I had been a male, we¡¯d have taken over the pack for him by now. So, when my mate howled his excitement, I wasn¡¯t surprised. I was thrilled and touched to the point of tears, though, when I heard the entire pack respond, their own excitement palpable. I love how every little thing that makes us happy, seems to make the pack just as happy. It¡¯s almost like there¡¯s a direct line. between mine and Hunter¡¯s happiness and the pack¡¯s. Maybe there vis. He made Dr. Felicity take nearly a hundred pictures of our pup, intending to pass them around to the pack members, as if they¡¯ Il know what they¡¯re looking at. I¡¯m not even sure I know what I¡¯ m looking at. Then, after I was cleaned off and dressed, we discussed my next visit, what to expect in the future, when to be concerned, and all the things that a couple who is pregnant with their first pup needs to know. Hunter listened with rapt attention, asking lots of questions, and making sure he understood every possible thing that could go wrong and the signs to look for. Dr. Felicity patiently answered all of his questions about me and our pup, my eating, my weight ¨C yes I need to gain some, no Chapter 74: Hunter¡¯s Fear 289 Mouchers being slightly underweight doesn¡¯t put me at risk of losing our pup, exercise, warrior training ¨C yes I can continue for now, sex, sleeping, every possible thing he could think of that might cause me or our son problems. When we finally leave the hospital, pictures in hand, my mate is still practically floating down the street. However, this time, his mind is preupied with how he¡¯s going to make sure that nothing happens to me or our pup, rather than the excitement he had about finding out what our pup was going to be on the way to the pack hospital. ¡°Hunter¡­¡± ¡°Yes, baby?¡± he says distractedly. ¡°Hunter!¡± I say, stopping and pulling him to a stop. ¡°What?¡± he asks, focusing on me. ¡°Stop worrying. I¡¯m going to be fine. Our pup is going to be fine.¡± ¡°Maybe you should stay home when I go to themittee meeting this week.¡± ¡°No f**g way, Hunter. Don¡¯t you dare push me out of that. No one would be s**d enough to try and hurt me and if they were, you¡¯d end them.¡± I reach up and put my hand on his cheek. ¡°You can¡¯t keep me locked away in a tower until I deliver our son. That¡¯s not the life you promised me and that¡¯s not the Alpha female I am or the mate that you were given. Stand beside me, protect me from any threats you feel I need to be protected from, but don¡¯t hide me away and keep me locked up, Hunter.¡± He pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tight. I can feel the fear in him. Fear that he never shows and almost never feels. It¡¯s a fear that something may happen. to me and his pup. ¡°I¡¯ve never known fear until this very moment, Soph. I¡¯ve never had so much in my life to live for, so much that could be taken away from me, so much to fight for. If anything were to happen to you or our son¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t. You won¡¯t allow it. I trust you, Hunter. Completely. Now, it¡¯s your turn to trust me. Trust that I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt our son either. I won¡¯t allow anyone to take me or him from you. And don¡¯t even get me started on how feral Hedda would go if someone tried to take you from me,¡± I say, earning a smile. Heys his forehead against mine. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you that I won¡¯t be overbearing, especially when we¡¯re at themittee meeting.¡± ¡°I have no intention of leaving your side. You¡¯re my mate. We are partners. We should stand side by side against those who want to make our world less than it should be.¡± Hunter starts chuckling. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± I ask him. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Can you imagine what this conversation is going to be like one day between Robin and Nikki?¡± Iugh. ¡°She¡¯ll win that fight.¡± ¡°Just as you did,¡± he says, taking my hand and walking us toward the packhouse, Chapter 74 Hunter¡¯s Fear ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that a fight,¡± I say. ¡°A battle of wills?¡± ¡°Hmm, you gave in awfully quickly if that¡¯s what that was.¡± ¡°You made some very good points and I also know deep down that I¡¯m being unreasonable because of my fear.¡± ¡°Well, today, let¡¯s celebrate with our pack,¡± I say as we walk inside. ¡°WE¡¯RE HAVING A BOY!¡± he announces and as the packes to congratte us, he begins handing out pictures, showing everyone where he thinks our son¡¯s penis is proving that it¡¯s a boy. I shake my head and ept hugs from our pack members and our friends. When the congrattions finally die down, I head to the kitchens, looking for Kinsley. I need to find out what¡¯s going on with her. I say hello, thanking more people when they congratte me on our pup, but I¡¯m not seeing Kinsley anywhere. I¡¯ve just about. decided to mind link her to see if she¡¯s still upstairs when I see her walking out of a bathroom in one of the downstairs hallways. I watch as she wipes her mouth as she closes the door. When she looks up and sees me watching her she jumps. ¡°Luna! I, uh, I hear congrattions are in order.¡± ¡°Thank you. Walk with me, Kinsley.¡± ¡°I have some things to do¡­¡± ¡°Walk with me,¡± I say again, not giving any room for argument. 09.15 Chapter 74: Hunter¡¯s Fear 283 Mouchers Her head drops but she follows me as I walk back out to the front of the packhouse, thanking more pack members as the good news of my pup spreads like wildfire around the pack. I wait until we¡¯re far enough away from the packhouse that no one can hear us. ¡°Talk to me. What¡¯s going on?¡± She looks at me and I can see that she¡¯s about to lie to me. I raise an eyebrow at her, daring her to lie. She looks back down and I can smell the salt of tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It started about a week ago. Things between Lucas and I have gotten more intimate and¡­¡± she stops, stifling a s**b. I put my arms around her, looking for somece where we won¡¯t be seen or overheard. I lead her over to a seat near the forest and hold her while she cries. The One 75 The One 75 Chapter 75: Kinsley¡¯s Surprise Sophie When she calms, I look at her. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten more intimate and what?¡± I ask gently. The tears continue to fall as plucks imaginary lint off of her clothes. ¡°Lucas thinks it¡¯s because I¡¯m m**y unable to handle our intimacy.¡± She looks up at me with pleading eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not it at all. I¡¯m not disgusted by being with him. The first time, it was hard, yes. We both had to work to keep me in the moment and not shing back to my marking day. But we¡¯ve tried a couple more times and each time it¡¯s gotten easier. But then, then he caught me throwing up and he thinks I¡¯m not being honest with him. He thinks that it¡¯s my disgust at being with him that¡¯s making me sick. I told him it isn¡¯t, but he thinks that even if I don¡¯t think it, that subconsciously I don¡¯t want to be with him,¡± she says, breaking down into **bs again. I pull her into another hug, holding her while she cries. ¡°That¡¯s not it at all. Truly Luna. Things have finally started to get better between us. Seeing you and Alpha together, I know that¡¯s what I want, and I know that it¡¯s up to me to give Lucas a chance to show me that I can trust him. But now¡­.now he won¡¯t touch me. He¡¯s so worried that I hate his touch that he barely even holds me. I¡¯d just gotten to the point where I wanted him to hold me and now he¡¯ll barely touch me and if he does, it¡¯s only for a few moments.¡± She continues sobbing as she tells me all of this, hupping through Her words and rubbing tears and s*t o**n my shirt as she cries. 01:15 de 15 Reypis 283 Moucher ¡°Kinsley, when you say that you¡¯ve been together, do you mean that you¡¯ve had sex?¡± She nods against my chest. ¡°And when you had sex, did hee inside you?¡± She nods again. ¡°Kinsley, have you taken a pregnancy test?¡± I ask, pulling back to look at her. For me, this is simple, but I can see that the two of them are so twisted up over their mate bond that they can¡¯t see this for what it is. ¡°It¡¯s too soon, and it was only a few times,¡± she says. ¡°No one has pups this quickly.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I ask, giving her a look as I wipe the tears from her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re different. You¡¯re Sophie Meyers, now Sophie Reynolds. It¡¯s different for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Come on,¡± I say standing up and holding out my hand to her. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to see Dr. Felicity. If you¡¯re not pregnant, she can still look you over and figure out what¡¯s wrong. But if you are, she can let you know that pretty quickly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°I will not allow you to be ill, Kinsley. I cannot run with this pack without you. You are too valuable to me and to this pack, and 11253 that doesn¡¯t even begin to ount for how much you mean to your mate. He¡¯s so worried about you. Let¡¯s at least let him know what¡¯s going on with you. If nothing else, if you are sick with some bizarre wolf disease, then he¡¯ll know it¡¯s not in your mind, Kinsley. He¡¯ll know this isn¡¯t about him and the two of your can continue to work on your mate bond.¡± She nods, finally epting my hand and together we walk to the pack hospital. ¡°We need to see Dr. Felicity,¡± I say when we walk in. She¡¯s walking by at that moment and looks around the corner. ¡°Luna, is everything alright? Everyone is talking about your pup already. The pack is very excited,¡± she says. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m good, but I¡¯d like you to take a look at Beta Kinsley for me.¡± ¡°Sure,e on back.¡± When we get to the room, she turns and looks at Kinsley. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on,¡± she says. I continue to hold Kinsley¡¯s hand as she tells the doctor about being sick in the mornings, how she feels better as the day goes on, and then goes on to tell her about Lucas¡¯ fears that this is all in her head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all in your head. Have you been more tiredtely?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but we¡¯ve had so much going on.¡± ¡°And how about food. Are certain foods that you usually like smelling bad to you?¡± she asks. Chapter 75 Kinsley¡¯s Surprise ¡°Yes! How did you know? Do you know what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± she asks. Dr. Felicity smiles. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯ d like to take some blood and get some urine. Then I can confirm my suspicions and let you know for sure.¡± I stay with Kinsley while Dr. Felicity draws her blood and I wait while she gives her urine sample. Then, I hold Kinsley¡¯s hand as we wait for Dr. Felicity to return. I can feel Kinsley getting more and more nervous the longer we wait. ¡°It will be fine, Kinsley,¡± I tell her. When Dr. Felicity walks back into the room, she sits down and H**ks at Kinsley. ¡°Well, Beta. It looks like you and our Luna are going to be having pups around the same time. You¡¯re pregnant.¡± I watch as Kinsley¡¯s mouth opens and closes several times before wordse out. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± she whispers. ¡°I¡¯m positive. I¡¯ll want you to starting in for routine exams. You and your mate will most likely want to hear the heartbeat of your baby. We can do it now, but I¡¯m sure Beta Lucas would want to be here as well,¡± Dr. Felicity says and Kinsley nods. ¡°And depending on how far along you are, in the next week or two, we¡¯ll be able to tell you if you¡¯re having a boy or a girl.¡± Kinsley turns to look at me, then bursts into tears again. I reach out to hold her again and Dr. Felicity gives me a tissue for her along with some instructions for her to start following before Chapter 75 Kinsley¡¯s Surprise her next visit. ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± I say. ¡°Congrattions, Beta.¡± Kinsley pulls away from me and smiles at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Ready to go tell your mate?¡± I ask her. She nods, choking out augh between her tears. ¡°Yes. He¡¯ll be so excited.¡± ¡°Yes, he will,¡± I say, and we walk back to the packhouse quietly. I leave Kinsley to her thoughts, knowing that it must be overwhelming for her right now. When we get back to the packhouse, Lucas finds us almost immediately as if he¡¯s been searching for Kinsley. ¡°Kins! Oh, Luna, is everything okay? You¡¯ve been crying, Kinsley?¡± he asks, and I understand exactly what Kinsley meant about him not wanting to touch her. I can see his hands twitch wanting to hold her and if it were Hunter, he¡¯d have pulled me into his embrace the moment he saw my red- rimmed eyes, but Lucas is holding back. ¡°Can we talk privately, Lucas?¡± Kinsley asks and I watch as he steels himself for what he must think is terrible news, probably that she really doesn¡¯t want him touching her. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter, Kinsley,¡± I say, leaving them to their conversation. I¡¯m headed to Hunter¡¯s office when I hear Lucas¡¯ howl of excitement Coming from across the packhouse. Hunteres running out of his office. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he Chapter 75 Kinsley¡¯s Surpre asks as several pack members respond to Lucas¡¯ howl. 12 Wochens ¡°We should have a party tonight, Alpha. We have more than one pup to celebrate,¡± I say, wrapping my arms around his neck as he wraps his around my waist. ¡°Lucas and Kinsley?¡± he asks excitedly. I nod and he lifts his head, howling almost as excitedly as he did when he found out about our pup earlier today.N?velDrama.Org ? content. The One 76 The One 76 Chapter 76: Happiness Hunter We had quite the celebration the night I found out that my mate is carrying my son. Between that, and then finding out that Lucas and Kinsley were also expecting, the pack was beyond excited. Their happiness was palpable and both Robin and Duttonmented on it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever felt this level of happiness in a pack, not mine, certainly,¡± Dutton said, watching the festivities and smiling when one of the twinses over to hug him or wants to be held by him for a moment. I can see that he¡¯s letting them initiate the interactions, but he readily agrees to every bit of attention,vishing them with love each time they approach him. Tammi, especially, seems to thrive on his affection. Tiffany seems a bit more standoffish, but she still seeks him out. frequently. Nikki and Robin are a whole other level. The sexual tension between them is as heavy in the air as my pack¡¯s excitement. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because your ranked members are so happy?¡± Robin asks, participating in the conversation but his eyes never leave his mate. She¡¯s talking andughing with Sophie and Kinsley, but her eyes continue to track back to Robin frequently. ¡°Maybe, or maybe it¡¯s just Sophie, I¡¯d like to think it¡¯s all of us, but the feeling of the pack changed when I brought her home. Well, that and I got rid of the ones who weren¡¯t in agreement with abolishing the public imings. She¡¯s made everything different, better.¡± ¡°Speaking of public imings, I heard that the girl Owen imed then discarded is here now, right?¡± Dutton asks, tearing his gaze away from his mates to look at me. ¡°Brooklyn, yeah she¡¯s here. She and her mother were finally released from the hospital. Her mom, Leah, rejected her mate for not protecting their pup, so she¡¯s also been healing. I¡¯ve put them in a house outside the pack because Brooklyn can¡¯t take loud noises and crowds right now, it¡¯s too triggering for her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an omega?¡± Robin asks, also directing his attention to me. ¡°Yeah,¡± I growl, knowing they¡¯ll understand the damage that an Alpha did to a young omega in that type of situation. ¡°What an a**hole. I¡¯d like to talk to her while I¡¯m here, if that¡¯s possible. I¡¯ll be careful with her,¡± Dutton says, turning back to his mates. ¡°Aiden¡¯s the one who chased my girls onto your packnds, right?¡± ¡°That was him. He¡¯s also the one who was hunting Sophie when she ran home. I wasn¡¯t kidding when I said that any one of them could have captured our mates. Can you imagine if he¡¯d have caught the twins?¡± Dutton¡¯s possessive growl is not unexpected. I felt the same way when I heard Aiden had hunted Sophie. Several people look up, but it¡¯s the twins who look concerned. Dutton sets his drink down and opens is arms. I smile as both matese over, wrapping themselves in his embrace. ¡°What is it?¡± Tiffany asks. 11 294 ers ¡°I was confirming with Alpha Hunter that it was that a**hole. Aiden who chased you onto his pack lands,¡± he tells her, and I see Tammi shiver in his arms. He kisses Tiffany¡¯s forehead while pulling Tammi closer, then kissing the top of her head. Both women rx in his embrace and I smile, looking up to see my mate watching. When her eyes meet mine, I wink at her. ¡®Did we decide who won our bet this morning?¡¯ I ask her in the mind link, watching a soft blush spread across her cheeks. Then her chin goes up just a little. ¡®I did, but I was intending to defer to my mate, hoping he¡¯ll teach me some new positions tonight,¡¯ she says, and now it¡¯s my turn to growl possessively, although much less aggressively than Dutton. ¡°Is all this growling an Alpha thing, or a male thing?¡± Nikki asks, walking up and eyeing her mate seductively. ¡°Both,¡± all three of us say at once. ¡°Hmm, and what is all this grumbling about?¡± she asks. ¡°Who chased you? When you were on the run, who hunted you?¡± Robin asks her, tugging her against his side when she doesn¡¯t immediately lean against him. ¡°I¡¯m much too fast to be caught by one of those a**h**s,¡± Nikki says with all the arrogance of a true Alpha. Robin just smiles at her. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you couldn¡¯t get away from me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡± she asks, and I snort, going to find my own mate. 11:28h Vouchers I wrap my arm around her, leaning down to kiss her lips when she looks up at me, then I look at my Beta, who is happier than I¡¯ ve ever seen him in my life. ¡°They¡¯ve already gone to hear the baby¡¯s heartbeat,¡± Sophie says. ¡°When did they have time?¡± I ask. ¡°Lucas told Kinsley that he didn¡¯t care about the party, she and his pup were more important.¡± As I watch, Kinsley looks up at her mate, love shining in her eyes! ¡°This is going to be very good for them,¡± I say, watching as Lucas leans over and kisses her softly. For once, she doesn¡¯t flinch. ¡°We¡¯re building something really good here, Hunter. Can you feel it?¡± she asks me softly. ¡°I can, and I¡¯m not the only one. Dutton and Robin can feel it too,¡± I say. She turns, looking behind us. I follow her gaze to see Robin and Nikki nearly nose to nose as they talk, both are smiling, and it looks like both of them have forgotten they¡¯re in the middle of a party. As I watch, Nikki leaps into Robins¡¯ arms and he growls possessively before walking away from the party, his mouth firmly attached to Nikki¡¯s. ¡°Want to bet she¡¯s marked tomorrow?¡± Sophie asks. ¡°I feel pretty confident that she will be. But if you want to make a wager and you want to make it worth me losing, I¡¯m happy to take that bet,¡± I say, Jooking down at her. Her eyes darken as she looks up at me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m prepared to make another bet. My mate hasn¡¯t yet shown me all there is to sex and our sexual positions,¡± she says in a mock pout. ¡°Oh, my little mate, you are poking the wolf. I hope you aren¡¯t tired. If you want new positions, I can keep you up all night long, have your screaming until you can barely breathe and your voice is gone, have your body quivering from my touch, my mouth, my fingers, and my c****k. I can make your body so sensitive that I could make youe just by blowing air on your nipples,¡± I say, my voice getting much deeper with my desire for her. As I¡¯ve talked, her mouth has opened, her eyes have be ssy, and the scent of her arousal has begun to permeate the air around us. ¡°Is that what my little mate wants?¡± I growl, leaning in so I can hear her soft gasp. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispers. I stand, taking her hand and turning. I nod to Lucas who smiles at me, then at Dutton who goes back to his conversation with his mates before taking my mate upstairs and showing her everything she wants to see for hours, long after she¡¯s told me she can¡¯t take any more, and long after her voice ispletely gone from screaming my name, and from taking me down her throat as she greedily sucked me off. In the morning, I let her sleep as I get ready for warrior training, quickly showering the scent of sex off my body and her arousal off my face before jogging downstairs. Lucas is dragging himself to training, looking exhausted, but happy. I notice his mate mark looks freshly re-marked. Robin shows up a few momentster, also exhausted and wearing a new mate mark. Cha Haymees: ¡°Congrattions!¡± I say, pping him on the back. 11 28 ¡°Thank you, it feels good to have her mark on me and mine on her.¡± ¡°Does this mean she¡¯ll be joining us at themittee meeting this week?¡± I ask. ¡°Do you really think I could keep her froming?¡± he asks, raising his eyebrow. ¡°Not any more than I can keep Sophie froming,¡± I say. Dutton is noticeably absent from this morning¡¯s training and even if he did mark his mates, I¡¯m not sure they would be joining us for themittee meeting. His mates are definitely more skittish than Sophie and Nikki, but I¡¯m pleased that they seem to be giving their trust to Dutton. Penny joins us for warrior training and since Sophie isn¡¯t here this morning, I get a chance to see her skills. I hadn¡¯t intended to, but I end up sparring with her, testing her strength and skill. What she Warrior position for you,¡± I tell her. Chapter 8 Happuwes ¡°Thank you, Alpha! I would love 1 I smile as I walk away. I don¡¯t sa the potential, I think she will, I m her. Chapter 76: Happiness ¡°Thank you, Alpha! I would love that!¡± she says excitedly. 1288 Wouchers I smile as I walk away. I don¡¯t say this to her, but if she shows the potential, I think she will, I may have a G** position for her.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The One 77 The One 77 Chapter 77: Three Lunas Sophie Hunter asked me to facilitate the meeting between Dutton and Brooklyn. I understood why Dutton wanted to talk to her, he wanted the information first-hand so he could better argue against Owen, but Brooklyn was terrified of being in a room alone with an unmated Alpha again. I can¡¯t me her. Her body still isn¡¯t fully recovered from what Owen did to her. When I first asked Brooklyn if she¡¯d be willing to speak with him, she had started to hyperventte, her eyes going wide. I¡¯d had to take her face in my hands and help her to regain her composure. ¡°Is it really necessary Luna?¡± her mother, Leah, asked with concern. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. You can say no, Brooklyn. But Alpha Dutton wants to hear in your own words what happened, so he can help fight against the injustice of what happened to you. He has found his mates here in our pack. The Beta twins that came in around the same time you did. ¡°Did he¡­¡± she begins. ¡°He hasn¡¯t marked them yet. He¡¯s giving them time to get to know him and showing them that he can be the type of mate they want.¡± I told her this before I saw Dutton that morning. When I did, I 11288 Wescher realized that I was incorrect. Alpha Dutton was proudly strutting around with not one, but two mate marks on his neck, one on each side. I let him know that Brooklyn had agreed to meet with him, but her mother and I would be there and if at any point one of us decided it was too much for her, he would have to leave. ¡°Of course. I understand. My own mates needed a gentle touch, if you will, to get them to believe that I was a trustworthy man.¡± ¡°Will they be joining us at themittee meeting?¡± I ask as we walk to Brooklyn¡¯s house. ¡°No. I gave them the option, but they¡¯re too afraid to be there, especially knowing that Alpha Aiden will be there as well.¡± ¡°Are you nning to unt those marks while you¡¯re there?¡± I ask, smiling at him. He looks at me with fierce determination in his eyes. ¡°I have every intention of making sure that Alpha Aiden knows that those girls are mine and if he ever thinks of trying to take what is mine, I¡¯ll kill him.¡± ¡°Good for you, Alpha. Do you n to return home before you go?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll talk to Hunter, but they arefortable here and themittee meeting is in a couple of days. I¡¯d rather not introduce them to a new pack, then leave them.¡± ¡°You are all wee to stay, you don¡¯t have to ask Hunter,¡± I tell him. He stops and looks at me. Chapter 77 Three Lunas 188 Wouchers ¡°Hmmm,¡± he says, frowning. ¡°Hmmm?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m not used to being around a Luna who runs the pack as an equal partner. I¡¯ll have to make sure that I remember to treat my Lunas as equal partners as well,¡± he says, and we begin walking again. ¡°How are the twins? I¡¯m assuming they¡¯re both marked and mated now?¡± ¡°Yes..That was¡­.we had to figure out the logistics of it, but in the end, everyone was happy.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I say as we approach the door. I knock, waiting for Leah to open it. When we step in, Brooklyn is seated on the couch, a nket over her legs. I¡¯ll give Alpha Dutton credit, he did everything he could to make his interview with Brooklyn easy. He sat in the chair f**st away from her, although I could tell he wanted to be closer. He kept his voice soft and gentle, even when asking her difficult questions. When she began to cry, he got a box of tissues and handed them to her, once against stretching to keep himself as far from her as possible before returning to his seat and giving her a few minutes to collect herself. He was patient with her, not rushing her, but getting the answers that he needed. When we left, Brooklyn looked exhausted, but she thanked him foring and for supporting her at themittee meeting. ¡°That was well done, Alpha,¡± I say as we walk back. 288 Vouchers I can feel the anger radiating off of him. ¡°Do you have a gym or somece I can go punch something?¡± he asks. ¡°Yes, we have a gym. I can show you,¡± I tell him, then mind link Hunter. ¡®What can I do for you, my love?¡¯ he answers. ¡®Dutton needs to work off some anger,¡¯ I tell him. ¡®Brooklyn?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡®Where are you?¡¯ ¡®Headed to the gym.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll meet you there.¡± When we arrive, I open the doors and Dutton turns, looking at me before walking in. ¡°I always knew that Owen was a prick, but to do what he did to that sweet girl¡­¡± He growls and turns to walk into the gym. I watch him a moment as he walks straight up to a punching bag and punches it so hard it bursts. I turn and see Hunter jogging up. ¡°You¡¯rete. You¡¯d better hurry before he destroys all the punching bags,¡± I tell him. He looks past me into the gym as I hear another punching bag get smashed. Hunter takes an extra moment to lean in a kiss me, before heading inside. I leave them to it, knowing I need to make sure 11:27 everything is ready for us to be gone for a couple of days again. When I get to the office that Hunter set up for me, right next to his and with an adjoining door, I pull up myputer and see that Hunter has sent me thew about public iming along. with the edits that the other Alphas have provided. I look it over, thrilled that my mate has asked for my input. I make my own tweaks to the document, rifying that we¡¯re not against Alphas or ranked members marking and mating others that aren¡¯t ranked members. We just don¡¯t believe that it should be public and that the neww should be instituted across all packs, not left up to the individual Alphas or packs to decide how they want their ranked members imed. Thinking of Brooklyn, I also add that ranked members may not mark a she-wolf, then decide that they don¡¯t want them. If they mark them, they must take them as their mate. There¡¯s a knock at my door and I look up to see a sleepy Nikki smiling at me. ¡°Nice mate mark,¡± I say. Her hand flies to her neck, and she blushes as she smiles. ¡°It¡¯s already everything you told me it would be,¡± she says. ¡°It only gets better. Did you need something?¡± I ask. ¡°I was actually going to see if you needed anything. Robin is doing some work and I feel sort of useless,¡± she says. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. Come look this over with me,¡± I tell her. 283 Vouchers I print out the document that we¡¯re editing and hand it to her to read. As she goes through the document, she looks up at me. ¡°Is this you, saying that if they mark a woman, they have to take her as a mate?¡± she asks, sitting down. ¡°Yes. What do you think. I¡¯m hoping it makes them think twice in doing things like what they did to Brooklyn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but what about women who refuse to be their mates? If they force their mark on them, we¡¯re then forcing the women to be their mates.¡± ¡°Ugh, I wasn¡¯t even thinking about that,¡± I say. ¡°We should call Allison, see if she has any other ideas. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯ll be there as well. She should know that this is on the table if Alpha Kayce hasn¡¯t already told her.¡± ¡°Ohh, and we can see how she likes being mated,¡± I say, getting the phone and pulling it over to a table with myputer. I dial the pack and Nikki asks for Luna Allison, then she puts the phone on speaker. ¡°This is Luna Allison,¡± she says, sounding very proper. ¡°Hey, girl!¡± Nikki says. ¡°Nikki!¡± ¡°Yep and I¡¯m here with Luna Sophie too.¡± ¡°Hey, do you have aputer, can we video chat?¡± I ask her. ¡°Yes!¡± She gives me her information and I set up a video chat, dialing in while we wait. Nikki moves her chair over and a few momentster, Allison joins the call. There¡¯s a lot of squealing at first, and when Allison sees Nikki mate mark and there¡¯s even more. ¡°So, how do you like being mated?¡± Nikki asks her. She sighs. ¡°It¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Good answer,¡± we hear Kayce say behind her. She turns, giving him-a huge grin. ¡°Kayce, it¡¯s Nikki and Sophie.¡± Kayce leans over, kissing the side of Allison¡¯s head before turning to look at us. ¡°Hello Luna, hello¡­.well, Nikki. That¡¯s a good-looking mate mark you¡¯ve got there.¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Robin says behind us, walking in and leaning down to kiss his mate in almost the same way Kayce just kissed his. ¡°What in the goddess¡¯ name are you three Lunas up to?¡± Kayce asks, narrowing his eyes at his mate. ¡°Actually,¡± Nikki jumps in, ¡°I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ve already shared the new proposedw with Allison because we have some ideas too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send it to you, Allison,¡± I say, sending the updated document to her email. Kayce looks at the camera and shakes his head. I can see Robin smirking from the corner of my eye. ¡°Goddess save us from intelligent, determined women.¡± Kayce leans over Allison¡¯s shoulder and looks over the changes we¡¯ve suggested. ¡°Actually, these are really good ideas. I think it¡¯ s important that we figure out a way to punish the Alphas and Chapter 17: Three Lunas 1288 Wouchers other ranked members that don¡¯t get consent from their mates before marking them.¡± ¡°I agree. I¡¯m not sure what that would look like or what would be appropriate, but we can let you Alphas figure that out,¡± Allison says. ¡°Are you including me and Sophie in that?¡± Nikki asks her. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, punishment isn¡¯t really my thing. You male Alphas are better at that,¡± she says, and the three of us start talking through all the points in thew, making our changes, modifications, and suggestions. At some point, I realize the men are gone. They¡¯ve left us to make changes, but there¡¯s a note beside Nikki. ¡®When you¡¯re done, send all three of us your updates.¡¯ It¡¯s signed by Robin and Hunter. I hadn¡¯t even heard hime in. We spend a couple more hours on thew, then talk about how excited we are to see each other in a couple of days before hanging up. I send our notes to all three of our mates and then I sit back, looking at Nikki. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for one day, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I absolutely do,¡± Hunter says from the doorway, Robin standing beside him. ¡°Come on, my mate. I¡¯ve been lonely all day,¡± he says, taking Nikki¡¯s hand and leading her from the room. Hunter closes the door and looks at me, his eyes dark. ¡°And I¡¯ve Chapter 77: Three Lunas 288 Vouchers. been hungry for my mate all day,¡± he says, beforeying me on my desk and devouring me. The One 78 The One 78 Chapter 78: Introductions Hunter I¡¯m so proud of my mate and our friends. I knew Sophie would be an amazing Luna, but having a strong partner at my side is truly making me and our pack stronger. And then, my friends not only listened to me about not iming their mates publicly, but they went ahead and marked their mates privately, wanting the same kind of rtionship that Sophie and I have. Now, we¡¯re back on the road, headed to the Committee of Alphas meeting where Owen will go on trial for what he did to Brooklyn. He¡¯s crazy if he thinks that I would ever vote for him to keep his title after he hurt her so terribly, and that doesn¡¯t even begin to cover the damage that was done m**ly because he did it so publicly. It had taken Dutton a long time to calm down. He¡¯d been afraid to go to his mates in the mood he was in, worried that he would scare them, so he and I had sparred for nearly two hours. He needed to hit someone, and he needed a challenge. It could have been any of us, but he was in my pack and Brooklyn is my pack member, so it was me that helped him dete his anger. In the end, it was his mates, who were worried about what they were feeling in the bond that helped him the most. They must have gone to Sophie who brought them to us. The moment he saw them, he¡¯d pulled them against him, holding them tightly. They had wrapped their arms around him, concern etched on their faces. Chapter 78: Introductions ¡°Come talk to us,¡± Tiffany had said, while Tammi had caressed his face, wiping away his frown lines with her thumbs. He¡¯d emergedter, smelling strongly of his mates, but looking better, calmer, and ready to fight at themittee meeting. We¡¯d taken separate cars, with Robin nning to take Nikki back home when they leave. I can tell she¡¯s excited and nervous, but she and Robin already have a strong bond and that will show in the committee meeting. Dutton is also riding separately because Sophie and I are staying the night and he wanted to return quickly to get back to his mates. When we arrive, Sophie and Nikki race over to where Kayce and Allison are waiting for us. We all smile as our mates hug tightly. ¡°Good thing we already had strong alliances, or we¡¯d be in big trouble,¡± Kayce says, still smiling fondly at his mate. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure these women would have written up an alliance document and made us all sign it,¡± Robin says, his eyes shining with his happiness. It¡¯s good to see the others looking as happy as I am. Not only will this make their packs stronger, but it will make our alliances stronger, making us a true force to be reckoned with if the others decide to go to war. ¡°Did you save any save any of that love for me?¡± Luna Amy asks, walking up to the girls. ¡°Mom!¡± Sophie says, hugging her mother and introducing her to the others. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of happiness. Happiness I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever seen in newly mated Lunas,¡± Alpha Carter says walking up behind us, watching his mate and ours. Chapter 78troductions ¡°Well, when you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right, and Hunter was right,¡± Dutton says, pping me on the back. Sophie¡¯s father turns and looks at him, his eyes going wide when he sees the marks that he¡¯s proudly disying. ¡°The twins?¡± Alpha Carter asks. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re mine now,¡± Dutton says smugly. ¡°Are they here?¡± Carter asks. ¡°No, they are still too nervous after being hunted by Alpha Aiden.¡± Carter nods as Alpha Calvin and Luna Amelia walk up. She is much more reserved, frowning at the interactions of the others. ¡°You should go say hi,¡± I say gently. She looks at me, then at Calvin before walking over and joining the conversation. Sophie and her mother hug Amelia and then Sophie does introductions again. ¡°How are we sitting today?¡± Robin asks quietly as we begin to make our way towards are mates. ¡°The same, but our mates sit as far away from the others as possible,¡± I say. I hadn¡¯t realized it this morning when Sophie was getting ready, but as we approach them, and they turn, I can see that Allison, Nikki, and Sophie are all wearing dresses that proudly show off their mate marks. Amelia¡¯s is showing but not so obvious, and the same with Amy¡¯s. But our mates are proud to show off theirs, and it makes me feel honored to be mated to a woman 35.36% 11:27) 783 (Vouchers who is so proud to show off my mark. ¡°Did they do that on purpose?¡± Kayce asks quietly. ¡°You know they did,¡± Robin says, with the same level of respect and admiration in his voice for his mate that I¡¯m feeling for mine. ¡°D**n,¡± Kayce says quietly. ¡°I had no idea how right you were, Hunter.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t until you find her, and she does simple things like this to honor you,¡± I say. Sophie looks over at me, tilting her head at me. I know my eyes are burning with my love and gratitude for this woman. When I step up to her, I lean in, needing to show her how much she means to me and how appreciative I am of the woman that she is. When I pull back, I realize that Kayce and Robin have done the same, both of their mates blushing softly. My mate, more used to my shows of affection, smiles up at me. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°We shall,¡± I say, putting my arm out to her. I nod at Ezra, who once again is watching our interactions intently, his sadness and regret evident on his face. When we walk inside, we see Luna Margot and her mother Luna June. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet them,¡± Sophie says softly. ¡°We can try. I doubt Elias or Joshua want their mates talking to you, especially.¡± 150.57% 11:27 Chapter 78troductions. 288 Vouchers We walk forward, catching both women¡¯s¡¯ gazes. Now that I know that my mate is proudly wearing her mark, I¡¯m noticing that these two women actively try to hide theirs. They are not proud of them at all. ¡°Luna Margot, Luna June, I¡¯m Luna Sophie.¡± ¡°Oh, we know who you are, Luna. You¡¯ve made quite a ruckus around our packs,¡± Luna Margot says, not unkindly. ¡°Hopefully not anything that has caused you problems,¡± she says. Margot looks down, her lips pressing together so tightly they turn white. I have to wonder what kind of problems my mate bond is causing her. I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s not about bing pregnant. ¡°We¡¯ve lost some pack members. We¡¯re hoping that maybe they¡¯ ve made it to your pack?¡± Luna June asks quietly. ¡°Who are you looking for¡­¡± Sophie begins as Elias walks up. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he barks, his Alpha auraing out and I notice that both women¡¯s necks raise in submission. Sophie notices it as well and I can feel that it makes her angry. She, of course, is immune to his Alpha aura. ¡°I¡¯m just saying hello to my fellow Lunas, Alpha. Surely you can¡¯t be concerned about that?¡± she asks, challenging him. I step closer to her as I feel his aura push out even more, trying to put my mate in line. Before I can push mine over him, I feel hers push out. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a battle of wills, Alpha. I¡¯m an equal partner 1127 Chapter 78 Introductions 11 288 in my pack, and an Alpha female by birth. You¡¯d do well to remember that,¡± she says. Somehow, her aura pushes over Elias, but it releases the other two from their submissive stances. Interesting. It¡¯s almost as if Sophie pushed his aura back, putting all of hers onto him, leaving the Lunas alone. I can see that Elias is huffing with his anger. He snarls at his mate and daughter to take their seats, putting them as far from us as possible. Fine by me, I don¡¯t want my mate anywhere near Elias or Joshua. They both disgust me. When we turn, I can see that Robin and Kayce are quietly telling their mates who everyone is as theye in. ¡°Hello, Nicole. What are you doing here?¡± I hear just as Sophie sits down. ric¡¯s voice is dripping with condescension. She stands, facing her brother proudly. I look at Robin who also stands, but he¡¯s focused on ric and his mate. ¡°It¡¯s Luna Nikki now, or have you lost your eyesight, brother? Do you not see Robin¡¯s mark on my neck?¡± she asks, challenging her brother. Robin steps up behind her, pressing his body against hers. She leans back against him, and the motion does not go unnoticed by ric. ¡°Camden will be very unhappy to hear this,¡± he snarls. ¡°Camden is not her mate, I am. He can go find his own. Make sure your Beta knows that if he ever comes for what¡¯s mine, I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Robin never raises his voice, but his wolf¡¯s voice intermingles with his, making the threat low, gravelly, and very real. ¡°Everyone have a seat, this Committee meeting is hereby Chapter 28 jobodations 11 200 Vinchers commenced,¡± Elias¡¯ voice rings out and we all take our seats.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The One 79 The One 79 Chapter 79: Chaos and Mayhem Sophie This is only my second time at the Committee of Alphas, and the first time that I¡¯m up here in the seating area. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s always this tense, but I can feel the Alpha auras pressing in around me from every direction, Hunter¡¯s included. I look back and see that, on our side, it looks like my mother, sister, and friends can feel it, but it isn¡¯t impacting them. However, when I look at Luna Margot and Luna June, they both look like the weight of all these auras is pressing down on them heavily. ¡°We have two items on the agenda today, the first is to discuss whether or not Alpha Owen broke thew by iming an omega publicly and the second is aw revision requested by Alpha Hunter. Before we start the meeting today, it also appears that we have two Alphas with new mates. To my knowledge, these Alphas did not publicly im their mates, and therefore must be scheduled for trial. They will be excluded from the voting today.¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Kayce says, jumping to his feet. ¡°You have no right to remove me from the council.¡± ¡°Did you publicly im your mate, then?¡± Alpha Elias asks. ¡°No, and I will not. But the precedence has been set. We all voted that Hunter would keep his title, which is why thew is on the floor to be changed.¡± Chapter 79 Chaos and Mayhem 1291 Woucher ¡°Yes, Alpha Hunter has set quite a precedent, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Alpha ric says, sneering at Hunter. ¡°It seems he¡¯s collecting ranked she-wolves and giving them to his friends.¡± ¡°That is absolutely untrue,¡± Nikki says, standing to face her brother. ¡°Is it? Because when you were underage, he refused to hand you over to me, your brother,¡± ric says, also standing. ¡°At my request. I asked Alpha Hunter for safety, and he provided it, even after Alpha Aiden attacked me and nearly separated my leg from my body,¡± she says, ring at Aiden. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have interrupted my im of that she-wolf who now wears another¡¯s mark. She was mine and you interrupted a iming. I was in my rights as an Alpha and a ranked member to im her publicly. You, little girl, were not,¡± Aiden spits at her. Robin snarls, standing up, ready to attack Aiden. Kayce looks ready to attack him as well. ¡°Enough!¡± Elias says, trying to maintain order. ¡°And where are my twins, Alpha Hunter? You¡¯ve been hiding them away from me. I¡¯ve requested ess to your pack to see them, but you¡¯ve denied me that ess.¡± ¡°Those twins are no longer avable. They are mine,¡± Dutton growls, standing as well. ¡°You son of a b***h. Those girls were mine! I had nearly caught them when they ran onto Hunter¡¯s packnds. He¡¯s the only reason I didn¡¯t im my mates,¡± Aiden snarls, pointing at Hunter. 11:27 Chapter 79 Chaos and Mayhem ¡®You need to be ready to move quickly if things get out of hand, Sophie. I won¡¯t have you or our pup injured in an Alpha fight. Grab your sister and get out of here,¡¯ Hunter says in my head, watching the interactions intently. He¡¯s moved so that his body is basically shielding mine. I nod, knowing that he¡¯s right. In these tight quarters, there¡¯s no way that I wouldn¡¯t be injured if a fight broke out and while I want to help my mate, I¡¯m not willing to risk our pup. ¡°ORDER!¡± Elias booms out. I look over and see that both Luna Margot and Luna June have their necks raised in submission and they have tears streaming down their faces at the massive amount of power being disyed in this room. There¡¯s so much anger and animosity that I can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s like for them, feeling the weight of it all. I can feel it, like a heavy nket trying to weigh me down and I¡¯m sure that others feel it too, but those two have no defense against it since their mates haven¡¯t made them equal partners in their packs. ¡°I think Alpha Hunter should go back on trial for pretending to take in rank she-wolves, only to hand them out to his friends like candy,¡± Alpha Owen says from below us. He¡¯s obviously enjoying the show from the safety of the pit. Hunter growls, but I put a hand on his back. Owen is trying to get a rise out of him, maybe hoping to start a fight that he is safe from participating in. ¡°Alpha Dutton should definitely go on trial for stealing my mates!¡± Aiden snarls. ¡°They¡¯re not yours, Alden. They never were,¡± Dutton snarls back, his wsing out. Chapter 79 Chaos and Mayhem. ¡°If I kill you, they will be,¡± Aiden taunts and that¡¯s all it takes to snap the tenuous thread of composure this group had. Dutton leaps, going straight at Aiden, both have their ws out. ¡°NOW SOPH!¡± Hunter yells, standing and putting his body between me and Alphas on the other side as everyone¡¯s ws come out. ¡°Nikki¡­¡± I hear Robin say. ¡°Don¡¯t you start with me, Robin,¡± she says, as her own ws come out. ¡°Amelia! With me!¡± I yell at her just as Hunter turns, wrapping his arms around me. He snarls loudly and I smell blood, his blood. ¡°Your b***h of a mate started all of this!¡± Elias snarls from close by me and I realize that he had leaped at me, and Hunter had taken the brunt of his ws to protect me. ¡°Go, Soph. Get out of here now!¡± he says in my ear, pushing me forward and away from the fight before turning and shing Elias down his face and throat. When he turns, I can see the long g**hes left in his back from Elias¡¯ ws, but thankfully, they are already starting to heal. Allison and Nikki stay to fight, but I grab Amelia so Calvin can fight, and then my mother. ¡°Come on, we need to get out of here,¡± I say. ¡°I can fight,¡± my mother says. ¡°Protect our daughters!¡± my father growls, before jumping onto Alpha Joshua. Chapter 79 Chaos and Mayhem 1 288 Vouchers We pass Ezra who leaps just as we pass him. I¡¯m not sure if he was guarding our exit or if he is just last into the fight. There¡¯s a lot of snarling and snapping as I push my mother and sister out of the room. ¡°Get outside,¡± my mother says, and we begin to make our way out of themittee building. ¡°I knew I should have marked you when I had you. If I had, none of this would be happening. I¡¯d have put you in line, just like Luna Margot and Luna June,¡± I hear Owen¡¯s smarmy voice say from beside us. Rather than jumping into the fight, he¡¯se. after us. ¡°Stay away from my daughters,¡± my mother growls, putting herself in front of me and Amelia. Owen ignores her, looking at me and licking his lips. ¡°Once Elias or another Alpha kills Hunter, I¡¯ll take you and once we get rid of his pup, I¡¯ll make sure to put mine in you,¡± he sneers. ¡°The thought of breaking such a strong woman makes me hard,¡± he says, rubbing his c**h. ¡°Youe anywhere near me, and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± I tell him. ¡°You¡¯re a disgusting excuse for an Alpha.¡± ¡°But I caught you, didn¡¯t I?¡± he sneers. ¡°But you couldn¡¯t do it on your own, could you? No self- respecting Alpha needs all his ranked members to help him bring down one small little she-wolf. But then, you have no respect for your title, your pack, or your pack members, do you?¡± I sneer back. His lip curls in anger as he res at me. ¡°You have a smart sajter 70: Chaos and Meyhem mouth. I can¡¯t wait to see how smart it is when it¡¯s full of my c**k.¡± 288 (Vouchers ¡°I¡¯d rip your c**k off before I¡¯d let it anywhere near me,¡± I growl back. From behind him, I see Luna Margot and Luna June rushing out the doors. Luna Margot sees Owen, and grabs a chair, swinging it at him, smashing him in the head and knocking him out. ¡°Go! Now¡¯s your chance!¡± Luna June says to her. ¡°Not without you, mother,¡± she says. ¡°Sweetheart, I¡¯d only slow you down. You¡¯re young and strong, go,¡± her mother says. I watch as Margot hugs her mother tightly. ¡°I¡¯lle back for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Go live your life. Mine is done.¡± ¡°You¡¯re running?¡± I ask her. Margot turns and looks at me. ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± ¡°No. Go to our pack. We¡¯ll give you sanctuary. If not ours, then Alpha Kayce¡¯s, he¡¯s taking in she- wolves as well.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Or ours, we¡¯d take you in,¡± my mother says. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says and hugs her mother tightly again before turning, shifting, and racing off into the woods. ¡°You coulde with us too,¡± I tell Luna June. Chapter 79 Chaos and Mayhem ¡°No, it would only be more of a manhunt for my daughter if I were with her,¡± she says, turning to my mother. ¡°You understand, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I do. But my offer stands. Anytime,¡± she says, just as Hunteres stumbling out of the building. He¡¯s covered in blood. ¡°Hunter!¡± ¡°Themittee has been dismantled. We¡¯re going to war.¡± The One 80 The One 80 Chapter 80: Alpha Battle Hunter I¡¯m not sure if this group has just been a powder keg waiting to explode, or if me taking a stand on the public iming and others following my lead has pushed this group over the edge, but an Alpha fight is never a good thing. I saw Elias go for Sophie and rather than risk him hurting her, I used my body as a shield. Feeling his ws rake down my back did nothing but infuriate me and Shaw. He had extended his ws, swiping them down Elias¡¯ face and neck, attempting to rip his throat out foring after Sophie. We left him to bleed out, before turning back to the fight. Robin may have intended to go after Aiden, but ric attacked Nikki and he jumped into the fight with her. Kayce and Allison are fighting against ric and Aiden, but Dutton and Aiden have both shifted and their snarling and growling is shaking the walls of the room. There¡¯s barely any room for us in our human form. Adding two wolves is making it even more cramped in here, making it hard to fight and evade injury. I see Sophie, Amelia, and Amy leave the room before Ezra leaps at Alpha Zahn. Carter and Calvin are double teaming Alpha Joshua. I turn to make sure Elias is still down, noticing that Owen is no longer in the pit. I look all around, trying to find the weasel, before ric smashes into me. I jump up, leaping over him as Nikki goes for 288 Vouchers his throat, Robin right behind her. Ezra is on his own against Zahn, so I move to help him, slicing my ws down Zahn¡¯s back. The smell of blood is heavy in the air, and the snarls are so loud it¡¯s hard to hear anything above the noise. I see ric push back, away from Nikki and Robin, grabbing Aiden and standing his ground. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he snarls. ¡°Come for what¡¯s mine and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Dutton growls, having shifted back. He and Aiden both have bite and w marks all over their bodies. Joshua steps back, standing with ric and Aiden. He¡¯s bleeding from multiple wounds where Carter and Calvin shed at him. ¡°You have no right,¡± he snarls. ¡°We have every right,¡± Kayce says, pushing Allison behind him. I can see that she¡¯s taken a swipe across the thigh and she¡¯s limping. Kayce is pretty b**dy too, but he¡¯s standing his ground, protecting his mate. ¡°What you are doing is wrong. We will protect our mates and our packs.¡± ¡°We will not stand by and allow you to hunt our she-wolves or im warriors and omegas in public with the lies that you are taking them as your Lunas. It¡¯s time we made a stand and if you go against us, we will fight you to the death,¡± I say. Zahn steps back, joining forces with the other three. ¡°So be it.¡± I watch Joshua look over and see Elias still on the floor, his hand to his throat which still has blood pouring out of it. Elias reaches out his hand to Joshua. ¡°Sorry old man, I guess it¡¯s time for a change on leadership in your pack,¡± he says, before turning and leaving him to die. The Chapter 80 Alpha Battle others step back, watching us before turning and racing off as fast as their injuries will allow. ¡°No honor among thieves, I guess,¡± Ezra says. I turn and look at the others. Robin is looking over Nikki¡¯s injuries as is Kayce with Allison. ¡°Owen¡¯s missing,¡± I growl, moving quickly. I have a pretty good idea where he went while I was preupied. When I step outside, I see Owen unconscious on the ground and Luna June standing with Sophie and her family. ¡°We¡¯re going to war,¡± I tell them as Sophie rushes over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me. More than anything, hers and Hedda¡¯s touch strengthens Shaw enough that my wounds start healing faster. ¡°Luna June,¡± I say when I look up. ¡°Your mate is inside dying. Joshua left him, and I¡¯m assuming he¡¯ll be taking over your pack once he heals enough to get there.¡± I¡¯m surprised when she doesn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Then I need a phone, if anyone has one. I need to alert my pack members before I¡¯m unable to function,¡± she says. Luna Amy hands her a phone and she steps away, quickly making calls. ¡°What about Owen?¡± Sophie says. ¡°He was supposed to be on trial.¡± I look up as the others walk out. ¡°The others left him, so I guess it¡¯s up to us to decide what to do with him,¡± Robin says. Chapter 80 Alpha Battle 258 Vaucher ¡°We can¡¯t effectively strip him of his Alpha title without all of the Alphas in agreement, which we will never get,¡± Carter says, limping out. Luna Amy rushes over to him and wraps her arms around him. ¡°I say we kill him,¡± Ezra says. ¡°I second that,¡± Dutton growls. He¡¯s also covered in bites and scratches, some of them nasty. It¡¯s hard to get out of the way when you¡¯re in tight quarters like we were inside. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about killing him while he¡¯s unconscious,¡± I say. ¡°He should know that we¡¯ve put him on trial and order his execution.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get him back to one of our packs. We can put him in a cell until we decide what to do with him. The girl he hurt may want to see justice done,¡± Robin says to me. ¡°What about his pack?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to see his Beta take over. He¡¯s no better than Owen,¡± Sophie says. it ¡°His pack is close to mine. I have someone who may be interested in taking over as Alpha,¡± Ezra says. ¡°Or we can open up to anyone within our packs. I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re going to have a lot of restructuring soon.¡± ¡°Aiden and ric are the biggest concerns and they both border one of our packs with another close. If they attack, we¡¯ll wipe them out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll attack us,¡± Carter says. ¡°You and Sophie started this. They may feel that they could make a better Chapter 80: Alpha Battle statement if they take you and your pack out, especially since you¡¯re housing all those ranked she- wolves and handing them out like candy to your friends,¡± he says sarcastically, making my mate snort. ¡°That was quite the visual,¡± Calvin says, smiling as he hugs his mate. He¡¯s also got bites and scratches all over his body. ¡°So, who wants this a**hole?¡± I ask, just as we hear the high- pitched keening of someone losing their mate. Sophie pulls away from me and her mother does the same, rushing over to Luna June who is on her knees, clutching her chest. Alpha Elias is dead. ¡°We¡¯ll take Luna June. Where¡¯s her daughter?¡± Alpha Carter asks. ¡°She ran,¡± Amelia says, watching her sister and mother as they hug and console June while she grieves. ¡°It didn¡¯t even seem like she loved him,¡± Allison says, leaning into her mate as she watches the grieving woman. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. When you¡¯re marked and mated, if you haven¡¯ t rejected your mate and they die, you feel the pain,¡± Alpha Carter says as Kayce kisses the top of Allison¡¯s head. ¡°Come on, we need to get back to our pack. Aiden borders Robin and we need to be prepared to fight,¡± Kayce says. ¡°Plus, we¡¯ve already started taking in ranked she wolves as well,¡± Allison says. ¡°We¡¯ll take June, but that still leaves Owen,¡± Carter says. Chapter 80 Apha Battle ¡°I¡¯ll take him. If we think that Hunter¡¯s pack is going to be attacked, I don¡¯t want those a**holes letting him out of his cells,¡± Ezra says. ¡°Thank you.¡± He nods, grabbing Owen¡¯s shirt by the cor. ¡°When you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll bring him over so you can execute him in your pack. If that she-wolf wants to be there, she should have that opportunity and your pack probably needs the closure of him having a public execution.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what the war brings,¡± I say, watching as Ezra drags an unconscious Owen toward his car. ¡°Come on, baby, let¡¯s go home,¡± I say, as Carter walks over to pick up June from the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch,¡± Carter says as he and Amy get June settled in their car. ¡°As will we,¡± Calvin says. ¡°I¡¯m closest to Ezra. If he needs back. up, my pack will be there.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± We say goodbye to Robin and Kayce, Dutton having already left to get his mates and get to his pack. We all need to be ready for an attack, but our pack needs to be ready more than the others. Carter is right. It¡¯s me and Sophie that started all of this, so it¡¯s us that the other Alphas will be coming for.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The One 81 The One 81 Chapter 81: War Preparations Sophie ¡°Are you nervous?¡± I ask Hunter as we drive home. He¡¯s quiet and I can feel the powerful energy rolling off of him. 100 He looks over at me and takes my hand, pulling it to his lips. ¡°Yes and no. Yes, because I have so much more to lose than I ever did before. And no, because I¡¯m strong, you¡¯re strong, and our pack is strong. They will fight for what is right and our friends will come when we call. We just need to hold ¡­ until they get to us if we¡¯re outnumbered.¡± ¡°What do you think Joshua will do when he realizes that Margot is gone?¡± I ask. ¡°He¡¯ll go hunting for her.¡± ¡°I told her toe to us,¡± I say, worried that I¡¯ve brought even more chaos down on us. ¡°Good. Protecting those who need protection is what we do, right?¡± he asks me, smiling. I know he¡¯s worried, thinking through the possibilities of an attack, how we can make sure we¡¯re ready, but he¡¯s putting that aside for the moment to make sure that I¡¯m okay. ¡°How can I help you? I know you won¡¯t let me fight and I won¡¯t argue on that. I love this pup already and I won¡¯t do anything to hurt him. Owen already threatened to kill him¡­¡± Chapter 81: War Prepactions 1288 Vouchers The car jerks and Hunter ms on the brakes. ¡°He WHAT?¡± he snarls and the anger pulsing out of him in the tight confines of the car is stifling. I look at my mate. Shaw is very close to the surface. I reach out and stroke his face. ¡°He underestimated you, as always,¡± I say calmly. ¡°He assumed someone would kill you, specifically Elias, and then he nned to take me as his mate, kill our son, and put his own pup in me. I told him I¡¯d rip his d**k off if he put it anywhere near me,¡± I say, watching my mate closely. It¡¯s thest part that gets his attention. He blinks and some of the anger dissipates. ¡°You said that?¡± he asks with a ghost of a smile. for ¡°Of course. No one touches me but you. I¡¯d kill anyone ju trying to touch me, but then he had to go and threaten our son. I knew that you¡¯de out alive, especially if Elias was the contender to take you out. You¡¯re much too smart and too strong to let that old bag kill you,¡± I say proudly. ¡°Yes, and now he¡¯s the one lying dead,¡± Hunter growls, leaning forward and taking my mouth in a possessive kiss. ¡°And you are mine.¡± ¡°Yes I am. Always and only yours,¡± I tell him. I mean it, but I also know it will help Shaw to calm. ¡°As soon as our pup is born, I¡¯ll be reminding my mate that she¡¯s mine,¡± Shaw growls, running his nose over my jaw before pushing Hunter¡¯s face against mine, scenting me. ¡°1 very much look forward to that,¡± Hedda replies, purring at him as he rubs against us. I wait patiently while Shaw rubs Hunter¡¯s face all over mine, and down my chest, making sure that I smell Chapter Et War Preparatur like him before he finally pulls back. ¡°You know he¡¯ll want to do that again in his wolf form when we get back, right?¡± Hunter asks me ¡°I¡¯m always willing to wear my mate¡¯s scent, as strongly as he wants me wearing it,¡± I purr at both of them. Hunter finally sits back and puts the car in drive, deep in thought again. ¡°If Owen is thinking it, so are the others,¡± he growls. ¡°They would be jealous, even more angry that I¡¯m not only keeping them from capturing their mates as they see it, but also now I¡¯m going to have an heir and they don¡¯t. Even Joshua doesn¡¯t.¡± He nces at me. ¡°It means that you¡¯re at even more risk than I expected. It means, you¡¯ll be their target, you and our pup.¡± ¡°They wereing for me anyway, Hunter,¡± I say, trying to soothe him. ¡°I won¡¯t be their primary target like I thought. If anything, they¡¯d want to leave me alive as a warning to others about what happens when you go against them and lose. If I lost the two of you¡­¡± ¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. As you said, you¡¯re strong, I¡¯m strong, and our pack is strong, Hunter. We have someN?velDrama.Org ? content. ranked she-wolves who are learning to fight and may want to join in the battle to protect themselves from the Alphas who don¡¯t agree with us.¡± ¡°We need to start running drills more frequently. At least once a day, maybe twice a day. Maybe, and I know they¡¯ll all hate it, but some in the middle of the night. I need to know that everyone in 30 60L Chapter 81: War Preparations the pack is safe, and I know that you won¡¯t get into a safe room until you know that everyone going in is safe,¡± he says. ¡°We need to rethink Brooklyn and Leah¡¯s home too,¡± I say, thinking through all of the possibilities. ¡°She¡¯s not strong enough yet to get to a safe room quickly from their current house, and these wolves wouldn¡¯t hesitate in running her and Leah down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to them. Actually, I¡¯ll address the entire pack when we return,¡± he says, still thinking through everything. ¡°WE¡¯LL address the entire pack when we return, and remember, Kinsley is also going to be in a safe room. She and I can work together to make sure everyone is safe.¡± ¡°Good! That¡¯s good. It makes me feel a bit better,¡± he says, still going through every scenario in his head. ¡°Did you ever cover those week spots in the border?¡± I ask him, remembering when we first arrived, and we were looking over the packnds. We¡¯d seen some gaps in protection. ¡°I¡¯ll double check. I¡¯m going to run the perimeter with Lucas tonight, make sure the patrols have everything covered. Maybe I¡¯ll take Penny with us,¡± he says, thest part an afterthought. ¡°Penny?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking at her for the G**a position. We need to fill Koden¡¯s position. What do you think?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her spar. I take it she¡¯s pretty good?¡± ¡°She¡¯s really good. Better than I was expecting. Apparently, her 111 12 50 Chapter 8: War Preparations 218 Vouchera pack had two Alpha males around her age that she sped with regrly and it shows.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take a female G**a?¡± I ask him, making sure I understand what he¡¯s saying. He looks at me. ¡°I¡¯m not a misogynistic pig, Soph. If she¡¯s strong enough to defeat my other warriors, she strong enough to fill the position.¡± ¡°Are you setting another precedent, Alpha?¡± I ask him. It¡¯s a teasing tone, but I¡¯m extremely proud, once again, to be mated to this man. ¡°If I don¡¯t, Nikki surely will,¡± he says, making both of usugh as we get to our packnds. As we drive up to the packhouse, I turn back to Hunter. ¡°So, Joshua is our biggest threat? If he takes over Elias¡¯ pack and he assumes Margot is here, whether she is or not, that¡¯s our biggest threat?¡± He stops in front of the packhouse and turns off the car before turning to me. ¡°I think Koden is the more imminent threat. Once word spreads that Owen has been taken prisoner, it¡¯s very likely that he¡¯ll attack the Beta for the Alpha position. I doubt Ezra will get over there fast enough to stop that. If Koden does take over as Alpha, it¡¯s very likely that our first attack wille from him.¡± ¡°All the more reason to make sure that Brooklyn and Leah are safe. Her ex-mate is still in that pack, I believe. He came looking for them once. If Koden attacks, he¡¯lle looking for them again.¡± 62.19% 12.50 Chapter 81: War Preparations MI agree. We need to talk to Leah sooner rather thanter,¡± he says as we step out. As we gather our bags, Hunter alerts the pack that we¡¯ll be having an all-pack meeting in one hour. We have just enough time to unpack and let Lucas and Kinsley know what¡¯s going on before the four of us address the pack together, presenting a unified front. Hunter fills in the pack on everything that happened at the Committee of Alphas, letting them know that the Committee has disbanded, that Elias is dead, and Owen is imprisoned. Then he lets everyone know that patrols and safe room drills will be increasing, and that everyone is to be on alert. ¡°Penny, you¡¯ll be running patrols with me and Lucas tonight. Leah, I need to speak with you and Brooklyn. Everyone else, expect new patrol schedules toe outter tonight,¡± he says. He answers questions before letting everyone go. Kinsley and I began preparing safe room drills while Hunter, Lucas, and Penny ran patrols and filled in any gaps in protection. Surprisingly, Leah and Brooklyn refused to move. from their home. ¡°We have the patrols to alert us and while we¡¯re not ranked members, we can fight,¡± Leah said. ¡°I cannot ensure your safety if you don¡¯t move back to the packhouse,¡± Hunter pleaded with her. ¡°I understand, Alpha. But now, more than ever, the packhouse will be bustling with activity. My Brooklyn isn¡¯t ready for that yet,¡± Leah said, standing her ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t do what I needed. to once before to protect her. I won¡¯t let her down again, Alpha. ||| 1259 Chapter 81. War Preparations ¡°I agree. We need to talk to Leah sooner rather thanter,¡± he says as we step out. As we gather our bags, Hunter alerts the pack that we¡¯ll be having an all-pack meeting in one hour. We have just enough time to unpack and let Lucas and Kinsley know what¡¯s going on before the four of us address the pack together, presenting a unified front. Hunter fills in the pack on everything that happened at the Committee of Alphas, letting them know that the Committee has disbanded, that Elias is dead, and Owen is imprisoned. Then he lets everyone know that patrols and safe room drills will be increasing, and that everyone is to be on alert. ¡°Penny, you¡¯ll be running patrols with me and Lucas tonight. Leah, I need to speak with you and Brooklyn. Everyone else, expect new patrol schedules toe outter tonight,¡± he says. He answers questions before letting everyone go. Kinsley and I began preparing safe room drills while Hunter, Lucas, and Penny ran patrols and filled in any gaps in protection. Surprisingly, Leah and Brooklyn refused to move from their home. ¡°We have the patrols to alert us and while we¡¯re not ranked members, we can fight,¡± Leah said. ¡°I cannot ensure your safety if you don¡¯t move back to the packhouse,¡± Hunter pleaded with her. ¡°I understand, Alpha. But now, more than ever, the packhouse will be bustling with activity. My Brooklyn isn¡¯t ready for that yet,¡± Leah said, standing her ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t do what I needed to once before to protect her. I won¡¯t let her down again, Alpha. 77.604 O 13:00 Chapter 81: War Preparations She¡¯s not ready to be among all that staying where we are.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right about this,¡± Hunt Kinsley and I made sure that the two knives, hammers, and axes in case packhouse when the attackes. The next 24 hours were extremely t running, we ran two safe room drill: borders, and Koden attacked. The One 82 The One 82 Chapter 82: Margot Hunter Penny is as good as I expected, and I¡¯m thrilled. ¡®I think I understand now why you elected her to join us on this run,¡¯ Lucas says in the mind link while we run through the borders. We found an area that needed more protection, more patrols, and Penny did not hesitate to give us her ideas. Good ones. Really good ones. ¡®She¡¯s underage, but I¡¯m thinking of her for the G**a position,¡± I tell him. ¡®I¡¯ll keep an eye on her in warrior training. But she¡¯s got good instincts and from what I saw of you sparring with her, she¡¯s a smart fighter.¡¯ ¡®Agreed. I haven¡¯t told her about the G**a position. I told her she might make herself a Lead Warrior.¡± ¡®I¡¯d put her in either position, but we need a strong, trustworthy Ga**a, and so far, she¡¯s better than anyone else we have in the pack.¡¯ I¡¯m d Lucas agrees with me. Sophie and I fell into bedte that night, exhausted. For the first time since I found her, I didn¡¯t make love to her. Instead, I pull her against me and almost instantly we¡¯re both asleep. The next 0.00% ¤¯ 13:01 morning, I make sure to start both of our day with a love and happiness. We don¡¯t have much time, but I want to take these moments when I can. Once the war starts, I won¡¯t have many moments like these to enjoy. Lucas and I run a hard warrior training, extending it by an hour so everyone is ready. When that one is done, we switch out with the patrols who missed training because they were working, and Lucas runs them through another three-hour training while Penny and I go to secure the areas of the packN?velDrama.Org ? content. borders where we feel we¡¯re weakest. After that¡¯s done, she and I run another route around the pack, sniffing to see if we smell anyone scouting our borders. By the time I return to the packhouse, I¡¯m already feeling the exhaustion of the morning, and I¡¯ve just stopped to have lunch when the patrols reach out to me and Sophie. ¡®Alpha, Luna, there¡¯s a Luna Margot here requesting sanctuary.¡± ¡®I¡¯m on my way,¡¯ Sophie says. ¡®I am as well,¡¯ I say, knowing Sophie can¡¯t shift any longer. I meet her in the back and shift, letting her get on my back before racing to the ce where I can hear the patrols standing guard. When we race up, I see Margot, looking a bit ragged and wearing a shirt she must have found along the way. Whether intentional or not, it¡¯s masking her scent. Smart woman. Sophie gets off my back and I shift, standing behind her but letting her take the lead as I always do with the she-wolves whoe to us for protection. ¡°Did you mean it, Luna Sophie? Did you mean it when you said 12.52% 13.01 M Chapter 82 Margol 1288 Mouchers you¡¯d give me sanctuary?¡± Margot asks. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re already anticipating that your mate will attack us. Even if you weren¡¯t here, he¡¯d expect that you were and would never believe us that you weren¡¯t. Before youe into our packnds though, I should tell you, your father is dead.¡± ¡°My mother?¡± she asks, worriedly ¡°My parents took her to their pack.¡± ¡°So, she¡¯s safe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nods. ¡°She¡¯ll be safer if I¡¯m not with her.¡± Margot turns and looks at me. ¡°If you¡¯re expecting tears for my father, you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that since I was the one who killed him,¡± I tell her. ¡°He was a horrible man to my mother and a horrible father to me. May I enter your pack, Alpha?¡± she asks, directing her question to me. ¡°Why are you asking me? My mate is the one who offered your sanctuary,¡± I say, making sure she realizes that the equality that Sophie and I expressed at the Committee isn¡¯t just for show. It¡¯s real. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she corrects herself quickly and turns to Sophie. ¡°Luna, may I..¡± 30 59% Chapter 82: Margol 288 Moluchers ¡°Of course, Luna Margot, please, step across our borders so l don¡¯t have to worry about your mate rushing up and s** you away,¡± Sophie tells her, making Margot smile. She looks at me one more time, probably making sure that I¡¯m not going to stop her and then she takes a step, putting herself on our packnds. The moment she does, it¡¯s like something. inside of her detes. She slumps, panting and holding back her tears. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me, we¡¯ll get you settled,¡± Sophie says to her gently. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to do first,¡± she says, and turns. her back on us, looking out in the distance. ¡°I, Luna Margot Keys, reject you, Alpha Joshua Keys as my mate and Alpha,¡± she says, her body copsing as she cries ou, clutching her heart. I catch her before she hits the ground, scooping her up and looking at my patrols. ¡°Back to work. She¡¯s bought us some time with Alpha Joshua, but Koden and Owen¡¯s pack are still our biggest threat.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± They begin running again as Sophie and I walk back to the packhouse. ¡°Should I get a doctor?¡± Sophie asks me. ¡°No. I¡¯m surprised it even hurts. It¡¯s not like we had a mate bond like yours,¡± Margot says, panting with her pain. 1301 Chapter 82 Margol 288 Vouchers ¡°Your wolf will be weak. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to see a doctor?¡± I ask her. ¡°I honestly just want a shower and a bed.¡± ¡°Food?¡± Sophie asks her. ¡°Maybeter. I¡¯m not sure I could keep anything down right now. But I¡¯d like to speak to my mother, if I can. I want to make sure she¡¯s alright and that she knows I¡¯m safe now.¡± ¡°Of course. If you¡¯re not up to the phone call, I can call Alpha Carter and give him the message.¡± ¡°No, I think it will help her to hear my voice and to know that we¡¯ re both away from those men who treated us likemodities. and baby makers rather than their mates and Lunas.¡± When we get to the back of the packhouse, Kinsley is t. 2. ¡°Luna, Luna Sophie said you wanted a bath but may not be strong enough to take one on your own. I¡¯ll help you and get you. settled. I¡¯ll also make sure you know which safe room you need to go to when the war starts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a Luna anymore, Beta, but I can fight. I¡¯m a strong fighter, or I was, at one time.¡± Sophie looks at me and Margot, seeing her deferring to me, turns and looks at me. ¡°I was a Luna for several years, Alpha. I know how to defend a pack, even if it¡¯s not mine.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how long it takes your wolf to recover, then we¡¯ll test your skill.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± she says, and I put her down, letting Sophie and 57 45% ||| 1301 Chapter Margot 288 Vouchers Kinsley lead her away to whatever room they¡¯ve set aside for her. I call Carter and let him know that Margot is here. I want him on alert that Joshua is probably ¡°How can I deny you anything?¡± Being with Sophie rejuvenates me and I rub my hand er her stomach, realizing that it¡¯s just starting to form a little baby bump. My pup. After dinner, I send Lucas to eat while I go run patrols and Sophie and Kinsley run another safe room drill, this time. including Margot in the drill. It¡¯ste when I finally get back to my room. Sophie is already in bed, so I shower quickly and crawl in behind her. I feel like I¡¯ve just fallen asleep when the howls of the patrols go up. ¡®Alpha! Koden is here!¡¯ 87.10% The One 83 The One 83 Chapter 83: Standing Your Ground Leah When the rms went up, I knew he¡¯de for us, my ex-mate Michael. He¡¯s a warrior, a good fighter, but he¡¯s arrogant and his arrogance cost him everything and nearly cost my daughter her life. I know he never expected that I would reject him, that I could ever be strong enough to stand up to him, but he allowed our daughter to get hurt and in the worst possible way. I may only be an omega, but I¡¯m a mother, and I will fight to the death for my child. ¡°Brooklyn? Brooklyn, honey, its time,¡± I say, going to help her get up out of bed. She still can¡¯t walk on her own. That Alpha, Owen, nearly split her in half on that stage in front of everyone. It would have taken her a long time to heal anyway, but after he marked her, then immediately rejected her, her wolf had gone silent. I haven¡¯t told anyone about that yet. I need to decide what I will do if Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie decide that we can¡¯t stay i the pack because she¡¯s be a wolfless person. But for now, I¡¯ve waited, and I¡¯ve nned, knowing he¡¯lle for us. My mate hates to lose, and he would consider this losing. I know he¡¯s angry that I rejected him. He wasn¡¯t even willing to take responsibility for his role in nearly killing our daughter. ¡°Mom?¡± Brooklyn breathes. I can smell her tears and her fear. I know she¡¯s terrified that Michael will take us, both of us, back to 0.001 ||| 1302 Chapter 3 Standing Your Ground that horrible pack. But I won¡¯t stand for it. I won¡¯t allow it. My baby has been through too much already. ¡°Just like we talked about, Brooke. It¡¯ll be okay,¡± I say, putting her in the only part of the house that has no windows. We¡¯ve already set it up as our own personal safe room. We have food and water, and weapons. The weapons are key. Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley made sure that we have weapons to keep us safe. What they didn¡¯t know was that I had ordered a gun and a case of silver bullets. No one is getting to my girl. My biggest concern is that I¡¯ll have to kill Michael. While I still have a lingering love for the man I gave my life and love to, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill him. That¡¯s not my concern. My concern is that he never epted my rejection. If I kill him, it could kill me. If I¡¯m dead, I can¡¯t protect my child. ¡°We¡¯re going to be okay, Brooklyn,¡± I say, hearing t ounds of fighting moving into our packnds. Michael will be hunting for us. I¡¯m hoping that he¡¯ll start in the packhouse, not realizing that Brooklyn can¡¯t take loud noises. When he doesn¡¯t find us there, he¡¯ll start searching the packnds for us. He used to patrol thesends, so he knows where every house is. It won¡¯t take him long, but I only need enough time to get Brooklyn settled. ¡°Here you are, honey. Where are your weapons?¡± I ask her. ¡°Right here. Mom¡­¡± she says, tears streaking down her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to let anyone hurt you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do this without you, mom. I know you. I know you¡¯d give your life for me. Please don¡¯t. You¡¯re the only thing that¡¯s kept me going. I need you, mom. Please.¡± 17 97% 1302 Chapter 83: Standing Your Ground 290 Wouchers that horrible pack. But I won¡¯t stand for it. I won¡¯t allow it. My baby has been through too much already. ¡°Just like we talked about, Brooke. It¡¯ll be okay,¡± I say, putting her in the only part of the house that has no windows. We¡¯ve already set it up as our own personal safe room. We have food and water, and weapons. The weapons are key. Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley made sure that we have weapons to keep us safe. What they didn¡¯t know was that I had ordered a gun and a case of silver bullets. No one is getting to my girl. My biggest concern is that I¡¯ll have to kill Michael. While I still have a lingering love for the man gave my life and love to, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill him. That¡¯s not my concern. My concern is that he never epted my rejection. If I kill him, it could kill me. If I¡¯m dead, I can¡¯t protect my child. ¡°We¡¯re going to be okay, Brooklyn,¡± I say, hearing the sounds of fighting moving into our packnds. Michael will be hunting for us. I¡¯m hoping that he¡¯ll start in the packhouse, not realizing that Brooklyn can¡¯t take loud noises. When he doesn¡¯t find us there, he¡¯ll start searching the packnds for us. He used to patrol thesends, so he knows where every house is. It won¡¯t take him long, but I only need enough time to get Brooklyn settled. ¡°Here you are, honey. Where are your weapons?¡± I ask her. ¡°Right here. Mom¡­¡± she says, tears streaking down her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to let anyone hurt you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do this without you, mom. I know you. I know you¡¯d give your life for me. Please don¡¯t. You¡¯re the only thing that¡¯s kept me going. I need you, mom. Please.¡± 1302 Chapter 3 Standing Your Ground 1288 (Vouchers I take my child¡¯s face in my hands, holding her gaze as I keep an ear on the fighting outside. I send up a prayer to the Moon Goddess that I¡¯m not about to lie to my daughter. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you. I¡¯m going to fight beside you and when this is over, you and I will walk out of this room together,¡± I tell her. ¡°I need you to be brave, Brooklyn. Can you do that for me?¡± I ask her. She nods, pressing her lips together and fighting against her tears and her fear. The scent is permeating this room, adding to my own. I step away from her, grabbing the gun that¡¯s already loaded. I¡¯ ve never shot a gun before, never had to. First, as a wolf, I can fight in my wolf form. But I¡¯ve lived in a pack all my life. Omegas are not fighters, we¡¯re the ones who keep the pack running, and my mate was a warrior. If anyone was going to fig to protect the family, it was him. But now, that role falls to me. I hear paws pounding on the ground,ing in our direction and I know that Michael has found us. I turn and look at my daughter again. ¡°Ready?¡± I ask her. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She nods, a determined look on her face. ¡°Ready.¡± I move, taking a stance in front of the room where Brooklyn is. She has multiple weapons beside her in case anyone gets past me. Hopefully the silver bullets will be enough. J hear Michael¡¯s wolf, sniffing at the door before I hear the snapping of bones as he shifts back to his human form before grabbing the front door and ripping it off its hinges. When he ZDEL Chapter 83: Standing Your Ground 288 Vouchers comes in, I aim the gun at his chest. He¡¯s heaving, whether from anger or from running to find us, I¡¯m not sure. ¡°What are you doing, Leah?¡± he growls at me. ¡°I will not let you hurt our daughter again,¡± I tell him, taking a stand. ¡°What are you going to do? Shoot me?¡± he sneers, taking a step toward me. I fire off a shot, just grazing his hip. I was aiming for his heart, s**t. ¡°What the f**k? What the hell¡¯s gotten into you?¡± he snarls looking at his hip like he can¡¯t believe I shot him. ¡°Silver bullets?¡± ¡°will not let you hurt our child again, Michael!¡± I say, standing my ground. It would probably sound stronger if m hands weren¡¯t shaking violently. ¡°You are mine, Leah,¡± he snarls. ¡°I was yours, until you let that monster tear my baby apart in front of everyone!¡± I scream. ¡°No man worthy of being a mate or a father would allow that.¡± He growls at me again, but he¡¯s watching the gun as he takes another step. I fire again, this time shooting him in the shoulder. He snarls as he leaps at me, tackling me to the ground. The gun goes off again, but I have no idea if it hit him. He pins me to the floor, ripping the gun from my hand and tossing it aside. ¡°You forget your ce, Leah.¡± ¡°At your feet? Isn¡¯t that where you¡¯ve always wanted me?¡± | growl back at him. I can see the surprise in his eyes. I¡¯ve never Chapter 3 Standing Your Ground 1288 YOU! fought my mate before, never challenged him in any way. Not until he allowed our daughter to get hurt. I had trusted him to protect her and me, and he had betrayed us both. ¡°When I re-mark you, all of this will be done. I won¡¯t allow you to reject me again. It¡¯s time our family was back together,¡± he growls. I struggle underneath him. ¡°I will never ept you as my mate.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he says, ripping my head to the side, pinning my head down with his uninjured arm. From the corner of my eye, I see his canines extending and I know I¡¯ve failed my daughter. I¡¯m too weak to protect her. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. All of us, every she-wolf, should have a choice. I won¡¯t let you take hers, like you anowed Owen to take mine,¡± my daughter says from somewhere behind me. I¡¯ ve never heard the fierce determination in my daughter¡¯s voice that I hear right now. I can¡¯t see her face, but a wave of pride flows through me that she¡¯s standing her ground too. ¡°What are you doing, Brooklyn? I¡¯m your father.¡± ¡°No. Fathers don¡¯t allow their daughters to suffer like you allowed me to. You¡¯re just a sperm-donor, nothing more. My mother and I don¡¯t need you.¡± Michael¡¯s grip on my face weakens and I turn my head just enough to see my daughter holding the gun, aimed at Michael¡¯s head. Unlike mine, her hands are steady and sure. ¡°Brooklyn¡­¡± Michael says. I don¡¯t know what he sees in her eyes, but he sits up, looking shocked. 1302 Chapter 83 Standing Your Grund 288 Vouchers ¡°Goodbye,¡± she says and the shot rings out, echoing loudly in my ears in the small space around us. I¡¯ve barely registered that my daughter just shot my mate when the pain rips through my body. I scream, clutching my chest as Michael¡¯s body copses beside me, his eyes open, still looking shocked. ¡°Mom! Mom! Stay with me, stay with me. Please mom, stay with me!¡± I hear my daughter¡¯s voice, but it sounds like it¡¯s far away. ¡°HELP!¡± I hear her scream as the pain of losing my mate overtakes me. The One 84 The One 84 Chapter 84: Safe Rooms Sophie When the howls of attack go up, Hunter and I jump out of bed. ¡°Call your father and Kayce, and take care of my mate,¡± he says, pulling me to him and kissing me fiercely before racing out of the room and leaping off the stairwell, shifting on his way down to the first floor. I grabbed one of Hunter¡¯s shirts and my phone as I begin racing down the stairs meeting up with Kinsley as we watch wolves rushing out of the packhouse from every direction. I dial my father¡¯s number. ¡°Sweetheart is everything okay?¡± he answers. ¡°We¡¯re under attack, Dad. Koden,¡± I say and immediately hear my father¡¯s howl go up, waking up his pack. ¡°We¡¯re on our way. Get safe, Sophie.¡± ¡°To the safe rooms!¡± I yell over the chaos on the first floor. I grab Kinsley. ¡°Be careful!¡± I say before racing off. She and I had decided to take separate safe rooms to help facilitate everyone getting into their assigned rooms As I run, I dial Alpha Kayce. ¡°Yeah,¡± he answers sleepily. 11:02 Chapter 84: Safe Rooms ¡°Alpha Kayce, this is Luna Sophie We¡¯re under attack. ¡°Joshua?¡± he asks, instantly alert I can hear him moving around, Allison¡¯s voice asking what¡¯s going on in the background. ¡°Koden.¡± 288 Wouchers ¡°We¡¯re on our way,¡± he says, and I hear his howl go up a moment before the phone disconnects. ¡°What can I do? I can¡¯t shift yet,¡± Margot asks, rushing up. ¡°Help me get these people inside their safe rooms. Can you take lead in one, make sure everyone stays calm.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± she says, rushing toward another safe room and helping the people get safely into their room. ¡®Status check, Soph,¡¯ Hunter says I can hear Shaw snarling in our mind as well. He¡¯s already fighting. ¡®Almost there,¡¯ I say, looking around. ¡®Move faster. I need you safe,¡¯ he says just as the mind link cuts off. ¡°DOOR ONE CLOSING!¡± I hear Kinsley announce. ¡°Margot, you¡¯re next,¡± I say to her ¡°DOOR TWO CLOSING!¡± she announces as I hear Kinsley¡¯s door m shut and lock. ¡°ANYONE ELSE?¡± I yell, looking around, as Margot¡¯s door ms shut and locks. 13:02 Chater B Safe Rooms 288 Wouchers ¡°Luna!¡± a young woman yells, she¡¯s trying to carry three young children in her arms. I race to her and grab one of her pups, just as the ss sliders in the back of the packhouse smash open. ¡®Sophie! Tell me you¡¯re in a safe room!¡¯ Hunter¡¯s voice booms in my head. ¡°Go, go, go!¡± I yell at the woman. ¡°DOOR THREE CLOSING!¡± I shout as the sounds of snarling and tearing flesh move closer to us. I race into the room, handing off the pup and turning to close the door just as a wolf ms his body against it. The women and children behind me scream, but Lucas¡¯ wolf attacks the other wolf, grabbing him by the neck and pulling him away. I m the door closed, just as another wolf tries to break in. His en behind me paw gets caught in the door and one of the w jumps up to help hold the door while I throw the lock, pinning the wolf¡¯s paw in our room. His howl of pain echoes in our enclosed space as I step back panting. ¡®SOPHIE!¡¯ Hunter yells in my head N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡®Safe!¡¯ ¡®Thank the goddess,¡¯ Hunter says, relief evident if his voice as the mind link closes again. I step back, staring at the door, listening to the sounds of fighting just outside our safe room. It¡¯s the sound of whimpering that makes me focus. I turn to address the room. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± ask. Young pups are crying and some of the mothers are too, terrified for themselves, their pups, and the mates who are outside fighting. Chapter 84: Safe Rooms 288 (Vouchers. I find the light in the room and see everyone huddled together. The woman who wasst in is trying to hold all three of her children, but they¡¯re all terrified. I sit next to her, taking one of her children and holding them against my body as I rock gently while we all listen to the sounds of battle going on. I open my mind briefly to the pack, feeling the fury, the fear, and the pain from the pack. I¡¯m not sure how my mate does it. I know he¡¯s connected to everyone, keeping tabs on the entire pack, but it¡¯s overwhelming to me. It¡¯s like it was when he was listening to multiple conversations and keeping track of all of them. I don¡¯t know how he does it. ¡®We¡¯ll practiceter. Shut it down for now. I¡¯ve got this,¡¯ his voice floats into my head. This time, it¡¯s distracted, busy with everything else going on around him, but as always, my mate e through the makes sure to look after me. I send a wave of bond, hoping to keep my mate energized. I¡¯ve never been in a safe room before, never been in a battle where I wasn¡¯t fighting. It¡¯s almost harder to be in here. At least out there, you¡¯re focused on fighting, on staying alive. In here, you¡¯re just waiting. Waiting for someone to give the all-clear, waiting for someone in your room to begin the keening sound of losing their loved one, or waiting to feel the tether to your own mate snap. Time seems to stand still in this room. In the battle, time goes by quickly and before you know it, hours have passed, and you didn¡¯t even realize it. In here, each minute feels like an hour. Things are still loud in the packhouse when I hear a howl I¡¯d recognize anywhere, My father and his pack have arrived. I gasp out augh and everyone looks at me. ¡°My father. He and 13.0217 Chapter 84 Safe Rooms 258 Vouchers his pack are h¨¨re,¡± I say, and everyone in the room rxes a bit. It isn¡¯t much longer before we hear another howl, one I¡¯ve heard, but don¡¯t know well. Again, everyone turns to me. ¡°That would be Alpha Kayce and his pack.¡± I carefully reach out to my mate, making sure he¡¯s alive and still fighting, but not wanting to distract him if he¡¯s in the middle of a fight. ¡®Koden¡¯s on the run,¡¯ he says, sounding exhausted. ¡®Your father¡¯s pack and Kayce¡¯s are finishing this battle quickly. It won¡¯t be much longer.¡¯ I tell the others in the room with me, then link Kinsley and one of the women in the third safe room, letting them know as well since Margot isn¡¯t part of our pack and can¡¯t ¡­d link. It isn¡¯t long before the sounds in the packhouse be quiet. We all wait, anxious to hear the sounds of one of our warriors knocking on the door to tell us everything is clear. It¡¯s Lucas who finally opens our door. I wait until all the woman and children have emptied out, before following behind them. I look around and not seeing Hunter, I turn to Lucas. ¡°Where¡¯s my mate?¡± I ask. He presses his lips together tightly just as Hunter¡¯s voice filters into my head. ¡®Sophie, I need you at the pack hospital. It¡¯s Leah.¡± Margot POV 13 02 Chapter 84 Sale Reems. 288 Mouchers I hate safe rooms. Until I was mated to Joshua, I¡¯d never seen the inside of one. Soon after mating him, he insisted that I give up my training so that I could focus on giving him a pup. That man worked so hard to give me a pup, never realizing that I would never, ever risk bringing a female into this world. Thankfully, I found a doctor outside of our pack who was willing to give me what I needed to ensure I never got pregnant. Joshua never suspected a thing. Why would he? I was to do what he told me to do and never stray. Now, as I look around this room, I¡¯m reminded again of why I miss being a fighter. It¡¯s much harder being in this room, hearing the soft cries and s**bs of the women and children, the smell of their fear so pungent that it takes everything in me to remain strong. ¡°We¡¯re going to be okay. I know you don¡¯t know me, but I was a Luna for several years. We¡¯re going to be okay,¡± I say calmly. ¡°How do you know?¡± a woman asks me. ¡°Well, because your Alpha and Luha have a stronger bond than I¡¯ ve ever seen before and strong leaders make a strong pack, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± I ask them. They look around at each other, then nod. ¡°So, we¡¯ll be strong for the pack members who are out there fighting. If they¡¯re worried about you, they¡¯re not focusing on the fight. We can be strong together,¡± I say, feeling anything but strong. When Joshuaes, and I know he will, I hope I can continue to be this stable. Maybe by then, I¡¯ll have regained my wolf and honed my fighting skills. Maybe. Chapter B Safe Rooms 288 Vouchers We hear the sounds of wolves howling their arrival and I let the group know that their Luna contacted others for assistance. It will make this battle end much more quickly and I¡¯m grateful. I¡¯ m getting ustrophobic, starting to feel like there¡¯s not enough air in this room, like the walls are closing in. I don¡¯t want my mind to take me back to that dark room that Joshua used to put me in. ¡®Stay focused, Margot. These people need you. You¡¯re a f**g Luna,¡¯ I say to myself. This would be easier if my wolf was stronger, then I wouldn¡¯t feel alone, but as it is, I¡¯m trying to hold on, to keep it together, but I need to get out of here. I¡¯ve just reached the point where don¡¯t think I can take it any longer, when we hear the knock at the door. I look at the others, as a gruff voice tells us that it¡¯s all clear. I rush to the door, throwing it open, staring into the surprised eyes of a warrior. I take a deep breath of fresh air, tainted with blood rather than fear. It¡¯s a scent I much prefer. I stumble from the room, gasping for air, just as I see Sophie rushing past me. ¡°What happened, is everything okay?¡± I ask the warrior, wondering if Sophie needs help. I lean against the wall, sucking in air. ¡°Luna Margot,e with me,¡± Beta Kinsley says kindly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me away. When we¡¯re far enough away, she grabs a paper bag and has me sit while breathing into the bag. ¡°Slow your breaths, or you¡¯re going to pass out,¡± she says, kneeling in front of me and holding my gaze. 1302 Chapter 8-1-Safe Rooms 288 Vouchers She reaches up and takes my hand. I grip it tightly, fighting the darkness that¡¯s trying to creep in I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. ¡°ustrophobic?¡± she asks. I nod without opening my eyes. I feel her turn away from me and look up to see Beta Lucas checking on his mate. ¡°You can go,¡± I say, hating how weak I feel. ¡°No. I¡¯m right here,¡± she says kindly, turning back to me, never letting go of my hand. When I finally calm, my breathing and my heart rate getting back to normal, I pull the bag away from my face and look at this woman. She¡¯s been through what I have, only her mate. e got lucky with ¡°Thank you. I didn¡¯t realize that the pack is not only strong because of their Alpha and Luna, but also because of their Betas as well.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that,¡± she says to me, standing and helping me to stand. ¡°I do. Thank you, really.¡± ¡°How about we get you strong, so you don¡¯t have to go into a safe room again. I know I didn¡¯t particrly care for it either. The fear is suffocating.¡± ¡°Yes, yes it is,¡± I say as we walk back to the main room. As soon as we do, I see that there are a lot of injured here that need help. ¡°Ready?¡± Beta Kinsley asks me. ¡°Ready,¡± I say, and we split up, going around to help those who are injured and see if they need to be sent to the pack hospital. 1 The One 85 The One 85 Chapter 85: The Battle Hunter When the howls went up, I left Sophie feeling an emotion I¡¯ve never felt before. Fear. I have so much to lose if Kodenes after Sophie. So, while I jump into the fight, I can¡¯t truly get my head into it until I know that Sophie is safe. I know my mate, I know the kind of caring, loving Luna that she is. She won¡¯t enter a safe room until everyone else is safe. ¡®Lucas, Sophie isn¡¯t in a safe room yet,¡¯ I call in the mind link while Shaw pins a warrior to the ground, sna ing his teeth on his spine. Even after we hear the snap and the wolf falls limply at our feet, Shaw holds on, ripping part of the wolf¡¯s spine from its body. ¡®I¡¯m closer. I¡¯ll go,¡¯ Lucas replies, and I see him rushing toward the packhouse. I can see that the fighting has made its way there. ¡®Sophie! Tell me you¡¯re in a safe room!¡¯ I call out in the mind link. I feel teeth sink into my nk and I duck as another wolf leaps at me before turning to snap my teeth at the one holding my leg. These men are warriors and fighters, but none of them are ranked wolves. I can¡¯t worry about whether or not they chose to be here. They are here fighting, and I have to kill them. Shaw snaps his teeth at the wolf¡¯s face, grabbing on to the cheek and thrashing until the wolf lets go of our leg. When he does, Shaw 13 03 Chapter The Battle. 1288 Wouchers throws him aside, then leaps, biting into his fleshy stomach and ripping his insides out. We turn to fight off another wolf as I feel a wave of anger and fear wash through Lucas. ¡®SOPHIE!¡¯ ¡®Safe,¡¯ she says, a moment before the fear in Lucas is reced by fury. ¡®Safe rooms are closed and locked, Alpha,¡¯ he says, and I can feel his relief the same as mine. Now I can focus more clearly on the battle. Now, I can find en. I begin attacking, going after wolves, searc! g for him. ¡®Shaw, where the f**k is he?¡¯ He¡¯s just taken down another warrior when we see Koden slinking toward the packhouse, he¡¯s going for Sophie. I know my old G**a, he likes to take out mates of the person he¡¯s after, weakening them before he attacks them. I can feel that Lucas has moved to the front of the packhouse, fighting wolves out there. Whether they were trying to run, or the fighting has just moved out front, I¡¯m not sure. Either way, he¡¯s not there to protect our mates. I begin making my way toward Koden. He may need a weaker opponent to attack, but I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve always been stronger than Koden, so has Lucas. That¡¯s why he was my G**a, but maybe he should never have even been that. Water under the bridge at this point, what¡¯s done is done and I¡¯ve rectified that mistake. Chapter 85. The Battle 1288 Vouchers I¡¯m getting closer to Koden, sneaking up on him, when Carter¡¯s howl goes up that he and his pack have arrived. Koden¡¯s head jerks to left, and that¡¯s when he sees me. Shaw begins running hard, ready to run him down. Koden¡¯s wolf, Tormund, tries to evade but Shaw is a much faster wolf. He tackles Tormund to the ground, Tormund rolling onto his back, and lifting his paws, scratching violently at Shaw¡¯s chest and stomach. Shaw presses his body down, trying to pin Tormund¡¯s legs so he can¡¯t continue to scratch us, while snapping his teeth at his face. He manages to throw Shaw off of him and we turn to face off, just as I hear Kayce¡¯s howl that he and his pack have arrived. Tormund snarls, no doubt surprised that we have not one, but two packs answering our call for assistanc Shaw leaps again, this time getting his teeth into the fleshy part of his shoulders, ripping a large chunk of flesh from his body. Tormund howls in pain but turns biting into Shaw¡¯s side. His teeth graze Shaw¡¯s ribs, but he doesn¡¯t break any bones. Just as Shaw is about to leap onto Tormund again, two more wolves jump on him. It takes precious minutes for Shaw to get the upper hand and take out both of the wolves. When he does, Tormund is gone. I quickly look around not seeing him. I begin hunting him when I feel Sophie¡¯s mind gently pressing against mine. I can feel her overwhelmed feelings. There is a lot going on in the pack right now, but I don¡¯t want her worry about that. She and I can work on her m**l multi-tasking, but not right now. Right now, I need her to be safe and calm. I feel a wave of love and admiration flows through me from my 1303 Chapter 8: The Battle mate, nearly making Shaw purr. As I look around, I¡¯ve just spotted Koden, slinking toward the pack borders, when I hear it. ¡°HELP!¡± My head whips around and I realize it¡¯sing from Leah and Brooklyn¡¯s house. Before I can actively think it, Shaw is racing to their home. As we run up, I see the door has been ripped off and I smell the scent of gunpowder and blood. Lots of blood. I shift as Shaw races up the porch steps and jog into the living area, quickly taking in the scene. ¡°Alpha, please help her!¡± Brooklyn says, looking up at me from the floor where she¡¯s holding her mother in her arms, rocking her. I rush to her side, seeing Michael lying dead with a bullet wound to the head beside and partially on top of Leah. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, quickly pulling Leah to me and checking for a pulse. Brooklyn is nearly hysterical. ¡°It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault!¡± she **bs. ¡°BROOKLYN!¡± I say, gently pushing my aura out to get her attention. She jumps them looks up at me, blinking quickly. ¡°What. Happened?¡± I ask quietly and calmly. ¡°He came for us. Mom bought a gun and silver bullets. She knew he¡¯de. She put me in here with the weapons, but she 1303 Chapter 85 The Battle protected me and then he¡­¡± She starts to break down again into tears, but she quickly. swipes her face with the back of her hand. 1208 Vouchers ¡°He tackled her and then he was going to mark her again, forcing her back into a mate bond with him. I didn¡¯t know¡­I didn¡¯ t know that if I killed him that it would kill her,¡± she says. ¡°Come with me,¡± I say, pushing Michael¡¯s dead body off of Leah. I pick up Leah and help Brooklyn to her feet. ¡°Are you injured?¡± I ask. She shakes her head, but I can see her body trembling. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s in shock. ¡°Can you walk?¡± She shakes her head, no, again. I turn and crouch. ¡°Get on my back.¡± ¡°Alpha?¡± she asks and when I turn, I see her frowning at me. ¡°Get on my back, Brooklyn. I¡¯m not leaving you here alone. The battle is nearly over, but it¡¯s not done yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re injured,¡± she says. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s go,¡± I say, authoritatively. I have no idea if Dr. Felicity can save Leah, but I know the longer it takes for us to get to the pack hospital, the less likely it is for her to survive. Brooklyn finally climbs onto my back, and I stand, feeling every ache and injury in my body now that the adrenaline of the battle is starting to wear off. ¡®Lucas, I need you to check in with Carter and Kayce. What¡¯s the status on the safe rooms?¡¯ 13.039 Chapter 85: The Battle 288 Vouchers ¡®Opening them now,¡¯ he says. ¡°Where are you?¡¯ ¡®Headed to the pack hospital with Leah and Brooklyn.¡± ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡®It looks like Brooklyn killed her father,¡¯ I say, and I can feel the shock in him, so strong that heN?velDrama.Org ? content. barely registers that Sophie is looking for me. ¡®Sophie, I need you at the pack hospital. It¡¯s Leah,¡¯ I tell her in the mind link. She can help keep Brooklyn calm. When I walk in, I see wolves in every stage of injury, some minor and some serious. The nursing staff is doing triage and I step up to one of them as Brooklyn looks around. ¡°Mate bond?¡± the nurse asks. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That way, Alpha,¡± she says, pointing me down a hallway. I begin striding quickly down the hallway, finding another nurse who quickly looks Leah over and guides us to a room. Brooklyn slides off my back and hobbles to a chair while I get Leah onto the bed. The nurses begin attaching her to IVs and checking her vitals. ¡°You can leave her with us, Alpha. We¡¯ll do everything we can for her,¡± the nurse says. ¡°What can I do?¡± Brooklyn asks. ¡°You can stay here and hold her hand like she did with you, Brooklyn. That¡¯s probably the best thing you can do,¡± the nurse 13:09 Chapter 25 The Battle 208 Vouchers. says kindly. I smell my mate before I see her. When she walks in, I turn, looking her over quickly. I realize she¡¯s doing the same to me. ¡°Can you stay with Brooklyn?¡± I ask her. ¡°You¡¯re injured,¡± she says. ¡°Nothing that Shaw can¡¯t heal,¡± I tell her, walking to her and pulling her against me, taking a deep breath of her scent, knowing it will help Shaw to heal faster. ¡°I need to go check on the warriors. Can you stay with Brooklyn?¡± I ask her again. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± she says, and I start to step away, but she puts her hands on my face, holding me in ce. ¡°Take care of my mate,¡± she says, her eyes merce. They¡¯re the same words I said to her hours ago and it makes me smile. D**n I love this woman. I kiss her quickly but the with the same fierceness I see in her eyes before striding from the room. ¡°Brooklyn, tell me what happened¡± I hear Sophie say as I walk down the hallway, and I know my mate is taking charge and will do everything she can to ensure that Leah survives. The One 86 The One 86 Chapter 86: Aftermath Sophie I stayed with Brooklyn while they stabilized her mother. ¡°Luna, Brooklyn, we¡¯re going to keep her unconscious for a day or so. Her wolf will have gone silent, possibly for good,¡± the nurse says, looking at Brooklyn before looking at me. ¡°As an omega, losing your mate, even one you rejected, can kill your wolf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, mother,¡± Brooklyn whispers. ¡°Look at me, Brooklyn,¡± I say and wait for her to look up. When she does, I can see the devastation in her eyes. I take her face in my hands and wipe her tears. She and I are very close in age, but right now, I feel like I¡¯m years older than this sweet, fragile woman. ¡°Your mother did not want to be with your father. You can¡¯t tell me that she wasn¡¯t ready to die saving you today. Am I right?¡± I ask her. She nods as I wipe the tears that continue to fall. ¡°So, even if she loses her wolf, she¡¯ll be happy that both of you are free of your father and that you¡¯re both alive. Right?¡± She nods again. ¡°Okay. Now it¡¯s your turn to be strong for her. You are brave and you are stronger than you give yourself credit for, Brooklyn. I believe you get that strength from your mother. She¡¯ll survive Chapter 86. Memuth this, if for no other reason than she loves you and refuses to leave you alone. Even though you would never be alone. We would never abandon you, Brooklyn.¡± ¡°What if¡­what if she never gets her wolf back?¡± Brooklyn asks me. ¡®She¡¯s worried because her wolf hasn¡¯t resurfaced since her attack by Alpha Owen,¡¯ Hedda says. She¡¯s been forward since the beginning of the attack, ready to protect me and our son if needed. ¡°Do I look like the kind of Luna who would kick you or your mother out of this pack? Do you think Hunter would do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have my wolf either,¡± she admits, confirming what Hedda says. ¡°You are still part of this pack, Brooklyn. You epted Hunter as your Alpha and me as your Luna. I do not dismiss my pack members because they are suffering with an injury that may or may not have killed their wolves. You and your mother will always have a ce here, if you choose to remain in our pack. Do not let that worry you,¡± I tell her. She grabs me unexpectedly and whether it¡¯s because of the fear of being cast out, the adrenaline rush of killing her father wearing off, or just being overwhelmed by everything, she begins to s**b in my arms. I carefully lift her, moving to sit in a chair and cradling her in myp, rocking her as I would a child, letting her get it all out of her system. I nod at the nurses that they can leave and murmur soft words. 1521% 111 16:55 ¨C offort to Brooklyn long after she stops crying but continues to cling to me. When she finally sits up, I wipe her tears again and smile at her. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Luna,¡± she says, giving me a watery smile in return. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let the nurses know that you¡¯re going to stay here with your mother until she wakes. They¡¯ll bring in a bed or cot for you, but it may be a while. We still have injureding in.¡± ¡°I want to help,¡± she says suddenly. ¡°Brooklyn, you don¡¯t have to help. You can stay here,¡± I tell her. ¡°No. They said my mother will be out for another day. I can help. Sitting here, watching her sleep, won¡¯t help anyone, definitely not me. I need to feel useful. Please, Luna.¡± I think for a moment. ¡°What do you know about injuries?¡± I ask her. ¡°I know a little. As omegas, we¡¯re always having to help each other when we burn or cut ourselves in the kitchen since our wolves don¡¯t heal us as fast as others.¡± ¡°I think they still need people to help them triage the injured. Do you feel up to that?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she says determinedly. ¡°I can help. I¡¯ll still sleep in here. with my mother, but I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± ¡°Okay, let me get you a walker. I know you can¡¯t walk on your own yet,¡± I say, and step out, quickly asking a nurse rushing by 32.88% ? where I can get one. She gets it for me before rushing off to her task. When I step back in, Brooklyn is leaning over her mother, telling her that she¡¯ll be back soon. I give her the walker, making sure she can use it and is strong enough to walk with it. Then I lead her back out to the main entrance. I find a lead nurse and let her know that Brooklyn wants to help. ¡°We can use all the help we can get. Are you sure you¡¯re okay, Brooklyn?¡± she asks. All the nurses know her from when she was here in the hospital. ¡°Yes, I want to help.¡± The nurse gestures to the room full of warriors in various stages of injury. ¡°We have the most seriously injured in surgery or waiting to go in. We need to know of those left, who has the most serious injuries needing treatment and who just needs to be stitched up and sent home to rest.¡± ¡°I can help stitch them up,¡± Brooklyn says, surprising me. The nurse tilts her head. ¡°Are you the one that has been stitching up the omegas?¡± she asks her. Brooklyn blushes and nods her head. ¡°We don¡¯t always have time toe in, so I learned. My mother taught me.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re very good at it. If you find someone who needs to get stitched up, make sure to wash the wound, supplies are over there, and then you can stitch them up and send them on their way.¡± Chald. Aftermath. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it, Brooklyn,¡± I say to her. ¡°Thank you, Luna.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brooklyn. I¡¯m sure the staff here are grateful for your help.¡± ¡°More than grateful,¡± the lead nurse says before turning to the next person in the room. I leave her, heading back to the packhouse. When I arrive, I can see that we have even moreThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. injured here that either refused or haven¡¯t made it to the pack hospital yet. I look around, searching for Hunter. ¡°Luna.¡± I turn and see Margot walking toward me. Her hands are bl**dy, and she¡¯s wiping them on a towel. ¡°How are things at the hospital? I have a doctor friend that might be willing to help, if you need him to.¡± ¡°That would be great. We need these warriors back to full fighting strength before Joshuaes,¡± I say to her. She presses her lips together and nods. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not ming you. He¡¯de anyway, but we know he¡¯s out there and it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call my friend and let you know.¡± She turns to leave. ¡°Margot, you trust him right? We¡¯ll be letting him onto our packnds. He won¡¯t betray us?¡± I ask, needing to make sure. ¡°I trust him,¡± she says, looking around and pulling me aside. ¡°No one knows this except my mother, so please, keep this between 65.79% 111 us. But he¡¯s been giving me birth control since I was mated Joshua. He¡¯s very discreet and he cares about his patients. He won¡¯t betray me or you.¡± ¡°Okay. I trust you, Margot. If you trust him, then call him. Just let me know his name and when to expect him so I can let the border patrols know.¡±. She turns again. ¡°Wait, Margot, how was your safe room? Is everyone okay? Did anyone lose their mate?¡± ¡°No one lost their mate, but¡­if I¡¯m honest, I¡¯d rather never do that again,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to fight, isn¡¯t it?¡± I ask her, understanding. ¡°Very much so.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get you strong so you can fight,¡± I say. This time it¡¯s. me who starts to turn away, but she stops me. ¡°Luna, I¡¯ve been watching you, at themittee meetings and for the couple of days that I¡¯ve been here. I didn¡¯t understand the fuss before, but I do now. You really are a legend.¡± I chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m just a girl who found her incredible mate, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°No, reason all of this has happened. Not in a bad you are th way, in a good way. Things needed to change. I thought it was hype, thought your title was overdramatized, but it¡¯s not. You really are worthy of being called a legend,¡± she says before nodding her head and walking off. I stare after her, feeling equal parts awed and inadequate. That ||| Chapter 66 Mftermath 288 (Vouchers was high praiseing from another Luna, even if she rejected her mate. I truly hope that I never give her a reason to find me unworthy of the title. The One 87 The One 87 Chapter 87: One and the Same Sophie When I turn away from Margot, I find Kinsley and get a report on the pack¡¯s injuries and how things went in her safe room. ¡°Where are our mates?¡± I ask when she¡¯s done. ¡°They¡¯re around, and I don¡¯t know about yours, but mine is exhausted. However, he refuses to go rest,¡± she says, worriedly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s about to change. Come with me. You and I are leaders in this pack and if our mates want to tell us that we are equals to them, it¡¯s about time for them to prove it.¡± ¡°This ought to be good,¡± I hear her murmur excitedly as she follows me. I find my mate talking to Alpha Kayce and my father. ¡°Alpha Hunter,¡± I say, addressing him by his title so he knows I¡¯ m serious. The conversation stops and he turns, raising an eyebrow at me. I look over his body, seeing that his injuries still haven¡¯t fully healed. ¡°You need to go shower and get some rest,¡± I say, seeing Kayce¡¯ s eyebrow go up at my words. ¡°I can¡¯t yet, Soph. We still have injured, I need¡­¡± 16:56 Tim and the ¡°What you need to do, Alpha, is to go wash off this battle and rest so Shaw can heal you.¡± ¡°Sophie¡­¡± ¡°Am I not your equal in this pack, Hunter?¡± I ask, stepping up to him. ¡°Of course you are, but right now¡­¡± ¡°No, Hunter. Either I am or I¡¯m not. If I looked like you, you¡¯d have had me upstairs and in bed hours ago. Do you trust me to take care of this pack in your absence?¡± ¡°Sophie¡­¡± ¡°Yes or no, Hunter.¡± ¡°Yes, Sophie, but¡­¡± ¡°But what, Hunter? I need you healed and strong so that when Joshuaes, you can fight again. We know it¡¯sing, it¡¯s only a matter of when. I can¡¯t fight, Kinsley can¡¯t fight, but your and Lucas will have to, and I need my mate and my Beta at full fighting strength when the battlees. So, I will say again, get your a**upstairs, get cleaned up, and get into bed.¡± Hunter stares at me for a moment. ¡°Son, take a word of advice from a man who has been mated to a strong-willed woman for longer than you, never argue with your Luna. You will lose, maybe not at that moment, but you will, especially when what she¡¯s saying makes perfect sense,¡± my father says, gently putting his hand on Hunter¡¯s shoulder.¡± Hunter turns to look at my father, then at Kayce as if expecting 8.75% Chapter 67 and the Same one of them to support him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m not arguing with her. She¡¯s the f**g legend. I know when I¡¯m outrank d,¡± Kayce says, a smile twitching at his lips. Hunter turns back to me. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± I raise my chin and wait him out. ¡°Okay then, the pack is yours.¡± ¡°No, the pack is ours and when you¡¯re back to full strength, I know you¡¯ll get them ready for the next battle toe,¡± I say, standing my ground. He smiles at me, leaning over to kiss my lips quickly. ¡°Yes, my Luna.¡± I turn, spotting Lucas talking to some of the wounded warriors. ¡°Beta Lucas,¡± I call out, my voice ringing through the room. His head snaps up. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± Hunter stops, waiting to see what I¡¯m going to say. ¡°I suggest you listen to your mate, or you will face my wrath,¡± I say. He frowns, looking at Kinsley. ¡°Upstairs, Beta. You need to rest.¡± ¡°Kinsley, I can¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Did you hear what I just said?¡± I say, the room going quiet. 19391 Lucas frowns, looking around, finding Hunter. ¡°Alpha?¡± ¡°I lost the fight with our Luna. Good luck, you¡¯re on your own,¡± he says and starts limping toward the stairwell. I turn, standing behind Kinsley as she and her mate have a silent battle of wills. ¡°Fine!¡± he says, throwing up his hands. ¡°Who¡¯s making a list of the injured then,¡± he says, obviously aggravated. ¡°Me, of course, I¡¯m a Beta, am I not?¡± Kinsley asks him. His mouth opens and closes several times before finally shutting. ¡°Let¡¯s go Lucas. The sooner we heal, the sooner we¡¯re back,¡± Hunter says, and if I didn¡¯t think it would make him look weak, I¡¯ d go help him up the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Kayce says softly behind me. ¡°I know,¡± I say, watching him start up the stairs before turning back to my father and Kayce. ¡°Okay, first, I¡¯m sure Hunter already thanked you for answering our call, but I want to thank you as well.¡± Both men¡¯s lips are twitching as they look at me. ¡°Did either of you lose any men?¡± ¡°A couple,¡± Kayce says, his face bing serious. ¡°Same,¡± my father says. ¡°I need a report of how many dead and from which packs. I need to know how many are from Owen¡¯s pack and how many we think escaped so I can inform Alpha Ezra. Can you get those numbers for me Alpha Kayce?¡± ¡°I certainly can Luna. Or should I call you Alpha?¡± ¡°In this pack, Alpha Kayce, they are one and the same.¡± ¡°Apparently so,¡± he says, this time his smile is wide. I turn to my father. ¡°Can I ask you to have your pack members run patrols for my pack until some of my injured are healed. We have a lot of warriors down from fighting before your packs. arrived.¡± ¡°Of course, Luna.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± I say, smiling. I turn, looking around, my mind going through everything that needs to be done, when I see Hunter standing on the stairs, watching me. ¡°What are you still doing down here?¡± I ask him. ¡°I¡¯m taking a moment to admire my impressive mate,¡± he says, and I feel a wave of pridee through the bond. I know I blush. a deep shade of pink, pleased with his pride in me. ¡°Get upstairs, Alpha,¡± I say, more because I¡¯m embarrassed than because I¡¯m worried about him. ¡°Yes, my amazing Luna,¡± he says and begins walking up the stairs. He passes Lucas who is watching his mate with a simr expression on his face. Chapter 7: One and the Same ¡°Upstairs, Beta,¡± Kinsley calls out, not looking up from the report she¡¯s putting together on our injured. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he says, grinning hugely and following Hunter up. the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m so very proud of you sweetheart,¡± my father says softly behind me. ¡°Your mother will be too when I tell her.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± I say, beginning to feel overwhelmed with the pride I¡¯m feeling from the pack. For the next several hours, Kinsley and I get through all the pack members, making sure everyone who was injured receives. treatment, seeing some return talking about how delicate Brooklyn was when she stitched them up. Kayce gets me the report of the dead. Almost all of them are from Owen¡¯s pack. As he said, he lost two, my father lost two and we lost four. Their mates are in the pack hospital, and I mind link Brooklyn to ask her to check on them while she¡¯s there. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± she says. Once everything is settled, I go into my office and call Alphal Ezra. ¡°Alpha Ezra,¡± he answers. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Alpha, this is Luna Sophie. I¡¯m not sure you heard that we were attacked by Owen¡¯s packst night,¡± I say. Theck of sleep and stress of the day is starting to catch up to me. I think I forgot to eat too. Hunter won¡¯t be pleased. ¡°Luna, is everything okay? Is your mate alright?¡± 47 65% ||| ¡°He is. He was injured, but he¡¯s resting, letting Shaw heal him so we can be prepared for the next battle. I wanted to let you know about the number of dead that we have from Owen¡¯s pack and the number we feel escaped when Koden fled.¡± He¡¯s quiet. ¡°Alpha? Are you there?¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling to give me the report?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha. That¡¯s why I¡¯m calling,¡± I say to him. ¡°You¡¯re Alpha went to sleep without getting the numbers from his pack?¡± he asks, rifying. ¡°Alpha Ezra, I know you haven¡¯t spent as much time with us as Alpha Kayce and Alpha Robin, but I would have thought that your would have seen that my mate and I are equal partners in this. pack. I may have had to remind him of that earlier today, but make no mistake, Alpha Ezra, I am perfectly capable of running this pack while my mate heals,¡± I say indignantly. ¡°My apologies, Luna. I meant no disrespect, it¡¯s just¡­.¡± ¡°Never been done before?¡± I ask him, a bit snarkily. ¡°Exactly. But that doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s not a good thing. It just reminds me that I didn¡¯t do right by Hunter¡¯s sister when she was my mate.¡± I moderate my tone when I respond, knowing that he¡¯s still struggling with how my rtionship with Hunter differs and is better than his was with Diana. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, as is my Beta female. We cannot fight, so I need 165733 Chapter 1. Que and the Cane our mates strong and ready when the next battlees, as we know it will,¡± I say. ¡°And yet, I probably still wouldn¡¯t have given in to Diana¡¯s. request if she had made it to me under the same circumstances.¡± ¡°Oh, make no mistake, Alpha. It wasn¡¯t a request on my part. I was not taking no for an answer. He chuckles. ¡°Legend, indeed,¡± he says under his breath, but I still hear him. ¡°I don¡¯t know why everyone keeps saying that today,¡± I say. ¡°Probably because you¡¯re proving that you¡¯re worthy of the title, Luna. Or should I call you Alpha?¡± he asks, and I can hear the smile in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I told Alpha Kayce. In this pack, they¡¯re one and the same.¡± ¡°Indeed, they are. Thank you for the information. My warriors are nning to head to Owen¡¯s pack early tomorrow morning and take over the pack. Did Koden survive?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he says. ¡°And thank you, Luna, not only for the update, but for the reminder that I need to keep an open mind about the changes that areing and the role that ranked females will y in the future of our packs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Alpha. Please call when you have an update. on the status of Owen¡¯s pack.¡± 70 15% 16.57 Chapter 37 Cond the same 288 Moochers ¡°Will do.¡± When I¡¯m done, I lean my head back, utterly exhausted. I give myself a moment then force myself to get up. There¡¯s more work to be done. I look around making sure I have everything as I walk to the door and nearly run into Hunt He¡¯s leaning against the doorframe, watching me. ¡°My Luna looks exhausted,¡± he says, looking me over. I do the same to him, seeing that his injuries are healed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I ask him. He pushes off the doorframe andes to me, pulling me against him. I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. ¡°Rested, unlike you. Time for bed, my Luna.¡± ¡°I just need to get with Kinsley¡­¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± he says, pulling back and lifting my chin so I¡¯m looking up at him. ¡°I believe we had the conversation earlier about being pat equal partners. Anything that still needs to be done, I¡¯ll take care of. My mate and my pup need sleep. Did you eat?¡± I grimace which elicits a growl from Hunter. He scoops me into his arms, and I see his eyes go unfocused. We walk out of the office and toward the stairs and are met by an omega holding a sandwich in her hands. ¡°Here, Luna. I had this made for you earlier, but you never stopped to eat,¡± she says, pushing the sandwich into my hands. She pulls a bottle of water out of her pocket and hands that to 8056 16 57 Chapter 87. One and the Same 288 Vouchers me as well. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say as Hunter begins carrying me up the stairs. As he climbs, I fill him in on everything that has happened while he¡¯s been asleep, giving him the list of things that I had nned to follow up on. He sets me down on the bed, putting the water on the nightstand before going into the closet and getting me one of his t-shirts. I start eating the sandwich while I wait, struggling to chew before swallowing therge bites. ¡°Don¡¯t choke, Soph,¡± Hunter says, helping me to undress, then pulling the shirt over my head. I finish the sandwich and Hunter gives me the bottle of water, unscrewing the top before he hands it to me. ¡°Better?¡± he asks when I hand the empty bottle back to him. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you, my mate. You really are an incredible woman. Now get some sleep. I know how to run our pack.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± I say. I¡¯m pretty sure I was asleep before he stepped out of the room. 91.591 The One 88 The One 88 Chapter 88: Rendered Useless Hunter My mate was dead on her feet when I finally woke, feeling. amazingly refreshed and ready to take on anything, including Joshua and another war. Now that I¡¯ve had a moment to step. away from the battle, I can see that she was right. I needed to heal so I can be prepared to fight again, but when she first approached me, I had been very surprised at how insistent she was that I get some sleep. ¡®Lucas?¡¯ I reach out in the mind link as I leave my already sound asleep mate. ¡®Putting my mate to bed. I¡¯ll be right there,¡¯ he says and I¡¯m sure Kinsley is in the same position that Sophie is, exhausted. When I get downstairs, I see Penny working through the patrols with our Lead Warrior. ¡°How do things look?¡± I ask, walking up. ¡°Oh, Alpha. You look well rested,¡± Penny says. ¡°So do you,¡± I say, looking her over. ¡°Luna and Beta Kinsley had all of us rotating through a sleep schedule so she could let her father and his pack members get back home. We¡¯re just about to switch out thest round of patrols who are waking up and then we should be back to normal,¡± Penny says. ¡°Well, that¡¯s great. Can I take a look?¡± I look over what Kinsley must have put together for the day, slowly weeding out Carter¡¯s pack so that they could go home. Penny¡¯s right, this is thest shift with Carter¡¯s men. ¡°Are Alpha Carter and Alpha Kayce still here?¡± I ask as Lucas walks up. I hand the patrol schedule to him, knowing he¡¯ll be proud of what his mate has done. ¡°No, Alpha. Alpha Kayce left a while ago after getting the list of dead for Luna Sophie. I believe that report is on your desk. We¡¯ ve also set up pyres for the four that we lost and buried the ones that came from Owen¡¯s old pack,¡± she reports. ¡°The mates of the ones we lost?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°Luna had Brooklyn checking in on them, since she¡¯s there with her mother. You should know too, that many of the warriors havemented on Brooklyn¡¯s steady hand and gentle touch when it came to stitching them up,¡± my Lead Warrior says. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I look around, feelingpletely unnecessary. Sophie and Kinsley have this pack nearly back to fighting strength in less. than twelve hours. ¡°If I may, Alpha, Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley were incredible. They answered all our questions, listened to our advice, made sure everyone ate and was looked after¡­I don¡¯t want to say that they were better than you and Beta Lucas, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find anyone in the pack who would say they felt the loss of your time away,¡± my Lead Warrior says, and Penny nods her head agreement. ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel like I should retire,¡± I mumble. ¡°If you nee anything, your Luna and Beta female are asleep, you can to me or Lucas now,¡± I say louder ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I walk to the kitchens, seeing that there are easy grab and go foods avable so that anyone coming in from patrols or wak up for their shift can get food. I see Margot getting food, looking like she just woke up. When she sees me, she walks over. ¡°Oh good. Please tell me your mates are asleep.¡± ¡°They are. They were exhausted,¡± Lucas says. ¡°They went non-stop. I¡¯m not sure either of them ever ate. It v very impressive. I got to see what it would have been like for if I were an equal partner to Joshua.¡± ¡°We should talk about that,¡± I say to her. She nods. ¡°You¡¯re worried that killing him will kill me because hasn¡¯t epted my rejection?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, getting food and going to sit with Margot while Lucas gets food and goes to check on those in the pack. hospital. She looks down at her te. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about m Alpha.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Margot, not in my pack at least. You III dored L 1288 Wouchers are here for my protection. I take that seriously.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°I told Sophie that now I understand what all the hype is about, her being the legend and all. She showed that, clear as day today, when she whipped this pack into shape after the battle. But now, I¡¯m also starting to see why you are mated to a woman such as that. The two of you are very strong, but you don¡¯t have to prove your strength, you can let the other be strong without feeling intimidated. That¡¯s true strength, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but what I do know is that my mate is a strong, powerful, Alpha female. Whether it¡¯s her strength or her love, I know I¡¯m a better man and Alpha having her by my side. If I had stifled that in her, I would be no better off than I was before. She makes me a better person and I want to be a better person for her. I want her to always be proud of me and proud to be my mate,¡± I say honestly. Margot looks around the room. ¡°What you¡¯re doing here, it¡¯s a good thing, Alpha, a very good thing. You¡¯re giving women like me a chance to find a happiness that we didn¡¯t know existed. But you need to realize that you can¡¯t save all of us. I¡¯ve had my time, Alpha. When Joshuaes, don¡¯t hesitate to kill him. I know if I have the chance to kill him, I won¡¯t hesitate. I¡¯m okay if that¡¯s the end of my life. If I go out, knowing that I¡¯ve made even a small difference in this world and the future of our female poption, it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not okay with me, Margot,¡± I tell her. She smiles sadly. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re an Alpha worthy of the Legend. But if you hesitate and he gets away and hurts anoth she-wolf, that will be on you. Alpha Chater Rendered Useless 1241 Mouchers that on your conscience,¡± she says, standing. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to get back to the pack hospital. I¡¯m helping the nurses there with some of the injured and with the women who lost their mates.¡± ¡°Thank you, Margot,¡± I say standing as well. ¡°Thank you, Alpha, for everything,¡± she says walking away. It feels so much like a goodbye that it takes everything in me to let her walk away. Instead, I make a m**l note to have Sophie talk to her, maybe Kinsley as well. I watch her walk away for a moment, then leave the dining hall, noticing that there are still some folks just waking and that the patrols are justing off duty. I head to my office and see the report that Kayce started, and Sophie finished for me, with a little note on it. ¡®I hope this is okay. It¡¯s my first report. I just wanted you to have all the information when you woke up.¡± I smile, feeling incredibly proud of my mate. I quickly look over the report and then call Kayce. ¡°Alpha Hunter, you¡¯re back in thend of the living,¡± he answers. ¡°I am and I¡¯m back to fighting strength. What did I miss?¡± ¡°You got the report of the dead?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± I say, knowing he¡¯ll be feeling the loss of his two pack members the same way I¡¯m feeling the loss of my four. ¡°I lost their mates as well,¡± he says sadly. 16:58 ¸Ê ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to hear that,¡± I say, and I hear movement on the other end of the phone. It sounds like Allison just came to sit on Kayce¡¯sp. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you. I just wanted to thank you again and see if there was any news on Joshua.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything new, but you know he¡¯sing.¡± ¡°I do. Thank you again, Kayce.¡± ¡°You would do the same for me, Hunter, and there maye a time when I call on you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be there,¡± I say, hanging up. Next I call Carter but instead of him answering, I get Luna Amy. ¡°Luna, I was looking for Alpha Carter.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s asleep, dear. He had a long day, refused toe home until everything was settled in your pack. How is my daughter?¡± ¡°Sleeping and I¡¯m sure your mate told you, but she did an excellent job of running this pack while I slept.¡± ¡°So I heard. Between you and me, Alpha, she gets that from me,¡± she says conspiratorially. Iugh. ¡°I am absolutely sure she does, Luna Amy. Will you let Alpha Carter know that I called and to give me a call when he wakes if there¡¯s anything I can do to help ease the passing of your dead.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll beying them to rest tomorrow, but thank you; Alpha.¡± 71.40% Chapter 59 Rendered Useless ¡°Thank you, Luna.¡± After that, I call Ezra. ¡°Luna Sophie?¡± he answers. ¡°No, it¡¯s me, Hunter,¡± I say. ¡°Hunter! You¡¯re back with us?¡± ¡°I am. I know it¡¯s a bitte, but I wanted to give you the update on Owen¡¯s dead¡­¡± ¡°No need, your mate already called me, hours ago.¡± ¡°She did?¡± I ask, sitting back. ¡°She did. I¡¯ll tell you what I told her. I¡¯ll be heading over there tomorrow morning to take over the pack.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s good. You shouldn¡¯t have too much trouble, we have quite a few dead here.¡± ¡°When do you want to deal with Owen?¡± he asks. ¡°Let me talk to Brooklyn. She actually shot her father, killing him and now her mother is in the pack hospital fighting to survive since he never epted her rejection.¡± He whistles low. ¡°How is she doing?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her yet, but from everything that I¡¯ve heard from my pack, she¡¯s much better than I would have expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯m d to hear it. Well, once you know when you want me toe by with the asshole, just let me know.¡± Cubter 21 Rendered Useless 258 Vouchers I chuckle at that. ¡°Is he causing you any problems?¡± ¡°He¡¯s loud and obnoxious, but otherwise no.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± I sit back looking over my desk which Sophie straightened up for me today as well. There¡¯s a knock at the door and I look up to see Lucas. He¡¯s frowning as he walks in. ¡°Kinsley did everything while I was out,¡± he says, sitting in the chair opposite me. ¡°Sophie did the same,¡± I say, looking at him. I realize that our mates have rendered us utterly useless in the matter of one day.N?velDrama.Org ? content. The One 89 The One 89 Chapter 89: Dr. Caspian Brooklyn I¡¯m not sure why it helped me, but it felt cathartic to help the warriorsing in who were in various stages of injury. It had been a pretty non-stop flow of them from the moment that I walked out to help. I quickly realized that the best way for me to be effective was to pass off the bigger injuries to the nurses and for them to leave the stitching to me. Eventually, there was a line of warriors waiting for me to stitch them up. ¡°You have a very soft touch, Brooklyn,¡± the current warrior I¡¯m stitching says softly. I¡¯m not sure if they have all just appreciated me or if it¡¯s because they know what happened, but every warrior I¡¯ve spoken to, no matter how injured they were, has been kind and gentle with me. ¡°Thank you, Warrior. You, on the other hand, have a very deep g**h. I¡¯m going to need to put severalyers of stitches into his wound to keep it closed while your wolf heals you.¡± ¡°Do what you need to do. Argus is exhausted and needs his sleep,¡± he says, referencing his wolf. ¡°As do you, Warrior,¡± I say, looking up and meeting his gaze for the first time. This warrior is older, my father¡¯s age and I can see the sadness and the kindness in his eyes. Yep, he definitely knows what happened to me. I get back to work, worrying that my trauma will be the way that everyone remembers me. I know it was bad when I got here. My mother barely got me here and I was unconscious, but I¡¯ve ||| Cinquan heard the whispers and I know how many stitches were required. to put poor little Brooklyn Row back together again. When I¡¯m done, I put a bandage on his hip and he sits up, flexing his leg before standing. I turn from washing my hands to see if he has another injury that I missed, but he¡¯s looking at me. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, we all think you were very brave for what you did. If you or your mother need anything at all, you let me know,¡± he says. The line of warriors behind him echoes his sentiment and I feel tears p**k at my eyes. ¡°Just so you know, we¡¯re going to get the body out of your house and we¡¯re fixing your door so that when you¡¯re ready, you can go back to your home,¡± the next warrior says walking up and sitting down. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, feeling overwhelmed with their kindness. About an hourter, one of the female warriors sits down. I begin working on her while she quietly assesses me. I¡¯m not sure what she sees, but I have a job to do, so I do it quietly. ¡°They¡¯re right, you do have a soft touch. I barely felt that,¡± she says to me. Once again, she stands and waits for me to look at her. ¡°If you ever decide that you want to learn to fight, let me know. I¡¯ Il work with you. Even if you¡¯re not ever a warrior, knowing that you can throw a punch can make you feel powerful,¡± she says to me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude to this pack and the warriors who are being so kind to me. 1298 mouche Throughout the day, I¡¯ve had whiffs of my favorite dinner, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. My mom would make it for me on cold days when our omega wolves struggled to keep us warm. Thefort food always made us warm and happy. I¡¯ve asked a couple of people if that¡¯s what they are making in the kitchen for lunch and now for dinner, but no one seems to know. All I know is that I¡¯ve gotten whiffs of the mouth-watering food and I¡¯ve even felt my quiet wolf fluttering around in my mind today. I¡¯ll have to tell my mother when she wakes. If our favoritefort food is all I need to awaken Ermelinde, my wolf, my mother will make it every day until she returns. I¡¯ve just finished stitching up thest of the warriors, taking a moment to ept their thank you for gently stitching them before I close my eyes and stretch my neck and back. My body is aching from bending over to stitch all day. I stand and turn, beginning to clean up my area. The nurses, once they realized that I could stitch up everyone, had brought all the supplies to me so I didn¡¯t have to waste time searching for them or someone to tell me where the supplies were. I¡¯ve just gotten thest of the garbage cleaned up when I smell it again, my favoritefort food. I lift my nose in the air and take a deep breath. They must be making it either here or at the packhouse. My mouth waters and my body begins to calm after the long day. I turn and stop, seeing a man I don¡¯t know watching me closely. He¡¯s in scrubs and he has a surgical hat in his hands like he pulled it off his head and then forgot he was holding it. 26.30% 16.59 Chapter 19 Dr Can I take a step back quickly, terrified of who this man might be. The man raises a hand and takes a step toward me. I whimper, not sure if I can find help before he gets to me. Just then a nurse walks by and stops, seeing me staring at the man. Her nose lifts and shees rushing over to me. ¡°Brooklyn, it¡¯s okay, this is Dr. Caspian. Luna Margot asked Luna Sophie if he coulde help us. We needed extra hands, as I¡¯m sure you realized. He¡¯s not going to hurt you, he¡¯s a doctor. He¡¯s been here for several hours helping us with the more difficult injuries,¡± she says, putting her arm around my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. Brooklyn, is it?¡± he asks me. I nod, leaning against the nurse. ¡°Doctor, did you need something?¡± the nurse asks him, a bit protectively. I¡¯m very thankful for her right now. He frowns, looking from the nurse to me. ¡°Do you not¡­.can you not sense who I am to you?¡± he asks me. I whimper again, closing my eyes, as the nurse sucks in air beside me. He¡¯s where the smell has beening from. They aren¡¯t making myfort food, it¡¯s the scent of my mate.. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t,¡± I say, beginning to s**b. The doctor takes a step toward me, and I yelp, terror filling my body. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The nurse holds out a hand to stop the doctor, and turns to me, taking my face in her hands. ¡°Brooklyn, look at me. Look at me. Breathe, sweetheart. Breathe. That¡¯s right, just breathe with me.¡± | 1650 She gently wipes the tears from my eyes and turns to look at the doctor. ¡°Stay put,¡± she says sternly before guiding me toward my mother¡¯s room. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit with your mother. I¡¯ll have food brought in for you. You¡¯re exhausted after all the work you did today. It will be good for you to eat and then get some sleep.¡± I nod, beginning to breathe more easily as we walk away. I turn and see Dr. Caspian watching us, hurt clearly written on his face. Luna Sophie asked me to check on all the mates who are in the hospital, and there are four, not including my mother. Since they are all in the same wing as my mother, I check on her first, then go to check on each one of the women, letting them know they aren¡¯t alone, letting them know that their children need them if they have them, or that the pack needs them if they don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if it will help, but hopefully they can hear me. Each time I¡¯ve stepped out of a room, I¡¯ve smelled my favorite.fort food. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s nearby or if he¡¯s just been down this hallway a couple of times, but I always take a deep breath before going into the next room. When I go back to my mother¡¯s room, I see that one of the nurses has brought me a cot to sleep on with nkets and a pillow. I sit beside my mother, telling her everything that I did today and how proud of me she would be. I remind her that I need her and that I know she¡¯s suffering, but it will be okay and that Luna Sophie said we could stay even if we don¡¯t have our wolves. I know she was worried about that, so hopefully she can hear me. I finallyy down to sleep, but I can¡¯t. I toss and turn, unable to get the hurt look on Dr. Caspian¡¯s face out of my head. I finally 1577 decide to go check on the other women, since I¡¯m not sleeping anyway and I quietly step outside my mother¡¯s room. When I turn, I see him, Dr. Caspian. It looks like he¡¯s been waiting here all night to talk to me. He sits up from the slumped position that he must have fallen asleep in and puts his hands up. ¡°Please don¡¯t run from me. I won¡¯t hurt you. I swear.¡± I look around but it¡¯s the middle of the night and everything here is quiet now. I refocus on him. ¡°What do you want?¡± He scrubs his hands over his face before looking back up at me. ¡°One of the nurses told me what happened to you.¡± I nod. Everyone in the pack knew anyway so what¡¯s one more person. ¡°I took the liberty of reading your chart from when you were in the hospital and I have to tell you that I¡¯ve never wanted to kill someone so much as I want to kill that Alpha for what he did to you,¡± he says. I can tell that he¡¯s working hard to control his emotions, so he doesn¡¯t scare me by growling or snarling. ¡°Look, I know I¡¯m a few years older than you are¡­¡± I raise my eyebrow and I see his lips twitch. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve seven years older than you are, which means, I¡¯ve been looking for my mate for seven long years. I didn¡¯t realize that you were going to be younger than me by so many years, but I believe that fate has brought us together. It was Luna Margot that asked me toe help with the wounded. She¡¯s not even part of this pack. I didn¡¯t have to agree, but I did, and because both of those things happened, I found you.¡± 712000 16:50 ¡°Y¡¯ve been maki Son¡¯t care that you thay fever will to have a sexual rtionship she and heartal and that 13 have bortion pou¡¯re courally a route out the the froh veryting give him a chance ¡°What die i ammal like to you?¡± I ask them SDE E AVID Duplj don¡¯t lue in any pus, move on, i have my own gri And you smell the my garoma spolesan tut sition. What to umut like to gau putatoes and gravy ¡°Saunds yummy ¡°he says and 1 duck my head so be can¡¯t see ¡°Maybe someday you¡¯ ue me power and I can see for myset,¡± A 1 look at tum ?n¨»ment Swan ju? gang for get scrhet water The One 90 The One 90 Chapter 90: Protection Detail Sophie Ie awake slowly, feeling warm andfortable, my mate¡¯s pine scent filling my nose. I shift, stretching to work out the kinks in my body. ¡°Mmm, good morning,¡± Hunter¡¯s sleepy voice says from behind. me, as he buries his face into my hair, kissing the crook of my neck just behind my mate mark. It sends shivers through my body, just as his deep, husky voice does. He tugs me against him, and I feel his arousal pressing against my bottom and back. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asks. ¡°Stiff, but well-rested.¡± He chuckles behind me. ¡°You should be, you slept nearly a day and a half.¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask sitting up quickly. ¡°Baby, you were exhausted. You and Kinsley did everything to get this pack in order while Lucas and I slept. It seemed only fair that you get to sleep it off. And before you start arguing that you didn¡¯t fight any battles, you are carrying my pup and that along with the stress of the battle and aftermath is enough to drain anyone¡¯s energy,¡± he says, pulling me back down and curling hisrge frame around me. 0.00% 1700 pas Torres with side botes L welding tack leeding is Eve already myr¡¯s fated mate delicate Chapter 9p Protection Detai 208 Wouchers describe Brooklyn any longer.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°She was incredible sewing up the warriors after the battle. They¡¯ve allplimented her and for whatever reason, they¡¯ve all sort of rallied behind her. They cleaned up her house, removed her father¡¯s body, fixed her door, washed the inside so the blood is gone. No one asked them to do it, they did it on. their own. I even heard that one of our female warriors offered to teach Brooklyn to fight if she wanted to.¡± ¡°Good for her! I¡¯ll check in with her, find out her feelings about being a part of Owen¡¯s execution, and I¡¯ll also check out this Dr. Caspian. What about Leah and the other mates?¡± ¡°We lost one of the mates. She was older, her pups grown. Brooklyn took it hard. You apparently tasked her with checking on them and she took that to mean that it was her job to keep them alive. I feel like the others are alive just because of her. She¡¯s a lot stronger than shees across.¡± ¡°That which doesn¡¯t kill you¡­¡± I say. ¡°I think she was strong before this. I think Michael just kept her and Leah under his thumb. It will be interesting now to see what happens with them.¡± ¡°Has she regained her wolf?¡± I ask. ¡°Not yet. Even if they don¡¯t, I have no intention of rejecting them from the pack,¡± Hunter says, making me smile. 20.00 17:00 17 208 Worthers ¡°Good, because that¡¯s what I told Brooklyn when I saw herst,¡± I say as we step out of the shower and dry off. ¡°Great minds think alike, my love! He leans down and kisses me. This time he takes his time before releasing me. ¡°Oh, I have one more favor to ask you. I need you to talk to Margot, maybe with Kinsley.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°She¡¯s nning to die when we kill Joshua, basically told me to not let that stop me from killing him because she won¡¯t let it stop her. I need you to talk to her try to convince her that she shouldn¡¯t give up. She¡¯s still young enough to live a full life. She may never choose to be mated again, but that doesn¡¯t mean that she has to give up and die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her. She has so much to give to a pack, even if it¡¯s not as their Luna. I¡¯ll get Kinsley to talk with us as well, that¡¯s a good. idea. Kinsley understands better than I do about what Margot went through.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you don¡¯t know, d you never had to feel that kind of embarrassment, shame, or pain,¡± Hunter says, pulling me against his body and wrapping his arms around me. I sigh, leaning into him. He really is the perfect man, the perfect mate. ¡®Perfect for you because you¡¯re perfect for me,¡¯ he says in my head, listening to my thoughts. 32.991 17:00 C Chapter 90 Protection Detail ¡°I love you, my mate,¡± I say, looking up at him, letting my feelings of love flow through the bond. 11 288 Vachers He growls, leaning in to kiss me. ¡°Were you nning on leaving. this room? Because when you do that, I just want to bury myself inside you again.¡± I giggle, before getting lost in his kiss, his scent, and his taste. It¡¯s a bitter before we finally leave our room, going to look for breakfast. Hunter had apparently called off warrior training yesterday and today to allow our warriors to heal before getting back into sparring, so breakfast is being served a bitter than usual. After breakfast, I kiss my mate again, wave at Lucas and let Kinsley know that I need to chat with herter. ¡°Are you headed to the pack hospital?¡± she asks me. ¡°I am. I¡¯m going to talk to Brooklyn. Want toe?¡± I ask her. ¡°Sure do. I need to check out this Dr. Caspian for myself,¡± she. says, making meugh. It seems everyone is protective of Brooklyn. When we walk in, I see a couple of warriors sitting around, Brutus and Matthew. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I ask them, not having heard that someone was in bad shape. ¡°We¡¯re keeping an eye on the new doc who says he¡¯s Brooklyn¡¯s mate,¡± the older warrior, Brutus, says, jutting his chin in the direction he¡¯s looking. 111 17:00 I nce at Kinsley and see her lips twitching. ¡°So this is a protective detail?¡± she asks the two warriors. ¡°We watch out for our own,¡± Matthew says. ¡°I heard what you did at their house. That was very generous,¡± I say. ¡°Luna, I know you were busy, but that woman stitched up warriors for twelve hours non-stop the other day. Didn¡¯t stop to eat, barely stopped to pee or drink any water. She never acted tired, never lost her steady hand, and never became rough with her stitches. I, myself, had to get threeyers of stitches while Argus healed me. Found out about the doc, because, you know, gossip hotline, and all. So, we¡¯ve decided to stand guard and make sure this new guy doesn¡¯t try anything with our Brooklyn. She¡¯s been through enough.¡± Brutus is sitting with hisrge arms crossed over his body. He¡¯s slumped in his chair, but he¡¯s ring past me. I turn and see a man I don¡¯t know who keeps looking up at Brooklyn. I know the look well. My mate looks at me like that all the time. I turn and look at Kinsley. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we met this Dr. Caspian for ourselves, Beta.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± The two of us make our way over to where the doctor is looking through charts. He looks up as we approach. ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡± he asks. ¡°Doctor Caspian?¡± I ask. III 17:00 I watch his nose twitch. He turns one way, then another, sniffing both of us. ¡°Do we need to make this conversation private,dies?¡± he asks softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, do we?¡± I ask frowning. ¡°Follow me,¡± he says, nodding at Brooklyn who hoks at us curiously before he leads us to a room. As soon as we walk in, he turns to us. ¡°You¡¯re both pregnant.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kinsley and I say together. ¡°By choice?¡± he asks. ¡°Yes,¡± we say and the tension in him eases. ¡°Good. I was concerned that maybe¡­you wouldn¡¯t be the first she-wolves who had asked me about terminating their pregnancies when they find themselves pregnant with a female pup. I thought this pack was different, but I didn¡¯t want to make assumptions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Luna Sophie and this is my Beta, Kinsley,¡± I say to him. ¡°Oh. OH! Oh, my goddess, you must think me crass. I¡¯m so sorry. I was so worried about the pups I smelled on you that I didn¡¯t smell the rank. I apologize. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Brooklyn Row,¡± Kinsley says, jumping right in. ¡°She¡¯s my mate,¡± he says, leaning back against the wall, casually, but I can tell he¡¯s ready to argue if we tell him to leave her alone. 111 17.00 ¡°What are your intentions?¡± I ask him. He raises an eyebrow at that. ¡°My intentions?¡± ¡°Yes, what do you intend to do about being mated to Brooklyn?¡± I ask him. ¡°Do I need to sit down for this?¡± he asks. ¡°That¡¯s up to you, doctor,¡± I say. He does sit and when he does, it¡¯s like he detes. ¡°I know what happened to her. I saw her chart. I don¡¯t even know how she survived something like that. Don¡¯t know how her mother dragged her practically dead body all the way to this pack. to by sheer force of will, which only reinforces to me that Brooklyn gets her strength from her mother.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It had ¡°You understand that if you do anything to hurt that sweet girl, this entire pack will rain down hellfire on you like you¡¯ve never seen?¡± Kinsley asks him. ¡°I would expect nothing less from a pack that¡¯s run by the Legend,¡± he says, looking at me. I roll my eyes. ¡°Not you too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known Margot for many years. She¡¯s not one to exaggerate, so if she says you¡¯re the real deal, then I believe her.¡± I nod, looking at Kinsley who also nods. ¡°You¡¯ve been warned, doctor. And while we greatly appreciate your assistance with our pack members, we won¡¯t hesitate to turn on you if you hurt her.¡± 79.03% 17.00 Chapter 901 Protection Detail ¡°Understood. I have no intention of hurting her, but I do intend on staying close and letting her guide our interactions. With that in mind, I¡¯d like permission to stay in the pack for the foreseeable future. Should I speak to Alpha Hunter about that?¡± I look at Kinsley and she gives me a nod that she¡¯s in agreement. ¡°No, you can stay. I¡¯ll have a room made up for you as long as Brooklyn is in agreement with that.¡± ¡°I can stay here. I¡¯d prefer it while Brooklyn is watching over her mother.¡± ¡°Any news on Leah and the other mates?¡± ¡°They¡¯re stable. In situations like this, especially with omegas, it can take up to a week before she regains consciousness.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± I turn and begin walking out but turn back. ¡°I¡¯m going to confirm with Brooklyn about you staying here, but as her mate, I should warn you, Alpha Owen is going to be here this weekend for his execution. I¡¯m going to speak to Brooklyn now about what role, if any, she¡¯d like to y in that. She may need you, doctor.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be here for her,¡± he says determinedly. The One 91 The One 91 Chapter 91: New Idea Brooklyn I saw Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley follow Dr. Caspian, or Cas as he¡¯s asked me to call him, into a room. I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re doing what everyone else here is doing, protecting me. It makes me feel special to know that the pack cares so much about me, and it makes me want to try harder to be better for them. After losing one of the mates who is in the pack hospital struggling to survive after the death of their mate in the battle, I decided to try something different. I don¡¯t know if my mother can hear me, but she hasn¡¯t given up the fight yet and I have to believe it¡¯s because I¡¯m there talking to her every day. So, I called over to the main house and asked if they could bring the pups of the mothers lying in our hospital. I I hadn¡¯t thought it throughpletely and when the first group arrived, we had two crying, inconsble pups. For them, there had been a war, and they hadn¡¯t seen their parents again. The people they are staying with may be friends or family, but they aren¡¯t the parents that they trust to keep them safe. The first two were a young boy and girl, around six and four. I picked up the little girl and took the boy¡¯s hand, telling them that their mother was sleeping, and they¡¯d need to be careful but that I thought it might help for her to hear their voices. When we walked in, I put the little girl on the bed and she immediately snuggled up against her mother, sobbing in relief. She didn¡¯t seem to care that her mother was unconscious, her scent and proximity had calmed the little girl who had fallen asleep almost instantly. I¡¯d put the boy on the other side of his mother. He had tried to remain stoic, but he lost the battle, and ended up curling against her other side, telling her that he was trying to be brave but that it was hard without her or their father. I let them stay, carefully wrapping their mother¡¯s arms around them to help them feel safe and when they had both fallen asleep, I¡¯d gone out to find their mother¡¯s friend, Leann, who is watching over the pups. ¡°They¡¯re sleeping,¡± I say, wiping my eyes. ¡°Thank the goddess. They haven¡¯t slept in days. They¡¯re exhausted and are refusing to eat. Maybe now they¡¯ll eat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee to stay with them. Just let one of us know or find me when you¡¯re ready to leave. I¡¯ll help you get them disentangled from their mother.¡± ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t know if it will help her, but it¡¯s already helping them,¡± Leann says, looking into the room and seeing the two sleeping children tucked against their mother. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try,¡± I say and start to walk away, but Leann takes my hand. ¡°I hope it works for your mother as well, Brooklyn.¡± ¡°Thanks, Leann. I do too.¡± I am just about to go see if more pups have arrived, when Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley find me. 16.265 ¡°Brooklyn, we¡¯d like to speak with you. Do you have a minute?¡± ¡°Of course, Luna, Beta. Right this way,¡± I say, leading them to an empty room. The hospital is clearing out fast now that the wolves are getting stronger and healing their humans. ¡°How are you, Brooklyn?¡± Luna Sophie asks as soon as we sit down. ¡°I¡¯m doing okay, all things considered,¡± I say to them. ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡± Beta Kinsley asks. ¡°About the same. I talk to her every night, telling her about my day. I hope it works, we¡¯ll see. Cas, Dr. Caspian, says it can take up to a week for omegas to regain consciousness.¡± I watch my Luna and Beta nce at each other. They caught my slip up. ¡°How are you feeling after everything that happened with your father?¡± Luna Sophie asks. I sigh, sping my hands. ¡°I know I should be upset, and I am, but not for the right reasons,¡± I say. Both women reach out and put their hands over mine. ¡°What are the right reasons?¡± Beta Kinsley asks softly. ¡°He was my father. I should be sad that I killed him. But I¡¯m not. I¡¯m not sad at all.¡± Luna Sophie smiles at me. ¡°And what are your actual reasons for being upset?¡± ¡°My mother. I should have realized how much it would impact. her, but I didn¡¯t. If killing him, killsN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. her¡­¡± 1 smiling pisu get your strange tram,¡± Land Sapher says. 1 kovine i bitand Cas, Sud (len abilitated that people thine takan alten ing theater. She¡¯s always been much amnanger Than obers gave her credit for simple se Ex Campsian has requeried to stay on the pace wards de he sa Show¡¯s thave to, the more pack a de protection and taking alten was ¡°Luna Sophie sa ¡°They¡¯re all vary sweet 3 sin maging me an thunking of tu never ending dus of warmers that state wating kom in came ne fum jeau ¡°Wass and jamat matter are very angrtant to un,¡± Beta Kamaltey buys Kandy allow ¨¨ I? 1 tsk Dr Cumpran se t? Captan that it was up you he were allowed to stay if gone one mandolte having a bar, then a ver1 19 send Sun away Angers. I¡¯ve name Seen gun tas level of alone someone to stay on our packnds or Thassery and to me say Theon¡¯s pushed this or made heart¡¯s me kung at the two of them fortable as any 1288 Vouchers ¡°Do you want him to stay?¡± Luna Sophie asks. I nod. ¡°I do. I¡­.I feel calm around him, almost safe, if that makes any sense at all.¡± ¡°It makes perfect sense,¡± Beta Kinsley says and Luna Sophie nods. ¡°If for any reason, that changes and you don¡¯t want him here, I¡¯ll have him removed from our pack lands. No questions. You have the control here, Brooklyn. No one will take that from you this time,¡± Luna Sophie says. ¡°I appreciate that. It¡¯s different somehow, with him.¡± ¡°He cares, that¡¯s the difference,¡± Beta Kinsley says. I think we¡¯re done, and I¡¯m about to stand when I see the women look at each other again. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, Brooklyn. Alpha Owen is being brought to our pack this weekend for execution,¡± Luna Sophie begins, and I feel the walls of the room start to close in on me. ¡°Easy, Brooklyn. Breathe. He won¡¯t be allowed to hurt you. He won¡¯t be allowed toe near you, and you don¡¯t have toe to his execution if you don¡¯t want to. But you have the right to be there, and you have the right to be the one who executes him,¡± Luna Sophie says as Beta Kinsley moves to sit beside me, wrapping her arms around me and holding me as I get hold of myself. I think about what she said for a moment while I try to get my breathing under control. 60 16% 1288 Mouchers ¡°I¡¯d like to be there, but I don¡¯t think I can be the one to kill him. He deserves to die, but I just don¡¯t think I can do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, Brooklyn. You don¡¯t have to. Believe me, Hunter will be more than happy to do it and even your new mate would. probably be happy to do it. Heck, most of the pack would be thrilled to rip him to pieces for what he did to you. I just wanted you to know that the option is there.¡± I nod, leaning against Beta Kinsley as I try to rx. There¡¯s a knock at the door and Cas opens it without waiting for a reply. ¡°Brooklyn¡­¡± he says excitedly, stopping when he sees me. ¡°What happened, are you okay?¡± he asks,ing to crouch. beside me. ¡°Is this about that a****hole Alpha?¡± I nod, pulling away from Beta Kinsley to look at him. His scent is already more soothing than my Beta¡¯s arms were. He puts his hand on mine. ¡°I¡¯ll be there with you, if you want me. You don¡¯t have to be alone. Or, I¡¯ll stay here with you if you don¡¯t want to go. Or I¡¯ll hold him steady while you kill him, if that¡¯s what you want,¡± he says, rapidly firing off every possible option, making me smile, ¡°I¡¯d like it if you were there,¡± I say quietly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be there.¡± He stares into my eyes for a moment, and I think we both forget. that there are others in the room with us until Luna Sophie clears her throat. 74421 1701 Me jumps and then looks around. Was there something you wanted to tell us, doctor?¡± Beta Kinsley asks and I can hear theughter in her voice. ¡°OH! Oh, Brooklyn, it worked,¡± he says, his eyes going wide with excitement again. ¡°What worked?¡± I ask. ¡°Bringing in the pups! You¡¯re so smart, so intuitive. Why has no one ever thought to do this before? Well, because they¡¯re not you and you¡¯re brilliant,¡± he says making me blush with his gushing admiration, ¡°She¡¯s awake?¡± I ask, standing up. ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± he says standing as well, and without even thinking about it, I leap into his arms, wrapping mine around him. I flinch the moment I realize what I¡¯ve done, but his armse around me, sure and strong. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, my brave, strong, intelligent mate,¡± he whispers in my ear for only me to hear. Rather than pull away, I wrap my arms more tightly around him, enjoying ourbined happiness at one of our patients waking up. That The One 92 The One 92 Chapter 92: Second Chance Ezra ¡°Get him loaded up,¡± I say to my warriors. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this, you f***g p**k. You¡¯ll pay for this!¡± Owen screams at me. ¡°Shut the f***k up before I break your nose again,¡± I snarl at him. The man never shuts his f**g mouth. Some days I handle it better than others, but I¡¯m heading to Hunter and Sophie¡¯s pack today. Being there is hard for me making me less tolerant of Owen¡¯s s**. I sigh, watching my warriors drag Owen into the back of a windowless van, locking him in with silver handcuffs and leg restraints. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this!¡± Owen screams at me again. ¡°Your pack is gone, half of them killed on Hunter and Sophie¡¯s packnds. The rest, I¡¯ve taken over. You can choose to shut your mouth and take your death like a man, or I¡¯ll shove a silver- soaked cloth into your mouth until we get to their pack. You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t wrap your d*k in one after what you did to that innocent girl. I¡¯m not listening to your s**t the entire drive, so shut your f*g mouth or pay the price, your choice,¡± I snarl, getting into his face. When he doesn¡¯t respond, I turn and nod to my warriors to close the doors. ¡°You okay, Alpha?¡± my Beta, Jake, asks me. ¡°Yeah. I just want to get this over with and get home. You need to get back to our new pack. You think Will¡¯s got things under control for now?¡± I ask him, referencing our G**a. ¡°There¡¯s barely anyone there, and we¡¯ve sent a decent contingent of warriors. Plus, Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack is close to that one; so if there¡¯s trouble, he¡¯ll call you.¡± I nod. Jake had been managing Owen¡¯s old pack, but with me leaving and the other Alphas still out there threatening war, I didn¡¯t want to leave my pack in the hands of my G**a. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust him. I just know that Jake is the stronger leader. ¡°If you need anything, call me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, Alpha. It¡¯s you I¡¯m worried about,¡± he says quietly. Being around Hunter was never easy after his sister, my mate, killed herself and our pup. I knew she hated how she was imed, had been so traumatized by it that it had taken me years to finally put a pup in her. And then she¡¯d gone without me to find out that we were having a girl. I didn¡¯t find out until after I¡¯d found my mate¡¯s broken body andid her body to rest, the pack and I grieving the huge loss of our Luna and my mate. The thought of her broken body still haunts me at night when I¡¯ m alone, the cold, empty bed a constant reminder of what I had and lost. I So, yeah, it was always hard to see Hunter after that. He never med me, but I med myself. I med myself for losing her, for not being everything that she needed me to be for her. And 12.35% ? 1701 now, Hunter has done what I should have done, what all of us should have done. He¡¯s fought the system. Seeing him and Sophie together Is even harder than it was when it was just Hunter. Watching them, I can see exactly what I could have had with Diana, if I¡¯d been a stronger man, a stronger Alpha, if I¡¯d been the man she deserved. I didn¡¯t know it could hurt worse to see Hunter, but it does now. Now, it¡¯s not just a reminder of what I lost, but what I could have had if only I had made a stand. I¡¯ve never taken another mate, never wanted one. Diana was it for me and I lost her. I smile remembering my mate. She was so beautiful, with a smile that lit up a room. I didn¡¯t see it much. after I marked her, but asionally, I¡¯d catch her smiling at a pup or every once in a great while, I¡¯d do something that would make her happy and she¡¯d turn that gorgeous smile on me. These are the thoughts that haunt me as I take Owen to Hunter¡¯ s pack. I don¡¯t really want to stay the night in his pack, but it¡¯s easier than dropping Owen off and turning right back around and going home. I¡¯ll suck it up. In some ways, I crave Diana¡¯s ghost that lives as much in the halls of this pack as it does in mine. Hunter¡¯s pack was her home much longer than mine was. N?velDrama.Org ? content. I pull into the guard gate at Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack. ¡°Can you let Alpha Hunter know that Alpha Ezra is here with the s**g Alpha Owen?¡± I ask. The guard growls a low, menacing growl, looking at the back of the van. I hear several more echoing around the guard gate and the pack. Obviously, ¡°Brooklyn is well loved around here. ¡°Sure thing, Alpha. Alpha Hunter says he¡¯ll meet you at the front. ||| ÌÇ say and we pulley Faner this warriors murmur ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see Approve that a**hole¡¯s head from. He body 1 make my way to the packhouse. I wonder if my warriors would feel the came about one of our omegas. Would they be This protective of them? Somehow, I don¡¯t think so, and while Brooklyn is a beautiful sweet girl think it has more to do with Hunter and Sophie¡¯s leadership than the girl herself. Something for me to think about. I may not have a Luna, a heart for my pack, but I need to work to have better cohesion between my pack, members pull up to the packhouse, stepping out of the car and taking a deep breath. There¡¯s a hint of jasmine in the air. I don¡¯t remember that scent from thest time I was here, and I would remember it. Diana nted jasmine all around our pack. I¡¯ve fallen in love with the scent over the years. It calms me, rxes me ¡°Alpha Ezra,¡± Hunter says, walking up to me. ¡°Alpha Hunter Are we being formal today?¡± I ask, chuckling ¡°Only this once.¡± he says, putting a hand on my shoulder by way of greeting i do the same with him. We could have been brothers, we were at one time, when Diana was alive. But I had distanced myself from him after that. Maybe it¡¯s time I bridge the distance between us. Diana¡¯s been gone several years now. She¡¯d have wanted me to be close to her brother. I hold him there for a moment. He tilts his head, watching me and waiting ¡°We should reaffirm our alliance while I¡¯m here. I say. I see the surprise sh across his face before a smile begins. ¡°I¡¯ d like that. I¡¯d like it a lot.¡± ¡°So would I,¡± I say, finally releasing him. As we walk to the back of the van where Owen has begun banging, I turn to Hunter. ¡°Did you nt jasmine since I was herest?¡± ¡°Jasmine? No, why?¡± ¡°I thought I caught of whiff of it when I got out.¡± He nods his head at the van. ¡°Has he been like this the entire trip?¡± ¡°No. I threatened to put a silver-soaked cloth in his mouth or around his d**k, so he¡¯d shut up. I guess he figures he¡¯s your problem now and my threats no longer matter,¡± I say as I open the back doors of the van. Owen immediately begins screaming obscenities at the two of us. ¡°What happened to his nose?¡± Hunter asks casually. ¡°I¡¯ve punched him a couple of times. He truly doesn¡¯t know when to shut up,¡± I tell him and watch as Hunter walks in and punches Owen in the face, smashing his nose again. ¡°Shut the **k up or I¡¯ll let my warriors go at you until it¡¯s time to kill you. Believe me when I tell you, they¡¯d love nothing more than to torture you and hear you scream,¡± Hunter snarls at him. 62.39 He calls some warriors over and the begin to drag Owen out of the van. They ¡®identally¡¯ drop him, then ¡®identally¡¯ kick him. in the gut multiple times before they finally get him out of our sight. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll survive until tomorrow?¡± I ask Hunter. ¡°Oh yeah. They would prefer that I put his execution off a couple of days so they can hurt him. I wasn¡¯t kidding when I said that my warriors would love nothing more than to have a go at him. After Koden attacked, Brooklyn tirelessly stitched up their injuries if they weren¡¯t too severe. Every one of them has taken up a protective stance with her,¡± he says. ¡°Protective stance? What for?¡± I ask as we make our way to the front of the packhouse. He turns and looks at me. ¡°Did you know Luna Margot asked me for sanctuary? Well, actually she asked Sophie.¡± ¡°No, I hadn¡¯t heard.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, she got here about a day before Koden attacked. She knows some doctor that she called, and he came to help with our injured.¡± ¡°You had that many injured?¡± I ask him, surprised. ¡°Enough that one doctor wasn¡¯t enough to keep up. Anyway, the doctor, Dr. Caspian, is Brooklyn¡¯s fated mate. Hence the protective detail of the warriors.¡± I whistle low. ¡°Wow, it truly is never boring here, is it?¡± I ask as we step inside. I catch the whiff of jasmine again, stronger this time. 74 475 17020 ¡°How is Luna Margot?¡± ¡°Getting stronger. She rejected Joshua when she got here which is probably the reason he hasn¡¯t yet attacked us.¡± He¡¯s talking to me, but the scent of jasmine is getting stronger and my wolf, Thorin, is starting to thrash around in my head. ¡®Find her,¡¯ he growls. I¡¯m just about to ask what he means, when I look up into the wide, terrified eyes of Luna Margot. ¡°No,¡± she whispers, tears filling her eyes. ¡°No, no, NO!¡± she screams, turning and running from me. I take a step forward, Thorin pushing me to go after her. ¡°Oh f**k!¡± I hear Hunter say before I feel a strong hand p against my chest. I watch Luna Sophie run after Margot, her wide eyes turning to look at me before focusing on Margot. Margot, my mate. My second chance mate. I drag my eyes away from where my mate ran and look at Hunter. ¡°Don¡¯t chase after her. It¡¯s the worst thing you can do right now. Let Sophie talk to her.¡± I nod, looking back at the direction where she ran. ¡°How about you and I got get a drink?¡± he says, leading me to his office. 88 72% The One 93 The One 93 Chapter 93: A Second Rejection? Sophie I chase after Margot who is running like someone lit her a***on fire. For a woman whose been recovering from a broken mate bond, she¡¯s remarkably fast. ¡°Margot. MARGOT!¡± I yell after her. She whirls around on me, her eyes wild. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it again. Please don¡¯t make me. I can¡¯t do it again. I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t,¡± she says, breaking down into s**bs. I wrap my arms around her as she crumples to the floor, and I hold her while she gets a hold of herself. I begin rocking her, looking up to see Lucas and Kinsley. Lucas nods and leaves, Kinsley stays but keeps her distance. ¡°No one is going to make you do anything, Margot. No one. I won¡¯t allow it. Hunter won¡¯t allow it. You came to us for protection and safety and that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to get. We do not allow public imings in this pack and we do not allow mates to force their mark on their mates. Everything in this pack is consensual. You will not be forced into anything,¡± I say to her as I rock her. She¡¯s holding on to me like I¡¯m a lifeline and she¡¯s a drowning woman. ¡°Why? Why would the Moon Goddess do this to me? What did I do wrong?¡± she s**bs. I look at Kinsley who presses her lips together and walks over, 17.03 1 rubbing Margot¡¯s back. ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, Margot. Maybe you did something right,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°How can you say that? You know what it¡¯s like,¡± Margot says, looking up at Kinsley fear and anger in her eyes. ¡°I do. And that¡¯s why I can say that. Joshua was an a** I don¡¯t even know the man, but I feel confident in saying that. I do know Alpha Ezra though. He was mated to Alpha Hunter¡¯s sister, so I met him several times over the years. Before your make any rash decisions, think about this. Hunter told him to let you go just now, not to chase after you, and he didn¡¯t fight him, he didn¡¯t try to get toN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. you. I know the pull of the mate bond. I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s just as strong for second chance mates?¡± she asks. Margot nods. ¡°So, it must have taken a lot of effort on his part to control his wolf and walk away from you to give you the space you need right now.¡± She takes a deep breath, sitting up. ¡°Where is he?¡± she asks, wiping her eyes. I watch as she begins to transform back into a well put together Luna. It¡¯s a bit unnerving to me as I watch her dry her eyes, set her face back into a normal, passive look and take another deep breath before standing up. I wonder how frequently she¡¯s had to hide behind this mask. ¡°He went with Alpha Hunter to his office.¡± I stand as well, watching Margot. ¡°I¡¯d like to go to my room for the rest of the day. ll join you for the execution tomorrow, but I need some time.¡± 12.62% Take all the time you need, Margot,¡± I say, and she nods again before heading toward her room. She stops and turns to look at ¡°Thank you for keeping me safe like you said you would.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t offer temporary safety here. That¡¯s not to say we don¡¯t have to fight for it, but Hunter and I are firm in our beliefs. For what it¡¯s worth, I think Alpha Ezra has also had a change of heart and is now on board with the changes that Hunter and I have been fighting for.¡± She nods again but doesn¡¯t say anything as she walks away. I turn and look at Kinsley. ¡°Does it ever get boring here?¡± ¡°Not since you arrived,¡± she says, smiling and putting her arm through mine as we walk back toward the main living area. I want to check on my mate and Alpha Ezra. Margot POV I spent a sleepless, restless night tossing and turning. I heard what Beta Kinsley says about Alpha Ezra, and I¡¯ve seen him in the Committee of Alpha meetings. He¡¯s always been very reserved and very quiet, but when he does speak, he seems to have valuable insights. His scent of cedar and eucalyptus had been intoxicating, but I can¡¯t risk it. I can¡¯t be bound to a man who will mistreat me again. I won¡¯t do it. I need to reject him. I don¡¯t know if another rejection so soon will kill me, if he doesn¡¯t ept it, maybe it won¡¯t. If he does¡­well then, maybe Joshua will be too weak to 2734 ber attack if I die since he didn¡¯t ept my rejection either. Maybe It¡¯s for the best. Because I have so much restless energy this morning, I get up for warrior training. Alpha Hunter hasn¡¯t let me spar yet, saying I¡¯ m still recovering from my rejection, but I need to work off some of this energy today. I get dressed and head downstairs. Alpha Hunter isn¡¯t out here yet, so I jog up to Beta Lucas. ¡°Beta, I¡¯d like to spar today,¡± I say to him. ¡°Have you spoken to Alpha Hunter?¡± he asks me. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d see him this morning.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been runningte since he found his mate,¡± he says, smiling. I give him a fake smile. I know that that means, and I know it¡¯s not the same for Sophie as it was for me, but I don¡¯t want to think about that. My mind is already all over the ce. ¡°You can warm up with us, but it will be up him if you can spar, Margot.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I say, and I put myself in the back of the group. I know I¡¯m out of shape, I haven¡¯t sparred in years, but I really just need to hit something or someone this morning. If I can¡¯t, I¡¯ll settle for burning off this nervous energy. We go through the warm-up with Alpha Hunter jogging up about ten minuteste. I watch as Lucas smirks at him and Alpha Hunter just smiles before joining in. I catch the scent of cedar and eucalyptus and I know that Alpha 1720 Ezra has joined the training session too. I should have thought of that He¡¯s an Alpha. Most Alphas spar at least once, sometimes twice a day, to keep up their strength and keep their packs strong, I subtly move away from the scent and when the wann-up is over, I head straight to Alpha Hunter. ¡°Margot, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Alpha, I¡¯d like to spar today.¡± ¡°Margot, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready yet. It¡¯s only been a week¡­¡± ¡°Please, Alpha. I need to¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll spar with her.¡± His voice sends waves of pleasure rolling down my spine and I turn, seeing Alpha Ezra watchin me. J I turn back to Alpha Hunter. I want to spar, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s worth it to spar with my second chance mate. ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± Hunter says. I hesitate, warring with myself over my wolf¡¯s desire to be close to him and my fear of him. ¡°Come on, Luna. I know you want the chance to hit an Alpha,¡± Ezra says. I turn and look at him now. It¡¯s a challenge, a smart one. He may not know me, but I¡¯m not the type of woman who backs down from a challenge. ¡°And you¡¯re offering yourself as my punching bag?¡± I ask mockingly. ¡°You¡¯d have to actuallynd a punch, but sure,¡± he says. It¡¯s 5477% 1702 teasing and challenging at the same time. Lift my chin. ¡°Then I ept your offer.¡± ??? ?? ??? Thear Alpha Hunter turn and leave us. ¡°Try not to kill him,¡± he mumbles as he walks away. When we¡¯re alone, I look at Alpha Ezra. ¡°You should know¡­¡± He holds up a finger. ¡°I can guess what you¡¯re about to say. All I¡¯ m asking is that before you make any drastic decisions, you give me a chance. I¡¯ve lost one mate in this lifetime. I did a lot of things wrong in that rtionship. Now, I¡¯m being given a to make that right. Please don¡¯t take that away from me without getting to know me first.¡± He¡¯s so sincere, the pain in his eyes so apparent, that I can do nothing but nod. Ce ¡°Good. Now, as I¡¯m sure you know, sparring means that we¡¯re going to get really close. Before we begin, I want you to know that I have my wolf under control and I will not mark you, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that. I wouldn¡¯t anyway, but I have the utmost respect for Alpha Hunter, and I wouldn¡¯t go against the rules of his pack.¡± I nod. ¡°Thank you for telling me that.¡± It does make me feel better, although I hadn¡¯t considered how close we¡¯ll be while sparring. He¡¯s an Alpha and most likely an excellent fighter. While I may have been a good fighter at one time, I¡¯m very much out of practice. He takes a defensive posture and beckons me. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got, Luna.¡± ||| 1703 I¡¯m no longer a Luna,¡± I say, getting into an attack posture. ¡°Are you not?¡± he asks me. I know what he¡¯s asking. If I¡¯m his mate, that still makes me a Luna He beckons me forward again and I attack. Myck of practice is immediately evident, but Alpha Ezra is a great instructor. He gives me pointers, gently showing me my weak spots and making sure I¡¯m covering them. He doesn¡¯t let up and neither do I¡¯m not sure how long we¡¯ve been sparring, but my unused muscles are screaming at me. when he grabs the arm I¡¯ve just thrown at him to punch him. He spins me around and wraps his arms around me, pinning my back to his chest, my arms pinned across my chest vrh his arms wrapped around them. We¡¯re both panting, and I feel him run his nose through my hair. ¡°You¡¯re trying to fight me. Stop. You need to think about being in a battle. You need to think about fighting someone who is trying to kill you. You¡¯re over thinking it. You have good instincts and good training, you¡¯re just out of practice. We¡¯ll pick this up again tomorrow,¡± he says quietly in my ear, before releasing me. I look around and realize that training is done, and the warriors are heading inside for breakfast. ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± I say. ¡°Any time, Luna,¡± he says. He¡¯s smiling at me, but his eyes are full of heated desire as he watches me. ¡°You¡¯ll want to soak in a warm bath today. Your muscles will be feeling this workout.¡± I nod and turn to walk inside. I hadn¡¯t expected him to truly spar with me. I thought he¡¯d take every opportunity to touch me, and L 17:020 11 A Vouchers there were many, but he¡¯d used every one of them as a learning opportunity. I turn and look at him over my shoulder, seeing him watching me as I walk away. Alpha Hunter walks up to him and says something. He responds without looking away from me. I turn to walk inside. He surprised me today and I put the thought of rejecting him to the back of my mind for now. 06 287 The One 94 The One 94 . Time with Sephim Chapter 94: Time with Sophie Hunter I was surprised when Sophie told me that Brooklyn wanted to be at Owen¡¯s execution. It¡¯s yet another reminder that I should never underestimate anyone, not even my omegas. Brooklyn had found a way to awaken all the women who lost. their mates. After seeing that it worked for the first one, we started bringing the pups to see their mothers. Some woke faster than others, but now, they¡¯ve all woken, including Leah. Sophie and I made a point to see them all, checking on them and making sure that they don¡¯t need anything from us or the pack. It¡¯s not umon for those who have lost their mates to want to leave the packhouse, finding the cheerful, boisterous atmosphere too much to bear, and these women were no different. I let Sophie and Kinsley handle the move for the families out of the packhouse and into their own homes. My mate, in all her intuitive genius, decided to move them all close together. It not only allows them to continue to have other pack members close, but it also gives them a sense of security. Now, Leah and Brooklyn aren¡¯t alone on the outskirts of the pack. When Ezra arrived with Owen, I was thrilled that he asked about reaffirming our alliance. He¡¯s pulled away from me since my sister¡¯s death, but now, hopefully, he¡¯sing back. Of course, all that goes out the window when he realizes that Margot is his second chance mate. He¡¯s been waiting a long time for the possibility of a second chance mate, whereas Margot only rejected her mate a week ago. Understandably, her 17040 response to finding out that she has a second chance mate was considerably different than his. When I pulled Ezra into my office, he sat down, putting his head in his hands. I¡¯d given him ss of whiskey and he¡¯d shot it back. ¡°Why now? Why her?¡± he asks me. ¡°I don¡¯t have those answers,¡± I say refilling his ss and handing it to him. This time, he sips it, sitting back. ¡°She smells like jasmine,¡± he says, as sit beside him. He turns and looks at me, his eyes haunted. ¡°Your sister nted jasmine all over my packnds. I¡¯d never smelled it before then, but I¡¯vee to love that smell. And now Margot smells like jasmine.¡± He closes his eyes and I see the pain written all over his face. ¡°I feel like your sister did this for me. I know that sounds crazy, but I¡¯m here, in your pack, her old pack. Margot smells like the jasmine that Diana nted in my pack. It¡¯s too coincidental, don¡¯ t you think?¡± ¡°It does sound that way. Who knows how these things work, or why some get a second chance mate, and some don¡¯t,¡± I say, taking a sip of whiskey. ¡°You know she¡¯ll try to reject you.¡± ¡°I do. Joshua is an a**ole who never treated her well. Her father wasn¡¯t any better. All I can hope is that she gives me a chance.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I ask him. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you if I can stay for a while and get to know my new mate, give her a chance to get to know me.¡± 17:04 ¡°You know you¡¯re always wee here. But I will not allow you to forcibly mark her and definitely not publicly,¡± I tell him. Heughs humorlessly. ¡°Trust me, I learned my lesson the first. time. I have no intention of losing another mate.¡± It isn¡¯t long before I hear a soft knocking on the door and smell Sophie¡¯s orchid scent. I smile, getting up to open the door. As soon as he sees her, Ezra jumps up. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°Shocked, as I¡¯m sure you can imagine.¡± ¡°Yeah, a week ago we were in the same room, and she was mated to someone else. Now she¡¯s here, rejected her mate, and found her second chance mate, another Alpha. F**k. She must be terrified,¡± he says, dropping back into his seat. ¡°She is, but she didn¡¯t allow herself to show it for long. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s quite a strong woman,¡± Sophie says and something about the way she says it, has me pulling her into my arms. I kiss the top of her head, trying to understand the emotions. going on inside her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask her. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She nods, sighing and rxing against me. ¡°Do you want to sit with us?¡± I ask her. I know Ezra probably won¡¯t want that, but my mate seems to need to be close to me right now. ¡°No, you two talk. Margot has gone to her room. She¡¯s nning to stay there for the rest of the evening, in case you thought to ||| 17:04 bophi look for her, Alpha Ezra,¡± Sophie says to him. ¡°I¡¯ll give her the time and space she needs,¡± he says, finishing off his drink. ¡°I should probably go to my room. I could use a little time to think as well.¡± He stands, setting his empty ss on the table and walking to the door. ¡°Thank you for letting me stay. I will not betray your trust by doing anything with Margot. I just want to get to know her. And I still do want to reaffirm our alliance.¡± ¡°We have some time now that you¡¯ll be here a few days. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow at warrior training?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯ll see you then.¡± After he leaves, I spend some time talking to Sophie about the emotions going on in her mind. ¡°It¡¯s like she had a mask and I watched it fall over her face. How many times must she have had to do that for it to fall so easily, to transform her from a terrified, sobbing woman, into a stoic, put together Luna?¡± I hold my mate, stroking her back until I felt her calm. ¡°I think we all know that Joshua is a terrible mate. He either expected her to hide her emotions or¡­ he made it easier for her to hide them than suffer his response to them,¡± I say carefully, wanting to shield my mate from the terrible things I¡¯m sure happen in some packs. ¡°Kinsley said she was hyperventting when she got out of the ||| 17:04 safe room. I put her in one thinking that she would be okay, but¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know. You can¡¯t me yourself. We were under attack. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight,¡± I reassure her. Lucas had told me the same thing already. I¡¯m guessing that dark, enclosed quarters were a punishment for Margot. Something that she¡¯ll hopefully be able to work through with time and maybe, if she allows it, Ezra can help her with that. I decide to take the rest of the afternoon off and spend it with my mate. We¡¯ve been working hard, and the pack has been recovering from the first battle, so I tell Sophie that I want to have dinner with her in our room, just the two of us. I¡¯d almost forgotten how much I enjoy just talking to my mate. We¡¯ve both been so busy, going in multiple directions for so long that I haven¡¯t taken time to just hear about her day. Over dinner, I stay quiet, letting my mate talk animatedly about Brooklyn, how the mates have awakened, and how Leah may have found a second chance mate as well. ¡°Seriously, Hunter, what is up with our pack?¡± she asks me. ¡°Maybe the Legend has started something special here,¡± I say, pushing the food aside and beginning to prowl toward her. ¡°Well, what does it say about you, Alpha, that you¡¯re mated to the Legend?¡± she purrs at me. ¡°It says I¡¯m one lucky b**d,¡± I say before showing her just how much I adore her, love her, and want her. Hourster when we¡¯re lying in bed, naked and sated, I kiss the 62 43% 1704 ¡°Want to try to multi task with the pack? I ask, knowing that¡¯s something she¡¯s recognized more than once and that bothers her that she can¡¯t do it ¡°Yes,¡± she says excitedly ¡°Now¡¯s a good time to practice. I used to do itte at night when the pack¡¯s minds aren¡¯t so active Once you get the hang of it, you can start trying it at busier times of ¡°What do I do?¡± she asks. day.¡± ¡°Start by opening your mind to the patrols. Listen to their conversations and discussions about what they¡¯re smelling and seeing,¡± I say, entering her mind to help guide her. We have four patrols, one in each quadrant that run the entire perimeter of the pack. Even this can be difficult as you have four separate groups conversing with each other. I sense their hesitation when they realize that Sophie is connecting to them, but then they continue, not getting any requests ormands from her. I¡¯m always connected unless I¡¯ m asleep or with Sophie, so they¡¯re used to me being part of the mind link. Thelp her to filter out the different groups,partmentalizing them so she can hear them all. ¡°Very good,¡± I say to her, feeling her getting tired. ¡°We cant practice every night until it¡¯s easier, then we¡¯ll add in the nighttime omegas. That always makes for interesting listening,¡± I say, chuckling. ¡°Why is that?¡± she asks. ¡°They see everything, hear everything. If I¡¯ve missed something. I usually hear it from the omegas.¡± I can sense her curiosity. ¡°Here, like this,¡± I say, and help her connect to a small group of omegas that are talking about two pack members who were caught sneaking off to be together. Sophie gasps. ¡°It¡¯s like a gossip channel.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I say before shutting it down. ¡°Now, get some sleep. I love you, Sophie Reynolds.¡± ¡°And I love you, Hunter Reynolds,¡± she says, and we snuggle together, falling asleep. The One 95 The One 95 Chapter 95: Strength Leah When I woke in the pack hospital, I was surprised. I hadn¡¯t expected to survive my mate¡¯s death, hadn¡¯t realized that it was even possible for an omega who was mated to someone of a higher rank. But I had heard my daughter¡¯s voice, over and over, smelled her sweet scent, and listened when she told me that she needed me. My mate never needed me, but my daughter does. I swore that after letting her down once, that I¡¯d never do it again, so I¡¯d fought my own body, my heart, and maybe the Moon Goddess herself to stay with my child. If she needs me, I¡¯ll be here for her. Seeing her happy face when I opened my eyes, had made it all worthwhile. She had wrapped her arms around me and sobbed. I was weak, struggling to wrap my own arms around her, but I did it. A mother can find strength she didn¡¯t know she had when her pup needs her. After waking, the healing started. I felt hollow and empty, but I hoped that would pass. My wolf was gone, but the doctor said it was possible that I¡¯d get her back. You just never knew when these things happened. ¡°I¡¯ve seen mates regain their wolves after a year or more. Sometimes, it just takes them longer to heal and return to us than it does for us to wake up,¡± he said. I¡¯d heard Brooklyn when she was talking to me, so I was pretty 0.00% ||| sure I knew who this was. Watching my daughter, I knew I was right. ¡°You¡¯re my daughter¡¯s mate?¡± I asked him when it was just the two of us in the room. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. And I want you to know that you have nothing to worry about. I won¡¯t hurt your daughter and I don¡¯t have any expectations of her except that she gives me a chance and gets to know me. She¡¯s doing that, and I¡¯m perfectly happy.¡± He smiled, his eyes staring off. ¡°She¡¯s amazing, your daughter. Truly an incredible woman.¡± ¡°Yes, she is,¡± I said, proud that someone recognizes that int Brooklyn. He looked back at me. ¡°We all agree that she gets that from you,¡± he¡¯d said surprising me. ¡°I¡¯m not strong, not like Brooklyn.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re here. You could have given up, but you didn¡¯t. You somehow, and I still can¡¯t fathom how you did it, got your daughter here, after rejecting your mate and you saved her life. And once again, you protected your daughter when her father came to take you back.¡± ¡°Brooklyn did that,¡± I tell him. ¡°Brooklyn shot him, but she wouldn¡¯t have had the gun if you hadn¡¯t purchased it, ready to protect your daughter at all costs, including your own life,¡± he said, holding my gaze. ¡°That, my future mother-inw, is strength.¡± 12.55% ||| r 17:05 I was surprised that Brooklyn had told him about what had happened. It¡¯s the only way he could have known. Perhaps she is giving him a chance. I¡¯d spent another day at the hospital, gaining strength and making sure I could walk unassisted. I realized just how much my daughter was doing in the hospital, helping out and how much she had done while I was unconscious. The warriors all starteding to see me after I woke, wanting to let me know how thankful they were to Brooklyn and how they have made sure to protect her and me while I was unconscious. The massive outpouring of love from the pack had been incredible, nearly overwhelming. It was almost as if they were flooding my mind with love and support to help me heal. One warrior in particr, Brutus, came to visit with me. The moment he had entered my room, I¡¯d known. I don¡¯t know why the Moon Goddess does the things she does. I¡¯d just gotten out of a miserable mate bond, and here, in front of me, was another warrior, another mate, only this one was three times my size. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I won¡¯t hurt you. I don¡¯t know what your rtionship was like with Michael, but I know I never had much respect for the way he spoke about you and Brooklyn. He was a fool. I am not a fool. I also know you just woke up after losing your mate and probably have no desire to take on another mate. But don¡¯t reject me, Leah. You¡¯re too weak. I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t want, but don¡¯t kill yourself after everything Brooklyn has done to keep you alive, just because you¡¯re afraid of me. You don¡¯t need to fear me.¡± He sat with me that first day, barely leaving my side after he¡¯d ||| come in. He told me about how Brooklyn stitched him up, how he¡¯d been watching over her for me while I was out, as had the other warriors. How he¡¯d made sure Dr. Caspian didn¡¯t do anything that Brooklyn didn¡¯t want and wasn¡¯t ready for. ¡°I¡¯ll give him credit. He didn¡¯t flinch at us constantly being here watching him. That, more than anything, made me believe that he¡¯s the real deal and telling the truth about taking it slow with Brooklyn. I know you probably want to make up your own mind about him, but that¡¯s my assessment, for what it¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a lot, thank you, Brutus.¡± He hade back the next day after his patrol and helped to get me back to my home. I told Brooklyn that it was fine for her to stay at the hospital. She seems to like it there, her desire to help others finally having an outlet. I dreaded going home. I don¡¯t want to see the broken door, the blood on the walls from where Brooklyn shot Michael. I¡¯m sure they removed the body, but my little house will be a mess and I¡¯ m not sure I stomach the thought of staying there. However, when we arrive, I see that the door is fixed. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Brutus shrugs. ¡°Me and some of the other warriors came in and cleaned the ce up for you. We didn¡¯t want you or Brooklyn to have toe back to this mess. It was the least we could do after she stitched up so many of us.¡± I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with their kindness, overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, overwhelmed with the emotions that were spinning around in my head feeling empty, III but also now because of Brutus. It had all been too much and I¡¯ d broken down in tears. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Brutus, the big giant warrior, had scooped me up as if I was a small pup and held me while I cried. For such a big man, he is surprisingly gentle. He hadn¡¯t told me that I needed to stop crying, or that I was being ridiculous. He¡¯d just held me, murmuring soft, sweet words to me and rubbing my back until I had cried myself to sleep. I wake upter, in bed. My clothes are on, but my shoes are off and there is a nket over me. I look around and realize that I am in my bedroom in my house. I can smell food cooking in the kitchen, so I carefully make my way out of bed, seeing my shoes neatly set against the wall. When I walk out of my bedroom, I see two things that surprise me. The first is Brutus with arge apron on, cooking in the kitchen. The second is a big bouquet of wildflowers on the table. ¡°Brutus?¡± I ask. He turns, smiling at me. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake. I hope you don¡¯t mind. My wolf was making me nuts about taking care of you, so I wanted to make sure you had something to eat. I was worried about what would sit easily on your stomach, so I made roasted chicken, rice, and roasted vegetables.¡± ¡°You know how to cook?¡± I ask, stepping into the small area that consists of a kitchen and breakfast nook. It smells delicious. He turns his head from the stove and smiles at me. ¡°I used to cook for my mate all the time. But, well, since she passed, I haven¡¯t really done a lot of cooking.¡± He watches me as I walk over to the flowers, leaning in the sniff 54.01% 17:05 them ¡°Did you bring me flowers, Brutus?¡± I¡¯m surprised when this big bear of a man blushes and ducks his head. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d like them. I thought they might help to brighten your day.¡± I look at the flowers again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure anyone has ever brought me flowers before. They¡¯re beautiful. Thank you.¡± We sit down to eat. The food is surprisingly good, and I tell him SO. ¡°Why surprisingly?¡± he asks. ¡°Well, because you¡¯re a warrior. Usually omegas cook.¡± He shrugs again. ¡°I like to cook. I like to do nice things for the people I care about.¡± His eyes are intent on mine, and my mouth. goes dry. Now it¡¯s my turn to blush and duck my head. ¡°I¡¯m not used to that.¡± ¡°Maybe you should get used to it,¡± he says, reaching over and taking my hand. I look up at him and he strokes his thumb over the back of my hand, sending little tingles through my body. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know,¡± he says, his voice much more serious. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Owen arrived today,¡± he says, growling. ¡°He¡¯s going to be executed tomorrow.¡± 69.95% ||| 17.05 ¡°Brooklyn¡­¡± ¡°Has already said she wants to be there, but she doesn¡¯t want to be the one to execute him. Personally, I think it¡¯s a good idea for her to watch her tormentor die. If nothing else, it will give her some peace of mind and closure. But you have to decide if you want to be there too. I¡¯ll go with you if¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I want to be there,¡± I say forcefully, anger and fury flowing. through me. ¡°I want to see that poor excue of a man die.¡± He nods. ¡°Do you want me there with you?¡± I think about that for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± He smiles as if I just gave him a gift that he¡¯s been wanting for a long time. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be there. I have to run patrols tonight. We¡¯re still expecting Joshua and his pack to attack at any time, but I¡¯ ve asked to be put in this quadrant of the patrols, so I can keep watch over you. I want you to know that so you can sleep well. You don¡¯t have to worry about someone sneaking up on you.¡± After dinner, Brutus helps me do the dishes and then I walk him to the door. He turns, caressing my cheek and running his thumb over my lips. ¡°Can I kiss you, Leah?¡± I would never have guessed that I¡¯d be ready for another man to kiss me this soon, but I find myself nodding my head in agreement. He leans in slowly, watching me and giving me at chance to change my mind and then his warm lips are on mine, gentle and soft. I I lean into the kiss, drawn into it by this incredibly gentle man. 79.93% His big armse around me and I can¡¯t ever remember a time that I felt so safe. When he pulls back, he leans his forehead against mine. ¡°That was perfect. I hope it was perfect for you too,¡± he says softly. I nod, not wanting to break the spell this man has me under. When he lifts his head, he smiles at me, then kisses my nose before turning and heading to work. I watch him leave, surprised when he turns and waves at me before disappearing from sight. Late that night, while I¡¯m lying in bed trying to sleep, I hear a wolf howl as they pass by. Without realizing what was about to happen, my dormant wolf awakens enough to answer the call, howling back at her mate. The One 96 The One 96 Chapter 96: Execution Sophie I¡¯d like to say that I¡¯m sad about having to watch an execution, but since it¡¯s Owen, and he threatened my pup, I¡¯m not at all. Hunter calls the pack together to witness Owen¡¯s execution. The man seriously needs to learn to shut his mouth, his very bruised mouth, cheek, swollen eye, and broken nose. The warriors have obviously been taking shots at him. Again, I probably should care, but Owen deserves what he gets and he¡¯s apparently not learning his lesson. I¡¯m standing beside Lucas and Kinsley. Hunter is in front of us, facing the pack as we wait for the warriors to drag Owen¡¯s sorry a**in front of him. He screams obscenities the entire way. ¡°Did you want that silver-soaked cloth, Alpha Hunter?¡± Alpha Ezra asks, making the crowd chuckle. I notice that he¡¯s standing close to, but not exactly beside Margot. She nces at him, and I see a smile twitch at her lips. Interesting. Hunter mentioned that they had sparred together this morning. I hope that¡¯s a good sign. As I look over the pack, I see Brooklyn standing nearly in front of Hunter. She¡¯s put herself there so she can watch, her chin held high. On one side of her is her mother and the other is Dr. Caspian. She¡¯s holding hands with both of them, and I can see that her knuckles are white with the strain of being here, but she¡¯s standing tall, and her eyes are determined. I¡¯m so proud of her I could cheer! 288 Mounter Standing behind Leah is Brutus. The man isrge by most standards, closer in size to an Alpha than a warrior. Behind Leah, he looks like a giant protector, watching over his charge, or in this case, his mate. Much like Ezra, he¡¯s been without his mate much longer than Leah has been without hers. The warriors have created an arc around Brooklyn, as if lending her their strength and letting her know that Owen can¡¯t hurt her, that they stand with her and will fight for her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever been prouder of our pack than I am right now,¡± Kinsley says, looking over the pack as I am. ¡°We really have created something special here, haven¡¯t we?¡± I ask, reaching out to hold her hand as Owen is dragged in front of us, screaming obscenities. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, or it will be once this ***ole is gone,¡± she says, growling thest part. The warriors toss Owen on the ground at Hunter¡¯s feet, then each take a stand on either side of him. Hunter doesn¡¯t even look at Owen, remaining steadfast with his hands sped. casually behind his back, as if nothing to him, no threat at a furious Alpha at his feet means all. When Owen tries to stand, a warrior kicks him in his knee, snapping it and sending Owen back to the ground. ¡°MOTHER F**R! YOU¡¯LL PAY FOR THIS!¡± he screams. ¡°It¡¯s as if he doesn¡¯t realize that he¡¯s about to die,¡± Lucas says quietly to us, watching as if trying to understand Owen¡¯s curious behavior. 17 48 17.06 Chapter 90- Expcallion 1288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sure he thinks thew is on his side,¡± I say. ¡°Remember, he voted for Hunter in his trial with me in the hopes that Hunter would return the favor for him.¡± ¡°Wow, how did someone so s**d be an Alpha?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°Passed down from one s** generation to another,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°Owen, you have been found guilty of improperly iming a mate, and then discarding her. You did this publicly for all to see and then left your rejected mate to die.¡± ¡°She was a sweet piece of a** So f**g tight,¡± Owen says, Heering at Brooklyn. I watch as Brooklyn goes pale, her hands squeezing those of her mother and Dr. Caspian. Almost as one, the warriors push forward, tightening the ranks around her. The warriors standing beside Hunter, however, as less casual in their approach. One kicks Owen in the stomach, the other stomps on his ankle, crushing it. ¡°In addition,¡± Hunter continues as if Owen didn¡¯t interrupt him, ¡°you threatened my mate and my pup,¡± he says, causing the pack to snarl viciously. I guess he hadn¡¯t mentioned that part before. ¡°I would have liked to have broken that filly,¡± he sayssciviously, turning to look at me behind him. The warriors don¡¯t Lim a chance. One punches him in the face, sending him to ches his fist into his gut, making ¡°Brooklyn,¡± Hunter says, his voice gentle. ¡°You have the right to execute this man for what he did to you. There is no shame in preferring to keep your hands clean of this kill, but I wanted to offer you the opportunity one more time.¡± ¡°No, thank you, Alpha. I do not want to be the one who executes him,¡± she says, and her voice remains steady. I smile at her, giving her silent praise for her bravery. ¡°I don¡¯t me you. If I were you, wouldn¡¯t want to sully myself by touching that a**hole either,¡± one of the warriors says, reinforcing that they still think highly of her. The others agree as Owen collects himself and struggles to sit up. ¡°You have no authority to kill me,¡± Owen growls at Hunter. ¡°I do, actually.¡± ¡°It will be your word against the Committee¡¯s.¡± ¡°Oh, you must have missed that Alpha Ezra is still here. He will be my witness if the Committee ever reconvenes,¡± Hunter says, pointing to Ezra. When Owen looks, Ezra gives him a feral smile. ¡°Alpha Owen, you are hereby sentenced to death by execution¡­¡± Hunter begins. ¡°What about me, Alpha Hunter? Am I eligible to execute this sorry excuse for an Alpha?¡± Leah asks, and the murmuring. crowd goes silent. ¡°Leah?¡± Brutus asks, gently putting his hands on her hips. Leah, however, steps forward, away from Brutus, looking from. Owen to Hunter. ¡°I¡¯m tired of the men in my life assuming that. Chapter 96 Execution 788 Nou!! me and my daughter are weak because we¡¯re omegas. She survived what this man did to her, but he won¡¯t survive what I, a mere omega, do to him,¡± she says, growling. ¡°Has your wolf resurfaced, Leah?¡± Hunter asks her. ¡°She is strong enough to kill this¡­.person,¡± she says, disgustedly. Hunter looks over at Ezra who shrugs. I know Hunter wants to kill Owen, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll say no to Leah. When he turns to look at me, I nod at him. Leah should have the opportunity to get revenge for her pup. ¡°Very well, Leah. Step forward,¡± Hunter says, grabbing Owen by the hair and yanking his head back, exposing his neck. ¡°You f**g b**h. Don¡¯t you daree near me! I¡¯ll f**g kill you if you touch me! Do you hear me? I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Owen screams. Leah seems to suddenly realize what she¡¯s asked to do. Her hands are shaking as she walks forward, and her lips begin to tremble. Owen beginsughing at her. ¡°See, you can¡¯t even do it. You¡¯re too weak,¡± he taunts her. Brutus steps up behind her, lowering his head to her ear. ¡°Extend your ws, Leah. One strong swipe is all it takes,¡± he says, guiding her. He stands behind her, his hands on her hips to steady her as she slowly extends her ws. Owen watches and begins screaming at her again, threatening her, taunting her that she¡¯s too weak. ¡°You¡¯re not week, Leah. You¡¯re one of the strongest women I¡¯ve ever met. You can do this,¡± Brutus says. ¡°Extend your arm out to the side. Aim for his throat. It will be soft and easy to slice through,¡± he tells her as Owen begins thrashing against Hunter. Each warrior finds a body part to stomp on, a leg and a hand to hold Owen still for Leah, She lifts her arm out to the side, staring determinedly at Owen. ¡°When you see my ex-mate, make sure he knows that it was me who killed you,¡± she snarls, and her hand swipes through the air. Blood sprays over her and Hunter and I hear the gurgling sounds of Owen dying for a split second before Brutus¡¯ w swipes down and severs Owen¡¯s head from his body. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Hunter lifts his head to the sky, holding up Owen¡¯s severed head and howling our pack¡¯s dominance over the person that hurt one of our own. As one, the pack lifts their heads and howls in return. Brutus hugs Leah who is probably in a bit of shock after her first kill as I walk to my mate, once again so proud of my mate, our pack, and the cohesiveness that I feel. I ignore the blood and guts as he tosses Owen¡¯s head aside and pulls me into an embrace, kissing me passionately as the pack celebrates around us. The One 97 The One 97 Chapter 97: Requests Hunter A sense of peace fell over the pack after Owen¡¯s execution. I could feel the pack¡¯s happiness that we had avenged one of our own, but more importantly to me, I felt Sophie¡¯s pride with me and our pack. I love feeling her pride in me, and I answered her feelings by taking her mouth in a dominant, passionate kiss. When I finally pull back, we¡¯re both a mess, covered in Owen¡¯s blood and guts. ¡°We need to shower. Sorry, but I couldn¡¯t wait,¡± I tell her. ¡°Neither could I,¡± she says, and we stand their listening to the howls and cheers of our pack. I lean my forehead against hers, closing my eyes and just taking it all in. My pack has only grown stronger since I brought Sophie home. When I finally pull away from her, I look around, seeing Lucas standing by and waiting for me. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this mess, Alpha. You and Luna go get washed up,¡± he says. ¡°I can help,¡± Ezra says, walking up. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask him. ¡°I need something to do,¡± he says. ¡°Don¡¯t you have two packs to run?¡± I ask him. 17:06 Requests 1288 vouchers ¡°I already checked on Owen¡¯s old pack. My G**a has things under control there, but I may go over there for a half day while I¡¯m here,¡± he says, ncing at Margot. ¡°How¡¯s that going?¡± I ask him, tucking Sophie under my arm. ¡°She hasn¡¯t rejected me yet,¡± he says. ¡°She seemed¡­better after sparring with you this morning,¡± I say. ¡°And let¡¯s be honest, she can¡¯t stop ncing at you, Alpha Ezra,¡± Sophie says, smiling at him. ¡°There¡¯s a huge gap between looking at me and epting me,¡± he says. ¡°Keep plugging away at her. I would love for her to have a reason to live before Joshua attacks,¡± Sophie says. ¡°What does that mean?¡± he asks concerned. ¡°She ns to let herself die when we kill him. She¡¯s asked me not to let that stop her,¡± I tell him, making him growl. ¡°Not going to happen,¡± he says, stomping over to where Margot is talking to Leah and Brutus. ¡°A word, Margot,¡± he growls at her, startling her. She looks at me. and I nod that it¡¯s okay. He may not be happy with her decision, but he needed to know that it¡¯s what she¡¯s nning. I watch them walk away from the rest of the group. Ezra looks intense and then Margot looks exasperated. Sophie and I walk over to Leah, who is also covered in blood, as is Brutus now. 12.25% ¡°Leah, are you okay?¡± I ask. Sophie pulls away from me andkes Leah¡¯s hands. ¡°That was very brave of you,¡± she says, making Leah smile and look up at Brutus. ¡°Told you,¡± he says. ¡°Of course my mother is brave. Where do you think I get it from,¡± Brooklyn says, walking over. ¡°You were very brave as well,¡± Sophie says to her. ¡°Thank you, Luna. That was harder than I thought it would be. I hadn¡¯t expected¡­¡± she breaks off and Dr. Caspian wraps an arm around her shoulders,forting her. ¡°Owen was an a**hat didn¡¯t deserve his title. I hope that seeing his execution brings you some peace, Brooklyn,¡± I say to her. ¡°Thank you, Alpha. I think I¡¯ll sleep better now, knowing he¡¯s gone.¡± I lead Sophie through the pack, saying hello to pack members and thanking them for supporting Brooklyn and Leah. As is fairly consistent these days, we have some new faces, some who haven¡¯t yet decided if they want to join our pack. I reach out to Kinsley and ask her to check in on those individuals to make sure that they are okay after the execution. Then, I take my mate upstairs and strip off our b***dy clothing, setting them aside to burn. No amount of washing will get Owen¡¯s blood out. When we step into the shower together, I look down and see that my mate¡¯s belly is no longer t.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. My son is growing. I kneel down, kissing her stomach before telling my son how much I love him and how much I can¡¯t wait to meet him. Then I tell him how amazing his mother is while she runs her fingers through my hair and chuckles at me. ¡°Your father is pretty awesome too,¡± she says. I kiss my way up her body and since I know this is one of my mate¡¯s favorite positions, I turn her around and take her in the shower. I take my time, connecting with her body and mind, letting our love for each other surround us as bring her up and over slowly, then again, and once more before finally finding my own release inside her. When we get out of the shower, I kiss my mate and her stomach again, before heading down to my office. I send an email out to all of the Alphas that we are friendly with that Alpha Owen has been executed for his crimes against Brooklyn and for threatening my mate and pup. I¡¯ve just started looking over my work when I hear the ping of an iing email. I look at it and see that Alpha Robin has responded. ¡®I¡¯d like to schedule a video call with this group. I think we need to consider establishing our own Committee of Alphas leaving out the group that does not agree with the changes that we want to make in our packs. I feel like this would solidify our alliances, but also keep each of us from working autonomously when we could be working together. -Robin¡¯ Before I can respond, I get another email, this one from Ezra replying to the group. 17:06 Chapter 9 Requests 1289 Moscher ¡®I think that¡¯s a great idea. One of our first orders of business will be to discuss what needs to happen with Owen¡¯s previous pack. I have my Beta there running things, but we should decide what to do with his pack long-term. -Ezra¡¯ I¡¯m creating an email to let everyone know that I¡¯ll set something up when another emailes through. ¡®Just let me know where and when. -Carter¡¯ ¡®Same. I agree this is needed. -Calvin ¡®Count me in. -Kayce¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m setting something up now. -Hunter¡¯ I quickly put together a video call for the next day, wanting to do it sooner rather thanter, knowing that Joshua ising soon. When Lucas arrives, we talk him about the patrols. ¡°Brutus wants to continue in the eastern quadrant where Leah. lives,¡± he says. ¡°Any concerns?¡± I ask. ¡°None.¡± ¡°Okay. Next?¡± ¡°Margot has asked to join the patrols. She says she feels that running the patrols will help her wolf get stronger.¡± I¡¯m not even sure her wolf is back yet. Maybe finding Ezra is helping with that. I¡¯m on the fence with this one. ¡°Thoughts?¡± #248 Mouchers Lucas grimaces. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s a strong woman, I¡¯ll give her that. But she¡¯s been through an awful lot. I think she¡¯s pushing herself too hard because she¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll end up back in the safe rooms and we both know how that went over.¡± I nod, then open the mind link to the pack. ¡®Does anyone have eyes on Alpha Ezra?¡¯ Several wolves reply that they do. ¡®Let him know I¡¯d like to speak with him in my office,¡¯ I tell them. While we wait, Lucas and I go through the other issues with the patrols, making sure that any problems are addressed. It¡¯s only about ten minutester when Ezra knocks. ¡°Come in. Have a seat.¡± ¡°What can I do for you? Besides attend the meeting tomorrow,¡± Ezra says. ¡°How are you keeping up with that?¡± I ask him, frowning. He pulls out his phone. ¡°Don¡¯t you get email to your phone?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m away from my pack. I need to be connected,¡± he says. ¡°So, what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Margot wants to run patrols,¡± I say to him. He sighs, sitting back. ¡°That woman is so stubborn.¡± ¡°Can she shift yet?¡± Lucas asks him. 71 725 17 07 ¡°If you tell her that¡¯s the only way she can run patrols, she¡¯ll probably force the shift no matter how painful it is,¡± he says, exasperated. ¡°How was she when you sparred with her?¡± I ask. ¡°She¡¯s got the foundation, but she¡¯s out of practice and she¡¯s still weak.¡± He shakes his head sitting forward and sping his hands together. ¡°If it were one of my pack members, I¡¯d probably try to keep them off patrols for another week, but I saw her need to get stronger today. I¡¯m not sure she can handle both though. Her muscles have to be screaming from the workout I gave her this morning. No way she¡¯s ready to run patrols for hours tonight.¡± ¡®Alternative options to help her get stronger?¡± I ask. I have my own ideas, but I also know that Ezra wants to spend time with her. If she wants to get strong, being around her mate is the fastest way to do that. ¡°If she¡¯s willing, I¡¯ll run sprints with her. We can even run loops. around your pack. It would be good for me to remember exactly where your borders are as well and I can set a pace that pushes her, but not too hard.¡± I open the mind link again. ¡®Anyone have eyes on Margot?¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s with me, Hunter,¡¯ Sophie says. ¡®Can you bring her to my office, my love?¡¯ I ask, knowing I have a smile on my face. ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s with Sophie?¡± Lucas asks. ??? 1707) Chapter 07 Requests ¡°Yes. They¡¯ll be right here,¡± I tell them. The One 98 The One 98 Chapter 98: Margot¡¯s Defensiveness Sophie Hunter mind linked the pack asking if anyone knew where Margot was. She, Kinsley, and I had been talking about the safe rooms and how to make them less stressful for the moms, pups, and elderly that needed to be there. ¡°Margot, Hunter wants to see you,¡± I tell her. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say. Come on, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I tell her. I can feel her nervousness as we walk. ¡°You know he won¡¯t hurt you, right Margot?¡± I ask, worried about her reaction to being called to meet with Hunter. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I asked Beta Lucas if I could run patrols,¡± she says, looking over at me. ¡°Ahhh,¡± I say, understanding. I know Margot doesn¡¯t want to be in the safe rooms again, so she¡¯s doing everything she can to get stronger. My guess is she knows that she¡¯s pushing too hard, and she expects Hunter to tell her no. When we arrive, I knock and wait for Hunter to tell me toe in. Instead, he opens the door for me himself. I smile up at him. ¡°Hey.¡± Chapter M Morget¡¯s Delzenament ¡°Hi,¡± he says, leaning down to kiss me. It doesn¡¯tst nearly long enough, but it¡¯s longer than it should be when I realize that it¡¯s not just Hunter in the room, but Beta Lucas and Alpha Ezra as well. Ezra is standing, watching Margot closely. I had asked her about sparring with him this morning. She¡¯d been surprised when Ezra hadn¡¯t used the opportunity to grope her, but instead had really helped her with her training. ¡°Margot,e in. We want to talk to you about your request to run patrols,¡± Hunter says. I look at her, but her eyes are on Ezra. ¡°Are you going to tell me no? I don¡¯t need to sit down if you¡¯re just going to tell me no,¡± she says, crossing her arms over her chest, in an obviously defensive gesture. ¡°Not exactly, have a seat,¡± he says, taking my hand and leading me to a chair before sitting and pulling me into hisp. ¡°I take it there is a concern about Margot running patrols?¡± I ask, trying to break the tension between Margot and Ezra. She hasn¡¯t moved away from the door. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not in your ability, Margot, but in your strength and ability to keep up, especially now that you are sparring again,¡± Hunter tells her. ¡°You told them I¡¯m not strong enough,¡± Margot states. There¡¯s a lot of anger in her voice but some hurt too. ¡®I said that if you were my pack member¡­¡± ¡°Which I¡¯m not,¡± she says sharply. ¡°IF you were, that I would not let you run patrols yet.¡± 13.55% 170/ Ezra steps up to her and I give the woman kudos for strength, she doesn¡¯t back down from him, ¡°Tell me your muscles aren¡¯t aching after this morning. Tell me you¡¯re fully recovered,¡± he says and takes her chin gently between his thumb and forefinger, lifting her head so she can¡¯t look away. ¡°And do not lie to me,¡± he says softly. She yanks her face out of his hands. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sore, yes. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve sparred.¡± She whirls around to face Hunter. ¡°So, I¡¯ll ask again, why didn¡¯t you, st tell me that I you were going to deny me before I bothered to walk in.¡± I move to stand and go to her, but Hunter holds me back. I can feel that she¡¯s on the verge of breaking down and she doesn¡¯t want that, not in here, not in front of these men. She would consider it a terrible weakness. I look at Hunter, wondering why he¡¯s holding me back. ¡®Give it a minute,¡¯ he says in the mind link. ¡°Do you want to hear what I did suggest?¡± Ezra asks Margot. She whirls back to face Ezra. ¡°That I quit sparring and patrols until I¡¯m stronger?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I suggested. Would you like to sit?¡± he asks her, gesturing to a chair. ¡°I¡¯ll stand, thank you,¡± she says, crossing her arms over her chest again. ¡°You should continue sparring. That will increase your strength faster than anything. Not only that, but it will also help you when III 17:07 Joshua attacks. You¡¯ll be better able to defend yourself against your old pack. I told Alpha Hunter that you have the foundation, but you¡¯re out of practice. Luckily for you, you¡¯re a quick learner and you have an Alpha who is willing to give you one-on-one instruction. If you feel the need to also run, I will do sprints with you. If you insist on wanting to run patrols, I¡¯ll run with you, see if you can maintain the intensity of a longer run without impacting your ability to continue sparring. My goal isn¡¯t to keep you weak, Margot, it¡¯s to help you get stronger, faster.¡± ¡°This is my only option?¡± she asks Hunter. ¡°I don¡¯t have the capacity right now to offer you anyone who can do what Ezra is offering. Not only that, but nearly any pack member would be honored to get the one-on-one training that Ezra is offering you because he¡¯s right. You will get stronger much faster with his guidance and teaching. Ezra is a powerful fighter. He¡¯s intelligent and skillful in battle. But he¡¯s also a very good instructor,¡± Hunter tells her. Margot looks at me, silently asking me what I think. ¡°I know there¡¯s a lot going on for you right now Margot. But I think you need to consider what your primary goal is. I think everyone in this room knows that you do not want to go back into a safe room,¡± I say. She nces at Ezra, making me think that Ezra doesn¡¯t know the real reason behind her desire to stay out of the safe room. ¡°If your goal is to get stronger, I think what Alpha Ezra is offering is your best opportunity. I know when my father had time to train me individually, which wasn¡¯t often, talways felt like I walked away a stronger fighter. Even now, with Hunter teaching me more defensive tactics, I feel stronger,¡± I say. Chapter AR-Margats denovmiest #288 (Vouchers ¡°I would second that. I don¡¯t often get to spar one-on-one with Alpha Hunter, but when I do, I always feel like I¡¯m stronger because of it,¡± Lucas adds. ¡°Do you feel stronger after our training session this morning?¡± Ezra asks her. Margot thinks through her answer for a moment before making a face. ¡°Stronger, no. I¡¯m f**g sore after this morning,¡± she says sighing, ¡°But I do feel smarter about fighting. I think tomorrow I¡¯ll be even better than was honestly. day,¡± she says ¡°Then let me continue to train you hard in the morning, and more gently at night. Running will help loosen your muscles, but only if you don¡¯t overdo it. And since I¡¯m quickly learning how stubborn you can be, Luna Margot, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯d overdo it on your own,¡± he says, his lips twitching. She raises her chin a bit. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Mmhmm,¡± he murmurs, watching her with a hunger I¡¯ve seen in Hunter¡¯s eyes many times. ¡°Are we in agreement then?¡± Ezra asks her. ¡°Fine,¡± she says, finally rxing her defensive stance. ¡°When would you like to start?¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± he says, gesturing for her to precede him out of the room. 17:07 ¡°Oh, Sophie¡­¡± she says, turning to me. ¡°We¡¯re done for tonight. Kinsley and I get tired easily now that we¡¯re both carrying pups. We¡¯ll pick it up again tomorrow morning after breakfast,¡± I tell her. When they leave, I snuggle up against my mate. ¡°Who says I¡¯m only teaching you defensive tactics?¡± Hunter asks me. Lucas snorts as Iugh. ¡°On that note, I¡¯m going to go find my mate and see what she wants for dinner. Have a good evening you two.¡± ¡°You as well,¡± I say, never looking away from my mate. When the door closes, Hunter¡¯s chest begins rumbling with the same desire I¡¯m feeling for him. ¡°What are you hungry for?¡± ¡°You,¡± I say, and dinner for us,es much, muchter.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The One 99 The One 99 Chapter 99: Robin¡¯s Suggestion Hunter The next day begins as usual, me pleasuring my mate, me beingte for sparring, and then me working with Sophie to help her get stronger and faster after checking over the pack warriors. Some of her movements are starting to be stiffer as my pup grows inside her, making some ovements more difficult. I¡¯ d ask her to stop sparring, but I know my mate and she won¡¯t appreciate my protectiveness. I notice that Ezra is saying ¡°good¡± a lot more to Margot this morning, meaning he must be testing her on what he taught her yesterday and she¡¯s showing him that she¡¯s using her newly learned skills this morning. She must have listened to himst night, because she¡¯s not as stiff this morning as she was when she came into my office yesterday afternoon. After breakfast, where surprisingly, Margot joined us, Ezra and I head to my office for the video conference with the other Alphas. I move myputer to a conference table so that he and I can both participate, and I enter the conference room. Two others are already waiting. One is Kayce, but I only know that because his name is on the screen. His mate is in hisp and the two of them are kissing as if they¡¯ve forgotten about this meeting. ¡°Good morning, Kayce, good morning, Luna Allison,¡± I say chuckling. ||| 17:06 Allison gasps and pulls away from Kayce, but he holds her in hisp. When she turns toward the camera, she¡¯s obviously blushing. ¡°I won¡¯t apologize for kissing my mate, especially when she only told mest night that she¡¯s carrying my pup,¡± Kayce says proudly, and we all congratte them as the others join. Robin smiles, turning to look over his shoulder. ¡°We need to catch up, Nikki.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a contest, Robin,¡± she says, walking in and saying hello to Allison. ¡°Everything¡¯s a contest where Alphas are concerned,¡± Robin says, kissing her neck. ¡°Well then, you¡¯d better up your game, Alpha,¡± she says, making Robin growl. ¡°Where¡¯s Sophie?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°Working on better preparing the safe rooms. Apparently, they need a better ambiance, so our pack members aren¡¯t sitting scared and waiting while the rest of us fight,¡± I tell her. ¡°What a great idea,¡± Allison says. ¡°Let¡¯s schedule a call with her, Alli,¡± Nikki says. ¡°I¡¯ll set something up,¡± Allison says before the two say goodbye and walk out of the rooms. When Kayce turns back, he¡¯s shaking his head. ¡°Goddess save us from intelligent, empowered Lunas.¡± 135 ??? ¡°You¡¯ll find noints from me,¡± I say. ¡°That¡¯s because our mates haven¡¯t talked to yours yet, Hunter. Just you wait. Nikki¡¯s already drafting aw to allow the first born to inherit the Alpha position,¡± Robin says. Calvin frowns. ¡°They already do.¡± ¡°The first born, whether male or female,¡± Robin rifies. ¡°Oh,¡± Calvin says. ¡°And Allison is drafting a bill to allow Lun and Alpha females on the Committee of Alphas as voting members,¡± Kayce says. ¡°Did I mention that having two intelligent, empowered Lunas living right next door to each other is dangerous?¡± ¡°Trying living with two,¡± Dutton pipes in. ¡°How are things going with the twins. Have they gotten settled in?¡± I ask him. ¡°Yes. My bed isfortably full every night,¡± he says smiling broadly, making all of us chuckle. ¡°Alpha Carter, how is Luna June? I¡¯d like to give Margot an update on her mother,¡± I say, and Ezra looks at me. He must have forgotten that Margot¡¯s mother is living with Carter and Amy right now. ¡°She¡¯s a strong woman. It will take time as these things do, but she¡¯s making a name for herself here in our pack. Amy had the idea to put her in the nursery with the pups and it¡¯s working out wonderfully. Her Lu?a nature of giving and loving is really able to shine there and it¡¯s helping her to heal.¡± 26.15% 17:08 Chapter 9 Robin¡¯s Suggestion ¡°Would it be okay if I brought Margot over to see her mother?¡± Ezra asks. ¡°Of course, Alpha Ezra, but I thought Margot was living with Hunter,¡± Carter says. I look at Ezra, waiting for him to tell the group. He looks at me, pressing his lips together. ¡°She¡¯s my second chance mate,¡± he says, making all of them respond with shock, some sitting back heavily in their seats, some sucking in air, some whistling low. ¡°How¡¯s that going?¡± Calvin asks. ¡°She hasn¡¯t rejected me yet, so I take that as a win,¡± he says. ¡°Good luck, Ezra,¡± Carter says. ¡°I wish you the best,¡± he says and the rest of us agree. ¡°Alpha Calvin, how is your Luna¡¯s pregnancying along?¡± I ask, knowing Sophie will want to know. ¡°She¡¯s doing very well. Our little girl is growing quickly.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re having a girl!¡± Robin says. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re both very happy,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°Before we begin today, has anyone heard anything about any of the other Alphas moving against us, or more specifically against Hunter?¡± Kayce asks. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to keep tabs on Joshua. He¡¯s closest to my pack, or he is now that he¡¯s taken over Elias¡¯ pack, but I haven¡¯t seen anything. My scouts can¡¯t get too close though. He¡¯s got 38.53% ?? Chapter 9 Ans Suggestion patrols running non-stop. However, we¡¯re pretty sure that your previous G**a is there now, Alpha Hunter, and that he¡¯s running one of the packs for Joshua,¡± Calvin says. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me,¡± I say. ¡°He got away when he attacked with Owen¡¯s pack, the coward.¡± The Alphas growl in agreement before turning our attention to Robin. ¡°Well, I wanted to get us together to discuss reinitiating the Committee of Alphas. I think the premise of themittee is a good one, even though we¡¯d be so divided. Now, there are seven of us who, for the most part, agree on the direction of our future, leaving only four Alphas who don¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Probably soon to be three, if Joshua attacks me,¡± I say. ¡°Correct,¡± Robin says. ¡°So, I wanted to get a show of hands on who agrees that we should implement a new Committee of Alphas,¡± Robin says, and all of us raise our hands. ¡°Any concerns?¡± he asks. ¡°How do we resolve differences of opinion?¡± Ezra asks. ¡°A good question and one that I don¡¯t think we can answer today. I think we need to decide if we are to have a majority rule for ourws, or if we needplete agreement from every Alpha to implement aw,¡± Robin says. ¡°I¡¯d also rmend reviewing all of ourws once we decide how to proceed. Laws such as how we im our mates are outdated. I¡¯m sure that there are others as well,¡± I say. ¡°So, if we are in agreement, let¡¯s get up a call in another week or so, depending on what happens with Joshua. Then we can elect ourmittee leader, I personally will be rmending Alpha Carter, and we can go from there, Robin says. ¡°Me? Why me?¡± Carter asks. ¡°You are the logical choice because you have experience and knowledge that the rest of us don¡¯t have,¡± Robin says, and I hide my smile. ¡°Young man, are you calling me old,¡± Carter growls, making most of us chuckle. ¡°No sir, I said experienced and knowledgeable, not old,¡± Robin says, and he miraculously keeps his lips from twitching. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll elect Alpha Ezra. He¡¯s¡­experienced and knowledgeable as well,¡± Carter says. ¡°Not nearly as experienced and knowledgeable as you though, Alpha,¡± Ezra teases. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll start pulling up the existingws. It¡¯s going to take time to go through them, butAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I think Hunter¡¯s point is valid. I know that they¡¯ve never been reviewed since I¡¯ve been an Alpha,¡± Robin says. I shake my head as does Ezra. None of us has ever been asked to review aw. Carter sighs. ¡°I guess that does make me more experienced, because if I¡¯m thest one to have reviewed aw, then it¡¯s been a couple of decades since one was reviewed. Time to bring them up to the current century.¡± ||| ¡°We also need to talk about Owen¡¯s packnds,¡± Ezra says. ¡°I¡¯ll add that to the agenda. Hunter, would you mind setting up another meeting for us next week? Let¡¯s n to elect our new Committee Leader and get an idea of the number ofws we need to tackle. I¡¯ll also say that some of the intelligent and empowered Lunas may want to join to petition that we review their proposedws.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if there are anyws that preclude them from doing that first. Then we can move forward with having them present. I¡¯d hate for something down the road to overrule anything we do now because we weren¡¯t diligent with reviewing and modifying our existingws,¡± Ezra says. ¡®A fantastic idea. Alright then everyone, see you next week,¡± Robin says, and I disconnect the call, turning to look at Ezra who looks thoughtful. ¡°What¡¯s that look?¡± I ask him. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I can use thesews to make an intelligent Luna start to feel empowered.¡± ¡°I can talk to Sophie, have her include Margot on the calls with Nikki and Allison. Unless you¡¯d like to introduce her to the idea?¡± ¡°I need to go to Owen¡¯s old pack today. I think I¡¯ll ask Margot if she wants to go with me. We can run in wolf form to help her work off some of the tightness from sparring, and I can use the time away to talk to her about what we¡¯re nning, encourage her to get involved.¡± ¡°And make sure you tell her that you¡¯d like to take her to see her mother. I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re close.¡± 78 12% HI 17.08 maybe we can go see her tomorrow,¡± he says, as we ¡°You¡¯ll be back tonight?¡± I ask ¡°Maybe not by dinner time, but I don¡¯t want to have her out, just the two of us, when it¡¯s dark ¡°If something happens, have her bide in the mountain. We have a ce there where she wolves on the run can hide. Alphas struggle to get in and it has an eat that is much too small for Alphas to fit through And of course, howl and my pack will respond ¡°will do, thank you,¡± he says, going in search of Margot, as I mand ink my mate. I want to make sure that she and my pup have eaten lunch and I want to tell her about the uing events with the packs The One 100 The One 100 Chapter 100: Convincing Margot Ezra ¡°Margot, may I have a word with you?¡± I ask, walking up to her, Beta Kinsley, and Luna Sophie. I¡¯ve never considered myself easily in midated, but Robin and Kayce are on to something. Intelligent, empowered women emit. a strength I¡¯m not used to seeing or feeling. Put them together in a group, like now, and it¡¯s intimidating, even for an Alpha like me. Three pairs of eyes turn to look at me, one assessing, one questioning, one defiant. Guess which one is defiant. ¡°Go ahead,¡± she says, and I look at the other two. ¡°I thought perhaps we could speak privately. But if you would prefer to have this conversation in front of your friends¡­¡± She stands. I¡¯ve obviously called her bluff. Oh, this woman is challenging. She¡¯s getting her wings back and rather than just trying to fly, she¡¯s continually pping them in my face.. But I¡¯m an Alpha and I love a good challenge. Whether she means to or not, she¡¯s only making my desire for her stronger. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment,¡± she says to Beta Kinsley and Luna Sophie, breezing past me. I watch both women¡¯s lips twitch before I turn and follow my mate out into the hallway. 0.00% 111 1708 11 238-Muchers When she¡¯s found the spot where she wants to talk, she spins. around, her chin high and her hands sped in front of her. ¡°What can I do for you, Alpha Ezra?¡± She continually uses my title to keep distance between us, even though I¡¯ve asked her to call me Ezra. Rather than answer, I take a moment to assess her. Sparring with her has given me time to see how her body moves, when it¡¯ s sore and when it¡¯s not. Right now, she¡¯s standing just off center, meaning either her leg or her hip is bothering her. She also rolled one shoulder when she sped her hands, so I¡¯d guess the shoulder that she fell on during our session today is still sore as well. The longer I look her over, the tighter her lips press together and the brighter the pink stain in her cheeks bes. ¡°Did you just want to ogle me, Alpha Ezra? You could do that from afar,¡± she snaps at me. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± I ask, responding to her snark before I could catch myself. Her eyes sh to mine and she takes a step to leave. ¡°Wait. That was uncalled for. Your constant challenges of me have me on edge, Luna.¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that I¡¯m not a Luna.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mate, that makes you a Luna.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I wanted to know if you want to go with me to Alpha Owen¡¯s old 1401% r 17:08 pack. My G***a is there, and I¡¯d like to check on things since l¡¯ m staying here longer than I anticipated.¡± ¡°You could leave,¡± she says, once again challenging me. This time, I have me and Thorin under control. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t challenge her as much as she¡¯s challenging me. ¡°You coulde with me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m staying. As I was saying, I¡¯m going to Owen¡¯s old pack to check on things and see if there is anything I need to address. There are a lot of women and children there who lost their mates and I want to make sure we¡¯re doing everything we can to help them. I also want to make sure that the remaining warriors who challenged Hunter aren¡¯t considering an insurrection against my G**a.¡± As I¡¯ve spoken, her posture has rxed, and now that it is, I can see her subtly shifting her weight to relieve some of the strain on her sore muscles. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why do you want me to go?¡± she asks. ¡°A couple of reasons. First, I hate the idea of leaving you, event for a few hours. Thorin won¡¯t give me a moment¡¯s peace while we¡¯re gone which will make the trip that much harder for me, Second, it will give you a chance to let Reyna run. We can go at her pace and let you stretch out those sore muscles. Third, I could use a Luna¡¯s eye and assistance. Those women will probably respond better to you than to me. I want them to know that they are safe and they¡¯re more likely to talk to you about their concerns than they are talk to me.¡± 29.38% 1709 I can see her struggle to answer. I know she wants to say no, but the running part of the deal has her hesitating as I knew it would. I also think the thought of helping other women is intriguing to her. ¡°I will say, I can¡¯t guarantee your safety. I will protect you with my life if someone attacks us, but if Joshuaes while we¡¯re out in no man¡¯snd, it will be a risk for you. Hunter mentioned a ce in the mountain¡­¡° ¡°But I don¡¯t want ¡°I know where it is,¡± she says, looking dow you dying for me, Ezra. My life will be too short to waste yours on,¡± she says quietly, making me growl angrily. Before I can stop myself, I have her against the wall, my body pressed against hers. ¡°You are NOT going to die.¡± She looks up at me, resignation on her face. ¡°I am. I¡¯vee to terms with that, Ezra. You need to as well. You need to let me reject you. You won¡¯t carry my mark, but my death will still impact you and on the battlefield, that could mean the difference between life and death. You have a pack that relies on you. I have no one. I wrap my arms around her, holding her against me but pulling away from the wall. ¡°Now you listen to me. I told you once, but I will tell you as many times as it takes, Margot. I lost one mate in this lifetime; I refuse to lose another.¡± She opens her mouth to speak, but I shut her up, covering her mouth with mine. I feel her body go rigid, and as I angry as I am, I force myself to remain gentle, urging her to give in to the kiss. Her wolf is awake enough that I know she feels the bond. I¡¯m nearly ready to pull away, thinking that I¡¯ve made a huge mistake, when I feel her rx, her body leaning into mine, her Chapter 100. Convincing Marget lips beginning to move with mine. Her hands slide up my arms, linking behind my neck. I tilt my head to the side, sliding my tongue into her mouth. Her sweet, floral taste is as delicate as her scent and I moan softly, pulling her more tightly against me. I let one hand slide into her hair, gently holding her as we kiss. I don¡¯t push for more, just ¡®happy that she¡¯s letting me kiss her, happy that she¡¯s responding to the kiss. I hear her soft whimper, smell her jasmine scent increasing in the air around us as she presses her body against mine. When I smell the salt of tears, I pull away, leaning my head against her forehead, letting both of us collect ourselves. ¡°I talked to Carter today. I told him I want to bring you over to see your mom.¡± ¡°You did?¡± she asks, pulling back to look at me. I lift my hands to her face, gently wiping the tears from eyes. I don¡¯t ask about them. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s struggling with this mate. bond and her response to me. I nod. ¡°I don¡¯t want you going alone, it¡¯s not safe. But I know you. want to see her. That makes two people that you have to live. for, not including the friends that you¡¯ve already made in this. pack. Don¡¯t underestimate how important you are to people, Margot. You¡¯re very, very important to me, but I¡¯m not the only one. Please, just don¡¯t give up yet.¡± She nods, but she looks away, meaning that she hasn¡¯t changed her mind yet. Well, until Joshua attacks, I have time to try and get through her tough exterior. ||| jiny 150 Counting Wander ¡°What time to you want to leave?¡± she asks, making me smile. ¡°I need to shower first¡­¡± ¡°I noticed,¡± she says, smirking at me. ¡°Luna Margot, are you teasing me?¡± I growl softly. ¡°What if I am?¡± she asks, her eyebrow raising in challenge as her lips twitch. I lean in, running my nose over her jaw t her ear. ¡°I like it. I hope you keep doing it,¡± I whisper, satisfied when I feel her body shiver. When I pull back, she¡¯s blushing again, and I smile, pleased with our interactions. It¡¯s a good step in the right direction. ¡°I¡¯ll have Hunter contact Carter to make sure tomorrow works for him while we¡¯re gone, but I want to leave soon. I don¡¯t want the two of us out alone at night with the possibility of war hanging over us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready,¡± she says, and I walk her back to the room where. Beta Kinsley and Luna Sophie are. When we get to the door, I lean in to kiss her again, but she ces her fingers on my lips, narrowing her eyes at me. Instead of her lips, I smile, kissing her fingers. ¡°See you in a few,¡± I say. As I walk away, I hear her walk into the room. ¡°That must have been some ¡®talk¡¯,¡± I hear Beta Kinsley say. ¡°Yeah, how much ¡®talking¡¯ did you do?¡± Luna Sophie teases her. Comparing Margi ¡°Oh, shut it,¡± Margot says. I smile, feeling lighter than I have in years. The One 101 The One 101 Chapter 101: Scouts Margot There is absolutely no grey area between how Joshua kissed me and how Ezra kisses me. Their kisses are as opposite as you can get. Joshua always kissed me as if he was reminding me that he was in charge, that he was in control. Ezra¡¯s kiss was¡­ inviting. It was soft and warm, gentle and sweet. I had waited for him to push me, to take control and force his tongue into my mouth like I was used to with Joshua, but that wasn¡¯t how he kissed me at all. It was almost as if he was asking me to kiss him back. And once I did, it felt like I melted into him. I wouldn¡¯t think that his scent of eucalyptus and cedar would trante to a taste that I desired, but it does. It¡¯s masculine and fresh, much like him. I had been teasing him when I said he needed a shower, not because he smelled bad, but because the scent of the dried sweat on his body from our sparring only increased his scent making it hard for me to think when he was that close to me. And my body had never, ever responded to Joshua the way it responded to Ezra¡¯s when he whispered in my ear. His deep voice, his warm breath, his scent swirling around. us had made my body feel alive for the first time in my life. But I can¡¯t let that distract me. Ezra seems like a good man, a really good man. I know he lost a mate and that he mes himself for that, which is probably why he¡¯s trying so hard with me. But it¡¯s a lost cause. I can¡¯t give him what he wants and while I¡¯m sad to know that what we could have had might have been able to turn into something positive over time, I won¡¯t be around to find out. I have no intention of letting Joshua live and Chapter zen voucher I know that it will kill me. I may be getting stronger, but I¡¯m not that strong, not yet and maybe not ever. I know my ex-mate. He¡¯ll be doing everything he can to weaken me so that he can punish me for rejecting him. I may not be able to feel him cheating on the bond, but I know that my wolf, Reyna, should be healing faster than she is. Our bond isn¡¯t This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Scouts. Do you recognize the scents?¡± Reyna lowers her head and begins sniffing again. When she¡¯s done, I shift so I can answer him. ¡°Some are familiar. Some from my father¡¯s pack, some from Joshua¡¯s, but some I don¡¯t recognize,¡± I tell him. He¡¯s looking around, hands on his hips. It¡¯s hard for me not to notice how magnificent his body is, tall and lean, and very muscr. ¡°Margot, stop thinking whatever you¡¯re thinking,¡± he growls. through gritted teeth before looking at me over his shoulder. His nostrils re and I realize that I¡¯m aroused by the sight of him, and he can smell it. That¡¯s something else that never happened with Joshua. My body never responded to him, not like this.. I feel my cheeks me with embarrassment, and I look away quickly. I hear Ezra huff before he pulls the bag that he uses to 11.10 Chapter 101 Scouts 1288 Wouchers carry our clothes around to the front of his body. It¡¯srge enough that when he shifts, it fits Thorin. It¡¯s actually very smart. I¡¯d consider getting one, if I wasn¡¯t nning on dying soon. Ezra pulls out his phone and hits speed dial. ¡°Is everything okay, Ezra?¡± I hear Hunter ask. ¡°I found a scout trail. Margot says some of the scents are familiar to her father¡¯s or Joshua¡¯s pack, but not all of them.¡± ¡°Koden,¡± Hunter says. ¡°That¡¯s my take.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send some of my warriors. Where are you?¡± Ezra looks around and gives him the general idea of where we are. ¡°They¡¯ll know it when they find it. It looks like this is where they are congregating and then from here, they are spreading out to the other packs, Carter¡¯s and Kayce¡¯s as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call them, have them send warriors to check it out too.¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t get Margot back before dark, I¡¯m going to stay the night in Owen¡¯s old pack. I won¡¯t put Margot at risk with this many wolves in the area,¡± he says, looking at me. ¡°Understood. Let me know if you need anything.¡± Ezra hangs up and turns to me. The moment he does, I see his veryrge length standing at attention. 42.57% ? 11:11 Chapim 101: Broult 1208 Vouchers Hees over and cups my cheek, stroking this thumb over my cheekbone and practically making Reyna purr. ¡°I want you to know that I don¡¯t mind you looking at me, and I¡¯m thrilled that you find me attractive, but I would much rather drown in your scent when I have time to make sure that both of us enjoy ourselves. And out here, in the open like this, is not the time. What I said was not a rejection, it was me trying to get control of my arousal for you,¡± he says. I nod, unable to say anything with his length pressing between us and his eyes dark with desire for me. I recognize the look, but with Ezra, it¡¯s different. The heat of his desire, the care that he¡¯s taking to exin himself to me, is making my own body heat. ¡°D***it, Margot, you¡¯re doing it again,¡± he grits out, his nostrils. ring as he takes a deep breath, ¡°Sorry?¡± I say, but it¡¯s more of a question. He raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Are you?¡± I decide to be honest. He¡¯s been honest with me, and he¡¯s been careful with me. It¡¯s the least I can do to hopefully make things. easier for himter when I¡¯m gone. ¡°I¡¯m not used to my body responding like this. I¡¯m unustomed to feeling arousal,¡± I tell him, keeping my eyes on his. He leans in, kissing the corner of my mouth before running his nose across my jaw to my ear. ¡°Someday, when you¡¯re ready, this will only be the beginning.¡± 78 27% ? Chapter 101: Scouts 11 288 Wouchers His promise sends shivers through my body, the anticipation of what he could do to make my body respond to him. But I pull back and look away. I can¡¯t ept those sorts of promises. I won¡¯t be around to collect on them. The One 102 The One 102 Chapter 102: Sophie¡¯s Lament Hunter As soon as I got off the phone with Erza, I call Carter and conference Kayce in. ¡°Hunter, I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a problem?¡± Kayce says. ¡°Ezra went to check on Owen¡¯s old pack today. He took Margot with him, and they came across what he called scout trails. He gave me general coordinates as to where they are, but he said it looks like they spread out to all three of our packs.¡± Kayce growls low in his chest. I understand the sentiment very. well. My mate is pregnant too and the thought of anyone.ing after her and my pup had my hackles up the moment that Ezra told me what he¡¯d found. ¡°I think we need to include Dutton and Robin on this call,¡± Carter says. ¡°If Alpha Ezra says the trails were headed in our directions, it could be one or both of the packs in our area.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good point, Carter, give me a moment and I¡¯ll try. to conference them in,¡± I say. Once I¡¯ve gotten the other two Alphas on the phone, I tell them what I told Kayce and Carter. Both of them snarl, just like Kayce did. I know from experience that if their mates aren¡¯t yet pregnant, it¡¯s only a matter of time. ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out, but I can¡¯t cover all of the packs,¡± I -begin. Chapter 102 Sophie¡¯s Lamen 1 288 Wouchers ¡°I¡¯ll join you,¡± all four Alphas say at once. ¡°Good, that¡¯s what I was hoping. If they are checking out our packs, mine may not be the first one that¡¯s attacked. I expect Joshua will attack me, but we still have Aiden and ric who are a risk. And we don¡¯t know if they will n a unified attack, or if they will attack separately.¡± I give everyone the coordinates, and call Lucas into my office, letting him know. ¡°I¡¯m leaving you in charge of the pack. I have no idea what we¡¯ll find or how long I¡¯ll be gone, but I want to know where they¡¯ve been and what they¡¯ve seen in our pack before Ie back. Keep the patrols tight and at current scheduling capacity. I know it¡¯s tough on the pack, but it¡¯s better than getting awakened in the middle of the night by wolves crashing into our packhouse because they got through our patrols. Also, pull Penny in if you need help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep the pack safe, and our Luna safe as well,¡± Lucas says. ¡°I know you will,¡± I say, going in search of my mate. When I find her, she and Kinsley are working on the safe rooms. I pull her to my side, wrapping my arms around her, and taking a moment to see what they are doing. ¡°It already feels warmer in here, cozier,¡± I say. ¡°That¡¯s the goal,¡± Sophie says, smiling up at me. When she sees my face, her smile fades. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asks, and Kinsley turns, focusing on me as well. 19.04% ||| Chapter 102, Sophie¡¯s Lameni ¡°Ezra found scout trails. I¡¯ve called the other Alphas and we¡¯re going to meet to sniff them out and see where they lead. I may not be back tonight, but I don¡¯t want you to worry about me,¡± I say to her, already feeling her worry s**e. I take her face in my hands. ¡°I will be safe. I¡¯ll be with four other Alphas.¡± ¡°And they want all of you dead!¡± she exims. ¡°Sophie¡­¡± ¡°Hunter,¡± she says, tears welling in her eyes as she grabs my shirt, f**g it in her hands. From the corner of my eye, I see Kinsley silently leave to give us a moment. ¡°If something were to happen to you¡­¡± she says and a tear escapes, sliding down her cheek until I swipe it with my thumb. ¡°It won¡¯t. I¡¯ll be safe. And I need you to be safe too. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you, but if they attack while I¡¯m gone, you get in the safe rooms.¡± My mate wraps her arms around my waist, pressing her face. against my chest as she fights her tears. I wrap my arms tightly around her. ¡°I can¡¯t live without you, Hunter. I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t know that love could feel like this, feelThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. this good. Please, Hunter. You have to be safe. You have toe home to me. Promise me, Hunter. You¡¯ve never broken your promises to me, and I want your promise that you¡¯ll be safe and come home to me. Promise me!¡± she says, getting more and more worked up. ¡°Sophie, honey, calm down. You¡¯re getting worked up and it¡¯s | Chapter 102 Sophie¡¯s Lament not good for our pup. I love you,¡± I say, kissing her tear-streaked face. ¡°I hate the thought of not sleeping beside you tonight, but I need to know that you, our pack, and our allies are safe.¡± She looks up at me and I see the fear in her eyes. It makes my heart hurt to see her sad, but it also tugs at my heart that my mate loves me this much. ¡°I didn¡¯t know love could feel like this either. I didn¡¯t know that you would be more important to me than my own life. Not because I¡¯m an Alpha, but because you are such an incredible woman, and I love you so much that it hurts. But right now, the pack needs you, Sophie. They will look to you as much as they look to Lucas while I¡¯m away. I need you to be strong.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be strong if I don¡¯t know that you will return to me,¡± she says fiercely. ¡°I promise. One way or another, I¡¯ll find my way home to you. I don¡¯t expect anything to happen, but if it does, I¡¯ll make my way home to you,¡± I say, giving her what she needs. I watch as she takes a deep breath. I truly don¡¯t expect anything to happen, but if it does, I better make good on my promise. She slowly calms herself, taking deep breaths while I kiss forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, and finally her lips. ¡°I have to go. The others will beat me there at this rate, but I need to know that you¡¯re going to be okay, Soph. I need you to help lead this pack while I¡¯m gone. She nods, taking another deep breath before opening her eyes. ¡°One more kiss.¡± I smile and lean down, her armse around me and I take 62.35% ||| Chapter 102 Sophie¡¯s Lament 288 Wouchers precious moments to deepen the kiss, giving my mate what she needs. I pour my love for her through the bond, feeling her rx in my arms. ¡°Take care of my mate and my pup,¡± I say to her. ¡°You take care of MY mate, or you¡¯ll answer to me, Alpha.¡± I smile. There¡¯s my tough girl. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± I say, walking to the back of the packhouse. I quickly strip, keeping only a pair of shorts before shifting. Shaw turns his head to grab my shorts, only to find Sophie holding them for us. ¡°I love you, my mate and wolf,¡± she says, Hedda¡¯s voice mixing with hers. Shaw purrs at them, then licks Sophie from chin to forehead, making her sputter. ¡°SHAW!¡± sheins, pulling back and wiping her face. He chuckles before turning and racing in the direction that Ezra gave us. ¡®What was that for?¡¯ I ask him. ¡®She needed levity. I don¡¯t like our mate crying.''¡± ¡®Neither do I.¡¯ Chatter 101 Scout Trails 288 Woucher The One 103 The One 103 Chapter 103: Scout Trails Hunter We run hard to be the first ones there. We¡¯re the closest to the mountain, with Kayce a close second. Carter and Dutton are on the opposite side of the mountain from where we are going, so it will take them a bit longer to get there. Robin is on the other side of Kayce, so unless theye together, he¡¯ll be behind Kayce. As we run up, I hear the sound of pounding pawsing from the direction of Kayce¡¯s pack. Shaw lifts his head and howls a challenge, in case it¡¯s not Kayce. Rodion, Kayce¡¯s wolf, answers the challenge and the two of us meet at the spot where Ezra found the scout trails. I shift, as does Kayce. ¡°I take it your mate didn¡¯t like you leaving any more than mine did?¡± he asks me, realizing we were both dyed for the same reason.. ¡°I left a very unhappy and upset mate behind,¡± I say, looking around. ¡°As did I,¡± he says, turning around and sniffing the air like I am. ¡°Well, not that I didn¡¯t believe him, but Ezra is right. These are definitely scout trails. I caught one that came much too close to my pack for myfort. I¡¯ve got my Beta checking them out and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Robin has the same. I found a trail that veered off toward his pack as well. 11 12 Chapter 103; Scout Trails I sniff, finding the scents that Margot must have found. 17 288 Woucher ¡°Margot said some of these scents are from Joshua and Elias¡¯ packs, but I also smell Koden¡¯s scent, so I guess he¡¯s working with Joshua now.¡± We turn as we hear another set of pounding paws, seeing Robin¡¯s dark brown wolf, Derric. He shifts and gracefully stands, nodding at both of us. ¡°Aiden¡¯s pack¡¯s scent is up here too, so he¡¯s definitely working with Joshua as well,¡± he says immediately, having heard our conversation. ¡°I followed his trail from just outside my pack to here. I have Nikki making sure there aren¡¯t any other trails around our pack,¡± he says, looking around. He sniffs the air and begins following one particr scent. ¡°What is it?¡± Kayce asks him when he begins to growl low in his chest. ¡°ric¡¯s Beta, Camden, the one who wanted Nikki. His scent is here as well.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re all working together,¡± I say. Kayce frowns. ¡°I don¡¯t smell Zahn.¡± ¡°He¡¯s closer to Calvin¡¯s pack,¡± I say. ¡°Did you hear Zahn¡¯s mate woke up?¡± Robin asks. ¡°No, how did you hear that?¡± Kayce asks him. ¡°Nikki has friends all over. We¡¯re using her connections to keep in touch as best we can with what¡¯s happening in those packs.¡± 16.57% Chapter 103 Scout Trails 1288 Vouchers ¡°I was hoping Zahn woulde around,¡± Kayce says as we hear two more sets of paws pounding against the earth. We all turn to see Carter and Duttoning up the side of the mountain. Dutton¡¯s wolf, Orion, is snarling before he even gets to us. When they shift, I can see him seething. ¡°ric has been scoping our packs,¡± he growls. ¡°With Aiden¡¯s assistance,¡± Carter says, leaning over and gasping for air. ¡°You okay there, Carter?¡± I ask him. ¡°I¡¯m not as young as you three, give me a minute,¡± he says, panting. ¡°So, Aiden and ric are working together,¡± Robin says, focusing on Dutton. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dutton asks. ¡°His Beta¡¯s scent is up here. I recognize it from when he was at Hunter¡¯s pack, looking for my mate,¡± he snarls. ¡°And Aiden wants my mates, but he¡¯s not going to get them,¡± Dutton snarls. ¡°Well, thank goodness no one wants my mate, but they do seem to want my pack,¡± Carter says standing. He¡¯s showing his age. If he¡¯d had a son, he would have retired by now. Instead, he¡¯s still running a pack with no end in sight. I realize that I need to talk to Calvin. We need to find a way toThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. make sure that Carter¡¯s pack. stays strong until onfe of our pups can take it over. I should get Sophie and Amelia involved in that conversation as well. 11 12 288 Vouchers ¡°So, they¡¯reing after all of us?¡± Kayce asks, looking around. ¡°It looks like it, but the question is, will they all attack at the same time, or will they wait. We may have to rethink sending warriors to each other¡¯s packs for the time being. I don¡¯t want to say that we¡¯re on our own, but if Joshua attacks me and the two of you send warriors to assist, it leaves you open to Aiden and ric attacking your packs,¡± I say to Kayce and Carter. ¡°If that were the case, then my pack would support Kayce, as I¡¯ m sure that Dutton¡¯s would support Carter¡¯s,¡± Robin says, and Dutton nods. ¡°Your pack is the most at risk, Hunter. You have separation on both sides, gaps between your pack and Kayce¡¯s on one side and yours and Carter¡¯s on the other.¡± ¡°Yes. I still think you¡¯re the most at risk,¡± Carter says. ¡°Well, me and Ezra right now. He¡¯s got a small contingent of warriors in Owen¡¯s old pack. If they attack there, it would be easy to overpower them and could weaken his pack. His Beta is strong, but not strong enough to go against a full contingent of warriors,¡± I say. ¡°And while he¡¯s in your pack, it¡¯s not his Beta that¡¯s leading Owen¡¯s old pack, right? It¡¯s his G**a?¡± Robin asks. I look at him. ¡°Does Nikki have friends in that pack as well?¡± I ask. He smiles. ¡°My mate is a wealth of information. Your mate is the legend, my mate is the information hotline.¡± ¡°So, what do we want to do here?¡± Dutton asks, looking around. ¡°We could ambush the scouts, kill them off, dy the attacks,¡± 75% 1912 Churid 103 Scout Trac Kayce says. ¡°They may already have what they need,¡± Carter says. ¡°By their scents and the scent trails, I¡¯d say they¡¯ve been scouting for at least a week, probably since thest Committee meeting.¡± ¡°Joshua definitely has. Margot rejected him as soon as she got to our packnds. I¡¯m guessing he sent warriors out right away. to find her while he took over Elias¡¯ pack, but if she¡¯s any indication, he¡¯s close to being back to full strength, and he has the warriors from two packs now,¡± I tell them. ¡°Carter¡¯s right then, Hunter. Your pack is most at risk. Joshua isn¡¯t going to loan out his warriors to others until he has Margot back. I know if it were one of my mates, I¡¯d do the same, but for much different reasons. He wants to possess and probably punish her for rejecting him,¡± Dutton says. ¡°We need to be careful. I don¡¯t want any of you losing warriors because you helped me and your packs were attacked at the same time,¡± I say. ¡°Then let¡¯se up with a n. If Kayce and Carter send warriors to your packs, Dutton and I will send warriors to theirs, to help support their packs while they¡¯re helping you. Our packs are close enough that they¡¯d be s** to try and hit both our packs at the same time, but if they did, we¡¯d either corral them in the middle of our packs and surround them, or we¡¯d divide their pack warriors, weakening them as we stood back-to-back and fought them off,¡± Robin says. ¡°That would definitely work,¡± Dutton says as we hear two more pairs of paws, heading our way. I lift my nose in the air as Kayce and Dutton howl a challenge. ||| 1112 ¡°It¡¯s Ezra and Margot,¡± I say as Ezra¡¯s wolf, Thorin, howls a response. 11 288 Wouchers When they run up, Ezra shifts quickly. When he sees that Margot is also going to shift, he pulls a bag around his body, throwing her a shirt. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve all been nning, but I think Joshua and-whoever he¡¯s working with are nning to take out my warriors in Owen¡¯s pack and use it as their home base while they attack your packs,¡± he says with no preamble. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Robin asks him. He points to the ground that is heavily scented with scout trails. ¡°Because this scent is nothingChapter 150: Jocelyn¡¯s Arrival Sophie Several hourster, we get the announcement that Alpha Zahn and Luna Jocelyn have arrived on our packnds. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± I say to Nikki and Allison. We head to the front door to greet them, meeting up with our mates, Kinsley, and Lucas as we go. Hunter and I stand up front. He takes my hand as I feel the nerves starting again. The others stand behind us, providing a unified front. I¡¯m not sure who the unified front is for, Zahn or Jocelyn. When they pull up, I see Jocelyn in the front seat. Her eyes assess the group of us that havee out to wee them. Alpha Zahn gets out of the car first. ¡°Alpha Hunter, Luna Sophie,¡± he greets before walking around the car. ¡°Alpha Zahn, wee to our pack,¡± Hunter says as Jocelyn opens the door on her side. When Zahn extends a hand to help her, she snarls at him. His teeth snap shut, and his lips press tightly together as he steps back lowering his hand. I was right about Jocelyn. I¡¯m not sure why she felt the need to stand up out of the car, especially without assistance, but she¡¯s very unsteady on her feet, her body obviously misshapen even under the blousy dress she¡¯s wearing. ¡°Luna Jocelyn, wee to our pack,¡± I say, hoping to start things on a positive note. Instead of responding, she looks me over, her eyes lingering on my protruding stomach, her lip curling in disgust. ¡°Some legend you are,¡± she finally growls, disappointment and disgust obvious in her tone. Hunter snarls at her, stepping in front of me. ¡°Listen up, Jocelyn,¡± he growls, intentionally being disrespectful by not using her title. I grab his arm to keep him from going to get in her face. I can feel the heat of his anger flowing through our bond: ¡°You are ONLY here because my mate wants you here. I would have told both of you to shove it and figure out your mate bond on your own. You¡¯re not my problem and you obviously don¡¯t want my help. But I will not allow you toe into my pack and disrespect my mate. You know nothing about her. Whatever anger you have towards your mate, or the Moon Goddess, or anyone else, will NOT be directed at my mate. If you cannot abide by that rule, you can leave now.¡± ¡°Hunter, no!¡± I plead, looking at him. ¡°I will not allow anyone to disrespect you in our pack, Sophie. This is your home, and she will respect that and you, or I will personally escort you off my packnds, and leave you in the forest for the predators,¡± he says, turning back to Jocelyn. ¡°You dare stand there and pass judgement on my mate, at woman who is the most kind, generous, and loving woman I¡¯ve ever met? How dare you? Who the fuck do you think you are? There is not one person in this pack who wouldn¡¯ty down their life for their Luna. They love and respect her that much. I very much doubt that you can say the same,¡± he snarls at her. ¡°And they aren¡¯t the only ones,¡± Nikki says behind me. ¡°We, her friends, wouldy down our lives for her too. And we know that she would do the same for us. Whatever you have been through, you have no right to put that on Sophie. You don¡¯t know her at all. Save your judgement until you do. And know that her only goal is to help you. Whether or not you ept that help is up to you.¡± We all stand quietly, waiting to see what Jocelyn will decide. She stares at me, taking in what Hunter and Nikki said. I¡¯m not sure which surprised her more, Hunter¡¯s protectiveness towards me, or Nikki¡¯s support of me. ¡°You can¡¯t help me,¡± she says quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t if you won¡¯t at least let me try.¡± ¡°Alpha Hunter, my apologies for offending your mate,¡± she says, turning to Hunter. His posture rxes as he stands, moving out from the protective crouch he was in. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, apologize to my mate,¡± he snaps. I watch the surprise sh across her face before she turns to me. ¡°My apologies, Luna Sophie. I will reserve my judgement of you until I get to know you,¡± she says, nodding to Nikki in acknowledgement of her request. ¡°Thank you. Now, I thought we could start at our pack hospital. I don¡¯t know what kind of doctors you have in your pack, but we have Dr. Caspian here. He¡¯s excellent and I¡¯ve asked him to run a full work up on you to see if there is anything that can be done for your injuries,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m¡­.I¡¯m not sure I can walk that far.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Zahn says, making her snarl and snap at him. I guess her change of attitude doesn¡¯t include him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°If you would allow it, I could have a warrior carry you, or I can get a wheelchair for you, your choice,¡± I say to her. ¡°Wheelchair, please.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°I¡¯m Beta Kinsley, by the way. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Luna. If you need anything at all while you¡¯re here, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Beta.¡± We do introductions and by the time we¡¯re done, Kinsley has returned with the wheelchair. We get Jocelyn in the chair, and I take the handles. ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡± Zahn insists, and I see Jocelyn¡¯s lips press tightly together. ¡°That is up to Luna Jocelyn, Alpha Zahn,¡± I say to him. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? You¡¯re taking my mate for medical treatment and not allowing me toe?¡± he asks. ¡°It¡¯s not my choice, it¡¯s hers,¡± I say again. Jocelyn looks at me and then at Zahn. ¡°No,¡± she says. He snarls. ¡°Alpha Zahn!¡± Hunter snaps. ¡°You agreed to this before you arrived. My mate was very clear that you may not like her ways, but that you would follow them while you were here. That has not changed. Her pack, her rules. I watch Zahn clench his fists before turning and stomping away. As I begin to push Jocelyn toward the pack hospital, Nikki, Allison, and Kinsley all fall into step around us. ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to let me decide how much time I want to spend with him?¡± Jocelyn asks ¡°Yes. We have multiple options for sleeping arrangements. The choice will be yours. I can go over them once you¡¯ve seen Dr. Caspian,¡± Kinsley says. Jocelyn turns and looks up at me, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend any time with him.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t think you would,¡± I say, her frown deepening as she turns back, staying silent the rest of the way to the hospital. Chapter 151 Chapter 151: Unexpected Jocelyn I¡¯m so angry. So very angry that my life is what it is. Why couldn¡¯ t I just die? Why is the Moon Goddess punishing me? What did I do that was so bad in my life that I deserved this? Zahn didn¡¯t give me a choice about going to this pack. Like I want everyone in the world to see how broken I am, how ipetent I am that even throwing myself off a cliff to get away from this man didn¡¯t work. And yet, here I am. When we arrive, I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m a bit surprised to see that it¡¯s not just the one Alpha and Luna, but several. And unlike most ranked couples that I¡¯ve seen, none of these women seem fearful of their mates. I was disappointed when I found out the legend, Sophie Meyers, the woman whose name I yelled when I jumped off the cliff, had been imed by a mate. She¡¯d been on the run for so long, had basically disappeared, that she¡¯d almost be a martyr to those of us who were still on the run. I know I thought she was dead. But she had had the guts to do what the rest of us hadn¡¯t. She¡¯d run and taken the chance of living on her own. And the Alphas were never able to find her. Until Alpha Hunter did, apparently. And she doesn¡¯t even seem upset about it. If anything, she seems¡­happy. She¡¯s not trying to hide the baby bump she¡¯s sporting. Her Beta has one too, and so does one of the other Lunas. Her Alpha surprised, me even more though. The vehemence of his response to me, his quick need to protect his mate, was beyond that of protecting his pup. I didn¡¯t do anything to make him think I would hurt his pup. Hell, I didn¡¯t do anything to make him think I¡¯d hurt his Luna, and yet he dressed me down, basically threatened to leave me to die in the woods, just for sneering at her. And she had been the one to ask him to let my attitude go. Even after I showed my obvious disgust in her, she still tried to get him to let her help me. And that other Luna, an Alpha wolf if my weakened senses are correct, stood by her, strongly speaking out for Luna Sophie, and her mate hadn¡¯t said anything about it. These people are f***g nuts. But I was happy that they gave me the choice of not having Zahn with me. The man won¡¯t give me a moment to breathe. He¡¯ s constantly in my space, in my face, trying to convince me that he¡¯s sorry for what he did. F**k off, I say, and apparently, little Sophie Meyers agrees. I feel a bit smug that Zahn agreed to follow her rules thinking he wouldn¡¯t have to, and now, her Alpha, Alpha Hunter, is insisting that he do it. Yet another f**ing shock. Alpha Hunter stood up for his Luna to me and to Zahn. He said that SHE gets to make the decisions. I don¡¯t believe it. There¡¯s no way that any Alpha would defer to his Luna for anything. But I¡¯ll do what I said I would do, what that Alpha female, Nikki, said I should do. I¡¯ll reserve my judgement for now, especially if it gives me some space from Zahn. When my entourage wheels me into the pack hospital, there¡¯s a young woman and a man waiting for me. The woman is obviously an omega, and she¡¯s wearing a mate mark. I can¡¯t be sure, but I think that the doctor is her mate. ¡°Dr. Caspian, Brooklyn, this is Luna Jocelyn,¡± Luna Sophie says. ¡°Just Jocelyn,¡± I say on instinct. I don¡¯t want to be known at Zahn¡¯s anything, least of all his mate and Luna.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Jocelyn, I¡¯m Dr. Caspian and this is Brooklyn. We¡¯d like to run some tests on you, see how you¡¯re healing after your ordeal¡­¡± ¡°My ordeal? You mean my failed attempt to kill myself?¡± I snap. I hear a low growl behind me and turn to see Luna Sophie watching me. ¡°My pack members are willing to help you, they will do whatever they can, and they will be respectful to you while they do so. I expect you to be just as respectful to them.¡± It¡¯s a gentle correction, but a serious one. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luna. I imagine that anyone who tries to take their own life has a lot of anger and hurt inside them. As Luna Sophie if you said, we¡¯ll do our best to help you in any way we can, agree. Everything we offer is your choice. Here, you make the decisions,¡± the doctor says. ¡°I doubt that. Sounds like Luna Sophie wants me to get seen,¡± I say, looking at her. I¡¯ve be ustomed to people doing whatever they want with me because I can¡¯t exactly stop them. ¡°No. It¡¯s your choice. If you don¡¯t want to be here, we¡¯ll turn around and go get you settled into a room. Kinsley has your options ready to discuss, if that¡¯s your choice.¡± I frown, surprised yet again, before looking back at the doctor and Brooklyn. ¡°What can you do for me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know until we run some tests on you, things like xrays, blood work, and maybe other tests depending on what you tell us in your initial examination. But I can assure you that we¡¯ll talk to you about everything that we would like to do before we do it, get your agreement and discuss your results with you before developing a n of action.¡± I look up at Sophie and nod. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll pass her off to you two. Link me when she¡¯s ready if I¡¯m not here,¡± Sophie says. The young woman, Brooklyn,es to push the wheelchair. ¡°Luna Sophie,¡± I call as she turns away. ¡°Yes, Luna Jocelyn.¡± I wish she wouldn¡¯t insist on calling me that. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here so we can try to help you. That¡¯s all I want for you, Jocelyn. I hope you¡¯ll let me and my pack do what we can for you.¡± I nod again and Brooklyn wheels me into a room as Dr. Caspian holds the door open for us. Chapter 152 Chapter 152: Meeting Brooklyn Jocelyn ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you and Brooklyn alone so that she can help you put on a hospital gown. Knowing what you¡¯ve been through, Jocelyn, I¡¯m guessing being naked in front of a man is notfortable for you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, surprised that he cares. ¡°I¡¯ll have Brooklyn ask the initial questions and then we can talk about what your options are and the tests that I¡¯d like to run. How does that sound to you?¡± ¡°That sounds fine.¡± ¡°One question before I leave, so I have an idea of what I¡¯m up against. Is your wolf still present?¡± he asks me. It¡¯s one of the reasons I jumped off the cliff. My wolf, Cassidy, had gone silent after Zahn forced his mark on me. He¡¯s not our fated mate, and she hadn¡¯t wanted to submit to him. ¡°No.¡± He nods, handing Brooklyn a clipboard and kissing the side of her head before walking to the door. Well, I guess I was right about the mate part. ¡°That will make your healing more difficult and slower, but not impossible,¡± he says to me, before leaving and closing the door. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get you changed,¡± Brooklyn says, and she helps me to stand before helping me to get undressed. I don¡¯t look at her. I don¡¯t want to see her face when she looks at my distorted body. ¡°Your wolf could stille back,¡± she says. She¡¯s obviously a sweet girl, soft spoken, but she has no idea what I¡¯ve been through. ¡°I doubt that. She went silent when I was marked and mated.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t return. Sometimes it takes time and healing on the human side,¡± she says. ¡°No offense, Brooklyn, but you¡¯re an omega. What could you possibly know about a ranked member losing their wolf in a public iming?¡± I ask her. I keep my voice soft, not because of Sophie¡¯s warning, but because the girl is obviously sweet and innocent. The Beta in me wants to protect her. She pulls back and frowns at me. ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am? What happened to me?¡± I have no idea who she is or what happened to her, and I tell her So. She huffs out augh. ¡°I thought that would be better, meeting someone that didn¡¯t know me or what happened to me. Now, I realize that for you to understand, I have to exin what happened.¡± ¡°Should I know you?¡± I ask her. ¡°Maybe not. You were unconscious when it happened, I believe, and then you¡¯ve been recovering in your pack, so word may not have spread to you.¡± She stops what she¡¯s doing and looks away, as if remembering whatever happened to her. Her lips press tightly together, going white, before she begins. ¡°Alpha Owen decided he wanted me as his mate, but he said that since he was a ranked member that it had to be public. On my 18th birthday, he pulled me on to the stage, mating me in front of the entire pack. When he marked me, he threw me aside and said I wasn¡¯t strong enough to be his Luna. Then he left my torn and bloodied body on the stage to die. My mother,¡± she chuckles. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how she did it, but she carried me back here all by herself. Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie epted us back, kept us safe, and refused to allow my father onto the packnds. I received treatment and began healing. I lost my wolf that day, so yes, I understand exactly what happened to you.¡± ¡°Has your wolf returned?¡± I ask her, shocked at what happened to her. It¡¯s horrific. ¡°She has. Finding Cas, Dr. Caspian, had a lot to do with that. He¡¯ s our fated mate. And he¡¯s so perfect.¡± ¡°You let him mark you?¡± I ask, as she helps me onto the bed. ¡°Yes. He was so patient with me, took his time and let me be the one to decide when I was ready. And now, I¡¯m so happy. Your story may not end the same, but just because something terrible happened to you, Jocelyn, it doesn¡¯t mean that it has to define who you are. You can change the story of your life, the direction your life will take. Here, in this pack, you¡¯ll be given that opportunity, if you choose to take it.¡± ¡°So, Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie are the real deal?¡± I ask her. ¡°Do you not know their story?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a true love story. I adore their story. Everyone does.¡± As she gets me settled into the bed, she tells me about Alpha Hunter iming his Luna privately and bringing her home to the pack. She exins how he gave everyone twenty-four hours to decide if they were willing to live with a Luna who had been imed privately and if not, they could leave. After that, if they challenged her, they would be killed. ¡°That¡¯s why I ended up leaving the pack. My father was friends with our old G**a and believed in the old ways. He didn¡¯t even try to protect me when Alpha Owen imed me. He even held my mother back, not letting here to me.¡± ¡°Where is your father now?¡± I ask. She looks me in the eye and there¡¯s a strength there that I didn¡¯t notice before. ¡°Dead. I killed him.¡± That shocks me.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°And Alpha Owen?¡± ¡°Also dead. Alpha Hunter brought him back from the council meeting after Luna Margot knocked him out for attacking Luna Sophie. He wanted Luna Sophie. Longer story about how he almost caught and imed our Luna when she was on the run, but suffice it to say, he wanted her. Rather than killing Owen, he gave me the option to do it.¡± ¡°And did you?¡± ¡°No, but my mother did,¡± she says, smiling. ¡°Your mother, who I¡¯m assuming is also an omega, killed an Alpha?¡± I asked shocked. Even if the Alpha was being held, most omegas wouldn¡¯t have the strength to behead an Alpha, especially an omega who lost their mate. ¡°Well, she and her second chance mate did. She ripped out his throat and Brutus severed his head from his body.¡± ¡°Your mother found her second chance mate? What is with this pack? Does everyone find their mate here?¡± ¡°This pack is special. After you¡¯ve been here for a while, you¡¯ll feel it. It¡¯s impossible not to. At first, you won¡¯t believe it, you¡¯ll think it¡¯s fake. Everyone whoes here seeking sanctuary does. But over time, you realize that it¡¯s not just our Alpha and Luna, not just our Betas, it¡¯s everyone, it¡¯s everywhere you look. There is so much love, so much camaraderie in this pack. It¡¯s a wonderful ce to live. Our Alpha and Luna have created something very beautiful here.¡± I settle back in the bed as Brooklyn begins asking me questions about my injuries and what treatment I¡¯ve already received. While we talk, I think about what she¡¯s said. She has no reason to lie and based on my experience in Zahn¡¯s pack, the hospital nurses are the ones who know everything that is going on in the pack. So, if this woman, who has arguably been through more trauma than I have, has healed and is doing so well, perhaps, over time, I can heal too. Chapter 153 Chapter 153: Zahn¡¯s Hostility Hunter I watch as Zahn gets himself under control while Sophie, Nikki, Allison, and Kinsley walk away with Jocelyn. He turns and res at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were serious about letting her keep me from my mate.¡± ¡°You asked for our help. You¡¯re getting it. Not only was I serious about letting Sophie do this her way, but I was also serious. about keeping you under 24-hour surveince,¡± I say as Brutus and William, anotherrge warrior, walk up. ¡°Sophie is in charge of your mate now. She gets to say if and when you see Jocelyn. Since it doesn¡¯t look like Jocelyn wants to see you, I¡¯d suggest that you get settled in. I hope you brought yourputer with you so you can get some work done.¡± ¡°How is she supposed to fix my mate bond if we aren¡¯t together?¡± he growls. ¡°Neither of us ever said we were going to fix your mate bond, Alpha Zahn. We said we would try to help you and right now, the person who needs help, is Jocelyn. If you don¡¯t like it, you¡¯re wee to leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without my mate,¡± he growls, ¡°Then I guess you¡¯d better get settled in like Hunter suggested,¡± Kayce says. ¡°What are you two doing here anyway?¡± he growls at them. ¡°Visiting friends. You should try it sometime, if you have any, that is,¡± Robin says, taunting him. ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight, Alpha Zahn. I don¡¯t trust you. I don¡¯t trust your motives for being here. But my mate wants to try and help yours, so you¡¯re here. That can change at any time. If you truly want to help your mate, which is what you said you wanted, then I suggest you let Sophie work her magic. That doesn¡¯t mean that Jocelyn will ever ept you as her mate, but it does mean that your mate will heal, physically and mentally. What happens after that is still unknown,¡± I say, standing my ground against Zahn. I guess he really had no idea how much Sophie¡¯s decisions matter in this pack. Obviously, he¡¯s not given Jocelyn any ability to make her own decisions while she¡¯s been with him. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying to keep my mate from me. I came here in good faith, for your assistance. Not so you could steal my mate.¡± ¡°I have a mate. I don¡¯t need yours,¡± I say. ¡°And let¡¯s be honest, Alpha Zahn, it¡¯s not like Luna Jocelyn is exactly trying to stay with you. You need Hunter¡¯s help because your ways aren¡¯t working. Why don¡¯t you try epting his way, Sophie¡¯s way, before you started acting all high and mighty about your first fifteen minutes in this pack. We all saw your mate¡¯s disdain for you. If you¡¯d have bothered to pay attention, you would have realized that you didn¡¯t see any of that from our mates,¡± Lucas says. ¡°Our mates are here to visit with their friends, but they also came to help your mate, Alpha Zahn. You have three incredible Lunas and a Beta willing to give their time to work with your mate, who obviously still has a lot of trauma. Do yourself and your mate a favor, sit back, rx, and let our mates help yours,¡± Kayce adds. I watch as Alpha Zahn heaves in air, trying to gain control of his anger. When his fists finally unclench, I know he¡¯s at least somewhat in control. ¡°Fine. Show me to my room, please.¡± He turns and goes to the car, pulling bags out of the trunk. I go to help him, grabbing several bags, crutches, and a cane. When we get into the packhouse, I stop. ¡°You can leave Luna Jocelyn¡¯s things here by the door. I¡¯m not sure where she¡¯s staying yet.¡± ¡°She¡¯s staying with me,¡± he growls, his fists clenching again. ¡°That¡¯s up to her, not you,¡± I tell him. ¡°I believe my mate hase up with several options for Luna Jocelyn, one of which is to share a room with you. But as Alpha Hunter says, it will be up to your mate to decide,¡± Lucas says. < ¡°Perhaps you give your mates too much authority,¡± he snaps. ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t give yours enough,¡± I snap back. ¡°A woman should have no authority to make decisions¡­¡± ¡°Tell that to Alpha Amelia. She¡¯s taken over her father¡¯s pack. Did you hear?¡± Robin asks, still taunting. ¡°And did you hear that she and her allies defeated and killed Alpha ric for killing her parents?¡± Kayce adds, leaving out the part about me being one of her allies.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. I watch Zahn¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. ¡°A woman Alpha? Who would ever ally themselves with a she-wolf?¡± ¡°I would,¡± all three of us say at once. ¡°As a matter of fact, I had nned to contact Alpha Amelia while I was here to see if it would be possible for me and my mate to sign an alliance agreement with her,¡± Robin says, smiling an unpleasant smile. He¡¯s enjoying provoking Zahn. I have to admit, the man is a disgrace to Alphas. ¡°You AND your mate?¡± Zahn sneers. ¡°What kind of Alpha are you?¡± ¡°The kind that loves and respects his mate, who is also an Alpha female and who, I¡¯d wager, could kick your a*** in a fight if she wasn¡¯t carrying my pup,¡± Robin says, stepping forward. Kayce puts a hand on his chest. ¡°Perhaps you should go to your room, Alpha Zahn. We¡¯ve given you a lot to think about,¡± I say, trying to diffuse a fight. I¡¯m not opposed to beating the s**t out of Zahn, but I¡¯d rather it wasn¡¯t within minutes of his arrival. I really do want to give him a chance to see the changes that I know will happen in Jocelyn. Maybe if he sees it firsthand, he¡¯ll realize that the old ways, his ways, are wrong. Zahn turns to head toward the side of the house for ranked members. ¡°Alpha Zahn, I¡¯ve put you on the warrior¡¯s side of the packhouse,¡± I say. He stops and turns to re at me. ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°First, I don¡¯t trust you around my mate, my Beta¡¯s mate, or my G**a. Second, your mate will be given the option to stay on the Alpha floor. If she agrees to be ced in a room with you, then we¡¯ll consider moving you to a morefortable location,¡± I say with no apology. ¡°Your Ga**a?¡± he asks. I smile, holding myself back from taunting him like Robin has been. ¡°I promoted a female to my Ga**a position. Her mate is the son of a Lead Warrior and once shees of age and they mate, I know they¡¯ll be a powerful G**a couple.¡± I don¡¯t mention anything about their possible promotions because Zahn knows nothing of us nning to take over the other packs. He scoffs. ¡°A woman AND a pup? I thought you were supposed to be some strong, powerful Alpha. Sounds to me like you¡¯re weakening your pack every day. No wonder Joshua attacked you.¡± I step up, getting in his face. ¡°Joshua is dead. Anyone whoes for me or my pack, will end up with the same fate. You may think that my ways are weakening this pack, but pay attention, look around you. My pack is happy, strong, and unified. Every member of this pack would die for another. Every one of them wouldy down their lives for me and for Sophie. And just like I told Jocelyn, I very much doubt that you can say the same.¡± I hold his gaze until he looks away. ¡°Where is my room?¡± ¡°This way, Alpha,¡± Brutus says, stepping up and gesturing towards the warrior¡¯s side of the packhouse. Kayce and Robine to stand on either side of me as Zahn is lead away. ¡°You sure this is a good idea?¡± Kayce asks me. ¡°No. But I¡¯m taking precautions.¡± ¡°Maybe Jocelyn will decide she wants to leave, and you can boot them both off your packnds,¡± Robin says. ¡°I could only be so lucky.¡± We¡¯ve just turned around to head to my office when our matese through the front of the packhouse. ¡°How did it go?¡± I ask Sophie, opening my arms for her. She walks in without hesitation, and I wrap my arms around her. ¡°She¡¯s not going to make it easy.¡± ¡°If it was easy, she wouldn¡¯t need you,¡± I tell her, holding her as I go through her mind, feeling her worry that she won¡¯t be able to help Jocelyn. ¡®You can only do so much, Soph. She has to be willing to help herself too,¡¯ I say in the mind link. ¡®I know,¡¯ she replies, but it doesn¡¯t ease her worry. Not even a little. Chapter 154 Chapter 154: Choices Zahn I¡¯m furious. I¡¯ve never, ever known an Alpha who defers to his mate. For anything. I thought for sure that Hunter was just letting Sophie feel like she was in control of the situation. However, I was sorely mistaken. How dare they think they can keep me from my mate. She¡¯s MY mate! Adding insult to injury, I wasn¡¯t even given a guestroom fitting my station as an Alpha? And they are giving Jocelyn the choice to see me or not? No f**king way. I¡¯ll never see her again! ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s what she¡¯s hoping for,¡¯ Kortan, my wolf, says in my head. ¡®Can¡¯t you do something?¡¯ I ask him, not for the first time. ¡®What is it you want me to do? She hates both of us. Even Cassidy hates us. She wanted her mate. We weren¡¯t her fated mates. I don¡¯t know that she¡¯ll ever forgive us.¡¯ ¡®We need a Luna,¡¯ I grumble. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s your problem,¡¯ he says. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ ¡®You want a Luna. You don¡¯t care if it¡¯s Jocelyn or not. She does.¡¯ ¡®We need an heir, Kortan.¡¯ ¡°Short of raping her, Zahn, we¡¯re not getting one. Maybe we should ept her rejection and let her go,¡¯ he says sadly. Not for the first time, I think back to my mate, my fated mate, Caralyn. Why did she have to kill herself? Kortan whines in my head. I loved that woman, loved her with everything in me. But she never returned that love, never trusted me to be a good mate to her. I can feel Kortan questioning the iming process again. The public imings. They were standard, everyone did them, it was thew. But my mate wasn¡¯t the only one to kill herself after being imed. Alpha Ezra¡¯s mate had killed herself too. And there were others, others who lost their mates and either went into istion or began hunting for a new mate, like I did. ¡®We should have waited for our second chance mate,¡¯ Kortan says. This is an old argument; one we¡¯ve had many times. ¡®We didn¡¯t and now we have a mate. We need her to ept us.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps the problem isn¡¯t hers as much as it is yours,¡¯ Kortan says dryly. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ ¡®Perhaps rather than expecting her to ept us as we are, we need to consider changing our ways.¡¯ ¡®Why would we do that?¡¯ I ask. I get an image of the three Lunas, standing next to their mates when we arrived. All of them had been touching their mates in one way or another. The women hadn¡¯t flinched away or snarled at them. And I¡¯m pretty sure that all three of them were pregnant. They had seemed¡­happy. I can feel Kortan¡¯s desire to make his mate happy. We care about Jocelyn. Not like we did for Caralyn, but I don¡¯t want her to die. She¡¯s a Beta, she¡¯d be a good Luna, but I¡¯ll admit my own sh of jealousy at how the three women interacted with their mates. I want that. I want my mate to seek me out, to seek out my affection, my touch. I wish I¡¯d had it with Caralyn, but now, I need to figure out how to get it with Jocelyn. ¡®Then we should do what the other Alphas suggested. We may not like their ways, we may not agree with them, but they have what we want. I think we need to see how it is that they achieved that,¡¯ Kortan says. Iy down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Kortan is right. I don¡¯t agree with their ways, but I can¡¯t disagree that they have what I want. They have Lunas who obviously love them, and they have their pups in their mates¡¯ bellies. All of these Alphas will have heirs long before I do, possibly before my mate even allows me to touch her. Jocelyn POV ¡°Well, Jocelyn. I have good news and bad news,¡± Dr. Caspian says. ¡°Good news first.¡± ¡°Your blood work looks good. You¡¯re healthy, although I¡¯m going to rmend some vitamins for some deficiencies you have. You don¡¯t have any lingering infections, although it seems that you had some at one point, is that correct?¡± ¡°I think so. I was unconscious for a long time.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Now for the bad news,¡± he says and puts up several x-ray images. ¡°Whoever set your bones either didn¡¯t know what they were doing, or they were overwhelmed with therge number of bones that were broken. Without your wolf, it would have been up to the doctor to set the bones properly and in a lot of instances, that didn¡¯t happen,¡± he says. ¡°Is that why I can¡¯t walk, and I still have pain all the time?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way to remove the scarring. When your wolf returns, because I think she will, she can heal the worst of it, but you¡¯ll always have scars from your¡­ incident.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Let¡¯s call it what it is, doctor. I tried to kill myself. It was a suicide attempt.¡± ¡°Right,¡± he says. ¡°So, what I can do, if you agree, is to sedate you and begin to slowly rebreak and reset your bones. I say slowly because without your wolf, the healing process will be long and slow. You¡¯ll have to heal at a human pace and for the bones to set, it will take a couple of months. I would do it in phases, left leg, right leg, left arm, right arm, and in that way, I can immobilize one part of your body, and you can heal before we move to the next.¡± ¡°Months?¡± I ask, having attached to the biggest concern of everything he said. ¡°Until your wolf returns, yes. Now, my understanding is that you have the option to remain here as long as you¡¯d like. If you decide to stay, I¡¯d guess that your wolf will return more quickly.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I ask him. He shrugs. ¡°This pack is special.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what your mate said.¡± I watch as a huge smile spreads across his face. ¡°Brooklyn would know.¡± I look back at the x-rays. You don¡¯t have to be a doctor to see what a mess my body is. ¡°When could we start?¡± I ask. If there¡¯s an option to get my body back to something closer to normal, I want to do it. ¡°If you agree, we could start tomorrow. You can choose which leg, but based on your injuries, it looks like younded on your right side. There¡¯s more damage there,¡± he says, drawing a line with his finger from the hip bone to the toes. ¡°I would suggest starting there.¡± ¡°What about my ribs,¡± I ask. Breathing is still painful, and any twisting is limited. ¡°We could start there, if you choose to, but that recovery will be more difficult. My suggestion would be to wait and see if your wolf returns. A three-day recovery is a lot easier than a two- month recovery if I have to rebreak your ribcage.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll get everything prepared. I¡¯ll let Luna Sophie know that you¡¯ll be here for a couple of days,¡± he stops, focusing on me. ¡°I understand you may not want to see your mate. If that¡¯s the case, you may want to speak with Luna Sophie about having guards ced on you. In my experience, Alphas don¡¯t appreciate being told what they can¡¯t do and if you¡¯re his mate and you¡¯re in pain, he¡¯ll feel that, and his natural instinct will be toe here to protect you.¡± I scoff at that. ¡°Protect me. Yeah, that¡¯s what he¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°No matter the rtionship between the two of you, you wear his mark. He¡¯ll feel some level of protectiveness over you.¡± I doubt that, but I don¡¯t say anything. I have to admit that this doctor seems to know what he¡¯s talking about. I hope he¡¯s right and can heal me. ¡°Now, there is one thing you should know. I am leaving soon to go to Alpha Dutton and Alpha Amelia¡¯s packs. Alpha Amelia is due to have her pup in a few weeks and my understanding is that they don¡¯t have a good obstetrician there. Therefore, I¡¯ll be gone for a few weeks until she delivers. I will leave you in the care of Dr. Felicity here, but mostly that will be for any type of emergency. I won¡¯t leave until I¡¯ve released you from the hospital and when I return, I¡¯ll resume your care and treatment.¡± ¡°Alpha Amelia?¡± He smiles. ¡°Yes. She took over her father¡¯s pack after¡­well, Alpha ric killed her father, and her mother followed him to the Moon Goddess¡¯ realm.¡± ¡°A female Alpha?¡± I ask, shocked. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that anyone is supporting her.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be wrong. Alpha Hunter and Alpha Dutton both signed alliance agreements with her and both attacked Alpha ric with her.¡± I frown. ¡°They agreed to go to war with a female Alpha who is pregnant? What did her mate say?¡± I don¡¯t usually gossip, but truly, this is unheard of. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I wasn¡¯t there,¡± Dr. Caspian says, but I get the impression that he does know, he¡¯s just not willing to say. I like him more because of that. There¡¯s a knock at the door. ¡°Come in, Brooklyn,¡± Dr. Caspian says, smiling as his focus moves to his mate. ¡°Jocelyn, Luna Sophie is here.¡± Dr. Caspian looks at me. ¡°She needs to know what our n is. Are youfortable talking to her about that or would you rather I do it privately?¡± I shrug. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Sophie walks in tentatively, a small smile on her face, ncing at Dr. Caspian before looking at me. ¡°So? Good news I hope?¡± I nod at my x-rays that are still on the wall. She turns and sucks in air at what she sees. ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m humpty-dumpty after he had his great fall. But Dr. Caspian says he¡¯s going to bring all the king¡¯s horses and all the king¡¯s men and try to put me back together again.¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155: Different Sophie Jocelyn¡¯s x-rays look like a child tried to make a stick person using real sticks, except there was no way to really put them together, so they just poke out at all angles, in the basic image. of a human body. I can¡¯t imagine how much pain this woman is in. No wonder she¡¯s so snarky. I would be too if I were living. with this kind of pain, especially with no wolf to help ease it. ¡°So, you have a n. Good. You¡¯refortable with moving. forward?¡± I ask, confirming that she¡¯s making the decision. I don¡¯t want her to think that she is being coerced in any way. ¡°Yeah. If it helps to alleviate even some of my pain or gives me a chance to walk with less pain, then I¡¯m willing to try,¡± she says. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll have you here first thing in the morning. For tonight, what are your thoughts about where you¡¯d like to stay? Your choices are with Alpha Zahn, in the packhouse in a separate room from Alpha Zahn, or in what my pack members call the Survivor¡¯s Center.¡± I make sure to call him Alpha Zahn, not her mate, since I know she doesn¡¯t consider him her mate. ¡°What¡¯s the survivor center?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. I exin about the surviving mates wanting to be away from the noise of the packhouse. ¡°That sounds¡­peaceful, actually. I think I¡¯d like to stay there, but I probably should tell Zahn what my n is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± I tell her, reinforcing that she¡¯s in control of her decisions. ¡°Let¡¯s do that first, and then I¡¯d like to rest.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I say, getting her wheelchair and helping her to sit. As we walk, I point in the direction of the survivor center, letting her know where she¡¯ll be staying in rtion to the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s actually closer to the pack hospital than it is to the packhouse. We didn¡¯t do that intentionally, but it¡¯s works, since our surviving mates tend to struggle with healing after losing their mates and need toe see the medical staff more often than others.¡± ¡°How did you get them to survive?¡± she asks. ¡°Brooklyn. That young woman is amazing. She realized that the pups who lost a parent and had another one lying in the hospital were struggling and she brought them in so they could be with their surviving parent, usually the mother. It helped the pups, and it seems to have pulled several mothers back into consciousness. I probably don¡¯t have to tell you that those women are struggling a lot with their loss. Don¡¯t be surprised if youe across them crying. It¡¯s still raw and hard for them. The pups too, although Kinsley and I are working to set up something where they can spend some time with Hunter and Lucas, so they still have a positive male role model in their lives and have someone toe to if they need or want to talk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°We do things differently around here,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m starting to realize that,¡± she says as we walk up to the packhouse. I take her through a side door, since I can¡¯t up the stairs in the front and then go in search of my mate. He must sense me searching for him because hees looking for me, a big smile on his face. Then he looks at Jocelyn. ¡°Luna Jocelyn, I have your bags here. Have you decided where you want to stay?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha, Luna Sophie offered me a ce at the survivor center.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have your things sent over there.¡± ¡°She wants to speak to Alpha Zahn first, Hunter,¡± I tell him. ¡°Did you want to use your office, Soph?¡± he asks me. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. It would give them some privacy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Brutus bring him down,¡± he says, leaning over to kiss me. When he pulls back, he smiles at me, stroking my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re wanting to y hide and seek with your son, aren¡¯t you?¡± I ask him, feeling his desire to touch my stomach. ¡°Yes,¡± he says, smiling back. I chuckle. ¡°After I get Jocelyn settled, I¡¯lle sit in yourp so you and our son can y.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± he growls low and possessively, making my body shiver. He kisses me again, before stepping aside. I push Jocelyn towards my office. ¡°You really do love him, don¡¯t you?¡± she asks me. ¡°With every ounce of my being,¡± I say without hesitation. ¡°He¡¯s the most incredible man I¡¯ve ever met. I know this may not make sense to you, but I¡¯m proud to be Hunter¡¯s ate.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand it, you¡¯re right, but I¡¯d have to be blind not to see the love between you two. He obviously adores you.¡± I smile. ¡°Yes, he does. Now where would you like to sit? Do you want to stay in the wheelchair or move to a chair?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the wheelchair. I don¡¯t intend to take too long. But¡­ uh, would stay with me while I tell him?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°It is. You seem determined to let me make my own decisions and I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s determined that I¡¯ll do what he wants me to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to stay. He doesn¡¯t get to make decisions for you in this pack, nor will he be allowed to bully you into doing what he wants you to do.¡± She nods, looking like she¡¯s starting to believe me about being in charge of her decisions. ¡°Where are your friends?¡± she asks. I smile. ¡°They¡¯re testing out our new G***a male. He was someone I met when I was on the run, a lone wolf. His father was a Lead Warrior and apparently a very good one. He¡¯s a natural leader and both Robin and Kayce wanted to test how good he is. Nikki and Allison never miss a chance to tease their mates or cheer them on. I think this time they¡¯ll be teasing them. Jaime really is that good.¡± ¡°Ga**a male? Isn¡¯t he just the Ga**a?¡± ¡°No. Our G*a is his mate, Penny.¡± She stares at me in astonishment. ¡°Your **a is a female?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And your sister is an Alpha?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She frowns again. ¡°Who are you people?¡± I shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just Sophie Reynolds. Hunter says I¡¯ve always been stronger than I realized. I say I¡¯m stronger because I¡¯m mated to him, and he gives me the foundation to be strong. Maybe it¡¯s both. Maybe we¡¯re an example of what a good mate bond can look like. I know that both Robin and Nikki and Kayce and Allison are striving to create something simr in their packs to what we have in ours. But Hunter stood for me, stood to make the changes that we desperately needed in our society, and because of that, our rtionship and our pack continues to strengthen.¡± ¡°Not everyone agrees with those changes,¡± she says. ¡°No, they don¡¯t, but all we can do is continue to push change forward and hopefully, in our pup¡¯s generation, things will be different.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156: Telling Zahn Sophie There¡¯s a knock at the door and I look up to see Brutus. He steps aside and Zahn rushes in, crouching in front of her. ¡°Jocelyn. Are you alright? What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn, why don¡¯t you have a seat,¡± I say, knowing that Jocelyn is already tired, and he blew into the room like a tornado. He stands and turns to me. ¡°Do you mind giving us some privacy?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been asked to stay, so I¡¯ll be staying. Why don¡¯t you have a seat, Alpha?¡± I suggest again. He growls, a low, irritated growl, beforeplying. I feel Hunter¡¯ s presence strengthen in my mind. If Zahn isn¡¯t careful, my mate wille flying through that door. I¡¯m hoping it doesn¡¯te to that. Jocelyn needs peace, not arguing and fighting. Zahn collects himself and sits, reaching out to take Jocelyn¡¯s hand. She quickly pulls it away. ¡°I just wanted to let you know what¡¯s going to be happening, Zahn. Dr. Caspian is going to do surgery on me tomorrow. Depending on if or when Cassidy returns, my recovery time will be very slow. He can¡¯t do everything at once, so, he¡¯ll be focusing on one part of my body at a time. Starting tomorrow, he¡¯s going to rebreak and reset the bones from my right hip to my right toes. Without Cassidy, it will take me two months to heal before I can have the next surgery.¡± ¡°Two months! No way, Jocelyn. You¡¯re not ing to be here, recovering, for two months! I can¡¯t be away from the pack that long,¡± he says. ¡°I understand. I will stay¡­..¡± ¡°NO!¡± he jumps to his feet, his fists clenched. ¡°I will not allow you to stay here while I return home.¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn, please have a seat,¡± I say, keeping my voice calm. ¡°You stay out of this,¡± he snarls at me and that¡¯s all it takes. One moment, he¡¯s standing in front of Jocelyn and I, snarling, and the next he¡¯s against the wall being held off his feet by the throat. Brutus and Williame in and nk the doorway. ¡°Never threaten my mate,¡± Hunter snarls in his face. ¡°Get off me,¡± Zahn snarls back. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I say to Jocelyn, knowing that my office is probably about to be destroyed. However, before I get outside the office door, Robin and Kayce step in, nodding to me as we pass. Nikki and Allison are outside and fall into step with us. ¡°Well, whatever you said sure did pi** him off,¡± Nikki says. ¡°Where are we headed?¡± ¡°The Survivor¡¯s Center,¡± I tell her, hearing something smash in my office. ¡°Do you have anything really important in there?¡± Allison asks me. ¡°No, but hopefully Hunter will get him outside pretty quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the guys will help. Your mate won¡¯t be looking too pretty for a couple of days,¡± Nikki says to Jocelyn. ¡°He¡¯s not my mate. Not by choice, anyway,¡± Jocelyn says. I see several warriors jogging to the back of the packhouse and I know that Hunter got Zahn outside. I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re going to punch it out. ¡°Are you worried about your mate?¡± Jocelyn asks, turning to look up at me. I smile as Nikki and Allison snort. ¡°No. Hunter is very strong.¡± ¡°So, is Zahn. He¡¯s an Alpha, too.¡± ¡°Trust me, he isn¡¯t as strong as Alpha Hunter. All three of our mates train every day. I didn¡¯t realize it until I was mated to Robin, but now I can see the differences in Alphas who train regrly and those who don¡¯t. Alpha Zahn doesn¡¯t train daily, does he?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. A couple times a week, maybe.¡± ¡°Trust us, it will be no contest. Hunter will win that fight. Easily,¡± Allison says. It makes me proud that my friends see what a great Alpha Hunter is. I mean, I see it in their mates, but it¡¯s nice to know that others see it in mine too. ¡°This is a nice area, Sophie. I don¡¯t remember it being like this when we were here,¡± Nikki says ¡°Did we just note over this way?¡± Allise take looking around ¡°No, when Leah and Brooklyn came back, they wanted a ce away from the packhouse, but I wanted to make sure that we could keep them as safe as possible, so we created this little walkway. Now that the others have moved out here, it gets more foot traffic and, well, since those pups need as much happiness in their lives as possible, we¡¯ve nted little flowering bushes and some stone benches for people to have some quiet space. It¡¯s why Kinsley is talking to the group about starting a garden. I think it will be a nice ce to nt not only vegetables but also some flowers and it will give them something that they can do to help but may also be therapeutic for them as well. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d appreciate your help too, Jocelyn, if you want to participate while you recover,¡± I tell her. She jerks and looks up at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about gardening.¡± Allison shrugs. ¡°You can still dig holes, get your fingers in the dirt, nt some seeds, and cover them up. Then, eventually, you can prune the nts as they grow. We have a small garden in our pack and a lot of our pack members enjoy the peacefulness of gardening. I¡¯ve been thinking of expanding it so more of the pack can participate,¡± Allison says. ¡°I love that idea. I need a garden in my pack too, Alli. Will youe visit, help me find a spot, and give me some ideas on how to get started?¡± Nikki asks her. *I¡¯d love to!¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°We may need your help while you¡¯re are too.¡± I tell her as Kinsley walks up. ¡°Good afternoon, Luna Jocelyn. We have your room ready, and some warriors already brought your things.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jocelyn says, pushing herself to stand. She carefully tums, using the wheelchair to keep herself steady. ¡°Truly, thank you. I didn¡¯t know what to expect when I got here. but you¡¯ve been nothing but kind to me. I¡¯ve been given more freedom today than I¡¯ve had in a very long time. I¡¯m not sure how FII ever be able to repay you, but I¡¯m truly thankful.¡± ¡°You can repay us by letting yourself heal. Take all the time you need, rx, regenerate, find yourself again, Jocelyn. It truly is all that we want for you, I tell her. She nods and turns back, her host, Sandy, bringing out her crutches and cane. Jocelyn takes the cane and slowly begins making her way inside. As I watch, she stops, lifting her head to the sky and taking a deep breath of air. Nikki nudges me, leaning over to whisper in my ear. ¡°Your magic touch is already working.¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157: Pack¡¯s Response Hunter No one, and I mean NO ONE, threatens my mate. I knew Robin and Kayce would back me and I should have foreseen it, but I didn¡¯t, probably because I was furious with Zahn for making any sort of aggressive move toward Sophie. But the entire pack rallied to protect her. Word spread fast that ?ahn had threatened Sophie, and it wasn¡¯t long after I got him outside and started whaling on him that nearly every member of the pack surrounded us. Robin and Kayce pulled me off of him before I could kill him. By the time they did, his face was a bloodied and bruised mess. I can¡¯t see his ribcage, but I know I heard several c**ks as I punched his ribs, breaking them. His wolf won¡¯t be healing him any time soon. I stood over him, panting with my rage. My knuckles are bl**dy, but Shaw is already healing me. He¡¯d been snarling in my head, wanting to shift and rip Zahn¡¯s throat out for snarling at Sophie. ¡°Never, ever, threaten my mate again,¡± I snarl at him, pulling away from Robin and Kayce. They let me go but stay close. Zahn sits up slowly, wiping blood from his lip as he looks around. ¡°You heard our Alpha. No one threatens our Luna,¡± a warrior says. It¡¯s only then that I see the pack surrounding us. ¡°No one hurts our Luna,¡± another warrior says. ¡°No oneys a finger on our Luna, or we will kill them,¡± another warrior growls. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch your Luna,¡± Zahn growls. Seriously, the man doesn¡¯t know when to shut up.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°But you did snarl at my mate. It was a threat, and you know it. Do it again Zahn, and I won¡¯t be the worst of your problems. You see this pack? They are here because they love their Luna. I didn¡¯t call them, they heard what you did, and they came to rip you apart. I would suggest that you think very hard about your reasons for being here and what you hope to aplish while you¡¯re here. Because if you threaten Sophie again, you won¡¯t be leaving this pack. Ever,¡± I snarl, turning to walk away. ¡°Get him out of my sight.¡± Almost as one, the pack moves forward. I don¡¯t know or care what they intend to do with Zahn. I just know that I need to check on Sophie. She¡¯d stayed out of my head during the fight, and I was d. I needed to focus on not killing Zahn, not yet anyway. He¡¯s been warned and I meant what I said. If he threatens my mate again, I¡¯ll kill him. Or maybe I¡¯ll just toss him to the pack and let them rip him to shreds. ¡°That was impressive,¡± Kayce says, falling into step beside me and looking back over his shoulder at the pack. ¡°Which part? The part where Hunter went nearly feral and almost killed Zahn or the part where the pack showed up in force?¡± Robin asks. ¡°Both. But since I understand the nearly feral part, I was referring to the pack. You really didn¡¯t call them, Hunter?¡± ¡°I did not,¡± I say, still seething. I need to find Sophie. ¡°Hey,¡± Robin says, putting his hand on my arm. It¡¯s instinctual. I¡¯ m still furious, so I whip around and snarl at him. ¡°Easy, Hunter,¡± he says, raising his hands. ¡°I¡¯m your friend. I was just going to suggest washing your hands before you go find Sophie. You don¡¯t want her worrying about you,¡± he says, and I look down at my hands that are covered in blood. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say, frowning. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯ve gone nearly feral at the thought of Camden still being out there and wanting my mate. It¡¯s not the same kind of threat, but it¡¯s a threat nheless.¡± ¡°Thank you both, for pulling me off of him. I don¡¯t want to go to war with another pack if I can help it. But if he does it again¡­¡± ¡°You have witnesses, lots of them, that he was warned,¡± Kayce says. I nod, walking into the nearly empty packhouse. ¡°Alpha, our Luna was headed to the Survivor¡¯s Center,¡± one of my omegas says to me. ¡°Thank you, Eliza. I¡¯m going to wash up and go find her.¡± ¡°She seemed okay, Alpha. Not injured at all,¡± she says, trying tofort me, but obviously worried about her Luna. I stop, and smile at her. ¡°Alpha Zahn did noty a hand on her, otherwise, he¡¯d be dead. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s okay, but after I wash up, I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± That makes her smile. ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± she says, as if I¡¯m doing her a big favor by checking on my mate. And maybe I am. Our pack obviously adores Sophie. I wash my hands while Robin and Kayce wait patiently to join me. Their mates are with mine. As I step back out, I see arge group of warriors dragging Zahn back to his room. ¡°I can walk,¡± he growls. I hear the thump of a fist punching into flesh and then the air whooshing out of Zahn¡¯s mouth. Obviously, my warriors aren¡¯t putting up with his s** anymore either. I lead Robin and Kayce down the trail that Sophie created to the Survivor Center. It¡¯s a nice, calm space and I can feel my mind starting to rx even before I see my mate and her friendsing our way. Her smile does the rest, and I feel the tight band that was squeezing my heart let go as the world fades away and all that¡¯s left is Sophie. I walk up to her, pulling her into my arms. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course I am, Hunter. You made sure of it. Are you okay?¡± she asks, wrapping her arms around me. Our son is keeping me from pressing her as tightly as I¡¯d like, but since I can fee¡¯ im moving around, I don¡¯t mind. ¡°I¡¯m better now,¡± I say, not letting her go. I bury my face in her hair and take deep breaths of her orchid scent. ¡°We need to get Sophie a magic wand,¡± Nikki says, bringing me back to reality. ¡°Yeah, with all that pixie dust she¡¯s spreading around, she needs one,¡± Allison says. I pull back and smile down at my mate. ¡°Pixie dust?¡± ¡°Jocelyn thanked Sophie for helping her,¡± Nikki says, and I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Even by your typical standards, that¡¯s fast, Sophie.¡± She shrugs, not taking the credit she deserves for being the incredible woman she is. ¡°She said we¡¯ve given her the freedom that she¡¯s been wanting and missing. How¡¯s Zahn?¡± ¡°Alive,¡± I growl. ¡°You should have seen it, Nikki,¡± Robin says. ¡°What did I miss?¡± she asks as if it¡¯s a big deal that Robin got to see something she didn¡¯t. Their rtionship back home must be a constantpetition. A fun one, I¡¯m sure, but constant. I¡¯m d that¡¯s not the rtionship I have with Sophie. I prefer to have open love to openpetition between us. ¡°The entire pack showed up, ready to take out Alpha Zahn,¡± he tells her. ¡°What?¡± Sophie asks, looking up at me. Inod. ¡°They came on their own and word spread FAST. No one messes with this pack¡¯s Luna. They basically threatened Zahn that if he so much as looks at you wrong again, they¡¯ll tear him apart,¡± I say, stroking her cheek, once again so proud that I¡¯m mated to this perfect woman. Chapter 158 Chapter 158: Zahn¡¯s Request Hunter ¡°Whoa! **n Sophie. Could you set the bar a little lower? I have to up my game back home,¡± Allison teases. ¡°I doubt that, my love. I¡¯m quite sure the entire pack would rally behind you if someone threatened you,¡± Kayce assures her. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± she says, but Kayce pulls her to him, kissing the top of her head. ¡°I do.¡± Nikki turns to Robin. ¡°Absolutely,¡± he says, answering her unasked question. ¡°The pack would support and protect you in an instant. It¡¯s the only thing that helps me to sleep at night with Camden still out there.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll never take me from you,¡± she purrs at him. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him if he tries,¡± he growls. ¡°So, Jocelyn is settled for the night?¡± I ask Sophie. ¡°She is. I think she¡¯ll enjoy the peacefulness here and Allison is going to help us get the garden started before they head back home,¡± she says. ¡°I guess I know what we¡¯re doing tomorrow,¡± Kayce says drolly. Allison smacks his arm good-naturedly. ¡°We can do it, Kayce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, Allison. You¡¯re not going to be shoveling dirt and moving heavy plots of grass. We can help,¡± he says, grabbing her hand and kissing it. I look at Sophie, raising an eyebrow. I don¡¯t want her digging holes in her condition either. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not sure I could dig up anything anyway with little Hunt in the way,¡± she says. ¡°That¡¯s my boy, keeping his momma safe,¡± I say, putting my hand against her stomach and feeling my son respond immediately. The rest of the evening was much more rxed. Zahn stayed in his room, and I had dinner sent up to him. I¡¯m not sure if he ate or not and I don¡¯t care. The next morning, however, he surprised me by being up early. He¡¯s still a mess, his wolf not being able to heal all of the bruises on his face or the cuts on his lips. I¡¯m sure his wolf is focusing is on his ribcage which he¡¯s still holding as if he¡¯s in pain. ¡°I want to see Jocelyn. I know she¡¯s going in for surgery today.¡± He looks down, his lips pressing together. ¡°I want to ask her if I can stay in the hospital in case something happens.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Well, maybe me pummeling him into the ground yesterday finally made something connect in his brain. ¡°Sophie has already gone to get her. We can meet them outside the hospital, if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± he says, and I know this must be very hard for him. He¡¯s an arrogant Alpha and deferring to his mate¡¯s choices and thanking me for allowing him to speak to her is a lot for him. I lead him to the pack hospital and it¡¯s only a few moments before I hear Sophie and Jocelyn talking as they head this way. ¡°It was the best night¡¯s sleep I can remember having in a long time, Luna Sophie. I think your pack is right. There is something special about this pack.¡± ¡°The pack members make it special,¡± Sophie says, once again not taking credit for her role in our pack. ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s the leaders who set that expectation, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Jocelyn asks. ¡°Yes, Hunter is a great Alpha. The pack adores him,¡± she says, making me smile. ¡°Sophie, do you not know how to take apliment? I¡¯m talking about you,¡± Jocelyn says, sounding a bit aggravated that Sophie isn¡¯t getting her point. ¡°The pack adores you, Sophie. They may adore your mate as well, I¡¯m not sure. But I know they adore you. It didn¡¯t take me any time to realize that.¡± Their conversation cuts off quickly when they emerge from the trees and see me and Zahn standing there. I nearly didn¡¯t see the softness on Jocelyn¡¯s face before she shut it down, her face going hard when she sees Zahn. She looks surprised at the state her mate is in. Sophie looks at Zahn and then at me with a question on her face. However, she doesn¡¯t stop, trusting me to keep things civil. ¡°Jocelyn, I¡¯vee to ask your permission to be here during your surgery. I¡¯m your mate, and I want to be here for you, in case something happens, but also just so you aren¡¯t alone when you wake up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be alone. Lunas Sophie, Nikki, and Allison have all agreed to take turns sitting in my room during my recovery.¡± Zahn¡¯s eyes sh to Sophie, and he nods but for once, he doesn¡¯ t say anything snarky. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s finally figuring things out, or if he sees what I¡¯m seeing. The pack is starting to congregate around Sophie. They¡¯re protecting their Luna from what they perceive as a threat. ¡°While I appreciate their attention and concern, I am your mate, Jocelyn. I would like to be there,¡± he says. She looks thoughtful for a moment then turns to Sophie. ¡°What happens if he tries to interfere?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be removed from the hospital.¡± Jocelyn looks thoughtful for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not su. I want you in my room, but I can¡¯t keep you out of the hospital,¡± she says. ¡°Actually, you can,¡± Zahn grits out, and I watch his hands clench before he forces himself to rx again. ¡°It¡¯s apparently up to you if I can be here at all.¡± Jocelyn looks at me, her face showing her surprise. I nod, letting her know that the decision is hers. ¡°If you want to be in the hospital, that¡¯s fine. But I don¡¯t trust you alone in my room with me.¡± ¡°Can I be in the room if someone else is with me?¡± he asks. Jocelyn looks up at Sophie. ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Sophie tells her. ¡°If the Lunas are willing to have you in the room with them, that¡¯ s fine,¡± Jocelyn says. ¡°A Luna and two warriors or a Luna and one of the Alphas,¡± I say, not willing to allow this man to be close to my mate alone again after the way he treated her. I know Robin and Kayce won¡¯ t want that for their mates either. ¡°We volunteer to take turns,¡± Brutus says. Sophie and Jocelyn turn, seeing therge number of warriors who have congregated behind them, spreading out in a protective arc. Sophie turns and looks at me in surprise, but I just wink at her. She really has no idea how much this pack adores her. ¡°I intend to take the first shift once Jocelyn is out of surgery, Alpha Zahn. If you agree to Jocelyn and Hunter¡¯s terms, you may sit in the room with me. But I will warn you, if you do anything to impede her healing or try in any way to change the course of her treatment, you will be removed.¡± Almost as one, the warriors step forward. It¡¯s a simple, yet powerful show of support for their Luna and it doesn¡¯t go unnoticed by Zahn. ¡°Agreed. I just want to be there, to make sure that nothing goes wrong.¡± ¡°Very well. We need to get going. Today¡¯s surgery is going to be a long one and Dr. Caspian wanted to get started early,¡± Sophie tells him. ¡°I¡¯ll be here all day, Jocelyn. I won¡¯t leave the hospital or your side,¡± he tells her. She nods as Sophie begins wheeling her inside the pack hospital. Then, Jocelyn turns, looking at the warriors who are still taking a protective stance around Sophie and by association, Jocelyn. ¡°Do you still think it¡¯s Alpha Hunter that the pack adores?¡± she asks Sophie. Sophie turns and looks at our warriors. ¡°I think they adore both of us, as much as we adore them.¡± I feel the instant wave of pride and love from the pack at Sophie¡¯s words. I smile as Zahn and I follow Sophie and Jocelyn inside. My mate truly has no idea what a remarkable woman she is. Chapter 159 Chapter 159: Nerves Sophie I made sure that Jocelyn was settled, and I stayed with her while she was prepped for surgery. She didn¡¯t want Zahn in the room at that time, so he remained in the waiting room. I was surprised that he didn¡¯t even grumble about it. ¡°You were right about your mate,¡± she says to me. ¡°Which part?¡± I ask, not sure what¡¯s she¡¯s referencing. ¡°About his strength. He beat the shit out of Zahn.¡± ¡°He threatened me. No one in the pack will allow that. You saw that.¡± ¡°What does it feel like to have that level of security in your life?¡± she asks sadly. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t bask in it. That security is a two¨Cway street. I have to give to the pack as well. When they don¡¯t feel safe, I need to be there for them, to make sure they know that they are safe.¡± ¡°Like what you¡¯re doing with me?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I say, sitting on the edge of her bed and smiling at her. She looks away, her lips trembling. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Sophie.¡± I take her hand, sping it in both of mine. ¡°About which part, in particr?¡± I ask softly. I can smell her fear and hear it in her voice. She huffs augh. ¡°I guess I do have a lot to be fearful of, but today, it¡¯s this surgery. Do you think I¡¯ve made the right decision?¡± she asks, looking to me for guidance. ¡°I think that if Dr. Caspian didn¡¯t believe that he could help you, he wouldn¡¯t have offered to do these surgeries. He¡¯s very good at what he does. He¡¯s kind, gentle, and caring. He¡¯ll do everything in his power to help you heal, Jocelyn. You can trust that. If it were me, I would try, knowing the kind of doctor that Dr. Caspian is.¡± She nods, quickly brushing a tear from her cheek that leaked out. ¡°You know, that doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯ll be perfect, but better is good, right? I saw your x¨Crays. You must be in so much pain, especially without your wolf.¡± ¡°Yes, I am. It¡¯s like the Moon Goddess is punishing me for trying to leave this world before she was ready.¡± ¡°It probably feels like that. But you¡¯re here now. And while I know you¡¯ll be in a lot of pain for the next couple of days, your healing will begin and here, you¡¯ll have peace. Hopefully, that peace and your healing will allow your wolf to return.¡± ¡°Everyone here seems to think she will.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± I ask. ¡°Cassidy,¡± she says smiling. ¡°Damn, I miss that sassy wolf. You get used to having them in your head, you know. And when they¡® re gone¡­¡± She stops, her voice getting choked again. ¡°It¡¯s very lonely,¡± she finishes, looking down. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, now. I know that¡¯s not the same thing, but while your body is healing physically, you can also focus on healing your mind. I think sometimes that¡¯s what helps our wolves to resurface. It¡¯s almost like you have to give them a ce that they feel safe returning to, does that make sense?¡± I ask her. ¡°It does, actually,¡± she says, giving me a half smile as Dr. Caspian walks in. ¡°Good morning, Luna, good morning, Jocelyn. Are you ready for today?¡± he asks,ing over and assessing her. ¡°I¡¯m nervous,¡± she says honestly. ¡°I¡¯d be shocked if you weren¡¯t. The good news is, I¡¯m not. I know it will be a long day, but I¡¯m ready to go if you are.¡± She nods, then looks at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you get out. Dr. Caspian or Brooklyn will keep me updated on your status. Even if you aren¡¯t awake, just know that I¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Luna.¡± ¡°You know, if you want me to call you Jocelyn, you should start calling me Sophie. That¡¯s what friends do,¡± I say as Dr. Caspian prepares the bed to move. ¡°Is that what we are?¡± she asks. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯d like to be,¡± I tell her honestly. She¡¯s been through a lot. I don¡¯t think she really has anyone in her life that she feelsfortable or safe with. Here, hopefully, she¡¯ll have both. She looks at me a moment. ¡°Thank you, Sophie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Jocelyn,¡± I say as Dr. Caspian pushes the bed out of the room and down the hall to surgery. I wait until she¡¯s in her room before turning to walk out to the waiting area. The moment I see Hunter I walk into his embrace. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡®Nervous,¡® I say in the mind link, not sure if she¡¯d want Zahn to know how she was feeling. ¡°Dr. Caspian just took her back,¡± I say so that Zahn can hear. ¡°Do you know how long she¡¯ll be in surgery?¡± he asks me. ¡°Dr. Caspian seems to think it will be an all¨Cday surgery. He¡¯ll give me updates throughout the day¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to be informed. She didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t be informed of her progress,¡± he says. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t intend to stay here, since I¡¯ll be with her. tonight when shees out. Will you be staying here in the hospital, Alpha Zahn?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not leaving until she does¡­.as long as she allows me to stay,¡± he rifies. I look at the warriors who are on guard duty. ¡°How long will the two of you be guarding Alpha Zahn?¡± ¡°We have day duty, Luna,¡± one warrior replies. ¡°Okay, when I get information, I¡¯ll ry it to your guards. I won¡¯t be asking Dr. Caspian or Brooklyn any rifying questions, Alpha Zahn, because their focus needs to be on your mate. So, I will tell you what I know, and that will be all that we¡¯ll get until the surgery isplete tonight.¡± He nods, looking at the guards, then back at me. ¡°Very well.¡± Hunter leads me outside before saying anything. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a nap today, Soph.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll probablyy down in the early afternoon after I get an update from Dr. Caspian. I¡¯m taking the first shift tonight, basically whenever she¡¯s done until midnight. Nikki and Robin are taking midnight to four am, since Nikki still has some morning sickness and wants to be back in her room by then. Allison and Kayce will be there from four until six, when the warriors will return, and I¡¯ll relieve Allison at eight tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Depending on what time she finishes up today, I¡¯ll be there with you, Sophie. I trust our warriors, but I don¡¯t trust Zahn.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Robin or Kayce trust him with their mates either,¡± I say, smiling. ¡°Not a bit,¡± he says. ¡°Do you have work to do this morning?¡± ¡°Some,¡± I say, already feeling tired. ¡°How about you bring it into my office, and we can work together,¡± he suggests. ¡°You just want to y with your son,¡± I say, smiling. ¡°We yedst night while you were asleep,¡± he says smugly. I look up at my mate. ¡°You did?¡± Heughs. ¡°You sound like Nikki. Like you¡¯re insulted that you missed out.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Well, I just¡­I thought him moving around would wake me up.¡± ¡°You were pretty tired, but I¡¯ll never say no to ying with my pup,¡± he says. ¡°I think he¡¯s sleeping now. He¡¯s pretty quiet, but when he wakes up, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to y with his daddy.¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160: Pic Sophie When we get back to the packhouse, I get my things and go to Hunter¡¯s office. He pulls me into hisp and rather than get work done, I lean against him, letting his steady heartbeat and breathing lull me to sleep. ¡®Luna Sophie,¡¯ I hear in my mind. I open my eyes, groggy with sleep. ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡®Luna, it¡¯s Dr. Caspian. I wanted to let you know that I¡¯ve repaired Jocelyn¡¯s hip and I¡¯m moving to her thigh bone.¡¯ ¡®Thank you, Dr. Caspian,¡± I say before the link closes. ¡°How long was I asleep,¡± I say, sitting up in Hunter¡¯sp and stretching. ¡°Several hours. I didn¡¯t realize you were so tired, Soph.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a busy few days. Plus, our little man here is starting to get ufortable at night and having my face up against your throat helps me to sleep,¡± I say, reaching out to the warriors to ry Dr. Caspian¡¯s message so they can tell Zahn. ¡®Is he behaving?¡¯ I ask them. ¡®Yes Luna. He¡¯s been pacing, but he seems a bit better with this news.¡¯ ¡®You know to let Hunter and I know if he does anything?¡¯ ¡®Of course, Luna. But we won¡¯t allow him to disrupt Luna Jocelyn¡¯s surgery.¡± ¡®Thank you both,¡¯ I tell them. ¡®Any time, Luna.¡¯ ¡°Everything okay with Zahn?¡± he asks when I finish talking to the warriors. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. And maybe we need to rethink how we sleep at night, Sophie. Ifying on your side isn¡¯tfortable¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hold me in your arms all night, Hunter.¡± ¡°Want to bet? I¡¯d be happy to hold you all night long, Sophie.¡± I smile up at my mate. ¡°How are your legs, Hunter?¡± I ask, knowing they must be numb from me sitting on them for so long. ¡°My legs are fine, Sophie. I¡¯m worried about you. You need your rest and having Jocelyn here is stressful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Hunter. And I think maybe things with Jocelyn will settle after this. I hope so, anyway. I know you¡¯ll continue to deal with Zahn. He¡¯s the biggest stress in all of this.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°I¡¯ve got Zahn covered. Are you going to spend some time with Allison and Nikki this afternoon?¡± ¡°Yes. I know they¡¯re only here another day or so and Allison was going over to the Survivor¡¯s Center today to look at where to start a garden and tell the others how to do it. I¡¯d like to go see how it¡¯sing along.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together. We can bring some food and have a pic with our friends.¡± ¡°I love that idea,¡± I say, smiling up at my mate and feeling much more refreshed after my deep sleep. ¡°And I love you,¡± he says, kissing my nose. We get some food, more than I was expecting Hunter to get, and head over to the Survivor¡¯s Center. When we get there, I see our friends have already cleared arge area for the garden. ¡°Wow! You did all this in one morning?¡± I ask, seeing the women who live here watching as several pups help Robin and Kayce dig up the area for the garden. ¡°We had some great helpers,¡± Nikki says, smiling at the pups who all seem to be excited to be around two Alphas and two Lunas. I can see that Robin and Kayce are guiding some of the older pups to help while Nikki and Allison are holding some of the younger ones in the shade and watching. Now Hunter¡¯srge amount of food makes sense. He somehow.ew that the moms and pups would be here. ¡°We brought food,¡± Hunter announces. There¡¯s a lot of excitement as I walk up to the freshly dug up garden area. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve aplished so much already,¡± I say as several pups rush up to me, wanting to show me what they did to help. ¡°You¡¯ve got some great helpers here,¡± Robin says again, smiling at the pups that were working with him. ¡°You do. I¡¯m thinking of recruiting some of these helpers toe to my pack now that Allison wants to expand our garden,¡± Kayce says, smiling down at the pups that are helping him. They all light up and I¡¯m so thankful to my friends for helping to bring some happiness to these pups. They¡¯ve had a hard time, losing a parent and living with a parent who is suffering through their own grief and loss. Hunter puts down the food and he and I are excitedly shown around the newly dug up garden area. I have a pup holding each hand and Hunter swings an older girl onto his back, picking up a younger boy and holding him on his hip, while still managing to hold the hand of yet another pup. I realize that he and I could easily have five pups and still manage them easily in their younger years. He growls softly in my head. ¡®Six. I¡¯m sure I can manage to carry one more.¡¯ I smile as I let the pups lead me around the area, ohhing and ahhing over the work they¡¯ve put in. When we¡¯ve seen everything and told them how incredible they are and not to let Alphas Robin and Kayce steal them away from us for being such good helpers, we head back to where Allison has set out the pic for all of us. Nikki has a pre-teen pup in her arms, fast asleep. She continues rocking him as we walk up. ¡°You have a special touch, Luna Nikki. Jared hasn¡¯t slept this well since¡­.well, since I lost my mate,¡± his mother says. ¡°Sometimes, they just need a different parent and that¡¯s what Alphas and Lunas are really, parents to the pack,¡± she says. I can hear Bree, Nikki¡¯s wolf, purring softly to the pup, keeping him in his deep sleep. Robines over and runs his fingers over the top of the pup¡¯s head before leaning down to kiss the top of Nikki¡¯s. The rest of us sit, the pups either pressing tightly against us or sitting in ourps while we eat. I smile at Hunter, realizing that we should probably n to do this more often with Kinsley and Lucas and now Penny and Jaime as well. It will be good for the pups to have some normalcy and Kinsley and I were already nning to do something, but this feels right. It feels good. ¡°How is Luna Jocelyn?¡± Sandy asks, just as I get Dr. Caspian¡¯s next update. This time, he sounds much more tired than he did before. ¡®Luna Sophie, Luna Jocelyn¡¯s thigh bone has been reset along with her knee. I¡¯m moving down to her shin bone and foot next.¡¯ ¡®Thank you, Dr. Caspian. Are you sure you¡¯re okay to continue? You sound exhausted.¡¯ ¡°Yes. I am tired, but her bones are setting nicely. I want to continue because I think very soon, she¡¯ll be nearly orpletely pain free in this leg.¡¯ ¡®Thank you, doctor,¡¯ I say and close the mind link. I ry the message to the group around us, then link the warriors in the hospital. ¡®Is everything still okay there?¡¯ I ask. ¡®He¡¯s getting more restless, Luna. We¡¯ve let Alpha know and he¡¯ s going to stop by after you finish your pic.¡¯ I can feel how pleased the warrior is that we¡¯re spending time with the pups here and I realize that he is the brother of one of the women in this group. Rather than rushing back to the packhouse, we all settle in, Robin and Kayce telling the pups stories as the younger ones fall asleep and the older ones sit quietly, listening. Hunter excuses himself to go check on Zahn, but I stay, enjoying the peace and calm that I feel here in the Survivor Center. It¡¯s a great afternoon, and I¡¯m so d that I get to spend this time with my friends and that they are the special people that they are. They recognized that these pack members, even though they aren¡¯t their pack members, needed some time andfort. And my friends, being the wonderful people that they are, offered it to them without question. Chapter 161 Chapter 161: Lucas¡¯ eptance Hunter I can feel Sophie¡¯s happiness and I¡¯m thankful that her afternoon is restful. I know thatst couple of days, weeks, hell, basically since I found her and marked her in private it¡¯s been non-stop stress. Now that she¡¯s carrying my pup, I feel extra protective of her. I excuse myself from our friends and the pups at the Survivor¡¯s Center and make my way to the hospital. Zahn is bing increasingly agitated and if he doesn¡¯t settle down, I¡¯m going to remove him. As I walk into the hospital, I hear him snarling. ¡°What the f**k is taking so long?¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn!¡± I bark. He turns to look at me and I can see the worry eating at him. I don¡¯t actually care how worried he is. I understand it, but he¡¯s been warned about acting out. If he can¡¯t control his emotions, I¡¯ll be happy to beat the *t out of him again. Based on my warriors¡¯ stances, I can tell they¡¯re ready for a fight. ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± he asks, moderating his tone. ¡°Dr. Caspian is resetting every bone on the right side of Jocelyn¡¯ s body from her hip to her toes, Alpha Zahn. That doesn¡¯t take a couple of hours, not if you¡¯re doing properly.¡± ¡°I feel impotent! I need to DO something.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re wee to go back to the packhouse and work¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t focus enough to work,¡± he growls. ¡°You can go for a run, with my warriors as escorts,¡± I say, as he continues to pace, reaching his hands into his hair and gripping tightly. I can tell he¡¯s done this a lot as his hair is sticking out in all directions. ¡°Go for a run, Zahn. You¡¯re in for a long night. Jocelyn may not wake up until tomorrow. So, do yourself a favor and go burn off this negative energy you have.¡± ¡°And what if shee out of surgery while I¡¯m gone?¡± ¡°My warriors will let you know as soon as Sophie hears from Dr. Caspian. I have no idea how much longer it will be, but based on this morning and early afternoon, I¡¯d say you have a couple of hours.¡± He looks at my warriors, then back at me. ¡°Is there a certain area where I¡¯m allowed to run?¡± ¡°My warriors will keep you from any area you¡¯re not allowed to go. Follow their guidance and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Will they be able to keep up with me? I need to run hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let the patrols know that you¡¯re going to run, and they can monitor you and keep you where you need to be.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± he says to the guards and heads outside. I mind link the patrols to keep an eye out for Kortan, Zahn¡¯s wolf. I feel multiple warriors decide to station themselves around the packnds, making sure to keep the pack safe and keep Zahn from ces I don¡¯t want him to go. It doesn¡¯t feel like this is an attempt to scope out our pack¡¯s weaknesses, but just in case, I¡¯ m d the pack is taking precautions without me having to ask. Once he¡¯s gone, I turn and find a nurse, asking about Jocelyn. ¡°She¡¯s stable, Alpha. I know Dr. Caspian is working hard to get her bones set and Dr. Felicity went in to assist him a few hours ago.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡®Alpha, do you have a minute?¡¯ Lucas asks in the mind link. ¡®Where are you?¡¯ ¡®Packhouse, but I cane to you.¡¯ ¡®I cane to you,¡¯ I say before reaching out to Sophie. I can feel Hedda purring in her head, so I know they¡¯re still with the pups, but it feels like they¡¯re starting to pack up and head back. I loved seeing my mate holding so many pups. She¡¯s going to be an incredible mother and now that I know she¡¯s willing to have so many, I almost can¡¯t wait for our son to be born so I can put another pup in her. ¡®Is it the pup you want, or the practice?¡¯ Sophie¡¯s voice hums my head. ¡®Both,¡¯ I say, growling softly in a way that I know will have my mate shivering. I smile when I feel her body¡¯s response. ¡®I¡¯m going to speak to Lucas. Zahn is running around the pack, burning off nervous energy.¡¯ ¡®Do you trust him?¡¯ she asks. ¡®Reach out to the pack, Soph. They have it covered,¡¯ I say, helping her to keep her focus on the conversations around her while reaching out to feel the pack¡¯s response to knowing that Zahn is out running around. I help her zero in on the warriors who have eyes on him so we can both see that he¡¯s running hard, not trying to go into ces where he isn¡¯t allowed to go. ¡®I¡¯m always so impressed with your ability to focus on so many things,¡¯ she sighs. ¡®You¡¯re getting better every day, my love,¡¯ I say encouragingly. ¡®I¡¯ll see you back at the packhouse?¡¯ ¡®Yes. Do I need to send warriors to help collect everything?¡¯ I ask her as I walk into the packhouse. ¡®No, Robin and Kayce have it.¡¯ ¡®Okay, see you soon.¡¯ My naughty mate sends me an image of her naked in front of the mirror. I growl softly. ¡®Mine!¡¯ ¡®Yes, I am,¡¯ she says, obviously pleased with my response. I need to remember that her hormones are off and that her possessiveness is more intense than usual. As I walk to Lucas¡¯ office, I begin sending her images of what I intend to do with her and to her tonight. By the time I knock on his door, my mate is purring loudly in my head. ¡°That¡¯s the grin of a man who is dirty talking with his mate,¡± he saysughing as I walk in. ¡°Guilty and not a bit sorry.¡± ¡°Nor should you be,¡± he says, gesturing for me to sit. I do, then look at him as he sits across from me. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Owen¡¯s pack. I don¡¯t want to stake a im on it, but I do want to get a feel for how thispetition will go. However, I wasn¡¯t sure how you¡¯d feel about leaving Penny and Jaime here alone with Alpha Zahn and Luna Jocelyn.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask them,¡± I say, reaching out in the mind link to have them join us while also realizing that Sophie isn¡¯t going to want to leave Jocelyn. However, if we¡¯re only gone for a day and a half¡­. My thoughts cut off as Penny and Jaime knock on the door. ¡°Alpha, you wanted to see us?¡± ¡°Have a seat,¡± I say, as Lucas pulls up more chairs. ¡°How do you feel about watching the pack, specifically Alpha Zahn, if me, Sophie, Lucas, and Kinsley were to go see about thepetition for Owen¡¯s pack?¡± I ask them. Penny looks at Jaime, then back at me. ¡°How many of our warriors are nning topete?¡± I look at Lucas who gets up to get some paperwork off his desk. ¡°Close to fifty have said they want topete, but that doesn¡¯t mean that all of them willpete for Owen¡¯s pack,¡± he says. I watch as Penny and Jaime have a **al conversation. Then Penny nods and turns back to us ¡°Jaime is confident that he can control Alpha Zahn if he gets out of control. I¡¯m happy to check in on Luna Jocelyn and be there for her if she needs assistance. It feels as though the pack is also willing to keep an eye on Alpha Zahn and I¡¯m guessing that will only increase if you and your mates leave the pack,¡± Penny says. ¡°I need to speak with Sophie and make sure she¡¯s okay to leave Jocelyn, but if not, I¡¯ll make sure to have 24-hour guards on her. Alpha Zahn will not be allowed to intimidate her, Jocelyn, or anyone else in this pack while we¡¯re away.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± both of them say in unison. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to be Luna Sophie¡¯s guard while you¡¯re away,¡± Penny says. ¡°That would make me feel much morefortable leaving her here, Penny. Thank you both. I¡¯ll let you know what our final decision is by tomorrow.¡± They nod and walk out together. When they¡¯re gone, Lucas turns to me. ¡°I hate to say it, because it means I¡¯m starting to believe that I¡¯ll be leaving this pack, but they¡¯ll make good Betas to you and Luna Sophie when Kinsley and I are gone.¡± I smile at my Beta, knowing I¡¯m going to miss him terribly. ¡°Yeah, they will.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162: Recovery Begins Sophie When Dr. Caspian told me that Jocelyn was out of surgery, I informed the warriors closest to Zahn who was still out running, then I went to find Hunter. ¡°I¡¯m heading over to the hospital. Jocelyn ising out of surgery.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Dr. Caspian?¡± ¡°He sounded exhausted, but I want to go talk to him before he calls it a night.¡± ¡°Zahn?¡± ¡°On his way, I¡¯m guessing.¡± Hunter looks at his desk then stands. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming with you. I want to see how Zahn is feeling after burning off energy for thest few hours.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to convince me, Hunter. I¡¯m always happy to spend time with you,¡± I say, smiling at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to think that I don¡¯t trust you to take care of yourself. You are a strong, Alpha female and I respect that.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m carrying your pup, which know makes you even more protective of me and I¡¯ve already agreed to let you handle Zahn. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± He kisses me then takes my hand. As we begin to make our way toward the hospital, he asks me about going to Owen¡¯s pack with him. ¡°I know that you probably don¡¯t want to leave Jocelyn, but if we only go for a day and a half or two days¡­¡± ¡°Let me see how she is once she wakes up. If she¡¯s doing okay, then I¡¯d befortable leaving her in Penny¡¯s care. I trust her and Jaime to protect Jocelyn and this pack while we¡¯re away.¡± ¡°I do too. I¡¯m d we¡¯re in agreement. I didn¡¯t like the idea of leaving you, even for a few hours, much less overnight.¡± Hunter, Zahn, and I stayed with Jocelyn until midnight. During that time, she never woke up. I spoke to Dr. Caspian before he went to sleep, and he said he didn¡¯t expect her to wake up until the next morning. When Robin and Nikki came to relieve us, Zahn finally decided to go shower, recognizing that Jocelyn truly wasn¡¯t going to wake up. ¡°How¡¯s he doing?¡± Robin asks Hunter when he leaves. ¡°He¡¯s behaving,¡± Hunter says as Nikki walks over to the bed to look at Jocelyn. ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± I shrug. ¡°Her vitals are fine. She just seems to be resting. I know that the next couple of days will be tough for her, but I¡¯m hoping that if she can rest and heal, she¡¯ll be feeling better soon. The nursese in to check on her periodically and I believe that they¡¯re giving her pain medications on a pretty steady basis. Dr. Caspian didn¡¯t expect her to wake up untilter this morning.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll look after her.¡± Hunter had carried me back to our room. We¡¯d passed Zahn on his way back, but he seemed deep in thought. Hunter had tucked me into bed and curled up around me before I fell into a deep sleep. It was morning before I got to enjoy all the images Hunter sent me yesterday and while I was tired, it was a fantastic wake up. Hunter went to warrior training, and I got ready for the day before meeting him for breakfast. When we finished, we headed over to the hospital together to check on Jocelyn. I¡¯m relieving Allison so she can go back to sleep before they have to leave this morning. Both of my friends wanted to get home and talk to their packs before we meet at Owen¡¯s old pack. When we walked in, Zahn was hunched over the bed, his head on Jocelyn¡¯s hand, holding it in his as he slept. I smile at a sleepy Allison who has a fresh steaming mug of coffee beside her and then turn to Jocelyn, whose eyes flutter open. ¡°Hey, good morning,¡± I say softly, walking over to her. Zahn¡¯s head pops up and he sees that her eyes are open. ¡°You¡¯re awake! Oh, thank the goddess!¡± he says, jumping up and leaning over to kiss her. ¡°Alpha Zahn, your mate just woke up. How about giving her a moment to gain her senses,¡± Hunter says. I watch as Zahn¡¯s jaw clenches, but he does back off a bit. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I ask her.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Like shit,¡± she murmurs. ¡°I thought she was on pain medication! Where are those nurses!¡± Zahn demands his Alpha aura, whether intentionally or unintentionally, pushes out. It¡¯s irritating for me, but I imagine it¡¯ s ufortable or even detrimental to Jocelyn¡¯s recovery. ¡°Alpha Zahn, you need to rein yourself in,¡± I say strongly. I watch as his face contorts into what looks like he¡¯s going to growl before he looks at Hunter and catches himself. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about my mate,¡± he snaps. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about her, then pay attention to your aura, Alpha Zahn. Spreading your frustration and anger into the air of this room will impede her recovery which will mean that you will be removed,¡± Hunter says sternly,ing to stand beside me. The warriors in the room step up behind Zahn, ready to forcibly remove him is necessary. He takes a deep breath, but I can tell he¡¯s not happy about me and Hunter keeping him in check. ¡°She needs to be checked. She¡¯s in pain,¡± he insists. Hunter looks at one of the warriors and they turn and walk out, presumably to get a nurse. I turn back to Jocelyn, who is my primary concern, knowing that Hunter will handle Zahn. ¡°Dr. Caspian said your surgery went well. I know that may not help at the moment¡­¡± ¡°No, it does. I¡¯m d to know it went well. How long did it take.¡± ¡°All day,¡± Zahn says, taking her hand again. ¡°Ten hours,¡± I rify. ¡°But he was able to reset every bone from our right hip to your toes.¡± ¡°Well, if it works, that will be worth it,¡± she says. ¡°Can I have some water?¡± I turn, looking around the room. ¡°Here you go,¡± Allison says, handing me a ss of water with a straw in it. I hold the straw to Jocelyn¡¯s mouth and watch her eyes close as she drinks deeply. The door opens and Dr. Caspian walks in with the warrior. ¡°Good morning, Jocelyn,¡± he says then looks around the room. ¡°Lunas, Alphas,¡± he greets us. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find Kayce, Sophie, unless you need me,¡± Allison says. ¡°I¡¯m good, thank you. I¡¯ll be back before you leave.¡± She leans over Jocelyn¡¯s bed. ¡°Take care of yourself and let yourself heal. If you need anything at all, let me know.¡± ¡°Thank you, Luna,¡± Jocelyn says before Allison moves out of the now overly crowded room. Hunter nods, letting the warriors know they can step out as well. Dr. Caspian talks to Jocelyn, asking her about how she¡¯s feeling, about her pain level, and checking her vitals from this morning and overnight. ¡°I¡¯d like to take another x-ray of your leg this morning. I took them at each point yesterday, but I¡¯d like to make sure that everything is still in ce so it can heal properly.¡± Jocelyn nods in agreement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to take our patient for a bit and get those x- rays, then I¡¯ll bring her back in here.¡± ¡°Will youe with me, Sophie?¡± Jocelyn asks. ¡°I¡¯d like toe,¡± Zahn says, still holding her hand. ¡°Just Sophie please,¡± Jocelyn says. I wait, watching Zahn struggle with Jocelyn¡¯s decision, but he finally releases her hand and steps back. I follow Dr. Caspian to the x-ray room and reach out to hold Jocelyn¡¯s hand. ¡°He¡¯s very overwhelming. I didn¡¯t realize how overwhelming until you made him back off,¡± she says. ¡°If you want him out of the room, all you have to do is say so,¡± I tell her nods. ¡°I don¡¯t think that he¡¯ll let me kick him outpletely, some time without him there would be nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your decision, not his. I¡¯ll ask him to leave when we get back,¡± I tell her. ¡°Thank you, Sophie,¡± she says just as Dr. Caspian has me step out of the room. He takes the x-rays and while they process, I go back into the room, quietly sitting beside Jocelyn while she rests. When Dr. Caspianes back in, he puts the x-ray screens up on an x-ray box and turns on the light. He looks them over before smiling and turning to look at Jocelyn. ¡°We have some good news.¡± He points to the first x-ray. I recognize it immediately as her original x-ray from two days ago. ¡°This was your first x-ray. Let¡¯s focus on your right leg. You can see the multiple breaks from hip to toes,¡± he says, using his finger to point to the shattered mess that was her leg. He then points to the next x-ray on the screen and Jocelyn gasps as we see the difference immediately. The shattered mess of her leg is now straight, like it¡¯s supposed to look. ¡°This is your leg now.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± she says. ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± she whispers. ¡°What¡¯s even more amazing is this right here,¡± he says, moving to a third x-ray. ¡°This is your hip. It¡¯s where I started your surgery yesterday. Notice that there are no fracture lines in your bones.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± I ask him. He turns to look at us, smiling. ¡°It means, Jocelyn, that while your wolf may be silent, I believe that she¡¯s alive and well, and already starting to heal you.¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163: Guards for Jocelyn Hunter I had a feeling that Jocelyn wasn¡¯t going to want Zahn in her recovery room when she returned, and I was right. I also had a feeling he wasn¡¯t going to leave just because he was asked to, so I made sure that the warriors were nearby to escort him if he gave me any problems. I know it hasn¡¯t been long, but Jocelyn seems to already be responding to the calm that Sophie brings to this pack, and I don¡¯t want Zahn¡¯s negative energy interfering with her recovery. She¡¯s not even through the door when Zahn jumps up and begins asking her what Dr. Caspian told her. The smile I saw on her face as she wasing in the door drops away. ¡°Zahn!¡± I say, but he remains focused on Jocelyn. ¡°Alpha Zahn,¡± I growl, getting his attention. He looks up at me, and I can see that he¡¯s getting tired already of being told how to interact with his mate. ¡°Back off. She¡¯s not even in the door yet and you¡¯re already overwhelming her. Back. Off!¡± I growl when he res at me. My warriorse in right behind Jocelyn and Sophie, moving to put themselves between my mate and Zahn. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too much to ask what they found,¡± he snaps, putting up his hands and stepping back as my warriors crowd him. ¡°The surgery was sessful, but need to heal. I¡¯d like for you to leave now, Zahn,¡± Jocelyn says, ¡°Jocelyn!¡± he says, looking at her as if he can¡¯t believe she¡¯s kicking him out. ¡°Your presence, whether you mean for it to be or not, is very overwhelming, Alpha Zahn. That is not a conducive environment for someone to recover in,¡± Sophie tells him kindly, She¡¯s being a lot nicer than I am, or than my warriors will be. ¡°You heard her Zahn, and you know the rules,¡± I say, stepping up to my warriors and putting myself between Zahn, Sophie, and Jocelyn. ¡°This is f**g ridiculous!¡± he yells. ¡°She¡¯s my mate!¡± ¡°Not by choice,¡± Jocelyn¡¯s soft voice says from behind me. ¡°Jocelyn, we¡¯re here to try and fix that, fix things between us,¡± he pleads. ¡°And Jocelyn has begun to heal so that she can be the woman she used to be, Alpha. I think you need to pay attention to how your actions cause your mate to ept or reject your requests. Perhaps during this time while Jocelyn recovers, you can take time for some self-introspection,¡± Sophie suggests. ¡°I don¡¯t need any self-introspection,¡± he snarls, taking a step forward and that¡¯s all it takes. I have him by the throat and I¡¯m dragging him out of the room before he even realizes what¡¯s happening. When I get out of the room, I toss him to the floor. I see several other warriors standing in the waiting room watching. ¡°Get him out of here. He¡¯s no longer allowed in the hospital until Luna Jocelyn agrees. I need two more for 24-hour guard duty¡­¡± I begin. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Zahn yells. Now I snarl, leaning over and getting in his face. ¡°You are on the verge of being kicked out of this pack or being ripped apart by my warriors. I¡¯d suggest you do as my mate said and get a hold of yourself. You are not in control here, Zahn. You do not get to make the decisions. If you don¡¯t like it, leave. If you intend to stay, get your s***t together because the next time you growl or snarl at my mate, I¡¯ll take your head off. Get him out!¡± I say, stepping back as my warriors very unceremoniously grab him under his arms and begin dragging him outside. He tries to get to his feet, to push away from them, but the warriors behind him kick his legs out from underneath him, keeping him in a submissive position as they drag him away. ¡°You wanted two more guards, Alpha?¡± a couple of warriors ask, stepping up. ¡°Yes. I want two guards on Jocelyn at all times. I¡¯m going to have to leave the pack tomorrow, and whether or not Sophie joins me, I want to make sure that Jocelyn is safe.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha. We¡¯re happy to start now, and I know I speak for everyone else when I say we¡¯d all be d to guard our Luna as well if she doesn¡¯t go with you,¡± my warriors say. ¡°Thank you. G**a Penny will be Sophie¡¯s personal guard if she stays. For now, you can station yourself outside Jocelyn¡¯s door while she¡¯s recovering. Alpha Zahn only goes in if she agrees.¡± The nod and go to take up their spot at her door. Sophie steps out of the room and sees the guards. I watch as she thanks them for so quickly offering to help Jocelyn, and I watch their faces soften as their Luna praises them. She¡¯s such an incredible woman. I stay where I¡¯m at, watching her as she turns, seeing her growing belly, swelling with my son, and I feel like my heart might burst with love for this woman. ¡°Those are some powerful feelings you haveing off you, Alpha Hunter,¡± she purrs as she walks up to me. Instead of answering, I lean and kiss her. It¡¯s a demanding, possessive kiss, full of my love and desire for this woman but also my pleasure and happiness at being her mate. This amazing woman is all mine. ¡°Mmmm, maybe I should have overbearing Alphas growl at me more often,¡± she says, smiling up at me when I finally release her mouth. ¡°There would be a lot fewer Alphas in this world if you did,¡± I say, leaning my head against hers as I hold her. ¡°Where is our overbearing Alpha?¡± she asks. ¡°The warriors dragged him off. I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s got some cuts and bruises before they¡¯re done with him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn one, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I¡¯d go with arrogant, I think.¡± ¡°True. Arrogant and stubborn, that¡¯s a badbination,¡± she says. ¡°It is. How¡¯s Jocelyn?¡± ¡°Better now that Zahn¡¯s gone. Dr. Caspian told her that her hip bone has already healed and that it probably means her wolf is alive, but silent,¡± she says excitedly looking up at me. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news!¡± ¡°It is. I thought I¡¯d let her rest while we go say goodbye to our friends,¡± she says. I take her hand and begin leading her toward the packhouse. ¡°I noticed you put some warriors on her for protection.¡± ¡°Zahn¡¯s not exactly learning his lessons, and I really want you toe with me tomorrow. I hate the idea of being away from you for that long. I know Penny and the pack would keep you safe. I¡¯ d be more afraid for Zahn than you, if I¡¯m being honest, but I just don¡¯t like being away from my sweet little mate. And now that she¡¯s bing more possessive of me, I like making sure she knows that she¡¯s the only woman for me,¡± I say, pulling her to a stop and leaning into kiss her neck, moving to her mate mark. I graze my canines over her mark, feeling her body shiver in my arms and smelling the floral scent of orchids in the air. ¡°And I think we both know I can never get enough of you,¡± I growl. She leans into me and it¡¯s only the sound of someone clearing their throat that has me pulling away. ¡°Don¡¯t mean to interrupt, but we wanted to say goodbye before we left,¡± Robin says, smirking at me. ¡°Oh!¡± Sophie says, rushing to Nikki and Allison and hugging her friends. I just smile at Robin as we shake hands. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡± I ask, shaking hands with Kayce as well. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be there,¡± Robin says, turning to watch our mates as hug again.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Same,¡± Kayce says. ¡°We have several individuals who want topete. Will Ezra be there?¡± ¡°I believe so. His Beta, Jake, wants that pack, so I¡¯m assuming he¡¯ll be there, and I hope that Margot is as well.¡± Sophie, Nikki, and Allison finish their goodbyes and Sophie steps back beside me. I wrap my arm around her waist as our friends make their way to their cars. Then we wave them off and I feel my mate¡¯s sadness at her friends leaving. ¡°We¡¯ll see them again soon, Sophie. Even if you decide to note with me tomorrow.¡¯ ¡°I know. I just really enjoy spending time with them.¡± ¡°I think I know what we can do to take your mind off of that,¡± I growl softly. ¡°Oh yeah? What¡¯s that, Alpha?¡± she purrs. ¡°Oh, let me show you,¡± I say, scooping her up and carrying her to our bedroom where I make sure that she forgets about everything except me. Chapter 164 Chapter 164: Circle of Protection Sophie I have a lot of concerns about leaving Jocelyn while she¡¯s in her recovery stage. I know that Penny will look after her, check on her, and protect her, but it¡¯s not the same. Jocelyn and I have begun to bond, and I don¡¯t want to lose that by being away for a day or two. I go to see her first thing on the morning before we leave. I already know that I need to go with Hunter. Whether it¡¯s our bond, the pregnancy, or abination of both, I know I can¡¯t be away from him that long, and I definitely won¡¯t be able to sleep. without him beside me. When I walk into her hospital room, I can see that she¡¯s improved overnight. She¡¯s sitting up and having some breakfast when I walk in. ¡°Well, this is a pleasant surprise,¡± I say, sitting down beside her. ¡°Sophie! Good morning! I think Dr. Caspian is going to release me today. I know I¡¯m not healing at wolf speed, but I think I am healing faster than a human.¡± ¡°It definitely seems like it. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Sore, but better. I think sitting outside and trying to reconnect with Cassidy will help me heal faster too.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to help set up the garden with the others?¡± I ask her. ¡°Yes. Sandy came byst night and we talked about what I¡¯d like to nt. I thought that was really nice, since this isn¡¯t my pack. But she told me that anyone who is friends with you or Alpha Hunter will always be wee here. And she said that after I leave, I coulde by any time to visit.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± I say. ¡°It sounds like you and Sandy have already be friends.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot. You bond quickly when you¡¯ve been through the types of things that we have.¡± ¡°I imagine so,¡± I say, holding her gaze. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about something. There¡¯s this thing¡­¡± I sigh. I know Hunter isn¡¯t telling Zahn, but Jocelyn isn¡¯t the same as he is, and I want her to understand the importance of why we¡¯re going. ¡°Hunter isn¡¯t telling Zahn, but I think it¡¯s okay to tell you. We¡¯d just like to keep it from him until we know for sure where he stands.¡± ¡°Where he stands?¡± she asks. ¡°Yes. In the past, he sided with the packs who have gone to war with us. Hunter and I don¡¯t trust him. I think he might truly be here for you, but Hunter¡¯s not convinced.¡± ¡°I honestly wouldn¡¯t know, Sophie. If I thought he was going to do something to hurt you or this pack, I¡¯d tell you, I swear.¡± ¡°I believe you, which is why I¡¯m going to tell you why I have to leave the pack for a couple of days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving me?¡± she asks, worry clouding her face. ¡°Just for a couple of days,¡± I tell her, taking her hand. ¡°It¡¯s important. I wouldn¡¯t go if it weren¡¯t. But you know how we¡¯ve fought several Alphas and that has left packnds open without. leadership?¡± ¡°How many? I thought there was only the two, Joshua¡¯s and ric¡¯s.¡± ¡°No, Owen¡¯s and Elias¡¯ packs are also open. The Alphas in our alliance, Hunter, Robin, Kayce and others, have agreed to open apetition to our pack members to take over those packs. Today, we¡¯re all meeting at Owen¡¯s pack to show the prospectivepetitors the packnds, let them decide if they want to participate, and then we¡¯ll schedule the first battle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re opening it to everyone? Even omegas?¡± she asks. ¡°Omegas AND women,¡± I tell her, and her eyes go wide. ¡°Amelia is zing the trail, and Nikki is paving the way behind her. Things are changing, Jocelyn, for the better. Who knows, if you get healthy enough, you couldpete for your own pack, if you want one.¡± ¡°Wow, so it¡¯s not just your pack that you¡¯re changing?¡± ¡°Well, we started here, but now it¡¯s time to branch out and make changes to the entire werewolfmunity. Change has been needed for a long time. Hopefully, Zahn will be on board with that, but if not¡­¡± I say. ¡°If not¡­¡± she says, looking thoughtful. ¡°My own pack. I would never have dreamed of such a thing. How soon will the other packnds be avable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Owen¡¯s pack is first and I believe everyone has agreed that ric¡¯s pack will go up next. Joshua and Elias¡¯ packs are farther from us, so they¡¯lleter.¡± ¡°Now I wish I could go with you. This will be exciting,¡± she says. ¡°It is. I¡¯m very excited. We have several warriors who want topete. And, if you¡¯re healthy enough, I¡¯ll take you with us when we open up ric¡¯s pack. You can meet my sister and see what it¡¯s like for a female Alpha to run a pack of her own.¡± ¡°I¡¯d really like that, Sophie.¡± ¡°Good, then you rest, get healthy and when Dr. Caspian returns, we¡¯ll hopefully be able to get you scheduled for another surgery. Maybe by then, your wolf will be back, and you can heal more quickly.¡± She looks thoughtful for a moment, then looks at me, her face clouding again. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be safe while you¡¯re gone?¡± I raise a finger to tell her to hold on and I mind link the warriors outside her door. They knock before walking inside. ¡°Luna?¡± ¡°Jocelyn, this is Caleb and Frankie. They are your assigned guards for today. Gentlemen, can you tell Jocelyn what your role is?¡± Caleb steps up as the senior warrior. ¡°Luna Jocelyn, our role is to keep you safe at all times. We are to ensure that Alpha Zahn does not approach you, speak to you, or in any way harass you, unless you choose to interact with him.¡± I see Jocelyn look at me in surprise. ¡°And what happens if Alpha Zahn disregards that expectation while Hunter and I are away from the pack?¡± I ask, already knowing the warriors are itching to beat Zahn up again. I heard they weren¡¯t gentle when they dragged him to the packhousest night. Both warriors look over at me. ¡°Alpha Hunter hasn¡¯t yet given us our restrictions for how we are to handle Alpha Zahn.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Restrictions?¡± Jocelyn asks. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± he says if that answers her question. ¡°They don¡¯t like Zahn. They¡¯re angry at how he treats me and that he doesn¡¯t respect me or Hunter. Basically, they¡¯re looking for any excuse to beat the crap out of him,¡± I tell her, watching my warriors nod their heads at my exnation. ¡°So, if he approaches you without your consent, he¡¯ll be lucky to remain alive. Hunter said he was more worried about Zahn than me if I¡¯ went with him and I see he¡¯s right. Somehow, Zahn has managed to turn this entire pack against him in just a couple of days.¡± ¡°He is not the kind of Alpha I would ever choose to serve,¡± Frankie says. ¡°Nor would I. I have no respect for a man like him. My apologies if that offends you, Luna. I know he¡¯s your mate.¡± ¡°Not by choice,¡± Jocelyn says, and both warriors nod in understanding. ¡°Caleb, how many other warriors n to keep an eye on Jocelyn while Hunter and I are gone?¡± I ask and Jocelyn looks up at them, surprised again. Both men¡¯s lips twitch. ¡°All of us, Luna.¡± I turn and look at Jocelyn. ¡°Still worried about Zahn?¡± ¡°No. I guess I¡¯m not. Thank you both, and thank you, Sophie. Your circle of protection seems to have included and embraced me. It¡¯s nice to feel safe. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°We will keep you safe, Luna. That¡¯s a promise,¡± Caleb says seriously. ¡°Well, how about you call me Jocelyn, Caleb? I don¡¯t ept my position as Zahn¡¯s Luna, since I never wanted to be his mate.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°You too, Frankie.¡± Frankie nods in agreement and Jocelyn turns back to me. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°This morning. I wanted to see how you were doing before I made my final decision but seeing you looking healthy made up my mind.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll be back tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes. Just one night away. If Dr. Caspian releases you today, I¡¯m sure Sandy will help you get back to the Survivor¡¯s Center.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll help her, Luna,¡± Caleb says. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re leaving me in good hands, Sophie.¡± I stand and lean over, hugging Jocelyn. It¡¯s natural for me, but I feel her body flinch before she rxes and reaches around to hug me too. ¡°Be safe,¡± she says. ¡°Get well,¡± I say and head back to the packhouse. I feel much better about leaving now. Chapter 165 Chapter 165: Big Softy Hunter I¡¯m so thankful that Sophie is willing to go with me to Owen¡¯s pack. I would have left her here, knowing the pack would protect her if Zahn acted like a fool, but I prefer having her near me so that I can protect her and my pup When she returns from seeing Jocelyn and lets me know that she¡¯s willing to join me, I lead her into the dining hall where I know that Zahn is having breakfast. ¡°Alpha Zahn,¡± I say loudly. The room quiets and everyone looks over at us. Zahn stands up.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Is something wrong, Alpha Hunter? Is it Jocelyn?¡± ¡°Jocelyn is fine and recovering well. Sophie just came from the hospital. I wanted to let you know that Sophie and I, along with my Betas, Lucas and Kinsley, will be leaving the pack overnight.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± he demands. ¡°That is not your concern.¡± ¡°I came here for you to help Jocelyn, not for you to leave the moment we arrived.¡± ¡°You arrived several days ago, Jocelyn has received her first surgery, and she is healing nicely. I wanted to let you know that my Ga**s are in charge, Penny and Jaime.¡± Zahn snorts, no doubt because Penny is underage. ¡°I also wanted to let you know, in front of my pack members, that if you go against my G**as, if you try to push yourself into Jocelyn¡¯s space against her will, the pack has my permission to rip you to shreds.¡± His face darkens in anger. Brutus and William made sure to leave Zahn bruised when they dragged him back to the packhousest night. ¡°You have no right to keep me from my mate,¡± he growls. ¡°I have every right if that is her wish and so far, it is.¡± ¡°If your pack touches me, it will mean war,¡± he snarls, trying to threaten me. If his pack is as pitiful in a fight as he is, my pack will barely notice. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first Alpha to go against me and lose,¡± I growl, my hand in Sophie¡¯s is the only thing keeping me from getting in Zahn¡¯s face. I watch as the realization of my words hits him. He would know about Elias and Joshua. I¡¯m not sure what he knows about Owen other than he¡¯s dead. ¡°What the **k am I supposed to do around here if my mate won¡¯t see me?¡± he asks frustratedly throwing his arms in the air. ¡°I can give you ess to aputer so you can work. That¡¯s what I would do.¡± He looks down, shaking his head. ¡°I have aputer.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± I say, as Lucas and Kinsley step up behind me. ¡°Penny, Jaime, the pack is yours. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the two say in unison. ¡°Ready?¡± I ask Lucas ¡°Yeah, I just have to make sure that Kinsley can carry our bags while she¡¯s on Dario¡¯s back.¡± ¡°I have to do the same with Sophie,¡± I tell him. Since Ezra is driving, I asked him to bring tents for us to sleep in, just in case the packhouse was destroyed by Joshua. However, I wanted Sophie to have something softer to sleep on, so I¡¯ve rolled a thick nket up into our bags. It isn¡¯t a lot, but she¡¯ll already be a bit unbnced riding on Shaw with herrge belly. When we get outside, I put the straps over her body, making sure nothing is pressing against our stomach too tightly and that everything isfortable. Then I strip and put my clothes in the bag before letting Shaw pull the shift. As soon as he does, he walks over to our mate. ¡°Shaw, you big softy,¡± Sophie coos, running her fingers through his fur. Hedda begins purring loudly as Shaw presses his nose against her belly, sniffing our pup. He rubs his face over her stomach, scenting her and trying to scent our pup as well. When he¡¯s done, he lifts his head and licks Sophie¡¯s face. ¡°I love you too, big guy,¡± she says, through Hedda¡¯s loud purring. I can hear pack members behind us chuckling at Hedda¡¯s open disy of affection toward Shaw, and he is soaking it in. He finallyys down and patiently waits while Sophie gets on his back and gets settled. He turns his head to watch her, nuzzling her when she struggles to get on his back. Sometimes I forget that my wolf loves our mates as much as I do, but it¡¯s moments like this that remind me that he and I share not only our mind, but also our emotions. ¡®Not all wolves are as lucky as I am. Not all humans openly share themselves like you do. But yes, Sophie and Hedda are as precious to me as they are to you. And our son will be just as precious,¡¯ Shaw says, sending me an image of our young son on the floor between his paws as he nuzzles and sniffs him. I take the image and add our son painfully gripping onto his face and feel Shaw m**lly shrug. I know my wolf is tough enough to take down anyone who attacks our pack, but I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s strong enough to take a baby¡¯s grip on his fur. ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll manage,¡¯ he purrs, using his face to push Sophie up just enough that she huffs and settles on his back. ¡°Finally! This is ridiculous!¡± ¡®Our pup is getting big, baby. It makes it harder for you to move easily.¡¯ ¡®Yeah, yeah,¡¯ she grumbles in my mind. ¡®Ready?¡¯ ¡°Ready,¡± she says out loud, looking over at Kinsley. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard for you,¡± she says. ¡°First, I¡¯m a week or two behind you, Sophie. Second, I¡¯m carrying a Beta pup, you¡¯re carrying an Alpha pup.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that matters,¡± she grumbles as Shaw stands and nods at Dario. The two of them take off at a slow jog, moving as easily as they can so they don¡¯t jostle our pups. I let Shaw focus on our surroundings, and I keep focused on Sophie, making sure she doesn¡¯t seem too ufortable or starts to bounce too much. About halfway, we stop. We¡¯re higher on the mountain, and it¡¯s a good spot to let our mates get some water. Sophie chooses to stay on Shaw¡¯s back, worried about getting back on, but Kinsley gets off and stretches her legs. ¡°I forget how beautiful it is up here,¡± Sophie says. ¡°When I was bringing food up here, I was always nervous, so I didn¡¯t really take the time to enjoy it, but you¡¯re right, Sophie. It¡¯s gorgeous. Once the packs around us are settled, we really need to start thinking of thatmunity area where all the packs can bring their families to rx.¡± ¡°Like a park,¡± Sophie says. She opens up the mind link to Lucas and Kinsley and we can all see her ideas. Kinsley begins to add hers as well. ¡°Yeah, a park with some pic benches or maybe some swings for the kids.¡± Shaw and I watch the images sh through their minds as Sophie looks around the space. ¡®I love that idea. I love that we¡¯d have a ce to bring our pups as they grow up. Once they get their wolves, they could run around up here. We could cut some trails for them,¡¯ I tell them. ¡®Maybe put some fire pits up here for star-gazing on cooler evenings with the family,¡¯ Lucas adds, sending more images to our growing picture. ¡°We should sit down with Nikki, Allison, the twins, and Amelia and really determine what we want up here, since this mountain is centrally located to all of our packs,¡± Kinsley suggests. ¡°I¡¯ll set something up,¡± Sophie says. After they¡¯ve rested, we begin to make our way down the backside of the mountain toward Owen¡¯s pack. I can see that we¡¯re not the first ones here, which doesn¡¯t surprise me. Some of our pack members who want topete left earlier this morning so they could look around. Robin, Kayce, Ezra, and I are. nning to put stakes on the borders of the packnds. Since this pack is like mine, not bordering any other packs, it will be important for those interested inpeting to know howrge the pack is. I see Ezra and Jake. Lucas and Kinsley break off to go talk to our pack members, but Shaw moves toward Ezra. When we¡¯re close, Ezra turns and smiles. ¡°Shaw, good to see you. Hello, Sophie.¡± ¡°Hello Ezra,¡± she says sliding off Shaw¡¯s back. ¡°Did Margot join you?¡± ¡°Of course I did,¡± Margot says from behind him, walking our way. Sophie rushes over to hug her as I shift. ¡°Hello Ezra, Jake,¡± I greet them, moving to grab the bags off of Sophie¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Look how big your pup has gotten already, Sophie,¡± Margot says, looking down. I feel the wave of her excitement and watch her smile broadly at Margot. I kiss the side of her head before getting my clothes and pulling them on. I turn back to Ezra. ¡°Who¡¯s here? Or should I ask who¡¯s not here?¡± I ask, seeing arge number of people milling around. ¡°Robin and Nikki just got here, they¡¯re checking out the packhouse to see if we can sleep there. It¡¯s a mess, but I think it¡¯s a better option for those of you with pregnant mates,¡± Ezra says. ¡°Kayce and Allison haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡± We hear a howl, and I turn seeing several wolves heading our way. Thergest is carrying Allison. ¡°That would be Rodion carrying Allison,¡± I say. ¡°Who are the others,¡± I hear Jake ask, his nose going up in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t met their wolves. I know Allison¡¯s friend Letti was nning toe, so I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s one of those wolves.¡± Jake takes a couple more steps forward, his gaze intent. ¡°Jake?¡± Ezra asks, watching him closely. I watch as one of the wolves rushes right up to us, shifting into Letti. ¡°MATE!¡± Jake growls. Letti¡¯s eyes go wide. ¡°Mate.¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166: Seeing Friends Sophie It¡¯s so good to see Margot again, even better because she seems to be healing emotionally. Spending time with Ezra, unlike Jocelyn¡¯s time with Zahn, seems to be helping Margot get stronger. ¡°How is your mother?¡± I ask her. Margot snorts. ¡°Once a Luna, always a Luna, I guess. She¡¯s got Ezra¡¯s pack eating out of the palm of her hand.¡± ¡°And how about you?¡± I ask her. ¡°I¡¯m settling in. It¡¯s¡­different. I can feel the pack¡¯s desire to have a Luna again, for me to ept Ezra. I can also feel their need to feel whole. It¡¯s different than what I felt from the pack when I was with Joshua. They valued me as their Luna in some ways, but it¡¯s not like it is with you and your pack. There¡¯s almost a desperation in Ezra¡¯s pack, a need to fill the gaping hole that Diana left. It makes me nervous to try and fill those shoes.¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t your shoes to fill, Margot. You¡¯re not D¨ªana, you are you. You shouldn¡¯t try to be her. Be the person you are. You and Ezra have been given second chance mates because you are both what the other needs right now. What he needed, the woman he needed when he met Diana, isn¡¯t the same as what he needs now,¡± I tell her. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she says, her eyes moving to Ezra. Instead of smiling, she frowns. Just as I turn to see what she¡¯s frowning at, I hear it. ¡°MATE!¡± I suck in a breath, turning quickly to see Letti shifting from her wolf in front of Jake. ¡°Mate.¡± He takes a step toward her, and I see Letti¡¯s eyes go wide a moment before Kayce steps in between them. ¡°Letti is part of my pack. We do not allow public imings in my pack,¡± he says forcefully. Jake blinks at him, then looks at Letti. ¡°I¡¯m Alpha Ezra¡¯s Beta. We don¡¯t allow public imings in our pack either. That¡¯s not¡­. just¡­¡± ¡°Kayce, let them get to know each other,¡± Allison says,ing to take her mate¡¯s hand. ¡°My Beta is an honorable man, Kayce. He won¡¯t mark your pack member publicly, will you Jake?¡± Ezra says, stepping up his Beta. ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t. I intend to win this pack and when I do, I won¡¯t allow it in my pack either,¡± he says to Letti. ¡°Well, that¡¯s funny. I¡¯m here to win this pack too,¡± Letti says, making Jake smile. ¡°Letti did you want to put a shirt on, then you and Jake can get to know each other?¡± I ask her. She looks down as if just noticing that she¡¯s naked in front of her mate. Before she can move, Jake rips his shirt off and tosses it at her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that,¡± she says, smiling at Jake. ¡°Me too,¡± he says, waiting for her to put on his shirt and then extending a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. We¡¯re going to start soon once everyone is here,¡± Ezra tells him. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s warning him to not go off and mark and mate her or they¡¯ll miss their reason for being here. ¡°So you¡¯re here to win the pack, huh?¡± Jake asks her as they walk off, holding hands and staring at each other. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Maybe we can win it together, lead it together, would you like that?¡± he asks her. She smiles and nods. ¡°Da***it, Robin!¡± Nikki says from behind me. I turn in time to see her smack her mate on the arm. ¡°Now they¡¯re bing trend-setters! When are we going to start zing trails and leaving our mark in this world?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you write up this neww, like you did for the one where women can be Alphas, baby. Then your stamp is on all of the changes that are being made,¡± he coos at her. She narrows her eyes at him. ¡°You just don¡¯t want to do all that work.¡± He shrugs, unperturbed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that it will be your name on the petition for thew change. That information stays on record forever.¡± She presses her lips together tightly. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°It must be you, Sophie. That¡¯s the only thing I can figure out,¡± Margot says still frowning as she watches Jake and Letti walk away. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Hunter says, focusing on Margot. ¡°You¡¯re like the mate fairy, or something. Every time you¡¯re around, people find their mates. It¡¯s crazy! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± she says, looking at me like I might sprout wings and a wand. I shrug. ¡°I think the changes we¡¯re making are allowing people to find their mates more easily,¡± I say honestly.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s you,¡± she says, as Ezra walks over and wraps an arm around her waist. I notice she doesn¡¯t flinch. She doesn¡¯t lean into him, but she doesn¡¯t pull away either. Progress. ¡°I think Margot¡¯s right, Sophie. There is something special about you, something that brings people together,¡± Ezra says. I smile at the praise, as Hunter wraps his arms around me. I can feel his pleasure at their admiration of me and also his pride that HE¡¯S my mate. ¡°Are Amelia and Duttoning?¡± Hunter asks. ¡°Calvin is here, actually, as is Amelia¡¯s G**a, Caleb.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Hunter says, just as we hear another howl. I turn and see a dark brown wolf running our way with two women on his back. Dutton with Tiffany and Tammi. There are several other wolves that havee from Dutton¡¯s pack to see the packnds. ¡°Oh the twins came!¡± Allison says excitedly. When the twins climb off his back, Dutton shifts quickly, checking on both women, kissing them, before turning to the rest of us. Nikki, Allison, Kinsley, and I say hello, then rush to the twins, hugging them and catching up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re all pregnant,¡± Tammi says excitedly. I look at Tiffany and I¡¯m d to see that she doesn¡¯t look upset. Having been in the room when they discussed it, I know that Tiffany wanted to be the mother of the Alpha heir. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re having yet?¡± I ask them. ¡°Not yet,¡± they both say. ¡°Me either,¡± Nikki pouts. ¡°You can¡¯t be far off, Nikki,¡± Allison tells her. ¡°No. Our pack doctor says we should be able to tell next week.¡± Allison¡¯s baby bump isn¡¯t as big as mine, and Nikki and the twins still have t stomachs. ¡°We probably have a couple weeks to go. We¡¯re pretty sure we got pregnant the same night,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°I want to hear all about that. I can¡¯t imagine how that dynamic works,¡± Nikki says. The twins smile at each other. ¡°It took a bit, but Dutton is amazing,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°He¡¯s mated to twins for a reason,¡± Tammi confirms. We barely have a moment to talk before Hunter and the others call us together. My friends and I stand back, watching the pack members and others congregate as Hunter, Dutton, Kayce, Robin, and Ezra talk to the group about the n for today, exining the rules of thepetition, and that thepetition will be scheduled after tomorrow when those in attendance can decide if they want to participate or not. The rest of the day, the Alphas give a tour of the packhouse and the packnds, marking off the territory as they go. The group of contenders is quiterge, over 200. I¡¯m surprised, but pleased to see that there are several omegas and even more females in attendance getting the information about participating in thepetition. Since we¡¯re here and don¡¯t have a lot to do, my friends and I begin straightening up the packhouse. The pack members were responsible for bringing their own food, so we don¡¯t have to cook, but we do go through the pantry, cleaning out old food and setting it aside to dispose ofter. It¡¯s nearly dark when the group returns, and Hunter finds me. ¡°Did you eat today?¡± he asks, looking around the space as he pulls me to him. ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe how much you did while we were gone.¡± ¡°It looks great in here,¡± Kayce says appreciatively. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Robin says, pulling Nikki to him. ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas,¡± she says, smiling up at him. ¡°Oh, I have a lot of ideas,¡± he says, scooping her up and carrying her out of the room. ¡°As do I,¡± Lucas growls, scooping Kinsley up and walking her out as well. ¡°Did you happen to straighten up any of the rooms, Soph?¡± Hunter asks in my ear. ¡°We didn¡¯t get that far,¡± I say. ¡°D**n, we¡¯ll have to find a secluded area then,¡± he says, scooping me up. ¡°Hunter!¡± Instead of answering, his mouthtches onto mine as he walks. ¡®I¡¯ve been missing you all day, Sophie,¡¯ he says in my mind, and I get the feeling that all of our mates have been talking about us and missing us all day. Chapter 167 Chapter 167: Leaving a Mark Letti I can¡¯t believe I met my mate. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s a Beta who is here to win a pack. And I¡¯m happy, so very happy, that he isn¡¯t one of those ranked members who insists on iming their mate publicly. I don¡¯t know Alpha Ezra, I¡¯d never met him before seeing him in Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack, but I¡¯ve been in Alpha Kayce¡¯s pack for a while now. He and Allison have been great leaders. So, I knew he would protect me and not allow anyone to im me publicly or against my will. Thankfully, Jake isn¡¯t like that at all. I look over at him again, smiling when I see he¡¯s looking at me too. He turns his head away and chuckles. ¡°Are you having as hard a time as I am focusing on this pack stuff?¡± he asks me. ¡°Yes. But I was serious about wanting topete for this pack.¡± ¡°What do you want to do here?¡± he asks. We¡¯re walking around the packnds, getting a feel for them and the size of the pack overall while the existing Alphas mark the pack borders with little wooden stakes with red gs on them. ¡°I want to start a pack like my friends have created. A ce where people can live and be free, be heard, and be safe.¡± ¡°Your friends? You mean that group of Lunas?¡± he asks, looking back in the direction we came. ¡°Well, only Sophie was a Luna when I met them. Nikki, Allison, and I were on the run together. Allison and I met up first and then we met Nikki when Alpha Aiden tried to im Allison, Nikki jumped in and was injured helping us to get away,¡± He growls a low, dangerous growl. ¡°He¡¯s lucky he didn¡¯t im you, I¡¯d kill him.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have known that I was your mate though, would you? I mean, unless I had rejected him, which I would have. But there are ways that she wolves can be forced to ept their mates. I know in my old pack, wormen were impregnated and then their pups were used to force them to ept the mate bond again.¡± ¡°Impregnated? You mean raped?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what our ranked members called it,¡± I say, remembering my father who had used simr tactics against my mother in the beginning. It¡¯s why she helped me escape from my pack. ¡°Who the **k are these a**l**?¡± he asks, angrily, ¡°Entitled leaders who think they can do what they want, and, in the past, thews supported them,¡± I say, ¡°Anyway, Nikki was injured and we¡¯d heard about a ce where they were leaving food for she wolves on the run. Most of us, when we were on the run, looked out for each other as best we could,¡± I say shrugging, ¡°We didn¡¯t run inrge packs, me, Nikki, and Allison being thergest group I ever saw, but that didn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯ t talk and didn¡¯t help out when and where we could. And, of course, everyone knew about Sophic.¡± ¡°The Legend, right? Alpha Ezra said she¡¯s the real deal and our 11 Lana Margot said the same has nk your Lara had epted your Alpha yet,¡± say My Ad ¡°How would that work for us that if a pack you and i were equals in our pack? 1 ask He shrugs. Y not sure me her to agree to **wking Agha ¡°That¡¯s a good question Mure¡¯s another question for you) he says, shopping and pulling me a bit wide from therge go who a walking the bordes win un ¡°What are we going to detetam now and the anak. My molt bedre, one ad um & you wet the mark the fah Öø Se okay with Seng away hom twee away from ya dirut you? Wat youContent held by N?velDrama.Org. me? Buing a Chalet Leaving a sk I step up to him. I barely know the man, but I already feel drawn to him, and I like that he¡¯s worried about being away from me. and willing to talk about how we canpromise together. ¡°I¡¯lle to your pack with you, but let¡¯s get one thing straight before we go,¡± I say, running my finger down his t-shirt. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asks, his voice deepening as I touch him. I lift up on my toes and put my face so close to his that I can feel his breath on my lips. ¡°I¡¯m the one winning this pack.¡± His smile is instant. ¡°You think so, huh?¡± ¡°Oh, I know so. I want it, therefore, it will be mine,¡± I say more confidently than I feel. Jake¡¯s response to my closeness is making me feel bold. He wraps his arm around me, pulling me against his body, his dark eyes watching me intently as his hard length presses between us. ¡°And what about me, do you want me?¡± he whispers, his nose rubbing against mine. ¡°Yes,¡± I breathe. ¡°When do I get to be yours?¡± he asks. H**k at his lips, wanting to know if they are as warm and soft as they look. ¡°Tonight?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°That¡¯s too far away.¡± ¡°What did you have in mind, Beta? ask him. ¡°Everyone is following the Alphas and they¡¯ll be busy for hours. I happened to notice an area by the river we passed that looked like it might be a bit secluded.¡± ¡°You want to mark me out here in the middle of nowhere?¡± I ask him, although the idea holds appeal. ¡°I want to christen our future packnds with our love. I want both of us fight for this pack like nothing we¡¯ve ever fought for before, because we¡¯ve literally left our mark on it.¡± Move that idea. ¡°Lead the way,¡± I whisper. We slink away from the others like we¡¯re naughty teenagers sneaking out for the night. When we get to the ce he saw, I see that it¡¯s actually beautiful and we can easily conceal ourselves here. Mei pushes forward and I see Andre in Jake¡¯s eyes as I turn to him. He pulls me into a kiss, and I finally get to feel his warm, soft lips on mine. We spend the rest of the afternoon and evening, marking, mating, and talking about our ns for the future under the stars. Jake¡¯s mind is everything I¡¯d hoped for, kind, loving, and intelligent, and by morning, I know I¡¯m ready to follow him to Alpha Ezra¡¯s pack, ready to start the rest of my life with this man, and ready to begin training harder than I¡¯ve ever trained in my life, because Jake is right. We¡¯ve left our mark on this pack, and now, I can¡¯t let anyone have it but us. Chapter 168 Chapter 168: The Packs Hunter There was something about spending the day with the other Alphas, away from our mates that had all of us missing them. I missed Sophie, missed her smell, herugh, her loving gaze when she looks at me, and I missed ying with my son. I¡¯ll admit, it really is my new favorite pastime, only knocked out of first ce by making love to my mate. That will always be my number one favorite thing to do in this world. So yeah, after being away from her all day, I scooped her up and took her to a secluded area where I could enjoy her, reconnect with her after being away from her all day, and yeah, I buried myself deep inside her, finding my happy ce and capturing her screams of pleasure with my kiss. I know I wasn¡¯t the only one. By the time we returned to the packhouse, nearly all of Sophie¡¯s friends had messy hair, some with grass or twigs still sticking out of them. The notable exception was Margot and Ezra, but I noticed that he took advantage of the time we were away to spend with his mate. Most of the single warriors and ranked members who came to see the packnds pitched tents and the group set up a couple of fire pits outside where people congregated overnight, talking about the pack, their possible future, and asking questions about the other avable packs. Robin, Kayce, Dutton, Erza and I spent most of thete evening talking with the group, answering their questions and making note of things that we to make decisions about. Calvin was around, but he didn¡¯t really engage with us. I¡¯m not sure how to feel about that. He¡¯s an Alpha, but he was excluded from this process. It wasn¡¯t until muchter, after Sophie and the other pregnant mates found space in the packhouse to sleep and had gone to bed that he finally approached us. ¡°So, is this the n for ric¡¯s pack as well?¡± ¡°Besides the part of having to mark the boundaries, yes,¡± Dutton says to him. He nods, looking around. ¡°Will you be opening it to all the packs?¡± ¡°Not all of them,¡± I say. ¡°Aiden and Zahn¡¯s packs are not part of our alliance; therefore, they won¡¯t be participating.¡± ¡°What about my pack?¡± he asks, turning to look at us. I look at the others, not wanting to speak for everyone. ¡°I guess that depends on where you stand, Alpha Calvin. You haven¡¯t been against us, but you haven¡¯t actually been with us either,¡± Robin says. ¡°For that pack, in particr, I¡¯d like to be included. Let me know what you need from me to be a part of that.¡± ¡°Are you nning to join packs with your mate, Alpha Calvin?¡± Kayce asks him. ¡°Amelia and I are discussing how things will work in the future,¡± is all he says, before turning and walking away. ¡°Discussing?¡± Margot asks. ¡°Arguing,¡± Ezra rifies. ¡°Which reminds me, Margot and I neve filled you in on her father and Joshua¡¯s previous packs.¡± I notice he doesn¡¯t call Joshua Margot¡¯s previous mate. ¡°How did that go?¡± Dutton asks. ¡°There was some disagreement about opening up the packs. Not as much after the packs saw my mother and I, but they had already created their own, new hierarchy and the ¡®Alphas¡¯ didn¡¯t want the contest. Ezra shut that down quickly,¡± she says, smiling at him. I raise an eyebrow at him. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Margot smile widens before she dips her head to hide it. Ezra looks at her, his lips twitching at their shared joke. ¡°Did you want to tell them, since you got such enjoyment out of it?¡± he asks. She looks up at him, smiling more openly than I remember seeing her smile in my pack. Then she turns to us. ¡°Joshua¡¯s Ga**a was p**k, always has been. He¡¯s always thought more highly of himself than he should have. He may have also made the mistake of telling me that I should know my ce and that it was beneath him since he¡¯s the new Alpha.¡± Several of us whistle low at that. Erza may not be wearing Margot¡¯s mark, but they¡¯ve both identified that they are mates. There¡¯s no way that Ezra would have tolerated anyone disrespecting Margot, much less like that. ¡°Ezra showed Franklin what it means to actually be an Alpha by Jifting him off his feet by his throat. Then he proceeded to scare him so badly that he literally pis**ed himself in front of the pack,¡± she says, smiling at Ezra. She¡¯s looking at him differently now. Whether it¡¯s because of that event or because he¡¯s working his way into her heart, her gaze and her smile are much warmer now, much more open. ¡°D**n. I¡¯d probably have gone straight for the kill, but humiliation like that makes a much bigger impact,¡± Robin says. ¡°It did, and word travelled fast. No one else questioned the need to open the pack to a challenge in Joshua¡¯s or my father¡¯s packs,¡± Margot says, holding Ezra¡¯s gaze. The heat and chemistry between them is thick in the air. I¡¯m surprised, and pleased, when she leans in and kisses him lightly and quickly on the lips. I¡¯m not sure which of them was more shocked at her action, her or Ezra. ¡°I should, um¡­get to bed,¡± she says, obviously embarrassed by her outward disy of affection. ¡°Do you have everything you need?¡± Ezra asks her, as she stands. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± she says, before saying goodnight and walking inside the packhouse. Ezra¡¯s gazes follows her until she¡¯s inside before turning back to see all of us smirking at him. ¡°Shut up,¡± he growls, making all of usugh. ¡°So, things are going well?¡± I ask him. ¡°They are. It¡¯s taking time, but I knew it would. Having Luna June there with us is making things easier, I think. She¡¯s such a natural Luna. The pack adores her and Margot. Margot¡¯s just more hesitant to act like a Luna because she hasn¡¯t epted me yet.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it will be that much longer,¡± Kayce says to him.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Ezra shrugs. ¡°However long it takes, I¡¯ll wait. It¡¯ll be worth every minute of waiting if I can one day have what all of you have.¡± Since we all agree, we call it a night, going to snuggle with our mates. The next morning, we sit around the fire pits again, eating breakfast and letting the group know that they can sign up topete if they are interested. We go through the rules, exining that names will be drawn at random and it¡¯s a single elimination, meaning if you lose, you¡¯re out. We, the Alphas, will be referees to ensure that no one continues to the point where their lives are at stake, as this is meant to be a friendlypetition, not a death match. Alphas will not be able to referee fights with one of their pack members in it, but since there are so many of us, we don¡¯t see the issue. Once the first round of fights are over, there will be a short break and then the second round of fights will begin. This will continue until one person is left standing and that person will be given the title of Alpha. In the end, I¡¯m excited to see that over two hundred individuals sign up topete. We set the date for one week from today and then it¡¯s time to pack up and head home. Chapter 169 Chapter 169: Returning Home Sophie I say goodbye to my friends again but this time, it¡¯s not so sad. I know I¡¯ll see them again in a week, but we also talked about meeting to discuss the mountain area. Everyone loved our idea of the y area for the pups and the trails for wolves, not just pups, to run when they need to get away. If it bes amunity area, we can all take it on as part of our protection, making sure that if anyone calls out for help, we respond. Since we¡¯re meeting back here in a week anyway, we decide toe with our ideas and, when we have some time, we can go over the ideas together. Lucas decided that he doesn¡¯t want topete for this pack. I¡¯ m d because I really want him to go for ric¡¯s old pack. Hunter told me that Calvin brought up that pack too, and I n to talk to Amelia about it. I didn¡¯t get the impression that she wanted to expand our father¡¯s pack. Hunter straps our bags on me again, making sure nothing is pinching or rubbing too much, before shifting andying down. I begin my struggle to get onto Shaw again, when I hear Nikki. ¡°Sophie, it¡¯s painful watching you,¡± she says, walking over and lifting me up, helping me get settled onto Shaw¡¯s back. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Kinsley asks. ¡°You were probably busy getting you and your own baby bump on your mate¡¯s wolf. I don¡¯t have a baby bump yet, so it¡¯s easier for me and Shaw won¡¯t get grumpy about it since I¡¯m a friend and not a male touching his pregnant mate. Right, Shaw?¡± she asks, then she smiles mischievously and winks at me. ¡°Robin, is it me or is Shawrger than Derric?¡± She tries and fails to hide her smile from taunting her mate. I feel Shaw snor ust as I hear the growl behind her and bones snapping before arge ck wolfes walking over a momentter. Shaw carefully gets to his feet, standing beside Derric. Nikki makes a show of assessing the differences between Shaw and Derric. ¡°Hmm, I guess it was just having a pregnant Sophie on his back that made him seem bigger,¡± she says. Derric growls at her before she finally wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him. ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t the same size, and I think you might be just a bitrger, you¡¯d still be the only man and wolf for me.¡± Rather than letting her get away with her teasing, Derric shifts his body, gently pushing Nikki to the ground beforeying on top of her, pinning her down, and covering her face with kisses. ¡°Oh, Derric! Derric, stop!¡± sheins, trying to push him away. Her mate¡¯s wolf doesn¡¯t even slow down, making sure that his long, wet licks go up into her hairline, her hair beginning to stand out at odd angles. ¡°Robin Porter, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯re encouraging this behavior!¡± Shaw chuckles. ¡°Bye Nikki, see you soon,¡± I say,ughing as Shaw begins heading home, Nikki¡¯sints following us for several more minutes. We stop again at the top of the mountain to get water and enjoy the view from up here. It really is a beautiful area. ¡°We should figure out what to do with the space inside the mountain, otherwise, it¡¯s going to be a h**k-up spot for young wolves,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°Do you have any ideas? I mean, it¡¯s so small. The only thing thates to mind is a swimming area for pops, but the pool is too deep. I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea either. Really only she- wolves, omegas, and pups are getting in there,¡± I say. ¡®I got in there,¡¯ Hunter says in the mind link. ¡°With my help,¡± Kinsley says out loud. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you or Lucas could get in there without assistance.¡± ¡®We can think about it, but I¡¯m not sure a pup area is the right idea. You¡¯re right, Soph, the pond is too deep. Maybe we use it as a getaway for newly mated pack members. Speaking from experience, it¡¯s a great ce to seal your bond.¡¯ Hedda begins purring loudly at his words, images of our night together flitting through both of our minds. ¡°It is far enough away from all the packs that it provides privacy, and it¡¯s got everything you need except food. We can talk to the others about it when we meet next week,¡± Kinsley says. We begin making our way back to the pack, Shaw and Dario announcing our return as we get close. The entire pack responds, and I instantly feel their happiness and contentment that we¡¯re back. ¡°That¡¯s such a great feeling. If Lucas wins a pack, I hope it¡¯s the same feeling that we get from our pack,¡± Kinsley says, closing her eyes as she lets the pack¡¯s love flow through her.. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful feeling. I love this pack so much,¡± I say, letting my own love for them flow through the pack bond. Almost instantly, I hear Shaw, Dario, and Kinsley all begin purring. ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°Our Luna loves us. There¡¯s no better feeling in the world. Well, maybe the love of your mate, but in a pack environment, the love of your Luna is everything,¡± Kinsley says, this time basking in the love that I¡¯m letting flow through the pack bond. ¡®Is it that important?¡¯ I ask Hunter. ¡®Don¡¯t you feel the rest of the pack responding, Soph? Your love means everything to them. Your love and appreciation of them makes them feel worthy and safe.¡¯ I do what Kinsley is doing. I close my eyes and open my mind to the entire pack, and I feel what Hunter means. Their happiness and love are being reflected back at me and I let the feeling wash over me until Shaw stops at the back of the packhouse. When he does, I take a deep breath, smiling happily as I slide off his back. ¡°It¡¯s good to be home,¡± I say, as Penny and Jaime walk out to greet us. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you home, Luna,¡± they both say. ¡°Good to have all of you home,¡± Penny says. Hunter and Lucas shift. ¡°Any problems?¡± ¡°Just one. I bet you know who it was,¡± Jaime says, rolling his eyes. ¡°How bad?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°Come see for yourself,¡± Penny says, smiling at her mate. Oh, this ought to be good. ¡°Jocelyn?¡± I ask her. ¡°She¡¯s just fine, Luna. She was released from the hospital yesterday and has been recovering nicely at the Survivor¡¯s Center. Sandy is taking lead on helping her get around, but when I left them this morning, they were already in the garden. Dr. Caspian and Brooklyn leftst evening, but they called from Alpha Amelia¡¯s pack to let us know they arrived safely. They were nning to check on your sister today and then head to Alpha Dutton¡¯s pack to check his Lunas, before returning to your sister¡¯s pack.¡± ¡°Thank you, Penny. I¡¯ll go check on Jocelyn, let her know that we¡¯re home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she knows, Luna,¡± Penny says smiling. As we walk inside the pack greets us, weing us home again. It takes a moment before I see him and when I do, I can see that the pack hasn¡¯t gone easy on him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°I see you didn¡¯t heed my warnings, Alpha Zahn,¡± Hunter says. Zahn is covered in bruises, his split lip is still healing, and he looks like he reinjured his ribs again based on the way he¡¯s sitting, his arm around his midsection. ¡°Your pack attacked me!¡± he growls. It would probably sound more menacing if he didn¡¯t cough at the end of it, making him flinch in pain. ¡°And why is that, Alpha Zahn?¡± Jaime asks him. He¡¯s standing in what I would call parade rest. His legs are wide, his hands are behind his back, but he¡¯s clenching and unclenching his fists as if he¡¯s ready for whateveres at him. ¡°I just wanted to check on my mate!¡± he growls again, this time much more softly. I¡¯m guessing she didn¡¯t want to see you, Alpha Zahn,¡± Hunter says. ¡°You would be correct, Alpha,¡± Penny says. I¡¯d feel sorry for Zahn, but he¡¯s bringing all of this onto himself. I guess he truly didn¡¯t believe that our pack would protect Jocelyn I send a wave of pride through the pack bond, letting my pack members know how proud I am that they protected someone that I left in their care. I see Hunter nce at me out of theer of his eye, smiling at my response. But what is most impressive to me is how, almost as one, every pack member in the room stands a bit straighter, a bit taller, with my praise. Chapter 170 Chapter 170: St**d or Stubborn Hunter It feels like the pack is about to burst from their pleasure at Sophie¡¯s love and pride. The woman certainly knows how to draw loyalty and love from others. And it¡¯s more than just loyalty, it¡¯s absolute devotion. It almost seems like the more she loves the pack, the more they adore her and want to make her happy, which makes her love them even more and the whole cycle just continues to interweave the bonds of the pack, making all of us stronger. Because of that, any sour apple stands out like a sore thumb. Currently, Alpha Zahn is our sour apple. I turn and pull Sophie in to kiss the side of her head, taking the opportunity to slide my hand over her belly to say hi to my pup. ¡°Go check on Jocelyn. I know you won¡¯t be able to rest until you do. I¡¯ll speak to Alpha Zahn,¡± I tell her. She turns, lifting up on her toes and cupping my cheek as she kisses me. She hasn¡¯t closed the link to the pack, so they all feel her love and adoration for me. Whether she meant for it to happen or not, the pack¡¯s response is instant, feeling safe and secure in the knowledge that their Luna loves their Alpha. I open my mind to them too, pouring my love for Sophie through the bond. I¡¯ve never been so open with the pack about how I feel about Sophie, but I feel their response instantly. Calm and peace spreads through the pack, knowing that their Luna, the woman they adore, is loved so deeply by her mate. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± she says when she pulls away. ¡°Yes,¡± I say and watch as she walks away, taking Kinsley and Penny with her. When they walk out, I turn to Zahn. I don¡¯t miss the tant jealousy on his face. ¡°Alpha Zahn,e with me.¡± ¡°Alpha, do you want us toe too?¡± Brutus asks. I turn to see him and William nking Zahn. ¡°Yes. If he says something s***d, I may need you to pull me off of him,¡± I say, before turning and walking to my office. A momentter, Zahn walks in, my warriors stationing themselves by the door. ¡°Have a seat,¡± I say, gesturing to a chair in front of my desk. Rather than sitting beside him like I would with most individuals, I lean against my desk and cross my arms. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be getting it that Jocelyn is in charge of how much or how little time the two of you get to spend together, Alpha Zahn. You are not in control here, she is. You asked for our help and we¡¯re providing it, but you¡¯re not helping yourself and you¡¯re not holding up your end of the bargain,¡± I say. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d keep my mate from me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not keeping your mate from you. I¡¯m honoring her wishes to stay away from you. Perhaps you should consider doing the same. Perhaps, instead of trying to run roughshod over Jocelyn, you let her have the control she¡¯s so desperately seeking.¡± ¡°So she can leave me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already rejected you. Forcing her into close proximity or worse, into an intimate rtionship that she doesn¡¯t want, won¡¯t endear her to you. Take my advice, Alpha. Stop trying to force her. Giving her space may not change her mind about you, but continuing to try and force yourself on her, is definitely not going to change her mind about you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so easy for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± he growls. His jealousy, his desire to have what I have with my mate, is palpable. ¡°Yes, it is easy,¡± I say, leaning over and getting in his face. ¡°It was easy for me to decide to do what was right for my mate even though it was against ourws. It was easy for me to stand in front of the Committee of Alphas and refuse to mark her publicly even though I knew I might have to fight my way out of the courtroom. It was easy for me to go to war and kill those who wanted to take what was mine or try to force my mate and I into a situation that would have made my mate bond no better than yours. I would do it all again, fight every single Alpha if necessary to have what I have with my mate. So yeah, it is easy, because I¡¯ve already fought for her and for us. And therein lies the difference between you and I, Alpha Zahn. You¡¯re still fighting for yourself. I have always fought for Sophie.¡± I lean back, watching him struggle to remain calm. He has to know I mean what I¡¯m saying. He was there at the Committee of Alphas. He voted against me. His ways don¡¯t work, but he¡¯s either too st*d or** too stubborn to figure that out. ¡°Jocelyn hasn¡¯t agreed to see you. Until she does, stay away from her or my pack members will continue to beat you ck and blue. If you don¡¯t like it, you¡¯re always wee to leave. But Jocelyn won¡¯t be leaving until she decides that she¡¯s ready to go.¡± I tell him. He stands, his hands in fists. Both warriors step forward, ready to jump in if needed. ¡°You¡¯re a pompous, arrogant son of a **h,¡± he snarls. ¡°Takes one to know one, Alpha Zahn,¡± I say, staying calm. I¡¯m ready if he attacks me, but I continue to look unconcerned as I stare him down. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without my mate,¡± he snarls. ¡°Suit yourself, Alpha. I hope you brought a lot of work with you. It doesn¡¯t appear that your mate will be leaving any time soon.¡± I watch him think about hitting me and intelligently deciding not to do it. Maybe he¡¯s not as st*id as I think he is. Caspian POV ¡°Well, Alpha, you know you¡¯re having a girl, right?¡± I ask Alpha Amelia. She didn¡¯t want to wait for her mate to return before having me examine her. ¡°Yes, doctor. Is she healthy?¡± she asks, concerned. ¡°Her heartbeat is strong and besides beingrger than I would expect, it looks like everything is good. Are you sure about the timeframe for her conception?¡± I ask her. ¡°Yes. My mate and I¡­well, we needed time to get to know each other. After getting marked¡­I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯m nning to go to Alpha Dutton¡¯s pack tomorrow, but since he¡¯s so close, I should be able to return tomorrow night. Other than maybe needing to go back to check on Jocelyn, I¡¯m nning to remain here until you deliver, Alpha. Based on what I¡¯m seeing, you may deliver earlier than you¡¯re expecting. If not, we may need to consider a c-section,¡± I tell her. ¡°Why is that?¡± she asks. ¡°Your pup is pretty big, Alpha. We don¡¯t want to put you at risk by trying to force you to deliver a pup who can¡¯t fit in the birthing canal. That¡¯s one of the ways that women die in childbirth.¡± ¡°What about recovery time? If I have the c-section, how long will it take for me to recover?¡± ¡°That depends on your wolf, Alpha. How strong is she?¡± I ask her. ¡°Saige says she¡¯s at full strength.¡± ¡°Then I would say one to three days to heal. May I ask what you¡¯ re worried about, Alpha?¡± She looks thoughtful for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m in a precarious position, doctor. I¡¯m the first female Alpha to take on a pack, I did it without my mate being here, and I¡¯m pregnant. There is some unrest in my pack about a woman being an Alpha. I want to be able to shut that down quickly if something were to happen, and while I don¡¯t believe that anyone would do something to me while I was pregnant, the pack would never tolerate that, the time immediately after my delivery will be my weakest and most vulnerable time.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly concerned about that, Alpha, we can inducebor when your daughter gets to the point where I think she¡¯s getting too big to deliver naturally.¡± ¡°I think that would be a good option, doctor,¡± she says ¡°Do you want to discuss this with your mate before making a final decision?¡± ¡°No. Calvin has made his choices, and I am making mine. Is that going to be a problem for you doctor?¡± she asks me, with no malice. It¡¯s more like she¡¯s trying to figure out who she can trust and who is willing to help her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, Alpha. The choice to include or not include your mate in these decisions, is yours.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Caspian,¡± she says as Brooklynes in with the images of the ultrasound we took today. ¡°Here you go, Alpha. Have you decided on a name yet?¡± Brooklyn asks her. ¡°Athena,¡± she says, smiling at the picture of her daughter. When she looks up, her eyes meet mine before turning to Brooklyn. ¡°And what about you? What are you nning to name your little one?¡± she asks. ¡°How did you¡­¡± Brooklyn asks, looking at me, then back at Alpha Amelia. ¡°I¡¯m an Alpha, but my senses are also a bit heightened now that I¡¯m pregnant. Saige and I can smell the pup on you,¡± she says. I pull my mate against me, loving this woman so much. ¡°We just found out a few hours ago. I¡¯m not even sure it¡¯spletely sunk in yet,¡± I say, smiling at Brooklyn. My sweet mate¡¯s eyes fill with tears as she turns to Alpha Amelia. ¡°I can¡¯t stop touching my stomach. I just want to feel my little one so desperately. I know it¡¯s too soon, but I¡¯m just so excited to be having Cas¡¯ pup!¡± she says, smiling up at me. ¡°Not half as excited as I am that you¡¯re having my pup,¡± I say, feeling like my heart will burst with my love for this woman. ¡°Congrattions to both of you,¡± Alpha Amelia says, but there¡¯s a sadness in her tone. ¡°Thank you, Alpha. We¡¯ll leave you to get dressed,¡± I say, leading Brooklyn from the room. I¡¯m thankful that my life isn¡¯t asplicated as Alpha Amelia¡¯s. I wouldn¡¯t want to have to make a choice between my job and my mate. My decision would always be Brooklyn, but I know that I¡¯d miss my work every day and those types of feelings cause resentment to fester. I have a feeling Alpha Amelia understands that very well. Chapter 171 Chapter 171: Jocelyn¡¯s Healing Sophie When I walk to the Survivor¡¯s Center, there¡¯s more chatter than normal. I even hear softughter and pups talking excitedly. I follow the sounds of voices and walk out to the garden where nearly everyone is working in the dirt, nting seeds or nts. ¡°Luna! Come see what we¡¯re doing!¡± one of the pups shouts when they see me. Immediately, all of the pupse rushing over, taking my hands in their dirty ones and leading me to the garden. ¡°Careful with our Luna. She¡¯s pregnant!¡± one of the mothers says, sternly. ¡°Sorry, Luna!¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry, Luna.¡± I nod at the mothers, and smile at Jocelyn. ¡°How are you doing?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m doing well, Sophie. After the pups show you around, we can talk,¡± she says. The lines of stress, anger, and pain on her face have softened in just the day that I¡¯ve been away. I¡¯m anxious to hear how she¡¯s healing. But I focus on the pups, knowing they need to feel my love just as much as the pack does. Since most of them aren¡¯t old enough to have their wolves yet, I make a point of hugging them, telling them what a great job they¡¯re doing, and ohhhing and ahhhing over what they¡¯ve nted. It¡¯s a good hour before I have a chance to really sit and talk to Jocelyn. ¡°Here, Luna, take my seat,¡± Sandy says to me. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s not necessary, but unfortunately, if I sit on the ground, you¡¯re all going to have to help me back up again,¡± I say, rubbing my stomach. ¡°How is our Alpha heir doing?¡± one of the women asks over her shoulder while she continues to work in the garden. ¡°Growing every day,¡± I say, smiling down at my stomach. ¡°So, how are you doing, Jocelyn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m really good. I went to the hospital today and Dr. Felicity took x-rays again. I think Cassidy is over-extending herself a bit, trying to heal me. Dr. Felicity got Dr. Caspian on a video call and we looked over my x-rays. I¡¯m healing much faster than he expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. How long does he think it will be before you arepletely healed?¡± ¡°He thinks maybe a week or two. He said that, depending on what happens with the birth of your sister¡¯s daughter, he maye back and do the surgery on my other leg so that at least from the waist down, I could be healed.¡± ¡°Oh, Jocelyn. That¡¯s such great news!¡± I say, leaning over to hug her. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t realize how much pain I was in. I guess my body just became ustomed to it, but now, having so little painpared to what it was, I realize how much better I¡¯m going to feel when all of these surgeries are done.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you, Jocelyn,¡± I say, smiling at her. She reaches over and takes my hand, squeezing it. ¡°Thank you, Sophie. I know I¡¯ve said it before, but I don¡¯t know how I can ever thank you for what you¡¯ve done and continue to do for me.¡± ¡°Your healing is enough thanks for me, Jocelyn.¡± She looks at me a moment. ¡°They were right, you know.¡± ¡°Who was right about what?¡± I ask. ¡°You really are worthy of being called The Legend.¡± The women around me chuckle as I huff. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± Jocelyn asks, looking around. ¡°Our Luna is the only one who doesn¡¯t seem to realize how much she deserves the title she was given.¡± Jocelyn turns back to me. ¡°Really, Sophie? You don¡¯t see it?¡± I shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what anyone else would do,¡± I say. ¡°No one else has done what you¡¯ve done, Sophie. No one. And let¡¯s be honest, most people would have kicked me out the minute I arrived with the massive chip I had on my shoulder. I shrug. I don¡¯t really feel like I¡¯ve done anything, except what was right. Thankfully, I have a supportive mate, someone who adores me and encourages me to be the best that I can be. I spend another hour with everyone, enjoying the peacefulness and the gentleughter that has started toe in this ce. I can see that the women here have bonded together in their grief, supporting each other, being there when one of them breaks down, bing a vige that takes care of the pups. When I return to the packhouse, let Hunter know that I want all of us to start taking turns visiting the Survivor Center. At least one of the ranked members should go be every day to support our pack members and most especially, the pups. I work with Kinsley and set up a schedule, knowing that I n to go more than once a week and so does she. When we mention it to Penny, she tells us that she¡¯s already going by at least once a day, checking in to make sure the pups feel supported. ¡°What if we started bringing the pups to the packhouse?¡± Penny asks. ¡°I¡¯m not sure they¡¯re ready for that yet,¡± Kinsley says, ¡°Not all of them are, you¡¯re right, but I think some of them are. They either miss their friends, or they miss thepanionship of being with other wolves. Some of the pups are old enough to shift but they haven¡¯t since their fathers died,¡± Penny says. ¡°Maybe dinner a couple times a week, Pen. And then we could take them for a run afterward. Well, you can, Kinsley and I can¡¯t,¡± I say, gesturing to my stomach, ¡°True,¡± Penny says, smiling. ¡°Ohhh, and let¡¯s invite all of them to your birthday party, Penny,¡± Kinsley says, turning to me. ¡°I can begin nning her party while you¡¯re gone next weekend, Sophie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I mean, you¡¯re already officially our Ga**a, but now you¡¯ll be able to mark your mate.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m SO excited! Jaime is too. Our bond already feels so strong¡­¡± ¡°Just wait, it¡¯s so much stronger when you turn eighteen,¡± I say. Over the next few days, we take turns going to see the survivors and I go by every day to see Jocelyn as well. Her healing continues to go well and mid-week I join her at the hospital for x-rays. Zahn had been asking to see her since our return and she finally agreed to allow him toe to see the x-rays on the day that I attended. Hunter made sure to assign additional guards in case Zahn tried anything. He surprised me by behaving. Perhaps getting his a**kicked by our pack showed him that he wasn¡¯t going to get what he wanted by trying to force his way to being with Jocelyn. Because she asked, I stayed when he entered the room. ¡°Wow, Jocelyn, you look great,¡± he says, sounding surprised. ¡°Brooklyn told me this pack was special, and she was right. I feel good, stronger than I was when we arrived.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s really good. How are you healing?¡± he asks. ¡°Faster than anticipated. Dr. Caspian and Dr. Felicity think that Cassidy is present, but still silent, I have to agree since I¡¯m healing much faster than a human would,¡± she says as Dr. Felicity walks into the room with today¡¯s x-rays. ¡°Full house, today,¡± she says, looking around at Jocelyn, Zahn, me, and the six guards that Hunter assigned. ¡°Well, Luna, the news continues to be good.¡± She puts the x-rays on the light box and all of us can see that her bones are straight and almostpletely healed. ¡°You still have some fractures here, but Cassidy is doing an amazing job at healing you, Jocelyn.¡± ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Jocelyn says, squeezing my hand as she stares at the images. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Dr. Caspian and he and I agree that it would be better to have your second surgery before Alpha Amelia delivers her pup,¡± Dr. Felicity says ¡°Alpha Amelia?¡± Zahn asks, rifying her title. Dr. Felicity looks over at me. We¡¯re all so used to it that even I forgot that Zahn didn¡¯t know about my sister taking over my father¡¯s pack. ¡°Yes. My sister took over when Alpha ric killed my parents,¡± I say He frowns. ¡°But she¡¯s a Luna.¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± I say, mind linking Hunter ¡°Zahn just found out about Amelia. How do you want me to handle it? ¡°Tell him to talk to me. I¡¯ll deal with him. I don¡¯t want him interfering with our packpetitions.¡± Agreed.¡± ¡°What does her mate think of the,¡± he says, bing agitated. ¡°Alpha Zahn, if you have questions about my sister running a pack, you should speak to Hunter about it.¡± ¡°I definitely will. What is the f**king worlding to? Women running packs? It¡¯s absurd,¡± he says, as if his words aren¡¯t insulting the three women in the room. I look at Jocelyn who nods. ¡°I think our time here is done, Alpha Zahn. Thank you foring today,¡± I say, nodding to the guards.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What? But we¡¯re not done,¡± he says, looking at Jocelyn. ¡°Thank you foring, Zahn,¡± she says, and he grits his teeth. ¡°Alpha Zahn, Jocelyn has requested that you leave. It¡¯s time to go,¡± William says. I notice that they¡¯ve moved around the room, putting themselves between Zahn and the three women in the room. ¡°Jocelyn, I apologize if my words offended you. But I am happy to see that you are healing and getting stronger,¡± he says, looking hopeful that his words may make her change her mind. ¡°Thank you,¡± is all she says. He presses his lips together and turns, the guards falling in behind him, keeping a barrier between us and him. Once he¡¯s out the door, Dr. Felicity turns back to Jocelyn. ¡°Anywho, what I was saying is that Dr. Caspian wants to do your other leg before Alpha Amelia delivers her baby. As you can see here,¡± she says, pointing to a second x-ray, ¡°your legs are no longer the same length. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m forced to hobble now because of it,¡± Jocelyn says. ¡°Right. So, he¡¯ll be here over the weekend, probably Sunday with a n toplete your left side, from hip to toes, if you are in agreement, Jocelyn,¡± Dr. Felicity says, looking at her for confirmation. She looks at me and then back at Dr. Felicity. ¡°Yes, definitely! As long as it won¡¯t impact Cassidy in a negative way.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t believe it will and the time between now and then should strengthen her even more, so hopefully, when Dr. Caspian returns from delivering our Luna¡¯s niece, he can start on your arms and rib cage.¡± ¡°Wow! I was thinking a year, but you¡¯re talking months, maybe even weeks until I¡¯mpletely healed.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re saying. I wrap my arms around Jocelyn as she bursts into happy tears. Chapter 172 Chapter 172: Preparations for War Hunter ¡°Are you sure you can handle him?¡± I ask Lucas. ¡°He¡¯s bing more agitated.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas gives me a look. ¡°Really, Alpha? Are you trying to insult me? You left him with Penny and Jaime in charge, and when we came back the pack clearly left their mark on him.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t agitated then. He¡¯s been escting this week, especially after hearing about Amelia taking over as Alpha of her pack. Now he¡¯s practically salivating to know where I¡¯m going and why Sophie and I are leaving again.¡± ¡°Trust me, his guards are on alert. Hell, the entire pack is on alert. I know you¡¯ve seen the extra patrols running near the Survivor¡¯s Center. I didn¡¯t tell them to do that, did you?¡± ¡°No. They¡¯re just being protective.¡± ¡°Exactly. Worst case scenario, Alpha, is that you return and realize you¡¯ll have to go to war again because we killed him.¡± ¡°Has anyone heard him on the phones? Do we know who he¡¯s talking to or what he¡¯s talking about?¡± I ask, Something feels off with Zahn. I feel like something¡¯s about to happen, and it feels like he¡¯ll take advantage of me being gone to do it. ¡°No. He¡¯s been very quiet about it, but the warriors also haven¡¯t made an effort to listen in,¡± Lucas says. ¡®Jaime, Penny, can youe to my office please,¡¯ I mind link my Ga*as. ¡°I have a gut feeling that something is going to happen, Lucas. He¡¯s too agitated, too¡­angry at the changes that are happening and not being able to see Jocelyn.¡± A momentter my G**as knock on the door ande in. ¡°I¡¯m worried about leaving. I feel like Alpha Zahn is working up to doing something, but I don¡¯t know what that could be. Have either of you heard anything about his conversations with his pack members?¡± They look at each other, then turn back to me. ¡°What are you thinking, Alpha?¡± Lucas asks me. ¡°One of two things. He either wants to get Jocelyn out of here by force, or he wants to hurt me and Sophie for putting him in this situation, even though he was warned.¡± ¡°I think he¡¯d go for Jocelyn first,¡± Jaime says. ¡°Why?¡± I ask. ¡°Because killing you and our Luna will only make the pack more angry, more willing to fight and more willing to protect Jocelyn. He¡¯d never get her if he attacked the two of your first,¡± Lucas says, catching on to the thought. ¡°So, it¡¯s Jocelyn he¡¯s going to make a y for,¡± I murmur, before looking up. ¡°Penny, run a drill this morning, before Sophie and I leave. I want everyone ready for an attack while we¡¯re gone. Lucas, double the patrols and triple them around the Survivor Center. Jaime, see what you and the warriors can find out about what and who Zahn is talking to on the phone.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Maybe going to the packpetition is a bad idea. ¡°He¡¯ll only bide his time if you don¡¯t go now, Hunter,¡± Lucas says to me, reading my mind. ¡°Next time, it could be both of us going, leaving Penny and Jaime here without either of us. Give him the opportunity he¡¯s looking for. Hell, lie to him about how long you¡¯ Il be gone. Tell him you¡¯ll be gone longer than you intend to be gone, so he feels safer attacking now.¡± ¡°You realize it goes against everything in me to leave knowing there¡¯s a potential attack on this pack?¡± I ask them. ¡°You leaving is the best chance he has to attack. Better to n for an attack we know ising than to risk being attacked when we¡¯re not ready.¡± ¡°If his pack does attack, try to keep him alive and throw him in the cells. Kill anyone else that dares to attack us.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I nod at Penny, and she heads out to prepare to alert the pack of an attack drill. It¡¯s breakfast time, so it will be interesting to see how everyone does. Maybe, hopefully, seeing how ready our pack is will dissuade Zahn from attacking. I know Zahn is up to something, I just don¡¯t know what it is, but an attack to get Jocelyn out of my packnds sounds right. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the pack safe, Alpha,¡± Lucas says, just as Penny¡¯s alert goes up in the mind link. ¡®Everyone this is an attack drill. Get to your assigned safe rooms. Get into your fight positions. You have two minutes. This is a drill. I repeat, this IS a drill.¡± The three of us walk out into the organized chaos of the pack rushing to get into position. ¡®Hunter?¡¯ Sophie¡¯s worried voice flitters into my mind. ¡®Just a drill, Soph. I¡¯m worried about Zahn while we¡¯re away. I want to make sure that everyone is ready in case we¡¯re attacked,¡¯ I say, feeling her and Kinsley helping others into the safe rooms as Jaime and Lucas go outside to check on our patrols. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is your pack under attack?¡± Alpha Zahn asks, rushing up to me. ¡°Just a drill, Alpha. We¡¯ve been attacked so many times recently that it¡¯s good for everyone to remember where they are supposed to be in the event of another attack.¡± ¡°What about Jocelyn? She¡¯s not here,¡± he says, and he tries to make it seem like he¡¯s concerned about her, but it falls short. ¡°The survivors have their own safe room,¡± I tell him vaguely. ¡°Jocelyn is fine.¡± I notice he doesn¡¯t ask me where I would want HIM in the event of an attack. It just reinforces my gut feeling that he¡¯s going to do something. But Lucas is right, he¡¯ll be more likely to attack while I¡¯m gone. ¡°Are you sure now¡¯s a good time for you to leave, Alpha Hunter. You haven¡¯t mentioned how long you¡¯ll be gone this time,¡± Zahn says, much too casually. ¡°A couple of days, three at the most,¡± I say, giving him the lie that Lucas suggested. I¡¯ll be gone two days tops. Battles start this afternoon. By tonight, we¡¯ll be down to our top twenty-five. The pack should be won by midday tomorrow, and then we¡¯reing home. ¡°And Lucas is staying this time, so he¡¯ll be in charge.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zahn says. ¡°Well, have a good trip, wherever you¡¯re going.¡± ¡°I intend to,¡± I say, carefully keeping my voice neutral. When the drill is over, I pull Lucas, Penny, and Jaime aside. ¡°Alert the warriors, attack in imminent. We need to warn Jocelyn, but make sure those warriors are in ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take her watch while you¡¯re gone, Alpha,¡± Penny says. ¡°That will be good. If it were me, I¡¯d send most of my warriors to distract the pack and my elite warriors to get my Luna. They¡¯ll be the toughest fighters, Penny.¡± ¡°Good, I could use the practice,¡± she says, and her confidence makes me feel better about leaving. ¡°Hunter?¡± Sophie asks, walking up. I pull her into a hug, now needing to pull her into my side as our son continues to grow bigger. ¡°Let¡¯s go say goodbye to Jocelyn, see how the drill went on their end, and then we can go, Sophie.¡± She looks up, searching my face, then nods. ¡°Okay. I wanted to check on her anyway, since I think Dr. Caspian ising home Sunday to perform another operation on her Monday.¡± I¡¯d forgotten about Caspian and Brooklyn returning. ¡®I¡¯ll warn them,¡¯ Lucas says in the mind link. I nod, letting him know that I agree before taking Sophie¡¯s hand and heading to the Survivor Center. When we get there, I can see their nerves as the warriors watching them have already increased. ¡°Jocelyn, everyone, we expect Alpha Zahn to attack while Sophie and I are gone. We think you are the target, Jocelyn,¡± I say, and her hand flutters to her chest. ¡°That¡¯s why we have extra patrols, well, guards really?¡± Sandy asks, looking around. ¡°Yes, and Penny will be assigned to you exclusively, Jocelyn. We don¡¯t expect you to fight, the pack will defend you, unless you tell me now that you want to leave with Alpha Zahn.¡± ¡°I do not, but I don¡¯t want anyone to suffer¡­¡± ¡°My Beta and G**as have convinced me that Zahn will attack eventually. He knows I won¡¯t allow him to take you against your will, so the only way is by force through an attack on our pack. This pack is strong, Jocelyn. You have nothing to worry about.¡± She turns and looks at the women around her, their pups clinging to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve brought this on you,¡± she says. ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re just as important as any of our other pack members, and in this pack, we protect our own,¡± Sandy says, and the others nod. I crouch down, looking at the pups. ¡°You¡¯ll listen to your parents and the others if they tell you to hide, right? Now is not the time for games. We ran a drill this morning to make sure that everyone would be safe and knows where to go. Does anyone have any questions?¡± ¡°What if we¡¯re in the packhouse when we¡¯re attacked, Alpha? Do wee back here?¡± a young girl asks. It¡¯s a good question since they¡¯ve started bringing the older pups in for dinner with the pack a couple nights a week. I look up at Sophie and wait for her eyes to refocus. ¡°Beta Kinsley is going to give you assignments for your safe rooms tomorrow before you go to the packhouse. She¡¯ll show you where your safe rooms are and who your room lead is in case the attackes during dinner. I¡¯m afraid that we¡¯re going to cancel the run this weekend, but we¡¯ll reschedule as soon as Hunter and I return,¡± Sophie tells them. ¡°If you¡¯re closer to here than the packhouse, when the attackes, run to this safe room,¡± I tell them. ¡°I know this is a bit scary, but it will okay. The pack will protect you. Follow the directions from your parents, the ranked members, and the warriors if you¡¯re out of this area. Don¡¯t wander off by yourselves. Now is the time to be vignt.¡± Once I feel that everyone understands what to do and that they feel safe, I lead Sophie to the back of the packhouse where I¡¯ve left our bags again. Lucas and Kinsleye out to say goodbye. ¡°I¡¯ll call you tonight,¡± I tell him. ¡°Please be safe,¡± Sophie says to Kinsley. ¡°We¡¯ve got this Luna. You have nothing to worry about,¡± she tells her. Lucas helps Sophie onto Shaw¡¯s back, and I begin to make my way to the pack border. Feeling eyes on me, I turn, looking back at the packhouse. There, in one of the windows on the third floor is Zahn, watching us leave. I turn and begin to run, howling to my pack members that we¡¯ll be back soon, and to stay alert for an attack. I feel better when I hear the confident howls of my pack, letting me know that they are on high alert. Chapter 173 Chapter 173: Guards Penny ¡®Penny, Jaime, let¡¯s meet briefly then you can take your positions,¡¯ Beta Lucas says in the mind link. ¡®Where are we meeting?¡¯ Jaime asks. ¡®My office,¡¯ he says. I was working with the safe room leads, making sure that everyone had arrived and that they had timed them to under two minutes. There are a few individuals I need to speak to about moving faster, but otherwise, the drill went well. When I arrive at Beta Lucas¡¯ office, Jaime is already there, as is Beta Kinsley. ¡°Penny, Luna asked me to make sure the safe rooms have avability for the pups from the Survivor Center. Let¡¯s talk about that before you head over to guard Jocelyn.¡± I run some quick numbers in my head. ¡°How many pups?¡± I ask. ¡°No more than five.¡± ¡°We can fit them, easily, if need be.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± A momentter, Brutus knocks and walks in. He nods at me and Jaime, then looks at Beta Lucas. ¡°We¡¯re expecting an attack?¡± ¡°Yes. Alpha Hunter believes that Zahn will attack while he¡¯s gone. We agree, and told him to go, knowing this is our best chance to be prepared for an attack. Alpha told Alpha Zahn that he¡¯d be gone 2-3 days, so I think we¡¯ll be attacked tonight or tomorrow, giving him plenty of time to get Jocelyn far away from here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re letting him take her?¡± Brutus asks, concerned. ¡°Let me rephrase. Zahn thinks he¡¯ll have plenty of time to get her away from here. We¡¯re going to shut that s** down before it even starts,¡± Lucas says, making all of us smile. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Brutus asks. ¡°I need you and William to trade off. You¡¯re my two strongest warriors and one of you needs to be on Zahn 24/7. You can figure it out between you, but when the rms go up, whoever isn¡¯t on his detail, gets there.¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°And, Brutus, when the rms go off, take Zahn down. I¡¯m not giving him a chance to do anything. He¡¯ll kill anyone to get to Jocelyn, I have no doubt. He¡¯s not in our alliance, so we don¡¯t have to worry about killing him¡­¡± ¡°Except for Jocelyn,¡± Beta Kinsley jumps in. ¡°Right,¡± Lucas says, pulling his mate, who is already in hisp, closer to him. ¡°Jocelyn won¡¯t heal as quickly if Zahn is dead. Alpha has asked us to keep him alive and if that¡¯s not the reason, I¡¯m sure he has a good one. So, take him out, keep him alive if you can, but throw him in the cells and keep a guard on him. i don¡¯t want his pack members springing him while we¡¯re fighting.¡± ¡°What about the other members of his pack?¡± Brutus asks. ¡°Alpha has given the go ahead to kill anyone else who attacks us.¡± ¡°Good. Who¡¯s protecting Jocelyn?¡± Brutus asks. I¡¯ve heard he turned down a ranked position when he was younger. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he¡¯s a second or third son of a ranked member, maybe a Beta. He definitely has the strategic thoughts of a man who is a ranked member. ¡°I am,¡± I say. He nods, smiling at me. ¡°Well, then, she¡¯s well protected.¡± ¡°Yeah, she is,¡± Jaime says proudly, making me smile. ¡°Let me know what you and William decide Brutus,¡± Lucas says to him. ¡°Will do. When do we think we¡¯ll be attacked?¡± ¡°Tonight or tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah, he and I will have to fight it out. My bet¡¯s on tonight,¡± Brutus says.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Mine too, and what are you fighting about?¡± Jaime asks him. ¡°Who gets to be on when the rms go up. Both of us want a chance to punch that arrogant Alpha again,¡± he says, making me snort augh. ¡°Oh,e on, G***a. You know you do too,¡± he says to me. ¡°Yeah, I do. But I¡¯ll settle for protecting Jocelyn. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get to punch someone,¡± I say, smiling. He chuckles. ¡°And that¡¯s why she¡¯s our G**a!¡± he says before heading to the door. ¡°Stay alert, Brutus,¡± Lucas says. ¡°The whole pack¡¯s on alert, Beta. We¡¯ll be ready.¡± When he¡¯s gone, Lucas looks back at us. ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal to separate the two of you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Beta. Jaime and I understand the expectations of our position. We know it¡¯s only temporary,¡± I say, looking at my mate. It¡¯s probably easier for me to say that, since I¡¯m not eighteen yet, but I¡¯m so close, and my need to be around Jaime increases every day. ¡°You can make up to me on your birthday, beautiful,¡± he says, pulling me into a hug. ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Penny, since you¡¯re going to be with Jocelyn, and I¡¯m stuck not fighting, I¡¯ll take lead on the safe rooms here in the packhouse,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°Thank you, Beta. There are a couple that need follow up. They didn¡¯t get into their room within two minutes.¡± ¡°Leave me the list and I¡¯ll follow up with them,¡± she says. After our meeting, I take a moment to kiss Jaime. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll see him again. ¡°Take care of my mate,¡± he says. ¡°Do I need to check in with Beth and Chloe?¡± I ask him. I know his sisters are part of the pack now, so they know what¡¯s going on, but they¡¯re both still young. ¡°Already done. Go look after Jocelyn and show any fighters who show up what happens when they go against the Ga**ma of THIS pack,¡± he growls, leaning in to kiss me. When he pulls back, I smile up at him, loving this man so much already. ¡°What¡¯s that smile?¡± he asks. I bite my lip, not sure if it¡¯s too early in our rtionship to say anything, but, he¡¯s my mate. ¡°You¡¯re so good with your sisters. I can¡¯t wait to see what a great father you¡¯ll be to our pups.¡± He growls, pulling me even tighter against his body. ¡°Pups, plural? More than one?¡± ¡°We should have at least one boy and one girl, don¡¯t you think?¡± I ask him. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have lots of girls and have to keep trying for a boy,¡± he says, making meugh. ¡°Or maybe we¡¯ll have lots of boys and have to keep trying for a girl,¡± I say. He growls softly, before kissing me again. ¡°So many good things in our future,¡± he says. ¡°So many,¡± I agree. As I walk to the Survivor Center, there¡¯s a lightness in my step, a happiness that¡¯s incongruous with the uing battle. Maybe it¡¯s because I know we¡¯ll win, or maybe it¡¯s because I know that my life is going to be great in this pack with Jaime at my side. Either way, it¡¯s hard to not feel happy, even with the inconvenient battleing soon. Chapter 174 Chapter 174: Attack Jocelyn I feel sick to my stomach in a way that I haven¡¯t since the day that Zahn caught me in the woods and forced his mark on my neck, mating me in front of his ranked members while they cheered and I cried. Just remembering that day has me rushing to the bathroom and emptying the contents of my stomach. Since I haven¡¯t been able to eat much since Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie stopped by this morning, there isn¡¯t much toe up. ¡°Jocelyn, honey, you¡¯re going to be fine,¡± Sandy says from outside the door. I flush the toilet and wash my mouth out before opening the door. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I mean, it is. The thought of returning to that pack makes me sick, but¡­Sandy, what if someone gets hurt or worse¡­what if someone else has to move into this area because of me?¡± And there is the crux of my concern. These women have be like family to me in a very short amount of time. Their pups epted me with no question, sitting beside me when I¡¯ve been too weak to do more than watch as they nt their garden, or even to leave the house when I first got out of surgery. Some of the younger pups even brought books to read to me like their parents do for them when they¡¯re sick, I don¡¯t want to be responsible for more women and families having to be part of this survivor group. I love every one of these people and the thought of Zahn¡¯s pack members hurting them to get to me¡­well, it makes me want to agree to leave with him. And if I thought he¡¯d leave it at that, I might do it. But I know Alpha Zahn. He holds grudges, he doesn¡¯ t let things go. He might pretend that he¡¯s trying to make changes, but I¡¯ve seen the real person that he is. He¡¯s not sorry that he caught me, stripped me bare, raped me, and marked me in front of his pack members. He feels that it¡¯s his right as an Alpha. He has no remorse at all. The only remorse that he has is that I absolutely refuse to have sex with him. And since Cassidy has been absent, and I¡¯ve been so broken, he can¡¯t exactly force himself on me without possibly killing me. It¡¯s why I know that he was excited to hear that Cassidy is healing me. It¡¯s not because he¡¯s happy that I¡¯m healing. It¡¯s because he wants his d**n heir. If I¡¯m healed, and Cassidy is present, there¡¯s nothing to stop him from raping me until I get pregnant. What he didn¡¯t expect was Sophie. I guess he also didn¡¯t expect Alpha Hunter to be the kind of man who actually cares about his mate and Luna, giving her a ce in the pack that is more than just a title. He truly lets her rule the pack beside him as an equal, something Zahn would never do. My role is to give him an heir, end of story. So,ing here was merely a ploy to make others think he cared and then he¡¯d been as shocked as I was when they actually followed through on their words and gave me back control of my life and my decisions. And now, I¡¯ve realized how true Brooklyn¡¯s words were. This pack is special, almost magical in its cohesiveness. Everyone really does care about each other and Zahn¡¯s an idiot for not seeing how strong it makes them.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Sandy wraps her arms around me. She¡¯s a strong woman to have survived the loss of her mate, someone she absolutely adored. But I know she did it for her pup, her daughter, Samantha, who is a teenager. She told me that she couldn¡¯t leave her daughter alone in this world with no family. So, she survived, and every day is a struggle for her, but every day she gets up and makes the most of her life. She says she does it for her mate so he can continue to be proud of her as he watches over her from the Moon Goddess¡¯ realm. ¡°We¡¯re a strong pack, Jocelyn. And we know they¡¯reing. Alpha Zahn doesn¡¯t know that we know and that give us the advantage. No one will get hurt, well, not from our pack anyway,¡± she says fiercely. She still has a warrior¡¯s spirit, or maybe the spirit of her mate resides in her now. I hope that one day, I can tough like Sandy is. ¡°I know, I just¡­I care about all of you so much. You¡¯ve all done so much to help me, to protect me, to heal me. And I don¡¯t just mean my body,¡± I say. ¡°I know. There¡¯s a lot of emotional and m**al healing that has to happen too. Around here, we understand that very well.¡± ¡°I know you do. It¡¯s why I feel a kindred spirit with all of you here. We¡¯re all healing from something, and everyone understands that, epts that we¡¯ll have good days and bad days.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a family. That¡¯s what families do, they support each other, protect each other, and love each other.¡± She nods her head. ¡°Come back out to the living room. G**a Penny is here. She¡¯s apparently your personal guard until the battle is done.¡± Ga**a Penny. That¡¯s another first for me. Not only is she a woman, the first female Ga**a, but she¡¯s also underage. The woman was on the run, so she understands some of what I¡¯ve been through. But she¡¯s tough as nails. Another woman for me to look up to and strive to be like. ¡°Jocelyn, I want you to know that I¡¯ll keep you safe. I know I¡¯m underage but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. Truly. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve earned your spot as the Ga**a. I¡¯ve seen the respect that the other pack members have for you. My fear is for the others who may be injured. I¡¯m protected, but what about them?¡± She c**k*s her head at me. ¡°We protect each other. We fight together. And we¡¯re arge pack. I don¡¯t know howrge Alpha Zahn¡¯s pack is, or how many may make the trip to fight, but it won¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll take them down. Alpha Hunter makes sure that we train every day. Our warriors are the best. I¡¯d put any of our warriors up against any other pack¡¯s warriors and bet every cent that I have I have on them.¡± I smile at her confidence. It¡¯s hard to worry when both women are looking at me as if I¡¯m missing the big picture here. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± I ask. ¡°Business as usual until the rms go up,¡± she says. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then, we get you to the safe room. If you don¡¯t get into the safe room, you¡¯ll get a firsthand look at why I¡¯m this pack¡¯s G**a,¡± she says, smiling a nearly feral smile. She¡¯s definitely the Ga**a for a reason. We go about the day, gardening in the afternoon, then making and eating dinner. As the evening wears on, I be more and more nervous. The chatter from earlier is gone and everyone is quiet. I¡¯m too nervous to sleep, so Sandy turns on the television in the living room. I have no idea what we¡¯re watching because I can¡¯t focus on anything but every little noise I hear outside. I keep ncing at Penny, and I see that she¡¯s maintaining contact with the rest of the pack, probably the border patrols. When her head snaps up, we all look at her. She turns, looking at something past the walls of the room where we¡¯re sitting. ¡°Time to go,¡± she says, a moment before the howls of rm go up. We jump up, grabbing the bag of things sitting by the door to take to the safe room. They were right, better to be prepared and know that the battle ising. I follow Sandy and Samantha, with Penny right behind me. The safe room for the Survivor Center was built underground. I learned today during the drill where it was. As much time as I¡¯d spent here, I¡¯d never even seen the entrance, it¡¯s that well- hidden. The sounds of wolves¡¯ paws pounding on the earth bes muted by angry snarls and yelps of pain. A wolf races right at us and in one of the most elegant moves I¡¯ve ever seen, Penny leaps and shifts, her wolf ripping out the throat of the attacking wolf. When shends, her body spins and she shifts back into her human form, crouching down on all fours before looking up at me. ¡°GO!¡± she yells, startling me out of my shocked amazement. I continue running to the safe room, helping some of the younger pups who are struggling to keep up. Penny stays behind me, her eyes going in every direction. When we get to the safe room, there¡¯s a bottleneck as the mothers send their pups down first. I see Penny leap again and turn just in time to see her take on another wolf, snapping and ripping its flesh. ¡°JOCELYN!¡± Sandy yells and I turn, seeing her holding out her hand to me. I run forward and make my way inside the safe room as Sandy shuts and locks the door behind me. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all ounted for,¡± one of the other mothers says, holding her pups to her and rocking them. The scent of fear is palpable in the room, and I feel nausea roiling in my stomach again. ¡°Miss Jocelyn, will youe sit with me?¡± Samantha asks, patting the floor beside her. I smile, knowing she¡¯s doing this more for me than for herself. But I go sit, wrapping my arm around her, as Sandy goes around and checks on everyone. The sounds of fighting are muted inside the safe room, but we can still tell when they get close. I¡¯m not sure how long it is before everything goes quiet. We sit around, waiting to get the all-clear. ¡°It takes them longer to get to us out here,¡± Sandy says to me quietly and I nod. When the knock finallyes, Sandy is the one who opens the door. Standing at the door is a very b**dy Beta Lucas. Beside him and just as bl**dy are Penny and Jaime. realize that Beta Lucas has a phone to his ear. ¡°Yes, Alpha, the pack is secure.¡± He looks over at me. ¡°Jocelyn is safe.¡± Then he growls menacingly. ¡°Zahn is unconscious in our cells.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175: Sitting It Out Hunter I struggled the entire first day of thepetition, my mind back on the pack, worried about the battle toe. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯ t think that the pack is strong enough to handle an attack, but I¡¯ m their leader and I left them to fight without me. It goes against everything in me. I¡¯d let our friends know what was happening when I arrived, let them know that I may have to leave thepetition early. So, they knew about and understood my distraction as thepetition began. There are five of us refereeing thepetition and the first round of 200 individuals means we each have to ref forty fights. We had our mates draw the names and put up a board with who was fighting whom and the referee assigned so that we could make sure that we never needed to be in two fights at once and everyone knew the order of their fight. So, if the fight I was refereeing finished quickly, then the next two could step in, and thepetition would continue smoothly. We set up our five areas and made sure our groups knew where to go. After that, it was up to our mates to help answer questions because the five of us went nearly non-stop for the next six hours. Sophie brought me water and updated me periodically that she hadn¡¯t heard anything from Lucas. No news is good news, Thope. I had hoped to be down to 25 by the end of day one, but I hadn¡¯t taken into consideration how hard these individuals would be fighting. This is a huge opportunity, and they all realize that they are fighting to have their own pack. Thankfully, our mates were keeping track, so after a short break for dinner where I called Lucas and found out that nothing was happening in the pack, I went back in, this time for 20 fights. Our mates made sure to keep it fair by putting winners of the early fights in the early second rounds. I was proud to see that many of my warriors had made it through to the second round and those that didn¡¯t asked if they could return home to help guard that pack. I was thankful to them. They didn¡¯t seem upset that they needed to leave, but rather, they seemed proud that they hadpeted and wanted to get back to work. And while I was happy that so many of my warriors made it through to the second round, I was thankful to have more warriors back home, protecting the pack. The second round was even more grueling than the first round. This time, I had to end two fights where the person losing refused to give up. I knew Kayce had to end a fight in the first round and so did Ezra, but these were the first two that I¡¯d had to stop. The loser wasn¡¯t happy, mouthing off about favoritism and getting in my face until Shaw pushed forward, putting him in his ce, and forcing his submission. For both of the individuals that didn¡¯t want to give up, I made a note of who their Alpha was to have them follow up with themter. It¡¯ste at night before the final match is over, mine going the Hongest because of the two fights that I had to end. By then, all of us were pretty tired and no one wanted to waste their down time by partying since the battles would continue tomorrow. My warriors that didn¡¯t win in the second round, asked if they could return home, also wanting to be there if the pack is attacked. I told them to go together, in case they came across Zahn¡¯s pack on the way. I don¡¯t want to lose pack members because they identally crossed paths with the attacking pack. ¡°Hunter,e to bed,¡± Sophie says, holding out her hand to me, I turn and look at her as I stop my pacing. ¡°Lucas will call if they are attacked. Or Kinsley will and then they¡¯ Il call when it¡¯s done.¡± I go to her, setting the phone on the nightstand, kicking off my shoes and crawling into bed behind her, tugging her against me and burying my face in her hair. ¡°I feel like a terrible Alpha. I feel like Joshua or Elias, someone who leaves their pack to ughter while I go hide,¡± I tell her honestly. She turns, ufortably shifting to try and face me. I push back, making room for our son between us. ¡°Now you listen to me, Hunter Reynolds. You are nothing like those worthless Alphas. You didn¡¯t leave your pack to be ughtered. You left them prepared for a battle that we were able to n for. You¡¯ve strengthened them to the point that they know they can defend themselves without you there. That doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t need and want you as their leader. It¡¯s only because if you that they are this strong. Be proud of our pack and that they feel confident to protect themselves without you there,¡± my mate says sternly. I smile, looking at her, her eyes glimmering in the dark with the passion of her words. ¡°Have I told you how much I love you today?¡± I ask her. She huffs out her breath. Then gives me a very seductive look. ¡°Not nearly enough.¡± I¡¯m just about to lean down and start something with my mate that will distract me for at least an hour when the phone rings. I turn, snatching it off the nightstand, checking the caller ID before answering. ¡°Kinsley?¡± I answer, hearing controlled chaos in the background. ¡°They¡¯re here, Alpha.¡± I jump to my feet. ¡°Do you need me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good. We¡¯ve almost got everyone in the safe rooms and the warriors are ready. We¡¯ll tear Zahn¡¯s pack members to shreds,¡± she snarls. ¡°I want a call as soon as it¡¯s done, Kinsley.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she says. When she hangs up, the sound ofmotion does too, leaving me in a very quiet room. ¡°Come hold me, Hunter. We¡¯ll wait together,¡± my mate says. I turn and look at her over my shoulder, struggling with the feeling of not being a good Alpha again. ¡°Hunter,¡± she says more insistently, tapping the bed beside her. I lean back against the headrest, pulling my mate against my body as 1 feel her sending soothing waves of love to me. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so helpless, Sophie,¡± I say. She¡¯s the only person. in the world I can be this honest with, this vulnerable with.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be pushing Lucas to be an Alpha if we didn¡¯t think he had it in him to lead a pack, Hunter. Let¡¯s consider this a training opportunity for him. It¡¯s a chance for him to see if he really wants this level of responsibility in his life, Hunter. You trust him, I trust him, and we both trust our pack. When we return tomorrow, we can let them feel how proud we are of them that they were able to protect each other without either of us th¨¨re. Like I said before, they¡¯re only this strong because you¡¯ ve made them this strong.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve made them this strong, Sophie. The pack wasn¡¯t this strong before you arrived.¡± ¡°Maybe they just needed some incentive,¡± my mate says, chuckling. ¡°I really do love. Thank you for helping me to find some level of peace with this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what a good Luna does, my mate?¡± ¡°Yes, and so much more.¡± It¡¯s less time than I thought it would take before my phone rings again. I look at the me, two am, before I look at the caller ID. ¡°Lucas?¡± ¡°Alpha, the pack is secure,¡± he says, and I can hear the fury of battle still in his voice. ¡°Jocelyn?¡± I ask, knowing that would have been Zahn¡¯s primary target. ¡°Jocelyn is safe.¡± ¡°Zahn?¡± He snarls. ¡°Zahn is unconscious in our cells.¡± I smile. ¡°Who knocked him out?¡± I can almost feel Lucas rxing through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but I think Brutus and William will say it was a tie.¡± ¡°Injuries?¡± I ask. ¡°We¡¯re still getting the list, but so far, only minor injuries.¡± ¡°Zahn¡¯s pack?¡± ¡°Ripped to shreds,¡± he growls. ¡°Get everyone settled and get some sleep. We can burn the bodies tomorrow when I get home.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°And Lucas?¡± I say before he hangs up. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha. It was a pack effort. You should be proud.¡± ¡°I am,¡± I say, hanging up and finally feeling like I can take a deep breath. ¡°Hunter?¡± Sophie asks, when I just sit for a moment. I look down at her and smile. ¡°I think our Betas have be quite blood-thirsty.¡± Sheughs and I finally feel my mind settle. I strip off my clothes andy down, curling around my mate who is sound asleep in minutes. I kiss her head once more, loving this woman so much for everything that she is, before I follow her into sleep. Chapter 176 Chapter 176: New Alpha Sophie We didn¡¯t get much sleepst night, but I can feel that Hunter is much calmer today, knowing that the battle is over and won. Over breakfast, he lets the other Alphas know that it¡¯s done. ¡°What are your thoughts on having a trial for this one?¡± Ezra asks. ¡°Why would there be a trial?¡± I ask him. Margot is watching him intently. He looks at Margot. ¡°Here me out on this one. In your case, you ran. In Zahn¡¯s case, he brought his mate to you, Hunter, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s saying you¡¯re keeping him from his mate,¡± Ezra says. ¡°That is true. Do you think I¡¯m wrong for what I¡¯ve done?¡± Hunter asks him. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. But I think we can set a precedent right now to have true trials when one Alpha disagrees with another. If the roles were reversed, if he had Sophie and you attacked his pack¡­¡± Ezra begins but stops as Hunter snarls. The room goes quiet as I reach over to take Hunter¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly safe, my love.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll stay that way,¡± he growls, tugging me to his side and wrapping a protective arm around me. ¡°I think Alpha Ezra has a point. Again, not that I in any way think that you are wrong Alpha Hunter, but I do believe we have an opportunity here. We will have a new Alpha, and we¡¯ve talked about bringing the Lunas in to be part of Committee, although, we need to change the name, since it¡¯s not solely going to be a Committee of Alphas any longer,¡± Nikki says. ¡°What are you thinking, baby?¡± Robin asks his mate. ¡°What if we have our new Alpha preside over the trial. It would be a good opportunity for him or her to get involved and to see what the rest of their tenure as Alpha will be like. But Zahn can¡¯t say that there is any bias, as the new Alpha hasn¡¯t been involved with any of this. Even if it is one of our Betas who wins the pack, they weren¡¯t at the Committee meeting where Hunter and Sophie were on trial, they weren¡¯t in the pack when Owen or Joshua attacked. It also gives us, the Lunas, an easy start to being in these trials, understanding how they run, when and how to ask questions, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s not really a trial?¡± Dutton asks. ¡°Well, it is, but I think we already know what the verdict of this one will be. Although, having a new Alpha on board may change the way we look at things. And, it will be Amelia¡¯s first trial too, if she can attend. It would be good for her as well, I think,¡± Nikki adds. Robin looks at the group, smiling proudly. He¡¯s trying to hide it, but he can¡¯t. ¡°Unless you have a really good argument, Hunter, you won¡¯t win this one. My girl doesn¡¯t like to lose, at anything,¡± he says. ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha, baby. He doesn¡¯t like to lose either,¡± Nikki says a bit too sweetly, making Robin smile even wider. Those two¡­ Hunter looks at me. ¡°What do you think?¡± I look at the group. Everyone watches, waiting to hear my thoughts. ¡°I think Nikki¡¯s got a point, as does Alpha Ezra. It sets a precedent, and I can see the differences between this and what we¡¯ve done in the past with the she-wolves on the run and even with Margot. I like the idea of making it official, especially, since I¡¯m sure you n to kill Zahn.¡± ¡°He attacked our pack. Yes, I intend to kill him,¡± Hunter growls. ¡°Then, let¡¯s have a trial. Although would suggest finding at new ce to hold these events. The old council chambers feel tainted,¡± I say. ¡°I agree,¡± says Kayce. ¡°But there¡¯s no reason why we can¡¯t hold these events in one of our packs, is there? Even if that¡¯s not permanent, we could do it until we build a new center for trials, not that we have them very often. But it would be nice to have a central location to meet for our Alpha meetings.¡± ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s get through today and the second order of business for our new Alpha will be to preside over this trial,¡± Ezra says. ¡°What¡¯s the first order of business?¡± Margot asks him. ¡°Getting his pack settled, of course,¡± he says, his gaze so intense, that she looks away, blushing. ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s get this day started,¡± Robin says, rubbing his hands together excitedly. ¡°How many do you have left in thepetition?¡± Hunter asks Robin and the Alphas all begin talking about how many pack members they have left. It seems pretty even. ¡°Thank you for supporting me,¡± Nikki says, linking her arm through mine. ¡°It¡¯s the right decision. I have no intention of letting Zahn off, but I think the idea behind it and the way you presented it, are very good. Plus, I¡¯m perfectly fine letting Zahn rot in our cells until his trial date is set.¡± ¡°How do you think Jocelyn will take it?¡± Margot asks. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She¡¯s getting stronger and her wolf is as well. I think, with us there to support her, she¡¯ll be okay. Dr. Caspian will be doing another surgery on her tomorrow or the next day because her right side is already healed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news!¡± Allison says. ¡°And it¡¯s a good sign that her wolf is strengthening,¡± Margot says. ¡°What if we had the trial here?¡± Nikki asks, looking around. ¡°It¡¯s a fairly neutral ce and our new Alpha could host all of us for the first time. If he¡¯s mated, it would be a good opportunity for us to spend time with his new Luna, get to know her, and help her with anything she needs,¡± Nikki suggests. I chuckle at my friend. ¡°You¡¯re working hard to be a trendsetter, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re damn right I am,¡± she says as we get to the table where we¡¯ve already put together today¡¯s pairings. ¡°As it is, I¡¯m having a boy, so I can¡¯t even be the first one to have a daughter who takes her ce as Alpha.¡± I hear Robin chuckling and look over to see him smiling at his mate. ¡°He¡¯s obviously very proud,¡± Nikki huffs, but I see her smile too. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been the first anyway, Nikki. My daughter will be older than your son, so even if you had a daughter, mine would have taken her ce first,¡± Allison says, beaming at her mate. ¡°And let¡¯s not forget that my sister is already an Alpha,¡± I say, shaking my head at them as we split up, making sure everyone knows where and when they will fight and the day begins again. Today, the battles are harder, but our jobs are easier. There are fewer pack memberspeting after each battle and our biggest issue was how to handle an odd number of contestants. We decided to offer points to the person who agreed to fight twice. They couldn¡¯t be eliminated in the same round if they fought twice, but if they won their second fight, they would be given extra points so that if they made it to the final round and the fight was determined to be a tie, they would automatically win because they¡¯d fought one additional time and won. By lunch time, we were down to our final six. Three hourster, we were down to our final three. In this event, the final three, who were no surprise to anyone, drew numbers. Since Lucas and Dutton¡¯s Beta, Miles, both decided to skip thispetition and go for ric¡¯s old pack, the final three consisted of Ezra¡¯s, Robin¡¯s, and Kayce¡¯s Betas. ¡°I¡¯m so torn,¡± Nikki says,ing up beside me. ¡°I want our Beta to win, but I also want Jake to win so Letti can be a Luna.¡± ¡°These are good problems to have,¡± I tell her. ¡°They really are,¡± she says. It¡¯ster than any of us expected when the finalpetition ends. After a three-hour battle to the final two, we had to give Beta Jake a break before battling Robin¡¯s Beta. Robin had toe over and wrap his arms around Nikki to keep her calm. I noticed his hand going to her belly several times over the weekend and realized that her bump finally came out. In the end, it was Beta Jake, now Alpha Jake who won the pack, Letti at his side. She made it to the final twelve. We made sure to never put her against Jake in thepetition, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be a fair fight. But together, they will make a powerful Alpha and Luna of their pack. We throw a party, well into the night, celebrating the new Alpha and Luna. Robin and Hunter spend time talking to the two of them abouting to our packs to meet with the previous pack members who want to rejoin the pack. Some of them are here, havingpeted to be Alpha of their previous pack and Jake and Letti spend a lot of time talking to them.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The festivities are still going on when Hunter leads me to our room. We¡¯re both exhausted after two long days and a long night of worryst night, but that doesn¡¯t mean that he doesn¡¯t take time to show me, as he always does, how much he loves me before we fall into a deep, deep sleep. Chapter 177 Chapter 177: New Alliances Hunter Before we leave for home, Robin, Kayce, Dutton, Ezra, and I all meet with Jake and Letti. ¡°I know you¡¯ve got a lot going on, Alpha Jake,¡± Ezra says to his former Beta, who frowns. ¡°Are we going to be this formal all the time?¡± he asks Ezra who smiles at him. ¡°That¡¯s up to you. Generally, when an Alpha enters into an alliance with another Alpha, their conversation bes more casual.¡± Jake looks at Letti, then at all of us. ¡°Well, most of you helped Letti when she was on the run, or took her in and gave her a ce to live, or are dear friends of hers,¡± he says looking from me, to Allison and Kayce, to Nikki And I know that I¡¯m forever indebted to my former Alpha for giving me this opportunity, so, is it unheard of for an Alpha to create an alliance with many other Alphas?¡± he asks. I smile, letting Ezra take the lead. ¡°No, it¡¯s not and in this case, it¡¯ s preferred. I, myself, have been neglectful in creating alliances with Alphas Robin, Kayce, and Dutton. Hunter and I have been in an alliance since I was mated to his sister,¡± he says and I see the tightening around his mouth, the regret that he still holds for how things went with Diana. I notice that Margot reaches out to put a hand on his arm. She noticed the stress as well. ¡°You may also want to consider creating an alliance with Alpha Amelia. She¡¯s not here because she¡¯s so close to her due date, but her pack borders mine and Hunter and I have already formed an alliance with her. I expect that whoever wins ric¡¯s old pack will do the same,¡± Dutton says. ¡°When can I start setting up alliances?¡± Jake asks. ¡°I just so happened to bring an alliance agreement with me, in the event that you won this pack, Jake,¡± Ezra tells him. ¡°But, since you need to return to get your things anyway, we can sign it when youe back.¡± ¡°We can sign it before you leave,¡± Jake says excitedly, making Lettiugh at her mate. ¡°What about the rest of you?¡± Letti asks. ¡°Well, we talked about youing to mine and Hunter¡¯s packs to talk to the pack members who used to live here. I¡¯m happy to sign one then,¡± Robin says. ¡°Same, but there is another matter we need to discuss with you, and we could all get caught up on our alliances at that time as well,¡± I say, looking at Ezra. Jake has the closest rtionship with him, and since he¡¯s Jake¡¯s mentor, he¡¯ll be the one spending the most time exining everything to him. Ezra nods. ¡°We need to have a trial. While we were here, Alpha Zahn attacked Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack. His warriors were killed, but Alpha Zahn remains alive. There is a reason for that, but because of the circumstances, and because we are changing thews of our alliance, we¡¯d like for you to preside over the trial and we¡¯d like you to host it here,¡± Ezra tells him. Both Jake and Letti look shocked. ¡°What Ezra has failed to mention is that we will provide you with everything you need to know prior to the trial. Everyone understands that this is your first trial and that you are a new Alpha, but you were chosen for this task for that reason, because you are unbiased. The rest of us have knowledge of, or experience with this situation,¡± Margot says. ¡°Thank you, Margot,¡± Ezra says, eyeing her. I wonder if she realizes that she just acted like his Luna. ¡°And we want toe help you get set up too, Letti. I mean, if you want our help. Since Lunas will now be part of the Committee, many of us will be new to this process. In truth, we think this is a good starting point for all of us. It¡¯s a pretty clear case. But, the other side of that, Letti, is that it¡¯s not always easy to get your bearings as a Luna. If we¡¯re here, we can support. you and help you find your way, especially since both of you will be new to all of your pack members: That transition might be difficult,¡± Nikki says. ¡°I would love that,¡± Letti breathes, obviously relieved. ¡°Good. Why don¡¯t the two of you get settled, I know Letti has to get her things from my pack as well. Then you can visit Robin and Hunter to talk to the pack members currently residing with them, and then we can set a date for the trial,¡± Kayce suggests. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Jake says, lookingpletely overwhelmed. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine, Jake. I¡¯m sure Alpha Ezra is a great mentor, and he wouldn¡¯t be so calm if he didn¡¯t haveplete faith in you. All of us are here for you, for both of you, if you need anything. That¡¯s part of what the alliance is for, but it¡¯s also what friends are for,¡± Sophie says to them, and I watch them both rx a bit. Now it¡¯s my turn to smile at my mate. She has such a great way of calming those around her. ¡°Okay, good. That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t feel quite so terrified now,¡± Jake says. Ezra chuckles. ¡°I won¡¯t let you fail, my friend. But it¡¯s not in you to fail. You¡¯re going to be a great Alpha, a great leader.¡± We make ns for Jake and Letti toe visit our pack in a couple of weeks and then we begin to say goodbye to our friends. ¡°When are we heading to ric¡¯s pack to let the contenders see what the pack looks like?¡± Allison asks. ¡°Alpha Amelia has asked if we can wait to do that until she delivers her pup. I understand she¡¯s pretty close, so perhaps Alpha Jake and Luna Letti can stop at Hunter¡¯s pack and then continue on to ric¡¯s,¡± Dutton says. I look at Sophie to see how she feels about that. ¡°That would be a good excuse for me to meet my niece,¡± she says excitedly. ¡°Yes, it would and will probably be close to thest time that you leave the pack until you have our pup. You¡¯re already getting pretty big, Soph.¡± ¡°I can help with thepetition again. Plus, Amelia will need someone to hold Athena while she refs thepetitions,¡± she says. ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s right! We¡¯ll have two more Alphas to referee the matches. Things should go faster next time,¡± Kayce says. ¡°Well, when word gets around, we may have morepeting too,¡± Robin adds. ¡°Honestly, I think it¡¯s good for the packs to get to know each. other and have these friendlypetitions. Maybe once we have themunity area built, we can add in quarterly or annualpetitions to keep the packs motivated to train hard, to maintain cohesiveness between our packs, and to have bragging rights,¡± I say, already loving the idea of having regrpetitions.¡± ¡°Whatmunity area?¡± Letti asks. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll add you to the group, Letti. The Lunas are in charge of putting the ideas together for amunity area. If we¡¯d had more time, we¡¯d have done it while we were here, but it was busier than I expected,¡± Nikki says. ¡ª- ¡°Busier than any of us expected. I¡¯ll set up a call. I¡¯d love to get started on themunity area. I can send you what we¡¯ve talked about already, Letti, but we¡¯re looking at using the mountain that is in the center of all of our packs, well, except for Ezra¡¯s, as themunity area for our families to have a ce to go and our wolves have a safe ce to run.¡± ¡°The mountain where you kept food for the she-wolves on the run? I LOVE that idea,¡± Letti says excitedly. ¡°Trust me, now that you¡¯ll be spending more time with Sophie, you¡¯ll never have a dull moment in your life again,¡± Nikki says, teasing my mate. ¡°As if you¡¯d ever allow your life to be dull, Nikki. I¡¯m pretty sure your mate hasn¡¯t had a dull moment since he met you,¡± Sophie teases her back. ¡°Not one, and I wouldn¡¯t change it for a thing,¡± Robin says, pulling his mate to him and kissing her scowl away. We finally say goodbye and Nikki helps Sophie onto my back again before needing to help Allison this time as well. Then we take off running towards home. I¡¯m excited to return to our pack, ready to make sure that everyone is really okay, and ready to face Zahn and tell him he¡¯s going to trial. When Shaw howls our return, Hedda joins in the howl, and the pack wees us home. Pack members rush up to us in wolf form and I can feel their excitement to proudly tell us everything that they did to protect the pack while we were gone. Sophie reaches out to touch the wolves as they corral around me while we walk to the packhouse, trying to help calm the excitement that is nearly overwhelming. Almost the entire pack is yipping and howling with the thrill of defeating Zahn¡¯s pack. When we get to the packhouse, Shaw stops, growling to let everyone know they need to step back so Sophie can get off of his back. The group quiets a bit, as Sophie slides off Shaw¡¯s back and h pull the shift, while most of the pack members shifting around me. ¡°Wee home, Alpha, Wee home, Luna,¡± Lucas says from the back of the packhouse. The pack echoes his wee and then they all start telling me about the attack, their part in it, and how everyone worked together to defeat Zahn¡¯s warriors. I¡¯m feeling protective of Sophie with so many pack members crowding us and wanting our attention, but she pushes her calm into me and into the pack, letting her pride and love flow through the pack bond. I follow her lead, letting my pride flow through with hers, sending waves of gratitude to my pack so they know how much I appreciate their willingness to fight even without me here. It¡¯s probably close to an hour before we¡¯re finally able to get inside the packhouse doors. ¡°Soph, why don¡¯t you check in with Kinsley and Jocelyn. I¡¯m going to go see Zahn,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her about the trial. She needs to be prepared,¡± Sophie says. ¡°Agreed,¡± I say, kissing her before she walks off. O, there will be a trial?¡± Lucas asks. I nod. ¡°Come with me, we¡¯ll walk and talk.¡± On our way to the cells, I fill him in on everything that happened, Jake and Letti winning the pack, their uing visit, and Zahn¡¯s trial. ¡°He¡¯s going to be so pi**sed when he sees she-wolves on his jury,¡± Lucas says, an evil grin on his face. ¡°Hopefully everyone will agree that he deserves to die,¡± I say as we walk in. The moment I open the doors, I can hear Zahn yelling.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°LET ME OUT OF HERE!¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn,¡± I say, walking up. My warriors did not hold back if the residual bruises on his face and neck are any indication. ¡°You have no right to keep me in here,¡± he snarls. ¡°I have every right. You attacked my pack, Zahn. Your warriors are dead, ready to be buried, and you will remain here until we can schedule a trial of your peers.¡± ¡°My peers,¡± he sneers. ¡°You are no peer of mine.¡± ¡°Wow, I can understand why two of your mates chose death over living with you,¡± Lucas taunts. Zahn snarls, rushing to the cell bars, which is dumb since they are made of silver. His skin sizzles and he hisses as he pulls away. ¡°There¡¯s a new Alpha, Alpha Jake. He will be presiding over your trial. That way there is no possibility of bias.¡± ¡°Who the f**k is Alpha Jake?¡± he asks. ¡°He¡¯s the Alpha that just took over Owen¡¯s old pack,¡± I say, smiling smugly as Zahn realizes what I was doing over the weekend. ¡°For now, this is your home. I¡¯ll make sure you get food, but that¡¯s about it.¡± I turn, walking out the door, Lucas right behind me as Zahn screams his anger at the top of his lungs. Chapter 178 Chapter 178: Telling Jocelyn Sophie When Hunter and I return, the pack is so excited to see us. I know that Hunter is worried about me, but the pack would never hurt me, not even identally. I can feel how protective they are of me and of our pup. Hunter would be able to as well if it weren¡¯t for his concern for me and little Hunt. So, I helped to calm him while letting the pack know how proud I am of them. I love how responsive they are to me, and I loved that Hunter followed my lead and sent waves of pride to the pack as well. They did a fantastic job of protecting our pack. No one died and anyone who was injured is already healed. I do need to get away from the packhouse though. The scent of the dead is making me feel nauseous. So, I get Kinsley, and we head to the Survivor Center to check on Jocelyn. On the way, I let her know about what happened. ¡°I¡¯m happy for Jake and Letti, but Sophie, why do we need a trial? Do the other Alphas think that Hunter is wrong?¡± ¡°No, they don¡¯t, but Nikki had a good point. It¡¯s a good opportunity for us as the Lunas and for Jake, as a new Alpha, to learn how to participate in a trial. If Lucas wins a pack, Kinsley, the two of you will be part of that trial process, too. Wouldn¡¯t you rather start with a trial that you already feel confident you know how it¡¯s going to go versus something that¡¯s a really difficult decision?¡± I ask her. ¡°I guess. I just¡­Jocelyn¡¯s been through enough. She shouldn¡¯t have to suffer any more or spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder and worrying about Zahning after her again,¡± she says. ¡°I agree. But the trial is the right way to go,¡± I say and exin to her the thought process of why Jocelyn and Zahn¡¯s case is different from the others who were on the run. ¡°I guess,¡± she says, still not convinced. When we arrive, I see that most of the survivors are out working in the garden. It looks like some of the new nts were trampled in the attack. ¡°You¡¯d think those wolves were raised in a barn,¡± one of the survivors gripes as she looks over a small nt that doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s going to make it. ¡°All these carefully nted seedlings and they just trampled over them. Oh, hello Luna. Wee home,¡± she says when she-notices me. ¡°Hello. It¡¯s good to be home. How is everyone after the attack,¡± I ask, looking around at everyone, noticing that Jocelyn is absent. ¡°We¡¯re good, Luna. We were all in the safe room. No one was injured. The pack warriors did an amazing job of keeping us safe,¡± another survivor says. ¡°And our Betas were excellent at running the pack while you were gone,¡± another says, smiling at Kinsley.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good, I¡¯m d to hear it. Not that I¡¯m surprised. Lucas and Kinsley are born leaders,¡± I say, smiling at my Beta. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kinsley says humbly ¡°Are you looking for Jocelyn?¡± the first woman asks me. ¡°Yes, do you where I can find her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s at Sandy¡¯s house. Dr. Caspian and Brooklyn arrived not too long ago and he wanted to look her over before surgery tomorrow. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll go see them.¡± Kinsley and I take a few moments to hug the pups, telling them how brave they were before we go to Sandy¡¯s house. When we arrive, we knock, and Sandy opens the door for us. ¡°Luna, Beta, pleasee in. We have a full house today,¡± she says, and I can hear Dr. Caspian talking to Jocelyn. ¡°Is that Sophie?¡± Jocelyn calls. ¡°It is I say, following the sound of her voice into the kitchen where she, Brooklyn, and Dr. Caspian are talking. ¡°Take my seat, Luna,¡± Sandy says to me. ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get another one.¡± ¡°And you take mine, Beta,¡± Dr. Caspian says, standing. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯d argue, but my back seems to ache all the time as this little one gets bigger.¡± Brooklyn smiles up at Dr. Caspian in a way I recognize. I lift my nose in the air and sniff. ¡®Hedda?¡¯ ¡®Yep, our doctor and nurse are going to have a pup of their own,¡¯ she confirms. ¡°Congrattions,¡± I say, making Brooklyn look back at me. ¡°You and your sister have a great sense of smell,¡± Brooklyn. ¡°She smelled our pup the same day we found out we were pregnant.¡± ¡°Alpha noses,¡± I say. I¡¯m really happy for them. Brooklyn deserved to find happiness and Dr. Caspian looks like he¡¯s about to burst from happiness and pride in his mate. ¡°I was just exining to Jocelyn that I can¡¯t be in the operating room this time. The scent of blood¡­¡± she cuts off as she covers her mouth quickly and gags. ¡°I understand. When we got back, I could bare stand being in the packhouse, the scent of blood is so strong. I don¡¯t rmend that you go over there until the bodies are dealt with.¡± She nods and I see Kinsley¡¯s eyes go unfocused. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother you, Kinsley?¡± I ask her. ¡°The scent of blood, no. Eggs¡­keep them away from my nose or my eyes. Just the sight of them has me rushing for the nearest bathroom.¡± Sandy chuckles as she brings in two more chairs. ¡°I remember those days. Don¡¯t miss them at all.¡± When everyone is seated, I turn to Jocelyn. ¡°I need to talk to you, but first, if you¡¯re willing, do you want to update me and Kinsley on next steps for your surgery?¡± She nods and looks at Dr. Caspian before turning back to me. ¡°Dr. Caspian says that my left side looks really good. I showed him how I can walk, but with a hobble because now my left side is longer than my right. He¡¯s going to fix that and hopefully, in another week or so, I¡¯ll be ready to start on my left arm and torso,¡± she says. ¡°That¡¯s great. I know you were interested ining to the next pack to see how thepetition is run. We¡¯ve decided to wait until after Amelia has her pup, so your legs should bepletely healed by then. Depending on how quickly we schedule it after that, you may even be healing from your left arm surgery too,¡± I tell her. ¡°That would be great, and I would love to do that, but¡­what¡¯s going on with Zahn?¡± I look around. ¡°Are youfortable with me discussing it with everyone in this room?¡± I ask. ¡°We can leave,¡± Brooklyn says. Jocelyn smiles at her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure everyone in this room already knows everything that I¡¯ve been through. I don¡¯t have a lot secrets when you¡¯ve seen the decimation of my body. I don¡¯t mind if you stay,¡± she tells them. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay. As your doctor, I¡¯d like to know how your healing might be impacted and if Alpha Zahn is going to have any ability to contact you,¡± Dr. Caspian says. I exin to Jocelyn about the trial, the reasons behind it, and that it would be to her benefit to attend and speak against Alpha Zahn. ¡°I¡¯d have to speak?¡± she asks, the scent of her fear tainting the air. ¡°We¡¯d be there, all of the Lunas. But you know Zahn is going to lie about what Hunter has done. This is a trial of peers, so it will be the Alphas and Lunas making the decision. Hunter and I won¡¯t be on the board because he¡¯ll obviously be part of the trial, and therefore, so will I.¡± ¡°Will you be able to stand with me?¡± she asks. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know. It¡¯s the first time Lunas have been involved with this process. But I¡¯ll talk to the other Lunas. I think it makes sense and sets a good precedent for the future if the Luna who is either part of the trial or the Luna of the person on while trial has the option to stand with and support the person they speak.¡± ¡°It would be easier for me if you were there with me, Sophie,¡± she says. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make it happen,¡± I say confidently. I¡¯m sure Nikki will agree, and I¡¯d assume Allison and the twins will too. Margot and Letti are the ones I¡¯m not sure about. ¡°What about Alpha Zahn? What happens with him until the trial?¡± Dr. Caspian asks. ¡°He will remain in the cells until the trial date,¡± I say, and Jocelyn lets out a breath. ¡°So, I don¡¯t have to worry about seeing him anymore?¡± ¡°Nope, not until the trial.¡± When we finish, I hug Jocelyn and let her know that I¡¯ll be back in the morning to get her, just like thest time. ¡°Thanks, Sophie,¡± she whispers to me. ¡°Like I¡¯ve always said, Jocelyn. I just want you to be happy and healthy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting there, with the help of you and your pack, I¡¯m truly getting there.¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179: Emotional Hunter Lucas told me that Sophie was getting nauseous with the smell of the dead bodies. I had nned to bury them, but there are so many, possibly his entire pack of warriors, that I decide to just burn them. It was faster and thankfully didn¡¯t upset my mate¡¯s stomach any more than before. Since it seems like Zahn¡¯s entire group of warriors came to attack my pack, I¡¯m worried about the remaining pack members in his pack. Zahn¡¯s pack is farther away from all of our packs, making it open for attack by other Alphas. And, once again, Ezra is closest to Zahn¡¯s pack. So, the next day, while Sophie takes Jocelyn in for her next surgery, I call Ezra. ¡°Hunter, what problems are you causing now?¡± he says by way of greeting, making me chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t cause problems, Ezra. I eliminate them. But I do have a favor for you and possibly for Margot as well.¡± ¡°Hold on, let me put you on speakerphone,¡± he says. Interesting. Margot¡¯s in his office already. I hope that means thingsN?velDrama.Org owns this text. I continue to get better for them. ¡°Alpha Hunter, what can we help you do to eliminate a problem,¡± Margot says, obviously having heard the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m concerned about Zahn¡¯s pack,¡± I say. There¡¯s a beat of silence. ¡°Come again?¡± Ezra asks. ¡°I think he sent all of his warriors here and they are now all dead. If that¡¯s the case, his pack is full of potentially dying, or at best, grieving widows and pups. With no warriors and no Alpha, his pack is at risk,¡± I say. ¡°Shit!¡± Ezra says. ¡°You want us to go see who¡¯s left and for me to bring them into my pack, is that about right?¡± he asks. He already knows what¡¯s needed. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s just giving himself time to think about how he¡¯s going to do this. ¡°Those people need help, Ezra,¡± Margot says. ¡°I know, Margot, but where are we going to put them? How many are we talking about, Hunter?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say at least one hundred warriors attacked my pack.¡± I hear a low whistle. ¡°How are your warriors? You said they were okay, but are they really?¡± Margot asks me. ¡°They are. Minimal injuries, no deaths.¡± It¡¯s quiet a moment and I imagine that the two of them are having an unspoken conversation on the other end of the line. ¡°What about Jake and Letti¡¯s pack, Ezra? They don¡¯t have to stay here. And ric¡¯s pack will be settled in another month. This could be short-term. Or maybe, if Alpha Hunter is right, we put Zahn¡¯s pack up third forpetition and then these individuals will have the ability to return home. We can find room for them temporarily,¡± Margot says. ¡°We?¡± he asks her, and I suddenly feel like I¡¯m eavesdropping on a personal conversation. ¡°You can get back to me,¡± I say hurriedly. Nothing. It¡¯s quiet and I know they¡¯re having another unspoken. conversation between them. Since Margot hasn¡¯t marked Ezra, it¡¯s not in the mind link. ¡°We¡¯ll make a n and get over there as soon as possible,¡± Ezra says. ¡°Thank you, let me know if you anything,¡± I say. ¡°You owe me,¡± I hear Ezra say as start to hang up. ¡°What do you want?¡± Margot purrs as I quickly set down the receiver. Yep, that rtionship is moving along. Good for them. I reach out, wanting to feel connected to my mate and mentally bump up against her worry. I get up, going to find her, knowing that as she gets closer to her delivery, stress is not good for her or my son. I find her in the kitchen, scrubbing dishes and stressing out the omegas. ¡°Baby, what are you doing?¡± I ask her,ing up behind her and putting my hands on her stomach. Our pup has gotten so big that now it¡¯s less hide and seek and more me rubbing my son¡¯s head, butt, foot, or whatever is pushing against my mate¡¯s stomach. ¡°I need a distraction. I know Jocelyn will be in surgery all day and while I¡¯m sure it will be fine, I¡¯m still worried.¡± I kiss the top of her head, pulling her hands out of the soapy water. ¡°I have a better idea. Why don¡¯t we let the omegas do their work,Soph. You¡¯re making them worry that they aren¡¯t doing a good job,¡± i tell her and see her look over at them. ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re doing a great job. I¡¯m very proud of all of you, I just¡­¡± I feel her on the verge of tears. Her emotions are all over the ce. ¡°Come on,¡± I say, ¡°let¡¯s go talk about my idea.¡± I lead her from the kitchen and when we get to the stairwell, I scoop her into my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. Why am I so emotional? I was finest time she went in for surgery,¡± she says,ying her head on my shoulder and breathing in my scent. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, baby. I think aversion to some scents, being emotional, and being more possessive are all part of the deal.¡± She nods against my neck. ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡± she asks. I set her down and open the door to the room beside ours. It¡¯s empty. ¡°We need a nursery, Soph. I thought maybe you could put some of that nervous and stressed-out energy into a nursery for our son.¡± ¡°Oh, Hunter! That¡¯s a GREAT idea!¡± she says, moving to throw her arms around my neck but only making it to my shoulders because of her belly in the way. ¡°I can¡¯t even hug you properly,¡± she says, and I smell salty tears. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re tired, you¡¯re worried about your friend, and you can hug me, it¡¯s just a bit different,¡± I say, gently turning her around and wrapping my arms around her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about the furniture you want in here, let me know and I¡¯ll order it. Then you decide on colors and decorations, and we¡¯ll have the pack help paint and set up the furniture when it arrives. How does that sound?¡± I ask, rocking her from side to side as I feel her slowly starting to rx. When she doesn¡¯t answer, I put my chin on her shoulder. ¡°Sophie?¡± I smell her tears again. ¡°Soph?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so good to me, Hunter,¡± she says, turning around in my arms. ¡°Even when I¡¯m acting¡­like this. You¡¯re so good to me.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that, but I know that YOU are good FOR me. I know I¡¯m a better man because of you and if our little man is making your hormones get all whacked out, then I can handle it for another month. I love you, Soph. So put all that nervous energy into our son¡¯s bedroom. Okay?¡± She nods. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be back to check on youter. Let me get you a chair so you can sit while you figure out what you want in here.¡± I check on Sophie throughout the day and then I go with her to the pack hospital to hear that Jocelyn has made it through her second surgery well. Since we don¡¯t have to worry about Zahn, Sophie and I sit with Jocelyn until she wakes up, staying while Dr. Caspian tells her how the surgery went and then I bring my little mate back to our room and tuck her against me trying to help her sleep. Over the next couple of weeks, Sophie works on the nursery, checking on Jocelyn daily. Jocelyn continues healing quickly which helps Sophie rx, and when we get the announcement that Amelia had her baby girl, Jocelyn is ready for her next surgery. I get with the other Alphas, and we schedule our visit to ric¡¯s pack in preparation for the nextpetition. Sophie and I n to go early to meet Athena and spend some time with Amelia, but before that, Jake and Letti areing by to meet with Owen¡¯s previous pack members. As always, my life is never dull but I¡¯m getting more and more excited to meet my son. Less than one month until Sophie¡¯s due date. Chapter 180 Chapter 180: Jake and Letti Sophie My mate is so special. He somehow knew I needed an outlet for my emotional stress and creating a nursery was exactly what I needed. I could be in my son¡¯s room alone, if I needed space from everyone, or I could harass our warriors by having them move and remove the furniture just the way I wanted it. Thankfully, the pack loves me, and they tolerated my craziness with good humor. After Jocelyn came out of her surgery, I felt a little bit better. find that some days I¡¯m more in control of my emotions than others. I asked Dr. Felicity about it, and she said the same thing that Hunter did. It¡¯s normal that my hormones will be all over the ce while I¡¯m pregnant. Add to that, I¡¯m getting less and less sleep each night, and then the general weight of being a Luna, and sometimes, it¡¯s just more than my body can handle. She assured me that once Huntington is born, that I¡¯d start feeling back to normal. Penny¡¯s birthday had been a sess. No one was surprised when she and Jaime came downstairs for breakfast both looking exhausted but happy and both wearing fresh mate marks. The pack ended up celebrating her birthday most of the day and even Jocelyn and the survivors came to for the evening party. I could see Jocelyn constantly looking around, as if expecting Zahn to jump out at any moment. But, between me and Sandy, she was able to rx. Hunter, Lucas, Jaime, and Penny all took the pack, including the older pups from the survivor center on a pack run, howling and ying together as those of us left behind sat around talking and waiting for them to return. It was a beautiful night and then just a few dayster, I received the call from Amelia that my niece had been born. Today, Alpha Jake and Luna Letti are arriving to talk to the pack members that came from Owen¡¯s pack. Hunter has talked to Ezra and to Robin, since Jake and Letti already stayed and talked to the group there. Both have been impressed with how Jake is handling the pack members and based on what Robin told Hunter, most of Owen¡¯s pack members will be returning to their old pack. I¡¯m pretty sure Hunter has mixed feelings about the pack members leaving. He feels like everyone should want to stay here because our pack is special, but I feel like every pack should be special in its own way. That will give people options for good packs to live in, especially when they find their mates. So, I¡¯m okay with people not staying in our pack, as long as they make their own packs a positive environment for everyone. When they arrive, Hunter and I meet them on the front steps of the pack house. I watch them get out of the car, Jake looking around for the first time, and Letti looking around after not being here for a while. ¡°It¡¯s strangeing in from the front,¡± she says to me, walking up to hug me. ¡°Luna Sophie, how much longer before this little guy makes his appearance?¡± she asks me, looking down at my stomach while Jake and Hunter say hello. ¡°Since when are you so formal, Letti? I¡¯ve always just been Sophie to you.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure. Things are different now, but Nikki said the same to me. I think I might have offended her a bit, which wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends first, Lunas second,¡± I say, sliding my arm through hers and greeting Jake. ¡°Your previous pack members are a bit nervous to meet you, but I understand that many of them have been in touch with their fellow pack members in Robin¡¯s pack. That group was very impressed with both of you,¡± I say, smiling at Letti and turning to include Jake in the conversation. I can feel Letti¡¯s nervousness at meeting these new pack members as we walk in. ¡°You¡¯re going to be great,¡± I whisper to her. She looks at me and I nod. I know she will be. She may be a Gamma by birth, but much like Allison and Nikki, Letti is apassionate person who will make a great Luna. ¡°I¡¯ve set up a special room for the pack members toe hear what you have to say. I thought we could talk over lunch, and I¡¯ ve also offered others who havee seeking safety but have not joined my pack yet toe hear you speak. I think my mate is right that each pack has something different to offer its pack members and what Sophie and I are offering here, may not be for everyone. But what you intend to offer in your pack might be,¡± Hunter says, making me smile at him. ¡°I see that hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Letti says. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask. ¡°Alpha Hunter always listened to what you had to say and took your words to heart, Sophie. I remember how much I didn¡¯t believe that it was real when I first got here, how I didn¡¯t trust any Alphas. But he was always the real deal. You both were.¡± We get them settled into their rooms, putting them at the end of the hall on our floor. Then, I show Letti what I¡¯ve started in the Hunt¡¯s room. ¡°You¡¯re going with a hunter¡¯s theme?¡± she asks me, looking at the murals on the wall. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Hunter¡¯s family¡¯s tradition with naming their children, so I decided to go with the pack on a hunt.¡± The mural spreads around the room, with wild animals being chased by a small group of wolves. I didn¡¯t say anything to Hunter, but the pack is eightrge ¨C the size of the family he¡¯s promised me. ¨C Oh, I know that¡¯s why there are eight wolves, my mate. I counted them the moment that part of the mural was done,¡¯ Hunter says in the mind link. I¡¯m d you left room though, in case we decide for moreter on. I have to cover myugh as Hunter walks up behind me and wraps his arms around me while we look over the room. ¡°There¡¯s still more to do, but it¡¯sing along,¡± I say. I watch Letti look at Jake, a pretty blush flushing her cheeks before she looks away. Interesting. We head back downstairs and enter the room that is set up for lunch. It¡¯s only a few moments before the pack members start tentativelying into the room. ¡°Come in, get some food and have a seat. Once everyone is here, we¡¯ll begin,¡± Hunter tells them. ¡°Did you want to eat now?¡± I ask Letti. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could get anything down, Sophie. I¡¯m so nervous,¡± Letti says.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The four of us stand near the door, greeting everyone as theye in. I watch the pack members assessing Jake and Letti as they walk through the door, or as they sit and begin to eat. Most of them are talking in low voices but I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re talking about their initial impressions of the two. No wonder poor Letti is nervous. I squeeze her hand, trying to help calm her, as Hunter goes to close the door, and Jake takes her hand to lead her to the front of the room. Hunter quickly grabs some food for me and takes me to a seat so we¡¯re next to where Jake and Letti are standing. ¡°Hello everyone. My name is Alpha Jake, this is my mate, Luna Letti. We¡¯re here today to talk with you about our ns for the pack that we won, what was previously Alpha Owen¡¯s packnds.¡± For the next hour, I watch as Jake and Letti exin who they are, where they¡¯vee from, and talk about their ns for the pack. They¡¯ve decided to rebuild the packhouse and to create homes around the packnds. Jake talks about creating a pack with a new feeling while Letti talks about how she-wolves will be allowed to train, will be expected to participate in patrols, and will have equal rights and expectations as the males in the pack. They also let everyone know that there will absolutely be no public imings in the pack and that Jake has already started alliances with Alpha Ezra and Alpha Robin with the intention of extending that to Hunter, Dutton, Kayce, and Amelia. They take questions, some of which don¡¯t have answers, but they let the people know that they will make those decisions as a pack. In the end, I can feel the excitement of the group, as if they are ready to head home and begin their new life, in their new pack, with their new Alpha and Luna. ¡®I can see why Ezra and Robin spoke so highly of them. They¡¯re naturals,¡¯ Hunter says in our mind link. ¡®They are. They will be good allies and friends,¡¯ I say. ¡®I agree. Good thing I prepared that alliance agreement already,¡¯ he says. ¡®My mate. Always thinking ahead. When they¡¯re done, people linger, talking individually to Jake and Letti. While they do, Hunter goes to get the alliance agreement so that we can sign it today. He and I are leaving tomorrow to go see Amelia ahead of the initial review of ric¡¯s old pack. Jake and Letti will being the day after with everyone else. When thest person finally leaves, Letti lets out a huge breath. ¡°I think that went well.¡± Jake pulls her into his arms. ¡°I think it went really well.¡± ¡°I would agree,¡± I say, going to get some food now that the talking is done. We spend the rest of the afternoon signing an alliance agreement, talking about the pack members, and reminding them that we¡¯ll be leaving in the morning. Just as we¡¯re finishing up, I get a mind link that Jocelyn is looking for me. I invited her to go with us to see Amelia and to be a part of the overview of ric¡¯s pack. I¡¯m hoping she¡¯s agreed toe along. I think it will be good for her to get out a bit and see how things are changing. ¡°Jocelyn?¡± I say, finding her standing near the back doors, looking out over the back of the packnds. ¡°Sophie,¡± she says, and we gently hug. While her legs are good, almostpletely healed, her upper body still needs surgery. ¡°I was hoping the offer is still open for me to join you and Alpha Hunter tomorrow to go meet your sister and see Alpha ric¡¯s old pack.¡± ¡°It is, we would love to have you.¡± ¡°Then, I would love to go. I think maybe it¡¯s time I start to get back out into the world.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181: Alpha Warrior Hunter The morning after Jake and Letti arrived, Sophie, Jocelyn, and I- get in the car to drive to Amelia¡¯s pack. I had intended to drive anyway, knowing that Sophie would be ufortable on Shaw, even for the hour it would take to get to Amelia¡¯s pack. But once Jocelyn decided to join us, there was no question. She¡¯s still unable to shift with her bones still so misshapen. I know that Sophie is excited about seeing her sister, her new niece, and about seeing the pack. She really wants Lucas and Kinsley to win ric¡¯s old pack, not only so they be an Alpha and Luna, but also because it will help her know that her sister is safe with good Alphas on either side of her pack. It takes longer to drive than it would have to run in wolf form, but thankfully, they are expecting us when we arrive. ¡°Alpha, Lunas, our Alpha is expecting you. She¡¯s in the middle of warrior training and felt that Luna Sophie would be okay finding her way out back, but if you¡¯d like her to greet you, we¡¯ll let her know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know the way, thank you, Darius,¡± Sophie says, smiling at the guard. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Luna,¡± he says as we pull away. This pack loves my mate almost as much as ours does. ¡°I don¡¯t remember evering into this pack from the front,¡± I say as we drive. ¡°Nothing looks familiar.¡± ¡°Well, it would be faster for you toe in wolf form,¡± Sophie says, and I can feel her excitement at being able to see her sister and meet her niece. When we get to the packhouse, there are a couple of omegas waiting for us. ¡°Luna!¡± they exim as Sophie gets out of the car. She rushes over and hugs them while I get the bags out of the car. ¡°Would you like us to show you to your rooms or would you like to go out back and see Alpha Amelia?¡± they ask. ¡°I¡¯d like to go to my room, if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m still struggling with a bit of pain, and I believe that Dr. Caspian is still here, is that correct?¡± Jocelyn asks. ¡°Yes, Luna, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Just Jocelyn,¡± she says. ¡°Yes, Jocelyn. We can let Dr. Caspian know that you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Thank you. I just want to rest for a moment, then say hello to Alpha Amelia before I go see him.¡± ¡°Did you say that Amelia is out back? I want to see her first and where¡¯s my niece?¡± Sophie asks them. ¡°She¡¯s out back as well,¡± they say ¡°Where¡¯s Alpha Calvin?¡± I ask. Both omegas¡¯ lips press together ¡°He went back to his pack right after the birth of Alpha Athena,¡± one says. ¡°He¡¯s due to return with his warriors for the overview of Alpha ric¡¯s pack tomorrow.¡± I can tell that neither omega thinks it was a good decision on Calvin¡¯s part to leave so soon after the birth of his daughter. I have to agree. Anything that he needed to take care of could have been done over the phone. I know it will take a war to pull. me away from Sophie after our son is born. I chuckle at my mate, putting my hand on her back. She¡¯s practically bouncing with excitement to see her sister. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see her before you burst with anticipation,¡± I tell her. As we walk out onto the back porch, I see Amelia walking through the crowd of warriors, giving them instructions and feedback. Her back is to us and her left arm is tucked against her body while her right arm is moving around, directing and showing the warriors what she¡¯s saying as they spar. When she turns to face us, I¡¯m in awe. She looks exactly like what I¡¯d expect an Amazon warrior to look like. Her left arm is tucked against her body because she¡¯s carrying her daughter who is nursing at her breast while she directs her warriors. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it and Sophie¡¯s description of her sisteres back to me. ¡°Warrior Alpha indeed,¡± I say. Instantly, I feel a wave of hot jealousy flow through Sophie, just as she snarls angrily. I see Amelia¡¯s eyes sh up to us, but I turn quickly, taking Sophie¡¯s face in my hands, seeing that Hedda has pushed forward. ¡°I can admire the woman and Alpha that your sister is without wanting her in my bed, Sophie. It¡¯s no different than how I feel about Nikki, Allison, or Margot. Your sister ising into her own, much like you did. I¡¯m happy to see her strength, that doesn¡¯t mean I want her. You, my mate, are all the woman I¡¯ll ever want or need.¡± I hold her gaze until I feel her jealous possessiveness start to ebb, then I lean down and kiss her. It¡¯s a demanding kiss, pushing my love for her, my pride at being her mate and soon to be the father of her pup, through the bond. When she finally rxes against me, her arms going around me, I pull back, looking at her eyes to make sure that Hedda is settled as well. ¡°And I¡¯ll tell you another thing. You¡¯d better never walk around our pack nursing our son for all to see, because I will rip every one of our warrior¡¯s eyes out if they so much as nce at what¡¯ s mine,¡± I say, Shawing forward and growling his own possessiveness of our mate. That finally brings a smile to her face. ¡°Sorry,¡± she says softly. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I know a lot of this is pregnancy hormones. As long as you know, deep in your heart, that you are mine and I am yours.¡± She nods and I let her go. ¡°All good here?¡± Amelia asks, walking up to us. Athena has finished nursing, and Amelia has covered herself while holding her daughter against her chest, patting her back until she burps. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you Amelia,¡± Sophie says, reaching out to hug her sister. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Sophie, but I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re here to see this little beauty. I may be biased, but I think she¡¯s the prettiest baby I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Amelia says proudly,ying Athena down in her arms again. ¡°Oh, Amelia, she IS beautiful!¡± Sophie says, gently rubbing the top of Athena¡¯s head. ¡°Do you want to hold your niece? I need to get back to warrior training,¡± she says to Sophie before looking at me. ¡°You¡¯re wee to join in, but we¡¯re almost done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± I say, watching as Amelia passes Athena to Sophie and my mate immediately begins to snuggle with her niece. Amelia nods, smiling sadly. I imagine it¡¯s because her mate isn¡¯t here. She heads back to her warriors, and I follow my mate, sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her. I couldn¡¯t be more excited for the day when this is our son in her arms. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about your sister, were you?¡± Jocelyn says,ing up beside us. I turn, seeing her watching Amelia direct warrior training for her pack.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The option is avable for you as well, Jocelyn. There are still several packs avable,¡± I say. She nods her head, never looking away from the warriors sparring. ¡°Definitely something to think about.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182: Mother Amelia I¡¯ve had a lot of happy and a lot of sad moments in my life, but the most intense feelings of happiness and sadness came on the day of my daughter¡¯s birth. Calvin had been at my side, encouraging me to push. Considering how things are between us right now, he¡¯d been really great about it. And the moment theyid Athena in my arms, I¡¯d cried happy tears. She¡¯s so perfect with her ten little fingers and her ten little toes. She has a button nose and cupid¡¯ s bow pink lips that always seem to be sucking, even in her sleep. She makes the sweetest, softest sounds when she¡¯s sleeping or when she¡¯s nursing but when she¡¯s hungry, watch out. My girl has a strong pair of lungs on her. The first person I¡¯d wanted to share my happiness with had been my mother, and that¡¯s where the terrible sadness hade from. I realized that my daughter will never know what incredible grandparents she had. I can easily picture my father carrying her around everywhere, just like he did with Sophie and probably like he did with me. The sharp sting of grief had hit me quickly and unexpectedly and I¡¯d started to cry. Calvin is a good man in a lot of ways, but understanding female emotions isn¡¯t one of them. They make him ufortable and so, rather than wrapping his arms around me and hugging me Nike someone such as Alpha Hunter probably would have, he¡¯d patted my arm and told me it would be okay and that it was probably all the hormones leaving my body. It had taken everything in me to not punch him in the face. I wasn¡¯t surprised when he¡¯d left the next day to go back to his pack. We¡¯d talked about him wanting to im the pack next door. I guess he wants to try and move the pack or maybe try to flip packs with someone else so that we canbine our packs. The problem is, I¡¯m learning very quickly that I like being an Alpha and I¡¯m damn good at it. I wouldn¡¯t say this to Calvin, because I¡¯m not mean and I know it would hurt his feelings, but I¡¯m a better Alpha than he is. So, even if he ims ric¡¯s old pack, I¡¯m notbining mine with his. My new favorite time of day is early in the morning, before everyone else is awake, when I sit in my rocking chair and nurse Athena. It doesn¡¯t matter how tired I am, or how many things haveing for the day, that time is ours, just her and me. know she¡¯s a baby, but she¡¯s an Alpha baby, and when she looks at me, it¡¯s like she knows that I¡¯m her mother, and that I will never let anything happen to her. When Calvin left, I think the pack thought that things were going to rx a bit. They were wrong. ric¡¯s pack is up for grabs, and I have several warriors who want to im it, my Gamma included. I¡¯m not thrilled about himpeting, but I also know he didn¡¯t do as well as he thought he would in thepetition for the first pack. He didn¡¯t even make it to the final twelve. I know he¡¯s going to cause problems for me in the future, but those are problems for another day. First, I needed to deliver Athena and get my strength back, and now, I need to get my warriors prepared for thepetition. I didn¡¯t think Sophie would mind me not greeting her at the front door, and thankfully, I was right. Unfortunately, since I¡¯m an Alpha and a young mother, I have to bnce nursing my daughter with everything else that I need to get done. It didn¡¯t take me more than half a day to realize that nursing Athena would have to be done while I was doing other things or things wouldn¡¯t get done and my status as an Alpha woulde into question, especially with Caleb looking for any reason to overthrow me. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about him and Calvin going to thepetition together. Is Calvin secretly hoping to overthrow me so I have to return to being his Luna? I¡¯m still not sure about that, so I¡¯m biding my time and I¡¯m watching Caleb carefully. And that means, I nurse my daughter during warrior training. Because she¡¯s on a schedule, it¡¯s be a routine every morning that I carry her around while Beta Matthew runs training. Beta Caroline will usually hold Athena until she¡¯s ready to nurse and then take her again when she¡¯s done, but today, Sophie is here. I¡¯m not sure what caused her to snarl so viciously before, but Hunter seemed to understand what was wrong and what his mate needed to feel better. Hunter seems to understand a lot more than Calvin does, or maybe he¡¯s just more confident in himself than Calvin is. Calvin and I didn¡¯t have an easy start and him not having any sisters or really understanding women at all was a huge barrier for us to ovee. And while I realize that he does truly care about me, it¡¯s not the kind of love that my parents had, or that Sophie has with Hunter. I¡¯m happy for my sister, but every time I see her and her mate together, it makes my heart ache. I¡¯m not sure that Calvin and I would have had that even if he hadn¡¯t imed me publicly. It¡¯s just not who he is, which makes me wonder why the Moon Goddess mated me to him, Have I changed that much, or has he not changed at all? Matthew calls an end to warrior training, and I follow my warriors back to the patio where Sophie and Hunter are sitting with Athena. Beside them is a woman I don¡¯t recognize, but I can see that her upper body isn¡¯t shaped properly. This must be Jocelyn. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Alpha Amelia. You must be Jocelyn. Wee to my pack,¡± I greet her. ¡°Alpha Amelia. It¡¯s a pleasure. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from the first ever female Alpha, but I have to admit, you¡¯re quite impressive,¡± Jocelyn says. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°You¡¯ve should have seen her when we first walked out. She was nursing Athena while she was directing her warriors,¡± Sophie says, looking at Hunter who begins purring at her. Is that what got her riled up? Me nursing Athena publicly? She¡¯ll have to get over it while she¡¯s here. I have a pack to run. ¡°Well, I¡¯m no Legend, like my sister,¡± I say, teasing her. ¡°No, I call you the Warrior Alpha,¡± Sophie says smiling up at me. Hunter kisses the side of her head as if he¡¯s praising her. Maybe it was jealousy before. I know from recent experience that every woman around you feels like a threat to your mate. I thought it was just me because things between me and Calvin aren¡¯t very settled at the moment, but maybe it was being pregnant. I¡¯ll have to see when he returns. ¡°Warrior Alpha. I can see it,¡± Jocelyn says to me. ¡°Well, I am a warrior, or I will be once I get back into shape, and I am an Alpha, so I guess it fits.¡± Jocelyn tilts her head at me. ¡°You¡¯re as humble as Sophie, aren¡¯t you? Must be ¨¤ family trait to have strong women who don¡¯t realize the significant impact that they are having on others around them.¡± ¡°What impact is that?¡± I ask her, as I go check on my daughter. She¡¯s sleeping happily in Sophie¡¯s arms. When she doesn¡¯t answer immediately, I turn and see Jocelyn smiling at me. ¡°zing the trail for the rest of us to follow. You¡¯ re the first female Alpha in history. You don¡¯t see the significance in that?¡± she asks, challenging me. ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t time have time to think about it. Between my parents¡¯ deaths, taking over the pack, waging war and getting revenge for my parents¡¯ deaths, having a baby, and getting ready for the packpetitions, I haven¡¯t had a lot of time. But now that you mention it¡­I guess it is sig ¡°Amelia has already paved the way for other women to take ranked positions in the packs,¡± Hunter says, making me snort augh. ¡°Oh please, you¡¯d have made Penny your Gamma with or without me being an Alpha.¡± ¡°Yes, but you did it first,¡± Hunter says smiling at me. ¡°As Nikki would say, that makes you the trendsetter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold her and stand up, Hunter,¡± Sophie says. ¡°You must be close to your delivery, Soapy,¡± I say. I¡¯m pretty sure that her stomach isrger than mine was. Probably because she¡¯s having a boy. I move to take Athena from her, but Hunter beats me to it. He carefully snuggles my daughter against his chest, then reaches out to help Sophie up. I can hear Shaw purring softly, keeping Athena settled. Even Hamil, Calvin¡¯s wolf, hadn¡¯t thought to purr at his daughter.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯m once again struck by the differences between Hunter and Calvin. Calvin couldn¡¯t have looked more ufortable holding his own daughter, whereas Hunter looks like he¡¯s been holding babies for years. Who knows, maybe he has. He¡¯s a different kind of Alpha than Calvin is. ¡°Are you settled in, Jocelyn? Soapy knows her way around the packhouse, but if you need anything at all, you can ask me, or this is my Beta, Matthew,¡± I say as he walks up to greet the group. ¡°Why do you call her Soapy?¡± she asks while Matthew tells Sophie she can¡¯t hog Athena while she¡¯s here. I smile, looking at my sister while she tells Matthew that his mate is here all the time and she¡¯s only here for a couple of days, so she gets as much time as she wants with my daughter. ¡°It¡¯s the name I called her when I was young. I couldn¡¯t say the ¡®f¡¯ in her name, so it came out as soapy. Then, our father started calling her Soapy and it stuck. Now that he¡¯s gone, I¡¯ve started using that name again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re as kind and empathetic as Sophie is too, I see,¡± Jocelyn says. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask her as we walk inside. ¡°She must like the name and since your father is gone, you still give her that connection to your father.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t really thought of it that way,¡± I say. ¡°No, you probably didn¡¯t,¡± she says cryptically. ¡°Are you nning to see Dr. Caspian while you¡¯re here?¡± I ask, changing the subject. ¡°Yes. My legs are healed but now I want to talk to him about starting surgery on my upper body. I want to get back to being whole and maybe, follow the zing trail that the Warrior Alpha is making and fight for my own pack,¡± she says. ¡°It would be nice to not be the only female Alpha. While the other Alphas are very supportive of me, it¡¯s like being the only girl in a good ol¡¯ boys club. It¡¯s hard not to feel like the odd man, or in this case woman, out.¡± ¡°And yet, I¡¯ve heard nothing but great things about you, Alpha Amelia. You¡¯re doing a great job and from an outsider walking in, your pack feels settled. If they didn¡¯t, I¡¯d worry for you, but they seem to be rallying behind you as their leader,¡± she says. I look around, taking a moment to feel what Jocelyn is feeling in my pack. Perhaps I don¡¯t do that enough. Perhaps I don¡¯t step back and just let myself recognize what I¡¯ve done or that I¡¯m doing a good job. I know I work hard for my pack, but I¡¯m so busy doing, that I don¡¯t take the time to see the impact of what I¡¯ ve done. ¡°Thank you, Jocelyn. I needed this level of perspective. How Hong are you here for?¡± I ask her. ¡°That depends. I need to ask Dr. Caspian when he can do my surgery.¡± I stop, looking at her thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe he can do the surgery here. I can keep you on the Alpha floor with me, so you won¡¯t be bothered by the pack, although you will have a crying baby to contend with in the middle of the night. But my understanding is that you are healing quickly and well. Dr. Caspian doesn¡¯t have to return to Sophie¡¯s pack for another couple of weeks, and honestly, I can already tell that you and I are going to get along ¨C well.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°I was thinking the exact same thing, Alpha. And let me talk to Dr. Caspian. If he can do the surgery here, I¡¯d love to stay and see how you¡¯re running this pack. Maybe I¡¯ll get some ideas of how to run my pack, if and when I¡¯m able to secure my own.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go talk to Dr. Caspian,¡± I say, feeling lighter than I have in a long time. Chapter 183 Chapter 183: Talking to Amelia Hunter Sophie is trying very hard to manage her jealousy and she¡¯s doing an amazing job at it. I¡¯m reinforcing her positive behavior with her sister because I know she¡¯s struggling. I can¡¯t hide my admiration for Amelia. I cannot imagine that if I was a new Alpha and a new mother or even a new father, that I would be able to bnce everything the way that she is. But as I told Sophie, I can admire the woman and not want her in my bed. What I am realizing is that Amelia is more like Sophie than thought. And apparently, Jocelyn has picked up on that as well. The two of them hit it quickly. I haven¡¯t spent a ton of time with Jocelyn, letting Sophie take the lead there, but the difference in her from when she arrived in our pack to now is significant. There¡¯s a confidence there that I wasn¡¯t there before, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s solely because she¡¯s getting her body and her mobility back. I think it¡¯s because she¡¯s away from Zahn. I¡¯ll never understand a man who thinks that keeping his mate down makes him stronger. I know from experience that the stronger my mate is, the stronger I am as a man and as an Alpha. I feel a wave of desire roll through Sophie and I turn to look at my mate. She¡¯s looking at me assessingly and I smile at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that pretty head of yours?¡± ¡°I¡¯d never thought that seeing a man holding a baby would be sexy. But seeing MY man holding a baby and thinking about him holding MY pup in the near future¡­¡± I growl softly as her thoughts move to us making more babies. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s a good thing we have space on that wall Hunter. You may have to build me another packhouse before I¡¯ m done having your pups,¡± she purrs, loudly enough that others nce our way. We¡¯re sitting in the general area of the packhouse, holding Athena while Amelia gives Jocelyn a tour of the pack. Today is a rxed day for us before the chaos of tomorrow begins. I¡¯m also nning to take some time to talk to Amelia about the trial and what she can expect. But before that, I need to calm my mate so she doesn¡¯t go scenting the entire packhouse. I take her chin in my hand and lean in, taking her mouth in a dominating, possessive kiss, she responds instantly, but I don¡¯t let up until I feel her body rx into submission. It¡¯s not something I do often with my mate, not wanting or needing her submission, but right now, her emotions are all over the ce. When I pull back, I look at her. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Better.¡± ¡°We need to reconsider youing back here next week, Sophie. You¡¯re getting very close to delivering our pup and you know there will be a lot of she-wolves in thepetition. You can¡¯t go off on them because you¡¯re feeling jealous.¡± ¡°I want to be there, Hunter. You¡¯ll help me, right? What if I go intobor and you¡¯re not there?¡± she asks, and I feel the worry that she¡¯d be alone during our son¡¯s birth flow through the bond. ¡°You¡¯re not delivering our pup without me by your side. Let¡¯s see how things go this week,¡± I tell her. Maybe I can talk to Nikki and Allison, even ask Margot to keep an eye on her. I don¡¯t want to leave her overnight when she¡¯s this far along any more than she wants me gone, but with Lucaspeting and Calvin apparently nning topete, it¡¯s going to be a weirdpetition. When Amelia and Jocelyn return, Dr. Caspian and Brooklyn are with them. Amelia takes a now fussy Athena and once again begins nursing her as she continues to go about her day. Jocelyn lets us know that Amelia has offered to let her stay and have her next surgery here and Dr. Caspian has agreed. ¡°As long as you or Dr. Felicity is avable when my pup is ready to make his appearance, I¡¯m fine with it,¡± I tell them. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Dr. Felicity and make sure that one of us is in your pack at all times,¡± Dr. Caspian says. Over lunch, we sit with our group, Amelia still directing her pack with a baby in her arms. While I know that I look forward to the day when I can hold my son and carry him around the pack with me, I also know there will be times that I¡¯ll be d to pass him off to Sophie so I can focus. Amelia doesn¡¯t have that option, but she continues to take it in stride. ¡°You¡¯re right Sophie, she does look like a warrior Alpha, like the Amazons of old. Your sister is as impressive as you are. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get to meet your parents. They must have been amazing people,¡± Jocelyn says. ¡°They were,¡± Sophie says sadly. In the afternoon, I send Sophie up to our room to rest, while Jocelyn does the same as she¡¯s still recovering from her surgeries. While they rest, I spend time working with Amelia, talking about what to expect with the trial, that we have Jake presiding as our newest Alpha, and that we¡¯d like her, as one of the Alphas in our alliance, to be there. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you can¡¯t do it here or in ric¡¯s pack. Everyone will already be here and rather than having everyone go somewhere else, we could have Zahn brought here,¡± she says. I stare at her a moment. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant.¡± She chuckles. ¡°When you¡¯re as busy and overwhelmed as I am, you find ways to make your life easier.¡± ¡°How is it going for you?¡± I ask her. She looks at me and I see the tears welling in her eyes before she looks away. ¡°Some days are easier than others,¡± she says quietly. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think you¡¯re doing a great job.¡± She smiles at that and looks up at me. ¡°Thank you. Jocelyn basically said the same.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not the only one. You¡¯vee into this pack, unexpectedly taking over, be a leader, separated from your mate, had a pup, created alliances, and the overall feel of the : pack is settled. Although, you know you have a problem with your Gamma, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I do. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about himpeting for a pack. On the one hand, I¡¯d like him out of mine. On the other, I prefer him in a position where I can strip his rank and send him packing if he acts out.¡± ¡°I saw himpete. He¡¯s not good enough to win a pack. And you didn¡¯t ask my advice, but I¡¯m going to give it to you anyway. You need to find your ranked members. Matthew is great, but he¡¯s past retirement age. Caleb is a festering sore that¡¯s going to explode at some point in the future and cause nothing but problems for you. You need people around you that you can trust and that are strong enough to support you when something goes wrong.¡± ¡°Yeah, the problem with that is, everyone that I would be interested in promoting, is looking intopeting for the packs. I¡¯m not sure how long thesepetitions will continue, but let¡¯s just say it¡¯s three months. No one is going to ept a Beta or Gamma position while they have the option of bing an Alpha.¡± ¡°Just watch your back. I have no doubt that you¡¯d be able to defeat him, but I¡¯d be shocked if Caleb doesn¡¯t challenge you very soon.¡± ¡°Thank you for the warning. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± That night, we spend more time with Amelia, Athena, and Jocelyn. It¡¯s a good, rxing time for Sophie as we sit out back and watch the pups y while she sips her tea. That night, I remind my mate that she¡¯s mine, several times, and the next morning, the packs begin to arrive. It¡¯s good to see everyone, even though we¡¯ve all been together so much recently. And Nikki, being Nikki, had to say something to Amelia. ¡°Damn, girl! Make the rest of us look bad why don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Amelia asks, once again nursing Athena while she greets her guests. ¡°I can barely stay awake in the afternoons and here you are, toting your newborn around, nursing her while you direct guests and you pack.¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have been here to greet you,¡± Amelia tells her. ¡°I think all of us would have-understood that,¡± Nikki says. ¡°Not everyone,¡± Amelia tells her quietly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Nikki says hugging her. ¡°If you need anything at all, you let me know,¡± Nikki says quietly. I can only hear her because Sophie and I are standing beside Amelia. ¡°And you?¡± Nikki says looking at Sophie, ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to pop!¡± Once everyone arrives, we spend the day going around ric¡¯s pack. No one has touched it since the battle, so there are still areas with smashed out walls and windows.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask my Beta after we¡¯ve toured the ce. He looks me in the eye. ¡°I want it.¡± I smile. ¡°Good. Make that shit happen.¡± ¡°I n on it.¡± That night, Amelia¡¯s dining hall is loud with everyone¡¯s excitement about the pack and before we leave in the morning, more than two hundred individuals sign up for thepetition. I spoke to the other Alphas and they agreed to have Zahn¡¯s trial here after thepetition next week. That will also allow us to have another new Alpha join the trial. I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s Lucas. As I look over the names of people who signed up for thepetition, I frown. I go find Jocelyn, who is talking to Dr. Caspian and Amelia, preparing for her next surgery. ¡°Jocelyn, are you going topete? I mean I know you¡¯re still healing, but I thought you were interested inpeting for a pack of your own,¡± I ask her. ¡°No. After seeing everything, I realize that I¡¯m not cut out to be an Alpha. I love the idea of it, but I think you have to really want to be an Alpha to be good at it, and I just don¡¯t think that¡¯s for me,¡± she says. ¡°What about a Beta?¡± Amelia asks her. ¡°Have you ever considered being a Beta? I just happen to have a position avable.¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184: The Twins¡¯ ns Sophie I know Hunter is worried about my jealousy and possessiveness. Well, he doesn¡¯t care as much about my possessiveness or Hedda¡¯s need to mark him nearly every night now making sure that everyone knows that he¡¯s ours. I think he rather likes that part. But the jealousy is difficult to manage, especially during these events when there are so many she- wolves around. I know, in my head, that the she-wolvespeting have perfectly good reasons to be talking to Hunter, but my wolf doesn¡¯t like it at all. On the day that the Alphas showed ric¡¯s pack to the contenders, t noticed that Margot stayed close to me. It took me longer than it should have to realize that Hunter asked her to watch over me. When it finally dawned on me, I turned to her. ¡°Are you here to make sure I don¡¯t attack anyone, or to make sure that I do something else that might be crazy?¡± She looked at me and smiled. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. How is it holding your niece? Are you getting excited about your little one?¡± she asks, expertly redirecting the conversation. I just shake my head at her. ¡°It¡¯s good. She¡¯s so sweet, so beautiful. I can¡¯t wait until I¡¯m holding Hunt.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ll let the rest of us hold him too,¡± she says, her smile fading a bit as she looks past me ¡°Has anyone seen my mate?¡± Calvin asks, walking up and looking out in the direction of ric¡¯s pack. He hadn¡¯t arrivedst night like I¡¯d thought he would and when he didn¡¯t show up this morning, they¡¯d started without him. ¡°She¡¯s with the other Alphas, showing the contenders the parameters of ric¡¯s pack as well as the packhouse and general areas,¡± I say. When he finally looks down at me, his face softens when he sees Athena. ¡°There¡¯s my little girl. How is she doing?¡± he asks me, reaching out and stroking a finger over her little fist. ¡°Fine, as far as I can tell,¡± I say. ¡°She¡¯s got an Alpha¡¯s appetite, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Margot says, stroking Athena¡¯s head. ¡°Did you want to hold her?¡± I ask him. Hunter had been a natural, He¡¯d held Athena as if she was our third or fourth pup. It made me even more excited to see him holding our son. However, the moment I offer to let Calvin hold his daughter, he looks terrified. ¡°Oh, uh¡­she looksfortable. I wouldn¡¯t want to disrupt her nap,¡± he says, taking a step back as if she¡¯s dangerous and might leap at him, attaching herself to his body. ¡°I¡¯m just going to go find Amelia,¡± he says, racing off.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What was that?¡± I ask Margot. ¡°Not all men are created equal and not all men arefortable around babies. Alpha Calvin seems to be one of those that isn¡¯tfortable around babies. Although, I¡¯ve known men who were terrified of hurting their daughters but when they had sons, they treated them like they were indestructible, so who knows with him. He¡¯s an odd one. I haven¡¯t been able to figure him out yet.¡± ¡°I think Amelia feels the same way,¡± I say, thinking of my sister. It really is incredible what she¡¯s doing here. This time, the Lunas had gotten together to discuss themunity center. Everyone has ideas and in general, I think wel can include all of them. Everyone likes the idea of trails to run, as well as a yground and pic area where families can spend the day and cook out while enjoying themselves. What we need now is to have someone leading the ns and making sure that things move forward. Because Margot is too far away, Letti is still trying to put a pack together, and Allison and I are too far along in our pregnancy, that leaves it to Tiffany and Tammi, or Nikki. ¡°Actually, Dutton is nning to take us away for a bit,¡± Tammi says tentatively, looking at Tiffany. ¡°What¡¯s that look?¡± Nikki asks her. Tiffany looks around as if making sure that no one is listening. We all lean in to hear what she¡¯s going to say. ¡°Do you remember the story of how we got here? About how our Alpha female sacrificed herself so that we could get away?¡± Tiffany asks. I had forgotten, but now that she reminded me, I do remember. Allison, Nikki, and I nod. Margot and Letti hadn¡¯t heard the twins¡¯ story before. ¡°Well, Tam and I have asked Dutton if we can find out what¡¯s happened to her, if she¡¯s still being held captive by her father or if she¡¯s been marked. He hasn¡¯t been able to find out anything, but we owe it to her to try and help her now that we¡¯re in a position to do it. So, we¡¯re going to be heading to our old packnds after thispetition and the trial.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Allison asks. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re both pregnant.¡± ¡°It could be, but she sacrificed herself for us. What kind of Lunas would we be if we stayed safe in our pack and let her suffer. We wouldn¡¯t be worth our title. And honestly, I can¡¯t stop thinking about it. I¡¯ve even started having nightmares about it. I don¡¯t know if something is happening or if I just feel strongly that we need to help, but I can¡¯t rest until I know she¡¯s okay,¡± Tammi says, Tiffany wrapping an arm around her and hugging her. ¡°Is there anything that we can do?¡± Margot asks. ¡°Actually, I think Dutton is going to ask Alpha Ezra if we can stay in his pack, your pack. It¡¯s closer to our old pack and he can run some patrols from there to see if he can find out anything at all. Tam and I both think that if we¡¯re there, someone who would be unwilling to talk to Dutton might talk to us,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°What are you nning to do if you find out she¡¯s still being held hostage?¡± I ask them. They both look around again and once again, we all lean in closer. ¡°We¡¯re going to kidnap her and bring her with us. At least here we can keep her safe.¡± No wonder they¡¯re being quiet about it. Kidnapping an Alpha female from her father is a huge deal. It¡¯s the kind of thing that starts pack wars. ¡°Has Dutton talked to our mates about this?¡± Nikki asks, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think he¡¯s hoping to not involve the alliance members in this so that you can all im ignorance if something goes wrong and it goes to trial,¡± Tiffany says. ¡°You two are risking an awful lot, you realize that?¡± Letti says. ¡°She sacrificed herself for us. We owe her a chance to have the same life we have,¡± Tammi says definitively. When our mates walk up, we change the conversation. I¡¯m worried about my friends, but I understand the desire to help their friend. If I was in their position, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d have asked Hunter to do the same. And knowing my mate, I¡¯m sure he would have. We stayed one more night and while I knew that Jocelyn was nning to stay for her next surgery, I hadn¡¯t considered that she¡¯d be a good Beta for my sister. But once Amelia asked her about it though, I¡¯d realized that the two of them could make a powerful team. Both are strong, like-minded women who already seem to respect each other. Over the next week, I be more and more ufortable, Hunt continuing to grow quickly and staying very active. I love feeling him moving around. That way I know that he¡¯s healthy, but it¡¯s not at allfortable for me, even as an Alpha female. I spend most of my time in the nursery getting thest little things ready for him to arrive and more than once, Hunter has found me asleep in the rocking chair.. As excited as I am for Lucas and Kinsley to hopefully win their pack, I¡¯ll be thankful when this and Zahn¡¯s trial are over, and I can rx at home and wait for this little one to arrive. Chapter 185 Chapter 185: Beta to Alpha Lucas Today is the day. Well, the next two days are the days where I will truly see if I have what it takes to be an Alpha. Hunter has faith in me. Sophie has faith in me. And my mate has faith in me. I can¡¯t let any of them down. When I¡¯d first walked ric¡¯s packnds, I hadn¡¯t seen the devastation or the amount of time it would take to rebuild what was broken in the pack. What I¡¯d seen was opportunity. The opportunity to make something great out of what ric left. Based on what I¡¯d seen in Owen¡¯snds, this pack is in better shape overall, but it¡¯s nothing like Hunter¡¯s and Sophie¡¯s pack. And while these packnds are smaller than Hunter¡¯s, I think I can make something great out of this area. No, I KNOW I can make something great here. A ce that is better for the people who used to live here and a ce that is better for my son to take over one day when it¡¯s his turn to be an Alpha. An Alpha. I never thought I¡¯d say that about my son, but once the idea took hold in my head, I couldn¡¯t let it go. If Kins hadn¡¯t agreed with me, if she hadn¡¯t been one hundred percent engaged in this process, I would have walked away. She is too important to me to risk our rtionship. I¡¯ve worked way too hard to build what we now have together for me to throw it away for a title. I¡¯m happy as Hunter¡¯s Beta. Hunter¡¯s a good Alpha and I¡¯m a good Beta. The pack respects both of us and it shows. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, my love. Especially today. Today is the easy day,¡± Kinsley says, looking at me over her shoulder. I¡¯m wrapped around her in bed, lost in my thoughts, not realizing that she was awake yet. I kiss her shoulder before taking a deep breath. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± she says, watching me. ¡°Won¡¯t what?¡± I ask her, knowing that she must feel it through the bond. ¡°You won¡¯t disappoint me. You never have.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly true,¡± I say referencing how I imed her. ¡°That was different, Lucas. Times were different. This is a chance for us, for our children to be better, to be a part of something better. And that wasn¡¯t disappointment. You, my love, have never disappointed me. You¡¯ve done everything in your power to make this bond between us what it is now.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You were and continue to be worth it every day,¡± I tell her. ¡°You should start today off right, Lucas, by reminding me of how much you love me,¡± she purrs. I slide inside her, not able to take as much time as I want because of thepetition starting this morning, but by the time we¡¯re showered and headed to breakfast, my mind is settled for today. When I walk in, I see Hunter across the room. He gives me an assessing look, then nods, apparently liking what he sees in me. I get Kinsley some food, then get in line to find out where I fall in the order for the first round ofpetitions. I¡¯m fourth in line topete with Dutton as my referee. I¡¯ll be taking on one of Kayce¡¯s warriors. Since I have a little bit of time before my firstpetition, I grab some food and join my mate. Unlike at Jake¡¯ s new pack where there was no other pack adjacent to it, we have ess to Amelia¡¯s packhouse and kitchens, so while breakfast is an outdoor affair, it¡¯s hot food with all the normal breakfast options. When we¡¯re given the announcement that the battles will begin in thirty minutes, everyone begins making their way over to the vacant pack. Each referee has their own space where thepetitors assigned to them will have their battles. There isn¡¯t a time limit, but once one is done, the next one begins. I get in line, introducing myself to the warrior that I¡¯ll be battling. There are more fighters this time, so we expect that it will take two full days before one of us wins our pack. Today will be easier because the rounds will take so long, and we¡¯ll have plenty of time to rest in between. Tomorrow will be much more grueling. As expected, these rounds go more quickly and easily even though there are more of them, with those of us who are ranked members eliminating the omegas and warriors that wepete against. The warrior thatpeted against me was good, but not nearly good enough to be an Alpha. It¡¯s after lunch when the first rounds areplete, leaving one hundred and ten of us topete in the afternoon. I¡¯m farther back this time,peting against one of Robin¡¯s warriors with Ezra as the referee. These battles take longer as everyone in this round has alreadypeted once and won. It¡¯s well past dark when thest group finishes and thepetition winds down for the day. ¡°We¡¯ll start at six o¡¯clock tomorrow morning. Get your assignments and your refs so you know where to go. We expect tomorrow¡¯spetitions tost even longer, so even though we have fewer of them, we still expect a full day with the battles taking longer with each round. Even though I only fought twice, I fall into bed, mentally exhausted. I watched otherpetitions, wanting to see the skill that others had. The Betas, Alpha Calvin, and some Gammas will be my biggestpetition. All the warriors are strong, but very few are strong enough to go against those of us who are ranked. 1 spent some time watching Beta Miles, Dutton¡¯s Beta. Of all of them, I¡¯d say he¡¯s my strongestpetition. Normally, I¡¯d think it would be an Alpha, but Calvin fights in an old school way. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because his pack is segregated from the others and he hasn¡¯t had a chance to learn other fighting techniques, but he seems limited and consistent in his fighting. He¡¯s strong which is to his benefit, but his technique isn¡¯t as varied as some of the rest of us. Miles, however, is creative in his fighting approach. He¡¯s a smart fighter, willing to take a hit to win the battle. I¡¯m the same way, so if I end up going against him, I¡¯ll need to be careful. In the morning, fifty-five of us are ready to begin battles. Apparently, they offered to let someonepete twice in case there is a tie at the end of thepetition. Then the person with the most points wins. I put my name in for an extra battle and I notice that Miles does as well. Alpha Calvin doesn¡¯t and I assume that¡¯s because he¡¯s the only Alpha and he assumes he¡¯ll win. There are two opportunities to fight twice, and Miles and I both get chosen to take those on. I¡¯m chosen to have an extra fight during the first round this morning, with Miles getting er in the day. I¡¯m thankful mine is earlier. Because I¡¯ll be fighting twice, my first battle is moved up, so I have my initial fight in the matchup with Alpha Amelia as our referee. It does take longer to win this morning, my first battlesting an hour. Since my next battle is with Gamma Caleb, Amelia¡¯s Gamma, I¡¯ll have to shift to a different referee. I get a couple of hours rest, before my nextpetition, going around and watching some of the other battles, keeping an eye on my biggestpetitors. Alpha Calvin, Beta Miles, and both Robin¡¯s and Kayce¡¯s Betas move to the next round. Then it¡¯s time for me to battle Gamma Caleb. I notice the other Betase to watch my match, apparently taking in theirpetition, me. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, baby,¡± Kinsley says, giving me a kiss for luck. It turns out that I didn¡¯t need it. Caleb is another one that isn¡¯t as good as he thinks he is. However, he doesn¡¯t want to give in, even after I¡¯ve obviously defeated him. I take him down two more times before Alpha Robin calls it. Caleb bes irate, screaming that Robin is cheating and that the entire thing is rigged. It takes several Alphas¡¯ presence to finally get him to calm down and ept defeat. Like the poor loser he is, he doesn¡¯t shake hands with me, he just walks away in a huff. Because we start early, we¡¯re able to start the next round before lunch. This time, I¡¯m closer to the end of thepetition because I battled twice. I still feel good, but now that we¡¯re down to twenty-seven, the battles are definitelysting longer. This round, Miles takes the extra match, and he wins both of them. Because we both won twice in our rounds, we¡¯re still at odd numbers and Kayce¡¯s Beta wins the toss for the next person to take an extra battle. While I¡¯m interested in watching his matches, after mine is done, I realize that Miles and Calvin are fighting and most everyone who isn¡¯t fighting is watching them. When I walk up, I see Kinsley watching their fight. ¡°How long have they been going?¡± I ask her, noticing that Hunter is refereeing this match. She looks at her watch. ¡°Nearly two hours.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± No wonder everyone is watching them. Both of them are pouring in sweat, but Calvin seems to be slowing down faster than Miles. Calvin is several years older than Miles, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s more than that. Whether he doesn¡¯t train as hard, or everything going on with his mate and newborn daughter are taking a toll on him, it isn¡¯t long before I can see the tide of the battle turning in Miles¡¯ favor. The battle goes on for another hour and by then, all thepetitors in this round is done, even Kayce¡¯s Beta who had to fight twice. Everyone has gathered around to watch this massive battle. Since I know my Alpha, I know he wants to call it, but he¡¯s hoping that Calvin will concede. I doubt he will. He¡¯s an Alpha and unlike Hunter, Calvin would not want to concede to a Beta. I watch as the other Alphas gather around, probably expecting the fight from Calvin. When Hunter calls it a tie, it takes Calvin a moment to realize that means that Miles won. Miles took an extra fight earlier and the whole point of that is to give one person the benefit if there is a tie as there is now. Not unexpectedly, Calvin beginsining, saying he can still fight, but the other Alphas all step up, supporting Hunter, before Calvin finally concedes. To his credit, he was a gracious loser and shook Miles¡¯ hand before leaving the ring. By the time that battle ended, it was well past lunch time, and the next round started. Each of these took longer and longer. In the end, it was me and Miles as the final two. It had been a long, exhausting day, but both of us wanted to be done, so we both agreed to fight. As I expected, he was a formidable opponent. He and I had simr ways of fighting and when it was all done, I was able to hold out just long enough to defeat him. When Alpha Kayce called me the winner, I stood there stunned. ¡°Congrattions. Best fight I¡¯ve had all day man. You deserve it,¡± Miles says a moment before Kinsley rushes into my arms. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you! I knew you could do it!¡± ¡°Alpha Lucas!¡± Hunter calls and the rest of the crowd quiets down. ¡°Congrattions on winning your pack and bing. part of the group of Alphas.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± I say, feeling overwhelmed with all of the emotions that are rushing through both me and Kinsley. So rather than do anything, I stand there, holding my mate, my Luna, looking out over our new packnds. Chapter 186 Chapter 186: Zahn¡¯s Trial Sophie It was an exhausting day, but an incredible one to watch as Lucas won his pack. I¡¯m so happy, so very happy for them, and also excited to know that my sister¡¯s pack will be surrounded by two strong allies. But I¡¯m also sad that another one of my best friends will be leaving my pack, and maybe it¡¯s the pregnancy hormones again, but when Hunter and I finally went to bedst night, I cried in his arms again. He didn¡¯t say anything, just let Shaw purr at me, calming me down until I feel asleep. When I woke up this morning, he was already gone, having tucked his pillow against me so that his scent would still be in my nose. I smile, thinking of my thoughtful mate, breathing in his scent. And then, my mind begins going through everything that needs to happen today and I nearly shoot up out of bed. Today is the trial for Alpha Zahn. I¡¯ve just waddled my way out of bed when the door opens and the scent of pancakes, maple syrup, and butter waft into my nose, followed closely by an even better scent, pine. The scent of my mate. ¡°Good morning, beautiful,¡± he says, walking in with a tray of food. It¡¯s bizarre. Even as pregnant as I am, even as ufortable as i I am, not having had my mate inside me in over a day has hot desire ring to life, heating my core and making my arousal pool between my thighs. The man is so ridiculous gorgeous, so loving, so caring, and as he smiles a knowing smile, I know he¡¯s also as connected to my thoughts and emotions as he always is. He sets the tray aside. ¡°Did you need something else before you eat this morning, my love?¡± If I didn¡¯t have our giant baby in between us, I¡¯d leap into his arms. Hedda¡¯s possessiveness res, wanting to mark Hunter yet again. ¡°How about I take care of that ache, then Hedda can mark me as many times as she wants,¡± Hunter, or maybe it¡¯s Shaw, purrs. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re already naked,¡± he says, walking to me, turning me toward the bed and bending me over before removing his clothes and easing my ache. By the time he¡¯s done and Hedda has marked him again, pushing her venom into his body, finally feeling sated for now, our breakfast is lukewarm. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some more,¡± Hunter says. ¡°No, it¡¯ll be fine. We both need to get ready for today,¡± I say and over breakfast Hunter and I discuss what to expect today. We¡¯d had our warriors bring Alpha Zahn with them in a passenger van when they came for thepetition. When he arrived, he¡¯d gone straight to Amelia¡¯s cells which is where he¡¯s remained for thest two days. ¡°Lucas won¡¯t be able to vote, since he¡¯s technically still part of our pack. But he and Kinsley will be able to sit in and ask questions. Jake is obviously presiding, and hopefully Ezra has spent enough time with him that he feelsfortable with his role. It¡¯s fairly straightforward, as long as Zahn doesn¡¯t act like a fool.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we all know that he WILL act like a fool. That¡¯s what he does.¡± ¡°True, so then Jake will have to decide if the trial continues, if it has to stop, or if it continues without him there. And then, he¡¯ll ept the votes of the other Alphas and make the final determination on Zahn¡¯s punishment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot to ask of a new Alpha.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It is, but Ezra is a good Alpha. Like me, he includes his Beta on most of the decisions in the pack, so Jake has some knowledge of how to preside over something like this. But, yeah, it¡¯s a lot of responsibility being thrust onto a new Alpha. However, the next time we have one of these, it will most likely be Lucas who presides, as long as it¡¯s nothing to do with our pack or his.¡± When we¡¯re done with breakfast, we head downstairs to find most of the Alphas and Lunas congregating in the back of the packhouse ready to head over to Lucas and Kinsley¡¯s new pack. It was a smart idea of Amelia¡¯s to just do it now, while everyone is already here. Rather than rushing over to see my niece first thing this morning, I go straight to Jocelyn. She¡¯s standing beside Amelia but looks like she¡¯s feeling ill. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine,¡± I tell her. ¡°I spoke to Hunter, and we can both stand beside you during the trial. Hunter said he¡¯ll make sure to stand between you and Zahn.¡± ¡°Thank you, I just¡­I can¡¯t go back there, Sophie,¡± she says, wringing her hands. ¡°You won¡¯t. None of these Alphas believe in forcing a mate to their will. Well, possibly one, but we¡¯ll see how he votes today,¡± Amelia says, looking at Calvin who is holding his daughter and looking like he¡¯s afraid she¡¯s going to break in his arms. Once everyone arrives, we begin to make our way to Lucas¡¯ new pack. When we get there, I realize the Alphas must have gotten up early to set up a trial room of sorts. It¡¯s not like themittee room, but in the dining hall, they¡¯ve pushed tables and chairs against the wall except for onerge, long table where the Alphas and Lunas will sit and two smaller tables, one that has one chair for Zahn, and one that has three chairs for me, Jocelyn, and Hunter. Hunter and I get Jocelyn settled, as the other Alphas and Lunas take their positions at the head table, with Jake at the center. Hunter remains standing and a few momentster, Zahn is brought in by several warriors. He snarls at the head table before looking around and finding Jocelyn. ¡°Jocelyn, stop this! You are my mate! ENOUGH!¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn, have a seat. This court has not been brought to order,¡± Jake says, sounding confident and not at all like a brand- new Alpha. ¡°Look here, pup,¡± Zahn sneers at Jake. ¡°Alpha Zahn, you have been warned to keep your mouth closed until you are addressed by this court. If you cannot do so, you will be removed and this court will continue without your testimony,¡± Jake says, never once looking away from Zahn. Zahn growls, but doesn¡¯t say another word, and once he is settled, Jake begins. ¡°It hase to the attention of this court that Luna Jocelyn is currently residing in Alpha Hunter¡¯s pack. The court understands that Alpha Zahn feels that Alpha Hunter is actively and maliciously keeping Alpha Zahn away from his mate, against both of their will. For those reasons, Alpha Zahn waged a war against Alpha Hunter, which he and his pack lost. Alpha Zahn is that correct?¡± Jake asks. ¡°He brought me to his pack under false pretenses. He stole my mate from me, and he refuses to even let me see her,¡± he snarls. From the corner of my eye, I can see Zahn trying to look at Jocelyn, but Hunter is artfully maneuvering his body to keep him from ring at Jocelyn. ¡°And what pretenses were those?¡± Jake asks. ¡°To help me form a better mate bond with my mate. Instead, he took her from me and refuses to let me see her,¡± he growls. Chapter 187 Chapter 187: Verdict Sophie Jake makes a note on the tablet in front of him then turns to our table. ¡°Luna Jocelyn, have you been forcefully kept from your mate? The court recognizes that you have Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie at your table. If you would prefer to have them removed, we can do so.¡± ¡°No, I want them here. I asked them to be here with me. And to answer your question, no, I have not been forcibly kept from my mate. I¡¯ve finally been given the space from him that I¡¯ve been requesting since he forced his mark on me against my will,¡± she says. ¡°Which is the whole reason we came to Hunter¡¯s pack to begin with,¡± Zahn yells. ¡°So we could work through that.¡± ¡°You had no intention of working through that Zahn. You and I both know that. You just wanted reinforcement that you¡¯d tried and I¡¯m the one who was unwilling to move forward. But that backfired on you, didn¡¯t it? Luna Sophie was very upfront with you about allowing me to decide when and how I spent time with you. You just thought that Hunter would step in and override her. Now that you know that he actually respects his mate and listens to what she has to say, you want to say he¡¯s keeping me from you. It¡¯s ME keeping me from you, Zahn. ept my rejection and be done with this,¡± Jocelyn says forcefully. ¡°Look at you, all high and mighty while you hide behind another Alpha,¡± he sneers. Faster than I was expecting, Jocelyn stands, her chair flying backwards and mming against the other chairs and tables against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t need to hide behind anyone. Now that I¡¯m finally getting the medical treatment that I need, now that my wolf is finally getting strong enough that I can feel her presence again, I don¡¯t need to hide. What I need is for you to get out of my life. I never wanted you as a mate. You were never intended to be my mate. I would never have willingly epted you as my mate and neither would my wolf.¡± ¡°What will it take, Jocelyn? What will it take for you to return to our home with me?¡± he says, looking at her. ¡°No matter how it happened, you are our mate. Kortan and I want you at our side. You are our Luna.¡± Jocelyn smiles sadly. ¡°Do you know, I¡¯ve learned a lottely about what it means to be a true Luna, the way they interact with their pack, the way they care about their pack, how their mates treat them and respect them. Being around this group of women has taught me a lot about the life that I want for myself. I don¡¯t ever see myself having that life with you.¡± ¡°You are my mate!¡± he snarls, standing up before the warriors close in on him, putting their hands on his shoulders and holding him back. I can feel Hunter, ready to attack if Zahn makes a move toward Jocelyn.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Have a seat, Alpha Zahn,¡± Jake says forcefully. When everyone is seated, I look up at Alpha Jake. ¡°May I make a suggestion?¡± ¡°Of course, Luna,¡± he says. I stand and look at Alpha Zahn as Hunter gets Jocelyn¡¯s seat for her. ¡°Alpha, if you want to make an impact on your mate, I think you should get on your knees and beg her forgiveness,¡± I say. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he scoffs at me. ¡°Get on your knees, strip yourself bare in front of your peers, the other ranked members in this room, then publicly shame yourself for others to see by apologizing to your mate,¡± I say. ¡°You see what I¡¯m dealing with?¡± he asks the council as Jocelyn looks up at me frowning and I feel Hunter going through my mind, trying to understand the purpose behind my words. When he finds it, he nods at me. ¡°And why would I do that, Luna?¡± Zahn asks, as if my title means less than the dirt on his shoes. ¡°Because it¡¯s what you did to her, Alpha,¡± I say with as much condescension in my tone as he used. ¡°I was there. I saw you in the woods. I saw how you shoved Jocelyn to her knees, stripped her bare in front of your pack members and shamed her by mating her and forcefully marking her as she sobbed and begged you to stop. If it¡¯s good enough for your Luna,¡± I snarl, getting angry all over again, ¡°it should be good enough for you.¡± I watch as my words sink in. Only Hunter knew that I was there. Even Jocelyn didn¡¯t know. I may have just lost a friend, but I needed to let the council know what he did. ¡°Public mating¡¯s were not against thew,¡± he says quietly, but looks away from Jocelyn. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to stand behind?¡± Nikki asks. ¡°Thew?¡± ¡°Thew is what we live by,¡± he insists. ¡°And whatw says it¡¯s okay for you to force your mark on someone who doesn¡¯t want it?¡± Margot asks. I was d to see her here. She¡¯s not technically Ezra¡¯s mate, but she was a Luna, so everyone agreed that she should have a ce on the trial. ¡°The ranked members were on the run. None of us could find our mates,¡± he snarls. ¡°But you did find your mate, didn¡¯t you Alpha Zahn? You found her and she chose to end her life rather than be with you. Isn¡¯t that correct?¡± Robin asks him. ¡°Caralyn was ill,¡± he says. ¡°Was she?¡± Dutton asks. ¡°Because I remember meeting her and I don¡¯t remember thinking that she was ill at all.¡± Zahn stays quiet, gritting his teeth so loudly that everyone in the room can hear it. Everyone knows that he¡¯s lying. ¡°Alpha Hunter, your pack is the one that was attacked,¡± Jake says. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Hunter says. ¡°Alpha Zahn knowingly attacked my pack when he knew that I would be away. However, I anticipated the attack and me, and my former Beta prepared for an attack. While Alpha Zahn¡¯s warriors were decimated, mine had minimal injuries that were healed by the time I returned home. ¡°Thew,¡± Jake stresses, ¡°states that if an Alpha attacks another Alpha, wages war against their pack, or in any other way tries to overthrow them and that Alpha loses, it is up to the winner to decide the fate of the offending Alpha,¡± he says, turning to Hunter. ¡°What punishment are you requesting for Alpha Zahn, Alpha Hunter?¡± ¡°Alpha Zahn put my pack at risk, he has threatened my Luna on more than one asion, and he has argued and fought every step of the process that Sophie and I have attempted to take to help heal Luna Jocelyn so that she can decide for herself what she wants to do with her life. For those reasons, I am requesting execution.¡± I feel Jocelyn reach over and take my hand as Jake nods and looks down at the end of the table of Alphas and Lunas. This is it. ¡°Alpha Lucas, I understand that you have excused yourself and your Luna from this process, being Alpha Hunter¡¯s previous Beta.¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s start with Alpha Kayce,¡± he says. They go down the line, all of the Alphas and Lunas agreeing with Zahn¡¯s execution. It isn¡¯t until thest person, Calvin, agrees that he finally snaps. ¡°Just you wait, Calvin! It¡¯ll be you in this seat before you know it. Isn¡¯t your mate already an Alpha of her own pack? I don¡¯t see you getting her back anytime soon. Don¡¯t wage war against any of these Alphas or it will be your head next!¡± he yells. The warriors grab him, beginning to lead him from the room. However, he pulls himself to a stop, turning to face Jocelyn. This time, it¡¯s obvious that his wolf is forward. ¡°I am truly sorry for the pain that we caused you, Jocelyn. Please, when Cassidy returns to you, let her know that as well. I don¡¯t want to hurt you any more than l¡¯already have, so I ept your rejection,¡± Kortan says sadly I can feel Jocelyn¡¯s shock at the wolf¡¯s words, but we stand, watching as he is removed from the packhouse. As soon as he¡¯ s out of the room, Jocelyn copses with the pain of the severed bond. Hunter turns to Jocelyn. ¡°It¡¯s your right to execute him, if you want to.¡± Jocelyn shakes her head. ¡°I just want it done.¡± Hunter and the other Alphas go outside to execute Zahn while the Lunas surround Jocelyn, holding her. When it¡¯s done, the Alphas return, and we stand back, helping Jocelyn to stand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jocelyn. What you must think of me,¡± I say, feeling tears in my eyes. ¡°I think you did what any smart woman would do, what any of us would have done. You ran when you knew you couldn¡¯t help me. If you had tried, you¡¯d have failed and none of us would be here right now,¡± she says, pulling me into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m thankful you didn¡¯t, because now, I¡¯m free.¡± Her forgiveness finally gives me what I need to let go of the guilt that I¡¯ve been holding on to for months. Chapter 188 Chapter 188: New Position Calvin Zahn¡¯s words continue to resonate with me. While our situations are very different, there are still some simrities. I¡¯m separated from my mate, now by her own choice. She¡¯s created alliances with every Alpha that was here for thepetition and trial, even the new Alpha, Jake. Today, I¡¯m pretty sure that she¡¯s nning to create an alliance with Alpha Lucas. I know that he and his mate, Luna Kinsley are staying to talk to ric¡¯s pack members for a few days before heading back to Hunter¡¯s pack to collect their things. And I know that she¡¯s offered the Beta position to Jocelyn. She continues to increase her position in the werewolfmunity, creating bonds that will make her, and therefore her pack, stronger. I watch my mate as she carries my daughter, nursing her while she goes about her day. While I hate that she¡¯s so exposed to others in the pack, I have to admit, she is s** as f***k. I notice that all of these pack members respect her and no one, with the possible exception of Caleb, looks at her lustfully. That guy is a problem that needs watching. It¡¯s why I went to Owen¡¯s packpetition. I wanted to make sure he didn¡¯t try to undermine my mate while he was there. As I look at Amelia, I realize that I don¡¯t know who this woman is anymore. Being separated from her has made me feel lost, like I no longer know my ce in this world. I hadn¡¯t realized the impact she¡¯d had on our pack until she was gone. Now, all that cohesiveness, the pack connection, seems to have followed her here. This pack feels united, and our pack back home feels¡­as lost as I do. How did I never know that my mate had such strength in her? How had I never seen this side of her? Thepassion, the love for her pack is still there, that has always been present. But this strength? I didn¡¯t know my mate possessed this kind of strength. It makes me wonder; am I more like Zahn than I realized? Was I holding my mate back, keeping her from being the incredible woman I see in front of me? It was never my intention. I wasfortable with how things were, settled, and, if I¡¯m being honest,isant. Now, I see that what my mate needs is a man who shows the same strength andpassion that she does, someone who is willing to stand beside her and pave the way for a new future, a different life for our pups. My mate has changed, grown in thest couple of months, and if I intend to keep her, I¡¯d better start making some changes too. Hunter POV It felt good to return to our pack, finally feeling settled. I know there are still many things that need to be done. Those things will always be there, but now, I¡¯m not going anywhere until Sophie delivers our son. Lucas and Kinsley stayed in Amelia¡¯s pack for two more days, talking to the new pack members and discussing their ns for how they intend to run their pack. I¡¯m proud of Lucas, but I¡¯m really going to miss him. He¡¯s been a fantastic Beta, always reliable, always at my side, always a good friend. However, I need to move forward and right now, I need to meet with my Ga**as and offer them the Beta position. When they knock on the door, I tell them toe in, moving from my desk to sit with them. ¡°Come in, have a seat,¡± I tell them. ¡°How is everything going?¡± ¡°They both give me a report on patrols, warrior training, and other things that happened in the pack while I was gone. I listen, recognizing that together, these two are quite the power couple. If they ept, they¡¯ll make good Betas. ¡°You know that Lucas and Kinsley won their own pack. And while I¡¯m very happy for them, and we¡¯ll be having a celebration for them when they return tonight, it means our pack is now without a Beta couple.¡± ¡°Yes, Jaime and I have already been talking about that, Alpha. We have some ideas for you,¡± Penny says. Interesting. I¡¯m curious who they chose, so I ask them for the names. They give me a list of warriors, all strong fighters, all of them arepeting for their own pack. It¡¯s a good list though, other than leaving themselves off of it. ¡°Those are good names. Unfortunately, I, like the other Alphas, am struggling to offer lessor positions to warriors who are fighting for an Alpha position. And besides, I have someone else in mind.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Jaime asks. Both of them look curious as if the idea of me promoting them never urred to either of them, and maybe it didn¡¯t.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You two,¡± I say, giving them a look like it should be obvious. ¡°Us?¡± Penny asks, turning to look at Jaime. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even ranked,¡± Jaime says. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I ask, my brow arching indignantly. ¡°Are you not my Gamma?¡± ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡± he backtracks. ¡°What we mean is, Alpha, we never thought that we¡¯d be eligible given that I¡¯m of Gamma blood and Jaime¡¯s familyes from a group of warriors,¡± Penny says. I tilt my head at them. ¡°And what were the credentials of the group you just provided to me? Are any of them descended from Alphas or Betas?¡± I ask. I watch as they open and close their mouths, looking at each other. ¡°Stop underestimating yourselves. If you¡¯re going to be my Betas, I need to see more confidence in the two of you,¡± I say sternly, but it¡¯s mostly to snap them out of their shock. ¡°Yes, Alpha. We¡¯ll¡­¡± Penny looks at Jaime. ¡°We¡¯ll talk to Beta Lucas and Beta Kinsley when they return, find out everything we need to know so that we can be the best Betas possible,¡± Jaime says. ¡°Alpha Lucas and Luna Kinsley, now. And they were incredible Betas, and I have no doubt that you¡¯ll be just as good as they were. So, is that a yes?¡± I ask them. They look at each other again. ¡°Yes,¡± Penny saysughing. ¡°Good, we¡¯ll have to make it official, but not until after tonight. I want the pack to be able to celebrate Lucas and Kinsley first, then we¡¯ll make the announcement. ¡°Thank you, Alpha!¡± they say, standing up to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. If you thought you worked hard for me before, you¡¯re about to see that there¡¯s more work for you when you be a Beta and until our Gamma position is filled, we¡¯ll all be working overtime.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t disappoint you, Alpha,¡± Penny says. ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Congrattions,¡± I say, walking them to the door. As I close-it, I hear Penny whoop with excitement and hear the two of themughing as they walk down the hall. I finish my work, keeping a mental connection with Sophie. She¡¯ s back in the nursery today, probably overwhelmed with all of the she-wolves that were around for thepetition. Margot was a great help, making sure that Soph didn¡¯t attack anyone needlessly for talking to me. And now that we¡¯re home, she¡¯s settling in quickly. I feel her nod off in the early part of the afternoon, and I go up to find her in the rocking chair once again. I pick her up and carry her to our bedroom,ying her in bed and kissing her stomach, purring softly as I feel my son bump against my lips before covering her and heading back downstairs to check on the party preparations for tonight. When I get downstairs, I realize that Penny and Jaime have already made sure that everything is set for tonight and I feel something settle inside me. I hadn¡¯t realized that I was nervous about losing Lucas, but he¡¯s been at my side since I took over as Alpha. I couldn¡¯t be prouder o like there was going to be a gapi with Sophie about to deliver our However, I realize that I was righ and Jaime. They may not do thin Lucas and Kinsley did them, but this pack as Alpha. I couldn¡¯t be prouder of him, but when he won, it felt like there was going to be a gaping hole in my pack, especially with Sophie about to deliver our pup. However, I realize that I was right in my assessment of Penny and Jaime. They may not do things exactly the same way that Lucas and Kinsley did them, but they¡¯ll be incredible Betas for this pack. Chapter 189 Chapter 189: Celebration Sophie I wake up in bed, not remembering Hunter moving me, but knowing it must have been him. Even with everything going on, he¡¯s keeping close tabs on me. I look at the clock and realize that I need to get up and start getting ready. Lucas and Kinsley will be here soon. I¡¯m so excited about seeing them, but I know I¡¯ll probably cry when it¡¯s time to say goodbye. I get up and showered, finding afortable dress that is still a bit snug around my big belly. ¡°Huntington, you need to make your entrance soon, so I don¡¯t have to buy more clothes,¡± I say, rubbing my stomach as I try to make the dress fit better.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss seeing your belly swollen with my pup,¡± Hunter says from behind me, his possessive tone sends shivers down my body. I turn and smile at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have another one in me very soon. But I won¡¯t miss my clothes fitting me again, that¡¯s for sure,¡± I say. Hunter looks down at my stomach,ing forward and running his hands on either side. I feel my back arching, just enough that my mate realizes what I need. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss that too,¡± he says. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask, my eyes closed as the feeling of him touching me moves through my body. ¡°How very responsive you are to me. I like it that even my voice has you arching these days. I love knowing that your body responds sopletely to me.¡± I chuckle. ¡°My body always responds to you. You are a master at making my body respond to you,¡± I tell him. ¡°Hmmm, we should test that,¡± he says, spinning me around and putting my hands against the door, easing the ache inside me that feels nearly constant these days. If I¡¯m not sleeping, I want Hunter inside me. When we¡¯ve both found our release, Hunter takes my hand and leads me downstairs. I needed some space after thepetition for ric¡¯s pack, so I wasn¡¯t part of the party nning and decorations. However, the pack is going all out to say goodbye to their Beta couple and congratting them on bing an Alpha and Luna. It isn¡¯t long before we get the notice that Lucas and Kinsley have passed the pack border, and Hunter and I walk outside to greet them while the others position themselves to shout out congrattions when they walk in. When they step out, I can see that Kinsley is already feeling the strong emotions of saying goodbye that I am. Because our baby bumps are sorge, it¡¯s impossible to hug, so we sp hands, both of us fighting tears. ¡°Tonight is a celebration. Save your tears for tomorrow,¡± I whisper, my throat tight with emotion. She nods, and both of our matese to wrap their arms around us. ¡°Come on, the entire pack has put together a party for you. We have food, music, drinks for those of us who can drink¡­¡± Hunter says chuckling, kissing the top of my head. When we walk in, Hunter and I let Lucas and Kinsley walk in ahead of us. When they do, the entire pack is there, yelling ¡°Congrattions!¡±. A momentter, Kinsley bursts into tears. It¡¯s a beautiful night with lots of food,ughter, and talk of Lucas and Kinsley¡¯s ns for the new pack. ¡°We need a doctor quickly. I¡¯ve already talked to Dr. Caspian abouting to our pack once Sophie delivers Hunt. I¡¯m only about a week or two behind her if this little guy stays put that long. He¡¯s so big!¡± she says, looking at me. ¡°Feels like I¡¯m carrying a watermelon in my stomach. A watermelon that moves and kicks,¡± I say, rubbing my stomach. ¡°Oh, the kicking, I remember those days. How do those babies know right where your dder and kidneys are?¡± Leah asks. ¡°I know!¡± Kinsley says, rubbing her stomach and smiling. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my son is going to be an Alpha. I¡¯m still a bit in shock about that.¡± After dinner, we move out back, listening to the music as the evening wears on, Kinsley and I are given chairs to sit in while Lucas and Hunter hover nearby. ¡°Hey Lucas, what are you nning to do about your ranked members,¡± Brutus asks him. As usual when he¡¯s not working, he¡¯ s got Leah cuddled up against him. ¡°I¡¯m so d you asked that Brutus. As it happens, I don¡¯t know ric¡¯s pack well enough to make that decision. I¡¯m looking for an interim Beta and I intended to ask you if you were interested in the position,¡± Lucas says. I watch as Hunter zeros in on the conversation. ¡°Are you stealing my pack members now, Lucas?¡± he asks. ¡°Borrowing, unless Brutus and Leah decide that they like my pack better,¡± Lucas says, smiling at Hunter. I know it¡¯s more of taunt, but the reality is that this is why I wanted Lucas next to Amelia. I wanted our pack members, all pack members, to have an option of the pack that suits them best. ¡°A Beta? I¡¯m not Beta,¡± Brutus says. ¡°Kinsley and I discussed it on the way here today. You¡¯re a good warrior, strong but fair. You know how to test a pack member without decimating them, and when the need arises for something a bit more violent, you¡¯re ready and able. I know you¡¯ re old enough that having the position for twenty years probably doesn¡¯t sound appealing, but something shorter term, maybe a year to help me get the pack settled and time to assess the others who may be interested in taking the position permanently.¡± Brutus looks at Leah. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about being a Beta female,¡± she says. ¡°I can teach you that. I don¡¯t anything about being a Luna, so we can figure it out together,¡± Kinsley says. I watch Brutus¡¯ face and when it softens, I know Lucas has him. ¡°You¡¯d make a fine Beta, Leah,¡± he purrs at her. ¡°Brutus,¡± she says, blushing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°Any other pack members you want to steal from me Lucas?¡± Hunter growls, only partially ying. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that some of our pack would follow Lucas. ¡°I¡¯m not stealing them away, Hunter, and I¡¯m pretty sure the ones I want have already been offered my old Beta position,¡± he says, still smiling smugly at Hunter. ¡°I haven¡¯t announced it to the pack yet because I was letting tonight be about you and Kinsley, but if you¡¯d like to announce your recements¡­¡± Hunter says. Lucas turns and looks at Penny and Jaime. ¡°So, you two have epted?¡± he asks. Penny looks about ready to burst with excitement. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°May I have your attention please,¡± Lucas says, raising his voice and getting the pack¡¯s attention. Someone turns off the music so everyone can hear. ¡°You all know why we¡¯re here tonight, to celebrate Kinsley and I winning our own pack,¡± he says, and everyone cheers. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to do with it,¡± Kinsley says. Lucas winks at her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t have done it without you. But tonight isn¡¯t just about celebrating us. May I introduce our recements, your new Betas, formerly your Gammas, Penny and Jaime!¡± he announces, and the pack begins cheering and howling wildly. Everyone begins congratting Penny and Jaime and I can feel their excitement and happiness about the decision. I know they¡¯ Il both be great Betas. Hunter finally turns back to Lucas. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t answer my question. Who else are you nning to steal from my pack. I know you. I know you have someone in mind,¡± he says. Lucas smiles at Kinsley, then turns and looks around the pack. ¡°Beth?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she says. ¡°How would you like toe to my pack and be my Gamma?¡± he asks her. ¡°Me? I¡¯m not Gamma,¡± she says, looking shocked. ¡°You want my sister to be your Gamma?¡± Jaime asks. ¡°I do.¡± Lucas says. ¡°You have the heart of a Gamma, Beth,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°But the strength of a Lead Warrior. I¡¯ve seen you in training. Your brother isn¡¯t the only one who learned from your father,¡± Lucas says. She turns and looks at her brother. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d be fantastic. And, if you hate it, you can alwayse back here, right?¡± Jaime asks me and Hunter. ¡°Always,¡± Hunter says.. ¡°What about Chloe?¡± Beth says, her smile fading. ¡°Chloe can pick which pack she¡¯d like to live in. She¡¯s wee in my pack and I¡¯m sure Hunter has no problem having her stay here,¡± Lucas says, looking at Hunter. ¡°Since I¡¯m not thrilled that you¡¯re stealing my pack members, I would prefer it if she stayed here, but that is up to you, Chloe,¡± Hunter says, finding her in the group of people near Jaime. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay with my sister, if that¡¯s okay,¡± she says softly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, honey,¡± I tell her. I know she also bonded with Kinsley when she first arrived, so I¡¯m sure that yed into her decision. ¡°Well, we have a lot to celebrate tonight! Let¡¯s turn the music back on and celebrate everyone¡¯s new positions!¡± Hunter says, pping Lucas on the back. ¡°You don¡¯t get William,¡± he says, so only those of us around him can hear. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Lucas says, still teasing Hunter. Chapter 190 Chapter 190: Saying Goodbye Hunter Last night was bittersweet. I¡¯m truly happy for my friends and what they¡¯ve aplished, but **n it hurts to know that I won¡¯t have Lucas by my side every day any longer. I convinced Lucas to join me for one more training session. I get up early, letting Sophie sleep. I know today is going to be a difficult day for her too. She and Kinsley have gotten very close, but hopefully, the bonds we created here will continue. And while we¡¯ll see them less, the times we do see them will be that much more special. When I walk out onto the training field, Jaime is already at the front of the group, Lucas standing beside him. ¡°Get used to Hunter beingte to training,¡± Lucas says good naturedly to Jaime, making the warriors chuckle. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. In thest two days since you¡¯ve been gone, he¡¯s beat me to training,¡± Jaime says, giving it right back. ¡°Spoken like my new Beta!¡± I say. ¡°Come on, Lucas. You¡¯re with me today.¡± I say as my warriors grumble that they don¡¯t get ast chance to spar with him. It¡¯s a great sparring match and I know that Lucas is ready to take his ce as an Alpha. When we¡¯re done, he rubs his side and smirks at me. ¡°D**n, you really are upset that I¡¯m taking a handful of your pack members, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You could have given me some warning,¡± I grumble. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± he says, chuckling as we walk inside. I refocus my attention on Sophie, and I feel her overwhelmed with her emotions. ¡°I need to go find my mate,¡± I say, all joking gone. ¡°So do I. Today will be¡­¡± ¡°Tough. Yeah, it will,¡± I say before jogging upstairs to find Sophie in the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, crying. When I walk in, she looks up at me with tears streaming down her face. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss them so much.¡± I scoop her up, and gently carry her into the room, sitting on our loveseat and snuggling my mate against me. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sweaty. I was sparring with Lucas this morning,¡± I say, kissing the top of her head. She nods. ¡°How did he do?¡± ¡°He sparred like he was made to be an Alpha,¡± I say, not sure if Sophie¡¯s emotions are getting to me, or if I¡¯m struggling on my own with saying goodbye to my friend. ¡°I know we¡¯ll see them again soon. It¡¯s just¡­¡¯ ¡°I know. We won¡¯t be having breakfast with them every day, they won¡¯t be walking into our offices asking to speak with us, we won¡¯t run into them at the pack hospital as we¡¯re having our pups checked. It won¡¯t be the same, but we will see them and once themunity area is together, it¡¯ll be even easier for us to schedule y dates ormunity training sessions. We even talked about having the warriorpetitions to give our warriors something to strive for and work hard to achieve. Sophie tucks her nose under my throat, breathing in my scent as I hold her in myp, rubbing my hands over her stomach. Once she¡¯s settled, I carry her into the bathroom, and we shower together. I wash her hair and feel her rx as I massage the shampoo into her hair. When we¡¯re done, we head downstairs to have breakfast, seeing Lucas and Kinsley surrounded by pack members all wanting to speak with them before they leave. I can tell that Kinsley is struggling just as much as Sophie is, maybe more since she¡¯ll be leaving most of these people behind to start their new pack. When she sees Sophie, she extends her hand, and Sophie goes to sit beside her. I get my mate some breakfast and hand her the te while she and Kinsley talk to the pack members. I can feel Sophie struggling not to cry, mingled withughter as the pack continues to reminisce about funny things that have happened over the years. I grab some food to go, knowing that Lucas needs help loading their things. It¡¯ste morning before their truck is packed with everything they own. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like much, does it?¡± he asks. I look at it and smile. ¡°It looks like the start of a new life,¡± I say to him. He turns and looks at me, and I see the same emotion in his eyes that I feel in mine. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you brother,¡± he says, and I pull him into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you too.¡± We go back inside and get our mates, Sophie and I standing aside while they say goodbye to everyone. Sophie and Kinsley aren¡¯t the only ones crying. I walk over to Brutus and shake his hand. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be a great Beta for Lucas but get your a**back to this pack when you¡¯re done,¡± I tell him. ¡°Yes, Alpha. I didn¡¯t¡­I didn¡¯t realize it would be so hard to leave. It helps that Brooklyn will be there soon for Luna Kinsley¡¯s delivery, but¡­I¡¯ll miss everyone here.¡± ¡°You can alwayse visit,¡± I tell him. ¡°You too, Leah,¡± I say as she walks up, having said goodbye to her friends. ¡°Thank you, Alpha. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll want toe back a lot to see my friends.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always wee.¡± Next, I move to Beth and Chloe. ¡°This is a whole new opportunity for you Beth. Are you ready for it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Alpha, I¡¯m terrified. What if I screw up?¡± she asks. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret. You will screw up and you¡¯ll do it more than once. Just make sure your screw ups don¡¯t cost anyone their life or put the pack at risk. Then when you make a mistake, own up to it and learn from it. That¡¯s what good leaders do.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha! The pack walks the others outside, Sophie and Kinsley taking the longest to say their goodbyes, both still crying. Lucas and I walk up to them, wrapping our arms around our mates much like we did when they arrived yesterday. ¡°I expect to get an invitation to my son¡¯s best friend¡¯s birth,¡± Kinsley says. ¡°And our son expects to get an invitation to his best friend¡¯s birth, soon thereafter,¡± Sophie says. They squeeze hands again, unable to hug and then Lucas packs Kinsley into the truck and their convoy of three vehicles, including Brutus, Leah, Beth and Chloe, all make their way down the drive as we wave our goodbyes.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas POV I watch my old pack waving goodbye as we drive off, Kinsley¡¯s tearsing even harder now. I reach over and wipe the tears from the cheek closest to me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay baby.¡± ¡°I know. It was just¡­it was so much harder than I was expecting. It¡¯s like leaving family, you know?¡± ¡°I do know. And I know that we have our work cut out for us Kinsley. ric¡¯s people are nothing like Hunter¡¯s. We have a struggle ahead, but I think we¡¯re up to the challenge.¡± ¡°Stealing Brutus was a good idea,¡± she says and I¡¯m d to see her smiling. ¡°That was a brilliant idea of yours. And Leah will great as a Beta. We need that kitchen and the packhouse whipped into shape and I know she¡¯ll be able to get that going right away.¡± We¡¯re quiet a moment, and I take her hand and pull it to my lips. ¡°Hunter was right. This is the start of a new life for us, Kinsley. A new life that I never dreamed of, but now that it¡¯s here and it¡¯s ours, I can¡¯t wait to live it.¡± My mate turns and looks at me. ¡°There¡¯s no one in the world that I¡¯d rather start a new life with than you, Lucas.¡± I smile at my mate and something deep inside me settles. Everything is going to okay. I have my mate at my side and on my side and that¡¯s all I ever need Chapter 191 Chapter 191: Alpha Heir Sophie The pack settled after Lucas and Kinsley left. After spending a . couple of days with Brutus and Leah, Dr. Caspian and Brooklyn returned to our pack. I¡¯ve been to see Dr. Felicity, but mostly, I stay in the nursery, making sure everything is ready for Huntington. Dr. Felicity called it nesting and she said it¡¯s perfectly normal. When Hunter teasingly asked her if Hedda marking him multiple times a day now is also normal, she said that, especially in Alpha females, it¡¯s very normal. ¡°An Alpha female¡¯s instinct to protect her pup is as strong as yours Alpha. For our Luna, she trusts you to keep her and your pup safe, so instinctively she¡¯s making sure that no other she- wolves try to take her powerful mate away from her while she¡¯s in this vulnerable position,¡± Dr. Felicity told her. While I could feel Hunter¡¯s pleasure that I know he¡¯ll keep us safe, he still felt the need to tease. ¡°Are you sure my mate isn¡¯t just bing part vampire?¡± He¡¯s not wrong. Hedda has been ridiculous in her need to mark him. The moment our scent isn¡¯t readily apparent in his blood, she¡¯s pushing more venom into his body. Thankfully, both Hunter and Shaw have been very patient with her and I¡¯m pretty sure Shaw is enjoying her extreme possessiveness. I know Hunter¡¯s enjoying her need to mate while marking him. That¡¯s another thing that has kept me from being out in the general pack, Hedda¡¯s possessiveness and her desperate desire to mate with Hunter every time she sees him. Hunter finally told everyone to stay off the Alpha floor because if he waited too long to ease her ache, our scent would be so strong that he eventually couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer and Shaw would hunt her down. This morning is no different. I wake up, desperate for my mate to be inside me. Whether it¡¯s Shaw¡¯s desire for Hedda, or Hunter inherently knows that I need him the moment I wake up, he¡¯s rolled onto his back before I can sit up to straddle him. Thankfully, my mate is always ready for me. His eyes are still heavy with sleep as I slide myself onto his length. Each time still feels as good as the first time. Hunter pushes himself up against the headboard, knowing Hedda will want to mark him again, then he puts his hands on my hips and helps me to ride him. I¡¯m thankful our bed frame is so sturdy because I haven¡¯t exactly been a gentle rider when ites to Hedda taking what she wants. When wee the first time, she sinks her teeth into his marking spot pushing her venom into him while she continues to ride him. ¡°That¡¯s right baby, take what you need,¡± Hunter, or maybe Shaw, growls as we grind against him. I can feel his body shooting off inside us, the warm jets of his c*****m coating my insides. Thankfully, Hedda¡¯s venom keeps him hard, and she pushes me to keep riding him. After several more o**ms, I feel the sting of Shaw¡¯s teeth in our marking spot, and my body shoots off again. I scream against his neck where Hedda is still pushing her venom into him. When she finally removes her canines, I feel exhausted. Hunter pulls his canines from my neck and kisses me softly. ¡°Get some rest baby. I¡¯ll bring breakfast when I¡¯m done with warrior training.¡± I nod, crawling off of him and curling up on the bed beside him. He kisses my shoulder and tucks the pillow against me. I¡¯m asleep before he gets to the shower. Later, I jolt awake, not sure what woke me. I look around, seeing that it¡¯s light outside, but Hunter isn¡¯t here. ¡°Hunter?¡± I call out. ¡®I¡¯m downstairs, baby. You¡¯ve slept past breakfast. I left some food for you. Do you need me toe upstairs?¡¯ he asks in the mind link. ¡®No, I¡¯m good,¡¯ I say, starting to get out of bed when I feel the pain in my stomach again. ¡®Sophie?¡¯ I don¡¯t answer, sitting on the side of the bed and breathing as the pain recedes. ¡®Sophie?¡± he asks again, more urgently. ¡®Give me a minute,¡¯ I say, rubbing my stomach. A couple of minutester, the door opens and Hunter walks in. ¡°What¡¯s that pain?¡± he asks me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I guess it could be¡­¡± I stop as more pain shoots through my stomach. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Hunter says, scooping me up and pulling the sheet around my naked body. I breathe through the next contraction because I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s what this is. Hunter is very quiet, so I know he¡¯s giving out orders while he carries me and when we get downstairs and I see the pack smiling happily at me, I know I¡¯m right. ¡°Good luck, Luna.¡± ¡°We love you, Luna.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t wait to meet our Alpha heir, Luna.¡± ¡°Penny¡­¡± Hunter calls out. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the pack safe, Alpha. Go have a baby.¡± When we get to the hospital, Dr. Caspian and Brooklyn are already there. ¡°Here we go, Luna. Let¡¯s see if our little Alpha Hunt is ready to meet his parents,¡± he says. Dr. Felicity joins him and together they smile before turning to look at me. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re inbor, Luna. We¡¯re going to keep you here, but you¡¯re only a couple centimeters dted. You¡¯re wee to walk around which can sometimes move delivery along or stay in here. We¡¯ll be back to check on you in a little while.¡± Theye in periodically, and as the day wears on and Hunt takes his time, my mood bes much grumpier. ¡°What do you mean I can¡¯t drink anything? I¡¯ve been here all day!¡± I growl. ¡°We have ice chips for you, Luna. ¡°Ice chips! What the hell do I want with ice chips? I want water!¡± ¡°Baby, stop yelling at Brooklyn and the doctors. They¡¯re just trying to help you. Breathe, baby.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you f** breathe,¡± say as another contraction hits. The next time Dr. Caspianes in to check me, he looks at me a bit fearfully. I may or may not have told him that if he came in here again and told me that it still wasn¡¯t time to push that I¡¯d kick him in his happy little face. I notice that Hunter not so subtly puts his hand on my leg, just in case.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Thankfully, this time when he checks me, he says it¡¯s time to push. It takes several more hours and a lot of cursing on my part, but my mate, strong as ever, remains calm and helps keep me calm. When I finally hear the sweet sound of my son¡¯s cries, I beginughing and crying. Hunter cuts the umbilical cord, and they wrap Hunt in a nket and put him in Hunter¡¯s arms, letting him bring our son to me. I can feel Hunter¡¯s awe and love through the bond, can see it in his eyes when he looks up at me, smiling with tears in his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s as perfect as you are, Soph.¡± When heys my son in my arms, everything else falls away. My my arms, everything else falls away. My heart is filled with so much love for this little boy and for his amazing father. ¡°I love you, Huntington Reynolds,¡± I say. ¡°I love you, Sophie Reynolds,¡± Hunter says, kissing my forehead. ¡°And I love you, Hunter Reynolds. Chapter 192 Epilogue 1: Settling In Hunter I walk into my bedroom and see my new favorite sight, my mate nursing our son. She looks up at me, still with the sweet smile still on her face from looking at Hunt. ¡ú ¡°Hello, my mate,¡± she says as she continues to gently rock our son in the rocking chair I had put in here so she didn¡¯t have to leave the bedroom at night and could befortable while nursing our son.. In the week since our son was born, my life has changed dramatically, but only in good ways. My mate is back to her old self and while I miss the possessive, needy woman she was at the end of her pregnancy, it¡¯s good to have my mate back and the pack seems to feel the same. I meant what I said to her about nursing our son in front of the pack. I know we¡¯re wolves; but she¡¯s mine, and I prefer to keep her and our son safely snuggled in our room when they are in that vulnerable position. However, the pack had been thrilled when they¡¯d finally been introduced to their Alpha heir. They had ohh¡¯d and ahhh¡¯d over him as I¡¯d held him, everyone making guesses as to who he¡¯d Jook like. Since he was born with just a hint of reddish-brown hair, I¡¯m pretty sure that he¡¯ll have is mother¡¯s auburn hair. ¡°What time are Lucas and Kinsley arriving?¡± she asks. They were supposed toe by today to meet Hunt. 0.00% 08.29 1 Epilogue 1: Settling In 288 Vouchers ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I came up here. Apparently, Kinsley went intobor this morning,¡± I say, smiling as my son falls off my mate¡¯s breast in a sleepy milka. I reach out and take him, holding him against me and purring at him. ¡°Oh that¡¯s so exciting! I hope all goes well with her,¡± she says, stroking our son¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You should give Shaw some time with Hunt.¡± My wolf has been as excited about our son as I have. So, when Sophie goes to shower, Iy Huntington on a nket on the floor, then I strip and shift, letting Shaw sniff his son. Heys down putting his paws on either side of Hunt¡¯s body, nuzzling him and checking him over as if something might possibly be wrong that Hedda hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡®He¡¯s my son, too. I¡¯m just as responsible for his health and well- being as she is,¡¯ he says defensively, licking some of the milk from his cheeks. While our son¡¯s scent is softly masculine, right after he¡¯s nursed, he smells strongly of Sophie¡¯s orchid scent, giving him a sweet, floral scent with a hint of my pine scent underneath. In his sleep, my son moves, his handsing up to Shaw¡¯s face. As Shaw carefullyys his head on Hunt¡¯s body, our son somehow manages to get his hands into Shaw¡¯s fur, gripping onto it as if his life depends on it. Shaw begins purring at him, but it doesn¡¯t help. I¡¯m pretty sure if Shaw lifted his face, Hunt woulde with us. ¡®Our son has a good grip,¡¯ Shaw says. ¡®I did warn you,¡¯ I say, feeling the sting of our son¡¯s tight grip on Shaw¡¯s facial hair. 08:29 1 Epilogue 1: Settling In 288 iVouchers ¡®Better that he¡¯s strong than weak. He¡¯ll be the Alpha of this pack one day. He needs to be strong.¡¯ Even though Shaw can¡¯t move his head, I feel the humid heat of the bathroom as Sophie opens the door, her scent swirling around us. A momentter, I feel her gentle hand on Shaw¡¯s head. ¡°Are you stuck, Shaw?¡± she asks him. ¡®I don¡¯t mind,¡¯ he tells her in the mind link. ¡°You don¡¯t, but what about Hunter?¡± she asks. ¡®Our son has a death grip on Shaw¡¯s face,¡¯ I tell her in the mind link. ¡®You¡¯re an Alpha, suck it up,¡¯ Shaw says purring even more loudly now that our mate¡¯s scent is swirling around us. A momentter, Sophie shifts and Hedda begins rubbing her body over Shaw beforeying down beside him and sniffing our son. ¡®You¡¯re such a good father to our pup,¡¯ she purrs at him. He purrs back, unable to move without shifting Hunt. Hedda nuzzles closer to him. ¡°When do you think you¡¯ll give me another one?¡¯ ¡°HEDDA! We just had this one!¡¯ Sophie exims in our shared mind link. ¡®Yes, but look at him. He¡¯s perfect. I want another one.¡¯ ¡®Hunter, help me out here,¡¯ Sophie says. Epilogue 1: Settling In 288 Vouchers ¡®Sorry, baby. What my Luna wants, my Luna gets,¡¯ I say, making Shaw purr even louder. The noise causes Hunt to jolt, his little fists tugging on Shaw¡¯s face. ¡®Can we at least get you out for a run before Hunter and Shaw give us another pup, Hedda?¡¯ Sophie asks her. ¡®Yes, I miss running with my mate,¡¯ she says. Since she¡¯s heavy with milk, she can shift, but running is still difficult for her. ¡®Maybe a couple more weeks before you give me another pup.¡¯ ¡®As soon as you are able to run, my little mate, I¡¯ll be doing more than just running with you,¡± Shaw says, making Hedda purr and rub herself against his body. & ¡®We can get Penny to watch Hunt while we slip away for an hour or so,¡¯ I say. ¡®An hour?¡¯ Shaw asks, as if I¡¯m insulting him. I probably did. If it were me, I¡¯d need much more than an hour with Sophie. ¡®Two?¡¯ I ask. ¡®Better. And maybe our Beta will want more time with our pup. She may want to practice since she¡¯ll be having her own pup in a few months,¡¯ Hedda says. That was another celebration for our pack. On the night we introduced Huntington to the pack, Penny and Jaime announced their own pregnancy. Not surprisingly, Jaime is limiting Penny¡¯s sparring now in warrior training. I mind link Penny and ask if she can watch Hunt for a couple of hours. ¡®Hedda and Shaw want some time together.¡¯ Epilogue 1: Settling In 288 Vouchers ¡®I¡¯d be happy to, Alpha. Should Ie get him?¡¯ ¡®Please. Shaw and Hedda have already shifted.¡¯ ¡®Tell them I expect them to return the favor when it¡¯s Sable and McCoy¡¯s turn to want to be together,¡¯ she says. ¡®We¡¯d be happy to watch our Beta¡¯s pup any time,¡¯ Hedda says. A few momentster, Penny knocks on the door and Shaw woofs for her to enter. He¡¯s still stuck in Hunt¡¯s tight grip and Penny gently disengages him before Shaw stands. We watch as Penny carefully lifts Hunt in her arms. ¡°You two have fun. We¡¯ll be here when you get back,¡± she says, sniffing his face. ¡°Oh good, he¡¯s nursed recently, so we should definitely be good. ¡®Thank you,¡¯ Hedda and Shaw say before they make their way outside. Hedda stretches, lifting her head to the sun. ¡®Where would you like to go, my mate,¡¯ Shaw asks. Hedda, without answering, takes off at a slow jog. It takes longer than it would if she was able to run, but before long, I realize where she¡¯s going. The mountain. When she¡¯s found the spot she wants, she stretches again, swatting Shaw on the face with her tail. He wastes no time, mounting our mate and sliding inside of her. It¡¯s a bit longer than two hours before we return, Hedda finally sated after Shaw eased her ache. Before we get back, Sophie and I shift, then grab shirts from around the packnds before 08:29 Epilogue 1: Settling In 288 iVouchers. going to get Hunt. ¡°Oh good, he was just starting to get fussy,¡± Penny says, as we walk in. When Sophie picks him up, my son begins opening his mouth and searching for his next meal. ¡°Thank you, Penny,¡± Sophie says, heading upstairs to nurse our son while I check in on my work and get some food, knowing Sophie will be hungry. When I get back upstairs, she¡¯s just finishing and I take my son, holding him while we eat. Then Iy him in his bass beside our bed and crawl into bed with my mate. It¡¯s nice to have Sophieying on my chest again and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her tight against me. ¡°Do I get my time, since Hedda had hers earlier?¡± my little mate asks me, climbing over my body and straddling me. ¡°What my Luna wants, my Luna gets,¡± I purr.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, I know exactly what I want,¡± she says, lifting up and sliding down my hard length. I watch my mate ride me, showing me exactly what she wants, and how many times she wants it. When she finally copses on top of me, I hold her tightly, listening to the sounds of hers and my son¡¯s soft breathing as I fall into a deep sleep. Chapter 193 Epilogue 2: More Babies Sophie One Month Later ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see everyone! And of course, I¡¯m excited for everyone to meet our little girl,¡± Allison says over the phone. I¡¯m currently sitting in my mate¡¯sp in his office while we make our final ns to go see Kayce and Allison. We decided to have our next Alpha/Luna meeting there since Allison is the most recent addition of the new mother¡¯s club. Nikki¡¯s about a month behind her and the twins are behind that. Of course, I¡¯m excited to catch up with the twins and find out what happened when they went to their old pack. They were gone for a couple of weeks and ording to both Amelia and Lucas, Dutton warned them of a pending attack. I hope that he and the twins will still be able to make it to the Alpha meeting. ¡°Lucas and Kinsley areing by here tonight and we¡¯re all driving together tomorrow,¡± I tell her. ¡°Hunter, it goes without saying, but I¡¯m saying it anyway, you make sure your son keeps his hands off my daughter. Lwon¡¯t hesitate to rip those hands off if he touches her,¡± Kayce grumbles, already so protective of his baby girl. ¡°Kayyyce, they¡¯re just babies,¡± Allison says, trying to soothe her mate. ¡°I know how Alpha males think, Alli. I am one. And when I was a 0.00% 08:29 Epilogue 2: More Babies teenager¡­well, Hunter knows, that¡¯s why I¡¯m warning him to keep his son away from my daughter.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kayce. Your daughter may act like an Alpha. Perhaps I should be warning you to make sure your daughter keeps her hands off my son,¡± Hunter teases, and I shake my head. Kayce growls, cutting off almost instantly when we hear the sound of a baby crying. We hear shuffling on the phone and then hear Kayce cooing to his daughter. ¡°Sorry, baby girl. Daddy has to warn off all the bad boys who may try to get in your pants when you get older. Trust me baby, it¡¯s better to start when you¡¯re young.¡± Her crying settles and we hear Allison huff. ¡°Uh, just a few days old and she¡¯s already such a daddy¡¯s girl,¡± Allison says. ¡°You¡¯d think he birthed her and fed her every couple of hours.¡± ¡°I would if I could, wouldn¡¯t I baby?¡± Kayce coos at his daughter. ¡°Are you going to be like that when we have a daughter?¡± I ask Hunter. ¡°Probably. Especially if she¡¯s anything like her mother. She¡¯ll have me wrapped around her finger in no time.¡± ¡°One second,¡± Kayce says. ¡°That¡¯s all it takes Hunter. They look at you with those trusting eyes and it¡¯s all over. Just pack it in and get ready to start writing bad checks so you can give her whatever she wants.¡± ¡°Ugh, Sophie, if you ever have a girl, be prepared to be the strong parent. If Hunter is anything like Kayce¡­¡± 08:29 Epilogue 2 More Babies 288 Vouchers ¡°I will be,¡± Hunter says at the same time that Kayce says, ¡°He will be.¡± ¡°Right¡­then just know that you¡¯re going to have to be the bad parent, Sophie.¡± ¡°Allison, what you need to do is have a boy. Then you can have a mommy¡¯s boy and Kayce can get a dose of his own medicine,¡± I tell her, smiling at Hunter. ¡°Trust me when I tell you, you won¡¯t like your own medicine, Kayce. Hunt adores his mother and I¡¯m just that guy that gets him out of the crib in the morning and hands him off to the love of his life,¡± Hunter says, making Allisonugh. We get a mind link from the patrols that Lucas and Kinsley have arrived. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve got to go. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning,¡± I say. ¡°Hey, Hunter, before you go, remind me tomorrow that we need to talk about Aiden. Robin says something is going on over in his pack and he¡¯s getting nervous. I want to talk about putting some scouts around his packnds. Maybe you and Jake can help with that since you two are the next closest packs. He and Nikki are arriving tonight, and I intend to talk to him more about his concerns, but I want to make sure it¡¯s not overlooked with everything else going on,¡± Kayce says. ¡°Sounds good. See you tomorrow¡± Hunter says, and we hang up, going to greet Lucas and Kinsley. The rest of the evening is fantastic. It¡¯s so great having our previous Betas here and we get caught up on everything that is happening in their pack, including what great Betas Brutus and 08:29 Epilogue 2: More Babies 288 iVouchers Leah are and how Beth basically whipped every warrior¡¯s a**** to prove that she was worthy of being their Gamma. Jaime just smiled, obviously not surprised that his sister is a tough and worthy Gamma. I finally get to meet Lucian, Lucas and Kinsley¡¯s son and we put him and Huntington together watching as they try to roll towards each other. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for this Alpha meeting?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°We need to talk about the remaining open packs. I¡¯d like to hear from Jake about how his pack members are settling in as well as you and yours. We need to get an update from Ezra on Zahn¡¯s pack members. We need an update from Dutton on how things went at the twins¡¯ old pack¡­N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡± ¡°Not good, since he¡¯s nning for an attack. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s actuallying to the meeting.¡± ¡°What about Calvin?¡± Hunter asks. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but he¡¯s been spending a lot of time at Amelia¡¯s packtely, so I¡¯m not sure what to think of that.¡± ¡°Hunter don¡¯t forget to tell them about Aiden,¡± I remind him as Kinsley and I watch our sons. ¡°Oh, right. Kayce said something about Aiden being up to something, but he wasn¡¯t sure what it was. He¡¯s going to talk to Robin tonight since he and Nikki are arriving early.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Aiden up to?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°Not sure, but hopefully we¡¯ll find out tomorrow,¡± Hunter says. 08:30 D Epilogue 2 More Babies 288 (Vouchers ¡°Do we know if Camden and Koden are still in his pack?¡± Lucas asks. ¡°As far as I know, they are,¡± Hunter says. ¡°And we, the Lunas, need to talk about ourmunity area,¡± I say to Kinsley. ¡°I¡¯m so excited to get working on that,¡± she says. That night, when Hunter and I get into bed, my mate makes love to me, like he does nearly every night. When I¡¯m snuggled against his body, I feel him kiss the top of my head. ¡°When are you going to tell me the secret you¡¯re keeping?¡± ¡°What secret?¡± I ask innocently. ¡°You know what secret. You know I know when you¡¯re keeping something from me Soph. So, what is it?¡± ¡°I was going to wait until we got back, but¡­¡± I hop out of bed and grab the picture from the drawer. Even in the darkened room, I can see Hunter smiling. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± he asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know, what do you think it is?¡± ¡°Proof that I can put a pup in my mate on the first try,¡± he says smugly. ¡°Then yes, it¡¯s exactly what you think it is,¡± I say, snuggling against him as he reaches over to turn on the light so he can see the ultrasound image of our pup. ¡°Too soon to tell if it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± he asks, looking at the heading that simply says Baby Reynolds. ¡°Much too soon, but you did your job, Alphas. You¡¯ve given your mates another pup.¡± Hunter growls with Shaw¡¯s deeper voice oveying it. He sets the picture aside and turns to me. ¡°We should celebrate. Right now,¡± he says, rolling over me and making meugh. He¡¯s just about to slide inside me when the phone on his nightstand rings. This time his growl isn¡¯t a happy one at all. He reaches over, not moving off of me and watches me as he answers. ¡°Alpha Hunter.¡± ¡°Hunter! It¡¯s Kayce. I need you, Lucas and some warriors over here right now! Robin is fighting for his life in my pack hospital and Nikki¡¯s gone. She¡¯s been kidnapped.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!