The One He Claimed by Cooper

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 Dutton commented 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 twins comes 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, lavishing 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 and laughing 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 claimings. She’s made everything different, better.” “Speaking of public claimings, I heard that the girl Owen claimed 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 pack lands, 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 mates come 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 relax 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. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“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 you come 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 become glassy, 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 is completely 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 moments later, also exhausted and wearing a new mate mark. Chapla Haymees: “Congratulations!” I say, slapping 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 the committee meeting this week?” I ask. “Do you really think I could keep her from coming?” he asks, raising his eyebrow. “Not any more than I can keep Sophie from coming,” 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 the committee 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

lacks in strength, she makes up for in agility and c**g. She’s a smart fighter, landing several strong, potentially deadly hits on me. “Where did you learn to fight?” I ask her. “My Alpha had two sons my age. We were the only children of that age and while the Alphas could spar with others older than they were, I was frequently put up against one or the other. They didn’t take it easy on me, forcing me to use my own skills to defeat them.” “And did you? Defeat them?” Chaider 20 Happiness “Several times. They made the mistake of relying on their strength. Since I was never going to defeat them with strength alone, I had to learn to fight smarter.” “It shows. I’m impressed. Nice job, Penny.” “Thank you, Alpha. And, umm, if you talk to Alpha Ezra, can you let him know I’m sorry. I didn’t get a chance to tell him myself. I feel badly about how I acted around him.” “It’s understandable. No one realizes how different our pack is until you’re in it and see it for yourself.” buchers She looks around, feeling the emotions of the pack around her. “It’s true and I wanted to talk with you, Alpha. I’m not sure if now is the right time, but you and Luna Sophie are the type of leaders that I want in my life and my pack. I’d really like to join your pack, if you agree.” Η “I would be happy to have you and I know Sophie would as well. We’re going to have a ceremony before we leave to go back to the committee the day after tomorrow. I have a couple of people who want to join or rejoin the pack too. I’ll make sure you’re included in that list.” “Thank you, Alpha. “Penny, how old are you?” “I’m seventeen, Alpha.” “I’ll talk to Lucas. I’d like for you to start training with the different warriors in our pack. I’d like to assess your skills. If you’re interested and you show that you are capable, we may have a Lead

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.