The One He Claimed

Chapter 55: Howls

Sophie

"What's going on with Alpha Robin?" I ask Hunter.

"I'm guessing that Nikki has made an impression on him," he says.

"He won't..."

"No, not only does he not like the public claimings, but he also would never disrespect me like that."

"Disrespect YOU?" I ask. Shouldn't he be worried about disrespecting Nikki?

"Yes. I told both him and Kayce that I don't allow public claimings in my pack. It would be extremely disrespectful and would end any chance of an alliance if he did."

"Maybe he doesn't care about that," I say.

"First, Nikki is underage and Robin isn't Owen. Second, he and Kayce are close. If Kayce is going to side with me, which it looks like he is, then Robin will have to think twice if he isn't planning to. Those two are neighbors and do have an alliance, just like your father and Dutton. Plus, he's got Alpha Aiden on his other side, so it's better for him to maintain the alliance between him and Kayce, especially if a war is coming," he says as we get ready for training.

I watch as Allison pairs off with Alpha Kayce. "I saw that coming," I say, turning to my own mate.

"Who didn't? He's basically put his claim 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 the lack 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.

"Oww!" I say, rubbing my butt cheek.

"Focus," he demands.

"Fine, you're the sleazy Owen and I hate your guts," I say, mentally pulling up Owen's 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'm 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 females come to the borders last night.

"They said they'd come 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," NikkiNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

says.

"I will too," Allison says, glancing 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.

'I am competitive,' I say.

'And obviously practicing right now,' he says.

Letti is looking at me. Shit, I missed what she said.

'She said yes,' Hunter says.

Damn, 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 be coming 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.

"Shit!" 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 too late. Thankfully, Hedda's reflexes are quick and I'm able to duck and roll on the ground.

'Hedda, what the fuck?' I ask. I've never not been able to shift. I'm a fucking

Alpha after all.

"Luna? Are you alright?" Nikki asks. She can't shift yet either because of her

injury.

"Yeah, come on," I say, and we begin running to the border, knowing we'll get

there late.

'Hedda, what the fuck 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, coming to a stop. 'WHAT?' I yell at her in my mind.

I look down at my flat 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 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 snapping coming from our border.