The One He Claimed by cooper (Sophie and Hunter) novel Chapter 94

299 Whuthive

‘Or right…‘ she says. ‘You don’t know what’s going to happen at the Committee meeting.‘

She’s right and after Alpha Alaric 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 claim 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 Ezra. Hunter had spoken to him, and he’d been willing to support changing the laws. Even without having ever met the man, I could hear his depression through the phone, the loss of his mate still weighing heavily on him.

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 claim 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 thought of having to have something so private, so special, shared in front of those disgusting Alphas in makes me want to vomit.

Hunter’s hands come 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.”

0.00%

10:47

Chapter 94

I suck in air. “But then…”

11 238 Vouchers

“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 declare 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 it comes 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 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?”

I 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.”

51.34%