The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 56: Alaric Nikki

I'm glad 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 madea bit. nervous. | don't know much about mate bonds,

but | know | 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 makeswonder 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 occurring, | catch his scent and my stomach drops. Alaric, my

brother, is here. Along with that scent, | catch his Beta's scent and the scent of two other Beta females. | wonder

if these are the twins that Luna Sophie was telling us about.

When we jog up, | stay hidden behind sof Alpha Hunter's warriors. He's at the front of the group, in his

human form, snarling at my brother and his Beta. | 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 | was there, | would. I'd be a better Alpha than he is. "Those she-wolves are unmarked

Betas. Step aside and let us claim them," my brother growls.

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"Those she wolves are under my protection. You will not cross my borders, or you will be attacked," Alpha Hunter

growls.

| look and see that Alpha Robin and Alpha Kayce are still in wolf form. They are standing behind Hunter, flanking

him in front of his warriors. | smile. | guess that means that Alpha Robin is taking Alpha Hunter's side on this. I'm

glad. | like spending twith 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.

| 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.

| hate my brother, he's so arrogant. Maybe | shouldn't, but I've never backed down from a fight. It's one of the

reasons his Beta covets me.

"If it does cto war, brother," | snarl his relation to me, "then what will happen to your pack when you're here

waging war?" | ask, stepping past the warriors and looking my brother in the eye. "Nicole. | should have known

that you were here. It's tfor you to chome."

"I don't think so," | say, and notice that Robin subtly shifts to stand in front of me.

Alaric looks back at Hunter. "She's underage Hunter, she's my sister and under my protection," he says, and |

snort. -

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"Protection? Is that what you call lockingaway?"

"She's under MY protection now, Alarlo," Hunter growls.

"Nikki, you should chome," Alaric's Beta, Camden, says looking over my body covetously, I'm guessing my

brother told him he could haveif he helped him find a mate. Camden has always liked my smart mouth and

fiery spirit, but something Inhas 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 Alaric, you should

heed my warning. You can wage war, you can chere and attack. Alpha Hunter's pack," | say and see Hunter

glance at me. He doesn't like the idea ofinstigating a war. Even Robin backs up as if trying to quietwith

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 occur 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," | say, taunting him. | 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 | 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 place where they can take up residence and have a hagain." 12.04

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"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.

| laugh. "Oh Alaric. 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 cfor their new leader."

"She-wolves don't lead," he growls.

"We'll just add that to the list of laws that need to be changed. I'd make a much better leader than you ever will,"

| snap back, standing my ground.

"You need to leave, Alpha Alaric. 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.

Alaric growls, glaring 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, lookingover once more.

"I doubt it, Cam," | say as Robin growls a low, menacing growl, the hair on the back of his wolf going up.

"Found yourself an Alpha protector, | see. He won't be able to keepfrom you, Nikki. You're mine," he snarls,

eliciting a snarl from Robin who takes a step forward. | grab hold of his tail, not breaking eye contact with Cam.

"I never was, and | never will be yours, Cam. Now run along. You

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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.

| didn't realize | 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. | knew he wouldn't start a fight. | wasn't instigating a war..."

"I don't give a f**k about a war, what was that between you and that Beta."

| frown. Robin is panting in his anger, his aura pushing out all around us. | 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.

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"I'm pretty sure my brother told Camden he could haveas his mate, as long as he tamed me," | 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 17"

He yanksagainst his body. "You're mine, Nicole."

"I hate that name," | 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 claiming law."

"Mine!" he says, before his mouth claims mine in a kiss that is somehow soft and dominantly possessive at the

stime.