The One He Claimed by Cooper

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 place, 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 too late.

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 muscular, and more streetwise than I was two 21:15

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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 claim 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

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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

help

you're saying to me

you say

she- wolves into your pack because not everyone in your pack. agrees with your decision to not

that mean, too

done. It's taken them over a year to finally start to come together. He understands now why I would never do that. I want a positive relationship 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

ra

are pretty words, Alpha. But that's all they are. Words."

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be willing to stay here until I can bring Kinsley

head. She knows what I'm about to do and she's howling her

Beta. She would do whatever you tell her to do. I can't trust that.

shouts, taking a step

be free of him, "I reject you,

rejection works. I know it's only partially complete anyway. He'd have to accept it, but perhaps

I quickly make my way out of the secondary exit. I scratch myself in several places 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

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

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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

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,

I ask her, just

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

hear paws running us down as the wolves on either side of us begin

'Faster, Hedda,' I scream.

I was right. This is an Alpha male.

jaws snapping at Hedda's legs, then a nose bumping into her legs, tripping her up. She stumbles, flipping over and over before finally landing on her stomach. When she shakes her head and focuses, we're surrounded by four wolves. The largest one, the Alpha, comes to stand in front of me. He shifts, then Nooks down

commands. I can

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