The One He Claimed by Cooper

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Chapter 16: Questions

Sophie

I wake slowly, warm and comfortable, with the scent of pine surrounding me. I love the scent of pine. It reminds me of the pine trees surrounding my home.

My hand moves over something hard. It's not a rock, it's..... frown, running my hands over the hard surface.

When I hear a man's groan of pleasure I shoot up, or I try to. I realize I'm in the arms of a man and not just any man, Alpha Hunter. My mate.

"Let go of me! What are you doing?" I scream, pushing away from him and landing on my butt.

"What? Huh?" he says, shaking his head as if shaking the sleep away. I make the mistake of looking down and I can see that he's very much aroused.

"Oh no! No, no, no!" I yell, scooting away from him on my butt, ready to turn and shift into Hedda.

"Wait! Don't go! I'm..." he jumps up, then looks down at his erection. "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do about that. I was laying with you, you're my mate, you were running your hands over my chest, and it felt so good..." He holds his arms out to the side, shrugging. "I'm a man, it's not like I can hide it. I'm attracted to you, aroused by you. But I'm not going to hurt you. I would never force myself on you. "No, you'd just force your mark on me, and then force yourself on me," I say, still scooting back.

"Look," he says, putting his hands on his hips and as much as I don't want to, I can't help but appreciate how utterly gorgeous this man is. He has thick, sandy blond hair, still mussed from sleeping. His body....I have to press my legs together as I look over his body. There isn't an ounce of fat on this man. I know from touching him a moment ago, that his muscles are solid and rock hard, and they cover his entire body. Every inch of him is muscular and powerful. Hedda begins purring and I quickly cut her off.

I see his nostrils flare. Da**it, he can smell my arousal. Well, arousal or no, I'm not going to let him mate me in front of goddess knows how many people.

"Look," he says again, this time crouching down. "If I was going to force my mate mark on you, I could have done it at any point last night."

"There's no one here to witness it, what would be the point?"

He growls at that, and I watch his hands turn into fists. "No one will ever see you like that. I told you before. I'm a possessive man. I do not share. Ever. You are mine. You will only ever be mine. I refuse to mark and mate you in front of anyone. If you want to kiss me in public, or let me kiss you in public, fine. If you want to sit in my lap in public, I'd love that. But I will never parade you naked, never put you in any state of undress or partial undress where anyone can see you. You. Are. Mine," he snarls the last part, standing again.

I scramble to my feet, not wanting to be at a disadvantage of being on my a** in front of this man. But, I have to admit, his

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words send shivers down my spine.

"Now, can we start by you telling me your name?" he asks.

I open my mouth, but he cuts me off. "You're real name, this time."

I shake my head at him.

"I already know you're an Alpha. I can smell it. Hell, even a**hole Owen could smell it."

"No, he didn't. He just realized that his Alpha command didn't work on me," I tell him.

chuckle before I slap my hand over my mouth. It's too late, he heard it. When he looks back

way out on a limb. Someone who I thought I

is this woman who he thought he'd never see again, the woman he obviously hopes to see again. He looks at me with

you guess?" I ask, not sure I

a beat at the way he

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as if he truly is desperate for

anymore," I say

happy, so excited the night I met you," he

and a big dose of reality will wipe that right out of

for you." He says it so gently, with so

so I can wipe the s**d tears

you been all this time?"

hiding in a

why did

I narrow my eyes at him. He puts his hand up in front of him and then slowly sits down. "Please," he says, gesturing for me to

'I like him.'

can we trust that this

him. He never once looks away. 'Yes, I think

I sit, he smiles, pleased

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Chapter 16: Questions

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about what's happened with you. Where did you

I

as naked as he is. It's been a long

what he sees on my face, but he

to his feet.

and then turns

I've never heard an Alpha say 'please' as many times as Alpha Hunter

rustling nearby and he's back in a few minutes. I'm shocked when he

so

a moment, feeling my heart melting just a bit

covering myself. I feel better not being so

for me. You can ask me anything," he says, covering himself and settling in like we're in an office or sitting room somewhere, catching up like

Chapter 16 Questions

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trying to understand him. I can't, so I decide I've got nothing to lose by asking him my question,

said you remember that night, the night

sister's 18th birthday

"Why....why did you. hover around me that night? Why did you dance with me and only let certain

didn't matter that Alpha Calvin is a good guy and I knew he'd do whatever he could to make the night easier for your sister. There are always some