The One 81

THE ONE 81

Chapter 81: War Preparations Sophie “Are you nervous?” I ask Hunter as we drive home. He’s quiet and I can feel the powerful energy rolling off of him. 100 He looks over at me and takes my hand, pulling it to his lips. “Yes and no. Yes, because I have so much more to lose than I ever did before. And no, because I’m strong, you’re strong, and our pack is strong. They will fight for what is right and our friends will come when we call. We just need to hold … until they get to us if we’re outnumbered.” “What do you think Joshua will do when he realizes that Margot is gone?” I ask. “He’ll go hunting for her.” “I told her to come to us,” I say, worried that I’ve brought even more chaos down on us. “Good. Protecting those who need protection is what we do, right?” he asks me, smiling. I know he’s worried, thinking through the possibilities of an attack, how we can make sure we’re ready, but he’s putting that aside for the moment to make sure that I’m okay. “How can I help you? I know you won’t let me fight and I won’t argue on that. I love this pup already and I won’t do anything to hurt him. Owen already threatened to kill him…” Chapter 81: War Prepactions 1 The car jerks and Hunter slams on the brakes. “He WHAT?” he snarls and the anger pulsing out of him in the tight confines of the car is stifling. I look at my mate. Shaw is very close to the surface. I reach out and stroke his face. “He underestimated you, as always,” I say calmly. “He assumed someone would kill you, specifically Elias, and then he planned to take me as his mate, kill our son, and put his own pup in me. I told him I’d rip his d**k off if he put it anywhere near me,” I say, watching my mate closely. It’s the last part that gets his attention. He blinks and some of the anger dissipates. “You said that?” he asks with a ghost of a smile.

for “Of course. No one touches me but you. I’d kill anyone ju trying to touch me, but then he had to go and threaten our son. I knew that you’d come out alive, especially if Elias was the contender to take you out. You’re much too smart and too strong to let that old bag kill you,” I say proudly. “Yes, and now he’s the one lying dead,” Hunter growls, leaning forward and taking my mouth in a possessive kiss. “And you are mine.” “Yes I am. Always and only yours,” I tell him. I mean it, but I also know it will help Shaw to calm. “As soon as our pup is born, I’ll be reminding my mate that she’s mine,” Shaw growls, running his nose over my jaw before pushing Hunter’s face against mine, scenting me. “1 very much look forward to that,” Hedda replies, purring at him as he rubs against us. I wait patiently while Shaw rubs Hunter’s face all over mine, and down my chest, making sure that I smell Chapter Et War Preparatur like him before he finally pulls back. “You know he’ll want to do that again in his wolf form when we get back, right?” Hunter asks me “I’m always willing to wear my mate’s scent, as strongly as he wants me wearing it,” I purr at both of them. Hunter finally sits back and puts the car in drive, deep in thought again. “If Owen is thinking it, so are the others,” he growls. “They would be jealous, even more angry that I’m not only keeping them from capturing their mates as they see it, but also now I’m going to have an heir and they don’t. Even Joshua doesn’t.” He glances at me. “It means that you’re at even more risk than I expected. It means, you’ll be their target, you and our pup.” “They were coming for me anyway, Hunter,” I say, trying to soothe him. “I won’t be their primary target like I thought. If anything, they’d want to leave me alive as a warning to others about what happens when you go against them and lose. If I lost the two of you…” ” “You won’t. As you said, you’re strong, I’m strong, and our pack is strong, Hunter. We have some

ranked she-wolves who are learning to fight and may want to join in the battle to protect themselves from the Alphas who don’t agree with us.” “We need to start running drills more frequently. At least once a day, maybe twice a day. Maybe, and I know they’ll all hate it, but some in the middle of the night. I need to know that everyone in 30 60L Chapter 81: War Preparations the pack is safe, and I know that you won’t get into a safe room until you know that everyone going in is safe,” he says. “We need to rethink Brooklyn and Leah’s home too,” I say, thinking through all of the possibilities. “She’s not strong enough yet to get to a safe room quickly from their current house, and these wolves wouldn’t hesitate in running her and Leah down.” “I’ll talk to them. Actually, I’ll address the entire pack when we return,” he says, still thinking through everything. “WE’LL address the entire pack when we return, and remember, Kinsley is also going to be in a safe room. She and I can work together to make sure everyone is safe.” “Good! That’s good. It makes me feel a bit better,” he says, still going through every scenario in his head. “Did you ever cover those week spots in the border?” I ask him, remembering when we first arrived, and we were looking over the pack lands. We’d seen some gaps in protection. “I’ll double check. I’m going to run the perimeter with Lucas tonight, make sure the patrols have everything covered. Maybe I’ll take Penny with us,” he says, the last part an afterthought. “Penny?” “Yeah, I’m looking at her for the G**a position. We need to fill Koden’s position. What do you think?” “I haven’t seen her spar. I take it she’s pretty good?” “She’s really good. Better than I was expecting. Apparently, her 111 12 50 Chapter 8: War Preparations

218 Vouchera pack had two Alpha males around her age that she sped with regularly and it shows.” “You’re going to take a female G**a?” I ask him, making sure I understand what he’s saying. He looks at me. “I’m not a misogynistic pig, Soph. If she’s strong enough to defeat my other warriors, she strong enough to fill the position.” “Are you setting another precedent, Alpha?” I ask him. It’s a teasing tone, but I’m extremely proud, once again, to be mated to this man. “If I don’t, Nikki surely will,” he says, making both of us laugh as we get to our pack lands. As we drive up to the packhouse, I turn back to Hunter. “So, Joshua is our biggest threat? If he takes over Elias’ pack and he assumes Margot is here, whether she is or not, that’s our biggest threat?” He stops in front of the packhouse and turns off the car before turning to me. “I think Koden is the more imminent threat. Once word spreads that Owen has been taken prisoner, it’s very likely that he’ll attack the Beta for the Alpha position. I doubt Ezra will get over there fast enough to stop that. If Koden does take over as Alpha, it’s very likely that our first attack will come from him.” “All the more reason to make sure that Brooklyn and Leah are safe. Her ex-mate is still in that pack, I believe. He came looking for them once. If Koden attacks, he’ll come looking for them again.” 62.19% 12.50 Chapter 81: War Preparations MI agree. We need to talk to Leah sooner rather than later,” he says as we step out. As we gather our bags, Hunter alerts the pack that we’ll be having an all-pack meeting in one hour. We have just enough time to unpack and let Lucas and Kinsley know what’s going on before the four of us address the pack together, presenting a unified front. Hunter fills in the pack on everything that happened at the Committee of Alphas, letting them know that the Committee has disbanded, that Elias is dead, and Owen is imprisoned. Then he lets everyone know that patrols and safe room

drills will be increasing, and that everyone is to be on alert. “Penny, you’ll be running patrols with me and Lucas tonight. Leah, I need to speak with you and Brooklyn. Everyone else, expect new patrol schedules to come out later tonight,” he says. He answers questions before letting everyone go. Kinsley and I began preparing safe room drills while Hunter, Lucas, and Penny ran patrols and filled in any gaps in protection. Surprisingly, Leah and Brooklyn refused to move. from their home. “We have the patrols to alert us and while we’re not ranked members, we can fight,” Leah said. “I cannot ensure your safety if you don’t move back to the packhouse,” Hunter pleaded with her. “I understand, Alpha. But now, more than ever, the packhouse will be bustling with activity. My Brooklyn isn’t ready for that yet,” Leah said, standing her ground. “I didn’t do what I needed. to once before to protect her. I won’t let her down again, Alpha. ||| 1259 Chapter 81. War Preparations “I agree. We need to talk to Leah sooner rather than later,” he says as we step out. As we gather our bags, Hunter alerts the pack that we’ll be having an all-pack meeting in one hour. We have just enough time to unpack and let Lucas and Kinsley know what’s going on before the four of us address the pack together, presenting a unified front. Hunter fills in the pack on everything that happened at the Committee of Alphas, letting them know that the Committee has disbanded, that Elias is dead, and Owen is imprisoned. Then he lets everyone know that patrols and safe room drills will be increasing, and that everyone is to be on alert. “Penny, you’ll be running patrols with me and Lucas tonight. Leah, I need to speak with you and Brooklyn. Everyone else, expect new patrol schedules to come out later tonight,” he says. He answers questions before letting everyone go. Kinsley and I began preparing safe room drills while Hunter, Lucas, and Penny ran patrols and filled in any gaps in protection. Surprisingly, Leah and Brooklyn refused to move from their home. © - All rights reserved.

“We have the patrols to alert us and while we’re not ranked members, we can fight,” Leah said. “I cannot ensure your safety if you don’t move back to the packhouse,” Hunter pleaded with her. “I understand, Alpha. But now, more than ever, the packhouse will be bustling with activity. My Brooklyn isn’t ready for that yet,” Leah said, standing her ground. “I didn’t do what I needed to once before to protect her. I won’t let her down again, Alpha. 77.604 O 13:00 Chapter 81: War Preparations She’s not ready to be among all that staying where we are.” “I hope you’re right about this,” Hunt Kinsley and I made sure that the two knives, hammers, and axes in case packhouse when the attack comes. The next 24 hours were extremely t running, we ran two safe room drill: borders, and Koden attacked.