The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 88: Rendered Useless Hunter

My mate was dead on her feet when I finally woke, feeling. amazingly refreshed and ready to take on anything, including Joshua and another war. Now that I've had a moment to step. away from the battle, I can see that she was right. I needed to heal so I can be prepared to fight again, but when she first approached me, I had been very surprised at how insistent she was that I get some sleep. 'Lucas?' I reach out in the mind link as I leave my already sound asleep mate.

'Putting my mate to bed. I'll be right there,' he says and I'm sure Kinsley is in the same position that Sophie is, exhausted.

When I get downstairs, I see Penny working through the patrols with our Lead Warrior.

"How do things look?" I ask, walking up.

"Oh, Alpha. You look well rested," Penny says.

"So do you," I say, looking her over.

"Luna and Beta Kinsley had all of us rotating through a sleep schedule so she could let her father and his pack members get back home. We're just about to switch out the last round of patrols who are waking up and then we should be back to normal," Penny says.

"Well, that's great. Can I take a look?"

I look over what Kinsley must have put together for the day, slowly weeding out Carter's pack so that they could go home. Penny's right, this is the last shift with Carter's men.

"Are Alpha Carter and Alpha Kayce still here?" I ask as Lucas walks up. I hand the patrol schedule to him, knowing he'll be proud of what his mate has done.

"No, Alpha. Alpha Kayce left a while ago after getting the list of dead for Luna Sophie. I believe that report is on your desk. We've also set up pyres for the four that we lost and buried the ones that came from Owen's old pack," she reports.

"The mates of the ones we lost?" Lucas asks.

"Luna had Brooklyn checking in on them, since she's there with her mother. You should know too, that many of the warriors have commented on Brooklyn's steady hand and gentle touch when it came to stitching them up," my Lead Warrior says.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Alpha."

I look around, feeling completely unnecessary. Sophie and Kinsley have this pack nearly back to fighting strength in less. than twelve hours.

"If I may, Alpha, Luna Sophie and Beta Kinsley were incredible. They answered all our questions, listened to our advice, made sure everyone ate and was looked after...I don't want to say that they were better than you and Beta Lucas, but I don't think you'll find anyone in the pack who would say they felt the loss of your

time away," my Lead Warrior says, and Penny nods her head agreement.

"I'm starting to feel like I should retire," I mumble. "If you nee anything, your Luna and Beta female are asleep, you can com to me or Lucas now," I say louder

"Yes, Alpha."

I walk to the kitchens, seeing that there are easy grab and go foods available so that anyone coming in from patrols or wak up for their shift can get food. I see Margot getting food, looking like she just woke up. When she sees me, she walks over. "Oh good. Please tell me your mates are asleep."

"They are. They were exhausted," Lucas says.

"They went non-stop. I'm not sure either of them ever ate. It v very impressive. I got to see what it would have been like for if I were an equal partner to Joshua."

"We should talk about that," I say to her.

She nods. "You're worried that killing him will kill me because hasn't accepted my rejection?"

"Yes," I say, getting food and going to sit with Margot while Lucas gets food and goes to check on those in the pack. hospital.

She looks down at her plate. "You don't need to worry about m Alpha."

"That's not how it works, Margot, not in my pack at least. You

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are here for my protection. I take that seriously."

She smiles at me. "I told Sophie that now I understand what all the hype is about, her being the legend and all. She showed that, clear as day today, when she whipped this pack into shape after the battle. But now, I'm also starting to see why you are mated to a woman such as that. The two of you are very strong, but you don't have to prove your strength, you can let the other be strong without feeling intimidated. That's true strength, don't you think?"

"I don't know about that, but what I do know is that my mate is a strong, powerful, Alpha female. Whether it's her strength or her love, I know I'm a better man and Alpha having her by my side. If I had stifled that in her, I would be no better off than I was before. She makes me a better person and I want to be a better person for her. I want her to always be proud of me and proud to be my mate," I say honestly. Margot looks around the room. "What you're doing here, it's a good thing, Alpha, a very good thing. You're giving women like me a chance to find a happiness that we didn't know existed. But you need to realize that you can't save all of us. I've had my time, Alpha. When Joshua comes, don't hesitate to kill him. I know if I have the chance to kill him, I won't hesitate. I'm okay if that's the end of my life. If I go out, knowing that I've made even a small difference in this world and the future of our female population, it's worth it."

"That's not okay with me, Margot," I tell her.

She smiles sadly. "That's why you're an Alpha worthy of the Legend. But if you hesitate and he gets away and hurts anoth she-wolf, that will be on you. Alpha Chater Rendered Useless

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that on your conscience," she says, standing. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the pack hospital. I'm helping the nurses there with some of the injured and with the women who lost their mates." "Thank you, Margot," I say standing as well.

"Thank you, Alpha, for everything," she says walking away. It feels so much like a goodbye that it takes everything in me to let her walk away. Instead, I make a m**I note to have Sophie talk to her, maybe Kinsley as well.

I watch her walk away for a moment, then leave the dining hall, noticing that there are still some folks just waking and that the patrols are just coming off duty.

I head to my office and see the report that Kayce started, and Sophie finished for me, with a little note on it.

'I hope this is okay. It's my first report. I just wanted you to have all the information when you woke up."

I smile, feeling incredibly proud of my mate. I quickly look over the report and then call Kayce.

"Alpha Hunter, you're back in the land of the living," he answers.

"I am and I'm back to fighting strength. What did I miss?"

"You got the report of the dead?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for your loss," I say, knowing he'll be feeling the loss of his two pack members the same way I'm feeling the loss of my four.

"I lost their mates as well," he says sadly.

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"I'm so sorry to hear that," I say, and I hear movement on the

other end of the phone. It sounds like Allison just came to sit on Kayce's lap.

"I won't keep you. I just wanted to thank you again and see if there was any news on Joshua."

"I haven't heard anything new, but you know he's coming."

"I do. Thank you again, Kayce."

"You would do the same for me, Hunter, and there may come a time when I call on you."

"We'll be there," I say, hanging up.

Next I call Carter but instead of him answering, I get Luna Amy.

"Luna, I was looking for Alpha Carter."

"Oh, he's asleep, dear. He had a long day, refused to come home until everything was settled in your pack. How is my daughter?"

"Sleeping and I'm sure your mate told you, but she did an excellent job of running this pack while I slept."

"So I heard. Between you and me, Alpha, she gets that from me," she says conspiratorially.

I laugh. "I am absolutely sure she does, Luna Amy. Will you let Alpha Carter know that I called and to give me a call when he wakes if there's anything I can do to help ease the passing of your dead." "We'll be laying them to rest tomorrow, but thank you; Alpha."

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"Thank you, Luna."

After that, I call Ezra.

"Luna Sophie?" he answers.

"No, it's me, Hunter," I say.

"Hunter! You're back with us?"

"I am. I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to give you the update on Owen's dead..."

"No need, your mate already called me, hours ago."

"She did?" I ask, sitting back.

"She did. I'll tell you what I told her. I'll be heading over there tomorrow morning to take over the pack."

"Good. That's good. You shouldn't have too much trouble, we have quite a few dead here."

"When do you want to deal with Owen?" he asks.

"Let me talk to Brooklyn. She actually shot her father, killing him and now her mother is in the pack hospital fighting to survive since he never accepted her rejection." He whistles low. "How is she doing?"

"I haven't seen her yet, but from everything that I've heard from my pack, she's much better than I would have expected."

"That's good, I'm glad to hear it. Well, once you know when you want me to come by with the asshole, just let me know." Cubter 21 Rendered Useless

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I chuckle at that. "Is he causing you any problems?"

"He's loud and obnoxious, but otherwise no."

"Okay, I'll be in touch."

I sit back looking over my desk which Sophie straightened up for me today as well. There's a knock at the door and I look up to see Lucas. He's frowning as he walks in. "Kinsley did everything while I was out," he says, sitting in the chair opposite me.

"Sophie did the same," I say, looking at him.

I realize that our mates have rendered us utterly useless in the matter of one day.