The One He Claimed by Cooper
The One 87

Chapter 87: One and the Same Sophie

When I turn away from Margot, I replace Kinsley and get a report on the pack's injuries and how things went in her safe room. "Where are our mates?" I ask when she's done.

“They're around, and I don't know about yours, but mine is exhausted. However, he refuses to go rest," she says, worriedly.

"Well, that's about to change. Come with me. You and I are leaders in this pack and if our mates want to tell us that we are equals to them, it's about time for them to prove it." "This ought to be good," I hear her murmur excitedly as she follows me.

I replace my mate talking to Alpha Kayce and my father.

"Alpha Hunter," I say, addressing him by his title so he knows I'm serious.

The conversation stops and he turns, raising an eyebrow at me. I look over his body, seeing that his injuries still haven't fully healed.

"You need to go shower and get some rest," I say, seeing Kayce's eyebrow go up at my words.

"I can't yet, Soph. We still have injured, I need..."

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"What you need to do, Alpha, is to go wash off this battle and rest so Shaw can heal you."

"Sophie..."

"Am I not your equal in this pack, Hunter?" I ask, stepping up to

him.

"Of course you are, but right now..."

"No, Hunter. Either I am or I'm not. If I looked like you, you'd have had me upstairs and in bed hours ago. Do you trust me to take care of this pack in your absence?" "Sophie..."

"Yes or no, Hunter."

"Yes, Sophie, but..."

"But what, Hunter? I need you healed and strong so that when Joshua comes, you can fight again. We know it's coming, it's only a matter of when. I can't fight, Kinsley can't fight, but your and Lucas will have to, and I need my mate and my Beta at full fighting strength when the battle comes. So, I will say again, get your a**upstairs, get cleaned up, and get into bed." Hunter stares at me for a moment.

"Son, take a word of advice from a man who has been mated to a strong-willed woman for longer than you, never argue with your Luna. You will lose, maybe not at that moment, but you will, especially when what she's saying makes perfect sense," my father says, gently putting his hand on Hunter's shoulder."

Hunter turns to look at my father, then at Kayce as if expecting

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one of them to support him.

"Don't look at me, I'm not arguing with her. She's the f**g legend. I know when I'm outrank d," Kayce says, a smile twitching at his lips.

Hunter turns back to me. "You're sure?"

I raise my chin and wait him out.

"Okay then, the pack is yours."

"No, the pack is ours and when you're back to full strength, I know you'll get them ready for the next battle to come," I say, standing my ground. He smiles at me, leaning over to kiss my lips quickly. "Yes, my Luna."

I turn, spotting Lucas talking to some of the wounded warriors. "Beta Lucas," I call out, my voice ringing through the room.

His head snaps up. "Yes, Luna."

Hunter stops, waiting to see what I'm going to say.

"I suggest you listen to your mate, or you will face my wrath," I

say.

He frowns, looking at Kinsley.

"Upstairs, Beta. You need to rest."

"Kinsley, I can't...."

"Did you hear what I just said?" I say, the room going quiet.

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Lucas frowns, looking around, replaceing Hunter. "Alpha?"

"I lost the fight with our Luna. Good luck, you're on your own," he says and starts limping toward the stairwell.

I turn, standing behind Kinsley as she and her mate have a silent battle of wills.

"Fine!" he says, throwing up his hands. "Who's making a list of the injured then," he says, obviously aggravated.

"Me, of course, I'm a Beta, am I not?" Kinsley asks him.

His mouth opens and closes several times before finally shutting.

"Let's go Lucas. The sooner we heal, the sooner we're back," Hunter says, and if I didn't think it would make him look weak, I'd go help him up the stairs.

"Don't do it," Kayce says softly behind me.

"I know," I say, watching him start up the stairs before turning back to my father and Kayce.

"Okay, first, I'm sure Hunter already thanked you for answering our call, but I want to thank you as well."

Both men's lips are twitching as they look at me.

"Did either of you lose any men?"

"A couple," Kayce says, his face becoming serious.

"Same," my father says.

"I need a report of how many dead and from which packs. I need to know how many are from Owen's pack and how many we think escaped so I can inform Alpha Ezra. Can you get those numbers for me Alpha Kayce?"

"I certainly can Luna. Or should I call you Alpha?"

"In this pack, Alpha Kayce, they are one and the same."

"Apparently so," he says, this time his smile is wide.

I turn to my father. "Can I ask you to have your pack members run patrols for my pack until some of my injured are healed. We have a lot of warriors down from fighting before your packs. arrived." "Of course, Luna."

"Thanks, Dad," I say, smiling.

I turn, looking around, my mind going through everything that needs to be done, when I see Hunter standing on the stairs, watching me.

"What are you still doing down here?" I ask him.

"I'm taking a moment to admire my impressive mate," he says, and I feel a wave of pride come through the bond. I know I blush. a deep shade of pink, pleased with his pride in me.

"Get upstairs, Alpha," I say, more because I'm embarrassed than because I'm worried about him.

"Yes, my amazing Luna," he says and begins walking up the stairs. He passes Lucas who is watching his mate with a similar expression on his face.

Chapter 7: One and the Same

"Upstairs, Beta," Kinsley calls out, not looking up from the report she's putting together on our injured.

"Yes, ma'am," he says, grinning hugely and following Hunter up. the stairs.

"I'm so very proud of you sweetheart," my father says softly behind me. "Your mother will be too when I tell her."

"Thanks, Dad,” I say, beginning to feel overwhelmed with the pride I'm feeling from the pack.

For the next several hours, Kinsley and I get through all the pack members, making sure everyone who was injured receives. treatment, seeing some return talking about how delicate Brooklyn was when she stitched them up. Kayce gets me the report of the dead. Almost them are from Owen's pack. As he said, he lost two, my father lost two and we four. Their mates are in the pack hospital, and I min

link Brooklyn to ask her to check on them while she's there. "Yes, Luna," she says.

Once everything is settled, I go into my office and call Alphal Ezra. "Alpha Ezra," he answers.

"Alpha, this is Luna Sophie. I'm not sure you heard that we were attacked by Owen's pack last night," I say. The lack of sleep and stress of the day is starting to catch up to me. I think I forgot to eat too. Hunter won't be pleased.

"Luna, is everything okay? Is your mate alright?"

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"He is. He was injured, but he's resting, letting Shaw heal him so we can be prepared for the next battle. I wanted to let you know about the number of dead that we have from Owen's pack and the number we feel escaped when Koden fled."

He's quiet.

"Alpha? Are you there?"

"You're calling to give me the report?"

"Yes, Alpha. That's why I'm calling," I say to him.

"You're Alpha went to sleep without getting the numbers from his pack?" he asks, clarifying.

"Alpha Ezra, I know you haven't spent as much time with us as Alpha Kayce and Alpha Robin, but I would have thought that your would have seen that my mate and I are equal partners in this. pack. I may have had to remind him of that earlier today, but make no mistake, Alpha Ezra, I am perfectly capable of running this pack while my mate heals," I say indignantly.

"My apologies, Luna. I meant no disrespect, it's just...."

"Never been done before?" I ask him, a bit snarkily.

"Exactly. But that doesn't mean that it's not a good thing. It just reminds me that I didn't do right by Hunter's sister when she was my mate."

I moderate my tone when I respond, knowing that he's still struggling with how my relationship with Hunter differs and is better than his was with Diana.

"I'm pregnant, as is my Beta female. We cannot fight, so I need

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our mates strong and ready when the next battle comes, as we know it will," I say.

"And yet, I probably still wouldn't have given in to Diana's. request if she had made it to me under the same

circumstances."

"Oh, make no mistake, Alpha. It wasn't a request on my part. I was not taking no for an answer.

He chuckles. "Legend, indeed," he says under his breath, but I still hear him.

"I don't know why everyone keeps saying that today," I say.

"Probably because you're proving that you're worthy of the title, Luna. Or should I call you Alpha?" he asks, and I can hear the smile in his tone.

"I'll tell you what I told Alpha Kayce. In this pack, they're one and the same."

"Indeed, they are. Thank you for the information. My warriors are planning to head to Owen's pack early tomorrow morning and take over the pack. Did Koden survive?"

"He did."

“I'll keep that in mind," he says. "And thank you, Luna, not only for the update, but for the reminder that I need to keep an open mind about the changes that are coming and the role that ranked females will play in the future of our packs."

"You're welcome, Alpha. Please call when you have an update. on the status of Owen's pack."

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"Will do."

When I'm done, I lean my head back, utterly exhausted. I give myself a moment then force myself to get up. There's more work to be done.

I look around making sure I have everything as I walk to the door and nearly run into Hunt He's leaning against the doorframe, watching me.

"My Luna looks exhausted," he says, looking me over. I do the same to him, seeing that his injuries are healed.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him.

He pushes off the doorframe and comes to me, pulling me against him. I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Rested, unlike you. Time for bed, my Luna."

"I just need to get with Kinsley..."

"Oh no," he says, pulling back and lifting my chin so I'm looking up at him. "I believe we had the conversation earlier about being

pat equal partners. Anything that still needs to be done, I'll take care of. My mate and my pup need sleep. Did you eat?"

I grimace which elicits a growl from Hunter.

He scoops me into his arms, and I see his eyes go unfocused. We walk out of the office and toward the stairs and are met by an omega holding a sandwich in her hands.

"Here, Luna. I had this made for you earlier, but you never stopped to eat," she says, pushing the sandwich into my hands. She pulls a bottle of water out of her pocket and hands that to

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me as well.

"Thank you," I say as Hunter begins carrying me up the stairs. As he climbs, I fill him in on everything that has happened while he's been asleep, giving him the list of things that I had planned to follow up on. He sets me down on the bed, putting the water on the

nightstand before going into the closet and getting me one of his t-shirts. I start eating the sandwich while I wait, struggling to chew before swallowing the large bites.

"Don't choke, Soph," Hunter says, helping me to undress, then pulling the shirt over my head. I finish the sandwich and Hunter gives me the bottle of water, unscrewing the top before he hands it to me. "Better?" he asks when I hand the empty bottle back to him.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Thank you, my mate. You really are an incredible woman. Now get some sleep. I know how to run our pack."

"Yes, Alpha," I say. I'm pretty sure I was asleep before he stepped out of the room.

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