The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 20: Say the Words Chapter 20: Say the Words Sophie Alpha Hunter is doing strange things toand Hedda isn't helping. I can't believe I leaned into his touch. But the electric tingles, the feel of his warm skin against mine, madecrave to have him touchall over.

"Back to your earlier question," he says, refocusing on our discussion. I like that he's not pushingto mate, not pushing forto allow him to put his mark on me. It remindsa bit of how Alpha Calvin took his twith Amelia on her birthday, talking to her and getting to know her. It feels like Alpha Hunter is doing the swith me.

"You gavea couple of hints. First, I heard you and Penny talking before she left. I didn't understand what she meant at the time, but it fell into place later. You knew who I was, which meant that we'd met before. I've been to a lot of packs, so that didn't really help, but you also know who Owen was. That, combined with your conversation with Penny andrealizing that you were talking about being close to home, helpedto figure it out," he says. It doesn't seem like enough to have figured out who I am.

"Do you always pay such close attention to things?" I ask, curious.

He shrugs. It's a nonchalant gesture, but somehow, watching the muscles in chest and shoulders flex and relax, is very **y. My fingers twitch with my desire to touch him. 288 Vouchers "I try. I can't always stay on top of everything, but I do the best I can. I've learned to trust my Betas and my G**a though to follow up on things that I can't. However, with you, my mate, I will always pay close attention," he says, focusing his attention on me. His gaze is intense and I know that he means what he's saying, which reminds me...

"Your Beta female gives you high praise," I say. I don't mean for it to cacross that way, but even I can hear the jealousy in my words.

He sets his fork down, leaning forward, his gaze intensifying even more. "Kinsley is my Beta's mate. They've had a rough time, like she said. It's not my place to talk about their struggles, but she mentioned it, so I'll tell you this. When she and Lucas were first mated, she didn't trust him at all. She wouldn't let him touch her, wouldn't look him in the eye, and barely looked the pack members in the eye. She stopped eating, to the point that I finally had to step in so she wouldn't starve herself to death," he says, and I gasp. She looks so healthy now.

"What she said to you was the truth, just like with your sister, and every other female whose claiming I've been to, I step out of the room while the woman is claimed. Because Kinsley sawdo that, I was one of the only people she could look in the eye, one of the only people she trusted to make her feel safe and protected. She and Lucas have been mated over a year now and they're only just now starting to ctogether." He reaches out, taking my hand. "I don't want that for us. I don't want you to fear me, to fear my touch or have it remind you of a terrible, traumatic moment in your life. I want you to seek out my touch, seekout when you need or want comfort, to feel confident that I would never, ever allow anyone to hurt you, 21:23 Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Vouchers embarrass you, or make you feel anything less than the strong, confident woman and Luna that you are." "What do you propose?" I ask, wondering how he intends to accomplish that.

He smiles, reaching out to touch my cheek again. This time, I lean into him willingly, letting his stroke my cheek with his thumb.

"Givetonight. We can talk, we can touch, get to know each. other, we can swim," he says gesturing to the small pool. "But I want to make love to you, I want to put my mark on your neck, I want to make you mine, here, with no one but you, me, and the moon above us.

I look down, but I don't pull away from his hand.

"You said you rememberfrom that night, the night of my sister's party?" I ask him.

"I do." I look back up at him. "I was so excited about finding my mate. I had such fairy tale dreams of what it meant to find him, to find you, and to bechis. Yours. Then, the bubble of that dream was burst, and I never wanted to think about being claimed again." I put my hand over his, holding it against my cheek. "You makefeel like the fairy tale could beca reality." He smiles at me. "Is it too cheesy to say I want to make all of your dreams ctrue?" Chapter 20 Say the Words I laugh, watching as he smiles, his grey eyes t**g in the moonlight. "Much, much too cheesy." "It doesn't make it any less true." 288 Wouchers He looks ata moment. "Why don't you csit in my lap. I'll feed you." I'm sure he can feel the heat of my blush. "But we're naked." "Mmm, yes we are. You did mention something about makingas uncomfortable as you are. Having you in my lap would definitely do that," he says, and I can see the challenge in his eyes. D**n him, he knows that as an Alpha myself, it's hard to back down from a challenge.

'Do it, then his scent will be all over us. And maybe he'll do something about that ache between our thighs,' Hedda says.

'Stop being a h**y,' I scold her.

'Then start acting like an Alpha and accept his challenge,' she counters.

I stand, ready to call his bluff. Instead, he smiles, scooting back on the rock that he's using as a seat. He taps his thigh, reaching over to pull my plate across the stone table.

I walk to him, sitting on the thigh he suggested, my back ramrod straight. It's impossible to miss the very hard erection that is now pressed against my thigh and hip. His warm arm wraps around my waist, and he scootscloser, urgingto lean against him. He's so warm and he smells so good, that I don't resist.

Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Mouchers He reaches out with his hand, taking a piece of pork, sliding it through the mashed potatoes and puts it up to my mouth. I open my mouth and he puts it in, getting mashed potatoes on my lips. He takes his thumb, wiping the potatoes off my lips. while I chew, then he sucks his thumb into his mouth, watching me.

I stop chewing, watching his mouth. I have a very strong desire to lean forward and kiss him.

"You can do anything you want to with me, Sophie. Tonight, and every night, I hope," he says softly.

I look up at him, seeing the earnestness in his eyes before I look back down at his lips. Instead of leaning forward, I turn to the plate, doing what he did, getting a piece of pork and sliding it through the mashed potatoes. When he opens his mouth for me, I put the food into his mouth. Instead of wiping the mashed potatoes off his lips, I lean watching him as I slide my tongue his lips to lick off the potatoes. He surprisesby swallowing quickly and sliding his tongue out to touch mine swirling his tongue around and drawing mine into his mouth. Our lips meet again. His are so soft and warm, his body heat so inviting that I lean into him and the kiss, letting him tease my tongue. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel his free hand cto my thigh, holdingon his lap. His fingers begin stroking up and down my thigh, sending waves of pleasure through me.

I can feel heat spreading through my body, feel my arousal begin to drip onto his thigh. I moan softly against his mouth, as his hand begins to move up my side, his thumb sliding under my breast. I arch my back, pressing my breast into his hand, Chapter 20: Say the Words 288 Vouchers needing him to touch me.

He begins kissing his way down my neck, making my body shiver as he sucks on my marking spot, makinggasp as heat floods my body and drips from my entrance.

"You are so beautiful Sophie, and so responsive to me," he says, brushing a thumb over my nipple I whimper at the touch, and he lifts his head, watchingas he gently pinches and rolls my nipple between his fingers. "Do you like that?" "Yes," I breathe.

"I want to make you feel all sorts of pleasure tonight, Sophie. Will you letmake love to you? Will you letmark you? Will you acceptas your mate?" I open my eyes, seeing the desire in his, the apprehension that I might tell him no.

"I want you, Sophie. I want you as my mate, as my lover, as my Luna. Say that you'll be mine. Tellyou wantto claim you." "Yes, Hunter. Yes, please," I say, letting my head fall back.

"Say the words, Sophie, I need to hear them." I lift my head, looking into his dark eyes.

"Makeyours, Hunter. I want you to claimas yours."