The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 106: Decisions Leah

Luna Sophie called us all to the packhouse during warrior training, every single she-wolf and omega in the pack

who isn't a warrior. It's unheard of. Usually, warriors are called to meetings about war, omegas are called to

meetings about upcoming events, but to call all individuals who aren't fighters or are currently out due to having

young pups for a discussion about the upcoming war, well, it's not something I've ever heard of happening

before. Of course, this pack is becoming known for doing things differently than all the others.

When she explains that we have more women and pups coming in today and that we need more space in the

safe rooms, | know that | can give up my space. I've already lived longer than | expected and there are many

others here who are younger than | am with long lives ahead of them, my daughter included.

"I'm going to start with volunteers. Those who are able to fight and are only down because you have young pups,

I'm going to ask you to seriously consider giving up your spot in the safe rooms. We have omegas who are not

trained to fight, pups who must be in those safe rooms. Kinsley and | are not able to shift and fight, but that

doesn't mean that we haven't agreed to give up our places in the safe rooms as well if we don't have enough

space. We only have three safe rooms, and we have fifty women and pups coming today. | don't know what state

they will be in, but the pups take priority and the women who lost their mates will also need to be in a safe

room."

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I'm a bit surprised but also pleased when so many of us raise our hands to volunteer to cout of the safe

rooms "Luna, you know your mate will argue withfighting, but | need to be out there," Luna Margot says.

"And you will be. But not all of us have to be outside. What I'm proposing for sof you, especially those

whose pups that are in the safe rooms, is that we set up a line of defense inside the packhouse. If the attacking

packs get past our warriors, they will chere, hoping to destroy us, hoping to kill our most vulnerable

population. We won't allow that to happen. We, this group, will be the second line of defense against our

enemies to protect those who cannot protect themselves."

| watch as the others look at each other. There is a sense of relief among the young mothers, but also among

those likeMy pup may not be young, but she'll be in a safe room, and | can stand guard and help to keep her

safe like | should have always. done.

"I will also want leads in the safe rooms, those who can be the third line of defense if the attacking wolves get

past us. We all have a part to play in this war. All of our lives depend on us winning this war. When Alpha Hunter

walks in, we all wait to see what he will do. In every interaction he's had with our Luna, I've been surprised, and

today is no different. Everyone can see that he doesn't like what Luna Sophie is saying, especially if it means

that she and his unborn pup aren't safe in one of the rooms, but he doesn't fight her and that, more than

anything helps all of us realize the weight of what's to come. "How much longer, Soph? The warriors, all of this

pack's

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warriors, need to eat," Alpha Hunter says, looking at our group and including us as warriors. | feel pride at his

words, at his recognition that we are fighters too, and almost as one, the group stands taller, happy to have

pleased our Alpha.

"I'll go check," Beta Kinsley says.

"I'll go with you," | say along with a few others. "You have my preference, Luna."

"| do, thank you, Leah."

As | turn to walk into the kitchen behind Beta Kinsley, | see Brutus watchingclosely. He and | have spent a lot

of ttogether since | woke up after Michael's death. Perhaps it's because | had already left Michael, or maybe

it's because he and | were never as close as mates should be to begin with, but my relationship with Brutus is

moving much more quickly than | ever would have expected. The more t| spend with him, the stronger my

wolf becomes, which was the second surprise to me. Not only did | not die after Michael did, but | still have my

wolf.

| help get the food ready and just as we're about to set the food out, the rest of the omegas crushing in to

help, the meeting with Luna Sophie is over.

After setting up the breakfast buffet, | stand back, letting the hungry warriors go first. However most of them are

talking to their mates, especially the ones who have young pups whose mates volunteered to stay outside of the

safe rooms.

Since there aren't many people in line, | grab a plate and begin filling it. | smell him and feel his heat behind me

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"Let's find a private place and talk, Leah," Brutus says.

| turn and see his intense eyes on me. Those intense eyes. burned like fire last night when | gave myself to him

for the first time. Being with Brutus is unlike anything | ever experienced with Michael. Brutus is a huge man, but

he's so gentle withand while he's larger than Michael, rather than feeling pain during our lovemaking, | felt a

fullness that I'd never felt before, one that has leftaching to be filled again. | nod and we fill our plates, mine

much less than Brutus’, before finding a table off to the side of the dining hall. I notice that there are many

conversations going on, swith angry words. and gestures and swith hugging and holding on to each

other.

Brutus doesn't wait, he jumps right in. "I don't want you fighting. | don't want to worry about you getting hurt or

worse...." he stops, looking down, pushing his food around on his plate.

"I don't want to lose you, Leah. | just found you. I'm already so in love with you. Argus is so in love with you," he

says, looking up atwith fear and pain in his eyes.

| reach over and take his hand. "I don't want to die, Brutus, but | do want to fight for what | believe in, for what is

right. Too long, | stood by and let others rule my life. Now, | have a chance to stand up for myself, my daughter,

for my pack, and make a difference, at least a small one."

He shakes his head. "It's not small. What you want to do is huge, Leah. You're not a warrior. You're not a fighter.

These people, they're coming to kill us. | don't....I can't..."

| watch this giant man try to hold back a **b. | stand, walking 09010

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around the table and when he looks up at me, I sit in his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pullsto

him, holdingtightly, burying his face in my neck.

"It's not that | don't think you're capable. You've already proven how strong you are, Leah. It's the thought of

losing you, of not being able to hold you, like this, or in my arms at night. Last night...last night was one of the

best nights of my life, Leah. I'm not ready to give that up, to lose that for sf**g Alphas who have a vendetta

against our pack," he says, growling the last part while his face is buried in my neck. | run my fingers through his

hair, holding him tightly. "We have to do this, Brutus. Both of us. We have to fight for a better tomorrow."

He takes a deep breath and sighs, kissing my neck and sending waves of pleasure through my body. When he

lifts his head, his nostrils are flaring, smelling the scent of my arousal.

"I want to mark you. | want to make you mine," he says. It's not the first time, but he's much more insistent now.

"I'm the weaker one of us, Brutus. If something happens to me..."

"It would killanyway, Leah. Even if you weren't wearing my mark, losing you would kill me. But if we're going

to die, | want to die with you as my mate. Will you letmark you, make you mine in every possible way?"

How can | say no to this man? This incredible man who, in such a short amount of time, has shownwhat true

love is.

"Yes, Brutus. | would be proud to wear your mark."

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His answering growl is only m**d by his mouth attaching to mine in a very possessive, loving kiss which

promises everything, even if only for a short amount of time.