The One He Claimed

Chapter 153: Zahn’s Hostility

Hunter

I watch as Zahn gets himself under control while Sophie, Nikki, Allison, and Kinsley walk away with Jocelyn.

He turns and glares at me. “I didn’t think you were serious about letting her keep me from my mate.”

“You asked for our help. You’re getting it. Not only was I serious about letting Sophie do this her way, but I was also serious. about keeping you under 24-hour surveillance,” I say as Brutus and William, another large warrior, walk up. “Sophie is in charge of your mate now. She gets to say if and when you see Jocelyn. Since it doesn’t look like Jocelyn wants to see you, I’d suggest that you get settled in. I hope you brought your computer with you so you can get some work done.”

“How is she supposed to fix my mate bond if we aren’t together?” he growls.

“Neither of us ever said we were going to fix your mate bond, Alpha Zahn. We said we would try to help you and right now, the person who needs help, is Jocelyn. If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to leave.”

“I’m not leaving without my mate,” he growls,

“Then I guess you’d better get settled in like Hunter suggested,” Kayce says.

“What are you two doing here anyway?” he growls at them.

“Visiting friends. You should try it sometime, if you have any, that is,” Robin says, taunting him.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Alpha Zahn. I don’t trust you. I don’t trust your motives for being here. But my mate wants to try and help yours, so you’re here. That can change at any time. If you truly want to help your mate, which is what you said you wanted, then I suggest you let Sophie work her magic. That doesn’t mean that Jocelyn will ever accept you as her mate, but it does mean that your mate will heal, physically and mentally. What happens after that is still unknown,” I say, standing my ground against Zahn. I guess he really had no idea how much Sophie’s decisions matter in this pack. Obviously, he’s not given Jocelyn any ability to make her own decisions while she’s been with him.

“Don’t even think about trying to keep my mate from me. I came here in good faith, for your assistance. Not so you could steal my mate.”

“I have a mate. I don’t need yours,” I say.

“And let’s be honest, Alpha Zahn, it’s not like Luna Jocelyn is exactly trying to stay with you. You need Hunter’s help because your ways aren’t working. Why don’t you try accepting his way, Sophie’s way, before you started acting all high and mighty about your first fifteen minutes in this pack. We all saw your mate’s disdain for you. If you’d have bothered to pay attention, you would have realized that you didn’t see any of that from our mates,” Lucas says.

“Our mates are here to visit with their friends, but they also came to help your mate, Alpha Zahn. You have three incredible Lunas and a Beta willing to give their time to work with your mate, who obviously still has a lot of trauma. Do yourself and your mate a favor, sit back, relax, and let our mates help yours,” Kayce adds.

I watch as Alpha Zahn heaves in air, trying to gain control of his anger. When his fists finally unclench, I know he’s at least somewhat in control.

“Fine. Show me to my room, please.”

He turns and goes to the car, pulling bags out of the trunk. I go to help him, grabbing several bags, crutches, and a cane. When we get into the packhouse, I stop.

“You can leave Luna Jocelyn’s things here by the door. I’m not sure where she’s staying yet.”

“She’s staying with me,” he growls, his fists clenching again.

“That’s up to her, not you,” I tell him.

“I believe my mate has come up with several options for Luna Jocelyn, one of which is to share a room with you. But as Alpha Hunter says, it will be up to your mate to decide,” Lucas says.

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“Perhaps you give your mates too much authority,” he snaps.

“Perhaps you don’t give yours enough,” I snap back.

“A woman should have no authority to make decisions…”

“Tell that to Alpha Amelia. She’s taken over her father’s pack. Did you hear?” Robin asks, still taunting.

“And did you hear that she and her allies defeated and killed Alpha Alaric for killing her parents?” Kayce adds, leaving out the part about me being one of her allies.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

I watch Zahn’s eyes widen in surprise. “A woman Alpha? Who would ever ally themselves with a she-wolf?”

“I would,” all three of us say at once.

“As a matter of fact, I had planned to contact Alpha Amelia while I was here to see if it would be possible for me and my mate to sign an alliance agreement with her,” Robin says, smiling an unpleasant smile. He’s enjoying provoking Zahn. I have to admit, the man is a disgrace to Alphas.

“You AND your mate?” Zahn sneers. “What kind of Alpha are you?”

“The kind that loves and respects his mate, who is also an Alpha female and who, I’d wager, could kick your a*** in a fight if she wasn’t carrying my pup,” Robin says, stepping forward. Kayce puts a hand on his chest.

“Perhaps you should go to your room, Alpha Zahn. We’ve given you a lot to think about,” I say, trying to diffuse a fight. I’m not opposed to beating the s**t out of Zahn, but I’d rather it wasn’t within minutes of his arrival. I really do want to give him a chance to see the changes that I know will happen in Jocelyn. Maybe if he sees it firsthand, he’ll realize that the old ways, his ways, are wrong.

Zahn turns to head toward the side of the house for ranked members.

“Alpha Zahn, I’ve put you on the warrior’s side of the packhouse,” I say.

He stops and turns to glare at me. “And why is that?”

“First, I don’t trust you around my mate, my Beta’s mate, or my G**a. Second, your mate will be given the option to stay on the Alpha floor. If she agrees to be placed in a room with you, then we’ll consider moving you to a more comfortable location,” I say with no apology.

“Your Ga**a?” he asks.

I smile, holding myself back from taunting him like Robin has been. “I promoted a female to my Ga**a position. Her mate is the son of a Lead Warrior and once she comes of age and they mate, I know they’ll be a powerful G**a couple.” I don’t mention anything about their possible promotions because Zahn knows nothing of us planning to take over the other packs.

He scoffs. “A woman AND a pup? I thought you were supposed to be some strong, powerful Alpha. Sounds to me like you’re weakening your pack every day. No wonder Joshua attacked you.”

I step up, getting in his face. “Joshua is dead. Anyone who comes for me or my pack, will end up with the same fate. You may think that my ways are weakening this pack, but pay attention, look around you. My pack is happy, strong, and unified. Every member of this pack would die for another. Every one of them would lay down their lives for me and for Sophie. And just like I told Jocelyn, I very much doubt that you can say the same.”

I hold his gaze until he looks away. “Where is my room?”

“This way, Alpha,” Brutus says, stepping up and gesturing towards the warrior’s side of the packhouse.

Kayce and Robin come to stand on either side of me as Zahn is lead away.

“You sure this is a good idea?” Kayce asks me.

“No. But I’m taking precautions.”

“Maybe Jocelyn will decide she wants to leave, and you can boot them both off your pack lands,” Robin says.

“I could only be so lucky.”

We’ve just turned around to head to my office when our mates come through the front of the packhouse.

“How did it go?” I ask Sophie, opening my arms for her.

She walks in without hesitation, and I wrap my arms around her. “She’s not going to make it easy.”

“If it was easy, she wouldn’t need you,” I tell her, holding her as I go through her mind, feeling her worry that she won’t be able to help Jocelyn.

‘You can only do so much, Soph. She has to be willing to help herself too,’ I say in the mind link.

‘I know,’ she replies, but it doesn’t ease her worry. Not even a little.