The One He Claimed

Chapter 175: Sitting It Out

Hunter

I struggled the entire first day of the competition, my mind back on the pack, worried about the battle to come. It’s not that I don’ t think that the pack is strong enough to handle an attack, but I’ m their leader and I left them to fight without me. It goes against everything in me.

I’d let our friends know what was happening when I arrived, let them know that I may have to leave the competition early. So, they knew about and understood my distraction as the competition began.

There are five of us refereeing the competition and the first round of 200 individuals means we each have to ref forty fights. We had our mates draw the names and put up a board with who was fighting whom and the referee assigned so that we could make sure that we never needed to be in two fights at once and everyone knew the order of their fight. So, if the fight I was refereeing finished quickly, then the next two could step in, and the competition would continue smoothly.

We set up our five areas and made sure our groups knew where to go. After that, it was up to our mates to help answer questions because the five of us went nearly non-stop for the next six hours. Sophie brought me water and updated me periodically that she hadn’t heard anything from Lucas. No news is good news, Thope.

I had hoped to be down to 25 by the end of day one, but I hadn’t taken into consideration how hard these individuals would be fighting. This is a huge opportunity, and they all realize that they are fighting to have their own pack. Thankfully, our mates were keeping track, so after a short break for dinner where I called Lucas and found out that nothing was happening in the pack, I went back in, this time for 20 fights.

Our mates made sure to keep it fair by putting winners of the early fights in the early second rounds. I was proud to see that many of my warriors had made it through to the second round and those that didn’t asked if they could return home to help guard that pack. I was thankful to them. They didn’t seem upset that they needed to leave, but rather, they seemed proud that they had competed and wanted to get back to work. And while I was happy that so many of my warriors made it through to the second round, I was thankful to have more warriors back home, protecting the pack.

The second round was even more grueling than the first round. This time, I had to end two fights where the person losing refused to give up. I knew Kayce had to end a fight in the first round and so did Ezra, but these were the first two that I’d had to stop. The loser wasn’t happy, mouthing off about favoritism and getting in my face until Shaw pushed forward, putting him in his place, and forcing his submission. For both of the individuals that didn’t want to give up, I made a note of who their Alpha was to have them follow up with them later.

It’s late at night before the final match is over, mine going the Hongest because of the two fights that I had to end. By then, all of us were pretty tired and no one wanted to waste their down time by partying since the battles would continue tomorrow.

My warriors that didn’t win in the second round, asked if they could return home, also wanting to be there if the pack is attacked. I told them to go together, in case they came across Zahn’s pack on the way. I don’t want to lose pack members because they accidentally crossed paths with the attacking pack.

“Hunter, come to bed,” Sophie says, holding out her hand to me, I turn and look at her as I stop my pacing.

“Lucas will call if they are attacked. Or Kinsley will and then they’ Il call when it’s done.”

I go to her, setting the phone on the nightstand, kicking off my shoes and crawling into bed behind her, tugging her against me and burying my face in her hair.

“I feel like a terrible Alpha. I feel like Joshua or Elias, someone who leaves their pack to slaughter while I go hide,” I tell her honestly.

She turns, uncomfortably shifting to try and face me. I push back, making room for our son between us.

“Now you listen to me, Hunter Reynolds. You are nothing like those worthless Alphas. You didn’t leave your pack to be slaughtered. You left them prepared for a battle that we were able to plan for. You’ve strengthened them to the point that they know they can defend themselves without you there. That doesn’t mean they don’t need and want you as their leader. It’s only because if you that they are this strong. Be proud of our pack and that they feel confident to protect themselves without you there,” my mate says sternly.

I smile, looking at her, her eyes glimmering in the dark with the passion of her words.

“Have I told you how much I love you today?” I ask her.

She huffs out her breath. Then gives me a very seductive look. “Not nearly enough.”

I’m just about to lean down and start something with my mate that will distract me for at least an hour when the phone rings.

I turn, snatching it off the nightstand, checking the caller ID before answering.

“Kinsley?” I answer, hearing controlled chaos in the background.

“They’re here, Alpha.”

I jump to my feet. “Do you need me?”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“We’re good. We’ve almost got everyone in the safe rooms and the warriors are ready. We’ll tear Zahn’s pack members to shreds,” she snarls.

“I want a call as soon as it’s done, Kinsley.”

“Yes, Alpha,” she says. When she hangs up, the sound of commotion does too, leaving me in a very quiet room.

“Come hold me, Hunter. We’ll wait together,” my mate says.

I turn and look at her over my shoulder, struggling with the feeling of not being a good Alpha again.

“Hunter,” she says more insistently, tapping the bed beside her.

I lean back against the headrest, pulling my mate against my body as 1 feel her sending soothing waves of love to me.

“I’ve never felt so helpless, Sophie,” I say. She’s the only person. in the world I can be this honest with, this vulnerable with.

“We wouldn’t be pushing Lucas to become an Alpha if we didn’t think he had it in him to lead a pack, Hunter. Let’s consider this a training opportunity for him. It’s a chance for him to see if he really wants this level of responsibility in his life, Hunter. You trust him, I trust him, and we both trust our pack. When we return tomorrow, we can let them feel how proud we are of them that they were able to protect each other without either of us thère. Like I said before, they’re only this strong because you’ ve made them this strong.”

“We’ve made them this strong, Sophie. The pack wasn’t this strong before you arrived.”

“Maybe they just needed some incentive,” my mate says, chuckling.

“I really do love.

Thank you for helping me to find some level of peace with this.”

“Isn’t that what a good Luna does, my mate?”

“Yes, and so much more.”

It’s less time than I thought it would take before my phone rings again. I look at the me, two am, before I look at the caller ID.

“Lucas?”

“Alpha, the pack is secure,” he says, and I can hear the fury of battle still in his voice.

“Jocelyn?” I ask, knowing that would have been Zahn’s primary target.

“Jocelyn is safe.”

“Zahn?”

He snarls. “Zahn is unconscious in our cells.”

I smile. “Who knocked him out?”

I can almost feel Lucas relaxing through the phone. “I’m not sure yet, but I think Brutus and William will say it was a tie.”

“Injuries?” I ask.

“We’re still getting the list, but so far, only minor injuries.”

“Zahn’s pack?”

“Ripped to shreds,” he growls.

“Get everyone settled and get some sleep. We can burn the bodies tomorrow when I get home.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“And Lucas?” I say before he hangs up. “Well done.”

“Thank you, Alpha. It was a pack effort. You should be proud.”

“I am,” I say, hanging up and finally feeling like I can take a deep breath.

“Hunter?” Sophie asks, when I just sit for a moment.

I look down at her and smile. “I think our Betas have become quite blood-thirsty.”

She laughs and I finally feel my mind settle. I strip off my clothes and lay down, curling around my mate who is sound asleep in minutes. I kiss her head once more, loving this woman so much for everything that she is, before I follow her into sleep.