Claiming His Love {manxman}

CHL: Chapter Thirty

This is the last chapter.

Nikolai Lyev Baranov

Wow.

I had come a long way. From six years ago, to now.

It was a rainy day in the city of Arondale, North Carolina, the beautiful blue sky dropping bouts of drizzling rain. I was serving my job as the pack consultant.

"I don't think that will be a wise decision for this pack," I slipped off my reading glasses, eyeing every single person in the meeting room with me: Mikhail, Aleksandr, Zoya, Trace, and Imani. "A big chunk of our funds would go towards this, and who's to say that it will work long term?" I stated, making sure that my point was clear. They were trying to take the initiative to go and reform one of the fallen packs nearby because it had fallen to famine and disease. They needed assistance as they were dying off and while I understood their suffering, it wouldn't work well in the end for us.

"Think about it," I said, once I got their attention. "That means money out of our pocket to go and replenish food stocks, beverage stocks, and medication stocks, especially for a pack as large as theirs." I explained. It wasn't that I didn't want to help them, because I desperately did. Nothing hurt more than knowing that someone was in pain and there wasn't a thing that I could do about it. However, as the pack advisor, I was looking out for this pack and no one else. Call it selfish, but I called it being safe. "What we can do is," I began, standing up and opening my file to divulge into all of the information and facts that I came up with.

"Send them rations of food, seeds for crops, ten gallons of water, and one bag of medicine. This should be enough to get their people back to health and their economy rolling as it was once again. This will also be helpful to us because it will not push us back further," I showed them the graphs that I made, depicting my estimation. "This will not be a setback." I finished, feeling eyes on me and I turned to look at Trace, who had a look of pride etched on his face as he stared at me, a small grin poking at his lips. 

'I'm so lucky to have him,' I didn't know if he knew that I could hear his thoughts nor did I think he cared, but it was sweet enough to be able to process that I mattered as much to him. I mean, of course, I did. I blushed at all of the memories that came together because of him. Though he was my own worst enemy at one point in my life, he was also my best friend. He was also the one who saw me for who I really was. He was the one who pushed and strived for this relationship to work, despite all trials and tribulations. He was the one who was there, no matter what happened.

And I thank him.

Mikhail sat in thought, pondering my words. I wasn't wrong. I did my job well enough to know that, but now, it was up to them to decide where to go from here. I ran a hand through my hair, pushing out a sigh as my stomach starved for food. I needed to feed myself and my baby, who was growing at a month and half old inside of me. "I agree," Imani tapped the table in approval, giving her side. "It makes sense from Nikolai's point of view." The rest of the members looked at each other and Imani shot me a subtle wink.

And her, Imani Carrigan: the rock of my life throughout the dark times. She was the one person who I trusted my entire life with. She was the one who came barrelling through the walls, demanding that I bare my true self to her. Most of all, she was the one who believed me when not a single other person did.

And I thank her. 

"As the Alpha of the Blazing Rage," Mikhail turned his head to me, an affectionate gaze in his eyes as he nodded, baring his agreement with my plans. "We will do what Advisor Baranov has suggested and move with those plans in mind to help the Starwitched pack. I can't call myself an Alpha if I don't look out for my people," He looked around to see if anyone else had any objections to the plans and from the looks of it, no one did.