Bella's Pov
I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat,nervously wiping my sweaty hands over myshorts.
Nerves made my stomach cramp andmy heartbeat accelerate to the point where Ithought I'd have a heart attack.,"Breathe,"Hunter's soothing voice filled me and my tense muscles relaxed a tad but I couldn'tfully become content when I knew what lay,ahead of me.,
We'd just arrived back at the pack office.It was strangely quiet.There was no one hanging around on the outside bench.The flower garden that backed onto the forest was empty too.
Confused,I looked up at Hunter,"I asked everyone to gather in the hall andwait for us,"he explained, rubbing his big hand up and down my back in roundmotions.
I leaned against him,closing myeyes briefly to catch my breath.,I was still terrified. It felt strange to realise,that everyone knew about me now.
It was no longer a secret that I'm an omega.It made me feel both sick and like a huge weight had been,lifted off my shoulders.The conflicting,feeling was frustrating.,"U-umm, Bella , I know y-youre mad at m-me,b-but I'm here okay? Even if everyone hates us,,I still love-w-well I'm here I guess,"Amelia's unsure stutter of a whisper made tears well up in my eyes.
After our argument and me admitting that it hurt me when she left me alone during hard situations,I was so grateful she listened and decided to push past her own fears to support,me.
She was trying and that's all I could ask,for.,"Thanks melia, it means a lot,'I answered just as softly and she let out a happy purr at the,nickname I used to call her.
Hunter,linking our fingers,brought me out,of my head and I peered up at him.As usual,he seemed calm and collected,notgiving anything away. He looked stern but ultimately so unbothered that I wondered if we were actually about to walk into the samesituation.
By the time we made it inside and down the corridor towards the hall,my heart was,trying to beat it's way out of my chest.
Without beating around the bush just like the agressively forward alpha king he is, hunter opened the door to the grand hall and walked confidently inside yelling "Stop talking and listen!",
The loud chatter died down and around ahundred pairs of confused,panicked,worried and hostile looking eyes turned to stare at us.
I wanted to shrink away into a dark cornerand never come out again.The fear I felt at that moment was indescribable.
I'd never been at the center of attention like this before,in my life and I hated it,I whimpered and took a few steps back,but Amelia didn't leave me alone like usual.
Inatead she stayed at the forefront of my mind, as my legs were shaking.I in turn tried to draw strength from her.
I kept my facial expression in its,usual stoic mask and pinched the skin of my palm to stop my hands from trembling.
Hunter led us up to his platform where he usually spoke from during pack meetings.He was a good few heads taller than everyone so it wasn't really needed but it helped the wolves at the back of the large room to see him properly when he spoke.
I felt like I was standing under the spotlight,bare and open for everyone to judge and make a mockery of me.I could see one of the girls whose name I heard was Naomi from the maids was at the front of the crowd.
She had a devious,smirk on her face as if my discomfort made her happy.,I looked away from her immeadiately and focused on a spot on the far back wall so lwouldn't have to look at everyone and fear bursting into tears.
Hunter stood proud and tall next to me and Ienvied his xhe small of my back as he addressed his pack."First of all,thank you meeting hereat such short notice.I know you have other things to attend to so I'll make this quick.",To my suprise,instead of going right into thematter at hand and addressing the rumours obviously going around about me, Hunter tookhis time going through other pack businessfirst.
I looked up at him,a little confused.He only gave my back a small rub,not even,looking down at me.,The alpha king proceeded to go through boarder control for the next week as well as new rules he was bringing in for the pups in the pack.
I began to relax a little, the more he spoke even though I was still confused.His soothing voice was quite relaxing to listen to.The others in the room seemed to think so too.Their tense shoulders relaxed and their panicked faces had melted into sated ones asthey murmured and nodded along to their alpha king asking questions where necessary.
I realised then that hunter was calming everyone down by using this as a normal meeting instead of making a big issue out of,my rumours.He was smart, I'd give him that.
U risked looking into the crowd briefly.Some wolves were still staring at me,but not withas much hostility as before.Others seemed absorbed in hunter. While some murmured to each other.I spotted Alex standing beside his mate paige as he held two little girls in his arms.
Paigw winked at me waving descretely.,My insides went tingly.she was so nice to meand I found myself believing that maybe we really could be friends.
Paige would be my first ever friend in the pack.The thought was exciting.,As my eyes continued to scan,I caught sight of his dad too.The large alpha stood off to theside,his bulky arms crossed over his broadpecks.One hand stroked his beard ashe also scanned the crowd.
As if he sensed me looking,my he gave me areassuring grin. Amelia relaxed a little at that.
"Right,"Hunter clapped his hands,making mejump.Anyone in the crowd who's attention may have swayed,jerked right back to lookat him."You may be wondering why this lady is up here with me-",My body tensed again.
Fuck,here goes nothing.,"-there have been a few rumours being,spread and we're here to put that to rest. Firstly, Im not happy with the way this situation was handled."Hunter'svoice deepened with distaste.
"If you hear comments or statements aboutother members of this pack that maybe concerning,you tell me or Alex Other than that,spreading unconfirmed information is problematic and I don'ttolerate such behaviour.Is that clear?"
A few people had the sense to look ashamed,"In regards to the rumour,yes,Bella is my mate and she is an omega.",A burst of loud chattering echoed around the hall and I cringed.There it was.Finally confirmed.
The urge to throw up overwhelmed me.I probably would've done that if the hand on my back hadn't snaked around my waist and tugged me closer to t,e,warm body beside me.,I descretely moved my own hand to Hunter's,
"Silence!" Hunter was quick to calm the crow" Bella is an omega and your luna she will be referring to this status inside our pack from now on.In regards to this being a secret,personal reasons were the cause of that.However, Bella's has posed no threat to this pack at all,,
"What?!",Of course.She just couldn't leave me alone, she had to voice her opinion out to me.,"That's obsured alpha! She's not fit to be lun..",
Hunter let out a loud rumble of anger and,as,roar was overwhelming.I barely restrained ,from baring my neck in submission.,"Everyone is entitled to their own person,Do not go against my word.If you have,concerns then come and see me after."He gazed around,seeming to meet everyone's eye.
"Bella is your luna and she is staying.Further more,her position in this pack remains the same.Bella submits to no,one inside this pack besides me.Do you understand?"
,Most nodded,still seemingly concerned without having anything to say about it.Naomi on the other hand looked scandalised, Her face was red with anger and she see was suprised that things obviously hadn't gonethe way she had expected it to be
,"While we're on topic, I'd also like to announce oficially that Bella and I are going to go through the , mating----",And another uproar of suprised chatter.I squirmed uncomfortably.My cheeks wereprobrably pink even those I still tried to remain indifferent.
"Expect a mating ceremony in the next fewweeks!" Hunter thundered over the crowds cheer
You're dismissed! Apart from you! Myboffice,now!"Luka pointed at Naomi with a steely expression.She huffed,stomping out as the crowd started to leak out of exits and,disperse.,By the time everyone I didn't personally know had left,I'd lost most of my energy and slumped against Hunter.
He wrapped me up in his big arms,hugged me tightly and I pressed my face into his chest with a shaky breath.It was over-sort of.,"I'm proud of you," Alex and Paige walked over still holding onto their pups who shylysmiled in my direction.
"You kept that robot look just fine,"Paige teased me and I smiled a little.,"Thanks.I'm just happy it's over,"I told her truthfully.,"Tell us if anyone gives you trouble," Alex replied seriously before taking Paige's hand and leaving like everyone else.
Strong fingers gripped my chin and tilted my head up.I stared into hunter's intense hazel eyes and shivered a little.He was grinning,his usual, cocky, sexy grin as he pushed my curls back off my face.
"See,everything went,well.",I glared a little. "They didn't seem very happy,with me.","But they didn't attack you,or try to overthrow us,or protest for you to leave so It went well,"he repeated,unperturbed.
Hunter bent forward and tenderly kissed my mouth, i closed my eyes savouri the taste of his lips and gripped his forearm tightly,moaning into the kiss.It was gentle.
Hunter pulled back and sighed."I gotta go deal with Naomi. Go to our room and wait for me there.Preferably naked,but if not then I sonr mind you in panties only.Got it?",I nodded with red cheeks.
He kissed me one,last time before releasing me."If anyone gives you shit, just brush it off babe.But youtell me who they are.If anyone gets physical,then you have permission to kick their asses too.Just don't kill anyone.",I snorted,walking away from him with a nod.But the truth was that I wouldn't tell him.The pack were just reacting normally and it would take them a while to warm up to me,not that they'd ever been warm to begin with.
There was no use creating more drama between hunter and the pack by tattle tailing everytime someone called me a name.It would just make things worse.,I headed back to the room,ignoring anyone still hanging about in corridors.I could feelthem staring but it wasn't as intense as it was in the hall.
I made it to Hunter's room safely and Amelia and I were finally able to relax.,I stripped out of my clothes like hunter had asked.
But still feeling very insecure meant that there was no way I could lay naked for him.So,I pulled on one of the black nightie Paige bought for me.
Paige was right.They did kinda look nice,even with my body. They huggedmy hips perfecty. I smiled a little,satisfied.
Climbing onto the bed,I beamed at the,sight of my little puppy which hunter bought for me, playing amongst the pillows.
He instantly tumbled over to me and I scooped him up, petting it's soft fur,and tickling her pink nose.
We lay like that for around ten minutes and i started debating what hunter was planning on doing with Naomi.It was so clear she hated me ?,
"If we try t-to m-make amends, maybe she'llstop,"Amelia suggested,thinking purely as always.I doubted it would work but thanked her anyway for her input.
My wolf gave me a bright smile and rubbed her body affectionately up against the metaphoricalnwalls of my mind.,I realised then my own faults that caused the drift in our relationship.
hadn't given her enough assurance and praise.I hadn't regarded her opinions. I felt guilty instantly.
The door to the bedrom opened and Hunter came inside carrying two trays of dinner. I sat up and Hunter closed the door behind him with his foot