Hunter's Claim: The Alliance Book 1 by S. E. Smith

still be back
home.”
    “Taylor,” Jesse said again in frustration.
“Dad isn’t here. There is no use wishing for things we can’t
change.”
    She groaned when Taylor pulled away with a
shake of her head and ran out of the training room in tears. Jesse
glanced at Jordan who murmured a quick word of support before she
went after Taylor. Jesse felt like the weight of the world had once
again settled on her shoulders.
    “She is young. Give her time,” Dagger said
coming up behind her.
    Jesse turned and looked at the tall warrior
who was good friends with Hunter. He was slightly darker than
Hunter and his eyes were the color of mocha. He was as tall as
Hunter but there was an air of barely controlled violence that
clung to him that she didn’t feel with Hunter or with Saber.
    “I’m not sure she is the only one who is
having a hard time with us being taken away from our world,” Jesse
admitted. “I wish…”
    Dagger looked intently at Jesse as her voice
faded. “You were wise when you said there is no use wishing for
things that you cannot change. It will only fester like an unhealed
wound inside if you do.”
    “It isn’t easy,” Jesse said softly. “Humans
weren’t ready to find out they weren’t the only ones in the
universe.”
    Dagger reached out and ran his fingers down
Jesse’s cheek before letting his hand drop to his side. He could
smell her pain just as he could hear the fear and confusion in
Jordan’s voice when she asked about finding a mate. His eyes moved
to the door and he nodded as Hunter came through the entrance.
    “No world is ever ready to find out they are
not the only ones,” Dagger replied. “But they always wonder if
there are others out among the stars. That is why there is always a
touch of amusement to the Alliance when they rebel when we answer
the calls they send out.”
    Jesse frowned as Dagger nodded briefly
before turning and walking back over to the weight bench. She
started when she felt warm hands wrap around her waist. She glanced
over her shoulder at Hunter before sighing and leaning back against
him.
    “What happened?” Hunter asked. “I was
informed that Taylor was crying.”
    Jesse turned in his arms and wrapped hers
around his waist. She needed the comfort he was giving her. She
buried her face in his chest and breathed in deeply. She finally
released a sigh and leaned back to give him a rueful smile.
    “I never realized how difficult it was to be
a parent,” Jesse admitted. “Saber got mad at Taylor and she wants
to go home. So does Jordan.”
    Hunter stiffened and his hold on her
tightened. “What about you, Jesse? What do you want?”
    “I’m not sure,” she admitted reluctantly.
“I’m not ready to call it quits. I know what our life would be like
back on Earth. I think it might be nice to see where this takes
us.”
    Hunter stared intently down at her before he
bent and rubbed his nose along her cheek. She smelled so damn good.
When he was told that Taylor was crying, he had panicked. He had
been afraid that Jesse and her sisters would want to return to
their world. It was to be expected. He just needed time to convince
them that his world could be a good place for them. Jesse was
giving him that time.
    “Hunter,” Jesse murmured as he continued to
rub her cheek with his nose.
    “Yes, Jesse?” Hunter whispered.
    “Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” She asked,
threading her fingers through his hair. “Don’t you want to?”
    Hunter pulled back just far enough so he
could look down at her in confusion. That was what he was doing. It
was a male’s way of kissing a female by rubbing his nose along the
female’s cheek. It left scent markers to the other male’s that she
belonged to him.
    “I… how do humans kiss?” He asked
instead.
    Jesse looked up at him with a raised eyebrow
before her eyes dropped to his lips. She began massaging her
fingers along his scalp. A low rumble escaped him as her
fingernails heightened his desire to fever