The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 6: Kinsley

Hunter

"Why hasn't Alpha Aiden returned my f**k**g call," I growl at Lucas.

"He's out hunting Alpha females like the rest of them," he says, gloomily.

Lucas found his mate a year ago. Once he claimed her, he realized just how right I was to hate this process. His mate, while a good Beta female and role model for the pack, still struggles with their mate bond. Every time he touches her in public, she flinches away from him.

I know he hates it, but she's actually more comfortable with me than she is with him. I asked her about it once and she told me that she saw me walk out of the room during the claiming process. She said that she trusts me because I did what I could to give her a bit of privacy. The same couldn't be said for the others at the party, and so, she still struggles with Lucas' touch.

I also know that it extends into their bedroom. I don't ask, and he hasn't said anything to me, but Kinsley hasn't gotten- pregnant yet, so I doubt they are having sex and I know it must be killing him to not be able to touch his mate.

"Anyone in their right mind who's paying attention realizes that all we're doing is causing more problems for our packs. They need to end this ridiculous process and stop having these public claimings," I growl, standing and pacing.

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Chapter 6: Kinsley

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"Yeah, I agree with you," Lucas says contritely.

There's a knock at the door and before I tell her to come in, I already know it's Kinsley. When she opens the door, she looks surprised to see Lucas in here. She collects herself quickly, then glances back at

me.

"Alpha I was wondering if you wanted lunch. I wasn't sure what your plans were for today." She glances at her mate. "I could bring you lunch as well, Lucas."

"I'd rather have lunch with you, Kins," he says.

going on. I don't really have time to stop for lunch

watch the interaction between them, but I stay out of it. This is their mate bond, and he has to figure it out. There was a time when Kinsley did lose too much weight and I had to step in. It was soon after they had been mated and she had stopped eating completely. As much

I watched everything that she ate, she finally took me

Where he is unable to make headway with his mate, I am able to as her

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missing ranked she-wolves over lunch. You might have a different perspective, different insights, something that we're overlooking that could help us find some of these females. Would you be willing to have lunch with us and talk through that?" I ask her. leave the decision up to her. I won't

"I'm

do I, but you're a Beta female, and these are ranked females on the run. They're in danger and we need to do something to help them. You have insights to that different than

right. I'll get three trays of food

the door closes, Lucas looks at me. "Thank you, Hunter. I know our mate bond is not your problem, but as my

in the one instance where she was killing

press together, and I know that he understands that their very first meeting, his claim of her, has caused all of these problems. That night, she had no choice. It didn't matter how kind he was during the process, it didn't matter what

Chapter & Kinsley

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it, and they can't

what was happening. The strength of her emotions had flooded into him, and it had made him almost incapable of completing their mate bond. He

it all. Sophie Meyers, the younger sister of Amelia, ran the night of her sister's claiming. Calvin, like

Alphas bonded together in a way they never have before, fighting against her father Alpha Carter, wanting him to go after

of us, including Robin, Dutton, and Kayce, stood beside him. I was surprised when Alpha Ezra, my sister's mate, also stood beside

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to go find her and drag her back. However, from everything that

was two years

11

Rather than waiting until their 18th birthday to tell them

death rather than the public claiming. This

clear alliances, and splitting the packs into one of two sides. One side is in agreement that the public claimings should end and the other is still fighting to continue with this antiquated process. In some packs, such as my own, there is disagreement within the pack itself. So far it has not become a problem for me. I don't have any young ranked she-wolves that will

Chapter 6 Kinsley