The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 40: Kinsley's Acceptance Kinsley

I'd forgotten how grueling running patrols is. It's eight hours of nearly non-stop running and since I'm a Beta and running with a bunch of male warriors, I have to set an example, not only that I'm worthy of being a Beta but also that I'm just as strong as any male in this pack.

I'm tired, not having slept well with Lucas out running patrols all night. While I've been struggling with intimacy between us, realize that I miss him when he's gone. Now that I've invited him back to our bed, I really miss feeling his arms around me at night.

When we finish our patrol, I shift and reach for my clothes.

I hear a wolf-whistle behind me and I turn, seeing one of our warriors staring at me. Ogling me, really.

"Knock it off, Trent. You're being disrespectful," one of the other patrols says.

Trent shrugs nonchalantly and opens his mouth to say something else. Before he can, his eyes move to something behind me, and I turn, seeing Lucas standing at the back of the packhouse, waiting for me, watching out for me.

I see that he's holding a shirt for me, and he steps off the patio, heading my way.

"Don't know why he bothers. We've all seen you anyway," Trent

sneers quietly enough that only I hear him as he passes me. 288 Vouchers

"Good afternoon, Beta," he says cheerfully as he passes Lucas.

"Trevor," he says, his eyes not leaving mine. "Kinsley," he says, pulling the shirt over my head.

"I have my own clothes, Lucas," I say, but I take a deep breath, letting his scent of the rainforest fill my senses and relax me after Trevor's comments.

"I noticed you slept in my shirt last night," he says, wrapping an arm around my waist, but not pulling me to him. He's always so careful with me, ever since the day he marked me. But I've decided that it's time for me to put the past behind me. I need to start trusting my mate to care for me, to protect me. So, for the first time in our relationship, I lean into him.

His eyes instantly brighten, and he tightens his arm around me, wrapping the second around me as well, just holding me. We stand like that for a while before he kisses the top of my head. "How was your run?"

"Exhausting," I say. "But no scent of Alphas or she-wolves."

"Well, the she-wolves won't know that we're a sanctuary yet, but I'm glad to hear that there are no Alphas. And speaking of Alphas, Alpha Calvin is sending 20 warriors to help us run patrols, so we have some time to reorganize the patrol schedules.

"Oh, that's great news," I say walking inside.

"Yes, and Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie won't be home until late. They are meeting with Alpha Calvin and Alpha Dutton

288 Vouchers

tonight at Alpha Carter's pack."

think they'll stand with us?" I

is mated to Lunal Sophie's sister, and Alpha Dutton hasn't found his mate yet, but he's

open? I can

legs are stiff after running all night. I'm guessing yours will be too and I still don't like

it gets

holds onto my hand. "Hurry home

and turn to head upstairs. Every time he says something like that, my heart melts a little bit more. Not for the first

have food in their stomachs. I leave the

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I return, Lucas and I have dinner and once Alpha Hunter and Luna Sophie return, we head to our room. It's good to know that at least two more

I tell him as we walk into our

he says. "Why don't you get ready for bed and lie down, I'll massage your

wants to touch me more than I'm comfortable allowing, so this is a nice compromise, and my mate's fingers are

while it makes me nervous that he might want something more, he doesn't act on it. I feel bad for my mate. I feel his arousal pressed against my back every night when we go to sleep and every morning when we wake. I know it must be hard for him, but even now, he doesn't push me. He accepts what I'm willing to give him. "How's that?" he

much better,"

some sleep," he says, moving up to lay behind me. Yep, he's hard as a rock. I feel like I want to thank him, in a way that might be more meaningful to him and push me in my desire to

"Kinsley?"

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to have sex, but I thought, maybe we could kiss for a bit before we go

to

slowly deepening the kiss and when his tongue licks the seam of my lips, I

myself whimper against him and he growls softly in return. I can feel my body responding to my mate, heat pooling in my core, making my body crave more. I begin pressing myself closer against him, wanting to ease the ache between

he asks me, pulling

"I don't..."

Nothing else. I can smell your arousal, Kinsley. It's making me crazy,

I nod.

your

that I'm wearing. The feel of his fingers against my skin makes my body feel like

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Chapter 40: Kinsley's Acceptance

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can move down into my sleep shorts. He gently

Kins," he growls against my mouth before. taking the kiss even deeper. When his fingers find my c***t, I gasp, looking up at

I

for me, I want to see you,