The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 42: Assumptions and Wagers

Hunter

The next morning, on the way to warrior training, I bump into a ridiculously happy Lucas.

"Beta?" I ask but based on the dark circles under his eyes and the fresh mark on his neck, I'm pretty sure I know why my Betal looks so happy.

"It finally happened, Alpha. Kins finally gave herself to me, and holy f**g s**t. I had no idea it could be that good."

I smile at my Beta. It's good to see him this happy and to know that what I saw in Kinsley yesterday extended to their relationship.

"I'm not exactly an expert, but I can tell you that after just a few days, it gets better and better every day." I say.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Where is your mate?"

"Sleeping. I wore her out," he says smugly.

"I'm sure that will continue for a long time, so she better get used to working on little to no sleep." I tell him as we step outside.

I take the time to address our warriors and explain that we have some new faces from Alpha Carter's pack to assist us until we

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can begin to rebuild our pack's defenses and update our patrol schedule.

After that, I pair Carter's warriors with mine and watch to see how good they actually are. I'm not sure if Beta Matthew sent me his best warriors, or if they are all this good, but it's a testament to his pack and their training that his warriors are able to easily keep up with mine.

As with all packs, methods of training and techniques vary, so I talk to Lucas about having Carter's warriors rotate in to lead the morning training and teach our warriors some new fighting methods. The more prepared we are for battle, the better.

After training, I head inside, happy to see my mate talking to our pack members and getting to know them. I haven't given her much time to do that other than her Luna ceremony. I walk up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Can I join you for breakfast?" I ask her.

"Absolutely not," she says, surprising me and turning to look at me with her hand on her hips.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Why didn't you wake me for warrior training?"

I smile down at her. "I thought you might be tired after last night," I say, knowing that the entire room is watching our exchange. She might want to think twice about making a scene in the future. Her cheeks redden and she suddenly realizes that we have an audience.

"It's not because I'm a woman?" she asks.

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you not tell me that you were able to withstand Alpha Owen's Alpha command?" I ask her. I hear the murmurings of the group. It's good to remind our pack that their Luna is an Alpha wolf. "Yes, but what does that have to do with fighting?" she

keep one of the strongest wolves in our pack from training unless I

lips together and looks down. "I want to start. training, no matter

keep you up until the wee hours of the morning because you're begging me for more," I say, leaning in so only she can hear

run my knuckles over her cheek, feeling the heat. "I love your passion, by the way. You should make sure it's directed properly, though. Now, will you have breakfast with me? I'd like to

and kissing me softly. "Sorry for jumping

attend warrior training. As a matter of fact, I told Lucas to have your father's warriors start training ours so

of practice. I think I'd like to go through a couple

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starting over. She won't. She's an Alpha and it will all come back quickly. She's only been out of training for two years and if her father started her at ten, like most Alphas, she had six years before

you and see what you remember and how good your reflexes are.

plate. I'm glad to see she's eating a decent

we add a little wager to out sparring, to make it fun," I say

the corner of her eye, but I see the tips of

of wager?" she asks, and I can tell she's excited at the idea of a competition. She's such an

ear. I feel her body shiver with my words, or maybe it's my breath against her ear, I'm not sure but her mouth

asks, knowing we'll be having sex more than once

"Absolutely."

Alpha," she

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two of us head to a table where Kinsley and Lucas are eating. I notice they

I ask. Sophie had already put her tray

want

just...talking," Kinsley says, blushing

I'd say your mate was talking to you about the same things that mine was talking to me about," Sophie says, smiling at

me.

shake my head and

at Kinsley. "Are we good after

I won't disappoint

lean forward, holding her gaze. "You didn't disappoint me, Kinsley. I just wanted to see you rise to the Beta that I know your can be. I think you've found yourself and I'm

down, this blush a lighter shade than the one Lucas elicited. He leans in and kisses the side of her head. "I told you," he says to

sure my mate is eating, then focus. "So, today, I want to invite Alphas

willing to make the trip, then I'm going to

charge. again. I know I'm asking a lot during a time when

understand, Alpha. We're your Betas for a reason, right

We will manage the pack and protect them as you would

not expecting an attack, but am expecting to get a notice that the two of us have to come before the Committee of Alphas. However, that doesn't mean that one or more of the Alphas won't consider our pack weak knowing we lost

ended up with Alpha