The One He Claimed by Cooper

Chapter 190: Saying Goodbye

Hunter

Last night was bittersweet. I’m truly happy for my friends and what they’ve accomplished, but **n it hurts to know that I won’t have Lucas by my side every day any longer.

I convinced Lucas to join me for one more training session. I get up early, letting Sophie sleep. I know today is going to be a difficult day for her too. She and Kinsley have gotten very close, but hopefully, the bonds we created here will continue. And while we’ll see them less, the times we do see them will be that much more special.

When I walk out onto the training field, Jaime is already at the front of the group, Lucas standing beside him.

“Get used to Hunter being late to training,” Lucas says good naturedly to Jaime, making the warriors chuckle.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. In the last two days since you’ve been gone, he’s beat me to training,” Jaime says, giving it right back.

“Spoken like my new Beta!” I say. “Come on, Lucas. You’re with me today.” I say as my warriors grumble that they don’t get a last chance to spar with him.

It’s a great sparring match and I know that Lucas is ready to take his place as an Alpha. When we’re done, he rubs his side and smirks at me. “D**n, you really are upset that I’m taking a handful of your pack members, aren’t you?”

“You could have given me some warning,” I grumble.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he says, chuckling as we walk inside. I refocus my attention on Sophie, and I feel her overwhelmed with her emotions.

“I need to go find my mate,” I say, all joking gone.

“So do I. Today will be…”

“Tough. Yeah, it will,” I say before jogging upstairs to find Sophie in the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, crying.

When I walk in, she looks up at me with tears streaming down her face. “I’m going to miss them so much.”

I scoop her up, and gently carry her into the room, sitting on our loveseat and snuggling my mate against me.

I’m sweaty. I was sparring with Lucas this morning,” I say, kissing the top

“How did he

he was made to be an Alpha,” I say, not sure if Sophie’s emotions are getting to me, or if I’m struggling on

we’ll see them again soon.

them at the pack hospital as we’re having our pups checked. It won’t be the same, but we will see them and once the community area is together, it’ll be even easier for us to schedule play dates or community training sessions. We even talked about having the warrior competitions

my throat, breathing in my scent as I hold her in my

she’s settled, I carry her into the bathroom, and we shower together. I wash her

Lucas and Kinsley surrounded by pack members all wanting to speak with them before they leave. I can tell that Kinsley is struggling

beside her. I get my mate some breakfast and hand her the plate while she and Kinsley talk to the pack

go, knowing that Lucas needs help loading their things. It’s late morning before their truck is packed with everything

like much, does

“It looks like the start of a new life,” I say

and looks at me, and I see the same emotion in his eyes that I

you brother,” he says, and I pull him into a

to miss

inside and get our mates, Sophie and I standing aside while they say goodbye to everyone. Sophie and Kinsley aren’t the

over to Brutus and shake his hand. “I know you’ll be a great Beta for Lucas but

Alpha. I didn’t…I didn’t realize it would

will be there soon for Luna

come visit,” I tell him. “You too, Leah,” I say as she walks up, having said goodbye

sure I’ll want to come back a lot to see

“You’re always welcome.”

a whole new opportunity for you

terrified. What if

you’ll do it more than once. Just make sure your screw ups don’t cost anyone their life or put the pack at risk. Then when you make a

“Thank you, Alpha!

others outside, Sophie and Kinsley taking the longest to say their goodbyes, both still crying. Lucas and