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.

with Lucas this morning,”

nods. “How did

be an Alpha,” I say, not sure if Sophie’s emotions are getting to me,

we’ll see them again

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 to give our warriors something to strive for and work hard

tucks her nose under my throat, breathing in my scent as I hold

together. I wash her hair and feel

speak with them before they leave. I can tell that Kinsley is struggling just as much as Sophie is, maybe more since she’ll be leaving most of these people behind to

breakfast and hand her the plate while she and Kinsley talk to the pack members. I can feel Sophie struggling not to cry, mingled with laughter as the pack continues

that Lucas needs help loading their things. It’s late morning before their

look like much, does it?” he

smile. “It looks like the start of

I see the same emotion in his eyes that

says,

going to

Sophie and I standing aside while they say goodbye to everyone. Sophie

shake his hand. “I know you’ll be a great Beta for Lucas but get your a**back to this pack when you’re done,” I tell

I didn’t…I didn’t realize it would be

soon for Luna Kinsley’s delivery,

Leah,” I say as she walks up, having

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

“You’re always welcome.”

whole new opportunity for you Beth. Are you ready

don’t know, Alpha, I’m terrified. What if I screw

up and you’ll do it more than once. Just make sure your screw ups don’t cost anyone their life or put the pack

“Thank you, Alpha!

and Kinsley taking the longest to say their goodbyes, both still crying. Lucas and I walk up to them, wrapping our arms around our mates much like we did when they