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.

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

“How did he

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

see them again

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 to give our warriors something to strive

tucks her nose under my throat, breathing in my scent as I hold her in my lap, rubbing my hands over her

I wash her hair and feel her relax as I massage the

Lucas and Kinsley surrounded by pack members all wanting to speak with them before they leave. I can tell that Kinsley is struggling just as much as Sophie is, maybe more since

sees Sophie, she extends her hand, and Sophie goes to sit beside her. I get my mate some 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 to reminisce about funny things that have

help loading their things. It’s late

much,

smile. “It looks like the start of

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

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

going to miss you

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

you’ll be a great Beta for Lucas but get your a**back to this pack

didn’t realize it

that Brooklyn will be there soon for Luna Kinsley’s

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

you, Alpha. I’m sure I’ll want to come back a lot to

“You’re always welcome.”

a whole new

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

anyone their life or put the pack at risk.

“Thank you, Alpha!

still crying. Lucas and I walk up to them, wrapping our arms around our mates much like we did