The One He Claimed by Cooper
The One 101

Chapter 101: Scouts Margot

There is absolutely no grey area between how Joshua kissed me and how Ezra kisses me. Their kisses are as opposite as you can get. Joshua always kissed me as if he was reminding me that he was in charge, that he was in control. Ezra's kiss was... inviting. It was soft and warm, gentle and sweet. I had waited for him to push me, to take control and force his tongue into my mouth like I was used to with Joshua, but that wasn't how he kissed me at all. It was almost as if he was asking me to kiss him back. And once I did, it felt like I melted into him.

I wouldn't think that his scent of eucalyptus and cedar would translate to a taste that I desired, but it does. It's masculine and fresh, much like him. I had been teasing him when I said he needed a shower, not because he smelled bad, but because the scent of the dried sweat on his body from our sparring only increased his scent making it hard for me to think when he was that close to me. And my body had never, ever responded to Joshua the way it responded to Ezra's when he whispered in my ear. His deep voice, his warm breath, his scent swirling around. us had made my body feel alive for the first time in my life. But I can't let that distract me. Ezra seems like a good man, a really good man. I know he lost a mate and that he blames himself for that, which is probably why he's trying so hard with me. But it's a lost cause. I can't give him what he wants and while I'm sad to know that what we could have had might have been able to turn into something positive over time, I won't be around to replace out. I have no intention of letting Joshua live and

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I know that it will kill me. I may be getting stronger, but I'm not that strong, not yet and maybe not ever.

I know my ex-mate. He'll be doing everything he can to weaken me so that he can punish me for rejecting him. I may not be able to feel him cheating on the bond, but I know that my wolf, Reyna, should be healing faster than she is. Our bond isn't

completely broken so anything he does with another woman will weaken her.

I wonder what he felt when Ezra kissed me. That, more than anything, will bring him to Hunter's borders.

These are the thoughts running through my head as Ezra and I run across no man's land to get to Owen's old pack. Reynal loves the run, but I've realized that Ezra is right, not that I'll tell

him that. He somehow seems to know just how far to push her so that it works out the tightness in our muscles but doesn't overwork them.

When he slows, turning his head to give me a soft woof, Reyna slows as well.

'Reyna, what is it?' I ask her.

She lifts her head in the air, trying to smell what Ezra is smelling. His wolf, Thorin, is at full strength, so we take our lead from him. He would smell something, even if we don't. Ezra made a point to run closer to where I told him the hiding spot is at the top of the mountain. It may take us a bit longer to get to Owen's pack this way, but he was more worried about keeping me safe.

That's something else that feels different between Joshua and Ezra. Ezra is very protective of me, worried about me, constantly -thinking about me. In the last year, Joshua only seemed to care 22.52%

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about one thing, that I couldn't get pregnant. Little did he know, that was intentional.

Thorin sniffs around on the ground, beginning to run around, sniffing all over. Reyna lowers her head and I hear bones snapping as Ezra shifts. He kneels beside her, wrapping an arm protectively over her.. "Do you smell it, Reyna?" he asks.

We smell it, but I don't know what we're smelling. There are a lot of scents criss-crossing in this area. Ezra stands and turns, looking in the directions where the scents move off to, before looking back at us. "Scouts. Do you recognize the scents?"

Reyna lowers her head and begins sniffing again. When she's done, I shift so I can answer him.

"Some are familiar. Some from my father's pack, some from Joshua's, but some I don't recognize," I tell him.

He's looking around, hands on his hips. It's hard for me not to notice how magnificent his body is, tall and lean, and very muscular.

"Margot, stop thinking whatever you're thinking," he growls. through gritted teeth before looking at me over his shoulder. His nostrils flare and I realize that I'm aroused by the sight of him, and he can smell it. That's something else that never happened with Joshua. My body never responded to him, not like this..

I feel my cheeks flame with embarrassment, and I look away quickly. I hear Ezra huff before he pulls the bag that he uses to

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carry our clothes around to the front of his body. It's large enough that when he shifts, it fits Thorin. It's actually very smart. I'd consider getting one, if I wasn't planning on dying

soon.

Ezra pulls out his phone and hits speed dial.

"Is everything okay, Ezra?" I hear Hunter ask.

"I found a scout trail. Margot says some of the scents are familiar to her father's or Joshua's pack, but not all of them."

"Koden," Hunter says.

"That's my take."

"I'll send some of my warriors. Where are you?"

Ezra looks around and gives him the general idea of where we

are.

"They'll know it when they replace it. It looks like this is where they are congregating and then from here, they are spreading out to the other packs, Carter's and Kayce's as well." "I'll call them, have them send warriors to check it out too."

"If I can't get Margot back before dark, I'm going to stay the night in Owen's old pack. I won't put Margot at risk with this many wolves in the area," he says, looking at me. "Understood. Let me know if you need anything."

Ezra hangs up and turns to me. The moment he does, I see his very large length standing at attention.

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He comes over and cups my cheek, stroking this thumb over my cheekbone and practically making Reyna purr.

"I want you to know that I don't mind you looking at me, and I'm thrilled that you replace me attractive, but I would much rather drown in your scent when I have time to make sure that both of us enjoy ourselves. And out here, in the open like this, is not the time. What I said was not a rejection, it was me trying to get control of my arousal for you," he says.

I nod, unable to say anything with his length pressing between us and his eyes dark with desire for me. I recognize the look, but with Ezra, it's different. The heat of his desire, the care that he's taking to explain himself to me, is making my own body heat.

"D***it, Margot, you're doing it again," he grits out, his nostrils. flaring as he takes a deep breath,

"Sorry?" I say, but it's more of a question. He raises an eyebrow

at me.

"Are you?"

I decide to be honest. He's been honest with me, and he's been careful with me. It's the least I can do to hopefully make things. easier for him later when I'm gone. "I'm not used to my body responding like this. I'm

unaccustomed to feeling arousal," I tell him, keeping my eyes on his.

He leans in, kissing the corner of my mouth before running his nose across my jaw to my ear. "Someday, when you're ready, this will only be the beginning." 78 27%

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His promise sends shivers through my body, the anticipation of what he could do to make my body respond to him. But I pull back and look away.

I can't accept those sorts of promises. I won't be around to collect on them.