The Claiming by Cooper Book 4
The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)
Chapter 1
Jaxon
I finish getting ready and head out of my room. Today is the big announcement. The day that they are going to tell us what to expect for the contest that they have been working on for the last couple of years. The contest that will finally allow me to have a pack, as I always should have had.
It’s not that I don’t think that my twin sister Jordan will make an amazing Alpha. She will, I know she will. My problem with the whole thing is that I am the only first-born male in the history of werewolves to not be the heir to my father’s pack.
It was a decision that was made by my parents before we were born, that the first-born child would be heir to the pack, and my sister was born a few minutes before me. Girl power and all that bulls*hi*t. Okay, it’s not total bulls*hi*t and my sister would probably kick my a*s*s if I ever said that to her, but it still grinds my a*s*s that every other male heir, even though most are younger than I am, get their packs handed to them and I have to fight for mine.
I asked Jordan why they took so long to have the contest and she told me it was so most of the children in my generation would be eligible. Because it will be a rigorous contest, they are requiring all contestants to be sixteen years old or older. There is no maximum age limit which I find surprising because many of our older pack mates have never found mates and would love a chance to become an Alpha and gain a mate that way. I just hope the Alphas, my father included, know what they are doing by leaving it open to nearly everyone.
And by everyone, I mean all of the she-wolves in our packs will be eligible as well. Most of them intend to participate and try to claim a pack of their own. That should be interesting. I’m pretty sure they have no idea how much my sister struggles. There is always a male trying to gain her attention and she never knows if they truly want her or if they just want her pack. Thankfully, my sister trusts my judgement and most of the men that have shown an interest in her have been kicked to the curb.
When I get to the first floor, everyone is heading to the back of the packhouse where my father will make the announcement.
I fall into step beside our current Gamma, Jace. He’s about six years older than I am and was the son of my father’s original Gamma that died in a pack war before I was born. He was adopted by our current Gamma family and while they have a biological son, it was determined that Jace would be the Gamma-heir.
“Hey Jace, what’s up? What are you doing?”
“Hey Jaxon, I’m going to hear what the announcement is, just like everyone else.”
I stop and look at him. He takes another step before stopping and turning toward me, his eyebrow raised.
“Do my father and sister know that you’re planning to compete in the contest?” I ask.
“Yes. Your sister was much more understanding than your father was, surprisingly. I’m not sure why it matters. If I get an Alpha position or even a Beta position, then Victor is free to step into the Gamma position here.”
Victor is the current Gammas, Luke and Brynn’s, biological son. Jace was adopted by them after his parents’ death. He is the original heir to the Gamma position, which is why he’s in that position currently, but it leaves Victor, like me, with no place in the pack.
I start walking again. “You know Taylor is planning to go into the contest as well, right?” I ask him.
Jace and my cousin Taylor have been flirting around, sort of dating for a couple of years. It’s been slow since he’s so much older than she is, but ever since she turned 18, they’ve been more outwardly together. However, Taylor has refused to actually claim Jace as her mate.
“I wish she’d just let me mark her and then she could be my Luna. If I win, that is.”
I slap his shoulder as we get outside. “Well, you could always be her Luna if she wins.” I smirk.
He gives me a glare.
“Speaking of Lunas, where’s Melinda?”
Melinda is Luke and Brynn’s daughter. She and Jace have been close ever since he was adopted into their family.
“Your sister finally forced my mother into letting her go see Alpha Jonas.”
“Your mom’s still hung up on the age difference?”
“He’s their age, so, yeah.”
“If Melinda was smart, and I know she is, she’d mark him while she’s there this weekend and then your mother won’t have anything to say about it. Honestly, I’m surprised she hasn’t done that yet.”
“Apparently Alpha Jonas is too honorable to go against Luke and Brynn, so he’s waiting, hoping they, or more accurately, Brynn, changes her mind.”
I shake my head. “It’s not her decision. Melinda is a smart, intuitive woman. And in the end, it’s her choice, not your mother’s. She needs to step out of it and let the two of them figure it out.”
“Which is pretty much what Alpha Jordan told my mother.”
When we get outside, nearly the entire pack is here. Every pack is having this same announcement and it was scheduled at the same time. That way, everyone gets the information at once.
My father is up on the stage, my sister as the future Alpha, standing beside him. He raises his arms, calling for silence.
“Good morning, everyone. We are all here for a very exciting announcement. Today, we are announcing our intent to begin the contest for the last remaining pack lands. As I’m sure you know by now, there are ten pack lands that are currently sitting vacant. They are overgrown and based on our initial review of their lands, all of the packhouses are in disrepair and will need to be rebuilt.”
My father waits while everyone takes in that bit of news. It’s not surprising. Some of those pack lands have been vacant longer than I’ve been alive.
“In three months’ time, we will begin the contest to determine who our new Alphas will be. Once those Alphas are determined, they will have a pool of candidates from which to choose their Betas and Gammas. As you all know, our packs are filled to capacity. And while it’s wonderful that we continue to increase our numbers with additional pups being born every year, all of the existing packs are running out of space. So, not only will this contest provide an opportunity for us to create 60 new positions for ranked members, but it also provides opportunities for those of you who might like to live in different parts of the country or who have an affinity to a new Alpha, to move and build a new life in a new pack.”
I look over at my sisters Teagan and Raelyn. Both of them intend to participate in the contest. Even if they don’t win, I don’t think they’ll stay in this pack. While I have a great relationship with Jordan, my sisters don’t. They’ve always found her to be bossy. I figure it’s her Alpha coming out, but my sisters don’t care. Rowan, on the other hand, is close to turning 18. She’s expecting to meet her mate and move anyway, so she’s not entering the contest. She hasn’t said it, but I think she’ s feeling the pull toward someone and that’s why she’s not entering.
I refocus on my father. “Now, let’s talk about how this contest is going to be structured.”