The Claiming by Cooper Book 4
The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)
Chapter 48 (Jordan)
“Hey Nolan. I know we talked about me meeting you at Alpha Luke’s this week, but it doesn’t feel right. I just took my oath as Alpha two days ago and now I’ m planning to go train for a competition that I’m not even eligible for. I need to be here.” I say, by way of greeting.
“Jordan. It’s nice to hear from you. You’re an Alpha, officially the leader of your pack now. I understand if you can’t join me this week, although I won’t say that I’m not disappointed. However, I looked at my schedule. If you can’t join me this week, perhaps you could join me in two weeks? I’ll be in Alpha Jonas’s pack. I believe that’s relatively close to your pack.”
“I can make that work. It gives me time to work with Elijah to prepare for me to be away. This week, all I’ve had time for is preparing for the Alpha ceremony.”
“Excellent. So, tell me, how does it feel to be an official Alpha?”
“Honestly?” I ask him.
“I thought we had agreed to only ever by honest with each other,” he says.
It’s true. When he was here, we had talked about honesty, how important it is. Nolan is about 15 years older than I am and he never found his mate. It was refreshing to talk to someone that wasn’t interested in me just because I’m an Alpha. He wanted to know about me, Jordan, the woman.
When I had started to give him my usual responses, he had called me on it.
“Is that you speaking or is that the Alpha speaking?” he had asked.
I had looked at him. “I’m not sure I know the difference anymore.”
“Hmm, how about, from now on, you tell me what you, Jordan, think when we talk, not you, Alpha Jordan.”
“I don’t know if I know how to do that,” I say honestly.
“What about when you are speaking to your twin? Do you struggle to know the difference then?” he asked.
“No, Jaxon knows me. It’s part of being a twin. There aren’t a lot of secrets.”
“Then, I’d like you to talk to me like you would talk to Jaxon. If the answer doesn’t come from your heart, from you, the woman, from a place of honesty, then I don’t want the answer.”
Nolan was so different from anyone that I have ever met. He and the other warriors don’t belong to a pack. He had gone away for years, training to become a master in his art, lethal in a battle.
So now, I answer him honestly. “It’s a little scary being the Alpha. My cousin, Griffin tried to warn me, but it’s not something you can explain. When I took my oath, I felt the power of becoming an Alpha, and then immediately behind that, I felt the weight of the responsibility that I now have. The lives of every member of my pack are now mine to protect. It’s up to me to ensure that my people prosper, that they are cared for.”
“And this is why you will be a good Alpha, Jordan. You understand the responsibility that has been given to you and you want to do right by your people. I believe you will be a great Alpha.”
“Thank you, Nolan.”
“I know I can’t see you for a couple of weeks, but can I continue to call you, Jordan?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“Then, I will talk to you soon. And, if it’s not too forward, when my next time comes to be in your pack, I’d like to come a day early and take you on a date. Would you be agreeable to going on a date with me, Jordan?”
“I would love that.”
“Then, I hope that I will see you in two weeks’ time and it’s a date for three weeks from now.”
I know I have a huge, dopey smile on my face when I say goodbye and hang up.
That smile fades quickly when there’s a knock on my door and I smell Jace. I’ve been avoiding him and either he was recovering from the rejection, or he’s been avoiding me too.
“Come in.”
Jace comes in and sits in front of me, but I don’t look up.
“I know you’re going to be heading out either tonight or tomorrow to train in Alpha Luke’s pack for the week, Alpha. What do you need for me to cover while you’re away?” Jace asks.
I recognize the difference. He’s calling me Alpha rather than Jordan.
“Change of plans. It wouldn’t look good for an Alpha who just took her oath to be gone for a week with unnecessary training, so I’m staying here,” I tell him, still not looking up.
It’s quiet as I shuffle my papers around on my desk, trying to focus, but unable to with him sitting in the room. My heart still hurts, still aches for the mate that was supposed to be mine.
“If you want to go train with Taylor in Griffin’s pack this week, it’s fine. They have Logan coming in.” I finally say.
“And we have Jameson coming here. I’II be here, training with him and the pack,” he says.
“Whatever you think is best for your training, Jace,” I say.
“I’m not leaving you, Jordan,” he says quietly, and I know he’s not talking about this week’s training.
Now, I do look up. “But you are, aren’t you? Isn’t that what this is about, Jace? You being in this competition? Isn’t it about you becoming an Alpha so you feel worthy of Taylor and can accept her as your mate?”
“Taylor knows that you are my mate,” he says, his amber eyes boring into mine.
“Was your mate, Jace. I’m not any longer.”
He grits his teeth but doesn’t argue with me. He stands and walks to the door.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to change your mind, Jordan. I’m not leaving.”
I watch as he walks out the door, closing it behind him. I have no idea how to feel about that statement.
Jaxon POV
Sitting back and watching my mate take charge with her mother and the other mates in the room is f*uc*king hot. I’m pretty sure if she wasn’t my mate, I’ d still want her. The woman is all Alpha, except when I take charge of her body and make her submit to me. Her strength and power only make her submission that much sweeter.
Eve and I agree to train on Jujitsu for the coming week, meaning we’re headed back to Alpha Jonas’s pack. He was fine with us returning and on our last day in my pack, we meet Luna Katerina and Alpha Luke. Alejandro, Teagan, Caleb and Magdalena join us.
“I’ve spoken to your father,” Luna Katerina begins. “He wanted to speak to all of you before making any decisions.”
Alpha Luke turns to Eve. “I already know where you stand.”
“I stand with Jaxon, I’m glad we agree on that,” Eve says, and I have to hide my smile.
Alpha Luke grits his teeth before turning to Alejandro and Teagan. “Your mother says that you are feeling the mate bond, Alejandro?”
“Yes father, and so does Teagan,” Alejandro tells him.
Alpha Luke looks at Teagan. “My mate said you are thinking of quitting the contest because you’re so sure that my son is your mate. Is this true?”
I smile at my sister. My family isn’t wishy-washy. When we want something, we go all in. And Teagan wants her mate, which I understand completely.
“I’ve already reached out to the council to withdraw from the contest,” she says, and Alejandro reaches out to take her hand.
“She’ll be the Luna of our pack once I’m old enough to take over as Alpha. There’s no need for her to continue in the competition, father,” Alejandro says, never taking his eyes off my sister.
“Although, I do plan to continue training,” she says, giving Alejandro a sassy smile.
“As do I,” he says, pulling her hand to his mouth and k*issing it. I swear the temperature in the room goes up, but I know what it’s like to forget that you’re in a room with others when your mate is in front of you.
Luna Katerina clears her throat loudly. “Alejandro, perhaps you can refocus on the conversation.”
“Of course, mother,” he says, but his eyes are still glued to Teagan’s.
Alpha Luke finally turns to Magdalena and Caleb. “And you two say you feel the mate bond as well.”
Caleb sits up straight. “Yes, Alpha. I know without a doubt that your daughter is my mate. I wouldn’t begin to pretend something like that. I can tell by her smell and by my pull to her. She is my mate, but we’ve both agreed to continue in the contest so that we can try to win a pack for ourselves,” Caleb says in a very proper way.
Eve looks at me and frowns and I just shrug. Caleb is who he is.
Alpha Luke looks at all of us. “And I’m guessing that none of you are willing to wait until you’re 18 to be with your mates? I mean, all of you are underage with the exception of Jaxon.”
“I can no more stay away from Teagan than you can stay away from mother. It would be painful. I don’t see any reason why we can’t spend time in each other’ s packs. Or in my instance, I’d like Teagan to begin spending time in our pack, learning her way around our pack lands, meeting our pack mates. She’ll be their Luna one day and I’d like her to be comfortable when the time comes,” he says, making Teagan beam at him.
I watch as Alpha Luke gives in. “Fine. But I want you spending equal time in our pack, both of you,” he says looking from Eve to Magdalena.
“As long as our mates are invited, I have no problem with that,” Eve says. “Me either,” Magdalena says.
Finally!