The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 217

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 17 Jaxon

The next morning, I woke feeling great. My future mate may not realize that she's my mate yet, but she's definitely feeling the draw. I need to take this time before she turns 18 to show her that we can have everything together. I'm not really sure what would happen if we both win. Would they let us combine territories? Something to worry about later. Today, I get to see my mate again.

I'm getting out of bed as Jace comes out of the shower. "Hey, man. What are you up to today?" I ask him.

"I'm going to check in with Jordan and see what needs to be done for the pack. With all of us here, I want to make sure that nothing goes undone." He says.

"Spoken like a true Alpha." I say to him.

He shrugs. "We'll see even if I don't get a pack. I'm still one of the lucky ones that have a position in a great pack. Your sister is a great Alpha."

I narrow my eyes at him. "I'm well aware of how good my sister is at running the pack."

He looks at me. "Sorry, I'm so used to defending your sister to others that it just conies naturally to me."

"Defending her to whom?" I ask, standing up.

"Oh, come on Jaxon, you know what everyone says about her. That just because she's a woman, she can't run a pack."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard and considering the strength of the Lunas in the packs, I'm surprised that there is that much discussion about it." I say. Yeah, I hear it, but apparently not as much as Jace does.

"It's not that they don't think she's strong, for a LUNA, just not as an Alpha."

I growl low and menacing. "Next time someone says something about my sister, ask them if they feel strongly enough about what they're saying to challenge her. If not, they need to shut their fucking mouths. It they do challenge her, they'll see just how much of an Alpha my sister truly is."

"I'll do that." He says smirking.

"So, anything new on the Taylor front?" I ask him.

"Nah. Still status quo." He says.

"What happens if you get your pack? Are you going to ask her to be your Luna?" I ask him.

"You're assuming she won't win her own pack." He says.

"True, if there is one woman in this competition that could win one of the ten-pack lands, my money is on Taylor," I say, looking at him.

"It's not my business, but what's the deal anyway?"

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"I've seen you with my sister. There's a draw there. What's the deal?"

He stops looking for clothes, turning to give me his full attention. "I have the utmost respect for your sister. She's my Alpha. An Alpha deserves to have a mate who is also an Alpha. No matter what you think you see between me and your sister, there can never be anything between us. I'm a Gamma. She's an Alpha."

"That may be the most ridiculous thing you've ever said. Alphas take Gammas, warriors, even omegas as mates all the time." I say to him.

He shakes his head. "Were you not listening a moment ago? Your sister is already climbing an uphill battle with the older men in our packs and some of the younger ones. They aren't outwardly against her, but they don't feel that a woman should lead a pack. She needs a strong man by her side, an Alpha."

I look at him more closely. "Is that why you're in this competition? So, you can officially become an Alpha and claim my sister?"

He turns away, not answering me.

"Jace! Seriously? What's your motivation? Then what the hell are you doing with Taylor?"

"Drop it, Jaxon." He snarls at me.

"No! This is my sister we're talking about."

"Right, your sister. So, b*ut*t out. This has nothing to do with you." He says.

I get into his face. "So help me, goddess, if you hurt my sister..."

"Don't you get it! I'm not, I would never hurt her. I'm giving her exactly what she needs, the space and freedom to choose someone that is right for her, someone that deserves her, that can do right by her!" He shouts back at me.

I step back, gritting my teeth. "I never thought you were stupid, Jace. But if this is truly how you feel, then maybe you're right and my sister does deserve someone smart enough to realize that no matter what, no matter the mountain they have to climb. Jordan is worth it."

"I know she's worth it. It isn't her that's the problem." He snaps, grabs a shirt and stomps out of the room.

"You got that right," I mutter as the door slams behind him.

I shower and head downstairs to get some food. I replace Teagan, Rowan, and Raelyn sitting around the table. Raelyn looks sad and Teagan and Rowan look like they are trying to cheer her up.

I walk up behind her, leaning over to wrap my arms around her and kissing the top of her head. "What's up, buttercup?" I ask her.

She sniffles and I tilt my head to the side to look at her, seeing a tear slide down her face.

"She thinks she let us down," Rowan says to me.

"Why?" I ask, frowning.

"Because she didn't come in the top 100," Teagan says.

I sit beside my sister, my back to the table so I can face her.

"Raelyn, you finished the race, and you did it in decent time. Over a hundred people came in behind you. And so, what if you didn't come in the top 100. You're one of the youngest competitors out there. I'm proud of you, you did great." I tell her.

She looks up at me. "Really?"

"Really! Now, dry those tears and eat some breakfast, I hear there is swimming today at the lake. We were there last night and it's really nice." I say.

"There's a waterfall," Rowan says.

"And the cave where 1110m signed her name when she was in the claiming," Teagan says.

"That sounds fun!" She says, perking up. "We should get Harper. She was sad too that we didn't win."

"The more, the merrier," I say. "Are you good?" I ask her.

She nods. "Thanks, Jax."

I go get food and when I come back, Raelyn is no longer at the table.

"Where'd she go?" I ask.

"To get Harper. How do you always do that?" Rowan asks me.

"Do what?" I ask, digging into my food.

"We'd been trying to cheer her up for half an hour, you walk up and suddenly it's rainbows, sunshine and swimming," Teagan says to me.

I wag my eyebrows at them. "Must be my brotherly charm."

They roll their eyes at me just as Raelyn and Harper come running up. "Ready?" She asks.

"Let me go change real quick and then I will be," I say, putting my tray away and heading to my room to change.

I wonder if Eve and her family will be at the lake today. I really hope so. I want to steal more kisses from my future mate.