The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 289

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 16 (Jace)

After lunch, the Alphas began talking about replaceing the rogues. Now that it is settled that Jordan and I will go to see the bears, their next plan had to incorporate actually replaceing the rogues and deciding what to do with them. We' II know more after we talk to Balor, the clan chief of the bears, but Nolan's intel was that there were two packs.

"While we're talking about dividing our Alphas up and sending all of you out to search for rogues, might I inquire about the Beta Trials? We're only about a month away from the start of the trials at this point. Has anyone considered that we would be at high risk for an attack during those challenges?" Jordan asks.

"That's a valid point, although, I'm surprised that you're concerned about them, Alpha, being that you already have a Beta. Do you have a lot of individuals entering the Trials?" Alpha Tarik, Tobias' brother, asks

me.

"I do have several individuals who have entered the Beta Trials, but my Beta heir has also thrown his hat into the Trials. So, you I'll be looking for a Beta just like the new Alphas," she says, and I watch as Alpha Mason jerks his head at Elijah, who nods subtly, his lips pressed tightly together.

"Why would a Beta, with a guaranteed position in a pack, decide to go into the Beta Trials?" Alpha Aiden asks me. "You'd have to ask him," Jordan says diplomatically.

Taylor, however, isn't so diplomatic. "It's because you're a female Alpha, isn't it?"

"He didn't... specify, in so many words..." Jordan begins, but Taylor snorts.

"Well, there's one Beta I won't have to worry about, he's now eliminated from my list," she says.

Alpha Caleb looks like he's just about to say something, when we hear Jordan's patrols send up the howl of alarm.

Jordan's up and moving toward me as the patrol mind links us both.

"Jordan?" Jaxon asks.

We both turn to Taylor. "It's your pack, Taylor. The rogues are attacking your pack."

I tell her, following Jordan as we race out of the conference room and to the back door of the packhouse. Almost as one, me, Jordan and Taylor leap and shift, racing to her pack.

Behind me, I can hear Jaxon and Alpha Mason beginning to bark orders to increase the patrols of our pack and sending out the message to get the elderly and women with young children into the safe rooms. I'm sure Griffin is doing the same for his pack as well, since they are just as close to Taylor's pack as ours is.

Jordan lifts her head up into the air and howls to let the others know we're on our way. I lift mine to join hers and hear several others right behind us.

As we get closer, we can hear the sounds of snarling and fighting. As soon as we break through the clearing that Taylor has created for her packhouse, I see and smell the rogue Alpha. He's definitely an Alpha based on his size. He has a wolf on the ground, snapping at him and I recognize him as Nolan.

Jordan moves to attack the rogue Alpha, but Taylor snarls a feral snarl, and leaps forward slamming into the rogue Alpha, knocking him off of Nolan. She takes a protective stance in front of him and while I understand her motive, it's the worst possible thing she could do.

The rogue's eyes become hungry, and he howls a lustful, desirous howl of a male who's found the female he intends to mate. I have a moment to be thankful that this rogue's focus is on Taylor, not Jordan, before Nolan's wolf is on his feet, snarling and snapping at the rogue.

When the rogue starts to run off, Nolan moves to go after him, but Taylor grabs onto his tail with her teeth, holding him in place. I hear the rogue Alpha howl, calling his pack members to him and I hear the sound of multiple paws hitting the ground, following after him.

The minute that Nolan shifts, I know that I was right. Taylor is his mate.

When he calls Taylor 'mate', Jordan jerks beside me. I look at her while Taylor shifts and repeats the word back to Nolan. Then I watch as Jordan shifts, staring at Nolan. His eyes drift to hers and shock registers on his face.

"Jordan."

I shift, just as Taylor looks back and sees Jordan. Understanding and pain run in rapid succession across her face. Then she turns back to Nolan.

"You're Nolan?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"Taylor."

"Taylor," he says and his brows furrow. "The cousin who..." he turns looking at me.

Griffin comes running up to us, shifting quickly.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"Taylor and Nolan are mates," I say quietly.

"And that's not at all awkward," he says.

Nolan takes a step toward Taylor, but she puts her hands up.

"I can't be here right now," she says, turning and shifting.

"My pack or Jordan's, Taylor! You can't be alone with that rogue Alpha on the loose and after you," Griffin calls.

I watch as Taylor turns in the direction of Griffin's pack. Nolan moves to go after her.

"Leave her, Nolan. Give her some space. I understand what it feels like to have your mate dating your cousin. She needs to process this before you speak to her. Trust me," Jordan says. Griffin's head snaps to me. "You?" he asks.

"Yeah, I...." I don't get any more words out before he's punched me, knocking me backward.

"GRIFFIN!" Jordan shouts.

"I don't know if that's more for Jordan or Taylor, but you better get your s*hit together man," he snarls at me. "I already have. I broke up with your sister a while ago," I tell him. "Yeah well," he turns, looking at Nolan, then at Jordan, "this is still a f*ucking mess."

He looks back at Nolan. "You don't step foot on my pack lands until my sister agrees to seeing you there. You hear me?"

"I hear you, Alpha," he says, before Griffin turns and races after his sister.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asks me, pulling my hand away from my face and flinching. I'm sure it's already bruised from that punch.

"Yeah, he just did what you should have done the other day," I say, smiling at her, which hurts, but I don't show it. She rolls her eyes at me before turning to Nolan.

"Are you okay?" she asks him.

"Jordan, how many times do we have to talk about you not always putting others ahead of yourself? I should be asking you if YOU are okay."

She looks from me to Nolan. "I have no idea how I feel about this, but at least I had some warning. Taylor smelled your scent in my pack house when she arrived yesterday and then she couldn't replace her mate. There was a large possibility that it was you."

She looks at me. "And Jace and I will be leaving to speak with the bear shifters soon, so, perhaps that will give you and Taylor time to figure things out."

"And when will you and I have time to 'figure things out', Jordan," he asks.

She steps away from me, to Nolan. "Nolan, I saw the look on your face. I know that you waited a long time for your mate who just happens to be nearly a decade younger than you. I'm sure you both have a lot to work out between you and I have no intention of getting in the middle of that. I'll give you the same advice you once gave me. You need to decide what you want and what you're willing to live with. Your mate dated mine for years. You know the stories, you and I have talked about them. The difference is that now, when you think of my cousin Taylor, you also have to think about her as your mate Taylor. That's a lot for all of us to think about."

She steps back towards me, and it takes everything in me not to push her behind me. I don't want her to figure anything out with Nolan, unless it means the end of their relationship.

Nolan looks at Jordan a long moment before looking at me. "Did you sleep with her?" he asks, and I know he means Taylor.

"No."

He nods, looking thoughtful, before looking back at Jordan. "I'll take my own advice, and I'll think about things, but when you return, I want some time to talk with you as well."

"Deal. And, in the meantime, you may not be welcome in Griffin's pack, but you are welcome in mine."

He turns, looking in the direction that Taylor ran off. "I think I'll replace someplace else to stay for now. You know how to get ahold of me if you need me. And... if you think it will help, give Taylor my phone number. I don't have my phone right now, but I'm going to go back and get my car. That's where it is. I'll stay within an hour of your pack, just in case she decides she wants to talk in person."

"Jaxon will be running my pack in my absence. I'll let him know that you're always welcome. If you need a place to stay, he'll make sure you have one until I return."

"Thanks, Jordan," he says before shifting and racing off.

"Are you okay?" I ask after a few moments.

She turns and looks at me, shaking her head. "How did this become such a tangled web?"

"I'm an idiot?"

"You are an idiot. And whether as mate or Gamma, you're apparently MY idiot. Come on, let's go check on the patrols," she says turning from me.

She doesn't see the huge smile that spreads across my face. She may not have realized it, but she just claimed me.