The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 66 (Jaxon)

Over the next month, Eve and I travel back and forth between our packs, one week with Jordan’s pack and one

week with Luke’s. It actually works out well because the two packs set up their drills differently and we get different

types of exposure.

All that aside, Luna Katerina was right about one thing. Eve’s senses are off the chart amazing right now. The

farther along she is in her pregnancy the stronger they get. So, over the course of the month when we’re

practicing, she’s spot on.

Her biggest issue, as she guessed, is going to be her belly. She can still run,

but not as fast as she used to. At three months, her stomach is definitely going to be a factor in this competition.

For her sake, I hope that her increased senses make up for her decreased speed.

When we first arrived in Alpha Luke’s pack, Katerina wanted Eve seen by their pack doctor. I get it, he’s their family

doctor and Katerina feels more comfortable with him. So, we went and saw the doctor and they once again

confirmed that Eve is healthy and that we’re having a boy. This doctor did prescribe some additional vitamins,

especially since Eve will be competing in the contest, but otherwise, all went well.

And today, we are returning to the now familiar pack lands for the contest. With only 30 of us competing and many

of us mated, there isn’t a problem with having enough rooms. We get settled into our room, and then head

downstairs to the dining room waiting for our announcement.

We’re sitting with Rowen, Enzo, Magdalena, Caleb, Lazio and Jace. The eight of us making up nearly one quarter of

the contestants. Eve goes to say hello to Flavia, who is here to cheer on Tobias. I’m sure he wanted her here, being

that she’s so close to her due date, but I think it’s also h*ard for him to have her here, causing a distraction.

However, as Flavia and Eve chat, I can see that Flavia seems healthy, if a bit uncomfortable. I’m thankful that Eve is

a month behind Flavia. If she were another month along, even this contest would be h*ard for her.

Eve returns to our table as Councilman Jason stands and goes to the microphone at the front of the dining hall.

“Good evening, everyone. Welcome, to the fourth of five competitions that will make ten of you Alphas of your own

packs.” Everyone claps.

“One third of you will become Alphas in just a few weeks’ time. First, I’d like to congratulate all of you for making it

this far. It has taken a lot of strength and grit to get here. But we’re not done yet. The next three days will be long,

but your time will only be one hour on one of those days. At the end of the three days, we will see if there is a tie

and if so, the competition will extend into sudden death on the fourth and final day.”

He lifts up a paper. “I have the list of randomly selected slots that each of you is assigned to. Tomorrow, we will go

in order of 1 through 10, the next day will be 11 through 20 and the final day will be 21 through 30. Each number

will be posted on the leaderboard with your score as you go and with the color of the flag that you are assigned.

You may only take your color flag during your turn. Any attempt to sabotage or discard another color flag other

than your own will result in immediate disqualification.”

Someone raises their hand. “Excuse me, sir, how will you know?”

“Planning to sabotage someone, Elliot?” Councilman Jason asks. “No, sir, but we are at the end of a competition. I

just want to make sure that it’s fair,” he says.

“We’ve installed cameras all around the territory. You will be under constant surveillance while you are in the

territory.”

Councilman Jason looks around. “Any other questions?”

When no one does, and he continues. “As I mentioned a month ago, you will each have one hour to get through the

competition, getting as many flags as possible. Once your time is up, you must stop and return to the entrance of

the territory. Again, you will be under surveillance and if you pass a spot with flags, you will not be able to collect

yours after your hour is up. If you attempt to do so you will be disqualified.”

Eve raises her hand. “Sir, there are 10 points where we can collect flags, correct?”

“That is correct, Evangeline,” he says. “Are you able to tell us if each spot has only one sensory output or will each

one have a varying number of sensory outputs,” she asks.

“Do you mean, will each point have something you can see, smell and hear? No. Each point will only have one of

the three and they will change with each spot.”

“Any other questions?”

When no one does, he reads off the list of contestants in order. Magdalena and Lazio are tomorrow. Eve is the next

day along with Enzo, Caleb and Jace and I am the final day, along with Rowan. I make a note that Tobias will be

running tomorrow. I want to see how he does.

“Stephan is on day three and Taylor is tomorrow,” Eve says to me. “They, along with Jace and Tobias were with you

in the top 5 of the last competition. “I plan to be outside most of the day watching,” I tell Eve.

“Me too, although, I want to make sure I’m well rested for my turn on the second day.”

“Who is the first contestant?” I ask, not remembering.

“Reid, and his mate, Ainsley, is on day three,” Eve tells me.

“We should definitely watch the mates,” I say.

“Yeah, because if any mate pair is going to win two packs, it’s us,” my mate says, and I turn as she reaches her

hand up to high five me. I slap her hand then pull it to me, dragging her with it and k*issing her.

When I pull back, I look at her. “Definitely us!”

The next morning, we all go outside to watch as Reid starts off the competition. When the gun goes off and Reid

races into the territory, I turn to see if Eve wants to get something to eat.

Her eyes are closed, and I see her sniffing the air, her head tilted to the side, listening. Flavia comes up beside her.

“Did you find all ten?” she asks Eve. “Seven,” Eve says, opening her eyes and turning to Flavia who nods.

Flavia is pouting a bit and Tobias comes up behind her. “It’s not fair. I’d have been really good at this one,” she says.

“You’d still have to race around this very large territory, love. It’s better for the baby if you aren’t in the contest. I’ll

win us a pack, I promise,” Tobias says to her.

“I know you will,” she says turning and wrapping her arms around him as best as she can with a baby in between

them.

“Did you really find seven of the ten?” I ask Eve.

“I think so, the other three must be the visual ones, but the ones that are sound and smell, I’m pretty confident I

know where they are.”

When Reid comes out, he has seven flags. “So, that’s our standard and what we need to strive to beat,” I say.

Magdalena is next. Caleb paces, listening and trying to hear his mate in the territory. When her hour is up, she

comes out with six flags. Then Tobias is up.

He comes out with nine flags, making Flavia squeal with delight.

“Nice job, man.” I tell him.

“Thanks.”

After lunch, Lazio is up, and he returns with eight flags as well.

At the end of day 1, the lowest number of flags is five and two people came out with that number. Tobias holds the

lead with nine flags, Taylor came out with eight.

“Let’s get some sleep, Eve. You need your strength for tomorrow,” I tell her as we head back inside.

“Yes, time for the first of us to get through to the next round.”