The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 25 (Jace)

I already don’t like this bear. Well, I don’ t like any of them. Their welcome has been less than warm.

Jordan moves to take her bag off my shoulder.

“I’ve got it,” I tell her.

“Do you need help, pup? I can carry those for you?” one of the bears asks. ‘Jace, please. I know they’re on your last

nerve already, but we’re here to make alliances. To do that, we need to be friendly,’ Jordan says in my head.

‘Tell that to our car, Jordan,’ I say, but slap a smile on my face and look at the bear.

“I’m good thanks, Pops,” I say. It worked for Jordan and Balor, maybe it’ II work for me and this guy.

“Don’t call me that,” he grumbles and shoulder slams me as he walks past me. Goddess almighty, my shoulder

feels like he nearly dislocated it.

“You know our names, what are your names?” Jordan asks.

“My name’s Darryl, sweetheart. I’m Balor’s second in command,” one of the bears says to Jordan. I try to hold back

the growl at him calling her sweetheart, but it doesn’t quite work. I swear I see him look at Balor who smirks back

at him. They’re enjoying this.

“Darryl, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Alpha Jordan, as you’ve no doubt heard, and this is my Gamma, Jace,” she says

introducing me.

“Gamma? Isn’t that like, third in command?” the shoulder-smacker bear asks.

I look at him. “That’s right,” I say.

He gives me once over, then snorts. “You’re awfully small to be a ranked member, aren’t you?”

“Leave the pup be, Jusan,” the fourth bear says to the one who truly is on my last nerve.

“My name is Apollo, little Alpha, and if we had ranks like you wolves, I’d be Balor’s Gamma,” he says.

“Which of you boys destroyed my car?” she asks them.

“You want to be careful who you’re calling a boy, little wolf. All of us are older than you,” Jusan warns her. I move,

putting myself between him and her, not liking his threat. He notices but just smirks as if my protection means

nothing.

“Well then, which one of you geriatric fossils is responsible for the demolition of my car?” Jordan asks again.

“Jusan, shut your f*ucking mouth and quit antagonizing my guest,” Balor says to him, then turns to Jordan. “I’m not

geriatric.”

I see her mouth twitching with a smile. Somehow, her sass is getting her more and more on Balor’s good side. It’s

just enough to let them know she won’t take their crap, but not so much to be offensive. As usual, Jordan is perfect.

“Old enough to be my father?” Jordan teases him.

He stops suddenly, turning and stroking a finger down Jordan’s cheek. I snarl viciously, but Jordan holds out a hand

to stop me, not looking away from Balor.

“If you haven’t experienced the sensations that an older, experienced gentleman can give you, little wolf, don’ t

knock it. There’s a lot to be said for a man that knows how to give a woman pleasure until you think you’ve died

and gone to your Moon Goddess’s realm.”

“And how would you know that these women have had this intense experience?” Jordan asks.

“They always come begging for more,” he says, and it’s almost a purr, but in Balor, it’s a deeper, resonating sound.

“I don’t beg for anything,” Jordan tells him.

“Ohhh, little wolf. I do hope that I get the chance to take you for a spin and show you just how wrong you are.”

“Not likely, big bear,” she tells him, pulling away. I don’t know if she can feel that I’m on the verge of shifting and

tearing into these bears or if she’s reached her own maximum level of intensity with Balor. But either way, I’m glad

when he is no longer t*ouching her. “A shame. A pretty little wolf like you, one with an obviously sharp mind and

sassy mouth, could make me rethink my choices of bedmate.”

He fl*icks a glance in my direction.

“Relax pup. I don’t force women and I’m certainly not going to strip your Alpha down right here.”

He turns back to Jordan. “But I’ll make sure you know where my bed is, in case you change your mind while you’re

here.”

“I’ll be sharing a bed with Jace while I’m here. He’ll keep me warm at night, Balor, no worries.”

It’s such an unexpected thing for her to say, that I have to fight to keep my face from showing any emotion.

“That explains the excessive over-reaction. I just thought you were being possessive of your Alpha, pup. It makes

more sense if you’re sleeping with her,” Jusan says.

Balor leans in, sniffing Jordan again and looking at her, a smirk on his face. He taps his nose but doesn’t say

anything as he turns and begins walking again.

He basically just told her that he knows we’re not sleeping together. My scent is on her, but not like that.

(Nolan POV)

I met Taylor for breakfast the next morning. Rather than sitting inside where everyone would be watching us, I

suggested taking our breakfast outside and finding a spot to eat and talk. We ended up back at the same spot that

we were in yesterday, looking out over the mountains.

“Those are my pack lands,” Taylor says, pointing to the area closer to the mountains, in the direction of Griffin’s

pack.

Our conversation has been difficult, neither one of us sure what to say to the other.

“I’d like to see them, to see what your vision is for them. I saw the cleared area, but I didn’t really get to look

around, not with the rogue Alpha and his pack invading your territory,” I tell her.

“We could go today or tomorrow, if you’ d like. I’m not sure when you’re leaving,” she says.

“I asked Jordan if I could stay for a bit, until we figure things out between us, Taylor. I’m not just going to walk away

right after finding you. I really do want to get to know you.”

She stands, holding out her hand. “Then let’s go. I’ll show you around.”

“We should let someone know where we are, in case something happens, or in case the rogues are still hanging

around,” I tell her.

I watch as her eyes go unfocused. It’s been a long time when I’ve had a mind link. My family is all gone, and I no

longer belong to a pack, choosing to come and go freely. Most of the fighters are that way, wanting to be free to

help all the packs, not be bound to one or two. Jace accurately called it out before, I’m a lone wolf. Different than a

rogue, as they are still pack animals, congregating together, but unwilling to follow the standard laws and rules of

all packs. Whereas, lone wolves follow the laws and rules, but we’ve chosen a mostly solitary life, one that I’m

ready to leave behind for my mate.

“Griffin is sending patrols over so he can make sure I’m safe,” she says on a sigh.

“Griffin is right. Until you have a pack with your own warriors and patrols, you should be cautious. And, as your

mate, I can tell you the thought of some rogue wanting to forcibly put his mark on you, makes me very

uncomfortable.”

“I also told him that you’re welcome to visit me, so he said you can come onto his pack lands now. If you want,” she

says, looking down.

This woman is not the woman I’ve heard so much about, the woman that is a powerhouse, unwilling to let anyone

or anything stand in her way. With me, she seems to have lost her confidence, or maybe, hopefully, being with me

is important enough that she wants to make it work and she’s on unchartered territory just as I am.

I reach up and take her hand, standing and pulling her to me. “I do want to, Taylor. Please don’t question that I want

to spend time with you, get to know you, be with you, and right this very moment, I desperately want to k*iss you.”

She looks up at me. “You do?”

I nod. “Can I k*iss you, Taylor?”

“No,” she says, but before I can take offense, her arms come around my n*eck.

“Because I’m going to k*iss you,” she says and then her warm, soft l*ips are against mine and the electric tingles of

the mate bond that I’ve heard so much about, light up my insides.