The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 11 Evangeline

I’m exhausted and everything hurts, but I’m actually enjoying myself. Jaxon is funny, intelligent and he never breaks the pace. He sets it and sticks with it. He’s a great running partner. I had thought that I might need to shift into my wolf, but at this rate, I think I can do the entire run in my human form. I’d be willing to push it anyway, just to continue talking to Jaxon.

When we hit the last rest stop, I ask again what time it is. It feels like the night is only about halfway done when they tell me it’s 5am. I’ve been running 23 hours straight. Ten miles to go, three to four hours left, and I’ve done it. I’ve passed the first cut.

“Who’s ahead of us?” Jaxon asks as we pass through.

This time it’s Alpha Paolo, Alpha Asher and Luna Mignon’s oldest son who is stationed at the rest stop.

“Tobias is a few minutes ahead of you, and Taylor is only about a minute ahead of you. She’s out of steam. I was surprised she didn’t stop.”

“Not her style.” Jaxon says as we run through.

As we run back out into the darkness, I look at Jaxon. “Almost there “

“Almost! We can do this.”

“Definitely.” I say. 

“Okay, when you’re ready, it’s your turn to ask first.” He says to me.

I’d been thinking about it, so I’m ready. “If you win…”

“When I win.” He corrects me.

I stress the ‘when’, “how will you choose your Beta? Are you planning to go with the family lines

Gamma, but there are also many out there that would be really great at it. Not only that, if I take a Beta and Gamma from another family, I’ve just strengthened my alliances with those packs. For me. I’ll already have an alliance with Jordan, then, let’s say your brother Lazio doesn’t win in this tournament. If he were to compete in

run. “Let’s say I took their son, Wade, as my Gamma, well now I’ve also created an alliance with your cousin

20 packs, your pack being the fourth.” I say. It’s not necessarily needed, but in wolf packs, it’s always good to have allies

and Luna Annabel’s oldest daughter. Now, I’m also allied with her brother, Giovanni. So, I’d be allied to a quarter of the packs. And that doesn’t include if Taylor gets a

all the things he just said, the one sticking in my head is Jaxon being mated to Noelle. “She’s not your

I see

do you say that?”

“She’s that uppity Alpha female type you

Jaxon with Noelle. I mean she’s okay, I

before the race. I think he and Griffin are the same age, so he’ll be 18 in the next couple of months. If she makes it to the top 100, I’m guessing she’ll drop out before

better knowing

we see Taylor

“Taylor, are you

She says, leaning over

He tells her but she shakes her head. “No, I can do

matter what form you cross the finish line.”

you have.” She says, stubbornly,

wasn’t for Jaxon. He’s been my pacer

taste it. I just need to catch my breath

and turns to me, nodding. I nod back and he picks up our pace again, back to where it

while and I can feel my anticipation of finally being

are doing points for

they are giving points in groups of ten. Top ten group to finish gets 100 points, next group gets 90 and so

are most valuable at the end when it decides your spot for choosing your pack

“Exactly. “ 

actually see the finish line ahead of us. I can’t believe we’re