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.

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

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 the Beta trials and I chose him as my Beta, well, now I also have an alliance with Alejandro. And your cousins from Alpha Quinton and Luna

took their son, Wade, as my Gamma, well now I’ve also created an alliance with your

alliance with three of the 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 it’s actually a brilliant

end up mated to Noelle, Alpha Antonio 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 pack and my alliance with her brother Griffin. As cousins, we’re already family. It’s not really important, since the packs all get along

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

light of morning, I see

do you say that?”

“She’s that uppity Alpha female type you spoke

bothers me to think of Jaxon with Noelle. I mean she’s okay, I barely know her, but I just

pretty sure that she’s mated to Alpha Paolo anyway. He’s nearly 18 and I saw them huddled together the night before the race. I think he and Griffin are the same age, so he’ll be 18 in the next couple of months. If

lot better knowing Noelle

rounded a bend in the path when we see

slows. “Taylor, are

leaning over and

your wolf, Tay.” He tells her but she

rules are the same no matter what form you cross

of you have.”

pacer

Go on you two. We’re all so close I can taste it. I just need to catch my breath and then you’ll be seeing my

chuckles and turns to me, nodding. I nod back and he picks up

can feel my anticipation of finally being so close to the

are doing points for the race?” I

to finish gets 100

knowing that the points are most valuable at the end when it decides your spot for

“Exactly. “ 

and the sun has come up enough that I can actually see the finish line ahead of us.