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.

you planning to go with the family lines or choose

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

as my Gamma, well now

three of the 20 packs, your pack being the fourth.” I say. It’s not necessarily needed, but in

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

all the things he just said, the one sticking in my head is Jaxon

morning, I see

you say that?” He

a bit. “She’s that uppity

don’t now why it bothers me to think of Jaxon with Noelle. I mean she’s okay, I barely know her, but I

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 she makes it to the top 100, I’m guessing she’ll drop out before the second

better knowing Noelle isn’t

when we see

slows. “Taylor,

over

tells her but she shakes her head. “No, I

rules are the same no matter what form you cross the finish line.” He

of you have.”

my pacer almost the

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

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

for a while and I can feel my

know how they are doing points

to finish gets 100 points,

the points are most valuable at the

“Exactly. “ 

come up enough that I can actually see the finish line ahead of us. I can’t believe we’re almost there.