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.

“how will you choose your Beta? Are you planning to

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 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 Sophia’s pack aren’t even eligible to compete for the Alpha spot, but I’d be shocked if they didn’t compete for

breaths as we run. “Let’s say I took their son, Wade, as my Gamma, well now I’ve also created an alliance with your cousin Nathaniel when he takes over the

pack being the fourth.” I say. It’s not

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 now, but things change over time and setting up

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

the dawning light of morning, I see a

do you say that?”

that uppity Alpha female type you spoke of

to think of Jaxon with Noelle. I mean she’s okay, I barely know her, but I just don’t like the idea of him

saw them huddled together the night before the race. I think he and Griffin are the same age, so he’ll

knowing Noelle isn’t

a bend in the path when we see Taylor standing on

slows. “Taylor, are

over and

to your wolf, Tay.” He tells her but she shakes her

the same no matter what form

haven’t shifted, neither of you have.” She says,

been my pacer almost the entire time. He’s a

is. 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

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

can feel my anticipation of finally being

you know how they are doing points

to finish gets 100 points, next group gets 90 and so on until the last group gets

this early has it’s benefit?” I ask, knowing that the points are most valuable at the end when it decides

“Exactly. “ 

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