The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 26 (Jaxon)

After I leave Evangeline, I go back to my room. Jace is sleeping and I’m too wound up to sleep, so I take a quick shower and head downstairs to see if there is any food.

I grab something to eat and walk outside, looking at the entrance of the old claiming territory. I wonder if our time here will change Eve’s feelings about this place. I could see myself choosing this territory for my pack now that I have these memories here. Eve and I could revisit the lake and relive this night as often as we wanted if this was our pack.

When I hear some people packing up to leave, I’m a bit surprised. It’s still early. I head around the side of the packhouse to see who it is. When I see that it’s Evangeline, I call out to her, wanting to say goodbye before they leave. I thought she’d be sleeping.

When she turns, I know something is very wrong. The sweet, happy face I left just an hour ago is gone, replaced by one that looks devasted.

She subtly shakes her head at me and climbs into the car. I begin running, wanting to know what happened, why she suddenly looks so sad and won’t even talk to me.

As I race to the car, her father takes off. I chase them for a few minutes, knowing I won’t be able to catch them and even if I did, what would I do?

I watch, feeling helpless, as Eve puts her hand up against the window, as if she’s saying goodbye.

Oh, hell no!

I turn, racing back inside. I lift my nose in the air and follow my sister’s scent to her room. I can smell that she’s just getting out of the shower, so I bang on her door.

‘Jordan, it’s me. Open up.’ I mind link her just as the door opens. I push past her into her room.

“You’ve got to help me,” I say, not giving her a minute.

“Jaxon, slow down, what’s going on.”

“It’s Evangeline. We spent the night together, the most amazing night of my life. I just left her an hour ago, she was all smiles and happiness and then, I just saw her leaving with her family just now and she looked devastated. She wouldn’t talk to me, and they left. They just left Jordan!”

I walk to her, grabbing her by the arms and shaking her with the fear of losing my mate. Her hands come down onto my arms.

“Breathe, Jaxon. Breathe.”

and I know she can see the desperation that I’m feeling clearly

lose her, Jordan.

look her up is back at our pack. Go get your things, let Jace know we’re leaving,

to me, holding her tightly for a moment.

Jace is coming out of the bathroom. “Where have you been?” he

leaving. She wanted

do you mean you’re leaving? She said we weren’t leaving

need to her

too, then,”

as you’re ready in 15 minutes.” I tell

me what this is about?” he asks, watching me as he packs his own

had the best night of my life. Everything was great. An hour later,

don’t you ask Evangeline?” he asks, the voice

“I would have, if her family hadn’t already

stops, looking at me. “You said you had the best night of your

rushing into the bathroom

in your scent, kind of night?” he asks, looking at me as

“Yeah. So?”

says, using his Gamma tone and getting my attention.

the fact that she’s underage, that her father might take offense to his underage daughter coming back to her room with an Alpha male’s scent

feels the mate bond, same as I do. He should accept

feel the mate bond? Maybe you should ask my sister about that and get

different, although it shouldn’t be. Melinda is

is UNDER age. The issues may be different, but the parental response is the same. The parent either doesn’t believe in the mate bond or in your case, maybe her parents don’t believe that she can feel

it,” I

is, her parents, an Alpha and a royal Alpha, are going to be

snarl, gritting my

can. You need to be careful here,

be careful? Did that work for Alpha Jonas? Is it working for you? Doesn’t look like it to me,” I say, grabbing my bag. I know that last part was out of line, but I don’t care. “If you’re coming with us, be downstairs in a few

I get downstairs, Jordan is