The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 43 (Evangeline)

When I arrive back at my pack, everyone seems happy to see me, as if they all missed me.

“Of course, they missed you,” Makayla says when I mention it. “You’re the heart of this pack.”

“Makie, that’s not true. Mom is the heart of this pack,” I tell her.

“Yes, she is, and you’ll hopefully forgive me for saying this Evie, but you’re just as much of the heart of the pack as she is,” Alejandro says.

“Why do I need to forgive you for saying that?” I ask.

“Because it means you were meant to be a great Luna, or at least you would make a great Luna,” Lazio says.

I frown at them. “Alphas have a heart.”

Both of them look at me.

“No, Evie. The Alphas are meant to be the hard ones in the pack, the ones that make the hard decisions and the ones that lay down the law and hold people accountable when someone doesn’t follow that law. The Luna is the heart, the gentleness, the kindness that counters the Alpha’s dominance of their pack.” Al says.

“And you’re damn good at it, Evie. The pack adores you, as they should…if you were going to be a Luna.” Lazio says.

“So, you’re saying I need to be a bitch if I want to be Alpha?”

“No, Alpha Jordan is finding a middle ground, sort of. I’m just saying, the pack responds to you in a way that they respond to mom, not in the way that they respond to dad.” Al says.

think about that as I head to my room, wondering

living off of a few pairs

“Do you know where my father has Alpha Jaxon

the Beta

moment. “Let me guess, he’s as far away from this side of the

that’s correct, Alpha

someone else show me which room will be Alpha

Alpha, I can

with our lead omega, knowing that this is very purposeful on my father’s part. He’s allowing Jaxon on our

terrible room. The room itself has a great view of the training fields and the forest at the back and to the east

it’s stocked and checking to make sure

assuming Teagan and Rowan’s rooms are

1 said,

I tell

packhouse just as Teagan and Rowan

look up and see my mother watching them intently. When her eyes meet mine, I just raise an eyebrow at her. She presses her lips together and I see the barest of head nods. Finally, I think she’s realizing that we can feel our

and Alejandro, Makayla and I take them

is really good for the packs and our alliances,

mean?” I ask

if we’re working together, supporting each other, pooling our resources so everyone has an equal chance to win, it can only strengthen all of our packs, right? And now that I’ve become friends with Teagan and Rowen, wherever they end

together, bonding over our pain and suffering will be

her,” Al and

tongue out at us and moves to put her arm through Jaxon’s. “I like him, he’ll make an excellent brother once he

one hell of a Luna when the time comes,” Jaxon says to her making

get used it,”