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 what it means long-term for

have all my clothes again. It was rough living off of a few pairs of clothes for the past

I settle in, I find our lead omega. “Do you know where my father has Alpha Jaxon and his family staying this week?” I

sisters are staying on the Beta floor. Alpha Jaxon is staying

look at her a long moment. “Let me guess, he’s as far

that’s

someone else show me which room will be

course, Alpha, I

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

to see that he’s making sure that he isn’t insulting a neighboring Alpha by giving him a terrible room. The

check the bathroom making sure that it’s stocked and checking to make sure that everything

assuming Teagan and Rowan’s rooms

said, they are on the

I

just as Teagan and Rowan arrive. “Welcome

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 mate

a couple hours later and Alejandro, Makayla and I take them on a

the packs and our alliances, isn’t it?”

you mean?” I ask

know were all in a competition, or most of us are, but 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 up as Lunas, we’ll already have bonds created because we are creating bonds with them

together, bonding over our pain and suffering will be bonds that will last a lifetime. And obviously, mate bonds like those between your sister and 1, will create strong pack bonds as

her,” Al and I say

us and moves to put her arm through Jaxon’s. “I like him, he’ll make

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

get used it,” Rowen