The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 46 (Evangeline)

Jaxon and I spent the evening laughing and dancing together, celebrating his sister becoming the pack’s Alpha. It felt a lot like we were already a mated couple. No one else asked me to dance, not that Jaxon gave them the chance, but there were no jealous she- wolves hovering around us either, clamoring for a chance to dance with Jaxon. It was a great night and now, I’m heading to my room to shower and change before I sneak up to Jaxon’s room for the night.

When I get out of the shower, Maggie is just walking in.

“Hey Maggie, did you have a good time tonight.”

“Hey, Evie, yeah I did,” she says distractedly, going to her bed.

“You okay?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I’m good. You headed to Jaxon’s room?”

My sister and I have been best friends our entire lives. We know everything about each other and right now, I know something is bothering my sister.

I finish getting dressed in my pajama shorts and top and I sit on my bed. “Spill,” I say.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Well, I mean, you’re not like Makayla and bouncy all the damn time, but you’ re usually more upbeat than this, especially when we’ve just come from such a fun night.”

She begins chewing on the inside of her m*outh. A sure sign that something is bothering her.

“I found him, Evie.”

I wait, thinking there’s more. She doesn’t say any more, she just looks at me.

“Found who?”

“Him. My mate.”

I jump up, pulling her into a hug. “Maggie, that’s wonderful!” I say, before stopping and pulling back.

“Wait, why aren’t you more excited?”

“Dad, obviously.”

“Oh shit.”

“Yeah, oh shit. If he’s struggling this much with you, imagine how he’s going to act with me. I’m six months younger than you are.”

“How old is your mate? WHO is your mate?” I ask, watching as a smile spreads across her face.

“Jaxon’s cousin, Caleb. And we’re the same age.”

the oldest male, right? He just took over as Alpha. And that would make

understand the family tree. I need to know, not only because I’m

her mate. She’s your age, not quite 18, but her parents let her go spend time in her mate’s

Caleb is in the

I didn’t approach him, and he didn’t approach me, or he didn’t have a chance since dad rushed us out of there so fast on the last day. But Evie, now I want to spend time with him, I want

with while still getting to know each other. I know that, unlike you and Jaxon, I won’t be 18 before the next competition, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other reasons for us to spend

do you want to do?” I ask her. “I’ll support you in any way you want, Maggie. If you want to come with me to grandmother Isabella’s pack, I’ll support you. If Alpha Jonas won’t take both of us,

and if that doesn’t work, we’ll either come stay here with Jaxon and his family or we’ll go find our own

an eyebrow at me. “You’ve really thought

of letting dad or anyone keep me from

agrees, maybe you could even stay there if mom and dad try to keep you apart. Did you talk

sheepish smile spreading across her face. “He’s actually coming here tonight so we

and I did a lot of ‘talking’ that first night,” I say

and I are still giggling together when

Caleb’s eyes go wide.

Evangeline. I’m mated to your cousin, Jaxon.”

I heard

“Good things, I hope.”

says, turning to Maggie. “I guess it runs in the family, since your gorgeous

shake my head, smiling. “I’ll see you in the morning. Keep your ears

“Thanks, Evie.”

I said hi.” Caleb says. “Will

I’ve just lifted my fist to knock when the door swings open and Jaxon pulls me into his room and

asks me. “I was getting good

“Care to share?”

to your cousin,” I tell

He frowns. “Griffin?”

just arriving

is your father going to take

sure, but Maggie and I will have to talk more this weekend. You and I may have

you, I don’t care how many more there are. We’ll

think of Maggie, Caleb

Jace POV

Jordan walks out of the room. Taylor rushes to me, wrapping her

“Jace, what happened?”

to tell Taylor. Well, I guess I never really figured out how to tell her that Jordan was my mate. I guess I figured Jordan would reject me early on and it would never come up.

rejected me.” Better to just say

you as her

at Taylor. “As

slapped

“Jordan is your mate?”

“Yeah.”

knew?