The Claiming by Cooper

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 56 (Jaxon)

I wake, curled up with my mate on the morning of day two of the sparring battles. Hopefully, if all goes well, we’ll both wake up tomorrow, having moved on in the contest. Both of us had a fairly easy time with our opponents yesterday. Joanna was a tough competitor, but I’m ready to win, today and in the last three events of this contest.

When we get to breakfast, it’s the same as yesterday. Everyone is quietly eating, contemplating today’s events and what they need to win. When we’re done, we head out to the leader boards to see who we are paired with today.

The first thing I notice is that they now have a “1” next to everyone that won their match yesterday and a “0” next to anyone that didn’t. So, now, it’s obvious to everyone who needs to win today to move on, and those that, if they lose today, will be done with the contest overall. A make a note that Jace lost to Tobias yesterday. He has to win the next two days or he’s out of the competition.

I start hearing people calling “Alpha” and I turn to see Jordan striding up to me.

I turn, pulling her into a hug. “Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask her.

“I took a couple days to come root on our pack.” She walks around me to hug Eve before looking up at the scoreboard. I see her frown. I turn and look back, quickly going over the list of our pack members that lost and I can’t imagine she’d be surprised by anyone except Jace.

I turn back to her. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just surprised to see several of our pack members with zeros next to their name.”

“Our pack did have the most contenders of any other pack,” I say.

“By one,” she says, giving me a look like I’m exaggerating things. “Griffin’s pack has eleven in the competition.”

She makes a face, still looking at the leaderboard. “I see Taylor beat Lazio, Evangeline.”

“Yeah, he said she’s pretty tough.”

is. She’d make a good Alpha,” Jordan says, and her tone has gone

our competitor’s names for today are flashed on the board. As soon as I see mine, I turn, heading for the

up to the tables, when I see Tobias from the corner of my eye

forfeit,” we both say

him. “You got put up against your

I nod.

as

If you insist on doing this, let me forfeit. You’re only doing this for me,” she says,

so let’s decide who we want to watch today. I know I want to see Jace. He lost to Tobias yesterday and there is a real possibility that I will have to fight Tobias tomorrow

Tobias and Flavia in the same situation that we’re

done that,” she says, leaning into

fight you, not ever Eve. We’re partners. We’ve talked about this. We’re both Alphas, we’ll run our pack as co-Alphas. I don’t care what

“TF?”

k*issing her nose. I’ll have to postpone our congratulatory love making until tomorrow now. I’m still planning to win this competition, but to do so,

is Top Male?”

top,” I say, trying to get her out of the frustration that I feel coming through the bond. I knew she’d be upset but I won’t

tell you what, Alpha. If you win tomorrow, I’ll let you be on top.

growl softly. “That’s the kind of incentive I’m

away, I look at her.

I will be. I understand why you did it, and I love you for it. I’ll feel better when you’re

today, let’s go see who is

and walk back to where Jordan is talking to some of our

got more exciting. I didn’t know you were going to

won’t fight