The Claiming by Cooper

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 59 (Jaxon)

As Evangeline and I walk out to the training fields, I stuff food into my mouth. I already knew I needed to win today so I could support Eve in winning our pack, but now, there’s no choice. No matter who I battle today, even if it’ s Tobias who I consider my biggest competitor, I must win. I can’t expect my pregnant mate to win a pack for us. As focused as I am on this battle today, I still notice that my mate is limping slightly. She’s trying to cover it up, but she must be in quite a bit of pain. “Stop worrying about me Jaxon. I can feel it through our bond. Get your head into this match.”

“You’re limping Evangeline. I want to carry you back inside and tuck you into bed,” I say to her.

“Well, that’s a fight waiting to happen,” she says, smirking at me.

I shake my head at her before looking up at the leaderboards and breathing a sigh of relief. I’m not fighting Tobias. I’ m not even fighting another Alpha, I’m fighting a warrior. I’m not stupid enough to think that automatically means I’ll win, but I have a much better chance of winning now.

My match is in the second round.

Magdalena has a match in the first round.

“Let’s go watch your sister,” I tell Eve.

Eve turns to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “You don’t have to. Why don’t you go stretch and get ready for your match. I can go root Maggie on.”

I pull her to me, careful because I know she’s sore. “The two most important people in the world to me are right here. Why would I walk away from that?” I ask her, k*issing her softly. “Damn, you’re a charmer. If we have a son and he’s like you, the girls are doomed,” she says, making me smile.

We walk to Magdalena’s sparring circle. Today’s matches will still span over five hours, but instead often matches at each hour, there will only be seven.

When we arrive, I stand behind Eve, wrapping my arms around her and putting my hands on her stomach, hoping my heat will help to alleviate her soreness. She leans back against me while we wait for the match to begin.

As we watch, Haley walks up to the ring.

“Oh, I need to go talk to Maggie. I know how to defeat Haley,” Eve says, and she does her best to walk normally as she moves to speak to her sister and father.

realize that she’s fighting Eve’s sister and she gets a look of defeat on her face before she ever steps into the ring. She might have been able to win this match, but not when she’s

and getting my head into my own match. The warrior is from Alpha Antonio’s

realize that Eve is back. I stand up and pull her to me again, putting my hands over her stomach. I catch her father trying to casually look back at us. He must have noticed her limping. He’s an Alpha. He would know the signs of a she-wolf that

lost the fight before she ever entered the ring.

arms. He is also battling today, having lost yesterday. Eve

my eyes. I need to win, I will win, I

my opponent and I begin assessing him. He looks like he favors his right side just a bit more than this left. As

it’s our turn, I walk into the ring, confident. I nod to him, and then get set. When the referee calls the start of the match, the warrior immediately comes at me. I’m ready for him and I take a few minutes to see where he may have some other weaknesses before I swipe his right leg out from under him. I swing my fist around to punch him in his chest while he’s lying

can work with that

focusing my attention on his right side. Once he begins to tire, I know I have him and I’ve

him to his feet, letting him know he did a good job before turning to find Eve.

We’re both moving

in her hair. “How are you feeling?”

pulls back and looks at me. “Really? You just won your match, we’re both moving on, and THAT’S the first thing you ask

yes, your health, safety and well-being will always be at the forefront of my mind.” I

show you how

about to turn and do that, when Alpha Luke

“Alpha Jaxon, a moment?”

the ground. “I’ll be up

at her father. “Is there something you wanted to discuss, father?” she

at Eve, his

sure you both

sure what you

knows, Eve,” I say to my mate before addressing her father. “And, it may not have been planned right now, but it was planned.

Eve