The Claiming by Cooper

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 71 (Evangeline)

I can already feel a headache coming on. This last competition is arguably the hardest of them all. Not only that, but I’m just over three months pregnant and I have a baby sitting on my bladder. I get up for the second time to go pee, knowing I’m losing valuable time but not having any choice.

When I come back out, Jaxon looks over at me. I can see that his mind is working overtime to answer these difficult scenarios but he’s still checking on me. I nod my head, letting him know I’m okay before going back to my seat.

I click on the third scenario. ‘How would you h*andle a scenario where one of your pack members comes to you upset because their mate is abusing them, whether it’s physical or through the mate bond? Why would you choose this way of h*andling the situation?’

I can’t even imagine someone who didn’t cherish the mate bond. My love for Jaxon has been absolute from the beginning. How would I h*andle this scenario? I try to think of anyone who would abuse their mate, and I can’t think of anyone. How would I h*andle this? After several minutes, I decide to come back to this one.

I navigate back to the main screen, opening one of the snacks that was left at my table and eating it while going to the fourth scenario. ‘How would you h*andle a situation where your pack could no longer financially support itself? What would you do to ensure that your pack didn’t starve and that pack members didn’t begin leaving your pack?’

Ugh, another difficult question. I roll my neck around, and arch my back, trying to ease the discomfort of sitting for so long. Okay, as an Alpha, it is my responsibility to ensure that my pack is able to make money and then they pay a percentage into the overall pack finances. It’s my job to make sure that every pack member is productive and that the pack has a constant income flow. So, how do I do that?

I think back to the pack lands that Jaxon wants to build on. Currently, there is nothing there. No livable housing, no running water or electricity. We have to build before we can begin bringing in money. However, I did have the idea of creating that little town closer to the front of the pack. That would not only be a way to bring money into the pack, but a way for pack members to have employment if they aren’t eligible or interested in things like being pack warriors or running patrols. And that makes me think even further into the financial situation of our pack. All of those individuals that work for the pack have to get paid, paid by the pack finances. Part of the percentage of money coming in will have to go to their salaries. OR maybe they get free housing! Yes!

Now that I have a plan, I begin writing up my response. When I’m finished, I look at the clock. It’s 11:30am. I have an hour and a half to finish my last two scenarios.

I quickly click on the fifth scenario. ‘A lone wolf continues trying to breach the perimeter of your pack lands. Your patrols have run the wolf off several times, but they keep coming back. How do you h*andle the situation and why?’

This one seems like the easiest of them all. Maybe it’s deceptively easy, but why wouldn’t the Alpha just meet with the wolf and see what’s going on? Do they smell their mate? Are they interested in becoming part of the pack? Without knowing the reason, the wolf is breaching the perimeter, it’s impossible to know exactly how I’d respond, but the question doesn’t indicate that the lone wolf is violent, only that they continue to breach the perimeter.

to use the bathroom once more and also needing to stretch. When I

I smile again before refocusing on my computer and clicking back on Scenario 3. How would

feel like I’ve just begun answering the question when the

only one. Most everyone in the room was still working on their

everyone. Lunch is being served out in the dining room. Your Alphas and family members will be arriving later today. The council will be reviewing your responses for the rest of the day and making our determinations tomorrow. There will be a reception dinner and the finalists will be announced in order. Once we have our top 10, you will be asked to

says as we

my side. “Hey, how’d you do. I saw you

We all walk into the dining room where the buffet is laid out for us. “Let’s get some food and then we can talk about how you did,” Jaxon says. “How we did,” I say

sit down to eat, Lazio, Caleb, Taylor, and

that thought that was ridiculously

a lot harder than I was

and

to the questions. Most of ours were similar. “Did anyone else not finish one of their scenarios?” I ask, looking

“Mine too,” Taylor says.

sure you did great. Plus, don’t forget that they

it’s done now anyway, nothing more I can do about it,” I say. “You were at

I’m assuming that was the

my bladder and he’s being very rude about it.” I say, making everyone

my hair and

shake my

know which pack they would choose?” Taylor asks us. We all look around. The other five of us at the table went