The Claiming by Cooper

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 01 (Jordan)

One Month Later

I pull onto a dirt road, heading to my brother’s new pack. The drive out here, alone, is helping to clear my head. Ever since Jace slapped that piece of paper down on my desk, letting me know that he’d resigned from the contest, my emotions have been all over the place. In the last year, I’ve gone from wondering if he could feel the mate bond, to thinking he chose my cousin over me, to now, finding out that he entered the competition just to prove to himself that he’s worthy of being my mate.

And then there’s Nolan. After walking in on me and Jace, with Jace practically ready to kiss me, Nolan has been spending a lot more time around the pack. I’m not sure if he’s keeping an eye on Jace, or if he’s trying to show me that he’d make a good mate for me. Either way, it’s making everything more awkward and so, I decided to get away, just me, to come see my brother. After this, I may even stop in and see my sisters in their new packs.

I continue down the long road, passing the old dilapidated packhouse and other buildings that are in various states of disrepair. I’m not sure what they plan to do with this land, but the area is gorgeous. It’s similar to my pack lands with a mountain in the backdrop, framing the sky.

As I pull up, I see a very pregnant

Evangeline directing some construction guys and pulling branches and tree limbs away from the construction site. I hop out of the car, rushing over to her and taking the brush from her hands.

“What are you doing? Where’s Jaxon?” I ask her, concerned that she’s doing manual labor in her advanced stages of pregnancy. Thankfully, her pregnancy has been easy, but that doesn’t mean that she won’t strain something working out here.

“Hey Alpha Jordan!” she says, wiping the sweat from her face as I pull the brush over to where I see a pile that she must have already started.

I toss it on the pile and turn to her. “I thought we agreed that we’re sisters and I’m Jordan, Luna,” I say, giving her a look.

“Sorry, pregnesia. I don’t remember anything.”

“Pregnesia?” I ask.

brain cells right out of my head. He better be the smartest wolf I’ve ever met to be causing me such problems,” she says as

baby. They lasted as long as possible, but we agreed to watch over their pack lands while

much longer before you come

to your pack” she says, reminding me that Jaxon is no longer part of my pack. It makes me sad. I miss my

that most of the other packs barely have a foundation, and some are just breaking ground,

work together and try to get discounted rates for

pipes are done, and the buildings are going up. It’s a win-win

the pipes are laid. Does that mean that you have running water

yet, but I usually try to shower in the middle of the day when I’m so hot that the cool water feels good. But I’ll tell you this, it’ s a lot warmer than the pond we found with

than I am,” I say, watching the construction guys as they

table and chairs. There’s a cooler beside it and she opens it looking inside. “We have water, soda and beer,” she says turning to look at me. “Any of that sound good to

a beer?”

me, handing me my beer then leaning back and finding

my nephew?” I ask, watching her rub her stomach. I feel a

she says, taking my hand and putting it on her stomach. I smile as I

“Hey there, JJ. This is your Aunt

sit up and we both look out over the construction going on

someone to talk to,” she says

came by to tell you guys about the announcement of the Beta Trials,”

anyone to tell us that. And I have enough sisters to know that sad look in your

to Teagan or Rowan, but they are both working on building their packs and even Raelyn is working with her mate, Collin, to build their pack. Everyone left all at once and left me alone, or not alone. They left me to deal with my mate mess while

she says. I shake