The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 13 (Jace)

It’s late in the evening when I step out back behind the packhouse and see my sister sitting on the patio looking out over the pack pool and the forest.

“Is this seat taken?” I ask Melinda. She’ s nursing Kaiden and I’m assuming that Jonas is upstairs with their other two. “It is if you sit in it,” she says, and I take the seat.

“So, am I getting another niece or another nephew?” I ask her.

“Don’t know yet, it’s too soon. We should find out next week.” I turn and look at her. “I saw dad leave. How was that?”

She shrugs and I smell the salt of her tears. I reach over and lay my hand on her arm.

“It was good to see him,” she says, and I can tell her throat is tight with emotion. She looks down at Kaiden, stroking his head of dark hair. He, like Ryder, is going to look like Jonas.

I stroke her arm, not saying anything. She swipes her face with the back of her hand. “He says mom’s sorry, that she misses me and wants to meet her grandchildren. I just… how do I trust her after what she did? How do I even begin to forgive that? You know?” she says, turning to look at me.

“She kept me from my mate, the father of my children, making us both think that we didn’t want to see the other. Who does that? What kind of person keeps their child away from her mate because you don’t agree with the age difference?”

“I’m probably not the best person to answer that question, Mel,” I say, turning and looking out over the forest.

She’s quiet a moment.

told Jordan that you know that

my sister. “I’d ask how you knew,

comes to you, Jace. I’m

say and now it’s time for my throat

Melinda chuckles. “I bet she did. You DID date her cousin, you

such a tiny person,” I say jokingly, feeling my

didn’t think that she’d really ever be okay with that, did

that I was good enough for her,” I say quietly. “Your mother dying had nothing to do with your worthiness, Jace,” she says. “It’s not about

closed off you were after your parents’ death. You tried to shut everyone out, and you did a damn good job of it,” she

I say, but I smile at the memory of Melinda, who

apologetic. “You said yourself that I see what others don’t. And what I see in you, Jace, is the same thing I’ve

reach out my hands. “Here, let me,” I say, taking him and putting him against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping on

me, pulling one leg up in her chair and leaning her head on

to her that I can be a good mate to her, that

you have to prove that to

I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well, she hasn’t rescinded the rejection and she’s

to the mix,” she says, making me snap my

you mean?” I ask, more sharply than

an eyebrow at me. “I think you already know

a moment. “You’re freakishly scary, you

smiles. “From you, I’ll take that

the top of my nephew’s head, smelling

you going

down and resting her head on the back of

give her a chance to see Ryder and Molly and meet Kaiden,”

know she’d be happy to do it,”