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.

clean and told Jordan that you know that

you knew, but you’ve always known things

when it comes to you, Jace. I’m

I say and now it’s time for

chuckles. “I bet she did. You DID

tiny person,” I say jokingly,

she’d really ever be

was good enough for her,” I say quietly. “Your mother dying had nothing to do with your worthiness,

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

small, annoying little girl who wouldn’t let me be,” I say, but I smile at the memory of

I see in you, Jace, is the same thing I’ve always seen, someone who is strong,

I say, taking him and putting him against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping on his back until he burps, then keeping him

she asks, turning to face me, pulling one leg up in

to her that I can be a good mate to her, that I’m worthy of

have to prove that

moment. “I do now. Maybe I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well, she hasn’t rescinded the

bond to the mix,” she says,

you mean?” I ask,

an eyebrow at me. “I think you

stare at her a moment.

I’ll take that as a

the top of my nephew’s head, smelling his

going

down and resting her head on the

having Luna Jara sit in as mediator, but it would give her a chance to see

could ask Jordan. I know she’d be happy to

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