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.

and told Jordan that you know that she’s

glance at my sister. “I’d ask how you knew, but you’ve always known

you, Jace. I’m glad you

me,” I say and now it’s time for my

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

say jokingly, feeling my chest loosen

think that she’d really ever be okay with that, did

quietly. “Your mother dying had nothing to do with your worthiness, Jace,” she says.

parents’ death. You tried to shut everyone out, and you did a damn

be,” I say, but I smile at the memory of Melinda, who was like a beacon of sunshine in my dark and stormy

Jace, is the same thing I’ve always seen, someone who is strong, compassionate

my hands. “Here, let me,” I say, taking him and putting him against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping on his back until he burps, then keeping him there, enjoying

big brother?” she asks, turning to face me, pulling one leg up in her chair and leaning

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

think you have to prove that to

about that for a moment. “I do now. Maybe I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well, she hasn’t rescinded the rejection and she’s been dating Nolan since the

to the mix,” she

ask, more sharply

“I think you already know what

stare at her a moment. “You’re freakishly scary, you

you, I’ll take that as a

lean down, k*issing the top of my nephew’s head, smelling his

What are you going to do about

back around in her seat, slouching down and

of having Luna Jara sit in as mediator, but it would give her a

she’d be happy to do