The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 28 (Jordan)

I follow Balor into his cave. The moment we are out of sight of the others, he slumps and I move to support him. He lost a lot of blood protecting me.

“Thank you,” I say to him. “You didn’t have to risk yourself for me,” I tell him. He looks at me. “I don’t take kindly to anyone being forced into a mating situation. Real men don’t have to force a woman to get what they want,” he says, and I help him to lay down.

“How are you feeling?” I ask him, looking around quickly and finding a rag and some water. I begin washing off the wound. It’s already closing but I want to try and clean it out as best I can.

“Lightheaded. Thank you for not making a fuss in front of my clan,” he says.

“I understand the importance of a leader always showing their strength. Doesn’t matter if it’s a pack or a clan. If they question your authority, you have to fight them to keep it. Sometimes, your people die, and for no other reason than they thought you were weak,” I tell him as I wash his wound. “That’s a lot of experience talking for a young little wolf like you,” he says.

I shrug. “I was the only female Alpha for a while. A lot of males questioned my ability to lead,” I tell him honestly.

“I hope you set them straight,” he says to me, watching me as I wash his t*hroat.

“Every last one of them,” I say smiling at him.

He chuckles, then stops as the motion makes the wound bleed more.

I wipe off the new blood, still cleaning up the wound.

“So, you and the pup, huh?” he asks.

I glance at him and shrug again. “It’s complicated,” I say.

“I’ll say. You’re sharing a room with him and you’re still a virgin.”

My eyes shoot to his, and I see a shrewd look on his face. He reaches up and taps his nose again. “I can smell it.”

“You can smell it? What does that even mean?” I ask him, dropping the bloody rag into the water to soak and focusing on this interesting man.

“Under your scent of sweet peppermint is the delicious scent of a fresh dewy morning in spring, the scent of an unt*ouched woman. There aren’t many of you left at your age,” he says, watching me intently. Seriously, the man nearly bled out a few minutes ago and now I swear he’s flirting with me. “It’s not easy being a powerful female. Most men want me for my title or the power that being mated to me brings them. Not many men take the time to get to know me.”

are stupid. Perhaps the pup was stupid too, but you’re giving him another

answer. “Hmm, if you truly want to see how I’m feeling, you could climb into bed beside me and let me

“You are quite

And when I see something I want, I don’t hesitate to

reach out and take his hand, my

“What’s that?”

you. Do whatever tests he needs you to do so

me

at him. “I’m not sleeping with you, big bear,” I

with me or not having s*ex with me?” he asks. “Come, sleep with me. I need the rest and you look

ask him.

beside him, tucking myself up against him. It’s actually perfect. The closer I am to him, the more likely he is to get

wolf. I won’t die on you, I promise,” he says,

some time later, Jace’s

You need

and look at him. He looks clammy, and I reach up

ask Jace, noticing that it’s

bears that were injured last night are already

running

on my way,’ I tell him, carefully getting off the bed and walking

the road. I turn, heading to

“How is Balor?”

but feverish,” I tell him. “I’ll put a guard on him. If he wakes up cranky, it’s going

Jace comes jogging up

see you. Victor, thank you for coming,” I say before turning

bears are already showing signs of feral-fever,” I tell

blood. I need to get samples to know for sure what I’m dealing with,”

turn to Jace. “Set Kyra up in our cave.” He nods and grabs one of Kyra’s bags. “This way,” he says, guiding her off. Darryl and Apollo come walking over. “Dr. Braxton, this is Darryl, Balor’s second in command and Apollo, his third in command. This is Dr. Braxton. He’s the one that can help your clan

under better circumstances. Show me where the infected bears are. I need to get some blood samples so we can start treating

and I know that it’s Balor. As one, Apollo, Darryl and I race toward the caves.

has shifted and is frothing at the mouth. He’s obviously angry and feeling the effects of the bite. He’s lifted up on his hind l*egs, easily over 9

know I have to get the

the bears, standing

Balor!” I

I duck coming up underneath him and punching him in the stomach. Then I

my Alpha aura, trying to