The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 248

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 48 (Jordan)

“Hey Nolan. I know we talked about me meeting you at Alpha Luke’s this week, but it doesn’t feel right. I just took my oath as Alpha two days ago and now I’ m planning to go train for a competition that I’m not even eligible for. I need to be here.” I say, by way of greeting.

“Jordan. It’s nice to hear from you. You’re an Alpha, officially the leader of your pack now. I understand if you can’t join me this week, although I won’t say that I’m not disappointed. However, I looked at my schedule. If you can’t join me this week, perhaps you could join me in two weeks? I’ll be in Alpha Jonas’s pack. I believe that’s relatively close to your pack.”

“I can make that work. It gives me time to work with Elijah to prepare for me to be away. This week, all I’ve had time for is preparing for the Alpha ceremony.”

“Excellent. So, tell me, how does it feel to be an official Alpha?”

“Honestly?” I ask him.

“I thought we had agreed to only ever by honest with each other,” he says.

It’s true. When he was here, we had talked about honesty, how important it is. Nolan is about 15 years older than I am and he never found his mate. It was refreshing to talk to someone that wasn’t interested in me just because I’m an Alpha. He wanted to know about me, Jordan, the woman.

When I had started to give him my usual responses, he had called me on it.

“Is that you speaking or is that the Alpha speaking?” he had asked.

I had looked at him. “I’m not sure I know the difference anymore.”

“Hmm, how about, from now on, you tell me what you, Jordan, think when we talk, not you, Alpha Jordan.”

“I don’t know if I know how to do that,” I say honestly.

“What about when you are speaking to your twin? Do you struggle to know the difference then?” he asked.

“No, Jaxon knows me. It’s part of being a twin. There aren’t a lot of secrets.”

“Then, I’d like you to talk to me like you would talk to Jaxon. If the answer doesn’t come from your heart, from you, the woman, from a place of honesty, then I don’t want the answer.”

Nolan was so different from anyone that I have ever met. He and the other warriors don’t belong to a pack. He had gone away for years, training to become a master in his art, lethal in a battle.

So now, I answer him honestly. “It’s a little scary being the Alpha. My cousin, Griffin tried to warn me, but it’s not something you can explain. When I took my oath, I felt the power of becoming an Alpha, and then immediately behind that, I felt the weight of the responsibility that I now have. The lives of every member of my pack are now mine to protect. It’s up to me to ensure that my people prosper, that they are cared for.”

“And this is why you will be a good Alpha, Jordan. You understand the responsibility that has been given to you and you want to do right by your people. I believe you will be a great Alpha.”

“Thank you, Nolan.”

“I know I can’t see you for a couple of weeks, but can I continue to call you, Jordan?”

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

“Then, I will talk to you soon. And, if it’s not too forward, when my next time comes to be in your pack, I’d like to come a day early and take you on a date. Would you be agreeable to going on a date with me, Jordan?”

“I would love that.”

“Then, I hope that I will see you in two weeks’ time and it’s a date for three weeks from now.”

I know I have a huge, dopey smile on my face when I say goodbye and hang up.

That smile fades quickly when there’s a knock on my door and I smell Jace. I’ve been avoiding him and either he was recovering from the rejection, or he’s been avoiding me too.

“Come in.”

Jace comes in and sits in front of me, but I don’t look up.

“I know you’re going to be heading out either tonight or tomorrow to train in Alpha Luke’s pack for the week, Alpha. What do you need for me to cover while you’re away?” Jace asks.

I recognize the difference. He’s calling me Alpha rather than Jordan.

“Change of plans. It wouldn’t look good for an Alpha who just took her oath to be gone for a week with unnecessary training, so I’m staying here,” I tell him, still not looking up.