The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 289

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 16 (Jace)

After lunch, the Alphas began talking about finding the rogues. Now that it is settled that Jordan and I will go to see the bears, their next plan had to incorporate actually finding the rogues and deciding what to do with them. We’ II know more after we talk to Balor, the clan chief of the bears, but Nolan’s intel was that there were two packs.

“While we’re talking about dividing our Alphas up and sending all of you out to search for rogues, might I inquire about the Beta Trials? We’re only about a month away from the start of the trials at this point. Has anyone considered that we would be at high risk for an attack during those challenges?” Jordan asks.

“That’s a valid point, although, I’m surprised that you’re concerned about them, Alpha, being that you already have a Beta. Do you have a lot of individuals entering the Trials?” Alpha Tarik, Tobias’ brother, asks me.

“I do have several individuals who have entered the Beta Trials, but my Beta heir has also thrown his hat into the Trials. So, you I’ll be looking for a Beta just like the new Alphas,” she says, and I watch as Alpha Mason jerks his head at Elijah, who nods subtly, his l*ips pressed tightly together.

“Why would a Beta, with a guaranteed position in a pack, decide to go into the Beta Trials?” Alpha Aiden asks me. “You’d have to ask him,” Jordan says diplomatically.

Taylor, however, isn’t so diplomatic. “It’ s because you’re a female Alpha, isn’t it?”

“He didn’t… specify, in so many words…” Jordan begins, but Taylor snorts.

“Well, there’s one Beta I won’t have to worry about, he’s now eliminated from my list,” she says.

Alpha Caleb looks like he’s just about to say something, when we hear Jordan’s patrols send up the howl of alarm.

Jordan’s up and moving toward me as the patrol mind links us both.

“Jordan?” Jaxon asks.

We both turn to Taylor. “It’s your pack, Taylor. The rogues are attacking your pack.”

I tell her, following Jordan as we race out of the conference room and to the back door of the packhouse. Almost as one, me, Jordan and Taylor leap and shift, racing to her pack.

Behind me, I can hear Jaxon and Alpha Mason beginning to bark orders to increase the patrols of our pack and sending out the message to get the elderly and women with young children into the safe rooms. I’m sure Griffin is doing the same for his pack as well, since they are just as close to Taylor’s pack as ours is.

Jordan lifts her head up into the air and howls to let the others know we’re on our way. I lift mine to join hers and hear several others right behind us.

As we get closer, we can hear the sounds of snarling and fighting. As soon as we break through the clearing that Taylor has created for her packhouse, I see and smell the rogue Alpha. He’s definitely an Alpha based on his size. He has a wolf on the ground, snapping at him and I recognize him as Nolan.

Jordan moves to attack the rogue Alpha, but Taylor snarls a feral snarl, and leaps forward slamming into the rogue Alpha, knocking him off of Nolan. She takes a protective stance in front of him and while I understand her motive, it’s the worst possible thing she could do.

The rogue’s eyes become hungry, and he howls a lustful, desirous howl of a male who’s found the female he intends to mate. I have a moment to be thankful that this rogue’s focus is on Taylor, not Jordan, before Nolan’s wolf is on his feet, snarling and snapping at the rogue.

When the rogue starts to run off, Nolan moves to go after him, but Taylor grabs onto his tail with her teeth, holding him in place. I hear the rogue Alpha howl, calling his pack members to him and I hear the sound of multiple paws hitting the ground, following after him.

The minute that Nolan shifts, I know that I was right. Taylor is his mate.

When he calls Taylor ‘mate’, Jordan jerks beside me. I look at her while Taylor shifts and repeats the word back to Nolan. Then I watch as Jordan shifts, staring at Nolan. His eyes drift to hers and shock registers on his face.

“Jordan.”

I shift, just as Taylor looks back and sees Jordan. Understanding and pain run in rapid succession across her face. Then she turns back to Nolan.

“You’re Nolan?”

“Yes. And you are?”

“Taylor.”

“Taylor,” he says and his brows furrow. “The cousin who…” he turns looking at me.

Griffin comes running up to us, shifting quickly.

“What’s going on?” he asks.