The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 295

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 22 (Taylor)

I return to the Alpha conference, but my mind is all over the place. I can’t believe I finally found my mate. When I didn’t find him during the Contest, I figured the Moon Goddess didn’t give me one. But he was here all along, I just didn’t realize it and our paths never crossed.

When I walk back into the conference room, Nolan is up front speaking to Councilman Jason. I take the same seat I was in this morning, not sure how to approach Nolan, or even if I should after everything that has transpired. I told him we’d talk this evening, but now, the anticipation of maybe hearing that he prefers my cousin to me is weighing on me.

I’m looking over the agenda, trying to get my emotions under control, when I smell his scent of fresh cut pines. “Do you mind if I sit here, Alpha?” Nolan asks me.

I look up at him and shake my head. When he sits, I take a deep breath, letting his scent and the warmth emanating from him soothe and calm me.

“Call me Taylor,” I say quietly then turn to him. “You’re my mate, you should call me Taylor.”

“Taylor,” he says, nodding as Jordan and Jace walk in.

He looks up, nodding at the two of them but nothing more. Now that my nerves are calm, the afternoon goes by quickly with Nolan talking about what he knows about Balorto Jace and Jordan, helping them prepare fortheir trip.

Then, Councilmen Jason, Antonio, and Saul begin working with the older Alphas to set up hunts for the rogues. While he does that, Councilwomen Jara and Gia work with the younger Alphas to make sure everyone has a place to go to be safe, and they begin documenting where everyone will be staying.

When they come up to me, I let them know that I’ll be staying in Griffin’s pack until things settle.

When Councilman Jason calls for the meeting to adjourn, Nolan looks at me.

“When would you like to talk, Taylor?”

“No time like the present,” I say. “Would you like to go for a walk in the woods?” He raises an eyebrow at me.

“On Jordan’s pack lands,” I clarify. “That would be nice,” he says, and I let Griffin know that I’ll be heading home tomorrow along with everyone else before heading outside with Nolan.

We don’t speak until we get to the edge of the forest, away from everyone. When we do, I stop and look at him. “Taylor,”

“Nolan,” we both say at the same time.

Then I stop and laugh. “Let’s find somewhere to sit.”

We move to an area that has a great view of the mountains but also my pack lands.

I take a deep breath. “So, you know that I’m a female Alpha, you know that Alpha Seth and Luna Hana are my parents, but my brother, Griffin, is now Alpha of my old pack.”

I glance at him, but he stays quiet, looking out over the area in front of us. “We’re you really going to take Jordan as your chosen mate?” I ask him.

Now he does look at me. “Were you really going to take Jace as yours?” he asks me.

I look away. “I didn’t think I had a mate. I assumed that if I did, that I would have met them during the Contest, but I never met you,” I say, defending myself.