The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 39 (Jace)

Jordan and I sit in front of the video on the computer, getting ready for the Alpha conference the next morning.

I look at the bed and a sudden flash of the images from last night run through my mind. I had been laying on the

bed and my mate, in nothing but her p*anties, had crawled onto the bed, slowly making her way up my body. Never

once using her hands, she had leaned down and using her teeth, she had pulled my boxers down, letting my h*ard

length spring free. Then, again without using her hands, she had taken me in her mouth and edged me so f*ucking

h*ard that when I finally did come, it felt like an explosion went off in my body. I swear to the goddess that I passed

out for a moment. Nothing in my life had ever felt that good. My mate had taken everything I had given her, l*icking

and s*ucking me clean before smirking proudly at me and coming to lay beside me.

I had curled up around her, but she had smelled so good and the feel of the heat pulsing from her p*ussy against

my t*high had been more than I could bear. It had been hours later, after pleasuring each other multiple times that

we had finally fallen asleep in each other’s arms, exhausted and sated.

That was then, and now, thinking of it again, has me shifting around on the seat, trying to ease the uncomfortable

pressure of my jeans against my now h*ard length.

‘Focus, Jace,’ Jordan’s voice comes through the mind link.

‘I am, it just happens to be thoughts of you that I’m focusing on, not on this call,’ I say, leaning away from the

camera and giving her a wolfy smile while I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

I am rewarded with one of Jordan’s rare laughs.

“Good morning, Jordan,” Luna Jara’s amused voice comes through the speaker.

Jordan schools her features, to my disappointment. “Good morning mother, good morning council members,”

Jordan says, back in Alpha mode.

I follow her lead and return to the camera.

“Good morning, Jace,” Luna Jara says, giving me a knowing look.

“Good morning, Luna. Good morning council members,” I say, just as the camera from two more packs come on.

Once everyone has joined, Councilman Jason calls the meeting to order. “First, Alpha Jordan, have you heard

anything from Dr. Braxton?”

“Yes, I spoke with him this morning. The bears continue to show signs of improvement. He feels that he can return

to the pack in the next day or two.”

“Good, and what about our alliance with the bears?” he asks her.

She looks at me and we both smile.

“I think we’re good,” she says. “But, Balor, the leader of the clan, was injured protecting me from the rogue Alpha

that tried to mark me, so I’ve been waiting to finalize our alliance until he’s well.”

“What aren’t you and your Gamma telling us, Alpha?” Councilman Antonio asks shrewdly.

“It’s something else we wanted to talk to the council about. We, that is Alpha Jordan, had intended to speak with

Councilman Jason about this, but with everything that happened, neither of us had time to follow up,” I say.

“Are you going to tell us now, Gamma, or keep us in the dark?” Councilman Saul asks me.

I look at Jordan, deferring to her.

“Have any of you ever heard of a bear being mated to a wolf?” she asks them. There’s a collective gasp from the

group.

“Who? Not you?” Luna Jara asks, looking concerned, her eyes going from Jordan to me and back again.

“No, Dr. Braxton’s daughter, Kyra,” Jordan says.

Everyone frowns. “How old is she?” Alpha Mason asks.

“Young, not quite fifteen,” Jordan says. “Balor is old enough to be her father,” Nolan says.

“Yes, he is, and he and Dr. Braxton have apparently come to an agreement about it,” Jordan tells them.

“And she feels the mate bond, even at her young age?” Alpha Luke asks. I notice that all his daughters, but

particularly Evangeline who joined the group today, turn and give him ‘I told you so’ looks.

“She knew she needed to be close to him and help fight the virus and she already seems to feel the draw to him.

He had become…overwhelmed with the virus, becoming almost feral in his actions and she was able to calm him.”

She stops and glances at me before turning back to the group. “Balor feels it too.”

Councilman Jason frowns. “Bears don’t have mate bonds, do they?”

“No, unless, apparently, they have wolf mates. We didn’t know if this is something that has happened in the past or

if this is new,” I say.

“I’ll have to research it,” Councilman Jason says, looking up. “I’m assuming this is what you called me about the

other day? I apologize for not getting back to you. Things have been chaotic on our end as well.”

“Yes, it is. And I completely understand, Councilman,” Jordan says to him. “So, in light of that, I’d say our alliance

with the bears is strong?” Luna Jara asks.

“Yes, that would be correct,” I say. “They may be rough around the edges, and they nearly destroyed our car when

we got here, but they fixed it and things between us seem to be settling,” I tell them.

“We should probably make a point of meeting them,” Alpha Jaxon says to Alpha Tobias.

“Agreed. Our packs are closest to their clan and if it appears that bears and wolves can actually have mate bonds,

then the more we know about them, the closer our bond, the more likely we are to find those mate bonds,” Tobias

says. “Okay, our next order of business. The question was raised about what to do with the new packs and how we

plan to assist the new packs to continue with their building and growth,” Councilman Jason says.

Everyone goes quiet and I turn to Jordan. “I told you.”

“Told her what, Jace?” my sister Melinda asks. She has joined with her mate, Alpha Jonas, who is still Alpha of his

pack since their children are so young.

“Jordan had an idea that she assumed everyone would have. I told her that I didn’t think so.” I turn and look at her.

“Only an Alpha as special as she is would consider it.”

I can feel her embarrassment of my glowing accolades, but it’s true and I want everyone to know that they should

strive to be the kind of Alpha that Jordan is.

“Do tell, Jordan,” Luna Jara says. “I think the ten existing packs should ask for volunteers and allow those interested

to go assist the new packs with protection, building and creating a new pack. Many of those individuals might be

interested in joining these new packs. We know many of our pack members are signed up for the Beta Trials and

those that don’t win will most likely sign up for the Gamma Tournament.”

“But those are ranked positions. You’re suggesting that we just allow our pack members to leave? To go join

another pack?” Alpha Tarik asks. He’s the oldest of the younger generation, having been an Alpha to his pack for six

years.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. Every one of the new Alphas are our family members. All of them have

found their mates and nearly all of those individuals are also our family members. Alpha Tarik, you may only have

one brother, but his mate, Flavia, has four other siblings, one of which is participating in the Beta Trials. You don’t

think it’s possible that in your entire pack there aren’t some wolves that may want to live in a pack where your

brother is Alpha? You wouldn’t even consider giving them that opportunity? I, for one, want to lead my people, not

command them. If that means helping them to find the life that they want to lead outside of my pack, then that is

what I’m going to do. Our younger generation may want to be a part of building a pack from the ground up. They

may want to put their stamp on something that will live much longer than they will. We can’t offer them those types

of opportunities in the existing packs, but the new Alphas can. I can guarantee you, right now, that there are

members of my pack who would want to join my twin’s pack. I’m sure there are those that would want to move to

my sisters’ packs as well. Why should I force them to stay in my pack when, not only would they prefer to try

something new, but our family members need the pack members more than we do?” she asks, and I want to

cheer. My mate is incredible.

“But that will weaken our packs, during a time when we may need the strength to overcome the rogue attacks,”

Alpha Aiden says. He’s the second oldest of the newer generation Alphas. Both he and Tarik come from the

northern packs, having small families in comparison and being several years older than the other Alphas.

“Alpha Aiden, are you telling me that you are concerned about fighting a pack of rogues with twenty to thirty

members? Most of our packs are over 150 individuals now. Even if you lost half of your pack, you should still be able

to handle that number of wolves with the trained fighters that we all have in our packs. Hell, most of us didn’t even

make it to the rogue fight that took place outside of Alpha Jordan’s pack. The patrols, Nolan and Alpha Taylor took

most of them on. I’m in agreement with Alpha Jordan. We should give our pack members a choice. Otherwise, we

are dictators, not Alphas,” Alpha Alejandro says.

“But you are not yet Alpha of your pack, Alpha Alejandro,” Alpha Tarik says, looking to Alpha Luke.

“I support my son as the future Alpha of our pack and I will support my children, by allowing my pack members to

choose if they want to try another pack. Was it not always the intention of the council that the packs would have a

choice once the new packs were established?” he asks, looking at the Councilmembers.

“Yes, that is true, Alpha Luke. However, the council has decided to let the existing packs decide if they are willing to

allow their pack members to choose. We will take a vote and the majority will decide.”

“Well, I’m with Jordan and Alpha Alejandro. I’ll let my pack decide,” Alpha Griffin says.

“As will I,” Alpha Paolo says.

“And I,” Alpha Giovanni says.

“All in favor?” Councilman Jason asks.

Eight hands go up. I watch Tarik look at his brother, then sigh before raising his hand. Alpha Aiden, however, refuses

to concede.

“By a vote of 9 to 1, the existing packs will allow their pack members to decide if and where they choose to live.

The packs will have one week to announce this to their pack members and then in two weeks, we will have a

gathering of all new Alphas and any interested pack members, that includes all individuals currently enrolled in the

Beta Trials,” Councilman Jason says. “This meeting is adjourned.”