The Claiming by Cooper Book 5
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 48 (Jace)
I knew I’d have a chance to show Jordan that there is nothing between me and Taylor, I just didn’t expect the moment to be so perfect.
I met with Victor on our way out to train, explaining to him what I wanted him to do, and not to be shy. He needed to show everyone there that he’s a leader, that he’ s the Gamma. If he believes it, they will too. And he was great, perfect really. It makes me wonder if he wouldn’t do better in the Beta position. He took to being a Gamma like he was born for it, and I guess he was.
I’m keeping my eye on him, making sure that he’s remaining confident and no one is giving him a h*ard time. There was a little ribbing, which was to be expected, but overall, the pack seems to have taken to him as easily as they took to me. They know him, they are familiar with him, and they know his parents are of Beta blood. It makes it easier for him to be accepted.
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It’s because I’m keeping a close eye on him that I see Jordan and Taylor walk out together. I’m not surprised that Jordan is coming to check on him. She was very clear that no one was going to question her new ranked members, although I’m pretty sure that was more about me than Victor.
But, when opportunity comes knocking, I don’t hesitate. I jog over, making sure to acknowledge Taylor first, because I don’t intend to give her any more time or attention than a brief hello. I feel Jordan’s flicker of doubt before I pull her into my arms, and I k*iss her until I don’t feel anything but d*esire and need. Having made my point, I head back to training, loving the dazed look that I leave on her face.
I’m giving pointers to the warriors, watching their weak spots and helping them to cover them when I get Jordan’s mind link.
I run over to Victor, letting him know he needs to finish, and that something is up before I race into the packhouse. When I get to our room, I see Jordan packing and I know we’re leaving. I still don’t know what’s going on, but when I hear her tell whoever she’s talking to that we need to move fast, I know it must be bad.
I’m ready to go 10 minutes later and I grab our bags and jump in the driver’s seat, knowing Jordan still has things to prepare.
“Where are we going?” I ask her.
“Back to bear country,” she says and puts in a call to Griffin.
I listen as she tells him that she has to leave, and he and Taylor will need to prepare for the gathering on their own. When the phone flips over to Bluetooth, she continues talking and I get the story about some human being found by the bears.
Griffin and I growl at the same time, and I glance at Jordan as she looks at me. This is bad. This is really bad.
“Why you?” I ask when she hangs up with Griffin.
“You and I know Balor. There’s familiarity there and Luke called me,” she says.
While we drive, more calls come in, first from her mother, then Councilman Jason, then a conference call from the entire council. They want Jordan to convince this woman to come back to our pack.
We can keep her safe, sure, and we can make sure that she doesn’t die giving birth to whatever creation they are breeding as a second-generation human hybrid, but what if she doesn’t agree? We can’t keep this woman against her will. We’d be no better than the rogues. “Make it happen, Alpha Jordan,” Councilman Jason says, making me growl.
“You’re asking Jordan to do the impossible, you all understand that, right?” I snarl at the council.
“Jace…” she says, and I know she feels it’ s her duty to make this work. Jordan will always take on the world trying to make it a better place, but this is asking too much. And if she fails, what then? Are they going to persecute her for not being able to do something that not one of them could do?
“No, Jordan. It’s a valid question and I want an answer. What is the council going to do if Jordan can’t do this impossible task?” I ask.
“There will be no persecution if Jordan can’t get this human to return with her,” Luna Jara says.
“Really, Luna? Because that’s not what I’ m hearing from the other council members. So, I’ll ask again, what is going to happen to Jordan if she isn’t able to do what none of you could do?”
“We need this human to remain in the packs,” Councilman Jason says. “That’s not an answer,” I snarl. “I want to know that the council won’t hold this against Alpha Jordan if she can’t get this human to comply.”
The silence is deafening, and I growl low and menacingly.
“The council will not hold Alpha Jordan responsible if she is unable to get the human to comply, but we need to know if that’s the case. We, the council, will need to decide next steps if this human refuses to stay with us,” Alpha Antonio says.
“Be sure that you don’t hold her accountable, because I’ll tell you now, I won’t stand for it. If any one of you thinks you can do a better job than she can, get your a*ss up there. If not, and there is any whisper of a blowback against my Alpha, you’ll answer to me.”
“You do not have the authority to confront the council, Gamma,” Jason says.
“Beta!” I snap. “And the moment that a pack member doesn’t have the right to challenge the decisions of the council is the moment the council needs to be overthrown. It wouldn’t be the first time, am I right?” ‘Jace!’ Jordan m*ouths to me, her eyes wide.
“You are right, Beta Jace. And no one is going to hold my daughter responsible for anything that she is unable to do because the rogues have caused this problem, not her. She is not responsible for this and is acting as an emissary for the council. The council will recognize that, or I will join you in overthrowing them,” Luna Jara says, making me smile. Jordan’s face snaps to the speaker in the stereo where her mother’s voice is coming from, her m*outh dropping open. “As will I,” Alpha Antonio says. “The council is here to serve the packs, not the other way around. Alpha Jordan, rest assured that we are only asking you to do your best. But we do need for you to keep us informed about the decision of the human.”
“Of course, Councilman,” Jordan says, and I reach over and hang up.
“Jace, you can’t threaten the council!” Jordan exclaims.
“They threatened you, Jordan. Councilman Jason has been on the council too long. It’s past time that he retires, and I’m guessing that now, the other council members will pressure him to do so. He would never have set such a high standard for a male Alpha. He only did it because of who you are. I will not stand by and let someone put you in that type of position. It’s not fair. If you were responsible for these problems, that would be different. But I will not allow you to be held responsible for the actions of the rogue packs who are riddled with feral fever and the claiming haze.”
She leans over, nuzzling my n*eck. “Your cute when your angry on my behalf.”
I growl low, still aggravated with the direction of that call and realizing that Jordan would have accepted their verdict if she failed because she would have felt that she hadn’t done enough.
She nips at my n*eck, her h*and rubbing my t*high.
“You’re very upt*ight, Jace. And I’m feeling like I owe you a thank you for defending me,” she purrs in my ear, biting my earlobe and pulling it between her teeth. Her h*and cups my now rock-h*ard length, trapped in my p*ants and boxers.
She begins stroking her h*and over me. “Jordan,” I growl, but now, it’s full of d*esire.
She unbuttons the button and unzips my zipper.
“Driving with you is about to become my favorite pastime, Jordan.”
“Good. I’m a greedy Alpha with an insatiable appetite,” she says, before leaning over me and taking me into her m*outh.
F*uck if that woman isn’t the most insatiable woman I’ve ever met.
(Balor POV)
Apollo and I lead the two wolves through the woods, following the human’s scent. We’re about 10 miles from our clan when we catch the scent of the other human females. I smell at least four more, two of which are pregnant. I look at Apollo and I can tell he smells the same thing.
I growl and begin to push us faster. Bears aren’t meant to be endurance runners like the wolves are, so it isn’t long before I slow my pace and continue on. The little Alpha’s wolves are trotting next to us, and I can feel their need to run faster, but since they haven’t caught the scent of the humans yet, they stay beside us.
It’s another ten miles before they catch the scent and then, the two of them take off. What they can’t smell but Apollo and I can, is that they are already gone. The leader has taken them to another hiding spot.
As we lumber closer, I can hear the wolves sniffing around whatever place they kept the humans. When we get close, Apollo and I shift so we can all talk. “They’re gone,” Luke says.
“Yeah, we know. We smelled that a couple miles ago,” Apollo tells him. “We can follow them,” Brynn says. “No, they got in a car a couple miles down the road. They’re gone. We’ll have to keep searching forthem,” I say.
Luke looks at his mate. I have a better understanding now of the wolves’ mate bond, so I know they are communicating without words.
“Alpha Jordan isn’t going to be happy about that,” Luke says.
“Especially when we tell her that two of those females are pregnant,” Brynn says. “She’ll be even more unhappy when we tell her that one of those that is pregnant, is pregnant by the Alpha and both of the pregnant females smell like sickness, just like the one that is back at our clan,” I tell them.
“What kind of sickness?” Brynn asks. “The kind that my bears smelled like until they got the vaccination,” I tell them.
They look at us a moment, Apollo nodding, agreeing with my assessment. “Well, f*uck,” Luke says, pulling his phone out.
“That’s really going to piss Alpha Jordan off.”