The Claiming by Cooper Book 5
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 63 (Jace)
I’m in our bedroom, putting away my things away, when Jordan finally comes in.
“How did it go?” I ask her, setting my clothes aside and walking over to greet her.
“It was good. Mom and Uncle Seth took her around the pack lands, then mom ordered dinner to be delivered to their house because Gianna agreed to stay with them, at least for now. Mom’s already planning to take her shopping tomorrow to get new clothes and some things for the baby.”
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“Of course she is,” I say wrapping my arms around her.
“And how are you?” I ask her, mind linking the kitchens to bring up dinner for the two of us.
“It’s a lot, you know. It means a lot to mom and Uncle Seth. He’s going to be staying for a couple of days and I think he has Griffin coming by tomorrow to meet her.”
“Just so you know, everyone is staying quiet about who she is for now. We don’t want pack members overwhelming her, so I told everyone to keep it quiet. And since the gathering is this weekend, no one is really paying attention to anything else anyway,” I tell her.
“Oh my gosh, with everything going on, I nearly forgot about the gathering. I need to talk to Taylor to see what she and Griffin need from me,” Jordan says, just as there is a knock on the door.
“I’ve already handled it,” I tell her as I go to the door, getting our food. I thank the omega and turn. “I’m guessing you haven’ t eaten since breakfast?”
She gives me a self-deprecating smile. “Maybe,” she says, walking over to where I begin setting up the food for us to eat. “Are you taking care of me, Jace?”
I stand and turn toward her, pulling her into my arms. “Yes, and if you don’t like it, too bad.”
She leans into me, looking up at me with those gorgeous amber eyes. “I’m not complaining. I’m just not used to being taken care of, that’s all.”
“Maybe you should get used to it,” I tell her, leaning in to k*iss her nose.
Her arms slide around my n*eck. “I’ll admit, I do like it.”
“Good, now come eat, or I’ll be forced to h*and feed you.”
“Is that supposed to be a deterrent, Jace, because it’s anything but,” she says, coming to sit in my lap.
She reaches out and lifts the top off the plate of food. She grabs one of the shish kebabs and pulls a piece of beef off the end with her teeth. Then she turns and leans in, her eyes on mine as she feeds me the chunk of beef. I lean in, pulling the beef from her m*outh before licking her l*ips. I chew the meat and swallow, never taking my eyes off hers.
“Delicious, but I’ve dined on something that tastes much better,” I tell her, knowing my eyes have gone dark with d*esire.
She leans in, cupping my face and k*issing me. “Save that thought for later. Right now, I want to know how your conversation went with Elijah,” she says.
I sigh, then wrap my arm around her h*ips, keeping her on my lap.
“It went about as well as you would expect. He’s upset, but not exactly surprised. I think he’s more worried about telling Beta Layan.”
She leans against me, letting me comfort her and give her strength. It might be the first time that she’s been vulnerable with me when it comes to life and the weight of being an Alpha. I lean back, wrapping my arms around her more t*ightly.
“There’s so much going on right now, Jace. The viruses, the rogues, the bears, the Beta Trials, the gathering, Carter, and now Gianna. When does it end? When does life get back to normal?”
I stroke her back as she tucks her face against my throat and c*hest.
“Maybe this is normal, Jordan. Maybe this is what being an Alpha means. And maybe this is why you need someone in your life who looks after you. You’re so busy taking care of everyone else that you don’t ever remember to take care of yourself.”
I lean forward and grab a plate, pulling the meat off the skewer and feeding her before taking my own bite.
“I’m in this for the long haul, Jordan. I’m here for it, for you, whatever you need from me,” I tell her.
We’re quiet for a moment as I stroke her back. I grab another bite of meat and put it up to her m*outh.
When she doesn’t respond, I look down at her. “Jordan?”
Her eyes are closed, and her breathing has gotten deeper. I set the plate aside, grabbing one more bite for myself before leaning back and adjusting Jordan on my lap so she’s more comfortable. She snuggles into me in her sleep, and I begin humming to her, rubbing her head and just enjoying a few quiet moments with her.
I gently take off her shoes, carefully dropping them on the floor and then I lift her up, carrying her to the bed. As gently as possible, I pull off her jeans and then pull her shirt over her head. She grumbles at me as I lift her so I can unhook her bra and then I grab one of my t-shirts and pull it over her head. I smile as she m*oans softly and then rolls over, pulling my pillow to her, breathing my scent in.
I k*iss her head, tucking her in before going to get our plates. I pop a couple more pieces of meat into my m*outh as I carry the plates back to the kitchen before heading to my office to check in on Carter.
After learning that he did nothing out of the ordinary today, I head back upstairs to curl up with my mate.
(Gianna POV)
I’m lying in bed, staring at the ceiling in my Aunt Jara’s house. It feels so strange being here. And yet, it also feels strangely like home. Jara is a force to be reckoned with and I learned quickly that when she and Hana are together, there’s no stopping them.
The bed is comfortable, but it’s not familiar. That’s nothing new to me. I grew up in multiple foster homes in my life. Each one had a new smell, a new bed, and a new family.
I reach down and rub my belly. “Maybe you’ll be lucky, little one. Maybe these people really will be here for us, and you’ll never know what it was like to not have a family.”
I spent the evening looking at pictures of my mother and listening to stories of when she was a young girl. It was obvious that both Jara and Seth loved my mother and when I saw a picture of her at my age, I realized why they had been so shocked. If I thought my Uncle Seth looked like he could be my father, my mother at my age could have been my twin. Even Aunt Jara said it was like her sister had come back to life.
I know they are curious about me keeping the baby, but they don’t understand what it’s like to have gone my entire life being alone, wanting a family. Now, while not how I would have chosen to become pregnant, I am. Unlike my life, this child will never feel like he’s unwanted. He will always be my child. He will always have a family.
I toss and turn, unable to sleep. There are too many thoughts and images running through my mind, so I get up and quietly walk out into the living room. There’s a sliding glass door that looks out toward the forest. As quietly as I can, I open the door and step outside, finding a rocking chair and sitting in it, enjoying the night air and thinking through everything that has happened to me in the last couple of days. I’ve gone from near death and being in captivity, to being in a soft, warm bed with family I didn’t know existed. “May I join you?”
I look up and see Aunt Jara in the doorway. She has two glasses in her h*and.
“Warm milk always helped my children fall asleep when they said they weren’t tired. If you don’t want company, though, I understand.”
“No, this is your home. Please, come sit,” I say.
“It’s your home too, if you choose for it to be,” she says as she comes to sit beside me.
I chuckle. “I’m sure Uncle Mason would love that. Didn’t I hear him say that you just got rid of your youngest child?”
“Raelyn would give him hell if she heard him say that,” Aunt Jara laughs.
“You said they are coming to meet me tomorrow?” It seems that all of the family is anxious to meet me.
“Yes, you’ll meet Jaxon, Jordan’s twin, Taylor, Seth’s oldest child, Griffin, his oldest son and then my daughters, Raelyn, Teagan and Rowan.”
“It’s so strange thinking about so many family members,” I say, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Jara reaches out to hold my h*and. “If it ever becomes too much, just let me know, or you can go to your room. We won’t bother you. They can be a lot to take all at once. And if they bring their mates, it’s even more to deal with. I don’t want to overwhelm you, but they are all very excited to meet you.”
I clasp her h*and and drink my milk. It actually does feel calming.
“Do you think I’m making the right decision in keeping this baby?” I ask, looking at her.
She squeezes my h*and. “I think that is a very personal decision. But, if you think you will be able to love this boy without holding anything that his father did to you against him, then yes, I think you are making the right decision. I didn’t know you before today, but I know that I love you with all of my heart. I know that I would protect your life with mine. That’s what it means to be family. If you think you can love this boy that way, then he will be a very lucky child.”
Her words make me think back to the father calling my baby a ‘pup’. Suddenly, I’ m worried that I’m going to give birth to some sort of wolf puppy instead of a human. Is that possible? Is that how it works when you’re a shifter?
I feel Aunt Jara squeeze my h*and again. “Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind. Your heart rate just spiked, you’re sweating, and I can smell your fear,” she says, looking at me kindly.
“You can hear my heartbeat? And you can smell fear?” I ask.
“I have an animal’s spirit. I have enhanced senses. So, yes, I can hear your heart and smell your fear.”
How do you even ask this?
I look at her, hesitating.
“You can ask me anything,” she says. “When…when I give birth, is he….is he going to be a wolf?”
She frowns at me a moment, then she begins to laugh.
“I’m sorry,” she says, waving her h*and in front of her face like she’s trying to wipe away the laughter.
“The answer is no. You will give birth to a human child that will have a wolf spirit, but he won’t get that until he’s around ten years old.”
I shake my head. “That was a stupid question,” I say, feeling dumb for even thinking it.
“No. No, it wasn’t, and I’m sorry I laughed. I wasn’t laughing at you. I got an image in my mind of me giving birth to wolf pups when I had the twins. I think Mason would have fainted and the image of my strong mate crashing to the ground is what made me laugh.”
I think about it a moment. “Well, it would be pretty startling,” I say, my l*ips twitching.
Jara snorts and we look at each other a moment before we both burst into laughter, trying to keep it quiet.
After that, we talk for a while longer before the milk does the trick. Aunt Jara walks me back to my room and after asking if it’s okay, she tucks me in. Then she takes my face in her hands and k*isses my cheeks.
“Sleep well, my niece.”
As she walks away, I call out. “Aunt Jara?”
She turns and looks at me, the light in the hall casting her in shadow.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, sweet girl,” she says, before walking out and closing the door behind her.
It’s only moments before I fall asleep, and I have the best sleep I can ever remember having in my life.