The Claiming by Cooper Book 5
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 64 (Jordan)
My sisters begin arriving the next day. My mother didn’t mention that she invited everyone home, but I should have guessed. And now, they will already be here for the gathering tomorrow.
It’s not as important for Teagan, she’s mated to Alejandro, Evangeline’s brother, who will take over the pack from his father very soon. But for Rowan and Raelyn, and their mates Enzo and Collin, they will need the assistance and it’s a great time for those entering the Beta Trials to meet the new Alphas and their mates.
I was thrilled when Jace told me that very few members of our pack want to leave permanently and that a very small number aren’t friends of one of my sisters or Jaxon. That makes me feel really good about how I’m running the pack and that there aren’t a lot of others out there that feel like Carter.
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Jace told me this morning that he checked in on Carter last night and this morning and there was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Keep the shadow on him. He’s up to something, and I want to know when and where it is,” I tell Jace.
“On it.”
“Also, I’m going to have Victor join me in welcoming the guests, give him a chance to get his name out there to the other Alphas. Do you mind working with Taylor and Griffin, who should be here soon, to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow?”
He steps up to me, pulling me against him.
“What?” I ask as he smiles down at me. “No worries about me being around Taylor?” he asks me.
“No. You’ve been very clear about who your mate is and who you want to be with. Plus, you’re sleeping in my bed,” I say possessively.
“Our bed,” he says, leaning in to k*iss me, deepening it before letting me go.
“You probably want to check on Gianna today too. Your family can be a bit tough to take,” he says as he begins walking backward, still watching me.
“Are you saying I can be tough to take?” I ask him.
“Nope, I’m saying I got the best of the best,” he says, blowing me a k*iss before turning and jogging off.
Damn that man is a smooth talker.
I link Victor to join me downstairs, then head into the kitchens to make sure that the omegas are ready for the large group of visitors that we’ll have for the next couple of days.
“Oh, Alpha Jordan, Gamma Victor was already here this morning, making sure everything was in order for our visitors. Do you want to see the schedule he created?”
“Nope,” I say as Victor walks in. “If Victor feels it’s good, then I’m good with it.”
“Okay, Alpha. If you need anything, let us know.”
“Thank you, all of you. I know we’ve had a lot of visitors lately and you’ve all been working very h*ard,” I say watching all of them stand a little taller with the praise.
Victor and I spend the next couple of hours greeting our guests and making sure everyone is settled. Once all of the guests have arrived, I head over to my parents’ house to check on Gianna. Before I even get there, I can hear the raucous laughter of my family. It sounds like they are in the backyard and from the smell of it, dad is grilling burgers.
Rather than knocking, I walk around back. There, my sisters and Jaxon are all in attendance with their mates. I immediately see what all the fuss is about. Everyone is cooing over little JJ. Before anyone sees me, I take a moment to look around.
Gianna is sitting on the outdoor furniture quietly watching the boisterous interactions going on around her. Mom was probably watching over her until Jaxon and Evangeline arrived with Jax Jr. and now my mother, sisters and Evangeline are all talking about pregnancy while the guys are around the grill, talking about whatever men talk about while they grill meat.
Gianna looks up and sees me, a smile spreading across her face. I crook my f*inger at her, and she looks at the others, before sneaking away to come over to me. My father looks up, seeing her walking away. I see him about to call out before he sees me. He nods then goes back to the others as if nothing is going on.
I pull Gianna around the side of the house.
“Hey, how are you doing?”
“Umm,” she says, looking back toward all the noise. “It’s a lot.”
“Yeah, now that Evangeline and the baby are here, I’m sure it is. If it’s too much, I can run interference.”
“No, it’s nice actually. It’s just overwhelming for someone that isn’t used to it.”
“And dad’s cooking dinner?”
She smiles. “He let me make the patties. I used my secret recipe.”
“Secret recipe? I may have to stay for dinner then,” I say, just as mom comes rushing around the side of the house. “Oh, my goddess, Gianna. I was so worried when I looked up and you were gone,” mom says and rushes over, pulling her into a hug.
“Jordan, when did you get here?” she asks, holding Gianna t*ight and rubbing her back.
“Just a few minutes ago. I followed the noise to the back of the house and saw Gianna on her own while everyone was ohhing and ahhhing over JJ,” I tell her.
“He’s so cute and he’s my first grandbaby. You can’t hold it against me that I got carried away.”
“I was fine, Aunt Jara. It’s just a lot, but everyone is very nice,” Gianna says as mom finally lets her go.
Mom looks at her and strokes her hair away from her face. I know this gesture well. This is what mom does when she’s worried about you, almost as if moving your hair away from your face will make it impossible for you to lie to her, and maybe it does. My mother has superpowers that always amazed me.
“Do you want some time by yourself, sweetheart?”
Gianna looks at me. “Are you staying for dinner?”
“If you made the hamburger patties, then I definitely am.”
“Then I’m good, Aunt Jara.”
“Okay, sweetheart. But you won’t hurt my feelings if you need some time alone.”
We walk back to where the party is, everyone looks up as we turn the corner. “Jordan!” Raelyn says, rushing over to me and hugging me t*ightly.
“Hey, Jordan,” Evangeline says, coming to hug me and my sisters are right behind her.
“It’s good to see everyone,” even though my sisters and I have never been very close. “Is everyone ready for the gathering tomorrow?” I ask, moving to sit next to Gianna, to keep her in the conversation.
The rest of the night goes well. I get to hold J J and show that the bond between twins extends to their children, since I am the only one that is able to quiet JJ except Jaxon or Evangeline when she was nursing. I was happy to see that over dinner, besides everyone complimenting Gianna’s delicious burgers, they asked her about her own pregnancy. I could see that she was shy about it at first, but then she relaxed and eventually the conversation moved to our hunt for the rogues.
I stayed quiet, not wanting to talk about my concerns with Carter with such a large group. I realized that father noticed however, when I said goodnight later and he walked me outside.
“What didn’t you tell everyone tonight, Jordan,” he asks. Once an Alpha, always an Alpha, I guess.
‘I think Carter is betraying the pack with the rogues,’ I tell him in the mind link so others won’t overhear.
He clenches his teeth t*ightly. ‘Do Elijah and Layan know?’ he asks.
“Elijah does, I’m not sure if he’s told Layan yet.’
He pulls me into a hug. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll go see Elijah tomorrow.”
“Thanks Dad,” I say, hugging him back.
I head back to the packhouse and make my way up to our room. I smile as I think about it, our room. I think about what Jace said earlier about me not worrying because he would be spending time with Taylor. Jace has done nothing but show me that he’s ready to be my mate, be by my side. Maybe it’s time I agree to let him mark me.
This is what I’m thinking when I walk into our bedroom and I see him. I instantly stop, knowing something it wrong. Jace’s hair is a mess, and it looks like he’s been pacing.
“Jordan. Carter met with the rogue Alpha tonight.”