The Claiming by Cooper Book 5
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 44 (Durai POV)
‘Rock a bye Alpha
In your warm bed,
You haven’t seen me
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But soon you’ll be dead,
Your reign will over
The pack lands will fall,
And down will come Alpha
Packhouse and all.’
I hum the nursery rhyme in my head.
“Alpha, what’s that you’re singing,” Curtis asks me.
“Something my father used to sing to me when I was a little boy,” I tell him, looking out of the pack land where the female Alpha had been living. It’s now covered with patrols, but none of them smell like her pack members. Her family’s pack members, yes, but not hers. So, she’s still without a pack and I can definitely help her with that.
I don’t have a lot of good memories of my father, but I remember him holding me, singing to me. My father loved me in his own way. He wanted me to be his heir. But instead, they killed him and now it’s up to me to take back what is mine.
“Alpha, shouldn’t we get back to the breeders? I want to see how my pup is progressing in my breeder’s stomach,” Curtis says.
Those humans, all they do is cry. It makes my head feel like it’s splitting open. They cry and they beg to be released, as if I would release the mother of my child. I can definitely see why my father went mad. Listening to their constant cries makes me want to kill them. If they weren’t carrying our pups, I would.
“Yeah, let’s go. I also want to check in with Mathias. He was going to attack the bears again. We need to make sure they stay away if we’re going to keep the humans a secret. They’ve sniffed them out one too many times,” I say, looking once more, hoping for a glimpse of that little Alpha female. She has fire and spunk. She’ll make a great mate.
(Jordan POV)
When we get back, I let the pack know that I have multiple announcements to make and call an all-pack meeting for this evening. Then I meet with Jaxon to fill him in on everything that happened while I was gone. I sent Jace to meet with Elijah and establish a transition plan for him to take over as Beta. “I felt the change in the pack dynamic,” Jaxon says, as he sits across from my desk.
“It’s temporary, for now. But Elijah is past ready to retire, and it was actually Victor that gave me the idea. I’ve already realized they he’ll make an amazing Gamma,” I tell him.
“And, you made Jace your Beta, but his scent is all over you, my twin,” he says, smiling as he takes a sip of his coffee. He has bags under his eyes.
“How’s being a father? And when do I get to meet my nephew?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“Eve is bringing Jax, Jr. now, so we have time for you to explain Jace’s scent while we wait.”
I sigh, standing up from my desk and moving around it to sit across from him in a more casual way.
“Things are….complicated,” I say. “They usually are where you and Jace are involved,” he says.
Jaxon has always been amazing at making you feel like there is nothing and no one more important than you when he’s listening to you. I know it’s not the case, he has a mate and a newborn pup, and yet, he’s focused on me right now. It’s just one more reason that I adore my twin.
“I’m giving him a chance. I haven’t decided that I’m ready to mark him and take him as a mate, there are still things that I feel need to be resolved there, but__” I look at my brother and watch a smile spread across his face, his eyebrow arching.
“But…?”
I huff. “I had no idea there was so much you could do with someone that makes you feel so friggin’ amazing!”
Jaxon throws his head back and laughs a deep, b*ody-shaking laugh.
When he finally stops, he wipes the tear of laughter from the edge of his eye. “Oh goddess, Jordan. I do love you.”
I roll my eyes as he chuckles.
“Do you love him, Jordan?” he asks me, getting serious again.
“How can I not, Jax. He’s my mate.”
“No, not because he’s your mate, Jordan. Do you love him. Jace. The man. If you can’t say yes, then you’re wasting both of your time. But if you love him, really love him, the person he is, then maybe start focusing on what it is that you love about him and see if that’s enough for you to let go of the past. I’m not saying it’s easy to separate the two, the mate bond from your love of the person themselves, but try. Then, if you decide that you do love him, mark each other. I have the feeling that Jace will make sure that you never question his love for you again.”
I’m not really sure how my brother always knows exactly what I need to hear, or how to say it to me in a way that doesn’t come across as bossy or overbearing, but he does. Maybe it’s the twin thing between us, but I’m once again reminded of how much I love and value my brother.
I stand and he does too, pulling me into a hug. “Whatever you decide, Jordan, it will be the right decision. You have never been one to make rash decisions. But in this, follow your heart, not your head,” he says just before there is a knock at the door.
I step back and then I smell him, my brother’s son. I race to the door, throwing it open.
“Hi, Aunty Jordan,” Evangeline says, smiling at me. I lean over, k*issing her cheek before looking down at their son. “He’s beautiful. He looks just like you, Jaxon,” I say, feeling choked up.
“Do you want to hold him?” Evangeline asks me.
“Do I??? I thought you’d never ask!” I say, taking him from Evangeline.
I turn, heading over to the windows so I can get a better look at him.
“Hey, little JJ. I’m your Aunt Jordan,” he snuggles into me, as I look him over. An ache begins growing inside me, one that I have shoved deep down inside me for a long time now. It’s different for male Alphas. They can get their mates pregnant and not worry about protecting the pack or maintaining their rank.
For me, it’s been a constant battle to establish myself as an Alpha worthy of the title, so thoughts of having my own child have never been an option. But now….
Almost like me thinking it brings it into being, I smell honey roasted almonds. I turn, seeing Elijah and Jace in the doorway. Elijah walks in, but Jace stops, staring at JJ in my arms. When his eyes meet mine, I see the same ache in them that I feel deep inside me.
‘Jordan,’ his voice in my head is thick with emotion.
I collect myself, seeing three sets of eyes on us. “Have you met my nephew yet, Jace?” I ask him.
I watch as he too pulls himself together. “No, no I haven’t.”
I walk over to him, introducing him to my nephew.
I can feel the hopefulness in him, the hopefulness that one day this will be his pup in my arms.
As he reaches out to stroke JJ’s head, his other h*and comes to my h*ip. Finally, he steps back and turns to Jaxon and Evangeline.
“He’s perfect,” he says to them.
“Thank you,” Evangeline says, snuggling into Jaxon.
I look up at Elijah. “Are you good with everything?” I ask him, meaning Jace taking over as Beta.
“Am I good with finally being able to retire and spend time with my mate? You betcha. Jace and I have a plan to get him up to speed. It shouldn’t take too long. He and I have been working together for years,” Elijah says.
“Good. Then, I guess it’s time to make our announcements to the pack,” I say, handing JJ back to Evangeline and turning, just as Victor knocks. “Ready?” I ask him.
“Ready,” he says, and we head out to update the pack on everything going on.