The Claiming by Cooper Book 5
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 46 (Jordan)
I wake up early. I’m warm, curled up on Jace’s c*hest, my l*eg draped over his h*ips. I could very easily get used to this.
It was h*ard last night not to pull away from him in front of everyone, and I felt the buzz in my head from the pack afterward, the gossip hotline going crazy. That is until Jace wiped everything but him and me out of my head. I’ve agreed to give our mate bond a real chance. That means that I have to show everyone that Jace and I are together and not just hide him away in my bedroom at night and act as if nothing has changed during the day. “There’s steam coming out of your ears again, love,” Jace says, his voice thick with sleep.
I look up at him frowning. “You were asleep a few moments ago. How are you awake and know that I’m thinking?”
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“Even in sleep, I’m in tune with you. What’ s on your mind?” he asks, his h*and stroking over the t*high that is laying across him. I feel my b*ody instantly respond and a slow smile spreads across his face.
“Just…” I say and huff.
“Last night?” he asks, watching me closely.
“Yeah,” I say, thankful that he understands.
“I won’t do that again, if it bothers you.”
“It’s not that, it’s just…. it’s different, you know? And now,” I sigh again. “You know everyone will be talking about it.”
“Let them talk. I don’t care what they say about us. As long as it doesn’t impact how they feel about you.”
“It may impact how they feel about you, though, Jace. They may think that you got the Beta position because you’re sleeping with me. I don’t want anyone to think that you don’t deserve that position, because you do.”
“I’ll handle it, Jordan. There is enough for you to worry about. I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself, and I can handle any gossip or snide comments that come my way.”
I prop myself up, looking at him. “I want to know if anyone says anything to you, Jace. I won’t allow disrespect in the pack, not towards me, not towards Victor, and not towards you.”
“Jordan, as your Beta, you should allow me to handle any situation that comes at me. As your mate, I love that you want to protect me, but it’s not necessary. I’m perfectly capable of putting anyone in line if they step out. That isn’t new.”
“I still want to know,” I say as his h*and strokes up my side, and around the curve of my b*reast, his thumb sliding over my n*ipple, making me catch my breath. “What did you want to know?” he asks, his eyes dark and his voice deep with d*esire.
“Jace, I’m serious. Don’t distract me,” I say, feeling my n*ipple t*ighten into a h*ard peak.
“Am I distracting you, because to me, this would be a distraction,” he says as he slides his h*and between us, into my throbbing heat and feeling how w*et I already am for him.
“Feels like you need a little distraction this morning.”
An hour and several o*rgasms later, I hop out of the shower feeling ready to face the day. When I come out, I see Jace looking at all of his things scattered around my room. Our room.
“Let’s try to set aside some time tonight to find space for all of your things. I already have some room in my closet, but I can make more.”
“It’s not that, it’s more…. I’m hoping one day that this room is filled with our things, not mine and not yours, but ours.”
I walk up behind him, wrapping my arms around him. He puts his hands over mine as I rest my chin on his shoulder. “Let’s get things settled and let’s give us a try. I know…I know Taylor is still here,” I say, hating that I still feel uncomfortable about their relationship.
“Yeah, I heard Nolan bet her that he could beat her in a sparring match. Now she has to put on a dress and heels and go to dinner with him,” Jace says laughing, not sounding at all concerned that the woman he dated for years is going out with someone else.
He turns, taking my face in his hands. “And that worry you’re feeling? It’s not necessary. Taylor and I will always be good friends. It’s what kept us in that relationship of sorts for so long. I care about her, but I love you, Jordan. She has her mate, and I have mine. Nothing except you pushing me away will keep me from being with you. I’m done being stupid and I’m done trying to figure out a way to live without you,” he says, a smile on his face.
“What’s that smile?” I ask him.
“I have an idea,” he says.
“What idea?” I ask, my eyes narrowing at him.
“You’ll see.”
He refuses to tell me anymore and we both have a lot of work to do today. He is heading down to warrior training, Victor will co-lead until he feels comfortable leading the training on his own, as is common for the Gamma position, and I need to t*ouch base with my mom, Griffin and Taylor.
When I get to my office, I contact my mother. I find out that the gathering for pack members to meet the new Alphas is going to be in the space between the three packs, mine, Griffin’s and Taylor’s. I go over everything that happened while I was with Balor and his clan and then I hang up.
I head outside to let Jace and Victor know about the pack gathering so they can start spreading the word. I could have mind linked them, but I want to see how training is going and how Victor is doing on his first day as a leader.
On the way, I run into Taylor.
“Hey, did you hear about the gathering?” she asks me.
“I did,” I say, giving her a side-eye. “I also heard something about you in a dress?”
She snarls low. “Damn Nolan. I had no idea he was that good of a fighter.”
“He’s an elite fighter. He has been for years,” I say, wondering how she wouldn’t have known that. She may not have sparred with him, but she has with the other elite fighters.
“Yeah, but he seems so mild-mannered,” she huffs.
“Apparently, he was motived, wanting to take you on a date. In a dress. Do you have one?” I ask her.
“No, do you?”
“Yeah, come find me later and you can raid my closet.”
“Thanks,” she says and it’s a quiet, heartfelt thanks, one that we have never shared before.
When we walk outside, I see that Victor is guiding others in training. Taylor and I stop, watching him for a moment. “You were smart to give him the Gamma position, but I won’t lie, he was on my short list for my d*esired Betas. He has the genetics and the mindset of a good pack leader.”
“Yeah, he does. Who else is on your short list?” I ask her.
“Same as you, probably, unless you’re planning to keep Jace in that position. But the Alpha females are all at the top of my list for Betas.”
“Celine, Gabriella and Haley. They’re all on my short list too,” I confirm.
She turns to me. “So, does that mean that you are planning to accept Jace as your mate?”
Before I can answer, Jace comes jogging over. “Hey Taylor,” he says, and my heart drops a bit. But a moment later, I’m in Jace’s arms, his m*outh on mine in a possessive, dominating k*iss. There is nothing hesitant or restrained in this k*iss. Jace is giving me everything and it’s on full display for everyone to see, especially Taylor.