The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 11 Evangeline

I’m exhausted and everything hurts, but I’m actually enjoying myself. Jaxon is funny, intelligent and he never breaks the pace. He sets it and sticks with it. He’s a great running partner. I had thought that I might need to shift into my wolf, but at this rate, I think I can do the entire run in my human form. I’d be willing to push it anyway, just to continue talking to Jaxon.

When we hit the last rest stop, I ask again what time it is. It feels like the night is only about halfway done when they tell me it’s 5am. I’ve been running 23 hours straight. Ten miles to go, three to four hours left, and I’ve done it. I’ve passed the first cut.

“Who’s ahead of us?” Jaxon asks as we pass through.

This time it’s Alpha Paolo, Alpha Asher and Luna Mignon’s oldest son who is stationed at the rest stop.

“Tobias is a few minutes ahead of you, and Taylor is only about a minute ahead of you. She’s out of steam. I was surprised she didn’t stop.”

“Not her style.” Jaxon says as we run through.

As we run back out into the darkness, I look at Jaxon. “Almost there “

“Almost! We can do this.”

“Definitely.” I say.

“Okay, when you’re ready, it’s your turn to ask first.” He says to me.

I’d been thinking about it, so I’m ready. “If you win…”

“When I win.” He corrects me.

Are you planning to go with the family lines or choose

already have an alliance with Jordan, then, let’s say your brother Lazio doesn’t win in this tournament. If he were to compete in the Beta trials and I chose him as my Beta, well, now I also have an

Wade, as my Gamma, well now I’ve also created

alliance with three of the 20 packs, your pack being the fourth.” I say. It’s not necessarily needed, but in wolf packs,

allied with her brother, Giovanni. So, I’d be allied to a quarter of the packs. And that doesn’t include if Taylor gets a pack and my alliance with her brother Griffin. As cousins, we’re already family. It’s not really important, since the packs all get along now, but things change over time and

all the things he just said, the one sticking in my head is Jaxon being mated to Noelle. “She’s not your type.” I blurt

light of morning, I see a smile breaking across his

do you say

uppity Alpha female type you spoke of

of Jaxon with Noelle. I mean she’s okay, I barely know her, but I just don’t like the idea of him with

are the same age, so he’ll be 18 in the next couple of months. If she makes it to the top 100, I’m guessing she’ll drop

lot better knowing Noelle isn’t an option

just rounded a bend in the path when we see

“Taylor, are you

over

He tells her but she shakes her head. “No,

ARE doing this. The rules are the same no matter what form you cross the finish line.” He tells

neither of you have.” She says, stubbornly, looking

wasn’t for Jaxon. He’s been my pacer almost the entire time. He’s

is. We’ve run together before. Go on you two. We’re all so close I can taste it. I just need to catch my breath

turns to me, nodding. I nod back and he picks up our pace again, back to

for a while and I can feel my anticipation of finally being so

doing points for the race?”

of ten. Top ten group to finish gets 100 points, next group

that the points are most valuable at the end when it decides your spot for choosing your

“Exactly. “

actually see the