The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 13 (Jace)

It’s late in the evening when I step out back behind the packhouse and see my sister sitting on the patio looking out over the pack pool and the forest.

“Is this seat taken?” I ask Melinda. She’ s nursing Kaiden and I’m assuming that Jonas is upstairs with their other two. “It is if you sit in it,” she says, and I take the seat.

“So, am I getting another niece or another nephew?” I ask her.

“Don’t know yet, it’s too soon. We should find out next week.” I turn and look at her. “I saw dad leave. How was that?”

She shrugs and I smell the salt of her tears. I reach over and lay my hand on her arm.

“It was good to see him,” she says, and I can tell her throat is tight with emotion. She looks down at Kaiden, stroking his head of dark hair. He, like Ryder, is going to look like Jonas.

I stroke her arm, not saying anything. She swipes her face with the back of her hand. “He says mom’s sorry, that she misses me and wants to meet her grandchildren. I just… how do I trust her after what she did? How do I even begin to forgive that? You know?” she says, turning to look at me.

“She kept me from my mate, the father of my children, making us both think that we didn’t want to see the other. Who does that? What kind of person keeps their child away from her mate because you don’t agree with the age difference?”

“I’m probably not the best person to answer that question, Mel,” I say, turning and looking out over the forest.

She’s quiet a moment.

“It looks like you finally came clean and told Jordan that you know that she’s your mate.”

I glance at my sister. “I’d ask how you knew, but you’ve always known things that others didn’t.”

comes to you, Jace. I’m glad you finally

say and now it’s time for my throat to

she did. You DID date her cousin,

say jokingly, feeling

really ever

was good enough for her,” I say quietly. “Your mother dying had nothing to

but I remember how closed off you were after your parents’ death. You tried to shut everyone out, and you did a damn

me be,” I say, but I smile at the memory of Melinda, who was like

is the same thing I’ve always seen, someone who is strong, compassionate and deserves to be loved more

against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping on

she asks, turning to face me, pulling one leg up in her chair and leaning

prove to her that I can be a good mate to her, that I’m

think you have to prove that to

for a moment. “I do now. Maybe I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well, she hasn’t rescinded the rejection and

have to add another mate bond to the mix,” she

do you mean?” I ask, more

an eyebrow at me. “I think you already

at her a moment. “You’re

smiles. “From you, I’ll take that as

my nephew’s head,

you? What are you going to do about mom?”

seat, slouching down and resting her head on

but it would give her a chance to see Ryder and Molly and meet Kaiden,” she

be happy to do it,”

won’t be around,” she says