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.”

it comes to you, Jace. I’m glad you

now it’s time for my

Melinda chuckles. “I bet she did. You DID

much love for such a tiny person,” I say jokingly, feeling

think that she’d really ever

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

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

wouldn’t let me be,” I say, but I smile at the memory of Melinda, who was like a beacon of

said yourself that I see what others don’t. And what I see in you, Jace, is the same thing I’ve always

finishes nursing and I reach out my hands. “Here, let me,” I say, taking him and putting him against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping

to do, big brother?” she asks, turning to face me, pulling one leg up in her

be a good mate to her, that I’m worthy of being

have to prove that to

“I do now. Maybe I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well, she hasn’t rescinded the rejection and she’s been dating Nolan since

another mate bond to the

ask, more

“I think

stare at her a moment.

you, I’ll take that as a

k*issing the top of my nephew’s head, smelling his

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

turns back around in her seat, slouching down and resting her head on the back

it would give her a chance to see Ryder and Molly and meet

she’d be happy to do it,” I say

be around,” she says