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.”

to you, Jace.

I say and now it’s

she did.

I say jokingly, feeling my chest loosen as I talk with

you didn’t think that she’d really ever be okay

her,” I say quietly. “Your mother dying had nothing to do with

were after your parents’ death. You tried to shut everyone out, and you

except one, small, annoying little girl who wouldn’t let me be,” I say, but I smile at the memory of

others don’t. And what I see in you, Jace, is the same thing I’ve always seen, someone who is strong, compassionate and deserves to be loved more than he

putting him against my chest, rubbing and gently tapping on his back until

you going to do, big brother?” she asks, turning to face me,

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

think you have to prove that to

a moment. “I do now. Maybe I didn’t before, but I do now. After everything, well,

add another mate bond to the mix,” she says, making me snap my head

mean?” I ask, more sharply

at me. “I

her a moment. “You’re freakishly scary, you know

smiles. “From you, I’ll take

of my nephew’s head, smelling his sweet baby

What are you going to do about mom?” I

seat, slouching down and resting her head on the back of

would give her a chance to see Ryder

she’d be happy

around,” she