The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 22 (Taylor)

I return to the Alpha conference, but my mind is all over the place. I can’t believe I finally found my mate. When I didn’t find him during the Contest, I figured the Moon Goddess didn’t give me one. But he was here all along, I just didn’t realize it and our paths never crossed.

When I walk back into the conference room, Nolan is up front speaking to Councilman Jason. I take the same seat I was in this morning, not sure how to approach Nolan, or even if I should after everything that has transpired. I told him we’d talk this evening, but now, the anticipation of maybe hearing that he prefers my cousin to me is weighing on me.

I’m looking over the agenda, trying to get my emotions under control, when I smell his scent of fresh cut pines. “Do you mind if I sit here, Alpha?” Nolan asks me.

I look up at him and shake my head. When he sits, I take a deep breath, letting his scent and the warmth emanating from him soothe and calm me.

“Call me Taylor,” I say quietly then turn to him. “You’re my mate, you should call me Taylor.”

“Taylor,” he says, nodding as Jordan and Jace walk in.

He looks up, nodding at the two of them but nothing more. Now that my nerves are calm, the afternoon goes by quickly with Nolan talking about what he knows about Balorto Jace and Jordan, helping them prepare fortheir trip.

Then, Councilmen Jason, Antonio, and Saul begin working with the older Alphas to set up hunts for the rogues. While he does that, Councilwomen Jara and Gia work with the younger Alphas to make sure everyone has a place to go to be safe, and they begin documenting where everyone will be staying.

When they come up to me, I let them know that I’ll be staying in Griffin’s pack until things settle.

When Councilman Jason calls for the meeting to adjourn, Nolan looks at me.

would you like

you like to go for a walk in the woods?” He raises

I clarify. “That would be nice,” he says, and I let Griffin

away from

both say at the same

I stop and laugh. “Let’s find

has a great view of the mountains

that Alpha Seth and Luna Hana are my

looking out over the area in front of us. “We’re you

you really going to take Jace as yours?” he asks

had a mate. I assumed that if I did, that I would have met them during the Contest, but I never met you,” I say, defending

know if our age difference bothers you, it doesn’t bother me. I want to get to know you, I want to see if we are compatible as the Moon Goddess has destined, but I’ll say again, I won’t allow you to hold me to a standard to which you do not hold yourself. If we move forward, you’ll see that I will challenge you, in more ways than one, I hope. I won’t sit by quietly, I won’t be in the shadows, it’s not who I am. I expect a partnership, with mutual respect, love, caring,

at me. “You need to think about that. If you intend to rule your pack, to be in charge of everyone and everything, then I can tell you now, this will not work. It’s not about you being an Alpha, it’s about you being my

it. As I said, I want to get to know you, to spend time with you, to see your pack and what you’re doing to build it. But your brother has been very clear that I am not welcome

(Nolan POV)

she may have very different ideas of what it means to have a mate than I do. She’s a new Alpha, trying to prove

packhouse, I see Jordan, Jace, Elijah, Alpha Jaxon and Luna Evangeline just finishing the ceremony to bring Jaxon back into

to stay for a few days, until things are more-settled,” I say and I smell the vanilla of the sweet-after-death plant. It’s a heady scent, one

Jace steps closer to Jordan but he

I’m not here, Jaxon will let you stay,” she

you work

Jordan is gone,” he says, giving me a smile that