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 to talk,

“Would you like to go for a walk in the

nice,” he says, and I let Griffin know that I’ll

don’t speak until we get to the edge of the forest, away from everyone. When we do,

both say at

I stop and laugh. “Let’s find somewhere

that has a great view of the mountains but also my

Alpha Seth and Luna Hana are my parents, but my brother, Griffin, is now Alpha of my old

him, but he stays quiet, looking out over the area in front of us. “We’re

you really

think I had a mate. I assumed that if I did, that I would have met them during the Contest,

I still held out hope. I still waited ten years before considering taking a chosen mate. I won’t be held to a double standard, Taylor. I appreciate and respect that you are an Alpha. But I require respect in return. I may not be an Alpha, but I am a fighter, the best in my division. I’ m a man who has wanted to find you, who has searched for you, my mate, for many years. I don’t 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

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

and looks at me. “I’ve given you a lot to think about. I hope you will think about 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 onto his pack lands unless you agree to have me there. So, the ball is in your court, Taylor. If and when you’re

(Nolan POV)

had to do, but I realized earlier that 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 herself. I understand that,

the packhouse, I see Jordan, Jace, Elijah, Alpha Jaxon and Luna Evangeline

until things are more-settled,” I say and I smell

steps closer to Jordan but he

welcome here anytime, Nolan. Even if I’m not here, Jaxon

I’m going to make you work

you mean?” I ask him. “You have to help me train these weaklings while Jordan is gone,” he says, giving me a smile that