The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 29 (Evangeline)

I step away from Jaxon, not wanting my mother to know he's here until I know where she stands.

"Hello, mother," I answer.

"Evangeline, are you at Alpha Jonas's pack? Have you had a chance to settle in?"

"Yes. I'm here, and I'm on the back porch with grandma."

It's quiet for a moment and I look back at the porch. Everyone is busy doing something except for Jaxon, he's watching me.

"I could tell you that your father regrets what he did, what he said, but I'm not sure it would matter right now."

"Not right now," I say, turning back to look at the forest.

"Will you tell me what happened? Your side of the story. No judgement from me. I just want to know so I can understand," she says.

My mother may be the iron fist of the family, but there's a reason for that. She understands our family, she understands the dynamics between all of us and when she doesn't, she finds out so she can mediate, just like she's doing now.

"I spent the night with Jaxon." I say, waiting for her to blow up at me, like my father did.

It's quiet. I don't say anything.

"Did you want to expand on that? Spending the night could mean all sorts of things. It could mean that you had s*ex, or it could mean you laid on the ground, looking at the stars telling each other your secrets.' "Something in between those two options." I say.

"And you believe that he's your mate?" she asks.

"I know he is. And he knows that I'm his mate too." I say.

"Okay. No need to get worked up. We're having a conversation, Evangeline," my mother says placatingly.

I put my face in my hand.

"It's just....Dad said he was disappointed in me, mom. Disappointed! For what? I didn't do anything. Definitely nothing that I regret. It was a perfect night and Dad ruined it. All it did was remind me that Dad doesn't think I'm good enough or strong enough to be an Alpha, to make good decisions. He doesn't believe in me, thinking that I'm a foolish girl that only thinks with my heart and my hormones. That's not the case mom! It's not!"

I feel strong arms come around me, wrapping me in a loving embrace. I lean back, letting Jaxon soothe my frayed emotions.

"I know you're disappointed that your father didn't make you his heir, Evangeline. He has his reasons."

"Yeah, he's been clear about what those reasons are. Well, you can let him know that I don't agree with his reasons. I am my mother's daughter, after all, and I can make my own decisions. If he can't respect that, then I don't feel the need to see him again." I say.

"Evangeline."

"No, mother. I'm serious. How dare he try to keep me from my mate! What would he have done if someone tried to keep him from you?" I say, feeling myself getting worked up.

"Times were different then, Evangeline," my mother says calmly.

"Maybe so, but then that means that times are different now. And if he doesn't believe me, maybe he should talk to his precious heir. I'm not the only one that felt the pull to the mate bond this past week." "Shhhh...." Jaxon says quietly in my ear.

"He's there with you, isn't he?" she asks.

"I have to go, mother. I'll talk to you soon." I say, hanging up and turning in Jaxon's arms.

"Hey, we'll figure it out. We'll find a way to make it work." Jaxon says.

"Hey you two, are you hungry? I have lunch here." Melinda calls out to us.

He runs his hand over my cheek, running his fingers through my hair.

"Have you eaten?" he asks me softly.

I shake my head. "No."

"Come on, I know I worked up an appetite last night," he says making me smile.

"There she is," he says, reaching down to gently kiss my lips.

He turns, tucking me under his arm, holding me close as we walk back to the porch.

As we walk up, my grandmother is watching us. When we sit down, Jaxon makes sure I have food before getting his own. I watch Alpha Jonas as he watches Jaxon, and I can see that he recognizes the behavior as one a mate would use. He subtly nods his head before looking at Melinda who is smiling at him.

"So, Alpha Jaxon, tell us about yourself," my grandmother says.

"Gran..."

"It's okay, Eve. Your grandmother is family, and she should have a chance to get to know your future mate," Jaxon says, unphased.

I reach out and take Jaxon's hand, moving closer so that our bodies are touching. Jaxon reaches his arm around me, holding me against him with one arm as he eats with the other. I lean against him, taking the strength he is offering me.

"What would you like to know?" He asks.

"What are your intentions with my granddaughter?"

"I intend to take her as my mate when she turns 18," he says.

"What about the contest?" grandmother asks him.

He looks at me. "Do you want to answer that one?"

"Jaxon and I have talked about this. He knows that I intend to continue competing, similar to Tobias and Flavia." I say.

"And what if you both win, Alpha Jaxon? What then?" my grandmother persists.

"Wouldn't that be amazing, Isabella. And please, if you're going to interrogate me like this, call me Jaxon," he says, and I can tell my grandmother is charmed by him.

"I don't know that they've established rules for those of us who find our mates during the competition and decide to continue to compete. As of right now, Eve and I would need to agree on two packs that borde each other so that we could decide on a way to lead them together. Or, if I win and she doesn't, I would want her as my Luna and we would co-lead our pack, just like my parents do."

"And what if she wins and you don't, Alpha Jaxon?" Melinda asks him.

"I have no intention of losing, but if that were to happen, then I would hope that Eve would have the same philosophy that I do, that we would co-lead our pack."

I smile looking up at him, smiling.

"Yes." I say, before turning back to the group. "Jaxon actually helped me to win in the race."

He shakes his head. "Not true, you did that on your own."

I ignore him. "He paced me and when I could no longer keep up, he slowed down for me."

He shrugs. “I had a good reason to continue running with you," he says, smiling at me.

I smile and duck my head.

"Oh, what was that?" Alpha Jonas asks, watching us closely.

"Well, it started out as a way to pass the time and give us something else to think about other than how exhausted and miserable we were," he says.

"It was brilliant. We ended up asking each other one question at each 10-mile point. At first, they were easy questions, but then they became more specific, more... intimate," I say.

"We got to know each other. I already knew that Eve was my mate. I knew the moment I smelled her in that crowd of people. So, it was an opportunity to get to know her and for her to get to know me. And it made the time pass more quickly," he says.

Alpha Jonas's phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and stands, stepping away.

"Alpha Jonas," he says.

I'm about to continue our conversation when Alpha Jonas turns and looks at Jaxon.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alpha Jonas says.

He looks down. "I don't think I need to remind you of the problems that my own mate and I have had."

He sighs, looking back up at Jaxon. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he says before holding the phone out to Jaxon.

"Alpha Jaxon, Luna Katerina would like to speak to you."