The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 30 (Jaxon)

I had been watching Eve while she was on the phone, worried about her after everything that has happened. My need to protect her is very strong. I want to do this right. I certainly don't want to start a battle that will end in my sister taking our pack to war against Eve's, but I also know that I can't and won't live without her. Evangline is mine.

I think all of us are shocked when Alpha Jonas says that Luna Katerina wants to speak to me. Having just heard his and Melinda's story, I have to agree, it's not a good idea. But I take his phone and walk away wanting privacy for whatever it is that Eve's mother wants to say to me.

"Luna Katerina."

"Alpha Jaxon. I'll be brief. My daughter thinks she's your mate."

"She is, we can both feel it," I say confidently, feeling Eve walk to stand beside me. I wrap my free arm around her, pulling her against my side.

"How confident are you, Alpha Jaxon, that this is the mate bond and not some sort of crush?" she asks.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Luna. I realize that your daughter and I have things to work out, but we will do that. Your mate trying to keep us apart isn't going to work. I can't go three months without seeing her. She may not feel the mate bond as strongly as I do yet, but I'm guessing you've both realized that she isn't willing to go three months without seeing me either. I don't want to cause problems between us or our packs, Luna, but we need to find a better solution."

"Which is why I have you on the phone, Alpha, to find a solution. I want my daughter home. I have no problem with her staying with her grandmother for a weekend, even a week, but her place is here, for now.' "And what does that mean for Eve and I, if she comes home, Luna. Are you and your mate planning to tuck her away and refuse to allow me to see her?"

"No. I'm not sure where we will find a compromise, but I know my mate will not be okay with you sleeping with our daughter down the hall from us."

I feel my anger ratchet up.

"I did not have sex with your daughter."

"Call it what you will. But she came back covered in your scent, Alpha Jaxon. She is an underaged girl."

"Don't you think those boundaries should be hers to decide, not yours? I respected her boundaries, but it doesn't sound like you and your mate will do the same. I'm aware that Eve is under 18, but that doesn't mean that she isn't perfectly capable of making decisions about herself and her life. She's in the contest to become an Alpha, after all. An Alpha that would have to make decisions about every member of her pack, not just herself. Do you truly believe that she isn't capable of making those types of decisions, Luna? I realize that your mate feels that way, otherwise, he would be handing the pack over to her. But you Luna? How do you feel about your daughter's ability to make her own decisions?"

"Do not presume to tell me about my daughter, Alpha. I know that she's perfectly capable of making her own decisions. That is not what I'm saying. What I am saying is that neither my mate nor I will allow you to come to our packhouse and spend the night with our daughter."

"Then let me allay your fears." I say. Eve is trying to pull the phone from my ear, but I keep her tucked against me.

"What I want is to spend time with your daughter, get to know her, talk about our future and what that might look like, talk about our options if one of both of us wins the contest, talk about how we can make sure that we both win and what we can do to support each other through this time. I want to take Eve on dates, I want her to come spend time in my pack, get to know my family, train with our warriors so she can become a stronger, better fighter for the next competition. So don't presume that you know what I want from your daughter just because she came back to her room smelling like me," I say.

I hadn't intended to lose my composure on this call, but Luna Katerina implying that all I want is to have sex with Eve is totally off base. Of course, I DO want to have s*ex with her, but we didn't have s*ex and it was still the most amazing night of my life. And there are many, many other things I want to do with Eve.

I hear Luna Katerina sigh. "Is my daughter standing there, listening to this conversation?" she asks.

"Yes."

"Evangeline, I want you to come home, but I think you were right to go see your grandmother. I think everyone needs some time to calm down. I'll call you in a day or so."

I put the phone out for Eve, but she shakes her head. "She'll talk to you soon, Luna."

I start to hang up when I hear her call out. "Alpha Jaxon?"

"Yes, Luna?"

"Take care of my daughter please."

"I plan to do that for the rest of my life, Luna." I say, hanging up.

I take Eve's hand and walk back to the group, handing Alpha Jonas his phone back.

"Is there somewhere that Eve and I can go sit and talk? Someplace private or semi-private on your pack lands?" I ask.

"There's a stream down that hill over there. It's too shallow for people to swim. Sometimes people take their pups there, to let them splash in the shallow water, but if you keep walking upstream, eventually you'll leave the people behind," Alpha Jonas says.

"Thank you, Alpha." I say, turning and leading Eve away from the group and into the forest. I help her down the hill and we find the stream. Just like Alpha Jonas said, there are children playing in the water here while their parents watch.

We begin walking upstream, looking around, but not speaking until we're away from everyone and all we can hear are the frogs, crickets and birds in the forest.

I find a spot for us to sit, sitting down first and pulling Eve into my lap.

"What do you want Eve? Your father told you what he wanted. I told your mother what I want. Now, I want to know what you want. Do you want us to be together, or do you want me to stay away from you for the next three months?"

"Alpha Jaxon, so help me goddess, if you try to stay away from me for the next three months, I'll find you, and punch you in that Super Hotty face of yours."