The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 62 (Jaxon)

I would have been happy if we were having a girl, truly. But I've been surrounded by women my entire life.

Between my mother and my four sisters, there just isn't enough testosterone in my family.

I'm so excited I feel like I could walk on air. We first go tell Jordan, then my parents which also includes Raelyn who was almost as excited as I am to have a nephew. And then, we go back to the packhouse to tell Teagan and Rowan, who have already heard the news, before we finally go back to our room.

"Are you going to call your mother?" I ask Eve.

She looks at her phone, nervously twisting it around in her hands. She's maintained contact with her sisters and brothers, and occasionally her mother, but she has adamantly refused to speak to her father. "What if he answers?" she asks. "What if he does? Do you think he's not aware that you're pregnant? I'd be shocked if he hasn't heard from someone in your family," I tell her.

She looks at me, then pulls out the image of our son on the ultrasound. She lays it on the table then takes a picture of it, before sending it to her mother.

"I'll let her know this way, then she can share it with dad if she wants," Eve says. And the moment she hits send, she dials Magdalena.

I get up, k*issing the top of her head, feeling the sadness in our bond. My family is ecstatic, and hers would be too, but once again, her father has put a barrier between them. Because I'm so close, I hear the other call beeping in. She pulls the phone away from her ear and I see that it's her mother, already calling her back after receiving the photo.

She hits dismiss and then returns to her call with Magdalena. They talk for a few moments and Eve finally starts to smile.

I'm debating what to order for dinner, when Eve huffs.

"Fine," she says, and I hear the line beep with an incoming video call. She pulls the phone in front of her, and hits accept.

"Hi, Mom," she says.

"Hi Mom? That's all I get? You send me a picture of my grandson and then don't even answer the phone when I call back, RIGHT AWAY, I might add."

I watch as Eve's lips twitch and I relax. She'll feel better after speaking to her mom. I move behind her and lean into the video of the phone.

"Hello, Luna Katerina. Your grandson sure is a handsome little guy, isn't he?" I ask her.

"He sure is, he looks just like his mother," she says, making me chuckle. "How are you, Jaxon?"

"I'm good, thank you. You?"

"I'm better now. The doctor said everything was good? No issues with the pregnancy?" she asks, and I move out of the video, letting Eve have time with her family.

I motion to her that I'm going to get us food and I head downstairs. I look at what is planned for dinner tonight and I choose the meal that is best suited to the celebration that I have planned. I want Eve and I to have some alone time, to be together after getting our news today. And soon, we need to figure out what we're going to do with a baby, new pack hopefully and a dilapidated packhouse. It's time for me to start thinking about an income that isn't based on Jordan's pack.

As I wait for my food, I see Jordan come downstairs dressed much nicer than she usually is. She's wearing a red sweater dress that hugs her body and heels. I give her a true wolf whistle. "Got a date tonight, sis?"

She looks over smiling, just as Nolan walks into the packhouse. "As a matter of fact, I do. Have a good evening," she says, putting her arm through his. "Hey Nolan," I say.

"Alpha Jaxon," he says, nodding his head. "Congratulations to both you and your mate on making it to the next round of the competition."

"Thank you. You kids have fun," I say, before turning to get the tray of food that I ordered.

Jordan snorts. "Don't wait up," she says as they walk out of the packhouse.

When I turn back with my tray, I see most of the pack watching as she leaves. Since there's no reason for everyone to have stopped what they are doing to watch my sister other than expressing their judgmental displeasure, my temper flares.

"Problem?" I snarl.

It's an exaggerated response, built on years of people, underestimating and trying to undermine my sister because she's the only Alpha female.

I hear a couple of yelps before everyone gets back to what they were doing.

When I get back upstairs, Eve is still on the phone and it sounds like Makayla and her brothers are also in the room, talking to her.

"So, are you going to continue in the competition, Evie?" I'm pretty sure it's Alejandro that asks.

She looks up at me over the phone. "Yes. Jaxon and I talked about it, and I'm training every day. The most physically intense part of the competition is done, and I'll be showing, but still able to run sprints in another month."

"Of course, you will," I hear Luna Katerina say. "And, when you're pregnant, your senses are stronger, so when it's time for the sensory competition, you'll have a distinct advantage."

"Did you hear that Super Hotty? I might beat you at the sensory competition," Eve says, gloating.

"I would be proud to cheer you on to victory," I tell her.

I hear gagging sounds on the phone. "Is he always so sugary sweet?" Makayla asks.

"He's always perfect," she says, her eyes on me. I watch as they darken with desire.

"And that's our cue to say goodbye," Lazio says. "Congratulations again, Evie. I can't wait to meet our little nephew!"

"Thank you, all of you. I love you."

Everyone shouts, "love you", on the phone before she disconnects.

She stands, walking over to me in a way I know well.

"And I love you," she says wrapping her arms around me.

"Good, because I love you and after we eat, it's time to celebrate." I lean down nipping at her ear. "And I intend to love you as long as you can last."

We spend the rest of the evening celebrating our bond, our son, and our future life together.

Jordan POV

I told Nolan that I couldn't really take time to get away. He wanted me to go on a vacation with him, but I said right now, with the contest, with both my Beta heir and my Gamma competing, that it wasn't the right time.

Instead, he takes me to a fancy restaurant overlooking a river with mountains in the distance. It's beautiful and romantic and perfect.

After dinner, we linger over our wine.

"I wanted to ask you something, Jordan," Nolan says.

"You know you can ask me anything. Didn't we agree to honesty between us?"

"We did," he says taking my hand, and looking at me.

"I was wondering, since you haven't found your mate, if you'd ever consider taking a chosen mate," he says, making me squirm a bit. We haven't talked about the mate situation before.

I take a deep breath and blow it out. "Well, actually, I have found my mate." Nolan's eyes narrow but he doesn't pull his hand away. "Then, may I ask why you're here with me, instead of being with him?" "He's older than I am, old enough to have felt the bond years before I did. He chose to get into a relationship with someone else, someone close to me. Even after I turned 18, he still didn't acknowledge the mate bond. I thought that maybe he didn't feel it, but then, the contest started and so many people, even those that aren't yet 18, have started feeling the mate bond, identifying each other as their mates." "Just like your brother and his mate," he says.

"Yes, exactly. So, then I realized that he knew, all along and never said anything. He's in the contest and I guess...I guess being mated to me isn't good enough. He would rather be an Alpha of his own pack." "I'm sorry, that must be hard for you."

"Not as hard as it was when I finally decided to reject him."

Nolan jerks. "You rejected him?"

"I did, and he's refused to accept it."

He looks at me a long moment. "Is that why you're holding back with me? He hasn't accepted your rejection and he's in the contest. You know that anything you and I do will weaken him," he asks, zeroing in or the issue.

"Yes. I've told him he can't hold me hostage, that I won't allow it, but he still refuses to accept the rejection."

He pulls my hand to his lips, k*issing it. "I'd be lying if I didn't say I was glad to know that it's not me. I was beginning to worry that maybe your feelings for me weren't as strong as my feelings for you."

"I have very strong feelings for you, too, Nolan. I want to be fair to you, but I also don't want to feel any regret about hurting this person while they're in the competition. If they truly want to be an Alpha, anything I do with you could ruin their chances of winning."

"So, I need to be patient a couple more months? Is that what you're telling me Jordan?"

"I would appreciate it if you would be patient with me a couple more months. The time between each of the events will be much shorter now, and once this contest if over, if he doesn't accept the rejection, it will be on him, not me."

"Then say you'll go away with me. Let's say three months' time, just to be sure the contest is over. Say you'll take a week and come away with me."

"Three months is fair. By then, I'll know if I need to replace my Beta and Gamma."

Nolan's eyes go dark. "Then, Alpha Jordan, in three month's time, you will be mine."