The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 301

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)

Chapter 28 (Jordan)

I follow Balor into his cave. The moment we are out of sight of the others, he slumps and I move to support him. He lost a lot of blood protecting me.

"Thank you," I say to him. "You didn't have to risk yourself for me," I tell him. He looks at me. "I don't take kindly to anyone being forced into a mating situation. Real men don't have to force a woman to get wha they want," he says, and I help him to lay down.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him, looking around quickly and finding a rag and some water. I begin washing off the wound. It's already closing but I want to try and clean it out as best I can.

"Lightheaded. Thank you for not making a fuss in front of my clan," he says.

"I understand the importance of a leader always showing their strength. Doesn't matter if it's a pack or a clan. If they question your authority, you have to fight them to keep it. Sometimes, your people die, and for no other reason than they thought you were weak," I tell him as I wash his wound. "That's a lot of experience talking for a young little wolf like you," he says.

I shrug. "I was the only female Alpha for a while. A lot of males questioned my ability to lead," I tell him honestly.

"I hope you set them straight," he says to me, watching me as I wash his throat.

"Every last one of them," I say smiling at him.

He chuckles, then stops as the motion makes the wound bleed more.

I wipe off the new blood, still cleaning up the wound.

"So, you and the pup, huh?" he asks.

I glance at him and shrug again. “It's complicated," I say.

"I'll say. You're sharing a room with him and you're still a virgin."

My eyes shoot to his, and I see a shrewd look on his face. He reaches up and taps his nose again. "I can smell it."

"You can smell it? What does that even mean?" I ask him, dropping the bloody rag into the water to soak and focusing on this interesting man.

"Under your scent of sweet peppermint is the delicious scent of a fresh dewy morning in spring, the scent of an unt*ouched woman. There aren't many of you left at your age," he says, watching me intently. Seriously, the man nearly bled out a few minutes ago and now I swear he's flirting with me. "It's not easy being a powerful female. Most men want me for my title or the power that being mated to me brings them. Not many men take the time to get to know me."

"Then, most men are stupid. Perhaps the pup was stupid too, but you're giving him another chance?" he asks.

I look at him, but I don't answer. "Hmm, if you truly want to see how I'm feeling, you could climb into bed beside me and let me show you," he says flirtatiously.

I laugh. "You are quite the flirt, Balor."

"I just know what I want. And when I see something I want, I don't hesitate to go after it."

I reach out and take his hand, my face turning serious. "Do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Let my doctor treat you. Do whatever tests he needs you to do so that he can keep you alive. Will you do that for me?"

He taps the bed beside me. "Keep me company until he gets here?" he asks.

I narrow my eyes at him. "I'm not sleeping with you, big bear," I say.

"Not sleeping with me or not having sex with me?" he asks. "Come, sleep with me. I need the rest and you look like you could use some too. I just want to smell you. Your scent is relaxing to me." "You promise to behave?" I ask him. "Bear's honor," he says.

I crawl onto the bed beside him, tucking myself up against him. It's actually perfect. The closer I am to him, the more likely he is to get my immunity. This way, I don't have to argue with him to stay. "Sleep, little wolf. I won't die on you, I promise," he says, burying his face in my hair.

I didn't expect to fall asleep but at some time later, Jace's voice in my head wakes me up.

'Jordan, they're here. You need to get up.'

I lift my head off of Balor's chest and look at him. He looks clammy, and I reach up to touch him, realizing that he's warmer than he should be.

'What time is it?' I ask Jace, noticing that it's light out.

'Mid-morning. The bears that were injured last night are already showing signs of distress, Jordan.'

'Balor feels like he's running a fever,' I tell him.

'The others are getting restless, starting to act like they are infected,' he says. 'I'm on my way,' I tell him, carefully getting off the bed and walking out of Balor's cave.

I can hear the car coming up the road. I turn, heading to meet them when I see Apollo.

"How is Balor?"

"Asleep, but feverish," I tell him. "I'll put a guard on him. If he wakes up cranky, it's going to be ugly."

When they pull up, Jace comes jogging up beside me.

"Gamma Luke, Gamma Brynn, it's to see you. Victor, thank you for coming," I say before turning to Dr. Braxton and Kyra.

"We don't have any time to waste. The bears are already showing signs of feral-fever," I tell them.

"We'll need a place to test their blood. I need to get samples to know for sure what I'm dealing with," Dr. Braxton says.

I turn to Jace. "Set Kyra up in our cave." He nods and grabs one of Kyra's bags. "This way," he says, guiding her off. Darryl and Apollo come walking over. "Dr. Braxton, this is Darryl, Balor's second in command and Apollo, his third in command. This is Dr. Braxton. He's the one that can help your clan members. And these are the members of the previous Gamma family, Jace's family" I say introducing everyone, "Gammas Luke, Brynn and Victor."

"It's nice to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances. Show me where the infected bears are. I need to get some blood samples so we can start treating them," Dr. Braxton says. Just then, we hear a loud roar and I know that it's Balor. As one, Apollo, Darryl and I race toward the caves. I can hear Luke, Brynn and Victor right behind us.

"Shit!" Darryl says as we see the clan surrounding Balor who has shifted and is frothing at the mouth. He's obviously angry and feeling the effects of the bite. He's lifted up on his hind legs, easily over 9 feet tall. I just gained a whole new appreciation for the term 'poke the bear'.

"Jordan!" Luke warns, but I know I have to get the situation under control.

I jump in front of the bears, standing in front of Balor.

"Stand down, Balor!" I say.

He roars at me, swiping at me with his giant paw. I duck coming up underneath him and punching him in the stomach. Then I leap back, as his upper body comes slamming back to the ground.

I push out my Alpha aura, trying to contain him. "Stand down!"

He roars in my face, unyielding, like the oak tree he smells like. I feel his own aura pressing back at me.

I snarl at him, lifting my hands out, palms facing him, almost like I'm going to embrace him in a giant bear hug. I push more of my Alpha aura out, letting it flow out of me in waves. I hear several yelps behind me, not all of them wolves.

Once I feel like I've got him under control, I hold his gaze. "SHIFT!" I command.

He roars again, fighting against my command.

"KYRA!" I hear behind me.

"Let me through, Alpha," I hear her soft voice.

I spare a glance to my left and I see Kyra hyper focused on Balor. I release some of my aura, still holding him steady and ready to fight him again.

"Kyra?" I ask her.

"Let me through, Alpha," she says again, not taking her eyes off Balor who has turned to watch her.

I release more of my aura and lower my left arm, letting her through.

"Hey big guy. Not feeling so good, huh?" she says as she slowly walks toward Balor.

"My name is Kyra. I'm here to help you feel better, but I need you to work with me. Will you do that? Will you help me?"

I watch Balor shake his head, almost as if he's trying to shake sleep or drowsiness out of his mind.

She reaches her hand out to him.

"Kyra," I warn.

"It's okay, Alpha. He's not going to hurt me. Are you big guy?" she says, turning her attention back to him.

She reaches her hand out to stroke his face and I watch as he leans into her t*ouch.

I turn and look at Jace who is watching with the same stunned expression I have.

"Will you shift for me? Will you let me help you?" she asks him.

I drop my aura completely and stand back as Balor shifts back into his human form, sitting on the ground. He pulls Kyra to him, holding her in his lap, rubbing his face against her. She giggles prettily, like the teenage girl that she is.

"She's a pup, Balor," I tell him. Warning him not to try and mark her.

"She's mine, Alpha," he replies.

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