Chapter 289


    The iming by Cooper Book 4


    The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)


    Chapter 16 (Jace)


    After lunch, the Alphas began talking about finding the rogues. Now that it is settled that Jordan and I


    will go to see the bears, their next n had to incorporate actually finding the rogues and deciding what


    to do with them. We’ II know more after we talk to Balor, the n chief of the bears, but Nn’s intel


    was that there were two packs.


    “While we’re talking about dividing our Alphas up and sending all of you out to search for rogues, might


    I inquire about the Beta Trials? We’re only about a month away from the start of the trials at this point.


    Has anyone considered that we would be at high risk for an attack during those challenges?” Jordan


    asks.


    “That’s a valid point, although, I’m surprised that you’re concerned about them, Alpha, being that you


    already have a Beta. Do you have a lot of individuals entering the Trials?” Alpha Tarik, Tobias’ brother,


    asks me.


    “I do have several individuals who have entered the Beta Trials, but my Beta heir has also thrown his


    hat into the Trials. So, you I’ll be looking for a Beta just like the new Alphas,” she says, and I watch as


    Alpha Mason jerks his head at Elijah, who nods subtly, his l*ips pressed tightly together.


    “Why would a Beta, with a guaranteed position in a pack, decide to go into the Beta Trials?” Alpha


    Aiden asks me. “You’d have to ask him,” Jordan says diplomatically.


    Taylor, however, isn’t so diplomatic. “It’ s because you’re a female Alpha, isn’t it?”


    “He didn’t… specify, in so many words…” Jordan begins, but Taylor snorts.


    “Well, there’s one Beta I won’t have to worry about, he’s now eliminated from my list,” she says.


    Alpha Caleb looks like he’s just about to say something, when we hear Jordan’s patrols send up the


    howl of rm.


    Jordan’s up and moving toward me as the patrol mind links us both.


    “Jordan?” Jaxon asks.


    We both turn to Taylor. “It’s your pack, Taylor. The rogues are attacking your pack.”


    I tell her, following Jordan as we race out of the conference room and to the back door of the


    packhouse. Almost as one, me, Jordan and Taylor leap and shift, racing to her pack.


    Behind me, I can hear Jaxon and Alpha Mason beginning to bark orders to increase the patrols of our


    pack and sending out the message to get the elderly and women with young children into the safe


    rooms. I’m sure Griffin is doing the same for his pack as well, since they are just as close to Taylor’s


    pack as ours is.


    Jordan lifts her head up into the air and howls to let the others know we’re on our way. I lift mine to join


    hers and hear several others right behind us.


    As we get closer, we can hear the sounds of snarling and fighting. As soon as we break through the


    clearing that Taylor has created for her packhouse, I see and smell the rogue Alpha. He’s definitely an


    Alpha based on his size. He has a wolf on the ground, snapping at him and I recognize him as Nn.


    Jordan moves to attack the rogue Alpha, but Taylor snarls a feral snarl, and leaps forward mming


    into the rogue Alpha, knocking him off of Nn. She takes a protective stance in front of him and while


    I understand her motive, it’s the worst possible thing she could do.


    The rogue’s eyes be hungry, and he howls a lustful, desirous howl of a male who’s found the


    female he intends to mate. I have a moment to be thankful that this rogue’s focus is on Taylor, not


    Jordan, before Nn’s wolf is on his feet, snarling and snapping at the rogue.


    When the rogue starts to run off, Nn moves to go after him, but Taylor grabs onto his tail with her


    teeth, holding him in ce. I hear the rogue Alpha howl, calling his pack members to him and I hear the


    sound of multiple paws hitting the ground, following after him.


    The minute that Nn shifts, I know that I was right. Taylor is his mate.


    When he calls Taylor ‘mate’, Jordan jerks beside me. I look at her while Taylor shifts and repeats the


    word back to Nn. Then I watch as Jordan shifts, staring at Nn. His eyes drift to hers and shock


    registers on his face.


    “Jordan.”


    I shift, just as Taylor looks back and sees Jordan. Understanding and pain run in rapid session


    across her face. Then she turns back to Nn.


    “You’re Nn?”


    “Yes. And you are?”


    “Taylor.”


    “Taylor,” he says and his brows furrow. “The cousin who…” he turns looking at me.


    Griffines running up to us, shifting quickly.


    “What’s going on?” he asks.


    “Taylor and Nn are mates,” I say quietly.


    “And that’s not at all awkward,” he says.


    Nn takes a step toward Taylor, but she puts her hands up.


    “I can’t be here right now,” she says, turning and shifting.


    “My pack or Jordan’s, Taylor! You can’t be alone with that rogue Alpha on the loose and after you,”


    Griffin calls.


    I watch as Taylor turns in the direction of Griffin’s pack. Nn moves to go after her.


    “Leave her, Nn. Give her some space. I understand what it feels like to have your mate dating your


    cousin. She needs to process this before you speak to her. Trust me,” Jordan says.


    Griffin’s head snaps to me. “You?” he asks.


    “Yeah, I….” I don’t get any more words out before he’s punched me, knocking me backward.


    “GRIFFIN!” Jordan shouts.


    “I don’t know if that’s more for Jordan or Taylor, but you better get your s*hit together man,” he snarls at


    me. “I already have. I broke up with your sister a while ago,” I tell him. “Yeah well,” he turns, looking at


    Nn, then at Jordan, “this is still a f*ucking mess.”


    He looks back at Nn. “You don’t step foot on my packnds until my sister agrees to seeing you


    there. You hear me?”


    “I hear you, Alpha,” he says, before Griffin turns and races after his sister.


    “Are you okay?” Jordan asks me, pulling my hand away from my face and flinching. I’m sure it’s already


    bruised from that punch.


    “Yeah, he just did what you should have done the other day,” I say, smiling at her, which hurts, but I


    don’t show it. She rolls her eyes at me before turning to Nn.


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    “Are you okay?” she asks him.


    “Jordan, how many times do we have to talk about you not always putting others ahead of yourself? I


    should be asking you if YOU are okay.”


    She looks from me to Nn. “I have no idea how I feel about this, but at least I had some warning.


    Taylor smelled your scent in my pack house when she arrived yesterday and then she couldn’t find her


    mate. There was arge possibility that it was you.”


    She looks at me. “And Jace and I will be leaving to speak with the bear shifters soon, so, perhaps that


    will give you and Taylor time to figure things out.”


    “And when will you and I have time to ‘figure things out’, Jordan,” he asks.


    She steps away from me, to Nn. “Nn, I saw the look on your face. I know that you waited a long


    time for your mate who just happens to be nearly a decade younger than you. I’m sure you both have a


    lot to work out between you and I have no intention of getting in the middle of that. I’ll give you the


    same advice you once gave me. You need to decide what you want and what you’re willing to live with.


    Your mate dated mine for years. You know the stories, you and I have talked about them. The


    difference is that now, when you think of my cousin Taylor, you also have to think about her as your


    mate Taylor. That’s a lot for all of us to think about.”


    She steps back towards me, and it takes everything in me not to push her behind me. I don’t want her


    to figure anything out with Nn, unless it means the end of their rtionship.


    Nn looks at Jordan a long moment before looking at me. “Did you sleep with her?” he asks, and I


    know he means Taylor.


    “No.”


    He nods, looking thoughtful, before looking back at Jordan. “I’ll take my own advice, and I’ll think about


    things, but when you return, I want some time to talk with you as well.”


    “Deal. And, in the meantime, you may not be wee in Griffin’s pack, but you are wee in mine.”


    He turns, looking in the direction that Taylor ran off. “I think I’ll find somece else to stay for now. You


    know how to get ahold of me if you need me. And… if you think it will help, give Taylor my phone


    number. I don’t have my phone right now, but I’m going to go back and get my car. That’s where it is. I’ll


    stay within an hour of your pack, just in case she decides she wants to talk in person.”


    “Jaxon will be running my pack in my absence. I’ll let him know that you’re always wee. If you


    need a ce to stay, he’ll make sure you have one until I return.”


    “Thanks, Jordan,” he says before shifting and racing off.


    “Are you okay?” I ask after a few moments.


    She turns and looks at me, shaking her head. “How did this be such a tangled web?”


    “I’m an idiot?”


    “You are an idiot. And whether as mate or Gamma, you’re apparently MY idiot. Come on, let’s go check


    on the patrols,” she says turning from me.


    She doesn’t see the huge smile that spreads across my face. She may not have realized it, but she just


    imed me.