Chapter 290
The iming by Cooper Book 4
The Beta Trials by Cooper (Jace & Jordan)
Chapter 17 (Jordan)
After checking on my patrols and sending the ones with bites and scratches to the pack hospital, I send
a mind link to my father letting him know the rogues were taken care of. I’ll need to reconnect Jaxon to
my pack before I leave so he can use the mind link. ‘Griffin is sending more patrols to watch over
Taylor’snd,’ my father tells me.
‘Good, because several of my patrols were injured and isn’t there some concern for them being bitten
or scratched by someone with feral fever?’ I ask him.
‘The wolves had feral fever?’ he asks, concern evident in his voice.
‘ording to my patrols, they weren’t normal wolves dad.’
‘I’ll get Councilman Jason and head over to the pack hospital to see what they doctors are saying. I’m
guessing we’ll need to put your patrols into quarantine for the time being, honey. I’ m sorry, but it’s
probably the only way to be safe.’
‘I understand, Dad. Their mates and pups may not, but I do,’ I say, closing the mind link and sighing.
“That’s the third time you’ve sighed in thest two minutes, Jordan. What’s up?” Jace asks me as we
hear Griffin’s patrols heading our way.
“Dad says our patrols that were bitten or scratched will have to go into quarantine until we know for
sure that those wolves didn’t have feral-fever.”
“I thought we were immune to that.” Jace says. “Wasn’t that like a huge deal with our generation, the
immunity to feral fever and the iming haze?”
“It was, but we don’t know if that’s what this is. Remember, these rogues haven’ t been part of a pack.
The patrols said they only saw males and those males were acting erratically. We’ll have to bring in the
scientists to do blood samples. Hopefully, even if it is a new strain, they will be able toe up with a
vine for it. The whole issue of feral fever in males was because of the limited female poption. Or,
at least, that’s what I remember my parents telling me.”
“It sounds right. So, do we need to call the lead scientist? I think it’s the same one from our parents’
generation, right? His daughter is still too young to have taken over?”
“Yes. I understand he found his mate a year or so after thest iming, and they had a pup, a female,
but she would be a couple years younger than me still, so maybe she’ll be involved. We’ll have to see.”
By the time we get back to the packhouse, my mom and Aunt Hana are helping people out of the safe
rooms. I jog up to my mother. “Do you need anything? I want to head over to the pack hospital and
check on my patrols.”
“Go, we’ve got this. The council canceled the rest of today’s meeting and they’ve called in Dr. Braxton
and his daughter. She’s studying to be a doctor and will most likely follow in her father’s footsteps, so I
guess it’s good that we have her.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
I leave Jace to help Elijah make sure everyone is set up for the afternoon, having a ce to work and
some privacy to call their packs and make arrangements to increase their own patrols. In addition,
several of the previous generation went out hunting for the rogues but lost their scent in the rivers and
lakes in between packnds.
In total, I have six patrol members that have to be quarantined. I spend the rest of the afternoon and
evening speaking with mates and family members, exining what happened and why their loved ones
are in quarantine. We make arrangements for them to be able to speak to their loved ones so they
know that they aren’t alone, and I also went around to each of them, letting them know that Jace, Elijah
and I will be by every day that they are in quarantine to check on them and make sure that they don’t
need anything.
They were appreciative and understanding, even though they are unhappy about having to be
separated from their mates. I had the hospital set up a kid’s area where the pups could y while
parents talked and had them also set up spaces for the pup-less mates to stay in the hospital if they
wanted to be closer to their mates.
By the time that is done, it’ste. I head back to the packhouse, my head spinning with everything that
is going on, what it could mean and trying to decide if I feel better or not that the rogue Alpha has set
his sights on Taylor.
Is that because he came across her pack and she’s an easier target, or was she always the target? Am
I safe or am I still at risk if the opportunity presents itself for this rogue Alpha to capture me. And what
about the other rogue pack? What is that Alpha doing? Is he also on the prowl? Now that they know
there are two female Alphas, will they divide and conquer ande after both of us?
And then, I’m worried about my pack members while I’m gone. I now have a group in quarantine and
the pack is on edge, waiting to see if we’re going to be attacked by rogues. The news of the quarantine
will have gone around the pack already, making them even more nervous. Should I change my ns
about going to meet with the bears? I feel like it’s important to get the information, and something
inside me is telling me that it needs to be me that goes.
And then, of course, there’s Nn. I have no idea what it means that he is Taylor’s mate. Are she and I
so much alike that our mates dated the other person? She and I have never been close. She was
always much morepetitive than I was, always acting like she had to prove herself, which I guess
she did.
These are the thoughts rolling around in my head when I get to the packhouse. It’s quiet inside. I can
hear murmurings around the packhouse, but in general, it’s sote that everyone has gone to bed.
My stomach rumbles, but I ignore it. I missed dinner. Again. Oh well, there’s always breakfast.
I climb the stairs to my floor and make my way to my room. As soon as I open the door, I can smell
Jace’s scent of honey roasted almonds. He’s been in my room. I look around, wondering what he was
doing here and then I see it, a te of food sitting on my desk with a note on top.
I pick up the note, and then pull the covering off the food. Two wraps, one turkey and ham and the
other roast beef, with a te full of potato chips. I grab a wrap, taking a bite and nearly moaning out
loud it tastes so good. Or maybe I’m just that hungry. Then I open the note.
‘Alpha,
I know you didn’t eat tonight. You haven’t left the hospital all night. I know, I checked on you several
times. All the visitors arefortable and have contacted their packs. Everyone had dinner and Elijah
and I set up couple of bars so everyone could mingle and talk afterward.
Don’t worry about the patrol members in quarantine. The scientists will be here tomorrow, and we’ll
figure it out. Don’t worry about the trip to see the bears, we’ll make it work. I talked to Alpha Jaxon
tonight and he is ready to rejoin our pack for the time he’s here.
Don’t worry about the rogue Alphaing after you and Taylor, we’ll keep both of you safe and we’ll
figure out what to do with them and the pack that hasn’t shown themselves yet. And finally, don’t worry
about the mate bond between Taylor and Nn. Everything will work out the way it is supposed to.
I know me telling you not to worry about these things won’t change that you will. That’s who you are,
but we have some very long days ahead of us, Jordan, and you need your rest. So, try to shut your
brain off, get some sleep and we can talk in the morning.
Your Gamma and mate,
Jace.’
I read the note twice, downing the wraps as I do. How did he know everything that I was worrying
about?
Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.
Am I that transparent? I mean, obviously all of those things are important and would be weighing on
any Alpha’s mind, but he makes it sound like he was in my head on my way home from the hospital just
now.
I tentatively open the mind link and find Jace still awake.
“Thanks for the food.”
“Jordan, please tell me that you’re not contacting me from the shower again. If you are, so help me
Goddess….” Iugh out loud.
‘No, I’m finishing my potato chips, THEN I’m getting in the shower.’
I hear him grunt in the mind link. ‘I’m not sure that’s any better. No, it’s definitely not any better. But I’m
d you’re back and have eaten. Shower off the day and get some rest, Jordan. I’ll see you in the
morning.’
‘See you in the morning, Jace,’ I say, closing the mind link.
I shower and dress in myfortable pajamas before crawling into bed and staring up at the ceiling.
You didn’t tell me not to worry about you, Jace. What am I going to do about you?