The Claiming by Cooper

Chapter 92 Mason Mason

Having a m*ntal connection to Jara has helped to soothe my wolf's need to be near her. I keep a constant line open for her, always wanting to know what she's feeling. So, when a current of unease and fear runs through her mind, I feel it im- mediately. It's so unusual for her, that I'm up and moving be- fore I even reach out to her.

It's all I can do not to run to her. Her unease begins to fade, but I need to know what caused it. When I turn the cor- ner and see her surrounded by the ten wolves that I brought over from Typhon's pack, I'm even more concerned. So, it's not surprising that my aura rips out of me, ready to kill these men if they are threatening my mate.

When Jara tells me that they wanted to apologize, I pull my aura back, but I'm still ready to fight and kill them if they are lying.

One of the warriors, finally speaks. "We were telling Luna Jara that we would give our lives for her. We let our previous Luna down. We won't let her down, Alpha. And we know that you won't hurt her the way that Alpha Typhon hurt Luna Mila.

I snarl at that. "I would never hurt my mate." The thought that they are even comparing me to Typhon aggravates me.

"We know that Alpha, and we're very glad to be in a pack where the Alpha respects his Luna as he should. That's all we meant."

"Was there anything else?" I ask them.

They look at each other before looking back at me. "No, Alpha."

"Ask your question, warrior. You already said my mate isn't like your previous Alpha. If you want to know something, ask." Jara tells him.

I pull her against me, needing to know that she's safe. I feel her sending calming waves through our mind link.

"It's just.....we were wondering if anyone has learned any- thing more about Alpha Typhon." The one warrior asks.

Jara turns her head and looks up at me.

"No." I tell them. "All we know is that his body was never found in the claiming territory. Everyone has been accounted for except for him. I don't know how that's possible, given the injuries he sustained, but we do know he hasn't returned to his pack. Elder Jason sent another Elder there to oversee the pack since Typhon is missing and his Beta is dead."

"We had no G*mma. He died last year in the claiming and Alpha Typhon never brought anyone else in to replace his po- sition."

"There can't be many pack members left." Jara says. "After my sister died, I heard that your unmated pack members started going feral in alarming numbers. How many mated males are in your pack?" "Only a handful. Most are older, having found their mates a long time ago. There are some young males, not yet of age. Now that we have left the pack and the others that went into the claiming are dead, there can't be more than 30 pack members left."

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"I'll know more after the Alpha meeting in a few days, but I wouldn't expect any news about your former Alpha. Hopeful- ly, someone will be willing to absorb your previous pack mem- bers. I guess you'll need to decide if you want to stay here or move where they go." I say, wondering if they are really willing to stay here and become part of my pack.

They all look at each other.

"I want to stay." One says.

"Me too." Another agrees and they all say they want to stay.

"Okay, then I won't offer you up to other packs that may need to increase their numbers to continue as a pack." I say. That's how it works at the Alpha meeting. Packs realign or ab- sorb other packs so they can remain in an official pack status.

"Also, Alpha, Luna...if Alpha Typhon hasn't been found, we should be on the lookout for him. I don't know what state he's in, but he wanted Luna Jara. It's possible he's gone feral, but if so, he'll still come for her. He had no intention of walking out of the claiming without her. He was willing to lose every one of us to do it. If he's going to lose his pack, he has nothing to lose by trying to take Luna Jara from us." It's insightful and makes me think that they really do care about Jara and this pack. "Thank you for the information. I will definitely take it under advisement and discuss patrols with Beta Elijah.” "Thank you, Alpha. Luna." They say, bowing in deference before moving away. 38 95%

She waits until they are out of ear shot. "I told you I was

okay, Mason." She says, turning in my arms, her hands resting on my biceps. "What you said and what you were feeling were two very different things, Jara.”

She looks at my shirt and begins to absently play with a button. "I didn't know what to expect from them when they stepped out in front of me. They let my sister die, and I wasn't sure I could trust them. So, whatever you felt was me thinking they were here, working for Typhon to bring me to him."

I run a finger over her cheek and under her chin, lifting her head to look at me. "They'd be foolish to think they could get you out of this pack without every pack member fighting to the death to save you." "Hopefully, it will never come to that." I agree, but the thought that Typhon may be out there, feral, looking for Jara, doesn't sit well with me.

"What are you working on, Mason? I was just about to check on my mother, before coming to see you."

"Let's go see what your mother has my Beta doing today." I say, chuckling. Elijah told me that Luna Nina, while kind and amazing to the pack members, is a task master when it comes to getting things done. "I only have one week." Elijah had said to me in Nina's voice earlier today. I had snorted coffee out of my nose.

When I cleaned my face, I had asked him how many times he has heard that.

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"At least 10 times a day, Alpha. And I'm here to tell you,

the woman will achieve her goals, even if none of us get any sleep. I think I'd rather spar for eight hours than work with that woman for the same amount of time."

"Better get used to it." I had told him. "Her daughter, your Luna, is exactly the same."

"Goddess, give us strength." He said, feigning exhaustion.

"She already has." I had said under my breath, but Elijah

has heard.

"Yeah, she has. We got lucky to have her as our Luna."

"Yes, we did. I can't believe how different the pack feels already." I say.

"And did you realize, Lewis was close to going feral when we left, and now, he's fine."

I had forgotten about Lewis. I had planned to put him down when I got back. But I hadn't had any inclination that he needed it since I'd returned. "He's no longer going feral?"

Elijah shakes his head slowly. "He's been working with Luna Nina all week. She seems to know that he needs her. She has kept him close to her and made sure that she's been over- seeing his work personally. His feral-fever seems to be com- pletely gone."

"I knew it." I say quietly. I had hoped that Jara would be the answer that this pack needed to staying sane, and she is. This proves it.

"Yeah, you were right, Alpha. I can't even imagine how much better our pack will be with her here now.

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I pull my mate against my side as we walk to see her mother. I'm not sure any man on the planet is luckier than I am. I have my mate, and she's giving me back my pack.