The Claiming by Cooper

Patil The Council Chapter 1 Mason Mason

Jara and I had said goodbye to her parents last night. They were returning to Seth's pack to help oversee it while he and Hana are away at the Alpha meeting.

I had thanked Nina, letting her know how much I appreci- ate her assisting in settling my pack. Her presence, along with Jara's, has made a significant difference. Now, there's laugh- ter, camaraderie and a hopefulness that we didn't have be- fore. I know that most of my pack members won't find their mates. But their life expectancy has nearly doubled because I claimed Jara as my mate.

We arrive at the Alpha meeting late in the day. Since there are 20 packs from around the country, the Alpha meeting is usually in a central location at a resort conference center. It would seem like this would be a nice opportunity to relax and be together, but since it's so soon after the claiming, and most packs will have fewer numbers of wolves, especially this year, it's usually a stressful environment.

Because so many of us are traveling long distances, the only event this evening is dinner and drinks. Since there will be a much smaller number of unmated males here and Jara is marked, I don't feel as uneasy as I did previously. However, that doesn't mean that I want unmated Alphas showing her extra attention, so I'm still a bit tense about having her here.

We arrive around an hour before dinner is set to begin. We register for the event, getting our information, our room and the schedule for the next few days. I intend to meet with Elder Jason this evening to give him my petition. That way, it

can be presented during the last day of the meeting. That also gives me time to see if other Alphas, specifically Alpha Anto- nio and Alpha Asher, who claimed the other two females this year, are willing to support the changes we want to make.

Jara and I have just enough time to get to our room and change before heading to the dinner reception. We've just walked in the door when I hear Jara's name being called.

us.

We both turn and see Mignon and Asher walking forward

"Mignon!" Jara says and they rush into each other's arms, hugging.

Asher and I both have smiles on our face for our mates as we greet each other. "How are you, Alpha?" I ask him. The last time I saw him, he was a Beta. His Alpha was killed at the end of Jara's claiming. He was in the haze and didn't stop after I marked her. The guards shot and killed him.

He gives me a knowing look. "I'm good. I'd like to speak with you, at some point this weekend about what happened to my Alpha. I'd like to know what really happened so my pack and I can find peace." "I'd be happy to discuss it with you. At least what I know."

We turn back to our mates.

"I wasn't sure you'd be here." Mignon says to Jara.

"Hana's coming, too." She says.

"Yes, I am and look who I found." Hana says, walking up with Annabel.

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The squealing from the four of them reaches dog whistle pitch. I'm not sure a human could hear it, but shapeshifters

sure can.

As Seth and Antonio join our group, we all look a little pained from the noise.

"Oh, we have to sit together." Mignon says, looking at Asher. "We can, right?"

Asher looks like a deer in headlights. These events always have assigned seating and he has no desire to tell his mate no and upset her.

"Of course, we can." Jara says, confidently. "What are they going to do? Tell us no."

They begin walking to the tables, finding all of our names and then begin pulling tables together. The four of us rush to help them as Elder Stanley comes over.

"Ladies, I'm sorry, you can't do that." He tries to tell them.

Hana and Jara turn on him with matching looks of defi- ance. If I were the Elder, I'd back down, but, he's just not that

smart.

"Who's going to stop us, Elder? You? This is an Alpha meeting, not some school classroom where we have assigned seats. We, the girls from the claiming, want to sit together, so I suggest that you get with the program." Hana says.

Seth leans over to me. "She's incredible, isn't she?" He says quietly.

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"Yes, she is." I say, thinking my mate is more incredible,

but I won't say that to Seth.

"And after the way we were treated during out claiming, I'd think you'd be kissing our feet, not trying to convince us that we need to be separated from each other." Annabel adds.

"I knew she'd make one hell of a Luna." Antonio says proudly, watching his mate as she stands her ground to the Elder.

Mignon looks around the room. "Anyone else have a problem with the four of us and our mates sitting together?" She waits a beat.

"No?" She asks before turning back to Elder Stanley. "If they don't care, Elder, I can't imagine why you would."

"So feisty. I knew from the moment she sassed me on that stage that she would be a perfect mate for me." Asher says, smiling at his mate.

"Elder Stanley, I would suggest that unless you want to make a fool of yourself in front of every Alpha in our country, that you accept that we are going to sit together and catch up. Now would be a good time for you to make a graceful ex- it." My mate says kindly, but firmly and there is no denying that she is all Alpha. This isn't a suggestion, it's a command.

"That's my girl." I say quietly, so only the other three can

hear me.

"How did we get so lucky?" Asher asks.

"Don't know, don't care. Just glad that I did." Antonio says, moving to wrap his arms around his mate.

"So, baby, where are we sitting?" Seth asks, moving to

stand beside Hana.

"Here." Annabel says as they finish pulling the tables to- gether.

The girls all sit on one side of the table, across from each other so they can talk, so we sit at the other end. It works out for me since I had planned to talk to these Alphas anyway. We're nearly settled, when Jara looks up.

"Alpha Luke!" She says and I turn, seeing Luke walking over to say hi. I have a momentary flash of jealousy before I tamp it down. Jara is mine. Luke backed down once his mind cleared of the haze. And even though she was willing to have him as a mate, she wanted me.

I rise to greet him as well. Jara walks to him, giving him a quick hug. His eyes flash to me, wondering if I'm going to say or do anything. I nod, letting him know that we're good.

"How are you?" Jara asks him, coming to stand beside me, wrapping her arm around my waist. I shake Luke's hand be- fore wrapping my arm around Jara's shoulders.

"I'm good. Being mated looks good on you. On both of you." He says, looking from Jara to me.

"I'm a lucky man, and I know it." I say to him.

He glances around before lowering his voice. "Have you heard anything about Typhon?"

"Only that they haven't found him. I'm hoping to learn more this weekend."

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He nods as Elder Colton begins tapping his spoon on his champagne glass to get our attention.

"We'll talk later. I have something I'd like to discuss with you." I say to Luke before Jara and I return to our table.