The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 71

Mason

After leaving Elijah, I decided to try finding Jara by going to the first tree where I found her, at the beginning of the claiming territory. There is hardly anyone this close to the front of the territory and I realize, it’s a perfect hiding spot for her.

When I get there, I look up at the tree where I first saw her. When she’s not there, I begin looking around at the nearby trees. The trees here aren’t as dense as they are further into the territory, so I’m able to easily follow the line of trees she would have to use to move from one to the other.

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Eventually, I find her scent and I know which tree she uses to get up and down. I look at the tree, judging whether or not it can hold my weight, before jumping up and catching the lowest branch. I pull myself up, following her scent trail.

When I get to where she begins moving through the trees, I test each branch to make sure it will hold my weight. I can’t risk falling and breaking a leg this late in the claiming. It would never heal in time for me to catch her.

where she apparently slept last night. Her scent is incredible, so much stronger than it has been in the past and I know I’m starting to get lost in the haze. Hoping she’ll come

begin leaping through the trees, following her scent, staying quiet when others

territory, so once I get to a point where I can no longer cross the branches, I climb back down to the ground and follow the

both with and without blood. I’m worried about my Beta, but I’m also worried about Jara. She was

way to a cliff face and follow Elijah’s bloody handprints to the top. When I get there, I see

up here. There is dried blood everywhere. I shift and

turn him over. The punch came from behind. I look back at the ground, then at the trees, and I know Jara saved Elijah from being killed by

thoughts begin pushing into my head. Did he claim what was mine? Does he want her? Worse, does she want him.

need to get down from here before her scent and his mixed together sends me into the haze. I have no intention of killing my own

I take in a deep breath of air. Jara’s scent is there, always, but it’s much less potent down here where she hasn’t walked in several

going after her, I decide to check on Elijah. I follow his scent to the lake. This time. I’m on the opposite

footprints where he went into the water and I can see where he came back out. I have to a*s*sume that he’s okay and since I haven’t felt

on this side of the lake, I see two wolves come running out of the forest. Behind them, several other wolves are chasing them. Based on the snapping and snarling that

turning on each other, in the end, only one is left and he goes