The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 78

Jara

When I left Mason at the cliffs, I thought he’d catch me quickly. When he didn’t, I was surprised, but also on alert. Just because I don’t see him doesn’t mean that he isn’t up to something.

It takes me awhile, but I finally find a tree that will hold my weight but few, if any, of the males left in the claiming. I climb high, knowing that Mason won’t be able to smell me when he finds me. I know he will, he won’t sleep tonight if he doesn’t find me.

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However, because the tree is smaller, in general, than the others that I’ve been sleeping in, I can only go so high before the branches become too small to hold even my weight.

I get as comfortable as I can, using several branches that are bunched together to squish myself into. Between all of them, I feel safe that my little spot here will hold.

I’ve nearly fallen asleep when I hear the rustling of the underbrush beneath me. Then I hear a limb snapping and the growling of frustration.

I lean over and see that Mason has found me. I’m really surprised that it took him this long. As I watch, he jumps up again, only to break the limb and fall back to the ground. Then he’s up and climbing the tree next to me. When he leaps over to my tree, I feel it sway with his weight.

Shit! I didn’t plan for him to get to me up here. There’s nowhere for me to go.

I watch him, he falls to the ground, only when he lands, he’s

His howl of frustration brings several wolves to see what the commotion is about.

the rest of the night, I watch him. He continues to alternate between trying to get up the tree and scratching the tree as if he’s trying to bring it down. In between he’s attacking wolves who either

the night. I’m exhausted and cramped but unwilling to move. Mason

get to me again. He’s whining and growling, then he scratches at

sun starts to rise, but my adrenaline is pumping. This is it, I’m at the end.

Mason is sleeping again. I carefully unfold myself from this tree limb bed, hearing my joints crack

finally standing, I look down again. Still sleeping. Good.

I begin to make my way down the tree, careful not to slip and send debris tumbling onto Mason. If he wakes up now, there’s no chance I’ll make it

next to me. This is the tree that Mason climbed last night. The limbs on this tree

the trees, I begin to hear more shuffling and growling below me. The ranked wolves are aware enough to

At this point, they’d probably pull the trees down

Jason, has placed a clock at the entrance. It’s 7:30am. I have 30 minutes and

in, taking in my surroundings and the wolves that have congregated near here. They are all keeping their distance from each other, but right now, they are so busy trying

see Alpha Luke, Beta Elijah possibly, and several warriors from Seth’s pack that I know. There are some others, one definitely is an Alpha based on his size and others that are large enough to be ranked members or just

probably 30-40 wolves waiting for me, all searching, all whining and growling in frustration at not being able to find my scent. The breeze

send a silent thank you to Elder Jason for giving me the time so I don’t rush it. If I tried to leave the claiming territory before the end of the claim, the males would be within their rights to chase me down until

around, not seeing Mason. Is he still asleep? Does he not realize that I’ve moved and I’m closer to

looking around at the ground beneath me. The wolves are all moving around near me, but there are none right