The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 2

The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 1

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 appreciate her a*s*sisting in settling my pack. Her presence, along with Jara’s, has made a significant difference. Now, there’s laughter, 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.

Title of the document

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 Antonio 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.

We both turn and see Mignon and Asher walking forward us.

“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.

look. “I’m good. I’d like to speak with you, at some point this weekend about what happened to my Alpha. I’d

At least what I know.” We turn back to our

sure you’d be here.”

too.”

and look who I found.” Hana says, walking up

dog whistle pitch. I’m not sure a human could

says, looking at Asher. “We can, right?” Asher looks like a deer in headlights. These events always have a*s*signed seating and he has no desire to tell

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

looks of defiance. If I were the Elder,

Alpha meeting, not some school cla*s*sroom where we have a*s*signed seats. We, the girls from the claiming,

me. “She’s incredible, isn’t she?”

she is.” I say, thinking my mate is more incredible, but I won’t

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

Antonio says proudly, watching his mate as she stands her ground to the

room. “Anyone else have a problem with the four of us and our mates

asks before turning back to Elder Stanley. “If they

from the moment she sa*s*sed me on that stage that she would be a perfect mate for me.” Asher says,

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 exit.” My mate says kindly, but firmly and there is no denying that she is all Alpha. This isn’t a suggestion, it’s a

I say quietly, so

we get

I did.” Antonio says, moving to wrap