The Claiming By Cooper

The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 29

Jara

When I arrive back in Alpha Davis’s pack, I’m glad to see that Layan looks considerably better than she did when we left her last weekend. However, when she walks up to hug me, holding me so tightly that I can barely breathe, I know that it’s only on the surface.

Title of the document

That’s okay, it’s a start and every small step forward is still a step forward.

I see Elijah watching her as he pulls my bags out of the car, his jaw tense. It’s probably a good thing that he didn’t see her last weekend if her current state is affecting him like this.

“Am I the first one here?” I ask her as she finally pulls away.

“Yes. I heard that Alpha Seth will be joining us this weekend instead of Alpha Asher.” She says. She looks past me, a frown, forming on her face.

“Is that Beta Elijah?” She asks me quietly.

I turn, seeing him ducking his head, smiling that she remembers him. “It is. He’s here as part of my guard duty this weekend. Do you remember him?” I ask her, hoping she has good memories of Elijah.

She nods. “He was kind to me.”

“Yep, he’s a good guy.” I say and sadness fills her features.

I turn her, keeping my arm wrapped around her shoulder, heading inside. “What’s that look for?” I ask, leaning my head on top of hers.

too damaged.” She says and I

to come last weekend, but Mason needed him at the pack. He volunteered to come here because he was worried about you. And you also caught the eye of my

head, looking over at Lewis who gives her

your friends are for.

it, rushing over to hug Layan. I frown, looking at her stomach. It’s like in one week she went from having

because as Mignon steps back,

was here last weekend. He is very protective of me and our little pup. But he trusts Alpha Davis now, and he knows that Alpha Seth and Beta Elijah are here. I’ve also promised

her phone buzzes. She looks at the screen before picking up the call.

got here. Yep, your girls are

because I can tell that Layan is surprised by the level

he’s good to

face sharpening as she refocuses her gaze on Layan. She puts her phone away and walks over to her, taking her hands. “Yes. He is so good

to do with this information.

do this weekend?” I ask her as the three of us

time with the five of us piled on the couches. Now, the

to Brynn and my mother, finding out how things are going in Alpha Quinton’s pack. Layan falls asleep against me, like she did last weekend. I carry her to my room again, planning to have her sleep with me. Her mother told me that she’d been having nightmares again while we were gone. Hopefully, being close to me and the others will keep her

when Hana comes in. “How is she?” She asks,

that way.” I say, crawling into bed and sitting with my back against

comes to sit on the other side of the bed, tucking up against Layan’s

Layan’s hair. “How are things in Alpha Quinton’s pack?” I

into the feral-fever as Alpha Davis, but some of his pack members are. He does have two she-wolves in their childbearing years and both of them have one young she-wolf along with a bunch of sons. Neither of them

have someone go there periodically to help

are close to going feral come to our packs for a month or so, keeping them in close proximity with us until we’ve pushed it out. It won’t have the same lasting effect until those packs have their own Luna to help, but it could be a way to keep our numbers from dropping over the next year. Seth told me they lost at least 50 males last year before

off until after this weekend because of what is going on, but if he and Mason think it’s a good idea, they could present it

She says, getting up