The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 2

The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 54

Mason

It’s been a week since Jara left the hospital. Every night, she lays down in our bed and every morning, she’s gone. The first night I woke up and she was gone I flew out of bed, racing around the packhouse, irrationally thinking that someone had taken her from me, worried that somehow Typhon had survived and was here to get her.

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Elijah had found me and let me know that she had gone to Layan’s room. I had rushed to her room and opened the door, to find that Jara was curled up in Layan’s arms, sleeping.

Each night, I fall into a restless sleep with her in my arms and wake at some point in the night to find her gone. I always go to Layan’s room to make sure she’s there. Now, most nights, Isabella is there too, and they curl around her, protecting and comforting her the way that I should be.

Jara still barely says anything to me. I know she’s hurting, we both are, but her withdrawal is almost worse. She’s here in body, but not in mind or spirit. And she’d rather sleep with her friends than me, her mate.

I had thought that having her friends here would be helpful to her, but it became clear very quickly that seeing Hana, Annabel and Mignon all still pregnant was more detrimental than helpful right now. So, Layan and Isabella stayed, and the others had gone home.

I started back to work, needing something to take my mind off of everything. Davis had run things well for the few days I needed him to, but when his packhouse was rebuilt and ready for the pack to move into, he needed to go.

The pack is still running. There is food on the table every day, Layan and Isabella make sure that Jara eats, Joe makes sure that the warriors train and Elijah makes sure that the patrols are running non-stop. I sit at my desk and shuffle papers trying to focus on anything other than my grief

Today we’re having the first alliance meeting since my attack on the Elders. I have Elijah joining us, so he can help me keep the pack going. I know I’m not as strong as I need to be. I still feel the gaping loss of my daughter and now I’m feeling the loss of my mate every day.

When Elijah comes in, we dial into the conference call.

“Alpha Mason, how is Luna Jara?” Alpha Luke asks.

“She’s…” I sigh. How is my mate? I have no idea. “She’s as well as can be expected.”

“Is having Isabella there a help?” Jonas asks.

and Layan are taking care of

can do, please

an unfamiliar voice on the phone.

who is this?”

is in labor. So, he won’t be here.

cheers, except me and Elijah. I look at him and he reaches over, putting his hand on my arm.

let Nina know. She’s on her

everyone. I have to

Asher reach out when the baby is born so

bye!” He says, hanging

to start

his voice is considerably more muted than Quinton’s, knowing that this

down to business. Has anyone else heard that Alpha Shawn and Alpha Conrad are packing up?”

this week, both packs moved to Alpha Gunnar’s pack. They have all merged

after the death of the Elders?”

patrols at Alpha

other two packs

looks that way.” Luke

should check it, just to

Emanuel’s pack lands, they may have done something similar in

Ira sniffed out the mines before we could walk across them. Maybe we could send him with a group to see if the packs really are empty and make sure that they

they have all moved to

that Councilman Jason will be attending the next call to give us the status

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could use a shot of something strong.” I tell him. I watch while he pours

him, hating that I don’t know myself. “Layan said she was going to spend the evening in

a moment, taking the shot

expect. When I open

bed. She’s wearing a lacy bra and panty set with a sheer bathrobe that

having her look at me for a week, she’s