The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 2

The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 55

Jara

I haven’t spoken to Mason since he rejected me several weeks ago. If I’m honest with myself, I know it wasn’t a rejection, it was from a place of love that he told me no. I know that, somewhere in my mind, I know I’m being irrational, but it does nothing for my feelings of anger and hurt so I’ve stayed away from him, choosing to sleep in Layan’s room every night instead of going to our room.

Title of the document

I’ve shut myself off from Mason. My grief is so overwhelming that I can’t handle any more. I know he’s hurting too, but I can’t be there for him. It’s just too much right now. The same is true for the pack. I know they are feeling grief for our loss, and I’ve shut myself off from them, not able to deal with more than my own pain. And so, I’ve stayed locked inside my own head.

I’ve avoided everyone, everyone except Layan and Isabella who refuse to let me ignore them. Or, if I refuse to speak, they sit with me, talking around me or sometimes, just sitting quietly with me. They’ve made sure that I eat and that I bathe. Otherwise, I go where they tell me, I sit where they tell me.

Tonight, as with every evening, I’m in a rocking chair on the back porch with a blanket over my lap, rocking gently in my chair looking out over the forest. Layan is on one side of me and Isabella on the other.

“Luna!” Melinda says, racing toward me.

“Melinda, no. Come back here. Leave Luna alone.” Brynn says, coming up behind her.

“I’m so sorry, Luna.” She says, taking Melinda’s hand and trying to pull her away.

Melinda is having none of it. “No momma. I have a message for Luna. I have to give it to her, it’s important.” She says, fighting to pull her hand out of her mother’s grasp.

“Melinda, stop this. We’ve talked about this.” She says, picking Melinda up.

as Brynn begins to carry

She’s so insistent that whatever she feels the need to tell me is important to

to me. I help her crawl

a message from Luna Mila. She came to me in my dream to tell me and she said it was very important that I tell you.

“A message from Mila?” I

She says, nodding. Isabella is watching her closely and she leans

Melinda?” She asks, maybe wondering if Melinda

color,

sister looked like. “What did she say?” Layan asks,

looks me straight in my eyes. “She said to say thank you for sending her the baby she could never have. She said you don’t have to cry

hand flies to my mouth. “What?” I

Goddess’s realm, but your job is here. So, she will watch over your little girl as if she was her own, so you don’t have to be sad anymore. And she said she loves you and she’s

to name her daughter Mena. Did you

hair and Alpha’s grey eyes. Oh, and Warrior Lewis was there too.

Melinda.” I

make sure I gave you this message.

She hugs me again before

momma, I’m

Brynn, Layan and Isabella are all crying too. They reach out, holding

lifted from me, a darkness removed.

quiet. There’s no laughter, no talking, nothing. Just the sound of paws hitting the

loss of a member

I undo what I should never have done. I open the door in my mind that connects me to Mason. The moment I do, it’s as if I can feel his head

follow his scent to his office. I open the door and see my mate for