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.

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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.

It’s important.” Melinda says as Brynn begins to carry her

insistent that whatever she feels the need to tell me

and she rushes back to me. I help her crawl

and she said it was very important that I tell you. She made me promise. I’ve been trying to, but mom wouldn’t let

frown at her. “A message from Mila?” I

is watching her closely and

dream, Melinda?” She asks, maybe wondering if Melinda has heard my sister’s name before and had a

and her eyes are a light green color, not like Luna’s, which are brown.” She says,

nod. That’s exactly what my sister looked like. “What did she say?” Layan asks, everyone’s attention

could never have. She said you don’t have to cry anymore, Luna. She has

to my mouth. “What?”

someday in the Moon 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

in my eyes. “She always wanted to name

Oh, and Warrior Lewis was there too. He said he’ll watch over them like he watched over you.” I pull her to me, hugging her

you, Melinda.” I say,

sure I gave you this message. She

She hugs me again before sliding off my

momma, I’m

reach out, holding my hands. I squeeze them, closing my eyes and sending

open my eyes, it’s like a haze has been lifted from me, a darkness removed. My child is with my sister,

of the porch. I realize that it’s unnaturally quiet. There’s no laughter, no talking, nothing. Just the sound of paws hitting the dirt

not only suffered the loss of a member of their pack, but

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 snap up, as if he’s

lift my nose in the air and follow his scent to his office. I open the door and see my mate for the first time in a