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.

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

Brynn.” I say, reaching my arms out for Melinda. She’s so insistent that whatever she feels the

her down and she rushes back to me. I help her crawl into my lap,

and she said it was very important that I tell you.

frown at her. “A message from Mila?”

Isabella is watching her

Melinda?” She asks, maybe wondering if

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

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

her the baby she could never have. She said you don’t have

flies to my mouth. “What?” I

here. So, she will watch over your little girl

of tears in my eyes. “She always wanted to name her daughter Mena. Did you see her? My little girl?”

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

Melinda.” I say,

make sure I gave

She

I’m

Isabella are all crying too. They reach out, holding my hands. I squeeze them, closing my eyes and sending a silent prayer of thanks

my eyes, it’s like a haze has been lifted from me, a darkness

the back 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

suffered the loss of a member of their pack, but they are feeling the loss,

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 been staring at the place where I cut off our

see him. I lift my nose in the air and follow his scent to his office. I