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.

Melinda says as Brynn begins

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

I help her crawl into my lap, and she takes my face

me in my dream to tell me and she said it was very important that I

her. “A message from Mila?” I

is watching her closely and she

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

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

my sister looked like. “What did she say?” Layan asks, everyone’s attention riveted on

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

flies to my mouth. “What?” I

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 to be

wanted to name her daughter Mena. Did you see her?

pretty. She has your dark hair and Alpha’s grey eyes. Oh, and Warrior Lewis

Melinda.”

Luna. Luna Mila was very happy. She said to make sure I gave you this message. She said it would make you

It really does. Thank you.” She

I’m

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

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

that it’s unnaturally quiet. There’s no laughter, no talking, nothing. Just the sound of

sadness, the loneliness of the pack. They not only suffered the loss of a member of their pack, but they are feeling the loss, grief

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 been staring at the place where I cut

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