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.

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

so insistent that whatever

puts her down and she rushes back to me. I help her crawl into

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

her. “A message

watching her

look like in your dream, Melinda?” She asks, maybe wondering if

hair is a lighter brown, and her eyes are a light green color, not like Luna’s,

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

said you don’t have to cry anymore, Luna. She has baby Mena, that’s what she called her, and she will take care of her and raise

hand flies to my

girl as

feel the hot sting of tears in my eyes. “She always wanted to name her daughter Mena. Did you see her? My little

was holding her. She’s very pretty. She has your dark hair and Alpha’s grey eyes. Oh, and Warrior Lewis was there too. He said he’ll watch over them like he

Melinda.”

make sure I

you.” She hugs me again before sliding

momma, I’m

are all crying too. They reach out, holding my hands. I squeeze them, closing

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

laughter, no talking, nothing. Just the

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

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

his scent to his office.