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.

says as Brynn begins

so insistent that whatever she feels the

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

important that

“A message from Mila?” I

Isabella is watching her closely and

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

Jara. Only 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 face as if to make sure she

I nod. That’s exactly what my sister looked like. “What did

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 anymore, Luna. She has baby Mena, that’s what she called her, and she will take

hand flies to my mouth. “What?”

said they will both see you 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 sad anymore.

of tears in my eyes. “She always wanted to name her daughter Mena.

dark hair and Alpha’s grey eyes. 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

Melinda.” I

make sure I gave you this message. She said it would make you feel

you.” She

momma, I’m

see that Brynn, Layan and Isabella are all crying too. They reach out, holding my hands. I squeeze them, closing my eyes

lifted from me, a darkness removed. My

no laughter, no talking, nothing. Just the sound of paws hitting the

the pack. They not only suffered the loss of a member of their pack, but they are feeling the loss, grief and withdrawal of their Alpha

to Mason. The moment I do, it’s as if I can feel his head snap up, as if he’s been

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