The Claiming By Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 3

Layan’s Return by Cooper (Jara & Mason)

Chapter 35

Elijah

On the morning of Layan’s claim, Mason joins me.

Title of the document

“I’d like you to reconsider. If things don’t go the way you hope…”

I’m already shaking my head before he finishes. “I can’t. And you, of all people, should understand that.” He grits his teeth.

“I do, but I don’t’ want to lose you. You’re a great Beta, and a better friend.”

“Then wish me luck.” I tell him.

His hand comes down on my shoulder. “Bring her home, Elijah.”

When the gun goes off, the others run into the territory. I walk in, taking my time. But as soon as I hit the forest line, I smell it, the scent trails. They are everywhere. I close my eyes and smile. She did this for me. In one of our discussions, she asked me what I would have done with my life if I hadn’t been a Beta. I told her that my family had come from a long line of trackers. I can pretty much hunt anyone, anywhere. I’m not as good at is as some of my other family members, but I’m better than most.

I begin walking, take a deep breath, finding the strongest of the scents and I begin to follow it. Last year, there were 75 of us in the Hana’s claiming and nearly 200 in Jara’s. While I can track well, I don’t have the ability to track a scent that has been stomped over by multiple males, basically covering the female’s scent.

This year, that isn’t a problem. There are only nine other men in Layan’s claiming, and they all went running for the lake and the cave.

I follow the scent that leads me to the burned-out fire. I look around, seeing how she scorched the area. I wasn’t here last year, I didn’t see it happen, but I heard about it, like everyone else did.

she obviously made until I find where her scent is strongest. Then I squat down and look

but I never did. The woman is amazing, capable of kindness to others,

burned it so there is nothing

catching her scent again, and turning to find her. This isn’t a hunt. I refuse to hunt her, not after what she suffered here last year. I won’t be the

how many scent trails she has created. This territory is large, large enough that I’ll be surprised if I run into any of her other claimants this week. I close my eyes again, taking a deep breath, finding

of her other claimants have raised the howl of the hunt. It’s nearly as quiet in here as it was for Katerina’s claim. I wonder if that’s intentional. Layan hand- picked these men. All of them have been kind to her in

lying on the ground, looking at the sky. I’m not sure if she’s scared or feeling lonely, so I do what I’ve done every night. I

can’t and I know it, but my howl is not about me. It’s about her knowing

eyes and I swear I feel someone watching me. As I fall

up again, searching for her. Her scent trails are getting more intricate each day. It’s

today, it’s time for me to find her. It’s time for her to make her decision. Today will be the turning point in my

dead end. I’ve been strategically maneuvering myself to where her true hiding spot is. She’s almost exactly in

There’s a cliff, standing alone in the territory here. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s her ground zero,

of the tree line, stepping into the clearing in front of the cliff. I can smell her. She’s definitely close. I continue to sniff around until I find the

come out.” I say quietly, and I

rustling around before she emerges

smiles at me. “Are you going to claim what you’ve

shake my head.

the hurt flash in her eyes before she looks down. “You

than anything that I’ve ever wanted in my life.”

to mine. “Then, why? Why won’t

will gladly hunt you every day for the rest of our lives. I will nip at your heels and happily chase you all over our pack lands. But not here. I refuse to

you saying, Elijah?”

as I want you. I need to know that you want to be mine, mine for the rest of our lives. I want you so much that it hurts, Layan. But I won’t take that choice from you. So, I want you to choose me. Claim me and

smell the salt of her tears. “You want me to claim you?”