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.

I find where her scent is strongest. Then I squat down and look at the remains of the fire. This is where she stood last night, howling. This is why she sounded

capable of kindness to others, even when she’s afraid for herself. She has never let

She took control of the past, burned it so there

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 reason that those memories, that

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 the strongest scent and

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 one

I’m not sure if she’s scared or feeling lonely,

know it, but my howl is not about

I fall asleep, I

again, searching for her. Her scent trails are getting more intricate each

turning point in my life. I will either walk out of here with my mate, or I will leave her

which trails are a dead end. I’ve been strategically maneuvering myself to where her true hiding spot

to guess, I’d say that’s her ground zero, a beacon drawing me

out 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 say quietly, and

a moment, then I hear her rustling around before she emerges from a well-hidden hiding

you going to claim what

my

before she looks down. “You don’t want me?” She asks so quietly I almost

than anything that I’ve ever wanted in my

to mine. “Then, why? Why

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 hunt you here, in this place. You

are you saying, Elijah?” She

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 make me yours so I know

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