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.

where her scent is strongest. Then I squat down and look at the remains of the fire. This

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

so

after what she suffered here last year. I won’t be the reason that those memories, that horror comes back to her, especially now that she seems

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

on the move, and she has been. Surprisingly, none 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’m 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 howl, letting her

can’t and I know it, but my howl is not

and I swear I feel someone watching me. As I fall asleep, I hear her voice, soft and quiet in

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

turning point in my life. I will either walk out of

been strategically maneuvering myself to where her true

slowly make my way to her. There’s a cliff, standing alone in the territory here. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s her ground zero, a beacon drawing me to her. There must be a

I can smell her. She’s definitely close. I continue to sniff around until I

out.” I say quietly, and I step

then I hear her rustling around before she

you going to claim

my head.

in her eyes before she looks down. “You don’t

than anything that I’ve

come to mine. “Then,

you every day for the rest of our lives. I will nip at your heels and happily chase you all over our

are you saying, Elijah?” She asks

need to know that you want me as much 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,

tears. “You want me to