The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 37
Jara
Mason had come to bed late. He had curled up around me, his hand protectively resting on my stomach. When I woke this morning, he was already gone, his side of the bed cool to the touch.
I get up, and shower, ready to start the day. I had thought that my fatigue had come from spending so much time with Layan, but now I realize it’s because I’m pregnant. If Dr. Johns is correct, I’m about 3 weeks into a 5-month pregnancy. That means, I have a whole lot of fatigue ahead of me.
When I leave my room, Lewis is standing by the door, waiting for me.
“Good morning, Lewis.” I say. True to his word, Mason has put a round-the-clock guard on me. During the day, if he’s not around, I notice that there are two guards. One is much more subtle than the other, but I know that he’s a*s*signed two to watch me at all times. I don’t argue, knowing that he needs this to help him feel that I’m safe. And with the threat of Typhon still out there, why take the risk?
Before I even get to the dining room, I can feel the tension in the pack. When I arrive, the dining hall is considerably more quiet than it usually is and I see Mason, Elijah and Joe sitting with their heads together, looking over some documents.
“What’s going on?” I ask, walking up to the group.
“Jara.” Mason stands, coming around the table to pull me into a hug. His smile makes me feel a bit better, but I still see the anxious lines pinching the sides of his eyes.
“Have a seat, I’ll get you some food. What are you hungry for?”
“Just toast, dry.” I say.
When Mason comes back with my toast, he sits down opposite me and tells me about the email that came through last night.
“We sent warriors last night to both packs, as well as some extras to Davis and Quinton’s packs since there’s are smaller and they both have she-wolves. I’ve had the warriors stay in touch and let us know if they see anything on their way to the other packs. We have a follow up meeting this morning with the alliance to create a larger plan of action. I’ve doubled patrols, even though they were already heavier than usual because of the threat of Typhon attacking.” Mason looks at me intently.
“Jara, I don’t want you leaving the packhouse. If you feel the need for fresh air, please stay close to the house so you can get inside and safe if we’re attacked. I’ll be putting two guards on you full- time.” He says to me.
I raise I eyebrow at him and he smirks at me. “Okay, I’m going to make the two guards that I have on your full-time already, more official and public. No one and nothing is getting to my girls.”
“I want to sit in on the call.” I tell him.
“Fine. We’ll be talking about the she-wolves in Alpha Emanuel’s pack anyway, and I heard that you and Hana were already thinking of ways to get them out.”
“Mom, too.” I tell him. The three of us had talked about it after hearing G*mma Kira say that she knew they not only have adult she-wolves in that pack, but also at least one juvenile she-wolf.
“You know it’s too dangerous for you to go into that pack now, right Jara?” Mason asks me as we head to his office for the alliance call.
“Mason, someone has to. If that environment is as bad as we think, they will be terrified. They’ll need someone that they can trust, someone who is not a man.” She says.
“Then well find someone who is not pregnant, Jara. It’s too risky.” He says to me.
Elder Jason arrives just before the meeting is scheduled to begin. The three of us dial into the alliance call. Elijah joins us and my guards wait outside. I’m surprised when, not only is Alpha Saul on the call, but also Alpha Jonas. “Hello everyone, thanks for joining the call today.” Seth begins. “Welcome Alpha Saul and Alpha Jonas. I know that neither of you have agreed to an alliance yet, but we appreciate you taking the time to hear what we have to say.”
“After that statement came out yesterday, eliminating my Elder from the council without any notification to myself or him, I have every intention of joining this alliance.” Alpha Saul says.
“Thank you, Alpha. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have after the call.” Alpha Antonio says. He has been in charge of the contracts for the alliance since the beginning.
“First, Alpha Luke, did your reinforcements arrive?”
“They did, and to my knowledge, they only saw movement between Alpha Gunnar and Alpha Emanuel’s pack.” Luke says.
“Alpha Gunnar is sending men to Alpha Emanuel’s pack?” Davis asks. “Correct. I believe it is to ensure that we do not take Alpha Emanuel’s she- wolves.”
“Why would you?” Alpha Jonas asks.
I’m about to respond, but my mother jumps in. I can hear a chair scraping against the floor in Alpha Luke’s office. I’m guessing he’s giving my mother room to speak.
“Alpha Jonas, is it?” She asks.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“My name is Nina Lykos. I’m the mother of Seth and Jara and previous Luna to the Silvercrest Pack. You may not know me, but I’ve been a Luna, a mother, a mother who lost her child to the claiming process and that b*stard Typhon who is still after my other daughter, and now I’m helping this new generation of Lunas change the old, archaic ways of our kind in an attempt to keep us from going extinct.”
“I would be very pleased to make your acquaintance someday, Luna Nina.” A woman’s voice I’ve never heard comes across the phone. Her melodious voice is thick with her accent, but even through the phone she sounds like a s*xy she- wolf.
“Everyone this is Isabella. She is a she-wolf in our pack, a warrior. She has two of her own daughters, one of whom will be of age for next year’s claiming.” Alpha Jonas says.
“It’s nice to meet you, Isabella. I hope that one day soon, I can meet you in person.” Mom says to her.