The Claiming by Cooper Book 2
The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 62
Mason
The moment I land on the floor of the packhouse, every wolf turns and begins jumping on me. I begin tearing into them, trying to fight my way out. I knew they’d be after me, specifically, and I was right. It’s only a moment or two later that I hear Elijah’s wolf snarling and Gunnar’s wolves start getting ripped off of me.
Before long, the warriors that were sleeping are up and fighting. It’s utter mayhem. Our omegas are trained to fight, but this group has more warriors than we do. Elijah and I can take on more than one at a time, but it feels like they just keep coming and I still haven’t seen Gunnar, Shawn or Conrad yet.
As I’m fighting, I get a quick mind link from Luke that all the she-wolves are in the safe room. I relax just a bit, knowing that no matter what happens, Jara is safe. And I know my mate is smart. She will have called Seth and help will be here within the hour, we just have to survive that long.
As I’m fighting, I begin to feel tethers to my pack breaking as my pack members die on the battlefield. I hate that we are losing even more wolves, but it can’t be helped, and Gunnar and his group will die today for bringing this war to my pack lands.
Elijah and I close together, ripping into wolves as they enter the packhouse. We’re leaving a path of death behind us as we make our way outside. He and I have always made an excellent team.
We’ve just about gotten to the back of the packhouse when one of the Alphas steps into my packhouse. Since I’ve never seen their wolves, I don’t know which one it is, but it doesn’t matter, because almost immediately, two more step in behind him. I watch as they flank the first one and I realize that one is Gunnar. Shawn and Conrad are deferring to him as their leader.
I lower my head, ready for the fight. I snarl, my lip curling back, my tongue snaking out between my teeth, tasting the air and the sinister intent of these three.
While the battle wages around us, Elijah comes to stand beside me, ready to take them on, three against two.
That’s all it takes, and they are leaping at us. Gunnar comes straight for me, and I leap into the air, meeting him halfway. Our teeth are snapping at each other, trying to grab hold of any part of the other’s body.
I feel another wolf coming at me from the side and I turn quickly, snapping my teeth and catching the snout of the other Alpha before he can bite me. He yelps and steps back.
Gunnar takes the opportunity to bite down on the back of my neck, but he only grabs fur. I roll over, feeling the tug of his teeth, tearing into my fur, but once I’ve rolled over, I begin scratching at his underside. He tries to move aside, trying to avoid my claws, but while he’s focused on me, Elijah turns and bites down on his flank.
Gunnar releases me and turns on Elijah, but I’m up in an instant, slashing my claws at the other Alpha who is coming at me again before jumping on Gunnar’s back. He drops to the ground and the momentum forces me to roll off of him. I roll back onto all four paws, leaping at him instantly.
He’s ready for my attack and he leaps at me again. We roll around on the packhouse floor, snapping and scratching at each other. I’m so consumed by him that I don’t see the other Alpha coming up behind me until I feel his teeth sink into my flank.
I snarl, turning to attack him, when Gunnar snaps his teeth on my neck. He misses my jugular, but I feel his teeth sink into the side of my neck and my shoulder. I see Elijah stepping away from a wolf lying dead on the ground that shifts back to Alpha Conrad. So, this is Shawn and Gunnar.
Elijah turns and jumps on Shawn, pulling him off of me. That’s all I need to redirect my attention back to Gunnar. It’s time for this Alpha a*s*shole to die, like the rest of his posse.
I rip away from him feeling the muscles tearing in my throat and shoulder. I can still breathe, so I don’t care. I’ll heal.
I leap on him again, this time, pinning him to the ground. I grab hold of the back of his neck and begin shaking my head violently. I don’t snap his neck, but I tear off a good chunk of skin and flesh.
Gunnar pulls away, rolling over, curling his back legs up and trying to push me off while he scratches my stomach. I lay down, putting all my weight on him, keeping him from being able to move and I look him in the eye as I bare my teeth.
I see the moment he realizes that I have him. He’s pinned and there is nowhere for him to go. I lean in, snarling at him, willing to make this as painless as possible, but
he won’t stop fighting me. So, instead, I snap my teeth onto his throat, feeling his warm blood fill my mouth. He begins thrashing, but it only lasts for a minute, and I hear the rasping, gurgling sounds of his lungs as they fill with blood.
I stand over him, holding him by the throat as he dies, growling loudly to the rest of his pack members, so they know that they have lost. As he dies, his body shifts back to his human form, but I continue to stand, holding him by his throat.
What few wolves remain from his pack bare their throats to me in submission. I drop Gunnar’s body, looking over to see that Elijah has killed Alpha Shawn as well. I lift my head and howl our victory. Seth comes racing into the packhouse, bloody and injured from the fight as well. He nods and we shift back.
“It’s secure outside, Mason.” He tells me.
I reach my hand out to shake his. “Thank you. It’s secure here as well.” I say, looking around and making sure it’s safe before I mind link Jara.
When I do, I can feel her sorrow. I had felt her periodically tugging on our mind link, but I had been too focused on fighting Gunnar and Shawn to open the link to her.
I move as fast as I can so I can lay eyes on her and make sure that she’s truly safe.
When I get there, the door swings open and I see her holding Jace. I look behind her and see Stella on the floor, lifeless.
I had felt multiple tethers snapping during the fight, but once I was fighting against Gunnar, all my attention was there. I couldn’t focus on who had died and who hadn’t. Obviously, Joe, my Gamma had died in the fight and his mate, Stella, had died in front of their son.
I pull Jara to me, not caring that I’m covered in blood, holding her and Jace tightly while the sounds of post-battle chaos continue around us.