The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 10
Mason
“Moving on to the fourth statement in the petition, ‘Males will identify which claims they choose to be in. Females will use social gatherings with interested males to choose their own lottery of claimants’.”
Alpha Gunnar snorts. “Now you’re letting the females choose who they want in their claims? What kind of bullshit is this?”
“This is the kind of bullshit that keeps things like what happened to Layan from happening again.” Jara says, snarling at Gunnar. “She would never have chosen that Alpha for her claim.”
“That Alpha was feral. We all agreed that a*s*sessments should be done closer to the claiming process. Why should females get a say in who catches them?” He snarls right back.
“Being forced into a mate bond that we don’t want, won’t make us more fertile and it won’t make us want to reproduce. It may be easy for you to be a two-pump chump and your part is done. For us, as she-wolves, there is more involved.” Hana jumps in.
“What are you saying, Luna? That if the she-wolves can choose males that they have developed an attachment to, or a liking for, that if they are claimed by that male, they are likely to reproduce more quickly and more frequently?”
“That’s exactly what she’s saying.” Mignon says, standing and looking at Asher. He smiles, nodding at her.
She turns back to the room. “I am already pregnant, and I’m far enough along that we already know I’m having a girl.” There is a collective suction of breath in the room. It’s been years since a she-wolf got pregnant this quickly coming out of a claim.
“I knew I wanted my Asher before I went into the claiming territory. Of all the males in my claim, he was the one I wanted to catch me.” She says, giving Asher a look I know well. I see it when Jara looks at me, it’s a look of love and adoration. She turns back to the room. “I didn’t have a chance to meet any of the others, only those in my lottery, but he was the only one for me and I know that’s why I am already carrying his pup.” She says bravely.
“That could be a fluke.” Alpha Gunnar says, dismissing her. Asher snarls at him, pulling Mignon into his lap.
“No, it’s not.” Hana says standing up. She gives Jara a look of apology before continuing. “Seth and I just found out this morning that I’m carrying his pup. It was the same for me, even though there were more males in my claiming, and there were ones that I would have accepted as my mate. But from the beginning, it was always Seth for me.” She turns giving her mate a look of total adoration.
“I’m not far enough along to know the gender of our baby yet, but Mignon’s situation isn’t a coincidence. It’s because we love our mates, and they love us and treat us well. It opens us to being willing to reproduce and gives us a strong desire to carry our mate’s pups.” She says before returning to her seat, only to be pulled into Seth’s lap. He runs his nose up her neck, kissing her ear before turning back to the group.
“If that’s the case, then Annabel should also be pregnant.” Alpha Conrad says, looking at Annabel. What a prick.
“That’s on me. A situation that has now been rectified.” Antonio says, smirking at his mate, making her blush.
“And Luna Jara?” Gunnar says, turning his sneer toward my mate.
“She’s only been out of the claiming for a week. Even biology takes time, moron.” I say, done with his a*s*shole ways. But my mate isn’t having it.
Jara leans forward, staring daggers at Gunnar. “I take my mate’s knot every night Alpha, sometimes more than once. The odds of me being pregnant are exceptionally high. So, sit your sorry a*s*s back and shut your f*uc*king mouth.”
Gunnar grits his teeth, turning his snarl on me. I just sit back giving him a smug smile of my own. I wasn’t going to tell this room of Alphas about my intimate time with Jara, but if she wants the world to know that she can’t get enough of me, who am I to complain?
I can see some of the other Alphas in the room looking thoughtful over what they’ve heard and learned from our Lunas. It isn’t something that has been discussed before and obviously in situations where Mila was mated to Typhon, things didn’t work well. Now, hearing it firsthand, this room of werewolf leaders can’t deny that allowing the she-wolves to choose their claimants will make a difference in the propagation of our species.
“Let’s take a vote.” Elder Jason says.
Not surprisingly, the vote is ten to four. The only four against the change are Gunnar and his minions.
“The change in allowing the females to choose the claimants in their lottery will be put into law.”
“The fifth portion of the petition states, ‘Females will be given a supply of food when entering the claiming’.”
“No disrespect intended Lunas, but what is the point of this?” Alpha Quinton asks, looking at each of them in the eyes.
“I almost starved in my claiming.” Mignon says, and Asher pulls her closer to him, kissing her shoulder.
“We can’t cook. Not like you can. It will give our location away and we’ll be captured very quickly.” Annabel says.
“Is that so terrible?” Gunnar asks sarcastically again.
“Since you are the one that keeps touting the need to show your strength and that you are worthy of catching a mate, one would think that you wouldn’t want to have your mate so easily captured. However, I guess when we all realize that you have yet to beat out your fellow Alphas to claim a mate, we can understand why you might want to make the claiming process a bit easier for yourself.” Jara says and her tone is dripping with derision and sarcasm.
I hear some muffled chuckles and snorts at her words. Gunnar’s face goes bright red with anger, embarra*s*sment, and frustration.
“Let’s vote.” Elder Jason redirects the conversation back to the issue at hand. This time, it’s thirteen to one. Gunnar being the only one that votes against it. Even his minions could see the value in having a healthy Luna at the end of the claim. “And the final item in this petition states Any male who claims a mate will no longer be eligible to participate in the claiming’.”
All of the unmated males look our way.
“But that will eliminate all of you from ever entering the claim again.” Alpha Davis says, looking at me with shock on his face.
“Believe me when I say, if anything were to happen to Jara, there would never be another for me.”
“Or me.” Seth says, nuzzling Hana.
“Never.” Antonio says, reaching over to stroke Annabel’s cheek.
“No one could ever replace my mate. I may not be able to follow her into death, if we have children that depend on me, but my heart would go with her, and no one would ever be able to fill that void for me again.” Asher says, looking at Mignon as he says it. She reaches up to cup his cheek before leaning forward and kissing him gently.
Alpha David turns to look at Alpha Zaire and Alpha Saul. “And you both agree to this?”
“Absolutely. My mate is everything. Any male that could enter the claim again after losing his mate, never really cared for his mate in the first place. If that’s true, he doesn’t deserve another chance to catch a mate.” Zaire says.
“I agree 100%.” Saul adds.
“Let’s take it to a vote.” Elder Jason says.
And just like we started the morning, we end it with all votes agreeing to change the law.