The Claiming by Cooper Book 2
The Council by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 52
Mason
I found out from Phillip that he and Seth had taken over handling the funerals for my dead pack members. I also found out that Elder Jason, Councilman Jason now, asked him to keep Typhon’s body so our doctors could run tests and experiments on his blood and tissue. While I hate the idea of that monster’s body even being in my pack lands, I know that we need the data. There is so little of it, that the more we can get, the better.
Davis had offered to run my pack for me, in the interim while Jara was in the hospital and for as long as I needed. I accepted his offer, knowing that I’m in no shape to do anything.
When I had returned from killing the Elders, I had gone to Jara. When she woke, her despair was overwhelming. Feeling it mixed with my own was unbearable. I failed her. I failed both of them. There is nothing that I can say to her, nothing that will make this right.
I stay with her until the doctor gives her another sedative and then I have Nina sit with her while I go back to the packhouse to get a shower and fresh clothes. I have just closed the door to my room when there’s a knock.
I open the door to see Elijah, who might look even worse than I do.
“May I have a word, Alpha?” He asks.
I nod, stepping back and letting him into the room. His eyes are on the floor and his teeth are clenched.
“What’s on your mind, Elijah?”
He turns to face me but doesn’t say anything for a moment.
“I failed you.” He says, his voice barely a whisper. “I failed her. You left me in charge, and I failed you both. I understand if you want to remove me as your Beta. I don’t deserve to be a Beta if I can’t protect the most important people in our pack.”
I look at him for a long moment. My Beta, my best friend, is blaming himself as much as I’m blaming myself. I put my hand on his shoulder. “This isn’t on you, Elijah. You were there. You fought and killed Typhon. I won’t lie, I blamed you for a moment, a brief moment. But I realized, it’s not your fault. It’s mine. I didn’t find him, I didn’t hunt him down like I should have and now, my daughter is dead because of it. My mate will barely look at me because of it.” I say, turning away from him. “This isn’t on you, Elijah. This is on me.”
“What can I do, Alpha. Tell me what I can do.” He says, desperation clear in his voice.
“Keep our pack lands safe. The others will come for us. I know it. I left a clear message for them and when they do, I don’t want to lose any more pack members.”
“Yes, Alpha.” He says and begins walking to the door.
“Elijah.”
He stops, turning to me.
“I can still smell the open wounds on you. Get to the hospital and get them cleaned up. From what little I’ve heard, Typhon was full of disease. Don’t make me bury you too because you didn’t take care of yourself. That’s an order.” I say, not putting the Alpha command behind it, but knowing if I tell him it’s an order that he’ll do it.
“Yes Alpha.”
I turn and peel off my clothes, going to the shower to wash away today’s sorrow before putting on a new set of clothes and heading back to the hospital to take on today’s sorrow.
Elijah POV
When I leave Mason’s room, I’m not watching where I’m going. I run right into Layan.
I grab her before she falls. “Oh, Layan, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” I say, looking her over quickly.
When I see she isn’t hurt, I move to step around her, but her soft, cool hands come to my face.
“I think the better question Elijah is, are you okay?” I had told her to call me Elijah instead of Beta. I want her to feel comfortable with me. I have to admit, even now, I love the way my name sounds when she says it.
I look into her hazel eyes, shining up at me, full of concern. I’m not sure what she sees on my face, but she frowns, taking my hand and pulling me into an empty room.
As soon as we’re alone, I fall to my knees, pulling her against me and I begin to sob. All of the hatred for Typhon, fear for Jara, anger and frustration for not protecting my Luna and then the grief, the grief that is so strong it feels like it is coating my insides and suffocating me, all comes pouring out of me.
I feel Layan’s gentle hands wrap around me, her head laying against the top of mine as she holds me while my body is racked with sobs.
When I finally stop, I pull away, wiping my face on my shirt, embarra*s*sed that she saw me like this.
“Elijah.” She says softly, taking my face in her hands and wiping my tears with her thumbs.
“I didn’t protect her Layan.” I say, looking up into her beautiful face.
“She’s alive because of you, Elijah.” She drops to her knees, holding my face in her hands.
“I saw you. I got the kids into the safe room, and I came back to help. I watched as you took on Typhon on your own. The warriors weren’t able to take him down. Only you were strong enough to fight him off, Elijah. I know your heart is hurting, but she’s alive, and Typhon is dead. Because of you.”
Her eyes are so full of respect, admiration and what I hope is a bit of love. I yank her to me, burying my face in her neck, smelling her sweet scent of apricots.
“I’m sorry, I hope I’m not scaring you.” I say, pulling back, not wanting to lose this connection. Just breathing in her scent is calming me, healing.
She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me to her.
“I’m not afraid of you, Elijah.” She says, and that’s all the acceptance I need. I grab hold of her, clinging to her, never wanting to let her go.