The Claiming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 15
Mason
When we gather the second night before dinner, the air is crackling with frustrated energy. I don’t think anyone really thought through the idea of having so many unmated males in one place. Add to that, what amounts to a large number of females together in this small space and it’s becoming a recipe for disaster.
Elijah and I are standing on one side of the room, watching as the atmosphere continues to become more and more tense. The omegas and warriors are impacted the most, making it worse, but I can see that some of the ranked members, even some Alphas that are starting to feel the effects of all the testosterone in the air and the smell of the females so close, but currently unattainable.
When all hell breaks loose, I snarl in the mind link to my pack members to sit their a*s*ses down. It’ s what every ranked member here should be doing, but it’s becoming more obvious as time goes on that many of the ‘Alphas’ don’t deserve their titles or have gotten their titles because there was no one else in their pack who was able to take on the role. I don’t know what their packs look like, but it’s causing mayhem here. There aren’t enough leaders to control this mess. At this rate, we’ll all be dead before anyone can claim a mate.
When 1 see a group make an aggressive move to the rooms where the social gatherings are occurring, 1 rush forward, intent to make sure the females are safe, but also wanting to ensure that no one forcibly marks one of them.
I hear the snarling and growling before I hear the shots start to ring out and my anxiety ratchets up. There is a push of bodies trying to get into the rooms, whether it is to take advantage of the chaos or to help protect the females, 1 don’t know. Probably some of both.
1 watch as Seth forces his way forward, checking the rooms and continuing. I begin to follow him, a*s*suming that he will be looking for Jara. When I see her, something in me relaxes. I watch as Seth thanks the Alpha that was in her social gathering Based on the look of her door and Beta Hana’s, they had the most aggressive attacks.
When Seth offers to escort Beta Hana out of the chaos, I step up, seizing an opportunity to escort Jara. I want to touch her. No, I need to touch her. 1 need to know that she is unharmed.
“Thank you. Mason. I’d like to check on the others.”
“Of course. Based on my quick a*s*sessment as I made my way here, they are fine But let’s check on them. They may need your Alpha aura to feel calm and safe again.”
We get to Mignon’s room first. She has had the most time with her group, since her lottery was picked yesterday. When we arrive, she is allowing the one ranked member in her group, a Beta, to console her.
“Mignon? Are you alright?” Jara rushes to her. She is in the lap of the Beta tucked up against his chest. She is holding on to him and crying while he attempts to calm her. When he sees me, bares his teeth in warning and a low growl rumbling in his chest.
“Easy. I’m here escorting Alpha Jara. She wanted to check on the others.” I say to him.
“Alpha Jara.” Mignon turns and sees her. pulling her into a hug. It’s awkward as the Beta hasn’t let Mignon go.
“I’m okay Beta Asher protected me when those others came in. They were awful, attacking and trying to get to me. I think…” She sniffles. “I think they killed one of the men in my lottery.”
I turn and see that there are several dead werewolves in this room. I look at the door again, seeing that it isn’t as damaged as the ones for
Jara and Hana. I turn back to Beta Asher.
“What happened?”
“We heard the commotion and one of the warriors went to look. When he did, several wolves rushed in, some in partial shift.”
Jara turns to look at me as if she is about to say something but changes her mind. She looks back at Mignon. “Do you want me to get your guards to take you back to our housing?” Jara asks her.
Mignon looks up at her Beta, her eyes full of adoration, before shaking her head.
“Good girl.” He coos at her. “I won’t let anyone hurt to you.”
This is how a claiming should be. Two wolves getting to know each other and choosing each other, not this circus that’s causing anarchy.
Jara stands and walks to me before turning back. “Beta Asher, if anything happens to Mignon while she is in your care, I will hold you personally responsible. Are we clear?”
“Crystal clear. Alpha. Neither you nor Mignon have anything to worry about. I will keep her safe.”
Jara nods and we walk out of the room. As we do, she leans into me, lowering her voice. “There were wolves in my room in mid-shift as well. Why do you think that’s happening?”
“This entire process is throwing the group into a rut. It’s possible that some of them are trying to fight their baser instincts but they only have so much control Before these attacks broke out, I could feel the change in the atmosphere The stronger the testosterone m the air, the more wolves will respond. There were several ranked members who also seemed to be affected by the frustration “
She looks up at me with those beautiful amber eyes. “That’s not good.”
“No, it isn’t.” I say as we get to Layan’s room. The scene here is very different. While there is an
Alpha in the room, rather than having Layan on his lap comforting her, he has her behind him, snarling and growling at everyone else in the room. Layan is curled into a ball, shaking and sobbing hysterically. The guards in the room have their guns aimed at him. Whether they are afraid of hurting Layan. or just unwilling to kill an Alpha, I’m not sure, but either way, they haven’t shot him.
Jara’s response is instantaneous. She is moving before 1 have a chance to warn her. The Alpha turns on her, baring his teeth.
“Stand down!” She orders him. I feel her impressive aura seeping out and I can tell the Alpha feels it too. He looks like he might comply for a moment before lunging at her. A shot rings out behind me, but I’m only concerned for Jara. 1 jump in front of her, slashing the other Alpha across his face.
He shifts into a wolf, turning to attack me. “Stand down!” I say, my aura overlapping with Jara’s. That finally seems to impact him, and he stops, his wolf looking to Layan and whimpering.
Jara rushes to her and pulls her into her arms, rocking her as Layan cries. My gaze never leaves the wolf in front of me.
“Go get yourself together Alpha. You nearly cost yourself your life today and you put Alpha Jara at risk. She will take care of Layan. You need to leave.” I command.
He turns to look at Layan, taking a step in her direction. A fierce snarl rips from Jara’s mouth “Leave!” She orders and the timber of her voice has changed, her wolf s overlaying with her own, her amber eyes darkening to a chocolate brown.
He whimpers again before turning and racing out of the room. I hear the collective sigh behind me as the guards relax.
“Thank you. Alphas.” One of the guards says.
“Why did no one call for a*s*sistance?” I ask them.
They look at each other. “We ARE the a*s*sistance. Who else can we trust Alpha? Everyone else is here for the competition.”
“And none of the guards are Alphas?” I ask, already knowing the answer There aren’t enough Alphas and even if there were, the Alphas that are coining into power aren’t true Alphas, they don’t have Alpha blood.
It’s obvious that Layan doesn’t want Jara to leave her. She looks up at me. “I’ll go check on Annabel.”
“Thank you.” When I do, Seth and Hana are walking out of Annabel’s room.
“Is she okay?” I ask them.
“Yes, and the others?” Hana asks.
“Mignon is fine, Layan….” I look at Seth. “The Alpha in her lottery became possessive. He wouldn’t let Jara or anyone get to her.” I turn to Hana. “Jara’s helping to calm her.”
She’s moving past me before I even finish.
“Tell me more about the Alpha.” Seth says quietly coming to stand beside me.
“I don’t know his name. 1 can’t keep up anymore with the constant changes that happen. He was able to withstand Jara’s aura, though not completely.”
Seth frowns. “So, he has Alpha blood then?”
“That’s my take. I’m going to find Elder Carson. I want to make sure they have sufficiently screened this year’s claimants. He was acting erratically.”
“He might be close to going feral.”
“He might be too close to going feral.”
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