The Claiming by Cooper Book 3
Layan’s Return by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 1
Layan
I’m running through the forest. I can hear him behind me, hear his paws hitting the earth, feel his hot breath on my neck as I run. I don’t want him to claim me, not him. He scares me.
I’d been hiding and another wolf flushed me out. When I started to run, the wolf had immediately given chase, howling his excitement to the sky It had only taken a moment for the Alpha to run him down. I had turned, just for a moment, to see the
Alpha tackle him, taking my neck in his jaws. I heard the yelp of the weaker wolf and then the sickening snap of his neck.
I’m running as hard as I can, but he is faster than I am. My only bit of hope is that he’s still in wolf form. They can’t claim you if they aren’t in the same form you are, and I’m still in my human form. However. I know that if I give him even a moment, he’ll shift and overtake me, so I run. I run until I can’t get enough air in my lungs, tears streaming down my face.
He tackles me from behind and I scream. He has me pinned, but he can’t claim me, he’s still in wolf form. A moment after the thought goes through my head, I feel his teeth sink into my neck as he thrusts his pelvis between my legs, and I feel the sharp tearing of my body as he penetrates.
I wake up screaming. I’m tangled in my sheets, panting, sweat covering my body and tears streaming down my face. My mother comes rushing into my bedroom, wrapping me in her embrace and rocking me.
“Breathe my sweet girl. Breathe. Follow my breaths.” She says, as she takes my face in her hands and forces me to look at her. She slowly breaths in, her eyes never leaving mine. I try. I try to follow her breaths, but I can’t. It’s still so fresh in my mind, still so painful.
Alpha Davis comes rushing into the room. “Layan. What happened?”
“Just a dream, Alpha.” My mother tells him, never taking her eyes off of me. “We just need to get her to breathe so she doesn’t pass out.”
I’m hyperventilating, I know I am, but I can’t stop. I can’t seem to pull enough air into my lungs.
Alpha Davis comes over to me, and my mother sits back. I have become more comfortable with him over the past several months. He has always been kind and patient with me.
He replaces my mother’s hands with his own. “Look at me, Layan. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Breathe with me.” He says, taking a deep breath.
I try to follow his breath, but I don’t get very far.
“Good. Do it again.” He says patiently, taking another breath. He continues this until I finally get my breathing under control and my heart rate back to normal.
“There you go.” He says, releasing my face. He looks at me a moment.
“Is this about the meeting today?”
I nod. Today is the day that I have to face the council. I know they want me to go back into the claiming, and I know I’m stronger than I was nearly a year ago when I came out, but every time I think about going back in there, I’m terrified. I can’t breathe and I feel like the world starts to go dark.
Luna Tessa says it’s a panic attack. She has given me some breathing exercises to do when I start to have one, which is what my mother and Alpha Davis were helping me with. Tessa has also told me that I can focus on something positive, something that will help ground me, so I don’t get lost in the panic. Thankfully, I have more and more positive things to think of, including several of the people that will be with me at the council meeting today.
“We’ll all be there with you, Layan. You won’t be alone. All the Lunas are coming, even Jara.” He chuckles. “Mason isn’t happy about it. He says she’s as big as a house, but don’t tell her that.” He says, conspiratorially, giving me a small smile.
“I won’t.” I say, still reeling from my dream.
“I know you won’t. Why don’t you get ready. We’ll have some breakfast and then we can all drive there together.” He says.
“You’re coming to?”
He arches his eyebrow at me. “I am your Alpha, aren’t I?”
I frown. “Well, yes, but you’re also going to be a claimant this year.”
He shrugs. “Alpha outranks claimant, so I’m going.”
When we arrive at the council chambers, I am escorted into a room with the five new council members. They represent five of the ten remaining packs in our alliance. After the attack on Mason and Jara’s pack, and the death of Stella, her seat on the council was filled by their new Gamma female. Brynn. I admit, these council members are much more friendly and open than the previous ones.
I had talked to Elijah last night, so I knew he’d be here today as a support for me. I asked him if he thought they would let me choose him as my mate. He said he didn’t think so. He said he thought the other Alphas would want a chance to claim me, and so the council wouldn’t be willing to just let me choose. I had started to cry, but Elijah told me that no matter how many Alphas he had to beat to get to me, that he would be the one to claim me.
I want to believe him, I truly do, but the fear of what happened still haunts me. I know as well as anyone that anything can happen in the claiming territory and for me, anything that could go wrong, did.
As I walk in, I see the Lunas, that’s what I call them. Jara, Hana, Mignon and Annabel, my friends. All of their mates are here, and I have to fight a smile. Alpha Davis was right, Luna Jara is huge and she’s not even due for another two months, right before this year’s claiming. Not to be outdone, the other three Lunas are also in various stages of pregnancy as well. Their mates are carrying the trio of females that were born in the last few months. All happy and all healthy.
Luna Jara is pregnant with fraternal twins, one boy and one girl. She keeps telling Alpha Mason that if her daughter is born first that she becomes heir to the pack. I’ve noticed that Alpha Mason keeps his mouth shut about that.
I see Elijah sitting next to Alpha Mason and a small frown shadow his face before he winks at me. I’m not sure if he sees the remnants of my nightmare or if he’s unhappy that Alpha Davis is standing beside me, or maybe it’s neither. I’m sure he’ll tell me whatever it is later.
Alpha Davis walks me to the area that is barricaded by a small wall, indicating that only I should approach the table where the councilmembers are sitting. However, as Alpha Davis steps back, the Lunas step forward. Jara and Hana each hold one of my hands and Mignon and Annabel put a hand on my shoulders. I see Luna Gia hide a smile as Councilman Jason looks up.
“Lunas, this is a meeting for Layan, you are all welcome to sit and listen, but you are not to pass the barrier.” He says.
If I wasn’t so nervous, I’d smile. There’s no way that Jara is going to stay behind, and there’s no way that any of these men are going to argue with four pregnant women.
“Actually, Councilman Jason, we’re all joining Layan. The claiming process brought pain and suffering to our friend and we, as Lunas, choose to stand beside her while you lot decide her fate.” Jara says, moving through the gate and into the area with the councilmembers.
Councilman Jason looks at the others at the table. “I’m not arguing with four pregnant Lunas.” Councilman Brooks says. He is from Alpha Jonas’s pack.
Luna Gia looks at Councilman Jason. “I have no objection to them being here, this is one of your archaic rules that seems stupid to me.”
Councilman Jason gives her a disbelieving look before turning to Alpha Phillip and Gamma Brynn. Before they can even say anything, he shakes his head. Alpha Phillip is Jara’s father and Gamma Brynn is her Gamma. They won’t go against her.
“Have a seat Layan, Lunas.” He says gesturing to our side of the table.
I feel a wave of nausea wash over me and I feel Jara and Hana’s hand squeeze mine. I take a deep breath and we walk to the table and sit down.