The Claiming by Cooper Book 3
Layan’s Return by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 21
Jara
I’m spending some quiet time with my babies today. I went to the morning meeting and the females have closed out their claimings. Katerina picked her fifty,
McKenna picked 51 in case one of her claimants catches Katerina and Layan chose 11, one extra in case Alpha Davis catches one of the other females.
The next 24 hours will be more relaxing for me. The males that haven’t been chosen for a claiming will leave the territory, so after tonight, there will only be 112 unmated males left. Katerina, being first, will go into the territory in two days and her 50 claimants will go in the day after that.
Layan ended up choosing some of the omegas from her pack that she works with in the kitchen but surprisingly, she also chose a few warriors from my pack. I asked her about it, and she said that she had heard that one of Mason’s warriors had carried her out of the claiming and brought her to me after her a*s*sault last year.
“His name is Sebastian. When I was in your pack, he came up to me. asking if I was okay and letting me know that he was the one that carried me out. He told me how frightened he’d been that I would die and how happy he was that I had survived. I thought, ‘well, if this guy saw me at my worst, knew to bring me to Jara and is still willing to be in my claiming, he must be a good guy’.” She told me.
“He is a good guy. I didn’t know his name at the time and honestly, I didn’t care. I almost k*illed him and so did Mason.”
“But he still did what was right. A man like that would look after me, never hurt me, don’t you think?” She asks me.
“Yes. I do think a man like that would take care of you Layan. But honestly, you’re not the same person you were a year ago.
She snorts. “Obviously.” She says sadly.
“No, sweetheart, you misunderstand me. I mean that a year ago, you were a sweet, innocent, naive girl that wanted someone to take care of her. Now, you are a sweet, not so innocent or naive girl, that knows how to take care of herself. You’ve grown a lot in the last year Layan. Not everyone could have survived what you did, physically or mentally. But here you are. You are amazing. And if Alpha Davis claims you, you will make an amazing Luna.”
She drops her head, looking away from me.
“Layan?”
She looks up. “I like Alpha Davis a lot. He’s a good man and I know he’d be a good mate. But Jara, I want Elijah. I want him with everything in me. Alpha Davis has helped me a lot over the past year, but, he’s my Alpha. I just feel like Elijah is my mate or should be.”
“You know you can always choose, right Layan?”
She nods. “But don’t you think he’d be disappointed if I didn’t give him a good chase, Jara?”
I can’t help but smile at the utter sweetness of this woman. “No. I think that if you decide to choose him, actually say ‘Elijah, I want you as my mate’ he won’t care if he only took two steps into the territory. He loves you, Layan. He wants you as much as you want him.”
Then I get to see a bit of the woman that Layan has become. “He should have to work for it, at least a little. I’m not giving in that easily.”
That’s my girl.
“Well, no matter what happens, you and I will remain friends. But selfishly, I hope that Elijah claims you. Then we’ll live together, and you’d be my Beta female.” I tell her.
“I felt comfortable and safe in your pack, but I hadn’t considered that I’d be your Beta female.’
“Yep, you’d be stuck spending day after day with me, Layan.”
“It would be perfect. I’d have the man I love and my best friend all at once.”
“Tell me about the other men you chose.” I say and we talk for a long time. I nurse the twins and she burps them. It’s obvious to me that she would love to have a pup of her own. I can see the yearning in her eyes when she holds my children. “You know, it might happen Layan.” I say to her.
“I know. I just don’t want to get my hopes up. It’s not definite. But I would love to have my own little one. Maybe a little boy or girl with my blond hair and Elijah’s curls. Wouldn’t that be cute?”
“Any child that you have would be precious, Layan.”
“Luna Jara, Luna Jara!” I hear someone yelling in the hallway.
Layan is up in an instant, opening the door to our bedroom. “What is it?” She asks. The man walks in looking at me then at Layan, panting as if he just ran a long distance.
“Luna Annabel is in labor and has asked for both of you.”
I look at Layan and her eyes go as wide as mine feel. I stand, putting myself back together, before putting Jordan over my shoulder and patting her back while I look to see what I might need to take with me.
Layan picks Jaxon up out of the crib and grabs the diaper bag, pulling it over her shoulder and looking like a mother that has years of experience with children. Before the man, I’m guessing he’s a nurse in the hospital has caught his breath, we’re ready and walking out the door.
He guides us back to the hospital and when we arrive, I see that Mignon and Hana are already there. I set my twins in ba*s*sinets that have been set aside for us in a makeshift nursery and walk into the Annabel’s room, leaving Layan with the children.
Annabel looks up. “Where’s Layan?”
“She’s watching the babies until one of our mates arrives to take over.” I say and at that moment, Layan walks in.
“Alpha Asher is here, and he said Alpha Seth is right behind him. How are you?” Layan asks, walking up to Annabel.
“I’m in labor. How do you f*uc*king think I am?” Annabel shouts.
“That far along, eh?” I ask, recognizing the irritation for what it is. Annabel is getting close to delivering.
“Where is the doctor?” I ask, looking around and not seeing anyone medical in the room.
“I kicked that idiot out.” Annabel says.
“Ummm, sweetie, you need someone to deliver your baby.” I say to her.
She frowns at me, as a contraction hits her. I watch Antonio grit his teeth as she squeezes his hand hard.
“Breathe, Annabel.” Hana says soothingly. Annabel opens her eyes and follows Hana’s breaths until the contraction ends.
“I called you here, Jara, so you could deliver my baby.” Annabel says as she lays back on the bed, her eyes closed.
“I’m sorry, what?” I ask her. Surely, I didn’t hear that correctly.
“You. Me. Baby. Delivery.” She says, panting. I look at Antonio who basically gives me a ‘sorry, figure it out’ look.
“Sweetie, you know I don’t know how…”
“YOU HAD TWINS! FIGURE IT OUT!” She yells at me.
I see Layan duck out of the room as I look around, trying to figure out anything that will help me to deliver this baby. There are a few things I know. Feet go in stirrups and you have to slide your a*s*s so far down the bed you think you’re about to fall off of it. After that, I have no clue. I was on the other end of the delivery.
I’ve just gotten Annabel into position and I’m wondering if I can sneak the doctor back in, when Layan walks back in. Her hands are washed and they are up in the air like she’s about to go into surgery.
“Annabel, I’m going to check you and if I say it’s time, you’re going to push.”
Mignon, Hana and I all raise our eyebrows at Layan, but we step back and watch as she slides her fingers inside Annabel.
“That f*uc*king hurts, Layan.” Annabel screams at her.
“I know, but the good news is, at your next contraction, it’s time to push.” She says.
I watch in amazement over the next couple of hours as Layan guides. Annabel through the delivery process. In the end, she delivers a beautiful baby girl. I hand her some towels and she wipes the birthing fluids off her before laying her on Annabel’s chest.
“Congratulations Alpha and Luna. You have a beautiful baby girl.”