The Claiming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 23
Mason
After kissing Jara one more time and watching to make sure she made it inside the contestant housing, I turned and headed back to the main house. Just as I get there, Alpha Typhon steps out from the shadows.
“I bet you think you’re special, sneaking around with Alpha Jara.” He says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Actually, Typhon, 1 do feel special. 1 wasn’t sneaking, Jara asked me to walk her home.”
I move to pass him. “You know you won’t catch her. She’s mine.” He says.
“Yeah, you planning to kill this Beta too in order to catch her?” I say, stepping up into his space. “I wonder. Does he know that you killed your last Beta to catch Mila? That your Beta was the one that should have claimed her. I wonder what he would think if he found out.”
He snarls at me, his claws coming out. “See, the difference between you and me, Typhon, is that I have nothing to hide. You, on the other hand, have secrets and a history of Alpha females dying while in your care. You don’t deserve her, and you won’t get her. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
“Well then, I’ll just have to make sure you’re taken out early.” He says.
“I’d be very careful about threatening another Alpha, Typhon.” Seth comes up to stand beside me. “I knew something had happened that made people look at you differently when you claimed my sister, but killing your own Beta? That’s low.”
“There aren’t any rules about injuring or killing other claimants. This is about determining who is the strongest and the most deserving of having a mate.” He points his thumb at his chest. “That’s me.”
“I’m curious, Typhon.” I say, watching him closely. “Who did you have to pay off to be able to be in this claiming? I can’t imagine that anyone would willing to allow you in after killing not just your mate, but an Alpha female.”
“Jara’s claiming is open to anyone. I have every right to be here.” He a*s*serts.
“Well, just remember,” I say, stepping back, “the rules go both ways, Typhon. I’m not the only one that should watch my back in the claiming territory.” I turn and head inside.
“Alpha Mason.” Seth calls as I start to head toward my room.
I turn to look at him, not sure if this is about me walking Jara back to her housing or about the conversation with Typhon.
“Alpha Seth. If all goes well, we’ll be family in a few weeks. Please, call me Mason.”
He smiles at that. “Call me Seth.” He falls into step beside me.
“I wanted you to know, I’ve requested that my pack watch to make sure that Typhon doesn’t try anything underhanded with you. They won’t stand back and let you claim my sister, but I’ve asked them to step in, if possible, if there is an issue with Typhon.”
“And your pack is willing to do that?”
“My pack loved Mila and therefore, they hate Typhon. They’ll do anything to ensure that he doesn’t catch Jara.”
“As will I.” I tell him.
He nods. “Did you enjoy your walk with Beta Hana?”
His smug smile is instant. “I did. Did you enjoy your walk with my sister?”
“Very much. Have a good night, Seth.
“You too, Mason.”
The next morning, we’re back by the stage. Nearly half of the remaining claimants will be pulled for Hana’s claiming.
As usual, they ask if anyone wants to be removed from the lottery. I turn and walk to the tables to remove my name. Today, I’m one of only three. Myself, Typhon and one other Alpha.
When I turn back to watch the lottery drawing, 1 see Jara watching me. Maybe she didn’t believe me when I said I was here for her alone, but I am. When I catch her eye, I wink at her, watching her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink and her lips twitch. I go to stand beside Elijah as they begin pulling names for Beta Hana’s lottery.
Seth is pulled first as the automatic contestant. After that, all different ranks are pulled including several from my pack. When Elijah’s name is pulled, I give him a slap on the back. “Good luck.” I tell him.
“I’m going to need it. Several of these Alphas are fast, including Alpha Seth and I heard she asked him to walk her back to their housing last night.”
“She did.” I tell hun.
“And that Alpha Jara asked you to walk her back as well?” He smirks at me.
I can’t help the smile as I watch her, a*s*sessing the claimants pulled for Hana’s lottery. “Yes, I did.”
“Good.”
“Let’s hope so.” I tell him.
For the next four days, we rotate in our social gatherings. Now that all the lotteries have been pulled, Jara’s pool of claimants is small enough that we all get to spend time with her every day. That will change when the others are claimed, the ones left will fall into her pool, but for now, I get time with her at least once a day and then I get to walk her back to her housing.
There is a lot of grumbling from the others in her pool when they realize she’s giving me special treatment, but I don’t care. The more comfortable she is with me, the more I get to know her, the more likely it will be that I claim her. I have noticed that she is more friendly with a handful of other Alphas, ones that I also like and think are good Alphas, but none of them gets the attention that I get.
On Sunday night, Elder Carson stands during dinner and gains everyone’s attention.
“Good evening, everyone. Our first week of this year’s claiming event has come to a close. Tomorrow, we will start the first claim.” He turns looking at Mignon’s table.
“Mignon was selected first and is, therefore, the first one to enter the claiming territory.” A cheer goes up at her table from her claimants. For the first time I can remember all week, Mignon looks shy, timid.
“For those of you who have never done this before, let me explain how the claiming works. Our selected she-wolf will be given 24 hours to go into the claiming territory and look around the space. Most of you males have done this before, and it would give an unfair advantage for our females to not know the terrain and for you to have the knowledge.”
There is some grumbling, but I think this is more than fair. I remember the layout of the territory from my last few years. They make small changes each year, but not enough that I won’t know my way around. These she-wolves have never been inside the territory. For them, they go in once and come out mated.
“So, at 8am tomorrow morning, Mignon will enter the claiming territory. Tuesday morning, at 8am, the 20 claimants in her lottery will enter the territory at the same time. You will have seven days to capture your mate. On Monday, at 8am, if she is not captured, Mignon will walk out of the territory umnated and able to choose her own mate.”
I watch as the Beta, Asher, winks at her. “Not gonna happen beautiful.” He says to her. She blushes beautifully and looks down. I hope he does catch her. It’s just another reason this process should be changed. What if he doesn’t? They’ve obviously created a bond over the past week. Will she be devastated if someone else claims her? Most likely.
“I would also like to remind you of the rules of the hunt. First, a claim is only confirmed when the bite mark of the male is set into the marking spot of the neck of the contestant. A bite on any other part of the body will not constitute a claiming mark. Second, a claim can only be made in the same form as the contestant, human to human or wolf to wolf. Third, it is common for the female to black out during the marking. It is absolutely prohibited for any female to be mated while she is unconscious. If any male attempts to mate the female while she is unconscious, his claim becomes nullified, and he will be removed from this and all future claiming events.”
“Are there any questions?” When no one speaks, the evening winds down, the usual after diner ceremonies ending early in preparation for the start of the claims tomorrow.