The Claiming by Cooper Book 3
Layan’s Return by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 4
Jara
Mason asked me to join the next call with the council members. They are going to give us the preliminary results for our blood and saliva samples that we provided for them to test against Alpha Typhon’s tissue.
Mason sits me in his office chair, putting a pillow behind my back to help support me, before pulling up a separate chair for himself.
We join the video call, saying hello to everyone. While we all want to be at this year’s claiming for Layan, both Hana and Annabel are due right around the time the claiming starts. We haven’t had another Luna meeting to see what their mates said about them coming.
I look at Mason sitting beside me. I’m thankful, as always, for him. He allows me to be who I am and even if he doesn’t agree, there is always a conversation. He never forces me to concede, and he always takes my feelings into consideration.
My thoughts have me reaching over, taking his hand. He looks at me, giving me a questioning look.
“I love you, Mason.” I say in our mind link since we’re on a video call.
“Did I do something in particular to make you say that at this moment?” He asks me.
“You just being the amazing man that you are.” I say, leaning over and kissing him. I’ve gotten lost in my mate, forgetting that we’re on video until I hear a throat clearing and several chuckles.
I pull away, embarra*s*sed. “Sorry. Pregnancy hormones.” I say.
“Don’t have to explain to me.” Asher says, tugging Mignon onto his lap.
“Or me.” Antonio says, nuzzling Annabel who is already in his lap.
“We understand, Jara.” Seth says.
“Okay, let’s get down to business.” Councilman Jason says.
“We’ve brought all of you here today to discuss our research findings. In order to give you the full results and answer any questions you have, I’ve asked our scientist, Dr. Braxton, to join the call today.”
We see an older gentleman, wearing glasses enter the video screen. I wonder if he wears them to make himself look more distinguished, since, as werewolves, we have advanced eyesight. Or perhaps, because he’s always looking through a microscope, the glasses give him an advantage and he’s just accustomed to wearing them.
“Good afternoon, everyone. As Councilman Jason said, my name is Braxton. I have studied human biology, veterinary medicine, zoology and more recently I have focused my studies on virology and genetics.”
“Uh, for those of us that aren’t doctors, can you put that in plain language.” Quinton says.
He smiles, looking into the camera. “Ever since my father died from feral- fever over twenty years ago, I’ve been studying every possible science to figure out why he and therefore, our kind, are going extinct.”
“Virology is the study of viruses. Once we realized that feral-fever mirrored the canine versions of the rabies and distemper viruses, vegan my intensified studies, to see what I could discover about our separate, but similar virus.”
“So, I’m guessing you’re here today because you found something.” Luke says.
“That is correct, Alpha. And what I found is extraordinary. Let me preface, I will need to do more research, but this is an amazing find.”
“Out with it, doe! What did you find?” Antonio asks.
“The blood and saliva samples that we took from each of the Lunas caused a complete reversal and eradication of the virus that was previously rampant in the dead Alpha’s tissue.
“Eradication?” Davis asks.
“Yes, no matter which female’s sample we used, the virus was suppressed, killed for all intents and purposes.”
We all sit in silence for a moment. “Our blood kills feral-fever?” I ask. I’m in shock. I knew we, as females could help, but to actually kill the virus?
“Not just your blood, Luna, but also your saliva. It appears that you, all of you, are the vaccination to the virus.” He says.
“How?” Hana asks.
“That is where I will need to do more research. It hasn’t always been this way. So, I’m not sure if it is some sort of natural evolution to protect our species, or something else entirely. But I would say, that spending time with your packs will keep them from getting the feral-fever.” He says.
Again, we all sit in stunned silence. Then another thought occurs to me. “But, the vaccination, as you call it, isn’t permanent, is it? When my sister died, her pack began to go feral very quickly, almost as if every virus she had pushed off came rushing back.” I say.
“That is true and something we still need to research further. And, as with all viruses, they mutate. Because the tissue I’m working with is dead tissue, I can’t know for sure, but there was another interesting find in my research. The cells I found in some of the older she-wolves, Lunas Nina, Gia and Tessa and Miss Isabella were different than the ones that I found in the younger Lunas. It’s almost as if your bodies are responding to the virus’s mutation by mutating your immunity in kind.”
“This is a lot to take in, doctor.” Mason says beside me.
“It is. And, as I said, I have much more work to do. But these are very exciting discoveries. And they bode well for the future of our species.”
“So, what are the next steps.” Jason asks.
“We have more tissue samples from the dead Alpha. I’d like to see if I can get saliva and blood samples from some of the other she-wolves, those in different ranks. My research did not show a difference in the impact of the vaccination process with the samples I had, but every one of you is a Luna with the exception of Miss Isabella who comes from an Alpha line. I would also like to take samples from all of the mated Alphas. I would expect to see that your resistance to the virus is higher than normal, given that your mates have marked you. However, that wasn’t the case with Alpha Typhon, and I’d like to try and figure out if that was because his mate died, or if it was for some other reason that the feral-fever took him.”
“So, a whole lot more work to do?” Seth says.
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Well, Dr. Braxton, I appreciate all of your hard work on this. Anything that you can tell us that will help our species from dying off would be helpful.” My father says. “I agree.” He stops for a moment before looking at the camera.
“I know that this will not be a popular idea, but all of you recently ad female children…” He is cut off by four savage snarls, the one beside me making me jump.
“NO!” They all say.
The doctor raises his hands. “I only meant to take a saliva sample, no blood. This vaccine or whatever we want to call it, seems to be airborne. If your daughters also show signs of carrying an immunity to feral-fever, and therefore possess the vaccination, then it would be good information to have. I would also be interested to know if their cells look different than their mother’s. This would be another way to show that we are evolving in a way to protect our species.”
“Well, my children aren’t born yet, so you can’t get saliva from them.” Mason says, huffing. I reach out to touch him, helping to calm him.
“Saliva only.” Seth growls.
“Same.” Antonio’s deathly glare shows on screen.
“Same.” Asher’s face pops on screen, showing the same threatening glare. “Very well. I will make plans to visit the packs and obtain those samples. Alpha Mason, Luna Jara, with your permission, I will speak to your pack doctor. He can collect those samples when your children are born. Since this is the first set of twins to be born in three generations, I would like to test the saliva of your son as well. It would be interesting to see if his cells look different than yours, Alpha Mason.”
“Saliva. Only.” He says through gritted teeth, glaring at the doctor.
“Yes, Alpha. Thank you all for your time today. As soon as I have more information, I’ll let the council know and we can reconvene to discuss the next round of results.”
“Thank you everyone.”
We disconnect and I turn to look at Mason, smiling at him.
“What?” He grumbles.
“I love how protective you are of our little ones.”
“No one hurts my pups.” He says in his menacing tone.
I smile at him. Goddess, I love this man.