The Claiming by Cooper Book 3
Layan’s Return by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Chapter 7
Jara
The second day of a*s*sessment is as grueling as the first. I take it slowly, making sure that I don’t overextend myself. I take hourly breaks and when I feel my babies start to slow their movements, as if my healing our pack is draining them too, I stop and go lay down to rest. Yesterday I slept nearly four hours before Mason woke me for dinner. Today is the same.
Layan had stayed one night with Elijah and had gone home the next morning. She knew her pack needed her and I’m thankful I can help in my pack as well. From everything we’ve heard from all of the packs, this year’s a*s*sessments are far worse than previous ones.
When I ask Mason about it, he decides we should call Councilman Jason and ask him.
We’re in his office, and I’m on his lap, as always, these days. I lean back against him, and he begins rubbing circles on my stomach, soothing me and our little ones.
“Councilman Jason.” He answers on the third ring.
“Councilman. This is Alpha Mason.”
“Mason, how are you? How are a*s*sessments going? I haven’t heard of any males failing.”
“No, none of my pack members have failed a*s*sessment so far. We have one more day of a*s*sessments to go.”
“I didn’t just mean your pack, Alpha. None of the packs have a single male that has failed a*s*sessment.”
Mason and I look at each other. “So, the council was right?” I ask.
“It would appear so.”
“And we think this is because the she-wolves are providing this vaccination effect in the packs?” Mason asks.
“That’s my take on it.” Jason says. Mason and I sit in silence for a moment.
“So, what can I do for you Alpha, Luna?” He asks.
“We wanted to know why this year’s a*s*sessments seem much more intense than the usual a*s*sessments.” Mason asks him.
“Well, in truth, I think it should have always been like this. I fought for stronger a*s*sessments, especially since they were done months in advance of the claiming, but I was overruled. When I spoke to the council this year, and told them my reasons, they agreed. We’re still determining if this level of a*s*sessment will be needed in the future, but given that no one has failed, it appears that, while difficult, it is valuable. We can ensure the safety of our females, and our pack mates can still successfully pass a*s*sessment.”
“So, it doesn’t have anything to do with Layan going back into the claiming this year?” I ask him.
“Well, I believe that Layan is the reason that the council agreed to the more intensive a*s*sessments. We want to make sure that nothing like what happened to her, ever happens again. But we also know that any human that doesn’t have absolute control over their wolf may kill in the territory. We’re putting every possible safeguard in place to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
We say our goodbyes and thank Jason before we hang up.
Afterward, I don’t immediately move to get up.
“You okay, love?” Mason asks me, kissing the side of my
“Yeah, it just feels really good having you rub the sides of my stomach.” My head is leaning back against him, my eyes closed.
“We can stay here as long as you like.” He says, I nod, not saying anything.
I feel Mason begin purring and the sound of it, the feel of it against my body, lulls me to sleep. I wake, feeling Mason carrying me.
“I can walk.” I say, sleepily.
“And I can carry you.” He says, this time kissing the top of my head that is tucked up against him chest.
“You’ve been exerting too much energy, love. Why don’t you plan to sleep in tomorrow. Elijah should be back to full strength and Brynn and Luke are helping. Even Melinda seems to understand that her presence helps.”
Yes. Melinda had come into the room today and without anyone saying anything to her, she had crawled into one of the omegas laps, leaning against him. At first, I thought Brynn would get upset. But she watched the omega wrap his arms around Melinda, before sighing and leaning his head back against the couch.
“See mommy, I can help.” Melinda had said. She isn’t able to heal those a*s*sessed on her own, but her presence had helped them to heal faster, especially the omegas who were coming out of a*s*sessment nearly comatose from their ordeal.
Several had started crying when she got in their lap, holding her tightly. We found out later that some a*s*sessments included Melinda, and the pack members not being able to save her.
So, I let Mason tuck me into bed and I fall asleep curled up in his arms.
The next morning, he is already gone when I wake. I slowly get up, feeling a cramping in my side. I shower, rubbing my stomach, trying to soothe my babies and my overstretched body. Even with advanced healing, having twins that have come nearly to term is wreaking havoc on my entire body.
When I finish bathing and getting dressed, I head down to where our pack members are going after their a*s*sessments. I get another cramp in my side and I stop to rub my stomach.
“What’s going on, love?” Mason’s voice drifts into my mind. Always so attentive, but definitely more so since I’ve been pregnant again.
“Just some cramps this morning. I’m making my way to you.”
“If the pups are giving you problems today, maybe you should sit it out, Jara.”
Normally, I’d fight him, but these cramps are stronger than normal. “I’m going to go sit outside for a bit and see how I feel after that.” I tell him.
“Okay.” I feel him getting distracted, probably helping to heal one of our pack members, but the link between us stays wide open. He’s worried about me, as always.
I go outside, sitting in the sun, letting the heat work its magic. But after several minutes, I’m uncomfortable, not finding a spot that works for me. My stomach cramps seem to be getting worse, not better and the sun seems too warm today.
I huff, putting my hands on the armrests of the chair and hauling my body up to stand. As I do, I feel a pool of wetness between my legs, soaking my underwear.
I stop, looking down. Oh shit.
“Jara?” I hear Mason in my head, he’s still distracted, but multi-tasking his focus on me.
“Umm, Mason…” Instantly, I feel him laser focused on me.
“What happened?”
“I think it’s time.”
I feel his confusion. “Time for what?” He asks.
“Time for us to meet our little ones. I’m pretty sure I’m in labor.”
Suddenly I hear the sound of a door banging open, followed by the moans of those in the room as the sound intensifies their pain.
“Sorry.” I hear Mason say “Alpha, what’s going on?” I hear Elijah.
“Jara?” I hear him call and suddenly, it feels like the entire pack goes on alert. “She’s here, Alpha, I can see her. Back porch.” I look up to see several of our pack members, some in wolf form and some in human form racing toward me.
They get to me just as Mason does. His arms go around me, just as another contraction, because now I know that’s what I’m feeling, ripples through my stomach.
The pack members nearest me all have their noses in the air, sniffing my scent. I’m not sure exactly what they smell, but they all begin howling excitedly.
“Quiet!” Mason barks, turning to me.
“What happened?” He asks.
“My water broke.” I say and I’m in his arms in an instant.
“I’ll take care of things here, Mason. Go have some babies!” Elijah calls and I hear the howls and cheers going up again.
“Tell them to put the remaining a*s*sessments on hold today, Mason. No one is going to be able to focus now.” I tell him.
He sends a mind link to Elijah just as we get to the pack hospital.
“DOCTOR!” He yells out, as the doctor comes walking around the corner.
“Elijah just mind linked me.” He says, walking up, his nose in the air.
“Yep, you smell like you’re in labor. Let’s get you hooked up and see what’s going on.” The doctor says.
I look at Mason. “What do I smell like?” I ask, worried that something about my water breaking smells bad.
“You smell very strongly of our pups.” He says, smiling down at me.
Oh. Well, that’s a good thing.
Just as we get to the room, another contraction hits me. Mason sets me on the bed gently and begins rubbing my stomach on either side. When he feels the tightness in my stomach, he looks up at me worriedly.
“Yeah, it hurts.” I tell him, answering his unasked question.
“I’ll take some of the pain.” He tells me.
The doctor snorts. “Good luck with that Alpha.”
Mason growls low. “If Jara can take it, so can I.”
“That may be, but that’s not what I read in my books.”
After the doctor warns Mason that he needs to touch me. Mason snarling when the doctor actually touches me and the doctor checking me out, he looks up at me from between my legs.
“About ready to start pushing. Luna? It’s time to introduce our pack to their new generation of Alphas.”