The Claiming by Cooper

Jara

“This entire process is archaic and barbaric!” I say for the hundredth time.

“Sweetheart, we agree with you. But there’s nothing we can do. Your father and I have tried everything. After Mila….”

I sigh. I know my parents tried everything. After the death of my sister by her mate’s mistreatment, they tried to have me removed from the claiming pool. But the elders wouldn’t hear of it. They insisted that, as the last unmated Alpha female, I had to participate in the annual claiming.

“We won’t let what happened to Mila, happen to you, Jara.” Seth, my brother, says to me. He is going into the claiming this year as well. Since he is not eligible to hunt for me, he is guaranteed a spot for the Beta female that is in the running this year. He could choose to be in a claim for one of the omegas, but we all know he chose the Beta’s claiming.

Of all the years for me to turn 18, it had to be a year where there are more than double the normal contestants AND a Beta female as well as myself. Every unmated male in the country will be at this year’s claiming.

While all she-wolves are placed in the first claiming after they reach adulthood, males entering the annual claiming are generally between 18-25 years of age. After that, a male werewolf, especially an Alpha who hasn’t taken a mate, will go feral and have to be put down. However, any werewolf who has lost their mate, is also eligible to enter the claiming.

Because there are so few females, hundreds of males come to the

Jadeyati payet now

claiming event every year. It is the only legal way to claim a mate. Any male, regardless of rank, that tries to claim a female outside of the claiming will be put to death or, if he marked the female, he will be imprisoned, and the female will be placed in the next year’s claiming. Since my claim will be open to everyone, it has the potential for over 200 savage wolves to try and hunt me down.

while they may

cherish, like I know you will. Some of them will only see me as

way, Jara. I promise. My word as an Alpha, if you are claimed by

it’s not possible. The werewolf laws in this

an envelope. Today I will see exactly who and how many males will be entering

larger than it has been for the last three years. Larger than it has been since my

pool. That means that I was right, every

sit on either side of me as my father sits across, opening the envelope. He flips through multiple pages before getting to the end.

and thirty-six.” I suck in

more, assuming Seth claims his mate, and that leaves me with two hundred and thirty-two. How many of those are Alphas?” I ask. This is already more than my sister had at her

looking up at me. “Fifty-three.” My stomach clenches. Fifty-three? My only possible chance of getting out unclaimed

why I bother to ask. Fifty- three or fifty-two, it’s still

papers to my mother, and he puts his head in his hands, rubbing his

says, looking

the pack, lose his title and not be eligible as a claimant. I can’t do

twice a day until it’s time to go in, Jara. I’ll do anything I can to help you get out unclaimed.” Seth says