The Claiming by Cooper

The Council Chapter 49 Jara

Jara

My little pup has become very active. I was so excited when I first felt her move inside me. It was wonderful. Ever since Mason could hear her heartbeat, he couldn’t wait to be close to her at night. Now that he can feel her moving around inside me, he’s always touching my stomach, hoping to feel her move. When she’s awake, she never disappoints him.

Today, after Mason and our large group of warriors leave to help Alpha Davis rebuild, I decide to go with Layan and the kids outside to play. Jace and Melinda are very active and giving them time outside to run around is a great way for them to burn off some of their energy. Since Katerina will be here tomorrow for the weekend, I wanted to spend some time with Layan today to see how she’s feeling about the

visit.

I sit and watch Layan chasing the kids around the yard, playing tag and then hide and seek. When she finally comes to sit beside me, I turn to

her.

“How are you feeling about tomorrow and this weekend?”

She shrugs. “I don’t want to scare her off. You, Hana, Annabel and Mignon all had good experiences. I know mine wasn’t the norm and I know that you are working to make sure it never happens to anyone again, but….” She trails off, watching the kids playing.

“But?” I prompt her.

“But that wasn’t my experience. If she asks me, I’ll tell her the truth. Things can go bad inside the claiming territory. You know that as well as I do.” She says.

“Yes, I do.”

I’m just about to say something else, when the howl of warning goes up. Almost instantly, it is cut off, as if the person was attacked. I’m hoping they are okay but I don’t have time to worry about that.

I jump up as does Layan. “Jace! Melinda!”

We run to them, picking them up and turning to go inside when the scent of rotting flesh hits my nose.

I turn and see the most hideous creature I’ve ever seen running straight toward us. It’s black, its fur, if that’s what it has is matted all over its body. It looks like it has four legs, but they aren’t placed like they should be on a four-legged animal. The two in back are too close together and they are too close to what should be its front legs. Whatever it is, it isn’t natural.

I shove Melinda into Layan’s arms. “RUN! Get them into the safe room. NOW!”

seeing the

between the creature that is

and wolves that were heading toward the sound of the howl immediately turn to help her. My guards, having been off to the side, giving me space

creature leaps at me, Lewis jumps in front of me, taking the brunt of the hit,

into me, knocking me to the ground.

someone yell and the creature pins Lewis to the ground,

at

up, standing in front of me. The smell is horrible, worse than anything I’ve ever smelled

I can see that our pack members are trying to surround the creature, but it’s so wild, and misshapen that it’s just attacking randomly. Its snarls are feral, and I finally realize that this is a feral wolf. I don’t know

so far gone that it doesn’t

the men to fight the creature, the creature that is also a

of its neck and yanks it away from me. The men following, attacking the intruder as they can. It continues snapping its teeth at everyone. Even when they

you into a safe room.” Lewis says to me,

it?” I ask. “It looks like

to get up. Are you

again. I would

Lewis asks me again more

hurts, but I push myself to my feet. I stumble, not

and wraps his arm around my waist. I wrap my arm protectively around my stomach and we begin making our way to the

the snarling intensify behind me and Lewis turns, releasing me and stepping in front of me just as the creature attacks him again. This time, there’s nowhere for me to go and Typhon slams Lewis into me. I fall to the ground on my back, Lewis on top of me, crushing my stomach as Typhon snaps and snarls at him, trying to

making me want

hear the crunch of bones breaking but Typhon doesn’t seem

of them have been bitten and others have slashes and gashes on their bodies. Even feral, Typhon is an Alpha. He may not be a strong Alpha, but as

attack Typhon from different sides, surrounding him. Lewis is still thrashing on top of me, trying to keep Typhon away from me and I can do nothing but try to protect

latches onto the corner of Lewis’s neck where it connects to his shoulder. Elijah,

I feel hot blood begin rushing down my face

him off of me. I can hear the snaps and snarls that continue behind me, but I can’t stop

I scream again. His eyes are so wide, and his mouth is

of his throat and I realize he’s drowning in his

his side, putting his head in my lap, hoping to keep him from aspirating. I begin rocking back and