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!”

the

yell again, turning to put myself between the creature that is still coming

a child in each arm and turns to run, yelling for help as she does. The men 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 to relax with Layan, come rushing up.

in front of me, taking the brunt of the hit, but the force of the creature attacking

knocking me to the

I hear someone yell and the creature pins Lewis to

at his

off and Lewis gets up, standing in front of me. The

attacking randomly. Its snarls are feral, and I finally realize that this is a feral wolf. I don’t

it’s so far gone that it doesn’t even know

and I see Elijah in wolf form come racing over, leaping over the men to fight the creature, the creature that

as they can. It continues snapping its teeth at everyone. Even when they get a grip on the creature, he pulls away, seemingly

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

“It looks like

need to get up. Are you injured?”

creature again. I would never have guessed

can you stand?” Lewis asks me

and I try to stand. My side hurts, but I push myself to my feet. I stumble, not feeling steady

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

Typhon slams Lewis into me. I fall to the ground on my back, Lewis on top of me, crushing my stomach

making me want to

again, grabbing the back of Typhon’s leg. I can hear the crunch of bones breaking but Typhon doesn’t seem phased at all by the pain. If anything, it seems to

Even feral, Typhon is an Alpha. He may not be a strong Alpha, but as an Alpha,

wolf form coming to attack Typhon from different sides, surrounding him. Lewis is still thrashing on top of me, trying to

hold of Typhon again, he latches onto the corner of Lewis’s neck where it connects to his shoulder. Elijah, not realizing, yanks him off Lewis. The force of Typhon’s hold and Elijah pulling him off, rips Lewis’s throat

on top of me lessens, I feel hot blood begin rushing down my face and

I can hear the snaps and snarls that continue behind me, but I can’t stop to

wide, and his mouth is opening and closing but nothing is coming out. Air bubbles begin

his throat and I realize

his head in my lap, hoping to keep him from