The Claiming by Cooper

Layan’s Return Chapter 12: Jara

288 Vouchers

Jara

The difference between this year’s claiming and last year’s is evident on the first night. Like last year, we have a welcome dinner where everyone attends. However, rather than wearing their finest gowns, this year is a more casual affair. Everyone still dresses up, but not to the level that we did last year. This isn’t a pageantry.

Layan had been terrified of walking into the dining room alone, so Mignon and I had held her hands and walked in with her. Unlike Katerina and McKenna who decided to sit at a table with a bunch of claimants and begin to get to know their possible contenders. Layan chose to sit with us. ‘Us’ just happened to include Elijah and Davis.

Annabel arrived earlier, but being very pregnant, she decided to skip the dinner tonight and rest in their room.

I look over at Layan and Mignon. “I heard from Seth. Hana had her little girl a few hours ago. They named her Harper. Momma and baby are healthy and doing well.” I tell them.

That gets the expected ‘ahhhs’ from both Mignon and Layan

“I hope we get to meet her.” Mignon says, gently rocking the baby carrier in the chair beside her.

“You guys should all start planning play dates for your daughters to play together. They will all be around the same ages. They should grow up as friends.” Layan says.

“That’s a great idea.” Mignon says.

“We should build a multi-pack school.” Davis says, leaning over and joining our conversation. He had been talking to Asher, but he got

distracted by a dirty diaper and had to leave for a moment.

do you mean?” Mason asks him, joining in the conversation

packs, maybe we should start considering a community education program. Most of us live within an hour or so drive from each other. We

pups in our pack are all different ages. Trying to educate them all at their different levels is really hard. If we had a centralized school, we could probably find enough teachers to have real classrooms and

a school. We could figure out transportation, especially from the packs that are farther away, to make sure all pups

be a good alternative for omegas that

and/or you’re busy running packs. I have time and it would be something positive for me. Tessa says I need something positive to keep me

”

liked cooking.” Davis says,

But there’s only so many different ways that you can make chicken.”

Mignon says, smiling. “My mother was a cook. She found all sorts of ways to make variations on food. If she didn’t have a name for it, she called it a blah-blah. So, if she mixed whatever was in the kitchen together using chicken, her pack would rant and rave about it and ask what it was. ‘Chicken

that creative.”

you are.” Elijah says, watching her intently. “But, if you feel passionately about helping to build a school,

says.

follow your heart, find what you want to do in this life and make it

underlying current of competition in the words being spoken by Elijah and Davis. It’s almost as if they are trying to prove that they are more supportive of her than

is dancing.” I say, cutting off

says, looking at me.

our first dance together. His eyes get dark and he takes my hand, kissing my knuckles, his eyes

so preoccupied by Asher

was laying my claim on you early, my love.” He says, smiling at

you were.” She says,

you dance?” Elijah returns the conversation back

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