The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 121

chapter 28

"What do you know of the effects of she-wolves on feral-fever?" I ask her.

She frowns. "The effect of she-wolves on feral-fever?" She asks.

Once I explain it to her, I see the lightbulb go on in her head.

"That's why you're always touching them?"

"Yes, and if you truly want to take on a leadership role in this pack, which I hope you do, you will need to help me keep our pack members from going feral."

"Yes, Luna. I'd be happy to." She says.

"In addition, some changes are coming. I'd like for you to play a role in that. Whether it's here in our pack, or in the other packs, I think your Beta blood and your willingness to help will be much. needed." I explain the changes that we've made with the council. and the impact we are already having at Alpha Davis's pack.

"I would need to be mindful of Melinda, but I want to help. If I can, and if it is safe for Melinda, I will help in any way I can."

I nod. "We're going to have a meeting in the next day or so. We need to speak to Alpha Luke and Alpha Quinton, but Alpha Quinton. has already requested our presence. He might be a good start for you." "As long as Melinda is safe." She clarifies.

"Of course, and Hana and I were just discussing that no Luna, or in your case, no Beta would go to a pack alone."

"Okay. Tell me what I need to do."

After I explain to her about feeling for the darkness in our pack. members, Brynn heads back to the kitchen to oversee dinner preparations.

Again, I'm just about to go get the pregnancy test, when Mason walks in.

"Hello love. How was your day?"

I sit and talk to my mate about my plans and then about his conversation with Elder Jason before we head to dinner together.

Hopefully, I'll be able to replace time to take the pregnancy test

tomorrow.

The Council Chaph

Mason

The week went by quickly and Jara was getting ready to leave again, heading back to Alpha Davis's pack. This time, Seth was going to accompany them. Asher isn't happy about it, but he feels. better knowing that the pack is relatively safe. Plus, this weekend, I'm sending Elijah.

During the Luna meeting, they had decided to send Brynn and Melinda to Alpha Quinton's pack. I knew that Luke would be distracted the entire weekend, worrying about his mate and daughter, so I'm sending him with his mate. They had also gotten Luna Nina, Jara's mother, to agree to go with her and Jara's father, Alpha Phillip, is going to. That way, we know that Brynn and Melinda will be safe, and Nina will be able to accurately assess Quinton's pack. This also give Elijah a chance to see Layan. He was upset to learn how poorly she is doing, and this will hopefully help ease his worries.

Alpha Luke had grumbled, saying he would like to have some she- wolves visit his pack as well and I forwarded his request to Jara. She and Hana are in charge of setting up the schedule of visitation for she- wolves to visit the packs.

Luna Gia, Luna Tessa, their mates and Elder Jason are all scheduled to visit Alpha Shawn this weekend as well. It will be a very interesting and busy weekend to say the least.

Because there is so much going on in several packs, the alliance agreed to wait to have our next meeting until the end of the weekend. In the meantime, it gives me time to begin my hunt for Typhon. Elder Jason will be here next week, and I will be busy digging through the records he brings with him. Elijah found a very

small amount of information on the effects of feral-fever but nothing on the claiming haze.

What I'm most concerned about is that Typhon is suffering from both. I know what the claiming haze feels like, and I know what my pack members have described feral-fever as feeling like. In both. instances, the person is out of control, instinct taking over in the extreme. If Typhon is dealing with both, then there would be no capacity for rational thought, he would be solely working on instinct. An instinct that is driving him to claim my mate.

There's also the side of the claiming haze that makes you feel a bit crazy. It's not just the need or desire to claim your mate, but your are driven to extremes so you can achieve that instinctual goal. It makes you willing to take risks and to kill to achieve to achieve that goal. And that makes Typhon extremely dangerous.

Based on the reports that I have from my patrols, and the shape that Typhon is in physically, I have to believe that he is lost, whether it's to the claiming haze, feral-fever, or both, it doesn't matter. He needs to be put down.

I had called the Elder Council. I discussed my concerns and my beliefs that Alpha Typhon had lost his mind and that he needed to be put down. I was told they would look into it, which they haven't. done. So, now, after sending Jara off to a place where I felt she would be well looked after, I pull my warriors together.

"Alpha Typhon has become a danger to our pack and your Luna. The Council is not taking my concerns seriously, so we are going to do our own search. If anyone feels strongly that we should not go after Alpha Typhon and kill him, you are free to stay here. The rest of you, meet me at the forest line in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, my entire group of warriors are at the forest line. I look at all of them, proud of my pack.

"Okay, this half, you are in charge of protecting the pack." I slice.

my hand in the air, dividing my pack in two before swiping my hand through the air and indicating the half I'm leaving to guard the pack.

"Stay diligent. We know that Typhon has been stalking our pack lands. Don't let him get onto our lands. While Jara, Brynn and Melinda aren't here right now, we don't want him to replace a place to hide until they return. Gamma Joe is in charge of the group remaining here."

"Yes, Alpha."

"The rest of you, with me. We're going hunting." I say and my voice becomes menacing as I think about Typhon stalking my mate.

There's a cheer from the pack before they split off and I take my group to the place where we know that Typhon nearly breached our borders last weekend.

"Dillon, you're my best tracker. See what you can do." I say,

knowing we've already done this, but I want to go at it again. We know Typhon's been here off and on and if we catch a newer trail, we may be able to replace him.

"The rest of you, spread out. See if you can catch a more recent trail." We all shift and begin our hunt.

We search for a couple of hours, sniffing every leaf or piece of dirt that smells like something is rotten. A couple of times, someone howled, and we'd come running, only to replace a dead animal that was decomposing. The scent was close, but not exactly right.

When the howl goes up again, I sigh, knowing we have to check it out, but worried that it's another dead animal. When I race up, I realize quickly that something is different. My pack members are. dancing around with nervous, excited energy.

Dillon chuffs at me and I trot over to him. He puts his nose to the ground, a scrap of skin and fur laying on the forest floor. As soon as I lean down to sniff it, I know it belongs to Typhon. It's him. Now it's my turn to howl excitedly.

Dillon takes off, following the scent. He skirts our pack lands, almost in a zig-zag pattern, but always coming back to where he can see what is going on in our pack lands. This means, Typhon has been watching us for a while. When Dillon shifts direction. again, this time away from our pack lands, I feel like we're finally on our way to replaceing him.

We run for about 30 minutes. It's farther than I would have expected, given the state that my patrols said Alpha Typhon was in, but when we arrive, I know this is his den. First, the smell is terrible and second, there are bones and partially eaten rodents all over. We've found his hiding spot.

We spread out and begin searching for him.

Typhon POV

I watch as they replace my home, replace the place where I was living.

Waiting for my time.

Waiting until I can make her mine.

'Mason Racin', Puddin' and Pie,

Kissed my girl and made her cry,

When his pack came out to play,

Typhon Siphon ran away."

I slink away, knowing I'll have to replace another place to live now. He

just keeps taking from me.

Take, take, take.

But my time is coming, oh yes, it is.

And one day soon, she'll be mine, not his.