The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 141

The Council Chapter 48 Mason

Mason

The last couple of months have been crazy. I leave the packhouse most mornings to go to Alpha Davis's to help rebuild their packhouse. The outside is done, that part was easy. The inside has been slower going, but it's almost there.

When I get back, I have dinner, talking with Elijah about what happened during the day at the pack, then I spend some time with Jara and my pup before crawling into bed and falling into a deep sleep. The first couple of weeks after the explosion and battles, I worked with Elder Jason looking for information on Typhon. He seemed surprised that I figured out why Typhon was so focused on Jara. But I need to know what I can do to protect my mate, so I have a vested interested in learning everything I can.

After he went back to Alpha Saul's pack, he began to put together the structure for the new council. He agreed that it should stay with five members and that two of those should be she-wolves. He reached out to Jara's parents, sat in on the she-wolves meetings to get their input and ideas of who might be interested in sitting in on the council and then asked around for other elders in the

packs. My Gamma Joe and some of Jonas's pack members were identified as possible options for the council.

In the last month, Elder Jason has been interviewing members for the new council and has finally decided on the five. Now, it will be the Alliance Council, not the Elder Council. We no longer identify with the laws and rules identified from the previous council. The new council will have to review all the old laws and determine

which ones we're going to keep, and which ones will be retired. Then they will look into the laws that were presented at this year's Alpha meeting

and re-evaluate the ones that were not approved.

I'm on our monthly alliance call and Council member Jason is about to set the council positions out for a vote. In the end, we decide not to have couples on the council, since there are so few seats, so Phillip, Jara's father was chosen and Stella, Joe's mate was chosen. One of Jonas's pack members, Brooks, was chosen and so was Gia, Alpha Zaire's mate.

They will begin meeting regularly. Because of the risk to Stella and Gia, they will not try to take over the existing council's place but will create their own space to meet. Elder Jason is going to try to go into the council to collect as much information as possible. If they can't replace the information, they will have to start from scratch.

Any news on Alpha Gunnar, Alpha Conrad or Alpha Shawn?" I ask.

"Only that it appears that their wounded are finally healed. There is some talk that Alpha Conrad

might be planning to move to Alpha Gunnar's pack lands." Antonio says.

"That's what he was hoping for, I'm sure." Elder Jason says. "I'm guessing he wants both of them to

come to him and as I understand it, Alpha Shawn's pack is too small by the previous Elders' standards to remain an individual pack."

"That would also put Elder Stanley in Gunnar's pack." Asher says. "Has anyone heard where Elder Rudy ended up?"

"Alpha Gunnar's pack." Alpha Saul says.

"So, he'd have three of the previous Elders if Conrad moves there and all of them if Shawn does as well." Alpha Zaire says.

"Yes." Seth confirms.

"It doesn't appear that they are preparing to attack, though. At least not from what I've heard."

Quinton says.

Everyone agrees that they have not heard of an impending attack either.

"Let's keep watching and if we hear anything from our pack members who are watching, alert the alliance right away." Seth says.

"Next item of business. Davis, how is the rebuilding coming along?" Seth asks.

"It's good. We're about ready to start moving the first group back in. I can't thank everyone enough for helping us get the packhouse rebuilt so quickly. I had no idea that we could get it done in less than three months."

"That's a good thing, since Mignon is less than a month away from her due date. I wasn't going to be able to give my time any longer. I want to stay close to her." Asher says.

"That is a good thing. Who is coming to be with her during the delivery?" I ask.

"Nina is coming. Mignon's mom is coming from Saul's pack, as well."

"Our first pup since Melinda. I think she's the youngest." Antonio says.

"Not for long." Asher says proudly.

"Not for long." Antonio, Seth and I all say together

as the others chuckle.

"Seth, how are the she-wolves from Emanuel's

pack?" Davis asks.

"They're getting there. It's a struggle, even with me they are skittish, but it's getting better."

"I heard Katerina's visit with Layan is this weekend." Jonas says.

"Yes, she's coming here since Layan is still staying at our pack." I tell him.

"She's very excited." Jonas says and I can hear the smile in his voice. It makes me wonder if he's

hoping to claim her next year. That would be awkward considering the relationship he has with

her mother.

"We're excited to have her. And Layan is doing really well. Every day she's a little bit better. She's been cooking for us every day. She's a great cook.

We

may not give her back to Davis when he's ready to take her back."

"Hey, hey, hey now. Don't be taking my she-wolf. I can already see that she's got a soft spot for your Beta." Davis says.

"That she does. He's good with her and she responds well to him." I tell him.

"I'm glad to hear it." He says.

"Any other business for today?" Seth asks.

When no one does, we say goodnight and I head to my room to replace my mate. No matter how exhausted I am at night, my favorite thing to do is run my hand over Jara's stomach. For a while, I could only hear my daughter's heartbeat, but now, she responds to my touch, moving so her body is touching mine. I'm so in love with my little girl that most nights, my heart feels like it will burst from my body. In some ways, I'm jealous of Asher. He'll get to meet his little girl nearly two months before I'll get to meet mine.

When I get to the bedroom, I can hear Jara in the bathtub. She's singing some lullaby to our daughter, and I can hear the water gently swishing around as she bathes herself.

I walk to the doorway and watch as she rinses herself off, using a washcloth to wash her long legs, lifting them out of the water as the suds drip back into the tub.

"Are you just going to stand there like a creeper or are you going to join me?" She asks me, not turning to look at me.

"Best offer I've had all day." I tell her, stripping on my way to the tub.

"What's that song you're singing?"

"It's called Rockabye Baby."

Jara leans forward and I move to sit in the tub

behind her, pulling her against me and grabbing

some soap before washing her belly so I can touch her and my pup at the same time.

"Why is the baby in a treetop? That's weird, right? Our pup isn't going into any trees until she's old enough to climb them and then preferably not until she's old enough to have her wolf and heal quickly if she falls." I say, frowning as I run my soapy hands over her stomach.

Almost instantly, my pup moves to replace my hand and my frown turns into a happy smile. Jara sighs, leaning back and giving me free rein to interact with our little girl.

"Hey little one." I say, rubbing circles where her head or butt or whatever body part I feel is pushing against my hand.

I talk to my pup a little longer, until the water starts to cool, then I get out, helping Jara to dry

herself off before getting her dressed and tucking her into bed. I crawl in behind her, wrapping my arm around her stomach, holding my girls as we all fall asleep.