The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 19

I've been waiting all afternoon to spend time with Jara. I am fairly confident after last night's kiss and the looks I got all morning that she will be willing to spend at least some time with me during tonight's social gathering.

As soon as she walks in, I know my wolf pushes forward. She's gone from I'm-s*xy-deal-with-it to I'm-elegant-and-l-own-it to tonight. Tonight's dress says I'm-the-perfect-Luna. If I hadn't wanted her before, tonight would have changed that.

While I am making long-term plans in my mind with this beautiful woman, the others in the room are too stupid to be subtle and apparently, my intelligent future-Luna not only realizes it, but also knows exactly how to put them in their place.

I'm so turned on, I can't help myself, I have to taste her sweet mouth. Since I know she's a dancer, when she walks up to me, I take the opportunity to put her at a disadvantage and dip her, capturing her lips in a scorching kiss.

This woman. I want her. I want my mark on her neck. I want her mark on my neck. I want her beside me in my bed and in my life.

When I pull her back up, I can see she's dazed again. Perfect.

I sense, rather than hear the others in the room making an approach. Without taking my eyes off Jara, I give them all a warning growl, pushing out my aura. I'm pleased to see that she's not even remotely bothered by it. Everyone else in the room takes a seat away from us.

"What was that for?" She asks me breathily.

"The kiss or the growl?"

"Yes." I smile at her still dazed answer.

"The kiss is because you are so d*mn s*xy that I couldn't resist and the growl was to warn everyone else in this room that if they dare to come near you, they'll answer to me."

One of the guards steps up beside her. "Alpha Jara, are you alright?"

"Yes, Luke. Thank you. Alpha Mason didn't do anything I didn't want him to do."

The guard, Luke, nods, and steps back, giving us some space.

"So, you did want me to kiss you?"

I watch as she looks down, biting her lower lip. I low growl rumbles in my chest. "If you keep biting that lip Jara, I'm going to have to kiss it and make it better."

Her eyes shoot back up to mine and now she licks her lips. She's s*xy without trying and my body is responding in a way that's becoming increasingly uncomfortable in these pants. I can guarantee that if she looked down, she'd see just how much of an impact she's having on me. Thankfully, she doesn't look down.

I lean in closer. "Would you like it if I kissed you again?" I ask her quietly.

She looks down again before nodding. "But not here. Not now, in front of everyone."

I slide a finger across her cheek and under her chin, lifting her face so she's looking at me. "Later then."

She looks up at me for a moment longer. I need to redirect us or I'm going to pull her into another kiss, and she said she didn't want that.

"Would you like to sit and talk?"

"Yes, thank you." She says and I watch as she transforms herself, becoming the composed Alpha she is in moments.

I turn, taking her arm and escorting her to the side of the room that will allow us what little bit of privacy we can get while the others stare angrily at us, or at me specifically. Let them stare, she chose

me.

"What do you want to know about me?" I ask her. I want her to want me to catch her. I want her to be happy when I do finally catch her, because I have every intention of leaving this claiming with this woman as my mate.

"I spoke to your Beta a couple nights ago. You have a fairly large pack with close to 150 werewolves?"

"Yes. Sadly, it's one of the largest in the country now."

"And only your G*mma has a mate?"

"That's correct. He got his mate in a claiming nearly 10 years ago."

"And do they have any children?"

"Three boys."

"I wonder how she feels being the only female in such a large pack."

"Lonely, I'd guess. Although she never says so. She never complains."

"You mentioned that you thought having me as your Luna would impact your pack overall, help them to not go feral. But, if you already have a female in your pack, that doesn't make any sense."

"She's an omega or was before she mated to my G*mma. I think having an Alpha female will impact the pack. As I mentioned, I think that a strong female, one that can help lead and guide my pack will keep our males from going feral."

"So, you you're not intimidated by my strength?"

I pull her hand to mine, holding her gaze as I kiss her knuckles. "I adore your strength. I crave it. I have no problem being challenged by a strong mate. I think it's exactly what the packs are missing. Too many still fall into the old mindset that females are for mating only. I'm looking for a partner, not a breeder."

"And what if you were to catch me?" She looks up at me but doesn't pull her hand away from my lips. "Or if I choose you when I walk out a free woman." She smiles at me smugly, and I know my eyes darken again with her challenge. I nip at her knuckles, watching as her mouth drops open, and her eyes widen a moment before she collects herself. "What if I can only have sons?"

I shrug, leaning in and crooking my finger at her to do the same. When she leans in, I brush my nose against her cheek before whispering in her ear. "I'm fine practicing to have a female as many times as you would want. Practice makes perfect, after all." I say before gently nipping at her earlobe, loving the feeling of her body shivering in response.