The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 5

Jara

I like Hana immediately. She and I are obviously in the same situation, not wanting to be a part of this ridiculous pageantry put into place by the Elders to ensure a 'stronger generation'.

I follow the guard who is pushing my luggage. "Do you mind if I join you?" Hana asks me.

"Not at all. When did you get here?" I ask her, as we move through a kitchen to a hallway.

"A couple of hours ago. Just long enough to realize that it's terribly boring here, super quiet and heavily guarded."

As she says that, we turn down a corridor that has two guards at every door. "Our rooms. Each one is guarded by two guards at all times. They don't say much." She tells me.

"So, ten guards at all times?" I ask. That's almost as much as my escort here.

"Oh, that's just in this hallway. I've counted another 20 in the main part of the house, and I haven't had a chance to check yet, but I've seen some others guarding the perimeter outside."

"Are they trying to keep us in, or the guys out?" I ask as the guard stops at a room and opens the door. He holds his arm out, keeping me from stepping inside. Instead, he walks in, checking everything before allowing me to enter. I look at Hana and she just shrugs. "I guess they're very serious about keeping us safe until our claiming."

"To answer your question, Alpha," the guard says as he pushes my

ng into pages now

luggage into my room, "we are here to keep the five of you safe. While it is not our intent to make you feel like a prisoner, we do ask that you stay within the confines of the house and perimeter so that we are better able to ensure your safety at all times."

"What's your name?" I ask him.

"Luke, Alpha. And Beta, there will always be a total of 50 guards inside the house and around the perimeter. We will be rotating shifts."

"I'm guessing you're all mated males?" I ask.

"Yes Alpha. Elder Carson made sure that we all have living mates, and we were all put through rigorous testing to guarantee that we would be able to keep all of this year's contestants safe, but specifically the two of you."

"Have the three omegas arrived?" I ask, looking between Luke and Hana. Hana looks at Luke.

"Yes Alpha. They all arrived before Beta Hana."

"Where are they?" She asks.

He leans over to the radio on his shoulder and asks the location of the three omegas.

We both hear that they are outside looking around the perimeter trying to see the males as they arrive.

Hana and I roll our eyes at that. We couldn't care less.

"Thank you, Luke. I'm sure we'll see you around."

"Yes, you will, Alpha." He nods at Hana. "Beta."

We, watch as he leaves, pulling the door closed behind him. "Do

you mind if I stay while you unpack?" Hana asks.

"Have a seat." I tell her, gesturing to a desk and chair on one side of the room.

"If you're room is like mine, that will be the walk-in closet." She points to a closed door on the opposite side of the room. "And that will be the bathroom." She points to another closed door right next to it. "It's actually not a bad set up, if we weren't here for the claiming." She states, making at face at the last part.

We chat as I unpack, getting myself settled for the next few weeks. I learn that she is the oldest of two children born to her parents. Her brother is younger and not eligible to be a claimant in the claiming yet. "Did your parents come with you?" I ask her.

"My dad dropped me off, but I told him he didn't have to stay. He is still the acting Beta until my brother turns 18, so it's not like he has time to sit here for a month or more. And I knew my mother wouldn't be able to stay with me, so what's the point? It's not like I'm going to go home unless I'm lucky enough to walk out unclaimed. So, I said my goodbyes before I left and drove here with some of my packmates." I turn and look at her. "Are any of your packmates going to try to claim you?"

She makes a face. "Yeah. I'm not sure which is worse, getting claimed by someone you don't know, or being claimed by someone you grew up with and know really well."

"After what happened to my sister, I guess I'd rather know the person. Although, if I think about who is here from my pack, it is kind of gross to think about having to mate with one of them."

"Exactly! And I'm sorry about your sister. I heard that asshole Alpha is back in the claimant pool again. How is that even legal?”

"No idea. You'd think we'd be treated better, more reverently since we're the only possible future werewolves have. But instead, it just feels like we're chattel getting claimed."

We begin to hear the sounds of the others as I finish unpacking.

"It's nearly dinner time. I hear it's being brought in from the main house and our guards have to taste it first to make sure it's not drugged. Crazy, right?"

"Seriously? If they are that concerned about these guys acting crazy, why didn't they screen them better?"

"Right?" Hana says as we walk into the hallway.

It's a bit creepy walking down the hall with guards stationed at every door. They don't watch us, but they nod in acknowledgement as we pass. I sniff and none of them are Alphas.

"Is it weird that none of our guards are Alphas?" I whisper to Hana as we leave the hallway.

She shrugs. "They're all older. I assumed the claimings they attended were back in the days when the pool of she-wolves was larger. Maybe Alphas don't have time to dedicate to this process or maybe there aren't enough left? Who knows."

When we get to the dining room, the three omegas are already there.

"Oh hi! You must be the Alpha and Beta." One of the girls says. She has long, straight black hair. "I'm Mignon. This is Layan." She says, pointing to a gentle looking blond girl. "And this is Annabel." She says pointing the last girl whose hair is dark blond, verging on

brown.

"Hello, Alpha. Hello, Beta." The girls say together.

I step forward. "Hello. My name is Jara, and this is Hana." I introduce us.

Hana says hi, but I can tell that the omegas are hesitant to sit with us. Both Hana and I have no problem with them sitting with us and we do our best to make them feel comfortable.

Over dinner, the girls begin chatting excitedly about the next week.

"Who do you think will claim you?" Annabel asks the group.

"Oh, I don't think I could get an Alpha, but a Beta or Gamma would be great." Mignon says excitedly.

"Did you see how many of them are big and strong." Layan says, clasping her hands together.

"And handsome, don't forget that." Mignon says.

"I don't care about handsome. I'm just excited to have someone who will love and cherish me." Layan says, her eyes glowing in her

excitement.

Hana and I look at each other. These idealistic thoughts don't align with our knowledge and beliefs which makes me wonder what experience these omegas have with others from their packs that have been claimed.

"Have you known many she-wolves that have a loving relationship with their mate?" I ask.

"Oh no. I've just seen what it is like for my parents." Layan says. Hana and I look at each other again.

"But that was before the claiming started, wasn't it Layan?" Annabel asks.

"Well, yes. But isn't that what the claiming is all about? Having the strongest, most eligible and capable male catch you and claim you?" She asks, her eyes dreamy again. I'm honestly terrified for this omega. I hope she is caught by someone that will truly cherish her. She seems sweet, but very naïve.

"Well, I don't intend to make it easy. If someone is worthy enough

to catch me, they'll have to work for it." Mignon says, with a smug smile.