The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Mason Mason

I knew they'd come for me the moment the gun went off and they did. At least 20 wolves and men came after me. Elijah took on a fair number of them, but he couldn't take on half. Most of them were ranked members. One being an Alpha that I killed on site. He was the one who had asked at the beginning if Jara didn't pass out from the marking could he mate her right there in the claiming territory. She's refused to see him since, so no great loss in my book.

While I was fighting another six attackers, I felt someone coming up behind me. I was too busy to turn, but I heard the snarl just as I took out one of my attackers, a Beta this time. I turned my head just in time to see Alpha Luke turn toward Typhon's Beta.

"At least if you're going to attack someone, be a man and fight them face to face you f*cking coward." Then he turned and ran into the claiming territory, leaving Typhon's Beta bleeding on the ground, his back a slashed mess of flesh and blood. It will take him awhile to heal from that.

When the others are dead or injured to the point that they can no longer fight, Elijah and I enter the claiming territory. I look around, trying to figure out what it was that I was hearing Jara do this morning. There are still a bunch of wolves coming into the territory or milling around the entrance, trying to replace her scent. So, when I realize the sound that I heard was Jara in the trees, I look up and replace her.

I wink at her, letting her know I found her before continuing on. There are too many men and wolves here right now. If I tried to climb that tree to get to her, they'd either come after me, or worse, they may work to pull the tree down, bringing her to the ground. I'd be hard pressed to fight off the forty or so wolves that are here right now to get to her.

So, Elijah and I continue into the territory until those around us start splitting off.

"Why aren't you following any of these scent trails?" He asks me as I pass another one.

"They're decoys. She left them yesterday to screw with us."

Elijah chuckles again. "I like her more and more."

I give him a sharp look. "Not to claim, Alpha. But she'll make one hell of a Luna for our pack."

"That she will. Come on." I say, when I feel like we can turn back.

"Where?" He asks, following me.

"She was up front, I saw her in the trees when we came in."

"And you didn't immediately try to claim her?"

"Too many wolves were still around trying to replace her scent."

As we jog back, we hear several more howls go up with wolves that have found her scent.

"How long do you think that will go on before they realize what she's done?" Elijah asks me.

"Well, eventually, one of those trails will actually be hers, so probably the entire time we're here."

We get to the tree and not unexpectedly, she's gone. That's my girl. I begin sniffing the air, trying to catch her scent. She didn't

come down the tree that she was sitting in when I saw her. My smile grows even wider. Oh yes, she's going to take us all on a good hunt.

I sniff around until I replace the tree where her scent is lingering.

"I found it Alpha." Elijah says, but he's at a different tree.

I go to the tree where he is, but her scent is just a bit lighter here. "I think this is where she went up, but I'm pretty sure she got down over here." I tell him and we go back over to the tree I'd found. "It's just slightly stronger, but I think you're right. Shall we?" He asks.

"Let the hunt begin."

We search the rest of the day, but I don't see her again. As much as I want her, I love that she's giving me a good hunt. The wolf in me craves it.

Throughout the day, we hear the sounds of fighting and killing. Elijah and I are attacked several more times and have to kill another five males in the territory. At least three of those were Typhon's pack members. Now he's down to seven. The others were already in the claiming haze and were attacking anyone that got in their way.

The howls of the hunt have gone up all day. While it makes my heart stop each time, I also know this is exactly what Jara was trying to accomplish. Every time someone's howl goes up, you can hear the pounding of paws headed in that direction. When it does, Elijah and I go in the opposite direction. So far, it has worked.

We've crossed several of her trails, some more recent than others, but it's hard to tell which ones are the most recent, especially now that so many males have been following her scent trails. Eventually, i tell Elijah that we need to stop. We need food and we need to rest, but more importantly, I need to come up with a game plan. We decide to not light a campfire, knowing it will give our location away to those trying to kill me. Instead, we shift and eat in our wolf form.

In this form, my senses are heightened, and I can smell the scent of Jara everywhere. Her scent of sweet cream and nutmeg fills my nose and I feel myself start to fall to the claiming haze. I shake it off, but I can understand why the omegas and warriors are already in the haze. Her scent is strong and delicious and it's everywhere. I'm don't think she realized that her scent all over the territory would cause an increase in the claiming haze, but it's too late now.

I talk over my plan with Elijah. I want to start replaceing the hiding spots that I know the females have used in the past. And I want to go to the cave tomorrow. I doubt she's there, but maybe there's a hint of where she might be. And if she's been in the lake, then there will be an exit point somewhere. I can replace that and follow that too.

"At some point, you know we'll have to split up, right?" Elijah asks

me.

"Let's wait until the fourth day. If we haven't found her by then, we'll split up." "Sounds good."

We take shifts that night, one of us keeping watch so the other can get some sleep. Throughout my watch, members of mine and Seth's packs replace us, wanting to lay near us, searching for safety and comfort. I let them all join our little party. When I wake Elijah, he's surprised to see so many wolves sleeping around us, but he doesn't say anything and I lay down, getting some sleep.

The sounds of the hunt and of killing continue through the night. I'm not sure how many are dead now, but if I'm right, another twenty males were killed on day one of Jara's claim, bringing the number down to 130 claimants.