The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 112

Mason

The next day, I pull Luke into my office and explain about Lewis.

"I can handle it Alpha. And as I side note, I'm glad that the Lunas are going to see the omega Layan. She's a sweet girl. She didn't. deserve what happened to her."

"Is your spouse going to be okay here without you? I'm happy to look after her, but Jara and I both got the impression that things. were not good for her at Alpha Shawn's pack."

"They weren't. It was another reason that I was happy when you asked me about continuing as Luna Jara's guard. The males in that pack are very aggressive, making it a constant concern that they might try to take my mate against her will. So, yes, she is very shy around other males and no offense, Alpha, but she isn't going to feel comfortable around you. Alpha Shawn wasn't much better."

"I'd like to hear more about that at some point, and I'd like to go. over with you what we are trying to change and get your input. But before that, let's talk about you and your mate becoming official members of our pack."

"What did you have in mind?" Luke asks.

"Before I let you leave my pack as Jara's guard, I need to have you and Brynn officially join my pack. I know you haven't been here. very long, but we're on a tight timeline. Are you willing to swear your loyalty to me and this pack?" I ask.

"Yes, Alpha. I don't need any more time. My mate may not understand completely, but I watched you and Luna Jara for nearly two months. I know that I can trust you. She will eventually feel comfortable, it will just take her a while."

"I understand. So, can I set it up for you and Brynn to join the pack tonight or tomorrow?"

"As soon as possible, Alpha. I'm ready to be a part of a pack that I can believe in."

"Call your mate in, let's see how she feels. I'm willing to give her at couple more days if she feels she needs it, but I need you to swear allegiance to my pack before you leave with Jara this weekend." "Yes, Alpha. Let me call her to your office and we can talk to her."

While he does that, I call Jara and ask her to join us as well.

Jara arrives before Brynn and Melinda do. When she walks in, she looks at Luke and then at me.

"What's going on?" She asks in the mind link.

"I'm going to ask Brynn if she's ready to join our pack. I wanted you here in case she's not and if she wants to talk, you can take Melinda around and let her interact with our pack mates." Brynn walks in soon thereafter. "Alpha, Luna." She says before sitting beside Luke, pulling Melinda on her lap.

"Brynn, I wanted to talk to you about joining our pack. You know your mate is my mate's guard. What you may not know if that Jara is going to another pack this weekend and I need Luke to join her as her guard. Before he goes, I need him to join this pack. I don't want to have that ceremony if you're not ready to swear your loyalty to this pack."

She turns and looks at Luke, then Jara, then back at me. "I...I don't know."

I look at her. "I can give you a couple of days but not any more. time than that. I can't have Luke act as Jara's guard without being part of my pack. It's already a risk having her leave the pack. It's an even greater risk if he and you are still bound to another Alpha."

"I understand." She says.

"Brynn, why don't you and Melinda come with me to watch warrior training."

"Oh, I don't..."

"Can we mom? Please?" Melinda asks.

Brynn looks down at Melinda, who is giving her big, hopeful eyes. 'Doe eyes' my mother used to call them. "Okay."

"Okay, let's go." I watch as Jara takes Melinda's hand, and they leave the room.

When the door closes, I turn back to Luke.

"I don't know how you feel about this Alpha, but if my mate isn't ready to swear to your pack before I go, I will. I care about Lunal Jara. I want to make sure she is safe." Luke says.

"I appreciate that. Now, let's talk about what is going on in Alpha Shawn's pack. You said that he used his friends to make sure that he became Alpha?"

"Yeah, they went around on the day you were supposed to challenge Alpha Shawn and they attacked, not just me, but everyone else that challenged him. We would arrive at our challenge beaten, or in my case, I had silver in my system, others had been given wolfsbane and you know how it is with a challenge. If you don't follow through, you forfeit."

"And Elder Carson?" I ask. "You said he verified that it was legal?"

"Yeah, he presided over the complaints that were brought forward. He said that there is no way to prove that it was Alpha Shawn that ordered these attacks. Except that it was always on the day of a challenge. "And it never went beyond Elder Carson?"

"No, we kept it in the pack, that was what we were told to do."

"And, after he became Alpha?"

"He made his friends Beta and Gamma, but they don't run the pack well. In truth, I was getting more and more concerned not only about Brynn but also about Melinda. I don't trust that pack or the males in the pack. Thankfully, I'm a strong warrior and it's a small pack. I was able to keep them both safe."

"What did you do while you were at the claiming? Weren't they alone there?"

"Yes, but over half of our pack was at the claiming as well and our Alpha and Beta were there. So, after she and I talked about it, she felt okay. Plus, there is a Gamma female in our pack with a

daughter that will be in the claiming next year. So they spent time. together and the Gamma is more protective because of his mate and daughter."

"Wait, they have a she-wolf that is almost of age?"

"Yeah, and if I was worried about my mate and daughter, it was nothing compared to the concern that our Gamma female has for her daughter. Thankfully her father's rank kept the males at bay. but it's not a good environment for either of them."

"Would the Gamma male be willing to leave the pack?"

"I'm not sure, but I know his mate would. She told Brynn that she would leave her mate if needed to protect their daughter."

I look at Luke. I don't know if I want Jara going into that pack, especially after we absorbed two of his pack members and their young daughter. Maybe I could send Annabel or Hana. If that Gamma wants to ge herself and her daughter out of that pack, we need to help them.

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