The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 47

Mason

I knew, when I heard Jara ask Alpha Luke to stay behind, that she wanted to spend some individual time with him. It hurts, but I also know she isn't yet mine. I have to bide my time and I know he's my biggest competition.

But that doesn't mean that I can't still take care of her. I know she must be hungry. She's been sparring for hours and fighting against several Alphas, so I can send her some food and make sure she's fed. While I'm at it, I order food for Alpha Luke too. In any other situation, I'd like him, but he's my competition here. That doesn't mean I have to be an a*s. So, I send food for both of them.

I go up to my room to shower before returning to the dining hall. I notice Typhon stalking around, growling and grumbling. I don't miss it when he and his entire pack rise and walk outside. I look around and realize everyone else saw it too.

I'm up and moving before anyone else. I know what this means. He's after Jara.

I hear him before I see him. He's obviously pushing the limits of the claiming rules by trying to force Jara into spending time with him. As his pack stands behind him, I move to stand behind Jara, ready to support her. I needn't have bothered. As always, Jara is glorious in her anger. I can't help but snicker when I see Typhon forced to submit to her.

It makes me wonder if she could make my wolf submit to her. I know once I've claimed her, he will submit to her every whim, that's expected. But in a show of force? I may have to see if she's willing to test that. It would be interesting to see just how strong her wolf

I can't help but feel a sharp sting in my heart as I see Alpha Luke begin walking her back to her housing. That has always been my special thing with her. I wonder if I pushed her too far last night. Maybe the physical contact was more than she could handle. Or, maybe, and the thought has my wolf snarling in my head, she wants to see what it feels like to be with someone else. To see if what we have is special. Instead of heading back to my room, I turn and head to the training center. I have time before I meet up with Jara this evening and right now, I need to burn off some energy. I begin by punching a punching bag, my mind a crowded mess of images of Jara with Luke. My anger at my helplessness and inability to claim her only. gets stronger until I punch a hole in the punching bag, sand spilling. all over the training floor.

"Did you want a real person to hit? Or are you just blowing off steam?" I turn, seeing Elder Jason walking into the room.

"I wouldn't mind a real person. It might help me clear my head some. This..." I gesture toward the punching bag, "wasn't helping."

We step on a mat, and he gives me universal 'come at me' wave of his hand. I do and he takes me down easily.

"What's on your mind, Alpha?" He asks as I stand back up. It's just us in here right now, and I trust this Elder, so I feel more comfortable being open with him.

"I hate this entire process." I say to him..

He nods, swiping at me, but I duck, getting a hit in on him before he takes me down again.

"How would you change it, but make sure it's fair?"

"Well, that's the question, isn't it? Fair for whom? For the females

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forced into a mate bond they may not want, or fair for the omegas who still have very little chance of claiming a mate if there is a ranked member in the claiming." "Good points." He says, as we continue sparring.

"The entire process is a disaster." I say, my head starting to clear as I shift gears from thinking of Jara to thinking of the overall claiming process. "How so?" He asks me.

"There are no rules in the claiming territory except to protect the she-wolves. So, our dwindling population continues to kill off our species each year, continuing the decimation of our population. faster than our females can repopulate it. How does that make. any kind of sense?" I say standing up and looking at him. He stands as well, dropping his hands and looking at me, letting me get it out of my system. "Jara said that each claimant showed favoritism to some wolves. I know in the case of Layan, she showed early favoritism to my Beta, but he wasn't chosen for her claiming. Why can't they choose who is in their claiming? Why are they forced to take whoever catches them?"

"Survival of the fittest." Elder Jason replies.

"But is it? Take Alpha Typhon for example. It didn't help him. He claimed an Alpha female and now she's dead without ever giving him a child. Is that survival of the fittest? Did Alpha Mila deserve to die because she wasn't strong enough? No. She deserved to have a say in who claimed her and I can guarantee you, she never would have chosen Alpha Typhon."

"What do you suggest, Alpha Mason?" He asks, taking a fighting stance again.

"We need to rework how the claiming process is done. The females should have a say in who is in their claiming. Maybe we give them a number they must pick from, but they choose, not some random lottery. That way, those that are not worthy of having a mate, don't get one and those that are, at least have a chance. I also think there needs to be a rule in place that if you kill another werewolf, you are no longer eligible for claiming. If we can't respect our species as a whole, how can we expect anyone to respect their mate?"

As we're talking, my head has cleared enough that my fighting. technique is back to normal, and I take Elder Jason down to the mat. I step back, giving him a chance to stand up.

"All very good points, Alpha Mason. But you will have to petition the Elder council for the change."

"I am aware of that. I'm also aware that the Elder council is the one that is allowing things like what happened to Alpha Mila and Omega Layan to happen without punishment. No offense, Elder, but the council needs to be shaken up, present company excluded."

"No offense taken. I happen to agree with you."

We both step back, panting from our workout. "When the time comes, send your petition to me, I'll make sure it pushes through." He says.

I reach my hand out to him. "Thank you Elder."

He shakes my hand. "Go get showered. You have an Alpha to charm."

I chuckle, turning toward the door. "Yes, I do."

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