The Claiming by Cooper
Chapter 73

Chapter 73 Mason

Mason

Where is she? Where is she?

I walk back to the trees where I can smell her scent, then to the trees past it where it disappears.

Where is she? Where is she?

Back and forth, back and forth.

She's got to be somewhere. But her scent ends here.

Back and forth, back and forth.

I look up into the tree for the hundredth time. I can't see her. Even if it was daylight, I couldn't see her. How can I find her if there is no sound, no scent? Where is my mate? Where is she?

When I collapse, exhausted, I lay under the tree. The last one where I can find her scent. Maybe tomorrow, I can find it again. If not, I'll have to go searching for it somewhere else.

How could she escape me? She can't. She must be nearby. I'll stay here. Guard her, guard what's mine until I can claim her.

I close my eyes, only for them to fly open in what feels like moments. I stand, ready to fight. What did I hear?

I growl low in my chest. No one is taking what is mine.

I begin sniffing the ground, lifting my nose into the air, sniffing again. There, on the light breeze is her scent.

I turn, trying to capture the scent, trying to find that delicious smell. My mouth waters at it. All I want to do is sink my canines into her neck, making her mine.

I hear something up in the tree. I lift my head up, listening, not wanting to move. This is a hunt, and I am a stealthy predator. I will hunt my mate. I will run her down if I have to, but I just need to catch her scent.

I small leaf flutters to the ground. As it passes my face, I catch her scent. I turn, focusing my attention on the leaf, sniffing hard. It's faint, but it's there.

I jump up against the tree, putting my front paws as high as they will go. There, very faint, is her scent. I have her caught in the tree! Now, how to get to her.

I begin jumping as high as I can, growling in frustration when the tree limbs are too low for me to catch. I still can't see her, but when I jump, I can just catch her scent.

I begin snarling and growling in my frustration, clawing at the tree, leaving big g*shes in it.

Behind me, I sense more than hear another wolf stalking me.

I whip around and don't hesitate. I leap and bite down on his neck as I catch him by surprise. I shake my head, violently as our snarls and growls echo in the surrounding forest. Animals all around us wake suddenly and begin scurrying away.

He flips over on his back, trying to dislodge me. His paws begin scratching my underside, slicing into my ribs, but I refuse to let go.

When my teeth finally rip free, it's with a mouthful of fur and flesh, leaving a gaping wound on the wolf's back. I leap back and we begin circling each other trying to find an opening. When I find it, I Dividing into pages now

dive in, biting on the front leg. I feel teeth bite down on my back, tearing my skin and sinking into my flesh. I thrash my head, hearing the snap of the leg between my teeth.

The wolf howls in pain, letting go of my back. I take the opportunity to grab hold of the side of his neck, my bottom teeth puncturing his throat. I can hear the wolf begin gasping for air, the sound becoming a gurgling sound the longer I hold him by the throat.

Blood floods into my mouth and I bite down harder, knowing that I have him in a death hold. I just have to wait him out. He continues snapping at me until he becomes too weak. When he collapses at my feet, I hold on to him until I hear his breathing and heart stop. I hold on for just one more moment before letting him go.

I lift my b*oody muzzle to the air, howling my dominance over this competitor who thought he could take my mate.

I wait a moment more, to make sure that he won't get back up before turning back to the tree. I jump up and realize that my mate's scent is now even more faint than before.

While I was fighting to the death, she raced away.

Elijah POV

I had been keeping an eye on Mason, making sure that he didn't get injured. I was hoping that I would be immune to the claiming haze, but once he succumbed it became harder to resist.

When I realized that Mason had Jara treed, I found a tree that I could climb and slowly made my way to her. When I finally got to her, she was in a precarious position. The limb she's on is small and as I watch, I see her wavering with her fatigue.

As I watch her eyes start to fall closed and her body start to teeter

on the limb, I look around and grab a pinecone tossing it at her. It hits her in the chest, and she jolts awake.

Her eyes snap to mine and go wide. I put my fingers to my lips, the point below where Mason is scratching at the tree, trying to get to her. She looks at me and with hand gestures, I try to let her know I'm here to help her. If she falls, that's it. Mason could claim her, but at what cost to her.

When Mason starts fighting against what smells like a warrior from another pack, I motion to her to come to me.

At first, she shakes her head, not trusting me. I gesture at her that I'm still in my human form then point to Mason below us.

It takes her a moment, but she seems to realize what I'm saying. The haze hasn't taken me yet.

She looks down again before carefully making her way to me. Some bits and pieces of the tree fall to the ground, but Mason and the other wolf are in an all-out fight. I watch, knowing that Mason is likely to beat the other wolf. He's a beast, literally, in his wolf form.

When she gets close, I grab Jara, pulling her to my limb.

"Go." I say quietly. "I'm going to make sure he wins before I leave.

"Thanks Elijah." She says.

"No problem, Luna. But don't trust me again. I can feel the haze taking me. It will only be a few more hours."

"Be safe and get away from here before it does."

She begins leaping through the trees and I watch to make sure she's safe and that my Alpha wins his fight before I carefully take

myself farther away before jumping down and heading back to the lake.

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