The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Jara
Jara
I’m woken by the sound of voices talking below me. I carefully look down from my place in the tree and see a couple of warriors trying to catch my scent, looking around trying to find a hiding space nearby where I may be hiding.
I wait until they pass, and I can no longer hear them. I feel like I’m in a bad place, somewhere in the middle of the claiming territory. I need to find a better, safer place today.
When I stand, I’m stiff from sitting upright and having my body curled up with cold. I hurriedly stretch before s*ipping across some tree limbs, being as quiet as I can. When I’ve looked around and feel it’s as safe as it’s going to get, I climb down and begin making my way to one of my scent trails.
I find one that leads to the back of the territory. Knowing that most of the wolves went that way yesterday, I begin moving toward the back. It’s a strategic move, one that may be the wrong move, but hopefully, most of the wolves will be moving toward the front of the territory after searching for me at the back and realizing I’m not there.
Using the shadows from the morning sun, I begin carefully making my way back using my scent trail. While this will make my scent stronger again, I’m hoping that there are enough other scents to help cover it.
It takes me a couple of hours to make my way near the back of the territory. Periodically, I hear voices, feet or paws moving through the forest. When I do, I quickly find one of my hiding places and stay there until the sounds go by.
At one point, one of the wolves, most likely an omega, but possibly a warrior, catches my more recent scent and lifts his head in the howl of the hunt. Rather than following it to me in my hidey-hole, he heads off in the direction I just came from. I need to hurry, it won’t take long for others to come running and when they realize the scent dead-ends at a tree, they will turn around and head back this way.
I move in the direction where I saw a small stream two days ago when I first checked out the territory. Unlike the lake, I can’t hide in it, but I can mask my scent. I’ll be exposed, but if no one is there, I can run through the stream for a while before getting out and running in a different direction.
I’m ducking through the undergrowth, staying out of the sunlight and running as fast as I dare, trying to stay as quiet as possible.
When I get to the stream, I stop, catching my breath and looking around. I don’t immediately see anyone, and I wait, sniffing the air, before finally making my move. I leap into the water and begin running up the center of the stream.
I know the sounds of my feet running through the water may alert anyone nearby that I’m here, but I need to get this group off my trail before I start to double back. And, once the sun is a little higher in the sky, my ability to hide in the shadows will be minimized.
I’ve just about decided that I’ve gone as far as is safe when I hear a thrashing in the water behind me. I turn and my heart nearly stops. Typhon and his Beta are behind me, and they’ve seen me.
Typhon looks like he’s in the claiming haze, his eyes are glassy, and his pupils are large, making his eyes look nearly black. His Beta, on the other hand, looks like he’s in total control. If they catch me here, even if I can fight them off, others will come running to
claim me. I’m too exposed. I have to get out of here.
I turn, shifting to my wolf and racing back into the center of the territory. From the corner of my eye, I see the Beta break off from Typhon. They are going to try to surround me, or at least pen me in somewhere, like he did with my sister.
I turn again, heading closer to the back of the territory. I’m getting close to the sheer rock face where I killed the G*mma last night. I can hear their racing feet getting closer, closing me in on two sides. My only chance is to climb and hope that I’m faster than they are. I know that I can get down the other side of the cliff, and if they want to follow me, they will have to climb up as well or go around.
I’ve just reached the cliff, forcing my shift back to my human form, my arm lifted to begin my climb, when the Beta tackles me to the ground. We begin rolling around, and my claws come out. I slash and fight him, but in no time, Typhon is there and I’m no match for both of them.
I stand with my back to the cliff, my canines and claws out, ready to die fighting if that’s what it takes.
I watch as both of them let their eyes roam over my now naked body. When I shifted, I shredded my clothes. I’ll now have to be doubly careful. That is, if I can get out of this.
I watch as the Beta’s eyes go nearly as dark as Typhon’s. My only hope is to reason with him.
“Do you know that he killed his last Beta to claim a mate, my sister? He’ll kill you too.” I say.
He gives me a salacious smile. “I’m smarter than his last Beta. I made a deal with Alpha Typhon.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that? If you think he won’t kill you, you’re mistaken.”
“Why would he kill me. He’s agreed to share you with me, and I have no problem sharing. I love a good th*eesome. You can take us both at once, and both of us can knot you. Personally, I’m an a*s man, so I don’t care if I don’t get that pretty little p*ssy until after you’re good and pregnant with my Alpha’s child.”
His words make me sick. My sister never mentioned anything like that. But it’s possible that Typhon is desperate. Or, he may have. lied and is still planning to kill the Beta. I prefer those thoughts to those of what my sister may have suffered at Typhon’s hands.
“And don’t worry. I don’t mind if you fight it. I like a good fight, especially when I’m f*cking.”
“You’re as disgusting as he is.” I snarl at him.
As we’ve been talking, they’ve been moving closer to me, and I’ve been moving backward. When my back hits the cliff face, I know it’ s either fight or climb. I turn and jump, trying to get out of reach, but the Beta grabs my ankle, yanking me back to the ground.
I scream, fighting and slashing against him. He’s a large man, and very strong. He’s able to grab my hands and hold them with one hand behind my back while the other grips my throat. My back is to his front, and I watch as Typhon begins prowling toward me. I can feel the Beta’s excitement pressing against my backside.
He nuzzles my ear, whispering against it. “Now, be a good little baby maker and give my Alpha your neck, so he can mark you and we can be done with this.” He says and yanks my head to the side, giving Typhon access.
Typhon is so focused on marking me that he doesn’t realize what I’ m about to do until it’s too late. Just as he gets close enough, I
kick with all my might, smashing my leg into his balls. He doubles over, vomiting from the pain.
I swing my leg back, trying to knock the Beta’s knee out but lifts me off the ground by my throat.
“Well, now, little lady. I guess I’ll just have to mark you instead.” He says, pulling my closer to him. My stomach twists when I feel his breath on my neck, feel his canines coming out.
In the next moment, he is ripped off of me and I go flying. I turn and see Mason, fighting against the Beta while Elijah is fighting against Typhon.
Mason punches the Beta in the face, knocking him backward before jumping on top of him and pummeling him with his fists.. His claws come out and he begins scratching deep wounds into the Beta. He looks crazed, not from the claiming haze, but like he’s out for blood.
As he’s punching the Beta, he looks up at me.
“Run, Jara! They’ll be coming for you.”
When I don’t immediately move, he shouts at me.
“GO!”
I turn and run as if my life depends on it.