The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Jara
Jara
After leaving Elijah, I skirted around the territory, staying in the trees. I have food now, thanks to Elijah and based on what he told me, things are going to get increasingly worse in these last few days.
As I’m skirting the edge of the territory in the trees, I find another cliff. This one has a small watering hole in it. It’s probably meant to be drinking water, which I need, but I also need to wash this blood off of me.
I’m careful this time, checking all sides of the cliff before leaping from my tree to the top. I turn and immediately crouch to see what is going on below me. From here, I have a better view of the chaos on the forest floor. Everywhere I look, there are wolves fighting, running, hiding. It’s terrible. There are very few that are still in groups now, they all seem to be on their own.
I quickly drink some water before using it to clean my hand and arm. I look down at Mason’s shirt and realize that once again, it is also covered in blood. I check my surroundings once more before pulling it off and scrubbing the blood off in the water.
The sun is setting, but on this cliff, it is still shining down, keeping me warm in my nakedness. I lay the shirt down on a rock, letting the heat and sun dry it before I have to leave. I wish I could spend the night here but it’s not safe. Having seen how easily Typhon’s Beta snuck up on Elijah, I am not taking any chances.
As I wait, I watch what is happening below and eat another piece of meat. Everywhere I look, wolves are sniffing the ground, hunting for me. And everywhere I look, there are only wolves. No one seems, to be in their human form anymore. It must be because of
the claiming haze. In our wolf form, our senses are heightened even more than normal. It would make sense why Elijah said my scent would be addictive. In this form, my scent would be very strong. I’ve been all over this territory for the last five days.
Knowing that anyone that tries to claim me while in their wolf form will lose their claim, I decide that I’m going to stay in my human form. I had planned on it anyway, since I’m going to stay in the trees for as long as I can. But knowing that my claimants would have to get out of the haze long enough to realize they need to shift to catch me just confirms that decision. Because, even if I’m marked by a wolf, the claimant wouldn’t be eligible to claim me if he marks me while I’m in human form. Rule #4.
When the sun drops low enough that it is no longer hitting the top of this cliff, I grab the shirt, and pull it over my head. I take one more look around. I’ll try to come back here if it’s safe. I like it up here, especially since there is water. I take a couple more gulps, using my hands to scoop the water, before leaping into the nearest tree and heading toward my spot from last night. I felt safe there and no one was around. I’m hoping it still feels safe.
When I get closer, I catch Mason’s scent. He was here looking for me. When I leap into one of the trees I use to climb down, I realize that he was not only looking for me, he climbed my tree to get to me. I sniff the air again, making sure that he is gone before I proceed.
When I get to the tree where I slept last night, I see the meat. He left me food. I can’t help but smile. He will make a great mate.
Just as I pick up the food, I hear a snarling fight going on nearby. This tree is no longer safe, so I tie a knot into the shirt and put the strips of meat inside before I begin making my way to find another tree to sleep in.
I’m on the verge of stopping and settling in for the night when I hear the howl of the hunt. I’ve been hearing them for days now, so I’ve become accustomed to ignoring them. However, this one is coming from the direction I just left.
This person is actually hunting me.
The only choice I have is to climb higher. It’s not ideal. If I fall, I’ll be injured and unable to protect myself. But if I don’t, every remaining wolf in the territory will be under these trees very soon.
It’s dark now, but thankfully, I can see in the dark, as can all wolves. Mason’s shirt which was once white, is now so stained with blood that it at least doesn’t act as a beacon in the night.
I continue to climb until I hear a wolf, sniffing the air below me. I stop moving, standing as still as I can. This is not the branch that would have chosen to stand on, knowing I might be here a long time, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Quietly, I crouch down, trying to see how many wolves may be circling the tree. I only see one. He keeps putting his nose in the air, moving away before moving back. As I watch, he runs back to the trees I was just in, following my scent to this tree, then trying to catch my scent in the trees nearby.
He continues to do this, whining when he can’t pick up my scent and can’t hear me moving around. Periodically, other wolves come to see what’s going on or just accidentally cross this one’s path. He challenges every one of them, killing a couple when they challenge him back.
I realize, this is an Alpha wolf. His tenacity in trying to find my scent, his aggression to the other wolves, gives him away.
I look closer, trying to figure out which Alpha it is. This wolf is black as night with eyes that shine brightly in the moonlight. I feel
something inside me pull and I realize, this is Mason’s wolf. I’ve never seen him in his wolf form, but it doesn’t matter. I’m drawn to
him.
As I watch him, I realize he’s not shifting back to his human form. And it only takes me another moment to realize why that is. A
shiver of fear ripples up my spine.
Mason is in the claiming haze.