The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74 Jara
Jara
It’s Day 5 and I’m exhausted. I didn’t sleep at all last night because Mason had me pinned on that small limb. I knew, no matter where I went that he’d follow me, so I held still. I was falling asleep on my feet when Elijah found me. I’m not sure how he did, but I
appreciated the help in getting away.
As much as the thought grosses me out, I head back to the tree with the large limb where I slept two nights. I know the bodies under the tree will be starting to rot, but maybe the smell will keep the wolves away. I need some sleep.
When I get there, the breeze is thankfully blowing the smell away from me so I’m able to lay down and close my eyes. Throughout the day, I hear the sounds of howling, snarling, fighting, but I sleep through most of it. None of it is close enough to concern me.
I wake up late in the afternoon. I can still hear the sounds near me and throughout the claiming territory, but the dead bodies beneath me seem to be keeping most everyone away.
As the sun begins to set, I grab some of my food and eat. Tomorrow, I need to get back to that little watering hole and drink some water.
Two more days. Two more days. It becomes my mantra.
I lean against the trunk of the tree, listening to the sounds of fighting. I wonder how many of these wolves will survive. How many have already died?
As I sit there, listening the sounds around me, I make my plan for the next two days. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the cliff and get water. I’ll
stay there all day and if I don’t see any males in human form, I’ll stay the night. Then, on the last day, I’ll begin heading toward the front. Anyone that is aware enough will realize that it will be the best place to catch me, meaning, I’ll be racing against every Alpha and possibly several other ranked members at the end. There may be a smattering of omegas and warriors too but based on the fighting and how early on they fell into the haze, I have to think that they are too far gone to know what day it is.
At some point in the middle of the night, I hear sniffing below me. I look down and see the black wolf with shiny grey eyes. Mason has found me again. Whether he tracked me or came here because he remembered that I’d been here, his wolf is here again.
I listen as he sniffs, trying to catch my scent around the scent of the dead bodies. When he starts to whimper, jumping and scratching at the tree, I know he’s found me.
I lean over, looking at him, wanting to know if my voice will soothe him. “Hey big guy. You found me again, didn’t you?”
He whines low in his chest. “Yeah, you know me well, don’t you?”
He woofs at me. I lay on my side, using my arm as a pillow and continue to look down at Mason.
“I haven’t seen your wolf before. You’re beautiful, in both forms. I hope, in a couple of days, that we can run in our wolf together.
He sits down, listening to me.
“I still have some of the food you gave me. Do you want some? You were busy fighting last night and then you must have had to heal today.”
I pull out a strip of meat and hold it out. He stands up, watching me closely. I drop it down and he s*atches it out of the air, eating
now
it hungrily.
He looks back up at me, his tail wagging, so I throw another strip down to him. He catches it and eats it in quick succession before laying down and putting his head on his paws.
“Are you my guard for the night, Mason? I feel safer having you here. But please be careful. I don’t want my future mate getting injured.”
“Woof.”
I roll over and fall to sleep, knowing he’s watching over me.
When I wake, I look down and see him looking up at me.
“I’m going to find some water. You should do the same. Only two days left, Mason. I plan to walk out of here on my own.”
He growls at that. So, somewhere in his mind, he can still
understand what I’m saying. I’ll be interested to see how long that lasts. Hopefully it will stay that way.
I toss another strip of meat to him before eating one myself. Then I begin moving through the trees. Every time I look down, my Alpha protector is following me.
Periodically, we run into other wolves, and he snarls a challenge at them. There is only one time that he has to fight. The others recognize his dominance and leave. He continues to follow me as I jump from tree to tree. It may not be what’s happening, but it feels like he’s keeping watch over me, keeping me safe.
When I get to the cliff, I check to make sure that it’s clear. Before I jump, I look at him, blowing him a kiss. He growls at me, starting to prowl at the bottom of the cliff.
I go to the water and begin drinking. I am so thirsty. It’s been over a day since I’ve had anything to drink.
I sit back, splashing water over my face and on my neck, washing off the sweat of the claiming. I feel disgusting, dirty, and sweaty. And that’s not including this disgusting shirt that has who knows how many wolves blood staining it.
I decide while I have some time, I’ll wash the shirt again and set it on the rock to dry.
I find another rock to sit on and look down over the cliff face. Mason is no longer there. I’m not sure where he went. I’m looking around, trying to find him when I hear gravel shift behind me.
I jump up and turn, coming face to face with a battered, filthy Typhon.
“Hello mate.”