The Claiming by Cooper novel Chapter 176

Layan’s Return Chapter 21. Jara

288 Vouchers

Jara

I’m spending some quiet time with my babies today. I went to the morning meeting and the females have closed out their claimings. Katerina picked her fifty, McKenna picked 51 in case one of her claimants catches Katerina and Layan chose 11, one extra in case Alpha Davis catches one of the other females.

The next 24 hours will be more relaxing for me. The males that haven’t been chosen for a claiming will leave the territory, so after tonight, there will only be 112 unmated males left. Katerina, being first, will go into the territory in two days and her 50 claimants will go in the day after that.

Layan ended up choosing some of the omegas from her pack that she works with in the kitchen but surprisingly, she also chose a few warriors from my pack. I asked her about it, and she said that she had heard that one of Mason’s warriors had carried her out of the claiming and brought her to me after her assault last year.

“His name is Sebastian. When I was in your pack, he came up to me. asking if I was okay and letting me know that he was the one that carried me out. He told me how frightened he’d been that I would die and how happy he was that I had survived. I thought, ‘well, if this guy saw me at my worst, knew to bring me to Jara and is still willing to be in my claiming, he must be a good guy.”” She told me.

“He is a good guy. I didn’t know his name at the time and honestly, I didn’ t care. I almost killed him and so did Mason.”

“But he still did what was right. A man like that would look after me, never hurt me, don’t you think?” She asks me.

“Yes. I do think a man like that would take care of you Layan. But honestly, you’re not the same person you were a year ago.

She snorts. “Obviously.” She says sadly.

“No, sweetheart, you misunderstand me. I mean that a year ago, you were a sweet, innocent, naïve girl that wanted someone to take care of her. Now, you are a sweet, not so innocent or naïve girl, that knows how to take care of herself. You’ve grown a lot in the last year Layan. Not everyone could have survived what you did, physically or mentally. But here you are. You are amazing. And if Alpha Davis claims you, you will make an amazing Luna.”

She drops her head, looking away from me.

“Layan?”

She looks up. “I like Alpha Davis a lot. He’s a good man and I know he’d be a good mate. But Jara, I want Elijah. I want him with everything in me. Alpha Davis has helped me a lot over the past year, but, he’s my Alpha. I just feel like Elijah is my mate or should be.”

“You know you can always choose, right Layan?”

She nods. “But don’t you think he’d be disappointed if I didn’t give him a good chase, Jara?”

I can’t help but smile at the utter sweetness of this woman. “No. I think that if you decide to choose him, actually say ‘Elijah, I want you as my mate’ he won’t care if he only took two steps into the territory. He loves you, Layan. He wants you as much as you want him.”

Then I get to see a bit of the woman that Layan has become. “He should have to work for it, at least a little. I’m not giving in that easily.”

That’s my girl.

“Well, no matter what happens, you and I will remain friends. But selfishly, I hope that Elijah claims you. Then we’ll live together, and you’ d be my Beta female.” I tell her.

Her mou

felt comfortable and safe in your pack, but I hadn’t considered that I’d be your Beta female.’

“Yep, you’d be stuck spending day after day with me, Layan.”

“It would be perfect. I’d have the man I love and my best friend all at once.”

“Tell me about the other men you chose.” I say and we talk for a long time. I nurse the twins and she burps them. It’s obvious to me that she would love to have a pup of her own. I can see the yearning in her eyes when she holds my children.

“You know, it might happen Layan.” I say to her.

“I know. I just don’t want to get my hopes up. It’s not definite. But I would love to have my own little one. Maybe a little boy or girl with my blond hair and Elijah’s curls. Wouldn’t that be cute?”

“Any child that you have would be precious, Layan.”

“Luna Jara, Luna Jara!” I hear someone yelling in the hallway.

Layan is up in an instant, opening the door to our bedroom. “What is it?” She asks.