The Claiming by Cooper Book 6
The Gamma Tournament by Cooper (Ezekiel & Gianna)
Chapter 11 Jara
I’m watching this man, Desmond, in front of me, hoping to see anything that will help me identify who his parents were. I have to guess that he looks like his mother and that I never met her, because he doesn’t look familiar to me at all.
“Do you know what pack your mother was from?” I ask Desmond. Nothing about him smells off. His wolf feels weak, but after a decade or more of taking wolfsbane, he’s lucky to still have a wolf at all. He doesn’t come across as if he’s lying or has any sinister intent.
“I don’t. I only know her name was Clara.”
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“Do you know her last name or who your father was?” Mason asks him.
“My aunt’s last name was Smith, but I kept my mother’s name, Simmons. And I don’t know who my father is. There’s no name on my birth certificate and I never met him,” he says.
“How old were you when your mother was killed?” I ask.
“I was only about six months old. Like I said, they sent me to live with Aunt Melody. She raised me and that was that.”
“You don’t have any family? Your aunt didn’t have any children?” I ask him.
“No. For as long as I was with her, she was never with a man. I’m not sure if she preferred women, she didn’t have any female companions that I ever saw either.”
“There were a lot of problems with the packs during the time your mother would have been alive. I’m guessing she lived in a pack that was decimated in our pack wars,” Mason tells him.
“So, it’s unlikely that my father or anyone is alive who could tell me about my mother or where I come from?” he asks.
“I didn’t say that. There are still some people who chose to join our packs from back in that time. Some of them are old enough that they might remember your mother. But not all of the packs survived. There’s a strong possibility that we may not be able to find answers for you, but we can try,” Mason says.
“Thank you for that. I’d be happy to know anything about my family or my history,” he says.
“Do you have a picture of your mother by chance?” I ask him.
“No, my aunt got rid of everything that might bring the packs after me when my mom was killed, or so she said. Aunt Melody said she and my mother looked alike, but…” he says shrugging.
“Do you have any idea what your mother did in the pack? Did your aunt ever mention anything?” Mason asks him.
“No, I really don’t know anything at all about her. If my aunt knew, she never told me.”
“What is it you are hoping to achieve while you are here?” Jace asks him.
“I’m looking for a place where I feel like I belong. As I said, the longer my aunt is gone, the more I feel uncomfortable and out of place in the city. The minute I got here, it felt like it’s where I’m supposed to be.”
I look at Jace who gives me a nod. “Okay then, Alpha Jace and Alpha Jordan have agreed to let you stay here. There is a lot going on right now. My son and my daughter both just had twins, so the pack is pretty s*ensitive to strangers. I tell you that as a warning. If you give the pack any reason to believe that you are a threat to any of us, but most significantly to the future heirs of two packs, they won’t hesitate to kill you,” I tell him.
“I understand. Truly, I just want to learn about my heritage and if I can find out more about my mother and maybe my father, that would be great.”
“Okay, I’ll show you around. Besides the baby boom that we’re currently having, we have also recently been attacked by rogues,” Jace begins.
‘The same ones that kidnapped Gianna and the other females,” Ezekiel says, jumping in.
Desmond looks at us. “I’d like to see the females that survived. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that it’s against their laws to keep them here against their will. But as a Detective who has been searching forthem for months, I would like to see the ones that survived.”
“I can arrange that, if they are agreeable. I won’t force them. They’ve been through enough. But if they agree, I can set up a meeting with you and them,” Jace says.
“And Levi,” Ezekiel says under his breath, but we all hear him.
“And Levi,” Jace agrees, “if Emily agrees.”
“She’ll agree,” I say, having seen first-h*and how Levi was working his way into her heart. I don’t know what that means, but I know that Dr. Braxton has some news for us and based on his excitement, it will be interesting. I just hope I’m still on the council after tonight to make sure that Emily and Levi can have their happily ever after.
“I’ll want you to train while you’re here. It’s a requirement of all young men and women in the pack, and guests always take part as well. Ezekiel, would you mind assessing Desmond’s skills and beginning his training, as you’re an elite fighter?” Jace asks him. “I’d be happy to. I was going to begin training the humans as well. Levi and I started talking about it before I left. I want Gianna to try to get stronger so after our daughter is born, she can shift, and the women want to learn how to defend themselves,” he says.
Jace looks at Desmond. “It will be good for your wolf too. The stronger you are, the stronger your wolf will be. And if you already have some training, that will only make it easier. Come on. I’ll show you around, give you an overview of the rules of the pack and then talk to Emily and Bailey about meeting with you.”
“Thank you, all of you. I appreciate it,”
Desmond says and stands, extending his h*and to shake ours.
I shake his h*and and hold it. “First rule, shifters don’t t*ouch unless it’s family or a mate,” I tell him, smiling to take the sting out of the words.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I…”
“You’re here to learn. You have nothing to be sorry about,” I say, releasing his h*and.
He nods at Mason. “Thank you.”
Mason nods as we stand, watching them walk out. “See you soon, Desmond.”
When they leave, I look at Mason. “What did you think?”
“I believe him, you?”
“Yes,” I say as he comes over and wraps his arms around me.
“How are you doing?” he says, nuzzling his nose against the side of my head. I’m nervous about the elections tonight.
I sigh. “I’m okay.”
“I know you really want this. I know you like being on the council. I think you have a good chance of being re-elected. You’ve been a good councilmember, active and h*ard working. Both you and Antonio have been. Jason should have never returned, and both Saul and Gia are ready to retire and spend time with their grandchildren. It will be interesting to see who gets elected.”
“Griffin, Aiden and Maximus are running for the men. I think all three of them have a good chance of getting elected, although based on his previous thoughts, I hope it’s not Aiden. For the women, Sophia and Melinda are both top runners for the women’s seats,” I say.
“I was surprised that Melinda threw her hat into the mix. She’s got a lot on her plate, with three young children,” Mason says as I lean into him. Even after all these years, his scent of a winter breeze still calms me, his arms making me feel safe and loved. “And another on the way,” I say chuckling. “She’s pregnant again?” he asks.
“Mmhmm, I just heard yesterday and hadn’t had a chance to tell you,” I say.
He k*isses the side of my head. “If you aren’t elected, we’ll just have to find some way to fill your time,” he says.
“I already hate leaving you in the morning.
Are you saying you’d be giving me more incentive to stay in bed with you?”
“If it’s incentive you need, I’m sure I can find some,” he says, leaning in to k*iss me. My b*ody’s response is instant, pressing myself against him, loving his taste as his t*ongue slides into my m*outh.
When we finally pull away, his hair a mess from where my f*ingers slid into it, I look up at this incredible man. Knowing what we know now about fated mates, I have to believe that he was always meant for me. “How do I love you more and more every day? Every day, I think it’s not possible to love you more, then the next day comes, and I do. Everyday my love for you continues to grow.”
He runs his nose over mine, and I close my eyes, enjoying this moment of just us.
“I don’t know Jara, but I do know that I love you more now than I did the day I met you, more than the day I claimed you, more than the day you had our children, more than yesterday. I feel the same. Everyday my heart feels like it could burst with my love for you, and every day, my love grows deeper and stronger.”
“Aunt Jara…” I hear from the other room.
I take another moment to stroke my mate’s cheek. “Goddess I’m so lucky you caught me all those years ago,” I say.
“Luck had nothing to do with it, Jara. You were mine, even back then. No one was going to take you away from me. Not then, and not now.”
“I’m in here,” I call to Gianna, but I continue to look at my mate, still incredibly gorgeous after all these years. The silver streaks in his hair only making him more attractive to me.
“Aunt Jara, I…oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she says, coming into the room.
“You didn’t,” I say, tearing my gaze from Mason’s.
“What can I do for you?” I ask, quickly checking her over to make sure she’s not in pain and nothing is off with the baby. “Ezekiel said there’s some election thing tonight and I should talk to you about what it means,” she says. “Hi, Uncle Mason.”
“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” he says, stepping away and looking her over as I did. “I’m good. This pregnancy is just as easy as the other one was. Well, easier really since I don’t have all the stress.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he says, turning and k*issing me deeply again. A promise of what’ s to come tonight and I already can’t wait. “I’ll leave you to it,” he says, stroking his f*ingers down my face to my arm and my f*ingers as he walks away, unwilling to lose our t*ouch.
I watch him walk away until Gianna sighs.
I look at her. “It really is the most amazing feeling in the world, isn’t it?” she asks. “There’s nothing better than the love of your mate,” I agree.