Chapter 3
The iming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
Jara
I’ve packed my things. I won’t being back here unless I’m extremely lucky. Seth, on the other
hand, is packing for six weeks. There is a week before the iming begins where the imants can get
to know the females eligible for the im. It’s also the tune where the rules are announced and agreed
to by all contenders, and the lotteries are drawn. This year, only the first four lotteries will be pulled.
Everyone left after the first four ims will be eligible to join my im.
I hug my parents’ goodbye. I told them they didn’t have toe this year. They had such high hopes
for M. Going back to the iming would only traumatize them, having to remember thest time they
ever saw their daughter. I want ourst time together to be positive, and I have to hope that I’
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I’ll being home with Seth. If not, this may be thest time I ever see my parents. It will be
dependent on the one who ims me and if he allows me to visit. Alpha Typhon never let my sister out
of his sight.
My mother is hugging me and sobbing, terrified that I’ll end up like my sister.
My father finally has toe and force her to let me go. She then hugs Seth, knowing she’ll see him
soon. He’ll be back one way or the other, only the females are forced to move to the male’s packs.
My father hugs me tightly. “Remember everything I’ve taught you, Jara. You’re strong, smart and fast.
Use everything you know to stay safe. And if it gets to the point where you won’t get out unimed, you
make the choice. You choose who gets to mark you.”
“I will dad. Thank you, for everything. I love you both and I hope to see you soon.”
As Seth and I pull away, I wave to my parents. My father has his arm wrapped around my mother’s
shoulders, standing stoically as she sobs against his chest. Just before we turn down the road to the
iming, I see him wipe a tear from his face. I look away, I have to stay strong, and seeing my father
break down will break me. He’s an Alpha male, they don’t cry or show any weakness. My father has
always been the strength of our family and our pack. I hate that this is breaking him.
“I heard they had to expand the apartments and the territory this year because of therge number of
imants.” Seth says as we drive.
“I’m not surprised. I bet they have guards for us too. With this many males and so many of them Alpha
males, they’ll need to make sure that none of us are imed before we make it to the ceremony.”
Seth gives me a side eye nce, a smile twitching at his lips. “I’d like to see any one of them try to
mark you outside the im.”
“Most of them will be lucky to mark me inside the im.” I say snarkily, earning a full-on smile from my
brother.
We spend our trip going over the biggestpetitors for Seth which also makes them my biggest
concerns.
“Alpha Mason and his Beta, Elijah, are in thepetition again this year.”
“I saw that.”
“He doesn’t seem so bad.” Seth says.
I turn and look at him. “Why does that matter?”
“I heard what dad said to you. I’m just saying, both of them and their pack have a good reputation.”
“Have you met either of them?”
“They were both at thest two iming’s, and I think they might have been at M’s too. I spoke to
them briefly, but I could tell that neither of them was happy that Typhon imed her.”
“Of course, they weren’t. It meant that they didn’t im her.”
“No, it was more than that. It was like they had no respect for him. I wasn’t in her im, obviously, so I
don’t know exactly what happened, but it apparently wasn’t something that was illegal. Otherwise, his
im would have been contested.”
“Well, we know he’s an a*s*shole that doesn’t care that our female poption is nearly depleted. All he
cares about is getting an heir.”
I mull over what Seth said as we pull into the iming territory. There’s a line to get into the territory. It
looks like there is a gate and guards checking people in.
“Is it always like this?” I ask Seth.
“No, this is new. I guess you were right about the guards.” It’s nearly a half an hour before we get to the
gate. Seth rolls his window down.
“Name?”
“Seth and Jara Lykos.”
The guard’s eyes immediately look up and lock onto me. I watch as he sniffs the air before he leans his
head to a radio on his shoulder.
“I need an escort.” He says, turning to the guard behind him.
“Alpha female.” He whispers to the guy. I look at Seth.
“What is this about?” Seth asks him.
Hees back to the car. “We are responsible for making sure that none of the females are forcibly
marked before their iming. As the Alpha female, you are our highest priority.”
Oh great, I get to arrive with tons of fanfare.
“The female rooms are in a separate building from the males. You‘re going to follow the escort to the
female apartments. Once her bags are unpacked, you must leave the area immediately. The only
reason you are allowed in there is because you are her brother. But you are not allowed to linger.
Understood?” The guard says to Seth.
“Understood.” He says as six cars pull up, two putting themselves right in front of us.
“Pull up slowly, Mr. Lykos. Once the escort has surrounded your vehicle, they will direct you to the
female apartments.”
Seth does as he’s told, not that he has a choice. We’re surrounded quickly and escorted to a building
separated from the mam building. It looks new, like the paint might still be drying.
When we get there, I get out and a guard from every car also gets out. Onees over to Seth and
tells him to remain in the car. Another goes to the front of the building and grabs a rolling cart for my
luggage, the others take a protective stance around me. I notice that they are all carrying guns. I’m
guessing they are tilled with silver bullets.
I go to the back of the car and open the trunk, beginning to pull out my bags. When the guard with the
rolling cartes over, he begins loading them onto the cart. When it’s done, he pulls my luggage
toward the front of the building where I’ll apparently be living for the next month or so.
I turn to go say goodbye to Seth. A guard moves to stand in my way.
“Ms. Lykos, I must ask you to head inside the building.”
“I will, once I say goodbye to my brother.”
“I’m sorry Miss, that is not allowed.”
I give him my best fake smile. “I’m going to say goodbye to my brother and if you, or anyone else gets
in my way, I’ll remove you. Am I clear?” I push out my aura. None of these guards are Alphas, so their
wolves will feel the need to submit to mine. Maybe this is why there are so many of them. If an Alpha
tried tomand them, there are enough to overpower him.
His lips thin, but he steps back. “Yes, Alpha.”
I walk up to the driver’s side door and knock on the window. When the windowes down, I can see
that Seth is trying hard to hide hisughter.
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“It’s not funny.” I snarl.
“It sort of is. Give me a hug.” I lean in and hug him.
“Text me and let me know you are okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, probably.” He says before rolling up his
window and driving toward the main building.
When I get to the top of the stairs of the building, there’s a female standing there, watching me.
“It looks like you enjoyed your pomp and circumstance as much as I did.” She says before holding out
her hand. “I’m Hana, the Beta.”
I shake her hand. “I’m Jara, the Alpha.”
“Wee to hell, Alpha.”