Chapter 17


    The iming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)


    Mason


    I’m so pissed that Elder Carson won’t listen to me about the Alpha in Layan’s lottery. He thinks I want to


    get him out with the possibility of getting in. He couldn’t be more wrong. He should be just as


    concerned as I am, but he seems more concerned about making sure everyone gets ‘their chance’ to


    catch a female.


    I’m ready to punch something until I see Jara. Something about her immediately calms my inner beast,


    so I decide to wait for her while she talks to Elder Carson.


    Title of the document


    I want to kiss her so desperately that it’s almost like she’s be the air I need to breathe and when


    my lips touch hers, I know instantly that she’s never kissed anyone before. This strong, powerful


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    Alpha bes shy and reserved under my gentle guidance. I can’t say I’m all that experienced either.


    There aren’t enough she-wolves left for the male wolves to date or even have short-term affairs.


    However, as an Alpha, when a female loses her mate, they havee to me forfort. So, I’ve been


    with more she-wolves than most werewolves, but not like I’ve heard it used to be when she- wolves


    would throw themselves at ranked members. Those days are long gone.


    I can tell when I end the kiss that Jara is dazed and I take advantage of the moment to sp her hand


    in mine, so we walk into the main room together, holding hands. It’s a power y on my part. I’m


    staking my im for Jara. It’s not that any other male wouldn’t do the same if given the opportunity, but


    she hasn’t given any of them the opportunity.


    When she pulls away, I let her go, but I watch her the rest of the evening. Because I’m watching, I see


    her search me out and at one point, I even watch her touch her lips briefly and I know she’s thinking of


    our kiss, especially when I see a blush blossom across her cheeks. When I finally catch her gaze, I


    wink at her, letting her know I’m thinking of her too.


    “Do you really think you stand a chance against me this time, Alpha Mason?” Alpha Typhones to


    stand next to me, his frustration radiating off of him like a bad cologne.


    “I’d say my chances are considerably better than yours, Alpha Typhon. Who did you have to bribe to be


    eligible for the iming event this year? I would think that killing one of our most precious pack


    members, an Alpha female, would be enough to have you disqualified from any future events.”


    “You should read the rule book,


    Alpha. Any unmated male is eligible to attend the iming event, and because Jara’s im will be


    open to anyone, I am automatically entered, as are you and every other wolf here.” He says arrogantly.


    “You make a very good point,


    Alpha. Why should a male who has lost his mate be eligible again for the iming. He already had his


    chance and has proven that he isn’t a worthy mate if he can’t keep his previous mate safe and alive.” I


    turn to look at him. “I’ll have to take that into consideration at the


    next council meeting and make sure thatw is changed before next year.”


    “You do that. It won’t make a difference for this year’s im. By then, Jara will be mine.”


    I chuckle at his egotism. “Good luck with that, Alpha. There’s no way I’m letting you catch her. And


    even if you did get past me, you’ll never get past her.” I say smugly before walking away


    I know that Jara would love nothing more than to kill Typhon for what he did to her sister.


    “What did Typhon want?” Elijah asks, as I walk up beside him. “The usual. He’s an a*s*s who thinks he


    can intimidate me.” Elijah snorts.


    “How’s Layan?” He asks me. I know he didn’t follow me into the hallway to check on the contestants.


    He stayed in the main room to keep our pack members in line. Since I didn’t feel any of their tether’s


    snap, I know he did his job well, as he always does.


    “She’s shaken. Not only was her room attacked, but the Alpha in her lottery became possessive,


    guarding her and not letting her pass.”


    He turns to look at me, as shocked as I was.


    “I know. I’ve already tried to talk to Elder Carson, but he refuses to listen. Thankfully, Jara insisted that


    either she or Beta Hana be at her side all night.”


    “I’m surprised he agreed to that.”


    I have to smile. “Apparently, his choices were to allow it, or they would all leave.”


    He turns to look at Jara. “She’ll make a great Luna.”


    It hurts to say it, but I know I’d rather have Elijah catch her than anyone other than me. “Or a Beta.”


    He shakes his head. “More and more I realize she is meant to be a Luna.”


    “Well, if I don’t catch her, you’ll be Alpha and she will be a Luna, so….” We leave the rest unsaid.


    He knows what that means, just as much as I do.


    The next morning, Beta Michael starts the day by announcing that the dead who were previously pulled


    in the lottery will be reced today. Any who have not yet been pulled for a lottery who would like to be


    entered into


    Mignon and Layan’s lottery could sign up. Apparently two of Mignon’s and one of Layan’s imants


    were killed in the events ofst night, in addition to another five whose names had not been pulled in


    the lottery.


    Two warriors are chosen for Mignon’s im and a Gamma is chosen for Layan’s. Elijah had entered his


    name again for Layan but wasn’t chosen.


    Next up is the lottery for Annabel. I walk to the tables to remove my name from her pool of imants. I


    notice fewer males are removing their names now. As more imants die each day, the tension is


    increasing and the need to im a mate is putting pressure on each male here, particrly the Alphas.


    I watch as the males are drawn for Annabel’s lottery and when Alpha Antonio’s name is pulled,


    Annabel turns to look at Jara and Hana. Jara gives her a nod. Interesting. I remember Seth thanking


    himst night as he was in the room with Jara. Jara must be giving him her stamp of approval.


    I stay for lunch, keeping an eye on Jara. Seth has be a standard fixture at our table. I know he


    wants Hana, and if it weren’t for Elijah, I’d be rooting for him to catch her. I think she will also make


    someone a great Luna. Just not me.


    At lunch, Elder Carson stands to tell us that anyone that is not chosen for tonight’s social gathering will


    not be allowed into the main hall until dinner time. He admonishes everyone for the events ofst night,


    as if this entire process isn’t to me, before bringing Beta Michael to the stage to call the groups for


    Hana and Jara’s social gatherings.


    When my name is called for Jara’s social gathering, I can’t help the covetous smile that spreads across


    my face, or the rumbling growl in my chest when she looks at me, her eyes darkening in anticipation.