Chapter 72
The iming by Cooper (Jara & Mason)
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Jara
After leaving Elijah, I skirted around the territory, staying in the trees. I have food now, thanks to Elijah
and based on what he told me, things are going to get increasingly worse in thesest few days.
As I’m skirting the edge of the territory in the trees, I find another cliff. This one has a small watering
hole in it. It’s probably meant to be drinking water, which I need, but I also need to wash this blood off
of me.
Title of the document
I’m careful this time, checking all sides of the cliff before leaping from my tree to the top. I turn and
immediately crouch to see what is going on below me. From here, I have a better view of the chaos on
the forest floor. Every where I look, there are wolves fighting, running, hiding. It’s terrible. There are
very few that are still in groups now, they all seem to be on their own.
I quickly drink some water before using it to clean my hand and ami. I look down at Mason’s shirt and
realize that once again, it is also covered in blood. I check my surroundings once more before pulling it
off and scrubbing the blood off in the water.
The sun is setting, but on this cliff, it is still shining down, keeping me warm in my nakedness. Iy the
shirt down on a rock, letting the heat and sun dry it before I have to leave. I wish I could spend the night
here but it’s not safe. Having seen how easily Typhon’s Beta snuck up on Elijah, I am not taking any
chances.
As I wait, I watch what is happening below and eat another piece of meat. Everywhere I look, wolves
are sniffing the ground, hunting for me. And everywhere I look, there are only wolves. No one seems to
be in their human form anymore. It must be because of the iming haze, in our wolf form, our senses
are heightened even more than normal. It would make sense why Elijah said my scent would be
addictive. In this form, my scent would be very strong. I’ve been all over this territory for thest five
days.
Knowing that anyone that tries to im me while in their wolf form will lose their im, I decide that I’m
going to stay in my human form. I had nned on it anyway, since I’m going to stay in the trees for as
long as I can. But knowing that my imants would have to get out of the haze long enough to realize
they need to shift to catch me just confirms that decision. Because, even if I’m marked by a wolf, the
imant wouldn’t be eligible to im me if he marks me while I’m in human form. Rule #4.
When the sun drops low enough that it is no longer hitting the top of this cliff, I grab the shirt, and pull it
over my head. I take one more look around. I’ll try toe back here if it’s safe. I like it up here,
especially since there is water. I take a couple more gulps, using my hands to scoop the water, before
leaping into the nearest tree and heading toward my spot fromst night. I felt safe there and no one
was around. I’m hoping it still feels safe.
When I get closer, I catch Mason’s scent. He was here looking for me. When I leap into one of the trees
I use to climb down, I realize that he was not only looking for me, he climbed my tree to get to me. I
sniff the air again, making sure that he is gone before I proceed.
When I get to the tree where I sleptst night, I see the meat. He left me food. I can’t help but smile. He
will make a great mate.
Just as I pick up the food, I hear a snarling fight going on nearby. This tree is no longer safe, so I tie a
knot into the shirt and put the strips of meat inside before I begin making my way to find another tree to
sleep in.
I’m on the verge of stopping and settling in for the night when I hear the howl of the hunt. I’ve been
hearing them for days now, so I’ve be ustomed to ignoring them. However, this one ising
from the direction I just left.
This person is actually hunting me. The only choice I have is to climb higher.
It’s not ideal. If I fall, I’ll be injured and unable to protect myself. But if I don’t, every remaining wolf in
the territory will be under these trees very soon.
It’s dark now, but thankfully, I can see in the dark, as can all wolves. Mason’s shirt which was once
white, is now so stained with blood that it at least doesn’t act as a beacon in the night.
I continue to climb until I hear a wolf, sniffing the air below me. I stop moving, standing as still as I can.
This is not the branch that I would have chosen to stand on, knowing I might be here a long time, but
there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Quietly, I crouch down, trying to see how many wolves may be circling the tree. I only see one. He
keeps putting his nose in the air, moving away before moving back. As I watch, he runs back to the
trees I was just in, following my scent to this tree, then trying to catch my scent in the trees nearby.
He continues to do this, whining when he can’t pick up my scent and can’t hear me moving around.
Periodically, other wolvese to see what’s going on or just identally cross this one’s path. He
challenges every one of them, killing a couple when they challenge him back.
I realize, this is an Alpha wolf. His tenacity in trying to find my scent, his aggression to the other wolves,
gives him away.
I look closer, trying to figure out which Alpha it is. This wolf is ck as night with eyes that shine
brightly in the moonlight. I feel something inside me pull and I realize, this is Mason’s wolf. I’ve never
seen him in his wolf form, but it doesn’t matter. I’m drawn to him.
As I watch him, I realize he’s not shifting back to his human form. And it only takes me another moment
to realize why that is. A shiver of fear ripples up my spine.
Mason is in the iming haze.