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CHAPTER 10: GOODBYE CEDAR PACK
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-15 20:37:35
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CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 11: HIS RETURN
HAILEYAs I stood on the balcony of my makeshift room in Ryan's packhouse, the wind blew through my hair. The Alpha King's realm seemed so vast in front of me that I should have been in awe. Rather, my heart was heavy, burdened by everything I had been through and everything I still had to face. I believed that I would find serenity after leaving the Cedar Pack two years ago. It didn't. I had exchanged one storm for another, and Ryan was at the heart of this one. With memories nagging at me, I turned my back on the scenery. My thoughts drifted back to the quarrel that had ripped through us like wildfire the instant he'd left. Ryan had added, "Hailey, you don't understand," in a strained voice.Ryan's voice was tense with annoyance as he said these words to me. I snapped, my chest heaving under the weight of my rage. "Then make me understand," I said. He whispered, "I can't," with a mixture of pain and resolve in his eyes. "You simply intend to leave like this? After everything? Despit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 12: HER FRAGILITY
RYANThe dimly lit hallway outside Hailey’s room felt like it belonged to another world—her world, one I didn’t fit into anymore. The shadows clung to me as I stood there, leaning my head against the cool wall, my hands restless. Two years. That’s how long I’d spent trying to clean up the mess I’d made, hoping to piece together a life I’d shattered. But nothing prepared me for seeing Hailey again, standing tall and unshakable like she was born to lead.She’d always been strong even when she was tagged wolfless. I knew she wasn’t; I felt how powerful her wolf was. Now? She was untouchable.Through the door, I caught the soft sound of a whimper. Then, Hailey’s voice was calm and comforting.Alexia.The name hit me like a punch to the gut. The little pup had worked her way into Hailey’s heart, a heart I thought I’d someday have a chance to mend. She's my Beta's child yet she is so unbelievably attached to her. Now, I felt like an outsider in my own home.The door creaked open, and Hailey
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 13: LONG WAY TO GO
HAILEYAlexia's giggles were a soothing balm on my exhausted soul as her little fists clutched the ears of her stuffed wolf and she toddled across the pack office floor. She had no clue about the tempest raging on around her. Truly, for a pup of her age, ignorance was bliss.I leaned back in the armchair, my eyes trained on her, but my senses stayed sharp. Across the room, Ryan was seated on the couch, his gaze fixed on Alexia as though she held the answers to all the questions haunting him. I know he wonders why a child that isn't ours could be so attached to me, I pondered on this also for a long time before I gave up.He looked different, older and more burdened somehow, more desperate. His eyes flickered to me searching, but I refused to grant him the satisfaction of meeting it. Let him stew."Hailey," he finally said, his deep voice breaking into the silence.I didn't say a word; I didn't owe him that much."Can we talk?" he tried again, softer this time.Alexia crawled over to m
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-18CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 14: JEALOUSY
RYANWith wolves in their best costumes, the big ballroom was a sea of sophistication where guests were mingling and enjoying champagne while the chandeliers softly glowed over the space. The charity ball was an annual event that showcased the pack's unity and success, but tonight, looks are of no importance to me. I was going crazy because Hailey had turned into a vision that I couldn't take my eyes off of tonight. Everybody in the room was staring at her dress, a sleek black one that fit her curves like it had been painted on. There was just enough of her neckline exposed to be hazardous, and a slit up her thigh revealed long, toned legs that made all the male wolves in the room gag. Her flaming red hair fell in wild waves down her back, framing a face that was equal parts beautiful and unreachable, her big generous bosom leaving me drooling. The kiss we exchanged when I initially introduced her to the pack was the closest I've ever been to her, and at the moment, she's purposefully
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-18CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 15: FULL MOON
HAILEYFour weeks. Four long, painful weeks of ignoring Ryan. Four weeks of pretending his presence didn’t claw at my resolve, or the memory of his touch didn’t haunt my nights.Tonight, I was determined to keep it that way.The full moon hung high in the sky, its light filtering through my window as I locked the heavy steel door to my chambers. My heart had arrived with brutal intensity, my skin burning, my body aching with a need I refused to acknowledge.I paced the room, the ache building with every passing moment. The primal part of me screamed for release, for the touch of my mate. But I wouldn’t give in. Not after everything he’d done.I pressed a hand to my chest, willing the bond to quiet. The mark he’d left on me four weeks ago pulsed faintly, a reminder of his claim and the bond we now shared. The connection was stronger tonight, the full moon amplifying every sensation, every emotion.“Damn it,” I muttered, collapsing onto the bed.The room was soundproofed, reinforced wit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-18CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 16: MINE OR NO ONE'S
LUCYThe moment I caught the faint scent of blood and the unmistakable musk of a freshly formed mate bond, my world tilted. My chest tightened, and a deep, primal fury surged within me.No. It couldn’t be.But the whispers around the ballroom confirmed my worst fear. Ryan had done it. He’d marked her.The grand charity ball, once a spectacle of elegance and sophistication, now felt suffocating. The chandeliers overhead sparkled mockingly, the chatter of the pack wolves grating on my ears. The music seemed distant, drowned out by the thunderous roar of my wolf clawing at my insides.Ryan was mine. He was supposed to be mine.I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. The pain grounded me, but only slightly. Every fibre of my being screamed for retribution, for justice. How dare she steal him from me? How dare he let her?I couldn’t stay here. Not with the scent of their bond saturating the air, a cruel reminder of what should have been mine.I turned sharply on my heel, my hee
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 17: WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS
THOMASThe woodland was alive, with branches groaning, secrets being spoken by the wind, and the eerie hoot of an owl echoing overhead. With every stride, my boots dug into the wet dirt, drawing me more into the forest. The trees appeared determined to absorb the light and cover everything in gloom, despite the moon's light trying to reach the canopy. The sensation in my chest was more electric and sharper than terror. I felt a tinge of anticipation. It might change tonight. Maybe tonight I'll get back what I lost. I might win something I never would have imagined. She had been anticipating my arrival. Like a figure carved from the night itself, the witch stood in a clearing illuminated by a flickering lantern. The red hood she wore, black curls spilt from its edges, and the scarlet hood looked strikingly vivid against the dark background. The black, smouldering coals in her eyes seared right through me, even though I couldn't see her face well. "You're running late," she said. Despit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 18: QUEEN OF ALL
HAILEY Shadows clung to the trees like a quiet audience as the edge of the woodland loomed behind me. I held on to Alexia's small, lifeless body, her icy weight a harsh reminder of the atrocities I had just witnessed. The thorns and sharp stones were unrelenting, and my legs burned from scrapes. But in all honesty. The ache scarcely registered. It had no significance. Amenià stirred within me, her presence laden with fury and sorrow. Amenià whispered in my mind, "She's just a child," in a low, unpolished voice. "This wasn't fair to her. Not one bit of it. My voice broke as I muttered back, "She didn't deserve this." But now she's here. Additionally, I won't let her leave. Now that I could see the park entrance, I could hear the pounding footsteps and panicked cries of Logan, Flora, and Ryan behind me. They were after us. Screaming for me. With every heartbeat, Alexia's flame was fading, and she was drifting farther away. “No,” I muttered, holding her closer. "No, she won't leave me."
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20
Bab terbaru
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 116: SUSPICION
DAVID There was a perceptible weight to the air in the castle. Unease. Mistrust. It thickened with each glance that was directed at me, becoming almost tangible. Ryan kept an eye on me. He was constantly observing. As Jaden guided me around the castle, his voice full of excitement, I caught a glimpse of his golden eyes across the courtyard. The escalating conflict between his parents went unnoticed by him. Between us. "Come on," Jaden urged me to move on. "The war rooms are still hidden from you. Following the previous vampire incursion, my mother had them reinforced. His mom. I stifled a grin, maintaining a deliberately neutral expression. What was about to happen was unknown to Hailey. Neither did Jaden. As we went beneath imposing arches, the smell of steel and old parchment filled the air. Jaden babbled on about history and war tactics, but I was still focused on other things. Ryan was still suspicious and in my space. He continued to observe. A predator identifies a fellow preda
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 115: A NEW GAME BEGINS
ATHENAMy body was still hurting from my run-in with that mongrel, Marissa. I had underestimated the speed of that nasty mongrel. But I am smarter than I let on. However, I had fared worse. And the only thing that mattered was survival. With the castle lights flickering behind me, I fled into the shadows of the thick woodland. They had dismissed me as if I were unimportant. Me. Athena. This is my generation's strongest witch. I suppressed the anger and allowed it to boil beneath my skin, even though the insult was more painful than the injuries on my body. Since I had a strategy. They believed they had triumphed. They believed I had lost. However, they were unaware of my abilities. Now, I had a new ally. The trees grew thicker as I moved deeper into the forest, the scent of damp earth and night-blooming flowers filling the air. I mumbled an incantation beneath my breath and felt the energy race through my veins. A tiny glimmer flared in the darkness ahead. He waited. David. Azure's s
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 114: THE VISION
ISAIAHAt Dusk My chambers were illuminated by a low flame that threw the stone walls into writhing shadow. Purifying sacrifices, smoke curled in languid tendrils, bearing the faintest whisper of rosemary and sage. Tonight, however, clarity eluded me. I looked down at the relics strewn across the entire floor as I stood before the huge oak table with my hands spread against its surfaces. A basin of fetid water polluted by the ink of prophecy, bones carved with ancient symbols, and loose runes—each inscribed with a message that I strained to interpret. Something was amiss. It had been days since I first felt the unease that coiled like a snake in my stomach. Some invisible force caused the air to vibrate, a turbulence that whispered betrayal and hidden threats. Hailey had sensed it. Ryan had felt it. Logan had even said it. But the complete vision remained obscured, like a cloudy mirror that refused to clear. I closed my eyes and blew out a breath through my nose. "Show me." The room v
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 113: UNINVITED GUEST
RYANEVENING TIMEThe moment Jaden left Hailey alone in the gardens, I knew something had changed. I had watched from the shadows, giving them the space they needed, even though every instinct in me had screamed to step in, protect her, protect them both. My mate and my son are two forces of nature, too proud to give in. But tonight, something in Jaden had cracked-just a little. And Hailey had let him.The night air was thick with an unspoken promise of war as I stepped forward. And I didn't need Isaiah's visions or the sharp instincts of Hailey to tell me the danger was drawing in a circle. I knew it in my bones.Still seated on the stone bench, her fingers absently traced the cold surface,, lost in thought, till she looked up when she sensed me, catching the moonlight in her gold eyes."How long have you been lurking?" she asked, her voice amused but weary.I sat down beside her, extending my legs before me. "Long enough to know that he's starting to come around."She hummed in resp
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 112: A MOTHER'S GUT
HAILEY I'd never felt what it's like to carry the weight of the crown until then. I was standing on the balcony of my room, looking down and over the expanse beyond the walls. It was quiet that night but not peaceful. Something was off; there was something in the air. How the trees seemed to whisper in the wind, the freak mist obscuring the moon, my gut telling me of the impending danger. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to still myself, but nothing seemed to still the growing unease in my chest. A Voice in the Dark A voice inside me whispered, "You feel it too," "Amenia." "My wolf." my very best friend, My most fierce protector. Her words, "Something stirs in the dark," she said, her voice heightened with uncertainty. "The air reeks of betrayal." I wrapped my fingers over the chilly stone railing and nodded. "I feel it. Yet it's like a hurricane in wait. There was a low rumble deep in my head. "That storm is close, and even now, as it is, many conspire against you." I
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 111: WANTING HER
CONNORI watched as Athena's figure disappeared into the shadows of my hall, the scent of dark magic and deceit she carried on her like an intoxicating perfume. Witches. Always scheming. Always thinking they're the smartest in the room, believing every other person beneath them. Fools. If only she knew....but two can play the game. I'd keep acting a fool just to get what I need; there's no point pointing out her exaggerated assumptions, not now.She is wrong on so many levels but on one thing, she was right-I did want more.Hailey.She was more than a queen-the woman was a force of nature, raw and untamed. The way she had humiliated me in front of the council… the way she had made me kneel without lifting a single finger… it should have enraged me. Should have made me want to rip her apart.Instead, it had done something much worse.It had made me want her.Not to see her broken or defeated, but to others closer, take that untouchable power away and make her mine.A slow dark smirk sp
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 110: THE KING OF BEARS
ATHENAThe scent of wet earth and old wood overwhelmed me as I stepped into the heart of the King of Bears's realm. It was savage and raw, unlike the wolves' disciplined power. Bears didn't believe in strict rules or grand castles. They lived by strength, by dominance, by sheer will.And Connor?He was the embodiment of all three.He sat on a huge stone throne, carved roughly from the mountain itself, his fingers drumming against the armrest. The flickering torches cast sharp shadows over his face, highlighting the cruel smirk tugging at his lips. He was powerful, larger than life, and undeniably dangerous but just like every other known male species, he is weak and his ability to underestimate female rulers will ultimately be his downfall right now he's still using so I'd simply use his greed and oversight to my own advantage and get the results I want.Which made him the perfect ally. He has no guard against me; he is gullible, and he believes I pose no threat since I willingly chos
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 109: UNDISPUTED QUEEN
JADENThe grand hall was tight with tension, the silence thick enough to cut with a blade. Dominance crackled in the air, oozing from my mother—Hailey, the Queen of all species.And yet before she stood the King of Bears, unbowing, arrogance rolling off him in waves. He was huge, certainly towering over most men, his muscles thick ropes beneath his fur-lined cloak. His dark, beady eyes gleamed with condescension as he crossed his arms over his chest."This is a farce," he rumbled, his voice carrying across the hall. "A Queen is to be decided by strength and not by some visionary rule. You may have the title, but I see nothing that earns my respect."The hall fell silent. Every Alpha, Lord, and Elder in that room sucked in a breath. I straightened, reaching instinctively for the dagger at my waist. How incredibly stupid one had to be to cross the Queen—our mother—and this fool was going to find that out. The stories around on the punishment my mother dealt are nothing short of terrifyi
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 108: ATHENA'S ARRIVAL
HAILEY The air was thick with emotion, yet warm with the comfort of family. I sat with Alexia in the quiet sitting room, cherishing the rare moment of peace as I brushed a stray lock of hair from her face."You know you'll always have me, right?" I murmured, my fingers lingering against her cheek.She hesitated, her blue eyes searching mine as if trying to find the certainty she had once known. "I know," she whispered, though I could hear the uncertainty laced in her tone.It hurt, to see her so lost and burdened by a destiny she never chose. My whole life, I had fought for those I loved, yet here was my own goddaughter, embroiled in a fate I could not unravel. Thank the gods for Turtela; she has been the peace bridge existing in our midst and has been my steady emotional support, as she is always there to ease any tension we build up.As I was about to continue, the heavy doors creaked open, and I turned to see Jaden entering.But he wasn't alone.A woman was beside him, uncomfortab
