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CHAPTER 167: I'M BACK

Penulis: Lizzy Fash
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-21 13:12:49

HAILEY

The palace was still.

Moonlight streamed through my chamber window, casting silver streaks on the marble floor. The weight of duty pressed on my chest, heavier than the blankets strewn over me. Sleep had been a fleeting luxury, stolen in brief moments between crises, but tonight, exhaustion finally claimed me.

Or so I thought.

A shift in the air caused a shiver to trickle down my spine. My wolf roused, a low growl thrumming in the recesses of my mind, but I did not stir. I had learned long ago to recognize when I was being watched.

A presence lingered in the room.

Gradually, I opened my eyes.

He was at the foot of my bed.

Thomas.

I had forgotten how to breathe for a moment. All those years, and he had not changed—same pointed jaw, same frigid eyes that once looked at me with warmth and then, something darker.

For a moment, I was hurled back through time, to a version of myself who had loved him, once dreamed of a future with him. And then the reality slammed into me like a tida
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  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 168: SPIRAL

    JADENI stormed into Isaiah's rooms without knocking, the door slamming against the wall so hard I'm certain I heard the wood crack. The old man didn't even flinch. He sat in his usual spot, hunched over a table littered with scrolls and books, candlelight playing on his face like flickering fire.He didn't even look up.I didn't have time for his riddles or his ancient sage advice.I needed answers."Where is he?" I growled, advancing. "Where is my father?" Mother was slipping, she's acting like she's fine but she's not. Her mate is missing yet the weight of the entire species lies on her. She'd crash and when she does it won't be pretty so before she does, we need to find him first.Isaiah finally looked up, his face unreadable, as though he had been waiting for this. His silver eyes looked at me, calm, indulgent, as though my fury was but a storm that would blow over.I know you can see things others can't," I went on, my voice low and threatening. "So don't tell me you don't know.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-22
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 169: CONNORS DEATH

    THOMASThe stench of sweat and blood clung thick in the air as I stepped into the dungeon, the torches flickering to send leaping shadows across the cold stone walls.Bound to the heavy chains screwed into the floor was Connor, self-proclaimed King of Bears. His massive frame rested forward, but even in chains, he was a giant—a monster barely restrained. The fool had actually tried to attack me. Big mistake.His amber eyes snapped to mine as I entered, brimming with raw fury. Good.I had wanted him angry.I had wanted him desperate.Because desperation made men stupid. And stupid men made mistakes."You've finally risen to confront me, coward?" Connor swore, blood frothing on his lips. He strained at the chains, testing their limits, muscles distending. "I should have known you'd creep back to this world. Only vermin won't lie still dead."I smiled and approached him. "Watch it, Connor. Warnings aren't going to get you out of this one."His laugh was low and guttural. "Save me? From y

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-22
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 170: PROPHECY

    ALEXIAThe weight of it all descended upon me the moment I stepped into my chambers. I had barely a breath, a thought, a chance to untangle the chaos that was occurring around us. It was as if the world had decided to come apart at the seams, and we were all just trying not to fall into the abyss.I perched on the edge of the bed, my fingers jammed against my temples. Hailey, Thomas, Isaiah, Jaden, Athena, Flora—too many pieces in motion, too many threats lurking in the background. And in the middle of it all, I was supposed to be stronger, smarter, more capable than I was.My fingers curled into fists. Isaiah.He had looked… tired. No, not just tired—drained. His presence, usually so steady and enigmatic, had been unraveling before my eyes. And Jaden—he had wanted answers, but the anger in his eyes had been too much, too un contained. If I had not intervened, I had no idea what would have happened.I got up and left the room, my strides quick and determined. There was no time for bro

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 171: THE BREAKING POINT

    JADENThe air in the war room was so tight you could strangle on it.Jermaine sat at one end of the long wooden table, folded arms crossed over his chest, face immobile. Jackson was leaning back in his chair, scowling as he beat a single, slow finger against the armrest. I couldn't sit still, pacing up and down the length of the room like a caged animal.The silence had lingered for too long.Then Jermaine finally spoke."We must discuss the prophecy."Jackson mocked. "Now you're interested in it?"Jermaine's eyes narrowed. "I've always been interested."I stopped pacing, spinning around to face them both. "Then why do you sound like you're only bringing this up now?" I snapped. "Ryan—our dad—is missing. Can't we be more worried about finding him rather than arguing about some prophecy that's been hanging over our heads since we were born?"Jermaine expelled a rough breath, gazing at me as if I were being silly. "We're not dealing with any prophecy here, Jaden. This one tells us that

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 172: THE HUNT FOR ATHENA

    HAILEYThe moon rode high in the sky, dropping a chill silver light across the castle grounds. I rested my arms against the railing on the balcony's edge, drawing in deep gulps of the night air. My hands grasped the railing tightly as I fought to suppress the fury simmering in my blood. Ryan was lost. Athena had cursed him. And that could mean only one thing—tonight, we hunted.Behind me, Aurora stepped forward, her golden eyes burning with determination. She had not spoken a word since the devastation in the war room, but now there was a tempest raging inside of her, quietly. Her wolf was restless, hungry for revenge."Ready?" I asked.Aurora nodded, rolling her shoulders. "More than ready."I turned and moved towards the door. We did not need an army to accomplish this. This was a personal matter. Athena had crossed a line, and she would suffer the consequences.As we strode through the castle corridors, the torches along the stone walls started to dance furiously, reacting to the s

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 173: UNRIVALED SPELLS

    AURORA" Damn Auntie, you certainly are queen."I looked at her.At Her.The Queen of All Species. The Unbreakable. The one whose name carried the legends' weight and whispered fear into the hearts of the enemy.And yet, up until this time, I had never truly seen her.Hailey between the dying sparks of magic, power still snapping in the air like a tempest that will not be silenced. Light and darkness curled about her as though the universe knew whom it was dealing with. Outside, wind howled, but inside was only silence—thickness, gagging, wonder-struck silence.I had believed myself strong beforehand. But facing her there, looking at her after what had just transpired between us, I realized something profound."I see now," I gasped, my words struggling to come above the still-pulsing magic.Those eyes turned upon me—aged, knowing, unreadable.I gulped, perspiration tickling against my skin. "I understand why every mighty ruler wanted you as his wife."It wasn't her power, though that

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 175: PLAN

    THOMASThe scent of blood and power hung heavy in the air. I floated through the garden like a specter, in fast, striking hard.Jackson didn't have time to blink before my fist hit his ribcage, and he reeled back into the stone table. His wine glass shattered against it, crimson liquid spreading across the ground like blood.He coughed, rolling onto his side, but I didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. I launched myself at him again, claws extended—A shock of energy struck my side.I was knocked back, crashing through a stone pillar before I landed on the ground with a grunt. Fire coursed through me, but I didn't have time to register it. I leapt up onto my feet as Adrian appeared in front of me, fangs bared.“You’re either stupid or desperate,” he hissed. “Attacking us here?”I wiped blood from my mouth and grinned. “A little of both.”Jermaine and Jaden were already flanking me, their wolves prowling just beneath the surface. Aurora stood behind them, golden eyes glowing, h

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-25
  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 176: FREEDOM

    RYANAgony.It started as a dull ache, a pressure in my ribs, then spread like wildfire throughout my entire body. It was like some thing had been wrapped around my soul—tight, choking, unyielding—and now it was being ripped away.I gasped, my head spinning, my muscles freezing as I collapsed onto the cold, wet stone beneath me. The chains that had bound me all these years clattered against the floor, and suddenly—air was mine.The spell was broken.I balled my fists, the rush of power surging back into my veins, my wolf snarling inside me, at last released after months of being suppressed and quiet. I drew in a deep breath, the stale air of my imprisonment now mixed with something else—power. A commanding, familiar, and unbreakable presence.Hailey.She did it.I let out a whoop of breathless laughter, my lips spreading in a savage grin. My mate had broken the spell. And that left only one possibility—anyone who'd placed it there was dead.Athena.I could feel it, the traces of her m

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-25

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  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 178: HOME

    TURTELANight air was quiet, but there was something moving in the space around us. One moment we were sitting there, tension still thick with all that had happened, and then—I felt it.A tug deep inside me, as if an unseen string had been pulled taut and back into position. A rush of heat washed over me, as if stepping out into a frigid winter's night and into the sun. I gasped, my eyes wide with shock as my heart knew before my mind could."Mother," I whispered.I wasn't alone. Alexia drew in a harsh breath next to me, her hold on the rim of the stone table tightening. Jermaine and Jackson both stiffened sharply, their heads snapping up at the same moment. Aaron leapt out of his chair so fast the chair scraped harshly on the floor.And then, as a group, we moved.No words were ever spoken. We all knew it—the instant she was back. We ran in, our shoes clattering in the corridors, hearts racing with a single, desperate desire.We discovered them in their room.Ryan stood his ground n

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 177: FIGHT FOR YOU

    HAILEYThe air was heavy with the smell of fire and blood. As soon as I entered the room, I saw Ryan.Or Ares.His wolf had emerged fully, and the sight of him sent a shiver down my spine—one not of fear, but of ragged, gnawing worry. His massive body was tense, his muscles rippling as barely repressed fury rolled off him in waves. The golden sheen of his irises had been darkened to black, the edges dancing like the embers of a dying fire.And at his feet—nothing but ash remained.Azure was gone. Not dead—destroyed.Ryan—Ares—had seen to that.The smell of charred flesh still hung in the air, but it wasn't what caught my eye. It was how his body shook, not with fatigue, but with rage barely in check. The monster within him was still fighting to get blood, still fighting to tear something—someone—limb from limb.He was losing it. Losing control to his wolf's instincts.And if I didn't stop him now, he would never come back.I crept forward, slowly, slowly, very slowly."Ares," I breath

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 176: FREEDOM

    RYANAgony.It started as a dull ache, a pressure in my ribs, then spread like wildfire throughout my entire body. It was like some thing had been wrapped around my soul—tight, choking, unyielding—and now it was being ripped away.I gasped, my head spinning, my muscles freezing as I collapsed onto the cold, wet stone beneath me. The chains that had bound me all these years clattered against the floor, and suddenly—air was mine.The spell was broken.I balled my fists, the rush of power surging back into my veins, my wolf snarling inside me, at last released after months of being suppressed and quiet. I drew in a deep breath, the stale air of my imprisonment now mixed with something else—power. A commanding, familiar, and unbreakable presence.Hailey.She did it.I let out a whoop of breathless laughter, my lips spreading in a savage grin. My mate had broken the spell. And that left only one possibility—anyone who'd placed it there was dead.Athena.I could feel it, the traces of her m

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 175: PLAN

    THOMASThe scent of blood and power hung heavy in the air. I floated through the garden like a specter, in fast, striking hard.Jackson didn't have time to blink before my fist hit his ribcage, and he reeled back into the stone table. His wine glass shattered against it, crimson liquid spreading across the ground like blood.He coughed, rolling onto his side, but I didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. I launched myself at him again, claws extended—A shock of energy struck my side.I was knocked back, crashing through a stone pillar before I landed on the ground with a grunt. Fire coursed through me, but I didn't have time to register it. I leapt up onto my feet as Adrian appeared in front of me, fangs bared.“You’re either stupid or desperate,” he hissed. “Attacking us here?”I wiped blood from my mouth and grinned. “A little of both.”Jermaine and Jaden were already flanking me, their wolves prowling just beneath the surface. Aurora stood behind them, golden eyes glowing, h

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 173: UNRIVALED SPELLS

    AURORA" Damn Auntie, you certainly are queen."I looked at her.At Her.The Queen of All Species. The Unbreakable. The one whose name carried the legends' weight and whispered fear into the hearts of the enemy.And yet, up until this time, I had never truly seen her.Hailey between the dying sparks of magic, power still snapping in the air like a tempest that will not be silenced. Light and darkness curled about her as though the universe knew whom it was dealing with. Outside, wind howled, but inside was only silence—thickness, gagging, wonder-struck silence.I had believed myself strong beforehand. But facing her there, looking at her after what had just transpired between us, I realized something profound."I see now," I gasped, my words struggling to come above the still-pulsing magic.Those eyes turned upon me—aged, knowing, unreadable.I gulped, perspiration tickling against my skin. "I understand why every mighty ruler wanted you as his wife."It wasn't her power, though that

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 172: THE HUNT FOR ATHENA

    HAILEYThe moon rode high in the sky, dropping a chill silver light across the castle grounds. I rested my arms against the railing on the balcony's edge, drawing in deep gulps of the night air. My hands grasped the railing tightly as I fought to suppress the fury simmering in my blood. Ryan was lost. Athena had cursed him. And that could mean only one thing—tonight, we hunted.Behind me, Aurora stepped forward, her golden eyes burning with determination. She had not spoken a word since the devastation in the war room, but now there was a tempest raging inside of her, quietly. Her wolf was restless, hungry for revenge."Ready?" I asked.Aurora nodded, rolling her shoulders. "More than ready."I turned and moved towards the door. We did not need an army to accomplish this. This was a personal matter. Athena had crossed a line, and she would suffer the consequences.As we strode through the castle corridors, the torches along the stone walls started to dance furiously, reacting to the s

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 171: THE BREAKING POINT

    JADENThe air in the war room was so tight you could strangle on it.Jermaine sat at one end of the long wooden table, folded arms crossed over his chest, face immobile. Jackson was leaning back in his chair, scowling as he beat a single, slow finger against the armrest. I couldn't sit still, pacing up and down the length of the room like a caged animal.The silence had lingered for too long.Then Jermaine finally spoke."We must discuss the prophecy."Jackson mocked. "Now you're interested in it?"Jermaine's eyes narrowed. "I've always been interested."I stopped pacing, spinning around to face them both. "Then why do you sound like you're only bringing this up now?" I snapped. "Ryan—our dad—is missing. Can't we be more worried about finding him rather than arguing about some prophecy that's been hanging over our heads since we were born?"Jermaine expelled a rough breath, gazing at me as if I were being silly. "We're not dealing with any prophecy here, Jaden. This one tells us that

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 170: PROPHECY

    ALEXIAThe weight of it all descended upon me the moment I stepped into my chambers. I had barely a breath, a thought, a chance to untangle the chaos that was occurring around us. It was as if the world had decided to come apart at the seams, and we were all just trying not to fall into the abyss.I perched on the edge of the bed, my fingers jammed against my temples. Hailey, Thomas, Isaiah, Jaden, Athena, Flora—too many pieces in motion, too many threats lurking in the background. And in the middle of it all, I was supposed to be stronger, smarter, more capable than I was.My fingers curled into fists. Isaiah.He had looked… tired. No, not just tired—drained. His presence, usually so steady and enigmatic, had been unraveling before my eyes. And Jaden—he had wanted answers, but the anger in his eyes had been too much, too un contained. If I had not intervened, I had no idea what would have happened.I got up and left the room, my strides quick and determined. There was no time for bro

  • CLAIMING HAILEY    CHAPTER 169: CONNORS DEATH

    THOMASThe stench of sweat and blood clung thick in the air as I stepped into the dungeon, the torches flickering to send leaping shadows across the cold stone walls.Bound to the heavy chains screwed into the floor was Connor, self-proclaimed King of Bears. His massive frame rested forward, but even in chains, he was a giant—a monster barely restrained. The fool had actually tried to attack me. Big mistake.His amber eyes snapped to mine as I entered, brimming with raw fury. Good.I had wanted him angry.I had wanted him desperate.Because desperation made men stupid. And stupid men made mistakes."You've finally risen to confront me, coward?" Connor swore, blood frothing on his lips. He strained at the chains, testing their limits, muscles distending. "I should have known you'd creep back to this world. Only vermin won't lie still dead."I smiled and approached him. "Watch it, Connor. Warnings aren't going to get you out of this one."His laugh was low and guttural. "Save me? From y

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