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CHAPTER 38: EVENING SHADOWS
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-25 04:49:22
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CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 39: MARISSA’S RESCUE
MARISSARot, desperation, and sweat clung to the rogue's den. A lantern dangled from the ceiling, the flame dancing, casting grotesque lights that whirled around the walls. Even the sharpest of wolves shouldn't be able to track me down because I cowered in the blackest corner and was concealed under a spell. Lucy was cold and imperious, and her voice sliced through the tense air like a knife. Do you all realize how important this mission is? She strode ahead of the rouges and inquired. The stiletto heels clanged ominously as they struck the stone floor. Grayson replied, "Yes, Queen Lucy," with a display of bravado. Even where I was, I could observe the shaking in his hands as he attempted to hide his fear.Lucy curled her lip into a sneer heavy with sarcasm and hissed. "Your number one priority is the brats. Jackson, Jaden, and Jermaine are the Alpha King's pride and joy. He will be devastated if they're taken." One of the other rogues spoke up hesitantly, "And Alexia?" Lucy's glare f
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 40: BONDS AND SECRETS
LOGAN When I lost Flora, I was broken in ways I could never have thought possible. She was the world to me and my mate, my destined mate. Her strength, her touch, and her laughter had all made an imprint on my soul. But now that Lucy had torn her from this world, she was gone. Then there was Hailey, the pack queen: a sturdy leader, a faithful friend, and someone I had great respect for. However, my heart still yearned for Flora. Adding insult to injury, the Moon Goddess has tied me to another, Marissa. The same powers that had taken Flora were the same ones that made Marissa. It was a cruel twist of fate, but I would not give in to it. Marissa was involved with the same powers that had taken Flora. It was a sick twist of fate, but I would not be deterred. Tonight, I would face Isaiah because he was the pack's seer, or as they call a man of knowledge, a keeper of secrets. Perhaps if I were to confront him, I would also discover the other truth—the one which seemed to be bothering me
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 41: BETRAYAL AND SHADOWS
SELENE I entered the darkened chamber, feeling the tension palpable in the air. The dancing flame of one candle projected the upheaval in my thoughts as elongated, jagged shadows on the walls. Thomas and Lucy were tardy, and I was becoming agitated. Despite their promises of power and retribution, they had brought me only uncertainty and rumors of betrayal after pulling me into their intricate web of intrigues. Lucy went in first, her frozen smile cutting keener than any knife as the creaking door opened. Followed by Thomas, his blank face contradicted by eyes that shone with a mix of sarcasm and contempt. He'd been Marissa's friend and most ardent defender, yet now the ties are broken—we must seek either to win her back to our side or to destroy her. He used to be her best friend, her confidant, but the friendship is no more—a casualty of his unbridled ambition and his affair with Lucy. Lucy purred, "Selene," in a voice as smooth as silk. "I hope you've been able to use yourself." I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 42: BONDS CREATED IN CHAOS
MARISSA Selene had suddenly attacked a busy road relènteñsely, the energy struggle was relentless, a bloody tug-of-war that was weakening me every second. Though I was unwilling to concede, I had miscalculated Selene's might and her unrelenting resolve to rule. The room swirled as I pushed harder, with all the magic I had left."And, in contrast to you, I have something worth defending." Her chuckle was abruptly replaced by a cold, calculating stare. She said sarcastically, "Something to fight for?" "You mean that brat, Alexia? Or did you simply choose to also act as the triplets' guardian angel? Her comments hurt me because they reflected the very fears I had been fighting, not because they were true. I had made an oath to myself to stay away from attachments and to keep my distance from anything that may make me weak, but here I was, breaking my rules. With a final rush of force, I was able to free myself as the energy collision reached its climax, sending a tremor through the room
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 43: LINES IN THE SAND
HAILEYThe chamber was shadowed, long shuddering arms spread out before it by the light of the hearthfire. I rested my elbows at the head of the oak table, trying to focus on the recent news of our border scouts, but my thoughts continually circled back over the past couple of days since Marissa had come and totally flipped everything about—her abilities, her disobedience, and her unmistakable connection to Alexia. I knew the balance would shatter any second, and therefore I had been walking on this thin edge. Ryan had stepped in in the blink of an eye as he pushed open the creaky door. Ryan walked in, as tight as he could stand, his face unrecognizable. To another man, Ryan might have been able to pass himself off as a king—untitled and inflexible—but to me, there was simmering beneath his tranquil exterior, a cyclone forming. He growled, "We need to talk," beneath his breath with a pointed snarl that placed me immediately on high alert. I nodded and motioned him to sit, putting the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 44: THE VISION
ISAIAHThe ritual fire threw eerie silhouettes on the old stone walls as it wildly danced in the dark room. I sat cross-legged in front of them, my hands upon my knees, the world weighing on my shoulders, and concentrated my energy. I've been hearing a loud, urgent, unintelligible whisper of ancestors for days on end. It whizzed by; whatever it was, it was going somewhere. Tonight, I wanted answers. I let the force within me connect with the spiritual plane by closing my eyes. There was a strange wind that sliced through the room as the fire suddenly blazed up. Everything was indistinct, and the room blurred into the room blurred into a vast, ethereal landscape as my eyes clouded over. There was quiet. And then I saw her—Hailey—when the mist cleared. Her golden hair glowed beneath the light of a thousand stars as she stood in the middle of an endless meadow. Millions knelt behind her. Witches, fae, wolves, vampires, and beings I couldn't even identify bowed their heads in respect. Wit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 45: ALLEGIANCES AND OATHS
RYAN Even though the morning air had a keen bite to it, it didn't make me any less annoyed. After a long night of strategy talks, my partner, Hailey, the queen of all species, slept peacefully and caught a few winks. I intended to leave her alone and let her continue to sleep. The seer Isaiah had dealt me a blow with his vision and naturally, when a convoy of cars neared the pack house and the rumble of motors became louder, that strategy was blown. It resembled chalkboard fingernails. As the first automobile rolled to a stop, I stood with my arms folded across my chest at the top of the steps to the pack house. A scout showed up, then Logan my Beta, showed up beside me, his eyes alert and suspicious. "Who the hell are they?" I grumbled as I looked at the cars. Logan took a whiff of the air. "Wolves. But this is organized—not rogues. "Like I told the scout who informed me the first time, welcome them, but if they come for trouble, you make sure they never leave this place alive". The
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 46: A SHADOW GAME
HAILEYThe calm clinking of glasses and pleasant conversation filled the eatery. For me, it was a unique evening, a chance to relax and mingle without the constant pressure of leadership. I had been essentially ejected by Logan and Ryan, who insisted that I needed a vacation. After the rogues,s attempted war, when the vampires worked with the wolves the rogues were defeated easily; my head spins when I think of how far I've come, once broken, rejected, unloved yet here I am as the queen of all, everyone does anything just to get my approval and it's still shocking to me. I have never met the Vampire king, nor do I relate with anyone from their side as I don't have friends, but I have come to a place of mental adjustment that bears, demons, vampires, warlocks, witches, etc, are all too work with me. I picked a table in a corner, out of the way, where there was some privacy due to the low lighting. As usual, my thoughts drifted to the triplets. Jaden had started stealing cookies from th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25
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CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 140: THE ATTACK
JERMAINE The moment I walked into Isaiah's home, an eerie cold ran through me. Something did not feel right. The room was too silent—too still. The candles that would normally have been lit steadily in a golden warm light had burned themselves out, and there remained only a residue of smoky melted wax behind. I called him. "Isaiah?"No response.My face contorted into a scowl as I moved further in. Books, scrolls, and strange objects filled the room, but something was…off. The air inside was holding its breath. My stomach knotted in unease.And I saw him.Isaiah lay on the ground, unmoving. His skin was paler than usual, his breathing shallow, and his hands were clenched in a death grip. Shadows moved unnaturally across his body, curling and twining like ethereal vines."Shit." I rushed forward, pressing my fingers to his neck. A pulse—weak, but there. Relief barely had time to register before urgency became all that mattered.I couldn't possibly lift him by myself. I needed help.O
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 139: A CONVERSATION WITH MY MOTHER
JACKSONEverything was changing.I'd spent the past two decades constructing a life among humans—business, power, wealth. I'd learned every trick required to reign supreme in a world that didn't even realize what I really was. And now? Now, I was returned to a kingdom I hardly recognized, among a family I'd been denied, observing as destiny spun a tale I wasn't certain I wanted to be a part of.I leaned my elbow on the railing of the castle balcony and looked out toward the horizon where the mountains dissolved into the clouds. It was quite a nice view, but in my head, there was chaos.Jaden had Kael. Jermaine had the witches. And I had no one.And worse, the distance between us and Alexia had grown farther away.My universe had been the human world. A world of blinding lights, massive deals, and an empire built from the ground up. I'd had power, influence, and riches beyond understanding. But none of it had ever meant as much as she did.Alexia had always been there. From the day we
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 138: CATCHING UP WITH THE DRAGON KING
RYANI had fought wars, conquered foes, and ruled the most powerful pack in the world. I had torn through blood-soaked battlefields, stood strong against dangers that would bring lesser men to their knees.And yet, as I made my way to the courtyard of the castle to meet the man who had mentioned my son, my chest was tight with something I did not feel very often.Uncertainty.I remember the night Hailey gave birth as though it were yesterday. The castle was charged with tension, all the residents holding their breaths as she writhed through the pain. I was beside her, holding her hand, whispering words of comfort even as my heart pounded with fear and anticipation.Then, one by one, they entered the world.Jermaine. Jaden. Jackson.Three perfect, wonderful boys.The moment I was holding them in my arms, I knew I was changed for life. Always a warrior, a leader, a king, but nothing, nothing, ever had reached the part of my heart that sang when I looked into their precious little faces.
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 137: HER MATE
AARONThe very moment Aurora took her first breath here, the very moment that tiny fingers had wrapped around my own, I'd known that she wouldn't belong to me forever. She would live, she would grow, and at some point in time she'd find her own mate. It was how the universe was constructed.But realizing and embracing were two very different ideas.I sat at the big dining table in the great hall of the castle, watching my daughter. She was talking to Turtela and Alexia, her green eyes shining with laughter as she gestured with her hands. Her laughter was like music in the room, and I felt the familiar warmth in my chest.Aurora was my pride and joy, the most precious thing I had in this world. And I was not going to let her go.She was so small, so delicate, wrapped in the most dainty blanket Lyna had chosen with care. And yet even as a baby, she had a presence—a fire burning in her eyes, the same fire that burned in her mother's heart. I remember tracing my finger over her tiny fist,
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 136: THE DRAGON KING'S ALLEGIANCE
HAILEYThe moment I stepped into the courtyard, I could feel him. The energy at the castle became turbulent, unsteady, more potent than any other day because contrary to popular opinion, Turtela is not as tame as she presents herself neither are any of our kids but no outsider is aware of this but right now there's ancient magic of a dragon here. The Dragon King is here in person.Kael.The air was hot, thick with the scent of smoldering embers and dragon flames. I could feel him before I even caught sight of him, his presence as imposing as ever—a unyielding power, fierce but contained.Jaden stood beside him, his own face radiating with something I had not seen in years—pure, unfiltered happiness. He looked like the child I used to hold, the boy I had been forced to give up. And now, the man before me… he was whole, if only for this moment.Kael turned as I approached, his icy blue eyes meeting mine.There was a pause.Then—In a movement so swift, so seamless, that Jaden barely had
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 135: FAMILIAR PRESENCE
JADENI detected the scent of the fire before I was able to see him.That characteristic smell of burning coals, the rich dragon musk of smoke—it enveloped me like a stale warmth, a spark that kindled in my belly. For a moment, I questioned whether or not I'd dreamed it, if maybe my longing had played a trick on my nose.Kael had been a guardian, but more than that. He had been my anchor, my tormentor, my savior—all in one.I remember to this day the first time I had stood before him, a gangling pup not yet skilled at shifting, trembling at the sight of his attention. He had towered over me like a war god, his size as great and intimidating as the dragons he commanded."You are weak," he had said to me that day, voice rough, eyes slicing. "But weakness is a choice. I will not raise a coward."And he hadn't.Kael had been brutal in my training. He had broken me, torn me apart, bled me, made me hurt. But he had never abandoned me. Not ever.When I had fallen, he had made me get up.When
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 134: THE FIRE THAT CALLS ME
KAELDraco was missing once more. For years now, he'd go missing this way, for weeks, Months even and shut me out but this was hardly the time for this was hardly the time. The Queen needed all the allegiances she could get and she has my loyalty and support. A woman who did what needed to be done is well desrving of respect and more.I stood at the cliffs, the howling mountain winds ripping at my face, my gaze on the valley below. His smell was far away, his normal path changed. I had been searching for hours, fury burning in my chest. He had never disobeyed me so, not until recently.My beast and I were bound in ways that no one else could understand. He was my other half, my fury, my fire. But lately, he had been leaving without speaking, vanishing into the interior of the nation, to reappear with some smell that I could never identify.Until today.The air stank of scorched earth, coals still faintly smoldering in the wake of Draco's tantrum. I followed the trail by instinct, boot
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 133: DRACO
AURORAThe thrumming energy of the shopping quarter was a blissful contrast to the cold, calculating council sessions I'd endured since my arrival at the castle. I indulged in the change—I indulged in the giggling voices of hucksters, the scent of hot bread drifting from the bakeries, and the dappled dance of sunlight on the cobblestones.And above all, I welcomed the company of the two women at my side. I had missed them greatly. I had to go away for a while so education sakes hence we kept in touch via emails and chats but that was never good enough. I am so glad I am back but things have been unnecessarily tensed around here and they all needed a break hence I'm helping them have the much needed break they believe they do not need despite their reluctance. Alexia and Turtela were easy to get along with. They were the siblings I wanted but never had but Fate gave me them and it's been such a privilege and honor knowing them. Where Turtela was a bundle of light and warmth, Alexia ha
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 132: ALLEGIANCE
FLORAMy day had started with going to different tea parties, smiling and keeping fake facades of innocence and niceties just to create friendships that could be a source of funding for us because we had a long way to go. We needed connections from powerful humans and beasts alike and while I was told to do all I could to secure the Dragon Kings' loyalty the man had no known weakness except for the general known fact that he had no mate of his own and had been searching the entire continent for her all these years yet even I couldn't find her and by the gods, I tried but I found nothing and though my naive son believes I'm not aware of the secret plans he made in the dark, I knew everything. Azure had burned me badly, and a part of me did care for Logan, but my need to fulfil what my ancestors couldn't serve as a daily reminder for me to let go of my sentimental feelings and do what needed to be done. Hence I had put away all sentiments and did what needed to be done. Alexia would one
