All Chapters of The Lost Alphas Daughter: Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

I watch Claudia, tension coiled tight in her shoulders. I know her well enough to understand that whatever she is about to ask of me, it’s only because she sees no other way. My chest still burns from where the bond tugs, pleading with me to go after Reid, but I can’t. I can’t even mark him. What’s the point?Asher watches me closely, his gaze sharp, calculating. He doesn’t trust me. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s probably right. If I’m bound to Braden, and he holds my powers, then he can control me just as he controlled Claudia. Karma is a bitch.When Braden first ordered me to manipulate her memories, I did it without hesitation. Call it the bond, call it jealousy—whatever the reason, I did it. And I slept soundly afterward. But then Braden flaunted Claudia in front of me. I never liked seeing them together, but I had Ansel. More importantly, I got to know her. And the more Braden demanded, the more I saw the toll my magic took on her until I hated myself for doing it. Whatever

A shiver trails down my spine as I see him. It’s been months, and he looks so different from what I remember—gaunt, streaks of gray in his hair, and his jaw sagging as if the weight of time has finally caught up with him.“Don’t scream, Claudia!” he begs. His clothes are filthy and torn, no doubt from pushing through the dense trees. When this is over, I’m going to have to speak to Asher about the patrols—too many wolves are slipping through.“I’m surprised to see you here. What are you doing?” Of all the people, I never thought Ansel would dare to come here. His eyes flicker, restless, as he steps closer. I instinctively step back, my boot catching on a broken brick from the old ruins. The ground gives way beneath me, and I tumble, landing hard on my ass. Before I can even think about scrambling away, Ansel is on me in a flash. His hands clamp around my wrists, yanking me up with a frenzied urgency. His breath, hot and ragged, fans against my skin. A sickening weight drops into my st

My heart pounds so violently I swear it might burst. Dust clogs my throat as I cough, the particles flying from my mouth, but my throat is too dry to speak—to scream. All I can do is stare, wide-eyed, as the beast’s claws slash downward—Snap.The bindings around my wrists and ankles unravel, and before I can even register it, I’m on my feet. My pulse hammers as the beast multiplies—three, no, five of them. Ten pairs of crimson eyes burn through the rain as the trees tremble. The earth tilts beneath me as I stumble, my limbs sluggish, my body unsteady. Cold rain lashes against my skin, drenching my hair, soaking through my clothes. I blink, my vision sharpening just in time to see—Only one beast remains.Oh God. I’m going to die.I freeze. I can’t outrun him. I can’t fight him off. I just watched him rip Ansel in two as if he were breaking a KitKat. My stomach lurches, bile rising in my throat.The rain clings to my lashes as I blink up at him, the downpour making his hulking frame s

I watch Claudia’s reaction as I bring the sponge to her back, the soap foaming up as I swirl small circles over her skin. She swallows, her throat bobbing as she absorbs what I just said. A few moments pass before her hand drifts up to her neck, fingers brushing over the mark I left there. Her mate mark.“Oh.” It’s all she says.My lips press together. I was prepared for her to freak out, but I expected more of a reaction than this. I continue washing her back, careful over the bruises that still mar her body. The silence stretches between us, filled only by the sound of water sloshing and our beating hearts.“Does this mean I will be like you?” she asks, finally breaking the quiet, her fingers still ghosting over her throat. “A lycan?” She says it like she’s testing the word, feeling its weight. I relax, a smile tugging at my lips.“Only if you want to be.”She looks over her shoulder, her gaze locking onto mine. I see her red bottom lip caught between her teeth before she fully turn

We call a meeting in our office to decide what to do. After filling everyone in on what happened with Ansel and making a quick trip to the hospital to have my leg bandaged, we gather—Reid, Erin, Gaia, Leo, and myself. Reid and Erin have been training the warriors, while Gaia and I prepare because Braden is coming for us. I feel it in my bones, a slow, crawling certainty. He is on his way.Leo spreads a map of the pack’s territory across the hardwood table, his fingers smoothing out the creases. Everyone leans in as he points to potential entry points, strategizing how to minimize damage. The flickering overhead light casts shifting shadows across his face, emphasizing the sharp angles of his jaw. The only problem is, I can’t stop thinking about what Ansel discovered. That Leo isn’t just a Lycan—he’s the lost Lycan king. The knowledge presses into me like the tip of an arrow poised between my shoulder blades. Leo told me he has a target on his back, but now I feel it, a cold weight set