All Chapters of CLAIMING HAILEY : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

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

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

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

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."

HAILEYThe steady beep of monitors and the antiseptic smell of the pack's hospital were the first to penetrate as I stirred out of the haze of unconsciousness. My head throbbed dully, but it was the sensation of something deep, intimate, and utterly unfamiliar that summoned my consciousness."Hailey?" Ryan's voice penetrated the haze. His hand was warm, mine held in his firm clasp.I blinked, clearing my eyes to discover his face creased with worry. His green eyes were locked on mine, searching. "Ryan," I croaked, my throat dry. "What. what happened?""You lost it," he whispered, his thumb tracing the backs of my knuckles. "In the mess hall. The pack doctor had to sedate you when you wouldn't settle down." "Settle down?"You were suffering," Ryan told me, his jaw tightening. "No one knew why. I didn't know what to do."Memories flooded back—the poisoned food, the shield I'd put up around Alexia, the strange pull in my chest that I hadn't recognized then."I don't feel any pain now,"