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CHAPTER 195: LOOMING WAR
Last Updated:
2025-05-06 18:21:52
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CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 196: INFILTRATION
AUDACUS The moment I stepped through the massive glass doors of Kings Enterprises, the atmosphere shifted. Clean, polished, professional—exactly how humans liked to present their tiny empires. It was nearly funny. The whole building reeked of ambition, desperation, and carefully hidden fear. It smelled like opportunity.I adjusted the mortal guise I was wearing: well-pressed suit, comfortable leather loafers, and a pair of glasses perched low on the bridge of my nose. The perfect image of a struggling investor who'd at last been able to scrounge up sufficient capital to swim with the sharks. Beneath, I smiled. They had no idea.The receptionist greeted me with that rehearsed corporate warmth. "Welcome to Kings Enterprises, Mr.?""Addison," I supplied the alias with ease. "Jon Addison. I'm here to see your investment representative. I'm interested in purchasing direct stock."Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and within a second she nodded. "Right this way, Mr. Addison."It all pr
Last Updated : 2025-05-06CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 196: INFILTRATION
AUDACUS The moment I stepped through the massive glass doors of Kings Enterprises, the atmosphere shifted. Clean, polished, professional—exactly how humans liked to present their tiny empires. It was nearly funny. The whole building reeked of ambition, desperation, and carefully hidden fear. It smelled like opportunity.I adjusted the mortal guise I was wearing: well-pressed suit, comfortable leather loafers, and a pair of glasses perched low on the bridge of my nose. The perfect image of a struggling investor who'd at last been able to scrounge up sufficient capital to swim with the sharks. Beneath, I smiled. They had no idea.The receptionist greeted me with that rehearsed corporate warmth. "Welcome to Kings Enterprises, Mr.?""Addison," I supplied the alias with ease. "Jon Addison. I'm here to see your investment representative. I'm interested in purchasing direct stock."Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and within a second she nodded. "Right this way, Mr. Addison."It all pr
Last Updated : 2025-05-06CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 1: THE FORGOTTEN WOLF
HAILEY QUINI tiptoe through the dim corridors of the packhouse, my bare feet padding softly against the cold wooden floors. The early morning light filtered dimly through the filthy-looking windows, casting long shadows that mirrored my reality—always in the background, always unseen. As I quietly prepared for my endless chores, I couldn’t help but feel that even the lowest Omegas had it better than I did. My existence wasn’t about living; it was about surviving.My body ached from yesterday’s punishments, the bruises on my ribs pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat. I winced as I bent to pick up a stray shoe someone had carelessly left in the hallway. It didn’t matter who dropped it; if the Luna saw it there, I would be the one blamed. That was how things always were over here. The truth didn’t matter to anyone here.I had learned long ago that speaking up only made things worse.As an orphan taken in by the Cedar pack’s Alpha and Luna after my mother’s death, I was expected to “earn
Last Updated : 2025-01-09CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 2: BULLIED BY THOMAS’S MATE
HAILEYThe packhouse hovered above me, its shadow stretching across the worn stone path as I mounted the creaking stairs; the weight of the laundry basket tugged at my arms, heavy with the scent of detergent, damp fabric, and bleach that clung to my skin. It was as if the building lived and breathed through its thick walls and heavy beams, exuding an unshakable power weighing upon me like a cage of a reminder of my place within this space of elitism.None of the clothes in the basket belonged to me. They never did. My days had turned into a monotonous cycle of scrubbing floors, folding linens, and tending to tasks nobody else would touch. It wasn't just work; it was a prison. And the walls felt closer ànd suffocating every day. Hope looks like such an impossible fantasy.But something was off today. The air vibrated with tension, an èlectric feeling I couldn't quite place. The source? Marissa Devaro. The pack had spent weeks preparing for her arrival, and now she was here—Thomas's cho
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HAILEY Late one evening, as I gazed at the fissures in my small room's ceiling, the idea struck me. After Marissa's most recent act of cruelty and the pack's unrelenting disdain, the familiar weight of powerlessness weighed against my chest more than before. I was no longer able to do it. The packhouse was a jail, not a home, with its high walls and oppressive regulations. I would waste away, invisible and unloved, if I stayed. However, fleeing was insufficient. I had to find a way to live. I had heard rumours of the human settlement outside the pack's domain. People constantly seemed to need labourers for jobs that didn't need a lot of thought. I could save money and establish a life apart from here if I could find employment.I needed a way to survive, though, and I had heard rumours of a human town just outside the pack's territory. Humans seemed to always need workers for jobs that didn't ask too many questions, so if I could find work, I could save up and start a life far away f
Last Updated : 2025-01-09CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 4: DUNGEON
HAILEY As the warriors pulled me into the thick jungle, their hands closing around me like steel chains, my legs shook. My bare feet dragged against the coarse ground as I stumbled over sharp pebbles and roots. The foreboding shadow of the huge trees behind me engulfed the reassuring light of the neon lamps of the human settlement. "Please," I prayed in a raspy voice. "You're not getting—" The taller warrior cut in, "Save it," disdainfully and in a frigid tone. "Thomas will determine what to do with you." Thomas. I was horrified at the mere mention of the word. As Alpha, Thomas represented everything the pack feared and obeyed: ruthless, adamantly traditional, and unbending but a coward and manipulator behind it. Disobedience was never tolerated by him. My actions would be betrayal. I could sense Amenia's stern but reassuring voice awakening in my mind. "Stay strong Hailey. We will get through this. I wanted to believe her, but I was too scared to answer. I felt as if I was marching t
Last Updated : 2025-01-09CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 5: ALPHA KING RYAN
ALPHA KING There was an eerie stillness in the woods, one that pricked at my senses. Walking home, there was only the quiet of leaves being pushed aside by my boots as they sank into the soggy mud of the narrow path. The moon broke through the canopy above, lighting the ground in sporadic silver puddles. Though I've always been vigilant, I'm nervous tonight. Widespread attacks, escalating tensions between packs, and rumors of rebellions had been playing havoc for weeks. It was my duty to keep my territories tight and unified. I could not fail. I stood at six feet four and was a commanding presence that could scare off most men. My penetrating green eyes swept every shadow and twig for movement and detected nothing. Pursuing movement in every branch and darkness. He wore complex tattoos of wolves and runes carved onto his skin, coiled around his neck and arms. They conveyed power and a heritage handed down from his ancestors; they were not baubles. My black pants were drawn up into stu
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HAILEY I'm stunned because I am finally leaving this pack in the dust; I am no longer going to be resented, abused, left behind, or abandoned. It sounds so remote and utopian, and while I'm In the Cidar pack, though, nothing ever remained uncomplicated for very long. I entered the kitchen and received a drink of water since I was thirsty. It was hard to move away from Ryan since he was looking at me but was talking to his beta, so I slipped away since it was the right time, but now it is too quiet, so it's becoming an unfavorable time. I shook violently the moment I caught sight of Thomas before even speaking. "Hailey," he whispered gently as he moved into my line of sight. Fearful, I stood still with a pounding heart. My heart pounds irregularly and my hands perspire. "Pardon me, Alpha Thomas," I breathed softly, trying to stay calm. He did not stir. He leaned forward, his mouth curling into a smile. "Little Omega, you've kicked up quite the dust. The Alpha King wants you. Think you
Last Updated : 2025-02-13
Latest chapter
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 196: INFILTRATION
AUDACUS The moment I stepped through the massive glass doors of Kings Enterprises, the atmosphere shifted. Clean, polished, professional—exactly how humans liked to present their tiny empires. It was nearly funny. The whole building reeked of ambition, desperation, and carefully hidden fear. It smelled like opportunity.I adjusted the mortal guise I was wearing: well-pressed suit, comfortable leather loafers, and a pair of glasses perched low on the bridge of my nose. The perfect image of a struggling investor who'd at last been able to scrounge up sufficient capital to swim with the sharks. Beneath, I smiled. They had no idea.The receptionist greeted me with that rehearsed corporate warmth. "Welcome to Kings Enterprises, Mr.?""Addison," I supplied the alias with ease. "Jon Addison. I'm here to see your investment representative. I'm interested in purchasing direct stock."Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and within a second she nodded. "Right this way, Mr. Addison."It all pr
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 196: INFILTRATION
AUDACUS The moment I stepped through the massive glass doors of Kings Enterprises, the atmosphere shifted. Clean, polished, professional—exactly how humans liked to present their tiny empires. It was nearly funny. The whole building reeked of ambition, desperation, and carefully hidden fear. It smelled like opportunity.I adjusted the mortal guise I was wearing: well-pressed suit, comfortable leather loafers, and a pair of glasses perched low on the bridge of my nose. The perfect image of a struggling investor who'd at last been able to scrounge up sufficient capital to swim with the sharks. Beneath, I smiled. They had no idea.The receptionist greeted me with that rehearsed corporate warmth. "Welcome to Kings Enterprises, Mr.?""Addison," I supplied the alias with ease. "Jon Addison. I'm here to see your investment representative. I'm interested in purchasing direct stock."Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and within a second she nodded. "Right this way, Mr. Addison."It all pr
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 195: LOOMING WAR
RAYThe night was mine. The odor of war clung heavy to the atmosphere, and the promise of approaching chaos made my skin crawl, bones moving just below as I stretched through all my shapes. Tonight the game was set, and I, Ray, his most trusted one, had the honor of delivering the king's new scheme.Audacus loomed over us, demonically serene, every inch of him a vision of lethal refinement. That voice, so smooth but colder than winter's cold, was a force no sane man would want to challenge. "Keep them busy," he instructed us, fingers lazily spinning a glass of dark wine as if this plan wasn't going to break the world. "Isolate Hailey and Ryan at all costs. The two of them together are trouble. Alone, they fall apart."A vicious grin crept gradually across my lips. Simple in appearance. Deadly in purpose."What about the others?" I asked, masking my enthusiasm with polite calmness.Audacus's golden eyes flashed to mine, as cutting as a knife. "The triplets are strong, but unripe. Diver
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 194: CHAOS
AUDACUS The council chamber stank of old magic and old pride. It clung to the stones, bleeding into the mortar like the blood of all fools who'd ever sat upon high thrones and imagined that they were invulnerable.I was in the center, hands clasped behind my back, the gravity of a century measured in the loose bend of my shoulders. Ten wizard elders stood around me, faces etched with lines made of centuries, eyes filmed over by complacency. The robes flowed over the marble floor as they shifted to stand nearer, as if attitude itself might distort fate in their direction."Audacus," the oldest, Master Callum, said, his voice husky with a challenge never breached in all his years. "Your arrogance does not belong here. You are not welcome."A smile flared at the edge of my lips. "Arrogance is the right of the already triumphant. You just haven't quite caught up with reality."Whispers circulated around the circle, soft, trembling shivers from tired old gods in mortal flesh. I could near
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 193: AUDACUS
AUDACUSBeen out again in the mortal world feels so surreal but good, it's been so long, too long really but the night tasted sweet. Sweeter than a vow. More bitter than deceit.I stood beneath the crooked arm of a dying oak, one hand leather-gloved, the other bare, tracing my finger along the cold curve of my ring. The dark stone pulsed softly beneath my fingers, full of the quiet, slow hunger I always kept just beneath my skin.The world was still tonight. Even the wind had enough sense to whisper not when I heard it. I could sense the earth beneath my feet, the shift of shadow as it crawled towards me, drawn like a moth battering itself around its own funeral place.The shifter was late.It was always so with beasts bound by fear and not by love. Still, I was impressed by its cunning. Its guile. The art of slinking in and out of hides like leaves from a book.Finally, the beast emerged out of the woods.A distorted shape, wrapped in the stolen form of a man — the fifth, I think, si
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 192: HE'S COMING
LOGANThe air reeked of blood, pungent enough to slice through bone-deep exhaustion. I arrived too late for the battle, but just in time for the cleanup.Marissa stood with her arm raised over the shape-shifter's deformed body, which collapsed at her feet like a crumpled flower. Its body shook as if even death would not claim it cleanly. Her sword dripped with black, noxious ichor.I'd wanted to feel proud — darn it, I was proud — but my wolf howled inside my chest walls, screaming for vengeance."Are you alright?" I pressed forward, ready to catch her if her legs gave out under her.Marissa cleaned the knife on her hand, jutting chin as if the fighter I knew her to be was finally free of that cage she'd been holding herself in."It won't be the last."That solitary stark truth weighed between us like a boulder."Not if I have any say in it," I growled. And I meant every damn word.ISAIAH The scent of smoke still hung in the air, seeping into the stone walls like an unwelcome memory.
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 191: MOTHER'S CHOICES
TURTELA The castle had never been this still, not really. Even at midnight, its old bones vibrated with the thrum of wards and remembrances. But tonight, after the fight, after blood and smoke, the stillness was oppressive as ever. It lay on my chest like a heavy hand, smothering the wolf inside me who trotted in ceaseless circles, anxious and watchful.I should have stayed in my own chambers. Should have soothed myself with a hot bath or the echoing sound of dad's voice up and down the halls. Instead, my own feet led me out, past the marble pillars, to the garden where everything was bathed in moonlight.And she was there.Serenia.Sitting on the stone bench like it was her own, as if she had burst forth from the earth itself, dark hair falling like silk down her back. She was so still that I almost mistook her for another statue, some forgotten relic the old kings had left. I did not sneak up on her. I wanted her to hear me coming. I wanted her to know that I was not afraid."You'
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 190: A DAUGHTER'S VERDICT
ISAIAH The moment Hailey's call brushed my thoughts, I felt it — the shift in the air. There was no desperation in her tone, no panic, but resolve. And that scared me more than any battlefield ever managed.I arrived in the courtyard as the moon carved silver wounds in the stone. My steps faltered as my gaze met hers.Serenia.The last time I'd ever seen her was under other skies — when I'd lost all hope of having a mate. When fate woke me up, I'd never expected that she would be bound to me again, or in this manner.She was now by Hailey's side. Not as an enemy. Not even as a stranger.Her eyes settled on me, hard and unflickering."You came," she said.I cleared my throat, finding my balance. "Your mother summoned me."Her lips curled into a semblance of laughter, but there was no warmth behind it. "Oh, naturally she would. Always the Queen, always the commander."I started to open my mouth in defense of Hailey — habit — but Serenia raised a hand, stopping me. Her voice softened, a
CLAIMING HAILEY CHAPTER 189: CREDIBLE ALLIANCE?
HAILEYThe moon hung low in the heavens, casting a silver glow across the courtyard. The air was thick with anticipation, a silence that reeked of danger waiting to happen. I stood alone, senses heightened, muscles bunched and prepared to move.I was startled by a sudden stir within the shadows. A figure emerged, veiled in the shadows, moving with lethal grace. I recognized her immediately—Serenia, daughter of Lilith. She was a storm, her eyes burning with a mix of rage and grief.She attacked silently, her sword flashing towards me. I parried, the sound of steel on steel ringing out like a thunderclap. Our battle was a dance of fire and ice, each strike a question, each parry an answer."Why?" I shouted, our blades intertwined. "Why attack me?"Her eyes twitched, agony clouding her features. "Because he wants you," she snarled. "The Serpent King wants you, and I need to know why."Comprehension dawned. This wasn't a straight-up attack—it was a test, a desperate search for information
