All Chapters of THE WOLF WITHIN:CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"Dad, I think this is a trap," I blurt, my voice barely audible.Logan hears me first, and his body stiffens as he carefully turns in my direction. My father follows his gaze.Before either of them can respond, the night erupts."Attack!" my father roars.Gunshots explode in the darkness. Grenades detonate with deafening booms, sending shockwaves through the trees. The acrid scent of gunpowder fills the air, mingling with the unmistakable stench of blood.I try to aim my arrow, but I can’t see through the chaos. Shadows dart between trees. Growls rip through the night, and bodies collide. The sound of tearing flesh and agonized screams sends ice through my veins.Having no clear shot, I am left with only one option. To run.I turn and sprint, letting my legs pound against the earth as I race back the way we came. I don’t look back for even a second.Branches whip against my face, my heart pounding so loudly I can barely hear the screams behind me.I stumble and crash to the ground wit

"How is she?" a voice I know too well asks as I slowly open my eyes.I blink a few times as the blurry faces come into focus. I turn my head slightly and find Logan sitting beside me, his eyes filled with concern. I dart my eyes around, trying to familiarize myself with the surroundings and realize I am in my room.I see my father standing near the door with his arms crossed, and standing next to him is the family doctor."What happened?" I manage to ask, my voice low and hoarse."We found you lying by the side of the road," Logan responds quickly, adjusting my pillow. "We think you were able to get away from the werewolves." He adds, a proud smile spreading across his face.My father steps closer, his expression softer than usual. "We are all very proud of you, Ingrid. We thought they had killed you to teach us a lesson."The doctor moves to check my vitals, pressing a hand to my wrist."She’s a bit dehydrated, but with enough water, food, and rest, she’ll be fine by tomorrow." He i

I feel the wind against my face as I slowly struggle to open my eyes. My body is aching in ways I can't begin to comprehend. The ground beneath me is damp, and as I shift, I realize I'm covered in mud. Completely naked. I panic and sit up quickly, hugging my arms around my chest."What happened?" I whisper to myself, my voice hoarse. The last clear memory I have is of the alpha telling me I’m turning into a werewolf. But after that? Nothing. Just darkness.I hear a rustling sound in the bushes nearby, and my breath catches. The alpha steps out, carrying a bundle of clothes, and without a word, he tosses them at my feet."What happened to me? I don’t remember anything," I mutter, my hands trembling as I reach for the pants."You turned. That’s what happened," he replies, his voice calm and dismissive, crossing his hands over his chest. "You’ve been running through these woods in your wolf form for two days."“Two days?” I gasp, my heart pounding as I struggle to process his words. I w

“What is she doing here? Who brought her here?” a deep, hoarse voice asks, making my skin prickle.“It’s me, Alpha Lucian. I saw her passed out next to the river when I was out running. I thought she was dead.” A second voice replies, sounding hesitant, almost cautious.“She’s one of us. I couldn’t leave her out there.”A long sigh follows, and then the voice I now recognize as the alpha’s speaks again.“As soon as she wakes up, send her to me.”I hear footsteps fading, and I finally gather enough courage to open my eyes. The first thing I see is a man standing next to me. I recognize him—he is one of the guards who had been sleeping the day I escaped.Sitting beside me is a woman carefully tending to my wound.“Please don’t sit up. You lost a lot of blood,” she says, gently pushing me back to the bed as I try to sit up.The man beside her narrows his eyes at me and suddenly points a finger.“You! I recognize you. You’re the hunter’s daughter,” he says, his tone laced with suspicion.

I walk into town as cautiously as I can, sticking to the busiest streets. I make sure I blend in with the crowd, using my hair to cover my face. To them, I’m just another stranger passing by.I make my way to the back entrance of my bakery, glancing over my shoulder every now and then to make sure I’m not being followed. My hands shake slightly as I twist the doorknob and I slip inside.The familiar scent of fresh pastries and vanilla still lingers, even though the place has been untouched since the day I turned.I move fast, denying myself the time to get sentimental.I grab a duffle bag from my office and start tossing everything I can find—money from the till, non-perishable food, clothes, bathroom supplies.I then take one last look at my little bakery, the place I once thought would be my future and a lump forms in my throat, but I swallow it down and turn to leave.Just as I open the door, I freeze.I find Logan standing outside, gun in hand.Without saying a word, he pushes me