All Chapters of THE WOLF WITHIN:CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

INGRIDI spend the next couple of days deep in the woods, training relentlessly.I push myself harder than ever before, making sure my fighting and defense skills are flawless. I can’t afford to be anything less than perfect.I have something to prove, especially to Lucian.He needs to understand that I am not just some girl he can push around and bully whenever he wants.Kira is the guiding force in my head. "Use your speed. Your reflexes. Your heightened hearing. You have advantages that other wolves don’t." she reminds me every time I seem to forget.And she’s right.By the time we finish, I’m covered in sweat, and my muscles are burning with exhaustion."I think we’re ready, Ingrid," Kira whispers, sounding just as tired as I feel.I exhale deeply, stretching my arms."Mmh, let’s go get some rest," I hum in agreement.I grab my bow and head toward the gate when suddenly I hear a crack on the back of my head followed by a sharp pain."FUCK!" I groan, stumbling forward before spinni

LUCIANThe day to claim my title as the Alpha of the largest pack has finally arrived.The power, dominance, and control will finally be mine. I smirk at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the cuff of my black tailored suit.By the end of the day, every wolf in the territory will bow to me, and yet, despite my excitement, there’s one thing tainting my mood. And that is Ingrid.The thought of marrying her is a bitter pill to swallow. If there were another way to secure my place in this new pack, I’d take it in a heartbeat.Unfortunately, Ezra and the other Alphas made it clear that this was the only way. She’s the bridge between the packs.A soft touch trails down my back, pulling me from my thoughts.The warm hands glide over my shoulders, and I recognize the scent before she speaks."I still can't believe you're marrying her, Lucian." Victoria’s voice echoes, laced with bitterness.I turn around slowly, catching the pout on her perfectly glossed lips. I grab her waist and pull he

INGRIDThe crowd erupts into cheers, especially Lucian's pack. Their howls and applause shake the air, a thunderous roar of approval for their new Alpha.I remain still, though my entire body screams to move or at least run.Lucian stands tall, soaking in the admiration, his chest puffed with pride. I can tell he has been living for this moment.I swallow the lump in my throat and turn back to Miriam as she raises her hands, chanting something in the old tongue. The words barely register in my mind, drowned out by the rapid beat of my heart."We have come to the end of the ceremony..." She continues speaking, but I don't hear the rest.All I want is to leave this altar, get out of this dress, and disappear for a minute."Let us all gather at the reception and share our first meal as a pack," Miriam finally concludes.The crowd cheers, their excitement palpable, but I feel nothing.I turn to Lucian, expecting at least a glance or some acknowledgment, but nothing. He’s already busy playi

LUCIANI still can’t believe what just happened on that training floor.Ingrid defeated Victoria way easier than I had anticipated. Dash was right. I shouldn’t have underestimated her.But it wasn’t just her fighting skills that caught me off guard. Watching her take down Victoria did something to me. It stirred something inside me, something wild and unexpected.It was the same feeling I felt when I first saw Victoria, but this… this was much stronger.I shook the thought away before it took root because that is a feeling I cannot afford to have for her.I still had a lot to do and more responsibilities than ever, and it would take all my full focus to navigate them.The first step was to set up a meeting with the former Alphas to decide what came next."Thank you all for coming," I begin, keeping my tone steady but firm. "We need to figure out how to proceed from here."They settle into their seats, all eyes on me."First, what will be the living situation now that we are one pack?"

LUCIAN,I haven’t seen Ingrid since I had her brought here. I ordered her to be settled in the room farthest from mine. I know she wouldn’t want to be near me, just as I didn’t want to be near her.There was a moment I thought about checking up on her while she was unconscious, but I stopped myself. I figured it would send the wrong message to Ezra, and he would start thinking I cared.Instead, I threw myself into handling the transition of the packs. I let Ezra deal with the settlement during the day, while I patrolled the borders at night with Dash, who had come on board after I explained why I made Ezra my Beta and not him.Other than that, I haven’t been sleeping well.Every time I try to close my eyes, I see Ingrid. Her face, specifically the expression she gave me after defeating Victoria. That look wasn’t just pride. It was something more. Something I couldn’t place, and it keeps haunting me.That’s why I need a distraction immediately.“Dash,” I bark as we return from patrol. “