All Chapters of THE WOLF WITHIN:CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

INGRIDI stay hidden in the abandoned house for the rest of the day, thanks to the supplies I had packed before we left the compound. It isn’t much, but it’s enough to keep me going.The hours crawl by, the silence stretching thick and tense. I pace, sit, then pace again my thoughts circling endlessly, as I try to figure out where Lucian might have been taken.They left no clues, or scent trails hence I have nothing to work with.I think of all the places they could have taken him over and over again and frustratingly, my instincts keep bringing me back to one place. My bakery.When I think why? It’s close to this abandoned house and it’s also the last place anyone would think to look.“Ingrid, I think you should’ve gone back with them,” Kira’s voice echoes softly in my head, her tone tight with concern. “This is too dangerous. Remember what happened the last time you went back to that bakery?”I finish the last bite of tuna, swallowing hard. “Yeah… I remember. Logan found me and almos

INGRID“Come on, Lucian. Help me out here,” I plead, my fingers working furiously at the chains wrapped around his wrists. “I need you to wake up and help me out.”Lucian groans, barely conscious. His head lolling forward again.“Lucian,” I whisper, nudging his shoulder. “Come on. Open your eyes. We don’t have much time.”No response.I keep working on the chains, my movements as quiet as possible, but the metal scrapes against itself, letting out a sharp clink. I freeze, holding my breath, and I quickly peek around the doorway to check if anyone heard.Luckily, no one has.Lucian starts mumbling something to himself a little too loudly.“Shhh! We’ll get caught,” I whisper harshly in his ear, but he doesn’t listen. His voice rises, slurred and confused.“Lucian, what are you doing?” I scold, sternly this time.He finally looks up at me, his gaze clearly fogged, and it's like he doesn’t even recognize me.I hear footsteps coming in multiple sets.I slip to the far side of the room, crou

INGRID."Silas? Is that who I am to you now?" he sneers, buttoning the front of his long, tailored coat. “I’m not Dad anymore?”I drop my gaze to the floor, biting the inside of my cheek.A second later, I feel the cold end of his cane slide under my chin, forcing my face upward until I’m looking straight at him.“I asked you a question, Ingrid,” he blurts, his tone low and clipped. “Have you forgotten your manners?”I glance around the room and notice how quiet everyone is. I can smell their fear from where I am sitting. They are like children bracing for a punishment.I am not going to give him that satisfaction."Well..." I finally speak, my voice trembling just slightly, “you’re not my father, Silas. I know the truth.”I meet his eyes head-on and watch as his composure wavers.He steps back, blinking twice, his jaw tightening like a vise.Then, I turn to Logan, watching the shock cross his face. “That’s right. Silas isn’t my father,” I spit calmly. “And you’re not my brother.”A su

LUCIAN"Lucian... Lucian, please..." I hear a fragile voice, echoing through the heavy darkness surrounding me.It’s barely audible yet sharp enough to cut through the wall of numbness I’ve built around my mind.For a moment, I wonder if it’s real or just another hallucination crafted by the pain I’m going through.I've been coasting between the thin veil of life and death for some time now, and I had to lock my body in survival mode, using every ounce of energy I have left to knit torn flesh and mend shattered bones.I try to keep my heart beating even though I know it would be easier to let go.I hear the voice again. A growl this time, raw and wounded. It echoes faintly at first, but something about it makes my broken senses twitch.The sound grows, becoming more desperate, and it sparks something inside my mind.A memory slices through the haze, and suddenly I remember where I am and what the hunters are doing to me.I hear a scream, loud enough to wake the dead, and this time I r

INGRIDI see movement from where Lucian lies, and instinctively, I lean forward in my chair, my body tense, hoping he’s finally awake.I watch as his eyes flutter open, and relief floods through me like a crashing wave. I jolt from my seat and rush to his bedside, my heart pounding in my chest."How are you feeling? Have you healed?" I ask quickly, stretching out my hand toward his shoulder, desperate to check for myself.He shits, gritting his teeth slightly as he forces himself to sit up."Yes. I’ve healed." He mumbles.I give him a faint smile and nod, swallowing the lump of exhaustion caught in my throat."Good. That's good. You've been out for almost two days," I mutter, my voice coming out hoarse from lack of sleep.Lucian arches his brow, clearly surprised. "You haven’t slept the whole time?" he asks, concern laced in his voice.I sigh heavily, rubbing my tired eyes with my palm. "Someone had to keep watch... just in case," I respond casually, even though my body screams with f