Lahat ng Kabanata ng Alpha’s Claimed Mate.: Kabanata 131 - Kabanata 140

Pov: Asher.The dining room in the Nightshade family’s sprawling suburban mansion hummed with tension, the clink of forks against plates barely covering the storm raging outside. Rain pounded the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the overhead chandelier cast a warm but uneasy glow over the long glass table. Asher slouched in his chair, picking at a plate of grilled steak and mashed potatoes, his phone face-down beside him. Ember sat across, tearing into a dinner roll with quick, agitated fingers, her smartwatch buzzing with unread alerts. At the head of the table, Grandma Nightshade sipped black coffee from a chipped mug, her silver braid tucked under a baseball cap, her sharp eyes darting between her grandchild. Upstairs, Caelen slept in his crib, a baby monitor glowing green on the table, his soft snores a quiet counterpoint to the storm. A security camera feed blinked on a tablet propped against a vase, showing the nursery door and the armed guard stationed outside.“Aiden’s been spott

Pov: Asher.My heart’s pounding as I stare at the nursery monitor, the flicker of that shadow burned into my eyes. The rain’s a roar outside, drowning out everything but Rowan and Caelen’s soft breaths in their cribs. Ember’s beside me, knife in hand, her jaw set like she’s ready to carve through the storm itself. The security feed’s blank now, just static and rain, but I know what I saw. Someone’s out there. Aiden—or worse, whoever’s pulling his strings.“Stay with the boys,” I say, voice low, checking the Glock’s magazine. Full. Ready.Ember grabs my arm, her grip bruising. “You’re not going out there alone, Asher. We said together.”I meet her eyes, fierce and unyielding, and I want to argue, to keep her safe with the kids, but she’s right. We’re in this now, no splitting up. “Fine,” I say. “But we lock this room down first.”She nods, already moving to the nursery’s reinforced door, punching in the code for the deadbolts. The steel clanks into place, and she checks the tablet, cyc

**Flashback: Moons Ago....**I’m crouched by the fire, the crackle of burning logs filling the clearing as Thane Nightshade pokes at the embers with a stick, his broad shoulders hunched. The forest around us is quiet, save for the distant hoot of an owl, his dark eyes glinting with barely contained anger. The air smells of pine and smoke, but the tension between us is thicker than both. We’re young, barely past our first shifts, but the weight of our packs—Nightshade and St. Clair—rests heavy on us.“You’re dreaming, Thane,” Lucas says, voice sharp, tossing a pebble into the fire. “Wolves and humans living side by side? It’s a fantasy. They fear us. Always will. And fear makes them dangerous.”Thane leans back, wiping dirt from his hands. “They’re not all like that, Lucas. Some want peace, same as us. We don’t have to hunt them for sport to prove we’re strong.”Lucas snorts, shaking his head. “You sound like an old man, preaching harmony. Our packs have survived by being apex, not by

Pov: Asher.My boots echo on the hardwood as Ember and I stride into the living room, the air thick with tension. President Donavan stands by the fireplace, his tailored suit crisp despite the late hour, flanked by two Secret Service agents, hands near their holsters. His gray eyes meet mine, calm but calculating, like he’s sizing up a chessboard. The guards at the door shift, uneasy, their radios buzzing low. Ember’s beside me, her jaw set, eyes flicking between Donavan and the agents. Upstairs, Lupa’s with the pups, but Aiden’s death and that vanishing figure have me on edge.“Alpha Asher, Luna Ember,” Donavan says, voice smooth, extending a hand. “I apologize for the unannounced visit.”I shake his hand, firm, not breaking eye contact. “President Donavan. You’re a long way from D.C. What brings you to Raven’s Peak?”He gestures to the couch, but I stay standing. He sits, crossing his legs. “Trouble. Your town’s a powder keg—attacks, breaches, a dead man in your Moon Room. I hear yo

POV: AsherI’m sprinting to the Big House’s storage room, Glock in hand, Ember’s footsteps fading as she races to the safehouse to check on Rowan and Caelen. The guard’s words—*“Blood opens the way”*—burn in my mind, a taunt from the Order. The east wing’s a mess, door splintered, but as I step inside, my flashlight sweeps over crates and files, all untouched. Nothing’s missing, just like Tom said. My Skinwalker senses flare, a prickle at the back of my neck, but there’s no one here. Just that damn burner phone on the floor, screen glowing with the message.“Distraction,” I mutter, grabbing the phone, my comm crackling. “Ember, you with the pups?”Her voice comes through, tense but steady. “They’re fine, Asher. Lupa’s got them. Caelen’s sleeping, Rowan’s fussing but safe. No breach here.”I exhale, but my gut’s still knotted. “Storage is intact. Nothing taken. It’s another feint.”“They’re screwing with us,” Ember says, anger sharp. “Keeping us running while they plan the real hit.”I