All Chapters of Moonbound: The Alpha's Claim: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Elena’s mouth went dry. “Stay” sounded too intimate. Too heavy. Like a promise disguised as a command. Her hand stayed against Damien’s chest. She inhaled slowly. Lyra rose just beneath Elena's skin. She wasn't wild or frantic. Her presence was more a show of solidarity. Elena opened her mouth and tried to speak, but the requested word wouldn't come forward. Her voice cracked from the pressure she felt building in her chest. The emotions were too powerful, too raw. Elena jerked her hand back instinctively and said, “I can’t.”Roland’s expression didn’t change. “You can. You’re choosing fear.”“That’s not—”“Again,” Roland said, and the single word carried enough authority to make Elena’s skin tighten.Elena swallowed hard and looked at Damien. He nodded once. She tried again.“Stay.”The word came out sharper than she intended. She didn't shout, but the word had an edge to it that she didn't expect. Damien’s reaction was immediate—his shoulders locked, and his wolf flared. His eyes

They had the east garden locked down before noon. No announcement was made, and no alarm sounded. The guards simply closed the gates, and Gail warded the hedges. The patrol units' paths were quietly adjusted with absolute precision, allowing no one to miss a beat. It was clear that Eldermoon didn't panic loudly—it adapted smoothly.Elena watched from Damien's sitting room as the guards changed shift, and two new wolves took up post outside the closed garden. Neither looked tense nor afraid. They merely looked alert, as if guarding something fragile rather than dangerous. No one realized how much that distinction actually mattered. She hadn't gone anywhere near the garden. While no one had specifically asked her to, no one forbade it. Roland had been very deliberate about ensuring orders were given to everyone but her. Behind her, the room was quiet, save for the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Damien was posted up against the mantle in a relaxed pose that could almost pass as b

The first test didn't seem like a test at all. Elena would only realize later that that was the point. She was simply tasked with walking the inner grounds just after dusk with no escort, warning, or explanation. Roland gave the direction with a level, unreadable voice. “Take the west path. Stay within the inner markers.”That was all he said to do. He made no mention of danger, training, or being careful. What made her even more uncomfortable was the fact that Damien didn't object. “I’ll be close,” he said quietly as she passed him in the hall. “Not following. Just…present.”She nodded in response, grateful but uneasy. The west path wove its way through older parts of the manor grounds. It was made of stone-lined walkways and low trees whose roots had long since learned where not to interfere with ward lines. There were fewer lanterns here; their glow was softer. Shadows pooled naturally, undisturbed.Elena walked slowly, hands tucked into the sleeves of her sweater, breath measure

Elena stopped before the threshold, her feet frozen to the spot. The stone beneath her boots was familiar, but the air beyond the archway felt different. It wasn't heavy or hostile, but it felt aware. It was almost like a held breath that didn’t belong to her.Behind her, nothing moved. No guards shifted. No wards flared. No quiet pressure slid along her senses, asking to be noticed. That, she realized, was the problem. Elena closed her eyes and counted once to make sure the instinct didn’t win. Lyra stirred, but did not rise. The wolf stayed where she was, coiled and listening.…this is the edge… Lyra murmured. …where you choose…Elena opened her eyes. She stepped through the archway, and nothing answered. The silence wasn’t empty. It was restrained. And for the first time since the cave, Elena felt the difference between being unheard and being uninvited. Her shoulders eased by a fraction.Down the corridor, Damien watched from where he leaned against the wall, arms crossed loosely,

A scream tore through the silence from the direction of the perimeter. Elena felt it before she heard it. There was a sharp snap in the air. It was almost like a cord pulled too tight. She was mid-step in the lower hall when Lyra surged hard enough to steal her breath.…now…The world moved as the manor shifted into motion with terrifying precision. Boots thundered down stone corridors, doors slammed, and orders carried low and fast, threaded with Alpha authority. Damien appeared beside her in a blur, already half-shifted, eyes burning blue-gold. “Inside. Now.”“No,” Elena said. For once, it wasn’t instinct. It was choice.The ground shuddered. Somewhere beyond the walls, something hit the wards hard enough to make the stone groan. Roland’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade. “East and west teams—engage. Do not pursue past the markers.”Gail’s magic flared up around them, sharp and cold, wrapping the inner corridors in layered protection. Elena felt it slide around her skin, be