All Chapters of The Dual Claim: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

177 Chapters

Chapter 21 Gabriel

It felt good to be home and rested up. The air this far north felt cleaner and crisper this time of year. The vibrant colors on the trees having reached their peak while I was gone, started shedding their leaves for the winter. Regardless of what calendars said the start and end dates for the seasons were, our winters were longer. Or what we called winter. Once the temperature dropped below freezing every night, we were already prepped for the snows. While we were never truly snowed in on this side of Pack lands, there were some of our older Pack, like my Grandfather’s era old, who preferred to live along our northern borders. They were often housebound in the dead of winter. It was my job to make sure these extremely stubborn wolves accepted the staples when we brought them by. More than once, the ole codgers tried to bluff their way out and tell me they were already stocked. They learned quickly, I

Chapter 22 Gabriel

The boxes kept moving from hand to hand until they were loaded onto the edge of the box truck. Then it was my turn to stack them based on our delivery order and what each household needed. Seith and I worked side by side. After so many years of doing this together, we had our rhythm that was seamless. Uncle and his team did another truck, while Sam, one of the Pack’s Council members, and his team loaded the third truck.Our territory spanned thousands of acres, three trucks could cover more ground in less time getting them delivered.The terrain was slow going, even with the maintained dirt roads, for these large trucks. It was often a two- or three-day trip for us, and even longer for Sam and Erick who took the homes the farthest from the main Pack House.With the truck loaded, I went back into the house to get my camping gear. Once I had the bags and boxes loaded, I got behind the wheel, and started the engine.For some unknown, unw

Chapter 23 Soraya

Walking through the forest was getting a tad boring. It’s not that it wasn’t pretty, it was just the same thing day after day.Because I still couldn’t connect or feel my wolf, I started moving in the daytime. I wasn’t afraid of pack at this point. Logic said they thought I was dead and they weren’t looking for me.Besides, moving at night put me as prey, not predator. I couldn’t see as well, my sense of direction was crap, and half the time my human nose was stuffy.That and seriously, who was going to tell me otherwise? No one to tell me what to do…even my bossy wolf.The bossy wolf that I missed terribly, but I decided that I couldn’t dwell on her.This was my life now. I am nearly one hundred percent human. I wouldn’t go to a normal ER and let them draw blood, but I felt mostly human.Wait. What happens if I get sick and have to go to a human hospital? It’s not like there&r

Chapter 24 Lucien

I threw my gloves down on the table as soon as I got through the door to the Pack House. The trucks for the old ones. The ones who refused to live close enough where help could be provided on a daily basis.Instead, they chose to live on the outskirts away from the rest of the pack. Preferring solitude over the day-to-day bustle in the center of things.I could understand that to some extent, but for the most part, they’d reached an age where they didn’t always run with us anymore. The burden they thought they were avoiding, only became more of one because of the time and effort it took to make sure they were okay.At least with the advent of modern communication, we didn’t have to physically check on them every day.I think if that were the case, I’d make a formal edict and push the move to the hub.Lands were too expansive, and with everyone becoming busier by the day, there was no way we could manually drive out and check on dozens of solitary w

Chapter 25 Lucien

Rosa dipped her chin and eyes at the same time as she rose from her chair.“Sit,” I commanded, tossing out a little bit of energy.Rosa sat.I looked Vanessa straight in the eye. She met my glare head on.Without saying a word, I arched an eyebrow and jutted my chin toward an empty chair.Vanessa sat.It wasn’t without a huff and puff and a roll of her eyeballs though. It was one thing to play and get a spanking later, but this was overt and putting on a show in front of my Beta, the Council, and her fucking besties.Tonight, it wouldn’t be a funnishment, that’s for damned sure.Everyone else around the table looked really uncomfortable, real fast.“Everyone else,” I said in a deep, don’t fuck with me tone. My eyes never leaving Vanessa’s. “Out. Now. Kane take the simpering females with you.”Vanessa made like she was going to protest my command, but closed her mouth.“Yes, Alpha.” Kane replied, hustling ev

Chapter 26 Gabriel

I fiddled with my tie until the bow was perfectly aligned and centered. For whatever reason, my fingers just weren’t cooperating. What should have taken me seconds, took over twenty minutes.It didn’t help matters that Seith sat in the armchair directly behind me making faces in the mirror.I growled and pulled the ends apart for the umpteenth time.“What gives?” my cousin asked from his casual perch. “You tie these things all the time. Want me to get a clip on one?”“Fuck off,” I replied irritably. “Sorry. That came out meaner than I wanted it to.”“Don’t sweat it. I’m used to you and your moods by now. Seriously though, what’s going on. You’re radiating anxiety. It’s icky.” He said, adding a shiver for effect. “Make it stop.”“Jackass.” I murmured, but his smile showed he heard it anyway. “It’s the damn ceremony tonight.”“So? I mean it’s not like it’s your first one.”“I know that. But this one feels like it’s got a lot more

Chapter 27 Soraya

The landscape looked the same, everywhere I turned. The same huge trees with trunks so thick that they needed lots of people to hold hands around them.They were beautiful trees though, growing as high as the sky with a canopy almost dense enough to block out the sun. There were some patches of sun though, which I spared a few extra minutes in those patches to soak up some warmth.But that’s all there was, these beautiful old trees. The apple trees I hoped for never materialized.There were tons of shrubs in this spot with some beautiful red and blue berries. I saw birds and even some squirrels munching on them, so I crossed my fingers and hoped they were not poisonous to humans.Thank goodness I loaded up on them days ago. They’ve been my only sustenance.I used the bag from the safehouse that I thought might come in handy later. I never thought for an instant that it might be a life saver.That was one of my better decisions. That bag held

Chapter 28 Gabriel

The SUVs rolled in, one after another starting earlier this afternoon. It was a constant procession, some making the trek for a few days.Sure, they could have flown, but some traditions are harder to break than others. The Eastern Hills Pack arrived in a decked-out RV just before dusk. That was a new twist, but it was a week’s journey for them, so why not have accommodations on the road?That meant we also didn’t have to provide lodging, only hookups.Seith left me with the knowledge of Ravenhall’s ambition. It was quite possible he married Vanessa to a Northern Pack hoping to expand into our hemisphere.Vanessa didn’t have much use for the Southern boys during our time at the academy. She made in with Northern Princesses, the common name for Alpha daughters. That put her in direct sight of the Northern Princes.What Seith made sense now that I think back on things. Lucien made the perfect patsy. He never cared about running the pack, only running

Chapter 29 Lucien

It was almost dawn as the limo pulled up the hill toward the Pack House, I focused my attention on the house my family built over two hundred years ago. Gradually as the pack grew, additions were made.Now this massive house was mine. There was a legacy to live up to on these lands. It was now my responsibility to fill the cup of all these wolves.Pack loyalty only went as far as their leaders. Although members usually left only when mated with a wolf from another pack, there were always some who just wanted to make their own way.Typically, that wolf had to petition the Alpha and give their reasons. It wasn’t common to turn them down. After all, why have someone who didn’t want to be there in the ranks? It only caused discontent.The weight of it all sat on my shoulders. It felt like years and not weeks since Dad was killed. The Council and Kane kept me briefed on what needed my attention, but other than that, they were leaving me alone.No time.

Chapter 30 Soraya

My eyes weren’t even open, but they hurt from the light hitting my lids. I went to move my arm over my face, but it felt like lead. Moving it even a little bit, hurt my muscles.What the heck?I finally got my arm over my eyes and peeked out from under it. The sun was high in the sky.Trying to sit up hurt everywhere; so, I went little by little. It felt like it took hours, but I had nothing to tell me how long it really took.My limbs protested and my head throbbed.I finally made it upright and leaned back against one of those massive trees.I was in one of those sun pockets, where the leaf canopy didn’t provide much shade.The warmth from the sun seeped into my bones. It helped me relax a little, but I still hurt.It hurt to swallow, my throat was parched, my lips felt chapped. On top of that, my mouth was drier than a desert and tasted like someone dumped a load of rotten food in it.I fought the urge to heave. My br

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