บททั้งหมดของ CLAIMED BY THE MAD ALPHA BROTHERS : บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 49

ROWAN’S POVMiasan’s house looked exactly as it always had—small, unassuming, tucked away in a quiet corner of the pack territory. Nothing about the exterior suggested anything was wrong. No broken windows. No shattered door. No signs of violence or struggle.Just silence.I stood in the doorway with my brothers, all of us returned now from our various missions. Emiriel stood to my left, his expression carved from stone. Malachi was to my right, his jaw tight with tension. And Nikolai lingered behind us, his shadows unusually still, subdued.The body lay in the center of the small living space, exactly where Basil had found it.Miasan.Or what was left of her.She looked… deflated. That was the only word for it. Her skin was pale, not the natural paleness of death, but something worse. Something was wrong. Like all the color, all the life, all the essence had been drained away. There was no blood.No wounds visible on her body save for the single slash across her throat—clean, preci

NIKOLAI“Don’t,” I cut him off, my voice low but firm. “Just don’t. I need this. We all need this.”I walked past them, cradling Anokai against my chest. She shifted slightly, her face turning toward me, nuzzling into my shirt. The gesture was unconscious, instinctive, and it made my beast purr with satisfaction.Mine, it whispered. Ours.My brothers followed in silence as I carried her through the hallways to my room. I could feel their eyes on me, could sense their conflicting emotions. Concern, curiosity, and underneath it all, that same desperate need I felt.They wanted her close too. Even if they wouldn’t admit it.I reached my room and pushed the door open with my shoulder, moving directly to the bed. I laid her down gently, carefully, arranging her on the dark sheets like she was something precious. Something to be protected.Her hair fanned out across my pillow, and the sight of it made something primal surge in my chest.Perfect.She looked perfect there.My brothers filed

ANOKAII didn’t turn around. Didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing whatever expression was on my face.“I don’t owe you any explanations,” I said, my voice flat.“You’re not leaving until you give me one.”The words were quiet, but they carried absolute authority. I felt it then—a shift in the air, something heavy and oppressive settling over the room.When I tried to turn the handle, it wouldn’t budge.Locked.Or held by something I couldn’t see.My jaw clenched as I slowly turned back to face them. Emiriel stood in the same spot, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. Waiting.“Let me out,” I said coldly.“Answer the question first.” Emiriel took a step closer. “Be truthful this time, Anokai. Why are you here? How did you end up in our pack?”I scoffed, the sound bitter. “What truth? Didn’t Ethan tell you everything already when he was here?”“I want to hear it from your mouth.”“Why?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “So you can pick apart every word? Find more reasons to su

ANOKAIA laugh escaped my lips, genuine and surprised. “Really? Two sisters?”Rissa nodded, her smile soft and warm. “Yes, my lady. Both younger than me. They mean the world to me.”“I can’t imagine having sisters who actually like each other,” I said, the words coming out more bitter than I intended. But Rissa didn’t seem to notice, or if she did, she was kind enough not to comment.“They’re everything to me,” she continued, her eyes lighting up in a way I’d never seen before. “When I left home to work here, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I send money back to them every month. To help with their education, their future.”“That’s—” I started, but a sharp knock interrupted me.The door opened before either of us could respond, and Emiriel stepped inside, Rowan close behind him.Rissa stood immediately, her chair scraping against the floor. “Your highnesses,” she said, bowing quickly. I could see the fear in her eyes but I noticed she remained close to me. My heart softe

ANOKAI’S POV“You’re scared of losing control,” I said, the realization hitting me with sudden clarity.Rowan’s expression shifted, something flickering in his eyes. “How is that related?”I moved closer to them, not all the way back, but enough that I didn’t have to shout. “Because this takes the control out of your hands. Up here, on this edge, you can’t rely on strength or power or violence. You can fall. You can die. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”The words settled over us, heavy with truth.“Everything in your lives,” I continued quietly, “you control through force. Through fear. Through being stronger and faster and more dangerous than anyone else. But gravity?” I gestured back toward the edge. “Gravity doesn’t care how powerful you are. Doesn’t care about your curse or your hunger or your reputation. One wrong step and you fall just like anyone else.”Silence greeted my words.Emiriel’s expression was unreadable, but I saw something shift in his eyes. Understand