All Chapters of Claimed by the Ruthless Alpha: Chapter 51 - Chapter 58

Celeste’s bare feet slapped against the cold stone floor of the corridor, her nightgown fluttering around her legs as she ran. The vision still clung to her like frost on skin. The endless snow, the biting wind, the distant beacon of golden light calling to her through the blizzard. Her chest heaved, lungs burning, but she didn’t slow down. The bond in her heart pulled gently toward Kaelan, warm and steady, but right now it was Seraphine she needed. Seraphine, with her true sight and centuries of knowledge preserved in the bloodline, was the only one who might make sense of what she had seen. The packhouse was quiet at this hour, most wolves retired for the night. Torches burned low in their brackets, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the black stone walls like living things.&nb

The mountain trail was narrow and steep, but Ryke knew every twist and hidden path like the back of his hand. He had ridden these ridges many times on patrols with Kaelan, scouting for threats and mapping the borders of Ravencrest’s domain. Today, however, the ride felt different. Liera sat in front of him on the same horse, her back pressed against his chest, her dark hair with silver threads brushing his chin with every step the stallion took.He had suggested the ride after their tense conversation on the balcony the night before. “Let me show you something,” he had said, voice rough with need and hope. “A place where the world feels bigger than duty.”Liera had agreed, though her eyes had held a flicker of nervousness. Now, as they climbed higher into the mountains, the air grew colder and sharper, carrying the clean scent of pine and distant snow. The horse’s hooves crunched on loose gravel, the only sound breaking the quiet except for the occasional call of a mountain bird.Ryke

The garden felt different today. Celeste sat alone on the soft grass of the flower bed, the winter roses blooming in defiant silver clusters around her. It's getting very cold. In Ravencrest. Seraphine had suggested she practice by herself this time.  A test of control, a way to trust her own power without the anchor of another person’s guidance. The woman had settled a short distance away, cross-legged on a stone bench, eyes closed in her own meditative trance. The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns across the ground, but Celeste barely noticed. Her mind was still tangled in the kiss with Kaelan, the warmth of his hands on her waist, the way the bond h

The room was quiet except for the soft crackle of the hearth and the steady rhythm of Cassian’s breathing against her skin. Seraphine lay on her side in the large bed of his private chambers, the heavy curtains drawn against the night. Cassian was behind her, his powerful, scarred body pressed close, he had one arm draped possessively over her waist. His lips brushed her bare shoulder in slow, lazy kisses, warm and teasing, sending little sparks of pleasure down her spine. His free hand traced idle patterns along her hip, fingers dipping lower with every pass, promising more if she let him. She had come to him after the day’s duties, needing the comfort of his touch, the way he could make the complicated web of politics and bloodlines fade for a