All Chapters of CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA HEIR: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

I never thought death would feel like stepping into a cage.Rain hammered down on me as I climbed out of the sleek black car, my black dress already clinging to my skin. The Looke Empire mansion loomed above me like something out of a nightmare, all stone and shadows and money that could crush a person. My mom was gone. Really gone. And now this place was supposed to be my home.A tall figure stood at the top of the wide stairs, watching me. Even through the rain I could feel his stare burning into me."You must be Ella," he said, his voice deep and rough, like gravel under tires. He did not smile. He did not offer an umbrella.I pushed wet hair out of my eyes and looked up at him. "Yeah. That's me. You are Vincent, right?"He came down a few steps, slow and deliberate. Up close he was even more intimidating. Broad shoulders, sharp jaw, dark eyes that seemed to see straight through me. My stomach twisted in a way I did not want to name."Welcome to the mansion," he said flatly. "Victo

Gunshots shattered everything I thought I knew about this house.We were sitting at the long dining table that evening when it happened. Victor had insisted on a small welcome dinner. Candles flickered between us. The food smelled expensive but tasted like ash in my mouth."You have barely touched your plate, Ella," Victor said, watching me carefully. "Is the meal not to your liking?"I forced a smile. "It is fine. Everything is just... a lot. Thank you for doing this."Vincent sat across from me again. His eyes had not left my face since we sat down. After what happened in his study earlier, the tension between us felt thick enough to choke on."You seem distracted," Vincent said suddenly. His voice was low. "Still thinking about things you should not be?"I met his stare head on. "Maybe I am thinking about how you kissed me and then told me to forget it. That is kind of hard to ignore."Victor set his fork down slowly. "Kiss? What is going on between you two?""Nothing," Vincent ans

The symbols on the walls were watching me.I ran my fingers over the strange carvings hidden behind a tapestry in the east wing. They looked ancient. Almost alive. My heart would not slow down after what I overheard in the kitchen this morning. Two servants whispering about the heir’s true nature. About how the full moon changed everything.I needed answers. Vincent would not give them to me, so I had to find them myself.Footsteps echoed behind me. Strong hands grabbed my arm and spun me around. Vincent’s face was dark with anger."What the hell do you think you are doing?" he demanded, dragging me down the hallway. "I told you to stop digging."I tried to pull free but his grip was firm. "Let go of me. I heard them talking about you. The heir. What are you hiding?"He did not answer until we reached the empire tower. He pulled me into his private office and locked the door. The city skyline stretched out behind him through floor to ceiling windows, but I could only focus on the stor