His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Claire’s POV

The first week after the showdown with Audrey felt like walking through a slightly warped version of my life, like someone had adjusted the lighting but left everything else intact.

The lockers were the same dull blue.

The bells still rang too loudly. Teachers still droned on about syllabi and deadlines. But the way people looked at me-that was different.

The stares hadn’t disappeared. They’d just evolved.

Instead of sharp whispers and sidelong glances, there was curiosity now. Open interest.

A kind of cautious admiration that made my shoulders tense every time I stepped into a hallway. People nodded at me like we shared a secret. A few smiled. Some even said my name out loud, like it no longer carried the risk of contamination.

Elijah’s public takedown of Audrey had apparently shifted the social ecosystem.

Jessica called it “legend status.”

I called it exhausting.

By Monday morning, the novelty hadn’t worn off for anyone except me.

I woke before my alarm, lying still as I waited for my body to catch up with consciousness. No racing heart. No dizziness. No strange flutter that made me hold my breath and count. Just steady, even beats-reliable in a way I wasn’t used to trusting.

The new meds were doing their job.

That realization settled over me slowly, warm and cautious, like a hand hovering just above my chest.

Downstairs, the house smelled like coffee and oranges. Mom stood at the counter, humming softly as she sliced fruit, her movements relaxed in a way they hadn’t been for weeks. There was a lightness to her shoulders now, a looseness that told me she was finally letting herself believe we were past the worst.

Elijah sat at the table, one leg stretched out, phone in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. His hair was still messy from sleep, and the sight of him-comfortable, domestic, here-made something in my chest soften.

“Morning,” I said, dropping into the chair beside him.

He looked up immediately, smile slow and familiar. “Morning. You sleep okay?”

“Better than okay,” I said, and meant it.

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Chapter 203

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Under the table, his knee brushed mine. Not accidental. Not rushed. Just a quiet acknowledgment that no one else in the room would notice.

Mom turned, handing me a yogurt. “Big week ahead. You both ready?”

Elijah nodded easily. “Practice every day. The game is in less than a day.”

“And your appointment later than that,” Mom added, her voice gentler when she looked at me.

The ablation consult.

It felt strange hearing it said so plainly, like it was just another item on a list. For weeks it had existed as a looming possibility, a future-shaped fear I refused to stare at too long. Now it had a date. A time. A name.

“I’m ready,” I said, surprised by how true it felt.

School was… manageable.

In first period, people glanced up when I walked in, then went back to their notes. No snickers. No murmured commentary. Just space. Breathing room. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d been coiled until that pressure eased.

Art class was the one place that felt completely unchanged, and I was grateful for it. The smell of paint, the low music Mr. Harlan always played, the way time slipped by unnoticed.

After critique, he stopped me near the drying rack, studying one of my newer pieces. A wolf, half-shifted, eyes bright instead of shadowed.

“Your work’s changed,” he said, tapping the canvas lightly. “Stronger. More confident.”

I swallowed. “Is that good?”

“It’s honest,” he replied. “That’s better.”

At lunch, Jessica practically bounced into the seat across from me.

“So,” she said, lowering her voice like she was delivering classified intel, “rumor has it Audrey’s on probation with the cheer squad.”

I blinked. “For what?”

“Conduct unbecoming,” she grinned. “Principal’s orders. Apparently public meltdowns don’t align with schoo values.”

“Karma works fast sometimes,” I murmured.

Across the cafeteria, Elijah sat with the team, laughing at something Felix said. Audrey’s usual impossible not to notice. Felix waved me over, eyebrows raised in invitation, but I shook my hea

put.

Elijah caught my eye anyway, tilting his head slightly in silent question.

was

ed

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Chapter 202

:0

Mom reached across, taking my hand. “How long have you been thinking about this?”

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“Since he mentioned it today,” I admitted. “But the idea’s been in the back of my mind for a while. I’m tired, Mom. Tired of being careful all the time. Tired of wondering if the next loud noise or excited moment will put me on the ground. I want to live without that fear.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “You deserve that. More than anyone.”

Ethan set the pamphlet down. “We’ll get a second opinion if you want. Best hospital, best doctor. Money’s not an issue.”

Mom nodded. “And recovery-we’ll make it as easy as possible. Home nurses if you need them. I’ll take time. off work.”

Ethan looked thoughtful. “We can set up the downstairs guest room as your recovery space. No stairs for the first week. I’ll install one of those medical beds if it helps-adjustable, everything you need. Monitors, whatever Dr. Adrian recommends. You won’t have to lift a finger.”

I felt my eyes burn. “You don’t have to do all that.”

“We want to,” Mom said firmly. “You’re our daughter. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you heal properly.”

Elijah’s hand squeezed mine tighter. He hadn’t said much, but his presence grounded me.

Ethan looked at him, then back at me. “This is a big decision. Take time if you need it.”

“I’ve thought about it all day,” I said. “I want to do it. I want to be fixed.”

Mom cried harder then, pulling me into a hug across the table. “My brave girl.”

Ethan stood and came around, hugging us both. “We’ll call Dr. Adrian tomorrow. Get it scheduled.”

The rest of dinner passed in softer tones-plans, questions, reassurances. Mom worried about pain management. Ethan talked logistics. Elijah promised to drive me to every appointment.

By the time we cleared the table, it felt real. Scheduled. Supported.

Mom hugged me again at the sink. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “But I’m so proud of you for choosing this.”

I hugged her back. “Thank you for letting me.”

Ethan ruffled my hair like I was little again. “Get some rest. Big things ahead.”

They headed upstairs early, leaving Elijah and me in the kitchen.

He dried the last plate, then turned to me. “Outside?”

I nodded.

We grabbed coats and the thick blanket from the porch, slipping out the back door. The night was clear a

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Chapter 202

cold, stars scattered across the sky like someone had spilled diamonds.

We sat on the deck steps, blanket wrapped around us both.

“Look,” he said quietly, pointing up.

The Milky Way stretched faint but visible, a river of light.

I leaned against his shoulder. “It’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful,” he said, kissing my temple.

I smiled. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true.”

We sat in silence for a while, just breathing.

“I told them,” I said finally.

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