His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 241

Chapter 241

Claire’s POV

The fallout from the “field trip” was almost instant.

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By the time we reached the gates of the Hale manor, the black sedan belonging to Marcus Valerius was already parked in the circular drive. The engine was still ticking as it cooled.

“He beat us home,” I whispered, my eyes on the dark tint of the car windows.

“He didn’t beat us,” Elijah said, his hands tight on the steering wheel. “Julian called him the second we hit cell range. This is the confrontation Silas warned us about.”

We walked through the front doors and were immediately met by the sound of voices from the library. They weren’t shouting.

In the world of Alphas and Councilmen, shouting was for the weak. They were speaking in the low, rhythmic tones of a death sentence.

“You destroyed a Council-monitored recovery node, Ethan,” Marcus’s voice carried clearly into the hall. “That is an act of open defiance. It’s nearly an act of war.”

“It was a Reed surveillance bug on my land,” Ethan replied. His voice was like a slab of cold marble. “My son removed a trespasser’s toy. If the Council is claiming ownership of Reed trash, then perhaps the Council should explain why they were spying on us in the first place.”

Elijah pushed the library doors open. I followed him, trying to keep my heart rate from spiking. S2 bpm. Not bad, considering the room was filled with the most dangerous men in the North.

Marcus was standing by the fireplace, a glass of amber liquid in His hand. Julian was behind him, still wearing his torn blazer, looking remarkably unbothered for someone who had just been blown up.

Silas sat in his corner chair, his silver-headed cane resting across his knees like a sword.

“Ah, the stars of the show,” Marcus said, turning his gaze on us. “Elijah. And Claire. I hear you had quite the adventure on the peak.”

“It was a hike, Marcus,” Elijah said. He stood in the center of the room, refusing to back down. “Until your specialist tried to use a broken node to experiment on my mate.”

“Experiment? Such a harsh word,” Julian chimed in with a light chuckle. “I was merely observing the interaction between the Well’s energy and Claire’s unique physiology. It’s part of the audit, isn’t it? To see if the ‘Anchor’ is stable?”

“The audit is over,” Silas rumbled, his voice shaking the floorboards. “You’ve seen the boy play. You’ve seen the girl survive. Now you’re poking at the Wells because you want the power for ourselves.”

Marcus set his glass down on the mantel with a sharp clink. “We are the Council. The power belongs to the collective, not to a single, fractured bloodline that can’t even keep its own territory clear of rebels.”

He stepped toward Elijah, his eyes flashing a dark, predatory green. “Julian’s report is damning. You interfered with a federal recovery. You used a localized jammer-illegal tech, by the way to destroy evidence. I have half a mind to call for the Regency tonight.”

“Then call it,” Ethan said. He stood up, his height dwarfing Marcus. “But know this: the moment a Regent steps onto this land, the Red Pine closes. No exports. No lunar energy sharing. No cooperation. We’ll go dark, Marcus. And we both know the Southern packs can’t survive a winter without our grid.”

The room went cold. It was a stalemate. Marcus had the legal power, but Ethan held the literal power of the land.

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17:39 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 241

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“Is that a threat, Ethan?” Marcus asked softly.

“It’s a fact,” Ethan replied.

Marcus looked at Julian, then at me. His gaze was cold and calculating. “Fine. We will delay the Regency. For now. But Julian is staying. He will be embedded with the hockey team. He will be in every class with the heir. And the moment-the second -there is another ‘accident’ with a Well, the Regency will be the least of your worries.”

“He stays away from Claire,” Elijah said, his voice a low growl.

“Julian goes where the audit requires,” Marcus said. He picked up his coat. “We’ll see you at the rink tomorrow, Elijah. Try not to break anything else.”

The Councilmen walked out, Julian giving us a jaunty wave before the library doors closed.

The silence that followed was heavy. Ethan let out a long breath and sank back into his chair. Silas just stared at the fire, his jaw set.

“We’re being hunted in our own house,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

“No,” Silas said, looking up at me. “We’re being tested. They want to see if we’ll crack under the pressure. They want us to make a mistake.”

“We need to find the other Wells,” Elijah said. “Fast. If Julian is embedded with us, we won’t be able to move at night anymore.”

“He’s right,” Ethan said. “But you can’t go as a group. It’s too obvious. Felix and Jax will have to handle the logistics. You two… you need to be the perfect students. The perfect couple. Give them nothing to report.”

“I can’t just sit in class while they steal the Wells,” I protested.

“You won’t be sitting,” Silas said. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, old-fashioned key. “The fourth Well isn’t in the woods. It’s under the school. The old foundation of the original Red Pine Academy.”

I looked at the key, then at Elijah.

“Under the school?” Elijah asked. “You mean the basement level that’s been sealed since the sixties?”

“The very one,” Silas said. “The Reeds couldn’t get to it because the Hales held the deed. But Julian will find a way. You need to get there first. Use the vents, use the tunnels-whatever it takes.”

Elijah took the key. It was cold and heavy. “We’ll go during the pep rally on Friday. Everyone will be in the gym. The noise will cover the equipment.”

“It’s a big risk,” I said.

“It’s the only way,” Elijah replied. He looked at me, his eyes full of a fierce, protective light. “We take the school back, Claire. Then we take the rest.”

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