His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 244

Chapter 244

Claire’s POV

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The “Greasy Spoon” was the only place in town that didn’t care if you walked in smelling like woodsmoke and desperation.

It was a haven of red vinyl booths and milkshakes thick enough to clog a drain.

“If I eat this entire burger, I might actually turn into a sedentary house cat,” Felix said, eyeing the triple-patty monster in front of him.

“You’re a wolf, Felix. Your metabolism can handle a small cow,” Jak replied, already halfway through his own meal.

Elijah and I sat across from them, our hands linked under the table. After the chaos in the school basement, the warmth of the diner felt like a dream.

Elijah’s thumb was tracing small circles on the back of my hand, a gesture that kept my heart steady at 72 bpm.

“So,” I said, looking at the boys. “The Hearth Well is stable, but Julian has his hooks in it. What’s the plan for the weekend?”

“We lay low,” Elijah said, his voice firm. “Julian is looking for a reason to snap. If we stay out of the woods for forty-eight hours, he might get bored and go bother Val.”

“Speak of the devil,” Jax muttered, his eyes narrowing at the door

The bell chimed. Julian walked in, looking far too crisp for a Friday night in a mountain town. He scanned the room, spotted us, and beamed as if we were his long-lost best friends. Behind him, looking slightly annoyed, was Val.

“What a delightful coincidence!” Julian chirped, sliding into the booth directly next to ours. “The whole gang is here. I was just telling Val that I had a craving for ‘authentic’ local cuisine.”

“It’s a burger joint, Julian. Not a culinary tour,” Val said, sitting down with a sigh.

Elijah’s grip on my hand tightened. “The town is big, Julian. There are other diners.”

“But they don’t have the company,” Julian replied, leaning over the back of his booth. “I wanted to apologize for the… excitement earlier. My father always says I have a flair for the dramatic. I hope I didn’t spoil your afternoon.”

“You almost leveled the gym,” I said, my voice flat. “I’d call that a bit more than ‘excitement.”

“Details, details,” Julian waved a hand dismissively. “The point is, we’re all safe. And look! I even bought Val a milkshake to make up for the hike. Though she seems to prefer pouting.”

Val glanced at us, her expression unreadable. “He’s been like this for three hours. If one of you wants to challenge him to a duel to the death, I won’t stop you.”

“A duel? How archaic!” Julian laughed. “I much prefer a battle of wits. Speaking of which, Elijah, I noticed the hockey schedule changed. A special scrimmage against the alumni tomorrow?”

Elijah stiffened. The scrimmage was a secret—a way for the pack to test the younger wolves’ coordination without Council

eyes.

“It’s just a practice, Julian,” Elijah said.

“Of course it is,” Julian said, his eyes twinkling. “And I’m just a stulent interested in sports. I’ll be there with my pom-poms. Metaphorically, of course.”

The tension at the table was thick enough to cut with a steak knife. Felix and Jax were dead silent, their “normal” dinner

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Chapter 244

completely ruined.

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“You know,” I said, looking Julian straight in the eye. “For someone who talks so much about ‘stability’ and ‘audits, you spend a lot of time trying to stir things up. Are you actually here for the Council, or are you just bored?”

Julian’s smile didn’t falter, but something cold flickered in his gae. “A little of both, Claire. The South is very organized. Very predictable. The North… the North is wild. It’s messy. It’s full of anchors’ and ‘miracles.’ It’s much more entertaining.”

“We aren’t here for your entertainment,” Elijah growled.

“No,” Julian agreed, standing up as the waitress brought their food. “You’re here for the survival of your pack. I just happen to be the one holding the stopwatch. Enjoy your burgers, everyone I hear the bacon is excellent.”

He sat back down, immediately engaging Val in a conversation about the school’s curriculum as if he hadn’t just threatened our entire way of life.

“I hate him,” Felix whispered. “I officially hate him more than the Reeds.”

“He’s smarter than the Reeds,” Elijah said, his voice low. “That’s the problem.”

We finished our meal in a hurry, the food tasting like ash. As we walked out to the truck, the cold mountain air felt like a relief.

“Elijah,” I said as we reached the vehicle. “If he shows up at the scrimmage tomorrow, he’s going to see the pack bond in action. He’s going to see exactly how we use the Wells to ground the younger wolves.”

“Then we don’t use the Wells,” Elijah said. He turned to me, his face determined. “We do it the old way. Pure physical skill. No energy boosts. No tricks.”

“Can the juniors handle that?” I asked.

“They’ll have to,” Elijah said. He pulled me into a quick, fierce hug. “Because if Julian sees what we’re really capable of, he won’t just be an auditor anymore. He’ll be a hunter.”

I held onto him, the scent of pine and woodsmoke finally clearing the smell of the diner from my lungs. The “double date” had been a disaster, but it had also been a wake-up call. The honeymoon phase of our victory was over.

“Let’s go home,” I whispered.

“Yeah,” Elijah said, kissing my forehead. “Home.”

As we pulled away, I looked back at the diner. Julian was sitting by the window, watching us go, his face illuminated by the flickering neon sign. He was just watching.

I chose to ignore it.

When we got home, my heart had picked up speed a bit. 110bpm the pacemaker said. I frowned. I hadn’t been in of strenuous activity since we left the diner. Why was I anxious?

any kind

I found the answer a few minutes later, when Elijah came up behind me, nuzzling his nose in my neck. His wolf’s scent was unnaturally powerful, and it was making mine giddy with excitement.

“Elijah…” I called softly, trying to organize my thoughts as his hands began to roam my torso.

”

Mm?” He hummed, a low vibration that sent shivers down my pine.

“Are you okay?” I swallowed. I was never this nervous when he touched me, but given the events of the last few weeks, we had never really had any alone time together.

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Chapter 244

Mom and Ethan weren’t at home either.

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“Am I?” He asked, in response to my question. He let out a soft growl, one that my wolf recognized immediately. Like a switch, heat flooded my veins as he spinned me around to face m.

His pupils were blown wide.

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