His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 27

**TITLE: Betrayal Births by Joseph King**

**Chapter 27**

**Claire’s POV**

This feeling was entirely unlike anything I had ever experienced before—nothing like the awkward kisses I had daydreamed about, nor the playful fantasies Naomi would tease me with when she talked about crushes.

No, this was something far more primal. It was raw, consuming, as if his wolf had reached into the depths of my soul and struck a spark against the stone of my being.

For one terrifying moment, I completely lost track of my condition. My heart, the pills stashed in my drawer, the warnings I had been so careful to heed—everything faded into oblivion.

Instead of the familiar racing, the tightness in my chest, the creeping panic, I was enveloped in an unexpected calm.

It was a steady rhythm, a pulse meant to anchor me rather than send me spiraling into chaos.

My wolf, usually timid and fearful, was no longer whimpering in the shadows; she was howling, wild and hungry, filled with ecstatic energy.

“Elijah…” The name tumbled from my lips as his hand cradled my jaw, his rough thumb brushing against the corner of my mouth. His other hand gripped my hip, pinning me to the wall as if he feared I might vanish if he loosened his hold.

A shiver ran through me, my body caught in a strange paradox: every instinct screamed for me to flee, while every fiber of my being leaned in closer to him. His lips traveled lower, grazing the line of my jaw, exploring the delicate hollow of my throat.

My breath caught in my throat, and I found my fingers clenching the fabric of his shirt, torn between the urge to push him away and the desperate need to pull him closer.

What in the world was happening to me?

“Why—” My voice trembled, betraying my confusion. “Why does it feel like this?”

His lips lingered against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Because you’re not as untouched as you think you are.” His voice was a low growl, frayed at the edges, as if it were not just him speaking, but the beast within him as well.

A rush of heat surged low in my belly, igniting something deep inside me. My wolf responded with another desperate cry, clawing at my chest until every inch of my skin prickled with an electric awareness.

I craved more. Oh, Goddess, I wanted—

Then, footsteps echoed faintly down the hall, shattering the intoxicating haze that surrounded us.

Crap.

We both froze, our lips mere inches apart, our breaths still intertwined. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his pupils wide, a mesmerizing gold threading through the blue. It seemed his wolf had settled somewhat, but the tension in him remained palpable.

“Elijah…” I whispered, my heart racing as the footsteps drew nearer to my door.

His hand slipped away from my jaw as if it had been burned. He tore himself away from me, running a hand through his hair in frustration, pacing back and forth before muttering a curse under his breath. When he finally turned to face me, the look in his eyes made my breath catch in my throat.

The frustration etched across his features wasn’t directed at me; it was aimed at himself, as if he couldn’t believe what had just transpired between us.

Without another word, he turned on his heel, his shoulders tense, and stormed out of the room, leaving me breathless and bewildered.

I stood there against the wall, my hands pressed against my chest as it heaved with emotion, my lips tingling from his touch, my mind replaying the entire scene like a broken record.

Elijah had kissed me.

Elijah Daniels, the heir Alpha, my arrogant stepbrother, the hockey star, had kissed me.

Oh, Moon Goddess, was this some cruel trick meant to upend my entire world?

My hands instinctively lifted to my lips, where the taste of him lingered. His Alpha energy enveloped me in a musky scent, his cologne a mix of cedar and something sweet yet undeniably masculine, blending together with his primal essence into an intoxicating aroma that made my knees weak.

“What the hell just happened?” I murmured to the empty room, my voice barely above a whisper.

My wolf whimpered softly, unsatisfied and restless. My trembling fingers lingered on my lips. Goddess, what had I just allowed to happen?

How on earth was I supposed to return to normalcy after this?

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