War Claim (The Claim: Book 3)

Chapter 22 - Chloe (Part 1)

Chloe was surprised to find her mother waiting for her at the bus stop by the pack house after school. She was the only parent there, waiting for her without her younger siblings.

When she climbed off the bus, she walked to her mother waiting a few yards away, the main pack house standing several more yards behind her.

Clouds were darkening the sky as the wind picked up in strength, tugging on the hem of her T-shirt. A thunderstorm would likely roll in before sunset.

Her mother motioned her to follow her as she turned to walk toward the pack house.

Chloe hurried to her side and walked alongside her. "What's going on?"

"Alpha was challenged earlier today," her mother whispered.

"What?" Chloe tried to keep her voice down but couldn't conceal her shock. "What happened? Is he... Is he okay?"

She'd heard her parents murmuring the last few months about the possibility of Animkii not being able to take over the pack and what that meant for Alpha Noodin and Luna Aki. A challenger was bound to step up from within the pack eventually.

Battles for the Alpha position were the most serious undertakings because they were the most brutal and savage. There was no peaceful outcome. They were fights to the death. An old tradition and one that Alphas still agreed on for thousands of years. A challenge for the Alpha position was not to be taken lightly.

With Alpha Noodin's age... even if he did win the challenge, recovery would never be one-hundred percent.

"He's alive," her mother answered softly, "but he's in really rough shape. Anwaatin is shaken up pretty bad. She's been asking for you since she got home half an hour ago."

Chloe nodded, knowing that Anwaatin must be terribly distraught from her father's near brush with death. She would be if it had been her father.

What about Animkii? As much as she didn't want to think about him and avoided all contact with him, she couldn't help but wonder how this affected him too. He'd already lost his mate, this had to be difficult for him too.

She followed her mother into the infirmary. At the far end of the room lined with beds on both sides was the more private backroom that held four beds. Her father was sitting on one of the beds outside the backroom with Sam sitting on another with his mate's arm wrapped around him. Sam looked distressed while Mik was solid as a rock and Chloe's father was pensive with deep stress lines in his face.

"Where's Ollie, Oscar, and Cammie?" Chloe asked, looking around for her siblings that usually got home from school ten minutes before her.

"They're with Grandmaw and Grandpaw," her mother told her, referring to her father's parents.

She nodded as her father looked over and caught Chloe's gaze as they approached. He reached out for her and she went into his arms and held him. His scent that always comforted her was now tainted by anxiety. She wasn't used to that scour scent and she tried not to let it get to her as he nuzzled his nose into her hair.

After a few minutes, he released her and told her that Anwaatin was inside and waiting for her. She nodded as her mother took her place at her father's side and clasped his hand with hers.

Beta Gekek, Alpha Noodin's younger brother, stepped out of the backroom before she could reach for the doorknob. He greeted her before walking away, taking over his brother's duties while he recovered from his injuries.

She entered the backroom and looked around. Only one light was on, filling the room in a pale glow. The pack doctor, Dr. Waaban, and his young trainee were finishing up their checks and were getting ready to leave. Stepping aside, she nodded her head politely and inclined her neck in respectful submission to the pair for their services as they took their leave. As the door closed next to her, she turned her attention back to the wolves in front of her.