Home / Werewolf / I Am The Alpha / Fractured Calm

Share

Fractured Calm

last update Last Updated: 2025-02-16 05:32:53

Dressed in the same dark bodysuit as Caleb, Ethan stood in the center of the room with an air of composed authority as he adjusted his digital wristband. His hair had been trimmed shorter and he seemed to have gained mass in some way.

What had he been doing? Why was he here in particular? His presence was an instant, unwelcome disruption to the fragile sense of calm I had built over the past weeks.

I immediately stiffened, my fingers curled into my palms as I stopped in my tracks and my lips curled in distaste.

Caleb, for his part, didn’t seem surprised. He merely gave Ethan a curt nod before turning to me. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

He was in on it, of course. I scowled but said nothing, watching as Caleb exited the room, leaving me alone with the one person I least wanted to see.

Ethan finally looked up to meet my eyes, my heart pulsed with gentle tremors. It only irritated me further. I hadn't seen him in so long and all he was doing was staring.

He seemed to be studying me with a
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • I Am The Alpha   Fractured Calm 2

    I inhaled deeply, swallowing down the knot growing in my throat. Shaking the lingering tension from my limbs, I shifted my stance and prepared myself.Ethan’s movements remained measured, and deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world to wear me down. And he did. After a while, I was running on fumes, my breaths had grown short and my muscles ached beyond possible redemption. Or so it felt.But I still had enough in me to show I hadn't been playing around in the time that had passed.I pushed forward, my fists tightening as I launched myself at him, aiming for his side. He dodged swiftly, effortless as ever, his body shifting with a frustrating smoothness that made it feel like he was barely trying. Again.I didn't have the energy to dwell on the difference in experience. I simply twisted my heel to strike again. As expected, he caught my wrist mid-swing, his grip firm but not bruising. My pulse lurched, heat and ice warring in my veins.His dark emerald eyes flickered with so

    Last Updated : 2025-02-17
  • I Am The Alpha   Tinsel, Teasing, and a Trip Back Home

    I adjusted the silver ribbons on the black stair hands before stepping back slightly to assess my work. The mansion’s grand staircase shimmered with strands of warm twinkly lights, and a small tree stood proudly in the foyer waiting to be decorated."Too much, too soon?" I asked with a soft hum, peering at Khalid, who shuffled by the railings hanging garlands in an ugly beige Christmas sweater and denim.He shot me a playful crease of his nose and a smirk. "No such thing. It’s December."My lips quirked up faintly before I exhaled, my fingers lightly tracing the pine needles. The scent of wine and pecan pie wafted through the room with the gentle rhythm of the perky holiday playlist Khalid had insisted on.Boxes of decorations were sprawled across the floor, and tangled vines of mini light bulbs snaked over the furniture like rebellious ivy.It was a heavy contrast from the sight at home when it was just me and my parents. We always made early preparations but none of it rivaled the g

    Last Updated : 2025-02-18
  • I Am The Alpha   Tinsel, Teasing, and a Trip Back Home 2

    I rubbed my palms together before holding them to my face. The thrill rushed through me, bubbling up like a spark catching fire. I would see them pretty soon too. I was going home to my parents, to my mom, to my dad, to Becca, and the rest of Springville. A tightening sensation pulled at the tips of my fingers as my body slowly began to run cold. The rest of Springville? My hands dropped to my sides. To Higan, my mate who had rejected me? My gaze fell to the ground as my body ran colder. I had somehow forgotten about a huge chunk of my life in Springville. The bullying, the rejection, the ostracizing. What would happen when I returned? I proposed that my parents let me stay the rest of the school term at home and my mom agreed but what about college after? Summer break? I would still be in town, under The rule of Higan Sinclair as the Alpha. “Harlyn love?“ Tyler shook me lightly by the shoulder, his voice dipping light with concern. I blinked quickly, forcing a smile. “Sorr

    Last Updated : 2025-02-19
  • I Am The Alpha   When Nightmares Leave Scars

    The moment my bare feet met the moist grass of the forest in my dreamscape, I felt it. A sentient shift in the atmosphere. The air felt denser and fully charged with something electric and violent. The trees rustled as they trembled and recoiled from a storm brewing. The usual scent of petrichor and pine was tainted with the acrid burn of unnatural. And there they were. My wolf, white fur stained with mud and an onyx liquid, her eyes burning with molten golden fury. And her opposition. Me. Or rather, the version of me I had come to fear. My doppelganger, the Melbringer. The last time I'd encountered her in my dreamscape, she nearly killed me with her wrath. It looked like my wolf had now taken my place. She swung around wreathed in smoke and tresses, flickering between substance and shadow. Her pallid eyes squinted sharp with amusement with lips curled in a delighted smirk. Whatever was happening, she was relishing it. An opaque filmy force coiled around her fingers, tw

    Last Updated : 2025-02-21
  • I Am The Alpha   When Nightmares Leave Scars 2

    “No.” My voice was hoarse but firm.Ethan's gaze snapped back to mine with a frown. I could feel the tension in the way his body coiled, ready to strike.I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe past the lingering haze of pain. “It wasn’t an external attack,” I whispered.Silence followed once again. I let it linger because how exactly was I supposed to explain that my sorceress side had manifested as an entity in my mind and it was strong enough to harm me physically?Ethan’s grip flexed, his control razor-thin. I could see it in the way his jaw tightened, in the flicker of something unreadable behind his dark eyes. He was anxious.I licked my lips, forcing the words out. “It was me,” I admitted. “It happened in my dream.”The weight of their gazes pressed in on me.“Explain,” Ethan ordered, biting down on his Jaw.“I've been having certain dreams for a while where I sorta talk to my wolf and this girl,” I paused, twiddling my thumbs.“What did she look like?“ Khalid headed toward

    Last Updated : 2025-02-22
  • I Am The Alpha   Uncharted Bond

    Things had settled down in the plane but my mind refused to.The edge of my fingers hovered over an open book in my lap, my eyes skimming the words without really absorbing them. I'd picked it to pass the time as we continued to head for Springville.Control. That’s what I was supposed to be learning. But how could I even begin to grasp control when I wasn’t sure what was real?"Oh, little one, things are about to change for you.“The words still sang in my head, low, guttural, and amused. It was also familiar in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.It sounded like my wolf. I'd heard her many times in my dreamscape but it was the first I'd heard her speak in my mind.But that didn’t provide much of an information. Wolves didn’t just speak in their human mind. That wasn’t how it worked. There were special circumstances, sure like deeply bonded mates shifting, sacred rituals, and moments of absolute desperation. But this? This was something else entirely.The sound of rustling made m

    Last Updated : 2025-02-23
  • I Am The Alpha   Uncharted Bond 2

    “A well-known one apparently,” I retorted with optimistic sarcasm.The last time I was at their place in town, I never picked up on this flock of cars. Whose were they? It was Springville after all. However, the more I stepped down, the more I realized I recognized some of those cars in waiting. And, as if called upon by my fears, I watched the boy of my nightmare climb down a black G-wagon.Higan Sinclair.I halted my steps as my heart stilled. I hadn't seen him in so long yet suddenly he was right in front of me. The slithery discomfort coiled in my chest like a snake as I watched Higan step closer.Even after months, my body still betrayed me. My heart stilled, then stuttered, as if caught in a moment it had long since lost the right to care about. I forced my breath to even out, reminding myself that he wasn’t anything to me, that I was stronger than the damage he'd done to me.Whatever claim he had on me was non-existent.But then a question rang loud. Why was he here?More than

    Last Updated : 2025-02-24
  • I Am The Alpha   Bound by Blood, Claimed by Fate

    The plan was to stick around for whatever conversation would be held between Ethan and Alpha Harris, but that plan quickly fell apart as Khalid insisted on escorting me to a bedroom.“You know it won't necessarily stop me from eavesdropping,” I whispered to Khalid as we climbed up the carpeted stairs.“Have you ever wondered how pack members can't really hear what is discussed by their pack leaders in their homes?“ Khalid countered with a sheepish smile as he dragged my suitcases behind him.“I'm guessing there's some magic involved,” I remarked, tugging my duffle bag closer to my shoulders.“Precisely and I promise you, your ears won't like the attempt,” he warned with a clipped tone.I wondered what he meant by that but I yielded anyway. One, I was too tired to discover whatever secret they were guarding right then. Two, there was someone in the house I wasn't comfortable with and I needed to be aware of his every move.Higan. They had left him out of the conversation too and he had

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06

Latest chapter

  • I Am The Alpha   Ex Marks the Plot 2

    She looked uncomfortable in the attention, but she didn’t shy from it either. Her expression was more distant yet a small cool grin rested on her lips. It seemed like she’d already decided how this day would go and was just going through the motions of playing nice.Higan followed her. His hand touched the small of her back, guiding her like she was something breakable. My stomach twisted at the scenery, and my right leg bounced on the ball of my feet but I kept my expression still. He smiled at people, greeted his friends, and nodded at the teacher. But his eyes didn’t settle too long on anyone in the room.Except me. I felt it and the subtle way Ethan’s aura shifted beside me in menacing waves. But that didn’t seem to deter the stubborn fool.However, I didn’t look away. Not from Becca. Not even when Higan’s gaze lingered. I watched her movements, the delicate way she removed her coat, and how she smiled too precisely at the people around her.Becca didn’t sit at the back as she lo

  • I Am The Alpha   Ex Marks the Plot

    The morning light spilled into the halls of Springville High like it didn’t know any better. As though nothing had happened. As though the world hadn’t shifted beneath my feet under the glare of firelight and applause.Except it did. But I was still standing.The halls buzzed with that first-day-back tension—new boots squeaking against the waxed floors, lockers slamming too hard, too loud, laughter sharp and half-nervous. Everyone was trying to act like they weren’t wondering who had changed over break.I had. And not in ways I was necessarily happy about.Khalid and Abigail flanked me like shadow and flame as we moved past the entrance. Abigail carried her silence like a protective knife in her pocket. Khalid carried his like a banner of passive-aggression, barely speaking to me still.I’d long told myself to not be bothered by it.“First bell rings in five,” Abigail said, glancing at her phone. “Ethan will be with you first and third period, we’ll meet at the second and Khalid is at

  • I Am The Alpha   Cracking the Veil 2

    “The barrier,” Ethan answered before either of them could. “Between here and… some other side where Melbringers reach for immense power.““Usually used when they're trying to commit massacres,” Khalid scoffed out, his shoulders squared defensively.My stomach turned. “I didn’t mean to.”“But you did do something,” Khalid said, voice lower. “Because what? Someone pissed you off again?“ He bit harshly, glaring at me.I flinched, his words sharper than they needed to be. My chest ached, my ears rang, and I felt Ethan step closer like a shield I hadn’t asked for but suddenly needed.Why was he being like that? I didn't mean to. All I knew was that I was angry, more than angry and I had every right to be angry given what I saw.“She didn’t do anything—” Tyler began, but Khalid cut across him with the heat of a snapping blade.“She did enough. She nearly destabilized a veil. You all know what that means. She opened something ancient and violent just because.”“Khalid,” Ethan growled a dange

  • I Am The Alpha   Cracking the veil

    The fire towers glowed brighter, crackling behind us. Laughter and footsteps surrounded us with the kind of joy people tried to bottle into New Year’s Eve like it was a perfume they could wear into January.I was delighted to an extent, enjoying swaying to the music with Ethan but my gaze kept darting sideways, past his shoulder.Why? Higan. He was still watching, still standing under the same flickering lamplight, but in a twisted way that made my stomach turn, he seemed a little closer.He hadn’t moved since we last made eye contact, but somehow the space between us felt thinner. Like the crowd could part at any moment and he’d be there, right in front of me staring me down with that same contemptuous look in his eyes.Ethan noticed my tension. “He's really riling you up.”I bit my bottom lip. Ethan could feel my emotions stirring. So I really hoped he wouldn't misunderstand what they meant. I just couldn't shake the sensation of Higan’s gaze crawling along my skin.“I'm sorry,” I w

  • I Am The Alpha   Ember and Ice 2

    “Have you ever done this before?” he asked, a hint of hesitation playing in his tone.I tilted my head. “Gone to a town party?“He shook his head slightly. “Dressed up. Gone out with someone.”My throat tightened. Not because I didn’t have an answer, but because I did. “No,” I said honestly. “Not really.”“From moving around a lot with my parents and settling here only to be rejected and forced to stay, I couldn't really find time to dress up and go out with anyone,” I went on doing my best to keep my tone light. I didn't want to sound pitiful.Ethan didn’t say anything right away. His thumb moved over my knuckles slowly, steady.“It’s not just a party,” he said eventually. “It’s the way people watch each other. The way they pretend their new year means something new when half of them are still dragging their old regrets behind them like a second shadow.”My brows knitted softly as I tried to understand what he meant. “Poetic,” I quipped.He turned slightly toward me, his expression s

  • I Am The Alpha   Ember and Ice

    “Here, this should do,” Abigail strutted into my bedroom with clacking heels, holding up a charcoal sleeveless drop-waist dress on a hanger.She was already dressed, of course, donned in a simple tailored maroon dress that sharpened her silhouette. Her raven black hair was swept into an elegant braid and adorned with white-jade clips.I was still barefoot in front of the mirror, hair curled and pinned halfway up, mascara wand in hand, and blinking at my own reflection like I didn’t quite recognize it.The room smelled faintly of my rose toner, flat iron smoke, and the lingering pomegranate scent from the lotion I borrowed from my mom. My nerves were a separate scent, sharp and cloying, like metal and something gone sour.I stared at the dress she brought like it had teeth. “You do realize it’s winter, right?”Abigail hummed resonantly and dropped it on the bed with a careful flourish. “I'm aware but you'll live,” she asserted, turning away.I reached for the fabric on my bed, caressin

  • I Am The Alpha   The Power I Didn’t Touch 2

    I did. Once. Then again, till the air felt right in my lungs once more. My hand had stopped its throbbing but my heart was still plagued. The dark pull at my sanity loosened, inch by inch, fading like the most huffing out my mouth as I gasped. My wolf still hovered, tense and angry, but no longer foaming in the mouth. It was only after my body stopped trembling did Abigail let me go. She stared at me like she was trying to gauge if I was still in there. “That wasn’t just your wolf,” she said quietly. “Something else was pushing through.” I nodded. I couldn’t lie. Not about this. “The doppelganger in my dreams,” I muttered, pressing my fingers to my temples. “Me?” I corrected, confused about how exactly to address her. She was a part of me after all. No. She was me. “I wanted to kill her,” I confessed, hanging my head low as I held my chest. That was the ugly truth. My desires were mine, they were not separate from myself but somehow they managed to exist as an entity outside

  • I Am The Alpha   The Power I Didn’t Touch

    Snickers trickled from some groups like a leaky faucet. The spectators around us perked up with thinly veiled curiosity, whispering behind their coffee mugs.“I told you it was her, she just looks different.““... thought she died in the attack.““... returning is so brave.““That's cruel, she's already an omega.“The chattering was incessant. My panic grew. I hadn't lived through any of these humiliating episodes in the months I'd been gone yet one encounter with Tess and I was here all over again. The subject of ridicule.My jaw clenched as I stared down at my thighs, my eyes shimmered with tears of frustration. I felt it. Those old stings behind my ribs, right under my lungs, right at my heart. The bruises pressed too many times.My hands curled around the rim of my mug, fingers tingling with desperation to do something. Why didn't she just leave? Why did she have to do this here?“You really should’ve stayed wherever you disappeared to,” Tess cooed. “But I guess trash always finds

  • I Am The Alpha   A Cup of Bitterness 2

    I almost laughed. Almost. Because despite the comical manner in which she said it, there was some truth to it. I would have graver things to worry about. With that in mind, I shouldn't think so much about it.So in the meantime, I settled for enjoying my coffee in my favorite coffee shop like a normal teenager. With the way things were headed, I wouldn't be getting more of those moments anymore.The entrance bell above the door chimed sharply and my gaze darted to the spot out of habit. A gust of wind swept in with it, slicing the warm cinnamon air in two.And just like that, the atmosphere cracked open. Tessandra Harris. She struted in casually, wearing her pride boldly. With her usual entourage of seasonal clones in short skirts, cashmere, tights and jackets, she cut through the shop with her presence.Her gaze sliced the room like a blade looking for someone to gut while her lips were in that perfectly upturned grin that confessed to a false kindness I'd yet to witness.And then, a

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status