All Chapters of Craving the Wolf: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

AlyssaGripping her umbrella until her knuckles were white and her fingers going numb, Alyssa Hart tried to walk at a normal pace, acting as if nothing was wrong. However, through the pattering of the rain drops above her head, she swore she could hear the light thrum of footsteps behind her. She was sure they were coming for her. They knew her secret and wanted her dead because of it.To be sure, she quickened her pace slightly, just enough to make it seem like she was trying to escape the rain and not alert the person behind her that she was on to him. She paled even more as she heard the footsteps quicken as well.It was 11pm on a Thursday night. Because of the rain, the streets were empty, which was a rarity for Los Angeles. She glanced frantically ahead: should she continue on the open street or sneak into the adjacent alley and hope to encounter some homeless people who may serve as her protection?Aware that time was running out, Alyssa veered sharply into the next alley. Her b

AlyssaAlyssa was by no means a weak woman. She had faced down threats, survived the worst the world could throw at her.But tonight...tonight, she witnessed something that chilled her straight to the bone.Nothing in her life had prepared her for what she saw in that alley.She had seen big dogs before, sure, feral, dangerous ones even.But this... this was no dog.The creature's size alone had been monstrous, its presence filling the narrow alley like a living shadow. And those eyes, those glowing, hungry golden eyes, they held something more. Something aware.Alyssa shivered at the memory, pressing a hand to her chest as she climbed the steps to her apartment.The uneasy feeling clung to her like a second skin. It felt as if invisible eyes were still watching her from the darkness, waiting.Fumbling with her keys, she jammed the right one into the lock, her heart pounding in her ears. The door swung open, and she quickly slammed it shut behind her, twisting the deadbolt with a trem

AlyssaThe morning air pressed damp and heavy against Alyssa’s skin as she stepped outside.The rain had thinned to a drizzle, but the sky remained choked with low gray clouds.Sidewalks gleamed wet underfoot.Cars hissed by on the slick street, their headlights dim behind veils of mist.She kept her head down, her movements careful, blending into the slow shuffle of early risers heading to work.Every sound seemed sharper, the creak of old shop signs, the soft splash of water under tires, the distant bark of a stray dog.The café sat two blocks away, tucked between a laundromat and a secondhand bookstore.Its neon "OPEN" sign buzzed faintly, the warm glow pooling onto the damp sidewalk like a small lighthouse in the gloom.She slipped inside, the bell over the door giving a soft jingle that seemed too loud.Warmth and the rich scent of brewing coffee wrapped around her, sinking into her clothes.The place was half-empty. A woman hunched over a laptop in the corner. A man scrolled on

LucasLucas paced the length of the office, his boots slamming hard against the polished concrete floor.His hands curled into fists at his sides, every step radiating fury.His vision was one color in that moment RED."What do you mean she's still alive?" he roared, the walls seeming to shake with the force of it.Aiden, Lucas right hand man and the one who he sends when his lower ranking men fail him, stood stiffly near the door, trying not to flinch."I'm sorry, sir," Aiden stammered. "We found Nick this morning. In the alley. His neck was snapped, and the girl was nowhere in sight."Lucas stopped, breathing hard, rage pouring off him in waves."I sent my best after her," he snarled. "And he failed."He whirled around, pacing again, hands dragging through his hair."How is this possible?"He had spent the last year attempting to find Alyssa, to get his revenge.Waiting for the right moment to make her pay for what she had done to his brother.Aiden backed away a few steps, his voic

AlyssaFlashbackThe heat pressed against the city like a second skin, heavy and unmoving. Alyssa had slipped into the small bookstore on Whitmore and Fifth, the cool, dusty air a quiet relief from the chaos outside.She wandered through the narrow aisles, letting the worn spines of old books brush against her fingertips, trying to lose herself.A voice broke the stillness."Looking for anything special?"She turned.A charming man stood a few feet away, a novel tucked loosely under one arm. Tall, very light blonde hair, deep blue eyes and well-kept. His smile came easy, softening sharp features and brightening his light brown eyes.Trent.There was no edge to his voice, no pressure in his posture. Only a casual interest, as if a conversation was just a way to pass the time. "I’m terrible at picking something new," he said, an easy laugh in his words. "Any recommendations?"Alyssa offered a faint smile. Politeness, nothing more. She named a few titles, her voice low in the quiet