All Chapters of Beneath the Wolf Moon: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The morning air in my bedroom felt unusually heavy. I’d barely slept, tossing and turning as the echoes of Savannah’s whispered lies danced in my mind. Every hallway conversation and every snicker I imagined played like a broken record I couldn’t escape.My parents were quiet downstairs—silent in the way they usually were on weekdays—but their presence was oppressive nonetheless. Ethan’s alarm went off at the usual 6:30, and within ten minutes, the house was alive with his golden-boy morning routine. Breakfast was laid out for him: a plate of eggs perfectly scrambled, toast neatly buttered, and juice freshly poured.I shuffled into the kitchen, expecting nothing, and was greeted with the same cold indifference I had learned to anticipate.“Morning, Avery,” my mother said flatly, barely looking at me as she poured Ethan’s cereal into a bowl shaped just for him.“Did you sleep well?” Dad asked, his tone empty, like a greeting meant to fill space rather than connect.“Fine,” I muttered, k

Monday mornings always felt like a test of endurance. The halls of our high school buzzed with the usual cacophony—laughter, chatter, and the occasional sneer—but this week, I walked with a different kind of energy. I wasn’t invisible anymore. Not fully. I could feel it in the way my chest lifted as I strode past groups of whispering students, the subtle glances of curiosity following me. Confidence, I realized, wasn’t about proving everyone wrong; it was about owning myself, even if the world refused to see it.Lucas trailed behind me, as always, a steady, unobtrusive presence. I appreciated him, but he wasn’t the center of attention here. I had to do this on my own. Savannah’s smirks and sharp whispers had lost some of their sting—I was learning to meet them with a calm defiance that unsettled her, even from across the cafeteria.The moment I entered the classroom, I caught Ethan’s eye. As always, his golden-boy smile was perfect, his posture flawless. Teachers adored him. Peers admi

The cafeteria still hummed with the aftershocks of Savannah’s latest humiliation, though today the whispers and stares were more cautious. I slid into my usual corner seat, gripping my tray, feeling a pulse of adrenaline. Savannah had overplayed her hand last time, and I intended to make sure she didn’t forget it.Lucas dropped into the seat beside me, his presence steady as ever. He didn’t speak immediately, just let me breathe, let me gather my thoughts. “So… what’s the plan today?” he asked finally, voice low. He didn’t question my capability—he trusted me—but his tone reminded me that caution was as important as cunning.I smirked, leaning back in my chair. “Oh, you’ll see. Today, the game changes.”He raised a brow, lips twitching. “I don’t know if I’m ready for whatever this is, Quinn.”“You will be,” I said with confidence, though my stomach flipped with excitement. It wasn’t just about taking Savannah down. It was about proving to myself that I could—finally—stand on my own.Ac

The school grounds had emptied more quickly than usual that afternoon. The air carried the faint scent of fallen leaves, mingling with the crisp bite of early autumn. I wandered toward the courtyard, needing a moment of quiet after the latest barrage from Savannah. The whispers, the stares, the laughter—they had followed me like a shadow all day, and I could feel my shoulders stiffening under their weight.Lucas appeared a few steps ahead, sketchbook tucked under his arm, as though he’d known I’d need him. He glanced back, eyes catching mine, and gave that small, easy smile that somehow made the tension in my chest loosen, if only slightly.“You’re late,” I muttered, walking up beside him, letting the words be more teasing than accusatory.“I waited for you,” he said casually, though his tone carried a quiet warmth that wasn’t casual at all. “Couldn’t let you wander off into the chaos alone.”I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue. Savannah’s games had left me exhausted, and I didn’t have t

The morning air was crisp as I stepped out of the house, backpack slung over one shoulder. The autumn sunlight filtered through the trees, and for once, the day didn’t feel heavy with whispers and judgment. Or at least, that was what I told myself.I had barely taken two steps down the driveway when a feeling prickled along the back of my neck—a strange, almost electric tension that made my pulse quicken. My gut tightened, warning me to look around, though no one was there.“Just nerves,” I muttered, shaking my head. “You’re imagining things again, Avery.”But my instincts didn’t lie. Something in the air felt off, like a ripple before a storm.By the time I reached the high school, the halls were buzzing with the usual chaos. Savannah’s laughter floated through the air, sharp and cruel, echoing off the lockers. I kept my head down, clutching my books tighter than usual. Yet even as I walked, I felt it again—something subtle, a shift in awareness I couldn’t explain.When someone droppe