All Chapters of Beneath the Wolf Moon: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The hum of fluorescent lights in the school hallway felt sharper than usual, as if every sound had been dialed up, every movement exaggerated. My backpack weighed heavier than it should have, or maybe it was the lingering tension from the past week pressing down on me. Savannah’s whispers, the hallway stares, Ethan’s casual smirks—it all seemed amplified now. And yet, amid the chaos, I found myself strangely aware of everything else: the faint scrape of shoes against tile, the low murmur of students passing, and the way the air shifted slightly whenever Jaxon was near.I adjusted my grip on my journal, a small hardcover notebook I had started last night, its pages still crisp and eager for words. Writing had become a lifeline—a way to make sense of the strange instincts that seemed to be stirring inside me. Reflexes that shouldn’t exist, a gut feeling that went beyond logic, and the faint prickling sense that I could feel danger before it arrived.Lucas walked beside me, his sketchbook

The late afternoon sun slanted through the trees lining the trail behind the school, painting everything in long, golden streaks. I had decided to take a walk to clear my mind after the chaos of the hallway earlier. Savannah and her cohorts were relentless, and every encounter left my chest tight and my thoughts scattered. Lucas had offered to walk with me, but I insisted I needed some air, some space to think, alone.The trail was quiet, almost eerily so, the distant hum of cars on the main road fading to a soft whisper behind me. The rhythmic crunch of my sneakers on the gravel was calming, grounding me in the moment. I tried to focus on the sound of my own breathing, the way my legs moved effortlessly beneath me, and my heart gradually slowing from the tension of the day.But then… it shifted.A sound, subtle and almost imperceptible, reached my ears. A low, guttural growl, barely above the rustle of leaves. My body stiffened. Goosebumps rose along my arms. It wasn’t an animal I’d e

The hallway was empty when I slipped out of the cafeteria, my bag swinging lazily at my side. The adrenaline from lunch still pulsed in my veins, each step echoing softly against the linoleum floor. Savannah had retreated, muttering threats to herself and her friends, but the victory I’d earned felt electric, almost intoxicating. I allowed myself a small smile, the first genuine one in days.I barely noticed the soft sound of footsteps until they stopped just behind me. My chest tightened. That deep, controlled rhythm, the weight of someone moving through shadows, the faint scrape of sneakers against the floor—it was him.“Impressive,” Jaxon’s voice whispered from just a few feet away, low and deliberate. I froze, my fingers tightening around the strap of my backpack.I turned slowly, trying to keep my composure, though my heart was already betraying me, hammering against my ribcage like a frantic drum. He leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at his lip

I hadn’t planned on running into anyone on the trail that evening. The sky had already started fading into deep purples and blues, the kind of sunset that makes everything feel soft and almost unreal. I liked this time of day, the way it made the world feel slower, quieter, like I could breathe without someone watching.And then I heard the sound of footsteps, deliberate and calm, on the gravel behind me. I turned, expecting maybe another late jogger. Instead, there he was, Jaxon. Leaning casually against the fence at the edge of the trail, dark hair messy from the wind, eyes reflecting the fading light.“Hey,” he said, stepping forward.I hesitated, my pulse racing. “Hey.” My voice was low; I was unsure why I felt both tense and oddly at ease all at once.“You out for a walk?” he asked, falling into step beside me. He didn’t crowd me; he just matched my pace, and somehow that made the silence easier to bear.“Yeah,” I said, shrugging. “Needed some air. Thought the trail would be quiet

The morning was already off to a rough start. The halls were buzzing with whispers, and I could feel eyes on me from the moment I stepped into school. Savannah’s influence had spread like wildfire; everyone seemed to know what had happened last week, and some of the rumors had grown more elaborate in the retelling.I gritted my teeth as I navigated the crowd, clutching my backpack straps like a shield. My eyes scanned the sea of students, trying to find an opening, a path where I wouldn’t be shoved or tripped or caught in someone else’s cruel joke. But there was no safe route today—not with Savannah prowling the halls like a predator.Lucas appeared beside me, sliding effortlessly through the crowd to match my pace. His presence was calming, grounding, a tether to some sense of normalcy amidst the chaos. “Ignore them,” he murmured, his voice low, almost a rumble against my ear. “They’re just looking for a reaction. Don’t give them one.”I nodded, swallowing a sigh that felt like it had