All Chapters of Beneath the Wolf Moon: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The air felt heavy that evening, almost suffocating, as I made my way home from school. Every shadow along the path seemed deeper than it should be, every rustle in the bushes sharper. My instincts were on high alert, even before I noticed the subtle signs—shifted leaves, a faint metallic scent, and the way the air seemed to vibrate with quiet intent.Lucas had warned me earlier. Savannah and her allies were escalating, and now, with Ryan involved, it wasn’t just about rumors or social traps anymore. Something dangerous was coming. And I had a feeling I was about to find out just how real it could get.I clutched my backpack tighter, the straps digging into my shoulders. My thoughts drifted briefly to dinner—well, the disaster that had passed for dinner with my family. My parents had left Ethan in the dining room, smiling and laughing, as if I didn’t exist. They’d asked me to fix a plate for myself, as if I were invisible, while Ethan unwrapped some expensive gift from our grandparents

The clearing looked different today. Less like a space for drills and more like an arena, set up for something I hadn’t thought I was ready for: sparring.The early morning mist still clung to the air, the dampness cool against my skin. The sky overhead was pale, streaked with faint gold as the sun tried to burn through the haze. My body ached from yesterday’s training, but my nerves were sharper than the soreness.Lucas had warned me on the walk over. “Jaxon’s not going to go easy on you. He wants to see what you’re made of.”What I was made of. That thought rolled around in my head as I stepped into the center of the clearing. My palms were damp, not just from the dew but from the weight of what today meant.Jaxon was already there, waiting. His black hair was damp, like he’d been here long before us, already training. His blue eyes locked onto me the moment I entered the clearing. My breath hitched. No one looked at me like that—like I was the only person in the world worth seeing.

The moon hung high above the treetops when I finally slipped away from the others. Training had ended hours ago, but I couldn’t shake the energy humming through my body, buzzing like an electric current under my skin. Every nerve felt heightened, every sound sharper, every breath more demanding.And all of it pointed in one direction.Jaxon.No matter how much I tried to fight it, my thoughts circled back to him—his commanding voice during drills, the way his body moved with impossible precision, and the heat in his blue eyes every time they locked onto me like I was the only person who mattered.I hated it. I wanted to hate him. But my body didn’t listen to logic.Leaves crunched behind me, heavy steps I didn’t need to turn around to recognize.“You shouldn’t be wandering out here alone,” Jaxon’s voice drawled, low and steady, but threaded with something rougher. Something he was fighting to keep under control.I spun to face him, trying to mask the rush of heat that instantly floode

The forest that morning felt different.Usually, when Lucas dragged me out for these so-called “training walks,” I could still pretend we were just two friends escaping from school, gossiping about Ethan or Savannah, or rolling our eyes at Jaxon’s permanent scowl. But today, the air was too heavy, too quiet. Even the birds had gone silent. It was the kind of silence that made the hairs on my arms prickle, like the world itself was holding its breath.Lucas walked ahead with long, confident strides, his sandy blond hair catching stray shards of sunlight breaking through the branches. He looked completely at ease, but I’d learned enough about him over the past weeks to see the subtle tension in the way his shoulders flexed and the way his head tilted every few seconds as if he were listening to something I couldn’t.I hated that part—that constant reminder that he, like Jaxon, belonged to a world I couldn’t fully grasp. Not yet.“Hey,” I called, jogging a few steps to catch up. My breat

The training room was quieter than I expected.I’d imagined echoes of grunts and blows, the heavy thud of bodies hitting mats. Instead, it felt like stepping into a cocoon. The thick mats muted sound, the overhead lights cast soft gold across the space, and the air carried the faint tang of sweat and cedarwood.And Jaxon.He stood at the far side, barefoot, hoodie sleeves pushed up to his elbows, his dark hair damp like he’d just come from a run. He looked… effortless. Dangerous and beautiful in a way that made my chest ache.“Close the door,” he said without looking at me. His voice was low, threaded with command. Not the Alpha bite I’d felt before, but enough to make me obey before I thought better of it.I shut the door. The click echoed too loudly, sealing me inside with him.“Lucas said I should practice with you,” I said, trying for casual. My voice cracked halfway through, betraying me.Finally, Jaxon turned. His eyes caught mine, sharp blue, knowing too much. “He thinks you’ll