All Chapters of The First Wolf I loved: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

The late afternoon sun had begun to dip behind the trees lining South Hartvale's streets, casting long, golden streaks across the sidewalk. The air was crisp, carrying a faint scent of freshly cut grass and the faint tang of evening dew. Allen tightened his backpack straps and scanned the area around the football field. Most of the team had already left, heading home or to their parents’ cars, but he had a feeling she would still be around.And there she was. Emma. Leaning casually against the fence by the field’s edge, hands in the pockets of her jacket, dark hair catching the sunlight, eyes scanning the emptying field. She had a faint smile on her face, and when Allen waved, it widened slightly.Patty, who had been watching from a short distance, nudged him in the side. “Go on, Romeo,” she said, smirking. “Don’t keep the girl waiting.”Allen rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he jogged over to Emma. “Hey,” he said, trying to sound casual.“Hey,” Emma replied, her voice s

The stands of Wesley High field were packed to the brim, a sea of school colors, banners, and excited faces. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the freshly painted lines of the field. A crisp breeze carried the scent of popcorn and the faint tang of sweat, mingling with the sound of chants and cheers that echoed across the stadium.It was D-Day; Wesley High School’s DINGOS vs Dumont High’s COUGARS.Allen tightened the straps of his helmet, adjusting his shoulder pads as he crouched in position on the line. His heart hammered against his ribs like a drum, each beat echoing the anticipation pulsing through the team. Today wasn’t just any game—it was a battle for everything, the one that would determine whether South Hartvale could finally take the upper hand against their longtime rivals and if The South Hartvale Pack could beat their Northern Rivals at everything. This was Dom versus Kane and neither side waned to fail their alpha.“Focus up, Dingos!” Coach’s voice

The diner was quiet now, the last of the night’s music echoing faintly from the jukebox in the corner. Most of the crowd had gone home hours ago, leaving only a handful of pack members and loyal supporters lingering with half-empty glasses and lingering energy from the celebrations. I’d brought a stool behind the counter and this was where I sat, idly wiping down surfaces, though my hands felt fidgety, restless.Dom and Marcus were in a booth near the back, leaning in close over a couple of glasses. Both men were slightly tipsy, their usual rigid authority softened by the alcohol, and I could hear the low hum of friendly banter beneath their serious discussion. Sonia was there too, sitting across from them with a sharp, sober gaze, arms crossed, making sure their conversation didn’t spiral too far off course. Only reason I let them talk was because she was there. She wouldn’t let things get out of control.“I’m telling you, Dom,” Marcus said, leaning back with a grin, “we’ve got to st

The bell overhead jingled as Allen pushed open the glass door of Big Bite. The late-afternoon sun fell across the red-and-white tiles, and the warm smell of coffee should’ve greeted him—but it didn’t. Something was off. The diner felt… hollow.Tyler was behind the counter, leaning on one elbow as he wiped down a spotless surface for the tenth time. He lifted his head when he heard Allen walk in.“Hey, kid,” Tyler said, his voice tight. “You look beat.”“School ran late,” Allen replied, dropping his backpack behind the counter. Patty and Joe followed him in, sliding into the first booth as if this were routine. But it wasn’t. Nothing about today felt routine. “Where’s Miss Mona? I didn’t see her car outside.”Tyler’s cloth slowed. He swallowed. “She… didn’t come in this morning.”Allen blinked. “What do you mean she didn’t come in? She always opens.”“She didn’t,” Tyler said. “I got here at seven and the place was dark. No message, nothing. I tried calling, but it went straight to voic

The community center smelled faintly of old wood, coffee, and the heater that always rattled during winter nights. The long rectangular table in the center of the hall gleamed under the fluorescent lights, polished earlier that morning for what everyone assumed would be an ordinary meeting.It was anything but.Nick stood near the far end of the table, hands buried in the pockets of his jacket, shoulders tense beneath the weight of what he was about to say. The pack elders had begun filing in ten minutes earlier, taking their seats with quiet murmurs and curious glances. They all felt the shift in the air—the unspoken tension, the sense that something had dramatically changed overnight.Sonia sat at the head of the table, calm but alert, as steady as a mountain. She watched everyone carefully. She could smell their unease, but she kept her expression controlled, a Beta’s mask—firm, composed, unshakably confident.When the last elder sat and the room finally settled, Sonia nodded once.