All Chapters of The First Wolf I loved: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The back porch of Dom’s house overlooked acres of quiet forest—tall pines, rolling hills, and a winding stream that glittered under the afternoon sun. The air was cool, stirred only by the occasional horn of a car. It should have been peaceful. It should have been calming.But Dominic Blaise hadn’t known peace in days.He sat heavily on the wooden steps, elbows on his knees, staring into the shadows stretching along the forest edge. Beside him, Sonia leaned back against the railing, a steaming cup of chamomile tea wrapped between her palms. She hadn’t taken a sip in several minutes. Dom had barely spoken in even longer.It was one of those silences between high-ranking wolves—heavy, loaded, and familiar. They were both exhausted. Both thinking six steps ahead. Both waiting for the next wave of trouble to crash down on them.“North Hartvale won’t wait,” Sonia finally murmured, breaking the stillness.Dom rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I know. Kane’s too proud to swallow his losses. He’ll

The Rusty Lantern wasn’t the kind of bar anyone visited twice unless they were trying to disappear. It sat right at the edge of town where the paved road thinned into gravel, tucked behind an abandoned gas station with weeds taller than a grown man. The neon sign flickered as if it was dying mid-sentence, glowing a tired orange that matched the mood inside.Marc sat hunched over the counter with a half-empty glass of whiskey warming in his palm. The place was mostly empty—just a few truckers playing cards in the corner and the bartender wiping down cups. Country music hummed low from an old speaker, scratchy and distant.He didn’t come here for company. He came because he wanted a place where no one knew his name, where no one cared that his entire life had split in half less than twenty-four hours ago.Mona’s voice replayed in his head again.I didn’t want to, never meant to, I couldn’t control it, wasn’t in control of anything.The Luna spirit wants the alpha spirit and under the mo

The noise started early. Hammering, drilling, the clatter of tools against wood. I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to hear. I just stayed curled up on the couch, a blanket pulled around me like armor against the world.Dom had sent them. They told me before they started the work. I never said a word in response. He had probably insisted. Had told them, fix it, now, she needs it, or whatever he said to make people move at his pace. And they had. They were here. In my house. My fortress. Making it smaller, brighter, more secure, like they could patch up more than just the door.I didn’t want them to.Every bang made my chest tighten. Every screw driven into the frame felt like a reminder that life kept moving forward even when mine had stopped.I didn’t eat. I didn’t drink. I didn’t even think about moving. I just breathed shallowly and let the day slip past the window, the sun slicing through the blinds in harsh stripes.By the time the truck pulled up again, I had stopped noticing

The room smelled faintly of polished wood and old leather. Sunlight slanted through the tall windows of the sheriff’s office, dust motes drifting lazily in the shafts of light, but there was no warmth in the atmosphere. Alpha Kane leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, eyes sharp as ever. He watched silently, a predator evaluating the hunt, though today’s hunt was far more subtle than the ones he usually orchestrated.Todlin, his mate and Luna, sat behind the polished desk. Her posture was impeccable, shoulders squared, eyes steady as she faced Sheriff Carter across from her. It was Carter’s office, but she was the boss. Carter was seated, fingers locked, his badge gleaming faintly in the afternoon sun. The sheriff’s expression was careful, neutral—he always tried to hide what he was thinking, but Todlin had been trained to read men like him.“Baby?” Todlin began, her voice calm but authoritative. “I appreciate your presence, but you know I can handle this discussion without your

The sun beat down on the half-built walls of the new gym Dom was working on, reflecting off steel beams and freshly poured concrete. Dom stood near the foundation, arms crossed, talking with the foreman, a middle-aged man named Harris, about the upcoming order for gym equipment.“We need to make sure the treadmills arrive before the weight racks,” Harris said, pointing toward a stack of plans spread across a makeshift table. “Otherwise, the scheduling gets messy, and I’d rather not deal with delays again.”Dom nodded, scanning the site. “Yeah, get the ellipticals and bikes shipped in next week. Make sure the shipment’s coordinated with the delivery of the mats and dumbbells. I want everything ready for opening day.”Harris paused, looking up as the wind stirred dust across the site. “You got it, alpha. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”Before Dom could respond, a pack member—lean, wiry, and moving with a quiet urgency—approached. His eyes were serious, his tone clipped.“Alpha,” he said.