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

Here’s my theory about my wolf, and I swear, it gets more convincing every time things go sideways: she’s a born drama queen. The second I trick myself into believing I’m in charge—maybe I’ve finally locked her up in some mental cage—she just can’t resist. She grabs the mic and purrs, “Surprise, Evie! Let’s crank up the chaos, shall we?” It’s like I’m stuck in this never-ending, exhausting contest, and she’s always three moves ahead. Me? I’m just along for the wild ride, constantly trying to catch up.This morning, though, things felt off. Forget the gentle wake-up call from sunlight. I shot awake, restless and aching, like my whole body was strung too tight. My wolf was underneath my skin, pacing, itching to break free. Every noise in the apartment building felt like someone had cranked up the volume, and every scent hit me like a slap. I dragged myself up, muscles buzzing and ready to run, then glanced out the window. The woods—my usual escape—looked ghostly in the half-light, sendi

The woods are wild with life tonight, and honestly, it’s breathtaking. Moonlight spills everywhere—thick and silver, not just shining down, but draping itself over every leaf and twisted branch, soaking into every shadow. The whole forest feels transformed, like I’ve stepped inside some sort of cathedral made of light and old secrets.Deep inside, my wolf is almost buzzing with anticipation, alive and humming and ready. It’s like she’s been waiting for this exact moment forever, like everything has led up to right now. Honestly, I have too. I’ve been chasing this electric, heart-racing feeling since the first time the woods called to me.Meanwhile, my so-called real life? It’s just a mess of buzzing phones and Maya’s worried texts. She’s been on my case all day, messages piling up the longer I stayed out.Evie! Don’t go into the woods after dark! Something dangerous could happen! Please tell me you’re just watching Netflix and not fighting rogue shifters, she begged.I ignored her, of

Morning always comes too fast. One second the moon’s slipping behind the pines, and the next, the universe decides, “Hey, let’s see if we can shatter Evie before she’s even had her toast.”I catch myself in the mirror—yikes. I look like I lost a wrestling match with a raccoon, then immediately bumped into my crush. My face? Bruised. Raw. Everything on display.Technically, the pack trial’s over. Social fallout? Just getting started.I rake my fingers through my hair, trying to convince myself I’m totally fine, not even a little bit rattled by the whole almost-getting-socially-exiled thing. And then being saved by the alpha who used to act like I was invisible? Classic Tuesday, really. I had won the first trial, but at what cost?“Pull it together, Hart,” I mutter, swiping concealer under my eyes like I’m gearing up for battle. If I’m walking into school today, I refuse to look like a half-rotted tomato.A soft knock at the door. Mom.“Sweetheart? Breakfast.”Her voice is gentle, caref

The quiet after the chaos is brutal. It’s so much worse than the yelling, the snarling, the snapping branches, or the terrified gasps when I lost control. Worse than hearing Caleb scream my name as he dragged me back from the edge.Because silence? Silence means judgment.It means people are making decisions. Sharpening opinions. Letting fear harden into something uglier.It means the pack is thinking—and when they think, punishment usually follows.I huddle on a cold stone slab near the council lodge, knees pulled to my chest. My wolf paces inside me, agitated. My body still aches from restraining the shift back too fast—every bone feels like it’s humming. There’s dirt on my hands, a rip in my shirt, dried blood caked under my nails. Not even mine.The memory hits me hard.Troy. I didn’t want to hurt him. He got too close, shouting, and my wolf—scared out of her mind—reacted. He’s okay, but the wound was bad enough to send everyone into panic mode.Now, the whole pack is inside, deci

Darkness isn’t empty. It moves. It breathes. I feel it sliding around me, thick as smoke, swirling slow, deliberate, almost alive. For a second—could’ve been a heartbeat, could’ve been forever—I lose all sense of my body. There’s just pressure, old as the world, pushing against my mind.A voice slips through the dark, all silk and teeth. “Vessel…”My heart lurches so hard I choke on air. Suddenly I’m back, consciousness slamming into me like a fist. I’m here, in the isolation cabin. But I’m not alone.I’m on the floor, not the bed—knees pressed to cold wood, hands shaking like I’m freezing. My wolf huddles inside, tail tucked, ears pinned, shivering with something I never thought she could feel.Fear. Not the usual kind. The old kind. The kind that lives in bones.“Evie?”A voice cuts through, warm and real—Caleb. Relief and terror hit me at once. I look up. He’s just inside the door, chest heaving like he ran flat out, hair wild, shirt half-open, eyes bright and burning with panic.