All Chapters of ALPHAS of the PEAK: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

“Sit down, Maddie. You’re out. Your wolf is as blind as your human eyes,” Harrison sneered, his voice dropping into that gravelly Alpha-heir frequency that made the hair on my arms stand up.“Like hell I am, Harrison! That pitch was a foot above my head. Even a rogue with one eye could see that was out of the strike zone!” I gripped the heavy ash wood bat until my knuckles turned a ghostly white. The scent of damp earth and aggressive boy-musk rolled off him, thick and suffocating.Harrison stepped into my personal space, his towering frame casting a shadow that swallowed me whole. He smelled like cedarwood and a coming storm—the signature scent of the Cole lineage. “I’m the Lead Scout for this match. My word is Law of the Pack. You struck out, Cruz. Move your scrawny tail off the field.”“You’re cheating!” I barked, the vibration catching in my throat. I wasn’t shifted—none of us were at eleven—but the heat in my chest felt like liquid silver. “Just because your father runs the North

"You don’t have to do this, Maddie."Vivienne’s voice was as sharp as the tailoring on her silk coat. She leaned against the black SUV, her eyes hidden behind oversized lenses that probably cost more than a year of pack taxes. The air at the Dulles terminal was thick with the scent of jet fuel and the underlying, metallic tang of the city."I know, Mother." I didn't look at her. I spent a long minute obsessively checking the laces of my boots, pulling them until the leather dug into my skin. "I want to. I need to.""Nobody is forcing your hand," she said. She reached out, her fingers—cold and manicured to lethal points—clamping onto my wrist. "Are you truly ready to face your father? To face that house?"Ready was a strong word. I hadn't stepped foot in the Northern Reach territory in years. The last time I saw Richard Cruz, he was signing the papers that shiped me off to the West Coast like a piece of faulty equipment. He’d sounded plenty welcoming on the phone, all hollow promises a

Vanessa was the only one who bothered to look up from the frantic clicking of her screen. She didn't offer a hug, just a sharp, assessing glance before elbowing her twin. Marissa grunt, her eyes never leaving the glowing device in her lap.“Hey, Maddie,” Marissa muttered, her voice flat. “Glad you’re back or whatever.”That was the extent of the welcome. Fine. We weren't sisters; we were accidents of geography and a shared bloodline. We hadn't run in the same circles since we were pups, and the last seven years had been nothing but 'happy birthday' texts that felt like court summons. I hoped for better—some shred of pack loyalty—but the coldness in the back seat told me I was still an outsider.Richard slid into the driver's seat, his hair plastered to his forehead. He smelled like ozone and frustration. “It’s a damn monsoon,” he growled, wiping the rain from his eyes. “I can’t wait for the season to turn.”I leaned my head against the cool glass, watching the sky split open. “I misse

The television clicked off, and the silence that followed felt like a stay of execution. My father dropped into the chair beside me, the scent of expensive rain-drenched wool clinging to his skin."Morning," he grunted. He reached out, his hand heavy as he ruffled my hair, a gesture that felt like a relic from a life I didn't recognize anymore. His gaze swung to the twins. They were locked in a silent, vibrating staredown across the table. "Girls? What's the damage this early?"Marissa’s jaw remained tight, her eyes fixed on her sister. "She’s wearing my silhouette. She needs to strip and find something else."I looked at them. Matching blue tanks, skirts so short they were basically belts, and strappy sandals. They looked like carbon copies of the same high-bred predator. It was a look I wouldn't touch if you paid me in silver."I was in this first," Vanessa huffed, her fingers digging into the edge of the table. "Change yourself.""Lie.""Truth.""As if.""Bitch.""Enough!" Richard’

This party suddenly felt like a cage.“Dance with the birthday king, Harrison?”I looked up. The girl was draped in silk that cost more than a scout’s salary, but her scent was nothing but desperation and cheap perfume.“Pass,” I grunted, flicking my hand to shoo her off.She didn't argue. She just straightened her spine and slunk off to find another mark in the VIP lounge. I reached for a glass of champagne from the low table beside my velvet throne. I was bored. My wolf was pacing the perimeter of my skull, restless and snapping at the shadows. I downed the liquid in one go, the bubbles stinging my throat, and scanned the room for a waiter.“Planning on hitting the floor face-first?” Grant asked, dropping into the seat next to me. He held two fresh glasses. I snatched one before he could offer it.“You suggesting I slow down?” I laughed, the sound jagged. I drained the second glass and signaled a passing server for a third.“Maybe. You’re a hell of a lot more tolerable when you’re n