All Chapters of Chasing the Riot: The Alpha's Second Chance: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

JARRETTThe league office smelled like bleach and old money. I hated it so much in here.Helena was sitting next to me, her back straight and her hands folded on the table. She looked like a blade in the suit I bought her yesterday because hers didn’t fit right anymore. She hadn’t slept either. I could tell by the way her jaw ticked every 10 seconds.Across from us was Brent. He’d gained weight. Or maybe he just looked bigger because Vanessa was sitting behind him, one hand on his shoulder like she owned him. She wore all white like she was mourning something.My wolf hated her and hated the way she smelled like lies.“Mr. Brooks. Ms. Callahan,” the commissioner started. “This is an internal hearing regarding allegations of species-related instability and conduct unbecoming. Let’s keep this civil.”Brent’s lawyer stood with his $800 suit and a teeth that was white. “Commissioner. Board. We appreciate you hearing us on short notice.” He slid a folder across the table. “We have new ev

JARRETTWe won but winning didn’t actually feel like winning tonight.The locker room was incredibly loud, filled with the guys yelling and music blasting to celebrate our two to one victory over Brent on a prime-time national broadcast. I really should have been celebrating right along with them, but I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it.I couldn’t celebrate because Helena wasn’t in the locker room.She had walked straight out of the arena right after the final buzzer went off, wearing her team jacket with her phone clutched in her hand. She had that exact expression on her face, the dangerous one she always gets right before she burns something down to the ground.I pulled my jersey off over my head and immediately went out into the corridors to follow her.I found Vanessa first at the private VIP corridor. She was standing right by the elevators, laughing loudly into her phone while still wearing Brent’s team jersey. Helena was standing right there, completely blocking her pat

JARETT POVA deep silence fell over the cabin, broken only by the sound of her ragged breathing as it gradually slowed down.Then, her back relaxed against mine just a tiny fraction."Again," I whispered. "Just breathe."We stayed in that exact position for ten minutes, then twenty.The brilliant gold in her eyes began to fade away, not disappearing entirely but softening into a warm amber that looked human again.Her hands shifted back to normal, and she began to cry softly.It wasn't a cry of pain, but one of pure relief."I truly thought I was dying," she whispered into the quiet room."You weren’t dying," I told her. "You were finally becoming who you are."She turned around to look at me, her eyes still bright but completely clear."I absolutely hate it," she admitted. "I hate that this monster is a part of me.""I know," I said. "I hated it too when I first turned sixteen.""Did the feeling ever get easier?""Yeah," I replied. "It got easier the moment I stopped calling the wolf

Helena's povThe heavy glass doors of the league’s headquarters swished shut behind me, sealing away the flashes of the cameras and the rapid-fire questions of the reporters. Inside, the grand lobby was dead silent.It was over.Within less than an hour of our explosive press conference, the entire sports world had completely flipped upside down. My phone was buzzing constantly in my coat pocket with breaking news alerts that were popping up on millions of screens across the country at the exact same time:Brent had been suspended and officially banned Brent indefinitely following allegations of match-fixing and financial ruin.Vanessa had been fired and her league management had terminated Vanessa’s contract immediately for fraud and deception.While I have been cleared of all charges against me and my professional reputation has been fully restored I stood in the middle of the marble lobby, taking a long, slow breath. For months, my name had been dragged through the mud. People ha

Helena's pov The rain poured down in heavy sheets outside the high-tech tactical trailer, but inside, the air was warm. Maps, blueprint schematics, and live satellite feeds filled the glowing monitors lined up along the metal wall.Standing around the central map table was an unexpected team. On one side stood Jarrett’s most loyal pack members who were strong, quiet wolves with sharp eyes and steady hands. On the other side stood my elite security personnel from the sports league, seasoned professionals who knew how to handle high-stakes crises.Two completely different worlds; the secret wolf packs and the human sports industry were sitting in the same room. And for the first time, I was leading both of them."Listen up, everyone," I said, stepping up to the head of the table. My voice wasn't loud, but it carried absolute, unbreakable authority. Every single head in the trailer snapped toward me.Jarrett stood just half a step behind my right shoulder. He didn't try to take over or