Alle Kapitel von The Alpha Rising : The Wolf Within : Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 8

Vance Rourke had never been more terrified in his life.And that was saying something, considering he'd almost been eaten by a werewolf three days ago.He stood in front of Elchen Hills High School, staring at the entrance like it was a prison gate. Students streamed past him, laughing and shouting, completely oblivious to the monster standing among them.That's what he was now. A monster.Jeff had tried to convince him otherwise. "You're still you, man. The wolf doesn't change that."But Vance knew better. The wolf was always there now. Prowling beneath his skin. Waiting. Watching. Hungry. He could feel it every second of every day.He took a deep breath and walked through the doors.The hallway was chaotic. Vance kept his head down, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He could hear everything the whispered gossip, the squeak of sneakers on linoleum, the distant thud of a basketball in the gym. He could smell everything too. Perfume. Sweat. The stale coffee from the teacher's loung

The bathroom tiles were ice beneath Vance's knees. He barely reached the restroom before collapsing beside the sink, his chest rising and falling in frantic gasps. Every sound in the school crashed into him at once the dripping faucet, footsteps echoing in the hallway, distant laughter, even the steady rhythm of heartbeats beyond the walls. Every scent flooded his senses until he thought his skull would split open. Beneath his skin, the wolf prowled like a caged predator, growing more restless with every passing second. He'd excused himself mid-lecture, muttering something about feeling sick. Lyra had watched him go, concern written across her face. He'd seen it in the way her hand had reached for him, hesitated, then fallen back to her desk.Now he was here. Alone. On the floor. Fighting for control.Let me out.The voice wasn't his. It came from somewhere deep inside his chest. Primal. Ancient. Hungry.Run, Hunt, Feed, The cage is breaking."No." Vance pressed his palms against his

Vance woke up feeling like his skin was on fire. The morning sun streamed through his window, but instead of warmth, it seemed to burn against his skin. Every nerve in his body felt exposed, every muscle wound tight beneath his skin. The wolf was restless. Tonight, it whispered inside him. Tonight, I run free. Vance pressed his palms against his temples. "Not tonight. Not ever." You can't stop me. You've been fighting for weeks, Vance. Tonight, you lose. He stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. His reflection stared back at him—pale, gaunt, dark circles under his eyes. But it was his eyes that terrified him most. Gold. Brown. Gold. Brown. Vance gripped the edge of the sink. I'm losing control. --- School was a blur. Vance walked through the hallways like a ghost, his senses on overdrive. Every sound was too loud. Every scent was too sharp. He could hear whispers from three classrooms away. He could smell the fear coming off the freshmen who'd just been shoved i

The front door slammed open at 3:47 AM.Eliana Hale jolted awake, her heart pounding. She heard heavy footsteps in the hallway. Labored breathing. A low grunt of pain.She threw off the covers and rushed out of the bedroom.Marcus was leaning against the wall, his hand pressed to his shoulder. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining his jacket dark red. His face was pale. His eyes were wild."Marcus!" Eliana rushed to his side. "What happened?""Damien." The name came out like a curse. "He's alive. He attacked us in the woods."Eliana's blood ran cold. "Damien Cross? That's impossible. He died in the fire.""Apparently not." Marcus winced as she helped him to the couch. "He's been hiding. Waiting. Building an army."Eliana's hands trembled as she grabbed the first aid kit. "An army of what?""Wolves." Marcus's voice was hollow. "He's been biting students. Turning them. Building a pack right under our noses."Eliana froze. "Students?""Vance Rourke." Marcus met her eyes. "He's one o