All Chapters of Red Wolf Rising: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

The howls came again; they sounded closer this time. My chest felt tight, and I froze in the middle of the path, my eyes darting to the shadows between the trees.It wasn’t just one. There had to be at least three that I could hear. Maybe more. Wolves, real wolves, out here, in the dark. They were probably hungry. Natural-born predators. And me? I was just a scared, human-sized snack. They would smell me, chase me, and tear me apart before I even had a chance to run.No. No, no, no.The next howl was so close I swore I felt it rattle my bones. That was it. I was out of here. So I ran, faster than I ever had.Branches slapped across my face as I ran through the woods, stinging as they cut my skin. I was panting heavily, struggling to catch my breath. But I didn’t care. I just had to keep moving.Behind me, I heard the padding of paws. My legs pushed harder and faster, but it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t fast enough. I knew I’d never be fast enough.The forest blurred around me, shadows and

The rest of the weekend had blurred together. Sunday had been spent catching up on the chores I’d neglected after being away for most of Saturday. By Monday morning, I already felt like I needed another weekend.The alarm had gone off, and I’d slammed my hand on it without thinking, hating the sound more than usual. My whole body had ached; my head, my knees, my stomach, but I’d dragged myself out of bed anyway. Chores had come first, then a quick breakfast I’d barely managed to swallow before heading to school.I’d pulled my hat down low, hoping nobody would notice me. Maybe, just maybe, I’d thought, I could make it through the hallways without the staring, the whispering, the laughter. Just for once, I wanted to blend in.I'd made it to school minutes before the bell, and it proved to be too early. The second I stepped into the hallway, someone yanked the hat right off my head. Time stopped. Every single person turned toward me. My stomach dropped. Gasps, whispers, and snickers had