All Chapters of Red Wolf Rising: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

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

The need to move was overwhelming. It wasn’t a choice; it was a compulsion. My paws, I mean, my hands and feet no longer felt human, pressed against the earth, and I had to run.The forest blurred around me. Every smell was heightened; pine needles, damp earth, distant animals, the faint scent of something metallic that I couldn’t quite place. Every sound screamed at me; the rustle of leaves, the snap of twigs, the rush of air past my ears. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding, faster than ever before.I ran, and I ran. Faster than anything I had ever imagined possible. My legs stretched and propelled me over roots, rocks, fallen branches. The wind whipped through my fur, and I felt it all, the speed, the strength, the sheer exhilaration of being something entirely alive, entirely free.It was intoxicating.I had no idea how long I ran. Hours, maybe. Dawn was creeping into the sky when the forest finally thinned, and I found myself at a stream. My throat was dry from the exertion, my

I kept running north, even though every part of my body was begging me to stop. My lungs burned, my legs were aching, and I had no idea how much farther I could go, but the strange pull inside my chest hadn’t disappeared. If anything, it seemed to grow stronger the farther I went.“I think we’re far enough away now.”I slowed down, looking over my shoulder, the forest behind me was dark and quiet. I couldn’t hear the people who had been chasing me anymore, but that didn’t mean they were gone.“Are you sure?”“No.”I frowned.“That’s not very reassuring.”Ruby gave a soft laugh.“I’m just being honest.”I rolled my eyes, then immediately regretted it when my legs nearly gave out beneath me. Then, I stumbled forward and caught myself against a tree.“I can’t run anymore.”“Then we stop.”I leaned against the trunk, trying to catch my breath. My whole body ached, and I was freezing. I wrapped my arms around myself and looked down at my bare feet. Running naked through a forest hadn’t exac