Chapter 1 – Kennedy and Alpha Ryker: The Werewolf Novel

Prologue

What do you do when you’re a human living within a wolf pack, and your closest friend is destined to become the next Alpha?

You become part of it**that’s what you do. Or at least, you join as much as a human possibly can. Kennedy and Jeremiah have shared a bond since the day they were born. Their mothers, who were inseparable during their college years, passed down their friendship to their children.

When a devastating accident takes Kennedy’s parents away, she somehow survives, but no relatives are willing to take on the responsibility of a teenager without a substantial inheritance. The person who was closest to her mother steps forward to care for her.

From that moment on, Kennedy and Jeremiah have been inseparable. Over the past two years, she’s immersed herself in the pack’s traditions and values, yet she’s determined to pursue college and explore life outside the pack’s boundaries. Kennedy knows she is human and will never be a wolf’s mate. She’s prepared to leave the pack behind and live among humans. Her dream is to manage the fitness studio her mother started alongside Jeremiah’s mom**a legacy that keeps their parents’ memories alive.

Everything in her life is meticulously mapped out, much to Jeremiah’s quiet frustration. All her college applications are submitted, her dorm and meal plans arranged, and her business courses lined up with the goal of graduating in three years. All that remains is to survive her final year of high school. Fortunately, werewolves consider senior year the perfect time to focus on the future, so many classes are designed to help her accelerate her success.

Her future is set. Jeremiah is preparing to train and eventually lead his pack. This senior year is their last moment of freedom before their lives follow the paths laid out for them. She knows their friendship will endure, just like their mothers’ did. Not a day passes without them talking; their connection is so deeply ingrained it feels like a part of her. Losing touch is simply not an option. They aren’t mates, despite the hopes of many who assume their closeness must mean more. At eighteen, their relationship mirrors that of siblings**close, familiar, and sometimes eerily in sync. Something about them defies explanation. Kennedy can’t mindlink or shift into a wolf, yet she moves with wolf-like grace, thinks with their instincts, and senses the world as they do.

Many expect she’ll exhaust her desire for a human life and eventually return to the pack for good.

Until fate throws Kennedy another unexpected challenge, forcing her to make decisions she never imagined.

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No part of this publication may be copied, shared, or transmitted by any means**whether photocopying, recording, or electronic methods**without prior written consent from the publisher, except as allowed by U.S.

This story, including all names, characters, and events, is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people, places, or things, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The sharp screech of tires tearing through the night air shattered the silence. A sudden, heavy impact followed, accompanied by the shattering of glass exploding outward. I was hurled forward by an unseen force, my arms flailing helplessly as I grasped at nothing but empty air. Then, my body collided with something solid, and the jolt sent a sharp pain through me. I gasped, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted. I was back in my room**always my room. Yet, despite the familiar surroundings, the acrid scent of burnt rubber and gasoline still lingered, stinging my nostrils. This nightmare clung to me relentlessly, replaying the same harrowing scene every single night for two long years. I inhaled deeply, hoping to dispel both the lingering smell and the haunting images that pressed behind my eyelids.

Suddenly, my door flew open, and my best friend burst inside like a whirlwind. At this point, I half-joked that maybe we should just share a room, given how much time he spent here with me. Without uttering a word, he slipped under the soft, downy blanket and wrapped his arms around me, gently pressing my head against his chest. The steady thump of his heartbeat and his familiar scent were enough to lull me back into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Since the crash, the same nightmare haunted me every night. I was lost, unsure of what I was supposed to do next. Aunt Beth had sent me to countless doctors, specialists, and therapists, but nothing seemed to ease the torment**except being near Jeremiah. Still, this constant fear was wreaking havoc on my already chaotic life. I certainly didn’t need any more complications, and I knew it wasn’t exactly easy for him either.

“Aww, sweetheart, you look exhausted. Another rough night?” Aunt Beth’s voice floated through the house, as if she could hear my silent screams from across the hall.

I couldn’t bring myself to snap at her. After all, she and Uncle James had done so much for me over the past few years. They hadn’t been obligated to take me in, but when no other family member stepped forward to claim guardianship of a fifteen-year-old orphan, my mom’s best friend and her husband welcomed me without hesitation. Aunt Beth was the one who stayed by my side in the hospital as I recovered, the one who held me when the doctors delivered the devastating news that my parents hadn’t survived. She made sure I saw the best doctors and specialists to help me navigate the overwhelming grief.

“Yeah, they seem to be getting worse, but I honestly don’t know why,” I muttered, sinking down onto a stool at her enormous kitchen island. She placed a plate piled high with all my favorite breakfast foods in front of me, and I smiled gratefully before digging in.

“Ready yet?” came the familiar teasing drawl from somewhere in the house about ten minutes later. I couldn’t imagine life without him.

“Almost. Aunt Beth’s trying to stuff me full of food, and I can’t be rude by leaving anything behind,” I replied, shoveling a forkful into my mouth.

“Mom, you know she doesn’t need to eat as much as I do, right? I’m going to have to roll her to school,” he called out, striding toward the fridge as if he wasn’t about to grab a plate just as loaded as mine.

“Did you just call me fat?!” I swung at him playfully from my seat, but he was too quick, and I missed. “Let me remind you, sir, I train just as hard as you do. My body just isn’t built to be chiseled like a Greek god.”

“So, what you’re saying is that I’m hot, and we should go out sometime?” He leaned casually against the kitchen doorframe, slinging his backpack over one shoulder while stuffing food into his mouth. I couldn’t deny that Jeremiah was undeniably attractive**one of the best-looking guys I’d ever seen, and there were plenty of handsome men around here. It must be a genetic perk of being werewolves. His chocolate-brown hair was tousled perfectly, as if he’d run his fingers through it but didn’t bother to fix it afterward. His light caramel eyes were captivating, almost distracting you from his full lips. Towering over six feet tall, his presence screamed either “I’ll protect you” or “Don’t mess with me,” depending on who was on the receiving end. But I’d never say any of that aloud**his ego didn’t need the boost. Besides, I’d never felt that kind of attraction toward him. He was like a brother to me, and that was enough.

“Are you serious? One of your Luna wannabes would slit my throat in my sleep. And now that you’re eighteen, they’re even worse,” I grimaced, pretending to gag.

“Still getting grief from those girls?” Aunt Beth asked gently.

“It’s fine, Aunt Beth. They’d give me a hard time even if we were destined mates,” I said, rolling my eyes. “They don’t like me because I’m human and ‘beneath’ them, but somehow I’ve caught the attention of their fearless future Alpha. At least no one’s tried to hit me with anything lately. It’s just a bunch of stupid girls with stupid insults.” I pushed Jeremiah’s bulky frame out the door so we could head to our first day of senior year.

What I didn’t tell her was that the insults had grown worse recently. Apparently, being an orphan and a human in a werewolf pack wasn’t enough. Now, I was labeled a slut who slept around with all of Jeremiah’s friends behind his back**even though we’d never dated and never would. We’d known each other since birth**literally born on the same day in the same hospital. Our moms had been best friends since college, graduating together and opening a studio that taught yoga and women’s self-defense. When Aunt Beth met Uncle James and became the Luna of the pack**a role demanding endless time and dedication**my mom took over the studio. Aunt Beth kept it running for me, and I worked there a few days a week, helping train and learning the business side from the manager so I could someday take over. It was the one thing my mom left me that I felt truly connected to**a legacy I was determined to preserve, no matter what path I chose.

“You still planning on leaving for college next year?” Jeremiah asked from the driver’s seat of his sleek matte black muscle car, the engine growling beneath us.

We’d had this conversation countless times over the past year, and I was running out of new things to say.

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