I Don't Come Back to My Alpha Again novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: Kneel

The whole pack was in the square.

Three hundred wolves, maybe more, packed in around the old stone fountain.

Mothers holding toddlers. Old men on the bench outside the feed store. Teenagers on the roof of the bakery to get a better look.

They parted for me when I walked in.

Nobody said hello.

Beck walked one step behind my left shoulder and didn't say anything either.

Ansel stood on the fountain steps in a pressed white shirt.

Coral stood beside him in a pale blue dress with long sleeves today. Clever.

Tobin was at the bottom of the steps with his hands jammed in his hoodie pocket. He wouldn't look at me.

"Thank you all for coming," Ansel said.

His big voice rolled over the square.

"Five years ago my wife did something unforgivable to a member of this pack. She served her time. She's home. And I believe in second chances."

A few people nodded.

"But a second chance starts with an apology." He turned and held out his hand to Coral. "Coral has carried those scars for five years. She deserves to hear it. On your knees, Joelle, in front of everyone, and we'll put this behind us."

Coral lowered her eyes.

I knew that look.

When we were nine, she broke my mother's crystal swan and stood beside me in exactly that way while I got the blame.

I'd forgiven her that.

I'd forgiven her a lot of things.

"Joelle," Ansel said. "We're waiting."

I walked up the fountain steps.

The pack went very quiet.

I could hear the water in the fountain behind me and somebody's baby fussing at the back.

I stopped in front of Coral.

She lifted her chin and waited.

I didn't kneel.

I held up my left wrist instead, so everyone could see it.

← Chapter 4 · All chapters · Chapter 6 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend