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Chapter 20: Alpha Rising

Author: Robbie Cox
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56
Josh pulled the rake across the leaf-strewn ground, mumbling the entire time about the stupidity of having a bonfire in the middle of summer and raking the woods. He stood, staring at the ground. I'm actually raking the forest floor. This is nuts. Yet, he kept raking the leaves into a pile off to the side, making sure there was a cleared area where Dimitri could have his silly fire. Even in the heat, it beat the thick sulfur smell of the pulp mill he had to endure every day back in Draven Falls.

After a while, he heard shuffling off to the side behind a small set of birch trees. He had been so focused on his grumbling, he almost missed it. He stood straight, holding the rake with both hands as he wondered about the sanity of being alone in an area filled with coyotes who wanted him gone. He took a sniff of the air, trying to detect…a wolf? He only knew of one wolf in the area so far. Alanna. His panther purred within, and Josh felt a stirring in his groin.

With a deep breath, Josh rela
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    Dimitri could tell there was something going on with Josh by the way his friend kept avoiding his gaze. Of course, Dimitri just assumed it had something to do with the wolf scent he detected on his friend, as well as the musty scent of sex in the air, which made Dimitri keep his mouth shut. If Josh wanted to tell him, he would. In the meantime, Dimitri had enough to figure out with his bonfire tonight and Tina's words echoing in his mind.Down the street from Publix was a Home Depot, and Dimitri had swung in there to purchase some folding tables and a few camp chairs, a couple of bins to use for trash, a couple of coolers for beer and ice, and some decorative rocks to surround the firepit. If things went the way he hoped, these fires would be a normal occurrence, and he would need the supplies, anyway. Might as well make a good first impression if at all possible.When Dimitri finally arrived back in Bull Creek, Josh had the designated area cleared and a nice-sized hole in the center w

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