Excerpts

This is the first part of my book.

The beginning of her life…

“Connie, can I take my order to go please? I’m running late my dear.”

It was an extremely busy Tuesday afternoon, the last of the lunch crowd was just leaving Small Bites, the sandwich bar, and Mr Harvey was the last customer for Constance Deveron before she finished her shift for the day.

“Of course Mr Harvey, just give me two minutes.” Constance busied herself with the preparation she was so used to – Mr Daniel Harvey was a regular who didn’t much like change, he always had the same sandwich. Maybe it wasn’t an aversion to change; it was highly possible that in a world like this, the familiar was a scarce feeling. Constance knew this all too well. In fact it had been such a busy day that Constance hadn’t had chance to even consider what her plans would be for the night ahead. Tuesdays were often Connie’s most social night and therefore her most consistent evening, having Wednesdays off work always boosted her mood and made her want to make plans. As far as “plans” could be made that is…in this part of the world there are rules to go by, these rules don’t apply to everyone – except those that don’t want to be attacked by 250 pounds of fur and claws.

“Here you go Mr Harvey, enjoy your evening and see you soon!” She handed over the ham and mayonnaise sandwich with extra salad - but no onion, his normal, weekly sandwich, with a smile. She liked Mr Harvey and he was a pleasure whenever she saw him (unusual to come across in the current state of the territory).

“I keep tellin’ you Connie, its Daniel to you! Thank you very much my dear, see you next week!” He called whilst making his way out of the building. Mr Harvey was a lovely man and quite high up on the human social ladder but, when you grow up like Constance has, you soon realise that the human chain of command means little-to-nothing in comparison to the real hierarchy. The werewolf hierarchy. For most of her life Constance had known and acknowledged this hierarchy, even though she did not quite understand who was who in the chain for a long time, she still didn’t really understand it now. She knew who was at the top of it anyway which was the most important thing in this world. With the bottom few ranks and the lowest ranks of all (even below humans) known throughout the human community, Constance knew full well to respect all unknown or upper class people in order to keep hold of her own position...and life.

Connie liked to listen to the radio in the background while she worked and often liked to clean up to the beat of whichever song was playing at the time. Connie wasn’t good at singing; neither was she a musician; however that never stopped her from rocking out with the best of them when she was on her own in the Cafe. Today though there weren’t many songs playing as the news was going at full speed ahead as the world remembered the events of 09/09/2166.

“Today is the 200^th anniversary of the end of World War 3. This was the day that changed us as we knew it at the time, the beginning of a very hard and gruelling period for the world anew. Today also marks the anniversary of Mr Dagon Bardou taking the title of Alpha of Territory 1. How are you feeling today Mr Bardou?”

The radio continued to speak in the background, Dagon’s gravelly and strong voice coming through the speakers as Connie started to pack away the food that was on the counter. She could hear Mr Thomas, her boss, on the phone in the back room, his voice a low murmur over the tinkling tune that was finally being played. She occasionally caught the odd word in passing as she was walking past his office door to put the food into the refrigerator in the back room.  She didn’t mean to eavesdrop on his conversation but she could hear him talking about deliveries, dates and times, even the odd location that was different than their normal deliveries.

Connie smiled as she walked past for the last time; Mr Thomas was obviously becoming more diverse and opening up his business to other parts of the territory. This was good news and she was happy for him, he always worked so hard and he was so good to her, treating her like his own blood and he deserved to move up the ladder. She was glad to have found Mr Thomas, she had wondered into the Café with a newspaper to try and find some businesses that may be hiring and he had obviously noticed and offered her a job there and then, he had offered her a chance and an opportunity to stay afloat and not all of the poor souls in this world got that chance.

Her thoughts suddenly went to a darker place, she found herself considering what had happened to some of the human population in recent years, disappearances growing in numbers and unsolved murders cropping up in even higher numbers within the last year or so alone. She couldn’t help but feel that the regiments weren’t doing anything to find the culprit...maybe that was just her paranoid thinking, but Constance couldn’t shake the feeling. She had been following the news via the radio and knew about all of the major cases, but who’s to say how many there truly were? She had a sinking suspicion that it was the lowest ranking werewolves of all; after all, they needed to eat too. Or that was the horrible story she’d heard growing up anyway. Now it just seemed all too real to her.

****

This section is one of my favourites! I LOVE Dagon and Caleb <3


Dagon and his right hand man!

“Sir, I've been hearing whispers, I've got a bad feeling…” Caleb was Dagon’s friend. He didn't have many but he was a true friend, he might not be his second in command or even high in the ranks, however he was trust worthy. “There’s something going on, I can feel it…” He was right. Dagon knew it and it was his wolves, his ranks…his people.

He looked at his reflection in the window of his office. He’d been contemplating his territory when Caleb had asked permission to speak with him. His reflection looked back at him with a look of curiosity and annoyance. His appearance didn't startle Caleb, not in the way he often dominated the lower ranks. It seemed Caleb may well have some Alpha in him…he just didn't acknowledge it or didn't want to.

“Caleb, I need you to go look…go and see what you can find out. This isn't an order, it’s not even a request, you go where you feel you need to and if you find something then so be it. I need to know what’s going on and I'm asking you to go against your, our own people in this. Say no if you want to but this is outside of ranks, bigger than pack….” Dagon finished with a solemn look on his face.

“Sir…Dagon, you don’t need to ask, if you need me I'm there. I'm gonna drop out of sight for a while…you wont be able to contact me but if I have permission, I will find out what is happening!” Of course he couldn't be seen to be investigating his own people. He would have to do this on the down low and he knew exactly where to start.

Dagon knew he could trust Caleb.


This is actually one of the sweetest moments I have ever written (probably ever imagined) and I just had to share it with you!

Connie and Grey

After such a dramatic and revelatory discussion everyone seemed to be quite tired and a little disheartened. Soon people started to excuse themselves and Connie was left with Seb and Grey, Drake excusing himself and scurrying off through the trees – Connie realised at that exact moment that she didn't actually know where Drake slept at night.

“Well, I think I'm going to head back…” Seb announced, trying to sound his normal cheery self but managing to hold a little back, not wanting to sound too happy with the current mood everyone was in. He looked down at Connie questioningly as if to enquire if she might want an escort back to her shack. Connie shook her head, she wanted to hold back and see if she could lighten Greys mood. She thought that if she went back now she would just dwell on all of the news she had heard.

With Seb’s exit from the clearing Connie turned to Grey who had his mouth open comically as if he couldn't decide whether to talk or not. Connie stifled a laugh but couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face – Grey too couldn't help but smile at himself. “I was just going to ask if you wanted to come and see something, but it seemed like you were going to go back to Lena’s.” he let the sentence trail off, Connie was still amazed he was actually continuing to talk, she half thought that she wouldn't hear him speak again for weeks just to make up for his uncharacteristic contribution to the evenings developments.

“Actually I was going to suggest we go down to the shore but if you have something else in mind I’d love to see it.” She looked up at him quite shyly – it amazed her that she would feel this confident talking to someone she hadn't known for long. Grey seemed quite happy to chat as he led the way, they talked about the scenery more than anything. “I always like to walk down to the sea; I like to think down there while I'm watching the fish, it’s nothing like home…” Connie wanted to talk more about less serious things but she couldn't help but feel home sick here. She lulled into an empty silence thinking about Bobby and Jenny and if they’d managed to fix everything in their home. She missed them…her chosen family.

“Well we’re here…” Connie hadn't noticed how long they had been silent for but they had made it to their destination in the meantime. Grey ducked out of the way just in time for Connie to come into view of an open section in the trees and shrubbery; she walked up to stand side by side with him.

“Oh my God….” She couldn't think of anything else to say, her mind had gone blank. Grey was showing her something that clearly hadn't been seen by many other people in the world. It was amazing; through the open gap she could see a cave that was like a pitch black hole, it looked like it went on forever. This wasn't the amazing part though; in front of the cave was a pool of water, steaming in the cool night air. It was obviously a hot spring, completely natural, with water falling into it from above the cave, creating a curtain backwash that made the cave sparkle. The steaming surface of the pool reflected the moon, shining up against the waterfall in front of the cave and making patterns all around them on the trees, lighting up the opening in the most dramatic of ways. Connie strolled forward, pushing her way into the clearing. The pool was lined with great big stones, keeping the water in and making the pool quite deep – deep enough to bath in and swim. Over on the right hand side of the pool the water drained over the edge of the stones into what seemed like another pool that lay on a lower level beneath them. Connie turned back to Grey, “This is breath-taking! How did you find it? Do you guys all use it? Do they know about it?” She couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else had been up here; it looked so amazing, so isolated! Grey shrugged a nonchalant shrug, a dimple appearing on his cheek as if he was trying to crack a smile.

****

She looked so beautiful in the moonlight; he couldn’t help but think about how much he was attracted to her, her out of all the women on this island. She was different, he just didn’t know how. Or why…He was definitely attracted to her but his gut did not agree.

****

After walking her way around the clearing and the hot spring itself, more than once, Connie sat on the edge of the wonderfully warm pool with Grey, their feet dangling in the water.

“So…tell me the story! How did you find this amazing place?” Connie just wanted to stay here forever, she didn't want to go back down to the camp, and she definitely didn't want to have to face all of the circumstances that would come with the revelations of the night.

“There’s not much to tell Connie, I found it within the first week of being on this bloody island. I don’t think many of the others come here, they know about it, obviously, because this island is so damned small, but they know it’s where I come to be alone and they give me that space…” He almost seemed sheepish at the end of the statement, as if he had given away some sort of embarrassing secret for her and her alone.

“So you come here a lot then?” She couldn't help herself. Knowing this place was his made Connie feel funny, she felt like he’d given her a small part of himself. It was weird knowing someone you've only met for a short period of time was sharing something so personal with you. She couldn't help but think about the first time she’d met Jenny, she knew straight away that she liked Jenny, and without even a second thought Connie had moved into the flat the very same day she had met her…Connie liked Grey. She knew she did. He was tall and handsome and even had a tiny bit of danger to him, but she was so washed out from everything else that had happened to her within the last couple of weeks that she couldn't bring herself to make more of it.

“Yes, I like to swim a lot, I feel at home in the water…but I showed you this place so you could have somewhere to go too. I know at the beginning this whole situation can be overwhelming and I just wanted you to know you can come here if you want to.” He trailed off at the end, like he felt guilty or embarrassed, she couldn't tell which.

Still with their feet dangling in the water, Connie turned to the side, facing Grey and looked up into his face. “Thank you very much for showing me this place Grey, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have a place I can sit and think without being disturbed. This whole situation is frazzling my brain.” She didn't want to explain why. She didn't want him to hate her. She didn't want to face the facts and she knew, knew for a fact, that she was different and weird. She was a wolf. 


This section of my book was soooo funny to write! Connie has a bit of me in her sometimes!

Who has Connie?

It was just as she had snuck through a gate at the side of the building leading to a small walkway along the length of the ground floor that she was discovered. She tried to pass herself off as just being a lost messenger from inside the building but the huge man in front of her was very persistent as he halted her in her tracks with his hand up in a STOP gesture.

“Ma’am, what are you doing out here? This area is out of bounds to none military personnel. Can I see your ID badge please?” He was stern. He was as wide as he was tall and had a very calm manner about him. If it weren’t for the slight twist to his lips, Connie might have felt relaxed around this male…well maybe, if her hackles weren’t raised at the very idea of being trapped in a tight space with him. He was a predator for sure and she could almost feel his urge to shift in her skin, he was on the cusp of exploding and she did not want to out herself by attacking this man.

As she stood, dumbly looking up at him, trying to form words and only thinking about the fact that yes he was very tall and yes he was built like a brick shit house and how was she going to get out of this, he took a step forward. That step changed everything, he now invaded her personal space and before she could stop to think, her body reacted on instinct and her foot was suddenly becoming intimate with his balls while her fist was growing furry and meeting his nose in a spectacular spray of blood. Seconds later, he was on the ground and she was running as fast as her human legs would let her. She felt every urge to go wolf but refused to let it happen to her, the human population and any werewolf around would try to lock her up for the sake of everyone else…not realising she was different to normal weres and totally in control of her body and mind at that moment in time…most of both anyway.

She plunged through the gate she had raced towards and rounded the corner at top speed, making a bee line for the docks that happened to be the only place she knew how to get to on foot from this location. Well it was the only place she knew how to get to without being seen. She tried her best to stay hidden but it seemed the guy had alerted other weres to her because she occasionally had to dodge strangers who were trying to grab her on her way.

As she closed in on the docks and was speeding along the line of shops adjacent to the water itself, she began to slow, panting heavily but trying to go unnoticed. Just as she turned her head to check if she was being followed, someone grabbed both her shoulders from the right hand side and hauled her into a darkened doorway that had a sliding shutter door. The person who had grabbed her quickly pulled down the shutter and peered through the slats as a shadow passed by.


I'd like to introduce you guys to another character in my book. I'll let you decide what you think of my man Drake.

Meeting Connie's comrades 

Unsure of how to proceed, Constance eventually made her way carefully towards a boulder sized rock on which this new person was perched. Connie couldn’t help but think perched was the wrong word to describe him, he almost seemed like he was basking. This island, it wasn’t a cold place to live – with most of the inhabitants (that she knew of anyway) wearing shorts and a t-shirt. However, this new person, he was wearing jeans and a top as if he were cold.

“Hello.” Connie announced, walking closer to his basking form, realising she had no idea what to say or how to act with this new person. The man looked up at her greeting and gave Connie, what she could only describe, as a leer before he gracefully jumped from the rock and landed quietly in front of her.

“Well, hello. My names Drake, pleased to meet you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and smiled up at her as he kissed it. “I’m here to keep you company today unless you would prefer otherwise.” Drake informed her with a smile that assured her he thoroughly expected her to want him around. “Where are we off to?” She had no idea who or what he was. Didn’t particularly like the feeling she was getting from him either, however Connie decided to give him a chance – after all could he be anything worse than a bear?!

By the time they had walked along the beach a little while and gone to explore the sea and what beautiful creatures were swimming around them, Constance had gotten to know Drake a little more…which she had rather decidedly classed as a bad thing. He was smarmy. He never actually said or did anything that she could grasp as ugly or nasty but she just got the impression that he was quite…emotionless. They’d chatted a while, she’d exclaimed about the beautiful tropical fish swimming in the water, fish she’d never even seen before. He’d changed the subject and asked if she’d enjoyed her journey here and how she’d managed to make the trip. This didn’t seem like it was wrong – maybe she just liked fish more than other people and preferred that conversation instead?

“I should have bought some sunglasses myself.” Connie mused as she looked up at Drake with a questioning expression. She couldn’t quite decide on his personality. Looking down at her he shrugged his shoulders in a rather nonchalant way.

“I only bought them with me because they were in my bag I used to carry my things. I spend a lot of time in the sun though so I need them really.” At that last statement she felt something twig in her mind but couldn’t quite catch the wisp of thought before it escaped her. “Anyway, how do you like it here? Have you met everyone yet?” He turned a dazzling smile her way and she warmed slightly to him. He did seem genuinely like he was interested.

Who doesn't like a bear hug?!

Her feet hadn’t even touched the sand before Lena came streaming past her face and hurtled herself into Arties open arms. Connie turned to look in their direction as she continued up the beach and found herself face planting into Seb’s muscled chest as she turned back to look where her feet were taking her slightly too late…or perfectly on time if she was honest with herself. She pulled her face back from his pecs and looked up into his beaming face. She squeaked just as she saw the intent on his face and he hauled her up into a bear hug.