EXCERPT #1
Prologue
*Six Months Ago*
"Thomas,"
Eric Blackwood, alpha of the Wolf settlement in Rannoch, Scotland, spoke in a
low but determined voice.
"Yes, Alpha."
Thomas Blackwood averted his gaze, as was customary when the pack leader
addressed an underling.
"As you
know, since the emergence of the New Alliance and the exposure of our kind to
the world, we’ve been trailing behind the rest of shifterkind in our efforts to
come to terms with the new reality. Now that the human government is starting
some kind of law enforcement program with the New Alliance, we cannot afford to
remain complacent any longer. We must act!"
Thomas blinked a
few times. Where was this conversation headed? "I agree, Sir."
"What would
you say if I asked you to join this new initiative? To be our eyes and ears
within this… what is it called again?"
"Alpha
Squad, Sir."
Alpha Blackwood
scoffed. "That's right. Alpha Squad. I’ve managed to pull a few strings
and get you inserted into their training program. The rest is up to you.
Failure is not an option; our pack relies on you."
Thomas took a
deep breath and nodded solemnly. He would not let down his alpha, or the rest
of the pack. It was a great honor to be chosen for a mission such as this, and
he would never forgive himself if he messed it up.
Plus, this would
be the first time he'd actually move out of Rannoch. It was a chance unlike any
other to see what the rest of the world was like, and he was keen to learn
everything he could.
"A lot
rests on your shoulders, but I wouldn't have chosen you for the job unless I
thought you could hack it," the alpha said. "It's a delicate matter,
and you'll understand that I prefer to keep things in the family for now…"
Thomas nodded
again. Ever since Alpha Blackwood had sent his very own daughter to Edinburgh
to work with the Alliance about a year ago, there weren't any other Blackwoods
in the pack to take on a job like this. Thomas, being the alpha's nephew, was a
logical choice. More so since Thomas's very own parents had passed away a few
years back and the alpha and his wife had taken a special interest in his
education and upbringing. He owed his aunt and uncle a lot, and now the time
had come for him to repay them.
"Thank you,
Sir. I will do my best."
The alpha rested
his hand on Thomas's shoulder.
Even though his
hair was starting to grey around his temples, Alpha Blackwood was an impressive
looking man. His large, strong hand weighed heavy on Thomas's shoulder, even
though the younger wolf was no weakling himself.
"The
physical training should not challenge you too much. Focus your energy on
making the others trust you. They must never suspect that you report to
me."
"No
problem," Thomas said firmly, even though the prospect of having to
deceive fellow trainees and the squad's leadership was a worrying one. He
wasn't a liar by nature.
But if his alpha
commanded it, he had to obey. That was how wolf society worked.
"Good.
Training begins on Monday. Pack up your things and someone will take you to the
train station later today. All the arrangements have been made."
Thomas swallowed
hard. Later today?
He'd been around
when Heidi, his cousin, left for Edinburgh last year. He'd heard the rumors of
how the whole thing went down and even watched as she got into one of the
pack's Jeeps, never to be seen again. She hadn't had any more notice than this,
so how could he expect anything different for himself? He wasn't even the
alpha's direct offspring.
So he didn't
argue, and did what he was told.
Packing did not
take long. Even so, he didn't have much time for goodbyes.
He didn't permit
himself to think or analyze the situation too much. These were his orders, and
he would follow them to the best of his abilities.
Only when he
found himself alone on the train later in the day did he take a short breather.
How strange,
leaving Rannoch. Heidi had never come back home and although rumors were
plentiful, Thomas had no real idea why her departure had been permanent.
Was it by
choice? Had something happened to her out here?
The world
outside of Rannoch was a big place. Perhaps she'd been ill-equipped to deal
with it all and gotten herself into trouble. They were cousins, and not too far
apart in age, but they'd never been close. Still, he couldn't help but wonder
what might’ve happened to her.
And what would
become of him? Would he be successful? Would he be able to keep his true orders
under wraps and fool his fellow recruits?
What would
happen if he was found out?
His train came
to a halt in a quiet station and he observed a tearful reunion outside on the
platform. A young couple, overjoyed to see each other again.
Perhaps the
outside world wasn't all bad. He'd stood by and watched as some of his peers had
paired up around him within Rannoch itself. But he'd never felt any attraction
or pull toward any of the she-wolves in his age group.
This mission
into the great unknown might make him cross paths with his own mate. He
certainly hoped so.
She had to be
out there somewhere; he just hadn't met her yet…
EXCERPT #2
Private
Callahan.
The petite and
quiet assistant to Major Williams was a constant influence on his mood. He
couldn't explain quite how it worked, but every time Thomas caught a glimpse of
her, his heart sang. If she inadvertently looked in his direction, his nerves
surged.
If by chance she
failed to cross paths with him on any given day, his day was essentially
ruined.
He'd admired her
from afar ever since his arrival on base all those months ago. It was a bit
creepy, how fixated he was on her. Like a stalker, he watched out for her, and
often caught himself when his eyes lingered on her just a bit too long for
comfort.
At least nobody
had suspected anything, except maybe the object of his desire herself.
Private Callahan
had barely spoken a word to him in six months. She made sure never to come too
near or be alone with him. Whenever he was around, she seemed to act as though
he was infected with a dangerous disease. She wasn't all wrong, of course. Even
though she was only human, her instincts had picked up on his obsession and as
a result, she was always on defense with him.
He wasn't sure
whether to be impressed by her keen intuition or feel slighted.
Still, no matter
how frustrated he sometimes became by her standoffish behavior, he could not
hold it against her for long. She remained ever-perfect; a brunette goddess
without a single flaw. In his mind, she could do no wrong; it was him who was
at fault. He’d brought all of this on himself by acting like a complete tool
around her.
"Blackwood,
report to Major Williams' office," a stern voice interrupted his thoughts.
He looked up to find Eric King, the major's second-in-command, staring at him
with his arms folded.
"I'll be
right there," Thomas mumbled, while avoiding eye contact with the bear
shifter, as was wolf custom when addressed by one's superiors.
For but a split
second, he wondered what the major wanted to see him about. The second and much
more pressing thing on his mind was whether Private Callahan would be in Major
Williams' office. He hoped so.
EXCERPT #3
"You're
beautiful," he whispered.
The rawness in
his voice made her knees weak again. It was like a dream.
She wanted to
respond, but she couldn't find the words.
Instead, she
tiptoed toward him as he leaned down further, allowing their lips to touch. If
the way he'd looked at her just now was the most glorious experience of her
life so far, this was a million times better.
Her heart
skipped a few beats. The softness of his lips, the tenderness of his touch.
Everything about him was beautiful. His kisses promised a surprising gentleness
along with a searing passion Jill had never found in another lover.
Like they were
made for one another.
She could be
shy, nervous even. But with the right man… There was a whirlwind of emotions
hidden beneath the surface, yet to be uncovered.
As their tongues
touched just slightly, darting around each other in a dance of discovery and
wonder, everything changed yet again. Something else happened that Jill had
never experienced before.
It was as though
she was no longer alone in her head.
Sure, she still
had that critical voice telling her to stop what she was doing and run, but it
was getting weaker. There was another presence in her mind also. Thomas
Blackwood.
Wolf. Warrior.
Lover.
Jill opened her
eyes and gazed deeply into his. So much to see.
When she wrapped
her arms around him and kissed him again, a flood of images entered her mind.
His thoughts and emotions.
His memories.
There were
glimpses of how he'd watched her. On base as well as on previous missions. He'd
been pining for her as she had done for him.
She also saw
visions of his home town. Moors and forests that spanned as far as the eye
could see.
But along with
all these beautiful memories, there was something darker lurking underneath it
all. Conversations with his uncle, Eric Blackwood. Secret outings that did not
fit into Alpha Squad's mission.
Jill pulled
back, her heart beating frantically now, not due to the increasing passion
she'd felt for him—though the attraction was even stronger now. No, this was
something else. Fear. Hurt.
Betrayal.
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