The Emerald Wolf

Kiera Ferrando sat in the church with her father, watching the young earl. He was handsome, muscular, and the most sought-after man in London and Kiera wanted him for herself. She hung her head, because of all the women chasing him, he never once looked at her.

Kevin could feel her eyes on him and it made him nervous. Under her gaze, his skin started to burn. He knew if he actually associated with her, he'd lose his heart to her. She was too perfect a woman to abandon with his lifestyle. The one thing no one knew about him. Everyone knew he was in shipping but that was the extent of it. He led a dangerous life and he couldn't hurt her.

Weeks and months went by like this and it was getting harder and harder for Kevin to ignore her advances. Finally, she cornered him in a local shop by accidentally bumping into him.

"Forgive me, Lord Reddick."

"Please, Lady Ferrando. Nothing to forgive. Unless you don't go to lunch with me."

Her eyes twinkled with mischieve and that was it. She had his heart. Over time, he courted her and any and everyone saw that they were truly in love. When the wedding happened, most were surprised she was a virginal bride. The two were so much in love that when his crew came knocking again, he had to tell her the truth.

"Captian?"

"Two weeks."

"Yes, sir."

"Kevin?"

"I am an Earl with a shipping company. That's what people know. In truth, however, I am a pirate."

"A pirate?"

"Yes. It's why I never turned your way before."

They talked more and over time, he learned that they were indeed meant for each other, and on a small journey, he took her with him. He showed her how to sail and man the wheel and in the cabin, he showed her just how much of a pirate he was and it thrilled her to her core. Nothing excited her more than seeing the island he called home for months in between his journeys.

All trips were not the same and the ones he knew would be dangerous, he had to leave her behind. She always told him he better return safely to her and he always promised to do so. Over time, she started turning pirate and it thrilled him as nothing else could. When her father found out, she begged him to stay silent and for his only daughter, he did just that.

One trip was not so successful and Kevin ran into a rival. Pierre was a ruthless pirate that wanted Kevin's fortune and blood. Pierre finally got a little blood when Kevin was shot. Marvin, the first mate, rushed them home and in the dead of night, got him back to Kiera. She looked on in horror as she turned to Marvin.

"Oh my, Kevin! Marvin, what happened?"

"Pierre happened, my lady."

"Go fetch a doctor at once."

"Yes, my lady."

A doctor was brought back to the house and when he saw the shot, he shook his head and turned to her.

"I can fix him up but I need to alert the authorities of this. This wound is serious."

Kevin grabbed her hand and she understood. The doctor went to walk away when he heard the pistol. He turned and Kiera held it to his face and with a most serious look, ordered the doctor.

"You will fix him and you will be most discrete about it or you'll have to fix yourself alongside him."

"Of course, my lady. Forgive me."

Kiera held the pistol as the doctor worked. Kevin smiled up at the woman who he so treasured and knew there no one else he would leave everything to. After the doctor was finished, he announced that there was nothing else he could do. Kevin would die and he gave Kiear something to ease his pain. 

The next day, Kevin had a solicitor brought in to sign papers and Kiera sat with him the day he signed everything over. His ship, the island, his crew, and anything that wouldn't be going to his nephew. When she saw the name of the ship, she gave him a longing and loving look. It was called The White Wolf and anyone now knew why. Keira was born with unusually beautiful white hair and she had a birthmark on the back of her hip that was shaped like a wolf. Three days later, Kevin kissed his wife of three years for the last time and all of London knew it took her six weeks to stop crying enough to leave her house. So when she left on his ship, no one thought it strange. Everyone just thought it was her way of coping. Little did they know that she knew Pierre still lived and she wanted revenge. Her sorrow and heartache had turned her bitter and cruel. Captian Reddick was ruthless and left no survivors. Her crew was fiercely loyal and kept her secret as no one ever knew she was a woman. Marvin was the one who warned her to leave no survivors. At first, she hated doing this, but over time, she got a rush from it. When she heard the stories of the ghost ship and crew, it excited her.

Unfortunately, this is where the story truly begins. A ghost ship, revenge, and a pirate trying to prove ghosts aren't real.