Prologue

Viola's POV

I had thought I was alone, but after three hours of sitting here I still felt chills under my skin, prickling on my neck. I initially chalked it up to my nerves, but as my breath came easier and I started to calm down the sensations were still there. I was being watched.

“Who’s there?” I rubbed my arms and pulled my elbows to my sides. I can’t say I got far before I heard the growling behind me.

My clammy hands are shaking as he stalks toward me dipping his head low and almost touching the ground. Slowly backing up from him I come to a stop at a tree and rest my palms behind me trying to hide the shaking as if he couldn’t smell the fear.

He continues forward as I shrink against the tree and close my eyes so I didn’t have to see what happened next. The putrid smell of his breath is on my face as he growls and I hold in a whimper.

A loud explosion has me opening my eyes and looking to the right of where the wolf had me at the tree. He looked in the same direction and his eyes glowed an ugly bright green. The wolf lets out a growl as he backs away from me.

A man with striking black hair walked to where we stood, his bright red eyes flickered between us both and his smile is menacing.

“She’s mine.” He growls making the wolf back away quickly, but not before turning his hateful eyes to look at me one more time.

“Looks like you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time Viola. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” He wraps a hand around my throat while pushing my hair back with the other and forces my face up to look at him. “Your mother called for aid, it seems your wolf abilities are becoming a problem.” He puts his head to my collarbone and smells me rubbing his face against me as he does.

“I, I’m not.” I gasp out trying to think of anything to get him off of me. “I don’t know what you mean.” I say as I try to push myself even closer to the tree, a futile attempt to get away from him.

“Mmm, I’m sure you don’t Viola. How could you?” He chuckled. His face moved from my collarbone to my neck and finally my face brushing his cheek against mine. The hand on my waist grips tighter as the sensation of fire begins in my body again, similar to earlier except this time the sensation is stronger. 

“I don’t understand.” I frowned as my body began to shake.

He chuckles and brings his face away from me. “You will.” He lets go and disappears off into the trees.

I dropped to all fours as the shaking becomes convulsive and my bones start breaking, shifting. ‘Hello Viola, I am here now.’ Her voice rumbled.