Chapter 1: You Never Saw Me Coming!

WILLOW

Book 3: You Never Saw Me Coming

Hi there, I’m Willow. My mom, Lyric Johannes, is the warrior wolf queen and my dad used to be the alpha king of wolves in Europe. Now, that title is held by my half-brother Boris.

My mom is a total badass! I’ve always admired her and wanted to be just like her. In many ways, I am. But unlike her, I’m not a white wolf. My wolf is as black as night.

The only white spot on my black wolf is a crescent moon birthmark on my right hip. My dad is a blond wolf, and Boris is identical to Mom. I’m the odd one out. Sure, there are black wolves, but they’re rare and usually male.

My two uncles from the United States are black wolves. Uncle Ridge, who’s mated to my aunt, and Uncle Roman, who was once my mom’s mate until he messed up. But that’s not my story. My story is about vampires who are plotting to take over.

The Goddess has been preparing me for this for years. Like my mom, I’m a gifted wolf. The Moon Goddess blessed me with these gifts to keep us all safe. So, sit back and let me share my story with you…

***

I’m exhausted! I start my workouts at four in the morning. First, I stretch, then I run for twenty-five miles, and finally, I spar with whoever is available.

Lately, not many are willing to spar with me, unless I can convince my brother to go a few rounds. Even his best friend and beta, Jax, struggles to keep up with me! I like Jax. He’s a great beta, but he’s always saying he doesn’t want to hurt me. As if!

I think it’s because I can easily take him down without breaking a sweat. Either way, I spend more time honing my gifts than I do with hand-to-hand combat. That’s okay though. My mom says it’s important to stay strong in them. The Goddess wouldn’t have given them to me otherwise.

My dad retired as alpha king when my brother turned twenty-one. I was eleven then. I traveled a lot with my parents back and forth to America after Boris took over. When I shifted at twelve, I was here in England.

Mom knew then that I’d be a strong wolf like her. I can move the earth, manipulate water, and form fireballs like Mom, and I can spirit walk like she does. I also have visions. But the most unique gift I have is turning into smoke.

I can turn into smoke and float like a wisp in the wind. I can hide in darkness and not be seen. I can cover my scent and be undetected. The elders claim they’ve never heard of such a gift, but…it’s mine.

I live pretty much full-time here in England with the Royal Pack now. Mom and Dad still do their travels and are ambassadors for us, but Boris is now the alpha. He hasn’t found his mate yet, so he has me help with the entertaining when he has summits and gatherings that require a female lead.

When Mom is home, she does it, but they are always so busy in the United States anymore that I have been doing it exclusively the last two years. I’m now twenty. I have a few select friends, but I’m training so much that I really have no social life. To be honest, I kind of like it that way.

My father’s beta stays here with us and helps out with the pack and training schedules, but I am pretty much left to my own devices. I prefer my alone time. I have also become a sort of ghost wolf for the pack. Only I’m better because no one can track me. They have tried. It’s part of their training, and I’m their trainer. It’s my job.

~“Willow!”~ Boris mind-links me.

~“Yeah?”~

~“Where are you? We need to talk. You have a few minutes?”~

~“You in your office?”~ I link him back as I start back to the pack house.

~“No, dining room. I’ll have breakfast waiting for you.”~

~“Okay. Coffee too!”~ I hear him snicker.

I enter the pack house, slash castle, and locate my brother seated at the huge dinner table. He has coffee and juice and a huge plate of food waiting for me, so I sit down to eat.

“Morning,” I mumble around a mouthful. “So, what’s up? I know you aren’t sitting here to have breakfast with me because you miss my face first thing in the morning.” I give him a smirk.

“No, I need to talk to you about a mission.” His eyes bore into mine.

I set my fork down, pick up my coffee cup, and take a swallow. “What kind of mission?”

“A ghost mission. I need you to go to college and protect someone.” He folds his fingers together, his elbows on the table.

“I’m listening.” I blink and set my cup down.

“Do you ever remember Mom talking about the Vampire King Andrei?”

“Humm. Yes, I think so. He’s not the king anymore, right? He gave up the throne when there was some kind of revolt because he’s a day walker now. He refused to say how that came about, so they asked him to give up his crown. Or something like that. Why?”

“Indeed, Andrei has become a day walker. He’s kept the details of how that happened under wraps, all to protect our mother. It’s her gift that allows him to stroll under the sun, a privilege many vampires would kill for.

“Andrei remains a vampire, but he’s given up on human blood. He relies on a blood bank instead. He’s penned several best-selling books, debunking historical inaccuracies about past wars and bloody battles. The humans are none the wiser about his firsthand experience of these events. They simply think he’s a genius, which he might very well be.

“Now, he’s a history professor at the College of England. His life is under threat from the current vampire king, who’s after his secrets and wouldn’t hesitate to drain him dry to get them. We can’t let that happen. Not just because he’s a close friend of our parents, but also because if it gets out that our mother is the source of his daylight-walking ability, they’d hunt her down.

“They’d use her as their personal blood bank until she’s drained. I’m not even sure if you’re safe, given that you carry our mother’s blood.

“So, I need you to go to the college, keep an eye on Andrei, and protect him. We’re trying to figure out what the vampires are planning. They’ve been provoking some packs, trying to start a war.

“So far, it’s just been talk and threats. But that could escalate, and I don’t trust this new vampire king one bit.”

Boris leans in closer. “You’ll blend in. I’ve given you a cover. You’ll be Aspen. Aspen Willows.”

“You’ll have one of the female ghost wolves as your backup. I’ll have more wolves scattered around the campus, just in case. Your safety is paramount, but we also need to protect the former king. He’s become complacent, thinking he’s safe. He couldn’t be more wrong.

“Even our mother has heard about the threats all the way in America. Uncle Ridge and Roman warned her about the online chatter. She’s keeping an eye on it, and so am I. I just need someone to watch him.”

“Do you need me to leave today?” I study his face. He looks worried, but not for me. His concern is for Andrei.

“I do. Get a team ready and be prepared to leave by three this afternoon. I’ve already reserved a dorm for you and the other female wolf.”

“Do I have classes too?” I ask him.

“You’ll only be in Professor Albescu’s classes. He teaches two, and you’ll be enrolled in both.” He grins. “I hope you enjoy human history, little sis.”

WILLOW

I assemble my team, a mix of men and women I’ve worked well with over the past two years. I choose Jenna as my roommate and backup. She’s a small wolf, but she’s mighty! She’s also quick and slippery! Plus, she’s a good friend.

I pick Ruben for his weapons expertise, Victor for his strength, and Logan, because he’s new but shows promise. I like to test my team to learn their strengths. I know Boris will have others assigned that I won’t know about, but that’s a security issue. I’m okay with it.

We all check our weapons and protective gear. Since we’re expecting vampires, our gear includes holy water and wooden stakes. Yes, they’re lethal against vampires. So is fire and ripping their hearts out. Decapitation works too! I know, I’ve done it a couple of times.

Vampires usually feed on human blood. They mesmerize their victims and take just enough blood to make them weak and pass out. It’s rare for them to kill their victims outright these days, but in recent years, vampires have been leaving dead bodies around.

We usually hunt them down and dispose of them. The new king turns a blind eye to this practice, which is where the conflicts have started. Vampires won’t feed on shifters. They claim our blood is bitter and toxic to them. I know that’s not true because they’ve fed from all creatures in the past.

This new king considers himself a gourmet. He’s a sick fuck if you ask me!

I load up my convertible Mustang and head to London. Apparently, I have class tomorrow morning!

We arrive in time to grab dinner at a local restaurant. Then Jenna and I head to our dorm, which has already been set up, thanks to my brother calling in a favor from the Fae. They’ve furnished our room with everything we’ll need. We even have a small balcony overlooking the campus! Cool!

I unpack and put away my clothes. My bed is already made, so I decide to take a stroll around the campus while it’s still daylight. Jenna decides to stay in and read.

It’s October, so the weather is changing. It’s cooler, and the wind has a bit more bite to it.

“You’ve been quiet all day,” I say to Genesis, my wolf.

~“Johannes is right. The new vampire king is a threat. We must protect mother, but we must also protect the humans,”~ she replies.

I luck out with Genesis. She’s not much of a talker, but she always has an opinion, and she’s usually right. She also has a knack for detecting lies. She always knows when someone’s lying to us and doesn’t hesitate to let me know.

We walk around the campus, and I spot several wolves from our pack. They’re hiding in plain sight. I give them a nod and decide to check out some of the buildings and their entrances and alleyways.

The underground parking area is well-lit, but I see several spots that could be dark at night. I’ll ask the guys to patrol those areas more closely tomorrow.

I find the campus coffee shop and slip inside. I order a tea and a biscuit and take a seat by the window. I push my black hair behind my ear and gaze out the window as I sip my warm tea.

Genesis has masked my scent, so as far as anyone knows, I’m just a human student enjoying a cup of tea on a lazy Thursday afternoon. I feel eyes on me, but I know it’s just idle curiosity about the new girl. I don’t sense any danger, so I relax. I dip my biscuit into my tea and eat it. Soon, I feel someone approach my chair and look up into the green eyes of a girl with red hair.

“Can I sit with you?” she asks.

“Sure.” I watch her take the seat and stare at me.

“Haven’t seen you before. Classes started weeks ago, and I know I would remember seeing you.”

“Right, I’m a bit late to the party. I was in Mexico, helping my parents with an archaeological dig in the forests. They’re archaeologists, you see, and we spent our summer there.” That was the cover story Boris had cooked up to explain my late arrival at school.

“Wow, that’s pretty cool! What classes are you enrolled in?” Her green eyes scan me curiously.

“I’ve got two history classes on my timetable. With Professor Albescu, you know him?”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Oh, he’s such a dreamboat! I tried to get into his classes, but they were all booked up. How did you swing that?” She pouts slightly.

I shrug, fully aware that my brother had pulled some strings. “My parents are employed by the university. They probably secured my spot last spring.”

“Must be nice,” she mutters under her breath. “Anyway, I’m Andrea. This is my third year here. I’m a math major and I plan to teach after graduation. What’s your name?”

“Wi…Aspen Willows,” I correct myself quickly. “I’m here for the history. Haven’t quite figured out my major yet.” I flash her a smile and set my cup down.

Glancing at my watch, I add, “I should get going. I promised my roommate a movie marathon. It was nice meeting you, Andrea. Maybe we’ll bump into each other again.”

I can feel her gaze on me as I walk out the door. I am certain she isn’t a shifter or a vampire. But there is something intriguing about her…

When I return to my dorm room, Jenna is already fast asleep.

I take a quick shower, check in with Boris, and then it is off to ~dreamland~ for me too!