Wicked Jackal: Woodland Creek

By Cherie Marks and Woodland Creek

Freedom never felt so good. 

Anastasiya Petrov ran from her fate. The youngest of seven sisters and promised to one of the Princes of a rival pack, she refuses to be a bargaining chip. Instead, she flees to a remote area in the United States, changes her name to Tasia Connor, and settles into her new life. 

Alex Chilikov might be an Estonian prince, but he was raised in the United States and loves it here, especially Woodland Creek, Indiana, where he's followed close behind his bride-to-be. She might be able to hide who she is from the others, but he'd recognize her scent anywhere, and he plans to use his trickster abilities to help him obtain what he wants. He wants out from under his own father's heavy thumb, and Tasia is just the one to help him.

However, he's not the only one searching for her. Her father has made some dangerous enemies, and though she continues to attempt to escape Alex's protection, he'll fight to keep her safe. Tasia will risk almost anything to keep her freedom, but only if she can resist one Wicked Jackal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Timbercreek Press
• Release date: Nov 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519904522

Cherie Marks

It all started with an old-fashioned typewriter. When the family brought it home, all those stories and characters rolling around in her head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys satisfied in their own right, but when she pulled out a finished page, she knew this was for her. Since then, she's graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out. She's a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to a fault, she loves to make people laugh and smile. Her goal in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.

Book preview

Wicked Jackal

by

Cherie Marks

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Wicked Jackal

COPYRIGHT© 2015 by Cherie Marks

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Cover art by J.M Rising Horse Creations

Find other Woodland Creek stories here: http://woodlandcreekseries.com

Contact Information: [e-mail]

For more interesting reads, visit the author at http://www.authorcheriemarks.com

Published in the United States of America by Cherie Marks

License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review and encourage your friends to download their own copy, where they can also discover works by Cherie Marks.

Dedication

This one is dedicated to the authors, illustrators, and designers of the Woodland Creek Series. Such a great idea for a series, such talented authors, and I’m so thankful you let me sneak past the bouncer at the door to dance at this party. Hope I did my part in this ambitious undertaking. You made the process creative and fun every step of the way.

Acknowledgements

A giant thank you again to my editor Teresa. You take the wormy caterpillar I hand you and give it wings every time. Without you, I’d struggle to show my face in public. But somehow you always come through and make me feel confident to hit that publish button.

My family is amazing. Hero hubbies are rare, but I am blessed with one of the best. Your support is invaluable. Thank you to my children for all the encouraging words. Glad I could give you multiple nights of more pizza and less vegetables.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

More Books by Cherie Marks

Cherie Marks’s Book List

And Writing as C. C. Marks

Chapter 1

ANASTASYIA PETROV OPENED the door just a crack to confirm that the guards still stood just outside. She closed it with the slightest noise and sighed heavily as she crossed the room and stuffed another handful of clothing into her bag.

You do realize this is one of the worst ideas in the history of ideas, little sister.

With a twist of her lips and a meeting of her eyebrows, Anastasyia grumbled, What else am I supposed to do? I cannot marry someone I have never met nor seen. Not even a photograph, Dasha. Could you do that?

I was lucky. I met Dmitry when we were so very young, and it was love at first sight. I was completely over the moon when father said we were to marry. That does not happen to most people, but then again, most people are not royalty. It is your duty to marry this prince of the Kostas pack in order to join our families and create peace between our people. You must do your duty.

Anastasyia’s movements were jerky and forceful now as she stuffed more items into her bag. Must I? This is the twenty-first century, and I am my own person. I have goals, and I have...started taking online classes.

What are you talking about? Does father know?

Come on, Dasha! Of course he does, but I think he looks at it like a hobby I have taken up. I think he still believes I will settle down and be happy being a wife and mother for the rest of my life.

It is not like it is a death sentence. I am very happy being married.

That is just the thing. It worked for you, Dasha, but think of our other sisters. Fabia, Svetlana, and Ekaterina never see their busy husbands, Michal took Helena so far away, we will never see her again, and poor, poor Tatiana has had five children in seven years. Can you believe she is pregnant again? Stelios should give the poor woman a break, let her freaking get up off her back every once in a while.

Dasha laughed lightly and shook her head. None of them are complaining. She stood from the bed where’d she’d sat observing her youngest sister’s panic and crossed the short distance between them. Dasha rested her hands, arms extended, on Anastasyia’s shoulders, and brushed away a few blonde strands. She trapped her gaze with a long, endearing look before saying, You are still so young. You have not had that moment yet.

Truly curious, she asked, What moment?

Straightening, Dasha stared at a spot over her sister’s head and explained, There will come a time when you meet the gaze of the most attractive face you have ever seen, and you see your forever future laid out in his eyes. I know that is a fanciful description, but it is not something easily clarified. You will just know it when it happens.

That is utterly ridiculous, Dasha. Even for a romantic like you, Anastasyia scoffed.

Maybe, but it is real. You will feel it in your abdomen and...lower.

Anastasyia made a gagging sound. Spare me, please. I do not need an education about that, thank you very much. Even if I do not think about sex constantly, I am not completely innocent.

You are in more ways than you realize.

Besides, I have other plans. No offense, but I have dreams and aspirations beyond being a petted princess. There is nothing wrong with your life, but that seems to be the only choice for the women here. That is not for me. She swung her hands wildly around the walls of her room before continuing, I have to go somewhere away from here. All these gorgeous paintings and sculptures around me, and I am just supposed to pass them day in and day out. I want to do more with my brain. I want to go somewhere that I can become an expert on these pieces. I want to chase my own interests and become someone.

Dasha closed her mouth, clearly a little caught off guard by her sister’s tirade. But she nodded her head and took a step back. I do not think running away is the way to handle your problems, but if your mind is set on this course of action, let me at least help you.

Why? So you can run to father and tell him exactly where he can send his goons to drag me back to the altar?

Trust me more than that, sister. As the two youngest children, we have stuck together through many a nanny-tirade. I would never tell father anything you asked me to keep secret. Maybe I do not agree with what you are doing, but I understand why. I respect your motives, and I am willing to help you.

Anastasyia zipped her bag closed and shoved it into Dasha’s hands. I am going for my morning run. Will you meet me at the forest edge? Right at the end of the Reserve. I have arranged transportation to Tallinn and from there to Stockholm.

Where will you go from there?

For the first time, concern crept along every inch of Anastasyia’s skin. She really hadn’t thought that far ahead, and now she realized just how foolish she was being. Could she really leave everything she’d ever known in her life? Could she travel to an unknown place and make her own way? Certainly, she had doubts.

I do not know for sure. My English is good, and I have some money I have managed to save. Plus, if things get really bad, I have my jewels. I could sell them for a nice chunk.

Dasha groaned loudly. How will you even know whom you can trust?

Anastasyia felt her plan crumbling like bread crumbs through her fingers. I will figure it out. I have to. It is the only choice if I want control of my own future.

She straightened and took a measured step toward the door. She was a royal Golden Jackal shifter, and it was her father that had instilled in her the belief that no matter how dire the circumstances appear, a jackal will find a way.  As her resolve increased, so did her pace, and she didn’t hesitate for a moment as she whipped the entrance to her room open.

I am going for my morning run. Follow if you must, but stay far enough back that I do not feel you breathing down my neck.

Without another word, she swept past the two guards and made her way to the top of the stairs that led to the foyer below. A quick glance showed the two guards dutifully walking behind her, and with a furtive look out the bedroom door, her sister exited and turned the opposite way with Anastasyia’s getaway bag slung over her shoulder.

As she focused her gaze forward and descended the stairs, Anastasyia’s father, Olev Petrov, exited his study and paused at the bottom.

Where are you going, Ana?

She stopped right in front of her father, tipping her head back to meet his hard gaze. My morning run. That is if I am not a prisoner in my own home.

He ignored her words meant to incite a break in his cool demeanor, which it didn’t of course. He crossed his arms and stated, Just remain on our land and within sight of Mischa and Peiter.

She heard the two shadows mentioned by her father clear their throats behind her. If only her father knew her plan to shake them as soon as she could, he’d never let her out the door. But she couldn’t let her father get suspicious. For now, she’d play the good child as long as she could.

Of course, Papa. If it is important to you.

He stared at her a few silent seconds, probably already doubting her sudden obedience. Yet, his gaze tightened as he said, I just received word that your groom will arrive at the end of the week, daughter.

Anastasyia ground her molars together, tamping down her anger. She didn’t want to give him any reason to watch her more closely than he already did—not if she wanted to actually escape the fate he intended for her.

Should I be happy to hear that? Because I am not. Somehow, she’d kept her tone calm.

"We will not argue this