Hiding in Shadows: Savannah

By Anna Volk

Savannah was violated in the worst way possible by someone she trusted. She now stays hidden safe within the body of her wolf. Can the love of a good man give her the strength to break out from her self-imposed exile from the human world?

Jimmy has always had a soft spot for Savannah. Will their new found love be strong enough to last when he discovers that the love of his life can shape shift into the one animal that he has always hated?

• Language: English
• Publisher: DCL Publications
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9780991447619

Book preview

Hiding in Shadows

Savannah

By

Anna Volk

DCL Publications, LLC

www.thedarkcastlelords.com

© 2014 Anna Volk

All rights reserved

First Edition February 2014

DCL Publications

1033 Plymouth Dr.

Grafton, OH 44044

ISBN 978-0-9914476-1-9

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

Cover design by Annie Marshall and Beyond the Book Productions

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Chapter 1

Run. Faster. Sable leaped through the air. Her fur covered legs moving as fast as the wolf body would carry her. She yipped in fright, his breath warm against the back of her neck. Muscles ached from overuse but she knew what would happen if he caught her. Pain. She’d felt it before—his big body enclosing hers, taking, claiming—never again would she be caught unaware. He was getting closer, closer. He brushed against her leg, then up along the side of her body and finally his hand rested against her shoulder. She would not go docilely. She would fight for her freedom or die trying. Death was preferable to what she had learned loving was.

Ouch, turn loose you she-bitch! Jimmy held his hand still as the wolf dog clamped her teeth around his wrist. The hybrid was yipping with her legs twitching as if chasing a rabbit. At first he’d thought it funny, but the wolf seemed to become upset as if in pain and so he grabbed her shoulder to wake her only to get an arm full of teeth for his trouble.

The wolf growled low in her throat but released his wrist.

Jimmy rubbed his arm; no skin was broken but red marks remained to remind him that he was dealing with a wild animal. I don’t know how I get myself talked into these messes. I could be out playing pool or better yet sitting in my own house with my feet up relaxing. Instead, I’m babysitting your fuzzy ass.

Sable stared intently at Jimmy. She had been dreaming about Marcus and had never meant to hurt Jimmy; she was beginning to like him. Gently, she licked the wound she had inflicted.

Don’t try to butter up to me now; just because your owner spoils you rotten, you’re not getting the same treatment from me. For half a cent I’d lock you in the kennels and go home but I know Jilly and Dylan will be calling from their honeymoon to check up on your pampered ass. He laid his head on the brown sofa and let the wolf console him. Truth be told, she held a special place in his heart. Her blue eyes always looked so sad, almost haunted, and made him feel the need to protect and comfort. And for a man that absolutely hated wolves, this was no small admission.

Jimmy absent mindedly stroked the she-wolf’s head. She’ll be home soon girl. His words were whispered softly as his eyes drifted closed. He listened to the deep breaths of the she-wolf; it was calming. He wasn’t sleeping well on Jilly’s too small couch but couldn’t bring himself to crawl into Jilly’s bed knowing what she and Dylan had certainly done in said bed. It just didn’t sit right with him. He had tried to sleep in Savannah’s bed but the she-wolf had been stretched out on it and any attempt to get close had her baring her teeth and snarling and so he was relegated to the couch. Soon his breaths seemed to match hers as too-many-nights-spent-sleeping-in–an-unfamiliar-bed exhaustion finally claimed him.

Savannah slipped quietly from the couch. One foot at a time, her sleek wolf’s body stretched to full length with her hind end higher as her back arched. Bones cracked from being in this shape for such a long period of time. What she wouldn’t give to shed this body and take human form. But no, it was safer to be Sable; the wolf was brave and could shut out the ugliness of the world. Her padded feet made no sound as she headed for the doggy door. The night was calling to her.

Jimmy’s dreams took him back to the night months ago when Jilly’s she wolf had been stolen by some ex-girlfriend of her previous owner. That night and the things that happened were confusing and he didn’t understand why his dreams always returned.

They were deep in the forest. They’re going to execute her, Jilly ran forward to where her she-wolf Sable stood alone in the center of a snarling pack of wolves.

Jimmy reached in his dreams. Stop … Jilly would be tore apart by the vicious animals.

"Wait." Marcus stepped out from the shadows.

Jimmy jumped. His body twitched in his restless sleep. Where the hell did you come from? He looked around wildly but saw nothing but more shadows and trees. His eyes moved rapidly beneath his closed lids. He knew what was coming but was powerless to stop it as the dream was always the same.

The crazy bitch that use to date Marcus was speaking. You will all die!

What in the hell was she talking about? No one was going to die.

"I will be the Alpha-Bitch and take my rightful place at Marcus’s side." She raised her fist in the air.

Someone really needed to call the men with the white coats this broad was totally whacked. Dylan grabbed Jilly’s arm and was whispering rapidly to her but Jimmy couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Jimmy’s body jerked. He didn’t want to see anymore. He had to wake from the nightmare. Why did he keep having this weird dream?

Marcus stomped across the clearing. Jimmy could hear the dried leaves and snapping of twigs just as clearly as if he was once again standing in the dark witnessing the carnage that was about to take place.

"You overstep your bounds, Becca," Marcus called.

"I overstep nothing! I will join with you as your mate. You will never accept me until this she-bitch is dead!"

Mate? Who the hell talks like that? And how can Marcus and Becca be so close to the wolves that surrounded Jilly’s pet? Surely they realized just how dangerous the situation was.

"No!" Jilly screamed.

"Stay back, you bastards!" Dylan stepped in front of Jilly to protect her from the wolves.

The pack divided snarling and howling. We’re in deep shit, guys and gals, Jimmy looked around for a way out of the mess as the wolves eased closer. Drool ran from their jaws as they growled, their teeth bared. He could see Dylan and Jilly arguing but could not hear what they were saying. Dylan was probably begging Jilly to get the hell out of Dodge, which sounded like a pretty good plan to him.

"Uh guys… a little help here." He back pedaled as the wolves circled to push him into the dense forest. He looked to Marcus for help— the last time he had seen him, he was arguing with Becca.

"Enough!"

He heard Marcus roar and turned to look. Holy Mother of God! As Marcus leaped through the air, his face elongated and his arms and legs thinned out as his body became encased in black hair. When he landed, he stood on four legs as a big black wolf.

"Are you seeing this shit?" He turned to Dylan in time to see Jilly’s clothing fall to the forest floor and she too was a wolf. His head swung back to Marcus as he heard a piercing, gut wrenching scream of agony.

This was new. Never before had he heard such a sound. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He wanted to wake up; no way did he want to see what was causing that terror.

Marcus’s big body of the black wolf slammed hard into what could only be Becca as now yet another wolf stood where the woman had only moments before been. Teeth sank deep into the smaller wolf’s throat. The only sound in the now silent clearing was the gurgling death rattle as she gasped for breath.

Jimmy could only stand there staring, forgotten were the wolves that were slowly making their way to him. Only seconds had passed; it had seemed longer while watching the drama unfold before him. Growling reminded him that his life was also in danger. Growls, teeth chomping, getting closer and suddenly pain exploded in his chest as Jilly’s wolf attacked him and knocked him to the ground. His head hit the dirt and his ears began to ring. Ringing ears…that too was new. Why wouldn’t it stop? He jerked trying to get away. His eyes opened. It was not his ears ringing. It was the sound of his cell phone.

Hello, he said groggily, sleep still weighing him down. There would be time later to search through each and every event of his dream. He had a feeling it