Prologue

Charles, Charlie to most people who knew him, was so lost that he hadn’t any idea if he was walking on the ground or the sky. He knew the difference, of course, but it was so dark out tonight that if there had been a moon shining, he couldn’t see it. When he sat himself down on a log to get his bearings again, he paused in his thinking to look at what could have made the sound he’d heard.

Terrified out of his mind when he saw glowing eyes looking at him, Charlie sat as still as he could. The eyes grew larger and incredibly more shiny as the beast made his way to him slowly. It was the brightness of the teeth almost glowing that had him more fearful than he’d ever been in his life. He didn’t run, knowing that even if he knew where he was at the moment, the wolf would know it better. It would chase him down and kill him without any hesitation. He knew that as surely as he was sitting there.

The wolf, a big gray fella, just stood there within a few inches of his outstretched legs. When he laid down, putting his heavy head onto his leg, Charlie had another moment of fear. The thing never took his eyes off him either. As soon as he felt he was brave enough to try and talk to the wolf, he was gone and in his place was a man.

A fully clothed man with the gray of the wolf’s fur colored into his hair. Not like he was a gray wolf but he’d been around for a bit. His darkening fur had him wondering, too, if the man had been in a few fights that he might well have only just come out on top over the years as well. Even his eyes were the same as the wolf, dark with bits of gray in them that he thought them beautiful. Charlie thought him to be intelligent, too. Still, neither of them moved until the man sat back on his butt and regarded him.

“You live on the property not far from here, is that correct?” Charlie told him he was only squatting there until they found him and ran him off again. But he was a mite lost at the moment. “Yes, I’ve been following you for some time. And in all that time, did you harm any other animal you came across? And there were plenty, too. Why is that?”

“You mean the rabbit and the family of deer?” The man nodded with a smile on his face. “I don’t have a need for meat just now. I only kill when I have to, as it should be all the time. When my belly feels like it can’t go another minute without some meat in it, I take what I need and leave the rest for the next person or animal. And even then, I use it up to the best I can. What I can’t use, like I said, I find some other animal that will use the rest. Why do you ask?”

“I’ll get to that in a few minutes. You didn’t seem that surprised when I changed from wolf to man. Can you tell me why that is? Most would have been terrified out of their minds at the sight of that. But you didn’t.” He nodded and told him what he’d been seeing a lot of lately. “Yes, war will make a man wish for better times. So you were surprised but just wrote it off as being another strange thing that had no explanation. That’s a very good reason, I think.”

“They say that the war is about over. I don’t know much about that. I can still hear shooting when I’m out and about. Have to be careful of that. I don’t want to lose my head on account of someone ain’t ready to call it done with. I don’t have any land left because the soldiers took it all when they were coming through. Not that it was much more than a bunch of rocks and stumps to begin with but they didn’t want a man that wasn’t in some kind of uniform having something more than they did.” The man only nodded. “I’m Charles Griffin. Most call me Charlie. Some call me a great deal more, but I ignore them. Not everybody was able to go to school all the time. I had my family to feed when my daddy up and got sick. Momma died a few weeks ago, and I’ve been roaming around since looking for work. I don’t suppose you know anyone that might be wanting an extra hand around or two, do you?”

“I do, as a matter of fact. My name is Romeo Hank. The Hank is for when I need a last name. Not that I have much use for it under normal circumstances. But I do have something that I’d like to propose to you if you’ve got the time to listen.” Charlie told him he didn’t have anything but time right now. “All right. “I have a medium-sized pack of wolves that answer to me. You can see a few of them over there watching over us, so you don’t be hurting me. But I don’t know that you’d hurt neither man nor beast unless they hurt you first. They’re all just wolves. I’m the only wolf shifter that I know. They’re a good bunch, the wolves, but hungry most of the time, but then all of us are, correct?”

“Yes. Some more than others. At least I can find me a bit of string and fashion me up a hook to use when I’m thinking I can’t go another day without some food in my gullet.” Romeo told him that was excellent. “You need me to fish some fish out for you and your pack? I don’t mind at all doing that for you. In fact, I’d be powerful happy to help you out.”

“Not just yet. But I think that I will take you up on it soon. I have a daughter. Her name is Luna. Such a beautiful name, don’t you think?” Charlie asked if it meant moon. “It does. Thank you. You’re very well educated for a man with not much in the means of living.”

“My mom was a school teacher when I was born. They fired her, of course, when she had me. She didn’t know my daddy so that didn’t help her none. She taught me to read and to figure. I can write too but I do have to think about the spelling of things. Can you write?” Romeo said that he’d been given a great gift in that. “I think so, too, if you can read the written word when you have a chance of it. When I find me a newspaper or some little old book, I treasure it for a bit. Then, I pass it on if I can. I don’t have to know the people in the paper. I just like reading about their stories. Are you going to tell me what this is about?”

“I am. I was working up to it but I believe you to be a man that can be trusted with things in life. I would like to change you into a wolf. One such as I am. You’ll be a man when you wish. A wolf when necessary. There will be magic as well as wealth.” Charlie told him he didn’t have use for wealth, but food all the time would be nice. “That is precisely what I’m speaking about, Charlie, my good man. You’re a good man who only wants what he needs to get by.”

Throughout the rest of the night and well into the morning, they spoke of things that Romeo needed from him. It wasn’t brought up again about him being changed, but Romeo did tell him about his daughter and found out that he, plain old Charlie was her mate. If that wasn’t the darndest thing, he didn’t know what was. The soul reason that he’d not been harmed while wandering around in the woods is because of what he was to her. Or the other way around, he supposed, as he’d not given it much thought about being a mate to anyone.

“Do you understand what it is I want you to do?” Charlie said that he thought so. “No. I’m sorry. I can’t allow you to go into this only thinking you understand. Please, ask me anything that you’d like. You must be clear on this. I need for you to be clear on how it is I wish for you to someday take over for me.”

Romeo never got upset with him when he asked his questions. If Charlie was honest with himself, which he usually tried not to be, he was afraid that Romeo had picked the wrong man. That he’d be better off finding himself someone else to take over his empire, as he called it. But he’d do right by the man and his daughter if that was what he needed. It sounded to him like it was a good job. If nothing else, he’d be able to eat more often than he’d been able to of late.

“You’re the right man, Charlie. When I told you that I’d been following you around, I wanted you to know that it wasn’t just last evening. But for some time now. I’ve seen you share your last bit of food with people. Work for someone who cannot do for themselves and not take anything but a bit of bread and water. You’re a very good man. A better man that I am.” Charlie started to protest. “No. I’m correct in picking you as my replacement. And if that is some of your worry, being an Alpha, you’ve no worries there either. I will not leave this earth for the next until you are comfortable with what is needed of you. Now. If you’ve no more questions, I shall leave you to allow you to think on it. I’ll be back here tomorrow so that you can tell me your answer. I know I have picked the right man, Charlie. It’s something that you can do easily to save this pack and my daughter.”

Luna followed him as he walked around. He’d thought about calling back Romeo and asking more questions but he didn’t. Sitting down again, his leg bothering him from sitting so long, he looked at the big, beautiful wolf.

“You’re not really his daughter, are you?” She shook her head. “I didn’t think so. Is there any more of the others that he claims are his children?” She nodded this time, and he determined by asking questions that it was one other female. “I don’t know what to think about all this, to be honest with you. Are you my mate? Is he telling me the truth? I just don’t know what to think.”

She nodded or shook her head after each of the questions he put to her. Yes, she was his mate. Yes, Romeo was telling the truth. There were many more questions and answers. He was headed back to the area where he’d first seen Romeo when he felt the pain take his breath away as it slammed into his left shoulder. He might well have just let it take him if not for the promises that he’d made and the she-wolf beside him.

Falling back, he hit his head and laid there while trying his best to catch his breath. That was when he heard the other gun shots, the wolf howling and trying to hide. Pulling Luna toward him, he whispered harshly into her ear, hoping that at least she’d understand him enough to know that she must warn the others.

“Go. Tell Romeo to hide the pack. To make sure you and all the others are safe.” She didn’t want to leave him, whimpering at him as she laid her head on his shoulder. “Go. Please. Run and escape before they hurt you, too. And if they find you with me, they’ll surely kill us both on account of me having a bit more than they do, even if it’s your meat.”

When she left him, Charlie closed his eyes. Opening them when he felt the shadow darken over him, he looked up in time to see the barrel of a large rifle. He was a goner, he knew that. He could only hope that Luna and the others were safe.