The Half Blood Wolf (Lupus Antiqua Series Book #1) novel Chapter One: Moving In

Lily jerked awake, barely registering the chorus of the song playing on the radio, and the white noise sounds cars made while on the move. She was dreaming about running through the forest. Something was chasing her, and she was all alone. She shook it off and looked around to familiarize herself with the here and now.

Next to her in the driver's seat was her Dad. His familiar bearded profile brought her no comfort. Then again it never had.

"What is it, Lil?" She winced at his icy tone which practically screamed dislike. She supposed she should be used to it, but it never failed to get to her.

"Nothing Dad. It was just a strange dream." He grunted in response and stopped paying attention to anything she had to say. She sighed dejectedly and gazed out her window. Coming out here to the middle of nowhere Russia was the last thing Lily wanted. The only thing that even slightly reminded her of home, was the height of the towering trees. If she tried, she could imagine they were the skyscrapers she was so familiar with.

Why couldn't he have picked somewhere else, anywhere else to move? If she could, she would have stayed in New York City. Unfortunately having just graduated High School, it was tough to find a job that would pay her enough to buy a decent place. So, until she could afford to move, she had to stay with dear old Dad. She wondered if he even noticed she'd graduated from school. He certainly never came to the ceremony.

She watched the trees and forest go by in a green and brown blur. It was hypnotizing, so when the car suddenly screeched to a halt over the whining protest of the brake pads she couldn't help but let out a yelp of surprise.

"Christ! What happened?" She gasped.

"A wolf. Almost hit him." Her Dad grunted in mild shock.

"Is he okay?" She murmured. He glared over at her like she asked him whether or not the trees were purple with magenta polka dots.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I don't hate all non-human life? Animals are people too." She meant it as a joke, but he took it seriously and scowled at her.

"What are the chances?" He seemed to be talking to himself, but she chimed in.

"Well, Dad, you did move us out to the middle of the Russian wilderness. The wildlife is bound to be a little wilder here." He shrugged her off and began driving again, slower than before.

After what felt like a century later, they parked in front of a surprisingly sizeable cabin. It was slightly run down, but it was nothing a little T.L.C couldn't fix. She decided right then and there that she liked it. Who would have thought, a city girl like her finding a cabin likable? Lily stood straight and stretched her muscles; leaning down and pulling at her jeans. After the exceptionally long car ride from the airport, her jeans felt like they were fused to her skin.

Her father came huffing around the back of the car, carrying a few boxes from the beat up Chevrolet to the inside of the cabin. She took in the fresh air and looked around her new home, noting the dusty dirt road leading from the cabin down to the main road and the fact that they were surrounded by forest. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but they couldn't possibly have any neighbors right?

Lily's eyes wandered the treeline until she saw the cause for her suspicion. It looked like Russia knew how to make men right. She was innocent of men, but she'd grown up in Manhattan. She did know a thing or two. She smiled shyly at them. Both of the strangers were built like gladiators. With the same blond hair, blue eyes, and bone structure she figured they must be related. Her father noticed them and stepped forward, expression querulous.

"Who are you?"

"We came to see if this cabin was still up for sale. Have you purchased it?" Neither man even looked at her. Didn't that just figure? She rolled her eyes and turned to get some boxes when she noticed something in the treeline. A man stood there. He was shorter than the two blond men. His hair was short and dark, yet his face seemed to be obscured by shadows. He had a muscular build and aura of intimidation so potent she could feel it from where she stood.

He seemed completely at ease, muscular arms crossed over his chest, one knee slightly bent. He wore jeans and some workout shirt. It was unzipped, and she could make out his abs. All she could see of his face was the barest glimpse of full lips and an angular chin. Pulled by something she couldn't even begin to describe, she moved forward; her steps jerky as if she were a marionette pulled on a string.