Serving Lachlan

Prologue

IT was a warm, sunny day in Tarqunia, Italy. Five year old Lachlan Murphy sat impatiently on a block of stone. His eyes trailed to his great aunt and, seeing her preoccupied, let out a big huff.

He didn't see the big deal; they were all stones, for miles and miles. Sure, some of them were pretty and he imagined they'd make a nice bracelet, but most of them were just ordinary stones.

He turned to the statue beside him. "Don't suppose you can make her leave, can you?"

The statue didn't respond. Lachlan sighed. Although the stone was damaged, he could still tell that the statue used to be a dog.

He patted the statue's head. "I'm sure you were a very good dog." He loved animals and couldn't wait till he turned ten so his dad would get him a pet.

"Lockie!" Great aunt Priscilla called. "Time to go!"

Lachlan's eyes widened and he turned to the stone dog. "Did you do this?" he whispered fervently. He'd been trying to get her to leave for hours, but she insisted she was working; until now that he had asked his dog.

Of course, the statue didn't reply Lachlan's question, but he didn't care.

He threw his small arms round the dog. "Thank you. You're a really good dog. I wish you were real so we could play together." He released the statue and reached into his lunch box. "Here, an apple for you."

"Lockie," Great aunt Priscilla had moved closer to him and she crouched in front of him. "It's a statue. It can't eat your apple."

"I know," he said brightly, "but he still deserves something. Besides, we don't know for sure that he can't eat it."

Priscilla raised a brow, debating whether or not to make him take the apple, then decided to let it go. "Fine, if it makes you happy. Now let's go. Your parents will soon be back, and I want you clean and fed before they take you home."

She stretched out her hand and Lachlan grabbed it with his small hand. He patted the stone dog one last time and followed his great aunt.

Later that night, as the full moon rose over the sky, the statue shattered to pieces and in its place was a huge black wolf.

It transformed into a male with cold, steely grey eyes. His pale skin stood out in the darkness and his thick, dark, curly hair tumbled down his back.

The male picked up the apple and took one long sniff. His priest…was a child?

He grumbled, displeased with the discovery but otherwise helpless. His brethrens' code meant whoever awakened him was to be his high priest, irrespective of age.

Calu let out a harsh breath. He should've stayed asleep.