Story Idea #6

Prologue

*Prologue must be read prior to reading chapter one*

When Arabella went to sleep the last thing she expected was to be woken up as a large figure threw her from the couch she had called a bed for the last week. Being woken up by her best friend's annoying siblings? Sure. Large waves throwing her off the couch? It had already happened before. The smell of breakfast dragging her from sleep? She wouldn't put it past herself to be woken up in that way. Anything seemed more realistic than what was actually happening.

When Arabella was so rudely woken up several things happened, all in very quick succession. First, she felt her head crack on the floor, and the sticky blood began its slow descent down the back of her head. Second, she realized exactly why these creatures were here, and exactly why one of them was actively scooping up her still unconscious friend. Third, she decided that she would be going with them, at any cost.

She decided that the blood loss must be getting to her, because no sane person would face the hulking figure as she did when she said directly to him, slightly woozy from the exertion it took to stand up, " I'm coming with you."

But there's only so far that blood loss can get you when you're talking to someone at least a foot taller than you that could easily rip out your throat in two seconds flat. So when he bared his teeth and snarled, " Fat chance, go back to sleep little human" she almost did exactly that.

One glance at her friend's face quickly changed her mind though. Squaring her shoulders Arabella faced the alpha and insisted, " I know that you're her mate. But her family will be worried about her sudden disappearance. Let me come with you to make sure that she is safe. Once I know that I can trust her with your pack I will return and convince the humans that she's dead so they will stop looking for her."

The alpha looked deep in concentration before he looked down at Arabella's friend and snarled lowly, "James, make sure there's no trace that we were ever here. If you're coming you'd better come now." The first part addressed to who Arabella assumed was his beta and the second towards her.

She scurried after the alpha who was still carrying her friend bridal style, and got into a black car that looked like it had screeched off of the road quickly to allow its occupants to approach where Arabella and her friend were staying. The second car barely missing the first. Arabella began to muse that she must have underestimated the smelling abilities of werewolves. Or perhaps a human's scents are stronger when they sleep because they're in the same position over an extended period of time. She made a quick mental note to research it in the pack when they arrived.

As she rested her head on the headrest attached to her seat and closed her eyes Arabella became acutely aware of the cut on the back of her head when it immediately flared up in fireworks of pain. Lifting her head Arabella opted instead to rest the side of her head against the cool glass of the window so as not to spread blood on the fancy car. When she watched the alpha enter the car and place her friend on his lap she debated asking how far away the pack was and had just decided that it would be a long awkward drive when he spoke up instead, " What's her name?"

In a swift attempt to hide her surprise at his sudden question she lifted her head and looked at the alpha as he stared dreamily at her friend before responding, " Her name is Jaqueline, and, just a fair warning, she'll probably freak when she wakes up and doesn't recognize where she is."

Rather than responding to her he nodded and continued to stare at Jacqueline like a lovesick puppy. Instead of watching him any longer Arabella stifled a yawn and turned back to the window staring at the trees as they whizzed by. Somehow watching the scenery flying by caused the reality of the situation to sink in.

When she had agreed to go on the two week long trip with her friend in a houseboat Arabella had never imagined that she would be dragged back into the werewolf world. Sighing heavily Arabella reminded herself that she was only going to be involved until she was sure that Jaqueline would be safe. With that final thought, Arabella drifted into a mostly peaceful sleep, her head still pounding where she had hit it.