Unedited Sample – The Shifting Secrets: Written In Blood (Chapter 1) – Part 1

I originally wrote this to enter into the NaNoWriMo competition in 2012, but now I am turning it into a full-fledged series. To keep you going in the meantime, here is chapter 1 of The Shifting Secrets – Written In Blood, one of my work in progress urban fantasies.

Alex Marsden sat upright in his chair, and looked at the young male on the other side of his desk.

The man in question was about five foot seven, with chestnut brown hair, and eyes that were as blue like the ocean waves. From the papers on the desk, he knew that his client had just turned twenty two, but he didn’t look a day over nineteen. From his body language, Alex could tell he was struggling with something. The anxious shifting of his arms and the subtle sweating, combined with the shivers across his skin were a clear giveaway. He had seen symptoms like these a hundred times or more, but he always tried to keep a cool head and let the client heal themselves.

“So Mr Forrester, how can I help you?”

It looked for a moment as if Luke Forrester was about to lose whatever he had eaten that day. His breathing eventually evened out, but when he spoke, there were definitely signs of a strain.

“I’ve …. I … I…”

He looked at Alex as if he expected him to tear down his defences.

“I … I think … A werewolf thinks that I’m its mate.”

Alex let out a silent sigh. No matter how many times he had seen this happen, it always ended the same way. All shifters waited their whole lives to find their mate. Some only had to wait a few years, and some had to endure a matter of centuries. The simple truth, was that once they found them, they never lost track of that person, or wanted to let them go. Luke was clearly was having some issue with the proposal of a soul mate, which was odd given his supernatural status.

From his medical records, Alex knew that Luke was a bitten werewolf. It would be illegal for him to not be taken in by one of the local packs, to help him control his animal side and learn about his new behaviours. This was either a case of either self-denial, or there was another factor in his life that was making him afraid of his instincts.

“I see,” Alex replied, “You don’t seem to be happy about this realisation?”

He knew that people responded differently to the question he just proposed. Some people opened their hearts, whilst others begged and shouted to have some kind of act of god to pull them out of their despair. Unfortunately for Alex, Luke was one of the latter examples. He slammed his hands down on the desk, revealing a dog collar and a cross hanging around his neck. His coat had hidden them well, because without them, Alex wouldn’t have guessed he was a religious man.

“Do I look happy?” he asked, his fangs starting to protrude from his upper jaw.

Although startled by the slight transformation, Alex could tell that Luke was fighting to rein in his animal. Taking a trained risk, he reached for the other man’s hand, and brushed it gently with his own.

“Why aren’t you happy?”

For a moment, Luke seemed paralyzed. But the contact on his human hand gave way to his emotional barrier, and his lupine teeth slipped back into their resting place. He let out a sigh of relief, then looked up at Alex with tears in his eyes.

“My father is the Reverend of a local church. He’s a strict Catholic man, so he would never accept the fact that a werewolf has claimed me. He doesn’t even know that I am no longer human.”

Alex had dealt with various situations before, but this was a genuine first. If anyone under the age of eighteen were admitted to a hospital with any kind of shifter bite, the legal guardians were always told. No exceptions.

“How could he not know?” He asked, trying his best to remain impartial.

“I convinced my mother to not take me to the hospital. The bite was on my leg, so I made sure to always wear trousers around him. As for full moons, I tell him that I go on bible studies with my friends. After I’ve left the house, I come here instead.”

He couldn’t say that he approved of the decision, but Alex was thankful they had the sense to bring him to Talon’s Claw after Luke had healed. Without the help of a pack, most shifters couldn’t shift back to their human form. Being a world famous shifter sanctuary, Talon’s Claw was equipped with all the facilities they could ever need. A communal village, and the latest hospital equipment catered for their clients needs. Whilst a gymnasium, forest and five mile wide fields were also on site, to allow all shifted animals the freedom they deserved.

Alex had worked as a volunteer for many years, and he loved every minute. Sometimes the work was a little long, and the pay wasn’t remarkable. But the look on his client’s faces when they controlled their shift was worth every stress induced headache on the planet. That and he loved to comfort them once they were friendly enough to do so. He had been subject to a few near bites and scratches in his time, but he would never leave his animal friends. Or for that matter, their human counterparts for all the tea in China.

“So what does your mother think about you being a shifter?” Alex asked, trying not to seem as if he were being insensitive.

“She was a little stunned at first, and then a little angry and upset. But she seems fine with it now, and always makes sure to give me an alibi for my father.”

“Are your parents still together?”

Alex knew it was a personal question, but it would explain why a wife would lie to her husband in such a way. The unfortunate truth was that his father would more than likely discover the truth. But if he could find out all the facts, he could cushion all the affected individuals before they could get hurt.

“Not anymore. My father refuses to divorce her, but she is putting her case through all the courts. If all goes to plan, she should be granted an annulment in about three months.”

Luke seemed to be matter of fact about the situation, which make Alex wonder the reason why he was so afraid of his father’s opinion. But that wasn’t important at the moment, so he decided not to press any further and proceed with the task at hand.

“Do you know the name of the werewolf that wants to claim you?”

His client’s face looked conflicted, but he spoke with an even tone.

“His name was Wesley Thomas.”

Inside his mind, Alex’s jaw hit the floor. Luke’s supposed soulmate was one of the most powerful men in the local werewolf pack. No matter which way he looked at it, his client was trapped. If the young shifter tried to fight, he would found faster than a roast dinner in a soup kitchen.

“Mr Marsden, is something wrong?”

Alex jumped. He had completely forgotten that the werewolf could sense his panic. He was half tempted to make up a story to save Luke’s feelings, but he knew that his lie would be exposed in mere moments. It was the only thing that Alex disliked about shifters, you couldn’t lie to one.

“Nothing’s wrong Mr Forrester. It’s just that I have to tell you something that you may not like. If Wesley is your mate, he is one of the highest ranking members in his pack.”

Luke stayed still, trying to process this information he had just been given.

“How high?” he eventually managed to say.

Alex took a deep breath.

“He’s one of the beta wolves, and the brother of the alpha.”

If Luke had looked full of angst when he had first entered the room, it was nothing to how he looked now. His eyes flooded with tears, but he held them in and looked pleadingly at the man he had entrusted with his secret.

“So I’ve just got to accept the fact he is going to be with me for the rest of my life? I can never be with anyone else but a possessive shifter?”

“Have you tried talking to him about his claim? He might have smelled a scent of someone else on your clothes.”

Luke shook his head.

“He held my hands, and told me that I was his chosen one when I met him on the last full moon. I was so surprised that I left straight away, and I haven’t seen him since.”

Alex was impressed that he had managed to avoid Wesley for so long, as the man could track a crumb on a dust laden floor. It also explained why the shifter had been emotionally fragile over the last seven days. The alpha had recommended to all staff to keep their distance until the man’s issue was resolved.

Getting to his feet, Alex went to the bookcase that lent against the far wall. There were several volumes about shifter history, but the item he wanted was right at the top, wedged between two video games. He pulled the DVD case from the shelf, and walked over to Luke. Tears were falling from the young shifter’s eyes, but he didn’t look as if was about to burst into a fit of sobs. Placing the box in front of his client, Alex sat in his chair. Luke raised his eyes, and spotted the object. Using one hand, he dried his eyes, and with the other, he held the case in front of his face.

A bold font title on the cover read,

“Dealing with Mates, Everything you wanted to know about the process of meeting your soul mate. With a foreword by Dr Anthony Griffin.”

Although Alex had never watched the video, he had been told that it helped nine out of ten people come to terms with their situation.

“My recommendation is to watch this video, and then come back to see us. If you are still having problems, we’ll see what we can do to help you. If you have any problems with your father if he finds out your secret, you are always welcome to come here for protection.”

Listening to Alex’s words, Luke read the text on the back cover, and a small smile crossed his face. He got to his feet, and before Alex could stop him, the werewolf had given him a light kiss on the cheek.

Blushing, Alex wiped it away.

“I know you haven’t accepted him as your mate, but do that in front of him, you’ll probably get my head put on a spike in the town square.”

Realising what he had done, Luke looked slightly embarrassed. But Alex knew that he would sense that his therapist was only joking around. After a few moments, Luke gave a nervous laugh.

“You’re right. I probably shouldn’t antagonise him, even if I don’t want to be with him just yet.”

He walked toward the door, and before Alex could say anything more, the young shifter had looked back.

“Thank you Mr Marsden, for not throwing me to the wolves.”

Turning away, Luke walked into the corridor. Alex sensed that his journey would be one of the greatest adventure of his life, for better or for worse. Reflecting on similar cases he had dealt with, Alex was willing to bet that Luke was in for a bumpy ride.

As for Wesley, he hoped that the werewolf wouldn’t be too angry with him. Giving his mate a reason to refuse him wasn’t exactly a wise move. But if it meant that Luke kept his sanity for one more day, it would all be worth it. After all, he hoped to one day meet a man of his own, if he managed to escape his own labyrinth of bad choices or unavoidable conflicts.

But that wasn’t an easy task, considering his father’s loyalties. As well as the tireless efforts they made for him to join their ranks. Charles Marsden had long tried to exert his agenda onto Alex, but he had finally managed to break free. All things considered, he couldn’t be happier.

The journey to his freedom began, on the day that Alex had been forced to enrol at Stonebrooke College.

That’s all for now. Have a great 2015!