News

Part 1 - Before

Shane

I have loved her since the first time I laid eyes on her but I won’t start there. Let’s start the day before I saw her, the day before I met her, the day before my life changed.

Hack. Hack. Hack.

The meat split and fell apart under my blade. I spent my day cutting meat into smaller pieces. The other kids my age preferred to work out in the field, saying it was more fun being outdoors under the sun. I preferred being on my own. 

All the meat hung from the ceiling. My daily job was to prepare the meat for the packhouse meals. The errand boy would run the packaged meat to the packhouse kitchen where they would prepare it for the higher-ranked members. Someone ran up to my window. I wasn’t expecting him for another hour.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

When Devin came up to the window, I was even more confused. Why was he here? Probably here to spout off more useless information. Devin was someone who worked in the fields tending to the vegetables. Sometimes he worked in the barn with the animals but he loved to gossip. If you needed information, Devin was your man. He would tell you everything and anything you needed to know. He leaned against the wall, his skin was tan, he had his brown hair tied back, and his gray eyes were full of excitement.

“I’ve got news,” he said.

I knew what he was doing, he was baiting me. He wanted to tell me probably as much as I wanted him to leave but I knew how he worked. He wouldn’t leave here until I gave in and asked him. He wouldn’t tell me until I made it seem like I wanted to know.

“I’m not interested.”

“Come on,” Devin pouted. “You know you’re interested. I wouldn’t come to you unless I had information on something you would cared about.”

“How would you know what I care about?” I asked as I raised the knife. It came down and split thigh from body. Devin’s eyes locked on it and he made a face as I threw it into a pile.

“It’s about a certain damsel.”

I faltered on the second swing and came down too hard on the meat. What should have been a clean cut looked more like a wolf from the pack ripped it from the bone.

“Damsel?” I asked, trying to keep a disinterested tone in my voice. But something about the Alpha’s mysterious daughter had always caught my interest.

“See? I knew you cared. So, the Alpha’s daughter has made an appearance.”

“Why does this matter to me?” I asked. I was already kicking myself for falling into his trap.

“No one has ever seen her outside the packhouse! That’s why it matters! He’s kept her inside for a little over ten years, or so I’ve been told.”

“I’m failing to see why this is important,” I grunted as I cut a pig down from the ceiling. It fell onto the table with a thud and Devin swallowed slowly.

“I’m the one who saw her outside of the Pack House and I have to say, she’s breathtaking. I’d compare her looks to that of a fallen angel but instead of blonde hair, she’s got long brown hair. She’s still young but whoever her mate is is one lucky dog.”

I sliced the pig open from chest to belly and Devin looked away. “Aren’t you going to ask me more?” Devin asked. “How can you be so uncaring about this?! She won’t be of age for at least six more years.”

“I still don’t understand why you’ve come to me with this,” I mutter as I start pulling out the innards.

“You’ve been on and on about finding a new conquest. I think the Alpha’s daughter is where you could start,” Devin said smugly.

“If I wanted to get killed I would start with the Alpha’s daughter, and I happen to be fond of my neck.”

“Oh, come on. Where’s the fun in that? Don’t you think there would be a bit of a thrill in the chase? I can see it already. The sneaking around, the secret touches, the longing glances exchanged across the room.”

“Across the room? See, you already sound interested. Why don’t you go and get her? You’re talking about yourself here, not me. Why don’t you take your own advice and dip your toes into the forbidden springs? I’ll stay here, I’m more than happy with what I’m doing.”

Devin looked down at the pig I had successfully emptied out. His face turning green, he covered his mouth and shook his head.

“Being the Goddess-given friend that I am, I thought I would offer her to you first,” Devin said between gagging.

I didn’t bother hiding the smirk that pulled at the corner of my mouth. I would never get over the way others reacted around blood. They weren’t even touching it but were repulsed by it.

“But if you don’t want her…” Devin trailed off. His gaze was on my face and I could feel him waiting for my answer or for a sign. A sign for what? I’m not sure.

“The only thing I want, Devin, is for you to be on your way,” I said, wiping the sweat from my brow.

The sun was high in the sky and it was glaring down on us. The heat could be felt inside and I sighed, it meant that I needed to work faster. The hotter it was the faster the meat would spoil. Devin shrugged and pushed off the wall.

“I need to work., don’t you have… vegetables to pick?” I asked. Devin put his hands on the back of his head as he took a few steps back.

“Don’t change your mind later,” he warned, teasingly.

“Fat chance,” I mumbled.

He smiled and turned from me but not before I caught the sparkle in his eyes. Poor girl. She’d have a lot on her plate if Devin was going to pursue her. I shook my head, not my problem. I waved him off as he made his way back to the field. I took a deep breath as I looked down. Where was I? Right. I grabbed a handful of Sir Chops and brought the blade down.