Chapter One - Wanted

They came to the door in the night. Werewolves from the shifter pack on the other side of the forest. Nell could hear the raised voices from where she sat, worrying, beside her father’s bed. From what she could make out their Luna was about to give birth and the Alpha was demanding assistance from the best doctor for miles around.

Martin Field was going nowhere. He still had a temperature and was weak from lack of food.

“Someone must come. Now!”

Nell flinched on hearing the dominant tone. Hopefully, Mom would stand her ground. She usually did.

But she was in for a shock.

“My daughter will go with you.”

Surely she wasn’t about to send Olivia? The unkind thought as to her elder sister’s usefulness came and went as Nell observed the turning of the doorknob.

“There’s no change, Mom,” she whispered, as if fearful the werewolves might hear.

Rosemary Worthington Field’s thin lips formed into a sneer. “Get your coat, Nell. You’re going on a little trip,” she said.

“Me?”

She couldn’t believe it at first. Not when she was needed here to nurse her father through his unexplained fever.

“The Alpha requested you specifically.”

That was obviously a lie.

“Well, I’m not going,” she dared, reaching across and squeezing Dad’s clammy hand.

“Would you like to tell him that?”

“If I have to,” she muttered.

“He’s waiting on the doorstep.”

Her elder sister poked her head round the door, still yawning.

“What’s all the fuss about?” Olivia wanted to know.

“The Alpha requires a midwife and your sister is being stubborn.”

“As usual.”

That wasn’t new, either, the way the two of them ganged up on her as if she were some freak.

“What’s taking so long?” a voice roared.

Nell flinched. She had heard the Alpha was ruthless and didn’t care who he hurt.

Her mom seized hold of her by the elbow, hauling her to her feet, and dragged her out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the hallway. Nell resisted all the way, but she was small and nowhere near as strong as the woman callous enough to force her into this nightmare.

Alpha Liam was tall and broad with a buzz cut fade and piercing blue-green eyes.

“Please, I’m needed here!” she cried, wresting her arm from her mom’s mean grip. “Father’s sick and needs a lot of care.”

“Is he dying?”

The barked query rocked her.

“I don’t know.”

“Then there’s no question of staying. You will come with me now, woman, or I will torch this place to the ground.”

“You can’t mean that.”

Even Mom looked apprehensive for once.

Olivia took the red duffle coat from its peg and handed it to her, obviously flirting with the Alpha and the two pack members who had accompanied him. With her long dark curls and startling blue eyes, not to mention the revealing nightdress, she outshone Nell in looks and she had resigned herself to being second best.

Except that Alpha Liam was studying her curiously, his wide mouth parted slightly, as she put her arms in the sleeves. She began to panic that her ears weren’t covered by her flaxen hair but he seemed more interested in her face and body. A slow heat rose from the very heart of her and she averted her gaze as she fastened the toggles.

A sudden moan from Martin Field tugged at her heartstrings.

“Tell him I’ll see him tomorrow,” she blurted.

“That’s up to the Alpha,” Olivia said, obviously sucking up.

Nell’s chocolate brown eyes dared to meet the Alpha’s uncompromising ones. “Swear to me, or the deal’s off.”

“Did you not hear what I said?” he snarled. “And I don’t negotiate with humans. Bring her, Jack.”

Tears weren’t far away but she managed to keep them at bay. Glancing round, she saw the hand-made sign swaying in the wind, “Shifters By Appointment Only”, and cringed.

“Not your doing?” The query came from a bearded werewolf who wore his own authority far more lightly.

“I’m sorry if it seems rude.”

“Can I give you a piece of advice? Don’t ever apologise if it’s not your fault. I’m Alpha Liam’s Beta, Jack Williams.”

“Eleanor Field. Though I prefer Nell.”

“Move, woman!”

The Alpha was still furious for some reason and it dawned on her she hadn’t even asked after the Luna.

“But I don’t have any equipment,” she said, stalling for time.

“We have everything you need back at the Wide River pack,” the Beta told her.

“How far along is she? Have her waters broken yet?” Nell asked, switching to what she hoped was convincing professional mode.

“You’ll see.”

Alpha Liam was obviously still in a mood. Strange how he preferred designer stubble to hanging up his razor indefinitely.

“I am sure there is no cause for alarm,” she said. “Is it her first litter?”

“The last.”

Uncertain how to respond to that cryptic reply, Nell held her tongue.

Fall brought its share of uncertain weather and soon it began to rain. Turning round, belatedly, to say her farewells, she was nonplussed to see the door was already closed.

Nell sighed. At least the Beta was friendly, his grey eyes sympathetic rather than hostile.

“Shall we?” he said, gesturing for her to precede him.

Her answering smile was tentative and faded away entirely on hearing Alpha Liam’s impatient growl.

“We don’t have all night.”

Nell wasn't sure why his voice affected her so much.

Jack took pity on her. “Don’t take it to heart. He’s worried about Martha.”

“Is that the Luna?”

But he didn’t have chance to answer.

“Get in, woman,” Alpha Liam ordered.

And she realised he meant her to sit beside him in the passenger seat.

“It’s Nell, Alpha,” she told him, softly, climbing in and placing her hands in her lap.

He glanced at her. “I’m not one for small talk.”

“Me neither,” she said.

“Aw, give it a go, Alpha.”

A different voice, rougher, followed up with a laugh.

“Shut up, Henry. You’re not the one in charge here.”

“Lighten up, cousin. It’s not as if the pups are yours.”

Nell gasped, then covered her mouth with her hands. Should she be privy to such intimate information?

“I – I won’t tell a soul,” she blurted.

“No, you won’t,” Alpha Liam agreed, causing her heart to thump unsteadily.

She swallowed. “You’d be surprised what goes on in the village.”

“Gossip is poison,” he spat.

Nell bridled. “That’s why I never indulge,” she said. It felt good to answer back. After all, she wasn’t beholden to this man, this werewolf. In fact, she was doing him a favour. “As a trainee midwife you hear things. It’s just not possible to close your ears to everything that comes out during labour.”

“Is that so? I’ll have my legal team draw up an NDA.” She assumed he was joking, until he added, “Does your surname have an ‘s’ at the end, or not?”