Promised

By Vee Anderson

I ran, I ran like I've never ran before. I can hear them behind me, what do I do? I have to lead them away from our home so I took them to the warehouse district. I crouched down hiding myself, I sat there quietly waiting for them and I could feel that they were close. I can't go back, if they take me back I'll never be leaving again, he will make sure of it. Bryce sighed showing his annoyance, he raised his voice "Olivia we have your pet so you better come out." You're probably trying to understand why am I hiding from these people who know me, well I have to take you back three years for you to understand why I'm running for my life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vee Anderson
• Release date: Jan 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310245053

Book preview

Promised

The Volkov Dynasty

Vee Anderson

Also by Vee Anderson

Lilly Reed Series

Pawn

Masquerade

Shattered

Lost

The Volkov Dynasty

Promised

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright © 2015 Vee Anderson

All Rights Reserved

ISBN:

Dedicated to:

My Dad – Thank you for everything

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental

Acknowledgements:

Konradbak and Fotolia for an amazing cover photo

Chapter 1

I ran, I ran like I’ve never ran before. I can hear them behind me, I can hear their shoes slapping against the wet pavement with every step, oh god what do I do? Trying to keep my head in the game I know to get away from them I have to lead them away from my house, away from my new life. Realizing that we are too close to my house I changed directions; I took them to the other side of town to the warehouse district cutting through side streets and alleys. I have to get them away from him, away from the people I care about. Turning the corner I looked up from the road and saw I was close to the run down warehouse that I squatted in when I first got to town. Running faster I ran across the empty parking lot up to the large two story red brick warehouse. Quickly I headed to the left running through the knee high grass and squeezed through the small section of the metal fence that surrounds the property that I bent away to get in a couple months ago. I know that the wobbly chain link fence won’t keep them out for long. The moment I was through I ran as fast as I could for the south side of the building. I found the basement window that I used to sneak through so after opening it I slid through locking it tight behind me, and again I know that window won’t hold them off for long but I can’t let them get me.

Running through the gross, dusty basement I jumped over overturned chairs and anything else in my way before booking it down the hallway and up the rickety stairs. Stepping onto the main floor I debated for a second to turn to look behind me but I can’t risk it. Turning to the left I ran down the main hallway to where the old accounting offices are. My legs are starting to tire out and tremble but I know they are coming up behind me fast and I have to get away. Knowing the layout of this floor I used some short cuts through the offices to make it seem like I came through here so I ran through the rooms looping around touching things and leaving doors open and after I thought it looked like I ran off to the offices I ran back out to the north side of the warehouse to the main work floor. There are still a bunch of old machines like saws and large drill presses and there are also stacks and stacks of old wooden pallets all around the main work floor and my plan is to book it out the door behind the pallets leading outside. Just a couple feet away from me there is a large door leading to the next section of the warehouse, I quickly ran over and threw one of the doors opening hoping that they will think I ran through here. Turning towards the pallets I took off toward them as fast as I could. I skidded around the corner and ran for the set of double doors leading outside. I ran at the door slamming my hands against them expecting to run through to my freedom but I felt my world crumble, on the outside of the door it has chains around the handles with a huge pad lock stopping me from opening the doors. Shit, that wasn’t there before. I slammed my hands angrily against the doors using all of my strength but the chains are locked tight. What am I going to do? There is no way I can run back out to the other door I left open without them seeing or at least hearing me so I found a good corner to hide that will allow me to watch for anybody coming into the main work floor from the stairs and at the same time stay hidden away from them and then hopefully they will leave then I can make my escape.

Crouching down I hid myself in a corner squished between two tall stacks of pallets. I balanced there quietly waiting for them to come bursting through the door, and I could feel that they were close. Suddenly I felt something wet land on my cheek, reaching my hand up I ran my finger over my cheek and that was when I realized that I was crying. The moment I registered that I was crying I went from silent tears to full out bawling. Wrapping my arms around my body I held myself tight trying for some comfort but it’s not working. They found me, I can’t believe they found me, I should have never stayed, I should have left like I was supposed to. I can’t go back there; if they take me back I’ll never be leaving again, he will make sure of it.

Suddenly I heard someone loudly running up the stairs. Stopping my crying instantly I inched down further making sure I was completely hidden. Through the little spaces between the pallets I watched a pair of brown leather loafers leave the stairwell and they were followed by a pair of black and red skater shoes. I watched them head into the office area and after a minute or so they came back out. I watched the red and black skater shoes head towards the door I swung open but they were back just as quick, I guess my trick didn’t work. The brown leather loafers paced back and forth for a second then they turned facing right in my direction and a familiar voice that I never wanted to hear again followed Olivia we know you’re out there. My stomach dropped out and my heart pretty well stopped. Oh crap, what do I do? I can’t go back there, I can’t do it. I can’t escape so I just have to stay quiet and hope that he will go away, please God make Bryce go away. He sighed showing his annoyance Come on Liv, I know you’re in here and we’re taking you home.

I duck walked backwards and hid myself more. Looking around I searched for some way to escape without them seeing me but there’s nothing. I have to get out of here. I can’t allow them to find me; I just can’t go back to that hell but I’m stuck. Bryce sighed in annoyance again Fine, if you’re going to act that way, his voice lowered Bring him in. Bring who in? The black and red skater shoes left then maybe a minute later I heard them come back but this time they had someone else with them. From where I was hiding I could see a new pair of brown men’s boots, oh god I know those boots, Luke. I whimpered throwing my hand over my mouth quieting myself. I heard Luke stumble and I watched him get slammed to the ground face first. He tried to get away from them but it didn’t work, they kept pushing him down, they’re so much stronger than him. Bryce raised his voice Olivia we have your pet so you better come out.

You’re probably trying to understand why I am hiding from these people who know me, and why I fear them as much as I do. Well, I have to take you back three years for you to understand why I’m running for my life.

Chapter 2

Beep, Beep, Beep… Argh, why do alarm clocks have to be so annoying? I don’t want to get up, I want to curl back up and go back to sleep. Ugh I don’t want to go to school, I hate school. Laying there with my eyes still closed I started stretching and that’s when I could hear my shower going, damn it, Jake. I’ve told him numerous times to use his own bathroom not mine, he’s such a pig and he always makes such a mess.

Groaning I opened my eyes and rolled my head over looking at my alarm. I swung my hand over smacking it hard so the loud annoying beep turned off. After moving my hand I rolled over onto my right side staring at the photo of myself when I was seven with my mom. In the picture we were in New York in front of the theatre where we watched the Broadway show Cats, she looked so happy hugging me and smiling into the camera but I knew that it was a fake smile. It wasn’t fake because of me or where we were but it was fake because my mom was never really happy, she barely ever smiled but every time I danced she was always there with a huge genuine smile showing me how proud she was of me.

Sitting up in bed I tossed the blankets off and swung my feet over the edge. I reached over to the picture and pulled it close to me giving it a kiss before saying Morning Mom, I miss you and love you. My mom passed away from a horrific car accident when I was ten and it broke my heart, I don’t think I ever fully recovered from it. She was driving home on a stormy night when she somehow lost control of her car and drove head first into a tree dying instantly. My mom was my best friend and my biggest supporter with my dancing and I miss her so much. Speaking of my dancing, I’ve been taking ballet lessons since I was four years old. I’m turning 16 in a couple months and I’ve been addicted to ballet ever since, I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t dance. It’s the only time I truly feel happy.

I stood up and stretched a little before walking over to my bathroom door, I banged my hand against it loudly and my younger brother by eleven months screamed I’M ALMOST DONE, GO AWAY LIV. I groaned loudly letting him know my irritation, which he probably didn’t hear anyway, and left my room tossing my pink fuzzy robe over my black camisole and fuchsia pink PJ shorts. Walking down the hallway I got to Jake’s room and noticed that his door was wide open which is very rare, it’s usually locked. I took a peek in and I couldn’t believe how gross it is, there are clothes all over the floor covering every inch of his carpet with other litter like empty pop cans and such. The indigo blue his walls used to be is now covered in posters of his favourite bands covering every inch of the walls and his white ceiling. Looking closer I saw what looked like a bong sitting on his dresser and all I could do was sigh. I shook my head in disgust then suddenly from behind me I was pushed out of the way as Jake yelled Screw off Liv, before running into his room and slamming his door shut.

Shaking my head again I sighed and continued down the hallway then downstairs. I can’t believe that my brother gets away with smoking pot in his room and my father doesn’t say anything but when I want to hang out with my friends or do something, hell anything, he makes a big deal that I should be at home and at his side learning my birth right. My birth right is I’m destined to become the next leader of my Pack. And when I say Pack I mean Pack, I’m a werewolf and so is my family. I turn furry once a month, for an example in two nights is the full moon and I will go out with my family and friends to our Sacred Ground where we hold rituals of marriages, introductions to new members and first changes from human into wolf then we all go for a run. I’ve been changing since I was five so I don’t know anything else but it doesn’t mean that I like it, or that I want to be the leader of the Pack, that’s my father’s job. He’s the King of our Pack which is just over 900 werewolves, all ranging in ages from newborn babies and up. And I as the first born of the King of our Pack am slated to become the new leader but that also comes with one more thing and that is I am arranged to marry one of the men in my Pack of my father’s choosing when I turn 18. So far my father has only made little comments about that but he’s never pushed me about finding a Mate right now, hopefully he’s given up.

Running down the stairs I jumped off the last step and headed for the kitchen. Our house is pretty large, well it’s the largest house in Westchester, so it takes a bit of walking to get to specific rooms but the nice thing is my room is on the other side of the house away from my father’s room.

On the main floor of our house when you walk in the front doors of our humongous two storey white mansion is a large set of slightly curved stairs taking you upstairs to all the bedrooms. On my right is our library that holds some of our Pack’s history plus books that have been passed down from Pack King to Pack King, it’s also a little meeting area for when my father needs to talk to Pack members so it’s got a couple couches and chairs and it’s a no kid zone. Beside the library is my father’s office which is another no kid zone, it’s large with a large cherry wood desk plus books and chairs and stuff so he can do his work as the King and as the Mayor of Westchester. On my left is our living room but it’s one of those fancy living room’s with furniture that you are not allowed to sit on so nobody ever goes in that room. Beside the fancy living room is the main floor bathroom and beside that is the laundry room. The whole back of the house is the large kitchen with an eat-in nook and beside Father’s office is the large dining room. The entire house is done in shades of brown and white with dark wood floors except our bedrooms which we got to decorate the way we wanted to.

Walking through the doorway into the kitchen by my father’s office I saw my father sitting at our large rectangle dark brown wood table drinking his coffee and reading his newspaper. His eye moved up from the paper looking at me so I gave him a nod Morning Father.

Olivia, he said with blank eyes then he went back to his paper. I stood there watching him, hoping that he would look at up me and say something like ‘I love you honey’ or ‘Did you sleep well?’ I just wish that he would talk to me like that but he doesn’t. My father comes off pretty cold. He’s fit and muscular for an old guy, well he’s 54 but he looks like he’s in his mid-forties and that’s werewolf genes. He’s tall around 6 feet tall or so with greying light brown hair. He has light brown eyes that come with a cold stare. I try not to look directly in his eyes if I don’t have to.

A little sigh escaped my mouth as I continued into the kitchen past him around the island to the cupboards. Grabbing a bowl and glass I poured myself a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and after I added some milk and poured some OJ into my glass I sat down at the island with my back to my father. I left my iPod on the counter the other day so I threw the ear buds in and turned it on shuffle listening to Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins. Sitting there swinging my legs I bopped away to my music as I ate my bowl of cereal and when I finished I was still hungry so I had another bowl. Usually I don’t eat this much but the days leading up to a change I’m always hungry like this.

Just as I was swallowing my last bite of cereal my brother came in from the other entrance to the kitchen. Jake looks like a younger version of my father, he’s just a younger, dirtier, doesn’t give a crap version of my father. Jake’s choice of clothing usually consists of baggy jeans that hang off his butt showing his boxers, oversized band t-shirts and hoodies plus his light brown shaggy hair is always hanging in his light brown eyes. Ignoring him I got off the chair and tossed my dishes into the sink, and as I came around the corner to head back upstairs Jake was standing there. At a little less than six feet tall and muscular which he hides with the baggy clothing he loomed over my smallish 5’6 lean dancers frame. I tried to go around him but he wouldn’t allow me so I finally looked up at him and boy did he look pissed off. Baring his teeth he moved quickly ripping my ear buds out of my ears. Glaring at him I snapped Ow, dick."

He narrowed his eyes at me as he snarled Stay the hell out of my room.

Then stay out of my bathroom.

He leaned towards me I think to fight me but before he could hit me my father said Children stop, which made Jake back off and walk away. I looked over to my father to say thanks but he said with his eyes still on his paper Don’t you have school Olivia?

Without saying anything I nodded and ran off upstairs. Running into my room I slammed my door closed behind me. I hate it here, I just want to be a normal 15 year old who gets to go off to college when they’re 18 away from their parents and siblings but that won’t be me, I was born in Westchester and I’ll die in Westchester, man I hate my life.

After cleaning up Jake’s mess I did my normal morning stuff then I left my en-suite bathroom. I looked around my dark purple bedroom and sighed, I have the largest room on this side of the house and the largest en-suite bathroom so that’s why Jake always comes in here. Walking over to my bed I grabbed my dark grey comforter and tossed it up making my bed so it looks like it’s made. I know that our housekeeper is coming over today so I picked my dirty clothes off the floor throwing them in my laundry hamper. I decided on skipping my shower so I dug through my walk-in closet and tossed on a pair of dark blue boot-cut jeans, a black racer back tank top, a burgundy cardigan that belonged to my mom, and I finished my outfit off with a pair of black Converse sneakers. I quickly threw my long straight dark blonde hair up into a messy bun before grabbing my black backpack and running out of my room. Checking in the kitchen I saw that Father was gone which didn’t surprise me so I grabbed an apple before heading out the back door where I grabbed my black BMX bike and headed for school.

I rode down our large horseshoe shaped driveway towards the road. Our house is the only house on our dead-end street named coincidently King Dr. Turning right onto Franklin St I headed towards the school, and again coincidently it’s named Westchester School. Our town isn’t that big, we have a main drag that has the normal things a small town has like a variety store, family owned restaurants, small clothing and book shops, the cop shop, volunteer firefighters and the thing is every person in Westchester is a werewolf, no humans just werewolves. My school is a small school, so small that everybody from kindergarten to grade 12 are all in the same building, not the same classroom but same building, with the young in’s at the south side of the school with the age graduating up to the north side where the so called highschool side is.

Just as I turned right on to Jackson Street which is the street that the school is on my friend Casey came from the other end of Franklin St on her pink BMX bike. Casey is the closest person to me; I guess you could call her my best friend. Casey is pretty, way prettier than me, all the boys like her. She’s got light blonde curly hair that hits her shoulders and bright cornflower blue eyes, her body is curvy which means she has boobs, which I really don’t I wasn’t blessed in that department, and a small waist with hips. She was wearing her normal attire of skinny jeans with high top skater sneakers, a tight t-shirt showing off her girls as she calls them with a tight hoodie over top. Casey flashed me a smile showing off her perfectly straight white teeth Hey Girl, then her smile disappeared when she saw I wasn’t smiling back; she asked You look down, well more down than normal what’s up?

We continued riding down the road as I shrugged Nothing really, just the usual, Father’s ignoring me and Jake’s…, hell I don’t know what Jake’s problem is.

Maybe someone pissed in his Corn Flakes, she said before bursting out laughing and I couldn’t help myself but laugh along with her, her laugh is contagious even though her joke was kind of lame. Casey cut our laugh off by telling me what she did last night and that involved a senior boy that she didn’t name from school and some heavy petting, whatever that means, but she won’t take the final leap because she said she’s saving herself for when