Guarded Hearts

Chapter 1

©CRGangell aka Whitesabretooth

Hi everyone

This is book 5 in the Twists of Fate series; this story hasn’t been modified and is in its original form. If you feel you can come up with a better blurb or cover please email me and I might use it.

Have Fun

Chapter 1

~ Some time during the Tenth century AD~

The rhythmic beat of drums penetrated his dreams, overtaking the pleasant dream of chasing after some deer from his mind and waking him. Now that he was awake, his ears picked up more details than just the insistent drums, the protesting groan of wood as the giant oars were forced to cut through the water and the strained grunts of the men behind those ores.

He opened his eyes slightly, the heavy chains, which bound him, came into focus first, then the massive bars, which were also in place to keep him contained until the Chieftain, needed him. Bile rose up in his mouth, which he forced himself to swallow as he fought off the memories of what the warlord had forced him to do. A crack of thunder roared over the insistent drums as the long boat was rocked violently sliding his naked body across the uneven deck and into one of the ribs, which supported the boats structure.

He pushed himself up and wedged his body into the corner as the long boat rocked and rolled in the turbulent seas. He closed his eyes and prayed to the great Odin to be released, for the boat to sink in this storm.

His prayers fell on deaf ears in Valhalla as the insistent drums continued to beat.

*~*~*

He was dragged from below deck by the chain, which was wrapped around his neck; he forced himself to his feet and followed them from the Long boat. He barely kept the sneer from his face as his eyes swept pass his countrymen in their armour and battle dress, as they prepared for slaughter and conquest.

Their eyes turned away from him in fear, fear of what he was and fear of it being passed on to them and them joining him in his little cell at the back of the long boat. Although none of them would admit their fear, for fear of being mocked.

The Chieftain was before them, dressed in richer furs with better armour. “For glory and for Odin!” Said the Chieftain as he raised his sword into the air and his men cheered.

The man holding his chain stepped forward as it started to rain, and undid the heavy chains, which bound his arms and kept his stride restricted. “Change.” The man ordered before he tugged on the chain that remained around his neck, the constant reminder of his captivity that followed him from form to form.

He closed his eyes and called his wolf forward, the thing that made him different to his family, different to his people, a freak and a monster. His body shifted with grace and at the end of his shift; there stood a massive black wolf with grey underbelly in his place.

The Chieftain took his chain, “Come my pet,” he said as the rain started to beat harder. “For ODIN!” He cried and raced off into the woodland with a massive Wolf at his side.

~*~

He growled as he stood over the Chieftain’s dead body, his muzzle covered in the Chieftain’s blood. It had been too easy to lure the Chieftain from his men, pretending there was a scent when there was none. As the Chieftain followed his beast he hadn‘t thought that the beast would turn on him, would want to kill him. Just as easy as it was to lure him from his men it had been doubly easy to kill him. One lunge, his teeth snapping through his neck, instantly fatal. His beast had wanted to make his death slow, slow like the deaths he had been forced to inflict on others but his human mind said no, that they would never be free if they weren’t fast.