Book of Secrets

Can't Rely on Love

Title: Can't Rely on Love

Genre: Werewolf, Romance, Teen Fiction

Description: Sid Manson is just the sweet old country girl in the middle-of-nowhere Kansas with her "socially busy" older sister and her overly shy and self-conscious little sister. But that's just first glance. Sid's father is the Beta of the Kansas pack and is very protective of his three daughters. However, when Sid's older sister comes back from the city with Mr. Hot wrapped around her finger, she can't help but take notice. Sid travels down a dark road and comes to realization that you Can't Rely on Love to bring two people together.

Piece:

Can’t Rely on Love

 

Chapter One – Welcome to Kansas

 

 

The sun beat down on me like a blanket of sunshine, my fur bristling in the slight breeze. The wheat stocks brushed up against me like tiny fingers trying to cling onto my fur. I could smell the unwelcomed vermin through the golden stocks, smelling of wet grass and droppings. I was hunched low to the ground, my soft belly gliding along the dampened soil from last night’s rare rain. My ears were flattened against the top of my head, trying to stay under the length of the wheat so to not reveal my location.

I took two more steps cautious steps, using my nose to guide me. Daddy always said I had a great sense of smell. I narrowed my eyes, peering through the stocks to catch a glimpse of a rabbit, nibbling on the wheat. How the vermin got through the fence, I’ll never know. But I guess there’s always a way to find out. With a snarl, I lunged forward, scaring the rabbit and bounding after it as it ran for dear life through the wheat field, running right back to his little entrance somewhere.

I snapped at the rabbit’s ankles, enjoying the chase maybe a little too much. I always did. It was a thrill and a dangerous joy ride, pursuing a creature that could easily lead you into some trap. It was a game that you could never predict what will happen next.

The rabbit darted through the wheat before he came to the fence, running along the side before squeezing his slim and flexible body through a tiny dent in the chicken wire. I watched the rodent run straight into the brush of the woods, being engulfed in the shadows. I grinned, letting my tongue loll out of my mouth as I leisurely trotted back towards the house, relying on my sense of direction to lead me the right way and not into the next county over. Once is one time too many.

My direction skills proved excellent when I jumped out of the wheat patch to see my little country home and barn sitting tall on the large plot of land my parents owned.

With swift movements, I ran to the barn and slid in through the opened door before shifting smoothly while walking towards my clothes which I had neatly folded up on the old wooden shelf towards the back, sitting there for this exact purpose. I eased into my jean shorts and white tank top, complimented by my brown leather country boots and light colored cowboy hat, my golden-blonde hair weaving out in ringlets from beneath it.

            “Daddy, ya home?” I called as I strolled back out of the barn and towards my house, Ma sitting on the rocking chair out on the porch, greeting me with a smile as I jumped up the rickety stairs.

            “Hey, dear. Pa’s out at a meeting. He should be back within the next hour,” she answered with a gentle grin.

            “Well, when ya see him, tell him we got a hole in the north fence.” I requested. She nodded understandingly as I passed through the wide open front door and headed straight for the kitchen.

            “Hey, Siddy,” I could recognize Josephine’s voice anywhere. I glanced into the fridge before back at my little fourteen-year-old sister.

            “What’s up, Jo?” I smiled as I stuck my head back into the fridge, moving aside some yogurts to grab the ham and cheese. I heard her pull out the wooden chair from the table and plopped down into it.

            “Heard there’s a hole in the fence,” she answered in her usual quiet voice. I raised my eyebrows questioningly at her as I went for the bread in the cabinet.

            “You been eaves droppin’ again?” I asked as I slipped into the chair across from her with the ingredients to a sandwich in my hands.

            “Not purposely,” she nearly whispered, her bright green eyes looking up innocently at me.

            “Sure,” I mused sarcastically, preparing my lunch.

            “I can’t help it,” she squeaked defensively. “You can smell something from a mile away. Darcy can see crystal clear in the dark. And I can just hear really well,” she went on. I shrugged in surrender; couldn’t argue with the absolute truth.

            “You win this round, pup,” I said, taking a huge bite of my sandwich. She smiled shyly, strands of her curly brunette hair falling across her face. “Speaking of the devil, where is Darcy?”

            “She and a few of her friends went to the city.” She sighed with a roll of her eyes. Oh, that’s never a good sign.

            “She comes back with a baby, I say we eat it,” I joked, making Jo spare a small giggle. All I’m going to say is that Darcy has quite the social life for a girl who lives in the middle of nowhere Kansas. Not only was the town four miles away, so was our pack. I know, what pack doesn’t all live under one roof? That would be us. My dad, even though he was Beta of the country’s pack, always wanted to live on a farm without all the hustle and bustle of city lights. Thus, the reason we live on a farm in absolute solitude. Not that I’m complaining. Don’t get me wrong, I love living out in the country with all this open land to run on, it just gets really lonely out here in the summer without school.

            “She comes home with a baby and we send ‘em both off to Grandma’s!” Ma yelled from the porch. I couldn’t help but laugh, nearly choking on my sandwich. Even Jo had to clap a hand over her mouth to hide her chuckle.

            “Well, I guess that hole isn’t going to fix itself and god knows when Pa will be back,” I said, finishing the last bite of my sandwich as I got out of my seat. Jo eyed me as I walked out, nodding before disappearing up the stairs. I passed by Ma with a smile as I jogged towards the barn, fishing out the tool box and roll of chicken wire from behind the horse stall, the folly letting out a low whine.

            “See ya, Missy,” I patted her side as I re-paced my steps right out the barn and back into the wheat field.