by Heather Beck
Frostbitten
by
Heather Beck
Scanning, uploading and/or distribution of this book via the Internet, print, audio recordings or any other means without the permission of the Publisher is illegal.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, events and characters are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events or persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental.
Frostbitten
Copyright © 2014 Heather Beck
ISBN: 978-1-926990-20-0
Cover Photos: Girl, Siiri Kumari; Wolf, Quapaw; Forest, Alfred Borchard
All rights reserved. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part constitutes a copyright violation.
Published by
Enchanted Publishing
Table of Contents
Part One: Bad Girls
Part Two: Leader of the Pack
Part Three: Cruel Intentions
Part Four: The Sweetest Temptation
Part Five: Troublemaker
Part Six: Myth of the Werewolf
Part Seven: The Deep, Dark Woods
Part Eight: Heart of the Beast
Part Nine: Deathly
Part Ten: Wolfsbane
Frostbitten
Part One: Bad Girls
Snow fell gently upon the still woods, leaving everything white and sparkling. The ground, which now resembled a silky smooth frosting, was immaculate in appearance, as if no human dared to tread there. Even the trees were magnificent. Row after row, the cedars reached high into the sky, their identical formation creating the illusion of a never-ending horizon. These trees were like an impassable gate, forever concealing the secrets which lay within the woods.
The scenery was undeniably beautiful, but all seventeen-year-old Anastasia Lockhart could think was, only bad girls get sent away.
At exactly 12:45 p.m. on that very day, Anastasia had boarded the northbound train from Toronto, Ontario to the small town of Cedar Falls. She was going to stay with her grandparents, even though she hadn’t seen them in four years. Several hours had now passed, and Anastasia was still on the train, watching as the serene setting of Cedar Falls Woods had finally come into view. It was the first time she’d traveled such a distance by herself, and it was certainly not by choice.
Anastasia’s mother, Ms. Kendall Lockhart, had sent her to Cedar Falls for two reasons. First, she said it was for her own good. Anastasia was becoming too wild and unpredictable – tell-tale signs that great trouble would soon befall her unless drastic and immediate action was taken. Second, she claimed that she was at her wits end. As a young, single mother with a full-time job, dealing with Anastasia’s unruly behavior on top of it all was too much for her to handle.
Believing that the latter reason was the real cause for her departure pained Anastasia in a way she could never express out loud. It had always been just her and her mother, so if she didn’t want Anastasia, surely no one else ever would. Instead of expressing her fears, she began to loathe her mother. The tension heightened as she began to prepare for her indefinite trip to Cedar Falls. This resulted in daily yelling matches set off by the simplest of disagreements and ended with the worst fight they’d ever had, right before Anastasia left for the train station.
As ironic as it seemed, Anastasia was once the epitome of a good girl. She’d been studious and somewhat shy, and although she had a couple of friends, she preferred to spend her weekends at the library, reading everything from classic novels to serious non-fiction titles. The library was also a place where she could be alone. She liked it that way, or maybe she was just used to it. Either way, the silence comforted her, and it allowed time for her two favorite activities – thinking and studying people from afar. This was time well-spent since she could now read someone’s true character almost instantly upon meeting them. Certain traits and mannerisms spoke volumes about a person, and she’d learned to recognize these signs.
Anastasia’s quiet, intellectual demeanor made her favorable in the eyes of her teachers. This was fine in elementary school, but when she entered junior high and it became uncool to be the teacher’s pet, she found herself being constantly teased and even abandoned by the girls she used to consider her friends. In a school where being accepted meant everything, unpopularity was a disease easily caught by association, and she was most definitely the carrier.
Sad and alone, it was almost inevitable that Anastasia would gravitate toward other outcasts – the type of teens who skipped school to drink and smoke at the local park. She could read these classmates like an open book, but she didn’t care since bad friends were better than no friends at all. It was at that time, upon turning thirteen, when everything went downhill fast. She began getting into trouble for reasons she previously couldn’t have fathomed: unfinished homework, poor attendance and talking back to teachers. She was trapped in a vicious cycle, and regardless of her attempts to re-emerge as a good student, she’d already been labeled as bad.
This reputation followed Anastasia to high school, where she began to get into trouble more frequently. However, it wasn’t until one month ago, on a cold January night, that she hit rock bottom. She’d been drinking at a house party with her boyfriend, Derek, and when he got into a fight with another guy, they were kicked out and left to walk aimlessly and unsteadily down the street. Eventually, they were approached by a police officer and arrested for underage drinking and public intoxication. After the most frightening and shameful few hours of her life, they were released with only a fine and a very strict warning. At least Anastasia had the common sense to dump Derek, but tragically, she’d already fallen victim to a negative self-fulfilling prophecy. She was now truly a bad girl.
The mere thought of her disgraceful past made Anastasia cringe. Although she was hurt and angry because of her mother’s decision to send her away, she was also secretly grateful. She knew that her life was going in the wrong direction. Perhaps spending some time away from Toronto would be a positive change. After all, her reputation couldn’t possibly follow her to Cedar Falls.
The train began to slow down as they neared their destination, causing Anastasia’s heart to beat faster in anticipation. A large and somewhat worn sign welcoming visitors to downtown Cedar Falls came into view, and then a few moments later, the train finally stopped. Passengers began filing out, and Anastasia was soon forced to follow them. Taking a deep breath, she emerged from the train and looked around at the town she had once known and loved.
Cedar Falls remained unchanged, as if time had never passed. As always, the old downtown core featured vintage stores, a fire hall, library, and a large municipal building. However, it was the train station, which was built in 1905, that was the main attraction. The stores and their owners hadn’t changed either. Dale’s Diner, which doubled as his apartment, stood tall and proud. After four years, the blackboard sitting outside the diner still advertised his lunch special for only five dollars. There were also clothing boutiques, other eateries, and a couple of small grocery and convenience stores. Everything was familiar with the exception of a medium-sized store which used to be Hazel’s Books and Gifts. It was now Stone’s Hardware, and with several people coming in and out, it appeared to be doing a great business.
Returning her attention to the train, Anastasia waited patiently to retrieve her luggage. A few minutes later, and with her bag in tow, she searched the area for her grandfather. Unfortunately, she had no luck finding him. Looking at her watch, she realized that he should have met her half an hour ago. Her mother had made the arrangements, so where was he?
Anastasia shivered as the late afternoon sun began to descend behind the tall cedars that lined the whole town. Everything was darkening fast, and she didn’t want to
spend any more time at the train station. The train had made its last stop in Cedar Falls for the day, and without people hurrying by or even the ticket collector in his booth, the station was kind of spooky.
Confused and a little hurt, Anastasia reached into her coat pocket for her cell phone. She’d just begun dialing her grandparent’s number when someone called out to her.
“Anastasia, is that you?”
Anastasia spun around to see her grandfather, Mr. Fredrick Lockhart, standing outside his car, which was making a slight clunking noise as it idled. Any negative emotion she’d felt mere moments ago melted away as she looked at his bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks and wide, toothy smile. He was a tall, burly man who looked much younger than his actual age.
“Grandpa!” Anastasia cried. Despite her age, she ran toward him and hugged him tightly. “It’s so great to see you!” For a few precious seconds, as they stayed in that embrace, nothing had changed. She was still his little angel who could do no wrong. Anastasia felt something that she hadn’t experienced for several years now; she felt loved.
“I’m glad you’re here, too,” Mr. Lockhart said. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” Anastasia agreed. “I can’t wait to see Grandma.”
Anastasia hurried to her luggage, which had been forgotten in the moment of excitement. When she turned around, her grandfather was looking at her in a strange manner. He appeared to be studying her, and he even wore a startled expression.
“Is everything okay, Grandpa?” Anastasia asked with a racing heart, fearing that he may be falling ill.
“Of course,” he said, quickly regaining his composure. “I haven’t seen you in so long, and you’ve really grown up.”
“I hear that’s how it works,” Anastasia quipped, trying to lighten the mood despite the seriousness of the matter.
Throughout the chaos which was her life for the past four years, she’d always felt guilty about not seeing her grandparents. It wasn’t exactly her fault, though. Her grandfather used to pick her up and take her to Cedar Falls for the summer. However, after Anastasia turned thirteen, her mother wouldn’t risk letting her out of her sight for such a long period of time. Subsequently, neither of them saw Anastasia’s grandparents because of her mother’s refusal to return to Cedar Falls after leaving when she was only sixteen. At first, her grandparents had offered to visit them in Toronto, but Anastasia’s mother always had an excuse: she was too busy, she couldn’t take time off work and the house was too small for company. For a while, the phone was Anastasia’s only connection to her grandparents, but they soon lost regular contact, calling only at birthdays and holidays.
“You look so much like your mother,” Mr. Lockhart said suddenly, almost as if he hadn’t meant to say it at all.
Anastasia’s face fell. Coming from him, that observation wasn’t a compliment. She quickly realized that she was standing under a safety light, which had probably been switched on seconds ago. She was exposed, and her grandfather was now looking at her like everyone else usually did. Her heart broke more than just a little.
There was an awkward silence as Mr. Lockhart put Anastasia’s luggage in the trunk and then entered the car. Letting herself in, she sank into the passenger seat, almost wishing that she could disappear. Never before had she felt this uncomfortable being in his presence.
“I was starting to wonder where you were,” Anastasia began to say, desperate to make any sort of conversation.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” Mr. Lockhart said at the exact same moment.
They both laughed, causing the tension to ease slightly.
“My meeting at work ran later than expected,” he finally continued.
“How’s everything at the store?” Anastasia asked, truly interested.
Mr. Lockhart was the manager of Rural Mart, the only department store in Cedar Falls. Anastasia used to love visiting him at work and was so proud of the fact that he was respected and well-liked by his employees that she would go from department to department, telling everyone that he was her grandfather. Even outside of work, he’d always been held in high esteem.
“Not so good, I’m afraid,” he answered with a deep frown. “Sales are down after a competitor opened up shop nine months ago. I think I’ll even have to lay off a few employees.”
“Who could possibly rival Rural Mart in this area?”
“Stone’s Hardware,” Mr. Lockhart spat out, almost as if he had a bitter taste in his mouth. “Herb’s been undercutting Rural Mart by selling the same merchandise below market value. It’s absurd, especially for a small store like his. He’s probably stocking it with hot goods, though. After all, he did come to Cedar Falls straight out of jail. Once a thief, always a thief, is what I say.”
Anastasia raised her eyebrows. She’d never heard her grandfather talk so harshly about anyone, making her realize that the situation at Rural Mart must be very bad. “Your job is secure, right?” she asked carefully.
“As long as I do something about it.”
“I mean, one hardware store can hardly compete with all of Rural Mart’s departments,” Anastasia continued calmly, sensing that her grandfather was becoming greatly agitated.
“People move to Cedar Falls to build on cheap land. The hardware department has always been our biggest source of revenue.” Mr. Lockhart suddenly brought his car to a stop outside Rural Mart. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered angrily.
Following her grandfather’s gaze, Anastasia saw a man emerging from Rural Mart with a stack of papers in his hands. He proceeded to stand under a lamppost, where he began attaching what appeared to be a flyer.
Anastasia recalled hearing about the infamous Mr. Herb Stone when she was young. However, her knowledge of him was very limited. Gossip made him out to be a hermit who lived deep in the woods. She’d only seen him a few times in town, and whenever she did, her grandparents would swiftly take her in the opposite direction. She’d thought this was odd, but as a young girl, she had much more exciting things to occupy her time. Looking at Mr. Stone now, she realized that he still had the same blonde hair and pale complexion that she so vaguely remembered.
“I’m sorry, Anastasia, but this can’t wait,” Mr. Lockhart said, while releasing his seatbelt.
When Anastasia opened her mouth to protest, it was already too late. Her grandfather was out of the car and marching toward Mr. Stone. She quickly turned off the car’s engine and rolled down the window. She wanted to make sure her grandfather was okay, but at the same time, she had a feeling that she shouldn’t interfere.
“Hey, you!” Mr. Lockhart called out to Mr. Stone.
Mr. Stone turned around and greeted him with a tight smile. “Fredrick, how are you?”
“Cut the bullshit, Herb. I want to know what you’re playing at. There’s no way you can be making a profit at your store.” Mr. Lockhart suddenly turned his attention toward the flyer Mr. Stone had attached to the lamppost. “You can’t be serious!” he yelled, while ripping the flyer off the post. “You’re cutting and selling your own lumber now?”
Mr. Stone tore the flyer out of his hand. “It’s a free country. A man can make a living any way he wants, especially on his own land.”
“I’m surprised you know what freedom is!” Mr. Lockhart continued to bellow. “Didn’t you spend half your life locked up in some jail cell?”
Anastasia knew that her grandfather was being irrational, and it looked as if the situation would soon get out-of-control. In an attempt to prevent the impending fight, she hurried out of the car. Then suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.
The most gorgeous boy Anastasia had ever seen was coming out of Rural Mart, carrying a bulging bag of groceries. He was tall – at least six feet – and very well-built with broad shoulders and a straight posture. His striking, chiseled features and unruly dark brown hair gave him a unique appearance that was rugged and manly. Nonetheless, Anastasia sensed that he wasn’t that much older than her, and with heightened cur
iosity, she watched as an expression of concern washed over his face as he hurried to Mr. Stone’s side.
“My past is none of your business,” Mr. Stone snapped, finally getting as angry as Mr. Lockhart.
“Maybe not, but your shady business practices concern me and Rural Mart,” Mr. Lockhart shot back.
The two men stepped closer to each other, but before anyone could throw a punch, the boy placed his hand on Mr. Stone’s shoulder and urged him back. The boy said nothing; instead, he gave Mr. Stone a serious look.
Mr. Stone stared silently at the boy for a few seconds and then returned his attention to Mr. Lockhart. “Get out of my way, Fredrick,” he seethed, before taking leave of the situation.
The boy followed Mr. Stone, but before entering a truck marked Stone’s Hardware, he stopped to look at Anastasia, as if noticing her for the first time. His gaze was intense and unwavering, like he was savoring everything about her, from her eyes to her lips and even her very soul.
With a quickening pulse, Anastasia stared back at him. He was so undeniably sexy, but it was his eyes which made her breath catch in her throat. Shining a light shade of blue, they instantly drew her in and refused to let go. The sudden urge to get closer to him was so strong that she unconsciously took a step forward.
“Anastasia!”
Anastasia turned around to see that her grandfather was already in the car, and from his expression, she easily guessed that he wasn’t happy with her.
“Stay away from that boy,” Mr. Lockhart ordered Anastasia as she entered the car.
“Grandpa,” she began, wanting to ask if he was alright after his encounter with Mr. Stone.
In response, Mr. Lockhart turned on the car radio and increased the volume.
Anastasia took the hint.
As they drove through the newer part of downtown, Anastasia stared out the window, watching as the hospital, police station, bank, and a few franchises blurred by. She wasn’t concentrating on her surroundings, though. Her mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of that mysterious and alluring boy. She assumed that he was Mr. Stone’s son, but if that was truly the case, why hadn’t she seen him before or even heard a whisper about his existence?