Emerald Eyes

EMERALD EYES

  The Legend of the Snow Wolves

  Book 1

  By

  Rebekah Shelton

  Published By:

  Revised March 2017

  Other Books by Rebekah Shelton

  The Legend of the Snow Wolves Series:

  Emerald Eyes [Free]

  Emerald Knoll

  Emerald Cove

  Emerald Garden

  Emerald Aura

  Emerald Haven

  Emerald City - The Return

  Emerald Nation - Divided

  Emerald Reign

  Emerald Anarchy (coming soon)

  Emerald Resurgence (planned)

  Book 12 (planned)

  The Red Wolf Chronicles:

  Red Wolf [Free]

  Red Palace

  Red Widow

  The Battle for Zarcon Saga:

  Raising Avon [Free]

  Shielding Avon

  Battling Avon

  Co-Authored with Jeffery Shelton:

  Operation De-ICE [The Battle for Earth]

  Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/michelleleedesigns

  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 are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please visit your favorite online retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is based entirely on fiction and its story line derived solely from the imagination of its author. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead, places, events or locales is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy or otherwise without the express written permission of the author or author's agent.

  This book contains violence and sexual situations.

  Recommended for ages 14 and older

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 - Escape to Africa

  Chapter 2 - Escape from Africa

  Chapter 3 - Poker Face

  Chapter 4 - Lone Hill

  Chapter 5 - Happy Birthday

  Chapter 6 - Sweethearts and Monsters

  Chapter 7 - I Need a Shower

  Chapter 8 - St. Louis

  Chapter 9 - The Family History

  Chapter 10 - What if?

  Chapter 11 - Me Cook?

  Chapter 12 - The Kill Shot

  Chapter 13 - Now Get Up!

  Chapter 14 - Shots

  Chapter 15 - I Quit!

  Chapter 16 - Just Two More Times

  Chapter 17 - I am a Wolf, Not a Dog

  Chapter 18 - Vertamus

  Chapter 19 - Kissing Cousins

  Chapter 20 - She Loves Me

  Chapter 21 - Forever

  More about the Author

  Chapter 1 - Escape to Africa

  Gracey walked along the dirt road as if she did not have a destination. Normally she would have let the hotel transport take her the entire way, but today Gracey needed to walk. She walked slower than normal while her heart raced. She wished she could force her feet to move as fast. Today was the day; the day she would see him.

  Gracey continued her journey through the small village in Africa. Either side of the dry dirt road was lined with native style huts. The reason for Gracey's trip was incongruous to the local surrounding. Gracey looked as if she was alone as she walked. No one else was on the road, but they saw her. Of course, they saw her. She was a pale white woman with bobbed blonde hair, slender and tall; no native dress but a crisp pair of brown colored trousers and long sleeved white cotton shirt rolled to below the elbows.

  Gracey knew everyone was watching her; just as everyone at home stared at her, some out of curiosity or pity, and others just to mock her. Her life was so much different now than just six years ago. Gracey thought back to her childhood home, a beautiful house in an upper-middle-class neighborhood where she resided with her parents, John and Mayra Newsome. Gracey spent her entire childhood at home caring for her mother who never left the house due to illness. Thoughts of her mother were bittersweet, and Gracey fought to suppress the tears that threatened to pour down her face, so she pushed the memory deeper into her subconscious.

  But Gracey's memories raced back to her childhood and the first time she saw him. She was only thirteen, too young to feel the way she had about a boy four years her senior. It was Gracey's first Rudolph Inc. Christmas Gala.

  Gracey glanced around again and shuddered at the contraposition between the huts and the gracious home belonging to Stone "Rudy" Rudolph and his wife, Abigail. Gracey recalled the first time she entered and stood in the foyer soaking in the opulence. The marble floors were flawlessly shined. Two grand staircases encircled both sides of the foyer and were decorated with miles of fresh garland and perfectly tied red satin bows. Looking ahead to the great room Gracey had seen more Christmas decorations than she could ever imagine in one room. Tables upon tables of food lined the room, all with exquisite centerpieces designed specifically for the season.

  Gracey's eyes turned to the way she was dressed today, a simple outfit, unlike the party dress she had worn that night. Gracey smiled for a moment remembering the first time she met Stone. Even at thirteen, Gracey was blossoming into a beautiful woman.

  Stone was a handsome young man, with a muscular build, soft blue eyes, and wavy blonde hair; not yellow blonde like Gracey's but more golden in color. Stone smiled charmingly at Gracey, and she softly blushed. The scene would replay itself every year. Every year he would smile at her, and every year she would blush.

  Gracey could not hold back the tears as she remembered the last Gala she had attended. Molly, Mayra's caregiver, had helped Gracey dress for the party. Gracey's long blonde wavy hair was perfectly styled, and her makeup looked natural while drawing attention to her emerald green eyes. She was wearing an emerald green cocktail length dress. It was simple and devoid of ornamentation, yet the gown draped her perfectly while accentuating Gracey's flawless figure.

  Gracey's mother was in the family room, propped up on the couch, awaiting Gracey's grand entrance. Mayra always bid her husband and daughter farewell as they headed to the annual event. Gracey entered the room with grace and confidence, a trait her mother had drilled into her since she was a child. It was the happiest night of Mayra's life. Gracey's elation matched her mother's that night.

  Gracey had to stop. The memory was too difficult for her. She knew how the night would end. She knew how her life would change forever. Gracey tried to remember how Stone had smiled at her that night. She remembered blushing.

  But the happy memory quickly disappeared, only to be replaced by the nightmare Gracey relived time and time again. Only the nightmare was not delusive, it was real. Even with her eyes open, Gracey could see herself enter her home after the Gala. She ran up the stairs to her mother's bedroom, excited to tell mother about the party and present her the chocolate truffles Gracey had tucked away in her clutch. But as Gracey reached the top of the stairs, she could sense something was wrong. Gracey rushed into her mother's room and stopped dead in her tracks. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing would come out. She tried to call for her father but could not utter a syllable. Gracey forced herself backward, each step taking all the energy and courage she could produce. Once out of the room, Gracey turned and met her father head on in the hallway. “Oh Daddy,” was all she could utter before collapsing in his arms.

  Gracey stared at the dry dirt beneath her shoes to remind herself she was in Africa. She pulled a tissu
e out of her pocket and blotted away her tears. She took a deep breath and braced herself for what was about to happen. She was going to see Stone again.

  Sadness overtook Gracey, yet again. Deep down, she knew she only had this job because Stone's father Rudy had taken pity on her. With no money to attend college and her childhood home sold to pay her father's legal expenses, Gracey had nothing. Her father had been convicted of killing a man in a bar fight just hours after her High School graduation ceremony. Within six months, Gracey had lost both her parents and was penniless. At eighteen and no chance of going to college, she accepted the job offer and moved into a boarding house closer to work.

  While Gracey worked at the bank owned by Stone's father, she rarely saw Stone. Stone had no need to come to the training department in the basement and Gracey had no reason to visit the executive suite. But life in the basement was hell. Gracey often wondered if things would have been different if her father still worked there. Maybe then she would have a reason to visit the upper floors. Maybe she would have had a chance to see Stone.

  Working in the basement of the bank was not always pleasurable, but Gracey could afford a room at Ms. Maple’s boarding house. Gracey's fall in social status invited the girls from the working class families to look at her with spitefulness in their eyes as if to say, look at you now, rich girl. Gracey had no friends. Just as she was alone while spending her childhood caring for her mother, she was alone again. But Gracey was too busy for self-pity. She was able to focus on her work and the lack of socializing allowed her time and money to take business classes at the local community college. After a few years, Gracey was promoted to the position of a trainer.

  Gracey thoughts turned to her destination; the community building on the wildlife preserve where she would see Stone again. Gracey wondered if he would remember her. Had he ever actually noticed her all those years ago? Or was it just a polite smile?

  The road curved slightly to the right. Gracey would soon arrive at her destination. Gracey's heart and mind continued to race as the landscape changed. White stones lined the roadway, and grassy areas appeared on both sides with trees that provided shade from the morning sun. The temperature was already reaching 100 degrees. Luckily it was the dry season, and the lack of moisture in the air made the heat bearable. Still, Gracey secretly hoped she would be able to enter the building, unnoticed and have a moment to check her hair, pat her face with a little powder and apply a new coat of lipstick. Lipstick? Should I? Gracey pondered silently. She did not want to look as if she was trying to be noticed. Normally she wore a clear lip gloss.

  Gracey came to the end of the road and climbed the steps to the wooden building which had been rented by Rudolph, Inc. A covered veranda fully encompassed the building and reminded Gracey of some of the houses back home with wraparound porches. But instead of the whitewashed wood, the wood was dark brown, the color of mahogany. A native style thatched roof covered the structure.

  Gracey entered the breezeway. The main hall was open to the back of the building and back onto the veranda. It was designed to allow a breeze to cool the space naturally. Several rooms lined the hallway on both sides. The larger conference room was on the far right. Gracey was alone in the hall and started walking to the restroom to freshen up from the walk. She could feel her heart pound. She felt anxious, fearful. Just a few more steps, she told herself. So preoccupied with her thoughts Gracey did not notice the conference room door was already open in preparation for Stone's arrival. She knew she had time. Still, Gracey felt the urge to turn and run away.

  Just a few more steps, Gracey told herself again. You are almost there, Gracey, breathe; just breathe. Suddenly a large communal laugh came from the conference room. Gracey froze. Her heart stopped as did her breathing. Fear totally overcame her. Gracey quickly glanced toward the room, then to the restroom. Could she escape the hallway before anyone noticed her arrival?

  Gracey's eyes darted back to the conference room. How long had she been standing in the hallway afraid to move? Seconds? Minutes? “Breathe, Gracey, breathe,” she told herself again; this time aloud. She heard the rest of her group laughing, but one laugh stood out. It was Stone. Gracey had heard his laugh every year for five years growing up. She knew it instinctively. She felt flush. She felt the sweat beading on her forehead and a lump in her stomach. Stone had arrived early. Gracey's panic swelled a hundred-fold.

  Before Gracey could take the last few steps towards the restroom, she heard his voice. Before she could take another breath, she heard his voice.

  “Gracey,” Stone called out. “I heard you would be here. I am so glad you came.” Stone was getting closer; walking towards Gracey while he greeted her.

  “Mr. Rudolph,” Gracey replied timidly. She was speechless; he remembered her.

  “Stone, please call me Stone. We have known each other too long. How long has it been since we have seen each other? Six years? Unbelievable. You have not changed a bit; except your hair. You cut it shorter. I like it.”

  Before Gracey could extend her right hand to offer a handshake, she found herself in an embrace. She could feel Stone's muscular build through his linen shirt. She blushed. Had anyone seen them? She could hear everyone else in the conference room. No one had followed Stone out of the room.

  “I'll meet you in the conference room,” Stone instructed. “I just need to wash up a bit; long trip.” Stone's eyes darted towards the Men’s Room. All Gracey could do was nod as Stone disappeared.

  Quick, Gracey said to herself. Here is your chance, and she disappeared into the Ladies' Room next door.

  Gracey knew she could not fool Stone now. He had already seen her at her worst; sweaty, shiny, no lipstick. So Gracey checked her hair. The curls of her bobbed cut were all in place. She splashed some water on her face, neck and quickly dried herself. Gracey stood staring at herself in the mirror; both her mind and legs were paralyzed. Should she leave first or wait for Stone to go back to the room first? Before Gracey could decide, she heard Stone back in the hall. Count to ten, Gracey said to herself and took a deep breath.

  The afternoon was spent reviewing the training schedules and the implementation of the new equipment. It was just a formality as the plans were finalized before any of them had left the United States. Stone was the last to arrive. Two other trainers, Pierce and Steve, plus Gracey, and the department head, Jim, had arrived on Sunday. The new equipment had been delivered, inventoried and tested. Local trainers had been selected. Stone was not normally a hands-on Director of Operations for his father’s company. However, he had decided to come to Africa for the start-up of the new branch. This was Gracey’s first new branch implementation and her first time out of the country.

  Gracey made it through the afternoon and keeping her focus off Stone by volunteering to transcribe the events of the day. An early dinner was catered and ended the meeting for the day. The dinner conversation was concentrated on a mix of the trip to Africa and the local customs and food. Gracey made it a point to stay out of the limelight; speaking only to answer questions when directed at her.

  Dinner was almost over, and Gracey was already thinking of a refreshing bath and cooler clothing. The day had seemed like an eternity, and she needed to relax after a day of being on pins and needles. More than anything, Gracey needed to breathe.

  Finally, the table was cleared, and it was time to adjourn to the next day. Gracey started gathering her notes so she could make her getaway. The men started out first, and Gracey lagged behind to give them a head start. She needed a moment to regain composure for the walk back to the hotel. She would forego the transport back. She wanted the opportunity to walk alone. Papers in hand, Gracey was ready for the day to end.

  Gracey reached the porch quicker than she had anticipated. She noticed the evening breeze had already started to lower the temperature a few degrees. Anxious to take her first relaxing breath, she was s
tartled to see the hotel van waiting for her. “Jump in,” Stone instructed, smiling. Gracey glanced down the road and opened her mouth to reply she would walk. But Stone insisted, “There is enough room for us all.”

  Gracey was reluctant but jumped in the third seat wanting no one to be able to see her. While the men talked during the short ride to the hotel, Gracey stared out the window. She pretended she was seeing the village and her surroundings for the first time.

  The hotel the group was staying at was the finest in the area and located near the entrance to the wildlife resort. The cool air as Gracey entered the lobby was welcoming. If they had not all been standing together in the lobby, she would have welcomed her first deep breath of the day. But Gracey’s mind was still racing. How much did Stone know about her life since the Christmas when she was seventeen? It had been six years. Could Stone see the shame and sadness in her eyes?

  Gracey tried to make her exit moving towards the elevators slowly and quietly while the men continued their conversation. Gracey wondered if she would make it through the next ten days with her sanity intact.

  Gracey reached the elevator and pushed the ‘up’ button. She removed the key card from her back pocket and nervously rubbed it with her fingers. She impatiently glanced back towards the lobby. Would her escape plan work? Just as the elevator door opened, her worse fear came to fruition, “Gracey, are you joining us for drinks?” Gracey heard Stone ask.

  Gracey’s boss stood slightly behind Stone. Having worked for Jim Smith for nearly five years, first as an assistant and then as an assistant trainer, Gracey could read Jim's expressions with ease. Join us. It would be employment suicide, not to. Gracey knew that face. There was no escaping. “Sure,” Gracey replied hesitantly. “I need just a few minutes to freshen up, and I will be right down.”

  Gracey jumped into the elevator, holding back her tears. She felt as if one of the elephants from the animal sanctuary had just sat on her chest. She pushed the ‘close door’ button over and over. She did not want anyone to see her cry.

  The elevator reached the fifth floor far too quickly. Gracey froze as the doors opened. She had to make a conscience decision to egress. She moved slowly towards her room, each step an effort. Time seemed to race and drag simultaneously. Filled with dread and fear, Gracey removed the key card again from her back pocket and opened the door.

  Gracey quickly stepped inside, closed the door and stood with her back against it. She exhaled and slumped until she was sitting on the floor. She no longer had the energy to remain standing.

  Gracey closed her eyes. She knew she had to go back downstairs. She knew the look Jim had given her. After five years together she knew that look. Do not let me down; do not make me look bad in front of the boss.

  Do I change clothes? Do I shower? What do I do? Question after question raced through Gracey’s head. I have to do something. I have to cover for coming up here. Gracey entered the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Déjà vu – here I am hiding in the bathroom again, she mused. How totally pathetic can I be?

  Gracey glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had passed in just a matter of seconds. Omigod, I better get down there. Gracey quickly washed her face and arms, spritzed a small amount of perfume into the air and walked into it. ‘Less is more’ her southern bred mother always told her. Gracey quickly donned a fresh blouse and darted out of the room.

  Gracey realized she needed to quicken her step. Thirty minutes had passed, and she could visualize Jim’s face and his gaze of disappointment.

  Minutes later, Gracey entered the bar. While it was dimly lit, it was still too bright for hiding. Gracey's fair complexion and blond hair almost glowed in the dark. She approached the table looking at the two empty chairs. There was one next to Stone and one directly across from him. While she did not want to have to spend the evening in his direct line of sight, she headed to the seat furthest away from him.

  “There she is. Come sit over here,” Stone called out, as he patted the seat beside him. Gracey froze not knowing where to sit. While she was weighing her options, the waiter had taken notice of her arrival. Gracey's natural beauty and yellow blonde hair were hard to ignore, and he was immediately at Gracey's side to take her order. Looking around Gracey took notice of everyone else’s drinks; beer all around except Stone, who appeared to have a mixed drink with cola and lime. Gracie rarely drank alcohol, but she had a sudden urge for a double shot of Tequila to calm her nerves. Turning to the waiter, she decided to play it safe and ordered a glass of white wine. Slowly Gracey made her way to the seat beside Stone and sat down.

  Gracey sat quietly sipping her wine. She fidgeted and kept looking around the room; anything not to make eye contact with anyone while the men talked about work. Suddenly there was a lull in the conversation. “Gracey, Gracey, Earth to Gracey,” Stone chuckled while nudging her. Gracie jumped, startled by everyone staring at her.

  “Jim, did I ever tell you Gracey and I grew up together? Well, not together but her father worked for my father, and we saw each other at company get-togethers. Heck, I haven’t seen her in almost six years, at a Christmas Gala wasn’t it?” Pierce and Steve looked surprised. Of course, Jim was not as he worked for Rudolph, Inc. for many years and had known Gracey's parents. But Gracey and Jim never spoke about her mother’s death or her father’s imprisonment.

  Gracey blushed, not with embarrassment but from fear that Stone would blurt out all her secrets. They had not seen each other since that Christmas party, the last Christmas party she and her father attended; the night her mother was murdered.

  Stone quickly sensed Gracey’s fear. He could almost smell it over the scent of her perfume. Where have I smelled this perfume before? Stone thought silently. It was not one of the popular brands. It was an older perfume. A perfume that his mother and some of the older women used but not one he knew by name. Stone quickly changed the subject to the cricket game being televised. Stone looked at Gracey as if to say ‘I am sorry,’ and she could see the remorse in his soft blue eyes.

  But Gracey saw more than just remorse. Not just his sorrow for what he had said but for something else. Now Gracey was curious. Just minutes before she was desperate to escape Stone's glances, now she was staring at him. Question after question raced through Gracey's head. What is he not saying? What does he know? What is he hiding? Why are his eyes sad and dark? Gracey continued to stare hoping Stone's face would provide the answers.

  Gracey's quizzical appearance could not be masked. Her expressions always gave her away. Stone noticed she did not have a poker face. Gracey tried to distract herself. She quickly finishing her wine and excused herself. “I'll be right back,” she said and stood up. Under the guise of a restroom break, Gracey headed for the main entrance of the hotel.

  Seeing Gracey approaching, the stately doorman opened the door and held it for her. Gracey stepped out into the darkness and exhaled. The temperature was cooler in the darkness but still too warm to put her at ease completely. She quickly looked around for a place to hide and ruminate.

  Across the drive and entrance to the hotel was a small garden. Gracey had noticed it upon her arrival but had never entered. Advertised as a meditation garden in the hotel brochures, Gracey walked towards it. It would be the perfect place to hide while trying to regain her equanimity. There was a path on either side of the tall vine-covered lattice wall into the garden. The vine had bright pink blooms she could not identify. They were not native to her home. Upon entering the garden, she heard the fountain which stood in the center of the garden with a path encircling it. More flowers were in bloom on the outer edges of the circular shaped garden with benches on four sides. The garden was dimly lit at night with most of the lighting coming from the fountain. Gracey stared at the fountain wishing she had a penny to make a wish. A wish she would wake up from this nightmare she had been living for nearly six years.

  With no
energy to walk another step, Gracey sat on the bench just inside the small sanctuary and hid her face in her hands. Without warning, she began to cry. Not the hysterical tears which she usually experienced but soft, lonely tears. She had come to Africa to escape her sadness and loneliness, the stares, and the whispers. These were tears of despair and self-pity.

  Gracey was glad her back was to the entrance of the garden; giving her some anonymity. She was relieved no one, but the doorman knew she was in the garden, allowing her some privacy, while he watched over her safety. As quickly as the tears started, they stopped. Gracey took a deep breath and steadied herself for her next battle. It was routine for her; cry, breathe, and pulled herself back together and fake it.

  As Gracey finished exhaling, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she jumped and almost let out a small scream. “I am sorry; I should have announced myself,” Stone said softly, almost a whisper. Gracey looked up and saw his sad, blue eyes. Slowly he sat beside her. “I am so sorry. I am sorry I made you sad. I am sorry I brought up unpleasant memories. I am sorry for everything.”

  Gracey just stared; a mixture of confused and surprised. What was Stone not saying? What was he so sorry about?

  They both turned away and looked towards the fountain. Stone took Gracey's hand in his, and they sat in silence.

  Was it a minute? Was it an hour? Gracey lost all concept of time. How long had it been? She stood. Stone stood, and without any words spoken, Stone released her hand. They slowly walked out of the garden and back to the hotel entrance where the doorman opened the door upon their approach. Stone allowed Gracey to enter first, being a southern gentleman. Once inside, Gracey glanced back towards Stone, but he was gone.