Free Marked for Life by Jaxx Steele

Prologue
     
    Charles came from the back room of the cabin to see his wife feeding their son. He stood in the doorway for a moment to watch them with a sigh of happiness. When he shifted to lean against the door his movement caught his wife's eye. She turned and smiled at him. He returned her smile and crossed the room to them.
    "Hi sweetheart, did you enjoy your nap?" she asked him, accepting the kiss he placed on her forehead.
    "Very pleasant Regina, thank you."
    "Victor just woke up as well. Do you think we can bring him out to play by the lake for a while before I start dinner?"
    "Of course, darling."
    Charles took the child from her as she gathered their things to go to the lake. The old log cabin and the nearby lake had been in Charles's family since long before his birth. The cabin was about an hour south of Indianapolis in Connelly, Indiana where the industrialization of the forest was still kept at bay. Only a few feet outside of the home's back door, just beyond a fire pit and a large tree stump used for chopping wood sat a crystal clear lake. The sun could not be seen through the dense leaves of the trees, but its warmth could still be felt. Its light illuminated the area and glistened on the water in the late August afternoon. Charles escorted his young family outside and they settled on a blanket by the water's edge where they splashed and frolicked happily.
    Sometime later, Charles lay back on the grass playfully tossing the babe into the air then suddenly his head jerked up to look behind him.
    "Honey, did you hear something?" he questioned his wife.
    Before Regina could answer a wolf burst from the trees into the clearing, startling them both. Regina screamed and Charles jumped to his feet instantly. He shoved the infant into her arms and pushed them behind him. The wolf was huge with a wide body and thick, sandy fur. His yellow eyes glared at them and his snout wrinkled as he snarled menacingly, baring his teeth. There was no doubt the wolf was preparing to attack.
    "Run, sweetheart! Take the baby back into the house," Charles commanded.
    Regina moved to do as her husband told her, but the wolf leapt in front of her blocking her getaway. Charles stepped in front of his wife again.
    "Yah! Yah! Go away wolf!" he shouted flapping his arms wildly.
    The wolf held its ground, growling and snapping at him, undeterred by his display.
    Charles looked about frantically for something to defend himself with, but as soon as he took his eyes off his impending attacker, the wolf advanced. The animal landed on the man's chest, knocking him to the ground with a loud thud, but Charles would not give up without a fight. He grabbed the animal by the throat and pushed its snout upward to keep the sharp teeth away from him. The animal was heavy and it took all of Charles's strength to fend him off. Charles swung and landed a strong punch on the wolf's muzzle, stunning it enough to roll the beast off him, but the wolf regrouped swiftly. The wolf bared his snarling, drooling jaws at Charles again. Charles turned on his hands and knees to run. The wolf pounced again, flattening him to the soil. He thrashed back and forth trying to dislodge the beast, but to no avail. The sharp canines found their mark.
    Frozen with fear, Regina's knees gave way. She clutched the baby to her chest as she sank to the ground. Blood stained the fur around the wolf's mouth, flying to the left and right as the beast shook Charles's neck violently. The smell of death filled the air quickly. Tears streamed down Regina's face as she watched the horrifying demise of her husband, but when those evil eyes landed on her, self preservation kicked in. She hopped to her feet and bolted, but it was too little, too late. With a loud bark the wolf dropped the body in his mouth and took off after her, quickly ending her run. The weight of the animal crushed her smaller body into the grass as he landed on her just within reach of the cabin's safety. She tossed the baby