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  Deacon

  A New Haven Series Prequel

  By

  NICHOLAS BELLA

  Deacon: The New Haven Series Prequel Copyright © 2020 by Nicholas Bella.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embeded in critical articles or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  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 person as a gift. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please contact the author: [email protected]

  For information contact; address www.nicholasbella.com

  Edited by Heidi Ryan of Amour the Line Editing

  Book Cover design by Jay Aheer of Simply Designs

  Photographed models by Wander Aguiar Photography

  First Edition: June 2020

  Books by Nicholas Bella:

  Series

  The New Haven Series

  The Odin Chronicles

  The Demon Gate Series

  Cobra: The Gay Vigilante Series

  The Gods and Slaves Series

  The Circle of Darkness: The Genesis Circle Series – W/Aimee Nicole Walker

  Mages & Mayhem (Coming Soon)

  Books (Collaborations)

  Undisputed – W/Aimee Nichole Walker

  Theoden: A New Haven Series Prequel

  I want to dedicate this book to all of my Bellaholics. Thank you so much for your loyalty and support over the years. And thank you to my Bellaholics who are members of my Patreon, without your generosity, I would not be able to give to all of my fans these wonderful books and gifts. So, thank you so, so much.

  With all of my love,

  N.B.

  Please Read:

  This is a prequel stand alone in the New Haven/Odin Chronicles Series. It’s the origin story of how one of the most conniving and powerful werewolf Alphas came to be. You will want to read the New Haven series, beginning with season one: Chained in Darkness, then season two: House of Théoden, followed by season three: Prince of the City and Kingdom of Ara. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on anything! You can find the order of The New Haven/Odin Chronicles series on my website: http://www.nicholasbella.com

  Warning: Scenes depicted in this series may be too graphic and dark in nature for sensitive readers.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Life Forever Altered

  Jasmine.

  That was the scent I smelled after my mother pushed me into the darkness of the underground hiding spot that was beneath the floorboards of our home. The light from candles that illuminated the room slipped between the floorboards, keeping me from being in complete darkness. The sounds of my parents screaming filled my tiny ears, terrifying me to my core. My heart thudded in my chest faster than it ever had before. God, please help us, I prayed. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine my mom and how her lovely dark hair and soft, pale skin often smelled of jasmine, a scent I’d always found comforting. It wasn’t working, I was too afraid. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I tried to stay silent while listening to the gut-wrenching carnage above me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop trembling.

  It all happened so fast, no warning was given to us from our pack Alpha or his Capos. I’d been sitting at the dinner table with my mother and father enjoying the delicious venison my father had caught earlier that day. He’d taken me with him because it was important for me to learn how to hunt. I was now ten years old and one day, I’d experience my first transformation, the moment when I’d become truly immortal. For now, though, I was mortal and still vulnerable, but needed to learn how to be a wolf and survive pack life. Those were the lessons both of my parents had been teaching me.

  Oh God, the screams. I could no longer hear my father, just my mum and the muffled voices of the men who’d attacked us. I covered my ears, trying to drown out the sound as I thought about anything other than the attack on my family. I remembered watching my father, Drake Gables, transforming into his wolf. He was so majestic. A beautiful black wolf with gray eyes, and when he’d sprinted off after the deer, I had to keep up with my normal human legs. I had felt the wind rushing against my face during the chase. My heart had raced with adrenaline, pumping in time with my footsteps on the grass and twigs below. I’d finally caught up and watched my father bringing down the deer with a powerful bite to the animal’s throat. A quick kill, merciful. He’d changed back into his human form and lifted the deer over his shoulder with such ease, I had marveled at his strength. Nothing would be able to take down my father… that was what I’d thought then, but right now, I just didn’t know.

  My heart was pounding in my chest so loudly, I could hear the sound in my ears. My stomach was in knots and I thought I would vomit, and the only thing that forced my food to stay down was the fear that they would hear me. I was so worried that whoever attacked my family would find me hiding under the crawlspace. Even as I covered my ears, I could still hear my mother screaming, and the voices of the men laughing above, cheering, their words increasingly cruel. I wanted so badly to go to her, to help her in whatever way I could. But she had made me promise to stay hidden, to not say anything no matter what. Should I keep that promise or break it? Snot flowed down my nose to my upper lip, but I didn’t want to uncover my ears to wipe it away. I was only ten years old, what could I do against this threat that attacked my family? I had no strength, no power, no skill like my father.

  “I’m next,” I heard one of them say.

  “This cunt is sweet,” said another.

  My mum’s screams were muffled, but I knew she was crying. I’d never heard my mum in that much distress. God, I wanted it all to end, for those monsters to leave our home. Should I do what my mother had told me, or fight? What would my father want me to do? He’d want me to be a man and wolf, and we didn’t hide. I steeled my shoulders and took several breaths before I pushed the floorboard open. I climbed out as quietly as I could and scrambled to get to my feet. I had a knife in my hand, the only weapon I’d managed to grab from the dinner table before my mum had shoved me into the crawlspace.

  “Leave my mum alone!” I roared as loudly as I could, but even to me, my voice sounded so frail… pathetic.

  One very tall man stood before me, draped in the pelt of wolves and long wool pants with muddy boots. He was tying his breeches as he looked at me, smiling.

  “The balls on this one,” he said, nodding at me.

  “Indeed. I knew you were under there,” I heard a deep, baritone voice say from behind me. “I was wondering if you were going to come out on your own or if I was going to have to bloody drag you out.”

  My heart skipped a beat as my breath stilled in my lungs. I was frozen in place like a statue, too afraid to move. I heard his footsteps coming around me, then he was standing in front of me. A large man with animal skin and fur wrapped around him and a sword at his side. His red hair was long, down to his shoulders, and his beard and mustache were full. He reached down, placing a bloodied finger under my chin, and lifted my face up to his.

  “Handsome boy,” he said, then grinned. His eyes panned to the knife I held in my hand. “Now, what were you planning on doing with that?”

  I felt something hot and wet trickle down the length of my leg and it took me a minute before I realized I’d pissed myself. The two m
en laughed.

  “Scared, boy?” he asked, his tone darkening, becoming threatening. “Pitiful.” He snatched the knife from my hand with ease, and I jerked back in shock by how fast he was.

  The nausea rose up inside of me again and my eyes clouded with tears as I felt their wetness rolling down my cheeks. “P—please… do… not hurt us,” I begged.

  He laughed then. “A little late for that, boy. Your father is…” he paused and turned, stepping aside, then pointed in two directions. ‘Well, part of him is over there and the other half is over there.” I saw a glimpse of my father’s guts spilled out of his torso onto the floor and shut my eyes as fast as I could.

  The man gripped my chin and guided my face to where he wanted me to look. “Open your eyes, boy.”

  More tears flowed down my face and I shook my head as much as I could considering I was in his grip. “Please, I… I… I do not want to see it!” I begged.

  “Open your fucking eyes and look,” he demanded.

  Terrified that he’d kill me if I didn’t do what he ordered, I forced myself to open my eyes.

  “Now… look at what’s left of your father.”

  I looked at my father’s corpse ripped apart in two pieces. His legs and lower waist were near the front door, so limp and bloody. Again, I had to look at his face. His eyes were open, staring forward and empty of life. His mouth was twisted in a show of immense pain, and I couldn’t imagine the last thoughts that had gone through my father’s mind before he had been murdered. The nausea won out, finally, and I vomited my dinner onto the floor. The man laughed. Some of it hit his hand before he could move out of the way. He didn’t seem to care as he flung the foulness from his fingers, then wiped his fingers off on his pants.

  “No stomach for violence, boy? Don’t worry, I’ll make a bloody man of you soon.” He patted me roughly on the back as I was doubled over, spilling my guts and tears on the floor. I heaved, but nothing else came up. I straightened and looked at the man who held my life in his hands. In the background, I could still hear my mother’s muffled screams and I didn’t know what was happening to her, but I knew it was bad. I knew well enough it was something no woman should ever go through.

  “Please d—do not kill me,” I pleaded in a hushed whisper, barely audible. Some hero I turned out to be. I wanted to save my mother and couldn’t even save myself. I cried hard, snot bubbling from my nose, but this time, I did wipe it away with the sleeve of my shirt. It wasn’t only fear that brought these tears to my eyes, it was shame. So much shame.

  “You, boy, I won’t kill. Natural-born children like you are spared in this territory battle. Well, those twelve years and younger, that is, unless one older proves to be exceptional.” He leaned down, so he could look me directly in the eyes. “So, you are lucky, boy.”

  “M—my m-mum?” I questioned.

  He laughed as he grabbed at his crotch. “Well, she’s lucky to be servicing my friends right now. But after they’ve had their fun with her, she’s of no use to us. Last thing we need in our pack is a bitch with an attitude and a vendetta,” he said.

  I heard the words he’d spoken, but still couldn’t fully imagine what he meant by them. He must have seen the confusion in my expression, because he laughed again and went on to explain. “Men, wolves, they have needs, boy. Needs only a warm body can satisfy.” He lifted my face again to meet his gaze. He was taller than my father and more muscular, and I wondered if he was the one who’d killed my father, or had it been someone else? “A pretty boy like you will learn how to satisfy a man’s needs too. You’re at an age that should be ready for pleasure.”

  With that last statement, I began to understand, yet I wished I was still clueless. I jumped back, gasping in shock and disgust at what he was suggesting. He laughed and stalked over to me.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked and reached out for me, grabbing the back of my collar and scruffing me as one does with a feral cat. “You have got a bit of fire in you, I see. I like that, but you will be brought to heel, boy.”

  “Release my mum!” I shouted as I lashed out in fear and desperation. I swung my little fists, left and right, striking him in his muscular thighs, but to no avail. Still, I fought as hard as I could. I kicked at him, spat at him like a wild animal, doing everything in my power so I could break free and save my mother from the wolves who I now knew were violating her.

  He barked out more menacing laughter as he lifted me several feet from the floor, turning me this way and that as if I weighed nothing. “Such spirit you have, makes me hard just thinking about breaking you in.”

  I was blinded by my tears, no doubt my eyes were red with my fury as well. I must have looked a mess, but I didn’t care. The wolf looked at me and sighed. His breath was hot and rank, it also smelled of blood. I wanted to be anywhere but there with them. This place wasn’t my home anymore, it wasn’t my sanctuary.

  “If you don’t behave, boy, I’ll make you watch my two friends in there plunder your bitch mum’s holes,” he warned.

  I stopped flailing, because my entire body trembled at the thought of witnessing something so horrible. Again, there were more tears. It was all I had to give to my mum’s suffering.

  “Are you going to be a good boy?” he asked me.

  He wanted me to stop fighting, to give in, and it went against everything my father had ever taught me. But, what could I do? I’d given everything I had trying to attack this man and it was all futile. My heart felt heavy inside my chest and everything hurt, crying was only relieving me of a little bit of the pain I was feeling.

  “Answer me when I ask you a question, boy!” the man growled.

  “Y—yes,” I said, my lips trembling as I spoke, barely able to form the words.

  “Yes, what?”

  “Y—y—yes, S—Sir,” I added, and he smiled, pleased with my response.

  “That’s a good lad.” He threw me over his shoulder, then turned to the other man who’d been watching our exchange. “Angus, finish up here with Graham and Bernard, I’m leaving with this bounty.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Angus said, which meant the man who now had me was one of high ranking inside his pack.

  He walked outside and the wind was cold on my body, making me shiver. I was placed on top of a horse and the man climbed up behind me, wrapping me in his arms as he reared the horse into action. Being close to him and his furs warmed me a little as we traveled, and it took a while for us to return to a camp where dozens of tents were set up. We stopped at one and he climbed off and tied the horse to a pole that stuck out of the ground. Next, he pulled me down and took me inside one of the tents.

  “Sit down,” he commanded in his gruff, baritone voice and I did, wrapping my arms around my drawn-up legs. He removed several layers of the fur pelts from his shoulders, draping one over my shoulders, which I was grateful for. He sat down across from me, his blue eyes studying me. He reached for his satchel and pulled several pieces of meat from it and offered them to me. “Are you hungry?”

  “No,” I said and his eyes hardened.

  “Speak to me with some bloody respect, boy,” he growled.

  “No… Sir,” I repeated.

  “That’s better. The next time you forget yourself, I will backhand you to jar your memory, are we clear?”

  I nodded. “Yes, Sir,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

  “Speak up!” he barked.

  I jumped. “Yes, Sir?” I said loudly as more tears rolled down my face.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake, stop crying. Be a man. If you don’t, I’ll give you something to cry about,” he warned.

  You already did, I thought, but dared not say. Instead, I swallowed my sorrow and wiped my eyes, because I was more terrified of whatever his threat held.

  “I’m sure you’re hungry. After purging as you did, I’m sure there isn’t anything left in your stomach. You will eat,” he said, then reached over, tossing the meat onto my lap.

  “What… what are you goin
g to do to me, Sir?” I managed to find the courage to ask after several minutes of silence had passed between us. I picked up a piece of meat and began to nibble on it.

  He looked at me, his blue eyes cold and calculating. “I’m going to raise you, boy. Make you into a man and wolf. I will harden you so the next time you pull a knife on someone, you’ll know how to use it and won’t ever piss your pants in fear again.”

  My heart ached at the memory of me standing before the wolves, helpless as I held the knife in my hand, unable to move as I’d been frozen by fear. Again, I felt shame and lowered my head.

  “I knew you were under the floorboards. I could smell your fear, pungent and pure. No doubt, your mother’s doing, to hide you.” He ate more of the meat he’d shared with me, chewing loudly. “You impressed me when you came out on your own, all full of bravado.”

  “I just… just wanted to save my mum, Sir,” I said.

  He laughed, and it was cruel in tone. “How did that go?”

  “What… what if I don’t want to be here, Sir?” I asked, ignoring his taunt even though it stung me to my core. Because in all honesty, it hadn’t gone well at all.

  He snorted as he chewed. “What’s your name?”

  “De—Deacon, Sir. What is yours?” I asked.

  “Sir, and that is how you will always address me.” He leaned back a little, then smirked. “As for whether or not you want to be here, you have no choice. Be grateful that our Alpha gave command to take natural-born children twelve years and younger, or you would have died alongside your parents. As a human, you will never survive on your own. Not even a year before you would have died of starvation or plague, have been killed, or taken by some brothel or slavers.” He reached over and snatched another chunk of venison he’d taken from my home and tossed a piece to me. “This pack and I are your best chance of survival. Now, keep eating.”