SCAR: Born Like This Chapter 1 - Chapter One

C1 Chapter One

SCAR: Born Like This, Book 1

Paige Evans

This is a mature adult love story.

Scarlett Raine has been running from her supernatural past for five years.. never settling down due to her heritage.

But that could be changing after she bumps into two handsome strangers at Riverstorm Bayou.

The question is, can she trust them considering her special abilities?

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination.

Self-published by Paige Evans

Chapter One

Riverstorm Bayou; this place was to be my new home, which was inhabited by creatures much like myself.. but when they actually find out exactly what I am would they accept me into their town or would they send me away?

I tied my annoyingly wild curls out of my face, only to face plant straight into somebody with a rigid chest and I quickly felt a scolding burning sensation seep deep into my scalp.

I gasped in shock at the sudden worry as I looked up at a tall pale Werewolf slowly only slightly and eyed his ruined suit. It did not help that he was breathtakingly handsome.

His features hurt my eyes; brilliant white choppy straight hair reaching down to his shoulders, smooth facial features and a pale blue pupils.

I paled in comparison; barely any weight on my bones, black wild curly thick hair that reached just past my breasts, light toned with freckles, deep crimson red eyes because of what I was.

‘Most women apologise for shoving into strangers around here, woman’. He growled, as he spat his sentence.

I was absolutely flabbergasted at his rudeness! I was covered in his scolding coffee looking up at his icy eyes. I did not even know what to say in response.

‘Asshole’ I shouted as I ran off.

I heard laughter as I was running. I stopped halfway down the road; this Werewolf was a piece of work! I turned around to see him inches away from me.

Wonderful.. this asshole was the local Alpha. I had just insulted my new boss… how would I even get back from this?

More laughter.. He must have noticed my surprise.

‘Alexander Bayou, at your unfortunate service’. He grinned, as I groaned into my hands.

I could not meet those icy eyes any longer. My gaze fell to the floor in embarrassment and anger.

‘Scarlett’. I mumbled.

I felt warm fingers grab my chin and tilt it up towards the sky, so that I would meet his gaze. I gasped.

He was VERY close. Too close; I stomped on his foot as hard as I could. I knew, however, this probably would not help my case.

He swore, he then grabbed me by the arm and now I was taken down an Alleyway and my shoulders were pinned up against the wall.

I scowled. ‘Get off of me you creep’.

He raised his eyebrows in shock but let out such an odd musical laugh.

‘So the Hybrid is a little spitfire after all? My apologies of course, I have not had any new females in my Territory for a while’.

‘I certainly am not a female to be played around with, Mr Bayou’. I scolded him.

It suddenly hit me that this Alpha knew I was a Hybrid.. was I even safe? He noticed me gasp in fear.

‘Oh relax Scarlett, I will not hurt you. Having a Hybrid sounds handy especially one of your.. expertise’. He snickered.

Shit. I was very aware that I was still pinned down against a wall and that he knew of my past. I needed to get away. This was all a big mistake.. I was definitely not safe.

It was then that I smelt a very weird scent; Alexander froze in shock. I had never smelt a scent like it.. But he seemed annoyed, whereas I was simply just confused.

‘Clearly, the woman is afraid of you, so get your grubby hands off of her. Now’. A oddly confident and friendly voice behind Alexander spoke.

Alexander dug his nails into my skin and I cried out in pain, I was then thrown onto the cold ground.

I looked up to see a blonde haired male; an obvious Shapeshifter of some kind, he reached out for my hand and pulled me up. His scent filled my nose, he smelt like sweat fire and a hint of the ocean.

What was more, he was embarrassed despite simply offering me his hand.

On a closer inspection, still holding his warm hand; I could not help but notice his blonde choppy side swept shaved haircut and illuminated forest green eyes. He was slender but also quite muscular in build. His muscles clung to his clothes. My gaze then went to his petite facial features.. I was getting lost in those features.

He soon began clearing his throat.

‘I do not mean to be rude but uh.. could you maybe let go of my hand, Miss?’ He spoke softly.

What must this Shifter have thought of me gawking at him like a lost puppy. And yet despite my behaviour, he maintained his polite behaviour even as I abruptly let his hand go.

I gasped, throwing my hand back and then I began hugging myself, as a reaction to my embarrassment.

He was clearly unsure of what to say to me and likewise I was the same. This man seemed so confident around Alexander but clearly he was not comfortable around women or maybe just strangers.

‘Gosh, I am so sorry!’ I grimaced, as I picked at my nails. This was my horrible habit that I did when I was anxious.

He began scratching the shaven side of his hair, obviously a habit of his when he was uncomfortable.

Why oh why did this town have such handsome males. I sighed. Would my heart survive it?

‘So.. are you okay? I am sorry if I interrupted your moment with that Alpha, but you did not seem particularly happy in his embrace’.

I glanced at his face before answering him.

He seemed to be trustworthy for a stranger.. I could not help but feel at ease with him. It did not help that I could not actually fault any part of him, he was the most attractive male I had ever come across. But I simply did not stand a chance being what I was and I definitely lacked in the looks and figure department. He definitely did not.

I sighed. I often spaced out a lot; this was a big flaw of mine.

I could not help but remember my efforts with male Shifters in my family’s Pack House which made me feel even more anxious and disgusting. My parents often told me looks were not everything in life and that I should be grateful for being alive.

But now I was lost in my thoughts again; he cleared his throat again, it was enough to wake me from my daze. I shook my head to shake my thoughts away. I was being rude.

‘Thank you for your help.. I honestly had no idea how I would get out of that situation’. I smiled at him.

He blushed and scratched his head again.

What was with this male? I did not understand why he would be embarrassed around somebody mundane like me.

‘I am Scarlett by the way. My friends call me Scar’.

‘Leonard Storm, but you can uh.. call me Leo’. He muttered, while eyeing me cautiously.

‘Walk with me, if you want’. He smiled and gestured at me to follow him.

Just with him smiling at me, had made my stomach knot up and then I also received a twinge of something that I did not want, or I simply did not appreciate right now in this moment in time.

I was blushing, I knew that for sure.

His smile was a shy one. I wondered why such an attractive male was this shy. I did find his manner very gentlemanly, which was a very odd trait for such a male.

He was a fast walker and I could barely keep up. I scowled because I was so tired. I failed to notice the gravel was misplaced and cracked.

And of course, I fell forward, like an idiot, only to end up being in Leo’s arms.

I froze as did he, our faces were now inches away from each other’s but we did not make a move to get away; we both blushed a deep shade of red, as he gulped and began staring at my lips.

I could not believe it was he about to kiss me? I was a complete stranger to him.

‘What odd scent is this?’ He muttered, as he looked into my eyes.

He did not look shy now. And now I was worried because I could smell blood. And whenever I smelt it my eyes changed, as did my scent that I kept hidden from others.

He jumped back in fear of me; my fangs retracted and my eyes had turned an illuminous red; the ugliest part of myself. I was used to that look in people. It shamed me that this happened just before the most attractive man I had ever met very nearly kissed me.

Just my luck; I scoffed lightly to myself.

I had not expected to smell blood anywhere near the seaside. This was why I had come to this town. I could not help but feel a twinge of sadness at the look he gave me now; a look of mistrust and disgust. I was an abomination in most shifters eyes afterall.

‘Move. There is somebody hurt’. I snarled. All feelings drained from my stomach, now I just felt hunger. Which was why I did not like being around blood.

He followed me cautiously and silently. I could feel his gaze at my back, it was not like I would hurt him for crying out loud. I found somebody with his scent; matted wet hair dumped by pier, she had a obvious deep slash around her ribs. I grimaced at the smell of her blood. It made me hungry.

After all, I was a beast. A hybrid of two species.. Werewolf and Vampire.

My fangs pierced into my lip and I tasted my own blood. Leo was oblivious to my sudden pain, clearly he knew this woman. Another twinge of pain, what on Earth was with me today?

I sighed as I regained my composure.

‘Shit! Allison are you okay!?’ Leo shouted as she came into his view.

Leo ran over to the girl ‘Allison’ and checked her pulse; he was fumbling clumsily and muttering to himself. He examined her wounds and snarled in my direction. I froze in panic. Did he think I did this? I had only just got here. I shook my head at him and he paused still scowling in my direction.

‘Fucking Werewolves’. He spat in my direction. I winced in response.

This aggression was not aimed at me directly, but it still scared me. He had been such a sweet and shy male before all of this happened.

I sighed sadly and looked at the ground.

‘Are you going to make yourself useful or not?’ He grabbed my arm and I could not help but shudder. He reminded me of how they treated me before.

He knew enough about what I was even if he despised it; I scowled at him, as I knelt by her body. She had a feint pulse which meant she could be healed.

‘Help me get her somewhere with no eyes, we cannot have them see this can we?’ I muttered angrily.

He gasped at my aggression and I smiled slightly to myself.

‘I am not some weak woman that will do your bidding Leo. But a life is a life, you did help me after all’.

He nodded, as he gently held the woman in his arms brushing the hair out of her face.

‘It is all going to be fine Allie, you will see’. He smiled sadly at her.

Wonderful, another knot in my stomach.

Leo must have really liked this ‘Allie’. I knew I had to save her, letting somebody die over jealousy was something they would do, not me. I grimaced.

‘There is an abandoned church nearby we could use’. He muttered.

It was then that he realised what I was, again. He gasped and shook his head.

‘Sorry, it is easy to forget what you are’. He sighed.

‘Not for me it is not’. I snapped.

Part of me was relieved when he said that. Leo really did test my emotions, amazing really for a man I had just met.

We ended up in a dark Alleyway; where he placed the girl onto his legs, as he sat on the cold ground. He did not seem to care. Another twinge in my stomach told me just how I felt about this ordeal.

I sighed again; retracting my fangs and biting into my hand hard enough that I pierced the skin. I watched for a moment dazed by the sight of my own blood. When Leo’s cough broke the silence, I remembered what I was doing.

I squeezed my wound so my blood flowed out like a pouring stream. I dropped my hand over the girl’s mouth and my blood dripped drop by drop into her mouth, as Leo kept her mouth open because she would not necessarily have accepted my blood so freely. I started feeling dizzy myself and I pulled my hand back abruptly.

Leo scowled at me, in response.

‘Are you sure she has had enough to heal her?’. He growled.

I threw myself against the wall and I licked my wound, it was enough to begin closing. I was a fast healer but just not at healing others however. I was not used to being used in this way.

I started to feel faint; maybe I had given her too much blood. I regretted not eating this morning.

The next thing I knew my body felt extremely cold and everything went black.