Chapter 1:

"Agh, Zeus!" I screamed, immediately laughing as his pink tongue licked my face. "Ok, ok, I'm awake!" I laughed as my big, black Great Dane grinned his goofy grin at me. How could I ever stay mad at those adorable puppy-dog eyes? He is so cute with his little white socks and his white blaze down his chest; his big brown eyes always seemed to be laughing at me.

I rolled out of bed and loosely tied up my long, dirty-blonde hair up in a messy bun, before getting in the shower. The water was warm and loosened all my tense muscles, it felt so good that I didn't want to get out, but I knew I had to. I finally got out and put on a pair of ripped jeans, a tank top, and my signature leather jacket, before applying a small amount of eyeliner around my blue-grey eyes.

I ran downstairs, Zeus following close behind, and decided I would make choc-chip pancakes for breakfast.

"Kaitlen!" I yelled, "I'm making pancakes wake up!"

Kaitlen is my best friend; I live with her in a small house in the middle of a tiny town called Dead River.

Kaitlen finally walked downstairs, still half asleep, and ties up her hazel-brown hair in a messy high ponytail before sitting down at the table.

"What are we doing today?" She half yawned, half asked.

"I was thinking we could go to Riverdale for the day if you want?" I ask

Riverdale is 50 kilometres from Dead River, but it is the only big enough town to have a shopping centre in it.

"Is Asher going to be there?" She asked with a smirk.

Asher is my boyfriend, and also the sheriff of Dead River. He is two years older than me, but still only 19 – in any other town it would be illegal to have him as sheriff, but because Dead River is so small he is allowed to be under the age of 21.

"Of course he will," I said, playing along, "I can't go anywhere without him!" I said dramatically before bursting out laughing along with Kaitlen. "Yeah, I'll call him and see if he wants to come," I said in a more serious tone, once we had recovered.

I call Asher to ask if he wants to come with us, and, with Kaitlen listening to my every word I say into the phone, "Hey Asher, uhm... we were going to go to Riverdale for the day, uhm... would you want to come?" The nervousness in my voice is evident.

"Yeah, I would love to come Em!" He answered sweetly, instantly calming me with his... excitement? I love it when he calls me 'Em', it sounds so intimate and romantic; it always gives me butterflies. "Do you want me to pick you guys up?" He asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah that would be amazing, thankyou!" I answer happily and considerably calmer.

We choose a time for him to pick us up before exchanging 'goodbyes' and hanging up. I direct my attention back on Kaitlen before catching her up.

"He'll pick us up at 10:00." I say coolly, a small smile playing on my face.

Kaitlen must notice because she starts laughing at me, "You're so smitten!" She adds between laughs.

"I am not!" I defend myself, but I can feel my cheeks betraying me by blushing.

The more I think about him, the more I realise she is right. Every time I see him, my feelings grow and I feel my heart melt a little more for those beautiful brown eyes and his curly brown hair that sticks out on top of his head. His entire chest muscles seem to ripple any time he moves, his single left arm tattoo – a black and white wolf surrounded by patterns and swirls that ranges from his shoulder down to his forearm. He towers over me like a giant, even though I am short, I feel like an ant next to him.

"Emma?" Kaitlen's voice tears through my thoughts.

"Oh... what? Sorry..." I stammer, snapping out of Asher-world.

Kaitlen laughs at me again, "Let me guess, thinking about Asher are we?" She teases, still laughing.

I roll my eyes at her, "Pancakes are getting cold; you better eat them before Zeus does." I say, changing the subject.