RUBY.I didn’t know if I should believe him. My heart wanted me to listen, while my mind wanted me to leave. I knew my heart wanted to be mended, but my mind was telling me it couldn’t be mended—that it was impossible. I didn’t know which to trust, so I just kept quiet and allowed him to hug me.“Please, baby… I can explain,” he muttered. “Should I go on?” I nodded once. He sighed deeply, rubbing his chin on my head. The gesture was oddly comforting, but I’d be damned if I admitted it.He fell silent for a moment, and just as I began to worry that he might change his mind, he cleared his throat.“I wanted to introduce you to the pack as my mate right after we arrived, but I thought you needed more time. With everything that’s happened to you, I believed you needed a break. That’s why I was upset when you wanted to start training the day after we came home.”Home. It was the only word my brain registered. He said after we came home. Does that mean he saw this as my home? I left his
Training went as expected. Unlike the other days, I refused to spar with Gamma Eric. I still wasn’t over their betrayal. I understood they were following orders, but I was their Luna, even if not officially. That should have counted for something.Instead, I asked to train with other wolves. First, a male, then a female—neither of whom matched my strength. Despite going through the motions, my heart wasn't in it. How could it be when my mate was hiding something from me? I didn’t believe what he said about needing more time, but I chose to let it go. If not for my sake, then for Falcon’s.I couldn’t afford to lose her again. Not after the stunt she pulled when we were banished from the Oakwood pack. The memory still burned, and I didn’t want a repeat.As I stood alone, hands on my waist, my eyes wandered over the group of wolves—some laughing, others still sparring. That’s when I felt a tap on my shoulder.The scent of jasmine filled my nostrils. I turned to find Louis standing there,
Clinton and I had grown closer since the day I was initiated into the pack. I wanted to give him another chance to redeem himself, and he had been making a sincere effort to improve.He'd bring me breakfast in bed, give me surprises, and make out with me in the bathroom. I had never had shower sex before and boy was it amazing. It was everything. Like, literally! What authors write can't compare to the glorious moments I had. Clinton told me that Alpha Kael informed him that he cut Dawn and Beta Alvin's head off as punishment for killing his father. I was shocked he did that because when he thought I was the murderer he only banished me. Now his own cousin, he had her head. I was happy with the news, that way, I can live in peace. Last night, I had a conversation with my mate. I told him that I wanted to start working. I couldn't stand the way I was living in the pack house, leading the life of a princess. It didn't suit me. All my life, I had trained to rule—it was in my DNA. But s
Shock hit me like a lightning bolt, freezing my breath and leaving my thoughts in a tangled storm.What?! Fiancée?No. No. No. It can’t be possible. Absolutely fucking not possible.Or… was it?With a swift move, I turned toward Clinton, who still stood rigid, glaring at his mom and the woman—his fiancée.I expected him to refute his mother’s words, to at least try and defend himself, but he didn’t. He simply glared at them, like he had been the one betrayed.And that was when it started to sink in. The realization hit me like a freight train, so strong I nearly stumbled.The truth had been there all along, but I had been too blind to see it. He was using me. He claimed me as his mate but not as his Luna or Queen. Clearly, he had another woman outside who would fit into that role. For all that was worth, I was just an ordinary wolf to him. One with a terrible past that he couldn’t see a future with.“Did the Alpha mention anything to you this morning before he left?” The Gamma's words
CLINTON. I stood frozen in place as I stared at the Seraphina. Mother invited her over. So, she was the gift she had been talking about? Oh shit, why was I so stupid? I knew who my mom was… knew what she was capable of doing. Yet, it didn't occur to me that she'd be bringing Seraphina over. I could feel everything Ruby was feeling through the bond. Even though we hadn’t marked each other yet, the bond had slowly activated the moment we made love. I knew she had no idea I could feel it all—otherwise, she would’ve blocked me out. But instead, her rage, anger, and disappointment came crashing down on me like a tidal wave. It was overwhelming, so much that I couldn’t move or speak.Seraphina and my mom had a triumphant look on their faces. They did this one, hadn't they? They planned this together. I was clear to them both that I was done with Seraphina, yet, they still didn't want to let me be. Ruby removed my hand holding her, her fingers trembling. That was when my senses returned
RUBYI had two options.Remain here in his penthouse or reject him and his pack and leave.I tugged my hair as a scream escaped from my mouth, my body landing on the bed. I flailed my legs in the air as I rolled from side to side.After my conversation with Kiara, I returned to my old room. I wanted to be alone for some time, and she respected my wishes after making me promise her that I wouldn't hurt myself.Now, after being alone for a while, I still wasn't able to come to a conclusion. I knew going back to the packhouse was a no-no. I couldn't return there with Clinton's fiancée right there and his mom too.And also because I hated Clinton.He broke my heart without even blinking, and I knew he had already forgotten about me. He hadn't come after me to feed me his lies like he used to.“You don't hate mate. You love him… we love him, Ruby!” Falcon huffed. “He loves us too, I'm sure of it.”“I don't love him—”I began, but she cut me off. “Oh, you do, alright. But that's aside for n
CLINTON.“Can I at least explain everything to you now?” I asked Ruby, releasing a sigh of frustration. I could see the anger in her eyes, and it was piercing my heart. As soon as I received the information that she was with Kiara, I informed my Beta about the good news before running here. By the look on her face when I arrived, it seemed like she knew I was coming because she was prepared. “I already gave you a platform; you can choose to lie to me like you have always done,” she answered nonchalantly. I was going to tell her that I had never lied to her, but I knew it might raise more walls between us, and that was something I didn't want to happen. “Seraphina and I were childhood friends turned lovers. We took a dark oath…” The words just left my mouth. I didn't want to say these words, but they were out already, and there was nothing I could do. She froze where she stood, a whirlwind of emotions swirling in her eyes—panic, betrayal, and anger. I could see when realization h
When we arrived at the pack house, Beta Asher and Gamma Eric were standing at the entrance. They acknowledged me, but I ignored them.I walked past Clinton and headed straight for our room, but the sight that met me there made me want to punch the wall.My luggage stood at the entrance, and I clenched my hands to control the rage spiraling inside of me.Calm down. I took a deep breath as I repeated the words again and again.I grabbed my luggage and pushed the door open. If I thought seeing my things at the door riled me up, then what was before me now was worse.A lady's panty lay on display on the bed. The sheets had been changed; they weren’t the ones that were here this morning. The room smelled of her, and I nudged my luggage with my foot as I gently shut the door behind me.Walking toward the bed, I looked at the panty. It was white and new, but still, they had my blood boiling hot.While we were on our way back, I had thought Clinton would have sent her packing before we arrive
Ruby's P.O.VFLASHBACK CONTINUED. “What are you going to do with her?” someone asked, though I couldn’t place the voice. I wanted to open my eyes so badly, but I wasn’t sure if it was the right move. Maybe pretending to stay unconscious would buy me time to come up with a plan to escape.“I don’t know. I could have her killed for everything she did to me, but I won’t,” Seraphina’s unmistakable voice rang out, and I barely held back a snort. Everything I did to her? Ridiculous. “You mean you're just going to let her go? Just like that?” The first voice, filled with surprise, questioned.I was just as curious. After all her threats, why was she planning to let me go? Maybe she feared what Clinton would do to her if she killed me.“Yes, I won’t kill her.”“What if she tells the King what you did to her? Do you really think he’ll spare you?”“You’re too scared, Mom. Relax,” Seraphina laughed. “I have a plan. Don’t worry, it’ll work out perfectly.”My stomach knotted at her words. What
Ruby's P.O.VTRIGGER WARNING: Some scenes are abusive, but there's no rage. If you don't like physical torture, please skip this chapter._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _FLASHBACK TO TWO DAYS AGO.I regained consciousness to someone pouring cold water on me. I gasped and shivered, cowering away as though that would make whoever it was pouring the water stop.And I was wrong.A half-naked man emptied another bucket of water on me before dropping it to the ground like he did with the last one.Seeing as I was now awake, he approached me and sent a kick to my stomach, making me yelp in pain.Raising my arm, I rubbed my face on it, wanting to clear the water out of my eyes because it was starting to make them tear up. It was the only way I could wipe my face because my hands were tied.“I thought you weren't going to wake up,” a familiar voice taunted, making me wince.It sounded like Seraphina, and I started to panic because I knew I wasn't going to leave here unscathed. And maybe... she wouldn'
Later that day, the doctor announced that I was free to go home and I followed my Dad and Pearl back to our palace. Not many things had changed. My room was still like I left it except that it was neat. When I mentioned this to Pearl, she told me that she always asked the maids to clean it up, with the hope that I would return soon. She said that she didn't want me to return and find my room in despair. I was touched. Who wouldn't? Pearl forced me to eat even though I didn't have an appetite to. I couldn't believe that everything I had known had been a lie. Learning that I'm special and what I could do, and that my mom was something else entirely, it was too much. And the most painful part of the information I learnt was the one that Alpha Rhys wasn't my mate. I rejected my pack and left my family for a man who wasn't even mine and wanted me killed. All I wanted to do since I returned from the hospital was stay cooped in my room, with bottles of beer lined in front of me. But Dad a
Flashes of memories flooded my mind, each so vivid they played on an endless loop, over and over again.Dad gave Alpha Rhys—my mate—two choices: reject me or choose me. He rejected me without hesitation.Yet, Dad killed him.He cut off his head.No!!I shook my head, desperate to erase the memory. Sobs wracked my body, trembling violently as the images refused to fade.Pearl embraced me, and I let her. I cried into her chest, and when the sobs finally subsided, I looked up to see Dad standing before me. Tears shimmered in his eyes, and it only fueled my anger. Moving out of Pearl's arms, I lunged. “You killed him! Stop playing like the victim here because you are not!” I panted in between kicking him and raining blows on his chest. “Don't you dare cry as if you regret what you did!” I sent another kick to his knee, propelling myself to stop before I went animalistic. “I hate you!” I held his gaze for a while, letting him see the hate in my eyes before I eventually looked away and
Ruby's p. o. vI woke up with a start.The incessant beeping of a machine and the constant drumming nearby made my head spin. I wish they could move it away. I wish they could—Oh, shit.Where was I? I gazed around the unfamiliar room. I wasn't home. This wasn’t mine and Clinton's room. This was somewhere else. Did we sleep somewhere else…?Something clicked—a memory, sharp and raw. The library. I was abducted and warned never to return to my mate, or I'd be killed.I tried sitting up, but pain lanced through my body, pulling a cry from my throat as I collapsed back down. My mind raced as I took in my surroundings, trying to piece together how I got here. The last thing I remembered was running like my life depended on it—because it did.A drip hung on the wall, and panic surged through me as I noticed it was attached to my left hand, the IV's beeping in sync with my racing heart.Thud. Thud. Thud. My heart pounded faster. I needed to leave before someone came in and started hurting m
Clinton's p.o.vIt has been a few hours since we started searching for her. Our search came up empty. She was nowhere to be found. I was getting tired but I knew I could not go in without her. I needed to see her before I went crazy. Kai had been going berserk in my head, he needed to see his mate before he could calm down but there was nothing I could do. I was yet to hear from the warriors if they had seen her and I knew because of my threat, none of them would dare return without her. In as much as I wanted to beat my Gamma up for his foolishness, I knew it wouldn't bring her back. There was something strange going on. When I went back to her work place to look for her, she wasn't there and Kai and I couldn't sniff her. It was as if her scent had been wiped off completely, and it was making me more worried. I was pacing around when I heard footsteps behind me. I didn't turn around before I knew who it was. I could recognize my Beta's scent anywhere. Musk and coffee. “Any news
Clinton's p.o.v I had a really hectic day. I noticed something wrong with my company report, so I spent the day at the office, searching for the problem. Eventually, I found it—a mistake with one of our products had caused a huge shortage. We lost a lot of money, but I didn’t fire the man responsible, even though that would have been the easy, fair choice. After interrogating him thoroughly, I knew it was an honest mistake. And mistakes are meant to be forgiven. Afterwards, I got in my car and drove to a flower shop and bought a bouquet for Ruby. A lot had happened between us, and I wanted to make sure she was happy. I already fucked up twice, and this was time for me to make things right. Seraphina nearly tore us apart, and I was thankful we managed to deal with her before more damage could be done. The Elders had been surprisingly understanding, accepting my mate without hesitation. It didn’t matter if Ruby held the Queen title or not—she was known and treated as my mate. An
ONE MONTH LATER. Everything had been going well between my mate and me. He had taken me on several dates, where we had a lot of fun because we were in our pack, and I was with him as my mate. We hadn't heard from Seraphina since, and I was grateful for that.The Queen hasn’t paid much attention to us either, though in my encounters with her, she would mostly glare at me, making sure I knew she didn’t like me. Even though I had proven that I wasn’t the prim and proper type of Luna—by taking care of the sick and helping with the house chores—she still doesn’t like me. And right now? I’ve given up. I’m lucky to have Clinton; he’s been a very good mate. I’ve also gotten along with both the Beta and the Gamma.Although I hadn’t had a Luna ceremony yet, the pack treated me as one. I held meetings with the women, and most came to me for counseling. I never knew I could give them the advice they sought, but after seeing the smiles on their faces, I knew I had helped in the small ways I could
The ride to the meeting hall was silent. Clinton had told me about meeting with the Elders because he thought it was finally time. He also wanted to plead our case and discuss what Seraphina had been up to. We kept what she could do to us a secret, except from the Beta and Gamma.Not only that, he also shared his fears about losing his position as King, since it wasn't his birthright. Any misstep from him could cost him the throne.Even the man I encountered yesterday, Carlos was it? Clinton told me everything I needed to know about him. He was his greatest rival and he wouldn't hesitate taking him down from the throne if the opportunity arose. That wasn't all. I learnt that he couldn't just kill the man if he wanted to, even though Carlos was nothing but a thorn in his flesh. He was only tolerating him because it was against the wolf law in killing an Alpha. It came as a shock to me because back in the Lycan Kingdom, Alpha could do as they liked. Because that was because my father—A