Ruin
War-torn battlefields and the stench of death have been my home for centuries, carving scars on my soul that mirror the carnage I’ve witnessed—and caused. A creature of destruction, condemned to forever walk this earth.
Before this lifetime they used to speak my name in whispers. I was known as Conquest, the rider on the white horse. The first Horsemen to signify the end times, but oh, how wrong they were. We’ve been here since the Gods created us; watching, waiting.
Now they call me Ruin; Wolf shifter and Beta to Alpha Ryker, or rather, The Pale Rider. Every few millennia, we reincarnate as different supernatural creatures, coming into our true power when our human vessels reach the age of eighteen.
Beneath my hardened exterior lies a heart burdened by the weight of the lives I've taken. I am the aftermath of chaos, the aftermath of war, and the start of it all.
How many people can you kill before you become disillusioned with everything? I know The Creators had a purpose when they made me and the others, but sometimes I wish they would kill the human emotions in me whenever I reincarnate.
I feel everything, and I loathe it to my very core.
Sitting atop the tallest building, I overlook the city night sky and inhale the filth these humans breathe in on a daily basis. I still don’t understand why Ryker wants us situated here when we could have been in any other bloody city or continent.
He says it has something to do with the Wolf God’s reincarnation, but I think it’s deeper than that. There’s no reason for him to worry about a lesser God like Xamnir; but then again, who am I to question him when he’s our leader?
/“Ruin, you’re needed back at the pack house.”/
Speak of the devil. Ryker calls for me over the blasted shifter mind link, and I breathe out a sigh before leaping from the building. I parked my Harley down here somewhere, and as soon as I spot it, I make my way back.
What inconsequential mission will he send me on now? Hitman services in Nebraska, or perhaps my favorite, money collecting? Gods, I hate this new life and I am cursed to lead it until The Creators decide we need to reincarnate again.
I arrive at the pack house and take my time walking inside. I’m sure Ryker knows I’m here, but he knows how much I hate this life so he won’t push it. With my hands in the pockets of my black jeans, I find him in the living room staring into the lit fireplace.
I may talk shit about Ryker or feel like he has me trapped here, but I’ll forever fear the man. He’s older than I am, and taller. A bearded, bulky frame of a man who could kill you with one glance.
He may have been the one to arrive last, but Death will always conquer anything. And that’s just what he is — Death.
“I have a mission for you,” he says without looking at me. “But I need you to keep an open mind.”
Bollocks. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he had to say, but once he starts off like this, I know I won’t be able to keep an open mind. This is something I am going to hate, no, loathe with my entire being.
“I guess I’m not going to like it, then?” I say and watch as his shoulder shakes with a slight chuckle.
“No, you’re going to wish death on me and my family,” he says sarcastically, but then he turns to face me and a cold as fuck shiver runs up my spine— they’re completely white.
This can only mean he’s seen something and needs to act on it, so I can’t even fight this if I wanted to. The blasted First Sight he’s been cursed with. Whatever he’s seen needs to be carried out; whatever he’s seen is Fated.
The smirk drops from his face and his eyes flicker back to their human green color, then he walks over to me and hands me the second glass of bourbon in his hands.
“You’re going to Chicago tonight. There’s a mission I need you to carry out and even if it seems trivial, it’s of the utmost importance,” he says, raising the glass tumbler to his lips. “It concerns supernatural creatures certain humans want to help.”
Chicago is Alpha Kai Volkov’s territory, so it surprises me that he’d consider sending one of us there. Then again, he’s close with that Alpha, so there must have been certain clearance given for this mission.
After placing the tumbler on the table next to me, I place my hands behind my back as a sign of respect and I nod. “Understood, boss. Tell me what it entails and I’ll carry it out to the best of my abilities.”
Ryker’s lips are a thin line, so I know this can’t be fucking good. “You’re going to be a bodyguard to a Sovereign’s daughter for six months starting now,” he says, and that’s when I lose it.
“Are you taking the piss? Babysitting? You want me to babysit some spoiled tart?” I ask, dumbfounded. “Please explain to me how that is of the utmost importance, mate, because I can’t see it.”
Ryker sighs and looks at me as if he expected this reaction from me, which makes me even more pissed off. He pinches the bridge of his nose, then shakes his head. “It’s not some girl, it’s a woman; someone’s daughter who needs protecting because of what her father is about to do.”
“And you think I’m the best bloody person for that? Have you met me?” I press, raising my eyebrow.
“Tenebris is out of the question and honestly, can you picture Blight doing it? He’ll kill the girl for just looking at him the wrong way,” he says and tilts his head to the side. “You’re the only one I trust with this.”
When he says it like that, I can’t contain the annoyed growl rumbling in my chest. Another thing I hate about being a wolf shifter is the fucking growling that shows my emotions whenever I’m riled up.
“Fine,” I say, tossing back the bourbon and placing the tumbler on the fireplace mantle. “I’ll pack a bag and leave right away.”
I turn to walk away with fury burning hot in my chest. Six months as a babysitter to some spoilt girl who apparently needs protecting. I get that he trusts me with this, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“Deacon,” he says, and I freeze in my steps, my heart leaping into my throat.
Ryker never calls me by my human given name because he knows how much I hate it. This is the second time he’s done so, the first time being when we met up after being reincarnated… when he found me starving on the streets of London.
Any given name I hated, this one even more so because of the history behind it.
“I wouldn’t send you if it wasn’t important, brother. Just remember that and keep an open mind,” he says with finality and I walk away without even bothering to look back at him.
Yes, I understand completely. So after I pack a duffel, I walk back downstairs, get on my bike and leave the pack house behind for another six months. I know when Ryker has made up his mind about something, there’s nothing I can do.
So fuck it, here I go.
I arrive in Chicago nearly twelve hours later and before I check in with my newest charge, I decide to book into a hotel to sleep and clean up. Showing up pissed off and wired on no sleep will only reflect bad on Ryker. Since he’s into the whole ‘keeping politicians happy to have them in your pocket’ thing, I have to put my best bloody foot forward.
And of course they live in a posh mansion. Fucking hell.
I roll my eyes as I get off my bike a few hours later, refreshed but still annoyed. It’s 9pm now, but the lights are still on; not only that, but there seem to be other cars here. Hmm, I wonder if it’s the right time to come.
As I put my helmet down on the seat, the front door opens and someone runs out. Wait, no, they stumble out and nearly fall down before they lean against a pillar by the steps. It’s a short-ish blonde woman wearing a pale dress.
The scent of peaches floats on the breeze, and it stirs my senses for some reason. I frown at my body’s reaction to the woman, wondering who the fuck she is because the scent of peaches has never drawn me in like this before.
I hear her sniffle and my heart clenches, surprising the fuck out of me. So I step out and walk towards them, intrigued as fuck. Why does she seem so familiar? Why am I so drawn to this woman…and why do I care?
My first step, her head immediately whips up towards me and I blanch at what I’m seeing. Her eyes are pure white as if she’s blind, with the edges a dark blue color. That would make sense, seeing as she stumbled as she ran out.
And how she’s looking at me as if she can’t see me.
“Hello? Is somebody there?” she asks, her voice the sound of a fucking aria and no matter how I try to step back, I find myself walking towards her as if am nothing more than a marionette.
“I can hear your heartbeat and smell your scent; who are you?!” she sounds terrified of me, and she should be, but something in me wants to stifle that fear, so I speak.
“I’m—”
“Ah, you must be Ruin!” Both our heads snap towards the front door and I frown when I see the man walking out. “Ryker said you’d arrive today, but I didn’t expect you so late.”
I narrow my eyes because I know this man. He’s older, but … The last time I saw him was fifteen years ago after a botched rescue mission to save his wife and daughter…
I try not to show my surprise at what I’ve just realized, because there’s no bloody way it can be true. There’s no way this is the same man from back then, and there’s just no fucking way that this woman in front of me is—
“I see you’ve met my daughter already; this is Chloe Jane, your charge for the next few months,” he says, shutting up my doubts.
Now I understand Ryker’s words better, now I see what he meant when I was blinded by fury. And as that realization sets in, I can finally hear the word my wolf is saying.
Ryker is cruel, but the Fates even more so. How could they mate me to a woman I nearly killed, a woman whose life I ruined by my careless actions?
Chloe JaneThis dress feels like it’s sitting too tight on me, but Kim assured me that it’s not. I’ll be meeting my supposed fiance in the next few minutes and for someone who is calm most of the time, I am feeling incredibly nervous.Not because I’ll be meeting him, but how uneasy I am about the entire thing. I understand why I need to do this and why it’s been decided for me. But it feels like I’m about to be a pawn in something major and I have no idea how to stop it.I hear my sister’s heart picking up its pace and once again, I wish I could see her. “Are you happy about this, sis?” I ask the question that has been playing on my mind since my father announced this.She’s sort of been avoiding me, and I know it’s guilt on her part. I doubt she wants this for me, but I’m sure she thinks I’ll be safer in a pack with a strong Alpha as my husband. Again, I catch a spike of anxiety in her scent, but I know my sister … she won’t be honest about her feelings with me. Taking my hand, she
Chloe JaneLast night’s bodyguard introduction went as well as you’d expect. From my father introducing me to the man who has the charming name of Ruin, to him grunting in response. My sister led me inside and didn’t even ask why I’d been there in the first place.Now it’s morning and I’m blindly staring up at my ceiling, knowing he’s on the other side of my bedroom door. My father apparently trusts this man for some reason, and since he’s seemingly making decisions for me, there’s not much else I can do. Besides, I got more of an odd feeling from Alpha Mason than … Ruin. Gods, I don’t think I can call him that name. Does he have a normal name, I wonder?My stomach rumbles and I breathe out an annoyed sigh, knowing I’ll need to go out there to eat something. Well, I’ve never been one to back down from a confrontation, so here goes nothing!I get up from the bed and inch forward towards where I know my door is. My hands are shaking so much from nervousness, and that anxiety just incr
RuinI’m pacing the bedroom that will be mine for the next few months, trying to keep my cool and failing miserably. “WHY DIDN’T YOU BLOODY TELL ME?!”I’m on a call with Ryker right now and I don’t give a shit if he is my superior, he knew what he was setting me up for when he sent me here. He knew this woman was my biggest regret and still he sent me here.“Can you calm down so I can speak?” he says in a low voice, quelling my anger with his tone alone. “I told you to keep an open mind, didn’t I?”I scoff. “An open mind? That’s what you call this, mate? You knew what I was walking into and you kept quiet about the entire thing!”“What does it matter whether I told you or not? You would still have had to go on this fucking mission, Ruin,” he says, bordering on a growl, then he sighs. “Listen, I know this is going to be difficult, but it’s only for six months.”I sit down on the bed and pinch the bridge of my nose. “No, it’s more complicated than that,” I say, gritting my teeth. “Turn
Chloe JaneI didn’t think things could get any worse, but now I realize that my sister has been keeping things from me. It’s not only the fact that she kept the baby thing from me, but I could tell there’s more. Kim isn’t being honest about things for some reason, and she’s mad at me for something as well. I wish I could tell what was going on, because now it feels like everyone is lying to me.Well, everyone except Ruin.I don’t know why that even counts. He’s just my bodyguard, paid to look out for me, protect me and keep me alive. Basically a glorified babysitter. No, I can’t depend on him, either. I need to find out what’s going on before I go insane and preferably before I get married.I can hear footsteps approaching my bedroom, one foot slightly dragging and I know it’s my father. Great, Kim must have told him that I knew about the baby thing now he’s coming to explain himself to me. Guess I have to get my nod and smile routine ready.Three knocks. “CJ honey, can I come in?” M
Ruin I have never hated a wolf more than I hate this pompous fuck in front of me. And the only reason is because he’s trying his utmost best to charm the knickers off Chloe Jane and she’s slowly falling for it. In all my years of being reincarnated as a different supernatural creature, I have never felt what I can only guess is jealousy. It’s like a burning furnace right in the middle of my fucking chest, and I wish it would just stop. They’ve been at this damned restaurant for the last few hours, and although Chloe Jane looked hesitant at first, she slowly started to fall for the fucker and his charms. I can’t even say he’s faking it because he honestly seems into her, but I still feel like shit. I’ve been keeping my feelings in check, or at least trying to, but my wolf won’t stop edging me on. /“She’s ours!”/ he growls, baring his teeth. /“How can you stand there and let her be charmed like that!”/ /“Because it’s my job, you stupid piece of shit,”/ I respond back before quietin
Chloe JaneI can’t remember half of what happened on my lunch date with Alpha Mason, only that I acted completely out of character. I giggled at his jokes, swooned when he told me about our future together, and allowed him to kiss me.My first kiss and I can’t recall how it happened. The only thing I can attribute it to is Alpha Mason’s calming scent, but that doesn’t make any sense at all. I’ve never heard of a wolf being able to control another with its scent alone.This is where I wish I could see, so I could research his pack and its previous Alphas. I doubt my father would even tell me anything if I had to ask, and the same goes for Kim. To them, I’m just supposed to be compliant, and I can’t help but be compliant around Alpha Mason.“This is stupid,” I grumble to myself. I’m back out in the back garden again, and I should be enjoying the last few moments of Spring, but I can’t even bring myself to enjoy my favorite season. All I’m sitting with is the worry that when I’m alone w
RuinAs I suspected, I do not like the fucker for a good reason and it’s not just because he’s about my marry my mate.I thought it was odd when Chloe Jane asked if she behaved differently in front of him, and now I know why. He probably comes from a long line of Alpha with manipulation woven into their scents. I would ask Ryker about it, but he’d probably just say it’s none of my business or that he’ll handle it.But if he’s fucking with Chloe Jane, that IS my business. I know I won’t be able to do much, but I have contacts I can make use of without raising suspicions. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing while I’m here. Whatever Mason’s plan is, it involves getting Chloe Jane to be compliant and docile; it already has my back up in so many ways. She is currently getting ready for the day when my cell phone rings and I spy Ryker’s name, but before I can answer, I see her father, Edward, walking toward me. He’s looking stricken, so something tells me this has to do with Ryker cal
Chloe JaneSo, Alpha Mason couldn’t make it this weekend to spend time with me, and I can’t say I’m disappointed. I wouldn’t have been myself around him, anyway, and it would have left me feeling hollow again.Now I’m sitting in the sun room, reading my Braille dark romance novel and wondering what will become of my life now. I have less than six months left of my independence before I’m to be someone’s wife and womb. As much as I want to fight the fact, I can’t. It’s been decided by those more powerful than me, and I can do nothing but go with the current.Sometimes I wish my life was one of these dark romance novels I usually read. One where the morally gray man takes the usually sweet virgin girl away from it all and worships her, while she never has to worry about anyone harming her because he would kill those who even looked her way.But my life is not a dark romance novel, although this marriage arrangement is quite archaic. “Something sad happening in that novel, dove?”I smi
Phoebe The forest always feels like a different world, a place where I can shed the weight of expectations and just be Phoebe. Not Phoebe, the daughter of Horseman Conquest and A Fate, not the leader-in-waiting of the next generation, just... me. Here, I can escape the destiny that’s been mine since before I was born. It’s a heavy crown, one that requires me to be more than I sometimes feel capable of being. My parents, Goddess bless them, they try to understand, but there’s a part of this journey I have to navigate alone. My brothers, too, they’re caught up in their own destinies, each of us a cog in a machine set in motion before we were even born. Today, the forest feels alive, almost buzzing with a silent energy that speaks directly to my soul. I wander, letting my feet guide me, drawn deeper into the heart of this secluded place. There’s a part of me that dreads returning home, to plaster a smile on my face and pretend all is well. It’s exhausting, playing that role when in
Deacon The room’s dimmed to just a whisper of light, casting soft shadows across Chloe Jane and our daughter, both of them sleeping soundly. It’s quiet now. The earlier flurry of visitors with their well-wishes and blessings has ebbed away, leaving just the three of us in a peaceful bubble. I’m sitting in a chair pulled up close to the bed, elbows on my knees, chin on my hands, just watching them. Chloe Jane’s got this peaceful look on her face, the kind of serenity you don’t often find in the waking world. And our daughter, nestled in her little bassinet next to her, is just as tranquil. It’s a picture I wish I could frame, keep safe forever. I lean back; the chair creaking softly under my weight, and let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. It’s moments like these, rare and fleeting, that make you ponder the grand scheme of things. The Creators had a plan for me, a path laid out since the dawn of my existence. Being a Horseman comes with its burdens, its expectatio
Chloe JaneThe world snaps into sharp focus with a jolt, my body tensing as a sharp pain slices through my belly, ripping me from the depths of sleep. My breath catches, a soft whimper escaping as I instinctively reach for my stomach, the realization crashing over me like a wave.Deacon is by my side in an instant, his eyes wide with concern and sleep-fuzzed confusion. “Chloe Jane? What is it? What’s wrong?”“It’s … I think it’s time,” I manage to gasp out, another wave of pain crashing over me.“Bloody hell,” he mutters, more to himself than to me, as he switches on the lamp. The soft light fills the room, casting shadows that dance across the walls, doing little to ease the growing tension.He helps me sit up, his movements gentle but quick, his concern palpable. “Let’s get you comfortable, yeah?” he says, helping me into a robe. His voice is steady, but I can hear the undercurrent of worry, the faintest tremor that betrays his nerves.I nod, leaning heavily on him as another contra
Chloe JaneSitting across from Ryker in his office, the seriousness of the moment weighs heavily on me. The room feels too large, his desk a barrier of polished wood, but I’m here with a purpose that fuels my resolve. The shadows cast by the low light seem to dance around him, making him appear both as the formidable Alpha he is and the mentor I need him to be at this moment.“Ryker, I’ve been thinking a lot about what my next steps should be,” I start, my voice steady despite the fluttering in my stomach. “With my father...with what happened, there’s a void in leadership, and I believe I should step in. To lead in his place, as Sovereign.”Ryker leans back in his chair, his expression unreadable. The silence stretches between us, thick and heavy, until he finally nods, his demeanor serious. “It’s a bold move, Chloe Jane. You have the vision and the heart for it, but it’s not going to be easy. Especially not in the current climate.”I nod, expecting no less. “I know it won’t be. But
RuinI never expected to feel the absolute completion that came with seeing Chloe Jane walking down the aisle toward me. I thought I was made of stronger stuff, but apparently not when it comes to the love of my life.As it should be.The moment she steps into my arms for our first dance, it’s like the world shifts under my feet. I’ve faced down monsters, fought battles that would turn a weaker man’s blood to ice, but nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to the weight of her gaze on me, filled with love and trust.I pull her closer, our bodies moving together in rhythm with the music, a soft melody that somehow seems to echo the beat of our hearts. “You’re bloody stunning, love,” I whisper, my voice rough with emotion. “Never thought I’d be the type to get all twisted up inside over a dance.”Chloe Jane laughs, that sound that’s come to mean everything to me. “And yet, here you are,” she says, her hands resting on my shoulders, her eyes sparkling. “Dancing with your wife in front of
Chloe JaneThe air feels charged today, thick with anticipation and the kind of nervous energy that makes my skin prickle. I’m standing in the bridal room, my reflection staring back at me, barely recognizable. My belly is massive now, a constant reminder of the life Deacon and I have created together. It’s hard to believe that in just a few moments, I’ll be walking down the aisle, making everything official in the eyes of our pack and the powerful Alphas gathered here today.Leianna is with me, her presence a calming force amidst the chaos of my thoughts. She’s been my rock through all of this. I couldn’t ask for a better friend or a better person to be here with me today. As I pace back and forth, trying to quell the nausea that’s been my constant companion this evening. I halt my pacing and look at her, desperation clear in my gaze. [“I don’t know if I can do this,”] I sign, my hands shaky. [“Chloe Jane, everything will be perfect,”] she signs, her hands moving with grace. [“Yo
RuinI’m sitting across from Ryker, my hands clenched into fists on my knees. The silence in the office is thick, almost tangible, as I muster the courage to voice what’s been haunting me for years. Ryker’s gaze is steady, patient, waiting for me to speak.“I want to tell Chloe Jane about my past,” I finally say, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.Ryker’s eyebrows shoot up, surprise etching his features for a moment before he leans back in his chair, nodding slowly. “That’s a big step, Ruin. But it’s a good one. Purging yourself of that past... Chloe Jane will understand. She loves you.”I nod, not entirely convinced but appreciating his support. “Yeah, I just... I don’t want there to be secrets between us. Not about something this big; something that shaped me this round of my reincarnation.”“Good man,” Ryker says, his voice warm with approval. “You’re doing the right thing.”Ryker was the one who found me starving and out of my mind on the streets. He’s the one who took me in
Chloe JaneI’m seated in the cozy living room of our cottage, surrounded by wedding planners and notebooks. The idea of planning a wedding in the middle of the War of The Five feels surreal, yet here I am, trying to pick out floral arrangements and seating charts. Ryker had gently insisted that we invite the Alphas of our allied packs, a strategic move given the circumstances of the war. I understand the necessity, though it’s far from the small ceremony I originally wanted. But these are strange times now. We need to show our allies that we appreciate them, even if it’s only a wedding.A knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. I’m expecting Leianna, and a smile spreads across my face at the thought of spending the afternoon with her. I hurry over and open the door to find her standing there, a tentative smile on her face.[“Hey, come in,”] I sign, stepping aside to let her through. She nods, her smile growing as she steps into the warmth of the cottage.After a light lunch, wh
Ruin “Spent years blind, only for my fiance to blind me again,” I can’t help but chuckle at Chloe Jane’s words as I lead her into the forest behind the pack house. She’s been complaining about the blindfold for the last few minutes, but I want her to have the full effect of the gift I’ve been working on since she’s been gone. “Oh, aren't we overdramatic. Do Fates have zero patience or something? Hold your horses, we’re almost there, dove,” I say as we walk, only for her to pout more. She’s only been back for a day and she’s already more bossy than before, bloody hell. As we step into the clearing, I can’t help but feel nervous at what her reaction might be. Will she like it? Will she say it’s silly? I suppose I’ll find out in a few seconds. I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. “I’ve been working on this for a while now,” I murmur into her ear. “Welcome home, love.” Then I kiss her soft cheek and remove her blind fold from her eyes. She sucks in a sharp breat