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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:Merrick Blake
Last Updated:
2025-02-25 15:27:44
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Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:Hazel Ellis
After an awkward evening filled with more Call of Duty and absolutely zero touching, we went to bed.The soft tone of my alarm woke me up at 2 AM. I expected Merrick would sleep through it, and I was right. The man slept like the dead. What I didn’t expect was that I’d wake up in his arms again.When I’d gone to bed in his room, I’d locked the door—and blocked it off with my suitcase, so the clattering would wake me up if his pheromones drew me out or something.But the pheromones hadn’t been needed. I woke up twenty minutes after falling asleep and with absolutely zero common sense, I’d gotten up, carefully moved the suitcase off to the side of the door, and slid onto the couch with Merrick. And of course, he wrapped his arms around me without a damn question.With my alarm’s quiet music getting louder by the minute, I had to wriggle and buck and flop like a fish to get out of the Grizzly’s arms.Crashing to the floor, I landed in what resembled push-up position and blinked down at
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:Merrick Blake
He leaned down, putting his mouth barely an inch from my ear. If he actually touched me, I’d take him down in a few swift moves.“It’s a hell of a lot more than that. On the surface, it looks like a park. Underground, there’s a massive ruby. She is the heart of the city.”My eyebrows shot upward. “What does she shift into?”He chuckled softly, but there was no amusement in it. “She doesn’t shift. She’s a ruby gemstone, nearly as tall as you are and much wider around. She powers shifters everywhere, colors our hair, and requires a hell of a lot of energy to keep alive. That’s why none of us have left to end the war; we leave, she dies.”“Sounds like a load of bullshit.” I stepped back, folding my arms so they didn’t twitch nervously. I hated feeling like I was out of my league, dealing with something bigger or tougher than me.“I told you that you’d have to see it in person.” Darius lifted his shoulders casually.“Why is that a secret anyone would keep?” I countered.“Because it prolon
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:Hazel Ellis
“Damn.” I whistled, walking around the ruby in a slow circle. It sat nestled in a set of gigantic golden prongs, and Darius was right; it was bigger than me. If I’d opened my arms, I couldn’t have wrapped them around the massive jewel. “All I have to do is put my hand on it?”“Yup.” He nodded, his eyes flicking between me and the ruby.We were in a circular underground room. The walls were white with swirling red and gold designs shimmering on their surfaces, the floor some sort of dark stone. Though the place looked nice, it felt almost sinister.And that feeling had me thinking I needed to ask a few more questions. “Why did you tell me the truth when Merrick wouldn’t?” I asked, taking a step away from the ruby.“It’s been a long time since the jewel has had a wolf’s power, so we don’t know for sure what will happen when it tastes yours. Our best guess is that you’ll take command of the city through this.” He gestured to the ruby.“Blake isn’t ready for the fighting to end. He likes
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:Hazel Ellis
It took both of my hands to hold a spare t-shirt of Noah’s against my nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Liv connected her phone to mine and went through my texts and missed calls while Noah drove and I bled. Mine and Liv’s phones were both frequently lost, thanks to frequent shifting, so we both had an app that let us into each other’s devices from any distance.“Your parents felt the power leave them and they’re freaking out.” She paused. “Shit. All the werewolves felt the power shift, and for some reason, they’re all feeling a pull toward Shifter City. Some of them are already headed our way.”“Fantastic,” I mumbled into the shirt against my face. All I had on was another of Noah’s spare shirts, and my body was still flecked with blood.“Darius finally gave out your business cards—you’ve got about two dozen messages from unmated ruby dudes who want to bang.”I groaned, and Noah grunted. “Fuck my life.” I muttered.“That’s exactly what all these guys want.” Liv shot me a smirk
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:Merrick Blake
“Put me down,” Hazel commanded, her voice muffled by the shirt against her face.“You’re bleeding,” I growled back, my beastly-side completely in control. Humanity fled when my True Mate was injured, and wouldn’t return until she was healed.I set her down on a large rock, far enough away from our vehicles that her friends wouldn’t hear us. My fingers grabbed the shirt, and hers wrapped around my wrist. “Careful,” she warned.I may have been more animal than man, but I didn’t want to hurt her.Only a monster could physically injure the woman he existed to love.Gently, I peeled the cloth away from her nose. She helped me, and I rumbled with worry when I saw that she was still bleeding. “The power is too much for you to hold alone. Mate with me, female.” The words spewed from me without thinking, my pheromones blasting like a damn furnace and ripping control away from me.“Back off, Grizzly.” Hazel’s leg kicked out toward me, her palm reaching for the shirt that stank of her blood and
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER THIRTY:Hazel Ellis
My friends didn’t ask what happened when I came back smelling like desire and anger. I’d wanted that grizzly so damn badly, and he’d shot me down… just like I’d told him to.It was frustrating. Part of me had hoped he would ignore my request and let his instincts take over so I could walk away from him in confidence, knowing he didn’t care enough to tell me the truth or respect my wishes.But he didn’t. He listened, and he respected me. Even when it was clearly difficult for him—his claws were entirely embedded in that tree when I left. It’d take him at least a minute or two to get free.Of course, he and his Harley caught up to us on the highway. He followed us all the way to the damn cabin, and I didn’t ask Noah to lose him. It seemed like a waste of effort when he so clearly planned on following one way or another. If I didn’t let him follow us, he’d just call one of the many other shifters who Liv had given the address of my cabin to and get it from them.When we parked in the gar
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:Hazel Ellis
While I walked with Lenard back into my house, I realized something: I might not even be able to be with anyone but Merrick.Since I’d met him I hadn’t been attracted to any other men. I hadn’t even really been able to admire any of the good-looking guys we’d met after him, despite Liv’s oohing and ahhing. I saw them, and I felt nothing. I saw Merrick, and I felt everything.Leading the mosquito into my living room, I gestured for him to sit down on one of the couches. I sat on a couch across from him, leaning toward him.“I need a favor,” I said.Lenard’s head bobbed. “What’s the favor?”“I need you to kiss me.” I paused, then corrected myself. “I need you to make out with me.”“That’s hardly a favor. You could ask any of those guys, and I can promise every one would say yes.”I nodded; who didn’t want to make out with an eligible bachelor or bachelorette? “This would need to stay between us. Merrick would be pissed if he found out.”“That’s not a problem,” Lenard agreed.“Afterward,
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:Merrick Blake
He was on too much of her—more than he should’ve been if she’d just given him a quick kiss. My growling grew deeper, angrier, as I continued. Though I couldn’t smell any desire from either of them, mine was the only male scent that she should’ve worn.“Stop growling at me, Grizzly,” she complained.I didn’t stop. Probably couldn’t, until she was clean and I saw some kind of confirmation that she was still mine.“I had to know if it was even possible for me to be with another guy. Before I spent the rest of my little bit of time interviewing morons, I needed to know if I could even stomach sleeping with them while our souls were still all connected or whatever.” She gestured at me.I continued my licking and growling, though my growl grew quieter as she spoke. When she didn’t continue, I nipped at her belly. She smacked me on the head, her little hand and swat doing nothing. I did lick her fingers, though.“If you’re trying to ask what happened, the answer is that I straddled him and k
Last Updated : 2025-02-25
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Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FIFTY:Hazel Ellis
"Skunk." My dad grunted. "I thought they were using vinegar.""I'm sure the skunk was unintentional," mom said. "We have twenty minutes until we need to be at the house. Want to go for a run?"My dad agreed, and they rustled around, getting ready."Told you." Merrick's voice was teasing, but not cruel. I finally met his gaze again, and was surprised by what he saw.Lines under his eyes, dark and heavy.I inhaled a little deeper and found out he was tired. Really, really tired."Have you been sleeping?" I asked."My bed doesn't smell like you," he said."That's not an answer.""No, I haven't been sleeping." He finally told me the truth, and it sucked. Mostly because I knew my absence was the reason. And no, it wasn’t my fault, but I was the idiot who ran away instead of staying to talk to him that night.Which I wasn’t going to do again, I decided."You should've told me.""I was giving you space. That’s how I was trying for you, Ellis. I left that note telling you to come back to me w
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-NINE:Hazel Ellis
I laughed at another of Liv's stupid jokes as I slid out of her car, glancing down at the backpack in my hand to adjust my grip on it."Good luck," Liv yelled after me as she pulled out.I waved over my shoulder, finally looking at the motel room door I was headed to. My eyebrows lifted when I saw Merrick sitting on his ass on the pavement in front of it, his back leaned up against the door like he'd been that first night we met. I braced myself for a fight and kept walking.He'd probably smell my excitement at seeing him, because dammit, I’d missed the big grizzly."Please tell me that's lingerie, and you're planning to use it to lure me into your bed," Merrick called out as I approached.I refused to let myself grin. "It's not." It wasn't even all that sexy, considering what I usually wore. Just a simple black bikini: high waisted bottoms, and a top with an under-wire."Nope." I stopped in front of him, putting a hand on my hip. "What are you doing here?"Merrick lazily lifted his h
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT:Hazel Ellis
I didn't hear from Merrick the next day, spending my time meeting tons of shifters, breaking up fights among the asshole werewolves who had already migrated to Shifter City, and talking with the city's council about boring shit.He was giving me space—the opposite of what I actually wanted—and I hated it. His apology note pissed me off. And the key to his house? We both knew he never locked the damn door. He should've followed me home to fight with me until we figured out a solution that made us both happy… and I shouldn't have left in the first place.But what had happened, happened, and it was too late to go back in time.So, after a day of radio silence, I decided to do something about it the next morning.Liv and I crept around the side of his house, wearing backpacks, bikinis, and nose plugs, while doused in enough vinegar to hide our scents from even Merrick. He'd know it was me when he read the note I was leaving him, but I didn't want to give him the privilege of smelling me i
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN:Merrick Blake
I slammed the door of my truck harder than necessary, the impact vibrating through my hand as I settled into the seat, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. The weight of the situation sat heavily in my chest, squeezing the air out of my lungs. My knuckles ached from gripping the steering wheel too tightly, but it didn't matter. I was used to that feeling—the constant pressure of wanting to fix everything, even when I had no idea how to.I reached into my pocket, yanking out my phone, and punched in the familiar number. Blake was my only real source of advice these days. Sure, I had other friends, but when it came to matters of the heart—well, Blake was the one who seemed to know how to make sense of my mess. The phone rang twice before she picked up."Hey, Blake. Is everything okay?" Her voice was clear and sharp, not muffled by sleep like I expected it to be. She was a schoolteacher, after all, and normally crashed before 10 PM to get up for her early morning classes."No," I replied
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-SIX:Hazel Ellis
Riding my bike without Merrick in front of me or behind me was fun, but it was a different kind of fun. There was more adrenaline, less comfort and thrill. That probably doesn't even make sense, but I don't know any other way to put it.When I rode on my own, it was more about the rush. The excitement of me and my bike leaning together, flying down the highway at ridiculous speeds.But when I rode with Merrick, it was different. When he drove, it was a chance to let our bodies move as one, riding together. When he sat behind me, it was more of a challenge. I had to work harder to keep the bike up and had to be more careful with every movement.And I liked that better.We rode side by side, but it just wasn't the same. The adrenaline felt cheap compared to the comforting thrill of riding with my body plastered to my grizzly's.When we headed back, neither of us reached out mentally to each other. We were both aware of the danger of driving distracted, and didn't want to crash.When we
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE:Merrick Blake
Hazel's mom, Henley, crossed to the small sink on the side of the little motel room. She and Roman were set up in one of the motel’s small suites, which had tiny kitchens in them."I need to do some dishes. Want to help?" she called over her shoulder.My natural response would be to pass and make a break for it before she could glare at me anymore. But I suppressed it and met her at the small sink. There weren't too many dishes, but there was no dishwasher.She washed two dishes in silence, handing them to me when they were clean. I dried them and put them away, having to rifle through the four cupboards dedicated to the kitchen to put them away.The moment felt like déjà vu. Up until she died, I'd helped my mom with the dishes almost every night when I was a kid. It had stopped when I moved out, but without fail, every time Chandler and I met at their place for family dinner, mom and I did the dishes together.The memories had my throat swelling a bit even as I accepted the third dis
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR:Hazel Ellis
My body flushed, and I pushed away the desire I could feel building in me to match his.But when he wiggled the taco toward me, I took another bite. Not just to hear him idle, but because it tasted good.Fine, because I wanted to hear him idle and smell him wanting me. I was a sucker for the grizzly."You like the way I smell too," he told me, before chomping into his taco and idling again, just like I'd wanted."Of course I do. I love steak, and you smell better than any steak I've ever had." I lifted my booted feet to his dashboard, reclining my seat just a little. I wanted to talk to my dad, to get advice, but I'd rather listen to Merrick idle a bit first. In the long run, ten or fifteen minutes wasn't going to make a big difference."Does that mean you want to eat me?" He unwrapped a new taco and held it out for me."Does your question mean you've already forgotten that I did eat you?" I countered, then bit into the taco."Fuck, no. If you knew how many times I've remembered the l
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-THREE-Hazel Ellis
"Can you drive to the motel? I need to talk to my dad. He'll have advice… I hope." My fingers were clenched tightly with Merrick's as he buckled himself in with one hand—and then buckled me in with the same hand when I made no move to do it myself."Sure." He pulled away from the small dirt parking lot. We were the last to leave, and I wasn't positive my parents had gone back to the motel, but it was a safe assumption. Unless they had shit to do, they were often homebodies."What do you think I should do?" I asked Merrick a moment later. He knew the city—he led the place. It would take time for me to completely know and trust him, but he knew as much as anyone and would be a damn good source.Hell, he'd controlled the room when I couldn't. Maybe he was more than a source—maybe he was the answer. I wasn’t ready to jump on that yet, but it was a possibility."I don't know," he admitted. "This hasn't ever happened before. The fighting was normal, and to be expected, but the ruby… it's ne
Bound by Blood: Last Ruby Wolf and Her Fated Mate CHAPTER FORTY-TWO-Hazel Ellis
"What do you want me to do in there?" Merrick checked as we walked down a perfectly-packed dirt trail toward the heart of the city. There were flowers on either side of the path, surrounding trees that were well-trimmed without looking overly-manicured."I don't know. I haven't met everyone yet." I paused. "Do you know if Noah was invited, or if he doesn't count since he hasn't passed the trials yet?"Mine and Merrick's hands were connected, fingers laced and biceps brushing each other. I was itching to shift and had wanted to run there in wolf form, but didn't want to be naked in front of all the other ruby shifters the first time I met them all. Fishnets and biking boots were my first line of defense, after all."It's protocol for a shifter who's signed up for the trials to attend ruby meetings, even though they usually don't survive long." He glanced at me, apologetic. "For his sake, I hope he does, but…""I know he doesn't have much of a chance, but he says he wants to lead the wo
