RUBY It took me a moment to realize why my heart had jolted. I glanced over at Aiden, and my mind flashed back to him leaning closer to my face just moments ago. Aiden was looking at me with a slight frown as he took another slow bite of his sandwich.My eyes dropped to his lips and my stomach fluttered with nerves. Immediately I looked away.Would he really have kissed me if Sebastian hadn’t called just then? And if I could remember this will be the second time Aiden was making attempt to kiss me. Why this sudden change from him?“Ruby?” Sebastian’s voice on the other end of the phone was loud and concerned.“Yea..." I said, unsure of what to say."I said to wait for me there. I’ll come pick you up.”"Okay,” I replied sharply.As Sebastian ended the call, I began gathering my things, slipping my notes into my bag. Part of me knew Sebastian wouldn’t mind seeing me with Aiden. After all, Aiden was just my friend. But knowing he’d almost kissed me left me feeling strangely unsettle
RUBYEvery fiber of my being screamed at me to turn around and avoid a confrontation I might regret, but something inside refused to let me back down. I wasn’t going to let anyone make me feel small anymore.The strap of my bag slipped down my shoulder, and I jerked it back into place, my eyes never leaving Annalisa. She was approaching with her arms crossed, her blonde hair styled into two sleek braids, and her short purple dress radiating luxury. Her icy eyes took me in with a look of disdain.Once again, my mind went back to the nightmare, and a shiver ran down my spine. But I quickly pushed it aside.It was just a dream. Annalisa may hate me now, but I didn’t believe she’d go as far as trying to kill me. It was just one year, I would leave Sebastian.I took a steadying breath, forcing myself to meet her frosty stare as my heart hammered in my chest."As far as I know, Omegas are only meant to be one of two things: pup carriers or playthings for wolves who don’t want anything ser
SEBASTIAN“Can you grant me access to your wolf?” I asked, staring into her striking blue eyes.Ruby flinched, her breath hitching as the uncomfortable look I was becoming too familiar with washed over her.I barely remembered I was driving when I furrowed my brows slightly, staring deeper into her eyes as though the answer lay within them. My wolf, unhelpful as ever, flashed a vivid image of Ruby in her thin nightwear from last night and a tingling sensation danced through me. Noticing a slight movement of her lips, I shifted my gaze from her eyes to her trembling lips as they parted slightly as though she was about to speak.But before a word escaped her, a loud crash jolted us both.The car lurched forward violently, and Ruby was thrown toward the dashboard.“Ruby!” I growled, one hand gripping the steering wheel while the other shot out to stop her from hitting her head.Quickly steadying the car, I pulled over to the side of the road, letting the idiot behind us pass. My heart
SEBASTIAN Ruby’s laughter was light, melodic, and completely out of place in the moment. Even though I was confused, I couldn’t deny the pull her laugh had on my heart. It was sweet, almost addictive, and so contagious that I felt the corners of my lips twitching. I wanted to laugh along with her, but bursting into laughter without knowing why would be ridiculous. I blinked, trying to piece together what had just happened as Ruby laughed uncontrollably, her hand nearly covering her mouth. Why was she laughing? Was it because I told her my wolf wanted to fvk her? No. Ruby couldn’t be laughing because of that... could she? I glanced at her in confusion, then quickly looked down at myself as I leaned back in my seat. My shirt? Clean. No weird stains. My jeans? Intact. What could possibly be so funny? I even checked my reflection in the rearview mirror. Nothing out of the ordinary. My confusion deepened as I turned back to look at her, my brow furrowing. My patience was
RUBYThe morning greeted me with a comforting heaviness. My body aching was a proof to how much fun I had yesterday. Memories of the outing filled my thoughts, and for once, they weren’t overshadowed by regret.Kiara had been a breath of fresh air, full of energy and excitement to have me as her brother's mate. She dragged us to places I had only seen on TV or through the windows of passing street buses: a quaint diner with milkshakes and the best pancakes I’d ever tasted, a lively carnival Mom once promised we’d visit together, and a serene park adorned with fairy lights.For the first time in years, I let myself enjoy the moment and allowed my wolf to communicate with me freely. I laughed without restraint, and my wolf felt giddy with excitement as she guided me to win games at the carnival. For once, I forgot the weight of my reality.Yesterday felt like a dream, I didn’t want to end.But now, as I shifted in bed, exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. I buried my face deeper i
RUBYMy stomach knotted with uneasiness as I drew my brows together slightly.Had her mother recovered? Was that why she came back so soon?I scrolled through the group chat, reading the girls' messages to check if any of them mentioned it, but none did. Instead, the group was filled with happy emojis and flattering words.I sucked in a sharp breath. Something about this didn’t sit right with me. Or... did she come back because she’d heard I was now in the Queen K group?No. Lizzy wouldn’t abandon her mother, who was on the brink of death, just because of me... right?I shook my head, pushing the thought away, but the unease only grew stronger as another thought hit me.Like Sebastian said, I didn’t know what Lizzy was capable of doing.Was it possible she had something to do with Cassie’s phone being unreachable?I quickly checked my DMs, my heart racing with hope for a message from Cassie. Nothing. I tried her number, but the automated voice told me her phone was switched off.What
RUBY Monday morning came, and I was surprised to wake up just as my alarm would’ve rung even though it wasn’t here. I hadn’t brought it with me because it seemed old and cracked. As I got up and prepared for school, my mind wandered to everything that had happened between Sebastian and me over the past few days since the mating ball. Everything felt so fast, so strange. Sebastian's presence in my life had changed so much in just a few days. I couldn’t believe how little I thought about Graham now. Sure, it had hurt when he left me for his fated mate but now… I could barely feel it. I slipped into the gorgeous dress—one of many Sebastian had got me yesterday. The soft, luxurious material felt foreign against my skin, but it fit me perfectly, hugging my body in a way that made me feel… confident. It was strange to think about how it all happened. After our dinner, Sebastian had come into my room yesterday to grab some of his clothes to his quarters when he noticed how sparse my se
RUBYThe room buzzed with murmurs, tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Lizzy’s fiery gaze bore into mine, and for a brief moment, I felt like I was back in those days when she made my life unbearable. The memories surged forward, threatening to drown me, but I held my ground. I refused to let her see any weakness.She stormed into the room with her minions, Renee and Ginger, trailing behind her. Their smug smiles faltered the moment I met their eyes, and they quickly looked away.“Who gave this omega the audacity to join my group?” Lizzy snarled, her fists clenched as she stopped a few steps from me. Her sharp voice silenced the whispers. "Are you all deaf and dumb?!" Her sharp, cold gaze darting between me and the others.“She’s the future Luna of this—” Skylar began, only for Lizzy to cut her off.“Luna my foot!” Lizzy spat, her words laced with disdain. Gasps rippled through the room like a wave.Anger surged through me. I needed to put this girl in her place. Who did she
LIZZYThe moment my phone buzzed, I hesitated before walking to the bed and checking the message. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face the consequences of what I had done. But when I read the texts on my screen, a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding escaped my lips."Alpha Maximus has ordered that you should stay in school. Thanks to Dr. Sam, you will not be expelled. But the school head wants to see you in his office tomorrow morning."I reread the message Mrs. Whitewoods had just sent to me again, my fingers gripping my phone tightly. I should have felt grateful that I wasn’t going back to my pack.That I wasn’t going to face my parents’ disappointment. Sure, two of them would look at me like another problem added to their already miserable lives.I wasn’t ready to see them, or hear whatever lecture my father had prepared about what it meant to be the daughter of an Alpha, the expectations I had failed to meet.Maybe a part of me was grateful for all that, but it was buried beneat
ANNALISA "Why did you save her?" My voice was thick with anger as I stepped into the dimly lit room, the air heavy with the stench of alcohol and cigarette smoke.Even though my skin burned with rage, a cold sweat ran down my back the moment the door closed behind me.Warren sat on a stool, his back to me, lazily exhaling a cloud of smoke as he stared at his reflection in the grimy mirror. The wall beside it was covered in brutal red notes and pinned-up pictures of people, the knives securing them gleaming under the flickering light.A chill ran down my spine.I didn't coming here to meet Warren but after I tried calling him countless times and he ignored every call. I had no choice. My body boiled with anger at the memory of that damn video I watched earlier. The way Warren had jumped in to save Ruby from the pool. Warren didn't respond, but I heard the sound of his throat as he swallowed his drink, the glass settling onto the table with a dull thud.I growled, stepping forward, d
SEBASTIANMy blood was already boiling when I pulled into the driveway. The moment I saw Graham standing at the entrance with Ruby, I let out a low growl, my wolf stirring inside me.What was he fucking doing here?I was already fucking furious. The second Kiara called me earlier, telling me that my father had ordered Lizzy to stay in school, I knew something—or someone—had gotten to him. And when I arrived at the packhouse, I saw Doctor Sam just getting into his car.I didn’t know what the hell Doctor Sam had said, but whatever it was, it made my father refuse to hear a damn word from me.Not even my mother could sway him, and that pissed her off badly. I had never seen my father dismiss her like that before. It surprised me, making me wonder what kind of deal Doctor Sam had made with him.He hadn't even let me speak before shutting his office door in my face.I had stormed out of there in a rage. And now, coming home to find Doctor Sam’s son in my house?With Ruby?What was he fucki
RUBY"Are you not okay with this?" Sebastian said softly as he studied my face."Of course... I'm okay. Lizzy got what she deserved," I flashed a small smile. From the corner of my eye, I could see Cassie staring at us before she focused back on her phone.I wasn’t sure if I was truly okay with Lizzy leaving the school, considering her mother’s situation. I didn't know the specifics of her health condition, but from what I’d heard, she had been suffering for a long time.Maybe a different punishment would have been better than expulsion."She will serve as a lesson to anyone else who dares to treat you like shit. And if she tries anything after this, I'll do worse than what she got now," Sebastian cupped my face in his hands. His jaw clenched, and I could tell he wasn’t just punishing Lizzy for what she did to me, he had his own reasons for wanting her gone.But could Lizzy really hate Sebastian for no reason? He had told me to be careful around her but...Could it be that Sebastian
RUBY After soaking in the warm bath for a while, I finally stepped out, wrapping myself in a thick towel. The heat had eased the ache in my muscles, but my thoughts remained tangled. I dried myself off, walked into the bedroom, and picked up the cup of tea Noelle had left on the nightstand. It was still warm, and I took slow sips, letting the herbal scent soothe me. Dropping the cup down, I walked into the closet, and grabbed the thickest sweater I could find, along with some sweatpants. As I pulled them on, my mind drifted to Aiden and Cassie. They must have been worried sick about me. I wanted to call and tell them I was fine when I remembered my phone was inside my bag… which was still in my locker at school. I sighed, pulling the sweater over my head. As I tied my hair into a loose ponytail and stepped out of the closet, the door to my room swung open. “Ruby!” Cassie rushed in and hugged me tightly, nearly knocking the air out of my lungs. “I’m fine, Cass,” I said, patting h
RUBY "You okay?" Sebastian glanced over at me. It wasn’t the first time he had asked. In fact, I had lost count of how many times he had checked on me. I had a headache, but I forced a smile. "Yea." When his eyes diverted to Warren’s jacket beside me, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he refocused on the road. I sighed. The warmth of the car’s heater eased the cold from my skin, but it did nothing to dull the pounding in my head. When I smelled another scent mixed with Sebastian's as he carried me out of the pool area, I knew instantly that it belonged to Warren. Even though it was faint, I could tell it irritated Sebastian. Sebastian had never given me cold glares before until today. That's why I didn't hesitate to shrug off warren's jacket. He was jealous. And I didn’t think it was just an act anymore. For a while, I had convinced myself that everything was part of the contract. That he was just playing his role, pretending to be pos
SEBASTIAN I tightened my grip around Ruby, my arms securing her close to my chest as I stepped out of the exit. The whispers of the students faded into the background, but my mind kept replaying that moment I walked in and saw fucking Warren crouched in front of her.That bastard had his hand in her hair, pulling it back from her face. Worse, he was looking from her eyes to her lips like he wanted her. Like he was tempted to do something he had no fucking right to. My wolf growled as anger boiled inside me. He had the fucking guts to touch what was mine and then smirk at me, opening his damn mouth to say, "It’s not like I kissed her. Though, she does have soft lips."Hearing that, I nearly lost it. My wolf snarled in my head, ready to rip him apart. Ruby may not have been my fated mate, but as long as the contract between us hadn’t expired, she was mine.How dare he?How dare he speak to me like that?How dare he talk about my Ruby like she was some casual prize he could toy with
RUBY I couldn’t breathe.The water swallowed me whole.The pool’s icy grip tightened around my body as I thrashed, my limbs burning with exhaustion. Panic clawed at my chest as I fought to surface, but I didn’t know how to swim. I couldn’t swim.My lungs screamed for air. My vision blurred. Was this how it would end?Sebastian...I reached for him through the mind-link, my silent plea laced with desperation."Ruby! What's happening? Where are you? Answer me!" His voice was sharp with fear, but I couldn’t respond. My body was growing weaker. The darkness at the edges of my vision stretched, consuming me.Then, just as I was slipping away, strong arms wrapped around me.A force yanked me upward, breaking through the suffocating depths. Cold air rushed against my skin as my body was hauled onto solid ground, laid on the cold tiles, but I barely noticed. My chest convulsed, and water spilled from my mouth as I coughed violently, my entire body trembling.My eyes were still closed but I w
RUBYIt had been three weeks since the night I told Sebastian about my past. Sometimes, the nightmares still came, but they didn’t choke me with the same kind of fear anymore.I didn't know if it was because of Sebastian, all I knew was that whenever he fell asleep beside me, I slept like a baby. But he didn’t always stay.Sometimes, when the dreams became too much, I mindlinked him to come over.Other times, I wouldn’t even have to call him. I’d wake from the terror only to find him beside me, wrapping himself around me as if he just knew I needed him.I always wished Sebastian could sleep in my room every night, but he wouldn’t.He told me he couldn’t trust himself to be in the same bed with me every night. And I believed him because I felt the same. I wasn’t sure I could be around him without something happening between us.There were moments when we caught ourselves making out, satisfying our desires with nothing but our hands, as if we couldn’t help it. And when reality hit, we’d