Ruby POV
I was so happy Sebastian was finally home. I cried for days when he first left, even though I acted like it was nothing big when saying goodbye to him. It was hard for me to show my feelings completely. Most of my life, people feared me and even tried to harm me. Sebastian was the only one who looked at me like I wasn't some freak. "You look like a slut." Shelia walked into my room in a yellow frilly dress. "You look like a damn bumble bee. What are you trying to attract, honey or a man?" I rolled my eyes at her, my hands pushing up my tiny breast in a dark purple dress I wore. My boobs were so small I barely had anything to show off. "At least I don't need to stuff my bra to look like a woman." Shelia puffed her chest out, her large knockers nearly bursting from her dress. She was actually very pretty, but she dressed ridiculously, and that voice of hers was like nails on a chalkboard. Five minutes alone with her and the boys went running. "Whatever! Get out, loser." I shoved her through the door frame. "Mom! Ruby is hurting me." She screamed like a pesty little child. "Get a life, Shelia. It's pathetic how you constantly hang around me like I'm the only person you care to annoy." "You think I actually care about you. Please, you're pathetic and dangerous. The king and queen should have killed you as a baby. Our pack deserved better, and they know it. That's why everyone hates you." She scuffed at me, then turned and walked away. She was insufferable. "What is going on here?" Luna Kiera nearly exploded after overhearing us bicker. "Nothing Aunty. I'm sorry..." "Don't apologize!" Luna Kiera looked at me with dark eyes. Her wolf, Athena, was rowled up, which was never good. "That little runt actually dared to say you should have been killed as a baby?" "It's fine aunty. She is just jealous. Shelia needs all the attention, and it drives her crazy that everyone talks about me. Not that it's good things they say, but it's still attention she'd rather have on her." Luna Kiera's eyes softened to me. "Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry she is so cruel to you. I've told your mother time and time again she needed to put an end to this behavior. Shelia better straighten out at this school I'm sending her to, or I will banish her, for all our sakes." Kiera's hand fisted, and Athena rose inside her again. My hand reached out, softly intertwining in her fingers. "Aunty, please don't make a fuss about this. Shelia is just a stupid teenager. She is harmless, and Mom does a lot for us, for me. Please don't be mad at her. It literally breaks her heart when you are upset. She is doing the best she can, and it's amazing." "I know. Maggie has always been an amazing woman, and I value her friendship incredibly, but I know what it's like to have a toxic sister like Shelia and how dangerous it can be. It can't be tolerated, Ruby." Her hand brushed my cheek, admiring my face for a moment. "You look just like your dad. He was such a handsome man, loyal to the bone." She looked away sadly, deep shame and regret clouding her eyes. My family never told me about how my parents died, but my pack in the South never let me forget. My dad was Luna Kiera's Beta from her former pack. He died saving her, and my mom, she was Kiera's best friend who went crazy from some creepy stories of a dark forest containing such evil she killed herself, even tried to kill me too. "Be careful, Ruby. There is such a thing as too loyal. Don't let yourself be harmed out of some false obligation to family, especially if that family doesn't love you back." I could tell she truly feared for me. "I will, Aunty. I promise, Shelia is no threat. Just a bratty child. We fight like all siblings do, and there is nothing more to it." Kiera nodded to me, not believing a single word I said. I knew her fear came from her own relationship with her foster sister. Stories most didn't dare speak about. "You look beautiful. You're going to make a special Alpha so happy one day." She winked at me like she knew my future. "Alpha?" I scuffed at the thought that someone that powerful could want some unstable freak like myself. I didn't radiate any status, certainly not Luna. "Don't sell yourself short, little girl. You are more powerful than you'll probably ever realize. An Alpha would be damn lucky to have such a fierce woman by his side." She kissed my forehead and left me alone to finish dressing for the grand celebration of our Alpha returning home from training. I giggled a little with embarrassment at my Aunty's words. My Aunts and Uncles always thought I was some magical creature, and I loved their praise. Too bad no one else felt that way. I thought a moment, remembering that stranger I met a few days ago. He was certainly an Alpha, and he seemed more than interested. Maybe I was meant to be a Luna? His Luna! Scarlet purred inside me at that thought. I shook my head at the ridiculousness of me being a Luna. My people would hate me, fear me instead of love me. I wasn't meant to be Luna. I was meant to explore our world and probably end up alone. It was fine, though. As long as I had my best friend and the few I considered true family by my side, I would be just fine. Besides, I didn't need an Alpha or mate to feel pleasure from a man. I just needed me, and I would be fine. Just fine! I let out a huff of frustration, admiring my body in the full-length mirror. I was gorgeous, a little different, but still just as beautiful as the rest. 'Damn right we are. After we catch up with Sebastian, we should find a nice man for the night.' Scarlet rumbled in my chest. She had been so worked up since the day we left the South. Between meeting a dark, handsome man and Sebastian returning home, I was filled with so much excitement. 'We'll see. Professor Williams is always willing to meet in some dark corner.' I chuckled deviously to my wolf, her agreeing that an older man would be just what we needed tonight. Boys my age never paid me much attention, so I usually found comfort in older men looking for a youthful girl to make them feel young again. First, we needed to celebrate our friend, though. My loyalty to Sebastian was unwavering, and as much as it annoyed me, I knew it had a lot to do with him being my Alpha. It was programmed into both my wolf and myself to protect him, whether physically or emotionally. We needed to show him our support today, and then, once everyone was asleep, I needed to show my body some love.Sebastian POV"You excited, sweetie?" My mom pinched my cheek, and I sighed. I was a mama's boy at heart, but Luna Kiera could be a bit much. I don't think she realized I grew past eight years old. Despite being twice her size, she still treated me like a child."Yes, of course. This is my pack and home." I gave her a smile, hiding the weight of what the night would bring. Not only was I being celebrated with the intention of soon taking over our pack as Alpha, but tonight, I also planned to tell Ruby the truth.I was in love with her, desperately and wholeheartedly. In all my nightmares, there was one constant, one shred of hope and goodness: Ruby. She would always appear at my darkest moment. When I had given up on myself, relinquishing my soul to the evil that lived within me, Ruby would appear. At first, she was just a child, a little girl with red bows in her long black hair. She would speak to me so innocently, forcing me to realize who I truly was. She gave me the courage to f
Ruby POVThe grand celebration in the North was, as always, a spectacular affair under Luna Kiera's meticulous care. She spared no expense and had a knack for keeping the crowd entertained. Light flurries of snow added a magical touch to the fading sun, music floated through the air, kids raced across the frozen lake, and families reveled in the many games and booths. It was like a carnival, complete with an ice rink, food trucks, hot chocolate, and laughter echoing everywhere.For the first hour, Sebastian and I raced around the grounds, competing fiercely in everything from milk jug toss to cornhole. He looked dashing in his black suit, with a dark purple handkerchief that matched my dress. He always made these small gesture to remind me I wasn't alone. Sebastian was the best friend anyone could ask for, but he was also the future King, and duty inevitably called.As the evening wore on, he made his way around the grounds, greeting and chatting with families. Meanwhile, I spent the
Sebastian POVThe night started out like a dream. Ruby and I ran around the elaborate party my mom had thrown in my honor, but my focus was entirely on her. I wanted nothing more than to spend time with my soulmate.When I showed her my purple tie and handkerchief, she melted right before me. I knew how hard it was for Ruby to feel accepted and that she appreciated how I always showed her she was never alone. I just hoped that tonight, I could show how much I loved her. Eventually, my dads came to drag me away, reminding me I wasn't just some kid at a party. I had obligations to my people, people who came out to celebrate my return. I knew it was wrong to ignore them all night, so I reluctantly left Ruby's side. "Meet me at midnight by the Mirror Lake. I have to tell you something important, ok?" My eyes pleaded to her. The way her purple iris shined into mine was mesmerizing."Okay," she replied, looking at me curiously. "Everything okay?""Yeah, it's good, really good. I'm just gl
Gabe POVI cursed myself the whole journey to the North for bumping into that little minx. I knew the moment I caught her scent, she was mine, but I didn't want her. I was here for one reason: one person. I left my home and grueling days of torture and deceit to complete my true destiny. First, I needed to kill the Queen. That bitch had it coming for the scraps she threw our way while her pack bathed in glory. The houses these people lived in were ridiculously beautiful. Beds of colorful flowers, bright paint on the siding, smooth roads to play on. It was sickening comparing all this to what little we were given.Then, I needed to find my true other half, the one who would complete my soul and grant us the power to rule this world as it was meant to be ruled.But the moment I arrived in the North, her scent hit me again, sending my wolf into a frenzy. I was at some elaborate, frivolous celebration for their so-called prince. A prince in a land of werewolves? What a joke. We were Alph
Ruby POVFor hours, I sobbed alone in the shadows of a random alley, the cold seeping into my bones as despair wrapped around my heart. I felt utterly lost, terrified, more alone than I'd ever been. How could this have happened? I had been marked by a bastard Alpha, a cruel, unfeeling man who wanted nothing more than to use me. My soul was now bound to someone who had no intention of loving me, no desire to cherish the bond we were cursed to share. How could I have been so foolish?In a daze, driven by desperation, I found myself running toward Mirror Lake, the one place that still held a shred of comfort for me. Sebastian had asked me to meet him there at midnight. I was unsure of the time but held onto a sliver of hope that he would come. I needed him now more than ever. He was my best friend, the future King; he could force Gabe to reject me, couldn't he? But as I paced the snow-covered ground, the minutes felt like hours, and the hope I clung to began to crumble.Scarlet whined in
Sebastian POVMy eyes teared, watching my blood-stained hands in horror. I completely lost control! My pack's blood was on my hands, my father's blood. Something primal rose inside me, fading my true self into the background. I only desired to rule them all, to watch them suffer. This couldn't be real."I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." A tear fell down my cheek, seeing my three dads standing before me with mangled faces. They were already healing, but the bones I broke would take a few hours."You're sorry!" River roared. "You're fucking sorry? We need a hell of a lot more than I'm sorry, Sebastian.""I... I don't know what to say. I lost control." I flipped my hands back and forth. All my wounds healed, and even the bones I had broken were mended back together."Relax, it's no big deal. He's just a kid." The man I beat to a pulp slowly stood, his face unrecognizable from the beating I gave him. He, too, was already healing, but I knew by the way he winced it was incredibly painful. "No big
Ruby POVI woke half frozen to the ground and covered in a blanket of snow. My hand reached to my neck, praying it was all a nightmare, but it wasn't. I felt Gabe's mark seared into my skin, a supernatural bond urging me to seek him out. I felt sick to my stomach that I actually felt anything but pure hate for that man.Walking back home, I realized I couldn't show my face like this. Not only was I dressed in the same clothes, but I was dirty, bruised, and marked. I had hoped Sebastian showed up last night, but in hindsight, I was glad he didn't. There was nothing I hid from him, but this was too much. The embarrassment and shame I felt was soul crushing.I decided to stop by the one person's house that we always trusted with our darkest secrets. He would know what to do, or at the very least, let me shower to make myself more presentable."You look like some dirty whore! What the hell were you doing last night?" Grandpa Seb opened his door before I even knocked. His normal scorned fa
Ruby POV"Why are you here?" I shouted at Gabe. I couldn't process any of this. He was best friends with Sebastian now? And Sebastian was hanging on Sheila's every word? What was happening?"You seem tense?" Gabe looked amusingly at me. Did he think ruining my life was a joke?"Tense! Tense!" Magic was swirling inside me. I wanted to burn his face off.Sebastian and Gabe both jumped to me, but Gabe was closer. His hands cupped my cheeks. "Calm down!" He ordered me, and I felt his compulsion wash over my nerves, soothing me in a dark and forbidden way. This wasn't right."We should give them some space. Want to play some hoops?" Sebastian offered Sheila, and my jaw dropped. She's never touched a ball in her life or worked up a sweat. There was no way she would play..."Love too. Uh, I should probably change first." Sheila smiled at him. His eyes raked over her body, lust building in his eyes. What the fuck!"How? What?" I stuttered, but they paid me no attention as they walked upstairs