Ruby POV
For 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 frustration, her instincts pulling her toward the powerful Alpha who had marked us. It infuriated me that she was already drawn to him, already attached in some twisted way. I despised the fated bond, cursed it with every breath. How could something so sacred be so cruel? It wasn't fair to be linked to someone so heartless, so vile. The moon had long risen high in the sky by the time I finally collapsed to the ground, my legs giving out beneath me. I lay there, staring out over the frozen expanse of the lake, the towering mountains standing like silent guardians in the distance. It was a breathtaking scene, one that thousands of werewolves had marveled at over the years, but tonight, it felt like a cruel mockery of the peace I could never have. My eyes fluttered, exhaustion weighing down on me. I knew Sebastian was out there, somewhere, but I was too weak, too ashamed to go back home. The reality of my situation pressed down on me like a suffocating weight. I was marked by a stranger, a man who would soon be known to my pack as a monster. Fear surged through me as I thought about what he might do next. What if he had a pack of his own, far from here, and he planned to drag me away to some distant, desolate place? I didn't love the North or the South; most people kept their distance from me, but it was still my home. My family was here: my aunts, uncles, my mom and dad, and even my three cruel sisters. Despite everything, I would miss them. As tears streamed down my face, I cried myself into a restless sleep, each sob feeling like a piece of my soul being torn away. My life was no longer mine. It was over, ruined by a fate I couldn't escape.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
Gabe POVI spent all morning chumming up to my soon-to-be best friend, and I was actually enjoying myself. Sebastian was so easy to manipulate that I found it quite amusing. Back home, it was everyone for themselves. There was no such thing as friends, just allies that you watched your back around.Sebastian lived in this giant castle-like home. I had never seen anything like it with my own eyes before. I remember coming across a few children's books that spoke of fairytale lands like this, but I never knew they existed. My mom refused to allow me to indulge in any kind of fantasy. She warned me about the dangers of getting too comfortable as well as this cursed fated bond. It was some magical spell a stupid goddess cast on us long ago. It weakened an Alpha to submit to his mate's desire but also gave him more power. I didn't think I would feel much different marking an omega, but Ruby proved to be much more than I expected. Her magic was something pure, coursing through my veins li
Sebastian POVWatching Sheila struggle to dribble the ball was anything but cute. I tried giving her a few pointers, and though she acted eager to learn, she clearly had zero interest in playing any sport."I should probably head inside. I need to meet my parents anyway," I said after an hour of her fumbling around the court."Oh, yeah, sure," she replied, looking away, disappointed. I didn't know what to say to her. She was just too girly."Okay, see you around." I gave her a small smile and headed inside, feeling awkward around girls like her."Oh, mom! What are you doing?" I asked suspiciously as I found her staring out the window like she'd been watching us the whole time."What are you doing with that girl?" she demanded, her wolf clearly on edge."Just playing some basketball. Well, she tried at least." I chuckled, thinking about how horrible it was, though it did keep my mind off Ruby for a while."I mean, what are you doing with her?" She emphasized each word, her anger rising
Ruby POVThe mirror reflected a girl I barely recognized, with hollow eyes and lips trembling with guilt. I had given in to Gabe again, letting him touch me, letting the bond do its wicked work. It was only a matter of time before I'd do anything for him, like a puppet on his strings. The fate bond that bound us felt like shackles around my soul, controlling my every desire.I glanced back down at the old, leather-bound book Grandpa Seb had given me. It was filled with spells and charms, including the one he used to hide my mark and suppress the call of my mate. My hands shook with determination as I pored over the pages. The spell was intricate but manageable. I needed to gather the ingredients and practice the incantation, just in case I had to strengthen it. The thought of facing Gabe again, of losing control, filled me with self-loathing.As I sat on the edge of my bed, the door swung open with a brisk knock. Sheila strutted in, her face alight with anticipation. "Guess what, Ruby
Sebastian POVThe clinic's sterile scent did nothing to calm the storm inside me. Doctor Hazel, a tall man with sharp features and a no-nonsense demeanor, examined me in silence. His fingers probed with a precision that felt more unsettling than comforting. My parents hovered nearby, their anxiety palpable, but no one spoke.Finally, Doctor Hazel pulled back, his brow furrowed. "You're physically fine, Sebastian," he said, though the tension in his voice suggested otherwise. "But I need you to monitor any changes closely. If something feels off, come back here immediately."His words hung in the room like a dark cloud. I nodded, but deep down, I knew something was already wrong. I just couldn't put it into words. The unease had been growing for days, a sense that something beyond my control was slipping through the cracks."Are you sure?" River growled at the old man, his voice laced with suspicion. I shook my head at how easily they all lost control. I didn't want to be like them, ru
Sebastian POVWhen I returned home, the silence of the house only deepened my agitation. I stormed through the rooms, my anger boiling over, until I reached my bedroom. There, lying on my bed, was Sheila, casually munching on popcorn.I stared at her, my emotions in turmoil. "What are you doing here?"Sheila's smile faltered, fear creeping into her eyes. "I thought we had a date?"I had forgotten I'd invited her. My mind was too tangled with the oracles' message and the guilt over what I did to Ruby. I sat heavily on the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands. The weight of the darkness, the secrets, and the burden of my parents' choices felt like they were crushing me.As Sheila continued to eat her popcorn, seemingly oblivious to my mental breakdown, I lay down to rest my eyes."Do you want me to put on a movie?" she asked awkwardly."I don't care," I muttered, clenching my jaw as I tried to let sleep overtake me. I needed an escape from my whirlwind of thoughts."Ok, um, I'll