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Epilogue
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Ruby
The cold, wet sensation from the ultrasound gel made me tense for a moment, watching the small screen with eagle eyes. As the black and white image appeared before us, it was clear to see that there was not one, but two babies nestled together, side by side.
Caleb scrubbed a hand over his shocked face, edging closer to the screen.
"Well, I'll be damned," the doctor breathed out with surprise. "There is no doubt about it, you're having twins. Do you want to know the sex?" she asked, invoking mixed feelings within me.
Part of me wanted to keep it a surprise but the terrified part of me needed to know for sure.
Caleb gave me a look which suggested that he was fine either way. God love him, his eyes were glossing over with proud tears of joy
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Little Ruby Red Chapter One
CalebThe ten-second countdown had begun.“Ten . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . . five. . . four . . . three. . . two. . . one. Happy birthday, Caleb!” my guests chanted in unison.The ballroom was filled with celebratory cheers. Then, moments later, the mini-orchestra resumed playing. My mother had been planning this occasion since the day I was born. I wasn’t keen on parties. It was an excuse for people to freeload and snoop around our house. When I become Alpha, I intended to ban any such functions.“Caleb, do you see her? Have you felt drawn to anyone yet?” Aaron asked.Aaron, my comical best friend, was standing around trying to look all sophisticated with his champagne glass like James Bond, dressed in his black Tux, white shirt, and bow tie. He glanced over his shoulder at a group of giggling girls. He was such a flirt, running a hand through his dark-blond hair, his blue eyes sp
Little Ruby Red Chapter Two
Rain fell from the heavens in a dense grey blanket, hitting the ground like a scattering of pebbles. I didn’t care that I left my party early. I wasn’t interested in plastering a fake smile on my face and saying my goodbyes. I couldn’t stomach it. All the patronizing comments, like ‘Aww . . . never mind, Caleb, you’ll find her soon’. And the comforting words that my father would say ‘Patience, son, these things take time. You’re still young’.It was easy for them to say. They had found their mates. Being the youngest out of my friends had its disadvantages, making me the only singleton.I could imagine their words of pity. ‘Poor Caleb, next in line to be Alpha, and with no Luna, too.’How humiliating?I shed my Tux and made for the treeline. It took seconds to rip through my shift. This was my escape from all the meaningless pleasantries tha
Little Ruby Red Chapter Three
CalebRuby scurried back to the house, and I followed a few minutes later. I recognized the patrol cars that were parked outside, so I stayed hidden among the bushes beneath the sitting-room window.“No, ma’am. I know it’s hard, but I need you to remain calm. Kids do this a lot, and there’s every chance she hasn’t gone far. Can you give me a description of your daughter?” the officer instructed.She was a pack soldier, whom to any human resident, looked like a law enforcement officer. Ruby and her mother were not the only humans here in Lakewood. There were around half a dozen, but most were elderly and had lived here for decades. This also meant that Ruby would be the only human child at her school. As far as I knew, we rarely advertised our rental properties beyond pack boundaries. So maybe this was fate’s way of crossing our paths.“Yes, officer. Here’s a recent photo of he
Little Ruby Red Chapter Four
Ruby “Okay, fingers on lips, guys.” Our school teacher, Miss Wilson, silenced the class with a shush. I liked Miss Wilson. She was nice. She wasn’t old like my last teacher, who always smelled like toilet freshener. Miss Wilson was young and had a pretty smile. She had blonde curly hair that reminded me of spaghetti. I sat at the table with three other children, picking the PVA glue and glitter from my fingers like a sparkly layer of skin. “Does anyone need to take a bathroom break?” Miss Wilson asked, her eyes scanning the classroom for a show of raised hands. “Okay, kids, put on your coats, then go line up at the door.” Miss Wilson instructed, wincing at the sound of scraping chairs. We all hurried with enthusiasm towards the named coat pegs. I stuffed my arms through the sleeves of my red jacket, then dashed towards the exit. Once the entire class was ready and lined up, Miss Wilson opened the door for a tw
Little Ruby Red Chapter Five
CalebWalking back from Ruby’s house gave me plenty of time to think. It was going to be hard not to get involved with her business, but the kids at school had to learn to lay off her. After all, she would become their Luna one day.I hated bullies. Just because she wasn’t a wolf, it didn’t give them the right to alienate her at school. I intended to contact the principal the second I got home, but my mother greeted me with a frosty reception as soon as I walked through the door.“Caleb, back in time for dinner? Don’t tell me there’s trouble in paradise already?” Mom teased in a mocking tone.She stood at the top of the stairs, wearing a black Chanel dress with a white lace collar. The finely stitched ma
Little Ruby Red Chapter Six
The next day...Ruby“Good morning, class,” Miss Wilson welcomed the class in her usual bright and cheerful mood.“Good morning, Miss Wilson, good morning everyone,” the entire class chimed together in the same sing-song way.As soon as I hung up my coat on my named peg, I heard. “Ruby, come and sit with me! No, Ruby, come sit at our table with us.” I felt myself being tugged in two different directions.“That’s enough, children. You’re all to remain in your assigned seats,” Miss Wilson said, putting an end to the chaos that erupted in the classroom.Then came a mixture of disappointed grumbles from the kids who hadn’t got to sit with me.
Little Ruby Red Chapter Seven
CalebThe months soon flew by. I spent most of my days working at my dad’s company, and most of my nights at Ruby’s residence. Her mom, Jennifer, had prepared a bed for me in the hall. So, I crashed there instead of sleeping at home. I got used to playing the part of a family pet. If I’m honest, I preferred the home-made dog bed more than my actual bed.I’ve received far better treatment as an animal in Ruby’s household than I ever did as a person at home. I had been avoiding my mother like the plague. Dad had taken the news about Ruby well, but Mom hadn’t.Dad respected the mate bond, which was why he’d put up with all of Mom’s crap over the years. She accused me of some disgusting things regarding my contact with Ruby.It didn’t
Little Ruby Red Chapter Eight
Caleb“Ew, Mom, I’m too old for Disney Princesses,” Ruby complained.She held the birthday card up that had every princess bunched together in a cheesy group pose. Ruby scrunched her nose, eyeing it with distaste. It wasn't like her to act bratty. Her sudden change in attitude made me sit up straight.Jen set down the basket of laundry that she was carrying, then put a hand on her hip.“Jeez, did you go to bed a cute twelve-year-old, only to wake up a stroppy teenager?” Jen retorted.I couldn't have said it better, Jen.Ruby rolled her eyes. “Ugh! I swear Grandma still thinks I’m like, five-years-old or something. I mean, who sends a thirteen-
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Little Ruby Red Epilogue
Ruby The cold, wet sensation from the ultrasound gel made me tense for a moment, watching the small screen with eagle eyes. As the black and white image appeared before us, it was clear to see that there was not one, but two babies nestled together, side by side. Caleb scrubbed a hand over his shocked face, edging closer to the screen. "Well, I'll be damned," the doctor breathed out with surprise. "There is no doubt about it, you're having twins. Do you want to know the sex?" she asked, invoking mixed feelings within me. Part of me wanted to keep it a surprise but the terrified part of me needed to know for sure. Caleb gave me a look which suggested that he was fine either way. God love him, his eyes were glossing over with proud tears of joy
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Nine
Ruby "I still remember the first night that we laid like this while watching over Alex. It was the same when Raine was born," Caleb reminisced. Something somewhere caused the room around me to distort, like ripples spreading wide across a calm lake. "Ruby," Caleb's youthful voice called out to me from somewhere beyond a dream. "Babe, you better wake up or else we're going to be late for the obstetrician appointment," I heard him say. Temporary confusion fogged my brain until I realized that I had been dreaming again. Part of me felt the loss of what I hoped our future could be as it slipped away, and the other part of me was relieved that I woke up at that point before the beautiful vision altered into something that could only be de
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Eight
Ruby As the years rolled by, Caleb and I looked back on our lives with no regrets. When that time eventually comes when we have to leave this world behind, we would be taking a lifetime full of beautiful memories with us. My heart was full, my life was fulfilled. There was nothing that I would change or do differently. Everything was as it should be. With each lumbered step, my slippers brushed over the soft-pile carpet of the stair landing until I stopped to pause outside the old nursery that once belonged to my children. I thought that we had been bestowed a gift from the heavens the day I found out that we were having twins, but little did I know how much more my heart could contain the moment I discovered that I was to become a grandmother. The Goddess had blessed our family many times, and now my son, Alex, was the proud
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Seven
Caleb Ruby turned on the steps of the town hall, facing away from the jubilant crowd. Snowflakes clung to the tips of her lashes, melting as they kissed her rosy cheeks. She tossed the bouquet of white and blue flowers behind her, and as she did so, the women rushed forward, shrieking deliriously, all snatching at the spinning object as it burst apart like a fragrant petal bomb. It was Grandma Lizzie who unwittingly made the save. She walked straight past the jostling females and caught the flowers against her chest. Her face blanched as she realized what had happened and tossed the bouquet away as if it was a hot potato. “Once was more than enough for me,” she joked. “Although, I wouldn’t mind a good old roll in the hay with one of those wolf boys. They've got abs that I could scrub my laundry on and then some.” She winked a
Little Ruby Red One hundred and Twenty Six
Ruby The emotion blazed in Caleb's eyes as I walked down the aisle; his mouth hung agape and his brows started to bunch in the middle, giving me the reaction that any bride longed to see. Caleb swallowed hard, causing his Adam’s apple to bob nervously in his throat. There was no sign of humor on Aaron’s face as he observed his friend's special moment. Instead, his expression was one of relieved happiness. Now that his best friend since childhood had found his soulmate, he adopted an air of accomplishment as if all was now right in the world. As the strong notes of the traditional wedding march came to an end, I released Dad’s arm and came to stand beside the love of my life. Caleb mouthed the word “Wow” as he lifted my chin with his fingers, and breathed, “You look breath-taking, love.”
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Five
Ruby “Are you okay, kiddo?” Dad asked, his expression softening as he clasped hold of my trembling hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I swallowed away the dryness before answering, “I just want everything to be perfect, that’s all.” “And it will be,” Dad was quick to reassure me. “I know how much this means to you; Caleb knows it too. He’s probably memorized his wedding vows off by heart. I bet he was up all night Googling templates from the internet,” Dad remarked in an attempt to make me laugh. His best efforts worked like a charm. I gazed through the tinted windows and out onto the wintry streets. Ice glittered the scraped roads and sidewalks, and some of the maintenance guys were shoveling grit salt on the main walkways throughout town.
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Four
Ruby I turned from side to side, admiring how the full-length wedding gown swayed with my movements. The white sweetheart bodice helped to boost my humble assets, glittering as the Swarovski crystals captured the light. The long, silky skirt gracefully swished around my legs, sending a wisp of cool air around my thighs. Dad made my day when he produced a pair of custom-made Sketchers in Bride White. He paid a seamstress from Montana to sew lace into the leather and add sparkles around the soles. It meant I would be comfortable all day long, especially as my ankle still ached from standing for long periods. “Are you ready, sweetheart?” Dad asked, through the closed door. He had resisted the urge to look at me in my wedding dress, pacing the hall outside mine and Caleb’s room like a caged animal.
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Three
Caleb "Yeah, plenty of thing’s spring to mind, but there is one that is owed a confession," Dylan said as he grinned at Aiden, then edged his chair away to maintain a safer distance. "I was sixteen, and Aiden was eighteen," Dylan began to confess, much to Aiden's interest. Upon hearing his name, he folded his bare muscular arms across his chest. "He borrowed my bike without my permission and ended up buckling the front wheel. He never said anything to me, and put it back in the garage in the hope that I wouldn’t find out what he’d done. I found it the following day and smelled his scent all over it, so I knew that he had used it. I was passive-aggressive, and in an act of vengeance, I sabotaged a burrito that he’d been saving in the fridge by filling it with laxatives. I watched as he devoured it for lunch, and asked if I could hang out with him and Vanessa that day. He was rather reluctant because he wanted to fool around with her while her dorm was
Little Ruby Red One Hundred and Twenty Two
Caleb Aaron tipped the empty Tequila bottle upside down to prove a point. “No way! We’ve gone through the second bottle already?” He turned to my father with an accusatory tone. “It was opened twenty minutes ago.” Aaron’s face was partially hidden beneath his Batman mask, but the whites of his bulging eyes were visible among the black face paint. He had been doing rather well, talking in a gruff tone to imitate the caped crusader's voice, but the sheer shock at how fast my father could sink his liquor caused his pitch to raise a few octaves. Dad gave a casual shrug of his green padded shoulders as he raised the shot glass to his lips and downed the contents in one large gulp. Even I had to admit that was pretty good going, considering he was wearing a pair of oversized hulk hands
