#CHAPTER 2 A Request From Ruby

“You’re calling off the wedding, darling?” He chuckled and reached out to caress my cheek, but I swatted the gesture away.

“You heard me.”

“I heard you, I just don’t believe you. Is there a problem? Are the flowers not to your taste? I could have someone adjust the arrangements before the ceremony—“

”Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about, I saw you two just now. I heard you—“ the sight of red, smudgy bruises on Harper’s neck suddenly caught my attention. “And this!” I exclaimed, pointing at the hickeys covering Harper’s collarbone. “You think you can embarrass me like this on the morning of our wedding, and I’ll still agree to marry you? You bastard—“

”Darling,” Lucas said darkly, pressing his fingers a bit too deeply into my shoulder.  “Don’t try to make me angry. You’re engaged to the future Lycan King. Backing out of this agreement is not an option.” He pushed a loose lock of hair behind my ear, as if he could soften the tension with gentleness. “Besides, we’re fated mates. I love you, Don’t you still love me?”

He turned around, shamelessly motioning for Harper to follow him. “The ceremony is still on, Ruby. We’ll be married within the hour.” He glanced back at me over his shoulder. “And fix your hair, I can’t have future subjects thinking their queen is some unkempt maid.”

He strode casually out of the hallway, Harper close behind, leaving me with blood boiling. I pulled out the pins of my hair, refusing to look the part of the perfect, quiet bride. I would run, get as far as I could from the man who killed my parents and let his lover kill my baby.

I stopped as more memories resurfaced. Lucas might be a cruel, arrogant man, but he was still poised to become the future Lycan King. He was powerful, and if I were to openly defy him without any allies, he would certainly come for me and my family. I couldn’t leave them vulnerable to whatever revenge he would enact. I needed people on my side.

I searched through the history of my past life, trying to figure out where to go and who to talk to. My parents love Lucas, and would never be willing to hear me out that he was plotting their downfall for his own gain.  Everyone I knew adored Lucas, he seemed powerful and in control of himself in front of the rest of the pack.

Everyone, I supposed, except for Caleb.

His brother, and his natural enemy. The only one who had ever opposed him.

I felt a wash of warmth, recalling his arms cradling my body as my vision faded and finally died. He had been kind to me in those final moments, but why? After my first marriage to Lucas, Caleb and I had been perpetually at odds, butting heads over every political issue. I fought constantly for my husband, and always ignored Caleb’s warnings.

Even when Caleb was made aware of the growing tension in my marriage with Lucas, he would give me gruff commands to give up on his brother. Caleb said that Lucas would never change, and he never really loved me, he only loved my political usefulness.

Was Caleb… looking out for me? Even before he found my nearly lifeless body, drenched in my own blood?

I shook my head, more confused and lost than I was when I first woke up back in my old life. Willow, I thought, I need to talk to my wolf. Did she somehow give me this second chance?

I knelt to the ground to concentrate, willing her to appear, but I only heard silence and the light whooshing of the breeze coming in through the open windows. She must be dormant after my rebirth, I thought with a sigh.

I really was alone. But I didn’t have to be.

Would Caleb be willing to help me stop this wedding? There was only one way to find out.

I practically ran down the halls, recalling from my past life the twists and turns it took to get to Caleb’s rooms in the south tower. The stairs took the breath out of me, but I didn’t bother knocking.

The door swung open, revealing Caleb reclined on his bed, surrounded by several Blondy Girls, cooing at him like a pack of twittering doves. He startled and briefly met my gaze with his deeply green eyes, before returning his attention to the barely concealed breasts of the girl on his right.

“Caleb, I need to talk to you.”

He accepted a deep, open-mouthed kiss from another girl on his left.

“As your future Queen—“

“Future, Ruby. Not current.” He responded, pulling away from the kiss just long enough to get the words out. The Blondy Girl ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him back into her.

I narrowed my eyes in irritation, prying into the fray and nudging between the two girls lounging at the bottom of the bed. They just giggled, infuriatingly. “I have something important to discuss.” I grunted out. “And if you all don’t get off, I will call my guards to remove—“

I tripped, falling face first onto the lush red bedding. I scrambled back to my bearings, and looked up to see Caleb’s eyebrows raised. “Now what is the bride of the night doing in my room? On my bed? I doubt the groom will be happy to hear about that.”

I blushed furiously, but refused to back down. “I especially doubt you’ll be disappointed by what I have to say.”

He considered me, his eyes languidly running me up and down like he was buying a horse. “Leave us,” he said, brushing the women off his arms.

The door clicked shut, and we were alone in his chambers.

The realization settled heavily in my stomach, and I swallowed, meeting his green eyes. I couldn’t remember the last time I actually took in his features, the strong jaw,  the broad shoulders, the dark curls snaking devilishly over his brow.

“Well?” He said, pulling my attention back to the task at hand.

“Marry me,” I said simply. “I want you to be my groom tonight.”

He coughed in surprise, taking a glass of water from the night stand to clear his throat.  

“What, are you this impatient for the wedding to start?”

”This has nothing to do with that.”

”You’re just getting cold feet?”

“A marriage with me would make you the heir apparent, Lucas’s claim to the throne would be null, and you could—“

“Spare me the politics, Ruby. I understand what I stand to gain, I just don’t know what you could possibly want.”

”I want you for my husband.”

Caleb raised his eyebrow, and reached out a hand to caress my cheek. The touch sent a chill down my spine, but I held fast as he leaned his lips to my ear. “I’ll consider your proposal.” He whispered, trailing a finger to my collarbone. “If you can prove it’s a genuine offer.”

”How?” My voice cracked.

“Sleep with me.”

”I—“

”What, you can’t imagine being in my bed?” He brought his other arm around to the small of my waist, tugging me into him. “You’d take me for your husband, but not as your lover?”

“That’s not—“

He released me roughly, and I barely managed to keep my balance. “I don’t have time to entertain bored, idle brides. If you’re not serious, don’t bother me further.” He said, perching on the edge of the bed to watch me with wolfish eyes. “The door is behind you.”

His words were a challenge. The air in the room had become suffocating, and I could still feel the tingling sensation of his fingers over my spine. I couldn’t return to my chambers without an ally, I couldn’t let Lucas win. However hateful Caleb had been in my past life, didn’t he show some spark of kindness?

Mustering all my courage I pulled myself onto his lap, his thick, muscled thighs supporting me. I pulled his lips closer to mine, just close enough to feel his warmth, but not too close to touch. “Come on then, Caleb. Make your move.”