004. Cast away...

The cab's tires crunched on the gravel as it pulled up outside the mansion. My mansion—or at least, it had been. Now it stood like a mausoleum of my father’s legacy, taken over by a man who had no right to the empire my father built.

I fumbled with the money and paid the driver, my fingers still trembling from the shock of Roman’s rejection. My entire world had collapsed in the space of a few hours, and now I had nowhere to go but back to the house I once called home. 

As I handed the driver the cash, I caught my reflection in the window. I looked like a complete stranger with my pale, drawn face. My long black hair, which is usually neatly combed, was tangled, and my eyes were red and puffy from holding back tears.

"Thanks," I muttered as I climbed out, my legs still unsteady. 

The driver gave a curt nod, and as the cab pulled away, I stood frozen, staring at the mansion. The last time I was here, I had been forced into a marriage I didn’t want, but now... what was I? 

A castaway. 

Unwanted by the werewolves. 

Unwanted by my family.

My father’s mansion had once been a place of warmth and protection, a symbol of his power and authority in the mafia. Now it was nothing more than a fortress of secrets and lies, ruled by the man who had taken everything from me.

Uncle Damien.

He had taken over everything—my father's gang, his role as the head of the family, even the alpha status of our wolf pack. My father had been strong, respected, and loved. 

But Uncle Damien... he was none of those things. He had wormed his way into power after my father’s death. A death I never believed was an accident.

I knew it was a murder, but Damien refused to investigate. He brushed it aside as a tragic car crash, but I saw the truth behind his eyes. He had something to do with it. 

And when I had confronted him about it... well, I still bore the bruises from that encounter. He had me beaten and locked up for weeks, only to release me when his precious daughter, Esperanza, refused to marry Roman.

That’s why I was chosen. Not out of family duty or love, but as a replacement, a bargaining chip to save his own skin. I wondered what he would say now, after I had been cast out like yesterday's garbage. 

Would he laugh in my face? Would he beat me again? Or worse, throw me out of my father’s house for good?

The wind blew cold against my skin as I stood at the entrance. My fingers grazed the glass doors, catching my reflection once more. My dress was crumpled from the long night, and the wine stains from the reception were still visible. 

My hair, usually silky and smooth, hung in wild strands, and my lips—still slightly swollen from Roman’s kiss—reminded me of the mistakes I had made.

I pushed the doors open and walked in, bracing myself for the inevitable confrontation. 

The heavy sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, and I tensed as Uncle Damien appeared at the top of the grand staircase, his sharp eyes narrowing as they landed on me. 

His lips twisted into a sneer as he descended in a slow, deliberate gait, like a predator stalking prey. "So," he said, his voice dripping with contempt, "the prodigal daughter returns."

He knows already, I can tell from just that statement. I swallowed hard, standing my ground even though every instinct told me to run. "I came back because—"

"Because what?" he snapped, cutting me off as he reached the bottom of the stairs. His eyes roamed over me with disgust. "You failed. You couldn’t even secure a place in Roman’s pack, could you? What use are you now, Ruby?"

I flinched at his words but forced myself to meet his gaze. "This is still my home," I said in a shaky voice, despite my efforts to stay calm. "My father's home."

"Your father’s home?" Damien scoffed, stepping closer until he towered over me. The stench of alcohol lingered on his breath. "Your father’s dead, girl. And with him, all your rights to anything in this house."

I felt the anger flare in my chest. "I have every right to be here. This is my inheritance—"

Damien’s hand landed across my face before I could finish. The slap echoed in the vast hall, leaving my cheek burning with pain. My vision blurred for a second, the sting of tears rising but quickly suppressed. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

"You have no rights," Damien spat with venom. "Your rights died with your father, who, by the way, never even bothered to sign the legal documents transferring his fortune to you. I own everything now."

I stared at him, stunned. He was lying. He had to be. But the confidence in his eyes, the certainty in his words, made my stomach twist with dread. "You're lying," I whispered, trying to convince myself.

"Go back to Roman," Damien continued, as if I hadn’t spoken. "Beg him for mercy. Maybe if you crawl at his feet, he’ll take you back. Because here?" He stepped back, gesturing to the grand foyer. "You have no place."

My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. This had been my home—my sanctuary. Now it was nothing more than a gilded cage, one I had no key to escape.

"I won’t beg," I said through gritted teeth. "This was my father’s empire, and I have a right to it."

"Your father is dead!" Damien roared. "And you're nothing but a worthless girl who couldn’t even keep her place in a marriage that was handed to her. Throw her out."

I barely had time to react before two of Damien's men appeared at his side. They grabbed me roughly by the arms, dragging me toward the door as if I were some intruder.

"Wait!" I shouted, struggling in their grip. "This is my home! You can’t just—"

"Get her out of my sight!" Damien bellowed, his voice booming as they dragged me toward the exit. "And Ruby, don’t bother coming back unless it’s with Roman’s blessing. I don’t want to see your face in this city if you’re not with the D’Angelo pack."

They threw me out the door without ceremony, my skin scraping the ground as I stumbled onto the gravel driveway. I barely managed to stay on my feet, my chest heaving as tears welled up, threatening to spill.

I wasn’t just humiliated. I was broken.

The door slammed behind me, and I was alone again. Homeless. Worthless. Lost.

I didn’t know where to go. My father was gone. My uncle had made it clear I had no place in the family. And Roman... Roman had cast me out just as cruelly. 

There was only one person left who might help me. My aunt.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I set off toward the street, hailing another cab. The drive to my aunt’s place was short, but every second felt like a lifetime. My heart raced as I feared that she would also turn me away.

When the cab finally stopped, I stepped out into the quiet residential neighborhood. The houses here were modest—nothing like the grand mansion I had just been thrown out of.

I knocked lightly, waiting for what felt like an eternity before the door creaked open.

"Ruby," Aunt Cecile whispered as she pulled me inside quickly, glancing nervously over her shoulder. "What happened?"

I couldn’t hold back anymore. The dam broke, and I sobbed into her arms, recounting everything—the rejection, Damien’s cruelty, how I had nowhere left to go.

Cecile’s face paled as she listened, her hands trembling as she stroked my hair. "Oh, Ruby," she whispered in a shaky voice. "I wish I could help you, but..." Her words trailed off, and I knew what was coming before she even said it.

"You can’t stay here," she finished, her eyes filled with regret. "Damien will come after you. If he finds out I’m helping you, he’ll... he’ll..."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Please," I begged. "I have nowhere else."

She hesitated, then went in and returned with a wad of cash. "Take this," she said, pressing the money into my hands. "It’s not much, but it’ll get you out of the city. Go. Go somewhere far away. Start over."

Tears blurred my vision again, but this time, I didn’t fight them. I nodded, knowing she was right. Damien had eyes everywhere, and it won’t be long before he finds me.

With just the bag of clothes I had left at her place and the cash she’d given me, I walked out of her home and headed for the airport.

The airport was nearly empty when I arrived. As I stood at the gate, waiting for my flight, I took one last look at the city I had called home for so long. The city that had taken everything from me.

With a heavy heart, I boarded the plane, leaving behind the ashes of my past.