RubyI lunge for Edith, knocking into her with my teeth bared. She must not have been expecting me to attack her so quickly, because she skids across the marble floor with a yelp from my impact.While she’s on the ground, I take it as an opportunity to dodge around her and run away.She jumps up just as I’m passing by and jumps onto my back, pinning me to the floor. My throat presses into the floor, practically choking me.“You’re so stupid for coming back, and even more stupid for trying to fight me,” she says with a haughty chuckle.I growl in response and struggle against her weight. Somehow, I manage to wriggle free and bolt down the corridor.“Where are you going, little pup?” Edith coos as she chases after me. She sprints ahead and cuts me off from going further, her lips pulled back in a snarl. I feel as though I am her prey and she’s stalking me.The fighting between the Lycans and the Bears downstairs fills my ears with growls and yelps. Outside, another gun goes off, followe
AtwoodJust when I thought that Noah and I wouldn’t make it, Ruby appeared. Her wolf is white, like a ghost, and she’s smaller than most other Lycans that I’ve seen. But she’s beautiful and strong and quick, and she saved my life. Her very presence gave me enough strength to fight back against the Bears.When the fight was over and we had the last Bear in our custody, I was saddened to find that he was just a boy. I suppose it’s not surprising that the Bears would recruit teenagers to fight their wars, but it still makes my blood boil. Hopefully this boy will be able to provide us with some information that will help us end this pointless war and stop the bloodshed.I felt immensely weak as soon as I shifted back into my human form.Before I knew it, I was being carried away by the medics. By the time they got me to the infirmary, I was unconscious.I’m not sure how long I’ve been out. Hours? Days? Weeks? I feel like I’m stuck in limbo, like I’m in a foggy version of the real world. T
RubyFor the first time since I’ve been here, the infirmary is full of people. Members of Atwood’s pack, servants, and even my own classmates are being treated for their wounds. All of the cots are taken by people whose bodies have been mauled by the Bears… as I walk through the aisles, pacing while the medics tend to Atwood, I see that there are several cots in which the faces of the victims have been covered with gray bed sheets. Those victims have succumbed to their wounds and passed onto the next life. Thankfully, I don’t see Ruby, Tamara, or Cayden anywhere.One of the medics comes up to me finally after what has felt like an eternity of pacing and biting my lip.“He’s stable,” she says quietly. “But only for now. If it’s alright with you, we’d like to ask that you stay by his side. A mate’s presence can speed up the healing process.”I nod vehemently, following the medic to Atwood’s cot.Physically he looks alright with no wounds, but his body looks drained of energy. The medics
RubyWhen I return to the infirmary, Nancy and Tamara are surrounded by medics. They’re both wrapped tightly in blankets and hold mugs of hot soup, which they’re devouring hungrily. Nancy’s leg has already been put in a splint, and she seems to have been given pain medication through the IV in her arm that’s making her cheeks blush bright red and making her giggle at everything.Doctor Yang is still with Atwood. He’s switching out his IV with a new bag that’s full of a strange, glowing, blue liquid.“What’s that?” I ask, walking up to him.He glances over his shoulder at me as he finishes adjusting the bag and starts checking Atwood’s vitals again.“It’s a medicine I’ve concocted for his condition,” he says. “I haven’t thought of a name for it yet.”I watch as Doctor Yang checks Atwood’s blood pressure.“Um, Doctor Yang?” I ask, suddenly feeling curious and bold. I think my adrenaline might still be pumping from what’s happened over the past twelve hours, which is making me more confi
RubyAtwood doesn’t wake for the rest of the night. Doctor Yang says that he’ll still need some time to recover, but I don’t mind. At least now I know that I don’t need to worry about him.The events over the last 48 hours have completely exhausted me. As soon as Doctor Yang gives me the green light to sleep once he’s finished monitoring my concussion, I practically pass out immediately and fall into a deep sleep.While I’m sleeping, I start to have incredibly vivid dreams. I’ve never been someone who has particularly vivid dreams, but I feel as though something has changed within me now that I’ve marked Atwood.The dream starts off in the infirmary. I sit up from my hospital bed and look around to see that the infirmary is bright with sunlight. All of the other beds are gone. I’m completely alone.All of the aches and pains in my body are nonexistent now. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I stand slowly and walk toward the window as though I’m in a trance.Outside, it’s brig
AtwoodWith every minute spent after Ruby marked me, I can feel my mind clearing up and my symptoms fading. My body still feels painful and weak, but mentally I feel even more clear than before my condition got bad.I just wish that my mother would believe that.When the sun rises, I feel incredibly energetic after spending two days resting in a hospital bed. Ruby is still sleeping on my chest, and though it pains me to leave her, I have things that I need to tend to in my kingdom. The attack from the Bears no doubt did a number on my castle, and I will need to address the deaths of some of the party guests and take care of their families.I gently slide out from under Ruby and leave her sleeping in the hospital bed while I dress. She’s still soundly asleep, even snoring softly, as I kiss her on the top of her head and exit the infirmary.There is no doubt in my mind that my servants have worked hard to clean up the castle after the attack, because the once-bloodied corridors are now
RubyI’m not sure when I fall asleep in Atwood’s study, but at some point during the night I feel myself being gently lifted out of the plush armchair that I was reading in and being carried to my room. I don’t need to open my eyes to know that it’s Atwood who is carrying me; his scent fills my body with warmth and his strong arms hold me tightly against his chest.He lays me down in my bed and gently pulls the covers up around me, then plants a soft kiss on my forehead and quietly leaves the room. I find it a little strange that he still isn’t sleeping in the same bed as me now that we’ve marked each other, but it doesn’t worry me anymore like it used to. Perhaps he’s simply busy or not ready to share a bed yet. Truthfully, I’m not sure if I’m completely ready, either.My dreams aren’t nearly as vivid as they were before, which only further leads me to believe that that “dream” I had wasn’t a dream at all, but rather some sort of vision or prophecy.You are so much more than you real
RubyA couple of days pass, and soon the castle is quiet once more. The survivors of the attack have all been treated for their wounds and sent home. The damage from the attack has been repaired by the expert builders that Atwood hired, and everything feels somewhat normal again.On the third day, Alice wakes me up bright and early. She’s even grumpier than usual, but seems to be restraining herself. Perhaps Atwood had words with her about how she treats me?“Atwood has requested that you return to school today,” she says, rifling through my closet for my uniform. I’m glad that I tossed my soot-covered clothes in the fire last night, because it would be difficult to explain myself if Alice found them.She returns with my uniform with a huff and tosses it down on my bed as I get up and head to the bathroom.“You know,” she says from the other room as I brush my teeth, “you should really be grateful that the King is being so kind as to let you return to school. If it were up to me, you’