Chapter 3

I drew my fingers around his neck, feeling day-old stubble lacing his jaw. With a twist of my wrist, I pulled away the tie at his throat, which was already crooked and smudged with pink lipstick. From the Blondy Girls in his room earlier, I was sure.

He watched me intently as I undid the buttons of his white dress shirt, first the one at the top, then the next, and the next, revealing warm, deeply tanned skin underneath. I swallowed as I got lower, more nervous than I expected to be as I got to the last one, and tugged it through the loop.

Caleb smirked, running the tips of his fingers under my chin to lift up my gaze from his chest. “Poor, pretty thing. Is Lucas not satisfying you?”

The question pulled me instantly away from the moment at hand. I thought of Lucas in the hallway outside my chambers on the day of our wedding, of him taking Harper in the next room while I was pregnant with his child in a past life.

“Don’t talk to me about him,” I hissed back, yanking at the edges of his shirt, but he grabbed my hands to stop me.

“Ruby, what happened?” He asked, surprisingly gently. His hands were rough and calloused, but they burned heat into my palms like he might set me on fire.

“Marry me,” I tried again, weakly.

“That’s not an answer.”

”A deal, then.” I said, almost tripping over my words. “Go into a contract with me, be my husband for just one year, and I’ll tell you.”

His face was unreadable. I opened my mouth to speak, but he pushed me off his lap and back onto the red covers.

“Ruby, the whole thing was a joke, I have no shortage of whores to keep me busy.” He began rebuttoning his shirt, and tucking the tails back into his slacks. An infuriatingly flirtatious smile crept over his lips, “I can’t say I’m not flattered by your sincerity, though. I’ll keep it in mind next time Lucas loses a bet.”

“You’re disgusting,” I said, my skin boiling. All of that humiliation, forcing myself onto his bed, for nothing? It’s just as well, there is nothing in the world that could truly be worth the price of sleeping with that man, especially not his good-for-nothing help.

“Besides, I don’t know where you heard this, but I have no interest in the Lycan King’s crown.” I looked up to see Caleb’s attention directed decidedly at adjusting his cuffs. “I’m about as interested in politics as a dog, I prefer other sorts of treats.” He winked.

The declaration made me pause. He was lying. I knew for a fact he was lying because I had been a first-hand witness to the evidence. In my past life, he had himself been leading the revolt against his brother, and eventually even succeeded.

I could hear the screams of the maids, and smell the thick black smoke as the castle went up in flames. These memories were all his doing, and yet here he was claiming he didn’t care whether or not Lucas ascended to the throne?

Now, why are you acting out the role of a disinterested playboy whose only concern is when he can get his next lay? What is your scheme, Caleb?

I considered briefly explaining everything to him, since I knew he must be intending to turn against Lucas. What if I admitted to my rebirth, that I had undeniably useful information which would guarantee to make his revolution successful?

No, I would have nothing but trouble if I showed all my cards now. I had to wait until the right moment to reveal everything I knew. If I shared this too soon, he might completely reject me or suspect some sort of foul-play.

“Now, as for your favor—“

An overpoweringly familiar scent curdled in my nose just as the door swung open. Caleb and I startled, jumping apart as Lucas strode in between us.

He wore a faltering smile, bearing down on me with ice-cold blue eyes. “You’ve had us worried sick Ruby. Your mother couldn’t find you in your chambers and nearly went into hysterics that you might have been kidnapped.” He flashed to his brother, grimacing like he had stepped in shit. “But I see instead you’ve gone to see Caleb. Charming.”

“Nice to see you too, brother.”

Lucas ignored the greeting, “Ruby come here.”

”No,” I said, stepping back from him so Caleb was slightly between us.

“No?”

“You heard me. You can go back and tell my mother I’m fine, I have other things to do than just sit around and wait to get married.”

“Oh my darling, I think you can wait just another hour.”

Caleb burst out laughing at the exchange. “What a doting fiance, leaving your bride alone so long she has to find someone else to entertain her.”

Lucas forced a chuckle along with his brother, taking two long steps to reach me and put a possessive arm around my waist. “The wedding would have been on time, if someone hadn’t felt the need to go for a walk just before it was set to begin.” He retorted.

I tried to wriggle out of his hold, but he tightened his grip, using his free hand to replace a fallen strap onto my shoulder. His fingertips dug into my skin painfully, but he grabbed my hand before I could strike him across the face.

“I don’t know what is going on with you today, Ruby. But you will play the part of the happy wife or you and your wolf will suffer more deeply than you could imagine.”

I tried to retort back, but he pressed his lips to mine in a crashing, uncomfortable kiss, nearly drawing blood with the tips of his teeth. I pulled away, shocked, and wiped the remains of his touch from my mouth.

Lucas laughed again, this time more at ease like he had won. “So that’s all it is, just a disagreement about her dress.” He tipped up my chin to look at him more closely. “If that’s all that had worried you, there was no need to whisper it to me like that. We’ll have someone come to sew on the missing beads, don’t you worry my darling.”

“Of course,” I grit out.

He snatched my hand like it was a leash, and nearly dragged me out of the room. There was nothing I could say in front of him to keep Caleb on my side, not that I had made much progress to begin with, despite the embarrassing stunt I spent the afternoon trying to pull.

I glanced behind me to see Caleb watching as we left, his eyes glowing darkly. He looked dangerous, and irritated, and I was suddenly uneasy with how close I had gotten to him.

He thought I was playing some game to get Lucas’s attention, all thanks to the stupid lie Lucas had told to cover up my actions. All the work I had put in vanished in the blink of an eye, and now the only person I could think of who would be willing to help me was angry with me.