Chapter 4

RUBY

Lucas pulled me through the castle, down staircases and through echoing corridors, finally back into my chambers.

It would have been a beautiful night for a wedding, if I had still been the naive girl Lucas married in another life.

“You’re angry with me, and I don’t understand why.” He began as he finally released my wrist, red from the tightness of his grip.

There are too many reasons to list to you, you lying, adulterous bastard!

”I caught you with Harper earlier. I know you haven’t been faithful to me, you can’t expect me to ignore that and still walk down the aisle to you.”

“What you saw was a misunderstanding—”

“What I saw was a betrayal!”

”Ruby,” he implored, adopting the gentle tone of a hurt lover, “we’re fated mates.”

“You certainly don’t act like it.” I interrupted.

“I do.” He took my hands in his. “I always have, and I always will. I have to love you, I can’t help it. I’ve always sworn to you I would do everything I could to make you happy.” His words were fervent, almost like he was praying. “As the Lycan King, nothing will be out of my reach.”

“Not even Harper, I assume.” On the wedding day in my memories he had made so many of the same promises to me, and as I heard them I drank them like sweet summer wine. I couldn’t believe I had ever taken this man’s words or the shallow assurances he made to me as truth.

I was sober enough now to see him for who he really was, and to understand the cruel, terrible things he was capable of.

He drew back from me, shadows crowding around his brow. “You are just going to have to suffer a little bit to keep the wedding on track.” He smiled, “I know you love me Ruby.

He gave me no chance to respond, leaving quickly and letting Harper in behind him before the door clicked and locked.

“Isn’t it so exciting you’re going to be a wife soon?” She twittered. “I’ve always wanted a wedding. Anyways, Lucas has your parents helping him with some last minute state issues, so he asked me to help get your wedding dress settled.”

I stared at her as she pranced over to the dress I had chosen with my mother, still draped over my bed. “Oh, this is what you wanted to wear? No wonder you’re having problems, let me get you something better.”

“There’s no need,” I started, finally starting to feel the exhaustion from the events of the day sink in. It was enough to be faced again with Lucas, and to try and fail to catch Caleb’s attention, but now I had to be subject to this woman’s viciousness?

I thought about the Harper of my past life, the cruel ways she found to frame me as the villainess while she patiently endured as the innocent victim.

She was barely subtle in trying to turn my friends and allies against me through the course of my marriage to Lucas, and I cursed myself for not seeing any of it sooner. I should have known why she came to my room that night I died, but I would never make that mistake again

”Oh I think there’s every need,” Harper chirped from my closet, returning with a ridiculous looking piece on a hanger. It was far too big, with puffed sleeves larger than my head that dangled down to the waistline.

“Where did that come from?” I asked, incredulous.

“I had it sent to your room weeks ago, I knew you were so overwhelmed with planning the wedding. Lucas and Caleb can’t afford to look at a little girl who isn’t fully grown.” Harper grinned maliciously.

Caleb? How does Harper already know I went to see him earlier? It can’t matter, Caleb didn’t come to my wedding before my rebirth.

I narrowed my eyes, “And I suppose you are?”

She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, shoving the clown costume in my face. “Compared to you, I can’t help it.”

“Can’t help what? That you’re a lying bitch?” I slid my hand into my pocket and pressed record.

Harper instantly turned on me, her eyes ablaze. “You want the truth then? Fine, I’ll give it to you. Lucas doesn’t love you and never has. He’s chosen me, and that’s more powerful than the fated mate bond could ever be.

“I’ll be there for every moment of your marriage, just like I always have been for every step of your engagement. Lucas is mine, and he’ll be in my bed tonight, not yours.”

She slammed the door behind her, and I couldn’t help but smile as I pressed pause on the recorder in my pocket.

CALEB

I saw her laying on my cushions, the curves of her body hugged tightly by a lavender colored dress. The neckline plunged down between her breasts, her nipples poking through the thin fabric.

“Please,” she whispered, reaching out with soft delicate, fingers to trace the base of my ears, “touch me.”

I couldn’t resist.

Her smell was intoxicating, so warm and sweet I could practically taste it on my tongue. I licked her lips, inhaled her breath, and entered her gently. She released a small gasp as I began to move, and wrapped her arms around my back to pull me in deeper.

Ruby…

I sat up shocked, breathing heavily. What the hell was that? My brother’s mate comes into my room to taunt me and the next thing I know I’m seeing my wolf’s dreams about her?

I picked up my glass of water, but immediately put it down. I needed something stronger to get the image out of my head. And the feel of her beneath my wolf, Thor…

I downed the drink in one go and shook my head. Forget it, I warned him.

Ruby has always been madly in love with Lucas. But still, they didn’t seem to be playing a lover’s game. Lucas was clearly furious when he found her here.

I’m his biggest rival for control of the werewolf world, and we both know it. Whatever unity he thinks he can achieve by marrying her, I still pose a threat even after he consolidates power. Consorting with an enemy is provoking, but that didn’t look like the only reason they were quarreling.

“Knock knock,” one of the Blondy Girls reentered my room. Some women really don’t have any sense of shame. “I thought we could have a bit of fun on the balcony,” she said, slipping her fingers through my belt loops and tugging me into her.

“Not now,” I said, downing another round and brushing her away.

“Why, did you change your mind about going to the wedding? You’d really rather watch the peasant girl from the countryside in Prenia get married than have another taste of this?”

I pulled away from her advances again, letting her flop on the bed, pouting.

“She doesn’t have any upbringing, I have no idea what Lucas sees in her. Even if she’s his mate, and her parents are powerful, the werewolves in Prenia are barbaric—“

”You’re going to shut up, and get out.”

“What?”

“Get out,” I repeated, hissing.

Startled, she leapt off the bed and ran through the door.

Barbaric, I thought. Ha, they’re much kinder than the werewolves here. I was raised in Prenia, far away from my half brother and the chaotic world of the castle.

I reminisced through my childhood there, the rolling green fields, the beautiful forests and nature. It was heavenly, even the once I was attacked by a rogue outside the town walls and nearly died, I was saved by a beautiful young girl who nursed me back to health.

I never found out her name, but the gentleness in her face has followed me ever since. A soft smile, sweet emerald eyes… actually quite a bit like Ruby.

I crossed my arms in thought. I knew the girl who saved me was a noble of some sort, but that was all I had to go on. For years, I’d been trying to piece together the clues of her identity.

I had no idea Ruby was from Prenia. A few years ago, their resemblance made me ask her if she had ever been to that countryside, but she denied it firmly. She scoffed at the name, like Prenia was a place beneath her, and it was then I finally stopped associating her with the girl who saved me.

But what if...

The thought surprised me, but solidified my resolve. Oh, I would be at the wedding. And I would give them a fantastic show.