I laughed. I liked this guy. He was like the male version of Natalie, although he seemed a little more animated. “Yeah, I know.”I looked up and found a few wolves looking our way, but Xavier’s back was turned as he spoke to another wolf. I had forgotten that they could all hear me clearly, and surely now they could hear by my heartbeat that I was panicking because of their sudden attention.Randoll placed his hand over mine and my head whipped his way. “You’re not what I expected, Ruby.” I smiled at him gratefully.In the distance, a loud growl could be heard. Randoll rolled his eyes and didn’t even look. I started looking around frantically only to find Xavier staring daggers at Randoll. His shoulders were moving up and down with his heavy breathing and a few wolves stepped away from him.What’s his problem?“So,” I drawled as I tore my eyes away from Xavier. “This Council I keep hearing about, what’s up with that?”"Hmm. Humans have a government and wolves have a Council. There are
My fingers glided along the railing of the staircase as I made my way downstairs. Amid the chaos that is my life, I've found a reason to smile.I wasn’t entirely sure what was between Xavier and me, but after the day I had with him I was eager to find out. I was petrified of Axel and the Council and the future in general, but in the here and now I had a reason to be happy.For the first time in a long time I wasn't being swept away by sadness or thoughts of dying, but from the memory of Xavier's lips on mine. Where my appetite had been off for a while, it had decided to return at 1 a.m.I finished my sandwich, did the dishes, and was having a glass of water when a girl walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the island. I recognized her as the girl who had accompanied Xavier the day at the diner.Why is she wearing a full face of makeup at 1 a.m.?“You’re not his mate.”I inhaled and placed my glass into the sink. I knew sooner or later someone would no longer hide behind their sta
He tapped my thigh and I untangled my legs from around his waist so he could place me gently onto the ground. My eyes were wide as they looked around, but whatever Xavier was seeing or hearing, I couldn’t.“Ruby, I want you to go back to the house.” He stepped away from me. “Now.” He began removing his shirt and instead of backing away I approached him. He stopped me with just a look. “Run!”I jerked my hand away as he yelled. His voice was contorted and deeper as his shoulders hunched forward. Before I could ask what was going on, I got my answer. A werewolf barreled out of the bushes and Xavier stepped protectively in front of me, punching the wolf in the face and sending him flying backward.Xavier began to shift, his skin tearing and ripping, his body growing in size. With it, his pants began to rip until there was nothing but shredded clothes on the ground. My body was shaking with terror, my eyes wide, and my hand clutching at my heart. My brain was telling my legs to get the he
RubyMy bones ached as if they had all been broken and then reset and were on their way to healing. I was at a loss for why my body felt so fucked up, but I remained still until my throbbing headache eased.I inhaled and my nose crinkled from a horrible stench.What the hell is that?I cracked one eye open, but surprise soon had my other eye popping open as well. Why was there a stone ceiling above me?I bolted upright as I realized I was in a dimly lit dank cell and not my room at Xavier's house. An odd heaviness on my left leg pulled myattention and my heart started pounding harder at the chain attached to my ankle.What the fuck is going on?My headache returned in an unpleasant wave and I hunched over and held my head. Images began flashing within my mind, of me running into the forest, of Xavier’s wolf hitting me with his tail, of a strange werewolf attacking me and sending me flying through the air.“Fuck,” I said under my breath as all my memories returned to me, and my mouth
NatalieWillow hadn’t been able to locate Ruby and it had only enraged Xavier further. However, using the scratch that Xavier gotten on his arm from brawling with one of the strange wolves, she had been able to locate that wolf.Xavier hadn’t waited a second before he was out the door with Randoll and six others.I was left behind to help Mathieu with creating a mental link with the entire pack to see who had gone against his command and told someone about Ruby. Creating a mind link is allowed only under specific circumstances. Alphas demand total obedience, and once an order is given it's almost impossible to disobey. But some wolves are strong enough to overpower the will of their alpha. In circumstances like this, a mind link through an Enchanted may be done.It’s taxing on an Enchanted, however, having all the thoughts and memories from the pack flowing through their minds to then be sent to the alpha. No one was guilty of talking about Ruby, though, and it left us with more quest
XavierAs it was daytime, transforming wasn’t an option. Our senses would be heightened, but the risk was too great, so we stayed in human form as we surrounded the warehouse.The warehouse was less than a mile away from where Ruby’s blood had been found and her scent didn’t go past this warehouse. Even though I was right outside I still could not smell the unknown wolves. A wolf has never been able to block their scent so completely.With each passing second of not having Ruby in my arms, I grew more and more aggravated. I had only just found her; we were just getting close, and now she's gone.She’s not gone forever!I clenched my fists before looking to my left and nodding to Randoll, his signal to move forward. He nodded in response and whistled, and the wolves who had surrounded the warehouse charged in.Yells, growls, and loud crashes could be heard as they stormed inside. While we were unable to smell these wolves, I was certain they could smell us and had been preparing for ou
RubyI jerked awake and looked around. When I realized I was still in the dreary cell, I closed my eyes and turned onto my side. I had hoped that the man in the shadows and the chain around my ankle were just a bad dream.But as usual, I never get what I want. The universe has been dishing out shit to me since the moment I was born.Waking up and finding Xavier watching me while I slept was something I’d pick over this any day of the week. I missed him. I missed him so much fresh tears sprang to my eyes. I squeezed my eyes closed to stop them and tried to remember what it felt like to have his warm body close to mine.Whoever abducted me might be watching me right now, might be listening, and I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing or hearing me cry. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but what would that change? My hair was tangled so badly my fingers could not run through it, and I didn’t need heightened senses to know that I was starting to smell funky.None of that
RubyHave you ever been so hungry that your stomach feels like it’s caving in on itself? So thirsty you can barely pry your tongue from the roof of your mouth? Your mind focuses on nothing but food and drink, drink and food. How a stale piece of bread, a glass of water, or a single French fry might save your life.If you’ve never felt that, you’re lucky, and I hope you never do. I wasn’t suffering from hunger only. My hair was matted to my skull, and I was getting sick of my own foul odor. I’d lost track of how long I’d been chained up in Axel’s dungeon, and I was passing out more frequently due to hunger and dehydration.My eyes cracked open as I listened to the dripping water coming from somewhere inside this dark dungeon. It was making this situation a hundred times worse. Every time I heard it, I thought about how even one tiny drop in my mouth might make this situation a little more bearable.My tongue felt like sandpaper, and my back felt sore from lying down for so long. I, how