9

RUBY

It took all of me to get this done. Being here was hard. Harder than I thought it would be. Or maybe it was just the exhaustion hitting. Or so I thought.

A shaky breath shuddered from my chest as I backed away from the Tech. A wave of dizziness followed right after almost knocking me off my feet. A hand wrapped around my waist before I could even make the fall, my chest hitting theirs.

Austin's worried face was in front of me. "You need to sit down..." I really needed to.

I nodded twice, and let him lead me to the car. He pulled the door open and helped me into the back seat.

For a moment I shut my eyes, letting the wave of dizziness hit and pass before opening them again.

From a distance, Troy watched with a hard expression. I could tell he was clenching his jaw, a trait he'd always had since I'd known him. I swallowed the bitterness of the memory of him and our past. A part of me that I hated because no matter what I did, I couldn't wipe that out of memory as much as I'd have wanted to.

Behind him were the parents who bore me. Their eyes travelled from where I was to the tech and they spoke to themselves in hushed tones. I could tell Troy couldn't hear them.

I wanted to smile. Smile at the stupid look they had on their faces because it seemed to me like they couldn't believe I had done this.

I bet they're regretting choosing Alana over me. The thought came and I was tempted to agree. But I knew better. No matter how good I was, and I tried, these people would never choose me. It had been like that since I was born.

After a while, I exited the car and walked over to Austin who stood with our team, making sure that the device was in place and there would be no cause for us to return here every again. I think this because I don't want to come back here.

"We're good to go..." He said to me as soon as I reached them.

With Troy not far off, I spotted Chris running to him breathlessly, yelling something. "They're retreating, Alpha. The rogues can't go through the wall..."

Music to my ears. Our job here was done and it was time to leave.

Troy gave his beta a nod and a smile before stalking to where we were. "You heard him. You did it..." I didn't know why he was smiling at me like it was a favor I did for them. But I nodded nonetheless.

"We should go Austin. We have a long drive back..."

"Wait..leaving?" My father interrupted like a man that had been waiting hours for his turn. "But you just got here, Ruby. At least come home, spend the night or something..."

My brows creased into a deep frown. Was he joking? I didn't see anyone laugh, not even him so I assumed he was being serious which would be rather absurd considering he was the one who handed me the severance document to sign, completely abandoning me as usual.

"No." Was all I said before turning my head to my team and signaling for them to load our shit up into the cars.

"Ruby, you cannot refuse your father..." Said my mother and I smiled at her as mockingly as I could.

"Oh but he's not my father, remember?" I cocked my head to the side as I asked. Her upper lip twitched. She wanted to say something but didn't know what. "And my father is not in this pack. So if you will excuse me, I'd like to head home now." I started to walk to the car, desperate to leave.

The hair at the back of my neck stood alert. Somehow I knew hell was about to break loose because it did.

Troy followed suit and in two long strides, he caught up with me, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. "Lock the border gates down, no one leaves this pack..."

I stood stunned for a moment, willing myself to believe that I had heard things and that had not been what Troy said. He looked me in the eyes with an unreadable expression.

"You want to lock us up here? Are you fucking insane?" Austin's voice was loud and deep with rage. His claws pointed out, ready to attack whoever dared to come close.

Troy cocked his head to the side, his eyes glued to mine before he spoke again. "I'm not letting anyone get killed simply because they came to my pack, Ruby. We just built a barrier stopping them from marching in, do you think they're just going to leave and not lurk around?"

In a way, he made sense. But staying should have been our choice not him trying to force us. I was about to counter him when Austin brushed past me and lunged at Troy, punching him square on his jaw. The sound of bone shifting cracked in the air and I gasped, not expecting him to do that. Austin was never violent. Unless he had to be.

Troy's face shifted to the side, he placed a hand on his jaw and cracked it back in place before he stood up straight. Ever so slowly, he let his own fangs out. One second was all it took for them to be at each other's throat.

I didn't move. I didn't know what to do. We had to leave. I was certain I could protect us but that could only be for a while. What if the rogues followed us all the way? I didn't have enough in me to keep us safe until we got to the company's base. And that was thousands of miles away from where Father was. He wouldn't reach us in time.

The realization that Troy was right and we had no other option but to stay the night before help came hit me like dead weight. Heavy, judging and unforgiving.

"Troy…" I yelled having made a decision I didn't like and was sure the others wouldn't as well. "That's enough, get away from him…" He stared at me like I had grown another head. He couldn't believe I was picking Austin. But was I supposed to pick the man who rejected me and caused me to lose my baby over the one that protected me more years than Troy had?

Troy never gave a shit about me before finding out we were mates. He only ever paid attention to me when his wolf sensed me as his fated. Never before.

Troy backed away nonetheless, looking slightly hurt. "We'll stay but that's it. First light, my friends and I leave, I dare you to try something else then." One night to recharge. That could be enough.

I hated the smile that crept on Troy's face afterwards. I walked to Austin and took his reddened knuckle into my palm. "Ruby, you can't possibly agree to this…" I nodded. I understood the concern.

"I can't protect us if we leave and the rogues attack Austin. One night and I'd get enough rest to keep you all safe tomorrow. For now, we let him think that's won."

I'd expected to be kept with my team, but Troy had me separated from them. Before I could even tell what he was going to do, he threw me over his shoulder and strode off to the pack house, leaving Austin and my team to be surrounded by his men.

I shouted and kicked, but nothing made him stop. Not until he was where he wanted me to be. Then he placed me on the floor in front of a room, pushed the door open and shoved me inside it before securing the lock.

I knocked, shook the door handle, and screamed some more but there was no response. I was stuck here and I didn't like it. Dread washed over me, and it became worse when I took in my surroundings.

Memories came like ghosts in a haunted house. They played in my face, reminding me that no matter how many years it took, in the end I was the girl no one loved.

The unchosen daughter.

The unloved mate.

My heart broke all over again. And Troy, he had forced me here, to make me remember. And to make sure I never forgot my place.

I let the tears that formed to fall. And in streams they did. Except instead of taking the pain away, they did nothing.

I cried until my face felt dry, and exhaustion took over my body. I didn't know if anyone ever knocked to bring food like he said they would, my eyes only ever opened when it was morning.

I stretched into a seated position from the awkward one I had been in. My body ached, my feet was cold.

And as if on cue, my stomach growled loudly. Thankfully I was alone.

I rose to my feet and faced the door, my hand in the air about to knock when I heard the sound of keys rattling against each other. Then a soft click from the door before it was pushed open.

Troy stood in his glory. Except he didn't look like he got an ounce of sleep, his eyes burned with exhaustion.

"Ruby, I trust you slept well..." He spoke softly, a gentle smile on his lips. I was tempted to think he was his old self.

"Considering I slept on the cold floor because someone locked me in here, yes, Alpha Troy. I slept great." I sneered at him, keeping my tone as sweet as possible.

He chuckled, his deep voice sending unwanted shivers down my spine. Dammit, Ruby.

I cursed internally.

In his hand were a few toiletries, he handed them to me and pointed to the door. "You know where the bathroom is, freshen up and come down for breakfast." I snatched the items from his hand, keeping my expression hard so that he knew I was still mad at him. I was about to protest about breakfast when my stomach decided it was a great time to speak. And loudly too.

Troy smiled, and lifted a brow at me. And I reddened instantly. I used my own hands to pushed the door close before I died of embarrassment.

Quickly I rushed to the bathroom like he said, a part of me hating that I knew the way even if he hadn't told me. And I stepped inside.

Again, everything was as we left it.

If I didn't know better, I'd have thought he was waiting for me to come back.

I shook the thoughts away and brushed my teeth and washed my face.

There was no other freshening up to do, Austin and I didn't come to this pack for a vacation, we didn't know we'd be ambushed into a sleepover.

I quickly made my way to the door, glad that he had left the door open. I rushed down the stairs, heart thumping.

When I made it to the last stair, I stopped in my tracks.

Troy was seated eating breakfast with some of his men. I clenched my fist and scanned the room.

Far off at the end of the table, with an angered expression that mirrored mine sat Austin. But Mimi, Silas, Greg and Liam were nowhere to be found.

He lied to me.

"Where are they? You told me they were alive, Troy. Where the fuck are my friends?"