Ruby With each new day, I was slowly regaining strength. There were days where I took my medication, and there were days when I didn't. Not the dose that Elena insisted I take but the original dose my dad prescribed. Before Elena could discover my discarded stockpile, I flushed the handful of pills away down the toilet. My parents were hardly home. They were stressed to the max and were rushed off their feet with pack duties. Something was happening within the werewolf community and Dad was working long tiresome hours, hardly managing to find the time to eat. He raced through the door this morning after Mom handed him a bacon sandwich to go. "Please make sure you eat that, Aiden," Mom fussed, wincing at the sound of the front door slamming shut behind him. Mom walked into the sit

Ruby Dad took us back to Dylan’s house and told Mom to meet us there. My friends and I took a seat on the comfy couch, cradling hot mugs of coffee. Tegan and Sarah smiled as they watched Dylan’s daughter, Brooke, as she played with her toys. Mia was daydreaming and stared at the carpet with glazed eyes. My thoughts were plagued with worry. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened and hadn’t noticed that Dad had crouched down at the side of the couch to talk to me. "Hey, you alright?" he asked, nudging my ching with his knuckles. I sucked in a soft gasp and nodded. “My Gamma needs to ask a few questions, but it’s nothing for you to worry about, okay?” "Yeah, I guess. What time is Mom getting here?" I asked. “She's on her way over with Sam,” he answered.

Ruby Sarah nudged me as I dozed, waking me with a jolt. I had fallen asleep a few minutes after takeoff, listening to the calming thrum of the jet engines. My withered lips smashed together, flooding much-needed moisture back to my dry and brittle tongue. "Are we there yet?" I asked, after swallowing away the dryness, then stretched with a yawn. Instead of a painstaking goodbye in Montanna, my entire family, old and new, were all accompanying me home to Lakewood. My suspicions were aroused that something was likely to happen the minute we touched down on the runway. I had an idea that there would be a party of some sort. The fact that we were all fairly overdressed for the flight back home kind of gave it away. I was wearing a cream

Caleb I placed the ring box inside the toy wicker basket that I found half-buried under the chippings and set it down. My phone rang in my pocket, serving as a minor distraction. As I fished it out, I saw Ruby's name flashing on my home screen. After letting it run to voicemail, I paced the ground anxiously. Is this a bad idea? I began questioning my decisions, worried that I had rushed into this without thinking it through. Another half-hour passed and I contemplated calling Aaron to see if Ruby had arrived at the office yet. Not knowing what was happening was pure torture, but I stood firm and resisted the urge to call him. After a series of calming intakes and exhales, my anxiety began to subside. The forest soothed me. I

Ruby I gasped, feeling a rush of butterflies take flight in my abdomen. Caleb whisked me into the elaborately decorated marquee and onto a smooth black dancefloor that sparkled as if it was inground with diamond dust. The opulent decor screamed no expense spared. So befitting of a millionaire's lifestyle and unlike any party that I had ever attended before. Around the perimeter of the domed space were tables and chairs that had been covered with crisp white linen. Each chair-back was embellished with azure blue organza bows. Stylish floral arrangements of pretty white flowers among green leaves adorned the center of every tabletop, filling the air with a subtle spicy bouquet. Servers dressed all in white were handing out tall crystal flutes containing a pale effervescent liquid. It could only be champagne. I politely declined a glass but Gran was taking full advantage, no