RubyFor the first time since I’ve been here, the infirmary is full of people. Members of Atwood’s pack, servants, and even my own classmates are being treated for their wounds. All of the cots are taken by people whose bodies have been mauled by the Bears… as I walk through the aisles, pacing while the medics tend to Atwood, I see that there are several cots in which the faces of the victims have been covered with gray bed sheets. Those victims have succumbed to their wounds and passed onto the next life. Thankfully, I don’t see Ruby, Tamara, or Cayden anywhere.One of the medics comes up to me finally after what has felt like an eternity of pacing and biting my lip.“He’s stable,” she says quietly. “But only for now. If it’s alright with you, we’d like to ask that you stay by his side. A mate’s presence can speed up the healing process.”I nod vehemently, following the medic to Atwood’s cot.Physically he looks alright with no wounds, but his body looks drained of energy. The medics

RubyAtwood doesn’t wake for the rest of the night. Doctor Yang says that he’ll still need some time to recover, but I don’t mind. At least now I know that I don’t need to worry about him.The events over the last 48 hours have completely exhausted me. As soon as Doctor Yang gives me the green light to sleep once he’s finished monitoring my concussion, I practically pass out immediately and fall into a deep sleep.While I’m sleeping, I start to have incredibly vivid dreams. I’ve never been someone who has particularly vivid dreams, but I feel as though something has changed within me now that I’ve marked Atwood.The dream starts off in the infirmary. I sit up from my hospital bed and look around to see that the infirmary is bright with sunlight. All of the other beds are gone. I’m completely alone.All of the aches and pains in my body are nonexistent now. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I stand slowly and walk toward the window as though I’m in a trance.Outside, it’s brig

RubyI’m not sure when I fall asleep in Atwood’s study, but at some point during the night I feel myself being gently lifted out of the plush armchair that I was reading in and being carried to my room. I don’t need to open my eyes to know that it’s Atwood who is carrying me; his scent fills my body with warmth and his strong arms hold me tightly against his chest.He lays me down in my bed and gently pulls the covers up around me, then plants a soft kiss on my forehead and quietly leaves the room. I find it a little strange that he still isn’t sleeping in the same bed as me now that we’ve marked each other, but it doesn’t worry me anymore like it used to. Perhaps he’s simply busy or not ready to share a bed yet. Truthfully, I’m not sure if I’m completely ready, either.My dreams aren’t nearly as vivid as they were before, which only further leads me to believe that that “dream” I had wasn’t a dream at all, but rather some sort of vision or prophecy.You are so much more than you real

RubyI’m just waking up on Saturday morning and have just gotten out of the shower when there’s a knock at my door.“Just a minute!” I call out. I know it’s Atwood because I can smell his scent through the door, and frantically put on my robe before answering.He looks me up and down. I’m almost positive that I can see a bit of an erection form in his pants when he looks at me, but I pretend that I don’t see it.“Get dressed,” he says, holding out a box with a ribbon. “I’m taking you out.”I take the box from him and take the lid off to reveal a beautiful red dress.“Where are we going?” I ask.“Shopping,” he says. “Just you and me.”Before I can say anything else, Atwood turns on his heel and walks off -- likely to hide his erection, which makes me giggle a bit. I head back into my room and pull the dress out of the box.It’s a short dress with long sleeves and a black collar. When I put it on, the skirt swishes beautifully and it matches my hair well. I put it on with black tights a

Ruby“Keep your coat on, Ruby,” Atwood says as he solemnly descends the stairs. “We have to go somewhere.”The grim look on Atwood’s face makes my heart start to race. He comes down the stairs and grabs his coat off the hook.“Where are we going?” I ask as we step back out into the cold and head toward the car.Atwood simply opens the passenger side door silently, shutting it behind me once I get in. He gets in on the driver’s side and pulls out of the driveway.“Atwood?” I ask as we start to drive down the road.He grips the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles turn white.His demeanor is frightening me at this point, but I decide not to ask any more questions and just let him drive in silence.Soon enough, as we turn down the winding roads with tall pine trees on either side, I start to realize where we’re going.We’re headed toward my village.My mind starts racing a million miles a minute. Did he find out about my plans to escape with Cayden? Is he going to confront the both