Ruby
“Ruby, are you okay?” He asked in a voice laced with worry, ignoring my harshness and my demands as he moved closer to my cell.
Do I look okay, you fool?
Liam, on the other hand, looks so different now, which took me by surprise as I observed him in his full form. It seemed like time had left its mark on him as lines appeared on his face, showing the years he had lived through. His once lively features were now weighed down by experiences, and he had a weary look of regret in his eyes.
Pathetic.
His once vibrant hair now held traces of silver, evidence of the burdens he carried as alpha since we were last together. The passing years had transformed him, shaping him into a man marked by the consequences of our shared past and the choices that drove us apart.
But seriously, why was he looking so old? Like all his energy and life had been sucked out of him.
“Go ask my replacement and get the hell out of my life.” I spat, feeling uneasy at the fact that I was actually talking to my first chance mate. The darkness around us seemed to magnify the echoes of our past, creating an uneasy atmosphere.
“Not this time, Ruby. I will never make the mistake of letting you go again, and I know you came back because of me, Ruby. You missed me just as much as I do.” He spoke confidently, hitting his chest.
Seriously, was he normal? Did he just say I missed him? I decided that silence was the best answer for a fool, so keeping quiet was the best.
He sighed. “I have spent the last seven years wishing I could turn back time and correct my mistake, and this time I would make sure we have more babies to replace our lost one. We can start anew. It’s not too late.” His voice echoed as he stood in front of my cell with his audacious proposition.
Did he just say what I think he said? How dare he? Unbelievable
I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. He was suggesting a twisted notion of starting over and having more children together after everything he did to me while I was still mourning the loss of our child a few minutes after my painful delivery, to which he almost killed me in the process.
Liam drew nearer and bent so close that I could see the hopeful glint in his eyes as he stared at me with a delusion that time could mend the irreparable damage he had caused. Disgust churned within me, fueled by the memories of shattered dreams and heartbreak.
Unable to contain my revulsion, a bitter scoff escaped my lips, and without a second thought, I spat in his face defiantly-a symbolic rejection of his attempts to mend what he had shattered and erase the painful history we shared.
I almost laughed at his shocked face, and silence hung momentarily in the air, which spoke the thousands of words I wanted to say.
I would never be entangled in his deceitful web.
Liam’s expression shifted from hope to disbelief as he wiped away the spittle, the cold reality of our fractured past looming large.
“You always played hard to get, so I never expected you to go easy on me. I love the new fire in you, and it’s making the chase exciting.” He chuckled, the audacity of his words infuriating me.
Does he think this was a joke?
“I don’t want to see you anymore. Please leave.” I screamed at him, my voice laced with bitterness, as I commanded him to leave me alone. However, he ignored my pleas, taking a step closer with a smirk on his face.
“I’ve missed you, Ruby. Seven years is a long time, and a lot has changed. I have changed.”
His statement caught me off guard, and my eyes narrowed, disbelief evident in my gaze. The audacity of this man to claim he missed me after all he’d put me through. I felt a mix of anger and confusion, wondering if he truly believed his own words or if this was just another sick game.
I scoffed, my laughter bitter. “Missed me? You shattered my world, Liam. You rejected me, threw me out like trash, and now you dare say you missed me?”
Liam’s expression shifted; his eyes were clouded with a mix of regret and something I couldn’t quite decipher. I hated those eyes of his. I hated everything about him.
He ruined my perfect life and my perfect world. He betrayed my love, and I must get my revenge.
“Ruby, I… I never meant for things to turn out this way.”
“Oh, spare me your remorse. You made your choice, and now I’m paying the price.” I glared at him, my hands gripping the bars tighter. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, seemingly frustrated.
“I don’t know what took control over me to make me act like that, but I was so jealous after seeing the pictures of you and him in such a compromising position.” A bitter laugh escaped me.
“So, what? You’re here to play the remorseful ex-lover who, out of jealousy, hurt his mate. You killed him, you monster!” I yelled in frustration.
Pathetic.
Liam’s eyes bore into mine. “Ruby, I want to make things right, and that’s why I am here. Let me help you since I can’t change the past.”
“Help me?” I spat out. “The only thing you can do is leave me alone. I don’t need your help, Liam. I don’t need anything from you.” I sneered, and he sighed again, a deep, troubled sound.
“I know I messed up, but I never stopped caring about you.” I rolled my eyes, unimpressed.
“Caring? Is that what you call it? Save your guilt trips for someone who cares, Liam. I’m done with you.”
Ignoring whatever else he had to say, I turned away, my focus returning to the harsh reality of my captivity as I needed to find my way out of the hell hole without Liam’s help. Liam’s presence brought nothing but pain, and I had no intention of letting him back into my life; the only connection we would have between us was revenge.
“Let’s start over. Since we can’t erase the past, let’s make a memorable future by having beautiful children.” He pleaded, and the last sanity in my head snapped at hearing the nonsense he had just spilled out. I turned back to gaze at him.
“You think a few empty promises and the prospect of more children will erase the past? You’re delusional, Liam. I won’t be a pawn in your twisted game,” I retorted, defiance burning in my eyes.
“I can help you get out of here, Ruby,” Liam stated, his voice almost a whisper, yet it reverberated through the silence. “All you need to do is agree to be mine again.” My eyes narrowed at the audacity of his proposal, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips, but I said nothing as I listened to his craziness.
“Be mine. You have no choice, Ruby. Stop being stubborn, because you need my help. Your crimes are severe, and I am the only one who can save you. Although I would never believe it, you have been accused of killing Damian’s daughter, and he would want your head as revenge. The only way for you to have your freedom is by accepting me back.”
His words hung in the air, creating an uncomfortable tension between us. I could see the conflicted emotions in his eyes-the regret and guilt battling with some unspoken desire. The gravity of the situation settled in, and I could feel the walls closing in. Yet, I remained defiant, refusing to succumb to his ultimatum.
It was like he wasn’t listening to everything I said about me never going back to him. I scoffed at his proposition.
“Be yours? You must be delusional if you think I’ll trade my freedom for your pathetic attempt at redemption. I would rather have my head cut off than agree to be yours again.” I retorted, my voice laced with bitterness. Liam’s eyes flickered with a mixture of frustration and desperation.
“Ruby, you don’t understand. Lilith is ruthless. She’ll make sure you suffer unless you comply. I can’t bear to see you hurt.” He revealed it with fear, and I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
“Now you care about my well-being? After everything you put me through, now you want to play the hero? You are ruthless, just like she is.”
He winced at my words, but I refused to let any sympathy for him creep into my heart. I had spent seven years building walls to protect myself from him and the pain he caused.
“Save your excuses, Liam. I’ll find a way out of this mess on my own terms, and I won’t owe you a damn thing.”
“Please, Ruby, stop being stubborn and accept my offer. I’m begging you.” Liam’s words stung, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
“You’re willing to exploit a false accusation just to have me back? How pathetic can you be?” He looked torn between frustration and desperation, insisting.
“Ruby, it’s the only way to save you from Lilith’s wrath. I can’t stand seeing you like this. I can convince Lilith to let you go. We can find a way out of this together.” I scoffed at his hypocrisy.
“You didn’t mind seeing me suffer for seven years, but now you suddenly care? I’ll find my own way out, Liam, and I certainly won’t be indebted to you for it. You must be out of your mind if you think I’ll willingly submit to you after everything you’ve done.” Liam’s gaze faltered for a moment, a flicker of guilt passing through his eyes.
“Ruby, I know I messed up, and I regret it every day. But Lilith won’t let you go unless you comply. This is the only way to ensure your safety.”
“So are we willing to leave Lilith just to protect me?” I mocked, and his eyes shifted to the ceiling while he shifted his feet uncomfortably.
It was obvious Liam had chopped his balls off by Lilith.
“I thought so too; now fuck off and stop disturbing my peaceful life,” I declared, my voice filled with resentment and determination.
“I won’t give up on you,” he pleaded desperately.
He wanted me, but he didn’t have the balls to leave Lilith. I was going to destroy both of them with everything in me.
“You can’t eat your cake and have it,” I shook my head, bitterness tainting my tone, just as I heard the gate opening. The rude man’s mocking laughter echoed through the dungeon, his voice taunting.
“Look at your once mighty alpha mate begging for mercy. How the mighty have fallen.”
“Watch your mouth, Ben. I am still your alpha,” Liam sneered.
“I don’t work for you, but Luna Lilith,” Ben snapped, brushing past Liam and stalking towards my cell to open the gate.
He glared at me, pulling my hair roughly. “Get up, bitch. It’s time.”