Ruby
The loss of the precious book struck a devastating blow on me, as it held the key to the healing knowledge I desperately needed, and now it was gone, leaving me feeling confused and lost.
The thought of failing the challenge given to me by Madam Nelly pressed down on me, and this wasn’t even about failing the already impossible task-the book was an invaluable guide owned by my grandmother for almost a thousand years. It was also passed down to her by her own grandmother, but now it is gone.
My mind raced, trying to fathom who would commit such a heartless act, stealing from me when time was of the essence, and how they knew just the right moment when I needed it. I felt uneasy as anguish gripped my heart, and I began to contemplate the daunting task ahead without the wisdom contained in those ancient pages.
The dim light of the room accentuated the broken door, the splintered wood framing the entrance like a grotesque puzzle. Anxiety clung to the air, intensifying the feeling of vulnerability that enveloped me. As I surveyed the room in a mixture of shock and disbelief, my eyes caught the glint of something out of place-a note stained with what seemed to be blood-perhaps human blood.
I stepped cautiously over the shattered debris, careful not to get myself injured, and I gently reached for the paper containing an ominous message. The chilling note was stained with what appeared to be pig’s blood, and it sent shivers down my spine. With trembling fingers, I unfolded the paper, and the blood-stained words leaped out at me, a sinister promise etched in ink.
I began reading each word, and a surge of fear gripped my heart.
“This is pig’s blood; the next would be yours and that of your son if you don’t come to meet me immediately at the left end of the east wood, and I am pretty sure you want your grandmother’s book back intact and not shredded into pieces.”
The threat against my son, coupled with the vile act of using pig’s blood, sent shivers down my spine.
Fear and desperation surged within me as I finished reading the chilling words scrawled on the note. A gasp escaped my lips, and tears welled up as the weight of the threat pressed upon me.
The stolen book, my grandmother’s cherished healing knowledge, is now held hostage by an unknown person who sought to exploit my deepest fears for the sake of their nefarious demands.
Tears streamed down my face, a mix of grief for the stolen book and terror for my son’s safety. The threat was clear, and despite the overwhelming emotions, a determined resolve surged within me. I wiped away the tears with newfound strength, clutching the threatening note as I prepared to face the ominous challenge ahead.
I had to find a way to retrieve the book in one piece and also find out who the person threatening me is and find a way to stop them, ensuring the safety of my child.
The initial shock I felt was now replaced by a fierce determination. With a deep breath, I quickly arranged the room and fixed the broken door, wanting everything to appear normal before my son returned from school. I couldn’t allow him to sense my fear or the impending danger, as it was better to keep him in the dark for his own safety.
I rushed out of the house, and as I ran through the woods, my mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of who could be behind this sinister plot.
Suspicion crept in, and I couldn’t shake the idea that Lilith might be involved. The twisted vendetta she held against me could be driving her to orchestrate such malicious schemes.
I knew very well that she would stop at nothing to ruin me, even though I don’t know what I ever did to her.
The journey to the left end of the east woods loomed before me, fraught with uncertainty and danger, but I had no choice.
With each step I took, the forest grew denser, and the air became thick with tension. My instincts warned me of the impending danger of stopping and going back home-to quit like the failure that I was-but I clutched the note tightly, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination not to accept my failure.
I needed to uncover the truth and retrieve the stolen book, not just for myself but also for the safety of my son and the children, and this depended on my willingness to face the ominous threat head-on and not fall back like a coward.
However, my wolf whispered warnings that echoed in my mind like an ominous chorus. Her low growls reverberated with a sense of danger, like she could smell something dark ahead, urging me to move with caution. Yet, despite the instinctive fear that clawed at my senses, the desperate need to reclaim my grandmother’s healing book drowned out the wolf’s apprehensive howls. I pressed on, determined but wary of the impending confrontation in the east woods.
As I continued through the woods, exhaustion began to take its toll. Without my wolf form to aid me, my body weakened, and I found myself gasping for breath. Determination pushed me forward, but my limbs felt heavy, and I had to slow my pace. Reaching the designated spot, I looked around in confusion, hoping to find the mysterious person, but I saw no one.
This could be Lilith playing a game with me.
“Is this your doing, Lilith?” I called out, my voice carrying a mixture of anger and desperation. “If you’re behind this, return my grandmother’s book. This has gone too far!”
I screamed out, but silence hung in the air, and my heart pounded as I awaited a response. The stillness was broken only by the rustling of leaves, and a sense of foreboding crept over me.
The woods echoed with my calls, but suddenly, I felt a sudden pull, and before I could react, a net ensnared me. Panic set in as I struggled against the entanglement, realising it was a trap meant for me. Caught off guard, I cursed my vulnerability without my wolf form, realising I had walked right into the hands of whoever orchestrated this scheme.
“Why did you kill Andrew?” A haunting voice echoed through the dense woods, sending shivers down my spine.
Panic gripped me as I struggled against the net, realising that the same voice that tormented me on the first day had stepped into the diamond pack.
I looked around in confusion for the source of the voice, but the shadows concealed the speaker, intensifying the eerie atmosphere.
“Why did you take Andrew anyway from me, you worthless omega?” The voice came again.
“I didn’t kill Andrew!” I protested, my voice desperate and shaky. “It’s true that my actions led to his death, but I didn’t directly kill him. I would never hurt my dear friend intentionally,” I yelled out in part, and the unseen accuser remained silent for a moment, the tension thickening in the air. I strained to see through the darkness, my eyes darting in search of any movement. The voice spoke again, cold and accusatory.
“You can’t escape the consequences of your choices, Ruby. Andrew’s blood is on your hands.” The voice laughed in a mocking manner, sending goosebumps around my skin, and in a split second, I saw a sharp knife hurtling through the air, aimed directly at my face.
An instinctive surge of energy pulsed within me, just as I had felt back at Liam’s office, and to my astonishment, the knife froze in mid-air, directly in front of my eyes. I stared wide-eyed at the suspended blade, my powers instinctively protecting me.
The unseen assailant’s voice sneered, “Fancy tricks won’t save you, Ruby. You can’t escape the consequences of your actions.” The voice was stalking closer, and in that moment, I knew I was doomed because I didn’t know how to control or call in my supposed powers.
“Get away from her, you evil spirit, and be cast back to hell!” Damian’s voice rang out with authority in the midst of the eerie confrontation, sending relief to my heart.
How did he find me?
It couldn’t be the mate bond because it hadn’t been ignited. Why does this man keep saving me?