Ruby:
After closing the door behind me, I wandered through Damian’s house, my mind still reeling from the tense exchange I had just witnessed.
I hadn’t anticipated feeling so uneasy during my first encounter with one of Damian’s family members. His sister turned out to be quite different from what I had imagined-she bore no resemblance to him whatsoever. Instead, she exuded an air of arrogance and intimidation, and I couldn’t shake the peculiar scent that seemed to linger around her.
She didn’t have the scent of a typical werewolf or an ordinary human, and her manner of speaking clearly indicated her dislike for me and her opposition to any woman being with her brother. I couldn’t help but wonder why.
Was she fond of Ava?
I sighed as I glanced around and noticed that my feet had carried me to an unfamiliar spot. A portrait caught my eye, depicting a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Anna. The only person who could fit that description was Ava, Anna’s mother. It was weird to see Damian still having a picture of her in his home, which could only mean that he wasn’t over her yet.
Standing before her likeness, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions swirling inside. Her serene smile seemed to mock me, a reminder of the love she once shared with Damian.
I reached out to touch the painting, my fingers tracing the curves of her face, feeling a strange sense of connection to this woman who was forever etched into Damian’s past.
She was beautiful beyond words, and a pang of envy gnawed at me, knowing that no matter how much Damian liked me, a part of his heart would always belong to Ava-his first mate, love, and mother of his child. That’s why the picture was here in the same house I was living in, as a continuous reminder of the bitter truth.
“He will always love her more than you,” a voice said, startling me out of my reverie.
I turned to see Selene standing behind me, her gaze sharp and penetrating. Her words struck a nerve, but I refused to let her see how much they affected me. I squared my shoulders, meeting Selene’s gaze head-on, determined not to show any weakness. Her and Lilth could pass as best friends and will surely get along just fine.
“Same as you. He clearly denied you as his sister.” I shot back aggressively.
“I know, but he will never love you the way you want, so quite dreaming.” She said it confidently.
“And how would you know?” I retorted, and Selene’s lips curled into a smug smirk, her eyes glinting with malice.
“I know Damian better than anyone,” she replied, her tone edged with certainty.
“The only mate he will ever love is Ava, and now she’s dead and buried. So, stop trying so hard to replace her. Reject him and walk away before it’s too late, honey.” Her words cut deep, but I refused to let her see me falter.
Standing tall, I met her gaze. “I may not be Ava, and trust me, I never wished to be her, even for a second, or think of replacing her because I’m just me. My name is Ruby, and Damian and I are lucky to have each other. It’s not about replacing anyone; it’s about embracing what we share.”
Ava would always hold a special place in Damian’s heart as his first mate and the mother of his child. I couldn’t compete with that, but the twinge of jealousy still lingered within me.
That intense kiss we shared ignited something in me, causing my heart to flutter. I couldn’t deny the feelings blossoming within me, and the thought of Damian not feeling the same way left me feeling vulnerable.
But what truly weighed on me was the realisation that even if Damian and I pursued a relationship, his daughter would always be his top priority. He’d do anything to ensure her happiness, even if it meant sacrificing his own.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said, attempting to walk away. But my eyes widened in disbelief as they landed on my grandmother’s magic book clutched in Selene’s hands, and I held her back from moving.
“How did you get that?” I asked, my voice trembling with shock as I stared at the book to make sure that I wasn’t seeing double.
“Oh, you mean this,” Selene said, her smirk widening at my reaction. She tilted her head mockingly, drawing attention to the book she held.
“Damian gave it to me,” she replied, her tone oozing with amusement as she waved the book in front of my face.
Damian gave it to her?
How did he get it? I was certain I had hidden it well.
Fuck. Could he have been the one who broke into my home back at Liam’s pack? No, it couldn’t be.
I vividly remembered him bringing the book back to me after saving my life from that evil spirit. He had claimed to have found it beside a tree. So how the hell does he have an exact copy of it?
“How did he get it?” I muttered, barely above a whisper. Hurt and betrayal threatened to consume me, but I refused to show weakness in front of Selene.
“Don’t tell me it belongs to you, darling?” Selene continued, her tone smug.
I found it hard to believe that Damian had stolen my book and made a replica of it after witnessing its power. There must be some mistake or a reasonable explanation for why he would do such a thing.
“Your silence speaks volumes. Damian took this from you without your approval, which means he was only using you,” Selene remarked, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “That perfect love story you had seemed too good to be true. Damian had his own agenda all along. But I’m curious: how did you end up with such a powerful book? Who are you, Ruby? Even I couldn’t get my hands on it,” she prodded, observing my clenched fists.
Damian betrayed me in the worst possible manner by invading my privacy. I can’t believe he broke into my home, putting both my and my son’s lives at risk. Then he pretended to be on my side while callously giving away something so personal and valuable without a second thought, all while I foolishly placed my trust in him.
The part of me that foolishly trusted him was troubled by doubt and clung to the hope that Damian couldn’t possibly be capable of such cruelty.
I couldn’t help but wonder: Could Selene be lying? After all, she doesn’t have my best interests at heart. Perhaps this is all just a misunderstanding, so I felt compelled to at least trust Damian.
“That book doesn’t belong to you. Give it back,” I demanded, pushing aside the heartbreak for now. Retrieving the replica of my grandmother’s book was my immediate concern. I needed to ensure it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. Confronting Damian about his actions could wait.
“He had a lot of explaining to do,” I thought to myself.
“Should I tell you the truth about why I have this book?” Selene said, raising her eyebrows.
“I’m not interested,” I retorted, attempting to reach for the book. But Selene, towering over me thanks to her heels, kept it just out of my reach.
With a smirk, she revealed, “Whether you like it or not, I will tell you, my dear Ruby. Damian gave it to me because of Ava.”
Ava?
Her words hit me like a sudden chill, causing shivers to run down my spine. “I said I am not interested; you know what you can keep, the damn book. It’s fake anyway,” I dismissed, turning to leave.
“He so desperately wanted to bring her back, and that’s why he took your damn book without letting you know, so now I hope you know you aren’t special,” Selene shouted, her words halting me in my tracks. Her taunting tone caused my heart to sink.
“He… he gave it to you to bring back Ava?” I stammered, barely able to speak. Selene’s smirk grew into a cruel smile, relishing the effect of her revelation.
“That’s right,” she confirmed, her voice dripping with malice. “Your precious Damian wants his dead mate back, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means ruining your life.”
A wave of nausea washed over me as the weight of Selene’s words settled in.
Damn him. He broke into my home just to bring back his dead mate, disregarding the consequences, and lied to my face about it. How could he prioritise his past over our present and future together?
There was no way I could stay here any longer. I made the decision to take my son and leave this place. I couldn’t bear to attend the Luna ceremony and endure the humiliation in front of his entire pack, especially knowing his heart still belonged to Ava.
“So, does that mean you will finally give up on him?” Selene asked eagerly, her tone tinged with excitement, causing suspicion to cloud my thoughts. I turned to Selene, searching her eyes for any hint of remorse or sincerity.
“Would that make you happy? After all, you seem to want him all for yourself,” I asked, my voice trembling with emotion. Selene’s expression shifted, her smirk faltering for a moment before being replaced by a defiant look.
“What does it matter to you?” She retorted, her tone dripping with bitterness.
“It matters because I need to understand why you would do this,” I replied, throwing my hands in the air to emphasise my point.
“If you truly cared about Damian, you wouldn’t manipulate him like this,” I added. A flicker of something crossed Selene’s features-perhaps regret or even guilt-but it vanished in an instant, replaced once again by her characteristic coldness.
“You don’t know anything about me or my feelings,” she snapped, her words feeling like a slap in the face.
Feelings? Did she have feelings for her brother? So that’s why she was so obsessed with getting me out of the picture.
I clenched my fists, struggling to maintain my composure in the face of Selene’s hostility.
“You love Damian, don’t you, bitch?” I asked through gritted teeth, but she remained silent. I could feel my anger boiling beneath the surface, threatening to erupt at any moment.
Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, I pressed on. “Answer me, Selene. Do you love Damian?” My voice was sharp, demanding an answer.
Selene’s eyes narrowed, a defiant glint flashing in them. “What if I do?” she retorted, her voice sharp and challenging.
“Then you should know that you won’t be able to have him even if you get me out of the picture,” I shot back sharply. Without waiting for her reply, I turned and stormed out, leaving Selene behind with her secrets and lies.
Overwhelmed by betrayal, tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision, and I stumbled on my foot. My mind raced with questions and doubts, but one thing was clear: Damian had made his choice by placing his first mate over me.
Stepping outside into the cool night air, I felt the soothing embrace of the breeze calm my frazzled nerves. I took deep, shuddering breaths, attempting to regain my composure. But suddenly, everything around me began to dim, and I looked up to see the looming full moon slowly eclipse the sun.
Out of nowhere, a surge of intense heat coursed through me, engulfing me in a fiery sensation. It felt as though some primal instinct had been awakened within me, and I struggled to contain it. Panic and overwhelm washed over me as I grappled with this overpowering desire.
I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort, trying to steady my racing heart. Despite feeling scared and out of control, I knew I had no choice but to surrender to it, even though it felt scary and out of control.
The last time I felt like this was about ten years ago, and that’s when it hit me-I was in heat.
Impossible.