Ruby’s eyes widened as she sucked in a breath after coming back from wherever they were.
“Easy, easy, you’re okay. Here, drink some water,” Zachary told her as he handed her a glass.
“Thank you,” she said as she took the glass and took small sips. She looked around the room and noticed that they were back at Vita’s place.
“Are you okay?” Madeline asked.
Ruby nodded, but she was still feeling a bit off. She tried to think about the last thing that happened, but she couldn’t remember. She asked her wolf Sheira if she could remember anything, but she remained silent.
Odd?
She looked up at Zachary, “Do you remember what happened?”
Zachary looked at her sullenly and shook his head.
She looked over to where Deak had been seated, but his chair was empty.
“You’ve been out for a little while. Deak left to take a walk when we all came to and couldn’t remember anything,” he explained.
Ruby looked back and forth between Zachary and Madeline.
“Is that normal?” she asked.
Madeline shook her head. “We think someone else sensed that you were there and did some type of spell to cloak Vita from your memory,” Madeline explained.
Ruby’s eyebrows furrowed as she took in this information. “So, we’re right back at square one again,” she said.
Zachary shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Ruby felt her phone buzz in her back pocket. She pulled out her phone and saw that she had a few text messages from Amanda.
“I’ll be right back,” she told them.
Ruby got up from her seat and walked into the next room.
She took a deep breath before opening the messages. She hadn’t heard from Amanda since their big talk and hoped that everything was still okay between them.
She opened her phone and clicked on messages.
Amanda: Hey Ruby. Just checking in. Tabitha and I are at the cafe and wondering where you’re at. I have a few questions I would like to ask you. Hope you are doing well.
Ruby smiled.
She looked at the time on her phone and assumed it wasn’t too late to text her back. If she was the ep worst case she would see the text in the morning.
Ruby: Amanda, I’m sorry I missed seeing you at the cafe. I am currently out of town helping Zachary and Deak look for Vita. I hope to be back in town within the next day or two. What kind of questions do you have?
Ruby clicked send and closed her phone, just before she put it back in her back pocket she felt her phone vibrate. She looked at the screen and saw Amanda had sent another text. Ruby smiled.
She moved into the front parlor room and sat down before she opened the text from Amanda.
Amanda: Oh! Any news on Vita yet?
Ruby gave her phone a small smile.
Ruby: No, nothing yet. But hopefully soon.
Amanda: Oh.
Ruby: What questions did you have for me?
Ruby watched as the three little dots appeared on the bottom of her screen. They seemed to be going for a while before they went away. It took a minute or two before the text finally appeared on her screen.
Amanda: Just some questions about being a wolf and what happens after you seal the bond with your mate.
Ruby blinked her eyes a few times as she continued to look at the words on her screen. She didn’t know exactly how to feel about all this. She didn’t think Amanda was ready for all that entailed. She was still going to school; she shouldn’t have to worry about all that at her age. But in a way, Ruby supposed she did. After all, she was mated to the son of the Alpha. When Alpha Benjamin was ready to step down, Hudson would be taking over and would need Amanda by his side. But they didn’t need to worry about sealing the bond right now. Did they?
Ruby scratched her head as she tried to think of the best way to go about this question.
Ruby: Those are some loaded questions that you have right there.
Amanda: I’m sorry would you like me to ask Luna Cynthia instead?
Ruby thought about it for a moment. Luna Cynthia would give her a lot of perspective on being mated to the Alpha. But she was sort of happy that Amanda felt comfortable enough to come to her asking for advice.
Ruby: Luna Cynthia can help with some of the questions. Would it be okay if we can wait a few days on this until I get back into town? That way we can talk in person.
Amanda: Oh yes of course.
Ruby: Great! Now how are things with you and Hudson?
Again, there was a bit of a wait.
Amanda: It’s going okay. It’s just been a little stressful these last few days.
Ruby frowned at the text. She knew that Amanda was hoping that things would be more normal when they got back to college. Unfortunately for them, young adult drama is the norm.
Ruby: I’m sure everything will work out in the end.
Amanda: Thanks, Aunt Ruby. I appreciate the talk. Let me know if you hear anything more about Vita and when you are heading back to town. I’ll talk to you later.
Ruby sucked in a breath as tears burned the rims of her eyes. She smiled. Amanda had called her Aunt Ruby.
Ruby: Goodnight, Amanda! I’ll be sure to text you the moment I hear something.
Amanda sent a happy face emoji.
Ruby let out a sigh. Her relationship with Amanda was growing and she was relieved.
She got up from the parlor room and headed back into the kitchen but stopped when she heard faint whispering.
“You need to tell them,” Madeline whispered.
“I know, but they’re going to be upset. Ruby is very sensitive. She’s not going to like this,” Zachary said in a hushed tone.
Ruby was already feeling her defensive walls building up as she walked into the kitchen. “What exactly am I not going to like?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on the entryway into the kitchen.
***************
Ring, ring.
“Hello?”
“I thought you said that this would work?”
“It will work, you just need to be patient. These things take time.”
“But I’m sick of waiting. Nothing seems to be working.”
“I promise it will work and you will have what you want.”
“And what about her?”
“You don’t need to worry about her, she’s being taken care of.”
“I don’t want her to get in the way of any of this. I have given you a lot of money and I would like to see a return on this very soon.”
“You will. Everything is on the course, and you will have what you want soon enough.”
“I had better. She doesn’t deserve any of this. He was always supposed to be mine.”
“And he will be. Soon. You must be ready when he comes to you.”
“Oh, I’ll be ready, and then nothing will be able to take him away from me again. Nothing.”
Fighting for my Mate
Mated to my Bully (Book 1)