CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ruby
I’m swaddled in Kingston’s hard, solid arms and he grows quiet. It feels foreign to share this part of my life with him. With anyone. Robbie worked hard to isolate me, even becoming a master at it. But there’s something comforting about this large, burly man. He’s warm. He’s strong, but gentle. And he’s so present and engaged. When he’s here, it’s like I’m the only thing in the world that matters.
I get ready to ask him what he’s thinking, but I’m quickly cut off.
“Get dressed.” Kingston snaps as he jumps up from the bed. He gathers up my clothes strewn all over the floor and tosses them at me. “Now!”
My insides flood with confusion. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?” I see by the hard lines creased into his forehead and his fiery eyes that he’s serious. Dead serious.
“Boots too. Hurry, there’s no time!” He slinks against the wall and peers out the window.
“What are you…?”
When he said there was no time, he wasn’t kidding. A loud voice echoes through the trees. “Mercier! Come on out. We know you’re holed up in there and we know you ain’t alone.”
I freeze when Kingston opens the door. He leaves it cracked behind him. I see him widen his stance and roll his thick neck.
“You got no business here, Ayden. Take your hounds and fuck off.”
Cackling laughter grows closer. I tiptoe to the door and peek past Kingston’s rigid build. I count four men stepping out from the shadows. They position themselves at different points and move in to surround the porch.
“Come on, now. You know it ain’t gonna be that easy.” The one in the middle steps forward. His tone is curt and full of authority.
Another one snickers while the others glare at Kingston.
“I’m gonna tell ya one last time. You need to leave. Last chance.” He takes a long step away from me. I can’t wrap my head around what’s happening. Or why he thinks one against four is a smart idea.
The middle one distorts his rugged face and gives a cocky smirk. “I’ve come to cash in on what you owe me.”
“I don’t owe you shit.” Kingston’s tone is followed by a low, deep growl.
The angry man snarls. “You took from me and I’m now I’m gonna take from you.” The closer I look, the more the men seem familiar. I’ve seen them somewhere. I remember their eyes.
“That’s where you’re wrong. She doesn’t mean anything to me. You’re wasting your time.”
They’re talking about me. His words are like a rusty, jagged knife to the spine. He doesn’t care about me. I’m just a wounded piece of ass. And the cryptic bullshit is enough to send me into a packing frenzy, all while trying to keep an eye on the battle ground outside.
The snide one slinks forward, almost animal like. “We’re gonna take what’s due us. And you ain’t enough to stop us.”
I snatch my charger from the extension cord that’s running out the crack in the window and connecting to the generator. I haven’t even bothered turning on my phone since I was playing in bed all day.
I slide my feet into my boots and look out the door. Kingston is seething and speaking through his clenched jaw. “Don’t do it, Bryce.”
Then, like a bright flash of lightning, everything is in motion. Quick. Fast. Bodies are flying through the air. I hear my bag hit the floor and all its contents spill across the braided rug. My body sways and my limbs go numb.
Claws.
Teeth.
Fur.
The wolves.
I struggle for air when I see him. I suck strained breath through my windpipe.
The bear.
*
The growing lump on the back of my head throbs. My pulse echoes and thumps against my temples. I pry open my eyes and struggle to piece together my surroundings. The smell of the hot swamp wafts through the room. My insides are knotted up like a big ball of rubber bands and my heart batters my ribcage when I remember. The things I saw and heard. The blood. The carnage. The eyes.
His eyes.
But now, everything is quiet, other than crickets chirping and a light breeze brushing through the top of the trees. I roam my hands over my body and I’m relieved to find I’m still wearing clothes. But I wiggle my bare feet before planting them on the floor, not completely trusting my wobbly legs to hold up my weight. I scan the cabin. I was placed on the bed and my shoes are lined up again by the door. All my crap is picked up off the floor and my bag is hooked around the top corner of a chair.
Butterflies invade my queasy tummy and I inhale. I hold the heavy breath deep in my burning lungs as I peek my head out the small crack in the door. Kingston is sitting on the steps and his big shoulders are hunched forward. He appears tired and worn down. I inch closer and hear him mumbling under his breath. I can’t make out sentences, only words. Numbers. He’s counting. His head is down, and the words are muffled, but he’s definitely counting.
I take another step and the wood creaks, splintering under my feet.
“Fuck!” He jumps up and spins, reaching out to save me from falling. “I didn’t know you were awake. Are you ok?”
His warm hands shoot wild, electrical currents through my skin and straight to my heart.
“Other than a bruised ego, I’m good. It would be great if I could go one day without blacking out.” I give an awkward giggle, but it’s lost on Kingston.
“Shit, I’ve been worried sick.” He darts his gaze up and down as if he’s taking inventory of all my limbs.
“I’m ok, seriously.”
“Really?
He pops his brow and I nod.
“I mean, physically. But mentally, I think you might have some shit to explain.
He shakes his head. “I can’t. I don’t know how.” His chest heaves and I notice the open wounds across his bare, sweaty pects. Smeared blood has crusted over along his skin, and from the quantity, I’d sure as shit hate to be one of the other guys.
“No, you don’t get off that easy. Own it.”
His dark eyes flash with specks of gold. He drops his head as he sticks one hand in his pocket and scratches his scruffy chin with the other. I know when he lifts his gaze that he’s cracking. He’s breaking.
“Ruby,” His Adam’s apple moves as he takes a hard swallow. “I’m a shifter. And my animal is Black Bear.”