A/N: High R-rating. Pretty dark chapter of why Ruby left Wolf Lake. Some sexual situations as well. Thanks jemma, for the review. I really appreciated it!
Chapter 2
Seven years ago…
"Ruby, wait up!" Seventeen-year-old Ruby (her birthday had been just the other day) shook her head as a blonde girl came running towards her. She watched in amusement as the girl stopped next to her, breathing deeply. The girl looked up, her blue eyes meeting Ruby's sea green ones. "How about we go down to the lake for a swim?"
"Maggie, where else would we go?" Ruby laughed, pulling the girl towards the direction of the lake. Maggie had been her best friend since she was born. And just like Ruby, Maggie has flipped when she was fourteen. They had just finished school, and it was boiling out. The heat was almost to the point of being unbearable, and being in school all day was not a pleasant experience.
"Did you see Tyler? He was looking at you at lunch." Ruby rolled her eyes at the other girl's words.
"So? Tyler's an ass, everyone knows that. And besides, he's older than us and isn't he dating Shirley or Sharon-"
"Shannon." Maggie corrected her.
"Whatever. He sleeps with anyone who he can. I don't plan on being number one-hundred-and-three on his bedpost." Maggie laughed.
"That's true, but he's an alpha wolf, Rub, and only one year older. Besides, I'm sure he's great in bed…" Ruby turned to the blonde, shaking her head.
"Maggie! Honestly! Is sex the only thing you ever think about?" Maggie laughed.
"No…I think about guys, too." They both laughed, continuing to walk towards the lake. Once they were there, they dropped their bags to the ground, striping their clothes off. They were both standing in only their underwear and bras when they ran into the lake. Ruby sighed in relief as the cool lake water washed over her. She dove under, letting the water swim through her hair.
When she surfaced, a good twenty feet from land, she saw Maggie back on the beach, talking to Tyler and one of his friends. The other guy, who she recognized as Alex, was focused on Maggie, while Tyler was staring at her. She turned away, swimming even further out. She heard a someone get into the water, but didn't bother turning around to find out who.
She went under again, but this time swam towards the bottom of the lake. Her eyes were open, and she watched the fish and seaweed float by her. Her lungs were starting to burn, the need for air apparent. She turned, and started making her way back up towards the surface. She was almost a foot away when she felt a hand grab her ankle. She screamed, kicking her foot around wildly as water started to fill her mouth. She choked, flaring her arms to try and reach the surface.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her up. She gasped in as much air as she could when she reached the surface. Not even noticing when the person pulled her to the shore. She coughed some more, spitting out water. After a moment, she finally looked over to see none other than Tyler Creed sitting next to her.
"Why the hell did you grab my ankle?" She spat out, trying to stand, but failing as her legs were still shaky from the shock of almost drowning. Tyler stood quickly, helping her sit back down. She shook off his arms.
"I didn't grab your ankle, Nick did." Tyler pointed over to a tall boy standing off to the side, looking embarrassed.
"Sorry, I didn't think you would freak out like that." Nick shrugged, walking off.
"I didn't freak out, I…" she trialed off, finally settling with, "Asshole!" She tried standing again, this time succeeding. She turned back to Tyler, who was watching her with concern.
"You sure you're okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine…" she glanced around, spotting Maggie running frantically towards her. "Uh, thanks, I guess…for helping me…"
"I wasn't going to let you drown."
"I wasn't going to drown…I just…got a little water in my mouth." Tyler laughed.
"Okay, then." Ruby narrowed her eyes.
"I can take care of myself, thanks."
"I never said—"
"Whatever." She turned, walking off towards Maggie, who was two feet away.
"Oh my God, Ruby, are you okay? I thought you were dead! You were under the water and I couldn't see you and I started yelling and, hey! Nick is such a jerk! He could have killed you! Oh my God, your Dad is going to be so mad, this—"
"Maggie! Breath." Ruby grabbed onto Maggie's arms, stopping her frantic movements.
"Okay, sorry, I just—"
"I know, and I'm fine. Let's just go home, okay?" Maggie nodded, and they started walking back to their bags. Ruby glanced behind her, catching Tyler's eyes as he watched her walk away. She turned back quickly, a small smile gracing her lips. He liked her.
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"Do you feel like going to the rave tonight?" Maggie asked Ruby while combing her hair. They were at Maggie's house, in her room. Ruby hated going home to her house where Vivian was sure to be, hanging all over her father. Uh, no thanks. The only times she actually spent time there was to be with her siblings, Luke and Amanda. Luke was one, Amanda was thirteen. Even though Lucas was her half-brother, and was part-Vivian, Ruby still loved him. She turned to what Maggie said. "I mean, I understand if you don't want to go—"
"No," Ruby spoke from her spot on Maggie's bed, throwing the magazine she had been looking at to the floor. "Let's go, I know you want to see Alex." Maggie didn't even hide her feelings.
"Yeah, I really like him. And he actually seems to like me."
"Mag, of course he likes you!" Ruby spoke, grinning at the other girl. "You've got the beauty and the brains. How could he not like you?"
"Well, I am amazing, I know." Maggie batted her eyelashes dramatically. Ruby laughed, throwing a pillow at Maggie. "So, what should we wear?"
"Why don't you wear that new red top you got with jeans?" Ruby spoke, nodding towards a red shirt hanging from the closet door.
"Perfect!" Maggie jumped up and grabbed the shirt, running into her closet. She came out a moment later with the outfit on, posing. "What do you think?"
"I think he's going to be drooling." Ruby said, smiling.
"That's what I was going for. Now," she turned to Ruby, "what should we put you in?"
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"I can't believe I let you put me in this." Ruby spoke from the passenger side of the car. Maggie was driving her Dad's pick-up truck. Maggie turned to look at her friend, surveying the outfit she had picked out. Ruby was wearing a black mini-skirt, and a white tank-top, her raven hair hanging over her shoulders. A pair of sandals completed the outfit. Maggie shook her head.
"Rub, I would give my arm to look like you. You're gorgeous. I just hope Ale won't be in the group of guys that are going to surround you." Ruby laughed.
"Right." Maggie just shook her head, having dealt with her friend for a very long time. Maggie pulled into a small wooded area, parking the car and hoping out, along with Ruby. They followed the noise of the rave until they emerged into a huge clearing, tons of teenagers covering the grass, dancing, drinking, anything and everything.
"There's Alex!" Maggie pointed off towards the side where a group of guys were sitting and drinking beer. Ruby spotted Alex…sitting next to Tyler Creed, who had a blonde girl on his lap. Ruby bit her lip. Great.
"Maggie—" Maggie turned to Ruby, eyes pleading.
"Ruby, please? I can't go over by myself, I'll make a fool of myself! Please? I really like him and—" Ruby sighed.
"Fine." Maggie squealed, pulling Ruby into a hug. Ruby couldn't help but laugh. They started off to the group. Ruby watched as Alex stood when they walked over and met Maggie with a kiss. Great, now I get to be a third wheel. Maggie turned towards her after a moment.
"Alex, you know Ruby." Alex nodded towards Ruby, his attention moving back to Maggie after a moment. Ruby smiled mentally. Finally a guy who actually seems to be good enough for Maggie.
"Tyler, this is Maggie," Alex spoke, turning to Tyler, who was still sitting with the blond in his lap, "and Ruby." Tyler nodded, his eyes moving towards Ruby. She nodded towards him, noting that the blonde was glaring at her. She ignored her and turned back to Maggie.
"I'm going to get a drink." She said, nodding towards a truck. Maggie nodded.
"Want me to come with?" Ruby shook her head, walking off towards the truck full of drinks. She leaned over the truck, sticking her hand into the freezing ice to try and find a beer. She jumped as two hands cover her hips. She pulled back, turning to find Sean, some guy who was in Tyler's grade. He smiled at her.
"Ruby, right?" Ruby nodded, pulling away from the guy. "How about you come hang with me by the lake?"
"No, thanks." Ruby turned around, sticking her hand in the ice again. Sean's hands replaced themselves on her hips again.
"Come one, it'll be fun, Ruby."
"No, thanks. Please let go of me." His grip tightened. She tensed. This guy just didn't get it. She tired moving, but his gripe was too tight. She tried one more time. "Let go of me." His face moved to her neck. She grabbed a glass bottle from the truck, swinging it around and hitting Sean's head with it. The bottle exploded into pieces. Sean fell to the ground, clutching his head.
"You bitch!" People had stopped dancing and were now staring at the scene. Ruby still had the remaining piece of the bottle in her hand. She threw it to the ground quickly.
"Look, I asked you leave me alone—"
"Bitch!" Sean had stood up, and was now walking towards her. She backed up. She my have hit him, but Sean was a big guy, and a paired with his enhanced strength, she was no match for him. Sean grabbed her arms in a bruising grip, but before he could do anything else he was thrown back ten feet, landing on the ground. Tyler stood in front of her now, his eyes glowing golden, growling. He stared at Sean for a moment, obviously talking to him. Sean nodded, walking off. Tyler turned back to her, his eyes reverting back to normal.
"Did he hurt you?" He spoke, his voice still throaty from the growl. She shook her head. Maggie was by her side now, checking her.
"Shit, Ruby, look at your arms!" Ruby looked down, noting the deep purple bruises now forming of either upper arm from where Sean had grabbed her. She glanced up when Tyler touched her arm, wincing.
"Sorry," he said, "you should flip. You'll heal faster." She nodded, turning away.
"Let's go, Rub, let's get you home—" Maggie spoke.
"No," she gave Maggie a small smile. "I'm fine. You stay. I'm going to go for a run."
"Are you sure—"
"Mag, yes, now go." Maggie waited a moment, watching her friend. She nodded.
"Fine, but if you—"
"I know. I'll call you." And by "call", she meant send a telepathic message. Maggie and she had a private connection. Maggie nodded, walking back to Alex. Ruby turned back to Tyler, but he was gone. She looked around, but didn't see him. She shrugged and walked off in the opposite direction of Sean, she didn't want to run into him again. Once she was a good distance away, she shed her clothes, and making sure no one was around, stuck them into Maggie's car. Once done, she closed her eyes, focusing on the change.
She felt her muscles moving, her bones shifting. She felt her arms and legs shrink, forming into a wolf. Her face lengthened into a mussel, her teeth growing longer. She opened her eye. Everything was different. She sniffed, smelling the woods. The pine trees, the people, the food. She could here water moving, a small stream was close by. She started walking to the forest edge. She surveyed for a moment, then took off.
There was nothing better than running like this, the wind blowing against your face, the smell of woods everywhere, twigs snapping under her feet. She was free. She didn't have to worry about what had happened back there, she didn't have to worry about Vivian or her Dad, or anything. She could just…be.
----------
She slipped into the house quietly, making her way up to her room. She shut the door quietly, and quickly slipped on a pair of shorts and t-shirt. She opened her door again and walked to a room one door down from hers. She entered silently, walking over to the small bed. She smiled at the little blonde haired boy sleeping. Lucas was adorable, and as much as Ruby didn't want to like him, she did. She loved him. And she was going to make sure that he didn't grow up to be anything like his mother. She leaned down and kissed his forehead once before leaving.
She walked across the hall into her sister's, Amanda's, room. Amanda was coming close to changing, Ruby could sense it. Amanda was thirteen, and growing up looking just like their Dad. She was beautiful, and Ruby loved her so much. She was the last thing of their mother, and Ruby was going to protect her, no matter what. She smiled at the girl, giving her a kiss before walking out of the room and back to hers. She always did that, checked on her siblings when she got home, no matter what time. She wanted to make sure they were safe.
She climbed into her bed, pulling the covers up around her. Her thoughts drifted to Tyler Creed, how he had saved her, twice, in one day. Damn. She sighed. She was going to have to thank him tomorrow at school.
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"Ruby! It's time for school, get up!" Ruby groaned. Hearing Vivian's voice early in the morning was not something she enjoyed, at all. She sighed, slipping out of her bed. She walked into the bathroom, her own, and jumped into the shower quickly. After she had dressed, she ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, smiling at Lucas. She gave him a hug, ruffling his hair. He smiled at her, showing her his spoon, which was full of applesauce.
"Wow, Lucas, that's great." She gave him a kiss on the head and grabbed an apple before walking out of the kitchen, trying her best to ignore Vivian. "Amanda! Let's go, Maggie will be here in a minute!" Ruby walked down the hall, into her father, Willard Cate's, office. He was at his desk, reading the paper and drinking coffee. He looked up when she walked in, smiling.
"Ruby, sweetie, where have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in a year." She gave him a hug, shrugging.
"I've been with Maggie. And you saw me the other day." He shrugged.
"I'm an old man, I forget things." He smiled, "off to school?"
"Of course." She blew him a kiss and walked back out, smiling as he told her to have a good day. She frowned when she saw Vivian talking to Amanda.
"Amanda, let's go!" She walked out the door, hearing Amanda follow. They stood at the end of the driveway waiting for Maggie.
"You know, Ruby, she's not that bad. You should give her a try." Ruby glanced at her sister.
"You've got a heart of gold, Mandy. I don't want you to think about me and Vivian."
"Are you mad…that I talk to her?" Amanda was looking at the ground now.
"Amanda, of course not! I just…it's different with me and Vivian, okay? But I don't want you to base your opinions on me. You're a smart girl." Amanda nodded, giving Ruby a smile. A car honked as it approached the house.
"That's Maggie."
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It was the end of the day, finally. It was hot as hell, and Ruby couldn't wait to get out and go to the lake for a swim. She was sitting in a desk next to Maggie, in Sherman's class. He was talking about wolves and their mating habits.
"You see kids, when a wolf mates, it's for life, no ands ifs or buts. That's why it's a good thing to mate sure you can actually live with the person before deciding to mate with them." A girl raised her hand, it was the blonde girl who had been sitting on Tyler's lap the other night. Sherman nodded. "Yes?"
"Well, I uh, I thought that you didn't really have a choice, that when you meet your mate, you just had a connection." Sherman nodded.
"It's true, when you meet your true mate, there is always a connection, but that connection has to be open for it to work. You have to allow yourself to be open to it." A redheaded girl in the back raised her hand.
"What happens if your mate dies?" Sherman smiled.
"Good question. You see if your true mate dies, then you are free to find another mate, but it will never be like what you had before. And if your true mate dies before you meet, then you will never experience what it is like to have a true mate." A blonde guy, Nick, raised is hand. Sherman nodded.
"So to mate you just have sex?" Everyone in the class laughed. Sherman shook his head.
"Mating does indeed involve sex, but it's not just that. In order to be truly mated, you need to mark each other. A bite mark on the neck or shoulder makes the mating permanent. You can have all the sex you want, but you will never be mated unless you mark each other."
"But we heal, we don't have scars." A girl in the front spoke. Sherman smiled.
"Ah, but you see, this is a special mark. This mating mark with not fade away, it will remain, to show people, and yourselves, that you are mated." Ruby glanced over at Maggie, nodding towards Alex with a grin. Maggie blushed, ducking her head. Ruby turned, feeling someone staring at her, and met Tyler's eyes. She quickly turned away, glancing down at her notes.
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After school had let out, Ruby and Maggie found Amanda and pulled her with them to the lake. Ruby pulled off her clothes, as did Maggie. Amanda stood there, watching them. Maggie ran into the water, and Ruby saw Alex, who was across the lake, swim to meet her. Ruby turned back to Amanda.
"Aren't you going to swim?"
"I don't have a bathing suit." Ruby laughed.
"No one does. Just keep your underwear one." Amanda shook her head quickly.
"No way, there are…are…guys swimming!" Ruby bit her lip, smiling at Amanda.
"Amanda, you know that when you flip you're going to be naked all the time, right?"
"I know, but…I just…"
"Come one! Please?" Ruby pouted, giving her best sad face to Amanda.
"Fine, but…don't let those guys come over here!" Ruby nodded, watching in amusement as Amanda run behind a bush to remove her clothes. Ruby turned back around, walking into the water. She sighed, loving the feeling of the cool water against her hot skin. She laughed as Amanda ran by her and dove underwater, only her head popping back up. Ruby dove under, swimming through a patch of seaweed to grab her sister's leg. She surfaced; laughing at Amanda's terrified expression.
"Ruby! You scared me! I thought that…I thought, you know…"
"That I was some guy coming to ravish you?" Amanda blushed, sinking under the water.
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"Can I come with you?" Ruby had just come out of the shower, and was now slipping on a skirt and top. Her and Maggie were going to the rave tonight, but only because Maggie had begged her repeatedly to go. Alex was going to be there and Maggie wanted to hang out with him. Ruby had finally agreed out of annoyance. Amanda was sitting on her bed, pleading with her.
"Sorry, Mandy, but you're too young." Amanda pouted, flopping back down on the bed.
"Fine. But when I flip, I'm going to go to the rave every night." Ruby laughed.
"Believe me, it's not that exciting." The doorbell rang. "That's Mag. I gotta go." She gave Amanda a kiss on the head. "See you later, sis."
"Bye, Ruby."
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"Oh, Ruby, I love him. It's official. I am in love. Maggie is in love." Ruby rolled her eyes, having heard this a million times. Maggie had a problem in that she gave her heart away easily. Ruby, however, was like a rock. She barely let anyone in, and when she did, she didn't let go.
"There he is!" Maggie squealed in delight, running over to meet Alex. Ruby watched for a moment, then went over to the truck to grab a beer. She had just reached her hand in when she felt a pair of hands on her waist.
"You have got to be kidding me, Sean, get your hands—" she turned, intending to tell Sean off when she stopped. Tyler was standing behind her.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." He dropped his hands, giving her a smirk. She couldn't help it. She smiled, shaking her head. He reached past her, pulling out two beers. He handed one to her, popping the other open for himself. "I was going to go down to the lake, you coming?" Ruby glanced back at Maggie, who was now in a major lip-lock with Alex. She nodded.
"Yeah." They walked down past the woods, and onto the shore. Tyler sat down on the sand, patting the spot next to him. She sat, sipping her beer. It was silent for a moment.
"Thanks." Ruby finally spoke, gazing off into the water. She felt Tyler's eyes on her.
"For what?" She shook her head, turning to look at him.
"For stopping Sean from beating the shit out of me." Tyler looked away, shrugged.
"It was nothing. He was just drunk." Ruby nodded.
"Well…thanks anyway." He nodded, bringing his beer to his lips. He finished off, throwing it to the side. He glanced at her.
"How about a swim?" Before she could answer, he stood, pulling his shirt off to reveal a smooth, tan chest. Ruby swallowed, looking away as he pulled the rest of his clothes off. She heard him run into the water. "Ruby, come on." She shook her head, biting her lip, and, after finishing her beer, stood and pulled her shirt off. She slipped her skirt off, leaving her in only a black bra and panties. She ran out into the water, gasping at its coldness.
"Shit, Tyler, its freezing!" She had dove under, and was now standing chest high, shivering. Tyler laughed, swimming over to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she immediately started to warm up. She gave him a small smile. "Thanks." He was facing her, his hands covering her back, pulling her closer towards him. He didn't say anything, simply watched her. She opened her mouth to say something but never got the chance because Tyler's mouth covered hers.
His hands gripped her back tighter, pulling her flat against his chest; her hands against him were the only thing separating them. His lips were so warm, and she was so cold. She moved her hand up to his head, her fingers gripping his hair, pressing closer to him. She almost groaned when his tongue pushed against her mouth, seeking entrance. She complied, meeting his with her own.
She pulled away after a moment, trying to catch her breath. Tyler's hands were now on her shoulders, sliding the straps of her bra off her shoulders. He pushed her bra down, his hands coming up to cup her breasts. She moaned softly, seeking his mouth again as his hands touched her. She wrapped her legs around him, and heard him groan as her breasts were pushed against his chest. His hands moved to her bottom, gripping her and pulling her tighter against him. They both groaned as their lower bodies were ground against each other.
They had made their way to shore, the opposite side of the lake they had come from. Ruby felt her back scrape against the sand but she didn't care. All she cared about at this moment was the man who was kissing her. Tyler. She pushed him off, reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. She threw it to the side, coming back to him. His hands moved back to her bottom, picking her up. He dropped his knees to the ground, setting her down on her back before crawling over her. His face went to her neck, kissing her softly.
His hands moved lower, his thumbs grabbing the sides of her panties and pulling them down. He moved back, pulling them all the way off and threw them to the side. He gazed down at her, his chest moving up and down quickly. His eyes were golden, and she knew hers were as well. She moved to a kneeling position, her hands working the zipper on his jeans. She pulled it down, pushing his pants off. She could feel his eyes on her and she couldn't help but shiver. He stood, slipping his pants off as well as his boxers. Ruby watched him, knowing he had done this many times. But right now, she didn't care, all she wanted was him.
He kneeled back down, his hands on either side of her head, crushing his mouth against hers. She responded, meeting his tongue again. She pulled him down to the ground, her legs moving apart, on either side of him. He pulled back from the kiss, meeting her eyes as he slid into her. She gasped, feeling a small amount of pain, which was quickly gone, replaced by the most pleasurable feeling she had ever felt. He was moving inside of her and she loved it…oh god…she moaned as his mouth went to her neck, nipping and sucking wherever he went. His right hand moved to her chest, gripping her breast.
"Tyler…" she groaned out, pulling his mouth away from her neck and back to her mouth. She lifted her hips up to meet his, hearing him growl softly. She used his moment of pleasure to flip them over. Now she was on top. She pulled away from his mouth, his hands moving to her hips, gripping them tightly. She lifted herself up, sliding back down slowly, enjoying the new angle. It was deeper, and she liked it. She felt something start to build up in her; it was like her insides were tightening. Oh god…
Tyler pushed against her, flipping them back over. He grabbed her legs, wrapping them around him. She cried out as a wave of pleasure rolled over her. God…she needed to release this thing that was building up inside of her…She was on fire, her breathing was fast, she bit her lip. Tyler's face moved to her neck again. He thrust once more, and she was gone. She felt like this huge ball that had been forming inside of her release. She cried out, digging her nails, which had lengthened, into his back. She heard Tyler growl, felt him bite her neck, felt him release inside of her.
Her head fell back against the ground, she felt the sand mixing with her hair but she didn't care. Tyler's head was resting on her chest, their lower halves still connected. Finally, he pulled out of her, moving to the side. Her eyes were closed; she was so tired, drained. She felt Tyler's arms move around her, felt him pull her against him, then she was asleep.
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Ruby awoke when she felt water against her legs. She groaned, opening her eyes. After a moment, she realized she wasn't alone. No, she was lying on the sand, with someone's warm body pressed against her back, an arm was holding her to them, and when she tried to move, the arm tightened. Who was this person? Who— oh shit. Ruby closed her eyes. Tyler. She had sex with Tyler last night. Shit, shit, shit. She tired to move away again, but the arm pulled her tighter, making her aware that a certain someone was very happy to see her.
"Shit!" She yelled, ripping herself from Tyler's body. She stood up, cringing as Tyler shot up, looking around. He turned back to her, running his eyes over her body.
"What's wrong?" He spoke calmly, remaining seated on the ground. Ruby's eyes widened. What was wrong with him?
"What do you mean, what's wrong?" She tried to spot her clothes, but they were no where to be found. She turned back to him. "We're on the middle of the beach, naked, and we had…we…"
"Had sex?" Tyler supplied for her. She nodded, turning away from his gaze. She heard him sigh, coming to stand next to her. "I don't see what the big deal is—"
"What?" Ruby moved away from him, shocked, and as much as she didn't want to be, hurt as well. "What the big deal is? We had sex, Tyler. That may not mean anything to you but—"
"Hey," Tyler stopped her rant, "I never said—"
"Look, I don't care, okay?" Ruby shook her head; even though she did care…she cared a lot. "I just…never mind. I have to go." She turned and ran off towards the woods, feeling herself change as she ran. So she was running on all fours, felt the twigs and dirt crushing beneath the pads of her paws. Oh God, what have you done, Ruby?
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Ruby stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her body. She looked she had been in a car crash or some sort of fight. She had bruises and small bite marks all over her body. And, shit, she had a nasty bite mark on her neck. Her hand moved up to touch it, pulling back quickly. It was sore. Nice job, Ruby, she thought, you've gone and had sex with none other than Tyler Creed, the guy who has probably come close to sleeping every female in Wolf Lake. But not only that…this had been, well…this had been her first time. Meaning that this had been the first time she had ever had sex, and it had been with Tyler of all people.
"Fuck!" Ruby slammed her fist into her mirror, grimacing as the glass shattered and bits fell to the floor. Her fist was bloody, but right now, she didn't care. Stupid, Ruby. She turned the sink on, washing her fist off before grabbing a towel and pressing it against the cut. She looked once more in the mirror before turning and walking into the shower. She stepped in, trying to wash away all that had happened.
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"Oh my God, Ruby!" Maggie was sitting on Ruby's bed when she had emerged from the bathroom, clad only in a towel. "What happened?"
"Nothing, I—"
"Ruby Cates, do not lie to me!" Maggie was turning a nice shade of red, which meant that there was no way Ruby could lie to her. Ruby sighed.
"I had sex with Tyler." There was a silence, followed by a yell.
"Ruby!" Maggie was standing in front of her now, shocked. "You had sex with Tyler Creed?" Ruby turned away, walking to her dresser, nodding. "But…but you said you didn't like him, that he was an asshole, that—"
"I know what I said, and I still think he is an asshole, and I don't like him." Ruby slipped on her shorts and shirt, turning back to Maggie. "It just…happened, okay? We were swimming in the lake and then we were kissing and…well, you know what happened."
"Shit, Ruby…" Maggie sat back down on the bed. "So…what did he say? You know…after?" Ruby started brushing her hair.
"He said it wasn't a big deal." She finally spoke.
"What! That little piece of shit!" Maggie was fuming, "I am going to rip his—"
"Mag," Ruby gave her a small smile, "its okay. This is Tyler were talking about."
"So? He can't treat you like that—"
"Well, he did." Ruby stood, "let's just forget about it, okay? Please?"
"But, Ruby, I don't think—"
"Mag, please?" Ruby's voice was quiet. Maggie finally nodded. "Good. Now how about you help me put on some Band-Aids?"
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It was another boiling day, but luckily, it was a Saturday, which meant no school. Ruby and Maggie were in Ruby's room, happy to stay in the air-conditioning, rather than roast outside. Maggie had suggested going to the lake, but Ruby didn't want to chance seeing Tyler there, she wasn't ready yet.
"Why don't we run up to the video store and grab some movies?" Maggie was flipping through the TV channels, trying to find something good to watch.
"I guess," Ruby spoke, jumping off the bed. "Tyler wouldn't be there, right?"
"I'm sure he's at the lake, Rub, it's like a hundred degrees outside." Maggie stood as well, and they made their way out to the car, running, once the felt the heat. Maggie drove, and, once there, walked into the store, sighing as the air-conditioning hit them.
"What should we get?" Ruby surveyed the room; it was empty, except for the human guy sitting at the register. She gave him a smile, which he returned.
"Why don't I get some romance, you get some action?" Maggie didn't wait for a reply, simply started walking towards the romance section. Maggie was a sap for romance. With a small laugh, Ruby walked over to the other side of the store, gazing at the action titles.
"Can I help you?" The guy from the register had walked over, now standing next to her.
"That's ok, I—"
"She's fine." A male voice spoke from behind Ruby. She froze, knowing it was Tyler, and knowing he was only an inch from her body. "Why don't you go back to work?" The guy looked at Ruby once, then walked back to the register. Ruby turned, angry.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" She spat out quickly, turning to see where Maggie was. She sighed when she saw Alex talking to her. She turned back to Tyler, who was watching her with amusement. "Well?"
"Just helping you out." He replied, running a hand down her arm. She moved back.
"Stay away from me, Tyler." She turned to leave, but was stopped by his hand on her arm. She froze when she felt his voice in her mind.
I can't do that, Ruby. We're connected now.
We are not connected, Tyler. What happened was just…it just happened, okay?
No, Ruby. It happened because it was supposed to happen. We're meant to be together, Ruby.
What the hell are you talking about, Tyler? It was just sex.
You're wrong, babe. We're mated now.
Ruby looked up, meeting Tyler's eyes in the mirror standing in front of them. His eyes, which were normally a light green, were glowing gold. She swallowed. No. She wasn't…they weren't…no. She shook her head, turning to face him. "You're crazy, Tyler. We're not…mated."
"Then why can I sense you wherever you are? Why can I hear your heartbeat, right next to mine? Why do we have a private connection? Listen to it Ruby, you can hear me too." He was close to her now, watching her. She listened, not moving. Waiting…waiting for— she gasped, listening to Tyler's heartbeat. She could hear it so clearly. And he was standing so close, she felt a tingling sensation wash over her. And she knew…she knew it was because of him.
She backed away, running out of the store. She heard Maggie call her name, but didn't stop. She kept running until she got to the woods. She pulled her top and shorts off, feeling her body already starting to chance. God…this couldn't…this couldn't be happening! She was only seventeen, she couldn't be mated! She sighed in relief when she felt her body fully changed. She started running, not caring where she was going, just waiting to run and never stop.
She ran for what seemed like hours, never stopping, never slowing down. Finally, she started to slow down, her breathing erratic. She came to a stop next to a steam, leaning down to take a drink. She sighed as the cool water made its way down her throat. She was about to take another drink when she froze. Her senses were on alert. Someone was here. Before she could think about it, a wolf had stepped out from the woods, a dark grey one. Tyler. She was preparing to make a run for it when his voice stopped her.
Ruby, you can't run from this.
She didn't say anything, simply watched him walking closer to her. He kept walking until he brushed against her side, running his muzzle along her white fur. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of her mate touching her— No! Not her mate. Tyler wasn't her mate…he couldn't be.
She pulled away from, intending to run again when she felt his teeth grabbed onto her neck. He wasn't trying to hurt her. No, he was trying to stop her from running. She tried to move again, crying out when his teeth moved deeper. A deep growl came out of his throat, rubbing itself along her fur. She shivered.
We're mated now, Ruby. Nothing can change that. She heard his voice in her head. She growled.
We are not mated, Tyler. I'm only seventeen, I can't be mated! She felt his laugh in her head.
Ruby, it doesn't matter. We are mated. She pulled away from him, releasing herself from his grip. She met his eyes once before taking off into the woods. She could feel him running after her, but she wasn't going to stop. If he wanted her, he was going to have to catch her. She wasn't going to make this easy.
She ran, jumped, and swerved. But Tyler was an alpha male wolf. There was no way she was going to outrun him. She was just running past a fallen tree trunk when she felt the air get knocked out of her as a body landed on top of her. They rolled, Ruby finally ending up on the bottom, Tyler over her, watching her with his amber eyes. He leaned down, rubbing his muzzle along hers. She felt him start to change, but her eyes were closed, and she didn't bother opening them.
"Ruby." She looked up, seeing Tyler, in his human form, looking down at her. His hands were on her pelt, petting her white fur. "Change for me." His voice was soft, asking, not telling.
She watched him for a moment. Her mind made up. She closed her eyes, letting the change take over. She felt her body lengthen, felt her paws turn into hands, felt her muzzle move back into her human form. Finally, after a moment, she opened her eyes, meeting Tyler's. He was crouching on the ground a foot away, watching her. She stood up, walking over to him. He stood up as well, waiting for her.
Once she was in front of him, she ran her hands over his chest, up to his neck. She dug her hands into him, and with all the strength she possessed, she threw him. Tyler flew through the air, landing against a tree. She didn't wait a second longer, simply started to change. Once she was in her wolf form, she ran.
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"Ruby, thank God you're here." Vivian met Ruby at the door, much to her annoyance. Vivian looked tired, her hair was slipping out of its twist, her eyes looked heavy. Ruby suddenly felt scared. Something was wrong.
"What is it?" She questioned quickly.
"It's Amanda, she's started her change." Vivian started walking upstairs, heading toward Amanda's room. Ruby followed closely, her throat tight. When Vivian opened the door, Ruby wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted her. Willard and Sherman were standing by Amanda's bed and Amanda was…oh God…Amanda was on the bed, shaking as her body tried to flip into her wolf. Her hands were half-paws; her face had part of a muzzle on it. Ruby rushed over.
"Amanda," she grabbed on of Amanda's half-formed hands, holding it tightly in her own. She tried to smile, but failed. "Hey little sis." Amanda turned her head towards Ruby, meeting her eyes. She saw Amanda relax a little when she saw who it was.
"Ruby." Her name was spoken in a half-growl. Ruby nodded.
"Yeah, babe, it's me." She heard the adults talking off to the side, murmuring to each other. She turned back to Amanda.
"It…hurts…" Amanda spoke softly, tightly. Ruby nodded, trying to fight off the tears that were forming.
"I know, baby, but you have to let this happen. You have to let go and change." A scream tore from Amanda's throat as a ripple went through her body. Ruby bit her lip, tasting blood. All she wanted to do was help her sister. If she could switch places with her she would in an instant. This wasn't fair. It shouldn't be this hard for Amanda. It shouldn't be this hard, period. Something was wrong…
"Ruby, come with me." She turned to her father, who had spoken.
"No, I need to stay with Amanda." She spoke, turning back to her sister.
"I need to talk to you for a minute, Ruby." He grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the room. He stopped outside the hallway, looking haggard. His eyes were bloodshot. "Ruby…she's been stuck this way for twelve hours. It's not working. She just isn't strong enough." Ruby stared at her father, not understanding.
"What are you saying? Amanda will be fine, she's strong enough." Willard sighed.
"No she's not Ruby. There's too much stress on her body. It's been too long."
"No—"
"I'm sorry, Ruby." Sherman had come out of the room, he looked grim. "But it's true. She's not strong enough. Her heart won't make it through the change." Ruby shook her head.
"No, I'll help her. I'm a white wolf, it's what I'm supposed to do—"
"Ruby, you've never tried to do this before, you don't know how—"
"Then tell me because I will not let my sister die!" Willard and Sherman shared a look. Willard finally nodded.
"Okay."
----------
Ruby watched as Sherman pulled a sheet over Amanda's body, over Amanda's dead body. How had this happened? She had just been talking to Amanda the other day. And now…and now she was dead. Sherman had told her what to do, that she had to connect with Amanda's mind, talk her through it. But Amanda was too far gone.
"Ruby," she heard her father's voice, but she didn't respond. "Ruby, why don't you go to your room and try and get some sleep." Ruby didn't say anything, simply sat on the chair facing Amanda's bed, watching.
"Ruby, you can't stay in here." Willard spoke to his daughter again, trying to get through to her. He helped her stand, pulling her out of the room and into her own. He walked her to her bed, made her lay down. He brushed her hair out of her face. "There was nothing you could have done, Ruby. You tried as best you could. She just wasn't strong enough." He waited a moment, but when Ruby didn't respond, he left, shutting the door softly behind him. That was when Ruby broke down. She cried until she had no tears left.
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"Ruby," Maggie's voice spoke next to her ear. Ruby opened her eyes, turning her head to find Maggie lying on the bed next to her. She just stared at her friend. "Oh, Rub." Maggie wrapped her arms around Ruby, pulling her tightly to her. Ruby let her friend do this, closing her eyes again.
"She's gone, Mag." Ruby finally spoke, quietly, softly, into her friend's shoulder. She didn't cry, she wasn't going to cry anymore.
"I know, babe." Maggie said softly, "I'm here for you, okay? I'm not going anywhere."
----------
"Mag, please, you have to leave. I can't stand having you stalking me around my own house." Ruby spoke to Maggie, who was lying on her bed. Maggie shook her head.
"I'm not going anywhere, babe." She spoke, "I mean, I'll stay home from school every day if I have too." Ruby cracked a small smile, which Maggie was hoping for.
"Maggie, I just…I need some time alone, okay?" She turned to her friend, sitting down on the bed next to her. "I just…want to think, you know?" Maggie watched her for a moment, nodded.
"Fine, but—"
"I know, I know, I'll call you if I need you." Ruby spoke, giving her friend a small smile. Maggie stood, making her way to the door.
"Fine, but—"
"Bye, Maggie." Ruby laughed when Maggie huffed, shutting the door behind her. Ruby's smile faded. She looked around her room, not knowing what to do, where to go. She suddenly sat up, walking towards her door. She walked out, heading down the hall. She opened a door, walking in. Lucas was playing on the floor with Vivian. They both looked up when the door opened.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't think—"
"No, it's okay." Vivian stood up quickly, "I was just leaving anyway. You can stay." She didn't wait for an answer, simply walked out of the room, leaving Ruby alone with Lucas. He smiled at her, waving his toy truck in the air. Ruby smiled, sitting down next to him.
"Hey, Lucas, what's up?" He gave her his truck, reaching his hands up to touch her hair. Ruby laughed, Lucas loved playing with her hair. She played with him for a good hour before he started to get tired. She picked him up, setting him down softly on his bed. He was asleep in seconds. She smiled at him, and placed his blanket over him. She gave him a kiss on the forehead before leaving. She walked back to her room, opening the door and shutting it tightly behind her. She turned and— froze.
Tyler was standing in her room, staring out the window into the woods. He turned when she came into the room, staring at her. She saw he was holding a picture frame; one she knew contained a picture of her and her mother. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"What are you doing in my room?" She finally asked, walking over to him and grabbing the picture out of his hand, setting it back where it belonged. He shrugged.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He said softly, watching her.
"I'm fine, will you please leave now?"
"No." She stared at him incredulously.
"No?" She repeated.
"No." He said, walking past her to sit on her bed. "You need me." She turned around, clenching her teeth together.
"I do not need you, Tyler. Now leave." She spoke tightly.
"Yes you do. I can feel you call me in your dreams." She gave a small laugh.
"You wish."
"I don't have to." She was openly glaring at him now.
"How did you even get in here?" She finally asked.
"Your Mom let me in."
"Step-Mom." She corrected him. "And why would she let you in?"
"Because you're my mate, and you need me." He replied, making her even angrier than she thought possible.
"I am not your mate, Tyler; get that through your thick head." He just stared at her. She growled, walking past the bed and opening her door. She walked out, slamming it behind her. She went down the stairs, ignoring the fact that Tyler was following her. She went into the hallway, walking towards the front door. She opened it, pointing out while looking at Tyler.
"Leave." He didn't move. She let out a breath and shut the door, walking quickly back up to her room before Vivian saw her and tried to make her eat something. She didn't even bother shutting her door, knowing Tyler was following her again. She lied down on her bed, her face resting on her pillow. She felt Tyler lay down behind her.
"I'm sorry about your sister." His voice was soft. She bit her lip, feeling tears fill her eyes. She was not going to cry, not in front of Tyler. She felt his arm wrap around her, and she couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"It's my fault." She whispered through her tears. "It's my fault she's dead."
"No it's not, Ruby." Tyler's voice in her ear was determined. "It's not your fault, baby." He placed a kiss on her head, pulling her tighter against him. She grabbed the hand that was wrapped around her waist, holding it with her hands. Tyler turned her around, wrapping both his arms around her, her face falling to his chest. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she buried her face in his neck, crying, Tyler whispering soothing words to her.
----------
Ruby woke up while it light out. She glanced at her clock, noting it was four in the afternoon. She sighed, burying her face deeper into— into Tyler's neck. Fuck, Ruby, she thought. She could feel his arms wrapped around her, keeping her warm, and locked against him. She pulled her head back, looking at Tyler's face. His eyes were open, staring at her. She licked her lips, unsure.
"You're still here." She finally spoke.
"Where else would I be?" He replied softly, lifting his hand off her waist to brush her hair back. She sighed, her eyes closing as she moved her face into his touch. He froze, and her eyes opened.
"What?" She asked, watching him. His face was serious as he stared at her.
"You're beautiful, Ruby." She blushed at his words, looking away. His hand turned her face back to him. "I mean it; I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you." She bit her lip softly, not sure what to say.
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are." He spoke, pulling her face down to his. He covered her lips with his own, one hand on the back of her head, the other on her waist. She responded to his mouth, meeting his tongue with her own. The hand on her waist was making its way up her shirt when Ruby's door opened. They pulled apart quickly.
"Whoa, sorry about that…" Maggie trailed off, looking embarrassed. Ruby pulled herself off of Tyler, adjusting her clothes.
"No, it's fine." Ruby spoke, walking over to her friend.
"It's just…there's food downstairs, and Vivian wanted me to come get you…" Maggie spoke again, still looking embarrassed. Tyler spoke this time.
"Good, let's go eat." He jumped off the bed, walking over to them. Ruby shook her head.
"I'm not hungry—" Tyler cut her off.
"You have to eat, Ruby. And you haven't eaten in a while."
"That's not true—"
"When was the last time you ate?" Tyler questioned her. She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped. "That's what I thought. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. She shook her head, but followed him, Maggie behind them, giving Ruby a questioning look, to which she just shrugged.
----------
"I just...I always thought that in every person's life, they have a tragedy. Someone dies, then life goes on as happy as it can be. And when my Mom died…" Ruby trialed off, staring out at the crystal waters of the lake. Tyler's arms were wrapped around her, his chin resting on her head.
"You thought nothing else bad could happen to you." Tyler supplied for her. She nodded.
"Yeah." She turned her face upward, meeting his eyes. "Guess I was wrong, huh?" He shrugged.
"Maybe, or maybe you were partially right. What if for every bad thing that happens to you, something good happens." Ruby looked back out over the lake.
"Maybe."
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Eight months later…
"What did Tyler say when you told him we were going to the club in the city?" Maggie turned to Ruby, questioning her. Her eyes quickly moved back to the road. They were in her Dad's pickup truck again, driving to the city to celebrate Ruby's eighteenth birthday, which had been the other day.
"Well…he said have fun." Ruby replied, turning away quickly. Maggie laughed.
"You didn't tell him, did you?" Ruby turned back to her friend, smiling shyly. She shrugged.
"I may have told him I was staying at your house." Both the girls laughed. Ruby shrugged. "You know he would never have let me go to the city. He would have either locked me up or came with me. And I just…I want to just hang out with my girl." She smiled at Maggie, who nodded.
"I understand." She said, blowing Ruby a kiss. "And I can't blame you; I am amazing, after all." Ruby shook her head. That was Maggie.
----------
"I am so drunk…" Maggie spoke, trying to walk in a straight line. Ruby laughed, linking her arm through Maggie's.
"Me too." She pulled Maggie towards the truck, not noticing the three guys following them. "Tyler is going to be so pissed when he finds out I went to a club in the city and got piss drunk." Both of the girls laughed, stopping once they reached the car.
"Where'd I put the keys, Rub?" Maggie was searching through her purse, which fell to the ground, everything spilling out. "Shit."
"Here, I'll get it." Ruby bent down, picking up the items and putting them back in the bag. "They're not here; did you leave them at the table?"
"You won't be needing those keys right now, girl." A male voice spoke about five feet away from the girls. Ruby froze, turning her head to look up. Three men were standing around her and Maggie, now of which looked very nice.
"What do you want, mister?" Maggie obviously didn't sense the danger, because she was giggling after speaking to the man.
"We just want to talk." Ruby shook her head, standing up slowly. Her heartbeat was quickening, this wasn't good.
"Leave us alone." Ruby spoke calmly, hoping they would take the hint and leave. No such luck. She saw them exchange looks. Shit, Ruby. Two of the guys came forward, grabbing Maggie. The other one came at Ruby. They would have succeeded in doing whatever they had planned if Ruby had been human. But, luckily for her, she wasn't. With a growl, she grabbed the man by the neck, throwing him through the air, where he landed against another car. She turned to the other two.
"Let her go, now." Her voice was deep, and she knew her eyes were glowing. Maggie was so drunk she was still giggling, and the two guys set her on the ground, walking towards Ruby. One of them grabbed her arm, while the other backhanded her across the face. She fell to the ground, tasting blood in her mouth. She turned, intending to stand back up when a dark grey wolf came flying throw the air, landing on the man who had just hit her. Tyler.
She stood, seeing the other guy pull a gun from his waist. He was aiming it at Tyler and Ruby didn't even think, simply jumped on the man. They both fell to the ground, and Ruby heard the gun go off. She just hoped that it didn't hit Tyler. The gun flew off, skating across the ground. The man twisted around, throwing Ruby off him. He was about to walk over to her when the wolf was on him.
Ruby watched as Tyler, in his anger, ripped the man's throat out. She couldn't turn away, but watched as the man's head fell to the side, dead. The wolf turned towards her, his golden eyes glowing, her muzzle and neck covered in blood. Ruby was frozen, staring at Tyler, Tyler…who had just killed two men, killed two men because of her. She heard his growl, saw his eyes move to a spot behind her, knew it was the third man. She didn't look, just stared at the spot Tyler had just been in, but was now chasing the other man.
Ruby crawled to her feet, turning to locate Maggie. She spotted her lying on the ground ten feet away. She quickly ran over, grabbing Maggie's hand to pull her to her feet. "Come on, Maggie, we have to go, shit, we have to go—" Ruby froze, finally looking down at her friend. Maggie's eyes were opening, but seeing nothing. There was a bullet wound in her chest. It had hit her heart. No…no, no, no…this couldn't…
Ruby dropped her friend's hand, using her hands to back peddle away. Her eyes were wide, filled with tears that were too shocked to fall. Her mouth was open, but she couldn't even scream. She was still crawling backwards, but stopped when she felt her arms touch something. She turned, finally able to scream when she saw she had run into one of the dead men. And then she did the only thing she could think of.
She ran.
Review please!
A/N: I'm thinking of adding more to Ruby's backstory. What she did when she wasn't in Wolf Lake, etc. How's that sound?