AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Johnny shot him a what-the-fuck look before I could. “How do you not know who Ruby is?” He raised his hands when Kane glared. “What? Was I the only one keeping tabs on Charlie?”
I clocked that information. I’d take it up with Johnny later, the spying bastard, then hit Ruby’s number on my phone. My stomach clenched, unease like poison.
“Hey, girl, what’s up?” Ruby’s voice was a balm to my nerves, and my anxiety deflated immediately. She sounded upbeat, healthy…happy, even.
“Nothing, just checking in.” I couldn’t help an edge of relief from whooshing out. “Still in Vancouver but missing you something fierce.”
I really could use some girl time. Being surrounded by pulsating testosterone twenty-four seven was exhausting, and I needed guy advice from a girlfriend. Even if I couldn’t tell her specifically what was going on, I would love to vent to her about the pressures of three men vying for my attention—or maybe not all three anymore. Doubt pummeled me now that the expectations had changed.
“Awww, I miss you, too.” She clattered around the kitchen, knocking a few pots together before turning on the faucet. “Wish you were here.”
The men were bickering about unauthorized surveillance and permission and spying. Kane may have been set on giving the first soul stripping to Johnny, but I planned on delivering the last.
I stepped into the hallway so I could chat in peace.
“Everything okay there?” It was a normal question, maybe a bit paranoid, but all the same, my stomach did a flip when she didn’t answer right away.
“Well, define okay?” She laughed and I heard the muffled sound of her switching ears. “Nothing major. Kicked Jared out, finally. The kids are with his sister. She won custody, and he lost it.”
I couldn’t help the sigh that slipped out. I was worried she’d say she met Andy. I wouldn’t put it past him to infiltrate my life in that way—use Ruby as a bargaining chip, seduce her or something. Werewolf males could be quite enticing.
Jared used his kids to hook Ruby when they first started dating. She was a total sucker for the single-dad love story, and he nailed her at Christmas. Insert eye roll here. He ticked all the boxes—gainfully employed, doting father, sweet and slightly damaged kids needing a mom. He swept her off her feet with grand gestures and made her fall for what could be—a readymade family.
It was definitely a case of too good to be true. Over the two years of them being together, he became more and more a loafer, lost his job, stopped doing his share of chores and childcare and turned into a burden and a drain on Ruby until he was no better than another child for her to care for. And she definitely hadn’t signed up for that.
But she also had a big heart, and the kids didn’t have anyone else to take care of them except for Jared’s sister, who’d been fighting in court to take over custody and move them out east.
“How do you feel about that?” I knew it was complicated. As much as I wanted Ruby to be happy—and being free of Jared was a clear, to me, path to happiness—I knew it meant Ruby was on her own again and lonely. She did love those kids, too, so it wasn’t just the loss of a loafer boyfriend. I knew that a piece of her heart had gone when those kids left.
She shut off the water. “A bit sad. A bit relieved.” Her voice caught. “The kids are where they belong. They’ll have good lives with Jared’s sister, surrounded by family. My place feels so empty and it’s too quiet, but it’s also nice.” She forced a laugh. “I think I earned a girl’s night out—or five.”
It was a knife in the gut. Ruby, my first and only real friend, needed me, and I wasn’t there for her. “I’m so sorry, Rubes. I should be there.”
“Not trying to make you feel guilty for being away. I know you’re dealing with family.” She lightened her tone. “Once you get back, you’ve got a date with me.”
“Deal!” Maybe I could bring her out here and set her up in a fancy hotel. Spend time with her in between Kane’s torture sessions, Levi’s research marathons and Johnny’s whatevers. Then I remembered that I was alpha to a pack now, and my idea disintegrated.
Right. My life wasn’t built for friendships outside of the pack, especially now.
A few moments of clattering pots and gushing water brought up an awkward pause. I knew Ruby was doing chores to keep busy. I didn’t like that the tension over the phone was rising.
“Anything else going on?” My gut was all over the place.
She sighed. “It’s just, things are weird right now.” Another clang. “I’m worried I’ll take Jared back because of the weirdness.”
“Weird like what?”
I sensed Johnny stepping out from the den, checking in or spying? I shot him a dirty look. He winked but slipped back into the room. Definitely checking in.
I headed farther down the hall, bypassing the library, continuing to the bank of windows that overlooked the forest.
“Well, for one, I was being stalked by a coyote.”
The blood froze in my body. My mouth went dry. My heart stopped. “What?”
“Yeah, like, this big brown coyote kept showing up in the alley next to the house. He’d be there when I put the garbage out. He’d be there when I walked anywhere. It was freaky.”
“Ruby,” I cut her off, “did he bite you?” It’s Andy. He was stalking her. My heart sped up, racing like the finish line was seconds away.
