Chapter 42 Trust me Once

Chapter 42 Trust me Once
Dinner tonight was a little different,much quieter than usual. The Beta and Gamma, who often dined in the main pack house, couldn’t join us because they were out on a mission. Now there were only Alpha Calix, Rubina, and Ruella, who regretted joining after learning that Rubina would be there too.

The food served on the long table couldn’t ease the tense atmosphere on both sides of the Alpha. He felt he would rather be fighting on the field than stuck between two women locked in a standoff.

Calix sat at the end of the table, as usual. To his right, Rubina. To his left, Ruella.

"I don’t know how to handle a situation like this. Someone, please help me," Calix thought.

The discomfort grew as he realized they were all nearly finished eating.

The sound of spoons clinking against plates was clearly audible in the silence. Even breathing too loudly felt like a huge mistake.

"I’m done eating," Ruella said, then grabbed a glass of water and drained it. "Can I leave first?"

"Ruella…" Rubina called, her voice as soft as possible.

Ruella didn’t answer right away. She ignored her and turned to Calix instead. "Can I leave now?"

"Stay a few more minutes, there’s something Rubina wants to tell you," Calix said.

Rubina took a small breath. "Right, I… I want to apologize."

Rubina finished her meal, pushed her plate away, and focused on Ruella, who clearly wanted to leave immediately.

"Please give her a chance, okay?" Calix said.

Ruella remained silent.

"Don’t be mad at Calix, I’m the one who asked him not to tell you that I was joining you for dinner so I could talk to you, Rue," Rubina said.

Ruella was about to stand up, but Calix immediately grabbed her hand.

"Listen first," he said.

His tone was calm, but it still felt like an order.

Ruella was forced to sit back down.

"I want to rest," said Ruella.

"Sit down."

Ruella turned her head slowly, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. She didn’t like the sharp tone she had just heard again after being treated so kindly over the past few weeks. Even during that long journey, Calix had been nice.

"What for?" Ruella asked.

"Please listen to what Rubina wants to say."

Ruella shook her head immediately. "I don’t want to."

She stood up and turned to walk away.

Rubina stood up immediately as well, her face looking panicked, and quickly followed Ruella’s steps.

"Ruella, please… just for a moment…" her voice was almost pleading. "Please forgive me, I’m sorry, Rue. I’m so sorry. Do you remember that I was the only one here who treated you well when you first arrived? Even when Orion, my own older brother, openly hated you. I’m truly sorry, I beg you… forgive me."

Ruella stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"I’ll forgive you, but for now I don’t want to see you," Ruella said. "Say that again another time."

Calix stood up and approached Ruella, who was already near the door.

"Ruella, does it have to be like this? Rubina has been trying to apologize to you, she has been trying to apologize ever since we were still in Frostfang," he said. "Can’t you put your pride aside and stop being so stubborn?"

Ruella glared at him, clearly displeased this time.

"I’m not being stubborn," she replied. "I’m just not ready yet."

"Don’t you feel a little pity seeing her cry and beg for forgiveness? Or do you enjoy seeing others beg in front of you?"

"It’s up to you what you think, the Great Alpha Calix. I’ll take my leave now."

Calix fell silent for a split second.

Rubina grabbed Ruella’s hand and held it tightly, her eyes already red from crying. "I just want to fix everything…"

Rubina bit her lip. "I was wrong, I know…"

"Rue, Ruby-"

Ruella lifted her face, looking straight at Calix.

"Why?" she asked softly. "Why do you keep explaining her words? And why do you keep forcing me to forgive her right now?"

Calix frowned. "I’m not forcing you, I’m just-"

"It’s obvious you’re forcing me, Cal," Ruella cut in, her voice rising.

The room suddenly felt suffocating.

"Ruella-"

"Enough!"

Her voice cracked.

Ruella held her breath as it began to falter. Her hands clenched into fists.

"I already told you I don’t want to!" she continued, her emotions spilling over. "Why can’t you understand that?! I... I still remember that moment clearly, the hate-filled stares, the screams, the insults, and even being doused with dirty water and kicked out, but... but no one stood up for me. No one."

Calix fell silent.

He had never seen Ruella like this before. Previously, she would just cry and speak in a trembling, stuttering voice, but this time she looked so angry and disappointed that she was able to raise her voice.

"Rubina must be confused too, she’s too scared to stand up to the villagers who are getting worked up. And-"

"And because I’m from the Bluemoon Pack, their actions are justified, is that it?" Ruella hung her head sadly.

Rubina stepped back behind Calix, but her eyes remained fixed on the scene.

"Their reactions and their anger aren’t Ruby’s fault," Calix said.

Ruella pointed at Rubina.

"She keeps talking about me," she continued. "About me being from the Bluemoon Pack, about who I am, even though I told her to stop. But Rubina keeps talking about me coming from the pack you consider an enemy. Isn’t she still responsible for that? Before, no one knew who I really was, and they liked me... they were nice to me, Cal. But why did Rubina have to spill all that..." Her tears became uncontrollable.

She burst into tears.

Calix slowly turned toward Rubina.

"Is that true?" he asked.

Rubina immediately shook her head quickly. "No… I’m not like what she said. I just… I just didn’t mean to…" her voice trembled.

"Rubina," Calix’s voice was firmer now.

"I didn’t mean to mess everything up…" Rubina continued, crying harder. She hugged Calix tightly. "I’m sorry…" she whispered against his chest.

Calix remained silent.

Ruella saw that. She saw how Rubina stood there, embraced, protected, even though she wasn’t the one who was the victim.

Ruella smiled slightly.

Bitterly.

"I know," she said softly.

Calix turned to look at her.

Ruella shook her head slowly. "You’ll definitely trust her more," she continued. "So it’s pointless for me to explain anything."

"Ruella, I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but-"

"I’m tired. Good night." The words just slipped out.

She opened the door and left without looking back.

After Ruella left, Calix released Rubina from his embrace and stared at her intently.

"Calix… w-what’s wrong? Why do you look-"

"You shouldn’t have said anything about her background, especially in front of the Frostfang people, and even more so in front of the women who’ve likely lost their husbands or fathers on the battlefield. Have you lost your mind??"

Rubina froze.

"I was just-"

"Now I feel guilty toward her for forcing her to face you," Calix said.

Rubina bit her lip. "I didn’t know they’d react that badly because they seemed to care so much about Ruella… and I didn’t mean to say it, it just slipped out, believe me."

Calix stared at her sharply.

"And look what happened."

He took a step back.

"That night, the situation in Frostfang was nearly out of control," he continued. "People were furious, and they even came to our tent in the middle of the night. Ruella was even injured because of that incident. I’m sure she still has wounds on her body right now."

Rubina fell silent, her eyes wet with tears.

"Now you’re defending her? You taking her side." her voice began to change, tinged with irritation. "You don’t trust me anymore, you’ve changed."

"It’s not about taking sides," Calix said. "Your actions could have caused even greater chaos there. If that had happened, instead of evacuating and helping to restore the village, we would have only made the situation there even more chaotic. You realize that, right? It’s a good thing I was able to keep the situation under control. It was almost impossible for me to calm their anger."

Calix took a short breath. "And one more thing."

Rubina looked up.

"I won’t help you make things right with hee anymore."

Rubina froze.

"Calix-"

"Figure it out yourself."

Calix turned and left the dining room.