Chapter 87 Ruby’s Date from hell

Chapter 87 Ruby’s Date from hell
He was blocking her path, his arms crossed, his expression bored. Ruby froze, her eyes darting between them, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

"Let me go," she said.

"Not yet."

"Let me…” 

"Shut up."

Marcus grabbed her. Ruby screamed, loud and sharp, a sound that cut through the silence like a blade.

I opened the car door and ran.

\-——————————

The clearing was chaos.

Romeo emerged from the darkness, his body already shifting, his eyes burning gold. He slammed into Marcus, sending him flying across the grass. Damien lunged, and Romeo met him head-on.

I skidded to a stop beside Ruby, grabbing her arms, pulling her away from the fight. Kai dragged us back to the safety of the car, while watching protectively from the outside. I helped Ruby sit up inside the backseat. 

"Cal…” 

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm—I'm fine—" Her voice was shaking. "Calliope, what's happening? What is  that?"

I looked at Romeo. At the way he moved, too fast, too strong, his teeth sharp and his eyes glowing unnaturally. At the way he growled, a sound that was not human, not animal, something in between.

"He's…” 

"I can see him, Calliope. His eyes. They were glowing. They were…” 

"Ruby."

"What is he?"

I looked at my best friend, at the fear in her eyes, the confusion and the dawning horror. I looked at the fight behind her, three wolves tearing into each other, and I knew there was no going back.

"He's a werewolf," I said.

Ruby stared at me.

"You're joking."

"I'm not joking."

"You're…” She looked at Romeo again. At the way he moved. At the way his body was shifting, his features elongating, his hands becoming claws. "Oh my God."

"Ruby…” 

"You lied to me." Her voice was shaking. "All this time, you lied to me."

"I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me? Calliope, he's…” She gestured wildly. "He's not human!"

"I know."

"And you're just…okay with that?"

"Yes."

Ruby stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

"Calliope…” 

"We need to leave." I grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the trees. "I'll explain everything later, but right now, we need to leave."

"What??"

"Ruby…” 

The fight was shifting. Romeo had Damien pinned, his claws pressed to his throat. I know Kai was debating whether or not to leave us alone to help, since Marcus was advancing towards us, his bloodied eyes were narrowed.

"Run. He won’t come for you. Just run now," I said.

"I'm not…” 

"Go, Ruby! Now!"

She opened the car and ran.

\-————————————

The trees swallowed her.

I stood at the edge of the clearing, watching her disappear into the darkness, and tried to breathe.

I turned back to the clearing.

Damien was on the ground, Romeo now on top of him. Marcus was being held down by Kai, who was still resisting. Romeo's claws were pressed to Damien's throat, his eyes blazing.

"Tell me who sent you," Romeo growled.

Damien laughed. "You know who sent me."

"Say his name."

"I don't take orders from you, pup."

Romeo's claws pressed deeper. A bead of blood welled up, dark in the moonlight.

"Say. His. Name."

Damien's smile was crooked. "Your uncle will hear about this. He'll hear about the human girl. He'll hear about her little friend too."

"Romeo” 

Romeo looked up at me. His eyes were wild, his chest heaving, his body still half-shifted. He looked like something out of a nightmare.

Then Damien moved.

He shoved Romeo off, scrambling to his feet, running towards his car and making a run for it. Marcus used the last of his strength to shove off Kai and ran into the woods. Romeo tried to follow, but he was too slow, he stumbled, his hand pressed to his side, blood seeping through his fingers.

"Romeo!"

I ran to him, my hands finding his face, his shoulders, the wound in his side. The blood was dark, hot, soaking through his shirt.

"I'm okay," he said.

"You're not okay."

"I will be."

I pressed my hand to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. He winced, but he didn't pull away.

"We need to get you home," I said.

"Ruby…” 

"She’s in the woods."

"I’ll go find her.” Kai says as he runs into the woods after her. 

He looked at me, at the tears on my face, the fear in my eyes, the desperation I couldn't hide.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be."

"I should have been faster."

"You were fast enough."

———————————-

Kai came back with Ruby. But she would not talk to me on the ride home. 

I tried to after we dropped her off at her front porch. 

"Ruby…” 

"Don't." She held up her hand. "Just... don't."

I stopped.

We stood there, facing each other, the distance between us feeling like miles.

"I saw him," she said. "I saw his eyes. I saw the way he moved. I saw..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "He changed. Right in front of me. He changed into a monster."

"He’s not a monster Ruby…."

"And you knew. You knew this whole time."

"Ruby…” 

"You could have told me."

"I couldn't. He can’t tell anyone about that….” 

"Why?" Her voice cracked. "I'm your best friend. I've been there for you through everything. And you couldn't even tell me the truth?"

I opened my mouth to explain. To tell her about the spies, the uncle and the danger. But the words wouldn't come.

"Because I was scared," I said finally. "I was scared of what would happen to you if you knew. If I roped you into all of this. I was scared of losing you."

Ruby stared at me, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"I'm still here," she said. "I'm still your friend. I'm still..."

She stopped. Swallowed.

"I just wish you'd trusted me."

I crossed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms. She stiffened at first, then relaxed, her face pressing into my shoulder.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry."

"I know."

She pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm not saying I understand," she said. "I'm not saying I'm okay with it. But I'm not going anywhere."

"Ruby…” 

"You're stuck with me. Whether you like it or not."

I laughed as tears rolled down my face and hugged her again.

"Thank you," I said.

"Don't thank me yet. I have so many questions."

I smiled. "I know."

"Like, a lot of questions. Like, questions you can't even imagine."

"I figured."

She pulled back, and for the first time since the clearing, she smiled.

"Start talking," she said.

I did.

\----------------------

The main house was dark when we got back. We had stayed out incredibly late. And no doubt someone in the house just have noticed all our absences. 

I held my breath as Kai eased the car into the driveway, cutting the engine, letting us coast the last few feet in silence.

"She’s still awake," Romeo said, his voice tight.

"Who?"

“My stepmother. She's waiting for us in the foyer. I can hear her pacing around."