Chapter 49 Chapter 49

Chapter 49 Chapter 49
RUBY

It had been three weeks since the night I told Sebastian about my past. Sometimes, the nightmares still came, but they didn’t choke me with the same kind of fear anymore.

I didn't know if it was because of Sebastian, all I knew was that whenever he fell asleep beside me, I slept like a baby. But he didn’t always stay.

Sometimes, when the dreams became too much, I mindlinked him to come over.

Other times, I wouldn’t even have to call him. I’d wake from the terror only to find him beside me, wrapping himself around me as if he just knew I needed him.

I always wished Sebastian could sleep in my room every night, but he wouldn’t.

He told me he couldn’t trust himself to be in the same bed with me every night. And I believed him because I felt the same. I wasn’t sure I could be around him without something happening between us.

There were moments when we caught ourselves making out, satisfying our desires with nothing but our hands, as if we couldn’t help it. And when reality hit, we’d pull away, breathlessly staring at each other like we had no idea how we got there.

Our bodies ached for each other. Badly.

But Sebastian refused to do anything with me, saying he didn't want to give me false hope. I couldn't fully understand why he always said that.

And even though there was still small part of me that couldn’t fully trust him, Sebastian had proven over and over again that he was willing to protect me, no matter what.

Like that night after I visited Cassie and Aiden at school. I wanted to go back home when I had unknowingly gotten into a cab with a kidnapper.

Cold dread crept up my spine the moment the man pulled onto the road, his eyes flickering to me every few seconds in the rearview mirror.

When my wolf sensed the danger from him, I couldn’t help but mindlink Sebastian.

In that instant, the driver suddenly turned onto a different road that didn’t lead to my house. My fear tripled as he pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal, speeding up.

Then, out of nowhere, a massive black wolf lunged onto the road.

The car screeched to a stop and the driver groaned, shifting into grey wolf and then launched himself at the black one.

I didn’t realize who my savior was until the fight ended, the grey wolf fleeing into the darkness, and the black wolf shifted back to be Sebastian.

That wasn’t the only time he protected me. There were other times, even when he had covered for me when I couldn’t attend Luna training last week. It was a shifting class, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. The thought of shifting still terrified me. The pain, the loss of control… I hadn’t shifted in years. Not since that night.

Sebastian kept reassuring me that it would be different now.

But I still couldn’t do it.

I wasn’t ready to endure the excruciating ache of bones snapping and reshaping.

Though I had forgiven my wolf and stopped blaming her, I couldn't give her that chance just yet, even though she badly want to go for a run.

"Luna Ruby!" A she-wolf greeted and several students greeted me as I stepped out of Sebastian's car, heading toward my department building.

I felt a whole at Kingston College as I was now future Luna. They respected me. Honored me.

Even the Queen K girls, who I thought would hate me most, especially those Sebastian had slept with. They all respected me even more than their leader, especially, after I learned to dance better than Lizzy in less than two weeks.

That had earned me the title of the most famous girl in school.

For the first time, Annalisa and Lizzy, who had always topped the fame board, were now behind me.

I wasn’t sure how Annalisa felt about it, but Lizzy hated me for it.

She never missed an opportunity to try to humiliate me.

Like the time in the cafeteria when she threw insects at me, causing my food to spill all over my clothes in front of everyone.

Or the time she tried to sabotage my reputation again by making it look like I’d messed up on stage during the school moon festival event, ensuring everyone saw my ‘mistake.’

No matter how many warnings Mrs. Whitewoods gave her, Lizzy had never listened.

Cassie had kept urging me to use my position against her. To remind Lizzy exactly who I was now. But I didn’t.

I didn’t want to become someone who abused power just because I could.

Besides, I hadn’t caught her red-handed. Punishing her without solid proof would only make me look childish.

But there was something else about Lizzy. Something I still didn’t understand.

Everyone adored Sebastian. Every girl wanted him. But Lizzy hated him more than anyone.

She never stopped reminding me how much she despised him or me for being with him.

I never understood why.

I asked Sebastian if he had done something to her, or if he had hurt her somehow.

But even he didn’t know why she hated him.

He only told me to be careful around her.

But I could tell there was reason behind that and I was going to find out.



"Where did Cassie go? I saw her leaving class so early," Aiden said as we walked out of the classroom together.

"Brielle invited her to the swimming competition event."

Aiden's brows raised slightly. "Brielle? Isn't she the one who ditched Cassie back when you two became friends?"

I nodded, the memory still fresh despite it already two years now. Brielle had been Cassie's friend before their friendship ended because Cassie chose to be friends with me, a lowly omega. But now that I was the future Luna, Brielle suddenly wanted back into Cassie’s life, wanting all of us to be friends.

"Yeah... Guess she had a change of heart."

Aiden snorted. "Or a change of social ranking."

I shot him a look, and he shrugged. "I'm just saying people love climbing ladders. Especially now that you're the future Luna."

I couldn't argue with that. I had noticed how people who once ignored me now tried to befriend me.

"Cassie wants us to come. Are you coming?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Prof. Zeke wants to see me in his office."

"Why? Did you do something wrong?" I stared at his face.

"I don't know until I get there," Aiden said as he turned in the direction of Prof. Zeke's office.



As I rounded the corner near the sports complex, I saw Annalisa on the far side of the lawn with two unfamiliar girls. She was laughing at something they had said, but the second her gaze met mine, her smile froze for a moment before she forced it back on, as if nothing was wrong.

But I knew better.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me that Annalisa hated me for taking Sebastian from her—or at least, that’s how she saw it.

She had been like this for weeks. Cold. Quiet. Calculating.

Of course, she wasn’t stupid. As the Beta's daughter, she had to uphold a certain image, and she did just that. No public outbursts, no obvious confrontations. But the way she looked at me... I couldn't shake the feeling that she was planning something bad against me.

I sighed, peeling my gaze away from her and refocusing on my path.



By the time I reached the pool area, the competition had already ended, and students were beginning to filter out of the arena.

I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on Cassie near the bleachers, talking animatedly with Brielle.

Brielle was laughing, her wet hair dripping onto her shoulders. She wore a medal around her neck, obviously proud of her win.

I started walking toward them, but a familiar sharp voice made me stop in my tracks.

"I said, lick it!"

I turned toward the sound, groaning at the scene unfolding near the pool’s edge.

Lizzy stood with her arms crossed, glaring down at a trembling omega girl kneeling on the wet tiles. The girl’s hands were shaking as she stared helplessly at Lizzy’s shoe, where a pink ice cube was melting.

"What are you waiting for?" Lizzy growled. "Lick it clean. Now."

The girl flinched, eyes wide with humiliation.

My blood boiled.

Without thinking, I stormed over.

"That's enough, Lizzy,"

Lizzy looked up at me, unfazed.

"This is none of your business, Luna Ruby," she sneered.

"Oh, it's my business," I shot back. "Because I won’t stand by while you treat my pack members like this."

I reached down and pulled the omega girl to her feet.

Lizzy clucked her tongue, her eyes locking onto mine with a twisted smile.

"Ah, ah, ah," she taunted. "Are you trying to tell me you can protect your people, future Luna? Then why don’t you do it instead? Afterall you were once omega like her"

Anger flamed inside, but I exhaled sharply, willing myself to stay calm as more students turned to watch.

"Don't push me, Lizzy," I warned, feeling my wolf trying to take control.

She stepped closer, her voice dropping low enough
that only I could hear.

"Or what? You'll call Sebastian for me again? Huh?"

Her smirk widened as she pushed my shoulder.

"Go on."

I barely had time to react before my foot slipped and I hit the water with a splash.

Gasps echoed, but all I could hear was the muffled rush of water as I sank beneath the surface.