Chapter 89 Glowing eyes

Chapter 89 Glowing eyes
"Inside. She won't come out."

"Why not?"

Romeo's jaw tightened. "Apparently Damien was outside her window last night. Watching her. All night."

The words hit like a punch.

"He was just standing there," Romeo continued. "Watching. Ruby saw him when she went to close the curtains. He didn't move. Didn't blink. Just stood there and watched her."

I felt sick. "Did he do anything?"

"Not yet. But she's terrified. She didn't sleep all night."

"Where is she now?"

"Her room. She won't open the door. Her mother tried. I tried. Kai tried." He looked at me, his eyes dark. "She said she'll only talk to you."

I walked to the front door without looking back.

\-—————————

Ruby's room was dark.

The curtains were drawn, the lights off, the only illumination coming from the glow of her phone screen. She was curled up on her bed, knees to her chest, her face pale and tear-streaked.

"Ruby….” 

"He was there all night." Her voice was hollow and flat. "Just standing there. Watching me. I could see his eyes in the darkness. They were... glowing."

I sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" She laughed. "That's all you can say. You're sorry. It's going to be okay. You're safe. But it’s not isn’t it? It’s really not.” 

"Ruby…” 

"I'm not safe in my own home. I don’t feel safe anymore. I close my eyes and all I can see are those glowing eyes watching me." She looked at me, and there was something raw in her expression. "I know you didn't do this on purpose. I know you're not the one who sent him. But you're the reason he came."

I felt immense sadness and helplessness at Ruby’s words. But she was right. It was all my fault. 

"I'm sorry," I said again.

"Stop saying that!” 

"What do you want me to say?"

Ruby was quiet for a long moment. Then: "I want you to find out how you can fix this!” 

——————————1111

Kai suggested Ruby stay in the annex.

"It's not safe for her at home," he said. "If Damien knows where she lives, he'll be back. The annex is on Vanderbilt property. No one gets in without us knowing."

Ruby looked uncertain. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden. You're my friend." I squeezed her hand.

She nodded slowly. "Okay. But only for a few days."

\---

The annex was small, but we made it work.

Ruby took my bed. We could share the bed. I lied to Mrs Vanderbilt that she was only staying one night because we were working on a school project together. She agreed to let Ruby stay as long as she stayed away from the main house. Romeo stayed in the main house, coming to visit when he could, always watching the windows.

The first night, Ruby woke up screaming.

I was at her side in seconds, my arms around her, my voice soft. "It's okay. You're safe. I'm here."

"I saw him," she said, her voice shaking. "I saw his eyes. They were…” 

"Just a dream."

"It felt real."

"Dreams can feel real. But it’s not real. He would never hurt you here. 

\-——————————

The next day, Romeo was on edge. Damien and Marcus were not in school, but that didn’t mean their reign of terror was over. 

He paced the annex, back and forth, his hands shoved in his pockets. Ruby watched him from the bed, her eyes wary.

"We need to do something," he said. "We can't just wait for them to make the next move."

"What do you suggest?" Kai asked.

"I don't know. Something. Anything."

"They're not going to stop." His voice was sharp. "They're never going to stop. Now that they can tell there’s something between calliope and I, they must be planning something." He stopped pacing, his eyes meeting mine. "I need to challenge my uncle. I need to end this."

"Challenge him?! Don’t be stupid Romeo. Just lay low for now.” Kai said. 

"And how long are we going to keep doing that? Look at how many people have been hurt because of me. They don’t care about how far they go."

"I know it’s terrible but I don’t think challenging your uncle is a good idea.” 

I said as I shook my head slowly. 

Kai stood up slowly. 

“I may have an idea….”

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

The annex was quiet when Romeo and Kai laid out their plan.

I sat on the edge of the bed, Ruby beside me, both of us listening as Romeo paced back and forth across the small space. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with an intensity I hadn't seen since the night of the fight in the clearing.

"We're going to call them out," he said.

"Call them out?" I repeated.

"Damien and Marcus. We're going to tell them we want to talk. That we're ready to give them what they want."

Ruby frowned. "What do they want?"

"Information about me. Something they can use against me." Romeo's jaw tightened. "They want proof that I'm weak. That I'm distracted. That I'm not fit to lead. And they think me being involved with Calliope is the proof they need.” 

"And you're going to give them that?"

"No. We're going to give them something else." He stopped pacing, his eyes meeting mine. "We're going to lead them into another wolf's territory. Another pack's land. Let them think they're following us to a meeting, then let the territorial wolves do the rest."

I stared at him. "You're going to use another pack to fight your battles?"

"I'm going to use their territory to trap Damien and Marcus. If they cross into hostile land, the pack that owns it will attack them. It's instinct. They won't be able to help themselves."

"And what happens to you? If you're in their territory too?"

Romeo's expression flickered, just for a moment, just enough for me to see the uncertainty underneath. "I happen to know the alpha of the territory we’re leading them into and I know that how crazy his wolves can get this close to a full moon. So Kai and I will have to find a way to sneak them in and then slip out before the territorial wolves attack."

"That sounds incredibly dangerous."

"It is."