Chapter 24

“Ruby, what the hell is going on?” Lena grabbed Ruby’s arm and led her to the kitchen table. She shoved her into a chair and sat across from her. Apparently, Ruby wasn’t going to get away with vague explanations and implausible stories this morning.

“Maybe you need some coffee first?” Ruby tried to stand but Lena pushed her back down. At least her strength was up this morning.

“Ruby.” Lena’s tone offered no possibility of stalling or lying so Ruby just went for it.

“Rafe is a werewolf and so is his brother Theo. And there’s a third brother who I’m assuming is equally hot and he is the new Alpha of their pack, except Theo and Rafe haven’t lived with the pack for years, because their father wanted them to fight it out in some sort of ultimate death match and so now Rafe thinks he’s some kind of monster but I swear Lena’s he’s really not despite his overall glowering vibe—”

“Ruby, take a breath.”

“Right. Sorry.” She gave Lena a weak smile. “A lot has happened and I hate lying to you but I couldn’t figure out how to tell you and not sound crazy.”

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. “Well, I can’t say you don’t sound crazy.”

Ruby snorted.

“Are you sure this isn’t like the time you were certain Casper the Friendly Ghost was living in the attic?” Lena asked with a sigh, the exhaustion returning to her face.

Ruby shook her head. “Ha. Ha. You saw him, Lena. I’m sure you overheard at least some of that … uh … discussion we were having.”

Lena nodded slowly, considering. “What is he doing here?”

“Well, that’s kind of the part I didn’t want to worry you about.” Ruby fiddled with the ends of her hair. Her bun had tumbled down a while ago.

“Tell me.” The force in Lena’s voice was almost comforting. Her big sister voice. Her cut-the-shit voice. Ruby had missed that voice.

“I was sort of attacked last week. By a wolf.”

Lena’s mouth gaped open. “Oh, for God’s sake, Ruby.”

“But I’m fine obviously.” Ruby gestured to herself showing off how perfectly fine she was even though her insides were a confused soup of anger, hurt, and lust. “Rafe was there and he saved me and then sort of took it upon himself to protect us, I guess.”

“Mmhmm. So you’re not dating?”

“Well … it’s complicated.”

“What were you fighting about?”

Ruby slouched back in her chair, allowing herself the pouting she’d wanted to do all morning. “He keeps trying to convince me he’s dangerous or whatever and that I should forget about anything between us, but it’s bullshit.”

“I mean, he is a werewolf. Sounds kinda dangerous.” Lena gave her a patronizing smirk.

Ruby rolled her eyes, slipping back into her little sister role like a pair of worn slippers. It was easy and nice.

“He’s been perfectly civilized. Annoyingly so, actually. I don’t know what his problem is.”

Lena raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t probe further.

“Anyway, he’s now declared he’s leaving us in the hands of the pack and just ditching us.”

Ruby bit the inside of her cheek, refusing to get teary-eyed over this. So she’d been really hot for her sort-of stalker and now he was leaving. Big freaking deal. Except now she remembered the other reason why Rafe had been hanging around, and fear for her sister crawled back into her stomach, settling slimy and cold in her gut.

“There’s something else.”

Lena sighed. “How could there possibly be more?”

“Rafe thinks you’re some kind of seer, like with psychic, future-telling powers.”

Lena’s eyes widened like two full moons. “What are you talking about?” She shook her head, her blonde hair slipping over her shoulders. It used to fall like golden waves but now it was thin and pale. Her sister was wasting away. “Don’t start this crap again, Ruby,” she warned. “I have enough to deal with right now. I don’t need you adding to it.”

“We need to get you help, Lena. You need to control the visions instead of letting them control you. It might be the only way—”

Lena stood abruptly, her chair legs scraping loudly across the wood floor. “Ruby, stop.” Her face looked exactly the same as when they were little girls and Ruby would tell ghost stories before bed. Lena hated that. She hated that Ruby surrounded herself with the macabre after their parents’ death. It made no sense to her. Just like everything Ruby just said made no sense now.

“Lena—”

“No. Just stop. You can play whatever kinky games you want to play with your boyfriend, but leave me out of it. Don’t try to pretend my health is some kind of supernatural power. That’s not how things work, Ruby.” She gathered the ends of her robe in her hands like the train of a ball gown. “The doctors will figure it out. I’m sure of it. End of discussion.” She turned and stormed from the room.

“Lena, wait!” Ruby shouted after her. “It’s not a game! You can’t keep pretending this is going to just go away!” Ruby’s words were met with the sound of Lena’s door slamming overhead and then nothing but echoing silence.

Shit.

Ruby put her head in her hands and groaned into the quiet. Kinky games? Did her sister really think everything Ruby told her was part of some sort of elaborate role-playing game between her and Rafe? Good Lord.

Did everyone think she was ridiculous?

Maybe she was.