Chapter 26

Ruby was still sitting at the table, stewing, when Theo’s soft knock came on the back door. She knew he was coming. She’d seen Rafe pacing the yard, cell phone to his ear, face grim. He was still worried about her even as he was leaving. Apparently, Theo was here to babysit until the pack was alerted to their current predicament.

“Come in,” Ruby mumbled, and thanks to his super wolfy senses, Theo heard her.

“Good morning,” Theo drawled, striding into the kitchen.

“Is it?”

He gave her his best charming smile. “The sun is shining; the birds are chirping. What more could you ask for, Ruby love?”

Ruby glowered.

Theo gave a knowing nod and dropped into the chair across from her. “Let me guess, my brother is being an asshole?”

Ruby couldn’t help the surprised laugh that escaped her. Theo grinned. “It’s a family condition but I think Rafe got the worst of it,” he continued with an easy smile. He leaned back in his chair, taking up space like he belonged in her kitchen, like he belonged anywhere he wanted to be. He was a cocky bastard for sure, but Ruby liked him.

“He’s very frustrating.”

Theo nodded. “Stubborn as rock, his whole life.” He ran a hand over his curls. “But ultimately, not a bad guy. Though I hate to admit it.” He grinned again and Ruby could see how easy it would be to fall for a guy like Theo. Unfortunately, she didn’t want a guy like Theo. Unfortunately, she liked big broody idiots. “So what did he do?” Theo asked.

“He didn’t tell you?”

Theo blew out a breath. “Well, he said he was going to talk to Knox, which I admit nearly knocked me off my seat.”

“Is it true that he saved your life?”

Theo paused mid stretch, his eyebrows touching his hairline. His eyes were like green pools, light against his tan skin. “Is that what he told you?”

“Not in so many words. He made it sound like it was all his fault, that he hurt you and your brother. That he shamed your pack.”

“Typical.” Theo huffed a wolfy breath. “He did save my life. My father wanted only one man standing and Rafe refused to do it. Of course he would see it as a failure though.”

“A lot of daddy issues, huh.”

Theo’s laugh echoed through the kitchen. He shook his head, his eyes sparking in amusement. “You have no idea.”

“He said he was dangerous and he had to leave. He called me ridiculous. It’s like he doesn’t trust me to decide that for myself.” Ruby rested her chin on her forearms; the table was cool beneath them. The storm had brought drier air this morning and for the first time in days, Ruby wasn’t sweating.

“Asshole.” Theo glanced out the window to where Rafe was still glowering in the yard. Why he hadn’t left yet, Ruby had no idea. “Look, Ruby. That bullshit is not about you at all.” His eyes cut to the window again and then back to her. “I probably shouldn’t even tell you this and I don’t really know the entire story, but there was another human woman.”

“Oh.” The word was as small and dejected as she felt.

“A long time ago,” Theo rushed to add. “I knew Rafe was meeting up with her in town and my father hated it. He hated humans, really anyone that wasn’t our kind.” Theo’s voice faded away. Ruby wondered if his thoughts had drifted to Phoebe.

“Anyway, it didn’t end well. Like I said, I don’t know the whole story, but the girl ended up dead. Killed by a wolf.”

Some startled, strangled noise fell from Ruby’s mouth. “But it wasn’t… I mean he wouldn’t…” She couldn’t say it. The words refused to form.

Theo’s eyes widened. “Oh God, no. It wasn’t Rafe. The guy was wrecked afterward. He didn’t eat for days. I had to practically force-feed him. No, I’m sure it was our beloved father reminding Rafe who was in charge and what happened to wolves who didn’t fall in line.”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah, those were dark days.” Theo leaned back in his chair again, stretching his arms overhead. “It was over a century ago, Ruby. But that’s some hard shit to get over. He blames himself. He blames himself for everything.”

Ruby rested her head on the table, trying to absorb everything Theo had just told her and everything she’d yelled at Rafe this morning. She’d accused him of only trying to protect himself when all he wanted to do was make sure she didn’t end up like the last woman he cared for. God, she was the worst. She groaned and Theo huffed a small laugh.

“Let me go talk to him.” Theo stood and Ruby peered up at him from the corner of her eye.

“I said some really shitty stuff to him.”

“And he said some really shitty stuff to you. That’s what fights are, right?” Theo grinned again, his perfect white teeth flashing. “I’m sure you two crazy kids can work it out.”

Ruby groaned again and Theo strode toward the door. “Don’t worry, Ruby love. I’ll talk some sense into that asshole.”

He left before Ruby could stop him.