Chapter 16

16

Jasper

I t was better to stay away from her. But after leaving the hotel all day, roaming around the city to think, I decided that I needed to talk to her. Plus, it pained me to leave her for so long.

Maybe I was confusing her from choosing what she really wanted. Even though I didn't have a pack, I was confident I could satisfy her all on my own. But it was ultimately her choice to make in the end.

"Damn it," I said to myself when I walked into the hotel. I noticed Ruby sitting with Wayne and his pack inside one of the restaurants. They were all sitting at a table near the center, and I was taken aback.

She looked stunning in a glittering black dress that hugged her curves, laughing with them and having a great time. I was glad she was happy, but I couldn't shake the jealousy I felt.

Shouldn't she only be with them for her heat? She was clearly forming an emotional connection with them, too.

I watched her interact with the alphas, their suited-up appearances only adding to my bewilderment. They needed to stay the fuck away from her if her heat was over now. The way she smiled and the sound of her laughter was something I missed .

Fuck it.

I started to approach her despite my heart pounding like a drumbeat. Ruby's laughter died down as she sensed me coming. Her gaze met mine momentarily before turning coldly back to Wayne. The ice in her eyes hit me like a punch to the gut, confirming my fear that she was angry with me.

Maybe I shouldn't have put my cock in her mouth last night. But lust had taken over both of us, and there was nothing I could do now. Regret gnawed at me from within.

"Ruby…" I said softly, standing next to her chair. "You look like you're doing a lot better. And the food here looks good."

It was a feeble attempt at small talk, but I had no idea how else to approach her. She ignored me, focusing on her shrimp alfredo and twirling another bite onto her fork with an almost defiant grace.

Fuck. She was angry as hell .

My thoughts raced, desperate to fix the air between us. I needed her to understand that I was giving her the choice to choose now.

Wayne, clearly aware of the tension, shot me a questioning glance. His dark aura seemed to fill the space around him, his silence demanding an explanation.

"Jasper, what happened with you two?" Davy asked.

"Nothing," I lied, forcing a tight smile, but they all knew. "Just...miscommunication, I guess."

"Right. Well, good luck with that," Rufus muttered, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Please, Ruby," I said quietly, watching her take another bite of her pasta. "Talk to me."

Wayne stood up from his chair and pulled me aside out of Ruby's earshot. I would have fought him, but I needed to know what Ruby's state of mind was.

"Where were you, dude?" Wayne asked, his voice low and demanding, like the rumble of distant thunder. My jaw tensed with anger that this pack leader thought he could boss me around. " She was worried about you all fuckin' day, and I had to distract her. If she didn't care about you so much, you'd be fuckin' dead right now. So, where the fuck were you?"

"I was out fixing my car," I replied tersely, shaking off his grip on my arm. My chest tightened as I remembered the way she looked at me seconds ago- cold, distant, and hurt.

The rest of his pack circled me right in the middle of the fucking restaurant while Ruby kept her gaze away from me, unconcerned if the pack was about to gang up and murder me.

"Really? Fixing your car?" Rufus raised an eyebrow, skepticism across his face as he rubbed his beard. I gritted my teeth, feeling the heat rise in my neck.

"Look, I made a mistake, alright?" I muttered under my breath, my hands balling into fists at my sides. I couldn't bear to see her like this - so hurt by me.

"Jasper," Davy sighed, shaking his head. "You've got to fix this. She's hurting."

"I know!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "I fucking know."

"Then do something about it," Wayne growled, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous intensity. "Or get out of the way."

"Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?" I snarled back at him, feeling a primal urge to assert my dominance. But deep down, I knew he was right. I had to set things right between us or risk losing her forever. "But fine, I'll fix it."

"Good," Wayne replied, his voice as cold as ice. "Because if you don't, I will."

"Back off," I warned. "She's mine."

"Then prove it. Because as far as I know, she definitely isn't yours, mate."

Walking back to the table, I noticed Ruby sobbing into her napkin. Her dark brown eyes shimmered with tears as she looked up at me.

"Ruby, why are you crying?" I asked, alarmed, reaching out to touch her hand. But she yanked her hand away from me, her face contorted with anger. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? You left this morning without a note or a text," She spat, her voice shaking. "I thought we were fine after I…And you're out fixing your damn car!"

My chest tightened as guilt gnawed at me.

"Ruby, I'm sorry," I whispered, pleading with her to understand. "I thought it was better to give you space to think about us."

"All you care about is yourself."

"That's not true, and you know it," I said. "Let me make it up to you. I miss you."

"What's the point anymore Jasper?" she asked, with tears in her eyes. "You left an entire day without telling me anything. I thought we were over."

"Give me a chance, Ruby," I implored, my heart pounding in my ears. "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this."

"Do you still care about me? After everything?" she asked and I knew she meant by sleeping with the pack. It still hurt that she was still with this pack but I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were supposed to be together.

"I thought you didn't want me around after what happened last night," I explained.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously, her voice laced with anger and hurt. "Why would you leave after what we did last night?"

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. In her frustration, she inadvertently knocked over her glass of water, sending it crashing onto the floor. The sudden sound made everyone in the restaurant turn to look at us, but neither of us cared.

"I'm sorry for leaving you," I said slowly. "I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving you some space."

"Space?! You just wanted me to feel close to you again, and you played with my feelings so you could take revenge. "

My chest tightened as I realized that I messed up.

"Ruby, please, let me make it up to you," I growled, my voice hoarse with emotion as I gripped the table.

"Right now, I need to get away from you," she cried out, pushing past me and storming out of the hotel.

"Wait," I called after her. My heart pounded furiously in my chest as I watched her walk away angrily. I couldn't let her walk away without trying to make things right. After waiting a few moments, I slipped out of the restaurant and followed Ruby's scent.

She was standing outside beneath the glow of the moon, her breath coming out in hard gasps. The moonlight accentuated her slender form wrapped tightly in that dress. Every curve, every line of her body seemed to call out to me.

"Ruby," I whispered under my breath, unable to help myself as I took a step towards her. I knew I had no right to approach her after what had happened, but the magnetic pull she had over me was impossible to resist.

"What?" she asked, her voice barely audible as she turned towards me. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears, making my heart clench painfully.

"Ruby, I'm so sorry," I said. "I never meant to hurt you. I thought you didn't want to see my face again."

"What I needed was you," she said simply as she looked at me with hurt in her eyes. "I care about you, and we have real feelings for each other. Wayne is only helping me out of duty because I was in heat."

"Please, let me make it up to you," I said softly, my heart aching. "I'll do anything, just...don't shut me out forever."

"Jasper," she whispered, her voice wavering as our gazes locked on one another. "I don't know if I can trust you again."

"Let me prove to you that you can," I said, taking another step towards her. "Give me a chance."

The moon's reflection shimmered over Ruby's tear- streaked face. Her sweet candy scent overwhelmed my nostrils as I closed the distance between us.

"I don't know if we can work," she said with uncertainty for the first time.

"I never meant to hurt you like this."

"Then talk to me, Jasper. And not just you – Wayne, Davy, and Rufus too. We all need to understand what's happening."

"Of course," I agreed, relief flooding through me. "We can go back to the hotel and discuss everything. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right between us."

"Fine," she said, walking towards the hotel. Even though she tried to display anger towards me, I knew deep down she still cared. The thought of losing her forever scared the shit out of me, and I needed to figure this out quickly.