Chapter 45

Caleb

“Did you tell her to do that?” Joseph asked, surprised and amused by Ruby’s successful attack on Lucas’s character.

I crossed my arms over my chest, sighing deeply. “No. I had no idea she had found that information, much less the pictures and ring.”

Joseph nodded, nudging his black glasses frames farther up his nose. “My spy network has known for a while there was something going on there, but how the hell did she manage to get those pictures? We couldn’t make any moves while we didn’t have evidence, but she pulled it out of thin air.”

I grunted in agreement, trying to sort through the events of the evening. What kind of game was she playing with me?”

Joseph looked at me with sore, annoyed eyes. “Okay, drop it.”

I scoffed, “Drop what?”

“That look on your face that says you’re angry at her.”

“I’m angry because I can’t trust her–”

“No, you just don’t know how to trust, it’s not a problem with her. I’ve known you longer than anyone else in this room, and you always do this right when you should be opening up to someone. Don’t you think it’s time you changed–”

“I think it’s time you remember who your Alpha is,” I snapped, and immediately regretted it.

Joseph pulled back from me slightly and nodded his head. “Alright, it’s your call. All I am saying is, don’t forget what she did for you tonight. Between establishing the Bear deal, and breaking down Lucas and Harper’s relationship, you owe Ruby a lot.”

He left me leaning against the balcony railings, looking out into the night air.

Joseph didn’t understand. How could he? He hadn’t read the letter I found from Ruby to Lucas. He didn’t know the type of feeling that existed between them.

I don’t know.

I rolled my eyes as Thor made an appearance in my mind.

What don’t you know? I responded, sinking onto my elbows.

I don’t think Ruby wrote that letter.

I almost burst out laughing, Are you stupid? She’s been playing us, that was obviously her handwriting–

It was her handwriting, but didn’t it seem odd to you that the paper was so old? That it was under layers of dirt in the garden outside of her old window? She hasn’t lived there in weeks.

I ignored him, and waltzed back onto the dance floor, offering my hand to one of the single women standing around the buffet table. The giggled sharply like they were shocked I was giving them the attention, but I needed something to distract me from the events of the evening. Ruby was nowhere to be seen, and a pretty face hadn’t failed me yet.

What are you doing? Thor asked, his tone sounding unamused.

Dancing at the party I put together, now let me enjoy it.

We stepped out onto the marble floors at the beginning of a slow, romantic tune, the stringed instruments playing a beautiful melody I didn’t recognize.

“It’s thrilling to have this dance with you, Prince Caleb.” The girl said, her cheeks blushing deeply under ringlets of dark brown curls.

I couldn’t bring myself to respond. I studied her face and couldn’t find any of the features I had become so used to in Ruby. Her eyes were a different color, her lips were not nearly as warm and pink.

“Are you alright?” She asked as I twirled her around in time with the other dancers around us.

“Fine, thanks,” I said. Why was it so difficult to come up with the charming lines I usually used on women? It used to feel so easy, but I’ve been speechless since the dance with Ruby earlier tonight.

The song finished, and I bowed away from the dance floor, going directly for the table of sparkling wine at the edge of the room.

You need to stop running from this, Thor said, pushing back into the forefront of my thoughts.

I’m not running from anything, I retorted, taking a long drink from one of the bottles.

Ruby wrote that letter ages ago before she started working with you to take Lucas down, you have to realize that, he said. I dropped my head into my hands, trying desperately to sort out what was going on here.

I didn’t get flustered by women, that wasn’t how I operated. But now, I couldn’t get this situation with Ruby out of my head. Thor was right, and Joseph was right too. She had done so much to help me make sure this Ball was a success. If I hadn’t found that letter, she'd have given me no real reason to doubt her.

I know, there’s no way it was a recent letter. I said to Thor, taking one more swig of the sparkling wine. It’s not fair of me to hold her past against her, especially not when there is so much to be ashamed of in mine.

I could feel Thor’s rumble of approval in my head, Now that’s what I was hoping to hear. You can’t always act like an ass and expect everything to work out exactly how you want.

I don’t know, I responded back, strolling over to the balcony once again. It has served me pretty well so far.

The night air was crisp, and tasted sweet mixed with the wine already on my tongue. I looked out over the palace grounds, watching as a swarm of fireflies danced around the neatly trimmed bushes. I needed to go find Ruby, that much I understood.

There was no use in trying to make a partnership work when one of us wasn’t willing to play nice. I refused for that person to be me.

I felt my phone buzz in my pants pocket once, and ignored it.

You know what I think? Thor said, interrupting my moment of peace.

I’m sure you’re going to tell me, I responded, sighing.

I think you just don’t know how to handle the fact you genuinely think she’s cute. You’ve never met a woman you really thought was beautiful before, and it scares you.

I snorted back a laugh, I have made love to plenty of beautiful women, Thor. I think you’re omitting a lot of details here.

Objectively attractive, sure. But beautiful to you? I can’t think of many.

My phone buzzed again, slightly longer this time, and I pulled it out to check. The screen glowed brightly and nearly hurt my eyes. Blinking through the glare, I noticed two texts from Ruby and swiped to open them.

please help me, i’m hurt and trapped and i don’t know what to do, i’m in the gardens by the lily fountain!

I started, What the fuck?

Oh my goddess, Thor responded, the terror in his voice thrumming through my skull.

The alcohol in my blood forced me to act. There was no time to think. I leapt over the balcony railing and landed on the roof below.

In moments I reached the ground, and sprinted off to find Ruby.