RUBY’S POV

I stared at him with vivid disgust.

I had been going up the stairs to find Bale in his room to deliver more of his medicine when I had come across Alice escaping a room.

I had almost waved at her, but the state at which Alice had appeared had been startling.

She looked so disheveled and in a daze.

I frowned to myself and looked closely.

Wait.

This was the royal wing of the pack house.

What was she doing here?

It was just the breaking of a day and she was here.

Whose room had she slept in.

And then as she hurried the other way leading down towards the steps where no one would probably notice her, I saw a male figure standing by the door.

It was none other than Aiden, Bale’s brother.

He was at the door without a shirt on, his hair messy and his pants loose.

Barely hanging to his waist .

I grunted to myself as he watched Alice go.

The look on his face wasn’t one of someone who was pleased to have a shewolf for company.

Quite frankly the opposite. He looked like he wanted her gone.

Immediately.

Oh Alice. What have you done?

He was about to shut the door when he saw me.

I froze instantly just as he did.

We stared at each other, the heavy silence so deafening we could almost hear it.

I glared at him in disgust.

So much vile disgust.

He seemed shocked at first and then his face twisted into a mean expression.

He slammed the door shut so hard I trembled.

What an awful, awful creature.

How could anyone believe that he and his brother were siblings.

Even twins.

It was unfathomable.

I shook my head and went off to Bale’s room.

I knocked at the door until I heard a come in.

Once I was in the room, I saw Bale seated by his desk.

He smiled at me.

“Ruby.” He said.

“Good morning lord Bale.” I greeted.

He shook his head. “Please just Bale.”

I was still unsure of that. He was the Alpha’s son and a possible contender of being the Alpha of the pack one day.

“That’s what friends do. Call each other by their names. We are friends aren’t we?” He asked me hopefully.

I sighed and said. “Of course.”

I opened his curtains for him letting the light streak in.

“How do you feel?” I asked him.

He looked down at his legs and shrugged. “Much better. With the amount of help you and your mother have rendered I should be better sooner than later.”

I dropped the medicine on the table before him.

“These are fresh and should be taken before breakfast. My mother would be here later in the evening to see you.”

“Thank you.” He nodded at me.

He was such a sweet young man.

In fact more of a boy than a man.

“Did you eventually find anything on the stars?” I asked him, bringing up conversation.

His eyes lit up and then dimmed.

“Well yes…. And no.” He declared. “All my books and the information I have gathered is just surface level. I need someone with a lot of knowledge. Someone who knows more about this place than anyone else. If I ask the right questions I might get the right answers.”

I frowned thinking .

“Well… we have a healer named Circe.” I said reflecting back to the old woman.

“I assumed your mother was the town healer.” Bale replied.

“She is one of the healers.” I explained. “There are several others. But Circe was the pack healer. She got a little cuckoo a few years back. Since then she stays on her own. If there is anyone that’s knows anything, it should be her.”

“Wonderful then I should be going.” He said packing up his things.

“No you can’t do that.” I stopped him.

“Why?”

“Well… I just told you. She is cuckoo in the head.” I said spinning my index finger around my head. “It’s best you find someone else.”

“Do you know anyone else?” He asked me.

I bit my lip.

“Ah I thought as much.” He said. “Thank you very much for the help Ruby.”

He resumed gathering his books.

“You can barely walk.” I protested. “And if anyone finds out I am the reason why you went to find Circe then I’ll get into trouble.”

“Well you could come with me.” He offered. “Please I’ll like you to come with me.”

“I can’t do that.” I said.

I had gotten into more than enough trouble already.

“I don’t have friends here. Those who talk to me, talk to me out of respect. You talk to me like I’m a wolf. And I’m sure that if I met anyone to come along, they will run off to my brother just to inform him. He would send me back home immediately. Please.” He pleaded.

When he saw I wasn’t budging he signed heavily. “Thank you Ruby. I would be going with or without your help.”

He finished gathering his items and then struggled to reach for his walking his stick.

In a bid to hold both the books and the stick, he almost fell.

Luckily for the both of us, I caught him in my arms.

He was quite heavy but I was able to assist in lifting him in a standing position.

“Thank you.” He said.

He was asking me to help.

Elite wolves didn’t do that.

Not that I had met many of them but still. It was something.

And then I imagined him going around town with his walking stick.

Who and what did he even know?

I sighed to myself. “Okay Bale. I’ll help you.”

He smiled at me and gave me a hug. “Thank you so much! You won’t regret it!”

I was still in the hug cause I was surprised.

He quickly straightened and let go.

I smiled at him while he grinned.

It was just me simply following him.

What could go wrong?