Moon of Misfortunes

6

After reading multiple chapters, I shut the legal book with a sigh. Emotionally, I'm drained. I run my hands over the hard cloth cover, feeling the texture under my fingertips. I close my eyes gently, silently pleading with the book to reveal its secrets. My hands wrap around the binding, and my eyes open.

Carefully, I stand up, the old book in hand, and walk to the bed. Glancing around quickly, I lift the mattress up off the frame, stuffing the book underneath.

Immediately, a few knocks ring out from the door, followed by a symphony of locks clicking open. My head snaps towards the door, then back to the bed. I pull away from the mattress and move toward the window to cover my tracks. The door opens, and Rubio slips in, carrying some towels and toiletries.

"Hi, Adaline," he says, grinning at me.

"Hi," I breathe out. He frowns, his eyes glancing around the room. His gaze stops at the bed, where the sheets are slightly ruffled. His eyes narrow briefly before looking back at me. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, for sure. Being imprisoned has been great," I say cheerily, pasting a giant fake smile on my face. He snorts, setting the items in his hands down on the bed, right where the sheets are disturbed. I suck in a breath quietly.

"How's maid duty?" I joke. He chuckles, turning around. His curls wave around his head as he shakes it side to side. He smiles at me, showing his teeth. My cheeks warm up at seeing him genuinely laughing.

"It's been amazing. They ordered me a cute little maid's dress," he grinned. I laugh, truly laugh, for what feels like the first time in years. The sound is strange in my ears, unfamiliar but comforting.

Rubio's laughter fades into a soft chuckle, and he looks at me with a warmth that makes my heart flutter. "I'm glad to see you smile," he says, his voice gentle.

"Yeah, it's been a while," I admit, my smile fading slightly. He frowns lightly at my comment. Yet, the room still feels lighter, Rubio's presence has a way of making me feel safe. When was the last time I actually felt safe?  

"That's a shame," he says gently. His tone makes my heart race, the thumping almost loud against my eardrums. My wolf stirs momentarily, causing me to freeze for a moment. I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"The real shame is that I don't know anything about you," I say, quickly shifting the topic, waving my hands around as I talk.

Rubio raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "What would you like to know?" he asks, his voice softening further. He leans against the edge of the bed, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Everything," I reply with a nervous laugh. "Where are you from? What brought you here? How did you end up being the one to bring me towels?" I gesture to the items he set down, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckles, a deep, rich sound that seems to fill the room. "Alright, let's see. I was born in a small Lycan pack up north. It's a quiet place, surrounded by forests. Peaceful, for the most part."

I nod, absorbing his words. "It sounds lovely. Why did you leave?"

His expression darkens slightly, and he looks away for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "Circumstances changed. After Evelynn died, I went ballistic. Got myself into trouble. A lot of trouble."

"My level of trouble?" I question, my head tilting to the side. He laughs, sitting down on the bed next to the stack of towels he set down moments prior. He drapes his arm over them.

"Not quite, but I stood trial with the council—if you would call it a trial," he sighs. "They got me for destruction of property, disorderly conduct, the list goes on really."