Feral Obsession

Chapter Thirteen

Ruby's head throbbed. Her stomach was eating itself, she was convinced. And Ruby was pretty positive it was day four of being trapped.

Day four, and she hadn't seen or heard from Ryan, or anyone else. She knew they hadn't forgotten about her, and yet she wondered what their angle was. Would they wait for her to be starving and desperate? Would they question her when she was on the brink of insanity?

She sat in the filth, and was so, so desperate to know if anyone had called the police. She felt herself ready to cry all over again, knowing that there was a very good chance no one had.

But then, the door opened. She wanted to crawl to the edge of the cage to see who it was, wanted to pray for the police, or for anyone really, but disappointment flared in her gut when she saw Ryan.

Ruby scrambled to the furthest edge of the cage like a scared animal. "Please," she forced out, but her voice was scratchy with disuse. "Ryan, I'm begging you, I'm not who you think I am. Let me go, and you'll never see or hear from me again. I promise. I just want to live-"

"Shut up. It's time for you to be useful, Ruby Crowell. You will tell us about Atlas Langdon and his clan. We've come too close to be bested by an ignorant little human."

She stared at him, open mouthed. "Human. Are you suggesting that you're not human either? Oh my god, oh my god. You're one of them." She flattened herself against the bars of the cage, and she couldn't help the sob that was making it up her throat. She had unknowingly traded one wolf for another.

Ryan didn't say anything as he opened the cage door. He stepped inside, and Ruby had the brief realization that she may pee her pants if he stepped any closer to her.

"Stay back!" She screamed. "Just kill me already and get it over with, because I know nothing about Atlas. Or his clan of wolves. All I know is that he owns farmland and he bought our building. And he has a buddy working with him named Brody! But I swear, I didn't know they weren't human!"

She was crying again. How could she not, when death was looking her right in the face? When a monster was in a cage with her?

She wasn't fierce, or brave, or anything like that. She was afraid, damnit.

"Get up, or I'll drag you out myself."

Ruby got up. She scrambled up so fast, it was a wonder she didn't topple over. Ryan motioned for her to exit the cage first, and she did, skirting around him in a wide arc. When Ruby was out of the cage, she had a wild thought of running from the door, but Ryan was suddenly next to her, gripping her upper arm.

"To answer your question, no, I'm not a werewolf. I am human as well. We couldn't have Atlas sniffing me out from under his own roof. But make no mistake, I am faster and stronger than you are."

Ruby let him lead her up the stairs. She let him lead her down the hall, and then upstairs to another hallway. More sets of doors. He led her all the way until he came across whatever he was looking for, and he knocked.

"Come in," came the voice on the other side, and it made Ruby's insides quiver. If she had been afraid around Ryan, she was absolutely positive she would be more terrified around whoever was on the other side of this door.

Ryan opened it and led Ruby to a chair across from an incredibly large man. Ryan forced Ruby to sit, and she did so without complaint.

Her mind was whirling as she tried to keep up. She turned to Ryan, eyes filled with unshed tears. "Do you even manage that hockey team? Or was that some weird front to kidnap me? Has all of this been some weird front?"