Feral Obsession

Chapter Eighteen

Training wasn't enough, Alpha Kierson had decided. Ruby needed to read as well, learn more about werewolf culture. Why a weak human would need to know any of that, Ruby would never know.

But she didn't argue when Kierson brought her to the library. "Thomas is in there now. He'll be training you."

Thomas. Ruby had no idea who that was, but as long as it wasn't Ryan, she felt a little bit better about meeting him. She opened the library door and peeked her head in.

A man was sitting in a leather chair, flipping through a book. When he heard the door open, his head turned to face Ruby lazily, and the iron fist around Ruby's chest relaxed. It was the man who had brought her water down in the basement.

The kind man. The only man who had shown a scrap of kindness in this otherwise dark and angry existence while she lived here.

Thomas smiled at her, standing. "Ruby, right? Come on in."

She was timid and shy as she edged forward. Her body was aching from the running and training, and she knew how her face looked. Her entire body actually was bruised and battered, but her face was the worst. Ruby had caught Madison these past few days avoiding eye contact with her, seemingly ashamed of the bruises that Ruby wore.

Ruby wondered if it was because Madison felt bad about defending Kierson when it was quite clear how much damage he'd done that night.

Thomas's own expression faltered as he took in the sight of Ruby. She could tell he wanted to say something, but he stuffed the words down and instead helped Ruby sit into another chair. There was a stack of books that sat on the low table between the two tables.

"I'm here to help you better understand our culture. Alpha Kierson has requested we meet twice a week to go over some things."

"Why? I'm not a wolf. And I'm not a part of this pack." The words came out harsher than Ruby meant, and she rubbed at her forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired, that's all. I'm sure Alpha Kierson is doing me a great service by training me."

Thomas gave her a pensive look. His eyes softened when he saw just how tired Ruby actually was. "I get it. You didn't sign up for this."

"I'm just a human. Kierson seems to think I'm some sort of punching bag. I'm worried he's going to do some real damage." It was true; what would happen if Ruby was beaten to death? Or given a concussion? Would he ever let her see a real doctor?

"I don't think he knows what to do with you." Thomas's words were soft in a way that Ruby hadn't expected. She wondered for a brief moment if Thomas would ever help her escape. She held onto that thought as she stared up at him.

She couldn't trust him. She couldn't trust that he would do the right thing.

"So. What am I supposed to learn?"

Thomas spun a book towards her. "This is a complete history of the Lyra Clan. Which, if you aren't aware, that's us." Thomas grinned at those words. "I'll let you read for a little bit, and then we'll do a little history lesson. Does that sound alright?"

Ruby just nodded. She wasn't all that excited about having to read up on werewolf history, but she cracked the book open and got to work. It was a pretty thick book, and as she read, she found herself having to reread paragraphs and entire pages, just to make sense of the dense text.

It was like she was back in high school. She had never been particularly good at despairing worldly textbooks.

By the time her neck was beginning to feel stiff with the angle she was reading in, Thomas sat himself back down in the chair next to hers. "So. How's it going?"

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck. "Not great."

"Let me break it down so it's easier to understand. Basically, our clan was created by a man who had been bitten and turned, but left for death. He was a harpist who had been attacked during a classical concert he had been performing at. When bitten and turned into a werewolf, he found himself taking in other strays like him, creating the first pack of rogues."

"And that was around here?"

"Not quite. Our real pack base is actually more south. We're from North Carolina."

"Oh. You moved up here? Why?"

"A bit of interesting lore is that the founding wolf was bitten by a pack member from the Canes Venatici Clan."

Thomas waited for it to click in her head. For a moment, this meant nothing to her. But, then she recalled what Kierson had said to her. "Atlas's pack?"

"Bingo. We have always been feuding with the Canes Venatici Clan due to this injustice. It's a little more nuanced than that, but basically both clans have been neck and neck against each other since the start. Alpha Kierson is following a lead that involves Atlas. That's why we're here."

Ruby found herself nodding. She wondered what on earth Atlas could be doing to force an entire pack to move like that. She furrowed her brows just thinking about it. "Alright. And that's why Kierson kidnapped me? To force Atlas to come here and battle?"

Thomas's smile was patient. "Not quite battle, but yes. You were bait."

She hated that word, but Thomas was just being honest. She had made peace with the fact that Atlas wasn't coming for her, no matter what Kierson thought. "And he'll never let me go, will he?" She gave a sad laugh. "I had a life, you know. I had a job. A job I really liked. I was making friends." Kind of true, but she would have, if given enough time. "It doesn't feel fair."

Thomas was neutral. He gave her a warm smile and a pat on her shoulder. "I know, and I get it. But this place won't feel like a prison forever. You'll get used to it."

She didn't want to get used to it. She wanted to yell at Thomas, wanted to scream at him until her throat was raw, but she didn't. This was a wolf next to her. He could easily kill her, even before he shifted into a wolf.

"So, shifting. What's that like?"

Thomas entertained her questions, and Ruby had plenty. He wasn't angry with her, or impatient, or annoyed. He sat there as if he enjoyed talking to her, and Ruby couldn't help the hope that rose in her chest.

How long would it take to convince him to help her escape? Madison, as nice as she was, was a lost cause. She was in love with insane Kierson. But Thomas, he could be different. If Ruby played her cards right, he could be her saving grace.

She wouldn't say anything further to him. Not until she could trust him. Not until it needed to count. And she still had a long, long time to go until she was running five miles. A long way to go until she felt confident in her escape plan.

But for now, and she hated herself for doing it, but she gave Thomas a pretty little smile. A flirtatious hand on his arm. A doting look, like she believed he knew all of the secrets of the universe. She may be weak, but Ruby Crowell was smart. Smart enough to play the long game.