Feral Obsession

Chapter Thirty

The next few days were awkward. When they went to grab Ruby's things, she couldn't even look him in the eye. Every time she got close to him, her cheeks burned in embarrassment after what they had done. She had never packed so fast in her life.

    She slept alone in the bed, but Atlas had reassured her that he would be downstairs, and it helped chase the nightmares away. Not completely, although it had been a major improvement from when she'd been in her apartment alone.

    She wished that Atlas could just turn into his wolf form and sleep at the foot of her bed.

    But even still, when she woke up with her heart pounding and sweat sticking uncomfortably to her temples, she felt safe. She knew Atlas was downstairs, and that if anyone tried to get in, he would be there.

    By day three, Ruby was used to waking up, going downstairs, and finding a cup of coffee waiting for her. She wasn't sure how Atlas knew when she was going to wake up, or maybe he brewed the cup before fleeing, but it was always there. Cream and sugar on the counter, spoon at the ready. It was a little odd, to be avoided yet taken care of in that way.

    Ruby took her coffee to the back porch and sat on one of the chairs, watching the morning sun shine through the falling red leaves. Fall was a beautiful season, but the chilliness of the morning was not her favorite. She curled up under a blanket she brought with her, taking in the sounds of the chirping birds.

    She had not seen Clarice or Brody in the days since she had seen them last. They didn't bother stopping by, or maybe Atlas forced them away. He, too, was elusive at best. Maybe he was also feeling the burn of embarrassment after what they had shared in the living room.

    He'd gotten jealous of himself. Ruby found it almost hilarious how he had reacted to her claims that she liked Rufias more.

     Try again, sweetheart. That was me in bed last night.

    She pressed a hand to her burning cheeks, willing them to cool. None of it mattered, not when he'd been such a dick about it. About putting her dead last. About prioritizing everything and everyone else before her.

    Maybe after everything with Kierson and Bloom, she would be able to leave. Leave and find a human man to fall in love with that would put her first. It was tempting. But, not until she was safe. Not until she was sure Kierson would never come after her again.

    Her phone buzzed in her sweatpants pocket, and Ruby retrieved it. Smiling at the caller ID. Clarice flashed across her screen, and Ruby answered it with a little too much excitement. "Hi!"

    "Ruby, hey!" Ruby could hear Clarice moving in the background. "Are you at Atlas's house? I've been knocking at your apartment, but no one has answered."

    "Yeah, I'm at his house." She took another drink of her hot coffee. "Do you want to come over? Atlas isn't here."

    "Mmm, he's not?" Clarice sounded distracted, and Ruby wondered if she was speaking in her mind link. "I'll be right over."

    Clarice hung up, the line going dead. Ruby looked down at it, shrugging. She wasn't going to get changed out of her pajamas, not for Clarice, so she spent the rest of the time just drinking her coffee. Trying not to picture Atlas running around the yard like a common puppy.

    Which, if that really was him, what the fuck? He was some angry, controlling asshole as a human, but then some cuddly, adorable pet dog in his wolf form? That made no sense to Ruby.

    She would ask Clarice. Clarice would tell her the truth.

    When Clarice did arrive, she didn't knock at the front door. She let herself in, and found Ruby on the back porch. She sat down hard on the chair next to Ruby, blowing the hair out of her face. "I'm surprised he's not here."