Feral Obsession

Chapter Thirty-One

The last time Ruby had seen her father, he had been terrifyingly large. Tall, broad shouldered, imposing no matter where he stood. His eyes had seemed so dark, so evil, that for years after Ruby and her mom moved away, she would have nightmares of her father staring at her, and nothing else.

Now, her father seemed like her teenage nightmares come to life. Those cruel eyes that had always followed her every move bore into her. His mouth was twisted into a rough scowl, as if he had traveled all this way to take home an unruly child.

Ruby swallowed the impossibly large lump in her throat. "Dad?"

Questions burst into her brain. Where have you been? Why did you come find me? What do you want? She swallowed all of them down, noting the way his expression darkened ever so slightly. His fingers seemed to press harder into her shoulder, and she winced at the uncomfortable pressure.

"You're playing awfully dangerous games, Ruby." A flash of his smile. "I'm here to see you, actually. We should catch up. After all, you're an adult now. There is much I have missed."

Sharp, painful memories flooded Ruby's brain. Her mother's death. Her time spent in foster care. Her fear that her father would one day find her and drag her home.

"I think we shouldn't." Ruby was trembling under his grip. "I think you should leave. I have my own life. You carved yourself out of it when I was fourteen, remember?"

His grip was painful, now. Punishing. Ruby let out a little whimper, trying to shrug off his hand. Her father held onto her, a grim smile curving on his face. "I do remember. My worthless little daughter. Do you know who called me? Who told me where you were?"

No. Ruby didn't want to know. Her eyes flitted up towards the truck, but Atlas was nowhere to be seen. Which was probably a good thing. The last thing Ruby needed was At;as butting his nose into her family drama.

"Dad, I want you to leave. This is private property-"

"Ah, yes. I wanted to sit down for this conversation, maybe talk about it over a nice lunch. I heard the seafood is to die for up here on the East Coast. But no matter, we'll discuss it now. Atlas Langdon owns this land. This whole city. He's why I'm here."

A whole new fear wormed its way down Ruby's throat. "Atlas told you where I was?" Why? Ruby had told Atlas so little about her family, and yet he had tried to find them? Did Atlas want her gone that badly?

"No. But he knows I'm coming. Once a good friend of mine told me you were his, well, that changed things."

"His?" Ruby's voice was incredulous. "I'm not his."

"Unhand her, right now."

Ruby could have wept in relief at the sound of Atlas's voice. She turned to him, watching the way he was positioned, muscles tensing as if he were about to shift and bite her father. There was something primal about Atlas, something that Ruby hated to admit she liked.

"Ah, Atlas Langdon. You've grown up, my boy. No longer the young son who used to hide behind his father's legs. You're a man in your own right."

"Rodrick, whatever business you have with me, we can save for a private place. Unhand the girl. She will not be part of our conversation."

Something froze in Ruby's chest. Her throat tightened. Her body went cold with sudden chills.

"Oh, but she will. You see, I didn't realize my daughter was your mate, Alpha Langdon. That changes things. Many things."

Two things happened at the same time. Atlas's eyes met Ruby's, confusion and shock flitting across his expression in an instant. Right as Atlas met her wide eyes, her father wrapped his hand around her throat, cutting off all oxygen supply.