Wolfdale

THREE (Ruby P.O.V)

"Have you all gone mad? A human! In my valley! And you've given her a job and a place to live. What were you thinking?"

It's very early in the morning and several people are packing out the small entrance area of my building: the two responsible for this mess we're in right now, my second in command, a couple of police officers, my doorman and his son. When they notified me that Greyson and Annabelle had arrived I didn't even let them go upstairs so we could sit down and talk calmly in the office I have in my penthouse, instead I went downstairs quickly without changing my clothes and with a messy bed hair. I haven't had breakfast, I couldn't take a shower and I could barely sleep last night. I've spent hours thinking about what we were going to do; no human has ever set foot in my valley for the past eight years, I didn't imagine that it would be a possibility one day.

"I'm sorry Alpha Ruby." Grey lowers his head acknowledging my higher rank. He shoots me a serious look, he knows that he's in real trouble. "It's just that I could smell her despair, her anguish and fear and..."

"And her hunger. I'm sorry Alpha but I'm a mother and a grandmother and I can't stand seeing a pup being hungry. This girl is so young..."

"Why couldn't you just give her some sandwiches and then let her go?" The old lady frowns when she hears my furious tone of voice, I may be the leader of this enormous pack but wolves never disrespect their elderly and it's an inexcusable rudeness to raise your voice at them... even if they deserve it. "I'm sorry Anna, I didn't mean to yell at you like that..." I say taking a deep breath so I can calm down my nerves. The truth is that I always liked the old lady since the moment she arrived with her family, they were among the first inhabitants of my city and her children and grandchildren have never done anything like this before. Anna has always seemed a sensible person to me, that's why I don't understand what the hell happened. I turn to face her grandson. "Explain it again so I can understand..."

"She just came out of nowhere and walked into my studio," Grey runs his fingers through his thick blond hair. "She started talking, she wanted the tattoo artist job and the only thing I could think about was getting rid of her gently but my wolf, Connor, stopped me."

"May I know why he did such a thing?" I ask quietly even if inside I'm boiling with rage and about to explode with indignation.

"He was worried." His answer makes me frown, confused. "She's a beautiful girl, tall and dark-haired, with striking eyes that seem almost golden, but she looks so fragile... She's very skinny and it's pretty obvious that she's been through a lot lately. Connor was sure that, if we rejected her, she wouldn't survive long on the street. I know your orders Alpha Ruby: avoid humans if possible but never hurt them. I couldn't let her go knowing that something bad was going to happen, it'd be my fault..."

"Fine, all right. I understand that your wolf was worried and you did the right thing listening to him. But you could have offered her something to eat and then say goodbye, there was no need to give her a job..." I speak slowly like I'm talking to idiots. Why they can't understand something so obvious?

"She wouldn't have accepted it," Anna answers convinced. "I agree with my grandson, she looks fragile physically but at the same time I'm pretty sure that she's stubborn and strong. She won't accept charity." Grey nods while listening to his grandma.

"I'm sorry Alpha, I couldn't turn down her application for the job, it wouldn't be credible."

"What are you talking about? It was as simple as saying 'I don't give you the job.'"

"I'm talking about this," he hands me what looks like a sketch pad. "She's the most exceptional artist I've ever seen in my whole life, she has an impeccable mastery of technique and an original use of the colours. She has a very vivid imagination, she's amazing, extraordinary..."