Rejected ✓

The Past

W O R D S : 1473

D A T E : 7/28/18

Connells POV

Ruby scrunched her nose up when she didn't know the answer to something. I had seen her do it multiple times in class, far too many times for my own comfort, as well as a few times when she was trying to argue with me.

She was doing it now, criss cross in my living room, looking back and forth between shades of brown, trying to figure out which one to use to color her hand turkey.

"This color, or this color?" Ruby lifted the color pencils in front of her face. I lifted my eyebrow, putting down the pen I had been grading my papers with.

"Shouldn't you be doing your English homework?" I asked, giving her a look. She sighed dramatically and put her pencils down, flopping onto her stomach.

She barged into my house only a few minutes after me, and insisted she do her arts and crafts in my living room since her mom didn't want paint on the floor. Before I could tell her that I didn't want paint on the floor, she was already moving the coffee table.

"I'll do it later," Ruby gave me a cheeky smile. That was her way of saying she would do it during class.

I myself sighed, trying to find it in my heart to reprimand her. After I had completely thrown my resolution out of the window, saying no to her became incredibly hard.

I had tried so hard to protect her from the possibility of getting hurt, only to realize I was hurting her anyways. It was painful, trying to let her go, but I thought it was for the best.

I tried to be a jackass, scare her away, but every time she was in trouble I couldn't help but run to her aid. My soul was bound to her, and it was foolish for me to think I could just leave her, and let it be.

She doesn't understand my reasoning. I understand why, I couldn't say much on the matter. The less she understood, the less chance she would get tangled up.

I had to protect her from my past, and the people in my past. The would try to claw her out of my arms, and probably die in the process.

I hadn't notice Ruby get up from the floor, and settle in next to me on the couch. She had made quite a few hand turkeys, apparently all for her teachers.

I continued marking essays under Ruby's watchful eye. Well, more like wandering eye. She looked all around the room, at me, at the pictures on the wall. She couldn't stay on one thing.

Her interest seemed to peak at a picture I had forgotten I had put out. It was one of a few of my old pack members. My best friend had his arm wrapped on me, though he was scowling. That was just his normal form, though.

Ruby slid off of the couch, walking up to the table the picture was on. She picked it up, her head tilting like a puppy.

Suddenly she smiled, turning to me.

"Hey look, it's you!" She exclaimed, as though it was new information to both of us.

I nodded, looking at the picture. She walked over, climbing besides me with the picture in her hand.

"Are these your packmates?" she asked. She hesitated as she asked me, as though she was going to be scolded for asking a question about them. She must have felt the uneasiness in the air, but her curious nature got the best of her.

I gently took the picture from her, examining it. Some of them were my packmates, others weren't. My best friend was the Alpha of a pack up north, so some of them were his members.