Chapter 9: The Beta's Possession
1306 Words
Ruby's POV
I didn’t want to be here.
The thought pulsed through my mind as I stood outside the private dining hall, inhaling slowly, trying to steady my breathing.
I had spent the entire day avoiding this moment, throwing myself into Omega duties, working until my hands ached, anything to keep my mind from spiraling.
But I couldn’t avoid Jake forever.
Riley stirred uneasily in my mind. We don’t have to do this.
We do, I whispered back. We don’t have a choice.
Jake had arranged another private dinner.
Another evening of pretending.
Another evening of being watched.
Another evening of his hands on me.
Riley shifted uneasily in the back of my mind, her presence sharper than usual. He’s going to push again.
“I know,” I muttered under my breath.
And yet, I stepped forward anyway.
The dining hall was dimly lit, the golden glow of candlelight casting flickering shadows against the stone walls. A long table stretched across the room, but only two places were set: one at the head, where Jake stood waiting, and one beside him.
He turned at the sound of the door closing behind me, his blue eyes gleaming. “Ruby.”
I forced a polite smile. “Jake.”
His gaze flickered over me, slow, deliberate. He always looked at me like this: like he was sizing me up, peeling back layers I didn’t want to reveal.
his lips curving into a knowing smirk. “You kept me waiting.”
I forced a polite smile. “Apologies. I was finishing up my duties.”
Jake's gaze flickered with amusement. “Duties,” he repeated, stepping closer. “Funny, I thought I had made it clear that you won’t need to worry about those much longer. You're going to be my Luna.”
I tensed.
Riley let out a low, irritated growl. He thinks he owns us already.
Jake didn’t seem to notice,or maybe he didn’t care. He extended a hand, waiting for me to take it.
I hesitated.
Then, reluctantly, I placed my fingers in his.
His grip tightened.
Too much.
Pain shot through my wrist.
I yanked my hand back.
Jake stilled.
Then, just as quickly as the pressure came, it vanished.
He exhaled, releasing me immediately, his face shifting into something soft, apologetic. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, brushing his thumb lightly over the spot where his grip had been too strong. “I didn’t mean to—” He sighed, shaking his head. “Sometimes I forget my own strength.”
I nodded stiffly, rubbing my wrist. “It’s fine.”
It wasn’t.
His usual smirk returned, but this time, it didn’t reach his eyes.
But I sat beside him anyway.
Because that’s what I was supposed to do.
The meal began, and like always, Jake talked.
He talked about his training, his expectations as Beta, his plans for the future.
Our future.
And like always, I listened.
Or at least, I pretended to.
Because my mind was elsewhere.
It was with Carter.
Even now, even here, as Jake sat beside me, as his hand occasionally brushed mine, I was thinking about him.
Carter.
Carter, who hadn’t spoken to me in days. Carter, who had looked me in the eye before turning around and walking away.
I thought about how he had been avoiding me. How it hurt more than I wanted to admit.
Because it meant my fears were true.
He really didn’t care.
He really had moved on.
And I was really alone.
“Ruby?”
Jake's voice pulled me back.
I blinked, realizing I had barely touched my food. “Hmm?”
His lips quirked. “You’re distracted.”
I quickly reached for my glass of wine, taking a sip to buy time. “Just tired.”
“You know,” he mused, swirling his wine in his glass, “I think I’m starting to understand you, Ruby.”
I blinked. “Oh?”
Liam smirked, tilting his head slightly. “You’re quiet. But it’s not because you don’t have anything to say.” His blue eyes darkened slightly. “It’s because you think too much.”
My stomach twisted.
Riley's hackles rose. Careful.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said carefully.“
Jake leaned back in his chair, watching me with lazy amusement. “You know, you’re not very good at lying.”
I tensed.
His blue eyes darkened slightly, his voice dropping lower. “Something on your mind?”
I forced a small smile. “Nothing important.”
Jake exhaled, reaching for his own glass. “You’ve been distant lately.”
My grip on my fork tightened.
Jake exhaled, leaning back in his chair. “Your mind is somewhere else.” His gaze flickered over me, slow and assessing. “Or should I say… with someone else?”
I froze.
His smirk deepened. “Ah,” he murmured, taking my silence as confirmation. “I see.”
Riley bristled. He’s testing us. Seeing how far he can push.
I forced myself to stay calm. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind,” I said neutrally.
Jake hummed, sipping his wine. “Of course.”
But something shifted in his expression.
Something possessive.
“You know,I can be patient.” he finally said smirking.
I swallowed hard. “Patient for what?”
His smirk deepened. “For you to stop pretending you don’t want this.”
Jake chuckled, watching me like a predator watching prey that had just realized it was trapped.
Riley's growl was sharp, full of warning. He’s getting bolder.
And the next moment, his hand was on my thigh.
The touch was light, barely more than a brush, but the weight of it felt like a chain locking into place.
Riley snarled, surging forward. NO
I pulled my hand away. “I think we should focus on dinner.”
Jake chuckled, amused but not deterred. “Of course, Luna.”
The title sent a cold shiver down my spine.
By the time dessert was served, I was done.
Jake had spent the entire night watching me.
Not just looking: watching.
Assessing.
Every reaction, every shift of my body, measuring my limits.
I pushed my plate away. “I think I should go.”
Jake sighed, shaking his head. “Leaving already?”
“I’m tired,” I said quickly, standing.
But before I could step away, he caught my wrist.
Riley bristled. No.
I glared at him. “Please let me go.”
His thumb brushed over my pulse. “You know,” he murmured, his thumb brushing over my pulse, “I keep wondering when you’re finally going to stop fighting this.”
I exhaled shakily. “Jake—”
His grip tightened ever so slightly. “You belong here, Ruby.”
My throat went dry.
His voice dropped to a whisper. “You belong to me.”
I took a step back. “Belonging isn’t the same as being owned.”
Something flickered in his gaze.
A brief, sharp flash of irritation.
Then it was gone, and he was back to being Jake: the charming, flirtatious Beta who never let his mask slip.
Jake let me go instantly, too easily.
He leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered, watching me like a hunter who had all the time in the world.
I took a step back. “Goodnight, Jake.”
His smirk returned. “Goodnight, love.”
I turned and walked out.
But even as I left the room, even as I stepped into the cool night air, I could still feel his hands on me.
Riley's growl was sharp, full of warning. This is getting worse.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Because she was right.
And I had no idea how much longer I could keep pretending.
- Writer
