Chapter 3:NEW BETA
1826 Words
RUBY’S ’s POV
Ruby kept her head down as the villagers finished throwing the last of their rotten food at her. Her knees stung from the gravel beneath her, but she didn’t flinch or complain. She just stayed still—until the angry murmurs started to die.
Boots slammed into the ground. A heavy silence followed.
“Get up, Ruby.”
The voice was calm but firm. She knew that voice. Everyone did.
She didn’t lift her gaze, but her body tensed as he came closer. Tyrus didn’t offer a hand this time. Instead, he stopped a few steps away and faced the crowd.
“Every single one of you who joined in on this shameful act will fix it. By nightfall, her house should be overflowing with food. No exceptions.”
No one dared to argue. A few muttered, “We’re sorry…” but none said it loud enough. No one looked her in the eye.
Ruby rose on her own. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she forced herself to stand tall. She clenched her fists at her sides, holding onto the last threads of her pride. She didn’t say a word to them. Their silence now could never erase the sound of their angry screams from earlier. The harsh words still echoed in her mind, like jagged knives.
“Walk with me,” Tyrus said quietly, not looking at her.
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed him. They slipped into the narrow alley behind the row of shops, where no one else could hear them. The alley smelled faintly of damp brick and old wood. It was a place they once shared—filled with laughter, stolen kisses, and whispered dreams of a future. But now, it held nothing but cold tension and quiet pain.
Tyrus’s steps slowed, and he glanced over his shoulder. “You alright?” he asked, his voice softer this time.
“Yes,” Ruby said, though her voice felt small and brittle.
He didn’t turn fully to face her but kept walking slowly. “I didn’t plan for this. They had no right to treat you that way.”
Ruby kept her gaze on the cracked pavement. She wanted to say something, to tell him how much it hurt. But the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she breathed in slowly, trying to steady the storm inside her. The alley, once a place of hope, now felt heavy with unspoken fears. Yet, she stayed close to Tyrus, needing the quiet strength he offered even in silence.
“But you did plan last night?” Her voice cracked despite her efforts. “That wasn’t a mistake?”
He stopped walking. When he turned to face her, she saw no softness in his eyes.
“I meant what I said. I’ve been wanting to end things for a while.”
She sucked in a shaky breath. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you just…say it, Tyrus?”
“Because you would’ve begged. You would’ve cried like you did on the podium. I didn’t want to see that.” His expression didn’t change. “But I saw it anyway.”
Ruby wanted to scream, but she only shook her head. “You’re cruel.”
“I’m being honest.”
He stepped back and folded his arms. “This pack needs a beta. It always has. And it should be you. You’ve got the blood and the strength. You’re no longer Luna, so take this position and keep your place.”
“And if I say no?”
“Then you leave. You become a rogue. And I won’t stop them when they chase you out.”
Ruby chuckled bitterly. “You really feel nothing, huh? Three years with me…meant nothing to you.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” She stepped forward. “Fine. I’ll be your beta. But not for you. I’ll do it to remind you every day of what you threw away.”
She turned to walk off, but his voice made her pause.
“I did love you, Ruby. Maybe I still do. But I won’t regret this.”
Her heart broke again, but she didn’t let it show. She walked away without looking back.
By the time she returned to the marketplace, her eyes were dry. Most of the vendors had vanished, and those who remained turned away when they saw her.
She walked past them with her chin up. Let them look. Let them whisper.
Her feet carried her to the small house her father had built, not the one she used to share with Tyrus. She opened the door to find her father pacing, and her mother, Kathrine, sitting stiffly on the couch.
“What did he say?” her father asked.
Ruby dropped her bag and sighed. “He told me I had to be his beta or leave the pack.”
“What?!” her father snapped. “That ungrateful brat! I used to look after him while Gale and his mate went on runs. He and you were raised like siblings! And now he dares—!”
“Father. Don’t,” Ruby said quickly.
“No! He doesn’t deserve you or Sapphire. I’ll talk to Gale. There must be something I can do.”
“Don’t go—”
But he already grabbed his coat and stormed out. “I’ll be back before evening.”
The door slammed.
Ruby sighed and turned to Kathrine, who didn’t say a word. The silence stung more than any insult.
“I’ll go to my room now,” Ruby muttered. “Good night, Mom.”
She left without waiting for a reply.
Once inside, she locked the door and walked to the mirror. She looked horrible. Her hair was a mess, her eyes swollen, and her neck—where his mark used to be—was nothing but a faint burn now. A scar.
She ran her fingers over it. It hurt to touch, but not as much as it hurt to remember.
The bond was gone, but the pain remained.
And Ruby swore to herself…he would regret this.
---
Ruby stayed in bed all day. She didn’t cry. She didn’t move. She stared at the ceiling until her body ached and her stomach growled louder than her thoughts.
By dusk, she dragged herself to the kitchen. The sky looked dead—grey clouds swallowed the sun. Her mother had left food. She warmed it, ate a few bites, and went back to her room.
The house stayed silent. Her father wasn’t home. Her thoughts filled the gaps—Tyrus, Sapphire…herself.
She was Beta now. That meant sticking close to Tyrus. Could she handle that? Could she stand beside him without falling apart?
Would it have been easier to walk away?
Just as she took a bite, the front door creaked. Three scents hit her—her father, her sister…Tyrus.
Her appetite vanished. She set the plate down and stepped out. Her mother held the door half open. Outside stood the three of them.
“I don’t want you near this house,” Dane said coldly. “Wait there while my daughter grabs whatever she came for.”
Tyrus leaned on a tree, silent. He nodded at Sapphire, who stepped forward.
Ruby didn’t wait. She turned and went back to her room. If Sapphire was moving in with him tonight, so be it.
She sat on the bed and forced another bite, but her throat tightened.
The door opened. Sapphire entered and shut it behind her. Ruby didn’t look up.
“I’m just here to grab a few things…” she said softly.
“Pretend I’m not here,” Ruby replied. “You’re good at that.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I told you…I’m sorry.”
Ruby let out a hollow laugh. “Sure. I’m sorry too. Sorry, I ever had a sister like you.”
“We’re still sisters—”
“No,” Ruby cut in. “That ended when you chose my mate.”
Sapphire sniffled. “I never wanted to—”
“Don’t lie,” Ruby snapped.
Sapphire stayed quiet, then whispered, “Maybe I did. Maybe I was jealous. You don’t get it. I liked him first. But you’re the Beta. You always had everything. I was just the Omega, like Mom. Never enough. Now I finally have something. And I’m not sorry for taking it.”
Ruby looked at her. Sapphire’s cheeks were wet, but the mark on her neck glared back like a brand. Ruby turned away, chest burning.
“You want pity now?” she asked. “You call it envy, but it was betrayal. I never tried to be better than you. I protected you. I loved you. And you stabbed me.”
Sapphire’s voice broke. “I’m…glad. I’m glad I knocked you down. You always shone too bright. Now I get to shine. And you’re the one in the dark.”
Ruby stood slowly. Her plate clattered as she set it down. “Are you proud of that?”
“Yes. I’m happy.”
Ruby’s fists tightened. “Stolen happiness won’t last.”
Sapphire smiled through her tears. “It doesn’t matter. Knowing you’re miserable is enough for me.”
The slap came without thought. Sapphire fell back, clutching her cheek, her eyes wide in shock. “Y-You hit me…?”
“I did. And it felt good.”
The door burst open. Their mother walked in, gasping. “What happened?!”
“She hit me, Mom!” Sapphire cried, throwing herself into her mother’s arms. “She said I’m not her sister anymore!”
Kathrine turned on Ruby. “How could you?! She’s still your sister!”
“She said my pain made her happy!” Ruby pointed at Sapphire, her voice rising. “She said it to my face—”
“That’s still no reason to raise your hand against her!”
Dane rushed in, followed by Tyrus. Tyrus didn’t hesitate. He stormed toward her.
“You hit her?!” he barked. “I knew you’d let jealousy take over.”
He grabbed her blouse and yanked her forward. His eyes burned. “Don’t touch my mate again. If you do, I’ll make sure you’re cast out of this pack.”
He pushed her back roughly, then turned to Sapphire. “Let’s go. You won’t be needing anything else from here.”
He led her to the door but stopped before stepping out. “Tomorrow morning. Eight o’clock. My office.”
Then he left.
Her mother followed, whispering to Sapphire as they disappeared into the night.
Only her father remained. He looked at Ruby, his eyes sad. “What Sapphire did was wrong. But what you just did…wasn’t right either.”
He left too, closing her door with a loud slam. And Ruby was alone again.
- Writer
