Rise of the Underdogs: JACOB

Package Deal

I leaned forward, staring at her intently. My thoughts must have been all over my face because she was looking at me with something that was almost amusement. Running a hand through my hair, I grinned sheepishly at her.

A gentle blush crept across her cheeks, her ash blond hair a striking contrast to my own dark brown waves. Her amber gold eyes now held a new spark rather than the dull, dead look she was wearing earlier. She was beautiful in the best way. The take my breath away type who didn’t appear to know she was captivatingly, achingly beautiful.

She cleared her throat, but I remained silent. Waiting and hoping she would at least let me know her name. I could wait for everything else, but I felt a desperate pull to know her name.

To know that she was real, tangible, and not some twisted figment of my demented imagination.

Yeah, I know exactly how… what’s the word? Hypocritical? Yeah, that’s it. I’m being hypocritical calling myself demented while I was normally the first to launch into a verbal battle if anyone said the same about my family.

Two words peeps: Bite. Me.

“Ruby.”

My eyes snapped up, staring at her with undisguised shock. “What?”

“Je m’appelle, Ruby Arden,” she replied. Her French accent told me more than she knew.

“Quebec?” I asked, tentatively touching her hand with my fingertips. Not to scare, but to test the waters.

She nodded, “Oui. My parents, they didn’t make it, and…”

Her words cut off in a semi-broken sob as she drew in a rugged breath. Holding her hand in both of mine, I didn’t say or do anything. “They lost a fight against some other wolves, Rogues. I was… taken against my will.”

She broke, sobbing harder as the words seemed to take more strength than they could give.

I felt the blood drain from me. Not just my face, but like someone performed a bloodletting ritual and was draining me dry. “Um… Ruby, I think I understand what you’re trying to say, but I feel like it would be better to have you talk to a female than to me. The bond is there, and I’m not letting go of my Mate so easily. I’m going to find my sister and her best friend. They’re Omega Medics and serve on the Council of Nine or what most call the founders.”

“Council of Nine?” She asked, curious.

“In the Howler pack, which is a Guardian pack, we have nine founding members. We put this thing together as kids playing around, but we eventually made it real. All nine original people who created this pack are called the Council of Nine. Each of us brings something different to the table, our ideas are voted or vetoed, and we implement the voted ideas in as pack law.” I explained.

She scowled, “I’ve heard of a Guardian pack. I didn’t realize I’d found it.”

“You did,” I said with a smile. “So, I’m going to go get them – my sister and her bestie, I mean. That way, you’ll have someone with medical knowledge to talk to and not feel pressured. You’ll need to give them any and all information that you can recall. If it’s just bits and pieces, then so be it, but our Alpha will want to know what happened to you up to this point. Can you do that?”

Ruby’s lip trembled, “What… what if I cannot recall?”

“Day-by-day, moment-by-moment,” I breathed out. “Some forgotten or blocked memories can take time to resurface. It’s not a big deal if you can’t remember right away and the file will remain open until all the facts are registered with the Alpha.”

She shuddered, “You speak like you hold rank.”

“I’m a Delta,” I replied. “Something that hasn’t existed in Canada for almost two centuries.”

“Delta?!” She squeaked.

This is where I snapped. Not on her, but out of my rank and into just being myself. “Aye! What’s with the squeal? That’s hard on the ears, ya know.”

Her giggle was like music to me. Resonating on a soul level, so much deeper than just my ears picking up her melodic cadence. “What was that?”

“Me being me,” I stated, calm and unconcerned. “So, before I go, can I ask you something, Ruby?”

Her eyes met mine. Molten gold and twilight sky refocusing on each other. “Okay.”

“When you said you were… taken against your will…” I trailed off, trying to find the words. “Did you mean… Did you mean physically, sexually, or both?”

Another broken sob, another tug on my heartstrings. She nodded slowly, unsure. “B-both.”

“Okay,” I breathed. “I’m going to get the girls, then I’m going for a run to take care of some of my duties. You can go into detail with them while I’m out of the picture for a bit. Sound good?”

She nodded again, holding her infant close to her chest as he whimpered softly. “What do you want?”

“Me? Nothing you’re not willing to give,” I leaned over, pressing a kiss to my fingers before setting them on Saffron’s forehead. “You and Saff rest up, okay? I have things to attend to.”

“But… but why do you want me? I have a child,” she pressed.

I pressed my fingers to her cheek, watching as she flinched slightly. I could see her strength in her defiant gaze. The fear that threatened her into backing down was there, but it was slightly clouded by the strong determination to survive against the odds. Odds that tried and failed to break the spirit of the True North. “And?”

“And… and… I… I don’t know.” She stated, her tears flowing over her caramel cheeks. “I always thought that… that my Mate wouldn’t want me because of Saffron. He was the only good thing that came out of my captivity.”

Nodding, I sighed. “I’m glad you see him that way. Ruby, listen, I don’t know what you were taught or told, but not everyone is a macho ignoramus. I was raised with the belief that it takes a village to raise a child. It takes learned skills, patience, and persistence. Exactly the same attributes the Mate bond considers.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Then know that you and your pup are a package deal and anyone against that can suck a sour lime for all I care. You’re my Mate, and, by extension, he is my pup now. His sire didn’t treat his mother right, and therefore doesn’t deserve consideration of any kind.” I declared with a convicted calm.

Ruby’s mouth dropped open, her eyes as wide as saucers. The simplicity of it all was more than overwhelming for her. My inability to back down from the claim of the bond, to readily accept a child not born to me… it was so new to her.

“How do I know I can trust you, though?” She finally asked.

“You don’t,” I countered. “You’ve been traumatized, and that means I need to take my time. To let you come to me. Our Alpha and his brother were abused, lost their mothers, and still clawed their way out of the dark. Before you say anything, I told you to let you know that, in this pack, leadership obligations are centered around caring for and building each other up. As for Saffron? Adoption exists, right? So, when you’re ready, when you’re strong enough to accept the Mate bond, adoption is something you and I can look into.”

“I don’t understand you at all it seems. You’re ranked, many men like you are… well, they’re possessive, oppressive, and determined to own their Mate.” She said, her eyes shimmering. “Why do you still want me? Why do you want my son?”

Reaching for the door handle, I let my eyes close as her words – as valid as they were – washed over me in a torrent. “The Goddess only gives the hardest battles to her strongest, most beloved companions. I follow the will of Artemis, and she gave me a ready-made family. One we can eventually expand over time, but on our combined terms.”