Ruth’s POV

2 Months Later

I stood in the kitchen waiting for Castiel to show up. The day he broke down and started crying, I knew he changed. But I wanted him to show me that he had. He would pick me up for school in the morning and bring me home. Every Friday evening, we’d go out on a date.

I haven’t spoken much since then, but he was patient. Jubal hadn’t been too pleased with my idea but he knew that I was trying. He kept a sharp eye on Castiel when he was around.

The leaves were slowly changing from the lovely green to their fall coats. Hearing the doorbell, I quickly sit my cup of hot chocolate down and hurry to answer. I smile as I reach it and swing it open. When I see who it is, my smile dies.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? I heard that my cousin found his mate, but what I didn’t hear was that she was a liger.” His voice sounded cold as ice and I shivered. “Castiel regrets that he can’t make it this morning, so he sent me to pick you up.” He sneers at me and steps forward.

I slam the door shut and race towards the back of the house. Pounding from the front door quickens as I slip into Jubal’s office. I look for him before I remember that he’s at the pack house with the alpha.

Jubal, you need to get home now. I’m in trouble… Before I could say thing more, the sound of the front door being kicked in echoed through the house and I flinched. Looking for a way out, I smile when I see that Jubal left the window opened.

Pushing it up just a little more, I manage to slip out of it and run towards the woods. “You can run but you can’t hide from me Ruthie.” Kirk calls out from the house and I felt my heart quicken. Si was howling for our mate, but he wasn’t answering and I feared the worse.

I wasn’t watching where I was running and I tripped. Hearing laughing, I scramble to my feet and looked around me. Several wolves eased out of the bushed around me and I recognized them. Kirk’s old group that used to beat me up when I was in school.

“I told you that you couldn’t hide from me.” I heard Kirk say before I felt something prick my neck and I fell back to the ground.

Jubal’s POV

I left the house before Ruth was up and I hated that. Usually Castiel would be there waiting for her, but this morning I didn’t see him. When I walked into the pack house, I saw him leaving, but brushed it off. I smile when I see Nate waiting for me.

“I see that Castiel and Ruth are slowly making headway.” He says but I just nod. I was waiting for that pup to mess it up. I didn’t trust him with my sister any more. I followed Nate into the conference room where I found several more alphas or their betas.

“Now, let’s get this ball rolling.” Several laughed and I just smiled. “I called this meeting to create an alliance between our packs in case of war…” I blocked Nate out when I felt Ruth linking with me.  Jubal, you need to get home now. I’m in trouble…

With a growl that interrupted Nate’s speech, I tore out of the house. Where are you going Jubal?
          It’s Ruth, Nate. She’s in trouble at the house. I dropped the link and raced through the woods. I could hear my wolf growling at the thought of our little sister getting hurt again, so I let him take over as we flew through the greenery.

As my house came into view, I shifted back. Running up the steps, I find the door kicked in. Dread fills my body as I race through the house calling her name. I notice Kirk's scent, but something was off. It was tainted; Kirk was a rouge. It was leading to my office and I followed it. I open the door but it’s empty.

The open window catches my eye and I jump through it shifting again. I catch Ruth’s scent easily and I run after it. Hang on sis, I’m coming for you.

Jubal, Castiel’s missing.

So it Ruth, Nate. There was a rouge at my house and the door’s been kicked in.

Find them. I howl as I near the border. Suddenly I slide to a stop and whine. Sniffing the air, I snort. Whoever took her doused the area with chloroform, hiding their scents rather well. I growl and widen the perimeter, but still found nothing.

Turning around, I slowly run back to my house. Whoever took my sister would pay with their life. And if they harmed her, I would ensure their death to be very slow and painful.

Castiel’s POV

I was on my way to pick Ruth up for school when a black and gray wolf jumped out in front of my car. I swerve to miss it and loss control. The car flipped a few times and landed on the side of the road.

My eyes were closing as the wolf shifted and started to move closer. As he knelt beside me, I felt my blood boil again. Kirk. I go to swing at him, but my eyes close and darkness takes me captive.