I let out a long breath, looking over the decorations once more. The doors would be opening for the dance any moment, and it was either going to be well received, or, well, not.

"Come on," Maddie prodded Sara, who was putting finishing touched on one of her signs. Sara just slapped Maddie away, nearly getting paint on her black dress.

"Girls, stop fighting," I hissed as I separated them. They just sighed, looking away from each other with a roll of the eyes. Every once and awhile they got at each other's throats. It would be over in a few hours, probably when the party started.

Turning away from them, I made my way to the food table. It was stacked high with foods of all sorts- all by my doing. If there was one thing I knew how to do, it was choosing good food.

"You ready?"

I turned. Connell stood leaned against the end of the food table. Where he came from, I don't know.

I shrugged, reaching my hand out towards him. The only people stalking around the gym were Sara and Maddie, so it didn't matter.

"I love parties," I sighed. "But not when I have to plan them."

"Lesson to be learned," Connell chuckled, kissing the palm of my hand. I shivered lightly, before pulling my hand from his grip. It was going to be a long night, especially since Connell looked delicious in his suit.

"I have work to do," I said defiantly under his stare. Defiant against what, I didn't know. It just seemed like the right moment.

Walking away from him, I made my way to the doors. Outside I could hear quiet chatter of kids who had just arrived. Show time.

Sara and Maddie joined me, as well as all of the other helpers, and we pulled open the doors. Not even a beat later, student after student started to flood in.

"They better not touch my decorations," Sara mumbled under her breath, narrowing her eyes at students as they walked in. She was getting increasingly agitated as the days got colder, and for what reason, we couldn't figure out.

Connell sat near the edge of the gym, watching over students with a bored look. I laughed under my breath, feeling sadistic pleasure. He just looked so very cute bored.

I spent 2 more hours making sure that no one set something on fire, and that everyone was acting appropriate enough. That in itself was a pretty low bar. Near the end of the two hours, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye.

Jon?

I frowned, narrowing my eyes at the door. It was a side door, that just led to some dark, empty hallways. Jon was absolutely, under no condition, supposed to be here. After our run in, Connell told the principal, who reprimanded him into the ground.

I wasn't nervous as I pushed myself up from my seat. Walking towards the door, I shot a fleeting glance towards Connell, whom was talking on the phone with a sour expression.

When I got to the hallway, I stopped. It was completely dark, save a few lights scattered every few yards.

I took a few steps forward, looking back and forth. Where did he go?

I screeched as I was shoved against a locker. Out of know where, Jon appeared, a vicious look on his face.

"Let go of me!" I choked, kicking him in the nuts.

He let out a groan, falling back for a moment. Before I could punch him, he grabbed my wrist and gave me another hard shove into the locker. This time, the edge of the lock on the locker dug into my back, causing me to fall to the ground with a hiss.

Jon squat down next to me, ripping the front of my dress. I tried to grab his arms, but he wasn't after me.

He wrapped his slender fingers around my necklace, giving one sharp pull. It broke under the pressure, and he tightened his hand around it. He looked at it, before looking at me with a sinister grin.

"You could have just played nice, and this would have gone so much easier," He clucked.

"Alpha Alexander will love this," He chuckled. I move to grab the necklace from his hands, but he only shoved me into the locker again. I gasped for air- it felt like my lungs had been squeezed.

Alpha? Jon wasn't a werewolf, that I could tell. But whoever wanted that ring, must have convinced him to get it from me. Had it always been a lie? Ever since the party?

Come on Dottie, do something! I thought, but Dottie only stayed quiet. Must have been sleeping.

The look on Jon's face changed from excitement to worry as he stood. He looked at the double doors that were near the gym, before glancing at me one last time.

"Thanks," He sneered.

He took of towards the doors that led to the outside, and within a few moments he was gone. Just as he exited, Connell bust through the doors.

He seemed angry, but I wasn't sure at what. He had no idea what Jon had done to me just yet.

Seeing me slumped on the floor, his expression completely changed from anger to worry.

"Ruby darling?" His tone resembled that of a question as he rushed forward to meet me. Kneeling on the ground, he helped me sit up.

He looked at my ripped dress, and hissed.

"Who did this?" He asked.

"The ring," I choked, trying to get up completely. He held me down in his arms.

"I don't care about that Ruby, who did this!" He asked again. I couldn't answer, my fingers reaching for the now empty space that once held my ring.

I looked off towards the outside doors, blinking slowly.

"Jon," I finally answered, letting my shaky hands wrapped themselves around Connell. He pulled me into his arms, petting my head with his big hands. He didn't in that moment care who saw- that was the last thing on his mind.

"He's with some pack, he said Alpha Alexander wanted the ring," I told him, my voice cracking. Connell's jaw clenched. Taking of his jacket, he helped me put it on.

"I know," He said as he buttoned the first few buttons so that no one could seem my ripped dress. Not that it mattered, it was so big it hung of me like a blanket.

Exhaling, he looked at me. "Alexander Wood is my brother, and I just got a phone call that my trackers were led to my old pack."

l a t e r

I rubbed my eye, undoubtedly smearing my makeup off. Connell looked at me from the corner of his eyes with a frown, reaching out so he could grab my hand.

"I don't want to do this," I said, biting my lips as I looked at my front door. There was some light coming from inside, and a bit of movement.

"We're about to go into war with a very powerful pack, we have no other choice," Connell told me.

"Do you have to say war," I frowned. "It sounds so bad."

Connell rolled his eyes. "It is bad."

I'm sure my unhappy looked deepened, because Connell just apologized.

"They need to know, and we need their help," Connell ended the conversation, knocking on the door before I could stop him. My stomach dropped as I waited for my parents to answer.

They were expecting me a few hours late, but it was only 9.

"Ruby?" My mother said as she cracked open the door. Her face was worn out, but immediately she became worried.

"What happened?" She said, opening the door so my dad could see. I just bit the bullet, sighing.

"I have some things to tell you..."

... my mothers' hands shook as she took in all the information.

"Mecah is alive?" My father finally asked, not believing what I had said.

Mecah was as much as a daughter to them as a sister to me. When she left, it broke their heart, and it took years for them to recover.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I said, wiping a fresh tear from my red cheek. Crying had been inevitable, no matter how hard I tried not to. "I was just afraid."

My mother just smiled sadly, kissing my cheek affectionately.

"You don't need to be afraid, never with us," She said. I hugged her tightly, enjoying her warmth.

"So basically your ring was a sort of... enhancer?" My father asked. It was odd to see him as the get-down-to-business guy, but I guess whatever floats his boat?

"Exactly, and my brother will have it by tomorrow," Connell rubbed his jaw.

"Why not tonight?" I asked, looking at him.

"Oak Hill is in Washington," He said. At our confusion, he continued. "My pack- or... his I guess."

"As in, Washington D.C?" I grimaced, knowing full well the answer.

"Washington. As in- Washington."

"Shit," I swore, crossing my arms. My mother tsked, reaching forward to smack me. Even though she could be affectionate, she could also be vicious.

"So what now?" I asked.

Connell looked down at me. "She may have the ring, but she doesn't have to use it. We need to get there before they find a way to force her."

"That means?"

"We need to go visit my best friend," He frowned.

Authors Note

Ahhh it's all starting to piece together! 

-Elle Kay