Just Need to Make Some Adjustments

Ruby sat in Dr. Smith’s office while he looked through several new x-rays and his clipboard of observations from her exam. Meers sat beside her, munching on an apple as he waited with her. Brad had been unable to come, something had suddenly come up.

“Alright, I’m going to shrink your dosage. That should help with your balance. As for your legs, your knee is healing right on schedule and no muscles ripped after that test. We’ll keep your physical therapy sessions on flat ground until your brace can be removed. Then, you should be able to navigate the stairs without any problems.” Dr. Smith pulled up a stool to sit in front of her.

Ruby smiled a little, wondering when she could walk without the wheelchair.

“I still have one important thing to discuss.” Smith narrowed his eyes on her. “Dragging your injured leg is not helping your other one. You are bound to injure it at some point if you keep putting all your weight on it. If you continue to be unable to pick up your leg properly, I’ll quit the sessions until the brace comes off. No crutches either. Understood?”

Ruby twisted her nose at him in displeasure but otherwise nodded. Sighing, the doctor released her to do as she pleased.

Meers helped her back up the stairs and to her room, a place she spent most of her time. No matter how much Lindsey tried, Ruby refused to go out and socialize. She didn’t like to be locked up but people were far worse than mere walls.

In fact, even the walls looked to pose a threat. At times she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She didn’t mention this or any kind of discomforting feeling she got when inside the house, even in the kitchen, one of the most spacious areas in the house for sure. Dr. Smith would give her new meds to keep her calm and she didn’t want to be forced to take them. The ones she took now kept the pain away and were helping her fight the infection. Something she didn’t want to deal with.

After night fell and settled over the house, she slipped under the covers, turning off the lamp beside her bed, and closed her eyes.

She hadn’t been back inside her cell for a long time. The walls were cold and the hinges of her door rusty. The usual.

Unlike her final and successful escape attempt, her cell door remained securely locked. Ruby kicked at it, frustrated, but she didn’t know why.

She escaped, hadn’t she? Why would she be here? Where had the forest gone? Most of the time, she spent her time hiding among the bushes and crawling along the muddy ground.

Some nights, they found her. Other nights, something new appeared. Brad’s house. Dark and abandoned, but a safe haven from the ones who were tracking her.

Voices grabbed her attention, she backed away from the door. Laughter followed by more footsteps.

Silence.

More footsteps. Heavy breathing. A few chuckles. The metal clinking.

Keys.

They were going to open her door.

Diving for the door, she hid just behind it.

They were struggling with opening it.

Drunk?

Frustration had them banging on the door. They were yelling for her to open it.

Definitely drunk.

A click. Her door unlocked.

It swung open, rusty hinges protesting. Booted feet stepped in. Two of them. They stopped in the center of the room.

Ruby didn’t dare move. Even if drunk, they could outrun her. They’ve done it before.

One strutted over to a corner that she often used to relieve herself in. She couldn’t hear what he said, but the other guy laughed, waving his hand in front of his face as if something smelled.

It probably did smell… she never got to take a shower and the cell had never been cleaned before.

The man in the corner unzipped his pants, followed by the sound of a steady stream. His friend sipped his beer, stumbling over to make another joke Ruby didn’t hear.

Crouched, Ruby swung herself around the open door and down the hallway. She didn’t make it far before a hand grabbed her shoulder, jolting her back. A scream lodged in her throat and all she could manage was a rightful gasp.

Ruby sat up, panting her heart out. She choked as she tried to swallow and breath in at the same time.

“Ruby? Are you alright?” Darz knocked on the door, concern lacing his voice.

When she didn’t answer immediately, the door began to creak open.

“What's going on?” Meers joined Darz outside her door, which remained barely cracked open.

It must have been four o’clock. Their usual switch time.

“Not sure.” The door began to open wider and the silhouette of two burly men entered her view.

“Ruby-?”

“Meers, Darz, you both can go get some rest. I can take care of her for the next few nights.”

“If you're sure. Good night, Alpha.” Ruby watched as the men bowed their heads and left the doorway to her room.

One stopped to whisper to Brad for the quickest of moments before disappearing.

“Ruby?” At the sound of her name, she fell back against the mattress and bundled herself up in the blankets.

“Yeah?” Ruby rolled over her face to the side to see his distorted, shadowy figure move next to her.

“Hey, I heard Dr. Smith’s report. You need to stop dragging your leg around, ya hear?” Ruby didn’t respond, just rolled her eyes and looked away. “You cold?”

“No.” Despite her answer, he grabbed a blanket from the closet. When he neared, she prepared to protest but instead, he sat in the chair nearby, keeping the blanket for himself.

“Mind if I stay in here? I’m guarding you tonight.”

“Isn’t that chair uncomfy?” She kept her eyes to where gentle snow began falling onto her balcony.

“Are you suggesting something, Miss Ruby?” The teasing in his voice could not be missed, especially how he said her name. He did that a lot... tease her.

“I’m suggesting the balcony would be a much better suited place for you to sleep.” Her blank, sarcastic remark brought a quirky smile to his lips. He never could tell if it was her indifference or the implied sarcasm he loved the most.

Ruby shifted herself in bed, returning her gaze to the lump in her chair. Brad scooted himself forward to be next to her.

“Sleep tight, Ruby.” Brad reached forward intending to touch her hand. Her fingers had curled in on themselves just by the slightest degree but before he could make contact, she hid her hand under the covers and scooted herself away.

A lump in his throat formed at the form of rejection. He’d never hurt her or try to make her uncomfortable. All he wanted was to get to know each other, to give her the reassurance she needed. Yet, even after a month, she refused.

“I’m scaring you.” The scent was quite obvious to him, more so to his wolf that was constantly awake no matter which form he resided in. “I’m sorry.” He pulled away, grabbing the blanket that had fallen to the floor and covered her with it. “I’ll be just outside if you need anything.” The door clicked closed behind him.

Ruby restlessly turned over once more, facing the balcony. No moon shone that night, only the stars twinkled dimly at her.

He scared her. He’d be right about that but not for the obvious reasons. He acted just as sweet as him. Just as kind and caring. Granted, the circumstances were different but it was all there. Brad had been very helpful and patient as she recovered, teasing her in a loving manner. He tried to make her smile.

More so, when he spoke to others he stayed kind but commanding, a leader for them all. Just like him. Yet, Ruby couldn’t just deny the care they gave to her. The consideration. The effort. If they wanted to harm her, they had her practically seasoned and ready when she laid unconscious on the bed, defenseless to anything they demanded.

Even now, they guarded her as she lay comfy in a bed with so many blankets and pillows it became suffocating. The brace left her unable to properly walk or run for that matter. If they had intentions to hurt her, they’d do it by now.

“Brad?” No response came. “Brad?” A little louder this time, she pushed herself up slightly to allow her voice to hopefully reach him better.

“Ruby?” The door cracked open before he stepped inside. She relaxed as he neared the bed and came to stand by the chair. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you come here?” He shuffled forward. “To the other side. Please.” Once more, he shuffled his feet across the carpet, as if purposefully alerting her to his location at every moment.

“What's wrong, Ruby?”

When she reached out for him, she grabbed his pant leg at first. Tugging slightly, he took the hint to kneel down by her side. She reached out once more, touching his face gently.

“Ruby?” She didn’t respond but poked him lightly until she figured his cheek laid under her fingertips. “That's my cheek, love. If you're looking for my ear, it's just a little northeast from there.”

She grinned at his strange humor before playfully tugging on his ear. He chuckled before grabbing her hand in his. Ruby returned the action by squeezing his back.

“Can you stay here? For the night?” She held her breath, wanting him to stay despite the fact her spine became rigid with anticipation.

“Of course. I’ll stay here.” He settled himself down on the floor, his head resting just by hers.

“Here.” Using her free hand she took the extra blanket off of her and handed it over to him. “I’m sweating.”

“I'd rather you sweat than shiver.” He took the blanket she practically threw at him.

“I’ll wake you if I’m cold. Promise.” Brad scoffed but pulled the blanket around his shoulders anyway.

Right before she closed her eyes, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. Ruby laid stock still, unsure of what he intended, but when he didn’t move, she relaxed, inch by inch.

“Ruby, I know they hurt you. We won’t hurt you. You can trust me. I, and I alone, would be the last person on this planet to hurt you. I swear it.” Instead of responding to such a declaration that brought tears to her eyes from the sincerity of it all, she gripped his hand in a fierce grip. “Ruby?”

“And that's why I’m so scared of you.”