Looking To Belong (A Runt's Story)

Chapter 52

I grinned as I watched Jisk give Ruby a rose. He had thoughtfully stripped the spines off of the stem. Ruby threw her arms around his neck as she planted a kiss on his cheek. Jisk could barely be pried away from Ruby's side, and she was just as enamored with him. She had agreed to the odd conditions revolving around the meeting in curiosity. Within the hour, the sunglasses had come off, and they had rarely left one another's side in the two weeks since.

Glanced at me, Will commented, "I simply cannot think of mates better suited for one another. Except for us, of course."

I replied thoughtfully, "They are so alike that it is almost scary; you and I seem to almost be opposites in most things."

Jisk and Ruby came to sit on a padded garden bench across from us. Will regarded Jisk with amusement.

"I think I like you better like this," Will said, "Smiling and relaxed instead of being like that cold distant assassin who was creeping around our territory."

Tilting his head slightly, Jisk responded in a serious tone, "You should have seen me a decade ago. Back then, I truly was cold-hearted and had killed many lawless with little regard."

Ruby blinked in fascination of this new information. "What happened?"

Jisk glanced at me in amusement. "That little half-grown runt somehow managed to sneak up on me and then wedged herself in my heart before I realized exactly what happened."

I could feel Ruby's jealousy rising slightly, along with her confusion. She slowly said, "I am not sure I understand..."

Jisk gazed into her eyes and ran his thumb along her cheek as he explained, "She was a half-grown pup alone in no man's land. Even as cold as my heart was, I couldn't just leave her there alone. I took her to a few packs trying to get her adopted. Every pack wanted me, but refused her because she was a runt. Days turned into months as I showed her everything I could. At that point, I knew the chances of her ever joining a pack were slim to none." He took a slow, shaky breath. "After my first mate rejected me for power, I thought that I was incapable of ever feeling love again."

Will's swift intake of breath showed his surprise. Ruby was sympathetic, but had heard that part before. I blinked in slow surprise; I had not expected that Jisk would be talking about that old event so openly – proof that the mate bond with Ruby was already making a deep impact.

Jisk glanced at me and continued, "Somehow, she managed to wiggle her way into my heart. Her humor and good spirits were never crushed by the thought of being a rogue. She didn't even seem particularly bothered by the fact that she would likely never have a mate. It was almost a year before I realized what she had accomplished. She was the daughter that I never had, but had always dreamed of. She allowed me to feel love once more. Her presence helped me begin to move on from the pain of the rejection."

I blinked tears away; Jisk had never told me this before. I got up and went over to Jisk who gave me a hug. I quietly said, "You never told me that before. I had always thought of you as a brother."

He laughed shakily as he released me. "I am stubborn and have far too much pride for my own good. Although, those abilities of yours were a constant ego check. I hope that people never learn how easily you could track me and sneak up on me."

Ruby chuckled in understanding. "Oh, I have some experience in that area. She is evil. It was like she knew exactly where I was at any given time."

Jisk, Will, and I laughed at her unwitting words, and Ruby looked between the three of us in confusion. "What?"

I grinned at her. "Ruby, I actually did know exactly where you were, if you were in the immediate area."

She blinked in confusion, still not understanding. "How?"

"I was designated as an Omega for just over a year, so I could actually sense your presence. That was how I evaded you so easily."

Her jaw dropped, and Jisk used his finger to gently close it again. She recovered and exclaimed, "That was how you did it! Here I thought it was a skill that only someone living as a rogue for years could develop!"

I shook my head, still grinning widely. "Good rogues are almost as observant, but it simply can't compare to those abilities."

I glanced up as footsteps approached. Tony smiled at us in greeting.

"Which abilities?" he inquired, having just caught the last few words.

Ruby glanced up and grinned mischievously as she said, "We were just discussing what abilities Enforcers had when it came to escaping."

Roland rounded the corner with Emily. Tony scratched his head in confusion. "Enforcers usually don't run; our mindset is geared to stand and fight most of the time."

Roland raised an eyebrow in amusement as he approached. "Which one of my Enforcers is running away?"

Ruby pointed her thumb at Tony. "He is."

Tony looked confused. "Huh? I have never had thoughts of leaving the pack, except if-" He froze and turned his head to face me with wide eyes. "No. Please tell me she isn't saying what I think she is saying."

It was Roland's turn to look confused. "What is Ruby getting at?"

I grinned silently at Tony's pleading tone, letting my silence speak for me. Tony gave a huge sigh as he accepted Ruby's comment as the truth. He said, "She is saying that you are about to see firsthand just how overprotective an Enforcer mate can get."

Roland glanced at me with a grin. "Congratulations!" He turned to Tony. "It can't be that bad. I remember when Evan's mother was carrying him and his father was an Enforcer."

Jisk cleared his throat, catching Roland's attention. Jisk raised an eyebrow like an old teacher faced with a dense student.

"Jade is a runt, and Will is an Enforcer," he said, as if what he was saying should be obvious. "You may want to connect those dots with the mate bond in mind."

Roland blinked in confusion, then his eyes widened. "Oh no..."

Tony grinned as he got some of his own revenge. "Oh, yes. Just like that record. I plan to visit another pack when she is close to delivery. I will return once the child is born."

Roland raised his eyebrows. "And just how will you know when it is safe to return?"

Tony smirked in my direction. "Jade isn't that big, and Will is an Enforcer. Any kids will be huge. I will probably hear her yelling at Will regardless of where I am, once that kid has to come out."

I glared at Tony, who unremorsefully grinned back at me. I glanced up at Will, who looked down into my eyes. I spoke in a mischievous tone, "Shall we tell them that we are actually expecting twins?"

His eyes widened in pride, excitement, and terror. Tony turned and started running away as he called back, "That's it! I am heading over to Trevor's pack. Call me when it is over!"

Jisk leaned over to whisper in Ruby's ear, "How does a nine month vacation sound? Under the guise of trading relations, of course."

I shook my head as my friends made plans to desert me. I was the only one who would be unable to make escape plans for when Will would be going overboard in several months...