The Skin Walker

13 | The Highest Mountain

"I'm heading to the mountains, the only place I feel at peace."

To The Mountains Lizzy McAlpine

R U T H

I woke up in the comfort of the bed covers enveloping me. The windows had been shut to prevent the chill from sneaking in, but I didn't remember closing them. I didn't recall tucking myself into bed, and I spent an entire minute trying to regain my memory.

I'd most likely fallen asleep in Eloise's office - which made me feel embarrassed. Either she carried me to my room or sent for one of the boys to do it. Heat crawled onto my face again at the thought of them carrying me. Reese most likely would've done it. Ander and Rueben were too busy questioning their warriors.

Warriors. Why didn't they call them soldiers? Why warriors? It made everything sound so mystified. Maybe because it was. I mean, I was sleeping in a home full of werewolves, and I'd get to meet all of them soon. The reality of that didn't hit me in the face yet, and I was sure it was because I was still in shock.

Half an hour later, I had freshened up. My suitcases were delivered into the guest room last night while I was working with Eloise. I'd thrown anything on in time to walk downstairs minutes later.

Making my way to the dining room, I remembered the familiar feeling of disappointment when nothing suspicious came up from the list Eloise gave me. All the names were new to me. Everything was still new to me, and I knew I wouldn't be of much help anymore.

"Ruth," Ander's voice made me snap my head to the doorway leading to the kitchen.

"Ander," I greeted.

My eyes landed on the blood staining his grey t-shirt, and trails coating his hands. He moved them behind his back while I lifted my gaze to his face. His jaw clenched, eyebrows drawn down in an expression that made me believe he was uncomfortable.

"Eloise told me you looked through the names of my warriors," Ander spoke up after a moment of awkwardness.

"Yeah. I know none of them, though. So it was a waste of time," I breathed out, shifting on my feet.

"You tried to help anyway. Thank you," He didn't hesitate to reassure me.

I nodded once, glancing down at the blood again. I remembered being understanding to their torture methods when Eloise mentioned it last night, but seeing the blood on his shirt unnerved me. If I found nothing suspicious, and knew they didn't have anything either, why were they still torturing innocents?

"We had to make sure no one was lying," Ander answered my unspoken question. "Werewolves heal fast, and it's worth it to make sure our future Luna is safe. Our pack's safety matters, too. We can't let any rogues get to them. They already fear Rueben. We can't let them fear anything else."

Our eyes met.

"This town fears Rueben," I repeated. That sentence stood out to me. "Because he can't control his wolf?"

Ander stared at me for a few seconds, opening his mouth to explain the reason to me. "It's not my right to say."

"But I have a right to know," I said. "I'm living under a roof of werewolves. I'm only human. The only protection I have against you all is my title. I have no weapon on me, no power or supernatural strength. If everyone fears Rueben for a reason I don't know of, I have a right to know."

Ander sighed, bringing a bloodied hand up to run it through his hair. It was unhygienic, but he did it anyway. Maybe he planned to shower after I left.