The Skin Walker

26 | A Distraction

"Just close your eyes, and you can feel me here."

From The Grave James Arthur

R U T H 

The crisp air captured the sound of a grieving woman and let it ring through my ears moments after it had stopped. 

Then nothing at all. Not even a whisper. 

A dark chill straightened my spine as I tensed. Something akin to death entered the room, and my eyes went wide at the hollow feeling spreading within my chest. Heavy with panic, my heart raced faster, and the familiar tremble in my hands returned. 

Blinking out of my shocked, languid state, I scrambled towards the door and opened it in time for another sharp cry to pass. My legs lost their feeling, and I didn't recall how I made it to the foyer downstairs without buckling. 

"Do not be worried, Ruth." I suddenly remembered the woman in my dream. 

It took all my energy not to collapse at the sight of Rueben's mother, who was being held down my Ander as Reese relayed information. The more he spoke, the more I understood I had every reason to be worried. 

The walls, seemingly a fair distance away, seemed to cave in as my brain tried to process Reese's words. 

"...went to meet with the neighbouring packs to ensure their safety, and, in turn, ensuring ours was guaranteed if they allied with us - just in case. He would've still wanted that. Rueben always put his pack first, no matter what, even now."

Why was he speaking in past tense? 

I gaped at him, at Rueben's mum burying her sobs into Reese's chest. He held her with a distraught expression. Ander let go of her and allowed Reese to take over. He spotted me and took a deep breath. 

"Why- What's wrong?" I tried my best to lower my voice and hide the panic in my voice. "I was only asleep for a few hours, I don't understand what's going on."

"He didn't want to tell you. He didn't want any of his family to know because they would've stopped him. He knew you would stop him."

"Who?" 

I knew who, but I didn't want to acknowledge that horrific thought. I'd most likely overheard, or was still dreaming. I had to be. 

"Where's Eve and Maeve?" I looked around, but Ander blocked my view of everything else as he leaned down to look me in the eyes. 

"Ruth, you have to listen to me, please," He spoke firmly. "Rueben is not here anymore."

I shook my head, still numb to the very idea. 

"Rueben is gone."

"To where? Where did he go?" I stammered over my words. 

"A bomb went off as soon as he stepped into their pack house. All members were already dead. It was a trap. Jerome-"

"Don't! Don't say that name," I burst. "Don't say that. Don't lie to me. He's not gone. How could he be gone? He's Rueben. Show me where he is. Take me to him."

Ander made no move to say or do anything. 

"Take. Me. To him."

"He is dead, Ruth."

"Liar," I seethed. "You're lying to me."

Ander stared at me for seconds at a time, his face reddening with grief and anger. 

"He's here." The same dream entered my mind again. 

I took a step back, unaware of the multiple footsteps entering the Pack House with rushed murmurs and soft cries of anguish. My eyes were on Ander, but I wasn't seeing him anymore. All I could picture was Rueben walking into a fire. Into a bomb. He couldn't have. He'd be able to sense it before it went off. He would've heard the ticking or smelt the chemicals about to explode. Rueben was not dead.