Chapter 6: The Choice I Made

Noah's face changed completely.

What did you say?

I looked at him without fear.

I said the child would not be born.

The entire hall fell silent.

Noah stared at me as if he could not understand what I had just said.

You terminated the pregnancy?

Yes.

His face turned pale.

Ruby, you had no right to make that decision without me.

I gave him a cold look.

You made your decision when you decided that I was nothing more than a cover for your relationship with Scarlett.

That child was mine too.

And my body was mine.

Noah stepped toward me, but the elder immediately moved between us.

Enough, Noah.

The authority in the elder's voice stopped him.

I turned toward the crowd.

You all came here to watch me become Noah Calder's chosen partner.

Instead, you witnessed the truth.

I raised my hand and showed everyone the ring that had been meant for Scarlett.

This was never my ceremony.

It was their cover.

Scarlett stepped forward with tears in her eyes.

Ruby, please.

I looked at her.

You wanted Noah. You had him. You still wanted me to stand beside him and smile while you took everything that was supposed to be mine.

I know I made mistakes, Scarlett whispered.

You made a choice, I replied. So did I.

Noah suddenly spoke.

Ruby, wait.

I stopped and looked back at him.

I was wrong.

Those three words should have meant everything to me once.

Now they meant nothing.

You are too late, I said.

I can end things with Scarlett.

I shook my head.

This is not about winning you back anymore.

You spent ten years teaching me that love was a choice.

Today, I am choosing myself.

The elder announced that the claiming ceremony was officially terminated.

Noah and Scarlett were ordered to remain in Ashvale while the registry investigation continued.

I was free to leave.

I walked out of Dawnwatch Hall.

My wolf stirred quietly inside me.

For ten years, she had been trained to run toward Noah whenever he was hurt.

Tonight, she did not move toward him.

She stayed beside me.

For the first time, I realized that maybe she had been waiting for me to choose myself too.

I returned home alone.

My mother was waiting in the living room.

Ruby, please come home, she said.

I stopped but did not turn around.

I do not have a home here anymore.

You are still my daughter.

Then remember that next time you decide who deserves happiness.

I walked upstairs and closed my bedroom door.

For the first time in years, the room felt like it belonged to a stranger.

Pictures of Noah covered my walls.

Graduation. Prom. Holidays. Pack festivals. Ten years of memories.

I took them down one by one.

By midnight, the walls were empty.

I packed one suitcase.

Then I opened my laptop and found an old email from a business consultant in Grayhaven who had once offered me a position.

I had rejected the offer because Noah wanted me to stay close to Ashvale.

I stared at the message for several minutes.

Then I typed a reply.

I accept.

My wolf stirred inside me.

For the first time since I was eighteen, she did not feel broken.

She felt free.

Tomorrow, I would leave Ashvale.

And I would never come back for Noah Calder.