Page 142 of Chasing Ruin
She doesn’t react. Not even a flicker. “And Wardens?” she continues. “You’re their president’s sister then?”
I nod.
The thought of my brother steadies me in a way nothing else has. And this feeling is entirely strange to me.
He’ll come. He has to.
“Wolf…” She pauses, like the name feels strange to her. “Is your brother?”
This time, there’s something in her eyes.
A flicker. Disbelief.
But I don’t dwell on it.
I nod again.
Her jaw tightens as she squares her shoulders. “Your card says,” she continues slowly, “that you have a cuck.” Her gaze slides briefly to Theo. “And an attendee.”
The word lands like a punch to my gut.Awhat?
My vision blurs.
“That’d be Wolf, Charlotte,” she adds softly.
“No.” My head shakes violently. “N-No! What? He… he’ll—no!” The words tangle together, useless and broken.
“You think your brother will come and save you instead of getting trapped here like you?”
I nod jerkily. Desperate.Yes, he will.
Her eyes soften. Surprisingly, I see something there I hadn’t expected.
Sadness.
“Are you sure?” she asks quietly. “Your brother, Wolf… will come for you?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “He will.”
She looks down for a moment. Like she’s thinking or remembering something.
“I hope,” she murmurs finally, her voice barely above a breath, “for your sake, you’re right. I hope he finds you, Charlotte.”
Then she stands, turns, and walks away. The girl follows without a word.
Now I’m alone again.
Waiting for Theo to wake up.
FORTY-TWO
Ruin
I’ve never known fear this palpable—so thick, so suffocating that it feels like I can smell it. Clinging to my skin.
Or fuck, maybe that’s just my blood.
The moment that woman drove the needle into my neck, the only thing I could do was pray that I wake up again
