Chapter 5: Boundaries

Ruby's POV

We entered the forest, the soft crunch of leaves beneath our feet the only sound for a while. The towering pines seemed to lean in, their shadows casting long fingers over the ground.

“Your friend doesn’t trust me,” Jace said finally, his tone light, but there was an edge to his words.

I glanced at him. “Evie's just… protective.”

He chuckled softly. “Protective? Or possessive?”

I frowned. “She’s my best friend. She looks out for me.”

His smirk faltered for just a moment before he masked it with a wider smile. “Fair enough. It’s good to have someone like that.”

He’s baiting you, Riley growled, her voice a sharp whisper in my mind. Stay guarded.

The quiet here felt heavier, weighted by something unspoken that settled between us like a second shadow.

Jace broke the silence first. “It’s beautiful out here, don’t you think?”

I nodded faintly. “Yes. It is.”

“And yet, somehow, you’re even more captivating than the view,” he said, his voice smooth as silk.

I blinked, startled by the sudden compliment. “Oh, um… thank you.”

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and easy. “You don’t take compliments well, do you?”

“I guess not,” I muttered, glancing away.

“That’s a shame,” he said, his voice dropping slightly. “You deserve to hear them. You’re extraordinary, Ruby. I could see it the moment I met you.”

Riley bristled in the back of my mind, her growl a faint vibration against my thoughts. Careful. He’s weaving a trap.

I swallowed, keeping my tone neutral. “I’m just an Omega. There’s nothing extraordinary about me.”

He stopped walking, turning to face me. “Don’t say that.”

I froze under the intensity of his gaze, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. “You’re more than an Omega,” he said, his voice soft yet firm. “You have this… quiet strength about you. It’s rare. Special.”

My chest tightened at his words, but instead of warmth, they left me cold.

“Thank you,” I murmured, stepping back slightly.

But Jace didn’t move. Instead, his gaze softened, and his smile turned almost wistful. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“It’s not that,” I said quickly, though I wasn’t sure if it was a lie.

He chuckled again, the sound lower now. “You’re guarded. That’s all right. I like a challenge.”

Riley snarled, her presence surging forward. This isn’t right. He’s testing you.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the discomfort bubbling beneath my skin. “What did you want to talk about?”

Jace turned to me, his sharp blue eyes glinting in the fading light. “You.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Me?”

“Of course,” he said smoothly. “We’re supposed to be partners, aren’t we? I want to know everything about you.”

The weight of his gaze made my skin prickle, but I forced myself to nod. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything,” he said, his tone soft but intense. “What you love, what you fear, what keeps you awake at night.”

My chest tightened, and my thoughts immediately flickered to Carter. His silver eyes, the way he used to make me feel seen in a world where I was invisible.

But Jace was still watching me, his smile unwavering, waiting for an answer.

“There’s not much to tell,” I said finally, keeping my tone neutral.

“Somehow, I doubt that,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “You’re quiet, yes, but there’s something about you. A strength most people wouldn’t notice.”

My breath caught. His words felt too close, too intentional, as if he’d peeled back a layer I hadn’t meant to show.

“I don’t know about that,” I said, turning my gaze to the forest ahead.

He stopped walking, forcing me to stop beside him. “I do.”

I looked up at him, his piercing blue eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my heart race: not with excitement, but with unease.

“Ruby,” he said, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to be so guarded with me. I’m on your side.”

Riley bristled in the back of my mind, her growl a low, vibrating hum. He’s not on your side. He’s on his own.

I stepped back, breaking the connection between us. “I think we should head back.”

Jace's smile faltered, but he recovered quickly. “So soon? We haven’t even started talking about me yet.”

I hesitated, unsure how to respond, and he took the opportunity to close the distance between us.

“I’ll start,” he said, his voice sliding back into its easy charm. “My favorite color is blue. My favorite place? The mountains, where the air is crisp and clean.” He tilted his head, his eyes softening. “And you? What’s your favorite place?”

I hesitated, then muttered, “The river.”

He smiled, as if I’d just given him something precious. “The river,” he repeated. “Why?”

“It’s quiet,” I said simply.

“Ah,” he said, his smile widening. “You like the quiet. I can see that about you.”

I nodded, shifting on my feet. My thoughts wandered again, unbidden, to Carter. He’d always understood my love for the quiet. We’d shared so many moments by the river, just sitting in comfortable silence, the weight of the world slipping away.

“Ruby?”

Jace's voice jolted me back to the present, and I realized he’d stepped closer, too close.

“I think we should go back now,” I said quickly, taking a step back.

“Relax, Ruby,” he said softly, his tone almost soothing. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

His words sent a chill down my spine.

“I know,” I said, though my voice trembled.

He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering against my cheek. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

My breath caught, and I turned my head slightly, trying to break the contact. “Thank you.”

But before I could say more, Jace leaned in, his hand sliding to cup my jaw. His lips brushed against mine, soft and calculated, but it wasn’t gentle,it was possessive.

My body stiffened, and Riley let out a furious snarl, her presence roaring through me. No!

I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to push him back, but he only deepened the kiss, his grip tightening. The taste of him was overwhelming, and not in a way that made my heart race,it made my stomach twist.

“Jace, stop,” I managed to say, my voice muffled against his lips.

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then his other hand moved to my waist, pulling me closer. “Ruby…” he murmured, his tone low and possessive.

The sound of my name on his lips made my skin crawl, and I pushed harder against his chest. “Stop!”

Finally, he pulled back, his blue eyes wide with something that looked like surprise,or maybe frustration.

“Ruby, I…” he began, but I stepped around him, putting as much distance between us as I could.

“That was—” I cut myself off, shaking my head as I tried to steady my breathing. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

He frowned, his confident mask faltering. “I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” I said sharply, my voice trembling with anger.

  Riley growled, her presence like a storm inside me. He doesn’t respect boundaries. He thinks he owns you.

Jace's expression shifted, the easy charm returning as he took a step toward me. “Ruby, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just… couldn’t help myself.”

My chest tightened, and I shook my head again. “We’re done here. I’m going back.”

"Ruby—”

“Now,” I said, my voice leaving no room for argument.

For a moment, he just stared at me, his blue eyes searching my face. Then he sighed, his smile turning faintly apologetic. “All right. If that’s what you want.”

“It is,” I said firmly, turning on my heel and walking back toward the packhouse.

My heart pounded with every step, the shadows of the forest pressing in around me. I felt him following, his presence a heavy weight behind me, but he didn’t say another word.

When the lights of the packhouse finally came into view, I let out a shaky breath.

“Ruby,” Jace said behind me.

I stopped, but I didn’t turn around.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I got carried away. It won’t happen again.”

I didn’t respond.

He stepped past me, his smile back in place, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Goodnight, Ruby.”