After Her Life

The man raised the gun and fired a shot at her, but missed.

Quickly, she dashed into the woods. Running for her life. The man chased her. It was a dreadful moment for Ruby.

She kept running until she came to a cliff-hanging above the ocean. The waterfall at the other side gushed down with speed, flowing into the ocean.

She had nowhere else to run to. It was a dead end, she could not swim.

The man got closer and stood, pointing the gun at her. She could not see his face, he was putting on a mask.

Ruby whimpered in pain and agony. " Please don't kill me. Let me go."

He was quiet, the gun still pointing at her.

She was scared. Will she end this way, without a chance at life for her and her baby?

He fired a shot that pierced through Ruby's shoulder.

Ruby gasped as blood gushed out. She felt dizzy.

Another bullet hit her in quick succession. She staggered and fell into the ocean.

When the man got back to Ruby's crushed car, he doused the car in gasoline and set it on fire. Flames erupted sending thick black smoke into the air.

Then he sped off in his truck.

***

It was night already, Conri drove into his house and stepped out. He has had a long and stressful day.

He opened the door and stepped in, then turned on the light. The silence in the house engulfed him. He was alone.

Ruby had always filled the house with her presence but now the house lay empty.

He loosened his tie as he walked to his room. Taking off his clothes, he entered the bathroom and allowed the cold water to splash on him.

His mind flashed through the events of the day. He felt strange, that Ruby was no longer with him. He shrugged it off.

He has Dew, she is carrying his heir. That's all that mattered to him.

Tomorrow he will address the pack and inform them of his decision to wed Dew. He knew most of them wouldn't accept it.

They have no choice, he is the Alpha.

He got up and dried his body. The towel was tied firmly around his waist. He was a handsome man, his muscles were chiseled and firm.

Then he walked to the bedroom he shared with Ruby. He got in, his eyes darted around. Taking in the quiet room. She took all her belongings, nothing was left.

His eyes caught a paper under the side table. It seemed it had fallen off the table.

He grabbed it and scanned through it.

Conri's eyes flashed in shock. No, it can't be.

It was a pregnancy test result for Ruby. And it was positive.

He could barely breathe as the realization that Ruby was carrying his blood hit him hard.

Damn it. What has he done?

Ruby is with his pup.

He has to do something, yes. Just then, his phone rang.

He picked. " Morgan."

From the other end, his friend Morgan responded.

"Something terrible had happened," Morgan said.

Conri stood alert, could it be that other rogue wolves had attacked a member of his pack?

"Ruby was involved in an accident, her car got burnt. It seemed she was in it when it caught fire. I am sorry," Morgan informed.

The news slammed hard into him. What, Ruby dead with his pup?

He groaned. He foolishly caused all this. If he had been patient and loved Ruby, none of this would have happened.

"Text me the scene of the accident, Morgan."

He dressed quickly and rushed out, hoping it was a lie.

The death of Ruby spread like wildfire. After her funeral ceremony, Conri was still in pain. He could not forgive himself for his stupidity.

His late father forced him to marry Ruby. He tried to accept her but his roving eyes couldn't resist Dew's seductive advances towards him.

That after in his office, he sat looking at Morgan who could not stop talking.

"I warned you, Conri, to tread with caution but you turned deaf ears," Morgan said angrily.

"I was not happy with her as my wife," Conri responded lamely.

"And now that she's gone, are you happy? You were brutal towards her. Ruby was so beautiful, a sweet soul. But you choose that she-devil over her," Morgan spat.

Conri growled at Morgan, silencing him. "That's enough."

He couldn't bring himself to tell his friend that Ruby was pregnant before the accident. He felt so devastated.

His door flew open and Stella, Ruby's friend, matched in, in anger.

"You're so despicable. You may be the Alpha but you don't deserve that position," Stella spewed in contempt.

Conri's eyes had an icy look. "Watch your tongue woman, you're overstepping your bounds."

Stella smirked. " I am not scared of you, your recklessness pushed my friend to her death. You're callous."

"Leave at once," Conri barked.

"Just so you know, Ruby was pregnant," she yelled and then walked out.

Morgan's eyes widened in shock. " Conri, is it true?

Conri cursed under his breath. " Yes, I found out the night of the accident."

"And you did not bother to let me know, Conri. I am disappointed in you," Morgan said.

"Listen, Ruby did not tell me. And I wonder why. She hid it away from me," Conri explained.

"This is quite a huge loss. I told you Dew is bad news that woman has nothing good about her. You still went ahead with her," Morgan replied.

"Well, I don't think Ruby's accident was a coincidence. There is more to this, " Morgan said as he paced in the office.

"What are you saying?," Conri asked anxiously.

"I sent some men to scout the scene of the accident. Report has it that, an empty gallon of gasoline was found in the woods."

"Are you saying someone set her car in flames?" Conri asked.

"We only assumed Ruby died in that fire, as her body was not found. There more, we saw Ruby's necklace deep in the woods. And when we followed a trail, we saw blood at a particular spot on a cliff. It's just a feeling though, but I think Ruby might still be alive," Morgan replied.