My thoughts raced too fast to even consider conversation on the drive back to the mansion, though I sensed Edgar had something to say. He never spoke, though, and only excused himself to his office as soon as we were back. Benedict stormed off to deal with another 'allegation' against Eloise, and so I found myself standing in the cavernous foyer of the mansion, alone.
I might have stood there forever if one of the butlers hadn't appeared from a side room, raising his eyebrows when he saw me. "How can I help you, Miss Ivy?"
Turning in a circle didn't help me orient. "I, um... If I wanted to go back to my room, how would I do that?"
He coughed politely to cover a smile, then held out a white-gloved hand. "I'm happy to show you the way. The house can be quite confusing, can't it?"
"You ain't kidding," I said under my breath, exhaling with relief. I followed as he made a right and then a left, heading down a wide corridor that looked almost familiar. It took another ten minutes before I finally recognized where we were. Before he left, I asked him where to find the gym. I had a lot of energy to work off and a long day to wait before we heard back from the investigator.
I stashed the file folder and changed quickly, before I forgot his directions. I only made two wrong turns before I found an enormous room filled with workout equipment. Half the space housed treadmills and ellipticals and other machines, while the other half was split between free weights and wrestling mats. It looked like heaven.
Only one other person used the gym — Ruby jogged on a treadmill but didn't look up as I walked in. I held my breath. She was the last person I wanted to see. Well, maybe Eloise was the real last person, but Ruby was a close second. I chose an elliptical as far from her as possible, and got to work. There was too much to plan to waste time worrying about what she might say.
If Smith were able to find Keller, then everything would be over in a matter of days. Edgar and his brothers would help take him down or the fae investigator would, and then the men responsible for my family's murder would all be dead. The thought left me breathless. Finally, it would be over.
My legs ached and sweat drenched me by the time Ruby got off her treadmill and strode over, wincing as she stretched her hamstring. I slowed my pace so I could hear her over the hum of the machine, and she handed me a bottle of water taken from a nearby fridge. I took it, waiting.
She put her hands on her hips, studying me. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened when we first met. In Edgar's office. I wasn't expecting to see a wolf and I was already amped up from a conversation with my brother. So I over-reacted, and I'm sorry."
My stride faltered and I nearly face-planted into the console of the elliptical. She snorted, patting her face with a towel. "Is it that surprising that I would apologize? Jesus."
"Sorry," I said, and stopped running. I winced and pressed on the small of my back. Muscles ached in all these strange places, like I'd been doing weird crunches. "It's just been a weird morning."
"Welcome to life with the Chase brothers," Ruby said. She studied me, then tilted her head at a couple of benches near the wall. "Talk with me for a moment?"
"Sure." I waited for the other shoe to drop, suspecting some kind of trick, even though she looked tired more than devious. If she was the alpha of her pack, she was hard as coffin nails and just as dangerous. I'd never heard an alpha apologize to anyone in my life. But I followed her to the benches, grabbing a towel from a stack on a shelf so I could wipe sweat off my face.
Ruby, face still red from her run, didn't face me head-on but instead focused on the the mats in front of her. "Carter told me you've had a rough time, and after what you told Sophia at dinner, I think that's the understatement of the century. I'm sorry you went through that. I'm sorry you lost your pack and your family. I can't even imagine that."
Tears flooded my eyes and I used the towel to hide them, furious with myself that the emotions lay so close to the surface. The thought of catching Keller, of finally being done with the list, dragged everything up again until I could hardly think about my family without wanting to sob. I gritted my teeth until I could face her again, though I didn't face her either. Too much challenge in it, and we were both of us too sensitive to the topic at hand. "Thanks."
"He said, and so did Edgar, that you're a lone wolf and want to stay that way." She took a deep breath as I started to emphasize that, and held up her hand. "Hold on. I just wanted to offer for you to run with our pack on full moon nights. I don't know if you got to do that with your family, before you were taken, but the pack runs every month. You're welcome to join us whenever you want, with no obligations or responsibilities in the pack. I'll give you visitor status so no one can challenge you."
I blinked, frowning down at my hands. "Thank you. I don't think I'll be around long enough to take you up on that offer, but I really do appreciate it."
"Good meeting with the investigator?"
"Good enough for now." I didn't want to jinx it. The towel twisted in my hands. So close.
Ruby nodded, thoughtful, then exhaled in a sudden gust. "Before I forget. There's another wolf pack in the city. Miles Evershaw is the alpha. He's easy on the eyes but he's a total asshole. Try not to go around the city without Edgar or me or the bears, otherwise Evershaw might get ideas. You're cute and there's a dearth of lady wolves around here."
"But aren't you working with those guys against someone else?" I arched an eyebrow and stole a glance at her. She wasn't so tough, maybe. Or maybe she could relax around a lone wolf since it didn't matter what I said or did. Pack was all that mattered.
She made a face, a spike in her ear flashing as she shook her head. "Enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Evershaw loves his power, and he'll do anything, cooperate with anyone, in order to keep it. Since the outsider pack is threatening SilverLine's turf first, Evershaw asked my brother and I to help fend them off, under the assumption that if they beat him, they'd beat us as well. And since Logan is pushing this cooperation bullshit, we agreed to work with Evershaw to settle disputes among the wolves. The outsiders aren't playing, though. It's getting ugly."
"How ugly?"
"No one's died yet, but there have been some close calls." Ruby rubbed her forehead. "They tried to steal a girl. Probably bride-napping, but no one likes the implications."
My heart sank. Stealing kids. Maybe this pack was the one cooperating with Keller. We would know soon enough. I drained the bottle of water. "That's no good at all."
Ruby pushed to her feet and started stretching, bending down, though she kept a wary eye on me. "So where are you going, after this is finished? You said you wouldn't be around long."
"I don't know." I leaned my elbows on my knees and stared at my hands. "Somewhere quiet and peaceful, I think. Maybe the mountains out west."
She made a thoughtful noise, then straightened and retrieved her towel. "You might consider staying here. Edgar likes you. Even if you don't want to shack up with him, they want you to stay. They're a good family."
"Sophia doesn't need the stress of me being here." I got another bottle of water and eyed the treadmill, needing another half hour of work before I felt settled. Or some serious weight-lifting. "It's better if I go."
Ruby only shrugged. "Just talk to Edgar before you go, okay?" She started to go on after I made a face, but her phone rang and she sighed. She held it up as she turned to go. "See you at dinner, Ivy."
I waved her off and turned toward the machines again, but stopped short as Natalia shuffled in, followed by half a dozen women. Giving them a tour of the maze, no doubt. Maybe she could draw me a map. I recognized them from the Auction, and my heart sank as one, long blonde hair done back in a complex braid, stared at me. "Isobel? Are you Isobel?"
I cleared my throat, nodding to Natalia as I headed for the door. "Not anymore."
"But you —"
Her voice faded behind me and I focused on getting back to my room. I didn't have anything to say to her, and hoped she gave me the same courtesy.