The artwork above is not mine.

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Ruhn was once again lounging on his bed, smoking a joint of mirthroot. A half empty bottle of whiskey sat on his nightstand and "Tooth and Nail" was thumping through his headphones. He'd given Sarai's suggestion a try a few days ago and added it to his playlist within the first few seconds of the song.

Usually when he followed this routine, he was trying to relax. Today, he was trying to keep himself from remembering Demelza. Their search of the Witch's office had yielded nothing, and Ruhn couldn't help but feel like her fate had partially been his fault. After all, he was the one who gave her the sample, and he couldn't think of another reason why she would've been killed.

Ruhn grabbed the whiskey and took another draught, then turned his music up louder. He'd texted Sarai shortly after leaving Demelza's office last night, but she never answered. When he checked his phone this morning, there was still no word from her.

He'd sent a selfie and said, Flynn pulled out the waterworks when I told him you said he didn't have a chance. It wasn't true, of course. He was just hoping for some sort of snarky remark from her to show Flynn later. But now, four hours after sending that message, Sarai still hadn't responded.

Maybe she decided to sleep in this morning, Ruhn thought. He let smoke roll out of his mouth and closed his eyes. I like sleeping in after a rough night of dealing with Aux idiots too.

The song switched and Ruhn began bobbing his head to the beat. He propped up one leg and clasped his hands atop his stomach, breathing a contented sigh. He felt surprisingly good right now. Maybe he'd be able to return to Demelza's office later and do another sweep.

Ruhn groaned as footsteps pounded on the stairs. Flynn crashed into his room, panting for breath. "Have you heard from Sarai today?" He asked.

"No."

"Get up."

"Why?" Ruhn shifted his face towards Flynn.

"She's on TV."

He sat up, furrowing his brows. "What?"

Flynn grabbed his arm and Ruhn bit back a hiss of pain. He stumbled out of bed and managed to drop his headphones before Flynn pulled him out of the room. They practically slid down the stairs and reached the living room. Declan was leaning against the couch, his jaw clenched and amber eyes simmering with anger.

"Fucking sadists," he spat, turning away from the television screen.

"Who? What are you talking about?" Ruhn demanded.

Flynn turned him towards the TV and Ruhn stiffened. The news broadcast showed a central square in Moonwood, located in the Wolves Den specifically. Sarai was standing on a raised dais with three people behind her. Ruhn recognized Sabine Fendyr and Rafe Fenix. He guessed the third male was the Lucas who Sarai had mentioned.

Anger hardened in his gut as he watched different emotions flicker across Sarai's face. Her cheeks were red and her eyes shone abnormally bright. The news broadcast had censored her bare chest, but that hardly reduced the indignity of the situation. She was surrounded by a crowd after all. A crowd who was there in person, not watching through a screen.

A hollow smirk appeared on Sarai's lips as she called, "What do you think of my tits, Crescent City?" Lucas let the whip fly and Sarai's body jerked at the contact.

Ruhn crossed his arms, digging his nails into his biceps. He didn't even flinch when pain spasmed through his burnt flesh. He watched the whip strike again and again, counting every blow. "Did they say why?" He growled.

"Attacking a member of her own pack," Flynn replied. "She broke his nose."

"It should only be twenty blows. That's the standard number when it comes to whippings," Declan added.

A muscle in Ruhn's jaw twitched. He was still counting. Finally, Lucas lowered his arm and backed away. Sarai was still standing, not even bracing her hands on the metal pole in front of her. "Forty," Ruhn snarled. "He doubled it."

"They won't let her see a medwitch." Even Flynn's voice had taken on a sharp edge.

Sarai was wavering now. Blood stained her copper skin and pooled at her feet. A muffled voice rang out and a familiar Wolf shoved his way to the front of the crowd. Connor Holstrom caught Sarai just as she toppled off the dais. Nathalie joined him, slinging her jacket over Sarai. Sabine took a step towards them.

Danika Fendyr hurtled onto the dais, teeth bared and screaming, "You fucking bitch!" over and over, right in her mother's face. She didn't move, even as Connor and Nathalie carried Sarai away.

"When was this?" Ruhn demanded.

"Yesterday. We didn't see the broadcast until this morning," Declan replied.

"No wonder she hasn't fucking answered me," Ruhn hissed. He spun on his heel and stormed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Flynn called. "They won't let you into the Wolves Den."

"Who says she's in the Den?" Ruhn left the house, not waiting for a response.

No, the Wolves Den was the last place Sarai's friends would keep her. If he had to guess, she was somewhere even Sabine Fendyr would think twice before going. She was probably at Bryce and Danika's apartment, and getting in there would be even harder than getting into the Wolves Den, but he'd be damned if he didn't try.

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Sarai sat in the bathtub, her knees drawn up to her chest. Bitter tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Nathalie, Danika, and Bryce had spent hours cleaning up her wounds as best as they could, but Sarai knew that even with her accelerated healing, it would be days before they were fully closed.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the stinging pain that raced down her spine. Lucas had done his task well. He'd even gone overboard, and no one had stopped him. Forty lashes, and she was only supposed to receive twenty. Not even Rafe had stopped Lucas, though she doubted he could've. Not with Sabine standing right there.

Sarai's gaze slid to the toilet as her phone began buzzing atop it. Chosen One was calling for the seventh time in the past twenty minutes. Sarai ignored the call. She wasn't capable of helping him with anything today, and if he wanted to talk about what had happened... Well, she wasn't capable of that either.

She finally stood and drained the tub, then dried herself as best as she could. Sarai pulled on a pair of loose pants and stumbled out of the bathroom. She entered Danika's room and flopped onto the bed face first. Danika had kindly lent Sarai use of her room until she was ready to return to the Wolves Den, and was sharing with Bryce in the meantime. She hadn't had the strength to argue.

Sarai flinched as a cool breeze from the overhead fan brushed across her tender back. It might be another day or two before she was able to put a shirt on again. She swiped a hand across her eyes, swallowing the growing lump in her throat. A hand knocked on the doorframe.

"Do you need anything before I go?" Bryce asked. "Jesiba needed me for something urgent, otherwise I'd have the whole day off."

"No," Sarai murmured. "I'll be fine. I'll probably just sleep. Oh, tell Lehabah that she's going to be really disappointed by Jacen in the newest episode of Fangs and Bangs."

"She'll hate you for spoiling it," Bryce chuckled.

"I'm not spoiling it. I'm offering a warning."

"Duly noted. I'll see you later." Bryce's heels clicked away. A fist banged on the door and Sarai lifted her head. She heard Bryce sigh before the door squeaked open. "Burning Solas, what the fuck do you want?" 

"Is Sarai here?"

Sarai lifted her brows, recognizing Ruhn's voice. Why is he here? She wondered. Does he need my help that badly?

"She's not seeing anyone right now," Bryce answered. "And I'm going to be late for work, so move."

"You have Sundays off."

"Not this one. Move, Asshole."

"I just want to talk to her for a minute."

"I said she isn't seeing anyone, least of all you. Now..."

"It's all right, Bryce," Sarai interrupted. "Let him in."

The silent minutes dragged by. Finally, the door opened further. "You leave the minute she tells you to, or I'll have Danika and Connor hunt you down," Bryce spat. The door closed again.

Sarai lowered her head as footsteps approached. Ruhn's scent, sandalwood, leather, and whiskey, reached her before he did. "Are you all right?" He asked. She knew he was examining her back.

"Do you want me to lie and say yes or can you guess the answer yourself?" Sarai replied.

"Was he supposed to give you forty?"

"No." He had counted. He had to have counted. As far as she knew, the exact number of lashes she'd been given hadn't been said on the broadcasts.

"This was because you broke his nose?"

"Yes, but at least I got to pick my punishment. It was either my back or my nose, and I'd rather have a pretty nose than a pretty back."

"You're pretty all around, Rai Rai."

"I hate that nickname," she said, managing a small laugh.

All was silent for a moment. "I know we're still just partners," Ruhn began, his voice unusually quiet, "but if you ever need a place to go, to get away from all of the shit in Moonwood, to avoid your packmates, to skip Bonding night, to piss off Rafe and Sabine, whatever..." He hesitated, and Sarai craned her neck so that she could see him.

Ruhn was staring at his boots, one hand on the back of his neck while he toyed with his lip ring. A raven braid dangled over his shoulder. He was once again wearing long sleeves. "Yes?" Sarai urged.

"There's a spare bedroom you can use, provided you aren't repulsed by my shithole of a house," Ruhn finished, his voice barely audible now. His blue eyes flickered to hers.

"You shouldn't be nice to me, your Highness. I might begin to think your whole bad boy asshole persona is just an act."

"You're the asshole. I was nice to you until you kicked my ass and humiliated me."

Sarai's smile faded. "I guess we can call this retribution then." She looked away, closing her eyes. "Now I know how you felt."

"No," Ruhn murmured. "You didn't deserve this." Sarai swallowed hard, not answering. "I'll let you know if something comes up in our investigation. I can handle things until you've had time to heal."

"Thanks," she whispered.

Ruhn's footsteps retreated and the front door squealed open. "Oh," he called. "You asked what the city thought of your tits." Sarai opened her eyes, a flush heating her cheeks. "I've always thought they were very nice."

"You're a pervert," she replied. "But thanks again."

Ruhn laughed and the door banged shut. Sarai smiled to herself and rested her head on an elbow, letting her eyes close once more. It wasn't long before sleep carried her away.