Ruby: A Retelling of Red-Ridinghood (Thistle Grove Tales Book Book 3) Read online

  Ruby

  By Summer Donnelly

  Thistle Grove Series

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Legal Stuff

  Chapter 1 – Missing Boys

  Chapter 2 – A Warning

  Chapter 3 – A Wolf for Tea

  Chapter 4 – Snow Changes Everything

  Chapter 5 – A Cry for Help

  Chapter 6 – A Battle

  Chapter 7 – A Prophecy

  Chapter 8 – A Healing

  Chapter 9 – A Meeting

  Epilogue – Ceremony

  Author - Summer Donnelly

  Keep Connected

  Legal Stuff

  Copyright © Summer Donnelly, All Rights Reserved.

  Reproduction of any kind is strictly prohibited unless written permission granted by the author.

  Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Published by All Chaos Press

  Chapter 1 – Missing Boys

  Ruby

  There was a bounce in Ruby’s step as she left her grandmother’s cabin. The early morning sun was just peeking out behind the distant mountains that surrounded most of Thistle Grove. It was early in the season, but spring was definitely in the air. The nip in the air turned her cheeks pink, and she was sure by the time she reached her first stop, the tips of her ears would be as red as her hair.

  Her nose twitched slightly as she caught another scent. Something warm and sensual danced around her senses, but she shook it off. Whatever that was, she wasn’t ready for it.

  Her small concierge business was taking off, and her client list was expanding. Today, she had a quick stop at Cinder’s shop If the Shoe Fits and then a second appointment with Hamm Brothers Construction. Ruby adjusted her red wool cloak around her shoulders and picked up her pace.

  The small bell over the Red and Snow’s shop jangled charmingly as she entered their store front. The Cake Fairy was one of her favorite places in Thistle Grove. If pressed, Ruby would say the company was better than the food, but it was a near tie in her mind.

  The thought made Ruby slightly uncomfortable. Grandmother Tillie had raised her since she was a little girl, but Grandmother’s house never conjured up the feeling of home.

  Her grandmother had done so much for her, taking her in when her parents abandoned her after the War. Sometimes Ruby still had flashes of memory of that time before the war, but as soon as she concentrated on them, they disappeared like dust motes in a darkened room. She was left with only a vague feeling of disconnect.

  “Hey, Rubes. I was just thinking about you,” Snow-White greeted her from behind the counter.

  Ruby smiled in delight that the sight of her old friend. While on their journey to rescue Red, Snow’s sister, they had formed a tight, familial bond. So much so that when Red married Baron Griffin and Snow, his brother Tristan, Ruby had been their maid of honor.

  Of course, thinking about her adventures with Snow brought up memories of Sheriff Avery Wolfe. Ruby sighed. He was another one who brought up uncomfortable feelings within Ruby.

  The War of the Wicked Witches had left the Fables exiled from their homes in the Woodlands. The war had been long and drawn out, leaving many families shattered by their accumulated losses. It wasn’t until Peter, Red and Snow’s father, had figured out how to defeat Paulina that the Peace Accords were finally agreed upon.

  Paulina, the Malevolent, had removed the residents of the Woodlands out of her territory. The Fables had worked hard to establish the village of Thistle Grove. The hamlet, nestled into the mountains and was surrounded by the forest, had grown into a vibrant town with a picturesque Main Street dotted with small shops and restaurants. Humans and Fables lived side by side and but the Fables always took care to avoid going too deeply into the Woods for fear of invoking the wrath of Paulina and her coven.

  By the rules of the Peace Accords, Paulina had granted the Fables enough magic to blend in with mundane, human surroundings. Human-looking Fables remained human, but anyone originally an animal were shifters. And while the Sheriff seemed to be very good at keeping the peace, he was also a wolf shifter, something Grandmother Tillie had warned her about time and time again.

  Grandmother referred to Wolfe and his type as bzou, a charming half-man, half-wolf who beguiled women to their death. Ruby considered how Wolfe had helped train Snow and her before going into the Woodlands to rescue Red. He hadn’t been overly charming. In fact, he’d been a real stickler for rules and training.

  What Tillie said about Wolfe didn’t match Ruby’s own experiences with the man, and she didn’t know what to make about that. Luckily, at least for today, she didn’t have to.

  “I’m here to get the lunch order for the Hamm Brothers,” Ruby said, sitting down for a moment to enjoy herself.

  “Hey, Red, Ruby is here for that order,” Snow called to the kitchen.

  “Coming,” came the tired sounding voice of her sister.

  Snow carried over three cups and a pot of coffee for them to share. “Why is Red in the kitchen?” Ruby asked, accepting her coffee with relish. Despite the early spring morning, there was a cold front moving in. Ruby didn’t know how she knew that but felt it in her bones.

  Snow smiled. It was well-known around Thistle Grove that Snow was the baker while Red handled customer service. “It’s the Baron’s birthday, and she wanted to bake him a cake. By herself.”

  Ruby smiled. “That’s lovely.” She felt a momentary pang of regret that she was alone in the world while both Red and Snow had met their mates.

  Red staggered out of the kitchen, her normally glorious red hair covered in a fine film of white. Flour, Ruby presumed. “Whose idea was it to bake a cake?” Red demanded, her hands laden down with the Hamm brothers’ lunch bag. She settled into the third chair and groaned with pleasure.

  “It can’t be that bad,” Ruby teased while Snow went for a plate of cookies.

  “Snow makes it look decidedly easy,” Red said. The coffee revived her usual sense of humor, and she willingly dived into the tray of treats Snow put on the table.

  “The Baron will love the gesture,” Snow said.

  “He’d better,” Red grumbled. “I might even have to reward myself with a new pair of shoes from The Perfect Fit.”

  “I love Cinder’s little shop,” Ruby gushed. She pulled back the tablecloth and exposed one leg. “These boots are beyond cute and very comfortable.”

  “Any news around town?” Snow asked. “You always seem to know everything.”

  “What are the Hamm brothers building?” Red asked, leaning forward to catch every single word.

  “I think it’s a single-family home for some dad with two little boys. I heard he was looking for a nanny. If Goldie comes in, I can put them in contact. She’s been looking for work, and she loves kids. It would be a perfect fit.”

  “Ooh,” Red said in a sing-song voice. “Are you playing matchmaker? Maybe you’ll want that dad for yourself?”

  “Don’t be silly,” Snow scolded. “The sheriff and Ruby are meant to be.”

  Ruby resisted the urge to correct both of her friends. She was only looking out for Goldie, who seemed to be floundering after losing her job as Dr. Grimm’s nurse. And her and Wolfe? No, that couldn’t happen. Grandmother Tillie would never allow it.

  But you’re an adult now, Ruby, her inner voice teased. Ruby shut it down immediat
ely. Yes, Wolfe was a sexy, delicious-looking man with broad shoulders and a sharp chin, but he was not, not, not the man for her. Nope. Not going to happen. Ever.

  “The Hamm brothers are pretty cute,” Red mused, her green eyes looking at Ruby as if waiting for a reaction.

  “And also, my clients,” Ruby announced as she finished her coffee and took a cookie for the road. She put the lunch into her basket and re-fastened her cloak.

  “Any other jobs today?” Snow asked as she collected their cups onto a tray.

  “After my delivery to the Hamm brothers, I need to check on Grandmother. She was feeling rather poorly earlier today. And then I need to get some things for Sheriff Wolfe.” Ruby held up a list of items in Wolfe’s neat, precise script.

  “Well, just be careful. The Baron says he smelled a change in the weather.”

  “Oh, that means he and Tristan are going to want to shift and play in the snow,” Snow said lightly.

  Ruby only nodded to her friend as she went on her way. But inside, she was thinking how silly the warning on such a beautiful spring day!

  Wolfe

  Sheriff Avery Wolfe was a man on a mission. Tarron Bernard had been beside himself when he stopped by the sheriff’s station earlier that day. His inner bear was near to the surface. The man’s teeth had grown, and his muzzle had extended long enough to make his words rough and incomprehensible.

  Wolfe wasn’t afraid of many things, but not even he wanted to tussle with a pissed off bear shifter looking for his missing cubs. His two sons, Barret and Oberon, hadn’t come home the night before. Typically, the twin boys, both also bear-shifters, could take care of themselves. Tarron hadn’t been overly worried. But when they had missed both dinner last night and breakfast this morning, their father had turned frantic.

  Last night’s rain had washed away most traces of the boys’ scent. Both Tarron and Wolfe had looked for hours but had come up empty. Remembering how the Witch Nora, Paulina’s sister, had stolen children in the hopes of re-kindling the war, Wolfe was worried there were other forces at play.

  He approached upwind, giving the three Boar shifter brothers plenty of time to home in on his scent. Their animal counterparts were pretty well-known to not be allies, but here in the Mundane world, they had to keep up appearances. Besides, he was the duly-elected sheriff of Thistle Grove. Base instincts aside, he had a job to do.

  “Keiler,” he said, nodding to the youngest of the Hamm brothers.

  “What are you doing here, Sheriff?” Keiler asked, spitting the words out with derision.

  Wolfe gave him a little more personal space. Keiler was a bit of a hothead and not someone Wolfe wanted to tangle with.

  “There are two missing boys in town. Tarron Bernard came into my office today, frantic. I was just stopping by to see if you or your crew had seen them.”

  “Because you think we eat little kids?” Keiler asked, dropping the hammer he was holding and advancing upon the sheriff.

  “Back off, Keiler,” Wolfe said, straightening his shoulders. He would give as good as he got. That was just how he was built, but he wasn’t here for a fight.

  “What’s going on here?” came the booming voice of Braden Hamm. He was the oldest of the three brothers and, usually, the most level-headed. Wolfe breathed a slight sigh of relief.

  Braden’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here, Sheriff?” He took a more aggressive stance, telling Wolfe in no uncertain terms he wasn’t welcome at the construction site.

  “He’s accusing us of eating little kids,” Keiler said.

  Wolfe mentally rolled his eyes. Maybe his sigh of relief had been premature. “I did not say that. I asked if you’d seen the Bernard boys.” Wolfe nodded to the skeleton of a house behind both men. “That’s their house you’re working on, right?”

  Braden slowly nodded, his eyes still profoundly suspicious.

  “And is there anything boys like more than to explore construction sites? Especially when it’s their house being built?” Wolfe asked, perhaps a little too smug at the calm, even tone he took.

  Braden pursed his lips and considered the sheriff’s words. “We haven’t seen any sign of kids lately.”

  “We had a bit of weather last night,” Wolfe pointed out. “Their scent may have been washed away. Would it be okay if we walked around a bit, see if we can locate them?”

  When Braden seemed to waver, Wolfe pushed a little harder. “Their dad is distraught. I’m sure you understand that.”

  Wolfe wasn’t lying, but he was here for more than one reason. This seemed like the right place to start his investigation into the missing boys, but he had also heard a rumor about a small cottage being built for Ruby’s grandmother. Curiosity burned within him to know what the old woman was up to.

  “Just because you’re friends with the baron doesn’t mean you can come by and give us a hard time any time you want,” Keiler said, narrowing his brown eyes in Wolfe’s direction.

  Wolfe refrained from pointing out that he and the Baron were hardly best friends. They worked together for the safety of Thistle Grove, but he was hardly in the man’s confidence. However, it never hurt to let the citizens think he had more influence than he really did.

  “I’m also the sheriff. That means I’m in charge of Thistle Grove. We need to make sure the Mundies doesn’t realize we’re different. Two little bear shifters could definitely alert people that we’re different. Also, they may be lost or hurt, and it’s my job to find them. Now, will you help me?”

  It was a male-posturing standoff for a few minutes. Wolfe had asked, rather politely, if he had to say so himself, but all three men knew it was only a formality. Wolfe was going to look around the site for those boys whether the Hamm brothers liked it or not.

  Finally, Braden nodded. “Let’s take a walk around, see if we see or scent anything.”

  They were just finishing up a tour of the perimeter when another scent assaulted Wolfe’s senses. Ruby.

  He felt a stirring within his body at the thought of seeing her. She was a woman with fire and grace, who had fought beside him when they’d gone on their rescue mission last year after the Baron. Ruby had earned a place in his heart, but her grandmother’s prejudices against the shifter Fables put him in a difficult spot.

  Wolfe didn’t want to be insulted by Ruby’s adherence to Mathilda’s low opinion of him. After all, the old crone was the only mother Ruby could remember. He would be lying, however, if it didn’t rankle in the wake of him teaching her how to fight and the long journey they had shared with Snow and Tristan.

  “I’m just worried about Grandmother Tillie’s she-shed,” Ruby said as she was talking to Irwin, the middle Hamm brother. “I saw the blueprints. It looks quite excessive.”

  “I think you’ll be pleased. We have the oven on special order and should be installed later this week.”

  Wolfe should be ashamed of himself for listening in, but wasn’t. Listening to conversations you weren’t supposed to hear was how he solved most of the crime in Thistle Grove. What in the world did Mathilda need with an oven that had to be special ordered?

  And what the hell was a she-shed?

  “So, as you can see, no small boys in the area,” Braden said as they walked over to where Ruby was talking with Irwin. Wolfe wanted to snort. Of course, her beauty would attract all three Hamm brothers.

  “Good afternoon, gentleman,” Ruby said, eyes widening in response to seeing Wolfe there, too. She nodded. “Sheriff Wolfe. I wasn’t expecting you here.” Her cheeks pinkened when she said his name and inwardly, Wolfe felt himself grin.

  “I’ve been looking for the Bernard brothers, Oberon and Barret. I thought maybe they might have been exploring the construction zone,” Wolfe explained.

  Ruby’s eyes softened a little at the corners. He had her, Wolfe was sure of it. Her body swayed toward his instinctively. Every cell in Wolfe’s body wanted to spirit her away from every male in the vicinity until their mating ritual was complete.

 
Wolves mated for life. He just needed time to court Ruby and convince her he wasn’t whatever bad thing Mathilda had said he was.

  “Yeah,” Keiler blurted out as he grabbed his lunch from Ruby’s basket. He jerked a thumb in Wolfe’s direction. “The good sheriff over here thinks we roast and eat small children.” His brown eyes narrowed into slits. “Everyone knows wolves are one of the biggest predators around, don’t we?”

  And just like that, whatever softness Ruby felt for him shuttered down around her. Her face grew still, and the animated lines around her soft, generous mouth tightened.

  “Thanks for your time, Braden. And please, if you hear or scent anything, let me know. As I’m sure you can imagine, Tarron is beside himself and ready to tear the countryside up looking for his sons.”

  With a see-you-later nod at Ruby, Wolfe headed away from the area. Not too far, of course. There was going to be a conversation in his absence, one he definitely needed to overhear.

  Chapter 2 – A Warning

  Ruby

  Ruby bit her lip as she watched Wolfe walk away from them. She wanted to rush after the man, fine rearview and all, but she shook the urge off. Ruby had a job to do. Besides, she would be seeing him later that afternoon.

  “I can’t believe that guy, acting like that around us. And you!” Keiler turned to his oldest brother. “Showing him around like you’re the best of buds. Disgusting.”

  “He was looking for two missing children,” Braden said with quiet intent. He was the oldest brother, and it showed.

  “He was only doing his job,” Ruby said, unable to resist defending him. It was hard enough listening to Grandmother criticize the man without saying anything, but this time was different.

  The wind blew, and a cold front made Ruby shiver. She thought she caught the briefest whisper of something savory and welcoming, but the wind caught up with her and took it away.

  “Ruby is right,” Braden said. “And kids are attracted to construction sites. We’ve seen them all around your grandmother’s cottage.”