[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride":3,"chapter-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-724":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Alpha's Unwanted Bride",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1497111,1945,"Chapter 724: RUBY","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-724",724,"\u003Cp>YEARS LATER\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"IF you’re going to stand there insulting my mother’s herbs, at least buy something first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man grew red in rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him the market erupted in laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat comfortably at the top of Mrs Rowena’s fruit stall with one leg dangling over the edge while a small brown bird picked up seeds from palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The early morning sun felt warm against my skin whilst the marketplace smelled of fresh bread, roasted fish and meat, herbs, fruits and sea salt drifting from the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After coming here for years since I was a child, it was still the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small angry man pointed his fat finger at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your mother’s mixtures nearly burned my.... Errr.... \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went red in shame and I had an inkling what he was about to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cats got your tongue sir?\" I rose a mocking brow. And then I cleared my throat. \"Well I do remember my mother telling you to abstain from any sort of em.... Dalliances,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes dropped down to the front of his trousers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Down there.\" I finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they all burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You insolent girl.\" He said his face now gone a fresh pink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Words don’t have an effect on me.\" I shrugged. \"You should know that by now. Now run along. I’m sure you don’t want me exposing what your real problem is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shut his mouth immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You won’t get away with this!\" He cursed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ruby!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mother’s horrified voice cut through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked over innocently as she pushed through the market stalls carrying bundles of herbs against her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her dark braid had already loosened from the heat and exhaustion of the morning while disappointment was written all over her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you on someone’s stall again.\" She demanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perspective.\" I answered quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gave me dirty stare that told me if I didn’t come down, I probably wouldn’t have any legs to climb again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hastily came off the stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She has been terrorizing poor Damon for the past ten minutes.\" Mrs Rowena snitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He insulted your healing tonics,\" I informed my mother as I jumped down from the stall gracefully. \"I was defending your honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You called him fungus-faced.\" Mrs Rowena aka Mrs Nobody asked chipped in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well...\" I dusted off my skirt. \"His face does resemble fungus slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bird flew from my palm onto my mother’s basket instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mother pinched the bridge of her nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One day,\" she muttered, \"the goddess will finally punish me for raising you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grinned and hooked my arm through hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You love me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I truly wonder why.\" She replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I giggled as I dragged her to our stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I had the opportunity I turned back and stuck a tongue at Mrs Rowena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned back and laughed loudly, leaning my head against my mother’s shoulder while she tried very hard not to smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People stared at us as we walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They always did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some smiled warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had long grown used to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The women often said I was too wild and unladylike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men usually stared too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much longer than at any other girl in the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the older wolves constantly warned my mother that I climbed too many trees, spoke too loudly, laughed too freely, and behaved nothing like a proper young woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Personally, I thought proper young women sounded exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ruby,\" Mother said suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please try behaving yourself today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That depends mother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed heavily already knowing she would regret asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether people annoy me.\" I replied mischievously as we went on our way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>❧\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed mother out of the market stalls, her basket now in my arms as we walked arm in arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had come to the market to buy ingredients for herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mother was the best healer in the entire pack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet because we were poor, some people used that as a means to mock us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hated it so much and I would never stand and watch anyone saying things about her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when I knew she did it for the good of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should ignore such people.\" Mother said gently nudging at my arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not going to let anyone get away with saying awful things about you. Never.\" I replied adamantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mother sighed weakly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could say a word, a tall towering figure appeared before us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew instantly who it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aston?\" My mother announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I squeezed my face instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Penelope.\" He said to mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s Lady Penelope.\" I snapped at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aston was the son of the Pack’s Lycan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came from a wealthy family and for years he had done nothing but chase me consistently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the worst of the worst; A bully, selfish, controlling, proud and believed the world evolved around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t hesitate to remind him it didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahhhh fair beautiful Aria.\" He winked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled mother to the side as we walked away, avoiding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aston wasn’t one to easily let go of things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why do you keep on being disrespectful to me?\" He asked me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why do you keep on showing you have zero self respect.\" I snapped back and the people around went hush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ruby-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mother began to pacify me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No mum.\" I said gently setting her hand away from my shoulder and stepping up to Gaston. \"I have had it with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No means no. I don’t care what you have. Who you are. I don’t want anything to do with you. You will never be my mate. I’ll rather crawl in dirt than be involved with the likes of you.\" I hissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked as though he wanted to rip me into pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I saw the way he looked at my mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As though she terrified him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m letting you go just because of your mother.\" He promised and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fidgeted with my emerald necklace as the crowd dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>",1004,"2026-06-06T04:22:27.141Z",1,"novelbin.me","89748436891e3f6d572d404b9e49e6fc6fceaa7c6fc9df2b3c284376e28b5122","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-664","the-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-chapter-723",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-alpha-s-unwanted-bride-cover.jpg"]