Filed to story: The Rejected Werewolf Princess (Camilla & Tyson) by Didi Adeyemi >>
“Ryker,” I began but he cut me off.
“Just because I am hurt doesn’t mean I still won’t force you,” he warned, “I will be out of here by tomorrow morning. And I will be back in the field in two to five days. I heal very quickly Camilla.”
“That’s not it.
He stopped whatever argument he was going to present and calmly looked up at me. I knew he was giving me the time to say what I wanted to say and just like that, all my rehearsing and my entire speech flew out of my head.
I opened my mouth but no words would come out and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t form a sentence. He didn’t rush me, he just sat there in silence and waited for me to regain my bearings and I was grateful for that.
“I am grateful for everything you have done for me,” I began, “You helped me get back on my feet and you have fed and clothed me without asking for anything in return. I want to thank you for that.”
“That is my job Camilla; you don’t have to thank me for that.”
“Okay but I am fully healed now and I was thinking that it would be a good time for me to be on my way.” I snuck a glance at him but his face betrayed no emotions so I took that as a good sign. “I probably upended your life when I came and I just want to say that I am sorry and I hope that when I leave, you are able to get your life back in order.”
I waited for him to respond but instead he stayed silent. He was quiet for three whole minutes- I counted- before he finally cleared his throat.
“Are you going to tell me what this is really about or are you going to make me guess?”
“It isn’t about anything.” I lied, “I just want your life to go back to normal.”
“What is normal?” he asked, “Since you seem to know everything. What is my normal life?”
I trailed off because I didn’t know what to say, “I just don’t want to be a burden to you anymore.”
“I never said you were a burden so try again.” I opened my mouth to speak but words wouldn’t come out and I ended up sighing deeply.
Ryker lifted his hand and ran it through my curls softly and for once, I didn’t flinch. He noticed that too because I saw relief flash through his eyes. His hand trailed down to my chin and he lifted it so I was staring into his eyes.
“Tell me what this is really about,”
There was something so compelling about the soft tone he took on and the way he held me. I didn’t realize when the words left my l*ps.
“I know about the nursery.”
A dark look crossed his face and I saw the raw sadness that grew beneath his irises. I almost felt bad for bringing it up in the first place but I knew that it was necessary for me to leave.
“What do you know about it?” he asked finally.
“I know that you and Lauren were having a child.” I thought of how to explain what I knew without putting Eve in trouble, “I know it was a recent loss because of how Lauren reacted to it.”
“What do you mean how she reacted?” Gone was his sadness, now he was looking at me with narrowed eyes. “Is that way you want to leave?“
“She was just upset when she saw me in the nursery. That’s understandable because it was her kid.”
“What did she do?”
“Nothing.” I answered too quickly and I saw that he didn’t believe me. “Does it even matter? I don’t want to be the one who comes between your healing process.
He opened his mouth to speak but just then, the door opened and Lauren walked in with a very large tray of food. She started to place it on the small metal table next to Ryker’s bed but he stopped her, took it from her hands and put it on his lap.
Lauren looked between us almost as if she wanted to be privy to the conversation we were having.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” Lauren said as she crossed past me and took the only available seat. “This is why I want to be on the field, I could be of use there.”
“You are enough use where you are.”
Hit voice held no tone for discussion and I saw that it annoyed her because of how she clenched her jaw but she nodded and swallowed down whatever retort she was going to give.
An awkward silence fell over the place and I wondered if I should leave them alone. I slowly took a step back hoping that no one would notice my movements until I was out of the room but I didn’t judge how perceptive Ryker was because the moment my foot shuffled a little, Ryker’s head snapped up to mine.
I froze like a deer in headlights and his eyes narrowed towards me. Lauren seemed oblivious to the entire thing or she was just doing a good job at ignoring whatever was going on around her.
“Lauren,” she perked up when she heard her name from Ryker, “I think you’re done for the day.”
Her smile faltered slightly, “I don’t understand.”
“My mate is with me, you can leave now. There is an array of guards here who can take her back home when she is ready.”
Lauren was embarrassed, that much was obvious but she nodded curtly and stood from the chair. As she passed by me, she shot me the meanest glare that she had ever conjured and I found myself shrinking back a little.
I watched her disappear through the doors and Ryker gestured to the open seat for me to take. I was hesitant, but when he threatened to drag me into the seat- injury or not- I forced my legs to move and I sat in front of him.
“Eat,” he gestured to the plate, “This is too much for me to finish.” I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off, “I’m not above force feeding you Camilla.”
I sighed and picked up a piece of toast and bit into it softly. He obviously wasn’t happy with my choice judging by his frown but he didn’t say anything about it.
We ate in silence until all the food was finished. Once we were done, I picked up the tray and he told me to set it on the table next to him for someone to retrieve it in the morning. I was doing that when he grabbed my arm with his
I was so shocked by the action that the tray fell from my hands. Thankfully, it was already close to the table and nothing broke. I turned to him but he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at the transparent sleeves of my night gown. More specifically, at my upper arm where a nasty red bruise was forming, probably from where Lauren grabbed me earlier. His nostrils flared the longer he looked at it and I tried to tug my arm out of his grip but he wouldn’t let me go.
“What happened to you?” he asked and I shrugged. “I’m not going to ask again Camilla.”
“It was nothing,” the lie rolled easily off my tongue, “I was a little clumsy, that’s all.”
“You got clumsy and a hand shaped bruise formed on your arm.” The way he said it made me feel stupid for even saying it in the first place, “I want the truth Camilla.”