Filed to story: The Rejected Werewolf Princess (Camilla & Tyson) by Didi Adeyemi >>
While we were talking I heard footsteps, we paused to see who would arrive and I was shocked to see Lauren. She was wearing a faded shirt with leggings and was carrying a bucket with a mop in one hand and some dirty dishes in the other. She didn’t see us immediately but I saw Riley’s eyes widen.
Riley let out an involuntary gasp and that was when Lauren finally noticed us. She stared at us with a blank exp**ssion but her eyes turned to mine and they held barely contained venom, almost as if she blamed me for her predicament. She walked over to us and picked up the empty plate bet**en us. I half expected her to tip the muddy water over me but she didn’t do that, she just turned around and walked away.
“I thought she was general,” Riley said as soon as she left.
“I knew Ryker fired her but I didn’t know she was working here now.”
“I thought you said nothing much happened,” she leaned back into the couch, “You have to tell me everything.”
We didn’t see Lauren again during our entire stay at the pack hose. I braced myself for the possibility that I might run into her but thankfully, I didn’t. Riley had noticed how jumpy I was but she didn’t ask about it or force me to explain, she would just occasionally ask if I was okay and I realized that was something that Ryker would have done.
By the end of the day, I had been given years worth of knowledge in one day and I felt a little bit more confident in the planning of our mating ceremony. I was still scared by the idea but I felt a lot better and at ease at the idea.
Riley came back with us in the carriage; she pointedly ignored Ryker and I, not that I blamed her considering Ryker was r*bbing circles on my palm and whispering in my ear. I couldn’t help but wonder how uncomfortable it was for her and I told Ryker using our mind link. He just laughed and assured me that she is fine.
When we got home, Riley got out first. She was about to pull me to her when Ryker held on to my waist.
“Why don’t we go for a run?” he offered to me then he turned to Riley, “Eve is inside; you should rest after your trip.”
Riley nodded and grabbed her small bag but when Ryker wasn’t looking, she sent me a discreet wink. My cheeks heated but I barely had time to respond or react to her because Ryker was already pulling me towards the forest.
We walked for a while in silence. His hands held mine tightly and we walked until we got to our spot in the forest. I have started to think of that lake as our spot since almost every good thing that happens around us happens at that spot.
I was shocked however to see that the entire place had been transformed. There was a picnic blanket laying there with a closed basket and a bottle of wine. I turned to look at Ryker with wide eyes but I noticed his cheeks were stained with a little pink.
He gestured for me to go ahead of him and I went with wide eyes as I took in the entire scene. I sat cross legged and he sat right next to me, never once letting go of my hand as he pulled open the picnic basket.
In it were different pastries like scones and pies and the aroma was so overwhelmingly good. My stomach grumbled loud and I flushed pink because I didn’t think I would be this hungry especially after the sandwiches I ate with Riley.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” Ryker said as he handed me a scone, “Your b*dy is trying to regulate the amount you need because of your wolf. For the next week or two you probably will be eating a lot more than you ever have.”
“It just feels weird,” I said finally, “I’ve never been one to eat much so it just feels different.”
“I know, but you’ll get used to it. I promise you.”
We sat in silence while we ate the snacks that Ryker had prepared. Occasionally, he would ask me a question and we would spend a few minutes talking but then ultimately we would drift back into our comfortable silence.
I liked that something about the silence was just comfortable and not strained. There was no rush to fill it in with words or ramblings. I was comfortable just sitting there with him and no one else without feeling the need or the p**ssure to do anything more than what I needed to.
I don’t know how it happened, but somehow I ended up with my head lying across his lap while he ran his fi**gers through my curls softly. In an almost patronizingly soft manner as if he was trying to calm me down or get me to sleep.
“Camilla,” he began and I hummed, “What do you think about moving into my room.”
The question caught me off guard, “I already sleep there.”
“Yes, but your things are in your room.” He continued, “It feels like you’re preparing for a storm that might never come and keeping that place as a backup option.”
“I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. I was unknowingly keeping that place as a second option should things go out of control. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for love. You can still have your room and should you ever need your space then it is yours. Nothing is ever going to change that. I just want to do this with you, completely.”
I felt tears pri ck the back of my eyes and I furiously tried to blink them away, “I don’t know how to do this.” I admitted.
His hands stopped moving and I felt his eyes on me compelling me to look up at him. I didn’t want to but I knew I had just opened a can of worms so I did. I let my eyes move to his.
“What are you scared of baby?” he asked and when I didn’t respond he sighed and leaned over to p**ss a k*ss to my forehead, “Tell me.”
“I get scared that you’ll one day realize that I’m not what you want and you’ll leave. I’m worried that this is all for show and I’m just worried that I’m going to get hurt.”
He sighed and pulled me off his lap. I expected that he would get upset and tell me I was being unreasonable but instead, he turned me around so I was sitting directly and facing him. He ran his hands down my face. until they settled and cupped my cheeks.
“I know it’s st upid. I know but I just-,”
“Camilla,” he breathed and I went silent, “it isn’t st upid to feel that way after everything. It isn’t st upid to want extra validation. It isn’t s tupid to say that you’re worried. I don’t know how to make those feelings go away but I will do everything in my power to make sure you never feel that way again.”
“I know you’ve done everything and that’s why I’m saying it’s st upid because you’ve literally been nothing but nice and I should be able to deal with all of this.”