Chapter 122
CAMILLA’S P.O.V
I had forgotten the exact reason I came looking for Ryker the moment I saw him with her. I expected some kind of anger, some perceived form of emotion but there was nothing. As I took in the scene, I knew there was something I was missing. Ryker wouldn’t cheat on me, I knew that with every fiber of my being. I wasn’t the insecure child I was all those years ago when I left his pack. We had children and he would never jeopardize that for anything or anyone so I knew there had to be an explanation as to why they were standing like that.
He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand to stop him, it wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with her in the room. I tried to get a read on her but her expression was blank. There was remorse in her eyes but I wasn’t sure if it was genuine or not. It was almost as if the more I tried to figure her out, the harder it was for her.
“Alara, you said you had family in another pack, right?” I asked and she nodded. “I figure now would be a very good time to send a letter to them, don’t you? I presume this entire thing with the vampires will be over soon. We wouldn’t want to keep you away from your family any longer.”
I saw the moment she understood the true meaning behind my words. She bowed her head in shame and nodded. She awkwardly made to walk past me. She stopped directly in front of me and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but at the last minute, she thought better of it and walked out. As soon as she was gone, Ryker started speaking.
“It isn’t what it looks like, I swear. I don’t even know how it happened. I don’t want you to think that anything happened.”
“I know nothing happened.”
“I was coming to you and she was slipping so I-” he paused and turned to me. “Wait, what did you say?”
“I said I know,” I made my way over to him. “I trust you, I’m not worried about what I saw because I know it was nothing. You don’t have to explain every second of your life to me, honestly, it doesn’t matter.”
“Are you sure?” he asked and I nodded. “You aren’t even the least bit jealous?”
“Did I enjoy seeing her hands on you? No, of course, not, but I’m not going to overreact because of it. Besides, it is only a matter of time before she leaves, don’t you think?” I saw the relief hit him like a ton of bricks and he rested his forehead against mine before k*ssing me slowly.
08:11 Wed, 31 Jan
Chapter 122
“Have I mentioned that I love you?”
“Not lately,” I shot back and the corner of his lips tilted up.
“I love you,” he whispered. “So much, and when this is all over, I’ll make sure that I show you exactly how much.”
85%
ก
+5
We were forced to pull apart when we heard footsteps. I saw a maid standing awkwardly by the door and Ryker explained that it was to clean up his office. He held out his hand to me and I wasted no time in taking it. We still had a very busy day ahead because of the school, I still wasn’t sure what we were going to do about it. It wasn’t safe to send the kids back until Alastair was dealt with and that meant keeping Audrey at home. Christine said she would try her best teaching her at home but I knew that would only work for some time.
We spent the rest of the day trying to make sure that everyone was safe from the school. There had been two casualties of guards who were standing outside when the fire was set and were unfortunately caught in it. Ryker and I had to inform the families and it was one of the most devastating things I have ever had to do. I wasn’t sure how you could tell someone their son died like a hero but not expect them to feel that pain. Hero or not, they were people’s family. One of them even had a pregnant mate. My heart broke for them and I wished it was possible to help all of them but I couldn’t. There was nothing we could do except offer financial assistance but even that felt like it wasn’t enough.
I was barely able to fall asleep at night despite being wrapped up in Ryker’s arms. It felt like everything was falling apart and I tried to remind myself that the darkest hour always came before the dawn. I could feel Ryker’s steady breathing in the darkness and instead of getting the usual relaxation it gave me, I was worried because very little kept him awake at night and this managed to do so. I could tell we were thinking the same thing but neither of us wanted to voice it out.
By the time morning came, I was tired of everything and I called for a meeting with the elders. Ryker was shocked when I asked because it had been a while since we sat with them.
“Are you sure about this?” he had asked and I nodded. “What could they possibly do for us right now?”
“I think we are too close to see this properly. I need an outside perspective and unfortunately, they might be able to offer that to us. We need to put an end to this as soon as possible, Ryker and you know it too.”
He didn’t protest again after that.
The elders were waiting for us in the council room with varying degrees of annoyance and curiosity on their faces. Caius gave me a small smile when he caught my eye and I
<3
+5
Chapter 122
responded with a curt nod. Ryker and I took out seats opposite them and the room delved into complete silence. If I strained my ears, I could hear their heartbeats- it was that quiet.
“I need your help,” I said simply and many eyebrows rose. “You have seen everything that has been happening so far. I need a means to get rid of the vampires.”
“How are we supposed to help?” one of them asked. “We don’t know anything about them. You have kept your findings a secret from us. Your father would never have done that.”
I took out my father’s journal and slid it on the table. “How come none of you knew that the late king had met with the very same vampire who is plaguing us now? Were you just that unobservant?”
“He was very secretive.”
“Or
you were just bad at your job,” I shot back and they all fell silent. “Listen, I don’t have the time or the energy to ment ally spar with you today. There are innocent people dying and I need someb*dy to come up with something that can work.”
“We could attack them first,” Caius suggested. “It would be a blo ody war but if we were to do it during the daytime then we would have the advantage. They are considerably weaker in the daytime.”
“Yes, that could work but the problem is that they live in the mountains. They have lived there for centuries. If we walk into there, we are walking into a sla ughter house. It is as dark as night there and they will win.”
They all went silent when I mentioned that, it seemed like they didn’t know. We sat there for what felt like hours but it only seemed like I was getting worse answers than the last. I pinched my forehead with my forefinger and thumb in frustration as I realized that I wasn’t getting the answers I wanted. After a while, I was about to call the meeting to an end when Caius spoke.
“What does he want?” he asked and I turned to him. “You haven’t told us directly but if I know for certain then he wants you, am I right, your majesty?” I nodded. “This might be unorthodox by why don’t you lure him out?”
I felt Ryker tense beside me but this was the best idea that I had gotten all day so I sat up.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think he wants you dead considering the fact that he hasn’t tried to kill you yet,” I kept my lips shut about him biting me. “There has to be something that he wants from you. If you could lure him out into an ambush then it would be easier to kill him.”
As he spoke, a grander idea formed in my head, one where we could use the night lock
+5
ed that look in my face instantly.
you, Caius,’ he said before turning to the rest of the elders. “You can all leave no.” We watched them all file out and the moment the last of them had gone, he turned to me. “I am not allowing you to be used as bait.”
“it is the only thing that will work. Caius was right, I am the one that he wants. He wants to get revenge on my father using me. If we can lure him out after I have eaten the berries and he bites me then he will be incapacitated. We can kill him and everything will be over.”
“I don’t like it.”
“It is the only plan we have, Ryker, please, I just need you to think about it.”
I could tell he was going to refuse again but he was saved from responding when the door to our office opened. I expected to see a guard but not Christine. She stumbled into the room with blood splatter on her clothes and the side of her face and she looked like she was about to pass out. I instantly stood to my feet and rushed to her side.
As soon as I got to her, she slumped into my arms. “What happened?”
“The vampires, they attacked us, we were just going for a walk.”
“Where are the girls, Christine?” she passed out before she could answer me.
