Chapter 23
I found it hard to fall asleep; something about the day’s experiences prevented me from being able to sleep well. I didn’t want to admit it but I knew it had something to do with Ryker.
Before I knew it, the sun was rising and I knew it would be impossible to fall asleep again. I knew I wouldn’t be training so I lay in bed for longer than I usually would. Before I got here, I had never gotten a day in and now it’s almost all I do.
I stretched in my room by myself and took an early bath. I had just finished getting dressed when someone knocked on my door.
I recognized the knock as Eve’s so I crossed the length of the room and pulled the door open. I half expected to see her with a tray of breakfast but she was standing with her arms crossed and debating whether or not she should actually walk in but from the look on her face I knew she was worried.
“What’s wrong?” I asked and she opened her mouth but closed it immediately, “Tell me, Eve.”
“Lauren just arrived, and she looks pissed.” She explained, “I just wanted to give you a fair warning before you came down.”
“Thank you.”
She still looked pensive but then she turned on her heels and walked down the stairs. I followed closely behind because I knew hiding in my room would only make her bad mood worse and cause her to project it on Eve.
The first thing I noticed when I got down the stairs was the tapping of her shoes against the floor. I think Eve downplayed her annoyance, she looks genuinely pissed. She saw me and her eyes narrowed but she didn’t speak to me.
Instead she turned to Eve, “Where’s my breakfast?”
Eve shot me a look as if to say ‘can you see this?‘ then she disappeared into the kitchen. I took my usual seat on the opposite side of the dining table and pointedly kept my gaze off her. I didn’t want her to have any reason to blow up on me.
Eve returned a few seconds later and Lauren rolled her eyes and sat up straight expecting Eve to take it to her but Eve walked around the table
The Rejected Werewolf Princess
and placed the tray in front of me.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lauren slammed her hand against the table and jumped to her feet, “I asked for breakfast so why the hell are you serving her first?”
“She’s the future Luna,” Eve said simply, “And the Alpha hired me to work for her.”
That was the subtlest jab I had ever heard before and Lauren noticed because her eyes narrowed into slits and she reached for the tray but Eve pulled it back and out of her reach.
I never expected Eve to stand up for me and it made me feel guilty because I knew Lauren would come for her with the force of her anger.
“She’ll get yours next.” I tried to defuse the situation but it was the wrong move because Lauren’s heated eyes turned to me.
While her attention was on me, I gave Eve a subtle nudge and she took it for what it was- an invitation- and she scurried out of the kitchen.
“You should just stay out of it.” She spat and I raised my hands to show I meant no harm.
“I wasn’t doing anything. I understand you’re upset but-,”
“You don’t know anything you little snitch.” I was taken aback by the force of her words, “I’m sure you bruised the area after to gather sympathy from him. You were the one who went looking in places she shouldn’t have so it is your fault.”
“I know you’re upset but you bruised me and I covered for you.”
“I don’t need you to cover for me.”
“Please don’t scream at me. I was trying to do you a favor.”
When the words were out I doubted they came from me. If not for the stunned expression on Lauren’s face I would have never believed that I said those words. I wanted to take them back immediately but I knew apologizing would only make it worse.
Just as she was gearing up to respond, the door opened. I was surprised she didn’t hear the footsteps earlier but I guess she was too clouded by her anger.
Ryker walked- more like limped in. He was wearing black slacks and a simple t–shirt that was left open and I could see his bandages through it. I didn’t expect him to be back till later and neither did Lauren because she
was staring with her mouth wide open.
The Reje
Werewoll Frincess
“You’re back,” she said, “I- welcome back.”
“Thank you.” She rushed over to help him but he stopped her with one. hand, “You can leave now, I’m going to be here so your presence isn’t
needed anymore.”
She flushed pink but she nodded and scurried out of the room. I saw Eve poke her head out from behind a pillar and she gave me a wide smile before disappearing.
“Do you need help?” I asked and he grimaced before nodding.
I quickly made my way over to him and he draped a hand over my shoulder and I assisted him up the stairs. To be honest, he did most of the work, I don’t know why he asked for my help when he clearly didn’t need it but I didn’t want to ask because I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the
answer.
We walked towards his room and I realized that it would be the first time. I was walking in. My steps faltered when we got to the door and he gave me a curious look almost prompting me to speak. I just gave him a weak smile and pushed the door open.
I expected a room of pure black but this room was almost an exact opposite. The room was a little bigger than mine and everything was in shades of cream and gold. The bed in the centre of the room was massive and could probably fit up to four people. To the right sat a large wooden table and chair set that had a lot of scattered papers over it.
There were two doors to the left and next to them was a large cream settee. A fluffy carpet lay in front of the bed and I couldn’t help but stare at the room in awe as I led Ryker to his bed.
As soon as he was seated I turned to leave but there was a knock on the door I opened it to reveal Eve balancing one very large breakfast tray. “I hoped you were hungry Alpha.” She said as she made her way into the room, “I presumed you would both want to have breakfast together.”
I wanted to refuse but Ryker thanked her and she gave me a sly wink before leaving. The sneaky little, minx did it on purpose.
I knew I had no other choices so I made my way towards the bed. Ryker moved over to create space for me to sit next to him. I kept my eyes cast down as I took a bite from a piece of bacon. I could see that he had a lot of things he wanted to say but he was holding himself back to make me comfortable.
“Vou look better” I said once the silence had become too unbearable,
“You seem to be healing well.”
“Thank you; I’ll be back to work in two days.”
“It must be fun being able to heal fast.”
“I guess so,” he said after a beat of silence, “I can’t remember a time I didn’t heal like this so I’ve never actually sat down to think about it.”
“Trust me; it is a lot better than being stuck in pain for a month when other people will heal within days.”
He chuckled softly, “I guess so.
The silence descended once more and I cleared my throat because I knew I was about to ruin the atmosphere with my next statement but I didn’t want an incident like this morning to repeat itself.
“Did you think about what I said yesterday?” I didn’t need to clarify, by his expression I knew that he was aware of what I was referring to, “I just hoped you would have an answer for me.”
“I thought my answer was clear yesterday; you’re not leaving Camilla.”
“What if I want to?”
“Why do you want to?” he asked and my words dried up in my throat, “Is being mated to me that horrible?”
“It is not about you and me.”
“Then what is it about?” he threw his hands up in frustration, “And don’t say Lauren because I know it isn’t about her. I have told you what happened between us and I have told you about the child. I have told you that there is nothing going on between the both of us anymore.”
“She doesn’t think that.”
I didn’t realize what I had said until I heard him ask, “What do you mean?” I stayed silent wondering how I would get out of the pickle I was in, “What do you mean by she doesn’t think that?”
“If she didn’t mean anything to you then she wouldn’t be here.”
“She is here because of you,” he sounded exasperated, “What do I need to do to prove to you that she doesn’t mean anything?”
“I’m just saying that-,”
He was tired of hearing me talk because he gently placed the tray next to him then he cupped the back of my head with a grip that was both soft
and firm and then he k*ssed me
I was so shocked by the action that I froze for a full second but then against my better judgment I k*ssed him back. My hand rested on his bicep and until then I never knew how toned and well muscled he was. I had seen it but seeing and feeling it were two completely different things. His other hand cupped my cheek to angle my head how he wanted and his tongue brushed mine softly, almost tentatively. It felt like fireworks exploded in my mind and a sound filled the otherwise quiet room. It took me a second to realize that the sound came from me and as soon as I did, I pulled back.
“Camilla,” his voice was soft and husky and the way he said my name, it was like a silent plea. What exactly he was asking for, I wasn’t sure.
His l*ps were swollen and I was sure mine were too and we were both breathing heavily although I am sure it was for vastly different reasons. My gaze went from his l*ps to his eyes and then I did what I knew how to do best- I ran.
