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Chapter 44
I spent the rest of my day in Ryker’s office. He was a welcome distraction but I was able to read up some more on the mating ceremony and start making a vague draft of what I wanted. Ryker worked silently in front of me but I knew that ever so often, his eyes would snap up to find mine and occasionally we would lock eyes and smile.
At one particular moment, we locked eyes and I knew Ryker was about to say something when the door to his office opened. I knew without looking up that it had to be Riley because she is the only person who would just waltz into his office at any given time.
This time however, she looked panicked and she rushed over to my side. and grabbed my hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ryker eyeing his sister with concern and worry and I knew he was one wrong word away from blowing his fuse because she looked spooked.
“He’s here,” she leaned in to whisper in my ear so Ryker wouldn’t hear, “We need to go home, disappear, maybe change our names and start a new life.”
It took everything in me not to burst out laughing at her reaction. What happened between Damien and her shouldn’t elicit such a dramatic reaction but then again, it is Riley and I am beginning to see that she can be a little dramatic.
“Everything will be fine,” I assured her, “Just ignore everything.”
She glared at me as if to say I should know better. She was about to say something again when a figure filled the open doorway, I saw her entire b*dy freeze up and even though I had never met him before, I knew that the person standing there was Damien.
He was around Ryker’s height but he was built like a machine. His hair was a soft brown color that settled in curls over his head and his eyes were the color of melted chocolate. His eyes held mischief but they also held a sort of wisdom that I guess can only come with the kind of position that he holds. He had a bag slung over one shoulder and his eyes roamed the entire room taking everyone in it.
They settled on Ryker first and then Riley, I saw the corner of his l*ps tilt up when he looked at Riley and then he turned to me. There was awareness and a bit of confusion but he tipped his head as a form of greeting and all I could do was nod back because I wasn’t sure how to
respond to that.
“Sorry I’m late,” his voice was like gravel. “Apparently, people don’t understand the meaning of a retreat and prefer to spend the entire time arguing instead of working out an agreement.” He turned to Ryker, “You’re going next time.”
Ryker’s l*ps tilted up and I watched him rise from his seat as he embraced his friend in one of those male hugs. They clapped each other on the back and when they both pulled away, they were grinning from ear to
ear.
Riley still had a death grip on my hand and was trying to tug me out of my chair but I was enjoying the scene and I wanted to see more about Damien.
Ryker stepped back and gestured to me, “This is my mate, Camilla.”
“When you said you had met her, I thought you were joking at first,” Damien tipped his head forward in my direction, “It’s a pleasure to meet you; you too Riley.”
Riley all but squealed when he mentioned her name, “Camilla and I need to do something really quickly.”
Before I could protest or argue or even refuse, she had successfully pulled me out of my chair and out of the room. We brushed past the two men and she didn’t stop until we were out of the building entirely. That was when she stopped and took a deep breath.
“Did you see that?” she asked, “He was mocking me with his eyes?”
“I didn’t see that actually,” it was hard smothering my laughter, “Have you ever considered that maybe you’re reading too much into this?”
“Don’t tell me he has you fooled as well,” she frowned. “He is the absolute worst. I swear it, he is just waiting until you all aren’t around and then he will show his true colors.”
This time, I couldn’t stop the laugh from bubbling out of me. I had to clutch my side because it hurt so badly and although Riley was frowning, I could see the corner of her l*ps lift up from time to time.
I wiped a stray tear from my face as I stood up straight and crossed my arms over my chest and stared down at her. She met my eyes and the more she tried to convince me that Damien was horrible, the more my smile grew as I shook my head at her.
When she was done with her rant, she let out a loud sigh and leaned
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against the wall to catch her breath. I walked over and stood directly next to her and before I could say another word, she had sunk to the ground and sat with her legs crossed in front of her.
I debated it for a second then decided it was just grass and it couldn’t hurt me, so I crossed my legs and sat right next to her. She laid her head on my shoulder and we just sat there staring at the open field and trying to shield our eyes from the sun.
“He’s not a terrible person,” she said finally and I hummed, “I just didn’t want to see him. I wasn’t prepared to see him.”
“I know,” I wrapped my arms around her shoulder because I knew what she needed at that time was comfort, “You would’ve at some point, it’s
good that you got it out of the way.”
“I guess so,” she mumbled unsure.
She wanted to say something else but footsteps made their way over to us and when I looked up, I saw Lauren in all her glory. Riley glanced at me in concern but I squeezed her shoulder to let her know that everything would be fine.
影
Lauren stopped in front of us, “Riley, your brother is looking for you.” I could tell that Riley didn’t want to leave immediately but I slowly disentangled her from my b*dy and gave her a soft smile. She still hesitated but at the end of the day, she stood up and disappeared through the doors.
As she went, I decided that I had no reason to be out as well so I stood to my feet. Just as I was about to side step Lauren, she grabbed my upper arm. I froze and glanced at her arm that was wrapped around my bicep, I tried to tug it out but she only made her grip tighter.
“You might think that you have Ryker wrapped around your fingers,” she began in a soft whisper, “But I’m here to tell you that you are in over your own head. He doesn’t want you and he doesn’t love you.”
“I don’t need you to tell me how my mate feels.”
“I’m just trying to help you but you’re being difficult,” she stepped even closer into my space, “The things he tells me about you would make your skin crawl. I’m being a girl’s girl, I’m saving you from further heartbreak. Stay away from Ryker.”
I didn’t believe her. I have learnt the hard way not to believe just anything that Lauren says unless there is proof. I rolled my eyes and tried to move but Lauren is stronger than I thought because her hand held me
right in place. She didn’t hold me hard enough that I would bruise but it was hard enough that it hurt.
“Stay away from-,” before she could finish her sentence I heard a voice call my name.
I looked up to see Damien standing there. From his vantage point, he couldn’t see that she had my arm in a death grip. It would have looked to him like she was just leaning over and whispering things to me. She let go of my arm but not before shooting me one last warning look and disappearing into the pack house.
Damien walked over to me and I plastered on a neutral expression so he wouldn’t see the panic or annoyance on my face. He glanced over at me slowly as if he was trying to figure out what was happening before he arrived.
“Are you okay?” he asked and I hummed, “Was she bothering you at all?” “Everything is fine,” I said ignoring his question. “She was just telling me how grass stains are a b itch to get out. I was sitting on the grass.”
Damien didn’t believe me, hell, I wouldn’t have believed me but I plastered on the widest smile I could muster and there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t just call me a liar and he also didn’t know me well enough to push for more information so he nodded.
“Ryker sent me to get you,” he said finally, “He sent for you earlier but Riley was the one who came.”
All the more reason why I wouldn’t believe anything Lauren says without proof. I nodded and told Damien I would be there and he reluctantly left me alone in the field.
questions. c.
I took in large calming breaths to make sure that my face was the epitome of calmness and composure and I plastered on a smile before. going to Ryker’s office. I met Riley at the door and I could see all the
her eyes about what had happened outside with Lauren but just like with Damien, I assured her that everything was fine and that nothing had happened.
I could tell she didn’t believe me and I knew she wanted to push, I knew she would have pushed. But thankfully, Damien appeared and her need to avoid him trumped her need for information so she scurried away. Damien turned to me with an inquisitive look as if asking if I knew why she was avoiding him. I responded with a shrug.
than he tumed Janua
“That’s usually her first hiding spot.”
Damien turned back to me with an unreadable expression on her face, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, just don’t hurt her please.”
A dark look crossed his face and I could see that he wanted to explain something, he even opened his mouth to speak but at the last minute he thought against it, closed his mouth and nodded.
Before anyone could say another word, he had disappeared round the corner and I was left staring at his retreating back. As he walked away I knew I was right earlier, there is definitely more to their story than I am
aware of and I so desperately want to find out what it is..
