Chapter 85
RYKER’S PO.V
Camilla was getting on my last nerves.
Initially, she was angry with me and I understood that but I thought her anger would die down after twenty–four hours. I was right about that but I didn’t count on her giving me the silent treatment. She slept in the same bed with me but that was where it ended. She wouldn’t look at me and preferred to spend her time reading her father’s journals. Whenever I initiated the conversation, she would give me one worded answers or just outright ignore me. I understood why she was angry but it was beginning to grate on my nerves.
We were to have a meeting in the town square to inform the people that everything was fine and she was yet to look at me. I tried to get her attention a few times especially when I noticed that she was anxious about it but she was more concerned with ignoring me. Five minutes before the meeting, I grabbed her arm and turned her to face me. She didn’t protest but I could see her searching for a way out.
“Quit it,” I told her and she raised a brow. “Don’t you think it is time that you dropped the attitude?”
“What attitude?” she asked and I resisted the urge to growl at her.
“I get that you’re upset but I will not apologize for protecting you. If I had asked you before tossing you in there, would you have agreed?” she stayed silent but we all knew the answer. “The way I see it, we can sit here and fight about this or we can come to the conclusion that neither of us agrees with the other’s choices and move on.”
“That isn’t how these things work,” she frowned.
“Ask me if I care,” I shot back.
“I am the Queen and I have powers that can help. It looks weird if I just hide away during a battle”
“No one gives a shit about your powers. You are the Queen and that means you have to be protected at all times. Do you think your mother ever went into battle?” I asked and she frowned. “We have to talk to the people in less than two minutes and I am not going out there pretending like we are the picturesque couple when you won’t even speak to me.”
“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes but I could see a small smile playing on her l*ps.
I didn’t get the chance to respond because one of the guards came to tell us that everything was ready. I clasped Camilla‘ hand feeling relieved to finally be touching my mate after over a day. I could feel her anxiety as we made our way out to the raised platform. The square was even fuller than the first time.
“Can
you
address them?” she asked via the mind link. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“Are you okay?” I asked because she sounded like she was on the verge of throwing up.
She ignored my question. “Please, Ryker.”
“Of course.”
She broke off the link first and I turned to the crowd that was staring in silence before clearing my throat.
“We normally wouldn’t do this but your Queen thought that it would be for the best if you heard it from us seeing as you had the misfortune of witnessing the direct attack from Frederick,” I paused to make sure that I had everyone’s attention. “The threat has been dealt with you may return to your normal activities. The stream has officially been treated and is now safe to drink from. Life may return to normal.”
I took a step back to signify that I was done when I heard a voice. “Is that it? Are we just supposed to move on and forget that the King had a child outside of the mating bond? What if there is another one? What if that one comes to claim the throne? What happens then?”
I felt Camilla tighten her hold on me and I squeezed her hand to let her know that I had her back and I would handle it. I
A
tried to search for the source of the voice but I couldn’t find it. I knew it was a young person considering the pitch and tone and if were to give an estimate, I would say that she was around Camilla’s age or younger.
“What the late king did or did not do should be the least of our worries. If he has another child then we will deal with it as the situation arises. There is no need bothering over hypotheticals or crying over spilled milk. We cannot take back his actions, all we can do is learn from them and prepare accordingly,” I made sure to infuse a warning tone into my voice to signify that I was not going to entertain any questions. Thankfully, everyone stayed quiet so I nodded. “If that is all, then this meeting is over.”
I pulled Camilla behind the curtains as quickly as possible and the moment we were away from the public’s eye, she allowed her façade drop. Her shoulders drooped and she ran her hand over her face in obvious frustration and tiredness. She placed her head against my shoulder and I rubbed small circles over her back.
“They’re right,” she murmured to only my hearing. “What if he has another child? Can we really handle another Frederick?”
“I don’t think he had another,” I was partly lying for her sake but a part of me believed it. “If he did, he would have journaled it and so far, we have seen nothing. I think a part of him truly loved Eva and keeping the child with her was his way of holding onto that.” I could tell that she wasn’t fully convinced so I sighed. “Let’s forget about your father for a few minutes. We won and I think we deserve a vacation, don’t you?”
She let out a small groan. “I could definitely use one of those.”
The drive home was long and I wanted nothing more than to just lie in bed with my family by my side.. I missed my little girls and although Camilla and I were always together, we had barely spent any time with each other. I missed when life was simpler and although I knew i should be grateful for what I was given, I couldn’t help but miss when I was just Alpha and didn’t have as much responsibilities on my shoulders.
Christine was waiting for us in the dining room. She was having lunch with the girls and she effortlessly sl*pped in. I took Aurora from her and cuddled her close to my chest. There was something about her baby scent that calmed me. Audrey’s chatter filled the room and I couldn’t help but smile to myself. It was moments like these that made me love my role because if Camilla wasn’t who she was then I would never have met her and I would never have met my girls.
We were in the middle of our meal when one of the guards arrived and whispered to me that there was a visitor at the door. I stood with Aurora still in my arms and went out to see who it was. I could feel Camilla’s inquisitive gaze on me but I assured her that everything was alright before leaving. I wasn’t expecting any visitors so I was shocked when I got out and saw the people standing at the palace doors.
I shook my head as my smile threatened to split my face wide open. Damien laughed before embracing me. He had grown out his hair a little more and he looked tired from the travel and probably the stress of the pack work but he looked the same. Standing behind him was my sister and I couldn’t hold back my smile as she wrapped her arms around my torso. She had grown so much over the past year.
As soon as she pulled away from me, she reached out for the infant in my hands. “I haven’t seen this little one yet. She is so beautiful.”
I watched her fawn over my daughter while I turned to Damien. “It isn’t that I am not happy to see you but why are you here?”
I loved my bestfriend and I loved my sister, I knew Camilla would be happy to see them too but there was a huge conflict of interest namely Christine. In the time I had known her, she had become like a sister to me as well and the last thing I wanted to do was cause her more pain. She didn’t speak about it and I didn’t want to push but there was so much that I wanted to know.
“I heard about what happened,” Damien said oblivious to the fact that I was currently thinking of ways to avoid an explosion. “I wanted to come earlier but I needed to make sure things were settled back at the pack. How is Camilla? I also heard about the poison.”
“She is great but Damien, you know why this is a bad idea.”
1
He let out a deep sigh. “Look, I understand that you need to protect your mate and she is invested in this but I just need all of you to please stay out of it.”
“She isn’t invested, Damien. This concenis every
doing.”
“I do, you just have to trust me.”
“You know I trust you but-”
I was cut off by a small squeal of “Uncle Damien.”
Audrey brushed past me and threw herself into Damien’s arms. He embraced her with a wide smile but I couldn’t share in their joy. If Audrey was here then it meant Camilla was and so was- I turned around and Christine stood there with a mix of emotions swirling in her eyes as she took in the scene.
Camilla was standing next to her cousin and she looked like she was unsure of whether she should reach out to her or flee from the scene and I felt the same way. It was almost like stepping into a war zne. There were so many raw emotions that it almost felt Ike I was intruding on something special.
Riley was the first to notice her and she tried to be nice with a small smile. “Hi, Christine, you look good.”
Christine took one look at Riley who was still holding Aurora before turning to me and I was almost thrown back by the intense betrayal in her eyes. She didn’t say a word as she turned on her heels and walked off.
