The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

CAMILLA'S POV

I felt the thrum of the water beneath the ground as if it were under my fingertips. It was one thing to rip water out of the ground, it was another to do what I was trying to do. I vaguely heard Ryker’s voice in my head asking me to be careful but I couldn't back out now, not when so many lives were in danger. I exhaled deeply, trying to calm my racing heart before tugging. It took a few seconds of silence before the ground exploded beneath me.

I heard screams of fear and worry as a large wall of water erupted in front of us. My hands shook from the sheer force it took to restrain and control it but I couldn't falter- not now- not when it meant risking so many lives. I breathed through my nose, focusin on erecting the water like a wall around me. This was like nothing I had ever done before and a small part of me had expected to fail but to my surprise, the water found its way around the palace, in a form of protective dome before freezing all over creating a perfect wall of ice.

As soon as it was in place, I pulled my hands off the ground. A wave of dizziness so strong hit me. I nearly toppled over my own feet but Ryker was at my side instantly. His hands came around me, pulling my earplugs out as he picked me up and carried me inside. If it were another day, I would have protested and demanded that he let me walk but I couldn't be bothered, not when it felt like someone was dancing barefooted in my head.

“I don't know how long it will last,” I mumbled softly. “First of all, it is very sunny outside and sirens have some form of control over the water. If the sirens are out there then-"

“Then it'll fall,” Ryker finished for me as he placed me on a nearby bench. I wanted to nod but I couldn't even bring myself to move. “It doesn’t matter, what you did out there was breathtaking. It was beautiful but scary and now you have to go in too."

I turned to him with an incredulous look hoping that he was joking or at least being a tad bit unserious or worried due to my weakness but he wasn't, he just stared at me and I knew that this was something he had been thinking about for a while.

“You have to be insane if you think I will sit this one out. You need me."

“She wants you dead,” Ryker hissed out, his voice cracking on the last word. “I will not give her a chance to get to you. I will not allow you die because of this palace”Many paragraphs are missing. Read the complete book on Jo=bn-ib.c(o)m. He reached out for me but I snatched my hand back. “I am the Queen, it is my duty to die for this kingdom.”

“Then don't be the Queen,” I was shocked by his request. “Just fir today, just for the next few hours, be my mate, be Camilla, I don't need you to be the queen.”

He was genuinely worried, that much was obvious from the crease in his brows and the frown on his face. His thumb made slow circles over the back of my palm and I thought about how nice it would be to just go into hiding, to not have to worry about anyone else, to not have lives dependent on me, but the longer I thought about it, the more unattainable I knew it would be. I sat up straighter and turned away from him.

“I'm going to be out there, no matter what," I said simply. “You need my powers, this isn't your typical battle. We have to fight out own without hurting them. That is practically impossible and you need all the help you can get”

He muttered a curse under his breath before running his hands through his hair. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out because at that moment, a maid walked over with a plate of fruits in her hands. I knew Ryker must have called for it knowing I would need the energy after using up that much of my powers. I thanked her and the moment the plate was out of her hands, she rushed off.

“Think about it,” Ryker’s voice had taken on a pleading tone. All that was left was for him to go on his knees and he would have been begging. As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, he stepped closer. “I would beg you if it made you listen. I would do anything”

“Ryker,” I kept my voice soft and calming, “I cannot turn my back on my people not now. I refuse to let them win."

“If they get you-"

“They will not” I assured him. “I need my earplugs now. We have a battle waiting for us outside”

Despite the frown on his face, he dug into his pockets and handed me what I needed. “Just be safe, please. None of this will be worth it if I lose you."

By the time we walked out five minutes later, Juan was barking orders at the guards. As soon as he saw us, he let out a sigh of relief and opened up his mind link. “I have most of the guards. protecting the exposed sides. They have orders not to hurt the people. We are trying traps and inconveniences to keep them away."

“How long do you think that will last?” I asked and he shrugged.

“Half an hour tops,” he admitted reluctantly. “The wall here is our best option but even this will melt.”

“I could try to-"

“NO,” both men cut me off at the same time with such ferocity that the hair on my skin stood on end. It was Juan who cleared his throat before adding, “it took so much out of you, I wouldn't dare ask you to give any more."

“If it is for the well being of everyone involved then I will-"

“We will find something else, I promise you, Camilla,” he gave me a small smile before turning to Ryker. “What we need is to find the sirens. If they sent the people then they are here somewhere and we need to find them. If we kill them, then we can break the effects of their voice.”

They continued speaking but my attention was torn from them and focused right in front of me. Through the ice, I could see some of the people walking towards the palace. Neither Ryker nor Juan had noticed and I made no move to alert them because I truly wanted to see how this was going to go. They didn’t turn around, they didn’t try to find another entrance. I watched as the first townsman walked over to the ice, reared his fist back and punched it.

I tugged on Ryker's arm finally dragging his attention towards the townsfolk as they all repeated the same action of punching the ice wall. It wasn't going to shatter that easily, that much was sure but if all of them collectively took turns trying to break it then it was going to shatter.

“That is weird," Ryker noted and I couldn't help but agree. “We need to find the siren, now." “Where could she be? In the forest?” I asked but he shook his head.

“Knowing her, she is probably already in the palace, come with me, Camilla.’

He took off without giving me another chance to speak. I glanced over at Juan who just shrugged. I knew he could handle himself so I took off after my mate. If there was anyone I trusted wholeheartedly with my life, it was Ryker. He knew what he was doing and whether I did or not, all I had to do was trust him.

“Where are we going?" I asked after we had been walking around the palace aimlessly for five minutes but Ryker didn't respond despite the fact that I spoke directly into his mind. “Ryker, can you even hear me?”

When he didn't respond again, I grabbed the bottom of his shirt to keep him in place and he finally stopped. He turned to me, holding up a hand to signal that I should wait. He paused and listened as if he was trying to hear something. I paused as well but with the earplugs, there was little I could actually hear. He, however, must have heard something because his lips pulled up into a smirk and he gestured for me to come with him.

I figured it was that thing where he could hear the siren, so I just went with it. I still wasn't sure how that worked and I truly didn’t have plans of asking, seeing as I was never going to understand. He led us down the halls and I started to recognize the turns that we were taking. We were going towards Juan and Christine's rooms. I couldn’ understand what the hell could have been happening there until I saw the door to Christine's nursery ajar. Ryker slowly pushed the door open and I saw Christine seated in the rocking chair.

She looked fine, but her eyes were screaming something at me. A tear slipped down her cheeks and she mouthed “'m sorry’

“This is a trap!” I tried to scream into Ryker’s mind but it was too late, I felt a presence behind us and I turned to find the siren already standing there. She had a crazed smirk on her face. I would have tried attacking her until I saw the person behind her- Audrey, being led in by her daughter.

“Take out the ear plugs, she mouthed and when I hesitated, her eyes flashed with anger. “Do it or I will kill everyone in this room, either way, I get my revenge?

“Don’t do it,” Ryker spoke into my mind but I couldn't risk it- I couldn't risk my children.

I pulled out the earplugs. “Where is Aurora?”

“I don't kill babies, your youngest is asleep in her bedroom with a maid watching over her” she said as if that should have been any form of consolation. “Now, we have a lot to discuss, don't you agree, Ryker?"

“He can't hear you."

She laughed. “I can speak into his head as clearly as I am speaking to you now, or did he not tell you that part of the story? I guess it doesn't matter, what matters is that my voice will be the last you ever hear. Now, are you ready to play a game?”