The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

RYKER'S POV

There was a deafening silence. The kind that made you want to check if your ears were truly working. Everything almost seemed to move in slow motion- the younger siren stabbed Christine, Camilla rushed over to her and I could have sworn I heard a deafening scream coming from downstairs and I knew it could only have been Juan.

Camilla was mouthing some words but I couldn't hear her, not clearly at least seeing as I still had the earplugs in. I almost didn’t want to take them out, didn’t want to face the carnage that was unfolding in front of me. The little siren girl didn’t move, she just stood there staring at the blood on her hands and then she turned to me. There was something in her eyes, something small, something broken, something fearful that had me snapping into action.

I pulled the earplugs out and grabbed her by the arm before turning to Camilla. “Apply pressure on that- do not let it go, no matter what anyone tells you. I'm going to get the physician.”

I dragged the little siren with me and heard Camilla’s voice. “Where are you taking her? She did this!”

“I know she did, but if I don’t get her out of here, Juan is going to rip her to pieces and we both do not want that"

I saw a war in Camilla’s eyes, part of her wanted it. A tiny part of her wanted justice and I would have been lying if I said a part of me didn’t want it too but I wasn't going to kill a child- at least not without very good reason. Even then, I wasn't sure if I would be able to bring myself to do it. I mind linked the physician telling him where to go and what was going on before taking the girl to one of the guest rooms.

“Why aren't you locking me up?” she asked and I thought about it for a moment. It was what she deserved.

“You can get out of there as easily as you can get out of here.”

“Why let me leave at all? Why not kill me?”

“How old are you?”

She pursed her lips for a second before replying. “Ten.”

“Well, I don't kill ten year olds, and there are many people in this palace who don’t hold the same sentiments especially if they find out what you did to the woman upstairs.”

Her face fell. “I had to do it. I had to make my mum proud.”

“You had a choice,” I cut her off in a cold voice. “Your mother made her choice and she died for it. You made your own.”

I turned to leave when I heard her voice. “What happens to me if she dies? Will you let them kill me too? I need to know.”

“My advice is for you to stay put, I said simply before adding. “And if you have anything that you pray to, now is the time to start."

I shut the door behind me, making sure to lock it and slipped the key into my pocket before rushing back up the stairs. I could feel the commotion in the air even before I got there. Something had shifted in the atmosphere, the desperation and fear was so thick, it felt like a weighted blanket pressing down on my very being. It was almost too hard to move.

Christine had been moved to her and Juan's room and she was lying on the bed. Her forehead was slicked with sweat and there was so much blood. I couldn't help but think back to what Audrey had said all those days ago. I could sense a foreboding feeling in the air, as if it were warning me of the horrors yet to come.

Juan spotted me and without leaving Christine's side, his eyes turned to daggers. “Where is she? Where is the siren that did this?"

“The child, you mean,” I corrected. “She is being safely held for now.”

“She should die," he spat and although I didn’t agree with his words, I didn't disagree either, I just stood there staring.

Anger had consumed him like a fiery beast. It was all over him, I could almost reach out and taste it, reach out and warp it to my own desires. I could feel the pulsing inside of me, almost beckoning me to use it.

I pushed aside the urge and made my way over to Christine's side. “What is going on?”

“I'll have to take the babies out,” the physician mumbled more to himself than to any of us and we all stilled.

“But she isn't due to deliver yet,” Camilla exclaimed. “She could die, the babies could die.” “This is the only way I can save her. I also don’t know if any of the babies have been hit, I need to find out and that means taking them out,” he looked up at Juan. “It is your choice ultimately. I can risk saving her or risk saving the babies.”

He didn’t even hesitate. “Save my mate, whatever you do, make sure she doesn't f*****g d-" He couldn't even finish the sentence, his words caught in his throat and he placed a soft kiss on Christine's sweaty forehead. I looked up at Christine, shocked to find that she was actually awake- barely, but there. Her eyes were fluttering closed with each passing second and I could see her fighting it.

I could see her aura, strong but it was flickering, she was clinging to the very last dregs of life. The physician was right, there was no way he could save both the children and her. I looked over to her stomach, watching with refined eyes as he made an incision over her to take the children out. Their life forces were still strong, neither had been hit but I knew it wouldn't last for long.

As he took them out, the white started to fade to a muted grey. I heard a sob that I knew came from Christine. The babies were handed to Camilla and I because all Juan wanted in that moment was his mate, and it wasn't as if I could blame him. She wasn't out of the woods yet, there was still a lot they had to do.

While they worked on Christine, Camilla and I stepped back, babies in arms. They were small, only a few more weeks and they would have been ready to come out. They weren't going to survive, I knew that and I could feel the very essence of their lives calling out to me, I could almost touch it, almost pull it away- it would be mercy-

No! I caught myself just in time. I didn't know what the hell was coming over me. I trailed a finger over the little child in my hands. It was her son, he was fighting, trying his hardest to live and I knew I had to do something. I dug deep within me, surely if I could take lives then I could give it too. Reina had taken so many lives, so many souls, surely there was more stored deep somewhere, there had to be.

I didn’t know what I was doing, all I knew was that I wanted them to live, so instead of pulling their life force to me, I pushed out. At first, nothing happened, then I felt something hot in the center of my gut as energy seemed to pour out of me. It took everything in me to remain standing as it poured out in waves. I could see it flowing straight out of me and into the babies as well as Christine.

No one else could see what was happening and for a second, I wondered if it hadn't worked until in front of my very eyes, I saw the baby take a deep breath and start to cry.

“What is happening?” Camilla asked in utter disbelief as she turned to me. “What did you do?” “How do you know it was me?"

I could hear Juan asking some questions but I couldn't pay attention to him, not when I looked down at what used to be an obviously premature baby but was now a full term child in my hands. I didn't know how it happened, I didn't know it COULD happen, I was staring at what was obviously a miracle. Both babies were screaming, evidence of the life thrumming in their bones.

“Your children are fine," I said after a moment of silence and I saw Juan's brows crease in confusion. “Focus on your mate, your babies are here."

It took almost an hour for the physician to be done with Christine and by then, she was knocked out. He gave her something for the pain so she was sleeping soundly and Juan hadn't left her side once but we brought his children over to him and he had stared at them in disbelief for a full minute as tears rushed down his face.

“They're alive,” he whispered and I nodded. “How are they alive? I had condemned my own children to die- how could I?"

“You saved your mate," I cut him off. “You were in a difficult position that no one should ever have to be in. You did what you thought was best and no one can fault you for that."

“they're perfect,” he sounded almost in awe as he reached out to stroke his son’s cheek. I held him out to him and Juan picked him up with such care that I knew without a doubt, he would be an amazing father. “Thank you."

“You don’t have to thank me-"

“I do,” his voice was firm. “You did this. I don't know how and I don’t know why but I know you did. You are the only one with the power to do so. I owe you my life, Ryker”

“You owe me nothing. You would have done the same for me. You and Christine are family. It is what we do for each other”

His eyes welled up with more tears as he stroked his son's cheek. Camilla was still holding his daughter but she gently laid her into a bassinet by his feet and the tears Juan had been holding back slipped free as he spoke in whispers to his children.

I turned to my mate who's hands and clothes were stained with blood even more so than mine because she had held onto Christine for so long. I reached out for her, intertwining our fingers as we stepped out to give Juan some space.

Once the door was shut behind me, she turned to me. “You have to tell me what you did.”

“I can’t explain it. I just felt like if Reina could take life forces then surely I could give one back so I tried and it worked.”

She stared at me for a second before throwing her arms around my neck. “Thank you, you saved a lot of people in there. If you ever needed any confirmation that you are good, Ryker, this is it.”