The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

RYKER'S POV

Neither Camilla nor I spoke again after that. I got cleaned only to find her already curled up in bed next to our daughters. She wasn't asleep, just lying on her side and watching them. I had no intentions of falling asleep either but I climbed into bed behind her and gently stroked her hair with my hand. She didn't say it, but I felt her nestle closer to me as her eyes started to drift closed. Even once I was sure that she was asleep, I didn't stop, not for a long time after. She needed the rest and I was going to make sure that she got it.

I finally pulled away after a few minutes and placed a soft kiss on her head. I would have given anything in that moment to just be there and exist with her but I needed to deal with some other things. I dragged myself out of the room and headed straight for the guest rooms. I passed by a record number of guards and maids who were discussing everything that happened. No one was using their earplugs anymore, the threat was gone, at least, that was what they thought.

From the little discussions I was able to pick up, the front of the palace had been scrubbed clean and the body was taken, that much was enough for me, at least until I knew how to deal with the little siren. I pushed open the door to the room and after making sure no one was watching, I slipped inside. At first, I didn’t see anyone and I thought she had found a way to escape. I wouldn't have blamed her though.

Just as I turned to leave, I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye and I watched as she stepped out of the shadows. She looked a tad bit fearful, almost as if she thought I was someone else but when she saw it was me, her shoulders deflated in relief.

“I saw the food you sent,” she began slowly as she walked over to the bed. “Thank you.”

I gave her a curt nod and took the chair closest to me. It gave me enough distance from the bed where she felt safe but close enough that I would be able to catch her if she made any sudden movements.

“Why did you stab her?” I asked not wanting to waste any time with pointless conversation. If I was going to stop them from killing her, I needed to have a good reason. “She was of no threat to you."

“I had to," she whispered softly. “I just- I knew I had to. I know you're upset but-"

“Upset doesn't begin to cut it. You stabbed a defenseless pregnant woman. She could have died, her babies could have died.”

Her eyes lit up. “She's alive, oh thank Neptune. I tried not to stab her too deep so she would at least have a chance to-"

“Can you hear yourself?" I cut her off.

“You wouldn't understand,” her voice was soft.

“What wouldn't I understand? You are ten and you stabbed someone."

“Because mum said so, and I don't say no to mum, ever”

“Your mother was already dead. If she had compelled you to do it then the compulsion would have been broken by then. You didn't have to."

Her face fell and she turned away from me to look at the window. “You wouldn't understand. I had to do it."

“Then make me understand,” she stayed silent and didn't even bother to turn to me. “I cannot help if you don't help me.”

She just shrugged. “The worst that will happen is that I will die. I don't care, I am ready to die." I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be stupid, you are ten, what do you know about death?”

“Enough to know that you killed my father and my mother" she spat and I froze. “Don’t worry, I'm not pissed at you. I told them we shouldn't have taken the deal from that old wolf but they wanted the money and they wanted the power. I had to go with them, but don’t ask me what I know about death when death is all that I've seen.”

She turned away from me again and I knew the conversation was over. I opened and closed my mouth but no words would come out. At the end of the day, I just stood to my feet and walked out of the room. I debated locking the door but I knew that if she wanted to run, there was nothing I was going to do or say that could stop it. I could only hope that she knew how to keep herself hidden for the time being.

I could have gone to the room and cuddled up with Camilla, forgetting about everything that had happened but even my conscience wouldn't have let me do that. I found myself going back up to Juan's room, he was still seated on the chair next to Christine, the babies were in their respective bassinets sound asleep but he looked like he hadn't even blinked since we walked out. He barely acknowledged my presence although I knew for sure that he had heard me come in. I took the seat opposite him and he slowly looked up at me.

“She's breathing,” his voice sounded hollow. “They're all breathing, they're alive.”

“They are," I agreed. “It is only a matter of time before she actually wakes up. She is fine”

“You saved my kids."

“I didn't-"

“Don’t lie to me, Ryker,” he cut me off. “I saw them when they were cut out. I knew what they looked like and I had resigned myself to the fact that they were going to die. I saw you heal them. I saw something come out of you and flow into Christine, you can't lie to me about that." “What did you see?” I was more curious about that. I hadn't been able to see or notice anything.

“I don’t know how to explain it. I just felt a breeze and I saw something like a wisp of the wind flow into her and it was coming from you,” he finally looked away from her and turned to me. “You healed my family, thank you, I am forever in your debt."

“You don't have to thank me for that. As long as they are fine."

“Who stabbed her?” he asked and I fell silent. “You can't do that to me right now, Ryker. I have never felt pain and panic like I felt today knowing in my heart that she was hurt. I could feel our bond ripping from the seams. That was torture and I deserve to know who was responsible. I know it wasn't the siren, I saw her hit the ground before I-"

“Juan, please,” I began but his eyes flashed with anger.

“You do not get to do that, not about her. If it was Camilla in this bed,” his words hit their mark in my chest. Camilla had been in that position more than once and I knew how he felt. I held the same convictions. It was hypocritical of me to not allow him the decency to be angry.

“Her daughter,” I admitted after a few moments of silence. “She says she had to, I am still trying to figure out what that meant but-"

“I don't care,” he cut me off. “I want her dead.”

“She is ten.”

He scoffed. “If she is old enough to use a knife, she is old enough to die the same way. I want her dead, Ryker, and so help me, if you don't do it yourself, I will do it. I don't care if I have to go behind your back to make that happen but I will make sure that she dies."

“You don’t even know where she is."

He shrugged. “That is true, but I know you, and there are only a handful of places you can keep her within the palace walls."

“If I let her go? If I let her run away?"

“Then I will spend every waking moment of the rest of my life hunting her down and you will spend every waking moment of the rest of yours knowing that you aren't the fair leader you think you are, you are a hypocrite and a fraud. Knowing you, that is enough punishment.”

I remained silent. He was right, and he knew he was because he didn't bother to look at me anymore, he simply turned to face his mate. I could tell that he wasn't even angry with me, he was tired and there was deep exhaustion in his features. At that very moment, one of the children started to scream. It was his son. He glanced over at him but made no move to touch him.

With my eyes still on Juan, I reached over and carried the screaming child before he could wake his sister.

“Have you picked out names yet?” I asked and all he did was shrug noncommittally. “If you want name options then-"

“I want her to name them,” he cut me off. “I know what she wants but I won't do it. She should be able to name her children after everything she went through just to have them.”

“They are your children too, Juan, and your son is crying out for you”

He shook his head. “I can’t, I have to focus on her."

“She would want you to look after your son," I said firmly and his lips turned down into a frown. He was silent for a full minute before reluctantly letting go of Christine so he could take the baby from me.

“I just wanted her to hold them first,” he mumbled.

While he fussed over his child, I looked up at Christine and saw her eyes flutter slightly. It was such a small movement that if I hadn't been staring at her intently, I would have missed it. Juan was so focused on their son that he didn’t notice. She made the movement again and the corner of my lips tipped up into a small smile.

“I guess that might be happening sooner rather than later”