The Rejected Werewolf Princess

CAMILLA'S PO.V

Aurora and I waited in Ryker's office while he spoke to Audrey in the bathroom. She hadn't wanted anyone else there to interrupt. For Aurora, it was easier, she just sat on the floor playing with a doll and was content simply to be in her father's office but I was scared and panicked for my child.

They spent fifteen minutes in there before they both walked out and neither of their faces betrayed anything. Audrey just walked over to where her sister was playing and joined her to play with her dolls while Ryker walked over to me. He wrapped his hand around my waist and pressed a soft kiss to the side of my head. It should have calmed me down a little but I was worried and panicking already.

"Relax," he whispered against my skin. "I can feel your emotions running all over the place and I am sure that she can too."

"She doesn't have a wolf yet, she can't," I quipped back and he rolled his eyes payfully.

"Camilla, this is more than that and you know it. If she already has control of her powers this much, she can definitely read emotions and right now, you are staring at her like you are scared that someone is going to grab her and run away, or worse, she is not your child."

'I know she's my child," I mumbled but I knew he was right and forced myself to look away from her. After that, I switched to our mind link. "Tell me what happened."

He hesitated before speaking and that had me worrying. My spine straightened and I dragged him over to the couches. He avoided my eyes the entire time and I knew immediately that whatever this was, he was serious, he was just trying to blow it off. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for him to speak but he never did.

"Ryker," I probed and he sighed.

"Don't worry about it, I have it handled."

I was shocked that he would even suggest that. "This is our child that you are talking about. What do you mean by I should just leave it to you? Why would you even suggest that? I have a right to know."

"I know that, Camilla, but she came to me and I don't want to scare her from coming back next time."

We were having this entire conversation in our heads and I was getting more annoyed with each passing second. Yes, Audrey came to him, I wasn't going to deny that but we were partners and I deserved to know especially when it was about something that concerned someone else's life.

"She is a scared child and she doesn't know who to go to. Id eserve to know, and not just me, but Christine to."

At that, I felt him shut down entirely. I felt a rush of cold emotion hit me right in the face as he said in a bland voice. "I am not telling Christine a thing."

"Why not? This is about her and her babies. Why wouldn't you-"

"How do I tell her that Audrey saw a possibility where she dies in the process of having those children?" he asked and I paused. I literally could not move or say another word as I stared at Ryker. He still wasn't looking at me and he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I will not do that to her and neither will you. Tell her that it was a fluke, Audrey saw her in labor and over exaggerated the blood because she is a child."

"You want me to lie to her," I finished and he nodded.

"She will not live with the knowledge that she could die."

"But what about the first picture that Audrey drew? It had Christine in it with her kids. Does this one override that?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't completely figured out how her powers work," he drawled and there was an edge of sarcasm in his tone. “The future isn't always set in stone. There are different paths to it. I don't know which will cause which outcome, all I know is there is a possible future where she dies while-"

I was torn away from his words when I felt a small tap on my shoulder. I broke off the mind link and turned to find Audrey standing in front of me. She looked normal, but there was a tinge of sadness and exhaustion in her eyes. I couldn't help but panic, the last time I saw her like this, she was having trouble sleeping and she was being plagued by nightmares as a result of these powers.

I didn't hesitate before drawing her into my lap and thankfully, she clung to me. She rested her head in my bosom and wrapped her arms around me without saying a single word. I looked up at Ryker who just shrugged, he had no idea what was going on either. I rocked my almost six year old in my lap while softly stroking her hair until she felt comfortable enough to speak.

"I don't want you and daddy to fight," she mumbled and I turned to her with an incredulous look.

"We aren't fighting, sweetheart, I promise you."

She still didn't look convince because her lips turned downward. "You are and you'll keep fighting because daddy is changing."

"What do you mean by that? How is he changing?"

She dropped her voice into a whisper as if she were scared of being overheard. "The shadows mummy, they're going into him. He's turning into shadows. Can't you see it?"

I turned to Ryker but he had already looked away. He cleared his throat and stood to his feet without another word. I knew she was talking about the merging and despite knowing she was right, it hurt me that my child had to be so involved in things far beyond her age. She was a child, and she deserved to have a child for as long as possible.

"Daddy is fine," I lied. "Why don't we play a little, okay?"

She nodded and rushed off my lap. I couldn't help but glance at the bathroom that Ryker had disappeared into. I tried to reach out to him but was met with a firm wall. He clearly didn't want to speak and although I could have stormed in and demanded an audience, I didn't. He deserved some form of privacy and I was willing to give him that for as long as necessary.

The girls fell asleep less than two hours later and Ryker had opted to put them in bed. I knew it was partly because he wanted to avoid a conversation with me but I allowed him because there was something else that I needed to do.

I easily made my way to the ground floor of the palace where the shrine to the goddess was erected. It was massive and I had only ever come to it a few times but I found myself in front of it after what felt like years. It was a bit hidden away from the general public in a room of its own but people knew where it was and it was easy to access. I went on my knees and closed my eyes.

"I don't ask you for much," I began slowly. "I am not asking for you to give me powers back and I am not asking for anything for myself but my daughter- she is a child. She isn't even six years old yet. You are showing her far too much than she should see." I was met with silence and a feeling of coldness as if I were alone but I didn't stop.

"And Ryker, he has already been through so much. He doesn't deserve this, they don't deserve this."

I thought that would have gone unanswered too but I heard a soft voice in my heart. "Who does? If they don't then who?"

"I don't know," I whispered back. "But they don't and I am in front of you begging for you to give my child and mate a break. It is far too much for them and you know that they deserve better."

As the last word left my lips, it felt like the pressure in the room had dropped below freezing level. My teeth were chattering and my fingers felt like someone had covered them in ice. I felt power so raw and so heavy that I had to bow my head down in fear that it was going to come against me.

"How dare you?" I heard this voice as clear as day, like someone was speaking to me. "Do you know how much I have protected you from already? I sit with your daughter every day so the dreams are not too much for her. You caused this when you locked away her powers instead of training her."

"Training involves locking her up until she is completely overwhelmed by said powers and I couldn't do that. She was a child. Most people don't get their powers until later. I am just trying to look out for her."Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

"By telling me how to rule?" she asked and I fell silent. "I have been ruling werewolves long before your grandparents were alive. You are nothing but a speck of dust in my life so you will do well to know your place."

"I'm sorry," I said immediately but her anger had not abated so I tried another alternative. "We are your children and I know you worry about us so you understand when I worry about mine." It seemed to be working because the room heated up a little more. “I spoke out of turn but that was just the ramblings of a worried mother. I know you have done your best and I am grateful for all you have done. I just worry for my child."

The ice in the room abated and I felt like I could finally breathe properly again.

"Don't ever question me again, Camilla," she warned. "I already protect your child, as for your mate, this is a test that he has to pass on his own."

"A test?" I asked and she hummed.

"You better keep an eye on him because if he fails, he will be lost forever."