Filed to story: The Rejected Werewolf Princess (Camilla & Tyson) by Didi Adeyemi >>
Ryker served as a reminder to stay calm and I knew that if it weren’t for him, I would have lost my mind. Aurora refused to be put down today so I had to carry her everywhere. Ryker tried to take her from me a few times but she would immediately start fussing. The meeting ran longer than it should have, the scribes knew nothing, Frederick had dropped another page and add a screaming baby to that, I felt like I was losing my mind.
By the time we were done with the spies, I just wanted to flop on my bed and fall asleep. I made my way back to my office with Ryker in tow. When we got to the door, he stopped me.
“Let me take her,” he gestured to Aurora who was fast asleep on my shoulder and I hesitated. “She’s sleeping, she will barely notice. You need a second to get yourself back together.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you implying that I’m losing my mind?”
“I’m implying that you’re tired and this is only making it worse,” he reached out and took Aurora from me. She whined softly but ultimately fell asleep again. “Go into your office, take a breather, I can handle her without you being there.”
I watched him disappear down the halls and even though I couldn’t say it verbally, I was grateful. I walked into my office and when I saw the journals on my desk, I shook my head with a smile. Of course, Ryker knew that I wasn’t going to just sit idly so he made sure I had something to do that wouldn’t stress me out so much. I didn’t deserve my mate but I was grateful that I had him and I couldn’t imagine ruling with anyone else.
The journal was boring for lack of better words. There was nothing more about a mention of her and I began to wonder if he was ever going to speak about her again. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet so with the journal in my hand, I made my way into the kitchen to get a snack. I just asked for a few fruits and the maids were more than happy to oblige.
I was reading and eating when I heard a small crack. It sounded like someone had stepped on a rock. I froze instantly and looked around but I heard nothing again. I began to think I had imagined it when I heard something like stones rolling. This time, I knew it wasn’t a figment of my imagination and I stood to my feet abandoning the book in the process.
I made my way towards the source of the sound which so happened to be the far side of the dining room.
I was alone and while common sense dictated that I call someone to check it out, I decided to investigate myself. I placed my hands on the wall and listened in waiting to see if I would hear something again but there was silence.
“Is anyone here?” I asked aloud but still, I was met with complete silence. I realized how ridiculous I looked with my ear pressed against the wall and I pulled away. Even if there was someone there, it was very unlikely that they would reveal their position. I stepped back with the intention of walking back to my food but something happened.
I must have hit something or triggered an opening because the next thing I knew, the wall gave way and I fell into darkness. I stood up to gather myself with the intention of walking out but the door slammed shut. My eyes adjusted quickly but I didn’t know how to trigger the opening again. I wanted to call out for help but I knew that no one from the outside would hear and I didn’t know who else was in the tunnels with me, shouting would give away my location.
I looked around the long hallway and I realized that I had unknowingly found one of the entrances.
CAMILLA’S PO.V
I knew in that moment that I didn’t have many options so I decided to explore the tunnels. The walls were so close together, I didn’t need to stretch my hands out before I was touching them. It was moldy and smelled like dust. There were also cobwebs everywhere and I accidentally walked into one. I didn’t know where I was going but I hoped I would find an exit soon.
The further down in the tunnels I got, the cleaner they got. It wast obvious that I was approaching the area that Frederick lived in or at least used often. I saw empty packs of snacks and I even came across what looked like discarded clothes but I didn’t stick around to find out. I got into what looked like a clearing and that was when I saw his sleeping area.
There was a black sleeping bag and lying next to it was the journal. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands, It was just like the others but it weighed considerably less and I assumed it was because of the pages he had ripped out. I had a feeling that this one would have the answers I was looking for. I turned to leave but I felt something sharp at my lower back making me freeze in place.
“I was going to come to you in a few days, I never thought you would come looking for me,” Frederick mused in my ears. “Tell me, Camilla, where is your mate? Is he close by or are you here all alone?”
“I’m alone,” I knew it was stupid to reveal that but I knew that if he wanted to hurt me then he would have done that already.
He allowed me turn until I was staring at him face to face “Welcome sister, I thought it was only befitting that I lived in the palace as I should have been, don’t you?”
“I know about your mother,” I began and he scoffed.
“You don’t know half of what you think you do,” he took a step back and to my shock, he pocketed his knife. “Leave, Camilla, I am many things but a coward is not one of them and I have no plans of killing you in the tunnels. If I will take your life then it will be where the entire world can watch. No one respects a king who is a coward.”
“İş being king really that important to you?” I asked. “You can live in the palace as a member of the royal family, I am willing to give you that. You don’t have to do all of this.”
He laughed humorlessly. “You have no idea what it has been like for me. I would not expect you to understand, you had everything you could possibly want handed to you. I want what is rightfully mine and I will do everything in my power to get it. Do not mistake my act of mercy for foolishness. The next time you stumble into my space, I will kill you.”
“I lived as an omega for the first eighteen years of my life,” I began slowly.
was raped and rejected before I came here. Didn’t you know I was missing? I heard it was the talk of the town when I was found.”
“My mother wanted me to have nothing to do with the palace.”
He didn’t need to say it but I knew that his mother’s death must–have been the catalyst for his actions. I took a step closer to him and decided to try something. It was clear he cared for his mother and I knew my next words could either have good or disastrous consequences.
“Your mother wouldn’t want this.”
His eyes snapped up to me so fast and despite the darkness, I could see the anger in them. He wrapped his hand around my throat and I let him. I could have broken free but I knew he would not hurt me. I could feel him vibrating with anger and hurt and he snarled in my face but I stayed immobile.
“Don’t ever talk about my mother again,” he spat and he pushed me back. “Take that path straight down and take the second right, you’ll find yourself at a wall. There’s a loose patch on the floor, step on it and you will find an opening. Get out.”