The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

Chapter 22

A dark look crossed his face and I saw the raw sadness that grew beneath his irises. I almost felt bad for bringing it up in the first place but I knew that it was necessary for me to leave.

“What do you know about it?” he asked finally.

“I know that you and Lauren were having a child.” I thought of how to explain what I knew without putting Eve in trouble, “I know it was a recent loss because of how Lauren reacted to it.”

“What do you mean how she reacted?” Gone was his sadness, now he was looking at me with narrowed eyes. “Is that way you want to leave?“

“She was just upset when she saw me in the nursery. That’s understandable because it was her kid.”

“What did she do?”

“Nothing.” I answered too quickly and I saw that he didn’t believe me. “Does it even matter? I don’t want to be the one who comes between your healing process.

He opened his mouth to speak but just then, the door opened and Lauren walked in with a very large tray of food. She started to place it on the small metal table next to Ryker’s bed but he stopped her, took it from her hands and put it on his lap.

Lauren looked between us almost as if she wanted to be privy to the conversation we were having.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Lauren said as she crossed past me and took the only available seat. “This is why I want to be on the field, I could be of use there.”

“You are enough use where you are.”

Hit voice held no tone for discussion and I saw that it annoyed her because of how she clenched her jaw but she nodded and swallowed down whatever retort she was going to give.

An awkward silence fell over the place and I wondered if I should leave them alone. I slowly took a step back hoping that no one would notice my movements until I was out of the room but I didn’t judge how perceptive Ryker was because the moment my foot shuffled a little, Ryker’s head snapped up to mine.

I froze like a deer in headlights and his eyes narrowed towards me. Lauren seemed oblivious to the entire thing or she was just doing a good job at ignoring whatever was going on around her.

her name from Ryker, “I think

smile faltered slightly,

of guards here who can take her back home

was obvious but she nodded curtly and stood from the chair. As she passed by me, she shot me the meanest glare that she had ever conjured and I found myself shrinking

open seat for me to take. I was hesitant, but when he threatened to drag me into the seat- injury or not-

I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off, “I’m not

He obviously wasn’t happy with my choice judging by his frown but he didn’t

set it on the table next to him for someone to retrieve it

by the action that the tray fell from my hands. Thankfully, it was already close to the table and nothing broke. I turned to him but he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at the transparent sleeves of my night gown. More specifically, at my upper arm where a nasty red bruise was forming, probably from where Lauren grabbed me earlier. His nostrils flared the longer he looked at it and

asked and I shrugged. “I’m not

nothing,” the lie rolled easily off my tongue, “I

clumsy and a hand shaped bruise formed on your arm.” The way he said it made me

my voice soft as I responded, “I already told you

and I stood at the far end of his

I know, there were no visitors,” he began,

possibly punish

swirling in his

tell him what happened or I could keep to my story and

tell you,” I began, “If you

no position to make demands.” He said simply, “But, if you tell me then I’ll explain the

to leave but my curiosity was greater and against my better judgment,

I took the seat next to him and crossed my arms over my chest

I saw the raw and undikuted rage in his eyes, I

she accidentally grab you?” he didn’t believe me but he was humoring me to see what lie I could

almost fell from the top of the stairs so she grabbed me.

Lauren to get punished for something that

silence he nodded, “I will still have a talk with her so she is extra careful

a breath

forlorn, almost like it hurt too much to think about it. I waited patiently as he gathered his thoughts and