The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

Chapter 194

RYKER’S P.O.V

The elders sat in their usual formation around the council table. Their eyes held pity and slight disgust as they stared at the empty chair behind me. Camilla’s presence was obviously missed and it stood out like the elephant in the room. I crossed my arms over my chest waiting for the man who would have the balls to be the first to address the situation but no one dared to say a word.

“Did you call for a meeting just for me to sit here staring at you?” I asked unable to keep the sarcasm out of my tone. “There are more important things that require my time and attention.”

“Like searching for the Queen?” someone asked and I raised a brow. He turned away in embarrassment and his cheeks tinged pink. He looked like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him and truthfully, it would have been a better alternative than me getting my hands on him. “It has been a while, your majesty.”

“I am aware of how long it has been. If that is what you came to talk to me about then we might as well put this whole thing to an end. I know how long my mate has been missing.”

There was a collective wince at my choice of words. They all believed she was dead and I couldn’t blame them, if it were someone else, I would have probably believed the same thing but I knew better. I could feel her.

“The Lady Christine came to us and suggested a funeral ritual. It is customary that we come to you on that. You ultimately have the final say on it,” it was Caius who spoke and his voice was soft and careful. “You would have to sign a legally binding contract that states that you know she is dead. You cannot back out from it at any moment. It is for your safety as well as ours because most often than not, mates find it hard to admit-”

“Admit that their partners are dead,” I finished for him and he nodded. I knew what he was getting at and I desperately wanted to remind them that she was alive but I knew it would only solidify what they were saying. “I understand and I am ready to sign it.”

The words felt like ash on my tongue and I could see the shock on their faces. That wasn’t the response that they were expecting from me and as the paper was slid over to me, I couldn’t help but feel like I was failing Camilla. This was giving me at most six weeks to find her and there was a nagging voice at the back of my mind telling me that I was going to fail. It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and it felt like everything was bearing down on me as I signed my name across the pages.

As I stared at the drying ink on the page, I couldn’t believe that I had done it. I heard Caius speaking but his

words barely settled in my ears. I made an unintelligible statement before rushing to my feet. All eyes were on me but in that moment, I could not bring myself to care. I had signed away every right I would have after the next four to six weeks.

that this

spoken and the intensity of my gaze had him looking away. “The people have gone on for too long. It has been two months. She deserves to

to rush things?” I repeated dumbly. “Would it kill you to do things the

the authority to do that is the Queen. As she is not here, the power lies with us. The decision has been made. It is unhealthy for you and for the princesses to live like this. You have our deepest

would never have signed it. My blood boiled with rage and frustration. I wanted so badly to scream but I kept every emotion bottled up as I walked out of the palace.

ignored her. Her brows furrowed and she started to follow me. “I wanted to talk to you about something. Were you able

am not in the mood for a heartfelt conversation so this is the part where you walk away before I say something that

just trying to help here. I have no idea what is going on and you’re just offloading on me. We

is dead,” I shot back and she pursed her lips in anger.

away from her and kept walking towards the woods. What I needed was a

had walked a few feet thinking that Christine had returned to the palace when she suddenly walked in front of me blocking my path. I tried to side step her

front of me.

warned. “I don’t have anything to say

that had me staying still. Nothing scared Christine, but I could see the slight tremor in her stance. “I know this is hitting you harder than it is hitting the rest of us. I understand

“I am-”

held up a hand to cut me off. “Just let

and gestured

want to think that she is dead. Do you really think I want to be here without her? Camilla is the only family that I have left. Do you think I want to be telling the girls stories about their mother? Of course not. I want more than anything for her to be alive but her being alive would mean that something is wrong, something

say. On one hand, I understood where she was coming from and if I were selfless enough, I would think the same but I never pretended to be a good man. I never claimed to be a better person- that was her. I was going to be selfish and I was going to fight tooth and

than I am,” I said simply and that was all she needed to know that I wasn’t going to drop this. She let out an exasperated sigh

have six