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.
"Lauren," she perked up when she heard her name from Ryker, "I think you're done for the day."
Her smile faltered slightly, "I don't understand."
"My mate is with me, you can leave now. There is an array of guards here who can take her back home when she is ready."
Lauren was embarrassed, that much 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 back a little.
I watched her disappear through the doors and Ryker gestured to the open seat for me to take. I was hesitant, but when he threatened to drag me into the seat- injury or not- I forced my legs to move and I sat in front of him.
"Eat," he gestured to the plate, "This is too much for me to finish." I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off, "I'm not above force feeding you Camilla."
I sighed and picked up a piece of toast and bit into it softly. He obviously wasn't happy with my choice judging by his frown but he didn't say anything about it.
We ate in silence until all the food was finished. Once we were done, I picked up the tray and he told me to set it on the table next to him for someone to retrieve it in the morning. I was doing that when he grabbed my arm with his
I was so shocked 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 I tried to tug my arm out of his grip but he wouldn't let me go.
"What happened to you?" he asked and I shrugged. "I'm not going to ask again Camilla."
"It was nothing," the lie rolled easily off my tongue, "I was a little clumsy, that's all."
"You got clumsy and a hand shaped bruise formed on your arm." The way he said it made me feel stupid for even saying it in the first place, "I want the truth Camilla."
I kept my voice soft as I responded, "I already told you the truth and please let go, you're hurting me."
My answer seemed to piss him off more but he finally released my arm and I stood at the far end of his bed. He muttered a few choice words under his breath and I saw him try to calm his breathing before he spoke.
"Whoever hurt you had to be in that house because I get informed when anyone new walks in and as far as I know, there were no visitors," he began, "If you won't tell me who it is, I will simply have to punish them all."
"No: you can't possibly punish them all."
"There is very little I cannot do Camilla," I stared at him hoping he was bluffing but from the anger swirling in his eyes, I knew that was a foolish thought, "Tell me what happened or everyone in that house will suffer for it."
I debated my options in my head. I could simply tell him what happened or I could keep to my story and everyone will get hurt because of me- including Eve.
"I'll tell you," I began, "If you promise to allow me leave."
"You're in no position to make demands." He said simply, "But, if you tell me then I'll explain the story behind the nursery."
I opened my mouth to refute and demand to leave but my curiosity was greater and against my better judgment, I ended up agreeing to the deal.
To show that I agreed, I took the seat next to him and crossed my arms over my chest to hide the bruise from his line of sight.
"Lauren grabbed me." I admitted and when I saw the raw and undikuted rage in his eyes, I knew I had to fix the situation before he hurt her, "But it was an accident."
"How did she accidentally grab you?" he didn't believe me but he was humoring me to see what lie I could come up with.
"I was truly being clumsy," I lied, "And I almost fell from the top of the stairs so she grabbed me. I bruise easily."
I wondered if he believed me, his face was too unreadable. I prayed he would because the last thing I needed was for Lauren to get punished for something that was my mistake. If I had not gone to the nursery, then she would have never had to grab me and nob*dy would be in this situation.
After a long beat of silence he nodded, "I will still have a talk with her so she is extra careful when grabbing you."
I let out a breath of relief, "Your turn."
He looked forlorn, almost like it hurt too much to think about it. I waited patiently as he gathered his thoughts and sighed.
"I'm sure you already know that Lauren and I were together for a while." it wasn't a question but I nodded anyway. "It was never a relationship, it was strictly physical. I made sure that she knew I never wanted anything more. The idea of being with someone wasn't so important to me at the time."
I wanted to ask whether he still felt that way. I wanted to know whether he was just keeping me around because he wanted something physical or because he had changed his mind. But I knew it would change the trajectory of the conversation and
Chapter 22
I truly wanted to hear the rest of the story so I forced myself to stay silent.
"One day she came to me and told me that she was pregnant. My first response was to walk away because I don't want children. I never have and I don't think I ever will"
I was shocked by his admission; most Alpha's want at least a son to carry on their legacy. But here he was, admitting that he never wanted children. I didn't know how to react to that so I just filed away the information.
"But she wanted it and I knew that I would never leave a child fatherless so I planned to take care of it. I made her swear not to tell anyone until it was absolutely necessary. She tried to get me to bond with her and the child more but I couldn't. I tried but I couldn't and I think it got to her because she came to me a while later and told me that she had gotten rid of it."
I don't know what I was expecting to hear but that was not it. I peered up at him hoping to see some traces of dishonesty in his expression but he was being completely sincere. He is either telling the truth or he is a very good liar.
Somehow, I cannot see Lauren ending the life of their child. She is so clearly still in love with Ryker. She would have done anything to make sure that child came to life. I honestly don't believe that she would have done that.
I couldn't say that to Ryker without proof so I just nodded slowly, "I'm sorry for your loss."
"The child was better off that way than having a father who didn't want it."
I didn't know how to react to that so I just glanced at the clock on the wall. Ryker's eyes followed my gaze and when he saw the time he blanched.
"You should be in bed," he said, "I will call someone to take you home."
Before I could respond, his eyes glossed over and I knew he was mind linking someone. Not a minute later, the door opened and two guards walked in. I had never seen them before but they bowed to Ryker and I.
"Take my mate home," he paused before adding in a deathly cool voice, "If anything happens to her, it will be your skin on
the line."