Alaric's Pov
"I heard that you seek me." I heard Camille's voice from behind me in my room. What I couldn't understand was the fact that she had crept into this room without me sensing her movement or smelling her. I was also able to sense Josh's presence in the room; he must have entered with Camille, but I didn't sense them. The effect of losing Lenora was getting a hold on me, and I was slowly losing my strength.
My only focus for the past few days was on her as I didn't give myself the time or luxury to feed my beast and it was becoming weak to the point of not sensing Camille from miles away.
"Where is Lenora?" I asked, my face still fixed on the window as I stared at the thick black curtain that covered the window and prevented the sun from sipping in. What was the need for the brightness of the sun when my light wasn't here?
"Ricky, I have nothing to do with your mate." Camille answered, but the sound of her calling me Ricky created a spark of anger in me as I turned to look at her, and in a flash, I was already standing right in front of her.
"Where is my Lenora?" I asked again as my eyes rapidly lost their natural colour and changed into a deadly one. I could tell that she was instantly petrified as her entire aura wasn't the way it was when she came into the room, but she was quick to shove her fear away. At first, she had an aura of pride, and I thought that I might have happened to have shattered her pride, but she proved me wrong as a sly smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"I swear Ricky, I don't know where she is." She grunted while her lips danced as she continued to chew the gum in her mouth and made an annoying noise with it when the gum popped in her mouth. She stood there staring at me, knowing how much I disliked it when she chewed gum. Was she doing this on purpose to irritate me?
I was starting to lose my temper and was close to unleashing my beast on her as I couldn't tolerate her attitude, but then I realised that she was stubborn and wouldn't give me the answers I needed, even at the point of death. I calmed myself and my beast, as I didn't want to get too angry, else I might not be able to get any information on Lenora.
I have been handling this case with anger in me and could that be the reason why I haven't found Lenora in weeks since her disappearance? I was not even close to finding her and I felt like I wasn't doing enough for her.
I couldn't help but think that I might have been the reason why she was in danger, and yet, I was unable to find her. Perhaps if I changed my method of approach, then I would be able to find her.
Perhaps if I prayed to the moon goddess, she would forgive me for my previous mistakes and bring Lenora back to me. Perhaps I needed her redemption. I would trade everything I have just to have Lenora back in my arms. I want her, no, I need her.
Right in front of me, Camille was still standing elegantly with the gum dancing in her mouth, but I took deep breaths to calm myself.
"Camille", I called for her.
"Yes, Ricky," she answered with a smug smile on her face as she purposely strained the name. She was trying to make me lose my cool, but I wasn't going to give her that. I would rather talk to her once I am able to bear her.
"Leave my room; I'll call for you when I need you."
"Wait, what?" she said, sounding appalled. Her eyes widened and her pupils retracted. The awe in her eyes was evident.
"Josh, take her with you."
"Yes, Your highness," he answered as he walked towards Camille, reaching for her arm to take her out, but she was quick to yank her arm from his grip.
"Why are you not torturing me? Why are you telling me to leave?" She asked and for the first time since she came into the room, I could smell fear coming from her but at the same time I was perplexed. Why was she scared of me releasing her? Did she really want me to torture her? Is she crazy?
"Camille, I don't have time for your games. Leave before I change my mind," I threatened.
"Please change your mind. Kill me if it pleases you." She boldly said as she crashed on her knees, pleading for me to kill her.
I would have thought she was just trying to provoke me, but her aura was saying otherwise. I have always known her to be full of pride, and she never begged, but always had her chin up high. That was one of the reasons why I chose her to sleep with, but the Camille right in front of me was begging on her knees for me to kill her.
"Camille..."
"I have everything to do with Lenora's disappearance. Please kill me," she said, but I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to believe her. This was what I wanted to hear from her, but hearing it seemed like a sham. I was able to subdue my anger and was able to see through her words. She was innocent, but why was she lying?
"Camille.."
"I swear.. I swear, I have everything to do with her disappearance. Please kill me." she pleaded. Her hands shivered as she managed to bring both her palms together, begging for her death.
"Camille!" I roared, shunning her from speaking as my aura muted her.
The Camille that I used to know was filled with pride and would never beg for anything, even at the point of death, but here she was begging for her death.
She even went as far as coming to my pre-wedding celebration to blabber her mouth to Lenora without any fear of me. She knew me well and she knew that I wouldn't kill her, but why had she suddenly changed? What has been happening behind the walls of my room in the past few weeks? Why was she begging for death?
"Why are you trembling in fear?" I asked as she suddenly burst out in tears.
"My niece's life is at stake here and I don't know what to do." She cried as my brows furrowed in confusion. I retracted my steps away from her to give her space to breath and also to study her expressions and figure out what was truly wrong with her.
"Your niece?" I asked as she nodded her head while tears continued to stream down her cheeks. I have never seen her this vulnerable since we've known each other for years and not even when her life was at stake would she cry, but she was on her knees crying about her niece, who I completely know nothing about.
"I have nothing to do with your niece; leave for the time being," I told her. I couldn't seem to understand her sudden outburst, but I didn't want another ache in my head as I wanted to solely focus on Lenora.
"If I leave this room, then my niece will die. Please help me," she pleaded. I had thought that she might be bluffing, but her aura couldn't lie as the fear in her increased to lengths I have never experienced. How could she be so scared for a niece and be willing to trade her life for something that I am completely clueless about?
"I don't know anything about your niece, Camille. Leave before I change my mind and hang your head."
"Please hang my head"
"What has gotten into you, Camille Hughes?" I asked and was surprised that I remembered her full name.
She didn't answer, but tears continued to stream down her cheeks as it made me remember that no matter how tough she might look on the outside, she was still a werewolf and had her vulnerabilities.
"Where is your niece?" I asked and watched how she tried to compose herself on the floor, with her eyes looking around the room. Her aura was changing, and she was starting to feel embarrassed, but the sadness and fear in her still remained stable. She must have really loved this niece of hers for her to get on her knees for her.
I had no idea of what to do with her at this point. If I was told that Camille would break down in a room filled with two men, I wouldn't have believed it. Something great was bothering her. I couldn't believe a living thing would affect her this much.
"Talk to me," I softly said to her as I bent to the floor and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. Her eyes were meek and gentle. They were no longer her seductive eyes but were like the eyes of a child.
Camille and I might not have had a close relationship, but one thing that I can't deny was the fact that we enjoyed our time together. As she was the only one that could match up to me, I should at least show her gratitude for how she had assisted me in the past.
"I was threatened to tell you that I was the cause of Lenora's disappearance, or else my niece would die. I called it a bluff, but on getting to my sister's house, she was laying in her pool of blood and Vivian was nowhere to be seen," she explained, with her voice cracking as I released a heavy breath in surprise.
"Who threatened you?" I asked.
"I have no idea, but they mentioned that they could see me in the palace and would release Vivian to an orphanage home once my head gets hanged for the disappearance of Lenora." She answered, and I didn't know when a laugh escaped my lips.
Whoever has done that harm to Lenora would be a person that knows too much about me and has lived in the pack house or lives in the packhouse.
They wanted to take advantage of my anger to their advantage because they believed my anger would always cloud my judgement. I was so foolish to feed them exactly what they desired. I was thinking that my anger would make them fear me, while some people out there use it against me, the devil's son.
I must have been their laughing stock. I am my own laughing stock. I've been so blind all this while.
She stuttered as tears started to flow down her cheeks once more while her body shivered in fear. "I can't let anything happen to Vivian. You have to kill me, please. You need to kill me."
"Lenora, I'm sorry" I pleaded. I have wronged her in multiple ways and here I am sitting in my room. I have been fuming in anger but didn't settle to think well. I have no idea where she was or what she was doing. Yet, I was getting angry. I would kill any suspect without thinking twice. Now that I have realised, I feel like a really big fool.
I'm glad I know better now and I promise to have her back in my arms soon. I once promised her three months to make her love me, and I'm still promising her three months. I'll have her back here with me in less than three months.
"Set up a fire, Josh; we'll give them the body they want to see," I told Josh.
"Yes, your highness," he answered, and with a bow, he walked out of the room, leaving Camille and I with her face lit up at the sound of death.
"I'm so sorry, Lenora."