CAMILLA''S POV


    “She just walked out without saying anything else?” Christine asked after I had finished exining everything that


    happened with Peggy and I nodded. “Was she confused or something? Maybe she didn’t understand what it was that


    you were trying to ask.”


    “She understood,” I sighed deeply. “Her story didn’t align. At first she said that she managed to run away and get to


    the hospital then she said she was beaten within an inch of her life. I think that whatever made the people forget is


    making her mix up the stories. I don’t know if it is weaker or she was just remembering the truth but something is


    up.”


    There were sighs all around. We were in the private library which has somewhat be our meeting point. Juan was


    sitting next to Christine and holding her hand, they were better at hiding their emotions on a good day but I could


    tell that they were worried about this. This wasn’t something we were experienced in and neither of us knew where


    or how to start.


    “Perhaps you could try talking to her again,” Ryker suggested and I nodded. It was the only option we had. She was


    the only one who could tell us what was happening without us rousing suspicion. “In the meantime, I have guards


    keeping an eye on Marie. She hasn''t done anything suspicious yet, she just stays in her room.”


    I exhaled deeply before turning to Christine. “Did you find out anything about them from their town? Was there any


    suspicious news?”


    She shook her head. “The answers are still the same. They don’t even remember you. It is as if thest few months


    were wiped out of their brains. I have done everything save for going there myself. I don’t know what else to do. If


    you want me to-"


    “No,” I cut her off. “You have done more than enough. We just have to put more pressure on Peggy. She definitely has


    something and she can tell us. I trust her, I just need to know how to get the information out of her. In the meantime


    we just do what Ryker said and just try to avoid suspicion. I don''t want her knowing that we are aware. There is too


    much at stake here with the girls and-"


    I trailed off not knowing if Christine had told Ryker yet about her pregnancy. She gave me a warm smile before


    nodding letting me know that it was alright.


    “She is within the pce walls and has ess to us and the kids. Riley is here too and I don’t want anyone getting


    hurt when they don’t have to,” I said finally. “Let us try to keep this as discreet as possible, okay?”


    There were nods all around and we finally stood to our feet. There was a lot of work to attend to and we couldnt be


    away from the pce for too long without rousing suspicion as to where we were.


    “I have to meet with the guards,” Ryker whispered to me. “Juan ising with me and I don’t want to get him worriec


    but can you keep an eye on Christine? Damien wants to speak to her about the bond and I don’t want her to be alon


    when that happens.”N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    My eyes widened. “He told me he was going to do it and I believed him but I didn’t think he would actually-"


    He shook his head warning me to be silent and to say I was stunned would have been an understatement but I was


    also relieved. It was about time that he started acting like a man worthy of Riley. I couldn''t stop my small smile. I


    would have liked for everyone to be with their mate just like Ryker and I but the truth was that I was happy because


    everyone else was happy. It worked out for everyone.


    “She might not be happy to see him,” I whispered back. “Remember how things ended thest time? He didn’t ep


    her rejection. He is the reason they are still bonded.”


    “I know, let us just hope that he does the right thing now for everyone involved.”


    He kissed my forehead and I watched him disappear with Ryker. Once they were gone, Christine spoke. “Do you think


    he will be a good father?”


    “Juan?” I asked and she nodded. “I do, actually, I know he is great with Audrey, I can only imagine how he will be witt


    his own children.”


    “Do you think I will be a good mother?”


    I scoffed. “Christine, sometimes I worry that you are more of a mother to Audrey than I am because how often I am


    incapacitated or busy. You will be amazing and you will love this child. You will fail sometimes but that''s the thing


    about being a parent, you aren''t perfect, you just have to try your best.”


    A weight seemed to disappear from her shoulders. I couldn''t help but wonder how long she wanted to ask that


    question. It seemed like it had been guing her for a while and I was grateful and relieved that I was able to help


    her out so much. I couldn''t help but think back on Ryker''s words and a part of me knew that this was not the right


    time for Damien to speak to her. She had so much on her mind already and yet there was not much that I could say


    or do as we walked out of the library. I prayed that we wouldn''t bump into Damien and for a minute, it seemed like


    my prayers were being answered until I saw him turn the corner.


    I tried to shake my head at him but his eyes were fixated on Christine. When she saw him, she stilled and turned to


    me with wide eyes. Her hand was clutching mine for dear life and all I could do was give her a small smile. She was


    not going to run, I knew her well enough to know that Christine never backed down from a fight. It didn’t matter if


    that fight was going to ruin her, she was going to stay.


    “Hey, I was wondering if maybe we could talk,” he went straight to the point without missing a beat. I knew he wante


    me to leave but I had zero intentions of doing that especially not after I had promised Ryker that I wouldn''t. “I don’t


    want to bother you much, I just, I have to do this.”


    “Cami stays,” I was surprised when she said that. I would have thought that she would have sent me away. Damien


    looked shocked by her words but he nodded and that was how we made our way into the nearest hallway. It was


    deserted. “Get to the point, Damien, I need to find my mate.”


    He sighed but said no words. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it was for them to stand in front of each other knowing


    everything that had happened. I felt like a third wheel standing awkwardly to the side. I would have stepped back to


    give them privacy but Christine was holding my hand in a tight grip and she didn’t seem to have any ns of letting


    go. When Damien didn’t speak, she frowned.


    “Did you call me here to stare at me?” she asked incredulously. “Does Riley even know that you are here? I am finally


    happy after everything and I do not want a repeat of what happened thest time. I don’t want any trouble with you.


    I already-"


    “lI wanted to apologize,” he cut her off and I could see the surprise in her features. “What I did before- I was stupid. I


    didn’t realize that I was hurting two very amazing women and I am sorry for that, Christine. I had time to think and


    time to grow and I know now that you always deserved better, you both do. I just want to apologize.”


    It was clear that she was taken off guard. “I ept your apology.”


    “I also wanted to officially put this to an end. It was disrespectful of me to not ept your rejection in the first ce


    You don''t need that baggage holding you down and if I have any hope of a future with Riley, I don’t need it either, so


    I ept your rejection Christine.”


    I wasn''t sure if it was because she was already mated to Juan but the pain didn''t hit as hard as it should have, still, I


    saw the hurt sh in her eyes and she took a slow step back from him. I watched them carefully and the moment her


    hand slipped from mine, I took a step back to give them a semnce of privacy.


    “Thank you for doing that,” she whispered softly and he gave her a curt nod. “I wish you nothing but the best with


    Riley. You both would be amazing together.”


    “I could say the same about you and Juan. He makes you look rxed, you don’t look like you have a stick shoved uf


    your a*s all the time.”


    Sheughed. If someone had told me that Damien would be making Christineugh, I would have called them insane


    yet it was all unfolding in front of me. He gave her a warm smile and I watched as they shook hands. It was the first


    interaction had ever seen them have and she took a step back from him.


    “Have a good day, Damien, I''ll see you around,” he gave her a slight bow before walking away and once he was gone,


    she let out a deep breath and ced her hands on the walls.


    I immediately knew something was wrong and rushed over to her side. She leaned against me without protesting an


    I realized she was breathing heavily. “Are you alright? Do you need me to call Juan?”


    She shook her head. “The pain, it just took a while to hit. It is an entire bond breaking, it doesn''t feel so good. At


    least it is over now, I can officially get mated to Juan. My baby will not be born out of wedlock.”


    She seemed to be getting paler. “Forget about the baby for a second, are you alright?”


    “Yes,” she stood up straight and tried to smile at me but the smile faltered and before I could even process what was


    happening, her eyes fluttered shut and she copsed into my arms.