"Christ, you look pale. Have you been eating? Why do you have a bandage on your knee and ankle?" Ophelia's mother took a step back to examine her daughter after wrapping her in a bone-crushing hug."I am fine, mother," Ophelia smiled at her mother, "it's been a year, I was expecting you to show up during Finlay's return, but you didn't.""We had so much on our plates already... but you needed to see the look on your father's face when we heard the news." She paused and pulled closer to her daughter's ear "have you taken in yet?"Ophelia frowned a little because it was her mother's favorite question for her. She couldn't even bring herself to tell her mother that she hadn't gotten intimate with Finlay."Alpha Finlay," Ophelia's father and mother chorused, bowing in respect when Finlay made his presence known, with his Beta right behind him."Welcome," Finlay had a genuine smile on his face upon seeing his in-laws who had just arrived with their whole family, "Ronan is still grooming him
"What will you do?""Give him what he wants.""You mean war? But you only just got back.""You don't expect me to sit here like a fool whilst someone is plotting my death."It was the first time since Finlay's return that Ophelia had followed him to his room. She was scared, so scared for his sake that she couldn't fail to hide the unending tremble in her body.They couldn't carry on dining anymore since he received the letter from the three-eyed Raven. The whole castle had carried the news and everyone was frightened to the bone."What are you doing, Finlay?" Ophelia was following him everywhere. She couldn't stay in one position because it felt like her knees would give out underneath her. Finlay, who was stripping himself naked, paused and took one look at her, and was astonished in return because those emerald eyes of hers were red with tears. She was afraid."I need to prepare for war. I won't have Alpha Williamsburg and his men attack my pack, kill my men and hold their women ho
"Crimson Warriors! It has reached my hearing that the Dark Claw pack has been killing a few of our pack members that live within them. And plotting to attack and kill us all," Finlay was addressing thousands of men who had gathered in the courtyard."We cannot sit back, act like fools, and let it happen!""No!" They chorused, fully prepared for war with black and red paints on their faces, hands carrying different arsenals of weapons. A few were in the wolf's form, growling, looking entirely pissed with bared fangs."We have to attack and kill them all before they conclude with their plan to strike." Finlay was looking so war-driven and bloodthirsty that his veins were beginning to bulge out along his neck. The light wind gusted through Ophelia, making her hair fly over her face from where she stood with her hands behind her. The orange evening sun was starting to disappear and soon darkness would take over. "Alpha Williamsburg has been an enemy of mine for five years, he's vowed to
Pain sliced through Ophelia's chest as she watched the ship leaving the seaport with Finlay in front, holding the wooden stick of fire, his eyes that had so much yearning in them, never leaving hers.Ophelia's small fist that was clenched was pressed to her heart. She never gave this man the chance to be close to her since his return, but it felt like he had taken a part of her along with him. And how he was staring at her with his gaze never leaving hers, made her breath get hitched up in her throat.Would she let this man go to war like that and live without the sight of his face for two solid months? Or go along with him and pass through every nook and cranny? It was a tough decision to make.But knowing she would never have him look at her, near her side with heat radiating from his big body was rather unsettling.She had never felt so empty having Finlay leave for war, this was certainly the first time. Maybe because they had changed. She would miss him and she hated that she had
Ophelia woke up at the sound of the blowing horn and matching footsteps. It was dawn, with the morning sun tearing through the window and the small partings of the wooden floor above her. She sat upright and stretched, yawning in the process."Finlay?" She called out to her husband as she looked around the small resting place, and realized he wasn't in. It didn't look like he slept. Everything was in order, she couldn't even recall how she had fallen asleep last night. The bed was made for just one person and it was obvious he had stayed up all night or found somewhere else to sleep.Ophelia didn't know how to feel. If she was inconveniencing him not. She rubbed the side of her arm and stood up, before staring at her body only to figure she was wearing his shirt as a night dress. It was so loose-fitting that she felt lost inside. And she blushed a little because she had never worn his clothes before.Barefooted, she climbed through the steps and made her way out of the tiny resting pla
"To trespass, the walls of Williamsburg castle is a tough puzzle that requires brainstorming to be solved, my lord," "One thousand men cannot tackle down these thick walls and if they try to climb through, the men guarding the walls will send a word to the castle and they'll have men come at us in a manifold." "Now what would you have me do?" Finlay put his fingers in his chin as he looked across the large table that sat the wisest men in the Crimson Paw pack. They were a group that contributed ideas spontaneously in terms of war."Giants, my lord. We'll be needing them." Wesley Gallagher responded after a short pause. He was on Finlay's left."That's impossible, we never get along with them. They're always looking for one way or the other to eat us." Finlay was already reproving this idea. Going after Alpha Williamsburg was getting tougher than it seemed the more he seeped into it, except he could sit and wait for the man to come at him with thousands of his men because he wanted h
Finlay's jaw was clenched as he climbed up to the ship and it was at that moment they put his wife down. Ophelia upon sensing he was upset left everyone else and went to meet him."My lord," she called him quietly but he ignored her and left immediately. However, she had no choice but to follow suit. She hadn't seen this man since last night and now that she had, she didn't look pleased with his mood. She wondered if he had an argument with someone, but who could that be? No one had the balls to challenge him. Then how was it possible he looked so pissed in a way she hadn't seen before?She made her way into the room and shut the door behind her, before pressing her behind against it.Finlay was standing and he had his back to her, it seemed he was waiting for her to show up. He was so mature and wanted them to speak in private alone."May I know what is upsetting you, Finlay?" A part of her wanted to hug him like that but the other part restrained her, upon feeling the tension from
Warning: This Chapter is lengthy as it ranges with powerful emotions. You will be able to understand things from Ophelia's perspective and that of Finlay's. I wanted to halve it, but I figured everything is best staying in one chapter. _______Finlay returned in faster than Ophelia had expected and he closed the door and locked it before approaching her."It's a good thing you came quick, my lord. I was about to wear my clothes on," Ophelia stood up and discarded the sheet covers, revealing her bare body to him once more."Thank God you didn't," Finlay murmured and balled his fingers because he was a bit confused. He didn't know if she wanted him to touch her or if she would like to undress him by herself.His cock pulsated between his tights and he held his breath because the whole time he cautioned his men and requested they give Lewis respect, he couldn't help thinking about her body."Come," he beckoned and Ophelia immediately obeyed without hesitation."What will you have me do,