Chapter 3

Ophelia's POV 

Two days.

Two endless days of stumbling through these cursed mountains, searching for someone who didn’t want to be found. 

The guards had given me a clear warning to leave, but I wasn't going anywhere until I had the antidote.

My legs burned with every step, and my throat was so dry it felt like sandpaper.

“This is pointless,” I whispered to myself, my voice raspy. “Maybe they were right. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

The mist in the air felt thicker now, wrapping around me like a cloak. The cold bit at my skin, and for the first time, I let the thought sink in—I might not make it.

I sank to my knees, my heart heavy with despair. 

As I closed my eyes and let the silence settle around me, I suddenly heard footsteps.

They weren’t mine.

I froze, my heart leaping to my throat. 

Someone was here.

My head snapped up, and at that moment, I saw three figures coming out from the mist. They moved as one, their presence imposing.

Two of them had silver masks covering features hidden completely, while the third stood unmasked between them. His sharp, dark eyes met mine, and my stomach churned.

I quickly got up. Was he the Lycan King? The man I had been looking for?

With trembling hands, I pulled the keepsake relic from my pocket and held it up, hoping, praying that it would mean something to him.. “I-I’m looking for the Lycan King,” I stammered. “Do you… does this mean anything to you?”

The unmasked man looked at the relic, and then at me. His expression didn’t change. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said flatly. His voice was deep and cold. “Leave the mountains.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I can’t leave. I’ve come this far. I’m not leaving until I see him.”

The masked men exchanged a glance, their silence unnerving. 

“This is your final warning,” the unmasked man warned. “Leave the mountains, or face the consequences.”

Before I could reply, a sudden whirlwind tore through the mountains, bringing with it an unnatural energy that made the hair on my arms stand on end. 

I stumbled backwards, shielding my eyes from the dust and debris swirling around me.

When I looked up, the three men were gone—vanished as if they had never been there.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice shaking. 

The air grew colder, and a thick fog rolled in, swallowing the landscape.

My heart pounded as I turned in every direction, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Suddenly, I felt it. 

A presence. Heavy. Overwhelming.

Out of the swirling fog, he appeared.

The man walking towards me was unlike anyone I had ever seen. His dark hair fell in loose waves around his face, framing his sharp cheekbones and piercing, silver-blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. His shoulders were broad, his chest rising and falling steadily beneath the black leather tunic he wore. 

His presence was so overwhelming that it left me rooted to the spot.

I didn’t need to ask. I knew, without a doubt, that he was the Lycan King.

When his eyes met mine, a chill ran down my spine.

There was something about him—something ruthless. He didn’t just look at me; it was as if he could see right through me, peeling back every layer of my being.

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. My hands trembled as he stopped in front of me, his imposing frame casting a shadow over mine. 

Without a word, he reached out and took the relic from my trembling hand. When his fingers brushed against mine, I felt a jolt of heat, like lightning striking my skin.

He studied the relic, turning it over in his hand, before his cold gaze returned to me.

“You’ve returned,” he said, his voice low and measured, yet it carried the weight of a command. “But not by choice.”

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest. “I… I need your help.”

His expression didn’t change. “Help?” He scoffed, the sound low and dangerous. “Why would I help you?”

“Please,” I said, my voice breaking. “It’s my friend. Elliot. He’s been poisoned. You’re the only one who can save him.”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a fleeting emotion in his eyes—anger, maybe, or something deeper. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“You made a promise,” he stated, his voice quiet and laced with an edge that made my knees weak. 

“Promise?” I repeated, confused. “What promise?”

He stepped closer, and I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. “The relic. It was a vow. You were supposed to return to the mountains when you turned eighteen.”

I tried to recall, but I couldn't. I had no memories of a promise. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. “I forgot…”

“That much is clear,” he interrupted, his gaze hard. “And now you come here, after all this time, asking for my help.”

“I’ll do anything. Just please, save him. Elliot is dying. He doesn’t have much time left. Please, if there’s anything you can do…”

“Why should I care about this Elliot? Do you think he means anything to me?”

The anger in his voice caught me off guard. “I’m not asking for you to care about him,” I said, trying to steady my shaking voice. “I’m just asking for your help. You’re the only one who can heal him.”

His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might say something else. But then he turned away, his broad shoulders stiff. “I won't help you,” he said simply. “Go back to your pack.”

“What?! No! Please!” I cried, taking a shaky step towards him. My vision was starting to blur, with black spots dancing at the edges. I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything in days, and my body was giving up on me. “Please, I’ll do anything. Just… just don’t let him die.”

He didn’t stop walking. His figure grew blurrier and blurrier as my legs buckled beneath me. 

“Please,” I whispered one last time, but the darkness was already closing in.

The last thing I saw was him turning back towards me, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t name, just before I fell into unconsciousness.

When I woke up, I found myself in a bed that felt familiar. The room was warm, the wooden ceiling beams glowing softly in the sunlight filtering through the windows. 

A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I realized where I was. 

This used to be the room he gave me when I lived here.

I sat up, my heart racing. Why did he bring me here? And where was he?

I stumbled out of the bed and into the hallway, my bare feet padding against the cool floor. 

The mansion was eerily quiet, but it still felt alive somehow, like it was holding its breath.

I followed the sound of running water and stepped out into the courtyard. 

There, by the small lake, I saw him. He was waist-deep in the water, his back to me, his dark hair slicked against his neck. When he turned around, I froze.

His chest was broad and chiseled, with water dripping down his toned muscles. Every movement was deliberate, every line of his body radiating strength. The sun reflected off his skin, highlighting every detail. 

I couldn’t look away.

He noticed me then, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he coughed lightly. 

My face burned with embarrassment. 

I’ve been staring. Oh, Goddess, help me!

He stepped out of the water, grabbing a towel from a chair and wrapped it over his shoulders. Then he picked something up, a small vial, and walked towards me.

“Take this,” he said, holding it out.

I blinked, staring at the vial. “Is this…?”

He nodded. “The antidote.”

My heart raced as I reached out to take it. “Really?”