Chapter 4

Ophelia's POV 

“Yes,” the Lycan King replied, his tone so indifferent.

Relief flooded me, and before I could stop myself, I let out a deep breath I hadn't realized I was holding. “Thank you,” I whispered, holding the small glass container close to my chest like it was my lifeline. “Thank you for helping me.”

But my happiness was short-lived.

His silver eyes, cold and unreadable, locked onto mine. “It comes with a price.”

I stiffened, my fingers tightening around the vial. My heart, which had just started to calm, slammed against my ribs again. “What?”

“When you’re done giving the antidote to your… friend,” he said in a calm voice, “you must return to the sacred mountains.”

I took a step back. The thought of coming back here, after everything I had endured just to get this far, made my stomach twist. “No,” I breathed out. “I…I can’t come back.”

“You can,” he corrected, his gaze piercing. “And you will.”

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I shook my head, struggling to make sense of what he was asking. “Why?” I finally managed to ask. “Why would I come back?”

A slow smirk curved his lips. “Because if you do, I will show you how to get your wolf.”

My breath hitched, and for a moment, I forgot how to speak. “What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“You heard me,” he replied smoothly. “I know how to awaken the wolf inside you.”

A mix of emotions crashed over me. Hope. Doubt. Fear. I had spent my whole life as the girl without a wolf, shunned by my own family, treated like an outcast in my own pack. Could he really…? 

No. No, this had to be some kind of trick.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re lying.”

He tilted his head slightly, amusement flashing in his silver gaze. “Am I?”

“Yes. You’re just trying to lure me back here for your own reasons.”

His smirk widened, but he said nothing.

I shook my head, anger and confusion swirling inside me. “I don’t believe you.”

He let out a soft hum as if he were entertained by my boldness. And then, before I could react, he moved.

In a blur of movement, his body twisted, his muscles shifting under his skin, and within seconds, a large black wolf stood in front of me.

I stumbled back in shock. He was huge—larger than any wolf I had ever seen. His dark fur shone under the dim light, his glowing silver eyes fixed on me like a hunter eyeing his prey.

Fear gripped me. My back hit the cold stone wall, leaving me with nowhere to run. “P-please,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “D-Don’t hurt me. I'm sorry.”

He didn’t lunge or growl. He simply approached me slowly, his large paws barely making a sound on the stone floor.

My entire body shook as he lowered his head, his cold nose pressing against my forehead. The moment he touched me, something snapped inside me—a deep, electric sensation that raced through my veins, sending shivers down my spine.

Then I heard a voice inside me saying, "Finally… You hear me now."

My eyes widened in shock. My lips parted, but no sound came out. It was a voice that wasn’t mine, yet it was… part of me.

It was my wolf.

I gasped, my hands flying to my chest. “W-what… what did you do?” I looked at him—at the massive black wolf standing before me. My body trembled with an unfamiliar energy.

The Lycan King shifted back, standing tall before me once again, naked, glorious, and unaffected by my shock. He pulled on a pair of loose pants from the chair nearby, his expression unreadable as he watched me.

"You've always had a wolf inside you," he said simply. "You were just too weak to hear her."

I was still trying to process everything, my breathing uneven, but then—Elliot.

Reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I was running out of time.

I grabbed the vial tightly and turned to him. “I have to go,” I said breathlessly. “I have to save Elliot.”

His gaze flickered, but he said nothing.

I swallowed hard. “Thank you… for this,” I said, motioning towards the vial. “And for…” I hesitated, not sure how to even put into words what just happened. “For showing me.”

“Don’t forget our agreement,” he reminded me, his voice smooth but sharp.

I nodded, unable to say anything else, and without waiting for him to stop me, I turned and ran.

°°°°°

By the time I reached the borders of my pack, the sun had started to set. My legs burned from the non stop running, but I pushed forward, ignoring the ache in my body.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of cheers.

I slowed down, confusion settling over me as I made my way toward the mansion. The pack members were gathered outside, smiling and talking excitedly.

“What’s going on?” I asked one of them, my breath still heavy.

She turned to me, eyes wide with excitement. “He woke up. Elliot is awake!”

My mind went blank.

“What?” I whispered.

“Yes!” Another pack member chimed in. “Beta Holmes' daughter Melissa saved him. It’s a miracle!”

I felt like the ground beneath me had just been ripped away. Melissa? My sister? That wasn’t possible. I had the antidote. She couldn’t have saved him.

Without thinking, I rushed into the mansion.

The moment I stepped inside, a strong hand grabbed my arm. I looked up and met the cold, stern gaze of my father.

“You’re not going any further, Ophelia," he said. "Just go back home."

I pulled my arm away, glaring at him. “What is going on, Father?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “I was gone for two days, and suddenly Melissa… Melissa saved me Elliot? How?”

My father sighed, as if he was already tired of me. “Melissa healed him. You were too late.”

"What? That’s impossible. I have the antidote right here.” I lifted the vial, my hands shaking. “I went to the Lycan King. I risked everything…”

“You wasted your time,” my father cut in coldly. “Melissa saved him. And now, Elliot is claiming her as his mate.”

In that moment, I felt my heart stop. Then, in the next breath, it crashed against my ribs like a caged beast, wild and panicked. My body swayed slightly, and I had to grip the nearest wall to keep myself standing.

No. No, this couldn’t be happening.

I had the antidote. I went to hell and back for it. I faced the Lycan King. I risked my life. And now… now I was being told I was too late? That Melissa had saved him?

That Elliot, my Elliot was choosing her?

A sickening coldness spread through my chest, suffocating, numbing. It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. I shook my head, blinking rapidly, as if that would make everything disappear.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re lying,” I whispered. My voice wasn’t my own—it was fragile, breaking apart. “That can't be true. Elliot loves me. He wouldn't choose someone else, no matter what.”

My father scoffed. “It’s done, Ophelia.”

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No, that’s not possible.”

But my father’s gaze didn’t waver.

The cheers outside. The celebration.

It all made sense now.

Elliot… was really choosing Melissa.

I looked my father in the eye, my voice cold and steady.

“Father, please tell me that this is all a joke? You're… just pulling my legs, aren't you? You can't be serious about this, can you?”