I awoke with a start. I didn’t remember falling asleep. Glancing at the empty spot beside me, I realized I never heard Arthur leave. He must have been very quiet. I was still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when there was a knock at the bedroom door. After covering up with a robe, I walked to the door and answered it. It was one of the maids from the night before. "Hello, I'm here to help bathe you," she said."Oh, no thank you," I said to her, smiling. "But I appreciate it." After politely declining her offer, I closed the door and then walked to the bathroom. Pulling my toothbrush out of the cup holder, I began brushing my teeth. As I stared in the mirror, I was suddenly reminded of a boy I had a crush on when I was in middle school. His name escaped me. I could barely recall what he looked like. But none of that mattered. It was how he treated me that stood out in my mind. Margaret's bullying had increased that year and he was there for me. Our friendshi
After the night we spent together, Arthur visited me again which was unusual compared to his former aloofness. Before he left, it wasn't without another surprise. He handed me his personal phone number and a cell phone. I didn't read too much into it. It was doubtful it was for anything other than keeping tabs on me. Although... It was interesting that he was leaving it up to me to call him. Unless of course, he knew my cell number by heart. Over the next few weeks, save my morning workouts, I was in the mansion. It was boring but at least I had my cello to pass the time. The more I played, the more I felt connected to my mother. That was my saving grace. It was a few days after Arthur had given me his number when Beta Anthony came to talk to me in my room. "I have some news," Anthony said with a smile. "Arthur has agreed to let you go out and meet new people.""Really, Beta Anthony?" I asked with my hand on my chest. I was surprised. "Yes. Are you happ
Ignoring Taylor's irritable demeanor, I asked, "Would you like to start the lesson right away or get to know one another? No pressure." I put my hands up and sat on the very edge of the couch.Angrily she spouted, "Do you think chatting with me is enough for you to get paid? You need to earn it, peon!" She squinted her eyes in arrogance.I bet she knew a plentitude of insults. Hopefully, her vocabulary wasn't from her former tutors cursing at her. Instead of responding in friction to her taunt, I paid her a compliment. "It's impressive that you understand the value of time and money." That caught her attention for a moment but then she returned to her dissonance."Whatever," she scoffed.We weren't getting anywhere. Maybe if I was farther away from her, she'd respond. Rising from the couch, I began to walk around the dimly lit room. She had plenty of books and a fireplace similarly to my room at the mansion. As I explored, I found it difficult to navigate. It was
Ophelia POV:Arthur opened the door of the Rolls Royce, and I nodded my thanks as I sank into the opulent white leather interior. I still wasn’t used to the casual luxury that seemed to surround Arthur and his pack. I briefly wondered if I should have dressed up for the occasion, then quickly discarded the thought as absurd. He was only driving me home from a tutoring session with his niece, not escorting me to a ball. Although part of me, unbidden, did wonder what that might feel like. Arthur might be a bit gruff sometimes, but I had to admit, he would definitely make a good, handsome prince. However, handsome princes typically didn't buy women for breeding purposes, so maybe that wasn't necessarily an accurate description of the man seated next to me. "How was Tayor's tutoring session?" he asked, his deep blue eyes gazing intently into mine as he turned the ignition of the car on. "If it's too challenging for you, I'll understand, and arrange for someone else to take c
Ophelia's POV "Getting pregnant may require many attempts," Jessica said gently, squeezing my hand in reassurance. "But that's a normal part of the process. And there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you and Arthur will produce a healthy heir!" The memories of his touch flooded my mind. The taste of his lips, his masculine scent enveloping me. The idea that he would touch me again made my heart race. But did I also want Arthur? "How many attempts?" I asked, unable to keep the fear and excitement out of my tone. "I mean, you know, how many is normal for this type of situation?" "Well..it depends," Jessica replied hesitantly. "There are always a number of factors at play when a couple decides to have a child. But in this case, I'd say, as many as it takes." I nodded, my head reeling from the possibilities. How many attempts would it take? And how would I feel during those attempts? I was utterly overwhelmed, and I needed to be alone to think. I liked Jessica, bu
Ophelia's POV Arthur's Beta and Jessica arrived early that morning to relocate me to my own private villa. It was located in a remote part of the ShadowClaw Pack's lands, and I couldn't suppress my excitement at having a place all to myself. In my old home, it felt as if nothing had belonged to me. Nothing had been truly mine. And now, even though of course I knew that it was a temporary arrangement, I had nonetheless been granted my own space. A house no less! And I intended to savor every moment of it for as long as it lasted. The room I'd occupied previously in the mansion had been a special room in a private sanitorium. A room exclusively for the Pack Luna. But the villa had been designed specifically for me. "Arthur knows that you love plants," Anthony said with a gentle smile. He was driving us all to my new home and briefly met my gaze in the rearview mirror. "So he instructed the gardeners to fill the surrounding landscape with flowers. Wait until you see this
Ophelia's POV After no small amount of hesitation, I finally made the call. As the phone rang, I wasn't sure what I wanted to happen. It seemed that my life would be made easier if Arthur didn't answer. On the other hand, what would it mean for me if he didn't? This is also very normal because I am just an insignificant person. I don't think he will answer my call.I knew that Taylor was trying to upset Catherine, and I didn't want to take an active role in her plans. I didn't know exactly what she was up to, but I didn't like where this was headed. I wondered what Arthur would think about all of that, and held my breath while I waited for his response. "Hello?" Arthur asked, a thread of concern in his husky voice. "What's the matter?" "Everything is fine," I replied in a carefree tone that belied my true feelings. "I just wanted to let you know that Catherine is looking for you." After a moment of silence, he calmly said, 'I'll be home in forty minutes.'“Okay, I
"So, what do you think?" Jessica asked, holding the dress to my body.I graciously took the garment into my hands and compared it to myself in the mirror. The cloth was elegant and made with a quality of the likes I'd never seen."You bought this for me?" I asked in astonishment as I dropped my mouth open.She nodded. "Of course, I did. You didn't need the added pressure of shopping. It's time to celebrate!"I giggled and said, "You're too kind, Jess.""Anytime! You're like a sister to me," she confessed. I felt a pang in my chest—not of pain but of happiness. I tried to hold back my tears. "Well don't just stand there. Try it on. I bet it fits perfectly!""Okay, I will!" I answered. Her enthusiasm was contagious.As I was trying on the dress, I asked, "Who is this party for again?""Arthur is throwing it for his father and Caroline."I felt muted joy in my stomach. It was a slight disappointment that this party was in honor of Caroline, but I refused to let
Ophelia's POV The next morning I woke up early and decided to start my day with a cappuccino from my favorite coffee house ‘Rosalyn's’ before rehearsal. As I opened my door I smiled, turning my face to the warmth of the sun. It was a beautiful morning, and I had plenty of time to walk down to my destination before I had to get to work. One of my favorite things about my new home was the variety of charming shops located within walking distance of my house. I passed my favorite bakery ‘Daily Bread’ and deeply inhaled the fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread wafting into the street. I thought about stopping in for one of their luscious croissants but decided against it. Even though my mouth watered at the idea of the flakey, buttery consistency of their pastries, it wasn't practical. I had some time, but not enough to make two trips. And the coffee was non-negotiable if I was going to get through my morning. I always enjoyed practicing my cello, but rehearsal could be in
Ophelia's POV I had always loved jazz music. It was a passion that I didn't share with most people. It seemed to me that jazz was a polarizing art form. People seemed to either love it or loathe it. And I always seemed to have far too much going on in my life to waste time arguing about its merits with those who fell into the latter category. Nonetheless, from the time I was a child, I would pull on my earphones and be swept away by the sounds of my favorite musicians. Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, and Ella Fitzgerald to name a few. They felt like friends to me. No matter what was happening in my life, I knew that I could always turn to their music in my time of need. Listening to the sweet sound of Coltrane's ‘Cousin Mary’ would always bring me some measure of peace. It was one of the few things I could count on during that dark period of my life. I don't know exactly how it came up in conversation with Allen, but yesterday I confessed to him about this guilty pleasure of
Ophelia's POV The next day, my head pounding with a dreaded hangover, I decided that there was only one surefire way to get Arthur out of my head once and for all. I was going to get rid of absolutely everything related to him. If I needed him out of my life, and out of my head for good, then I needed to purge it all. Everything must go, I thought irrationally, as I grimaced from the burn of the black coffee I had ingested. All of it. It would be like an exorcism. Only the demon I was desperately attempting to vanquish was my love for Arthur. It might be a tall order, but I had to start somewhere, I thought grimly, using the dregs of the bitter brew to swallow two aspirin. I'd begin with the obvious: the villa key he'd given me, our family photo from that baby store, and newspaper clippings I'd hung up beside my bed for the past year. I was sure there was more, but that was where I would begin. The only problem with my plan was that sorting through these items brought b
Ophelia's POV In the days following Christmas dinner, Allen was busier than usual. He spent most of his days at the hospital with his patients, sometimes even sleeping at work rather than driving home exhausted after a fifteen-hour shift. "I'm sorry," Allen told me over the phone during one of his infrequent breaks. "The hospital is just insanely busy right now. It seems as if every shifter in the surrounding territories is either sick or injured right now. I have no idea why!" "Maybe it's the full moon," I joked, trying to make light of the situation.I missed Allen, and the more I was alone with my musings, the more my mind and heart turned to Arthur, and what he might be doing. Did he remember me? Or had he forgotten me as quickly as it seemed? "It's not your fault in any case," I continued, trying to hide the disappointment I felt at the thought of spending another day alone. "Your patients are incredibly lucky to have you." "I'll make it up to you, I promise
Ophelia's POV I awoke early to the aroma of fresh coffee wafting tantalizingly from downstairs. Smiling, I threw on my new black robe and followed the scent to our kitchen table. And to Allen, my friend. I reflected once again, upon seeing him seated at the table with my son, how lucky I was these days. "Good morning, sweetheart," Allen said warmly, offering me a warm smile. "I was just going to bring you some coffee. Are you hungry for some breakfast?" My stomach immediately growled loudly in anticipation, making us both chuckle. I sat down next to my pup, ruffling his hair. Aiden was a year old, and I thanked the Moon Goddess every single day for bringing him into my life. For bringing both men into my life. "I guess that answers that question," Allen replied with a grin, making his way over to the stove. "Belgian waffles and home fries coming right up!" Allen was tall and handsome, with curly dark hair and melting chocolate eyes. Everything about him was warm and
Arthur's POV I found myself strolling through a winter garden. The sun rose high overhead, spreading warmth throughout my body despite the gentle snow falling to the ground. Everything in my surroundings sparkled as if silver glitter had somehow been mixed with the wintry precipitation.I ambled slowly past an ice sculpture, which miraculously bore Catherine's likeness down to the smallest detail. Even the tiny laugh lines around the corners of her mouth stood out in relief. For some reason, I felt as if the statue was purposefully mocking me. Telling me to give up, that my love would always be lost to me. This angered me, and with a muttered curse I drew my broadsword from its sheath. Raising it above my head, it glinted under the rays of the sun as if on fire. Grinning, I brought down my sword and decapitated the effigy in one swift stroke. It had been satisfying to kill her, if only symbolically. But before I could reflect upon why that might be, I heard something that to
Arthur’s POVI dreamed that Ophelia had come back. The ache that had been my reality for long was now removed and I was filled with... joy. We hugged one another and everything was perfect. Then an icy blizzard hit with the rapidity of a squall. I was blinded by the whitewash, and I lost track of her. Rushing around frantically, I searched for her in the last direction that I'd seen her go.It felt like I walked for ages but finally, I knew she was near because suddenly the storm swirled away into the distance, then ceased. The snow was melting and as I trudged toward her, shivering and frostbitten, she stood in a beautiful, lush garden. Moss and chartreuse grass grew before my eyes.She turned to me, and I was bewildered when koby-pink cherry flower blossoms began to fall at my feet, covering the ground. I reached out for the cherry blossom and held it. The branch broke under my grasp, and everything turned frigid.Ophelia joined me and touched the same tree, bringing
Ophelia’s POVAs we were traveling the swaying and rocking from the boat began to make me feel seasick. Being pregnant was only exacerbating the symptoms. When Kingston stopped by my cabin, he noticed I wasn't well."Uh oh, you look green. Not feeling too good, huh?" he asked."Do I really look that awful?""You could never look awful," he playfully joked with a half-smile, sitting across from me. I did my best to crack a smile for him, but I felt too nauseated. "Maybe I can help. The crew must have Dramamine or something similar.""Will it hurt the pup?" I asked, holding the baby bump on my stomach. I felt nervous which only compounded my queasiness. After being forced into drinking games, I didn't want to take a chance to consume any other substance that may hurt the baby.Remembering that night of drinking, a pang of mistrust for Kingston returned. I glanced at him, feeling iciness in my chest. But now he was behaving so contrary. He was going to all this trouble f
Ophelia’s POVMaking it just in time, I heard the announcement for Suntra, 10 am. Like it was planned, Kingston paid my way siding beside me. Clinging onto my printed ticket like it was my lifeline, I skipped to the queue. After handing it to the attendee she smiled."Enjoy your stay," was what she said. I wondered why she didn't say anything about this being a holiday or vacation. Even though she couldn't see into my eyes, somehow, she pinpointed I was on a one-way trip. It was when I realized for myself the significance of my leaving. Perhaps I was reading too much into it, but I took it as a sign. This was the right decision and I'd be safe once and for all. Encouraged even more by this random interaction, I enthusiastically traipsed toward the boat. I barely noticed Kingston beside me. My heart was racing with exhilaration, anxiety, and faith in a new life. Me and my pup would live in a lovely place free of Arthur's oppression. Free of all the people who'd kept me un