After Arthur left, I let out a long exhale. I knew I had been quite dismissive toward him but that was my goal. Hopefully, he didn’t catch on that I was feeling suspicious of him. Ultimately, I couldn't waste my energy worrying about what he wanted. All that I knew was I'd never been sad to leave a room. As I walked past the front door, I noticed something out of place. Catherine's tan coat was hanging up on a hook, nestled between a few others. Carefully, I snuck a check and noticed it was an envelope I recognized. It couldn't be. Was she really that tactless? The answer to my question was yes. She had brought the euthanasia agreement with her. How despicable! Was she planning on twisting my arm to sign it tonight? It wasn't enough for her to have an engagement party for her and Arthur. She needed to know I was going to die too. Her spite never ceased to amaze me. Snatching it out of her coat, I stuffed it inside my shirt. I tried to stifle my shaking as I
Arthur had promised me that we would go shopping for baby supplies together. When he had first mentioned the idea, my heart had soared with hope and longing. Was he, perhaps, beginning to think of us as a team? It was far too much to hope for that Arthur would ever consider me as a mate. He didn't seem to want one in any case, and even if he did, I certainly didn't have the noble bloodline that such a position would require of me. To think it, even for a moment, was heartbreakingly dangerous, and I shook my head to clear it. No, the best I could possibly hope for was that of his ally. Pack member. At this point, even, 'person I don't want to kill' would be sufficient. Try as I might, I couldn't stop thinking about that euthanasia agreement. I knew that Catherine was a liar in general. I just prayed to the goddess that she was also being untruthful in that particular instance. I had absolutely no intention of dying for love. Not ever. But especially not when the person i
I went back to my cottage, thoughts of Arthur pounding in my brain as I watched the torrential rain outside my window. It was a gloomy night, and every flash of lightning made me shiver in the darkness. I felt more alone than ever. I had frequently been alone when I was with my former pack. But that was a state of being that had grown used to enduring. No one had ever shown me kindness there. I'd never had a friend or even a parent who truly cared about me. As such, I'd grown used to it and had never dared to hope for anything more. There had been a cold comfort in that, in the understanding that this was how things would be for me. My heart had grown cold and closed off to the outside world. I had protected myself, and that shield I had used to keep the world at bay had worked well. I was numb to whatever torments the pack could come up with to hurt me. I was someplace beyond myself, and it had enabled me to survive. But now, ironically, since I had come to know affection,
Ophelia's POVI was rattled by Kingston's harsh words, and my heart pounded in fear at the thought of my pup being in jeopardy. I didn't know who to believe anymore or who to trust. But what I did know was that I would rather die than allow Kingston to know how terrified I felt at that moment. "Thank you for the warning," I replied calmly, using his semi-relaxed grip as an opportunity to extricate myself from his hold. "I will certainly bear it in mind." "See that you do," Kingston replied menacingly, although whether he was angry with Arthur, or for me not immediately agreeing to run away with him, I couldn't say.As I hastened away from him into the relative safety of the kitchen, I couldn't decide what to do. Leave or stay? Run from Arthur or see this through and pray to the Moon Goddess that things worked out for my pup and I. I didn't know what was right anymore. "Ma'am? Would you like a fruit smoothie?" Jezebel, our newest servant asked, startling me out of my r
Arthur's POVI had never trusted Catherine's father, not one bit. Even as a pup, I knew there was more going on behind those steely gray eyes than the old man would ever admit. And getting him to agree to an alliance was never going to be an easy thing, no matter what he said. He was a cunning old fox, no doubt about it. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I needed to properly investigate the situation. This meant getting people involved whose job it was to uncover the truth. And as loyal as Anthony and Jessica might be, they weren't quite at the level that I needed in this particular situation. That's why I contacted Gary Lionheart, the most famous lawyer and private investigator from the Supreme Court. He was the only one I could possibly use to find out what Alpha Romero had to hide. "So you want to dig into this guy's past?" Gary said, eyebrows raised as he regarded the photo of Catherine's father. It had been taken at a charity event for which
Ophelia’s POVAfter a desperate attempt to grasp Arthur's hand, I lost my balance, slipping over the edge. I fell for what felt like forever until I hit the ground with a violent thud, knocking the wind out of me. Panicking, I tried to breathe, but it wouldn't come. Rolling on my back with two tremulous inhales, relief washed over me as my diaphragm relaxed and my lungs expanded with air.Still gasping and coughing, I stared at the cliff I'd just fallen from. It was jagged and several stories high—much steeper than I'd realized. Even if I wanted to—and I didn't—I couldn't make it back up there without some help. This was not a mere tumble down a grassy hill.I rolled to my left side on my stomach preparing to stand. Pressing my palms to the ground, I surveyed the landscape. I had no idea where I was and even if I had, the nighttime torrential downpour was making visibility close to nil.Panting, in a split second I went through my options. Nobody was around for miles,
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
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 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