The moonlight filtered through the high windows of Ophelia's chamber, throwing shadows on the stone walls. The space seemed both claustrophobic and chilly, as if the pressure of the kingdom's destiny pushed against the actual air surrounding her. Though the turmoil outside—rogue wolves congregating at the gates, the Lycan Kings' strained alliances—only made it worse, she had attempted to quiet her racing ideas.
The door cracked open unexpectedly, causing Ophelia to gasp. Tylor. Given all that had transpired between them, she had not anticipated him locating her here. His familiar but now strained presence permeated the room like an electric current.
Tall and powerful, he stood there with stiff shoulders but dark eyes, those dark eyes that had formerly warmed her world were full of sorrow.
"Ophelia," he whispered gently, almost as though saying her name in his mouth caused him pain. We have to talk.
Refusing to look away, Ophelia swallowed the lump in her throat. Once, she had loved him fervently. But that love had been destroyed, leaving only jagged fragments. She could not allow herself to fall for the same guy once more.
Her voice was tight as she said, "I don't want to talk." All has been said.
Tyler's jaw clenched. Stepping forward, he felt the air between them heavy with unspoken past. "You're wrong," he responded, his voice somewhat hoarse. "There's all to say. Ophelia, He hesitated, looking down for a second before looking back to meet hers. Once more, I cannot lose you.
Her heart ached. She wanted to run, scream, and tell him all she felt. But she was unable to do so. Not at this time. Not after all.
"Tyler," she said softly, her voice shaking, "you've already lost me."
Overwhelmingly, he stepped closer. Not. "I haven't," he said emphatically, his voice urgent yet resolute. Ophelia, I have never stopped loving you. And I'm giving you a way out.
Ophelia's heart stuttered in her breast. "A way out?" she said, incredulous.
Lifting his voice, he whispered, "Escape with me," as though the words themselves were too hazardous to pronounce out loud. Leave Lucian behind. Abandon this realm. Together, we can shape our fate.
Ophelia felt paralyzed, her head racing with the options under the weight of his offer. Though she wanted to go back, could she trust him once more? Was she ready to gamble her heart, her life, for a second opportunity at something she wasn't certain could be saved?
Now, just above a whisper, his voice begged. Ophelia, come with me. We can flee from everything. You need not go through this by yourself.
The words hung on her like a lifeline; yet, deep down, Ophelia understood the reality. One that could alter everything, it was a seductive promise. But was it worth the risk?
Ophelia was unable to sleep. Tyler's proposal hung over her no matter how many times she rolled over in bed; her thoughts churned like a hurricane. Once she had hoped for a life with him, of love, of freedom, of a future that now seemed so far out of reach.
But events had changed. She had evolved. She couldn't get rid of the impression that letting herself return would mean surrendering the control she had battled so much to keep.
Footsteps softly ringing down the corridor made Ophelia's breath catch. Lucian knew who it was even before he stepped through the door. The constant reminder of the power she was linked to, the guy who now controlled her destiny in his hands.
Lucian's voice sliced through the stillness, calling "Ophelia" in a tone harsh yet tinged with something she could not precisely place. His eyes scanned her, and for a brief instant, something softer flickered there. But she was unable to read it before it vanished.
Her mind was still knotted in the web Tyler had woven around her; she did not respond.
Lucian remarked as he entered the room, "You've been quiet." His look was a combination of interest and worry. I assumed you would join the others.
Staring at the ground, Ophelia stayed mute. How could she inform him of what had happened? How could she convey the gravity of Tyler's remarks, the temptation they presented, the pull of the past endangering her drowning?
Lucian moved closer, his presence hovering over her, and his eyes darkened. "You're thinking of him, right?" he said, his voice kind yet strong.
She remained silent, but her absence spoke more than any word could.
Lucian's fingers grazed her arm; a very little yet strong touch that made her feel a jolt. "Ophelia," he murmured, his voice heavy with something she couldn't identify, "you need to grasp something. Tyler lacks the solutions. He is a diversion. You know that, right?
His words sank in, and Ophelia's pulse raced in her chest. She understood the reality; she understood what Tyler had been to her and what he could never be once more. Yet the pull of the past, the love still smoldering under the wrath, made it impossible to overlook.
Lucian's statements, however, seemed to be the reality. Deep down, Ophelia understood that allowing Tyler's promises to influence her would cause her to completely lose herself.
Every passing moment increased the palace's stress. Tyler's proposal and Lucian's cautions still had Ophelia's head whirling. Though one promised power and the other freedom, she could not dispute the strength of her emotions for both men; yet, there was no denying that both routes appeared hazardous in their own right.
Walking down the corridor, she heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps. She spun around and stopped.
Callum Nightshade stepped out from the shadows, his presence like a storm that abruptly clouded the room. Callum Nightshade fixed his dark gaze on hers.
Ophelia remarked, her voice tense with anxiety, "I was wondering when you would come searching for me."
The action was gradual and intentional, Callum grinned. He was taller than she recalled, his physique slim yet packed with frightening power. His black hair was unkempt, and his presence exuded strength at odds with the pleasant, almost playful expression he offered her.
Ophelia, I don't have to search for you. I have been observing. His gaze swept over her as though absorbing every detail, every change in her stance. Your long-term observation of me
She felt naked all of a sudden and gulped. What do you want?
Callum moved closer, speaking softly and enigmatically. I come to alert you. You matter more than you think. Your lineage predates the Lycan Kings. You're not only holding power; there's also a darkness.
The words struck her like a punch. Her heart raced as she stepped back.
"What do you mean by that?" she enquired, her voice almost a whisper.
Callum's grin widened, but in his eyes was something, a flicker of something far more sinister than she was ready to confront.
Your shoulders bear the future of the land, Ophelia," he remarked coldly. You might not survive in that future.
Near the open window, Ophelia stood, the cool night air caressing her skin and carrying with it the slightest whiff of the forest outside the castle walls. Her head was a maze she couldn't escape, and her ideas were a whirlwind. Callum's words rang in her ears, combined with the recollection of Tyler's frantic appeal. Though for different reasons, both guys desired her. And neither would allow her to leave without a struggle.
The door's gentle creak drew her notice. Seeing Callum enter the room made her turn and her heart race. His black hair hung in disheveled tendrils around his face, and his dark, penetrating eyes fixed upon hers with an unnerving familiarity. His presence was storm-like, and she couldn't ignore the draw of his aura.
Quietly shutting the door behind him, he kept his eyes fixed on her face. You are considering it, right? Though nearly a whisper, his voice had a gravity that turned her stomach.
What do you mean? Ophelia answered, attempting to control her breathing.
Callum moved forward slowly and deliberately. Tyler's offer... Lucian's requests. Ophelia, you need not pick one of them. You have a second choice.
Ophelia scowled, her heart racing. A second choice?
He nodded, his lips curving slightly in a smile. I have been observing you. I know what you want and what you can do. He came closer; his closeness made her heart accelerate. You don't have to be a pawn in anyone's game. You can be the one ruling the realm.
Ophelia shivered. What do you provide?
Callum's eyes sparkled with something hazardous as his grin grew. Come with me. Draw on the strength of your ancestry. Help me to seize what belongs to us. We can govern this realm together.
Her heart pounded against her ribcage. Though the lure was great, she resisted. What do you want back then?
His words were almost a whisper as he stepped closer, now just inches away. All. Ophelia, I want you. But more than that, I wish for you to be able to determine your fate.
She held her breath in her throat. The offer hovered between them, too tantalizing to ignore, but too perilous to embrace. And yet, Callum's words remained like a pleasant poison. "I don't know," she whispered, unsure of her voice.
His gaze darkened, intense, and steadfast. "You may be more than simply a pawn in Lucian's game, Ophelia. I can give you the power to shape your future. All you have to do is believe me."
Ophelia sat in the opulent, softly lit chamber, her thoughts churning like a hurricane. The room was quiet, yet the silence pressed in on her, louder than any battle cry. Her fingertips touched the edge of the antique book, still lying open on the table near her. She couldn't resist the draw of Callum's words, nor the nagging certainty in her heart. Still, there was another reality she could not ignore: the burden of the kingdom's fate.
Tyler sprang to mind. She thought back on their time together, their love, their laughing, the vows they had made. He had given her a chance to flee the obligations binding her, an escape. But at what price?
Then there was Lucian, who had her destiny in his hands. With his frigid, unrelenting will, he had been the one to save her and the one to mould her future. He wanted her obedience, her loyalty. But she felt suffocated by his expectations, caught in his web.
The options in front of Ophelia made her heart hurt. Tyler had promised her freedom, but it would cost her lineage. Callum's offer guaranteed power, but at the expense of her soul. Torn between two worlds, each more hazardous than the previous, she was trapped.
A loud bang on the door brought her back to reality, startling her. Quickly rising, the book fell from the table, and she moved towards the door, her heart racing into her throat.
Lucian stepped in through the door, his eyes gleaming with intensity, before she could get there. Ophelia, you have been ignoring me.
Her heart raced as she stepped back. "I've been thinking," she continued, her voice shaking despite her attempts to seem composed.
For a while, Lucian's look softened; it soon hardened once more. "Your decision now," he replied quietly and firmly. There is no turning back, but be aware of this.
Ophelia's chest was heavy with the burden of it all, so she gulped hard. She understood the consequences. This was her fight, her choice. But what if she picked incorrectly? What if her decision wiped out what she cherished?
The stillness between them grew thick with unspoken words. Ophelia's eyes fell to the ground as her thoughts spun with anxiety and uncertainty.
Her voice was hardly a whisper, she glanced up at Lucian. I no longer know what to do.
Lucian's expression stayed blank, but his eyes somewhat softened. Ophelia, then pick carefully. This kingdom's and your future depend on it."