CHAPTER EIGHT

Trever

“Did you hear me, Ophelia? We need to leave!” I couldn’t help but yell. She was in a daze. Seemingly just willing to accept her fate to be traded off to the leader of monsters.

“Did the doctor say anything Madam Daana?” Ophelia immediately walks into Oxwell’s room. He is still. His breathing appears to be normal. Again, my stomach drops. How selfish I am; worried about my own wants and needs and forgetting about what might be going on with her. All Ophelia wants is to protect her brother. Where as all I want… No.

I love Ophelia and Oxwell. I want to protect both of them. My love for Ophelia is nothing to be ashamed of.

“I am sorry but the doctors were not able to make it tonight… and… the Young Celik…” Madam Daana looks away at the fireplace. It’s flames dancing in the awkward silence.

“What? What happened while I was gone?” Ophelia starts to cry and rushes over into Oxwell’s chambers. I can hear her wailing. I stop beside Madam Daana.

She looks at me with sad eyes.

“He has a fever. It came very suddenly after you two left.”

“Of course it did..” I sit down and pull my pant leg up to change out the bandage.

There is a knock on the door that Madam Daana answers as I gently wiped and cleaned away the wound on my leg. The innkeeper’s stitching holding up very nicely.

“Prince Hun, now is not the time to–”

Ophelia

Oxwell’s body burns my fingers when I touch him. I pull his face into my neck, immediately starting to sweat from his rising temperature. I can’t hear what is happening around me. All I see is my brother struggling to sleep peacefully. I remove my glasses as they are now useless. I cannot see with these tears in my face.

I failed to notice an approaching presence. I only feel the hot breath on my neck. I can feel someone pulling me away by my waist. I am crying but can’t see anything but blurry figures.

“Don’t you touch her!” I hear Trever yelling over my shoulder.

I am brought over to the fireplace and hands are brought to hold me down. I can see men tighten their grip on my wrists and I can feel even more men pulling up my dress and spreading my legs.

I am oddly numb. I can’t recognize my emotions. All I can hear is the crying of Madam Daana and Trever screaming threats. I blink slowly as time slows down.

Something deep within me is pulling me forward. Not towards the Trever. The door. I look up. There are men holding me down while Prince Hun leans behind me. I can feel his whole body against my back. His hands are around my neck. Squeezing. Holding me in place. Another man is ripping this heavy robe and petticoat off of me exposing my shift and corset.

Prince Hun leans into my ear. Whispering his poisonous curse “You will be mine Monster Bride!”

I tensed my body, expecting to be attacked. But then there was a scream. And another scream. The guards holding me down left and Prince Hun grabs the back of my head with my hair and drags me away.

He throws me onto the bed and turns towards the door. A sword out and ready.

“You… you poisoned my brother,” my throat burns with rage. My eyes only see Prince Hun and nothing else. I can’t hear anything other than a heartbeat that is right outside the door. It feels as though I am but two people. Physically where I am and then again spiritually as I kill all the guards in that room.

The door bursts open and a handsome man with dark skin and black hair comes through. His fangs exposed from his open mouth as he snarls at Prince Hun. His fingers looked like they were replaced with daggers and his white tank top was covered with blood. His pants were baggy and his lean body was riddled with muscles.

I felt safe immediately. His eyes were glued on Prince Hun as he paced his way between the two of us. My breathing quickened and I grabbed a candlestick.

“Attack him! He’s the monster!” Prince Hun pleaded.

The man stepped aside as I charged, as if the two of us are sharing one mind. Over and over again, I smash the candlestick into Prince Hun’s skull. His blood splattering all over the walls and myself.

1. Have. Never. Felt. So. Alive.

Draven

I can tell immediately, this is my mate. She sat on the neck of the monster in a man’s body and continued to wail on him. The candlestick breaking midway. She reverted to using her fists to pound in his face. I simply watched in wonderment.

Being this close to my mate, I can feel exactly what she is feeling. I know what this man has done. What he was trying to do. Her justice is much kinder than my own. I started to get a feel for the room. No one escaped. The man being held down by the soldiers is out cold with the boy. The woman in that room as well. The door is barricaded. They cannot get out and there are no other doors that I could find or determine.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I leaned close to my dear, “my love?”

She continued to punch. I glance at my knuckles to see the skin is breaking. Our Core Link grows stronger with each moment we are near one another.

Placing a gentle hand under her chin, I slowly raise it to my face.

Her dark eyes dilated-retreats back to their normal size. Biting her lip, she begins to cry, her body shaking. My smile goes from ear to ear.

“What do they call you?” My voice is gruff and stern with fresh blood spewn about.

“Ophelia,” her eyes wide and feral looking. I brush my thumb across her open lips, pulling her face close to mine. I inhaled her scent, my sense going wild.

I straightened my posture and stood up, Ophelia standing with me.

“Can you save him?” such an impressive fierce woman.

I glance at the monster lying between her legs, the face beaten to a pulp.

“Uh. er no. No, my love. I do not believe that I can save him,” I can’t stop smiling. I can feel everything she does. I can feel our connection growing stronger. Despite her sadness, it’s excitement I feel.

“No. Oxwell!” She fell into me. Tears falling quickly with her.

I put my hands around her, pulling her close. Our hearts beat as one.

“If you hurry along, I may be able to get him out as well.” My clan will have to forgive me.

Trever

Pacing back and forth.

“Ophelia! Ophelia! Where are you!” Punching the door again. I can hear Oxwell whimper in the bed. Madam Daana stayed on her knees, holding his tiny fist between her hands as she prayed to some lord.

I listen as the door begins to creep open. Turning on my heel and ready to fight I become face to face with Ophelia.

Only, it didn’t look like Ophelia. Her face is covered in blood. She wore Oxwell’s trousers and blouse. Her natural womanly frame bleeding sexappeal despite not wearing a corset.

Her hair was wrapped into a bun atop her head. She looked, feral.

“Trever…,” Ophelia kept her eyes on me. I couldn’t help but glance around. My hands resting on her arms and pulling her into an embrace. I can feel her pushing off of me but my arms won’t release.

My grip tightened as he came around the corner.

Dark complexion can’t hide the scars or the blood spread throughout his being. He stood tall. His muscles clearly visible from underneath the tight linen shirt and trouser pants he wore.

“Soldiers will be here soon. You better leave now!”

“Yes. I intend too.” his growl and dagger fingers told me everything I needed to know.

“Ophelia. You don’t understand what this man is.”

“Trever… Trever get off of me!”

I released my hold and backed away. She was not the Ophelia I have loved for three years.

“Trever. I don’t care what you think he is.”

This is not the woman I have dedicated my life to.

“He saved me. He was there. And now he is going to save Oxwell.”

Something happened. Something just had to of happened for Ophelia to change so much.

“Get out of my way.”

“No.” I watch the man seize me up. His smile fading and eyes going dark.

Draven

Swiftly, I step forward, positioning myself between Trever and Ophelia. My gaze locked onto Trever's, and my voice carried the weight of an alpha's command.

"Enough."

Trever hesitated, his eyes flickering between me and Ophelia. I could sense his turmoil, the conflicting emotions tearing at him. You don’t need to be part of the Clan to feel the weight of an Alpha’s aurora. It’s as if gravity increases it’s weight just from being in my presence.

"Move aside," I growled, my eyes narrowing. Trever complied, stepping back with a scowl. Ophelia remained silent, her eyes locked onto her brother in the room. I turned to face her, my expression softening. "We need to leave. Now." She nodded, her focus shifting from her brother to me. I bend down and scoop the sickly boy in my arms. The woman was crying harder in the corner of the bedroom. Together, we left the room, leaving Trever behind, his fists clenched and his frustration ruminating.

As we made our way through the corridors, Ophelia spoke, her voice carrying a mixture of determination and gratitude. "Thank you... for saving us."

I nodded, acknowledging her words. "I have friends just outside the palace. We just need to reach them."

Ophelia's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness. This Trever fellow. Ophelia has taken quite the liking to him. Her feelings are mixed and confusing to sort.

We walked steadily, my hands filled with the child burning of fever. I followed my scent markers as guides to leave this death trap. Ophelia follows closely behind. As we round the corner, I stop. Sensing Trever following us.

"You may not understand now, but she is safer with me." My words carry the tone of an Alpha. I turn around and see his solly face over Ophelia. Trever's glare bore into me, but I didn't let it deter me. We stood there-Ophelia’s face to the ground. She grabbed my tunic and pulled forward. Not wanting to rub in the fact I won the girl, I wait till I am facing the next marker before I allow my smile.

With Ophelia at my side, we stepped into the night. The moon’s bright light gazing upon us. I can’t help but lean my head back to allow as much moonlight to grace my skin as possible.

From the distance, I can hear the clanking of metals and I quicken my pace. Sensing Ophelia is following close behind.

“Sure looks like a full–damn it. What is that Draven?”

I laugh, “can’t even get the codes right can we?”

Christopher bowed low and stepped aside so I could place the boy into the back of the hay barrow. I grabbed Ophelia’s hand and led her into the barrow as well.

She doesn’t let go of my hand. Her eyes were full of worry.

I poked the tip of her nose with my finger and leaned close. “We will be reunited again soon. Trust me.”

Finally, I covered her with hay.

“Take good, good care of this woman and that child.” my voice immediately softening.

“Of course, but Draven, how will you escape? You are covered in blood. The city folk will surely turn you–”

“Don’t worry simply for worry’s sake.”

Hiding in the stables, I watch as Christopher and his donkey walk the hay barrow over the drawn bridge. The moat grows wild with cold winds blowing. I look at the walls surrounding me.

This, by far, has been the most fun I have had in ages.