Chapter 8

With a ridiculous grin on her face, Ophelia strolled into the castle, her spirits high. It was almost mid-day, which meant she and Kane had spent a full twenty-four hours together. She’d hadn’t expected to feel so… sated. The way he’d listened to her, the manner in which he’d looked at her when he’d thought she wasn’t looking, the way her heart was beating as fast as a drum just thinking about his handsome face… nothing could ruin her day.

Which was probably why she didn’t understand the forlorn look her father and her friends wore the second she opened the doors to the throne room. She froze, her eyes dancing from her frustrated looking father, to Dalia whose eyes were glistening with unshed tears and a very angry looking Emmett before landing on a furious Viktor. Had something happened while she’d been gone?

“What’s with the looks on your faces?”

Eyes raised to her and immediately all four were in front of her, her father the first. “Ophelia? What happened? Did they hurt you? I swear by the moon goddess—”

“I’m fine,” she said hastily, not liking how hard his face had gotten. “Did who hurt me?”

“The wolf hunters,” Emmett interjected, staring at her like she had asked a very stupid question. And Ophelia might have, she wasn’t sure, but it didn’t explain why they were all looking like as though she’d died. “Last time Dalia and I saw you, you were being chased by one.”

“I’m okay,” she affirmed again, sighing with relief when she realized they were only worried about her. “The wolf hunters…” Maybe she shouldn’t mention Kane just yet, she reasoned. Just until she was sure he wouldn’t hurt her or her kind. Though from what she’d seen earlier, she doubted she had anything to worry about on his part. “I didn’t see them. I mean, after a while I lost them. I must’ve hit my head and passed out. I only just came to.”

“Oh, God,” Dalia whimpered. “Do you know how worried we were? Your father has half the warriors out there looking for you.”

Ophelia blinked. It really had been an entire day. While she’d been roaming the village with Kane, her family had been going crazy with worry. She was suddenly penitent. Thank God no one of importance had seen them or it would have been a different story. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I would’ve come back sooner if I could.”

Even Viktor looked somber. He met her eyes and she could see the worry swirling in them. She might not love him, but she felt bad about putting him through the emotional trauma. Hell, she hadn’t taken the time to think about how they would feel after not seeing her for almost two days.

“Well, you did,” her father said, recovering from his earlier anger. “Viktor had to go out there and look for you. It was a miracle he came back.”

She raised a brow. “Out where?”

“With the wolf hunters.”

“You saw them?” She was horrified. One of the reasons she’d taken Kane around the Blue Hound kingdom was so he could see the real them and maybe talk to his team about changing their minds also. If Viktor had fought them… then it was all for nothing. “Did you engage them in a fight?”

Viktor nodded. “I thought I would find you in their capture and was prepared to do battle to collect you back. Unfortunately, they noticed they were not alone and I noticed they are highly skilled. It was inevitable.”

Ophelia released a defeated sigh. So much for going the diplomatic route. “You should not have done that.”

“You didn’t exactly leave us any choice, disappearing like that.” Viktor grumbled.

“Still,” she argued. “What if they’d hurt you? Or worse, killed you?”

Her father swung on his heel and walked toward the opposite direction where a sole window hung on the wall from which he looked out into the kingdom. “You’re back, Ophelia and that’s all that matters,” he said. “From this moment on, no member of this kingdom is allowed to wander into the forest.”

Ophelia was instantly alert. “Father...” she began, wondering how best to say that was ridiculous without sounding disrespectful. “That is outrageous. Most poor people have cottages in the forest. What would you have them do?”

His eyes turned to hers like whiplash. “This is for them. We will accommodate as many as we can here in the castle and whoever is left, will have to build new cottages in the town.”

“Sounds reasonable to me,” Emmett mumbled.

“Me too,” Dalia said.

Ophelia didn’t have to look at Viktor to know where he stood. The man would never go against her father and it was one more reason she couldn’t marry him. She might as well be marrying her father.

“That will take forever,” she reasoned, keeping her voice as low as possible. “How will they survive until them? Do you expect them to just pack up their entire lives and just move?”

“The wolf hunters have silver daggers, Princess,” Viktor said. “As well as silver arrows. I saw them with my own eyes, sharpening their blades and jesting about how good it will feel to put those daggers through our chests. If we can afford to lose a few people for the greater good, then I do not see the harm in it.”

“Especially you, Ophelia,” her father said from the window. “You have a tendency to be stubborn but by the gods, if you disobey me, I will forget that you are my daughter and have you locked up in your room for a fortnight.”

The threat echoed throughout the room. He wasn’t bluffing, she could see it. The arrival of the wolf hunters must have really offset him. Swallowing, she considered how best to approach the situation. If she came on too strong, he would make good on his threat. One thing was certain; not seeing Kane again was not an option and if she had to go against her father’s wishes, she would not hesitate.

Licking her lips, “What about Tata? We both know she’ll never agree to this. She loves her hut.”

“Tata will have to find a way to live without her hut for a while until we finish with the wolf hunters and if she can’t, well then, it will be no fault of mine what happens to her.”

Ophelia couldn’t believe that the man standing in front of her was her father. So unfeeling. “How can you be so indifferent? So hard hearted?”

His eyes glazed over. “I am the king! If I have to sacrifice a few of my emotions to see that my kingdom and my people remain in continuous existence, then I will.”

With that, he walked away, follow by Viktor, then her friends. Completely alone, Ophelia was left to wonder what would happen if her plans failed and the wolf hunter decided to attack the kingdom. She didn’t mind dying for a few of her friends but unlike her father, she would never sacrifice anyone for any reason.

She thought about Kane, about his smile and the way his eyes squeezed at the corners when he laughed and was filled with resolve. She would not let anything come between her and her wolf hunter.

Not even her father.