Chapter 170: Comforting Ophelia

Chapter 171: Comforting Ophelia
Zephyra's POV

I held Ophelia close as her small body shook with sobs. Her nanny's cruel words had cut deep, making her believe she was somehow abnormal for healing quickly. The thought of anyone making this precious child feel like a freak made my blood boil.

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered, stroking her copper curls. "You're not weird. Not at all."

Her voice wavered with uncertainty as she pressed her face against my shoulder. "But Nanny said normal people don't heal like I do. She said I was... different."

I pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, those beautiful eyes so full of doubt and fear. She settled against me, her small body gradually relaxing in my embrace.

"I will never think you're abnormal," I said firmly, "because you're just like me. Just like us."

Ophelia looked up at me suspiciously, her tear-stained face a mixture of hope and disbelief. "Really?"

I nodded, feeling Noah behind us, solid and reassuring. He stepped forward and gently took Ophelia from my arms. She went willingly, already trusting him in a way that made my heart swell.

"Really," Noah confirmed, kissing her forehead. "Now watch."

He nodded toward me, and I understood what he wanted me to show her. I picked up a sharp stone from the ground, feeling its jagged edge against my palm. Without hesitation, I dragged it across my hand, creating a deep cut that immediately began to bleed.

Ophelia's eyes widened in shock. "You're hurting yourself!"

"Just watch," I said calmly, holding my palm out for her to see.

Her expression transformed from horror to amazement as the wound on my hand began to close before her eyes. The blood flow slowed, then stopped completely. Within seconds, fresh pink skin had formed where the cut had been, leaving only a faint line that would soon disappear entirely.

Ophelia wriggled out of Noah's arms and rushed to me, grabbing my hand to examine it closely. She poked at my palm with her small finger, as if testing whether the healing was real. Then she looked up at me with absolute wonder on her face.

"I'm not a monster..." she whispered, tears welling in her eyes again, but different tears this time. "You're like me."

My heart broke at her words. What would make a child feel like a monster for something she couldn't control? I pulled her close again, feeling a fierce protectiveness surge through me.

"No, you're not a monster," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "You're special. Like me. Like us."

She's been carrying this burden alone, Fiora whispered in my mind, her usual hostility absent. No child should believe themselves monstrous for their gifts.

I silently agreed, watching as Ophelia's face brightened with understanding and relief. I hated that her nanny had poisoned her mind with such harmful ideas, making her grow up too quickly, forcing her to hide a part of herself out of fear.

Noah knelt beside us, his expression gentle as he looked at Ophelia. "So never let anyone tell you that you're different, okay? Not ever."

Ophelia nodded solemnly, then turned back to me with curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Are you like Zephyra too, Noah?" she asked.

Noah nodded, and I saw him glance at me through our pack bond. I think it's time to tell her the truth about what we are.

I nodded my agreement, though I didn't respond through the bond. I still wasn't ready to let Noah know about Fiora. That was a conversation for another day.

Taking Ophelia back into my arms, I said, "Noah is going to show you something now. He's going to show you what we are. I don't want you to be scared. I want you to understand that we would never hurt you, and it's still him, okay?"

Ophelia looked confused but nodded bravely. "Okay."

Noah backed away several paces, giving himself room. I knew what was coming—he would need to remove his clothes or risk shredding them during the shift.

"Are you ready, Ophelia?" Noah asked gently.

When she nodded, Noah began his transformation. Within moments, Storm stood before us, a massive brown wolf shaking off the last remnants of torn clothing. His intelligent eyes fixed on Ophelia, who let out a piercing scream.

I held her tightly, speaking slowly and calmly. "Shh, it's okay... he won't hurt you, remember what I told you? Deep down, he's still Noah."

Ophelia refused to listen, burying her face against my chest and trying to scramble away. I didn't force her to look.

"Look, Ophelia," I said, pointing toward Storm. "See how cute Storm is."

Storm sat back on his haunches, tongue lolling out of one side of his mouth in an attempt to look harmless. Despite his enormous size, he managed to appear almost playful.

Curiosity gradually overcame Ophelia's fear. She peeked out from behind her hands, stealing quick glances at the wolf. "Storm?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, that's his name," I explained. "We're werewolves. That means we can turn into wolves whenever we want. Each of our wolves has a name. Noah's wolf is called Storm, and my wolf is called Fiora... do you understand?"

Ophelia nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Storm. The fear in her expression was gradually being replaced by wonder.

"Can I turn into a wolf too?" she asked suddenly.

I hesitated, unsure how to answer. Ophelia was half-human, but her accelerated healing suggested wolf genes were active in her. Yet cubs didn't shift until puberty, and I didn't want to make promises I couldn't keep.

"Not right now," I explained carefully. "Cubs don't shift until they're older. You'll have to grow up first."

Ophelia seemed to accept this explanation, her attention returning to Storm, who remained perfectly still, allowing her to study him.

Storm inched forward, moving slowly to avoid frightening her. When Ophelia didn't retreat, he lowered himself to the ground and rested his head on his paws, looking up at her with gentle eyes.

"Go on," I encouraged, "you can pet him. I promise he won't bite you."

After a moment's internal struggle, Ophelia reached out a tentative hand. When her fingers sank into Storm's thick fur, her face lit up with delight. "He's so soft," she whispered in awe, stroking his coat the way she might pet a dog.

Storm stood up, making Ophelia jump slightly, but then he playfully licked her face, drawing a surprised giggle from her. Soon she had both hands buried in his fur, hugging his neck as though he were a beloved pet rather than a powerful predator.

"Good wolf," she said, patting his head. Then she turned to me with a smile that melted my heart. "He's really soft."

Storm rose to his feet and Ophelia stepped back, watching as he shook himself and stretched. Then, to my surprise, she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his fur. The sight of the massive wolf being gentle with this small child filled me with warmth.

As I watched them together, I felt a strange sense of rightness, as though this was how things were meant to be. Yet beneath that feeling lurked a shadow of worry.

Suddenly, Ophelia pulled away from Storm and looked at me with serious eyes. "Was that thing that hurt me one of us too?"

I shook my head firmly. "No! That was not one of us, which is why if you ever see it again, I want you to run away as fast as you can and call for help, okay?"

Ophelia considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

The afternoon passed in a blur of laughter as Ophelia played with Storm while I watched, wishing Fiora would cooperate and join them. But my wolf remained stubbornly silent, refusing to emerge. Noah eventually shifted back and dressed, and we continued our family time in human form.

Despite the joy of the moment, I couldn't shake a sense of unease. The wolf with red eyes had never ventured this deep into pack territory before, according to the alphas. Why now? And why had it approached Ophelia?