Chapter 15 CHAPTER 15

Chapter 15 CHAPTER 15
Ophelia’s POV
"You got yourself into this one," Hex said. "I'm absolutely useless in situations like this."
"THAT'S NOT HELPFUL!"
Ryan just stood there, staring down at me. His jaw was tight. His hands were clenched at his sides.
I was about to apologize—maybe beg for my life—when he spoke.
"What game?"
I froze. "What?"
"What game?" he repeated, slower this time.
I stared at him. "You're... you're actually asking?"
Something flickered in his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "What game?"
"Oh!" My brain scrambled to catch up. "Um, it's called Tic-Tac-Toe! You know, the one where you make a grid and—actually, do you know what Tic-Tac-Toe is?"
He shook his head.
"Okay, cool, I can teach you!" I was talking way too fast but I couldn't stop. "It's super easy. Like, kindergarten-level easy. You'll get it in like two seconds."
I looked around for something to draw with. Found a stick on the ground and started scratching a grid into the dirt.
"See, you make this thing—" I drew a hashtag shape. "And then you take turns putting either X's or O's in the squares. Or we can use rocks since we don't have markers. Different colored ones."
I scrambled around, collecting small stones. Found some light gray ones and some darker ones.
"You get three in a row, you win," I continued, demonstrating. "Can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. See?"
I placed stones in various winning patterns, showing him all the possibilities.
Ryan crouched down next to me, studying the grid. His face was serious, like he was analyzing a battle strategy instead of a kids' game.
"That's it?" he asked.
"That's it! Well, this is the basic version. We can make it harder if you want. Bigger grid, need four or five in a row instead of three. But let's start simple."
I looked at him hopefully. "So... you wanna play?"
He was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Fine."
"Yes!" I pumped my fist. "Okay, you can be the dark stones, I'll be light. You go first."
Ryan picked up a dark stone, hesitating over the grid.
"Don't overthink it," I said. "Just put it anywhere."
He placed it in the center square.
"Classic opening move," I said, grinning. I put mine in a corner.
We played out the first game quickly. I won easily—he didn't see the diagonal coming.
"Again," Ryan said immediately.
We played another round. This time he blocked my first attempt, but I got him with a different pattern.
"Again."
Third game. Fourth. Fifth.
By the sixth game, things started changing.
Ryan was learning. Fast.
Like, scary fast.
Every trick I tried, every pattern I used—he'd see it once and then block it the next time. By game ten, we were getting nothing but draws.
"Okay," I said, sitting back. "Time to level up. Let's make it bigger."
I drew a new grid. Five by five this time.
"Same rules, but now you need four in a row to win."
Ryan nodded, already studying the new board.
I won the first two games easily. All those childhood summers playing Tic-Tac-Toe with my cousins were paying off.
But then Ryan started winning.
And winning.
And winning.
"How are you doing this?!" I demanded after he got me for the third time in a row.
He almost smiled. "Again."
"You're enjoying this way too much."
"Again."
We kept playing. I kept losing.
Every strategy I tried, he'd figure it out and counter it. It was like playing against a computer that was learning my patterns in real-time.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered, placing another stone.
"Hex," I thought desperately. "He's destroying me."
"You're doing fine," Hex said, but he sounded amused.
"I am NOT doing fine! I'm getting my butt kicked by someone who learned this game like twenty minutes ago!"
"He's a quick learner."
"That's not helping!"
Ryan placed another stone. I studied the board, trying to find an opening.
There wasn't one.
He'd blocked every single path I could take.
"You're really good at this," I admitted.
He didn't respond. Just sat there with one hand on a stone, the other tapping lightly against the ground.
The way he was looking at the board—it wasn't like a game anymore. It was like he was strategizing for an actual battle. Planning moves three, four, five steps ahead.
"He's destiny's chosen," Hex said quietly. "The universe literally picked him to be an Alpha King. Of course he's gonna be good at strategy games."
"Great. Awesome. Love that for me."
I placed my next stone, knowing it was hopeless.
Ryan put down his final stone.
"I win," he said.
"Yeah, I noticed." I sighed. "Okay, one more game. I'm not giving up yet."
We played again. I actually managed to hold my own this time, blocking his attempts and creating my own threats.
And then, right when he was about to make the winning move—
He hesitated.
Put his stone in a different spot.
A spot that let me win.
I stared at the board. Then at him.
"Did you just—"
"You win," he said, his face carefully neutral.
I stood up so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet.
"No," I said.
Ryan blinked. "What?"
"No. That doesn't count." I crossed my arms. "You let me win."
"I didn't—"
"Yes, you did! I saw you! You were about to put your stone right there—" I pointed at the winning spot. "But then you moved it somewhere else!"
His ears turned red. "I thought—"
"I don't need you to throw the game for me!" My voice came out louder than I meant it to. "I can lose fair and square! I'm not some fragile princess who needs to be coddled!"
"That's not what I—"
"It's insulting!" I was on a roll now. "You think I can't handle losing? I've been losing for the past hour! I'm fine with it! But what I'm NOT fine with is you disrespecting the game by deliberately making a bad move!"
Ryan stood up too. He was taller than me—a lot taller—and he had to look down to meet my eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"You should be! When you play against someone, you give it your all! That's respecting your opponent! Not—not whatever that was!"
"I understand."
"Do you? Do you really? Because—" I stopped. Took a breath.
He was looking at me with those green eyes, completely serious. Listening to every word.
"I understand," he said again. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
The anger drained out of me. "Okay. Good."
We stood there in awkward silence for a moment.
Then an idea hit me.
"You know what?" I said. "You need to make it up to me."
His eyebrows went up. "How?"
"Come with me tomorrow. To Nolan's training sessions."
Ryan stared at me. "You want to train with the warriors?"
"Yeah! I wanna learn self-defense." I put my hands on my hips. "Is that so weird?"
"Alpha's daughters don't usually train with common warriors."
"Well, maybe it's time to break some traditions." I grinned at him. "Come on, it'll be fun! And you owe me for that stunt you just pulled."
He was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Fine."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Yes!" I did a little victory dance. "Okay, tomorrow morning. Dawn. Don't be late!"
"I won't."
I found my dad in his study, buried in paperwork.
"Dad?" I knocked on the doorframe. "Got a minute?"
He looked up, smiling. "Always. What's on your mind, sweetie?"
I took a breath. "I want to train with the warriors."
The smile disappeared. "Absolutely not."
"Dad—"
"Ophelia, we've been over this. You're the Alpha's daughter. You don't need to—"
"Yes, I do!" I stepped into the room. "Two days ago, I almost got attacked by rogues in the marketplace. What if that happens again? What if next time there's no one around to help?"
His expression shifted. "That was different—"
"Was it? Dad, I need to be able to defend myself. Please."
He rubbed his face. "Your mother would kill me if she knew I was even considering this."
"Mom's not here," I said quietly. Then, softer: "I need this, Dad. I need to feel safe."
He studied me for a long moment. Then sighed heavily.
"Private lessons only," he said finally. "No training with the regular warriors. I'll hire the best instructors—"
"Can Ryan join me?"
Dad's eyebrows shot up. "Ryan?"
"Yeah. He's my age, and he needs training too. Plus..." I tried to look innocent. "It's safer if we train together, right? In case one of us gets hurt or something."
"Alright, fine. Ryan can join your sessions. But the same rules apply—private lessons, experienced instructors, and you tell me immediately if anything feels unsafe."
"Thank you!" I ran around the desk and hugged him. "You're the best dad ever!"
"Yeah, yeah." He hugged me back. "Just don't tell anyone I'm getting soft in my old age."
I pulled back, grinning. "Your secret's safe with me."
The next morning, I woke up at dawn feeling like I'd barely slept.
I got dressed in the training clothes Jovie had left for me—loose pants and a tunic that would allow for movement. My hands were shaking a little as I tied my hair back.
"You're nervous," Hex observed.
"I'm not nervous."
"Your heart's racing."
"That's just excitement!"
"Uh-huh."
I made my way to the training yard. The sun was just starting to rise, painting everything in soft gold and pink light.
Ryan was already there.
He stood near the weapons rack, looking at the various swords and staffs. He'd changed into training clothes too—simple dark pants and a shirt that actually fit him properly for once.
I could see the lean muscle in his arms. The way his shoulders moved as he reached for a practice sword.
"Stop staring," Hex said.