Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17

Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17
Ophelia’s POV
That evening, I was sitting on my bed brushing my hair when Hex spoke up.
"We need to talk."
I froze. "That's never a good opener."
"It's important."
"Fine." I set down my brush. "What's up?"
"How long do you think you have? To complete this mission?"
I thought about it. "Well, Ryan's supposed to go back to Windplain Pack in three years when he's eighteen, right?"
"Actually, about that—"
"Wait, what do you mean 'actually about that'? That's the plan, isn't it?"
"Sort of. But there's something you need to understand about the mission structure."
I didn't like where this was going. "Okay..."
"The mission isn't to reform Ryan completely. It's to keep him alive until natural death."
"Yeah, I know. So I just make sure nobody kills him and eventually I get to go home, right?"
"Not exactly."
I narrowed my eyes. "Explain. Now."
"Ryan has one critical life-threatening event in his future," Hex said carefully. "If you protect him through that, the mission's complete. After that point, nothing else in the timeline can kill him."
"Oh." I relaxed a little. "That's not so bad. When does this critical event happen?"
"I don't know yet."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I'll sense it when the fate node approaches. I'll give you warning. But right now, I can't see it."
"Great. So I'm just supposed to wait for some mystery death event that could happen at any time?"
"Essentially, yes."
I flopped back on my bed. "This is so stupid."
"There's more."
I sat up. "More? How is there more?"
Hex was quiet for a long moment. Too long.
"Hex. What is it?"
"Your current body has four years left."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
"What?"
"Ophelia—the original Ophelia—was fated to die at twenty. That's baked into this timeline."
"But—" I struggled to process this. "Can't Moon Goddess just change it? She's literally a goddess!"
"Even Moon Goddess can't change someone's predetermined death date without Guardian authorization."
"Then get authorization!"
"It doesn't work that way." Hex sounded genuinely sad. "Once a mortal's death date is set, it's cosmic law. Even Moon Goddess has to follow it. If she tried to override it, the Guardians would obliterate her with Judgment Lightning."
I couldn't breathe. "Nobody's exempt?"
"Nobody. Not deities, not mortals, not anyone."
I stood up and started pacing. "So you're telling me I have four years. Four years to not only keep Ryan alive but also reform him into a non-tyrannical leader before I die again?"
"Yes."
"And then what? I just die and hope he doesn't immediately turn evil after I'm gone?"
"Pretty much."
I stopped pacing and stared at nothing. "This is insane."
"I know."
"Four years, Hex. I thought I had more time! I thought I could take it slow, build trust gradually, maybe have him see a therapist or something—"
"Therapy doesn't exist in medieval werewolf world."
"I KNOW THAT!" I ran my hands through my hair. "I had a plan! A good plan! Be his friend, gain his trust over several years, become his advisor when he's Alpha King, keep him from going full dictator!"
"That plan's not viable anymore."
"Yeah, I got that, thanks."
I sat back down on my bed and put my head in my hands.
Ryan seemed better now, sure. He was helpful and almost friendly. But that didn't mean he was fixed.
The darkness was still there. I could see it sometimes. That cold, empty thing that could easily turn into rage.
He wasn't reformed. He was just... contained.
And containing him wasn't enough. I needed to actually change him. Make him into someone who wouldn't become a tyrant even after I was gone.
"This is so much worse than I had thought."
"On the bright side, four years is still a decent amount of time!"
"Hex, that's not comforting!"
"I'm trying!"
Four years was all I had. And I had already wasted one month of it just hanging out and eating good food.
"Okay," I said, trying to pull myself together. "Okay. This is fine. Four years is plenty of time. I can work with four years."
"That's the spirit!"

Ryan's POV
I returned to the study again.
The first thing I saw was Ophelia, sprawled across the wide wooden desk. Her breathing was deep and even—completely asleep.
I moved quietly, grabbing a blanket and carefully draping it over her shoulders. Then I gathered the empty dishes from her meal, stacking them neatly. When I finished, my gaze drifted back to her sleeping face.
She looked so unguarded. So beautiful.
Something in my chest tightened. My heart started beating faster. Even Knox stirred restlessly inside me, letting out low growls.
I thought about everything since I'd arrived at Ironcliff. Every careful step I'd taken to get close to her. Every detail of her life I'd learned. Every routine I'd memorized.
I'd been watching. Analyzing. Looking for her angle, her real reason for helping me.
But I'd found nothing.
No hidden agenda. No ulterior motive.
Just... her.
And that's when I realized something unexpected.
She's interesting.
More than interesting.
I'd started to enjoy this—being part of her world. Weaving myself into her daily life until I was everywhere she looked. Every routine, every moment, stamped with traces of me.
This feeling was better than killing. Better than the thought of going back to Windplain and making them all pay.
This was... addictive.
I stood there for a long time, just watching her. The way her hair fell across her face. The slight rise and fall of her breathing. That peaceful expression she only wore when she thought no one was looking.
Finally, I forced myself to turn away.
My footsteps were silent as I left the study, closing the door carefully behind me.

Meanwhile, at Windplain Pack's castle - The Great Hall
Quinn's POV
I reclined on the high-backed chair piled with furs, turning my ornate silver pin between my fingers.
"Are you certain he's dead?" I kept my voice casual, almost bored. "That boy was always slippery."
The warrior bowed his head lower. "Yes, Luna. After more than a month of searching, we've confirmed the body we found was Ryan's."
Perfect.
"Good." I waved my hand dismissively. "You're dismissed."
"Yes, Luna."
I watched him back out of the hall and close the heavy doors behind him. Only then did I allow myself to smile.
My reflection stared back at me from the polished bronze mirror on the wall. I looked good today. As I should be.
A soft laugh escaped my lips.
A foolish boy. In the end, I overestimated him.
I set down the hairpin and stretched, feeling the tension leave my shoulders.
"One problem solved," I murmured to myself, admiring my reflection. "Now nothing stands between my future children and the Alpha King's throne."