Chapter 141 The Northern path

Chapter 141 The Northern path


Ophelia's POV

Luna was still very much asleep in my arms when it was time for us to leave. 

I gazed down at her, whose tiny fingers curled around mine as she breathed softly. 

I had barely healed from giving birth to her, yet I'm being made to leave her behind.

I lowered my head to plant a kiss on her forehead, “Mommy will be back before you know it, little one.” I whispered, knowing she wouldn't have understood a word if she were to be awake. 

She stirred slightly in my arms, her eyes still prettily closed. 

“You'll have to wait for me, okay?” I smiled through the tears welling up in my eyes. “I'm so sorry, my love!” I held her close to kiss her forehead again, carefully handing her to Cassie. 

She looked at me, then down at my sleeping Luna now in her arms. 

“Ophelia…” She uttered my name quietly. 

Whereas, I quickly brushed away the tears from my cheeks with a finger. 

“Please take good care of her while I'm away.” I said. 

“I will.” She smiled slightly. “I'll take proper care of her till you return.” 

I nodded, another tear rolling down my cheeks which I quickly wiped away. 

“Please stop crying…” She gave me a puppy look.

“I'm trying.” I said. 

“Mhm…” She hummed. “Now go before you change your mind.” 

She was right. If I stayed another second, I wouldn't want to leave at all. So I forced myself to turn away, approaching Kai, Damien, and Seraphina who were waiting for me nearby. 

Seraphina had packed enough healing herbs to treat any injuries we might sustain along the journey, while Damien ensured to check the weapons. 

Kai moved closer to me to take my hand in his, “Ready?” He raised a curious brow at me. 

I simply nodded…

Then we set out before sunrise. 

As the four of us traveled through several pack territories, we followed a northern road toward the mountains. We stopped long enough to eat, rest, and gather all what we needed before continuing. Seraphina checked on me from time to time, wanting to know if I was still strong enough to keep going.

“If you feel dizzy or weak at any point, don't fail to let me know.” She said, 

“Mhm…” I hummed with a nod. 

On the second day, the road became rougher. The distance between the neighboring packs seemed endless too. On the third day, my body reminded me of just how weak I had become. My legs shook as we walked, but I forced myself to keep going, rather than make anyone worry about me. 

Especially Kai… 

But I should have known better. 

I stopped near the side of the road to bend slightly, pretending to adjust my boot. 

Kai immediately turned around, “And shall I assume you're tired already?” 

“No! I'm fine.” I lied sweetly. 

“Ophelia?” He stared at me, his expression making it obvious he didn't believe me. 

“Huh?” 

“You can barely stand.” He noticed the weakness in my legs. 

Determined to prove him wrong, I straightened my back and stood taller. 

“I'm fine.” I said, my eyes fixed on him as he walked toward me. 

“No, you're not.”He said. 

Before I could argue, he turned around to lower himself, “Get on!” 

“Huh?” I blinked.

He glanced over his shoulder to look at me, “Get on my back.” He insisted. 

“But I'm not a child. I mean, why would you want to carry me on your back?” I rolled my eyeballs, clearly unimpressed. 

“You're so impossible.” He stayed still, making no attempt to change his posture anytime soon.

“Fine! I'll swallow my pride.” I closed the little distance between us to climb on his back. 

He kept a firm hold on my legs as he stood, the heat from his body reaching me through our clothes. I rested my cheek on his shoulder, quietly listening to his steady breaths as he carried me down the road. 

On the fourth day, we reached another pack territory, where the Alpha welcomed us and offered us a place to stay for the night. Before I could settle down for the night, Seraphina insisted on checking on me again. 

“You're healing.” She said after examining me. “But still a little weaker than you should be.” 

On the fifth night, we sat down together to have dinner. I spent most of the night awake, wondering if Luna was doing fine without me. I missed the sound of her little voice, and just thinking about it made my heart ache. 

I eventually fell asleep around midnight, only to wake up feeling restless. 

“You should try to get some sleep.” Kai said to me when he noticed. “I can tell you're worried again.” 

“I'll be fine, I promise.” I smiled tiredly at him, feeling his fingers brush through my hair softly. 

“No, you tell me what's bothering you.” 

I fell silent briefly, eventually giving him my response, “I’m scared.” 

“You are? Of what exactly? Or is this about the Dread Wolf?” 

“I..I don't know.” I stuttered. 

He leaned closer, pressing his forehead against mine gently. As his thumb traced my cheek, I leaned closer to his chest to close my eyes. 

The sixth and seventh days passed quietly as we traveled through smaller pack territories.  Damien stayed at alert as he led the way, frequently checking the area before gesturing for us to follow him. As we went deeper into the North, the atmosphere changed, even the wolves we encountered spoke less. 

On the eighth night, we reached the last safe territory. And for the first time in days, exhaustion made me sink into a deep peaceful sleep. Then I saw my mother, Celeste, standing in the middle of a frozen forest. The ground was covered with frost, yet not a single flake touched her body. 

She looked exactly as I remembered her. 

“Mom?” I whispered.

“Listen, my child.” She looked at me with so much fear in her eyes. “Do not trust the one who offers the easiest path.” 

What did she mean by that? 

I moved a little bit closer to her.

“Mom? What are you trying to say?” 

Her lips parted, but she never got the chance to speak. She dissolved into the mist before my very eyes. 

“Mom?!!!” 

“Do not trust the one who offers the easiest path.” Her voice reached me one last time.

I woke up with a scream stuck in my throat, quickly sitting upright to look around till my gaze settled on Kai who was asleep beside me. 

So, it was only a dream? 

But it felt so real…

I noticed a single white strand of hair on my pillow which I slowly picked up. It was long, but it wasn't mine. Kai had dark hair, Seraphina too, even Damien. 

So whose hair could it possibly be? 

A shiver went down my spine as the strand of hair slipped from my fingers to drop on the blanket. 

I thought something unusual would definitely happen on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days. But I was wrong. 

The closer we got to the ruins, the more uneasy I began to feel. 

The road finally came to an end on the twelfth day. And ahead of us, were the ruins. The place looked dead, with ancient broken stone towers rising from the ground. 

A low growl suddenly echoed through the valley, making the ground beneath our feet tremble. 

Kai quickly moved to shield me with his body, “Stay right behind me.” He said. 

Then something moved between the ruins, two glowing eyes appearing in the darkness. The Dread Wolf came into view, the sight of it making me suck in a sharp breath. 

It was so monstrous in size, making every other wolf I had seen, seem small in comparison. Damien moved forward a little bit, his eyes fixed on the creature, while Seraphina moved close to me. As the Dread Wolf lifted its head, it looked at me, my entire body becoming cold under its stare. It opened its mouth, his voice echoing in our minds rather than our ears.  

“I'm here now.” Eve popped out of nowhere, catching us all off guard. “Take my blood.” 

“Not her.” The creature said. 

Kai grabbed my arm, only for it to speak again, “I want the queen's blood.”