Chapter 13: Awakening.

Ophelia's POV

His question hung in the air pressed against my throat.

What are you? The question I should be asking myself, because I didn’t know. I truly didn’t. The fire, the glowing, the strength rushing under my skin like a second heartbeat, it wasn’t normal. It's not for an omega, or for anyone.

My lips trembled. “I…I don’t know.”

King Logan searched my face like he was trying to read the truth in my mind. There was no anger in his eyes. Only intensity, heat and something else I couldn’t name.

He stood slowly, helping me to my feet with a gentleness no wolf should possess like him.

I expected him to pull away, step back, and regain his coldness, his distance, that icy mask he always wore.

Instead… he stayed close, too close, barely enough space between us.

“Come,” he said quietly. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

His hand brushed my waist as he guided me back toward his private wing. The touch was accidental, but my entire body reacted as if lightning sparked through my spine. I swallowed, unable to hide the trembling.

Logan noticed, he always noticed everything about me, my movement, expressions.

When we reached the inner courtyard, we weren’t alone.

Alpha Richard stood there as the Alpha of the Northern Territory. speaking with some of Logan’s councilmen. Tall, broad, handsome in a cold, predatory way. His eyes were like polished steel, and the moment he saw me, they sharpened.

He stepped toward me, lips curling with interest. “ Ophelia you here.”

I froze.

Before I could even blink, Logan stepped in front of me, blocking the king’s view.

His voice dropped into a dark, lethal growl.

“i told you to stay away from her, what's so hard in that to understand.”

I saw it with jealousy. He is jealous, how can mighty king Logan be jealous. A man who controls the entire pack and any Alpha falls at his feet.

Alpha Richard raised a brow, amused. “I merely wish to greet the young woman—”

“You don’t greet what’s mine.”

My heart stopped.

M-mine?

Alpha Richard chuckled slowly. “You’ve never reacted so aggressively, king Logan. Has the frozen wolf finally thawed?”

Logan’s eyes glowed red. “Touch her, look at her, breathe in her direction, and I’ll tear your throat out.”

He meant it when he said. A man who tears up the entire pack for his favourite horse.

Alpha Richard studied him for a moment, then laughed again. “I am sorry, I don't mean to upset you.”

He turned away, leaving with slow, mocking strides.

Only when he disappeared did Logan loosen his fists.

I stared at him, stunned. “Why… Why did you do that? I wasn’t in danger.”

He didn’t look at me. “You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring slightly. “He was looking at you.”

“So?” I whispered.

“So I didn’t like it,” he snapped, then immediately looked regretful.

His breathing slowed. He turned his face away like he was ashamed of the emotion burning through him.

I could feel that his anger wasn’t pure anger.

It was possessive, territorial and wild.

“king Logan…” I whispered.

He swallowed hard. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way.” His voice dropped. Softer. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.”

That shocked me more than anything.

Alpha Logan. Apologizing.

He never apologized. Not to anyone, even his council.

His cold, untouchable persona cracked for a moment, and through it… I saw a man. Not a king, a ruler, or the terrifying Alpha everyone feared but a man burdened, hurt and haunted.

There is something different this time.

“Why do people say you used to be different?” I asked softly. “That you weren’t always… cold.”

His eyes darkened. Not with anger, though he tried to hide it with pain

“Because it’s true.”

“What happened?”

He hesitated.

His throat moved as he swallowed back words he clearly wanted to say. His eyes flickered, toward the mountains, toward the forest, toward something far older than both of us.

“I lost someone,” he said finally.

“Who?”

His lips parted.

For a second, a single heartbeat, I thought he would tell me.

I saw the truth in his eyes. The memory and the sorrow.

But then he pulled back.

Literally stepped away from me.

I should have known he would never tell me. His weakness, not to spy a trespasser that should have been dead but for some reasons still alive.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, voice suddenly cold again. “The past is dead.”

But I knew it wasn’t, to him or to his wolf.

That night, I slept in one of the spare rooms beside his chamber, still shaken, still confused, still burning inside from everything that happened.

My hand glowed faintly as I touched the blankets. Is it because I am close to him, how far can it glow, does this glow even react to him alone?

My thoughts wandered around, out of my head.

I closed my eyes.

But instead of peace, darkness swallowed me, thick and warm. A strange warmth wrapped around my chest, pulling me deeper into sleep.

A loud female voice, soft, ancient, came out.

So close it felt like she whispered directly into my ear.

“Child of fire… rise.”

I gasped, eyes flying open. The room was dark, silent.

My palm was glowing again, brighter than before, trying to break free. I touched my wrist for the first time…I wasn’t just scared.

Something inside me was waking up, slowly, who am I? Can I be something dangerous to the world?

I felt it, I am different, the glowing wrist the attack. Everything changed the moment I was reborn.

I am reborn for a reason but what can it be, because someone definitely does not want me to fulfill the purpose.

My mission can be dangerous for the person to want me dead or important.