Finlay had taken some time to groom himself to perfection. Wearing his best outfit, and gelling his hair backward and into a tight ponytail. He even darkened the circles around his eyes, hoping it would entice Ophelia.Tonight was for them, with no numerous guests or servants because during the day, there was never a time they could be alone without any intruder. Aside from that, Ophelia was avoiding him. Ever since he kissed her in between the tangled mess of duvet and took the black album, three nights ago. He specially requested that Easton's top stylist bring in a new wardrobe for his wife because he didn't want her wearing rags anymore, although nothing could ruin her beauty. Finlay was certain she would look better even in a garbage sack.He wanted her. Everything inside and about her. Couldn't even look at any woman since his return. How he had longed to have her in his arms, to make her know what it felt like to be yearned for. He wanted to pleasure her in a way she would thi
The powerful melodious voice of a musician singing in Norse was accompanied by a tad of the depressing cello tune, could be heard from a darkened corner as Finlay danced with his wife, his hand fastened to her back and her own small hand around his neck.It was taking everything inside of Ophelia to not stand on her toes like a ballerina because he was so tall.This was weird, dancing with Finlay was something she always dread because there was no form of chemistry between them. Stiffened faces, clenched jaws, a wicked glint in eyes, and the mutual feeling of dislike towards each other. They always danced like they were forced to. Finlay wishing he was dancing with his mistress, and Ophelia with a perpetually pained heart, wanting the dance to end as fast as possible.Except tonight was different. They were dancing for the first time in a year, after being apart from each other under different circumstances. One as a rogue who served as a waitress in Petersburg, the other experiencin
Exactly three days later the field was booming with thousands of people from the packs along the seven tribes. They had all gathered to witness the Crimson Paw pack run because Finlay needed a Beta and so it was a contest. The Beta would be determined by the winner.All the abled men were partaking even a few from other neighboring packs. It would be an honor to win the pack run and serve as Finlay's beta, to be devoted to him. The man had grown even more popular since his return, words of him were on everyone's lips.The pack run was usually held so people could be awarded finely. If the Alpha wasn't married and wanted a wife, it would be strictly for maidens. Or if he had children who were of age, both genders would partake in the pack run, to give luck a chance if they could win and request to have the Alpha's daughter/son in marriage. Ophelia was seated beside Finlay on her own power seat, dressed to perfection like a true Luna. Finlay hadn't come after her anymore ever since sh
Immediately the whistle got blown by the referee, Stannis Robert did a tremendous backflip and started running along with his contestants. The crowd broke into cheers because it was his intention to seem exceptional.They were running really fast in their human form and Stannis seemed faster than each of them, a few were even fighting against the urge to shift into their wolf as they ran because they were going at a full speed. Some even had their wolves surfacing from time to time, stirring up laughter from the crowd.Finlay couldn't relax in his seat because it seemed as though he would get smacked in the face from how Stannis was in front. So he stood up and took steps forward to get a proper view of the pack run because it looked like if he stayed in his seat, things would leap from bad to worse for him.Ophelia had her hands clasped together in front of her dress, cringing because it was certain today wouldn't end well for her. She didn't want Stannis Roberts to win either.They r
Down Easton was the slums of Easton, populated with beggars, ragged people with no home nor families, rogues that were banished from other packs, thieves, black witches, prostitutes, and even a lot more. The air was polluted and there wasn't any good water. People were struggling to feed, eating from stale bread, rotten meat, and whatever things they could find edible.Ophelia pushed her way past some men selling items that were obviously stolen. As Luna of the Crimson Paw's pack, it was forbidden to step foot in such an area, because it was situated with outcasts. These people might try to hurt her because Up Easton residents were hated for living the perfect life; wearing clean outfits, eating good food, throwing parties, and having thousands of pounds in banks. And so she deliberately blackened her face with charcoal, before wearing a ragged, hooded cloak she had managed to secure before the servants burnt down the remains of her worn-out and faded garments. She couldn't even appea
"Alpha Finlay," Lewis Duncan bowed instead of curtsying, possibly because she was wearing a man's outfit, "I am here in respect of my duty as your Beta," she concluded, boldly staring deep into Finlay's eyes. It was she who won the pack run just the previous day and she had arrived to start.Finlay sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair from where he was seated on his Alpha throne, "perhaps we could discuss this later. I have an even more pressing issue at hand," he wanted to admire the fact that she was dressed like a man and was bold and outspoken, but he could not. Ophelia was missing."What could that be, Alpha?" Lewis put her hands behind her and stepped forward, unfazed by the powerful-looking guards that were in front."The Luna is missing," Finlay paused to catch a breath because point of correction, she wasn't exactly missing. She sneaked out under a disguise. "She left the place in the early hours of this morning. I saw someone climbing through the walls with the cla
"My Luna, they said you were missing." It was Irene, running towards Ophelia with her skirt fetched in her hands."Missing?" Ophelia narrowed her gaze when she got to her side. She had taken off the hood from her cloak, let her hair down, and washed her face in a stream and so the guards let her in, immediately she approached the gate."Yes, Alpha Finlay is out on the look for you," Irene blurted out.Oh, this was alarming and sort of amusing to Ophelia. She only sneaked out through the walls to head to Down Easton and she was declared missing? Could it be someone was stalking her? Why would she in her right mind run away? It crossed her mind during the first month of her marriage with Finlay because of his behavior and the way he treated her, but she could never summon the courage to do it. Her life was tied behind the thick castle walls, the heavy barrier from the outside world except she wanted to visit her family or the pack house orphanage because of the children.She didn't run
"Loki was impregnated by the stallion's foal and he later gave birth to Sleipnir, a gray, eight-legged horse,""Why? I thought men do not get pregnant," the boy with a missing tooth frowned at Ophelia from the floor."Isn't it rather absurd?" Another asked and then a series of questions started trooping in from the kids who were seated over the floor, and Ophelia didn't know which one to give a response to.She closed the book and raised her hand to gain silence."Calm down, kids, as I have read you, Loki was a trickster god.""And a man-" provided a girl who was stabbing her fingers into her nostrils and peeking for boogers."-who could change his gender and species with ease. I told you he shapeshifted into a female horse earlier," Ophelia explained and the perplexed and rowdy-looking children quieted down."Sleipnir ultimately belonged to Odin right after its birth.""Why?" A few were interested enough to ask."Being the best horse amongst gods and men, Loki gifted Odin, which expla