First night in the castle (2)

"I won't do it again," Ophelia promised. 

Ophelia wished she knew the history of bad blood between the Porters and the alpha. She needed to know why they hated each other so she could play her cards right.

Sylas sighed, knowing she was afraid of him again. She had every right to be considering he planned to slaughter her family and now, she was forced to be his luna. He also didn't give a good first impression at the wedding but her father had angered him by speaking of what he felt he was owed. 

"I am starting to get the feeling your father threw you into my arms without telling you the history between us. That stupid fool," Sylas balled his hand. "It is because of you that your father is alive."

"I did not know that," Ophelia softly replied. She didn't like the weight on her shoulders that an enter family living rested on her shoulders. 

The Porters were bad and deserved to die but Ophelia still didn't like the weight. 

"Your father sacrificed you by sending you here. There are a lot of people who would want to see you dead because you're his daughter. Be careful with where you walk and who you speak to. I will do my best to protect but you also need to show that I can trust you. Don't go digging around," Sylas warned Ophelia.

Sylas was willing to bet Joel sent Ophelia to the castle with a task.

"I won't," Ophelia replied. "If I may," she started to speak once more. "Why didn't you kill me? The rumours say-"

"Don't believe all rumours and I had my reasons for keeping you alive," Sylas replied.

Unlike the other women, Ophelia was afraid. She wasn't hiding her dagger behind her back, waiting for the right moment to kill him. Her fear saved her.

"We may never be normal lovers but I won't bring any harm to you. You can live well here as long as you don't cause any trouble. Can you do that?" Sylas asked.

Sylas didn't have any problems with a young woman who seemed to be seeing the world for the first time but if Ophelia turned out to be like the others waiting to kill him then her head would be placed on a spike and her family slaughtered. 

Ophelia nodded her head. All she wanted to do was live quietly but not here. She wanted to go home.

Ophelia grabbed a handful of her dress, using this simple action to help build the courage to do something foolish. 

What if she told him right now? 

What if she told him that she was taken from her home, would he spare her? 

The what-if frightened Ophelia. She didn't want to lie but she didn't trust he wouldn't kill her. Sylas was ready to kill the Porters and it might not matter that she wasn't one of them.

Sylas didn't understand her reaction. He was offering a peaceful life which was far better than what was suggested to him. His pack wanted her dead along with her family but Sylas was giving her a chance.

The sound of two people running toward them interrupted the talk.

"Alpha Sylas," Alice greeted the alpha, her head bowed to avoid his eyes. She was furious Ophelia was out of her sight and alone with the alpha. What if Ophelia spoke when she shouldn't?

"Do you feel more comfortable now that your maids are here?" Sylas asked, checking to see if Ophelia would now relax.

Ophelia released her hold on her dress and mustered up her best smile. "Yes. What you suggested was good. I won't have any questions about where you are and what you do," she promised.

"There is one thing I would like. I want to walk around the castle once a day. Just around the garden," she clarified before he suspected her of snooping around. "I won't have anything to do other than to walk around."

"You can. You'll have to take along a guard with you. I won't lie to you about your time here in the castle. Almost all of my pack will not be pleased to see you but I have ordered them to treat you well. If they don't tell me or Rick," said Sylas.

"Who is Rick?" Ophelia asked, the name drawing a blank. 

Sylas waited for a moment, checking if she was joking. "Rick is the second in command. While I was away, my beta was in charge. He should have been the one to greet you at the door and to show you to your room. Did he not?"

Ophelia bit her lip. 

It would be easy for Sylas to check that only Edith greeted her but Ophelia knew outing the beta would place another person trying to harm her.

"He didn't," Sylas concluded, getting the answer himself. "That was my mistake. I am sorry," he apologised.

Ophelia's eyes widened momentarily. In all of this, no one had apologised. She prepared herself to never hear anyone say sorry and for it to come from Sylas made it even more shocking. 

Ophelia wasn't certain what made her be surprised but she snapped out of it. One little moment like this shouldn't send her off course. She needed to remain focused.

"Edith showed me around a little when I arrived. I can only imagine looking after the castle made your beta busy. I don't mind you weren't there," said Ophelia.

What would Sylas do if she said she was thrilled he wasn't there?

If they rarely see each other throughout the day then Ophelia might have some peace of mind.

'Wait,' Ophelia panicked. 'Do I need to sleep with him after dinner?'

Freya's words of her having to be with the Sylas again haunted Ophelia. She didn't want to experience that again but who was she to deny him? She was hardly a Luna.

"The food doesn't seem to be to your liking. This meat was hunted today so the cook probably thought it would suit the occasion. Edith, have them bring out something else," Sylas said, growing annoyed with Ophelia's back and forth.

Sylas didn't need Joel complaining about him starving his daughter.

"No," Ophelia picked up her fork again. "I like this."

Ophelia placed a piece of meat in her savouring the taste. It might be that she had been starving but right now, this meat was the best she ever had.

Ophelia continued to slip food onto her lap to wrap in a cloth unaware of Sylas's watchful eyes.

Sylas still didn't know what to make of Ophelia. She wasn't like the other Porters which he assumed was because she was Joel's bastard. 

It still angered him to think of how Joel sent Ophelia in place of Freya when the message was clear about which daughter was requested. Still, judging from how Ophelia was now, Sylas had not lucked out.

Sylas stood up from his chair. "Eating together isn't something I care for. Eat what you want and Edith will escort you to your room when you are done."

His gaze went to her lap. "We're never short on food so you don't need to store it. I won't hold food from you."

Ophelia looked down at her lap, her hands covering the food she wanted to take back to her room. She was only trying to prepare.

"Don't be embarrassed. I will be in my chamber if you need me," said Sylas.

Ophelia listened intently to Sylas's footsteps getting further and further away from the table. Her shoulders dropped and she sighed in relief when she couldn't hear him anymore.

'I don't need to be with him tonight,' Ophelia thought. 

She might just survive her first night in the castle.