Yes, My Alpha: Mother of an Empire

Chapter 71

"What?" Ophelia's voice cracked as she spoke, "Congratulations Reeds." Darius spoke with a smile, "It's been two years since I've had a real heat." Darius seemed a bit annoyed as he spoke, "And yet somehow it came back." He looked away as he spoke before looking back at Ophelia. "I wonder why?" His voice was laced with sarcasm.

"You're the one who knocked down my tent commander." Ophelia retorted with a huff. Her cheeks burned hearing Darius speak so frankly about his cycle with her. Sure it was a topic that was bound to come up. But Ophelia had assumed she'd get kicked out the tent for a week or so. But the way that Darius was talking it almost sounded as if--. 

Darius made his way back over to Ophelia grabbing her collar and slowly pulling her down to his level. "Are you really trying to leave me alone to deal with this myself?" He asked lowly, they were nose to nose now. "You're the one who reactivated it. You need to take some responsibility Reeds." Ophelia felt her face heat up, "You want me with you?" She questioned Darius gave her a look, "Where the hell else would you be?" He questioned as if it was the most obvious thing in the world that Ophelia would be with him while he was in heat.

Ophelia shifted a bit, "I don't know, I always thought you'd kick me out of the tent until you were done or something." Ophelia stood up straight rubbing the back of her neck. Darius tilted his head confused, "No, I'm not doing that." he answered seeming calmer now, it seemed that seeing Ophelia be receptive to staying during his heat calmed his mood. Ophelia couldn't help but wonder if part of Darius's agitation earlier came from feeling too nervous to ask.

Darius did have that habit where he would say one thing and mean another... A surprisingly shy aspect of his personality.  Not that Ophelia could blame him, it was considered rather intimate to ask an alpha to spend a heat with you. Even if you were already involved with the alpha. Most omegas Ophelia had experience with preferred to spend that time alone or with omega family members who could look after them for safety.

"Well if you want me there, I don't mind, I wouldn't want you to be alone while feeling that terrible anyway," Ophelia remarked with a small smile on her lips, Darius let out a snort hearing this. "What?" Ophelia questioned seeing this reaction, if heats were anything like alpha women ruts then she was certain Darius would feel awful. "You're too gentle Philly." Darius said softly urging her down to his level again with a tug on her collar. Ophelia complied and Darius placed a kiss on her cheek before pausing.

"We're eating and then going to find those hot springs." Darius remarked sounding a touch annoyed. "You smell awful." He grumbled, Ophelia turned and kissed Darius on the lips. "Okay." She spoke in agreement as she pulled away, a smile was on Darius's lips. "Finish getting changed." He said softly before letting her go. Ophelia stood up straight and began to do that. Darius paid her very little mind as he went back to the bedrolls picking up the papers.

He straightened them up a bit before beginning to read them again as he headed over to the table. Ophelia finished getting changed, the rest of her uniform was tossed aside, she let out a breath feeling much more comfortable now that the smell of Charles was off of her. While she didn't mind the other omega, the feeling of having another's smell on her made her uncomfortable.

She made her way over sitting down in the chair next to Darius who sat that the table still reading. Darius looked up looking more pleased, "That's better." He remarked with a smile on his lips. Ophelia nodded leaning back into her chair, "Tired Philly?" Darius questioned as he sat the papers to the side. It wasn't lost on Ophelia how he didn't even put them face down, she decided to ignore the papers in case there was some sensitive information there. "Yeah." Ophelia replied before beginning to eat her food.

She felt Darius staring at her and she looked up from her plate, Darius frowned deeply.  He seemed to be thinking deeply about something. "What?" Ophelia questioned, "I'm sorry." he apologized suddenly. Ophelia didn't hide her confusion, "For what?" Darius's brows furrowed he seemed embarrassed, "I just spent the last fifteen minutes giving you a hard time when you just got back." Darius added.

"I did come back smelling like another omega." Ophelia replied poking at her food, she let out a long sigh. "I'm not surprised you had something to say about it. Anyone wouldn't like that sort of thing." She remarked not really paying attention, her focus more on the thick piece of elk meat on her plate. Darius didn't respond so Ophelia just kept talking, "I'm not really bothered by that, I've just been yelled at a lot today." She spoke without thinking.

"Who yelled at you?" Darius questioned, Ophelia looked up, Darius seemed calm but their was an icy expression in his eyes. "Brigham, Barnabas, Spencer..." Ophelia paused, "You." She added after a moment. Darius's teeth clenched inside of his mouth when he was brought up. "I..." He bit his lip. "It was earlier Dari." Ophelia clarified, Darius seemed to relax a bit. That subject was settled between them but he didn't seem to like the thoughts of treating Ophelia poorly still.

"Was there another incident with Brigham?" Darius questioned the subject was changed slightly. "Yeah, when I went to go look for Kellis earlier he tried to start something." Ophelia explained, Darius didn't look happy hearing this. A long sigh came from Darius, "If he wasn't a marquess's son." Ophelia heard Darius mumble to himself  as he stabbed his fork into the meat on his plate.

"I did instigate him a bit," Ophelia spoke up, Darius paused, and he looked to Ophelia appearing to be interested now. She couldn't help but wonder if in Darius's mind the interaction appeared more like her being helplessly bullied rather than what really happened. Ophelia wondered how large was the gap between Darius's perception of her being gentle and reality was. She was beginning to think that he really did think she was some sort of baby that needed protection. "What did you do?" He asked moving his chair a bit closer.

Ophelia smiled slightly feeling better that the mood was lighter. "Well." She took a breath thinking, "He tried to give me shit about the promotion not going through. So I brought up how he got his title without earning it." Ophelia explained, a grin slowly formed on Darius's lips as he listened. "I believe I said something like, can you imagine being a leader and not earning it?" Ophelia quoted herself, "I bet that pissed him off." Darius leaned in closer he looked like he wanted to be close to Ophelia now. She reached over pulling his chair next to her before standing up and grabbing his things.

She moved his drink and food first, making sure not to spill anything on his papers before grabbing the papers and placing them on the opposite side of Darius face down. As she sat down Darius reached over and flipped them back up giving her a side ways glance. Ophelia felt her eyebrow twitch but she didn't say anything.

"It pissed him off." Ophelia kept to the topic at hand, "He started saying something about how some people were born to lead--." Ophelia continued pausing only briefly when Darius held some food up to her lips. She then took a bite realizing that Darius decided to feed her, though it wasn't lost on her that the food was from her plate rather than his.

"Not going to share your food?" Ophelia couldn't help but ask, "No it's mine." Darius replied with a grin, "What about my food?" Ophelia asked as Darius took a fork full of her food into his mouth, "That's mine too." Darius replied with a smile on his lips. Ophelia rolled her eyes before taking her fork and swiping food from Darius's plate. "Hey." Darius complained, "Not so funny now is it?" Ophelia retorted taking a bite. Ophelia then noticed a slight smile was on Darius's lips when he watched her eat.

Did he want them to share food together?

Ophelia decided to test it taking her fork to her plate and scooping some vegetables up. She then held the fork up to Darius, who's eyebrows rose seeing this. "Feeding me now Philly?" He asked, "You're too scrawny anyway." Ophelia replied, "Eat." She insisted, Darius opened his mouth taking the food. Darius had a soft expression on his face as he chewed slowly.

Ophelia felt herself relax, so that was it then... All this time he just wanted to share food with her. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. It made sense now why Darius insisted so much on them eating together. It wasn't just a meal for him. 

The two of them continued to talk and eat late into the evening. Taking their time to enjoy each other's presence after a long day.