Yes, My Alpha: Mother of an Empire

Chapter 85

Ophelia read the note once and then again, concern etched deeply on her and Darius's faces. "An ambush?" Ophelia questioned, "A possible ambush." Darius corrected, Ophelia shifted a bit and thought to herself with folded arms. If Snowfel was in the mountains waiting on them...

Ophelia then tossed the letter to the side and quickly moved over to her bag digging out Syl's letter. "What's that?" Darius questioned, Ophelia suddenly smelt something burning and she turned around seeing Darius using a pair of tongs as he held the cotton cloth to the flame of a candle. "What? It's cheap garbage." Darius questioned seeing the startled look Ophelia gave him. He seemed much more satisfied now the piece of fabric was burning. 

"You could've done it outside." Ophelia sighed, "I want you to watch." Darius replied sharply. "Oh no..." Ophelia cried sarcastically, "Clearly I'm upset that the token of an omega I'm not interested in is being burned." She added staring Darius directly in the eyes, her voice completely flat and unaffected by the sight. Darius sneered at her response and then sneezed, "Look what you've done, the tents full of smoke, are you happy now?" Ophelia questioned, "You know what yes I am." Darius replied in response tossing the ashy remains into a metal bowl and pouring some water over it. 

"Pain in the ass." Ophelia huffed, before looking back down at the letter. "So what is this a love letter from another omega?" Darius questioned, "No it's a letter Sylvaine left at the church for me. I told you I was going to check on her." Ophelia replied, "Syl said she was in the mountains waiting on me." Ophelia explained handing the letter over to him.

A thought then occurred to her as Darius skimmed over the letter.

"Oh right, there's something you should know about Syl." Ophelia spoke up, Darius looked from Ophelia to the letter then back to the letter. "Why the hell did she address you like this?" He questioned, "It's a nickname." Ophelia replied feeling her head pulse. "A nickname?" Darius questioned carefully, "Yeah Syl hit her head as a kid and said she could see the future after that. She's been calling me that stupid name since then." Ophelia admitted defeated.

Darius stared at Ophelia silently.

"I've tried to get her to stop," Ophelia added looking away a bit flustered. "So she can see the future?" Darius questioned, "She claims she can, I don't know if she can." Ophelia sighed, "All I know is if Syl says or does something nine times out of ten she's going to be right." A smile formed on Darius's lips, "I think I really want to meet this Syl now." He added with a glint in his eyes. 

Ophelia groaned wishing she would've thought of ripping the top half of the letter off to get rid of that embarrassing name. 

The two of them made eye contact, and Darius seemed more relaxed now, especially after reading the letter. "So do you think your psychic friend knew about the ambush then?" Darius questioned, "I don't know, all I know is Syl said she had a gift and to wait three days before going to the mountain." Ophelia motioned to the letter. Darius looked down at the parchment again before glancing over at Jaquet's letter. 

"I don't know if we can wait three days. It'll put us off schedule." Darius spoke carefully, "I'll have to speak with the others about this with them." He added, "Bring Spencer in for questioning, he went with me when I went to visit Syl." Ophelia suggested. Darius eyed her, "That way it's not just my word." She added, Darius shifted a bit before folding the letters up. "Fine." He added before reaching down to grab Ophelia's bags.

"What are you doing?" Ophelia questioned, "Moving your things next to mine." Darius replied, "No, we're still fighting." Ophelia replied pressing her foot on top of her rucksack. Darius's relaxed expression contorted upon hearing this. "Are you serious?" "As the plague." Ophelia said firmly, "I've been nothing but respectful and patient with you." Ophelia spoke firmly, she would nip this in the bud before it started. She refused to be treated like this again, no matter how much she liked Darius. "And you humiliated me." 

Darius's grip loosened and he stood there quietly. 

"I didn't mean to do it." He confessed quietly, "I just... Did it before I could stop myself." Ophelia kept her expression firm. "Commander." She spoke, "What am I to you?" She questioned leaning over Darius, "Am I your partner or your dog?" Darius looked up at her with shaking eyes, "I can't be both." Ophelia allowed the hurt to show on her face, "So are we equals or you just going to toy with me like Brigham and toss me to the side once I step too far out of line?" Ophelia pressed. 

Darius was silent, he flinched at Ophelia's words clearly knowing he had done wrong by her today pulling that stunt.

"I understand that there's  a lot going on." Ophelia softened her tone, "But that was too much even for you." Ophelia felt her heart racing in her chest hating that she had to draw the line like this but... She couldn't do this again... She'd rather things ended right here and now before she ever was subjected to something like that again.

"I thought you said you didn't mind it if I got jealous." Darius's voice was small, "I don't, but I've been treated like that before and I'm not doing that again." Ophelia confessed, Darius's eyes widened hearing this. "Like what?" He asked, "Like a dog." Ophelia spoke frankly, "The man I was with before you treated me like that." She confessed, "I was young and stupid, I liked the attention. Most people ignored me so it was nice to have someone..." Ophelia took a breath, "Like me that much." She felt a knot form in her chest when she said this.

"I thought we were in love, but he loved only what I could do for him." She added looking away from Darius, "I was scared of being alone again so I was his dog-- his pet. I did everything and put up with way too much..." Ophelia didn't like saying this but Darius needed to understand why she was upset. "I would have done it forever too. I was just so focused on him that I didn't care. But then he threw me away, and found a better pet." Ophelia stared at the wall of the tent, "I'm not doing that again." She said softly.

She was quiet for a while, she took a deep breath, "So what am I? Am I your partner or your pet Commander?" She questioned looking back at Darius, who stood there quietly trembling. He whispered something, "What?" Ophelia questioned turning to face Darius. "Name." Darius spoke a bit louder, "I want his fucking name." Darius looked furious hearing this. 

Ophelia stared at Darius with raised eyebrows, "High Bishop Raphael Fontaine." Ophelia replied, Darius paused hearing this, as if he didn't expect that name to come out of Ophelia's mouth. "You didn't answer my question." Ophelia spoke before Darius could reply, he paused staring at her, "You're my partner." The anger on his face fading and regret was clearly present. 

"I'm sorry." He apologized, "I've done nothing but mess up and... I almost screwed everything up between us." He added, "I like you so fucking much I can't..." Darius took a deep breath, "I've never felt this way before." he confessed, "Most people I'm with don't last this long so I'm a little clueless on what to do and what not to do." Darius explained himself. "I just-- I heard people calling him your boyfriend and I just--." He looked back up to Ophelia, "I saw red." Darius confessed running his fingers through his hair.

"I'm so sorry." He apologized, and Ophelia kept her expression stoic listening to Darius apologize and explain himself. He looked completely vulnerable and with each passing second that Ophelia gave no reaction. Darius looked like he was getting more and more upset. "Do you want me to get on my knees?" He questioned moving close and grasping one of Ophelia's forearms. "You don't need to do that." Ophelia sighed unable to steel herself for any longer. Tears and snot had started to roll down Darius's face, he looked clueless and scared. Ophelia unfolded her arms and pressed her hand to his forehead.

"What are you doing?" Darius questioned, "I think we're just about to hit your heat." Ophelia explained moving her hands from his forehead to his cheeks. Darius grimaced hearing this, "Dari, you said you hadn't had a real heat in two years." Ophelia spoke, "I'm not surprised you've been doing things a little out of character." She added, "You mean acting crazy right?" Darius asked sniffling a bit. He held one of Ophelia's hands in place on his cheek looking like he wanted Ophelia to continue touching him. 

"I mean you did try to kill someone in the market and then drag me in front of everyone." Ophelia confessed frankly, "I said I'm sorry." Darius gritted his teeth looking frustrated. "What do you want?" He questioned looking desperate for Ophelia's forgiveness. "Your apology is enough." Ophelia replied, "But I do want something else." Ophelia spoke just as relief washed over Darius's face. "What?" he questioned his eyes shaking, "A promise that you'll never do that to me again." Ophelia spoke softly, "I promise."