Chapter 7 The Awakening

Ophelia's eyes fluttered open, her head pounding and her mind foggy. She could taste her blood and her mouth. She winced in pain and she tried opening her eyes to scan where she was.

She was lying on a soft surface, surrounded by unfamiliar walls and a warm fire crackling in the hearth. She looked around,taking notice of how cozy the place looked.

She felt the bed dip and whipped her head around. It was Thorne. He sat beside her, his eyes watchful, his face etche with concern, but she still noticed the way his eyes were guarded. He looked at her like he wanted to kick her far away from him, but not at the moment.

"Where... where am I?" Ophelia stammered,his voice barely audible

"You're safe, Ophelia," Thorne replied, his deep voice soothing. "You passed out for a couple of hours. Ryker and Astrid have been taken care of... they're not a threat anymore".

It felt like hearing him mention their names was what her head needed to increase the throbbing pain she was already feeling. Bad luck, that's what Astrid and Ryker were.

Ophelia's memories came flooding back - the hunt, the fight, Thorne's sword as it hissed when it left its scabbard, his skill and precision of fighting. She tried to sit up,but a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Easy, Ophelia," Thornes said, gently pressing her back onto the bed. "You need to rest and get your energy back. You've been through a lot."

"And I don't think you need to exert much stress on yourself, Ophelia. You're not the same as before" he added in a dry tone

"What did he mean she wasn't the same as before? Did he notice that she was weakling now?" Ophelia murmured to herself while furrowing her brows.

Thorne saw the way her brows were furrowed, he saw the creases in her forehead and knew she was racking her brain because of his last sentence.

It wasn't his problem anyways, he was just doing what a certain wolf begged him to do.

As she lay back, Ophelia's eyes darted around the room, she kept wondering how Thorne carried her from where she blacked out to this cozy house. She was super glad to no longer perceive that musty and mouldy scent of the forest.

"What's that symbol?" she asked Thorne, her curiosity piqued.

Thorne's expression changed immediately. His face contorted and returned to normal almost immediately. His expression turned guarded. "It's... a family crest. Nothing more."

Ophelia sensed he was hiding something, she noticed the way his expression changed immediately and his lips became a thin line. She was exhausted and it overwhelmed her immediately and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up again, no one was beside her. Thorne was gone and she was the only one left in the room. He left a note on the bedside table that read: "I'll return soon. Trust no one, Ophelia. Not even yourself."

The room was cozy and she didn't mind being left alone. At least, she had warm tapestries and a fire crackling in the hearth. Ophelia tried to stand, but her energy was still depleted, her legs felt too heavy and too light at the same time and she wondered how that was even possible.

She collapsed back onto the bed. She was trapped and it was exhausting. She hated the feeling of being caged with nothing to do or a motive to save herself. She kept on replying Thorne's warning till it echoed in her mind.

As the hours passed, Ophelia's strength gradually returned,but slowly. She decided to explore her cozy prison. The symbol on the wall seemed to draw her in, and she felt an odd energy emanating from it.

She tried touching it,but it was far away from her reach. She looked around for a stool to climb on, but there was nothing in her room, so she gave up for the meantime.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a young woman entered with a tray of food. "Hello, Ophelia," she said, her smile filled with warmth that could engulf the whole room. She had a smile that lit up anywhere she entered.

"I'm Elara, Thorne's sister. Welcome to our home." Elara continued

Ophelia's instincts screamed at her and reminded her of Thorne's exact words. "Trust no one, not even yourself". But how exactly was she meant to not trust this warm lady that brought her mouth watering food?

She was going to be extremely cautious and her eyes scanned the room for a weapon before it landed on the tray. That was going to be her weapon and she hoped it wouldn't disappoint her.

Elara dropped the food and Ophelia dived in, holding the tray tightly. The delicious food put her at ease. As they ate, Elara spoke of Thorne's past, of his struggles and triumphs, and Ophelia found herself intrigued by him even more.

But that prickly feeling was still at the back of her head, she still couldn't brush off Thorne's warning and it still lingered in her mind. She wondered what secrets he and Elara might be hiding.

As the night wore on, Ophelia's thought pivoted to Kieran, and she felt a pang of worry. It felt very weird to be worried about a person she had an encounter with for a few minutes, but she couldn't help it.

She felt connected to him and it bothered her a lot. Where was he? Why had he disappeared and left her like that?

Elara noticed her concern and placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Don't worry, Ophelia. Thorne will keep you safe. And Kieran... he'll return when the time is right."

Ophelia nodded, and then halted. She looked at Elara sharply and suspiciously and muttered something under breath. "How did you know about Kieran and how did you know I was thinking about him?"

She never mentioned Kieran's name, so how on earth did she know about Kieran?

She was skeptical about Elara from the start, but this worsened the whole situation. Her doubts lingered. She was trapped in this strange place, surrounded by people she couldn't fully trust.

And the symbol on the wall seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, as if warning her of dangers to come.

She drifted off to sleep unknowingly, but she knew she had to uncover the truth about Thorne, Elara, and the mysterious symbol. And she needed to find Kieran as fast as she could.

She knew deep in her heart that she would be safe with him. Her survival depended on it.