Chapter 105 The Beast's Den
Ophelia staggered away from him, the dismay weighing her heart down. She glanced at her feet in disbelief. He was disappointed. Furious, even. Was there nothing she could do to become the perfect wife for him? She thought this would fix their relationship. Instead, it only seemed to be a strain on everything. "Why is Layla being executed?" Ophelia mumbled upon seeing Beetle's exasperated expression. She wanted to change the conversation. She had changed this much for Killorn, and he wasn't even pleased.
Killorn narrowed his eyes into slits. His handsome features were thunderous with rage. He turned to ignore her, but Ophelia reached and held onto his sleeve, almost timidly.
"Enough," Killorn gritted out. "Layla will be punished." Killorn pushed her hand off. Her heart fell. He saw how quickly the hope left. Her foundation was shaking.
"Nothing that either of you say or do can change the fate," Killorn stated and then briefly glanced over his shoulders. "You are Duchess Mavez, the lady of the estate. You should only worry about the castle's appearance, not affairs."
Ophelia's gentle expression dispersed. She was hurt and embarrassed by his statement. Her chest pricked and her face burned. She was disappointed.
"O-oh…" Ophelia swallowed and touched her lips, wondering if Everett's abilities were wearing off that quickly. Glancing at her feet, she felt her heart skip. Then, she raised her gaze and saw his pressing one. You dare to talk back?
Killorn had said it for everyone to hear. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Beetle rub the back of his neck and shift his feet. Even the knights awkwardly glanced away. She was being reprimanded in public.
"I'm not welcome in this conversation," Ophelia mumbled, realizing she was just burdening him. She hurriedly turned on her heels, eager to walk off. Maybe the soldiers earlier were right. She should've been in the library. "Ophelia, wait."
Ophelia quickly walked off. Instantly, Killorn right behind her. His footsteps were heavy and loud. He grabbed her wrists in no time, quickly hauling her closer.
"I don't mean it like that," Killorn muttered. "My people, I handle them, so that you don't have to."
"I hear you loud and clear," Ophelia muttered. She couldn't refute the opinion of a husband who treated her well. How could she dare? Her husband's people were all here. Did she dare shame him in public? Was she an idiot? She obviously didn't want to get hurt or damage his reputation.
"Ophelia—"
"Please let me go."
Killorn tightened his grip. He felt a prick in his chest. She was often ecstatic to see him, now, she was quick to flee. He wanted to see the joy on her face again. He wanted to see her eyes light up like shooting stars in the night sky.
"Layla," Killorn finally relented. "Layla will be executed for violation of the Overlords' Orders." Ophelia shoved him off of her. She spun around to witness his surprised expression. Didn't expect that, did he? A fire burned from within her. What gave this man the right to execute Layla? Who the hell were these Overlords? If they were so high and mighty, why did they never show their faces around? "What rights do the Overlords have?" Ophelia suddenly said.
"What?"
"My body, what gives them the right to have anything to say about it?" Ophelia cried out in disbelief. "It's better that you don't know," Killorn responded with a cold expression.
"I know!" Ophelia responded, her voice rising. "I know what I am!"
"Ophelia—"
Ophelia began to panic. Her composure completely snapped.
"W-who are they t-to control w-what I do with my b-body?" Ophelia whispered in disbelief, realizing she was causing a scene. What was happening? She was speaking perfectly just earlier! Killorn narrowed his eyes. Did he have to say it?
Ophelia was frozen with shock. His face accused her without words. She once said her body belonged to him. She was embarrassed. He could say something that invalidated her argument on the spot. Instead, he kept quiet.
Ophelia's lips trembled. She took steps back from him, suddenly feeling like the center of attention. She breathed through her nose to calm herself down.
"Layla shouldn't be e-executed," Ophelia emphasized. "She did nothing wrong. I made her do it, I forced her hand."
"I know," Killorn seethed. "You endangered every single woman and child in that shelter."
"I—"
"What if your blood wasn't as magical as you believed?" Killorn snarled. "You would've doomed this castle."
Ophelia's argument began to shrivel on the spot. She had been certain she was right. She wasn't well-informed in the art of arguments. She rattled her brain for something to say.
"Layla was out of bounds," Killorn warned. "What she did was dark magic. It is forbidden and should've been death by hanging."
What?
Ophelia didn't know what to do. She wanted Layla. No, she NEEDED Layla. She wanted to learn magic to help Killorn, to help herself, and everyone she can. Her heart was too tender and naive for her own good, she knew that. Layla was Ophelia's only answer. Ophelia's personal book of knowledge. Layla had been insistent to help Ophelia. Ophelia intended to do the same. "T-then kill me with her," Ophelia whispered. Dead silence.
Killorn's face blanked for a split second. Then, his handsome features twisted into hatred. What the fuck did she just say? He stormed towards her, his blood boiling, and his jaws tight. He grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look at him. He dared her to say it again. Right to his face. He wanted to look her in the eyes as she uttered something as foolish as that.
"An accomplice in black magic deserves the same fate, no?" Ophelia argued for her case. "Ophelia!" Killorn seethed.
Ophelia flinched at his roar. His voice sent his men back in fear. The walls in the castle nearly rumbled. What was so wrong with death? As a kid, she would wish it upon herself, so much, that it became normalized to her. There was nothing she was afraid of more than a painful one. She didn't mind an instant kill.
"You are my wife, you—"
"You said it yourself, I am Duchess M-Mavez," Ophelia murmured. "I am the lady of the house. My duty isn't to the castle's appearance, it should be to the inside. My duty is to keep everyone under my care safe."
"Luna…" Beetle whispered. He was forced to choose between his soulmate and the very woman he should devote his entire life to—Luna of their Mavez Pack. "It is no one's fault, but mine," Ophelia continued. "I forced Layla to do it by pointing the wand to my bleeding wound. If anyone should be punished, it should be me."
Killorn was so furious he could massacre a family right now. He felt his patience reach a limit. Sharply exhaling, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Then, he dropped his hand as if she disgusted him. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, gripping the ends whilst glowering at her with so much hatred, she froze.
"You dare…" Killorn was seeing red. Killorn saw her pupils shake. She broke out in a cold sweat. His presence was too frightening. He was more than double her size, yet she was brave enough to go against him. No one ever went against his orders like her. After the first warning, people usually shut their traps.
"If you want to be punished so badly then," Killorn suddenly spat out, his voice frigid. "Guards!"
The knights in black straightened and saluted their Alpha. "At attention, Commander!"
Ophelia's heart raced. Her head snapped to the threatening men who wore no expression on their faces. These were boys bred to murder. The werewolf warriors that every human feared. She could feel her pulse quicken in her wrists. Was her husband going to send grown men after her?
"Drag the Duchess to the dungeons then."
Beetle sharply gasped. "Alpha!" he cried out in shock, hurriedly approaching his good friend in disbelief. He couldn't imagine this well-bred lady in all of her lavish years suffering in the musty and rusty dungeons.
Not even Layla was being held there! At least Killorn had the courtesy to put her on house arrest in a faraway place that Reagan could never reach.
"Yes, Commander!" They shouted, despite the trembling and feeble woman before them. They stepped forward menacingly.
Ophelia was frightened for her life. "It's not too late to change your mind, Ophelia," Killorn promised her with a pointed stare. He wanted to force the words out of her, for her to admit she was wrong.
Ophelia took it as a challenge. Suddenly, Elena's words rang in her mind. 'I am Duchess Mavez and everyone else is beneath me.'
Threatened by them, finally, Ophelia's brain came up with a solution. Ophelia recalled what Killorn once reminded her. She shouldn't take compliments from strangers to build herself up. She needed to have confidence from within. She shouldn't rely on Killorn for it. "Which dungeon?" Ophelia finally asked, raising her head stubbornly. Killorn's patience snapped.
"The beast's den," Killorn growled, just as everyone's attention jolted to him in disbelief. "No!" Beetle shouted in horror. "Those beasts in there, you know they devour human flesh! They're trained to torture and feast on the worst prisoners, literally eating them alive screaming and kicking."
Ophelia's head spun. The cruel monsters behind Mavez mansion. The ones that Killorn had warned her about. The very creatures that Killorn never wanted her near… he was putting her directly inside.
"The beasts' den it is," Ophelia softly said.
Beetle blanched. The room was plunged into silence. "She'll be torn apart in there!" Beetle shouted. "That place is reserved for the worst criminals. Even Layla is not being locked there."
Killorn took one hard look at his wife. In a heartless voice, he said, "The Duchess wants to pay for her crimes? So be it."
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