Just moments prior, Killorn was making a final round around the castle walls before his departure tomorrow.
"What bad luck to stumble across a dead dog on a full moon," Gerald deadpanned whilst staring up at the moon. It was currently being covered by a thick cloud.
"Our emotions are usually worse than normal during a full moon. Not to mention, tonight might be the coldest winter of the season," Beetle complained. "It is no wonder I feel more pity for the animal."
"This is against the laws of nature," Gerald grumbled the second Beetle picked up the tiny dog that shouldn't even be alive.
Beetle hung the animal by its nape and examined it. "A boy."
"Glad 'ye can tell the sexes apart," Gerald deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. He rested a hand on his hips and glanced at their surroundings. He couldn't fathom there could be a ballsy enough animal to birth a litter of puppies this close to the wall. Did the dog have no fear?
"The mother is sick," Beetle concluded, nudging the dead animal with his foot. He frowned at the sight of the rest of the two puppies, lying limply. Only one survived.
"Quite an irony that the runt is the last one alive," Gerald commented whilst taking the animal from Beetle. The pup gave a tiny bark, but it sounded like a whining child.
"Wolves can't be raising dogs, we're too closely related," Beetle pointed out whilst shifting his weight from one leg to another.
"Quit your babbling and get rid of the thing." Killorn glanced around the walls, inspecting if the death was just nature taking its claim or if the animal consumed something poisonous.
Killorn was certain nothing within a three-mile radius of his Dukedom would hurt animals. If the dogs ate anything that sickly, he'd have to warn the townspeople to be careful of their children. Young wolves loved to explore with their mouths. It was as if babies intentionally wanted to kill themselves with the food they randomly ate. Was it their life's mission to give their parents heart attacks?
"You're too heartless, Alpha," Beetle grumbled whilst Gerald examined the animal further.
In return, the puppy let out another bark. Beetle snickered at its lack of ferocity, earning a second round of noises.
"Why don't you gift this to the lady, Alpha?" Beetle offered. "She already has one wolf on a leash, a dog wouldn't be so bad--ow!"
Beetle howled with pain when Gerald smacked him on the head.
Killorn shot Beetle an irritated glower. This one was a masochistic bastard. Beetle sought pain like no other. Killorn was certain Beetle was dropped as a baby--multiple times.
"Alpha, you've been joining us on morning hunts so often and leaving her all by herself, I'm sure the lady would appreciate a companion that isn't the irritating Lady Mirabelle," Beetle continued whilst dangling the animal in front of Killorn.
Killorn narrowed his eyes upon the runt of a thing. Ophelia deserved better. She should have the cream of the crop. Killorn imagined what Ophelia's expression would be if he presented it to her. He could picture her innocuous gaze widened like a child during Christmas. He pictured her excitement as she threw herself onto him in joy.
The thought made his chest stir again.
"Fetch me a doctor later, I have a heart problem." Killorn couldn't understand what that fuzzy feeling was.
Beetle and Gerald exchanged a glance, one that irritated Killorn even more.
"Aye, Alpha," Gerald finally responded.
With an annoyed sigh, Killorn looked the damn animal in the eye. Then, he snatched it from Gerald and stormed off, leaving his two second-in-command snickering behind him.
"Not another sound," Killorn snarled.
Instantly, Dumber and Dumbest quieted down, but not before sharing a smirk amongst each other.
- - - - -
Ophelia nervously showed herself. The servants were looking and Janette was frozen with terror as she tried to explain the situation. There was no point in hiding.
Did Killorn have any other wife than her? Obviously not. He was calling for her and she was hiding like a scared animal.
Ophelia awkwardly glanced at her stained hands.
"You!" Killorn seethed, his head snapping in her direction.
Without warning, Killorn stormed towards her, grabbed her by the wrist, and yanked her into the nearest room he could find. It just so happened to be a tea room for guests. Good. This place was soundproof.
Before Ophelia could even move, he slammed the doors with a BANG! She thought a cannonball had gone through the walls from the force of impact. When she met his furious glower, she shrieked in fear, scrambling back. Her heart was in her lungs, pumping so hard, it was all she could hear. Then, she made eye-contact with him.
Killorn's handsome expression was cold as ice. But his gaze were murderous, and had she not been his wife, her guts would've been on the ground. Ophelia was certain he'd smack her.
"I-I-I--"
"You what?" Killorn seethed. "You want to move out already? What? Are you bored of your husband so quickly? Did I not exhaust you?"
Killorn glanced at her dress. "You're standing. I see I have not strained you enough."
Killorn immediately approached her, but she was hurriedly rushing backwards. He let her run, if that pleased her. Eventually, she found her back against the wall. She flinched and glanced over her shoulder to see she was trapped.
Killorn crossed the distance. He slammed a hand on the wall. Her eyes widened and her mouth began to tremble again. She was always a frightened little thing. He couldn't understand why. He dropped the dog onto the couch and blocked her line of sight before she could figure out what it was.
Ophelia's brows strained together. "I-I'm s--"
"If you're going to apologize, I'd rather you get on your knees and open your mouth."
Ophelia blinked. Then, she began to lower herself. He let out a frustrated growl and grabbed her by the wrist. Within seconds, he yanked her back to her feet.
"What are you doing?"
Ophelia naively peered up at him. "Y-you said..."
"I--" Killorn sharply exhaled. Then, he ran a hand through his hair. "Are you out of your mind?!"
Ophelia flinched at his yelling. She had never seen him get so angry at her for something. The worldly experience terrified her.
"Imagine my surprise when I told Cora to pack your things for tomorrow morning and it's already all gone. And where is it?!" Killorn spat out. "In the guest room. My wife had just decided our honeymoon was over."
Ophelia shakingly cowered back with her head lowered in defeat. She was just waiting for the harsh blow at this point. Matriarch Eves also liked to ramble before beating her silly with a horsewhip. She was trembling, barely able to process his words. The last thing she wanted to do was look him in the eyes and anger him further.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Killorn demanded. "Do I snore in my sleep? Did I ever say something to you? Have I ever, in my entire time with you, told you that I want you out of my bed chambers?"
Ophelia instantly shook her head.
"So you tell me then," Killorn growled, storming up to her. "Why the fuck did you move out?"
Ophelia's lips trembled. She could barely speak. She opened and closed her mouth. He was so close and she felt so small before his towering frame.
"I-I thought I o-overstayed my w-welcome..." Ophelia weakly told him.
"And why the hell would that happen?" Killorn pressed.
Ophelia opened her mouth, but then closed it. She realized how foolish her decision had been. Everytime she woke up in bed without him, she took it as a sign that he didn't want her lingering for long. That was why she moved out, so that when they'd finished doing it, she'd try to crawl back to her room, even if it was at random hours of the night.
"Y-you were n-never there w-when I woke up... s-so I thought y-you didn't want m-me to be there e-every morning a-and was giving me a sign to l-leave," Ophelia stammered out.
Killorn blanched. She what? "The way your brain works, I just..."
Killorn sharply exhaled. "Every morning, I never want to wake you because you deserve sleep after all I've put you through."
Ophelia's throat tightened. She bowed her head. "I-I d-didn't know!" she shamefully cried out. "Y-you never tell me a-anything"
Killorn stared at her in disbelief. His patience snapped. He stalked towards her menacingly and raised his voice.
"You could've asked me!" he roared.
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