Chapter 22: PAIN

Ophelia awoke feeling unburdened, her mind free from the usual chaos of dreams that had often tormented her. The relief was almost euphoric, a stark contrast to the disorienting events that had left her unconscious. She didn’t want to dream; after what had happened, she was content with the empty stillness of her mind. As the morning light filtered into the room, her eyes fluttered open, wide and alert, reflecting the brightness around her. She had survived the night in Celestia, not as the assassin who had come to kill the Alpha heir but as the woman who had been kissed by him. The absurdity of it all made her press her fingers to her lips, her eyes widening with the memory. Quickly, she sat up, glancing around the lavish room, suddenly aware of the absence of Nikolai. "Did he really have to give me his blood... through a kiss?" Ophelia groaned, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. She pushed herself out of bed, stretching her arms to alleviate the minor aches that l