Chapter 8 Caught by Prince Charming

Ophelia

As I give the coffee to the person in front of me, I nearly drop it. It wasn't until he was a few steps away from me that I smelled him. I curse myself quietly. The way he peered at me with intent told me he wasn't human. I can smell the metal blades and hair in my nostrils. Maybe a hunter, a wolf.

He said, "Hey," to me.

I forced a pleasant, bright smile on my face. Perhaps all he is is another lone wolf. All I can hope is that those notices Gideon delivered about two weeks ago haven't made him recognize me. After receiving nothing from BlackFur for four months, what a terrible day that had been!

"What can I get for you?" I ask, still grinning, wanting my heart to stop beating so viciously and my body to cease sweating in terror.

He says, "A coffee, black, and... ah," shifting his gaze from me to the board behind me, "one of those cranberry scones."

"All right." I input the order and inform him of the total. Thankfully, it comes naturally to me now. He looks back at me. He's staring, which is unusual for strangers unless they're flirting. Though I see a burning curiosity in his eyes, I do not perceive lust.

I hand him my change back, and he hands me a ten-dollar bill. His aroma intensifies when we contact hands closely. There's a tiny slant to his nose. And he's picking up on my fragrance.

"Abby, order up!" From behind me, Aria yells out.

Grinning again, I give him the coffee and scone. "Have a great day!"

Without saying anything, he nods and walks away. As he takes his first sip, I watch him sniff the paper surrounding the coffee cup where my hand was.

What action will I take?

"Hey, did you see how much that guy was into you?" Aria gives me a wink and nuzzles my shoulder.

"He seemed a little unsettling," I mutter to her.

Her smile disappears. "Is it possible that he knew you? Knows you?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. He's not the Black Fur. I wish I could just throw up and run, but I knew this would happen eventually. It seems like this could be the day. They will capture me if I flee. Right now, the fact that the mystery wolf was not Blackfur is my only hope. Did he belong to the royal family?

He smelled nothing like rouge. His pack smelled too good. It's likely that he is a royal. If not, would he report my sighting to Gideon or the palace?

I'm assuming too much already. I'm not even sure whether he acknowledged me.

I'm not able to run.

I'm unable to turn back.

I have to remain where I am.

"Abby?" Aria looks at me glumly.

I shook myself and forced a smile to come back, saying, "I'm sorry, I got a little uneasy from him."

"Well, if someone does show up and says they know you, I've got your back, OK?"

I'm grinning now. "Thanks, Ari." I'm sorry for tricking her. It was simpler to simply inform people that I have amnesia, but perhaps the amnesia narrative will be of assistance to me.

The doorbell rings. Two enormous hulks enter.

The Guards are royal in nature. I'm in a terrible place. There is no justification for the presence of the Royal Guards here other than to haul me back to Gideon.

Put an end to it. They are not available to you, sorry. Like everyone else who visits a coffee shop, they most likely came for the coffee and scones.

Silently, one of them asks, "Ophelia Black?"

Oh, my beloved goddess.

My eyes are full of tears. "Um, no?" I inquire. Consider Ophelia! "My name is Abby."

Their stern looks make me swallow. The insanity of it all nearly sends me into hysterics-two of them, enormous monsters.

"Leave her alone!" Aria yells and throws her arm around my shoulders.

One of them turns to give her a chilly gaze. "And you are?" he asks in a detached manner.

She spits back, "Aria, not that it matters to you." "What do you want with Abby?"

He underlines my fictitious name: "We have reason to believe that Abby is Ophelia Black, a missing girl we have been looking for."

Abby lets her jaw drop and her arm drop too. She gives me a look. With tears in my eyes, I shake my head. I'm paralyzed with terror. She must find this really unusual. Our small diner is approached by two enormous men who appear to be mafia goons. Oh, Goddess, she probably believes I'm a gangster wife on the run.

I mean, I kind of am.

"Ophelia Black?" is what she asks. I silently shake my head once more. How do I put it?

Aria turns to them, and my falsehoods fall perfectly into place. Quite plainly, "She doesn't remember you," she says.

The two wolves exchange glances before coming back to me.

"Explain," the more irate one asks.

I moisten my lips. I utter softly, "I was in an accident," as my thoughts race with prayers. "I don't remember my... past... anything, really." It's less difficult to say than it should be. I'm used to this deception now.

A flash of sympathy lights up his eyes. He whispers, "Can you come with us?"

"No!" Aria jerks and steps in front of me. Fear for her shoots through me. I don't want Aria to suffer harm as a result of my dragging her into my mess.

"Are you familiar with me? Me?" I query them.

"Not personally," is his reply.

I steal a quick look at the silent royal. He seemed somewhat shocked and a little empathetic as well.

The stern one replies, "We are not here to harm you."

I turn to face him again. "How am I aware of this? Someone...someone caused me pain."

Standing in the center of the coffee shop, they both bow. This shocks me so much that I trip over my own feet. Aria wraps her arm around my shoulders once more.

We promise not to hurt you. Ophelia, you play a crucial role in our partnership. Would you kindly accompany us so we can explain?

I mumble, "All right," as I hear myself acquiesce. If only because Aria is human and they are wolves, I have to accompany them.

"Abby!" with a hiss.

I turn to face her, opening my lips to say something, but nothing comes out. I shake my head and snap my lips shut, then I try again. "Ari, I must go. This might be the case. Something tells me that these guys won't harm me, and I need to know."

When we turn around, they are both upright. The stern one extends his arm. "Please, our car is waiting."

Whispering, "I love you, Aria,"

"I also adore you, Abby. Be careful.

The Mercedes SUV in black is ready. Wolves always drive big cars. Given their weight and height, it makes sense. Gideon was known for his enormous, highly modified trucks with enormous tires. It seems that the Royals have more opulent preferences.

I bow my head and caress the leather seat. Am I seriously considering vehicles at this moment? Perhaps I'm going crazy.

One of them gives a throat clearing. "You... ah... can't remember anything?"

"I acknowledge that you are wolves," I reply softly, avoiding eye contact. I sense their astonishment. "A friend of mine told me. He could smell it on me, but I'm unable to move."

"Because of your accident?" I respond with a nod. "I got hurt," I mumble under my breath.

He recoils. He murmurs, "You are safe with us." "We are of the Royal Pack, but... Ophelia, you are the missing Luna of Black Fur."

I look up into his wide, hopefully amazed, eyes. "Am I missing Luna?"

He gives me a smile, but when I look at him in fear, the smile disappears. Yes, it is our belief. Your partner, the alpha, is on his way."

The first. Gideon.

Consider Ophelia!

All I can think about is carrying on with my pretending. The automobile makes its way through the town's oldest neighborhood, where charming, historic two-and-a-half-story buildings line the small lanes. I watch the palace slowly rise up; it's massive, old, and full of secrets. Miles and miles of wilderness lie behind the palace. I have never been there, but the Royal Pack runs there and asks the lone wolves in the capital to join them.

Next, I saw him. For the first time in months, my wolf raised her head. Shaggy brown hair, soft blue eyes, and a commanding presence. He seems so at ease, even with his expressionless face.

"Hands me over, Luna Ophelia. I'm Prince Adrian." Without intending to, I recoil. His speculative gaze narrows at me.

I inhaled deeply. "Hello," I said to him. I gently extend my hand and place my fingertips on his. His gaze is fixed on me. I pull, and my hand gets stuck in his. I tug a little harder and mutter, "Excuse me, Your Majesty."

He mumbles, "Sorry," and then beams at me.

I feel warm within. My wolf just manages to escape her made-for-her den. She thinks this man is good. His wolf emerges, and I watch as bits of gold swirl in his eyes. My wolf backs off; neither she nor I can keep her interested for very long. I can't make my body stop flinching any more.

He lets go of his smile and my hand. His eyes dart to the guards at my rear. "I will bring Luna to her room."