The Luna's Bodyguard [a mature werewolf romance]

Ch 30: The Chase

OPHELIA'S POV
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I waited another ten minutes after Nate left before saying goodbye to Fallon's sister, picking up my bundle of towels and straightening my maid's cap. Now that I was far away from my princess suite and any guards who'd gotten a good look at my face, it was safe to chuck out the ringlets that witch had generously donated to towards my disguise. Thank god; her hair was so coarse and itchy, it was a wonder she didn't shave it altogether!

"Be safe," Mila said, looking up from her embroidery at the desk.

"It was nice meeting you," I replied, surprised to realise I meant it as I slipped through the door and shut it softly behind me.

Click. Once again, I was anonymous and alone in the castle. The hallway was empty of servants now, but two new guards had taken up residence opposite Mila's chambers.

I bowed my head respectfully to both of them on the way out, though they didn't bother to reply. While both technically servants of the estate, it seemed witches were even lower again than foot-soldiers. I wondered if the guards found pride in their roles, then cast them from my mind as I rounded a corner, seeking out the door to the servants stairs. Maybe she's in the kitchens, I thought, hoping they would lead me to the beating heart of the castle.

The hinges beside me creaked and the door swung open. Strong fingers clamped down on my wrist and yanked me through the gap before I could react, knocking everything out of my arms. I tripped over the towels tangling around my legs, slamming into a hard chest. Then a second hand wrapped around my throat, shoving me up against the stone wall.

"You," I snarled, eyes widening at the sight of the cruel prince. For it was Ignatius whose eyes glittered with dark desire as his thumb crushed my windpipe just so, cutting off most of my air without making it too uncomfortable. "What are you doing here?"

"You set a challenge," he purred, ripping off the maid's cap like it was a chocolate wrapper. My hair spilled free, all the way down to my waist. "I rose to it."

My traitorous pussy throbbed. Damn if I didn't love the feeling of a hand wrapped around my throat. I wondered, briefly, if it was a bad idea to leave that message in the mirror, taunting them.

"What will be my prize, I wonder?" he murmured to himself, trailing a finger down the neckline of my maid's dress. Sizzling heat erupted in its wake, and I felt my beasts tighten under all those ridiculous layers of clothing, as if straining to get free.

"I'm not happy with you," I croaked, tilting my head back as far as it would go so I could look down my nose at him. At least, that was what I told myself as I made it easier for him. "You fucked up, Ignatius."

"So I kept my real name secret," he said, those cruelly beautiful eyes narrowing into ribbons of the sea. "You're one to talk, Ophelia."

"I don't give a fuck about your name," I hissed, surprised to realise that I truly didn't as my hands came up to push against his chest. "I'm upset that you took away Fallon's only chance at having a family. That's fucking diabolical."

He released me, shoving off the wall with a low, dark laugh. "That's what you're worried about? He agreed to it, Fell. It was the only way to stop my father from doing something worse to achieve the same result."

"Of course I'm worried about him!" I exclaimed, my hands balling into fists. My palms felt traitorously cold now they weren't pressed up against him. "You magically castrated him, Nate!"