Yes, My Alpha: Mother of an Empire

Chapter 40

The days blended together easily and before Ophelia realized it, it had been a week since she had started to stay in Darius's tent. The commander seemed particularly pleased judging by the purrs she woke up to almost every morning. 

This morning Ophelia woke up with her head on Darius's chest, she had been so exhausted last night she had flopped down on the bed and fell asleep. Darius who just so happened to be there ended up with Ophelia's larger form on him. While not completely as Ophelia had landed lower on the bed than him.

However, despite that, Ophelia woke up to her head vibrating from the purrs she heard rumbling out Darius's chest as he played with her hair while reading over reports that he had kept beside the bed. "Did you even sleep?" Ophelia asked softly, Darius smiled at her looking content. "Yes," he told her before looking back at the report. "I just wake up early that's all." He hummed to himself.

Darius combed his hands carefully through her hair with a smile on his lips. Ophelia felt the strands of her hair slowly being brushed through his fingertips. Darius's nails gently scraped against her scalp, Ophelia couldn't help but relax completely against him. "I love your hair." He said softly, "I've noticed that." Ophelia mumbled closing her eyes.

Darius doing this reminded her of the dreams she had of her mother brushing her hair. It was comforting and relaxing, Darius could do this for as long as he wanted as far as Ophelia was concerned. "I've noticed that you take care of it differently than how I take care of mine," Darius spoke up again. "My hair has different needs. But... What I do wouldn't be bad for yours." Ophelia mumbled.

"Your hair needs to be washed more though," Ophelia added. Darius listened to her quietly and nodded, "Yeah, but I feel like the soap dries me out too much." He added, "That's why I use the oil I have." Ophelia shifted moving up but still leaving her head on Darius's chest. She did always prefer to sleep on her stomach so this was a very comfortable position.

"It's not perfect but at least it prevents the skin from drying and cracking." Ophelia rested her hand across Darius, he shifted using her arm as a rest for his. "I'll have to start doing that then." Darius spoke up, "Not of a fan of spending too much money on olive oil though." He added teasingly "I hear it's expensive." He continued nudging Ophelia slightly, she chuckled softly in response.

"Try walnut, it's good for your hair. I just don't like what it does to mine." Ophelia closed her eyes, she felt Darius's fingertips softly massage her scalp. She heard Darius chuckle, it sounded much deeper with her ear on his chest. "Do you like me doing this?" He asked quietly, "Yeah," Ophelia replied taking a deep breath, "It reminds me of when I was younger and my mother would play with my hair." Ophelia said softly.

"Mother?" Darius questioned, Ophelia opened her eyes and saw Darius set the papers to the side. He seemed far more interested in her now. "Yeah, or at least I think she is." Ophelia looked up at him. "I don't remember much and I'm not sure if it's just something I made up to cope... But..." Ophelia trailed off. "I sometimes have dreams and I sometimes dream of a woman who looks like me. But she's an omega and smaller, I think she was a dancer. She's always so beautiful in my dreams..." Ophelia stopped talking when she felt something cold on her cheeks. She sat up touching her face feeling surprised that she was crying.

Darius sat up straight looking surprised as well, "I don't know why..." Ophelia swallowed feeling a lump in her throat. She felt so confused... Sure she had never told anyone before but... Why would she? Darius moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her neck pulling her down into a hug. Ophelia went stiff feeling her lips quivering, she managed to hold it back... Until she heard Darius speak, "It's okay... It's just me." He whispered softly. Ophelia wrapped her arms around him and it was as if once she had gotten permission she couldn't stop crying.