Yes, My Alpha: Mother of an Empire

Chapter 56

Ophelia stopped walking, Kellis did the same the two of them stood there staring at each other. Ophelia narrowed her eyes slightly at Kellis whose eyebrows rose, "That's quite the look you've got on your face." Kellis chuckled, "I have no idea what you're talking about." Ophelia responded stiffly clenching her jaw. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, so someone heard after all, she felt mortified but she refused to let it show on her face. "Really?" Kellis's grin grew, "Shall I reenact it?" Kellis teased.

"Did you forget it I've already killed one Clovis?" Ophelia replied darkly, "I thought you followed the sisterhood?" Kellis asked folding her arms. "I do." Ophelia responded, "But nothing is stopping me from cutting your tongue out of your head." Ophelia threatened lowly as she leaned towards Kellis. The alpha woman's eyes widened, "I see I've touched a nerve." She replied taking a step back. "Yes." Ophelia sighed, "And I was hoping we'd be friends." She complained, Kellis's head tilted, "We're friends. Why do you think I was fucking with you?" Kellis looked confused by Ophelia's complaint.

Ophelia paused and shifted, "I thought you were trying to black mail me." She admitted, "Nah." Kellis laughed waving her off, "Most of us from Clover figured it out yesterday." Kellis spoke vaguely on purpose as some other cadets walked by. "Most of you guys did?" Ophelia asked feeling her cheeks heat up, "Yeah." Kellis chuckled giving Ophelia a light punch on her arms. "You need to be more quiet though. I thought for sure I'd see a ghost outside of my tent this morning!" Kellis laughed, Ophelia relaxed and watched Kellis. The other alpha seemed happier now even though it had only been a day, the tired look in her eyes was gone and she seemed less guarded now.

"I'll... I'll try to be more aware of that from now on." Ophelia stuttered after a moment, Kellis smiled while pursing her lips. "You're just a big softy aren't you?" She chuckled, "Hard to believe you were cutting heads off yesterday." She joked to herself. Ophelia shrugged a bit, "I'm a complex person I suppose." She replied a bit sheepishly. "Complex? Is that what they call in Spade?" Kellis teased, "I'm actually not really from Spade." Ophelia corrected, "No shit." Kellis deadpanned before laughing, "You'd think with the warmer climate that lot would have more color on their skin but they're paler than anyone from Clover." Ophelia smiled slightly hearing this from Kellis, she then looked around feeling like something was missing. "Where's the little guy?" Ophelia asked looking around, "Little guy?" Kellis was confused, "Charles." Ophelia clarified.

Kellis eyes widened in understanding, "Oh yeah he's... He's around here somewhere." Kellis rubbed the back of her head looking anywhere but at Ophelia. Ophelia eyed Kellis up and down, "I see." Ophelia decided not to say anything and Kellis seemed relieved. Ophelia stared at Kellis for a brief moment before speaking up again, "See that's how you mind your own business." Ophelia grinned at Kellis, the shorter alpha's cheeks turned red, "You've made your point." She grumbled before turning to walk away. Ophelia decided to follow after not having anything better to do.

As the two of them walked through the camp, Ophelia spotted the nearby battlefield now clean of bodies but filled with fresh graves. It seemed that Duval and the others had taken the time to at least give the enemy soldiers a proper burial. Much more than what Ophelia would personally be willing to do. But it was important to dispose of the bodies as quickly as possible to prevent illness.

"So what the hell was he doing to you?" Kellis asked getting Ophelia's attention, "You're being nosy again Clovis." Ophelia scolded. "Come on Reeds. It's just a little girl talk. I'm sure you know how to speak around the subject." Kellis smirked as she spoke, Ophelia sighed and rolled her eyes at this. "I did a good job. So I was being thanked. I refuse to say anything else." Ophelia spoke formally, she didn't want word to spread around the camp on the off chance that Kellis had loose lips. She also didn't want to talk about what happened because that was between her and Darius. "You're no fun." Kellis sighed, Ophelia leaned towards Kellis as they walked and spoke low enough so she was the only one who heard, "Let me put it this way, I'll start talking about what went on. If you tell me why your little friend looks like the Duke of Spade."

Kellis's eyes widened and she looked over to Ophelia, "You..." She hissed through clenched teeth, Ophelia smiled leaning back, "You know something and I know something. So we can keep quiet about what we know... Can't we?" Ophelia asked narrowing her eyes just a bit. Kellis stopped walking and stared, "You really won't say anything?" Kellis asked in a quiet voice, Ophelia stopped standing near Kellis. "It's none of my business. But I am touchy about what you're teasing me about." Ophelia explained, "It could be dangerous."

"For me?" Kellis asked, "No. For me and...." Ophelia replied trailing off, she glanced around she sighed in relief seeing that there was no one listening in. "Gotcha." Kellis didn't need Ophelia to finish, "I really didn't mean no harm. You didn't seem to mind it when we were on the way back to the camp before you killed Lorcan. Giving each other shit is how we bond in Clover." Kellis explained, "Well I was under the impression that either I was going to die or I was going to kill all of you. So my lips were a little looser." The shorter woman stared at Ophelia hearing this, "You're fucking terrifying you know that right?" She asked, "I thought I was just a big softie?" Ophelia asked with mock innocence, "You're a very complex person." Kellis deadpanned causing Ophelia to snort.

"I bet your cadets have a hell of a time with you as their officer." Kellis sighed rubbing the back of her head, Ophelia furrowed her brows, "I'm not an officer." She corrected Kellis who froze the alpha woman slowly turned to her. "What?!" Her voice cracked, "I'm not an officer. I'm a cadet." Ophelia repeated herself, "What your lover boy can't--?!" Kellis tried to say but Ophelia covered her mouth muffling her voice with her hand. "I'm trying to earn the rank." Ophelia explained feeling her eye twitch. "Also be quiet." She hissed through her teeth at Kellis.

Kellis nodded and Ophelia removed her hand, "I'm just surprised you fucking did a lot yesterday and the day before why the hell haven't you been promoted?!" Kellis exclaimed, "Well proper protocol requires voting to be done with the generals and the commander." Ophelia explained, "Oh and he's been busy." Kellis chuckled to herself, "Shut it..." Ophelia growled, "Alright—alright." Kellis held her hands up. "So if you're a cadet then who's your commanding officer? I might ask to be in the same troop." Kellis teased, Ophelia opened her mouth to say when a shrill voice cut through their conversation. "CADET OPHELIA REEDS!" The voice was shrill and loud, so loud that Ophelia's ears rung a bit.

Ophelia sighed audibly knowing exactly who was yelling at her by now. Slowly she and Kellis turned towards the voice as a disheveled Spencer marched up towards her with Lorcan's old horse following close behind. Spencer looked like he hadn't slept and there was bramble and twigs stuck to him. Mud covered most of Spencer's lower half and Ophelia saw that one of Spencer's gloves was missing as well as a boot. Lorcan's horse was much the same but seemed happy and followed Spencer without his reins even being held, "That's him." Ophelia pointed towards Spencer glancing over at Kellis.