The following morning, Opal awoke with an unsettling heaviness in her chest. A restless night had given her little comfort, her dreams haunted by shadows she couldn't shake off. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes as she reached for her phone. The unease that had settled over her since arriving at the Briarcliff Pack only seemed to grow stronger each day, and now her concerns about Ash and Brooks added a new layer of anxiety.
She stared at the charm bracelet on her wrist, her thumb brushing over each of the symbols representing her brothers. She couldn't help but feel like something was terribly wrong—not just with her own situation, but with Ash and Brooks as well. The silence from them weighed heavily on her. The last thing she wanted was to sit idly by while something could be happening to them.
Without hesitating, she sent Ridge a message.
"I still feel like something is off. About this pack, about Ash and Brooks. I don't think they're safe."
She watched as the three dots appeared, Ridge typing his response.
"Opal, I get it. I'm worried too. But we need to stay calm. There are only 17 days left until we're reunited. We have to keep our heads down until then."
Opal frowned at his response, her fingers hovering over the screen before she began typing again.
"What if we try to get together sooner? I can't just wait if they're in danger."
Ridge took a little longer to respond this time, and Opal's heart pounded as she waited.
"It's not that simple, Opal. We're being watched. I don't know how we could leave without raising suspicion. And you don't even know how you would get away from Briarcliff, do you?"
Opal bit her lip, knowing he was right. She had no plan, no means to slip away unnoticed, and she was under constant supervision. The tightness in her chest increased as she typed back.
"No, I don't. But I just hate feeling powerless."
"I know. I hate it too. But we have to trust that we'll get through this. Together."
Opal stared at his words for a long moment before finally typing a response.
"Okay. I'll try. Stay safe."
"You too, Opal. Just 17 days."
She set her phone down, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Seventeen days. It sounded so short in theory, but right now, it felt like an eternity. Something wasn't right, and every instinct she had screamed at her to act.
Determined to find some semblance of peace, she decided to stretch her legs and get some air. She made her way to the door, ready to leave her room and perhaps find Elena to walk around the grounds.
But as she reached for the doorknob, she heard muffled voices outside. She hesitated, her hand frozen mid-air before she pulled the door open just enough to peek out.
Two guards stood stationed just outside her door, both of them unfamiliar faces—certainly not pack members she'd seen around before. They were large, imposing figures with no indication of warmth in their expressions.
She stepped fully into the doorway, clearing her throat to get their attention. "Um, excuse me. Is there a reason you're here?"
One of the guards, a tall man with dark eyes, glanced at her, his expression a mix of irritation and indifference. "We're under orders from Alpha Marcus. We're to ensure you stay within your quarters."
Opal blinked, taken aback. "What? I haven't done anything to warrant being confined to my room."
The other guard, who was just as tall but broader, let out a harsh laugh. "Maybe they think you're trouble. You've got that look about you."
Opal bristled, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. "I just want to know why I'm being guarded like a prisoner."
The taller guard smirked, his eyes raking over her in a way that made her stomach turn. "A pretty little thing like you doesn't need to know why. You just need to follow orders."
Opal felt her blood boil at the insinuation. She narrowed her eyes, her voice dropping dangerously. "Watch your mouth."
The guard raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Or what? You're all alone here, sweetheart. No brothers to back you up."
The words struck a nerve, and Opal felt her anger surge, her instincts telling her to lash out, to do something—anything—to put this man in his place. But she forced herself to take a breath, her mother's voice echoing in her mind. *Think before you act. Control is key.*
She swallowed her rage, glaring at the guard before stepping back into her room and slamming the door shut behind her. Her heart pounded, the adrenaline making her hands shake. She pressed her back against the door, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths to calm herself.
The realization of how vulnerable she was hit her hard. Here she was, in a strange pack with people she didn't know, her movements restricted, and her brothers out of reach. The guards treated her like she was a burden, a nuisance, something to be kept in check rather than protected.
Tears stung her eyes, and she wiped them away angrily. She couldn't afford to break down. Not now. Not when her brothers were counting on her to stay strong. She needed to think of a way out of this—out of Briarcliff, out of whatever trap they'd all walked into.
Opal moved to the window, looking out at the forest beyond. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, their branches reaching out like comforting arms. She longed to be out there, to be free of the suffocating restrictions of this pack.
But for now, she needed to play by their rules, at least until she could come up with a plan. She had to be smart, careful. One wrong move could jeopardize everything.
Seventeen days. She repeated the number in her mind, like a mantra. Just seventeen days until they were together again, until they could face whatever was coming side by side.
She pulled her phone out again, staring at the screen before typing a message to Ridge.
"Change of plans. I think something's happening here. I'm being guarded now. They won't let me leave my room."
She hit send, her heart pounding as she waited for his response. She needed him to know, needed him to understand the gravity of what was happening.
Ridge's reply came after a moment.
"Opal, stay calm. Don't do anything rash. We'll figure something out. Just hold on."
She let out a shaky breath, her eyes closing briefly as she leaned her forehead against the windowpane. *Hold on.* That was all she could do for now. Hold on, stay alert, and find a way to get back to her brothers.
No matter what it took, she would not let this pack—or anyone else—keep her from the ones she loved.