Chapter 47

ALIZAC:

We stood around pacing for days. We went to the place and there was no one there. It was empty. Something must have happened, and it had us concerned. Jax hadn’t spoken all but five words since our argument. I wish I knew what was going on in his mind, but he has us closed out.

“This is bullshit. There is a house here, but they aren’t here. I feel like it’s a trap.”

Jax had finally spoken up.

Maybe he was more worried than we all were. But something happened. My ears started twitching as they heard a sound. I turned around and there were two figures there. Everyone here just looked at each other and the figures got closer.

“Ryleigh!” I yelled.

She changed directions when she saw us.

***

RYLEIGH:

We were finally here. Our eyes adjusted to daylight, and it burned. It really stung. I looked around to notice we were in the middle of nowhere. I think? I stood up and helped her on her feet and the way her smile lit up her face. She was free.

“I missed this world so much.”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and we took in this moment. She had been locked down there for too long and now she gets a breath of fresh hair. My nose was working better knowing it wasn’t smelling dust. It was time to find the kingdom. I entangled my fingers with Persephone as we began our walk. It may take a while, but I am glad that I get to show my mom a real life. To show her she can have everything she always wanted. It took us days to get to familiar territory, but we finally did it. I was starving so I had to stop some times to go hunt for some food. The baby enjoyed warm, bloody, raw meat. But the amount of blood I had on me was insane. I will change when I can because the focus was to get home.

The kingdom was still far away, and I was worried about humans and protecting Persephone. I was still hurting from Hades hurting me and I was not sure if my child was okay, but I’d have to fight through it. Persephone was a demi-goddess, but she didn’t have any powers or anything of that sort. Part of me was enjoying this. When we rested, I shifted, and she would lay on me as her pillow. It was nice. When morning came, we ate and began to walk again.

It wasn’t long until I heard my name. It was Alizac. My wolf had perked up and the knot in my stomach started to form. He and the others were walking towards us, but I couldn’t contain my eagerness.

“That’s him,” I said.

We both looked at each other and started walking over. But I realized I was sprinting and before I knew it my arms were around his neck and my lips were on Alizac’s. I didn’t realize Jax was there until Alizac pushed back, stunned.

“As much as I enjoyed that, your mate is over there, just in case you went blind.”

I looked at Jax and just smiled. I knew what I was doing. I told my mom if I had the chance, I’d give the person who has been there for me since day one a chance.

“How did you find us? Is the kingdom nearby?”

But before they could answer I saw the house. This is what Hades told me about. Maybe he was going to allow us to come back.

“Ry, we are the ones with questions. Like how are you here? Why didn’t you show up days ago? Who is this woman you’re with? What happened?”

Athena and Vanessa joined us to listen, but honestly, I needed to pee more than anything.

“Why don’t we go inside, and I can explain everything.”

Everyone agreed before we headed inside. I ran searching for a bathroom. When I was done, I looked in the mirror and realized how much of a mess I was. I knew they wouldn’t mind if I showered really quick. And that’s what I did. I scrubbed Hades’s blood off me. I know it was just water on my body, but it was better. I got out and managed to find the cabinet stocked with towels and wrapped one around my body. I knew if there were towels that there must be some clothes here. I went looking through the bedrooms. Until I entered the master room. Here I was and I was impressed. It was black like he liked it and there was a painting of me in there. I forgot that it was there. If he wasn’t such a horrible person, we could have been great together. I looked in the closet and managed to find some of my clothes he had moved over.

It was story time. But when I walked to the door, Jax was on the other side. My heart skipped a beat, but I didn’t feel anything but rage. I was remembering how things were before I left.

“Hey, can we talk?”

I let out a sigh and stepped out of the way so he could walk in.

“I have a lot of explaining to do, so if you’re here to try to be with me again, then I don’t want to hear it. Not now.”

He stood there and his eyes started to water. Like all these feelings bottled up and they were about to unleash. I pulled him into a hug, and he cried. I felt tears running down my cheek because I don’t like seeing him that way. I cared too much about him to ever want him to cry. He had let out the kind of cry you need after being strong for so long.