Chapter 48

We sat back on the bed, and I just held him until he was quiet. I rubbed his back as he held on to me for dear life.

“You’ve been holding onto this for a long time. I’m sorry for that.”

I slid off the bed and straightened my clothes.

“Listen, I don’t hate you. I hate that I don’t hate you. I could never. We share the mate bond, so I have no choice how much I love you. But I do know that you hurt me. You called me a slut and you rubbed women in my face. It took me so long to know that just because I love you, it doesn’t mean I am in love with you. I don’t think we both were ever in love with each other. Because we don’t hurt the people we love and not apologize.”

He stayed quiet and that was everything that needed to be sad then and there. I opened the door and took a quick look at him before I walked out. I knew the conversation was coming but he didn’t want to wait. He was the type of person to figure things out right then and there. I returned to the living room, and everyone was awkwardly standing there.

“So, I guess I should explain everything that had happened. You probably guessed that Hades closed the gates of Hell. He lied to me. We fought and he put his hands on me. I knew I couldn’t get out, so I carried on this relationship up until now. We made a deal that we could come back to this land if I agreed to marry him. I also discovered that Persephone was there, and if you haven’t guessed it already, turns out she is my mother. She gave me up so I wouldn’t live in hell.”

I tried to read the room, and everyone had a disgusted look on their face. I reacted defensively.

“Hades is not my dad. Trust me, that’s just gross. He is, however, my stepdad since they’re married.”

They gave a sigh of relief. I probably should’ve added that in.

“Oh, and I think you all should know the reason he agreed for us living up here is that hell is no place to raise a kid. I’m 12 weeks pregnant.”

I had my hand on my flat stomach and looked up to see everyone’s shocked faces. It was so quiet you’d think there wasn’t anyone there.

“Hades and I had gotten into an argument a few days ago and unfortunately turned violent. Then I shoved a knife into his jugular vein. The blood was mostly his not mine. But he had already opened the gates, so I came back. Any questions?”

But once again, it was silent. I guess it seems each time I had come back I always drop the news on them. Athena had looked frightened.

“What do you mean you killed Hades?”

She started to freak out like I did the worst thing in the world. Isn’t that what everyone wanted? I was missing the entire point of this all.

“Ryleigh, you killed the king of the underworld. He controls all the bad souls that are dead with hell’s gates wide open. Do you understand what you’ve just done? This is why he hasn’t been killed all these years and why Zeus gave him everything he always wanted. You killed him and that means that he will come back to life in hell. You can’t kill a dead person.”

I was filled with so much fear now. That means he is coming back, and he is coming hard. I clutched my now nauseated stomach.

“So, he will be back. Oh goddess, what the hell am I going to do? I should just go back so that no one gets hurt.”

I started to freak out. I swear no matter what I do it turns into a disaster.

“Ry, listen. Nothing is going to happen. Don’t let me again.”

I felt guilty now that Jax said that. I can’t imagine what he’s been through, and I certainly don’t ever want him to think it’s his fault either. Alizac had reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze that told me that he was on my side.

“We all have lost so much, and it all started when you met me Alizac. I don’t want to bring any more drama than needs be. I have a baby on its way and worse comes to worst I will go back.”

Will there ever be an end? Are we all just preparing for our doom? But here we are dealing with this, and the humans have been quiet. They came for a second and now they were too quiet. My life just brings too much drama that I would have left me to if I could. A rose’s thorns just hide all the beauty that resides within.

“I think we all should head back to the kingdom, so we know that we’re safe. I will have someone bring a vehicle, so you don’t have to walk so much. So why don’t you take a nap?”

Alizac suggested.

I’d want to object but he was right. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally tired. I never knew I was tired until I got pregnant. I went back into the master room that I was in and just laid there. I finally rested but wasn’t long until I felt a warm body pull me to its chest. I knew who it was. But I didn’t fight it either. I let the sleep take over as I laid in the arms of my mate. Stubborn he was, but his intentions were pure.

“I love you Ry. I don’t want to give up on us. Every second that you’re gone, I feel my wolf dying slowly.”

“You laid in bed with another woman. I can’t forgive you as you’ve not apologized not once either.”