Hel's Huntsman

4 - A wasted trip

Kayson

“Are we even going to get in? I mean, will we face any problems? I know you’re Hel’s brother, but Isildur told me that Hades…”

“I know what Hades did.” Fenrir cuts me off with a roll of his eyes.

I try not to growl because cutting me off is a massive pet peeve of mine. It’s beyond rude! In most situations, at least. However, my cousin told me what happened over six years ago when he, Hades, and Thor went in search of Hel. Isildur said that when Hel fell into Revival Sleep, Hades forbade Hel’s staff from allowing anyone to enter her palace unless that person was Hades himself. I guess they couldn’t really stop Hel’s brothers from entering, but none of them had visited. They may allow Fenrir to enter, but that’s not to say they’ll let me.

“You won’t have any problems, Kayson.” Fenrir points to the guard, staring at me wide-eyed.

I narrow my eyes when the gatekeeper drops to his knees with his head bowed. “My King!”

“Why is calling you his King?” I whisper toward Fenrir. “This is Hel’s Realm, not yours.”

Fenrir chuckles. “He’s not talking to me, Kayson. He’s talking to you.”

“What?”

Fenrir continues to laugh at my confusion. “You’re Hel’s mate. Not only has my sister been preparing this place for you since the day she found out you were her mate, but everyone here recognizes the mate bond.”

So, for ten years, Hel has been talking about me. I smile because the Goddess knows I’ve told anyone who would listen that Hel is mine. I am so proud of the mate I was gifted, and I couldn’t have loved her more if I had tried.

How can I be so in love with a woman I have seen less than a handful of times in ten years?

Because she stole my heart the moment I met her. Fine, I didn’t understand what being in love meant when I was fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen, either. But my feelings got stronger and stronger the older I got. I knew I loved Hel, but I didn’t realize I was so deeply in love with her until the day she came to me at my cousin’s memorial. Okay, Ava wasn’t dead, but at the time, my family believed she was, and we were all hurting. I had never needed my mate more than I did at that moment.

Hel and I shared our first kiss that day six years ago. I had never kissed a woman before, nor since. I have waited ten years to kiss Hel again, and that’s precisely what I’ll do the second I see her.

The guard looks at me. “My King, we were not expecting you yet.”

I nod. “I’m here for my mate.”

“My King, the Queen is no longer here.”

I narrow my eyes again. “That’s not possible.”

“My sister is in Revival Sleep. Are you saying she has already awoken?”

‘Kayson, if Hel is away already, she could be on her way to the Wild Pack!’

‘Don’t jump the gun, Adder. This Demon could be lying. Hades forbade the gatekeeper from letting anyone inside. This could be his way of keeping us out.’

‘He referred to you as King, Kayson. Why wouldn’t he allow the King entry?’ My Lycan has a point.

“Yes, Lord Fenrir.” The gatekeeper replies to Fenrir’s question.

“Stand,” Fenrir tells the Demon as my heart hammers in excitement. My mate is awake! I have waited so long for this moment that I can almost taste it. “Where is she?”

The Demon swallows hard while looking at Fenrir. “My Lord, the Queen left with her gentleman friend.”

“Liar!” I yell as Fenrir presses his hand to my chest, stopping me from stepping forward. I want to kill the lying piece of crap! Hel would not do what this fucke.r is so obviously suggesting.

“What’s your name?”

“Antros, my Lord.”

“Well, Antros, what are you talking about?” Fenrir snarls. “What gentleman friend?”

“The Queen left with Lord Hades a few moments ago.”

I roll my eyes while gritting my teeth. “And you couldn’t have just said that?!”

The gatekeeper bows his head. “My apologies, my King.”

I turn to leave. There’s no point in me being here any longer. Hel isn’t here, so I need to go. I don’t know where Hades took my mate, but I have to find her.

Adder growls inside my head. ‘You’re such a fool, Kayson. The first place Hel would go is to the pack to find you.’

‘You’re right.’

Fenrir walks up beside me. “Let’s get back. Hel isn’t here, and my daughter will be losing her mind wondering where I am.” He chuckles.

“Hel will be waiting at the pack for me.”

Fenrir smirks. “I know.”

We’re home in seconds, and I breathe in the fresh air. My stomach is churning with excitement at the possibility of seeing my mate. But then I’m worried Hel might not have come here after all. I don’t know what I’ll do if she didn’t.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. My heart is beating ten to a dozen. Then, the most alluring smell hits me as Fenrir slaps me on the back with a chuckle.

I open my eyes, and all the air leaves my lungs. There she is, standing outside my parent’s cabin, looking right at me. My beautiful mate. She’s disguised her true appearance, but she didn’t need to, not for my people. They’ve already seen what Hel looks like from the portraits I drew.

Before my eyes, her face changes. There she is, my mate in her true form, the way I like her best. Her chest heaves as she continues to look at me. I smile because I can’t help myself. Hel smiles and begins to run.

I run towards her, and she slams into me, her arms around my neck, as I lift her off the ground. I close my eyes and breathe her in.

“Kayson.” She whispers in my ear while clutching the back of my head.

“I can’t believe you’re here. I have missed you so much.”

She nods against me. “I’m so sorry I left you alone for so long.”

I set Hel on her feet and take her face between my hands. I need to look into those beautiful mismatched blue and green eyes. This doesn’t quite feel real. I have spent so long dreaming about this moment that I’m finding it hard to tell myself she’s really here.

“I can’t believe you’re here. Fenrir told me he felt you waking up, so he took me to Niflheim, so I could be with you.”

“But I wasn’t there.” Hel nods knowingly. “I’m sorry, Kayson. I couldn’t wait one more moment to be with you.”

“Shh.” I shake my head while stroking my thumbs over her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now… This is it, right? No more waiting?”

Hel smiles. “No more waiting. We can be together now, my love.”

I close my eyes while pressing my forehead to Hel’s and take a deep breath. No more waiting. She’s here, and she’s mine.

“I thought you were gonna slam her against the nearest tree and fuc.k her the moment you saw her?”

I lift away from Hel with wide eyes, staring straight at Viggo. That little bastard!

“Viggo!” Fenrir yells while my sister smacks him upside the head, causing him to grumble. “How dare you speak like that? Have you no respect for your aunt?”

“What? That is what Kayson said earlier today. Didn’t you?”

“Why, you little…” I’m cut off from the rant I was about to get in about killing Viggo. He said that on purpose to embarrass me! Hel is laughing so much that she’s holding her stomach. “What’s funny?”

Hel looks at me, still laughing. “What Viggo just said. Did you really say that to him?”

“Oh, Goddess!” My mother throws her hands in the air. I hadn’t even seen her standing on the doorstep, but there she is, with my father, who’s chuckling to himself. “I do not want to hear this about my baby!”

“Starr, our son is twenty-five. He’s no longer a baby.”

“He’s my baby!”

“Come on,” Dad leads Mom inside, and Winter drags Viggo away by the earhole.

“It’s good to see you awake.”

Hel smiles brightly at Fenrir. “Thank you, Brother.”

“Spend some time with your mate, then come and officially meet my children.”

“I will.” Fenrir lays his hand on Hel’s shoulder before walking away. Why he can’t just embrace his sister is beyond me.

I hold my hand out to my mate. She takes it with a smile, and I lead her to our cabin. Ours because I am never letting her go now that she’s with me. Never.