Rising from the Ashes

Support

Chapter 14

Regina’s pov

As each week passed in the underworld, I was slowly regaining my strength and confidence. Lilith, Zeke, Claudia, and Hades had been pillars of support and strength to me. I was lucky that they welcomed me into their lives and family.

I kept in touch with Mum after she went back. We talked once or twice a week now, and for the most part, we had managed not to fall out. I had enough one day when, yet again, she tried to slip some of my relatives into the conversation.

I didn’t want to hear about them, to be honest. I was happy enough for her to talk about Tamara, Grandma Tamara, Grandpa Julius, and Auntie Katya, but I had no urge to know about the rest. Their guilt or sadness was not my problem.

I was still seeing the therapist that Claudia had set me up with. Seeing Dr. Carol was really helping me. It was her that helped me to realise that I wasn’t responsible for everyone else’s happiness and that I no longer had to sit back silently to help everyone else.

I had always tried to stay in the background so I didn’t hurt mum and dad’s mate bond, or mum’s relationship with my siblings, or her brother or dad. I also tried to stay away or out of sight, so I didn’t cause issues with grandma and grandpa’s mate bond, and my aunts and uncle’s mate bond.

They didn’t want me around, so I either wasn’t or made myself so small and insignificant that they would hopefully not notice me. Just because they have realised that they were punishing and hating the wrong person doesn’t mean I should welcome them with both arms.

They didn’t need or want me in their lives, and now I don’t need or want them in mine. I have made my own family out of people who loved me unconditionally and who actually took the time to see me and who I really was.

So when I had enough of mum trying to talk to me about them, I was able to because of Dr Carol’s help to vocalise this to her. She finally saw my feelings about it all and how much damage had been done to me emotionally and stopped mentioning them.

I have no doubt though that when she thinks I am strong enough and enough time has passed, she will try and advocate for them again. She will be in for a shock, though, as I don’t even hate them, I have no feelings for them now, and I don’t want to in the future.

Right now, I am concentrating on helping my soul sister as she grows my little nephew and niece. We have been buying loads of things for them, they have enough clothes and toys to last for at least the first year if not longer.

I found a lovely little shop, where the girl who owns it does custom toys. I bought the twins two phoenix stuffies. I let the girl see Ash so she would get her right and asked her to do two stuffies of Lucifer as well for them.

Everyone is now used to getting used to seeing Lucifer, and all the children adore him. I can see how much happier Lucifer and Zeke are now that Lilith gave him the courage to be himself. The shop owner was amazing and really caught both Ash and Lucifer well in the cuddly toys.

Lilith absolutely loved them she liked them so much she went and got her own little Lucifer to cuddle when Ezekiel wasn’t around. The girl even managed to help her infuse his scent in it. It was funny because Zeke and Lucifer were jealous of the thing.

Obviously, that made us all tease them relentlessly and made Lilith cuddle her little Lucifer more often. He will just have to get used to it because it is making her a damn sight less grumpy and hormonal during the pregnancy when he is not around.

Ash and Lucifer did finally meet each other, and she had a great time flying around, showing off her flames. She can turn off her flames, so it is just her beautiful vibrant feathers there, and she won’t burn anyone. She is spectacular with or without the flames.

Poor Zeke almost had a heart attack when Lilith insisted that she wanted to fly with her. He was anxious until we landed again. I knew that Ash would never let any harm come to Lilith. Besides, she used her magic to help her stay on so she could just relax and enjoy it.

Lucifer had fun playing with her, and he was really patient as she tormented him pecking with her beak and flying just out of range of him. He indulged her like a real big brother would with their little sister. I was happy for her as she envied the other shifters that had that sort of bond.

It took us two weeks to convince Zeke to let Ash take him on a flight. Lucifer wanted to try it, but Zeke apparently likes his feet firmly on the ground. I can’t say he totally enjoyed it. He was rather pale with a hint of green when we landed.

Claudia was pretty amused by it all she was the first person to ask for a flight when she found out I had taken Lilith up. Even Hades wanted a go. He had a blast. It is still a bit strange at times, knowing he is an actual god and he’s so normal at times.

The closer we go to Lilith’s due date, the more nervous I was starting to get. I knew I would see Marcus, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready yet, but I had to be one way or another. Dr. Carol worked with me a lot on the subject and helped me to realise that either way, I wouldn’t lose him.

We would either be mates and live our lives together, or he would be the friend who has always supported me since I was a child. Either way, it would change things for us, but at the end of the day, we would still be there for each other.

I was also nervous for my friend, I have heard that childbirth is really fu.cking painful, and she has to push out two at once. She could go any minute now, and I am worried that I will freak out and be no help what so ever.

I mean, what the hell do I know about giving birth, I haven’t even kissed anyone yet. Some mums have spoken about their experiences, and it is honestly terrifying. Everyone seems to have a horror story. There has not been one. I just popped it out, no problem, in there.

The men are worse as they talk about how their partner becomes like a possessed being, as they scream all sorts of abuse at them, break their fingers, and even a couple said they had been bitten during it, and they had a straight face and shuddered as they spoke as if still traumatised by it.

So when Claudia yelled through the house that it was go time, I broke out in a cold sweat before running my a.ss to the hospital. Lilith trusted me and wanted me to be there for this, so I had to get my sh.it together for her. On the plus side, I stopped worrying about Marcus.

I was really impressed with Lilith that girl didn’t make a sound, I knew she was strong, but hell right now, she is some sort of superhero. I could see she was in pain, and she had one hell of a grip on my hand, but she was a trouper.

I was completely focused on her that I almost jumped when I heard an angry Marcus trying to get in the room. At this point, I was glad I had learned to mask my emotions. Lilith wanted me here, and I wasn’t leaving until my niece and nephew were out.

Not even if he smelt so delicious. All I wanted to do was go out there and lick him from head to toe. I am glad they stopped him from coming in, because I have walked down past the end of the bed and it is a horror show down there, Marcus would be scarred for life seeing his sister like that, and no matter how hard you try you can’t not see it.

Claudia had said being pregnant and giving birth was like you threw all your dignity out of the window. As a shifter, she was used to nudity, but she said so many people see it up close and personal that by the time you are giving birth, you no longer care who is looking.

Lilith finally made a whimper when she pushed out my nephew Luther. He was so tiny and perfect I couldn’t help by cry as Zeke showed him to her. He looked just like Zeke, but I wouldn’t hold that against him. He had the beautiful purple eyes that Lilith’s family shared.

Then another whimper left her mouth as my niece Evangeline was born and I cried again, she was a tiny perfect version of her mum, but she has Zeke’s amber eyes and they looked beautiful on her. I got a quick cuddle from them as Zeke helped her clean up, then I threw on my big girl pants on and went out to tell the family and see Marcus.