Rising from the Ashes

Rock bottom

Chapter 7

Regina’s pov

I knew it was a terrible idea to have anything at all to do with my family. I should have just stayed in the underworld and celebrated my day with Lilith. At least I knew I could trust her and that I would enjoy myself in her company.

I had promised Grandma Tamara that I would spend it with her and we would have time alone the day before. None of my family was supposed to know I was here, and none of them were supposed to be here until tomorrow.

Aunt Katya was the first to greet me. Uncle Chris didn’t even bother to come out of his office. Even Sienna and Sirius made more effort to say hello than the men in my family. As soon as I got to Grandma’s rooms, she excitedly brought me inside.

I got a gruff hello from my Grandpa Cole before he disappeared into his room. Grandma looked embarrassed by his behaviour. I didn’t care much. I was used to it by now, I just didn’t want them to fall out because of their different feelings towards me.

“You know, one day they will know the truth and will be sorry, my beautiful girl. I just hope that when they are, you are still able to forgive them all” she says sadly to me, giving me a hug.

“It doesn’t matter granny, after tomorrow, they won’t feel obliged to be around me at all. I will still see you and mum, but I don’t plan on staying in either of the dragon kingdoms” I admit.

“What if your mate is a dragon?” She asks a bit shocked.

“I just have to hope he is not or that he will move with me. Let’s not dwell on this, I don’t want anything to spoil our time together” I say, sitting down.

She let it drop after that, and we spent the rest of the time catching up and speaking about less touchy subjects. I tell her all about the underworld. She is surprised to hear how beautiful it is there and enjoys looking through my pictures of the place.

The time passed quickly, as we both enjoyed each other’s company. I hadn’t even realised that it had gotten so close to midnight until the door burst open and in came prince August, my brother, and Sophia with a smug grin on her face.

“What the hell is going on? leave her alone” Grandma shouts angrily as my brother and August try to drag me away.

I don’t even bother to argue or fight back, at this point it is not like it will help, and they are not making any sense, if I go willingly I may get to find out what they think I have done this time. Grandpa comes to see what the ruckus is all about and just shakes his head towards me.

As far as he is concerned, I have been accused of something, so it must be the truth. He doesn’t care what it is or even has the slight thought I may actually be innocent. Instead, he holds grandma back as she threatens to call mum.

“You will not speak to anyone about this or take action against us” August commands her as she cries in my grandpa’s arms and hits him to free her.

He may not be king yet, but he has his dragon, and he is a prince, so she can not fight against his command. It hurts me to see her so broken as she feels helpless to do anything to protect me from this. I hate seeing her go through this.

I get taken straight down to the cells, and August commands all of the guards to remain silent about this. Just as I am tossed in the cells, the clock must have moved past midnight, as an amazing scent of whisky and dark chocolate fills my senses.

I wouldn’t have wanted August as my mate before this he has always been a bit of a di.ck towards me. Even now, knowing I am his mate, his face holds nothing but disgust, I don’t even deserve the benefit of the doubt in his eyes.

I brace myself for his rejection, which I will happily accept, I don’t want to be bonded to him for longer than I need to. Before he can do it, Sophia drags him off. I am a bit surprised at first, but I will soon find out why she did it.

Julius starts to ask me questions and accuse me of doing sh.it to Raine for years now. I have no idea what the hell he is talking about. I can’t understand why Raine would accuse me, we didn’t hang around together, but we had always been pleasant towards each other.

Then, as the more questions are asked, the more I realise what is going on. Raine isn’t here, and Sophia has made out it is because of me. I didn’t think she would be this stupid. I mean, she must know that she will be found out when Raine comes back and tells the truth.

I had already stopped bothering to reply when I felt that I was being burned from the inside and my chest was being ripped open. I knew what it was he was sleeping with someone to cause me pain. I was determined not to let anyone see the pain they caused me.

I just wish I could have held back the whimper that left my mouth when he first started fu.cking her. I wasn’t expecting it so I couldn’t stop it. That was all they would get from me, I put my emotionless mask on my face from that point.

It wasn’t too hard at this point. I had given up on most of the people who were supposed to love me, who’s blood ran through my veins. Julius was getting more and more pi.ssed off at my lack of emotions and response.

He managed to calm down a bit when they came back soaked in each other’s scent and even managed to make a joke out of my pain. The three of them stood smugly at the cell door, pleased to have hurt me in any way that they could.

I don’t know why he is looking so damn smug when he was obviously a one minute wonder if the length of time I was in pain was anything to go by. I think I have just been saved from a very miserable and unfulfilling s*x life.

He looked so co.ck sure of himself as he rejected me, the eagerness in his face to see me hurt just helped me to push the pain aside as I accepted it and broke my bond with my brother and bi.tch sister at the same time.

I had the final laugh as all of them were unable to hold back the pain of me breaking the bond with them. They had to cling on to each other so they could make it out of there without falling over. It gave Ash and I some satisfaction.

Ash offered to shift and bust us out of here, but I wanted to wait it out and see what would happen. I knew the rest of the family would be here tomorrow morning, and I hoped that Raine would also come back then.

“Fine we stay, I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out the truth. Let’s get some sleep then” she says, totally unbothered.

I know she doesn’t care much about being in here because she knows we can leave whenever we want. I hadn’t fully shifted yet, but I have had access to her powers for a while now. She came to me even earlier than Ember did with Mum.

I knew it was because of the abuse from Sophia, Ash wanted to be there to help keep me strong. It isn’t always life and death before a phoenix will shift for the first time. With mum, it was being pushed into the fire. For me, it is the death of the bond with my first mate.

I slept rather well that night, considering I was in a smelly dank cell, lying on what was basically a slab of concrete. The pain and controlling my reactions to it tired us out, and I slept really peacefully for what was left of the night.

I woke up feeling slightly grumpy at the shouts that had disturbed my rest. I was, however, feeling refreshed and full of energy. “Let’s get this show on the road’ Ash said to me cheerily as she shifted for the first time and melted her way through the bars. I was so glad Lilith had spelled my clothes before I left, as I didn’t want to have this conversation naked.