Drowning in Hades

Chapter 12

-Dola POV

"Dola, come and take a walk with me."

I snap my head up from the book I just had my nose shoved in. Smiling, I quickly shut the book while getting up.

"Where are we going, Ma?"

Ma just smiles softly at me. The only answer she gives me is her holding out the crock of her bent arm. Shaking my head, I quickly loop my arm through it as we start to walk…somewhere.

Ma doesn't say anything as she just takes on some adventure which is peaceful. Ma and Pa basically have a forest in their backyard. The trees are all red with bright yellow leaves. The grass is a deep crimson color that feels like silk, and the sky is casting you in a bright reddish hue that doesn't strain your eyes. The further we walk, the more my mind runs. I woke up without having a nightmare for the first time in what felt like forever. Hades was cuddling me to him, and it was strange how I didn't feel like my skin was crawling. But, it was short-lived because Pa needed Hades for something.

"So, I see you and Hades have grown closer."

"Geez, Ma," I say while blushing. "Just throw whatever you're thinking out there."

Ma stops, which causes me to look at her. Her eyes are filled with something that I can't quite put my finger on. "I can see your bond has grown since last night."

My eyes widen in surprise. "Uhm, how can you see that?" Dear goddess, please tell me that she couldn't tell we did stuff. I will literally die.

Ma chuckles as she gestures for us to sit down. Plopping down on the ground, I wait for Ma to explain. "Hades is part demon which makes it to where I can see part of his mate bond. It is some gift I gained when I mated with your Pa. Being with the King of Hell has its perks."

Rolling my eyes, I chuckle. "Don't let Pa hear you say that."

"Now, I don't see a mate mark on your neck."

That causes me to freeze. "Don't you think that would be a little soon? I mean, I don't know if I am even ready for that." I can feel myself start to word vomit. "I mean, what if Hades was just being nice when I told him what I went through? Ya know? Nobody really wants someone who is tainted anyway."

"So then I guess your two dads shouldn't have accepted your mother then." Ma's simple sentence causes me to look at her slack-jawed.

"What?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yes. Your mother was "tainted," as you so put it when she met your two fathers. Would you have wanted them to turn her away?"

"I… No… What. I don't even." I can't even process a sentence as my mind is reeling. "Mom was.." I can't even get the words out.

Ma nods as she runs her hand through the grass. "Your mother was abu*sed and ra*ped by her old pack alpha before she escaped when she turned 18. She had help from a friend, but when she came onto my pack land, your two fathers never looked at her as if she was weak or tainted. They saw a woman who did everything she needed to do to survive. They saw their mate as the strongest person they had ever laid their eyes on, and all they wanted to do was show her love. But, she was weary. Your mother didn't just give in. No matter how much she wanted to trust the bond. Trust them. That is until her heat hit her. When her heat hit her, she trusted your fathers, and the rest is history." Ma then looks straight at me. "Your mother has been through Hell and back with the help of her two mates. She took the first step, and they haven't let her drop since. You think you are so tainted, but you don't see your mother as tainted…even after I just told you what she had been through. I can see it within your eyes that you think your mother is the strongest person you know." Ma was right about that. "You are your mother's daughter, which makes you strong. You were gifted with her senses when it comes to people, and I know your gut is telling you that Hades will never let you fall. Trust the bond, but more importantly, trust your gut. What is it telling you?"

"It is telling me that I can be with Hades..completely." But.. "But, I need to do something first."

Ma looks at me curiously, "and what would that be?"

"I need to tell Andrei what happened to me. I need my twin to know. I feel like I can't even be myself because I am hiding this chunk away from the person that I shared a womb with."

Nodding, Ma says, "How would you like to tell him? I can summon him here or I can take you back for a few hours before bringing you right back here? Which would you like?"

"I think that I would like to go to him. That way, I can come back here to Hades. I don't want Andrei to know about him just yet."

Ma laughs at that. "That would be wise."

"Andrei would try to hide me from him." That causes Ma to just laugh harder. "You know it is true!"

"Yes, it is. Although, your two fathers would help him."

Falling back onto the grass, I let out a grunt. "They would ground me for life."

"Your mother and I wouldn't let me. But, they sure would try while Andrei helped them hide the key."

"Peanut could break him." Ma laughs at that. Yeah, even Peanut wouldn't be able to stop it from happening. The twin bond is just too strong. "I'm doomed."

"I wouldn't say doomed." I give Ma a look that says bullsh*t. "Your mother will have your back. She can set your two dad's straight along with Andrei. But first, you need to speak with Andrei before we start thinking about your doom."