Triton's Oath - His Hybrid Princess

8 - Ask him questions

Ava

What is this man trying to tell me?

I’m not talking about when Ares killed Ivy and Aurora; Levi, Mark, and Sophie brought her back from the dead. I know about that. Not every detail, but I was in the house when it happened. I know that’s why Ares was imprisoned, or so I was told. But I don’t remember Triton being there or anyone ever mentioning that he was. I didn’t see him when I looked out the window at the mass of people there. However, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t among those who were.

But if Triton was there, why would no one mention it?

It’s kind of an essential detail to miss, especially if Triton was the cause, but no one ever mentioned him.

But why would he lie?

Whatever, it’s not important right now. I’m grateful to Triton for saving me, but he should be with his mate. She’ll be wondering where he is.

It begs the question, why did Ares think I was Triton’s mate?

I doubt we look anything alike.

‘You’re his mate.’ Amarni mumbles sleepily inside my head.

Oh, thank the Gods and Goddess! For a moment there, I thought she’d gone forever.

‘What are you talking about, Amarni?’

‘The dreams of the Merman, hearing him whisper your name, that was Triton. I don’t know how I know, but I do. How he did it is a mystery when he was locked away.

‘When you were told about the fight between Ares and Levi and what happened to Ivy, you already knew a little. People filled in the gaps, but Triton’s name was deliberately left out. Why? I don’t know. All of this is guesswork, but it makes sense, Ava.’

‘Does it? Because it doesn’t to me.’

‘Think about it. You had an accident when you were sixteen. When you were well, the dreams started. You saw Triton in your dreams, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. Somewhere inside, you remembered him. Ares took you because of Triton. You are his mate, Ava.’

‘He can’t be my mate because I don’t feel the bond.’

Amarni sighs. ‘Something is clearly blocking the bond. Something isn’t right, Ava, but I know, in my heart, that Triton is our mate. It all makes sense if you think about things logically, even if nothing else does. You feel connected to this man. Don’t you?’

‘Yes.’ I admit. I don’t know what it is about Triton, but I feel safe with him. I shouldn’t when he’s a complete stranger, but I do.

‘Ask him questions, let him explain, but I need to sleep now. Whatever Ares did to us has weakened me. Keep an open mind, Ava.’ Her voice trails off.

I stare at Triton and wonder if Amarni could be right.

Is Triton my mate?

Was he the Merman I dreamed about all these years?

Was it his voice I heard?

But if that’s true, why don’t I feel the mate bond?

Did my family somehow block the bond?

Did they do it because they believed I deserved better than Triton?

If they did, they had no right! But, on the other hand, perhaps they did it because Triton was locked away for so long. Maybe they were worried about me pining for a man I wouldn’t see for years. Whatever the reason, I need to find out.

I take a deep breath. I have questions that I need answers to.

“Were you there the day Ares killed my cousin?”

Triton nods. “Yes. Ares was there because of me. I arrived to tell him that I’d changed my mind. I had made a huge mistake, and I didn’t want Ares to go through with the plan. But I was too late, and he attacked. The only thing that saved my life was Aurora’s ability to use Hades’s Stone of Cerberus to bring Ivy back, or I doubt I would be here before you right now.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Is that when we met? Because I don’t remember ever meeting you before, but something about you is so familiar, Triton.”

Triton stares at me and nods. “Yes, that was the day we met.”

I blow out a long, deep breath. “I don’t remember that, and I should.”

Yes, I lost memories when I had my accident, but nothing as big as this. I would forget little things, not massive things that would alter my life!

“You don’t remember because I took your memories, Ava.”

My mouth drops in shock. “What? Why would you do something like that!?” I get to my feet and begin to pace.

I don’t understand why this man would do such a thing! Then it hits me. I am so stupid.

I stop pacing when Triton calls my name.

I look at him and shake my head. “So, you are my mate?” He stares at me momentarily before nodding. “You knew when I was a child?”

“Yes,” He admits quietly.

I nod. “Fine. I understand why you took my memories then. I was too young to know or feel such things.”

“That’s not why I took your memories, Ava.” He cuts me off, and I narrow my eyes. “I took your memories of me when you were sixteen.”

“Before or after my accident?”

“It wasn’t an accident, Ava.”

“What?”

What the hell is he talking about?

“Look,” Triton gets to his feet, and I have to look up at him. He’s so tall! But then, I’m used to tall men. My elder brothers are enormous! “I don’t want to tell you what really happened yet.”

I hold my hand up, stopping him in his tracks. “None of this makes any sense. Okay, you took my memories so I wouldn’t remember you, and I get why you did it because I was young. But I don’t understand why you won’t tell me what happened. I also don’t get why I don’t feel the mate bond. If you really were my mate, I would feel the bond, especially being this close to you.”

Triton shakes his head. “I hid the bond along with your memories.” My eyes widen in shock. “You were in so much pain, Ava. Selene should not have told you we were mates when you were thirteen. It was all sorts of wrong. Telling me was one thing, but telling you was stupid.

“I didn’t want to tell you this, but it looks like I have no choice. After my part in what happened with Ivy, and then I was imprisoned, you became lost in grief, wondering if Azrael would one day kill me for what I did to him,”

I’ve heard that story before. How Azrael took the life of someone Triton loved, so Triton locked Azrael’s mind, making him forget his true self and causing him to live as an Omega Lycan. Azrael was tortured by those he believed were his family for years until Ivy found him. Once Ivy unlocked Azrael’s mind, and he became the Angel of Death he always should have been, Azrael wanted revenge on Triton. I wasn’t privy to the ins and outs of what happened, but Azrael clearly never did take revenge.

Interesting.

“You isolated yourself,” Triton continues. “From those around you until one day, you couldn’t take any more, and you took your own life.”

I shake my head erratically.

This man is as mental as Ares!

“Please listen to me, Ava.”

“No! You’re insane!”

He sighs. “Maybe, but I’m telling you the truth. You jumped from a cliff, hoping to die so you could somehow be with me. However, my mother found you and brought you to me. You weren’t quite dead because your soul had been torn in two. Half wanted to die, but the other half wanted to live.”

I blink slowly. I think I’m in shock listening to this man. I don’t know if he’s mentally ill or if I’m stuck in a bad dream, but this is the most ludicrous story I have ever heard!

Triton continues. “The moment you saw me, you ran straight into my arms. I held you as you cried and begged me not to send you away.”

“But you did,” I whisper.

Triton sighs again. “Ava, I had to do what was right for you. You were so young, and I wanted you to live a life without all the pain of wanting to be with me.

“When Ivy and Azrael arrived with the other half of your soul, I told them you didn’t want to leave. Azrael had the other half of your soul, and he spoke sense when he said you needed to live. I was imprisoned, and being here would have been no life for you.

“But even after Azrael connected the two halves of your soul, you refused to leave me. I did what I thought was right because I loved you enough to let you go.”

I bite my lower lip. If what this man is saying is true, I can’t be angry with him. What Triton did was selfless. It must have hurt him to do what he did, but he did it for me. He wanted me to have a childhood, and my life was good; I can’t say it wasn’t. It also didn’t escape my notice that he said he loved me. It made my heart beat faster.

I swallow hard, my heart banging in my chest. “Did my family know? You were my mate, I mean.” Even I know that was a stupid question, so I shake my head. “Of course they did, and they kept it from me all these years.”

Is there anyone I can trust?

“They did so to protect you, Ava.”

Deep down, I know that. Besides, when I get home, I can ask Mom and Dad about everything Triton has told me. There will be no need for them to continue keeping this from me.

“Fine!” I fold my arms around myself. “If everything you’ve said is true, give me back my memories and the mate bond. You’re free now, and I’m older, so there’s nothing stopping us from being together.”

I would never reject my mate if he genuinely wanted to be with me. And to be honest, I am so attracted to this man, I could melt!

Triton shakes his head, and my heart sinks. He no longer wants me.

“That is not true!” He says as if reading my mind, which he clearly did. “I have wanted you since the day I found out you were mine. I mean that I cannot return what I took without the locket.”

My hand instinctively touches my chest where my necklace used to sit. It feels strange it not being there when I don’t remember a time without it.

“The locket holds your memories and the mate bond, Ava. I placed it around your neck the day Azrael took you from me. In order to bring them back, we must open the locket. My parents have gone to Olympus to retrieve and return it to me.”

“That’s why my mother told me never to open it,” I mumble to myself while looking at the ground, eyes darting from side to side. She knew I would remember if I opened it, and she didn’t want me to.”

I understand why, but it hurts. If everything Triton said is true, my mother only did what Triton asked. She did it to protect me. But all I have ever heard about Triton is terrible things. Not that people ever said much in my presence. It was like Triton was a forbidden subject.

What if the things I’ve heard about Triton were meant to turn me against him?

What if my family hoped I would reject my mate if I believed there was no good in him?

‘People believed that of half the mates within our family, Ava.’ Amelia scoffs inside my head with a yawn. ‘It didn’t stop those destined for them from accepting the mate bond. It doesn’t matter what others think, Ava. Triton and our family did what they did to protect you.’

‘He said I killed myself, Amelia.’

‘Yes, I feel this to be true.’

My stomach turns over. ‘How pathetic was I?’

‘You were not pathetic, Ava. Don’t ever say that! No one who feels so low is pathetic, Ava. It happened, but Triton saved you.’

I swallow hard because she’s right. I shouldn’t beat myself up for what happened; it wasn’t my fault. I don’t even remember it, but if Amelia feels it’s true, I believe her.

‘You cannot deny there’s something there when you look at Triton. Something about him calls to you. Doesn’t it?’

I chuckle inside my head because Amarni pretty much asked me the same thing.

‘Yes,’ I admit. ‘Could it be the mate bond, Amelia? Even though Triton said he hid it from me, could it be strong enough to pull me toward him?’

‘I believe so, Ava. I sense nothing but love coming from this man.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’ Amelia smiles inside my head.

I look at Triton and wonder what it would be like to be loved by him.

“Ava, once my parents return with the locket…”

“They won’t,” I cut him off. “The locket isn’t in Olympus, Triton. I wasn’t wearing it when Ares kidnapped me.”

Triton frowns. “You took it off.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.

I shake my head. “The only time I ever took it off was to shower. I thought it was a gift from my parents for my sixteenth birthday. Mom told me never to try to open it because it wasn’t the kind of locket that opened. It was just a pretty trinket she liked the look of and thought would look nice on me. I never thought anything of it other than I loved it.” I shrug. “But it was really from you?”

Triton nods. “I did what I had to to protect you from yourself, Ava. Everything I have told you will make sense when we retrieve the locket and open it.”

“Triton, I don’t know where the locket is. Something happened to me, and when I woke up, the locket was gone.”

“The people who attacked you have the locket.” He nods.

I stare at him open-mouthed. “H-How do you know that?”

“I know everything, and I’m going to kill them!”