Triton's Oath - His Hybrid Princess

6 - Let me go!

Ava

“Remember,” Ares says as he tugs me to a stop outside two of the most enormous doors I have seen in my life. “Smile in the presence of Zeus and Hera. Speak only when spoken to. We’re in love and wish to marry before the day is out. When asked how we met, you tell them we met a week ago during one of my travels. Our love was instant, and now you’re mine. What must you say?”

I swallow past the lump in my throat.

Ares kept me locked in that room for hours, going over the same thing again and again. He wouldn’t let me rest until I repeated exactly what he wanted me to and acted as if I loved him. On the one hand, I’m glad we’re getting this over with quickly. However, on the other hand, I wonder what the rush is. Don’t get me wrong, the quicker we get in there, the sooner I can tell Zeus his mental son kidnapped me. But he must be stupid to think a few hours is enough to teach me what he’s adamant I must not get wrong.

Ares also kept mentioning Triton, and it’s clear Ares hates him. But Ares is insane to think Triton is my mate. He must have me confused with someone else. Either way, Ares is not going to get away with what he’s done to me!

I mean, if Triton was my mate, and Ares knew it, wouldn’t his parents also know?

Wouldn’t they take one look at me and realize I was lying?

I feel like I’m in the twilight zone!

I look Ares in the eye. He might scare the crap out of me, but I won’t shy away like a timid little girl.

I smile as genuinely as I can. Well, act like it, anyway.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir, Madam. My name is Ava, and I am your son’s fiancée. I’m sorry we couldn’t meet before now, but Ares and I have been getting to know one another. It’s true that we only met recently, but it was love at first sight. I understand if you think this is all too quick, but Ares is my mate, and I want nothing more than to be with him. I love him more than I could say, and your blessing would mean everything to the both of us. I swear that I will be the best mate and wife to your son.” Ares smirks. “Then I bow.”

I refrain from gritting my teeth. I remembered every word he had drummed into me. But fuc.k, do I hate this man!

He tried to kiss me earlier, and I almost threw up in my mouth! He was angry when I pushed him away. I thought he would hit me again, but he didn’t. Ares said we should get some practice in to make it look convincing to his parents. I told him the first thing that came to my mind. He shouldn’t kiss me the way he intended, tongues and all. That would make it look as though he was disrespecting me in front of his parents, and I doubted he wanted to leave that impression. If we were to sell the lie that we were in love, we needed to make it look convincing, and porno kissing in front of them would be wrong.

Wouldn’t it be better if he held me in his arms and tenderly kissed my head?

I could giggle like his tenderness toward me made me feel special. This would show his parents a side of Ares they wouldn’t expect, effectively selling the lie of our love story.

I kept eye contact with Ares as he stared at me intently. Just when I thought Ares would attack me, he smirked. He agreed with the plan, much to my surprise.

The man is easily fooled.

He waved his hand over me, and a beautiful maroon dress appeared on my body. My hair changed from the mess it was into a fashionable French braid. I looked good, not that Ares cared what I thought.

Pig!

“Good.” Ares nods. “Good. Do not fuc.k up, Ava. If you don’t sell this to my parents, I will kill you before you can so much as blink. Is that understood?”

I so want to roll my eyes and tell this asshole to go fuc.k himself. But I don’t because he’d break my neck.

I smile. “Yes, my love.” If Ares notices the sarcasm, he doesn’t say anything.

He smirks again, and I wonder just how stupid this man really is.

“Take my hand.”

I’d rather take an overdose!

However, I take a deep breath and slip my hand into Ares’s outstretched hand. Feeling his skin against mine makes my stomach churn. However, I pull it back and plaster a smile across my face. Goddess only knows what Zeus will think when he sees us together. We look ridiculous!

Ares has to be at least six-foot-six or thereabout to my five-foot. I look like a child compared to this man!

The room we enter is so large and opulent that I feel even smaller! Fuc.k me, I look like a mouse in a kitchen!

“Mother. Father. Thank you for meeting with us at such short notice.”

Oh, wow! Those thrones are something else. Zeus and Hera sit side by side, looking like Giants on their thrones made of what looks like platinum. Hera is beautiful. Her long, dark hair falls in waves over her shoulders. Her Grecian dress with the blue trim makes her breasts look huge, but every woman’s breast looks massive compared to mine. Hera also wears a golden crown in her hair. She is every bit the perfect Goddess.

Zeus is a massive man. He’s practically naked, but for the weird skirt of white and gold around his waist, strappy brown sandals on his feet, and gold accessories adoring his arms and chest. He scratches his beard while regarding me. He turns to look at Hera, and she nods ever so slightly that I almost missed it.

I watch the two of them and wonder if Ares is crazy because his parents are not just husband and wife but brother and sister. I get that that means nothing to the Gods, and Zeus has been in love with Hera forever. But their lovemaking must have had an effect on Ares. Goddess, I couldn’t imagine being in love with one of my brothers. The thought boggles my mind!

Also, why is Hera even with Zeus?

It’s not like he’s faithful to her. The man has dozens of children with other women! Whatever, each to their own.

“So,” Zeus’s voice is so deep I felt the force of it rumble through my whole body. “This is the child you wish to marry?”

I wonder why a man Ares’s age needs his parents’ permission to marry. I don’t know much about Greek Gods and their traditions, but I’m grateful for this one.

“She’s not a child, Father, just short. This is Ava. We met upon my release and realized we were mates.”

“Is that so?” Zeus turns to me, and I can tell he’s not buying what Ares is selling. “And what do your parents have to say about this?”

“We haven’t spoken to her parents yet, Father.” Ares answers for me while yanking me against him so hard I smack into his big body. I didn’t mean to whimper, but that hurt!

“Tell them.” Ares whispers toward me.

So, I do. I tell Zeus and Hera exactly what Ares drummed into me. When I’m done, Hera smiles at me.

“Come forth, child. Let me get a good look at the young woman who has stolen my son’s heart.”

I look at Ares, who fakes an encouraging smile before kissing my head.

Gag!

I swallow hard and nervously walk my shaking body toward Hera. She holds her hand out to me. I take it and stand before her. She stays sitting on her throne, and with the height of it, we’re at eye level.

‘Hello, sweet girl.’ Hera’s voice fills my head, and my eyes widen. ‘Do not fear, Ava. You may communicate with me this way. Ares will not hear our conversation.’

He may not hear us, but I can feel his anger burning holes into my back! He’s worried about what I might say to his mother without his influence. Good, he should be worried!

Ares had tried to use his powers to manipulate and command me into saying what he wanted me to say. Of course, he was fuming when he realized his power didn’t work on me. I was also surprised, but not so much when Ares began to mutter under his breath about Leviathan being a sneaky bastard. I took that to mean Grandpa Leviathan had put a protection spell on me.

Thank you, Grandpa!

‘Okay.’ I whisper into Hera’s mind.

‘You may speak freely. You are safe, Ava. I promise.’

I nod.

Zeus is the most powerful Greek God, and Ares would stand no chance against him. I won’t stand here and act so afraid that I won’t tell Hera that Ares is trying to force me to do this, no matter what the prick believes.

I can’t even believe he thought this would work!

What kind of idio.t is he?

‘Ava, are you here of your own free will? Don’t be afraid. I know I am Ares’s mother, but I am not blind to the man my son is. Zeus and I do not want a war with Leviathan, and you being here against your will would bring about such a conflict. Please trust me that I have your best interest at heart. So, are you?’

I blink at Hera. Wow, right to the point. I see there’s no messing around with this Goddess.

“You bastard!”

I gasp and almost jump out of my skin! I look at the blur slamming into Area. My eyes are so wide as I watch them fly through the air before slamming against the ground. While the two men fight, Zeus watches with a bored expression.

Hera gently takes my hand, and I reluctantly look at her. She smiles and says, “Don’t worry about them, Ava. Zeus will deal with them in a moment.”

Deal with them in a moment?

Is she crazy?

They could kill each other!

“Who is that man attacking Ares? Why is he attacking him?”

Why do I even care!?

“First, answer my question. Are you here of your own free will? Don’t worry about Ares; he’s preoccupied, and even if he wasn’t, he cannot harm you here.”

Instantly, I shake my head at Hera. “No, I’m not. Ares kidnapped and tortured me. He said I had to lie about how we met and that I was to be his bride to get back at someone who caused his imprisonment. He made me say all those things to you. I didn’t want to, but I was doing what I could until Leviathan found me. I was just doing what I needed to do to survive.”

Hera taps my hand. “That’s what I thought.” She sighs.

“What?”

“Ares is a complicated man, Ava. He was born a brat, and he’ll die a brat. I’m just sorry you got caught up in his games.”

I scream as I’m suddenly yanked away from Hera and held back with force. Ares holds me with so much force I’m scared my back will break! Then I see him, the blond-haired man now standing just a few feet away. The anger on his face is frightening. He seems so familiar, yet I’ve never seen him before. But I feel like I have seen him somewhere in my dreams. His ocean-blue eyes call to me. I feel like I’m in a trance!

“Let her go, Ares.” His voice sent a shiver down my spine!

“Not a chance. She’s mine!”

“I am not yours!” I yell while slamming my elbow into Ares’s stomach. But he doesn’t even flinch.

Great!

“Zeus,” The blond calls without taking his eyes off Ares. “Tell your pathetic son to hand over my mate before I kill him!”

What the fuc.k?

I am not this man’s mate; I would feel it!

What is it with everyone claiming they’re my mate?

Oh, I see. This man is trying to help me.

“Ares, let the girl go. I knew you were lying the moment you walked through the door. Did you think I wouldn’t know a descendant of Leviathan or who her true mate was?” Zeus scoffs. “Hand the girl to Triton!”

So, this is Triton. Wow, he is gorgeous.

Merman!

What if this is the man I’ve been dreaming about?

Could he be my mate?

Maybe I’m not feeling the mate bond because my Lycan and Dragon aren’t with me. I don’t know! But my stomach is churning with nerves. Something doesn’t make sense, and I feel the man in front of me is the only one who can give me the answers I seek.

Ares growls in anger, the vibrations rocking through my body. My eyes widen when he clutches the back of my neck.

“If you go with him,” He grinds in my ear. “I will hunt you down and kill you, Ava. I will murder Triton in front of you and take what I want before ending your life!”

“Fuc.k you!” I hiss back. “Let me go, you piece of shi.t!”

‘You made a very big mistake, Ava.’ I hear his voice inside my head.

‘No,’ I reply. ‘You did!’

I don’t know what happened, but suddenly, I see nothing. I hear nothing. Everything is fuzzy, and though I can’t hear anything, I know there’s too much noise around me.

I’m floating, falling into the abyss of nothingness.