Chapter 7
Morpheus
A Minute Earlier
Maliki shadows across the room to our Omega and gathers her in his arms, his instincts proving his worth as a member of this mate-circle.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about my cousin.
Hades’s possessiveness is going to put Serapina at risk.
And I just can’t allow that.
Grabbing his arm, I mist us out of the cavern and to the secluded beach outside. The sun is beginning to set in this realm, which means we should be free to fly soon, if needed.
I release Hades as soon as my leather shoes touch the sand and mist ten feet away to avoid his incoming fist. “Our Omega needs to eat and sleep,” I tell him sternly.
“She’s not—”
“No, Hades. It’s my turn to speak. We both know the only reason I was able to trace Serapina here is because I’m linked to her soul. You’ve never wanted to accept it before, but you have to now.”
The way his jaw flexes tells me he’s not only aware of this but has already thought about it, too.
“The only reason I didn’t fight for Persephone in the beginning was because I didn’t want to force her to choose.
But she would have had to because you would never be willing to share.
So I protected her sanity by staying away.
And it’s my biggest regret in life. Because had I been there, I may have been able to save her from Demeter’s influence. ”
It hasn’t been proved, but I strongly suspect Persephone was manipulated into helping her mother.
Had I been involved in the mate-circle, I may have picked up on a clue as to what was happening.
Or perhaps I would have missed it entirely.
But at least I would know my part in it all. Instead, I’ve been an outsider to my own affairs, and I’ll never know if I could have helped or not.
However, I won’t be making that mistake again.
“I can’t stay away from her this time,” I inform Hades. “I don’t want her to have to choose between us. But if you demand that a decision be made, I will fight for her. Hard. And, dear Cousin, after all you’ve put our mate through… I think I’ll win.”
What I don’t admit aloud is that I know it will be a shallow victory. Forcing Serapina to choose is a loss in itself. I won’t be the one to demand that choice. It’ll be Hades.
And that will be his inevitable downfall.
Omegas are not meant to mate only one Alpha. They’re meant to take a mate-circle. To be protected. Worshipped. Properly cared for.
I failed Persephone.
I refuse to fail Serapina. I won’t lose her, either.
Hades says nothing, just stares me down with an intensity I both admire and despise.
“You know I’m an ally,” I tell him, a note of irritation threading through my tone.
“I’m powerful. I’m trustworthy. I’m fucking family, Hades.
If anything, you have proved to be an enemy in this situation.
Not me. But I’m still willing to work with you.
Because I am putting our Omega’s needs and desires first. Can you say the same? ”
“I haven’t forcibly removed you from my beach yet,” he replies flatly. “That implies effort on my part.”
I simply look at him. He’s not necessarily wrong, but if this is the furthest he’s willing to bend, then we’re absolutely going to battle one another.
His eyes narrow, his jaw tightening again as he shifts his focus to the waves rolling over the sand. “I hate that you followed us here.”
My eyebrow arches. “You can’t be surprised that I did.”
“I’m not,” he admits. “But I still hate it.”
“Because it proves what she means to me.” I don’t phrase it as a question, but as a statement.
He grunts in response, neither confirming nor denying my words. However, we both know she’s my soulmate, too. He’s just never wanted to accept that fact.
And now he’s being forced to face fate.
“I’m not leaving,” I reiterate. “She’s ours, Hades. Mine, yours, and Maliki’s.”
That last part grabs the God of Death’s attention, his eyes burning as he glares back at me. “Be very careful, Morpheus.”
I smile. “Or what?”
“Or I may begin to assume that you’re interested in more than just my Omega.”
“Maybe I am.” It’s a taunt. A dare, really. A way to push my cousin’s buttons and force him to consider everything—and everyone—that he will lose if he chooses to go to war over Serapina.
Because I suspect she won’t be the only one to pick me in the fight.
Maliki might, too.
Not for me, but for her.
That’s the heart of all of this—our world centers around Serapina Everheart. Yet Hades wants it to revolve around him and his Omega.
But that’s not how this works. Not anymore, anyway.
“If Serapina wants Maliki, then so do I,” I add. “Because marked or not, we both know an Omega can undo another Alpha’s claim.”
Hades’s jaw now resembles granite from clenching his teeth so hard.
But I’m not done.
He needs to be pushed. And I’m the right one for the task. Which ironically is what makes me an ideal candidate for his mate-circle.
“Does Maliki even realize that you’ve claimed him?” I press, aware that the enforcer has no idea what Hades has done to him. “Do you plan to tell him?”
“My dealings with Maliki are not your concern.”
“They will be soon,” I murmur, a notable threat lingering in my tone. “As I said, an Omega can undo an Alpha’s claim. And it seems to me that our Serapina has already chosen our enforcer.”
Hades’s hands fist at his sides as he takes a bold step toward me. “Stop pushing me, Morpheus.”
“No,” I answer simply. “You need a good shove, Cousin. I’ve been patient. Very fucking patient. And I’m done catering to your ego. Because I’m not your subordinate. I’m your equal. A fellow Alpha. Your bloody ally. Now it’s time you pay me the respect I deserve.”
I hit him with a wave of power, one that changes the landscape around us into his infamous death world. Only, this is my illusion. I am the one in control here. Not him.
He growls my name in warning.
I ignore him and say, “All I want is what’s best for Serapina.
I won’t take her from you. I won’t hurt her in any way.
I’m here to protect her. So do not tell me to leave.
And stop questioning my intentions. I’ve been up-front with you from the very beginning.
She’s just as much mine as she is yours. ”
Hades takes another step forward, his eyes alight with barely restrained fury.
I feint a mist to his left, my control over his vision forcing him to think I’m right beside him when, in reality, I haven’t actually moved.
“As far as Maliki goes, you’ve set it up for Serapina to claim him first. Which is what makes him equally mine because, like it or not, I’m in Serapina’s orbit now. I’m courting her. And if she decides to have me, too, then Maliki and I will form a mate-circle around her—with or without you.”
Hades’s fist flies at my illusion’s face, so I mist the creation to his opposite side.
“Fighting me won’t fix this,” I go on. “Work with me instead, Hades. Let me prove to you how much of an ally I can be.”
“I don’t need you as an ally,” he returns flatly.
I’m about to reply when the world shifts, my illusion fading away into smoke as I suddenly find my throat gripped by Hades’s palm.
“You’re right about us being equals,” he says as he materializes fully in front of me. “You’re wrong to assume that I want to work with you in any capacity.”
Now my jaw is the one that clenches.
Because he’s cut off my air supply, thus making it impossible to reply.
So I manifest another version of myself and have the illusion do the talking for me. “Wanting to and needing to are very different phrases,” my replica says.
Hades’s gaze narrows even more, and his fist flies out to punch my illusion in the face while his opposite hand releases my throat. “I know,” he growls, taking a step back. “That doesn’t mean I accept any of this.”
I massage my neck, my vocal cords still feeling constricted from his residual touch.
So my illusion responds for me with “Unfortunately, fate isn’t giving you much of a choice.”
He grunts at that and turns away from me, his fingers combing through his dark hair as he begins to pace.
I retract my power, the image of me disappearing as the beach comes into full view once more.
Hades continues to walk an angry path back and forth by the water while I wait for my throat to heal. When I’m seconds away from being able to speak again, he says, “I need to check on the Netherworld.”
My eyebrow arches. “Oh?”
I assume his word choice of “need” is purposeful. Because, yes, he really should ensure his kingdom is all right. Just as he needs to work with me. Both obligations, and for somewhat related reasons. Yet entirely different ones, too.
“Ossa,” he says, his voice seeming to carry on the wind as he appears to ignore my presence. Though, I’m aware he murmured the name aloud on purpose. Because he could have called his beast to him with his mind rather than his voice.
I take a step back just as a three-headed monstrosity appears on the beach, the paws pounding across the sand as Hades’s creature adheres to his every command.
“You know the rules here,” he says conversationally, his focus on the one with silver eyes and a matching collar around the fluffy neck. “Keep your brothers in line.”
Ossa dips her head, while Howl and Mort both loll their tongues to the side, like they think the order is a joke.
“Guard our Omega with your life,” he says, and I know he’s referring to his Omega that he’s sharing with his creature.
But I choose to believe he means our as in Hades’s and my Omega. Because she is indeed ours.
“And, Pip,” Hades goes on, calling the little soul over to him. “Alert Maliki of any issues first, then come find me in the Netherworld. Understood?”
The little soul gives a salute and proceeds to march off with a purpose, his cloak stomping in the wind beneath his invisible feet.
Howl glances at the cloaked figure with interest, but Ossa snaps at him. I assume she’s telling the playful head to focus instead of considering a chaotic game of chase.
Mort cocks his head as well, and Ossa growls.
Hades sighs in response and looks at me. “We had better make this quick. I don’t know how successful this guarding mission will be.”
“We?” I echo.
“Yes, we,” he replies. “You wanted to prove yourself as an ally, right? Cleaning up the Netherworld seems like a good place to start.” Then he disappears.
My lips twitch. This isn’t what I meant at all, and he knows it. But I’m not about to turn down an opportunity to show off my talents. Especially when it means punching some old Alpha enemies. If I get to “accidentally” hit Hades a few times in the process, all the more fun.
I mist back to his palace, ready for a bloody good time.
And instead come face-to-face with the Hell Fae King.
I glance around, looking for Hades, and find him nowhere to be seen. Typical.
“Morpheus,” Typhos Lucifer says, his long hair billowing on an invisible breeze as he turns toward me with fury swimming in his dark blue eyes. “Care to tell me what the fuck is going on in my realm?”
I sigh. Hades clearly set me up. Should have seen that coming, I mentally mutter to myself.
Then I focus on the furious Hell Fae King and reply, “An Omega has awakened, and with that comes… a wave of feral Alpha aggression.”
When it’s clear he needs more of an explanation, I start from the beginning.
All while cursing Hades in my mind.
He told me he wanted me to prove myself as an ally by helping him clean up the Netherworld Kingdom. I na?vely assumed helping him meant working with him.
Seems he meant for me to do the work for him instead.
Well played, Cousin. Well played…