Page 107 of Bride of Death

I’ve seen Persephone in this very garden, not up close, but from afar, and I know how much she adored those flowers. She nursed them every day, showering them with life while I hovered in the mist, just out of reach.

She wasn’t mine to touch, thanks to Hades’s reluctance.

Oh, I could have interfered. I could have forced him to share.

But it would have broken Persephone’s heart to have her Alphas fight over her soul.

And so, I let them be, even though my heart shattered in the process.

Swallowing, I glance up at the sky and fight the urge to growl at the memories flooding my thoughts. My anger. My fear. Myagony.

I knew what was brewing in the Mythos Fae Realm, as did Hades. Yet he never thought anyone would breach his infamous walls.

He was right, of course. No one overtook his perimeters.Because the enemy was already inside the gates.

I stretch my arm out on the bench behind Serapina as Pip dances around the flowers, his antics reminding me a bit of apuppy enjoying his time outside. It’s so innocent that I nearly smile.

But there’s nothing humorous about what I need to tell her.

“To understand the past, we need to revisit dynamics. Alphas are the protectors, therefore stronger than the rest. We’re powerful, right?”

She nods. “I’ve gathered that.”

I smile. “You’ve barely seen what we can do, but that’s because you’re an Omega, and Alphas know to temper their energy around your kind. I don’t want to call you fragile, as that’s not the correct term, but you are smaller and softer than my brethren.”

This should be rather evident to her already since she’s a foot shorter than me and weighs a fraction of what I do.

“It doesn’t matter if the Omega is male or female; they all possess a petite stature in comparison to that of an Alpha,” I explain. “And, unfortunately, some Alphas feel that strength equals superiority. Therefore, they believe in taking what they want and forcing everyone else to pay homage in exchange for survival.”

That’s why the Mythos Fae Realm has self-destructed.

Without Omegas to soften the Alphas of our world, many have become feral versions of their former selves, thus joining the ranks of those who feel the need to dominate.

They’ve created camps where Betas serve to survive.

Others have created wastelands.

And some—like Hades and me—have found other kingdoms to live within.

But before I can explain that to her, I have to address the point of this discussion.

“Some of the Alphas who believed in their inherent superiority decided that Omegas were theirs to take and own, and essentially turned their mates into slaves.”

Serapina’s eyes widen, her discomfort causing my chest to ignite in a purr.

It’s an automatic reaction. I just want to soothe her.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Sorry, that’s a natural reaction to your distress.”

“It’s okay,” she says, leaning toward me. “I… I don’t mind. Though, I find it interesting you can speak while making that sound.”

My lips twitch. “Haven’t you heard a cat meow while purring?”

“Only once or twice,” she admits, her gaze going to Pip as he jumps off the terrace. “What are you?—”

The soul comes right back up and does a flip in the sky.

“I think he noticed your discomfort, too,” I say, amused. “He’s trying to make you smile.”