Zaira's POV
Just inches from my cheekbone, the fist froze, which would have hit me hard and surely left more than a black eye. Then his eyes rolled back in an unnatural, gross way and the soldier fell to the ground.
I was about to see what had happened to him when a figure across the aisle distracted me.
Not a single syllable came out of my mouth, I could only stare at him.
Was he really here?
did i dream
Yes, I guess I had to. It's come this far for me, now I'm completely freaking out. He looked so real. His brown locks were tousled as always and his green eyes were wild and passionate.
"Aramis?" I stared at him, mesmerized by his eyes.
The ribbon glowed as he walked toward me, stepping so close the distance was almost non-existent. During this time I could not move a single bone.
My wolf pushed up so much starch that I knew it was in my eyes. She called loudly for her mate and didn't understand why I didn't touch him.
I lifted my head to get a good look at him and in that moment I realized that I wasn't imagining anything. "Aramis, it's not what it looks like, I promise..."
He cut me off with a subtle wave of his hand, forcing me to be silent, but I ignored the warning. This was my chance to make it up to you.
"Please, let me explain..."
Again he interrupted me by putting his finger to my lips. I gasped and my whole body tingled with excitement. The longing to snuggle up to him and kiss him became so overwhelming that my claws sprang out and I laboriously drew them in again.
“You betrayed me and simply handed Serdas over. I don't know what deal you guys had, but you played your part well."
My heart raced as I heard the terrifying and partly true words. I wanted to interrupt him again and explain the whole thing to him, but he gave me a warning look.
"I don't know how much of which you really wanted, and how much you had no choice but to hand me over to him. But one thing I know for sure."
I was afraid. Fear of losing him forever. Aramis was more than I could ever have dreamed of. He had saved me from the greatest monster, adopted me as a mate and protected me. And what had I brought him? Not exactly sunshine and flowers.
"Do you remember the promise I made you?"
At first I shook my head, but then it came to me. My mouth went bone dry. "That you would never hurt me again."
He nodded.
"You are my life," he said, and his face took on an almost desperate expression. "You are everything to me. Shit, I can't imagine anything without you, my life has no meaning if I lose you. "
My heart stopped, only to continue beating faster.
"I'm yours," he cupped my face between his hands. "Do what you want with me, Zaira, fuck my heart break if you want. I don't give a fuck what you've done, my heart , my soul, just damn everything, everything - it's yours."
"And what about the mate band?" I asked, choking on tears while trying to process what he had just revealed to me.
"It took me far too long to understand that. Hades and Serdas will never understand how a mate band really works. I don't care who brought us together," he said firmly. "I chose you. I choose you now and I always will choose you." His eyes blazed like green fire and he looked at me like I was exactly what he said, everything. "I always choose you because I love you. "
My world stopped. "What?"
The corners of his mouth twitched and he lowered his head so close that his lips touched mine. "I love you Zaira."
If he hadn't kissed me at that moment, I would certainly have cried snot and water. But so I kissed him back, moving my lips to his and opening my mouth to him. He instantly deepened the kiss and poured all his passion and love into it while my heart melted with love.
One hand closed around my neck and the other grabbed my waist, then pulled me to him and pressed my body against his.
My wolf rubbed contentedly against the inner walls.
"I love you too." I whispered.
"I know, after all you called after me." He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully.
My cheeks burned. "Hey!" I punched his arm. "Keep it between us," I commanded, only to burst into giggles.
Briefly his eyes swayed to the left. "What happened here?"
I followed his gaze and saw Hades still lying unconscious on the ground like a dead fly. "The other healer werewolves and I sort of...knocked him out with our powers."
"The other healer werewolves?"
"Yes. I can tell you everything...if you want?" I suggested quietly, stopping at the tenderness he was showing me. How could I have been so lucky?
"So you killed him?" He grinned.
"Unteranderen... Ja."
His eyes glowed and Stoltz flickered in them. "That's my girl." He bit my bottom lip and finally the mark. "You're mine."
"Yes," I said, biting his bottom lip as well. "Forever."
"Forever," he confirmed, and then he kissed me, forgetting everything else around me.
**
On the way out of the Underworld I had explained to Aramis what had really happened and how Serdas had manipulated and hypnotized me. Aramis took my word for it and a heavy stone fell from my heart. I couldn't stand another second while he thought I'd willingly betrayed him.
As soon as we arrived on the surface of the earth, Luna and Gaia immediately awaited us. They were completely healed.
Serdad's death had apparently caused the battle to end, with all the warriors of hell perishing with him. And although the goddesses could not bring back the dead soldiers, they had healed all the wounded warriors and taken all pain away from them. Reah, Xenos and Arya, as well as Samatha and Isahia were all alive and well - thank all moons!
I still remembered exactly the loving words Luna had given me.
***
"Zaira, how long I've been waiting to finally meet you. How can I thank you enough, child?" Luna said, her star-shaped freckles sparkling in the sun.
"Not at all, everyone would have done the same.", I looked back a bit embarrassed.
"Oh believe me kid, not everyone would have made it." Luna replied, beaming with joy. Then she spread her arms. "Come here, we're a family now."
Family.
That word triggered a dozen things in me that were so deep I couldn't describe them.
Her arms gently closed around me as I flew into her motherly embrace.
"What are you going to do with Hades now?" Aramis asked and pulled me to him after we broke our hug. I sighed and leaned into his chest, inhaling his scent.
This is where I belonged.
"We'll take him to Father. We should have done that from the start. It was never our intention to put you in danger." the sad and devastated expression on Luna and Gaia's faces caused a pang in my heart.
"We all know that, Saehva , mother." Aramis assured, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Luna nodded and Gaia added, "We didn't want to hand Hades over to death. But after everything he had done, we have no choice but to bring him before the council of the gods. They should decide his sentence."
Aramis tensed and his jaw twitched. "I'm sorry that you can't give Serdas the same chance. I took that decision away from you." I killed your son - were the words he didn't say.
Gaia gently stroked Arami's cheek. "You have nothing to feel guilty about. My son died long before you did it. Serdas was no longer himself, this creature was not my son."
"Of course not." Luna comforted her sister.
***
The sisters told us that they needed to teleport Hades out of the Underworld as soon as possible, the Court didn't seem to like waiting.
But before they said goodbye, Luna informed me that she really wanted to see us again as soon as possible.
"You are always welcome in the palace of the gods, Zaira, my daughter." Her soft tone floated in the air as light as a feather, while our white hair blew in the wind.
Then they left and Aramis and I went to see Reah and the others.