Chapter 29

CATALINA

I ducked as sharp claws came straight for my face. I wasn’t embarrassed to admit I screamed. Kol, on the other hand, didn’t move.

With a snarl, he took off to meet the beast head-on. “Kol! No!”

To my right, a dark beast darted past. “Lucien!”

Both my mates attacked the monster head-on. Lucien landed on its back, attacking the head closest to him on the left. Kol used his shadow magic to blind the head on the right while stabbing it repeatedly.

That just left the one in the middle, the one currently eyeing me. Do I help? Normally, I would jump right into the action. But I was carrying precious cargo.

Maybe I could help them from afar. I tried channeling my magic, frowning when nothing happened. A sound of frustration left me as I tried again.

This time my hands started to heat up. I panicked, letting the magic go. Had I ever used fire magic before? Was this ~my~ magic or the baby’s?

I didn’t want to risk harming my baby by using its magic without knowing. Instead, I searched for something to throw at the beast. If I was lucky, I could maybe poke its eye out.

Not too far from where I was standing, I spotted a large branch. Big enough to do damage, but small enough for me to lift. I dove for it, snatching it up and brandishing it in front of me like a sword.

With a battle cry, I charged forward, only to be thrown back by one of Kol’s shadows. “Kol!”

“Stay out of this, kitten,” he said without turning around.

“I need to help!” I argued, picking up my weapon.

I took a step forward, only to be pulled back. “Dammit, Kol!” How could he focus on fighting the beast and keeping me out of the fight?

“Stay the hell back, Catalina.”

I paused at his demanding tone. This was not joking Kol; this was serious protecting-his-mate Kol. With a sigh, I dropped my stick and moved to lean against a nearby tree. This sucked.

I watched silently as Kol and Lucien engaged in battle. I must say, though, they seemed to be tiring the beast out.

One head was bleeding furiously from a bite given by Lucien. The head Kol had been working on almost appeared dead. Now both were focusing on the middle one.

“STOP!” A thundering voice boomed from next to me. I jumped in surprise, not having heard him walk up. Did he walk up? Or just appear?

“Stop harming him.” With a wave of his hands, Kol and Lucien went flying in opposite directions.

I stood straighter, preparing to fight for my men. Consequences be damned. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Hades looked at me, smirking. “Stopping your men from killing my pet.”

I stared, shocked. His *pet*? “Did you know that *thing* was going to come after us?”

He whistled, and the three-headed monster came pouncing toward him. “Of course I did, considering he’s what you’re looking for.”

Hades casually reached up and petted one of the heads.

Kol appeared next to me seconds later, fuming. “You couldn’t have said that to begin with? Instead, you risked my mate’s life? For entertainment?”

His hand twitched, and I knew he was craving a lollipop. And to kill someone. I grabbed his hand, entwining our fingers before he did something stupid—like attack a god.

Hades frowned, seeming offended by his very reasonable question. “I could’ve, but I needed to test my daughter’s worth.”

Then he looked at me. “And unfortunately, you failed.”

“What?”

Lucien chose that moment to walk up. “What do you mean she failed?”

Hades shrugged. “Exactly what I said—she failed.”

I tried not to let my annoyance show. I didn’t come here to be tested by a deadbeat father. I didn’t have time for this shit.

“What do you mean the dog is what we’re looking for?” I said, not bothering to comment on his failed comment.

“The One with Three.” He smirked, scratching the beast under the chin, “is right here.”

And that’s when I finally lost my shit. “Are you fucking serious?”

My mouth opened, but those were not my words. “You put my mate at risk for entertainment?” Lucien bellowed, eyes flashing yellow. His words echoed Kol’s.

I sighed. I missed that look on him. I loved that he had his lycan back. But I should probably step in before things got ugly.

“Why didn’t you just tell us that back at the castle? Did you want one of us to die first?” I questioned, ignoring his eyes moving to Kol for a split second.

“How is this thing supposed to help us?” I eyed the now calm, oversized dog.

“His name is Cerberus, and he’s a god eater,” he stated proudly, as if he himself weren’t a god. “Well, sort of. He eats them, but ultimately has to regurgitate them.”

The three of us stared at him. “They don’t die after he eats them?”

He chuckled. “Of course not! Otherwise, I would’ve been dead a long time ago.”

Kol stepped forward, crossing his arms. “Explain.”

Hades looked him up and down. I could tell he didn’t like the commanding tone Kol used. But he didn’t call him out on it.

“He can eat them, but can’t kill them. But he can hold them in his stomach for a few days—long enough for them to grow weak. It’s why he’s never been killed once he pukes them back up.”

As disgusting as that sounded, it also sounded very helpful. Was that why Luce wanted us to get him? If he weakened whatever god came after me, my mates could finish them off.

But there was one problem: the beast had just tried to eat us moments ago. “Why isn’t he trying to kill you?”

Hades cocked an eyebrow, then laughed. “You’re wanting to take him with you, I’m assuming.”

He didn’t word it as a question because he already knew the answer.

“No.”

My head turned in Lucien’s direction to find him watching me. “Where would we keep it? What if it decides to attack us again? I can’t risk the safety of you and the baby.”

My heart melted at his words.

“Technically, he was playing,” Hades said, shrugging.

“You call trying to tear us limb from limb playing?” Kol scoffed.

He sat down on a nearby tree stump. He was one to talk. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was his idea of playing too.

“If he really wanted you dead, you’d be dead.”

With one last pat on the head, Hades walked over to me. “Luckily, he’s a fast healer. Once he’s one hundred percent again, I’ll gladly loan him out to you.”

Then he frowned. “But I must warn you, he’ll be no help against your mother.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get she’s all big and powerful,” Kol stated.

He walked back to the group and stopped next to me, holding out his hand. “It’s time to leave this place, love bug.”

I nodded my thanks to Hades. “Don’t forget to send him.”

“I won’t.”