Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

I'm on the phone for an hour and a half with Ashley and the PR team, coming up with a statement for the media anda plan for how Kas and I should respond if we're asked questions by reporters. I hang up and rub my hands over my face. I really fucked up. The PR team is mad, Ashley’s mad. I can only imagine how mad Lenora is. This was an international event. She is going to have to deal with it, too. I'm surprised she hasn't called to yell at me yet. And tabloids reporting that Kas is pregnant, too? Ican only imagine how upset she is.

I sit back in my seat and sigh. The television is on mute, but I look over and see an image of me sitting on the edge of the fountain with my hand on Kas’s belly. Oh shit. I can’t hear what the reporter is saying, but she has a huge grin on her face. The tabloids aren't just making shit up. They saw us talking about it. Even if they couldn't hear our conversation, they saw the body language. That’s all they need to run with a false story.

Fuck.

I lean forward and put my head in my hands and hear Kas out of the bedroom.

I can't bear to look at her. She gently pushes my chest to get me to sit up. When I look up, I see she’s wearing our shirt, hair tousled like it always is when she first wakes up. I let her take my arms and wrap them around her when she sits in my lap, so she is comfortable. She takes a deep breath and breathes in my scent.

“Bronx, can we go home now, please? I want to sleep in our bed, even if it's only for a few days.”

“Of course, Baby. Our flight is scheduled for tomorrow and we don't have any other travel plans scheduled. You'll sleep in our bed for as many nights as you want starting tomorrow. Not justa few days. I can see if Carly can move up the flight if you want to leave sooner?”

“No. I can wait one more night,” she sighs and curls herself up tighter against me, “I can just stay in here though, right? I don’t have to leave the room?”

“Yeah, you can just stay in the room. Kas, I really fucked up this time. I’m so sorry,” I whisper into her forehead. I realize I'm rocking her back and forth slightly.

“It's going to be alright, Bronx. People will forget about it soon enough,” her voice is hollow, like she doesn’t believe the words she’s saying. I can feel an emotion coming from her. I think it’s sadness, but it’s more complicated than that.

“What's wrong, Kas? If all this is too stressful, I will pull strings. We can get out of here in an hour if that’s what you want. I know! fucked up. I will do whatever it takes to fix it. Just give the word and we are on our way to the airport,” I give her a kiss on the temple and whisper into her ear.

“I'm fine, Sweetheart. Just a little-”

I wait for her to finish, but she doesn't. I look down and see she is asleep. Her head and top half of her body drops forward heavily when I try to look at her.

“Kas?” I adjust my position to tilt her back, making her head roll back heavily against my bicep, “Kas?!”

I pat my hand against her face, but she doesn’t respond. I take a deep breath and smell her scent. Her body is warm and I can still feel the sparks of our mate bond. I lift her eyelid, but her eyes don’t have the hollow, empty look they do when she falls into a vision. They’re just rolled back slightly, like she passed out.

“James! Get Delilah. Something’s wrong with Kas,” I command through a mind link while I take her into the bedroom, “ It’s not a Code Violet. Not like one we've seen before, anyway.”

“Yes, Sir. Is Kas still in wolf form?” James asks, sounding concerned.

“No, she shifted back. I’m putting her in bed now. Hurry!”

I take Kas’s hands in mine and kiss her fingertips. I feel my breath getting heavier as I try not to panic, “Kas, come on, Baby. Wake up.” °

Marco walks in the room with James and Delilah right behind him. Delilah rushes over to her friend, “What happened to her, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason?”

I explain the events over the past few hours while she runs her hands down Kas’s body without touching her. A slight blue aura comes from her hands as she murmurs an incantation.

Delilah sits at the edge of the bed and looks at me confused, “Alpha, I-I don’t think her human spirit is in her body right now. The only thing I could do is try to meditate and find her.”

“Delilah, I'm sorry, but absolutely not. You know I would never try to get in your way when you're trying to help someone, especially Kas, but you can’t try to leave your body and gallivant around the universe while you're pregnant. There's too much that could go wrong,” James says sternly.

“Yeah, I agree, Delilah. We can't let you do that. Let’s wait it out for a bit and see if she can find her way back. Something or someone pulled her away suddenly. If itis more than a few hours, let's contact Lady Camille. Okay?” I say to Delilah, who can’t take her eyes off of Kas.

She nods her head and wipes away a tear, then takes Kas’s hand, “Ou es-tu mon ami? Reviens chez nous. [Where are you, my friend? Come back to us.]"

Kas’s POV

I can’t smell Bronx’s scent anymore, so I open my eyes and look around. I'm in the hall of Mount Olympus, where I first met Zeus. I look in both directions, but I don't know which way to go to find him.

“Hello?” I call out. My voice echoes down the hall, “My name is Iokaste Latmus Mason. Someone summoned me here?”

From the end of the hallway, I see a woman materialize out of thin air. She has light blonde hair that seems to flow in a non-existent breeze. She is wearing a tiara with a crescent moon. Her blue eyes shine like moonlight and become more clear as she glides closer to me. I can't see her feet to tell if she is walking or floating an inch off the ground. “Mother,” I hear Lex whisper, but she sounds far away, as if she isn’t actually with me.

The woman in front of me moves at an impossibly fast pace, even though she walks slowly. She kneels down to the ground and sits in front of me witha loving look and a smile that draws me in, intoxicating my senses.

“Ah, Iokaste, my little warrior child,” she says. I hear her voice in my mind, but her lips don’t move.

“M-mother?” I feel tears trying to prick at the corners of my eyes.

“Yes. I'm so happy to see you, Iokaste. Please come with me. You have caused quite a stir here,” she stands and takes my hand. She isn’t as tall as Zeus, but she is well over six feet. When I take her hand, I feel like I'm floating an inch off the floor to match her gait.

“Have I done something wrong, Mother?” I feel worry settling into my chest.

“Patience, Iokaste. I know it isn't a gift you were given, but I think you can wait a few more minutes,” she looks down and smiles. I have never heard someone tell me a motherly thing in my life.

We come to a large round room with giant throne-like chairs around the perimeter. As we enter, people materialize in the chairs. Some of them I recognize from pictures and statues I have seen. Zeus materializes in a chair that is larger than the rest around the circle.

“Stand in the middle, my darling,” Mother says softly.

I move to the center of the room where there is a compass rose etched into the floor. I look around at the children of Titan Gods surrounding me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see two people standing next to Mother’s throne. They are not giant like everyone else. They are normal sized. Amari and Jasen. They approach me with a smile and take my hands.

“Amari, what’s happening?” I whisper.

“We will start soon, don’t worry. Everything's going to be fine,” she smiles with her soft blue eyes. Jasen nods reassuringly on the other side of me.

“Iokaste, ah, my apologies. You go by Kas now, correct?” Zeus’s voice booms through the room, startling me.

“Y-yes, Sir. You can call me Kas,” I gulp hard, feeling like my voice is tiny.

He smiles and nods before he continues, “Kas, your mate, Bronx Mason, attacked Dionysus. Is that correct?”

Oh crap.

“Yes, Sir. Dionysus grabbed my wrist and Bronx was protecting me.” I confirm.

“And why exactly were you in contact with Dionysus outside of Mount Olympus?” Zeus leans his elbow on the edge of his chair, paying more attention.

“Well, that was the second time that I know of, Sir. Maybe the third if he was a shadow in my home, but I can’t confirm that. Regardless, he wanted me to drink wine that he made for me.”

“And did you? Drink the wine, that is?” A beautiful woman sitting next to Zeus asks. Power rolls off of her, soft and feminine but dangerous at the same time.

“No, ma’am. Not that night. I don’t drink alcohol if I can help it and we were ata human charity event. My advisors have told me never to drink at public events like that.”

Zeus and the woman trade a look. I wonder if they can mind link? ~

“Sage words from your advisors. Kas, my name is Hera. It is a pleasure to meet Selene’s youngest daughter,” she smiles with a nod.

“Oh! Your Highness, no, please. The honor is mine,” I bow deeply to her. Zeus catches my attention again, “Kas, please let your mate know that I will deal with Dionysus personally.”

“Thank you, Sir. He will be relieved and grateful to hear that,” I can’t help but give a half a smile.

“This is the mutt Father gifted the power of time?” A man to my left interrupts. I look over to the white- haired man with black eyes. He has a three-headed dog chained to his throne. “Hades, if you don't behave, I will send you back to the underworld right now,” Zeus’s voice is louder than before. Hades’s mouth turns to a snarl, and he rolls his eyes but doesn’t respond.

“Kas, the last time you were here, we discussed the possibility of you having a pup. We have caught word that your sister Persephone’s lifetime will end and you will be the vessel for her rebirth.”

“Yes sir, that is correct,” I say. I feel Amari squeeze my hand.

“Well then, it sounds like I have fulfilled my obligation,” he chuckles crassly. At his words, my storm cloud rages larger than it ever has, darkening my mood and fueling my anger. I suddenly have tunnel vision as I let go of Amari’s hand and make my way over to Zeus. I stride over to his throne and pull myself up to stand on the edge of his seat before anyone can stop me.

“NO!" I grow! at him, “It was already fated for Cora to die. I'm already fated to give birth to her. You said The Fates did not see a child for me yet. Cora is Selene’s daughter. Not mine.”

I see red as the venom of dark magic flows through me. I grab Zeus’s chin and force him to look at me.

“You will keep your word, Zeus. I refuse to let you back out of your promise. With the Olympian Gods and Goddesses as my witness, I hold you to your word,” I snarl. A deep purple aura surrounds us as I feel his powerful energy flowing through my hand into my body.

“If you try to deny me, I will suck you dry. I will end your eternal existence. Right here and right now,” I say to him in my goddess voice.