Mates with Three Giant Beasts | Book II | 18+ (complete - editing)

Chapter 30 | Isabelle

EDITED

He slapped me.

The force caused me to reel back into my chair as I clutched my rapidly reddening cheek and eyed him fearfully. He looked at his hand as if he was surprised by his own actions before looking back to me.

I cowered against Hades as I eyed him, hand still protectively clutching my face.

"Bella...I-I'm sorry," he whispered, though he was looking at his brothers as he said that.

"What is wrong with you," Isis shrieked as she made to attack him. Apollo held her back as he coldly glared at his older brother.

"How was that supposed to help you simpleton," Apollo hissed as he looked at his brother with disgust.

I felt Hades growling from his deep in his chest as the vibrations rumbled through to my back. When had I been pulled into his lap I thought dully.

"I-I..."

"I can't believe you," Poseidon growled. "What were you thinking?"

"I didn't think. I'm sorry---"

"No," Hades growled. "No you're not. At least not yet."

"Get out you fool," Poseidon hissed, forcefully shoving him towards the door.

"I'm sorry," Zeus repeated shamefaced just before the door was slammed in his face.

"Bella?"

I didn't respond to Hades, not verbally. I just turned so that I was sitting on his lap sideways before burying my face into his chest.

"Take care of him, will you," he ordered more than asked. They must have nodded because the next thing that I heard was the door being slammed shut.

"I'm sorry Belle," Hades murmured as he began to stroke my matted hair. "That was not part of the plan."

I heard the door open before the door was quietly closing.

"Let's get you cleaned up, shall we? Then we can get some food in you, yeah?"

I was silent as I just let my tears soak into his shirt as I clutched him tighter.

"Please Bella, you're wasting away before our eyes; it's killing me."

I sighed before hesitantly nodding against his chest.

His arms tightened around me in response before he cleared his throat to answer. "Excellent. Up you get now," he said as he patted my but to tell me to get up. "Will you be OK on your own?"

I thought about it for a moment before nodding once more as I looked up to meet his unusually dark gaze. I sent a watery smile his way before I slowly rose to my feet and shuffled my way to the bathroom.

I quietly shut the door behind me before locking it out of habit.

I zombie-walked my way towards the massive mirror that took up a whole wall as I thoughtfully eyed myself.

Taking in my appearance, I cringed.

My hair was greasy and unusually lank while it managed to stay frizzy at the same time. My complexion seemed to be paler than usual, my eyes ringed by bruise-like circles. The cheek that Zeus had slapped was an angry red.

That was going to bruise I thought as I gently prodded at it.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I made my way towards the marble shower. I took as quick of a shower as I could while still being thorough. Once done, I wrapped a towel around myself with another quiet sigh.