Beneath the surface: Forbidden love
Chapter 20

Marisela

The words hit me like a tidal wave, a relentless surge of truth that sweeps away the fragile facade I've been clinging to. My heart pounds in my chest, and it's as if the ground beneath me has shifted, leaving me unsteady and disoriented.

''The hell you are!'' I spit crawling further away from him- my tail being so heavy, made it difficult to do so, ''What the hell do you want from me?''

The man raises his brows in anger but quickly composes himself and looks away from me sighing. After a moment, his gaze turns to me, his eyes lost in thought and eventually he speaks.

''You have no clue of who you are child.'' He whispers, as if trying to understand why I fail to believe what he has said. "This is not how I wanted us to meet."

''I know who I am.'' I snap at him.

''You have no idea,'' he says, my blood boiling in anger at his words, ''there is so much you don't know.''

''If that is true, then why did you find me now?'' I ask, still not believing anything that he has said.

''I have been searching for you all these years, since you were taken away from me,'' he begins and I listen carefully, ''I wasn't sure at first, but Alisia told me that there was a Siren princess who had arrived on the island, a woman had told her of this news.''

It's a revelation I never saw coming, and it feels like a surreal punch to the gut. I lay there, stunned and breathless, trying to process the weight of what's been unveiled.

"What woman?" I ask, "a spy?"

''No, not a spy.'' he clarifies. "A witch."

A witch!?

Oh my God! How can this be?

Werewolves, sirens and now witches too?

How is any of this even possible? I look up at the man who claims to be my father, my eyes narrow in on him as he stands a few meters away.

''What does she have to do with any of this?'' I ask him. The man sighs and looks away. "Answer me!"

''There is so much that you do not understand, the people that you surround yourself with are not at all who they seem." He speaks.

''What do you mean?'' No answer.

''Who are you?'' I ask him again.

''I already told you who I am,'' He looks out at the water surrounding us before turning his gaze to me. "You refuse to see hear the truth."

''Why take Rosa? she has nothing to do with this!'' I yell at him. "Why kidnap her?"

"Kidnap?" He repeats sounding offended. "We did not kidnap you, we saved you from those wolves."

Save me?

"What are you talking about? You compelled those men to take us away!" I say, not sounding sure of the words coming from my own mouth.

"Those men were compelled to kill you." He says angrily, "Alisia found you just in time and she brought you both to the cave."

I was silent. I couldn't bring myself to say anything after that. I was shocked. None of this made sense. All of it was too much for me to comprehend.

"I know you have questions," he says softly, "but we don't have much time, you need to go back."

"So why did you bring me down here." I ask him.

"I had to be sure." He's eyes fill with that same emotion from earlier. Only now I understand what it is. Pain.

"Be sure of what?" I ask, afraid of his answer.

His face turns soft as he looks at me a moment longer. "That you were alive."

"Alive?" I repeat, "I wasn't dead!" I say incredulously. "I don't understand any of what you're telling me, you're lying!"

"My mother kept me away from the ocean my whole life, she told me it was not safe. Are you the reason?" I ask him.

His jaw tenses as he's face hardens in anger, ''That woman is not your mother. She is the one who took you away from me."

"Who?" I ask him hoping to God that he isn't saying what I think he's saying. I watch as he's eyes fill with so many emotions, it was hard to decipher which one he was showing.

"Nadia." He says the last name I expected to leave his lips.

"My mother? " anger and confusion fill my mind by his accusations. Who is this-

"She is not you mother!" He yells in my face, anger and heartbreak evident in his face.

''Stop!'' I shout, tears begin to form in my eyes. ''You are lying!'' His jaw tenses as he watches me, hurt evident in his eyes as he watches me lying helplessly on the floor almost in tears.

''You need to know the truth of who you are.'' With one last look at me, he turns around, but stops short, ''I have searched everyday for the past twenty one years for you, I mean you no harm Marisela. I will leave you until you are ready. When you are, come and find me.''

None of this could be true. How does he know my name?

The feeling of uncertainty creeps over me like a shadowy mist, leaving me in a state of hesitancy and doubt. It's as though I'm standing on shifting sands, unable to find solid ground to trust. The words I'm hearing sound sincere, but there's a persistent nagging feeling that something isn't adding up, that there's more beneath the surface.

My mind becomes a whirlwind of questions, each one a branch of doubt in a dense forest of confusion. It's like I'm navigating a maze, desperately seeking clarity. With each passing moment, I wonder if I should trust what I'm being told or if there's a hidden agenda, a concealed truth waiting to be uncovered.

The uncertainty weighs on me, leaving a knot in the pit of my stomach, and it's a struggle to find a way through the fog of mistrust. I yearn for clarity, for the reassurance that what I'm hearing aligns with reality. All I've ever wanted is answers.

"Wait!" I stop him. "How do I find you?"

He slowly turns around, with a sad smile.

''There is someone you will meet soon, if you can't trust me, trust her, she will help you find me.''

With one swift movement of his wrist, the water surrounding us encases us once more and just like that, he is gone.

With all these thoughts swimming in my mind, I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. After a few moments, I decide to head back to the castle.

Hopefully, I remember the way back.

-------------------------

The moment I reach the surface, I notice that I'm not that far away from the shore. I swim above waters before I am crawling on the sand. I lay down on the sand under the blazing afternoon sun. After some time my tail starts to disappear and I am left naked on the beach. I quickly run into the forest.

I've been walking for almost an hour, naked and cold. my legs are aching due to the fact that ive been in my Siren form for almost a whole day.

I don't remember the walk to the castle being this long.

I stop to take a breath when I notice a familiar clearing. I push my body forward. I hear someone yell my name in the distance.

''Get the Alpha.'' a man orders to someone as he runs over to my side, ignoring my naked stance.

When the unfamiliar man finally notices my nudity, he's cheeks redden and quickly turns around with his back to me.

''I am so sorry my Luna.'' he says embarrassed. I nod at him and then remember he cant see me.

''Where's the king?'' I ask him instead.

''He's on his way here, Luna.'' As if on cue I hear my name being called once again, only this time I feel my heart swarm and butterflies erupt in my stomach.

Kael.

''Marisela.'' Immediately I am embraced in the scent of my mate. His arms immediately wrap around my body and I couldn't help but to pull him closer to me. There is an energy to our embrace, as if the matter of one powered up the other. In our embrace the world stops still on its axis. There is no time, no wind. My mind is at peace. I feel his body press in, soft and warm. I inwardly thank God and hug him back all the tighter.

Oh God I wanted to cry.

For what felt like hours, we were suddenly interrupted by someone clearing their throat beside us. A female stood behind Kael holding a blanket. Kael briefly let's go of me and only then did he realise that I was naked. He quickly grabs the blanket from the girl and drapes it around me.

Looking to the man beside us, he growls at him in anger. The poor man shifts uncomfortably and nods his head at his Alpha and leaves as quick as lightning.

What was that about?

When Kael turns to face me again, so many emotions are swimming in his eyes, but one was very clear. Relief. He wanted to speak but he fell short of words. Then anger flashes in his eyes, and all of a sudden he became cold and distant which left me confused.

''Come on, lets get you inside.'' he says. He's change of demeanor catches me by surprise. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but before I could say anything, Kael circles one arm around my waist and the other behind my knees, picking me up bridal style.

''Kael!'' I gasp, ''I can walk, I'm not hurt.'' He didn't say anything, instead he carries on walking as if I weighed nothing. I gave up on fighting him, he was acting so different, so distant.

What happened? I thought to myself as I stare at his face.

There is an intensity in his eyes that I didn't understand. deciding not to push him, I lay my head on his hard chest. Closing my eyes, I inhale his intoxicating smell that I missed so much. When I reopen them, we were entering the castles doors.

I hear people gasp around me as we enter the castle. Kael growls at them in warning, the people in the corridor made way for us to pass. I was astound when the men all turned their backs to us in respect for me as their Luna and their Alpha. I look up at Kael, who is still frowning.

What happened?

Kael carried me up the stairs to his room. The moment we were by his door, he opened it and quickly kicked it shut with his foot once we were inside the familiarity of our surroundings. I watched him as he carefully placed me on the bed. He was about to stand up and move, but I quickly placed my hand on his bicep stopping him.

''Kael-''

''Don't Marisela.'' he snaps. ''Just don't.'' he shuts his eyes and turns around, as if trying to control his emotions.

''Kael, I don't understand, what's going on? Did I do something wrong?'' I ask. His body tense. Slowly he turns to face me. Pain was written all over his face.

''That's the thing Marisela, you didn't do anything...You...I..'' He looks down at the ground. When he finally looks at me, my heart breaks at the emotion behind his eyes. Sadness.

Oh Kael!

I immediately cup his face in my palms, he instantly leans into my touch closing his eyes.

''I am so sorry princess.'' He whispers. My fingers freeze as I watch him in confusion.

''I wasn't there to protect you.'' Oh Kael, this wasn't your fault.

My hand slips under his chin, causing his face to lift up to me.

''This is not your fault Kael, don't blame yourself for what has happened. I'm okay.'' I tell him. His eyes roam over my body to make sure and for a split second I see them grow darker.

''You are my mate, my sole purpose is to protect you and I couldn't even do that.'' he says sounding angry at himself.

''Hey,'' I stop him, ''Come here.'' and he does. Kael immediately slides in the bed, pulling me on his lap. My legs sprawl on his side and my arms instantly wrap around his neck.

Big mistake that was.

The blanket that was covering my body falls, exposing my breasts. Kael's eyes immediately narrow in on them, growing darker. I couldn't help the blush that made it's way onto my face.

''Uh....'' I clear my throat as I lift the blanket to cover myself once more, only this time I made sure to hold it tight. I felt shy all of a sudden and the fact that Kael's eyes were still dark didn't help one bit.

Looking at him right now, he was the epitome of sex appeal. He shut his eyes as if to control himself, at the same time, his hands around my waist only gripped me tight.

Control yourself, Marisela , we still need to talk.

Remembering what all has taken place I clear my throat once more to get Kael's attention.

''Kael.'' I call, finally he opens his eyes, but they weren't as dark as before, ''We need to talk.''

Hearing me say those words, he instantly sits up straighter and becomes serious.

''Not today, Marisela, you need to rest.'' he says. A part of me wanted to agree with him, but the other part of me needed to tell him everything before I lose my mind. Then I remembered something else.

''Oh my gosh Kael!'' I gasp, ''is your mother alright?''

My heart sinks when I see Kael's expression, fearing the worst. He's eyes grow darker as he places me off his lap and onto the bed. He was angry.

''Kael,'' I whisper, fearing my next words. "What happened to your mother?''

He looks away gripping the sheets, I could feel the anger rolling off of him and it only made me more tense and afraid of what he would say next.

''She's been poisoned...'' his eyes turn to me and I could see the depth of his anger, ''Why did you go back?" He asks, his anger sounding more towards me now.

"I had to, you don't understand-"

"You put your life in danger on purpose Marisela," he says angrily, "I was here loosing my mind! Imagine my surprise when my mother shows up without you. She said that you willingly went back into the water! Why couldn't you just wait for me?"

"The ocean is my home Kael." I try to explain.

"Home?" He repeats sounding angrier, "this is your home" he gestures to our surroundings, "you don't know what you are dealing with here, you said so yourself! I can't-" he stops. Kael looks away from me, breathing hard. "I need to leave." He walks towards the door.

"Don't wait up for me, you need to rest." He says over his shoulder before walking out.

And just like that, he is gone, leaving me alone in the bed confused and angry.

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