Page 266 of Dark Haven Omegaverse

His wounds slowly mended as his body and soul were infused with second life. One that tied him here permanently.

The realm gave just enough to ease his suffering and let him live again.

Hel was far more complicated.

There was no soul to be had and when I tried to connect with her like I had the human, Helheim was more than a little resistant.

The more I pleaded for its help, the more the realm retreated from me.

“Look, I know what she did to you. I get it,” I hissed at the realm like it could hear me. Desperation made me look crazy for the first time in a long time. “She saw you as a prison and resented you for it, yet used you to keep herself strong. It’s different now. I’m not the same. I would never do that. But I ambeggingyou to help. If you don’t, I’ll be ripped away from you, too.”

Loki let out a hum of agreement to back me up.

“Is she talking to the realm?” Roman questioned. I ignored him as I continued to speak to Helheim.

There were no empty promises, only doses of reality and a bit of pleading.

Finally, it stopped resisting me.

I connected with Hel, and the moment I did, a spark of something echoed around us. It fed into her, as if her energy had been mixed with the realm and waiting for her return.

I wasn’t sure if it was a soul, or if she ever had one, but that fragment of her life energy was enough to build on and I focused on it instead of her body.

I latched on easily and filled it with whatever Helheim was willing to give.

“Harlow, enough,” Loki called out. From the look on his and the others’ faces, apparently, they’d been trying and failing to get me to stop.

Hel was fine now, the wound in her chest mended. She looked disoriented, stunned that I’d saved her, but very much alive.

“What is this feeling?” she asked in horror, rubbing at her chest.

“My guess? A soul. It’s a heavy burden. Maybe now you’ll treat Helheim with a little respect.” My words were harsh. I had no sympathy. She had put the entire world and this realm through chaos.

“Why is everyone calling you Hel? Where are we?” the man next to her spoke. The confusion in his tone was enough to stop her from saying anything back to me.

“I’m sorry, love. I never meant to put you through this,” she admitted to him as she clasped his hand in hers. “There’s a lot you need to know.”

He gave her a strained smile. “It’s all right. You can tell me. We’re mates, nothing will tear us apart.”

He was so gentle with her, his eyes only for his mate. I was happy for them. There had been a lot of resentment sent her way, but I couldn’t fault her for wanting what I gained so easily.

She’d heard the prophecy and orchestrated everything, watched me get so much more than she thought she had here.

She was living a lonely existence and I wouldn’t wish that on anymore.

“Thank you,” I said as I turned away from the couple. The realm brushed against me in response before ebbing. It was strange that the realm, at its core, was almost like another god. A stronger one.

Someday I would ask Loki about it. But those questions were for another time. Right now, I was glad I’d repaid my debt.

Part of me expected Odin to pop in and see what exactly I’d done to close the realm. If that happened, I might not be in my position for long for saving Hel.

Then again, the gods seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. He likely already knew. His lack of presence was a good sign.

He had bigger issues anyway.

Now that the portal was closed, the humans could fight back against the demons and reclaim their world. As a species, humans were resilient, and I knew they’d rebuild.

Either way, I’d done my part.

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