A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews and alerts. Real life is always interfering with my writing/updates.

Some readers were concerned about Hunter. Is he still alive? Read on to find out.

Rated M for language.

"Hunter."

'Mmmm?'

"Just…stay with me, alright?" I cupped his ashen face and forced him to open his heavy lidded eyes.

He drifted in and out of consciousness during the short flight to Haiti but his vital signs were stable so far.

'Where are we?' He croaked.

"We just landed in Port–au-Prince Airport." I told him, brushing his blonde hair away from his clammy forehead.

He was fading right before my eyes, his ethereal glow slowly dying out like the flickering flames of a candle.

After his initial collapse earlier at St. Barts, he managed to recover long enough for us to grab a taxi to the airport and board the plane in peace.

'Don't be afraid.' His large hand squeezed mine reassuringly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a deep breath, hoping it would be enough to calm me down. "Caspian said you have less than an hour before your body starts shutting down. If we don't get to the portal in time…"

'We will.' He assured me.

The plane finally halted to a complete stop so I quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and helped him up.

"Come on. Let's get you home."

.

.

.

The Caribbean Sea was dark and foreboding, reminding me that Hunter's life was literally in my hands.

I dragged his heavy body down the beach, my muscles aching from his extra weight. Pearl and Caspian led the way with their fairy-like light, their tiny faces etched with concern.

The portal was located inside a hidden cave surrounded by palm trees. It was both cold and creepy. When we finally reached the entrance, I crouched down and checked Hunter's pulse to make sure he was still alive.

My hands were shaking like a leaf and my throat felt dry as a desert.

I was so scared.

'The ring, Miss Bella.' Caspian said in an urgent voice.

"Right. The ring."

I quickly removed Hunter's silver ring from his finger and crawled to the back of the cave.

'You need to activate the portal.' Pearl instructed, showing me where to insert the ring.

I shakily placed it inside the small, circular indentation and watched it glow brighter and brighter until the wall disappeared.

'Miss Bella. You have to cross over to the other side now!' Caspian shouted over the violent gust of wind that invaded the cave.

Adrenaline surged through my limbs, making me ten times stronger and giving me the courage I needed to grab Hunter and venture into the unknown.

.

.

.

Cerulean blue water and pearly white sand greeted us on the other side.

I shielded my eyes from the midday sun and tried to breathe in…and out…

My heart was racing so fast, especially when I turned around and saw the island in all its Atlantis glory.

"Holy Muffin!"

Rows of olive and pine trees formed a three tier cake with identical buildings in between. They were all similar in size with dome-shaped roofs and arched balconies.

The row closest to the beach housed the largest building of them all. It was castle-like in structure with stone walls, observation towers and an iron gate so high, it dwarfed the people guarding it.

Pearl suddenly floated up to my face and snapped me out of my Twilight Zone trance. 'They're coming!' She shouted in my ear before disappearing along with a nervous looking Caspian.

"What the…"

A blur of white fur tackled me to the ground before I could even blink.

It was heavy, warm and ridiculously familiar.

"A-alpha?"

The Siberian husky barked in reply and licked the side of my face with his friendly tongue.

"I missed you too, buddy."

Tears flooded my eyes while I petted his head, wishing Jake would find me, and fast. The portal was no longer open and I was stuck here with Hunter who was still unconscious.

Unfortunately, my wish never came true because moments later, we were captured by Cora's guards.

.

.

.

The castle was breathtaking, distracting me momentarily from my tightly bound hands. It was an architectural marvel with mirror-like floors and opal walls.

Bronze statues of Poseidon and Aphrodite adorned the arched hallways. They looked scary real and so did the sea creatures that were carved into the massive double doors.

The brawny guard standing to my right reached out and placed the pad of his thumb on what looked like a fingerprint recognition screen.

The silver doors swung open, revealing an oval room with a shimmering statue in the distance. Said statue was seated on a throne encrusted with pearls and precious stones.

I was violently pushed towards the center of the room and forced to kneel down in front of the terrifyingly familiar statue.

'Your Highness.' Guards number 1 and 2 bowed their iron-clad heads in respect. 'This is the human who exited the portal.'

It took me a second to realize that Queen Cora was the statue.

She was wearing an arctic blue dress with tiny little diamonds woven into the silky fabric. Her golden skin and obsidian eyes made her look eerily similar to the bronze sculptures in the hallway.

I was this close to losing my cool when the other two guards dumped Hunter's body unceremoniously onto the floor next to me.

'Leave us.' Cora adjusted her sapphire diadem and dismissed the four gigantic asses.

I shifted uncomfortably on my knees and glanced worriedly at Hunter.

"He needs a doctor." My panicked voice reverberated around the ocean-blue room.

The waves painted on the walls shifted every few seconds, reminding me that this was no ordinary castle, and neither was Cora.

She glided down the aquamarine steps, her silver satin shoes clicking loudly against the smooth, mirror-like surface.

'Foolish child…' Her long raven hair tumbled down her graceful shoulders when she leaned forward and touched a hand to Hunter's clammy forehead. 'His parents are rolling in their graves because of you.'

My heart thudded loudly inside my ribcage as I watched her circle his body like a cunning lioness.

'What was he thinking, pursuing a trollop like you?' She muttered disapprovingly.

I gritted my teeth and managed to hold back the flood of insults threatening to burst out of my mouth.

'Get up.' She ordered, fixing me with a cold, calculating stare.

I swallowed my pride and used the balls of my feet to hoist myself up and off the cold floor.

My knees protested the sudden movement and I staggered backwards, my back colliding with the column behind me.

'Good girl.' She stepped closer, a sinister smile dancing on her full lips. 'Would you like me to untie you?'

Her tone was suspiciously gentle so I decided to play along and remain as polite as possible. "Yes, please."

Ugh…I can't believe I just said that.

She lifted an amused eyebrow and motioned for me to turn around. 'Whoring aside, you are nothing like your mother. She would have never risked her own life to save Hunter.'

I looked down at the blonde Knight who promised to protect me and vowed to protect him as well. "Is he going to be okay?"

'Yes.' She confidently replied. 'Our kind can barely survive a month outside the island, let alone a few weeks. He will regain consciousness in an hour, maybe two.'

It took me a moment to digest her words.

'Jacob's generation think it's a myth, but it is not.' Cora added. 'And this is exactly why I warned you to sever ties with my son.' She coolly explained. 'But you saved me the trouble by cheating on him with his best friend.'

My wrists were finally free so I turned around and shook my head in protest. "Now wait a minute…"

'He still loves you, you know.' She interjected with a disgusted frown. 'His atrocious grandmother poisoned his mind with destiny and prophecies, making him think that you are some kind of blessing from the Gods.' She snorted distastefully.

"Are you done insulting me?" I rubbed my sore wrists, trying to mask the pain. "Because you've got nothing to worry about. Jake's engaged to Ondine, Hunter's back where he belongs and I'm clearly not a blessing from the Gods, so there!"

Exhausted tears clouded my eyes.

I hated myself for losing my shit like that, but it was bound to happen, especially after what I'd witnessed earlier in St. Barts.

Hunter almost died because of me.

My world almost killed him.

'Human teenagers are so emotional.' Cora remarked airily. 'Dry your tears, young lady. I have a tempting proposition for you.' She gave me a thin, monogrammed handkerchief before guiding me towards a translucent door in the back.

It slid open to reveal a long corridor with intricately carved walls and a ceiling decorated with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

'My ancestors coexisted with humans for many years before they built this very island. They witnessed the rise and fall of many empires. Wars, bloodshed, destruction…they experienced it all firsthand so they decided to shield themselves from mankind.'

Cora glided past me, her mermaid dress trailing behind her like liquid silk.

'This shield is what makes us both imperceptible and impenetrable. Therefore, our air is much cleaner and our water supply is fresh and abundant.' She resumed her history lesson as we ventured further down the corridor.

'Needless to say, establishing a new Kingdom required a set of rules and regulations. Atlanteans were banned from engaging with humans. Those who did were given the death penalty, but nowadays we make certain…exceptions.'

She rounded a corner and I followed, feeling lightheaded now that my adrenaline was gone.

'When Ocean fell in love with your mother, he was instantly condemned to an early death.' Cora turned her raven head to look at me. 'I was devastated, so…' She swallowed, her ice-cold expression melting all of a sudden. 'So I took matters into my own hands and abducted your father.'

Abducted your father…

Abducted your father…

I froze in shock, her words still ringing in my ear.

Another door slid open, but my legs were rooted to the floor, unable to follow her anywhere.

'He is still alive, Isabella.' She divulged. 'Would you like to see him?'

My heart thudded loudly in my chest, drowning out her question.

"Ss-still alive?" I stammered.

Cora nodded and pulled me inside a small, glass elevator. The lights flickered to life once the door closed behind us.

'Underwater dungeon!' She spoke in a clear, loud voice.

I held my breath and felt the elevator move below our feet. It was definitely headed downwards.

"He's in a dungeon?!" I glared daggers at the woman standing before me. "All this time I thought he was dead…DEAD! And now you're telling me that he's alive?"

She swallowed and looked away. 'Avenging my brother was my one and only goal.'

"Let me get this straight. You kidnapped Charlie so you'd get back at my mother? She didn't even love HIM!"

'Yes. I am well-aware of that now.' She gruffly admitted.

The elevator slowed down to a stop, giving me a glimpse of the coral reefs in the distance. They were packed with rainbow fish and other bizarre sea creatures.

I clenched my hands into fists and followed her past the glass doorway. "He'd better be in pristine condition."

'You have my word.' She reassured me.

.

.

.

The underwater dungeon was guarded by two of Cora's asses. They were wearing their trademark Poseidon shields and armored with pointy silver tridents.

'Your Majesty.' They both bowed for their evil Queen and opened a set of double doors that led to Charlie's prison cell.

Anticipation seeped into my body, making me walk faster. I was eager to see my dad after ten years of absence.

Cora motioned for me to stand in front of a beautiful topaz wall. The angles and grooves in the wall reflected the crystal blue water above us and helped sooth my nerves.

'Uncloak the walls!' She ordered in a loud, authoritative voice.

I held my breath and watched the wall disappear; unveiling a rectangular room with a small bed in one corner, a TV in the other and a leather couch with a familiar figure lounging on its comfy-looking cushions.

"Oh my God…"

My voice trembled along with my clenched hands.

Charlie was sitting there with a book in his lap. He had his reading glasses on and seemed to be engrossed in whatever it is that he was reading.

Aside from his salt and pepper hair, he looked healthy and not as old as I thought he'd be.

"Can he see me?" I asked Cora who was observing my dad with a somber expression on her face.

'No.' She replied. 'And I would like to keep it that way until we discuss our proposition.'

I pressed my palms flat against the invisible wall and nodded my consent.

"Okay."

Cora stood beside me and stared out into the distance. 'I have kept your father hidden all these years knowing he would become a bargaining chip someday.'

"Bargain away then." I reached up and toyed nervously with the locket around my neck. "Let him go and I'll do anything you ask of me."

She hummed in reply and reached for the necklace as well. 'Atlantean gold. The cream of the crop. May I see it?'

I unclasped the golden chain and blindly gave it to her, my gaze still locked on Charlie. He was leafing through his book, looking right at home in his large cell.

'To my beautiful Swan…' Cora read the inscription written inside the locket. 'Happy birthday. Lots of love. Jake.' She sighed and closed the diamond halves. 'You need to return this to my son and tell him to move on.' She instructed.

"He already did." I lied. "I umm…only wear his gift as a memento."

Cora folded her arms across her chest and shot me a patronizing look from under her thick lashes. 'Do you take me for a fool, Isabella?' She chided me. 'We both know that my son is besotted with you even though he is engaged to Ondine.'

I swallowed the lump in my throat and saw my dad get up from the couch and stretch his arms over his head. "If I return the necklace and…break Jake's heart, will you release Charlie and let us leave the island in one piece?"

'I will gladly release your father on one condition: my son gets married first.' She stated. 'Once the wedding is over, my guards will escort him to Washington and erase his current imprisonment from his memory.'

"You really are a monster." I seethed, clutching the locket to my bleeding heart.

'All is fair when it comes to family, Isabella.' Cora shrugged nonchalantly.

"Says the woman who robbed me of my own dad for TEN fucking years!"

Queen ice-bitch suddenly leaned forward and looked me dead in the eye in a pure act of intimidation. 'Don't sass me, little girl. I have been exceptionally civil to you, so do not push your luck.'

She stared me down for a few seconds until I had no choice but to cave in and accept her deal.

"Fine. Give me one hour and then I'll send for Jake."

Her features instantly relaxed and an actual smile graced her full lips. 'Nonsense, dear. You must get some rest first.' She insisted.

"I'm not tired." I stubbornly said, even though I was practically dead on my feet.

Cora activated her garnet ring and ordered her guards to carry Hunter to his quarters. 'Would you like to stay with him until he rises from his slumber?'

"Yes."

The Queen barked out another set of orders at her raven-haired mermaid and motioned for me to follow her back to the elevator.

'This stays between us, Isabella.' She informed me. 'If my son ever finds out that your father is still alive and that this was all a ploy to free him, Charlie's severed head will be delivered to you on a silver platter. Am I clear?'

"Crystal." I nodded.

.

.

.

Sobbing uncontrollably on the floor…

That's how Hunter found me two hours later. He practically flew off the bed and crouched down beside me, his velvet voice frantic with worry.

'Bella! What's wrong?' He asked in concern. 'Are you injured?! Did those fuckers hurt you?'

"No…" I sniffled.

'Tell me what happened!' He demanded, gently shaking my shoulders.

"I…I can't be with Jake anymore."